Video games based around survival have always been appealing to me, mainly because it provides a semi-realistic sense of suspense and forces me to think about my choices. “Frozen Nightmare” is a game I discovered on Desura that tasks the player with finding the necessities to stay alive while avoiding those who have been turned into monstrosities as the result of a nasty virus. Before we take a look at this particular survival game in detail, I’d like to thank Claudio Norori for providing me with a free review copy. It should be noted that the game is currently in the Alpha stage, meaning that it isn’t finished yet. All of the content that I mention in this article is therefore subject to change.
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“Fieldrunners” was originally an iOS game that was released back in 2008, having been pushed to other platforms in the years following. Like the “Great Little/Big War Game” series, it featured strategic play while keeping with a cartoonish theme. “Fieldrunners 2”, which also started out as an iOS product, recently released for the PC and I’m here today to see if it lives up to the successes of its predecessor. Before we get started, I’d like to thank Alec Shobin from Subatomic Studios for sending me a free review copy.
As an avid chess player and a former member of the United States Chess Federation, it goes without saying that I know my way around the chessboard. “For the Crown: 2nd Edition” showed up unexpectedly on my doorstep just the other day and I was surprised to learn that the game not only had a chess theme to it, but also deck-building mechanics. This is probably the only time I’ll ever be able to use “chess” and “deck-building” in the same sentence, so forgive me if I spontaneously combust with excitement periodically throughout the review. Before we take a look at this game in further detail, I’d like to thank Stephanie Marroquin from Victory Point Games for sending me a free review copy. It’s worth noting that there is a polybag version and a boxed version…the components I mention and the pictures you’ll see represent that of the boxed version.
A lot of things were going through my mind when I came across, “Super Tower Rush”. Is it a tower defense game? Does it involve constructing towers quickly to meet some unknown goal? I was surprised to learn that it was something far different, as it introduced mechanics that I don’t normally see in the world of reviewing games. Before we begin looking at what this game is all about, I’d like to thank Lorena Casanova for sending me a free preview copy. It’s important to note that this game is currently in the Alpha stage of development, which means that the game isn’t finished yet. It also means that the features and content that I describe in this article are subject to change.
It’s not often that I get to be the bad guy. In “Master Plan”, players will all be assuming the roles of supervillians hellbent on claiming the ultimate prize before their fellow colleagues do. Unlike most card games I’ve played, this one actually makes use of a “real space” mechanic that forces players to strategically place the cards they play. Players will be laying down cards in an attempt to be the first one to get their pawn to the prize. Before we get into how that all works, I’d like to thank Brad Talton from Level 99 Games for sending me a free review copy. While the game is still about a week away from being released to the general public, the pictures you’ll see in this article represent the final components.
“Pixel Tactics” is a two player card game with an eight-bit/sixteen-bit theme. Players will be summoning and using heroes to attack their opponent’s leader. The player who manages to kill their opponent’s leader first wins the game. Before we take a look at how this is accomplished, I’d like to thank Brad Talton from Level 99 Games for sending me a free review copy. While the game is still about a week away from being released to the general public, the pictures you’ll see in this article represent the final components.
One of the first “detective” board games I remember playing as a kid was “Clue: The Great Museum Caper”, which involved one player taking on the role of a thief attempting to steal paintings from under the noses of the other players. “Mr. Jack in New York” is a more recent game I’ve played that tasks one player (the detective) in finding and catching the other (Mr. Jack) through a series of logical deductions. “NOIR” feels like a combination of both games, however in this instance, both players have hidden identities and will be attempting to thwart the other in different ways. Before we get started, I’d like to thank Brad Talton from Level 99 Games for sending me a free review copy. While the game is still about a week away from being released to the general public, the pictures you’ll see in this article represent the final components.
I haven’t written anything personal in a while, but I came across something that I believes warrants a look. An individual on Facebook, who shall remain nameless, had this to say:
I stumbled upon this game during a sale about a year ago, picking it up for a whopping $2.49, down from $9.99. To sum this game up, you’ll be building a base with power plants and defenses in an attempt to ward off waves of enemy aliens. While I do appreciate the game’s many modes, they all revolve around the same general premise. I would have liked a mechanic that rewards the player for sticking with it from game to game, possibly something like a tech tree of sorts. As it stands, you’ll either try to survive and/or score as many points as you can. There is a creative mode that lets you build to your heart’s content, but I mainly used this to perfect my defense strategies. Final verdict? “Harvest: Massive Encounter” is a fun game that is worth buying, but it could use a little more depth. I recommend picking it up during a sale, if at all possible.
“SKIRMISH: Modern Card Warfare” (which will be known henceforth as “SKIRMISH”) is a two player card game with a rock-paper-scissors theme. Players will be using a combination of strategy and bluffing tactics to try and capture the enemy flag. Before we start digging out trenches and defusing bombs, I’d like to thank Jayson Murray for sending me a free review copy. While the game just recently succeeded in a Kickstarter campaign, the copy I received represents the final product.
Queue zombie game number seven million, three hundred and sixty-five thousand, nine hundred and twenty-two. Usually, the zombie games I review include some sort of special feature or tactic that draws the player in. “Nation Red” however, is just a straight up slaughter fest. A player will be controlling a character with the sole intent on staying alive and mowing down zombies in an arena-like setting. It may appeal to some, but even with the perk mechanic (which resets with every new game), I found it to be repetitive after about five minutes of play time. Then again, I picked up this game for about a dollar during a Steam sale. Overall, I think it’s great for some fast and mindless zombie killing (especially when playing with friends), but it ceases to be anything more than that.
I recently published a review on “Gratuitous Space Battles” (hereby dubbed GSB), a game that involved creating a fleet of ships to combat an enemy task force. You were able to outfit various ship hulls with weapons, defenses, and other tools to help them succeed in their mission. “Gratuitous Tank Battles” (hereby dubbed GTB), despite the title, plays a bit differently than its predecessor. This time around, you’ll be able to take control of both offense and defense, offering players the chance to come at their strategies from both sides. Before we begin seeing to the safety (or in some cases, destruction) of tanks en masse, I’d like to thank Cliff Harris for providing me with a free review copy.
I’ve lost count as to how many games I’ve played that involve both space and “pew pew”, though rarely do I come across a game that allows me to customize my own fleet and send them headlong into battle, without having to wade through the process of building a successful economy first. In “Gratuitous Space Battles”, you pick loadouts for your ships, assign formations, and watch the fireworks. It’s a very simplistic process, but I found it to be engaging nonetheless.
Steam usually comes through for me by way of holiday sales when I’m unable to obtain review copies from the developer, but this time Green Man Gaming hooked me up with “XCOM: Enemy Unknown” for just under fifteen bucks. Considering I’ve already put ten plus hours into this game, I’d say it was fifteen dollars well spent. So, what is this game and why is there so much controversy behind it? Is it worth buying at full price?
“Oregon Trail” was one of the first games I ever played on a computer, so writing this particular article was not only a joy but nostalgic. “Organ Trail: Director’s Cut” takes gameplay elements from “Oregon Trail” and adds its own unique spin, which happens to include zombies. Yes, “Oregon Trail” and zombies…I’m not going to complain. Before the dysentery jokes begin, I’d like to thank Ryan Wiemeyer for providing me with a free review copy.
“Crazy Machines Elements” is the final game of this review series, having been released late 2011-early 2012 on various systems. Shortly after its release, two DLC packs were made available to the masses, adding even more to the base game. Before we take a look at “Crazy Machines Elements”, I’d like to thank Andrew Emond from Viva Media for sending me the “Crazy Machines Complete Pack” to review. To that end, I’ll be taking a look at each of the games in that pack, in turn. You can find the other reviews (assuming they are finished) by clicking on the “Video Games” tab above.