Build and Shoot

Note: This game was formerly listed as Ace of Spades. However, the game was bought by Jagex and is no longer free. More information about the paid version, which has very different gameplay than described here, can be found here. This post is about the community-supported game now known as Build And Shoot, which is based on Ace of Spades v0.75, the last free version. This post has been appropriately edited to refer to the new name.

Genre: FPS, team-based
System: Windows, Linux, Mac (Linux and Mac requires the use of Wine. Set-up instructions: Linux, Mac)
# Players: 6 - 32 (Technically less, but any fewer and the game would be rather boring)
Filesize: 5.5 MB

Game Overview

Build and Shoot has been described as "Minecraft with guns." While not entirely accurately from a gameplay perspective, that should give you the general idea. Like in Minecraft, the world is made of blocks. You can destroy these blocks, or you can create new ones to build structures. Unlike in Minecraft, you also have with you a rifle, machine gun, or shotgun, and a handful of grenades. Also unlike in Minecraft, there is an opposing team of players trying to kill you and steal your team's "Intel"--this game's "flag" in its CTF mode. The game also features some other game modes, including "Territorial Control" (think Control Points from Team Fortress 2), and of course Deathmatch.

And if you're looking to play online, the game has an active community, so you'll be able to find severs and players easily.

Quick Review

I've played this game a bit now, and I have to say, it's fun. However, don't expect it to play like "Minecraft"; There's a reason I said "Minecraft with guns" wasn't entirely accurate. In Minecraft, you spend a lot of time building complex and beautiful structures. But in Build and Shoot, your opponents simply won't let you. If you try to build anything too extravagant, you'll probably be shot before it's finished. Or worse--someone could cut the foundation of your new fort out from under you and destroy the whole thing.

Instead, this game plays more like World War I. Instead of huge elaborate bases, you'll be building bunkers, walls, or sniper nests. And you'll be digging trenches and tunnels. These quick and effective structures are important, and need to be strategically placed so you can infiltrate the enemy's side of the map without getting picked off.

Because of its building and digging capability, Build and Shoot is quite different from other FPS games. Instead of running around blasting everything, you need to focus more on stealth--not being seen and not being heard. To get to the enemy's base, you'll need to think carefully about where to place your structures and tunnels. There could be a sniper hiding on the side of that mountain; or maybe he's over near those trees.

Setting up for LAN play is a bit difficult. The game includes a "server.exe" to host, but it doesn't give you many options. As such, you may want to download the mod server PySnip. Also, to connect, players will need to use a special server browser, such as Spadille. More details here.

Build and Shoot is still a Beta version, so you may encounter a few bugs every now and then. Also, it's lacking some of the polish you'd expect from a finished game. However, it's very fun to play, and overall Build and Shoot is an excellent free LAN game. Give it a try!

Build and Shoot Homepage
Build and Shoot Free Download Page
Quick Start Guide
Beginner's Guide

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Warsow

Genre: FPS
System: Windows, Linux, Mac
# Players: 1 - 64 (?)
Filesize: 441MB

Game Overview

 Warsow is a free first-person shooter based on Quake II. The game features very fast-paced action, with speed and movement "tricks" a central part of the game. There are a variety of weapons and power-ups. The game also comes with bots, so you can practice solo or add a few extra players for a small LAN party. The visuals in Warsow are quite nice, and the characters in the game have a very cool "cartoony" look.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to play it with anyone else yet since the game does not seem to get along with my current router (a D-Link DIR-601). :-\ Oh well, but I'm sure it will be fun at a LAN party!

Warsow Homepage
Warsow Free Download Page

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User Scoring System

Hello,

you may have noticed that the user scoring system is now in place. Each game now has a "Rate this game!" form, so that you can share how you feel about the game. I also encourage you to write your own review of the game in the comments section.

The Free Games Index has also been updated, so now the scores are shown in the table as well. The score for each game is updated every four hours.

I hope that everyone finds these ratings useful! Next, I'm working on a "Game of the Day"-type feature which will showcase the most popular game based on votes. This will appear in the sidebar.

So get out there and vote! And if you find any bugs or errors, please let me know.

UPDATE:
Alright, so the Top Game now appears in the sidebar. I also added a "Popular" gadget, since I figured that would be useful too. I also found out that the "Rate this Game" form looked very ugly in Internet Explorer, so I've (hopefully) fixed that as well.