I don’t have what some of you folks would call a green thumb…most plants uproot themselves and scurry in the other direction when they see me approaching. Luckily, you don’t have to be a seasoned gardener to play “Reach for the Sun”, a game that teaches the basics of plant behavior and anatomy. While being designed for younger kids, I do admit that the game appeals to me in an odd way. After all, I could never say no to any type of simulator. Before we put on our gardening gloves and see what this game’s all about, I’d like to quickly thank Robin Kurzer from Filament Games for providing me with a free press copy.
What happens when you combine “Left 4 Dead”, “Monaco”, and “State of Decay”? Why, you end up with a little gem like “Survivor Squad”, of course! I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this game as it has a little bit of everything I enjoy from the aforementioned games. For those of you who haven’t seen my reviews or videos on any of those games, “Survivor Squad” is a top-down squad-based strategy game set in a zombie infested world. Before I touch on specifics, I’d like to thank game developer Hugo Cardoso from Endless Loop Studios for providing me with a free press copy.
Retro games and I have a love/hate relationship. As a child of the 80’s, I grew up with them…developing fond memories all the while being completely mindful of the fact that I spiked my controller into the floor on several occasions. “Game Over”, a game seeking your support on Kickstarter, is certainly a welcome nod at the genre. In this easy to play card game for 2-6 players, folks will be battling retro characters in one big battle royal. Based on the information provided by the developer, games on average only take about fifteen minutes to complete…an ideal time frame for quick party action with friends and family (recommended ages 12+).
“Hive”, the video game adaptation of the popular board game, is finally making its way onto your PCs. For those of you who have never heard of the board game, you’ll be tasked with using bug pieces to completely surround your opponent’s queen. Of course, your opponent will be trying to do the same to you. While the game is still in an early Alpha state, you can pre-order the game via the official website below for $6.99 (30% off as of 11/6/13). This will also include a Steam key, though it’s important to note that the game is not yet playable on the Steam platform despite the Early Access page being live. The game has an estimated release date of early December 2013, though the date is not set in stone.
How many tower defense games have you seen me cover on my website? Ten? Twenty? Fifty? I’ll just opt to make it easy on you folks and simply say, “a lot”. It’s a genre that I never get tired of and with good reason…tower defense games are both strategically fun and addicting. “The King’s Armory”, however, breaks the mold and puts the action right on your dining room table. Now I know that games like “Castle Panic” have been doing this for quite a while now, but this is the first game I’ve seen that is both in-depth and keeps with the video game formula. Spawn and exit locations? Check. Towers that attack the monsters as they advance down the path? Check. Heroes that you can control on said paths? Check. While I haven’t had the pleasure of playing it, “The King’s Armory” certainly looks like a lot of fun to play.
Oh 3D space combat, will I ever get tired of you? It turns out, much to no one’s surprise, that the answer is no. “Starpoint Gemini 2”, the sequel to the original released in 2010, is certainly turning some heads as it continues to develop. Before I go any further, I’d like to quickly thank Mario Mihokovic from Little Green Men Games for providing me with a free press copy. It’s important to stress that the game is still under development (as of 11/1/13), making the content featured below subject to change.
It’s always a great feeling to see a promising idea reach its Kickstarter goal within days of going live. “HOST”, a card game developed by Broken Prism Games, is one such item. It still has twenty-one days to go (as of 10/29/13) and shows no signs of slowing down. In this particular game, the world’s first great apocalypse has begun. That begs the question…what finally did in our big blue planet? Zombies? Aliens? A little of both, it turns out. Before we take a sneak peek at what this game has to offer, I’d like to thank Matthew Ryan Robinson from Broken Prism Games for reaching out and providing me with a press copy. As with all prototypes, it’s important to stress that the components featured are usually not representative of the final product, making the below rules and contents subject to change.
When I heard that this popular XBox game was being ported to the PC, I had mixed feelings. I was excited that I’d have yet another zombie apocalypse game at my fingertips, but wasn’t excited about the fact that the PC came second. Most games I’ve played that have been ported from the console usually don’t fare well…”Dead Space” being such an example. On the other hand, “Dead Space 2” and other games like it have on occasion surprised me by turning out to be a solid and worthwhile port. “State of Decay” currently has no official keyboard and mouse support (as of 10/25/13), though you CAN use them if you know which buttons do what. It goes without saying that an XBox controller would work better for those who play the game in its current state (via Steam’s Early Access program), but I’m finding the keyboard to be manageable.
All of us, at one point in our lives, have told a lie. I’m also willing to bet that the first lie you told was directed at some form of authority figure or parent. I, of course, never did that as a child. I was the good son twenty-four/seven and never got into trouble. Don’t ask me what the color of the sky is in my world…the jury is still out on that one. At any rate, as a father myself, there’s sense in denying it…kids will lie just to test your limits and to see how far they can push until you push back, figuratively speaking. “Lie Your Face Off!” is a variation of that theme, placing players in the role of kids who must lie to their parents in order to earn points. Before we get started with the preview, I’d like to thank John Bintz (the game’s creator) for sending me a press copy. As with all prototypes, it’s important to stress that they usually aren’t representative of the final product making the below content subject to change.
Seriously, I’m in zombie apocalypse heaven! First “Project Zomboid”, now this…I think I may have to look into cloning myself just so that I can keep up with all of these games. As you may have guessed, “How to Survive” is all about surviving in a world filled with zombies. Whereas games like “Dead Island” and “Left 4 Dead” feature a first person viewpoint, “How to Survive” keeps things at a top-down perspective. It’s sort of like “Smash TV” or “Diablo”, but with an intricate and in-depth crafting system along with a few other goodies.
I am a big fan of the game show “Jeopardy”, even if I’m lousy at it. Some of the answers are so vague or specific that I have a hard time coming up with the correct question. “Blurt!” is similar in play style in that a clue is read and players must guess the word, though the objective isn’t to accumulate the most money. Rather, you’ll be trying to move your game pawn around the board in order to complete a full lap before everyone else does. Before we sneak a peek at “Blurt!”, I’d like to thank Nancy Davies, the Vice President of Salmon Borre Group, for providing me with a free press copy.
A lot of the people I know love a good game of “Sudoku”…it’s a quote unquote “simple” numbers game that doesn’t in fact turn out to be quite as easy as they originally thought. For those of you who have never played it, “Sudoku” is made up of a 9×9 grid composed of nine 3×3 regions. Your objective is to fill the 3×3 regions with the numbers 1-9, while also making each row or column in the 9×9 grid only contain numbers 1-9. “Botchee Deluxe” is a variation of that theme, though it offers players with alternative ways to play. Before we go any further, I’d like to thank Gary Stout from Botchee Games for providing me with a press copy. It’s important to note that while the components appear final, there’s still some question as to how the final rulebook will appear as well as whether or not the game will be sold in the US. Since the game is still being developed in this light, I’ve opted to cover the game as a preview rather than a full-blown review.
Two spies, one board. It goes without saying that only one will come out on top. Are YOU cunning enough to be the last spy standing? “Nowhere to Go”, a strategic two player game, tasks players with being the first to block their opponent’s spy so that they have…well…nowhere to go. Think “Spy vs Spy”, but family-friendly and without all of those clever/deadly traps. Before we take a look at this game in further detail, I’d like to thank Nancy Davies, the Vice President of Salmon Borre Group, for providing me with a free press copy, and also for the recommendation of the Dreamjackpot games which are amazing.
Well, “Freeze Up” certainly takes me back. The last electronic handheld game I remember playing as a kid (besides my Nintendo Game Boy) involved Tiger Electronics and a number of incredibly unplayable licensed games like “Double Dragon” and “Simon’s Quest”. Further back we had those infamous “Speak & Spells” that you just couldn’t believe were (*GASP*) actually talking to you. Long story short, it’s been a while since I’ve held something like “Freeze Up” in my hands. No, seriously…I had to Google what a Double-A battery looked like. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but you get the idea. Having reviewed so many board games and video games within the past year, I’ve almost forgotten what these things look like. Before we take a look at what “Freeze Up” is all about, I’d like to thank Nancy Davies, the Vice President of Salmon Borre Group, for providing me with a free press copy.
“Pente” was the very first 5-in-a-row game that I learned as kid. “KYRO 5” draws parallels as the object in both games are the same, though it does something that I haven’t seen done before (at least, in my experiences). Instead of just placing pieces to form five in a row, you’ll also be moving them around in a specific way. Before I delve any deeper into this game, I’d like to thank Nancy Davies, the Vice President of Salmon Borre Group, for providing me with a free press copy.
Dice and I have a hate/hate relationship. I’m not sure who started the war, but it’s been an uphill battle trying to get them to cooperate when I need them most. Perhaps I’m just one of the unfortunate souls to always be paired with malcontent dice, who take sadistic pleasure in rolling snake eyes every time despite the odds. Despite my luck (or lack thereof), there’s something to be said for easy to play dice games. “Even Steven’s Odd” is one such item, though it does something unique that sets its apart from games like “Yahtzee”. Before we get started with the review, I’d like to thank Nancy Davies, the Vice President of Salmon Borre Group, for providing me with a free press copy.