Hi to all!

In case anybody doesn't know it yet, Amazon US is making a massive digital PC games campaign, go check it out here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=Mayhem%20Deals?ie=UTF8&docId=1000716161

Their prices are so cheap I'm considering a "temporary visit to the US", to buy some of these games! Oh, how I wish these games were on GOG, DRM-free and cheap and open to all countries.

IF any of the forum users have bought any of these games on Amazon, could you please talk about your experience with them and if they come with any kind of DRM attached? Any hints of Securom, Starfoce, Tages, etc? Any form of online validation/activation required?

Most of these say "by Viva Media". I know at least one of their games, available at their online shop, needs online validation. Would this also be possible with Amazon?

Al Emmo and The Lost Dutchman's Mine 2.5$
http://www.amazon.com/Emmo-Lost-Dutchmans-Mine-Download/dp/B0030GG118

Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island 2.99$
http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Pirates-Vooju-Island-Download/dp/B004GHNG1I

Lost Chronicles of Zerzuza 8.99$
http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Chronicles-of-Zerzuza-Download/dp/B009WWHW0I/

Lost Horizon 2.5$
http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Silver-40435Lost-Horizon-Download/dp/B0042X9M0K

Secret Files - Tunguska 2.49$
http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Silver-40781-Tunguska6-Secret/dp/B005JF4OHG

Secret Files 2 - 2.49$
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Files-Puritas-Cordis-Download/dp/B005JF4P9I

Black Mirror 2 - 2$
http://www.amazon.com/Viva-Media-40588ck-Mirror-21/dp/B004NNVE7S

Secret Files 3 - 7.49$
http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Silver-Secret-Files-Download/dp/B008VUG4A6

Gray Matter 3$
http://www.amazon.com/Viva-Media-40588Gray-Matter3-Download/dp/B004NNVE8M/

The Walking Dead 10$ (steam)
http://www.amazon.com/Walking-Dead-Online-Game-Code/dp/B007WWWF9I

Black Mirror 3 - 2$
http://www.amazon.com/Viva-Media-40644ck-Mirror-31/dp/B004W36PI2/

CSI: Deadly Intent 6$49
http://www.amazon.com/Ubisoft-1731-CSI-Deadly-Download/dp/B0030GG2TO

Haunted 6.99$
http://www.amazon.com/Viva-Media-Haunted-Download/dp/B00AHH580I

Gray Matter + Alter Ego + Black Mirror 2 + Black Mirror 3 - 5.99$
http://www.amazon.com/Viva-Media-40869ture-Bundle1-Adventure/dp/B006C5M5R8

Thanks TechnoSpike, that's quite a list of great games at great prices. Thanks for putting it all together.

Ana

Great info, Technospike.

I bought and downloaded Lost Horizon. Installed fine and started up right away. There was no activation key or any kind of authorization that I could see--unless it was invisible, but I don't think so.

I also bought Sacred 2 Gold. There is no activation key listed with it in my Amazon game library, but I have not downloaded it yet, so not sure how it would install.

If a game is a steam release or had a particular DRM on it from the developer or publisher then the Amazon download will have the same DRM. Each game is different.

Thanks lanlynk! From what I've discovered so far, I assume you had to install the Amazon downloader client, correct?

Yeah, too bad they don't have a very detailed information regarding DRM. For instance, with Nancy Drew: Ghost of Thorton Hall they say it's DRM-free. However, with LA Noire Complete Edition they don't have any information about the DRM involved (which I know is quite heavy, lot's of different stuff involved).

So, did anybody here caved in and bought any of the other games I mentioned (besides Lost Horizon, by lanlynk)?

I recently bought "Alice Madness Returns" plus original Alice bundle for $7.49. Been wanting to replay the original for ever.and the new one.

Anyway, had my first experience with a 3rd party and activation code.Before being able to start download had to register with "Origen"( EA Games) to get that downloader.From 9AM to 11PM,(12 hours!) only 77% done so went to bed thinking it would finish. Next morning, error mssg. and of course game didn't work.(their customer service is useless, but Amazon's was good.)

So now I have UNinstalled it and will try again sometime.
If I had know about this 3rd party being involved,and the long dl time( the discription said 1GB) I never would have bought this-is there any way you can tell beforehand if this is the case?

Techno-Thanks for the link-I must be nuts! Just bought Grey Matter and 3 Nancy drew games for $2.99 each. There are some great buys there if you have patience to look thru them. Most of the Nancy Drew games are either $2.99 0r $6.99.

TechnoSpike, Yes, I had to run the Amazon downloader for Lost Horizon. (I chose the Run option rather than Save.) I haven't downloaded Sacred 2 Gold yet. I bought LA Noire Complete on Steam when it was on sale there.

bigmomma, third-party installations can be tricky. And one of my few complaints about Amazon is that it doesn't give enough info about installations and activations for these types of purchases. It's usually up to the reviewers to help each other out. I suggest reading the reviews to find suggestions and info about DRM, etc. Some can be very helpful.

For example, I also got Spellforce: Faith in Destiny from Amazon because it was $5 vs. $19 at Steam, but I did NOT download it from Amazon. I used the activation code Amazon gave me to download it from Steam. The only other review for this game on Amazon was from someone who could not get the game to install when they tried the Amazon download. After reading that, I noticed one small sentence on the Amazon product page that said, "Steam account required for game activation and installation." It would have been easy to miss. Here's my review/explanation for what I did for that game:
My Installation Review for Faith in Destiny

Yeah, to my knowledge you can check if a game has to be redeemed through Steam or through Origin or similar. When I saw the news about the Mayhem sale, I saw people posting links to Steam only games and Origin.

And, like lanlynk said, sometimes reviews will have information about this.



What's your input on buying Gray Matter? Did you already installed it? Any kind of activation required?



Thanks for the feedback lanlynk! I didn't understand one thing, what's the run option?

Does the Amazon dowloader client allow you to just save the game installer into the disk (for later burning it into a DVD, for instance), while also allowing to download the game installer and automatically start the installation?

Hello Tehcno-
I havn't tried to install Grey Matter yet. I noticed that some of the Amazon listings had "code Required" in the description, but didn't see any on Grey Matter or the Nancy Drew games. Hopefully not!

As we have requested previously, the topic of DRM and other installation questions belong in Glitches please and thank you. If you wish to discuss the games; story, releases, sales etc, that is what discussions is for.

As a final note here, the run or save option when downloading something is only asking if you wish to "save" the zipped installer on your computer before installing. No matter which you select you are still saving the unzipped installed version on your computer. You are not keeping it off by saying run only.

If you wish to continue this thread as a installation/ drm conversation instead of a sale announcement let me know and I will move it to Glitches.

BrownEyedTigre just explained what I meant. Sorry for confusion.

BETigre: And sorry we got off topic. These categories just seem to slip into each other sometimes! When buying games, people wonder about how good it is and how well it runs, which leads to installation, which leads to explanation ...

You moderators must feel like you're herding cats!