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Farming Simulator 16 - Tips, Tricks, and Strategies to Get You Started

Posted by Rob Rich on August 5th, 2015

[Not sure if cultivation is your bag? Have a look at our Farming Simulator 2016 review.]

So you’ve started up your own farm. That’s fantastic, but where do you go from here? As peculiarly entertaining as it may be to meticulously guide heavy machinery around a field or two, it can be a little tricky to figure out what to do when you get behind the wheel for the first time. That’s why we’ve put together some helpful tips and tricks to get your farm going.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 4 - Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Surviving the Nightmare

Posted by Rob Rich on August 5th, 2015

[Trying to decide if you want to subject yourself to the horror? Have a look at our Five Nights at Freddy’s review.]

So you’ve gone and found yourself trapped in a nightmare from which there is no waking. Fantastic. You still have a chance, though. You can still make it out (sort of). We’ve put together a collection of basic tips and tricks to help you out if you’re still having a tough time with it. We’ve tried to keep spoilers to a minimum but there are a few in the “Misc. tips” section. Oh, and sweet dreams.

Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle - Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Going Over 9000

Posted by Rob Rich on July 20th, 2015

[Wondering if revisiting Goku and Co. is worth it? Have a look at our Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle review.]

Being the world’s greatest fighter is no easy task. Especially when the bar keeps getting raised with each new “impossible to defeat” foe. Fortunately it’s nothing a little training can’t fix. Or in this case, a few beginner’s tips.

Chaos Rings III - Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Making it on Marble Blue

Posted by Rob Rich on June 7th, 2015

[Still deciding whether or not Chaos Rings III is the mobile JRPG for you? Take a look at our review]

Are you feeling a bit out of sorts when jumping back and forth between Chaos Rings III’s Story and Colosseum modes? Are some fights giving you trouble? Then have a seat (or more likely just keep sitting) and take a gander at our tips and tricks guide.

Earthcore: Shattered Elements - Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Building Your Deck

Posted by Rob Rich on May 21st, 2015

[Want to know if it’s worth investing your time in Earthcore? Check out our review]

At first glance, Earthcore: Shattered Elements seems like a rather simple card-battling game. Once you’re introduced to skills that will change quite a bit. Even more so once you start to acquire hero cards. But it’s not so complicated that we couldn’t put together a beginner’s guide for all you Earthcore neophytes.

Jurassic World: The Game - Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Getting the Most Out of Your Dinos

Posted by Rob Rich on April 30th, 2015

[Still trying to decide if it's worth revisiting the park? Check out our Jurassic World review]

You’ve probably already got a huge and incredibly popular theme park in Jurassic Park Builder. That’s great, but Jurassic World: The Game is a slightly different beast. This time around you’ll be spending a lot more time in the Arena, and will have to keep your dinos fighting fit because of it. And that’s exactly why we’ve gone and put this little guide together.

So if you find yourself in need of some tips for raising or want some pointers in the Arena, we’re here for you.

Lost Within - Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Surviving the Asylum

Posted by Jennifer Allen on April 24th, 2015

[Still deciding whether or not Lost Within is something you want to play? Have a look at our review]

Have you just downloaded Lost Within and are you in need of a guiding hand? While it’s not the toughest of games out there you might still want some helpful tips to get you started.

Implosion - Never Lose Hope: How to Make Sense of the Ark System

Posted by Rob Rich on April 12th, 2015

[Trying to decide if Implosion is worth buying? Check out our review.]

Fighting your way through Implosion’s many, many levels isn’t difficult to figure out - by which I mean it won’t take long to learn the ropes - but the Ark System it uses to manage your upgrades never really gets a proper explanation. So rather than trying to feel your way around, how about you let us show you the ropes?




The Basics

The Ark System is split into four sections where you can equip different systems you find or purchase - Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Lambda. All systems can affect your power or endurance, along with other systems unique to their category.

  • Alpha - 2 slots. Tends to focus on passive attack bonuses like critical rates and ballistics damage. Some upgrades also affect your shield power and can increase item drop rates.

  • Beta - 2 slots. More defense-oriented with upgrades that increase amor, agility, and shield repair.

  • Gamma - 2 slots. Emphasizes things like HP recovery, “Rage,” and restorative powers. Some upgrades can also include the Hack ability, which will be necessary to access certain locked rooms in various levels.

  • Lambda - 1 slot. These upgrades grant entirely new special abilities, such as creating a temporary shield or triggering an area-effect attack.

Compass Point: West - Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Staking a Claim on the Frontier

Posted by Rob Rich on March 26th, 2015

[Wondering if it's worth dramatically pushing the swinging doors open on this saloon? Check out our review]

You’ve got a lot of work ahead of you if you want to turn your little patch of dirt into a bonafide frontier town, and Orville Driller and his cronies aren’t exactly rolling out the welcome mat. But don’t worry, even the toughest hombres need help every now and then (okay I’m done with the old west jokes, I swear).




Getting Started

  • Be mindful of Gold and Goods limits - Starting out, you’ll only be able to hold a maximum of 2,000 of either resource. It sounds like a lot, but it’ll fill up quickly. Try not to let your earnings go to waste.
  • If you’re about to exceed the limit, spend it - Successful attacks on Orville’s occupied territories will always yield Gold and Goods, so if you’re really close to the maximum you should try to spend some of either (or both) before continuing on. Build or upgrade stuff if you can, but if that’s not an option you can also clear out trees and rocks.
  • Watch videos when able - There’s a covered wagon with a film strip icon over it that sometimes appears on the road. Tap it and you’ll be prompted to watch a video. You definitely want to watch, as once you’re finished you’ll be able to pick a random card from a group of four. These can include diamonds (used to speed things up), sidekicks, workers, or even piles of resources.
  • Use Jakob Ammann to keep things moving - The basic version of his card will take up to 15 minutes off of one upgrade, which is great for when you’re starting out and things don’t take hours to finish.
  • Use William Wealth when you need a cash boost - The basic form of William nets you 500 Gold, so use it if you’re a little short. Make sure you remember that resource limit, though!

Five Nights at Freddy's 3 - Tips, Tricks, and Strategies to Get You Through the Worst Week Ever

Posted by Rob Rich on March 13th, 2015

Hey-hey, glad you came back for another night!
Still trying to figure out if you really want to apply for the night shift at Fazbear's Fright? Then check out our Five Nights at Freddy’s 3 review!

One thing that all three games in the Five Nights at Freddy’s series have in common, aside from murderous animatronics, is that they each do things a little differently. Five Nights at Freddy’s 3 changes things up by paring it down to a single animatronic - only this one is a lot smarter, faster, and more dangerous.

Before we launch into the survival tips, please be aware that this guide will contain a few spoilers. The story elements and the mini-games won’t be discussed, but there are a few “events” that will be mentioned. So if you don’t want to ruin the surprise for yourself, don’t read past Night Guarding 101.


Night Guarding 101



Welcome to the night shift! You’re gonna have a blast once this place opens. You get to keep an eye on the cameras to make sure nobody tries to walk out with a piece of Fazbear history, play creepy noises to spook the guests, and you’ll even be a part of the attraction! Here’s what you need to know for your first night.
  • The blue tab all the way to your right controls your CCTV monitor - Use this to keep an eye on the attraction. You can also Play Audio (more on that later), and use the Map Toggle button to watch the vents.
  • The orange tab to your left controls the attraction’s three main electrical systems - Audio Devices will prevent you from using the Play Audio button if they shut down, the Camera System will prevent you from being able to see if it breaks, and if the ventilation gets screwy you’ll start to have trouble breathing and might just start to hallucinate.
  • If more than one system crashes, use Reboot All - No matter how dicy things might get, it’s always faster to Reboot All rather than restart each system one after the other.
  • Playing audio clips is very important - Not only will the spooky child laughter creep out potential guests, it could also be used to guide them into different areas of the attraction.
  • Don’t sweat the first night - Your first night is an absolute breeze. Nothing could possibly go wrong, so take the time to familiarize yourself with the layout of Fazbear’s Fright and maybe try to get used to the time it takes to reboot the different computer systems.

Sid Meier's Starships - Tips, Tricks, and Strategies to Get Your Empire Off Terra Firma

Posted by Rob Rich on March 12th, 2015

Hailing frequencies open:
Trying to decide if this particular space empire expansions sim is worth your time? Check out our Sid Meier’s Starships review!

Sid Meier's Starships is a pretty great game in its own right, but it doesn't do a very good job of helping new players get acclimated to its systems - or its star systems (bah-dum-TSHHH). That's why we've taken it upon ourselves to cover some of the basics, a few of the things you won't learn about in-game unless you dig through the menus, and some strategies that will hopefully keep your fleet mobile and allow you to dominate the galaxy.


Getting Started


  • Keep it simple - For your first time out, don’t bother messing around with things like map size, difficulty, or victory conditions. There’s no shame in reducing the number of opponents, either.
  • The Purity Faction is the most beginner friendly - None are necessarily the best, of course, but Purity’s ability to earn double rewards will really come in handy for newbies.
  • Choose Bolivar or Fielding as your leader - There might be six other leaders to choose from, but these two are the most straightforward and will make the most sense to beginners.
  • Make liberal use of the Advice button - The little “info” button to the far left of the row of icons at the bottom of the screen will be your only friend in learning how to play Starships - aside from this guide, that is. Try to tap it every time you’re ready to take a new action as its suggestions should point you in the right direction.
  • Go out and explore - You won’t have much of a chance at any sort of victory if you don’t leave your home planet. So find those navigation lines that point to new planets, and get to visiting!

Top Eleven 2015 - Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for New Managers

Posted by Jennifer Allen on February 11th, 2015

Heads-up, coach:
Still on the fence about downloading this particular soccer/football manager? Check out our Top Eleven 2015 review!

Have you just downloaded Top Eleven 2015 - Be a Soccer Manager and you're not quite sure where to begin? Don’t worry, we’ll guide you through the basics so that you’ve got some idea when it comes to what to do next.

The Basics


  • It should be obvious, but sign in via Facebook. Besides being able to play alongside friends, you’re also safe in the knowledge that none of your progress is going to be lost. And Top Eleven 2015 is a lot more fun when competing with friends.

  • Learn what everything in the menu does. Top Eleven 2015 doesn’t have the easiest of tutorials to follow.

  • Squad is there for setting up formations and tactics, as well as moving players around. Examine each player’s abilities as it highlights where they’re strongest and weakest. Contemplate whether you want to be a more defensive or offensive team, and plan accordingly.

  • Training is where you’ll spend a lot of time. You can pick different training regimes for each of your players and even focus on one in particular (for a price). There’s a choice of three different training methods: match practice is best for honing tactics and boosting team play, cardio is great for general fitness boosts, and stretching reduces the chance of your players picking up injuries.

  • The game’s pretty dependent on time, with Fixtures telling you when your next match is. You get bonuses for being around to watch a match so try to do that whenever possible.

  • Transfers can be reliant on time too, with live auctions running out all the time. This is more something to focus on when you’ve got money spare, though. Early on, just focus on the players you have.

  • You can upgrade your Stadium through the option of the same name. That can lead to more fans, which also means more money. Plus you can upgrade the pitch to reduce the chance of injuries, as well as boost team morale.

Radiation Island - Tips, Tricks, and Strategies to Get You Started and Keep You Alive

Posted by Rob Rich on February 3rd, 2015

Attention all survivors:
Curious to know how much fun we had trying to hunt habits and avoid zombies? Check out our Radiation Island review!

Radiation Island is a survival game, and as such will have two main categories that its players will naturally fall into: those who think it’s too difficult, and those who think it’s too easy. If you belong to the former, we’ve got some handy tips that should make your first few nights a fair bit easier to handle.

The Basics


  • Grab whatever you can - You’re going to need supplies in order to craft tools and weapons, so make sure you grab everything you see laying on the ground when you’re starting out. This will come in handy very quickly.

  • Punch trees - It’s a silly tradition, really, but it’s just as useful here. If you find yourself low on resources and in need of twigs, you can gather them easily by just attacking a tree with nothing equipped.

  • Gather from bushes when you can - Large bushes can also be harvested for useful materials. Later on you’ll probably want to use a machete to make things easier but when you’re just starting out bare hands will work just fine. The materials you gather from these bushes will be necessary to craft medicine, bandages, and so on, so don’t ignore them!

  • Keep a stack of food on you at all times - You’ll start to get hungry pretty fast, and if you don’t have any food handy you’ll begin to starve in short order. You can find coconuts and pineapples scattered around the beach most of the time, so definitely keep as many on hand as you can.

  • Respect the item stacks - Items like food and resources can stack pretty high, so don’t worry about collecting a lot of them. Tools and weapons, on the other hand, do not stack. Keep this in mind when you go out scavenging because inventory space is extremely limited.

  • Craft tools as soon as you can - You’ll want at least one axe and one pick so that you can harvest more wood and stone more reliably than hoping you find some laying around. As a bonus, the axe can help you fend off wolves and other hostiles - it’s better than using your bare hands, at least.

  • Also make sure to craft a boomerang - It’s a silly little weapon, but it’s simple to craft and is also an important item for the beginning of your game. One hit from the boomerang should kill a rabbit (meat!), and it can be used to weaken a wolf at a distance before it closes in and you’ll have to fight it up close.

  • Explore, explore, explore - Keep venturing out to try and find structures to ransack. More often then not you’ll stumble upon items that will aid in crafting more advanced items, or even find better equipment.

  • Establish a home base - Find someplace, preferably a building of some kind as it’s less exposed, and use it as your base of operations. It might take some time to craft things like storage boxes and a bed (assuming one or both aren’t already present), but having a place to come back to when it gets dark and being able to dump all your stuff in a central location is incredibly handy.

Imagination Gone (Delightfully) Amok - Playworld Superheroes Tips, Tricks, and Strategies

Posted by Tre Lawrence on February 2nd, 2015

Hey there, costume innovators.
Want to know if we had fun playing make-believe? Check out our Playworld Superheroes review!

So, the current stock of established superheroes from Marvel and DC don't do it for you? You have an idea for a custom superhero? Then PlayWorld Superheroes is for you. Here's how to get your game going quickly.

Crafting


  • Take time to be creative - Let your imagination do the walking. From the beginning the game underscores an appreciation for self-expression, and it helps to revel in this. From the template of characters, take the time to scroll through all the options because there are quite a few.

  • Make sure to explore - One element the game encourages is exploration. It makes this easy by using dialogue boxes and highlighting to help you along. When an item is found, it can generally be crafted. Again, creativity is the name of the game. There are scissors, crayons, and more, and the best advice is also the most fun advice: just go to town. Use the cut marks to guide the scissors, and be inventive with the crayons. Going all out is especially true of the symbol, because this design gets emblazoned within the game. Do yourself proud.

  • Feel free to rewind - It's also good to know that crafted materials can be redesigned, so there's no need to weep because of an errant crayon swoop.

Raids of Glory: Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for the Newbie Pirate

Posted by Jennifer Allen on January 15th, 2015

Ahoy there, matey:
Want to know if this particular brand of swashbuckling is for you? Check out our Raids of Glory review!

So you've just downloaded Raids of Glory and are in need of some assistance as to what to do first? We’ve got you covered with some handy beginners’ tips and tricks to help ease you into the process.

The currencies



As anyone used to Clash of Clans style games knows, understanding the currencies involved is important to success. Raids of Glory offers a few different types.
  • Gold - Gold buys stuff, predictably. All new buildings are dependent upon it rather than any need for special resources. The prices steadily rise though, so expect to always be short on gold.

  • Rum - Rum buys you the love of a pirate. OK, not the love, but the loyalty. Those pirates can then be sent out to attack enemy outposts, so you want to have enough rum to hire more at any time.

  • Skulls - Skulls are the premium currency and are primarily used to speed things along. Try to resist using them for the little things and plan accordingly. Fortunately, more skulls aren’t too hard to come by.

  • In the case of gold and rum, you can hold your finger down to their respective bars and you’ll be told what your hourly output is. It’s a handy guide to seeing how well you’re progressing.