A couple of years ago I was driving through Memphis and I had the radio cranked to a level of volume best described as distortion. I was listening to a classic rock station; timeless cuts like “Fortunate Son” and “Jessie’s Girl”. The car was bumping. Then something strange happened. “Seven Nation Army” by The White…
As a longtime fan of Vampire: The Eternal Struggle, I was hopeful for Rivals. The concept is a 45 minute multiplayer card game of intrigue, politicking, and violence. In addition to the World of Darkness setting, it’s clear that many of the foundational elements also share a link to that famous Richard Garfield CCG. It’s…
Designer Gordon Calleja has stated that the initial idea for the Vengeance Director’s Cut expansion came from my perspective on the game, a perspective I discussed in an earlier episode of my podcast Ding & Dent. My specific comment from that review was: “This game is focused so intensely on the medium of film, it…
Some of us remember sitting in a room, one made smaller by glowing CRTs and louder by whirring CPU fans. Tripping over cords and shouting insults at those sitting a few feet away. It was as close as we got in PC gaming. Our poison was StarCraft. That seems so long ago. Now the real-time…
Far to the east through the narrow pass and beyond the salt flats is where it was found. I didn’t know what it was at first. It was a book yes, but it was something peculiar. It read like books do but it also didn’t. Its cover worn and faceless. Its pages cryptic. Its words…
Here we are again, a little late this time. I wrote my 2019 top 10 list on December 31st of that year. That’s confidence. I allowed myself no time to reflect and I was sure I had tried every game which would have a reasonable shot at being among my selections for the best in…
It’s easy to dismiss Ruination. Its another one of those games with dudes walking across a map so they can battle other dudes, petroleum leaking from broken plastic bodies as slaughter begets slaughter. But this one takes place in the post-apocalypse. Or rather the post-post-apocalypse as the primary mode of transportation is foot and hoof.…
I took one look at Deranged and it crawled through my retinas and into my brain. So much about this experience appeals to me, including an exceedingly stylish gothic horror setting, semi-cooperative player friction, and variable scenarios with both scripted and emergent narrative. Those games that play with fire and risk utter collapse also flirt…
Rocky Mountain Man is the latest LP from artist Nate Hayden. There are few principles chiseled into my bones, but blindly buying the new Emperors of Eternal Evil publication is absolutely one of them. I expected an interesting and weird experience. What I got was enlightenment. It’s impossible for me to talk about this game…
The Marvel Cinematic Universe. There are power in those words. What is the MCU? No, not a collection of films. I’m looking for essence. Nature. Emotion. What is the MCU? A dagger of lightning echoed through Mjolnir and into every inch of your mortal tissue. Maybe for you, but not for me. It’s April 27th…
Player Elimination 