Game Review: The Dev

Gamer Maker game! :D

So, this is a game made by someone who goes by the name of “Shady Guy” where you’re basically the owner of a game company and you have to choose the right interns, and make games. You can also choose how you want the game formatted by choosing certain Platforms, Genres, and Type of game that it is so you can attract the right customers. Every now-and-then a shady man comes in and you have to choose what to do, each one will effect you in a different way.

For each new product made, you’ll be able to make a game on that platform, and every few sells you get a new genre/platform. You can always choose the name of the game and you can even choose the name of your company (of course).

Just a few teeny flaws huh?

Now don’t let first appearances fool you, this game just wasn’t meant to be professional (Professionalism (in an extreme way) is not meant here, not that it ISN’T professional) so don’t start with the troll-hate comments. Plus, give the guy some credit, it was made in Game Maker and man it’s pretty neat. The graphics are pretty cute, especially the extremely skinny game awards announcer. They’re actually pretty good, like the icons for the “ingredients” (so to say).

As all games, there are bugs of course. Don’t kill yourself if you do get a little bug encounter, it’ll be alright. Just exit out of the game and then come back in and your game will be perfectly fine. The game literally saves itself every few minutes so you don’t need to worry about any missing game progress. To put up a bug report, put it down here: http://www.alpium-entertainment.com/bugs.php

Now the actual gameplay, goodie.

The gameplay had me hooked for a few minutes. One thing, to find out if the game is literally endless (which i hear it is in fact endless). I love that after you make a game and title it, the critics get their opinion of the game and you get a score and everything. Then there’s literally different audiences for the genres. Sometimes it’ll show you what gender/age audience follows you the most, and depending on what games you’ve made, you will have a certain audience (of course I mainly have a female audience XD).

Then! You can have advertisements to up the popularity and it will of course, gradually go up. Though some advertisements will make popularity go down in certain age/gender groups so be careful what you’re doing!

The link to the game is:http://www.alpium-entertainment.com/games.html

Just scroll down and find “The Dev” It’s there, trust me :D.

Gameplay: Poor Good Great Excellent Awesome

Graphics: Poor Good Great Excellent Awesome

Music: Poor Good Great Excellent Awesome

Creativity:  Poor Good Great Excellent Awesome

Extras: Poor Good Great Excellent Awesome

Genre Clash: Turn-Based Strategy vs Real-Time Strategy

(I’ve had this post lying around for a while, unfinished. It’s finally finished now though!)

Probably the biggest reason why I haven’t been posting here is because I got back into playing Age of Empires 3 on their online service, ESO. It got me thinking, which strategy genre is better, TBS or RTS?

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, I’ll give you an example.

Chess is a turn-based game, and Snap (the card game) is a Real Time game. In Chess you go move by move, taking it in turns. In Snap it’s anyones game. If chess were to be in real-time, it would be utter chaos and most of the strategy would be out the window. Snap, on the other hand, would be impossible and incredibly boring. You get it?

Comparing games in different genres is hard because of the differences between game in the genre. The games are designed around that genre, and work for that genre. So the comparisons will not be revolving entirely around games, games will be used more as an example.

Let’s look at one example of both TBS and RTS. For TBS, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars on the 3DS (maybe a post on this later if you’re lucky), and, of course, for RTS the Age of Empires series (PC only, as the DS one was Turn-based)

Turned based games generally allow for more time to ponder the decisions, while RTS focus on fast-paced decision-making. If you’re a quick thinker, RTS is for you, but if you like to take your time making choices, maybe TBS is for you.

TBS fans tend to criticise RTS gamers that RTS is a click fest-rush fest, while RTS fans criticize TBS gamers that it is for people who can’t make fast decisions. Shadow Wars is a brilliant game for strategy. In fact, I’d go as far as saying that TBS games offer more large army strategy- they’re more large-scale, while RTS games tend to be a lot faster paced (Age of Empires supremacy anyone?) and more focus on a small battle with less units.

RTS games are often very repetitive, with players each having an idea of different build orders for units and buildings that they stick to from game to game, while TBS tends to be more touch and go, and strategy-orientated.

Either way, RTS is still for me. So if you’re into short burst of action and not into long, brain bending strategy fests, then RTS games are more your forte. If you like busting your brain, Turn-Based it is.

My 3DS- StreetPass

Last weekend, I travelled to Sydney, and went to a mall there. I decided to take my 3DS along for the ride to see if I could pick up any other people with a 3DS. I only got 3 people, but it felt cool. I got to brag to other people about my awesomeness, and all I had to do was have it in my pocket!

Also, StreetPass quest is really hard :l

unfortunately, where I live not many people have a 3DS, or ever will, which makes it pretty much unusable by me. :(

Related Articles

• The thrill of 3DS StreetPass Quest (gonintendo.com)

My 3DS- Thoughts

Gallery Pictures:

1. Use of the AR cards
2. Metroid is on my table. XD
3. Mario is in my hand.
4. My Code for my Mii. Scan it to add me to your Miis
5. My Mii
6. That’s face raiders, one of the bosses.
7. More AR card awesomeness