I couldn’t help it. I saw this game appear on Steam and almost soiled my pants laughing at how much the DLC totalled after it was all said and done. I’ve seen instances where some developers would make some questionable pricing choices for the DLC they offer, but this takes the cake. To be fair, I’m not mocking the DLC. If someone truly wants to spend $2,800+ on add-on packs for a game about trains, then who am I to judge? After all, everyone has a hobby…though mine don’t tend to set me back by four month’s worth of mortgage payments. The core game, “Train Simulator 2014: Steam Edition”, is currently running for about $57.00, with the 131 DLC packs ranging from $5.00 to $40.00 each.
Video Games
As much as I enjoy playing games with the kids, there are occasions where you just need a break from the family-friendliness of games like “Ticket to Ride”. “Party Time”, an adult-themed drinking game, is currently seeking your help on Kickstarter. It features a few different card types, including truths, dares, anything goes, and more. To sum up gameplay, players will take cards in turn and be attempting to follow the instructions. Some cards are aimed at the individual while others task the group with participating.
Having trouble locating the four golden tools in “Farm For Your Life”? No need to panic…”Dad” has you covered.
It’s been one heck of a rollercoaster ride, but I suppose it has to end at some point. Erica Reed is returning for one last time in this engaging four-part series, itching to get her hands on the person responsible for killing her brother. I’m going to assume that you’ve played the past three episodes, but I’ll attempt to keep things as spoiler-free as possible. I’m also going to keep this review short and sweet, for reasons I’ll make clear in a moment. Before we bid our final goodbyes to the series, I’d like to thank Katie Hallahan from Phoenix Online Studios and Emily Morganti, a PR consultant on behalf of Phoenix Online Studios, for providing me with a free review copy.
I wrote a preview for this game a while ago and was pleased overall with the content that the Beta build had offered. I admittedly have never met a farming game that I didn’t like, but this one introduces other gameplay elements that sets it apart from the rest of them. Let’s face it, how many other games can you name that take elements from “Planets vs. Zombies”, “Diner Dash”, and “Harvest Moon” and roll them into one neat, inexpensive ten dollar package? “Farm For Your Life” has been out of the Beta stage for a little less than a year now, so it’s about time that I get off my behind and get planting! Before we get started with the review, I’d like to quickly thank Andreas Bendt from Hammer Labs for sending me a press copy.
“Outlast” turned out to be an incredibly nail-biting affair. I even went as far as recording my entire experience from beginning to end. If you’re curious to see how it turns out, or if you’re stuck on a particular part, then feel free to check out my walkthrough below.
Apparently, Will Smith’s fear of robots running amok was justified (watch your “I, Robot” kids). In this instance you play the role of a human who is being hunted by robots across a British landscape. The maps are procedurally-generated in this sandbox world, meaning that you’re experiences in one game may not mimic that of the next. Your goal? Survive, any way you can. You’ll need to stealthily move around the foliage to stay hidden, but also scavenge food and weapons to help you in your quest. “Sir, You Are Being Hunted” is currently under development, though you can pay to play early via Steam’s Early Access program.
“Delver”, a roguelike dungeon crawler, has recently made its way onto Steam’s “Early Access” page with a bang. It features a perma-death system for those of you who love being penalized for making mistakes, but manages to maintain a certain charm via pixelated graphics. While there are plenty of games that contain said features (Minecraft, etc.), this one ended up being just as much of a time sink. Before I quickly cover the current state of the game, I’d like to quickly thank Chad Cuddigan (developer and publisher) for providing me with a free press copy. It’s important to note that because this game is still under developement, that the content featured in this article is subject to change.
I’ve been a very busy bee as of late. My board game reviews and Kickstarter previews are picking back up, hopefully due to the new board game video series that I’ve introduced on my YouTube channel. At any rate, I still love to play video games…especially scary ones. After hearing so many good things about how scary “Outlast” was, I knew that I just had to play it. Due to time constraints and the fact that I am covering this on my own dime, I’ll opt to keep this article short and sweet.
I’ve been itching for a good vampire RPG ever since “Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines” released in 2004. “BloodLust” may very well be that game, though it’s important to stress that it’s still in development so anything could happen at this point. In “BloodLust”, players will be able to play as a vampire and attempt to grow their bloodline. You’ll be able to level up, choose skills, recruit the living into your family by biting them, and more. If you’re as interested in this game as I am, then feel free to check out the official website and gameplay video via the links below. A playable demo is also on the official website, so have at it!
There’s nothing I enjoy more than putting my feet up while a Star Trek marathon runs its course on my giant flat screen television. You can imagine my surprise when the offer to take a peak at “Redshirt” was offered…curiosity simply got the better of me. For those of you not in the know, a “redshirt” refers to a disposal character on the old “Star Trek” series featured in the 1960’s. Would I be managing a security squad of redshirts and be tasked with replacing them every time the commanding officer beamed down to a planet? Would I be a redshirt trying to stay alive, despite the odds? Oddly enough, “Redshirt” is a life simulator of sorts that uses “Spacebook” as its primary interface. You’ll have to see it to believe it.
The original “Settlers of Catan” has been around for over ten years and is probably one of the most popular board games ever to set foot outside of Europe. Like “Monopoly”, many different versions of “Catan” have surfaced over the course of time…”Star Trek: Catan” being among my personal favorites. We’re here today to take a look at the video game adaptation released in August of 2013 titled, “Catan: Creator’s Edition”. Before we get started, I’d like to thank Michaela Schultheis from United Soft Media for providing me with a review copy.
In the preview I published back in March of 2013, I compared this game to flying through the forests of Endor on a speeder bike. After months of fine-tuning, the game was finally released to the public on August 19, 2013. Things have changed a bit, but the concept is still the same…dodge obsticles at high speeds in an attempt to get the highest score possible. Before we take a look at the game in closer detail, I’d like to once again thank Forest San Filippo from Flippfly LLC for providing me with a free copy of the game.
Stuck on the video game, “Gone Home”? You can check out my walkthrough video and review via the links below.
There’s something to be said for games that simply focus on telling a story. They are either loved or hated, as is the case with games like “Dear Esther” and “Proteus”. In “Gone Home”, you take on the role of a teenage girl (Katie) who’s come home after a full year of studying abroad. As you may have guessed, the experience of coming home didn’t exactly turn out the way you had expected. With the family missing, it’ll be your job to explore your house in an effort to piece together what has transpired. Before we get started, I’d like to thank Steve Gaynor from The Fullbright Company for providing me with a free review copy.
“Hammerwatch” has been on my watch list for quite a while, especially since my experiences with the Beta where positive overall. On that note, feel free to check out the preview I published back in February of 2013 if you have the time. “Hammerwatch”, for those of you who don’t feel like browsing between two different articles, is a “Gauntlet-esque” hack and slash adventure featuring pixel art and many, many scary looking creatures. You and your friends will be able to team up, pick a class, and wade through hordes of enemies as you attempt to clear Castle Hammerwatch from the ground up. Before we delve any deeper into how this game works, I’d like to once again thank Jochum Skoglund for providing me with review copies for the game.