InstantAction.com: Web Console?

Garage Gamestake after my own heart. Their new browser-based game site, InstantAction.com, will not only support a variety of games intended for the serious player, but also offers instant chat and multi-player accessibility across those games.

But wait—’serious’ games in the browser? As serious as Bejeweled, Snake, and Aggressive Alpine Skiing? Impossible. Let’s pause Sarcasm Quest for a second and take a peek.

GarageGames CEO Josh Williams described InstantAction as a “console for the Web” in his discussion with GameSpot last year. But not a fully blown 360, per se—more of a quick-load, 3D-rendered arcade. The gaming portal will support games built on a variety of engines, including GG’s own Torque engine (featured in the Xbox Live Arcade game Marble Blast Ultra). The open beta contains a PC port of this titled Marble Blast Online, along with three other games: Think Tanks, Cyclomite, and Screw Jumper (the first two developed by GarageGames and the last two by Wide Load Shorts and Frozen Codebase, respectively).

The beta suggests a potentially fast-paced, engrossing experience with higher-quality games and online play available as easily as most Flash games. But it’s not quite there yet. Load times are underestimated and on slower connections can rival full download speeds. The varying system requirements for games stunts the ability to move fluidly between plays. (Cyclomite glitched on my PC and was unplayable.) These issues, however, are minor and fixable.

What remains key is the ingenuity and thoughtfulness regarding online play: the chats, open party system, and multiplayer option in even seemingly anti-social games will draw the competitive crowd GarageGames is seeking. And the oversized, red declaration of “Jillian has no friends.” is a surprisingly convincing taunt to go out and recruit myself some more InstantActioneers. Wanna play?