“Survivors of Ragnarök” is a real-time strategy / city management game that is similar to the older “Dwarf Fortress” and the more recent “A Game of Dwarves.” In these types of games, you’re gathering resources and crafting items to try and make your little “city” thrive into something spectacular. Before we get started, I’d like to thank Garrett Colas for setting me up with a free preview copy. It’s important to note that this game is currently in the early Alpha stages, so the content that you may see in this article is subject to change and in no way represents the final production copy.
Video Games
With episode five right around the corner (11-21-12 for us PC folk), there may be no better time than to review and recap what happened in episode four. As I explained in the review of episode one, all future reviews (including this one) will be a plot summary with my thoughts added in as I go. There will be spoilers, so do not read any further if you want to experience this episode for yourself.
How many of you remember Asteroids for the Atari 2600? *Sigh*…okay, imagine if you can, being limited to a controller with one button on it. You pointed your ship (triangle) in a direction and thrust, then rotated on your axis and spammed the fire button. “SCHAR: Blue Shield Alliance” is a twin stick shooter that takes that concept one step further and allows you to move freely while firing in the direction you are pointing. You can thrust left or right (strafing) in addition to moving forward and back, depending on where your cursor is located (if you’re using a keyboard). Before we start getting into specifics, I wanted to thank Nick Puleo for setting me up with a free review copy of the game.
It’s no secret that driving an automobile is a dangerous thing. In 2010 alone, it’s been estimated that 32,788 people were killed in automobile accidents according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Needless to say, I’m all for supporting ways to educate our young drivers (and especially my kids) on proper driving etiquette and techniques. “City Car Driving” is a driving simulator that will put your skills to the test, featuring advanced physics and smart traffic AI. Before I begin taking out a generous automobile insurance policy, I’d like to thank Eugene Gubanov for sending me a free review copy.
“Towns” advertises itself as a game that tasks you with building a town for passing heroes to stop at, heal their wounds, equip new armor and weapons, and set out into the depths once more. I personally like that idea…a “sim-RPG-city” if you will. I got some mileage out of the “Majesty” series (a similar game) but stopped playing “Majesty 2” because of its unrelenting difficulty curve. I had to wonder what “Towns” would bring to the starved city-building genre. Before I get started, I’d like to thank Xavi Canal for sending me a free review copy.
Having grown up with the Atari 2600 and NES, I can appreciate how 2D platformers have evolved over the course of time. “Deadlight” can be described as 2.5D side-scroller, but I would be doing the game an injustice if I left it at that. What makes this particular game stand out above the rest? Before we begin answering that question, I’d like to quickly thank Térence Mosca for sending me a free review copy.
I played “Prison Tycoon” years ago and really, really tried to like it. I followed the series for a while and the reviews of following sequels weren’t promising, so I chalked that up to yet another sim-subgenre that I’d never have a chance to love. Then along came “Prison Architect”, which (as of 11/8/12) is still in the Alpha stage. Will Morris from Introversion Software was kind enough to send me a copy, which I will share via a preview with you today. Like all Alphas, Betas, and previews, the features and mechanics that you may see or read about in this article are subject to change.
My name is Maulidi Diouf and I was born in a village in Benin’s Borgou Province, not far from the town of Parakou…at least, that’s what the simulator tells me. “Real Lives 2010” puts the player into a random simulated body that they must manage from birth till death. Gender, nationality, location of birth…all of that is randomized with every new game, giving you a different experience every single time. Before I begin seeking medication for multiple personality disorder, I’d like to thank Bob Runyan from Educational Simulations for sending me a free review copy.
Slender Man. You may have heard the name dropped over these past few months, but may have had no idea as to what it actually meant. Today, we’re going to set the record straight with a quick look at “Slender: The Eight Pages”, which is a free downloadable game that will scare your socks off.
Have you dropped hundreds of hours into the “Harvest Moon” series like I have? I’m not sure why, but running a simulated farm has always been appealing…perhaps it’s because I know that my poor crops wouldn’t stand a chance with me at the helm in the real world. Then there is “Plants vs Zombies”, a tower defense game that tasks you with stopping zombies that are making their way across your lawn…with plants. Finally, we have “Diner Dash”, a game that challenges you to serve plates of food to customers while under the pressure of time. Now, what would happen if you put all three games into separate cars and sent them careening toward each other at high speeds? Before we answer that question in detail, I’d like to thank Andreas Bendt for sending me a free copy of the Beta. It’s important to note that like with all preview and Beta copies, this article may not cover everything that you’d see in the final product.
There are plenty of zombie games out there and they all come in different forms. “Left 4 Dead” put you behind a gun and allowed you to mow down zombies while making your way from checkpoint to checkpoint. “The Walking Dead” takes a different approach and focuses on telling a story, character interaction, and quick time events. Both approaches are good in their own right, but one came along that not only tells a horror story, but allows you to manage your party while they build relationships (for better or for worse) and fend off the undead. Before we start going head to head with the zombie apocalypse, I’d like to thank David Kidd for setting me up with a free review copy.
Hello, friends. I’ve recently had the pleasure of previewing a game called “NEO Scavenger”, which tasks the player with staying alive in a rouge-like, post apocalyptic world. You can find that preview here:
http://www.dadsgamingaddiction.com/neo-scavenger-preview/
I enjoyed the game so much that I wanted to do a follow-up article…only this time, I’ll be documenting my progress as I go. I’ve played the game about ten times so far and each time, I learned something new about how to navigate the world and its mechanics. The following will be session number eleven in what I’m calling “The Vince Chronicles” and should serve to give you an idea of what features you can expect to see if you play the game yourself in its current state. Enjoy!
I recently wrote a review for “A Game of Dwarves”, located here:
What I didn’t mention in that review was that I also received a copy of the “Ale DLC”, which I’m told should be available some time down the line through the in-game store. Some folks may already have it if they pre-ordered the main game through Steam. Special thanks go to Jorgen Bjorklund and Veronica Gunlycke for setting me set up with the DLC.
Do you remember those “choose your own adventure” books from school? Okay, maybe if you were a child of the 80’s like me, you would. They tell a story, but give the reader a few different options during certain points, advising them to turn to a particular page depending on what they want to do. NEO Scavenger reminds me of these books and I have to say, it’s a refreshing change of pace.
“Civilization V”…my laptop is no doubt upset that I’ve spent more time worrying about what technology to research next as opposed to finding a better cooling station to quell an angry onboard fan. I’ve mentioned in past articles that I love being able to control an empire and shape it to be a well-oiled machine, though I tend to ignore minor needs when I do…food, sleep, sanity…you know, minor needs. “Warlock: Master of the Arcane” turned out to be my new, favorite addiction in that regard and I can’t seem to stop clicking that “End Turn” button no matter how hard I try. Before we take a look at the game in further detail, I’d like to thank Veronica Gunlycke from Paradox Interactive for providing me with a free review copy.
Music has always been an important part of my life. I’ve used it on several occasions to get through some pretty difficult times, though lately I’ve used it as a motivator to get me focused on the task at hand. “Symphony” is a rare gem them I’ve recently come across that combines the music I love, scores that have received multiple positive recognition from Music Critic experts, with an arcade shooter. Before we begin shooting treble clefs into the wind, I’d like to thank Francois Bertrand for setting me up with a free review copy.