By Chris Michaud
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| Pictured: That which you cannot handle. |
Months ago, when our show was still in pre-production, I was contacted on Twitter by Jason Tagmire, who inquired if his new game Pixel Lincoln was cheesy, weird, and obscure enough for our podcast. I read the description on the website...a deck building game? About old-school video games? Featuring Abraham Lincoln? It took a few minutes for my brain to process that my three favorite things had somehow been combined into one awesome thing; I practically needed medical attention.
Like everyone else, I pledged my dollars for a copy...over $40,000 and 7 crushed stretch goals later, the Kickstarter campaign closed and all 814 of us backers rejoiced and began the long vigil as we waited for the estimated December delivery date. So, imagine my surprise when I received another message from Jason, this time advising that a family vacation was bringing him less than an hour from Flip the Table World Headquarters. He offered to meet up with the panel so we could have a chance to sit down and get hands-on with the game. Naturally, we jumped at the chance...so myself, Jared, and our wives met up with Jason and pixel artist Marty Cobb to play the current build of the game.
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| Panelist Flip, who was working that night, observes Pixel Lincoln in action. |
I'm used to getting a few stares when playing board or card games in public...in this instance, people couldn't help but marvel at the game's art as they walked by. Watching the gameplay video and reading the many, many, great reviews does not quite prepare you for the great aesthetic of the game in person.
This game draws you in. At the beginning of the night, before we started playing, I had ordered the biggest, juiciest burger on the menu (in honor of Pixel Lincoln's meat-based arsenal). I was so engrossed by this game that, at the end when all the points had been counted, I realized I hadn't touched my meal. This game was literally more enticing than a huge, delicious hamburger.
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| Shown: Pixel Lincoln, and a deadly weapon in the fight against Evil Luchadores. |
The build of the game we were playing included some adjustments to some costs and point values for items and enemies, as well as some updated rules for setup intended to balance the difficulty level of the game. These updates made for a positive and balanced experience, and I am confident the game will continue to evolve as the game gets closer to production.
We'd like to thank Jason and Marty for stopping by and sharing Pixel Lincoln with us. We had a ton of fun, and can't wait to play the game when it finally publishes. If you'd like to get a copy for yourself, you can pre-order from Game Salute right now! High-five!
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| ...and, roll credits. |
Pictures shown are from a pre-production build of the game and may differ from the final product. Promotional consideration has been provided in the form of game demonstration and cross-promotion; no financial compensation has been received. This post is written for non-review purposes.