If you want to know what it is truly like to not be human, then read this book. The touching and sad tale of Mattie the automaton is a personal story of a girl made of gears and springs who is caught in a political war between gargoyles, alchemists, and mechanics. Her creator, Loharri, has the key to her heart (literally), and she will do anything she can to obtain it, whether it be betrayal, death, or befriending enemies. Despite there being a civil war in the background, the narrative sticks with Mattie throughout, so it doesn’t stray off and get confusing, which I really like. The characters are solid, and you truly feel a passion for them, especially Mattie. The way Sedia describes how Mattie feels is unique in the sense that she can feel pain, pleasure, and taste but can’t truly be human. She has no soul, and if her heart isn’t wound up with this special key every so often, she stops functioning.
You really get a sense of how confused Mattie gets, and it borders on eerieness because she is almost human, but Sedia constantly reminds you she isn’t, and Mattie really suffers for it. The book has a steady build-up of tension and suspense but has a complete twist ending where most of the main characters end up being who you thought they weren’t and events take a twist that you would never expect. The ending is extremely sad, but all the while you stay in Mattie’s thoughts, which make you truly see and feel the suffering of the only talking robot among humans.
Mattie is also on a quest to make the gargoyles mortal and break them away from stone (thus the title), and Mattie strives to be the best-known alchemist around. The steampunk setting is shown in the fantastical way that things operate without any explanation as to how or why. Sedia really takes advantage of this and brings things to life that wouldn’t be possible in any other type of setting. All that I can say from here is that I was extremely touched by this book. Sedia has a meditative way of writing that makes you stew in her character’s feelings. This book is for fans of steampunk or books that follow one character and make you feel what they feel.
Before you write Pushmo off as a cutesy kids’ puzzle game, think again. The game uses depth as its core, which is what 3DS is all about. You get to move blocks forward by four blocks, but you have to rescue a Pushmo at the top by figuring out how to configure these blocks. Thankfully, you can jump around, so this makes the game a bit easier, but not all games are as easy as they seem. One puzzle can only consist of four blocks, but the way they are shaped makes it difficult to climb, so you have to figure out how to stagger these to get to the top.
This makes the game original and fresh so as to stray away from the Tetris, physics, and memory clones. If you feel really stumped or want to analyze what you did, just rewind with the shoulder buttons or reset the whole thing via a button at the bottom of the blocks. This is the entire game, but when you get bored, go ahead and build your own puzzles, which add a layer of extra fun. There are plenty of puzzles to solve, but the game is quick and easy to just play on the go without worrying about checkpoints and saves.
The art style is cute with bright, colorful graphics, and the 3D effects are there to help immerse you in the depth layering, which makes it feel like part of the puzzle-solving rather than a gimmick or something that gets in the way (like Bit.Trip Saga). With the low price point, you get dozens of hours of fun content, but overall, the game is just really simple and only good in short bursts. This is a game for any age, any player type, and for everyone who owns a 3DS. Right now, this is the eShop’s killer app and probably the best game on there.
The DS doesn’t have enough good rhythm games, but Elite Beat Agents helps fill that void with a campy, off-the-wall style that any fan of the genre will enjoy. You play as three Charlie’s Angels Esque agents (men instead of women) with crazy hairstyles who go out helping people do impossible tasks that break real-world rules. Various stages include helping a pirate find treasure, helping a taxi driver deliver a pregnant woman to a hospital after a cop tells him to not speed ever again, or a movie director making successful movies. These are told in comic-style frames, and they are quick and funny to watch. You play about 30 seconds of a song, then you watch the rest of the wacky story unfold, and how good you were at that segment determines whether or not they succeed in their goal or fail.
The gameplay is different from most rhythm games in the sense that you don’t follow colored blocks that fall into place, and you hit them at the right time. The game uses solely the touchscreen, but I couldn’t really dig the way the rhythm mechanic was designed. You hit numbered circles, and depending on the beat, an outer circle will close in, but once it gets even with the numbered circle, you tap it. The numbers tell you in what order to hit it, but you must follow the colored group. Various other “notes” range from following a ball with your stylus, double-tapping, triple-tapping, or using a spinner to fill a meter. These are weird for rhythm games and help add to the random, crazy feeling of the stories, but they are really hard to master because timing is hard when trying to line up circles within circles.
Later on, the songs get harder, so there are all these circles floating around, and you can get confused and lost on the tiny screen, and the game has little room for error. Keeping your meter in the yes is important because if you are in the no after the segment, you fail that part of the story. My issue is that the meter is constantly running down and you are keeping it up, so failing a lot in slow sections makes you fail faster. Once you get the hang of it, you start having fun, but younger people may get frustrated quickly due to the high learning curve.
A rhythm game isn’t complete without good songs, and EBA is lacking here as well. There are famous songs here, such as Village People’s “YMCA” or Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8ter Boi,” but that’s just it; it’s a hodgepodge of random artists, and these are just cover songs (remade by someone else). Not only that, but the audio is very low quality and tinny, so it feels like a half-baked rhythm game. I like some of the songs here, but there should have been more consistency and fewer random pickings, plus there are only 19 songs, so you can finish this in one or two sittings. The game also lacks any type of mode besides multiplayer, so you will get bored after a few sittings with this game.
EBA has a great sense of humor, funny stories, and a decent selection of songs, but it feels like it’s missing something, and the high learning curve will turn anyone away except the hardcore rhythm fans. This is a great weekend rental or something you can pick up in your bargain bin if you are craving rhythm action on your DS.
Pork Chop, Mutt, Pooch, Squiddy, Dude, Boy, and every other name, but Chibiterasu is what our poor little hero has to be called throughout his journey. You play as Amaterasu’s son in this true sequel to the hit classic Okami for PS2. There was a lot of speculation that the game would be dumbed down or just feature mini-games, but we get a full-fledged 20-hour adventure on par with the first game. You wander around the world of Nippon (Japan), trying to stop an evil spirit named Akuro from bringing the world into darkness. Along the way, you meet five children who become your partners and help you learn new brush techniques.
The game feels like it suits the DS better than the PS2, thanks to the touchscreen. The game is also almost exactly like Okami in a way, so we get a console experience on a handheld, and that’s rare for the DS. This also becomes a major problem because it is too similar to Okami to become truly unique, which is what prevents it from receiving a higher score (or Editor’s Choice). The combat is similar to Okami in that you are trapped in a giant circle, and you fight that way. Instead of adding new things to the combat or reinventing it, you fight just like Okami. Using your weapon and brush technique, you whack away, but each enemy needs a strategy because they have elemental powers, or some are immune unless stunned. The enemies are unique, but the combat lacks any change, and vets will feel the combat isn’t as fun the second time around, so you will avoid it as much as possible. Boss fights are really epic, and each uses the brush techniques in a unique way, just like Okami did. These are some of the best parts of the game.
Puzzles were a big thing in Okami using the Celestial Brush, but this time around they feel easy and lack any real challenge. Guiding your partner across a gap to fetch something isn’t very hard. Even just using a brush technique to open a door or find a way out isn’t exactly challenging either, but they feel Zelda-like, so fans of that series will like this. Even though each dungeon offers new brush techniques and new elemental powers, they are used in the same mundane way throughout the whole game, but they are easy, so you don’t have to expect frustration.
Outside of combat and solving puzzles, exploring the world is a little mundane as well. Finding secrets was big in Okami, but it just feels tiresome here because there is no big payoff for finding all secrets or even finding any that are used, like cash at shops or just items. I wanted to find a super-powerful weapon, maybe a hidden brush technique, but instead we just get normal stuff. I really wish there was more to the whole game than just finding your way to the next dungeon, but there are side quests for people who are into that. You don’t get anything but praise, which levels you up, which in turn gives you more life and ink pots. Everything that you did in Okami can give you praise here, but nothing new has been added yet again.
Besides this, the controls are tight, with the shoulder buttons acting as the brush, which brings a snapshot of the top screen to the bottom. Brushstrokes feel natural using the touch screen, but sometimes, if the camera is off, the stroke won’t register or will do a different one, which left me frustrated a few times. Using the D-pad to control Chibi is a bit rough because it is so small (using the 3DS circle pad is a lifesaver), but overall the controls work well. I did find the map completely useless because it is either too big or too small, and there’s no way to zoom around on it. I also found myself completely lost as to where to go due to a lack of some sort of quest log or journal.
The best part about Okamiden is the unique art style that Okami brought to gamers, and despite the DS’s ancient hardware, it sucks every bit of power to pull this off. This results in some serious slowdown quite often, but the game looks great. My last complaint would be that the game is long-winded towards the end and isn’t suited for portable play. Save points are spread too far apart, and it feels like a console game even on this. 20 hours is also a bit long for a handheld, but in turn, we get a wonderfully crafted story with a lot of detail and characters you really care for.
Okamiden does a lot right by bringing the unique experience of Okami to the DS with console-quality style, but in turn doesn’t do enough things that are new to make it as amazing or as unique as the original was. Everybody who owns a DS should play this game because it is one of the best on the little system. Even with ancient hardware, Okamiden shows us exactly what this system was built for.
Being the third sequel to one of the top five PC games of all time can be tough. The guys at Eidos Montreal nailed the game and pulled off one of the most anticipated games of all time. One of the best parts of Human Revolution is the engaging atmosphere and story that go along with it. You play the ex-SWAT turned security chief at Sarif Industries, Adam Jensen. Sarif Industries is one of the leading corporations in human augmentation. Of course, there are always rivals, so the facility gets broken into one day and the top scientist gets stolen (among others) and is used for some secret project. The great thing about the story is that you’re led on constantly, so you think the plot goes one way and then quickly moves another way. When you start the game, you will have no idea that the people involved are the main cause towards the end. The story is masterfully created and very entertaining.
Of course, what makes Deus Ex so famous are the multiple ways you can approach getting to a goal. Use stealth and not knock out anyone; use tranq darts, stun guns, or just up-close melee. If you don’t like that, you can use silenced weapons and take everyone out, or just run through with a machine gun and blast everyone away. Of course, it’s not just how you kill people, but how you navigate the level. If you see a room full of eight bad guys, you can upgrade your augs to allow you to become invisible for a few seconds and dash across the room to the door you need. Don’t you have that aug? You can find a vent somewhere and crawl through most of the area, but wait, there’s a camera right where you need to be. Find the computer that controls cameras, hack into it, and disable it. Or you can just blast your way through.
There are tons of options for every part of the game, but the augs are what will get you through. You can access an elevator that can bypass three whole floors of bad guys, but it’s blocked by heavy crates. If you have the ability to move heavy objects, you are golden. If not, find another way around as best as you can. The whole point is to choose a play style and augment yourself accordingly, so if you want stealth, use stealth add-ons, the ability to see through walls, invisibility, and keep a tranq gun or silenced pistol. I love how there are so many options to choose from, and each section just flows and doesn’t require too much trial-and-error like most stealth action games.
You will come across conversations where you need to persuade someone to give you information, and this is done through clever dialog choices, but you can use augmentation to see what personality type the person is and how to persuade them. If you are having a hard time, you get a chance to release pheromones as a last-ditch effort to persuade, but you must know the personality type, so watch that meter carefully. These choices can be simple or huge, such as how to disable turrets during a boss fight or even to make whole missions easier. However, choices during the game don’t affect the endings, so some people may feel this was all for nothing.
While those are the main parts of gameplay, you can upgrade weapons, buy and sell at black markets, and even buy Praxis kits for upgrading at limb clinics. Be warned, though, because the game is very hard if you choose to gun everyone down. You will lose your life quickly, and just a few shots will kill you. There are even a few boss fights, but I found these extremely difficult and required a lot of saving during the fight. The game also has a decent length of about 15–20 hours, so you will be busy for a while.
I do have to mention that when the game came out, there were horrible glitches, and it performed terribly. I actually had to restart the game 1/4 through because of a glitch that prevented me from moving on to the next level. This is unacceptable, but by now, 99% of the glitches have been fixed, and the game now performs smoothly. The overall atmosphere is a lot like Blade Runner, but I felt it was lacking with just people standing around in the linear levels. Sure, you can run around, but the game is made up of hallways rather than an open world. The graphics look decent in DirectX 11, but they look abysmal in DirectX 9, so don’t expect this game to look amazing. Characters have low-resolution textures as well as low-poly models, and the overall effects aren’t very impressive.
Overall, Human Revolution is one of the best stealth-action games to come out in a while, but most importantly, it re-creates the amazing choice-based gameplay that the first game did so many years ago. If you can look past the dated visuals, linear level design, and difficult boss fights, you will be pleased with lots of great game design as well as engrossing characters and an engaging story.
Who would have thought winding rope on a wood figure would be fun? The guys at Secret Exit did and this is some simple fun here. While the graphics don’t push anything the wooden figure models are nice and varied, but this is a more challenging puzzle game than you think. As you work your way up a tree you have three goals for each figure by covering 70%, 85%, and 99% of the allotted rope. When you wind the rope it will turn a painted color, but be careful because if you wind the rope tight that’s lifted off the figure you can’t get underneath. The physics are great with rope sliding off corners and falling into place as it should.
Some figures have nails that you can use to redirect the rope, but the art of this is how well you can wind the rope and cover the whole object. Some are easy and some are hard with lots of arms, legs, or pieces that can easily be covered up or roped off on accident. That’s pretty much all there is to the game, but being such a unique puzzle game makes it great. There is nothing out there like this and you will have hours of fun here. There is some nice relaxing background music playing, but overall the game impresses on sheer originality. I highly recommend this to any puzzle fan hardcore or casual.
If I were to complain about this at all it would be the inconsistent difficulty that jumps around, the game lacks any type of mode like time attack, plus you can only play in short bursts because you will get bored after a while. Other than that this is one awesome game that comes at a small price.
Geralt of Rivia finds himself stuck in a strange spot. He gives seed to a child who is the key to a throne that two sides of a country are fighting over. Of course, he finds her, takes her in, and trains her as the first female witch, but she is destined for more. I can’t say much more than that without giving away key details, but the story isn’t as amazing or big as you might expect.
I have to say that this book isn’t as good as The Last Wish simply because of the lack of fights and too much talking. There is a lot of drier political talk, but overall, there aren’t any fights with Geralt against creatures. This is what The Witcher is all about, so instead we get sections of the book dedicated to different characters like Dandelion, Yennefer, Merigold, and even Zigran. While those characters are interesting and the main characters in the games, it’s all just dialog and no action. Sure, it can be really entertaining at times, but the book is even lacking a lot of humor.
That isn’t even the biggest problem. Here you have the Nilfgaardians trying to take the throne of Cintra, while there might be some sort of plot against the kings of the good guys trying to steal the throne. There is never a climax, even though you think there might be one. The story feels cut in half because it ends in a weird spot. If there wasn’t so much talking and more action, maybe we could get a conclusive story like The Last Wish. There’s lots of talk about genocide from the elves, plus talk of war, but none of it ever really happens. I felt this book was the exact opposite of The Last Wish and the games. Of course, fans of the games will come looking for this book, but they probably won’t like it due to the lack of action. I counted all two major battles in the whole book, so that’s a lot of talking in between.
Despite all this, the characters shine through, and new ones that aren’t in the games are great. You will like what is here, but just don’t expect tons of action. If the book wasn’t so dry in spots, had a climax, and didn’t lead you on constantly, it would be a lot better. However, hardcore fans will still dig this despite the missteps.
If you are a fan of classic 8-bit games or quick simple games then you will be right at home here. Bit.Trip Saga takes all the games in the series and packs them into one game. There are 6 games here, but each is different and requires lots of concentration and good hand-eye coordination to have some fun. Let’s dig into this pile of pixels and see what’s in store.
Bit.Trip Beat is one of my favorites because it’s a variation on Pong where you repel pixels coming at you to create a catchy beat. It gets harder and harder as time goes on and is a blast. If you miss too many the game will go in a Nether mode which actually turns the game 8-bit and is really neat. The 3D effects here are nice but are distracting and using the circle pad is useless and inaccurate. I chose the stylus for precise aiming because you will need it.
Bit.Trip Core is one of my least favorites because of how hard it can be to watch four sides of the screen at once. You stay in the middle and control a beam to destroy pixels coming at you from all sides. This can get confusing and it’s really hard to play for long periods of time. I didn’t play this one as much and was a bit of a disappointment.
Bit.Trip Void is another favorite because it doesn’t require much concentration and accuracy. You are a black hole that collects black pixels and avoids white. When you are too big to fit on-screen, or between two pixels, you pop and bank your score. This one is highly addictive and I wound up playing for longer sessions than the other games.
Bit.Trip Runner is my favorite of them all because it’s the biggest game of the six and most fun. You run down a level and avoid obstacles by jumping, kicking, sliding, and timing things just right to a super catchy beat. At the end of each level, you go into an 8-bit version to collect gold and rack up your score. There are tons of levels here, but it can be very difficult towards the end because it requires perfect timing.
Bit.Trip Fate isn’t one of the best because you are on a set path and have to avoid enemy fire while firing back. Dodging fire on a set path seems like it works against you and isn’t really all that fun even if you do concentrate. The game has a slow pace and also requires right-handed stylus use.
Bit.Trip Flux is the last of the six which is like an anti Bit.Trip Beat. You avoid getting hit instead of hitting objects and is just as addictive as Beat. I found this to be one of the more fun games of the six and is super fun to play for long periods of time.
The whole experience is nice, but in short bursts only due to the repetitiveness and sheer concentration needed to get far in the game. This is great for a portable experience, but the 3D effects are distracting, and with some games, it made the experience worse. This game isn’t just for anybody, but for hardcore gamers who love racking up scores and like precision skills and twitch shooting.
Everyone was bullied at some point in their life during school, so Rockstar took it upon themselves to help people reflect on that and become bullies themselves or anti-bullies. Jimmy Hopkins is sent to Bullworth Academy because he’s a huge jerk and his mom and stepdad hate him. The story really makes you reminisce about high school because of how accurately it portrays it. You walk around, and you see jocks beating up nerds and greasers beating up preps. Of course, due to the game’s age (about 7 years old), there are problems, glitches, and stiffness due to the PS2’s limited technology, but the overall atmosphere and fun content will keep you hooked.
The game is based on Grand Theft Auto, so if you play that series a lot, you are right at home here. You get a mini-map with stars marked on it, a combat system, a vehicle system, as well as a shooting system. They all work really well and even better than the GTAgames, but don’t forget, this is a teen-rated game, so you can forget about Jimmy killing hookers and pushing drugs. After you get familiar with the engine, you will be introduced to the combat system, which works well thanks to a lock-on mode and target switching with the right analog stick (keyboard controls stink). A health bar is displayed around the target’s feet, and the melee combat system is surprisingly deep. You unlock combos and moves by bringing transistors to the bum that lives behind the school.
With grapples, takedowns, and various combos comes ranged combat, which is fun thanks to the interesting and fun weapons. Instead of rocket launchers and AK-47s, we get potato spud launchers, bottle rocket launchers, slingshots, stink bombs, itching powder, spray paint (for tagging), eggs, and various breakable melee weapons that are awesome to use. You can’t jack cars, but you can jack bicycles, and you have a skateboard in your inventory. I really wish there were more vehicles to use than just these two things, but it works because the world isn’t big enough to need anything faster.
The days in Bully go by like school, and of course, you can get busted and, instead of wasted, knocked out like in GTA games. Prefects are the authority on campus, and there are a lot of rules. There are two classes a day, and you will see a bell on your map. If you skip class, you can be busted for truancy, hit kids and get chased for violence, hit girls or adults, and the meter goes red, and everyone runs after you for this. You can be busted for trespassing (being inside a building after hours), theft, vandalism, and all the hijinks of kids, so watch out. Of course, getting busted is actually hard because you can always outrun them, and if a prefect gets a hold of you, you can rapidly press Y to break free. If a teacher or cop gets you, you’re done.
Classes are fun and consist of mini-games like music class, which uses the triggers to tap out the rhythm; biology class, which has you dissecting animals; math class, which has you answering simple questions; shop class, which has you doing button commands to repair bikes; and photography class, which has you snapping pictures. There are more classes, and they help keep you busy between missions and can be fun. When you aren’t doing missions or classes, you can do one of the two jobs in town, which is a paper route and mowing lawns. I really wish there were more jobs, but more on why later. There are also challenges for each faction as well as random activities like people having you egg things, make deliveries, or break into lockers.
Missions are varied and range from throwing snowballs, playing tricks, assaulting faction fortresses, sneaking through an asylum, and helping teachers with adult problems. There’s a lot of variety in the main missions, and it will keep you hooked and wanting to do the next one. I just wish there were more side missions that had a good payoff because money is kind of useless in this game. I rarely spent it and didn’t really need to. There is also a lame dating system built in where you can compliment a girl, then give her a gift, and then she’ll kiss you. This is as far as it goes, and after trying it once, you won’t do it again.
All this sounds fun, and it is, but it comes with a price. Everything feels stiff, stilted, and linear, which really detracts from the experience. The same NPCs walk around, sayings repeat constantly, animations are stiff and awkward, the same music repeats constantly, the sound is low quality, and the graphics aged poorly with low poly models and some ugly textures. The only things that haven’t aged are the excellent voice acting, memorable characters, and charming and witty dialog. This is the best part about Bully because of characters like Gary, who are whacked sociopaths who you want to just punch. The world isn’t very big at all, and while you can change your clothes and hair and earn money, there’s really no reason for it. You can find collectibles in the world, do races, and more, but honestly, for what? There’s no payoff, and I guess you just do it to be the best completionist.
I could go on about how stiff the game feels or the multiple glitches that I encountered, but after completing the 10-15-hour campaign, I felt no reason to continue on. I couldn’t bear hearing the same saying, listening to the same music, or seeing the same NPC walk by me. Back in the day, it was revolutionary, but now it’s just a wrinkle in the game timeline as something unique and playful because there isn’t a single game out there like it. Enjoy the game for the great dialog, characters, and story, as well as the fun mini-games and varied missions, but if you can’t overlook the many faults, then move on.
When you think of Tom Clancy or Ghost Recon, you probably aren’t thinking of turn-based strategy. Ghost Recon takes the weirdest and most unlikely departure that is sure to become a disaster, but works well and culminates into a great little TBS game. This would be a great game, whether it had the Ghost Recon name or not. Traditional fans of the series may cry foul or turn their nose up, but portable fans and turn-based strategy fans will likely get hooked. Ghost Recon has never been known for deep or complex stories, and Shadow Wars is no exception. You play a squad of elite soldiers trying to stop a war between the Russians and Kazakhstan. Due to the lengthy campaign (a good 15 hours or so), you get an entertaining story that you actually want to see an ending to. While the characters aren’t very deep, you do grow somewhat attached.
Of course, you want great tactical gameplay in a game like this, and Shadow Wars delivers. While it may not be very deep, it’s suspenseful and has various missions that will put you on edge sometimes. The enemies are just regular soldiers, but as the game moves along and you level up, they get tougher, and eventually you get drones thrown at you, which are pretty tough against anything but explosives. Each of the six ghosts is completely different, such as one who uses a mini-gun, which is good for up-close firepower; Haze is the sniper; and Banshee uses a cloaking device, so she is invisible to everything unless right next to an enemy. You will use each ghost and rely on their powers and abilities because each mission will require you to really choose wisely how to move about the map.
Each ghost can gain command points by killing enemies, which can then be used for their special power. Duke and Banshee can use Rapid Strike, which gives them one extra turn, or Haze can use Super Shot, which is pretty much a hit-kill sniper shot. Of course, their secondary weapons can be used this way too, like grenades or Duke’s portable missile launcher. Most maps have various command flags that you can capture to earn command points for the entire squad that can be used to give a ghost another turn, give everyone a huge command point boost, or call in an airstrike on outdoor maps for devastating attacks. You can use cover, like in regular games, that will reduce damage, such as going into buildings or being next to obstacles. You also have an attack range that will be reduced the farther the enemy is, but this isn’t anything new to TBS players and should fit right in.
While all this sounds deep, it really isn’t. Sure, on the field, you have to use your brain and decide how to move about the map wisely, because 99% of the time you’re greatly outnumbered, and a dumb move can cost you the game. Each map is completely different, but most objectives tend to be the same. After a mission is complete, you can distribute points to level up your ghosts, which gives them more health, further movement, and more damage. You can also equip weapons, but I was greatly disappointed in this because each ghost only gets one other option for each category, and I stuck with the first one through the whole game.
There are other problems with the game being way too hard on anything but easy, and even then, you’ll fail missions a lot. Thankfully, there’s a save feature, but towards the end, you’re greatly outnumbered by enemies that take forever to kill, even if you’re at the highest level. I found this unfair, and despite being intense by getting out with a hair of health left, it was exhausting because some levels dragged on forever. Despite these shortcomings, the campaign is varied and mixes things up a lot, so this kind of help.
Don’t expect anything deep that you expect from most turn-based strategy games; just come in expecting a lot of fun activities. The game is extremely tough and doesn’t offer a deep and really interesting story like most turn-based strategy games do. The graphics are also nothing special, even with decent 3D effects. You’re not going to see anything that you haven’t seen in a portable TBS game. Shadow Wars is a great entry into the 3DS and will keep you busy for quite some time.
thebinarymessiah.com 
ORC is probably the worst game in the entire series. It's objectively awful. Being bad isn't different. Different is Outbreak…