So I was browsing through Steam’s recent round of Greenlight candidates when I came across “Dead Squared”, a zombie FPS/RPG. The game is still in development, but the devs are allowing folks to download the Alpha build for free. I figured, why not? I was pleasantly surprised by what I found, even if it wasn’t polished yet. I could craft up to four weapons and collected a TON of cat and dog pictures…don’t ask.
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Close your eyes for a moment. You are now seven years old. You’ve trekked up your street’s small hill on foot with your bike in tow. You get on your bike and take a deep breath, as you’re about to attempt your first downhill journey at a whopping ten miles per hour. Now…take those butterflies in your stomach, turn them into the hottest red peppers known to man, change the words “hill” into “mountain” and “ten miles per hour” into “holy “&^*%!”, and you’ve got MTBFreeride. It’s a free, downhill biking simulator that will make you wish you hadn’t eaten two weeks ago.
“The Agents”, put simply, features more agents than an episode of “Get Smart”. It’s a tactical, turn-based card game that tasks players with earning the most victory points. As always, there’s a catch: cards have two different effects. You can play one of those effects on yourself, but the other effect will be made available to your opponent. It’s an interesting give-and-take mechanic that I don’t see very often in card games, but before I get into all of that, I’d like to thank Saar Shai for providing me with a free prototype copy. While the prototype may not fully represent the finished product, it is close enough to where I could do a full review. Be advised however that some of the rules mentioned below may be subject to change.
By now, everyone should know that crossing the streams would mean that all life as you knew it would stop instantaneously and every molecule in your body would explode at the speed of light, resulting in a total protonic reversal. What you may not be aware of is the video game adaptation that made its way onto shelves back in 2009 and no, I’m not talking about that really crappy one titled, “Sanctum of Slime”. Although you can get a good gaming pc under 1000, it’s important to note that the PC version of the game is a bit different and less cartoony than its console counterparts, especially when compared to the Wii version. The XBox 360 and PS3 versions feature online multiplayer, whereas the PC version unfortunately does not. The Nintendo DS version doesn’t even resemble the game in the slightest and could be compared to the PC version released back in 1984. For the purposes of this review and just to clear up any confusion, I’ll be touching on the PC version of the game.
“Monopoly” games are commonplace nowadays, but back in 2001, it was rare to see a “Monopoly” game that also had a business side to it. By business side, I mean managing properties, constructing particular businesses, adjusting prices and inventory counts, leasing city blocks and utilities, and etc. “Monopoly Tycoon” lets you do all of those things and more. Due to its age, I’m not going to bother with a full review. I will say however that if you can get the game to work on your PC, it’s a blast to play. Some of you may receive a “this program is attempting to crash gracefully” when starting up the game, but you can click the “No Music” box in the configure menu before you hit that play button and it should work. You won’t have music, but at least the game will get you past the opening cutscene. All in all, it’s a fun business tycoon game that everyone should experience at least once.
“Endless Space” received a 9/10 from yours truly, and with good reason. It is one of my favorite 4x games ever to have crossed my path since the “Galactic Civilizations” series. Since my review of “Endless Space” back on July 5, 2012 (almost exactly one year earlier, ironically), four free add-ons and an official expansion have made their way onto those next turn buttons everywhere. For the purposes of this review, I’m going to assume that you have read the review of the core game (link above). If you haven’t, I highly recommend that you do, as I’ll be skipping over some of the game’s core features so as not to repeat myself. Before we take a look at what the expansion has to offer, I’d like to thank Mayke Griffioen from Iceberg Interactive for reaching out and providing me with a free review copy.
The number of games I’ve seen on Steam’s new “Early Access” section has increased over these past few months, bringing more Alpha and Beta goodness to gamers everywhere. I really like the idea of pitching in and helping games still in development, as players usually receive some sort of discount or bonus for being avid supporters. It’s a win-win for everyone, and such is the case with “Infested Planet”. In this particular strategy game, players will be fending off waves of nasty aliens that improve and mutate as you attempt to wipe them out. It’s an interesting tower defense / real-time strategy / squad management mix that will keep players engaged from start to finish. Before we take a sneak peek at the Beta, I’d like to thank Alex Vostrov (the game’s creator) for providing me with a free press copy.
So, not much has happened since my last post. Created a website on Zenfolio, scheduled my very first appointment for a photo shoot, drafted up price lists and customer FAQs, you know…the usual. You can’t see me right now, but I’m jumping up and down like a little school boy who bagged his very first rare Pokémon. Okay, obligatory update over.
How many puzzle games would you estimate to be out on the gaming market currently? Thousands? Tens of thousands? Millions? Frankly, I lost count. There comes a point though where one or two puzzle games stick out in your mind every time the genre is mentioned. “Storm”, I discovered, is one such game. In this particular puzzle game, you’ll be tasked with guiding a seed to fertile soil so that it can grow and prosper into something grand. It sounds simple, but the gameplay elements and ambience will reel you back in, making you hunger for more. Before we get started with the review, I’d like to thank Benjamin Cestac from Neko Entertainment for providing me with a free review copy.
The year is 1941. For those of you who remember your history, you’ll know the significance of that date. It was the year that Germany broke the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact and begun its invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II. “Company of Heroes 2” puts you in the shoes of a commander from the Soviet Red Army and tasks you with fighting back the German invasion RTS style via a single player campaign. Alternatively, players will be able to participate in multiplayer skirmishes online. Before we get started taking a look at this game in further detail, I’d like to thank Simon Watt from SEGA and Melissa Chan from Wonacott Communications for providing me with a free review copy.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know who Slenderman is and why he’s boosted underwear sales across the globe. For that reason, I really enjoyed reviewing “Slender: The Eight Pages”, the precursor and field test for the recently released “Slender: The Arrival”. In case you aren’t familiar with either game, “Slender: The Eight Pages” tasks you with collecting eight pages scattered around a forest, in the dark. Slenderman, a faceless something-or-other in a suit, eventually shows up and attempts to hunt you down. With your only weapon being a flashlight (I use the term “weapon” loosely), you’ll be racing to collect the eight pages before it catches up with you. “Slender: The Arrival” is the official sequel, promising to bring more scares and more Slender goodness to the table. Before we get into specifics, I’d like to thank the folks at Blue Isle Studios for providing me with a free review copy.
Go on, admit it…you played with blocks as a kid. There’s no sense in denying it. We, as educated and mature adults (ha!), often refine our tastes as we get older…yet there are occasions where the simplest things can grant us the most enjoyment. “Convert” is one such item, tasking players with stacking blocks in such a way that would earn them the most points. It’s a very simple, yet elegant abstract game for two players that you won’t want to play just once. Before we get started, I’d like to thank Ian Reed from Yodeo Games for providing me with a free press copy. It’s important to note that the copy I received was a prototype, meaning that it may look a bit different from those created during production. The box and the scorecards, for example, will look much better in the final version than in the pictures below. Because my copy was close enough in quality to the final product however, I opted to do a full review.
Glory. Everyone wants it, but few end up acquiring it. This is especially the case with this quote unquote “little” card game that will soon be punching and kicking its way onto Kickstarter. In “IncrediBrawl”, players will be given their own set of cards and must duke it out with others in an attempt to earn the most glory (victory) points. Before we take a sneak peek at this particular card game, I’d like to thank Jake Leeman from Vision 3 for reaching out to me and providing me with a prototype copy. It’s important to note that the prototype copy is not representative of the final components, so the pictures and content you’ll see in this article are subject to change.
No one really knows where the legendary Lost Dutchman Gold Mine is, but that won’t stop people from looking for it. There’s still some speculation as to whether or not the legend is actually true, but those who do believe estimate the mine to lie somewhere in the southwestern parts of the United States. The mine itself is named after one Jacob Waltz (a German immigrant) who reportedly found the mine but kept its location secret. In, “The Lost Dutchman”, players will be taking on the role of prospectors in search of this legend. Not only will they be competing against one another, but they’ll be braving the elements and trying to overcome various dangers. Before we begin checking out the game in further detail, I’d like to thank the folks at Game Salute for providing me with a free review copy.
“TrackMania² Canyon” was a blast to play, especially on the levels that involved loops and jumps. Even though I tended to flip upside down and skid off the road into deep, menacing crevices, I found myself coming back for more abuse regardless of what my insurance agent said. “TrackMania² Stadium” is the second game in the TrackMania series, this time allowing players the ability to test their reflexes on stadium tracks inspired by the “TrackMania Nations Forever” game. Before we take a look at our newest member of the TrackMania collection, I’d like to thank Edouard Beauchemin from Nadeo for providing me with a free review copy.
I rarely get to be a dungeon master, but when I do, I feel right at home. There’s nothing like being in complete control of someone else’s destiny…on pen and paper, that is. “Ohhhh, sorry…looks like you stepped on a pile of troll droppings…minus three thousand dexterity.” Needless to say, no one likes it when I’m the dungeon master. “Knights of Pen and Paper +1 Edition” is an expanded version of “Knights of Pen and Paper”, which was released back in 2012. The latter was designed for iPhone/iPad/iPod and Android devices, but the newer version will allow us PC and Mac users a chance to flex our creative muscles a bit. In short, this game allows the player to take on the role of both the dungeon master AND the characters…something I did way back when in my “Hero Quest” days. Before we get started with the review, I’d like to thank Veronica Gunlycke and David Martinez from Paradox Interactive for providing me with a free press copy.