The 13th century was an interesting time for humanity. The Magna Carta was signed, Parliament went mad, and rat clans rivaled for a shot at the throne. What do you mean that last bit didn’t happen? Like you were there! *Sigh*, okay okay…you got me. Here I was, trying to impress you with a clever lead-in to the latest project by Blue Orange Games titled “BraveRats”…not to be confused with “Braveheart”, mind you. While it’s possible that the rats in this game may have worn kilts, it’s best not to think about such things. In “BraveRats”, one player will take on the role of the Yarg while the other assumes the role of the Applewood…two opposing rat clans that want all the power of the throne for themselves. Before we take a look at this game in further detail, I’d like to thank Annika Harper from Blue Orange Games for providing me with a press copy. It’s important to note that the copy I received is a prototype and as such, the below content is subject to change.
Dungeon crawlers that feature a dynamic, randomly generated environment not only offer almost unlimited replayability, but can be a real adrenaline rush. “Dice Crawl”, a game seeking your support on Kickstarter, features such a system. In an interesting twist however, players will be making heavy use of dice in order to advance into the depths. You’ll pick a race and a class with the mindset of getting to the center of the dungeon and collecting the riches that await. It’s designed to be a quick game, supporting between two and four players. I don’t want to spoil things TOO much, as I’ll be covering the game in an upcoming preview…keep an eye out for it!
“The Dead Linger”, “State of Decay”, “Project Zomboid”…it’s almost as if these developers are reading my mind! When I said that I liked open world zombie games, they must have been listening. “7 Days to Die” is still in an Alpha state, but isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. It’s not what I’d call done by any means, but so far I’m having a blast with it. It features both single and multiplayer across multiple game modes. Take part in the “campaign” via the survival mode or team up with others in horde mode and see how long you last. Of course, there’s a deathmatch mode too, for those who just want to ruin someone’s day. These modes are already fairly customizable, which is a bonus.
I honestly couldn’t tell you the last time I’ve ridden a bike. I know that it was back in my youth, presumably back when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth. It was just a matter of time until one promising game developer, graphic designer, and cross-country cyclist by the name of Alex Solomon came up with the idea for a card game based around the subject. In “Geared”, players assume the rules of bike mechanics who are aiming to build as many bikes as they can before race day. Of course, with there being different parts to utilize and action cards thrown in for good measure, players will quite literally (as literal as tabletop gaming can get) be in for the rides of their lives.
I am not one to brag (okay, maybe I am), but I know my “Chess”. I used to play professionally in my youth, being a member of the United States Chess Federation and ranked second best in Western Pennsylvania for my age group at one point. When “Chess” games or variants come across my table, you can imagine how hard it is for me to say no. “War and Chaos” is quite a unique idea, doing away with some of the standard “Chess” rules all the while adding new ones. It even has the capacity to handle four players…but where are my manners? Before we get started with the preview, I’d like to thank Patryk K Braganza-Gallagher from Mad Puppy Gaming for providing me with a prototype copy. It’s important to stress that the game is still in development via the Kickstarter process, making everything you see below subject to change.
Brush off your compass and don your hats, fellow archeologists! “Seekers: Treasure Hunt”, a family-friendly game for two to four players, is currently seeking your help on Kickstarter. In this particular game, you and your fellow treasure hunters will be aiming to be the first to unearth the riches that lie somewhere on your maps. Gather clues! Scrounge the map! Play cards! Form temporary alliances! “Seekers: Treasure Hunt” will certainly give you the tools you’ll need to make it big…the question is, will you be the one brave and cunning enough to find it first?
“Ring Runner: Flight of the Sages” has been in development for over five years, if you can believe it. After spending a few hours in the campaign and assessing the options I had available to me, it clearly showed. “Ring Runner: Flight of the Sages”, for those of you unfortunate enough to have never heard of this quote unquote “little” gem, is a top-down action-RPG set in the vastness of space. It has a twin-stick shooter feel, but it’s got more story than I had expected. Before we take a look at a game that more than doubled its Kickstarter goal (late 2012) in further detail, I’d like to quickly thank Enrique Dryere from Triple-B-Titles for providing me with a free press copy.
“Monopoly” is one of the very first board games I learned to play, though I seldom finished a full game simply because it took FOREVER to play. When you look at the big picture, “Monopoly” is actually a fairly strategic experience in that it combines real estate & money management while emphasizing the importance of social interaction & trading. If it didn’t take hours to play, I’d probably still find time in my busy schedule to play it. “Monopoly Empire” addresses this issue by reducing the play time to almost fifteen to thirty minutes by doing away with properties and introducing brands. Rather than attempting to bankrupt everyone else, you’ll be aiming to be the first to fill your tower completely with billboard tiles.
What happens when you take the look and feel of the interface in “Tropico 4”, add 1920’s scenery, and adopt a combat system similar to that of “XCOM: Enemy Unknown”? Why, you end up with “Omerta – City of Gangsters”, of course! The former comparison to “Tropico 4” doesn’t surprise me much, considering that “Omerta – City of Gangsters” was published by the same folks who brought you the most recent games in the “Tropico” series. I was half expecting Penultimo to pop up at one point and start spouting loyalist propaganda all the while wearing a cheesy gangster hat. If you don’t know who that is kids, then play your “Tropico” and be a better man/woman for it.
I promised myself that I wouldn’t get involved with yet another sandbox game, namely because I spend more time on them than I probably should. “Minecraft” nearly filed for a divorce when it heard that I had begun playing “Terraria” and later, “Block Story”. “Darkout” is more like “Terraria” than any of the aforementioned games in that the playing field is two-dimensional, but I have to admit that it’s quite different than what I had expected. It’s almost like a cross between “Terraria”, “Alan Wake”, and “A Valley Without Wind”, if you can wrap your head around that. Before we get started with the review, I’d like to thank Derek Reeve from Plan of Attack for providing me with a free press copy.
Artillery-based strategy games almost come a dime a dozen nowadays, but I have to admit that “Interplanetary” pushes the boundaries far beyond this planet (pardon the pun). For those of you not familiar with the genre, these turn-based games task players with launching their projectiles at the other players in an attempt to wipe them out. If you’ve played any of the games in the “Worms” series, you’ll know what I’m talking about. In this case, you and your opponent(s) each control a planet in the same solar system. By earning and spending resources, you can build various weapons and send their projectiles flying through space. Will your resources be plentiful and your aim be true? Before I briefly touch on this project, I’d like to thank Sasu Kemppainen from Team Jolly Roger for reaching out and providing me with access to the Alpha. As with all prototypes and games in development, it’s important to stress that they aren’t usually representative of the final product.
Oh level seven, thou art a heartless witch! The developers weren’t kidding when they said that the levels would get harder as you progressed from map to map…though I was expecting a gradual climb. Level one through three? Pfft…cakewalk. Level four and five? Eh…didn’t break a sweat, really. Level six? Okay, it’s sort of ramping up, but nothing I can’t handle. Level seven? HOLY MOTHER OF…AGGGHHHHH!!!!!
Just to give you a bit of perspective, I’ve already clocked about forty plus hours into “State of Decay”. I gave the game a 9/10 and for good reason…it’s one of the best open world zombie survival games I’ve ever played. Picking up the DLC (which released 11/29/13) was really a no-brainer, considering the amount of playtime I’ve already invested into the core game. The “Breakdown” DLC, for those of you who haven’t heard of it up to this point, introduces a new “sandbox” mode that tasks you with staying alive as long as possible. Want to know more? Of course you do.
This is admittedly a first…never before have I assumed the role of a taxidermist in any of the games I’ve played. “Body Builders: A Tale of Taxidermy”, a game that just hit the virtual shelves on “The Game Crafter” (link below), promises exactly that. In this particular case, each player is a lonely taxidermist who is aiming to create a friend for themselves…nothing out of the ordinary there. Before we go mashing things together, I’d like to quickly thank Brian Henk from Nevermade Games for reaching out and providing me with a press copy. It’s important to stress that I received the press copy before the game officially launched on “The Game Crafter” on 11/25/13, so the components featured below may or may not be representative of the final product.
There’s something to be said for the complexity of tactical simulators. While my busy lifestyle doesn’t always entertain games that take a while to learn and play, I sometimes come across a few that have depth but are still relatively easy to pick up. “Hostile Takeover” has the characteristics of a deep and strategic experience, but manages to remain what my fellow gamers in the video game industry call “noob-friendly”. Before we get started, I’d like to thank Andrew McGrady from Not Dead Yet Games for reaching out and providing me with a press copy. It’s important to stress that because the game is still in the process of being funded through Kickstarter, that the rules and contents featured below are subject to change.
I’ve always maintained that knowledge (or lack thereof) is one of the reasons we often fail in our day to day tasks. As such, I think we can all agree that any game that has educational value is worth more than the sum of its parts. “CLEVER”, a card game that will hit Kickstarter in late November 2013, is one such item. Before we get started taking a look at this game in further detail, I’d like to thank Jason Santa Maria from IN8 Games for providing me with a press copy. It’s important to stress that prototypes are often not representative of the final product, making the below subject to change. My copy, for example, included all of the cards players would see in the final version but didn’t come packaged in the official box. I included a picture of the box (provided by the developer) at the end of this article for your viewing pleasure.