Castle Cashiers
By Adam Smith on September 11th, 2012.
When I first caught sight of The Mighty Quest For Epic Loot at Ubisoft’s recent press event, I feared the worst. From a distance, there didn’t seem to be anything to set it apart and, being free to play, I expected it to be a lesser version of the things it so obviously emulated. ‘So obviously’, in fact, that my first impressions were almost entirely wrong. Here, then, are my second, third and fourth impressions as well.
Juarez My Mind
By Adam Smith on September 7th, 2012.
It’s back to the Old West for Call of Juarez, following an ill-advised visit to the drug-fuelled foul-mouthed world of today that every one of us recognised in The Cartel. It was a documentary of our times, like looking out of the window, but Gunslinger returns to the escapist mythopoeic dust of the Old American West and it might just have enough aces up its cowhide sleeve to erase all memory of its immediate predecessor.
Rally Good? (Sorry.)
By Jim Rossignol on September 4th, 2012.
Milestone sent over an early version of their latest rallying game, WRC 3, for us to take a look at. Jim put on his (viking) helmet, and sat down at the wheel gamepad for a quick handbrake turn.
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Pit Personalities
By Adam Smith on August 24th, 2012.
Impire is quite a lot like Dungeon Keeper and it may well be worthy of the comparison. A Game of Dwarves, however, doesn’t have very much in common with Dwarf Fortress, apart from the dwarves and the tunnelling. In fact, it has more in common with Impire but there are huge differences between the two and I reckon it’s all about their personalities.
The cold soldier
By Adam Smith on August 23rd, 2012.
At Gamescom, Relic gave me an article of clothing that says “I survived the Eastern Front” across the back in striking red letters. Considering I barely survived a stroll down the Brighton sea front a couple of months back because there was a bit of rain, it seems inappropriate for me to wear such a statement. I also lost to the AI during a skirmish game of Company of Heroes 2, my blood become ice, but that’s because I wasn’t really trying to win. Here’s what I was doing instead.
Lifestyles Of The Rich And Heinous
By Adam Smith on August 21st, 2012.
The Olympics! A stirring opening ceremony. Athletes who pushed their bodies to the limit. Golden postboxes gleaming in the British sun. Dancing horses. The Spice Girls. Truly all that is good about sport. But now foot-to-ball has raised its ugly lug again and sport is once more the playground of the crude and the rich, and that is absolutely most definitely not a reference to oil money. Lords of Football is a management game that’s not afraid to look at the ugly side of the glamorous game.
Trade Into Significance
By Adam Smith on August 20th, 2012.
Europa Universalis IV won’t be out for a long time but it’s already looking polished and that could be the most important fact of all. Whatever new features are in place, whatever old ones have been kicked to the courtly curb, the time that Paradox Development Studio are spending to make the sequel the most stable entry in the series is clear evidence that previous praise hasn’t drowned out criticism and commentary. In terms of development and content alike, this is a timely tale of choices, consequences and progress.
Oh, wot a wonderful war (machine)
By Adam Smith on August 20th, 2012.
If anyone was keeping count, they’d probably tell you that I died a lot more often than I killed at Gamescom. Whether having my head knocked off by a hammer or huddling around a fire and failing to survive the Eastern Front, I spent a lot of time meeting makers. Let it be known, however, that I was actually quite good at Hawken, but that’s not the only reason I’m an admirer of the multiplayer deathmech delight.
Don't ask its makers 'Wait, you play as the baddies?'
By Richard Cobbett on August 16th, 2012.
There’s no such thing as playing fair when you’re the captain of a submarine. It’s your job to hide, literally, under the radar; to hit your enemy when they’re least expecting it and be away before swift retaliation arrives to send you drowning to Davy Jones’ endless locker. Silent Hunter Online is a cut-down version of the experience, but looks to make up for it by letting you bring friends, and taking the F2P route to putting the You Bastard into U-Boat.
Why pay for hex?
By Richard Cobbett on August 16th, 2012.
Might and Magic Heroes Online (not to be confused with the recently closed Heroes Of Might And Magic Online) looks a hell of a lot like regular Might and Magic Heroes. That’s a good thing. It’s got microtransactions and maps where you’ll see other players running around, but when battle starts, it’s to that familiar zoomed-in view you’ll be taken, and the same strategy that awaits. There’s simply more to conquer. Potentially much, much more.
The Hit Machine
By Adam Smith on August 14th, 2012.
I’ve doubted, I’ve cursed and I’ve hoped. That it’s taken this long for Hitman’s new subtitle to reveal the glory of an older subtitle has given me good reason for the clip full of cynicism I’ve often been tempted to level at its gleaming tessellated cranium. But witnessing today’s announcement of the Contracts feature has filled me with a sort of giddy glee. It’s a creative murder-mode that seems to capture everything I’ve ever loved about the series.
