It’s extremely rare that I come across a game in which I’ve pumped more than forty hours of my sweat and tears. “Skyrim”, “Fallout 3”, and “XCOM: Enemy Unknown” are probably the biggest contenders on my personal list, though I’m ALWAYS searching for some type of open-world zombie survival game. In most cases, I’ve been very disappointed with the crap that’s hit the virtual shelves in that regard. “The War Z” was so bad that it ended up changing its name to “Infestation: Survival Stories”, as if it had entered the witness protection program weeks after releasing. I’m pleased to report that “State of Decay” is nothing like that…it’s actually a ton of fun to play! With the release of the “Breakdown” DLC coming November 29th, 2013 (retailed at $6.99), I figured that now would be a good time to formally get my thoughts about this game down on paper.
Video Games
“All of his co-workers were gone, what could it mean? Stanley had decided to go to the meeting room, perhaps he had missed a memo.” These are the first words you’ll hear and ironically, you’ll be hearing them more than once. “The Stanley Parable”, an adventure game that is unlike any other I’ve experienced, is rather difficult to explain. You’ll take on the role of Stanley, and while your adventure begins the same every time, your choices will determine how the story ends. Think of it as a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book, something that you kids of the eighties and nineties can relate to. It also bears a resemblance to “Portal” and “Anti-Chamber”, but without the mind-bending puzzles and with heavier emphasis on the narrative. Before we explore the game any further, I’d like to quickly thank Davey Wreden from Galactic Cafe for providing me with a free press copy.
I don’t get to try out the freebies on Desura as much as I’d like to nowadays, but I just couldn’t say no to this particular one. A climbing simulator of sorts? Alright…I’ll bite. The question remains, how did I fare? Did I plunge horribly to my death. It turns out, yes…many times…though in most of those cases, I couldn’t even get a few feet of the ground.
Rougelikes have a reputation for being brutal, as one of their common features involves a permadeath system that prevents you from going back and loading a previous save when things go horribly wrong. “Desktop Dungeons” has all of the characteristics of a roguelike in that regard, but it does some pretty unique things that sets it apart from the rest of the crowd. Before we don our helmets and sharpen our swords, I’d like to quickly thank Danny Day from QCF Design for providing me with a free press copy.
In December of 2012, I had the pleasure of reviewing a gruesome first-person hack and slash by the name of “Chivalry: Medieval Warfare”. I even went on record by saying that it “makes me want to watch the siege battles in the Lord of the Rings movies again for the umpteenth time this year.” “Chivalry: Deadliest Warrior”, the official expansion to aforementioned game, released on November 14, 2013. Instead of archers and knights, players will be making use of off-the-wall classes like pirates and ninjas. Before we get started hacking and slashing our way to victory, I’d like to thank Steve Piggott, the President of Torn Banner Studios, for providing me with a free press copy.
It was honestly just a matter of time before someone utilized and marketed the redshirt concept in a video game. In case you’ve been living under a rock (or just really, really HATE “Star Trek”), a redshirt is a title given to a no-named Ensign who usually accompanies Captain Kirk on an away mission. There’s also a seventy-five percent chance that said redshirt won’t be coming back…perhaps Gene Roddenberry hated the color red, who’s to say? At any rate, “Redshirt”, a comedy sci-fi “Facebook” simulator of sorts, recently made its way onto the market and I’m here to take a final look at how it stacks up in the grand scheme of things. Before we set our phasers to “Like”, I want to quickly thank Cliff Harris from Positech Games for providing me with a free press copy.
“Adventure Park” has some big shoes to fill, especially with how much work went into the making of the “Roller Coaster Tycoon” series. I’ve honestly lost count of the number of years I’ve put into that series as a whole…it’s just THAT good. Unfortunately for us, the last “RCT” game (“RCT3”) was released in 2004…a whopping nine years ago. I don’t know about you, but I think it’s past time for an upgrade. That begs the question…will “Adventure Park” fit the bill? Before we answer that, I’d like to quickly thank Daniel Krauss from bitComposer Entertainment AG for providing me with a free press copy.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
Survival sims are probably my favorite type of video games to play. Throw in some zombies to the mix and I will be hard pressed to put them down. “Project Zomboid”, a game currently in the Alpha stages of development, is my latest addiction. It’s a top down zombie-survival game that tasks the player with finding food and staying alive, all in real-time. You’re not immune to infection, making death a very real thing. It’s not a question of whether or not you’ll survive…rather, it’s a matter of “when” you’ll kick the proverbial bucket.
Some of you may already be familiar with “Talisman” in general, whether it be from playing the board game or via the review I wrote for “Talisman Prologue”. If you haven’t, that’s quite alright…I admit that I myself have never played the board game. If I had the money and/or space available to snatch up every game I came across, I’d be one happy camper. “Talisman”, to sum it up, puts players in the role of a character who must complete quests across multiple stages. This video game adaptation, along with “Talisman Prologue”, keeps with the feel of the original board game in that you’ll be rolling dice as opposed to clicking the mouse thousands of times like you would in the “Diablo” series.
Real Estate? Tower Defense? Monsters? Where do I sign up? “Unholy Heights” snuck onto Steam about a week ago and I snatched it up without a second thought. In this particular game, you’ll be managing an apartment building full of monsters and charging them rent. While you’re seeing to their needs, heroes will come and attempt to kill you, the devil, who is situated on the very top floor presiding as the landlord. I’ve already dropped nine hours into the game having only spent four bucks to purchase it, so I consider that a victory on my part. It’s an excellent value for the content it delivers, so certainly check it out if you haven’t already.