2009 OctoberOur Screams from the Cave continue through Halloween weekend with an in-depth review of a game that evokes thoughts of Swine Flu and much worse. Lee’s had a lengthy look at Pandemic: On the Brink by Z-Man Games, and has a blow-by-blow account of the game’s hot zones. We’ll have a bit more spook-related fun for you tomorrow, but in the meantime, have a look through our recent reviews, or have a look back at last year’s Screams feature to keep yourself properly afraid.
Archive for October, 2009
OgreCave review – Pandemic: On the Brink
Saturday, October 31st, 2009Small World, Dominion place high on Games 100 list
Friday, October 9th, 2009Even though GAMES Magazine has yet to make it’s annual GAMES 100 list officially available, the magazine’s long-time partner Funagain Games has the list. According to the list, the Game of the Year for 2010 is Small World by Days of Wonder (which we’ve reviewed, here). Other notable games were listed as well, such as Dominion and Dominion: Intrigue (Rio Grande) as Best Family Strategy Game; the harbor-management title Le Havre (Lookout Games) as Best Advanced Strategy Game; and the exploration-themed Amerigo (daVinci Games) for Best Family Card Game. Of course, most of the runners-up and nominees included in the list are also great fun for the right game group, so peruse the list and see how many you already play.
Windhammer Prize Gamebook Entries Ready for Votes
Sunday, October 4th, 2009The second year of the Windhammer Prize has reached the voting phase. This time around, there are seven mini-gamebooks available for your consideration. Take a look and cast your vote — there’s a cash prize at stake here! If the experience inspires you to write your own entry, you’ve got a whole year until the next contest….
Warhammer Invasion will LCG you so hard, spit’ll fly outta your mouth
Thursday, October 1st, 2009If you follow us on Twitter you already know I find the new Warhammer Invasion card game quite pleasing. I didn’t say why, however: basically it’s a non-collectible card game that delivers cracking good basic CCG play with some innovations around things that old-timers like me take for granted (like when to apply damage). You needn’t fear the sometimes-odd way that GW presents Warhammer content – it’s presented here in what amounts to FFG house style and is a very approachable intro to WH fantasy stuff. Also, all the promo FFG’s been doing calls it a two-player game, but our three-player game was great (although longer than the two-player, which is exceedingly quick and brutal) and I bet four works too.
In a way, Invasion is the first real test of the Living Card Game concept. It hasn’t had a past life in starters and boosters to prime the pump for the boxed version. It’s going to have to live or die on what it is out of that big square box. I guess it’s not much of a surprise that this more controlled and packaged experience plays great.
But then there are those chapter packs, yeah? Or Battle Packs or whatever. Three have been announced already and the core game is still just on its way to stores. And elsewhere it’s announced that these three are just the first half of a cycle of six. Um… guys? Some of us like being off of the new-cards treadmill? The total cost of ownership of the game is still going to be dramatically lower than that of a CCG, but come on. Pace, or the perception thereof, will need to be managed carefully if the LCG concept is going to win back recession-sensitive gamers who look back fondly on CCG-style gameplay.