Tyranny Review

Being evil is not a new concept to role-playing games, but Tyranny takes playing the bad guy further than I’ve ever seen before. While I’ve sided with demons, robbed innocents, and even slaughtered many a bystander just because I felt like it in other RPGs, the nasty stuff is taken to another level in Obsidian Entertainment’s latest opus. How wicked is it? Well, at one point I was encouraged to murder an infant by the tyke’s own grandfather, no less. At another, I was given the option of tossing a captive off a tower to deliver a message to friends far below. I even got to listen to a soldier ally tell me how much his parents would be proud of him if they could see him now... right after he recounted how he had to murder them both to achieve his present position.

Such atrocities would qualify Tyranny as one of the most disconcerting games of the year all on their own. But what really sets this game apart from the crowd is that you play more of a cog in a machine instead of the usual capital-V villain. The old Hannah Arendt phrase about the Nazi banality of evil ran through my mind constantly as I played through the campaign, doing my bloody duty over and over again to prop up a conquering empire. Yet even though I found all of this deeply unsettling, the mature and realistic handling of the dark side of humanity drew me into what has to be one of the most thought-provoking games that I’ve played in ages. The game makes it all too easy to relate to evil acts, as the typically bleak circumstances depicted herein frequently make atrocities seem necessary. You’re often killing to expand the locked-down order of your empire and avoid more bloodletting and chaos, so even the most heinous actions somehow come off like justice being served. It’s only when you look back at what you’ve done that you realize how monstrous you’ve become in service to the idea of, well, a tyranny. Add in stellar roleplaying depth, constant opportunities to make decisions that affect the entire game world, and brilliant tactical combat mechanics, and you’ve got one of the best RPGs of this--or any other--year.

The setting is the fantasy realm of Terratus, which has been wracked by war for centuries due to the ambitions of the monstrous Overlord Kyros. This enigmatic immortal never actually appears in the game, but she (or he, as nobody even knows if the tyrant is female or male) looms over everything as kind of a cruel god that has steadily conquered the entire world. As befits the game’s malicious leanings, you take on the role of one of Kyros’ top servants, a freelance judge and executioner called a Fatebinder. First up on your docket is looking into the brewing civil war between factions in the Overlord’s squabbling army, a dispute causing problems in the effort to subjugate the last free refuge on the map. Kyros has grown so tired of the delays that she fires off a spell that places the entire region under a curse that will kill everyone in the area if the enemy citadel isn’t captured within a week.

Heavy story development gives even more weight to everything that you do. Politics are paramount, and fear is the one constant motivator. Kyros’ chief lieutenants are demigod-like figures called Archons who wield incredible power within their own spheres of influence--and are, of course, constantly jockeying for position with the boss. You directly serve the Archon of Justice, Tunon the Adjudicator, but are also heavily involved with two others. Graven Ashe leads the military fanatics in the Disfavored, while The Voices of Nerat command a psychotic gang of rapists and murderers called The Scarlet Chorus. Most of Tyranny sees you bouncing between these two sides, choosing whether or not to align yourself with one or the other depending upon the circumstance and personal choice.

And there are a lot of choices to make. Tyranny is loaded with meaningful dialogue, and the options you select have an immediate impact on the people, factions, and even the land around you. Everything is so responsive that the game feels like a Choose Your Own Adventure novel. The game actually begins exactly like one of those books--you decide on courses of action in the prologue that can be used to set up the world differently for each campaign. Whatever you decide to do and say during this opening makes a huge difference. At one point, you select between burning a magical library to the ground with no warning to the inhabitants or giving them advance notice of the coming arson so that they can flee. Choose the latter option, as I did, and the those inside are nicer and even compliment you for your mercy when you show up there later in the game.

Choices carry even more weight once the proper story gets underway. I don’t think I’ve ever played an RPG packed with so many personal choices, most of which can be seen to dramatically change the world at large. Just about every other comment you make causes a reaction. Be too harsh with a party member, and that will increase his or her fear of you. Play the nice guy, and you build up loyalty. Act the same way when it comes to a faction, and you engender loyalty or wrath. Too much of either approach with the Disfavored and the Scarlet Chorus, and you’ll inevitably form an alliance with one and develop enmity with the other.

Most of your choices also have a moral dimension to them that rarely involve black-and-white situations. While you can act like a serial killer and slaughter people for kicks, most of the time you’re stuck right in the middle of that good old banality of evil. Decisions pop up out of nowhere all the time. You run across criminals being escorted to an execution and are asked to make a ruling on their fate. You have to make hard calls about how to best reach quest goals, solve dilemmas that often come down to deciding if you should take the easy route and kill people or look for more creative solutions. Not much here is clear cut. The game includes few (if any) good guys, so sometimes murder is the more sensible option to keep the peace and leave fewer problems for yourself down the road (yes, the game is a downer; heck, even the soundtrack is pretty much one long moan). These ethical predicaments don’t exactly add up to Nietzsche, but they still made me think a lot more than I would during a typical RPG.

This is a unique experience that makes you think about human nature, morality, and what role mercy and compassion should (or even could) play in a centuries-old war.
Which side you lean toward has a big influence on how your campaign plays out. I wound up siding with the Disfavored choosing the Lawful Evil path of these medieval fascists instead of the crazed Chaotic Evil of the rampaging Blood Chorus. I enjoyed this alliance, although it left me wondering what my game would have been like if I’d given in to bloodlust. As a result, I was constantly planning out what I would do in my next playthrough, which bodes well for replay value. It would probably take a good two or three plays to even come close to seeing everything the game has to offer.

Tyranny is a spiritual successor to Obsidian’s last RPG effort, 2015’s Pillars of Eternity, and this game uses the same general engine and interface. As expected, it’s loaded with role-playing depth (as well as gorgeous spell effects and detailed background art). Characters are not bound to set D&D-style classes. Instead, you freeform it by boosting core abilities every time you level up and select options from extensive skill trees that cover all manner of specialties from might to magic. An innovative (if fussy) rune system governs how you research and learn spells. Many of these incantations are a bit out of the ordinary--and a bit sadistic. Fire magic causes inflamed foes to scream horribly for mercy, and other spells like the ability to place a water bubble on the head of a victim, drowning him in the open air, perfectly match the ghastly nature of the overall game.

Combat is equally captivating, although it always takes a backseat to the storytelling. This is a long way from a hack-and-slasher, but the traditional Baldur’s Gate-style tactical approach used here relies on a pausable real-time engine to provide tense battles. Tyranny doesn’t include the ludicrous mob scenes that hampered and dragged out Pillars of Eternity, either. Most scraps are short, nasty affairs with no more than a handful of baddies. Thinking strategically is often a necessity in these fights, although the party AI is so good (especially when it comes to spellcasters) that you don’t need to micromanage too often. I actually left the AI on a lot of the time to help me sail through most battles. The difficulty is also nearly perfectly balanced on the default setting, with battles steadily scaling up until you hit the challenging boss fights at the end of the game.

Some aspects of the game feel overly convoluted or unnecessary. Every NPC seems to come with about 10 minutes worth of dialogue, much of which serves little purpose aside from adding color to the game world. Three different values of currency are used here, for no apparent reason. Most items have been given such a wide range of stats that it’s difficult to compare them on the fly. I’m all for +2 swords and the like, but not bronze swords accompanied by a half-dozen numbers rating their damage per second, parry and accuracy ratings, recovery time, and so forth. Some frills are barely used. I didn’t understand the point of the missives section where you could send off letters seeking advice from other Fatebinders. Being able to conquer and set up magical spires as bases of operation with special buildings to research spells, make weapons, and train characters, also didn’t seem all that necessary. I took them over pretty easily, but then only used them afterward when the plot demanded it.

Tyranny also isn’t quite as wide open as you might expect. The game is brief in comparison with many other traditional RPGs. I got through the campaign in under 25 hours, despite taking a lot of time to read through dialogue and complete most of the side quests. Such brevity is good in some ways, allowing for a tight focus on the story and linear maps that get right to the point. But the story ends too soon and too abruptly, stranding you without a fulfilling climax. Just when you think you’re gearing up for a final showdown, the game simply stops and presents you with clips recounting what you did during your adventure and letting you know what the future holds for both the realm and your companions. It feels like the game was chopped in half at the last minute, so you can probably expect DLC or a full sequel to arrive in short order.

Evil may be banal, but Tyranny is not. While I have some personal misgivings over how much I enjoyed such a twisted, unscrupulous game, this is a unique experience that makes you think about human nature, morality, and what role mercy and compassion should (or even could) play in a centuries-old war. It reaches beyond the standard heroic fantasy RPG where you slay monsters and save the kingdom, inverting that familiar story and setting and creating something utterly different--and somewhat depressingly realistic.

Funcom's Conan Exiles Will Hit Eary Access In January

Players will soon be able to get their hands on Funcom's new open world survival game set in the Conan universe, Conan Exiles. In just under three months, the game will hit early access on Steam and players will be able to delve into the world of the famous barbarian.

The game will be available in 11 languages to start, “We want to make sure the game is available to as many people as possible from the very start of Early Access,” says Funcom CEO Rui Casais. “Releasing a game into Early Access means building a community of players around it that helps us as developers realize the full potential of the game. The more people we can include in that process, the better it will be for the game and for the players.”

Funcom also announced that they have partnered with Nvidia to implement their cutting-edge Ansel technology which will let players take breathtaking 360 degree screenshots of the game. These screenshots can even be viewed in VR with devices such as Vive, Oculus Rift, and mobile VR.

On describing what Conan Exiles is all about Funcom stated "Conan Exiles is an open-world survival game set in the brutal lands of Conan the Barbarian, the world's greatest fantasy hero. The game can be played on private and public servers, either in multiplayer or local single-player. Journey through a vast, seamless world filled with the ruins of ancient civilizations and uncover its dark history and buried secrets as you seek to conquer and dominate the exiled lands yourself..."

Funcom continued "You start with nothing but your bare hands and forge the legacy of your clan, from simple tools and weapons to gigantic fortresses and entire cities. Enslave the bandits of the exiled lands to do your bidding by breaking them on the grueling Wheel of Pain. Sacrifice the beating hearts of your enemies on the blood-soiled altars of your god to seize true power and glory. Summon the colossal avatar of your god and see them lay waste to your enemies and their homes." The game should be hitting early access in January of 2017.

Source : tri peaks

EA Responds to Criticism of Titanfall 2 Releasing So Closely to Battlefield 1

Both games "fulfill very different motivations in what a player is looking for," EA CEO Andrew Wilson says.

Titanfall 2 released this past Friday, October 28, and received much praise from critics. Despite the glowing reviews, analysts believe the shooter's sales will be "substantially disappointing" because of it releasing a week after Battlefield 1 and a week before Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.

In today's earnings call, EA CEO Andrew Wilson was asked if he'd do things differently in the future and refrain from releasing future shooters so closely to each other. Wilson said that while Battlefield 1 and Titanfall 2 "have some overlap," they "fulfill very different motivations in what a player is looking for."

"We think there's really three types of players," Wilson said. "People that really love Battlefield and that kind of big strategic gameplay that will orient in that direction; the player that loves the fast, fluid, kinetic gameplay of Titanfall 2 that really orient in that direction; and the player that just has to play the two greatest shooters this year and will buy both.

"And again, we're very very excited about the quality in both titles," he continued. "We believe they both will have a long sale cycle, both this quarter through the festive season and deep into the years to come.

"And so as we think about the long game on this, we couldn't be in a better position for what we think is delivering great games to a very, very big player base."

Wilson also noted that Titanfall 2's plan to provide free DLC maps and modes "is receiving really positive feedback." EA CFO Blake Jorgensen said that the publisher plans to work with developer Respawn Entertainment on building the Titanfall franchise "for many, many years to come," noting there's "huge opportunity" to continue expanding it.

"Part of the strategy of building a franchise is you have a long view," Jorgensen explained. "You think about the business differently than you might an existing franchise like a FIFA or a Madden. What that means is we're looking for ways to not fragment the player base early, but to include [as many players] as we can to continue to build that franchise. We think that's the right strategy for a product like Titanfall."

Titanfall 2 received a score of 9/10 in GameSpot's review. Critic Mike Mahardy concluded, "In many ways, Titanfall 2 feels like the game Respawn should have made in 2013. It's a fantastic sequel. It's a fluid shooter. It's a spectacular game."

Source : http://webofsolitaire.com

Terminal velocity.

Titanfall 2 is a game about momentum. It knows when to rush forward at a breakneck pace. It knows when to give us time to breathe. Both in its single player campaign and its multiplayer modes, Titanfall 2 has a more measured pace than its predecessor, making the build-up to its climactic battles just as enticing as the events themselves. It's every bit as kinetic and fluid as the first Titanfall--but in many respects, it's a much better shooter.

As with the first game from Respawn Entertainment, Titanfall 2 revolves around two layers of combat: conventional firefights between human combatants, and clashes between massive bipedal mechs. As a boots-on-the-ground pilot, Titanfall 2 feels more like a traditional shooter--albeit one with pristine controls and a fluid traversal system. The first Titanfall sparked the trend of shooters focused on movement, and with its sequel, the series reestablishes its place at the head of the pack. The loop of sliding, double jumping, vaulting a ledge, and running along a wall to flank an enemy feels invigorating and intuitive.

Then it comes time to call in your mechanical ally from orbit, and everything changes when it hits the ground. Because it's when these two layers engage in a tug-of-war that Titanfall 2 reveals its true brilliance. What was once an even fight becomes a David versus Goliath scenario: a pilot rushes to cover, fires off a rocket, glides along a nearby wall, avoids a missile salvo from her robotic opponent, activates her cloaking device, and enters a nearby ravine to order a Titan of her own.

This sequence is intense, but in Titanfall 2, it's commonplace. Momentum often shifts as one team gains control of the battlefield, only to lose ground when the other notices a weak spot, and attacks it.
This is crucial in Titanfall 2. Now more than ever, combat requires forethought and intelligence. Humans may be careening across the map with grapple hooks, while phase-warping ninja mechs cut through laser-powered robot warriors--but beneath all of this is a hidden nuance. Despite the bombast and spectacle, Titanfall 2 is a thinking person's shooter.

The sequel's new Titans embody this sentiment. In place of the basic light, medium, and heavy variants from the first game, Titanfall 2 employs six distinct walking battle tanks with arsenals of their own. They're almost like superheroes: one attacks with a thermite launcher and flame attacks, while another fires a chest-mounted laser cannon at unlucky opponents.

Each of the Titans' abilities are easy to learn, but difficult to master, as the saying goes. Their loadouts immediately make sense, and it's easy to see that Northstar's low armor and long-range railgun make her an ideal sniper--but new layers reveal themselves the more you play. Take Scorch, for example. His flame shield dissolves incoming projectiles, providing extra protection while he tries to back away from close-quarter engagements. But the flame shield has other uses: at one point, an enemy pilot came flying at me on a grappling hook. By igniting my fiery barrier, I melted him just as he came close to my cockpit.
Learning the intricacies of each Titan is paramount not just for offense, but defense, too. Each mech has a distinct aesthetic, so as you round a corner and see a Ronin approaching you, you know to put distance between your Titan and the shotgun-toting enemy. There are elements of fighting games or MOBAs here--each Titan has a tell, and you only have a few brief moments to counter it to your advantage.

The new Titans lend a very different pace to multiplayer matches. While the first Titanfall was always turned up to 11, so to speak, with smaller maps and cookie-cutter Titans focused on dealing damage, Titanfall 2 understands the value of breathing room. It doesn't burn you out with an onslaught of firefights--its maps are focused on exterior environments, and are often on the larger side, giving you time to plan out your attack with the intricate Titan loadouts. The plan may go awry, but it lends more weight to each enemy encounter. There's a sense of build-up as you approach a capture point, knowing full well which Titans occupy the area, and thinking through each step in your head.

Each multiplayer mode is tailored to facilitate Titanfall 2's interwoven combat systems, but also to twist the formula in creative ways. Bounty Hunt is my favorite--you gain currency by killing the enemy team and AI grunts that litter the map, and at the end of each wave, you're given the option to deposit your loot in one of several banks. But here's the wrinkle: you have to leave your Titan in order to do so. What's more, clever players will camp near banks to pick off unsuspecting Pilots as they approach their goal. It's a frantic game of cat and mouse that increases in tension as the banks open and each team knows exactly what the other is doing, or trying to do.

Dishonored Dev's The Crossing, Put on Hold in 2009, Gets a New Trademark Filing

This doesn't mean an announcement is coming soon, if ever.

Before Arkane Studios made Dishonored, the team worked on a first-person shooter called The Crossing. The game would have merged single- and multiplayer into what it called "cross-play," but it was not meant to be. Arkane put the game on hold in May 2009 due to an "unexpected financial challenge," the studio told Joystiq at the time.

Bethesda parent company ZeniMax purchased Arkane in 2010. Now, it looks like Bethesda may have plans for The Crossing, or at least it wants to keep hold of the name for potential future use.

ZeniMax filed a trademark application with the United States Patent & Trademark Office on October 11, records show. The trademark application covers video games, but the document doesn't contain any details about the status of the game or Bethesda's plans for it.

A Bethesda representative told GameSpot this afternoon, "We don't comment on trademark filings."

The existence of a trademark application doesn't necessarily mean much. There are many examples of trademark applications for things that never happen, like Call of Duty: Future Warfare and Call of Duty: Space Warfare. It might be that Bethesda filed the trademark application to allow it to hold onto the name, should it want to revive development on The Crossing someday.

Arkane CEO Raphael Colantonio said in the past (via double klondike) that layoffs at Electronic Arts--a partner for Valve, The Crossing's publisher--might have contributed to the need to put the game on hold. Check out the video above to see a teaser for The Crossing.Arkane's next game is Dishonored 2, which comes out in November. After that, the studio's Austin, Texas branch will ship the new Prey in 2017. Arkane is headquartered in Lyon, France.

HITMAN: EPISODE 5 REVIEW

The trouble with reviewing each individual Hitman level—and I'm definitely not saying this entire endeavour has been a waste of time—is that so much of what makes Hitman good happens in its systems. The levels are important, particularly in regards to the guard placement, disguise flow and creative opportunities. But all, so far, have been variations on the same theme. That it works is because, at its core, Hitman's stealth and AI manipulation systems are satisfying.

Episode 5's new level departs from the template set over the past four episodes. And yet, this is still a competently constructed space in which to cleanly and creatively kill some people. It's good, because, like past episodes, it's attached to a good game.

What makes this new mission, Freedom Fighters, different, is that 47 is operating in hostile territory. Previous episodes, much like Blood Money before them, feature an area of public space to explore, giving the player chance to watch, learn and plan. Here, 47 is infiltrating a Colorado farm occupied by a patchwork militia of hackers, explosive experts and assassins. If you're spotted, you're in trouble. In that sense, Episode 5 features a style of challenge reminiscent of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin.

The shift places a bigger emphasis on sneaking, at least up to the point of securing your disguise. Still, while Colorado eventually morphs into a more familiar style, the change in atmosphere keeps things feeling fresh. We've infiltrated a lot of mansions in Hitman up to now. It's nice to try something a bit different.

Episode 5 features a style of challenge reminiscent of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin.

This episode also brings stronger ties to the overarching story that, up until now, has been told almost exclusively in the cutscenes that play after each mission. It's still just a small part of the level, but, ultimately, that's all it can be. Because of Hitman's release model, each mission must stand alone to preserve its replayability over the life of an episode.

The farm is broken up into distinct sections, some with specific restrictions on who is allowed inside. A basic grunt can't enter the patch of land used for creating and testing explosives, and the main house is off limits to all but the elite guards. Freedom Fighters features four targets, each doing their own thing in a separate part of the compound. The structure creates lots of small-scale stealth challenges, reinforcing the hostile theme. 

Normally, I prefer the more open, public levels. But Hitman needed to mix up its formula, and Colorado does the job. In terms of murder methods, it's a little less interesting than previous episodes – only a few Opportunities exist spread over all four targets. But there's plenty to try, and the layout of the farm, and the nature of its restrictions, opens up the possibility for a satisfying series of contracts, escalations and elusive targets.

Colorado isn't the most visually appealing or intricate level in Hitman. But it provides some much needed variety—a change of scenery and challenge that rounds out the Hitman experience. It feels as if IO has spent most of this season demonstrating that it can still get Hitman right. It's nice to see they're now confident enough to move away from the template they've created.

Worms W.M.D. Review

Worms W.M.D. marks a return to form for the classic turn-based strategy series.

Team17’s Worms series has been happily bumping along since the mid-'90s with no signs of stopping. Despite some absurd spin-offs and missteps, the franchise’s tried-and-true turn-based, scorched-earth-style formula has allowed Worms to become one of the most consistently entertaining series around. The latest game, Worms W.M.D., is an excellent example of why Worms continues to thrive, and why it's original formula had the right idea all along.

If you’ve never played a Worms game before, the concept is simple: opposing teams of well-armed worm commandos face off in a turn-based battle in a completely destructible 2D landscape. Physics play a key role; gravity, acceleration, charging power, and even wind direction affect the huge array of weaponry. The old standby bazooka, which you can charge to adjust its range and power, is still the default weapon, but exploding sheep, airstrikes, a variety of grenades, melee weapons, the dragon punch, and more are up for grabs. Jetpacks, the ninja rope, teleporters, and other vital tools are at your disposal for traversing the landscape. But no matter what you choose, you still have a limited amount of time to perform any action.

Airdrops keep more supplies coming. Some of these actually deliver parts instead of complete weapons or power-ups and are used for crafting--a new wrinkle to the series. It’s not a sea change, but the ability to make new weapons and supplies (even during an opponent’s turn) can occasionally help turn the tide of a battle.

W.M.D. adds two other major facets that make considerably more impact. The first is the inclusion of vehicles. Tanks and helicopters appear on some levels and greatly change the dynamic of the action for the brief period of time they’re in use. Tanks, in particular, provide exceptional protection and firepower to chew through the terrain and other worms with a multi-shell attack.

Meanwhile, the helicopter has a killer mini-gun assault and is comically awkward to control and aim. There are even mounted guns to be had, which provide ample firepower but can also leave your worm incredibly exposed. Worms isn’t, in any way, a “driving” game, but these new elements feel like natural additions. Aiming the tank gun or helicopter is far from a sure thing most of the time, and these vehicles don’t feel so overpowered that a normal worm can’t destroy them. Using the left stick for both moving and aiming, however, makes the controls feel a little finicky on consoles, since it’s easy to accidently move when simply trying to line a shot up using the analog stick.

The other interesting addition comes in the form of structures. You can actually enter houses, barns, pubs, bunkers, and other buildings now. They frequently hide goodies like supplies and vehicles, and buildings can also provide invaluable protection from attacks and add much more compelling reasons to explore the map. At times, enemy worms can be hiding in a structure without you even realizing it, leading to extra reasons to destroy more parts of the map.

Given that you stand to benefit from surveying the map, it's unfortunate that W.M.D.’s camera feels unreliable at times. Even when you take manual control, the game has a tendency to just whip the screen back to a less-than-optimal spot. As a result, you regularly fight with the camera when you try to take in all the action or focus on a specific worm. It’s by no means a game-breaking problem, but it’s certainly in need of refinement.

Typical of the series, W.M.D. offers an array of single-player levels that cover all aspects of the game. Unlike recent entries into the series, however, there’s no underlying plot thread or story. Instead, the single-player game feels like an extended tutorial. Playing through various offline modes unlocks new ways to customize your worm team--voices, skins, clothing items, and so on--and there are tutorial maps, themed campaigns, and special challenge maps.

Playing Worms against an AI-controlled opponent is still tons of fun, but there’s something intrinsically entertaining about mixing the hilarious graphics, audio, and action of Worms with multiplayer. So, whether your opponent annihilates your worms with expert finesse or totally crashes and burns during their turn, the game is almost always fascinating just to watch.

Online play can support up to six players in ranked or friendly matches. While there isn’t much variety in terms of game modes (it’s pretty much all worm-versus-worm), Worms W.M.D. is a great reminder of how far humor and sheer wanton destruction can carry a game. Which is to say, it’s still terrifically fun after more than 20 years.

W.M.D. is easily the best game in the Worms series in several years. It stays true to the 2D, animated roots of the ’90s games while adding enough new features to keep it feeling fresh and relevant. The relatively simple gameplay is overflowing with finesse and strategy, the presentation is fantastic, and offline or on, Worms is just incredibly fun.

Multiplayer survival game Osiris: New Dawn may be Steam’s next breakout hit

The premise for Osiris: New Dawn as a product sounds improbable, if not impossible. A multiplayer adventure survival game — complete with crafting and base building — coupled with an action-packed first-person shooting experience. If the team at Fenix Fire can pull it off, it has every chance of being the next smash hit on Windows PC.

"We really have no business making a game this ambitious," said Brian McRae, one of just a pair of developers that’s been working on the game for the past five years. "But we just couldn’t help ourselves. I guess, left to our own devices, we wound up searching for the holy grail of … something? Is it a role-playing game? Is it survival? I don’t know. It’s just a game that we’ve always wanted to play."

I got a chance to play the single-player demo at this year’s PAX West and was stunned by the diversity of experiences on offer. It feels stable, it looks polished and it just might be the kind of all-inclusive experience those disappointed by games like No Man’s Sky have been looking for.

Native creatures come in nocturnal varieties too. A full day/night cycle lasts about 40 minutes.

Players start out by joining a faction, either the United Nations of Earth or the Outlanders, which McRae likens to space pirates. The final game will be class-based, with scientists, marines and engineers each starting out with slightly different stats. Ultimately, experience will be use-based so that players can customize their characters by doing what they best like to do in-game.

After character creation, players crash-land on a deserted planet. There are two starting planets in the game, a Mars-like environment for the UNE and a Hoth-like planet for the Outlanders. After gathering up the scattered components of their dropship, players will need to forage in the wild for the resources to build up a habitable basecamp, smacking rocks with NASA-inspired tools.

"Here we are 40 years in the future," McRae said. "But humans are still fragile, right? Space travel is hard. It doesn’t agree with you. You have to pay attention to what you’re running into. You might touch a plant that’ll scratch your suit and puncture it. You have to pay attention."

The starting pistol has a very slow recharge rate, but it will never run out of ammo.

Every player starts the game with a single-shot, rechargeable energy pistol and an assault rifle. Both first- and third-person views are available, as well as down-the-sights aiming.

You’ve also got rocket boots.

"As soon as we put those in," says McRae, nodding slowly, "we were like, yeah. This feels good."

Populating each of the game’s starting planets are indigenous flora and fauna. I saw scuttling stingray-like creatures, hulking crab monsters and even a Dune-scale sand worm. The attention to detail stood out. Every enemy felt like they belonged on their home planet and fit in with their environment. They also behaved in very interesting ways.

"We put little hiding nodes around every little rock in the game," said McRae, "so that if they’re wounded as they’re going along and if the creatures have a line of sight, they actually see the rock and then they know to path-find around it and hide.

"They also know how to flank, just like the velociraptors in Jurassic Park. One of them starts to attack, and the other ones will go around."

Four decades in the future, rocket boots are standard issue for all astronauts. So are droid companions. The game will feature more than 20 craftable chips, and each will allow your robot companions to perform different tasks autonomously or at your side.

But in Osiris, you don’t have to kill everything that you see. It’s also possible to tame many of the game’s creatures so that you can ride them.

The closest comparison I can make for Osiris is to Ark: Survival Evolved, the prehistoric-themed title that exploded into the gaming zeitgeist nearly a year and a half ago. Since its launch, Ark has maintained a top-five position among the most played games on Steam thanks to its survival hooks and open-world, team-based exploration mechanics. As it turns out, Osiris is being published by Reverb Triple XP, a new initiative from the marketing team at Reverb Communications — the same public relations company that represents Ark.

"They really helped us out a lot on how to dial in some of the crafting components. Because we’re a two-person team and we both kind of come from more of a Nintendo background. We love action and gameplay and just sort of that magic that Nintendo games have. The ease of use. To be able to just jump right in and everything is intuitive. So, on one side of the coin you have simulation. On the other side you have gameplay. Just fun. And we wanted to be more on the fun side."

In addition to an experienced publisher, McRae also has his own bona fides in spades. He’s built multiple experiences for the Oculus Rift and was the environmental artist on StarCraft: Ghost.

Yes, that is a sand worm. No, you can not ride it, Maud'Dib.

"I love graphics and art," McRae said. "I was in the room when Ghost got indefinitely postponed. I’ve been asked to do interviews on it, but I decline because of the NDA."

With Osiris, McRae’s work didn’t stop at wildlife. There is an entire base-building mechanic that allows you to make large, habitable structures. These structures are modular, so you can mix and match and connect them however you like. There’s also a laundry list of vehicles: a hoverbike, an eight-wheeled party bus, a tank and a 30-foot tall mech. There’s rockets, starships and space stations. And, eventually, each one will be customizable.

"In the near future," McRae said, "we want to offer vehicle crafting. To allow players to be able to start choosing what pieces you want to put onto your mech, onto your tank, onto your hovercraft. The whole thing’s gonna be modular.

"Everything is object-oriented. And that’s one of the ways that we’ve been able to build so quickly and have such a stable build is everything in the game just sort of runs itself. So, take the guns. Nothing else in the game knows how many bullets the gun has except for the gun. And then, when the gun shoots, nothing knows how much damage it’s going to do except for the bullet. The bullet actually has to hit something to then cause the damage, so everything is object oriented. When you push throttle on the hoverbike, we actually have a computer on the vehicle that then sends the throttle to the stabilizers and the engines. So if those are damaged, then they don’t function and the hoverbike leans to one side."

The eight-wheeled rover features articulated wheels and room for multiple players and their robot companions.

I only had a chance to see a fraction of what Osiris can do during a short demo, but if even half of what Fenix Fire has shared works at scale, the final product could be something very, very special. And players will have the chance to experience it themselves before long.

Ten separate public-access servers will launch soon, each with two 60-square kilometer planets that players can travel between.

"It takes two to three hours to walk from one end to the other," McRae said. "They’re hand-crafted, the whole thing. The only part that we did procedurally is the erosion and sediment carry from the mountains, mountains that we placed with our own artistic brush. We did the procedural generation to make them feel like they’ve been there a while."

If those ten servers fill up — which I expect they will, and quickly — McRae says he has a plan to scale their infrastructure rapidly into the cloud. In my opinion that’s a gamble, and in the early months it was something that Ark failed spectacularly at.

We’ll see how it goes when the game enters Steam’s Early Access program on Sept. 28. The team also plans to launch on modern consoles at a later date.

Your Card Playing Stories--Play Free Solitaire Game

Your Card Playing Stories

We asked members to submit their most memorable card playing stories, and you delivered. Below are just a few of them.

From Ashley A.:

My amazing achievement of this year was having my own deck made and funded by a great website called Kickstarter. I never thought I would get the money for my deck, and it’s such a great felling to have other people you have never met around the world that love your deck, too . . . To have your own deck made at the age of 16 makes me so happy, and makes me feel good to be alive.

From Austin H:

It was in July at a family party. I was performing magic for my uncle as my entire family watched. Using my red Bicycle® Standard deck, I did this great trick where. . . I rip a card he picked, put it in my uncle’s hand ripped, and then he opened his hand and it was back together! It was awesome; I blew everyone’s mind and felt good! They tried guessing how I did it, but could not figure it out. I even signed the card for him after. I decided to make business cards and I’m going to perform magic at parties now! That day performing was a day I will never forget!

From Joe B.:

My favorite memory from this past year has to be from teaching my daughter some basic card tricks. Recently, she was in the hospital with complications due to her Type 1 Diabetes and she would spend her time impressing nurses with her “pick a card” tricks.

From Jesse A.:

Earlier this year, my wife and I spent what amounted to literally weeks of real time playing Grand Theft Auto 5. We had a blast, but as we both finished the game separately I became very aware that while we were spending time together, we weren’t really engaging each other at all. I had managed to destroy our only deck of cards in a tragic tea accident, so I jumped in the car and headed to the store to pick up some new Bicycle® decks. I remembered playing Cassino with my grandmother as a kid so I looked the rules up online and we started playing. One night turned into every night, that game sparking my love of cards all over again. . . my favorite thing of all is that we are playing together games that make me feel present in the moment and engaging with her. We are excited to learn more games and turn this into a lifestyle, something that someday we hope to share with our children.

Agram--Play Free Solitaire Game

Agram

The Pack

The kings, queens, jacks, the 2s of all suits and the ace of spades are removed from the deck. The cards of each suit rank, from high to low: A, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3. Because the ace of spades (called "Chief"') is removed from the deck, the highest card in the spade suit is the 10.

The Deal

The dealer will deal six cards to each player, three at a time.

The Play

The player to the left of the dealer leads with a card of their choice. The next player to the left then follows with their card. If possible they must follow suit. However, if they cannot, they may play a card of any suit. If the card played does not belong to the original suit, it has no value. After all players have played their card, the player who has the highest card of the original suit (suit of the leading card of the round) wins the trick.

The winner of the trick leads any card from his hand to begin the next trick, playing it face up on top of the pile. Once again, the other players must each play a card of the same suit as the card that was led, if possible. Otherwise they may play any card.

This continues until six tricks have been played. Whoever wins the sixth and last trick wins the game.

Top Three Classic Family Card Games--Play Free Solitaire Game

Top Three Classic Family Card Games

Who’s got family coming in this holiday season? Or are you the one doing the visiting? Whatever your winter brings, bringing a Solitaire Card Game with you can lead to hours of entertainment for everybody. Teach your young cousins to play, or suggest a game with mom and dad. You know as well as we do that some of the best memories of quality time with relatives come from late nights playing cards. Throw one of Molly Wellmann’s drinks into the mix, along with a warm fireplace and some homemade goodies, and you’ve got a whole evening going.

Here are our favorite three games to play with cards when family comes into town.

Slapjack  

Players: 4-10

Ages: Kids, Teens, and Adults

Why we play at home : The simple concept and race-to-slap interaction make it fun for kids and adults both, and the constant interaction means kids won’t get bored while they wait for their turn.

Objective : Collect all the cards.

Rules :

Have everyone sit in a circle around a table or on the floor. Deal clockwise until you run out of cards. Everyone holds their cards facedown without looking at them.

Going around the circle, each player draws a card from the top of their deck (face-out, so that the player cannot see the card before it is played) and places that card in the center of the circle. Each player continues to place their cards in the center this way.

When a Jack court card is turned face up, the goal is to be the first person to “slap” it, or cover it with your hand. If several people slap at once, the person whose hand is most in contact with the Jack adds all the cards to his or her pile.

If a player incorrectly slaps a card, he or she must give the top card in his or her pile to the player who placed the slapped card. That player adds the extra card to the bottom of his or her deck.

When a player runs out of cards, the player is out—unless he or she can slap a Jack laid by someone else. At that point, the previously “out” player is back in and can play with the cards collected from the pile.

Play continues until one person wins all of the cards. For a shorter version, stop play when the first person runs out of cards. Whoever has the most cards in his or her hand is the winner.

Crazy Eights

Players : 2-8

Ages : Kids, Teens, and Adults

Why we play at home : This is another game that gets the whole family involved and keeps everyone on their toes.

Objective : Be the first player to get rid of all your cards.

Rules :

Deal 5 cards one at a time, face down, starting with the player to the dealer’s left. Place the rest of the cards face down in the center of the table, then turn the first card up and place it beside the facedown pile. If an eight is turned, it is buried in the middle of the pack and the next card is turned. The face-up cards create a “starter” pile.

Starting to the dealer’s left, each player places one card face up on the starter pile. Each card played (other than an eight) must match the card showing at the top of the starter pile in suit or denomination. So if the king of Clubs is the starter, the card played must either be another king, or be any card from the clubs suit. If unable to play a card, the player draws cards from the top of the facedown cards until a play is possible.

If the facedown pile runs out, the player must pass his or her turn to the next player. At that point, save the card at the top of the starter pile, then shuffle the cards underneath, turn them face down, and make them the new stock pile.

All eights are wild. An eight may be played at any time in turn, and the player should only specify a suit for it, not a number.

The first player without cards wins the game!

Play or Pay

Players: 3-8

Ages: Kids, Teens, Adults

Why we play at home: Because this game involves some low-scale betting, it’s fun to use poker chips to play—or, if you don’t have poker chips, jelly beans or M&M’s® candies.

Objective: Complete the suits and be the first player to get rid of all your cards.

Rules:

Each player starts by putting one chip (or jelly bean) into the pot before each deal. Deal the cards one at a time clockwise, face down, beginning with the player on the left. If some players receive fewer cards than others, it is customary for each player to add one additional chip.

Starting with the player left of the dealer, the first person lays a card. All cards played remain face up on the table, arranged in four rows of the four suits. The first player may play any card. The sequence in the suit must be built up until all thirteen cards are played, and the sequence in the suit is continuous.

The player does not have to start with the first card in a suit (the Ace). He or she can start with any card, and then the rest of the players must add in that order to complete that suit before moving onto the next suit. For example, J, Q, K, A, 2, all the way to 10. Or, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A, 2 and so on all the way to 6.

The turn to play continues clockwise. If a person is unable to play in turn, he or she puts one chip in the pot. Whoever plays the thirteenth card of a suit may choose any card from his hand to begin the next series.

The first person to get rid of all his or her cards wins the pot.

If nothing else, make sure you play your games with our seasonally appropriate Leaf Back Decks, available in green and red. And for more game ideas, download our How to Play  app for the iPhone, iPad, and Android devices!