Much like my patience, Pathfinder Adventures is slowly coming to an end. Not the end, just an end. Last week saw the release of Deck 5 of the Rise of the Runelords campaign meaning that we only have one deck remaining before the adventure path wraps up. Will a new adventure path follow? We can hope, but for now let’s revel in the fact that there’s new stuff to do in one of 2016’s greatest ports.
Earlier in the week I managed to track down the latest winner of the coveted Spiel des Jahres award, Vlaada Chvátil from Czech Games Edition. You might remember him as the prolific designer of board games such as Through the Ages and Galaxy Trucker. You might also remember that Through the Ages has been in the works at CGE for some time with an expected 2016 release. As 2016 nears its end, where do digital versions of TtA and other CGE games (such as the much awaited Codenames port) stand? Lucky for us, Vlaada was happy to fill us in on the details.
Of all the game genres to come to touchscreens, real-time strategy has probably been the least well served. There’s too little controllability when you’re dealing with your stubby finger as opposed to the fine maneuverings of a mouse and keyboard. To compensate, many iPad RTS games lower the amount of units available so the game becomes more manageable for your finger. That’s not how Rome: Total War is going to handle things. Out today for iPad, Rome: Total War is a port of the PC title that includes everything the desktop version has, even the thousands of units clashing on screen at any given time.
Thanks to our intrepid undercover reporter, [redacted -ed.], we knew that Image & Form was close to releasing their super-popular 2D shooter, SteamWorld Heist on iOS very soon. What we didn’t realize is that “very soon” meant “now”. That’s right, the much anticipated SteamWorld Heist is now available for iOS Universal.
If you’ve ever played Mysterium I’m sure the last thing on your mind was if a digital version was in development. It’s a great board game, but it involves players all discussing strange images that have been handed to them from another player. Thus, it seems to be most at home around a dining room table or the like. Well, Asmodee Digital is saying whatever to all that and is going forward with a digital version of Mysterium anyway. After reading what they have planned, I have to admit I’m actually excited to see this on my iPad.
Since I have no Android devices in my home, I seldom have much need for keeping up with what’s happening with Humble Bundle. If you’re not aware, they package up a ton of games and then allow you to spend what you’d like to unlock more and more of the bundle. Oh, and the money all goes to charity, so everybody wins. The latest bundle is near and dear to my heart and, if you’re an Android gamer, one you should definitely be looking into.
This is this, and this is free. Eugen Systems continue to deliver the goods for Wargame: Red Dragon, their final entry in the esteemed operational-level real-time tactical series. Though deploying in 2014, the game has now received no less than six expansions and nation packs, four gratis and two paid. For my hard currency, I can’t think of a more enjoyable real-time tactics title, and it sits, stinking of diesel and MLRS propellant, atop the pile of recent strategy gems.
If you’re like me, you have no friends and weekends are simply long stretches of not seeing other humans and, instead, binge-watching old Cheers episodes while binge-eating custard and sipping Boone’s Farm. Please don’t tell me that it’s only me doing that. I said please. Luckily, this weekend I can turn off the tube and, instead, play a little Talisman: Horus Heresy on my Mac because it’s gone free all weekend long.
Be honest, when you hear a game’s called “Space Food Truck” and the art looks like it came right out of Phineas & Ferb, your first reaction is to click over to another website. WAIT! Don’t let the silly name or cartoony art fool you, Space Food Truck is a real game with real strategy and deserves a look-see. What can I do to convince you? Well, first of all it’s developed by One Man Left of Outwitters fame.
I’m generally not a big fan of abstract board games and, despite its attempt at theme, Lanterns: The Harvest Festival is an abstract game. That said, it’s a very pretty one and a game that looks like it would be perfect for chilling out on the couch in front of a fire. It’s pretty enough that I plan on giving it a go later today which is completely possible due to it being released this morning for both iOS Universal and Android.