Gaming Thread 11/16/2014

yay, weekly gaming thread

• Really interesting look at the status of Steam's Early Access and the numbers aren't good.

• Considering Double Fine's trend of being a shitburger, gonna be interesting in how fast they walk away from Massive Chalice as they throw it up on Steam Early Access. Wonder if they will give free copies of Broken Age and DF-9 to buyers after they randomly say it's out of beta.

• Well, Samsung and Oculus announced the release date for the VR headset. You get to strap your Nexus 4 to your face next month for the tune of $200.

• Bloodborne was delayed out of the crowded February a month which will put it just a year after the release of Dark Souls 2

• Well that was fast, Gamestop and Amazon already discounting the PSTV. Dropped faster than the Oyua.

• Arcade Heroes giving a shakedown on what is going to be at the upcoming arcade trade show

• People sperg out that DX 12 isn't coming to Windows 7 (which will be 6 years old by the time DX12 comes out)

• Time for the annual Desert Bus For Hope charity drive

• Geometry Wars Dimensions still looks like a giant turd made by people who don't understand Geometry Wars

This is just a couple of crappy lists of games I think you should play with your kids broken down to age groups. And a few games

Catan: Junior - It's really stripped down but still has the essence that makes full sized Catan great. Enough there that won't bore the kids while prepping them for full sized euro boardgames.

Five Crowns Junior - Can't say I'm a big fan of full sized Five Crowns (rather play Gin or Mah Jong if I want to be embarrassed) but this simplified version will get the kids in the mood to try out gin in a few years. It's simple that it's easy to grasp while breeding that winning mentality.

Qwirkle - Never too young to get a kid to play play this classic game. Not a game you can let the kids play alone as setting up your runs for max points might go over their heads but it will be a quick learn for them with it's break down of basic shapes and colors. Color blind kids might be SOL though. There is also a cube version (

PitchCar - It's slot cars but more fun. Build your race track using the included pieces and grab your car (it's a disc with rollers on the bottom) and warm up your index finger. You and your group flings their cars around while trying to smash others off the road. There is one HUGE caveat though, the basic game is really pricey ($100) and you really need the expansions which are also expensive ($60 a piece). Other than the discs, the board pieces are made out of quality particle board which will take a ton of abuse. Hence why the game is pricey.

Blokus - Dirt simple game that is almost impossible to not grasp while building the foundation of planning and basic strategy in the younger set. And like a lot of games in this age range, it's a good tool to teaching basic shapes.

Formula D - I would put RoboRally here but that might go over 9 & 10 year old heads. Formula D is an updated version of the seminal french game Formula De. If your kids are into racing, this really the only board game that really encapsulates everything that goes on with a race car as it breaks down the gears and car management without being really too complex that it will go over their heads. And if it's a bit too simple for the kids, it's got a built in advanced ruleset. Game is a ton of fun no matter how old you are.

Ticket to Ride - This is about the right age to pull out this classic game of track laying. Enough there to keep attention while just being fun in general. Start off with the base game and go from there in how complex the kids can take it with it's expansions.

Catan - After building up the mind for the full version with playing the Junior edition, time to drop the bomb on them with the full wealth of resource management dicking each other over. Is and will always be the gateway drug to euro board games (along with Carcassonne ofc).

Dominion - Sure, at this age your kids might already be dabbling in TCGs but this should show them the path to better games as it makes them focus more on how to build your decks while being self contained. Just make sure you buy some sleeves for the cards.

The Great Dalmuti - Little hesitant to put this here as though you could play with only three people, 5 people in my mind is the bare minimum of players as it really feels stunted with few people. It's President but with a nice motif. Great learning tool in your drinking game repertoire.

Chess - Chess is chess and personally, I don't think there is a wrong time to get your kid a chess trainer set and have at it. Wish I was more into chess as it's a game that even if you can't find someone to play face to face, it translates better to be able to play it online unlike a game I personally think is better, Go

Go - Like I said in the header, my dad taught me this and Chess at about the same time. In retrospect, I wish I got more into chess and had not focused more on Go as it's balls hard to find someone to play with. That being said, at least it's easier than trying to find someone to play Shogi or Xiangqi. You know how the cliche goes about "minute to learn, lifetime to master"? They were talking about Go and frankly, even a lifetime won't get you to master the game as it's pretty impossible to master. If you play someone who is good, I don't think there is a deeper game ever created. Playing online is balls though, it's really a game that needs to be face to face.

Reversi aka Othello - Personally, I don't think kids should play checkers but rather Othello. It's as simple as checkers but a more enriching game that lays the foundation for skills later in life (observation and war tactics). And like Go, it lays the foundation for loving abstract games.

Dragon Age Inquisition (PC, PS4, PS3, XBO & 360) - Well, from the reviews, it sounds like they've gotten over the rushed misstep of Dragon Age 2. Can't say I'm a big fan of a story being all encompassing instead of the personal stories that DAO and DA2 brought but I'll still be buying it on the PC. Reviews have been quite glowing. Watching the streams really makes it seem like they still haven't found a way to translate this cRPG to the consoles (to be expected). Also, remember to build your backstory on the Dragon Age Keep since you can't import your world info from the other games.

Far Cry 4 (PC, PS4, PS3, XBO, 360) - I really don't like Ubi's Far Cry games and this one doesn't look like it's going to change my feelings. That being said, I know I'm in the minority and if you do like them, this is more of the same.

Never Alone (PC, PS4, XBO) - An Inuit tribe pooled their money together to create a platformer with a story based on Inuit storytelling. You have no idea in how much I want this game to be good and hopefully it opens the door to Inuit folklore. As is, it's a risky proposition for the tribe to invest in this as they may have missed the boat by a couple of years. PLEASE BE GOOD PLEASE BE GOOD...

Super Smash Bros. (Wii U) - In theory, the Wii U release shouldn't rub your fingers raw like the 3DS version does. Either way, it's still a Super Smash Buttons where Nintendo fanboys will still try to claim that this is a totally legit fighter and then whine as no one takes them serious. You are worse than Waifu Fighter 12. May be the Amiibo stuff (first wave releases this week). will add something interesting to the mix

Pokemon Alpha Sapphire & Pokemon Omega Ruby (3DS) - After 11 years since they came out, Gamefreak went back to the well with remaking Ruby & Sapphire in the X & Y engine. Frankly I think they were some of the weaker entries in the series but hopefully they added some fun with these remakes. Either way, new Pokemon if you haven't gotten your fill from last year's X & Y releases.

GTAV (PS4 & XBO) - Rockstar getting in the "remaster" business because Take Two needs the money. At least this game is better than IV (except for the heist mission in IV)) which is a low bar. Personally, outside of Vice City, I really don't like how the Houser brothers have taken this franchise (GTA 1 & 2 blow these out of the water) and this one didn't change my mind. At least maybe with this re-release, they will finally get online heists.

posted by Gang of Gaming Morons! at 03:09 PM

| Access Comments