Added: 23.07.2015 23:43 | 43 views | 0 comments

Card Hunter has brought its absorbing mix of Dungeons & Dragons and card gaming to Steam, and just like its free-to-play Flash-based predecessor from 2013, this expanded edition of Blue Manchu’s ode to 80s-era tabletop roleplaying is cute and clever enough to occupy many hours of your free time. Zippy adventures, loads of loot, and devious mechanics prove a real challenge to anybody’s role-playing and tactical skills, while virtual dungeon masters and a keen eye for nostalgia make the game appealing to a wide audience, but particularly to anyone who has ever rolled a 20-sided die.

This new edition of Card Hunter is much the same as the one that hit browsers a couple of years ago, albeit with a new sci-fi campaign, new artifacts, and cooperative multiplayer. If you could smash together a deck of Magic: The Gathering cards and some first-edition Advanced D&D books and then unmangle the resulting ball of papery mush and create a playable game out of the wreckage, you’d have Card Hunter. Basics have been freely borrowed from ‘70s- and ‘80s-era D&D in that you start off with a three-member party made up of the usual warriors, mages, and clerics from iconic RPG races, such as humans, elves, and dwarves. Characters earn experience, level up, and equip themselves with the traditional weapons, armor, and various magical goodies in the usual way.

Adventures are selected on a world map that gradually opens up based on your level. Make your choice, and you’re off to a three-battle (or so--most modules have trios, but the number varies occasionally) module given an old-fashioned D&D name like “Diamonds of the Kobolds” or “The Sinister Wood.” These names aren’t as cheesy as the real thing, like “The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh,” but they’re close. And the classic pen-and-paper RPG vibe has been preserved. Two dungeon masters named Melvin and Gary serve as a Greek chorus, commenting on both your adventuring and life in general. Characters are cardboard cutouts shoved into plastic stands that boldly slide across maps atop the fake wood of recreation room tables. Erol Otus-ish black-and-white art on module intro screens and an accompanying elaborate title font complete the time warp back to your mom’s kitchen table circa 1984. Old-timers will love these little touches, especially the retro font. That thing is beyond hideous, but it is so evocative of a time and place that I immediately flashed back more than 30 years to the first time I played the classic “Tomb of Horrors” module. Nostalgia may be the cheapest way to hook people on a game, but it is effective when done right.

Gameplay has been reworked dramatically from tabletop RPG norms, though. Instead of taking turns to move, roll dice for combat, and so forth, all actions are controlled by playing cards within the turn-based, tiled maps that make up the battle arenas in each module. Character skills and equipped gear provide access to specific cards for attacks, blocks, and spells, so that sword in your studly warrior’s mitts supplies a bunch of different attack cards. The staff toted around by your mage offers up various spells, and the mail worn by your cleric grants cards with armor blocks and healing incantations.

You have up to five cards in your hand per round (although this number can vary slightly depending on the special abilities of certain cards), all drawn from the stock provided by the aforementioned hardware. If you want to cast a healing spell, for instance, you have to play a card featuring one of these functions. The same goes if you want to bash an enemy with a club or even move from one space to another on the tile-based maps featured in every module’s set-piece battles. At the end of every round, you discard unplayed cards to get down to a maximum holdover of two, and then you draw new ones to fill out another hand of five.

Everything has been cunningly put together. Battles roll out as intricate tactical affairs where every action is loaded with tension. I was reminded of the Gold Box D&D games from the late 80s and early 90s, as Card Hunter maintains a lot of the turn-based anxiety from those classics. Cards add an appreciable new element, however, along with some welcome randomness that forces you to take chances. I constantly asked myself questions. "My warrior has Powerful Hack, Reaching Swing, and Skillful Strike up right now, so do I race once to the breach, dear friends, and go all medieval on these zombies? My mage has Surging Blast and a couple of Big Zap spells ready, too, so maybe I should go that route and move him forward? Can he survive out front like that? Or what about my cleric? She’s got two Healing Pulses in her hand, so maybe I should spend a round hanging back and healing. My mage is down to eight hit points, after all."

Class specialties work just as in regular fantasy role-playing. Going for the jugular with wide-open attacks isn’t always smart. Instead, you have to use mages and clerics to pave the way for swordplay. Buffs include blessings to make attacks instant hits and spells to make characters invulnerable, while you can also wear down foes with abracadabra stuff that strips away blocking cards, melts armor, and more. Area spells can also be used to cause cave-ins that hurt enemies and slow down their movement, establish walls of flame, pits of acid, and more. Every battle calls for specific equipment, especially as you move into higher levels. What works with troglodytes, for example, isn’t as good with imps, mutants, or zombies, etc. Tips can be called up if you fail a battle, so it’s generally pretty easy to figure out how to retreat after a loss and adjust your equipped gear to gain access to the cards needed to better handle the monsters currently on offer.

Of course, a lot also depends on what those monsters have in their hands. Committing to a rushing attack can be suicidal if the bad guys have the cards that they needed to fend you off. Holding off can also be tough, as you never know when you’re going to draw the right cards. Luck is a big part of every battle. I can’t count the number of times I’ve had my warrior all set to finish off a couple of bad guys only to draw nothing but passive armor and movement cards for a couple of turns until my chance at winning passed me by. Maps also enhance the tactical side of the game. Most battles take place in slightly elaborate settings with corridors, trees, and other obstacles that get in the way of movement and spellcasting.

Card Hunter still has a few problems. The biggest issue for me was the size of everything on a high-res monitor. Text is small, and a lot of the screen is wasted by showing a tremendous amount of the table that the game map is supposed to be sitting on. I loved the nostalgic touches like DM Gary’s “Campaign Notes” notepad and the D&D dice sitting nearby, too, but not at the expense of being able to read card descriptions without squinting. I was in the dark a little more often than I should have been, regardless, as some cards do not fully detail what they do. This can be dangerous, as some can be irrevocably activated with a single click.

volved combat can turn dreary, especially when mages and clerics are involved. I took on a number of battles that turned into one-on-one scraps between spell-casters where the bad guy would run away and just wait for me to attack. This led to lengthy cat-and-mouse affairs where I would hunker down in a corner and draw cards over and over until I got the healing spells and attacks necessary to charge back into battle. I pulled out a few desperate victories using these cowardly maneuvers, but they were never particularly fulfilling. Sometimes I just gave up the battle and restarted, as this was a more agreeable option than committing to 10 or 15 minutes of playing the waiting game.

Some of the new features in this Steam edition of Card Hunter left me a little cold, too. Expedition to the Sky Citadel is an inspired rip-off (complete with another cool retro font, this one clearly inspired by the old Micronauts toys from the 70s and 80s) of the classic AD&D module “Expedition to the Barrier Peaks,” where fantasy heroes explore a crashed spaceship with the guidance of a robot DM. But it’s also incredibly tough, and the pre-rolled party made up so you don’t have to take your own characters to the suggested level 19 before starting it is not good, with an abysmal selection of gear and cards. Buying all new high-level gear for them was the only option to make them playable, but this was unwieldy enough that I went back to the grind with the original campaign.

My gripes about Card Hunter are minor in comparison with the admiration that I have for what the game accomplishes when it comes to creating a mood and a challenge equivalent to that offered by both classic D&D and card gaming. Nostalgia, intelligent combat, and a range of tactical depth is hard to find in different games, let alone rolled up into one very catchy, very reasonably priced package.

Added: 22.07.2015 21:09 | 11 views | 0 comments


Increase your speed experience in Karate Master 2 Knock Down Blow by using this trainer

Added: 22.07.2015 0:19 | 19 views | 0 comments


New Releases Metrico+ Coming to PS4 New details for the Uncharted: Nathan Drake Collection The 2015 Summer PLAY Event is upon us Never Alone hitting PS3 and Vita, new Foxtale DLC What were playing and watching Break music from Journey Sony Holiday Event report Review: Blue Mo-Fi Headphones Extra Life Mini-Marathon Emails Comedian is Maria Bamford

Added: 18.07.2015 11:20 | 3 views | 0 comments


Save $4.00 on Blue Microphones The Pop Adjustable Universal Windscreen! The price of Blue Microphones The Pop Adjustable Universal Windscreen has been dropped by $4.00, order now from ozgameshop.com with free delivery to Australia and New Zealand.

Added: 17.07.2015 11:06 | 64 views | 0 comments


XBlaze Lost: Memories has been rated "M" for Mature by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB). For formation, visit www.esrb.org. _______________________________ visit http://www.aksysgames.com/xblaze2/ for formation. _______________________________ Aksys Games proudly presents XBlaze Lost: Memories. The game will be available on both the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system. Set within the BlazBlue universe, XBlaze Lost: Memories fuses dungeon exploration and visual novel elements to create a unique gaming experience unlike anything seen before! A direct sequel to XBlaze Code: Embryo, old friends and new faces aid your titanic quest to gather precious “Memory Fragments”. Delve into the secrets of the BlazBlue mythos with over 40+ hours of mind bending game play! Branching narratives and multiple endings ensure each player will be leading their own unique story. Make your choices carefully, as each decision changes the balance of fate and the path before you.

Added: 17.07.2015 0:35 | 36 views | 0 comments

15. The Death Star

That's no moon. It's a space station—a space station that houses the greatest weapon in the galaxy. The Death Star has the power to destroy whole worlds in a single burst from its superlaser. Princess Leia learns that the hard way when Governor Tarkin orders the destruction of her home world, Alderaan. But thanks to her brother’s connection to the Force, and a crucial design flaw in the Death Star’s plans, the Empire loses its greatest power. (Photo by: Lucasfilm)

14. Dirty Harry’s Revolver

No punk should feel lucky to face a .44 Magnum pistol, especially when it's in the hands of antihero cop Dirty Harry. The Smith & Wesson Model 29 revolver remains popular after famously debuting in the hands of Clint Eastwood’s gritty action star. (Photo by: Warner Bros.)

13. The Ghostbusters’ Proton Packs

Fine: It’s more containment device than full-on weapon. Just don’t call the proton pack a toy—at least in front of Egon. When there’s something strange in your neighborhood, the Ghostbusters don their proton packs to suck up unseemly ghouls. With a half-life of 5,000 years, the packs are the best long-term defense against the immortal dead. (Photo by: Columbia Pictures)

12. The Noisy Cricket

Despite its comically tiny size, The Noisy Cricket packs quite a punch against the most aggressive aliens. At first, Agent J is disappointed to receive the small gun, given the massive MIB arsenal. Little does he know how powerfully it can shoot ... or how far the recoil can throw him backwards. (Photo by: Columbia Pictures)

11. Beatrix Kiddo’s Katana

In the hands of The Bride/Beatrix Kiddo, the samurai sword illustrates exactly why she is also known as Black Mamba. The former assassin takes her vengeance to a legendary level at the House of Blue Leaves thanks to her "Japanese steel." The Crazy 88 never stand a chance. (Photo by: Miramax Films)

10. Thor’s Hammer

"Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor." Mjolnir isn’t just a fancy hammer. It’s quite literally what makes Thor, Thor. Imbuing the worthy Asgardian with the ability to fly and direct bolts of electricity, Mjolnir’s also pretty good at just plain hammering. When Thor and Captain America join forces with their respective awesome weapons, as they did in Avengers: Age of Ultron, no HYDRA agent can stop them. (Photo by: Zade Rosenthal/Marvel)

9. Bruce Lee

Martial arts action movie legend Bruce Lee popularized nunchucks on the silver screen, but the most imposing weapon he shows off in his films is his own unadorned body. Despite starring in only a handful of kung fu films, his onscreen skills show that no one can match the hands and feet he was born with. (Photo by: Orange Sky Golden Harvest Entertainment)

8. Indiana Jones’ Whip

Indy without his whip is just any old archaeologist with a cool hat. The globe-trotting adventurer uses his bullwhip to evade booby traps, climb out of sticky situations, and fight off bad guys. Then again, sometimes a regular ol’ gun works in a pinch against sinister sword-wielding men. (Photo by: Lucasfilm Ltd.)

7. Sting

Featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, Sting is Bilbo Baggins’s trusty Elvish blade, which glows blue when orcs and goblins are near. It may be just a dagger for men and elves, but for a hobbit, Sting is the perfect sword. Wielded by Bilbo, Frodo, and even Sam, Sting plays a crucial role in ensuring the defeat of the evil Sauron and the One Ring. (Photo by: Warner Bros.)

6. Identity Disc

You have to hand it to Tron and Tron: Legacy: They may not win any screenwriting accolades, but they sure have awesome gadgets. The multifunction Identity Disc or Light Disc isn’t just a sleek throwing weapon and gaming device. It’s also the soul of the Program who wields it. They’re like weaponized smart phones; they do it all! (Photo credit by: Disney)

5. Scarface’s Machine Gun

Scarface’s little friend is anything but amicable. The M-16A1 equipped with a grenade launcher allows the Miami drug kingpin Tony Montana to go out in a blaze of glory on his terms. (Photo by: Universal Pictures)

4. The Elder Wand

While all of the wands in the Wizarding World hold an innumerable power, at least for Muggles, it is the legendary Elder Wand that stands above all the rest. One of the Deathly Hallows, legend has it that it’s the most powerful wand ever created. (Photo by: Warner Bros.)

3. Captain America’s Shield

Not to be confused with S.H.I.E.L.D., Captain America’s shield is just as iconic as the superhero who wields it. Made from near indestructible vibranium metal, the shield serves as the perfect defense for a near-indestructible hero. In the hands of Steve Rogers, the shield can also reflect back energy from collisions and bounce around as a giant flying discus—much to every villain’s chagrin. (Photo by: Zade Rosenthal/Marvel)

2. Katniss Everdeen’s Bow And Arrow

Katniss Everdeen takes matters into her own hands, hunting for her family’s survival and defending herself when fighting in the Hunger Games. Her skill with the bow and arrow also marks her as an inspiration for the people of the Districts as a symbol against the totalitarian Capitol. (Photo by Murray Close/Lionsgate)

1. All the lightsabers

The combination of an unforgettable sound effect with an illuminated sword that can cut through anything and anyone makes for one of the most badass movie weapons ever. Blue, green, red, or purple—every lightsaber tells something about the warrior. Even the most critically panned of the Star Wars movies, The Phantom Menace, features mind-blowing laser sword moments starring Darth Maul’s double-bladed red lightsaber. (Photo by: Corbis/Lucasfilm Ltd.)