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.
Kirk: “Bones, did you ever hear of a doomsday machine?”
McCoy: “No. I’m a doctor, not a mechanic.”
Kirk: “It’s a weapon built primarily as a bluff. It’s never meant to be used. So strong, it could destroy both sides in a war. Something like the old H-Bomb was supposed to be. That’s what I think this is. A doomsday machine that somebody used in a war uncounted years ago. They don’t exist anymore, but the machine is still destroying.”
-Star Trek, “The Doomsday Machine”, Airdate: Oct. 20, 1967
(Sorry, I couldn’t resist)
“Doomworks”, put simply, is a card game that tasks players with building a doomsday device. Each player will be endeavouring to complete their machine before everyone else while attempting to earn the most victory points in the process. This Kickstarter success nearly doubled its funding goal and just recently hit the virtual shelves with an Earth-shattering kaboom. Before I get into all of that however, I’d like to thank Daniel Schroeder from One Man Act Games for providing me with a free review copy.
It’s been one heck of a ride thus far…that is, in terms of photography. Since my last article, I’ve shot and edited many a photo. I came up with a name for my photography quote unquote “business”, went out and bought Adobe Photoshop Elements 11, and have now begun seriously considering expanding on my lens collection.
How many of you enjoy card collecting games like “Magic: The Gathering?” How many of you play “Defense Grid” and “Sol Survivor” religiously like your life depended on it? If you raised your hand to both of those questions, then there’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll take a liking to “Prime World: Defenders”. This game reminds me a bit of “BattleForge”, a card collecting real-time strategy game that I was heavily invested in for quite some time. In this case however, you’ll be collecting cards that will form your tower defense arsenal and be tasked with slaying mutants and baddies by the thousands. Before we take a look at this game in further detail, I’d like to thank Troy Goodfellow from Evolve PR for providing me with a free review copy.
“Folk Tale” recently appeared on Steam’s Early Access section, which is something that I was very grateful to see. There aren’t enough fantasy sandbox city-builders out there for my liking and from what I’ve been able to play so far, “Folk Tale” is aiming to fill that void. In this particular game, you’ll be tasked with leading a group of peasants to riches and prosperity through various means. You’ll start with a small settlement and with a little work, that settlement will turn into something grand and wonderous. Before I share my experiences with the Alpha build of this game, I’d like to thank Simon Dean, the Project Lead at Games Foundry Limited, for providing me with a free press copy. Like with all Alphas and Beta, it’s important to remember that the content featured in the game and in articles like these are subject to change.
The goal of most races are the same in that one person will be attempting to cross the finish line before the others, but what if you added platforming that was affected by the type of music you listened to? It’s an interesting idea, one that “Rush Bros.” dives into headfirst. In this particular game, players can race solo or go head-to-head against an opponent while jamming out to their favorite tunes. Before we get started with the review, I’d like to thank Derek Reeve from Plan of Attack (a PR & Marketing Agency) for reaching out and providing me with a couple of copies for review purposes.
Sometimes, the simplest things can turn out to be the most difficult. Such is the case with “Constant C”, a 2D platformer that lets you play as a rescue robot. Your goal will be to fix the Superlunimal Space Station from the time-freeze that it’s stuck in by completing various puzzles. Successfully completing these puzzles will not only assist in repairing the station, but bring you one step closer into discovering the unspoken truths behind the incident. Before we take a look at this game in closer detail, I’d like to thank Han-Wei Wang for reaching out and providing me with a free review copy.
I had a pretty fun time with “Surgeon Simulator 2013”, and while there were only six levels, they were fairly tough. Below is a quick walkthrough of the first three levels for those of you who need a bit of help. The last three levels are the same as first three, except you’ll have to contend with things moving all over the place. You’ll need a bit of luck on those levels, especially since your replacement organs tend to fall off the screen on a regular basis. The secret level can be accessed by inserting the “?????” disk into the computer, which you’ll receive once you beat the other six missions. As of 6/22/13, you can play as the medic in “Team Fortress 2” and perform a heart transplant on the heavy by inserting the video cassette tape into the VCR. Enjoy!