Author Archives: Dan Thurot
Once You Go Black (Mesa)
So faithful, they even worked in the lambda.
This is going to be biased.
I went into Black Mesa with a heaping dose of skepticism, because mocking up a few nostalgic screenshots seems like one of those things that anyone can do, though when I say “anyone” I’m referring to lots of people other than me. How could a mod team recreate one of gaming’s most seminal moments? How could a pack of amateurs capture the terror of the Blast Pit, the pacing nightmare of Apprehension, or, crud, even the slow-burn tram-ride intro?
Well, they did it. Mostly. It’s thirteen of Half-Life’s seventeen chapters (the rest are coming later, presumably), recast into a completely free mod that anyone can play — again, for free — so long as you’re willing to peruse some download links and install Steam. For free.
Celebrate Space-Biff! with a Contest!
Happy first birthday, Space-Biff! Who’s brought a present?
Well, here we are, one year on. Our baby sure has grown up—almost a hundred articles, about fifteen comments, and as of last week, six followers! Thanks so much to those of you without whom it couldn’t have happened. You know who you are. Also, some of you did absolutely nothing to help, and you know who you are as well. Meanies.
All is forgiven, because we’re here to celebrate Space-Biff! surviving for one year! The next challenge is to make it to two. So to inaugurate the new year, let’s have a little contest! Strap in, because this is going to be convoluted.
Pardon the Intrusion 2
Riding a wolf into battle against evil!
Look, I’m going to drop any pretension of objectivity here. I love Intrusion 2, a brilliantly fun little romp from Aleksey Abramenko, author of Intrusion 1 (I assume). And I’m going to tell you why, in a sonnet:
I Am Alive. Am I Satisfied?
The unnamed survivor, about to be surprised by the game title.
You might recognize I Am Alive as that game that came out on consoles and was withheld on PC and when PC gamers complained the developer accused them of “bitching” and then suddenly it was announced that it would be released on PC and then even more suddenly it was out a week before its release date. Or you might not. Either way, what a wild, wild ride. But does the game itself live up to its insane and wonderful origin story? Find out below.
It’s Good to Be a Mage Knight, Day One
Goldyx and Tovak: friends, rivals, Mage Knights.
Ever heard of a Mage Knight? No? For shame. It was a pair of Mage Knights that fought against the dragons and orcs and corrupt burro-crats that were running this country into the mud. Only took them three days to do it, too.
Ah yes, looks like you’re remembering now. Only three days and three nights, and they went from Mage Knight rookies to veterans with the powers of the gods themselves—I’m talking about the power to melt walls sixty feet high, to bring an elder dragon crashing out of the sky without dripping a single bead of sweat, to command loyalty that kings could only fantasize about. Settle in and I’ll refresh that fogged-up memory of yours. It’s the least I can do—after all, that pair did me a good turn by bringing the Red City to its knees.
Metro 2033: The Synopsis: The Index
Life in the Moscow Metro.
I’ve finally finished writing up my synopsis of the story and themes of Metro 2033, a brilliant game and one of my all-time favorites. Below is the index. It’s a small index, since I only wrote five parts, but still, it’s below.
The Brains of Metro 2033 (Act Five)
Ostankino Tower, surrounded by flying mutants.
Act Five marks the end of Artyom’s (and your) journey, and lets you know it by starting right where the game’s introduction left off: Artyom and the Rangers are under siege, both by hordes on the ground and hordes above. Overhead looms the final objective, the imposing Ostankino Tower, where the Rangers hope to call down fire on the Dark Ones. As the Rangers’ lines are breached from every direction, and even as their armored car is thrown onto its side like a toy, Artyom is knocked down by a diving monster.
Artyom’s come a long way, and seen things he couldn’t have imagined back when he left Exhibition Station. He’s done both great and terrible things too. Now, here in the windswept dark, his journey is coming to an end, one way or another.
Omen: A Reign of War
Some of Omen’s lovely art.
Last week I reviewed Hemloch from Small Box Games, which defied my expectations by being a thematic and compact engine designed to churn out excruciating decisions that didn’t come paired with obvious solutions. This week, I’ve been playing Omen: A Reign of War, which tells the story of two of Zeus’ children slugging it out for control of the known world through Greek wrestling… or, better yet, by calling upon all sorts of heroic warriors, sexy oracles, and fearsome beasts to plunder great cities and accomplish godly feats.
So what did I think of Omen? I think it’s excellent! Review done. If for some reason you haven’t been convinced to order it straightaway, I guess I can talk more about it below.
The Walking Dad: Starved for Help
Lee tries to decide which snack to eat while waiting for tech help.
Once again, we here at the Space-Biff! Aerodrome have invited Lee Everett, protagonist of The Walking Dead, to come and review the game for us. Today he’s going to tell us about his experiences with Episode Two: Starved for Help. Take it away, Lee!
Eight Easy Steps to Becoming a Better Summoner
Ret-Talus and his Fallen Kingdom square off against Krusk’s Sand Goblins.
A few handsome and/or beautiful people have asked me to write down some strategy tips for Summoner Wars from Plaid Hat Games. Being an obscure blogger, I’m pretty much jumping up and down at the opportunity to both write about my favorite board game and to fulfill requests, which makes me feel oh so professional.
I hope to eventually write about each of the game’s factions, but for now here’s a few basic clues that I like to give players just barely introduced to Summoner Wars. If you’ve played more than a handful of games, you might not find these steps particularly useful. Though maybe you will. Who knows? The only solution is to keep reading.
SPACE-BIFF! 