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Darth Vader #1
Today is Comic Book Wednesday and time to head to your local comic book shop to pick up all of your favorites! Thanks to previewsworld.com the list of all new releases are below!
What are you planning on bringing home this week?
Posted by: Joe @thee.social.nerd
Katsucon. What is it?!
Katsucon is a 3 day anime and Japanese convention held at the National Harbor in DC. Previously, it has been held in Arlington, and Baltimore. The convention will begin Friday February 13th and run through Sunday February 15.th But this year marks the 21st celebration of Katsucon. What does that mean? It’s going to be jam packed with artists, events, competitions, a formal ball and even a rave!
I’m getting super psyched for this one and will be reporting to the convention on Saturday. Of course I’ll be cosplaying (as usual). But this will be my first Katsucon, and I really can’t wait. This is very different from your normal convention or comiccon. Yes it will be nerdy and packed with anime lovers but there’s something unique about this convention, it’s also a Japanese culture appreciation event. Here you’ll find booths dedicated to various cultural aspects of Japan including; the art of the bonsai tree, a Japanese maid café, traditional Japanese food, clothing merchants, and more. OH, and its packed with anime celebrities! This year even Yaya Han will be in attendance (for those of you who aren’t familiar with her, Yaya is a world renowned cosplay model).
Oh, and what am I cosplaying as you ask? I will be in attendance this year as a blue Twi’lek Jedi. Not anime, but all costumes and fandoms are welcome! No worries, I’ll take hundreds of pictures for sharin!
Posted by: Chleo @cleo622
Order and Chaos Online is a fantasy MMORPG video game developed by Gameloft for Windows Phone, iOS, and Android devices. The game was released for iOS on April 27, 2011, for Android on June 27, 2012, and for Windows Phone on July 10, 2013. The game has been noted several times for being one of the best playable fully 3D MMORPGs on a mobile platform.
I've recently got back into this game due to my itch to want to play World of Warcraft again. This game mimmicks the gameplay perfectly on your mobile device. I started playing a couple of years again and stopped once I hit level 60. Since then they increased the level cap to 70 and have added a new race. This game is a lot of fun and like I said this is just like WoW but its on the go. I currently play as a Monk level 62 but have been working on a Ranger level 33. All my toons are on the America - The Whispering Islands server if you'd like to join up for some questing!
Positive
- Literally the best MMORPG out for mobile devices
- Gameplay: if you have played WoW this will be simple to pick up
- 2nd "M" is for Multiplayer: there is no shortage of others to quest with
- Freemium: When I first started playing this game it was $6.99 but is now F2P (free to play)
Negative
- Freemium: Since making the switch to premium Gameloft pushes In-App purchases now
- Some of the other players can be a-holes but thats with any game played with others
- Guilds: Leveling up and running end-game content is hard without one
Here is some more info about the game:
The game has three playable factions:
Order: This faction is viewed as the Good for the world in Order & Chaos Online. If a player creates a character for the Order, Either Humans or Elf, He/She will begin in the Arcadian Forest.
Chaos: This faction is viewed as the Evil for the world in Order & Chaos Online. If a player creates a character for the Chaos, Either Orc or Undead, He/She will begin in the Tanned Land.
Neutral: The new Mendel class has been recently added, in which he or she will start off in the Mendel Village.
Human: Race Description - Humans always look to the horizon. They chase power and want to change the world, whether for good or for ill. Their settlements are among the brightest lights in a dark and untamed world. Humans constantly seek to explore new lands.
Elf: Race Description - An ancient race with strong ties to the forest, Elves have a detached view of the world. They often have difficulty believing that events in the world have much importance to them, for they consider consequences in terms of centuries.
Orc: Race Description - Orcs love close combat and plunge furiously into the thick of battle, giving no thought to retreat or surrender. People think they are savage, bloodthirsty marauders, but pride and hero worship course deep in the blood beneath their green skin.
Undead: Race Description - The Undead have journeyed to the end of night. Some have found wisdom, and others only sorrow. A selfish and cunning race, they have all the time in the world to pursue their dreams... Until they become nightmares.
Mendels: Race Description - This race are presented in the recent 2.0 update. Mendels start their game in the Mendel City. Users who want to play with Mendels can also get in battle with some unique mounts.
Both of the factions contain the same playable Classes which are Warrior, Monk, Mage and Ranger. Depending on the race chosen, the starting stats vary by a small margin, making some races more preferential than others when picking a class. This variation is only effective for the first few levels because equipment provides the most stats for a character and 1 to 5 stats point variation will have minimal influence at later levels.
Warrior: Is a DPS or Tank Class depending on the Talent Tree chosen by the player. The "Battle" Talent Tree is the players choice to become a DPS style character. "Battle" can use Dual-Wielded One-Handed Weapons or a Two-Handed Weapon. The option to use either One-Handed Weapons or a Two-Handed Weapon is up to the Player's style of play. If "Battle" is selected as primary Talent Tree, talents will include Passive and Activated Spells that will allow the Warrior to cause more Damage than a Warrior using the "Guardian" Talent Tree. The "Guardian" Talent Tree is a Tank style character. "Guardian" can use all weapons a "Battle" Warrior can but is ineffective unless using a One-Handed Weapon & Shield. If "Guardian" is selected as the primary Talent Tree, talents will include Passive and Activated Spells that will allow the Warrior to take less damage and Buff Team-Mates in and out of combat.
Monk: Is the only Healing Class in the game. Monk also has the choice to be a Melee DPS similar to that of a Paladin. The "Divine" Talent Tree is the players choice to be a Healing/Support style character. "Divine" can use Staves (Staffs), Polarms and Daggers. Generally Staves or Dagger and Heirloom in Off-Hand is preferred for best bonuses to heal and buff Team-Mates. Talents for the "Divine" Talent Tree will include Passive and Activated Spells that will improve healing abilities and the ability to Buff Team-Mates, but will lack in DPS Ability. The "Military Monk" Talent Tree is a DPS/Buff style character. If "Military Monk" is chosen as primary Talent Tree, talents will include Passive and Activated Spells that will Allow the Monk to deal more damage and buff Team-Mates, but the "Military Monk" lacks in healing capability.
Mage: Is a purely ranged DPS Class. The "Skyfire" Talent Tree is a pure Ranged DPS class that inflicts pure fire damage. If "Skyfire" is chosen as primary Talent Tree, the Player will have Passive and Activated Spells that will improve His/Her Fire damage capability but will lack using "PermaFrost" Spells. If "Permafrost" is chosen as the primary Talent Tree, the Player will have Passive and Activated Spells that improve DPS with "Permafrost" Spells. "Permafrost" Mages deal less damage but have a high level of Crowd Control spells that will slow and disable enemy targets.
Ranger: Is a DPS Class, either close combat or ranged depending on Talent Tree selected. The "Archer" Talent Tree is a Ranged DPS Class that uses Bow and Arrow or a Crossbow. If "Archer" is chosen the player will have Passive and Activated Spells that will allow them to cause Ranged DPS damage and Moderate Crowd Control, but "Archer" lacks in melee DPS. If "Assassin" (a.k.a Sin) is chosen as primary Talent Tree the player will have Passive and Activated Spells that will allow them to cause Melee DPS damage and Single Target stuns. "Assassin" Generally uses Dual-Wielded Daggers; stuns and poisons its targets rendering them useless. Also uses an increased stealth or sneak mode, but lacks in Ranged DPS.
-Wiki
This game is definitely worth the download. It does take up a big chunk of space but the game is MASSIVE and a lot of fun! Hope you check it out and if you do let us know about it or heck add me so I can have another O&C friend!
Posted by: Joe @thee.social.nerd
In a joint press release on Marvel.com, Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios have announced that they are collaborating to bring Spider-Man into the Marvel cineverse and create new Spider-Man movies together. After lots of speculation and rumors, a deal Spider-Man fans have wanted has become a reality. A new Spider-Man will make his first appearance in a Marvel movie, followed by a standalone movie on July 28, 2017. The only announced Marvel movies between now aand the standalone film are Captain America: Civil War and Dr. Strange, which means Spider-Man will likely be in Civil War. The Spider-Man standalone film is the exact date as previously announced Thor: Ragnarock, which likely means that Thor will be moved back a month.
Rumors of Spider-Man's appearance in Avengers: Infinity Wars now seem extremely valid. The most interesting part of the press release is this: "Sony Pictures will continue to finance, distribute, own and have final creative control of the Spider-Man films." This is the only thing that gives me pause about the whole deal. But thankfully, Sony's control is limited to Spider-Man films. This deal opens up so many stories and characters to cross over, and as a fan, I could not be happier.
Via Marvel:
Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company said: "Spider-Man is one of Marvel's great characters, beloved around the world. We're thrilled to work with Sony Pictures to bring the iconic web-slinger into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which opens up fantastic new opportunities for storytelling and franchise building."
"We always want to collaborate with the best and most successful filmmakers to grow our franchises and develop our characters. Marvel, Kevin Feige and Amy, who helped orchestrate this deal, are the perfect team to help produce the next chapter of Spider-Man," said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. "This is the right decision for the franchise, for our business, for Marvel, and for the fans."
"Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios share a love for the characters in the Spider-Man universe and have a long, successful history of working together. This new level of collaboration is the perfect way to take Peter Parker's story into the future," added Doug Belgrad, president, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group.
"I am thrilled to team with my friends at Sony Pictures along with Amy Pascal to produce the next Spider-Man movie," said Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. "Amy has been deeply involved in the realization on film of one of the world’s most beloved characters. Marvel's involvement will hopefully deliver the creative continuity and authenticity that fans demand from the MCU. I am equally excited for the opportunity to have Spider-Man appear in the MCU, something which both we at Marvel, and fans alike, have been looking forward to for years."
This is huge and I can't wait to see what comes of this friendship between Sony and Marvel! I am hoping they have also talked about the X-Men and the possibility of having them in future Marvel movies as well.
April, 1945. As the Allies make their final push in the European Theatre, a battle-hardened Army sergeant named Wardaddy commands a Sherman tank and his five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Outnumbered, out-gunned, and with a rookie soldier thrust into their platoon, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany. -IMDB
Last night we rented FURY starring Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf and Jon Bernthal. This was quite the "man-movie" what I mean by that is that there were a few moments in the movie that made the Mrs. turn away.
Following Pitt and his crew of 4 others you push through different German towns in an effort to take out the Nazi resistance. When 4 of the tanks meet just 1 German tank in an open field, which was far more superior, you're left with just Pitt and his crew to fend for themselves.
All in all this was a great movie and I would give it 3 out of 5 Turtle Shells. One surprising thing from this movie was the performance from Shia LaBeouf. He did great in his role as Boyd or "Bible" as they call him. So if you're looking for something to rent give this one a go, I would definitely recommend it.
Posted by: Joe @thee.social.nerd
If you missed Supercells Super Bowl ad this past weekend here it is. They combined 2 of my favorite things, Clash of Clans & Liam Neeson.
If you play and looking for a place to hang out check out our clan Drunkin Donuts. Adult clan with the occasional Clan War. My name is Apotheosis iCON and would be greatful for the visit!
Posted by: Joe @thee.social.nerd
The Wall Street Journal reports Netflix and Nintendo are in the early stages of producing a live-action series based on The Legend of Zelda.
The publication's sources describe the project as being in the "early stages" but is being thought of as "Game of Thrones for a family audience."
No writers have been attached the potential series yet.
The words "Game of Thrones for a family audience" sounds amazing! I hope this actually works out and turns out to be as amazing as it sounds now!
Scott Lang, alias Ant-Man, is the star of the new Ant-Man series. This certainly makes sense as Marvel is releasing an Ant-Man movie this summer. When we last left Ant-Man, he had turned down an offer of a new career from Tony Stark in order to be a better father. In this issue, he's busy trying to convince a bank to give him a loan so that he can start his own security company. However, his attempts seem to be in vain with the bank executives refusing to even listen to Scott's proposal. It is at this point that things get a little hairy for our hero. He's disabled the security systems and the vaults in the bank in an attempt to show them just how easy it is break into their bank. Doing so creates a major problem when a huge MidasBot is activated and starts wreak havoc in the bank.
The first two issues of the newest Ant-Man series have been light-hearted and full of humor that is somewhat silly and incredibly sarcastic. The humor, and the sarcasm, are part of why I am really enjoying this series so far. The humor allows you to sit back, relax and enjoy the issue without having to think about existential issues or good versus evil; in fact you don't need to have any real thought at all. It's really refreshing to read a series that is frivolous and isn't all doom and gloom. The fact that Scott Lang keeps the Ant-Man costume on at ALL times is an added bonus. He's seen outside walking with his daughter in the costume or having a sit down with Bear-Man, clearly this is a series that doesn't take it's self too seriously.
A major theme with this issue is Ant-Man's role as a father. I hope that some of us comic book fans who are fathers, can relate to his concerns. He is written as a sympathetic father who obviously cares deeply for his daughter. As a father, it is awesome to read a series with a super hero that strives to be a genuinely good father with everything he does being for the benefit of his daughter.
If you're on the fence about the new Ant-Man series, I think you might want to check this out. This is a really great series for those who are looking for something light as opposed to serious and has a focus on family, which is cool for us comic book fan parents.
What do you think? Have you added this new Ant-Man series to your weekly pickups?
Posted by: Jeff @jeff201
This Weekend at Warrenton 8 Cinema
What's new starting February 6th? Check out the trailers below for Jupiter Ascending, Seventh Son and The SpongeBob Movie: Songe Out of Water.
Check out Warrenton 8 Cinema's Facebook page to join this months contest of "Cutest Couple" with the winner receiving 2 free tickets!
For a great "Date Night" idea check out the deal Warrenton 8 Cinema & Imo's Pizza have going on right now. Show your ticket stub at the counter of Imo's and receive 10% off your meal!
We also wanted to take this time to thank Warrenton 8 Cinema for teaming up with LivingTheNerdLife.com Without them we wouldn't be able to bring you a lot of great movie reviews. Also, let them know you check out our reviews at LivingTheNerdLife.com the next time you go in. For more information go to the link below.
Posted by: Joe @thee.social.nerd
Funko has collaborated with Marvel to build a first-of-its-kind subscription box service -- Marvel Collector Corps -- featuring 100% exclusive collectibles, apparel and accessories from some of the biggest events in the Marvel movie and comic book universe. The debut box ships in April and will feature items from Marvel's "Avengers: Age of Ultron," including an exclusive 6" Iron Man Hulbuster Pop! vinyl collectible only available through Marvel Collector Corps. The box contents also include a T-Shirt featuring one of four exclusive designs an additional stylized vinyl collectible and two premium accessories. The box represents over $50 of value.
Boxes will ship every two months and Marvel's "Ant-Man" will be featured in the June box. The service includes two levels -- the basic Collector level and the Founder level. Customers who sign up for the Founders program, which includes a six-box subscription, will receive an exclusive Founder Statue on the 12-month anniversary of their first box shipment. As long as their membership does not lapse, Founders will continue to receive a new exclusive figure every year on their anniversary.
The Marvel Collector Corps service from Funko is available for $25 per box, and fans can sign up now at:
Will you be subscribing to Marvel Collector Corps? Do you have any other subscriptions currently like: Nerd Block or Loot Crate?
Posted by: Joe @thee.social.nerd
Hey, just writing this short preview while I have a bit of free time. I used to play board games all the time when I was younger and every once in a while I still like to part-take. I was recently introduced to a game called "Mice & Mystics" and it's pretty fun! The premise is cute. You are loyal members to the king but captured. In order to escape they are turned into mice! That's the very basic premise but there is plenty of thought and layers put into the actual story.
When I started I picked a hero (Collin, a leader warrior type), got armor, a weapon, and some cheese. From there the adventure begun. The game is dependent on the stats of your cards along with your luck as you roll the dice. It does take a big of actual strategery but it's very easy to get the hang of. The cards, boards, and game pieces are all pretty good quality. The art direction is fun and I definitely want to play it again soon. I have yet to pick out anything that could have been improved, which is why this is just a preview. However, as soon as I can complete a whole game I'll be more exposed to the ins and outs of the game and I can write a complete review...so stay tuned!!!
Blamed for the murder of his girlfriend, a man (Daniel Radcliffe) awakes one morning to find he has grown a pair of horns. Armed, now, with supernatural powers, he sets out to find the killer.
This was quite an interesting movie. I've been wanting to watch it for a while now and never noticed that it was on Netflix. Who knows it may have just been added I haven't paid too much attention.
Daniel Radcliffe has come a long way from his wizarding days of Harry Potter. I haven't seen any of his other movies but I have been wanting to watch this one and I was surprised how much I liked it.
For a brief synopsis of the movie you follow Ig (Daniel Radcliffe) after he is blamed for the murder of his girlfriend Merrin (Juno Temple). In a fit of rage after a brief ceremony for the loss of Merrin, Ig finds himself being upset with God and destroying the memorial. From there things get weird. Ig wakes up and notices that he has begun growing "Horns" and that everyone in town seems compelled to tell him the truth about anything and everything. As the movie progresses you start to uncover what truely happened to Merrin as well as her secrets.
If you have Netflix or still have a local movie rental store give this one a shot it does get a bit weird in the end but it was a good watch.
Posted by: Joe @thee.social.nerd
What are you bringing home this week?
Posted by: Joe @thee.social.nerd
The world of table top gaming had another big week. Announcements for some anticipated new releases were dropped. One of the most influential games in recent history is getting a reprint. Wiz Kids announces a big change to their organized play structure for D&D Attack Wing, and some exciting new Kickstarters hit the ground running.
Hans Im Gluck announced a rethemed Star Wars version of Carcassonne to be released in the Fall of 2015! Carcassonne is one of my favorite games and introduced me to the world of board gaming. The addition of a theme starring my favorite film franchise is very exciting, however I’m not entirely sure how it will work out. The above image is a prototype version of the game showing what appears to be some type of hyperdrive lane to replace the road system and some planets to replace the cities. I’m not sure what this will do to the city building and farming mechanic of the game or what the Imperial and Rebel Alliance logos will have to do with the gameplay but I am very excited to find out and will definitely be keeping my eye on this project.
Speaking of Star Wars, Fantasy Flight Games released an in depth look at the Rebel Alliance faction from their upcomming Star Wars Armada miniatures game. The game looks to build on the foundation of their massively popular Xwing miniatures franchise by introducing much more large scale combat featuring capital ships and squadrons of fighters in favor of the dog fight skirmishes that are featured in Xwing.
The ships featured are the Correllian Corvette, the Nebulon B Frigate,and the Assault Frigate MKII. For more info on these ships visit the announcement page here: http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=5348
Wiz Kids announced a change to the organized play structure of their D&D Attack Wing miniatures game. Originally the company had each player bring a prebuilt 120 point value faction to the event. New rules now require the players to bring a prebuilt 90 point faction that will be supplemented by one of fiver blind box miniatures to be provided at the event.
Wiz kids offered a preview of three of these new miniatures along with the announcement featuring a fighter, druid and a ranger.
This new announcement is going to add a good deal of randomness to organized play events and will not only give a bit more balance in favor of gamers with less impressive factions but will also be a good source of sales for the stores hosting the events.
Stonemaier games released new artwork for my most anticipated game of 2015, Scythe! Scythe is a asymetrical miniature wargame combined with a worker placement economic game. The setting is in an alternate 1920s WWI scenario where players will have to harvest resources on a game map and construct different mechanized walking machines of war to defeat their enemies and defend their territory. The game features absolutely stunning art by artist Jakub Roalski who inserts giant terrifying mechs into scenes from the era. More artwork for this game can be found here: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/digital/fact-vs-fiction/jakub-rozalski-killer-robot-paintings?click=pm_news#slide-1
El Grande, the game that introduced most of the world to the concept of the worker placement game is getting a much much deserved reprint. This big box reprint does not only give you a much upgraded version of the game featuring meeples instead of giant cubes and a nicer tower but you also get every expansion ever made for it.
The game communities excitement around this release is palpable and I am very excited for new information about a release date and price to come out in the future.
In Kickstarter news Stonemaier games announced that they will be launching their partner driven city building game, Between Two Cities, on February 25th. The game features an interesting mechanic where one player will have to build two cities collaboratively with the player on their right and left in an attempt to build the most impressive city in the world.
I am very intrigued by the mechanics of this game which will include a bit of co-op play, drafting, and tile laying. The artwork looks like a really appealing mishmash between Suburbia and Machi Koro and the miniature meeples featuring The St. Louis Arch, Taj Mahal, The Roman Coliseum, The statue of Christ the Redeemer, Eiffel Tower, Sydney Harbor Bridge, and the Great Pyramids all look really fun to play with.
Reportedly both standard and Deluxe versions of the game will be available at less than $40 pledge tiers which seems like a decent value for the game.
Slaughterville is a cooperative survival horror game featuring a group of college students exploring the haunted town of Slaughterville.
Each player will take on the role of a college student archetype such as the nerdy one, the angry guy, the goth girl, etc. They will be investigating the town of Slaughterville which is being haunted by a random horror movie monster like vampires or bodysnatchers. Throughout the game players will be finding powerups and different survivors to help them combat the different spooky events that will be randomly occurring throughout the game until finally they get strong enough to take on the big bad monster.
The artwork and style of the game is fairly reminiscent of Flying Frog’s a touch of evil. I like the combination of photography and illustration. It gives off a sense of realness to the terror that is going on in the game and seems like it will help bring the character further into the world.
The text on the cards looks a little small and wordy but it does look like it’s trying to add a lot of theme to the game and is adding some story elements to give a more immersive experience. Small text is never good for playing in dimly lit rooms which this game is pretty much meant to be played in.
The downside is that the game is currently hovering at about $2,000 of its $15,000 goal and has some pretty unimpressive stretch goals. The price point of $55 is fair for a game of this type and quality and I think that having a $10 print n’ play option is a nice touch so that you will at least get a playable version of the game at the end of the campaign.
The designer seems like a first timer and doesn’t seem to have a lot of game design credentials. Some rookie mistakes do seem to be getting made on this campaign by having some plain video work to describe his goals and game, small card text, and undervalued stretch goals. But the game itself does look solid and seems like a lot of fun.
Look for yourself at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2138513287/slaughterville-a-game-of-fun-and-horror
Finally, on kickstarter are these giant 40 sided spindown dice for use primarily with magic the gathering. I’m not really sure why Magic players prefer using dice to keep track of their life instead of pen and a piece of paper but these dice look like they would be very useful for the EDH and Two Headed Giant formats that require multiple dice to keep track of life.
The $20 price tag seems a bit costly, but then again just about everything is with Magic. If you are looking for a cool way to keep track of your life points and have a good conversation piece for your game then go fund this project here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/maxstats/40-sided-spindown-dice-life-counters/
Thank you for checking out Board Game News here at Living the Nerd Life. Keep checking back for more great reviews and news on your favorite geeky hobbies!
-Levi Bushue
We are just a few short days away from the return of The Walking Dead and couldn't be more excited. This leaves me with with a few questions not really about the show but about you, our awesome readers!
How do you watch The Walking Dead?
- Are you someone that records it then watches it to fast forward through the commercials?
- Do you watch it by yourself with no distractions?
- Do you have viewing parties?
For myself both my wifes family and my family love The Walking Dead so our Sunday nights consist of a family potluck and of course The Walking Dead! We do a lot of predicting and speculating as to what might happen in future episodes.
So in the comments let us know "How you watch The Walking Dead?"
Posted by: Joe @thee.social.nerd
OK guys I got this import in the mail that I ordered months ago from Hong Kong. It's called the ReEdit Iron Man Bleeding Edge Armor made by Sentinel. This figure is a must have for any Iron Man fan or action figure collector. Now it’s not in scale with the normal 6 inch figure. It’s probably 8 inches tall. One cool factor is that it lights up with LEDs. The articulation is amazing. I’ve never seen articulation like this before. It’s so well engineered. Now it’s one short coming is price. Being an import I guess makes it expensive but I paid around $175. Even though it put a dent in my wallet. I have no regrets. Check it out in the pics!!
So whats new or on display on your Detolf? Let us know in the comments below!
Posted by: Chris @cgoosy
Tap Titans by Game Hive Corp.
“The world has been devastated by massive beings known as titans. With his power sword, this hero has taken it upon himself to restore peace and order.”
So how do you defeat these Titans? You Tap! That's it you just tap. Surprisingly enough just tapping your screen is quite a bit of fun. The characters are fun to watch as you slice and dice your way to victory. Now they don't attack back and honestly there is no real way to lose at the game. Boss fights are the same as other fights but of course they take more damage. You get 30 seconds to defeat the boss and if you lose you just go back to defeating other characters to make more gold to upgrade both your main character and the others you obtain along the way. Then you can go back anytime to try your luck at the boss fight.
Positive
- Freemium: Another free game that is pretty fun and addicting
- Game Design: Levels & Characters are both visually enticing
- Easy to Play: Key to any free game
- Game still plays while you're away
Negative
- Freemium: in-app purchases (nothing's ever free)
- Tap: All you do is tap thats it... over and over...
- Ads: you can watch a 15 second ad to get more loot which isn't all that bad because they were all Game of War ads with Kate Upton... So wait I guess its not really a negative...
- Tap: I'm going to say this one again... all you do is tap... real fast
Other than excessive tapping this game was surprisingly a lot of fun. I caught myself playing for like 30 plus minutes at a time when I only anticipated playing for like 5 minutes. If you're looking for something fun and Free to play on either iOS and Android devices I'd recommend this game. Plus it's free so if you don't like it just delete it and forget that I ever recommended it.. ha
What are you guys currently playing? Let me know in the comments below so I can try it out!
Happy Tapping!
Posted by: Joe @thee.social.nerd
Castles of Mad King Ludwig is a fun, moderate difficulty tile placement game for 1-4 players with the objective to build the best castle according to the whims of the Mad King Ludwig.
Players will do this by purchasing different room tiles with a varied amount of points and stipulations regarding what other rooms they can be placed next to. Sleeping rooms don’t like to be next to rooms where loud work is going on, living rooms like to be near majestic views of the estate, etc. At the end of the game the player that has placed the room tiles in the most efficient manner of a variety that the King prefers and thus gains the most points is the victor and Master Builder of Bavaria.
An example of the many different room sizes and types in the game
There are a few interesting mechanics at work in this game. The tile laying aspect that goes into your room placement is reminiscent of games like Carcassone where tile placement is very important to maximize the amount of points you will receive. Placing rooms next to beneficial rooms, for instance, a dining room next to a kitchen will gain you extra points. Whereas placing rooms in a poor layout, like having a bowling alley next to a bedroom will yield negative points. The locations of your doorways also play a pivotal role in room placement since there are incredible bonuses for having each doorway match up with another providing good flow through the castle. This mechanic works great for rewarding strategic thought and creative planning.
The beginning of a castle featuring a grand tapestry chamber with a small piano room, dressing room and a quaint little pond for sporting.
The same castle later in the game with many additions including a lovely hallway to nowhere.
The second major mechanic utilizes an auction type system for gaining new rooms. Each turn a player will take on the role of “Master Builder,” whose job is to assign values to the new rooms that become available each turn. This adds another deeper level of strategy since the Master Builder gets paid based on what people spend on these rooms. This provides a dilemma to the builder to decide how much to charge other players for rooms that they want so that they will pay the maximum value and earn the builder more money, while also valuing the rooms the builder wants to purchase low enough to be a good deal without other players scooping it up.
The magnificent master builder token lets all the other builders in the land know who to pay their fealty to.
Finally there are many ways to earn bonus points in this game. Kings favor tokens are random room types (i.e. living rooms, work rooms, gardens, and kitchens), room sizes (large, circular, small), or myriad other whims that the King publicly desires to have in his castle. The player that fills the largest amount of these requirements can earn a sizeable amount of points. Also bonus cards work the same way but are used as secret personal goals to build certain rooms for additional points.
The components in this game are on good thick cardboard that doesn’t have a lot of bend, which is good because players will be picking them up and manipulating them a lot. The artwork is a little bland and it can be hard to see all of the fine details that make each room unique. Mostly you will be paying attention to the type of room and the requirements therein.
The game also looks pretty gray and monochrome when you first set it up which isn’t too pleasing at the start of the game. Luckily as the game goes on and players start to build their castles more and more bland gray pieces will get flipped over to create these colorful zany works of architecture that are really fun to create.
The game works extremely well with 2-4 players. I recommend playing with 4 as much as possible since you get access to the maximum amount of room tiles that way. The game balances itself by limiting the amount of room tiles by the amount of players so if you want to have the feeling of making a large elaborate castle, play with more people. It is for this reason that I did not enjoy the solitaire variant. The turn constraint along with not having a large variety of rooms to work with left me feeling more like a had built a goofy, terribly organized little cottage for a mad hermit than a majestic castle for a King driven crazy with power.
This King, for some reason, required a massive garden as large as his castle along with an audience chamber right in the middle of it all. But it’s not my place to question nobility…
I strongly suggest trying out this game. The wide variety of tiles and different objectives means you will likely never play the same game twice. The Master Builder mechanic adds a great layer of strategy that will lead you to question the motives and shrewdness of your fellow players and the bonus cards will always leave you with the feeling that your place in the lead is never quite secure, making every turn feel tense and important. If you like games like Carcassone, Suburbia (By the same designer, Ted Alspach), or Keyflower this game will satisfy your tile laying needs. It plays quickly in about an hour and is tons of fun!
Levi Bushue
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Chris Evans as Captain America WINS his wager against Chris Pratt as Star-Lord after the New England Patriots beat the Seattle Seahawks 28 - 24. Chris Pratt will sport a Tom Brady Jersey as he visits Chris Evans city as Star-Lord and visit a patient at a local hospital!
These images were obtained through Instagram from @superherofeed so be sure to check them out.
Posted by: Joe @thee.social.nerd
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