Want Resident Evil On Your Switch? You’d Better Have Deep Pockets
The news that Resident Evil HD Remaster, Resident Evil Zero and Resident Evil 4 are all coming to Switch was met with a positive response recently, even if Capcom has made the whole purchasing approach totally and utterly confusing. While North American players can get the HD Remaster and Zero in a lovely box, Resident Evil 4 is download-only, and European Switch owners only have digital options. Still, these are three fine video games irrespective of how they are delivered, and to be able to play them on Switch is great.
However, it would seem that Capcom is very much in favour of the infamous ‘Switch Tax’ as it has priced all three games at £29.99 each in the UK, and $29.99 each in North America. So if you want the trio, you’re looking at an investment of £90 / $90 – compared to the £40 currently being asked for a triple-pack of the same three games on PS4 and Xbox One in the UK (the games are also available individually on those consoles for around £16).
That’s one heck of a price hike, and quite hard to swallow when you consider these are digital games and not physical releases. Sure, the Switch versions will offer portable play which is a bonus, but outside of that, they’re the same games that PS4 and Xbox One owners have been playing for ages – so why do they cost so much more?
Will this price point impact your purchasing choice? Let us know with a comment below.
The latest Nintendo Download update for North America has arrived, and it’s bringing new games galore to the eShop in your region.As always, be sure to drop a vote in our poll and comment down below with your potential picks for the week. Enjoy!
Nintendo Switch Retail
Fimbul(EuroVideo, Today, $29.99) Fimbul combines intense Viking battles with a deep story that unfolds through in-game comics to bring the frozen world of the Norse sagas to life. Immerse yourself in the blistering winter preceding Ragnarok — The Fimbul Winter! Read our Fimbul review.
R.B.I. Baseball 19(MLB Advanced Media, Tue 5th March, $29.99) R. B. I. Baseball 19 takes the field delivering heightened authenticity for a genuine MLB experience. We’ve added hundreds of new animations, updated player models, every official 2019 uniform, more player gear, improved ball physics and environments, and more!
Switch eShop
DELTARUNE(8-4, Today,) DELTARUNE: Chapter 1! Create your own avatar, meet strange friends, and jump into the darkness. By the way, this first chapter is FREE, so please feel free to check it out. Like, you don’t really need to read this or anything… You can just try it…
Ape Out(Devolver Digital, Today, $14.99) Ape Out is a wildly intense and colorfully stylized smash ‘em up about primal escape, rhythmic violence, and frenetic jazz. Build up nearly unstoppable momentum and use your captors as both weapons and shields to crush everyone on your procedurally generated path to freedom. Read our Ape Out review.
Treasure Stack(PIXELAKES, Fri 1st March, $19.99) Fusing the pulse-pounding pressure of a falling block puzzle game with grapple-powered platforming, Treasure Stack offers up a fast-paced party game experience like no other.
12 is Better Than 6(HYPETRAIN DIGITAL, Tue 5th March, $9.99) It is 1873. An escaped slave is slowly walking through the desert, making his way from Mexico to Texas. He keeps a revolver close and is wearing the sombrero stolen from a dead man. Deadly gunfights: You’ll need to cock the revolver with one trigger before being able to shoot by pressing another trigger. One false move and you’ll be overrun in an instant.
ACA NEOGEO THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2003(HAMSTER, Thu 21st February, $7.99) “THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2003” is a fighting game released by SNK in 2003. It features the same 3-on-3 battle system as the previous title in the series, but this time players are able to use the “Multi-Shift” format to freely tag in team members for speedier gameplay.
Anodyne(Nnooo, Today, $9.99) Immersed in a moody, dream-like soundtrack explore a world full of natural, urban and abstract environments, solving puzzles and defeating enemies…with a broom! Inspired by old-school 16-bit adventure classics, take part in a deep and wonderful journey exploring a large overworld and many quirky, challenging and fun dungeons to find out what awaits you in Young’s subconscious.
Arcade Archives: Ice Climber(HAMSTER, Fri 22nd February, $7.99) “ICE CLIMBER” is an action game released by Nintendo in 1985. Play as POPO and NANA to break apart blocks of ice with your hammer and defeat enemies that get in your way as you aim for the top of the mountain. However, only one person can catch the condor waiting at the summit. Will you work together, or try to go for it alone? It’s up to you!
Awesome Pea(Sometimes You, Fri 1st March, $5.99) Welcome to the Awesome Islands World! Awesome Pea is a classic run-and-jump platformer, where you must jump through many challenging levels and help the greedy Pea, who is ready to undergo any trials for the sake of gold. Dangerous dungeons, deceptively beautiful nature, hidden deadly traps, and many MANY coins await you!
Bard’s Gold – Nintendo Switch Edition(Pixel Lantern, Tue 5th March, $8.99) Bard’s Gold is a challenging platformer that lets you explore eerie worlds in a quest for a Goblin that stole your gold.
Battlloon(Unties, Today, $6.99) Battlloon is a cute and casual PvP action game which pits you against your friends in a battle of bouncing balloons! Plays up to 4 players! The rules are simple! All you have to do is to bump other players into the spikes! May the best balloon win! With its simple controls, anyone can play this bouncy game of battling balloons! From a unique point system allowing even beginners to have a chance at winning to a “Ghost” system where ousted players can still enact sweet revenge, Battlloon has something for balloons of all ages!
Beat Cop(11 Bit Studios, Tue 5th March, $14.99) New York, more like a beast than a city. Explore it’s darkest corners and uncover its secrets as Jack Kelly, a former detective who has been framed for a murder. Degraded and forgotten by old pals, it’s your last chance to find the truth behind this whole terrible mess. The thing is, your new boss treats you horribly, your wife is a money sucking spawn from hell and the local mafia wants your head on a plate.
Constructor Plus(System 3, Today, $19.99) In this town you’ve gotta think BIG! Take on the role of a budding property developer and build yourself up from minor-league housing crook to interplanetary property tycoon, wheeling, dealing and thieving all the way.
Crash Dummy(Funbox Media, Today, $29.99) The evil D-TROIT has kidnapped MIA, the Advisor’s daughter! You might be playing as CID, the simple crash dummy, but CID was also programmed and equipped with everything need to be the hero he always dreamt of. It’s time to set CID on his adventure and to save MIA.
Creepy Road(GROOVYMILK, Fri 1st March, $12.99) When everything goes insane and the world falls apart, a man must take up arms to protect his loved ones. Embark with Flint Trucker on a crazy journey to reunite him with sweet Angelina, and try not to succumb to the madness that awaits you! HUGE BOSSES Don’t let their size scare you!
Croc’s World Run(Sprakelsoft, Thu 21st February, $5.99) “Croc’s World Run” is the newest part of the Croc’s World franchise!
Dark Quest 2(Brain Seal Entertainment, Wed 27th February, $10.99) Dark Quest 2 is a turn-based RPG where you control a party of heroes on your epic quest to defeat the evil sorcerer and his minions. The game features a party based system where you control a group of heroes, an isometric hand-drawn art style, dice-based mechanics and much more.
Darkest Hunter(Ultimate Games, Tue 5th March, $5.30) Choose your hero, grab your weapon, learn new spells and… HUNT! Eliminate every nasty beast you encounter, collect loot and find the rarest, as well as the best equipment!
Duck Hunting Challenge(BoomBox, Fri 22nd February, $9.99) Pack up your gear, call on your canine companion, and get ready for one of the best hunting trips ever.
Elevator…to the Moon! Turbo Champion’s Edition(Arcade Distillery, Wed 6th March, $14.99) You are a space cadet, rudely commanded by the President of the World to “Liberate” a Moon Elevator, evoking the wrath of the world’s most powerful AI. Will you crack under pressure trying to hold this broken Space Elevator together? Obey!
History 2048(Run-Down Games, Fri 1st March, $4.99) History 2048 is a familiar logic game, with beautiful graphics. Travel through the evolution of mankind, meet with famous kings, warlords and adventurers. A new and reimagined reboot of the well known 2048 game. Pair the similar panels and step to a new era. Wander through time and get all the extras. A fun and refreshing way to spend your time.
Johnny Turbo’s Arcade: Super Real Darwin(FTE Games, Today, $7.99) The inhabitants of the planet Lakya unwittingly unleash the planet’s life force known as Evol. As the released Evol drifts from planet Lakya, it is received by the inhabitants of the nearby planet Cokyo; the people of Cokyo initiate the Shlohe project, a plan to use their captured Evol to develop advanced biologic ships and weapons to invade planet Lakya. The inhabitants of Lakya retaliate the Cokyo invasion by using their own evolving fighter ships.
Klondike Solitaire(Baltoro Games, Fri 1st March, $8.99) Klondike Solitaire, the perfect game to help you escape your crazy daily routine, relax and have fun.
Monster Dynamite(TREVA Entertainment GmbH, Today, $19.99) Cheeky monsters everywhere! Place your explosives strategically on stacks of crates, scaffolding and logs where the little critters are sitting. Light the fuse and bring them all down!
My Girlfriend is a Mermaid?!(Sekai Games, Today, $19.99) Our protagonist lives out in the city but one summer decides to return to his rural hometown and it is there he once again meets his childhood friend, Ion… who is now a mermaid!?
Ninja Village(Kairosoft, Today, $12.00) Rewrite the history of feudal Japan with an army of the ultimate guerrilla warriors: ninjas! The shogun has fallen from power, plunging the land into chaos as feuding feudal lords scramble to take his place. But the shogun has an ace up his sleeve: you! As the head of a leading ninja clan, it’s up to you to rally your followers and help unify Japan!
Pillar(Michael Hicks, Tue 5th March, $7.99) Lost in an intimate snowy town, a palette of individuals are in search of a mysterious artifact said to bring great knowledge and understanding. Lead each character through their quest in this collection of minigames, each with unique personalities and challenges… maybe their paths aren’t so different after all.
Pirates Pinball(EnjoyUp Games, Fri 1st March, $2.99) Enjoy Pirates Pinball, a perfect reproduction of a real pinball machine, with all the graphic details and sounds. Discover all the secrets, complete all the missions and become number 1 in the world or the best among your Friends, posting your high score on the online leaderboard.
Pixel Devil and the Broken Cartridge(Black Sun Game Publishing, Wed 27th February, $9.99) Pixel Devil and the Broken Cartridge is an old school pixel art platformer. The protagonist ends up in the world of 8-bit video games. Help him get through challenging levels, beat various bosses, learn new skills, and find the villain behind the abduction of young women. But more importantly, together you’ll have to find the answer to the big question: why have the characters of old school video games suddenly turned evil?
Queen’s Quest 2: Stories of Forgotten Past(Artifex Mundi, Fri 1st March, $14.99) When the king asked a famous alchemist to look into the murder of his most trusted agent, the last thing the alchemist expected was to discover an intricate network of criminals working from the shadows to bring chaos to the land. Conduct the investigation as a shapeshifter and uncover a conspiracy that threatens to shake the foundations of the kingdom.
Riddled Corpses EX(COWCAT, Sat 2nd March, $9.99) Riddled Corpses EX is a twin-stick shooter made in the style of 8/16 bit arcade games. Travel through diverse locations packed with danger and huge bosses. Choose your character wisely and make good use of their abilities and the special items (clock, dynamite and turrets) to progress and destroy the root of evil!
Shred! 2: Freeride Mountainbiking(ASBO Interactive, Fri 1st March, $9.99) Created by a solo developer with a lifetime of Mountain Biking and Trail-Building experience, every inch of the handcrafted trail will push you to the absolute limit!
Swords & Soldiers II Shawarmageddon(Ronimo Games, Fri 1st March, $14.99) Fight your friends anywhere with your Nintendo Switch in split-screen mode or online, and enjoy the epic single-player campaign which gives you command of Redbeard and his Vikings. Join them as they fight their way through the forests of Vikingland, the scorching sands of Persia and even the nether regions of Hell!
Tardy(Drageus Games, Fri 1st March, $9.99) Ramto isn’t the smartest guy in the Universe. He enjoys finding troubles – and solving them, but when woke up on a spaceship it was too much even for him. Alone on the ship he had no idea how to pilot, among heaps of weird devices created by a schizophrenic engineer.
ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove( HumaNature Studios, Fri 1st March, $19.99) ToeJam and Earl have crash-landed back on Earth in ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! , a funky fresh roguelike adventure infused with old skool hip-hop and jam-packed with awesome throwbacks to the 1991 classic.
Unknown Fate(MARSLIT GAMES, Tue 5th March, $14.99) You wake up, alone, in a world completely unknown to you. You have no memories of your past, you don’t know how you managed to reach this world and the only thing you can do is go on and try to find the truth. Unknown Fate is a single-player first-person puzzle-adventure with a mysterious story, puzzles to solve and enemies to defeat. Travel in incredible worlds solving the puzzles around you and collecting Richard’s lost memories to uncover the truth about Richard’s journey.
V.O.I.D.(JanduSoft, Today, $3.99) V. O. I. D. is an all-new side-scrolling action adventure game! Taking the best aspects of the 8- and 16-bit era classics, and transforming them with modern tech & fresh mechanics, into something new and exciting! PLOIDS are the evolution of the human race by merging technology with its DNA.
Warhammer Quest(Chilled Mouse, Tue 26th February, $29.99) Based on the classic tabletop game, Warhammer Quest is an addictive mix of role-playing and strategy. Lead your group of brave adventurers through the perilous dungeons of the Warhammer World in the search for wealth and glory!
Nintendo Mobile
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp – Happy Homeroom is now in session! The Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp mobile game just received a major free update that introduces Happy Homeroom, a newly added interior design mini-game. In Happy Homeroom classes, players with a Camp Manager Level of 6 or above can use the furniture they have to practice their interior design skills, which will be judged by Lottie and others. Passing Happy Homeroom classes increases a player’s HH Rank, earning them items like HH material and more. If you haven’t played Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp in a while, now is a great time to jump back in with all of this newly added content! See what’s new by downloading the latest update and launching the game on your mobile device.
Switch DLC
Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes DLC #1 Black Dandelion – Play as the assassin Shinobu with two newly added special skills and an added Badman Strikes Back Adventure!
Activities
Happy Pokémon Day! – To help celebrate Pokémon Day, My Nintendo is offering Happy Pokémon Day cards, Meltan Wallpapers and more Pokémon game themed rewards from now until May 27. Have you exchanged your Friend Code from your Nintendo Switch system? Use the Happy Pokémon Day card to share it with your friends! For more info, visit https://my.nintendo.com/news/837f74adcdd985cb.
So that’s your lot for this week’s North American Nintendo Download. Go on, be a sport and drop a vote in the poll above, and comment below with your hot picks!
Stardock and Mohawk Games have announced a new multiplayer client for their critically acclaimed real-time strategy game, Offworld Trading Company, that will allow players to face off against each other for free, even if they don’t already own the game.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 03-01-2019, 03:28 AM - Forum: Lounge
- No Replies
Narrative Preview – Gambit Prime
“What’s this about?” Joxer asked.
The Titan sat across from the rogue Lightbearer known only as the Drifter. Between them, unloaded rifles, hand cannons, and Last City food wrappers lay strewn across the Derelict’s rusty deck. Joxer could feel the ship’s engines humming under his boots, reverberating throughout the chamber.
“Think of this as a job interview,” Drifter replied. “I got a whole new operation about to come online, and Gambit was training for it. You’re one of the best candidates I got.”
Beneath his helmet, Joxer raised an eyebrow. “You sure about that? I’m no ‘Hero of the Red War.’”
Drifter chuckled. “Why does everyone think I got a mad-on for that one?”
Joxer shook his head. “I heard you two forged a gun together.”
Drifter frowned. “Hand to my heart, it wasn’t just us. Whole buncha folks running around with Malfeasance hand cannons these days. My grandma, too.”
“That Primeval really knows how to run,” Joxer snarled at the deck.
“Listen, big guy.” Drifter leaned back. “Not my fault you keep missing the shot.”
Joxer stood up out of his seat and towered over the other man.
“Hey! My bad, brother!” Drifter held up a hand. “Your Motes are always good here, whether you’re packing Malfeasance or not. What I need done, only a specialist—like you—can do.”
Joxer stared down at him. “What do you mean?”
“I seen you out there. You get how the Taken feel. How the Darkness… flows. You revel in it.”
Joxer sat back down, slowly.
“You’re a born invader, my friend. The best.” Drifter smiled again, with lightless eyes. “And I’ll need someone like you to test out my new project before I unveil it to the unwashed masses: Gambit Prime.”
“Sounds like a promotion at my local Sparrow dealership.”
JDK Mission Control (JMC) is now available as a module in Fedora 29. JDK Mission Control is a powerful profiling application for HotSpot JVMs. It has an advanced set of tools that enables efficient and detailed analysis of the extensive data collected by JDK Flight Recorder (JFR). JMC requires JDK 8 or later.
JFR is part of the JVM, and is available in OpenJDK 11 or Oracle JDK 7u4 or later. Therefore, to generate a flight recording to be loaded into JMC for analysis, the target application needs to run on OpenJDK 11 or OracleJDK 7u4 or later.
This article is a guide to install and run JMC on Fedora 29 Workstation. Then you’ll learn how to use it to solve a common problem with Java programs called hot methods.
Installing JMC on Fedora 29
Using Java 11 will allow JMC to record JFR data for itself. Install Java 11 via:
$ sudo dnf install java-11-openjdk
Enable and install the JMC module with the default profile via:
$ sudo dnf module install jmc:latest/default
Run JMC targeting the Java 11 JRE via:
$ jmc -vm /usr/lib/jvm/jre-11/bin
Using JMC and JFR to explore hot methods
JDK Mission Control can be used to deeply analyze Java applications. In this example, we will take a look at hot methods. Hot methods are methods where a high proportion of time is spent during execution. These are good places to start investigating when trying to reduce overall execution time.
To demonstrate, here is a portion of code for a Java application.
Initiator Sample Code
In practice, there are multiple methods of analyzing Java applications in JDK Mission Control. As an example, you can run the application with Flight Recording enabled and set to dump on JVM exit. This generates a Flight Recording (.jfr) file when the application exits, which can be opened by JDK Mission Control. Note that Flight Recorder is available in OpenJDK 11+ and OracleJDK 7u4+.
For example, for OpenJDK 11+ use this command to run the class with Flight Recorder:
After the application has completed execution, open the resulting Flight Recording with JMC. Below is the automated analysis results.
Automated Analysis Results
The automated Method Profiling analysis already indicates a potential optimization area in the calls to Integer.equals(Object). Going to the Method Profiling tab, select that method and check the Stack Trace for it as shown below.
Method Profiling View
In this Stack Trace, you can follow the calls to the method Initiator.countIntersection(Initiator). Checking the Initiator class, shown below, note that counting intersections between two Integer collections would be better done using HashSet collections instead of LinkedLists collections.
The Before and After Code
After making this change, you can see the execution improve in the follow-up Flight Recording.
Method Profiling View of ‘After’ Code
JDK Mission Control and JDK Flight Recorder gives you a highly detailed view of your Java application behavior. You can use it to diagnose issues with hot methods, deadlocks, lock contention, memory leaks and more. Try it out via the JMC module in Fedora 29!
Companies today are collecting data at an unprecedented rate, but how much of the collected data actually makes an impact on their business? According to ODPi, by 2020, the accumulated volume of Big Data will increase from 4.4 zettabytes to roughly 44 zettabytes or 44 trillion GB.
It’s a tall order for companies to translate this data into ROI, and many businesses still don’t know how to combine Business Intelligence (BI) with Big Data to get insightful business value.
Cupid Chan, CTO of Index Analytics and ODPi lead for the BI & AI Special Interest Group (SIG), tells his clients, “It doesn’t matter how much data you have; unless you can get the insight from it, it is just bits and bytes occupying the storage.”
To help such businesses gain insight into how BI can be addressed by Big Data through multi-structured data and advanced data analytics, ODPi has released a new whitepaper called “BI”g Data – How Business Intelligence and Big Data Work Together.
The latest whitepaper shares best practices for combining BI and Big Data. It also shares real end-user perspectives on how businesses are using Big Data tools, the challenges they face, and where they are looking to enhance their investments.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 03-01-2019, 03:28 AM - Forum: Windows
- No Replies
Microsoft Security Intelligence Report Volume 24 now available
The 24th edition of the Microsoft Security Intelligence Report (SIR) is now available. And this year, I’m thrilled to share that not only can you download the PDF, but you can also visit an online, interactive version that provides tools to filter and deep dive into the data. This edition of the report is a reflection on last year’s security events and includes an overview of the security landscape, lessons learned from the field, and recommended best practices. I know you may find some of the trends, such as the increase in cryptocurrency mining and supply chain activity, worrisome. But I also hope you’re encouraged to learn that the defensive techniques we’ve taken as a security community are paying off: there is good evidence that bad actors have been forced to change their tactics.
To create this report, the SIR team culled core insights and key trends out of a year’s worth of data from multiple, diverse sources. We analyzed the 6.5 trillion security signals that go through the Microsoft cloud every day. We gathered insights from thousands of security researchers based around the world, and we learned lessons from real-world experiences, like the Ursnif campaign and the Dofoil coin-miner outbreak. There is a lot going on, but the SIR team distilled the data down into four key trends:
Ransomware attacks are on the decline.
Cryptocurrency mining is prevalent.
Software supply chains are at risk.
Phishing remains a preferred attack method.
Ransomware attacks are on the decline
The decline of ransomware attacks that we saw in the 2018 data is a great example of how the security community is pushing bad actors to adjust. Just last year, we highlighted the large threat that ransomware played in the 2017 data, so this decline is notable. We believe that attackers have shifted from this highly visible method to more stealth attacks because users have gotten smarter about how they respond.
Cryptocurrency mining is prevalent
The decline in ransomware is good news; however, on the flip side we are seeing cryptocurrency mining to be prevalent. This is one of the methods that attackers have deployed in lieu of ransomware. Mining coins profitably requires an immense amount of computing power to perform complex calculations, so attackers install malware on users’ computers to “steal” the necessary computing power. The SIR report provides a great overview of how cryptocurrency works and other factors driving this trend.
Software supply chains are at risk
Software supply chain attacks are another trend that Microsoft has been tracking for several years. One supply chain tactic used by attackers is to incorporate a compromised component into a legitimate application or update package, which then is distributed to the users via the software. These attacks can be very difficult to detect because they take advantage of the trust that users have in their software vendors. The report includes several examples, including the Dofoil campaign, which illustrates how wide-reaching these types of attacks are and what we are doing to prevent and respond to them.
Phishing remains the preferred method of attack
It’s probably not surprising that phishing continues to be a popular method of attack, and we expect that to continue for the foreseeable future. The good news: much like ransomware, bad actors have shifted tactics in response to the more sophisticated tools and techniques that have been deployed to protect users. We uncovered a lot of details about these new phishing methods that we hope you find useful in your fight to defend against them.
Learn more
When I was a practitioner, I sought out reports like these to help me better understand attacker techniques and plan my defenses accordingly. I hope you find the insights, tips, and best practices that we’ve pulled together just as helpful. Download volume 24 of the Microsoft Security Intelligence Report and then dig into the data specific to your region in the interactive website. The site will be updated monthly, so you can keep up with emerging data and insights throughout the year.
Also, later in March, join me and my colleague, Jonathan Trull, for a webinar where we’ll dissect these trends in more detail and share best practices to help you protect your organization.
The SIR serves to share some of the intelligence and insights that Microsoft generates as part of our broader security operations work, but it is not the whole story. Please also make sure to check out today’s announcements on new Microsoft security innovations aimed at helping defenders capitalize on the latest security intelligence and protections to help them stay ahead in the evolving cybersecurity landscape.
The basic concept of Wars Across the World is to take a single set of game mechanics that can underpin a range of different scenario types across history, at varying command levels. The design justification being that the base mechanics only need to be learned once, so that the developers can offer a breadth of battles and campaigns that all follow the same underlying logic, and so can be played in succession without much difficulty.
I was rather sceptical that such a design could both be fun and plausible, but so far I’ve been pleasantly surprised with what has been created. A combination of modern gaming techniques and ease of accessibility make Wars across the World an impressive achievement, and an excellent addition to mobile war games overall.
The company behind this, STRATEGIAE, have managed to find the sweet spot for mobile gamers and very much captures you in the ‘just one more turn’ trap. Whether it was defending Berlin in the dying days of the Second World War, force marching down to London from York in 1066 or desperately trying to seize Sinai whilst holding off the Syrians in 1967, I always needed to keep clicking that button to see what happened next.
The success of this game isn’t down to a single contributing factor, there are a range of elements here that have just been done very well underpinned by a well thought out baseline.
Firstly, the game is incredibly easy to pick up and play. Within a minute or two of installation you are quickly in the front line of the action dragging units around, making political decisions and trying to get some sort of strategic plan together. Within ten minutes you are quickly wondering whether not bothering to read through the scenario notes is really an excuse that will go down well in the Fuhrer’s Bunker and perhaps you are just better off blaming everything on Steiner (Insert Downfall meme video-ED).
Every phase it’s very clear what you need to do as the game highlights units and warns you when you haven’t activated elements. Even better it highlights cards that you could play so you don’t need to wade through endless cards trying to figure out what you need to do. It is so well implemented it ought to be mandatory for every game to copy this style of in-game assistance. Mr. Clippy this is not.
The game is built around an area movement map with strict turn and phase orders, but the designers have not let themselves be restricted or influenced by any specific school of wargaming techniques or traditions. This game is a smorgasbord of mechanics and they come together beautifully. Yes, there were times I didn’t really know what was going on but because I was so immersed in the experience it didn’t detract from the game.
My biggest concern was that I couldn’t see how they could merge such wide ranging historical eras together, let alone combine that with options for grand strategic level and operational level player perspectives all into a single game.
How they have overcome this is through incredible flexibility in their design tools. Units can be given any combat, movement and morale stats that fit the geographical region and the historical/ political situation. As a result not all scenarios are equal in quality, some of them are simply better designed than others. The base game on the iPad comes with a tutorial and a single mission but you are going to have to buy additional scenarios to justify getting this game in the first place.
Apart from the Berlin 1945 scenario ($2.99), the rest of the scenario IAPs are $1 each Everything I tried was worth the app purchase fee, and for this review I played Hasting 1066, Waterloo 1815. Tannenberg 1914, Normandy 1944, Berlin 1945 and Six Days 1967. I thought Berlin 1945 was the best of the bunch; an excellent scenario that had considerable depth compared to the other options, which probably explains the higher price.
I always approached each new scenario somewhat sceptically, doubting that the mechanics I had just been using could work on a totally different time frame I was now loading up. However I continually found that my doubts were unfounded and that it was actually really fascinating to see how different unit types worked in different era’s and situations. It was genuinely interesting to compare how my tanks performed in Suez against how my cavalry performed in 1815 or in 1914 at Tannenberg.
There are nuances to combat which I found strange at first as there are restrictions on unit limits and leader requirements. However these restrictions are designed to abstractly reflect logistical limitations and can occasionally be broken with the right card. Relatively modern armies tended to suffer morale collapse less readily than historical armies but none of the scenarios felt like a grind and there was often a real decision to be made. Most importantly the end result is plausible more often than not.
The AI isn’t a genius but considering that I lost my first four games in a row suggests that the competency level is definitely a fun challenge. Certainly the AI rarely lacks compunction to act, which often kills computer war games for me in general.
Wars Across the World also has an option for hotseat multiplayer and because it doesn’t take more than 1-2 hours (and I finished some in 30 minutes) to complete a scenario so you can easily sit down with a friend/ adversary and play a game or two over an evening or on a journey.
Everything you would want from a modern wargame is here; fog of war, morale, logistics, political considerations, supply, time pressures, interesting investment trade off’s. This is a far cry from many of the other wargames that we see with no real political context or pressures. War isn’t a logical, mechanical odds counting exercise, it’s a disorganized mess in which you simply attempt to act less badly than the people on the other team.
Wars Across the World captures that essence through the use of scenario specific cards. These cards cover a whole range of political and military factors and can be played at a strategic and tactical level during various phases of the game. Each set of cards is different for each side in each scenario and they provide a central part of the immersion that make this game good.
Most scenarios allow you to spend investment points on new units, replacements or cards. This creates interesting strategic dynamics and decision trade off’s. Many of the political elements allow you to buy time in some way or alter the balance of the conflict in the longer term. Some of the political cards impact the opponent, creating unforeseen challenges and friction of war.
Current scenarios range from ancient warfare through to the 20th century and there are more being released. Excitingly there is the option for user created scenarios as well. Wars Across the World straddles a line between offering meaningful depth and decisions, without crossing too much into the territory of hardcore wargames that you might see grace the front page of our sister website. It’s a welcome site in an app store increasingly looking at free-to-play and casual audiences.
At the time of writing, Wars Across the World has the following IAPs, all of which unlock additional scenarios to play within the game:
?Massira? is a story driven, puzzle adventure game with a ?low poly? style, where you will experience an unforgettable adventure in the shoes of a girl and her grandmother, who make a trip from Syria to Europe, all seen through the eyes of the little one. Oriented to a sensitive audience, with a taste for good stories, you can face reality while enjoying yourself as a child again thanks to its artistic style.
Fimbul combines intense Viking battles with a deep story that unfolds through in-game comics to bring the frozen world of the Norse sagas to life. Immerse yourself in the blistering winter preceding Ragnarok ? The Fimbul Winter.
