Gaming in the Niche, The Wonderful World Away from the Mainstream.

What do you think are the best games of this generation?

Battlefield 3? How about Rage? Skyrim? Lets not forget the Call of Duty. All of these games are sure fire hits that will go on to sell tens of millions of copies. It has never been a better time to be a gamer. With technology accelerating at a breakneck pace, the virtual world is starting to better than the real one. Welcome to Mainstream. Population: Everyone.

But once you drive away from the mainstream an get out to the suburbs of our hobby we see strange new worlds forming on outskirts. Lets start with the closest to, but not quite mainstream game I've been playing, Red Orchestra 2.



The game, which is mainly a Multiplayer FPS is laser focused on its subject and deadly in its execution. One shot kills, physics, windage, and bullets that drop over distances combine to make it a standout realistic shooter. Throw in a single player campaign that gets you ready for the amazing multiplayer and you have a winning formula. I tell you right now Red Orchestra 2 is on my short list for game of the year.

Further out, in the rural areas of game development you have the computer wargames. I'm playing 3 of them right now and they are some of the most enjoyable experiences I've had in my adult gaming life.

First up is Combat Mission: Battle for Normandy. This is the newest release and a return to WWII for the venerable series. I have been the critic of the last couple Combat Mission's. I think the modern setting was not a good fit for this type of game. But the return to basics has yielded a sweetspot for this game engine. It is fun but the interface is hard to decipher. but once you get past that it rewards you with a tactical game that has no peer. Can it be as amazing as the original WWII Combat Missions? No. Those first couple games are timeless classics that can never be replicated mainly because it was so simple to play, and today's game enthusiasts don't want simple, and that is sad.



The second wargame I have been playing is War in the East. This grand strategic WWII game based on the German/Russian war is a monster. My wife makes fun of it and calls it a block game because of that's all I'm doing is playing with square counters. There is more to it than that. I love the complexity of dealing with supply, weather systems, unit morale, and fog of war. This is the first game I had to step away from and study the way armies made war upon each other. This is a game that I will be playing for years and it will never get old.


The last wargame I want to talk about is a Beer & Pretzels wargame. Panzer Corp is basically a love letter to those who grew up playing the classic wargame Panzer General. Bringing the graphics and sound up to todays standards, Panzer Corp is simple to play and eats away your time just as bad a any Sid Meier title. I love how much information you have at your fingertips. It is the game I'm playing most right now.


I like the city life. I like the mainstream. But once in a while, i want to get away. And when I do get away I tend to end up here, Out of the AAA COD,BF, Blizzard sphere of influence and into the realm of the original. Thank god our hobby has the ability to have all things to all people.