If you’ve noticed an inordinate amount of gaming-themed posts lately, there’s an inverse relationship between my interest in games and the time I can dedicate to actually playing them. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” is meant more for relationships, but I guess it applies here, too. Because of this sudden renewed interest, I’ve been spending what little idle time I have flipping through pages (Yes, actual pages!) of GameInformer for previews of Star Wars Outlaws and Akira Toriyama’s Sandland, and Nintendo Force for reviews of Switch games I’d like to add to the library. I’ve also started scrolling through Kickstarter to see what’s out there in the video and tabletop gaming space. There are some interesting offerings, to be sure!
CARnage 2 from Steve Jackson Games
First up is the Kickstarter for a Car Wars expansion by Steve Jackson Games! Titled CARnage 2, it is billed as a “3D-printable car, crew, and weapon STLs for Car Wars and other minis games.” With ten days left as of this post (05/13/24), it’s worth taking a look at if you’re a fan of Car Wars or you’re looking to spice up your miniatures games! From the Kickstarter page:
“CARnage returns with all-new miniature designs! Late in 2022 we released the first set of CARnage STL files, making it possible to print Car Wars Sixth Edition cars, all-new weapons and bits, and so much more for Car Wars or any auto-combat miniatures game. CARnage 2 starts with everything you expect, such as new cars and new weapons, and adds things you haven’t seen before. New to CARnage 2 are a variety of terrain and obstacles, along with crew! Do you have the Car Wars Companion? (if not, you should!) Take your autoduelling to new levels with CARnage 2 arena accessories, such as fences, Superfans, and the TV bunker, that are perfect for the scenarios in the Car Wars Companion.”
And if you’re a fan of Car Wars, I’d be remiss in my duty if I didn’t inform you that the newest Car Warriors novel is available for pre-order on Amazon! Christopher Woods’ Marathon of Madness is sure to be an action-packed blast through the perilous world of Autoduelling and the vast wastelands between the different cities in the fractured former United States of America. It releases on May 17th, so pre-order it today!
Jake Turner worked the road crews of the lawless lands…
“That was until he became the sole survivor of three separate raider attacks and was blacklisted by his employer, the Tennessee Titan Authority. When the company’s probability programs red flagged him as a raider, he was done in Tennessee.
His only choice was to go home to Tazewell, where he learns that the woman who broke his heart left him because she had a degenerative disease. But if those five long years on the road crews taught him anything, it was that Gold Cross and their cloning ability could save her.
Unfortunately, the only way to afford it involved winning a race, and not just any race. It was the Dead Man’s Run; a cross-country road rally with every raider and savage in the lawless lands determined to kill them.
Runa: Inspired by Turn-based JRPG Classics
With only three days left, if JRPGs are as much a thing for you as they are for me, then this looks like a keeper. Runa is a sci-fantasy indie adventure inspired by both classic and modern games. It has a Tales or Xenoblade look to me, but with the turn-based combat of games like the older Final Fantasy titles and Xenogears. Watch the trailer and look at the artwork provided on the page. It looks gorgeous. I have no idea when I’ll get to play it, but it’s definitely one I’ve backed! From the Kickstarter page:
“Runa is an adventure game inspired by modern and classic JRPG, with turn-based battle system, social links and a story-rich science fantasy world. Promising to keep intact what makes classic JRPG games fun, Runa also features elemental puzzles and base building, as well as minigames like farming, fishing, and cooking.
“Runa is set in Akasha, a world in which runas symbolize the technological advancements of an ancient civilization. Whether for domestic use or combat, the use of runas is key. Only some people, known as adepts, are able to fully control them and unleash their true powers.”
Free Stars: Children of Infinity
I mentioned this a couple weeks back, and it is still going strong! With only four days left to go, Free Stars: Children of Infinity only has a handful of stretch goals left to achieve. I doubt it’ll reach the lofty price tag for the Open Source goal, but it’s still possible for it to make the fully voice acted one. I’m hoping for that, because I loved the voice acting in the 3DO release of Star Control 2 back in the day, the one they used for the Ur-Quan Masters release on Steam. Check out the write-up below, and back this project if you love sandbox space exploration stories! With over 5,000 backers, you won’t be the only one ripping through Hyperspace and Quasispace when this project is complete!
From the Kickstarter page:
AN EPIC SPACE ADVENTURE
Free Stars: Children of Infinity is an action-adventure game inspired by the golden age of science fiction, defined by its hopeful future, wondrous technology, and a grandiose galaxy filled with eclectic stories.
You are the captain of a mission to the farthest reaches of space, where you’ll discover thousands of exotic worlds and dozens of alien denizens. Some are friendly, some are terrifying, and some are just plain weird.
It’s up to you to decide how to acquire allies, confront threats, and ultimately protect a universe still recovering from the onslaught of the terrible Ur-Quan overlords.
