Tag: PC Games

09/30/12

PC Game Review of FTL: Faster Than Light

Reviewed by Avery Abernethy, 30 September 2012

Publisher: Subset Games

Can a game offering simple mechanics, an absurd plot, and multiple, humiliating fails be any fun? Maybe…

In Space No One Can Hear Your Ship Explode

FTL: Faster Than Light is an very simple, inexpensive and fun PC game. You command a single space ship with a tiny crew. There is an absurdly minimal plot. You belong to a Federation under attack by Rebels. You have information vital to the destruction of the Rebels. To defeat the rebels you must guide your underpowered space ship through a number of star filled sectors defeating other single ships while being slowly chased by a huge enemy fleet. Time is always slipping away.

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09/26/12

Prosciutto – Hamming it up with the di Parmas, Part Foooooouuuuuuur!


By Undercovergeek, 26 September 2012

A Crusader Kings II AAR, with all the seriousness of a cooler full of lunch meat

click images to enlarge

 

In Part 3 the long awaited claim on Genoa was finally written. With extraordinary good timing Parma marched on the city, now with extraordinary bad timing the Genoese have come back for their province………….

 

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That was quick – only recently sent to Genoa’s neighbouring province Nice, claims are fabricated and we can expand even further. Together Genoa and Nice make up the Duchy of Genoa, hopefully our first ‘promotion’ from Count to Duke.
In the background (all these messages came up at once) you can see the two ‘post battle’ armies of Genoa (985) and Parma (948). Genoa only just won the first round and is now ‘reseiging’ the City of Genoa back from me whilst Oberto is forced to withdraw to Parma.

 

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Having marched back to Parma in shame Oberto keeps the mercenaries but disbands his own army. In doing so it allows him to draw fresh levies from the provinces and march straight back to Genoa with a bigger force this time. Exhausted from the first battle and having low morale from attempting to storm the walls of the City, the Genoans are soundly beaten and kicked back into Nice. It’s the Doge’s only province, we get a 100% warscore immediately and force him to give up the place.

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09/15/12

Prosciutto – Hamming it up with the di Parmas, Part the Third

By Undercovergeek, 15 September 2012

A Crusader Kings II AAR, with all the seriousness of a cooler full of lunch meat

 

In Part 2 the foundations of my budding dynasty were built. Taxes were raised for the inevitable troubles ahead and the next generation of di Parmas were conceived.

 

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Oberto Junior (from my ‘struck from the records’ first marriage) comes of age. He is a Grey Eminence, giving him a massive Diplomacy boost, he will make someone a kick ass Chancellor, and he ummmm, wears a bonnet? A beret? I’m told he’s down with the medieval kids.

 

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This can’t be good, my liege Duchess Matilda declares independence from the HRE. The Kaiser says no and sends forth his troops. I didn’t think I’d be involved but I have a warscore counter on the screen – I’m just going to keep my head down and hope he doesn’t see our county.

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09/9/12

PC Game Review of Panzer Corps AfrikaKorps

Review by Avery Abernethy, 9 September, 2012

Developed by Lordz Game Studio and Published by Slitherine

The Battle for North Africa was characterized by dramatic swings of fortune. GrogHead’s Avery Abernethy examines how the spiritual successor to the great Panzer General games takes on the subject.

The North African campaign in World War 2 represents one of the great “what if” moments of the war. Italy attempted a quick assault into Egypt from their territory in Libya in and were repulsed. The British seemed poised to conquer all of Italy’s African territories in early 1941 when Hitler sent Rommel and a small force of armor, infantry and air units ordering a holding action with very limited offensive actions. What followed was several years of see-saw warfare with large swings in momentum. Rommel’s Afrika Corps generally suffered from very poor logistics, was usually heavily outnumbered, and had little in the way of air support. Yet Rommel almost managed to cut the British supply lines by capturing the Suez Canal.

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09/6/12

PC Game Review of Decisive Campaigns Case Blue

Review by Jim Cobb

Publisher: Matrix/Slitherine; Developer: Victor Reijkersz Games

Most wargames set on the Eastern Front have either too much abstraction or too much detail. Can Case Blue find a sweet spot in the middle?

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GrogHeads is pleased to induct Decisive Campaigns Case Blue into the Order of the Hex, for Accessible Accuracy. Case Blue’s East Front detail doesn’t short grogs seeking accuracy, but packages its gameplay in a sleek and solid interface.

 

Decisive Campaigns From Warsaw to Paris, Victor Reijkersz ’ first foray into historical operational games continues to be very popular. However, moving from the confines of Western Europe in 1939-1940 to the East Front in 1942 is like switching from the shallow end of the pool to the highest diving board at the deep end. Can Decisive Campaigns Case Blue make the transition?

Informative Eye-Candy

Although Case Blue may visually resemble From Warsaw to Paris, many changes to all aspects of play are evident. The zoomable map is a typical board-game type map with forty-km hexes and weekly turns. Each hex has a stacking limit over which units lose combat efficacy. Units are regiments, headquarters, and air groups. Smaller specialized units are also available. Combat units on the map have NATO symbols along with indicators for seven values such as readiness, and supply. Headquarters are marked with national flags, supply status and the all-important command points.

 

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