STELLARIS
RELEASED May 9, 2016 | DEVELOPER Paradox | PUBLISHER In-house
After six years, several expansions, and dozens of patches, Paradox’s space 4X has aged like a fine alien wine. With a mind-boggling array of imagine is at your fingertips. And various systems reworks and improvements mean there’s never been a better time to spin up your drives.
What really sets Stellaris apart from other space 4X games is the depth of its society simulation, a staple of Paradox games. There is more abstraction going on here than some of the studio’s other projects, but the fact that I can see what is causing so much crime on my forge worlds or be pressured to change my stance on planetary bombardment by a disgruntled political faction helps the galaxy come alive.
ENDLESS LEGEND
RELEASED Sep 18, 2014 | DEVELOPER Amplitude Studios | PUBLISHER Sega, Iceberg Interactive
Endless Legend is one of the most memorable fantasy 4Xs ever, mainly because of its rich world lore and creative faction design. You want to play peaceful traders with mobile cities built on the backs of giant bugs? How about dragon people who get different bonuses based on the changing of the seasons? In a genre that can sometimes become bogged down by its own conventions, this game lets imagination run wild and isn't afraid to mix up the fundamentals.
A New Dawn - The rise, fall and rise again of PC Gaming in Japan
The so-called 'Paso Kon' market (ie katakana's transliteration of 'Pasonaru Computa') in Japan was originally spearheaded in the 1980s by NEC's PC-8800 and, later, its PC-9800.
MARVEL: ULTIMATE ALLIANCE
Enter the multiverse of modness.
SLIDES RULE
Redeeming a hated puzzle mechanic with SLIDER
GODS AND MONSTERS
AGE OF MYTHOLOGY: RETOLD modernises a classic RTS with care
PHANTOM BLADE ZERO
Less Sekiro, more Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
STARR-MAKING ROLE
Final Fantasy XVI's BEN STARR talks becoming a meme and dating summons
THIEF GOLD
Learning to forgive myself for knocking out every single guard.
HANDHELD GAMING PCs
In lieu of more powerful processors, handhelds are getting weirder
FAR FAR AWAY
STAR WARS OUTLAWS succeeds at the little things, but not much else shines
FINDING IMMORTALITY
Twenty-five years on, PLANESCAPE: TORMENT is still one of the most talked-about RPGs of all time. This is the story of how it was created as a ‘stay-busy’ project by a small team at Black Isle Studios
