Author Archives: Dan Thurot
Fallen Enchantress #2: Farhammer
The Gilden city of Farhammer.
After only a couple hours with Fallen Enchantress, it was plain that Stardock had learned some strong lessons from the disappointment of Elemental: War of Magic. Magnar and his growing retinue of allies were on a happy romp across the Desolate East — now an actual magic-ravaged desert rather than the lukewarm fantasy of the first game, which was filled with characters who were constantly insisting that no, really, this is a wasteland. Magnar had founded eight proud cities, assembled a few decent armies (mostly composed of freebie slave militia), and done some stuff that could only rightly be called heroic, even though he has a strong dislike for that term. After all, what else do you call a team of adventurers who drives back a demon invasion? Neglecting the fact that in the end they’d persuaded the demon to join up, of course.
Now, with the appearance of the arrogant Kingdom of Gilden and their vast treasuries and demands for tribute, times are a’changing for Magnar’s Empire.
Fallen Enchantress #1: The Fearful Merchant
Magnar, Lord of the Quendar. Once he founds them, anyway.
It’s the 24th of August, 2010, the day I’ve been eagerly awaiting for over three months, and there’s something heavy on my mind: which I should play first, Mafia II by 2K Games or Elemental: War of Magic by Stardock? They arrived together, shared the same potential-smelling cardboard box (cardboard always smells like potential to me though), and sat shrink-wrapped for nearly an hour while I wrestled the question back and forth. Yeah, I’m one of those, the sort who would rather do nothing than commit to just one, especially when the topic is games.
I played Elemental first, which turned out to be the right choice, as Mafia II seemed quite good after suffering through the trauma of four hours with Elemental. Now, two years plus change later, we have Fallen Enchantress, a sequel built over a foundation of lessons learned, better designers hired, and apologies delivered. And to my surprise, that’s a pretty decent foundation.
Hotline Miami: Your Finger, Your Smiling Mouth
Be warned, this will get sticky. Violence generally does. You might be thinking you have some experience with this sort of thing, but I can assure you that no, you do not. And if we’re going to do this, you need to do exactly what I tell you, exactly when I tell you. No excuses or deviation. Just try not to think too much.
You’ve been warned. You may click “Read More” at this time, but remember, it’s your choice, your finger. Don’t blame me.
It’s Good to Be a Mage Knight, Day Three
Goldyx and Tovak on the third day.
Okay, so we’ve talked about how on the first day, the Mage Knights popped out of that portal of theirs and started putting on all sorts of magic shows, and on the second they figured out where the Red City was hiding, and began laying plans to take it by force. You know this story ends with the corrupt City falling, but I’ll reckon you couldn’t guess how. Even if you could, you couldn’t stop me from telling it.
I’m Fighting Tooth & Nail
As with Omen and Hemloch, the art in T&N:F is quite nice.
Back in August, I talked about a pair of exciting two-player card duelers from Small Box Games — Hemloch and Omen: A Reign of War — and mentioned that I would be reviewing their newest game, Tooth & Nail: Factions, as well. And then, total silence.
What a mystery! Find out why this writeup has taken me so long below the jump.
Dishonored: A Review by Comparisons
Empress Jessamine Kaldwin and her daughter Emily look out over Dunwall.
I’m going to put this right out there: Playing Dishonored over the last week has been one of the most gratifying gaming experiences in recent memory. So much so that I’ve been all but ignoring the new XCOM game (also good), and plenty of other games that are excellent in their own rights, and haven’t regretted their absence in the slightest. This is in part because it feels so fresh, so new, so vibrant, and in part because it’s also been an exercise in nostalgia.
When it comes to reviews, I’m not usually a fan of game-to-game comparisons. For one, they seem like a weak approach to explaining a game’s appeal (or lack thereof), since the comparison often comes at the expense of any actual expression. For another, too often the threads of connection are tenuous and frayed, or to a game I haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing, or, perhaps, to one that I didn’t comprehend the merit of. So let me assure you that I have tried very, very hard to figure out a way to talk about Dishonored without at least mentioning the games that it is emulating, copying, or bettering. Tried and failed.
See, in an industry filled with grinning suits and safe bets and a well-entrenched hype engine, Dishonored feels like a fulfilled promise, or at least a reasonable attempt at one. So let’s talk about its heritage. Not its exact heritage, since I’m not a professional at this, but the heritage that was on my mind as I skulked from one end of the half-mystical city of Dunwall to the other.
XCOM: Sentinels of Earth, Part 1
The Super Sentinels deploy outside the diner.
For this game diary, I’ll be playing XCOM: Enemy Unknown on Impossible difficulty with Iron Man mode enabled — so if I make a mistake, that’s it, no do-overs. Wish the Sentinels luck!
Top Brass weren’t so sure about putting together such an ethnically diverse squad, but alien invasions have a way of bringing people together. After some initial distrust and petty squabbling, our heroes picked up a few harsh but fair life lessons and engaged in a few alcohol-lubricated fraternizing and bar scuffles, and have now earned the trust and affection necessary to watch each others’ backs. They call themselves the Sentinels, largely because they dislike being called XCOMmers.
Let’s Do This, Politics: Strategery 2012
Aw, you might almost believe they’re buds.
As I write this, there’s a political cottage meeting taking place next door. It’s about some local stuff that’s been balkanizing our typically-serene and friendly suburban neighborhood into factional compartments locked in an arms race to get up the most “Vote Yes” or “Vote No” posters. It’s a real shame, especially since both sides are motivated out of a desire to preserve our little corner of the valley that we live in, and I suspect that the divisions created these last few months will last years beyond the actual upcoming vote. I was invited, though somewhat grudgingly, and failed to attend due to a bout of ambivalence.
And then, something happy happened. Frustrated — by this local kerfuffle, by the noise around yesterday’s presidential debate, by et cetera —, I decided to get even more frustrated by playing a game that looked like it was going to be more fuel on the already-unwelcome fire.
You know what? I’ll be damned if it didn’t help. I’m feeling right as rain. Thanks, Strategery 2012: Right Makes Might. You rock.
It’s Good to Be a Mage Knight, Day Two
Tovak returns to the little monastery.
Alright, now where were we? Ah, right, so last time Goldyx and Tovak, Mage Knights both, spent a day and a night conquering a path across the countryside, bringing down warbands of orcs and fortified strongholds with equal ease. I’ve told you that they’re the ones that brought our Red City’s corrupt penny-squeezers to heel, and in only three days too. Well, I reckon I’ll tell you about their second day. It’s the one that some folks like to jaw about when they say the Mage Knights aren’t so heroic as we’ve been told, but don’t let anyone hear you talk like that. And anyway, it’s true that they did some pillaging and burning, but there’s a reason for all that.
The Space-Biff! Birthday Contest Results!
Staggering talent.
In our Space-Biff! birthday contest, we saw some pretty good suggestions about what people would give Space-Biff! for its first birthday, and congrats to our five winners! They’ll be receiving a shiny new key for Metro 2033 in their inboxes soon.
This means it’s time for the second phase of our contest. This will determine who gets a copy of the board game Infiltration from Fantasy Flight Games! Read on to see our five winning items, and vote for whichever strikes you as the most creative answer!
SPACE-BIFF! 