October 22: wallet threat level Stardock

Posted by on October 22, 2012 in Games

The better part of my weekend was spent with the final version of Fallen Enchantress, mostly losing against the AI. Stardock has really outdone themselves this time. If you like turn-based strategy games, if you like fantasy, even if you like RPGs, don’t miss this one.

A Game of Dwarves is publisher Paradox’s version of Dwarf Fortress with a 3D tileset and, presumably, a under-friendlier interface. Dwarf Fortress for Dummies? That doesn’t sound like a bad idea for those of us who’ve been standing at the base of the Dwarf Fortress learning cliff, staring up and wondering how we could ever get up there.

Forza Horizon is a perfectly cromulent caRPG with a laidback open-world conceit where the no-frills campaign mode used to go. Skylanders Giants is this year’s iteration of Toys for Bob’s and Activision’s Spyro-themed collectible toy/videogame series (look for a review later this week and coverage on the next games podcast). Oh, look, Medal of Honor: Fightwarrior, the latest in Electronic Arts attempt to answer the call of duty.

  • http://twitter.com/jdhas jdhas

    Tom, I know you were well in the weeds of things back when Elemental first limped out of the gates and died before making it ’round the track once. Sure, Fallen Enchantress will be a free “expandalone” for folks like me who put cash down (the drain) on Elemental, but, even then, is it worth even the bandwidth and hard drive space alone?

    Fool me once, and all that….

  • Mygaffer

    He seems to be pretty positive on it here.
    “Stardock has really outdone themselves this time. If you like
    turn-based strategy games, if you like fantasy, even if you like RPGs,
    don’t miss this one.”
    I “tested” Elemental before considering a purchase, after I tried I obviously did not buy it.

  • tomchick

    Fallen Enchantress is nothing like Elemental. It’s absolutely worth the download bandwidth, hard drive space, and even the money if you have to pay for it (i.e. you’re not getting it for free as an Elemental owner).

  • http://twitter.com/jdhas jdhas

    Thanks Tom! Looking forward to digging in, then.

  • TIm

    Don’t support that sexist, dirty, scum bag.

  • Barac Wiley

    A Game of Dwarves has the ale as a preorder DLC. That’s enough for me to write it off right there. It means there will be people whose dwarves do not have ale. At all. It will not exist. And I cannot be supporting such cruelty.

  • Encroach

    Fuck Stardock

  • Dax

    I recently got the beta. Definitely the best strategy game of 2012. Best I’ve seen since Civ IV really.

  • Dax

    What a terrible attitude to have. These guys admit their mistake with War of Magic and what did they do? They spend 2 years making a new game that is phenomenal and give it away to everyone who bought WOM. In the history of PC gaming, has any company ever done that? Most companies that release a lousy game just walk away and go to their next game.

  • anon

    Skylanders’ business model makes me sick. And its success means two terrible things: 1. Activision has another thing to exploit to stay alive after driving Tony Hawk, Guitar Hero and hopefully eventually CoD into the ground. And 2. TFB will be stuck be rewarded for their success by doing nothing but Skylanders for half a decade, a lot of lost potential there.

    EA are showing huge confidence in MoH by allowing reviewers to purchase the game on release day, promising not to blacklist anyone who puts up a review during its first week on sale.

    /rant

    Giana Sisters looks nice for those who don’t abhor platformers.

    Hotline Miami might be a thing, possibly.

  • http://twitter.com/SirStuie Stuart

    Been dabbling with FE throughout its beta. Interesting seeing a genuine beta process rather than the ‘marketing betas’ that have become popular. Looking forward to the release game.

  • Mountain Man

    Unless you’re paying per kilobyte for bandwidth and hard drive space then why wouldn’t it be worth downloading just to check it out for yourself?

  • http://twitter.com/jdhas jdhas

    Hyperbole.

  • Skeeve

    So you’re saying it’s worth $40? I played Elemental on a friend’s computer and was not impressed.

    I did check out the game site. Would it have killed them to put up a demo?

  • tomchick

    Well, to be honest, I have no idea whether it’s worth $40. That’s between you and your $40. :) But I am saying it’s a fine fine strategy game and I can’t get enough of it. If you’re into games like Civ (turn-based 4X gaming), Master of Magic (imaginative fantasy), or even XCOM (RPG based strategy gaming), you can’t go wrong with Fallen Enchantress.