The whole “Mayan Calendar” doomsday scenario of late 2012 was an amusing, if ultimately pointless, event that will largely vanish into memory as time passes. For board game fans, however, it will forever be immortalized by the brilliant Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar, designed by Italian Daniele Tascani with help from fellow countryman Simone Luciani. Tzolk’in appeared on a truly impressive number of year’s best lists from late 2012 to early 2014, winning a half-dozen awards and nominated for at least twice as many more in that span. READ MORE
I’m thankful my Snackbar duties don’t extend to reviewing games. I don’t have the objectivity to separate my feelings from actual game design. I’m a sucker for emotional impact and that is my greatest influence when discussing games. There are just too many factors to contemplate when considering an overall score. Would it really bother me if there’s clipping on level six? How about if the plot isn’t original? Is there multiplayer?
One of the weirdest aspects of a game to review, I would think, is the presentation. Much like with food, with video games it really matters. What does the box art look like? Does everything “fit” with the overall theme? How long are the load times? My ultimate decision on presentation, however, boils down to the menus. READ MORE
If we expect gaming to grow into its own as a medium to stand among literature, film and music in terms of cultural relevance, we can’t dismiss any work’s artistic merits. If we don’t take our medium seriously, then who will? To that end, I have a hypothesis that some would call downright mad: that Goat Simulator is the most important interactive experience of the year. No, I’m not kidding (no pun intended). READ MORE
I’ve previously written about the unfortunate history of handheld multiplayer and the occasional experiences that are worth having. The advent of wireless multiplayer in the DS era has certainly made things at least a bit easier, but up until this point, there just hasn’t been that much outside of Pokemon trading to get people to give it a try, and if you can’t get people in the door, there’s no reason to work on more games to keep those who’ve bought in happy.
Now that’s about to change. Now we’re getting a handheld Super Smash Bros. title. READ MORE
Despite how many games I find myself burning through, I rarely complete absolutely everything in them, especially those featuring open worlds. This is why I was in shock when I stared at my completion percentage for inFamous: Second Son. “100 percent,” it said. I actually did everything the game had to offer. It was something I was momentarily proud of, but that pride quickly dissolved when I realized just how little the world of Second Son had to offer. Even if you do everything available, it shouldn’t take you more than 15 hours. I certainly enjoyed my time with Delsin Rowe and virtual Seattle, but it offered me little of what I expect from sandbox-style adventures.
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