09-08-2018, 01:32 PM
The Weekender: Vanishing Act Edition
<div style="margin: 5px 5% 10px 5%;"><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/the-weekender-vanishing-act-edition.jpg" width="820" height="343" title="" alt="" /></div><div><p>Welcome to the Weekender, your weekly look at the best new games, sales, and updates. It’s a slow week, thanks in part to The Elder Scrolls: Blades slinking away to December.</p>
<p>It’s been a slower week on the site as well, but hopefully we’ve given you some interesting reading none-the-less. We only had one review this week, <a href="http://https//www.pockettactics.com/reviews/evergarden/" target="_blank"><em>Evergarden</em></a>, but we also gave you our thoughts on what <a href="https://www.pockettactics.com/guides/offline-strategy-games-android/" target="_blank">the best strategy games to play offline are</a> as well. We also highlighted the (now finished) <a href="https://www.pockettactics.com/articles/six-ages-sale-ios/" target="_blank">sale on <em>Six Ages</em></a> and wrote up <a href="https://www.pockettactics.com/articles/beamdog-voice-over-dlc/" target="_blank">a spot of news</a> as well.</p>
<h2>Out Now</h2>
<h3>The Elder Scrolls: Blades (iOS U- oh wait…nevermind)</h3>
<p>We thought we were going to be able to talk about <em>The Elder Scrolls: Blades</em> this week, Bethesda Game Studio’s latest foray into mobile games. <em>Blades</em> is to be a first-person RPG based in the popular <em>Elder Scrolls</em> game world, but its App Store release date keeps moving. It was September 1st, then September 7th. Now it is December 1st. Bethesda said the prior dates were never the real release date and the game hasn’t slipped. Apparently, they looked at the September App Store dates as ‘placeholder’ dates used by Apple only. </p>
<h3>SpellKeeper (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/spellkeeper/id1386461783?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.StudioGier.SpellKeeper" target="_blank">Android</a>)</h3>
<p>SpellKeeper is a puzzle game where you become a Chosen One. Your job is to free butterflies trapped in magical cocoons using spells. You have limited spells at your disposal, so it’s all about their efficient use to free all the butterflies on each level. SpellKeeper is not particularly challenging, it’s going for more of a relaxing style puzzle game, which is supported by attractive graphics and sound.</p>
<p>[embedded content]</p>
<h3>Onitama: The Board Game (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/onitama-the-board-game/id1288557147?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.asmodeedigital.onitama" target="_blank">Android</a>)</h3>
<p>Asmodee Digital secretly launched another game into their digital catalogue this week – Onitama is a strategy boardgame that resembles Chess. Each side as four warriors and one elder at their disposal, and the aim is to either capture the opponents elder or take their place in the temple arch. Unlike chess, movement is controlled by randomly drawn cards, with the players swapping cards between them as they use them. We haven’t had a chance to play this one, but it’s free-to-play with only a couple of IAPs right now, one of which being for the expansion.</p>
<p><img class="center" title="" src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/the-weekender-vanishing-act-edition.jpg" alt="onitama" width="820" height="343" /></p>
<h3>Final Frontier: A New Journey (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/final-frontier-a-new-journey/id1417157684?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.generagames.ffrontier" target="_blank">Android</a>)</h3>
<p>It’s 3018 and humanity has taken to space. You are a captain of the space fleet and are in charge of finding a new world for our species to inhabit. It’s <em>Reigns</em> in space. Like any <em>Reigns-</em>like the gameplay in <em>Final Frontier: A New Journey</em> is very familiar so it all comes down to the narrative. While the narrative choices aren’t bad, they also aren’t particularly varied or compelling. I’d pass on this one unless you’re in the mood for more <em>Reigns</em>, but space.</p>
<h2>Sales</h2>
<h3>Reiner Knizia’s Money (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/reiner-knizias-money/id349220571?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a>): $.99</h3>
<p>The digital adaptation of Reiner Knizia’s card game <em>Money</em>, where you start with six different kinds of currency and try to concentrate your holdings into just two or three, is on sale for a buck… </p>
<h3>Reiner Knizia’s Kingdoms (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/reiner-knizias-kingdoms/id398644286?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a>): $.99</h3>
<p>…As is <em>Kingdoms</em>, a tile-laying strategy card game set in medieval times. Neither game features online multiplayer but are worth consideration if you enjoy solo board gaming on your device. </p>
<h3>Dungeon Rushers (<a href="https://www.pockettactics.com/reviews/review-dungeon-rushers/" target="_blank">Review</a>) (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dungeon-rushers/id1160308423?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal </a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.miclos.dungeonrushers" target="_blank">Android</a>): $1.99</h3>
<p><em>Dungeon Rushers</em> isn’t a terribly deep dungeon crawler, but it is entertaining and worth a couple bucks if you’re looking for a new game. It’s got monsters, traps, treasure, loot, skills, crafting, and even an online arena system to battle other players. </p>
<h3>Out There Ω Edition (<a href="https://www.pockettactics.com/reviews/review-out-there/" target="_blank">Review</a>) (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/out-there-%CF%89-edition/id799471892?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.miclos.google.games.outthere" target="_blank">Android</a>): $1.99/$.99</h3>
<p>Also just a buck or two, depending on your device, is Mi-Clos Studio’s fantastic sci-fi adventure game <em>Out There: Ω Edition</em>. It’s got a little of everything from interactive fiction, to RPG, to resource and crew management simulation game. If you haven’t played it, this one is worth a go. </p>
<h3>Out There Chronicles Episode – 1 (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/out-there-chronicles-ep-1/id1119644926?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.miclos.outtherechronicles" target="_blank">Android</a>): $.99<br />Out There Chronicles Episode – 2 (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/out-there-chronicles-ep-2/id1242237580?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.miclos.outtherechronicles2" target="_blank">Android</a>): $1.99</h3>
<p>Mi-Clos also has a discount on their interactive fiction games based in the <em>Out There</em> universe. You can pick up the first episode for a buck and the latest game, episode 2, for $1.99 (on iOS only at this point). </p>
<h3>Templar Battleforce Elite (<a href="https://www.pockettactics.com/reviews/review-templar-battleforce/" target="_blank">Review</a>) (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/templar-battleforce-elite/id991176888?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tresebrothers.games.battlefrontelite&hl=en_GB" target="_blank">Android</a>): $4.99</h3>
<p>XCOM-like, turn-based tactics gem <em>Templar Battleforce</em> is a must-have for fans of the genre. It’s currently half off and is worth it, so much so that’s on our guide to <a href="https://www.pockettactics.com/guides/offline-strategy-games-android/" target="_blank">the best offline strategy games</a> on mobile.</p>
<p><em>Seen anything else you like? Played any of the above? Let us know in the comments!</em></p>
</div>
<div style="margin: 5px 5% 10px 5%;"><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/the-weekender-vanishing-act-edition.jpg" width="820" height="343" title="" alt="" /></div><div><p>Welcome to the Weekender, your weekly look at the best new games, sales, and updates. It’s a slow week, thanks in part to The Elder Scrolls: Blades slinking away to December.</p>
<p>It’s been a slower week on the site as well, but hopefully we’ve given you some interesting reading none-the-less. We only had one review this week, <a href="http://https//www.pockettactics.com/reviews/evergarden/" target="_blank"><em>Evergarden</em></a>, but we also gave you our thoughts on what <a href="https://www.pockettactics.com/guides/offline-strategy-games-android/" target="_blank">the best strategy games to play offline are</a> as well. We also highlighted the (now finished) <a href="https://www.pockettactics.com/articles/six-ages-sale-ios/" target="_blank">sale on <em>Six Ages</em></a> and wrote up <a href="https://www.pockettactics.com/articles/beamdog-voice-over-dlc/" target="_blank">a spot of news</a> as well.</p>
<h2>Out Now</h2>
<h3>The Elder Scrolls: Blades (iOS U- oh wait…nevermind)</h3>
<p>We thought we were going to be able to talk about <em>The Elder Scrolls: Blades</em> this week, Bethesda Game Studio’s latest foray into mobile games. <em>Blades</em> is to be a first-person RPG based in the popular <em>Elder Scrolls</em> game world, but its App Store release date keeps moving. It was September 1st, then September 7th. Now it is December 1st. Bethesda said the prior dates were never the real release date and the game hasn’t slipped. Apparently, they looked at the September App Store dates as ‘placeholder’ dates used by Apple only. </p>
<h3>SpellKeeper (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/spellkeeper/id1386461783?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.StudioGier.SpellKeeper" target="_blank">Android</a>)</h3>
<p>SpellKeeper is a puzzle game where you become a Chosen One. Your job is to free butterflies trapped in magical cocoons using spells. You have limited spells at your disposal, so it’s all about their efficient use to free all the butterflies on each level. SpellKeeper is not particularly challenging, it’s going for more of a relaxing style puzzle game, which is supported by attractive graphics and sound.</p>
<p>[embedded content]</p>
<h3>Onitama: The Board Game (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/onitama-the-board-game/id1288557147?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.asmodeedigital.onitama" target="_blank">Android</a>)</h3>
<p>Asmodee Digital secretly launched another game into their digital catalogue this week – Onitama is a strategy boardgame that resembles Chess. Each side as four warriors and one elder at their disposal, and the aim is to either capture the opponents elder or take their place in the temple arch. Unlike chess, movement is controlled by randomly drawn cards, with the players swapping cards between them as they use them. We haven’t had a chance to play this one, but it’s free-to-play with only a couple of IAPs right now, one of which being for the expansion.</p>
<p><img class="center" title="" src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/the-weekender-vanishing-act-edition.jpg" alt="onitama" width="820" height="343" /></p>
<h3>Final Frontier: A New Journey (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/final-frontier-a-new-journey/id1417157684?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.generagames.ffrontier" target="_blank">Android</a>)</h3>
<p>It’s 3018 and humanity has taken to space. You are a captain of the space fleet and are in charge of finding a new world for our species to inhabit. It’s <em>Reigns</em> in space. Like any <em>Reigns-</em>like the gameplay in <em>Final Frontier: A New Journey</em> is very familiar so it all comes down to the narrative. While the narrative choices aren’t bad, they also aren’t particularly varied or compelling. I’d pass on this one unless you’re in the mood for more <em>Reigns</em>, but space.</p>
<h2>Sales</h2>
<h3>Reiner Knizia’s Money (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/reiner-knizias-money/id349220571?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a>): $.99</h3>
<p>The digital adaptation of Reiner Knizia’s card game <em>Money</em>, where you start with six different kinds of currency and try to concentrate your holdings into just two or three, is on sale for a buck… </p>
<h3>Reiner Knizia’s Kingdoms (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/reiner-knizias-kingdoms/id398644286?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a>): $.99</h3>
<p>…As is <em>Kingdoms</em>, a tile-laying strategy card game set in medieval times. Neither game features online multiplayer but are worth consideration if you enjoy solo board gaming on your device. </p>
<h3>Dungeon Rushers (<a href="https://www.pockettactics.com/reviews/review-dungeon-rushers/" target="_blank">Review</a>) (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dungeon-rushers/id1160308423?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal </a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.miclos.dungeonrushers" target="_blank">Android</a>): $1.99</h3>
<p><em>Dungeon Rushers</em> isn’t a terribly deep dungeon crawler, but it is entertaining and worth a couple bucks if you’re looking for a new game. It’s got monsters, traps, treasure, loot, skills, crafting, and even an online arena system to battle other players. </p>
<h3>Out There Ω Edition (<a href="https://www.pockettactics.com/reviews/review-out-there/" target="_blank">Review</a>) (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/out-there-%CF%89-edition/id799471892?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.miclos.google.games.outthere" target="_blank">Android</a>): $1.99/$.99</h3>
<p>Also just a buck or two, depending on your device, is Mi-Clos Studio’s fantastic sci-fi adventure game <em>Out There: Ω Edition</em>. It’s got a little of everything from interactive fiction, to RPG, to resource and crew management simulation game. If you haven’t played it, this one is worth a go. </p>
<h3>Out There Chronicles Episode – 1 (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/out-there-chronicles-ep-1/id1119644926?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.miclos.outtherechronicles" target="_blank">Android</a>): $.99<br />Out There Chronicles Episode – 2 (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/out-there-chronicles-ep-2/id1242237580?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.miclos.outtherechronicles2" target="_blank">Android</a>): $1.99</h3>
<p>Mi-Clos also has a discount on their interactive fiction games based in the <em>Out There</em> universe. You can pick up the first episode for a buck and the latest game, episode 2, for $1.99 (on iOS only at this point). </p>
<h3>Templar Battleforce Elite (<a href="https://www.pockettactics.com/reviews/review-templar-battleforce/" target="_blank">Review</a>) (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/templar-battleforce-elite/id991176888?mt=8&at=11l7vY" target="_blank">iOS Universal</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tresebrothers.games.battlefrontelite&hl=en_GB" target="_blank">Android</a>): $4.99</h3>
<p>XCOM-like, turn-based tactics gem <em>Templar Battleforce</em> is a must-have for fans of the genre. It’s currently half off and is worth it, so much so that’s on our guide to <a href="https://www.pockettactics.com/guides/offline-strategy-games-android/" target="_blank">the best offline strategy games</a> on mobile.</p>
<p><em>Seen anything else you like? Played any of the above? Let us know in the comments!</em></p>
</div>