Month: November 2016

D&D 5E “Princes of the Apocalypse” Session 41 Recap

We deal with a powerful new threat who seeks to rebuild the air and water cults.

Recorded Monday night, uploaded Tuesday. Subscribe for our weekly adventures!

Previously on “Princes of the Apocalypse”

The way “Princes of the Apocalypse” is structured, it makes sense to bundle the various cult attacks and side treks together. The PCs end up delving into the multi-dungeon sprawl of elemental evil for the main quest. Then when they surface I can throw a bunch of additional content at them to flesh out the story, the world, and incorporate their own character backstories. It’s been a lot of extra work, but also a lot of fun.

This week we tackled one of the more interesting cult reactions from the Wrath of the Elements section of the campaign book.

One of my favorite aspects of this campaign is how many ideas and events are set to trigger by the PCs after accomplishing various milestones in the main quest. I’ve had to slightly adjust the timing on some of them to make them work, but Haayon the Punisher came at a perfect time. Continue reading “D&D 5E “Princes of the Apocalypse” Session 41 Recap”

Planet Coaster Review [Pixelkin]

Read the full review at Pixelkin

Creating your own amusement park should never go out of style. Frontier Developments’ new self-published title Planet Coaster captures the magic of roller coasters and theme parks from classic games like RollerCoaster Tycoon and Sim Theme Park. Planet Coaster succeeds as a modern update to a classic formula thanks to intuitive controls and an aesthetic that keeps everything light and fun.

Planet Coaster includes three main ways to play: Campaign, Challenge, and Sandbox. In each mode you start with a large tract of land, several rides, and a few thousand dollars. Guests pour into your park, each with their own needs and wants. It’s your job to satisfy them all (and take their money) while researching and building new rides and venues.

READ THE FULL REVIEW AT PIXELKIN

The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 6 Recap [Polygon]

Read the full recap at Polygon

The Walking Dead continues its ill-fated tour around its ever-expanding world that we’re traveling this season. Over the course of five episodes, we’ve managed to check in with all our characters except for the last two — Heath and Tara.

You may have forgotten about them because they’re not very important, but the show decided to invest an entire 70-minute episode into their supply-run adventures anyway.

The episode is told slightly out of order, skipping between Heath and Tara on their two week mission and the aftermath of a zombie attack that separates them.

The pair left shortly after the attack on the Savior outpost last season. Heath is dealing with the moral ramifications of having murdered a bunch of people proactively, while Tara exudes her usual pragmatic and likable charm. After two weeks of searching, they haven’t found much and don’t want to return empty-handed.

READ THE FULL RECAP AT POLYGON

Image Comics Final Thoughts – The Walking Dead: Compendium Two

With Marvel’s popular and successful foray into films with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I’ve finally decided to get back into comics. I grew up a big fan of X-Men and other superheroes but haven’t really kept up since the 90s. Thus begins my grand catching-up of the last ten years of Marvel comics, events and stories.

Of course, occasionally I may even explore comics outside of Marvel if they come highly recommended or simply peak my interest. Like my gaming Final Thoughts, this will be full of spoilers. You’ve been warned!

the walking deadWriter: Robert Kirkman

Artist: Charlie Adlard

Issues: The Walking Dead #49-96

 

The second 48-issue, eight volume chunk of The Walking Dead comic brings some major changes to the series. Compendium Two covers Volumes 9 through 16. Our survivors resume life on the road after the prison attack, meet new friends and enemies, and make a new home in Alexandria while their world expands and we start moving into post-post-apocalypse territory.

It’s an interesting direction and a lens through which Robert Kirkman wanted to explore – what if the zombie movie never ended but just kept going. Where would we go? What would society eventually look like?

The volumes here represent the bridge that begins to expand their world. They’re a great read, even if the initial Alexandria drama is a little hackneyed and boring compared to the prison.

In terms of the show, this Compendium covers events from the middle of season four right after the final prison attack (S4E9) to about 2/3 through season six (S6E11) when they meet Jesus and the Hilltop. Continue reading “Image Comics Final Thoughts – The Walking Dead: Compendium Two”

The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 5 Recap [Polygon]

Read the full recap at Polygon

In this week’s episode of The Walking Dead, we continue our trek around the wider world of the zombie post-apocalypse. It’s time to check in with the Hilltop, Alexandria’s mostly friendly neighbors, whom we met last season.

Maggie and Sasha have finally arrived after the terrifying attack Negan unleashed in the premiere. Maggie’s given a clean bill of health from their resident doctor, leaving her and Sasha to come to terms with and grieve for their losses. But when they try to stay in the Hilltop permanently, they’re met with a grim reminder of Negan’s influence.

READ THE FULL RECAP AT POLYGON

D&D 5E “Princes of the Apocalypse” Session 40 Recap

We reach level 9 and race to a nearby town to prevent an elemental attack.

Recorded Friday night, uploaded Weekends. Subscribe for our weekly adventures!

Previously on “Princes of the Apocalypse”

We finally came to the slower session that I thought we’d hit last week. Emerging from the crazy multi-dungeon elemental cult area, the party finally Long Rested after about a dozen encounters in a row, identified some powerful artifacts, and received some startling news.

“Princes of the Apocalypse” is paced to give players plenty to do outside of the hefty dungeon crawling that makes up the entirety of the main quest. Previously I’d even inserted a few side treks from outside sources.

I decided it was time to run the Race to Destruction event after the fall of the second prophet. The party has dealt with the Devastation Orbs and seen first-hand the destruction they can cause to a town. Being warned of an impending attack was all the motivation they needed to finally travel East of the Sumber Hills, to Beliard. Continue reading “D&D 5E “Princes of the Apocalypse” Session 40 Recap”

The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 4 Recap [Polygon]

Read the full recap at Polygon

After being away from our favorite group in The Walking Dead, we finally return to see what they’re up to at Alexandria. Following the devastating events of the season premiere, Rick and company are in for a taste of the new world order when Negan and the Saviors arrive a bit earlier than expected.

This week, we got an extended 90-minute episode that mostly featured people being really bummed.

Life has barely returned to some semblance of normal at Alexandria when Negan comes calling. He marches right up to the gate and Rick, fully aware of what Negan is capable of, lets him in without question. Negan is all swagger and showman throughout the episode — a testament to Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s fantastic portrayal of the character  — but his string of threats are real.

READ THE FULL RECAP AT POLYGON

D&D 5E “Princes of the Apocalypse” Session 39 Recap

After a harrowing battle last week, the party accidentally delves further into the Drow caves and battles some minotaurs.

Recorded Friday night, uploaded Saturday. Subscribe for our weekly adventures!

Previously on “Princes of the Apocalypse”

We had a hell of a dramatic session last week. The second of four elemental prophets was defeated and one of the four delegates rescued in a night that included PC ooze transformation, a djinni granting a wish, and some fun personal heroics.

Like a TV show that just ran a jaw-dropping episode, I expected this week to be far more subdued. I had planned on including a massive info dump from the captive delegate, whom I totally replaced with Miri’s mom since she came from Waterdeep nobility (but was estranged from her family).

This session was anything but, as my players decided to inadvertently delve deeper into the Fane of the Eye, running into the Fire cult’s domain and some minotaur guards. Continue reading “D&D 5E “Princes of the Apocalypse” Session 39 Recap”

The Best Skylanders: Imaginators Figures from the Launch Wave [Pixelkin]

Read the full article at Pixelkin

With a sixth game in as many years, the Skylanders crew has had to create an astonishing amount of new toy figures. While each Skylanders game has its own unique gimmicks, playing with new and old figures is still the main draw of each entry.

Skylanders: Imaginators features one of the most enjoyable new twists in being able to create your own customizable Skylander. Yet the new Sensei and Villain figures shouldn’t be ignored; they are some of the best figures we’ve seen yet.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT PIXELKIN

The Walking Dead’s Most Popular Character Has Become Boring [Polygon]

Read the full op-ed at Polygon

“If Daryl dies, we riot!”

Remember that? When Norman Reedus’ bad boy redneck character first stormed onto The Walking Dead, full of righteous fury, viewers were smitten. He had emotional baggage, a short fuse and a wicked crossbow. He was the post-apocalyptic badass featured in every video game ever.

Now he’s eating dog food sandwiches in a dark room, and we don’t even care any more.

We first met Daryl Dixon in the third episode of the first season. The Boondock Saint was a proficient hunter and tracker with skills that immediately become useful after the fall of society. Less useful was his temperament. Belligerent and sullen, Daryl was initially presented as a problem for the group — but he was a problem we rooted for.

READ THE FULL OP-ED AT POLYGON