Game Releases – Page 155

Posted on February 13, 2019 by Mdp4life — Leave a comment

Super Mario Maker 2 and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening coming in 2019

In a new Nintendo Direct video presentation, Nintendo announced that Super Mario Maker 2, a sequel to the groundbreaking original game, and a stylish re-imagining of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening are both launching this year for the Nintendo Switch™ system. The video also revealed ASTRAL CHAIN, a new action game from PlatinumGames exclusive to Nintendo Switch.

In addition to introducing other acclaimed titles coming to Nintendo Switch, like Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice and Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, the video also provided more details about upcoming Nintendo games like Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Yoshi’s Crafted World, DAEMON X MACHINA and MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3: The Black Order, among many others. Nintendo Switch will also be home to BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL!, the next iteration in the charming puzzle-platformer series coming to Nintendo eShop.

Plus, starting today, Nintendo Switch owners will have access to surprise launches like the online 99-player puzzle-fest Tetris^®99 and classic SQUARE ENIX role-playing game FINAL FANTASY IX, as well as new co-op DLC for Captain Toad™: Treasure Tracker and free demos for upcoming anticipated games.

“Every game covered in this Nintendo Direct is slated for launch for Nintendo Switch this year,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Whether you’re looking for new games in classic franchises, new content for existing hits or completely new experiences, Nintendo Switch has something for everyone over the next several months alone.”

To view the Nintendo Direct video in its entirety, visit https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct. Some of the highlights revealed in the video include:

Super Mario Maker™ 2: In this new game, players can create the Super Mario courses of their dreams, with access to even more tools, items and features. Super Mario Maker 2 launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch this June.
The Legend of Zelda™: Link’s Awakening: Originally released for the Game Boy™ system more than 25 years ago, one of the most beloved games in the Legend of Zelda series returns. In this modern re-imagining, players travel to the mysterious island of Koholint to guide Link on a perilous adventure. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening arrives exclusively on Nintendo Switch in 2019.
ASTRAL CHAIN: ASTRAL CHAIN is a new action game from PlatinumGames, directed by Takahisa Taura, known for his work as the game designer on NieR:Automata, and supervised by Hideki Kamiya, creator of the Bayonetta™ series. As part of a police special forces unit in a multicultural futuristic city, players work together with a special living weapon, the Legion, in a synergetic action system of battle and exploration. More details about this Nintendo Switch exclusive will be revealed in the future. ASTRAL CHAIN launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch on Aug. 30.
Fire Emblem™: Three Houses: The Black Eagles. The Blue Lions. The Golden Deer. Three noble houses that are part of the Officer’s Academy, an elite facility that trains students in the ways of weapons, magic and special skills. As a professor, the player must choose one of these houses to lead its students in grid-based battles with life-or-death stakes. Each house is comprised of many different students to meet and train, each with her or his own personality and skills. These students can interact with each other at the academy, strengthening their bonds and supporting each other on the battlefield. The Fire Emblem: Three Houses standalone game and the Fire Emblem: Three Houses – Seasons of Warfare Edition both launch exclusively for Nintendo Switch on July 26.
BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL!™: Welcome back, BOXBOY! The fan-favorite puzzle series is back for the first time on Nintendo Switch with a brand-new game! In addition to 270 new levels, two players can work as a team to solve puzzles in a new co-op mode. As a bonus, players who complete the game can access a new adventure starring Qudy. BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL! unboxes itself on Nintendo eShop on April 26.
Tetris^® 99: The iconic puzzle game Tetris^®; arrives, but with an online experience like no other. In this next entry in the storied puzzle franchise, 99 players compete together until only one is left standing. Nintendo Switch Online members (membership sold separately) can battle for dominance in this free-to-download software. The Nintendo Switch exclusive will be available to download starting today, and players can look forward to battling it out in upcoming online events.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night: The side-scrolling action of yore rises once again in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. Play as Miriam, host of the Alchemist’s Curse, as she steals the abilities of enemies, bends gravity to her will and darts around the game’s elaborate castle at lightning speed. Here, the laws of reality – and 2D side-scrollers – don’t apply. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night emerges from the shadows this summer for Nintendo Switch.
Mortal Kombat 11: New and classic characters return for more over-the-top fighting action in Mortal Kombat 11, launching for Nintendo Switch on April 23.
Yoshi’s Crafted World™: Before Yoshi’s Crafted World launches on March 29, Nintendo Switch owners can head to Nintendo eShop to download a free demo for the artfully handcrafted game starting today! In the Yoshi’s Crafted World game, players can explore the Front and Flip-Side of stages while rafting, racing solar cars, tearing through the sky on a plane and experiencing many other wild and surprising gameplay sequences. Using coins collected through the varied and secret-filled levels, players can unlock 180 different crafted costumes that Yoshi can wear.
Captain Toad™: Treasure Tracker Update and Special Episode DLC: Guess who is still ready for adventure? After downloading a free Nintendo Switch version update for the Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker game that is available starting today, all courses in the game will support a new two-player co-op mode featuring a second Toad to explore simultaneously with a friend. And on March 14, new paid DLC arrives that adds 18 new challenges to the game, including five new courses and new Shiny Crowns, which can be obtained in each course. New players can get the Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker game together with the updates and all the new Special Episode content in a digital bundle available for purchase on Nintendo eShop beginning Feb. 13. Players who purchase the bundle or the Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker – Special Episode DLC will receive early access to one of the courses in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker – Special Episode, with the remainder of the courses launching on March 14.
Super Smash Bros.™ Ultimate Update: The fastest-selling console-exclusive game in Nintendo history is about to spring forward with a free Ver. 3.0 update coming to the game this spring. Before the end of April, Joker from Persona 5 will be available as a playable fighter. Announced in December, Joker is the first Fighters Pass DLC fighter to join the game’s expansive cast. Players who want to get access to five upcoming DLC fighters plus additional stages and music can purchase the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Fighters Pass by visiting https://smashbros.nintendo.com/buy/dlc/. Additional details about the 3.0 update and upcoming Fighters Pass content will be revealed in the future. Also, be on the lookout for new amiibo in 2019 like Snake, Simon, Squirtle, Pokémon Trainer and Ivysaur.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice: Winner of multiple awards, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is coming to Nintendo Switch. Created in collaboration with neuroscientists and those with lived experience of psychosis, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice pulls players deep into the mind of a Celtic warrior on a haunting vision quest to fight for the soul of her dead lover. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice launches for Nintendo Switch this spring.
DAEMON X MACHINA: Starting today, mech pilots in the making can get a free demo for DAEMON X MACHINA called “Prototype Missions,” available for a limited time to download from Nintendo eShop or Nintendo.com. In the demo, players can battle through four different missions while testing out the game’s controls and mech customization. After playing, select players will receive an email containing a link to an online survey where they can provide feedback about the game to Director Kenichiro Tsukuda and the development team. Currently in development, DAEMON X MACHINA is scheduled to launch for Nintendo Switch this summer.
MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3: The Black Order: For the first time in 10 years, the MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE series returns with four-player action and an original story … all exclusive to Nintendo Switch! Assemble your dream team from a huge cast of Super Heroes, including Marvel’s ultimate cosmic protector, Captain Marvel. Players can save the world together with up to four players** in TV mode, with four separate systems locally or online. A dynamic zoomed-in Heroic Camera will give players the option to get closer to the action. As characters level up, they’ll learn new skills they can use on the fly, and also perform powerful Alliance Extreme attacks. MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3: The Black Order launches for Nintendo Switch this summer.
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition: Ready for a grand adventure filled with memorable characters, an enchanting story and classic RPG gameplay that can be taken on the go? This enhanced version of the critically acclaimed game features the same sprawling content of the original, but with newly added character-specific stories, the option for increased battle speed, fully orchestrated field and battle music, and the ability to switch between HD and retro-inspired 16-bit visuals. Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition launches for Nintendo Switch this fall.
DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2: Combining both RPG and crafting gameplay together, players gather materials to create things like weapons, buildings and even entire towns. With the help of the mysterious Malroth and other villagers, players will explore large islands, find quests and battle monsters and bosses scattered around the world. Those who own the original DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS on their Nintendo Switch system can craft the Legendary Builder’s outfit and the Dragonlord’s Throne. DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 launches for Nintendo Switch on July 12.
ONINAKI: To uphold the tenets of reincarnation, players must travel between the Living World and the Beyond to rescue lost souls from the terrible fate of becoming monsters. In battle, the souls you rescue manifest within you, granting you strength and new abilities. ONINAKI launches for Nintendo Switch this summer.
New Star Fox Missions in Starlink: Battle for Atlas : The Starlink: Battle for Atlas digital update coming in April will add new Star Fox missions to the Nintendo Switch version of the game. Play as Peppy, Falco and Slippy to help aid the fight to down Star Wolf’s lieutenants, Andrew, Pigma and Leon, in a series of challenging missions. Additional content released as part of the update includes new starship races, faction missions and more. The spring update of Starlink: Battle for Atlas launches this April on Nintendo Switch.
Disney TSUM TSUM FESTIVAL: Disney’s adorable Tsum Tsum are coming to Nintendo Switch in a new game! In Disney TSUM TSUM FESTIVAL, players connect matching Tsum Tsum to clear them and set a high score. Up to four players can compete against each other in local or online modes. Disney TSUM TSUM FESTIVAL launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch in 2019.
Rune Factory 4 Special and Rune Factory 5: Classic RPG Rune Factory 4 is being remastered for Nintendo Switch. Interact with townsfolk, grow vegetables and fruit on the farm, catch fish, raise monsters and wield weapons and spells in this new version of the game. Rune Factory 4 Special will be ripe for playing on Nintendo Switch later this year, with the newly announced Rune Factory 5 coming at a later date.
DELTARUNE: The next game from the creator of Undertale is coming to Nintendo Switch. Download DELTARUNE Chapter 1 for free on Nintendo eShop beginning Feb. 28.
FINAL FANTASY VII: Return to Midgar in one of the most iconic RPGs of all time, when FINAL FANTASY VII finds a new home on Nintendo Switch on March 26.
FINAL FANTASY IX: First-time players have the chance to fall in love with Vivi like the rest of the world when the beloved RPG FINAL FANTASY IX comes to Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch later today.
Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon EVERY BUDDY!: KWEH! On March 20, the latest game in the Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon series arrives on Nintendo Switch.
Dead by Daylight: Dead by Daylight is an asymmetrical multiplayer horror game where one player takes on the role of the savage Killer, and the other four players play as Survivors, trying to escape and avoid being caught and killed. The Nintendo Switch version features loads of maps, characters and cosmetics, and a deep progression system to try out. Dead by Daylight creeps onto Nintendo Switch this fall.
Assassin’s Creed III Remastered: For the first time on Nintendo Switch, experience Assassin’s Creed III with revamped gameplay and features tailored to the system like motion aiming and touch input. In addition to all the original game’s DLC, the standalone game Assassin’s Creed Liberation Remastered will also be included when Assassin’s Creed III Remastered launches for Nintendo Switch on May 21.
Unravel Two: Take control of two adorable characters made out of yarn and solve challenges in Unravel Two. Play as both characters in single-player or team up with a friend in local co-op. Unravel Two launches for Nintendo Switch on March 22.
GRID Autosport: GRID Autosport comes to Nintendo Switch fully loaded with a mix of high-speed thrills, realistic handling and a difficulty level that scales to players’ skills. Players will feel like pro racers as they master the world’s fastest cars to win motorsport’s most exhilarating races, from the prestigious Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps to the narrow city streets of Barcelona. All DLC is included in this version of the game, with 100 cars, 100 circuits and some welcome additions like tilt controls and custom controls. GRID Autosport launches for Nintendo Switch this summer.

Remember that Nintendo Switch features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit https://www.nintendo.com/switch/.

*Nintendo Switch Online membership (sold separately) and Nintendo Account required for online play. Not available in all countries. Internet access required for online features. Terms apply. nintendo.com/switch-online

**Additional accessories required for multiplayer mode; sold separately.

Games Shown:

Posted on February 12, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Midweek Madness – Moonlighter, 40% Off

The 2019 Lunar New Year Sale has begun, bringing big savings on thousands of titles across Steam in celebration of the Year of the Pig!

During this year’s Lunar New Year Sale, players will receive a one-time automatic $5 (or equivalent currency) discount on qualifying purchases over $30 — this is limited to one cart purchase per account.

On top of that, buying games during the sale will earn you tokens that may be redeemed for Steam rewards at the Rewards Booth. You can exchange your tokens for a shiny profile page, emotes, badges, and more instant discount coupons! These tokens will expire once the Lunar New Year Sale ends.

For more information about how the Rewards Booth works, check out the FAQ: Rewards Booth FAQ

Throughout the 2018 Steam Winter Sale, millions of you cast your votes in the third-annual Steam Awards. The results are in, and on February 8th at 10am Pacific, the winners will be announced via broadcast at https://steam.tv/SteamAwards.

This is the first time we’ve announced the results of the Steam Awards via broadcast, and the show will include special messages from the winners. Don’t forget to tune in!

Posted on February 12, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Now Available on Steam – RIOT: Civil Unrest, 15% off!

RIOT: Civil Unrest is Now Available on Steam and is 15% off!*

As civil crisis deepens and inequality tears the very fabric of society the discontentment of the masses manifests itself in violent public disturbances and civil disorder. Play as the police or the angry horde as RIOT – Civil Unrest places you in some of the world’s most fractious disputes.

*Offer ends February 19 at 10AM Pacific Time

Posted on February 12, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Review: Evolution: The Video Game

Charles Darwin claimed, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” Now you have the opportunity to put this theory to test in this adaptation of the popular board game, Evolution.

In Evolution, players adapt their species to compete against their opponents in a world where food is scarce and predators are on the hunt for a tasty snack. The board game has been featured in Nature magazines and used as a learning aid within universities. Don’t be too intimidated because you don’t need a PhD to understand the rules, and the tutorial does an excellent job of teaching you the game as you play. This is also a very excellent digital adaptation of a game.

Each player begins the game with a single species and a hand of cards. The cards have multiple uses and deciding how and when to use them is a key element to success. At the beginning of each round, all players will secretly place a card in the watering hole. Cards have different values and the total of all the cards played will determine how much plant-based food will be available. You are then free to use the rest of your cards as you wish. Cards can be discarded to increase the population or the physical size of an established species. You can also use a card to start developing a new creature. These will initially be weak but if it manages to survive then your diversity will increase, which means that in future turns you will be able to draw extra cards.

The real fun starts when you use cards to add traits to a species. Each species has the potential to evolve three of these and you can even replace traits with new ones. One of the key traits is carnivorous, which will turn a peace-loving herbivore into a slavering ball of fangs and teeth. To combat this there are traits that will help prevent your animals from becoming fast food. An animal with the altruistic warning call trait will protect those to its left and right unless the predator has the ambush trait. Adding a hard shell to an animal adds a bonus of four to its body size. This is a great form of protection since carnivores can only attack creatures with a smaller body size than their own. Other traits will enhance an animal’s ability to gather food; a species with the cooperation trait will share its food with a neighbour, foraging enables an animal to take extra food, whilst having a long neck allows them to grab food before any other species gets a chance. In total, there are seventeen different traits, which means that players can create over 25,000 different species. The interplay between the traits is balanced, thought-provoking and makes perfect thematic sense.

Once all of the players have finished using their cards then it’s time to ring the dinner gong. The food cards placed in the watering hole at the beginning of the turn are revealed; their total represents the amount of plant-based food available. Each animal’s food requirement depends upon its population size. Obviously, carnivores aren’t interested in waiting in line at the salad bar. Instead, they can attack any other unprotected species that are of a smaller size. Doing so will reduce the population size of the unwitting meal and may even completely decimate the species. Be careful though; if you have a hungry carnivore that is short of meat it is possible that it will chow down on your own animals.

The game ends when the deck of cards runs out. Points are scored for the amount of food gathered throughout the game. Extra points are awarded for the population size and remaining traits of each of your surviving species. The watercolour style graphics are nicely done. The card illustrations are distinctive and colourful and even the cartoon characters are likable. I love the way that the environment blooms into life whenever feeding time arrives. The primal backing music, complete with additional ambient sounds makes a fine accompaniment. My only real niggle is that there appears to be a lot of dead space on the screen. The watering hole takes up a large chunk of space, maybe at the expense of larger, easier to read cards.

The best feature of the digital version is the introduction of a terrific campaign mode. This pits you against a range of challenges like surviving in a harsh desert environment. This mode introduces new traits at a gradual rate and is the perfect place to refine your skills. With twenty-four challenges and two levels of difficulty, it should keep you entertained for quite some time. You can also set up a local game against AI opponents, but sadly there is no pass-and-play option at the moment. The asynchronous online mode is also still being worked on, but the simultaneous online mode works well, and with games only taking ten minutes it will not tie up too much of your time.

Evolution is all about the constant battle for food and competing for survival against the opposition. You need to not only focus on your own cards but also keep a constant eye on what your opponents are up to. It is no use developing a huge and fearsome killing machine if your perspective dinner has the ability to escape by climbing trees. Since some cards are played in secret whilst others are public knowledge, which results in the mind games growing in complexity. The current start player gets to visit the watering hole first so may not have to donate a high value food card. However, a player pursuing a carnivore strategy may not be interested in visiting the watering hole at all. They may even play a negative value food card, further increasing the food scarcity.

It may sound deceptively simple, but start playing and you will soon realise just how clever the design is. The multiuse cards lead to many tantalising decisions. Do I sacrifice a valuable trait to the watering hole in order to ensure a good supply of food? Shall I be greedy and rapidly increase the population size of a species in order to gobble-up more valuable food points? Or, should I play it safe and introduce traits that will enhance a creature’s chance of survival?

Evolution is a game in a state of constant flux. Some years there will be food aplenty, enabling your animals to develop and prosper. At other times, food will be in short supply and all but the best-adapted creatures will dwindle and die, becoming just another footnote in the fossil timeline. Fortunately, the game never feels too harsh. Players are never eliminated, when a player loses a species, they get to draw extra cards and if they have no species left then they will get a new one for free. Whatever the situation, Evolution invariably reaches a satisfying climax as the players add more species and the deck begins to thin at an alarming rate.

Let us finish with a final observation from Mr Darwin: “An American monkey, after getting drunk on brandy, would never touch it again, and thus is much wiser than most men.”

A note on pricing: The game is free to download on both app stores, and after the tutorial players are free to play up to one multiplayer game a day, and then up to level 7 of the campaign. The full game is unlocked via an IAP that costs $10/£10 (currently running a launch discount). At the time of writing, there were some slight issues with the paywall that might be causing some confusion.

Posted on February 12, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Rebel Inc. is now available on Android

By Joe Robinson 12 Feb 2019

I think it’s fair to say we really enjoyed Rebel Inc. when it launched in December last year. While it didn’t quite win over the readers in our GOTY awards, it still got a lot of votes and over all was a fantastic new game from the creators of Plague Inc.

The only bad thing about it, depending on who you were, was that it was only on iOS… UNTIL TODDAYYYY. Well, yesterday.

Rebel Inc. is one of our favourite RTS games on mobile, but there are plenty more.

Ndemic sent out the word around 5pm UK time that their counter-insurgency sim was finally available on Android. Much like its predecessor on Android, it’s free to download, and you can buy the ‘Premium’ version for £1.99. This removes any ads, allows you to use governors, and also allows you to fast-forward.

There are apparently additional IAPs – the Google Play store lists extra purchases ranging from £0.59 to £11.99 per item. Unlike the Apple App Store though, it doesn’t list them out separate items, but I can’t imagine they’ll be much different from the iOS list, which you can see on the store page here. I’ve downloaded the app myself and tried rooting around but couldn’t see anything other than the premium unlock.

If you’re coming to the game for the first time, don’t forget to you can check out our Tips & Tricks guide to get you started, otherwise let us know how you’re getting on!

Posted on February 12, 2019 by Mdp4life — Leave a comment

The sweetest time of the year!

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with some cute and cuddly Nintendo characters.

Nintendo eShop
There’s nothing more romantic than holding your loved one close as you explore a haunted house in the Luigi’s Mansion™ game for the Nintendo 3DS™ family of systems. You can find more great titles in the Games You’ll Love and Retro Romance collections.

Play Nintendo
The Valentine’s Day activities on Play Nintendo are perfect for younger players and their families. Grown-ups will love them, too! You can turn foes into friends with charming printable cards, or take a quiz to find out which Nintendo character could be your video-game Valentine!

My Nintendo
This month is all about sharing the love, and My Nintendo is doing just that with fun new rewards featuring everyone’s favorite pink puff, Kirby! Use your My Nintendo Points* to download fun printables, wallpapers for your PC or smart device, or an episode of the Kirby™: Right Back At Ya! show.

For Nintendo 3DS systems, use Parental Controls to restrict 3D mode for children 6 and under.

*A Nintendo Account is required to receive and redeem My Nintendo points. Terms apply. https://accounts.nintendo.com/term_point.

Posted on February 11, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Dota 2 Update – February 11th, 2019

* New Bloom ended a few hours earlier than intended, the event has now been extended to be active through Feb 12th.
* Fixed an issue that caused the New Bloom Nian Courier to drop at lower than expected rates. This has been corrected, and items have been granted to reflect the proper drop rate.
* Fixed a bug that allowed pressing quickbuy in rapid succession to purchase the same item twice.
* Several Ranked Emoticons have been increased in size, and all emoticons used during in-game chat are now larger and closer to center on the chat line.

Posted on February 11, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

VRoid Studio Revisited

Last year we took our first look at VRoid Studio, a 3D anime style character creator that had recently been translated to English. It works very similarly to Daz3D, Poser and MakeHuman, but is entirely dedicated to creating characters in the anime style. Using a simple set of sliders, you can quickly customize a character to your liking, much like defining your character in a video game. However you can also go much deeper, with integrated texture editing tools, hair creation tools, multiple animations and much more.

Previously however, VRoid had one major limitation… it could only produce female characters. This has now changed and male characters can be created as well, with their own set of gender specific animations defined. In the video below we go hands-on with the updated and more capable VRoid Studio.

You can download VRoid Studio here. The page is Japanese, so look for the following buttons and pick the appropriate operating system:

The download is a 0.5GB zip file, simply extract and run the executable within.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqUEI4ZF5jc&w=853&h=480]

Art Tools

Posted on February 11, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Review: Invaders from Dimension X!

What if a wargame transformed completely but kept the same outer shell? If it were still about squad management, line-of-sight fire, and hand-crafted scenarios but with an added dash of chaos? Hemmann Luttmann’s Invaders from Dimension X is this very game. Zany, helter-skelter, yet still relatively strategic within its own wide, permissive ruleset, I stumbled upon the game as a lark and am quite glad I did. It’s lovingly made and great fun, but the bare-bones interface and rare bugs make it difficult to recommend. Still a nice game, a bizarre yet successful twist on wargame conventions.

Marines (from the Unified Space Alliance Defense Force) square off against a strange and sudden incursion of the Kay’otz (Obligatory get it, chaos much? interjection) and seek to eliminate the hostiles and preserve their dimension. The enemies are strong but erratic, with unusual weapons, tactics and objectives. In-game this means some delightful asymmetry. Humans use plasma weapons which kill the Kay’otz but are restricted by line-of-sight and friendly fire. (You can’t fire through your own units, mountains or lava). The Kay’otz, by way of contrast, use lasers and can fire through anything and everything but will only incapacitate, never kill, their prey. (Obligatory ‘set to stun’ interjection).

The bigger chunk of variability comes from the Activation Cards, which have big bursts of activity on the enemy turn, but with a lot of conditions and uncertainty attached. Oh, and the pool of enemy Activation Cards are always the same, but the order won’t be. Especially fearsome are the AOE stun card, which randomly deploys anywhere on the map and paralyzes any nearby troops, and the frenzy card, which has the Kay’otz attack over and over until the dice roll fizzles. The chaos is iterated and compounded: events could happen anytime and once triggered can range from harmless or inconvenient, to serious and routing. While the scenarios have well-defined victory conditions for the humans, the Kay’otz instead have a grab-bag of objectives, with one triggering at the end of the game to see whether they win.

Somewhat confusingly, there are many different qualities and kinds of victories. The humans can win instantly by fulfilling the specific scenario conditions at any point, or, more commonly, the clock will run out and the game ends once the last of the Activation Cards is used. If the Kay’otz win condition is met, they win at the point; otherwise, the human evaluate whether they’ve scored an overwhelming, modest, or paltry victory based on criteria peculiar to the scenario at hand.

Everything in combat is decided by dice rolls, which in of itself is not unusual. Units have three stats, one each for movement, power and armor. The power determines the number of dice rolled, and the armor stat of the opponent qualifies which rolls count as hits. Killing the Kay’otz is rather difficult, as it should be. If the enemy scores hits, human units are either stunned or paralyzed. They don’t recover from this stasis automatically, however, and must instead use a ‘Rally’ action to regain full function. The ‘Rally’ action is itself a die roll, meaning that a laughably bad streak can leave someone effectively perma-stunned, which would be hilarious if it weren’t such a setback.

Invaders from Dimensions X is full of long-odds edge cases like this, which is more than half the fun. Everything about the Kay’otz, and by extension the game state itself, is both strong and fundamentally unpredictable. The challenge is always to ride the wave, to manoeuvre through the tumult as best you can with the weaker, yet comparably more dependable tools the humans have at their disposal. For example, rallying might whiff, but this nastiness can be mitigated by smart positioning next to HQ or Logistics units, boosting the roll. Even the enemy turns can be micromanaged with a little luck, for the Scout units have a Recon ability which gives a 50-50 chance to select one of two possible Activation Cards.

So it’s messy and potentially ‘unfair’ but never unwinnable. The unit types are just specialized enough to make for cohesive squads and a solid pay-out for good strategy and positioning. I’m probably the furthest thing from the intended audience and enjoyed it thoroughly. Caveat emptor, though. There are a few visual glitches, one of which appears to hide the win condition tab which is more-or-less essential when playing a scenario for the first time. Another fires shots from the wrong spot. These are irksome but not deal-breakers. The game’s reference materials are pretty good for in-game refreshers, but the app itself lacks a tutorial or in-game rulebook, even, choosing to skirt around this failing by redirecting inquiring minds through a hyperlink to the full rulebook. Standard answers for how to make a maximally functional game on a shoestring budget. The result is serviceable and even spirited at times but also kinda ugly.

The scenarios aren’t too long or taxing, presenting a stiff challenge in a reasonable timeframe; the player units and combat ruleset are standard, but the enemy is truly a leap into the great unknown. Dimension X is an unusual and rather fun novelty which mashes-up unlikely inspirations into something worthwhile The limited play modes, drily functional interface and various bugs mitigate this praise, so in the end give it a chance if you’re seriously curious or habituated to this type of experience.

Posted on February 8, 2019 by Mdp4life — Leave a comment

More Yo-kai, more mysteries, more fun!

’Merican Yo-kai have made their way to the YO-KAI WATCH 3 game and they’re rootin’ tootin’ troublemakers.

Speaking of troublemakers, in the town of BBQ, zombies run wild after dark and Nate must stop them in the all-new Zombie Night mode. If you’re too afraid of zombies, you can always find treasure by exploring randomly generated dungeons and discover the truth about the mysterious ruins hidden all across the continent with the Yo-kai Blasters T group.

Features:

Meet Hailey Anne and Usapyon as they solve cases as Yo-kai detectives in Springdale.
Explore the Western-inspired location, BBQ, where ’Merican Yo-kai run rampant.
Train up your very own Nyan, a cat like Yo-kai, in Build-a-Nyan.

For more information about the game, visit the official site.

Crude Humor
Fantasy Violence
Mild Blood