Oops, I'm a few days late. Will I ever manage to keep to the bi-weekly
schedule for these posts, I wonder? Well, free(-ish) games are worth
the delay. Especially if they're any good. Are they any good this
time, though?

[urls are informative, and not where you claim the freebies. Duh.]

#


* FRAMED Collection (via GOG)
https://www.gog.com/en/game/framed_collection
An puzzle game with an adventure narrative that you play /
read by re-arranging the frames of its comic-book like story
into the correct order. Conceptually interesting, if a bit
short and light on actual gameplay.


* Regular Factory Escape Room (via GOG) https://www.gog.com/en/game/regular_factory_escape_room
I think whoever it was at Amazon who used to be in love
with 'hidden object' games has moved on to 'Escape Room'
games, and that's why we're getting so many of these
sorts of titles now. Reviews aren't very favorable on
this one, though.


* Still There (via GOG)
https://www.gog.com/en/game/still_there
A point-n-click adventure game set in space. I can't
really tell anything about the gameplay from the trailers,
although apparently there is a lot of interaction with
the environment. But the story and the game's tone doesn't
seem all that exciting to me, and reviews don't have much
positive to say on the gameplay aspects either.


* Escape Academy (via EPIC) https://store.epicgames.com/p/escape-academy-bfc2bf?lang=en-US
A first-person puzzler, played single-player or co-op,
wrapped up in a nominal setting of 'teaching' you the
secrets of escape. It's a fine game, I'm sure, but fairly
niche in appeal. I can't say I like its art style, though.
(note: this was a freebie on Epic back in 2024, so you may
already own this one)


* Poly Vita (via Amazon)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1831410/Poly_Vita/
Looks like a store-brand "Monument Valley" clone;
rearrange tiles to make a clear path for the protagonist
to get across the map. I'm not saying its bad, but it feels
a very follow-the-leader sort of game.


#


I mean, not a great selection of games, no. Then again, the games
Amazon puts out in the latter half of the month are never the more
exciting titles, so it's hardly unexpected that I'd be unimpressed.
But they're free(-ish) so I'm not complaining TOO loudly. I expect the selection will be a (little more) exciting come the start of August.






--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 7/18/2026 11:59 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

Oops, I'm a few days late. Will I ever manage to keep to the bi-weekly schedule for these posts, I wonder? Well, free(-ish) games are worth
the delay. Especially if they're any good. Are they any good this
time, though?

[urls are informative, and not where you claim the freebies. Duh.]

#

* FRAMED Collection (via GOG)
https://www.gog.com/en/game/framed_collection
An puzzle game with an adventure narrative that you play /
read by re-arranging the frames of its comic-book like story
into the correct order. Conceptually interesting, if a bit
short and light on actual gameplay.

* Regular Factory Escape Room (via GOG) https://www.gog.com/en/game/regular_factory_escape_room
I think whoever it was at Amazon who used to be in love
with 'hidden object' games has moved on to 'Escape Room'
games, and that's why we're getting so many of these
sorts of titles now. Reviews aren't very favorable on
this one, though.

* Still There (via GOG)
https://www.gog.com/en/game/still_there
A point-n-click adventure game set in space. I can't
really tell anything about the gameplay from the trailers,
although apparently there is a lot of interaction with
the environment. But the story and the game's tone doesn't
seem all that exciting to me, and reviews don't have much
positive to say on the gameplay aspects either.

* Escape Academy (via EPIC) https://store.epicgames.com/p/escape-academy-bfc2bf?lang=en-US
A first-person puzzler, played single-player or co-op,
wrapped up in a nominal setting of 'teaching' you the
secrets of escape. It's a fine game, I'm sure, but fairly
niche in appeal. I can't say I like its art style, though.
(note: this was a freebie on Epic back in 2024, so you may
already own this one)

* Poly Vita (via Amazon) https://store.steampowered.com/app/1831410/Poly_Vita/
Looks like a store-brand "Monument Valley" clone;
rearrange tiles to make a clear path for the protagonist
to get across the map. I'm not saying its bad, but it feels
a very follow-the-leader sort of game.

#

I mean, not a great selection of games, no. Then again, the games
Amazon puts out in the latter half of the month are never the more
exciting titles, so it's hardly unexpected that I'd be unimpressed.
But they're free(-ish) so I'm not complaining TOO loudly. I expect the selection will be a (little more) exciting come the start of August.

None of these fit the bill for me. If anyone wants the GOG ones, give
me a ring, and I'll give you the code.

--
-Justisaur

?-?
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
?ª'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 7/18/2026 11:59 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

* Poly Vita (via Amazon)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1831410/Poly_Vita/
Looks like a store-brand "Monument Valley" clone;
rearrange tiles to make a clear path for the protagonist
to get across the map. I'm not saying its bad, but it feels
a very follow-the-leader sort of game.

As an aside: this game is made available through Legacy, not Amazon.
My mistake. I get the logos used to diffentiate the services confused sometimes. ;-)



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 7/19/2026 9:52 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On 7/18/2026 11:59 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

* Poly Vita (via Amazon)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1831410/Poly_Vita/
Looks like a store-brand "Monument Valley" clone;
rearrange tiles to make a clear path for the protagonist
to get across the map. I'm not saying its bad, but it feels
a very follow-the-leader sort of game.

As an aside: this game is made available through Legacy, not Amazon.
My mistake. I get the logos used to diffentiate the services confused sometimes. ;-)

There's a difference in services?

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Mon, 20 Jul 2026 07:04:17 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> said this thing:

On 7/19/2026 9:52 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On 7/18/2026 11:59 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

* Poly Vita (via Amazon)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1831410/Poly_Vita/
Looks like a store-brand "Monument Valley" clone;
rearrange tiles to make a clear path for the protagonist
to get across the map. I'm not saying its bad, but it feels
a very follow-the-leader sort of game.

As an aside: this game is made available through Legacy, not Amazon.
My mistake. I get the logos used to diffentiate the services confused
sometimes. ;-)

There's a difference in services?

Legacy is a third-party service, akin to Epic or Steam, with a focus
on casual-style games. They aren't directly associated with Amazon,
except that they do business with them. Like Steam, you need an
account with Legacy, and the games are downloaded through a launcher.
You don't need a paid active subscription to play the games once you
acquire them, however.

Amazon also offers free games from its own service. Honestly, I'm not
entirely sure how they work now. It used to be the games they offered
were yours-to-keep once you claimed them, even if you stopped paying
for Prime. I'm not sure that's the case now. Luna is a subscription
service, and as such if you quit Prime, you lose access to all games.
But does that include the stuff they give you in these monthly
freebies? I've never bothered to find out.

But the TL;DR is that yes, Legacy and Amazon (Luna) are different
services.



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)