Egglia: Legend of the Redcap - a bit of everything - that works

Usually when you are presented with a game you're told that is RPG, Adventure, FPS, Dash and so on. Or o combo of two.
Egglia, recently landed in the mobile world of games, is a mix of genres. It is mainly a city building with RPG features, or a RPG with city building features, no matter what side you're looking from, is the same.
A fantasy board like game (yah you read it right, it is also board like) reveals a beautiful realm with all the assets of a childhood story.

And it's a wonderful story. Along with the characters and the dialogues it makes for the best part of the game. Which means there is a lot to read. But is worth. It is funny, and quirky, and charming. You play as a Redcap goblin who lost his horns and along with them the bad temper. In the true classic quests manner you're meeting a sum of fantasy creatures who have requests and are able to help, like fairies, elves, gnomes that are DYI Masters and can build everything, or a talking Aloe Vera.

The Menu is quite large and involves managing a lot of sections, with items needed for crafting, powering up your Spirits team, gifting, furniture for your house, and so. The city building / management part is quite consistent and requires getting used with all the goings. This part and the gifting plus companions system, that enhances your relation with the NPCs, reminds me a lot of Wandering Willows.

The RPG part includes a classic elemental party of Spirits that helps you with the battles, with a mana support, and turn based fighting. Various Spirits combo offers a special power up link. The movements are going by rolling the dice, like for any common board game, on an isometric-hexagons layout. 
Yup I know there is a lot going on inside this. But it is all a matter of practice. Sooner than you think the town and the beings routine will become your daily routine. It's a very catchy experience that makes everything joyful and doesn't feel like a chore.
The small details, like the way you attract the spirits with their favourite meal - they are true gourmets, they don't eat junk food - are completing this picture.
Yes there is a mix of almost everything, like a weird hotpot, but it impressively works. Each bit fits perfectly like the pieces of a magical puzzle. 
And it is also a relaxing adventure, that allows you to play in your own pace, and time. It simply flows naturally.
It may not be on your taste, but is worth trying. You may be surprised. Tastes can change. For me is a keeper. Enjoy.

Domina - the hidden games

In the sea of Steam Summer Sale there are lot of floating barrels hiding some nice games you may overlooked from various reasons. 

Domina a strategy sim with an ancient Rome gladiators fights background. At the first view may not be attractive but as you start playing it grows on you. 

Even tho the gladiators and associated historical assets are not very accurate the game manages to build a proper credible atmosphere. 

Taken the role of Domina - a ludus owner your main task is to develop a high status school of gladiators starting from scratch. 

The menus are easy handling but it takes some time to learn when and what to upgrade and how everything works in your favor. Hiring the right helper like an Agent or an Emptor, can boost the game in a certain direction or help you providing a healthy but cheaper environment for your fighters to win. Winning will allow you to earn enough money to invest in future upgrades. The skills and the upgrades tree are also easy to understand but picking a path of development adds a lot of replayable value to the game. 

One of the most impressive aspects of the game is the amount of small details like the spices into a food: the public insults (which you can turn off if you are sensible to that) or cheers, the rain that casually appears in the training days, the description of the gladiators status and mood, the dialogues and story. This game was made with care and love and looks like they enjoyed making it. 

And there is more as the gameplay requires to also carefully handle your political connections, while evolving your property, winning the battles and the public sympathy. 

And when I say the public sympathy I don't mean just the in-game one. There is a nice catch to this. If you chose to stream the game you can get the stream viewers involved. And this brings everything to another level of fun. You can enhance or reduce the money reward by voting !ya or !boo and there are also more or less moral choices to be voted for but you have to keep in mind that you are a ludus owner in the ancient Rome not a XXI century citizen with proper ethics. 

Even better if you join the chat you automatically become one of the gladiators.

The fighting itself offers plenty of satisfaction and if you research Mind Control you can directly give the hits and dodge the attacks. Or you can just be a spectator and let the AI do all the job.  

If you lose but surrender just like in the past the public can vote for your gladiator life or death.

But winning will give a great deal of rewards. Wont spoil with the final outcomes of the game but there is also an option for an endless mode. 

Overall is worth trying for the sheer fun. Doesn't matter if you lose or win. 

It has plenty to do and more depth in the gameplay that I was expecting. A nice surprise. Vote !live. You wont regret it. 

*Images and video courtesy to DarrigazPlaysGames on Twitch.

Sniper Elite 4 - "if it looks good, eat it"

All roads leads to Rome so is said. Well these roads sure do.
Sniper Elite 4 moves to Rome and it looks good. I'm not a pro reviewer. I write about the things I really like that's why is rare (am quite demanding).
I'm not dissecting games with technical thingies as in fps, high tones, low tones, resolutions and whatever.
As Andrew Zimmern says "if it looks good, eat it". This is the guy with the Bizzare Foods show which I liked because unlike others it was not just a show-off, as in "look at me I can eat grubs" it really showed that you can eat everything.
Now back to our game, Sniper Elite 4 is with no doubt from my part, the best of it's series. You can see that it was made by people who cared and enjoyed doing it.
First noticeable thing - it's big. And I mean seriously, the maps are giving you a vast area with a satisfying feeling of exploration that usually only on open world RPGs and adv games is found. The areas are completed with detailed set-ups, enchanting elements - like bushes that waves in the wind, and pretty flowers, amazing sunlight and tricky shadows. It's wow, for a moment you can forget that you are playing in the middle of the war, and you have to kill.
As all these elements are not just pretty, are also efficient. The game is a lot more tactical. There are various routes options, multiple places to hide and take on the enemy which gives you time and means to strategize.
Customization went to a bigger scale too allowing to manage you gear and enhance your weapons the way it suits the best for you. Therefore each mission can be accomplished by trying various combos of elements, is not a straightforward path. And there are plenty of missions with all the specific goals of the real war very professional implemented. They documented well. Yes this comes accompanied by extremely visual modes of killing so if is not your cuppa better stay off. 
And the game handles smoothly, it makes an easy fluid and natural transition of movements, from jumping, crawling, sneaking, shimmy-ledge (this is one thing I wanted to see how well it goes) and running.
Multiplayer brings all these elements to an even higher level of strategy especially in co-op. All you have to do is get some friends that are open minded and knows how to communicate to each other. Avoid show-offs, this is a candle-light dinner, not a sacrificial meal. Even when you're counting nuts. :)
The best of this game is that is not the typical run and shoot everything that moves like a high-score chaser. It allows you to play in your own rhythm. It makes you think. It brings a different scenery and approach than the latest, fantasy / sci-fi, spy / modern combat games (I do like those but I also like to see something different).
And for the fans it has collectables and plenty of achievements to go for it. If you care about these things.
It doesn't mean that the game is flawless, but the minor glitches and whatever technical thingies escapes me, well you got the picture "escapes me". Those disappears on the sheer satisfaction of punching, shooting, crushing and blowing-up, all garnished with the Italian charm brought to us by some nice Brits. 
So, yes again, "if it looks good, eat it."