Added to the blog. http://fgotd.wordpress.com/2010/08/10/weekday-steam-deal-nation-red/
(As a side note, all of these games/GGOTD reviews are under the commercial category, with the vendor as a tag)

This weeks midweek madness sale is 50% off Nation Red for 3.99 pounds (approx $6) instead of 7.99 pounds. Nation Red is an indie zombie shooter akin to the old alien shooters, but with much better graphics. I found this game hard at first as it feels open ended (that is it never seemed to end, but that was only because it was so manic, with zombies coming from all directions). You have to survive a particular amount of time to progress to the next level. It took me many attempts before I finally got to the second level, but once you get the hang of it it does become easier. There's a massive array of weapons to pick up throughout the game. You can check the game out via the following link. ther's a video and several images, or you can check one of the videos I've posted below.

If you like fast action, then this game will appeal. If your reactions are slow, i'd give this one a miss:

http://store.steampowered.com/app/39800/

The Game:

Nation Red is an ultra fast infinite play arena-based shooter providing an exceptional close-quarter battlefield experience. Fight thousands of zombie mutants and their bosses in frantic bloody gameplay while earning over 70 perks.

August 17, 1977

Scattered groups of zombies infiltrate remote Midwestern towns. Incapable of using tools or weapons, the invaders are resisted until they retreat back into the desert. Special elimination posses are set up to hunt down any of the surviving undead. Six weeks after the squads started their search-and-destroy mission, the last known zombie was shot and killed.

Present-day

Over thirty years had passed when a truck driver traveling down a desolate Arizona road plows into a wall of undead. Before the driver's phone signal went dead, he reported some were carrying guns... They're back and now they are hunting us.

Steam Exclusive Features:

• Local and On-line Coop — Take on the horde and earn perks together

• Barricade Mode — Defend your base against zombie attack

• 58 Steam Achievements and a dozen Leaderboards

• 30 Additional Steam User-designed Perks

• Xbox 360 Controller support for single or multiplayer

• Steam Hammer — Rips the skin off your opponent (nice)

• New Steam User designed weapons — Minigun, AA-12, MP5, Beretta 93R, Super Shorty and more

• New Level and New Enemies — Zombie patients and caretakers in a desert asylum, Brawler boss zombies, Suicide bomber zombies..

• Pneumatic Destroyer — Detonates the Rammer they are surrounded by zombies

Key Features:

• Ultra Fast Action — Fight armies of hundreds of zombies and their bosses in an exceptional close-quarter battlefield experience

• Deadly Weapons — Use machetes, axes, jack hammers, dual Uzis, flame throwers, grenades, poison and a dozen more including a Steam Hammer, exclusive to Steam purchasers

• Customize Yourself — Over 70 player modifiers combine with two dozen power-ups for limitless gameplay

• Four Game Modes — Free Play, Survival, Barricade and 18 increasingly brutal missions await

• Zombies with Guns — They wield axes, cut-off saws, AK-47s and more

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMuE2gIyDjQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEuuSxsGh1k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qt1yyVUIUM

System Requirements

OS: Windows XP, Vista
Processor: Intel/AMD 2.0 Ghz or better
Memory: 256 MB+
Graphics: NVidia or ATI with shader 2.0 support (GeForce 6100, Radeon 9600 or newer)
DirectX®: 9.0c
Hard Drive: 600MB
Sound: Any Windows compatible

WR, you can control the speed of battles. I don't know if it was in the game originally, but it is now. See page 8 of the manual:
Time
You can’t alter the direction of time but you can slow down and speedup the battle using the buttons to the right of the minimap. You can also freeze the battle and then use the zoom or movement controls to see what is going on. This can be helpful when you are commanding a gratuitously huge fleet with multiple ships under fire and you need to observe the status of them all. You can also use the numberpad +/- keys to control speed or use the ‘P’ key on the keyboard to freeze and resume playback.

Glad you are enjoying it now.

Despite not liking this when I originally purchased it, I have persevered and am now enjoying the game. As you say it's more like a strategy game, where you have to ensure your ships are upgraded suitably plus you have to choose the right balance of ships to win. I also enjoy watching the battles once they have started though I do wish there was a speed up dial so that you can increase the speed of the battles much like you get in games like the total war series. The rewards system is also interesting.

The game was well worth the 75% off, though I paid full price for mine when it was first released. Pity it was only a weekend deal, plus I didn’t post details until Sunday morning.

I wonder if they will be releasing any more expansion packs?

I'm really enjoying GSB. You are the ship designer/fleet admiral. You design the ships, choose the mix of ships, set their formation, give them some orders and then watch them fight the battle. There are also environmental effects like the condition that doesn't allow you to use any fighters and cuts shield effectiveness in half. There isn't really any story and once the battle starts you can't command the ships. A back story and even minimal commands during the fights would have made it even better. However, I am enjoying the strategy. You earn credit by winning the battles using as few resources as possible and then use your credits to buy new hulls and parts. There are three difficulty levels and multiple races to play and fight.

The 75% off sale is still going and I think continues until 10 am PDT on Monday.

Thanks WR. After watching a few videos, reading a little of the manual, and checking out the demo I am all over this. However, I am more interested in the strategic aspects than in quick twitch games so I understand this isn't for everyone. If anyone else is interested, be sure and get the Collectors Edition rather than the standard edition. For only $1.25 additional cost you get all three expansions for the basic game.

You can check the deal out via the following link. The original game plus three expansions will cost 5.24 (pounds) till Monday morning.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/41800/

It's not exactly what I originally though it was going to be; that is, a space shooter. The game revolves around you designing your own ships by adding various components to a basic design, then placing your fleet against an enemy fleet. Once you click on start the battle then commences, but you are not able to interfere, only watch as the battle ensues. I'd not have purchased it if I'd known the limitations; but for 75% off, it's well worth the price.

I don't have time to post images, but you can see some via the link above, plus there are some video's below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1QYMFGEv5M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44vWgyoMF64

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er2Qvry4TFs

Thanks GMMan, your dedication and help is much appreciated.

The site is just an easy way to organize the posts for the project. I'm listing everyone who regularly write for the project as admin, so you can change what you'd like. Instead (or alongside) of posting the free games here, they can be posted at the blog. It's easier to write there because it's WYSIWYG. And I would be able to transfer all your posts to your name instead of mine ;)

Hi GMMan, sorry, apart from the above post and the reviews I wrote this weekend I've been really busy with several jobs that have needed to be done, plus I'm rediscovering Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2. Been downloading all of the mods, and maps for both games, all of which have given the game a new lease of life. I'm about to go in Hospital on Thursday (just for tests) and then I have a very important meeting next Monday tht relates to my impending court case (for my settlement), so I'm rather distracted at the moment. I did quickly check the site out and though it looked excellent.

I'll be happy to get involved once the above and a few other jobs I have lined up (taking a few weeks of my time) are done.

What exactly would my role be in this web site?

Regards

Whiterabbit

p.s.
sorry I've not responded to any of the PM's or sortiing the problem out you had over the weekend. I just didn't have the time.

Post mirrored at the Free Games for the Weekday blog: http://fgotd.wordpress.com/2010/08/03/midweek-steam-deal-alien-breed-impact-50-off/

@Whiterabbit: Have you checked out the PM regarding the blog yet?

Alien Breed: Impact:

You can buy a copy of Alien Breed: Impact via Steam for only £6,49 or a double pack so that you can play with your friends online for only £9.74. That's like getting one free and 25% off the second copy. There's a great single player campaign as well as a multiplayer co-op campaign. The game is controller enabled so if you have an X-Box controller with a USB converter you can use that instead of the keyboard. It's a 3D version of the original top down alien shooter. One of the first of it's kind. I used to own a copy of the first one on floppy disk. :)

This is the latest in a series of games going right back to the early 90's. You can get all of the early versions such as Alien Breed, Alien Breed 2: Tower Assault and Alien Breed: Obliteration via G@rgoyles game synopsis. You can also see a video of Obliteration HERE

Alien Breed: Impact - The Game

Alien Breed™ Impact is an explosive science fiction arcade-shooter that resurrects a much revered franchise with an epic story, swarms of highly intelligent alien enemies, high-impact weapons, highly detailed and rich environments; all implemented with superb technology in a state-of-the-art gaming experience.

About the Game

Alien Breed™ Impact is an explosive science fiction arcade-shooter that resurrects a much revered franchise with an epic story, swarms of highly intelligent alien enemies, high-impact weapons, highly detailed and rich environments; all implemented with superb technology in a state-of-the-art gaming experience. In addition to the thrilling single-player campaign mode, the game also offers a relentless, action-packed, online two-player co-operative battle mode.

Key Features:

• Alien Breed is back! - An action-packed mix of arcade-shooter, survival-horror and tactical weapons upgrades and customisation.

• Epic single-player story mode - The single-player campaign mode that follows the narrative of the game through five huge and challenging environments.

• Single-player free-play mode - A single-player challenge mode – beat your high score on a previously completed campaign mission.

• Two-player co-operative play mode - Work together to defeat the alien horde across three specifically customised maps.

• Additional Steam online features - Quick Match, Create Game, Friends Lists, Voice Chat, Leader-boards and Co-operative Achievements.

• FREE TRIAL - The "Prologue" sample section – a specifically designed introduction to the game; play in either single-player or two-player online co-operative mode.

• NEW – Upgrades shop - Search fallen comrades and lockers to accumulate cash, and then tactically spend it on weapons/kit upgrades in the shop.

• NEW - Enemies - Re-imagined and improved Alien Breed enemies.

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmJL8uztqWo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkzGeT08E9E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psBAXlWFAOU

System Requirements

Minimum:

OS: Windows® XP SP2 or later
Processor: 2.0+ GHZ Single Core Processor
Memory: 1GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA 6800+ or ATI Radeon X700+ Video Card
DirectX®: 9.0c
Hard Drive: 1.5 GB
Sound: Windows Supported Sound Card
Other Requirements: Internet connection required.

My original copy of the first Alien Breed ran on a 25MHz processor with only 4Mb of RAM and no graphics card, and fit on a single 1.4Mb floppy disc.