tigsource-assemblee-competition posts

One of the oldest game genres is the rogue-like, with games such as Nethack and Angband having an incredible longevity. Nethack itself is almost 26 years old, for example. However, rogue-likes are typically impenetrable to those that haven't spent a considerable amount of time playing them. Tiny Crawl is the answer to this common frustration, and it's a great way for new players to become engrossed in the rogue-like genre. Created for the TIGsource Assemblee competition, it boils rogue-likes down to their absolute core, providing a simple, streamlined, and engaging experience. It's no surprise how finely crafted and tuned Tiny Crawl is, given developer Sparky's work on IGF finalist Star Guard.

Welcome to Freeware Friday, a weekly column showcasing excellent games that you can play free of charge!

There are a few games that have had massive influence on those that came afterward, and one of the most influential is the first-person dungeon crawler Ultima Underworld. It built a comprehensive world filled with monsters and intrigue that would later have an effect on everything from System Shock to Elder Scrolls, and it was the first role-playing game to have true 3D graphics, among other features. However, this isn't about Ultima Underworld. Rather, it's about a freeware game made for the Assemblee competition that brings back pleasant memories of plumbing Ultima Underworld's depths. The game is The King, the Queen, and the Jester, and it's mix of first-person action with rogue-like depth make it one of the better games we've played in a long time.