Tag GI Joe

GI Joe Deck Building Card Game has released Coldsnap from Renegade Game Studios, the second expansion pack for the game.

Unlike the recent expansions for the Transformers Deck Building Card Game, Coldsnap absolutely requires the core GI Joe Deck Building Card Game to play. Cobra is back to their shenanigans where they strive to take over the world. In this expansion they are using the Weather Dominating Device to control the weather- just like in the classic episode of the animated series.

Players will work together to stop the attacks and eventually defeat Cobra. More importantly you are facing new threats by way of Destro, Zartan and his Dreadnoks! Classic heroes and enemies are ready from the get go. With the available bonus pack you can add even more, specifically Beach Head. Other than new locations and other enemies this expansion adds towable assets like artillery. It even continues the Expert Mode that was introduced in Shadow of the Serpent.

Anyone that is a fan of the classic comics or the later IDW issues that continued the storyline will enjoy the art on these carts, even if they don’t enjoy the game as a whole. I found the expansion to be a great addition to an already great game.

Operation Cold Iron is the first expansion for the GI Joe roleplaying game from Renegade Game Studios but does it hold it’s own?

Renegade Game Studios had sent us a copy of the first expansion for the GI Joe Roleplaying Game– Operation Cold Iron. This is essentially a mission pack that adds four mission chapters for the overall Operation. Additionally it also brings stats for new vehicles and foes like Destro and the Snow Vipers. A mistake many game publishers make (at least in my opinion) is that they keep updating rules for the same characters or monsters/enemies. Prior to opening this book I expected RGS to have made this mistake and include a new version of Cobra Commander. I was pleased to see they did not. In fact there was almost nothing that could be considered a duplication in any way.

The campaign spans from Ethiopia to Siberia and is aimed at players leveled between 2 and 6. It follows directly after the Emerald Oubliette (a short mission that is included with the DM screen purchase) but does not require the mission to be played. The only requirement leading into this book is to have played the introductory mission from the core book.

Overall mechanics are the same between the games. They actually are the same across each of the properties, using the same core mechanics but different specific stats and details for each character. That includes Transformers, Power Rangers and My Little Pony! What makes it even better is that Transformers already have a history of crossing over with GI Joe in the comics so it wouldn’t be too far fetched bringing them into a game session if you have both books. Tying in MLP could be a fun way of making a game that all the kids can play with you.

Considering the expansion is completely full of content I feel the $45 price tag is quite reasonable, especially considering you are getting about as much content as you have in the core rulebook. The core book is $55. The only complaints I have about the game are that I need more friends interested in playing the game and that I want to see more miniatures released. The former they can’t help me with but the latter perhaps they will. There is already a single miniature pack that comes with most of the core Joes. Maybe they will even make my dream of a GI Joe full scale war game on the tabletop a reality one day. For now, I will continue dreaming and feel the need as much as possible playing the RPG while I wait.

GI Joe Deck Building Card Game has released Shadow of the Serpent from Renegade Game Studios, the first expansion pack for the game.

Unlike the recent expansions for the Transformers Deck Building Card Game, Shadow of the Serpent absolutely requires the core GI Joe Deck Building Card Game to play. Cobra is back to their shenanigans where they strive to take over the world. In this expansion they are also hell bent on destroying the Joe’s base of operations. Not only do you have to defend the command center but must build it up along the way.

Players will work together to stop the attacks and eventually defeat Cobra. More importantly you are facing new threats by way of the Red Ninjas and Serpentor himself! Classic heroes and enemies are ready from the get go. With the available bonus pack you can add even more, specifically Snake Eyes who is a personal favorite of mine. Advanced players even have an Expert mode added to the game. Other than new locations and other enemies this expansion really thinks of everything.

Anyone that is a fan of the classic comics or the later IDW issues that continued the storyline will enjoy the art on these carts, even if they don’t enjoy the game as a whole. I found the expansion to be a great addition to an already great game. Did I mention that there is another expansion already out? It’s called Coldsnap and it looks like another great addition to the game. I’m looking forward to checking out that one as well.

Renegade Games brings the ultimate roleplaying game for 80s fanboys- GI Joe the Roleplaying Game!

Over the years GI Joe has had many iterations to the comics and cartoons. The Joes originated in comic and animation starting with Marvel Comics. They were later replaced by Devils Due and then at their current home at IDW Comics. Devils Due continued the story where Marvel left off but IDW rebooted it to take the story with the original write where it was left off at Marvel. I have always wanted to play in this world and now Renegade Games has given us the chance to do just that.

The quality of this book though is what really makes it stand out. The images and attention to detail are superb. Even better is that, with such a rich history of comics and cartoons, you are able to play any source material you want. That’s right! If you prefer the Devils Due run then you can play it. If you prefer the IDW reboot run then you can play that! You can literally play any source you want, as long as the GM/DM and players all agree.

Right off the bat (pun intended) I have a big complaint about this game- you can only play as a member of the Joes team. Other than Snake Eyes, Scarlet and Jinx, I am a fan of Cobra. I want a Cobra Roleplaying Game next or at least a supplement that does the same thing. Their D20 system is really easy to pick up and play without much experience with other roleplaying games.

The folks over at GameMill Entertainment have delivered on one of the greatest franchises ever known- GI Joe!

Being a child of the Eighties I grew up with the original GI Joe cartoon series and to this day still read the comics. Other than the original title on the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) I have even played every video game title released for the franchise. Very few forms of media have captured my attention or devotion like GI Joe has. Several months ago I learned that this game was going to be released and reached out to GameMill directly to see if we could cover the game using a review copy and they graciously agreed.

Expectations

Having played the other GI Joe titles I was expecting a simple game with very linear levels using the likeness of some of my favorite characters. What we got was something entirely different.

Reality of this GI Joe Title

The levels are mostly linear but with a bit of room for exploration. Collectibles hidden throughout the levels means you’ll have some replayability but not enough to overcome the monotony of some portions of levels. The characters and story look like they straight out of the comics. The story is very linear but focuses on both sides of the war, not just the good guys. This game is far from simplistic too. Even on the easier difficulties expect to die, a few times per level. This game is not your typical walk in the park, in fact I know seasoned gamers that commented on the difficulty level. My advice to you is to start on the lowest difficulty and replay on the higher difficulties. Replaying the levels on the higher difficulty will allow you to use built in level modifications and have a much easier time on the level. The best mods are those that give unlimited ammo or bigger shields.

The Breakdown

This game has the look and feel of the comics, as if it was written by Larry Hama himself, and has the world mechanics to cater to nearly every game style. If you are a fan of GI Joe or of a challenge then this game is a must play for you. (Editor’s note: The fact that this game was provided for review had no bearing on the thoughts/opinions expressed here.)