The Battle For Wesnoth (Video Game Review)

I've spent much of my summer looking for free games to play, most of which are MMOs that still retain some kind of money-making scheme. The alternative is open source games, which are completely free and have no money-making scheme. The problem with these games is, because they have little or no money being put into them, they tend to be low-budget, crappy affairs.

The exception to this rule, I believe, is a little game called "The Battle For Wesnoth", a fantasy, turn-based strategy game in which you command your units on the field of battle in a quest to destroy the forces of evil. Fighters, elves, mages and clerics, this game has all the core fantasy character concepts you'd expect.

The graphic design has the 2-D "spritey" quality of the Super Nintendo era, but with modern, high definition that results in smoother lines and a much cleaner look. The animations are very simple, but still charming, as skeleton warriors can be seen juggling their own heads from time to time while waiting for orders.

That said, this game is far from having cutting edge graphics. When compared to modern console games... well it just doesn't remotely compare. So if that's an important part of your experience, you'll want to steer clear.

Wesnoth has better music than we have any right to expect from an open source game. Although the orchestral score uses synthetic sounds, this is true of many video game scores. The music is epic, militant or moody depending on the circumstances, and enhances the story and overall experience.

Speaking of story, while Battle For Wesnoth doesn't have the most gripping story or characters, the pacing is very well executed. Before each scenario, a part of the story plays out, mainly through the use of text accompanied by large (and beautiful) character portraits. But the game doesn't settle for a brief set-up followed by a long battle. Instead, as key objectives are achieved or as new areas are discovered in the "fog of war" exploration of the map, small scenes interrupt the action to re-engage players with the story. And though I don't find the story captivating, I appreciate the effort to make the game story-driven.

Strategy board gamers and fans of Final Fantasy Tactics will probably be especially drawn to this game. The landscape is based on a hex design, with different types of terrain effecting movement in positive or negative ways, depending on the type of unit passing over them. Units are allotted a certain number of movement points and combat hits and damage are randomized by the computer after factoring the strengths and weaknesses of both units involved.

There are dozens of scenarios, both included with the game and created by other users, boasting approximately 300 hours of free gameplay! Each scenario also offers 2-3 levels of difficulty, and at least two campaigns are designed to help new players learn the game.

After one or two scenarios, everything clicks and makes sense. The game is not overly complicated, but still offers plenty of strategy. Primarily, you'll be claiming village territories, which then support your battle efforts with added gold every turn. Gold is used to recruit different types of units.
As units take part in combat, they receive experience points toward leveling up into advanced versions of their current class, or sometimes a new class if you choose to send them down a different branch of advancement.

The game also has an interesting night and day mechanic, which adjusts the combat odds for or against you and your enemies, depending on your units' alignment. (Chaotic units do better at night, lawful units do better in the day.)

You can save the game at any given moment, making it easy to pick up and put down as you like. The game is also downloaded to your computer, so once you install it, there is no internet connection required unless you want to download additional scenarios.

I highly doubt that any spiritually worthwhile conversation or thought will be provoked by Battle For Wesnoth. I've put in well over five hours and haven't run into any interesting ideas or metaphors. This game isn't ever trying to say anything. It's purpose is to let you be the commanding hero in a battle against evil, and not much more.

The game is available for PC, Mac and Linux, and for a small fee you can get it on your i-phone (though I've heard that version is a little buggy, and besides, this is The Summer Of Free anyway).

My scoring for free games ignores the fact that they are free and treats them like any other game I've paid for. (These days, time is often more precious to me than money.) So even with what might not be considered a stellar Quality score, this game is WAAAY better than I think we have any right to expect from a free, open source game. Do yourself a favor and don't miss trying it out!

Quality: 8.5/10

Relevance: 5.0/10

Battle For Wesnoth Website

Free Tabletop Games!

Most of what we tend to highlight for The Summer Of Free focuses on entertainment experienced online or on your computer. But this time I want to showcase some free, geeky entertainment options that, although starting on your computer, will quickly find their way to your tabletop.

Board Game Geek

This is easily the biggest, most exhaustive website about boardgames on the web. And while there are certainly a number of free "print and play" options on the site, paper and ink cost money. The TRULY free entertainment found on this site is in the numerous variants for games you already own.

Go ahead, take a quick look at your game closet. If you're a tabletop geek of even the slightest degree, you've probably still got some games that you used to enjoy playing, even if they've been collecting dust for awhile. Now go to boardgamegeek.com, enter the name of your game in the search field, and when you find it in the database, scroll down on its page until you see the "Forums" section, or scroll down further to the "Files" section. With just a little bit of browsing you're almost guaranteed to find a rules variant that will add spice to your game, or flip it upside down into a whole new experience!

Here are just a couple variants for one of the most popular geek games that totally breathed new life into my experience:

1. Magic: The Gathering, Cube Variant (Allows you to create a balanced, self-contained version of Magic that makes great use of all those old cards you have, while ditching the never-ending, costly "collectible" aspect of the game.)

2. Magic: The Gathering, Horde Variant (Allows you to play the game solo or in co-op with other players against an automated opponent deck! I modify these rules and instead of using any tokens I just use regular creatures, but otherwise use the rules described here to determine the behavior of the automated deck. I've really enjoyed combining this with the Cube variant!)

I've also tried out and enjoyed numerous variants/additions for my other favorite games like Thunderstone, Doom and HeroQuest (for which there seems to be an endless supply of material).


But how about the worst-case scenario? You like geeky things, but you've never actually purchased a proper "geek" tabletop game. Your closet is full of a bunch of "family" games. ("Family" being code for "the same old boring crappy games that everyone grew up with and liked for a few years before entering the 5th grade and forgetting they exist.") Is your situation hopeless? Far from it! Here are just a few cool, geek-friendly variants I found for games that are probably already in your closet!

1. Battleship: Search And Destroy (Either print and play the game sheets provided or just use these rules with your original Battleship game!)

2. Clue: Zombie Mansion (Requires printing just a few pages)

There are even some great Candyland variants including 2-Player Ninja and Saving Candyland, although I'm partial to the Nuclear War variant.

And if all you've got is a deck of traditional playing cards, (for which only the most boring, arbitrary, and pointless games in the world have been created, in my opinion) there's hope for you too at Pagat.com! They have a page dedicated to combat games, many of which actually pay attention to the images on the cards and construct a logical fantasy theme!

Currently, the most interesting game to me on the site is Card RPG, which uses normal playing cards to simulate the monster-killing, treasure-looting fun of an RPG!

So even if none of these examples float your boat, you can still put off blowing your cash for a little while longer. Just scan your way through these pages for a bit and enjoy the crazy ideas others have come up with. You may just find a gem to enjoy over the weekend!

The Summer Of Free, Retro Gaming!

Philippians 4:11(ESV)- Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

Hebrews 3:5(ESV)- Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." 


The Summer Of Free is all about taking advantage of cool, free, geek entertainment options in order to be more responsible with the finances God has placed us in charge of.

Usually, we're showcasing freebies you can find online, but today I'm going to try something a little different and focus on the stuff you already have. Specifically, this time, your video games.

"But I've played all of my games already! I need something new and shiny to hold my interest!" The truth is, with a slightly adjusted approach or perspective, your old video games can become new and exciting all over again!
 
Did you hang on to some of those favorite video games of long ago because you might want to play them again someday? That day is today! Proclaim this week "Retro Gaming Week", or this month, "Retro Gaming Month"! Make it official by having some friends or family over for a special night of potluck food and retro games! (Your dad or brother might think he's the master of Circus Atari and Burgertime, but he's about to be educated!)

Did you develop your callouses on an NES or Atari? ("Condor 64? Is that an old Nintendo game, Grandpa?") Did you slay your first dragon on an SNES or Playstation? Maybe you're in high school or college and your idea of a classic is the first Lego Star Wars on PS2! (You young whipper-snapper!) Whatever you cut your teeth on that's just collecting dust in your closet somewhere can be pulled out and enjoyed all over again. And here are some tips on how:


1. Commercials And Reviews

Nearly every commercial ever made is sitting on youtube somewhere. Throw on your game's name followed by "commercial" and see what comes up.

Advertisements are designed to make us excited about a product so we'll spend money to get it. And revisiting ads for those old games of yours may help remind you of what you love most about them. (Or just make you laugh that people ever dressed that way on purpose.)

The same is true for reviews. Just type in your game's title followed by "review"! There are likely other gamers out there that love your game as much as you do, and they'll be happy to remind you why while showcasing great game footage!


2. Achievements

Ever look at some of the strange achievements available to complete in modern video games? "Eat 20 sausages. Kill 40 zombies with only a skateboard." Even if you're not interested in the bragging rights, tackling an old game with a new goal can breathe some fresh air into the experience.

For those classic games without built-in achievements, visit a site like twingalaxies.com (featured in the fantastic documentary, "The King Of Kong") and see if you can pull off even 1/10th of the highest achievement listed for your game. (Some games have no achievements submitted yet. You could become the reigning champ!)

And of course you can always come up with your own achievements for fun. Or maybe, for the first time, pay attention to those numbers in the upper right corner that keep increasing as you play. (In the olden days they used to call that your "score". At the end of a level, a higher number is better.) See if you can beat your own high score three times in a sitting, a day, or in one week of gaming. Plan a little reward for yourself if you succeed!


3. Cheats/Mods

Okay, you've mastered your game and no challenges remain because you are just that amazing. Or maybe you want to play your game again for the memories, but don't want to relive the frustration. Then why not have a little fun with cheats? You've already played your game to death and you've got nothing left to prove. Let go of that gamer pride that says you will NEVER USE CHEAT CODES and just have some fun.

Cheats can radically alter a gaming experience. Most often, they make the game easier. But almost as often you can find cheats that make the game harder, or just plain weird! If you've got a cheat device for a classic system, you're as good as gold. Just do a quick internet search referring to your game title and cheat device. You'll find that there are wonderful nerds all over out there that have still been developing cheat codes for these devices, long after they've gone out of production. I've played a version of the first Super Mario Bros. with my game genie where you can "fly" (swim) on every level and every enemy either shoots fire like Bowzer or throws a waterfall of hammers! Good thing everything I touch turns me into Fire Mario!

Even without a cheat device, it's pretty easy to find cheats for both old and new games. A site like gamefaqs.com is especially helpful for this.

And if you're a PC gamer who has never explored the world of modding, you're missing out. Do a quick search using your game's title and "mods" and you can often find some great user creations, many of which greatly improve upon the original game! Some will be harder to implement than others, but I'm TERRIBLE with computers and I've gotten a number of them to work with just a little time and effort. (TOTALLY worth it!)


Now I'm not wearing rose-colored lenses. At the end of the day, your old-games, even with a makeover, may not feel as shiny as that new title you've got your eye on. And the intention behind The Summer Of Free doesn't have that expectation. But you may still find that breathing new life into your favorite games of yesterday will scratch your nerd itch just long enough to save up some money and buy that new game more responsibly. You may even discover that you don't feel as strong a "need" for that shiny new game as you did before.

Not long ago I was feeling an itch to go get a copy of a new game I've been super-excited for. Though it didn't last long. I'm a lucky gamer who happens to have games that are either incredibly long (Elders Scrolls, Fallout) or with immense, built-in replay value (Dragon Age, Mass Effect). So revisiting those games has already bumped back my perceived "need" to buy a game until sometime a few months from now, at the earliest. But as I began to also re-explore some of my older games using the approach I've just described, I experienced an overload of geekery! I even set aside one of my newer games (which I LOVE and haven't finished yet) and am now puzzling over which of my older games I want to play the most! Final Fantasy Tactics? Baldur's Gate? Something tells me I won't be buying a new game for much longer than I thought!

Adventure Quest Worlds (Video Game Review)

Review by Katyasha

Adventure Quest Worlds is a massively multi-player role-playing game that plays right inside your web browser. There is no software to download or install -- and this MMO is FREE! Battle monsters in real-time RPG combat alongside your friends.

There are some good things about this site and some bad stuff so I will give the low-down on this site for those who want to check it out and play there.

GOOD
1. It's free
2. You can create your own charter(Warrior, Rouge, Mage, Ninja)
3. You can choose different armor, helmets, capes, ect.
4. Events on there are cool, from Holiday's to someone on the staff getting married
5. You get to go to some great places around "Lore" (the fictional world) battling monsters.
6. Story line is good and so are the quests.

BAD
1. There is a subscription option for access to new weapons and armor, etc.
2. Not enough characters for non-members to choose from unless they become a member.
3. Can't access or buy some armor, helmets, capes and pets unless you purchase in-game money to get them, also you can't combine some helmets or capes(example my character is a fox and I wanted to equip the tail and a cape and I can't).
4. The events are cool but lag and take a long time to load your character. For example the Friday the 13th events.
5. There are places in Lore that are off limits unless you're a member.
6. Also members get to battle the bosses before anyone else and brag to non-members, which is annoying. Not to mention they started this mid-release thing for members only which is unfair.
7. Their message board is not a great place at all. Some of the Mod's there are rude and threaten other people who post threads that are not related to the game.
8. People often send you requests to join their group when you are in the middle of a battle with a monster.
9. Not enough space to store your gear unless you have to buy more space for it.
10. Getting kicked off in a middle of a battle.
In all this is a somewhat great place to meet friends or unwind after a long day at the office and kill something to release unwanted stress. So I give this site:

Quality: 9.0/10
Relevance: 7.5/10

Visit Katyasha's Website

Why Some Of Us Need A "Summer Of Free"

"The Summer Of Free" is about more than just getting stuff for free. My hope is that it can be a tool to help you and me view and make use of our money in ways that better serve God's purposes.

Priston Tale 2, A "First Five" Review (My First 5 Impressions Of The First 5 Hours)

Some brief background on my tastes: I'm almost exclusively a console gamer. I hate dealing with changing system requirements and compatibility issues. I much prefer kicking back with a gamepad to crouching over a mouse and keyboard. I also dislike MMOs because some (used to be most, though fewer as time passes) charge monthly subscription fees and playing with numerous strangers means having to deal with people who just want to tick others off. (I'd rather pay for a game just the one time that's designed for me to enjoy without human nature screwing things up.)

Priston Tale 2 is a completely free to download and play MMO RPG, and since I generally avoid MMOs like the plague, it's also the first fantasy MMO I've ever tried. I'm an MMO noob. Even so, I dig fantasy RPGs, and I understand that some MMOs downplay the multi-player aspect and allow you to have a fairly solo experiene if you want. At least for awhile. So Priston Tale 2 was worth a try for me. Here are my first five impressions of my first five hours playing the game.

1. The visual design was very nice. It definitely comes from a Japanese game culture. Character models and the general look of the world have a bit of that anime quality to them, though not greatly so. If you're okay with the look of monsters in your average Final Fantasy game, you'll feel at home here. Otherwise some enemies may feel a little "cute" for your tastes. An additional minor complaint is that monster models are re-used a little too often. First you fight the green version of a monster. Then in another field, you fight the red one. (He's stronger than the green one.)

 2. Learning to play was a bit of a chore. Actually, a big chore. It's clear the game was not created by people who speak English as their first language. The in-game tutorial actually screwed up the functionality of my game, so I turned it off and referenced a series of videos they've made available to watch in-game instead. I also took a little extra time to see if the game could be played with a controller. (It's not designed for a controller, but using Joy2Key I still gave it a shot.) So your time adjusting to and learning the controls may be faster and easier than mine. There is still quite a bit about the various abilities and options in the game that I don't understand, but my ignorance doesn't seem to be hurting my experience much yet.

3. Gameplay is very much a fight-loot-upgrade affair. If all you want to do is go on a bunch of quests with just enough story to hold a string of monster fights together, you'll be happy here. So far, quests basically consist of "Can you go and kill this many monsters for me and bring me their ears so I can make a potion?" There are a few with stories going a little deeper, but this game is played for the point-and-click monster combat, which plays very simply and reminds me quite a bit of Neverwinter Nights.

4. The sound is alright. Nothing very memorable, except for the birds. I don't know why, but there is a chorus of noisy birds, a cacophany even, that fills the background almost like white noise as you travel the countryside. The music is nice, so I went into options to turn the background effects down. Nothing happened. The birds only turned down when i turned the music down. For some reason, they've got this aspect of background effects sharing the same track as the music. Whaaaa?

5. The game's story is... not there. I have no idea what this game is about, who the big bad is, or even if there IS a big bad. As far as I can tell, everything in this world is peachy, except for the folks that need you to go and kill monsters for them now and then. There might be something about an empire or something. Can't remember if they're good or bad. Probably bad. That's usually how these things work. But the story will probably not be a draw for anyone.

Normally, one of the first things I pay attention to when discovering a new fantasy world is their theological/philosophical framework. While sci-fi tends toward naturalism and atheism, fantasy often leans toward polytheism and relativism. Whether game story writers intend it or not, their views often show up in their world and characters, sometimes going so far as to "force" players to adopt a philosophy in game that they wouldn't have in the real world.

Priston Tale 2 may have a wonderfully creative theology behind it, but due to the clunky translation and lack of engaging story, any potential theological back story for the world is literally "lost in translation".

Considering that the game is free, a somewhat mediocre final product is acceptable to me, especially if I'm just looking for a game to tide me over for a few weeks until something better comes along. If that describes your situation, give Priston Tale 2 a try. After a little bit of time spent pushing through the non-intuitive elements to figure out the basics, it does a nice job of scratching that fighting/looting itch with an enjoyable, if not diverse, visual presentation.

Quality: 7.0/10
Relevance: 5.0/10

DC Universe Online

I'm not a fan of MMOs. I hate the monthly subscription concept. Call me traditional, but I like to pay for a game once, and for that game to be complete. I also dislike the idea of having my play experience spoiled by someone who just feels like anonymously ticking off other people.

But if there were ever an MMO I would give a try, it would be DC Universe Online. I tried it first on PC when it went free to play and have since enjoyed even more hours in the DC Universe on my PS4. Here are a few impressions from the dozens of hours I've put into the game so far:

1. Character creation is a bit narrow and pre-packaged. I could also find no way to examine how your selected powers and skills would advance over time while still in the character generation phase. Functionality of powers isn't that varied. Differences between various attack abilities seem mostly cosmetic. If you've got an idea for a really cool character with a unique mix of powers or skills, you won't be able to create them here. The one advantage of the limitations in character creation is that it's basically impossible to create a character who won't do well.

2. The world is probably the biggest selling point. Being able to explore my favorite comic book universe at will is amazing. Despite only featuring Metropolis and Gotham City at the start, the world feels large and open. It's also extremely detailed, with little easter eggs everywhere that DC fans will eat up. Want to visit Crime Alley, where Bruce Wayne's parents were killed? Go for it! You'll even find a pair of roses lying on the pavement, a hint that Bruce Wayne may have just been there honoring their memory. There are also built in "tour" quests that follow a series of automated "Booster Gold" terminals around the cities, introducing you to the multitude of locations and their histories. The graphics look great, even on the lowest settings. (Some texture popping, as you approach far away buildings, but I don't mind that at all.) I can't imagine why anyone would choose a movement power other than flying for this game, unless you want to miss out on the expansive view available.

3. The voice acting is very well done by a cast that will likely make many nerds giddy. A number of voice actors from previous animated incarnations of DC characters have returned for this project, and their presence is more than welcome. (My understanding is that this game will be the last time Mark Hammil ever does the voice of the Joker. A real shame, as he does such a fantastic job with the iconic character.)

4.The action is sweet and feels great with a controller. Beating up baddies and button mashing my way to victory has rarely felt better. (I should note, however, that a controller is really the only way to play this game. I tried it out with a mouse and keyboard, and the experience was beyond awkward. It was terrible and impossible for me to enjoy.) Although marketed early on as an action game, it's an action RPG. GREAT news for me, since I suck at action games. If I can't beat a baddy because my gaming skills are lacking, I can always fall back on level-grinding my way through. And although simply fighting baddies on the street won't give you the XP you need to progress through the whole game, I've found that there are plenty of quests and recurring instances that you can play to gain lots of XP, and all without interacting with other players if, like me, you prefer playing solo.

5. The game still isn't without the annoying trappings of MMOs. Even in a non PvP server I've gotten one or two requests to fight somebody. (Which you don't even have to acknowledge.) Another time several players decided to team up and block access to a room that is commonly needed by all players, just standing there to block movement, knowing they couldn't be attacked in the non-PvP server. I had to wait about 10 minutes before they were booted from the server, though other players seemed to have been waiting much longer. (This has only happened once over several years of on and off playing, though, so the problem may have been corrected/prevented with updates.)

As for spiritual/philosophical/moral themes, which I like to keep an eye out for, there is very little that might provoke meaningful thought on spiritual matters. It's mostly a thoughtless "beat-em up" superhero game. The only point I thought was interesting was that in creating a magic-based character it is assumed that, like Wonder Woman, you derive your power from "the gods". The DC Uinverse does not normally assume this of all magical characters, so the forced limitation in character concept felt a little lame for a preferably monotheistic fellow like myself.

A really fun game that I probably would have even paid for eventually. You don't need to spend any money to enjoy the entire game, although I gladly forked over 10 bucks for the light-based (Green Lantern) powers. And considering that it's completely free on PS4 and PC, you've got nothing to lose in trying it out!

Quality: 8.5/10
Relevance: 5.5/10