This week's Reviews Spotlight takes a turn for the surreal as we investigate the life of an apple-headed gentleman, consider the ethical dilemma surrounding the deployment of Soviet anti-tank dogs, and listen intently to the ramblings of a 10-year-old.
If symptoms of confusion and delirium persist, avert your eyes from the spotlight and see your doctor. Enjoy!
Men of War Multiplayer: Losing Is to be Expected
By Leslie Taylor
Ever been struck by a feeling of complete and utter hopelessness? Failure is never an easy thing to digest, but now it can be fun, thanks to Men of War!
Building on the critical success of its predecessor, Faces of War, developer Best Way has taken a second stab at the real-time tactics genre, with a few notable changes to their formula. New units, armies, and theaters of war have been introduced, helping the developer to craft one of the most comprehensive digital translations of World War II. Heck, the Romanian Army even makes a couple appearances!
Considering the breadth of Men of War, Leslie and I can forgive the odious omission of exploding dogs, a famous Soviet anti-tank unit (or should I say, victim).
Does Men of War succeed in escaping the long shadow cast by Relic's Company of Heroes, or does this RTS simply fall short? Like a dog strapped with explosives, Leslie is bursting with knowledge on the subject.
Dad vs. Kids: Guilty Party
By Matthew H. Mason
Everyone loves a good board game, right? Who hasn't spent a weekend knee-deep in a game of Risk or Settlers of Catan. In search of a board game to play with his 10-year-old son, Matthew stumbled upon Guilty Party, a video game that combines the core values of Clue and Guess Who? with the interface and controls of a modern Wii game.
If Matthew's review doesn't do the trick, the conversation with his son he transcribed ought to keep you entertained.
Apple Jack – Indie Game Spotlight (Xbox 360)
By Joe Donato
Quickly becoming a mainstay in our weekly spotlights, Joe Donato's Indie Game Spotlight provides a valuable service to those of us who spend the bulk of our time with independent titles, arcade games, and Flash sites.
This week, Joe shoves Apple Jack into the limelight, flaws and all. Like most indie games, this title comes complete with a quirky and charming narrative. You assume the role of Apple Jack, an English gentleman who, rather logically, has an apple for a head. The game takes place in a fever-dream version of England, populated by pigs in skirts and owls armed with laser beams. Sounds weird, doesn't it? Trust me, it looks even weirder.
If you have the constitution to withstand Apple Jack's acid trip visuals, check out Joe's review.
iOS for Old-School Gamers
By Angela Lindsey
By most rubrics, old-school hip-hop is considerably more relevant, powerful, and impressive than the junk they're producing these days. Does the same apply to the video-game industry? Angela seems to think so.
Combining four reviews into one, Angela explores the classic NES games in the iPhone catalog. Recolored, resized, and polished to meet modern standards, have these old-school favorites lost their retro appeal, or have they been appropriately updated for on-the-go gaming?
Tetris, Mega Man 2, Shining Force, and Duck Hunt all get their due attention in this mega-review. Skip your morning Starbucks and spend a couple bucks on these games instead — Angela recommends it!
Ys Seven – Hang onto Your Butter Everyone, Because it's Time to Churn
By Reggie Carolipio
Don't feel too embarrassed if you're not familiar with the Ys franchise — the games rarely make it stateside. So if you're not as big of an otaku as Reggie, here's the lowdown: You play as Adol, a hero with a heart of gold, in search of adventure and souls to save. Doesn't sound appealing? The game's protagonist is a ginger… a ginger! We're not often afforded the opportunity to play as redheads, so Ys Seven might prove of interest on that basis alone.
If you're a glutton for Japanese role-playing games, give Reggie's review a look-see.