Make meaningful choices and mature decisions, ultimately culminating in the grand question: do you exploit the innocent survivors of Rapture The Mass Effect trilogy is an emotionally charged science fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets. In Mass Effect 2, players will once again step into the role of the heroic Commander Shepard, commanding their crew of some of the most dangerous operatives from across the galaxy on a mission so challenging that it's potentially suicidal.
Featuring intense shooter action, a rich futuristic storyline, space exploration and emotionally engaging character interaction, the game delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience. Characters and environments are rendered in high definition 3D, while the game is played in the classic Street Fighter 2D perspective with additional 3D camera flourishes.
Six-button controls for the game return, with a host of new special moves and features integrated into the input system. Street Fighter IV also incorporates state of the art online match making and worldwide online gameplay. Mixing classic genre-defining game mechanics the franchise is known and loved for with all-new, never-before-seen gameplay systems, Street Fighter IV brings a brand new fighting game to fans the world over.
With the inclusion of Capcom's latest advancements in new generation technology, Street Fighter IV promises to deliver an extraordinary experience that will re-introduce the world to the time-honoured art of virtual martial arts. New special moves that go beyond any Street Fighter fan's wildest imagination, including Focus attacks, Super Combos, and the revenged-fueled Ultra Combo system.
Classic Street Fighter characters recreated for a new generation of gamers, including the original cast of Street Fighter II. New brawlers: female super-spy Crimson Viper, lucha libre wrestler El Fuerte, mixed martial artist Abel and more. New gameplay elements provide new challenges for both newcomers and the most seasoned Street Fighter pro. Online gameplay features, including instantaneous online challenges, versus mode, tournament mode, and world wide online gameplay.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots features an aging and exhausted Solid Snake in the middle of a futuristic battlefield. In spite of his failing body, Snake is equipped with a crucial new device tentatively known as "OctoCamo," a high-tech suit that dynamically transforms its texture based on Snake's surroundings. This revolutionary new gameplay mechanic allows him to seamlessly blend into the environment, providing him with the means to stalk his enemies like never before.
This latest chapter in Hideo Kojima's legendary tactical espionage actin series marks the return of several characters from previous Metal Gear Solid games including Revolver Ocelot, Meryl Silverburgh, Naomi Hunter and Raiden, and features an unforgettable story that depicts the desperate state of the future as seen through the eyes of an older Solid Snake. Oblivion is a single-player game that takes place in Tamriel's capital province, Cyrodiil.
You are given the task of finding the hidden heir to a throne that sits empty, the previous emperor having been killed by an unknown assassin. With no true Emperor, the gates to Oblivion the equivalent of hell in the world of Tamriel open, and demons begin to invade Cyrodiil and attack its people and towns.
It's up to you to find the lost heir to the throne and unravel the sinister plot that threatens to destroy all of Tamriel. In keeping with the Elder Scrolls tradition, players have the option to experience the main quest at their own pace, and there are plenty of opportunities to explore the vast world and make your own way. Numerous factions can be joined, such as the thieves or mages guilds, and each contains its own complete storyline and the chance to rise to the head of the faction and reap further rewards.
Oblivion features a groundbreaking new AI system, called Radiant AI, which gives non-player characters NPCs the ability to make their own choices based on the world around them. They decide where to eat or who to talk to and what they say. They sleep, go to church, and even steal items, all based on their individual characteristics.
Full facial animations and lip-synching, combined with full speech for all dialog, allows NPCs to come to life like never before. In each world, you have a different power to affect the way time behaves, including the ability to rewind, create parallel realities and utilize time dilation to overcome the many obstacles in your path. There is no filler in this game; every puzzle shows you something new and interesting about the game world. Earth is burning.
Striking from beyond known space, a race of terrifying machines have begun their destruction of the human race. As Commander Shepard, an Alliance Marine, the only hope for saving mankind is to rally the civilizations of the galaxy and launch one final mission to take back the Earth.
User Score: 5. Skyrim reimagines the open-world fantasy epic, bringing to life a complete virtual world open for you to explore any way you choose. Play any type of character you can imagine, and do whatever you want; the legendary freedom of choice, storytelling, and adventure of The Elder Scrolls is realized like never before. Skyrim's new game engine brings to life a complete virtual world with rolling clouds, rugged mountains, bustling cities, lush fields, and ancient dungeons.
Choose from hundreds of weapons, spells, and abilities. The new character system allows you to play any way you want and define yourself through your actions. Battle ancient dragons like you've never seen. As Dragonborn, learn their secrets and harness their power for yourself. Set in the realm of brutal Greek mythology, God of War III is a single-player game which allows players to take on the climatic role of the ex-Spartan warrior, Kratos, as he scales through the intimidating heights of Mt.
Olympus and the dark depths of Hell to seek revenge on those who have betrayed him. A search for the fabled "Atlantis of the Sands" propels fortune hunter Nathan Drake on a trek into the heart of the Arabian Desert. When the terrible secrets of this lost city are unearthed, Drake's quest descends into a desperate bid for survival that strains the limits of his endurance and forces him to confront his deepest fears.
The follow-up to Street Fighter IV further redefines the fighting game genre with classic 2D Street Fighter fighting action, a host of new and returning characters, more advanced online gameplay, new ultra combos and much more. The impressive new roster includes classic combatants from previous Street Fighter games like T.
Hawk as well as all-new characters such as the mysterious and deadly female fighter, Juri. Super Street Fighter IV adds new Ultra Combos and advancements to the state of the art online matchmaking and online gameplay introduced in Street Fighter IV with numerous additional features. Super Street Fighter IV takes many of the groundbreaking features introduced in Street Fighter IV and refines everything to deliver the ultimate vision of Street Fighter to fans the world over.
Play together in your living room or across the world! Major record labels and leading music publishers have signed on to provide unrivaled access to master recordings and legendary rock artists — from punk, metal and alternative to classic and southern rock.
Full support for downloadable content delivers never-ending challenges. New content will be available every week. Metallica has signed on to offer several tracks as digitally-distributed game levels for Rock Band as well as "Enter Sandman" for the Rock Band ship disc. Create your own rock avatar! Mold a unique rocker using Rock Band's character creator.
Chose from gender, body shape, face, hair, clothes, tattoos and signature moves. Drumming in the spotlight! Showcase a real drum solo with Rock Band's freestyle drum fill windows featured in each song. Break out your own rhythm and style as anything goes! Ad-lib your own words or shout to the crowd to raise the rock intensity of the performance. Band mates can fail out of a song for poor performance, but the band still plays on. Rescue your failing mate by busting out signature moves and blistering solos to wow the crowd with showmanship.
Enter the world of Journey, the third game from indie developers thatgamecompany creators of "flOw" and "Flower". You wake alone and surrounded by miles of burning, sprawling desert, and soon discover the looming mountaintop which is your goal.
Faced with rolling sand dunes, age-old ruins, caves and howling winds, your passage will not be an easy one. The goal is to get to the mountaintop, but the experience is discovering who you are, what this place is, and what is your purpose. Travel and explore this ancient, mysterious world alone, or with a stranger you meet along the way.
Soar above ruins and glide across sands as you discover the secrets of a forgotten civilization. Several new modes will also be available to test a player's pellet-munching aptitude. In Time Attack Mode, players will vie for the quickest clear time. Fulfill a series of objectives in Mission Mode or compete to devour the most number of ghosts gobbled in Ghost Mode.
Rock Band 2 builds upon its foundation as the first music game to introduce co-operative band gameplay, multiple instruments, a robust online multiplayer experience, an unrivaled offering of downloadable content and raises the bar by delivering an entirely new level of depth, connectivity, authenticity and features including: Backwards compatibility with Rock Band downloadable music content. All previously purchased tracks immediately load into your Rock Band 2 song list.
No need to re-purchase or re-download. The biggest and most diverse soundtrack ever featuring some of rock's most prolific acts, comprised entirely of master recordings. Major new and dynamic online modes that connect the entire Rock Band community in more ways than ever before both locally and globally. More variety of instrument choices than ever before with new and improved drum and guitar peripherals, enhanced functionality and innovative new designs - all fully compatible with the original Rock Band instruments.
Media Molecule and Sony Europe are already working on a follow-up to their critically acclaimed platformer. Rock Band returns with another iteration of the popular music game featuring new songs and instruments. On the pitch, critical gameplay fundamentals have been enhanced to ensure that FIFA Soccer 10 mirrors real-world soccer, providing more sophisticated ball control, and physical interaction between players.
In addition, players now move, behave and position themselves more realistically. On attack, players analyze space more effectively, curve their runs in an attempt to stay onside, create passing lanes naturally, and drive for more variety in attacking options. On defense, new concepts like position priority enable defenders to multitask so dangerous spaces left open by teammates out of position are covered. Plus, slide tackle targeting, press marking, and better-urgency clearance logic provide new options that make defending a tactical skill in FIFA Soccer In goal, a myriad of improvements and refinements to goalkeeper intelligence result in a more responsive and powerful rushing system and ultra-realistic saves.
Better balance on lofted through balls, improved goalkeeper intelligence, more realistic shooting mechanics with less shots hitting the goal posts, a practice arena to perfect skills, and a more immersive soccer experience through continuous play and quick free kicks are just a few of the issues raised by fans and addressed in FIFA Soccer Three new innovations revealed today at E3 have been developed to change the player control experience in FIFA Soccer The first-ever true degree dribbling system gives players finer control of the ball, enabling them to find spaces between defenders that previously were not possible.
Using an all-new animation technology, skilled dribblers now have the ability to face the defender and use highly responsive lateral dribbling to skip past him. An innovative concept called Freedom in Physical Play enables players to perform wider dribble touches and new collision sharing creates a varied, less predictable, and extended fight for possession between the dribbler and a defender. FIFA Soccer 10 also features a deeper iteration of the ever-popular Manager Mode with more than 50 major improvements, including new match realism, realistic player transfers based on multiple decision points, and true-to-life player growth curves.
Assassin's Creed II is the product of over two years of intensive development by the original creative team behind the Assassin's Creed brand. In a vast open world environment, the game invites players to incarnate Ezio, a privileged young noble in Renaissance Italy who's been betrayed by the rival ruling families of Italy. Ezio's subsequent quest for vengeance plunges players into an epic story that offers more variety in missions, surprising and engaging new gameplay elements, diverse weapons and a profound character progression that appeal to fans of the original Assassin's Creed as well as entice players new to the brand.
For non-stop competitive action, players can choose from two multiplayer options: two-player Duel mode, or Peg Party mode, where up to four players can compete against one another simultaneously. Play as one of four new vault hunters facing off against a massive new world of creatures, psychos and the evil mastermind, Handsome Jack. Make new friends, arm them with a bazillion weapons and fight alongside them in 4 player co-op or split-screen on a relentless quest for revenge and redemption across the undiscovered and unpredictable living planet.
Online Gameplay Improved — This year the online gameplay experience has been vastly improved and will detect and respond better to adverse network conditions along with reduced bandwidth to help the speed and flow of online gameplay. User Controlled Pick-Offs — Surprise a base runner with a quick move or lull him to sleep with our new pick-off mechanism. Custom Music, Fan Yells, and Chants — Assign music or a recording to an entire team, edit tracks to assign batter walk-up music, or record your own voice and assign it to play for the team or player during the situation of your choice.
In God of War: Collection, players will experience the dark world of Ancient Greece through Kratos, a brutal warrior determined to murder the God of War and alter what no mortal has ever changed Assuming the role of Sev, a battle-hardened veteran and a member of the special forces unit known as the Legion, players lead a group of highly trained soldiers on a mission to take out the Helghast threat.
For Sev and his squad, the invasion of Helghan is just the beginning. Tasked with securing Pyrrhus, the Capital City, the team quickly discovers that the Helghast are a formidable enemy on their home planet.
Not only have they adjusted to the planet's hostile conditions, they have also harnessed a source of power they can now use against the ISA. Sev discovers his squad isn't just fighting enemy forces — their fiercest opponent may be the planet itself.
There, the imprisoned super-villains have set a trap and an immersive combat gaming experience unfolds. With an original script penned by Emmy Award-winning Batman writer Paul Dini, the game brings the universe of DC Comics' detective to life with stunning graphics. Batman: Arkham Asylum offers players the chance to battle Gotham's worst villains with Batman's physical and psychological strength in a graphically distinct and story-driven game.
Rayman Legends is the follow-up to Rayman Origins and brings multiplayer interactions for you to employ. The Glade of Dreams is in trouble again. During a year nap, the nightmares multiplied and spread, creating new monsters even scarier than before. These creatures are the stuff of legend… Dragons, giant toads, sea monsters, and even evil luchadores.
With the help of Murfy, Rayman and Globox awake and must now help fight these nightmares and save the Teensies. Prepare to die Dare yourself to engage against intense gameplay in a vast world powered by a new engine. Immerse yourself into mind-bending environments filled with new twisted monsters and deadly bosses.
More intricate customization options provide weapons and armor tailoring to player style. With Far Cry 3, players step into the shoes of Jason Brody, a man alone at the edge of the world, stranded on a mysterious tropical island. In this savage paradise where lawlessness and violence are the only sure thing, players dictate how the story unfolds, from the battles they choose to fight to the allies or enemies they make along the way. As Jason Brody, players will slash, sneak, detonate and shoot their way across the island in a world that has lost all sense of right and wrong.
FIFA Soccer 12 brings a new physics engine into the soccer gameplay. Vault-Tec engineers have worked around the clock on an interactive reproduction of Wasteland life for you to enjoy from the comfort of your own vault.
Included is an expansive world, unique combat, shockingly realistic visuals, tons of player choice, and an incredible cast of dynamic characters. Every minute is a fight for survival against the terrors of the outside world — radiation, Super Mutants, and hostile mutated creatures.
Vault - Jewel of the Wastes. For years, Vault has faithfully served the surviving residents of Washington DC and its environs, now known as the Capital Wasteland. Though the global atomic war of left the US all but destroyed, the residents of Vault enjoy a life free from the constant stress of the outside world.
Yet one fateful morning, you awake to find that your father has defied the Overseer and left the comfort and security afforded by Vault for reasons unknown. Leaving the only home you've ever known, you emerge from the Vault into the harsh Wasteland sun to search for your father, and the truth. Road to the Show 3. Franchise Mode 2. Improvements include the long awaited man roster! The drills will be of various concentrations of the game. These drills are a perfect way to polish and improve your baseball skills in The Show.
Details and subtleties play a huge role in legitimizing a game and helping you lose yourself in the suspension of disbelief. MLB 09 The Show sinks it's teeth into the details with realistic stadiums and signage, wear and tear on field, dusk to night lighting transitions, stadium Jumbotron animations and even crowd atmosphere - reaching up for foul balls out of play and home runs in addition to crowd rivalries and weather appropriate clothing.
The critically acclaimed single-player experience of Assassin's Creed is back and better than ever as Ezio returns in an epic struggle against the powerful Templar Order. Now a legendary Master Assassin, he must journey into Italy's greatest city, Rome, center of power, greed and corruption to strike at the heart of the enemy.
Defeating the corrupt tyrants entrenched there will require not only strength, but leadership, as Ezio commands an entire Brotherhood that will rally to his side. Only by working together can the Assassins defeat their mortal enemies. In Okami, the legendary monster Orochi has come back to life and turned the world into a veritable wasteland.
Players must assume the role of a wolf, an embodiment of the sun god Amaterasu, which is capable of wielding unimaginable power. The state of the world lies in gamer's hands as they must fight ominous beings and reclaim the earth from a curse that plagues it.
It is crucial to help Amaterasu make the world a place where all living creatures can dwell once again. LIMBO, a black and white puzzle-platforming adventure, puts players in the role of a young boy traveling through an eerie and treacherous world in an attempt to discover the fate of his sister. For the first time ever, all dribble moves have been mapped to the right analog stick, as well as shooting, passing, and post moves.
String together devastating crossovers and clutch shots for maximum control and effectiveness. Shots are now dynamically created on the fly, with all-new collision physics created in real-time. Each player has individualized abilities that can alter the course of a game. Improved fast break passing gives players more control.
The Eliminator game mode allows you to release all that pent-up aggression as you use the full arsenal of Wipeout weaponry to destroy your opponents. Forget those racing lines; this is all about destruction, with the victor being the first to reach the target score.
Zone Battle is about risk and reward. Acceleration is automatic as you swoop over zone pads to fill your zone bar. Your choice is whether to use the bar to increase your speed and boost your ship ever closer to the target zone or absorb it to replenish vital lost energy.
Detonator mode introduces a brand new ship model to the game that tests both your piloting skills and your shooting accuracy as you accelerate through as many as 14 stages. Score points by destroying the mines that have been strewn along the track and take out the bomb on each stage to earn additional points. The more accurate you are the more points and bonuses you will score. Lead your troops in fierce battles to defeat the alien front, and rescue civilians in crowded cities and remote outlands around the world.
Construct and expand your XCOM headquarters, recruit and coach up unique soldiers to thrust into battle, and research alien tech to enhance and multiply your weapons and capabilities.
Mix and match aliens and soldiers and synthesize abilities to outwit and overpower your alien opponents. Journey was released to praise from players and critics alike, and it won several Game of the Year awards and was nominated for an award for its breath-taking soundtrack. It is also widely considered one of the greatest games ever made. Flow is a calming rhythmic game, as opposed to the fast-paced rhythmic games like Guitar Hero. Flower is a game where you play as the wind and collect flower petals.
It is arguably one of the most peaceful experiences ever. You can get all three in one package and enjoy them for years to come. JRPGs are a massively popular genre of the industry, even in the west. Part of their appeal was thanks to the PS3, which had a huge library of these games for western audiences to enjoy. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch may be one of the finest examples of the genre, and is the perfect entry point for anyone looking to break into the genre.
The story follows a young boy named Oliver. When his mother passes away after saving Oliver from drowning, his stuffed animal - a gift from his mother - comes to life. The game accomplishes this, thanks largely in part due to the artwork from acclaimed Studio Ghibli.
As the player explores, they must also battle monsters with human companions and familiars - captured enemy creatures that can fight for you. Ni no Kuni was highly praised and became one of the best-selling games on PS3. It is also a testament to the outstanding hardware on the PS3. The game was a glimpse into what would really be possible in the next generation of consoles. The game follows three protagonists. The first is Michael, a professional criminal who retires after one final score that leaves him set for life.
Years later, players take over as Franklin, a young and ambitious Black man looking to escape the environment he grew up in. He is a parody of the deranged and violent behavior GTA players regularly engage in. It is also thought-provoking criticism of a sensationalist and egotistical culture. While many Mortal Kombat titles in the past were remembered for their excessive gore and not for their fighting engines, this iteration of Mortal Kombat is a legitimate competitive fighter, and it has enough gore to make parents run for the hills.
Even though the single-player modes are rife with imbalances, the core experience in Mortal Kombat is exciting, challenging, and so so bloody. I think we all can agree that the plotlines in Mortal Kombat are a bit ridiculous. Ice ninjas, half-dragons and thunder gods are commonplace in this series. He kills everybody at the end of the Mortal Kombat storyline, so Raiden sends a message back through time to prevent it. The result? Alternate history.
Mortal Kombat returns to a 2D plane in the Komplete Edition. When it comes to the basics, each character has a set of simple moves as well as a bunch of special attacks. The gauge is divided into three segments, and those segments can be spent in different ways.
The gameplay in Mortal Kombat will be different for those of you accustomed to the speed and fluidity of games like Super Street Fighter IV. Landing a combo and executing special moves is more visceral here then in other games. So, with exciting combat, bloody fatalities and tons of things to unlock, Mortal Kombat sounds incredible. For every cheap slip down a chasm or tumble over the edge of a staircase that sends you plummeting hundreds of feet to your death, there are dozens upon dozens that will teach you the cold, hard truths of this world: nearly every enemy is a potential life-ender, and a proper defense and careful use of your equipped weapon are paramount in every single encounter.
Every single person that owns a PS3 should at the very least rent this game to see what all the fuss is about, and those that can remember the good old days when games taught through the highly effective use of intense punishment and a heavy price for not playing should scoop this up instantly. It is the perfect blend of engaging gameplay and an emotionally complex and impactful story. That explains why it was met with critical praise and showered with game of the year awards.
The impact of the game can still be felt in the industry as video game stories have become deeper and more complex since. You play as Joel, a man who has lost everything after society has collapsed thanks to a dangerous strain of Cordyceps that infects humans. Now a smuggler, Joel accepts a simple job: deliver a girl named Ellie to a terrorist group known as the Fireflies.
However, after things go awry and learning Ellie is immune to Cordyceps, Joel must embark on a nationwide odyssey to get Ellie to the Fireflies and develop a cure. The two must fight through fungal-infected enemies who are basically zombies , as well as dangerous scavengers called Hunters. The violence is slow and visceral, making the game feel more real than it should be. The slow bond that forms between the two protagonists is also natural and believable, and it all culminates into one of the most shocking and conflicting moments in video game history no spoilers here.
The Last of Us is one of the swan songs of the PS3 era, and it is one of the most significant games ever made. Putting it on this list is a no-brainer. Hideo Kojima is one of the most influential and visionary creative directors in video games. The best-selling Metal Gear Solid series is a love letter to American action movies combined with the often-times convoluted storytelling and quirky humor found in JRPGs.
Trying to explain the plot of the games up to this point in the series would be a futile effort, but we will try anyway. With limited time left, he goes on a last ditch mission to assassinate Liquid Snake before he takes over a complex AI system called The Sons of the Patriots and puts the world in endless conflict.
The gameplay was also reinvented in Metal Gear Solid 4. The top-down view from the previous games is replaced with an over-the-shoulder view and there is a bigger emphasis on combat. The levels were also open-ended, leaving multiple ways to deal with situations.
The game has a lot of beloved and not-so-beloved returning characters, and it offers a satisfying conclusion to a series that is packed with twists and turns. It was critically acclaimed and is one of the reasons the PS3 was as successful as it was. Like the PS2 before it, the PS3 had a bevy of exclusives that contributed to an impressive library.
The PlayStation Store gave indie developers the chance to showcase their talent on a digital store that would be presented to millions of people. Sony also made a habit of r-releasing some of its most iconic games in collections. The most popular example is the Final Fantasy series, of course. Like its competitor, the Xbox , there were also plenty of multiplayer games. Call of Duty was a staple series on the console, as well as the well-received Battlefield series.
Unlike Xbox games, PS3 owners could play online with no monthly or annual charge. That made it pretty appealing for gamers who wanted to mainly play multiplayer. There were also several big-budget exclusives on the PS3. However, there were quite a few excellent exclusives like the Infamous series that assembled a loyal fan base. In terms of which PS3 to buy, there are really two options.
There are three levels of madness cards, and you may have to "upgrade" to a harder one if you and your team even partially fail a task and you will Needless to say, Mountains of Madness descends into chaos as the madness cards get more ridiculous and the tasks get more difficult.
It's a hard game to win, but that doesn't make it any less fun. Azul is an easy-to-learn game where you collect tiles based on azulejos , a type of Portuguese tile used as decoration in buildings. The game's premise is that you're an artist decorating the walls of the Portuguese king's palace, but you're competing against other players to complete a full row of tiles on your player board first.
To do this, players take turns drafting tiles from the center of the table, placing them in a repository on the left side of your board. At the end of a round, you'll move one tile from your repository onto the corresponding row on your wall in a colored space that matches the tile.
After someone completes a full row and the game ends, players can earn bonus points for their number of horizontal and vertical lines and for filling all tiles of a certain color, so there are multiple scoring conditions to keep in mind beyond just filling a single row. Wingspan is a newer board game released in , but it's become an instant hit, winning the Kennerspiel des Jahres award and selling out at launch.
In Wingspan, you play as bird-watchers looking to bring the best birds to your different habitats. To add a bird card to one of your four habitats, you have to pay various costs, but it pays off--the more birds you add to a certain habitat, the more powerful your actions will become. You'll also get special abilities and perks from the birds you have in play, which adds to the fun problems that test your problem-solving skills.
At the end of the game, you'll win if you have the most points--these come from completing end-of-round goals, played bird cards, eggs, secret bonus cards, and more. The art style is absolutely gorgeous, and the cards also include fun facts about each species at the bottom, making it one of the better family board games out there if your kid is interested in learning about birds as they play. However, Wingspan is also one of the best board games for adults as it has a lot of depth and strategy to it, and it now comes with the Swift-Start Promo Pack, which offers a quick tutorial to help you learn the game and start playing fast.
An official digital version is also out now on Steam and the Nintendo eShop. Deception: Murder in Hong Kong is one of the most fun social deception games we've ever played, and it's a great choice for big groups as well, as you can play it with up to 12 people. In Deception, you play as a team of investigators who are interpreting clues to solve a murder, with one person playing as a forensic scientist, who has the knowledge needed to convict the murderer but can only express that through their analysis of the murder scene for example, facts about how the victim was killed, the setting, the time of day, etc.
Each investigator has their own set of weapons and evidence that everyone else in the group can see, and the team must work together to identify which person is the secret murderer within the group, based on items and evidence that could match the forensic scientist's analysis. Basically, Deception: Murder in Hong Kong is like Werewolf or Mafia meets Clue, and with each playthrough lasting only 15 to 30 minutes, you can easily play several rounds with people taking turns in different roles.
Coup is a card game about bluffing and bribing your way to power, so get ready to put on your poker face before challenging your friends. In Coup, you're the head of a power-hungry family in an Italian city-state, manipulating your way to the top of a corrupt court.
Here's how it works: A card deck in the middle of the table players draw from contains multiples of five different characters, each of whom has a unique ability, and each player starts with two face-down character cards. Because no one knows which cards you have, you can bluff and use a character's unique ability, like stealing from the treasury or attempting an assassination, even if you don't have that card in your hand.
At any time, another player can challenge whether you actually have that card. If you do have the card in your hand and choose to prove it, they'll have to lose one of their cards. On the other hand, if you're bluffing or choose not to reveal the card in your hand, you'll lose one of your own cards, turning it face-up on the table.
If both of your characters get turned face-up, you're out of the game. Coup is easy to learn, and rounds will only take you about 15 minutes to play, making it a great card game to whip out at parties.
If you love playing Tetris, you'll probably enjoy Patchwork, a two-player game where you place Tetris-like tiles on a 9x9 board of squares to slowly assemble a quilt. Each player has a stash of buttons, which you use to purchase tiles for your quilt, and you'll also keep track of your progress on a separate time board, which will net you more buttons and tiles as you progress.
By the end of the game, you'll be scored based on how many buttons you have left, subtracting 2 points for each empty tile still left on your board. Patchwork is a relaxing game to play--there's something satisfying about fitting tiles together and searching for the perfect piece to fill space on your board, even when there's no hand-eye coordination involved.
Two-player board games like Patchwork are also nice to have around if you live with just one other person, as you'll always have a game you can play together. It's available on Steam too. Even those who don't play board games have probably heard of Catan, a classic board game that focuses on resource-gathering and settlement-building that's simple to learn and addictingly fun.
The gameplay of this family board game involves creating settlements adjacent to tiles that each have a number and resource on it. Each time that number is rolled, anyone with a settlement adjacent to that tile will get resources, and you can build new roads and settlements using the resources you gather.
The goal is to be the first to get 10 points, which you can achieve by building settlements, having the longest road, and more. If you try out this German-style board game and enjoy the basic gameplay, there are numerous expansions and themed editions available to spice things up. I recently tried out the Game of Thrones edition of Catan , which adds the Wall and a northern area with White Walkers that will try to break through it.
This can completely change your strategy and requires you to consider wall defense on top of managing your resources and settlements. Modern board games have certainly introduced some new ideas to the genre, but you can't deny the simple magic of one of the best turn-based games out there.
Another classic game, Ticket to Ride is incredibly simple to learn, but it also maintains enough tension to keep things interesting. In Ticket to Ride, players collect cards of various train types, which you'll use to claim railroad routes across America.
To claim a single route, you need the required number and type of cards in your hands at once. Once you claim a route, it's yours for the rest of the game, and you'll earn points based on how long the route is. From the start of the game, you'll also have destination cards giving you specific goals connecting Chicago to Houston, for example , which will give you bonus points at the end of the game; however, you'll also lose points for not completing your destination ticket. The simple but satisfying gameplay of Ticket to Ride has made it a long-standing favorite in the board game community, and it's received multiple follow-up versions and expansion packs to extend your weekly game night sessions.
Skull is the ultimate bluffing game, and the best part is that it's incredibly easy to teach to new players. To get started with a game of Skull, you pass around a stack of cards to each player, with each stack including three rose cards and one skull card. Each player goes around placing card of their choice, and at any point, a player can use their turn to starting calling out numbers--the number indicates how many cards you think you can turn over without seeing a skull.
There are plenty of different strategies you can employ here, but to win a game of Skull, you just have to successfully flip cards without seeing a skull twice. That's way easier said than done, as Skull is a game where everyone will be doing plenty of lying, bluffing, and risking their own cards just to mess up others. Because of how easy it is to learn and how few pieces there are to set up, Skull is an awesome game to break out at parties, and it's pretty much a guaranteed hit with any crowd.
Despite their similar names, Mansions of Madness has nothing to do with another game on this list, Mountains of Madness, although both are inspired by the works of H. Instead, the premise of Mansions of Madness is much more similar to Betrayal at House on the Hill--you and your group will enter an eerie mansion, explore its hallways and rooms, find items, and encounter horrors that will test your sanity.
In Mansions, however, you can see the full layout of the board from the start, including the location of clues, and the scenario for a playthrough is in effect from the beginning. While the first edition of Mansions required one player to take the antagonistic role of Keeper, who actively works against the other players, the second edition introduced a free companion app that absorbs this role and allows the game to be completely co-op or even single-player.
The second edition's base game comes with four different scenarios, with more available through paid DLC. However, this is a high-quality board game with detailed miniatures and tiles made to last, and its thrilling scenarios require deep strategy and cooperation that will keep your team fully engaged over the course of a two-to-three-hour playthrough.
Another two-player board game, Fog of Love is a romantic drama played out in tabletop form. In this game, you and the other player will play as two characters who meet, fall in love, and navigate the ups and downs of a modern relationship. You'll have awkward encounters, funny moments, and painful situations to work through, and the decisions you each make in these moments will affect your character's satisfaction and traits, which in turn affect whether you achieve your long-term goals.
There's also a possibility for one or both players to have hidden secrets, which will be revealed at the end and may affect the outcome. Like any relationship, your characters may find true love or end up heartbroken at the end, but the act of playing out this story together makes Fog of Love a truly unique and compelling experience.
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