Blog Archives

XCOM2. Fireaxis (2016) PlayStation 4

Posted on February 12, 2018 by Van Rockingham — 3 Comments

I’m a big fan of the XCOM series to the point that I hunted down XCOMlikes in the 2000s to sate my desire during the great Tactical Turn Based Strategy drought. But with the remakes I just sat back and…

Tagged with: 2016, Avatar Clock, Avatar Project, Fireaxis, Gaming, Review, RNGesus, Squad Tactics game, Tactical Turn Based Strategy, XCOM, XCOM2
Posted in Playstation 4

XCOM: Enemy Within. Fireaxis Games (2013) Xbox 360

Posted on January 8, 2018 by Van Rockingham — 8 Comments

Woop a reboot! I love a reboot… I think. If you’re confused by the title this is the full expansion DLC version of XCOM: Enemy Unknown (released 2012). It is the same game just with a few different soldiers, some…

Tagged with: 2013, Exault, Fireaxis Games, Gaming, Meld, Review, RNGesus, Second Wave Settings, Squad Tactics game, Turn based Strategy, X-Com, X-COM: Enemy Unknown, X-COM: Enemy Within, Xbox 360, XCOM
Posted in XBox 360

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones. Intelligent Systems (2005) Gameboy Advance

Posted on April 10, 2017 by Van Rockingham — Leave a comment

Fire Emblem (2003) was a game that had a tonne of potential, but was ultimately let down by the fact that it tore up it’s own rule book two thirds into the game and had maddening difficulty spikes. Additionally, it…

Tagged with: 2005, Anima Magic, Dark Magic, Demon King, Eirika, Ephraim, Fire Emblem, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, Gameboy Advance, Grado, Intelligent Systems, JRPG, L'Arachel, Lagdou Riuins, Light Magic, Magic Triangle, Magvel, Renais, Retro Gaming, Review, RPG, Squad Tactics game, Tactical Role-Playing game, Tactical RPG, Tower of Valni, weapon triangle
Posted in Gameboy Advance

Shining Force II, Sonic Software (1994) Sega Genesis

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Van Rockingham — 2 Comments

I enjoyed Shining Force, in fact I enjoyed it so much I decided to jump almost straight into the sequel. I’ll be honest, fatigue did set in a few times, and I struggled to play for long periods, but that…

Tagged with: 1994, AssNugs, Bowie, Chester, Granseal, Jaha, Jewel of Evil, Jewel of Light, Kiwi, May, Megadrive, Peter, Princess Ellis, Retro Gaming, Review, RPG, Sega Genesis, SEGA Mega Drive: Ultimate Collection, Shining Force, Shining Force 2, Shining Force II, Slade, Sonic Software, Squad Tactics game, Tactical Role-Playing game, Tactical RPG, Tower of the Ancients
Posted in Sega Genesis

Fire Emblem. Intelligent Systems (2004) Gameboy Advance

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Van Rockingham — Leave a comment

Also know as “Fire Emblem 2003” (US release date) and Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade to help it stand out in a series that at this point had 6 games in the series. It was the first game in the…

Tagged with: 2004, Anima Magic, Athos, Dark Magic, Dorcas, Elibe, Eliwood, Fire Emblem, Fire Emblem 2003, Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, Florina, Hausen, Hector, Intelligent Systems, JRPG, Light Magic, Louise, Lundgren, Lycean League, Lyndis, Magic Triangle, Marquess of Caelin, Merlinus, Nergal, Nils, Oswin, Pent, Renault, Retro Gaming, Review, RNGesus, Squad Tactics game, Tactical Role-Playing game, Vaida, weapon triangle
Posted in Gameboy Advance

Shining Force. Climax Entertainment (1993) Sega Genesis

Posted on February 2, 2017 by Van Rockingham — Leave a comment

After chatting to a number of people on Twitter, and seeing a “Top Genesis games” list that featured Shining Force as the top Megadrive game, I figured I would finally have a playthrough and see what it is all about.…

Tagged with: 1993, Alef, Amon, Anri, AssNugs, Bleu, Climax Entertainment, dark dragon, Darksol, Diane, Domingo, Gort, Guntz, Hans, Hanzou, JRPG, Kane, Ken, Kingdom of Guardiana, Lowe, Mae, Max, Megadrive, Musashi, Pelle, Retro Gaming, Review, RPG, Rune, Runefaust, Sega Genesis, SEGA Mega Drive: Ultimate Collection, Shining Force, Squad Tactics game, Tactical Role-Playing game, Tactical RPG, Tao, Torasu
Posted in Sega Genesis

UFO: Afterlife. Altar Games (2007) PC

Posted on December 31, 2016 by Van Rockingham — Leave a comment

Phew that was exhausting! About 100 hours has been poured into UFO: Aftermath, Aftershock and Afterlife. The series is a little mixed, and with a 3rd game trying the UFO: Apocalypse route going into the game I am skeptical.

Tagged with: 2007, Altar Games, Beastmen, Laputa, PC, Real Time Strategy, Reticulan, Retro Gaming, Review, RPG, Squad Tactics game, terraforming, Turn based Strategy, UFO Series, UFO: Afterlife
Posted in PC

UFO: Aftershock. Altar Games (2005) PC

Posted on December 27, 2016 by Van Rockingham — 2 Comments

UFO: Aftershock is the sequel to UFO: Aftermath, and is not officially related to UFO: Enemy Unknown (X-Com: UFO Defense). Interestingly, the 3rd game in the series, Afterlight, is not a sequel to Aftershock in terms of the story. Of all…

Tagged with: 2005, Altar Games, Cyborgs, Laputa, Mutants, Myrmecols, PC, Psionic, Real Time Strategy, Reticulan, Retro Gaming, Review, RPG, Squad Tactics game, Starghosts, Turn based Strategy, UFO Series, UFO: Aftershock, Wargots
Posted in PC

UFO: Aftermath. Altar Games (2003) PC

Posted on December 22, 2016 by Van Rockingham — Leave a comment

UFO: Aftermath started off “The Dreamland Chronicles: Freedom Ridge” by Mythos Games, but was eventually abandoned. It is an homage to X-Com, and is partly based on the abandoned X-Com: Genesis. It is *NOT* officially related to UFO: Enemy Unknown (X-Com:…