Blog Archives
Doth This Sun Rise or Set?
SBG once against provides great art.
When John Clowdus of Small Box Games announced they were running a Kickstarter for three full games, the question that ran through America’s mind — nay, the world’s — was, “Will Shadow of the Sun be the same as Hemloch, but in reverse?” At least that’s what I was wondering, because although I’ve enjoyed most of the recent offerings from SBG (list of reviews here), Hemloch is probably my favorite of the three I’ve played so far.
I’m pleased to say Shadow of the Sun is absolutely doing its own thing. But since that’s the sort of all-purpose response you could drop about either your son Charles who’s finishing medical school or your son Ted who’s living hand to mouth off a smattering of Ponzi schemes, the better question is whether it lives up to John Clowdus’s other designs. Find out below.
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.
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.
Taking a Swig of Hemloch
Hemloch’s Horned Advisor advises you to play Hemloch, lest you get the horns.
The more astute among you have probably picked up on the fact that I prefer board games of the epic variety, and what little crevice I have in my heart for two-player card duelers has already been stubbornly occupied by Summoner Wars. And yet, there’s something about Hemloch from Small Box Games that has captured my imagination. Not only is their company delightfully and intentionally tiny (you can read about it over here), but John Clowdus has a way of filling even the slightest games with an immense range of compelling choices.
Imagine this: The end of an age of twilight is dawning over the city of Hemloch, and as the last member of an ancient bloodline you’ll need to manipulate, influence, cajole, bribe, and backstab to gain the allegiance of the city’s districts before the sun rises. And you’ll be doing it in about twenty to thirty minutes.
Empires of the Void: 3X Goodness
Yellow squadron uses a giant die as a distraction for their invasion of Tan Fu.
Very few things miff the staff here at Space-Biff! more than when folks treat genre labels as interchangeable—it leads to the same sort of discombobulation as staring at a Che Guevara sticker while seated in an Olive Garden restroom. Worse, it transforms the angelic stillness of the SB! living room office into a cacophony of complaining voices. “Spec Ops is not an RPG!” Dan was shouting the other day. “Small World is not Ameritrash!” Thurot blurted a few weeks ago. Even Lee can’t stop talking about how The Walking Dead is an entirely new (and “the boldest”) genre. And over the last couple days, Wee Aquinas won’t shut up about how “Empires of the Void isn’t a 4X game!”
This is fine, because Wee Aquinas usually comes out on the wrong side of genre arguments and this has been a big get for him. Also, because Red Raven Games never claimed Empires of the Void as a 4X game—just that it’s a good one. And on that count, they’re absolutely right.
Revved for FTL
If this image hasn’t already made you uncontrollably excited, you may have missed out on childhood.
The Federation has had a bad year. Taxes are down, overheads are up, and to top it off the Rebellion has begun a massive assault with an aim to topple the (generally benevolent) government. Enter The Kestrel, which stores data that is crucial to the survival of the Federation, and the Rebels know it.
So begins FTL, the upcoming indie game from Justin Ma and Matthew Davis. I’ve been playing a fair amount since it entered closed beta, and I suspect it’s going to be one of the best indies of the year.
Some Thoughts on Indie Game: The Movie
The sneakers-from-a-wire of our generation.
I intentionally avoided reading much about Indie Game: The Movie, though what little I heard was enough to establish two things: one, that it wasn’t, as I originally assumed, a satire or spoof; and two, that I had a healthy fascination with the subject matter. After much hype, it’s been released to the common public through Steam. I’ve now seen it. Some thoughts below.
SPACE-BIFF! 