This week, we’re looking at two adaptations of card games: Reiner Knizia’s Money! and Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer.
Reiner Knizia’s Money! (Universal): Prolific game designer Reiner Knizia is known for two things: simple, elegant games of all types, and pushing his creations onto iOS developers with incredible vigor. While many of them are great versions, the one we’ve enjoyed more than even the physical version is this, a set-collecting card game with a monetary theme. READ MORE
The original Luigi’s Mansion was a game that didn’t get much credit. Out at the launch of the GameCube, the title made design decisions based on showing off the system’s tech, didn’t have the epic scale of his brother’s adventures and had the riveting twist of a vacuum cleaner. So it was quickly overshadowed by Super Smash Bros. Melee and Pikmin, left to fade into obscurity. Here’s the thing, though: behind the waving curtains and transparent ghosts was a solid game experience with a formula no one has really duplicated. READ MORE
Silent Hill is a series that has been down as of late, though Konami continues to try to rejuvenate the series with new takes on the classic formula. This time, they’ve tried to do so with a throwback to the early titles in atmosphere and characters, and we have to say that it certainly pays off in a twisted way. READ MORE
Imagine you’re sitting down one day, enjoying another gaming session with the latest new release. You find your character on an important mission to prevent the assassination of some sort of important political figure. You have two ways to approach the situation: go where you think the assassination attempt will take place and try to stop it there or, using intelligence you gathered earlier on in the game, track down the group planning the entire thing. READ MORE
When most gamers think of licensed games based on some existing property like a TV show or movie, they often jump to the conclusion that it’s bad. Yes, in recent years, many licensed games are pushed out by a third party on a limited budget and a short development window, and they’re meant purely to capitalize on the success of the existing thing. This isn’t always the case, though. Many great classic games are based on TV shows like Duck Tales, Aladdin and all of the classic 8- and 16-bit Disney games. Occasionally, even a modern game comes along that not only is fun but perfectly captures the essence of what makes that popular property so great. Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law is… sort of that game? Read on to find out why I’m so conflicted. READ MORE
