Frankly, those past monster-hunting games have focused far more on the details of mashing beasties and building better equipment than worrying about a background story. But the newest entrydoes some heavy lifting in the narrative area, too.

This go ’round, the story begins with a group of explorers piloting their airship over the Forbidden Lands. They’re trying to keep track of any potential dangers that might slip out of that foreboding and deadly place. But soon they spot an unconscious boy in an uncharted region that they had believed quite uninhabitable by humans.

After rescuing the youth, whose name is Nata, they learn that not only are there indeed hidden, ancient tribes in the jungles and wastelands of the Forbidden Lands, but the boy’s village was attacked by something called a White Wraith, a monster previously thought to be extinct.

There seems to be no choice but to summon a recently promoted Hunter (you) to send out as Nata’s guardian. The Hunter will gather a team of experts—a cat-like Palico companion; a guild handler named Alma; Gemma, a skilled blacksmith; and several other hunter veterans—to escort Nata home and investigate the dangerous White Wraith sighting.

Let the hunt begin.

The gameplay in Monster Hunter Wilds features an incredibly detailed character creation system. It’s something that these Capcom games have become known for in the past. And this one pulls out all the stops as you create, literally, any protagonist look you desire: from a skimpily dressed and statuesque beauty to fully armored Samurai, just to describe a couple of options.

Then it’s all about interacting with Forbidden Land natives. You’ll determine which parts of the broad open maps to explore; gather materials to craft weapons and armor; and getting your monster-hunting gear in order.

Gamers have 14 different types of massively potent weapons at their disposal, all tied to new moves and action sets. The AI companions join your quests to heal you, set traps, warn you about incoming attacks and leap into battle with you.

Oh, and all of that firepower is quite necessary, since the monsters in this game are incredibly huge and powerful creatures. How huge and powerful, you ask? Well, let’s just say that each of them can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes to beat. Regarding their appearance, these creatures look like freakish blends of everything from roosters and dragons to gorillas, lions, tigers and bears, oh my. No matter how enormous your blade or hammer is, it sometimes feels as if you’re barely giving this mountain-sized beasty a hangnail as you whale away at it over and over.

On that monstery front, there is also a new “wounding” mechanic in the hunting mix. When you hit an enemy repeatedly in the same place, its hide will start to show scratches and then open gashes. That open wound then racks up more damage points when struck, and it can cause the monster to limp or flinch.

The gamealso features a new “Focus Mode” that gives players the ability to specifically lock in and target monster body parts. This helps gamers avoid whiffing over and over as they swing their eight-foot-long blades.

Monster Hunter Wilds also has a very elaborate multiplayer and co-op system for online gameplay. Players can log into an online link, for instance, that will “quest call” random players or friend battlers into action during a monster engagement. Crossplay between Xbox, PlayStation and Steam PC is possible and automatically enabled. Gamers can also play offline in solo mode with NPC assistants.

POSITIVE CONTENT

If you relish the idea of chasing down gargantuan ice dragons and outlandishly bizarre monsters to save small villages of defenseless people, this is your game. (The ancient tribes have for some reason never developed weapons to defend against these roving monstrosities.)

The game’s milieu is visually lush and detailed. (Though it’s been reported that older, lower-spec gaming PCs have struggled to render these immersive visuals.) And the battling mechanics are smooth and relatively easy for Monster Hunter beginners to slip into.  

CONTENT CONCERNS

Truth be told, despite the increased story focus, Monster Hunter Wilds is still all about the battles. And many players will skip past the character interactions as quickly as possible because of that.

Gamers wield enormous swords, hammers, axes, bows and other specialized contraptions to bash away at dragons, spider monsters and dinosaurs. Amid the screeching bellows and explosive impacts, blood spatters and wounds open up on creatures’ hides.

The monsters also have a variety of deadly attacks that include slashing claws, spewed toxins and huge sharp-toothed maws. One large, boar-like creature, for instance, turns its backside to its attackers and batters them with large bursts of brown, cloud-like gas. Another tries to lick its foes to death with a huge slavering tongue. Monsters defecate and urinate.

Also, some female characters regularly display cleavage and lots of eye-catching toned flesh.

GAME SUMMARY

If you’re into the idea of battling building-sized beasties in lengthy campaigns with buddies or random strangers, Monster Hunter Wilds could well be the battler you’re looking for.

Just keep the T-rated peril and goop in mind before you or someone in your family logs on.

The post Monster Hunter Wilds appeared first on Plugged In.

Players slip into the shoes of a male, female or nongendered person known as a “godlike.” This very small group of people is linked to, and “blessed” by, one of Eora’s pantheon of gods and goddesses. In the game’s narrative, you’re an Envoy of the Aedryan Empire. And you’ve been sent to the Living Lands, a lush island that the empire is attempting to expand into.

But there are challenges in the mix.

First of all, there’s a small populace of resentful and rebellion-minded people already living in those lands. And a blight called the Dreamscourge has infected the domain’s animal and human populace, transforming them into destructive, fungi-covered zombies. Not only that, but the empire’s Inquisitor Lödwyn and her tyrannical squad of Steel Garotte paladins are already ramrodding their way through the land in an attempt to beat everything into submission.

It’s up to your protagonist, then, to set the Living Lands problems aright through conversations with foes and newfound allies; quests and explorations through cities, temples and relic-littered ruins; the solving of environmental puzzles; and by taking on many magic and melee-filled battles.

There’s also one other layer of intrigue. Soon after arriving, your “godlike” hero is sent into short, glazed-over spells as a mysterious voice whispers into your mind. This unknown entity even invests your hero with its power as it reaches out for connection.

Is it a lost god of this land? Is it good or deceptively evil? Does it have something to do with the deadly and destructive Dreamscourge? Those are but a few of the questions that your hero must answer.

Gameplay wise, you’ll encounter four large and densely packed regions of the Living Lands to investigate. Each map is obscured by a “fog of war” effect until explored. Your hero ventures forth with a number of gained allies who each have their own skillsets and battling advantages to add to the endeavor.  

There are scores and scores of people to encounter, converse with and accept quests from. And based on your dialogue choices and actions, individual interactions and even the game itself can end with several different positive or negative outcomes.

This single-player RPG does not require an online connection and it cannot be played as a multiplayer or cooperative game.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Avowed is rich with thoughtful interactions and character development as your hero attempts to fix (or worsen, if that’s your choice) the Living Land’s many problems. And players must rely on their personal wisdom and instinct to guide them forward.

This game world is also dynamically colorful and immersive. There are many opportunities to help or rescue the people around you. And, with wise management, this is an adventure that not only offers many hours of play but the opportunity of replay with a different outcome as well.

CONTENT CONCERNS

This is also a digital world populated with people who often make foul political, social and spiritual choices. Even when your character tries to choose peaceful and wise options, there are those who will attack you verbally and physically.

Battles involve swords, axes, bows, guns and magic blasts. And blood spatters as foes are bested with cries of pain (sometimes with slow-motion strikes). We see instances of mass murder, dismembered bodies and bloodstained walls and floors.

This is also a world swirling with gods and goddesses. Characters kill for the sake of their patron god. Characters can even bring forth demonic entities that aid them in battle. And the entity that connects with us can be something good or evil based on the choices we pursue.

Characters are also brought back from the dead. Animancers are scholars who use technology to manipulate souls. And one such individual runs a farm that brings corpses back to life to perform manual labor. One individual taps into the afterlife to read people’s souls and future tendencies.

Characters can also pick up and consume alcoholic beverages. People talk of smoking a mind-numbing substance called “svef.” Some spit out foul language, including f- and s-words as well as uses of “a–hole,’ “d–n.” “b–tard” and “godsd–ned.” And there are winking sexual comments made—especially from one tiny female wizard who flirts with comments about her prowess in the bedroom.

As mentioned above, players’ in-game choices can lead to dark and dismal outcomes, including one in which your character is beheaded.

GAME SUMMARY

Avowed is an M-rated adventure RPG that some have likened to a Skyrim or Dragon’s Age game. And like those titles, it has its own character-driven intrigues … and dark, messy problems.

The post Avowed appeared first on Plugged In.

It’s the summer of 1944. Gamers play as a British specialist named Harry Hawker, who joins the resistance fighters of Vichy, France. Europe remains under Nazi occupation, and the Third Reich is plotting to wrap up the war with yet another secret superweapon. This one, the “Kliene Blume,” happens to be a deadly nerve agent that threatens to potentially wipe out the Allies’ D-Day invasion before it ever hits the beachhead.

Of course, the cockney-voiced Harry is more of a one-man army than a team player. So his French resistance fellows need but point the trigger-pulling protagonist in the direction of whatever base, HQ or weapons plant he must infiltrate.

Harry will then single-handedly take care of any intel theft, officer assassinations, transponder placements, infrastructure demolitions and general stronghold destruction that may be required. Oh, and he’ll kill Nazis in bloody ways. Yeah, he’ll do lots of that.

Gameplay, then, is as straightforward as it sounds. Gamers are given some nine central missions. (There are also a variety of hidden standalone challenges that can be uncovered in game.) And after getting their mission brief as well as gathering the weapons and supplies that seem appropriate, players can approach their objective in whatever way they please.

They can run in with a pistol in hand or jump from a rooftop with a knife in their teeth if they want. But most missions are designed for stealth and, of course, pinpoint long-range sniping.

The locales range from massy superstructures, to a train depot, to an underground facility, to a repurposed French chateau. And the missions not only feel enormous in size, but at times extremely difficult—putting your strategies and the long-range capabilities of your weaponry to the test.

Along with its single-player missions, gamers can play Sniper Elite: Resistance with up to three friends in co-op mode. (Those modes do not require an online connection to play.) The game also supports online multiplayer play. And there’s a special “Axis Invasion” mode that allows another player to enter your campaign as an enemy soldier, adding a fresh challenge.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Without question, there is a certain satisfaction to playing a stealthy hero who must strategically figure out how to make it past overwhelmingly deadly forces and save thousands from a murderous weapon. However …

CONTENT CONCERNS

… don’t leap into this game with the idea that your play can be all stealthy strategy and no blood. That’s not how Sniper Elite games are designed. Not only are the Nazi opponents quite deadly themselves—sometimes pinpointing you from very long distances with their own sniper fire—but the story centers around the gory mess of war.

There are massive explosions in the mix. Players use machine guns, pistols and knives for up-close slashes to a jugular, blasts to the temple or a bullet spray to the chest. But the game finds its largest “joy” in showing shooters how destructive their long-range sniper fire can be.

An accurate sniper shot triggers a short slow motion cutscene that traces the bullet’s trajectory as it hits and destroys a foe’s bodily organs (x-ray view mulching of brains, skulls, eyes, hearts, backbones, intestines and testicles). Players are also given the opportunity to track down Adolph Hitler in the course of the game and find some gruesome way to end his life (all presented for the “comedy” of that messy death.)

There are uses of the words “sh-t,” “d–n” and “b–tard” in the dialogue.

GAME SUMMARY

Sniper Elite games have always been about strategy, stealth and the very gory butchering of Nazis. And though Sniper Elite: Resistance adds a few small gaming additions, it doesn’t change the goopy formula at all.

The post Sniper Elite: Resistance appeared first on Plugged In.

With each new iteration, Meier and his team somehow kept things accessible for the newbie first timer, even as they’ve added richer graphics and introduced new leaders to work. And typically, they lightly tweak the game’s mechanics to keep things fresh.

Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, however, offers much more than just a minor tweak to the original concept. You’re still picking a world leader from a list of historical notables and building his or her civilization through history, but Civ VII introduces some pretty radical changes to the gaming structure.

One of the first noticeable changes is to, well, history itself. Previous Civ games marched through “eras.” Gamers would move through the Ancient, Classical, Medieval, Renaissance, Industrial, Modern, Atomic and Information eras as they worked toward an economic, militaristic, scientific or cultural victory.

This new game does away with eras and slices history into three “ages”: Antiquity, Exploration and Modern. And playing through each age—building armies, farms, governments, libraries, world wonders, etc.—almost becomes the equivalent of a full game in itself. The game also offers players new “legacy” pathways that correspond to the different victory types. These pathways include a sequence of objectives that can be chosen and earn points that are tallied at the end of the age.

Oh, and play is no longer as simple as choosing Abraham Lincoln and working at making America into the envy of the world. Now gamers can choose a leader and apply his or her leadership skillsets to any of the major civilizations of that age. So, Charlemagne might sit the throne in the Chinese empire or Catherine might be Queen of the Mayans.

Civ VII also offers up newly tweaked technology and civics trees and adds a variety of “crisis cards” that impact play near the end of each age. And that’s just some of new levels and challenges that players will have to deal with as they strive to build their society.

Civilization VII can be played offline as a single-player game (played from a top-down view). But it can also be played in online and local multiplayer modes. At this writing, cross-platform play (between PC, Switch, PlayStation and Xbox) is not available, but gamemakers promise that cross-platform play will be part of future updates.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Gamers see what it’s like to lead a growing civilization by researching scientific advancements, exploring diplomatic needs, and developing social policies.

And they get a sense of the world history they’re marching through. (Though the ability to mix and match leaders and civilizations lessens that historical connection.)

Gamers also have the opportunity to guide and impact the world in positive and negative ways. In doing so, players see the natural penalties or bonuses at play when making choices.

For those who enjoy strategy games, Civilization VII offers plenty of hours of deep challenge and some new, fresh-feeling play. Those new additions also smooth out some of the “tough slog” parts of earlier Civ entries.

CONTENT CONCERNS

There’s no blood or mess in the play, but as societies advance, world civilizations will find themselves embroiled in combat situations that involve armies and various levels of weaponry (from arrows to aircraft to bombs to military armaments). And combat is highlighted by small explosive sounds and cries of pain.

Interactions between leaders and societies can also open the door to mentions of a leader’s sexuality or proclivities. (Sexual references are never graphic.) We also hear plenty of religions mentioned (such as the worship of Ra), and leaders can choose a faith (Protestantism, Judaism, Taoism, etc.) that they establish and spread to other societies.

There are references to beer and alcohol and exported items such as drugs and tobacco. The words “d–n” and “h—” can appear in the leader interactions.

This is a long game to play. Even when played on “Quick” mode, the game can take many hours.

It should also be noted that Civ VII’s new changes may make play for younger or unfamiliar players a bit more difficult to ease into. The game guides you along with tutorials, but there are quite a few menus and layers to keep track of. Even fans of Civ games may need a little more time to grow comfortable with the changes.

GAME SUMMARY

Some may find that Sid Meier’s Civilization VII has an unexpectedly steep learning curve. And it demands quite a bit of time. But in bite sized chunks, this game’s strategy world building is better than ever.

The post Sid Meier’s Civilization VII appeared first on Plugged In.

Amid those familiar bits and pieces, Eternal Strands unfolds a story that keeps things interesting. You play as Brynn, a female “weaver” who’s just joined up with a new weaverband. Those folks are all magic users with their own specific sword-and-sorcery strengths. And their initial goal is to explore the outside edges of a sealed-off place of magical wonders called the Enclave to find any artifacts of value.

However, Brynn accidentally stumbles upon a device that allows the group to quickly slip past the Enclave’s believed-to-be impenetrable barrier. They’re the first group to do so in half a century. So now, after establishing a camp, it’s Brynn’s job to explore the exotic land; to hunt beasts and robotic foes; to find rare resources; to improve her powers and gear; and finally to peel back this lost land’s mysteries. 

In those pursuits, gamers make their way through a number of vast areas that include dense forests, fiery volcanic landscapes, grassy plains and ancient deserted cities. They wield sword-and-shield, bow-and-arrow weaponry accented by a variety of “strand” magical powers.

Those nine different weaver powers (reaped from bested bosses) are generally divided into ice, fire and kinetic abilities that can be improved as you go. The ice blasts can shield you, freeze enemies, build bridges and help you make your way through burning forests. The fire does, well, the sort of things fire does. And the kinetic magic grabs beasts and objects to toss about, as well as helping Brynn launch herself across great distances.

Eternal Strands is a third-person, single-player-only game. And other than the possible download process, it doesn’t require an online connection to play.

POSITIVE CONTENT

This game focuses on lots of monster battles. However, the world here is large, colorful and wrapped in the light energy of a fantasy adventure. And gamers play a hero who wants to help her crew discover the mysteries on hand, figure out what flaws felled an advanced civilization and find a way to a better future.

A part of the enjoyable side of this adventure is clambering up the side of 40-foot-tall, robot-like magical constructs and holding tight to huge flying dragons and the like while trying to figure out a key to victory. There are also lots of dialogue choices with your crew that help reveal creative details to the textured story.

The game is designed to challenge gamers to find ways to combine their sword and magic skills and figure out how to use the environment around them. Using sword skills alone, for example, may leave players feeling swarmed by foes until they realize both gameplay elements are often needed to keep moving forward. But while those foes can be massive, pounding and fierce, there is nothing gory in the battling mix.

CONTENT CONCERNS

We hear uses of “h—” and “d–mit” in the dialogue. Some conversations reference drinking wine. The weaverband includes adventurers who have coupled up. We hear conversational winks toward relationships and sexual innuendo. (But there’s nothing visual.)

GAME SUMMARY

Eternal Strands offers a T-rated blend of fun game mechanics and big-game action adventure without ever feeling too gritty or messy.

The post Eternal Strands appeared first on Plugged In.

Players take on the role of an adventurer cat-girl named Pom. As the game kicks off, she gets a letter from her mom and dad, who invite her to visit before they must leave this mortal plane. So, in a bit of a panic, she puts her monster-killing aside and hustles home to find … that mum and pops have actually set off on a world tour.

They’ve also left the family restaurant, the Potato Palace, in a state of disrepair. Oh, and they’ve left poor Pom with a pile of their debt.

Yay.

The only solution, then, is for Pom to use her disparate skillsets, cooking and monster slaying, in tandem. She’ll hit the nearby dungeons to kill beasties, find resources and building materials, and then serve up fricasseed monster meat to hungry customers back in town. Perfect, right?

Gameplay wise, balancing Pom’s two worlds becomes the challenge.

In town, gamers must repair the restaurant; interact with neighboring shopkeepers; find ways to expand the restaurant menus; get the eatery open; and cater to the varied customers and their needs. In the dungeons it’s all about gathering wood, stone, meats, spices, and various items; killing attacking beasties; taking on arena battles; and besting big bosses to make it home.

You also gain gear and upgrades—such as a powered-up meat tenderizer, HP-boosting bubble teas, and protective gear—in the midst of both areas. From there, the goal is to expand the Potato Palace with better workstations and appliances and, of course, to get that debt whittled down.

Cuisineer is a single-player game that does not require an online connection to play.

POSITIVE CONTENT

The game doesn’t, frankly, really lend itself to virtual relationship development, but Pom is looked upon as a dutiful daughter who’s doing her best to help her parents out.

As far as the game itself is concerned, gameplay is easy to slip into. The characters are colorful and cute, and the central idea behind the game is creative. There are plenty of goals and side quests here to keep players busy. And though the challenges in both areas of play become increasingly more difficult, the gameplay never feels overwhelming.

CONTENT CONCERNS

All of the above said, players should go in knowing that Cuisineer doesn’t necessarily feel like your typical “casual” game. Despite the escalating challenges, some of the activities can feel extremely repetitive with time. (And though that’s not actually a “content” concern, it’s at least worth noting.)  

The battles in the dungeons involve knives, hammers and thrown plates. The beasties blow fire and shoot destructive zaps. We see the impact of blows, but the creatures just disappear when beaten, leaving meat and other objects behind.

There are also a pair of buxom cow-girl sisters in town whose dresses are a bit revealing. And there are mentions of wine in the dialogue, but it’s in connection with certain recipes and cooking ingredients.

GAME SUMMARY

For those who love the idea of blending restaurant service, building management and dungeon-crawling in the same game, Cuisineer just might be the recipe you’ve been looking for.

The post Cuisineer appeared first on Plugged In.

What that means is that this game—just recently ported from PC to Xbox Series X and PS5—is designed to feel like a board game that you and a handful of friends might gather around the kitchen table to play. You know, the type of imaginative adventure with lots of dice-rolling, where players control their character choices as they move around a map.

And while this video game doesn’t quite scream board game, it does open up a hexagonal fantasy map that you and three buds can adventure through online together (see below) without the need for dice or a table to gather around.

The story itself is fairly simple. The beloved Queen Rosoman has let power go to her head in the kingdom of Fahrul. Now, she’s no longer so beloved. In fact, she’s joined with malevolent forces and locked many of her people into what amounts to slavery.

So, it’s up to you to gather a team of average local folk—blacksmiths, stableboys, hunters, minstrels, scholars and the like—who can use their vocational skills and strengths to fight back against the wrongs taking place.

Your team is made up of average Joes, yes, but a blacksmith is stout and strong; a scholar has read books about magic spells; the local herbalist is wise to natural healing remedies; a hunter knows his way around a bow, etc. Together, they’re almost soldiers. And so they set off with rescues to make, dungeons to crawl, treasures to seek and other quests to work through in the course of five random-map adventures.

The main action in all of that is the turn-based combat.

Gameplay wise, your crew works its way around a clouded-over map, revealing pathways and enemies step-by-step. They get stronger as they win in battle, and as they find useable weapons and buffs. And in combat, your team can also resurrect fallen friends. And after a fight, you can take strategic rest stop to heal up. 

However, each adventure also comes with its own ticking clock. Run out of time or lose all your party members, and back to the beginning you go. There you start all over with a fresh team of amateurs and begin the questing process once more.

As mentioned, For the King II is designed as a multiplayer game that connects online players through their own consoles at home. But you can play the game solo and control all the characters yourself, offline. Each of the five adventures will take somewhere between five or six hours to best, depending on your strategic choices and success rate.

POSITIVE CONTENT

The central story quest is a heroic one. Your team wants to rescue the beaten-down people and resistance members, and take out monsters. And you want to get to the bottom of why evil things have started to infect the land.

Gamplay is also colorful and easy to slip into for all ages. That said, the battles do become progressively more difficult. And strategy choices later in the game may require some chess move-like thought and discussion. The game also features randomized maps which lend themselves to future replay fun.

CONTENT CONCERNS

Turn-based combat is the central core here. Sword swinging, magic-casting and beasty chomping can result in some light blood spatter when characters fall. (Friends can be magically revived.)

Some of the boosts and buffs involve tobacco and alcohol—such as a pipe that increases movement and rum that boosts armor. Players also encounter discussions about drinking and gambling debt. I didn’t encounter truly foul language, but someone does proclaim that another character’s face “looks like a beastman’s arse.”

Later in the game, teams come upon dark, magical happenings and demon-like, glowing-eyed evil in the fantasy story mix.

GAME SUMMARY

For the King II packs fun, turn-based, multiplayer action into an engaging fantasy adventure. And there’s plenty of personality and replay possibilities to go around. The biggest obstacles for younger players will likely be the game’s rising challenges and some dark evil that crisps the story’s edges.

The post For the King II appeared first on Plugged In.

There isn’t much in the way of narrative here. But this game does draw players in with its light tale of a world that’s falling apart as waters rise, leaving residents of the realm trapped and isolated. The game’s hero, Noor, must venture forth to reconnect the shifting and turning bits of architecture, sail the rising waters, rescue the stranded few and find solutions to the spatial environmental puzzles around her.

Of course, the main gaming thrust here is simply those elegant and beautiful puzzles. You’ll encounter a few open-water or run-through-a-cornfield moments as you work through the various levels. But most of the challenges fall into several different puzzle categories.

In fact, those puzzle levels are rather difficult to describe without seeing them firsthand.

The easiest levels use switches to help raise, lower, split apart and turn bridge-like structures so that you can find an unexpected staircase or ladder and keep Noor moving forward. Others rely completely on changing the perspective: a twist or turn of the world, a curling plant growth pathway, an unfolding origami paper-like structure. Maneuvers like these reveal seemingly impossible paths or uncover doorways that weren’t doorways a moment before.

Again, the game’s fantastical geometrical architecture is framed in an Escher-like art style that’s unfailingly lovely to behold and venture through as you try to get from point A to point B on each level.

Monument Valley 3 is a single-player only game. After the initial download, an internet connection is not required. The game offers 10 chapters of play to start with and promises additional chapters to be released later in 2025.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Monument Valley 3 is one of the most appealing mobile puzzle games you’ll likely find. Each frame of the game could be hung on your wall like an art print. The optical illusions are compelling, and the music is soothing. On top of that, the game controls are easy to use, and the levels aren’t complicated or overly difficult.

And there’s another positive element here that’s definitely worth calling out: There are no in-game purchases or ads.

CONTENT CONCERNS    

There are no real content concerns here at all. But younger players may find the shifting perspectives and abstract requirements of the puzzles to be frustrating.

GAME SUMMARY

Monument Valley 3 won’t scratch any action/adventure itches. But those who want to shut out the noisy world might find a pleasant, “puzzling” oasis here.

The post Monument Valley 3 appeared first on Plugged In.

To be honest, this game is kinda hard to explain. It’s called a “deck-building roguelike.” But that gaming descriptor might not mean a whole lot to many who haven’t played one. So, let’s start with the setting and work our way forward from there.

The world of Wildfrost is a frozen and snowy place where the sun has been snuffed out by evil baddies who are coming at you through the tundra. You’re based in a cozy little snow-bound village, and you fight back through card battles—quick throw-down-a-card-and-compete skirmishes that take place while you’re attempting to build up a winning deck.

The game offers you a choice of an initial “leader” card that has its own special combination of health, team buff and attack points. Then it gives you a basic, randomized deck of attack, defense and character-buff cards to work with.

You can only play one card per turn. Once played, characters don’t immediately attack—instead, each has a turn countdown until they can act, with the monstery foes following the same rule.

Win your first monster battle, and you’re given a two-path option to move forward through the ice and snow. There you’ll encounter nodes that reward you with choices of supporting battlers, the option to visit merchants who offer important items, and choices of additional buff and attack cards.

If you choose the right combinations of cards and draw those cards at the right time in the upcoming battles (each battle harder than the last), then you’ll keep moving and building toward a successful “run” and a multi-layered victory against the enemy. If you’re beaten by the decks of the AI-powered foes, then you hustle back to the beginning where you choose a new leader, check out any permanent items you’ve unlocked, and set off on another run.

That repetitive nature of play may sound a bit frustrating, but you quickly get a sense of the deck-building choices you have and the possible card combos you’ll want to keep an eye out for. That’s when your strategic brain kicks in. And though you’ll lose many a card battle, the speed and variety of the game will keep strategy fans engaged.

Though it might be fun to compete against friends in this card-based title, you can’t. Wildfrost is a single-player only game. But on the positive side, you don’t need an internet connection to play it, either.

POSITIVE CONTENT

You’re a hero chosen from three possible tribes who gives his or her all to battle monster foes. And the gameplay is graphically colorful, strategically engaging and fun. From a family perspective, the fast and challenging play can easily lend itself to handing the controller back and forth between family members.

There’s also enough randomized variety and new card generation to keep the deck-building process involving for long stretches of time. That said, play can be limited to brief, self-contained segments if so desired.

CONTENT CONCERNS

As character cards bop or blast their foes—with zaps of poison, ice, fatiguing frost and physical thumps—there are some small instances of blood spatter that lightly colors the snow near the character card. And the battling characters are essentially “killed” when defeated (the beaten or expended cards falling off the board).

Younger players may find the initial deck-building challenges to be somewhat frustrating, as finding the right strategies can be difficult. They will definitely suffer many defeats along the way before getting the knack of the deck-building process.  

GAME SUMMARY

The deck-building battles of Wildfrost can feel a tad frustrating for the uninitiated. But once players burrow into the snowy card-playing battles, there’s lots of colorful and warm fun to be had in this E10+ title suitable for most players.

The post Wildfrost appeared first on Plugged In.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is set somewhere between the events of the movies Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. And this game is part action/adventure, part stealthy crypt creeper, part Nazi battler and a whole lot of world-hopping in search of religious relics and supernatural power. You know, the kind of stuff you’d expect from Indy but haven’t seen in a good long while. However, the big question is: Is it fun?

The story starts off with a sweet introduction that’s reverently pulled, seemingly frame by frame, from Raiders of the Lost Ark. It’s that tomb exploration scene with the surprise impalements, the ancient trap puzzles and the huge rolling boulder.

The Great Circle uses this well-known intro to ease gamers into Indy’s digitalized look and voice. The whole thing feels and sounds surprisingly close to the original silver-screen rendition. (Close enough for horseshoes and video games anyway.)

This go ‘round, the story pulls Indiana away from his teaching stint at Marshall College in 1937. It commences in earnest when a giant of a man breaks into the college museum and steals something ancient. Indy’s short encounter with the man, before being knocked out cold, entices him to give pursuit.

Clues lead, of all places, to the Vatican, where Mussolini’s fascists have taken control. There are hidden enclaves to explore. Secrets to uncover. But it’s a Nazi scientist/henchman named Emmerich Voss who’s really driving things here. And, of course, he’s looking for a mysterious source of great power that will boost Hitler to world domination. Indy’s gotta stop that! Along the way, he also meets a female reporter from Italy who’s looking for her kidnapped sister and could use a little Indiana Jones help in that department, too. (Cue the Raiders theme.) 

Gameplay wise, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a single-player only game that does not require an online connection. Much of the onscreenaction takes place in an open world map setting with specific objectives. Many environmental puzzles involve observing your surroundings and figuring out place-this-object-here solutions. And along with some stealth missions, there’s also a bit of light platforming activity where Indy can use his whip to climb up to different levels and swing to nearby ledges.

Players can also adjust the game’s difficultly levels to fit their gaming tastes—making stealth and hand-to-hand battles everything from a bruising, overwhelming challenge to a very forgiving jaunt.

POSITIVE CONTENT

The game makers have gone to great lengths to make this game and its story feel as authentic to Indiana Jones canon as possible. The voiceover is solid; and the sometimes awkward, sometimes cool, sometimes insightful, sometimes sloppy Indiana Jones dialogue feels spot on. And, of course, Indy is once again able to overcome his own foibles to somehow save the world.

Gameplay is fun and offers a variety of objectives, challenges and locations (catacombs, icy mountaintops, scorpion-infested caverns etc.), which means it rarely feel static or repetitive.

Gamers can wade in to give battle, and there are pistols, rifles and machine guns to shoot with. But truthfully, other than a shoot-out between WWII airplanes, The Great Circle never seems to require or even encourage gamers to shoot their way out of a fix. There are always other ways to make it through. (Which, of course, is another nod to the character of Indiana Jones.)

The game is also enjoyable to look at. From the Sistine Chapel to the ancient Sphinx, the artwork environments are very impressive and often nice enough to just stop and admire.

CONTENT CONCERNS

There is some deadliness on tap here. Other than some light blood spatter, it’s not very messy, but people are shot at, impaled, slashed and beaten. Planes and vehicles crash and explode. We see people who have frozen to death, others who fall screaming to their death. One scene reveals a severed arm. There are pits full of spikes and razor-sharp edges as well as traps that rain huge stones and debris over a vulnerable area. And Indy gets into some skinned knuckle fisticuffs—which is no surprise, really.

You can find rough-edged language here from time to time in the form of words such as “h—,” “d–mit” “a–” and “b–tard.” It’s implied that two women may have been a couple in the past. And there are references to someone’s ongoing morphine habit after enduring great pain.

There is also quite a bit of multicultural spirituality mentioned in the midst of Indy’s relic collection. Most of the Christian references are all nonsense twists of Scripture that lead to God unleashing great power in the event of a series of recited words. (It’s very similar to the use of the Ark of the Covenant in Raiders of the Lost Ark, only without an ounce of scriptural precedence.) In essence, that conception of God essentially treats him like a giant genie whose power can be harnessed (it’s believed) for human means.

GAME SUMMARY

There’s a lot of fun and Indiana Jones-esque authenticity in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. It’s like the movie they should have made as a sequel. That said, anyone who dons Indy’s fedora and picks up his iconic whip will have to navigate the game’s rough edges, including language, violence and all of that gobbledygook spirituality.

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