Architecture News

"Wingspan," Elizabeth Hargrave's acclaimed board game, has captivated enthusiasts with its intricate gameplay centered on bird collection and habitat building. Its latest expansion, "Wingspan Americas," not only broadens the avian roster with 111 new species from Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean but also introduces innovative mechanics, most notably the dynamic hummingbirds. This expansion enriches the strategic landscape, offering players more complex choices and a more interactive experience, making each game unique and engaging, particularly during spring when birdwatching enthusiasm is high.

The core of "Wingspan" involves players assuming the role of ornithologists, dedicated to cultivating a vibrant wildlife sanctuary. Actions include acquiring food, drawing bird cards, deploying these cards into designated habitats, and laying eggs to score points. The game operates as an 'engine-building' system, where initial turns are straightforward but evolve into more intricate sequences as additional birds are introduced, amplifying the impact of subsequent actions. This design allows for the construction of elaborate combos.

Birds are strategically placed in three distinct habitats, each linked to specific game actions. Some birds offer immediate benefits, like drawing additional cards, while others contribute significantly to end-game scoring without active abilities. Critical to success are birds with activated abilities, which can trigger during a player's turn or in response to an opponent's action, providing extra resources or scoring opportunities. For example, a basic 'gather food' action might net a single food token. However, placing a blue-gray gnatcatcher in the forest habitat, with its ability to gain an invertebrate food token, provides this bonus every time the 'gather food' action is taken. Mastering the placement of various bird types across habitats is crucial for optimizing actions and maximizing efficiency.

"Wingspan" is known for its accessibility, despite the growing complexity as more cards enter play. The gameplay is profoundly gratifying, encouraging players to develop unique strategies while remaining attuned to competitors' moves to leverage triggered actions and manage resource contention. Each round presents a distinct scoring objective that influences strategy and competitive dynamics. Additionally, every player holds a secret bonus objective that can yield substantial points at the game's conclusion. An educational element is also present, as each bird card features a beautiful illustration and an interesting fact about the species.

The game's popularity has led to several expansions, including "Wingspan European" and "Wingspan Oceania," which introduced new species and unique mechanics. "Wingspan Asia" expanded player count options, allowing for one to seven players. "Wingspan Americas" further refines the experience, particularly by adding depth to the game's initial, simpler turns through its hummingbird mechanic.

The "Americas" expansion introduces 111 new bird species, ensuring considerable variety in gameplay. Its most significant innovation is the introduction of hummingbirds, governed by their own rules and board. Unlike other birds that remain in a player's preserve, hummingbirds move dynamically between player boards and a central hummingbird garden, making the game flow more fluidly. Whenever a player executes an action to draw cards, gather food, or lay eggs, a corresponding hummingbird action is also triggered in the relevant habitat. Incoming hummingbirds might provide resources such as an extra egg or card, while departing ones allow players to advance on a special hummingbird track, potentially earning more points by the game's end. Progressing on these tracks can also grant additional hummingbird actions, further aiding resource accumulation and point scoring. This additional layer accelerates the game's engine, offering even struggling players a boost.

The "Americas" expansion also increases player interaction. The movement of hummingbirds across boards necessitates careful observation of which birds are entering or leaving the garden, as this could benefit or hinder players and their opponents. The activation of hummingbirds can extend turn times, a point acknowledged in the rulebook, which suggests that larger groups might reduce the number of actions per player to prevent excessively long game sessions. Despite the potential for longer playtimes, the "Americas" expansion integrates new rules seamlessly without overwhelming players with excessive complexity, enriching the overall "Wingspan" experience for both new and veteran players alike.

"Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order" launched in 2019 to critical acclaim, quickly establishing itself as a standout title within the Star Wars gaming universe. However, its release also ignited a persistent debate among players and critics: Does it fit into the "Soulslike" genre? This discussion is fueled by the game's challenging combat, labyrinthine level design, and a distinctive respawn system, all of which bear a resemblance to the hallmarks of games like FromSoftware's "Demon's Souls." Online communities, from Reddit to Steam forums, remain divided, with some firmly asserting its Soulslike identity, others vehemently denying it, and a middle ground acknowledging shared elements without full categorization. This ongoing dialogue underscores the evolving nature of game genres and the difficulty in neatly classifying titles that blend established mechanics with fresh approaches.

Dissecting "Fallen Order's" Mechanics: Soulslike or Not?

Upon its debut in 2019, "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order" quickly garnered praise for its immersive gameplay and compelling narrative, positioning it as one of the standout titles in the Star Wars gaming canon. Players assume the role of Cal Kestis, a Jedi padawan in hiding, navigating a galaxy still reeling from the Jedi purge. The game's intricate mechanics, developed by Respawn Entertainment, feature a fluid combat system that incorporates lightsaber duels, parrying, and dodging. Notably, it includes extensive wall-running, a signature element from Respawn's "Titanfall" series. However, what truly sparks the Soulslike debate are the game's core gameplay loops: challenging boss encounters that demand pattern recognition and precise timing, a respawn system tied to Meditation Circles that rejuvenate enemies, and complex, interconnected level designs with shortcuts—elements frequently associated with the Soulslike genre. These features have led many to identify "Fallen Order" as sharing significant DNA with FromSoftware's notoriously difficult action RPGs.

"Fallen Order's" combat system requires players to master parrying, dodging, and various lightsaber attacks, culminating in brutal boss battles that often necessitate multiple attempts and meticulous pattern memorization. These intense confrontations, such as the encounters with the Ninth Sister and Taron Malicos, serve as critical skill checks, forcing players to refine their strategies. The game's exploration is equally demanding, with densely packed levels that loop back on themselves, gradually revealing shortcuts as players progress. Meditation Circles, functioning as save points and skill-unlocking hubs, reset defeated enemies upon use, echoing the bonfire mechanics found in Soulslike games. These interwoven systems create an experience that challenges players to overcome adversity through perseverance and strategic thinking, drawing clear parallels to the design philosophies popularized by titles like "Demon's Souls" and "Dark Souls." While some argue these are merely shared tropes, others contend that their pervasive integration within "Fallen Order" solidifies its place within the broader Soulslike family.

The Community's Ongoing Genre Quandary

The question of whether "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order" can be classified as a Soulslike game has remained a contentious point within the gaming community since its pre-release buzz in 2019. Online forums, from Reddit threads to Steam discussions, are replete with passionate arguments from all sides. Initial reactions saw players drawing immediate comparisons to titles like "Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice" due to perceived similarities in combat and difficulty. Over the years, this debate has continued unabated, with new posts frequently emerging, questioning if the game, or its sequel "Jedi: Survivor," truly adheres to the Soulslike template. The lack of a universally agreed-upon definition for the genre itself further complicates the discussion, as participants grapple with what specific qualities—be it difficulty, level design, or combat mechanics—are truly essential for a game to earn the Soulslike label. This ongoing dialogue highlights the fluidity of genre boundaries and the subjective nature of game classification.

Despite the game technically carrying the "Souls-like" tag on platforms like Steam, this categorization often sparks further contention. Some players argue that "Fallen Order's" combat system is a direct adaptation of Soulslike mechanics, pointing to its emphasis on precise parrying and dodging. Others counter that while it shares certain superficial elements, such as enemies respawning and bonfire-like save points, it lacks the overall punitive difficulty, opaque storytelling, or environmental traversal that they consider fundamental to the Soulslike experience. These differing viewpoints have solidified into three main camps: those who unequivocally label it a Soulslike, those who vehemently deny it, and a centrist group who acknowledge shared elements but resist full categorization. This continuous debate, often circling back to the same points, illustrates how players engage with and define gaming genres, constantly scrutinizing what makes a game fit into a particular mold, especially when dealing with popular titles that borrow from established, yet distinct, gameplay styles.