Until We Die
Edit: On review, of this review, I have realised that it does not, in fact, help players decide whether to not to pick up the game. This edit is to prevent potential players purchasing the product without fully understanding what they’re buying.
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Rather than marketing Until We Die as a completed build, it should be under the category of Early Access. Keep that in mind.
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Is this game worth $17 USD? No. There is only one scenario that players can play, totalling 20 hours (highly variable) to fully complete on all three difficulties. That comes out to 1.17 hours per dollar.
– Real player with 97.2 hrs in game
Read More: Best Strategy Pixel Graphics Games.
The obvious caveats:
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Save feature still needs to be implemented when a full ‘run’ is 2.5 hours
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Only 1 scenario thus far
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Launched with one game breaking bug that has since been fixed
Some people describe this as metro + kingdoms but its more like metal slug + metro + farmville + fallout shelter. I’ve beaten it easily on normal and am struggling to get past the 2/3rds mark on seasoned, so I know how this game works. It is mostly a game of LEARNING how greedy you can be with clearing and looting the map with returning to base. High level gameplay is all about knowing the patterns of each scenario to best optimize your strategy. If one side has no attackers one night, that is critical information. If another has a mortar or giant, that is also potentially going to end your game if you aren’t prepared. It’s almost like a 2.5 hour dance choreography or starcraft build order. It’s also a bit of a relay race running from one side to the other hitting all your egg timers to maximize your economy. Time is the most valuable resource.
– Real player with 52.2 hrs in game
Black Forest
Gameplay has changed since review was made - will update once further changes have been made to the game.
As a first release, this game is already fun, and will really appeal to people who don’t have a lot of time to play but like to always have “something going” in terms of games running. You can log in, see what happened over the turn change, catch up on any chat going on, and decide on what your villagers will do for the day, and then go on to your next village to manage. So in essence you need to only log in once per 24 hours, although at later stages when all remaining players are active, the next turn will start when all players are ready, meaning much quicker days/turns.
– Real player with 83.4 hrs in game
Read More: Best Strategy Base Building Games.
Definitely a base for the game with some really good graphics. I really can’t wait to see where it goes!
That being said it does still seems to have some major balance problems with time like even on the slowest setting you may not be able to check which of your buildings for damage before the day is already over, you have to manually assign each villager manually still for the most part, there isn’t really anything for defense other then build walls until you can’t keep up with the damage being thrown at you and lose, those sort of things you would expect for an early access game.
– Real player with 33.9 hrs in game
Eons of War
In this rogue-lite survival strategy you get to manage a space corporation while progressing through missions in a dynamic galaxy. Every mission takes place in a unique planetary system where you can build space stations, mine resources, terraform planets, hire spaceships, and battle robotic life forms from the Rift.
SURVIVE IN SPACE
When the first signs of the Rift emerged decades ago, many nearby stars started to produce anomalous radiation spikes that destroyed space stations and sterilized planets, killing millions. Thanks to scientists and engineers, giant shields powered by thorium were deployed to protect humanoids of all races.
Shield management requires finding the right balance between stockpiling enough thorium and doing everything else that your corporation requires. Terraform, mine, research, battle…but never forget about the constant specter of radiation that can wipe you out in minutes.
DYNAMIC WORLD
Every game level is a dynamic procedurally-generated planetary system in a vast network of stars connected by hyperlanes.
Build space stations to expand your fleet among orbiting planets. Hire autonomous spaceships to do your bidding. While performing assigned jobs, they will periodically upgrade and repair equipment with the money they earn from you. Don’t run out of space credits to pay their contracts or they might quit!
Rift wormholes that teleport enemy ships from the distant galaxy can pop up near you randomly. Be prepared to defend the planets and space stations under your patronage.
While you are not managing shields or defending planets, you must keep the economy afloat. Mine resources, terraform planets, and send emissaries to increase your influence over planetary governments.
EXPLORE THE STORY
Progress through levels while exploring the story in side quests. Some quests will reward you with artifacts that can be deployed on planets and space stations. Those artifacts provide you with powerful bonuses on the way to victory. Keep some artifacts with you on various missions, giving you a much needed edge for increasingly difficult challenges.
GAME FEATURES
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Your base is a dynamic planetary system: mine resources, build space stations, terraform planets, hire spaceships, manage radiation shields, and defend your people. All in a constantly changing environment.
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Survive in the hostile world of radiation: stellar radiation goes up and down, putting your resource management skills to the test.
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Hire autonomous spaceships: build stations to construct spaceships; then hire crews to operate them. Make money by increasing your influence with planetary governments.
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Rogue-lite progression: every playthrough is different. Complete quests to get powerful artifacts that you need to beat increasingly more difficult missions.
Read More: Best Strategy Base Building Games.
Frostpunk 2
Frostpunk 2 is the sequel to the highly acclaimed, BAFTA-nominated society survival game that blended city building, strategy and management gameplay, creating a brand new genre. Its successor takes place 30 years after the apocalyptic blizzard storm, and Earth is still overwhelmed by the icy climate of neverending frost and harsh weather.
You play as the leader of a resource-hungry metropolis where the expansion and search for new sources of power is an unavoidable reality. After the age of coal, conquering Frostland for the oil extraction industry is expected to be the new salvation of what’s left of humanity. However, change does not come easily, and not everyone in this new multi-layered society will welcome this new direction.
Demands and expectations of various factions will raise tensions and evoke conflicts, but will a cold-blooded rule and a Machiavellian approach to politics be necessary? As the everlasting cold continues its grip on the city and outside threats arise, you’ll need to make sure your people are united, driven, and ready for difficult, unavoidable sacrifices!
Jakub Stokalski, Frostpunk 2 Co-Director, had this to say about the grand vision of the game:
“What we aim to deliver to players is an experience that goes vastly beyond that of the original Frostpunk. With a still-growing team of nearly 70 people, we have more manpower available to focus on all aspects of the game from the scale, the production value, and the quality of UX, but our ambition is to do more than a straight-up sequel. What players should expect is a wide universe of choices, the freedom to shape the society and the city however they see fit - and reap the consequences. Frostpunk 2 builds on the conflicts of its predecessor - survival vs human values, life vs the arctic frost. But most importantly, it adds a new layer that is present in many aspects of the game - be it politics, society or technological progress - the conflict between humans and their nature".
Nyheim
Fun single player dice-based board game.
RNG can be brutal if you get unlucky, very strong early enemies can present unbeatable obstacles. Fortunately that doesn’t happen too often. Also food, which lets you reroll your dice, is scarce early on. These two factors may combine to make it seem more frustrating than it is.
You can mitigate these a few ways: you can tweak your starting character’s dice so they have more balanced results, you can rush your first 2 quests to get 2 more people (for more dice to roll), and you can spend a few early turns on a food-rich square to stock up. You can still end up totally screwed, in which case just chalk it up to bad luck and restart.
– Real player with 30.8 hrs in game
Allright, this game is surprisingly great!
Its price may even be too low, although music and maybe graphics are not that great (but who cares about the latter when the gameplay is great)
The game is based around luck with dice. You can be against this kind of game, but in this game, I believe it works. I have played 2 games now and I even won the 2nd already. I must have had lots of luck or… In any case, I will certainly play again, I had great fun with this game and I got my money’s worth!
P.s. I bought this game after seeing that the developers added a release for Linux in less than two weeks after just one person asked for it. These devs are great and should be supported!
– Real player with 18.1 hrs in game
The Fifth Expedition
This game while currently limited in what you can do is really good so far and it will only get better with time.
– Real player with 33.5 hrs in game
EDIT: as of Late no news or Patches are announced or seemingly planned, therefore you should avoid a purchase for now.
This is an Earl Access review of this game.
Full disclosure: Im helping these guys out in some of their beta testing and have played some of the version before this EA build.
In general the Game has a very interesting premise and shows a lot of potential. It can be a very fun and engaging already.
Its a hard game and if you like a challenge this may be the game for you.
The game Focusses more on managment of your ressources than on Combat and is in itself a very unique and innovative gameplay.
– Real player with 7.1 hrs in game
Castle Formers
You can tell this was a game created to be enjoyed by gamers. A lot of love here.
– Real player with 9.3 hrs in game
This is a cute and fun little game, worth buying to support independent game producers, but . . . A wee bit more of a tutorial would be helpful. There are whole upper floors of my castle filled with people that I have absolutely no clue what they do apart from take my hard earned gold. D__n it I smashed a lot of pots and picked the locks of dozens of treasure chests that some benevolent person randomly leaves out on the lawn to get that gold. Not to mention the kindly watersprite that lives in the well who also donates generously to the cause. For their sake, if not for mine, kindly tell me what the devil these random strangers are doing in my castle!
– Real player with 8.6 hrs in game
Dead In Bermuda
Dead in Bermuda Review
Are you looking for an adventure, or in this case what do you say to a forced adventure? Crash landed on a remote mysterious island…
Some key points that this game offers:
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A very unique RPG system with its own experience levels that is tied to character development with numerous skills to choose on how to improve them or cater them to what you need them to do, all running in the background on its own as you play the game.
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Crafting system, to improve and expand your means of survival on the island.
– Real player with 386.4 hrs in game
Fantastic game.
I /can/ see why people don’t like it. With the tag ‘visual novel’ and the story filled cutscenes, some people (like I did) can approach it thinking it’s a management like sim, more focused on the story than survival. It’s not.
I. Dead in Bermuda is a challenging, intense survival management game.
The game holds your hand (providing you with the option to scavenge the downed plane for supplies - the level of days it lasts depends on the difficulty level) only to a point. It’ll give you tips at the beginning, show you how to play the game, and then you’re on your own.
– Real player with 33.2 hrs in game
DRYAD
#### The game has been delayed to later in 2021. Thank you for your patience!
STORY
Dryad takes place in 2014, putting you in the shoes of Josh Miller, a famed true-crime author with many hits under his belt. His new venture focuses on “The Tellus Murders”, a brutal event where 4 camp counselors were murdered at the site of Camp Tellus. He goes to the camp 40 years later to find clues that lead to a terrifying discovery…
FEATURES
• Point and Click Exploration!
• Full Voice Acting!
• Story Cutscenes!
• Items & Inventory System!
• Thrilling Music Compositions!
• Full Controller Support!
Frostpunk
Dear God, yes I recommend. I’m fucking obsessed with this game. It dominates my every goddamn thought nowadays. I don’t think I’ve ever been so obsessed with a game before in my life. If you’re reading this, buy the game. Buy the DLC’s. And somehow contain your excitement for Frostpunk 2.
– Real player with 329.4 hrs in game
The Good:
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Special and creative gameplay will make just enough to enjoy the game in Easy and Normal mode but also very very difficult and hardcore in Hard, Extreme, Survival mode.
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Detailed images, map design make you really feel the “frost” of the game
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Each map has its own story and gameplay.
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Nice background music.
The Bad:
- The gameplay is hard to get used to for newbies (I gave up 3 times because I couldn’t understand the game, but it wasn’t until the 4th time that I felt the fun of it because I believe 11 bit studios can always make a good one).
– Real player with 152.1 hrs in game