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Chaos Reborn, from the maker of X-COM, is playable now

Chaos Reborn, the latest entry into the tactical turn-based strategy genre from Julian Gollop, creator of the X-COM series, is now available for early access Steam. The current lineup of features in this boardgame-meets-Magic: The Gathering title is austere, as only online multiplayer is available. However, each of the modes not yet unlocked show a text explanation, with one glimpse highlighting possibly the game’s most interesting feature. While players start as a lowly apprentice wizard, through hard work and effort, they can attain the first social rank, “Wizard Lord.” From there, they can ascend further by collecting “artefacts,” winning multiplayer…

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The creator of X-Com looks pretty psyched about his new Kickstarter project

We’ve talked about X-Com creator Julian Gollop’s wizardry tactics game Chaos Reborn before, but we’re going to talk about it again because it hit Kickstarter yesterday, and because we never pass up an opportunity to talk about wizards.  Well, actually, we do. Under normal circumstances, we can take or leave the magic-dabbling old Gandolfs, but this isn’t normal circumstances: this game has some truly spectacular fucking wizards. They can summon a legion of wingmen—from rock-wielding rock-people to manticores; spread viral ooze across hexagons; and you know they’ve got some magical wizard missiles.  What’s exciting about all this, aside from the…

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The creator of XCOM has a new strategy RPG and it sounds spectacular

Back in the 90s, Julian Gollop created a little property called XCOM, easily only one of the most influential strategy games ever. So it’s worth paying attention to his upcoming strategic fantasy Chaos Reborn, which is about to hit Kickstarter, and promises to be an absorbing, hexagonal, and beautiful turn-based affair.  If not, maybe the wizards will convince you. Yes, wizards—those long-bearded, robe-wearing men of the crystal talisman. While you may be thinking that sounds like typical Tolkienesque stock, the differentiator here is that wizardry isn’t a tired aesthetic but a deep, mechanical obsession. As you can read about in…