But is it dead yet? NO! The Deep Space bundle adds the complete Bagful of Wrong!

Gotta love them long blog-post titles.

The way Bundle In A Box: Deep Space is doing? Well, not so much really.

Despite trying to be different, properly indie, supportive of things that matter, nice and proponents of quality, we didn't apparently manage to attract the gaze of the greatest part of the gaming press. As for the wonderful people that covered the Deep Space let me just say thank you! You've been wonderful! Really, really, wonderful!

Anyway. Enough with that. Just wanted to let you know that our bundle has become even better (yes, it was actually possible) with the addition of Rob Fearon's amazing Bagfull of Wrong as a bundle-within-a-bundle! 

That's another ten games to accompany Death Ray Manta (already got a lovely review over on the illustrious EDGE), Space Giraffe, Dark Scavenger, Armalyte and, surely, you know the rest. As for them new games, please do allow me to copy&paste from our press release:  

Bagfull of Wrong, the winner of 2 Eurogamer Expo Stars, first and foremost contains arena shooter War Twat (for both PC and Mac and in all its varied guises); the same game that had Kieron Gillen admit: “This is a Minter shooter with the finesse removed and the volume turned to Bruce Forsyth screaming with the force of a nuclear explosion”.

 -Critically acclaimed shooter Squid Yes Not So Octopus (widely known as SYNSO). A sweet 1-4 minute arena shooter, offering psychedelic mayhem and neon chaos from the future that never was. SYNSO is playfully accompanied by SYNSO:CE and even more, weirder SYNSO editions.

-SYNSO: Squid Harder. The noisy follow-up to SYNSO. A sequel if you will, sporting even more squids with guns! Pink Robots! Devils from the 4th dimension! Shopping Trolleys and Lasers. Visual and aural overload! The star of the Eurogamer Expo 2009 Indie Games Arcade and an arena shooter like no other.

-Squid and Let Die: A diversion via Transversion. Solar like a fox. Collect the dots, the board is a deathtrap. Do not die. Hard and scary with a side order of Digitiser and Pac-Man tribute.

-FISHFISHBANGBANG: The one-button, fish-spinning, fish vs fish shoot-‘em-up that pays tribute to the almost forgotten Vectrex console.

-Ambiomat: The colorful one-switch digital toy.

-More.

Oh, and the original PlaySF issue and the exclusive Dark Scavenger Soundtrack have already been unlocked for everyone who has grabbed (or will do so) the bundle to enjoy.

If you could help us spread the word reader, that would be rather brilliant. Blog-post, reviews, facebookings, tweeterings, reddits, anything really will do. I even prepared a handy web-presskit to make things easier for you...

Deep Space Bundle: Pay What You Want for 8 Space Themed Games

In space no one can hear you bundle. A silly slogan, I know, but it was one I simply had to use when trying to let the world know about Bundle In A Box: Deep Space; the fantastic, if I may say so myself, pay-what-you-want bundle I and Kyttaro Games had been working on for quite some time and has finally been released.

The bundle is still of course thematic, remains dedicated to DRM-free downloads despite introducing the amazing DRM: The Game (a.k.a. Death Ray Manta) and keeps on supporting both a charity that's actually important and the Indie Dev Grant that, well, is also pretty important.

Right. Let's talk games then and avoid discussing the subtleties (or lack thereof) of the pay-what-you-want model. GAMES. Well, here they are then:

Rob Fearon’s Death Ray Manta (PC/Mac); a psychedelic and fully customizable arena shooter specifically created for Bundle In A Box.

Llamasoft’s demented Space Giraffe (PC/Steam) arcade thingy.

Frenetic space-combat sim The Wreckless (PC/Mac/Desura), that does feel quite a bit like Wing Commander.

Surreal RPG/adventure Dark Scavenger (PC/ Mac/Desura); the game that has the best weapons ever!

Official remake of the Commodore 64 classic Armalyte (PC) along some impressively interactive extras.

Stunning space-shooter Sol: Exodus (PC/Steam/Desura).

Just released 2.5D arcade offering Miner Wars Arena (PC/Mac/Desura)

Humorous retro-esque platformer RobotRiot (PC/Mac/Desura).

What’s more, for each 1000 bundles sold a hand-picked (by me no less) selection of extras will be unlocked for everyone, including the premier issue of the PlaySF sci-fi gaming magazine, the brand new Dark Scavenger soundtrack, the soundtracks of Sol: Exodus and Miner Wars, and an eclectic selection of books, artbooks and storyboards.

As a further bonus, all who purchase the bundle will get access to exclusive content for Droidcape: Basilica; Kyttaro Games’ own upcoming game for iOS and Android and something I have been working on for bloody ages. The top 10 contributors will also get a free copy of the game itself upon release, whereas the Droidscape: Into the Basilica book will be made available as an unlockable extra.

An Indie Dev Grant Got Bundled In Deep Space

You didn't expect this, did you? Well, that's life for you reader dear. Full of surprises. Surprises such as that spankin' new Bundle In A Box blog, the fact that the forthcoming Bundle In A Box will sport a Deep Space theme or the rather more important fact that struggling indie devs are now able to apply for another Indie Dev Grant. Surprises, thus, that are pretty nice.

Now, as I'm sure we will be announcing the new bundle's launch date via BIAB's twitter, let me just quote stuff and let you all know how the new Indie Dev Grant will work: 

The Indie Dev Grant, a most popular feature of Bundle In A Box we are most proud of, is a grant designed to help indie game developers actually create the games they’ve always wanted to. For every 100 bundles sold, $10 will be added to the grant. One indie developer (be it a group or an individual), voted by the esteemed fans of Bundle in a Box will get the whole amount after the bundle ends.  

No strings will be attached by either Bundle in a Box or Kyttaro Games.  

The grant can be used in any way the developer that earns it sees fit and will in no way be obliged to co-operate with Kyttaro Games or Bundle in a Box. Developers that have already taken part in one of our bundles or are willing to do so in the future are also eligible for the grant. Actually, absolutely anyone is free to enter; yes, even people trying to buy some time in order to create their next freeware gem.  

As gamers will start voting on the developer that will earn the grant from the moment the bundle launches, we do ask those interested in participating to contact us with their entries up to September 10.  

We want you to answer the following simple questions and either provide us with a screenshot of your project, a piece of concept art or a video:  

-Who are you?  

-What project will the IDG be helping you complete? Please do describe it.  

Contact us either via the Kyttaro Games contact form or mail us directly at info@bundle-in-a-box.com. We’ll try to get back to you as soon as possible.  

All Indie Dev Grant entries will be presented on both the Kyttaro Games blog and the brand new Bundle In A Box blog.

Bravely Navigating Greenlight (also 10 games that have to be on Steam if the world is to ever be a better place)

In its first day Greenlight, the cunning Steam scheme that lets mainstream gamers vote on indie games and saves Valve the trouble of promoting its service, has gathered over 500 submissions. It is of course quite the mess, though a mess that will ensure that only well-known games with built-in communities make it to Steam, thus bringing Valve even more money. Hoorah!

Or, well, not.

Anyway. I too did spend a few hours navigating the Greenlight entries and here are the 10 games I would like to see make it on the service. They are of course games I was already aware of, but that's how things work, isn't it?

The Sea Will Claim Everything; it's the only game that will make you a better person. Also, it looks and sounds wonderful and sports thousands of lovely words that are lovely.

Death Ray Manta; it's by Rob Fearon and it's the most psychedelic, colourful, enjoyable and modifiable arena shooter we'll ever play. Besides, DRM eh?

Dark Scavenger; because everyone should love excellent, verbose adventure/RPG hybrids with a demented sense of humour.

Project Zomboid; yes, zombies can still be fun, interesting and actually innovative. Here is where I confess my love for the thing.

Neocolonialism; seems to have involved since I first covered it for the IndieGames Blog. Besides Steam could easily use a couple more political games.

Wyv and Keep; I do love co-op games played on one PC. Even more so when they are weird and pixel-artsy. Mind you, I did preview this particular game some time ago.

Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller; crafted with a little help from Jane Jensen AND using the power of post-cognition: the most useless sounding super-power of late, that does though make perfect sense from a gameplay point-of-view.

Fibrillation; from Russia. With horror.

Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land; WWI turn-based strategy and Cthulhu. Better yet, Call of Cthulhu of the Chaosium variety. Did review it some time ago.

Octodad: Dadliest Catch; the trailer, the TRAILER.

And if you feel I haven't posted enough links, well, here's another one. It will take you to my Greenlight Collection thingy, which, provided I don't get bored, will generally include some pretty intriguing games.

Related @ Gnome's Lair:

• Thomas Was Alone; a review
• The 2011 AGS Awards
• Roar and Rampage in Roar Rampage
• J.U.L.I.A. review