We have two great games for you in this edition of Game Watch. Game Watch is our segment where we look into the near future for titles worth playing. Not just any titles though. These are games you may not have heard of or simply haven’t been following as much as we think you should.
(PC STEAM) (August 26)
Worms games are always awesome. It feels like forever since the last one and this time it’s coming to PC through Steam. Worms Reloaded is designed specifically for the PC with PC controls and it gets all the Steamworks goodies.
The basic premise of the game is that you have a team of worms and you have to kill the enemy’s worms. You do so by taking turns using all kinds of weapons and gear while trying to get the upper hand on the map. You’ll get an idea of the gameplay from the video.
Worms Reloaded is bringing back a lot of the best gadgets (like the Super Rope) and introducing several new ones as well. It’s coming with a landscape creation tool so that you can create your own levels as well as 4 player multiplayer and a singleplayer.
It’s the type of game you’ll be able to pick up and enjoy for 10 minutes or 10 hours that never gets old. Steam integration is the real gem here since you’ll be able to get groups of friends playing together in seconds.
(PC) (August 24)
From the creators Publishers of Sins of a Solar Empire comes what we’re hoping is an equally deep and imaginative strategy game. This time the setting is a medieval fantasy world.
There’s really no better explanation than the official site’s:
“Players found new cities, research new technologies, study spells, build a family dynasty, engage in diplomacy, fight wars, go on quests and much more as they strive to overcome all enemies and dominate the world.”
It looks to be one of those great empire builders where you start off with a few workers and a basic civilization and have to gather your resources, establish your dynasty, and conquer the world. Creating and customizing your own troops, playing with up to 16 players, going on quests, killing special monsters, creating your own worlds, and an overall “more than 4x” experience make this one to watch.
I’m intrigued by Elemental, but I am not sure I want to buy into Impulse. I understand their position and agree with their fight against Steam. However, I like Steam and am dedicated to Steamworks games. I just can’t make the plunge into another digital distribution platform (also to note, this is a reason I am swearing off Battle.net atm).
I haven’t been following the fight against Steam. I think the use of Impulse can go one of two ways:
1) Be a stable platform to play their games online.
2) Be intrusive, annoying, crappy.
I’ve been playing multiplayer games since the day the concept came out. It’s been a struggle for many developers to create a stable, reliable, and functional multiplayer. Even games releasing today have TERRIBLE multiplayer functionality (just look at the C&C games and the Gamespy garbage).
If Impulse is just as unintrusive and functional as Steam then I’ll forgive the need to use it.
The idea of these distribution platforms in general is a bit annoying. I don’t want several of them on my machine just to play the various games using them. We agree on that.
However, I’m also not comfortable with monopolies. *shrug*
As for Bnet, It’s not a digital distribution platform. It’s what powers the multiplayer of Blizzard games. To my knowledge I do not launch or run anything else other than the game I’m playing which then utilizes that multiplayer functionality which is built right into the product.
Elemental is a throwback to Master of Magic
I’m looking forward to Elemental, Stardock games are usually a safe bet to be good. I think Sins was made by Ironclad, Stardock just published it.
Good call Werit. The two games share remarkable similarities though — although that could just be the “4x” factor.
I love 4X games, and I understand they’re going for a unique aesthetic, but damn those Elemental graphics are ugly.
Perhaps more simple than ugly. Their FAQ says they want to run on systems with “very” low specs. The game took ~2.5million to make too which isn’t much.
I was in the beta and in my opinion, Elemental’s graphics look terrific, with a lot of detail and style Particularly for a game like this with a huge overland map. You have to remember that these avatars are like chess pieces you move across the world map. The graphics and animations are as aesthetically pleasing to me as those of the campaign maps of the recent Total War games.
I’ve been playing Worms since the *gasp* Amiga version. It’s one of those games that hasn’t changed much (or when it does, it’s best when it gets back to its basics).
Now if only someone would make a Steamworks-capable Bomberman, my mid-nineties explodarama 2D gameplay would come completely full circle.
… Note: Sins of a Solar Empire was published by Stardock, but made by Ironclad Games. Stardock is notable for creating another 4X game though: Galactic Civilizations.
Hah, nevermind Werit beat me to the correction. =)