Temple Run 2: 2 Little, 2 Late, 2 Bad No One Cares and it's at the Top of the Charts

No sooner had I sung the praises to a fantastic evolution of the Never-Ending Runner genre, Run 'n' Gun, Temple Run returns with it's sequel.

The problem is that it's obvious improvements (cleaner look, more things to do than just out-do yourself) are incremental when compared to actual game play improvements.  In that same Run 'n' Gun post I gush over the camera drop when sliding.  It's effectiveness is amplified with every static-camera slide I do in Temple Run 2.

Imangi Studios missed an opportunity with Temple Run 2.  Touch input can be laggy and the character animations are just as low production value as in the original.  Every abrupt, jarring turn is a distraction, not a continuation.  Animation should have been one of the first items they sought to improve.  I'm surprised the camera doesn't drop for when you're sliding under an obstacle, because it appeared in the Disney Pixar branded Temple Run Brave.

Yes, there are some added characters.  Yes, there's a new mine environment.  But here the sum of new features are leaps and bounds less than the game as a whole.  Two runs forward but definitely one run back.

But, what do I know?  It's number one in the App Store.

Temple Run 2 is developed and published by Imangi Studios

Far Cry 3: Release Impressions

I feel that I'm far from having the credentials or qualifications to review a game, however as I'm want to talk quite a bit about video games, I'll be happy to share my impressions and opinions on this blog.

Far Cry 3 ended up being my only physically packaged "full release" video game acquisition of 2012 (2013 should keep my thumbs busier).  Some lists have placed it among the years best games, especially among shooters, so I'm hoping my patience will be rewarded.

There may be some spoilers below, but I'll try to keep things to a minimum.

iOS Recommendation: Run 'n' Gun

Run 'n' Gun for iOS put some spit shine on the "Never Ending Run" genre to great effect.  Polished graphics and an added shooting mechanic make this a gem of a time waster for only $.99

Oh, wait...it's free?  Even better.

Hero Quest!

After quite the hiatus, the gang is back together for a round of good 'ol Hero Quest.

It's like the little signals that indicate the changing of the seasons.  When the dandelions begin releasing their downy seeds, autumn is just around the corner.  As the ice cycles shift from a rhythmic drip to a orchestral cascade, spring will soon be in the air.  When there's some plug in a mansion with 40 emotional wrecks  vying for his love and affection (or when it's a single emotional wreck with 40 plugs vying for hers) it's time for my friends and I to geek out with some beer, wings, and Hero Quest while our significant others brush up on television's finest garbage.

Click the link below to read on.

Star Command Just Around the Corner?

I've been looking forward to developer Warballoon's Star Command since the summer even though it's a genre I don't generally give much play time to and on platforms I don't spend much play time on.

That said, I've been ready to hand over somewhere between $.99 and $5 if they ever finish this thing.

I bring it up because I've just noticed a website redesign, and their blog has indicated a targeted January "soft launch."

Then again, their twitter account just said something about bugs and being "not quite there".

Head over to their site to learn more.

Backwards Compatibility Backlash

As we near official acknowledgment of a new Xbox and PlayStation, "backwards compatibility" (or lack thereof) as a feature is already a lightning rod for criticism over systems not even announced, much less, released.

Is this feature one that we should hold these manufacturers to?

In a word, no.  In more words, click the link below.

Force on Force: A Few Blocks of Hell (2nd Play Through)

After a few weeks and a re-read of the rulebook, it was time to try another game of Force on Force.  I decided to do a second play through of A Few Blocks of Hell for a couple of reasons, but mainly because it's an symmetric engagement (asymmetric have slightly different rules adhered to by the opposing forces...to learn the game we might as well have both sides be playing by the same rules), there are no vehicles (again, that would add some complexity that I don't want to deal with, and besides, I have no vehicle models!), and most importantly I have just enough miniatures to run this game (which luckily doesn't have any reinforcements!) and that's using some US Recon Marines playing the part two enemy fire teams.

Read on to see some snapshots of the upgraded table (though I could still use a few more buildings) and notes on what I learned or changes made on the second attempt at this Force on Force beginners scenario.