Khan Wars - reviews, tutorials and guides
Khan Wars is a medieval strategy game that combines competitive gameplay, in depth combat and a great learning curve into a browser adventure. Create a name for yourself as you make an empire and army to smite your opponents on the field of battle.
You’ll quickly realise that depth is the focus of Khan Wars as after registration you are faced with your first decision which involves choosing your nation. While some games might have three simple choices Khan Wars has a dozen very unique nations that have half a dozen unique properties along with a unique unit and special ability. This gives you plenty of incentive to play again and again on each new server to try out a different strategy in an attempt to claim the top of the rankings.
The foundation of any good empire is in their economy and this is exactly where you’re early attention in Khan Wars will be directed through the games directional quests (although for experienced players you can opt to create your economic buildings in your own order). You’ll have 5 resources to manage in Khan Wars (gold, iron, wood, food and population) that each serve their own purpose. Depending on your buildings and their level you’ll earn an amount of these resources over time which you can strategically spend to meet your goals.
These goals are left to the player for the most part with room to focus more on creating the most economically powerful city in the world or opting to conquer other players instead. Regardless of your ideal outcome you’ll find the core gameplay similar as you take resources from the land, invest them in buildings and train an army. You’ll also find a host of extra activities to keep you busy from training, equipping and promoting your own knights which will adventure around your province to investigate caravans or clear out bandits.
Combat is equally fleshed out with players given a fair amount of control over the outcome of a particular battle through the army orders system that lets you create formations (and save them) for use in battle. Understanding each units strength and supporting that with the blacksmith to create weapons and armours means the choice here is well above what you may have experienced elsewhere.
With so much depth Khan Wars sets a new level in the strategy MMO genre and with constant developments bringing new depth with every update it will continue to grow with time.
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Hands-on Review – Vikings: War of Clans
With the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, and the subsequent rise of the free-to-play monetisation model that followed, developers have turned online real-time strategy (RTS) gameplay into a big business.
Originally seen as a rather inaccessible genre to casual players, with its often deep and demanding user interface, the mobile revolution has led to creators rethinking the core mechanics of the RTS genre; simplifying gameplay to the point where player tasks are narrower but more refined – in turn, lending itself to a generation of mobile gamers who are used to picking up and playing titles for short bursts in between their busy lifestyles.
The widespread success of some of the forerunners of the ‘rebirth’ of the genre has led to a great consumer appetite for MMORTSs, and a gap in the market for those titles who want to do something a little differently.
Trailer
Over the past several years, mobile and social game developer Plarium has been building an impressive portfolio of such titles, including the likes of Soldiers Inc. and Sparta: Wars of Empire. In 2015, the company released its most ambitious title to date, Vikings: War of Clans, for iOS and Android devices, with desktop and browser versions following in 2016 and earlier this year, respectively.
Much like some of Plarium’s earlier efforts, Vikings is built around the key gameplay tenets of resource management, unit selection and distribution and base-building which remain at the forefront of the player experience throughout.
Steeped in history, Vikings: War of Clans sees players create, maintain and develop their own warrior clans, towns and military units using a variety of in-game resources acquired through performing various tasks. The game manages to distinguish itself from similar titles in the genre with a light-to-moderate focus on roleplaying elements, with hero customisation, upgrade trees and equipment crafting all adding an extra level of depth to proceedings.
Plarium’s propensity for creating engaging social games carries through into Vikings, with violent clan warfare and PvP playing vitally important roles in delivering a brutally satisfying player experience. Players can create or join a clan made up of up to 100 other users, with a hierarchical management system and other collaborative functions on offer. The overall goal of each clan is to seize power over the centre of their current kingdom, which are distinct in-game geographical locations, housing upwards of 40,000 players.
Having spent some time with both the mobile and desktop browser versions of Vikings: War of Clans, the game performs equally as effectively using either a mouse/trackpad or touchscreen; Plarium have optimised each version according to the user’s current input device. Graphically, Vikings employs an isometric look that will be instantly familiar to RTS veterans, although the developers’ choice of an animated, colourful aesthetic – it has a sort-of fantasy RPG feel about it – makes a refreshing change from other strategy titles.
All-in-all, if you’re looking for a free-to-play MMO title that provides something a little different to the cookie-cutter strategy games we’re accustomed to seeing, you may want read more about Vikings: War of Clans and ultimately decide to try it out for yourself.
Finally A Game For Girls! Lady Popular
Are you a lady? Then finally there’s a game for you! While too many games are pretending that ladies enjoy the same things as men, like shooting, building cities or exploring alien worlds, Lady Popular properly recognises what it is that makes a true, strong, independent lady: shopping, hairstyles, and having a boyfriend.
“Every girl dreams to become a smart, talented and successful woman,” says the press release for Lady Popular. Not being a girl, but certainly having ambitions to be smart, talented and successful, I thought I’d take a look at the free web-based game to see what it takes for the unpenised to make it today. Which begins with the tutorial.
To get out of my parents’ house and into the real world of successful ladies, I had to complete three tasks. Three tasks that would set me on the path to womanhood. I had to:
– Change my hairstyle, getting two “cool” pigtails in black.
– Buy at least one thing I like from a store in the mall.
– Rent my own apartment.
I’m well on my way to being good enough!
This completed, I’m given a new selection of goals to complete, in order to level up again. Perhaps these will be the ones that begin me on my path to strength and independence! They are:
– Start the Cookiegirl course.
– Go to the hair stylist, pink just came into fashion…
– Buy at least two more items you like from shops in the Mall.
and one other:
– You have been invited to a party with your partner. Oh no!
Oh no!? What’s wrong? I click for more details.
“You don’t have a boyfriend at the moment! Visit the Club and go flirting, you might meet someone hot.”
Shit, I’m incomplete on so many levels! No boyfriend?! So it’s straight to the enigmatically named Club.
But even with my new pink hair, $758 headscarf and working class boyfriend, I still don’t feel like I’m a proper lady. I need a job. And that’s why I’m required to take the Cookiegirl course, so I can have the sort of career a lady needs. Also available for job training at this point (although not achieving my goal) is hair dressing. The Cookiegirl course will last until this time tomorrow, and now I’m a level 2 human female!
Even still, there’s more to being a proper woman. For instance, the game’s welcome message instantly informs me that I need to be 57KG (9 stone, 126lb).
“Remember that excessive weight loss or gain is not healthy and will make your lady unhappy, she might even get sick. So try to maintain her weight in the ideal range. For this purpose, there are various options available in the game such as sports, nutrition and so on.“
Oh, and my level 2 goals?
– Join a gym.
– Change my clothes in the wardrobe.
– Change my hair colour and style yet again.
Astonishingly, hidden amidst this is a message regarding flirting. After requiring that I flirt in a club in order to win a boyfriend – a boyfriend who is then ranked according to his job and the amount of money he gives me every day – hovering the mouse over a tiny ? icon reveals the following text:
“Flirting is fun, but remember that love is built upon the solid foundation of trust and understanding. The frequent change of boyfriends does not lead to anything good. If your lady is a loner, she can flirt – one never knows when their soul mate will appear on the horizon. If she’s involved with somebody, but he does not meet her needs, she can break up with him – then both of them will be free to look for their luck somewhere else.“
So it’s lovely that when I click on my boyfriend’s profile picture for more details, it takes me directly to the Club to replace him, although warns me that I’ve currently reached my “daily limit”.
Oh, and going to the gym? Well, I can’t do that without getting a gym card from the market, and to do that I’m going to have to buy an appropriate outfit!
Of course all these things can be supplemented by buying “diamonds”, which unsurprisingly cost real-world money. Although quite who would want to demean themselves to such a degree I’m not entirely sure. It’s probably not surprising the game’s press release is too embarrassed to remember to include any links to the game. But it does, however, contain this:
“The evil witch has been hiding the Ghost city for centuries and no one has succeeded in breaking the spell yet. With every passing year, and with each of the thousands of unsuccessful attempts to break the spell, the witch becomes stronger and is now more powerful than before. But! There is a way to break the Ghost city’s spell and take away the witch’s power – you can weaken her magic by stealing everything she has. That’s right! Once all the possessions of the evil witch are in the right hands, she will lose all her magic powers and the Ghost city’s hiding spell would be broken.“
Yes, it’s still talking about the same game.
Rise of the Dragons (Rise of the Dragons, #1)
Rise of the Dragon is a futuristic first-person adventure game. The game’s visuals are reminiscent of a comic book, with digitized photos of actors and hand-painted backgrounds. Unlike most other adventure games of the time, it relies less on inventory puzzles and more on specific choices made by the player. Play Rise of the Dragon online!
Rise of the Dragon game description
The game has an internal clock and requires the player to plan the protagonist’s moves ahead in order to be in the right place at the right time. Dialogues with multiple choices are utilized as a gameplay tool; a wrong choice will often lead to a premature end of the adventure.
The year is 2053, and Los Angeles has turned into a grim place ruled by crime and corruption. William ‘Blade’ Hunter is a private detective who once was a police officer. He is asked to investigate a horrible murder of the mayor’s daughter, whose body was mutilated. As Hunter begins to search for clues that would help him solve the crime, he uncovers a conspiracy involving a deadly drug and a powerful criminal syndicate behind it.
There are two side-scrolling action sequences in the game; both can be bypassed without penalty if the player character dies several times in a row. The Sega CD version does not allow the player to skip these sequences. In addition, it uses a different color palette with a greenish tint, and has voice-overs for the dialogues.
Play Rise of the Dragon online
You can play Rise of the Dragon online here, in web browser for free!
Game of Thrones: Winter Is Coming
Game of Thrones: Winter is Coming is a real time strategy, town building game available in your browser. Or, download the GTArcade app for your desktop!
ESO 2019: Top 5 Picks From The Crown Store This March
ESO – The Elder Scrolls Online – has just revealed the exclusive items returning to the Crown Store this month. In conjunction with the Jester’s Festival and the Thieves Guild/Dark Brotherhood celebration events this month, most of the items reflect this. There are also some popular and fan favorite items coming back this March, so be sure to stock up on your Crowns. Here are our top 5 picks from ESO 2019’s March Crown Store showcase for you to window shop.
Brassy Assassin Personality
When it comes to personalities, nothing has been more popular in ESO than the Brassy Assassin. Players can bring out their inner assassin with this personality which will be returning to the Crown Store on all platforms for a limited time during the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood Celebration Event. This runs from March 11 to March 14 at 10am EDT. Due to this only being available in the store almost once a year, be sure to pick it up or miss it until next year.
Novelty Stick Horse
For something less serious, here’s a fun one. If you’ve ever wanted to ride a mock or fake horse in ESO, this month is your chance to pick up the Novelty Stick Horse. During the Jester’s Festival even the lowliest of commoners can pretend to be a mounted knight with a whimsical Novelty Stick steed. Horses are popular in the Daggerfall Covenant, but ubiquitous among others seeking mounts. The Novelty Stick Horse mount will be available in the Crown Store on all platforms for a limited time during the Jester’s Festival, from March 21 to April 2 at 10am EDT. Do note that his mount comes in multiple varieties too, like a Guar and a Dragon.
Auroran Zenith Warhorse
ESO mount collectors rejoice! It’s said that when Meridia’s Aurorans need mounts in Tamriel they conjure these shining Warhorses out of pure light. Perhaps so, but they’re certainly solid enough to support a heavily armed warrior at the charge! The Auroran Zenith Warhorse will return to the Crown Store on all platforms for a limited time, from March 7 to March 11 at 10am EDT. ESO Plus members will receive a discount on this item. Needless to say, one can never have too many mounts in ESO!
Naryu’s Morag Tong Costume
Naryu Virian the Morag Tong assassin is nothing if not practical, and her functional, low-profile leather armor provides vital protection without compromising her agile acrobatics. If these traits appeal to you, this costume is a must-have! The Naryu’s Morag Tong Costume will return to the Crown Store on all platforms for a limited time during the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood Celebration Event, from March 11 to March 14 at 10am EDT.
Shrike’s Nocturnal Frock
Do you like to keep to the shadows, yet long for a striking look of your own? Any admirer of the Prince of Night and Darkness will appreciate this eye-catching costume. The Shrike’s Nocturnal Frock will return to the Crown Store on all platforms for a limited time during the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood Celebration Event, from March 11 to March 14 at 10am EDT.
How To Unlock World of Warcraft’s Kul Tirans And Zandalari Trolls In 5 Steps
The cat’s out of the bag as Blizzard has announced that the final two Allied Races are coming to World of Warcraft this month. Players can at least, play as the Kul Tiras Humans and Zandalari Trolls. We’ve spent the last 6 months or so in Azeroth fleshing out the world’s story with the Battle for Azeroth expansion. That’s a much needed precursor which in some way explains why these two races have been delayed for so long, in addition to technical issues. Nevertheless, now that it’s finally here, this are the steps you need to take in order to unlock World of Warcraft’s final Allied Races.
Have a Level 110 On The Server You Play
Incredibly straightforward. In order to unlock World of Warcraft’s final two Allied Races, you must have a level 110 character. If you’re a current player already at the cap of 120, this is a non issue. If you’re new to the game, then yes this can be a slog. However, keep in mind that certain players based on purchases may have a free level 110 Boost awarded for buying BfA. Be sure to check this and if you do indeed have a boost, it should count. If not, simply do the traditional leveling which should take you a couple of weeks at most to hit 110, with the help of Heirloom Armor that gives you XP bonuses.
Exalted Reputations With Proudmoore Admiralty and Zandalari Empire
Among every other thing on this list, this will perhaps be the most boring and time consuming. Players hoping to unlock the Kul Tiran Humans and Zandalari Trolls must reach the highest reputation tier with both factions respectively. For Alliance, that means the Proudmoore Admiralty and for Horde, the Zandalari Empire. While questing through the main story campaigns, you should get halfway up the reputation tiers. But that’s not enough. You’ll definitely want to do World Quests once they become unlocked, and make sure to wear Contracts that grants rep boosts. Additionally, open the calendar and take full advantage of weeks where the World Quest Bonus is activated for a higher boost. This will take a few weeks to complete, so get started now.
Completion of the Tides of Vengeance Campaign
The Tides of Vengeance campaign, better known as 8.0 and 8.1 are post expansion story content that was introduced recently. They involve further fleshing out the story of each faction’s involvement in Kul Tiras and Zandalar. The campaign quests are shorter in length compared to the overall main story of the two new zones. They can definitely be done quicker so be sure to check your mail or content guide for the starter quests once you’ve finished the main campaigns for your factions.
Completion of Major Storylines For Both Factions
One of the more time consuming objectives to fulfill if you’re a new or returning player is to complete the major faction storylines in the expansion. Alliance players must complete the major storylines in Kul Tiras zones for the A Nation United achievement. Horde players must do the same in Zandalari zones for the Zandalar Forever! achievement. Both of these are actually easier to complete than it sounds. Playing through the expansion naturally progress you from zone to zone via traditional hub-crawls, and the story is decent. You’ll also pick up better Azerite gear, Azerite power and other benefits while leveling up and playing through the content. Don’t sweat this one out, and make sure to complete all major quests.
Own the Battle for Azeroth Expansion
And last but not least, this is the simplest of them all. In order to play the new Allied Races, you must have access to the current World of Warcraft Battle For Azeroth expansion, released last year. While purchasing a subscription today nets you the base game and all previous expansions, it doesn’t grant you immediate access to BfA. You’ll still need to purchase the expansion separately on BattleNet or from other retailers before you can jump into the game and begin working at these unlocks. So new or returning players, keep that in mind. The expansion costs around $60~ and does go on sale during major holidays or events.
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