arts / 8 Chairman of the Board: Who needs sheep? » ‘Settlers of Catan’ board game review Ed Appleby Ilustrator M illustrator @theotherpress.ca [° the world of board games, for the industry. Games that change how board games are and this week’s game. Settlers of Catan isa resource management game for three to four players, designed by Klaus Teuber and first released by Franckh-Kosmos Verlag in Germany in 1995 under the title Die Siedler von Catan. You compete against other players, attempting to advance your newfound society on the island of Catan by building settlements, expanding roads, hiring knights, and constructing : specialized buildings. This : is done by gathering five : resources: wood, brick, ore, : wheat, and wool. The first : player to get to 10 points wins. The game focusses on two very important elements: where there are a few game changers :! : you place your settlements and : how well you trade with other perceived, like chess, Monopoly, : players, not unlike Monopoly. : Territories are given a number : between two and 12, and : resources are awarded by the : : roll of the dice to everyone with : : a settlement bordering that : territory. Some resources are : more common while others are ; More rare, so trading with other : players is vital. As there are : several ways to get points in the : game, there are many different strategies that players can use to win. The game is great fun and well-balanced. It’s simple enough that you can carry ona : conversation during gameplay, ; yet complex enough to keep : players engaged in the game, : almost to rage-induced table- : flipping levels. My one criticism : is that you can sometimes find : yourself in a no-win situation, : which can reduce enjoyment of : the game. But that can easily be : turned around in the next game : and, since each game usually : lasts less than an hour, that : wont be long. Settlers of Catan is considered the icon of : European-style board games, : and can also be considered : one of the best games ever : made. The gameplay is simple : enough for new gamers and : deep enough to keep more experienced players engaged. I recommend it for everyone who wants to up their gameplay to the next level. theotherpress.ca If it bleeds, it leads » ‘Nightcrawler’ review Steven Cayer Senior Columnist ot to be confused with the X-Men character of the same name, Nightcrawler isa life of Los Angeles. It focusses on one sociopathic anti-hero to make a name for himself any way he can, amazingly played asa small-time thief stealing some money, until he stumbles ona slightly more legal job of freelance crime journalism. First, he gets a cheap ; camera and police scanner. : Then he finds a morning : news director (Rene Russo) : willing to buy his footage. He 00000 : by Riz Ahmed. As the movie ; progresses, you start to see : Bloom getting more and more movie taking placeinthe night- : disturbing and sociopathic. then hires a young man who’s desperate for money to be his assistant, played very well This movie definitely wouldn't have been as good named Lou Bloom, who’s trying ifit wasn't for Gyllenhaal’s : career-defining performance. : Itreminded me of Robert De by Jake Gyllenhaal. He starts off : Niro’s character in Taxi Driver. : He does some intense things, ‘ et : but is always a creepy kind of construction supplies just to get calm. The difference is that : whenever Gyllenhaal smiles, : you can’t help but like him, no : matter what he’s doing in the : scene. He has a subtle craziness : about him, and his performance : could get him a nomination. My one problem with Nightcrawler is that there were : a couple moments that were : supposed to be funny, but the : situation was so disturbing that : it felt awkward to laugh. For : example, some of Gyllenhaal’s : dialogue is humorous just : because his character is more : honest and straight to the : point than what we're used to. This movie could be thought of as a character : study with a sociopathic take : on the American dream. : [recommend seeing this : movie just to see the defining : moment of Gyllenhaal’s : career, and how nail-biting : the ride to the endis. Comic Corner: Round two for Briggs » ‘Alpha and Omega: Cry Wolf Vol. 1 #1’ review Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor OOOOS [° the second attempt at adapting a series by popular urban fantasy novelist Patricia Briggs, we are given Alpha and Omega: Cry Wolf. Despite being a huge fan of Briggs’ novels, I regret to say : that this book is no more : successful as a graphic novel : than its predecessor, Mercy Thompson: Homecoming. The first instalment of this title is incredibly short, and Briggs’ novel style isn’t properly : adapted to accommodate a : story arc that even the most : basic single-issue comic book : requires. It’s difficult to discuss plot with this title, because : in truth it lacks one. Despite : this being listed as a graphic : novel, I suspect that this first : volume was actually done : as a single-issue, or at least : : should have been. The problem : : with adapting a novel fora : segmented release like single- : issue comic books is that comic : : books require small story arcs : even within their limited issue : as well as the overarching : plot of the entire series. Each : issue must be self-sustaining. : Normally if this is a problem : with a first issue, it’s because : the storyline is missingsome : : sort of conflict resolution since : : it is meant to entice a reader into reading the rest of the : series. For Alpha and Omega, : there isn’t even anestablished : : conflict. The entire book is just : : brief character introductions : and expositional world : building. The art by Jordan : Gunderson is neither good : nor bad. Fora comic book, : it’s fairly run of the mill with : strong lines and an even balance between light and : dark. To its credit, the issue : is full-colour, which improves : the impression of it greatly. : The cover art by Jenny Frison is amazing. Despite my love for the Alpha and Omega literary : novels, I’d recommend : avoiding the graphic novel for : the time being.