MacGameOfTheWeek
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Mac Game of the Week: Endless Space is a beautiful space-faring 4X strategy game
There's no question that iOS games tend to be a little more oriented towards the quicker and the easier, so when I head back to the Mac platform looking for a game to spotlight, I like to go a little more cerebral. And Endless Space, as you can probably tell from the screenshot above, is definitely that. It's a 4X strategy game, where the four Xs are actually Es that stand for "eXploration, eXpand, eXploit and eXterminate." As with most games of this type (Civ and Galactic Civilizations are probably my two favorite examples), Endless Space is a turn-based strategy title, where you expand a space-faring civilization out into a galaxy full of various resources and enemies, designed to either help or hinder you on your journey. It's a complicated game, to be sure: There are complex systems of taxation and population to take care of, and the ships that you build and fly around the universe can be customized and tweaked to your heart's content. And the title is certainly apt: Not only is the universe you'll discover very large indeed, but the tech tree itself is practically endless, and the game is almost infinitely replayable as well. Endless Space isn't for the faint of heart -- if browsing through stat screens trying to get as much information as possible before making a major decision about which planet to colonize next isn't all that appealing to you, then maybe you're in the mood for something a little targeted towards the reflexes rather than the mind. But if you are looking for a cerebral, space-based title on the Mac, Endless Space is it. Plus, this week on Steam it's on sale for half off, so you can pick up the basic edition (in a Steam Play version, which means you get it for both PC and Mac) for as low as US$14.99. Enjoy.
Mac Game of the Week: Runner2 is a gorgeous, trippy journey
The Bit.Trip series of games are always fun examples of mixing music and gameplay, and Bit.Trip Runner was probably my favorite of these. It is a relatively simple game, where a little black box of a guy named Commander Video runs along, jumping up over obstacles and onto platforms in time with the really excellent retro chiptunes as you play. Bit.Trip has been working on a sequel to Runner for a while now, and Runner2 (full title: "Bit.Trip Presents Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien") is now available on Steam for the Mac (as well as PC and Linux). To say Runner2 is insane is an understatement -- this game is positively certifiable. The first game had a very retro feel, but this one is more like a cartoon, full of color and wacky visual gags and crazy figures and creatures. It's narrated by Charles Martinet, for pete's sake, who you may or may not know is the voice of Mario (yes, that Mario, from the Nintendo games). The core gameplay is still all about Commander Video jumping and sliding in time to the music, but the graphics are so wacky and so wonderful that it's more than enough. As the game goes on, things get even more frantic, allowing you to kick through obstacles, bounce off of trampolines or spin around the joystick (the game is definitely recommended to be played with a controller, which is easy enough on the Mac). You can even make it harder by skipping checkpoints as you choose, winning extra rewards if you go on, but going back even farther if you make a mistake. Runner2 is an incredible improvement on the original, and takes what was a fun idea and turns it into a gorgeously crafted work of art. The game, I believe, is going to come to iOS eventually, so if you're patient, you can probably wait to try and play it then. But (especially because this version is meant to be played with buttons and a joystick) why wait? You can buy it right now from Bit.Trip directly for US$9.99, or grab it on Steam for $14.99.
Mac Game of the Week: Assassin's Creed 2, now on sale for $4.99
As you may have noticed in our daily deals post today, Amazon is having a huge sale on Mac games, with some of the highest-profile titles of the last few years offered up with huge discounts. There are a few really great bargains in there (including Rage for US$4.99 and Civ V for $7.50), but the one I'll spotlight is the great sequel to Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed, on sale right now for just $4.99. Assassin's Creed as a series has gained all sorts of acclaim over the years -- it's developed into a juggernaut for Ubisoft, with the latest version, Assassin's Creed 3, taking place in colonial America, with a new protagonist running around taking out Redcoats. But Assassin's Creed 2 is my favorite of the series -- it moved up into the Renaissance from the original game set in Jerusalem, and added a whole slew of new mechanics, from upgrading shops and weapons to building up an empire of vendors and artisans. The assassination gameplay of the first game is there as well, but Assassin's Creed 2 really took the platforming even further, with various underground sections that feature some really ingenious and brilliant level designs. And right now, you can grab the whole game on the Mac for just under five bucks. Definitely don't pass up a bargain like that: Even if you haven't played the first game, definitely pick up and play Assassin's Creed 2. You can grab it now from Amazon.
Mac Game of the Week: Galaxy on Fire 2 HD brings iOS' best space adventure to the Mac
While some developers have recently gone towards a philosophy of making a bunch of smaller releases and dropping them on the App Store quickly, German developer Fishlabs has done the opposite. It's focused on one huge game, Galaxy on Fire 2, and spent the last year expanding and perfecting it. The app is on iOS, and it's just a brilliant game for the iPad, if you haven't seen it yet. Galaxy on Fire 2 HD is also available on the Mac, and Fishlabs' hard work is evident from the beginning. As you can see above, the graphics are phenomenal. What you'll get is open-world space exploration, combat and trading game, with a huge galaxy to explore, a large story to play through, and plenty of things to do, from full combat missions to simply flying around the galaxy and trading or exploring. This game's been polished and re-polished and then some. As an original title on the Mac App Store, it doesn't get much better than this. The one issue I have is in the voice acting. Some of it can be a little wooden, and because the developer is European, the accents are a little strange. But that's just a small caveat. If you haven't played this one yet, and especially if you have a big bright MacBook or a new iMac to play it on, definitely pick up Galaxy on Fire 2 HD. It's on the Mac App Store for $9.99.
Mac Game of the Week: Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
Odds are that you may have played Knights of the Old Republic once before, but even if so, you may want to pick it up and go through it again anyway. These days, it's a classic, but back when we first heard Bioware (the company behind legendary RPGs like Baldur's Gate) was going to try and make its mark on the Star Wars universe, gamers weren't sure what to expect. What they got when the game released in 2003, however, was a brilliant take on George Lucas' universe, a fascinating tale of the light and dark sides of the Force, and a tactical yet action-packed tour through the history of the world of lightsabers. Knights of the Old Republic cemented Bioware's reputation as a legendary RPG company, and not only did it push them on to make great titles like the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series, but it spawned a universe of its own, including the Obsidian-developed sequel and eventually The Old Republic MMORPG. And yet, despite its age (almost ten years now!), Knights of the Old Republic still tells a great yarn of a story, with some brilliant dialogue, tough decisions to make, and plenty of lightsaber and blaster fighting. Plus, right now the game is only $4.99 on the Mac App Store, and at that price, the title is a must-have. You may have played through this once already, either on the original Xbox or the PC, but KotOR is a classic, and it's a great game addition to any Mac as well.
Mac Game of the Week: Battle for Wesnoth is an open source classic
Battle for Wesnoth is one of my favorite Mac games of all time, and best of all, it's completely and totally free. It's an open source game back when creating open source games was the thing to do, but unlike most other open source games, it has endured and flourished, currently sitting at version 1.11.0. Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based strategy game, and it's really excellent -- it's based on a filled-out fantasy world, there are plenty of units to fight with and against, there's a full story mode to play, and there's a skirmish mode where you can just pit different factions against each other to your heart's content. And if that doesn't give you enough to do, there's also a ton of great user-made content campaigns, which bring all-new stories and content to the title. And since it's all open source, you can even jump in and create your own art, scenarios, units, or maps for the game. There's an unbelievable amount to do with this engine, and again, it's all for free. Battle for Wesnoth is a classic game (that's also available for iOS, by the way, thanks to a hardworking developer), and as far as I'm concerned, it's a must-install on every Mac I've ever owned. Definitely go grab it and play it -- it's available for download for free from the main website.
Mac Game of the Week: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
Most of the games I've covered for this feature so far have come down on the casual side of things, mostly iOS titles that have made their way over to the Mac App Store. But not so with this pick -- The Witcher 2 is a great game, but it is definitely not for the faint of heart (or GPU power). CD Projekt's epic RPG famously made its way to the Mac a few weeks ago, and we're definitely glad to have the game (and the company) on our platform. But this is a high-end game that comes from a genre background that doesn't just enjoy complexity, it revels in it. The Witcher 2 is part of the tradition of European PC RPGs, which offer up hundreds of hours of notoriously twisty quests and story lines, and lots of combat and crafting mechanics. The game definitely follows in this tradition, telling the continued story of Geralt, a "Witcher" who's been trained and conditioned to fight monsters in all of their forms. The plot starts with Geralt being accused of the assassination of a king, and then winds out from there, with multiple branching paths and options to take. Combat is open -- Geralt can cast spells or slash away with a sword as he sees fit, and as with a lot of these RPGs, there are multiple schools of magic and lots of different specializations to choose from. The Witcher 2 is as far from a small, casual undertaking as it gets. It offers up a huge experience, and will likely demand that you're running a very fast Mac to play it on. If you're interested in a vast, sprawling story with the gameplay chops to keep it interesting all the way through, definitely give it a look. You can buy it from Steam or directly from CD Projekt's GOG.com site for US$29.99.
Mac Game of the Week: Funky Smugglers offers funky fun
Funky Smugglers continues the trend of bringing iOS games back to the Mac. The game is from Polish developers 11 bit Studios (who also made the Anomaly: Warzone Earth series). It's a somewhat silly, but still addictive, arcade game, where you have to use an airport scanner to try and grab offensive and dangerous items off of (mostly) reasonable air travelers. The really killer part of this one is the presentation. Not only does the app kick off with a hilarious bit of live action video, but the funky sounds and songs of the game are really terrific. And then, as you move into the actual game itself, the graphics look great and clear on the Mac's bigger screen, and 11 bit smoothly ramps the gameplay up as you play through flight by flight. There's not a lot of complexity here -- you essentially just need to move your mouse through as delicately as possible. But the game's mission-based progression (and that seriously awesome funk soundtrack) keep you moving forward through the stages. Funky Smugglers is a great title. I don't know that it's one I would have picked out of a lineup to bring over to the Mac from its iOS version, but I'm glad 11 bit did port it over, because that soundtrack just begs to be played out of something better than the iPhone and iPad's speakers. The game's available on the Mac App Store for just 99 cents right now, so definitely sneak it through security the next time you need something to play.
Mac Game of the Week: Cthulhu Saves the World is the best version of a great RPG
I already sang the praises of Zeboyd Games' Cthulhu Saves the World when it appeared on iOS: I think the world could use about a million more of these kinds of classic Japanese RPGs (and Zeboyd's latest title, Penny Arcade 3, just arrived on the App Store.) But I also admitted that playing Lovecraft's God of Madness' adventure on a touchscreen wasn't ideal. The movement controls, specifically, threatened to rub the print off of my finger with all of the swiping I was doing. If anything, that makes CSTW an even better fit for the Mac App Store, where it arrived recently. This might be the ideal build for the game, as not only can you play it on a Mac's big, beautiful screen, but there are multiple modes, add-ons and new features to play with as well. You can play in the "Highlander" mode, for example, where you can only use one character but get four times the XP. Or the "Cthulhu's Angels" mode, which remixes the game up with new characters, dialogue and bosses. This is a fantastic game. If you've passed on it before, don't miss it this time. Heck, at the price of US$1.99, you might want to go ahead and buy it again just to see what it's like on the Mac. Cthulhu Saves the World is available on the Mac App Store.
Mac Game of the Week: Puzkend plays it casual
Azkend is a casual puzzle game that's been available for PC, Mac and iOS. Its success inspired a sequel called Azkend 2. The gameplay is similar to the match-three genre, and it's not unlike Bejeweled. You must match three (or more) items of a certain kind, and your eventual goal is to line the pieces up and clear the board. Puzkend is another game from the same team which, as the name indicates, is even more centered on this core puzzle idea. There are no time limits or unlimited undo moves. Instead, Puzkend is focused on a core puzzle experience: Take your time, make matches and gradually unlock all of the picture-based puzzles. I actually enjoy this version of the game a lot. I tend to play puzzle games like this in between my other work and game playing, and so the idea of simply leaving this running in the background (and then bringing it back up when I want to complete a puzzle or two) is very appealing to me. Families should enjoy it as well, as almost anyone can pick up and play. But "casual" doesn't mean "throwaway." There's enough thought and depth behind Puzkend that even hardcore puzzle players will likely enjoy giving it a few clicks. If you're looking for a real challenge or a fast-paced action title, this isn't that (you'll have to wait until next week, or hit up that GOG.com sale). But Puzkend is a fun, low pressure title that's well worth the US$1.99 price. It's on the Mac App Store right now.
TUAW's Mac Game of the Week: Trine 2 is a beautiful puzzle adventure game for $4 right now
Trine is a terrific puzzle/adventure game that's akin to Blizzard's old The Lost Vikings title, if you remember that one. It features three different characters (a thief, a knight and a wizard) all controlled by one player, each with different abilities that are used to navigate various physics-based puzzles and traps. It was a solid indie title, and did well enough to inspire a sequel in Trine 2. Trine 2 took the same concept even further, featuring updated graphics and the addition of a co-op mode, in which three different players could take over the three different roles and upgrade them as you play along together. Just like the first title, Trine 2 offers physics-based puzzles, and a really gorgeous mix of action and intellectual gameplay. This is a true indie gem -- you can tell there's a lot of love put into this one, and while it falls down in parts, the overall package shines with polish and ingenuity. You can get Trine 2 on Steam or from the company's main website, but it's currently on sale on the Mac App Store for just US$3.99, 75 percent off of the usual cost. Note that you will need to have a fairly new Mac (basically 2010 on) to play it, as the game can get graphically intensive at times. But if you do have a newer graphics card, this game is a no-brainer for just $4, and the ability to play online co-op with friends is icing on the cake. There's also an expansion pack called Goblin Menace that's out on Steam right now -- presumably that's headed to the Mac App Store version soon as well.
