Her Story Review

Her Story puts a spin on every aspect of itself. It's a video game were you don't play a central role in the story. It's crime fiction in which the events have long since taken place. Its interactivity is limited to navigating an old PC with ancient and half broken programs. It's a game that requires extensive note taking outside the game to follow along and solve the mystery. It's a game without an ending, you simply decide when your satisfied and walk away. And finally the entire story is told through live action video clips with a single actress. Her Story is wholly unique, that term gets used far too often when it's entirely untrue, it's entirely true in this case and it makes Her Story a fascinating and potentially frustrating experience that anyone who loves games should try.

You spend the entire game sifting through video clips and taking notes (in the real world) trying to piece together the story. The program you are using searches a database of these clips through keywords. Any word uttered by the woman in the clips can be searched, searching for the word 'was' is going to turn up tons of videos and be pretty useless. But the name of a month, a person she mentions, a particular item these sorts of clues may lead to clips that start putting the story together for you. The note taking you'll undoubtedly do is to keep track of characters, dates, and things that seem suspicious or contradict you'll want to search later. And that's it, that's all you do. You type in your searches and then you watch the video clips. But it's this sense of really putting this story together that is so engaging. With zero help or hints you have to put together the story and decide where to focus your interests, it feels like being an actual investigator. The game begins to elevate beyond the computer screen and a meta-game of sorts start playing out within yourself, are you following the right clues, are you being lied to, how can you factual prove any of the things that are being said. When you are three pages of notes in and your frantically flipping through them trying to link things together and replaying the same video clip trying to read the actress facial expressions and body language for any sort of clue that is when you realize you're playing something that likes of which has never been done before. And it's awesome!

But it's not entirely positive, since there's no help whatsoever you may hit a wall several times or simply end up going in circles missing some key piece of information that will help you reach some understanding or at least point you into a new line of thinking. The issue with criticizing this aspect of the game is that it's not the games fault, it's your own. You, the player, has not put the pieces together, you are the ineffective investigator. You feel like you've failed but you put the blame on the game when it's all your fault. In that way the game can be frustrating but I feel like it's part of the experience and unless you give up it's just a hurdle that once finally crossed is immensely rewarding.

Her Story is a difficult game to talk about, their isn't much to it and any enjoyment stems entirely from personal experience and the story so any real breakdown of the game results in spoilers of the story or just of the potential experience. Suffice to say I adored this game and I wish more experimental games like this existed. You can easily get lost in the experience of Her Story, the game is a catalyst for the experience you will have, how obsessive, frustrated, satisfied you'll be. Her Story feel impossible to review, it's the most subjective experience you'll have with a game since how much you get out of it is entirely based on you.

(Just Play It)

Everybody's Gone to the Rapture Review

Everybody's Gone to the Rapture is a profoundly sad game and that's not necessarily a bad thing in fact it's that aspect of the game that saves it. Because while the central mystery of why or even how everybody has disappeared in this sleepy little English village is the driving force of the story it quickly falls to the wayside when you catch glimpses or more accurately echoes of the lives people had in this town. The game is what has become known, facetiously, as a walking simulator. Basically it means that your interactions with the world are limited, in this games case it's limited simply to opening doors, turning on lights, and listening to radios and telephones with messages on them.

The games story is told through mysterious balls of light that wander around certain areas of the village leading you to points of interest. Once you get close enough silhouettes of light appear depicting moments in the lives of the people who lived in this town. These scenes and the stories they tell are the real strength of the game, phenomenally well voice acted and written, these people and their interactions feel real and relatable. Each area of the game, there are 6 in total, you follow a specific character; they may drift in and out of other characters stories but each area tends to focus on one character and their final days in the village.

The thing that ties all these little scenes and characters together is the focus on relationships. Not just of a romantic nature but familial, friendships, or even with god. I guarantee at least one of the characters or one of the relationships depicted will strike a chord with anybody who plays this game. And these are complicated stories, their isn't the happy one, or the tragic one, they are all messy. Everybody shares the same moments of sadness, regret, hope, fear, joy. This game was an amazing experience, one of great joy and at the same time, sad reflection because it forces you to think about similar moments in your life.

The truly wonderful thing about Everybody's Gone to the Rapture is that these are topics video games don't ever delve into and it's a game like this that reminds me why I love this medium so much. It's the only interactive storytelling medium and that is such a powerful device that it's astounding more games don't take advantage of it. But that's a topic for another post. Everybody's Gone to the Rapture is not what I was expecting, it sets up a big mystery about a potential Rapture that; minor spoilers: is quite dissatisfying. But instead serves up this incredibly poignant interweaving story of people and their relationships. I loved every second of Everybody's Gone to the Rapture but not for any of the reasons I thought I might.

(5 out of 5)

Daredevil Season One Review

After an embarrassing attempt to bring the character to the silver screen in 2003 Marvel, with the help of Netflix, have crafted the most comic accurate portrayal of one of their characters to date. Daredevil is the first in a series of Netflix shows meant to further expand the studio executive coined, Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thus bringing the number of avenues for the MCU to three, the films, the ABC shows, and now Netflix. While the films clearly deal with the more important characters and world shattering doomsday plots, and the ABC programs handle the ramifications of those plots, the Netflix shows are an even smaller microcosm, the day to day lives of those ordinary people affected by those gods and monsters. The Netflix shows are tasked with exploring what are called the street-level heroes, those who choose to stand up and do something about corruption, injustice or just plain evil that plagues the streets Iron Man normally ignores and Hulk regularly smashes up. 

Daredevil as brought to the screen by Netflix is a giant sigh of relief that these upcoming Marvel shows are in good hands. This series out Batman's every Batman film to date. Daredevil is an unflinching depiction of a crime infested neighborhood, Hell's Kitchen, and what one man is willing to do to save his city. This hero can't fly or shoot energy beams from his hands, in fact Daredevil or Matt Murdock is really only good at two things, taking a beating and always getting back up for more. Daredevil in the comics and thankfully as depicted here is a fascinating contradiction of a man. Lawyer by day, vigilante by night. A man who seemingly believes in the legal system yet when confronted with a verdict he disagrees with takes it upon himself to track down the acquitted suspect and beat them within an inch of their life. To make things more interesting Murdock is a devout Catholic who struggles with doing what he believes is right and just with those teachings of the church. 

The show interestingly focuses on the lead villain almost as much as the titular hero. Wilson Fisk, later in his life known as Kingpin is one of Daredevils greatest villains but as portrayed here Fisk is a sympathetic man. Vincent D'Onofrio's portrayal is vulnerable and terrifying, an unstable man with a dark past but genuinely big dreams for the city he calls home. Charlie Cox also does a wonderful job playing the subtle conflict always brewing beneath the surface of Murdock, it is a stereotypical hero role but there is sadness to him that runs deep and lends itself well to this gritty crime drama. All the other big key characters are serviceable but not noteworthy.

I've mentioned Daredevil is connected to the larger MCU but you wouldn't know it with the amount of brutal violence and focus on dark character drama. The show is incredibly stylistic, shot entirely with natural light the show is dark, literally, every scene is drenched is shadows and stark lighting, it sets a mood that fits perfectly with the character and distinguishes itself from the absolute cavalcade of super hero movies and TV shows. The fight scenes are another distinguishing mark, well choreographed and brutal, these fights are not pretty and punctuated with hero shots. Daredevil and the criminals he fights often miss, fumble and reel back in pain. These fights are visceral and exciting and a few are stunningly well shot, in single shots or inventively edited. Overall the style and tone of the series are a real standout and mark my words, will be recognized come award season. 

Daredevil is a fantastic first showing from Marvel on Netflix, a lowly street hero, a crime lord and the city they fight over are given time to develop and define themselves. 13 hour-long episodes makes this the longest we've spent with any single Marvel hero and it pays off huge. There are more layers to peripheral characters here than some main characters in the Marvel movies. If their are any faults with the series is that the show, like every Netflix show, doesn't know when to cut. With no advertisers or executives demanding arbitrary changes and time allotments the show tends to let scenes simmer too long. In some cases it's brilliant, like when Murdock seeks a priest for confession. Other times it's awkward and leads to pacing issues, but once again this is a problem with every Netflix show so it's hard to lay too much of the criticism at Daredevil's feet. 

At times it felt like Daredevil was spinning its wheels, slowing down to fill time and less for building tension, but in the end Daredevil distinguishes itself with strong writing and a shockingly dark tone. The show builds towards a climatic showdown between two relatable yet diametrically opposed men. Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio are the real draws here giving captivating performances and carrying the weight of the entire season alone, a task it should be mentioned they accomplish handily. Daredevil is filled with thrilling fight sequences, taut drama, and a whole new much darker corner of the MCU to explore. 

(4 out of 5)

Board Game Briefs

Elder Sign is a medium, co-operative game. Set in the Cthulhu Mythos you and your fellow players are investigators trying to thwart the evil gods from descending on a museum filled with ancient mystical artifacts. Players take turns investigating areas of the museum and rolling dice to fulfill the requirements of that area, slowly warding evil and preventing the gods from awakening. Unfortunately this games theme is very light, as there is no board or pieces to speak of. The game boils down to fulfilling the dice rolls on each area and praying for the favor of the dice gods. The game is incredibly random, the rooms are randomly drawn, the evil god for each session is randomly chosen, rewards for successfully clearing areas are randomly drawn. You get the picture.

Elder Sign is a game entirely devoted to its lucked based mechanics. You'll have sessions, as I have, where you'll be tempted to swipe all the components off the table in frustration or where you're pumping your fists as you successfully move from room to room. The only solace you'll find is in your friends as you are all working together, each randomly chosen investigator brings something new to the table allowing for some slight strategy when it comes to choosing which rooms to investigate, but in the end it all comes down to dice rolls. I would recommend Elder Sign for people who like a difficult game and aren't frustrated by pure randomness. It's relatively inexpensive and gives you a taste of what heavier games have to offer without the crazy level of complexities and time investment.
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King of Tokyo is a light, player elimination game. Each player chooses a giant monster inspired by classic films and B-movies and attempt to become the King of Tokyo. All of the monsters are the same and only differ aesthetically, an absolutely essential expansion changes this. The game boils down to a derivative of king of the hill. Players score points by occupying Tokyo but when in Tokyo they cannot heal and all monsters target them, on the same token when they attack they hit all monsters not in Tokyo. This brilliant risk/ reward is so beautifully balanced it propels the game into something really special. To do anything players must roll dice and take the results, be it health, attacks, points, or energy. First player to 20 points or last player standing wins.

Energy is accrued to purchase cards that reward you with special powers, an extra dice to roll, the ability to heal one point every turn, paralyze other monsters, etc. These are the final wrinkle in the game that add an enjoyable amount of crazy that prevent the game from feeling the same every time. The 100% essential expansion I mentioned earlier, dubbed Power Up!, adds even more variety by retroactively making each monster unique, evolving and acquiring new powers each time you play.

King of Tokyo is the perfect contrast to Elder Sign because like the aforementioned game King of Tokyo is entirely luck based, entirely dependent on the results of dice rolls. But the added press your luck element of choosing when to enter or leave Tokyo means the strategy, while simple, is key to winning. In stark comparison to Elder Sign where no amount of strategy can save you from continuously shitty dice rolls. I would recommend King of Tokyo to everyone, it's easy to pick up and play, and exudes a charm that makes the more aggressive player versus player actions you will do to each other less aggravating.

Board Game Briefs

Small World is a light, area-control game. At the start of the game players choose a pair of randomly assorted races and powers, each slightly different for added variety and replay ability. The different abilities effect the way you may play, either going for large land grabs or holding key positions. For example the Giants require one less soldier to conquer spaces adjacent to mountains and the wealthy power rewards you with 7 at the end of your first turn. With 14 races and 20 powers their are hundreds of possibilities. Throughout the game you'll vie for control of the most strategically advantageous spots on the board based on your chosen race and power while reaping the monetary benefits for doing so. The person with the most money at the end wins.

When I introduced the game to my friends I was relieved at how quickly everybody picked it up. The game can seem daunting to casual players due to the numerous tokens and specific rules for each race and power but fundamentally the game is quite simple. I honestly thought, as is often the case, that the person with the most experience, i.e. me, would win. But in fact somebody else won, and won handily. 

Small World is great for those who like a little more strategy in their lighthearted pursuit of world domination. There is enough complexity and variety among the different races and powers that it guarantees the games ability to stay fresh over multiple plays. You may figure out the general strategy of defending positions that net you great benefits but someone may have a race/ power combination that debunks that strategy forcing you to rethink your approach. With an average play time of around 60 Minutes, and easy to teach, simple rules that change only slightly depending on the race and power combinations you decide on, Small World is a great introductory area-control game and one I would highly recommend for just about anyone.

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Tsuro is a light, tile laying, route networking game. In Tsuro you lay down tiles, each with different routes, down on the board and follow the path with your dragon, represented by a token. The theme is pretty light and abstract as the game is supposed to be about dueling dragons but it's reduced to simple tile laying. Each player is a dragon charting a it's route through the sky, players routes can intersect forcing dragons to collide or fly off the board if either occurs those players are eliminated. Last dragon standing is the winner.

Tsuro is what's called an 'opener', pretty self explanatory, but it's the game you play while deciding what game you'll play next or while having a drink or snacks. Tsuro takes no longer than 20 minutes and the more players the faster it goes as players quickly fill up the board and eliminate each other. Tsuro is an odd game to recommend on the one hand, it's light, short, with gorgeous components. On the other hand it doesn't lend itself to many plays. It retails for about $20 and you can get a more robust game that won't get old as fast.

An Overview of Board Games

Board Games are generally split into three major categories heavy, medium, and light 'weight' games with two minor categories medium-heavy and light-medium for more subtle categorization. These weight classes, which  are oddly similar to boxing weight-classes, are determined by three major aspects, length, difficulty, and complexity. The longer, more difficult, or more complex a game is the higher along the weight track it settles. This is generally what you look at to determine, at a glance, if you and your gaming group will enjoy a game. Some groups like long games, others short and simple, and everything in-between.

After the general 'weight' of a game is determined then a games key mechanic, or game-play type, is defined to narrow down the game to a final pretty specific position. Some mechanics which I'll explain in more detail in future posts include, worker placement, area control, bluffing, etc. So for example a game like Ticket to Ride is firmly in the light weight category, taking roughly an hour to play, with very simple player actions and rules. It's three key mechanics include hand management due to objective cards, route networking represented by laying train carts along routes on the board and finally set collection as you try to collect certain numbers of specific colors of cards to lay those colored tracks. And that is how you classify a board game.

This brief overview will be useful as I talk about games and make references to some of the terms above while introducing and describing new ones. I'll end this post with a quick review of Ticket to Ride as template for how future posts will generally read.

Ticket to Ride 

Ticket to Ride is one of the few things that could aptly be described as an instant classic, a term so overused it's a wonder anythings cultural impact is ever really determined, but Ticket to Ride earns the title as it firmly establishing an entirely new baseline for what games can and should be. For anyone whose experience with board games began and ended with games like Monopoly, Candy Land, Life, etc. Ticket to Ride is such an approachable, elegantly designed, and wonderfully enjoyable experience you'll curse the names of those so called 'classic' board games. Ticket to Ride is a perfect game to introduce to non-gamers and experienced gamers alike. Player Interactions are less confrontational and everyone's goals are slightly different so antagonism is kept to the minimum.

The game revolves around collecting different colored cards that allow you to lay tracks of the same color. You lay these tracks in conjunction with your destination cards that show you which cities on the map you need to connect. Connect all your destination cards and you can risk drawing more, a risk because if you do not complete them the score they would have afforded you will be deducted from your total. At the end you are scored for number tracks laid, longest continuous route, and most destination cards completed. And that's all there is to it, Ticket to Ride takes mere minutes to explain and is so quick to play and simple to understand I can't imagine someone having a bad experience as long as everyone is playing correctly. 

Agent Carter Season Review

Agent Carter follows the titular Peggy Carter after the seeming death of Captain America and the end of World War II. During the war Carter was a highly respected and high ranking member of the Strategic Scientific Reserve which was responsible for fighting HYRDA and developing the Super Soldier Serum which would transform the frail Steve Rogers into Captain America. But upon returning to the states Carter was relegated to the second-class citizen status the majority of women found themselves in during this period in time. Carter is forced to secretly undertake a mission for Howard Stark, an old friend from the war, to clear his name after several weapons he developed suddenly disappear and is framed for selling them to the enemy.

Let's get this out of the way now, Agent Carter is a fantastic show that I hope sees renewal simply because of how dishearteningly risky it is. I say disheartening because it shouldn't be a risk to have a female lead, or to have a period setting, or for a show to so willingly ignore a myriad of other conventions. Agent Carter is fresh, fun and a fantastic addition to the ever growing Marvel Cinematic Universe. One of the things I love about the series is Peggy Carter herself, she isn't just the idealistic model of a 'strong female character' she is a real female character. Carter is strong yes, but she is also flawed and complex and that's what makes a good character, that and a great performance from Haley Atwell who continues to knock it out of the park in her continued appearance as this character.

One of things I love about the ever expanding MCU is that every character has the potential to be fleshed out. Peggy Carter began as the love interest in the first Captain America film, coincidentally the only romance in a Marvel film that actually works. But everyone was so enamored with her character that we all wanted to know more about her, so we got a short film continuing her story after the war as well as a small and highly emotional scene in the second Captain America film. We slowly learned more about her and her history but it wasn't enough, so a starring vehicle of her own was the next step. This first season was a great development of her character, both the struggle she has adjusting to post war life as well as dealing with the still recent loss of Captain Rogers. The entire season is a perfectly paces and self contained 8 episodes so if our time with Peggy during this period in her life is to end after this one season at least it ends neatly tied up.

But this isn't the last we'll see of Agent Carter even if this is the only season of this show, Peggy is set to appear in this years Avengers 2: Age of Ultron as well as Ant-Man. It's the power of the MCU that a popular character can continue to grow on screen across film and television. The first season of Agent Carter is great, the production is fantastic feeling more like the late 1940's than Mad Men ever has any of its eras. The characters while only having 8 episodes to develop manage to be fully fleshed out characters, and no one is a one note villain or hero. Even the men who continuously belittle Agent Carter are sympathetic as the season continues. The death of principal character surprisingly manages to elicit real emotion after only 7 episodes, that's the advantage of strong nuanced characters and great performances. But the real stars of the series are Peggy Carter and Edwin Jarvis, together both actors give steller performances and revel in their chemistry for some of the most memorable moments across the entire season.

I could go on for several more paragraphs about how much of a relief it is to see a broadcast network series without a romantic relationship in sight, or how well it ties into the existing MCU, or how amazing the effects are, or how the cameos are more than fan-service. But suffice to say  I really enjoyed the show and it stands as a stark and refreshing contrast to everything else in the MCU right now. At the same time Agent Carter does take a few missteps; some things are resolved too conveniently, a consequence of the short episode order I'm sure, but it feels cliche regardless. And finally most of the moments played for laughs fall flat. But apart from those minor quibbles Agent Carter is a fine series with two phenomenal leads in  Hayley Atwell and James D'Arcy that deserves to be further explored in future seasons. I for one will be praying to the television network gods for a renewal.

Overall Season Score 

(4 out of 5)