For once, I’m drawing a blank…though I have a good reason for doing so. Feel free to try the game yourself (free download) or watch it in action via the links below. If you figure out what the goal of this game is (besides slaughtering deer by the thousands), feel free to let me know.
Video Games
All posts tagged Video Games
As an avid board gamer, I was intrigued by the ideas surrounding this particular title. At first glance, it looks like a simple digital board game in which the player will be moving pawns around a giant wheel to simulate the lineage of families and generations. People who assume this to be the case would be half correct, as the game is much more complex than I originally gave it credit for. It draws gameplay mechanics from games like “Civilization” and “The Sims”, the former for the ever-progressing tech tree and the latter for the way your families evolve over a period of time. While all of this is going on, the game is telling you a story, one that you are helping to create. The question remains however, does it stand the tests of time and the “almighty” gamer-dad who will be reviewing it? Before I answer that, I’d like to thank Keith Nemitz from Mousechief Co. for providing me with a free review copy.
While no video game could possibly reflect the courage and dedication that our servicemen provide, it’s nice to sometimes pretend to be a hero, even if it is in the virtual world. What’s more, virtual games like “Rescue 2013 – Everyday Heroes” remind us of the dangers that these real-life “everyday heroes” face, something I wholeheartedly support. In this particular game, the player will take on the role of a fire department head who must manage a team and respond to emergencies as they occur. Before we get started taking a look at this game in further detail, I’d like to thank Katleen from Plug In Digital for providing me with a free review copy.
War. Some might ask what it’s good for. If General William P. “Fatty” McGutterpants in “Risk: Factions” had his way, he’d claim that it was absolutely everything. (Ba-Bump Chhh!) While there are hundreds of free “Risk” clones on the market, I must admit that I’ve had my eye on this particular one, even though it retailed at ten bucks. The game’s free demo had me hooked, but I felt that ten bucks was a little too much when you take into consideration all of the competition out there offering up the game for free. Steam’s summer sale allowed me the chance to grab it for half that price and we’re here today to determine whether or not it’s truly worth our time.
We’ve all seen our share of horror movies and more often than not, they involve one person chasing the other with some sort of sharp object. “Silhouette”, a free indie game I recently discovered for the PC and Mac, follows that very theme. One person will take on the role of the victim, who must find the key and escape the house while the other controls the killer. Sounds simple, right? Not really. It’s turn based and to top that off, the length in between turns changes depending on the proximity of the two. The closer the two characters are, the faster turns fly by. The game supports two player local play, with both using the keyboard. While there is no online multiplayer option, there are plenty of maps to choose from. You can also have the system randomly generate your own map after choosing the size. It’s a fairly suspenseful game, one that I recommend that you check out if you happen to have another gamer in the house.
I could spend months writing about “Civilization V”…yes, it’s that big of a game. I gave the base game a 9/10 in the review I published last year, but held off on buying any of the expansions due to financial reasons. Low and behold, Steam came through with a summer sale that allowed me to upgrade to the “Gold Edition” for a measly five bucks and catch the “Brave New World” for twenty. For those of you confused by all of the DLC the game contains, the “Gold Edition” includes all of the smaller DLC packs and the first major expansion “Gods & Kings”. Basically, everything up to “Brave New World”, which is the second major expansion in the series. For the sake of simplicity, I’ll be briefly touching on each of these two major expansions and providing my thoughts on each. I probably could have separated them both into two separate articles, but hey, it’s my blog and I’ll cheat be efficient if I want to.
Two years ago I made a vow to have this game reviewed soon after its release. Needless to say, my best laid plans didn’t work out as I had intended. With the recent addition of an “easy mode” to the main campaign, my interest peaked quite a bit. While I consider myself a tower defense vet, I prefer easier, more casual games as they help to accommodate my busy lifestyle as a full-time accountant and parent. “Revenge of the Titans”, in case you haven’t figured it out already, is a tower defense game that tasks the player in defending important structures from waves of aliens. When the game first released, I found the difficulty to be rather unforgiving and thus, unattractive. With the new game modes in play, I figured now would be a good time as any to see just how far the game has come ever since its release back in 2010/2011.
The word “camping” and I just don’t get along too well. I dislike the bugs, the lack of air conditioning, and the fact that the closest bathrooms are usually four thousand miles away. What can I say, civilization and modern-day technology have spoiled me. “Camping Manager 2012” promises to allow the player to “design their own paradise”, so needless to say I was curious as to just how far this simulation would take me. The player will be tasked with building a camp site that is both profitable and pleasing to those who choose to bunk there. Before we get into specifics, I’d like to thank the folks at Merge Games LTD for providing me with a free review copy.
Close your eyes for a moment. You are now seven years old. You’ve trekked up your street’s small hill on foot with your bike in tow. You get on your bike and take a deep breath, as you’re about to attempt your first downhill journey at a whopping ten miles per hour. Now…take those butterflies in your stomach, turn them into the hottest red peppers known to man, change the words “hill” into “mountain” and “ten miles per hour” into “holy “&^*%!”, and you’ve got MTBFreeride. It’s a free, downhill biking simulator that will make you wish you hadn’t eaten two weeks ago.
By now, everyone should know that crossing the streams would mean that all life as you knew it would stop instantaneously and every molecule in your body would explode at the speed of light, resulting in a total protonic reversal. What you may not be aware of is the video game adaptation that made its way onto shelves back in 2009 and no, I’m not talking about that really crappy one titled, “Sanctum of Slime”. Although you can get a good gaming pc under 1000, it’s important to note that the PC version of the game is a bit different and less cartoony than its console counterparts, especially when compared to the Wii version. The XBox 360 and PS3 versions feature online multiplayer, whereas the PC version unfortunately does not. The Nintendo DS version doesn’t even resemble the game in the slightest and could be compared to the PC version released back in 1984. For the purposes of this review and just to clear up any confusion, I’ll be touching on the PC version of the game.
“Monopoly” games are commonplace nowadays, but back in 2001, it was rare to see a “Monopoly” game that also had a business side to it. By business side, I mean managing properties, constructing particular businesses, adjusting prices and inventory counts, leasing city blocks and utilities, and etc. “Monopoly Tycoon” lets you do all of those things and more. Due to its age, I’m not going to bother with a full review. I will say however that if you can get the game to work on your PC, it’s a blast to play. Some of you may receive a “this program is attempting to crash gracefully” when starting up the game, but you can click the “No Music” box in the configure menu before you hit that play button and it should work. You won’t have music, but at least the game will get you past the opening cutscene. All in all, it’s a fun business tycoon game that everyone should experience at least once.
“Endless Space” received a 9/10 from yours truly, and with good reason. It is one of my favorite 4x games ever to have crossed my path since the “Galactic Civilizations” series. Since my review of “Endless Space” back on July 5, 2012 (almost exactly one year earlier, ironically), four free add-ons and an official expansion have made their way onto those next turn buttons everywhere. For the purposes of this review, I’m going to assume that you have read the review of the core game (link above). If you haven’t, I highly recommend that you do, as I’ll be skipping over some of the game’s core features so as not to repeat myself. Before we take a look at what the expansion has to offer, I’d like to thank Mayke Griffioen from Iceberg Interactive for reaching out and providing me with a free review copy.
The number of games I’ve seen on Steam’s new “Early Access” section has increased over these past few months, bringing more Alpha and Beta goodness to gamers everywhere. I really like the idea of pitching in and helping games still in development, as players usually receive some sort of discount or bonus for being avid supporters. It’s a win-win for everyone, and such is the case with “Infested Planet”. In this particular strategy game, players will be fending off waves of nasty aliens that improve and mutate as you attempt to wipe them out. It’s an interesting tower defense / real-time strategy / squad management mix that will keep players engaged from start to finish. Before we take a sneak peek at the Beta, I’d like to thank Alex Vostrov (the game’s creator) for providing me with a free press copy.
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.