Talisman: Prologue is a recently released Android/iOS adaptation of an old board game (which I have not played), Games Workshop’s Talisman. TP is a solitaire game in which the player controls a single high fantasy adventurer (a warrior, troll, … Continue reading
Of all the magic woven by storytellers, immersion has to be one of the most precious threads. How wonderful it is that we can pick up a book, or play a game, or sit in a cinema, and be … Continue reading
This entry is part 1 of 1 in the series Fallout: New Vegas (With apologies to every writer, director, and star of the Wild West) EXT. THE MOJAVE DESERT The one-horse town of Goodsprings bakes, silent, in the … Continue reading
Drox Operative is the latest title from Soldak Entertainment, an indie developer of action-RPGs (Depths of Peril, Din’s Curse) renowned for their dynamic worlds. Drox transports that concept from fantasy into space opera – its galaxy is filled with alien … Continue reading
For the last three days the Sydney Showground has played host to the EB Games Expo, and that was where I spent yesterday. There I met some folks from the industry, both publishers and indie developers; watched trailers and gameplay … Continue reading
Banner Saga, a Norse-themed tactical RPG trilogy from indie studio Stoic Games, was one of the early titles to ride to prominence on Kickstarter this year. Now Nathan Grayson of Rock, Paper, Shotgun has posted a monster three-part interview/preview, and … Continue reading
This entry is part 5 of 5 in the series FTL: Faster than Light The best way I can describe FTL: Faster than Light, the new indie title from Subset Games, is to say it lives up to the very … Continue reading
Half-Minute Hero, a remarkably clever and fun Japanese indie indie-esque (correction: its imaginative concept, general feel, and price tag are all incredibly indie-ish, but I don’t think it meets the technical definition) game, has now landed on Steam! I … Continue reading
This entry is part 4 of 5 in the series FTL: Faster than LightCaptain’s log, starship Kestrel Stardate 2012.09.22 Sector Seven: Zoltan Homeworlds, Continued When we left off, I was debating which piece of equipment to leave behind … Continue reading
This entry is part 3 of 5 in the series FTL: Faster than LightCaptain’s log, starship Kestrel Stardate 2012.09.22 Sector Four: Engi Homeworlds, Continued The Kestrel’s exploration of Sector Four continues, with mixed results. The good news: … Continue reading
This entry is part 2 of 5 in the series FTL: Faster than LightCaptain’s log, starship Kestrel Stardate 2012.09.22 Sector Two: Pirate Space, Continued When we left off, the Kestrel was in good form: decently armed and shielded, … Continue reading
This entry is part 1 of 5 in the series FTL: Faster than LightIt is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships have overrun most of the Galactic Federation. During the battle, Federation spies managed to steal secret plans to … Continue reading
This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series Jeanne d’Arc Now that I’ve finished Jeanne d’Arc (PSP, 2007), I can give my verdict! This post is really an addendum to Monday’s discussion of Jeanne’s gameplay. There’s not … Continue reading
This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series Jeanne d’Arc I often praise the PSP as a mecca for turn-based tactical RPGs – Disgaea! Final Fantasy Tactics! Tactics Ogre! – and over the past few months, I’ve pencilled … Continue reading
What can you do when you desperately want to talk about a game, yet cannot do so without spoiling most of what made it such a memorable experience? I have been attempting to find an answer to that question for … Continue reading
This entry is part 1 of 1 in the series Deus Ex: Human RevolutionA society consists of: A handful of ultra-powerful ultra-rich; Criminal lords who control everything not controlled by the ultra-rich; Police whose only principle of operation is … Continue reading
This is a good time to be a fan – as I am – of games that mix squad-level strategy and RPG mechanics. Last year saw the PSP release of the excellent Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, a … Continue reading
This entry is part 6 of 6 in the series Persona 3 Portable 2006 was a big year for video games. That year, two of the current generation of consoles launched: the Playstation 3 and the Wii. The rival … Continue reading
After a heyday spanning the Playstation and Playstation 2 eras, Japanese RPGs (at least, those translated into English) have retreated from home consoles: the Playstation 3 offers nowhere near the riches that its predecessors did. To some extent, portable … Continue reading
A key part of a story’s appeal — whether it be a book, a game, or a movie — is its ability to transport me to a world of wonder, and almost as fascinating is peering behind the curtain to … Continue reading
Now this is very, very cool:
This entry is part 6 of 7 in the series Storytelling in GamesNote: Storytelling in Dominions 3, part of this feature series, is available off-site. You can read it at Flash of Steel. (Note: this article contains moderate … Continue reading
This is part 4 in my series on Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls. 1. Co-op: misery loves company 2. Progress, progress, progress 3. What difficulty in Demon’s Souls has to do with behavioural finance 4. Impressions of Dark Souls … Continue reading
This is part 3 of my series on Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls. 1. Co-op: misery loves company 2. Progress, progress, progress 3. What difficulty in Demon’s Souls has to do with behavioural finance 4. Impressions of Dark Souls … Continue reading
This is part 2 of my series on Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls. 1. Co-op: misery loves company 2. Progress, progress, progress 3. What difficulty in Demon’s Souls has to do with behavioural finance 4. Impressions of Dark Souls … Continue reading
This is part 1 of my series on Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls. 1. Co-op: misery loves company 2. Progress, progress, progress 3. What difficulty in Demon’s Souls has to do with behavioural finance 4. Impressions of Dark … Continue reading
Here are some of the games I started recently in lieu of pressing on with The Witcher 2… Demon’s Souls (PS3) – The infamously difficult action-RPG. As at the end of the first level, it’s actually much less difficult … Continue reading
This is my second post on The Witcher 2. 1. First impressions 2. Strengths and weaknesses (as of early Act 2) I’ve now played a bit more of The Witcher 2 – I’m now up to early Act … Continue reading
This is my first post on The Witcher 2. 1. First impressions 2. Strengths and weaknesses (as of early Act 2) I picked up The Witcher 2 when it went on sale a couple of weekends ago, and … Continue reading
This entry is part 5 of 6 in the series Persona 3 PortableOver the weekend, I finally finished Persona 3 Portable (not long after I finished my Conan the Barbarian post, in fact). In the coming weeks, watch this space … Continue reading
