Happy Holidays from the Tiltfactor team! If you are scrambling for last minute gifts, here are some more suggestions, this time from Tiltfactor intern Shaun and project manager Sukie:
Assassin’s Creed: Recollection (iPad game)
Shaun: Recollection is an iPad-only collectible card game, based on the popular video game series. The twist, however, is that cards and turns resolve in real-time, adding a sense of urgency and placing an emphasis on preparation and strategy. Each match involves players deploying Agents, Sites, and Actions in order to build up influence points and claim two of three regions in the play area. In addition to the novel real-time component of the game, Recollection makes good use of the iPad’s touch screen in how it allows players to move, read, and activate cards. The game includes a brief tutorial and help section, a single-player story mode, and allows for network multiplayer matches. It does push buying in-game credits, but you can pick up some additional card packs just by playing through the story mode, and there’s enough strategy to consider without ever spending additional money. Note that a free Uplay account is required for the game. Nevertheless, at 99 cents, this app is well worth it for those who would enjoy a good iPad game.
Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries (book)
Shaun: This essay collection features 42 essays by well-known astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, the director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York, and the host of the planned sequel to Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, the landmark public television series featuring Carl Sagan. Each essay previously appeared in Natural History magazine as part of his “Universe” column. Tyson’s clear writing helps explain a number of tricky astrophysical concepts in language that is highly accessible to a wide audience. Definitely recommended for those seeking to satisfy a curiosity about reaches of the greater universe. Available for the Kindle and Nook.
The Humble Indie Bundle 4 (video game. Many video games)
Sukie: Looking for a cool game but don’t want to spend $60 for a title they may not like? Then why not buy several games and pay what you want? The 4th such release, the Humble Indie Bundle offers several indie games and you pay what you want for the whole lot. All of the games are DRM free and usually run on either Windows, Mac, and/or Linux. In addition to that, they usually add additional games as the bundle sale goes on, which sometimes includes access to the source code and the soundtracks as mp3s.
The Bundle I got for you did not disappoint, as they have added a
couple games from a previous bundle AND a bunch of soundtracks. You
don’t have to download all of them at once and the games cover a wide
range of genres (shooters, platform, puzzle, strategy, fighting). (NOTE: one of the games, Shank, contains a lot of blood and gore, so head’s up if you want to give the bundle to the children; I suggest getting the bundle and select which games you want to install).
Because it’s a digital purchase, for the Christmas-minded folks, this is a great last-second gift. For the belated-gift giver, the Humble Indie Bundle is available until the 12/27.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!