Hi, Tap-Repeatedly: I just returned from another round of PAX East in Boston, and I’m here to talk about the games I played at this event!

This is going to be a long series of entries, because it’s hard to fit everything I saw into just one post, and some things aren’t easily categorized. I also got some video interviews with developers this time around, and for those that turned out, I’m going to embed them within future posts so you can hear what the devs have to say in their own words.

Now, onto the games! In this entry: Metrico+, Party Hard, Ladykiller in a Bind, and Kathy Rain.

If you can forgive the occasionally-absurd text and the laugh-out-loud absurd plot, and concentrate on the moment to moment joy of moving pretty digital units around a well-designed tactical space, you are going to love Fire Emblem: Fates. I loved Fire Emblem: Fates, but I could’ve loved it more.

Joel and I dig into the dark (and light) depths of the past with chess-like arena-fighter Archon: The Light and the Dark. It was released in 1983 which makes it one of the oldest games ever.

I was born in 1983.

Archon is particularly significant to me now after discovering that it’s essentially the grandfather of one of my favourite multiplayer games on the PlayStation: The Unholy War, by Toys For Bob.

For additional notes on the history of the game visit Electron Dance. For the video, see below.

Dark Souls. (Well now you have to read on!)

MAGFest! This year was my second time going to the Music And Gaming Festival, held in National Harbor, Maryland near Washington DC. If you’re one who has never seen or heard of this festival, I highly recommend it. There’s great concerts, awesome cosplay, and of course… video games!

I was really impressed by the energy and enthusiasm I saw during the MAGFest Indie Videogame Showcase (Called MIVS, for short). The first thing I noticed: tons of games I hadn’t played before! The floor was full of independent developers: some who came from just up the street, others who came from faraway locations, all there to show off their stuff.  Here’s a quick roundup of a few of the things I got to play.

Uranium is one of the most abundant elements on the planet.

This surprises many people, who assume it must be rare because it’s valuable, and valuable things are typically rare. Uranium is not rare. It’s as common as tin or zinc. Swing a cat in the Earth’s crust and you’ll hit some uranium. If you want some uranium, go outside and get a rock. Pitchblende is your best bet, but so long as you pick a really boring rock, there’s probably a little uranium inside.

This year I’ve got an honest-to-god list of games from 2015. Even if it is late.

From 2015.

AJ here, next on the list to present my series of 2015 Games of the Year. This format will be very similar to how I’ve posted in previous years, with five titles and some runners-up. Now… to the list!

Goatee. Goat-eee. Goat tie. Go tee! Go, tea. Goaty. Go-at-ee.
It’s GOTY time.

As of one minute ago (assuming I set the publish time right) my brother’s bestselling Brilliance trilogy of novels comes to a shocking conclusion with Written in Fire. I am aware of three ways you can access this book.