Flash Games

I've found myself playing a lot of flash games recently. I think that is because most of them don't involve a great investment of time. Some do, and those ones hold my attention for a few days, but the rest I can play for 5 minutes to an hour and get my fill of them. There are some however that transcend both, simple yet elegant games that stick with me to the point where I play them to the point of complete memorization and eagerly hope for a sequel. The follow are some such games.

Submachine. This was of the earlier "series" that I found that stood out. A point and click adventure that takes you through the puzzles of the vast "submachine", an extra dimensional machine that many people have lost their lives in. What started out as an escape from what looks like the bowels of a ship in Submachine 1, spreads to sewers, temples, castles, laboratories, and submarines through to Submachine 5. At the start you don't really know where you are or why, but it becomes clear over time. If you want to give them a try, go to http://www.pastelgames.com/index.php?dzial=show_series&series=6 . I hear there's a new one coming out in the next few months, oooooo.

Differences. 5 Differences and it's sequel, 6 Differences caught my attention a few months back. The game is based around finding the differences between 2 scenes, and it's not always easy. The premise is simple, something you'd find in any one of a number of children's magazines, however, the art work and atmosphere generated by it set it apart.

5 Differences takes place during the afternoon to evening, near and around a park in the suburbs of a city. There isn't any sound to speak of, but there is just the feeling that comes from playing it. 6 Differences is a little more urban in feel, in and around said city, during the night and early morning. There is music this time around and it really sets the mood. I highly recommend both of them, and a third one is apparently in the works as well. You can try them out at http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/404448 and http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/440491 respectively.

All in all, flash games have really come into their own in the last few years. With PC's getting more powerful, and programming pushing the limit of what they can do within the flash medium, it's only a matter of time before we start seeing games akin to what major developers push out on consoles or as full PC games.