Genre 101 looks at the past and present of a game genre to find lessons about what defines it. To wrap up this semester, Graham’s joined by Jeff deSolla to talk about what would become the modern Western RPG. READ MORE
Features
Worker placement is a recurring mechanic in a lot of modern board games. One of the very first games to use this mechanic was Caylus, designed by William Atta almost ten years ago. Nearly a decade after his debut creation, Atta has returned to the worker placement mindspace and turned it into Spyrium with some unique modifications. READ MORE
I’m currently trying to get through Valkyria Chronicles II. Note that I said “trying.” It’s certainly not a terrible game; the soundtrack and visuals are very similar to the first Valkyria Chronicles, which is nothing but a compliment. The music ranges from tranquil and relaxing to foreboding and intense. The world is a mix of fantasy, anime and historical fiction. At first, I couldn’t help but think how ridiculous it is that teenagers in high school are being trained for war, until you remember that children younger than these have been expected to fight for their countries for thousands of years. READ MORE
It’s the primary goal of this column to help readers better understand the world of imports and make it easier to jump in and play some themselves. Much of the time, it’s interesting to go in-depth on topics, but not always. Sometimes, it’s valuable to answer some questions directly and succinctly, and this time, I decided to do just that. So here we go: answers to eight things I’m asked all the time! READ MORE
Nintendo’s extensive history and seemingly never-ending list of franchises has always been impressive, yet the company is often accused of playing it safe. While I don’t always agree with these allegations, sometimes the Big N seems to prefer the relative safety of familiarity over the risky unknown of something new. However, it occasionally tinkers with an established formula, creating something entirely unlike what you expect from a familiar series.
None of Nintendo’s signature franchises fit that notion more than Kirby. The series definitely has an established set of mechanics and ideas you associate with the character, but every now and again we see something new. Sometimes we get a mix of the signature Kirby charm and mechanical differences or new ideas that feel like they belong in another game altogether.
