The House of the Dead: Overkill Wii

RELOAD!!!!When rookie AMS Special Agent G, who originally appeared in the first House of the Dead game of which Overkill is a prequel to, is forced to team up with loudmouthed ladies' man Isaac Washington, a Bayou City detective on a quest for revenge, blood, brains, and bodies fly. The two guys curse and shoot their way through endless zombies--actually mutants--as they chase after crime lord Papa Caesar, the man responsible for the whole mess. Along the way, you'll encounter Varla Guns, an ex-stripper with her own vendetta against the sinister villain, and blast your way through wave after wave of hilarious and terrifying mutants, including hobos, football players, rednecks, backflipping clowns, nurses, and more.

As is typical with light-gun games, the action is entirely on rails, so you don't have any real control over your path through the mutant-infested backwaters of Bayou City. You do, however, have some peripheral vision if you move your crosshairs near the edge of the screen, which helps you to pick up power-ups like grenades, health kits, golden brain collectibles, and the coveted "slow mo-fo mode," which slows time down to a crawl for maximum carnage. Each mission takes place in a specific set piece that has been cast in the grindhouse theme, from hospitals to carnivals to plantation houses, and at the end of each you'll duke it out with a freakishly large supermutant in a battle to the death.

The degree of difficulty ranges from level to level but is more often easy, especially if you've got the help of a friend thanks to the two-player co-op mode, which is very nicely set up so that a partner can join at any time. Most enemies fall to your firepower in only a few shots, and even the bosses are huge pushovers once you learn their simple and predictable patterns.
Ultimately, The House of the Dead: Overkill is incredibly fun and entertaining. With a large cast of heroes and villains, brilliant writing and voice acting, and some of the best visuals available on the system, I would say that Overkill is one game that no one who likes this kind of gameplay should miss.

Dungeons and Dragons

Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) is a fantasy role playing game that exists since the mid 1970s. Over the years it has gained a lot of popularity, and at this point it is by far the most popular pen & paper role playing game in the market, with book and equipment sales of more than $1 billion and more than 20million people that have played it, according to wikipedia.

The game is an open-ended and story-based, governed by a very complex set of rules that take a while to master. D&D requires at least 4-5 participants to be interesting, one of which is the Dungeon Master (DM). The rest of the players each assume a character and typically form a group. Each character has some statistics that represent what they can do, as well as backgrounds that merge into the story.

The Dungeon Master is responsible for providing the setting in which the characters act. The DM is the one narrating the story and playing all the non-player characters (NPCs) that appear in the plot. The DM also describes to the players the environment, the actions that happen and how the story evolves. (S)he is the one providing challenges to the players to overcome, as well as helping them when needed. To do all the above requires an intimate familiarity with the game rules as well as a creative spirit. A good Dungeon Master is the key to having a nice experience while playing the game.

There is a lot of literature that has been developed around the game. Whole fantasy worlds have been created and thousands of novels have been written describing stories that take place in these worlds. These books often act as inspiration to help the Dungeon Master create the stories for the players.

To start playing the game, a group of players needs 3 books. The Player's Handbook contains the core rules of the game that everyone needs to know. The other two books, the Monster Manual and the Dungeon Master's Guide are important mostly to the DM. In addition to these core rulebooks, there are tons of enhancements and additional tools available to help enhance the playing experience.

Other than these books (which you have to read before starting to play!), all you need is few sets of dice, pen, paper, maybe some miniatures and a lot of imagination!

Taboo

Taboo is one of those rare jewels among board games that while being extremely simple in its rules and concept, it provides to be extremely fun while playing it. It is essentially a word - guessing game; some players try to describe some words while their partners try to find out which word is being described every time.

The game requires a minimum of 4 people to play, split in teams. Each player picks up a random card with words, when their turn comes. He then tries to describe the top word in the card to their teammate(s). Below the word to be guessed there are several words that are usually extremely helpful in describing the keyword on the top. The rules of the game forbid the usage of these words or their derivatives while describing.

The fun part comes usually from the improvised descriptions players use to bypass the restrictions of using the forbidden words. To do that, they often employ techniques as referring to common past experiences they have had with their teammates or people they all know about. Thus the game often degenerates into re-living the memorable moments of the players' common past, which tends to be very entertaining. The game is fast paced as there is a time limit and each team tries to guess as many keywords as possible within this time limit to earn more points.

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Vampire: The Masquerade

"Vampire: The Masquerade" is a fantasy pen & paper role playing game that was created in the early 1990s and has become ever since one of the most popular games of its kind.

The game is themed around the concept of vampirism which is very popular in literature since the medieval ages. In this context, the game explores various aspects of human personality, such as "themes of morality, depravity, the human condition (or appreciation of the human condition in its absence), salvation, and personal horror."  

Each Vampire belongs to a distinct clan or bloodline. These groupings share distinct characteristics, powers and curses. The Nosferatu, for example, all share the disciplines of Animalism, Obfuscate and Potence and the curse of disfiguring appearance. A bloodline is a distinct split from the main clans, as the curse of Caine is changed over time, representing new expressions of vampirism. Some bloodlines, such as the Gargoyles, are artificially created through applications of Thaumaturgy. The Caitiff are an exception to the rule, as they are considered clanless sharing no disciplines and curse, they are viewed as a disquieting sign of the coming armageddon.

The game plays out like a classic pen&paper RPG, with a storyteller or game-master narrating a story and setting the environment, and the players describing their characters' actions within that setting. According to their actions the characters stay closer to their human side or their "beast" side.

Based on the pen & paper game, a PC game was developed in 2004, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, which became a best-seller. 

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Mario Kart Wii!

Mario Kart Wii Welcome to the land of the famous plumber Mario! Either you are a fan of Mario games (from the past ages of Donkey Kong as I am) or not you are going to experience the ultimate fun! Pick up a character from various funny options; pick up a vehicle among cars, motorcycles even strollers, choose a course among fascinating, fantastic sceneries and gear up! A one of a kind racing game by Nintendo Wii playing console with a lot of pleasant surprises and traps… Race against your friends and family while gathering at home.

Ratings:

Fun factor: High. A very enjoyable game, pleasant music, fast with explosions and traps everywhere

Cost:  Normal. Standard cost for a Nintendo Wii game.

Complexity: Medium. The player has to learn all of the weapons and tricks that he/she must use in order to win and I assure you they are not few!

Duration: Until you are bored!!

Replayability: Medium. There are a lot of courses to play, a lot of characters to choose but as soon as you pick them all you are starting to loose interest.

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Introduction to Pen and Paper Role Playing Games

Pen and paper role playing games (RPGs) is a very popular category of fantasy games where players assume the role of a character and describe their actions through speech and/or using miniatures. In each pen and paper RPG, there is a comprehensive systems rule that describes the traits and abilities of each character and what actions they can perform. These games are typically turn-based, which means that each character may perform actions when their turn comes in a pre-determined, often randomized, cycle.

Pen and paper RPGs are played in small social gatherings, most often at home but occasionally on coffee shops and sometimes even at specially designed venues where big gatherings take place and even tournaments.

In a pen and paper RPG, the players create their characters (usually before the actual gaming session takes place) according to the specific rules of each game. The game rules dictate possible backgrounds and qualitative characteristics but also some numerical statistics. Many players usually go beyond the game rules to include sketches of how their character looks like and fine tune the whole role playing process.

After the characters have been created, the game procedure is being initiated by the Game Master (GM). The Game Master is usually a person well - versed in the rules of the specific game whose responsibility is to narrate a story and create the background for the players to act. Among the GM's responsibilities are to prepare the setting and the context where the game takes place, to play the role of all miscellaneous characters appearing in the plot interacting with the players, to describe events that take place, to  and even adjudicate disputes when they arise.


Most of these games rely on using various types of dice to introduce an element of randomization to the game and actually make it feel more alive. Several of the most popular pen and paper games have been implemented as PC games in the past, becoming blockbusters. The blooming category of massive multiplayer online RPGs that have conquered the PC gaming world have their roots in  these pen and paper games.

In subsequent posts we will explore several of the most popular pen & paper RPGs in more depth.

Buzz

Buzz is a Playstation 3 quiz game that has been a part of Sony's previous console versions portfolio. It plays out like a TV show game based on knowledge about various topics. It's innovative characteristic is the "buzzer", a special controller designed specifically for this game series:

Each "buzzer" supports up to four players which makes the game suitable for a home gathering of few people. The players select a unique avatar among many options, add their names and start the game. A typical game has several stages (depending on a duration - based option that is configured in the beginning), with increasing difficulty. During the first few stages, the players simply gather points depending on their knowledge while in the final stages knowledge has to be combined with quick reactions to stay in the game.


The game allows a group playing via a PS3 set connected to the internet to search and find other groups of players, which greatly enhances the fun factor of the game. The virtual host is also a star in the game, quickly having fun with players that stay behind in score or fail to answer a question that everyone else has answered. Versions of the game exist for a large amount of languages also.

Ratings:

Fun factor: High. Thousands of questions from a large variety of topics along with quick pace and humorous lines of the host blend in to provide a very nice gaming experience.

Cost: Normal. Standard cost for a PS3 game.

Complexity: Low. The game is very straightforward, everything a player needs to know can be sorted out in one round. From the second game onwards, you can showcase your knowledge and reflexes.

Duration: 25-45 minutes depending on scenario selection.

Replayability: High. Buzz supports addition of user-generated questions which can make the question selection more randomized. Games between two groups of players are clearly the most fun as they also end up as remote team contests.

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Warhammer 40k

Warhammer 40000 is a miniature board game based on dice rolling. Players use painted miniatures representing futuristic combat units. Groups of these miniatures comprise armies that are used to fight against other armies of other players. The players choose a battle scenario and play on a table without a board. Miniatures are moved physically on the board according to the game rules.

The game itself is considered a form of art in terms of painting the miniatures. Out-of-the box miniatures come unpainted, and most players spend a great deal of time painting them (which is a rather long and detailed procedure) to greatly enhance their looks. Painting the Warhammer 40k miniatures is not mandatory for playing the game but it makes the battlefields during the actual play look a lot better.


Each miniature of Warhammer 40k has its own statistics that determine its power and abilities in combat. Actions take place based on dice rolls according to a complex amount of rules. Terrain also plays an important role in the outcome of combat and the game's publisher has released several terrains appropriate for combat. The distance between units also plays a role in the outcome of combat, therefore rulers are being used during the game.

Ratings:

Fun factor: Very High. The complexity of the game along with a great variety of units and miniatures make it extremely funny to play. Warhammer 40k players tend to spend many hours playing each time they gather.

Cost: High - Very High. There are a lot of miniature sets available and buying those miniatures as well as the appropriate paint costs a great deal of money for a board game. Thus the game appeals mostly on collectors.

Complexity: Medium - High. The rules are straightforward in general but there are many exceptions one has to learn to play correct.

Duration: Varies depending on the scenario and the amount as well as the experience of players

Replayability: Very high. Customization of terrain along with the large amount of available miniatures offer endless possibilities.

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The Settlers of Catan!

The Settlers of Catan is an astonishing game that you can enjoy during your stay at home. Four players, a board that represents an island, a card repository, a black pawn, two dice and there you go! The purpose of the game is to build villages, cities and roads, and expand your territory in order to reach a specific amount of points which makes you a winner.

Use the land materials wood,stone,wheat and wool that you get from the hexagons that produce them, in order to build, exchange them with your opponents, trade with the bank and ports that are near your buildings. But beware...the thief might take half of your goods when a seven is rolled on the dice! A very enjoyable, interesting board game to spend one and a half our with your friends and family.

View more photos from our last playing session.

Ratings:

Fun factor: High. The players' interest rises as soon as many points are gathered and they reach the winning level. Dice rolls can completely change the outcome quickly.

Cost: Normal. The price is pretty standard for board games of this type.

Complexity: Medium. Someone has to play it 2-3 times in order to learn the rules well and play quickly.

Duration: 60-120 minutes. It depends of how experienced the players are. Occasionally dice rolls can prolong the game.

Replayability: High. Random distribution of tiles on each game completely changes the strategy needed to win.

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Jeopardy!

"Jeopardy!" is a very popular american TV quiz game testing the players for their knowledge in a variety of topics. Unlike traditional question games, the clues in "Jeopardy!" are the answers, and the players have to find the corresponding questions.

Jeopardy! gained worldwide hype this past few weeks after a competition between IBM's supercomputer Watson against the best human Jeopardy! players. More than a decade after the battle between "Deep Blue" and Garry Kasparov over a chess match, a machine wins again over humans. Watson's superior artificial intelligence along with several Terabytes of data helped him prevail over two Jeopardy! champions.

The popularity of the TV show has led to the development of several other versions of it, including PC and console games as well as board games that can be used to experience the game at home with your friends.

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Monopoly and variants

Monopoly is perhaps the most well-known board game around the world. It is named after the economic concept of monopoly, which refers to a single entity dominating a market. The origin of the game concept can be traced at early 20th century, but its modern version appeared on the 1970s.

Monopoly takes place on a specially designed board that contains property squares which represent valuable entities a player can buy and use to make money. Most of these entities are areas or streets, depending on the game version. Some squares can be also railway stations or other public companies. Players move around the board (using a pawn representing them) and can buy areas they land at, if they are still unclaimed. Players can also buy houses or hotels in some of the areas they own to increase their profits. If the pawn lands in an area that another player owns, some rent must be paid. If there are houses or hotels, the rent is substantially higher. Finally there are some chance cards that enrich the game with random effects. If a player runs out of cash and properties he is eliminated. The last one standing wins! Detailed information about the game can be found here.

The game has countless fans all over the world that spend a lot of time playing it. It is especially popular among families, helping kids to learn how to perform money transactions in the process. Due to its popularity, a large amount of variations has been created to make it more interesting. Many people believe that monopoly is the king of board games.

Ratings:

Fun factor: Medium. Game can be quite funny, especially the first few times playing it. However after a few rounds it gets a bit monotonous. It is arguably a rather luck-based game, though it still allows for strategic decisions.

Cost: Low. Everything needed to play is conveniently sold in one package. There are tons of monopoly variations one can find.

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Complexity: Low. Monopoly is easy to learn, 1-2 games are enough to get a feel for it.

Duration: 10-15 minutes to setup. Each round lasts 1-3 hours.

Replayability: Low-Medium. After a few play throughs, the same situations appear again and again. House rules can help alleviate this problem. More complex versions of monopoly are substantially better in this regard.

Werewolf (Mafia or the night falls at Palermo)

Werewolf is a party game suitable for a somewhat large group of people. It originated in Russia (first appeared in the late 80s).

In werewolf, the players are split in two teams. One team consists of the werewolves (or mafia) and the other consists of innocents. The werewolves (who know each other) try to kill all the innocents while the innocents aim to discover the werewolves (with the help of some among themselves that have some information or possess special powers) and do away with them. Depending on the number of people playing the game, various roles can be assigned to enhance the gameplay and make it more complex. 



The game is extremely fun if played well. It is a mix of accusations, assumptions and even risky decisions for players of both groups. Using additional roles can alter the strategy needed to win a lot. It is very cheap to set up - the only thing needed is few pieces of paper with roles written on them (usually playing cards are being used). The game can be played anywhere.

Complete instructions on how to play Werewolf can be found in wikipedia, as well as information about how the game was created and became popular.

Ratings:

Fun factor: Medium-High (assuming people are familiar with the rules and follow them!)
Cost: Free
Complexity: Low-Medium. It may take some time to get used to each role and how to play it well.
Duration: Depends on playing style and number of players. Each round typically lasts 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Replayability: High. Large amount of possible roles that people assume taking turns makes each game quite different.