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Another Look At a Unique F2P MMO

Age of Empires Online came to Steam a bit ago and after that really hasn't received as much attention as it should. Its a shame really because its a unique take on the traditional MMO. Its a free to play game available in Steam, so if you haven't checked it out yet, I recommend you do. I reviewed it a bit ago and you can check that out here:

http://cheerfulghost.com/jdodson/posts/557

One glaring problem of Age of Empires is how hard it is to install. After you install it in Steam, it requires you to create a Microsoft Live account and obtain an install key to plug in to Age of Empires Online. Creating a Microsoft Live account is trivial, getting the Age of Empires... Read All

Evoland

Evoland (Shiro Games) is currently in my list of games that I must get everyone to play. Especially if you are one of the 20 to 30 something year olds that grew up with gaming.

Reminding me somewhat of DLC Quest, Evoland is a game that builds up from just the basics. You start out in a world that reminds me of an old Gameboy, unlocking chests to upgrade everything around you. The first thing you unlock is directional movement and it continues from there. In Evoland, you unlock just about everything, from game scrolling to color and sound (eventually HD 3D graphics and 16-bit music) and in doing so it pays homage to quite a few different games, including The Legend of... Read All Evoland (Shiro Games) is currently in my list of games that I must get everyone to play. Especially if you are one of the 20 to 30 something year olds that grew up with gaming.

Reminding me somewhat of DLC Quest, Evoland is a game that builds up from just the basics. You start out in a world that reminds me of an old Gameboy, unlocking chests to upgrade everything around you. The first thing you unlock is directional movement and it continues from there. In Evoland, you unlock just about everything, from game scrolling to color and sound (eventually HD 3D graphics and 16-bit music) and in doing so it pays homage to quite a few different games, including The Legend of Zelda , Final Fantasy and Diablo. If you played any of these games, you're sure to catch some of the references.

The story line is simple and sweet, echoing games where you are the one hero that can save the world. You do so with 3 weapons (a sword, bombs, and eventually a bow), all of which aren't always available. As you explore the world, you'll come across several puzzles which reward you wish chests. The chests include game upgrades, stars, or cards, all of which you can collect for special achievements. Keep in mind, this game isn't always easy. And you should expect to die (especially until you unlock save points) and at times, you'll get overwhelmed. The end boss fight can take several times to master but the mechanics are simple enough that you'll learn them within a few attempts.

The game play was surprisingly smooth, feeling like I was literally back in one of the old console games with stop/hit motions. The controls were stupidly simple and easy to learn, in a way that you could focus completely on the game play and beautiful graphics, rather than worrying about what keys to press and when.

The game is a little on the short side and I would have loved to see a longer more drawn out story. It only took me about 5 hours from start to finish, including having to backtrack once because I got lost (you also have to unlock your minimap!)

If you don't enjoy turn based RPGs, then there are several points where you will get frustrated with this game. There are quite a few zones that have "Surprise!" turn style combat. I personally, don't like that sort of game play and found myself running away more often than not.

I wouldn't recommend this game if you don't have any gaming roots that link back to the aforementioned games or 80s and 90s gaming in general, but if you have played these games, the nostalgia is great and this is definitely worth the play through. But keep in mind, this game isn't overly long. It took me about 5 hours from start to finish, so if the price to game time ratio is a deal breaker, wait for it to go on sale, but this is a game you have to try.

Nick_Donahoo wrote on 04/07/2013 at 10:39pm

I'm loving the recent surge of old-school gaming. I may have to give this a try.

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/07/2013 at 11:20pm

This sounds pretty awesome an I plan on nabbing this when I see it on sale or am looking to play something new!

Thanks for putting this on my radar!

Travis Admin wrote on 04/08/2013 at 12:54am

This one has been on my radar since I first heard about it. I didn't play it until the past two or three days though, battling the flu this week put a damper on everything.

Evoland had almost equal parts awesome fan service, and really disappointing/annoying mechanics. It's definitely something I'd put in the "recommend" column, for sure, but there were times I wanted to stop because I was frustrated or just plain bored.

CapnCurry Supporter wrote on 04/08/2013 at 05:31pm

I've looked at this one a few times, but the "short story" piece was a bit of a warning flag. 4-5 hours of gameplay I can definitely part with ten bucks for, though; I was worried it was more "DLC-quest" sized. Shopping spree: engage!

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Princesses Don't Need Saving Anymore

Once upon a time, games were simple. Bad guys did bad things. Princesses got kidnapped. Heroes saved the day.

This was perfectly fine. When movies were first being made, plots were rarely more complicated than Big Angry Monster + Frightened Villagers = Dead Monster. The concept was so novel that by merely being a motion picture, it blew people's minds. The same is true of video games, or pretty much any other medium. Once the novelty runs off, any medium has to either innovate fall to the wayside.

As pixels gave way to polygons, stories had to evolve with them. Stories had to become more complex, because 'Rescue the Princess' just didn't cut it anymore. We came to... Read All Once upon a time, games were simple. Bad guys did bad things. Princesses got kidnapped. Heroes saved the day.

This was perfectly fine. When movies were first being made, plots were rarely more complicated than Big Angry Monster + Frightened Villagers = Dead Monster. The concept was so novel that by merely being a motion picture, it blew people's minds. The same is true of video games, or pretty much any other medium. Once the novelty runs off, any medium has to either innovate fall to the wayside.

As pixels gave way to polygons, stories had to evolve with them. Stories had to become more complex, because 'Rescue the Princess' just didn't cut it anymore. We came to expect epic quests and ancient evils. Games became a way to escape. Stories became more important, but often still relied on tried and true tropes. We always knew that the damsel would be in distress, the valiant hero would save the day, and evil would be banished for a few thousand more years.

As graphical capabilities have edged closer and closer to lifelike, so have the stories. With our latest generation of game consoles, we are seeing a firm grounding in reality with many stories. Even stories that are firmly planted in fantasy strive for a 'human' feel. Games like Heavy Rain took away monsters and magic, and made the monsters decidedly human.

As I started this latest iteration of Tomb Raider, I will admit my hopes were not the highest. Having been disappointed by many games in the series before (Tomb Raider: Underworld, anyone?), I was a little hesitant. After all, Tomb Raider had never been known for it's stellar storytelling or rich back story. For the most part, there were two defining features of the series, and they both likely are the cause of Lady Croft's lower back problems. A series of glowing reviews convinced me to give it a shot, regardless.

I had been prompted to play this game after completing Bioshock: Infinite. I found myself in search of a similar experience, namely looking to strike an emotional chord with protecting a young woman. Having grown up with 'Save The Princess' games, I guess the urge to save the 'damsel in distress' has always been ingrained in me. Every trailer I had seen made a specific point of how this game chronicles the humble beginnings of Lara Croft, before the bravado and confidence we see in previous entries. In other words, we are looking at a person, and not a character.

It didn't take me long to realize that this was a girl that did not need protecting. I found Lara at one point bound, defenseless, and surrounded by angry men with guns. Most games would make this the moment where a boyfriend or father figure comes in, guns blazing, and saves the day. The men captured with her are swiftly dispatched, and it does not take long to realize that no help is coming. If this damsel remained in distress, simply dying would be a mercy.

I go on to see a young woman get stabbed, shot at, attacked by animals, and at one point, beaten by no less than four angry Russians. I found myself changing along with the girl on the screen. I felt helpless scrambling for daylight in a dark cave. I was terrified fending off wolves in the middle of a storm. The sorrow and regret was palpable when I had to take down a deer to keep from starving. After one tragedy too many, I was actually a bit surprised to find myself getting cocky when I overheard two guards saying "What's the problem? She's just one little girl!" "Yeah, well, this girl is kicking our asses!" Those angry Russians that beat on Lara? I didn't find myself worrying if she was okay. I knew she was. Instead, I found myself looking for them as the game went on, making sure they paid for their brutality.

As I watched the credits roll, I knew that I wasn't looking at a girl any more. This was a woman, strong and capable. This princess would never need a knight in shining armor to come rescue her. I fear for the dragon that thinks he can keep her locked up.

Blue_Element wrote on 04/07/2013 at 12:05am

That was amazing. :)

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/07/2013 at 02:41pm

Great writing! I've been interested in this game since before it came out and you might have just caused another purchase.

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/07/2013 at 05:14pm

Thanks for writing this Nick, I appreciate it. I have never considered getting a Tomb Raider... until now :D

Nick_Donahoo Post Author wrote on 04/07/2013 at 07:23pm

By and large, I've avoided the series, because, well, they seemed campy and unrealistic. While there is a certain amount of a supernatural element to the game, which is par for the course, it didn't really beat you over the head with it like some of the older ones. There has been a running joke about how when Uncharted came out, it was essentially "Dude Raider". It's kind of funny, because this game feels like more of a spiritual successor to Nathan Drake than one of Lara Croft's adventures. That's a good thing though, as Uncharted was the main reason I bought my Playstation 3 (Well, that, and Metal Gear Solid 4). A decent story, voice acting that didn't make me cringe, and pretty innovative controls. Basically, a bunch of things I hadn't seen from a Tomb Raider game before.

Looks like if you're a PC gamer, Amazon has it for $15 off right now. I'm happy paying $50 for it used on PS3. $35 is a hell of a deal.

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Int. -w Creators of The New Handheld GCW Zero

I have a desire to own a well made gameboy styled handheld that I can do with what I wish. After searching for a bit about what was available the recently Kickstarted GCW Zero caught my attention. As such I asked them if they would answer a few of my questions about it and the retro community that surrounds its potential awesomeness.

jdodson: For you, what is the coolest thing the GCW Zero does?

GCW Zero: It allows people to do things for free gaming wise they would normally have to pay more then they can Afford and if a cost is involved it is so low it won't hit you in the bank where it hurts most.

jdodson: I find that touch games just don’t draw me in when compared to... Read All

Witcher 3 is DRM-free.

In the days of everything having issues with just about everything having some sort of DRM, the Devs of Witcher 3 (CD Projekt RED) have announced that they will not be going the DRM route with their up and coming title.

They have stated that, "We are trying to get rid of DRM. If someone wants to pirate a game, eventually he will.”

I don't really have a problem with DRM, since I purchase and play most of my PC titles through Steam. I do however, have a problem with DRM becomes a hindered by it and lessens my gaming experience. (Most notably, EA with requiring Origin, as my computer seems to hate it).

Full (very short) article can be found here: ... Read All

Starcrafts Season 2 Starts April 27th

Starcrafts Season 2 will begin April 27th and each episode will drop on Saturdays. Looking forward to the new season and since I dig zerg, the new focus should be awesome :D

Always Online & Trust in The New Gaming Landscape

Some rumors surfaced that the next console by Microsoft would require you to be "always online" to use it. Kotaku started things off with the first "insider source leak."

http://kotaku.com/the-next-xbox-will-require-an-internet-connection-to-st-470062456

When I heard the news I wasn't really surprised. After the news broke a Microsoft Studio rep exchanged tweets with a few people that were not received well. Telling people to "just deal with it" over the always online requirement apparently didn't go over well with folks.

http://metro.co.uk/2013/04/05/microsoft-response-to-always-online-xbox-rumours-is-dealwithit-3584410/

The rep Tweeted:

"Sorry, I don’t get the drama... Read All

CapnCurry Supporter wrote on 04/06/2013 at 03:35am

The "always online" motif makes me nervous for many of the same reasons it does you. City of Heroes was a fun game that never found its niche and was shut down for good; that's one game experience I'll never be able to share with the next generation. It's not going to be profitable for EA to support Sim City 5 forever. Hell, the original Neverwinter Nights on AOL was a tremendously fun game that I never got the chance to really explore - and never will.

This is not to say that the ability to keep games and experiences alive forever should be the cornerstone of what makes a game acceptable. But it does seem like we need to cast a more careful eye to figuring out whether we're buying our games or merely renting them.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 04/06/2013 at 03:42am

I think thats a really awesome point. I think its quite sad to consider that some stuff won't be usable simply because it becomes economically unfeasible to modernize it.

Culture lost.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 04/06/2013 at 06:11pm

Microsoft won me back with the original Xbox, and initially I thought the 360 was a step in the right direction. Now, I hate my 360. It's cumbersome and littered with advertisements. It's turning (has turned) into the MySpace of gaming experiences. If they really do go with the always-on approach, then I'll skip this next iteration. There is no reason for that kind of system, other than greed and control. It serves no other purpose. It makes me a little sad that there will be exclusives to such a system that I might not otherwise play, but I can get over that. There is a mountain of great games on GOG and Steam that I haven't even touched yet.

hardeyez wrote on 04/07/2013 at 08:46pm

I also don't get why Microsoft thinks I should pay them $60/yr (per person, or if they still offer the Family Pack whatever that costs) just to use *my* internet connection. That is, without gold, I can't stream my Amazon Prime movies to my 360 (which I can to my ps3, wii u, pc, tablets, etc.) nor can I use their web browser... I mean really?!!??!

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"News That Sucks" Department.. Doom 4 Rumors.

This is a painful Kotaku piece to summarize so ill just let you read it now and go over some of the more cringeworthy aspects of it.

http://kotaku.com/five-years-and-nothing-to-show-how-doom-4-got-off-trac-468097062

So first off, this is nearly entirely based on a hidden source at iD. I am not saying this is bad information, its just hard to validate. That said, this years QuakeCon is coming up and Carmack always gives a keynote and he will talk about some of this I imagine. Since I am a huge iD fanboy ill be watching it, I always do and its usually very awesome because Carmack is rad.

"Larger creature ambitions turned into mediocre garden variety behaviors,” the source... Read All This is a painful Kotaku piece to summarize so ill just let you read it now and go over some of the more cringeworthy aspects of it.

http://kotaku.com/five-years-and-nothing-to-show-how-doom-4-got-off-trac-468097062

So first off, this is nearly entirely based on a hidden source at iD. I am not saying this is bad information, its just hard to validate. That said, this years QuakeCon is coming up and Carmack always gives a keynote and he will talk about some of this I imagine. Since I am a huge iD fanboy ill be watching it, I always do and its usually very awesome because Carmack is rad.

"Larger creature ambitions turned into mediocre garden variety behaviors,” the source said. “[The story] again became lame and unfit for a late night sci-fi channel, and the team didn't feel a whole lot of ownership and contribution to the project. Cue the exodus of talent leaving ever since."

I have worked for companies where that happened and it can turn out to be good, but often times signals the end. iD has been around since the infancy of PC gaming, I really hope they come out swinging with Doom 4. Not just because I love Doom, but because I really fucking love Doom. Kind of knew about a few people that left, I wonder how widespread it was.

The Kotaku piece outlines that they merged the Doom 4 and Rage teams together and it was challenging and that makes sense. Its odd they couldn't nail down a design because they could simply take the Rage engine and remake Doom 1, 2 and 3 and it would sell fairly well. I think the next logical evolution of Doom is some badass war on earth in cities, so you know something like that.

"One source described a meeting in which ZeniMax executives told Id leads that “Doom 4 can and should be as big as Skyrim,” as far as both sales and cultural impact. (Skyrim, Bethesda’s massive role-playing game, shipped 7 million copies during its first week on shelves in November of 2011. And everyone had heard about it—not just hardcore gamers.)"

On one hand, I would love a Doom game as epic as Skyrim. On the other hand, the way this is worded, it sounds like ZeniMax is being a bit unrealistic. I mean how does someone simply make a game as impactful as Skyrim because you say they must. That said, I could see Doom 4 being as impactful as Skyrim given the right design.

At the end of the day this news isn't awesome and if this is all true, its sad to hear. I hold out hope for iD to do well with Doom 4 but as with many things, time will tell.

Travis Admin wrote on 04/05/2013 at 03:03pm

I wonder if iD has done this to themselves in a way. From my outside perspective, it just doesn't seem like they're learning. They were true pioneers back in the day, and made some of the most influential titles around. But now, people expect more than that, and where others have become the new pioneers for more advanced FPS gaming, it seems like when iD tries that it's just cliche and derivative. They either need to stick to what they do best, because that gameplay still holds up, or hire new talent who can bring fresh ideas to the table, and be sure they're surrounded by people who will listen.

Because I'm like you, Jon. I don't want iD going anywhere, but with that level of tearing down and rebuilding, you can't sustain long.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 04/05/2013 at 06:55pm

I think expectations are much higher than they were for certain. That said, if they returned to their roots with a simple Doom game, im not sure people would have a problem with that. I have been thinking of doing a pixel based Doom shooter similar to the original with a more modern touch. Thing is, I think the whole triple A thing is kind of nuts in some instances and I think they are falling prey to pushing for ultra pixel HD triple buffered rad. In Rage, that was fantastic no question but I have had just as much fun in FTL lately.

Id either cut it down to be a simple retro title OR scale it up Skyrim huge. Either game I would love to play.

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New Terraria PC Updates Leaked

Updates are coming for Terraria on the PC and to spoil some of them, Redigit, the developer working on them posted some screenshots to the official Terraria forums. After sending these screenshots to the official Cheerful Ghost labs for deep analysis we have figured out a few things.

The new update contains turtles. From the looks of it, a possible pet and enemy turtle. Pet being the turtle in the house and hostile turtles in the over world.

Waterfalls are coming to Terraria.

New Wizard armor and a flying sword looks to be added.

There is a pot with slightly different art.

I sent these results back to the lab many times but it came back with the same results as... Read All

Blue_Element wrote on 04/05/2013 at 07:53pm

There also appears to be different colored water / biome specific water! :D

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 04/05/2013 at 08:04pm

Ah good point, ill have to talk to the lab about missing that! I wonder how much stuff will be included in the PC update? Hmmmm.

Do some of these changes show up on the console version @ Blue_Element?

Blue_Element wrote on 04/06/2013 at 02:07am

No, all the new features in that screenshot aren't in the console version. :(

Blue_Element wrote on 04/06/2013 at 02:09am

Ooh, and there appears to be a "Bean Sword" in the pic if you look at the hotbar!

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 04/06/2013 at 02:57am

Huh, interesting. I wonder how that works... I guess we will see :D

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LucasArts was more than Monkey Island...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f1/LOOM_Cover_Art.jpg

This is just a quick, nostalgic sendup of a fantastic adventure game of a bygone era: Loom. It's blowing my mind that this game is over 20 years old; when I got my hands on it for the first time it was already a classic.

Loom is not a particularly challenging game; this was right about when the industry was overcorrecting a bit for the mind-punishingly difficulty of the early adventure games. That's alright, though, even if the puzzles are not particularly stumping they're fun to play with and solve, and though the graphics and sound are definitely dated, they have aged well. Loom would probably be right at home next to some well-polished "retro" indie titles of... Read All