My Cragheart was out of cards and needed to rest, but the room was empty and the Scoundrel was itching to stab someone. I opted to open the next room and pop her Smoke Bomb for invisibility, just to be safe. The door revealed a large room with over half a dozen foes, including Bone Rangers and Living Spirits, who were all too happy to shoot me from afar when my invisibility ended. By the time the slow Cragheart ran up to help, I'd taken too much damage. It was a slow, painful loss, and a lesson in being better prepared.Despite its occasional difficulty spikes, I adore Gloomhaven, the tabletop game. It's a tactical RPG in board and card form, and has been the best board game on BoardGameGeek since 2017. Gloomhaven captures the turn-based combat and progression of Dungeons & Dragons along with unlockable hidden classes, a huge campaign of nearly 100 scenarios, over three dozen monsters and bosses, and a Choose Your Own Adventure story with multiple avenues and choices. I've completed … [Read more...] about Gloomhaven on Steam isn’t a full adaptation of the stellar board game, but it’s a strong start
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Why next-gen horsepower needs to power AI, not scripted spectacle
It’s a tragic fact of video games that some of the most important, coolest, most game-improving stuff in them is also the least superficially sexy and the hardest to sell. Look at the bullet-points on the back of your average game box. What do you get?Epic, cinematic action!Tense, twisting narrative written by That Guy Who Wrote Twister Or Something!More graphics per square inch than any other sequel this year!EXPLOSIONS AT THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON! EVERY BUTTON!But nowhere will you get “Really rather good AI that actually makes the combat really satisfying.” And I’m not just talking about on the back of the box any more. Seriously, guys, where did AI go?We were on a roll for a while. Games, particularly shooters, used to realise that enemy behaviour was at the absolute core of the experience they were crafting. If a game was about navigating a large environment with a gun while attempting to get the better of a bunch of bad guys with guns of their own, then the … [Read more...] about Why next-gen horsepower needs to power AI, not scripted spectacle
Alan Wake, five years on: How Remedy’s accidental hero re-wrote the AAA rules
Released five years ago this week, a remarkable weight has always pressed down upon every aspect of Alan Wake, both in-game and upon the production itself. Firstly, the weight of expectation: between its May 2005 announcement and May 2010 shipping, a new console generation had landed and firmly bedded in, with the five-year window seeing huge single-player experiences like BioShock, Assassin’s Creed, Mass Effect and Uncharted not only emerge but all spawn sequels.While Alan Wake didn’t underwhelm upon release, delays served to diminish some of the impact it could have had coming a few years earlier; the marketplace was more crowded, benchmarks had shifted, and while graphics showed improvements with each yearly revision trailered, the 2010 game didn’t dazzle in the way its 2005 teaser had, simply by virtue of the competition catching up.Expectation presses down on Wake himself, too: he hasn’t written for two years, a once dependable well of ideas long dried up. … [Read more...] about Alan Wake, five years on: How Remedy’s accidental hero re-wrote the AAA rules
You can now get a Nintendo Switch Lite with a free copy of Minecraft
If nothing inspired you to make a purchase in the Black Friday sales, then you might want to check out this Nintendo Switch Lite and Minecraft bundle currently available at Currys PC World for £199.99.All three colour choices are available: that's the superior turquoise, snazzy yellow, and painfully dull grey - to give them their unofficial names. Sadly, the limited Zacian and Zamazenta Pokémon edition is not included.Nevertheless, with the slim handheld usually setting you back £200 on its own, you can't complain too much about a free game being thrown in too. And while it's not a massive exclusive such as Link's Awakening or Super Mario Odyssey, it makes sense given this is likely pitched as an ideal Christmas gift for a younger player. Nintendo Switch Lite with Minecraft for £199.99 from Currys PC World Meanwhile, the console's bigger brother isn't lacking for offers right now, either. We've already seen a Nintendo Switch with Mario Kart 8 for £279.99 drop … [Read more...] about You can now get a Nintendo Switch Lite with a free copy of Minecraft
Subscribe to Total Film magazine from just £2.31 an issue
Total Film is the smarter movie magazine. Originally founded in 1997, it is now recognised as one of the most-respected voices in cinema. A Total Film magazine subscription is your access-all-areas pass to the world of movies. Passionate and authoritative to the last, our writers are as excited about the latest tentpole blockbusters as Oscar bait, arthouse masterpieces as hidden gems, delivering cheeky, irreverent, probing reviews, interviews and features, issue after issue.Save up to 73% on a Total Film magazine print and digital subscriptionEach month, we scour the globe to bring you industry news, A-lister interviews, first-look features and stills, and insider on-set reports from the full spectrum of the world of film. "Total Film has always been as passionate about movies as you are", says Total Film editor Jane Crowther. "We want to watch - and discuss - EVERYTHING. We get you on the set and in the know of all the hottest films, chat up Hollywood's most interesting stars and keep … [Read more...] about Subscribe to Total Film magazine from just £2.31 an issue
