Indie and other games of interest: Become a shark, hunt down vampires

There are a few tidbits of indie and other games of interest stuff past the break this week. One stand out, in our opinion, is Miami Shark, where you literally get to play as one of the giant fish. Awesome stuff.

Also, there's the usual free stuff, sneak peeks and a barrage of other stuff you normally wouldn't see during the week.

Click onward.

• There's a demo out for a game called Zombie Bowl-o-Rama, where the Zombies have taken over the bowling alley and it's up to you to send 'em back to the graveyard where they belong. It's from MumboJumbo and you can get it from FileFront.

• MagnaCarta 2 landed in stores this week, and a video over on Kotaku takes a look at the Kan system - which is how special abilities and magic are handled. Go have a watch.

• Blitz 1UP, founded by Blitz Games to help small devs bring games to the market, has signed three new titles, and given the green light to four more. One of the new games is Remode Limited's Mole Control, a 3D puzzler sort of like minesweeper. Also, Blitz has appointed Neil Holmes as producer for Blitz 1UP and he has 19 years of experience with the likes of Atari, Destination Software, SCEE and others. More through Gamasutra.

• eGames has announced today that its PC game The Dracula Files, a vampire-themed hidden object adventure, will be made available through digital distribution on October 18 here and via other casual games sale sites. In it, vampire hunters face-off with werewolves, vampires, and dark spirits in a globe-spanning search for cursed objects and holy relics. Neato.

• Last week, you heard about Capsized. This week, GameSetWatch tells you all about it, complete with a video.

• Divinity II: Ego Draconis is expected to land on PC and Xbox 360 in January 2010. It's an RPG from cdv and DTP entertainment. It looks rather smashing, especially if you are into games like that. We might give it a go and see what happens. Anyway. Gamespot has some pics of it here.

• Ripple Dot Zero is a fun looking title that the developers say was inspired by Sonic The Hedgehog, Strider, Alien Soldier, Ristar and Gunstar Heroes. Sure looks it! IndieGames has a trailer for it here.

• Rock, Paper, Shotgun has video up of a top-down shooter called Subvein. After watching the video, head on over this way to get it.

• Capybara Games has said that it's PSN title, Critter Crunch, isn't doing so well. "Not selling so hot," user Cromulent_Word wrote on NeoGaf. "Very sad over here too. Hopefully the demo will help, but what can you do -- we made the best game we could for the best price we could, but in the end it's the gamers that define your level of sales success." A demo for it will be released on PSN next week, and currently you can get it fr $6.99. Via D'toid.

• Wanna get in on the Beta for Valkyrie Sky, a fixed shooter arcade game similar to Galaga? Then download the client from FileFront. The vertical scroll shooter's based on a Northern European mythology with traces of an MMO game so that players can level up and play with each other. More information can be found here.

• Ever wished you were a shark? Now you can be one, sort of, with Miami Shark from Newgrounds. Gameplay involves loads of fun sharky stuff, like diving into the ocean depths to garner enough speed to jump into the air and bite, grab, and terrorize anything above you. Even planes. There’s also boats, divers, birds, and dolphins to gnash your teeth at as well. We blame RPS for getting us addicted to this.

• Over on XBL is a game called WhipCrack that lets you assume control of a space-age whip as you crack enemies, earn upgrades, and fling your master across the screen. Battle across 19 single-player missions, and five multiplayer missions. See more here.

• Lead & Gold: Gangs of the Wild West is a multiplayer team-based shooter with player classes designed to use unique weapons and traits to form a gang. It has a variety of maps and game modes with a western setting. Take a look at it over on RPS.

• Mouse No. Probably a Rat is a remake of Oddbob's Squid Yes! Not So Octopus with similar controls and a spread shot used to destroy alien robots. The Scattle developers title was created in less than three hours. Go have a look at it. It's free.