"Put down that wrench!"

How about Global Thermonuclear War?

About eighteen months ago, I mentioned a game called Darwinia from a small UK software company called Introversion Software. Not content with their success (Darwinia won some awards), they've now released their latest offering, a Wargames-esque game of nuclear armageddon called Defcon. Rather good, and very, very pretty, though with less humour than the Nuclear War card game from Flying Buffalo.

Off to Bristol before nine this morning, to go to IKEA and thence to John Lewis at Cribbs Causeway. Nowt much to speak of in general (looking at kitchens), but I did pop into Virgin and pick up a copy of Darwinia, which is easily the most innovative and nifty game that I've played in a while. In fact, since I played the last game by these guys, the rather good Uplink. If Uplink was a novel hacking simulation games, then Darwinia is an artificial life real-time strategy game with a gestural interface.

Both of these games are from Introversion Software, which is essentially a UK-based independent outfit run by two recent graduates out of their bedrooms. The US distribution for Uplink went sour when the distribution company filed for Chapter 11, and Introversion haven't received royalty payments from them since the spring of 2003.

Buy this game. These guys are doing some good work, and need your support.