It’s been a long time–a seemingly eternity, really–since my mind had reason to focus on America’s earliest days. Sure, I love the works of Thomas Paine, but those philosphical and political pieces, don’t dig into the minutae of colonial and pre-colonial times. Likewise, Final Form Games’ Jamestown also doesn’t detail John Smith’s and Sir Walter Raleigh’s adventures in a settlement that would evolve into Virginia –it details John Smith’s and Sir Walter Raleigh’s Martian adventures to hunt down a crazed Spanish conquistador in a delightful 2D shmup.
It is understandable that this is a RTS for casual players, but I believe it’s catered toward the wrong market. Casual players aren’t going to pick up an RTS; heck casual gamers might not even know the meaning of the term “RTS.” If the difficulty would have been bumped up to a consistent level this would be a sure-fire winner. Instead we’re left with a game that has immense potential, but sadly falls short. I commend its impressive art style, amazing controls, and a unique take on what many consider an overwhelming genre. But for those looking for a deep game with a learning curve Eufloria isn’t for you, it’s for the person that is looking for a distraction from all the loud explosions, stressful situations and chaos found in other games.
SNK Playmore gives fans of 2D, sprite-based fighting a delicious treat in the form of The King of Fighters XIII. This excellent three-on-three fighter has excellent graphics, tight gameplay, and a solid online experience that will make you forget the disappointment that was KOF XII.
If you know Nippon Ichi Software games like Disgaea or Phantom Brave then you know they’re heavy on the lolicon anime style and heavy on the grinding. Lots and lots of level grinding. Some people love that. That’s fine. That’s why NIS still exists, to cater to that loli and number-loving niche. Some people find it entertaining for a little while, say, a couple of hours, and only in short bursts. Count me as part of the latter group.
There’s a new word-formation game in town that takes up my downtime: Quarrel Deluxe. Denki and UTV Ignition’s turn-based word-formation iPad game incorporates light troop management and army positioning that one would typical find in strategy games. It’s been frequently mentioned as the sweet, sweet love child of Scrabble and Risk—a comparison that is not inaccurate.
Capcom’s reintroduced Third Strike to a new generation of fight fans. Did the fighting game master nail this port? Quite simply, yes. This excellent game brings home our 2D-X Excellence Award.
When a game stars a protagonist named John “Loose” Kannon, you know that there’s going to be a high body count.
Blendo Game’s Atom Zombie Smasher is an absolute steal. It’s a part of the pay-what-you-will “Humble Indie Bundle,” an independent game collection that’s sold to consumers for charity purposes. With a name like Atom Zombie Smasher, one would expect an either incredibly awesome game, or an absolute piece of trash. I’m happy to report that it ‘s the former. Atom Zombie Smasher is a darkly-comedic strategy game that’s both addictive and rewarding, and one that’s sure to hook RTS junkies.
Michael Bay is not to blame for the atrocity that is Transformers: Dark of the Moon for PS3. No, really.
