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Joystiq Weekly: Awesome Games Done Quick, Kalimba review, DIY Mario and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. It was a pretty quiet week thanks to the end-of-the-year holiday lull, but things should pick up soon! Like, today even – Awesome Games Done Quick has just kicked off a week-long marathon of high-skill and speedrun-oriented livestreams, with all donations benefiting the Prevent Cancer Foundation. If supporting a worthwhile cause isn't enough of an excuse to watch talented players blaze through games, what is? ... Yes, okay, other than free puppies. While you're waiting on something of interest that's buried in the event's schedule, catch up on what you might have missed while you were doing relaxing, vacation-y things. PlayStation Network users got good news regarding last week's service outage, Contributing Editor Danny Cowan's relationship survived his Kalimba review, and we explored the history of do-it-yourself Mario and the technical shift in Mortal Kombat X's gore.
Off the Grid: Golem Arcana
Following its successful Shadowrun revival Kickstarter, developer Harebrained Schemes set its sights on a new crowdfunded project: a miniature tabletop game and mobile app hybrid. That game is Golem Arcana, which launched earlier this year. Utilizing an infrared stylus and specialty app, players move physical objects around a modular board and engage in combat with detailed pre-painted minis, leaving the micromanagement of the game to their mobile devices. In a new series exploring board and card games that we're calling "Off the Grid," Xav and Richard look at Golem Arcana and discuss how it works, what makes it special and whether or not it's something you should explore in any effort you may have to game offline.
Gaming off the grid: Video game-inspired board games
If you're looking for family fun but don't want to stray too far from the video game franchises you know and love, tabletop gaming may be the perfect alternative for you this holiday season. While there are countless (and not very entertaining) licensed board games available at big box retailers – like Mario-themed Monopoly or Halo-themed Risk – there are far better options available for those looking to further explore their favorite video game worlds. Here is a collection of some of our favorite board and card games based on video game franchises. If you're looking for a fun activity for family and friends this holiday, you can't go wrong with these fantastic board and card games. >>Our favorite video game-inspired board games<<
Shadowrun Returns developer to Kickstart 'Golem Arcana' tabletop game in August
While the majority of Harebrained Schemes is still knee deep in developing content for its Kickstarted strategy-RPG Shadowrun Returns, which just launched today, a small team has already begun work on the developer's next project: Golem Arcana, a smartphone/tablet-assisted tabletop game. As explained by founder Jordan Weisman, Golem Arcana is set in a world where powerful Golems do the bidding of their creators, who infuse organic materials with magic in order to create obedient, deadly homunculi. A Kickstarter campaign will be launched sometime next month in order to fuel development, though Weisman did not say how much money the team is looking to raise. Golem Arcana's gameplay takes place on a physical battle map with figurines representing the golems, but the gameplay mechanics are calculated and implemented by a smartphone or tablet running an associated app. Using a proprietary stylus, players tap on the battle map or the figures to summon relevant information in the app. During battle, taping an ability and targeting a figure initiates combat inside of the app, which then spits out results and information about the turn.
