News – Page 27 – Stately Play

A brand new Carcassonne arrives for Android and PC

November 29, 2017 David Neumann 11

Android, PC • The overall reaction when we heard that our overlords at Asmodee Digital were taking over Carcassonne was one of worry. After all, Carcassonne for iOS was the first “real” digital board game and is still one of the best you’ll find on the App Store. Why mess with a good thing? The worriers must all own Apple products, because once you leave the confusing confines of iTunes there’s not a real good version of Carcassonne for you to play anywhere. Sure, there was an Android version, but it couldn’t hold a candle to Coding Monkey’s magnum opus. Asmodee is hoping to fix that with a new version of Carcassonne releasing today for Android and PC.

Civilization VI getting ready to expand with Rise and Fall

November 28, 2017 David Neumann 1

PC/Mac/Linux • 2017 has been such a great year for mobile gaming that I can’t even remember the last time I fired up Civilization VI, which was my top game of 2016. I know it’s been within the last few months, but there’s always been something else to pull me away from all that civ-building goodness [mostly the civ-building goodness of Through the Ages, I’m sure -ed.]. Looks like Civilization VI will be getting a bunch of my attention in February as Firaxis just announced that a full expansion, Rise and Fall, is coming on February 8.

Will Pocket City cure the App Store’s city-building woes?

November 28, 2017 David Neumann 1

iOS, Android • We’ve lamented the dearth of decent, non-freemium city-builders on the App Store in the past, leaving us to be content building metropolises on our laptops via City: Skylines or the old Impressions titles. By the way, who do I have to pay to get mobile versions of Pharaoh or Zeus? Seriously, people, if you’re going to bring old PC games to mobile, can we start there? Anyway, back to the sorry state of city-building and management on the App Store. I was perusing Touch Arcade this morning and stumbled on a post they had about a little game called Pocket City. I’m intrigued.

Who wants to play Through the Ages on Steam?

November 27, 2017 David Neumann 0

iOS, Android, PC/Mac • Back in September, Czech Games Edition did what we’ve been waiting nearly 4 years for them to do: they released Through the Ages for iOS and Android. To say it managed to live up to the hype would be an understatement, as I still can’t get enough of picking Michelangelo even though I have no temples or wonders producing happiness. WHY DO I DO IT EVERY TIME? While the mobile version is about as polished as the underside of András Hadik’s horse, CGE did tell us that they were hoping to release on Steam, eventually, as well. It’s not out on Steam yet, but the beta is starting soon and signups are open.

Mysterium expanding with Secrets and Lies

November 22, 2017 David Neumann 3

iOS, Android, PC • Come. Sit. Don’t be nervous. Today we will be recalling our dearly departed who…what’s that? There’s a crack in my crystal ball? Yeah, well, I picked that up at a Ren faire back in ’04 and, after too many leather mugs of Miller Lite, tried to dunk with it on the hoop in my driveway. Still looks kind of neat, though, right? Anyway, we won’t be using the crystal ball today. Join hands and close your eyes, today we will communicate with the spirits of the dead! Think of your loved ones. See them in your mind’s eye. THERE! I see them! Wait…it looks like Asmodee Digital and they’re bringing us a message. What is it, spirit? An expansion for Mysterium? Secrets and Lies? Available now? They’re fading…fading. Ok, that will be $20.

Fantasy Flight’s companion app for Imperial Assault imminent

November 20, 2017 David Neumann 2

Tabletop, iOS, Android, PC/Mac • Back at Gen Con in 2016 we were introduced to Mansions of Madness Second Edition which removed the need for a GM and made MoM one of the best exploration/narrative/dungeon crawlers out there. Around the same time we were also introduced to the Road to Legend app for their actual dungeon crawler, Descent 2.0. This, also, removed the need for a GM and did all the work so players could complete whole campaigns while all working on the same side. Both of these additions were met with critical acclaim, but gamers are a finicky bunch and instead of patting Fantasy Flight on the back, screamed about wanting the same type of companion app for FFG’s Star Wars themed dungeon crawler, Imperial Assault. Well, it’s coming.

Reigns sequel set to land on December 7

November 17, 2017 David Neumann 3

iOS, Android, PC/Mac • I’ll admit that I didn’t get the first Reigns. I know it was everyone else’s 2016 GOTY, but I just couldn’t get into it at all. Swiping left, right and ending up…somewhere? I just couldn’t figure out what all the hubbub was about. Apparently, if you stuck with it, all sorts of special story-driven stuff happened, but I didn’t have the patience [or common sense -ed.] to keep playing. That said, it remains on my phone. One of these days I’ll really dig into it and realize I had an awesome game right under my nose all this time and it will be great. Or, I might delete it and just download the sequel, Reigns: Her Majesty, which is coming to all platforms on December 7.

Bearwaves set to…um…make waves with upcoming Feud

November 15, 2017 David Neumann 3

iOS, Android, PC/Mac/Linux • Regardless of how theme-heavy you like your games, I think everyone, deep down, has a soft spot for abstract games. Something about the simplicity, beauty, and nostalgia of playing a game in which pieces only come in two colors with the winner decided by a battle of wits instead of labyrinthine combat rules involving card drafting, custom dice, and a DNA sample. Hell, Chess and Go have been around for millenia; will we be able to say the same thing about 7 Wonders? Well, not us. We’ll all be dead, but you know what I mean. Bottom line, abstracts are kind of cool and it looks like we have a new one heading our way from rookie developer, Bearwaves. It’s called Feud and, much like their name, I don’t quite understand what I’m seeing.

Things we missed: Card City Nights 2 released last week

November 15, 2017 David Neumann 4

iOS, Android, PC/Mac/Linux • It’s okay, you can say it. I miss a shitload of news. I know it, you know it. I’d like to blame it on the fact that I’m the only one working the Stately Play news beat these days, but it’s more an issue with me just being a lazy bum and focusing only on the stuff I really enjoy. I don’t think I need to tell you that the stuff I enjoy is board games. I’m going to try and be better and cover more than whatever Asmodee is currently up to, trying to write about at least one non-board game every day. Will I stick with it? Mostly. I’m sure I’ll have days where I slip, but it’s going to be better than it has been. Promise. Today’s non-board game is Card City Nights 2 which hit the App Store late last week.

Have a great day in the UK with new Ticket to Ride expansion

November 15, 2017 David Neumann 4

iOS Universal, Android, Kindle, PC/Mac • Somehow I had forgotten that Asmodee Digital, our eventual lords and masters, had taken over control of one of the most venerable digital board games, Ticket to Ride. From our point of view, it’s not all that relevant who’s doing the publishing duties, but it did strike me that we seemingly can’t go a day without mentioning the Asmodee juggernaut. I guess that’s what happens when you’re a juggernaut. Today’s Asmodee news revolves around a new expansion for TtR, the UK.