Video Games
Eador: Genesis
May 29, 2026
I was busy over the last few weeks updating STBL-Web for Game Central's 20th anniversary. Prior to that, however, I was playing Eador: Genesis, a turn-based strategy game with a fantasy setting. It reminded me of the early Heroes of Might and Magic games or King's Bounty. You play as a Master and move your heroes around on a world map. Combat is waged on a 2D hex grid. Available heroes are warriors, scouts, commanders, and wizards. They level up in abilities, learn spells and skills, acquire equipment, and recruit units for their armies. In Eador: Genesis, you conquer shards, which are small worlds. Conquered shards unlock additional buildings, units, and other elements. Playing each shard was like its own mini-game. I conquered several (at least half a dozen) but the game progresses slowly. Estimates to complete the campaign range from 50 to 170 hours. As much as I enjoyed it, I can't justify devoting that much time to finish the game. It's time to move on to something new.
The Witcher: Enhanced Edition - Finished
April 10, 2026
After 45 hours or so, I finished The Witcher: Enhanced Edition. I'm really glad I gave this one another chance. When I tried it the first time, I wasn't crazy about the combat and it never hooked me. This time, I switched the default camera style to isometric and I enjoyed it much more. The story features Geralt of Rivia who is a monster hunter known as a Witcher. It is an RPG with dialog options, character talents, inventory management, and alchemical crafting. As with most RPGs, there is a great focus on combat. The Witcher has a somewhat different take on combat compared to other games. Geralt has a steel sword for fighting humans and a silver sword for fighting monsters. There are also three fighting styles for each: strong, fast, and group. Talents for the primary attributes (strength, dexterity, stamina, and intelligence), sword styles, and magic signs are chosen by the player. You earn these talent points by going up levels from experience or sometimes through other means such as imbibing special potions. I enjoyed the character development and the choices of which areas to spend your precious talent points on. By the end of the game, my Geralt had achieved level 35 so he had almost all of the combat talents. I also spent some points on magical signs but primarily stuck to the melee talents.
I'm off to a good start with video gaming in 2026. Fallout 3 and The Witcher were both really good. Hopefully, I can play Fallout: New Vegas and The Witcher 2 this year as well.
I'm off to a good start with video gaming in 2026. Fallout 3 and The Witcher were both really good. Hopefully, I can play Fallout: New Vegas and The Witcher 2 this year as well.
The Witcher: Enhanced Edition
March 31, 2026
In March, I've been playing The Witcher: Enhanced Edition exclusively. This was another classic that I skipped over but felt compelled to play. The original game debuted in 2007 and the Enhanced Edition followed a year later. For a game of its age, it holds up remarkably well. It uses a modified version of BioWare's Aurora Engine, which powered Neverwinter Nights. Cities feel alive with plenty of people and animals wandering around. The weather effects, sound, and music all help bring the world to life. The game mechanics are different enough from D&D and similar fantasy RPGs to keep it fresh and interesting. I am finishing up chapter 3 and I think there are two more. I will write more about The Witcher after I complete it.
Fallout 3 Add-Ons
February 25, 2026
Because I have Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition, I was able to keep playing after finishing the story in the base game. The GOTY edition includes all five of the add-on packs, which provide several more hours of gameplay. Here they are in chronological release order as described on the developer's web site:
I played them in the order above and finished them over the last few weeks. Operation: Anchorage put you in a flashback to 2077. The Pitt had you traveling north to old Pittsburgh. You are stripped of your equipment upon entering the city and become a slave. This significantly weakened your character in the beginning but offered a nice challenge. Broken Steel was the add-on directly tied to the main story in the base game. It also raised the level cap from 20 to 30, so it was probably the most substantial add-on. Point Lookout had a creepy atmosphere, set in the swamps of what was Maryland. It also featured one (maybe two) very memorable non-player character(s) and some difficult enemies. It was a solid expansion. The final add-on, Mothership Zeta, was the oddball of the lot. You are abducted by aliens and the action takes place entirely aboard their spaceship. It offered interaction with several characters (fellow abductees) as well as alien weapons and technology to use. It didn't really feel like Fallout but it was more fun than I expected.
My version of The Lone Wanderer ended the game at level 23. Between the main game and the expansions, Fallout 3: GOTY Edition gave me over 50 hours of gameplay.
The Bridge into The Pitt
- Operation: Anchorage - Enter a military simulation and fight in the liberation of Anchorage, Alaska from its Chinese Communist invaders.
- The Pitt - Travel to the post-apocalyptic remains of Pittsburgh and become embroiled in conflict between the slaves and their Raider masters.
- Broken Steel - Increase your level cap to 30, and finish the fight against the Enclave remnants alongside Liberty Prime.
- Point Lookout - Embark on a mysterious and open-ended adventure in a huge, murky swampland along the coast of Maryland.
- Mothership Zeta - Defy hostile alien abductors and fight your way off of the alien mothership, orbiting miles above the Capital Wasteland.
I played them in the order above and finished them over the last few weeks. Operation: Anchorage put you in a flashback to 2077. The Pitt had you traveling north to old Pittsburgh. You are stripped of your equipment upon entering the city and become a slave. This significantly weakened your character in the beginning but offered a nice challenge. Broken Steel was the add-on directly tied to the main story in the base game. It also raised the level cap from 20 to 30, so it was probably the most substantial add-on. Point Lookout had a creepy atmosphere, set in the swamps of what was Maryland. It also featured one (maybe two) very memorable non-player character(s) and some difficult enemies. It was a solid expansion. The final add-on, Mothership Zeta, was the oddball of the lot. You are abducted by aliens and the action takes place entirely aboard their spaceship. It offered interaction with several characters (fellow abductees) as well as alien weapons and technology to use. It didn't really feel like Fallout but it was more fun than I expected.
My version of The Lone Wanderer ended the game at level 23. Between the main game and the expansions, Fallout 3: GOTY Edition gave me over 50 hours of gameplay.
The Bridge into The Pitt
Fallout 3
January 31, 2026
I loved Fallout and Fallout 2, among the first batch of games I played on my first Mac. I finally got around to playing Fallout 3 in 2023, well beyond its 2008 release. I put several hours into it but didn't stick with it for some reason. In December I installed it again, created a new character, and started from the beginning. This time I played it through until the end. The isometric perspective of the first two games was replaced with a 3D world. I played most of it with the default first-person view but you can switch to a third-person view as well. Although it can feel like a first-person or third-person shooter, it is a role-playing game at heart. You create a character with customizable attributes, skills, and perks. You manage a limited inventory of items including weapons and armor. There is dialogue and character interaction and a story broken into various missions. Although the game progresses in real-time, there is a combat mode called V.A.T.S. (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System). It pauses the real-time action and allows you to target a specific body part of an enemy. The chance of hitting is based on your character's skills and abilities as well as distance to target, cover, and other factors. I used V.A.T.S. in combat a lot.
Once I got rolling, I was committed to finishing the game. I got to see the cinematic ending but the game wasn't over! Because I have the Game of the Year Edition of Fallout 3, there were five add-on packs included. I will play through them in order and write about it when I finish.
Once I got rolling, I was committed to finishing the game. I got to see the cinematic ending but the game wasn't over! Because I have the Game of the Year Edition of Fallout 3, there were five add-on packs included. I will play through them in order and write about it when I finish.
Favorite Computer Games of 2025
January 06, 2026
It's time to look back at the video games I played last year. My backlog is so large that I was still playing a lot of games from 2012. Although I had a clear number one last year, the rest of my favorites weren't easy to rank. Here is my top 10 for 2025:
- The Walking Dead - I started with the original editions for Season One and Season Two. I finished up the series playing the Telltale Definitive Series edition. In addition to being my favorite video games of the year, it sparked my interest in The Walking Dead comics. I read every issue including the Clementine series, which followed one of the main characters from the game. This wasn't just a favorite for 2025 but an all-time favorite.
- Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut - First-person shooter, third-person action, role-playing, puzzle-solving, and stealth gameplay mixed beautifully in this one. It wasn't the first Deus Ex game released. However, this prequel is first in the Deus Ex chronology and is a great jumping-on point.
- Warlock - Master of the Arcane - Similar to Civilization but with a fantasy setting, I really enjoyed this 4X turn-based strategy game. I struggled whether to rank this #2 or #3. As often happens in this type of game, the endgame can drag a bit so I gave Deus Ex the nod.
- Out of the Park Baseball 26 - Playing an NALB season with OOTP Baseball every summer is a tradition for me. I usually look forward to it as much as any game out there. I could have placed OOTP 26 at #2 but didn't for a couple of reasons. I experienced one hang and one crash that forced me to replay two games (changing each from a win to a loss). Also, my Brooklyn Knights lost the World Championship Series for the third straight year, which spoiled an otherwise fine season.
- StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty - I realized that I had never played this famous game from 2010 and remedied that last November. It was pretty much as good as I remembered the original StarCraft but with updated graphics and various gameplay improvements.
- Binary Domain - This one came out of nowhere. I wasn't familiar with it but discovered it in my game library and gave it a try. It ended up being a solid third-person shooter that I enjoyed more than I thought I would.
- Peggle Nights - I liked Peggle so it was a pretty safe bet that I would like Peggle Nights. PopCap Games delivered another satisfying and addicting game.
- Offspring Fling! - This was a fun little indie puzzle-platform game with cute characters and many satisfying levels to complete.
- DiRT: Showdown - I'm not a big racing fan but for some reason I really enjoyed this one. I think it was because it was more arcade racing than hardcore racing simulation.
- Ticket to Ride - Based on the board game series of the same name, this video game adaptation was pretty well done. I never played against human competition but still had fun playing against computer opponents.
The Adventures of Shuggy
December 11, 2025
After 40+ hours on Deus Ex: Human Revolution, I was looking for something a little shorter. I hoped The Adventures of Shuggy would fit the bill. It did for the most part. This is a puzzle-platform game with over 100 levels spread across five areas (The Dungeon, The Boiler Room, The Gallery, The Graveyard and The Clocktower). The premise involves collecting gems to obtain a key. Each level has some special aspect to it: level rotation, time travel, partners for team-based problem solving, etc. I finished The Dungeon and some of The Boiler Room for a total of 30 levels. Although I enjoyed the game, As the difficulty ramped up, I wasn't tearing through the levels as quickly as in the beginning. I particularly dreaded the levels with a timer and the time-travel mechanic. I can't see sticking with it for another 70 levels. 30 levels was enough for me.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut
December 05, 2025
After almost a month, I finished Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut. The Director's Cut provided additional content, including The Missing Link DLC. For this updated edition, the DLC was chronologically integrated into the main story. On top of the main missions, I completed almost all of the available side quests. Overall, I got a little more than 40 hours of gameplay out of it. The primary action was first-person but with third-person views when taking cover. There were a lot of stealth situations and I really enjoyed that aspect of the game. At its heart, however, was a role-playing game with social interaction, character enhancement, and inventory management.
Set in 2027, this is a prequel to the original Deus Ex. The plot involves tech corporations, the Illuminati, and the struggle between normal humans and augmented humans. The protagonist is Adam Jensen, head of security for Sarif Industries. His company works on human augmentations and Adam has several augmentations himself. As Adam gains experience, you have the option to select additional augmentations in a variety of categories. As a player, that presents some interesting choices. Do you enhance Adam's combat abilities, his stealth abilities, his hacking abilities, or something else? There are a decent amount of weapons and weapon upgrades in the game to choose from as well.
I liked the story, the voice acting, the stealth, and the combat. This was definitely one of my favorite games of the year. I look forward to playing the next game in the series, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.
Adam Jensen
Set in 2027, this is a prequel to the original Deus Ex. The plot involves tech corporations, the Illuminati, and the struggle between normal humans and augmented humans. The protagonist is Adam Jensen, head of security for Sarif Industries. His company works on human augmentations and Adam has several augmentations himself. As Adam gains experience, you have the option to select additional augmentations in a variety of categories. As a player, that presents some interesting choices. Do you enhance Adam's combat abilities, his stealth abilities, his hacking abilities, or something else? There are a decent amount of weapons and weapon upgrades in the game to choose from as well.
I liked the story, the voice acting, the stealth, and the combat. This was definitely one of my favorite games of the year. I look forward to playing the next game in the series, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.
Adam Jensen
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
November 06, 2025
I last played StarCraft in 2006. It took me a bit to get into it but I ended up really liking it. Recently, I was thinking about StarCraft II and how I never got around to playing it. Therefore, I installed Battle.net and started playing StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. This first game in the trilogy featured the Terrans (aka humans). It didn't take me too long to reacquaint myself with StarCraft II's game mechanics. The familiar Zerg and Protoss were there as well as many of the units I remembered. I played through the campaign with a total of 25 missions. There were primary missions and quite a few optional missions. I tried to do them all. Your home base throughout most of the game was the Battlecruiser Hyperion. The ship has several areas in which you can watch news, upgrade units, recruit mercenaries, and pursue research. That is where earning credits and research points in the optional missions paid off.
As usual, Blizzard delivered a very polished product with professional voice acting, and cinematics. Because I played the first StarCraft 19 years ago, it is hard for me to make a detailed comparison between the two. For a game released in 2010, I thought StarCraft II held up pretty well in 2025. It was one of the best games I've played this year.
Jim Raynor
As usual, Blizzard delivered a very polished product with professional voice acting, and cinematics. Because I played the first StarCraft 19 years ago, it is hard for me to make a detailed comparison between the two. For a game released in 2010, I thought StarCraft II held up pretty well in 2025. It was one of the best games I've played this year.
Jim Raynor
Ticket to Ride
September 06, 2025
In addition to DiRT: Showdown, I've recently been playing Ticket to Ride. This is the video game adaptation of the board game from Days of Wonder. I played the board game a few times but it was quite a few years ago. I've enjoyed playing it again, even solo against computer opponents. I think I have all of the DLC so there are plenty of options. I have played the standard USA map as well as USA 1910. I've also tried the Pennsylvania map and some European ones as well. There are some slight variations in gameplay between maps and game expansions so that keeps it fresh. I'm definitely going to keep this game installed for a while. It is great if you have a little time and just want to play a quick game from start to finish.
DiRT: Showdown
September 05, 2025
As I make my way through another baseball season, I've been playing some other computer games as well. DiRT: Showdown is one of those games. Although I previously played a bit of DiRT 2 and DiRT 3, Showdown has a different style. This one is much more of an arcade racing game and doesn't aim for hardcore realism. For someone who isn't a racing fan, that suited me just fine. I used my Logitech RumblePad 2 controller and pretty much got the hang of driving. In the Tour Showdown, I enjoyed the racing events (race off, eliminator, and domination) and the demolition events (rampage, knock out, hard target, and 8 ball). What I didn't enjoy were the Hoonigan events (head 2 head, trick rush, and smash hunter). I was horrible at that style of trick driving. There are several tour levels: Pro, AllStar, Champion, and Legend. You need podium finishes in all of the events to move up to the next tour level. So far, I've completed the Pro and AllStar tours. I am currently in the middle of the Champion tour but my poor finishes in the Hoonigan events will probably keep me from advancing to the Legend tour.
I've had more fun with DiRT: Showdown than any auto racing game in a while. It was enjoyable to earn prize money, upgrade your cars, and purchase new cars. I also appreciated a game that not only tolerated ramming and banging other cars but actually encouraged it.
I've had more fun with DiRT: Showdown than any auto racing game in a while. It was enjoyable to earn prize money, upgrade your cars, and purchase new cars. I also appreciated a game that not only tolerated ramming and banging other cars but actually encouraged it.
Alan Wake's American Nightmare
August 12, 2025
I played Alan Wake December 2024 to January 2025 and thought it was a solid third-person action horror game. Yesterday I finished the next game in the series, Alan Wake's American Nightmare. The experience was similar in a lot of ways. However, the focus on combat was greater and the story was weaker. The premise of fighting the "taken" corrupted by darkness was still there. Alan always has his trusty flashlight along with a variety of weapons. Unfortunately, what felt like a 1.5 hour game was stretched out by making you play several scenes a total of three times under the guise of a time loop and rewriting reality. All of this is framed by Rod Serling Twilight Zone styled narration. The game was short enough that I was motivated enough to finish it. I didn't enjoy it as much as the first game, though.
The Journey Down: Chapter One
August 06, 2025
After playing The Dream Machine, I decided to try another adventure game—The Journey Down: Chapter One. Its website describes it as "a classic point-and-click saga with an Afro-Caribbean vibe." It had the feel of a LucasArts adventure game and that is a good thing. It was quite different from The Dream Machine and more in line with familiar classic titles. In addition to its visual appeal, it had solid voice acting and very nice music as well. The puzzles weren't too difficult. It involved the typical collection of items as you visit every accessible area and build your inventory. As with most adventure games, there was a good deal of backtracking to solve puzzles once new items are acquired. The number of areas in Chapter One wasn't excessively large, however, so most areas were usually only a few screens away. As point and click adventure games go, I would definitely rate this one as very good.
The Journey Down is presented as a series of chapters. I only own Chapter One of the trilogy. As with The Dream Machine, I am tempted to purchase the other chapters to see how the story ends. Instead, I think I will dig into my deep backlog of video games and choose something else to play next.
The Journey Down is presented as a series of chapters. I only own Chapter One of the trilogy. As with The Dream Machine, I am tempted to purchase the other chapters to see how the story ends. Instead, I think I will dig into my deep backlog of video games and choose something else to play next.
The Dream Machine: Chapter 1 and 2
August 02, 2025
After playing The Walking Dead, it will be extremely difficult to find another adventure game I like nearly as much. Regardless, I decided to give The Dream Machine a try. The game is split up into six chapters. I currently have only the first two chapters, which are described on the web page:
I finished the first two chapters and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Its artwork was quite different, primarily using clay and cardboard to model the characters and environments. One positive was that the difficulty wasn't excessive to cause too much frustration. I'm tempted to buy the rest of the chapters to see how the story ends. I have so many other games in my library, however. For now, I am going to move on to something I already own.
The Dream Machine is an award-winning point & click adventure game about exploring other people’s dreams. It’s built by hand using materials such as clay, cardboard & broccoli. In Chapter 1 you play Victor Neff, the husband of a young couple who’ve just moved into a new apartment. While trying to get settled in you discover that all is not as it seems in the quiet, unassuming apartment building… In Chapter 2, Victor goes to confront the landlord, Mr. Morton, only to find his apartment empty. Can Victor find the elusive landlord in time and is there more to Mr. Morton than meets the eye?
I finished the first two chapters and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Its artwork was quite different, primarily using clay and cardboard to model the characters and environments. One positive was that the difficulty wasn't excessive to cause too much frustration. I'm tempted to buy the rest of the chapters to see how the story ends. I have so many other games in my library, however. For now, I am going to move on to something I already own.
Warlock - Master of the Arcane
July 25, 2025
It's been a few years since I played a 4X (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate) turn-based strategy game. I think the last two were Master of Magic and Civilization V. The drought is over as I just completed my first game of Warlock - Master of the Arcane. Most of these games are in some way inspired by Sid Meier's Civilization series. Warlock - Master of the Arcane puts a fantasy twist on it as did Master of Magic. In this case, the setting is Ardania, the world of Majesty and Majesty 2. I wasn't familiar with Ardania but that wasn't an impediment.
As with many 4X games, there is a bit of customization to decide on before starting a game. I stuck with most of the defaults and ended up with a total of four great mages vying for control of a medium sized world on normal difficulty. For my character, I selected the Grand Librarian, a human with an interest in magical research who had the favor of Dauros, god of law and order. The computer controlled great mages were the two-headed dragon Tendral, Son of Vendral, rat leader King Rrat XLII, and the Elven Dragon Queen.
The first great mage I discovered was King Rrat XLII. Our relationship was friendly for quite some time building up to a non-aggression pact and later a full alliance. I encountered some hostility from Tendral, the next great mage I found. King Rrat went to war with Tendral. As Rrat's ally, I was dragged into the war as well. There were periods of peace with Tendral but inevitably the conflict would resume. Eventually, I crossed paths with the Dragon Queen. We formed a very cordial relationship early on, which eventually blossomed into a stronger alliance than what I had with King Rrat.
After defeating Tendral by capturing his capital city, tensions with King Rrat began to break down. We shared too many borders and I expected an attack from him was imminent. I was right and he declared war against me. I eventually conquered him as well, leaving just the Dragon Queen as my only great mage competition. Things followed a similar path with her as she broke our alliance and then canceled our non-aggression pact. She started a war with me but I was able to capture city after city from her until only her capital was left. I could have easily have won the game at that point but I decided to contain her and keep playing. I wanted to research more spells, explore the last unvisited lands, and investigate the magic portals. The magic portals lead to other worlds but I never had I chance to use them up to that point. I went through two portals and found Princeland, a desert world, and Hellplains, a volcanic world. The terrain in those worlds were harsh and the monsters were much more challenging than on Ardania. After another twenty turns or so, I decided to capture the Dragon Queen's capital city and claim victory.
This was a really fun 4X game. I had as much fun with it as any of the Civilization games I've played.
Victory for the Grand Librarian
As with many 4X games, there is a bit of customization to decide on before starting a game. I stuck with most of the defaults and ended up with a total of four great mages vying for control of a medium sized world on normal difficulty. For my character, I selected the Grand Librarian, a human with an interest in magical research who had the favor of Dauros, god of law and order. The computer controlled great mages were the two-headed dragon Tendral, Son of Vendral, rat leader King Rrat XLII, and the Elven Dragon Queen.
The first great mage I discovered was King Rrat XLII. Our relationship was friendly for quite some time building up to a non-aggression pact and later a full alliance. I encountered some hostility from Tendral, the next great mage I found. King Rrat went to war with Tendral. As Rrat's ally, I was dragged into the war as well. There were periods of peace with Tendral but inevitably the conflict would resume. Eventually, I crossed paths with the Dragon Queen. We formed a very cordial relationship early on, which eventually blossomed into a stronger alliance than what I had with King Rrat.
After defeating Tendral by capturing his capital city, tensions with King Rrat began to break down. We shared too many borders and I expected an attack from him was imminent. I was right and he declared war against me. I eventually conquered him as well, leaving just the Dragon Queen as my only great mage competition. Things followed a similar path with her as she broke our alliance and then canceled our non-aggression pact. She started a war with me but I was able to capture city after city from her until only her capital was left. I could have easily have won the game at that point but I decided to contain her and keep playing. I wanted to research more spells, explore the last unvisited lands, and investigate the magic portals. The magic portals lead to other worlds but I never had I chance to use them up to that point. I went through two portals and found Princeland, a desert world, and Hellplains, a volcanic world. The terrain in those worlds were harsh and the monsters were much more challenging than on Ardania. After another twenty turns or so, I decided to capture the Dragon Queen's capital city and claim victory.
This was a really fun 4X game. I had as much fun with it as any of the Civilization games I've played.
Victory for the Grand Librarian
Sniper Elite V2
July 05, 2025
Before I turn my attention to Out of the Park Baseball for another NALB season, I've been trying to squeeze in a couple other computer games. I just finished Sniper Elite V2, which didn't take long to complete. The single-player campaign had ten missions and it was paced just about right for me. It is a third-person shooter but a lot of action occurs through your gun's scope. There was a focus on stealth and long range sniping but levels with many opponents felt a bit like a shooting gallery. The V2 in the title refers not only to the fact it was a sequel and the second game in the series but also to the German V2 rocket program. Your US Army character is given the task of eliminating German scientists associated with the V2 program before they can fall into Soviet hands. The setting was the Battle of Berlin and the game featured various WWII weapons. Its most notable feature, however, has to be the "X-Ray Kill Cam" with its slow-motion depiction of a bullet as it travels from your gun to its target. The effect is impressive but gruesome. I was pleased with Sniper Elite V2 enough to play other games in the series.
The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series
June 27, 2025
Most of the time, I don't have the desire to play video games as I did when I was younger. Every so often, however, I play a game that rekindles my love for video games. The Walking Dead series did just that. I loved almost every minute of it. I already wrote a bit about Season One and Season Two. After playing those standalone versions, I switched to The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series to play the remaining games. It included remastered updates to all seasons as well as the 400 Days DLC and Michonne DLC.
400 Days - This was a single episode done in an anthology style. You played five distinct characters with their own stories, In the end, those stories dovetailed to a unified ending. Given the shorter stories, 400 Days lacked the depth of the longer episodes and the continuity of whole seasons. Despite being the weakest entry in the series, I was still glad I played it.
The Walking Dead: Michonne - This DLC contained three episodes featuring a notable and popular character from The Walking Dead comics. In fact, it filled in what Michonne was doing for the dozen or so issues when she was missing in the comic series. Because it centered around a familiar character, I was much more engaged with this one than 400 Days. This was set in the timeline between season two and season three. It was a great warmup to get me revved up to play season three.
The Walking Dead: A New Frontier - The third season returned with five episodes and new characters. The main protagonist was Javier "Javi" Garcia, a disgraced former pro baseball player. There was a lot of family drama in this one. Javi's brother David was a major character as well as David's wife Kate and their two children, Gabe and Mari. I wasn't sure that I was going to like switching yet again to another main character after season two. However, it didn't take long for me to enjoy playing Javi. Season Two's protagonist, Clementine, eventually shows up in the story as well. A lot of the drama was centered around the New Frontier group based in Richmond, Virginia. There was political infighting and the potential for a love story with Kate. I shouldn't have been surprised but I enjoyed this one even more than I thought I would.
The Walking Dead: The Final Season - This fourth and final season went back to Clementine as the main character and protagonist. By now, she had reunited with AJ (Alvin Jr.), the child who lost both his parents, Despite being a young teenager, Clem had to act as both older sister and mother to AJ. She tries to keep him safe and teach him life lessons whenever she can. Clem is a very likable character. Actually, what she becomes and what AJ becomes has a lot to do with your choices in the game. The story was primarily set in a boarding school populated with a small number of children who have managed to survive on their own. With no adults around, Clem really got to use her leadership skills. There were friendships and plenty of emotion to be had in this final entry. I am usually nervous about whether or not the creators will do justice to the ending of a beloved series. As we have seen many times, the finales of tv series and movies often disappoint. That was not the case here. I think the story concluded in style and should please most players.
These were not your typical point and click adventure games. They were more like choose your path adventures. Combat and action were included but they were never meant to be overly challenging. Unlike many other adventure games, puzzle solving wasn't much of a thing here. It was all about the story and all about your choices. After each play session, which usually ending in a cliffhanger, I couldn't wait to see what was coming next. The fact that I could shape at least part of the story line made it that much better. This was a real gem that I will never forget.
400 Days - This was a single episode done in an anthology style. You played five distinct characters with their own stories, In the end, those stories dovetailed to a unified ending. Given the shorter stories, 400 Days lacked the depth of the longer episodes and the continuity of whole seasons. Despite being the weakest entry in the series, I was still glad I played it.
The Walking Dead: Michonne - This DLC contained three episodes featuring a notable and popular character from The Walking Dead comics. In fact, it filled in what Michonne was doing for the dozen or so issues when she was missing in the comic series. Because it centered around a familiar character, I was much more engaged with this one than 400 Days. This was set in the timeline between season two and season three. It was a great warmup to get me revved up to play season three.
The Walking Dead: A New Frontier - The third season returned with five episodes and new characters. The main protagonist was Javier "Javi" Garcia, a disgraced former pro baseball player. There was a lot of family drama in this one. Javi's brother David was a major character as well as David's wife Kate and their two children, Gabe and Mari. I wasn't sure that I was going to like switching yet again to another main character after season two. However, it didn't take long for me to enjoy playing Javi. Season Two's protagonist, Clementine, eventually shows up in the story as well. A lot of the drama was centered around the New Frontier group based in Richmond, Virginia. There was political infighting and the potential for a love story with Kate. I shouldn't have been surprised but I enjoyed this one even more than I thought I would.
The Walking Dead: The Final Season - This fourth and final season went back to Clementine as the main character and protagonist. By now, she had reunited with AJ (Alvin Jr.), the child who lost both his parents, Despite being a young teenager, Clem had to act as both older sister and mother to AJ. She tries to keep him safe and teach him life lessons whenever she can. Clem is a very likable character. Actually, what she becomes and what AJ becomes has a lot to do with your choices in the game. The story was primarily set in a boarding school populated with a small number of children who have managed to survive on their own. With no adults around, Clem really got to use her leadership skills. There were friendships and plenty of emotion to be had in this final entry. I am usually nervous about whether or not the creators will do justice to the ending of a beloved series. As we have seen many times, the finales of tv series and movies often disappoint. That was not the case here. I think the story concluded in style and should please most players.
These were not your typical point and click adventure games. They were more like choose your path adventures. Combat and action were included but they were never meant to be overly challenging. Unlike many other adventure games, puzzle solving wasn't much of a thing here. It was all about the story and all about your choices. After each play session, which usually ending in a cliffhanger, I couldn't wait to see what was coming next. The fact that I could shape at least part of the story line made it that much better. This was a real gem that I will never forget.
Binary Domain
June 08, 2025
I enjoyed Binary Domain a lot more than I thought I would. It is a Japanese third-person shooter released by Sega in 2012. It was originally a console game but was released for PC shortly thereafter. Given its console roots, I was going to play it with a game controller. Unfortunately, it appeared to require an Xbox controller and my Logitech RumblePad 2 wasn't completely compatible. Therefore, I switched to keyboard and mouse controls and that was fine. The game offered optional voice input to issue commands and to respond to teammates. I tried it but it wasn't reliable enough so I chose to issue commands strictly with the keyboard.
I love strong story driven games and Binary Domain was quite good in that respect. There were numerous cut scenes to advance the plot, some of them fairly long. The plot involved very advanced androids known as "hollow children" and was set in Japan in 2080. These androids, which are virtually indistinguishable from humans, are viewed as a threat to humanity. Your character, Dan Marshall, works for the International Robotics Technology Association (IRTA), who hunt them down.
In addition to Dan Marshall, there was a nice assortment of teammates with their own personalities and strengths. The game has a trust system in which teammates gained or lost trust toward Dan depending on his actions and responses. The trust levels played into some outcomes of the story, particularly the ending. There was also in-game currency to buy equipment and upgrades for the characters and their weapons. I found the game's standard difficulty just about right for my taste. One thing I don't usually care for in video games are overly difficult boss battles. Unfortunately, Binary Domain had a lot of boss battles. However, they weren't too tough and I never felt like I couldn't get past them.
This wasn't a very anticipated game for me and I almost skipped it. In the end, I'm very glad I didn't.
IRTA Agents Rachel, Bo, Dan, Faye, and Charlie
I love strong story driven games and Binary Domain was quite good in that respect. There were numerous cut scenes to advance the plot, some of them fairly long. The plot involved very advanced androids known as "hollow children" and was set in Japan in 2080. These androids, which are virtually indistinguishable from humans, are viewed as a threat to humanity. Your character, Dan Marshall, works for the International Robotics Technology Association (IRTA), who hunt them down.
In addition to Dan Marshall, there was a nice assortment of teammates with their own personalities and strengths. The game has a trust system in which teammates gained or lost trust toward Dan depending on his actions and responses. The trust levels played into some outcomes of the story, particularly the ending. There was also in-game currency to buy equipment and upgrades for the characters and their weapons. I found the game's standard difficulty just about right for my taste. One thing I don't usually care for in video games are overly difficult boss battles. Unfortunately, Binary Domain had a lot of boss battles. However, they weren't too tough and I never felt like I couldn't get past them.
This wasn't a very anticipated game for me and I almost skipped it. In the end, I'm very glad I didn't.
IRTA Agents Rachel, Bo, Dan, Faye, and Charlie
Game Central's 19th Anniversary
May 25, 2025
May 25 is the day I started Game Central 19 years ago. As always, I try to publish some new content on the anniversary date. To be honest, I sometimes feel like I am running out of material. On recent anniversaries, I created a new Board Games section, did a major update to the STBL-WEB baseball site, added a Handheld Electronic video games section, and made a page for old gaming Magazine Ads. This year, I decided to fill in a little bit of personal history with a page about OS/2 gaming. IBM's OS/2 was a big part of my computing life in the 1990s. It was great for productivity but I also used it for video gaming as well. Although I played a lot of DOS games and a few Windows game in OS/2, there were some native OS/2 games as well. That is the focus of the new OS/2 page in the Video Games category.
The Walking Dead: Season Two
May 20, 2025
On Sunday I finished The Walking Dead: Season Two, the sequel to The Walking Dead video game. They are part of Telltale Games' series comprising four seasons. Despite a few tweaks to the interface, the gameplay was much the same as its predecessor. That is a good thing. This adventure game series is very character and story driven with a bit of action to keep things interesting. Some of the most memorable moments from both games are when you are presented with a difficult decision in the spur of the moment. You might have to make a tough choice to save a person at the expense of another. The game remembers your action and builds the story around your choices. Thankfully, Season Two found my save game from the first game when I first launched it. Therefore, all of my previous choices were intact and the story progressed smoothly.
After loving the first entry so much, I couldn't wait to play Season Two. I wasn't disappointed. The protagonist in this one was Clementine, a young girl. Despite her age, she is a strong character and has a lot of respect within the group. I want to finish the entire story but I currently don't have seasons three and four. I may wait until The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series goes on sale. That edition contains all of the seasons with updated graphics and some gameplay enhancements.
After loving the first entry so much, I couldn't wait to play Season Two. I wasn't disappointed. The protagonist in this one was Clementine, a young girl. Despite her age, she is a strong character and has a lot of respect within the group. I want to finish the entire story but I currently don't have seasons three and four. I may wait until The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series goes on sale. That edition contains all of the seasons with updated graphics and some gameplay enhancements.
The Walking Dead
May 08, 2025
I never watched The Walking Dead TV series but I have read some of the comics. Despite not being a hardcore fan, I decided to play The Walking Dead video game from the now defunct Telltale Studios. I am definitely a fan of the series now. It was one of the best adventure games I have ever played. It was like being dropped into a TV series. This game was season one (out of four) with five episodes, each of which contained several chapters. It stated, "This game series adapts to the choices you make. The story is tailored by how you play." That was certainly true. I very much enjoyed the story-driven style of play, which focused on multiple characters and their interpersonal relationships. Unlike many point and click adventure games, it didn't have a bunch of overly complicated puzzles to slow down the narrative.
You play as Lee Everett, a convicted criminal who finds himself in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Early on, Lee encounters an eight-year old girl on her own named Clementine. Lee decides to look after her and he becomes a surrogate father to her. Along the way, they encounter several other survivors who have yet to be zombified. Their group is elastic with members coming and going and even dying. A lot of the game is presented through dialog choices but there are also some action scenes and quicktime events. I felt the interface served the material well and kept the story moving.
The Walking Dead easily makes it onto my list of All-Time Favorites. I am eager to see how the story unfolds in The Walking Dead: Season Two.
You play as Lee Everett, a convicted criminal who finds himself in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Early on, Lee encounters an eight-year old girl on her own named Clementine. Lee decides to look after her and he becomes a surrogate father to her. Along the way, they encounter several other survivors who have yet to be zombified. Their group is elastic with members coming and going and even dying. A lot of the game is presented through dialog choices but there are also some action scenes and quicktime events. I felt the interface served the material well and kept the story moving.
The Walking Dead easily makes it onto my list of All-Time Favorites. I am eager to see how the story unfolds in The Walking Dead: Season Two.
World of Warships - Yamato
April 27, 2025
I finally achieved my primary goal in World of Warships—acquisition of the Japanese battleship Yamato. It required almost a quarter-million XP to research and over 20 million credits to purchase but I finally got it. Now, I want to add some upgrades and take her into battle. Unfortunately, these potent high-tier ships have very high service costs so you can actually lose credits in a battle. Here is the game's description of the Yamato:
The biggest warship of World War II and the world's largest battleship. Yamato was designed around the idea that an individual ship could have superiority over any battleship of a potential enemy. Her main guns had overwhelming firepower. The ship maintained a very high level of survivability due to reliable armor and robust torpedo protection. Yamato’s AA capabilities were highly efficient due to carrying numerous AA artillery guns.
Blades of Time
April 26, 2025
I played a bit of Blades of Time but decided not to finish it. Its female protagonist was an adventurous treasure hunter resembling Lara Croft from Tomb Raider. The graphics were good for a 2012 video game and it was enjoyable at first. Exploration was fine. However, I never really got into the combat. It was ok until the first boss battle. I usually don't enjoy boss battles and this one kind of killed it for me. From what I had read, Blades of Time isn't a very long game. Even so, I thought my time would be best spent by moving on to another game.
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart
April 21, 2025
I like to play a hidden object game every now and then but I hadn't played one in a while. Recently, however, I finished Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart. It was developed by Artifex Mundi, a company that has created quite a few games in this genre. It was similar to other Artifex Mundi games I've played and that was a good thing. It focused on hidden object puzzles but there were other puzzle types as well. The length was just about right for me and I finished it in under five hours. I had the collector's edition so I played the bonus adventure as well. The story was about Captain Remington, a long dead pirate, and his lost love. It was fine but I play these games much more for the puzzles than the story.
Nightmares from the Deep is a trilogy and I have all three games. From what I've read, the two sequels are as good or better than The Cursed Heart. I'll eventually get around to playing them all.
Nightmares from the Deep is a trilogy and I have all three games. From what I've read, the two sequels are as good or better than The Cursed Heart. I'll eventually get around to playing them all.
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP
April 08, 2025
I recently gave Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP a try. It is an indie adventure game that got its start on the iPad. The control scheme reflects its mobile roots with simple "tap" actions to control the action. You play as a Scythian warrior armed with a sword and shield, wandering the countryside. The graphics were done in a primitive retro pixel art style. The music was nice. However, the game never really hooked me and I wasn't motivated to finish it. Based on the progress indicator, I had completed a third of it when I decided to pull the plug.
Legend of Grimrock
April 05, 2025
After playing a few shorter video games, I took on one with a bit more length. It was Legend of Grimrock, a role-playing game with an old school feel. It would have been at home in the late 1980s or early 1990s alongside such titles as Dungeon Master or Eye of the Beholder. There is a backstory but Grimrock is not a story driven game. The setting is Mount Grimrock, a prison within the mountain. You play as a group of four prisoners deposited at the top of the prison. Your goal is to work your way downward in pursuit of escape. In typical fantasy RPG fashion, Grimrock is filled with monsters and loot. As expected, that means it is largely combat driven. However, Grimrock includes a significant amount of puzzles. There are secret areas to be found, traps to avoid, and various obstacles to overcome outside of combat. Solving some of these could be quite frustrating. Precise timing manipulating levers, switches, pressure plates, and trap doors was required.
I decided to play as the stock party: human fighter Contar Stoneskull, minotaur fighter Mork, human rogue Yennica Whitefeather, and human mage Sancsaron. By the end of the game, my party was level 13 to 14. Grimrock's magic system was a little different. It was based on runes. You needed to find scrolls to discover the proper combination of runes to cast a given spell. Combat was real-time so you needed to get proficient clicking on the different runes to cast spells quickly. There were also scrolls listing ingredients to craft potions.
Despite some frustration, I had fun playing Legend of Grimrock. It certainly wasn't my favorite RPG but I enjoyed it enough to keep playing to the end.
I decided to play as the stock party: human fighter Contar Stoneskull, minotaur fighter Mork, human rogue Yennica Whitefeather, and human mage Sancsaron. By the end of the game, my party was level 13 to 14. Grimrock's magic system was a little different. It was based on runes. You needed to find scrolls to discover the proper combination of runes to cast a given spell. Combat was real-time so you needed to get proficient clicking on the different runes to cast spells quickly. There were also scrolls listing ingredients to craft potions.
Despite some frustration, I had fun playing Legend of Grimrock. It certainly wasn't my favorite RPG but I enjoyed it enough to keep playing to the end.
Offspring Fling!
March 15, 2025
I was pleasantly surprised by Offspring Fling. Its website describes the game as follows:
I finished 100 levels a lot faster than I thought I would. One nice thing about Offspring Fling is that each level can be completed very quickly. In some cases, it was as little as 10 seconds or so but almost always under a minute. Early levels were mainly you versus the environment but later levels introduced enemies as well. The difficulty ramped up gradually and made for a nice gameplay experience. I typically completed ten to twenty levels per session so it took under a week to finish. Although I didn't concern myself with it too much, progress on each level is timed. For gamers who appreciate such things, Offspring Fling is a great game for speedruns.
Offspring Fling is a game about a poor forest creature that has misplaced all of her children. She'll have to fight her way through over 100 levels of action puzzle platforming to get them all back home. There's danger around every corner, but she won't rest until her family is safe again.
I finished 100 levels a lot faster than I thought I would. One nice thing about Offspring Fling is that each level can be completed very quickly. In some cases, it was as little as 10 seconds or so but almost always under a minute. Early levels were mainly you versus the environment but later levels introduced enemies as well. The difficulty ramped up gradually and made for a nice gameplay experience. I typically completed ten to twenty levels per session so it took under a week to finish. Although I didn't concern myself with it too much, progress on each level is timed. For gamers who appreciate such things, Offspring Fling is a great game for speedruns.
Canabalt
March 06, 2025
This was a short one. I played Canabalt for a bit but it wasn't the type of game you play for hours upon hours. It is an indie classic in the endless runner genre. The action moves from left to right on the screen as the background constantly scrolls by. Gameplay is fast-paced but simple with only a single jump button to control. I found it enjoyable in small doses. There is something addicting about difficult games with brief playtimes. They keep you coming back to try and top your best score or in this case distance. After one night, however, I've scratched that itch and am ready to move on.
Peggle Nights
March 03, 2025
Sixteen years ago, I played Peggle. It was a great puzzle video game from PopCap. I finished all 55 adventure levels and two-thirds (50 out of 75) of the challenge levels. Afterwards, I intended to play its follow up, Peggle Nights. Somehow, it slipped through the cracks and I never did. That is, until I recently saw it on sale for 99 cents on Steam. I bought it and have been playing it for the last few weeks. It is a great game to dive in and out of without needing to dedicate a lot of time. I completed its 60 adventure levels and 40 out of its 60 challenge levels. As with its predecessor, some of the challenges are extremely difficult. Most challenges involve a single level but some require you to complete three or more levels in a certain way to get credit. I play random characters to keep things interesting but it would probably be better to select the character best suited to a particular level. I will play a few more games of Peggle Nights here and there. However, I am ready to take on the challenge of a different game.
The trophy for completing all adventure levels
The trophy for completing all adventure levels
World of Warships - Izumo
February 28, 2025
I've continued to play World of Warships in my quest to obtain the Japanese battleship Yamato. Earlier this week, I amassed enough XP and credits to purchase the Izumo, a Tier IX Japanese battleship. Now I am only one tier away from the Yamato. As you might expect, unfortunately, the resources needed to acquire these top tier ships is quite steep. Therefore, it will probably take me a very long time to reach my goal. Here is the game's description of the Izumo:
In 1934, Japan decided to abandon the displacement limits set by the Washington Naval Conference in order to surpass U.S. battleships in combat capability. The Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff issued an order to design a battleship with nine 460 mm guns and a displacement of 69,500 tons. The presented projects had three triple-gun turrets mounted on the bow, housing 410 mm guns. The preferred project had a combined diesel and steam turbine propulsion plant. While the design was never implemented, further development led to the creation of the Yamato-class battleships.
Cubemen
February 03, 2025
I've enjoyed most of the tower defense games I've played. The most recent one was Cubemen. It is a 3D tower defense game where your defenses are actually mobile cubemen instead of stationary towers. I played Cubemen in its single-player classic defense mode. There are 35 of these levels but no narrative thread connecting them. Cubemen has no story at all. You can skip around between levels but I played them in order. The levels are rated for difficulty from easy, medium, hard, and insane. Starting with the hard levels, things started to get interesting and sometimes frustrating. I completed all levels except for 18, 24, 32, and 35. I thought most of the levels were fair but a few seemed exceedingly difficult. Unlike some similar games, cubemen and their enemies can miss. That may be realistic but it adds an element of randomness to the game. You can play a level multiple times with the exact same strategy and unit deployment and get different outcomes. It wasn't one of my favorite tower defense game but I'm still glad I played it.
Stacking and Wizorb
January 21, 2025
After Vessel, I played a little bit of Stacking. It was a pretty fun puzzle-adventure game. You control stacking dolls as the narrative is presented in styles resembling stage plays and silent films. The 3D third-person perspective was fine for the most part. Unfortunately, at times it bothered my motion sickness. I did not expect that in this type of game. Usually, it is first person shooters that bother me.
Hence, I switched to playing Wizorb. Wizorb is a Breakout style arcade game combined with light role-playing elements. The official game site presents the following description:
Your magic wand is the game's paddle and you can cast spells. You can also purchase items and enhancements with gold. There were five worlds of twelve levels each to play through. Each world ended with a boss battle. Some of the levels were a bit tricky and tedious at times because of the precise angles needed to destroy some of the objects. It may not be the best Breakout/Arkanoid game out there but I still had fun with it over the few days it took to finish.
Hence, I switched to playing Wizorb. Wizorb is a Breakout style arcade game combined with light role-playing elements. The official game site presents the following description:
The once peaceful Kingdom of Gorudo is threatened by an evil presence. The only hope for salvation is Cyrus, a wizard versed not only in both black and white magic but also a master of a secret magic art called... Wizorb!
Your magic wand is the game's paddle and you can cast spells. You can also purchase items and enhancements with gold. There were five worlds of twelve levels each to play through. Each world ended with a boss battle. Some of the levels were a bit tricky and tedious at times because of the precise angles needed to destroy some of the objects. It may not be the best Breakout/Arkanoid game out there but I still had fun with it over the few days it took to finish.
Vessel
January 13, 2025
The latest video game I've been playing is Vessel, a puzzle-platform game. It was another good one to put my game controller to use. You play as an inventor who created Fluros, automated helpers made out of liquid. When the Fluros get out of control, it is your job to repair the machinery to get things working properly again. In addition to the usual climbing and jumping, you have to interact with various switches, levers, and other controls. I progressed far enough to get access to seeds, which allow you to deploy Fluros as desired. I also obtained a liquid gun, which supported canisters of various liquids and multiple nozzle attachments. I thought the game was pretty clever with an interesting setting and level design. I must admit, however, that I didn't feel up to completing it. According to howlongtobeat.com, I would probably need to invest around 13 hours to get to the end. I enjoyed it but I'm ready to move on to another game.
Alan Wake
January 06, 2025
I finished my first computer game of 2025, Alan Wake. I played about half of it in December and just finished it yesterday. It was originally released for Xbox 360 in 2010. Given its console roots, I opted to play it with a game controller. I found Alan Wake to be an enjoyable third-person action thriller/horror game. You play as the titular character who is a crime fiction writer. Alan is obsessed with finding his missing (dead?) wife Alice. In the town of Bright Falls, a darkness is spreading. Alan is pursued by the "Taken", tainted beings who mercilessly attack him at every opportunity. Along the way, Alan gets some help from his agent and best friend Barry as well as Sheriff Sarah Breaker. The narrative is presented like a television show with six episodes and recaps ("previously on Alan Wake…") between episodes. The game did a good job creating a spooky atmosphere and the voice acting was very good. Once I got the hang of it, combat was satisfying as well. The enemy of the darkness is light so a flashlight or lantern is often your most valuable possession. Alan acquires more firepower along the way with flares, flashbangs, flare guns, revolvers, shotguns, and hunting rifles. All in all, it was one of the better third-person action games I've played.
Favorite Computer Games of 2024
January 05, 2025
I continued to play through my games backlog in somewhat chronological order. Last year, most games I played were originally released between 2010 and 2012. Here are a list of my top favorites played in 2024.
Honorable mentions
- World of Warships - I put a lot of time into this one over the last five months of the year. I hardly ever play online multiplayer games but this one really appealed to me. My long term goal was to obtain the Yamato, a Tier X Japanese battleship. I worked my way up to the Tier VIII Amagi, so I expect to keep playing into 2025. What really put it over the top for me was a special Star Trek event, which ran for weeks. It featured special ships based on Romulan, Klingon, and Federation starships.
- Batman: Arkham City - This was a game with very high production values. It had the strengths of Batman: Arkham Asylum but was even bigger in scope. No longer confined to the asylum, Batman had the dark city of Gotham to explore. Both Arkham games were great but I think I liked this one even more.
- To the Moon - Point and click adventure games are not usually my favorites. This one was a very pleasant surprise, however. The story involved two doctor's trying to grant the last wish of a dying man. In a way, it felt more like an interactive visual novel than a game. Funny and touching, it really grabbed me and I was eager to find out how it ended.
- Out of the Park Baseball 25 - OOTP Baseball is so close to perfection as a baseball sim that it is difficult to improve on it much. Yearly upgrades are non-essential but still desirable due to incremental improvements. In my fictional league (NALB), my Brooklyn Knights made it to the World Championship Series and lost for the second straight season.
- Trine 2 - I liked Trine and I liked Trine 2. The sequel was just as solid as the original. They are both great puzzle-platform games. I really enjoy the concept of controlling three distinct characters and switching between them at will.
- Dungeon Defenders - DD was a great reminder of how much I love a good tower defense game. Its combination of interesting levels, characters, towers, and RPG elements kept me playing through the story mode.
- Unity of Command - I loved Panzer General and Panzer Corps more but Unity of Command was still an enjoyable game. It was a very good operational level World War II strategy game focused on Stalingrad and the Eastern Front.
- Rochard - Originally a PlayStation 3 game, it gave me an excuse to use my game controller. I liked this side-scrolling platform game with its colorful graphics and mix of puzzles and combat.
- Unstoppable Gorg - Another tower defense game makes the list. This time, it's a game with an outer space setting and a 1950s sci-fi vibe. It may not be an all-time classic but I had fun with it.
- Cave Story+ - Cave Story+ is an enhanced version of the original indie classic. Considered a Metroidvania style game, it offered old-school platform goodness. I would have ranked it higher had I finished it. I found the last level too difficult and I never made it to the ending.
Honorable mentions
- Costume Quest - This Halloween-themed game featuring trick-or-treating children was endearing. It was amazing at first. Unfortunately, the combat became repetitive and predictable as the game progressed.
- Alan Wake - I played roughly half of it in 2024 and finished it in early 2025. Therefore, I won't put it in my top ten of 2024. I expect it will make the 2025 list, however.
Crusader Kings II
December 19, 2024
One game I really expected to love was Crusader Kings II. It is a grand strategy game from Paradox Development, a company that specializes in this type of game. The time period is the Middle Ages between 1066 and 1453. I've been playing the learning scenario featuring King Alonso VI of León. There is no doubt that it is a quality game. I love its historical setting and the variety that it provides. Unfortunately, it hasn't really grabbed me and I've found it difficult to get into. I knew the learning curve was going to be steep given all of the options and level of detail. Perhaps this wasn't a good title to take on during the holiday season. I haven't been able to devote enough time to really get the most out of it. Regardless, it has still been enjoyable. In the first five years of my reign, I married Hedwig Hupoldinger of Thurgau. We now have a son, Prince Guillermo. I directed an assassination of a political enemy and delivered a stern warning to my sister, Princess Urraca of Castille, who was plotting against me. I also conquered Canarias (Canary Islands).
The game is pretty open-ended and there is much you can do. Unlike many strategy games, you are not limited to a single character. The game unfolds over several centuries and it is intended for you to play as a dynasty. I may come back to Crusader Kings II in the future when I am motivated to spend more time with it.
The game is pretty open-ended and there is much you can do. Unlike many strategy games, you are not limited to a single character. The game unfolds over several centuries and it is intended for you to play as a dynasty. I may come back to Crusader Kings II in the future when I am motivated to spend more time with it.
World of Warships
November 24, 2024
I usually wait until I've completed a game before writing about it. For most of the games I play, that means finishing its single player campaign. However, I've recently been playing World of Warships, which is open-ended. I've never devoted much time to online multiplayer games but this one has kept my interest for longer than I expected. The game's naval combat features destroyers, cruisers, battleships, aircraft carriers, and submarines. Although I knew it would take quite a while to achieve, my long term goal was to play the Yamato, the biggest battleship ever constructed. Therefore, I have mainly focused on playing Japanese battleships. I currently have the following Japanese battleships in my fleet:
The Yamato is a Tier X battleship, so it is three grades above the Nagato. The Nagato is a still a very capable ship and I've enjoyed playing it. Here is the game's description of it:
World of Warships has also had a special event with a Star Trek operation. I've been playing that as well. There is a Romulan D'Deridex-class warbird, which is represented in the game as a destroyer. A Klingon Toqduj bird-of-prey-class ship is a cruiser. The Star Trek battleship is a Vulcan T'Pau-class vessel. Finally, the Enterprise-D fills the role of aircraft carrier. The first Star Trek operation was called The Borg Invasion. The second and current operation is called Vulcan's Riposte. The Star Trek operations have taken time away from building up ship experience for the Nagato but I certainly don't regret it. They are only available for a limited time.
Nagato
- Tier IV - Ishizuchi
- Tier V - Kongo
- Tier VI - Fuso
- Tier VII - Nagato
The Yamato is a Tier X battleship, so it is three grades above the Nagato. The Nagato is a still a very capable ship and I've enjoyed playing it. Here is the game's description of it:
Entered Service: 1920. Ships in the Series: 2. The Nagato-class ships were the first battleships fully designed and built in Japan. Their 410 mm guns were developed in response to the British 381 mm ones. The ships' speed also increased compared to their predecessors. During the Pearl Harbor attack, Nagato was Admiral Yamamoto's flagship; she also participated in the Battles of Midway and the Solomon Islands. The battleship was damaged during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and after the war ended, she was transferred to the U.S. as part of reparations.
World of Warships has also had a special event with a Star Trek operation. I've been playing that as well. There is a Romulan D'Deridex-class warbird, which is represented in the game as a destroyer. A Klingon Toqduj bird-of-prey-class ship is a cruiser. The Star Trek battleship is a Vulcan T'Pau-class vessel. Finally, the Enterprise-D fills the role of aircraft carrier. The first Star Trek operation was called The Borg Invasion. The second and current operation is called Vulcan's Riposte. The Star Trek operations have taken time away from building up ship experience for the Nagato but I certainly don't regret it. They are only available for a limited time.
Nagato
Unstoppable Gorg
November 01, 2024
Recently, I've been playing World of Warships. I should write about that soon. However, the game I just completed was Unstoppable Gorg. It is a space-based tower defense game with a 1950's sci-fi movie feel. There are black and white videos before each level that are made to look like old film clips. That gave it its own unique charm but how was the tower defense gameplay? I thought it was pretty good. You place a variety of satellites in orbit to defend against attacks by the Gorg, Sunbots, and Brain Riders. By the end of the game (level 21), I had 18 satellite options available. You also have a certain number of research points to enhance the satellites you deploy. One aspect of the game I liked was that you had the ability to move the satellites during play. Except for certain levels with fixed positions, you could freely rotate the satellites within their orbit. That made it a bit more hands on compared to some other tower defense games with a deploy and watch style of play. Overall, it was a fun game and it didn't take long to finish.
Level 21 Satellite Selection
Level 21 Satellite Selection
Cave Story+
July 16, 2024
I really enjoyed this game… until I didn't. It was a lot of fun until the ending, but more on that in a bit. Cave Story+ was a 2011 updated version of the original Cave Story, which was released in 2004. They are considered Metroidvania style games, reminiscent of Metroid and Castlevania. They feature classic platform gameplay with lots of jumping and shooting. There are also Japanese RPG elements, however, with inventory and upgrades. I appreciated the variety of weapons in Cave Story+. Along the way, I obtained the Polar Star pistol, the Machine Gun, Missile Launcher, Fireball, and Blade. I also had the Booster 2.0, which was a powerful jet pack.
For the most part, the game was challenging but not overly so. Save points were sprinkled about the numerous levels so I didn't get too frustrated. Unfortunately, the difficulty of the last hidden cave and enemy bosses was a bit much. Death meant losing a fair amount of progress. Eventually, I tired of replaying the same area over and over. Although I was very close to the end, I never finished Cave Story+.
For the most part, the game was challenging but not overly so. Save points were sprinkled about the numerous levels so I didn't get too frustrated. Unfortunately, the difficulty of the last hidden cave and enemy bosses was a bit much. Death meant losing a fair amount of progress. Eventually, I tired of replaying the same area over and over. Although I was very close to the end, I never finished Cave Story+.
Unity of Command
June 25, 2024
My computer game of the month for June 2024 has been Unity of Command, a World War II operational-level wargame. I loved Panzer General and Panzer Corps so I expected to enjoy UoC. It took me a little while but eventually I really liked it. Whereas Panzer Corps played almost identically to Panzer General, that wasn't the case here. In UoC, supply lines are everything. You need to constantly protect them, ensuring they are unbroken. It was also imperative to know how far supply reached from your supply sources. Enemies love to flank, surround, or encircle your units to cut them off from supply rather than engage them directly. This isn't always the case, of course, but they will do it when the opportunity strikes if you aren't careful.
I played three campaigns—Stalingrad 1942-43 (Axis) and Stalingrad 1942-43 (Soviet) in the base game and Black Turn: Operation Barbarossa 1941, a DLC expansion campaign. These were massive land battles so the emphasis was on infantry and tanks. There were no naval units. Air power played a part but much differently than in Panzer General and Panzer Corps. You don't control individual air units in this game. Instead, some scenarios provide theater assets. Air attacks are one such asset, which may be called upon typically twice per turn. Another interesting difference from Panzer General and Panzer Corps is what's called specialist steps. They are enhancements on top of a base unit. For example, an infantry unit might have armor, artillery, anti-air, anti-tank, engineers, or recon attached to it.
I did ok but not great in the two Stalingrad campaigns. By the time I played the Black Turn campaign, however, I felt comfortable with the game mechanics and did much better. I was victorious in 11 out of 12 Black Turn scenarios. My only failure was in Donbas Nip, the final scenario of the campaign. As the Axis, you faced an overwhelming number of Soviet infantry. I had some early success but once I lost my few panzer units, defeat was all but certain.
I played three campaigns—Stalingrad 1942-43 (Axis) and Stalingrad 1942-43 (Soviet) in the base game and Black Turn: Operation Barbarossa 1941, a DLC expansion campaign. These were massive land battles so the emphasis was on infantry and tanks. There were no naval units. Air power played a part but much differently than in Panzer General and Panzer Corps. You don't control individual air units in this game. Instead, some scenarios provide theater assets. Air attacks are one such asset, which may be called upon typically twice per turn. Another interesting difference from Panzer General and Panzer Corps is what's called specialist steps. They are enhancements on top of a base unit. For example, an infantry unit might have armor, artillery, anti-air, anti-tank, engineers, or recon attached to it.
I did ok but not great in the two Stalingrad campaigns. By the time I played the Black Turn campaign, however, I felt comfortable with the game mechanics and did much better. I was victorious in 11 out of 12 Black Turn scenarios. My only failure was in Donbas Nip, the final scenario of the campaign. As the Axis, you faced an overwhelming number of Soviet infantry. I had some early success but once I lost my few panzer units, defeat was all but certain.
To The Moon
May 14, 2024
I recently finished playing To the Moon, a very different kind of adventure game. In some ways, it didn't feel much like a game at all. Instead, I felt like I was participating in an interactive story. The plot features two employees of Sigmund Corp., Dr. Eva Rosalene and Dr. Neil Watts. Their assignment is to fulfill the final wish of a dying man, Johnny Wyles, which is to go to the moon. They plan to achieve this by reading and altering his memories using Sigmund Corp.'s technology. Visually, the game looks like a pixelated retro adventure game. Its strengths, however, are in the plot, dialogue, and music. You can't help but be drawn into its very moving story. It was an emotional roller coaster and I really cared about the characters by the end of the game. I also played the two SigCorp "minisodes," which came out after the game's original release. They were set at Christmastime at Sigmund Corp. You play as both Eva and Neil during and immediately after their office Christmas party. This two-part story provided additional depth to the main characters and ended in a way that opened up some interesting future possibilities.
The developer, Freebird Games, has made more games in the series. I really loved To the Moon, so I would like to play those games as well.
The developer, Freebird Games, has made more games in the series. I really loved To the Moon, so I would like to play those games as well.
Batman: Arkham City - Harley Quinn's Revenge
April 30, 2024
Once I finished the main story of Batman: Arkham City, I kept playing to finish up several side missions I had skipped. After that, I tackled Harley Quinn's Revenge. This DLC mission was included with the Game of the Year Edition. You begin by playing Robin (Tim Drake) searching for Batman, who was captured by Harley Quinn. Harley is out for revenge over Batman's role in Joker's death. Once Robin finds Batman's utility belt, things flash back to two days earlier. You then play as Batman looking to save GCPD officers. This continues up to the moment Batman was captured. Flashback completed, you resume as Robin trying to rescue your mentor. Finally, you finish up the story as Batman. Overall, it was more of the same from the base game but still entertaining and worth playing. I now feel that I got all I wanted out of Batman: Arkham City and am ready to move on to another game.
Harley Quinn is Out for Revenge
Harley Quinn is Out for Revenge
Batman: Arkham City - Game of the Year Edition
April 04, 2024
After playing several indie games, it was time for a AAA blockbuster. Batman: Arkham City - Game of the Year Edition certainly fit the bill. Like its predecessor Batman: Arkham Asylum, this was a game with high production values. The game engine, artwork, music, and voice acting were all top notch. The controls made great use of a gamepad (dual joysticks, d-pad, and all buttons/triggers). For a video game based on a licensed property, it doesn't get much better than this.
The game is set in and around Arkham City, a section of Gotham City turned into a prison run by Hugo Strange. Batman is incarcerated there, escapes, and begins his quest to uncover its secrets. The game world feels open and fairly large. There are many missions and side missions to complete. Most can be completed in the order of your choosing. They involve detective work, stealth, and combat, which is generally satisfying. Taking down enemies can be done in a variety of ways. Charge in with a frontal assault. Use an aerial vantage point and attack with a glide kick. Perhaps most gratifying is using stealth. Sneak up from behind or strike from overhead and do a silent takedown. At his disposal, Batman has a large number of gadgets available: grapnel gun, smoke pellets, batarangs, batclaw, line launcher, disruptor, remote electrical charge, cryptographic sequencer, explosive gel, and freeze tech from Mr. Freeze.
I completed the main story, which involved most of Batman's major villains. The Game of the Year Edition included a lot of extra content. There were additional playable characters, missions, maps, and challenges. I finished all of Catwoman's missions and I intend to keep exploring more of the game. There is so much here, however, that I will never complete 100% of it. Batman: Arkham City is my favorite game played in 2024 so far and one of my all-time favorites.
Batman Gets a Rooftop View of the Skyline
The game is set in and around Arkham City, a section of Gotham City turned into a prison run by Hugo Strange. Batman is incarcerated there, escapes, and begins his quest to uncover its secrets. The game world feels open and fairly large. There are many missions and side missions to complete. Most can be completed in the order of your choosing. They involve detective work, stealth, and combat, which is generally satisfying. Taking down enemies can be done in a variety of ways. Charge in with a frontal assault. Use an aerial vantage point and attack with a glide kick. Perhaps most gratifying is using stealth. Sneak up from behind or strike from overhead and do a silent takedown. At his disposal, Batman has a large number of gadgets available: grapnel gun, smoke pellets, batarangs, batclaw, line launcher, disruptor, remote electrical charge, cryptographic sequencer, explosive gel, and freeze tech from Mr. Freeze.
I completed the main story, which involved most of Batman's major villains. The Game of the Year Edition included a lot of extra content. There were additional playable characters, missions, maps, and challenges. I finished all of Catwoman's missions and I intend to keep exploring more of the game. There is so much here, however, that I will never complete 100% of it. Batman: Arkham City is my favorite game played in 2024 so far and one of my all-time favorites.
Batman Gets a Rooftop View of the Skyline
The Island: Castaway 2
March 15, 2024
After Lost Souls: Enchanted Paintings, The Island: Castaway 2 made it back to back "casual" video games for me. This one wasn't a hidden object game, however. It was a simple adventure game with quests of the "retrieve objects and deliver them to a designated character" variety. There was a lot of wandering around and it became repetitive at times. Even so, I persevered and stuck it out to the end. You play as Yati, a young native boy on an unnamed island. In his travels, Yati collects various fruits and other objects. Over time, he unlocks recipes to make food dishes and potions. There is a story that unfolds about the natives and several white strangers on the island. As this game was Castaway 2, it obviously had a predecessor. Castaway 2 was actually a prequel so it fills in the backstory for the previous game.
Yati and Shaman Roho
Yati and Shaman Roho
Lost Souls: Enchanted Paintings
March 06, 2024
Lost Souls: Enchanted Paintings was a quick game to finish and that was fine with me. It was just the right length and not very difficult. As a hidden object puzzle game, I definitely enjoyed it more than the last one I played. Most of the puzzles were of the hidden object variety with some other puzzle types mixed in as well. I was glad that the adventure game aspects were kept to a minimum. The plot wasn't that noteworthy but I don't usually play these types of games for the story. All in all, I'd say it was a solid hidden object game.
Trine 2
February 29, 2024
Another month down and another computer game completed. Good thing today was leap day because I needed the extra day to finish Trine 2. I actually have Trine 2: Complete Story, which includes the Goblin Menace expansion. Although I haven't played the expansion, I did finished the original campaign. Trine 2 reminded me of Rochard, a physics-based puzzle-platform game I finished recently. I already knew what to expect from Trine 2, however, as I had played the original Trine in 2021. You control three characters: Amadeus the wizard, Zoya the thief, and Pontius the knight. They are a diverse trio of heroes, each with unique and upgradable abilities. The fun aspect of this series is that you can switch between the characters seamlessly. Not only can you switch between characters in any given level but you can even switch mid-move. In the middle of a tricky jump? Go ahead and switch in mid-air. This lends itself to some interesting strategies. The game is really designed to use the strengths of all its heroes to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles. Most of the action is puzzle based but there is a fair amount of combat as well. Goblins are common foes and there are a few big boss fights as well. I thought Trine 2 was as good as Trine, if not better. From what I've read, this may be the pinnacle of the series (currently up to Trine 5).
The Goblin King
The Goblin King
Sparkle 2 EVO
February 19, 2024
As a brief diversion, I played a bit of Sparkle 2 EVO. You control a microscopic aquatic creature, which eats small particles to survive and grow. It reminded me of Osmos but it wasn't nearly as fun, in my opinion. The game offers two modes. One is competitive against an AI opponent and the other is a noncompetitive mode where you progress at your leisure. I tried the latter and was ready to move on after playing a couple of levels.
Next up … Trine 2.
Next up … Trine 2.
Rochard
February 12, 2024
I finished another game several days ago but forgot to write about it. It was Rochard, a side-scrolling platform game. Rochard has 3D backdrops but the action and movement is all 2D. Because it was originally released for the PlayStation 3, I decided to use my gamepad instead of mouse/keyboard controls. I'm glad I did. It made good use of almost every control: both joysticks, the d-pad, all top buttons, and all four triggers. You play as John Rochard, an asteroid miner for the Skyrig Corporation. John uncovers an ancient structure and danger ensues. The game is all about gravity. You can change between normal and low gravity on the fly. Rochard also has a G-Lifter device, which can also manipulate gravity with a focused beam. It also serves as a rock blaster gun. Most of the early action revolves around solving puzzles using gravity. Later, bandits arrive and there is a fair amount of shooting. As you might expect in a platform game, it concludes with a big boss battle.
Rochard was a really fun game. I greatly enjoyed it except for one problem. I experienced occasional hangs when loading saved games or loading new areas. Thankfully, the game has a nice autosave feature with frequent checkpoints. Therefore, I rarely lost any significant progress.
Rochard Approaches the Asteroid Casino
Rochard was a really fun game. I greatly enjoyed it except for one problem. I experienced occasional hangs when loading saved games or loading new areas. Thankfully, the game has a nice autosave feature with frequent checkpoints. Therefore, I rarely lost any significant progress.
Rochard Approaches the Asteroid Casino
Dungeon Defenders
January 23, 2024
After enjoying several tower defense games in 2023, I've been playing another one in January 2024. Dungeon Defenders originated as a mobile game but was later ported to consoles and computers. It is primarily a tower defense game with role-playing elements. The RPG aspects include character classes, character levels, and an inventory to manage a variety of equipment. I played through the main story missions with two characters I created. The first was an apprentice named Thoben and the second was a squire named Osburn. The goal of each mission is to defend Eternia Crystals from destruction by enemy hordes. The enemies come in a sequence of waves. Each wave includes a build phase and a combat phase. You set up your defenses and then have to survive against a fixed number of attackers. Every so often there is a mission with a boss battle at the end. As expected, the boss is much more powerful than the typical foe. I completed most of the missions with both characters. Thoben is a spellcaster with ranged attacks while Osburn is a melee based bruiser. Each character class has its own set of tower defenses and special abilities so that is an incentive to try multiple characters. Solo play was pretty fun but I think the game would shine best with multiplayer. Playing side by side with your friends would be a great way to play. It can be a challenge for a single character to run around and defend the entire map so additional players would definitely help.
Apprentice Thoben and Squire Osburn at Level 21
Apprentice Thoben and Squire Osburn at Level 21
Costume Quest
January 09, 2024
My first computer game of 2024 was … Costume Quest. The game is a hybrid of adventure and RPG styles. It certainly would appeal to younger kids but I enjoyed it as well. You control a group of children trick-or-treating on Halloween. The story begins with the brother and sister twins of Reynold and Wren. I chose to play as Reynold. When Wren is kidnapped, it becomes Reynold's task to rescue her. Along the way, Reynold is joined by other kids, Everett and Lucy. A lot of Costume Quest plays like a point and click adventure game. You have items to acquire and puzzles to solve. It also has RPG elements with character levels, ability scores, and inventory of equipment. A lot of the fun is in the acquisition of costumes, battle stamps, and creepy treat cards. Costumes included robot, knight, statue of liberty, space warrior, unicorn, ninja, pumpkin, vampire, french fries, black cat, and grubbin. Each costume provides a different set of special attacks and abilities. Battle stamps can be assigned one per party member and confer additional abilities or bonuses. I enjoyed trying out as many combinations of these as possible. The combat is turn-based and pretty basic. It grew repetitive as the game progressed but not so much that I wanted to stop playing.
Eventually I completed the main game and moved on to the Grubbins on Ice DLC expansion. It served as a sequel with the same characters. This time, Wren joined the party and Lucy was missing. The setting was wintertime in the monster land of Repugia. A few new costumes became available: pirate, eyeball, and yeti. There were new battle stamps and creepy treat cards, too. Characters were capped at level 10 in the base game but rose to level 14 in the expansion. Overall, this was a fun little game and a nice start the new year.
Eventually I completed the main game and moved on to the Grubbins on Ice DLC expansion. It served as a sequel with the same characters. This time, Wren joined the party and Lucy was missing. The setting was wintertime in the monster land of Repugia. A few new costumes became available: pirate, eyeball, and yeti. There were new battle stamps and creepy treat cards, too. Characters were capped at level 10 in the base game but rose to level 14 in the expansion. Overall, this was a fun little game and a nice start the new year.
Favorite Computer Games of 2023
January 02, 2024
I'm still slogging through my enormous backlog of computer games. Last year, most of the games I played were released around 2011 or so. Here is a top ten list of my favorites played in 2023.
Honorable mentions
- Dragon Age II - A BioWare RPG earns top spot on my favorites list for the third straight year. Mass Effect: Legendary Edition was #1 in 2022 and Dragon Age: Origins - Ultimate Edition was tops in 2021. It isn't a big surprise given how much I enjoy the quality of BioWare's games.
- Panzer Corps - I enjoyed this one way more than expected. I went into it expecting something similar to the old classic, Panzer General. What I got was a game that perfectly captured that old magic in an updated package. Panzer General is my favorite wargame of all time and I think I had just as much fun with Panzer Corps.
- Anomaly: Warzone Earth - Tower defense? This game was actually tower offense. You command a small force of units investigating anomalies around a downed alien spacecraft. Your convoy has to be navigated around the landscape, destroying alien defenses and using power ups along the way.
- Out of the Park Baseball 24 - I've been playing OOTP Baseball since version 2. It has always been an excellent sports sim. With version 24, however, I feel it has finally arrived graphically with its on-field depiction of baseball. The animations aren't cutting-edge but they are convincing enough to provide decent immersion while managing the action. My Brooklyn Knights returned to the NALB World Championship Series after a two year absence. Unfortunately, we lost 3-2 in the 12th inning of game 7. There's always next year.
- Defense Grid: The Awakening - This game is my top pick for favorite traditional tower defense game. I really enjoyed all of the tower defense games I played in 2023 but this one was particularly well done. There were a lot of units from which to choose, which added to the depth of strategy and fun factor.
- Bastion - Here was a very nice indie game blending action and RPG elements. It had nice graphics, music, and voice acting. You control "the Kid" through the fractured city of Caledonia after a catastrophe known as the Calamity. A lot of the fun and challenge of Bastion involved managing a diverse set of weapons and upgrades. I'm definitely looking forward to playing more from developer Supergiant Games after this one.
- iBomber Defense - What can I say? It was the year of tower defense games for me. This one was a mobile port that lacked the depth of Defense Grid: The Awakening but I still enjoyed it.
- Tropico 4 - It may be the best game in the Tropico series. However, the newness of the Tropico series has worn off for me. I enjoyed playing it but I can't place it any higher than #8.
- Total War: Shogun 2 - I've played several Total War games and they have all been excellent. As with Tropico, however, my enjoyment seems to be decreasing over time as the gameplay of the series has become too familiar. Still, the quality of Total War: Shogun 2 cannot be denied.
- Galactic Civilizations II: Ultimate Edition - Before it was released for Windows, Galactic Civilizations was originally made for IBM's OS/2. It was my favorite game of all time for that operating system. Like Panzer Corps, GalCiv II provided a blast from the past experience. It felt like an updated, more polished version of my old favorite.
Honorable mentions
- HOARD - You play as a dragon in this action strategy game. Burn villages, loot gold, capture princesses, and cause general mayhem. I played it single-player but it would be even better playing against your friends.
- Edge - Roll a cube through a maze in this puzzle-platform game. The concept is simple but effective.
Enigmatis: Ghosts of Maple Creek Collector’s Edition
December 31, 2023
I finished my last game of 2023 on the final day of the year. It was Enigmatis: Ghosts of Maple Creek Collector’s Edition, a hidden object puzzle adventure game from Polish developer Artifex Mundi. In Enigmatis, you play a detective trying to solve a mystery in a small town in Vermont. You move from place to place gathering useful items to add to your inventory. Items are usually obtained by solving a variety of puzzles. The most predominant type of puzzle by far is hidden object. I hadn't played a hidden object game in a while so it was fun to return to this style of game. Thankfully, Enigmatis had a handy hint button which I used frequently to go from one puzzle to the next. I was more interested in solving puzzles than I was wandering around town wasting time. After several hours, I completed the game. It ended with "To be continued," however, because Enigmatis is actually a trilogy. It is followed by Enigmatis 2: The Mists of Ravenwood and Enigmatis 3: The Shadow of Karkhala. Because I have the collector's edition, there was a bonus adventure to play as well. It was a prequel entitled The Ghosts of the Past. I finished the bonus adventure but I'm not motivated to play the sequels yet. I will save them for sometime down the road.
Tropico 4
December 20, 2023
I've previously played Tropico and Tropico 3. The first game impressed me with its entertaining take on city building. Its setting was presented with a sense of humor and some great latin music. I played Tropico 3 many years later and it was every bit as fun. As expected, the graphics were improved but the gameplay was updated as well. This month, I've been playing the next installment in the series, Tropico 4. From what I've read, it is frequently chosen as the best of the six Tropico games. So far, I have to agree it is very good. It plays a lot like Tropico 3 with updated graphics and some evolutionary game tweaks. Foreign relations are no longer limited to the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. It now includes Europe and China. There are more options but it plays very similarly to its predecessor. For whatever reason, however, I haven't been as enthused with it as I was with the other Tropico games I played. I've experienced this with other game series in the past. The Grand Theft Auto III trilogy comes to mind. I loved GTA III and I loved Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. By the time I got around to playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andeas, however, I wasn't into it nearly as much. The quality of the game was just as good but I had become jaded after investing so many hours into the GTA III series. I think the same thing applies to the Tropico series. There are 20 missions but I currently don't plan on completing them all.
Bastion
December 03, 2023
The latest computer game on my playlist was Bastion, which I finished yesterday. It is an action RPG with a vibrant isometric art style and nice music. I enjoyed it a lot. It had a nice mix of arcade combat with RPG elements such as experience points, skills, and a variety of upgradable weapons. You control the story's protagonist, known as "The Kid." He can be configured with two weapons and a special attack. I enjoyed experimenting with various combinations and also deciding on which upgrades to spend my resources on. There were traditional levels to complete, which advanced the story. There were also proving grounds, places to test and reward your proficiency with the numerous weapons. It took me a bit over 10 hours to complete the game. If I hadn't spent so much time trying to get first place in all of the proving grounds, I could have shaved a couple of hours off that time. All in all, it was one of the best games I played this year. I look forward to playing other offerings from Supergiant Games.
EDGE
November 13, 2023
EDGE is the latest computer game I've been playing. It is a retro-looking puzzle game in which you move a cube through multiple levels of platforms and obstacles. I completed 45 levels of the EDGE Challenge over two sessions. There are still some bonus level to play as well. I kind of burned out on it after a while although it only took me about 4.4 hours. However, it was compelling enough to keep me coming back to play another level and then another and another. All in all, it was a fun little indie game that can be purchased for a very reasonable price.
Panzer Corps - Finished Grand Campaign 1939-1945
November 09, 2023
As a follow up to my last post, I have now finished Panzer Corps' Grand Campaign 1939-1945. After Stalingrad, I was sent to capture Kursk and then Moscow. The final mission was Overlord, a reference to Operation Overlord. It was the Battle of Normandy from the Germans' side. The Allied forces landed a lot of units on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Your goal was to repel the attack or at least protect Paris and key surrounding cities. After my decisive victory, the campaign ended as both sides were war weary and seeking peace negotiations. I enjoyed Panzer Corps so much that it has earned a spot on my All-Time Favorites list.
My Grand Campaign 1939-1945 missions:
Overlord - Allied Forces Approach the Coast of France
My Grand Campaign 1939-1945 missions:
- Poland
- Low Countries
- France
- Sea Lion
- Barbarossa
- Kiev
- Moscow 41
- Stalingrad
- Kursk
- Moscow 43
- Overlord
Overlord - Allied Forces Approach the Coast of France
Panzer Corps
October 31, 2023
I haven't posted any gaming updates after I finished the 2023 NALB season. Since then I've been playing Panzer Corps Gold, a World War II wargame clearly inspired by Panzer General. Released in 1994, Panzer General was the first of SSI's 5 Star General Series. I absolutely loved it. Although Panzer Corps came out in 2011, it is amazing how similar it feels. They are both turn-based strategy wargames focused on the German side of WWII. If you have played any of the 5 Star General Series, you will feel right at home with Panzer Corps. The game mechanics, unit types, graphics, and sound all feel reassuringly familiar.
Right now, I am in the middle of the Grand Campaign 1939-1945. I am on my 8th operation, which is to take Stalingrad. Operation Sea Lion (invasion of Britain) and Moscow 1941 were close calls. I captured the objectives on my very last turn.
I will provide an update in November, hopefully when I have completed the campaign.
Capturing Moscow in 1941
Right now, I am in the middle of the Grand Campaign 1939-1945. I am on my 8th operation, which is to take Stalingrad. Operation Sea Lion (invasion of Britain) and Moscow 1941 were close calls. I captured the objectives on my very last turn.
- Poland
- Low Countries
- France
- Sea Lion
- Barbarossa
- Kiev
- Moscow
- Stalingrad
I will provide an update in November, hopefully when I have completed the campaign.
Capturing Moscow in 1941
Defense Grid: The Awakening
July 16, 2023
I had been playing Fallout 3 but put it on hold because of some motion sickness issues. I am definitely hit and miss with 3D first-person games. Fallout 3 supports an adjustable camera, which can show a third-person view. Unfortunately, that didn't completely eliminate the problem for me. Therefore, I decided to pick another game. I chose Defense Grid: The Awakening. After playing Anomaly: Warzone Earth and iBomber Defense, 2023 is turning into the year of tower defense games for me. Unlike the tower offense style of play found in Anomaly: Warzone Earth, Defense Grid is pure tower defense. You build towers with various weapons or other properties to defend against multiple waves of enemies. Your opponent is after your power cores. Lose all of your cores and the mission is over. With ten tower types, there is a nice variety to plan your strategies. The towers themselves cannot be damaged. I really liked that because it cut down on micro-managing repairs all over the map. Instead, you have to focus on path management. If you can create a maze of shooting corridors, you will likely be successful. It is very rewarding when you get it just right and it is like shooting fish in a barrel.
The included campaign is called The Awakening. I played it in story mode and finished all 20 missions. As expected, the early missions were mere warm-ups for the challenges of the later ones. I also played through the Borderlands DLC, which included another four missions. Defense Grid: The Awakening is highly regarded and I frequently saw it on lists for best tower defense games of all time. I would rank it ahead of iBomber Defense and very close to Anomaly: Warzone Earth as far as my personal enjoyment. It is definitely one of my favorite games played so far this year.
The Awakening - Mission 16 Containment
The included campaign is called The Awakening. I played it in story mode and finished all 20 missions. As expected, the early missions were mere warm-ups for the challenges of the later ones. I also played through the Borderlands DLC, which included another four missions. Defense Grid: The Awakening is highly regarded and I frequently saw it on lists for best tower defense games of all time. I would rank it ahead of iBomber Defense and very close to Anomaly: Warzone Earth as far as my personal enjoyment. It is definitely one of my favorite games played so far this year.
The Awakening - Mission 16 Containment
Solar 2
June 30, 2023
Another game I've been playing recently is Solar 2. This was a very unique game. It is an open sandbox style game in which you start as an asteroid. You grow in mass, eventually becoming a planet and then a star. Along the way, stars attract planets to their orbits and planets attract asteroids. There are various missions and challenges but I mainly enjoyed cruising around the cosmos, growing in size and managing my solar system. Eventually, I progressed beyond large star to neutron star and then a black hole. Finally, I achieved enough mass for the "big crunch." This is where the black hole was so massive it swallowed all matter in the universe.
The Big Crunch
The Big Crunch
DiRT 3
June 29, 2023
I'm not done playing it but I thought I should write a quick post about DiRT 3. It's been my main computer game since finishing iBomber Defense. I'm not a big racing game aficionado but I will say this has been one of the more enjoyable ones I've played. I liked DiRT 2 but didn't enjoy it as much as this sequel. I went back and played DiRT 2 some more and now I remember why. Although the racing action didn't bother me, the camera pans of the pre-race areas were too much and gave me motion sickness. DiRT 3 is much more forgiving in that area. At lower difficulty levels, both games provide enjoyable arcade-style racing action. I still wish I had a wheel and pedals for control but my Logitech RumblePad 2 suffices. So far, I've finished racing on several circuits and raised my driver rep several levels. There is plenty more content to tackle, however. I think I'll leave this game installed for a while.
iBomber Defense
June 16, 2023
I just finished playing iBomber Defense, a tower defense game from Cobra Mobile. As expected, the company focuses on mobile games. Even as a mobile game port, I still had fun with it. I didn't enjoy it as much as Anomaly: Warzone Earth, however, which turned the tables with a tower offense style of play. iBomber Defense contains two campaigns, Allies and Axis. The Allies campaign comprised 14 missions while the Axis campaign had 11. The gameplay was largely the same between campaigns with a slight variation in weapons and equipment. In the Allies Campaign, you have machine guns, cannons, AA, sabotage, and comms. In the Axis campaign, you have, machine guns, cannons, AA, infernos, and x-weapons. Buy and repair upgrades were part of both campaigns. I enjoyed both campaigns but the later missions dragged on a bit too long. In the early missions, you face 20 waves; by the end, you face 50. Overall, it was a fun game and didn't take too long to finish.
Final Axis Mission - Land, Sea, and Air Assault
Final Axis Mission - Land, Sea, and Air Assault
Snuggle Truck
June 10, 2023
I've spent some time playing Snuggle Truck recently. It is a side-scrolling physics-based driving game. You have a truck full of stuffed animals. Your job is to drive them to the zoo. The challenge is to arrive in the shortest time possible while losing the least amount of animals along the way. There are a variety of levels to complete, ranging from easy to quite difficult. Overall, it is well-crafted and suitable for short play sessions. I enjoyed it early on but started to lose interest during the harder levels. I didn't feel compelled to finish all of the levels so I'm moving on. Next up on my playlist is iBomber Defense and DiRT 3.
Hector: Badge of Carnage
May 31, 2023
I always liked the idea of point and click adventure games more than I actually liked playing them. Usually, they feel too long, too difficult, or just plain wacky with some puzzles. Regardless, I decided to give Hector: Badge of Carnage a try as my last game of May 2023. I figured I would play it for a while before calling it quits. It was a surprise to me that I actually felt motivated to see it through to the conclusion.
You assume the role of British Detective Inspector Hector, a member of the Clappers Wreake police force. Hector is involved in solving a hostage situation that turns into a terrorist threat. The story is divided into three parts—Episode 1: We Negotiate with Terrorists, Episode 2: Senseless Acts of Justice, and Episode 3: Beyond Reasonable Doom. This isn't a serious police drama, however; it is essentially a comedy. The humor is often crude so it will not appeal to all players. For the most part, I found the length and difficulty level pretty decent. In episodes 2 and 3, you get to switch between Hector and his sidekick Lambert. That added some nice variety to the puzzle-solving. I must admit to running out of steam in episode 3. As it dragged on, I was definitely ready for it to be over. Thankfully, the game includes a nice built-in hint system. You can consult with Lambert for gentle tips or use "get hints" for more detailed suggestions or even step by step solutions. Without the hint system to speed things along, I doubt I would have stuck with it to the end.
You assume the role of British Detective Inspector Hector, a member of the Clappers Wreake police force. Hector is involved in solving a hostage situation that turns into a terrorist threat. The story is divided into three parts—Episode 1: We Negotiate with Terrorists, Episode 2: Senseless Acts of Justice, and Episode 3: Beyond Reasonable Doom. This isn't a serious police drama, however; it is essentially a comedy. The humor is often crude so it will not appeal to all players. For the most part, I found the length and difficulty level pretty decent. In episodes 2 and 3, you get to switch between Hector and his sidekick Lambert. That added some nice variety to the puzzle-solving. I must admit to running out of steam in episode 3. As it dragged on, I was definitely ready for it to be over. Thankfully, the game includes a nice built-in hint system. You can consult with Lambert for gentle tips or use "get hints" for more detailed suggestions or even step by step solutions. Without the hint system to speed things along, I doubt I would have stuck with it to the end.
The Tiny Bang Story
May 10, 2023
The latest computer game I've been playing is The Tiny Bang Story. It is a game with a variety of puzzles and mini games. There are hidden object puzzles, logic puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, and even some arcade challenges. I finished two levels out of a total of five (from what I've read). It was pretty fun but I don't feel compelled to play this one to the end. It's time to move on to another game.
Level 2 Complete
Level 2 Complete
Anomaly: Warzone Earth
April 29, 2023
I closed out April playing Anomaly: Warzone Earth. This game from Polish developer 11 Bit Studios was a pleasant surprise. It had very good ratings and reviews yet I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. Instead of the familiar tower defense style, Anomaly: Warzone Earth is the opposite—a tower offense game. You control a commander leading an armored squad in the 14th Platoon. Your job is to plan a successful route through enemy defenses on way to designated areas stated in the mission objectives. Story mode has 14 missions, which start in Baghdad, move to Tokyo, and return to Baghdad for the finale. You are given money to purchase squad members and upgrades and also accumulate additional cash during the missions. Available units are the APC (Armored Personnel Carrier), Crawler (mobile artillery), Shield, Tank, Dragon (dual plasma throwers), and Supply. A key element of the game is using the commander's special abilities: repair, smoke screens, decoys, and air strikes. They are in limited supply so you have to choose wisely when to deploy them.
It didn't take long to complete story mode but that was fine with me. There are also extra missions and a mobile campaign available. The series continued with several sequels as well: Anomaly: Korea, Anomaly 2, and Anomaly Defenders.
It didn't take long to complete story mode but that was fine with me. There are also extra missions and a mobile campaign available. The series continued with several sequels as well: Anomaly: Korea, Anomaly 2, and Anomaly Defenders.
Worms Armaggedon
April 16, 2023
Long time PC video game players are probably familiar with Scorched Earth. It was an artillery combat game with a large variety of weapons. I played much more of Tank Wars, a similar game that predated Scorched Earth. The fun in either game was choosing just the right weapon, accounting for the wind, determining the appropriate angle, setting the power and … hopefully annihilating your opponent (human or computer). Another take on this type of game is the Worms series from Team 17. With its sense of humor and cute characters, Worms has thrived over the years with an impressive number of titles. I had always wanted to play a Worms game but somehow never did. I own a few in the series and wanted to start with one of the early entries. Worms Armageddon from 1999 is widely regarded as one of the best so I decided to begin there.
If you are familiar with any artillery video game, Worms Armageddon isn't too much of a stretch. The characters can move and jump, there are useful crates that drop from the sky, and the terrain options are quite numerous. However, the gameplay is essentially the same—choose from a big list of weapons, aim, adjust power if necessary, and fire. At first, I was pretty horrible with my aim and the computer opponents were easily destroying me. I've gotten a bit better with practice so it's gotten more fun as my experience has grown. The sheer number of weapons is a bit daunting but learning what they can do and when to use them is a big part of the fun. As a solo experience, I doubt I will devote that many hours into the game. Tanks Wars and Scorched Earth were best played with your friends. I think Worms Armageddon would be as well.
If you are familiar with any artillery video game, Worms Armageddon isn't too much of a stretch. The characters can move and jump, there are useful crates that drop from the sky, and the terrain options are quite numerous. However, the gameplay is essentially the same—choose from a big list of weapons, aim, adjust power if necessary, and fire. At first, I was pretty horrible with my aim and the computer opponents were easily destroying me. I've gotten a bit better with practice so it's gotten more fun as my experience has grown. The sheer number of weapons is a bit daunting but learning what they can do and when to use them is a big part of the fun. As a solo experience, I doubt I will devote that many hours into the game. Tanks Wars and Scorched Earth were best played with your friends. I think Worms Armageddon would be as well.
Total War: Shogun 2
April 03, 2023
I haven't been playing a lot of computer games recently. The time I have spent has been devoted to Total War: Shogun 2. In my experience, the Total War series has been reliably entertaining with a nice mix of strategy on the main map and tactics on the battlefield. Previously, I've played Rome: Total War, Medieval II: Total War, and Empire: Total War. I enjoyed them all but Rome: Total War was a particular favorite. From what I've read, Total War: Shogun 2 is regarded as one of the best of the series, if not the best. Although I have only played Shogun 2 a little while, it has definitely been another quality game in the series.
Set in 16th-century feudal Japan, Shogun 2 features an assortment of clans fighting for supremacy. I chose to play as the warlord leader of the Chosokabe clan. They are masters of the bow and excellent farmers. The Chosokabe start in Tosa Province on a small island, which provided some welcome early game protection. I conquered the provinces of Iyo, Sanuki, and Awa to unite the island under my rule. Later, I clashed with the Miyoshi clan. I took Awaji province from them, which was a tiny island adjacent to ours. Eventually, I sailed across to the big mainland to take their capital in Settsu. I achieved victory in the campaign, which was a short one. I will need to try a longer campaign to get a fuller experience of what Shogun 2 has to offer.
Marching to Victory
Set in 16th-century feudal Japan, Shogun 2 features an assortment of clans fighting for supremacy. I chose to play as the warlord leader of the Chosokabe clan. They are masters of the bow and excellent farmers. The Chosokabe start in Tosa Province on a small island, which provided some welcome early game protection. I conquered the provinces of Iyo, Sanuki, and Awa to unite the island under my rule. Later, I clashed with the Miyoshi clan. I took Awaji province from them, which was a tiny island adjacent to ours. Eventually, I sailed across to the big mainland to take their capital in Settsu. I achieved victory in the campaign, which was a short one. I will need to try a longer campaign to get a fuller experience of what Shogun 2 has to offer.
Marching to Victory
HOARD
March 16, 2023
I've recently been playing HOARD, a game originally released for the Playstation 3 in 2010. It came out for Windows and Mac the following year. It is an action game with strategy elements. You play a dragon with goals of hoarding treasure, capturing princesses, and causing destruction. There are four game modes: Treasure, Princess Rush, Hoard, and Co-op. In Treasure mode, you try to amass as much gold as possible within the time limit. In Princess Rush, you need to capture as many princesses as possible before time expires. Hoard mode is all about survival; last as long as you can. I played all three of those modes and enjoyed them all. I probably had the most fun with Princess Rush playing against computer-controlled dragon opponents. I never tried the Co-op mode. As fun as HOARD was, I think it would shine best playing with other people. The timed games last ten minutes so it is a fun game to play when you don't have a lot of time to spare.
Galactic Civilizations II: Ultimate Edition
February 28, 2023
Years ago, OS/2 was my operating system of choice. Although it also ran DOS and Windows programs, I tried to use as many native applications as possible. There weren't a lot of native OS/2 games, unfortunately, but I bought most of the them. My collection is listed on the Video Game Library page. Sim City and Links were two big name games ported to OS/2. The most noted and highly regarded original game for OS/2 had to be Stardock's Galactic Civilizations. It was a 4X game much like Sid Meier's Civilization set in outer space. I owned the original Galactic Civilizations from 1994, Galactic Civilizations 2 from 1996 and Galactic Civilizations Gold from 1998. I also owned Star Emperor, a 1995 release that stripped Gal Civ down to a military combat game. They were definitely my favorite OS/2 games.
Stardock eventually moved on from OS/2 to write Windows software. The Gal Civ series for Windows currently includes Galactic Civilizations (2003), the Altarian Prophecy expansion (2004), Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords (2006), the Dark Avatar expansion (2007), the Twilight of the Arnor expansion (2008), Galactic Civilizations III (2015), and Galactic Civilizations IV (2022). This month, I was reminiscing about Galactic Civilizations and decided it was time to try one of the Windows versions. The 2003 release was a little too close to the old OS/2 versions I remember. I decided to jump in with its sequel, which had numerous improvements and was very highly regarded. I have Galactic Civilizations II: Ultimate Edition, which includes the base game and both expansions.
I just finished my first game of Gal Civ II. I played the Terran Alliance, leading humanity against five other civilizations: the Drengin Empire, the Altarian Republic, the Arcean Empire, the Torian Confederation, and the Yor Collective. Despite numerous tutorials, it took a while to get familiar with the game. After researching some technology, colonizing a few worlds, constructing some starbases, and building various ships, I felt like I was reasonably proficient. Humans are excellent diplomats so I focused on peaceful relations and trade with other civilizations. My economy was good so I built up enough military tech and assets to provide an adequate defense. The Yor were a bit of a concern but the belligerent Drengin on my border were my primary worry. Eventually, I had trade routes with all civs except the Altarians (who were too far away for my level of tech). I began making alliances, starting with the distant Altarians. For a while, I thought an influence victory was my most likely path. Time was running out, however, when the Drengin had collected a large number of ascension crystals and were well on their way to an ascension victory. I made alliances with all but the Drengin and had good leverage over them. If necessary, I was prepared to seize the ascension crystal resource to deny them victory. That was unnecessary, however, as I convinced the Drengin to ally with me. The diplomatic victory was secured!
Where It All Began—Galactic Civilizations for OS/2
Stardock eventually moved on from OS/2 to write Windows software. The Gal Civ series for Windows currently includes Galactic Civilizations (2003), the Altarian Prophecy expansion (2004), Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords (2006), the Dark Avatar expansion (2007), the Twilight of the Arnor expansion (2008), Galactic Civilizations III (2015), and Galactic Civilizations IV (2022). This month, I was reminiscing about Galactic Civilizations and decided it was time to try one of the Windows versions. The 2003 release was a little too close to the old OS/2 versions I remember. I decided to jump in with its sequel, which had numerous improvements and was very highly regarded. I have Galactic Civilizations II: Ultimate Edition, which includes the base game and both expansions.
I just finished my first game of Gal Civ II. I played the Terran Alliance, leading humanity against five other civilizations: the Drengin Empire, the Altarian Republic, the Arcean Empire, the Torian Confederation, and the Yor Collective. Despite numerous tutorials, it took a while to get familiar with the game. After researching some technology, colonizing a few worlds, constructing some starbases, and building various ships, I felt like I was reasonably proficient. Humans are excellent diplomats so I focused on peaceful relations and trade with other civilizations. My economy was good so I built up enough military tech and assets to provide an adequate defense. The Yor were a bit of a concern but the belligerent Drengin on my border were my primary worry. Eventually, I had trade routes with all civs except the Altarians (who were too far away for my level of tech). I began making alliances, starting with the distant Altarians. For a while, I thought an influence victory was my most likely path. Time was running out, however, when the Drengin had collected a large number of ascension crystals and were well on their way to an ascension victory. I made alliances with all but the Drengin and had good leverage over them. If necessary, I was prepared to seize the ascension crystal resource to deny them victory. That was unnecessary, however, as I convinced the Drengin to ally with me. The diplomatic victory was secured!
Where It All Began—Galactic Civilizations for OS/2
Dragon Age II
January 31, 2023
As I mentioned yesterday, I have been playing a computer role-playing game this month. That unmentioned game was Dragon Age II, which I just finished last night. I previously played ragon Age: Origins">Dragon Age: Origins, ragon Age: Awakening">Dragon Age: Awakening, and various ragon Age: DLC Campaigns">Dragon Age DLC about a year and a half ago. In Origins, my character was Daylen, a Grey Warden mage. Because I had Daylen sacrifice himself at the end of Origins, I needed a new character. In Awakening, I played as Orlesian Grey Warden Gerod, a human rogue. Dragon Age II allowed importing a previous saved game. I used the last save from Awakening, which preserved a good deal of where my story left off.
Dragon Age II provided an opportunity to create yet another new character. Because I had already played a mage and a rogue, I decided to choose a warrior. Therefore, my protagonist was a human warrior named Garrett Hawke. The story begins shortly after the Battle of Ostragar from Origins. The Hawke family makes its way to Kirkwall, where Garrett eventually becomes the Champion of Kirkwall. The game is played out over three acts and is told as a frame narrative in which dwarven rogue Varric relates the tale to Seeker Cassandra. Varric joins Hawke along the way and he was my favorite companion by far. Other companions included Hawke's mage sister Bethany, warrior and later guard captain Avaline, former Grey Warden mage Anders, Dalish elven mage Merrill, pirate captain Isabella, and Chantry member Sebastian, a formidable archer and rogue.
I owned all the DLC for Dragon Age II so that provided a bunch of extra material, including equipment, characters, and locations. Most notably, there were two extra adventures—Legacy and Mark of the Assassin. I undertook those adventures as part of act three. Legacy delved into Hawke's past and revealed information about his father and the Grey Wardens. Mark of the Assassin was the longer and more ambitious of the two. It revolved around a new companion, an elf with Qunari beliefs named Tallis. There were quite a few quests in Mark of the Assassin as the story progressed from a dinner party at Chateau Haine to a wyvern hunt to intrigue involving the duke and the Qunari. BioWare tried to throw a lot into this one—humor, stealth, boss battles, etc.—and mostly succeeded.
I wasn't sure that Dragon Age II could live up to its predecessor(s). After playing it for many hours, I have to say it came pretty close. In some aspects, it even surpassed the original. Regarding the main characters, I grew to really like Hawke and Varric, in particular. I consider both Dragon Age games as personal all-time favorites. It is only the first month of 2023 but I suspect Dragon Age II may emerge as my favorite game played this year.
Garrett Hawke, Level 24 Warrior
Dragon Age II provided an opportunity to create yet another new character. Because I had already played a mage and a rogue, I decided to choose a warrior. Therefore, my protagonist was a human warrior named Garrett Hawke. The story begins shortly after the Battle of Ostragar from Origins. The Hawke family makes its way to Kirkwall, where Garrett eventually becomes the Champion of Kirkwall. The game is played out over three acts and is told as a frame narrative in which dwarven rogue Varric relates the tale to Seeker Cassandra. Varric joins Hawke along the way and he was my favorite companion by far. Other companions included Hawke's mage sister Bethany, warrior and later guard captain Avaline, former Grey Warden mage Anders, Dalish elven mage Merrill, pirate captain Isabella, and Chantry member Sebastian, a formidable archer and rogue.
I owned all the DLC for Dragon Age II so that provided a bunch of extra material, including equipment, characters, and locations. Most notably, there were two extra adventures—Legacy and Mark of the Assassin. I undertook those adventures as part of act three. Legacy delved into Hawke's past and revealed information about his father and the Grey Wardens. Mark of the Assassin was the longer and more ambitious of the two. It revolved around a new companion, an elf with Qunari beliefs named Tallis. There were quite a few quests in Mark of the Assassin as the story progressed from a dinner party at Chateau Haine to a wyvern hunt to intrigue involving the duke and the Qunari. BioWare tried to throw a lot into this one—humor, stealth, boss battles, etc.—and mostly succeeded.
I wasn't sure that Dragon Age II could live up to its predecessor(s). After playing it for many hours, I have to say it came pretty close. In some aspects, it even surpassed the original. Regarding the main characters, I grew to really like Hawke and Varric, in particular. I consider both Dragon Age games as personal all-time favorites. It is only the first month of 2023 but I suspect Dragon Age II may emerge as my favorite game played this year.
Garrett Hawke, Level 24 Warrior
BIT.TRIP RUNNER
January 30, 2023
For most of January, I've I been playing a computer role-playing game. I've almost finished it and will write about it soon. I forgot about another game I dabbled with earlier in the month, however. That game was BIT.TRIP RUNNER (henceforth referred to as BTR for brevity). BTR is a 2D "runner" style game in which your character is constantly in motion on the screen from left to right. There is a lot of jumping as well and some sliding and kicking to avoid obstacles. Music with a driving beat serves as a backdrop to the action. It was addictive but a bit frustrating as well. Almost completing a level only to die and start over wasn't too bad at first. Unfortunately, dying became so commonplace that I eventually gave up on BTR before finishing all of the levels.
Favorite Computer Games of 2022
January 08, 2023
Last year, most of the computer games I played were ten to twelve years old. My backlog of unplayed games is so large that I can't play them fast enough. Here is a list of my favorites that I played in 2022.
Honorable mention: Swords & Soldiers HD - I tried to stick to a top ten list. However, Swords and Sorcery HD deserves a mention as well. It looks and plays like a mobile game but I found it way more enjoyable than expected. It is a side-scrolling real-time strategy game with three factions at war. I completed the single player campaign without ever getting bored or wanting to quit.
- Mass Effect Legendary Edition - This was my undisputed favorite of 2022. It is actually a compilation of three games: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 3. The games were remastered with numerous updates and released in this 2021 edition. It's a bit of a cheat selecting a trilogy as my favorite title but I did play them straight through as one continuous story.
- Sid Meier’s Civilization V - I've previously enjoyed Civ III and Civ IV. Civilization V was another winner. The gameplay is familiar but each new version brings some changes to keep things fresh.
- Avadon: The Black Fortress - This was the first game in a trilogy from the creator of the Avadon and Geneforge series. They are all computer RPGs with a retro feel. Heck, Avadon had a retro feel even back in 2011 when it first came out. Nevertheless, I have always enjoyed my time spent with games from Spiderweb Software.
- Out of the Park Baseball 23 - I play OOTP Baseball every summer and it is always a gaming highlight of the year. In the 2022 NALB season, I led my Brooklyn Knights to the league's best record and a return to the playoffs after a two year absence. Unfortunately, the Knights lost the League Championship Series. Based on the amount of fun I had with OOTP 23, I probably should rank it #3 or even #2 on my list. However, the game doesn't change that much from year to year, so I'll leave it at #4.
- Bejeweled 3 - It's no surprise that this PopCap game was extremely addicting. They have a knack for creating such titles. For a while, I couldn't put it down. There was always one more challenge, one more objective, one more score to beat…
- Star Trek: Bridge Commander - I heard good things about this game many years ago (release date 2002) but never played it. Twenty years later, I finally got around to it. Dated? Sure. However, it was still a blast to be in command of a starship in this space combat simulation game.
- Master of Magic - MoM came out a year after Master of Orion (1993), which I played some time ago. Once I learned the game mechanics and interface, I really enjoyed it. It was similar to Master of Orion or maybe a fantasy themed Civilization or many other 4X (Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate) games.
- Supreme Commander 2 - Supreme Commander was called a spiritual successor to Total Annihilation, which was a true classic. I never played SC but decided to try SC2 anyway. It was supposedly not as good as its predecessor but I still liked it. At least SC2 provided me one solid real-time strategy game to play in 2022.
- Shatter - This was a really fun arcade game with gameplay similar to Arkenoid. Your goal is to destroy blocks with a ball and a paddle. Shatter adds a physics-based twist by including "blow" and "suck" controls to alter the path of the ball.
- NightSky - This was a simple but still challenging puzzle platform game. For me, the length and difficulty of NightSky was just right.
Honorable mention: Swords & Soldiers HD - I tried to stick to a top ten list. However, Swords and Sorcery HD deserves a mention as well. It looks and plays like a mobile game but I found it way more enjoyable than expected. It is a side-scrolling real-time strategy game with three factions at war. I completed the single player campaign without ever getting bored or wanting to quit.
Avadon: The Black Fortress
December 28, 2022
I finished what was probably my last video game of 2022—Avadon: The Black Fortress. It was another turn-based computer role-playing game from Jeff Vogel of Spiderweb Software, the creator of the Avernum series and the Geneforge series. As was the case with Spiderweb's earlier titles, the games are "old school" visually. Even though Avadon was released in 2011, it looks as though it could have come out twenty years earlier. That didn't detract from my enjoyment, however.
Avadon is set in the land of Lynaeus. Central to Lynaeus is the Pact, an alliance of five nations. Within the Pact is Avadon, a mighty fortress ruled by Redbeard. You play as a Hand of Avadon and are sent on many missions as a servant to Redbeard and a representative of Avadon. There were four character types (classes) available to play: Blademaster, Shadowwalker, Shaman, and Sorceress. My character Raidon was a blademaster, which is somewhat like a ninja. During the course of the game, I had several companions: Blademaster Sevilin, Shadowwalker Shima, Shaman Jenell, and Sorceress Nathalie. For most of the game, however, only two companions could accompany you at a time. The RPG game mechanics featured attributes, specializations, and skills. There was also inventory management involving, armor, weapons, potions, scrolls, and various equipment.
There was a lot to do and I played more than 45 hours to complete it. Spiderweb Software games typically involve some moral and ethical choices along the way. Despite the corruption around him, Raidon remained loyal to Redbeard and Avadon. The Black Fortress was the first of the Avadon trilogy. I'm not sure where the story goes from here. From what I understand, you play as different characters in each title so I think I've seen the last of Raidon.
Avadon is set in the land of Lynaeus. Central to Lynaeus is the Pact, an alliance of five nations. Within the Pact is Avadon, a mighty fortress ruled by Redbeard. You play as a Hand of Avadon and are sent on many missions as a servant to Redbeard and a representative of Avadon. There were four character types (classes) available to play: Blademaster, Shadowwalker, Shaman, and Sorceress. My character Raidon was a blademaster, which is somewhat like a ninja. During the course of the game, I had several companions: Blademaster Sevilin, Shadowwalker Shima, Shaman Jenell, and Sorceress Nathalie. For most of the game, however, only two companions could accompany you at a time. The RPG game mechanics featured attributes, specializations, and skills. There was also inventory management involving, armor, weapons, potions, scrolls, and various equipment.
There was a lot to do and I played more than 45 hours to complete it. Spiderweb Software games typically involve some moral and ethical choices along the way. Despite the corruption around him, Raidon remained loyal to Redbeard and Avadon. The Black Fortress was the first of the Avadon trilogy. I'm not sure where the story goes from here. From what I understand, you play as different characters in each title so I think I've seen the last of Raidon.
Gemini Rue
November 17, 2022
Point and click graphic adventures are not my favorite type of video game. I still play them every now and then, however. One such game I just played was Gemini Rue. It is a sci-fi story set in 2229 with multiple characters under your control. In addition to the usual adventure game fare, there were some action scenes featuring handgun combat. I wasn't enthused about the shootouts but thankfully there weren't many of them. The game is set on Earth and on a secret off-world facility called Center 7. The primary character is Azriel Odin, who is looking for his brother Daniel. In parallel, you control Delta-Six, a detainee in Center 7. Along the way, there is a twist or two and the game ends with a satisfying conclusion. The graphics are somewhat primitive but it fits with the game's retro look and feel. If you like adventure games at all, I'd say Gemini Rue is worth your time.
NightSky
November 05, 2022
Next up on my video game playlist was NightSky, a short but satisfying puzzle platformer released in 2011. You maneuver a sphere over terrain and around various obstacles to navigate through sections of ten worlds. The controls are pretty straightforward—left, right, accelerate, brake, and occasionally special options such as gravity inversion. For this type of game, the difficulty level has to be just right. I think the developer nailed it. I found it a bit challenging but never overwhelming or frustrating like some action-puzzle games. I played NightSky in small chunks, a few levels at a time, and finished it in a few days. It only took a few hours but was a fun experience.
Master of Magic
October 23, 2022
My first game after finishing my annual baseball season was Master of Magic. There is a new Master of Magic scheduled for release in December 2022. I played the 1994 classic version published by MicroProse, however. It is a lot like Sid Meier's Civilization set in a fantasy world. The more apt comparison is probably Master of Orion, which was created by the same game designer and published in 1993. All of these games are considered 4X strategy games: eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate. I previously enjoyed Master of Orion and Master of Orion II so I was pretty sure I was going to like this game as well.
The goal is to become the Master of Magic by eliminating all opponents or by casting the spell of Mastery. I chose a medium-sized map with four opponents. For my wizard, I chose to play as Horus. He is a sorcerer who specializes in sorcery and life magic. I wasn't sure who my opponents were until I encountered them through exploration. This was my competition:
One aspect of MoM that was interesting was dual lands to explore. You start on Arcanus but there is a mysterious other world called Myrror. You can only access Myrror through ancient towers of wizardry by using special spells. When I started the game, I wasn't sure if one of my opponents may have resided in Myrror but that wasn't the case. I explored Myrror a bit but the other wizards and their towns were all in Arcanus.
Despite being an older title with crude graphics (by today's standard), I thoroughly enjoyed playing Master of Magic.
Horus Banishes His Nemesis, Tauron
The goal is to become the Master of Magic by eliminating all opponents or by casting the spell of Mastery. I chose a medium-sized map with four opponents. For my wizard, I chose to play as Horus. He is a sorcerer who specializes in sorcery and life magic. I wasn't sure who my opponents were until I encountered them through exploration. This was my competition:
- Jafar - Jafar was an Arabian illusionist who understood the mysteries of sorcery magic. He was the first wizard I encountered. He was also the first one I eliminated.
- Oberic - Next up was Oberic, an elementalist who specialized in both chaos and nature magic. I defeated him next and united the continent under my rule.
- Tauron - Across the ocean was another continent with two other wizards. There, I met Tauron first. Tauron was a demonic being who specialized in chaos magic. He was my greatest nemesis by far. I waged war with him over many years before finally emerging triumphant.
- Sharee - Sharee was a voodoo priestess who specialized in both chaos and death magic. She was allied with Tauron, which presented some additional challenge to me. I largely ignored her, however, until I was able to deal sufficiently with Tauron. Finally, I marched east and conquered Sharee to achieve victory.
One aspect of MoM that was interesting was dual lands to explore. You start on Arcanus but there is a mysterious other world called Myrror. You can only access Myrror through ancient towers of wizardry by using special spells. When I started the game, I wasn't sure if one of my opponents may have resided in Myrror but that wasn't the case. I explored Myrror a bit but the other wizards and their towns were all in Arcanus.
Despite being an older title with crude graphics (by today's standard), I thoroughly enjoyed playing Master of Magic.
Horus Banishes His Nemesis, Tauron
SpaceChem
August 19, 2022
Before starting the 2022 NALB (North American Baseball League) season, I decided to play a little SpaceChem. It is a puzzle game with an interesting concept. You are tasked with creating various chemical molecules. You do this by adding various components to make an automated assembly process. Within the reactor, you specify commands to pick up, drop, and rotate inputs and to trigger chemical bonding. If this sounds quite different, it is. Once I got the hang of it, it was pretty fun. I completed a number of puzzles but there are many more available. With the call of computer baseball calling, however, I don't think I will be finishing SpaceChem any time soon.
Bejeweled 3
July 30, 2022
Sid Meier's Civilization series is often mentioned as the epitome of "one more turn" video games. PopCap Games deserves mention as makers of "one more play" or "one more try" video games. PopCap's Bejeweled, Plants vs Zombies, and Peggle series are very addicting. They are easy to play but challenging to master. Because they contain so many goals, challenges, and various modes of play, these simple games offer many hours of gameplay. I've enjoyed every PopCap game I've ever played and Bejeweled 3 is no exception.
Bejeweled 3 is another example of a "match 3" game. The purpose is to match at least three consecutive gems of a given color. That is easy enough but proper strategy involves thinking ahead to setup future moves. The game starts with four game modes: Classic, Zen, Lightning, and Quest. I played them all and unlocked four additional modes: Poker, Butterflies, Ice Storm, and Diamond Mine. After 15 hours or so, I've accomplished almost everything I set out to do. The one exception is the completion of Quest mode. I finished 39 out of 40 quests but have yet to complete the Poker III quest. That quest's goal is to earn 4000 points within ten hands, which is quite a lot. You need a lot of flushes to achieve that. Even averaging a full house every hand (350 points) isn't enough.
Overall, I really liked the game. Until I completed most of the quests and earned most of the badges, I found it hard to stop playing.
My growing collection of Bejeweled 3 badges
Bejeweled 3 is another example of a "match 3" game. The purpose is to match at least three consecutive gems of a given color. That is easy enough but proper strategy involves thinking ahead to setup future moves. The game starts with four game modes: Classic, Zen, Lightning, and Quest. I played them all and unlocked four additional modes: Poker, Butterflies, Ice Storm, and Diamond Mine. After 15 hours or so, I've accomplished almost everything I set out to do. The one exception is the completion of Quest mode. I finished 39 out of 40 quests but have yet to complete the Poker III quest. That quest's goal is to earn 4000 points within ten hands, which is quite a lot. You need a lot of flushes to achieve that. Even averaging a full house every hand (350 points) isn't enough.
Overall, I really liked the game. Until I completed most of the quests and earned most of the badges, I found it hard to stop playing.
My growing collection of Bejeweled 3 badges
Swords & Soldiers HD
July 12, 2022
Next up on my video game playlist was Swords & Soldiers HD. I expected to dabble with it a bit and then move on. It surprised me. Once I started the single player campaign, I felt compelled to finish it. The story was corny and nothing special. However, the gameplay was a lot of fun. Swords & Soldiers is a real-time strategy game set in a 2D side-scrolling world. You start on the left and your opponent is on the right. A typical mission involves a bit of back and forth battling until one side destroys the other's main base. You gather gold and purchase units and upgrades. You also cast spells to aid your units or hinder your opponent. The Viking campaign came first, followed by the Aztec and Chinese campaigns. There was also a Chief Meat campaign listed but I was unable to play it for some reason. After completing the China campaign, it did not unlock as I expected. Regardless, I enjoyed the thirty missions comprising the first three campaigns. After the campaigns, I played some skirmishes and several challenges. The developers released a sequel several years later. Based on numerous user reviews I read, Swords & Soldiers 2 has much improved graphics but the gameplay is not as fun as the original. This one was short and sweet and quite enjoyable.
Zen Bound 2
July 10, 2022
Another game I played recently was Zen Bound 2, a title with mobile roots. Like Shank, I enjoyed it but didn't stick with it for too long. Your goal is to paint an object. The object has one or more nails and a rope attached. Paint is applied to the object by winding the rope around it. The concept is certainly a change of pace from the typical video game. I think Zen Bound 2 was well-suited to a touch interface. Playing with a mouse was probably not as good but certainly acceptable. ZB2 was enjoyable but after completing 10 or twelve objects I was ready to move on to a different game.
Shank
July 07, 2022
After some longer games, I am now bouncing between games that I can play in smaller chunks. First up is Shank, a side-scrolling fighting game. It has decent 2D graphics with a comic book art style. As befits a console inspired video game, Shank has gamepad support. It worked flawlessly with my Logitech RumblePad 2. I played the single-player campaign, which follows the story of the titular character on a quest for revenge. Shank has a variety of light and heavy melee weapons, guns, and grenades. With so many options, the controls used the d-pad, the analog stick, and eight buttons on the gamepad. It didn't take too long to get the hand of it. As is typical in these fighting games, there are waves of enemies and bosses to defeat. It was fun for a while but the repetitive combat and thumb-soreness eventually caused me to move on. Still, it is a quality title that I would recommend to fans of the genre.
Star Trek: Bridge Commander
June 30, 2022
I've played a number of Star Trek games through the years. Some were decent while others were quite excellent. I had never played one of the best-rated ones, however. That game was Star Trek: Bridge Commander. It is somewhat of an adventure game but really a space combat simulator at its core. Set in the timeline of the Star Trek: The Next Generation movies, you play a starship captain. You were the first officer aboard the USS Dauntless (NCC-71879), a Galaxy Class Starship. After the death of the ship's captain, you are promoted and assume command. As you would expect based on the game's title, the action takes place almost exclusively on the bridge. There are various manned bridge stations: helm, tactical, first officer, science, and engineering. You control the action by issuing orders to your bridge crew. That is the way I played the game. Alternately, there is a tactical mode where you have direct control and steer the ship and fire weapons using an external view.
After a star explodes in the Maelstrom region of space, the Dauntless is dispatched to investigate. There are eight episodes with several missions each. A few episodes in, you and your crew are reassigned to the USS Sovereign (NCC-73811). Along the way, you encounter Klingons, Romulans, Ferengi, and plenty of Cardassians. You spend a fair amount of time at Starbase 12 but almost every mission has a combat element to it. The fun is running as efficiently as possible under the stress of battle. You need to juggle overall tactics and weapon selection (phasers and torpedoes) along with power distribution between weapons, engines, sensors, and shields. The developers captured the feel of Star Trek combat on the bridge of a starship very well. For a game released twenty years ago (2002), I give it a "thumbs up."
After a star explodes in the Maelstrom region of space, the Dauntless is dispatched to investigate. There are eight episodes with several missions each. A few episodes in, you and your crew are reassigned to the USS Sovereign (NCC-73811). Along the way, you encounter Klingons, Romulans, Ferengi, and plenty of Cardassians. You spend a fair amount of time at Starbase 12 but almost every mission has a combat element to it. The fun is running as efficiently as possible under the stress of battle. You need to juggle overall tactics and weapon selection (phasers and torpedoes) along with power distribution between weapons, engines, sensors, and shields. The developers captured the feel of Star Trek combat on the bridge of a starship very well. For a game released twenty years ago (2002), I give it a "thumbs up."
Mass Effect 3
June 09, 2022
The saga is over. I completed Mass Effect 3, thereby finishing the Mass Effect trilogy. I'm glad that I waited for the Legendary Edition to play this series. It included all three games, plenty of extra content, and updated graphics. The biggest advantage was not having to wait years between releases. I experienced the entire trilogy in one shot.
Using my imported character, the story continued the events from Mass Effect 2. It is 2186 and the galaxy faces a threat from a race known as the Reapers. Once again, Commander John Shepard is the key figure who stands in the way of this galactic menace. As with Mass Effect 2, ME 3 made several gameplay tweaks to combat, weapons, inventory management, and planetary scans. In general, most changes were made to streamline things and cut down on trivial tasks. Overall, I enjoyed every Mass Effect game and some changes along the way kept things fresh. Some people considered ME 3 the weakest entry and the ending in particular was controversial. Therefore, I was braced for disappointment. It wasn't that bad but definitely bittersweet. Multiple options are presented. Your choice determines the outcome in some pretty big ways. They aren't simple good vs evil paths. As BioWare likes to do, things are shaded gray and there are moral and ethical nuances affecting your decision.
The crew of the Normandy SR-2 at a party at Shepard's apartment
Using my imported character, the story continued the events from Mass Effect 2. It is 2186 and the galaxy faces a threat from a race known as the Reapers. Once again, Commander John Shepard is the key figure who stands in the way of this galactic menace. As with Mass Effect 2, ME 3 made several gameplay tweaks to combat, weapons, inventory management, and planetary scans. In general, most changes were made to streamline things and cut down on trivial tasks. Overall, I enjoyed every Mass Effect game and some changes along the way kept things fresh. Some people considered ME 3 the weakest entry and the ending in particular was controversial. Therefore, I was braced for disappointment. It wasn't that bad but definitely bittersweet. Multiple options are presented. Your choice determines the outcome in some pretty big ways. They aren't simple good vs evil paths. As BioWare likes to do, things are shaded gray and there are moral and ethical nuances affecting your decision.
The crew of the Normandy SR-2 at a party at Shepard's apartment
Game Central's 16th Anniversary
May 25, 2022
Today is the 16th anniversary of Game Central. I always post something new for the site’s anniversary. It is becoming harder and harder as the years go by. I already covered a lot of my role-playing game history. Previously, I mentioned my favorite coin-op games. Most of my new gaming experiences are with computer games, including my baseball league simulation. What’s left? I only owned one video game console when I was growing up. That was the Coleco Telstar Alpha. Years later, I bought my one and only expandable game console, the Sega Dreamcast. During my childhood years, however, there was another type of game that was popular. For several years, handheld electronic games were all the rage. I owned a few and still have them. Therefore, I decided to add a Handheld Electronic section to the Video Games (formerly Computer Games) area of the site.
Mass Effect 2
May 11, 2022
After finishing Mass Effect 2 from the Legendary Edition, I am now two-thirds of the way through the Mass Effect trilogy. The first game was excellent. BioWare delivered another winner in Mass Effect 2. Both are all-time classics as far as role-playing games. Despite many similarities, the gameplay evolved in the sequel. The first Mass Effect felt more like a traditional RPG with action/shooter elements while Mass Effect 2 felt a bit more like an action/shooter with RPG elements. It's a bit like Alien vs Aliens. Combat was largely improved in Mass Effect 2 and gun overheating was replaced by expendable ammunition. The number of squad mates was increased, the inventory system was streamlined, and interstellar travel was changed for the better. Both games featured a paragon/renegade system, which represented Shepard's ethical/moral balance. Not only did this affect dialog choices but they added interrupt actions during certain cut scenes. By choosing a paragon or renegade action, you could drastically change the outcome of the scene. The great thing about the Mass Effect series is that many choices have real consequences in the storyline. In fact, I imported Shepard from Mass Effect into Mass Effect 2 and several plot elements were preserved between games. That may not be unique but it isn't exactly common in video games.
Production values were high as expected and the Legendary Edition made the game feel fresh despite its age (originally released in 2010). Hollywood talent was again used for voice acting. I recognized Martin Sheen, Yvonne Strahovski, Tricia Helfer, Michael Dorn, and others. At first, I didn't prefer Mass Effect 2 to the original. Mass Effect 2 grew on me, however. Overall, the sequel is more polished and is probably the better game, all things considered. I loved them both. Next up is Mass Effect 3 to close out this epic saga.
The Illusive Man (played by Martin Sheen)
Production values were high as expected and the Legendary Edition made the game feel fresh despite its age (originally released in 2010). Hollywood talent was again used for voice acting. I recognized Martin Sheen, Yvonne Strahovski, Tricia Helfer, Michael Dorn, and others. At first, I didn't prefer Mass Effect 2 to the original. Mass Effect 2 grew on me, however. Overall, the sequel is more polished and is probably the better game, all things considered. I loved them both. Next up is Mass Effect 3 to close out this epic saga.
The Illusive Man (played by Martin Sheen)
Mass Effect
April 18, 2022
After Civilization V, I was looking for another top notch computer game to play. I certainly found one in Mass Effect. Specifically, I have the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, which includes the entire trilogy plus a ton of DLC. In addition, some gameplay tweaks were made and the graphics were updated for 4K Ultra HD. Mass Effect is widely regarded as one of the all-time great video game series and it did not disappoint. Developed by BioWare, I should have known it would be special. They created some of my all time favorite computer role-playing games such as the Baldur's Gate series, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and the Dragon Age series. I just finished the first Mass Effect game and it certainly joins those lofty titles as one of my favorite RPGs.
Mass Effect is an RPG at its core but it features third-person action elements, including combat. Unlike some other BioWare games, this one features an original game world. You play as Commander Shepard, a human Alliance solider who must stop a threat of galactic proportions Along the way, Shepard is joined by several allies. You choose two of these characters to accompany Shepard on each mission. There were plenty of main missions and side missions to keep me busy for around 30 hours of gameplay. Along the way, Shepard and his companions gained levels, skills, and equipment. In addition to the usual squad based action, some missions involved the M35 Mako, an all-terrain vehicle with its own weapons. Mass Effect did a good job presenting choices that had real repercussions, both moral/ethical and tactical. I played Shepard as a "good guy" for the most part and he accumulated many more paragon points than renegade points.
The ending was satisfying and it obviously left things open for the sequel. Mass Effect 2 is generally regarded as the high point of the series. I am very eager to play it.
Commander John Shepard
Mass Effect is an RPG at its core but it features third-person action elements, including combat. Unlike some other BioWare games, this one features an original game world. You play as Commander Shepard, a human Alliance solider who must stop a threat of galactic proportions Along the way, Shepard is joined by several allies. You choose two of these characters to accompany Shepard on each mission. There were plenty of main missions and side missions to keep me busy for around 30 hours of gameplay. Along the way, Shepard and his companions gained levels, skills, and equipment. In addition to the usual squad based action, some missions involved the M35 Mako, an all-terrain vehicle with its own weapons. Mass Effect did a good job presenting choices that had real repercussions, both moral/ethical and tactical. I played Shepard as a "good guy" for the most part and he accumulated many more paragon points than renegade points.
The ending was satisfying and it obviously left things open for the sequel. Mass Effect 2 is generally regarded as the high point of the series. I am very eager to play it.
Commander John Shepard
Civilization V
April 01, 2022
I ended March 2022 by completing a game of Civilization V. It's hard to believe that I played Civilization IV nine years ago. Civ III was several years before that. Sid Meier's Civilization series is well known for the "one more turn" syndrome and it didn't take me long to get immersed in version 5. I chose a default game, which involved playing a random nation and five computer opponents. I was assigned the Aztecs, led by Montezuma. The other nations were the Iroquois, England, Arabia, Greece, and Japan. I started in the middle of a large island running north to south. Japan was on my northern border and Arabia was to our south. Arabia was quite peaceful but we did have tensions with Japan. In previous Civ games, I've gone for cultural victories or technological victories by being the first nation to venture into space. I felt the Aztecs should be played more warlike. One of their unique advantages was sacrificial captives, which provided bonus culture points for each enemy unit killed. Therefore, I pursued a militant path. We eventually went to war with Japan, England, Arabia, the Iroquois, and Greece. We won a domination victory in the year 1966. I could have easily won years earlier, certainly back in the industrial age. However, I stretched things out because I was having so much fun growing my empire and experimenting with newer units.
The Aztecs' special unit was the Jaguar, a specialty warrior. They were great in the early game when we were battling a lot of barbarians in unsettled lands. Unfortunately, Jaguars are quickly outmoded in later ages. That is one knock on the Civilization series. After a certain point, the differences between nations become small and they can feel very similar. Even so, Civ III, IV, and V have all been very fun to play. When the time comes, I look forward to playing Civ VI as well.
1670 AD - The Aztec Empire is in red
1966 AD - Just before capturing Athens and eliminating Greece
The Aztecs' special unit was the Jaguar, a specialty warrior. They were great in the early game when we were battling a lot of barbarians in unsettled lands. Unfortunately, Jaguars are quickly outmoded in later ages. That is one knock on the Civilization series. After a certain point, the differences between nations become small and they can feel very similar. Even so, Civ III, IV, and V have all been very fun to play. When the time comes, I look forward to playing Civ VI as well.
1670 AD - The Aztec Empire is in red
1966 AD - Just before capturing Athens and eliminating Greece
Super Meat Boy
March 12, 2022
Super Meat Boy is a very good platform action game. The graphics are crude but the game has a certain grisly charm. The controls are simple (move and jump for the most part). It has plenty of content (over 300 levels). At first, I thought it was going to end up as a real favorite of mine. There was just one problem. It was too damn hard! I don't mind replaying sections of games or even entire levels to conquer them. I have my limits though. Replaying parts of Super Meat Boy ad nauseam facing death after death after death became tedious. If the game was shorter, I might have soldiered on. However, I was discouraged knowing how far I was from the end. Unfortunately, I won't be finishing this one.
Super Meat Boy is chased by Lil' Slugger, the boss of The Forest
Super Meat Boy is chased by Lil' Slugger, the boss of The Forest
Limbo
March 02, 2022
After Metro 2033 Redux, I started playing Limbo. It is a platform game focused on puzzles rather than fast action. The controls are pretty basic—movement, jumping, and push/pull. The visuals of Limbo are distinctive with a black and white fog-filled world. I've finished several chapters accounting for a bit over one-fourth of the game. Limbo is a fine game but it didn't grab me as much as other puzzle games such as Trine, And Yet It Moves, or World of Goo. With hundreds of computer games in my backlog to be played, I am ready to move on to something else.
Metro 2033 Redux
February 23, 2022
Time for another first-person shooter. Next up in my playlist was Metro 2033 Redux, a video game based on a Russian novel. This was an update of the original Metro 2033 game, which was released in 2010. The Redux version came out four years later and used the updated game engine from Metro: Last Light. Metro 2033 had great atmosphere. People are living in Moscow's Metro system after a nuclear war took place 20 years ago. Among your enemies are creatures known as "the Dark Ones," which provide plenty of combat challenges. Unfortunately, I only finished a couple of chapters before motion sickness brought this game to an end for me. It's too bad because it was a quality title. I definitely got a Doom 3 vibe in the parts I played. The areas were very dark and a flashlight didn't offer much illumination. I think that probably added to my eyestrain and sickness. Oh well. It was fun while it lasted.
Shatter
February 17, 2022
A lot of video games take many hours to finish. I was hoping to play something on the shorter side and found a great game in Shatter. Originally released for the PlayStation, Shatter is a brick-breaking arcade game in the style of Breakout and Arkanoid. I've played several titles in this genre and Shatter was definitely one of the best. It uses the familiar ball and paddle game mechanic, which dates back to Pong. Shatter adds multi-ball action, power-ups, physics effects, plus "suck" and "blow" controls. I completed the game's story mode in under five hours. There were ten worlds, each with multiple levels, a final boss, and a bonus level. I found Shatter's difficulty level to be just about right. A few of the boss fights were challenging and even frustrating. However, I always felt they were winnable so it kept me coming back for more.
Supreme Commander 2
February 10, 2022
The latest computer game I played was Supreme Commander 2. It was the sequel to Supreme Commander, which was considered the "spiritual successor" of Total Annihilation. All of these games were developed by Chris Taylor. Although I never played the original Supreme Commander, I had previously played Total Annihilation. Although SC2 wasn't as highly regarded as its predecessors, it was still a lot of fun. The campaign was split into three parts, each of which focused on a different faction. The factions are the United Earth Federation, Aeon Illuminate, and the Cybran Nation. In this respect, it reminded me of StarCraft with its story centered on three races. In each operation, you lead an army headed by an ACU (Armored Command Unit). Plenty of units were available in land, air, naval, structure, and experimental categories. The unit cap was 300 so it allowed for quite a bit of onscreen action. As with other real-time strategy games, you build structures and units. In StarCraft, the resources are minerals and vespene gas. Here it is mass and energy. The story was ok but I didn't find it too memorable. The final operation was a battle against a Cybran who served as the game's major antagonist.
Dominic Maddox in a UEF Armored Command Unit (ACU)
Dominic Maddox in a UEF Armored Command Unit (ACU)
Saints Row 2
January 24, 2022
After Titan Quest, I've been playing Saints Row 2. It is an action game fairly similar to Grand Theft Auto. It has crime, combat, and a lot of vehicle use. Previously, I really got into Grand Theft Auto III and GTA: Vice City. Although it was a good game, GTA: San Andreas didn't hook me like its predecessors and I did not finish it. Perhaps the novelty with this type of game is wearing off. I felt the same way about Saints Row 2. It was a quality game but after playing a few missions, I'm ready to move on to something else.
Favorite Computer Games of 2021
January 10, 2022
It's been a while since I listed my favorite computer games of the year. I generally play most games years after they were released. Here were my favorite games I played in 2021.
- Dragon Age: Origins - Ultimate Edition - This was definitely my favorite game of the year and now an all-time favorite as well. I love RPGs and this one ranks right up there with the Baldur's Gate series. Because I own the Ultimate Edition, there was a lot of content. I played Origins, the Awakening expansion, and four DLC campaigns.
- Battle for Wesnoth - Until I played Dragon Age, this was the front runner for my favorite game of 2021. It's free, open source, and still in active development. It has a fantasy setting but is a turn-based strategy war game at its core. It brought back memories of how much I enjoyed playing Fantasy General.
- Batman: Arkham Asylum - This was a game with high production values. I broke out my gamepad to embrace its console video game roots. They really captured a lot of the spirit of Batman in this game. The professional voice acting added to its appeal as well.
- Out of the Park Baseball 22 - OOTP powers my yearly NALB simulations. Although they don't usually change much, the annual releases are almost always top notch. Version 22 was no exception. It's a shame that my Brooklyn Knights missed the playoffs in 2021, however.
- King’s Bounty: The Legend - One of my all-time favorite computer game series is Heroes of Might and Magic. King's Bounty was very comparable to HoMM. It featured real-time movement on the game map but familiar turn-based combat.
- Empire: Total War - From what I've played, the Total War series is always a winner. It feels a little like playing Risk on a world map with the option to control the battles in real-time. I led the Dutch Republic to a campaign victory. As far as Total War games go, I enjoyed Empire more than Medieval II but not as much as Rome.
- Trine: Enchanted Edition - Trine is a really nice indie game. It is a side-scrolling action game with puzzle elements. Thankfully, the puzzles were enjoyable and rarely frustrating. It has a nice concept of controlling three separate characters, which you could switch between freely within levels.
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - Yay—a first person shooter that didn't give me motion sickness. As a break from previous World War II entries, CoD 4 gave us a modern setting. It was a quality FPS that immersed you into the action even with computer controlled squad mates. As with Trine, this game's shorter length was not a detriment but a plus in my eyes.
- Tropico 3 - El Presidente returned! I had played Tropico, skipped Tropico 2, and returned for Tropico 3. From what I could remember, version 3 was every bit as good as the original. The background music is still great and the graphics were improved.
- LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga - LEGO Star Wars would probably have placed higher on the list if I hadn't taken on the Complete Saga. It represented six films, episodes one through six, spread across 36 chapters. It was fun but I was a little burned out by the end.
- Overlord II - The Overlord series is a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I experienced too many crashes with Overlord II just as I did with Overlord. If the game had been stable enough to finish, it would have easily made my top ten.
- Titan Quest - I love RPGs but action-RPGs aren't my favorites. I greatly prefer story driven RPGs. Even so, I was enjoying this one quite a bit. Unfortunately, the repetitive combat grind combat wore thin, just as it did with Diablo II. I wasn't compelled to finish it but I enjoyed the time I spent with Titan Quest.
Titan Quest
December 31, 2021
It's time to close out 2021. The last game I played this year was Titan Quest, an action RPG from 2006. Similar in gameplay to Diablo, it is a hack and slash clickfest with lots of combat and lots of loot. Action RPGs aren't a favorite of mine but they can be fun in small doses. As with similar games, just managing your inventory can be a time consuming endeavor. I enjoyed the game's mythological setting. Act 1 took place in ancient Greece. By the end of Act 1, however, I felt I had played it enough. As I expected, the non-stop combat became a chore. I wasn't motivated to put in the hours necessary to grind through acts 2, 3, 4, and 5. For the time I invested, I probably enjoyed it more than iablo II - Pulling the Plug">Diablo II but not as much as Fate.
My Character - a Level 18 Conqueror
My Character - a Level 18 Conqueror
DiRT 2
December 12, 2021
It's been a while since I've played a racing game. I own quite a few in the DiRT series so I installed the oldest one I have, DiRT 2. I had some fun with it but didn't play it too much. After several races, I discovered how difficult it is to drive on dirt. It's quite touchy and you do a lot of sliding. I'm sure it would have been better with a steering wheel and pedals but I only had a gamepad to use. I thought the visuals of the game were nice, particularly for a 2009 title. When I get around to playing some of the newer DiRT games, I may try to stick with it longer. Hopefully, my driving won't be so inept and I'll enjoy it more.
London Rallycross Racing Inside a Suburu Impreza STI Group N
London Rallycross Racing Inside a Suburu Impreza STI Group N
Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove
November 30, 2021
My time spent playing Left 4 Dead 2 was quite brief. After L4D2, I wanted something completely different. Next up was a "casual" game, Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove. Mystery Case Files is a long-running series of hidden object puzzle games. Dire Grove is a little bit of a hybrid between hidden object and point and click adventure. There is a lot of wandering around to collect objects, which are needed to solve various puzzles. Some of those puzzles are hidden object puzzles. The horror themed story is about four graduate students who travel to a small English town and investigate an ancient Celtic legend. Much of the story is told through videotapes you uncover, which feature full motion video. Although I am not a hidden object game devotee, I enjoy playing them from time to time. With Dire Grove, I liked the hidden object parts more than I liked the point and click adventure elements.
Left 4 Dead 2
November 29, 2021
Valve's games using the Source game engine have caused me motion sickness. I really looked forward to the Half-Life series but I couldn't play those games for very long before feeling ill. One of the next games up on my list was Left 4 Dead 2, another Source game. I decided to give it a try, knowing I probably wouldn't stick with it very long. I played the Dead Center campaign and experienced a little motion sickness but it wasn't horrible. L4D2 was clearly designed as a cooperative first-person shooter. I played it solo so my fellow survivors were computer controlled. It is a combat heavy shooter with wave after wave of infected zombie-like enemies. It is a well made game but not really my cup of tea.
Gratuitous Space Battles
November 24, 2021
I haven't been playing a lot of video games recently. What little time I've spent has been on Gratuitous Space Battles. The title is pretty descriptive. There isn't a story; it's all about the battles. You design ships, buy ships, and form fleets of ships. Then you send them into battle and watch the combat unfold. Ships are divided into three classes: cruisers, frigates, and fighters. There is a vast amount of possible configurations given the large number of available components (engines, armor, weapons, shields, etc.). I designed several ships and played through all of the battle scenarios. There was also a campaign but I gave up on it due to frequent crashes. All in all, it was a fun little diversion but I'm ready to move on to another game.
King's Bounty: The Legend
October 31, 2021
King's Bounty: The Legend has dominated my computer gaming time this month. My goal was to finish it in October and I accomplished that on the last day of the month. This game was highly reminiscent of Heroes of Might and Magic (HOMM). Specifically, it reminded my of HOMM III. Both games feature RPG elements and turn-based combat. Your character functions as an army commander and does not directly enter combat himself. Movement on the game map was turn-based in HOMM III while KB:TL's movement on the map is in real time. Overall, the games have a very similar feel.
With most RPGs, I enjoy the combat but really play for the story. I want to become immersed in the storyline and can't wait to see how it ends. King's Bounty: The Legend was just the opposite for me. I never really got into the story but enjoyed the tactical combat much more. There was a main quest to follow as well as plenty of side quests. Most of the quests were typical—go somewhere, defeat enemies in battle, retrieve objects, and return to receive a reward. It got a bit repetitive to be sure. Unfortunately, I felt I needed the experience to be powerful enough to survive the endgame. Because I completed so many quests, it took me about 65 hours to finish the game. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, particularly given the lackluster plot. It didn't reach the heights of Heroes of Might and Magic III but was still worth playing.
Outside Castle Kronberg, home to King Mark
With most RPGs, I enjoy the combat but really play for the story. I want to become immersed in the storyline and can't wait to see how it ends. King's Bounty: The Legend was just the opposite for me. I never really got into the story but enjoyed the tactical combat much more. There was a main quest to follow as well as plenty of side quests. Most of the quests were typical—go somewhere, defeat enemies in battle, retrieve objects, and return to receive a reward. It got a bit repetitive to be sure. Unfortunately, I felt I needed the experience to be powerful enough to survive the endgame. Because I completed so many quests, it took me about 65 hours to finish the game. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, particularly given the lackluster plot. It didn't reach the heights of Heroes of Might and Magic III but was still worth playing.
Outside Castle Kronberg, home to King Mark
Empire: Total War
July 31, 2021
For the last four weeks, I have been playing Empire: Total War. This is my third Total War game, following Rome: Total War and Medieval II: Total War. Because Rome was my first Total War game, it made the biggest impression on me. I loved the strategy of the campaign map with its tabletop board game feel. Plus, there was the thrill of commanding individual battles with large numbers of units in full 3D glory. Although Medieval II was another great game, I didn't get into it quite as much as Rome. This time around, my experience was somewhere in between. It took me a while to get into Empire. I had to relearn the game mechanics and controls. After several turns, however, I felt comfortable enough that I was really enjoying it. As with previous Total War games, you can directly control your armies on the battlefield. Empire also added the ability to command naval units during sea combat.
I decided to play the short campaign, which spanned 1700 to 1750. For my nation, I chose the United Provinces aka the Dutch Republic. The scope of Empire: Total War was greater than the previous Total War games I played. In addition to Europe, there was the Americas, the Indian region, and several trade regions (Brazil, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, and the East Indies). The campaign goal was to hold at least 15 regions by the end of 1750. Nine of those regions were specified as required.
Starting regions: Netherlands, Curacao, Dutch Guyana, and Ceylon
Required regions: Netherlands, Curacao, Dutch Guyana, Ceylon, Flanders, French Guyana, New Andalusia, Carnatica, and New York
The starting regions were a blessing and a curse. You are spread a bit thin without much concentration in any one place. On the other hand, it was nice to have a presence in all of the major regions. I tried to build up my economy and trade for the first five years or so. The Dutch have strong naval capabilities so getting established with sea trade routes was important. I then started my territorial expansion in the Americas. I clashed with the French and Spanish early. Before too long, I had captured all of my required regions except for Carnatica and New York. While I continued to grow in South America and the Caribbean, I grabbed Carnatica in South India. That embroiled us in a long running war with the Mughal Empire. As I approached the midpoint of the campaign, I had some decisions to make regarding New York. I really didn't want to go to war with Great Britain. They were a close ally and trade partner. They were also the most powerful nation at the time. Instead, I focused on further expansion in other areas. I eliminated the French and drove the Spanish out of the Iberian peninsula. Things went pretty smoothly until the 1740s when Württemberg declared war on us. They sent a large army to capture Alsace-Lorraine from us. I retaliated by marching two large armies from Amsterdam and Paris to recapture our territory. From there, I marched straight to their capital and destroyed the last of their holdings. Instead of going to war with Great Britain, I acquired New York through diplomatic means. I offered Mysore in India in exchange for New York to secure the campaign victory.
United Provinces Victory!
I decided to play the short campaign, which spanned 1700 to 1750. For my nation, I chose the United Provinces aka the Dutch Republic. The scope of Empire: Total War was greater than the previous Total War games I played. In addition to Europe, there was the Americas, the Indian region, and several trade regions (Brazil, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, and the East Indies). The campaign goal was to hold at least 15 regions by the end of 1750. Nine of those regions were specified as required.
Starting regions: Netherlands, Curacao, Dutch Guyana, and Ceylon
Required regions: Netherlands, Curacao, Dutch Guyana, Ceylon, Flanders, French Guyana, New Andalusia, Carnatica, and New York
The starting regions were a blessing and a curse. You are spread a bit thin without much concentration in any one place. On the other hand, it was nice to have a presence in all of the major regions. I tried to build up my economy and trade for the first five years or so. The Dutch have strong naval capabilities so getting established with sea trade routes was important. I then started my territorial expansion in the Americas. I clashed with the French and Spanish early. Before too long, I had captured all of my required regions except for Carnatica and New York. While I continued to grow in South America and the Caribbean, I grabbed Carnatica in South India. That embroiled us in a long running war with the Mughal Empire. As I approached the midpoint of the campaign, I had some decisions to make regarding New York. I really didn't want to go to war with Great Britain. They were a close ally and trade partner. They were also the most powerful nation at the time. Instead, I focused on further expansion in other areas. I eliminated the French and drove the Spanish out of the Iberian peninsula. Things went pretty smoothly until the 1740s when Württemberg declared war on us. They sent a large army to capture Alsace-Lorraine from us. I retaliated by marching two large armies from Amsterdam and Paris to recapture our territory. From there, I marched straight to their capital and destroyed the last of their holdings. Instead of going to war with Great Britain, I acquired New York through diplomatic means. I offered Mysore in India in exchange for New York to secure the campaign victory.
United Provinces Victory!
Dragon Age: DLC Campaigns
July 05, 2021
The Ultimate Edition of Dragon Age: Origins contained a lot of content. It included a bunch of DLC (downloadable content) that enhanced Origins with additional quests, areas, characters, and items. It included the Awakening expansion, which I completed last week. It also included four smaller campaigns, the last of which I completed today.
Here are the DLC campaigns in the order I played them:
Leliana's Song - This is a prequel to Origins. As expected, you play Leliana, who was one of the grey warden's companions in Origins. Leliana is a young bard from Orlais with a complicated past. This campaign expands on her backstory.
The Darkspawn Chronicles - This is a "what if" alternate reality campaign. In this story, your grey warden from Origins did not survive the joining ceremony. Instead, Alistair leads the fight against the darkspawn. The story is flipped and you play on the side of the darkspawn in service of the archdemon. Your character is a Hurlock Vanguard who commands these dark forces. It was a combat heavy campaign. The story was familiar, having already played it from the opposite side.
The Golems of Amgarrak - This campaign allowed you to import an existing character. Daylen, my character from Origins, died so I continued the story of Gerod from Awakening. The plot involved the warden-commander's trip to Orzammar and his aid to two dwarven brothers. Of course, golems are involved as was presaged by the title. This campaign featured some of the most difficult battles in Dragon Age. The combat was definitely the toughest of the DLC campaigns I played.
Witch Hunt - This was the last campaign. I got to play warden-commander Gerod for one final adventure. The witch hunt was a search for Morrigan, a companion of the grey warden from Origins. Shortly before the climactic battle with the archdemon, she left the group vowing never to return. This campaign shows Morrigan's fate.
That's the end of the saga for now until I play Dragon Age II.
Here are the DLC campaigns in the order I played them:
Leliana's Song - This is a prequel to Origins. As expected, you play Leliana, who was one of the grey warden's companions in Origins. Leliana is a young bard from Orlais with a complicated past. This campaign expands on her backstory.
The Darkspawn Chronicles - This is a "what if" alternate reality campaign. In this story, your grey warden from Origins did not survive the joining ceremony. Instead, Alistair leads the fight against the darkspawn. The story is flipped and you play on the side of the darkspawn in service of the archdemon. Your character is a Hurlock Vanguard who commands these dark forces. It was a combat heavy campaign. The story was familiar, having already played it from the opposite side.
The Golems of Amgarrak - This campaign allowed you to import an existing character. Daylen, my character from Origins, died so I continued the story of Gerod from Awakening. The plot involved the warden-commander's trip to Orzammar and his aid to two dwarven brothers. Of course, golems are involved as was presaged by the title. This campaign featured some of the most difficult battles in Dragon Age. The combat was definitely the toughest of the DLC campaigns I played.
Witch Hunt - This was the last campaign. I got to play warden-commander Gerod for one final adventure. The witch hunt was a search for Morrigan, a companion of the grey warden from Origins. Shortly before the climactic battle with the archdemon, she left the group vowing never to return. This campaign shows Morrigan's fate.
That's the end of the saga for now until I play Dragon Age II.
Dragon Age: Awakening
July 03, 2021
I finished another chapter in the Dragon Age saga. Awakening was an expansion pack that followed ragon Age: Origins">Dragon Age: Origins. Because ragon Age: Origins">my character died in Origins, I created a new one. Had my character survived, I would have imported him to continue his adventures. I played a mage previously so I decided to play a rogue this time. Gerod first specialized as a ranger. I focused on that aspect rather than the thieving arts. Thankfully, new characters start at level 18.
The story picked up months after Origins. Once again, you play a Grey Warden. This time, however, the protagonist was from Orlais, the largest and most powerful nation in the land. Civilization still faced the threat of darkspawn. Unfortunately, some darkspawn were showing signs of intelligence. No longer brutes, some were observed speaking in common language. An assortment of companions were encountered, both new and familiar. Awakening had many quests to complete along the way. It provided me a decent 20 hours of gameplay, which is decent for an expansion. By the time I finished, Gerod had achieved level 30.
Orlesian Grey Warden Gerod, a Level 30 Human Rogue
The story picked up months after Origins. Once again, you play a Grey Warden. This time, however, the protagonist was from Orlais, the largest and most powerful nation in the land. Civilization still faced the threat of darkspawn. Unfortunately, some darkspawn were showing signs of intelligence. No longer brutes, some were observed speaking in common language. An assortment of companions were encountered, both new and familiar. Awakening had many quests to complete along the way. It provided me a decent 20 hours of gameplay, which is decent for an expansion. By the time I finished, Gerod had achieved level 30.
Orlesian Grey Warden Gerod, a Level 30 Human Rogue
Dragon Age: Origins
June 20, 2021
Last week, I finished the main campaign of Dragon Age: Origins. In the "Origins" campaign, you play as one of the last Grey Wardens in the country of Fereldon. Grey Wardens are a group dedicated to fighting darkspawn, an underground race that emerges every so often to menace surface dwellers. These attacks are known as Blights. In the storyline, Fereldon is facing a Blight. You have the choice of warrior, rogue, or mage for your character class. I chose mage. Dragon Age doesn't use the Dungeons and Dragons ruleset. It uses familiar RPG concepts, however. Characters have attributes, skills, talents, and powers. There are also class specializations you can pursue later on. I quickly warmed to the system and it worked well. The game features a 3D third-person perspective and combat is real-time with the option to pause the action. In that respect, it is quite similar to Neverwinter Nights. The adventuring party consists of your main character and up to three additional companions.
There were so many nice touches in Dragon Age. Inventory management was easier than a lot of other RPGs. When you are at a merchant to buy or sell an item, you can compare that item to the equivalent a particular character has currently equipped. Getting around was a breeze with auto-mapping. In addition to a full-sized map, there was an on-screen mini-map as well. Holding down the tab key shows items and characters you can interact with. That eliminated a lot of aggravation finding doors, chests, and other loot. I think the developers did a great job emphasizing fun over frustration. As with most RPGs, Dragon Age: Origins presents you with many choices along the way. A lot of RPGs give you the illusion of choices and consequences. In the end, however, your choices may have very little impact on the overall story and outcomes. That wasn't the case here. There were some pretty big decisions to make along the way with game-altering implications. Without revealing any major spoilers, I will say that my character, Daylen, made the ultimate sacrifice in the end and did not survive. I was particularly surprised because I knew there was an expansion pack, Dragon Age: Awakening. Awakening allows you to import your character from Origins to continue the story. I won't be doing that now, however, and will create a new character. I am disappointed to say goodbye to my level 21 character but it was refreshing to have my decisions carry some weight.
There are plenty of computer role-playing games on all-time favorites list. It is one of my favorite genres and possibly my top pick. Dragon Age: Origins easily makes the list. It may be the euphoria of having just completed it but I am tempted to name it my all-time favorite RPG. For now, I will leave that honor with the Baldur's Gate series. Because I own the Ultimate Edition of Dragon Age: Origins, there is still a lot of content to play. It includes the Awakening expansion and four more DLC campaigns.
Grey Warden Daylen, a Level 21 Human Mage
There were so many nice touches in Dragon Age. Inventory management was easier than a lot of other RPGs. When you are at a merchant to buy or sell an item, you can compare that item to the equivalent a particular character has currently equipped. Getting around was a breeze with auto-mapping. In addition to a full-sized map, there was an on-screen mini-map as well. Holding down the tab key shows items and characters you can interact with. That eliminated a lot of aggravation finding doors, chests, and other loot. I think the developers did a great job emphasizing fun over frustration. As with most RPGs, Dragon Age: Origins presents you with many choices along the way. A lot of RPGs give you the illusion of choices and consequences. In the end, however, your choices may have very little impact on the overall story and outcomes. That wasn't the case here. There were some pretty big decisions to make along the way with game-altering implications. Without revealing any major spoilers, I will say that my character, Daylen, made the ultimate sacrifice in the end and did not survive. I was particularly surprised because I knew there was an expansion pack, Dragon Age: Awakening. Awakening allows you to import your character from Origins to continue the story. I won't be doing that now, however, and will create a new character. I am disappointed to say goodbye to my level 21 character but it was refreshing to have my decisions carry some weight.
There are plenty of computer role-playing games on all-time favorites list. It is one of my favorite genres and possibly my top pick. Dragon Age: Origins easily makes the list. It may be the euphoria of having just completed it but I am tempted to name it my all-time favorite RPG. For now, I will leave that honor with the Baldur's Gate series. Because I own the Ultimate Edition of Dragon Age: Origins, there is still a lot of content to play. It includes the Awakening expansion and four more DLC campaigns.
Grey Warden Daylen, a Level 21 Human Mage
Game Central's 15th Anniversary
May 25, 2021
Today marks the 15th anniversary of my Game Central web site. I launched it on May 25, 2006. Over the last 15 years, I have added a lot of content. Updates have slowed a bit in recent years, I must admit. However, I always post something new on the anniversary date. For the past four weeks, I have been playing Dragon Age: Origins. I will give that game a dedicated post in the future. It features a lot of content and won't be a quick one to finish. Thus far, it has been extremely satisfying. It may end up as my favorite computer game played this year.
Anniversaries are good times to reflect on the past. 2021 is not only Game Central's 15th anniversary. It also happens to be the 40th anniversary of the introduction of the IBM Personal Computer. Released on August 12, 1981, the IBM PC was a transformative piece of technology. It elevated a fledgling industry and took personal computing to another level. Although targeted at businesses, it also found success in home computing. In fact, the IBM PC "5150" was my family's first computer. Years before PCs reached ubiquity in the "Wintel" era, early IBM PC users were chugging along with 4.77 MHz 8088 CPUs running DOS. There wasn't much of a commercial PC game market at first, at least not compared to what was available for Apple and Atari computers. It grew rapidly, however, and became a dominant platform.
I wanted to pay homage to those great early years of IBM PC gaming. Back then, I subscribed to a lot of computer magazines. I read Byte and PC World and had a multi-year run of PC Magazine starting at issue #1. Unfortunately, my collection of those magazines was lost in the 2011 flood. My magazines that survived were issues of Softalk for the IBM Personal Computer and Softline. I recently read through all of those issues, which dated 1982 to 1984. Softline was a gaming magazine but even Softalk featured game ads. I decided to scan ads for any PC games I used to own or at least had played. In addition to software, I even found ads for the TG Products Joystick. That was the joystick I used on my IBM PC in the 1980s.
All of these gaming advertisement scans can be found on the new Magazine Ads page. It is a nice little time capsule preserving an earlier era of computer gaming.
Anniversaries are good times to reflect on the past. 2021 is not only Game Central's 15th anniversary. It also happens to be the 40th anniversary of the introduction of the IBM Personal Computer. Released on August 12, 1981, the IBM PC was a transformative piece of technology. It elevated a fledgling industry and took personal computing to another level. Although targeted at businesses, it also found success in home computing. In fact, the IBM PC "5150" was my family's first computer. Years before PCs reached ubiquity in the "Wintel" era, early IBM PC users were chugging along with 4.77 MHz 8088 CPUs running DOS. There wasn't much of a commercial PC game market at first, at least not compared to what was available for Apple and Atari computers. It grew rapidly, however, and became a dominant platform.
I wanted to pay homage to those great early years of IBM PC gaming. Back then, I subscribed to a lot of computer magazines. I read Byte and PC World and had a multi-year run of PC Magazine starting at issue #1. Unfortunately, my collection of those magazines was lost in the 2011 flood. My magazines that survived were issues of Softalk for the IBM Personal Computer and Softline. I recently read through all of those issues, which dated 1982 to 1984. Softline was a gaming magazine but even Softalk featured game ads. I decided to scan ads for any PC games I used to own or at least had played. In addition to software, I even found ads for the TG Products Joystick. That was the joystick I used on my IBM PC in the 1980s.
All of these gaming advertisement scans can be found on the new Magazine Ads page. It is a nice little time capsule preserving an earlier era of computer gaming.
Tropico 3: Gold Edition
April 27, 2021
In 2006, I played the original Tropico. It has been far too long. It was time for the return of El Presidente! Consequently, I installed Tropico 3: Gold Edition, which includes the base game and the Absolute Power expansion. I don't remember all the details of the first game but I'm pretty sure version 3 is superior. As expected, the 3D graphics were more advanced. Overall, I think the gameplay is pretty similar. The focus is on city building, resource management, and political maneuvering. I skipped Tropico 2: Pirate Cove and instead rejoined the series when it returned to its familiar settings of running banana republic islands. There are 15 separate missions in the base game and some additional ones in Absolute Power. I haven't tried any of the expansion missions yet. However, I have taken advantage of the additional Absolute Power features, including new edicts and buildings. All of the main campaign missions begin in 1950. The cold war between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. is a factor as you try to maintain decent foreign relations with the two superpowers. In addition to that balancing act, you have to constantly appease the various factions on the island.
I enjoyed Tropico 3 more than the first Tropico. I also own Tropico 4 and Tropico 5 and there is even a Tropico 6. When I get around to those versions, it will be interesting to see how the series matured through the years.
Here is a balloon ride I built on the beach for tourists
I enjoyed Tropico 3 more than the first Tropico. I also own Tropico 4 and Tropico 5 and there is even a Tropico 6. When I get around to those versions, it will be interesting to see how the series matured through the years.
Here is a balloon ride I built on the beach for tourists
LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
March 28, 2021
Squeezing it in before the end of the month, I completed the story mode of LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga. This was my first LEGO video game. Fittingly, Lego Star Wars: The Video Game was the first release of this LEGO video game series. The Complete Saga included that first game as well as Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy. Therefore, it covered the first six movies from Episode I: The Phantom Menace to Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi. Each movie (episode) was divided into six chapters for a total of thirty-six. It was fun to relive the movies again, even in LEGO form. I assume the game was largely targeted toward kids but the cute approach appealed to plenty of adults as well. I thought the designers did a good job involving the various characters. A single character (even a Jedi) cannot do everything on his own. You need others such as Han or Leia for their ability to grapple. You need droids to access restricted ares. Some of the chapters have puzzle elements to them and getting through them is usually a team effort. There are also chapters with vehicle combat. Most of them weren't my favorites. I preferred the character based chapters.
There is a lot of content in the game. In addition to completing the story, there are studs, minikits, red bricks, and gold bricks to collect. You can use your studs as currency to buy additional items it the Mos Eilsley Cantina. I purchased quite a few characters but there were plenty more to buy. There is also a Free Play mode and various bonus missions. If I wanted to be a completist, I could probably spend at least another two weeks with this game.
Aboard the Millenium Falcon
There is a lot of content in the game. In addition to completing the story, there are studs, minikits, red bricks, and gold bricks to collect. You can use your studs as currency to buy additional items it the Mos Eilsley Cantina. I purchased quite a few characters but there were plenty more to buy. There is also a Free Play mode and various bonus missions. If I wanted to be a completist, I could probably spend at least another two weeks with this game.
Aboard the Millenium Falcon
Batman: Arkham Asylum
March 13, 2021
Over the last month or so, I've played several excellent computer games. That streak continues with Batman: Arkham Asylum. With my huge backlog of games, I'm a little late to the party. Batman: Arkham Asylum was originally released in 2009 and received many accolades. Better late than never, however. As a fan of super-hero comics and Batman in particular, I had high expectations. I wasn't disappointed. This was a game with high production values. As a third-person action-adventure game, it felt very cinematic. Some of the creative talent of Batman: The Animated Series worked on this game. The story was written by Paul Dini and voice actors Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, and Arlene Sorkin portrayed Batman, Joker, and Harley Quinn, respectively. All of this helped to make a very polished product.
The Joker is the main antagonist but many other villains make appearances: Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Victor Zsasz, Scarecrow, Bane, Riddler, and Poison Ivy. The plot involves the Joker taking over Arkham Asylum and threatening Gotham City. He has gotten access to Titan, a more powerful and dangerous variant of the Venom drug. With Titan, Joker has the potential to raise a formidable army. Of course, Batman is prepared to stop him. Using stealth, hand to hand combat, and a variety of gadgets, Batman makes his way through multiple buildings and foes to an eventual showdown with the Joker.
Because of the game's console roots, I decided to forgo using keyboard and mouse controls. I hooked up my Logitech RumblePad 2 game controller and it worked beautifully. Once I got the hang of the dual joysticks and learned the functions of all ten buttons and triggers, it felt like the best way to play the game. This was a great game and it easily earns a place on my list of all-time favorites.
The Joker
The Joker is the main antagonist but many other villains make appearances: Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Victor Zsasz, Scarecrow, Bane, Riddler, and Poison Ivy. The plot involves the Joker taking over Arkham Asylum and threatening Gotham City. He has gotten access to Titan, a more powerful and dangerous variant of the Venom drug. With Titan, Joker has the potential to raise a formidable army. Of course, Batman is prepared to stop him. Using stealth, hand to hand combat, and a variety of gadgets, Batman makes his way through multiple buildings and foes to an eventual showdown with the Joker.
Because of the game's console roots, I decided to forgo using keyboard and mouse controls. I hooked up my Logitech RumblePad 2 game controller and it worked beautifully. Once I got the hang of the dual joysticks and learned the functions of all ten buttons and triggers, it felt like the best way to play the game. This was a great game and it easily earns a place on my list of all-time favorites.
The Joker
Trine: Enchanted Edition
March 01, 2021
I finished Trine today. It only took me a few days because I enjoyed it so much. I played the Enchanted Edition, which is an updated version of the original game using the Trine 2 engine. Trine is a side-scrolling puzzle platform game. There is combat but a lot of the action involves running, jumping, and figuring out mild puzzles to progress. Trine uses NVIDIA's PhysX physics engine and it definitely comes into play with the ways you can traverse a level. Instead of a single character, you are given three to play: a wizard, a thief, and a knight. The nice thing is that you don't have to choose a single character in the beginning. You can change between them freely, even in the middle of a level. There are 15 levels in the main story plus a bonus level after the main story is completed. With a fair number of checkpoints, Trine was challenging but not too frustrating. I liked the game mechanic of switchable characters. It was fun to use all of them and their unique skills to finish each level. The wizard can summon and levitate objects, the thief has a bow and grappling hook, and the knight is the best melee fighter. As you gain experience, you can add and increase the characters' skills. There are also special items that you discover and add to each character's inventory.
As a platform video games go, this one was one of my favorites.
As a platform video games go, this one was one of my favorites.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
February 26, 2021
I've had hit and miss results with first-person shooters. Motion sickness is always a concern for me. I previously had positive experiences with the Call of Duty franchise so I wanted to play Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. My Amazon copy of the game was a bust so I gave it a try on Steam. The Steam version worked fine and I was able to finish the campaign without any problems. Many of the military FPS games I've played were set in World War II. Some had futuristic settings. I haven't played too many with "modern" settings and present day storylines. Other than Soldier of Fortune, no other title jumps to mind.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was pretty fun to play. The campaign's 18 levels took me about 8 hours to complete, which felt just about the right length. There was a mix of mission types: run and gun, stealth, sniper, and "shooting gallery." You play as both a member of British SAS and as a U.S. Marine. Computer controlled teammates give a bit of multiplayer feel even in single-player mode. There are times where you have to take the lead but oftentimes your fellow soldiers will forge ahead and do their share of the work. The story is set in 2011 and involves a Russian civil war and ultimately the threat of nuclear weapons.
Unlike a lot of FPS players, I'm not interested in online multiplayer. Therefore, my time with CoD 4 is done. Next up on my play list is Trine.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was pretty fun to play. The campaign's 18 levels took me about 8 hours to complete, which felt just about the right length. There was a mix of mission types: run and gun, stealth, sniper, and "shooting gallery." You play as both a member of British SAS and as a U.S. Marine. Computer controlled teammates give a bit of multiplayer feel even in single-player mode. There are times where you have to take the lead but oftentimes your fellow soldiers will forge ahead and do their share of the work. The story is set in 2011 and involves a Russian civil war and ultimately the threat of nuclear weapons.
Unlike a lot of FPS players, I'm not interested in online multiplayer. Therefore, my time with CoD 4 is done. Next up on my play list is Trine.
The Battle for Wesnoth
February 19, 2021
Several years ago, I played Fantasy General and it was my favorite game of the year. I found a spiritual successor in The Battle for Wesnoth. I've put in over 50 hours with it so far and it has become another favorite of mine. Like Fantasy General it is turn-based, which I usually prefer for strategy games. In version 1.14.15, there are 17 different fantasy campaigns available. They vary by difficulty and length. I started with A Tale of Two Brothers, a short (4 scenarios) campaign for first-time players. Next I tackled Heir to the Throne, which is the game's original campaign. It was longer (two dozen scenarios) and more difficult but not frustratingly so.
Battle for Wesnoth plays like a board game or tabletop wargame with hex maps. At first, the strategy seemed simple and straightforward. As I progressed, however, I learned discovered more depth to it. There is a nice variety of units from various races: humans, dwarves, elves, merfolk, orcs, undead, and many others. Some are melee-focused while others focus on ranged weapons or magical attacks. Units have alignment, specialties, traits, and abilities. They differ in types of damage (blade, impact, pierce, etc.) and defensive bonuses according to terrain. Beyond optimizing your battle tactics, there is also strategy in efficiently spending gold to recruit an army with an effective mix of units. Units earn experience from battle and can level up. As you can recall units from previous scenarios, it is always depressing to lose a veteran unit that has been with you for a while.
The primary protagonist of Heir to the Throne is Konrad, the last surviving nephew of the late King Garard II. He opposes the rule of Asheviere the Dark Queen. Along the way, Konrad receives support from legendary archmage Delfador the Great, Elvish High Lord Kalenz, and the queen's daughter Li'sar. As expected, the story builds up to a climactic battle between the forces of Konrad and Asheviere.
For a free open-source game, I enjoyed The Battle for Wesnoth as much as any commercial game.
Konrad
Battle for Wesnoth plays like a board game or tabletop wargame with hex maps. At first, the strategy seemed simple and straightforward. As I progressed, however, I learned discovered more depth to it. There is a nice variety of units from various races: humans, dwarves, elves, merfolk, orcs, undead, and many others. Some are melee-focused while others focus on ranged weapons or magical attacks. Units have alignment, specialties, traits, and abilities. They differ in types of damage (blade, impact, pierce, etc.) and defensive bonuses according to terrain. Beyond optimizing your battle tactics, there is also strategy in efficiently spending gold to recruit an army with an effective mix of units. Units earn experience from battle and can level up. As you can recall units from previous scenarios, it is always depressing to lose a veteran unit that has been with you for a while.
The primary protagonist of Heir to the Throne is Konrad, the last surviving nephew of the late King Garard II. He opposes the rule of Asheviere the Dark Queen. Along the way, Konrad receives support from legendary archmage Delfador the Great, Elvish High Lord Kalenz, and the queen's daughter Li'sar. As expected, the story builds up to a climactic battle between the forces of Konrad and Asheviere.
For a free open-source game, I enjoyed The Battle for Wesnoth as much as any commercial game.
Konrad
Overlord II
January 31, 2021
I played Overlord, which I liked quite a bit except for its crash-prone tendencies. I expected more great gameplay in Overlord II and hoped for more stability. Unfortunately, it crashed even more than the first game. I estimate I was over halfway through the game when I had to pull the plug on it. If it had the ability to save progress at any point, I would have stuck with it. Instead, both games support autosaves only in select areas. It became too frustrating to play certain parts over and over because the game kept crashing before I could reach the next autosave point.
In this sequel, you play as the son of the Overlord from the first game. As the new Overlord, you start from scratch building up a tower, finding mistresses, and discovering the brown, red, green, and blue minions. The action typically involves recruiting the most appropriate mix of minions to do your bidding. However, the Overlord can engage in combat and cast spells as well. There is a bit of light puzzle solving in some sections but nothing that is too difficult. You also have decisions to make about how best to use your resources. In the time I played, I crafted two items in my forge—a sword called the Smooth Slicer and the Evil Eye, an item to enhance lifeforce absorption. Even though I wasn't able to finish Overlord or Overlord II, I still liked them well enough to add them to my All-Time Favorites list.
The Overlord (Son of the Original Overlord)
In this sequel, you play as the son of the Overlord from the first game. As the new Overlord, you start from scratch building up a tower, finding mistresses, and discovering the brown, red, green, and blue minions. The action typically involves recruiting the most appropriate mix of minions to do your bidding. However, the Overlord can engage in combat and cast spells as well. There is a bit of light puzzle solving in some sections but nothing that is too difficult. You also have decisions to make about how best to use your resources. In the time I played, I crafted two items in my forge—a sword called the Smooth Slicer and the Evil Eye, an item to enhance lifeforce absorption. Even though I wasn't able to finish Overlord or Overlord II, I still liked them well enough to add them to my All-Time Favorites list.
The Overlord (Son of the Original Overlord)
AI War: Fleet Command
January 18, 2021
I spent a little bit of time with AI War: Fleet Command. It is advertised as "a grand strategic 4X tower defense RTS" which "plays like an RTS but feels like a 4X." I must give it credit. As strategy games go, it seemed rather unique. You can play solo or with other human players. However, you always play against two AI opponents. Another interesting aspect of the game is that you draw more attention from the AI as you become more powerful. Therefore, it is a delicate balancing act to expand and grow more powerful but not too much or too quickly.
This is a game that really demands an investment of time to learn it well. Unfortunately, I didn't feel up to it. I played through all of the tutorials and started a regular game afterwards. There are a lot of different units at your disposal, both military and non-military. As I tried to progress in the game and become acquainted with the game interface, units, and overall strategy, I was constantly distracted by enemy attacks on my home system. Instead of devoting many hours to AI War in order to become proficient in it, I think I will save that time for other games.
This is a game that really demands an investment of time to learn it well. Unfortunately, I didn't feel up to it. I played through all of the tutorials and started a regular game afterwards. There are a lot of different units at your disposal, both military and non-military. As I tried to progress in the game and become acquainted with the game interface, units, and overall strategy, I was constantly distracted by enemy attacks on my home system. Instead of devoting many hours to AI War in order to become proficient in it, I think I will save that time for other games.
Killing Floor
January 05, 2021
Killing Floor was the last computer game I played in 2020. The game's developer describes the game as follows:
I only played a few maps of Killing Floor in solo mode. It would probably be more fun to play with friends. It is not a campaign-based game rich in story. This type of game is not really my cup of tea. Therefore, I knew I wouldn't play it for very long. It was actually more fun than I expected, however. After clearing a wave of zombies, you can spend the money you earned at a trader. The trader sells various weapons and equipment. That was one of the best parts of the game. I enjoyed trying different weapons to survive another wave. My time with Killing Floor is done. I am ready to move on to the next game in my queue, AI War: Fleet Command.
Killing Floor is a Co-op Survival Horror FPS set in the devastated cities and countryside of England after a series of cloning experiments for the military goes horribly wrong. You and your friends are members of the military dropped into these locations with a simple mission: Survive long enough to cleanse the area of the failed experiments!
I only played a few maps of Killing Floor in solo mode. It would probably be more fun to play with friends. It is not a campaign-based game rich in story. This type of game is not really my cup of tea. Therefore, I knew I wouldn't play it for very long. It was actually more fun than I expected, however. After clearing a wave of zombies, you can spend the money you earned at a trader. The trader sells various weapons and equipment. That was one of the best parts of the game. I enjoyed trying different weapons to survive another wave. My time with Killing Floor is done. I am ready to move on to the next game in my queue, AI War: Fleet Command.
Windosill
December 27, 2020
Windosill may not be the last game I will play in 2020 but it is probably the last game I will finish this year. It was very short. If you have a half-hour to spare, you may be able to finish it. It was a nice little puzzle game and good filler to play in between longer titles. The gameplay consisted of clicking on various objects to uncover a small box. You use the box to unlock a door to exit the room. I believe there were ten rooms in all. I'm not sure which game I will tackle next but it will almost certainly take longer to complete than the charming little Windosill.
Battlestations: Pacific - US Campaign
November 14, 2020
After finishing the Japanese Campaign, I turned to the US Campaign. This one also had 14 battles (missions) ranging from the Battle of Eastern Solomons to the Battle of Okinawa. I think I was a little more effective playing the US if for no other reason than experience. With 14 battles under my belt, I was much more comfortable with the controls. This may not be a hardcore realistic sim but I think it is a lot of fun. Being able to control so many air, land, and sea units and switch between them seamlessly makes for a fun game. My aerial dogfighting skills still aren't great but they certainly improved. I did get a little better at submarine warfare as well. In the end, I completed the entire campaign and the US was victorious (big surprise).
US forces undertake Operation Iceberg aka the Battle of Okinawa
US forces undertake Operation Iceberg aka the Battle of Okinawa
Battlestations: Pacific - Japanese Campaign
November 05, 2020
Earlier this year, I played Battlestations: Midway. With its combination of real-time strategy and direct unit control, I liked it quite a lot. Now I'm playing its sequel, Battlestations: Pacific. As in the previous game, you control air, land, and sea units. There is a map view where you can control an entire task force and plot your strategy and tactics. Most of the time, however, you will take control of a particular unit (plane, ship, or sub) and direct its actions as you would in a 3D simulation game. There are several additions to the gameplay beyond what the first game offered. Perhaps the most significant change is that there are two campaigns instead of one. The setting is still World War II but a Japanese campaign is available in addition to the US campaign.
I decided to play the Japanese campaign first, which started with the attack on Pearl Harbour. It took me a while to become familiar with the controls again. After a few battles, I felt pretty good and was finally enjoying it. As with Battlestations: Midway, I prefer ship combat to aerial combat. Thankfully, there are a variety of battles with plenty of units to control. By far, the most difficult battle for me was Meeting the Germans. You had a Japanese submarine and a German submarine up against an American force consisting of an aircraft carrier and four destroyers. That was battle 12 out of 14. I almost gave up on it but I hated to quit so close to the end. After playing it over and over, I finally achieved victory. Eventually, you get to mount an invasion of Hawaii to close out the Japanese campaign.
One thing I was pleased with is you get to play with the biggest and baddest battleship of all time —the Yamato with its 18 inch guns. With an upgrade, you even get access to a Super Yamato class ship and its 20.1 inch guns. That ship was designed but never produced. It was great to have it as an available option in the game.
Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" over Pearl Harbor
I decided to play the Japanese campaign first, which started with the attack on Pearl Harbour. It took me a while to become familiar with the controls again. After a few battles, I felt pretty good and was finally enjoying it. As with Battlestations: Midway, I prefer ship combat to aerial combat. Thankfully, there are a variety of battles with plenty of units to control. By far, the most difficult battle for me was Meeting the Germans. You had a Japanese submarine and a German submarine up against an American force consisting of an aircraft carrier and four destroyers. That was battle 12 out of 14. I almost gave up on it but I hated to quit so close to the end. After playing it over and over, I finally achieved victory. Eventually, you get to mount an invasion of Hawaii to close out the Japanese campaign.
One thing I was pleased with is you get to play with the biggest and baddest battleship of all time —the Yamato with its 18 inch guns. With an upgrade, you even get access to a Super Yamato class ship and its 20.1 inch guns. That ship was designed but never produced. It was great to have it as an available option in the game.
Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" over Pearl Harbor
Overlord
October 17, 2020
I really liked this one. I'm referring to Overlord, a third-person action role playing game. For a game released in 2007, I thought the graphics really looked great and held up quite well even 13 years later. You play as the Overlord who is out to destroy the Seven Heroes who were corrupted by the seven deadly sins. Along the way, there are many sub-quests to complete and items to acquire. You can find objects to increase health and mana and learn new spells. You can also obtain items to upgrade the tower, which serves as your home base. The primary focus of the game, however, is controlling minions. There are four varieties of minions: brown are melee fighters, red are fireball-throwing ranged attackers, green are stealthy assassins, and blue are healers who can swim. As you can only control so many minions at a time, it is important to maintain a proper mix depending on the area and situation.
About the only downside of the game for me was that it crashed a few times. Sometimes that wasn't a big deal. Other times it was maddening because I lost quite a bit of progress due to a crash. I own the expansion pack, Overlord: Raising Hell, and the sequel, Overlord II, so I will definitely spend more time playing this video game series.
The Overlord in Mellow Hills
About the only downside of the game for me was that it crashed a few times. Sometimes that wasn't a big deal. Other times it was maddening because I lost quite a bit of progress due to a crash. I own the expansion pack, Overlord: Raising Hell, and the sequel, Overlord II, so I will definitely spend more time playing this video game series.
The Overlord in Mellow Hills
Aztaka
September 29, 2020
Despite it being a bit buggy and crash-prone, overall I was enjoying my time playing Aztaka. Aztaka is a side-scrolling action game with RPG (role-playing game) elements. The RPG aspect of the game is featured in the story, quests, item inventory, and upgradability of the character. As your character Huitzilo and his bird companion Ayohpa level up, you receive points to add to their attributes and skills. Gameplay consists of typical side-scrolling action—running, jumping, and fighting. Combat can be physical (via spear) or magical (via spells).
It was fun while it lasted. I progressed quite far into the game. In the next to last area of the game, however, I could venture no further. It was called The Cursed Monkey Cavern and it was cursed all right. There was an extremely wide chasm, which was too wide to jump across. There was a giant red bat that flew back and forth across the chasm. Apparently, the trick is to try and jump on top of the bat and then use the spear stomp attack to ride it like using a pogo stick. I had some success with that approach and almost made it to the other side, falling just a bit short several times. Unfortunately, this caused damage to the bat and usually ended in its death. Unlike the golden bats in the area, the red bat did not respawn. You had to leave the area, go back to the map and work your way back to the chasm to try all over again. After numerous attempts, I finally had enough. It looks like I will never see the end of this one. It's time to move on to another game.
It was fun while it lasted. I progressed quite far into the game. In the next to last area of the game, however, I could venture no further. It was called The Cursed Monkey Cavern and it was cursed all right. There was an extremely wide chasm, which was too wide to jump across. There was a giant red bat that flew back and forth across the chasm. Apparently, the trick is to try and jump on top of the bat and then use the spear stomp attack to ride it like using a pogo stick. I had some success with that approach and almost made it to the other side, falling just a bit short several times. Unfortunately, this caused damage to the bat and usually ended in its death. Unlike the golden bats in the area, the red bat did not respawn. You had to leave the area, go back to the map and work your way back to the chasm to try all over again. After numerous attempts, I finally had enough. It looks like I will never see the end of this one. It's time to move on to another game.
Plants vs. Zombies
July 25, 2020
There is a new contender for my favorite computer game played in 2020—Plants vs. Zombies. It is only July but so far it is a two horse race between PvZ and Football Manager 2020. The latter is a new game while the former came out in 2009. Nevertheless, PvZ is a blast to play. I previously enjoyed Peggle, another title from PopCap. However, I think I've enjoyed PvZ even more. It is a "tower defense" strategy game in which you use plants to defend your yard against zombies. The number of plants and zombies is quite impressive with about fifty of each. That allows for a variety of strategies and experimentation, which keeps the game interesting. PvZ features several game modes: adventure, mini-games, puzzle, and survival. There is also a shop to purchase additional plants and other items. Finally, you can tend plants in a zen garden, which offers opportunities to collect even more coins to use in the shop. Initially, I thought I might just play the adventure mode. Typically, I tend to focus on a strategy game's "campaign mode" or whatever it is called. After completing adventure mode, however, I kept going through the other game modes. I never got bored with it.
Now that we are in the middle of summer and Major League Baseball is back, I think it is time to start my annual North American League Baseball season. This year I will be using Out of the Park Baseball 21, the latest OOTP version.
Witness the power of the Cob Cannon!
Now that we are in the middle of summer and Major League Baseball is back, I think it is time to start my annual North American League Baseball season. This year I will be using Out of the Park Baseball 21, the latest OOTP version.
Witness the power of the Cob Cannon!
Cogs
July 14, 2020
After Braid, I gave Cogs a try, It is another puzzle game. Cogs has a variety of sliding tile puzzles, both 2D and 3D. I think there are 50 levels in all. I only played the first eight to ten, however. I rather enjoyed the 2D puzzles. The 3D puzzles… not so much. I used to be a pretty good speed-solver of Rubik's Cube. They eventually made digital versions of Rubik's Cube for computers but I never cared for them. It always felt unnatural trying to manipulate a 3D cube on the screen. That is how I felt about the 3D puzzles in Cogs. When it comes to digital puzzles, I suppose I'm just not comfortable with three-dimensional thinking.
Braid
July 12, 2020
As a follow-up to And Yet It Moves, I chose another puzzle platform game to play. The game was Braid, an acclaimed indie title. In typical fashion, you control your character by running and jumping. Like And Yet It Moves, Braid also features a unique game mechanic. Instead of rotating the game world, you can control the flow of time. At first, I thought this was primarily for undoing actions to prevent the character's death. However, I quickly discovered that it was much more than that. Most levels require the time flow action to complete them. I made it through world 1 into world 2. Unfortunately, my frustration grew as I got deeper into the game. Some of the puzzles were a bit too finicky for my taste. The quirky timing of jumps, the precise order of gathering objects, and other frustrations started to make Braid more of a chore than a pleasure. The "Irreversible" level was the last straw for me. After getting two keys in the wrong order, the level was unsolvable and needed to be restarted.
Braid is a quality game with cute graphics, nice music, and some creative level design. However, I had my fill of it and am ready to move on to something else.
Braid is a quality game with cute graphics, nice music, and some creative level design. However, I had my fill of it and am ready to move on to something else.
And Yet It Moves
July 10, 2020
After a slight diversion with Gorky 17, I went back to play another puzzle game, And Yet It Moves. AYIM is a puzzle platform game. Compared to the last two puzzle games I played, that means it had a little more arcade action. It didn't have the frenzy of a typical arcade game with swarming enemies or time limits. Instead it had a lot of running and jumping but allowed a leisurely pace. The basic controls were pretty standard: run left, run right, and jump. However, there was one notable addition—rotation of the game world. You could rotate the world clockwise or counterclockwise while simultaneously performing other actions. That opened up a lot of interesting possibilities. Similar to other platform games, AYIM was frustrating at times. However, I really enjoyed this one. It never got so frustrating that I wanted to stop playing. It was a bit on the short side, which was fine with me. With so many games yet to play, I don't want too many that demand dozens or even hundreds of hours to complete.
The Ending of And Yet It Moves
The Ending of And Yet It Moves
Gorky 17
July 04, 2020
I've been playing most of the computer games I own in roughly chronological order of initial release dates. However, I recently jumped back in time from 2009 to 1999 with Gorky 17 (aka Odium). Gorky 17 is a Polish role-playing game with turn-based tactical combat. You control a small squad of NATO operatives that is investigating strange happenings in a small Polish town. The game feels pretty dated now, even compared to the other older titles I've played in recent years. The graphics are low-res and the dialogue and voice acting are mediocre at best.
The game is more combat-focused than story-focused, yet the combat is somewhat disappointing. I was surprised with the limitations of weapons. They can only be fired in very specific directions, typically straight-ahead or on a strict diagonal. This leads to odd situations in which you cannot shoot a clearly visible opponent who moves just one square to the left or right. You have to move your character in response to maintain a direct straight-line shot. Although bizarre and unrealistic, the combat had a certain charm to it. I learned to plan tactics around it, using these limitations to my defensive advantage when possible. Unfortunately, ammunition is fairly scarce, which often makes combat difficult. If any character in your squad dies, the game is over. There are bandages and other healing items but they are in short supply as well, given the frequency of character injuries.
I made it through the port area into the sewers, which is the next accessible location. Although I had some fun playing Gorky 17, I expect my time is better spent elsewhere. I don't expect to play this one to the end. Instead, I will go back to my library and choose another game.
The game is more combat-focused than story-focused, yet the combat is somewhat disappointing. I was surprised with the limitations of weapons. They can only be fired in very specific directions, typically straight-ahead or on a strict diagonal. This leads to odd situations in which you cannot shoot a clearly visible opponent who moves just one square to the left or right. You have to move your character in response to maintain a direct straight-line shot. Although bizarre and unrealistic, the combat had a certain charm to it. I learned to plan tactics around it, using these limitations to my defensive advantage when possible. Unfortunately, ammunition is fairly scarce, which often makes combat difficult. If any character in your squad dies, the game is over. There are bandages and other healing items but they are in short supply as well, given the frequency of character injuries.
I made it through the port area into the sewers, which is the next accessible location. Although I had some fun playing Gorky 17, I expect my time is better spent elsewhere. I don't expect to play this one to the end. Instead, I will go back to my library and choose another game.
Crayon Physics Deluxe
June 27, 2020
After finishing the puzzle game World of Goo, I decided to play another one. This time, the game was Crayon Physics Deluxe. It is a pretty creative game, both in concept and play style. The premise is simple—you need to maneuver balls to reach stars on the screen. In order to do so, you can draw boxes, wheels, ropes, or almost any type of shape you can imagine. From there, gravity and physics take over to influence a ball's movement. There are numerous islands, each containing multiple puzzles to solve. As expected the early puzzles are quite basic and easy to solve. By the end, however, the puzzles get fairly tricky. Even when you devise a workable solution, it can be finicky to get the drawing just right for success.
Eventually, I completed islands one through seven. I must admit that many of my later solutions were a bit lame, involving more brute force than finesse. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough stars to enter the final island. A minimum of 120 stars was required, which meant I would have needed to provide multiple solutions for quite a few puzzles. At this point, I don't feel the urge to go back and replay earlier levels so I will move on to another game. Crayon Physics Deluxe gets a thumbs up from me. However, it never quite grabbed my interest as well as World of Goo did.
Eventually, I completed islands one through seven. I must admit that many of my later solutions were a bit lame, involving more brute force than finesse. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough stars to enter the final island. A minimum of 120 stars was required, which meant I would have needed to provide multiple solutions for quite a few puzzles. At this point, I don't feel the urge to go back and replay earlier levels so I will move on to another game. Crayon Physics Deluxe gets a thumbs up from me. However, it never quite grabbed my interest as well as World of Goo did.
World of Goo
June 07, 2020
My latest stretch of computer gaming has been playing World of Goo, a physics based puzzle game. It was a very well done game with a distinct visual style. You strive to complete most levels by directing blobs of goo to an exit pipe. In essence, it is a building game in which you construct towers, bridges, and other structures. The challenge is to exploit the limited resources at your disposal. Counting the epilogue, there were five chapters of multiple levels to complete. I found the length and difficulty to be just about right. The only level that caused me quite a bit of frustration was Observatory Observation Station, the game's penultimate level. After that, the finally level was a simple mop up with no real strategy required. Although there was a plot involving the World of Goo Corporation, it was quite forgettable and certainly took a backseat to the entertaining and rewarding gameplay.
Droid Assault
May 18, 2020
I really enjoy the retro-arcade games from Puppygames. Previously, I played Ultratron, a clear derivative of Robotron: 2084, and Titan Attacks, Puppygames' take on Space Invaders. Most recently, I have been playing Droid Assault, which is supposedly based on Paradroid. I never owned a Commodore 64 and never had a chance to play Paradroid so I can't comment on the similarities.
Droid Assault is a top-down shooter in which you control various robots. There is a variety of robots and turrets you must battle to complete each level. The interesting aspect of the game is that you build of transfer points to take over enemy units. After a transfer, you may switch freely between robots under your control. The robots can be upgraded but they can also be damaged and destroyed. It adds some strategy to what would otherwise be a typical "twitch" arcade shooter.
As much as I like Droid Assault, it inspired me to return to Ultratron and Titan Attacks. I have enjoyed playing them as much as I did the first time around.
Droid Assault is a top-down shooter in which you control various robots. There is a variety of robots and turrets you must battle to complete each level. The interesting aspect of the game is that you build of transfer points to take over enemy units. After a transfer, you may switch freely between robots under your control. The robots can be upgraded but they can also be damaged and destroyed. It adds some strategy to what would otherwise be a typical "twitch" arcade shooter.
As much as I like Droid Assault, it inspired me to return to Ultratron and Titan Attacks. I have enjoyed playing them as much as I did the first time around.
Airport Mania
May 06, 2020
After recent disappointments with some other games, I chose another one to play. Next up was a casual time management game, Airport Mania. I haven't played much in this genre but iner Dash">Diner Dash was my introduction to this type of game. My expectations were modest at best. I thought I would probably uninstall it after playing a handful of levels. Boy, was I wrong. It was quite addicting and a lot of fun. I completed the entire game, which comprised eight airports and over 80 stages. Various airplanes arrive on screen. It is your job to direct them to runways, terminals, and landing areas. They often need repairs and refueling as well. Bonuses are earned for early processing and color matching the airplanes to the terminals. The later levels can be hectic but it wasn't all that difficult once you get the hang of it.
Airport Mania's Awards Room - I got most of them
Airport Mania's Awards Room - I got most of them
Recent Computer Game Disappointments
May 06, 2020
Given the large number of video games in my collection, it is unlikely I will ever get around to playing many of them. I have been tackling them in chronological order of their original release dates, more or less. That approach is usually fine but it is becoming more and more problematic. Unfortunately, compatibility problems are more frequent with older game titles. Recently, I ran into issues with a couple of games I wanted to play.
Europa Universalis III—I really looked forward to this one. I knew it was going to be complex, based on its reputation. That certainly turned out to be true. Unfortunately, the tutorial was horrible and did little to prepare me for the depth of the game. It was too short, too superficial, and too buggy to be of much help. I started the Grand Campaign anyway. I really wanted to play as France but thought it might be overwhelming. I decided to play as Portugal, thinking a smaller nation might be more manageable. Ultimately, it didn't matter. The game was too unstable. After way too many crashes, I pulled the plug on this one and uninstalled it. Hopefully, I will have more luck with Europa Universalis IV when I get around to playing it.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare—This was another game I eagerly anticipated. I thought the modern setting would be a nice change of pace from previous World War II first-person shooters I had played. I knew the game was no longer officially supported by Aspyr. They are only supporting 64-bit Mac games now and this was a 32-bit offering. Although the game installed fine, it refused to register my activation key. Perhaps they discontinued the license key server for this game. Oh well. It's time to pick another game to play.
Europa Universalis III—I really looked forward to this one. I knew it was going to be complex, based on its reputation. That certainly turned out to be true. Unfortunately, the tutorial was horrible and did little to prepare me for the depth of the game. It was too short, too superficial, and too buggy to be of much help. I started the Grand Campaign anyway. I really wanted to play as France but thought it might be overwhelming. I decided to play as Portugal, thinking a smaller nation might be more manageable. Ultimately, it didn't matter. The game was too unstable. After way too many crashes, I pulled the plug on this one and uninstalled it. Hopefully, I will have more luck with Europa Universalis IV when I get around to playing it.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare—This was another game I eagerly anticipated. I thought the modern setting would be a nice change of pace from previous World War II first-person shooters I had played. I knew the game was no longer officially supported by Aspyr. They are only supporting 64-bit Mac games now and this was a 32-bit offering. Although the game installed fine, it refused to register my activation key. Perhaps they discontinued the license key server for this game. Oh well. It's time to pick another game to play.
FM20 - 2019 MLS Awards
April 03, 2020
Here were the winners of Major League Soccer's 2019 end of season awards.
Most Valuable Player: Carlos Vela (LAFC)
Defender of the Year: Marcos López (San Jose)
Goalkeeper of the Year: Sean Johnson (NYCFC)
Coach of the Year: Frank de Boer (Atlanta United)
Rookie of the Year: Aboubacar Keita (Columbus)
Golden Boot: Chicharito (LA Galaxy)
Fair Play: Maxi Moralez (NYCFC)
Here were the players named as MLB Best XI:
Goalkeeper
Most Valuable Player: Carlos Vela (LAFC)
Defender of the Year: Marcos López (San Jose)
Goalkeeper of the Year: Sean Johnson (NYCFC)
Coach of the Year: Frank de Boer (Atlanta United)
Rookie of the Year: Aboubacar Keita (Columbus)
Golden Boot: Chicharito (LA Galaxy)
Fair Play: Maxi Moralez (NYCFC)
Here were the players named as MLB Best XI:
Goalkeeper
- Brad Guzan (Atlanta United)
- Walker Zimmerman (LAFC)
- Franco Escobar (Atlanta United)
- Fernando Meza (Atlanta United)
- Carlos Vela (LAFC)
- Keaton Parks (NYFC)
- Matheus Rossetto (Atlanta United)
- Sebastián Blanco (Portland)
- Maxi Moralez (NYCFC)
- Josef Martínez (Atlanta United)
- Gustavo Martínez (Atlanta United)
FM20 - 2019 MLS Cup
April 03, 2020
The championship matchup was set for the 2019 MLS Cup. Atlanta United hosted Los Angeles Football Club. Atlanta United dominated possession early. It appeared that it was only a matter of time before they scored first. However, the game was still scoreless at halftime. In the second half, LAFC was much more active. They moved the ball around effectively but just couldn't capitalize on any opportunities. Atlanta United finally scored the game's only goal in the 75th minute. Gonzalo Martínez took a free kick from well outside the box. The ball was on target and found Fernando Meza, who promptly struck it into goal with his right foot.
Final score: Atlanta United 1, LAFC 0
Atlanta United are the 2019 Major League Soccer Cup champions!
Final score: Atlanta United 1, LAFC 0
Atlanta United are the 2019 Major League Soccer Cup champions!
FM20 - 2019 MLS Playoffs
April 03, 2020
New York City FC was playing well heading into the MLS Eastern Conference playoffs. As the number 2 seed, NYCFC was matched up against the number 7 seed and local rivals, the New York Red Bulls. I felt good about this matchup. We successfully faced them twice this season in the Hudson River Derby, as its called. We beat them 2-0 on the road and then won the home rematch 3-1 at Yankee Stadium. This time, the result was similar. NYCFC looked sharp and won 2-0.
In the semi-final, NYCFC was up against Orlando City. They had advanced by beating Philadelphia 3-1 in the first round. Orlando City was playing at a level above what their record might indicate. In fact, they hadn't lost a match since July 22. I was a bit wary of this match but my concern was unwarranted. We outplayed them decisively and emerged victorious with a 3-0 shutout.
NYCFC headed to the MLS Eastern Conference Final against Atlanta United, the top seed. We had split the season series against them, losing 1-0 at home and then beating them 3-0 in Atlanta. This game was to be played in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Frankly, I wasn't sure what to expect. They are a very complete team with two dangerous strikers, Josef Martínez and Gustavo Martínez. I felt confident early on when Ismael Tajouri-Shradi scored a goal in the 24th minute. Unfortunately, the lead didn't last until halftime. In the 43rd minute, Josef Martínez scored to tie the game 1-1. The game winning goal came in the 69th minute. Atlanta United had a corner kick, which Gustavo Martínez delivered brilliantly. Fernando Meza connected with a leaping header that found the back of the net. Final score: Atlanta United 2, NYCFC 1.
The Western Conference playoffs had the following outcomes:
First Round
San Jose defeated Seattle 3-1
FC Dallas defeated LA Galaxy 0-0 (won on penalty kicks)
LAFC defeated Real Salt Lake 3-1
Semi-finals
Houston defeated San Jose 1-1 (won on penalty kicks)
LAFC defeated FC Dallas 3-0
Final
LAFC defeated Houston 3-1
In the semi-final, NYCFC was up against Orlando City. They had advanced by beating Philadelphia 3-1 in the first round. Orlando City was playing at a level above what their record might indicate. In fact, they hadn't lost a match since July 22. I was a bit wary of this match but my concern was unwarranted. We outplayed them decisively and emerged victorious with a 3-0 shutout.
NYCFC headed to the MLS Eastern Conference Final against Atlanta United, the top seed. We had split the season series against them, losing 1-0 at home and then beating them 3-0 in Atlanta. This game was to be played in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Frankly, I wasn't sure what to expect. They are a very complete team with two dangerous strikers, Josef Martínez and Gustavo Martínez. I felt confident early on when Ismael Tajouri-Shradi scored a goal in the 24th minute. Unfortunately, the lead didn't last until halftime. In the 43rd minute, Josef Martínez scored to tie the game 1-1. The game winning goal came in the 69th minute. Atlanta United had a corner kick, which Gustavo Martínez delivered brilliantly. Fernando Meza connected with a leaping header that found the back of the net. Final score: Atlanta United 2, NYCFC 1.
The Western Conference playoffs had the following outcomes:
First Round
San Jose defeated Seattle 3-1
FC Dallas defeated LA Galaxy 0-0 (won on penalty kicks)
LAFC defeated Real Salt Lake 3-1
Semi-finals
Houston defeated San Jose 1-1 (won on penalty kicks)
LAFC defeated FC Dallas 3-0
Final
LAFC defeated Houston 3-1
FM20 - 2019 Major League Soccer Season
April 03, 2020
New York City Football Club (NYCFC) began its 2019 MLS preseason on January 12. We played 7 "friendly" matches and posted a record of 4 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses. As I was still learning the ropes, I felt pretty good about my club. The regular season started on March 2 with an away match against D.C. United. It resulted in a 1-1 draw. We were a mediocre team until mid-April when NYCFC got hot. Starting with a 3-0 victory over Philadelphia on April 20, we went on an incredible 13 game unbeaten streak (11 wins and 2 draws). NYCFC was solidly in second place in the Eastern Conference at that point, trailing only the nearly unbeatable Atlanta United Football Club. Then, things went off the rails in July. A 2-0 loss to FC Dallas in the US Cup Quarter Final was part of a losing streak of 5 out of 6 matches. Thankfully, things improved in August and NYCFC had climbed back into second place. We finished the regular season as one of the hottest teams with a 10 game unbeaten streak (6 wins and 4 draws). We secured a playoff spot by finishing 2nd in the Eastern Conference and 3rd overall (MLS Supporters' Shield).
Football Manager 2020
April 03, 2020
I've played a lot of sports sims throughout the years. Although baseball has dominated my sports gaming, I've played entire seasons of football and basketball as well using various games. I have always wanted to try a soccer sim, however, particularly in World Cup years when my soccer fever was at its highest. The one game in particular I have always wanted to try was Football Manager. Recently, I finally got the chance to run a soccer team with Football Manager 2020. It was overwhelming at first. FM20 simulates an entire world of global soccer. This wasn't as straightforward as most sports sims focused around a single professional sports league, such as MLB, NFL, or NBA. I decided to focus on MLS, Major League Soccer, here in the United States. Once I chose the league, I chose my team—New York City Football Club (NYCFC)—and assumed the role as its head coach for the 2019 season.
FM20 is incredibly detailed. Although I am used to a high level of complexity from Out of the Park Baseball, FM20 was even more daunting to me. This was largely due to my unfamiliarity with MLS rules (rosters, loans, transfers, coaches, etc.) and game tactics (style, formations, positions, etc.). Over the course of the season, my knowledge improved but I am far from a soccer expert at this point. Because this was my first season, I avoided the urge to make any trades. Even when it could have been beneficial, I preferred to become familiar with NYCFC's 2019 squad.
I will post additional articles about the season's outcome. However, I have to say that this was the most fun I've had with a computer game in many months. Because it was fresh and new to me, I enjoyed it as much as my NALB seasons. Although I enjoy computer RPGs, strategy games, and even an occasional shooter, I really could play sports sims year-round. If I had a solid football sim and basketball sim, I could probably do just that.
FM20 is incredibly detailed. Although I am used to a high level of complexity from Out of the Park Baseball, FM20 was even more daunting to me. This was largely due to my unfamiliarity with MLS rules (rosters, loans, transfers, coaches, etc.) and game tactics (style, formations, positions, etc.). Over the course of the season, my knowledge improved but I am far from a soccer expert at this point. Because this was my first season, I avoided the urge to make any trades. Even when it could have been beneficial, I preferred to become familiar with NYCFC's 2019 squad.
I will post additional articles about the season's outcome. However, I have to say that this was the most fun I've had with a computer game in many months. Because it was fresh and new to me, I enjoyed it as much as my NALB seasons. Although I enjoy computer RPGs, strategy games, and even an occasional shooter, I really could play sports sims year-round. If I had a solid football sim and basketball sim, I could probably do just that.
BioShock Remastered
March 28, 2020
It was nice to play another first-person shooter (FPS) without experiencing any serious motion sickness. For whatever reason, BioShock did not prove problematic to me in that respect. Actually, my first introduction to the series was BioShock Remastered, which I just finished. I can't compare it to the original but the remastered version was certainly a quality FPS. It also contained some elements of role-playing games such as upgradable weapons and character abilities. Much of the storyline was revealed through numerous audio recordings you discover. More so than the story or the combat, the real star of BioShock was its setting. The underwater city of Rapture was visually impressive. You can tell a lot of creativity and care went into its artistic design.
FPS games are not my forte. I found BioShock a bit difficult, to be honest. It doesn't rate highly enough to make my all-time favorites list. It was a little long for my taste. After a while, the continual combat became a grind. I tired of facing a steady stream of splicers. In contrast, I enjoyed the Brothers in Arms FPS games I played last year quite a bit more. I also preferred System Shock 2, a previous title made by some of the same team behind BioShock. Down the road, I have BioShock 2 and BioShock Infinite to play. Unfortunately, I've read that the sequel is not as good as the first game.
FPS games are not my forte. I found BioShock a bit difficult, to be honest. It doesn't rate highly enough to make my all-time favorites list. It was a little long for my taste. After a while, the continual combat became a grind. I tired of facing a steady stream of splicers. In contrast, I enjoyed the Brothers in Arms FPS games I played last year quite a bit more. I also preferred System Shock 2, a previous title made by some of the same team behind BioShock. Down the road, I have BioShock 2 and BioShock Infinite to play. Unfortunately, I've read that the sequel is not as good as the first game.
Battlestations: Midway
February 18, 2020
Years ago, I played a fair number of combat simulation games such as 688 Attack Sub, Red Baron, Chuck Yeager's Air Combat, Task Force 1942, Comanche: Maximum Overkill, and Falcon 4.0. That type of game doesn't seem as popular today, however. I hadn't played one in many years. That changed recently, however, when I installed Battlestations: Midway. It was a very nice change of pace and brought me back to the days of some of the aforementioned titles. Battlestations: Midway offered a nice mix of map-based tactics and hands-on action. Unlike most of the other games I listed, you have the ability to directly control surface ships, submarines, and aircraft. There are even aircraft carriers, which provide a mix of air and sea control, as well as airfields and shipyards.
The game's campaign follows the career of Jack Hawkins during World War II. Hawkins starts out as a navy lieutenant and works his way up to captain as the story progresses. There were a total of eleven missions, starting with Lt. Hawkins on a PT Boat and ending with Capt. Hawkins commanding the USS Enterprise at the battle of Midway. I played all of the training missions before tackling the campaign, which certainly helped. After a few campaign missions, I felt pretty comfortable with the various controls. In general, I preferred controlling the ships over the airplanes. I was never very good at dogfighting although I did enjoy piloting the bombers (particularly the TBD Avenger torpedo bombers).
I completed the campaign but there are several standalone aircraft, ship, and submarine challenge missions to play. Before moving on to my next game, I will give a few of those a try. I also own the sequel, Battlestations: Pacific, which I look forward to playing down the road.
B-17 Flying Fortress Passes Over the USS Lexington
Aircraft Carrier with Escort
The game's campaign follows the career of Jack Hawkins during World War II. Hawkins starts out as a navy lieutenant and works his way up to captain as the story progresses. There were a total of eleven missions, starting with Lt. Hawkins on a PT Boat and ending with Capt. Hawkins commanding the USS Enterprise at the battle of Midway. I played all of the training missions before tackling the campaign, which certainly helped. After a few campaign missions, I felt pretty comfortable with the various controls. In general, I preferred controlling the ships over the airplanes. I was never very good at dogfighting although I did enjoy piloting the bombers (particularly the TBD Avenger torpedo bombers).
I completed the campaign but there are several standalone aircraft, ship, and submarine challenge missions to play. Before moving on to my next game, I will give a few of those a try. I also own the sequel, Battlestations: Pacific, which I look forward to playing down the road.
B-17 Flying Fortress Passes Over the USS Lexington
Aircraft Carrier with Escort
Medieval II: Total War - Victory
January 30, 2020
It took me a while but I finally got into Medieval II: Total War. After reading the manual and reacquainting myself with some of the gameplay elements I'd forgotten from Rome: Total War, it became much more enjoyable. Originally, I wanted to play as France. Instead, I wimped out and chose England. I thought the safety of an island home would prove to be more defensible and make for an easier game. In retrospect, that was probably true.
Once I'd conquered the British Isles, I used my castle in Caen as a forward base to expand on the main continent. The French struck at us first, which made it easy to retaliate. Occasionally, we had to cease hostilities at the threat of excommunication by order of the Pope. Gradually, we expanded by taking Rennes, Angers, and Rheims. We also captured Bruges and Antwerp from rebels. Unfortunately, that prompted Denmark to wage war on us in an attempt to reclaim those regions. After repelling several Danish attacks and blockading their ports, they called for a ceasefire. We gladly ceased hostilities to focus on our costly war with the French. Just as we had Paris surrounded in the late 1200s, rebels ousted the French and took the city. The French were forced south with a new capital in Marseille and a castle in Toulouse. We sent a large force south from Angers and captured Toulouse. Victory appeared all but certain.
As France was on the brink of extinction, an unexpected twist occurred. Milan, which had battled France for many years, launched a sudden attack on us. They besieged our castle at Angers, which caused an undesired distraction. We recruited additional troops to force the Milanese out of English lands while simultaneously building up in Toulouse to defeat the French. Our assault force was aided by the recent invention of gunpowder. After constructing a gunsmith and adding a bombard to our army, we headed east for Marseille. In 1302 AD, we captured the last French city. The campaign began in 1080 AD so it took over 200 years. With 15 regions under our control and our primary enemies defeated, it was victory for England!
England captures Marseille to achieve victory
Once I'd conquered the British Isles, I used my castle in Caen as a forward base to expand on the main continent. The French struck at us first, which made it easy to retaliate. Occasionally, we had to cease hostilities at the threat of excommunication by order of the Pope. Gradually, we expanded by taking Rennes, Angers, and Rheims. We also captured Bruges and Antwerp from rebels. Unfortunately, that prompted Denmark to wage war on us in an attempt to reclaim those regions. After repelling several Danish attacks and blockading their ports, they called for a ceasefire. We gladly ceased hostilities to focus on our costly war with the French. Just as we had Paris surrounded in the late 1200s, rebels ousted the French and took the city. The French were forced south with a new capital in Marseille and a castle in Toulouse. We sent a large force south from Angers and captured Toulouse. Victory appeared all but certain.
As France was on the brink of extinction, an unexpected twist occurred. Milan, which had battled France for many years, launched a sudden attack on us. They besieged our castle at Angers, which caused an undesired distraction. We recruited additional troops to force the Milanese out of English lands while simultaneously building up in Toulouse to defeat the French. Our assault force was aided by the recent invention of gunpowder. After constructing a gunsmith and adding a bombard to our army, we headed east for Marseille. In 1302 AD, we captured the last French city. The campaign began in 1080 AD so it took over 200 years. With 15 regions under our control and our primary enemies defeated, it was victory for England!
England captures Marseille to achieve victory
Medieval II: Total War
December 31, 2019
For my last post of 2019, here is a brief update. This month I've been playing Medieval II: Total War, another fine game in the Total War series. This is the second Total War game I've played, the first being Rome: Total War. I enjoyed that game immensely and added it as a top pick as an all-time favorite. Although Medieval II has the same core gameplay, I haven't been as addicted to it as Rome. Perhaps eight years later, the newness has worn off a bit.
This time around, I'm playing as the English. My objectives are to control 15 regions and defeat the Scottish and the French. It is early in the game but I've managed to defeat Scotland and unite Great Britain under English rule. I also control Caen and Antwerp, which gives me a presence on the European mainland. Unfortunately, I am at war fighting France around Caen and Denmark around Antwerp. I currently hold nine regions but defeating the French will be a significant challenge.
As I get deeper into the game, I am enjoying it more. I will write another update as I make more progress (or finish) the campaign.
This time around, I'm playing as the English. My objectives are to control 15 regions and defeat the Scottish and the French. It is early in the game but I've managed to defeat Scotland and unite Great Britain under English rule. I also control Caen and Antwerp, which gives me a presence on the European mainland. Unfortunately, I am at war fighting France around Caen and Denmark around Antwerp. I currently hold nine regions but defeating the French will be a significant challenge.
As I get deeper into the game, I am enjoying it more. I will write another update as I make more progress (or finish) the campaign.
Arcade Fun: Ultratron and Titan Attacks
November 17, 2019
After a number of lengthy computer games, I wanted something requiring less time commitment. Enter Puppygames and its collection of excellent "neo-retro" arcade games. I've been playing two of their offerings, Ultratron and Titan Attacks. Do I still love arcade games in the style of the old coin-op classics? Absolutely! In fact, a close friend and I recently visited a local arcade to play some vintage video games and pinball machines. I've had as much fun playing these Puppygames titles as I did playing some of the coin-op legends.
Ultratron is a frenetic top-down shooter reminiscent of Robotron: 2084. Using a mouse/keyboard combination certainly provides a different feel than using twin joysticks. However, it didn't take too long to get used to it. By accumulating in-game cash, Ultratron allows you to upgrade various aspects of your battledroid. I always enjoy this aspect of arcade games, which adds a bit of strategy and planning to the mix.
Titan Attacks is Puppygames' modernized take on Space Invaders. It has elements of Galaga as well with diving twisting enemies as well as challenge stages. Like Ultratron, Titan Attacks allows upgrades to your ship. You can improve shields and weaponry. Trying to decide which upgrades to purchase and when greatly adds to the fun. There are five worlds (Earth, Moon, Mars, Saturn, and Titan) of twenty levels each to progress through. Each world ends with a boss battle against a mothership.
These are games I will probably return to again and again, at least until I make it through all of the levels.
Ultratron is a frenetic top-down shooter reminiscent of Robotron: 2084. Using a mouse/keyboard combination certainly provides a different feel than using twin joysticks. However, it didn't take too long to get used to it. By accumulating in-game cash, Ultratron allows you to upgrade various aspects of your battledroid. I always enjoy this aspect of arcade games, which adds a bit of strategy and planning to the mix.
Titan Attacks is Puppygames' modernized take on Space Invaders. It has elements of Galaga as well with diving twisting enemies as well as challenge stages. Like Ultratron, Titan Attacks allows upgrades to your ship. You can improve shields and weaponry. Trying to decide which upgrades to purchase and when greatly adds to the fun. There are five worlds (Earth, Moon, Mars, Saturn, and Titan) of twenty levels each to progress through. Each world ends with a boss battle against a mothership.
These are games I will probably return to again and again, at least until I make it through all of the levels.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
November 12, 2019
After finishing another baseball season, I started playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. I really enjoyed the previous games in the series, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto III and expected much of the same with San Andreas. Although I've had quite a bit of fun with it, I must admit it hasn't grabbed me like the other two games did. Perhaps I just need more time with it. However, I suspect the newness of GTA has worn off for me. I am only partway in what looks to be a fairly long game and I may not commit to finishing it.
You play Carl "CJ" Johnson, a former gangster who returns home to Los Santos after he learns his mother was killed. Although I haven't made it out of Los Santos yet, there are two other fictional cities (San Fierro and Las Venturas) that are featured later in the game. Although the gameplay is similar to the other GTA games I played, there are a few new wrinkles. CJ has several attributes that are tracked: fat, muscle, respect, sex appeal, and stamina. He also has skills for various vehicle and weapon types. Some of these are improved through use and experience while others can be explicitly trained. For example, you can go to a gym to improve physical skills.
GTA: San Andreas only allows saves at certain locations, such as your house. Unfortunately as with other games with a similar save system, that can lead to frustration. I replayed a particular mission several times without success. That as much as anything probably sapped my desire to continue playing the game.
Carl "CJ" Johnson
You play Carl "CJ" Johnson, a former gangster who returns home to Los Santos after he learns his mother was killed. Although I haven't made it out of Los Santos yet, there are two other fictional cities (San Fierro and Las Venturas) that are featured later in the game. Although the gameplay is similar to the other GTA games I played, there are a few new wrinkles. CJ has several attributes that are tracked: fat, muscle, respect, sex appeal, and stamina. He also has skills for various vehicle and weapon types. Some of these are improved through use and experience while others can be explicitly trained. For example, you can go to a gym to improve physical skills.
GTA: San Andreas only allows saves at certain locations, such as your house. Unfortunately as with other games with a similar save system, that can lead to frustration. I replayed a particular mission several times without success. That as much as anything probably sapped my desire to continue playing the game.
Carl "CJ" Johnson
Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood
June 30, 2019
As much as I enjoyed Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30, I think I liked its sequel even more. Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood is that sequel, although it feels somewhat like an expansion pack. My appreciation for the sequel was probably due to the decreased learning curve. After playing Road to Hill 30, there was no need to ease into things with tutorials and simple missions early on. Instead, I was able to dive right into the action. Replacing Sergeant Matt Baker as the protagonist was Sergeant Joe “Red” Hartsock, a squad member featured in Road to Hill 30. The game unfolds via flashbacks with the framing story an interview between Red and an army Colonel. The missions occur on and shortly after D-Day. Enemies seemed a little more intelligent this time around. They used cover better and were more dangerous opponents overall. Gameplay didn’t change much in the sequel, thankfully, with a focus on tactical assaults based on the 4-F concept: find, fix, flank, and finish.
June 2019 marked the 75th anniversary of D-Day. I’m very glad to have finally gotten around to playing Brothers in Arms: Double Time. It definitely ranks as one of my favorite World War II games and one of my all-time favorite first-person shooters.
Sergeant Joe Hartsock Interview
June 2019 marked the 75th anniversary of D-Day. I’m very glad to have finally gotten around to playing Brothers in Arms: Double Time. It definitely ranks as one of my favorite World War II games and one of my all-time favorite first-person shooters.
Sergeant Joe Hartsock Interview
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30
June 23, 2019
My future of playing first-person shooters (FPS) was in doubt. I didn’t fare too well with Half-Life the first time because of motion sickness. I returned to it months later with similar results. Last month, I tried playing Half-Life 2. I enjoyed the game but after a handful of levels I abandoned it for the same reason. Subsequently playing ivine Divinity">Divine Divinity, a computer RPG, was a welcome change. This month, however, I decided to give a different FPS game a try. The game was Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30. I didn’t expect much from it but I was extremely impressed. First of all, I was able to complete the game without any extreme motion sickness. Along the way, I was treated to a World War II FPS that I found as enjoyable as the previous best I’ve played. In addition to standard FPS gameplay, Brothers in Arms featured tactical elements. As Sergeant Matt Baker, you have command of your squads. By giving orders to your fire teams and assault teams, you position your men to succeed in the 4 F’s of combat: find, fix, flank, and finish. Suppression of the enemy is key to victory. The game doesn’t typically reward one-man Rambo tactics.
I thought the length of Road to Hill 30 was just about right with 20 missions. I own the Brothers in Arms: Double Time collection, which also includes Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood. I’ll be playing Earned in Blood next. Hopefully, it is as good as its predecessor or better.
Members of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment
I thought the length of Road to Hill 30 was just about right with 20 missions. I own the Brothers in Arms: Double Time collection, which also includes Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood. I’ll be playing Earned in Blood next. Hopefully, it is as good as its predecessor or better.
Members of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment
Divine Divinity
May 17, 2019
I played some great computer role-playing games in 2018: Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition, Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords. I could also include System Shock 2, which was a first-person shooter with RPG elements. Now, I can add Divine Divinity to the list for 2019. Released by Belgian developer Larian Studios in 2002, Divine Divinity was the first of a series that spawned several sequels. It blended action-RPG elements as seen in games such as Diablo and FATE with gameplay from story based RPGs, such as Baldur’s Gate. I’m not as much a fan of the former, so I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy DD all that much. I prefer a more scripted RPG with less random elements. However, there was enough story in DD to keep me interested. I greatly preferred it over Diablo II. There was a lot to do with the main quests and plenty of side quests. Most of the quests were typical for the genre: retrieve an item for someone, defeat an enemy and report back, rescue a captive, etc. This caused a lot of roaming about from place to place. Thankfully, travel was aided by fixed teleporters and portable teleporter stones.
The game’s protagonist was a nameless “Hero,” later revealed to be the “Divine One.” There were three professions to choose from: survivor, wizard, and warrior. I opted for warrior. My Hero was a physical brute but dumb as a post. Going without a shield, he was a one man army dishing out punishing damage with a two-handed axe. Because I completed so many side quests, he reached level 46 by the end of the game.
I really enjoyed Divine Divinity far more than I expected I would. It was a lot of fun to play and had very nice music and good graphics for its time. I look forward to playing other games in the series, particularly the more recent Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition and Divinity Original Sin II.
My level 46 warrior Hero near the end of the game
The game’s protagonist was a nameless “Hero,” later revealed to be the “Divine One.” There were three professions to choose from: survivor, wizard, and warrior. I opted for warrior. My Hero was a physical brute but dumb as a post. Going without a shield, he was a one man army dishing out punishing damage with a two-handed axe. Because I completed so many side quests, he reached level 46 by the end of the game.
I really enjoyed Divine Divinity far more than I expected I would. It was a lot of fun to play and had very nice music and good graphics for its time. I look forward to playing other games in the series, particularly the more recent Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition and Divinity Original Sin II.
My level 46 warrior Hero near the end of the game
Stargunner & Tyrian 2000
March 24, 2019
As a change of pace, I’ve been playing a couple of PC arcade shooters from the 1990s. The first is Stargunner, a 1996 release from Apogee Software. It is a horizontal side scroller similar to one of my all-time favorites, Jets’n’Guns. As with JnG, you have the ability to customize your ship with various weapons and defenses. That certainly adds to the replay-ability of an arcade genre game, which sometime grows stale with repeated play. For a 20+ year old title, it is definitely a fun game. It hasn’t hooked me like JnG did, however, so I doubt I will complete the entirety of its missions.
The other arcade shooter I’ve been playing is Tyrian 2000. This was an updated version of Tyrian, which was developed by Eclipse Software and published by Epic MegaGames. This game is a vertical scrolling shooter reminiscent of Xevious or Raptor: Call of the Shadows. Also like Stargunner, Tyrian provides for upgrades to ship components such as weapons, shields, and generators. I like Tyrian 2000 about as well as Stargunner. Both games are roughly the same vintage and they each provide a nice diversion when you get the itch for some retro arcade “shmup” (shoot-em-up) action.
Both games are available for free on GOG.
The other arcade shooter I’ve been playing is Tyrian 2000. This was an updated version of Tyrian, which was developed by Eclipse Software and published by Epic MegaGames. This game is a vertical scrolling shooter reminiscent of Xevious or Raptor: Call of the Shadows. Also like Stargunner, Tyrian provides for upgrades to ship components such as weapons, shields, and generators. I like Tyrian 2000 about as well as Stargunner. Both games are roughly the same vintage and they each provide a nice diversion when you get the itch for some retro arcade “shmup” (shoot-em-up) action.
Both games are available for free on GOG.
M.A.X.: Mechanized Assault & Exploration
March 03, 2019
Recently, I uncovered a hidden gem of a computer game in M.A.X.: Mechanized Assault & Exploration. Interplay Productions released M.A.X. in 1996. Essentially a turn-based strategy game, it also featured a simultaneous turn-based option. This was probably offered to appeal to the rising popularity of real-time strategy games. I was unfamiliar with the title until I got it from GOG. I was very glad I did. It was one of the best strategy games I’ve played. Old reviews, such as this one from Computer Strategy Games Plus, were extremely positive. Very impressive for its time, I thought M.A.X. held up quite well after all these years.
The manual for M.A.X. was 106 pages. It was a bit overwhelming at first. I read the entire manual, including the eleven pages of background story. The game mechanics became a bit clearer after I finished the 15 training missions. Afterwards, I tackled the campaign’s nine missions:
The missions were fairly challenging and pretty lengthy. Many had a time limit of 100 turns. If I recall correctly, one was 150 turns. In M.A.X., there are three resources: raw materials, fuel, and gold. Buildings need to be connected to power to function. I thought base building was an enjoyable part of the game. With land, sea, and air units, variety was not a deficiency. The support units alone were plentiful including transports, scanners, surveyors, repair units, engineers, and supply trucks to name but a partial list. Combat units were no less varied with infantry, infiltrators, tanks, artillery, multiple ships, subs, and several planes. Bases could be outfitted with gun turrets, anti-aircraft, and similar defenses. One thing that was different from many strategy games is that M.A.X. didn’t feature a centralized resource pool. In other words, unconnected bases had their own sets of resources as did standalone units. For instance, you might have 150 materials in storage but an engineer, constructor, or repair unit might only have 10 materials on it. The unit could return to base to load additional units or you could drive a supply truck to it and transfer materials. There were a lot of nice touches like these in the game that presented additional levels of strategy and planning.
The final two missions were set on the same planet. Mission 8 had you playing base defense against waves of enemy attacks. Mission 9 flipped the script and tasked you with destroying the enemy’s very well defended base. If I want to keep playing after the campaign, there is still plenty left to do. M.A.X. includes 24 stand alone missions and 12 custom scenarios. You can also set up custom games with your own parameters. For $9.99 on GOG, you get M.A.X. and its sequel, M.A.X. 2. That is a heck of a bargain.
The manual for M.A.X. was 106 pages. It was a bit overwhelming at first. I read the entire manual, including the eleven pages of background story. The game mechanics became a bit clearer after I finished the 15 training missions. Afterwards, I tackled the campaign’s nine missions:
- Islands in the Sun
- Heart of the Matter
- Element of Import
- Stone Cold Deadly
- Slaugter Shore
- Repel Boarders
- Bastion of Rebellion
- Bright Hope
- Price of Freedom
The missions were fairly challenging and pretty lengthy. Many had a time limit of 100 turns. If I recall correctly, one was 150 turns. In M.A.X., there are three resources: raw materials, fuel, and gold. Buildings need to be connected to power to function. I thought base building was an enjoyable part of the game. With land, sea, and air units, variety was not a deficiency. The support units alone were plentiful including transports, scanners, surveyors, repair units, engineers, and supply trucks to name but a partial list. Combat units were no less varied with infantry, infiltrators, tanks, artillery, multiple ships, subs, and several planes. Bases could be outfitted with gun turrets, anti-aircraft, and similar defenses. One thing that was different from many strategy games is that M.A.X. didn’t feature a centralized resource pool. In other words, unconnected bases had their own sets of resources as did standalone units. For instance, you might have 150 materials in storage but an engineer, constructor, or repair unit might only have 10 materials on it. The unit could return to base to load additional units or you could drive a supply truck to it and transfer materials. There were a lot of nice touches like these in the game that presented additional levels of strategy and planning.
The final two missions were set on the same planet. Mission 8 had you playing base defense against waves of enemy attacks. Mission 9 flipped the script and tasked you with destroying the enemy’s very well defended base. If I want to keep playing after the campaign, there is still plenty left to do. M.A.X. includes 24 stand alone missions and 12 custom scenarios. You can also set up custom games with your own parameters. For $9.99 on GOG, you get M.A.X. and its sequel, M.A.X. 2. That is a heck of a bargain.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
January 11, 2019
After completing Grand Theft Auto III several months ago, I decided it was time to play the next installment in the series, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. This time, you play Tommy Vercetti, who is released from prison after serving 15 years. The game has a 1980s Miami Vice vibe, right down to the Lance Vance character voiced by Philip Michael Thomas. As with GTA III, there were lots of great songs to listen to on the various radio stations. It’s an old game but I thought it held up quite well. Vice City is a fairly large city with plenty of locations spread across multiple islands. You can even visit the interior of a shopping mall in the downtown area. Weapon selection is nice and varied but it is the driving aspect of the game that is the main focus. Once again, there are numerous vehicles to commandeer: sports cars, sedans, trucks, motorcycles, scooters, boats, aircraft, and others. One new addition to GTA: Vice City was the ability to buy property around the city. After completing certain location specific missions, the properties start generating income.
All in all, I enjoyed Vice City as much as I did GTA III. I didn’t play every mission but I completed the core storyline missions and several side missions along the way. I own the next game, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and will tackle that a bit down the road.
Lance Vance, Tommy Vercetti, and Ken Rosenberg
All in all, I enjoyed Vice City as much as I did GTA III. I didn’t play every mission but I completed the core storyline missions and several side missions along the way. I own the next game, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and will tackle that a bit down the road.
Lance Vance, Tommy Vercetti, and Ken Rosenberg
Half-Life - One More Try
December 23, 2018
After putting Half-Life on hiatus due to frequent motion sickness, I decided to give it another try. At first, things were much better. I finished a couple more levels without experiencing any serious motion sickness. For whatever reason, the next level (“Power Up&rdquo
was not as kind to me. By the time I completed it, I felt ill. Therefore, I think I need to shelve this game for good. It is a very good FPS title but I don’t think I can stomach going through another dozen levels or so.
was not as kind to me. By the time I completed it, I felt ill. Therefore, I think I need to shelve this game for good. It is a very good FPS title but I don’t think I can stomach going through another dozen levels or so.Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords
November 14, 2018
It took me eight years to finally get around to playing the sequel to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Thankfully, it was worth the wait. The original KOTOR is unquestionably one of my all-time favorite computer RPGs. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords now joins it as another personal favorite. Set five years after the first game, KOTOR II continues the story of its predecessor with a new character. In KOTOR II, you play as the “Exile,” a former Jedi who was banished by the Jedi Council. I played as Horec Hano, a Jedi Sentinel and later a Jedi Weapon Master.
I installed the Restored Content Mod v1.8.5 to play KOTOR II. Tackling the main plot and most of the side missions, I got about 60 hours of game play out of it. A nice cast of characters joined me along the way, everything from a scoundrel to droids, soldiers, and other Jedi. I enjoyed the fact that you switched off of the main character at times to control other characters either solo or in teams. Although it was quite a few years since I played KOTOR, I remembered Dantooine and Korriban, planets which were featured in the sequel. There were several other planets to visit plus the jungle moon of Dxun and the “Smuggler’s Moon” of Nar Shaddaa. The story was enjoyable but there weren’t any bombshells as dramatic as the big plot twist in KOTOR.
Because the game was larger than the original, my character had more opportunities for experience points. By the end of the game, Horec Hano was just shy of making 30th level.
Horec Hano
I installed the Restored Content Mod v1.8.5 to play KOTOR II. Tackling the main plot and most of the side missions, I got about 60 hours of game play out of it. A nice cast of characters joined me along the way, everything from a scoundrel to droids, soldiers, and other Jedi. I enjoyed the fact that you switched off of the main character at times to control other characters either solo or in teams. Although it was quite a few years since I played KOTOR, I remembered Dantooine and Korriban, planets which were featured in the sequel. There were several other planets to visit plus the jungle moon of Dxun and the “Smuggler’s Moon” of Nar Shaddaa. The story was enjoyable but there weren’t any bombshells as dramatic as the big plot twist in KOTOR.
Because the game was larger than the original, my character had more opportunities for experience points. By the end of the game, Horec Hano was just shy of making 30th level.
Horec Hano
System Shock 2
July 23, 2018
My computer gaming in 2018 has consisted almost exclusively of classic titles. This month, I played another game frequently mentioned as one of the all-time greats—System Shock 2. It easily earns a place on my All-Time Favorites list. Along with Half-Life and Deus Ex, it was one of the first person shooters (FPS) that raised the bar for the genre in the late 1990s. Unlike Half-Life, however, I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t experience significant motion sickness with System Shock 2. For whatever reason, it was rarely a problem even though I played it fullscreen at 2560x1440 resolution.
I never played the original System Shock but that wasn’t a problem. Set in 2114, 42 years after the original, the story was easy enough to get into. You play a United Nations Nominate (UNN) soldier assigned to the UNN Rickenbacker. The ship is connected to the Von Braun, an experimental vessel with a faster than light drive. After responding to a distress call on Tau Ceti V, the ships are infested with alien eggs. These eggs infect the crew, joining them into an alien consciousness called The Many. As the game’s protagonist, you awaken from cryo sleep and are one of the only uninfected remaining on either ship. The story primarily unfolds by listening to audio logs recorded by the crew. Along the way, you are frequently contacted by SHODAN, the malevolent artificial intelligence from the original System Shock. Most of the game takes place on the Von Braun. Later, you visit the Rickenbacker and the Body of the Many.
In the beginning, you choose whether to join the Marines, the Navy, or the OSA. The Marines focus on fighting, the Navy on tech, and the OSA specializes in PSI ops. I opted to join the OSA. Although System Shock 2 (SS2) is an FPS, it has RPG game elements as well. Your character has statistics: strength, endurance, psionics, agility, and cyber. You also possess various skills in combat, tech, and PSI. There are five levels of numerous PSI powers, which are somewhat analogous to spells in a fantasy RPG. Training and upgrading your character is available by spending cyber modules you accumulate. There is also currency in the form of nanites, which are used to purchase items from replicators on the ships. SS2 has a decent assortment of weapons and other items, some of which need to be researched. Like other RPGs, there is also inventory management to constrain what is carried.
All in all, this was definitely one of my favorite FPS games I ever played. I preferred exploring the two ships more than the final areas of the game. If I had enjoyed the endgame just a bit more, I might consider it my all-time favorite FPS.
I never played the original System Shock but that wasn’t a problem. Set in 2114, 42 years after the original, the story was easy enough to get into. You play a United Nations Nominate (UNN) soldier assigned to the UNN Rickenbacker. The ship is connected to the Von Braun, an experimental vessel with a faster than light drive. After responding to a distress call on Tau Ceti V, the ships are infested with alien eggs. These eggs infect the crew, joining them into an alien consciousness called The Many. As the game’s protagonist, you awaken from cryo sleep and are one of the only uninfected remaining on either ship. The story primarily unfolds by listening to audio logs recorded by the crew. Along the way, you are frequently contacted by SHODAN, the malevolent artificial intelligence from the original System Shock. Most of the game takes place on the Von Braun. Later, you visit the Rickenbacker and the Body of the Many.
In the beginning, you choose whether to join the Marines, the Navy, or the OSA. The Marines focus on fighting, the Navy on tech, and the OSA specializes in PSI ops. I opted to join the OSA. Although System Shock 2 (SS2) is an FPS, it has RPG game elements as well. Your character has statistics: strength, endurance, psionics, agility, and cyber. You also possess various skills in combat, tech, and PSI. There are five levels of numerous PSI powers, which are somewhat analogous to spells in a fantasy RPG. Training and upgrading your character is available by spending cyber modules you accumulate. There is also currency in the form of nanites, which are used to purchase items from replicators on the ships. SS2 has a decent assortment of weapons and other items, some of which need to be researched. Like other RPGs, there is also inventory management to constrain what is carried.
All in all, this was definitely one of my favorite FPS games I ever played. I preferred exploring the two ships more than the final areas of the game. If I had enjoyed the endgame just a bit more, I might consider it my all-time favorite FPS.
Pinball Gold Pack
June 30, 2018
Back in the 1990s, 21st Century Entertainment was a computer game publisher best known for its pinball games. Its first such game was Pinball Dreams, which was written for the Amiga by Swedish developer Digital Illusions. It was later ported to DOS for PCs. I bought their second pinball release, Pinball Fantasies. It was one of my favorite games and I played the heck out of it. I was in the mood to revisit this game. Therefore, I was thrilled to find it on GOG as part of the Pinball Gold Pack. It is an excellent value as it contains five pinball games with a total of twenty tables. The best tables are in the games developed by Digital Illusions (Pinball Dreams, Pinball Fantasies, and Pinball Illusions). The others (Pinball Dreams 2 and Pinball Mania) were developed by Spidersoft and aren’t as good. I’ve played all twenty tables several times now. Pinball Illusions is the newest and most polished offering but Pinball Fantasies still holds the nostalgic edge for me.
Pinball Dreams: Ignition, Steel Wheel, Beat Box. and Nightmare
Pinball Dreams 2: Neptune, Safari, Revenge of the Robot Warriors, and Stall Turn
Pinball Fantasies: Party Land, Speed Devils, Billion Dollar Gameshow, and Stones ’N Bones
Pinball Illusions: Law ’n Justice, Babewatch, Extreme Sports, and The Vikings
Pinball Mania: Tarantula, Jailbreak, Kick-Off, and Jackpot
Pinball Dreams: Ignition, Steel Wheel, Beat Box. and Nightmare
Pinball Dreams 2: Neptune, Safari, Revenge of the Robot Warriors, and Stall Turn
Pinball Fantasies: Party Land, Speed Devils, Billion Dollar Gameshow, and Stones ’N Bones
Pinball Illusions: Law ’n Justice, Babewatch, Extreme Sports, and The Vikings
Pinball Mania: Tarantula, Jailbreak, Kick-Off, and Jackpot
Grand Theft Auto III
June 18, 2018
Recently, I’ve been playing classic computer games, many of which are considered some of the greatest games of all time: Total Annihilation, Half-Life, Baldur’s Gate, and Planescape: Torment. The latest one on my list was Grand Theft Auto III (GTA 3). This was the breakout title in the GTA series. It featured 3D graphics and “open world” gameplay that was impressive when it debuted in 2001 on the PlayStation 2. The PC release came in 2002 and it was eventually ported to the Mac as well. I finished the game by following the main storyline. Along the way, I completed quite a few side missions as well. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. In fact, it has knocked Max Payne out of the top spot as my all-time favorite third-person action/shooter computer game.
I had a bit of a misconception about GTA 3. I thought there would be more shooting. There was plenty to be sure. However, it is mainly a driving game at its core. There are over 50 different vehicles in the game to acquire or steal. Each vehicle has its own unique characteristics. This is arcade driving and not a realistic driving simulation. GTA 3 doesn’t take itself too seriously. It focuses on action, humor, and a sense of fun. Set in Liberty City, there are three islands to explore. First is Portland, then Staunton Island, and finally Shoreside Vale. It was a bit challenging early on when I didn’t know the layout of the streets very well. This was particularly true for the timed missions, which are usually not a favorite of mine. Before too long, however, I felt pretty comfortable zipping around and between the three boroughs.
Overall, the difficulty level felt about right. Some missions I completed on the first try. Several took multiple tries but they usually weren’t too frustrating. The final two missions of the game came close, however. I struggled with them but eventually made it to the end to see the final cinematic scene and end credits.
The sun sets over Liberty City
I had a bit of a misconception about GTA 3. I thought there would be more shooting. There was plenty to be sure. However, it is mainly a driving game at its core. There are over 50 different vehicles in the game to acquire or steal. Each vehicle has its own unique characteristics. This is arcade driving and not a realistic driving simulation. GTA 3 doesn’t take itself too seriously. It focuses on action, humor, and a sense of fun. Set in Liberty City, there are three islands to explore. First is Portland, then Staunton Island, and finally Shoreside Vale. It was a bit challenging early on when I didn’t know the layout of the streets very well. This was particularly true for the timed missions, which are usually not a favorite of mine. Before too long, however, I felt pretty comfortable zipping around and between the three boroughs.
Overall, the difficulty level felt about right. Some missions I completed on the first try. Several took multiple tries but they usually weren’t too frustrating. The final two missions of the game came close, however. I struggled with them but eventually made it to the end to see the final cinematic scene and end credits.
The sun sets over Liberty City
Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition
May 14, 2018
Best computer RPG of all time? For many, the decision is between the Baldur’s Gate series and Planescape: Torment, both developed by Black Isle Studios. Compared to BG’s familiar Forgotten Realms, the Planescape setting didn’t appeal to me as much. Baldur’s Gate I & II were the best CRPGs I’d ever played. I always assumed Planescape: Torment couldn’t live up to those. Boy, was I wrong. After finishing Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition, I now see what all the fuss was about. It was a different experience than any other D&D computer game I’ve played, but perhaps the most satisfying of all.
Right from the start, you know it is a different type of D&D game. Your character is The Nameless One (TNO). You don’t select your race, class, alignment, or name. TNO begins as a neutral level 3 fighter. The only customization available is the distribution of some attribute points. As with Baldur’s Gate, you encounter certain non-player characters who can accompany you on your journey. Although you can have a party of six characters, the story remains firmly rooted around The Nameless One.
At first, I wasn’t that enthused about the city of Sigil, the location for much of the game. It grew on me quickly, however. This was a nice change of pace from the typical high fantasy setting. There were no elves, dwarves, gnomes, or halflings. There were no dragons to slay. The city was inhabited by a wide variety of extra-planar races. They even had their own slang. Magic exists in Planescape but many of the spells were unique and not found in “vanilla” D&D. Commerce was transacted in copper, not gold. Eventually, I realized the Planescape setting was not a weakness but one of the strengths of the game.
Gameplay was driven by the Infinity Engine, which supported Baldur’s Gate as well. The Enhanced Edition added some nice benefits including widescreen support, higher graphics resolutions, and nice little timesavers such as the quickloot feature. Although they share the same game engine, Planescape: Torment was far less combat focused than Baldur’s Gate or Icewind Dale. Of all the computer RPGs I’ve ever played, I think this one had the least amount of combat in it. Despite playing for close to 50 hours, it was amazing how few battles you were forced to engage in. This was a very dialogue heavy game. Supposedly, the game’s script was around 800,000 words, which makes it one of the largest ever written. You need to do a lot of reading to get the most out of it. This style of RPG really appealed to me. It wouldn’t be a favorite of those that prefer action RPGs. At first, The Nameless One had almost complete amnesia but his memories gradually came back to him. TNO’s alignment was fluid and changed along with his actions. I read there are several possible endings to the game, depending on the choices you make. I was happy with the ending in my game.
On one hand, I’m tempted to name Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition as my favorite computer RPG of all time. I liked the story, the unique setting, and its combat light gameplay. On the other hand, I still love the Baldur’s Gate series. It had a great epic story set in the Forgotten Realms and surpassed Planescape: Torment in size and scope. I played Baldur’s Gate first so that probably adds to its special place in my heart. For now, the BG series and PT are in a virtual tie as my all-time favorites.
Right from the start, you know it is a different type of D&D game. Your character is The Nameless One (TNO). You don’t select your race, class, alignment, or name. TNO begins as a neutral level 3 fighter. The only customization available is the distribution of some attribute points. As with Baldur’s Gate, you encounter certain non-player characters who can accompany you on your journey. Although you can have a party of six characters, the story remains firmly rooted around The Nameless One.
At first, I wasn’t that enthused about the city of Sigil, the location for much of the game. It grew on me quickly, however. This was a nice change of pace from the typical high fantasy setting. There were no elves, dwarves, gnomes, or halflings. There were no dragons to slay. The city was inhabited by a wide variety of extra-planar races. They even had their own slang. Magic exists in Planescape but many of the spells were unique and not found in “vanilla” D&D. Commerce was transacted in copper, not gold. Eventually, I realized the Planescape setting was not a weakness but one of the strengths of the game.
Gameplay was driven by the Infinity Engine, which supported Baldur’s Gate as well. The Enhanced Edition added some nice benefits including widescreen support, higher graphics resolutions, and nice little timesavers such as the quickloot feature. Although they share the same game engine, Planescape: Torment was far less combat focused than Baldur’s Gate or Icewind Dale. Of all the computer RPGs I’ve ever played, I think this one had the least amount of combat in it. Despite playing for close to 50 hours, it was amazing how few battles you were forced to engage in. This was a very dialogue heavy game. Supposedly, the game’s script was around 800,000 words, which makes it one of the largest ever written. You need to do a lot of reading to get the most out of it. This style of RPG really appealed to me. It wouldn’t be a favorite of those that prefer action RPGs. At first, The Nameless One had almost complete amnesia but his memories gradually came back to him. TNO’s alignment was fluid and changed along with his actions. I read there are several possible endings to the game, depending on the choices you make. I was happy with the ending in my game.
On one hand, I’m tempted to name Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition as my favorite computer RPG of all time. I liked the story, the unique setting, and its combat light gameplay. On the other hand, I still love the Baldur’s Gate series. It had a great epic story set in the Forgotten Realms and surpassed Planescape: Torment in size and scope. I played Baldur’s Gate first so that probably adds to its special place in my heart. For now, the BG series and PT are in a virtual tie as my all-time favorites.
Back to Back D&D CRPGs
April 30, 2018
After finishing Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition, I’ve proceeded to play another classic D&D computer RPG. It is the Enhanced Edition of Planescape: Torment. I’m a good way into it now, certainly enough to say it lives up to its lofty reputation. I’m pretty certain I will have it completed in May. I will write more it about it then.
Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast
March 02, 2018
After completing the main storyline in Baldur’s Gate, I proceeded to explore the areas in the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion. The expansion is seamlessly integrated into the Enhanced Edition of the game. However, I wanted to experience the story as gamers would have back in 1999. That is, Baldur’s Gate first and the expansion areas second. Tales of the Sword Coast added a decent amount of content. There was the town of Ulgoth’s Beard, which served as a focal point for new adventures. Two islands were introduced as well as Durlag’s Tower, a very large area to explore. The ruins of the tower were bigger than I expected. It had four stories and just as many basement levels below its cellar. After clearing the two islands rather quickly, finishing the tower took a while. After returning to Ulgoth’s Beard, there was one final plot line to wrap up involving a summoned demon. After defeating this last enemy, I consider my time with Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition complete.
There was quite a bit of experience to be had in these new areas. My character gained two levels after doubling his experience points. His dexterity is a natural 14; it is magically enhanced to 18 thanks to gauntlets of dexterity.
Kevin the Bard after Tales of the Sword Coast
There was quite a bit of experience to be had in these new areas. My character gained two levels after doubling his experience points. His dexterity is a natural 14; it is magically enhanced to 18 thanks to gauntlets of dexterity.
Kevin the Bard after Tales of the Sword Coast
Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
February 13, 2018
Over twelve years ago, I played Baldur’s Gate II, which was a terrific Dungeons & Dragons computer game featuring AD&D second edition rules. I finished Shadows of Amn and the Throne of Bhaal expansion to complete the Baldur’s Gate saga. Afterwards, I considered it my favorite computer role-playing game of all-time. Unfortunately, I jumped directly into the sequel and had skipped over the original game.
It’s been a while since I played a D&D computer game or any computer RPG for that matter. A return to one of my favorite game genres was definitely overdue. Thankfully, an Enhanced Edition of Baldur’s Gate was released several years ago. I used this edition to fill in the backstory of Kevin the Bard, the character I played in Baldur’s Gate II. Joining Kevin the Bard in his adventures were several companions: Khalid (half-elf fighter), Kivan (elf ranger), Jaheira (half-elf fighter/druid), Neera (half-elf wild mage), and Imoen (human thief). I was familiar with Jaheira and Imoen from BG2; the other characters were new to me. I read that Neera was introduced in the Enhanced Edition and was not in the original game.
I took my time and completed many side quests in addition to the central story line. Most of my party made it to 7th level by the end. All in all, it provided over 50 hours of gameplay. There is still more content available should I wish to continue playing. I will probably explore the areas that were from the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion. There is also a new expansion, Siege of Dragonspear, that is available to purchase. It takes place in the time between BG and BG2. I found Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition just about as enjoyable as my experience with Baldur’s Gate II. It is hard to surpass the fun I had with BG2 many years ago. In some ways, however, I preferred Baldur’s Gate to its sequel. BG2 featured high level adventuring. I prefer the experience of starting with novice characters and building them up from first level.
Kevin the Bard near the end of Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition
It’s been a while since I played a D&D computer game or any computer RPG for that matter. A return to one of my favorite game genres was definitely overdue. Thankfully, an Enhanced Edition of Baldur’s Gate was released several years ago. I used this edition to fill in the backstory of Kevin the Bard, the character I played in Baldur’s Gate II. Joining Kevin the Bard in his adventures were several companions: Khalid (half-elf fighter), Kivan (elf ranger), Jaheira (half-elf fighter/druid), Neera (half-elf wild mage), and Imoen (human thief). I was familiar with Jaheira and Imoen from BG2; the other characters were new to me. I read that Neera was introduced in the Enhanced Edition and was not in the original game.
I took my time and completed many side quests in addition to the central story line. Most of my party made it to 7th level by the end. All in all, it provided over 50 hours of gameplay. There is still more content available should I wish to continue playing. I will probably explore the areas that were from the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion. There is also a new expansion, Siege of Dragonspear, that is available to purchase. It takes place in the time between BG and BG2. I found Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition just about as enjoyable as my experience with Baldur’s Gate II. It is hard to surpass the fun I had with BG2 many years ago. In some ways, however, I preferred Baldur’s Gate to its sequel. BG2 featured high level adventuring. I prefer the experience of starting with novice characters and building them up from first level.
Kevin the Bard near the end of Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition
Half-Life - Hiatus
January 29, 2018
I really looked forward to playing Half-Life, based on its outstanding reputation as one of the great first-person shooters (FPS) of all time. I gave it a try but only managed to finish three levels. Unfortunately, I had to shelve it due to motion sickness. When it comes to FPS games, that is frequently a problem for me. I will probably revisit it in the future and hope for better results. In the meantime, however, I decided to play Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition instead. I already have over 30 hours into BG:EE and should be able to finish it in February.
Postal
January 06, 2018
As I continue playing my large backlog of computer games in roughly chronological order, next in line was Postal from 1997. It is a somewhat infamous game because of its violent content, featuring a deranged madman on a killing spree. While certainly not an all-time great, it provided a bit of fun for a short time. I completed the 16 levels of the main campaign in around two hours.
The action is presented in a third-person isometric view. The game a bit cartoonish and doesn’t take itself too seriously. For me, the best part of the game was experimenting with the wide range of weapons available: machine gun, shotgun, spray cannon, grenades, missiles, heat seeking missiles, Molotov cocktails, napalm, flame thrower, and mines. There was a variety of settings leading up to the final level set on a U.S. Air Force Base.
Postal ended up a brief diversion after playing a true classic in Total Annihilation with another classic yet to come. Next up is Half-Life.
The action is presented in a third-person isometric view. The game a bit cartoonish and doesn’t take itself too seriously. For me, the best part of the game was experimenting with the wide range of weapons available: machine gun, shotgun, spray cannon, grenades, missiles, heat seeking missiles, Molotov cocktails, napalm, flame thrower, and mines. There was a variety of settings leading up to the final level set on a U.S. Air Force Base.
Postal ended up a brief diversion after playing a true classic in Total Annihilation with another classic yet to come. Next up is Half-Life.
Total Annihilation
January 04, 2018
I devoted most of my gaming time in December to Total Annihilation (TA). It was definitely one of my favorite computer games played in 2017. Frequently mentioned as one of the greatest real time strategy games of all time, I finally got around to playing it twenty years after its release. The story line of the main campaign revolves around a galactic war. The incumbent power is a governing body known as CORE. The population of CORE embraced “patterning,” which is the transfer of human consciousness into machines. This did not sit well with everyone, however. Some citizens rebelled and formed an organization known as ARM. Thus began the war between ARM and CORE. ARM’s soldiers adopted high-powered combat suits while CORE transferred the minds of its finest soldiers into combat machines. TA begins after four thousand years of warfare has left both sides at a stalemate. The game offers an ARM campaign and a CORE campaign of 25 missions each.
I opted to play the ARM campaign. It took a little while to learn all of the buildings and units for ARM and CORE. There is a wide variety of ground, water, and air units. Thankfully, the number of units available started small and grew as the missions progressed. It started with land battles and added mixed ground/water, ground/air, and other combos as the story progressed. Eventually, things led to a final confrontation on CORE Prime in the last mission. Victory was achieved when my commander stood atop the Core Command Dome.
Although I had a lot of fun playing the ARM campaign, I am not quite ready to invest the time required to complete another 25 missions for the CORE campaign. There is plenty of gameplay left as I own The Core Contingency and Battle Tactics expansion packs. Counting the add ons, there are well over 100 missions left to play.
I opted to play the ARM campaign. It took a little while to learn all of the buildings and units for ARM and CORE. There is a wide variety of ground, water, and air units. Thankfully, the number of units available started small and grew as the missions progressed. It started with land battles and added mixed ground/water, ground/air, and other combos as the story progressed. Eventually, things led to a final confrontation on CORE Prime in the last mission. Victory was achieved when my commander stood atop the Core Command Dome.
Although I had a lot of fun playing the ARM campaign, I am not quite ready to invest the time required to complete another 25 missions for the CORE campaign. There is plenty of gameplay left as I own The Core Contingency and Battle Tactics expansion packs. Counting the add ons, there are well over 100 missions left to play.
Favorite Computer Games of 2017
December 31, 2017
Here is a brief look back at my favorite computer games of 2017. These are not necessarily games that were released in 2017 but games that I played in 2017. In fact, most of these games are quite old.
- Fantasy General - I had more fun playing this than any other game this year. I loved Panzer General, its predecessor in SSI’s Five Star General Series. Therefore, I shouldn’t have been surprised about Fantasy General. Perhaps it was because I hadn’t played Panzer General in many years but this greatly exceeded my expectations. I finished the campaign and all of the standalone scenarios.
- Out of the Park Baseball 18 - Along with Earl Weaver Baseball, the OOTP Baseball series is my favorite computer game franchise of all time. Each year brings incremental improvements and version 18 was no exception. It was a toss up between OOTP 18 and Fantasy General for my top pick of the year. I certainly had a blast guiding the Brooklyn Knights to another NALB championship this season.
- Star Trek: 25th Anniversary and Star Trek: Judgment Rites - I owned and played both of these on DOS years ago in the original floppy disk versions. Now many years later, I enjoyed playing them again in the enhanced editions available on GOG. These were the CD-ROM versions, which featured improved sound and voice acting from the original cast.
- Total Annihilation - This is the game I’ve been playing to close out the year. I always heard it was one of the all time classics of the real time strategy genre. From what I’ve played so far, I would agree. I haven’t completed the ARM campaign yet but should have it finished soon.
- Master of Orion II - Last year, I enjoyed Master of Orion. This year, I played the sequel. MOO2 was very similar to the original game. It refined some areas and changed some others. All in all, I liked both titles equally well.
Dungeon Keeper
November 27, 2017
I’ve been playing Dungeon Keeper sporadically over the last few weeks. I have the Gold Edition from GOG, which includes the original 1997 game as well as the Deeper Dungeons expansion. In the game, you build a dungeon and protect it against invaders. Your minions are typical evil creatures while the invaders are the usual good hero types. It is a normal dungeon crawl turned upside down. Although the game plays out in real time, it progresses at a somewhat leisurely pace. You certainly don’t need twitch reflexes to succeed. I was progressing well through the ten levels (aka realms) in the base game. However, I faced defeat in the eighth realm, Tickle. Things were going well early on but I eventually encountered the first enemy before my troops were ready. Although our numbers were evenly matched, my opponents’ creatures averaged higher levels. They beat my minions back and I never recovered.
Things looked good early on (my territory is in red)
Things looked good early on (my territory is in red)
Star Trek Adventure Games
November 05, 2017
After finishing the latest NALB season in Out of the Park Baseball, I decided to re-play a couple of my all-time favorite computer games. The two games were Star Trek: 25th Anniversary and Star Trek: Judgment Rites. I bought them when they first came out in the early 1990s and enjoyed them immensely. They captured the feel of original series Star Trek episodes better than any other game. Interplay later released enhanced editions on CD-ROM with the voices of the actual TV cast members. I always wished I had played those versions instead. GOG has these editions so I finally got the opportunity to revisit the games after more than twenty years.
I’m not a big fan of point and click adventure games. However, these two Star Trek games are among a handful of my all-time favorites. Both games contained adventures presented in episodic fashion. Judgment Rites also had an underlying plot thread connecting the overall story together. There are familiar characters who appear in each game, such as Harry Mudd and Trelane. Originally, I remember being totally blown away by 25th Anniversary and liking Judgment Rites a bit less. This time around, however, I think I appreciated Judgment Rites more than I did the first time. They are both very fine games.
I’m not a big fan of point and click adventure games. However, these two Star Trek games are among a handful of my all-time favorites. Both games contained adventures presented in episodic fashion. Judgment Rites also had an underlying plot thread connecting the overall story together. There are familiar characters who appear in each game, such as Harry Mudd and Trelane. Originally, I remember being totally blown away by 25th Anniversary and liking Judgment Rites a bit less. This time around, however, I think I appreciated Judgment Rites more than I did the first time. They are both very fine games.
Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares
July 25, 2017
Last December, I played Master of Orion and liked it a lot. It certainly lived up to its legendary reputation. This month I’ve been playing the sequel, Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares. It took me a while to get into it but I eventually enjoyed it as much as its predecessor. Once again, I chose a medium sized galaxy and played as Humans. This time, however, I included four alien races instead of only three. The selection was random and my opponents were the Alkari, Darloks, Mrrshan, and the Trilarians. I was familiar with the cat-like Mrrshan, who are always itching for a fight. Thankfully, I didn’t encounter them until the early mid-game. My first encounter was with the Trilarians, a race of aquatic life forms. I quickly formed a trade treaty with them. The other race nearest to my home system was the enigmatic Darloks, a race of shape shifters. I engaged in trade with them as well. Unfortunately, they were heavily involved in espionage. It was a constant battle to try and keep them from stealing my technologies. The Alkari made contact with me a bit later on. They are an avian race descended from flying reptiles. Things got a bit complicated when the Alkari and the Trilarians went to war. Having trade pacts with both races, I decided to stay out of it.
As you might gather from the title, Master of Orion II has an additional element to it—the Antarans. They were a powerful race who engaged in a protracted war with the mighty Orions. The Orions eventually defeated the Antarans and imprisoned them in a pocket dimension. In MOO2, the Antarans return and begin to wreak havoc after many years in exile. I feared war with the other races but was able to maintain the peace. That was not the case with the Antarans. They appeared every so often to attack worlds in our galaxy. Every time, they left a planet in ruins forcing me to rebuild. Late in the game, I built a dimensional portal and took a fleet of 32 ships to attack the Antaran homeworld. The Humans were victorious in the Battle at Antares, which caused me to win the game.
The Antarans are not very friendly.
As you might gather from the title, Master of Orion II has an additional element to it—the Antarans. They were a powerful race who engaged in a protracted war with the mighty Orions. The Orions eventually defeated the Antarans and imprisoned them in a pocket dimension. In MOO2, the Antarans return and begin to wreak havoc after many years in exile. I feared war with the other races but was able to maintain the peace. That was not the case with the Antarans. They appeared every so often to attack worlds in our galaxy. Every time, they left a planet in ruins forcing me to rebuild. Late in the game, I built a dimensional portal and took a fleet of 32 ships to attack the Antaran homeworld. The Humans were victorious in the Battle at Antares, which caused me to win the game.
The Antarans are not very friendly.
Fantasy General - Scenarios
June 04, 2017
After my Fantasy General campaign ended in defeat, I proceeded to play the five standalone scenarios. The scenarios included all four characters that were player options in the campaign: Knight Marshall Calis, Sorceress Mordra, Archmage Krell, and Lord Marcas. I played them on medium difficulty and was victorious in all. I greatly enjoyed my time playing Fantasy General. It was easily the most fun I’ve had with a computer game since my last NALB season in Out of the Park Baseball.
Scenarios:
Scenarios:
- Rise of the Demonspawn - For many years, Maloch has desired to gain control of the Temple of Handola. Though he has made many attempts, to seize control of the temple, Lord Marcas has always managed to repel the deadly onslaughts. Now, Maloch has called upon Kraekvar the Demonspawn, his most loyal Lieutenant, to lead this latest strike on the Temple.
- Strike on Jaguar Fortress - Claw the assassin has been causing strife all over Avernion, but until now, no one knew where he had been hiding. Scouts for Knight Marshall Calis have discovered his hideout, and Calis has sent a well seasoned force to assail Claw’s fortress in the Asphead mountains. Ssazikar the Snake has sent his own troops in support of Claw, but will it be enough to overcome Calis’ determined troops?
- Peril at Deadstone Keep - After a narrow victory over the forces of Ssazikar the Snake, Sorceress Mordra retreated to Deadstone Keep, where reinforcements were en route. Hearing of the narrow victory, Aelcar the Shadow Wizard summoned a capable force to assault the keep while Mordra’s defenses are down. With the Dragon Lord Malric circling high over the Keep, Mordra’s meager troops must hold off Aelcar long enough for help to arrive.
- Kalador’s Assassins - Orc King Dragga has been sent on a most dangerous mission to kidnap council member Kalador, thereby disrupting the Council of Five’s war effort. Knight Marshall Calis is in the area and his troops have been requisitioned by the Council to drive Dragga’s forces from the area and keep Sir Kalador safe.
- Gorge of Defiance - The war has been brought to a standstill at Worm Gullet Gorge, as neither the Council of Five nor the Shadowlord have had any success controlling the entire gorge. Maloch of Blacklance has called upon the services of General Rukkur and the Pale Marshall to lead them victory over the Council’s forces. Krindal the Pathmaster has been recruited by Captain Armnaxis to aid Archmage Krell in defending the pass and possibly pushing through into Maloch’s territory. Whatever the outcome, it is sure to be a fierce battle and an awesome display of destructive power.
Fantasy General
May 19, 2017
Panzer General is probably my all-time favorite computer wargame. Two years after the debut of Panzer General, SSI released Fantasy General, the second game in its Five Star General series. Despite the obvious difference in setting, it used the same basic turn based game mechanics played out on a hex-based map. I wanted to play Fantasy General when it first released but I never did. Thanks to GOG, I got another chance.
I played the campaign as the Archmage Krell. It took me a little while to remember the mechanics of the Five Star General series. The game is quite user friendly, so it wasn’t too long. I did ok in the early battles and liberated a couple of continents. However, I made too many mistakes. Troops gain experience and carry forward to the next battle. My losses started to mount as the strength of the opposition grew. I couldn’t get out of the death spiral. Eventually, I was defeated on the third continent when I failed to achieve the objectives within the allowed time limit.
I was tempted to replay the campaign as another character. Instead, I think I will play the standalone scenarios before moving on to another game.
Defeated by the Shadowlord!
I played the campaign as the Archmage Krell. It took me a little while to remember the mechanics of the Five Star General series. The game is quite user friendly, so it wasn’t too long. I did ok in the early battles and liberated a couple of continents. However, I made too many mistakes. Troops gain experience and carry forward to the next battle. My losses started to mount as the strength of the opposition grew. I couldn’t get out of the death spiral. Eventually, I was defeated on the third continent when I failed to achieve the objectives within the allowed time limit.
I was tempted to replay the campaign as another character. Instead, I think I will play the standalone scenarios before moving on to another game.
Defeated by the Shadowlord!
Conquest of the New World
April 22, 2017
The latest game I’ve been playing is Conquest of the New World. It was a very good strategy offering from Interplay Entertainment released in 1996. It certainly has some similarities with Sid Meier’s Civilization series. From the little I played, it seemed like you build fewer cities overall than a typical Civ game. However, the cities contain more buildings. The game definitely offers a lot of replay value. You may play as Native Americans or one of five European nations: Britain, France, Holland, Portugal, or Spain. For my first game, I played as the British. There are numerous game modes and scenarios. I chose the Conquistador scenario, which included all nations. Unfortunately, I didn’t do so well. Despite some early success, it did not last. I didn’t choose wisely for the location of my first settlement and that decision cost me in the long run.
This is a quality game and I’m tempted to keep playing it. For now, however, I plan to move on to Fantasy General.
This is a quality game and I’m tempted to keep playing it. For now, however, I plan to move on to Fantasy General.
Four PC Games from 1995
March 31, 2017
Continuing my chronological walk through PC gaming’s past, I recently played four titles from 1995. However, I really only played one of them for a significant amount of time. Here is the rundown.
Terminal Velocity - This was a 3D shooter in which you pilot a starfighter. Your job is to defend Earth against an alien race. I only completed one mission before bailing on it. It reminded me a bit of Descent, another game that never really grabbed me.
Realms of Chaos - Published by Apogee, this was a side-scrolling platform game with a fantasy setting. The gameplay had one twist—the ability to switch between characters. Available to you were Endrick the warrior and Elandra the sorceress. Each character is useful, depending on the situation. I liked this game better than Terminal Velocity. However, I didn’t play it long enough to finish a complete episode.
Kingdom: The Far Reaches - Out of these four games, this was the only one not published by Apogee or 3D Realms. It originated as a laserdisc game before it was ported to other platforms such as the PC. Created by Rick Dyer, it had a similar feel to his more famous creation, Dragon’s Lair. Like Dragon’s Lair, it gave you the same feeling of being in an animated movie or a Saturday morning cartoon. Unfortunately, playing Kingdom: The Far Reaches involved a lot of dying and repetition. Although I was extremely impressed with the visuals of Dragon’s Lair back in the heyday of arcades, I never really enjoyed playing it. For me, it is more fun to watch someone else play these games than it is to play them myself. There were two play options, apprentice mode and wizard mode. I wimped out and played apprentice, mainly because I wasn’t sure how long the full game would take to complete. Apprentice mode kept the game pretty short and I played it to the end.
Xenophage: Alien Bloodsport - This one on one fighting game was the biggest disappointment of the lot. Although it looked pretty cool with good graphics for its time, it was a letdown. The fighting game genre has always been more popular on consoles. This game did nothing to advance the genre on PCs. I only played a few fights before uninstalling it. Compared to classics like Mortal Kombat, Tekken, and my favorite SoulCalibur, Xenophage was completely forgettable.
Lathan Kandor meets Princess Grace Delight in Kingdom: The Far Reaches
Terminal Velocity - This was a 3D shooter in which you pilot a starfighter. Your job is to defend Earth against an alien race. I only completed one mission before bailing on it. It reminded me a bit of Descent, another game that never really grabbed me.
Realms of Chaos - Published by Apogee, this was a side-scrolling platform game with a fantasy setting. The gameplay had one twist—the ability to switch between characters. Available to you were Endrick the warrior and Elandra the sorceress. Each character is useful, depending on the situation. I liked this game better than Terminal Velocity. However, I didn’t play it long enough to finish a complete episode.
Kingdom: The Far Reaches - Out of these four games, this was the only one not published by Apogee or 3D Realms. It originated as a laserdisc game before it was ported to other platforms such as the PC. Created by Rick Dyer, it had a similar feel to his more famous creation, Dragon’s Lair. Like Dragon’s Lair, it gave you the same feeling of being in an animated movie or a Saturday morning cartoon. Unfortunately, playing Kingdom: The Far Reaches involved a lot of dying and repetition. Although I was extremely impressed with the visuals of Dragon’s Lair back in the heyday of arcades, I never really enjoyed playing it. For me, it is more fun to watch someone else play these games than it is to play them myself. There were two play options, apprentice mode and wizard mode. I wimped out and played apprentice, mainly because I wasn’t sure how long the full game would take to complete. Apprentice mode kept the game pretty short and I played it to the end.
Xenophage: Alien Bloodsport - This one on one fighting game was the biggest disappointment of the lot. Although it looked pretty cool with good graphics for its time, it was a letdown. The fighting game genre has always been more popular on consoles. This game did nothing to advance the genre on PCs. I only played a few fights before uninstalling it. Compared to classics like Mortal Kombat, Tekken, and my favorite SoulCalibur, Xenophage was completely forgettable.
Lathan Kandor meets Princess Grace Delight in Kingdom: The Far Reaches
Flight of the Amazon Queen
March 18, 2017
This week, I finished playing Flight of the Amazon Queen, a point and click adventure game released in 1995. Clearly inspired by both Indiana Jones and LucasArts adventure games, it didn’t reach the lofty heights of those franchises. It was still a pretty good game, however. The game is set in 1949 and you play as Joe King, owner of the Amazon Queen and pilot for hire. Joe becomes embroiled in a plot by the evil Dr. Ironstein to rule the world. Accompanying Joe on his adventure are his mechanic and best pal Sparky as well as his passenger, the beautiful (and annoying) actress Faye Russel. Along the way, Joe encounters many characters, including a talking ape, a witch doctor, and of course several Amazon women. By the end, Joe defeats Ironstein and all is right with the world. Shocking, I know.
A Handful of 1990s PC Games
March 16, 2017
Over the last few weeks, I dabbled in several computer games from the 1990s: Mystic Towers, Little Big Adventure, Wacky Wheels, Blake Stone: Planet Strike, and Rise of the Triad Dark War. With only one exception, none of them held my attention for very long. Here is a quick rundown:
Mystic Towers - This game held some promise with its story about a wizard trying to clear towers full of monsters. The graphics were ok for its time. Combine some combat with light puzzles and it was entertaining for a bit. I played through one tower and that was enough for me.
Little Big Adventure - Released by Electronic Arts, this was the most ambitious title on the list. Its 3D isometric graphics were probably impressive for its time and it holds up pretty well for a game over 20 years old. It had the feel of an RPG but it was essentially an action adventure game. Set on the planet Twinsun, you play as the character Twinsen who begins the game a prisoner. After escaping, your goal is to defeat the oppression of the evil Dr. FunFrock. I played it for a while and found it interesting. However, the controls were somewhat frustrating and I gave up before devoting too much time to it.
Wacky Wheels - This was an unexpected gem. It resembled Super Mario Kart except with little animals in the drivers’ seats. I competed in dozens of races and always chose Morris the Moose as my driver. There were power ups and weapons to add to the mayhem and fun. Definitely recommended.
Blake Stone: Planet Strike - This was the sequel to Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold, a game I enjoyed a lot more than I thought I would. Like its predecessor, it used the game engine from Wolfenstein 3D. Unfortunately, it brought little new to the table. I only played one level and decided to move on.
Rise of the Triad: Dark War - Here was yet another game that used the Wolfenstein 3D engine. It offered a somewhat different experience than the two Blake Stone games. After three similar games, I was burned out on these old first person shooters.
Morris the Moose takes gold in Wacky Wheels
Mystic Towers - This game held some promise with its story about a wizard trying to clear towers full of monsters. The graphics were ok for its time. Combine some combat with light puzzles and it was entertaining for a bit. I played through one tower and that was enough for me.
Little Big Adventure - Released by Electronic Arts, this was the most ambitious title on the list. Its 3D isometric graphics were probably impressive for its time and it holds up pretty well for a game over 20 years old. It had the feel of an RPG but it was essentially an action adventure game. Set on the planet Twinsun, you play as the character Twinsen who begins the game a prisoner. After escaping, your goal is to defeat the oppression of the evil Dr. FunFrock. I played it for a while and found it interesting. However, the controls were somewhat frustrating and I gave up before devoting too much time to it.
Wacky Wheels - This was an unexpected gem. It resembled Super Mario Kart except with little animals in the drivers’ seats. I competed in dozens of races and always chose Morris the Moose as my driver. There were power ups and weapons to add to the mayhem and fun. Definitely recommended.
Blake Stone: Planet Strike - This was the sequel to Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold, a game I enjoyed a lot more than I thought I would. Like its predecessor, it used the game engine from Wolfenstein 3D. Unfortunately, it brought little new to the table. I only played one level and decided to move on.
Rise of the Triad: Dark War - Here was yet another game that used the Wolfenstein 3D engine. It offered a somewhat different experience than the two Blake Stone games. After three similar games, I was burned out on these old first person shooters.
Morris the Moose takes gold in Wacky Wheels
Hocus Pocus
February 24, 2017
I continue to play through the catalog of classic games from Apogee Software. Thankfully, the games have had more hits than misses. That was certainly the case with Hocus Pocus. You play as Hocus, a young magician. Your goal on each level is to track down all of the crystals. It’s a straightforward 2D platform game. You run, you jump, you shoot. I found the difficulty to be pretty forgiving. It wasn’t about dying from a single hit or fall. Also, there were ample healing potions to make up for any mistakes. Part of the challenge was figuring out how to reach all parts of a level. I completed the first episode, Time Tripping. There are still three more episodes to play: Shattered Worlds, Warped and Weary, and Destination Home.
Raptor and Blake Stone
February 22, 2017
Raptor: Call of the Shadows is a game I remember playing when it was relatively new. It was published by Apogee Software in 1994, although it was made by another developer. After 20+ years, I think it holds up pretty well. Back in the day, it was quite impressive, particularly for a shareware title. Raptor was another vertical-scroller arcade style shooter that reminded me of the coin-op classic Xevious. I put a few hours into Raptor, mainly playing through the Bravo sector levels.
It just occurred to me that I forgot to document the previous Apogee game I played, Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold. When I saw it used the Wolfenstein 3D game engine, I didn’t expect to play it for very long. This was pre-Doom and about as primitive as it gets for 3D first person shooters. A funny thing happened. I actually got into it more than I expected. Before I knew it, I had completed all ten levels (floors) of Mission 1: Star Institute. Although the graphics were primitive, I enjoyed the simplicity of the levels with their fixed ceiling height. Targeting was on a level vertical plane, which meant no raising and lowering weapons to aim. I’m not inspired enough to finish all six missions. However, I’m glad I played it if only to bring back memories of playing Wolfenstein 3D.
It just occurred to me that I forgot to document the previous Apogee game I played, Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold. When I saw it used the Wolfenstein 3D game engine, I didn’t expect to play it for very long. This was pre-Doom and about as primitive as it gets for 3D first person shooters. A funny thing happened. I actually got into it more than I expected. Before I knew it, I had completed all ten levels (floors) of Mission 1: Star Institute. Although the graphics were primitive, I enjoyed the simplicity of the levels with their fixed ceiling height. Targeting was on a level vertical plane, which meant no raising and lowering weapons to aim. I’m not inspired enough to finish all six missions. However, I’m glad I played it if only to bring back memories of playing Wolfenstein 3D.
Bio Menace - Episode 1
February 11, 2017
I finished Bio Menace episode 1 today. As I mentioned in my last post, I went through several Apogee games before finding one that I wanted to finish. There isn’t much to say other than this was a well made 2D platform game. Because the game was so enjoyable, I’m tempted to continue playing the other two episodes. I have such a large backlog of games to play, however, so I think I will move on. The further adventures of Snake Logan will have to wait for now.
More Apogee Games
January 30, 2017
I’ve been playing more classic games from Apogee Software. After Secret Agent, I sampled Cosmo’s Cosmic Adventure, Major Stryker, and Monster Bash. Major Stryker is a 2D vertical scrolling shooter similar to games such as Xevious or Active Lancer. The other two are 2D side scrolling platform games. None of them really grabbed me for any length of time. The Apogee game I’ve played most recently, however, has held my interest much longer. That game is Bio Menace. It is another 2D platform game based on the Commander Keen engine. Overall, I’ve found it the most enjoyable of this recent lot. I am pretty close to completing episode 1. However, I first need to get by the Elevator level, which is a little tricky.
Secret Agent
December 23, 2016
I decided to play another old Apogee platform game after Crystal Caves. Next up was Secret Agent, which used the Crystal Caves game engine and was released a year later in 1992. As with Apogee’s other shareware titles, it featured three episodes. Yesterday, I finished the first episode, The Hunt for Red Rock Rover. Instead of a mine, an island map served as the main screen. As Agent 006½, you have to infiltrate 16 structures in each episode. After completing 15 of the standard ones, you unlock the ability to access the main fortress. There were a few hard levels. Surprisingly, the main fortress was not one of them. Overall, it is very similar to the gameplay of Crystal Caves. I’ve enjoyed it thus far. However, I may need a break before returning to complete the next two episodes, Kill Again Island and Dr. No Body.
The Hunt for Red Rock Rover ending screen
The Hunt for Red Rock Rover ending screen
Crystal Caves
December 20, 2016
The latest computer game on my playlist was Crystal Caves, a 1991 release from Apogee Software. It was another solid platform game from the company that brought us Commander Keen and other classics. I finished all three episodes: Troubles with Twibbles, Slugging it Out and Mylo Versus the Supernova. Some of the levels were tough. Like other similar games, it is very easy to die so it can be maddening at times. I stuck it out to the end, however.
Troubles with Twibbles ending screen
Troubles with Twibbles ending screen
Master of Orion
December 15, 2016
Thanks to GOG, I was able to experience a 20+ year old classic I’ve always wanted to play. That game is Master of Orion, released by MicroProse in 1993. It was one of the earliest 4X sci-fi computer games, sometimes referred to as “Civ in space.” Back in the day, instead of playing Master of Orion (MoO) I was playing the very similar Galactic Civilizations. Released months before MoO, GalCiv was a classic in its own right. It was probably the most famous game ever made for OS/2 and it was certainly an all-time favorite of mine.
For my first Master of Orion game, I chose a medium sized galaxy with three opponents. I played the Humans while my computer opponents were the Sakkra (expansion minded lizard men), the Mrrshan (an aggressive catlike race), and the Meklars (cybernetic beings who are masters of production). Things were peaceful in the early years as each race explored and settled colonies. We traded with all three races and formed a full alliance with the Sakkra. Human expansion irritated the Mrrshan and they eventually declared war on us. The Meklars joined Mrrshan in the war. After defeating the Meklars and Mrrshan, we had an extended peace with the Sakkra. Unfortunately, the lack of available planets to colonize went against the Sakkra’s expansionistic nature. Our alliance broke down and we were drawn into a conflict. We defeated them in a final war to reform the Galactic Imperium. The High Council elected me as High Master of the Galaxy.
Our former allies, the Sakkra, deliver an ultimatum.
For my first Master of Orion game, I chose a medium sized galaxy with three opponents. I played the Humans while my computer opponents were the Sakkra (expansion minded lizard men), the Mrrshan (an aggressive catlike race), and the Meklars (cybernetic beings who are masters of production). Things were peaceful in the early years as each race explored and settled colonies. We traded with all three races and formed a full alliance with the Sakkra. Human expansion irritated the Mrrshan and they eventually declared war on us. The Meklars joined Mrrshan in the war. After defeating the Meklars and Mrrshan, we had an extended peace with the Sakkra. Unfortunately, the lack of available planets to colonize went against the Sakkra’s expansionistic nature. Our alliance broke down and we were drawn into a conflict. We defeated them in a final war to reform the Galactic Imperium. The High Council elected me as High Master of the Galaxy.
Our former allies, the Sakkra, deliver an ultimatum.
Paganitzu
November 27, 2016
In November, I’ve been reading a lot of Star Trek comics. That hasn’t left much time for computer games. For a brief bit of retro gaming on this Thanksgiving weekend, I played Paganitzu, a 25 year old puzzle game from Apogee Software. The game was primarily about figuring out how to retrieve all of the keys in each room. Some light action was mixed in, usually involving the evasion of wandering spiders. I completed Part 1, Romancing the Rose, which contained twenty rooms. I may return to play Part 2 and Part 3 one day. For now, however, I think I will move on to something else.
Monuments of Mars
August 09, 2016
The 2015 NALB season is currently on a hiatus. OOTP Baseball 17’s latest patch, version 17.10.65, caused some problems. Minor league rosters of a few teams were adversely affected. Unfortunately, my organization was hit by the bug. Inexplicably, several dozen players on my single-A club were released, including some promising prospects. That left the team with only four players, far fewer than required to field a team.
While I wait for a fix to OOTP, I decided to play another classic Apogee game. I recently enjoyed Pharaoh’s Tomb and Arctic Adventure, so I chose a similar puzzle platform game. The game was Monuments of Mars from 1990. It had a similar structure to the previous two Apogee games with four parts of 20 levels each. The setting was futuristic but the game mechanics were familiar—jumping, flipping switches, activating items, and shooting. The CGA graphics, which took some getting used to when first playing Pharaoh’s Tomb, were now familiar and no distraction at all. I ripped through it more quickly than the other games, completing all 80 levels in five hours or so. It was a fun little diversion from my baseball league’s woes. Although very dated by today’s standards you can’t argue with the price (free from 3D Realms).
While I wait for a fix to OOTP, I decided to play another classic Apogee game. I recently enjoyed Pharaoh’s Tomb and Arctic Adventure, so I chose a similar puzzle platform game. The game was Monuments of Mars from 1990. It had a similar structure to the previous two Apogee games with four parts of 20 levels each. The setting was futuristic but the game mechanics were familiar—jumping, flipping switches, activating items, and shooting. The CGA graphics, which took some getting used to when first playing Pharaoh’s Tomb, were now familiar and no distraction at all. I ripped through it more quickly than the other games, completing all 80 levels in five hours or so. It was a fun little diversion from my baseball league’s woes. Although very dated by today’s standards you can’t argue with the price (free from 3D Realms).
Arctic Adventure
July 10, 2016
I completed all 80 levels of Arctic Adventure, the sequel to Pharaoh's Tomb. Like its predecessor, it was divided up into four episodes of twenty levels each. Unlike Pharaoh’s Tomb, the episodes were not named. Both games were fun and quite similar. There were some notable differences, however. Arctic Adventure swapped the red, green, and yellow colors of the first game for the cyan, magenta, and white palette. This made sense given the two CGA palette choices available. The first game was about exploring an Egyptian tomb while the sequel was about finding Viking treasure in the frozen north. While the levels in Pharaoh’s Tomb were completely linear, Arctic Adventure featured a map where the player could explore the caves in an order of his choosing. The search for keys was replaced by a search for pickaxes to complete most levels. There were still keys to find, which unlocked areas of the map. Spears were replaced by a gun with a finite number of bullets. The biggest change between the two games, however, was that Arctic Adventure had no limit on the number of deaths. You could keep playing as long as you’d like, which I found a nice plus.
Although the game ended with the line “Look for more Nevada Smith adventures in the future…,” I don’t believe George Broussard or Apogee ever made another game in this series.
Although the game ended with the line “Look for more Nevada Smith adventures in the future…,” I don’t believe George Broussard or Apogee ever made another game in this series.
Pharaoh's Tomb - Finished
July 07, 2016
I thought I might play a handful of levels of Pharaoh's Tomb before moving on to something else. Surprisingly, the game was more fun than I expected. It had that addictive quality that kept me coming back for more. I finished all 80 levels, 20 levels in each of four episodes (volumes):
Clearly inspired by Indiana Jones, the Egyptian tomb was depicted in the classic Red, Green, Brown (Yellow) CGA color palette. The gameplay was good enough to overcome the primitive graphics of a game more than a quarter century old. Now I’m off to play the sequel, Arctic Adventure.
- Raiders of the Lost Tomb
- Pharaoh’s Curse
- Temple of Terror
- Nevada’s Revenge
Clearly inspired by Indiana Jones, the Egyptian tomb was depicted in the classic Red, Green, Brown (Yellow) CGA color palette. The gameplay was good enough to overcome the primitive graphics of a game more than a quarter century old. Now I’m off to play the sequel, Arctic Adventure.
Pharaoh's Tomb
June 30, 2016
After playing several computer role-playing games, I was ready for a change of pace. I decided to go with some retro arcade/puzzle action in the form of Pharaoh's Tomb by Apogee Software. This is going way back to 1990 with its CGA graphics. The game has 80 levels split into four episodes of 20 levels each. I am almost done with the first level, Raiders of the Lost Tomb. My experience has alternated between fun and frustration. Some levels left me cursing as I died over and over again. The controls can be touchy as your character sprite dies when any part of its rectangular border brushes up against an enemy or other deadly object. I am able to progress steadily enough to keep me playing, however. I’m not sure I will play through all 80 levels but I really want to finish the first episode, at least.
Eschalon: Book III
May 30, 2016
I completed Eschalon: Book III last week, which brought the trilogy to a close. This may not have been the strongest entry in the series but I certainly enjoyed them all. Turn-based RPGs are a particular favorite of mine and this was another good one. I look forward to the next title from Basilisk Games, which is supposed to be a sci-fi RPG. That should be an interesting change of pace from the typical fantasy settings common to most RPGs.
Book III felt a little shorter than Book I and Book II. At least, my total play time wasn’t as long. As in the last game, my ranger Bomani reached Level 18 by the end of the game.
Book III felt a little shorter than Book I and Book II. At least, my total play time wasn’t as long. As in the last game, my ranger Bomani reached Level 18 by the end of the game.
Eschalon: Book II
April 27, 2016
After 27.6 hours (according to the game stats), I have completed the second book of the Eschalon triliogy. Set a few years after Book I, Eschalon: Book II continued the story of the main character from the first game. Some suspension of disbelief is required, however, as your character has been reset to level 1 with corresponding attributes and skills. Book II took place in some new areas, most notably Amireth. The gameplay was very similar to its predecessor. However, there were some new additions. In Book II, equipment can degrade and requires repair. Also, hunger and thirst are factors so you need to stock up on food and drink. All in all, I enjoyed playing both games back to back. In fact, I intend to install Book III next to complete the final part of the series.
By the end of Book II, Bomani was Level 18, just one level higher than he ended Book I.
By the end of Book II, Bomani was Level 18, just one level higher than he ended Book I.
Eschalon: Book I - Finished
March 26, 2016
Although I haven’t written about it yet, I finished Eschalon: Book I ten days ago. I really enjoyed it. As I stated in my last post, it was a welcome change from Diablo II. As you would expect from the first chapter of a trilogy, it left the story open for further adventures. As shown in the screenshot below, Bomani the Guardian achieved Level 17 (Specialist) as a Druidic Ranger. The ending implied the story would continue directly in Book II, so I hope I will be able to continue playing with my existing character.
Eschalon: Book I
February 28, 2016
Now this is more like it. After a iablo II - Pulling the Plug">disappointing finish with Diablo II, I am playing another RPG but loving a whole lot more. The game is Eschalon: Book I, a turn-based computer RPG from Basilisk Games. This first entry in the Eschalon trilogy was released in 2007. It is much more my style. The plot begins with a classic amnesia story. Your character doesn’t know anything about his background or his whereabouts. He learns details gradually by exploring, reading, and talking to others.
I opted to play a Ranger, which I don’t recall ever doing in an RPG before. Here are the stats for Bomani the Guardian at the beginning of the game:
After playing about 20 hours over the last couple of weeks, Bomani is now Level 10 (Senior Artisan). I will post again after I finish the game.
I opted to play a Ranger, which I don’t recall ever doing in an RPG before. Here are the stats for Bomani the Guardian at the beginning of the game:
After playing about 20 hours over the last couple of weeks, Bomani is now Level 10 (Senior Artisan). I will post again after I finish the game.
Diablo II - Pulling the Plug
January 31, 2016
I’m pulling the plug on Diablo II. I haven’t played it in four weeks and I don’t feel drawn to return to it. It is unfortunate because I was very near the end of the game. I was ready to face Diablo and his minions to achieve final victory. After that, I planned to play the expansion pack, Lord of Destruction. I think it would have been very difficult to achieve with a Paladin of less than 30th level, however. I tried to add a level or two before the final combat. Unfortunately, that was extremely tedious. The sheer repetitive nature of grinding for levels sucked the joy out of the game. Making things even worse, Haldrim died a couple of times near the end, which meant he lost almost all of his equipment. I purchased replacement equipment, albeit of lesser quality compared to Haldrim’s usual gear. Then he died again. When I realized I was experiencing all aggravation and no fun, I knew it was time to call it quits.
My final verdict is that it was fun while it lasted but not exactly my cup of tea. The game mechanics were very similar to Fate, which I played previously. Fate was newer and had better graphics. However, Diablo II probably had the better story and production values. In my opinion, I far prefer a more story driven RPGs such as Baldur’s Gate.
My final verdict is that it was fun while it lasted but not exactly my cup of tea. The game mechanics were very similar to Fate, which I played previously. Fate was newer and had better graphics. However, Diablo II probably had the better story and production values. In my opinion, I far prefer a more story driven RPGs such as Baldur’s Gate.
Diablo II
December 31, 2015
I thought I was going to finish Diablo II before the end of the year but it didn’t happen. I am very close, however. My Paladin, Haldrim, has completed all but the final quest of the game—defeat Diablo. Unfortunately, Haldrim is only level 29. I worry he may not be strong enough for the task. If more experience isn’t required, I should be able to complete things in January. Otherwise, grinding out a bunch of levels doesn’t hold any appeal to me.
Next Up: Diablo II
November 30, 2015
At the end of the year, I usually try to tackle a lengthier computer game because I have the time to devote to it. Often, my choice has been an RPG. This year is no different. In December, I will be playing Diablo II. I created my character, Haldrim the Paladin, so I am ready to begin. Last year I played Fate, another action RPG. I expect Diablo II to be very similar, albeit with more dated graphics.
Finished Avernum 6
July 31, 2015
It took me three months to finish Avernum 6. As the last game in the series, my time with Avernum has come to an end. I could have completed it sooner but I really enjoyed taking on as many of the side quests as possible. The ending wasn’t quite as epic as I anticipated but it was fairly satisfying. My four characters ended as Level 42 Captains in the army of Avernum. With powerful characters and plenty of magic items, my party had no problem repelling the invaders in the final battle at the Great Portal.
I have now finished the second Avernum Trilogy and the Geneforge series. I still have Avadon: The Black Fortress, the first of a new fantasy series from the same company, when I feel the need for more RPG goodness from Spiderweb Software.
I have now finished the second Avernum Trilogy and the Geneforge series. I still have Avadon: The Black Fortress, the first of a new fantasy series from the same company, when I feel the need for more RPG goodness from Spiderweb Software.
Still Playing Avernum 6
June 30, 2015
Here is a very brief update on Avernum 6. I’m still playing it after two months. I estimate I am maybe three quarters of the way through it. My party is Level 32 now. However, it becomes harder and harder to gain experience as the game progresses. Therefore, level advancement slows quite a bit. I’m not sure if any of my characters will ever reach 40th level. Other activities have kept me from playing Avernum 6 much over the last few weeks. I hope to get back to it soon and finish it up in July.
Avernum 6
April 30, 2015
It is time to bring Avernum: The Great Trials Trilogy to a close. I previously finished Avernum 4 and Avernum 5. A couple of weeks ago, I began playing Avernum 6, the final chapter in the series. The underground world of Avernum is facing blight and famine. It is also under attack by the savage slithzerikai, a race of lizard people. The player characters are members of the Avernite army and are given various tasks, starting with protection of the food stores.
Here is the party I created:
Cyven, Human Soldier
Sidarr, Nephil Rogue
Olivia, Human Priest
Accarah, Human Sorcerer
My characters are all Level 10 now. As with previous entries in the series, the world is quite large. I have only explored a small percentage of the world map thus far. At this rate, I will be lucky to finish the game by the end of June.
Here is the party I created:
Cyven, Human Soldier
Sidarr, Nephil Rogue
Olivia, Human Priest
Accarah, Human Sorcerer
My characters are all Level 10 now. As with previous entries in the series, the world is quite large. I have only explored a small percentage of the world map thus far. At this rate, I will be lucky to finish the game by the end of June.
Burger Shop
March 04, 2015
After Chocolatier 2, I turned to another casual gaming title. Over the last few days, I completed the story mode in Burger Shop. Burger Shop brought back memories of iner Dash">Diner Dash. Instead of waiting tables, however, you have to assemble orders from items on a conveyor belt. There are also stations for sides, drinks, ice cream and condiments. The levels started slowly enough. I breezed through them without much trouble until I hit level 80, the final challenge. It took me multiple tries to complete that one. Completing story mode unlocked expert mode and another 80 levels. I played a few expert levels but it was more of the same routine. All in all, Burger Shop was a nice little diversion. I think I’ve had my fill, however, and I’m ready to move on to something else.
Chocolatier 2: Secret Ingredients
February 27, 2015
This month, I have been playing a “casual” game, Chocolatier 2: Secret Ingredients. It is a management sim in which you run a candy company. I named my company Kevin’s Sweets.
I played the story mode, which featured a soap opera styled drama involving Baumeister Confections, headquartered in San Francisco. The story began in the mid 1920s. Along the way, you buy factories to produce chocolates from one of six categories: squares, infusions, sauces, pralines, truffles, and exotics. One of the game’s main goals is building up your recipe book. It contains 72 slots with 12 recipes in each category. You can get recipes as payment for completing tasks for others. You can also develop recipes through experimentation in your chocolate lab in Buenos Aires. It should come as no surprise that there is an economic element to the game. Buy ingredients when they are in season and the price is right and then sell your chocolates to turn a profit.
For me, the most enjoyable part of the game was choosing a new recipe for a plant to manufacture. The game presents you with an arcade mini-game where you have to shoot ingredients into the proper slots within a one minute time limit. How successful you are determines the weekly production output. On January 1, 1944, I was named the CEO of Baumeister Confections, now renamed Kevin’s Sweets. I had a full recipe book and approximately $585 million at the time of victory.
I played the story mode, which featured a soap opera styled drama involving Baumeister Confections, headquartered in San Francisco. The story began in the mid 1920s. Along the way, you buy factories to produce chocolates from one of six categories: squares, infusions, sauces, pralines, truffles, and exotics. One of the game’s main goals is building up your recipe book. It contains 72 slots with 12 recipes in each category. You can get recipes as payment for completing tasks for others. You can also develop recipes through experimentation in your chocolate lab in Buenos Aires. It should come as no surprise that there is an economic element to the game. Buy ingredients when they are in season and the price is right and then sell your chocolates to turn a profit.
For me, the most enjoyable part of the game was choosing a new recipe for a plant to manufacture. The game presents you with an arcade mini-game where you have to shoot ingredients into the proper slots within a one minute time limit. How successful you are determines the weekly production output. On January 1, 1944, I was named the CEO of Baumeister Confections, now renamed Kevin’s Sweets. I had a full recipe book and approximately $585 million at the time of victory.
Geneforge 5: Overthrow
January 09, 2015
I started playing the Geneforge saga in late 2012. More than two years later, I finished the story by completing Geneforge 5: Overthrow, the final game in the series. Geneforge 5 was set in western Terrestia and had over 80 areas to explore. It was another enjoyable RPG from Spiderweb Software with many hours of gameplay. In the original Geneforge, I played a Shaper. In Geneforge 2 and Geneforge 3, I played an Agent and a Guardian, respectively. For Geneforge 4: Rebellion, I played as a Servile Rebel. I decided to bring the series to its conclusion by returning full circle to play a Shaper again. I’m glad I did. Shaping, the art of creating creatures, is a large part of what makes Geneforge special.
As with previous entries in the series, Geneforge 5 presents the player with many choices. This time, one of the key decisions was whether or not to side with one of the factions. There were several to choose from, each headed by a powerful leader:
My character, Santros, sided with Astoria, albeit late in the game. That felt like the best option, given the story and my character’s background. By the end, Santros had achieved Level 48 and was quite powerful. I had a nice group of creations, many of which had accompanied me from very early in the game. Unfortunately, my Plated Clawbug and Vlish died during the final battle. I am somewhat sad to see the series come to an end. However, I still have other Spiderweb Software RPGs to play, including Avernum 6, which brings another series to its conclusion.
As with previous entries in the series, Geneforge 5 presents the player with many choices. This time, one of the key decisions was whether or not to side with one of the factions. There were several to choose from, each headed by a powerful leader:
- Councilor Astoria, who seeks to broker a peace treaty between the Shapers and the Rebels
- General Alwan, a militant guardian who will accept nothing less than complete surrender by the Rebels
- Litalia, a former Shaper who leads the Trakovite sect, which is completely opposed to the art of Shaping
- Sage Taygen, a Shaper verging on madness who seeks to destroy all creations
- Ghaldring, a Drakon who leads the Rebels in war against the Shapers
My character, Santros, sided with Astoria, albeit late in the game. That felt like the best option, given the story and my character’s background. By the end, Santros had achieved Level 48 and was quite powerful. I had a nice group of creations, many of which had accompanied me from very early in the game. Unfortunately, my Plated Clawbug and Vlish died during the final battle. I am somewhat sad to see the series come to an end. However, I still have other Spiderweb Software RPGs to play, including Avernum 6, which brings another series to its conclusion.
Aquaria
December 10, 2014
For most of November, I was chipping away at Aquaria, an award winning indie game that was released several years ago. I played it a few years back but never got very far. This time, I decided to play it through to the end. I made it very close to the end over a week ago. However, I decided to take a break before tackling the final boss battle.
The visuals in the game are very well done. The artwork is cartoonish yet beautiful. The music is equally gratifying and provides a soothing backdrop to the onscreen action. There is a lot of exploration in Aquaria. Thankfully, there is an automap feature. It is a bit of adventure with some puzzle elements. Along the way, there is quite a bit of 2D combat action as the protagonist, Naija, battles with creatures of the deep. Naija possesses the ability to sing songs, which transform her into different forms or provide her with various benefits. The songs and forms must be learned. Over the course of the game Naija learns the following forms: song, energy, beast, nature, sun, fish, spirit, and dual. Another interesting aspect of the game was cooking items. Naija collects materials and learns recipes to combine them into many useful items. There were also hidden treasures to be found; I found 27 out of 32.
In total, I put over 25 hours into Aquaria. The final boss encounter was a multi-stage battle. It frustrated me but I finally conquered it on my fourth try. There was a lengthy cut scene presented as an epilogue.
The visuals in the game are very well done. The artwork is cartoonish yet beautiful. The music is equally gratifying and provides a soothing backdrop to the onscreen action. There is a lot of exploration in Aquaria. Thankfully, there is an automap feature. It is a bit of adventure with some puzzle elements. Along the way, there is quite a bit of 2D combat action as the protagonist, Naija, battles with creatures of the deep. Naija possesses the ability to sing songs, which transform her into different forms or provide her with various benefits. The songs and forms must be learned. Over the course of the game Naija learns the following forms: song, energy, beast, nature, sun, fish, spirit, and dual. Another interesting aspect of the game was cooking items. Naija collects materials and learns recipes to combine them into many useful items. There were also hidden treasures to be found; I found 27 out of 32.
In total, I put over 25 hours into Aquaria. The final boss encounter was a multi-stage battle. It frustrated me but I finally conquered it on my fourth try. There was a lengthy cut scene presented as an epilogue.
Internet Arcade
November 30, 2014
One thing I’ve enjoyed a great deal this month has been playing games on The Internet Arcade. It contains a large selection of arcade games from the 1970s to the 1990s. These aren’t watered down home video console versions either. They are the real deal—original coin-op classics. The games are emulated in JSMAME and playable in a web browser. Currently, The Internet Arcade has ten of the games on my all-time favorite coin-op games list. Also, seven out of nine of my honorable mentions are there as well.
I’ve played dozens of the available games and that is only scratching the surface. I really loved playing some of the early shooters, particularly Phoenix and Galaxian. Along with Galaga, these games raised the gameplay of Space Invaders to a whole new level. I think they are just as fun and addicting today as they were back then.
I’ve played dozens of the available games and that is only scratching the surface. I really loved playing some of the early shooters, particularly Phoenix and Galaxian. Along with Galaga, these games raised the gameplay of Space Invaders to a whole new level. I think they are just as fun and addicting today as they were back then.
Finished Avernum 5
July 29, 2014
Last evening, I finished Avernum 5, the middle game in the second Avernum trilogy. It was a two month affair, just as Avernum 4 was last year. I could be wrong but Avernum 5 seemed larger and longer than its ample-sized predecessor. In addition to the main story line, I completed many of the side quests. With so much content, however, I had to forgo some of the quests.
In Avernum 5, your characters are members of the Empire. After an attempt was made to assassinate Empress Prazac, you are sent down into Avernum to track down Dorikas, the traitor responsible. As you might imagine, this was a long and arduous task. You travel across many lands in Northern Avernum and the Northern Frontier before reaching the final showdown with Dorikas. As members of the Empire on the surface world, I decided to create a party of all humans. My characters were Tirion the soldier, Ollin the scout, Lunas the priest, and Darisis the Sorcerer. By the end of the game, all had reached level 33.
Overall, the game engine and game mechanics were very similar to Avernum 4. There were a few improvements, however. There were hotkeys for targeting enemies, which came in handy. Encumbrance was reworked in a way that was less realistic but more forgiving. Items only counted against a character’s encumbrance when they were equipped. I look forward to completing the second Avernum trilogy, probably sometime next year. Before I do that, I need to play the last game in Spiderweb Software’s Geneforge Saga.
In Avernum 5, your characters are members of the Empire. After an attempt was made to assassinate Empress Prazac, you are sent down into Avernum to track down Dorikas, the traitor responsible. As you might imagine, this was a long and arduous task. You travel across many lands in Northern Avernum and the Northern Frontier before reaching the final showdown with Dorikas. As members of the Empire on the surface world, I decided to create a party of all humans. My characters were Tirion the soldier, Ollin the scout, Lunas the priest, and Darisis the Sorcerer. By the end of the game, all had reached level 33.
Overall, the game engine and game mechanics were very similar to Avernum 4. There were a few improvements, however. There were hotkeys for targeting enemies, which came in handy. Encumbrance was reworked in a way that was less realistic but more forgiving. Items only counted against a character’s encumbrance when they were equipped. I look forward to completing the second Avernum trilogy, probably sometime next year. Before I do that, I need to play the last game in Spiderweb Software’s Geneforge Saga.
Avernum 5
June 30, 2014
Although I haven’t posted anything in a month or so, that doesn’t mean I haven’t done any gaming. Instead, it means I have undertaken another lengthy computer RPG. Avernum 5 from Spiderweb Software has kept me busy this month. I played Avernum 4 this same time last year and put quite a few hours into finishing it. Avernum 5 looks like it will take a similar effort. I’d estimate I am maybe 60% through the game.
There are some small but notable changes from Avernum 4: a more lenient encumbrance system, new battle techniques, and water travel with boats. Although the graphics look similar to those of its predecessor, Avernum 5 adds elevation to some of its maps. I have enjoyed the game so far. I will post more details once I’ve finished it.
There are some small but notable changes from Avernum 4: a more lenient encumbrance system, new battle techniques, and water travel with boats. Although the graphics look similar to those of its predecessor, Avernum 5 adds elevation to some of its maps. I have enjoyed the game so far. I will post more details once I’ve finished it.
Beneath a Steel Sky
May 22, 2014
I don’t play a lot of adventure games nowadays. Years ago, I was a big fan of Infocom’s text adventure games. For the most part, point and click graphical adventures never hooked me to the same degree. There were a few notable exceptions, such as Star Trek: 25th Anniversary, Star Trek: Judgment Rites, and some of LucasArts’ games. Another such game I had heard very good things about was Beneath a Steel Sky from Revolution Software. Released in 1994, I knew it was a sci-fi game in a dystopian setting. Other than that, I didn’t know much about it. Thanks to ScummVM, I was able to play this well-regarded classic.
You play Robert Foster, the game’s protagonist. The backstory is presented graphically in a comic book style. Foster is abducted from “The Gap” wasteland and taken to Union City. While there, he has to piece together a mystery involving his father and a powerful computer known as LINC. I expected the game to be a serious and mature sci-fi offering. The overall story and themes did not disappoint. However, I did not expect the game to be so humorous. The light-hearted dialog and comical situations rivaled classic LucasArts titles. It wasn’t the longest game, which was fine with me. Frankly, I no longer have the patience to flail away at overly complex adventure puzzles. Thank God for online hints.
I recommend the game to anyone with even a passing interest in graphical adventures. You can download the computer game as freeware or buy Beneath a Steel Sky: Remastered for iOS.
You play Robert Foster, the game’s protagonist. The backstory is presented graphically in a comic book style. Foster is abducted from “The Gap” wasteland and taken to Union City. While there, he has to piece together a mystery involving his father and a powerful computer known as LINC. I expected the game to be a serious and mature sci-fi offering. The overall story and themes did not disappoint. However, I did not expect the game to be so humorous. The light-hearted dialog and comical situations rivaled classic LucasArts titles. It wasn’t the longest game, which was fine with me. Frankly, I no longer have the patience to flail away at overly complex adventure puzzles. Thank God for online hints.
I recommend the game to anyone with even a passing interest in graphical adventures. You can download the computer game as freeware or buy Beneath a Steel Sky: Remastered for iOS.
Hidden Expedition: Everest
May 11, 2014
Before tackling another long game, I decided to play a hidden object game. It was Hidden Expedition: Everest, another title from Big Fish Games. I had played two Mystery Case Files games before, Huntsville and Ravenhearst. Although this game wasn’t from the MCF series, the game mechanics were very similar. You travel from location to location searching for hidden items from a fixed list. I completed my Everest expedition in less than three hours. It wasn’t anything complicated but fun nevertheless.
2048 - New High Score
May 05, 2014
Although I’ve won 2048 a number of times, I still enjoy playing it. I find its appeal is similar to Tetris—a game so simple yet so elegant and addicting. I never tire of either game. My latest goal was to create a tile of 4096. Yesterday, I achieved that goal. In fact, I did it twice in three games. My new high score is 51,116.
Depths of Peril
April 30, 2014
Not too long after Fate, I was back playing another action RPG. This time it was Depths of Peril. Both share the basic blueprint laid out by Blizzard years ago with Diablo. Compared to Fate, however, Depths of Peril offered much more than hack and slash gameplay. It blended strong strategy elements with standard action RPG fare. It was an interesting fusion of styles and not like any other game I’ve played before.
You play a faction leader in the barbarian city of Jorvik and compete with rival factions, called covenants, for control of the city. Diplomacy also comes into play. You may ally with other covenants or even fight alongside rival factions in defense of the city against outside invaders. Not only does your character have money in the form of copper, silver, and gold coins, but your covenant accumulates crystals collected through taxation. The game also supports trade of items, money, and objects. War is ultimately waged by raiding a covenant’s house and destroying its lifestone. In addition to all of these strategic elements, your character may adventure outside the city gates. Optionally, you may be accompanied by a member of your covenant.
There are four character classes: warrior, mage, rogue, and priest. I opted to play a mage. My character was Styrbiorn, courtesy of the random name generator. I named my covenant The Chosen. We had to compete against five other covenants for control of Jorvik. As you can see in the image below, we started last place in the power rankings. We moved up fairly quickly, however. The Guardians, Keepers of the Faith, and Shadow League were the first three to fall. An invasion of walking dead through a dimensional gate in the center of town caused most of the casualties. Styrbiorn returned to town and helped stop the invasion. That left The Chosen battling The Gilded Coin and Defenders of the Faith. Eventually, The Gilded Coin sealed its fate when it began demanding tribute from us. We responded by raiding its house and destroying it. I continued to adventure while Defenders of the Faith built its power base. After waging a rumor campaign to weaken their influence, Strybiorn and all of his covenant recruits raided their house to claim victory.
Styrbiorn was a Level 11 Amateur Mage at the time he came to rule Jorvik. His final stats and attributes are listed below.
Stats
Health: 188 / 188
Mana: 302 / 302
Attack: 146
Defense: 188
Armor: 56
Damage: 8 - 21
Dps: 7.2
Money: 8SP 2CP
Attributes
Strength: 11
Dexterity: 26
Vitality: 32
Intelligence: 39
Spirit: 16
You play a faction leader in the barbarian city of Jorvik and compete with rival factions, called covenants, for control of the city. Diplomacy also comes into play. You may ally with other covenants or even fight alongside rival factions in defense of the city against outside invaders. Not only does your character have money in the form of copper, silver, and gold coins, but your covenant accumulates crystals collected through taxation. The game also supports trade of items, money, and objects. War is ultimately waged by raiding a covenant’s house and destroying its lifestone. In addition to all of these strategic elements, your character may adventure outside the city gates. Optionally, you may be accompanied by a member of your covenant.
There are four character classes: warrior, mage, rogue, and priest. I opted to play a mage. My character was Styrbiorn, courtesy of the random name generator. I named my covenant The Chosen. We had to compete against five other covenants for control of Jorvik. As you can see in the image below, we started last place in the power rankings. We moved up fairly quickly, however. The Guardians, Keepers of the Faith, and Shadow League were the first three to fall. An invasion of walking dead through a dimensional gate in the center of town caused most of the casualties. Styrbiorn returned to town and helped stop the invasion. That left The Chosen battling The Gilded Coin and Defenders of the Faith. Eventually, The Gilded Coin sealed its fate when it began demanding tribute from us. We responded by raiding its house and destroying it. I continued to adventure while Defenders of the Faith built its power base. After waging a rumor campaign to weaken their influence, Strybiorn and all of his covenant recruits raided their house to claim victory.
Styrbiorn was a Level 11 Amateur Mage at the time he came to rule Jorvik. His final stats and attributes are listed below.
Stats
Health: 188 / 188
Mana: 302 / 302
Attack: 146
Defense: 188
Armor: 56
Damage: 8 - 21
Dps: 7.2
Money: 8SP 2CP
Attributes
Strength: 11
Dexterity: 26
Vitality: 32
Intelligence: 39
Spirit: 16
2048
April 13, 2014
One game that’s hooked me recently is 2048. It is imitative of the critically acclaimed mobile game Threes!. I would buy Threes! if I had an iOS device. I don’t, however, so I gave the free 2048 web game a try. 2048 may not be as good as the original but it was still plenty addicting. It is a sliding puzzle game where the objective is to combine tiles. You win the game when you create a tile of 2048. After that, you can continue playing to increase your score until you run out of moves. I must have played over 50 games of 2048 before I finally achieved victory yesterday. I ended with a score of 35,220.
Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs
April 12, 2014
Last Sunday, I finished the campaign in Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs, the first expansion pack for AOE3. The story was divided into two acts, Fire and Ice. The former featured the Iroquois while the latter featured the Sioux. It continued the story line of the Black family from AOE3. The expansion also included the Aztecs, which are playable in skirmish and multiplayer modes.
Fire was set during the American Revolution. Several missions were based on historical events such as crossing the Delaware River, Valley Forge, and culminating in the Battle of Yorktown. The protagonist was Nathaniel Black, son of John Black. Another prominent hero character in Act I was George Washington. Act II, Shadow, began in 1866 and followed Chayton Black, Nathaniel’s grandson. In seven missions, Chayton battled against the Sioux and later by their side.
I love Age of Empires and this was another solid entry in the series. Between AOE3 and The WarChiefs, there were almost 40 missions to play, all featuring members of the Black family from various generations. After finishing the single player campaign, I have been playing some skirmish mode games. I want to give the Aztecs a try next.
Fire was set during the American Revolution. Several missions were based on historical events such as crossing the Delaware River, Valley Forge, and culminating in the Battle of Yorktown. The protagonist was Nathaniel Black, son of John Black. Another prominent hero character in Act I was George Washington. Act II, Shadow, began in 1866 and followed Chayton Black, Nathaniel’s grandson. In seven missions, Chayton battled against the Sioux and later by their side.
I love Age of Empires and this was another solid entry in the series. Between AOE3 and The WarChiefs, there were almost 40 missions to play, all featuring members of the Black family from various generations. After finishing the single player campaign, I have been playing some skirmish mode games. I want to give the Aztecs a try next.
Fate
March 23, 2014
I usually play my computer games roughly in chronological order based on their release dates. Recently, I have been playing games from 2007 and 2008. I knew Fate was coming up in my playlist. I mistakenly had Fate listed as a 2007 release when it was, in fact, released in 2005. I moved this action RPG to the top of my list and have been playing it all month.
Despite always wanting to play Diablo, I never did. However, I heard Fate was like “Diablo Lite,” a similar game with a lighter tone. I created a character, Osteron, who was accompanied by his pet dog Amory. The addition of a pet was a different twist. Your character can go fishing to catch magical fish to feed to your pet. They transform a pet into more powerful creatures, either temporarily or even permanently, depending on the type of fish.
The content of Fate is procedurally generated and there isn’t much of a story. There is only one town, Grove, and one dungeon to explore. My ultimate quest (randomly generated) was to destroy Agarrod, a great Devilkin inhabiting the 41st level of the dungeon. It took me 31 hours to reach the 41st level and defeat Agarrod. There wasn’t a lot of depth to the gameplay but I still enjoyed it. It was a typical hack-n-slash RPG in which you kill monsters and gather loot. Down the road, I’m sure I will play other similar games like Torchlight or Diablo III.
Despite always wanting to play Diablo, I never did. However, I heard Fate was like “Diablo Lite,” a similar game with a lighter tone. I created a character, Osteron, who was accompanied by his pet dog Amory. The addition of a pet was a different twist. Your character can go fishing to catch magical fish to feed to your pet. They transform a pet into more powerful creatures, either temporarily or even permanently, depending on the type of fish.
The content of Fate is procedurally generated and there isn’t much of a story. There is only one town, Grove, and one dungeon to explore. My ultimate quest (randomly generated) was to destroy Agarrod, a great Devilkin inhabiting the 41st level of the dungeon. It took me 31 hours to reach the 41st level and defeat Agarrod. There wasn’t a lot of depth to the gameplay but I still enjoyed it. It was a typical hack-n-slash RPG in which you kill monsters and gather loot. Down the road, I’m sure I will play other similar games like Torchlight or Diablo III.
Mahjong Towers Eternity
February 15, 2014
Along with the disappointing Penumbra: Requiem, I have recently been playing Mahjong Towers Eternity. I’m no Mahjong expert, but I enjoy a good game now and then. It is from Big Fish Games, one of the big companies devoted to casual games. I completed all of the built in levels as well as a couple of the fan made ones, about two dozen total. I now have the title of “Lightning Rat”; next up is “Bronze Ox.” There are twelve animal ranks. I don’t plan to play it anywhere near enough to achieve the top ratings. Compared to the frustration of Penumbra: Requiem, this was actually much more fun.
Penumbra: Requiem
February 14, 2014
It was a disappointing ending. I am referring to Penumbra: Requiem, the final entry in the Penumbra series. The first two Penumbra offerings, Overture and Black Plague, were interesting survival horror games with puzzles and a physics-based game engine. In Requiem, the horror was pretty much gone. Although the environment could be deadly, there were no enemies at all. The puzzle elements remained but there was barely a story to be found. All in all, I found it to be very unsatisfying. There was plenty of box moving, switch pulling, jumping, and so forth. Having to do so stumbling around in the dark with a flashlight or glow stick wasn’t that enjoyable.
Penumbra: Black Plague
February 07, 2014
Last night, I finished Penumbra: Black Plague. It was similar to Penumbra: Overture, but with some notable differences. The awkward combat from Overture was removed. Black Plague had potentially deadly enemies. You had no weapons to defend yourself, however, so they were to be avoided. There were still puzzles to solve, even more of them in fact. Overall, the tone felt less scary than Overture. It was perhaps a bit more disturbing, though, thanks to Clarence, the voice in your head. Clarence serves as your unwelcome companion for a good portion of the game. He has a twisted sense of humor and enjoys taunting and tormenting you. I was glad when I finally rid myself of him.
Black Plague pretty much brought the Penumbra story to a conclusion. There is an expansion pack, Penumbra: Requiem, however. It is supposed to flesh out the story a bit. Requiem is next on my play list.
Black Plague pretty much brought the Penumbra story to a conclusion. There is an expansion pack, Penumbra: Requiem, however. It is supposed to flesh out the story a bit. Requiem is next on my play list.
Penumbra: Overture
January 26, 2014
I started playing The Penumbra Collection from Frictional Games. The first chapter in the series is Penumbra: Overture. After playing for a couple of weeks, I just finished it last Friday. Penumbra is a survival horror game with a physics engine that affects both puzzles and combat. The best part of the game was the creepy atmosphere. It made good use of sound and music to set a mood of suspense and even fright. The combat, on the other hand, was not my favorite part of the game. My first encounter with a rabid dog was terrifying. After killing many of them, it became tedious and not very frightening. As expected, Overture ended on a cliffhanger, which sets up chapter two, Penumbra: Black Plague. Instead of taking a break from Penumbra, I decided to begin playing Black Plague immediately.
Diamond Detective
December 30, 2013
I have been playing another casual puzzle game. This time, it is Diamond Detective. The object is to match chains of gems on the screen to stay ahead of the thief. Every five levels, there is a deductive logic puzzle to identify a criminal. Afterwards, you play a pursuit level to capture the crook. I was having fun with Diamond Detective until I hit a wall about 30 levels in. I played the level over and over a bunch of times but never managed to get past it. I tried so many times that I have now had my fill of Diamond Detective. It’s too bad because I was only a bit over halfway through the game.
Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst
December 27, 2013
Earlier this year, I played Mystery Case Files: Huntsville. Today, I finished my second MCF game, Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst. This was the third installment in the MCF series. In addition to hidden object searches, there were some puzzles as well. The puzzles weren’t my favorite part of the game. I tended to use the “call for backup” feature to bypass the puzzles at the cost of all remaining hints and a five minute penalty on the timer. The final challenge involved finding seven keys. Afterwards, there was a mandatory puzzle to reach the conclusion. Thankfully, I solved it with time to spare.
Geneforge 4: Rebellion
December 24, 2013
I completed another game in Spiderweb Software’s Geneforge saga, Geneforge 4: Rebellion. As you would expect given the title, the story was about a rebellion against the shapers. The plot was flexible enough to allow supporting either side or even both sides. I decided to support the rebel cause and play as a servile, one of the new character classes in Geneforge 4. It was time to cast off the shackles of shaper tyranny!
The game was a bit larger than its predecessors. There were five regions spread across two maps. Things started in Southeast Terrestia in the Forsaken Lands and proceeded west to Illya Province. The search for another geneforge brought my character, Krik, north to the Fens of Aziraph and then Burwood Province. The conclusion was set in the frozen lands of the Grayghost Mountains. As a servile, Krik was strong and well-suited for hand to hand combat. He came to be quite competent at spellcasting as well. Krik was not a skilled shaper so he mainly traveled without any creations. Early in the game, however, Krik had some traveling companions. One was an artila named Greenfang and the other was Khur, a fellow servile. For the most part, Krik was on his own. Fortunately, Krik made it to level 41 by the end of the game so he was quite powerful.
As is typical with this series, there was no moral clarity. Both sides operated in a gray area of some good and some bad. The drakons, giant lizard creations, planned to use the rebellion to elevate themselves into power once the shapers were destroyed. It looked like another era of tyranny was possible if the rebellion was successful. In the end, I made the tough decision to take the rebellion as far as possible without leaving the drakons in a position of ultimate power. Krik sabotaged their plans at the last possible minute. There was still much carnage unleashed on Terrestia. However, things ended in a relative stalemate between rebels and shapers. It was the best outcome I could obtain. I look forward to the conclusion of the series in Geneforge 5: Overthrow.
The game was a bit larger than its predecessors. There were five regions spread across two maps. Things started in Southeast Terrestia in the Forsaken Lands and proceeded west to Illya Province. The search for another geneforge brought my character, Krik, north to the Fens of Aziraph and then Burwood Province. The conclusion was set in the frozen lands of the Grayghost Mountains. As a servile, Krik was strong and well-suited for hand to hand combat. He came to be quite competent at spellcasting as well. Krik was not a skilled shaper so he mainly traveled without any creations. Early in the game, however, Krik had some traveling companions. One was an artila named Greenfang and the other was Khur, a fellow servile. For the most part, Krik was on his own. Fortunately, Krik made it to level 41 by the end of the game so he was quite powerful.
As is typical with this series, there was no moral clarity. Both sides operated in a gray area of some good and some bad. The drakons, giant lizard creations, planned to use the rebellion to elevate themselves into power once the shapers were destroyed. It looked like another era of tyranny was possible if the rebellion was successful. In the end, I made the tough decision to take the rebellion as far as possible without leaving the drakons in a position of ultimate power. Krik sabotaged their plans at the last possible minute. There was still much carnage unleashed on Terrestia. However, things ended in a relative stalemate between rebels and shapers. It was the best outcome I could obtain. I look forward to the conclusion of the series in Geneforge 5: Overthrow.
DEFCON
November 17, 2013
I previously enjoyed Introversion Software’s Uplink and Darwinia, both ported to the Mac by Ambrosia Software. I really looked forward to DEFCON, Introversion’s next title after Darwinia. After all these years, I finally got around to playing it. Based on screenshots and reviews, I knew it evoked memories of WarGames, the 1983 movie about the threat of nuclear war. As with Darwinia, the game’s graphical style was quite unique and certainly effective for the subject matter. Colorful vector graphics represent the action on a world map. Everything plays out in real (but sometimes accelerated) time. When a new game begins, you quickly deploy radar stations, silos, airbases, and naval fleets. Naval units include battleships, carriers, and submarines. The action picks up as the threat level ticks down from DEFCON 5 to DEFCON 1. At DEFCON 3, combat begins. At DEFCON 1, nuclear weapons come into play. The goal is to inflict casualties on your enemies and prevent casualties in your own cities. A running score is shown on screen. Things can swing widely at the end, taking a player from first place to last place and vice versa as the final volley of nukes reach their targets.
So far, I have been battling different combinations of computer AI opponents and having a lot of fun. DEFCON also supports multiplayer games against human players on the internet or a local LAN. I haven’t tried that yet.
So far, I have been battling different combinations of computer AI opponents and having a lot of fun. DEFCON also supports multiplayer games against human players on the internet or a local LAN. I haven’t tried that yet.
Runic
November 10, 2013
I have always enjoyed arcade games in the style of Breakout and Arkenoid. Those games made effective use of paddle controllers, which declined in popularity over time. One of the many games inspired by these classic titles was Runic. The experience was a little different with a mouse, but the core gameplay was very familiar. Behind the arcade action was a bit of a story involving Dark Wizards enslaving the people of Utharkland. The task of freeing the people falls on you, the player. As is typical with Arkenoid derivatives, there are power-ups. In Runic, you collect potions for recipes to create spells. Spells may be cast to unleash various effects that aid in destroying items on screen. There is also a magic shop, which is accessible between levels. There, you can buy more potions or special abilities. One thing I really liked was that you could have multiple power-ups active simultaneously. In some games like Runic, a new power-up immediately replaces the previous one in effect. Every so often, there were levels that included a boss. In addition to the typical bricks and objects to smash, you had to defeat the boss by inflicting damage until the boss’s health was gone.
All in all, it was a pretty fun game. After completing Level 100, I was presented with a victory message: “Congratualtions!!! The fate of people from Utharkland is in their hands! You set them free!” I guess the developers really like exclamation points.
All in all, it was a pretty fun game. After completing Level 100, I was presented with a victory message: “Congratualtions!!! The fate of people from Utharkland is in their hands! You set them free!” I guess the developers really like exclamation points.
Redline
November 08, 2013
Along with Wingnuts 2, I have been playing another Mac exclusive title, Redline. I don’t own many racing games. I used to enjoy quite a few coin-op racing games back in the golden days of video arcades. However, I am certainly not a hardcore racing sim aficionado. I prefer a less realistic arcade racing experience. Thankfully, Redline has several modes available: simulation, arcade, turbo arcade, and strict. In addition to standard races, it also supports time trials and challenges.
After driving several races with a BMC Mini, I turned my attention to the challenges. Completing challenges is the way to unlock additional vehicles. So far, I have completed eight of out twelve challenges. This unlocked the following cars: DeLorean, Chevy Corvette, VW Golf, Dodge Charger, Audi TT, Dodge Viper, Lamborghini Diablo, and Porsche 959. I still have to complete the Downhill Corners, City Corners, Offroad Corners, and Racing Trial challenges.
After driving several races with a BMC Mini, I turned my attention to the challenges. Completing challenges is the way to unlock additional vehicles. So far, I have completed eight of out twelve challenges. This unlocked the following cars: DeLorean, Chevy Corvette, VW Golf, Dodge Charger, Audi TT, Dodge Viper, Lamborghini Diablo, and Porsche 959. I still have to complete the Downhill Corners, City Corners, Offroad Corners, and Racing Trial challenges.
Wingnuts 2: Raina's Revenge
November 03, 2013
I recently brought out my Logitech RumblePad 2 for some arcade action in Wingnuts 2: Raina’s Revenge. I’ve had it for quite a few years but haven’t played it in a while. I really liked the original game from Freeverse Software, Wingnuts: Temporal Navigator. It was very much in the spirit of one of my all time favorite coin-op arcade games, Time Pilot. Wingnuts 2 raised the bar graphically and also added some depth and flexibility to the gameplay.
One nice addition in the sequel is the inclusion of multiple aircraft on your carrier. You choose your plane at the start of each mission. During the mission, you can land on the carrier and swap into another plane. That is useful if you need to change tactics or if your plane is damaged or running low on fuel. Each aircraft is rated for its speed, turning ability, fuel capacity, and shields. Also, each plane has a rating for its guns, bombs, and missiles (on more modern aircraft). You add to your selection of planes as the game progresses. Some of the early planes you are provided are the P-51 Mustang, Bell P-39 Airacobra, Macchi Mc.202, and A-10 Thunderbolt II. Enemies are similarly based on real aircraft. Once you lose a particular plane, it is gone forever. You want to protect them like “lives” in a typical arcade game.
When I first played Wingnuts 2 years ago, I wasn’t sure I liked the game mechanics as well as the original Wingnuts. This time around, however, it appealed to me much more. I definitely like the swappable aircraft. The much improved graphics don’t hurt either.
One nice addition in the sequel is the inclusion of multiple aircraft on your carrier. You choose your plane at the start of each mission. During the mission, you can land on the carrier and swap into another plane. That is useful if you need to change tactics or if your plane is damaged or running low on fuel. Each aircraft is rated for its speed, turning ability, fuel capacity, and shields. Also, each plane has a rating for its guns, bombs, and missiles (on more modern aircraft). You add to your selection of planes as the game progresses. Some of the early planes you are provided are the P-51 Mustang, Bell P-39 Airacobra, Macchi Mc.202, and A-10 Thunderbolt II. Enemies are similarly based on real aircraft. Once you lose a particular plane, it is gone forever. You want to protect them like “lives” in a typical arcade game.
When I first played Wingnuts 2 years ago, I wasn’t sure I liked the game mechanics as well as the original Wingnuts. This time around, however, it appealed to me much more. I definitely like the swappable aircraft. The much improved graphics don’t hurt either.
Neverwinter Nights: Darkness over Daggerford
October 27, 2013
For the past few weeks, I’ve been playing Darkness over Daggerford, a Neverwinter Nights module by Ossian Studios. Originally intended as a premium module, it was instead released for free several years ago. The setting was the Sword Coast of the Forgotten Realms. It was designed for a character starting at level 8 so I decided to level up Arto Blake, my cleric from Witch’s Wake. After getting into the story, I’m not sure a cleric was the best match. If I knew you started out as a mercenary guarding a caravan, I would have played a straight fighter. The module claimed 25 to 30 hours of gameplay with all of the quests. Although the main plot thread was quite linear, you could freely do most of the side quests. I didn’t do them all, but I tackled quite a few of them.
The main plot involved a missing noble, Duke Greatshout, and trouble in and around Daggerford. During a caravan raid, a fellow party member, Talarenne, was kidnapped. Finding her was one of the important subplots. Early on, I picked up two henchmen. One was Purfbin, a male gnome rogue. The other was Raegan, a somewhat rude human female fighter. Arto Blake made it to level 13 by the end of the tale. At the end, there was a major battle within the walls of Daggerford. Naturally, Arto and company were victorious against some impressive foes.
This was certainly the most substantial and enjoyable Neverwinter Nights expansion module I’ve yet played.
The main plot involved a missing noble, Duke Greatshout, and trouble in and around Daggerford. During a caravan raid, a fellow party member, Talarenne, was kidnapped. Finding her was one of the important subplots. Early on, I picked up two henchmen. One was Purfbin, a male gnome rogue. The other was Raegan, a somewhat rude human female fighter. Arto Blake made it to level 13 by the end of the tale. At the end, there was a major battle within the walls of Daggerford. Naturally, Arto and company were victorious against some impressive foes.
This was certainly the most substantial and enjoyable Neverwinter Nights expansion module I’ve yet played.
Neverwinter Nights: Witch's Wake
October 06, 2013
I played another brief Neverwinter Nights module today. The module was The Witch’s Wake Part I: The Fields of Battle. It was written by Rob Bartel, the Senior Designer on the Neverwinter Nights Live Team. I created a Level 1 Human Cleric, Arto Blake, for this adventure. Just as the story began to develop, it ended in a cliffhanger. Unfortunately, The Witch’s Wake Part II: The Witch Hunters was never released. Therefore, I’m off to find another NWN module to sink my teeth into.
Neverwinter Nights - Two Community Modules
September 28, 2013
I’ve played the Neverwinter Nights campaign and both expansion packs (Shadows of Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark). However, I had never tried any of the modules produced by the NWN community. This week, I ventured into new territory with the following two modules.
My first module was Snickersnack!, a short adventure for low level characters. This module received high marks and was in the NWN Hall of Fame so I thought it was a safe bet. It was supposed to be short and light-hearted, but very well done. For the adventure, I created a first level character, a halfling thief named Zercher. Zercher found himself in the Anauroc Desert. Some kobolds offered him a vorpal blade if he could find a member of their tribe who had gone missing. This was too good an offer to pass up for a young rogue looking for easy treasure. It ended up a bit of a challenge but well worth his while. He found the missing person (er, kobold) in the mines and returned with her. Surprisingly, the kobolds kept their word and Zercher left with a very valuable reward.
For the second NWN module of the week, I decided to try Elena's Tale - Roses for Rosa. It appealed to me because it was another very short adventure that was highly regarded. It also contained custom music and a pregenerated character. I played the included female half-elf character, Therisse Rellyana, a level 5 bard and level 1 ranger. The adventure started in Brookford, a very small settlement near Daggerford. Inside The Plucked Chicken tavern, a popular bard from Waterdeep named Elena was performing. Elena heard tales of a magically enchanted eternal rose, supposedly near Brookford. She asked me to seek it out. I accepted the task on the promise of payment. Along the way, Therisse’s skills were put to use by speaking with the animals of the forest. There were but a few areas to explore in this module, including a small shack and a wizard’s tower. Eventually, I discovered the secret of the eternal rose and received quite a bit of gold for the job. Unfortunately, I was never able to enter the town’s crypt, but that was required to complete the story.
My first module was Snickersnack!, a short adventure for low level characters. This module received high marks and was in the NWN Hall of Fame so I thought it was a safe bet. It was supposed to be short and light-hearted, but very well done. For the adventure, I created a first level character, a halfling thief named Zercher. Zercher found himself in the Anauroc Desert. Some kobolds offered him a vorpal blade if he could find a member of their tribe who had gone missing. This was too good an offer to pass up for a young rogue looking for easy treasure. It ended up a bit of a challenge but well worth his while. He found the missing person (er, kobold) in the mines and returned with her. Surprisingly, the kobolds kept their word and Zercher left with a very valuable reward.
For the second NWN module of the week, I decided to try Elena's Tale - Roses for Rosa. It appealed to me because it was another very short adventure that was highly regarded. It also contained custom music and a pregenerated character. I played the included female half-elf character, Therisse Rellyana, a level 5 bard and level 1 ranger. The adventure started in Brookford, a very small settlement near Daggerford. Inside The Plucked Chicken tavern, a popular bard from Waterdeep named Elena was performing. Elena heard tales of a magically enchanted eternal rose, supposedly near Brookford. She asked me to seek it out. I accepted the task on the promise of payment. Along the way, Therisse’s skills were put to use by speaking with the animals of the forest. There were but a few areas to explore in this module, including a small shack and a wizard’s tower. Eventually, I discovered the secret of the eternal rose and received quite a bit of gold for the job. Unfortunately, I was never able to enter the town’s crypt, but that was required to complete the story.
Avernum 4
June 30, 2013
My computer gaming for May and June has been devoted to Avernum 4 from Spiderweb Software. Back in December and January, I played the first three Geneforge games, another RPG series from the same company. In the Geneforge titles, I played a single character. In Avernum 4, I controlled a party of four characters. Once again, I decided to use the pre-generated characters: Aldous (Human Soldier), Ssschah (Slithzerikai Rebel), Mycroft (Human Priest), and Cordelia (Human Sorcerer).
Avernum 4 is the beginning of the second Avernum trilogy. It continues the tales of Avernum, a subterranean land beneath the Empire, which controls the surface world. I never played the first trilogy, but the story was easy enough to get into. My party of adventurers faced an Avernum beset with more than one crisis. Sea monsters had shut down most water travel. Dark and powerful shades tormented several towns, leaving the inhabitants cowering in fear. A group known as the Darkside Loyalists also terrorized people throughout Avernum. Then there were the Vahnatai, a mysterious race that lived below Avernum. They had not been heard from for quite some time. However, several Vahnatai made their presence known after a long absence. We certainly had our work cut out for us.
By the end of the game, my characters were as high as level 35. We had accomplished all of the main quests and most of the side quests as well. The final battle against the story’s main villain was tough, but probably not the toughest one we faced. I am interested to see where the story goes next in Avernum 5.
Aldous, Ssschah, Mycroft, and Cordelia:
Avernum 4 is the beginning of the second Avernum trilogy. It continues the tales of Avernum, a subterranean land beneath the Empire, which controls the surface world. I never played the first trilogy, but the story was easy enough to get into. My party of adventurers faced an Avernum beset with more than one crisis. Sea monsters had shut down most water travel. Dark and powerful shades tormented several towns, leaving the inhabitants cowering in fear. A group known as the Darkside Loyalists also terrorized people throughout Avernum. Then there were the Vahnatai, a mysterious race that lived below Avernum. They had not been heard from for quite some time. However, several Vahnatai made their presence known after a long absence. We certainly had our work cut out for us.
By the end of the game, my characters were as high as level 35. We had accomplished all of the main quests and most of the side quests as well. The final battle against the story’s main villain was tough, but probably not the toughest one we faced. I am interested to see where the story goes next in Avernum 5.
Aldous, Ssschah, Mycroft, and Cordelia:
Samorost and Samorost 2
April 29, 2013
Samorost and Samorost 2 are two point and click adventure games from Amanita Design. After playing Civilization IV for 30 hours or so, these two games offered brief but enjoyable gameplay. In fact, each game can be finished in a single sitting, which I did. The Samorost adventures are visually striking Adobe Flash games featuring uniquely styled artwork and cute characters. The puzzles are fair and not overly complicated. Like many point and click adventures, however, you are sometimes forced to hunt and peck around the screen for clickable items with which to interact. I enjoyed both games, but the sequel was the longer and somewhat more difficult of the two.
Civilization IV
April 21, 2013
After playing Rome: Total War and Age of Empires III, I took a break before starting another historical strategy game. After I finished Stubbs the Zombie, however, I was ready for Civilization IV. I enjoyed Civilization III and heard even better things about Civilization IV. After playing the tutorial, I started my first real game. I chose to play a standard sized continents map with pretty default settings. I let the computer assign me a random civilization, which was the English. On my continent were the Arabs, Greeks, and Spanish. Later, I discovered a second continent populated by the Indians, Incas, and Aztecs.
For most of the game, I remained on cordial terms with almost every other nation. The one notable exception was the Aztecs, led by Montezuma. Although our nation was at peace, the Greeks constantly warred with the Spanish. Both sides tried to drag me into the conflict but I refused. When the Aztecs sent troops to our continent to attack the Spanish, we decided to act. I declared war on the Aztecs and England drove them back to their own shores. We were at war from 1953 to 1978. Finally, Montezuma asked for peace and we accepted. Unfortunately for the Spanish, the Greeks continued their aggression against them. By 2009, the Spanish civilization had been completely eliminated.
I was in no hurry to achieve victory because I was having so much fun with the game. Our civilization was the greatest in the world in terms of population, culture and military might. As the world approached the 21st century, several nations began a race into space. The Indians were well ahead of every other nation. We were in real jeopardy of losing the game to them. We put the full resources of England behind the production of a space ship. In 2024, we completed our space ship slightly ahead of the Indians. England achieved a Space Race victory!
For most of the game, I remained on cordial terms with almost every other nation. The one notable exception was the Aztecs, led by Montezuma. Although our nation was at peace, the Greeks constantly warred with the Spanish. Both sides tried to drag me into the conflict but I refused. When the Aztecs sent troops to our continent to attack the Spanish, we decided to act. I declared war on the Aztecs and England drove them back to their own shores. We were at war from 1953 to 1978. Finally, Montezuma asked for peace and we accepted. Unfortunately for the Spanish, the Greeks continued their aggression against them. By 2009, the Spanish civilization had been completely eliminated.
I was in no hurry to achieve victory because I was having so much fun with the game. Our civilization was the greatest in the world in terms of population, culture and military might. As the world approached the 21st century, several nations began a race into space. The Indians were well ahead of every other nation. We were in real jeopardy of losing the game to them. We put the full resources of England behind the production of a space ship. In 2024, we completed our space ship slightly ahead of the Indians. England achieved a Space Race victory!
Stubbs the Zombie
April 06, 2013
Well, this was different. The latest computer game I completed was Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse. An action game from 2005, Stubbs was certainly a change of pace. Built on the Halo game engine, Stubbs presented a third-person perspective in a fantasy/horror setting. Set in 1959 in fictional Punchbowl, Pennsylvania, the plot followed zombie and former traveling salesman, Edward “Stubbs” Stubblefield. Instead of the typical array of firearms, Stubbs wielded a unique variety of weapons. At his disposal was zombie strength, gut grenades, unholy flatulence, an enemy-possessing hand, and a sputum head. The hand and head were detachable and regenerating. The hand, in particular, offered an excellent alternative to usual run-and-gun tactics. In addition to these weapons was Stubbs’ bread and butter—eating people’s brains. Devouring brains recharged his other attacks, so a mix of attack strategies was effective.
All in all, I liked Stubbs a lot. It was a nice blend of action, irreverent humor, and very creative weaponry. It also featured a great soundtrack with modern covers of classic songs from the 1950s and 1960s.
Click here for the Stubbs the Zombie trailer.
All in all, I liked Stubbs a lot. It was a nice blend of action, irreverent humor, and very creative weaponry. It also featured a great soundtrack with modern covers of classic songs from the 1950s and 1960s.
Click here for the Stubbs the Zombie trailer.
Mystery Case Files: Huntsville
March 24, 2013
For a quick casual gaming fix, I just played and finished Mystery Case Files: Huntsville. It was the first Mystery Case Files title. MCF is a series of hidden object puzzle games. After some long CRPGs and strategy games, it was nice to play a game that could be finished within a single day. The gameplay was simple yet satisfying.
I’m now off to my pile of games to choose the next one to play.
I’m now off to my pile of games to choose the next one to play.
The Movies
March 22, 2013
When The Movies came out in late 2005, it immediately appealed to me. It reminded me of Detroit, an earlier business simulation I enjoyed. It also brought back memories of Stunt Island, a simulation with a focus on movie making. I have really enjoyed playing this game over the last month. Here is the tale of my studio.
It started back in 1905 when construction began on our studio lot. We built a stage school, crew facility, casting office, production office, and a script office. On January 11, 1920, Star Pictures opened for business. We started small with one star, Eliot Attridge, and director Jason Gilmore. Our first film was The Baggage Boy, a slapstick comedy. During the silent film era, we produced films quite regularly. We released the romantic Love Lasso, the humorous Doctor Copter, the frightening Body in the Canal, and our first sci-fi movie, Allan Lives Forever!
What we sometimes lacked in star power, we made up for in technology. Our research lab was top notch and kept us ahead of competing studios. We moved to sound and color pictures quickly. Star Pictures released Cavalry Twill, a popular western. Although we worked in all genres, Star Pictures established a reputation for horror and science fiction, in particular. The Moon Zeppelin did well in 1932 and Don’t Make Me Axe You Again was a fine horror release in 1948.
In the 1950s, Star Pictures really hit its stride. War movies were in demand, like 1950’s Danger Ranger. The public’s fascination with science fiction was growing. Huntress of Sol (1953) and the sci-fi comedy Little Titan (1958) were successes. By November 1958, we had climbed to the top. Star Pictures was the #1 studio in the industry. Our time at the top was somewhat short-lived, unfortunately. Many of our stars were overworked and unhappy. Some of them battled addiction problems. For several years, our studio was in trouble.
1963 was our turnaround year. Star Pictures released a sci-fi smash hit, Battleants Defend Jupiter. That movie put us back on the map. We rode the momentum for the next two decades. In 1983, we debuted a very lucrative film—the sci-fi cult classic, Brown Midget. Finally, I should mention our biggest box office moneymaker ever. It was the 2002 horror classic, Playerkiller. Although Playerkiller easily outclassed all preceding films in box office receipts, nothing could ever touch the impact of Battleants Defend Jupiter, particularly considering it was released almost forty years earlier.
Scene from Battleants Defend Jupiter
By 2005, I was recognized as a respected studio head. Over the last century, many stars had graced our lot, such as Rachel Clavel, Chris Roe, David Gamel, Kate Webley, and Sonja Stender. Our directors included Jason Gilmore, Lee Ross, Jeremie Texier, and Adam Zamoyski. For years, the writing team of Alexander Hutchings and Christian Gossart worked furiously behind the scenes, cranking out script after script.
It has been tremendous fun guiding Star Pictures through its first 100 years.
What we sometimes lacked in star power, we made up for in technology. Our research lab was top notch and kept us ahead of competing studios. We moved to sound and color pictures quickly. Star Pictures released Cavalry Twill, a popular western. Although we worked in all genres, Star Pictures established a reputation for horror and science fiction, in particular. The Moon Zeppelin did well in 1932 and Don’t Make Me Axe You Again was a fine horror release in 1948.
In the 1950s, Star Pictures really hit its stride. War movies were in demand, like 1950’s Danger Ranger. The public’s fascination with science fiction was growing. Huntress of Sol (1953) and the sci-fi comedy Little Titan (1958) were successes. By November 1958, we had climbed to the top. Star Pictures was the #1 studio in the industry. Our time at the top was somewhat short-lived, unfortunately. Many of our stars were overworked and unhappy. Some of them battled addiction problems. For several years, our studio was in trouble.
1963 was our turnaround year. Star Pictures released a sci-fi smash hit, Battleants Defend Jupiter. That movie put us back on the map. We rode the momentum for the next two decades. In 1983, we debuted a very lucrative film—the sci-fi cult classic, Brown Midget. Finally, I should mention our biggest box office moneymaker ever. It was the 2002 horror classic, Playerkiller. Although Playerkiller easily outclassed all preceding films in box office receipts, nothing could ever touch the impact of Battleants Defend Jupiter, particularly considering it was released almost forty years earlier.
Scene from Battleants Defend Jupiter
By 2005, I was recognized as a respected studio head. Over the last century, many stars had graced our lot, such as Rachel Clavel, Chris Roe, David Gamel, Kate Webley, and Sonja Stender. Our directors included Jason Gilmore, Lee Ross, Jeremie Texier, and Adam Zamoyski. For years, the writing team of Alexander Hutchings and Christian Gossart worked furiously behind the scenes, cranking out script after script.
It has been tremendous fun guiding Star Pictures through its first 100 years.
Age of Empires III
February 16, 2013
I never played the original Age of Empires. However, I did play Age of Empires II, both The Age of Kings and The Conquerors expansion. AOE2 is one of my all-time favorite real-time strategy games. I even played Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, which used the same game engine as AOE2. I received Age of Empires III for my birthday last year and finally got around to playing it.
AOE3 had one large campaign similar to Age of Mythology, rather than the multiple historical campaigns of AOE2.The single player campaign started in the late sixteenth century and finished in the nineteenth century. Much of it took place in the western hemisphere. It told a fictional story of the Black family and its fight against the Circle of Ossus over several generations. The story had three Acts entitled Blood, Ice, and Steel. The three protagonists were Morgan Black, John Black, and Amelia Black, respectively. One new game concept introduced in AOE3 was the home city. There, you choose cards to add to your deck. The cards provide various units and enhancement, which ship from your home city to town centers or forts. It reminded me of Rise of Nations, which also had the touches of a board game.
The graphics were much improved over AOE2, which was fitting for a game six years newer. Surprisingly, it felt quite a bit easier than AOE2 on the normal difficulty level. Overall, I found the game very enjoyable, as I knew I would. AOE3 has two expansions: The War Chiefs and The Asian Dynasties. I am interested in buying them to continue the fine AOE3 series.
AOE3 had one large campaign similar to Age of Mythology, rather than the multiple historical campaigns of AOE2.The single player campaign started in the late sixteenth century and finished in the nineteenth century. Much of it took place in the western hemisphere. It told a fictional story of the Black family and its fight against the Circle of Ossus over several generations. The story had three Acts entitled Blood, Ice, and Steel. The three protagonists were Morgan Black, John Black, and Amelia Black, respectively. One new game concept introduced in AOE3 was the home city. There, you choose cards to add to your deck. The cards provide various units and enhancement, which ship from your home city to town centers or forts. It reminded me of Rise of Nations, which also had the touches of a board game.
The graphics were much improved over AOE2, which was fitting for a game six years newer. Surprisingly, it felt quite a bit easier than AOE2 on the normal difficulty level. Overall, I found the game very enjoyable, as I knew I would. AOE3 has two expansions: The War Chiefs and The Asian Dynasties. I am interested in buying them to continue the fine AOE3 series.
Geneforge 3
February 03, 2013
After a full month of play, I finished Geneforge 3 yesterday. I’ve really enjoyed this series, having played three out of five entries. I played a shaper in Geneforge and I played an agent in Geneforge 2. This time, I played a guardian, the third character class choice. As expected, my guardian Dakro (another default name) was a beast in melee. Instead of creating lots of creatures or casting lots of spells, Dakro focused on melee attacks, missile attacks, and healing. Tactically, playing a guardian was a different experience. I pretty much avoided spellcasting with the exception of healing and low level blessing magic. I didn’t put a lot of skill points into my shaping magic, either. Therefore, I didn’t have much help and went through much of the game solo. When I really needed some assistance, I created some fyoras to fight with me.
The setting for Geneforge 3 was the Ashen Isles. As before, you start off as an apprentice shaper. Your character survives an attack against the shaping school on Greenwood Isle and the plot is set in motion. By the end of the game, you have visited all five of the islands in the chain. Overall, Geneforge 3 played pretty similarly to Geneforge 2. Once again, it ended with a cliffhanger, which nicely sets up Geneforge 4: Rebellion. For now, I will take a break from the Geneforge series to play some other games. I’m very interested to see how the series finishes, however, so I will return to it before too long.
The setting for Geneforge 3 was the Ashen Isles. As before, you start off as an apprentice shaper. Your character survives an attack against the shaping school on Greenwood Isle and the plot is set in motion. By the end of the game, you have visited all five of the islands in the chain. Overall, Geneforge 3 played pretty similarly to Geneforge 2. Once again, it ended with a cliffhanger, which nicely sets up Geneforge 4: Rebellion. For now, I will take a break from the Geneforge series to play some other games. I’m very interested to see how the series finishes, however, so I will return to it before too long.
Geneforge 2
December 28, 2012
Christmas vacation provided me with some extra time for gaming. After a couple weeks of concentrated effort, I completed Geneforge 2. Although the game engine was essentially the same (800x600 resolution), there were some nice improvement over the first entry in the series. Geneforge 2 had more areas to explore, more spells, and more creatures to shape. My character was level 46 by the end of the game. In the previous game, my character only made it to level 23. Overall, I enjoyed it about equally with its predecessor.
Geneforge 2 starts not long after the end of the first game. Although it is a sequel, you play a different character. This time I played as Esther, and Agent of the Shaper Council. Esther was an apprentice sent on a mission by the Council along with her mentor Shanti. When Shanti went missing, Esther began an intensive search. Along the way, she encountered four factions (vs. three in the original Geneforge). Unlike many RPGs, Geneforge 2 continued with a morally complex story line. Often, it was hard to know who were the good guys and who were the bad guys, if there were such a thing. In Geneforge, everything tends to be shades of gray. Like the original, I stayed unaligned throughout most of the game. Unlike the first game, however, I eventually chose a faction to side with at the end. There are many possible endings, but I was satisfied with the path I chose.
Geneforge
December 16, 2012
After the NALB season ended, I felt like playing a computer RPG. So about a month ago, I decided to play Geneforge, part one of a five part series. Released in 2001, Geneforge is old school in gameplay and graphics. The 800x600 resolution and somewhat crude visuals did not dampen the experience for me, however. I enjoyed it a lot, much more than I thought I would.
I played as a Shaper named Andras (a default name, but I liked it). Shapers are powerful beings who not only cast spells, but can create life itself. As a young apprentice Shaper, Andras was stranded on Sucia, an abandoned island barred by the Shaper Council. A struggle for power was taking place there. Powerful beings and several factions were involved. This presented a nuanced plot with many possible courses and outcomes. The story was much better than the typical hack and slash dungeon crawler. I chose to forge ahead on my own path, unaligned with any of the three island factions.
Early last week, I completed Geneforge. I am now playing Geneforge 2 and look forward to seeing how the plot of the series unfolds.
Early last week, I completed Geneforge. I am now playing Geneforge 2 and look forward to seeing how the plot of the series unfolds.
Barbarian Invasion
August 12, 2012
Six months ago, I finished playing a campaign in Rome: Total War. In that campaign, I led the Julii family and the Roman Empire to greatness. My victory was in 149 BC. Last month, I decided to return to Rome: Total War by playing the Barbarian Invasion expansion pack. The expansion begins in 363 AD and it covers the decline of the Roman Empire. Victory conditions must be met by 476 AD.
There were many new factions to play. I didn’t want to play as the Romans again. Given the focus of the expansion, I definitely wanted to play as one of the barbarian factions. I decided to play as the Goths. In order to achieve a Gothic victory, I needed to control 16 settlements; two of the settlements had to be Constantinople and Rome. That meant I needed to to do battle with the Eastern and Western Romans to eventually capture those cities.
This campaign was quite a bit tougher than playing the Julii in Rome: Total War. In the beginning, I was under attack from several barbarian peoples, starting with the Roxolani. We eventually fought against the Vandals, Burgundians, Lombards, Franks, Ostrogoths, and Slavs. Our primary enemy, however, was the Eastern Roman Empire. After their initial attack on the Goths, there was never peace between us. On the other hand, the Western Roman Empire treated our people well. We were even allies for several years.
Eventually, we achieved victory in 440 AD.
Click the image to enlarge.
There were many new factions to play. I didn’t want to play as the Romans again. Given the focus of the expansion, I definitely wanted to play as one of the barbarian factions. I decided to play as the Goths. In order to achieve a Gothic victory, I needed to control 16 settlements; two of the settlements had to be Constantinople and Rome. That meant I needed to to do battle with the Eastern and Western Romans to eventually capture those cities.
This campaign was quite a bit tougher than playing the Julii in Rome: Total War. In the beginning, I was under attack from several barbarian peoples, starting with the Roxolani. We eventually fought against the Vandals, Burgundians, Lombards, Franks, Ostrogoths, and Slavs. Our primary enemy, however, was the Eastern Roman Empire. After their initial attack on the Goths, there was never peace between us. On the other hand, the Western Roman Empire treated our people well. We were even allies for several years.
Eventually, we achieved victory in 440 AD.
Click the image to enlarge.
Quake 4 Completed
July 13, 2012
I had some computer problems last month that put Quake 4 on hold for a bit. Last Sunday, I got back to it and finished the single player game. Overall, I would rate it a bit above Doom 3 but not high enough to make my All-Time Favorites list. There were some memorable moments like the Medical Facility level. It played out as an extended cut scene as Corporal Kane was transformed into a Strogg by way of some very graphic surgical procedures. The ending was not quite so memorable, unfortunately. The final battle against the Makron in the Nexus Core was ok, but nothing spectacular. The game’s ending left it open for another sequel. No big surprise there.
Quake 4
June 03, 2012
It is time for another first-person shooter; Quake 4 is next on the list. The game is a sequel to Quake II (not Quake III Arena). Unfortunately, I never played the second game in the series. After reading the game manual and playing the early levels of Quake 4, however, I am pretty much up to speed on the plot. The game places you in the role of Corporal Matthew Kane, a Marine in Rhino Squad. As in Quake II, the enemy is the Strogg, a race that blends biology with technology, not unlike the Borg. The game has a similar feel to Doom 3, which isn’t surprising because they use the same game engine, id Tech 4. I’d say I’m about 70% through the game and I’m enjoying it thus far. It will be interesting to see if the plot ends in a satisfying way.
Tribal Trouble
May 26, 2012
I finally got around to playing Tribal Trouble, an indie real-time strategy game from Oddlabs. Released in 2005, it received very good reviews at the time. Game Tunnel rated it 10 out of 10. I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun it was. The game mechanics were typical for an RTS, although somewhat streamlined. The number of buildings and units were quite limited in number. That could be considered a strength instead of a weakness, however. The learning curve was quite shallow and it allowed you to get up to speed quickly. I didn’t play any multiplayer, but I can see that is where the game would truly shine. Despite that, I completed the two single-player campaigns, one for the Vikings and one for the Natives. Tribal Trouble may have been short on story but it was a blast to play.
Call of Duty 2
May 20, 2012
I’ve been playing Call of Duty 2 over the last couple of weeks. This afternoon, I completed the last of the single player campaigns. I played the original Call of Duty and its expansion, United Offensive, about a year and a half ago. I really liked the original, which was quite similar to Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, another favorite of mine. In CoD 2, you play as three different soldiers: Private Vasili Koslov in the Soviet campaign, Sergeant John Davis in the British campaign, and Corporal Bill Taylor in the American campaign. The gameplay was similar to its predecessors, but even more immersive (if my memory serves me). Some of the firefights were pretty intense. Almost every part of the game featured squad level combat, instead of the lone gunman nature of many first person shooters. CoD 2 switched its damage model to a regenerating health system. At first, I wasn’t thrilled with it. However, it grew on me over time. It was nice to be able to stay in the moment, swept up in the combat, without poking around for health packs.
The length of the single player campaigns was just about right for me. There were three campaigns for the Soviets, four for the British, and three for the Americans. At the end, the game treats you to a nice cinematic mini-movie while the credits roll.
The length of the single player campaigns was just about right for me. There were three campaigns for the Soviets, four for the British, and three for the Americans. At the end, the game treats you to a nice cinematic mini-movie while the credits roll.
Sid Meier's Pirates!
April 29, 2012
After Hordes of the Underdark, I switched gears to some role-playing on the high seas. Sid Meier’s Pirates! (2004) is a modernization of the original game which came out in 1987. I loved the original and spent many hours playing it on my PS/2 Mod 50Z. I even bought Pirates! Gold, an updated version from 1993. The core gameplay hasn’t changed much through the years. The presentation has changed a lot, however. As expected, the graphics are quite a bit better. Also, a dancing mini-game was added for interactions with governors’ daughters.
When I played the original game back in the ’80s, I usually played as a Dutchman. This time I decided to play as Julio Campos, a Spaniard. Julio was making quite a name for himself. He captured several ships, built up a sizable crew, and completed several missions for Spanish governors. Señor Campos also bought several treasure maps and successfully located the loot. Things were going great until I ran into a technical glitch. Something seems to be wrong with my game disc. I’m getting read errors from the second layer of the dual-layer DVD. Unfortunately, that has put the career of Julio Campos on hold for now.
When I played the original game back in the ’80s, I usually played as a Dutchman. This time I decided to play as Julio Campos, a Spaniard. Julio was making quite a name for himself. He captured several ships, built up a sizable crew, and completed several missions for Spanish governors. Señor Campos also bought several treasure maps and successfully located the loot. Things were going great until I ran into a technical glitch. Something seems to be wrong with my game disc. I’m getting read errors from the second layer of the dual-layer DVD. Unfortunately, that has put the career of Julio Campos on hold for now.
Hordes of the Underdark
March 31, 2012
Since late February, I’ve been playing Hordes of the Underdark, the second expansion pack for Neverwinter Nights. The story was a continuation of Shadows of Undrentide, the game’s first expansion pack, which I played two years ago. Therefore, I opted to undertake the adventure with my existing character, Daeris. After Shadows of Undrentide, my dwarven fighter was 12th level. I noticed that the pre-generated characters in Hordes of the Underdark were all 15th level. Daeris was a bit behind, but I decided to use him anyway. It worked out fine.
Today, I concluded the adventure, which unfolded over three chapters. Along the way, Daeris ventured to Undermountain, the Underdark, and Cania, the frozen eighth level of Hell. The conclusion took place back on Toril, in Waterdeep. At the conclusion, Daeris had to face the arch-devl Mephistopheles in an epic battle. Needless to say, Daeris was victorious and his name is now uttered alongside the greatest heroes the Realms has ever known.
Today, I concluded the adventure, which unfolded over three chapters. Along the way, Daeris ventured to Undermountain, the Underdark, and Cania, the frozen eighth level of Hell. The conclusion took place back on Toril, in Waterdeep. At the conclusion, Daeris had to face the arch-devl Mephistopheles in an epic battle. Needless to say, Daeris was victorious and his name is now uttered alongside the greatest heroes the Realms has ever known.
Rome: Total War - Victory
February 19, 2012
The Imperial Campaign is over and the Julii prevailed! In 149 BC, we marched on Rome and captured the capital. With 52 provinces under our control, we outpaced our Brutii and Scipii rivals to become the true rulers of the Roman Empire.
Click the image to enlarge.
Click the image to enlarge.
Rome - Spain Has Been Destroyed
January 29, 2012
Rome, 183 BC
After almost 40 years, our war with the Spanish is over. We defeated Spain and conquered the Iberian Peninsula. That added to our destruction of Gaul and Britannia We are engaged in active conflicts with the Macedonians and the Dacians, however. Less than 200 years remain to achieve our goal of conquering at least 50 provinces and uniting Rome under our rule.
After almost 40 years, our war with the Spanish is over. We defeated Spain and conquered the Iberian Peninsula. That added to our destruction of Gaul and Britannia We are engaged in active conflicts with the Macedonians and the Dacians, however. Less than 200 years remain to achieve our goal of conquering at least 50 provinces and uniting Rome under our rule.
Rome - 219 BC
December 31, 2011
Rome, 219 BC
We marched into the Iberian Peninsula and eliminated the Gauls. Unfortunately, we crossed through Spanish territory to do so. Now Spain is at war with us. Our territory, shown in red on the map, is growing steadily. We have severely weakened Germania. We even have a foothold on the British Isles. I plan to expand quite a bit more before marching into Rome.
We marched into the Iberian Peninsula and eliminated the Gauls. Unfortunately, we crossed through Spanish territory to do so. Now Spain is at war with us. Our territory, shown in red on the map, is growing steadily. We have severely weakened Germania. We even have a foothold on the British Isles. I plan to expand quite a bit more before marching into Rome.
Rome: Total War
November 29, 2011
After I finished up the latest NALB season, I was ready to install something new. I decided to go with Rome: Total War and have been playing it for the past few weeks. I knew of its lofty reputation. Like many games of some complexity, it took me a little bit of time to get into it. Now that I am fairly comfortable with the game concepts and controls, I am loving it. A lot of praise has been given to its real-time combat, which supports a large number of units on screen. That aspect of the game impressed me but I am enjoying the turn-based strategic play of the world map as much, if not more. It’s a bit like Civilization crossed with Age of Empires. Rise of Nations had a similar mix of turn-based strategy and real-time tactics. Where Rise of Nations focused more on the latter, I feel Rome: Total War does the turn-based strategy better.
I am currently in the middle of the campaign. I chose to play as the Julii family. I am several decades into this epic period, with many more years to play. We expanded northward from the Italian peninsula and have conquered a fair amount of territory. Wars against the Gauls and Dacians continue to drag on. Now, Britannia has declared war on us as well. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Hopefully, we will defeat our enemies and unite the Roman empire under Julian rule.
I am currently in the middle of the campaign. I chose to play as the Julii family. I am several decades into this epic period, with many more years to play. We expanded northward from the Italian peninsula and have conquered a fair amount of territory. Wars against the Gauls and Dacians continue to drag on. Now, Britannia has declared war on us as well. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Hopefully, we will defeat our enemies and unite the Roman empire under Julian rule.
SpyHunter
July 31, 2011
I have been playing a bit of SpyHunter since finishing up Darwinia. It was a PlayStation console game ported to PC and Mac several years ago. Aspyr hasn’t updated it in some time. It wouldn’t even run under Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. I had to play it under Mac OS X 10.3 Panther. It was a pretty decent modernization of the great coin-op classic of the same name. The original was one of my all-time favorite arcade games. I finished the first four missions out of a total of fourteen. I was just getting into the game when I hit a snag. Although I had completed the mission’s primary objective, I was one point short on cumulative secondary objectives to continue. I am unable to play mission five until I go back and improve on one of my prior missions. This game mechanic definitely feels much more appropriate for a console game than a computer game. I will probably go back to SpyHunter at some point. For now, however, I have put it on hold as I begin another season of North American League Baseball.
Darwinia
July 03, 2011
Introversion Software is a great small game developer. I previously played their first game, Uplink. For the past few weeks, I have been playing Darwinia, Introversion’s second game. Darwinia was a pleasant surprise. The game is set in a digital world with a 1980s retro feel. It was primarily a real time strategy game, but it included arcade elements and some puzzle solving as well. In addition to the unique visuals, the game mechanics were anything but ordinary. You control a very small number of units compared to other RTS games. Darwinia features a gesture based command system in which you draw symbols on screen to summon units and issue commands. Today, I finished the last level of the game. The virus infecting Darwinia was eliminated and the Darwinians were saved.
Birthright: The Gorgon's Alliance
June 11, 2011
Recently, I dug out my old copy of Birthright: The Gorgon’s Alliance (henceforth referred to as BTGA). Released in 1996 by Sierra On-Line, BTGA was a computer game adaptation of the Dungeons & Dragons Birthright campaign setting. According to the documentation, it was supposed to be the first installment in a trilogy. Unfortunately, it didn’t sell well enough to justify more games in the series. As I’ve mentioned before, Birthright was my favorite D&D campaign setting. The computer game focused on realm-level strategy set in the region of Anuire, the southwestern portion of the continent of Cerilia. It has been over 500 years since Michael Roele, the last Emperor of Anuire, died. Your goal is to create a new empire and take your seat on the Iron Throne.
I decided to play as Thuriene Donalls, the regent of Talinie. She is the Thane of Talinie and the Supreme Hierarch of the Northern Imperial Temple. Serving the Thane is Torele Anviras, the Mage of Talinie and the Earl of Freestead. First, we repelled the humanoid invaders of the Five Peaks. Next, we found ourselves at war with the goblin kingdom of Thurazor. We received support from our powerful ally, the Archduchy of Boeruine. After the death of the Mhor, Daeric Mhoried, the realm of Mhoried became belligerent toward Talinie. We were at war with Mhoried on and off for many years. Eventually, we formed a west coast alliance with Boeruine, Taeghas, and Brosengae. Talinie expanded its borders into the Heartlands as well as to the Southern Coast. Our troops marched to the Straits of Aerele and absorbed some of the lands of the Barony of Diemed before it fell.
The two maps below show the great expansion of Talinie as Thuriene Donalls claimed her birthright and gained enough power to be recognized as the Empress of Anuire.
Talinie’s place in Anuire at the start of the game
Talinie, when Thane Donalls ascended to the Iron Throne as Empress of Anuire
I decided to play as Thuriene Donalls, the regent of Talinie. She is the Thane of Talinie and the Supreme Hierarch of the Northern Imperial Temple. Serving the Thane is Torele Anviras, the Mage of Talinie and the Earl of Freestead. First, we repelled the humanoid invaders of the Five Peaks. Next, we found ourselves at war with the goblin kingdom of Thurazor. We received support from our powerful ally, the Archduchy of Boeruine. After the death of the Mhor, Daeric Mhoried, the realm of Mhoried became belligerent toward Talinie. We were at war with Mhoried on and off for many years. Eventually, we formed a west coast alliance with Boeruine, Taeghas, and Brosengae. Talinie expanded its borders into the Heartlands as well as to the Southern Coast. Our troops marched to the Straits of Aerele and absorbed some of the lands of the Barony of Diemed before it fell.
The two maps below show the great expansion of Talinie as Thuriene Donalls claimed her birthright and gained enough power to be recognized as the Empress of Anuire.
Talinie’s place in Anuire at the start of the game
Talinie, when Thane Donalls ascended to the Iron Throne as Empress of Anuire
Game Central's Five Year Anniversary
May 25, 2011
May 25, 2006. That was the day I launched Game Central, the web site dedicated to my personal gaming experiences. Therefore, today marks the fifth anniversary of the site. Over the past five years, I expanded Game Central quite a bit. I added to the role-playing section, home to some of my most cherished gaming memories, with lots of new content. I played another five seasons of North American League Baseball, and published extensive season stats. I played dozens of computer games, updated my game library, and identified new all-time favorites.
Today, I am adding Coin-Op games to the Computer Games section. Although not computer games as we think of them today, arcade coin-op games were my first love when it came to video games. I decided that it was time I devoted a page to my favorite coin-op classics.
Finally, after five years, I thought it was time to revamp Game Central’s design. Part of me hated to do it because I was very pleased with the original look. I spent many hours tweaking everything to get the details just right. Time marches on, however. I think this is a new, satisfying design that should serve the future of the site quite well. Here is Game Central 2.0.
Today, I am adding Coin-Op games to the Computer Games section. Although not computer games as we think of them today, arcade coin-op games were my first love when it came to video games. I decided that it was time I devoted a page to my favorite coin-op classics.
Finally, after five years, I thought it was time to revamp Game Central’s design. Part of me hated to do it because I was very pleased with the original look. I spent many hours tweaking everything to get the details just right. Time marches on, however. I think this is a new, satisfying design that should serve the future of the site quite well. Here is Game Central 2.0.
The Sims 2
May 23, 2011
After Doom 3 and a quick finish of Diner Dash, I was ready for another AAA title. For my next selection, I installed The Sims 2. Over the past several weeks, I’ve played it off and on. It is certainly different from most of the games in my library. Like other “God games,” Sims 2 offers gameplay that is very wide open. There is no single way to experience the game. I have been playing in Pleasantview, one of three neighborhoods available. You have the ability to control (well, direct) the actions of your sims. However, a lot of the Sims experience is spent as a voyeur. You watch these digital people go about their lives, which they will happily do without any human intervention. Although, I enjoyed some of my time with The Sims 2, I must admit that it isn’t exactly my cup of tea. I just installed The Sims 2 Seasons expansion pack, so I will probably play it a bit more before I move on to something else.
Cassandra Goth and Don Lothario—Whoever said Don would never marry?
Cassandra Goth and Don Lothario—Whoever said Don would never marry?
Diner Dash
April 04, 2011
Two weekends ago, I installed The Sims 2 and played it for several hours. Yesterday, I wanted to play something but I wasn’t in the mood for more Sims. Instead, I decided to get as far as I could in Diner Dash, a classic “casual” game from 2003. The star of Diner Dash is Flo, an enterprising restauranteur who is also an energetic waitress. After every ten trials (levels), Flo opens a new restaurant. Her second restaurant is Flo’s Tiki Palace, followed by Go with the Flow Seafood Dining, and finally Chez Flo.
I completed all 40 levels and thought the game was going to end there. Surprisingly, a Shiva goddess transformed Flo into a four-armed goddess and presented her with an additional ten trials in her Indian Restaurant. Although a couple of the levels were challenging, I was quite proficient near the end of the game. It didn’t take me too long to finish it.
Like Peggle, I thought Diner Dash was a great example of a casual game that can be just as addicting as a big budget title.
I completed all 40 levels and thought the game was going to end there. Surprisingly, a Shiva goddess transformed Flo into a four-armed goddess and presented her with an additional ten trials in her Indian Restaurant. Although a couple of the levels were challenging, I was quite proficient near the end of the game. It didn’t take me too long to finish it.
Like Peggle, I thought Diner Dash was a great example of a casual game that can be just as addicting as a big budget title.
Doom 3
March 20, 2011
Over the last several months, I’ve been playing through my backlog of first-person shooter games. Next up on the list was Doom 3. I remember playing the shareware version of the original Doom back in the mid 1990s. It was a technological marvel. Pretty much everyone who played it at the time was blown away. The story was nothing exceptional, and the game play was repetitive, however. After playing Doom 3, I had similar feelings. The game engine that powered Doom 3, id Tech 4, was impressive. It’s handling of lighting and shadows was first rate.
As an action/horror title, it mostly succeeded. The pervasive darkness and use of a flashlight heightened tensions. Particularly early in the game, I found myself on the edge of my seat as I entered new areas. Monsters would leap out and attack or spawn behind me. It’s amazing how you can become a bit jaded to it all after 25+ levels. The vast majority of the game took place on board a Mars research station. As with the original Doom, I found myself getting a bit bored with the sameness of the experience. There are only so many imps you can kill before the excitement wears off!
I can’t bring myself to add Doom 3 to my all-time favorites list. However, I did enjoy playing it. At its core, it certainly contained the key elements that made its predecessors successful. Supposedly, there is a Doom 4 in the works. It will be interesting to see what the next entry in the series delivers.
As an action/horror title, it mostly succeeded. The pervasive darkness and use of a flashlight heightened tensions. Particularly early in the game, I found myself on the edge of my seat as I entered new areas. Monsters would leap out and attack or spawn behind me. It’s amazing how you can become a bit jaded to it all after 25+ levels. The vast majority of the game took place on board a Mars research station. As with the original Doom, I found myself getting a bit bored with the sameness of the experience. There are only so many imps you can kill before the excitement wears off!
I can’t bring myself to add Doom 3 to my all-time favorites list. However, I did enjoy playing it. At its core, it certainly contained the key elements that made its predecessors successful. Supposedly, there is a Doom 4 in the works. It will be interesting to see what the next entry in the series delivers.
Homeworld 2
February 23, 2011
For the last two weeks, I have been playing Homeworld 2. It is the sequel to the award winning game by Relic Entertainment, published by Sierra. Set in outer space, Homeworld 2 is a real-time strategy game played in three dimensions. Released in 2003, the graphics were very impressive for its time. The game provided full 3D camera control with rotation, panning, and zooming. It was challenging, but not frustratingly so. I managed to finish the single-player campaign this Monday.
The story is about a war between the Hiigarans and the Vaygr. You control the Hiigarans and their mothership, the Pride of Hiigara. Over the course of 15 missions, you build a fleet of fighters, corvettes, frigates, and capital ships. There are other special units available as well. The missions flow seamlessly from one to the next. The conclusion featured a defense of Hiigara, the home planet.
I found Homeworld 2 to be quite a bit better than I expected. I had read that is was extremely difficult but I found it to be just about right for my taste. It was a fun RTS that was a nice change of pace from the other big names of the genre like WarCraft, StarCraft, and Command & Conquer.
The story is about a war between the Hiigarans and the Vaygr. You control the Hiigarans and their mothership, the Pride of Hiigara. Over the course of 15 missions, you build a fleet of fighters, corvettes, frigates, and capital ships. There are other special units available as well. The missions flow seamlessly from one to the next. The conclusion featured a defense of Hiigara, the home planet.
I found Homeworld 2 to be quite a bit better than I expected. I had read that is was extremely difficult but I found it to be just about right for my taste. It was a fun RTS that was a nice change of pace from the other big names of the genre like WarCraft, StarCraft, and Command & Conquer.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
January 30, 2011
It took me one week to finish but it wasn’t easy. Today, I completed the single player campaign of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Broken up into 13 levels, the game followed a subset of the movie’s plot. It was quite cinematic with cut scenes taken right out of the Academy Award winning motion picture. There was no mistaking that it originated as a console video game. From the button-mashing combat to the unlockable characters and interviews, it showed its console roots. For my taste, I’m not sure that was completely a good thing. Like XIII, the last game I finished, it had a limited save game system. Once again, I was forced to rely on checkpoints. That isn’t so bad but the game can be very difficult at times. A little experimentation was involved as I had to reply several of the levels to get through them. Accepting it for what it was, however, The Return of the King was a solid third-person action title with some thrilling and enjoyable moments.
XIII
January 20, 2011
This week I finished playing XIII, a first-person shooter. Based on a comics series, XIII had the visual style to match. Although it used the Unreal 2 engine, the graphics were cel-shaded. It felt like you were in the middle of a living comic book or graphic novel. I really enjoyed the visual look. It was a nice change of pace. The story was definitely a cut above the standard FPS offerings. It involved the assassination of the President of the United Stated and a conspiracy to take over the U.S. government. You play as an amnesiac who is trying to determine his identity. Unfortunately, you are framed for the assassination. As the story unfolds, you unravel details of the conspiracy as well as information about your own past. The game was much more stealth-oriented than run and gun. It reminded me of No One Lives Forever and Splinter Cell somewhat in that regard.
I enjoyed XIII quite a bit. However, one of the things that kept it from being an all-time favorite was the save game system. You could only save at certain checkpoints in the game. I didn’t mind that too much. However, there were a few difficult spots that I ended up replaying more times than I cared to do. That was the main detractor from an otherwise enjoyable experience.
I enjoyed XIII quite a bit. However, one of the things that kept it from being an all-time favorite was the save game system. You could only save at certain checkpoints in the game. I didn’t mind that too much. However, there were a few difficult spots that I ended up replaying more times than I cared to do. That was the main detractor from an otherwise enjoyable experience.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
December 31, 2010
My final game of 2010 was Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. After more than 45 hours of game play spread out over 10 days or so, I finished it last night. It was a BioWare RPG based on an updated version of the engine that powered Neverwinter Nights. I had high expectations for the game, but it totally exceeded anything I imagined. It is no exaggeration to say that it was one of the best games I have ever played. It was easily the best Star Wars game I’ve ever experienced. That is quite high praise, considering the number of excellent Star Wars titles throughout the years.
I played as Zel Dannstar, a Republic scout. Using the d20 System, Zel reached 20th level as the epic story took him and his crew to more than half a dozen worlds. As with other Bioware RPGs I’ve played, the NPCs were excellent. They had distinct personalities, interesting dialog trees, and professional voice acting. Jeremy Soule provided another fine music score.
Knights of the Old Republic stands right up there with the Baldur’s Gate saga as my personal all-time favorite computer RPGs. That is how much I loved it.
Zel Dannstar
I played as Zel Dannstar, a Republic scout. Using the d20 System, Zel reached 20th level as the epic story took him and his crew to more than half a dozen worlds. As with other Bioware RPGs I’ve played, the NPCs were excellent. They had distinct personalities, interesting dialog trees, and professional voice acting. Jeremy Soule provided another fine music score.
Knights of the Old Republic stands right up there with the Baldur’s Gate saga as my personal all-time favorite computer RPGs. That is how much I loved it.
Zel Dannstar
Call of Duty: United Offensive
November 28, 2010
I own the Call of Duty Deluxe Edition Box Set. It includes the United Offensive expansion pack, as well as the original game. For the past couple of days, I played through United Offensive. As with the base game, it followed the order of American, British, and Russian campaigns. There were fewer missions in the expansion pack (as expected), but they were longer and more difficult. There were some nice vehicle-based levels, including a British one set on an American B-17 bomber and another one on a captured German PT boat. You also got to drive a tank, fire anti-aircraft weapons, and do some combat while speeding around in a motorcycle sidecar. One thing I didn’t like was the infinitely spawning enemies on several levels. I never like it when video games use that as a way to present a challenge. For some reason, I found it more noticeable here than in the original game. Other than that, it was a high quality expansion and I enjoyed playing it.
Call of Duty
November 26, 2010
Seven years after its release, I finally got around to playing Call of Duty. I now know what all the fuss was about. It’s the best WWII first-person shooter that I’ve ever played. It was comparable to Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, a previous favorite of mine. Call of Duty’s squad-based missions were superior, however. The team-based approach of most missions was better than the one-man army style seen in many similar games. The first set of missions placed you in the role of an American soldier, the next set as a British soldier, while the last set was as Russian soldier.
The first levels of the Russian campaign, set in Stalingrad, were extremely engaging. The Russian soldiers had a very difficult task to recapture the city. The game really drew me into the action with the sights and sounds of battle. I thought it was one of the most immersive levels since Medal of Honor’s Omaha Beach landing mission. There was a final set of three missions (one each for the Americans, British, and Russians) that was also very well done. The sound in the game was excellent. Not only were the guns, explosions, and sounds of battle quite convincing, the score by Michael Giacchino was of cinematic quality.
The first levels of the Russian campaign, set in Stalingrad, were extremely engaging. The Russian soldiers had a very difficult task to recapture the city. The game really drew me into the action with the sights and sounds of battle. I thought it was one of the most immersive levels since Medal of Honor’s Omaha Beach landing mission. There was a final set of three missions (one each for the Americans, British, and Russians) that was also very well done. The sound in the game was excellent. Not only were the guns, explosions, and sounds of battle quite convincing, the score by Michael Giacchino was of cinematic quality.
Full Throttle
November 21, 2010
Last year, I played several classic LucasArts titles. I had yet to play Full Throttle, however, a graphic adventure from 1995. In the mood for some retro gaming, I fired it up this weekend. You play as Ben, the leader of the Polecats biker gang. Ben gets caught in the crossfire of a power struggle for Corley Motors, the country’s last motorcycle manufacturer. After he is framed for the murder of CEO Malcom Corley, Ben sets out to free his gang and expose the real villain behind the plot.
Although Full Throttle contained LucasArts’ familiar sense of humor, the plot was more serious and the tone more mature than the typical LucasArts adventure. It was shorter than most adventure games I’ve played, which I didn’t mind at all. It I also enjoyed the fact that the puzzles were somewhat easier than many from the genre. Another highlight of the game was the rock music soundtrack provided by the Gone Jackals. All in all, it was another winner from LucasArts.
Although Full Throttle contained LucasArts’ familiar sense of humor, the plot was more serious and the tone more mature than the typical LucasArts adventure. It was shorter than most adventure games I’ve played, which I didn’t mind at all. It I also enjoyed the fact that the puzzles were somewhat easier than many from the genre. Another highlight of the game was the rock music soundtrack provided by the Gone Jackals. All in all, it was another winner from LucasArts.
Rise of Nations: The Cold War and The Entire World
November 19, 2010
I went back to Rise of Nations to play the two remaining campaigns. The first was The Cold War. The two sides were the Americans and the Soviets, of course. I let the computer choose randomly and I was assigned the Soviets. It was up to me to lead the USSR to glory. The campaign simulated four decades or so. American presidents ranged from Dwight Eisenhower to Ronald Reagan. Out of the six campaigns, this was probably my favorite, surpassing the Napoleon campaign. It was a great setting with NATO vs. Warsaw Pact, plus client states and police actions. It also had separate espionage missions and nuclear stockpiles. One of the most memorable moments involved nuclear negotiations. The Americans led the Soviets in nuclear weapons four to three. They approached us with a proposal for nuclear disarmament. They agreed to destroy two nukes if we would do the same. I intended to fight a conventional war. I had no desire to get into a nuclear arms race so I agreed. Although the Americans kept up their end of the bargain, the scheming Gerald Ford bought another nuke the very next turn. We then trailed three nukes to one. Although we built up our stockpile a bit, both sides avoided a nuclear exchange. The industrial output of the USSR was far enough ahead of the Americans to give us an economic victory.
The final campaign was named The Entire World. It was a free for all with 24 nations vying for supremacy over the entire globe. Again, I chose random nation selection. I ended up playing the Greeks. We conquered the Germans, Turks, Persians, Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, and Americans. In the end, it was a showdown between the powerful Greek empire and the Mayans. We came at them from South America but eventually marched from Mexico to conquer their capital in the Yucatan.
The final campaign was named The Entire World. It was a free for all with 24 nations vying for supremacy over the entire globe. Again, I chose random nation selection. I ended up playing the Greeks. We conquered the Germans, Turks, Persians, Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, and Americans. In the end, it was a showdown between the powerful Greek empire and the Mayans. We came at them from South America but eventually marched from Mexico to conquer their capital in the Yucatan.
Rise of Nations: Napoleon and The New World
July 31, 2010
About a week ago, I finished the Napoleon campaign. That map offered more strategic opportunities compared to the Alexander campaign. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, there were more nations and territories than in Alexander’s time. It was a lot of fun.
Today, I finally completed The New World Campaign. I opted for a random nation and ended up playing as the Portuguese. We settled in South America, conquered the continent and traveled north. In addition to other European nations, we had to face the Americans and various Indian (Native American) tribes.
The victory screens are shown below. The game also features a Cold War campaign and a Conquer the World campaign. I plan to take a break from Rise of Nations, however, while I play the next NALB season in Out of the Park Baseball.
Today, I finally completed The New World Campaign. I opted for a random nation and ended up playing as the Portuguese. We settled in South America, conquered the continent and traveled north. In addition to other European nations, we had to face the Americans and various Indian (Native American) tribes.
The victory screens are shown below. The game also features a Cold War campaign and a Conquer the World campaign. I plan to take a break from Rise of Nations, however, while I play the next NALB season in Out of the Park Baseball.
Rise of Nations: Alexander Campaign
June 10, 2010
For the past few weeks, I have been playing Rise of Nations. It is a classic real-time strategy game that plays a lot like Age of Empires with a bit of Civilization and Risk thrown in for good measure. I really like these historical RTS games. Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings was a particular favorite of mine, so I really looked forward to Rise of Nations.
After playing the tutorials and a skirmish game, I was ready for the Conquer the World game mode. This is the real meat of the game for single-player action. I started with the first campaign, featuring Alexander the Great and the Macedonians. Once I got familiar with the controls and the basic mechanics of the game, I really enjoyed it. I successfully completed the Alexander campaign last Sunday. Next up is the Napoleon campaign.
After playing the tutorials and a skirmish game, I was ready for the Conquer the World game mode. This is the real meat of the game for single-player action. I started with the first campaign, featuring Alexander the Great and the Macedonians. Once I got familiar with the controls and the basic mechanics of the game, I really enjoyed it. I successfully completed the Alexander campaign last Sunday. Next up is the Napoleon campaign.
Tron 2.0
May 09, 2010
After a couple of months with C&C Generals, I was ready to switch gears and play a first-person shooter. I took on Tron 2.0, a title from 2003, and just finished it today. Although Tron Legacy, scheduled for release at the end of 2010, will be Tron’s film sequel, Tron 2.0 was a sequel in video game form. In the game, you play Jet Bradley, the son of Alan Bradley from the 1982 movie. Bruce Boxleitner played Alan Bradley in the original movie and provided the voice acting for Alan here as well.
I really enjoyed Tron 2.0. I wouldn’t necessarily call it groundbreaking. However, it was just different enough from the typical shooter to make it fresh and interesting. Powered by the Lithtech Triton engine, the visuals were true to the 1982 film and quite impressive. Levels tended to be dominant with a particular color, although not entirely monochromatic. Objects had Tron’s trademark digital glow. The world was a nice change of pace from the all too common military-oriented shooters.
Tron 2.0 had a little bit of everything: puzzles, a nice variety of weapons, jumping sequences, boss levels, and e-mails and cutscenes to advance the plot. There were also several light cycle races that broke up the first-person action. The races were similar to those in the 1982 coin-op arcade game, except these were rendered in 3D. Another aspect of Tron 2.0 that I liked was Jet’s build level and configurable subroutines. They added some nice RPG elements to the game. Every so often, you allocated points to various attributes. You also had to choose which subroutines (offense, defense, and utility) to load in your available memory slots.
Next, I’ll probably install Rise of Nations. I’ve looked forward to playing that game for quite some time.
I really enjoyed Tron 2.0. I wouldn’t necessarily call it groundbreaking. However, it was just different enough from the typical shooter to make it fresh and interesting. Powered by the Lithtech Triton engine, the visuals were true to the 1982 film and quite impressive. Levels tended to be dominant with a particular color, although not entirely monochromatic. Objects had Tron’s trademark digital glow. The world was a nice change of pace from the all too common military-oriented shooters.
Tron 2.0 had a little bit of everything: puzzles, a nice variety of weapons, jumping sequences, boss levels, and e-mails and cutscenes to advance the plot. There were also several light cycle races that broke up the first-person action. The races were similar to those in the 1982 coin-op arcade game, except these were rendered in 3D. Another aspect of Tron 2.0 that I liked was Jet’s build level and configurable subroutines. They added some nice RPG elements to the game. Every so often, you allocated points to various attributes. You also had to choose which subroutines (offense, defense, and utility) to load in your available memory slots.
Next, I’ll probably install Rise of Nations. I’ve looked forward to playing that game for quite some time.
Generals Challenge
April 14, 2010
I’ve gotten a lot of value out of Command & Conquer Generals Deluxe Edition. After finishing the campaigns from the original game and the Zero Hour expansion, I tried the Generals Challenge. In the Generals Challenge, you select a specific general to play. Each general has specialized units, structures, and upgrades. You face off against eight other generals, including the final “super” general, General Leang. General Leang has units and abilities from the USA, China, and GLA.
First time, I played as General Malcolm “Ace” Granger, the USA Air Force general first. I chose easy difficulty level and it was too easy. After finishing the first challenge, I played a second challenge with General Rodall “Demo” Juhziz, the GLA demolitions general. I chose normal difficulty level and the increased challenge provided a better experience.
First time, I played as General Malcolm “Ace” Granger, the USA Air Force general first. I chose easy difficulty level and it was too easy. After finishing the first challenge, I played a second challenge with General Rodall “Demo” Juhziz, the GLA demolitions general. I chose normal difficulty level and the increased challenge provided a better experience.
Zero Hour
March 15, 2010
The C&C Generals campaign continued with the Zero Hour expansion pack. I finished up the last of the 15 missions (5 each for USA, GLA, and China) yesterday. Overall, I thought the missions were better than those in the base game. The difficulty was greater and there were no training or tutorial missions. The extra units, structures, and generals powers helped add some new dimensions to the game as well. The only real complaint I had with Zero Hour was with the performance. There was nothing wrong with the in-game performance; the save times were horrible, however. Saving a game in C&C Generals was very quick. In Zero Hour, it took 20 to 30 seconds on average.
Zero Hour has gameplay beyond the campaigns and the typical skirmish mode. There is something called the Generals Challenge. You match up against nine AI generals, each with unique personalities, tactics, and taunts. I’m not sure if I will dive right into Generals Challenge next, but I will definitely give it a try.
Zero Hour has gameplay beyond the campaigns and the typical skirmish mode. There is something called the Generals Challenge. You match up against nine AI generals, each with unique personalities, tactics, and taunts. I’m not sure if I will dive right into Generals Challenge next, but I will definitely give it a try.
Command and Conquer Generals
February 21, 2010
For the last two weeks, I have been playing Command and Conquer Generals. I just finished the last of the campaigns today. I played them in this order: China, GLA, and USA. This game is outside of the standard C&C universe and the C&C Red Alert universe. It was a standalone entry using present day (or near future) units. It took me a little while to get into it, but now I love it. After I completed the solo campaigns, I even played a handful of skirmish missions on various maps.
I have the Deluxe Edition of the game so that also includes the Zero Hour expansion pack. I plan to start the Zero Hour campaigns this week.
I have the Deluxe Edition of the game so that also includes the Zero Hour expansion pack. I plan to start the Zero Hour campaigns this week.
Osmos
January 31, 2010
My computer gaming in January has consisted of Insectoid, Halo, and the surprisingly awesome Osmos. Osmos is a puzzle game which reminded me of Tasty Planet, but with a more laid-back vibe and soundtrack to go with it. You control a mote and try to absorb other smaller motes. In the process your mote grows larger.
In Osmos, there are three different kinds of levels: ambient, sentient, and force. The ambient levels were the most straightforward. You control a mote and try to absorb other smaller motes. In the process your mote grows larger. The sentient levels follow the same basic game mechanic. The other motes are active, however. They will compete with you and chase you as prey. Finally, there are the force levels, which I found the most difficult. There are motes that produce gravitational effects. Most of the force levels are an exercise in orbital physics and require a great deal of patience. I have yet to finish all of the force levels.
In Osmos, there are three different kinds of levels: ambient, sentient, and force. The ambient levels were the most straightforward. You control a mote and try to absorb other smaller motes. In the process your mote grows larger. The sentient levels follow the same basic game mechanic. The other motes are active, however. They will compete with you and chase you as prey. Finally, there are the force levels, which I found the most difficult. There are motes that produce gravitational effects. Most of the force levels are an exercise in orbital physics and require a great deal of patience. I have yet to finish all of the force levels.
Halo: Combat Evolved
January 30, 2010
Not wasting any time after finishing Shadows of Undrentide, I went straight into playing Halo: Combat Evolved. Halo had been out a while on PC/Mac and even longer on the Xbox. For an older game, I thought it held up remarkably well. At 1680x1050 resolution with all details turned up to max, it looked great. Using a keyboard and mouse is almost always better than playing first-person shooters with a console controller.
Did it live up to its massive reputation? For me, it did. The story was decent and the graphics were still impressive. It was the gameplay elements, however, that made it really enjoyable. At first, I wasn’t convinced that I would like the armor with regenerating shields and a limit of two weapons. After playing it for a while, I was sold. Having the shields definitely changed my tactics. It was nice to feel like you still had a chance to survive, even after suffering major health damage. I thought the two-weapon limit would be a downer. Usually, you play a walking armory in most FPS games. This added a nice challenge in selecting the best weapons for different situations. I have to also credit the squad-based elements and commendable AI that made the single-player campaign more like multiplayer (in a good way). Finally, the inclusion of vehicles was an outstanding addition to the game. In fact, the campaign concluded with a driving level. Master Chief drove a Warthog in a race against the clock as the Pillar of Autumn starship was about to explode.
This was definitely one of the best shooters I’ve ever played. I’ve added it to my All-Time Favorites list.
Did it live up to its massive reputation? For me, it did. The story was decent and the graphics were still impressive. It was the gameplay elements, however, that made it really enjoyable. At first, I wasn’t convinced that I would like the armor with regenerating shields and a limit of two weapons. After playing it for a while, I was sold. Having the shields definitely changed my tactics. It was nice to feel like you still had a chance to survive, even after suffering major health damage. I thought the two-weapon limit would be a downer. Usually, you play a walking armory in most FPS games. This added a nice challenge in selecting the best weapons for different situations. I have to also credit the squad-based elements and commendable AI that made the single-player campaign more like multiplayer (in a good way). Finally, the inclusion of vehicles was an outstanding addition to the game. In fact, the campaign concluded with a driving level. Master Chief drove a Warthog in a race against the clock as the Pillar of Autumn starship was about to explode.
This was definitely one of the best shooters I’ve ever played. I’ve added it to my All-Time Favorites list.
Shadows of Undrentide
January 02, 2010
Right after Christmas, I installed Shadows of Undrentide, the first expansion for Neverwinter Nights. I usually enjoy any D&D game and the Neverwinter Nights (Aurora) game engine is excellent. In this story, you start as an apprentice to Master Drogan, a dwarven mage. I played Daeris, a dwarven warrior. For my henchman, I chose Dorna, a fellow dwarf. She was a cleric/thief. We started in the Silver Marches and later traveled to the Anauroch desert. The final part of the adventure was set in Undrentide, a floating Netherese city that collapsed ages ago.
I just finished it on New Year’s Day. By the end of the story, Daeris was 12th level and Dorna was 6th level in both of her classes. Now, I want to buy the second Neverwinter Nights expansion, Hordes of the Underdark. It might be a while before I get around to it, however. I received Rise of Nations: Gold Edition and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic as Christmas gifts so I have plenty of games to play for now.
I just finished it on New Year’s Day. By the end of the story, Daeris was 12th level and Dorna was 6th level in both of her classes. Now, I want to buy the second Neverwinter Nights expansion, Hordes of the Underdark. It might be a while before I get around to it, however. I received Rise of Nations: Gold Edition and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic as Christmas gifts so I have plenty of games to play for now.
Insectoid
December 29, 2009
ActionSoft Games is running a sale on its arcade shooter, Insectoid. The game is similar to Galaxian or Galaga. It received very good reviews so I scooped it up for $7.99.
I already played through all 50 levels on easy difficulty. It wasn’t much of a challenge so I will try again on normal and then hard.
I already played through all 50 levels on easy difficulty. It wasn’t much of a challenge so I will try again on normal and then hard.
Warrior Kings: Victory!
December 23, 2009
I hadn’t played an RTS (real-time strategy) game since Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds over a year ago. Because of that, I was really looking forward to Warrior Kings, an epic RTS set in a world that blended history and fantasy. At its release in 2002, it was credited for its large scale battles played out in full 3D with a controllable camera. Its other claim to fame was a branching story that featured three different paths: imperial, pagan, and renaissance.
The game received very good reviews overall. The biggest knock against it was that it was fairly buggy when first released. Having played the game with the most recent patch, I only had problems on one level, “The Siege of Mordonis.” Other than that, it played fine. The campaign was called “The House of Cravant.” The campaign’s protagonist is Artos, a baron’s son who directs a war against the corrupt Holy Empire. I started down the imperial path but my decisions took Artos down the renaissance path for the second half of the campaign. The difficulty level was just about right up until the tenth and final level. As is typical with many games, the difficulty level jumped greatly for the last challenge. Strategically, it was fairly straightforward. However, the sheer number of troops and enemies turned it into a micromanagement nightmare. I needed to pause the game almost constantly to get through the level.
It was a very good game that reminded me of Age of Empires with fantasy elements mixed in. The final victory screen is below. Click to enlarge.
The game received very good reviews overall. The biggest knock against it was that it was fairly buggy when first released. Having played the game with the most recent patch, I only had problems on one level, “The Siege of Mordonis.” Other than that, it played fine. The campaign was called “The House of Cravant.” The campaign’s protagonist is Artos, a baron’s son who directs a war against the corrupt Holy Empire. I started down the imperial path but my decisions took Artos down the renaissance path for the second half of the campaign. The difficulty level was just about right up until the tenth and final level. As is typical with many games, the difficulty level jumped greatly for the last challenge. Strategically, it was fairly straightforward. However, the sheer number of troops and enemies turned it into a micromanagement nightmare. I needed to pause the game almost constantly to get through the level.
It was a very good game that reminded me of Age of Empires with fantasy elements mixed in. The final victory screen is below. Click to enlarge.
Sam and Max Hit the Road
November 27, 2009
Recently, I have been playing another classic LucasArts graphic adventure. The game is Sam and Max Hit the Road. It is usually viewed as one of the all-time greats of the genre. After reaching the game’s conclusion, I would have to agree. Sam and Max were very distinctive and memorable characters. As in Day of the Tentacle and the Monkey Island series , the humor was very enjoyable. The puzzles were fairly straightforward and not as difficult overall as Day of the Tentacle. Thanks to ScummVM, these games play just as great as when they were first released.
Medal of Honor Breakthrough
November 22, 2009
Shortly after finishing up the 2008 NALB season, I started up a new computer game. I chose to play Medal of Honor Breakthrough, the second expansion pack in that series. I hadn’t played a first person shooter in a while so it was a nice change of pace. In Breakthrough, you play Sergeant John Baker of the US 34th Infantry Division. The missions take you from Tunisia to Sicily to the mainland of Italy. It was quite similar to the other Medal of Honor games. The addition of Italian opponents and weapons gave it some new life, however. As in most WWII shooters, the Nazis were featured prominently as well. It only took a bit over a week to complete which was fine with me. I usually get bored with FPS games that are too long.
HOMM4 - Completed the Campaigns
August 03, 2009
I started playing the Heroes of Might and Magic IV campaigns back in April 2005. It took me a couple of months to finish the first three campaigns. I shelved the game for a while before resuming play in March 2007. I completed the next two campaigns in about a month’s time. Another two years went by before I started playing HOMM4 again. I just finished the final campaign last night. Now, the experience is complete. Well, that is not necessarily true. In addition to the campaigns, there are over 30 standalone scenarios I can play.
I really love the Heroes of Might and Magic series. Heroes III and Heroes IV provided me with many hours of great gaming. Down the road, I’m sure I will buy Heroes of Might and Magic V as well.
I really love the Heroes of Might and Magic series. Heroes III and Heroes IV provided me with many hours of great gaming. Down the road, I’m sure I will buy Heroes of Might and Magic V as well.
HOMM4: The Pirate's Daughter
July 31, 2009
I haven’t posted an update about Heroes of Might and Magic IV in quite some time. I started the last campaign, The Pirate’s Daughter, back in February. I didn’t play it much and it sat for about four months. In late June, I resumed playing it and am now almost finished. There are five scenarios in the campaign. Right now, I am on the last scenario, Never Look Back. I should be able to wrap up this scenario and the adventures of Tawni Balfour very soon.
Hitting the Wall in Peggle
April 26, 2009
In my last entry, I mentioned how addicting Peggle is. The game is every bit as awesome as its reputation. Unfortunately, I may have progressed about as far as I can go with the challenges. I completed 50 out of 75 challenge levels. The difficulty of the remaining challenges is quite steep.
I should probably buy Peggle Nights. Starting fresh with the sequel would be more satisfying at this point. The level of frustration and time to complete all 75 challenge levels is beyond what I am willing to invest right now.
I have no regrets with Peggle. It is one of the best puzzle games I have ever played.
I should probably buy Peggle Nights. Starting fresh with the sequel would be more satisfying at this point. The level of frustration and time to complete all 75 challenge levels is beyond what I am willing to invest right now.
I have no regrets with Peggle. It is one of the best puzzle games I have ever played.
Peggle
March 08, 2009
Peggle rocks!
I had read many rave reviews of Peggle. It was viewed as another classic from PopCap Games, the puzzle game masters. With the release of Peggle Nights this month, PopCap offered the original game at a deep discount. I took advantage of the sale and I’m glad I did.
The game is extremely addicting. I completed the 55-level adventure in two nights and had to force myself to stop. I am now playing through the various challenge levels. There are 75 challenge levels and the difficulty escalates so it could be tough to finish.
I had read many rave reviews of Peggle. It was viewed as another classic from PopCap Games, the puzzle game masters. With the release of Peggle Nights this month, PopCap offered the original game at a deep discount. I took advantage of the sale and I’m glad I did.
The game is extremely addicting. I completed the 55-level adventure in two nights and had to force myself to stop. I am now playing through the various challenge levels. There are 75 challenge levels and the difficulty escalates so it could be tough to finish.
Heroes of Might and Magic IV
February 08, 2009
Back in 2005, I played Heroes of Might and Magic IV. I completed five campaigns but never finished the sixth and final campaign. Four years later, I fired up HOMM4 and picked up where I left off. All of the campaign’s are self-contained so there was no continuation of plot from the one’s I had already completed.
The last campaign is entitled The Pirate’s Daughter. You play Tawni Balfour, the daughter of a famous pirate, Captain Black. After her father’s death, Tawni takes control of his ship and sets out to conquer the Strait of Storms.
I forgot how long and time-consuming HOMM4 campaigns can be. Finishing this one could take a while.
The last campaign is entitled The Pirate’s Daughter. You play Tawni Balfour, the daughter of a famous pirate, Captain Black. After her father’s death, Tawni takes control of his ship and sets out to conquer the Strait of Storms.
I forgot how long and time-consuming HOMM4 campaigns can be. Finishing this one could take a while.
Day of the Tentacle
January 25, 2009
I made it through to the end of Maniac Mansion II: Day of the Tentacle. Adventure Gamers chose it as #1 in their Top 20 Adventure Games of All-Time. They stated “Day of the Tentacle, not a doubt in my mind, is the ultimate adventure game, the greatest ever.” Because of such high praise, I really looked forward to playing the game. I haven’t played a ton of adventure games but I’ve tried a fair number of them. I am inclined to agree with Adventure Gamers. Day of the Tentacle is an absolute masterpiece. Everything is top-notch from the story, the animation, the voice acting, and the puzzles.
The game features three controllable characters that you can switch between throughout the game: Bernard, Hoagie, and Laverne. With these characters, you have to manage three separate inventories across three time periods (18th century, 20th century, and 22 century). This creative twist made the game more challenging but very enjoyable. There are some wacky puzzles and I had to resort to on-line hints at several points.
Day of the Tentacle delivered a thoroughly enjoyable experience as great as watching some of the finest and funniest cartoons.
The game features three controllable characters that you can switch between throughout the game: Bernard, Hoagie, and Laverne. With these characters, you have to manage three separate inventories across three time periods (18th century, 20th century, and 22 century). This creative twist made the game more challenging but very enjoyable. There are some wacky puzzles and I had to resort to on-line hints at several points.
Day of the Tentacle delivered a thoroughly enjoyable experience as great as watching some of the finest and funniest cartoons.
Last Computer Gaming Update of 2008
December 31, 2008
As 2008 comes to a close, I decided that it was time for another Game Central update. I was quite lax with new postings in December, so it is definitely for a new entry. In November, I rediscovered the joys of LucasArts adventure games. I dusted off my copies of The Secret of Monkey Island and Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. Thanks to ScummVM, both are perfectly playable, even on newer systems.
Several years ago, I came very close to completing Monkey Island, but never did. This time around, I finished the game and it was as great as I remembered. Fate of Atlantis was pretty much a new experience as I had barely scratched the surface on it years back. The quality was right up there with Monkey Island and it added voice acting to the mix. I had to resort to the hint book more times than I would have liked but I was eager to play through it. Both games lived up to their lofty reputations as some of the best from the golden era of adventure games. I still have Day of the Tentacle, Sam and Max Hit the Road, and Full Throttle to play as well. Something to look forward to in 2009!
In December, I added some new independent Mac games to my library. One game was RocketBowl, somewhat of a combination of bowling with miniature golf. It sounds a bit odd but it works. I had a lot of fun with it.
I also purchased the 15th Anniversary Holiday Bundle from Ambrosia Software. It included six great games massively discounted to $19:
Several years ago, I came very close to completing Monkey Island, but never did. This time around, I finished the game and it was as great as I remembered. Fate of Atlantis was pretty much a new experience as I had barely scratched the surface on it years back. The quality was right up there with Monkey Island and it added voice acting to the mix. I had to resort to the hint book more times than I would have liked but I was eager to play through it. Both games lived up to their lofty reputations as some of the best from the golden era of adventure games. I still have Day of the Tentacle, Sam and Max Hit the Road, and Full Throttle to play as well. Something to look forward to in 2009!
In December, I added some new independent Mac games to my library. One game was RocketBowl, somewhat of a combination of bowling with miniature golf. It sounds a bit odd but it works. I had a lot of fun with it.
I also purchased the 15th Anniversary Holiday Bundle from Ambrosia Software. It included six great games massively discounted to $19:
- Apeiron X. Arcade-style, fast-paced, frantic gameplay. You versus the nefarious Pentipede and other mushroom patch baddies.
- Redline! Put the pedal to the metal in this intense 3D racing game. Hop in and burn rubber through myriad race tracks across the Web.
- Bubble Trouble X. Arcade-style family fun, filled with frolic, fins, and fishy foes. Use the maze itself to pop the cutthroat competition.
- Darwinia. Save a virtual world from a deadly computer virus. Real-time strategy and lush3D landscapes remind you remember why gaming is fun.
- SketchFighter. Pilot your sketched ship through hand-drawn graph paper mazes, battle bugs and bosses, solo or with a friend.
- Aki Mahjong Solitaire is an elegant blend of the ancient Chinese game of Mahjong with an enchanting journey across Japan.
Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds - Completed
August 06, 2008
I finished the last of the Galactic Battlegrounds campaigns tonight. The Wookie campaign ended with a bonus scenario, "The Liberation of Kessel." I completed the game in about a month. With so many summer activities taking time away from computer gaming, it took me a bit longer than I originally expected.
I thoroughly enjoyed Galactic Battlegrounds as I knew I would. Now I wish I had Clone Campaigns, the expansion pack. Ensemble knows how to make a great RTS game. Along with Age of Empires II and Age of Mythology, these are some of the best RTS titles of all time. I look forward to buying and playing Age of Empires III some day to continue that fine series.
I thoroughly enjoyed Galactic Battlegrounds as I knew I would. Now I wish I had Clone Campaigns, the expansion pack. Ensemble knows how to make a great RTS game. Along with Age of Empires II and Age of Mythology, these are some of the best RTS titles of all time. I look forward to buying and playing Age of Empires III some day to continue that fine series.
Larva Mortus
August 03, 2008
I am a big fan of Rake in Grass, an independent game developer. I own Jets'n'Guns and Jets'n'Guns Gold, both of which were great titles. They released a new horror action game earlier this year called Larva Mortus. It looked pretty cool and I put it on my games wish list as a future title to buy. I finally purchased it because it was featured on this weekend's MacUpdate Promo. For a discounted price of $9.99, how could I go wrong?
Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds
July 05, 2008
Since finishing Age of Mythology, I've been looking for my next computer game to play. I planned to finish up one more title before starting my next North American League Baseball season. I played a little bit of F1 Championship Season and a bit of Black & White as well. However, I bought Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds and decided to give it a go. It is basically Age of Empires II set in the Star Wars universe. It uses the same game engine. At first, the dated graphics were a little tough to get used to after playing the newer Age of Mythology. However, it didn't take much time at all before that was a non-issue. I am really enjoying it as I knew I would.
The game features six civilizations to play: the Galactic Empire, Rebel Alliance, Wookies, Trade Federation, Gungans, and Royal Naboo. I am playing the single-player campaigns. So Far, I have finished the first and second campaigns. The first campaign was a training campaign with the Wookies. The second campaign featured OOM-9 and the Trade Federation. I still need to play the Gungan, Galactic Empire, Rebel Alliance, and Wookie campaigns.
The game features six civilizations to play: the Galactic Empire, Rebel Alliance, Wookies, Trade Federation, Gungans, and Royal Naboo. I am playing the single-player campaigns. So Far, I have finished the first and second campaigns. The first campaign was a training campaign with the Wookies. The second campaign featured OOM-9 and the Trade Federation. I still need to play the Gungan, Galactic Empire, Rebel Alliance, and Wookie campaigns.
Age of Mythology - Completed
June 01, 2008
Two weeks after installing Age of Mythology, I have completed the single player campaign. The campaign was entitled "Fall of the Trident." It progressed through a series of Greek, Egyptian, and Norse scenarios. I thought the story was finished after scenario 30. However, there were two more scenarios that took place on Atlantis. That brought the campaign to a close.
The play experience was quite similar to Age of Empires II. At this point, I'm not really sure which one I enjoyed more. I loved the historical battles of AoE II but I was always interested in mythology so AoM was a treat as well. Ensemble Studios definitely makes some of the best RTS games out there. They are among my all-time favorites.
The play experience was quite similar to Age of Empires II. At this point, I'm not really sure which one I enjoyed more. I loved the historical battles of AoE II but I was always interested in mythology so AoM was a treat as well. Ensemble Studios definitely makes some of the best RTS games out there. They are among my all-time favorites.
Age of Mythology
May 18, 2008
I installed Age of Mythology yesterday. Created by Ensemble Studios, it wasn't an Age of Empires sequel but it was certainly done in a very similar style. The game features Greek, Norse, and Egyptian mythologies plus historically accurate units as well. Overall, the controls and concepts are close enough to Age of Kings that I didn't have much of a learning curve. There are some new wrinkles with myth units and gods to worship but I picked them up easy enough. I started the campaign and completed 8 of the Greek missions thus far.
I look forward to watching the story of Arkantos, the Atlantean Admiral, unfold. It's been well worth the wait. This is a great game.
I look forward to watching the story of Arkantos, the Atlantean Admiral, unfold. It's been well worth the wait. This is a great game.
Luxor 2 - I surrender
May 18, 2008
Luxor 2 is addicting. Actually, it is extremely addicting. It is similar to that "one more turn" feeling made famous by games like Civilization and Heroes of Might and Magic. I really have trouble putting the game down. I have devoted many hours to it by now. I started on normal difficulty and played it for quite a while before I realized that there was no way I was going to get through all 14 stages. I began again on easy difficulty and fared somewhat better. Instead of stage 7, I made it to stage 10. Unfortunately, I can't make it through the stage to progress any further. Stage 10-4 absolutely killed me. I went 0-14 on that level until I finally beat it on my 15th attempt. It was an exciting moment but I perished on stage 10-5 so my joy was short-lived.
I will play Luxor 2 when I have a spare 30 minutes and the urge to tackle stage 10 again. For now, I must simply say "I surrender" and move on to another game.
I will play Luxor 2 when I have a spare 30 minutes and the urge to tackle stage 10 again. For now, I must simply say "I surrender" and move on to another game.
Azada
April 19, 2008
For the last few weeks, I've taken a break from the computer game genres I typically play. As I mentioned last month, I purchased a bundle of "casual" games. Most of them were puzzle games. I played through Dream Chronicles first and just finished Azada today. I enjoyed Azada quite a bit, more so than Dream Chronicles. The great thing about Azada was that it offered a large variety of puzzle types. In addition to hidden object puzzles, there were number puzzles, spacial puzzles, matching puzzles, memory puzzles, etc. It definitely kept it from getting stale too early. At first, the difficulty level was quite low. It increased as the game went on and at least provided some challenges along the way. It certainly never got overly frustrating, though. If the other games in the bundle are as enjoyable as Azada, it will be money well spent.
Dream Chronicles
March 29, 2008
That didn't take long. I managed to play through all of Dream Chronicles in just a couple of days. It was far shorter than most games I'm used to playing. However, it was a decent change of pace. The puzzles weren't all that challenging. As with other hidden object games, however, the biggest challenge was usually finding the objects on screen. Most of the time it wasn't too bad. Other times, the items are so obscured that it gets a bit frustrating. You end up clicking mindlessly over entire regions looking for an item. I wouldn't have spent $20 on the game but I do feel that I got my $5 worth of enjoyment out of it.
March Super Bundle
March 26, 2008
I've taken a bit of a break from computer gaming since finishing Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. I planned to dive into Age of Mythology this month but I haven't really had the time to devote to it. I thought that I might get through the entire month without any gaming news at all. Then, MacGameStore tempted me with their March Super Bundle. The bundle included Azada, Chocolatier 2, Dream Chronicles, Luxor 2, and Professor Fizzwizzle and the Molten Mystery. The entire bundle of five casual/puzzle games was only $25 so I bought it. I have sampled each game a bit and don't regret the purchase. These are nice games for when you only have a limited amount of play time available. You can play for ten or fifteen minutes and feel like you accomplished something. Save your progress and resume when you have some more free time.
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
February 24, 2008
Two weeks ago, I installed Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy and I just finished it yesterday. After I played through the Celtic Kings campaign, I decided to change things up a bit and go for a first-person shooter. Actually, like its predecessor Jedi Outcast, Jedi Academy featured a blend of first-person and third-person action. With a traditional weapon (pistol, rifle, etc.) equipped, it plays like a standard FPS. However, switching to the lightsaber presents a very effective third-person camera view. I really like the variety of the different views and how they are under your control by way of weapon choice.
I thoroughly enjoyed Jedi Outcast and wasn't sure that Jedi Academy could measure up to its overall experience. Jedi Academy had a slightly different feel but was just as enjoyable as the previous entry in the series. In Jedi Outcast, you played Kyle Katarn, the protagonist of the series that started with Star Wars: Dark Forces. In that game, you did not start out with a lightsaber. It was a more traditional FPS in the first section and the lightsaber duels were featured in the middle to the end of the game. In Jedi Academy, you assume the role of Jaden Korr, a pupil of Kyle Katarn. Jaden is a Jedi in training and possesses a lightsaber from the very start. The action comes quickly and I found myself balancing the use of various weapons and force powers quite a bit.
Jedi Academy used a modified Quake III engine as did Jedi Outcast. Both games played extremely well in full widescreen at 1680x1050 resolution with all details set to maximum. As is typical with games utilizing the Quake III engine, quick saves and quick loads were almost instantaneous. I still love games based on this engine.
This was another great computer game set in the Star Wars universe. It left me with a taste for some more Star Wars action, so I may have to purchase Star Wars: Battlefront one of these days.
I thoroughly enjoyed Jedi Outcast and wasn't sure that Jedi Academy could measure up to its overall experience. Jedi Academy had a slightly different feel but was just as enjoyable as the previous entry in the series. In Jedi Outcast, you played Kyle Katarn, the protagonist of the series that started with Star Wars: Dark Forces. In that game, you did not start out with a lightsaber. It was a more traditional FPS in the first section and the lightsaber duels were featured in the middle to the end of the game. In Jedi Academy, you assume the role of Jaden Korr, a pupil of Kyle Katarn. Jaden is a Jedi in training and possesses a lightsaber from the very start. The action comes quickly and I found myself balancing the use of various weapons and force powers quite a bit.
Jedi Academy used a modified Quake III engine as did Jedi Outcast. Both games played extremely well in full widescreen at 1680x1050 resolution with all details set to maximum. As is typical with games utilizing the Quake III engine, quick saves and quick loads were almost instantaneous. I still love games based on this engine.
This was another great computer game set in the Star Wars universe. It left me with a taste for some more Star Wars action, so I may have to purchase Star Wars: Battlefront one of these days.
Celtic Kings: Rage of War
February 09, 2008
It's been a while since I've posted any gaming updates. I received Celtic Kings: Rage of War as a Christmas gift and have been playing it since January 12. This afternoon, I completed the single-player adventure campaign. I expected a good real-time strategy game. Actually, I got even more than I expected. There were some nice role-playing elements in addition to the strategy. All in all, it was a very enjoyable RTS/RPG hybrid.
The setting was a pleasant change from the usual RPG or RTS. Celtic Kings is set in ancient Roman times. In the adventure campaign, you play as Larax, a Gaul hero. The early missions feature the Teutons as enemies. After Larax's wife is killed in a Teuton raid, he is driven to seek vengeance against them. Eventually, the missions involve the Romans and Julius Caesar himself. Larax is frequently accompanied by the druid Lleldoryn and the viking lord Thoric. These three heroes are together for much of the story.
A nice variety of missions was finally capped off by an assault on Caesar and his mighty armies for the finale. There were literally hundreds of units on the screen. I don't believe I've ever played an RTS game with such large forces to command. Eventually, the Gauls were victorious and Julius Caesar was driven off. You can see him riding off in defeat on the left side of the victory screenshot.
The setting was a pleasant change from the usual RPG or RTS. Celtic Kings is set in ancient Roman times. In the adventure campaign, you play as Larax, a Gaul hero. The early missions feature the Teutons as enemies. After Larax's wife is killed in a Teuton raid, he is driven to seek vengeance against them. Eventually, the missions involve the Romans and Julius Caesar himself. Larax is frequently accompanied by the druid Lleldoryn and the viking lord Thoric. These three heroes are together for much of the story.
A nice variety of missions was finally capped off by an assault on Caesar and his mighty armies for the finale. There were literally hundreds of units on the screen. I don't believe I've ever played an RTS game with such large forces to command. Eventually, the Gauls were victorious and Julius Caesar was driven off. You can see him riding off in defeat on the left side of the victory screenshot.
Splinter Cell
January 02, 2008
It's a new year and I finished another game yesterday. After completing the Neverwinter Nights campaign, I decided to squeeze in one more game over my Christmas vacation. I selected Splinter Cell, an excellent third-person action/shooter game, and played through it in roughly one week. The focus of Splinter Cell is on stealth rather than running and gunning.
You assume the role of Sam Fisher, an agent with the NSA. The primary villain of the story is Georgian president Kombayn Nikoladze. Sam Fisher is sent around the world on various missions and is eventually sent to kill Nikoladze. The game has a similar feel to the television series 24. However, Sam Fisher takes a stealthier approach than Jack Bauer in most cases.
It was a lot of fun to play. For now, I am going to stick with Max Payne as my favorite third-person shooter. Regardless, Splinter Cell was plenty good enough to earn it a place on my All-Time Favorites list.
You assume the role of Sam Fisher, an agent with the NSA. The primary villain of the story is Georgian president Kombayn Nikoladze. Sam Fisher is sent around the world on various missions and is eventually sent to kill Nikoladze. The game has a similar feel to the television series 24. However, Sam Fisher takes a stealthier approach than Jack Bauer in most cases.
It was a lot of fun to play. For now, I am going to stick with Max Payne as my favorite third-person shooter. Regardless, Splinter Cell was plenty good enough to earn it a place on my All-Time Favorites list.
Neverwinter Nights - Finished the Campaign
December 24, 2007
I completed the Neverwinter Nights campaign this morning. I really loved almost every single minute of it. This game is definitely going on my All-Time Favorites list. I finished up Chapter Two on Sunday, 12/16/07. The chapter concluded in the Tower of the Arcane Brotherhood in Luskan. I completed Chapter Three on Saturday. That chapter was all about tracking down the Words of Power. Maugrim had one but three others were missing. Chapter Four was set back in the city of Neverwinter and was very short. There were Final confrontations with Lady Aribeth, evil mage Maugrim Korothir, and the foul Morag. Morag was the Highpriestess of the Creator Race, Queen of the Old Ones. The final battle was against Morag inside of the magic Source Stone. It took me several attempts to defeat her, but in the end, 15th-level wizard Jando Ashby was victorious.
The story was quite epic in scope though a bit less than the Baldur's Gate saga. Without question, it was one of the best computer RPGs I've ever played. Another bonus was a great soundtrack from my favorite computer game music composer, Jeremy Soule. Although the saga of Jando Ashby and Neverwinter is over, there are many more adventures to be had. Neverwinter Nights is a platform for many expansions and modules so I will have to give some of them a try.
The story was quite epic in scope though a bit less than the Baldur's Gate saga. Without question, it was one of the best computer RPGs I've ever played. Another bonus was a great soundtrack from my favorite computer game music composer, Jeremy Soule. Although the saga of Jando Ashby and Neverwinter is over, there are many more adventures to be had. Neverwinter Nights is a platform for many expansions and modules so I will have to give some of them a try.
Neverwinter Nights
November 20, 2007
For the last three weeks, I've been playing the Neverwinter Nights single-player campaign. So far, I like the game a lot. It brings back great memories of the Baldur's Gate series.
I created a character, Jando Ashby, a young wizard. Jando is in Neverwinter while a plague known as the Wailing Death is sweeping through the city. While at the Neverwinter Academy, he experiences an attack that kills most of its members. Jando's task is to seek out a cure for the plague. Chapter One deals with the search for four reagents that may develop a cure. Desther, a false Helmite, ends up being a traitor and makes off with the cure. I am currently in Chapter Two. It is centered around the town of Port Llast. Jando's goal is to seek out the cult behind the attack on Neverwinter.
It looks like there are still many hours of gameplay left in the campaign.
I created a character, Jando Ashby, a young wizard. Jando is in Neverwinter while a plague known as the Wailing Death is sweeping through the city. While at the Neverwinter Academy, he experiences an attack that kills most of its members. Jando's task is to seek out a cure for the plague. Chapter One deals with the search for four reagents that may develop a cure. Desther, a false Helmite, ends up being a traitor and makes off with the cure. I am currently in Chapter Two. It is centered around the town of Port Llast. Jando's goal is to seek out the cult behind the attack on Neverwinter.
It looks like there are still many hours of gameplay left in the campaign.
FizzBall
July 16, 2007
I had read many great reviews of FizzBall by Grubby Games. It was supposed to be somewhat like Breakout with a bit of Katarmari Damacy thrown in. The graphics looked cute and cartoonish and aimed toward kids. Given all of the raves and my satisfaction with many independent games by small developers, I decided to give it a try. I bought it yesterday and haven't regretted a minute of it. You really can't go wrong with this game, particularly because it is reasonably priced at less than $20.
Star Trek: Elite Force II
July 13, 2007
It's been a while since I posted a gaming update here. Actually, I have been playing Star Trek: Elite Force II for the past several weeks. I started playing it on June 21 and just finished it a few days ago on July 10. Its predecessor, Star Trek: Voyager Elite Force, was a real hit with me. I'm not a big first-person shooter fan but I am a huge Star Trek fan. That game became a real favorite of mine. I hoped that the sequel would be as good as the original.
In Elite Force II, you once again play Alex Munro, a member of the Hazard Team. After his assignment on Voyager, he gets transferred to Starfleet Academy. Very shortly thereafter, Munro is back on a starship. This time, he is assigned to the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701E) under Captain Jean-Luc Picard. The story revolves around a conflict between the Attraxians and the Idryll. Your enemies in many missions are dangerous artificially-created life forms known as exomorphs. Familiar foes include the Borg in the Voyager missions and the Romulans to close out the game.
So was it as good as the first game? It was very good but somehow wasn't quite as satisfying as the original Elite Force. One thing both games had in common was difficult end bosses. Elite Force II had a series of bosses in the final mission. I found the final combat quite frustrating and nearly impossible to survive given my level of FPS skill. They added a bit of puzzle solving and some additional role-playing elements (very basic dialog choices) to the sequel. However, I don't consider it to be good enough to knock Star Trek: Voyager Elite Force from my All-Time Favorites list.
In Elite Force II, you once again play Alex Munro, a member of the Hazard Team. After his assignment on Voyager, he gets transferred to Starfleet Academy. Very shortly thereafter, Munro is back on a starship. This time, he is assigned to the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701E) under Captain Jean-Luc Picard. The story revolves around a conflict between the Attraxians and the Idryll. Your enemies in many missions are dangerous artificially-created life forms known as exomorphs. Familiar foes include the Borg in the Voyager missions and the Romulans to close out the game.
So was it as good as the first game? It was very good but somehow wasn't quite as satisfying as the original Elite Force. One thing both games had in common was difficult end bosses. Elite Force II had a series of bosses in the final mission. I found the final combat quite frustrating and nearly impossible to survive given my level of FPS skill. They added a bit of puzzle solving and some additional role-playing elements (very basic dialog choices) to the sequel. However, I don't consider it to be good enough to knock Star Trek: Voyager Elite Force from my All-Time Favorites list.
Jets'n'Guns Gold
June 17, 2007
Jets'n'Guns was one of my absolute favorite computer arcade games. The last time I enjoyed an arcade game as much as JnG was probably Space Tripper several years back. Last Sunday, I upgraded my copy of Jets'n'Guns to Jets'n'Guns Gold. For $9.95, how could I go wrong? Rake in Grass improved the display resolution, added 7 new ships, 70 new enemies, and 17 new weapons. Most importantly, they included 21 new levels which doubled the total to 42 in the Gold version.
I just finished going through all 42 levels on Easy and I’m now playing it again on Normal. Some of the levels were still pretty challenging. The new content was primarily in the beginning of the game. I think the second half played out pretty much how I remembered the original. As before, the plot makes almost no sense at all. However, you don't play JnG for plot. The carnage in JnG Gold is as great as ever. It still stands as one of my all-time favorite arcade experiences for the computer.
I just finished going through all 42 levels on Easy and I’m now playing it again on Normal. Some of the levels were still pretty challenging. The new content was primarily in the beginning of the game. I think the second half played out pretty much how I remembered the original. As before, the plot makes almost no sense at all. However, you don't play JnG for plot. The carnage in JnG Gold is as great as ever. It still stands as one of my all-time favorite arcade experiences for the computer.
Frozen Throne - Bonus Campaign
June 03, 2007
I played through Act Two and Act Three of the Bonus Campaign yesterday. That finished up the last of the campaigns included in The Frozen Throne expansion. Although Thrall appeared in the story, the real hero was Rexxar. Rexxar was a Mok'Nathal, a half-orc, half-ogre breed. By the end of the campaign, you had a total of four powerful heroes at your command. Overall, I found it to be pretty easy and straight-forward with that many heroes. However, the end of Act Two (destroying the village) and Act Three (killing Grand Admiral Proudmore) were a decent challenge. That made up for some of the tedium of Act One.
Frozen Throne - Scourge Campaign
May 29, 2007
On Sunday, May 27, I completed the Scourge Campaign. That was the final campaign in the main Frozen Throne story arc. Over the course of the campaign, I got to control Arthas, Silvanis, Varimathras, Anub'arak, and Garithos. All of the major players were featured in one way or another. The finale, Chapter 8. was of course the most difficult mission of all. The enemy attacks were relentless and demanded a lot of micro-managing of troops. All in all, I think that I enjoyed The Frozen Throne as much as Reign of Chaos. Reign of Chaos was a bit longer and had the more impressive cinematics. However, The Frozen Throne dispensed with any trivial tutorial missions. They were both great experiences.
There is a Bonus Campaign included with the expansion pack. It is a standalone Orc campaign entitled To Tame a Land. I played Act One straight through on Sunday. It was more of an RPG-style campaign focused on the heroes much more so than the supporting troops. It was a bit long and repetitive but a nice change of pace nevertheless.
There is a Bonus Campaign included with the expansion pack. It is a standalone Orc campaign entitled To Tame a Land. I played Act One straight through on Sunday. It was more of an RPG-style campaign focused on the heroes much more so than the supporting troops. It was a bit long and repetitive but a nice change of pace nevertheless.
Frozen Throne - Alliance Campaign
May 18, 2007
I finally completed the Alliance Campaign. There were only six chapters plus a special bonus chapter. I got my butt kicked in the bonus chapter but winning it was not mandatory to continue the story. The last chapter was a lot of fun with four powerful heroes under my command: Illidan, Kael the Blood Mage, Lady Vashj the Naga Sea Witch, and a Draenei Elder Sage by the name of Akama. The campaign ends in the Outland where you face off against the Pit Lord Magtheridon.
Now it is on to the Scourge Campaign featuring King (formerly Prince) Arthas.
Now it is on to the Scourge Campaign featuring King (formerly Prince) Arthas.
WarCraft III: The Frozen Throne
May 05, 2007
I started The Frozen Throne this week and already finished the Sentinels campaign. The story takes place not long after the conclusion of Reign of Chaos. It was an easy transition starting with Night Elves because that was the race that you played in the final chapter of Reign of Chaos. This time, you start out with a new hero, Maiev Shadowsong. She is a Warden, one of the new hero classes in The Frozen Throne. Maiev is out for vengeance against her former prisoner, Illidan Stormrage. Old favorites Tyrande Whisperwind and Malfurion Stormrage return later in the campaign. A couple of the chapters near the end were a little tough. I usually struggle somewhat with timed missions and Chapter 7 was one of those with only 30 minutes given to achieve the goal. Still, it was a lot of fun.
Next up is the Alliance Campaign.
Next up is the Alliance Campaign.
WarCraft III - Night Elf Campaign
April 29, 2007
I finished the Night Elf Campaign today and therefore completed WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos. This was another great real-time strategy game. It was so good that I just added it to my All-Time Favorites list. That list is certainly growing. I may have to trim it a bit in the future. The finale reminded me of StarCraft. It was an intense, battle-filled mission with multiple factions involved: night elves, humans, orcs, undead, and the burning legion. It was a great way to finish off the game.
The end credits were great; they were well worth watching. Blizzard put a sense of humor and a lot of creativity into them. Almost as good as the Star Control II end credits.
Now on to The Frozen Throne...
The end credits were great; they were well worth watching. Blizzard put a sense of humor and a lot of creativity into them. Almost as good as the Star Control II end credits.
Now on to The Frozen Throne...
WarCraft III - Orc Campaign
April 28, 2007
The Reign of Chaos saga continues. I completed the Orc Campaign earlier today. Never having played any WarCraft games before, I expected the orcs to be evil. I thought it might play like the Undead campaign where you actually controled the villains of the story. However, I discovered that the orcs actually had a sense of honor and were quite different than I expected. The game gives you two heroes to control: Thrall and Grom Hellscream. Thrall was a Far Seer and the orcs' leader. Grom Hellscream was a Blademaster, always anxious for battle. There were some tough missions and even a dungeon crawl in Chapter 7. All in all, another fine campaign. I am anxious to move on to the Night Elf campaign and see how the story ends.
WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos
April 21, 2007
After finishing up the fifth campaign in Heroes of Might and Magic IV two weeks ago, I decided to take a break and move on to a different game. I chose WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos. I really enjoyed Blizzard's StarCraft and WarCraft III plays very similarly. Of course, the graphics are much improved. However, the gameplay mechanics and controls are very close. The story line is comprised of four campaigns: Human, Undead, Orc, and Night Elf. I finished the Human campaign within the first week and just finished the Undead campaign today. I have really enjoyed the game thus far. As a real-time strategy game, it is excellent. However, the epic story makes the game stand out that much more. The cut-scenes are nice and the cinematics are absolutely magnificent. I'm not sure that any company does them better than Blizzard.
Next up is the Orc campaign. At my current pace, I should hopefully have it finished by next weekend.
Next up is the Orc campaign. At my current pace, I should hopefully have it finished by next weekend.
HoMM IV: Half-Dead
April 07, 2007
I finished up the fifth campaign of Heroes of Might and Magic IV this afternoon. It was called Half-Dead and featured Gauldoth, a necromancer. Gauldoth was somewhat of an anti-hero; he was quite different from the protagonists of the previous campaigns. Gauldoth started the campaign hunted by the humans of the local village. He went on to rescue his former master, Kalibarr. In the end, Gauldoth discovered that Kalibarr served a master of his own. Kalibarr's master was a powerful being from the Plane of Death intent on destroying all life. In the final scenario, Gauldoth came to the realization that he must destroy Kalibarr and liberate the town of Nekorum. Click on the image below to see the outcome of the Half-Dead campaign.
Elwin and Shaera
March 20, 2007
I completed Elwin and Shaera, my first campaign after a long hiatus from Heroes of Might and Magic IV. Elwin defeated the evil Lord Harke in the final scenario. Lord Harke was quite tough (level 39 general) but I commanded a sizable army that was more than a match for his troops. I also had Lord Gramin, Shaera's father, at my side. He was an accomplished General in his own right (level 27).
These campaigns are a lot of fun but it takes a while to complete them. I'm not sure if I will move on to the fifth campaign or take a break and play another game for a bit. Decisions, Decisions...
These campaigns are a lot of fun but it takes a while to complete them. I'm not sure if I will move on to the fifth campaign or take a break and play another game for a bit. Decisions, Decisions...
Heroes of Might and Magic IV
March 11, 2007
After finishing up The Ur-Quan Masters last weekend, I needed to decide on my next computer game to tackle. Instead of installing a new game, I ended up going back to Heroes of Might and Magic IV. I had played through the first three campaigns a while back but never finished the last three campaigns. This is one of my all-time favorite series. I'm not sure that anything can ever equal Heroes of Might and Magic III. I know that HoMM4 was much maligned. However, I still enjoy playing it a lot. Campaign 4 is called Elwin and Shaera. It is about an Elven druid and his quest to be with his true love. Along the way, he finds adventure and treachery. So far, I have finished the first two scenarios, The Lovers and Mark of the Tiger. I have enjoyed the story line thus far and still have three more scenarios left to play.
The Ur-Quan Masters
March 04, 2007
Wow! What an incredible gaming experience. I completed The Ur-Quan Masters last night. As I mentioned in a previous news entry, this game is actually an updated, free version of the original classic, Star Control II: The Ur-Quan Masters. I now know why Star Control II is frequently on lists as one of the greatest games of all time. I heartily agree with this assessment. The game play was fun, the story was well-conceived, and the humor was top-notch. In fact, the sense of humor in the writing was one of my favorite parts of the game. Plus, the voice acting enhanced the dialog for me. That is not something I can say about every game. I thought it was one of the cleverest and funniest games since the Fallout series. I just added it to my All-Time Favorites list.
Midnight Mansion - Easy Difficulty
March 03, 2007
I made it through all eight of the mansions included with Midnight Mansion. In order, they were Falcon Manor, Nightmare Mansion, Knight Mansion, House of Baron Garneau, Castle Doom, Cathedral Towers, Chateau de Medusa, and Spider Palace. I completed them on easy difficulty level so I still have the normal and hard levels to try as well. I have enjoyed this game much more than I thought I would. A good old platform game has been a nice change of pace for me. Other players have created custom mansions of their own. I plan to download some and give them a try. With these add-ons, Midnight Mansion still has quite a bit of life left to it for me.
Battles of the Conquerors
February 25, 2007
Today, I completed the last campaign from Age of Empires II: The Conquerors. This so called Battles of the Conquerors wasn't really a unified campaign like the other ones included in the game. Instead, it was a series of historical battles played out in eight individual scenarios. I played them chronologically: Tours (732), Vindlandsaga (1000), Hastings (1066), Manzikert (1071), Agincourt (1415), Lepanto (1571), Kyoto (1582), and Noryang Point (1598). I really enjoyed the variety of these scenarios. Playing everything from French and English to Japanese and Korean to Vikings kept things very fresh. The game was not only fun but quite educational as well.
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings and The Conquerors will be staying on my hard drive for a while. It is an absolute classic and certainly one of my all-time favorites.
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings and The Conquerors will be staying on my hard drive for a while. It is an absolute classic and certainly one of my all-time favorites.
Midnight Mansion
February 25, 2007
They don't make 'em like they used to. Thankfully, that isn't entirely true. Last Monday, I registered a terrific shareware game. The game was Midnight Mansion by ActionSoft. After reading the stellar reviews and briefly playing the demo, I knew that I had to buy it. The game is a good old-fashioned 2D platform game in the style of Montezuma's Revenge or Dark Castle. I remember having a great time playing Montezuma's Revenge on my IBM PC many years ago. Mignight Mansion is every bit as good as I remember that game to be. The graphics may look dated to some. However, I feel that the artwork is very effective in its cartoonish style. The level design has been top notch so far. I've completed three mansions on the easy level so far and have a lot more to explore.
More Retro Gaming Goodness
February 18, 2007
I have been in the mood to play some old classics. One game that I really loved was Myth II: Soulblighter. I feel that it is one of the all-time greats. I played the Linux version that was ported by Loki Software. Now that I am on the Macintosh platform, I haven't had the opportunity to play Myth II in several years. However, the fine folks at Project Magma have continued to keep the Myth series alive. They update the code and maintain versions for several platforms. Earlier this month, they release Myth II version 1.6. You can play it on the Mac full-screen or windowed and it now adds native Mac OS X map-making tools. I transferred the data files from the Linux version to my Mac and installed the Myth II 1.6 package. It runs beautifully. I can now play this old classic on my Mac with OpenGL graphics cranked up to 1680x1050 resolution on my Cinema Display. Myth II never looked better.
Another classic that I always heard great things about was Star Control II: The Ur-Quan Masters. I never bought it but really wished I had. Like Myth II, I have been given a second chance to play this timeless game on a modern system. Star Control II lives on as The Ur-Quan Masters on Sourceforge. It is a free download and includes elements from both the PC version and the 3DO version. There are even additional music and voice packages you can download. The original game came out in 1992. However, this version is updated and can run in resolutions up to 1024x768, full-screen or windowed. I am currently playing it in that resolution in windowed mode. I must admit it is one of the most addicting games that I have played in a long time. I have already invested quite a few hours into it. At this point, I am probably midway through the story. I will post more about it when I get a bit closer to the end.
Another classic that I always heard great things about was Star Control II: The Ur-Quan Masters. I never bought it but really wished I had. Like Myth II, I have been given a second chance to play this timeless game on a modern system. Star Control II lives on as The Ur-Quan Masters on Sourceforge. It is a free download and includes elements from both the PC version and the 3DO version. There are even additional music and voice packages you can download. The original game came out in 1992. However, this version is updated and can run in resolutions up to 1024x768, full-screen or windowed. I am currently playing it in that resolution in windowed mode. I must admit it is one of the most addicting games that I have played in a long time. I have already invested quite a few hours into it. At this point, I am probably midway through the story. I will post more about it when I get a bit closer to the end.
Pangea Arcade
February 18, 2007
A little over a week ago, I bought Pangea Arcade. Pangea Software had a February Fun Sale for one weekend only. They offered all of their downloadable games for only $9.99 each. I couldn't pass up the deal. It is a nice package that includes three different games: Firefall, Warheads, and Nucleus. The games are done in a retro arcade style updated with modern graphics and sound. I do miss a lot of the great coin-up games from the 1980s. Pangea Arcade is a fitting tribute.
Firefall is a pretty straightforward version of Centipede. Warheads is a modern update of Missile Command, one of my all-time favorites. Nucleus is like Asteroids but with a twist. Your ship has to build atoms by collecting electrons. Once you collect the required amount and bind them to the interstellar nuclei, it collapses into a singularity and creates a black hole. It is enough of a change from Asteroids to make the gameplay seem fresh again.
I own several Pangea games. They all have very good production values for games developed by a small, independent company. As with Nanosaur II and other Pangea titles, Pangea Arcade supports 3D video with anaglyph glasses. Considering the fact that these are old style 2D arcade shooters, the 3D is not really required. However, I must say that the effect looks very cool with Warheads.
Firefall is a pretty straightforward version of Centipede. Warheads is a modern update of Missile Command, one of my all-time favorites. Nucleus is like Asteroids but with a twist. Your ship has to build atoms by collecting electrons. Once you collect the required amount and bind them to the interstellar nuclei, it collapses into a singularity and creates a black hole. It is enough of a change from Asteroids to make the gameplay seem fresh again.
I own several Pangea games. They all have very good production values for games developed by a small, independent company. As with Nanosaur II and other Pangea titles, Pangea Arcade supports 3D video with anaglyph glasses. Considering the fact that these are old style 2D arcade shooters, the 3D is not really required. However, I must say that the effect looks very cool with Warheads.
The Conquerors: Montezuma
February 04, 2007
Yesterday afternoon, I finished up the Montezuma campaign. Although most of the civilizations in the game have much in common, the Aztecs were somewhat unique. They did not have any mounted combat units of their own. Without cavalry, knights, and so forth, the battle tactics required were a bit different. The Aztecs had very nice ground troops, however. Between the Eagle Warriors and the Jaguar Warriors, the Aztec infantry was a match for anyone. I enjoyed the story line from the campaign quite a bit. It followed actual history pretty closely. Montezuma died during the campaign. The story is actually narrated by Cuauhtémoc, Montezuma's successor and the last of the true Aztec emperors. As Cuauhtémoc, I was able to rewrite history and drive out the greedy Spanish led by Hernán Cortéz.
The Conquerors: El Cid
January 28, 2007
This afternoon, I finished up the second campaign from The Conquerors. The campaign centered around the 11th century Spanish hero El Cid. Unlike Attila the Hun, the featured leader from the first campaign, El Cid seemed like a true hero. I thought that made it more fun to play. El Cid commanded forces for King Sancho and later King Alfonso. He also commanded Moorish armies as well as Spanish so that made it the scenarios quite varied. In the final scenario, El Cid was dead but his armies fought on. They faced off against the Berbers of Northwest Africa and their leader Yusuf. The campaign finished with some nice naval battles as well as land action. Another great campaign in the Age of Empires II series.
Age of Empires II: The Conquerors
January 24, 2007
Since completing James Bond 007: Nightfire, I have only dabbled in various games. I wasn't sure which game I really wanted to take on next. One older title that I really loved was Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings. In fact, I placed it on my All-Time Favorites list. I have the Gold Edition of AOE2 which includes not only The Age of Kings but The Conquerors expansion as well. I finished all of the campaigns from The Age of Kings but never got around to playing the expansion. Last week I began playing The Conquerors, starting with the Attila the Hun campaign. I just finished that campaign on Sunday and it was quite enjoyable. I started up the second expansion campaign, El Cid, last night. So far, I think The Conquerors is every bit as good as The Age of Kings, if not better.
2006 End of Year Gaming Update
December 30, 2006
I completed the latest season in Out of the Park Baseball 2006 in early November. Since then, I have played a variety of different computer games. I got hooked on American History Lux and played through the entire game on several difficulty levels. I hadn't played Risk in a quite some time and AHL was a nice substitute for it. I also got hooked on a great 2D arcade shooter, Platypus. It features very unique claymation artwork. I found it quite difficult and haven't made it to the final level yet, unfortunately.
I have been on vacation since December 15 so I have had some extra time for gaming over the last two weeks. I spent more than a little time playing some puzzle games. First was Enigmo 2, sort of like The Incredible Machine but in 3D. There was an afternoon where I couldn't stop playing the excellent Tetris clone, Quinn. I played for hours. I also fired up an old Christmas favorite, Holiday Express. All of them were a nice break from the standard computer game genres that I regularly play.
I finally got around to installing Tropico. What a great game it turned out to be! It is a building game somewhat like SimCity but I found it to be even more fun. One thing that really stood out was Tropico's outstanding soundtrack of Latin Bachata music. I haven't been this impressed with a game soundtrack since I heard Jeremy Soule's soundtrack to Icewind Dale. I first played a random map to get the hang of it. Next, I moved on to play one of the scenarios. Unfortunately, I was voted out of office after 40 years or so. I played a different scenario after that and was able to achieve the objectives. El Presidente finally won the respect of his people.
I hadn't played a first-person shooter in a while so I decided to install an FPS from my large backlog of games. I chose James Bond 007: Nightfire. I knew that it wasn't the most highly rated game out there. However, it was still worth a try. I started it on 12/23 and finished it on 12/30. All in all, I must say that it was good but not great. Most of the gameplay was actually pretty good. However, the game was buggy in places and did have a tendency to crash in a few spots. Perhaps the most annoying thing was the audio in most of the cut scenes. The volume level of the voices was way too low and was drowned out by most of the other sounds. That really destroyed the effectiveness of the scenes and how they should have advanced the plot of the game. Other than that, it was a decent shooter and the variety of Bond gadgets added some flair to the game. Overall, I enjoyed it but it won't be going on my All-Time Favorites list.
I have been on vacation since December 15 so I have had some extra time for gaming over the last two weeks. I spent more than a little time playing some puzzle games. First was Enigmo 2, sort of like The Incredible Machine but in 3D. There was an afternoon where I couldn't stop playing the excellent Tetris clone, Quinn. I played for hours. I also fired up an old Christmas favorite, Holiday Express. All of them were a nice break from the standard computer game genres that I regularly play.
I finally got around to installing Tropico. What a great game it turned out to be! It is a building game somewhat like SimCity but I found it to be even more fun. One thing that really stood out was Tropico's outstanding soundtrack of Latin Bachata music. I haven't been this impressed with a game soundtrack since I heard Jeremy Soule's soundtrack to Icewind Dale. I first played a random map to get the hang of it. Next, I moved on to play one of the scenarios. Unfortunately, I was voted out of office after 40 years or so. I played a different scenario after that and was able to achieve the objectives. El Presidente finally won the respect of his people.
I hadn't played a first-person shooter in a while so I decided to install an FPS from my large backlog of games. I chose James Bond 007: Nightfire. I knew that it wasn't the most highly rated game out there. However, it was still worth a try. I started it on 12/23 and finished it on 12/30. All in all, I must say that it was good but not great. Most of the gameplay was actually pretty good. However, the game was buggy in places and did have a tendency to crash in a few spots. Perhaps the most annoying thing was the audio in most of the cut scenes. The volume level of the voices was way too low and was drowned out by most of the other sounds. That really destroyed the effectiveness of the scenes and how they should have advanced the plot of the game. Other than that, it was a decent shooter and the variety of Bond gadgets added some flair to the game. Overall, I enjoyed it but it won't be going on my All-Time Favorites list.
Computer Systems History
November 11, 2006
I added a new section to Game Central. It is a history of the various computers that I have had through the years. In addition to the stories, I have included some specifications of each system as well.
Computer Systems
Computer Systems
Brood War - The Story is Complete
September 02, 2006
On a rainy Labor Day Saturday, I was able to devote some time to playing the final Brood War Zerg mission. There were 10 Zerg missions in all. I found the last few missions pretty challenging and had to resort to some frequent saving/loading of critical spots. I just finished Zerg 10 and completed the StarCraft saga as it stands for now. The final cinematics were excellent as usual. Hopefully, Blizzard is hard at work on StarCraft II. I am anxious to see where they take the story next.
Brood War - Terran Missions Complete
August 24, 2006
I just finished the last of the Brood War Terran missions. There were eight in all. It was more great game play from the StarCraft series. Afterwards, there was a pretty cool cut-scene. It was a UEN (United Earth Network) Special Report War Update. Now, I just have to complete the Zerg missions to finish out the story line and see how it all ends.
StarCraft: Brood War
August 12, 2006
Since finishing the StarCraft campaign less than two weeks ago, I've been playing the Brood War expansion set. The campaign continues the story line and starts off with Protoss missions. I just finished the last of them tonight. There were eight in all. There was the typical variety of opponents: Zerg, Terran, and Protoss, depending on the mission. The final mission was interesting. You had to defend a temple for 15 minutes against an onslaught of Zerg forces. I'm now ready to tackle the next phase of the Brood War campaign which is comprised of Terran missions.
StarCraft - Finished the Campaign
July 31, 2006
I just completed the entire StarCraft campaign. There were 30 missions in all: 10 Terran, 10 Zerg, and 10 Protoss. The game was extremely well done. The balance between the races seemed just about perfect. The story line was very good, particularly for a real-time strategy game. Even the cinematics were so well done that they didn't look too bad for a game that came out in 1998. All in all, I had a blast playing it. I may have to revise my pick for my favorite RTS. StarCraft is certainly in the same league as my other favorites, Myth II: Soulblighter and Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.
Completed the Zerg Missions
July 20, 2006
I finished the last four Zerg missions. It took a little while to get used to playing the Zergs after the Terrans. However, by the last few missions, I felt pretty comfortable with them and actually enjoyed the difference in units and strategy. Next will be the final ten missions of the game, the Protoss missions. It should be fun. StarCraft is defintely climbing the ranks as one of my all time favorite games.
StarCraft - Another Try
July 12, 2006
I'm back playing StarCraft again. I first played it several years ago. I attempted the campaign, which consisted of 10 Terran missions followed by 10 Zerg missions and finally 10 Protoss missions. I got stuck on mission 10, the last Terran mission. I shelved the game, moved on, and didn't play it again until about two weeks ago. What a great game! It certainly deserves its reputation as one of the all-time greats. I'm enjoying it a lot more this time. I think my time spent playing Age of Empires II: Age of Kings helped me improve my RTS skills. So far, I've finished all of the Terran missions and am up to Zerg mission 7. This time, I hope to finish the entire campaign. I have the StarCraft Battle Chest so I have all of the Brood War missions to play as well.