News – Page 24 – Stately Play

It appears Acram heading to Istanbul, not Constantinople

January 30, 2018 David Neumann 16

IOS, Android • Right after 2018 was ushered in, the fine folks at Acram Digital decided to tease us about a new game coming in 2018. Which board game it might be was completely up in the air, but my guess was another Martin Wallace title to follow-up the rather wonderful Steam: Rails to Riches. Turns out I was wrong, and Acram is instead working on a different euro, this one from Rüdiger Dorn. It’s 2014’s Kennerspiel des Jahres winner, Istanbul.

Alliance of the Sacred Suns Hits Pre-Alpha (Centauri)

January 29, 2018 Alex Connolly 4

PC • We’ve been pulling on the same pair of jeans for twenty five-odd years when it comes to space empire builders. The comfortable fit of a SimTex stonewash is time-tested, and its reliable density drags all and sundry towards the event horizon. As such, you wouldn’t be alone in feeling a wee twig of ennui towards the galactic overlord genre. The outliers are few, but one new tantalising project is tilting at trading the star lane traipse for something different. A little more, ahem, stately. [Dave, take note. This is how we use the word “stately”. -ed.]

Our most anticipated games of 2018: Alex Connolly

January 29, 2018 Alex Connolly 13

[Right around New Year’s, I’d asked all the writers to pen something about games they’re looking forward to in 2018. I had assumed one or two from everyone, which would lead to a single article with everyone’s picks and that would be it. Instead, each writer sent me a bevy of games making me realize that one article probably wouldn’t cut it. Hey, I love 4000 word articles as much as the next guy, but it’s easy for games to get lost in something that vast. So, I decided to split it all up and give each member of the Stately Staff their own day to shine. Today, Alex. -ed.]

Darkest Dungeon all set to depress Switch owners

January 18, 2018 David Neumann 7

iPad, Switch, PC/Mac/Linux • One of my favorite titles of 2017 was the iPad version of Darkest Dungeon. Strangely enough, one of my favorite games of 2016 was the Steam version of Darkest Dungeon. Santa brought my youngest a Switch this Christmas, but I’ve been finding loads of time to log onto it myself. Today, Darkest Dungeon released for Switch and I have a feeling it might pull of the hat trick and become one of my favorite games of 2018 as well.

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.

Looking for strange? Pit People has you covered

January 16, 2018 Nick Vigdahl 0

PC • Bipedal cupcakes and mushrooms, spiders with knee-length socks, and rainbow-colored unicorns…sounds like a fantasy zoo straight out of the mind of Lewis Carroll or Dr. Seuss doesn’t it? These are just some of the many odd creatures that populate the fantastically bizarre, apocalyptic world of Pit People. Pit People is a strategy role-playing game that features tactical turn-based combat and a heaping portion of humor. It’s been incubating in Steam Early Access for a little over a year and is getting close to breaking free of the beta stage, so I figured now was a great time to give it a go.

Do you wanna build a spaceship? Cosmoteer thinks you do

January 12, 2018 Nick Vigdahl 0

PC (now), Mac/Linux (when it reaches Steam) • Did you play with Legos as a kid? Did you build elaborate spacecraft and make them fly around and fight each other? Do you have Legos around now, you know, for “your kids?” If you answer “yes” to those questions (as I do), have I got a game for you.

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.]

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.