Most hardcore gamers dont particularly like the
downloadable game category, primarily because of the misconception that these games are strictly for the casual crowd. Aside from a few very well-designed puzzle games, most downloadable ones tend to involve mindless repetition of tasks with no discernible end in sight. Even folks who only play sports games look for something a little more in-depth than that. The misconception is starting to wane, though, since more and more video games are becoming available for download, with a large number of them being high-quality works despite the low production values.
Runic Games Torchlight is a perfect example of this. The game is known to be a lighter and easier version of Blizzards Diablo series. True enough, most of the developers and designers of the game were part of the team that created the mainstream action-RPG game. Torchlight uses simple controls to let players access numerous skills across three built-in character classes. Most gamers would notice that is a bit of irreverence to the tones theme, in contrast to Diablos dark bleakness. Runic Games also encouraged fan-made content so players are allowed to contribute a number of mods for additional dungeons, new character classes or to just modify existing features.
A number of gamers prefer free downloadable games. There are a lot of available free games by Enterbains selection of game design suites. With RPG Maker XP and RPG Maker VX being available in English, numerous gamers outside of Japan have completed their own versions on the RPG genre. There are a lot of good homebrew spins such as, Vacant Sky, Vol. 1: Contention, an epic separated into three parts, and Visions & Voices, that has a distinct horror and mystery angle, among others. There are also hundreds of projects to look out for, not all of which are limited to thee RPG genre.
The widely popular Plants vs. Zombies is one of the best examples of a game that has simple structure, yet is extremely addictive. All you have to do is point-and-click, but the games structure makes it necessary for the player to carefully think over which plants to use and where to put them. People are able to use some micromanagement skills that are only used in highly competitive real-time strategy games. The different modes also make the game even more interesting and fun. It is a game that doesnt need sophisticated graphics to be entertaining.
Theres also Dwarf Fortress. The gameplay is expected to be outstanding since the game heavily utilized ASCII graphics so much so that there isnt any other visual representation. It can be excellent for people with a certain sense of humor. The game centers on the dwarven fortress, which the player creates and where the little dwarves live. There are so many things you can do in the game, especially with the numerous features of the fortresses. Also, if you have sadistic inclinations, you can always find new and unique ways to dispose of your dwarves. Not everyone can play it, but specific kinds of people will definitely enjoy it.
