It’s often tempting to use phrases like ‘needs no introduction’ when talking about older games – and we sometimes do – but a few moments after seeing the parts of Humble Bundle’s latest Weekly package, it’ll register with almost everyone that its more notable constituents are nowadays near universally considered classics. Of course, they’ll still get an introduction! Once we’re done with the basics.
First, here’s how Humble’s Retro Shooters bundle looks.
$1 minimum for four games and their expansions:
- Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter
- Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter
- Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition
- Shadow Warrior Classic Redux
$6 opens up the worlds of two further games:
- Hard Reset Extended Edition
- System Shock 2
Whatever your payment level, the proceeds from your purchase go to charity – customisable as ever, with a ‘tip’ to Humble Bundle Inc. should you leave one. Retro Shooters closes on Thursday evening at 7PM (UK time).
I like bananas!
Starting with a lighter note, Sam ‘Serious’ Stone – Serious Sam to you and me – begins the first-person assault on behalf of this week’s game selection.
The Croteam-developed original finds its way into the bundle in 2009 rejig form as Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter. Now when one Sam isn’t enough, take two with you. In fact, take Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter! The madly OTT action continues here, taking us back to wave after wave of enemies like the games of yore and getting the look away from the ‘flatness’ of 3D from early 2000s as the character modelling and lighting are brought up to more recent standards.
Single-player, multi-player, spectators, co-op, Deathmatch, dedicated server support, an evil extra-terrestrial, god-like foe called Mental, time travel, guns… lots of guns – what’s not to want? Double the gun, double the fun!
Come get some!
Vest, shades and denim-wearing over-the-top action-shooters don’t stop there with this bundle. A legendary name for the right and lately, the wrong reasons (‘Forever’), Duke’s popularity fully took off with the third game to carry his name, Duke Nukem 3D.
And it was a better game than the most recently-reviewed outing, Duke Nukem Forever.
Let’s Rock!
The bundle’s Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition includes Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition, Duke Caribbean: Life’s A Beach, Duke it out in D.C., and Nuclear Winter.
Atomic Edition
This expands on the original release by adding a fourth episode (consisting of eleven levels), new enemies and a different final boss, along with AI bots for the multi-player mode.
Duke Caribbean: Life’s A Beach
When chilling out on a tropical island after blasting aliens for months, Duke finds out that the alien horde is having its own holiday. It’s time to crash this party!
Duke it out in D.C.
D.C., Washington? Why that could only mean the alien capture of one President Bill Clinton! Yep, and Duke to the rescue! Expect to go destroying, er… traversing your way through World-famous locations such as the White House and the Smithsonian Museum as you fight to rescue the President of the United States from the filthy clutches of those damned dirty aliens!
Nuclear Winter
The final expansion pack of the Megaton collection sees Santa Claus under the mind control of the indefatigable aliens, now supported by the Feminist Elven Militia!
Another 3D Realms production concludes the ‘$1 Minimum’ portion of the bundle – 1997’s Shadow Warrior. Set for a modern reboot that will be released by GOG.com at this end of this month, this bundle’s founding Shadow Warrior game is accompanied by two add-ons: Wanton Destruction and Twin Dragon. Very much of the same mould as Nukem, you’ll know what to expect of Lo Wang’s merciless journey through Japan – guns, puns and all!
As we outlined earlier, pay beyond the $6 marker and the next two games will be added to your Humble Bundle page or account.
Hard Reset Extended Edition sits in good company alongside its older companions, being as it is a modern take on that straightforward run ‘n’ gun style (this time moving it to the future dystopia of Bezoar City). Extended Edition adds some refinements to the original version and includes the Exile DLC, taking the HR’s protagonist, Major Fletcher, outward beyond the city limits and into the outer territories, The Barrens.
Hard Reset’s soundtrack is included in both MP3 and FLAC formats. Five games, a soundtrack and a mountain of expansion packs. That and the six-dollar minimum sounds enticing?
Hold on! Hold. On.
Outdoing last week’s bargain Far Cry 3 by over thirteen years, Looking Glass Studios and Irriational Games were throwing MONKEYS at you – angry monkeys – in the 90s!
Look at you, hacker – a pathetic creature of meat and bone…
Sequel to Looking Glass Studios’ 1994 DOS-based original and natural attractor of the word ‘masterpiece’, the story elements continue to be told in the same way through 1999’s System Shock 2 – this time through the discovery of the Von Braun ship’s logs, supporting the already-oppressive atmosphere and fighting with role-playing elements considered atypical in the FPS sphere. The real story for the player here is one of survival – a balancing of system hacking, weapon modification and usage (hint: sparingly!), resource management and skill development being key to progression and indeed, your very existence.
It’s now 2114. All was going well… until the distress call was picked up. Unaware of events between that call and the present moment, you wake from cryostasis. It won’t be long until you hear a familiar voice…
That mocking, threatening AI entity and sinister precursor to Portal’s GlaDOS: SHODAN.
She’ll be with you. Everywhere.
Even in an unmodified state, SS2 is still considered a classic, resting deeply and unsettlingly in the cerebral cortex of gamers to this day. Just mention it to an old player to test that point! It’s creepy! If the game style, pacing and environment grabs you, System Shock 2 will be with you always. System Shock 2’s soundtrack will also be available as a separate download on your Humble Bundle page.
Access to all of the games will be obtained via Steam codes. Covering the formats quickly, all of the titles are compatible with Windows. Shadow Warrior: Classic Redux and Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition are also accessible on Steam for Mac and Linux systems. Finally, System Shock 2 is additionally presented in Mac-compatible form.
The charities selected for the Retro Shooters bundle are the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Child’s Play.
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