In a recent sling of bad news, Age of Empires Online will be closing shop in 2014.

"I announced in January of this year that AOEO had entered its support phase, meaning that no new content would be added to the game. Then, last month, we mentioned in the forums that AOEO had an end date. That information should have come clearly from me, with a clear and specific itemization of what that means to you, the players. So let’s fix that.

Age of Empires Online will close on July 1, 2014. On that day, the service will cease to function, and no further games can be played. The servers will be taken offline, and no features of the game or the game service will work without the servers. Until that date, the game will continue to fully function just as it does now. You can quest, raid, chat and trade as much as you like until then."

Age of Empires Online was a freemium MMO-ish RTS I quite liked. Whereas I didn't pay for any of its content, it existed in the void Age of Empires II left when you could no longer play it on modern hardware. As Age of Empires II HD was released on Steam, my time on Age of Empires Online evaporated. That said, the Age of Empires Online experience was quite good and it's a shame it's going away.

The wasn't perfect though as the game UI was often confusing and figuring out what zone to go do to do stuff wasn't intuitive. The game suffered from some lag issues from time to time when I played it and I never really saw the incentive to advance my in game MMO level. It was also tied to Games for Windows Live which required way too many steps to get working in a sane manner.

That said, the actual in game RTS aspect of the game was a love letter to the original Age of Empires and it worked great. What I wish Age of Empires Online was, was the basic Age of Empires gameplay with modern graphics ported to modern systems without the MMO bits. In the end, Age of Empires II HD gave me what I wanted so Age of Empires Online fell between the cracks.

That said, it's sad to see this game go and I hope Microsoft can rip out the core gameplay bits and release it as a standalone product that doesn't require you to be always online.

It's also worth noting that because of it's freemium nature a popular way to unlock more races an in game items was by paying for them. So what do people that love this game have to show for the time and effort they put into it? It's not an awesome prospect to consider.

That said its not all bad news and dead Unicorns as if you already have an Age of Empires Online account, you will get a bit of a bonus for the remaining time the game has left on this earth.

"All purchases have been disabled. This means that you cannot buy more Empire Points, which is the way you pay for additional content, like new civilizations. You can still earn EP through regular gameplay, just like always, and the stores still function normally, to buy civilizations, vanity items, consumables and more. But you cannot spend real money on more EP.

That creates a problem for some of the newest players, however. If you have just started to play AOEO, but not bought any EP, you may be ‘stuck’ in that it will take a long time to build up enough EP to buy a premium civilization. To help all the newest players, as well as give a gift of thanks to our grizzled veterans, on Tuesday, September 17, we will grant 1000 EP to all existing players. This is enough to purchase a full civilization, with a little left over for some fun. That should be a sufficient boost to let new players jump into the game fully and earn more EP over the next several months."

"Are you less of a gamer if you drop the level down to easy? It just might be so. We all know that challenging games can be incredibly frustrating, so why do we put ourselves through this? Well, there is a greater satisfaction, but it goes deeper than this, hard games are makes games a unique experience unlike any other. Games that call for physical dexterity, moral deliberation, and tough problem solving is what separate out the noobs, but it's also what separates games from every previous art forms like books, theater, and the movies. So are hard games better than easy games?"

Game/Show is an awesome web video serial because it explores interesting topics in gaming while bringing their own style to the mix. In this episode Jamin makes the claim that hard games are better than easy ones. Finally beating FTL and getting the last tier of Terraria 1.2 gear? Yeah, both of things were really awesome and also not easy.

Clicky click, watchy watch. His perpetual 5 o'clock shadow is worth the price of admission alone.

A.N.N.E. is a great 2D retro project I backed on Kickstarter. The game seriously reminds me of the magical nature of NES greats such as Blaster Master, Little Nemo The Dream Master and Metroid. Recently Mo, the games creator, posted a pretty awesome update about the games progress.

A few interesting bits of note: the video showcases a pretty bad ass looking boss fight and also talks a bit about how the games score has taken shape.

A.N.N.E. will ship on Mac, PC and Linux.

Read our interview with Mo about A.N.N.E here:

http://cheerfulghost.com/jdodson/posts/1272

Our 3rd Cheerful Ghost Terraria server just came to a close and I was a bit sad to see it go. I had a great time spelunking through the new 1.2 content with Travis, WhiteboySlim and jaelte! This server was different in that it went much longer than any we'd had previously as we spent much more time in hardmode and exploring all of the 1.2 content. One thing the 1.2 update did well was make hardmode much more interesting and gave us lots of reasons to keep advancing and work together.

It's no secret one thing I loved in the 1.2 update were the new bee hives & queen bee fight. I also really appreciate the new Crimson and increased usefulness of the Jungle, Dungeon and the new Temple. Each area of the game got a huge overhaul and the game feels huge compared to 1.1.

I can't wait for the December update and when it drops I will bring our server back up for a few days if people want to explore the new content and boss fights together. So let me know if you are interested.

As per tradition you can nab the Terraria world file we ended with right here. Warning, there is a ton of great loot in the treasure chests in our houses and no one is protecting it!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1oRZK7IvLFZWGRMeFVuY19NVUk/edit?usp=sharing

I want to thank everyone again for taking part in making this on of the best times I've had in gaming in a while and look forward to doing it all over again with Starbound!

Now that the Playstation 4 has been released I have been grappling with the fact that my PS3 is no longer current gen. It would be a stretch to say its a retro system, but yeah, the ps3 is a last gen system now. I want to talk a bit about the PS3 and why I think it has been one of the best video game consoles i've ever owned.

Originally I picked up my PS3 to upscale DVD's, play BluRay and occasionally play games. I tried a few upscaling DVD players and nothing looked as good to me as the PS3. I realized at some point I would make the jump to BluRay and that having a system that had the ability to self update would be a good thing with the newness of the BluRay format. I got my PS3 at BestBuy as part of a bundle that contained Guitar Hero 3 and a $50 gift card. Guitar Hero was quite a bit of fun but my first game purchase I was seriously looking forward to was The Orange Box. At the time, I didn't have a great PC but wanted to jump into Half-Life 2 and the episodes. I had heard amazing things about Portal as well and The Orange Box lived up the the hype. The Orange Box on PS3 had a few glitches but overall it was a pleasant experience and a hell of a lot of fun.

Over the lifespan of the PS3 I picked up The Orange Box, Fallout 3 Game of the Year Edition, Borderlands, Wolfenstein, Civilization Revolution, RAGE, Unreal Tournament III, Street Fighter IV, Portal 2, FarCry 2, Borderlands 2 and my final PS3 purchase Doom 3: BFG Edition. I never really liked buying digital games on the PS3 as you couldn't share them and the price never seemed right. That said, I picked up Age of Booty, Zuma and Wolfenstein 3D. Whereas the games themselves are fun, one problem I have with digital PS3 game purchases is they don't carry the value over compared to other digital stores like Steam.

The game experiences I had the most fun with on the PS3 were Civilization Revolution, Fallout 3, Half-Life 2, Portal 2 & Borderlands. Civilization Revolution is a seriously under-rated game and made to work very well on consoles. It's funny as none of the games in the rest of my "most beloved PS3 games" list are exclusives or console only. I had a hard time getting games I couldn't later play on PC if I wanted.

The Playstation 3 is a great system and it still works awesomely in the original capacity I bought it, to play media. I don't play too many games with it these days as I find gaming from my Mac or PC to be superior in nearly every way that matters but when friends come over, you can't beat split-screen game play.

As I look forward to Sony's next offering I don't see myself buying one any time soon, but that could change if the Playstation 4 gets more compelling. That said, I would consider the PS3 one of the best systems i've ever owned and I hope it has a very long life under my TV.

"In this episode we examine the Ms. Male Character trope and briefly discuss a related pattern called the Smurfette Principle. We’ve defined the Ms. Male Character Trope as: The female version of an already established or default male character. Ms. Male Characters are defined primarily by their relationship to their male counterparts via visual properties, narrative connection or occasionally through promotional materials."

Anita Sarkeesian continues her tropes series this time focusing on the "Ms. Male Character" video game trope. Interesting history of some popular Ms. Male Characters as well as gender representation in games.

Organ Trail is a really great retro remake of the old Oregon Trail game from the Apple II era. As a kid I played The Oregon trail a ton and loved speed-running the game as the Banker from Boston. That said, Organ Trail is a nearly spot on remake that reminds me of the original while doing something very unique.

the goal

The goal of Organ Trail is to escape from Washington DC during the Zombie Apocalypse with your party and travel to the safe haven that is free of Zombies. You start the game with 4 people in your party and a station wagon. The game allows you to outfit your party with supplies and this is the first chance you have to drop your strategy into the game. Do you go for more bullets and less food? Do you go for a little bit of everything instead?

Personally I go for a few more bullets, no food and try to get about 3 of each car parts. Immediately I start scavenging for food as it isn't too hard to obtain. I make some trades and once I feel like I am ready, I start the journey.

the graphics

One of the things I enjoy the most about Organ Trail is the graphics and art style. Organ Trail mixes the big blocky sprites from the Apple II and NES. One main staple of the game is scavenging for supplies and the game provides a few back drops that change as you make your way across the zombie infested US landscape. Some people might fault the game for being "too old looking" but I find that part of the games immense charm.

platform support

Organ Trail is ported to just about every platform that matters with Mac, Linux, PC, Android and iOS. I've played it on Mac and Linux and it runs great on both platforms. The Mac has a slightly better interface for selecting what resolution the game should run in as I didn't notice anything like that on Linux. That said, the Linux version works very well and I saw no particular issues with it.

gameplay

The majority of Organ Trail plays like you would expect. A few menus confused me but after a few times through the game, it was fine. One fairly large gripe I have with the game is in with the gun targeting. I expected the game to work like the original Oregon Trail, you just lined up the gun and shot it. Organ Trail changes things up by making you line the player up and clicking and dragging back to the player to shoot. I imagine the gameplay is this way to make it work similarly on Phones and Desktops but on the Desktop it is just strange. I have figured out a pretty good work around for scavenging and do very well now, but I would prefer a simpler interface. That said, it's the games only major flaw as I see it and it is something you can easily work around.

final thoughts

The game difficulty modes are really fair but for your first game I recommend playing on easy. Going through first on easy allows you to get used to what the game throws at you and its not so hard as to be soul crushing.

Organ Trail is an absolutely amazing game. I would consider it a nearly perfect game if not for some gameplay issues listed above. Organ Trail fits the spot for a game that is a ton of fun if you want to kick back on the couch and its a game that I imagine i'll be playing for quite some time.

http://i.imgur.com/ulqDSYO.png
http://i.imgur.com/Gt3DPIc.png

The Escapists is an interesting game on Kickstarter right now. Made by the same author of Spuds Quest, The Escapists is setting out to be the ultimate prison break RPG.

"* Schedules: To escape you'll have to work around the strict prison schedule as best you can to avoid any unwanted attention from the guards.

* Crafting: Weapons and tools can be crafted together using everyday things you find or steal around the prison. Just beware of cell shakedowns. Read more about crafting

* Reputation: The way you interact with fellow cons and guards affect how they treat you. Those on your side could help you out in a fight, overlook if they catch you doing anything unusual, or give you access to certain favors/jobs, and assistance.

* Digging: Get hold of a shovel (or various other digging spoons) and you can start working on an escape tunnel. Of course you'll need some lights and timber supports below ground if you plan to survive. Just make sure you make it back for the guard patrols- and that the hole is hidden! Read more about digging

* Character Stats: Train your agility and strength in the gym, or spend your free periods in the library boosting your intellect. All such skills play a part in your escape as well as your survival inside the prison. Read more about stats.

* Combat: When it comes to crunch time, you might have to engage other inmates or guards in combat. If one of them finds your escape tunnel you will probably have to overpower, bind, and stash them in the hole you've been digging below your cell. If it's a guard, taking his uniform might come in handy.

* Gangs & Friends: Be careful who you pick fights with- some of the inmates might start plotting against you with their gang-mates and friends."

I love Prison Architect so playing a game from an entirely different angle sounds really fun. The game has already been funded but if you want to get in on the Kickstarter there are only 9 days remaining. Right now The Escapists is planned for PC only.

"How well do you know your enemies? That's the question we set out to answer in our premiere episode of Know Your Enemy. Join us as we take a look at one of our favorites: The Goomba, from the Super Mario Bros. series."

Awesome new YouTube series "Know Your Enemy" debuts with a classic Mario enemy, the Goomba. Providing some really great history to the character as well as it's many cultural and game appearances. Whenever I see one of those little guys I just want to stomp on it. Good thing they are not modeled after an actual thing in real life.

One meme in gaming that makes me chuckle whenever I read it is "PC gaming master race." Beyond the fact that it is somewhat juvenile, it isn't too far from the truth. Not that consoles aren't awesome or even better than the PC in some ways(any game on the PS3 will always work on the PS3, no upgrades needed) but as PC gamers we have it pretty darn good. One area where the PC shines above and beyond our console sisters and brothers is amount of games available and price. Because the PC is an open platform and digital distribution being as popular as it is, the PC is exploding with games selling for cheap.

The Humble Store

Most of us know and love The Humble Indie Bundle and can't wait to partake in the sweet bundles of magical bits. The Humble folks keep going strong and just launched a new way to get great games cheap. The Humble Store is the latest in discounted games, donating 10% of the sale to charity. Featuring some awesome Triple A and Indie titles, the Humble Store provides Steam Keys for the games you buy and often a DRM free download to boot! With the Humble Indie Bundle, Humble Triple A Bundles, Humble Weekly Sale and brand new Humble Store I imagine many gamers credit cards are wearing thin.

https://www.humblebundle.com/store

GOG.com

GOG.com is an awesome site dedicated to Retro, Indie and Triple A titles that all come DRM free. Supporting Windows and Mac, GOG.com is like a digital locker for your games. I have personally picked up Neverwinter Nights super cheap with a ton of other awesome retro games. GOG.com recently launched a charity bundle of their own and almost always runs awesome sales like its current DRM Free Fall Insomnia Sale.

http://www.gog.com/

Minecon Indies

After Minecon, the Minecon Indies site popped up and featured all the games that showed at this years Minecon. They put on a pretty awesome contest and gave away some awesome games that showed at Minecon. I expect to see more popup Indie game sale pages like this around cons and other awesome stuff. You can still look through the store and pickup some really great games.

http://mineconindies.com/

The Game Music Bundle

The Game Music Bundle departs from the traditional game bundles and focuses on game music. The Game Music Bundle 5 featured the music from Monaco, FTL, FEZ, Gunpoint, Leisure Suit Larry & World of Goo. If you donated over the minimum you could get all of the FEZ remix albums, extra Monaco tracks, The Forge, Anodyne and Little Inferno scores. Since I love game music scores, seeing this kind of bundle is pretty awesome.

http://www.loudr.fm/gamemusicbundle

The Free Bundle

But what if you want games but don't want to pay? The Free Bundle has you back by collecting some interesting free indie titles. The new Free Bundle 10 should be coming out any day and I am interested to see what it has. Some people release their games for free and this is a great way to showcase them.

http://www.thefreebundle.com/

Steam

Yeah, you know I like had to mention Steam. The Steam Autumn Sale is right around the corner and nothing showcases "rabid gamer" like a Steam Sale. One thing I miss about past Steam sales I haven't seen in a year or so is publisher packs. I hope they make an appearance for this years Holiday Sale, but for people that haven't experienced it, imagine nearly every game a publisher makes at a very crazy price. One year I picked up Skyrim, Fallout New Vegas, Brink and a few other Bethesda games for 50 bucks. Even if publisher packs don't make a comeback, Steam sales are epic things of legend and each one seems to get me to spend money I wasn't expecting to.

jdodson's Final Thought

I have been gaming on my PC since ZZT on DOS and because of that, I have a ton of games. It seems a bit strange to drop $60 for each new game that comes out when I just picked up the recent WB Bundle that featured FEAR, FEAR 2, Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, Lord of the Rings, Scribblenauts, Mortal Kombat Arcade, Guardians of Middle Earth and more whatever price I want to pay. Most of those games are a few years old now but it puts a brand new $60 purchase in perspective. Won't it just be silly cheap later?

Consoles can't seem to beat the pricing of the PC because there is so much competition in digital game stores. Kind of hard for Sony to compete with itself in terms of pricing on its own store and because of this, its sales are pretty meager. Also remember, when I say PC gaming I mean anything that runs games thats not a console. I do a ton of "PC gaming" from my Mac laptop and Linux and plan on doing much more when Steam Machines drop. But I wonder what I we will call that? It will be a PC in your living room, but... Well, who knows what we will call it, it will still be awesome.

PC Master Race may be a hyperbolic premise, but I can't help but agree with some of the idea. It's a great time to be a PC gamer and things ain't getting worse.