A new “SimCity” was long overdue. “SimCity 4” was released back in 2003 and “SimCity Societies”, while a great game, was too casual to satisfy my need to run things like a know-it-all with delusions of grandeur. I had reservations about getting this game, mainly due to the trouble I’ve had with EA’s Origin system as of late. My account was locked in some sort of weird loop that was somehow signed up to Origin but wasn’t, though it may have had something to do with the seventy or so IDs that plagued it from games dating back to 2004. Trying to contact EA was even more difficult, as I just didn’t have “two hours” to wait around to talk to someone on their support chat. Creating a new Origin press account for my website seemed to do the trick…a fresh start as it were, but I digress. “SimCity”…let’s take the plunge shall we?
Video Games
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It’s a safe bet that at least one of my regular readers works in some kind of office setting. I’ve never had the pleasure of being asked to stay late (sarcasm button off), but I do have a pretty good imagination. “One Late Night” plays on that imagination, putting the player through a quick horror experience that will haunt your dreams for some time. You’ll be trying to maintain your sanity while trying to find clues in regards to what is going on and what you need to do next. It’s free and definitely worth a download.
You’re on a train with a countdown clock. You have about twenty minutes to figure out how to stop the train before the wreck occurs. Who are you? Where are you? What’s up with the train? Why are weird things happening? “Process” won’t answer all of these questions, but it WILL make you think. I found “Process” to be an intriguing, albeit short puzzle / horror game.
I’d like to think I know my way around a plastic cup, but there’s always room to grow. I’m mainly an iced tea and water drinker by nature, so naturally I felt a little intimidated by this game’s title. What if my avatar doesn’t like the taste of soda? What if I overindulge and have to use the bathroom? Will the condensation from the cup make my hands slippery, resulting in a possibly embarrassing spilled drink episode? If I wait too long to drink my soda, will the ice slide up the straw and possibly choke me? These are the questions that a pro soda drinker should be asking themselves. “Soda Drinker Pro” is a soda drinking simulator that will put your simulated lips and esophagus to the test. Will YOU have what it takes to be a pro soda drinker?
Sasha Darko, the creator of “Sacred Line”, was kind enough to reach out to me and bring this game to my attention. “Sacred Line” puts the player in the shoes of Ellen, a private detective, who gets a phone call from an unknown person who directs her to some sort of forest. Somehow, this develops into ancient sects, third world countries, totalitarian regimes, and pollution. The game, as a whole, takes about thirty minutes to play through.
“TrackMania² Canyon” is one of many games in the “TrackMania” series, this particular one being the first and allowing players to experience the thrill of racing in a canyon-esque setting. I’ve had my eye on it for a while, mainly due to the fact that I hadn’t touched a true racing game in a very long time. Having played and enjoyed “Gas Guzzlers: Combat Carnage”, I was eager to see how this particular racing game stacked up and what new innovations I’d see in my travels. I’ll say this much…the trailer boasted jumps and drops that left me slack-jawed. Before I begin comparing automobile insurance rates online, I’d like to thank Edouard Beauchemin from Nadeo for providing me with a free review copy.
“Call of Duty: World at War” and “Left 4 Dead” introduced me to what a first person zombie survival game might be like. I would often install the former just so that I could play the “Nazi Zombie” mode that becomes unlocked after beating the game. “Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army” is a standalone expansion to the “Sniper Elite” series that once again puts you into the shoes of American sniper Karl Fairburne. This time around however, you’ll be putting bullets into the undead in an attempt to get out of Germany with your skin intact. Before we start dispatching zombies with ruthless vigor, I’d like to thank Michael Molcher from Rebellion for providing me with a free review copy.
“Wolfenstein 3D” was the very first shooter I had ever played, but it wasn’t until “Call of Duty” that I realized that I really enjoyed games based around World War I and World War II. In this case, you’ll be taking control of Karl Fairburne, an American sniper, who’s been tasked with preventing Germany’s V2 rocket program from falling into Soviet hands. I was anxious to see how this World War II sniping simulator stood up against the earlier “Call of Duty” games (before it became modernized). Before we get started, I’d like to thank Michael Molcher from Rebellion for providing me with a free review copy.
“The Dead Linger”, a zombie survival horror game, more than doubled its Kickstarter goal. Needless to say, there is a huge market for all things zombie, especially when it comes to putting yourself smack dab into the middle of the action. Before we jump shotgun first into the preview, I’d like to thank Geoff Keene, the CEO of Sandswept Studios, for providing me with a free preview copy. It should be noted that the game is currently in an Alpha state, meaning that it is not done yet. All of the content and pictures below therefore shouldn’t be regarded as final.
“Death Inc.” is certainly something I can’t claim to have played before. How many other games do you know of that allows you to control Death and unleash the bubonic plague upon 17th century England? Not many. The game has seven days to go on its Kickstarter campaign (as of 2/27/13) and oddly enough, has a demo. I rarely see demos available for games in a pre-Alpha state, but anyone and everyone can download it and try the game out. I included a video below, along with some links to get you in the mood for plague rats and pigeon pox.
If you take one thing away from this review, it’s that Spoids are bad. They invade and just keep coming. Luckily (or perhaps unluckily), mankind has you to lead the charge and protect various targets as they come under attack. In “Spoids”, you’ll be tasked with holding off waves of enemies in pure tower defense fashion.
“Hammerwatch” is an upcoming game that bears a resemblance to a personal childhood favorite, “Gauntlet.” Players will be able to fly solo or team up with the goal of making it out of Castle Hammerwatch alive. Before we get started with the preview, I’d like to thank Jochum Skoglund and Niklas Myrberg for providing me with access to the Beta. It’s important to note that because the game is currently in the Beta stage, the content and pictures you’ll see below are subject to change.
Editor’s Note:
I have since reviewed the game (as of 8/15/13), which you can find here:
“Nuclear Pizza War” is one of the nine games featured in the Humble Bundle Mojam 2, which allowed people to donate what they wanted to charity while gaining access to nine prototype games. “Nuclear Pizza War” tasks the player with fending off waves of robots while on top of a giant pizza. Below is a quick video of the game in action, recorded by yours truly. Enjoy!
Mojang (The creator of Minecraft) and friends recent held “Humble Bundle Mojam 2”, a three-day event that allowed viewers to donate to charity in exchange for access to nine different games in the prototype stage. While the event is now over, donations are still being taken through March 2, 2013. You can pay what you want to access these prototypes, and all proceeds will go to charity.
I played the game to its completion and decided to help out those who are struggling with the progression by making a video. It is very spoiler heavy, so do not view it if you want to complete the game without any help.
“Amnesia: The Dark Descent” scared the crap out of me. “Eleusis” reminds me a little of “Amnesia”, but without the scary monsters chasing you throughout the environment. “Eleusis” is a first person adventure that puts the player in the role of an unfortunately gentleman who suffers a car accident. Shaken but not injured, you’ll guide this man to a nearby village where all isn’t what it seems. Before I get started, I’d like to thank the folks from Nocturnal Works for providing me with a free review copy.