issue 09 / volume 41

Chairman of the Board: All that glitters...

» ‘Splendor’ game review

Ed Appleby
illustrator
Miillustrator
@theotherpress.ca

 

here are lots of games that

have stood the test of time.
Then there are new, award-
winning games that can find
their way into that elite circle.

and card management game for
two to four players designed by
Marc André and published by
Space Cowboys in 2014. In the
game, you play a Renaissance-
era gem merchant, building
your business and supply lines
in order to gain prestige. The
first player to reach 15 prestige
points wins.

During the game, players
collect gem chips in order to
buy cards, which give access
to permanent gems or prestige
points. During your turn, you
can choose to collect gems, buy
cards, or reserve cards to be
bought later.

Gameplay is fast and there

: isa lot of pressure to make

: decisions quickly. I found that

: alot of the time it was hard to

: keep track of how many points
: each person had gathered. That
: distraction aside, the game

: played wonderfully.

Much like Carcassonne,

: Splendor’s simple rules allow

: a lot of room for strategy,

: including several different ways
Splendor isa chip collection : to gather resources and points
: without complex rules to bog

: players down. Most players

: can write off their first game

: asa learning experience, but

: should be able to give a decent
: challenge once they are better
: acquainted with the rules.

A fast, fun game witha

whole lot of strategy, this one
: makes fora great space filler

: or palate cleanser for larger

: game groups. The simple

: rules of Splendor also make it
: appropriate for family gaming
: with children.

I would recommend that

you give Splendor a try, and then
: see how well it fits in your own
: private collection.

 

 

The most dangerous game of all

» ‘Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate’ 3DS game review

Mike LeMieux
Layout Manager

OOOO

Gn outside of Japan
are finally able to get

their hands on the latest
entry of Capcom’s Monster
Hunter series. The series is
an unforgiving action game
where you forage for supplies
in a contained area while being
tasked with taking downa
giant creature. You progress
by carving up slain monsters
for parts and using the pieces
to build better weapons and
armour to take down bigger
monsters and continue the
cycle.

The story of Monster
Hunter 4 Ultimate (MH4U)
begins with you joining a
caravan of misfits who are
trekking across the continent
searching for the origins of
a mysterious artifact in their
possession. Along the way,
the characters are caught up
in an ancient prophecy that
threatens to throw the balance

is definitely not going to be the
draw for most people; it’s more
of a means to an end to get you
hunting different monsters in
different locales.

MH4U isa hard,

: unforgiving, but ultimately

: fair game. Your character will

: die—a lot—but every time

: is a learning experience that

: tells you what not to do next

: time. Therein lies the really

: interesting part of Monster

: Hunter: every bit of progress

: you make feels earned,

: especially when you take down
: agiant monster that has given
: you a lot of trouble. Fans of

: From Software’s Dark Souls will :
: find this gameplay philosophy
: familiar.

That isn’t to say this game

: is entirely impenetrable to

: people who aren't looking

: for a hardcore experience.

: This latest entry makes great

: strides over past Monster

: Hunter games in easing new

: players into the complicated

: mechanics. This is a big change
: from previous games in the

: series that would mostly just

: dump you into the world with
: little or no explanation.

The kinder, friendlier

: aspect of the game is not the

: only addition MH4U brings

of nature out of order. The story : fo the formula, The biggest
: change is added momentum

: and verticality to fights. Battles

: that used to take place ona

: mostly flat plain now have

: the hunter climbing, running,

: jumping, and even mounting

: the enemy in an effort to bring
: it down. This makes encounters
: feel much more engaging.

Graphically, MH4U is

: one of the 3DS’s best looking

: games. The environments,

: vistas, and large beasts all look
: fantastic, albeit a bit low-res.

: Additionally, the game is one

: of the few that takes advantage
: of Nintendo’s recently released
: (and confusingly-named) New
: Nintendo 3DS XL. The game

makes full use of the system's

: second analog stick and extra

: horsepower to provide much

: nicer textures and a smoother

: frame-rate. While either

: version of the 3DS is a viable

: platform to play it on, if you've
: got a choice you should go with
: the “New” 3DS.

MH4U also features robust

: local and online multiplayer

: options. Coordinating with

: other players to take down

: bigger and meaner monsters is
: where the game really shines.

: Even without the multiplayer

: component, this game can offer
: hundreds of hours of monster

: hunting.

With its more accessible

: gameplay, wealth of content,

: and exhilarating combat,

: Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate isa
: must-have for anyone seeking a
: good challenge.

 

Image courtesy of Capcom