Tag: gaming

Adventures At 4TG Game Con 2017, Aberdeen

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The seething mass of bodies all packed into one place is a stark reminder of just how big games have become since I was but a lad in the ’90s where it was still seen, along with comics, as a geeky hobby. Now it seems everyone plays games, either casually on a phone or tablet for a few minutes a day or on a custom PC that costs a terrifying amount of money. Games are just part of everyday life now, and conventions are springing up all over the place. Now there are people from all walks of life celebrating a medium that has gone from strength to strength. Walking the concrete floors are kids, teenagers, moms, dads, businessmen, grandfathers, grandmothers and more. There are no barriers now that games have gotten almost complete mainstream acceptance, and it’s amazing to see.

Thunderobot ST-Plus Laptop Review – Thunderobot? What A Name!

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In the past, I’ve often failed to see the appeal of gaming orientated laptops, largely because their battery life is so short that taking one on a train journey or something seems a bit pointless if there’s no nearby wall socket handy. Still, sitting in the middle of the woods playing The Witcher 3 is kind of cool. The laptop I was using to do this is the ST-Plus from Thunderobot, a predominantly western company who are now seeking to move into the eastern market with their products. As this is my first laptop review let’s see if I can muddle through this with my already limited dignity intact.

Big Viking Mats Hands-On Review

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I’ll be the first to admit that while I previously found the idea of a mat for boardgames appealing it was never something I considered actually owning for myself because it always felt like a frivolous purchase made by people who have far more disposable income than myself. Now, though, I have to admit that having a mat made gaming a lot more comfortable. So let’s check out the Big Viking Mat, eh?

Mass Effect: Andromeda Review – One Backward Step For Mankind

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The Mass Effect franchise is important to me, perhaps even more so than my own nieces. Given the choice between Mass Effect 2 and my nieces I’d be clutching that box to my heart faster than you could call social services. Sure, like most people I was left somewhat aghast at how the third game wrapped up the entire story, and to this day I’ve still only played Mass Effect 3 twice, despite it having numerous great moments leading up to that controversial finish. However, I’ve played Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 about a dozen times each, equalling hundreds of hours spent saving the galaxy and hanging out with a crew of characters that have become ingrained in my mind. A new entry in this beloved series, then, is one hell of an exciting prospect for me and to legions of fans everywhere. It has been five years since Bioware capped the original trilogy and there’s a lot of expectation for this fresh take. Have they screwed it up? A little bit, yup.

Offworld Trading Company Review – Capitalism. Capitalism Never Changes.

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Offworld Trading Company is the very first game from Mohawk Games. A company’s first attempt is always interesting because you’re seeing the birth of a potential new giant in the land of videogame development, or the inevitable sinking of yet another company doomed to fail. But of course many first attempts tend to be rough around the edges, perhaps showing signs of what the team is capable of years down the road but ultimately lacking in the here and now. Offworld Trading Company, though, is brilliant.

Battlefleet Gothic: Armada Preview – WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!

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With the game due for release within the next month, not counting potential further delays, I’m going to keep this preview short and to the point, mostly just tackling the skirmish mode so that when I go to review the full game I’ll still have plenty to talk about. Currently if you buy the game you’ll get access to the ongoing beta that should hopefully result in the game being reasonably balanced in time for launch. Purchasing now or within two months of launch also means you grab an early adopters bonus of sorts in the form of two new factions for free, whenever they’re ready. The point is the game is essentially on sale now, and that means people deserve to know if it’s any good.

(Single-Player)Robinson Crusoe Board Game Review – WILSON!

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Robinson Crusoe is the kind of game that scares people away with its collection of tokens and cards and tiles that contribute to a tabletop experience that’s actually quite easy to understand once everything clicks. You’ve got to make it through the rulebook first, though, which spans 20-pages and isn’t great at explaining how everything works, leaving a lot of ambiguities that must be waded through. It’s worth the effort, though, as this is a thematic and very well designed game that places you into the role of a person stranded on a mysterious island who must survive the random events that will befall you every turn while trying to make good decisions about building shelter, hunting animals, creating items, gathering resources and exploring the island.