Due to a mishap involving two ferrets, half a jar of peanut butter and an unstable set of crutches, this week’s post is a few days late as well. That is, relative to my regular schedule; if you’re simply expecting a new post every 7 days, I am right on time. In that case, disregard this prelude.

I’ll preface the rest of my post with a caution that this week’s game is not for everybody. It can be irritating, frustrating and a general source of vexation. I’m willing to bet that it just won’t be fun for you unless you’re a certain type of person who has a high threshold for pain. That said, if you enjoy playing games like Riven: The Sequel To Myst with no walkthroughs or you aren’t satisfied walking away from a challenge in Tony Hawk without a “Sick” rating, then Trials 2: Second Edition may be for you. I am hoping that I have not steered you wrong with my recommendations up to this point. If you’re ready to take a chance on me, I’ll cue some inspirational music and tell you about this game.
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Cheap Games

This is a roundup of all 17 of the cheap games we’ve featured in the blog. Every game so far is under $15 and many are even free! Here they are in order of price (low to high):

TITLE	GENRE	PRICE	SOURCES
De Blob	Platformer	FREE	Publisher|DoSu
(Released: 2006) Play as an amorphous pile of goo by absorbing the color of living things and transferring them to inanimate objects. That’s fortunate for this world, because the whole damn thing is gray! However, the big bad government wants to keep it that way.
Execution	Experimental	FREE	Publisher|DoSu
(Released: 2008) This short exposition is an experimental game that will leave you thinking.
Phyta	Experimental	FREE	Publisher|DoSu
(Released: 2008) An experimental arthouse type puzzle game about growth.
Synaesthete	Action/Rhythm	FREE	Publisher|DoSu
(Released: 2007) Synaesthete is something of an “action-rhythm” game set to electronic music. Navigate “Zaikman” through a series of rooms, eliminating enemies along the way by hitting “notes” successfully. IGF’s 2007 winner of the Best Student Game award.
Trackmania Nations Forever	Racing	FREE	Steam|Publisher
(Released: 2008) Pure hardcore arcade action time-trial racing including online multiplayer.
Tripline	Puzzle	FREE	Publisher|DoSu
(Released: 2008) A puzzle game where you draw an uncrossable line and at the same time try to cover every geometrical icon within the black frame. You have to pick three of the same icon before being able to go to a different one.
Dungeon Runners	Action RPG	FREE*	Publisher|GoGamer
(Released: 2007) A fun and satirical fantasy online action RPG filled with plenty of dungeons and hawt loot. *Free to play with reasonable ads; optional low monthly fee for benefits.
Geometry Wars	Shmup	$3.99	Steam
(Released: 2007) The premise is simple: shoot the shapes. Collide with a shape and you die. As time goes on, the game becomes increasingly hectic. It’s good, cheap, and worth a look.
AudioSurf	Rhythm/Puzzle	$9.99	Steam
(Released: 2008) Re-experience your music with this puzzle driving game. It dynamically generates a track based on whatever song you play.
Beyond Good & Evil	Action Adventure	$9.99	Steam|GameTap
(Released: 2003) An adventure full of diverse gameplay, a wonderful story, and charming characters. A reporter discovers a dangerous secret about a war with a menacing alien race. Jade must work to protect her adopted family.
Eets: Hunger	Puzzle	$9.99	Steam|Publisher
(Released: 2006) Been described as “Lemmings meets The Incredible Machine”. Get Eets safely to his destination by changing his mood (with marshmellows) and his environment.
Everyday Shooter	Shmup	$9.99	Steam
(Released: 2008) The object of this twin stick shooter is to create chains of explosions over top of some pretty interesting music. Winner of three IGF 2007 awards including Design Innovation, Excellence in Audio and the GameTap Indie Award.
Gish	Platformer	$9.99	Steam
(Released: 2004) Rolling, jumping, sticking, swinging, squeezing and stomping around as an amorphous pile of goo. I think that it can fittingly be described as a physics-based puzzle game. (Win|Linux|OSX)
Painkiller	FPS	$9.99	Steam
(Released: 2004) Classic Doom and Quake style singleplayer FPS action. Hoards of enemies and really big guns - hell yeah. Online multiplayer.
Trials 2: Second Edition	Stunt/Puzzle	$9.99	Steam
(Released: 2008) You control a masochistic individual on a motorcycle with the goal of traversing from one end of a track to another all while trying to maintain balance on your bike and pull off flips or wheelies from, ideally, a side view.
Prey	FPS	$12.99	Amazon|GoGamer
(Released: 2006) An under-appreciated solid sci-fi FPS including online multiplayer. The game offers plenty of twists and mind-bending navigation. Retail copies can be added to Steam. (Win|OSX)
Defcon: Everybody Dies	RTS	$14.99	Steam
(Released: 2006) An unconventional RTS set during a what-if nuclear warfare scenario using nostalgic vector graphics. Win by dying the least. (Win|Linux|OSX)