I’ve always defended mobile games as more than mere distractions. But today… Today I need some distractions from this newfound sense of overwhelming dread I woke up with, and you might, too. Here are three quality “distractions” you can play today and into the coming months. (And if you’re not feeling particularly down today, here are some good games that are worth playing.)
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.
Captain W. E. Johns returned to consult on Battlefield 1 and those sales figures don’t lie. The Titans are indeed falling. We’re being called to duty for our three-hundred and fifty-third tour, a veritable Flashpoint Contiki of hyperbolic bang-bang-back-on-the-bus. Hazarding a guess, the NATO armour rating for this current season of military-themed action fare would be a solid five. Nigh impenetrable. Allow me to crank Wagner and see if Jetcat Games can’t pierce the holiday season with their brand of rotorcraft multiplayer.
Red7, a simple but scalable card game now come to iOS, offers a surprisingly strong metaphor for American capitalism and its discontents. Try to think of this claim, not as total BS, but as a helpful mnemonic for the various details the game adds as you activate the three independent optional rule sets. My brain apparently abhors a purely abstract game.
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.
I have, in the past, stated my love of Academy Games‘ fantastic team based war game, 1775: Rebellion, which made me think I wouldn’t need to do it again on the eve of it’s mobile release. Then I remembered that I hadn’t stated that love at our new digs, so here goes. I love this game.