News – Page 2 – Stately Play

Leaders & Wonders expansion has arrived in Through the Ages

September 12, 2019 David Neumann 31

iOS, Android, PC/Mac While I’ve been on a bit of a Through the Ages hiatus for the past few months (mainly because I realized I would never, ever beat JS619 again), it still reigns as the greatest board game port I’ve ever played. Not only is the base game Vlaada Chvatil’s magnum opus and nearly perfect, but CGE managed to add enough polish and shine to the app that, digitally, it’s even better. The base game has been around since 2006 in cardboard form and there’s never been an expansion. It really doesn’t need it. That said, today we get an expansion and I couldn’t be more excited.

Aeon’s End releasing next week

September 11, 2019 David Neumann 7

iPad, Android Tablet, PC/Mac/Linux I’ll be the first to admit I have an unhealthy crush on the guys from Handelabra. I’ve met the crew and they’re all incredibly nice–which is great and all–but they also make some pretty kickass card game ports including one that still gets a load of play on my iPad, One Deck Dungeon. Their latest has been in Early Access for a bit now but is ready for prime time. Prepare yourself for Aeon’s End when it releases next Tuesday, September 17.

Keith Burgun is back…on Kickstarter

September 10, 2019 David Neumann 2

Tabletop Keith Burgun is one of those designers who, when they announce a new project, I listen. The designer of 100 Rogues and Auro: A Monster Bumping Adventure deserves at least that much. He excels at making turn-based strategy games in which every move needs to be calculated and meticulously thought out. What’s not to love? His latest idea is a card game called Dragon Bridge and, unlike his previous games, this one isn’t digital.

Evolution coming to Switch

September 10, 2019 David Neumann 2

iOS, Android, PC/Mac, Switch If you’re starting to feel that all the cool news is coming from the direction of Nintendo’s Little Console That Could, you wouldn’t be wrong. It seems that all the cool releases are landing on Switch with other mobile being an afterthought. For example, Dead Cells has been on Switch forever but just arrived on iOS a couple of weeks ago. Divinity: Original Sin 2 arrived on Switch last week and we’ll never see anything like that on our touchscreens. Thus, it’s good to hear about a game that was originally on iOS head the other way and come to Switch. Unless you skipped the title, you’re aware I’m talking about everyone’s favorite Darwin simulator, Evolution.

Switch port of Divinity: Original Sin 2 out now

September 5, 2019 David Neumann 8

PC/Mac, Xbox, PS4, Switch So, I haven’t pulled out my Switch much over the last month. In fact, I don’t know if I’ve played with it at all since July. This isn’t for a lack of want–I would love to be playing Slay the Spire on my handheld pretty much all day, every day–but a matter of logistics. Our house was struck by lightning at the end of July causing all sorts of issues. It blew up our Apple TVs, all of our routers, and, for some odd reason, the two Switch cords that were currently plugged in. That’s it. So, our three Switches are down to only one working cord and I just haven’t gotten around to buying more, thus my Switch sits powerless while my kids fight over who gets to charge theirs and when. News from last night, however, forced me onto Amazon and we now have two new cords in the mail. An incredible RPG, Divinity: Original Sin 2, just arrived on Switch and there’s no way I’m not spending the next few weeks in the world of Rivellon.

Local boy makes good

August 30, 2019 David Neumann 9

Hi. Remember me? Yeah, I used to write for this site, sometimes 2-3 articles a day. Seems like it’s shifted to 1-2 articles/month which is a bit, what’s the word…suboptimal. This reminds me of another site from many years ago where our Dear Leader went on a sabbatical and the site–under my guidance–started to go in the toilet. <shrug> Hey! Speaking of Dear Leader, that brings up a little news tidbit. Turns out Owen’s back and started a game publishing house. Weird, huh?

Dicey Dungeons rolls onto PC/Mac/Linux

August 16, 2019 Tanner Hendrickson 3

PC/Mac/Linux Do year hear that? That’s right, it’s the deck-building roguelike alarm! So soon after the last one, too! This time, it’s VVVVVV/Super Hexagon developer Terry Cavanaugh’s Dicey Dungeons, and it’s just wonderful. The pitch? It’s Dream Quest, but instead of building a deck of cards you’re designing your own roll-and-write sheet on which to delegate dice rolls to deal damage and defeat the denizens of these damned dicey dungeons. And it’s a game show!

Nowhere Prophet aims to be your next card game fix

July 19, 2019 David Neumann 10

PC/Mac/Linux I’ve been playing the hell out of Slay the Spire, first on PC and now on my Switch, for months now. You’d think it would get old but it’s still my go-to when I sit on the couch and grab a controller. Starting today, however, StS has some strong competition. Nowhere Prophet from Sharkbomb Studios is a just-released roguelike deckbuilder that adds a ton of story and tactical doodads to differentiate it from other solo deckbuilders on Steam.

Every Single Soldier launches Her Majesty’s Ship today on Steam

July 12, 2019 David Neumann 1

PC, iPad? The previous excursion on the high seas from Every Single Solder was Carrier Deck which plopped you into the real-time boots of a nuclear-powered carrier captain out to solve the world’s problems via air power. It didn’t go over too well with the Stately Players, which was a bummer considering the love levied at their previous non-real-time gems, Vietnam ’65 and Afghanistan ’11. Undaunted, they’ve hit the high seas again, dialing back the clock a bit to the Age of Sail where you command a frigate in the Royal Navy. Welcome to Her Majesty’s Ship.

Become a blockhead: Columbia block wargames coming to your PC

July 9, 2019 David Neumann 9

PC/Mac While I’ve seen them in action at gaming events, I’ve never had the pleasure of sitting down and actually playing one of the ‘Block Games’ from Columbia. First of all, they look complicated. Secondly, tabletop war games tend to not be my go-to game type, and, most importantly, no one’s asked me to sit in and play. This will all change soon, as there’s a Kickstarter currently running to bring these games to PC/Mac. The first game on the list is Richard III and, best of all, it’s already funded.