April 30, 2011
Don't be put off by this RPG series, even though it is based off a video game from giant developer Bioware, as it has been dubbed one of the best introduction RPGs in the last 30 years and was nominated for Best Game and Product of the Year in the 2010 ENnie Awards. Dragon Age Set 1 was released in 2009 and set players on their path from levels 1-5. Set 2 continues the players journeys and advances them from levels 6-10. It includes instructions for playing the legendary Grey Wardens, a new mechanic of roleplaying and exploration stunts, 40 new spells, additional world info and character backgrounds, and the expansion of specializations to include arcane warrior, berserker, and assassin.
Dragon Age Set 2 is currently available only as a pdf [Green Ronin | RPGNow.com] or can be pre-ordered as a box set which will include an 80-page Player's Guide and an 80-page Game Master's Guide, two different heavy reference cards (with multiple copies of each to share around the table), and a poster map of the world of Thedas [Amazon | Green Ronin].
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 28, 2011
Well, would you look at that. If it wasn't about 3 hours after making my post about the possible upcoming Small World expansion that Days of Wonder announced Underground, a stand-alone addition to the lineup. Designed by original Small World author, Philippe Keyaerts, it boasts a slew of new races, featured in our previous post, new powers, and features neutral monsters that guard relics and occupy places of power on the board. If the name didn't give it away already, Underground will take players to subterranean locations with all new terrain types and geographical obstacles. The expansion can be played by itself or combined with the original game/expansions for greater depth and complexity. Look for Small World Underground in stores in July for North America and June for Europe and will retail for $50 or €45.
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 28, 2011
The fifteenth expansion for the World of Warcraft trading card game has been announced by Cryptozoic, called Twilight of the Dragons. In this third and final of the Worldbreaker set, Deathwing returns to Azeroth. In their plans for destruction of everything the Alliance and Horde hold so dear, He and Lady Sinestra release the Twilight and Black dragonflight who grow more powerful with death and sacrifice.
Twilight of the Dragons will include 80 common, 50 uncommon, 20 hero, 60 rare, 10 epic and 3 new Loot cards including a new flying mount. Cryptozoic will continue the premium Epic Collection offering which will include -
- 6 Twilight of the Dragons Booster Packs
- 1 Twilight of the Dragons Playmat and Deckbox
- Collectible storage box with class dividers
- 1 Loot card
- Twilight of the Dragonsvisual pocket guide
- 5 random foil Twilight of the Dragons heroes
Which means that you are guaranteed a pet loot card if you purchase the Epic Collection. Look for Twilight of the Dragons to be released to stores on July 26th.
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 28, 2011
For the last 10 days, Days of Wonder has been posting a new Small World style race daily, on their blog and RSS feeds. As far as we are aware, no official release announcement has been made thus far. It is pretty obvious to us and most other gamers who see the posts that a new Small World expansion must be in the works. I have attached the latest pictures they have released for you to judge for yourself. I'm really digging the Shadow Mimes and the Iron Dwarves.
 Continue reading: "New Small World Expansion in the Works?"
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 26, 2011
Mousquetaires du Roy (King's Muskateers) is a board game interpretation of the famous Alexander Dumas novel The Three Musketeers. Designed by François Combe and Gilles Lehmann, Mousquetaires was released at Essen 2010 by Ystari Games and brought to the states by Rio Grande Games shortly after. Meant for 1-5 players ages 12+, a play typically lasts around 90 minutes. Critical Gamers would like to extend a special thanks to Rio Grande Games for providing the review copy.
Continue reading: "Mousquetaires du Roy - One for All, All for More!"
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 21, 2011
Fantasy Flight Games has made a lot of fans happy yesterday with their release of Lord of the Rings: The Card Game. Lord of the Ring fans, card game fans, and cooperative fans can all rejoice at this latest offering and considering that I fall into all three of those categories, I am beyond stoked. Meant for 1-2 players (up to 4 with two core sets), the Lord of the Rings is being dubbed as the first cooperative living card game on the market. Players build their decks with characters easily recognized from J.R.R. Tolkien's fiction and based off four different spheres of influence (tactics, lore, spirit, and leadership) and must work together to stop the forces of Sauron. Boasting 226 cards that can be separated into multiple decks, the core set will include 3 perilous quests that use different combinations of monsters and settings that will give the players a different experience each time they play. The Lord of the Rings is being marketed as a living card game, so expect monthly adventure packs to continue to expand and enthrall players. The Shadows of Mirkwood cycle has been announced with three different adventure packs to be available soon: The Hunt for Gollum, Conflict at the Carrock, and A Journey to Rhosgobel. Pre-orders for The Hunt for Gollum can be placed at Funagain Games and stay tuned to Critical Gamers for all your adventure pack info.
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 20, 2011
Italian publisher Nexus Games International (Letters from Whitechapel, Dakota), has announced Fallen Shadow, the first expansion for the hit fantasy wargame Magestorm. Fallen Shadow brings two new mages, the Water Mage and the Dark Mage, new terrain tiles, and new scenarios to the table. The Water Mage will utilize the life-sustaining property of water for healing purposes while the Dark Mage will harness the powers of frost and shadow. Fallen Shadow will also contain the first nighttime scenario and the new mechanic of condition cards which will modify a battle as terrain does but it effects the whole battlefield. Visit the Nexus Games announcement page for additional information on the upcoming expansion!
At Fallen Shadow
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 18, 2011
Coming from a fairly large family of seven, board gaming was an integral part of our growing up and the Game of Life is one of those classic games I played and loved as a child. Whenever the games were brought out, it was always on the top of my list. The cars and distinct people pegs, that unmistakable sound of the spinner turning, and all of the cool spaces to land on were just a few of the draws that I latched on to. Can that wonder hold up against an older, less forgiving critic?
Continue reading: "Game of Life - A Review of a Family Classic"
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 17, 2011
White Goblin Games (Rattus, Inca Empire) has announced their second release of the year, a card game called Cherokee from Saboteur designer Fréderic Moyersoen. The great, wise Yonaguska has just died and the Cherokee tribe needs a new leader. The player must elevate members of their clan as high as possible in the pyramid while keeping their clan color a secret as players battle each for feathers to be selected as the new leader of the tribe. Look for Cherokee to be released in May 2011!
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 15, 2011
Amongst the tragedy of the black plague, the Hundred Year's War, and the beginning of the Renaissance, the upcoming release of Ventura by Fantasy Flight Games features warring noble families as they battle for power and prestige. Your family will fight to gain territories and increase their house's prosperity through the military might of a hired army and keen management of the family's wealth.
Ventura requires 2-4 players, ages 13+, and each game takes approximately 90 minutes to play. The game contains 120 plastic pieces, 40 Territory tiles, 4 Family Boards, a scoring board, over 100 cards, and 80 themed tokens. The release of Ventura is expected to be in Q3 of 2011. For more information, visit the Ventura website.
At Ventura
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
If you own Cargo Noir and your Token Bag has shredded or torn, Days of Wonder has offered to replace your bag with a stronger, reinforced bag at no cost. If this is you, then head over to Days of Wonder Contact Page and request your replacement.
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 14, 2011
Victory Point Games announced today their latest release in the Battlesson solitaire line, A Blood-Red Banner: The Alamo. This historically inspired title, designed by Richard Trevino, pits the player against the Mexican Director, General Santa Anna in the famous Battle of the Alamo. The player controls a ragtag band of besieged Texians defenders fighting for their new republic against five converging Mexican attack columns. Remember the Alamo, withstand the onslaught, and raise your Blood-Red Banner!
At A Blood-Red Banner: The Alamo
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 13, 2011
Cosmic Encounter has been around since 1977 and has existed in many incarnations from many different publishers, Fantasy Flight Games being the most recent. What is interesting is that it also exists in an online format and while this may not be news, I don't believe that it is widely known. Launched by one of the original designers, Peter Olotka, the site uses a free-to-play model where you can play the game for free in a limited capacity as long as you would like, but must pay in order to access the additional content. I think this is a fantastic business model for the online game as it allows players to try, as much as they want, before buying and they can choose what level of buying they wish. Also, if you have never played Cosmic Encounter before, don't fret, there is an excellent tutorial that will teach you the basics. So if you love Cosmic Encounter, enjoy free online games, or have always wanted to play, check out the Cosmic Encounter Online website and give it a play!
At Cosmic Encounter Online
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 11, 2011
Go figure, as soon as I post about some great Kickstarter projects, three more pop up that have many people excited. I can't say that I am surprised, really, as the amount of unbelievably creative people in our industry is nearly unrivaled. So if you enjoy being the first one on the block to have the latest products, I highly suggest that you check out the following projects.
Continue reading: "Kickstarter Projects Worth Backing! Pt. Deux"
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 8, 2011
If you have never heard of Kickstarter, then let me give you a quick rundown. Kickstarter is a web based funding project that allows creative individuals the opportunity to pitch their products online in an attempt to get their product published. The project will be posted and different levels of commitment are offered, which also determines what the supporter receives if the project is funded. This allows the individual to fund the design or publishing of their product, create a fan base and hype, and keep the copyrights to the property all in one fell swoop. It is a fantastic website and has already helped many inventors, designers, and others seek their dreams of publication. The following list are some of the awesome projects that can be found on Kickstarter that are looking for your support to bring to fruition and, honestly, we love the little guys.
Continue reading: "Kickstarter Projects Worth Backing!"
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 7, 2011
Released in 2007, Agricola, which is Latin for "farmer", has quickly become one of the greatest board games around. It ranked as the number 3 top board game on the massive board game database and community site Board Game Geek and won the prestigious Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year in German) "Complex Game" Winner in 2008. In Agricola, you start out as a farmer in a small wooden shack with you and your spouse. It is up to you to plow and sow your fields, grow your crops, add and tend your livestock, collect resources, while upgrading your house and producing children. With all of the deck expansions, the Farmers of the Moor expansion, and all of the meeples that you can buy, there is a lot of replayability and customization that comes along with the game. This game is a blast to play and is a staple for many board gaming conventions and gatherings.
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 5, 2011
The team over at Zeitgeyser LLC has graciously given Critical Gamers an early peak at their new collectible card game called Conquest Tactics. 2 years in the making, Conquest Tactics is looking to combine the card aspect with miniatures and grid-based movement while utilizing hand management, resource allocation and battlefield strategy to outwit each other. Players will lead their army across the battlefield and use tactical points to move, attack, or cast spells against the opponent. One major difference between Conquest Tactics and most conventional CCGs is that spells and skills are not consumed upon use but are added to your Knowledge Pool. This allows a new level of depth as a well filled Knowledge Pool can and will be very intimidating to an opponent. Another new concept being added to CCGs by Conquest Tactics is Victory Conditions. Victory Conditions are similar to quests that you can do during the battle, for example you might choose to invade and occupy your opponent's side of the field, destroy their base, challenge troops that are stronger than your own, or upgrade a troop to it's highest potential. If you are able to complete the Victory Condition, then you are given a Trophy which will grant a special bonus such as the ability to draw extra cards, deal additional damage or search for the perfect troop you need at the moment. Check out their website for information about the game and stay tuned to Critical Gamers for announcement information!
At Conquest Tactics
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 4, 2011
Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG) announced War of Honor, the latest in the Legend of the Five Rings (L5R) CCG line. War of Honor will include four pre-built decks for the Dragon, Lion, Phoenix, and Scorpion Clans and will be ready to go for 2-4 players right out of the box. The game will contain the four decks, a scoreboard, markers, movable tiles that bring that help bring a different game to each session, and tiles for the other five Great Clans making War of Honor compatible with any existing L5R cards. War of Honor will hit stores in June 2011.
Here is some additional information from AEG -
Continue reading: "AEG Announces War of Honor the Next Legend of the Five Rings Release"
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
April 1, 2011
Designed by Corey Konieczka (Battlestar Galactica, Runewars, Middle-earth Quest) Mansions of Madness, the latest blockbuster hit from Fantasy Flight Games, takes H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos into a living, creepy, haunted mansion located in Arkham, Massachusetts. Filled with macabre, Mansions attempts to engross the player in mystery, terror, insanity, and pain as they endeavor to unlock the secrets of the house. Will the walls run red with blood or crumble under the pressure?
Continue reading: "Mansions of Madness - It's a Mad House With a Few Squeaky Floorboards"
Critical Gamers Staff Permalink
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