When the collectible card game format originally exploded onto the hobby scene, there was a quick burst of incredible creativity resulting in some diverse and enthralling designs. There's been little innovation in the genre in recent years, but the genre has now moved to computers, with the potential for new directions to explore.
Sometimes a game comes along that is simply too abstract to be recommendable to all, yet still feels like an experience you should be nudging as many people as possible in the direction of. Starseed Pilgrim is not for everyone - in fact, I would suggest that it's not even for most people.
Aquascapes is an aquatic hidden object game with just a touch of aquarium management thrown in. It's almost like a simplified spin-off of the Gardenscape series, though instead of complicated time management interludes you can just sit back and stare at your virtual aquarium. It might be a little thin on features, but it's a clean and relaxing game that's perfect for the younger crowd.
18 Cadence is the latest work from interactive fiction writer Aaron A. Reed, creator of Blue Lacuna. While not a game in any standard sense of the word, this "story kit" is an interactive experience that allows you to send more than just a high score to the world: you are enabled and encouraged to share your own story or poem with other reader-creators, and to explore what they have shared as well. It's a potentially endless cycle of inspiration and creation, originating from Reed's own offerings.
An ancient house and a group of strangers brought together under mysterious circumstances: that's the set-up for any number of horror movies, but it's also the backdrop for something less sinister and more intellectually stimulating in The Time Tribe. This free-to-play, point-and-click adventure is suitable for all but the youngest gamers, and it uses a variety of means to tell a pretty engrossing story.
As movies like The Silence of the Lambs have melodramatically shown us, being an FBI agent is no picnic; still, we love being party to the danger this singular profession invites. New hidden object game Strange Cases: The Faces of Vengeance gives us the chance to once again join the ranks of the armed-and-trenchcoat-ed as they pursue a vengeful villain. Sadly, due to a game concept and story that feel incomplete, the experience is largely underwhelming.
Playing multiplayer card games can often be a mixed bag. For example; great artwork and fun mechanics are sometimes easily forgotten when squaring off against an opponent with a seemingly infinite supply of powerful cards. This is the main reason I can appreciate Might & Magic: Duel of Chamions. Even the toughest cards can be brought down with some careful planning.
Royal Gems initially appears to be a lovely, bright match-three game that will suck away all of your free time like so many other games have been able to do. While the terms "lovely" and "bright" certainly do apply to the final product, Royal Gems unfortunately offers a disappointing experience that feels more like a Facebook game than a PC download title.