The Republic of Rome is long, difficult and drenched with an extreme dose of randomness. It features no cutscenes or flavour text, choosing instead to cover itself in dice charts and a manual coded like a phone book. And yet, it’s one of the most immersive, thematic and plainly exciting games both in and out of its genre. It’s the perfect example of how mechanics can create an incredible narrative and unforgettable gaming stories.
Most established critics are sent copies of games by publishers. This is not a very well-known fact, despite being the standard in all areas of criticism. These “review copies”, as they are called, are used to create the majority of reviews, features and strategy guides you see on gaming websites. But how do they work? And what are the ethical quandaries regarding their use?
In Riftforce we fight for power and control. As magic broke into the world and elementals began to awaken, ten guilds sought to dominate this new source of strength. In this game of hand management and strategy, prevailing over our opponents will require all our wits and the understanding of the small subtleties inherent to each faction.
Indiana Jones’s adventures stopped for many years after the release of his third film but he remained active in the realm of video games a bit longer. Released in 1992, one of them stands out even today. Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis is a point and click adventure by LucasArts, creators of Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion. It captures the spirit of the original films perfectly and remains a fun romp almost 30 years later.
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective is a difficult game. If we want to compete against the world’s most famous detective and don’t come off like complete amateurs, we’ll need all the help we can get. If my previous strategy guide wasn’t enough, don’t despair! There’s more you can do to match the Victorian sleuth and it’s all within your reach.
