I wanted to take a time out from reviewing games for a moment to just report a bit of news that I came across recently. Mage Company, the same folks who sent me “Wrong Chemistry” to review, has a Kickstarter page up and running for their recent project, “12 Realms.”
Archives
All posts by Vincent
“Wrong Chemistry” is a recent Kickstarter success that almost doubled the funding it needed to launch its way into the homes of mad scientists everywhere. It’s a game that tasks players with creating bogus elements (inspired by the real periodic table) in an attempt to score points. Players will be working with the same molecule on the game board, rearranging it however they can to get it to match the elements that they currently have in their hand. Before we begin scrambling atoms, I’d like to thank Alexandros Argyropoulos from Mage Company LTD for sending me a free review copy.
Editor’s Note – 5/14/15: The game has undergone a makeover since 2012. To see the game as it stands now, go check out THIS VIDEO and the rest of the videos after it in that series.
—
My very first naval combat game was “Pirates!” for the NES, I remember it well. Nothing was more satisfying than setting a course with the wind and watching your Sloop shoot holes into the enemy ship. Having played “Sid Meier’s Pirates!” and wanting more, I came across “Windward”, which promised fast-paced naval action…something I’ve been yearning for as of late. I found myself once again behind the wheel, ready to ruin someone’s day with a well-timed broadside. Before we begin sailing the high seas, I’d like to thank Michael Lyashenko for providing me with a free preview copy. It’s important to note that this game is currently in the Beta, which means that the game is not finished yet. Any features you may see in this article are subject to change.
In most tower defense games I’ve played, I’ve taken on the role of some sort of overseer that is in charge of plopping down turrets to fend off waves of bad guys. When it comes to the game “McDROID”, this is partially true. While there are turrets you’ll have to build and maintain, it does something pretty unique that sets itself apart from the majority of tower defense games out on the market. Before we explore that in detail, I’d like to thank the folks at Elefantopia LLC for providing me with a free preview copy. It should be noted that this game is currently in the Beta stage of development and thus, all content that you might see in this article is subject to change.
I’ve been playing a lot of top-down arcade shooters as of late, not only because they are fun, but because they allowed me to rehash a little bit of nostalgia from those “Smash TV” days. I picked up “Bunch of Heroes” for a few bucks during a Steam sale and I’m here today to weigh in on whether or not it was worth the effort. It’s worth noting that I attempted to get some help for this review by the way of co-op. My brother, who sometimes makes special guest appearances on my reviews, couldn’t get the game to run. A quick look at the forums told me that others had the same issue and we were unable to get him squared away. Buyer beware.
The game “Diner Dash” has been around for a while and most of you may have, at the very least, an idea of how it plays. In case you don’t, you’re a waitress trying perform a series of tasks via mouse clicks to satisfy customers and do waitress duties. “Drip Drip”, the game we’ll be looking at today, reminds me a little of “Diner Dash” except that it has a whole different theme. This time, you’ll be battling the forces of nature and trying to stop basements from flooding. Before I begin looking into flood insurance, I’d like to quickly thank Thomas Konkol, the owner of Imminent Games, for sending me a free review copy.
One of my very first collectible card games was “Star Trek: The Next Generation Customizable Card Game”. As a kid, I loved seeing all of the different cards and got a thrill out of opening those new booster packs to see what new cards I could add to my deck. As I get older, I have less and less patience for customizable card games because of all of the mechanics one has to remember. I own a bunch of “Magic: The Gathering” decks but never have the patience to learn all of the card mechanics. It’s because of this that I was excited to receive a customizable card game to where the computer does all of the work for me, without the hassle of figuring out who wins what battle because of X and Y abilities. Before we get started with “Minion Master”, I’d like to thank David Steinwedel from BitFlip Games for providing me with a free review copy along with the “Release Package” (includes all five decks).
Those of you who dabble in board games might be familiar with the name, “Talisman.” It’s a game that puts the player into the role of a character that must fight monsters and complete quests in a fantasy-like setting. I’ll admit that I haven’t had a chance to play it, mainly due to its price tag. Fortunately, this gives me a chance to review “Talisman Prologue”, the video game adaptation, without bias. Before we get started, I’d like to thank Don Whiteford from Nomad Games Limited for sending me a free review copy.
You’re in a dark, creepy military research facility and things just haven’t been going your way. You’re low on ammo and you have yet to explore the majority of the level you’re currently on. As a scientist, you’re not trained for the horrors that pursue you with a vengeance. “Teleglitch”, needless to say, is a horror game that tasks the player with staying alive by any means necessary. It’s a top-down shooter complete with pixellated graphics, tons of weapons, and creatures destined to give you nightmares. Those who have played “Smash TV” will feel right at home. Before we begin our journey into the dark abyss, I’d like to thank “epcc” for sending me a free review copy.
As a retro gamer, I’m always fascinated by the advances made in the gaming industry. When I was a kid, for example, I remember holding my Game Boy up over my head in the back seat of the car so that the headlights from the car behind us could illuminate my grayscale screen. Come to think of it, that’s probably why I’m wearing glasses now and couldn’t shoot the broadside of a barn with them off…horray for technology. “Tetris” was one of those games (that apparently contributed to my bad eyesight) and to that end, I’m always on the lookout for that new variant. Before we take a look at “OverLight”, I’d like to thank Tomáš “Frooxius” Mariančík for sending me a free preview copy. It’s important to note that this game is currently in the early Alpha stages and like with all previews, the content that you see in this article may be subject to change.
We know very little about Earth in the grand scheme of things. In fact, it’s been estimated that ninety-five percent of our planet’s waters remain unexplored. When I came across this game, I started thinking about all of the other games I’ve owned or played in my lifetime that had a marine-like setting…I’ll be honest, I didn’t come up with very many. This didn’t surprise me much, considering that there’s still so much to learn about those majestic masses of blue we call oceans. “Depth Hunter” takes us under the sea and puts the player into the role of a diver that will be tasked with hunting various species of fish. Before we don our diving suits, I’d like to thank Serge from Biart Company LLC for sending me a free review copy.
Let’s get one thing clear before I go on about my career as a simulated truck driver…I’m an accountant by trade. I drive a Honda Civic, and I have never touched a manual transmission in my life. I’m not a fan of driving in unfamiliar places and I prefer to stay within my zip code, if at all possible. Needless to say, I’m the perfect candidate to try out a truck driving simulator. No, I’m serious…if someone like me can enjoy a game that involves driving a large, bulky truck over far distances, then you might as well put that on the box. While FedEx may not be hiring me anytime soon, I do expect to be playing this game for a good, long while. Before I get into why, I’d like to thank Pavel Sebor, the CEO of SCS Software, for providing me with a free review copy.
“Terrorhedron.” I love the name. It’s like something out of Godzilla, or maybe a bad Power Rangers episode. It may even be named after a Pokémon that was banned for being too destructive after missing its daily dose of Xanax. At any rate, it’s the next tower defense game I’m going to be touching on today. I know, I know…I’ve done plenty of those as of late, but this one has some unique qualities that deserves our attention. Before we take a closer look at this particular tower defense game, I’d like to thank Dan Walters for sending me a free review copy.
“Oil Rush” is a game I come back to every now and again when Eufloria just doesn’t have the “oomph” I need. In a review I wrote here, I was taken away by the graphics and how fun it was to send boats and airplanes out to sea with the intent on blowing stuff up. Recently, the game’s first DLC was released adding tower defense maps to the mix. Before we take a look at the specifics of this DLC, I’d like to thank Anton Ravin from UNIGINE Corp. for sending me a free review copy.
I’ve determined that my primary function in multiplayer arenas is to be a meat shield, but gosh darnit, I’m a good one. I’ll spend minutes sneaking up on someone, stealthily moving from cover to cover, only to be sniped by someone all the way across the map. To add insult to injury, the killcam tells me that they did it with a pistol, blindfolded, whilst updating their Facebook page and making a soufflé. “Chivalry: Medieval Warfare” puts me back into the ring, though this time, I’ll be wielding medieval weapons instead of an AK-47. Before I start looking into whether or not my health insurance policy covers dismemberment and arrows to the knee, I’d like to thank Steve Piggott from Torn Banner Studios for sending me a free review copy.
In a lot of the zombie games I’ve played, I usually find myself without ammo, medical supplies, and anything else I might need to stave off the undead. You’d think that putting countless hours into the early Resident Evil games would teach me everything I needed to know, but I guess herbs and ink ribbons just don’t hold up in the grand scheme of things. Luckily, I came across a game that doesn’t require me to fight off the undead…quite the opposite.