Minecraft. The obscure Indie game turned multi-billion dollar juggernaut that took over the world and launched a new era in video gaming. This is the ultimate sandbox game. You are able to explore, build, and defend either with your friends or alone. There are no limits, no objectives, and (if you're playing PC edition) an enormous and continually growing amount of content to keep you occupied for hundreds (possibly thousands) of hours.
When I first encountered Minecraft it was still in early beta. My initial impression was that it was a strange block world thing with really bad graphics where people built houses on the surface and dug narrow tunnels underground to get diamonds. My friends assured me that it was so much more than that but I really didn't see the appeal. Then one fateful day, back when I had enough time to be bored out of my mind, I decided to try a free version of the game. Well the graphics aren't actually quite so bad once you get used to them, and building a small house of blocks is kind of fun. Nobody told me that monsters come out at night though or that the bush monsters will explode if they get too close or that you could upgrade your tools and manipulate water and lava flows... Suddenly it was 3:00 AM and I couldn't sleep because I wanted to go back and play more Minecraft.
I gladly purchased the Beta version of Minecraft and since that time it has developed well beyond the vision of its creator into something truly innovative and amazing.
Vanilla Minecraft, no mods or texture packs.
New to Minecraft?
When you enter a Minecraft world for the first time you will have no weapons, no tools, and no items. All you have is your hand, which you can use to punch blocks to break them and then put them in your inventory to either place back into the world or craft an item. Everyone starts by punching trees to collect some wood to build a crafting table and some early tools. The tool you use determines which blocks you can break and at what speed you can break them. Why would you want to place blocks or even break them in the first place? Why so that you can keep the monsters out that will most certainly tear you to pieces and blow up your stuff once the sun goes down!
Zombies will travel a long distance to come eat your brains...
Aside from avoiding monsters at night there is something in most people that finds creating and building a rewarding experience in and of itself. It's part of how God designed us in his image, He is the creator and his creative nature is imprinted into us. It's what made us enjoy Lego and building sand castles when we were children and what allows us to create awe inspiring architecture and works of art. In Minecraft you can build anything you like and for most players we can't resist feeding the creative spark within. You may start off with a hastily built dirt / wood shack or just a hole in the ground to escape the monsters... but you probably won't be satisfied with that and feel the urge to knock it down and build something bigger and nicer out of actual building materials with a door and maybe even a smooth stone foundation. Then you will look at your new home and think "I wonder if I can put some windows in?" and you can... but first you need sand to turn into glass so you go so you go exploring and find a beach and a bay sloping down off a mountain and you think to yourself "wow, I bet a lighthouse would look really nice up there..." and you're hooked. Three days later once you have built up your house and constructed a lighthouse on the mountain overlooking the bay and discover that you can dye wool different colors which means that it's time to pick out some interior wallpaper. Then you discover the wonder of mine carts and simply must have fast transit between your projects. Then some friends log on to your world and marvel at your lighthouse setup and you get it into your heads to transform the mountain into a skull fortress with lava dripping out the eyes...and on and on it goes...
The things you can build in Minecraft are not simply cosmetic, they protect you from enemies, allow you to craft tools and refine materials, grow food, travel faster, and if you are technically minded you can create ingenious traps and secret passage ways.
The other draw to Minecraft is exploration, especially once you adjust to the blocky nature of the world. What will you see from the top of that mountain? Hey, some ruins, I wonder what's inside? Oh look, a new biome, I wonder what I can use the plants here to make? An underground fortress!? I bet there's treasure! And if you are playing on a server with other people who knows what strange, wondrous, and perilous structures have been created for you to explore...
The sky is the limit, who says you can't have a castle in the sky?
Modded Minecraft?
If you have played Minecraft for any amount of time then you know what I'm talking about and I haven't covered anything new. You may have played the game for a while and then tired of it but what if I told you that you that vanilla Minecraft only scratches the surface of its potential and that if you own the PC version of Minecraft you have free access to hundreds of incredible mods that take Minecraft and stretch it in every direction as far as it will go? I'm talking about new monsters, new blocks, new items, transport pipes, robust magic systems, spaceships, automation, electricity, ships and flying vehicles that you can pilot, jet-packs, laser beams, and fireballs.
I lied, the sky is not the limit... the Galacticraft mod allows you can build on other planets too!
Take the popular IndustrialCraft and MineFactory Reloaded mods which add electricity and machinery to the game to make everything faster, more efficient, and automated. Imagine item transport tubes which can sort items for you or bring you items from storage upon request. Imagine power tools that do not break with overuse, Iron Man style powersuits, tesla tiles that zap enemies who step on them, and constructing the infrastructure for a nuclear power generator.
Take also the enormous and robust Thaumcraft mod which adds an impressive and deep array of magic systems into the game accessible through arcane research. Imagine wands that shoot fire and lightening Harry Potter style. Imagine creating servant golems to harvest resources, sort your chests, and patrol your base to kill enemies. Imagine breaking blocks and items down into their magical components and infusing the resulting essentia into mundane objects to create truly powerful magical artifacts that can reshape the land, protect you from damage, allow you to fly, and more! The mod also has a mechanic where you begin to go insane if you research forbidden knowledge and expose yourself to the warp of magic.
Machines for smelting, mining, power generation, refining, transportation, automation... so many possibilities!
Installing mods and running modded servers used to be a real hassle but today there are handy 3rd party launchers like Feed the Beast and Tekkit that make running modpacks quick and easy. Each modpack brings a different experience to Minecraft. A tech focused pack plays and feels very different from a magic focused pack. A hardcore sky-build pack like Agrarian Skies where you must build the entire world of scratch plays and feels very differently from the adventure and combat focused Departed mod pack which turns Minecraft into an MMO complete with dozens of new monsters, a skill system, revamped combat, and dozens of increasingly dangerous planes of existence to explore and conquer. There are also 'kitchen sink' mod packs (like the Direwolf20 pack) that combine a variety of mod types to appeal to all types of play. As of the writing of this article I am currently diving into the Mage Quest mod pack on Feed the Beast which features Thaumcraft, Botania, Blood Magic, Witchery, Adventurer's Amulets, and a host of other mods that add magic to Minecraft. I am three weeks seven months in and have thoroughly enjoyed the richness and depth of some of the very best mods the Modding community has produced and suspect that I will get months worth of entertainment from this pack alone.
Unfortunately mod packs are only available for the PC version of Minecraft. The restrictive coding and hardware capacity of consoles coupled with corporate monetization models have made the creation and distribution of mods an impossibility on all but the wild and free frontier of the PC. Skins and resource packs which change the way the game looks are freely available for Minecraft on PC but must be purchased for console versions, which is another reason why PC Minecraft is far superior to its pale console reflections.
A simple shader mod makes Minecraft look fantastic! PC only of course, consoles don't have enough power to run this.
Modpack + New Texture Pack x Shader = Awesome Fun / Lag
The bright and stylized PureBDCraft
If you are going to play Minecraft then play it on PC and look into the mod packs. These mods are put together by other players, a large number of which are also programmers, and the quality and quantity of the material available free of charge can not be overstated. Purchasing Minecraft for PC is like purchasing a dozen games for the price of one.
Minecraft has something for everyone, except for maybe those who only play FPS. It's a title that I keep coming back to over and over again and has provided the most value for any game I've purchased. This may just be my favorite game to date. I recognize that not everyone will appreciate Minecraft as much as I do which is why I recommend trying out the demo or maybe ask a friend to borrow their account for a weekend before committing $35.
World of Tanks, World of Warplanes, and World of Warships. Three great games made by one company. As far as war simulation goes you will be hard pressed to find anything so robust, balanced, good looking, and exciting as these three titles. Each is uniquely different and all were crafted with love and care. Special attention was given to making these historical tanks, planes, and ships accurate and realistic but not to the point where realism throws off the balance of the game. The matches are quick and exciting with a moderate learning curve for new players and enough strategic depth to keep pro-gamers coming back for more. Each title is also free to play with a fair monetization model that does not interfere with gameplay. I have personally logged tons of time into these titles and am pleased to call them my action war simulations of choice.
World of Tanks
The first of the Wargaming series launched for PC in 2011. I originally scoffed at the game thinking it was some sort of World of Warcraft clone for tanks but was pleasantly surprised to find an action strategy World War 2 gem instead. Matches consist of two teams of fifteen players duking it out to either be the last team standing or to capture the enemy base before time ends. Playing smart, using terrain and cover to your advantage, and good teamwork are the keys to success.
World of Tanks rewards skill and teamwork. It is realistic enough that playing the game like an arcade will get you blown to bits in the first minute but the realism is offset by enough arcade gameplay to keep things balanced, fair, exciting, and fun. The mechanics take geometry and physics into account which makes positioning very important for deflecting enemy fire and landing critical hits on your enemy's more vulnerable components. Each vehicle is different and offers diverse styles of play.
Light Tanks are small and fast with great handling and superior spotting capability. They are ideal scouts and artillery hunters. Once an enemy has been spotted every team member within radio distance can see them, which makes these little guys an essential part of any team.
Medium Tanks are larger and more heavily armoured than their light cousins. Most can be upgraded to pack a heavy punch and are maneuverable enough to intercept lights and surround heavies.
Heavy Tanks are the backbone of a platoon, with thick armour and hard hitting shots they are a force to be reckoned with. Their lack of mobility and slower firing rate, makes them vulnerable if not supported.
Tank Destroyers are the snipers of the tank world. Their long range guns and heavy front armour make them deadly at a distance but lack of maneuverability and weak side and back armour make them vulnerable up close.
Artillery has little to no armour but carries the biggest punch of all. "Arty" can fire all the way across the map and destroy unwary enemy tanks in one shot. However, the reload time is agonizingly slow.
World of Tanks has seven tech trees full of authentic historical war vehicles to upgrade, customize, and master.
What sets world of tanks apart from the other two titles is the importance of cover and geometry. Despite what most cinematics for this game will show you the bulk of your time will be spent hiding behind cover, not zipping about going toe to toe with other tanks in the open. Positioning behind a sturdy building, trench, line of trees, or sand dune makes it so the enemy team can't see you and allows you to get off some good shots when they move about in the open. Cover is also important for deflecting enemy shots and keeping you safe from lethal artillery strikes. To do well in this game you need to minimize your tank's exposure to damage while also keeping line of fire on your enemies. This is more exciting than it sounds as you try to gauge when to re-position yourself either to move up with your team, gain line of sight over the next ridge, or avoid being surrounded. Likewise failing to properly scout enemy positions and just rushing forward can get you ambushed by enemies lying in wait. This game makes you think like you're in a real tank battle.
When a team works together the game is gold. Getting a surprise surround on a heavy tank and taking it out with two or three allies never gets old. Focus firing enemies with a platoon of friends safely out of the line of sight of the enemy team as your scout spots their locations is a blast. Getting into intensely close matches is always exciting. When your team is dysfunctional... well... thank goodness the match will probably be short.
World of Warplanes
The second of the Wargaming titles, this one was released in 2013. Much more than just 'World of Tanks' in the air, World of Warplanes looks and feels like an action filled dogfight simulation. Two teams of fifteen pilots each are tasked with either eliminating the other team or gaining victory points by destroying enemy ground targets. The action is fast but the controls are intuitive and players can choose between keyboard, mouse, and joystick without any real disadvantage putting everyone on equal footing. Warplanes is more arcade-like than World of Tanks but the simplification of flying a plane makes for exciting matches and a reasonable learning curve for new players.
The progression of Warplanes follows the same pattern as World of Tanks, you begin with access to the first planes that were used in WWII for a handful of nations including the US, Britain, Germany, Russia, and Japan. Each match you play earns you experience and silver according to your performance which can be used to research new components, upgrade your plane, and purchase consumables and new planes. There are four different classes of plane to choose from.
Fighters
The nimble fighter exercises aerobatic superiority, able to out maneuver larger planes in close combat and evade enemy fire with tight turns, barrel rolls, and other creative high-speed tricks. Fighters excel at getting into enemy blind spots and punishing less maneuverable targets for straying too close.
Multirole Fighers
An all-purpose fighter capable of filling multiple roles on a team. While less nimble than their smaller fighter cousins their larger design fields more powerful armaments and engine. Some can be outfitted with rockets and bombs or high caliber machine guns to damage ground targets. The key to playing this role is versatility.
Heavy Fighters
The hunters of the sky, these large fighters are usually equipped with two powerful engines, a devastating armament up front, and a rear gun to defend the back. Heavy Fighters are very fast and out perform other planes and high altitudes. Their low maneuverability makes them vulnerable to close combat but their speed and power make them ideal for high altitude diving and fly-by attacks. They can deal moderate damage to ground targets and some heavy fighters can be equipped with bombs.
Attack Aircraft
The anti-ground target aircraft, these large and heavily armoured aircraft boast heavy front machine guns, bombs, and rear gunners. The least maneuverable class, what they lack in speed and turning radius they make up for in armour, hit points, and firepower. Unwary fighters will find themselves quickly scrapped if they wander into the line of fire of one of these flying fortresses. Attack Aircraft are best played at either high or low altitudes to sneak past enemy planes on their way to important ground targets.
The matches are quick and fun, especially quick (and perhaps less fun) if you don't know what you're doing. World of Warplanes rewards player skill and proper use of flight dynamics. Different planes should use different tactics according to what they encounter and endlessly turning to get a shot on an enemy is an unimaginative and often easily countered tactic. The key to out maneuvering other pilots in equally performing aircraft is to use speed and potential energy against them. Put in layman's terms: "always try to stay above them." You have more potential energy if you are higher up. You can descend to pick up speed, out maneuvering your foe, and get some good shots off while they are either unable to hit you or have to use up their speed to climb up towards you. This is what makes heavy fighters so powerful, as they can climb higher and faster than other planes and then turn around and descend at very high speeds while enemies are either still and their original altitude level and most now evade or foolishly attempted to follow on the ascend and are sitting ducks because they used up all their speed.
The maps are understandably larger and more open than World of Tanks. Each map features a variety of terrain types which provide cover for low flying planes and hazards for low flying pursuers that range from canyons to trees to bridges. Both factions will be responsible for protecting several ground targets while attempting to destroy the ground targets of their enemy. For each enemy destroyed (plane or ground target) the victory count down speeds up in your team's favor. For each ally lost (plane or ground target) your victory timer is reset and the enemy's timer speeds up. Each team also has a head quarters which increases the accuracy of the various AA guns which automatically shoot at enemies within range. The HQ is a prime target for enemy attack aircraft.
Where you position yourself on the map has tactical value. Different planes perform better at different altitudes and there are ground features and cloud cover to mask your presence from the enemy team. When you are targeting an enemy the icons in the HUD will indicate their firepower, speed, and maneuverability in relation to you own which will greatly affect how you deal with that target. If you have superior firepower then a head on assault will be favorable but if you do not then you will need to evade their assault and try to hit them from a different angle. If you have superior speed then it will be easier to use altitude to your advantage and safely disengage from close combat. If you have superior maneuverability then it will be favorable to engage in close quarters dogfights with tight turns.
Teamwork is important in Warplanes. Attack Aircraft need to be escorted and zippy little fighters will quickly be scrapped out of the sky if they are solo and encounter a group of enemies. Enemy planes are easier to hit when they are zeroing in on an ally so breaking off from your current target to assist an ally is both helping your team and hurting the enemy more than if you had done otherwise. Situational awareness is also very important for navigating the angry swarm of enemies and allies in close quarters combat as collisions are fatal... and surprisingly common. I have witnessed too many allies colliding and killing each other while chasing a wily enemy pilot. Baiting enemy pilots with one or two low flying fighters may convince the entire squadron to descend and upon them up to attack from hidden allies up high.
Warplanes is my combat flight sim of choice. It's beautiful, fast, and fun. I love games that reward skill over luck or reflexes and Warplanes does just that. I like that it's realistic enough to feel like you're engaging in a dogfight but arcade-like enough to not have to bother with controlling multiple flaps, landing gear, and tail fins while also manning a machine gun. It's just pick up and go and while die-hard flight sim fans and history buffs will probably look down upon the liberties taken to make the game fast, fun, and balanced, I love it.
World of Warships
The newest game of the Wargaming series, World of Warships was recently released September 2015. After my exceptionally good experiences with World of Tanks and World of Warplanes I had high expectations for World of Warships and am pleased to say that it did not disappoint. Warships is, as far as I know, the only multiplayer modern naval combat sim in existence but it is also well made, with polish and depth just one would expect from Wargaming.net. Part World of Tanks, part Artillery sim, part slow motion chess, and part telepathy World of Warships is unique, engaging, and fun. Just like the games that have come before it Warships allows you to engage in 15 v 15 multiplayer battles and rewards teamwork and skill.
The layout and progression follows the same format as Tanks and Warplanes but with some notable exceptions. At the time of this writing Warships only has 2 nationalities, the US and Japan and you begin with their first tier cruisers. Every game you play nets you experience and silver according to your performance which you can use to upgrade your ship and unlock other ships through the national tech trees. Where warships differs from the others is that the game introduces upgrades, crew skills, and consumables one at a time as you level up making for a more gentle learning curve. In addition to this the tier of your ship does not have as great an effect on how you fair in combat and players have the option of teaming up against the AI (useful for trying out a new ship or upgrading from stock).
The maps are very large and even the low tier ships have guns with a firing range of 10km. Piloting your vessel through the water is a different experience than driving a tank or flying an airplane. It takes longer for your ship to gain and lose inertia which means that once you commit to an action you cannot take it back. This means that you always need to be thinking a few steps ahead, anticipating what the enemy will do and acting accordingly. The slower reaction time combined with the fact that most ships fire a dozen guns at once make the game feel epic rather than sluggish. These ships are titans of the sea and their grace and power make them feel the part.
Since the guns on your warship are so big you will be able to hit enemies from a fair distance. This means two things, first it means that you will need to fire where you think the enemy ship will be once your shots land, second it means that you need to be aware of enemy lines of fire or you will be taking shots from every part of the map. Similar to world of tanks it is important to stay in cover, although the cover for a battleship will be different than the cover for a Tiger I. Most maps in warships are dotted by islands big and small which will hide ships from view and block enemy fire. Destroyers are able to put down smoke screens to mask allies and a change in course soon enough can evade artillery fire.
Another interesting point that sets Warships apart from Tanks and Warplanes is the way to get critical hits against your foes. Every ship can fire either explosive rounds are armour penetrating rounds and the strength of your guns determines their effectiveness. If you are able to penetrate the armour of an enemy ship you can try to aim for the 'citadel' points (boiler rooms + gun magazines) for extreme damage. These citadel points are located directly below smoke stacks and gun turrets and the option to target them offers more skilled and daring captains a risk / reward scenario that always feels fantastic when pulled off successfully.
There are four different classes in World of Warships, each plays significantly different than the others.
Battleship
Historically battleships were made obsolete by torpedo carrying aircraft even while they were being created. In Warships though they function as the heavy hitting damage soakers that tear smaller ships to bits and can fire half way across the map. Equipped with multiple primary heavy artillery, a large arsenal of secondary short range guns, and AA defense these ships are big, heavily armoured, and slow. The thick armour on a battleship makes it invulnerable to critical strikes from all except other battleships. While powerful and boasting the most hitpoints and thickest armour the Battleship is vulnerable to torpedoes, bombers, and being surrounded by other ships. A smart Battleship captain will go with an escort and use his presence to support fellow team members and leading a charge, not going solo which is a good way to die.
Cruiser
Cruisers are the multipurpose ships capable of filling multiple support roles and acting as the natural counter to enemy destroyers. Smaller and lighter than battleships cruisers are faster and more maneuverable while still capable of firing full artillery salvos. Each cruiser is different, some are heavier and play like a fast firing mini battleship, some are very fast to hunt down destroyers and out maneuver larger ships, some have torpedoes, and some have special anti-aircraft guns. Cruisers play a very valuable support role for battleships and the team as a whole.
Destroyers
Destroyers are the stealthy killers of the seas. They are small, lightly armoured, very fast, and are capable of launching devastating torpedo attacks. Their low profile allows them to get closer to enemy ships without being spotted and their maneuverability makes them a difficult target to hit. Destroyers also come equipped with smoke screens and engine boosts to make them even more elusive. When firing torpedoes captains have the choice of using a wide or narrow spread to either maximize number of hits or chance of hitting. Torpedoes deal massive damage and will often cause enemies to flood taking additional damage over time. It is possible to sink a Battleship with full health by hitting with a full round of torpedoes.
Aircraft Carriers
Aircraft carriers play very differently than the other ships. Instead of firing artillery and trying to zoom your sights in on distant targets aircraft carriers zoom out to get a tactical view of the entire map and command squadrons of fighters, torpedo planes, and bombers. Aircraft carriers are powerful support class ships and the highest priority targets as they are capable of superior scouting, long distance torpedo attacks, and superior anti-aircraft defense.
So there we have it, three games, one review, all of them recommended on their own merit. The folks at Wargaming.net know their stuff. Their titles strike an excellent balance between historical realism and gameplay to make them exciting, challenging, balanced, beautiful, and fun. I love free to play games that actually let you play for free and have a quality experience, and Wargaming.net has put out three titles that do just that.
Team Fortress 2 is STEAM's Free to Play FPS (first person shooter). The game has been out since 2007 and as of the writing of this post it has undergone over 500 updates. The gameplay is tried, tested, and finely tuned with 9 diverse classes, a brilliant and unobtrusive focus on teamwork, and innovative strategic options. The graphics are stylized to never get old. The STEAM community has thoroughly gone to town making mods and maps and the developers have constantly been adding and tweaking things according to player feedback. With hundreds of hours logged on this gem I highly recommend it as my FPS of choice. It never gets old, and I always have fun.
There are lots of FPS games out there these days. What sets this one apart from the pack is their stylized (cartoony) approach mixed with excellent shooter mechanics that reward skill and teamwork. They also have the greatest free to play model on the internet where all classes are available free and all weapons / items are unlocked by simply playing the game or trading with other players (more on this later).
Some fun stylized graphics. Looked great in 2007, still looks great in 2015.
Team Fortress Stylized Graphics
The graphic style of TF2 gives it an enormous advantage over realistic shooters on several fronts. First of all the colors are bright and both the characters and levels are vibrant and beautiful instead of the drab collage of brown and grey that realistic shooters tend to turn into. Second the cartoony characters make them distinctive and actual characters instead of just a player class. Third it allows for gameplay that is not restricted by realism which leads to lots of fun, strategic options, and some downright hilarious moments. (characters running around on fire, being blown to literal bits, awesome facial expressions, rag-doll mechanics) Third the stylization of TF2 requires very little update once it has been set; it looked great in 2007, it still looks great in 2015, and it will continue to look great no matter what the jump in video card technology. Finally the graphical requirements are fairly low which means most non-gaming computers can run it on modest settings without a problem.
A Blu Soldier just blew a Red Pyro to bits with his rocket launcher at close range... Imagine what the two red players are thinking as they witness this from their perspective...
Team Fortress Gameplay
The gameplay mechanics are as solid as you will find anywhere and specifically focus on diverse class play / counter play, teamwork, and skill based tactics. There are 9 classes to choose from, each of which offers a completely different experience to play as and to play against. Like the graphics each class is itself highly stylized and given specific personality through official TF2 videos and in-game reactions to varying situations. Check them out below.
Heavy
The heavy weapons guy is a large slow moving Russian merc with a giant mini-gun that rapid fire sprays bullets at an alarming rate. He is able to mow down every other class that gets too close and send them scurrying for cover even at a moderate distance. He is particularly well paired with the Medic who can constantly heal the bullet spitting behemoth and uber-charge him to invisibility to wreck well fortified defenses. Heavy is particularly useful against classes that need to get in close to deal damage (Pyros in particular). Heavy's large size and slower movement speed make him a favorite target for snipers and spies.
Scout
The Scout is a quick little bruiser from the streets of Boston. His speed, double jump ability, and shotgun make him an 'in your face' opponent that can deal tons of damage by making some good skill shots. Knowing the map is essential for good scout play as making the wrong move will see you quickly dead. Scout's agility allow him to get into places where other classes cannot and allows him to dodge, jump, and weave around enemies while shooting them to pieces.
Demoman
The DemoMan is a demolitions expert from Scotland. His grenade launcher is ideal for taking out enemy turrets at a distance and bouncing explosives into enemy hiding places. He requires skill at judging distances and the physics of how your launcher will lob explosives. The Demoman also has sticky grenade launcher which is ideal for setting deadly traps. Alternatively once you unlock a few medieval style melee weapons the Demoman can be played as a front-line melee fighter who gains speed and health from enemy kills.
Soldier
The Soldier is a not too bright shooting star who can launch himself into the air by shooting rockets at his feet. His rocket launcher does area of effect damage and will blow enemies to bloody bits on direct hits. The soldier keeps a shotgun in reserve as well as a trusty shovel which I have put away in favor if a sword that will restore all HP upon killing an enemy with the trade off being that I cannot but the sword away again unless an enemy has been killed by it. Being able to utilize Soldier's rocket jump and as well as being able to lead targets with your rockets are essential gameplay skills.
Engineer
The Engineer is a well educated country loving Texan with a penchant for building really big guns to shoot things for him. His main weapon is a shotgun but his ability to construct and upgrade turrets makes him ideal for fortifying an area of the map. A well placed turret will stop a team rush in its tracks and shoot those annoying scouts clean out of the air. The Engineer can also construct and upgrade dispensers which provide health and ammo to your team as well as teleporters which can greatly strengthen a position when the entrance is placed at the respawn point. Watch out for Demomen who attempt to bounce explosives into your nest as well as spies which will attempt to destroy your constructions with electrical sabotage devices.
Spy
The Spy is a skill based melee (double?) agent from France / England. He is able go invisible, take on the appearance of an enemy team member, and instantly kill any character with a lethal backstab as well as finish off wounded characters from a distance with his pistol. The spy also has the ability to place sappers on engineer constructs rendering them inoperable and dealing damage over time unless removed. Playing the spy means playing mind games with the enemy; appearing where they least expect it, being able to 'act' like the character you are impersonating, and eliminating key targets without being seen. If you notice that one of your team members is acting suspicious then fire a few rounds into him to make sure he's not an enemy spy...
Sniper
The sniper is an assassin from Australia who specializes in eliminating high value targets at a distance. The sniper rifle is one of the few weapons that gets bonuses for head shots and a fully charged headshot will instantly kill any character except the heavy at full health. The sniper keeps a sub machine gun and a huge knife as backup weapons with the option of a refillable jar of 'jarate' which covers enemies in bright yellow stink fumes offering mini-crits to anyone who hits them and revealing invisible spies. Quick reflexes are essential for playing sniper because headshots kill characters (and enemy snipers will also be aiming for your head).
Medic
The medic is a brilliant German medical prodigy who is quite possibly insane. His ability to heal allies with friendly radiation streams is complimented by his ability to make them invincible once his medi-gun is fully powered up. While not really a damage dealing class a good medic will frequently top the score boards as kills from the player being healed are also attributed to the player doing the healing. The medic carries a rapid fire syringe gun that, once properly understood, can do lots of damage at moderate / close range and act as effective spy repellent.
Pyro
The origins of the Pyro are a mystery as are much of his / her mannerisms. The Pyro lives in a flame retardant hazard suit and carries a flamethrower, shotgun, and a fireman's ax. Pyro's mask muffles everything said and a lot of the unlockable cosmetic items seem to indicate that the Pyro is insane (plunger hat, a rake as a melee weapon, etc) The Pyro is a close range damage fiend inflicting a substantial damage over time burning effect on characters who were not killed by direct damage and managed to escape. Knowing the map will allow you to set up ambushes for enemy characters and take them down quickly. Pyro also has a back blast function on the flamethrower that will deflect incoming projectiles (like rockets) back to sender as well as send enemy players into the air (and possibly down a cliff).
Emphasis on Team Work
Team Fortress 2 was created around the idea of team work. Each of the 9 classes compliments each other, each bringing a series of strengths and gameplay options that are designed to work together within a group. TF2's game options are all team oriented from straight forward team deathmatches and capture the flag to the more complicated base capture maps. In Some maps one team has to push a bomb cart into the other team's base and in others both teams are racing each other with explosives. In the still recent Man vs Machine update players also have the option to play verses waves of mechanical AI opponents who will try to destroy your base. Whatever the map or gamemode you will be working together with your team in some fast paced and explosively hectic matches. There is no 'free for all'.
The maps were also crafted with team work in mind. Bases are defensible but often have several entrances for cunning enemies to flank engaged defenders. Every map features a variety of battleground conditions ranging from large open areas to confining tunnels or chasms and varying amounts of cover. Every map has multiple paths to reach your goal and makes elevation a factor as well with multiple paths at different elevation levels. The result is that no one class is best suited for every situation but each relies upon the others.
This emphasis on teamwork is an absolute joy to play when you have a good team but also a total drag if you have a dysfunctional team. Thankfully TF2 servers will detect gross imbalances and scramble the teams to balance things out a bit better.
Free to Play
Team Fortress 2 is Free to Play in the best sense of the phrase. All of the classes, all of the unlockable weapons / items, and even all of the cosmetic items (hats) are free. You can access absolutely everything in Team Fortress 2 without ever having to pay anything at all. As you play you will 'find' random items at the end of a match. You are also able to 'craft' every item in the game by either combining specific items together or melting down extras into 'scrap metal' and using it to build something new. This takes time however and so you also have the option to purchase items in game via micro-transactions if you so desire. Where TF2 makes the most money however are in selling ridiculous hats for your characters which are cosmetic use only.
Summary
If you enjoy first person shooter action or if you are in the mood for something new then you would be stupid not to give Team Fortress 2 a try. It's free, it's fun, it has been finely tuned and balanced for the last eight years, it will run on most any computer, and it's a riot to play with your friends. Seriously, go and install Team Fortress 2 right now.
Tropico 4 is a smart city builder with a twist; you play as El Presedente, a ridiculous but brilliant (or quite possibly just very lucky) tin pot dictator who must build up a Caribbean island nation while stashing away as much money as possible while also ensuring that the Tropican citizens don't arm themselves and storm the palace. With over 90 hours of game play logged I have played through all of the content in Tropico 4, including the Modern Times expansion and all DLCs. The mechanics are deceptively deep and intricate while also seamless, the graphics show some aging but still offer some beautiful shots, and the humor spread throughout is a blast. This is definitely my city builder of choice.
Special note: Don't bother with Tropico 3 as it is the same game as Tropico 4 except but with less options. Special note 2: Tropico 5 is a significant revamp of the Tropico series and is worth playing if you enjoy city builders. Tropico 4 is my favorite though and it's cheaper.
Gameplay
Humble beginnings... your lonely palace, a handful of corn
farms, a dock, a construction office, and some shacks.
The general goal of each Tropico game is to take your tiny underdeveloped and poverty stricken island village and turn into a profitable Caribbean paradise. There are many ways to do this and many challenges along the way; the scenarios in the campaigns also tend to mix things up a bit with special objectives and unique challenges.
As already alluded to the mechanics of Tropico 4 are complex and very well integrated. As El Presedente you are responsible for all aspects of your islands' infrastructure, economy, politics, military, and the well being of your citizens. To summarize things very briefly the two main things that lead to success are the happiness of your people and the amount of money you are able to generate. Generally speaking you begin by build up basic industries to export goods which make enough money to build more industries as well as the things that make your citizens happy (real houses, churches, hospitals, entertainment options, etc). As the game progresses you will be able to expand beyond basic raw material exports (crops, metals, lumber etc.) to processed goods (Rum, weapons, furniture etc.) as well as create hotels for tourists to come give you their money, that is, assuming you have the infrastructure to field these things. Where you place buildings matters as a long commute may cost you productivity or citizen happiness and some buildings have area affect bonuses depending on what is around them. Efficient roadways are important and require a measure of planning as they can become clogged and bog down production. There is rarely enough money, time, or resources to make everyone happy until a successful mid - late game and the fun is striking a balance and watching your island nation grow. In terms of the size of your city you are only limited by the size of your island (up to 'very big') and the speed of your processor.
Turns into skyscrapers, factories, shopping malls, tourist
traps, luxury entertainment, and bustling roadways.
Every citizen is procedurally generated with varying importance spread out among several needs (food, housing, job, entertainment, safety, health etc.) and will seek out ways to meet needs that get too low. Your citizens choose which building to live in, where they want to work, and which political faction they support. They interact with your city and react to how you rule them. You can click on any one of them to see their stats and have them fired, arrested, executed, excommunicated, bribed, or arrange an accident... Likewise you can click on specific buildings to adjust the wages they pay, who works there, and how many positions they are allowed to fill. El Presedente's ingame character can even visit specific buildings to increase their 'quality', make construction crews work faster or give speeches from the palace to raise the respect of everyone who attends. You can zoom the camera right in to street level and get up close and personal with your creation and the people who live there. These sorts of micro-management options are especially useful at the beginning of the game when money is tight and high school / college educated citizens are in short supply, but what is even more impressive is the way the game gives you information and control at the meta-level.
Zooming in on a residential sector with a nice little restaurant on the corner.
The 'Almanac' gives El Presedente a bird's eye view of all the important statistics of your island. The happiness of your people (for example) is listed as percentages which can in turn be clicked on for a full breakdown. You can get a birds eye view of your economy, trade, political factions, and the various demographics of your citizens. The almanac is especially useful when an election is called and you want to see where you stand with the various political factions (Capitalists, Communists, Militarists, Religious, Nationalists, Environmentalists, Loyalists). The makeup of these political groups will affect how you approach your island. A Communist majority will have different demands than a Religious majority and appeasing one group may make other groups upset with you. It's an uneven sea-saw and you are in the middle trying not to fall off.
At least the people respect their leader and are eating well... No, you cannot have more liberty!
Here's some blocky soviet tenements and a church to appease you while I bathe in my money.
The foreign superpowers also affect how you will rule your little island paradise. The US and the USSR will provide you with annual financial aid and unique trade options according to how much they like you but will invade if you make them angry. Other foreign powers like the UK, China, and the Middle East will provide lucrative trade options and gifts if appeased. The foreign powers as well as Tropico's political factions will offer minor objectives throughout the game asking you do something they want in return for money, respect, or a trade deal.
Also available to El Presedente are powerful edicts that can be unlocked to change how things are done on the island. Some examples are 'Food for the People' which gives a large boost to food quality at the cost of allowing Tropicans to eat twice as much of your food, 'Martial Law' which cancels all elections and greatly reduces crime at the cost of liberty and tourism ratings, and 'Off to Florida!' which sends all criminals to Miami on a government approved raft-like structure at the cost of US - Tropico relations for the next five years.
Looking over a mid - late game Tropico.
The campaign does a good job of breaking you in slowly as you learn how to build farms to feed your people and set up basic industries to start earning some cash. New concepts (foreign affairs, military, education, and edicts to name a few) are introduced slowly at first and it makes for an enjoyable tutorial as such. There are always strategies for how to run the island as well as a multitude of ways to squeeze extra money out of exports and tourists either into the island's bank account or into El Presedente's retirement fund... some of them are even unsuspiciously legal!
Between the robust mechanics and a multitude of options there is no right or wrong way to rule your island, although some strategies are better suited than others depending on the situation. Keep it simple as a self-sufficient farmer's haven or try for the big bucks by building factories and importing the necessary raw materials. Keep your citizens uneducated and indoctrinate them to become Loyalists Kim Jong-il style or embrace democracy and bring your people all the luxuries and liberties of the western world. Find the play style that works for you and then use your political influence to encourage some factions to grow while discouraging those troublesome nay saying factions. Bribery, coercion, control of the media, prison labor camps (DLC), and good old fashioned execution are all at your disposal. A word of caution though, ensure that your army is big enough (and loyal enough) to handle any explosive consequences that come from aggressive political shaping. A secret police HQ wouldn't go amiss either...
The Tropican Armed Forces intercept a group of rebels intent on storming the palace!
Bright Aesthetics & Humor
The overall tone and atmosphere of Tropico is as bright and silly as a city builder could be. The graphics are of an older generation but they are nonetheless full of vibrant colors, swaying palm trees, busy streets, blocky communist style tenements, glass skyscrapers, and beautiful gardens surrounded by the blue of the Caribbean Sea. The soundtrack is an absurdly happy, catchy, lively and (depending on your tastes) possibly annoying medley of Latin-American inspired musics which set the mood for upbeat fun in the sun. The representatives of Tropico's factions serve as your advisers and each one is a silly caricature that will chime in with helpful advise every once in a while and will occasionally take control of the radio and comment on El Presedente's actions and quite possibly bicker with other faction leaders over the air waves.
The story line of the campaigns starts out normal enough but becomes a wacky over the top concoction of conspiracies, international espionage, outrageous master plans, and crazy vendettas all wrapped up in some excellent humor and lighthearted fun. This is a story where El Presedente begins as a simple tin pot dictator with delusions of grandeur and in his quest to make Tropico the richest most powerful nation on earth he ends up the victim of an elaborate conspiracy (original game) and then in the expansion also single-handedly diffusing World War 3, defeating international terrorism, landing on the moon, warding off the zombie apocalypse, and moving Tropico out of the path of a nuclear missile by building lots of wind turbines. The characters are bright, zany, and varied. El Presedente is obviously corrupt but is so charismatic that he convinces everyone that he's the hero. You're #1 adviser worships you and is utterly incompetent, but his crazy schemes usually end up working in the end. Your environmental adviser, Sunny Flowers, is a tree hugging hippy left wing loon and your military adviser tries to scare off tornadoes to make them retreat while your capitalist adviser tries to sell discount weapons to the rebels over the radio. Everything is a joke in Tropico, everyone is happy in Tropico, everything is corrupt in Tropico, and Tropico is most definitely the best place in the entire world.
A Note on the Modern Times Expansion
The modern times expansion adds new buildings, edicts, and an additional campaign to Tropico 4 that build off the existing mechanics. As time progresses in your games these new buildings and options will be unlocked (makes the decision of when to use certain options more interesting). Older buildings can be replaced by modern day buildings improving efficiency and (maybe) decreasing pollution. Many of the modern buildings have options that affect how they function as well as potential bonuses depending on location. It adds a nice addition to the Tropico experience and makes for a more interesting late game but it's not necessary and I'm not sure I could recommend buying it at full price to new players. Play through some Tropico 4 to see if you enjoy it enough to commit the time required to play a few games through. My recommendation would be to wait for a good Steam sale and pick it and all the DLC up for about $15.
A nice Tropican skyline brought to you by the Modern Times Expansion.
Summary
Tropico 4 is a smart city builder with great style. Robust and seamless building, economy, and political mechanics covered in bright and lively aesthetics wrapped in some of the most humorous writing I've ever encountered in a video game make this a personal all time favorite. The learning curve in the campaigns is gentle enough to ease new players in while also leaving all the options open for more adventurous players to experiment and go wild. Pick this title (and all the addons) up in the next Steam sale for some excellent city building and seriously silly fun in the sun.
Lets start this blog off with one of my favorites. Lord of the Rings Online. I have played this game off and on with my wife for the last three years and we keep coming back to it as our MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online game) of choice. In my opinion, LOTRO is the definitive online experience for all things Lord of the Rings related.
The Lord of the Rings Online is a beautifully crafted game set in the Tolkien fantasy world of Middle Earth. The player is able to choose between one of ten different classes and four different races. The gameplay is instantly akin to World of Warcraft and other popular MMOs and as far as MMOs go LOTRO has solid game mechanics, good balance, an active community, and reasonably paced updates. For those unfamiliar with MMOs it's a game where you create a character in a massive online world full of other players' characters and you team up with your friends (or go alone) to explore the world, complete quests, kill monsters, uncover treasure, and find / earn / create better armor. magical trinkets, and weapons. You can join a fellowship or a raid group to take on instances or gather up rare materials to craft powerful items, or just hang out in Bree chatting with other players, fishing, making music, dressing up, and role playing.
(fellowship defending an outpost in Angmar)
Where LOTRO really shines is in its dedication to the lore and atmosphere of Middle Earth. Your characters' stories take place parallel to Frodo's journey and you really get to explore how the rest of Middle Earth experienced the War of the Ring. I am a sucker for good story telling and LOTRO drags me in every time. Every area is filled with stories and characters that either referenced in Middle Earth lore or are believable in light of it. Some examples of these story arks are thwarting Bill Ferny's rebellion in Bree, aiding the Dunedin Rangers scattered throughout the north, journeying with the Dwarves as they attempt to retake the Mines of Moria, and taking part in a daring plan to stop the swelling forces of evil in Angmar. The different regions are all unique, each with a distinct environment and there is even distinctive variation in the sub-regions which, when viewed on the highest graphics settings, are works of beauty.
(my wife and I touring the Shire)
The other thing that really stands LOTRO out among other MMOs is its monetization system which is the best free to play setup I've seen for this type of game. New players are able to enjoy a generously large chunk of content for free (up to about level 35). Content can be unlocked (in the form of area quest packs, 3 premium classes, cosmetic items, etc) by either getting a subscription or by using up Turbine Points. Here's what makes LOTRO so appealing to me... Turbine Points can be purchased via micro-transactions on your credit card or they can be earned in game by completing area specific deeds and challenges. By the time we had reached the end of our free-to-play content we were already accessing premium content by spending the Turbine Points we had earned simply by playing! Theoretically you could keep making new characters to keep earning more turbine points and unlock all the content for free but we were convinced of the games quality and lovingly crafted detail and we wanted to give them money to support the game we had become invested in. The relative cost of purchasing an area's quest pack (hours of content) is less than you would pay to watch a movie or eat out. (We have purchased every quest pack to date).
(Exploring the Silver Deep Mines of the Blue Mountains)
The community is friendly but also distinctively attached to the world of Middle Earth over and above the power level grinding that most MMOs turn into. Its the atmosphere and the stories of this MMO that draw the community. The instances and raids that you'd expect in a good MMO are still present but the overall attitude of the server is different because the game tends to draw in a different type of player. In the kinships we've joined we have found a surprising number of parents that play the game when their kids go to bed, generally a more laid back and friendly group. Die hard WoW players may find the change of emphasis frustrating but I quite appreciate it. The community enjoys quarterly festivals where new and unique cosmetic gear (robes, dresses, hats, horses, etc) can be earned by betting on Hobbit pie eating races in the Shire, out drinking Dwarves in Thorin's Hall, playing Hobnanigans in Bree fields, fishing, horse racing, digging for treasure, and so much more. The RP server of Landroval is especially lively with role playing kinships and impromptu dance parties with multiple player bands.
(The Bagginses Band on tour on Landroval server)
Theologically I enjoy this game because of the portrayal of good and evil. Tolkien's Middle Earth and the stories therein were greatly influenced by his study of Nordic legend and classical literature but they were also greatly influenced by his the Christian Scriptures and his personal faith. The evil in Lord of the Rings takes on an almost spiritual hue of light verses darkness. This is accomplished in the characters and stories told through the quest chains, the character models for the orcs (and other evils), the game mechanics of 'fear' verses 'hope' and even the environment itself which becomes dark and foreboding as you draw near a particularly evil place or bright and colorful as you draw near a particularly sacred or virtuous place / person. As someone who found Gandalf's charge at Helm's Deep particularly inspiring as a parallel for how Jesus leads the forces of light against the forces of darkness I find LOTROs portrayal of the battle against good and evil to be in full continuity with Middle Earth lore, and pleasingly subtle at times while also being effective at driving the story and making the adventure exciting.
(Goblin infestation in the Midgewater Marshes east of Bree)
Summary
LOTRO is a solid MMO that really focuses on atmosphere and story telling and has an excellent free-to-play model that is honest, unobtrusive, and rewards characters for playing. The mechanics are solid, the community is friendly, the graphics are beautiful, and we keep coming back to it time and time again. If you enjoy MMOs and especially if you love Tolkien's Middle Earth, then grab a buddy and give this one a try.
