Stellaris: Utopia Review
When Stellaris launched I was one of many to shower it with acclaim. Here was the space 4X game we’d been waiting for that would revolutionize the genre. Of course, there were problems, but Stellaris showed the promise for something great, given time. We’re now almost a year distant from that launch, and some would […]
Weekly eXchange #129 – Answers And More Questions!
Join Nate and Troy as they bring you all the important information on all of your favorite 4X and strategy games! This week they talk about Children of the Galaxy, Galactic Civilizations 3: Crusade, Stellaris, Age of Wonders 3, Total War: Warhammer and much much more. As well as continued coverage for your other favorite 4X and […]
2016 End of Year Statistical eXamination Part 1
About a year ago, I wrote a piece that brought together data from SteamSpy and Steamcharts to do an analysis of 4X games launched in 2015. At the time, I didn’t know what to expect from an examination of such data, but in the 12 months since that article was published, I have found myself […]
A Question (Or Three) Of Strategy
I sat down for my first session of Blizzard’s MOBA Heroes of the Storm. I’d watched some Let’s Plays and completed the tutorial. I’d read up on my hero of choice and studied the game mechanics and map objectives. Then, the match started. The gates opened… I realized I had no idea what to do. […]
Sorcerer King: Rivals Review
Sorcerer King (SK) was one of the more innovative 4X games released in 2015. While I believe the game had some design flaws and thematic issues, there was no denying that it added something new to the genre. For Stardock, however, SK proved to be something of a disappointment, receiving a lukewarm reception and disappointing […]
Endless Legend: Tempest Review
This site has said some pretty nice things about Amplitude’s Endless Legend series over the years, all of which are still well deserved. Endless Legend: Tempest is the fourth expansion to this well-received game. If you were afraid the developer might fumble the most recent addition, worry no longer. In my review for Shifters (Endless […]
How I’d Like to See 4X Development Evolve Part 2: An eXposition
Last year I wrote an article encouraging 4X companies to expand their designs in certain areas. It’s too soon to tell if that article had any impact, but it’s not too soon to ask for more! Starting Conditions I’d like to start in an obvious place: Starting Conditions. In classic 4X design, the player (note […]
This Thing Called Strategy: An eXposition
For the past few years, a question has been haunting my dreams: What is strategy? A narrower follow up question is: What makes a compelling strategy game? One reason this question has been bothering me, particularly in terms of 4X or Civilization-style games, is that so often the gameplay does not feel like what strategy […]
Pricing: An eXposition
I think that one of the most difficult decisions a developer has to make is determining what to charge for their game. It is just as difficult for those of us who comment on video games (like me) to advise developers on pricing. There are so many factors to consider. For instance, do I have […]
The DLC/Expansion Conundrum: an eXposition
When Amplitude announced its Shadows DLC for Endless Legend, it touched off a debate inside the eXplorminate internal forums. What exactly is a DLC anyway? Isn’t Shadows more of an expansion? Is it going to be expensive enough to be called an expansion? How do you classify these things to begin with? The staff at […]