'The Walking Dead Episode 2: Starved For Help'

Telltale games

Windows 7/Vista/XP

$5 download

ESRB rating: Mature

Review rating: 4.0 stars

After one look at the plethora of U.S. citizens meandering around in their cellphone/iPad/Kindle-induced daze, visitors from a foreign land might think the zombie apocalypse has already begun! I know better, but if I see one more "bath salts leads to cannibalism" headline, I'm going to sharpen my katana. Until then, I'm content to play "The Walking Dead Episode 2: Starved For Help" to learn more emergency survival tips.

Although this point-and-click adventure series is set in the same world as the graphic novel, it follows different characters. Players take on the role of Lee, a man with a troubled past who must make difficult choices to ensure his own safety. Episode 2 begins with Lee and a band of survivors taking shelter in a barricaded motel parking lot, and they soon discover that the living can be as dangerous as the undead!

After the food supply dwindles away, survivors become desperate and begin to take sides. I find it ironic that the survivors are starving while simultaneously trying not to become a meal themselves. Lee is forced to decide who gets to eat and who has to wait, which strengthens some friendships while straining others. Eventually, players must make difficult choices based on Lee's needs rather than his morals.

Episode 2 has more of a focus on the story and less on game play. Unlike the first episode, there are no puzzles in the sequel and very few action sequences. The biggest challenge comes from adapting to the control scheme, which still isn't customizable. This alienates some players. All it would take is some extra coding to make the game accessible to everyone.

Action fans may find "The Walking Dead Episode 2: Starved For Help" lacking, but anyone who likes an engaging story will find plenty to sink their teeth into!

'Fortune Winds: Ancient Trader'

Legendo Entertainment

Windows 7/Vista/XP

$10 download

ESRB rating: Everyone

Review rating: 2.5 stars

Pirates are almost as popular as zombies nowadays, and the turn-based title, "Fortune Winds: Ancient Trader," lets players sail the high seas during the 16th century in search of fame and fortune. In an attempt to appeal to both core and casual gamers, each adventure is packed with choices but is also very brief. Sadly, the result is a title that grows old within the first couple of hours.

Promising sea captains begin their nautical adventure by exploring the ocean to find sea ports that buy and sell various goods. Then they must build their wealth through pure capitalism: buy low, and sell high. After upgrading their ship and finding three artifacts hidden in various locations, players must find and destroy the insidious Kraken.

Trading is the main focus of this game, and there's even a mode that focuses solely on trading and eliminates the need to kill the Kraken. However, players will discover that certain trade routes are much more profitable than others. As a result, exploring takes a backseat to effective trading, which makes each game even shorter.

Action fans won't be thrilled by this title's turn-based combat because it relies on using cards in a similar fashion to the famous card game, "War." Both the player and the enemy choose cards from a deck, and whichever card has the highest attack score wins. Some variety is thrown into the mix by having three types of attacks, but the combat is still unimpressive.

Since each game can last as short as 30 minutes, the developers added a hot seat multiplayer mode for up to four players to compete against each other. Unfortunately, this mode isn't any more impressive than the single player adventure. With just a few tweaks and some additional content, "Fortune Winds: Ancient Trader" could be worth more than a bottle of rum!