Blake Fix, designer of the excellent Walker and the upcoming Omulus, announced the release of his latest project, (my) Life as a Game (designer). He describes it as "a minigame that is supposed to convey the frustration of life's distractions while trying to complete a project", but it is so much more. While it does convey tedium and frustration, it does so with wit and style, while employing a surprisingly intricate game system.

Microsoft has all but completely failed to acknowledge independent development in the course of unveiling its new console, the Xbox One. But what it has said isn't too inspiring.

Speaking with ShackNews, Microsoft's general manager of Redmond Game Studios and Platforms, Matt Booty, confirmed that developers can't go solo on the new console.

"We intend to continue to court developers in the ways that we have," says Booty, meaning that Microsoft will continue to require game developers to submit through a publisher, as they have in the existing Xbox Live.

However, Booty adds that Microsoft will "continue to explore new business models and new ways of surfacing content."

It's really simple actually. If the Rythos RPG Builder gets kickstarted it vows to become a freeware, open-source, cross-platform RPG creation kit, that will offer a ton of options and enough versatility to cover all genre needs. Apparently quite a bit of work has already been done on it already and, seeing as this will become a thing for the community, chipping in would be the nice thing to do.

These Robotic Hearts of Mine and Traal developer Draknek/Alan Hazelden has released a short but clever puzzler for iOS, Android, and Blackberry today. Dr. Biology's Educational Game is an exercise in splitting and moving cells until they cover all the gaps. Simply drag the cells where you want them to move, and they will split upon moving. That's not all there is to it, but that should be enough to get you going!

Swofl, developer of the exceptionally creepy indie classic Lasting, has delivered a new horror game of a different flavor. Super Product Line, or SPL, is an 8-bit styled survival horror game created for the NESFAN Game Jam. It's a bit like what Resident Evil might have been on the NES, but with a sense of humor.

With upcoming console Xbox One, the Xbox Marketplace will no longer offer a distinction between retail, Arcade and Xbox Live Indie Games -- instead, all titles will be available under the same banner.

Talking to Eurogamer, Microsoft's Phil Harrison explained that where the Xbox 360 offers separate channels for the different types of games on offer for the console, the Xbox One will instead bring them all together.

"In the past we had retail games which came on disc, we had Xbox Live Arcade and we had Indie Games, and they had their own discrete channels or discrete silos," he noted. "With Xbox One and the new marketplace, they're games. We don't make a distinction between whether a game is a 50-hour RPG epic or whether it is a puzzle game or whether it is something that fits halfway between the two."

Essentially, users will be able to search through all the available games for the Xbox One together rather than sifting through individual channels.

Nine Dots Studio is speaking directly to folks who loved games like Star Wars: X-Wing Vs Tie Fighter with GoD Factory: Wingmen. It's like they're saying "We know multiplayer space combat hasn't seen much representation lately, so here's a game that will help fill the void." Even in its pre-alpha state, GoD Factory looks like it's going to deliver on this suggestion.

Fernando Ramallo and Miguel Angel Perez Martinez, the duo behind Cardboard Box Assembler, are back with a very atypical snake game. Snaaaake doesn't mind running into itself as it causes mass destruction to forests, film studios, truck stops and more. The goal is to cause enough damage to humans and buildings to build your score and move on to the next area, but the challenge is in controlling the snake. Objects can be constricted to be smashed, but humans are a pain to chase. Thankfully the snake can accelerate forward to catch up. Go squish 'em all!

Anyone looking for a blueprint on how to port classic action games to iOS should look no further than Jordan Mechner's classic Karateka. Said old karate action thingy has simply nailed its controls and is ages ahead of, say, the recent and superficially shiny Karateka remake. If you have fond memories of gaming on an 8-bit micro you know you have to grab it; besides, it will only set you back $0.99.

The Ludum Dare 26 Humorous award winner (compo) and first-person, puzzle-platformer Get The Potato was just what I needed at the end of a long day. No TV. No sports. Just potato-puzzle rocket science to discuss around the water cooler. I actually enjoyed someone randomly yelling at me to get the potato, even when it's too far away or when a big purple cube is obstructing my path. I just have to get the potato. Thanks, Get The Potato developer James lIljenquist!