is something of an oddity. It opens with the premise that you've played some other fantasy 4X game and lost. The world is now under the rule of an evil wizard with god-like powers, and you’re the ward of a small province under his control. Your goal is to build up your forces and form alliances to challenge him without drawing his suspicion. All the while, you'll see a ticking "doomsday counter," which marks how close the villain is to re-making the world in his heinous image.
That counter is a big pace-setter. Early on, when you're leading a pathetic band of covert rebels, you have little to contend with. As you grow your army, capture more territory, and forge alliances with other factions, however, the Sorcerer King will respond in kind--and you must be ready. Your basic troops, mostly bog-standard soldiers, pikemen, and archers can only do so much on their own, and they soon become obsolete unless you track down new items and equipment. This is where Sorcerer King's strongest feature--roguelike-inspired encounters--comes into play.
Let's defend this magical shard for the sake of humanity!
Throughout the map you’ll find caves, dungeons, inns, abandoned villages, and plenty of other locations that offer isolated role-playing moments. Each one presents you with a situation that you have to resolve. Some are as simple as solving an obvious murder, while others require you to make judgment calls, such as guessing the intentions of a creepy-looking undertaker. How you proceed in each one of these situations will affect several stats, such as your fame in the world or your favor with the gods. Those traits, in turn, determine how other factions respond to you and how quickly the Sorcerer King recognizes you as a capable threat.
These vignettes do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to establishing and fleshing out the setting. Each is well written, often laden with nuanced takes on morality as well as a wink and a nod to leave you with a chuckle. In my time with this not-quite-retail build, I found dozens of scenes across two matches--and not once did I see a repeat. It's still too early to see if that will hold for much longer, but my initial impressions are positive.
It's great to see so much effort put into these scenarios because when it comes time for the mid-to-late game, they are the only way to get essential gear. As your poorly outfitted conscripts begin squaring off with ogres and dragons, they need more than dull knives and leather armor to survive. Completed quests will net your army a variety of rewards, such as a permanent reduction in the doomsday counter, holy weapons, or magic scrolls. You can then either equip your armies with the new loot or upgrade and enchant items for even bigger bonuses down the line.
The sweet smell of imminent victory.
Like many games of its type, Sorcerer King comes in two main pieces: big-scale strategy and tactical skirmishes. Both depend on each other, but the meat of the play is in the up-close-and-personal fights. Here, all the work you've put into crafting the perfect soldiers pays off. Depending on which items and enchantments your forces have, they'll gain powerful abilities or have the armor to shrug off all but the mightiest blows. Even before you hit that stage, the tactical battles are excellent. Archers, pikemen, and mounted units all have their own strengths that play off each other, making for a broad array of options. During one of my favorite moments, I ordered my soldiers to circle a group of ruffians. When it was time, I used a shield-bash to push the bandits into a narrow path. With the enemies blocked on all sides, my marksmen let loose a hail of arrows on the helpless scoundrels. Laying out these kinds of plans might sound involved, but Sorcerer King's interface makes it quick and easy.
On the other side of that coin you have the grand strategy. In this part of the game, you'll develop alliances, build cities, tap resources, and launch a broader assault on the wicked Sorcerer King. One of the biggest new additions to the game since its debut in Early Access last year is the "favor system" for courting potential allies. Given that the whole premise is founded on asymmetrical combat between rebels and an all-powerful mage trying to the end the world, you'll want some friends to help you out.
Well then, so what's plan B?
Yetis, wraiths, dwarves, and plenty more dot the map and await your olive branch, but there's a catch. The Sorcerer King isn't dumb, and he's working each of these factions too. Speaking with any group will cause your relationship with one of the others to deteriorate, pushing them closer into the Sorcerer King's eager embrace. The yetis and the dwarves, for example, don't have much love for one another--so you'd better be ready to make some sacrifices and figure out who will be the best match for your own strategy.
It'll be interesting to see how diplomacy plays into Sorcerer King's single-player campaign, but, at the time of writing, the story mode isn't live. So far, there's only a sandbox in which you can customize your leader and pick some options for your starting map. I haven't had time to finish one of these matches yet, putting four hours into one and eight into another. I'll have a more complete review in a few days when I've had the opportunity to dig into the end game and the campaign.
Few RPG franchises have as loyal a fan base as Fallout. We already knew that the game will be set in Boston and will feature a rather fearless German shepherd along with his vault-dweller human. But at a June 14 press conference, creator Bethesda also revealed a megaton (see what we did there?) of new images, features and abilities. Even better: A real release date, for November 2015. (Photo by: Bethesda)
Dishonored 2
trigue! More backstabbing! More sneaking around! And now there's a new character to play: Emily Kaldwin, the rightful scion in the original game. The first game raked in plenty of awards and accolades, so the sequel should get a lot of attention. (Photo by: Bethesda)
Halo 5: Guardians
We're talking about a franchise that has raked in more than $3 billion in revenue, so, naturally, expectations are high for this release. The gameplay demo revealed at E3 looks righteous, and fans have been waiting a long time for this new installment. (Photo by: Microsoft)
Doom
The seminal first-person shooter is back! The original Doom series from the 1990s is credited not only with birthing a new gaming genre, but also racking up a serious following. (We're talking 10 million units sold.) Bethesda's resurrection looks as slick as it does utterly sick. (Photo by: Bethesda)
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Again, the existence of this game is no surprise. But it remains one of the most anticipated games out there, and the new footage shown at the E3 showed a scope and attention to detail previously unseen in the franchise. (Photo by: Microsoft)
Gears of War 4
Long rumored and even longer awaited, the latest game in a $1 billion franchise finally got some official love at E3 this year. The footage shown was dark (way too dark) but what we did manage to see looked pretty darned promising. (Photo by: Microsoft)
Dark Souls III
It's official: Dark Souls fans will get to die, die, and die some more (presumably in fresh ways) via a third installment of this vicious action franchise. And expect it to be huge; the first two installments have sold into the millions of units. (Photo by: Bandai Namco/Microsoft)
Star Wars Battlefront
Star Wars fans have been waiting for years for a brand-new cooperative online shooter to call their own, and Electronic Arts made that dream officially come true at E3 this year. Recruit a scrappy team of fighters, and enjoy classic Star Wars mainstays like the AT-AT here. (Photo by: Electronic Arts)
Mass Effect: Andromeda
The story of Commander Shepard may be over, but that isn't stopping Electronic Arts from rolling out a brand-new story set in the wildly popular Mass Effect universe. Bring on the reapers! (Photo by: Bioware)
Assassin's Creed Syndicate
A stealth action-adventure franchise with more than 70 million copies sold has to be doing something right. Syndicate is expected to fire on all cylinders, thanks in part to a new assassin protagonist and a refined combat system. (Photo by: Ubisoft)
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands
This military-ops franchise has been around for more than a decade, so, naturally, it has a huge fan base. Now the series finally gets its Skyrim-ification, with a new, open world.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
It's the adventure-action series that has moved more than 21 million copies worldwide, and now comes the fourth installment, which brings our hero back from retirement. Its lush graphics–one of the hallmarks of the series–look to be more gorgeous and colorful than ever. (Photo by: Naughty Dog)
The Last Guardian
Movies aren't the only projects to suffer through development hell. Just ask gamers who have six years for this highly anticipated puzzle solver. Maybe it just takes that look to put feathers on a giant chihuahua.
Final Fantasy VII remake
Yes, it's a remake. But given the reaction from fans when Sony announced said remake at E3, this is one huge deal for Final Fantasy fans. The original 1997 title has sold more than 9 million copies and spawned a straight-to-DVD feature film.
No Man's Sky
Perhaps the most ambitious game announced at E3, this title introduces a world so open, so huge, that even the designers didn't know exactly where they were going when they shared some of the gameplay at the con. This is one highly anticipated debut. (Photo by: Hello Games)
The Legend of Zelda: Triforce Heroes
Any new Zelda title is big news for Nintendo fans. The upcoming 3DS encourages friends to cooperate to solve puzzles and collect items to make cool wardrobes. (Photo by: Nintendo)
Super Mario Maker
Nintendo fans already knew this title was coming, and they already knew that the game (finally!) allows players to get in on the level-building action. But at E3, it finally got a release date: September 11, 2015.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
A cyberpunk franchise with more than 4.5 million units sold is getting a new title. Again, fans knew it was coming, but a Deus Ex announcement is always an event, and the new weapons teased at E3 look to add even more options to the gameplay.
Nintendo's Amiibo toy figurines have become quite the rage in the collectible market. While the typical retail price for an Amiibo is only $12.99, their relative scarcity has caused prices to skyrocket. For example, this legless Princess Peach, the result of a manufacturing defect, sold for $25,100 on eBay.
2. Dual Cannon Samus
Metroid's famous bounty hunter, Samus, gets a serious price upgrade when she dual-wields her iconic arm cannon. For thrifty shoppers, two-can Sam can be found for a mere $2,500–ten percent of the cost of her compatriot, legless Peach.
3. No-Lefty Luigi
Rounding out the collection of top-tier manufacturing defects, this Luigi Amiibo showed up on eBay missing his left hand. The auction winner is now out $500. Beyond Peach, Samus and Luigi, though, most defects don't seem to positively impact the value of Amiibo figures.
4. Villager
If you're not into factory mistakes and want to focus on collecting intact Amiibo, finding the Villager from Animal Crossing is a quest in itself. Unless you spot one in the wild, expect to pay upwards of $70 on auction sites to grab the little guy.
5. Greninja
Good luck grabbing a pre-order for the elusive Pokemon ninja. As is often the case with Amiibo figures, Greninja sold out long before he even hit store shelves.
6. Little Mac
Little Mac became one of the most popular Nintendo fighters after his inclusion in the new Super Smash Bros. That new stardom led to his Amiibo becoming a hot commodity, too. Pro tip for winning him in an auction: Dance like a fly, bite like a mosquito.
7. Gold Mario
He's not quite worth his weight in gold, but if you manage to find a Gold Mario Amiibo, he's currently valued at around around $60. Mama mia.
8. Marth
Marth's come a long way. He flummoxed many players in his first Smash Bros. appearance, but after the surprising success of Fire Emblem in the West, Marth has received a huge popularity boost. Acquiring his coveted Amiibo will cost you more than $50.
9. Pit
After languishing on the sidelines for more than a decade, Kid Icarus has officially made a comeback, thanks to the tireless efforts of Nintendo designer Masahiro Sakurai. Some Amiibo figures are rare because they're relatively unknown. Other characters, like Pit, are rare because they're so loved.
10. Wii Fit Trainer
That's it, feel the burn ... in your wallet, that is. Considered a rare unicorn by serious Amiibo collectors, the Wii Fit Trainer still goes for more than three times her retail price.
11. Ness
In a more just universe, the words "rare" and "Earthbound" would never appear together, but sadly, this is the timeline we inhabit. The consummate yo-yo artist Ness is an upcoming GameSpot exclusive. If you didn't pre-order, though, you'll need to cast PSI Hypnosis to persuade someone else to fork him over.
12. Meta Knight
Meta Knight got an avalanche of nerfs in the recent Smash Bros. game, but his weaker range didn't affect his popularity as a toy. Rumors abound that he'll be restocked in stores, but expect to pay close to $40 until then.
13. Ike
If you've kept your ear close to the ground, then you know the mercenary Ike is rumored for a summer restock. The smart bet would be to wait out his current price spike–$40–until then, just in case this royal bodyguard becomes a mere commoner.
14. Shulk
Behold the power of the Monado! Thanks to his rabid fanbase, Shulk's Xenoblade title became a bonafide hit in the West, and his Amiibo proved just as popular. Unfortunately, like the Wii game from which he hails, Shulk is a difficult man to track down.
15. Captain Falcon
Winning isn't about being lucky. It's about being bold. And you'll need to be bold to hunt down your very own Captain Falcon figure. Once you do, he'll cost you close to $35.
16. Rosalina
Who knew Rosalina would become such a lightning rod for controversy? One collector managed to frustrate the entire Amiibo collecting community by purchasing huge numbers of Rosalinas simply to keep her off store shelves. Luckily, the truly committed can still find her for around $30.
17. King Dedede
For the longest time, Dreamland's king has been unfairly maligned. Maybe Nintendo fans are finally celebrating his heroic nature, because his Amiibo has been one of the most popular.
18. Lucario
A well-trained Lucario can identify creatures more than half a mile away. We wish we had the same telepathic ability to spot which Toys "R" Us has the fabled Amiibo in stock. Expect to pay twice his retail price for a Lucario in the wild.
19. Fox
Fox McCloud may have what it takes to save the Lylat Galaxy, but you'll have to find him first. He's not impossible to discover, but he still remains one of the less common Amiibo originals.
20. Dankey Kang
What's a collector to do after tracking down the rarest and most valuable Amiibo figures? Well, there's a cool niche market of custom painted Amiibo characters to explore. Creators offer unique spins on classic characters, like the famous Jeopardy-themed meme "Dankey Kang," pictured above. While not officially produced by Nintendo, a custom painted work can be truly one of a kind.
Everyone's excited about the release of The Avengers: Age of Ultron, so we've rounded up the absolute best Avengers cosplay from comic conventions across the country. Scarjo better watch out. This fan rendition of Black Widow is near perfect.
2. Iron Man
"Please, no gang signs." This guy's the spitting image of Tony Stark, down to the salt and pepper moustache and disapproving scowl. Way to go!
3. Thor
Don't let her ease with the Mjolnir hammer fool you. That thing is heavy.
4. Loki and Thor
Thor can barely hide his distaste over the indignity of posing with his adopted brother Loki. You just know it's gotta be another trap.
5. Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch casts a transfixing hex on WonderCon in Anaheim.
6. Captain America
Steve Rogers prepares himself to take on Ultron, the sentient A.I. run amok. Avengers assemble!
7. The Hulk
What this guy lacks in size he makes up for in sheer adrenaline fueled rage. There's no defusing this gamma bomb.
8. Black Widow and Hawkeye
Hawkeye's ready to defend his life long love Black Widow. He's always been a straight shooter.
9. Loki
Loki prepares some black magic energy blasts. Asgard's resident God of Lies and Mischief does have a reputation to maintain, after all.
10. Thor
For once, Thor actually seems to be in a gaming mood. Whosever holds the hammer shall possess the power.
11. Thor (and Rainbow Brite)
When the citizens of Rainbow Land need protecting from the King of Shadows, Thor is waiting in the wings.
12. Wolverine, Spider-Man, Captain America and Hawkeye
Wolverine and Spider-Man have yet to join forces with The Avengers in the movies, but with a rich history of comic book cooperation, their eventual participation seems inevitable.
13. Nick Fury
Nick Fury politely poses for a picture, on a short break from fighting the forces of HYDRA.
14. Thor
Thor casually profers the jewel of Odin's treasure room. Hey buddy, you do realize the Tesseract can open a portal to the Chitauri army, right? You might wanna put that thing away.
15. Hawkeye
This Hawkeye's got a nice callback to the character's original regal color scheme from the comics.
16. Iron Man
We're pretty sure the stock price of Stark Industries just tripled when the world got a look at this excellent costume. This man means business.
17. Thor
Thor has no plans to die today. Especially not when he's got the best costume at the convention.
18. Captain America
His shield is nearly indestructible, but Captain America's got an even fiercer stare. You do not want to cross the first Avenger.
19. Captain America
If you're gonna fight a war, you've gotta wear a uniform. This one would make Steve Rogers proud.
Mary and Jake spend some time as Batgirl in "A Matter of Family" DLC released this week for Batman: Arkham Knight, but is it worth the season pass price?
"I think Adam is really a vessel. The game is a vessel for that, but Adam even more so because we never wanted Adam to be pro- or anti- whatever, that at the end of the debate, the transhuman debate, he's just kind of there," Jacques-Belletete said. "I think that's what makes him stand apart from the other [heroes] is that as you play him and as you experience the world, it really makes you ponder about all this stuff.
"Eidos Montreal still receives tons of letters and emails from people that are like, 'Oh my God. I'm going to go study this. I'm going to study that. This is what I want to do with my life.' I've heard from people that are scared shitless. It's like, 'No, no, no. These things are not going to happen.' But it also seems very plausible that it can go into that direction."
Jensen's story has had a genuine positive impact on players, Jacques-Belletete said.
"Some people with disabilities write to us saying, 'It's given me a positive view on my situation and what things could do.' Some people with disabilities wrote us that they were finishing high school and want to study biology or biotechnology. Adam is, for me at least, one of the strongest characters, and it really makes you think about an issue and what it means to be either on one side or the other of that issue.
"It was like that in Human Revolution, and we're just continuing that with Mankind Divided," he added. "Now with Mankind Divided, it's this: what happens with people that are now either against that new thing or afraid of it? It's the same polarization but with a new kind of a stone thrown in the water."
Randy Pitchford, head of , saying Gearbox has done concept work for the follow up to Duke Nukem Forever, but added that it wants to find the "correct developer" to work with on it.
ESPN and one of its top personalities, Colin Cowherd--who criticized gaming in a big way back in April--have parted ways. ESPN boss John Skipper announced the news today in a and said he would quit ESPN if he was asked to cover it.
"If ESPN ever forced me to cover that, or do play-by-play, I would quit."
"Somebody lock the basement door at mom's house, and don't let 'em out," he added, referencing the players. "I will quit this network if I am every asked to cover that."
Cowherd is the third high-profile ESPN personality to leave the company this year, following Bill Simmons and Keith Olbermann.
With just a few more weeks to go before Gamescom kicks off in Germany, Square Enix has announced its lineup for the big-time European show--and the Japanese publisher seems to be going big.
Square Enix's 1,100-square meter booth on the show floor will include more than 200 game stations, on which attendees can play some of the company's upcoming games.
Mary and Jake spend some time as Batgirl in "A Matter of Family" DLC released this week for Batman: Arkham Knight, but is it worth the season pass price?
Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor - Martyr is set for launch in 2016 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
