"Fantasy Online 2," Looks Like a Cool Retro-Styled MMORPG

 

Jeromy Stroh, the creator behind, "Fantasy Online 2," saw my posts about other indie games I found snazzy and thought I might enjoy learning about his own game. It is a pixel-art MMORPG that takes place in a persistent World (a bit like Ultima Online, World of Warcraft, and so forth). It has a mix of adventuring, crafting, combat, and so forth. It can work within STEAM, on a PC's browser, and on a number of Android devices. No matter which format players use, they exist within the same, "World."

I told Jeromy I would love to play it on my iPhone when iOS compatibility is ready (it is in the works), as my other devices he currently has his game compatible with are a bit too outdated to do much of anything relating to games. The retro-styled look reminds me of playing other old-school games. Plus, I definitely also have fond memories of my time logging on to Ultimate Online and old-school WoW long ago. There is currently a temporary event, "Season of Screams," that goes from October 10th through December 5th with a zany Halloween-style feel.

Chuck Norris Has Died

Chuck Norris died this week. He was 86, and the cause of death was not disclosed...but he was 86. Norris is best known as the star of various fun action flicks and for how he made, "Walker, Texas Ranger," one of the most-watched shows around in the 1990s. He also inspired jokes about how tough he was that became a Worldwide meme. Norris was quite conservative (he did not hide it) and in the last couple of decades seemed to move more and more towards the reactionary-right, supporting conspiracies about Obama not being an American and loudly voicing opposition to LGBTQ rights. Basically, Norris was unabashedly himself, for better in some opinions and worse in others. 

Chuck Norris leaves a massive legacy much in the manner of another big name who died not too long ago, Hulk Hogan, although to Norris' credit, many people who knew him seem sad about his passing (Hogan had few friends and many foes by the time of his death). Norris was popular with the many people he knew and worked with in various capacities, from martial arts to acting to his activism in politics. Even Donald Trump has commented on Norris' passing, although Trump found a way to make it all about himself (as usual), discussing how Norris was a, "Great supporter." At least Trump didn't outright insult Norris at the news of his death, as Trump did to Robert Mueller. Norris made some fun action flicks and shows, had an impressive mastery of martial arts, and was unafraid to say what he believed--even if I and others would personally disagree with him on many issues. I know I'll always thank him for the countless sometimes-funny and sometimes-awful Chuck Norris jokes I would see flooding the chat in the Barrens back when I played old-school, "World of Warcraft," around 2005, however.

"Erenshor," is a Single-Player Game That Simulates Being an MMORPG; That Sounds Strange and Interesting!

I used to dabble in Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games, back when I had a lot more time to burn. I'm old enough to have dipped my toe into, "Ultima Online," and never played, "Everquest," but recall how huge it was. Then, of course, it seems like we've all played a significant chunk of, "World of Warcraft," at some point in our lives. Still, those games can be a huge time-sink and other players can be heavily dependent on you to join them for quests/raids if you're in a guild that enjoys those high-intensity dungeons and such. What if you want to play an online game where there is less of a grind and you won't be letting any real people down if you miss a few events? Why not try an MMO...that's actually offline? Enter the intriguing new game, "Erenshor."

"Erenshor," is essentially a single-player MMO. It takes place in a big fantasy land and is full of other players who go questing, trade loots, and level up when you're not around while hanging out with various guilds...except these other players are all NPCs and the game isn't on the internet. Everyone besides you is a, "SimPlayer," with a computer-generated personality, appearance, and the like. It is a game for just you that feels like a big online title but requires a lot less time, dedication, and the like. The graphics look inspired by, "Runescape," and I love the idea of, "An MMORPG...on your time." I can explore a fantasy world that is just like an MMO but has nary the usual stressors of it taking forever to level up, or having to play with a bunch of people to enjoy the best quests/raids/etc.

Looks like an online game, yet it isn't at all!

You can play a demo of, "Erenshor," now on your computer via Steam. The old-school design gives it relatively modest system requirements--although my current setup is so basic it can't run it. Do please give the demo a try and let me know how it is. If I get a slightly more juicy computer in the future I'd definitely give, "Erenshor," a try sometime either via its demo or once development is complete.

Flashback Friday: "World of Warcraft," Turns 20 This Year, For Real?

I remember back in my high school days playing the bejeezus out of, "World of Warcraft," when it was new and the hottest thing on the scene in 2004. Created by the company then known as Blizzard (before a bunch of mergers and such), it was a fun game set in a huge World full of other folks you could party with or fight. I still dabbled a bit during my college years with the game but fell off sometime after the, "Cataclysm," expansion back in 2010. I remember playing WoW, but it didn't occur to me the game was 20 years old this year until I saw an article on Polygon about how this November, yep, it's 20. 

Two decades of an online game still going strong is quite impressive in a time when some online games launch and die in under two weeks (sorry, "Concord," I know you tried). If I even tried to play, "World of Warcraft," again all this time later I'd be hopelessly confused, but it is nice to know that is an option and my Tauren Shaman named Shine could someday return to Azeroth. Not anytime soon, mind you, but someday!

I've Lost a Lot of Enthusiasm in "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League," Hearing How It's Basically a Live Service Game

I loved the, "Arkham," games created by Rocksteady. I've been looking forward to, "Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League." However, as some new stuff about the game has been revealed, I have concerns.

The game will require you to always be online even if you're doing single-player mode because it will be a bit of a live service game. It will have updates with loot you can get killing baddies and there will be DLC new characters that--at least--won't cost money to my understanding, but there will be cosmetic upgrades you can purchase (I guess a bit like Fortnite). As Paul Tassi over at Forbes observes, it looks like live service Hell.

As some tweets have observed, it is, "Fun,"  to see Captain Boomerang
with what he is most known for, guns.

Look, I don't need a game I can supposedly play forever with little updates, different gear I collect over the months, and a cosmetic battle pass. I want something I can dive into, enjoy, and have fond memories of when I'm done. I haven't played a big online RPG since, "World of Warcraft," years ago and the last live service games I dabbled in were, the first, "Destiny," and, "Fortnite," although I guess Marvel Snap kind of counts as it has season passes, that's an online virtual card battler though so ehhhh. Live service silliness just is generally not for me.

I am completely open to trying out, "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League," and seeing if it is in fact incredibly fun, inventive, compelling, and basically, all the stuff those, "Arkham," games Rocksteady did were. I just feel a lot more reserved and less excited than when the game first was announced and previewed. I guess we'll have a better idea this May.

My Favorite, "World of Warcraft," Expansion is Coming to the, "Classic," Version Soon

I haven't played, "World of Warcraft," in years. If I even attempted to revisit my Tauren Shaman, Shine, I would most likely find myself quite confused by everything. That said, there has been the, "World of Warcraft Classic," which started up in the original, "Vanilla," game and has been slowly advancing in time through the past expansions. This September will mark the, "Release," of the 2nd expansion into the classic timeline, "Wrath of the Lich King." Also known as my favorite expansion because it was just so much fun, a part of me gets an itch to play the old-school WOW as I would at least not be totally out of my element. Then another part of me remembers how much of a time-sink the game was back in the day and how I barely have time to play any games now. Still, it is nice to know that a somewhat vintage version of, "World of Warcraft," is out there ready for a player of the older versions of the game such as me.

"Skull and Bones," Sounds Like it's in Development Hell

Way back in, "Assasin's Creed III," there was a small gameplay element where you could pilot a ship and get into fights with other ones. It was loved by players and led to, "Assasin's Creed IV," having sailing about around be the main feature--making it often thought of as the, "Assasin's Creed," for people who normally hate, "Assasin's Creed." Other games in the series have used boats a bit, but there was interest in a game announced in 2017 called, "Skull and Bones," which sounded like a pirate-themed game from the company behind, "Assasin's Creed," Ubisoft, without all the baggage. Again, that was 2017. It was mentioned by Ubisoft in 2019 as being delayed to 2020 and supposedly still getting work done. Now there is an, "Open letter," of sorts from the game's creative director, Elisabeth Pellen. This letter to the fans says how the game has a new vision and will be re-revealed in 2021 as whatever the new, "Skull and Bones," will be. This worries me.

I am concerned that, "Skull and Bones," is going to try and become one of those games that is a, "Service game," as rumors are saying, in that you buy it and then keep buying more upgrades and features. There are games that are essentially, "Free," and do this like, "Fortnite." There are also games like the new, "Avengers," one which you buy it, but then it also comes with a mode that offers a premium currency. These aren't monthly fees like in MMORPGs like, "World of Warcraft," these are games that want to technically, "Never end," and keep getting money as they add an update here and there with a new character/outfit/ship/gun/whatever. I'm not sure I want that, but Ubisoft maybe wants to offer that sort of game in the hopes it'll get, "Skull and Bones," out of whatever development Hell has been delaying it. When I first heard about, "Skull and Bones," in 2017 I was excited. Then I forgot about it. Now, I just don't really have much enthusiasm or hope for it at all.

April 2020 Links: All Video-Game Edition

Spending April at Home

I have been playing a smidgen more video-games with us all cooped-up due to the pandemic, and there seems to be a lot of interesting news relating to games lately too. With that in mind, I thought  I would make a post full of links to gaming news to switch things up/keep things fresh.

All About Gaming

One thing I had not considered about the upcoming next generation of video-game consoles and the potential increase in VR technology (it seems dead then gets a resurgence in popularity) is how the production of these consoles in mass quantities to meet demand may really hurt the environment. Hopefully, steps will be taken to reduce a potential carbon footprint.

The main reason I saved-up for a Nintendo Switch was to play, "Animal Crossing," but this list of some of the best games on the console shows there are other stellar titles to give a try.

While we are on the subject of, "Animal Crossing," it has been observed some characters mention features that are not yet in the game. Is it a glitch, a hint about updates? We shall see!

I've been looking forward to the release of, "Cyberpunk 2077," and was saddened but understood when some time ago it was announced it would release in September instead of April. You'd think it would be delayed again due to COVID-19, but nope, it is actually still on-track for a September release!

Speaking of COVID-19 and infectious illnesses, remember that, "Corrupted Blood," disease which infected characters in, "World of Warcraft," back in 2005 and required all the servers be reset to wipe it out? If only we could do a quick reset on our planet now to edit out COVID-19 with some quick programming.

It is funny to think there are, "Wholesome," takes on some really violent or over-the-top games. They can be a clever way to introduce younger gamers or those who are opposed to too much gore to some fun gameplay styles, however.

One of the less-known titles made by popular creator Hideo Kojima was, "Boktai: The Sun Is in Your Hand!" It was a Game Boy Advance title that required you to play it in the sun so that its sensor could, "Absorb," sunlight you used in the game to fight monsters. It was a clever idea that was well ahead of its time and was hard to play if you lived in certain regions with long winters (I struggled immensely at it living in New York State at the time). However, if you lived in Puerto Rico as a child you had abundant sunshine, as this piece discusses.

Let's shift from a less-known game by Kojima to his most controversial one. Yep, it's time for a retrospective on, "Metal Gear Solid 2."

Time to close with a link to a book about a video-game. Boss Fight Books makes fascinating titles where authors write essays on games, and their latest release discusses the immensely controversial and sometimes fun and clever but often pointlessly crass and dull, "Postal," series. I ordered the book and look forward to its arrival in the mail.

Stay Safe and Stay Socially Distanced

I hope you're all staying safe and keeping your distance from anyone you don't already live with. Let's continue trying to make the most of this quarantine by finding the fun in it where possible, such as with all these fun video-games.

Video Game Company Blizzard Burned Decades of Goodwill This Past Week Due to the Hong Kong Protests

Excuse the lengthy headline/post-title, but it is hard to sum all this up with just a few words. Essentially, long-time beloved video-game company Blizzard (officially known as Activision Blizzard, but most just say Blizzard for short) which has created such fan-favorite titles as, "World of Warcraft," "Hearthstone," "Overwatch," and the, "Diablo," series has become the object of scorn from video-gamers due to their reaction to the Hong Kong protests--namely, their treatment of a pro-gamer who spoke-out in favor of Hong Kong being free from China's rule. Yes, video-gamers are actually unified and mad about something good right now like Democracy instead of the usual bullshit we see from things like, "Gamergate." I know, its weird.

Essentially, Chung Ng Wai, a Hong Kong-based player of Hearthstone who goes by the name “Blitzchung,” was speaking online during an official interview on Sunday held after he won a match in the Hearthstone Grandmasters tournament. He stated, "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our time," while wearing a face-mask as many protesters in Hong Kong have done where for months now there have been demonstrations protesting mainland China's efforts to exert more control over the semi-autonomous region (China was given control of Hong Kong from its former, "Ruler," the United Kingdom in 1997 and it stated it would let the island-city essentially rule itself for at least 50 years). After this he was stripped of his title by Blizzard, told he would not get his prize money, and was banned for a year from Tournaments for his, "Controversial," comments. The interviewers who supposedly goaded him into making his statement were fired as well. Why such a reaction from Blizzard? Money, obviously.

Mei has been turned into a meme.

Blizzard makes big bucks in China, and if the Nation were to become angry with its actions that would cost a lot of dollars. It isn't just Blizzard who has felt the sting of Chinese censors wanting the company to toe the line, the NBA has seen some turmoil, and a recent episode of South Park lampooned how much Disney is careful to edit its movies to appeal to the strict Chinese rule (Winnie the Pooh is seriously banned there due to his use as a political symbol). Blizzard acted the way it did to appease Mainland China and as a result gamers Worldwide and in America especially who up to this point maybe did not even care about the protests in Hong Kong are incensed as a community. More pro gamers are speaking-out, Blizzard's company philosophy is being mocked, there is a proposal to take a popular character from, "Overwatch," named Mei (who is from China in the game) and make her a symbol of gamers being oppressed for speaking out with pro-Hong Kong views.

Blizzard has gone from being a fan-favorite company to being reviled by basically everyone in the span of a week and the company is honestly between a rock and a hard place. Do they apologize to the pro-gamer for expressing his views and lose billions in Chinese revenue or hold the line and risk tons of bad press and boycotts that could also cost them billions in revenue from other gamers around the World? I myself have not played a game by Blizzard for some time but in the past enjoyed, "World of Warcraft," "Hearthstone," and, "Overwatch," before eventually growing tired of them.

The controversies the company used to face seem quaint now.
Remember the uproar over the, "Butt Pose," and its removal?

I also do not know nearly enough about the complex political situation between Hong Kong and China to offer a solid opinion beyond hoping something can be worked out so that everyone is at least somewhat happy in the Governments of both places. I have no idea what Blizzard should do, but they really need to come-up with a plan or at least put out a statement to all the press entities requesting answers about what the company's official position is on all this because the big convention they hold, "Blizzcon," is mere weeks away and that could become an unholy mess. Right now I'm just pleased that video-gamers are actually showing solidarity, unity, and expressing outrage over something that actually is a big deal. I'm proud of gamers, and that is a weird feeling I have not had in some time.

"World of Warcraft Classic," Is Making People Mad By Giving Them What They Want

I used to play, "World of Warcraft," a lot in the old days when the level-cap was 60 and getting there took lots and lots of time. I enjoyed it but quit way back in 2011 around when the, "Cataclysm," expansion came out and I found myself less-and-less engaged with the series. I have some great memories of WOW, but know full-well a lot of my fond recollections are occurring with rose-tinted glasses. old-school WOW was as lot harder and a lot less fun than people probably believe. Now, after a lot of fan demand and unofficial versions being shut-down, there is going to be a 100% Blizzard-approved (and run) version called, "World of Warcraft Classic," and fans beta-testing it are convinced features that make the game harder and less fun are bugs instead of those classic features. This is hilarious.

Often when think back to the things we enjoyed doing in the past we forget or outright purposely ignore the stuff that wasn't as pleasurable. Players are outraged that quest objectives aren't showing on the map (a later feature) or that creatures they need to kill are respawning so slowly after other players kill them (the game used to involve a lot of waiting around for a stuff to reappear), and maybe its proof that there really never were, "Good old days," in WOW, it just was less of a mess than other online games and managed to rise to the top through its constant updates and tweaks--the very ones players claim they wished were gone for a more, "Classic," occurrence. The moral of the story here is that I hope everyone playing the newest version of, "World of Warcraft," will enjoy having a throw-back version and it will make them value just how far the game has come as well. I still have zero intention of going back to it in a modern or classic format, however. I ain't got time to grind a bunch of Murloc mobs these days.

They Kept a, "City of Heroes," Private Game Server Secret for Six Years...What, How?

One of the first Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (or MMORPG) I ever played and enjoyed was, "City of Heroes," or, "COH," for short. I had tried, "Ultima Online," over dial-up but was miserable at it. However, when I later had broadband-speed internet and found myself in a colorful world of heroes and villains just like in my beloved comic-books, I adored it. I made a bizarre-looking character with a robotic face but a snazzy two-piece brown suit whose name I sadly am unable to recall. Rest assured though, he looked both imposing and classy when I'd hover him around, beating-up the underlings of assorted zany bad-guys.

As with many online games, "City of Heroes," was shut-down when there wasn't enough money to be made from it by its developer, NCSoft. It officially ceased to exist November 30th, 2012. I went on to play, "World of Warcraft," off and on for some years and haven't done much with MMORPGs since besides a short stint trying not to constantly die in, "EVE Online." There had been efforts by fans to make an approximation or some kind of private server of the game for years, but nothing had really come along especially well--it was all quite basic or got hit with a cease-and-desist letter from NCSoft who didn't want anyone messing with their intellectual property, even though they'd basically killed it. That was it then, right? Actually, there has been a fully-functional private server of the game kept secret for six years with all the original data so that you could actually get your old character and bring it back. Wait, what?

A screen-shot from the game's final day it existed...officially.

It is the 20-teens, as some folk call them. Nothing stays hidden. Top-secret political documents get leaked all the time, celebrities with high-tech encryption still get their phones hacked and nudes posted online against their will. Hell, if I even mumble out loud how I need a new frying pan, it seems like either my phone, Echo Dot, or some other device hears this and as if by magic within a day my Facebook feed is splattered with advertisements for frying pans. Nothing can be kept a secret now, and you're telling me there was a group of individuals who for six years (forming not too long after the game shut-down) were able to have thousands of people keep this huge secret? Everyone manged to keep their mouth shut that they had acquired numerous pieces of code and data through their own work and the assistance of people who had been employees at NCSoft developing the game? This is both fascinating in that these people should probably be put in charge of our Nation's secure documents and enraging in that I would have loved to know this and, you know, played the damn secret game. The mixture of shocked delight and anger about, "COH," having been secretly alive all these years with the code-name, "SCORE," has ripped the small community of people who fondly remember the game apart.

One fan of the game expressing their anger about the secret server;
there are many, many posts on Reddit and Twitter like this.

For all this time anyone who thought such as SCORE existed but weren't privy to the secret were called conspiracy theorists, making it darkly funny how all along this utterly insane theory was true. This is akin to finding out that Tupac has been alive all along and releasing music to a select group of fans who refused to share the news/music with anyone else--it is startling and it makes you mad for being left-out and called insane all these years you argued Tupac was alive (disclaimer: I do believe he is dead, no matter how sad that makes me). How did the truth come to light, however? As with most of the time when sensitive documents leak, someone had an ax to grind.

A Youtuber named Destoyer Stroyer who gained access to this invite-only server has stated he felt uneasy about all the secrecy, and was under the impression that if the people behind SCORE had access to old character data they might have their hands on other more-private information from people who used to play, "COH," such as names, addresses, and old credit-cards. Therefore, believing this whole thing felt wrong--and quite possibly realizing it would also get him a ton of viewers--Destroyer Stroyer made a video revealing the existence of SCORE to the world. Now the people behind SCORE are doing damage-control due to all these angry fans of the game upset they were left-out and for fear of getting hit with a big ol' lawsuit from NCSoft (the PC Gamer article I linked to earlier and will re-link right here goes into this further).

While I mourned the game others were making new characters in secret,
I'll admit I'm a bit jealous.

I am one of those players who would have appreciated even the chance to revisit, "City of Heroes," had I known about this huge secret server of the game that functioned perfectly whilst everyone else barely had their attempts at an emulation or server out of the early-planning stages. It makes me a bit sad, but it also is just fascinating this secret was kept for so long, with it thought around 3,000 people, "In," on this. Now as everyone gets over their surprise about this server existing, I only wonder what the fallout of such a wild reveal will be. Now if only Tupac would reveal he's been alive all along and this will be the most shocking week ever.

I've Played a Bunch of, "Overwatch," And Shall Offer my Opinions

Blizzard Got Game(s)

Blizzard is a developer and publisher who hasn't put out nearly as many titles as some of the quote-un-quote, "Big," publishers like EA or Ubisoft, but when they do have a release it often is so amazingly well-crafted, carefully designed, and expertly tweaked that it becomes hugely popular. They were known for their amazing Real-Time-Strategy games, came to dominate the MMO-space for years thanks to, "World of Warcraft," made a MOBA that has a huge fan-following, and now have entered into the space of first-person arena shooters that feature teams fighting. Because this is Blizzard we're talking about you don't need to worry if the game is good--the question just becomes how good is it? Well, I'll tell you it's pretty damn amazing which makes the small amount of flaws all that more annoying.

When discussing team-based shooting games it is basically mandatory you mention, "Team Fortress/Team Fortress 2," because for more than a decade that series has dominated the landscape (and of course there are still hardcore fans of the various, "Quake," games and their arena-style fights but that's a pretty niche group at this point). TF and TF2 deserve discussion because their perfect balancing act of character classes made the game a well-oiled machine of perfection. No one else has been able to have such as variety of characters and classes and make it work without one choice being too overpowered and another being too weak, etc. Well, until now with, "Overwatch."

So Many People

I've played a little bit of all the characters in, "Overwatch," from when it initially launched with 21 options to the newest addition in a recent patch, Ana. All the characters vary widely, yet they amazingly can both compliment and counter each other well enough that no one character is automatically the, "Best," or, "Worst." Unlike some games with a variety of characters, you can play any single one in, "Ovewatch," because the game is not a free-to-play title. You buy it (or in my case, keep renting it from stores or the library week-after-week) and can play as anyone--plus change characters even during a match if needed. Having played everyone in, "Overwatch," I will say I am best at D.VA, whose plot involves her being a video-gamer who drives a huge mech. Before a patch that fixed-up her shield I was pretty good, but since they made her even better at deflecting damage she is now one of my go-to choices. I absolutely suck at playing as a man named Hanzo however, whose M.O. is slinking around and firing carefully-aimed arrows at enemies. I can not aim at all with him. I am also great at a healing character named Mercy however, who can barely hit enemies but can fix-up and boost her team like nobody's business--and that's exactly the thing with, "Overwatch,"--there are so many characters and fun ways to play that if you are bad at one or get tired of a particular way of gaming, you can switch it up!

Exhausted of flying high in the sky and firing rockets at people as Pharah? Turn into a huge Knight named Reinhardt and run around smacking people with your hammer. Want to be able to attack enemies but still heal your team? Play Lucio and rollerblade on walls whilst patching-up your fellow players. And it continues just like that, play a robot named Bastion who can transform into a turret and mow-down everyone, become a talking Gorilla (good ol' Winston) who can leap long distances, or if you're overwhelmed by these exotic players just play Soldier 76 who can run fast, heal himself, and has a good rate-of-fire with his gun(so basically if you're most at home with, "Call of Duty," he's your guy).

He's probably the least interesting character, but he's still a fine choice.

No one character is over-powered because there are always other characters designed to take-down the other. Are multiple people on the opposing team turning into a turret as Bastion and trying to stop everyone from advancing? Deflect the gunfire back at them as the ninja Genji, teleport behind them with Tracer, or freeze them up with Mei, to give just three examples. But hey, even if you go-up against a character who can counter one of your skills, just use another, because this game is so incredibly done that everyone can be fun to play as and against. Considering how the options and possibilities seem endless in terms of who to play, it makes it all the more apparent and depressing that the game really lacks something else--play modes.

Wait, That's It for Modes?

In, "Overwatch," there are modes where players fight over a control point(a, "King of the Hill,"-style match), where one team has to defend a number of checkpoints from the other team, and a version where you unlock a, "Payload," you escort across the map while the other team tries to stop you. That's it. Okay, there is version where you fight over a control point in a, "Best out of three," match-style, but other than that, nada. Do you want to be able to do a team deathmatch, have it be a free-for-all-fight, or simply take on a friend one-on-one? Well, sorry, because that ain't in this game, you've got those aforementioned modes to play with and against people, or if you want, on a team of people against the artificial intelligence. Compared to the absolute plethora of characters you can play as the lack of modes is a stark contrast. I mean, there even is a good variety of maps, but while the locations can be exotic, it doesn't change the fact the game only consists of fighting for control points or escorting a floating car.

The most amazing thing however is that, "Overwatch," is still so good that even with these lack of modes, you're having so much fun it actually almost feels okay that your options are so limited. Everyone is having a such a great time it is almost forgivable that game-modes are so lacking. Plus, considering how the game just added the support-sniper character Ana and plans to add more people to play as, I imagine they of course are planning to introduce other modes--they would be crazy not to do such a thing. Oh, and everyone makes fun of the, "Play of the Game," at the end of matches, but I don't mind it much so that's all I've got to say about that.

A Rollicking Good Time

I should mention that as I only almost rank/level 18 I have not been able to take part in the, "Competitive Mode," which requires I reach 25 and is unique in that people who play it move-up in virtual ranks the more they win (and you can only have one of a character in a match per team). It is basically the same as the regular game, as far as I understand it, except that people take it much more seriously because they want to have the bragging rights of being one of the top players in the world. Even if I unlock the competitive-level I'll probably stick with the regular mode, because I like the relatively relaxed and peppy nature of everyone playing. Everyone is just having fun and not super-worried about winning or losing, it is nice considering how lots of team-shooters can have people who are waaayyy too into it.

Blizzard has done it again with, "Overwatch." The, "it," in this case being making a great game and then raking in the money when everyone buys it because it is so good. The lack of modes is a startling omission in a game that otherwise feels carefully perfected, but over time I imagine that will be corrected. As it stands now though, "Overwatch," is a rollicking good time that will bring hours of enjoyment to anyone who plays it.
4.5 out of 5 stars (although with more modes it will easily achieve that extra half-star).

Note: Blizzard normally doesn't release games on consoles but did in fact do so for, "Overwatch," so I've been playing it on my Playstation 4.

Some Thoughts on "Hearthstone" on the Eve of "The Grand Tournament" Expansion

A Big Change Approaches

"Hearthstone" has been a game I am fond of. It was my favorite video-game of 2014 and has had a lot of solid content come out in the form of the "Goblins VS Gnomes," expansion which added a lot of cards folk could acquire via card packs and the, "Blackrock Mountain," one which was more in-line with the first and decent-but-not-amazing, "Curse of Naxxramas," expansion that added a certain amount of set cards for whomever bought the pack with gold or cash.

We now sit on the eve of another massive influx of cards that can be bought with gold or money titled, "The Grand Tournament." It comes out this week and it introduces some fascinating new cards that could very well utterly break the game or make it even more fun. From an, "Inspire," mechanic that results in hero-powers being used more, to cards that actually make said hero-powers better, it appears to be the injection of freshness that will help keep things interesting. These "Hearthstone" expansions always seem to come at just the right time, because as I find myself getting a tad bored with my card options all these exciting new ones appear on the scene--and I'm thinking I'll quite like the many cards coming via, "The Grand Tournament," as I got more pleasure out of all the cards for, "Gnomes and Goblins," than I did with the admittedly fun (but sadly quite limited) cards for the other expansions.

Yeah, this is pretty insane.

I am concerned how these cards will effect the game. There are some new ones on display that seem pretty dramatic, and alter a lot more than previous expansions did. The game's developer, Blizzard, has consistently delivered a superb experience so far, and the fact that a, "Free-to-play," game has honestly been easy to, you know, actually play for free (or with extra cash should a person want more cards at a faster rate) is a testament to what I would say is the, "Right," way to make a game.

I myself am quite eager to jump-in with all the gold I've saved so that I can immediately purchase a bunch of the new card packs. I am excited to get busy fiddling with exciting combinations so as to create an epic new deck.  I am seriously still super-proud of a great Warlock deck I made all on my own without basing it on any other decks I saw online, as I will admit I've done with some decks. Honestly though, if you don't do a Grim Patron Warrior and lack the good cards for a Control deck, he is basically horrible to play as.

"Hearthstone: Curse of Naxxramas" Review

I've discussed "Hearthstone" and how fun it is in previous writings. A short while ago an expansion was released in weekly installments for the game and titled "Curse of Naxxramas" or "Naxx" if you have as much trouble as I do remembering how to spell its official name. I wanted to wait for every week of "Naxx" to be released and "out in the wild" for a little bit before I reviewed it. My reasoning was that until every new card (of the approximately 30) was available it would be hard to see how the overall way of playing "Hearthstone" would be impacted. Well, now that the dust has settled and "Naxx" no longer quite has that new-expansion smell, I can say that while the way of playing the game has shifted in some respects, there is nothing absurd and game-breaking.

If you don't play "Hearthstone"then my using a term such as "Deathrattle" may confuse you, so in order to keep this review understandable for those who don't play Hearthstone I'll explain in non-Stoner terms (there has to be a better way of putting that) the biggest aspect of this expansion. Basically, when a card has a "Deathrattle" it means it is a "minion" you put on the board, and if you play that card and it is eliminated/killed something useful will happen. This useful action can range from you drawing an extra card to summoning a super-powerful minion. 

Within this new "Naxx" expansion a bunch of cards have the deathrattle ability, and of the various character classes you can play as there are cards that compliment these deathrattles quite well. For instance, if you have a card like the "Nerubian Egg" that summons a pretty powerful minion when it is eliminated, and then have a card that lets you destroy it and make a new one (AKA reincarnate, you basically get a free powerful minion. Cards like that are result in "Naxx" being a very deathrattle-heavy expansion, and it has influenced a variety of decks.

Another useful ability in "Hearthstone" is playing cards that set up a "secret". These are what their name says, a secret action that only takes place when your opponent takes a certain action. Whether this means you get to survive an attack that would otherwise make you lose the match or that when an opposing minion tries to hurt you or your own minions they end up being put back into your opponent's hand and cost more to re-play, secrets are extremely useful. That makes the "Mad Scientist" card one that I've seen be quite popular with people playing as Mages or Hunters--two characters heavy on secrets.

A very fun aspect of "Naxx" is that to unlock most of the new cards you have to play matches against computer-controlled characters with unique decks and powers. Instead of being like regular matches, these are sort of like fun puzzles, where to figure out how to win a match you need to build a specialty deck. The matches are never too hard, which is good as many of us players just want to unlock the new cards--there is a "Heroic Mode" where winning is extremely difficult however for those who want a challenge. I feel that 30 cards is an okay amount, but am pleased to hear future expansions will carry more, even if it is at the expense of the puzzle-style matches against the computer.

"Curse of Naxxramas" introduces some fun matches to play in and a good helping of new cards. It changes the overall way of playing "Hearthstone" just enough to keep things interesting, but does not alter the game so much it becomes unrecognizable. While "Hearthstone" is a game that is free-to-play because you gain gold (which can buy a lot of stuff) by completing challenges, you can just pay to open every level or "Wing" of "Naxx" if you don't want to work at gaining enough gold, with it costing you about $25 to unlock every "wing". That isn't cheap, but it also is relatively easy to earn gold should you want the cards for truly free. The cards also are of course not mandatory to do well at "Hearthstone" but help expand your options. Overall "Curse of Naxxramas" is fun, even if 30 cards seems a bit light and it can be bit more costly then I would like. Should you already be a fan of "Hearthstone" you'll love it, and if you're thinking of getting into "Hearthstone" these cards will give you even more choices as you start out--should you pony-up the cash early-on for them.
3.5 out of 5 stars.

I Love "Hearthstone"--A Very Positive Review

Wonderful Fun

Far in the past of this blog I would talk about "World of Warcraft" as I was an avid player of the game. Sometime after trying out the expansion "Cataclysm" however I found myself tired of the series, and quit. I still don't have a particularly strong urge to go back to "WOW", but have found a new obsession that utilizes some characters and concepts from the title to create an incredibly addictive digital card game. Yes, I'm  talking about "Hearthstone".

Currently available on both computer and iPad, "Hearthstone" could best be described as a simpler version of "Magic: The Gathering"--at least that is what some people have told me as I've never actually played "Magic". Also, while its set in the world of "WOW" you don't need to have played it to understand the game, you just might get some references if you have tried "WOW" before. Basically, players have a deck of cards they've created, and takes turns drawing these cards, either casting spells that could help them (or hinder their opponent) along with laying down "minion" cards that can attack other minions or the main opponent. The goal is to get your opponent's health down to zero at which point you win the match. It sounds simple and that's because it actually isn't too tricky to learn if you put a little time into it, but when it comes to fully understanding all the cards and how to create the best deck possible, be prepared to spend hours playing matches and tweaking your deck.

A handy chart of the game-screen from 2p.com

One wonderful thing about "Hearthstone" is that it is free-to-play, and by that I mean truly free-to-play. You could never spend any real money on the title, only using the standard cards that come with various characters or which they unlock, along with using gold you earn in quests to play in the "Arena" and win more card packs to expand your collection. If you want to have a ton of cards to choose from early on, you can of course lay down some scratch and enjoy seeing what cards you get in various packs, but it is by no means mandatory to gain enjoyment from the game--with many players actually showing on various websites how their totally "free-to-play" decks can decimate people who may have shelled out money and gotten some powerful cards.

One reason "Hearthstone" is so fun regardless of if you spend money or not is that the developer behind it (Activison-Blizzard) works to keep everything balanced, but still have a challenge be provided to players. Plus, its also fun because nothing beats the excitement of playing a match against someone else, not doing the best, but then suddenly everything seems to go your way and you win thanks to a mixture of luck and your skill.

A lot of internet-chatter has involved the hunter character in "Hearthstone".
Namely, if some of his cards are too powerful.

"Hearthstone" is also enjoyable because it is very sociable. While in the matches you may be limited to a few set phrases (unless you add the person as a friend, at which point you can chat freely), but outside of the game itself people are always discussing the "meta-game" online--by which I mean folk chatting about the best decks, their favorite characters to play as, and all that. Getting to show-off your deck on a website and hearing other folks' thoughts is always neat, and can help you to become a better player. I didn't realize some of the tricks I could do with my cards until I read various pieces of great advice, and seeing such an active community for the game is just great.

I don't really have any complaints about the game other than the usual ones players have about certain cards maybe being over-powered, but that is something that gets tweaked by the developer too. All I can really do is recommend you play "Hearthstone" because I'm all but sure you'll love it. Plus, even if you don't like it, you got to do it for free! Oh, and if you do like it, maybe spend some money on card packs, I know Activison-Blizzard could use more money lately, because even if this game is a hit their "World of Warcraft" numbers keep slipping lower. Anyways, because I love "Hearthstone" so much that I'm apparently regularly mumbling about it in my sleep (according to my lady), I hereby award the game a fantastic:
5 out of 5 stars.

P.S. If you play "Hearthstone" and want to add me as a chum you can find me on there as "Chitters#1783".

Not A Bad Way To End The Series--World Of Warcraft: Curse Of The Worgen #4-5

World of Warcraft: Curse of the Worgen #4-5
After my increasing distaste for this series due to the tales tendencies to have a ton of flashbacks and even flashbacks in flashbacks, I was surprised to find that issues four and five were a bit lighter on the trend and therefore also much better. Of course, "much better," than, "bad," isn't saying a ton.

Confession--I've Quit Playing World of Warcraft

So yeah, I've pretty much quit playing World of Warcraft as of about two or three months ago. I tried to keep my interest up; I played a character from both of the new races of Goblins and Worgen to the low-20s, I quested a bit with my main, a Tauren Shaman named Shine, in the new high-level zone of the World Tree, I even made some new characters to explore the old-world zones re-done due to the decimation wrought by Deathwing. The game just didn't seem to have its hooks in me as much this time around though, with my usual playing of a year or six months before getting tired--don't get me wrong, I had fun, but I guess I just didn't have the time to dedicate toward playing WOW with my other priorities in life such as working, or doing this here blog for you all.

I suppose I'll cancel my subscription again for now, because there is no point in paying Blizzard for the right to not play WOW, though I imagine I will be back when the urge to quest strikes me. I enjoyed writing articles about my experiences in World of Warcraft for this blog and don't worry about me no longer writing about WOW because I'll still follow news about it, plus there will of course be comics related to it I will want to read. I mean, I still have two issues of the Worgen comic I will review very soon for the blog. The main thing that sucks is I'm stuck getting some issues of the quarterly World of Warcraft Magazine I subscribed to that you may recall isn't that good. Oh well.

Rant-Reviews--Two Wolverine Comics and Worgen.

Reviews of Wolverine #5.1and #6, plus issue 3 of the Worgen comic gets on my nerves. 

February 2011 Previews Part 2--What Looks Terrible.

I said what looked good, now to spotlight what looks to be stupid, bad, or just plain horrible. I do this as a public service to warn you of the unsavory things that lurk in Previews, mostly toward the back of the book where more creative projects can flower, but unbelievably awful things get to grow like mold too. Take my hand and feel free to close your eyes if you find it to be too much...

Newer Thoughts On Playing A Goblin or Worgen in World of Warcraft

I had a previous post in late December in which I compared the experience of playing as a Goblin or Worgen in World of Warcraft. Having played some more levels I thought I would give an update on what the world is like from your teen-levels to high 20s.