2/23/20
Idle Meeples Are The Devil'S Tool
Most worker placement games follow the same basic pattern: players are given a number of workers (usually four or five) and take turns placing them on spots on the board that give the player game advantages or resources. Once every player has placed all their workers, the board is cleared, the workers are reclaimed, and a new round of placement begins.
Architects of the West Kingdom, designed by Shem Phillips (of Raiders of the North Sea fame) does things a little differently. While unmistakably a worker placement game, with a lot of the same game elements (placing workers to achieve game effects), Architects does away with the round structure, instead making reclaiming workers one of the available actions in the game.
It may seem like a small thing, but its a huge shift in the way worker placement games are played. In addition to the normal concerns of gathering resources and spending them to put building cards into play, players must now look at their available pool of workers, and when it's the best time to either reclaim their workers from the board, or from the prison space where they can sometimes end up.
The prison space helps the players cultivate a sense of urgency. Various game effects will send your workers to prison, and at certain points during the game, whoever has the most imprisoned workers has to take a debt card, which causes point loss if it isn't paid off by the end of the game.
This brings us to the other interesting thing about Architects: the idea of virtue. The game board includes a virtue track that players will move up and down on, depending on their actions during the game. Being low on the virtue track has certain advantages (such as not having to pay taxes, which makes a lot of the in-game purchases cheaper), but also causes a loss of points at the end of the game. So manipulating your position on the track to your best advantages adds another strategic layer of the game.
It's a terrific game with a lot going on in spite of the relatively simple rules, with several different paths to victory and quite a bit more interaction between players than you normally see in games of this type.
Rating: 5 (out of 5) Shem Phillips knocks it out of the park again. Anyone who likes worker placement games should love this one.
- Architects of the West Kingdom official website
- Architects of the West Kingdom on BoardGameGeek
2/21/20
Indivisible (PC)
| Developer: | Lab Zero | | | Release Date: | 2019 | | | Systems: | PC |
Hey, guess what I'm writing about on Super Adventures this week! Okay maybe the title screen makes it a little obvious, but I didn't see it coming. Here's a life hack: get amazing friends who'll occasionally drop a brand new game on you with no warning or explanation.
The least I could do in return was write about it, and I'm all about doing the least I can do, so here's my review of Indivisible, the latest game by the makers of Skullgirls. I don't know much about Skullgirls as I only play fighting games when I feel like mashing buttons and being humiliated, but I do know it's got some fancy cartoon animation so I'm coming into Indivisible with the preconception that it's going to look fairly pretty as well. I also know it's a bit of an action RPG inspired by Valkyrie Profile, but other that that I'm fairly clueless about it.
Read on »
2/20/20
Platic Crack?
Here is a little something I have been waiting on for a bit over six months…. A proof of concept in plastic from another manufacturer.
I am stoked! The quality looks good, the price is right and the turn around time will be good. So why did it take six months then? Because it was free, a test mold and test shots arranged by my old account manager at WGF who has struck out on his own. He asked if I could send him the original files to split and use as a non-retail sample to show other clients. I agreed and after some waiting they arrived! This is only two of the five pose options... As a free test mold we were limited to a single sprue.
No doubt Wai Kee and the old WGF makes incredible plastic, but his shop is always jammed with production, this makes it pretty much impossible for me to look at that as a viable resource for future production or Kickstarter's. I had my doubts that anyone could get close, but I am reeealllly happy with these shots, and as this opens up the door again I am eyeing another Kickstarter.
I am still pulling together all the costs and if it appears to be a real option, I am more than happy to give it a go. This time would be FAR more focused. One kit at a time, with true costs, the molds and production would need to be funded in full for that 'episode'? But if it works, another would be on the heals of the last… Ferals? then StuG? then Shadokesh vehicle or walker… then whatever sounds fun.
With this kind of Kickstarter there would be a very focused goal, drive and costs… We are not so much looking at the typical song and dance hype train. The product would make it or not on its own merits, and cover its true costs.
Soooo what do you think?
Would you like to know more?
I am stoked! The quality looks good, the price is right and the turn around time will be good. So why did it take six months then? Because it was free, a test mold and test shots arranged by my old account manager at WGF who has struck out on his own. He asked if I could send him the original files to split and use as a non-retail sample to show other clients. I agreed and after some waiting they arrived! This is only two of the five pose options... As a free test mold we were limited to a single sprue.
No doubt Wai Kee and the old WGF makes incredible plastic, but his shop is always jammed with production, this makes it pretty much impossible for me to look at that as a viable resource for future production or Kickstarter's. I had my doubts that anyone could get close, but I am reeealllly happy with these shots, and as this opens up the door again I am eyeing another Kickstarter.
I am still pulling together all the costs and if it appears to be a real option, I am more than happy to give it a go. This time would be FAR more focused. One kit at a time, with true costs, the molds and production would need to be funded in full for that 'episode'? But if it works, another would be on the heals of the last… Ferals? then StuG? then Shadokesh vehicle or walker… then whatever sounds fun.
With this kind of Kickstarter there would be a very focused goal, drive and costs… We are not so much looking at the typical song and dance hype train. The product would make it or not on its own merits, and cover its true costs.
Soooo what do you think?
Would you like to know more?
Resident Evil 2 Remake | Review
Resident Evil 2 Remake - Review
The best remake of mine is playing the 2002 remake of the first Resident Evil on GameCube with its perfectly refreshed visuals, totally new areas to explore, and unnerving new monsters. Now, in 2019, Capcom has given me another experience I'll recollect for quite a while: this ground-up remake of Resident Evil 2 is an extremely fun, exceptionally frightening experience because of its totally new and modern graphics, controls, and some brilliant quality-of-life upgrades. The two playable characters' stories aren't as different as I've expected, yet I enjoyed every gory moment of my return to Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield's shoes.
Reliving familiar frights can often make for a less than exciting horror experience. But, with the remake of Resident Evil 2, Capcom shows respect for the original while additionally putting forth an admirable attempt to give the macabre atmosphere and tense gameplay a recognizable upgrade. In doing as such, this revamp of the classic survival horror game shows that the series can still offer an terrifying experience like no other.
Resident Evil 2 takes place in the zombie-infected Raccoon City. The story follows rookie cop Leon Kennedy and college student Claire Redfield, who is searching for her brother, Resident Evil protagonist Chris Redfield. Leon is drawn into the path of a mysterious femme fatale. Claire takes responsibility and tries to protect a kid. Their stories intersects - players experience one story, then play the other character's perspective—making an tapestry of one night's event in Raccoon City.
Resident Evil 2 is terrifying, and in an effective way that few other games manage to accomplish. The game is astonishing in the manner in which it fills players with fear, building anxiety with splendid sound design, cunningly placed jump scares, and overwhelming darkness. Players spend vast majority of the game fumbling through the dark, often running low on supplies and constantly having to deal with variety of undead horrors like zombies, lickers, and that's only the tip of the iceberg. Even standard zombies are a threat this time around, making each experience tense and meaningful.
Out of all the freaky monsters in Resident Evil 2, the scariest is by far the Mr. X Tyrant. Mr. X's appearance in the first Resident Evil 2 earned him a frightful reputation, but in the remake, he's a true force to be reckoned with. Whenever he shows up, Mr. X relentlessly stalks players, following them room to room like a slasher movie villain. Hearing his relentless footsteps getting louder and louder, knowing there is nothing you can do to stop him, fills you with a true sense of dread. With Mr. X breathing down their neck, Resident Evil 2 players will understand the horror movie trope of people tripping or committing mistakes when running from the villain isn't as outlandish as it appears. Players will fumble with their inventory as they attempt to rapidly solve puzzles before Mr. X arrives, or they may make a wrong turn and end to up at a dead-end, leaving them no choice but to confront the hulking monstrosity head-on.
Both Claire and Leon have two different versions of the campaign, and subsequent to completing the first run for the one, you'll be incited to begin a follow-up with the other. Called Second Scenarios, they allow you to see the larger story from a different perspective. Both scenarios are completely isolated from another, and decisions in that won't affect the other, however what makes these second runs a bit worthwhile are some experiences and sub-plots that don't happen in the first. It's an exceptionally fascinating approach to encounter the story, and with four versions of the campaign between the two leads - with the initial two averaging 11-14 hours - you always uncover new details and events that were absent in the previous playthroughs.
Resident Evil 2's more serious tone is additionally improved by the upgraded, fantastically atmospheric presentation, which gives familiar details from the classic game to a greater extent an articulated look and feel. Moving away from the static camera angles of the original, everything has been redesigned in light of over-the-shoulder gameplay, giving to a greater extent an unmistakable and obtrusive feeling of fear while exploring, This is increased significantly more by the flawless audio and visual design of the game, giving a creepy, isolating vibe all throughout the game. In number of cases, you'll just have the light of your flashlight as you walk the dark hallways of the bloody and ruined police headquarters, with the ambient rain and distant monsters sounds ramping up the tension. You feel safe in RE2, even when you really are.
Now, talking about the zombies, I must say these are the most terrifying and at the same time most perfect zombies I've ever seen in a game. And rather than pixelated characters running from pre-rendered background to pre-rendered background, Resident Evil 2 is a completely 3D, over-the-shoulder affair with atmospheric lightning effect, noteworthy facial animations, and the most terrifying looking zombies I've ever seen in a game. They're juicier than ever and I love the way in which they lurch around and respond when you blow off very specific chunks of their heads and hands cordiality of the satisfyingly detailed dismemberment system.
As always, inventory and ammunation management is still a key part of Resident Evil 2's gameplay. This is a real survival horror, where it generally appears as though you're barely scratching by with enough ammunition and medification. You can't carry all that you find with you, so what you should store and what you should carry is a fight continuously being waged in your mind.
The Verdict
Capcom did a fabulous job of resurrecting all the best parts of the classic Resident Evil 2 and making them look, sound, and play like a 2019 game. It's simply a strong horror game that delivers anxiety-inducing and grotesque situations, toping some of the series' best entries. But above all, the remake is an impressive game for the fact that it bets everything on the pure survival horror experience, unquestionably grasping its frightening tone and rarely letting up until the story's conclusion. The only disappointment you will find is the two characters stories' which aren't different enough to
2/19/20
Platic Crack?
Here is a little something I have been waiting on for a bit over six months…. A proof of concept in plastic from another manufacturer.
I am stoked! The quality looks good, the price is right and the turn around time will be good. So why did it take six months then? Because it was free, a test mold and test shots arranged by my old account manager at WGF who has struck out on his own. He asked if I could send him the original files to split and use as a non-retail sample to show other clients. I agreed and after some waiting they arrived! This is only two of the five pose options... As a free test mold we were limited to a single sprue.
No doubt Wai Kee and the old WGF makes incredible plastic, but his shop is always jammed with production, this makes it pretty much impossible for me to look at that as a viable resource for future production or Kickstarter's. I had my doubts that anyone could get close, but I am reeealllly happy with these shots, and as this opens up the door again I am eyeing another Kickstarter.
I am still pulling together all the costs and if it appears to be a real option, I am more than happy to give it a go. This time would be FAR more focused. One kit at a time, with true costs, the molds and production would need to be funded in full for that 'episode'? But if it works, another would be on the heals of the last… Ferals? then StuG? then Shadokesh vehicle or walker… then whatever sounds fun.
With this kind of Kickstarter there would be a very focused goal, drive and costs… We are not so much looking at the typical song and dance hype train. The product would make it or not on its own merits, and cover its true costs.
Soooo what do you think?
Would you like to know more?
I am stoked! The quality looks good, the price is right and the turn around time will be good. So why did it take six months then? Because it was free, a test mold and test shots arranged by my old account manager at WGF who has struck out on his own. He asked if I could send him the original files to split and use as a non-retail sample to show other clients. I agreed and after some waiting they arrived! This is only two of the five pose options... As a free test mold we were limited to a single sprue.
No doubt Wai Kee and the old WGF makes incredible plastic, but his shop is always jammed with production, this makes it pretty much impossible for me to look at that as a viable resource for future production or Kickstarter's. I had my doubts that anyone could get close, but I am reeealllly happy with these shots, and as this opens up the door again I am eyeing another Kickstarter.
I am still pulling together all the costs and if it appears to be a real option, I am more than happy to give it a go. This time would be FAR more focused. One kit at a time, with true costs, the molds and production would need to be funded in full for that 'episode'? But if it works, another would be on the heals of the last… Ferals? then StuG? then Shadokesh vehicle or walker… then whatever sounds fun.
With this kind of Kickstarter there would be a very focused goal, drive and costs… We are not so much looking at the typical song and dance hype train. The product would make it or not on its own merits, and cover its true costs.
Soooo what do you think?
Would you like to know more?
2/14/20
Brave Browser voted the best privacy-focused product of 2019
Out of all the privacy-focused products and apps available on the market, Brave has been voted the best. Other winners of Product Hunt's Golden Kitty awards showed that there was a huge interest in privacy-enhancing products and apps such as chats, maps, and other collaboration tools.
An extremely productive year for Brave
Last year has been a pivotal one for the crypto industry, but few companies managed to see the kind of success Brave did. Almost every day of the year has been packed witch action, as the company managed to officially launch its browser, get its Basic Attention Token out, and onboard hundreds of thousands of verified publishers on its rewards platform.
Luckily, the effort Brave has been putting into its product hasn't gone unnoticed.
The company's revolutionary browser has been voted the best privacy-focused product of 2019, for which it received a Golden Kitty award. The awards, hosted by Product Hunt, were given to the most popular products across 23 different product categories.
Ryan Hoover, the founder of Product Hunt said:
"Our annual Golden Kitty awards celebrate all the great products that makers have launched throughout the year"
Brave's win is important for the company—with this year seeing the most user votes ever, it's a clear indicator of the browser's rapidly rising popularity.
Privacy and blockchain are the strongest forces in tech right now
If reaching 10 million monthly active users in December was Brave's crown achievement, then the Product Hunt award was the cherry on top.
The recognition Brave got from Product Hunt users shows that a market for privacy-focused apps is thriving. All of the apps and products that got a Golden Kitty award from Product Hunt users focused heavily on data protection. Everything from automatic investment apps and remote collaboration tools to smart home products emphasized their privacy.
AI and machine learning rose as another note-worthy trend, but blockchain seemed to be the most dominating force in app development. Blockchain-based messaging apps and maps were hugely popular with Product Hunt users, who seem to value innovation and security.
For those users, Brave is a perfect platform. The company's research and development team has recently debuted its privacy-preserving distributed VPN, which could potentially bring even more security to the user than its already existing Tor extension.
Brave's effort to revolutionize the advertising industry has also been recognized by some of the biggest names in publishing—major publications such as The Washington Post, The Guardian, NDTV, NPR, and Qz have all joined the platform. Some of the highest-ranking websites in the world, including Wikipedia, WikiHow, Vimeo, Internet Archive, and DuckDuckGo, are also among Brave's 390,000 verified publishers.
Earn Basic Attention Token (BAT) with Brave Web Browser
Try Brave Browser
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