David Neumann

Battle of Polytopia going multiplayer

January 16, 2018 David Neumann 105

iOS Universal, Android • The end of every game of Battle of Polytopia is an exercise in building self-esteem. I finish each game feeling great about how I did and then see my score is several hundred thousand points behind anyone on the leaderboards. Hooray for me! The only thing that would be more gut wrenching would be your friends personally crushing you in-game. That’s what we have to look forward to as Battle of Polytopia gets updated with multiplayer in February.

Slay the Spire has become my latest obsession

January 11, 2018 David Neumann 31

PC/Mac/Linux • I still haven’t figured out how to use Steam. I mean, I play games on Steam quite a bit, but scanning the store for new arrivals and Early Access gems isn’t something I’ve acquired a skill for. As such, I have to wait until I see someone tweet or post about a Steam title before I’m aware it exists. Slay the Spire is a recent example. I’ve been playing the Early Access version for a couple days, thinking I stumbled onto something special, only to find that it’s been available for 2 months now and we’re the only damn site that hasn’t written up something about it. So, just ignore the fact that Slay the Spire isn’t a brand new release and play along.

Harry Dresden and his card game have apparated onto mobile

January 9, 2018 David Neumann 12

iOS Universal, Android, PC/Mac/Linux • Harry Dresden is the other wizard named Harry who didn’t go to Hogwarts and doesn’t have a lightning scar on his forehead. I just wanted to let you know that I know the difference between Harry Dresden and Harry Potter before anyone gets angry that I mixed up the two worlds in the headline. I may be a muggle, but I’m an informed muggle. The Dresden Files Cooperative Card Game landed on Steam back in November, and Nick quite liked it as did I when I finally gave it a go. All you mobile gamers out there can now join in on the fun, as it arrived for both iOS and Android devices Sunday. [yeah, it launched on a Sunday -ed.]

Cardboard Critique: One Deck Dungeon

January 5, 2018 David Neumann 6

Tabletop • There aren’t many activities where being a friendless abomination is actually a boon, but board gaming is getting there. There’s a bevy of solo board games on the market and it seems like I’m discovering more and more of them each week. Asmadi‘s One Deck Dungeon is a one or two player affair (you can play up to four with two copies), but I’m going to focus on the solo game. Because I’m alone. Yeah, I already covered that. Even if you’re one of those cool people with family and/or friends who want to game with you, this review might still be illuminating [illuminating is not a word I would apply to any of your reviews -ed.]. That’s because our friends at Handelabra will be bringing ODD to our PCs and tablets later in 2018, meaning what follows should be applicable to all you digital board gamers as well.

Antihero lands on mobile and it’s pretty damn great

January 3, 2018 David Neumann 7

iOS Universal, Android, PC/Mac • We looked at the Steam version of original board game, Antihero, last year and kind of loved it. We knew it was coming to mobile at some point down the road, but yesterday it just showed up on the App Store without any warning. Did we do something wrong to not get a press release? Does Versus Evil hate us? Probably, but I like to think they were just releasing it all stealthy. You know, like a thief in the night. Because it’s a game about thieves. Yeah, you’re right, they probably just hate us.

Review: Civilization VI

January 3, 2018 David Neumann 29

iPad, PC/Mac/Linux • My kids had nearly two weeks off school for the holiday break, which usually translates to some of my worst headaches of the year. Not only are the kids home, but they’re hopped up on gingerbread and peppermint not to mention the entitlement that comes along with being told they’re “good” based solely on presents received from a mystical fat guy. This year was a little different. First of all, two of my kids have seen the light in regards to Santa, so they know those Xbox games came directly from their already meager inheritance rather than an elvish sweat shop. Secondly, I managed to be good enough that Santa brought me a new iPad Pro [speaking of entitlement -ed.], so I spent these last two weeks breaking it in with marathon sessions of Civilization VI.

Acram Digital teases a new digital board game for 2018

January 3, 2018 David Neumann 1

iOS, Android • The holidays are over, it’s 2018 and we’re all probably going to die in a nuclear apocalypse but, on the bright side, digital board gaming just wrapped up its best year ever. Will 2018 come close to 2017’s grandeur? Unless we get a surprise release of Through the Ages 2: Electric Boogaloo, probably not, but there are reasons to be optimistic about digital board gaming this year beginning with Acram Digital.

Stately Selections: The Readers’ Top Games of 2017

December 27, 2017 David Neumann 1

Over the past few days we’ve visited the red pine-lined paths of northern Wisconsin and the less romantic strip mall-lined streets of Rockford, Illinois. I’m just about ready to be done with the holidays. Lucky for me, there’s only another week before the kids go back to school. Maybe I’ll get lucky and fall into a coma in the next few hours. Due to our busy travel schedule over the past weekend, I wasn’t able to log in and take care of the Readers’ Choice awards that you voted for all last week. I’ve amended that today and, after the jump, will share what you, the Stately Players [son of a bitch… -ed.], thought were the five best mobile games of 2017.

Stately Selections: Tof’s Best Video Games of 2017, #1

December 27, 2017 David Neumann 1

Well, the holidays are over. I have happy children so absorbed in their new Switch or Xbox games that we, as parents, have ceased to exist. This means they’re leaving us alone, which is great. It also means that my wife’s blood pressure is approaching catastrophic levels as they ignore her pleas to finish chores. I’m just sitting here writing and staying out of it. Thank god for Stately Play. When we posted our top games of 2017 last week, Tof’s number one game was absent. It’s the holidays and they live a billion miles away from Milwaukee, so get over it. Anyway, we didn’t want to leave Tof out, especially considering that their list has been unique and eye-opening and full of games I wasn’t aware of. Today is no exception with the bonus that I have the ditty from the trailer stuck in my brain from now until the end of time. Thanks, Tof.

Stately Selections: The Best Games of 2017 #1

December 22, 2017 David Neumann 7

Here we are, what all of us think are the best games of 2017. My selection, I’m sure, will completely shock you. Okay, probably not. That said, we have some nice diversity amongst our writers, so I promise it won’t just be five of us telling you how great Through the Ages is. Oh, damn, spoiler! ONWARDS!