I’m writing on scenic on-campus, and that can only mean one thing: It is Taco Tuesday, inarguably the greatest day of the week in cafeterias all around America and hopefully much of the world. Taco Tuesday is also the day where I get to put some focus on games that I think you should be watching out for, even if I don’t normally have an opportunity to fit them into everyday MMO Fallout life.

Continuing on with the past few weeks, I’d like to expand upon my list of Steam Greenlight and Kickstarter games. The best part about Steam Greenlight is that, generally, a lot of the games I get to talk about are already available to play either as live titles (Perpetuum, Battleground Europe, etc) or in beta (see this list). So even if the games wind up in limbo on Greenlight for the next two years, you can still download them from their respective sources and play now.

1. Dino Storm

Just take a minute to soak in the above image. A cowboy riding a dinosaur wielding a laser gun. With that sort of introduction, Dino Storm has a lot to live up to. From the looks of things, Dino Storm features questing, loot collection, and player vs player combat with territory control and resource collection. Gain recognition and even compete with other players for offices and become the town sheriff.

It may not be sharks with laser beams attached to their heads, but surely this unholy trinity is worthy of some sort of attention. Even better, you can play Dino Storm’s open beta right now.

Official website: http://dinostorm.com
Steam Greenlight: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=94544410&searchtext=

2. NEStalgia

So I’m a sucker for 8-bit graphics and old school RPGs. Sue me. NEStalgia merges old school RPG mechanics with the trappings of the MMO genre, merging turn based combat with online play, auction housing, and guilds. NEStalgia is free to play without microtransactions, but with an optional subscription which unlocks new classes and ways to customize your character’s appearance.

NEStalgia can be played currently at its website.

Website: http://silkgames.com/nestalgia
Greenlight: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=92588954&searchtext=

3. Dark Blood

I normally wouldn’t consider myself to be easy to please, but show me a game where I can play as an ass-kicking polar bear, and I’m a happy guy. Dark Blood is a beat-em-up arcade brawler along the lines of Dungeon Fighter Online, and the game looks pretty good to boot. Dark Blood is free to play with microtransactions (as you’d expect), and there isn’t really much more to add. You’ll fight through dungeons, massacre all sorts of creatures in large quantities, and fight other players in arena combat.

So if you enjoy games like Dungeon Fighter, why not play the best looking game in the bunch? Dark Blood can already be played at its website below.

Greenlight: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=94463555&searchtext=
Website: http://darkblood.outspark.com/

4. Heroes & Generals

I love World War II, and there is a particular place in my heart for massively multiplayer games that are set in World War II, even better if the game is a first person shooter. The core of Heroes & Generals is a team-based first person shooter, players taking to the trenches and fighting it out on foot, in planes, or in vehicles. Strategically, both sides must manage resources and territory, sending troops where they are needed and taking command. If this is sounding like a 2012-Battleground Europe, stop me now.

Heroes & Generals is being developed by the founding fathers and core developers of IO Interactive, our dear friends who brought us Hitman and Freedom Fighters. You can sign up for the beta at the website below.

Website: www.HeroesAndGenerals.com
Greenlight: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=93051095&searchtext=

5. Island Forge

Yes, I’ve talked about Island Forge before, but it wasn’t from this particular computer. Island Forge presents two games in one: One half of the game is a hex-based world creator. Design and publish islands for other players to quest through, creating your own stories and adventures only limited by your creativity. The other half involves, of course, exploring other player’s creations, besting their quests and knocking a few heads together.

Island Forge is quite impressive, seeing as how it was developed by a single person. You can even play the game in its current iteration on the main website below, free for 30 days with a subscription going forward. And since I’m already on track to “this is a sales pitch” comments, you can support Island Forge’s Kickstarter below as well.

Greenlight: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=93854071&searchtext=
Website: http://islandforge.com/
Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1391235405/island-forge-establishing-a-creative-player-commun