This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series Valiant HeartsValiant Hearts wants to tell the truth about war. To do so, it uses puzzles, humour, and a goofy villain. That is the language of adventure games, but it … Continue reading
This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series Valiant Hearts I’m halfway through Valiant Hearts: The Great War, Ubisoft Montpellier’s adventure game set during World War 1. Billed as a “story of crossed destinies and a broken love … Continue reading
This entry is part 3 of 3 in the series WarlockA few years ago, I linked to an alternate genre classification system for games, as proposed by Russ Pitts and Steve Butts in The Escapist magazine. I paraphrased their system … Continue reading
Emperor of the Fading Suns was a mid-1990s PC strategy game from the days before the space 4X genre calcified into Master of Orion 2 wannabes. It was ambitious, sprawling, buggy, flawed — yet I remember it fondly. In 2011, … Continue reading
I originally wrote this post around the time Civilization V came out, and it’s interesting to look back in light of subsequent releases such as Crusader Kings 2 and Europa Universalis IV. One of my arguments was that 4X games … Continue reading
Star Control 2 is a classic of the early 1990s, with a great sense of humour, robust gameplay, and unique, non-linear story progression — the player had to gather clues and do his or her own footwork in order to … Continue reading
This entry is part 2 of 3 in the series Warlock My first scout killed some cockroaches and some wolves, then was mauled by a giant bear. My second scout found some demonic trees and was turned into fertilizer … Continue reading
This entry is part 11 of 11 in the series Wargame: European Escalation/AirLand Battle/Red Dragon The US Marines came ashore to find their enemy in disarray. Before the first marine set foot on land, their escorting frigate swept the … Continue reading
This deserves a post of its own: Firaxis has announced Civilization: Beyond Earth, a spiritual successor in all but name to Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri. PC Gamer has run a detailed interview with the developers, while beneath the cut, I’ve … Continue reading
This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series Age of Wonders IIIWhile I like a number of things about Age of Wonders III, one problem holds it back – pacing.
This entry is part 3 of 4 in the series Age of Wonders IIINow that I’ve spent a little more time with Age of Wonders 3 – I think I’m near the end of my third campaign map – I … Continue reading
This entry is part 2 of 4 in the series Age of Wonders III This is it, the biggest battle of this map so far. On my side, four towering giants – amongst the most powerful units in the game … Continue reading
This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series Hearts of IronI am a long-time fan of Hearts of Iron, a grand strategy series in which players control all aspects of a World War II nation, from armies and … Continue reading
This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series The Banner SagaAfter finishing The Banner Saga, I thought I’d expand on the conclusions I reached last week. I’m still happy with the game and its tactical battles, which become … Continue reading
This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series The Banner Saga“The gods are dead.” So opens Stoic Studio’s The Banner Saga, a low-fantasy tactical RPG with a cool and unique combat system. It’s so different as to … Continue reading
Paradox has announced two new games and two new expansions, all of which will come from Paradox Development Studio, its first-party arm. The games are Hearts of Iron IV and a new IP — Runemaster, an RPG set in a … Continue reading
This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series Dominions 4I am very pleased to unveil a project I’ve worked on for some time — a Dominions 4 mod inspired by the classic anime movie Princess Mononoke! The mod … Continue reading
This entry is part 3 of 4 in the series Dominions 4Spring, Year 4 of the Ascension Wars. The rival empires of Jomon, T’ien Ch’i, and Pythium have soaked their borderlands in blood; the prize, the Thrones of Ascension that … Continue reading
At first, I didn’t like Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol very much, its designer notwithstanding. On paper, this turn-based, TRPG take on World War I air combat had it all: a clean, simple interface; pilots who levelled up and learned … Continue reading
This is not a review of Creative Assembly’s Total War: Rome II, but if it were, my opinion would be, “Worth a look… but wait for the <$10 Steam sale.” I’m around 30 hours into Rome II, spread across two … Continue reading
This entry is part 2 of 4 in the series Dominions 4Johan Karlsson and Kristoffer Osterman of Illwinter Game Design are the creators of indie masterpiece Dominions 3, a strategy game of near-unrivalled imagination, depth, and player choice. With Dominions … Continue reading
“Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away.” Take that logic, apply to a strategy game, blend in a striking aesthetic, and sprinkle with humour: developer 17-BIT’s … Continue reading
This entry is part 8 of 8 in the series Europa Universalis IVParadox Development Studio’s Europa Universalis IV is a game about trade-offs, and it is all the better for it.
This entry is part 7 of 8 in the series Europa Universalis IVIf you walk around London today, you will still find monuments to the war heroes of the 18th century, and cross streets named after the ministers who led … Continue reading
My design analysis of Rome II, the Total War series, and what makes a good 4X game is now up! You can find it here. Total War: Rome II has been this year’s highest-profile strategy release, but its initial … Continue reading
This entry is part 6 of 8 in the series Europa Universalis IV In 1665, Great Britain lay in ruins, her navy and trade fleets sunk, her cities occupied by French soldiers. It was the culmination of a series … Continue reading
This entry is part 5 of 8 in the series Europa Universalis IVIn 1584, under siege by French-backed Catholic rebels, King Augustus I of Great Britain renounced the Protestant faith. It was a last resort; the British treasury was empty, … Continue reading
This entry is part 4 of 8 in the series Europa Universalis IVThe Navigator Queen In the summer of 1475, Anne, Queen of England, celebrated the fifth anniversary of her assumption of power from her regency council. They … Continue reading
I am very pleased to publish an email interview with Vic Davis, the indie game designer behind Armageddon Empires (one of my favourite strategy games), Solium Infernum, and Six-Gun Saga. Read on for our conversation about Vic’s latest title, … Continue reading
This entry is part 3 of 8 in the series Europa Universalis IVThe World that May Have Been Introduction November, 1444. Under the Ming Dynasty, China is the greatest empire in the world: Further … Continue reading
