Strategy games, whether turn-based or otherwise, are a huge time commitment. The momentum present is largely based on proficiency and awareness, and even then, players can have lengthy amounts of downtime and planning, especially in systems-rich titles. This is partially why finding the right entry point for the genre is a difficult task, and also why real-time strategy is more inviting- it is far more active and challenging, not to mention spectator friendly. But real time strategy often involves resource management on a larger scale than that of more traditional strategy games, as unit production is a major aspect of thoughtful strategy and execution. While some strategy games utilize weapon durability and unit movement as "resources" to manage, very few games are able to neatly and straightforwardly communicate the importance of this kind of gameplay, let alone implement it so that it takes a central focus. This is why Code Name S.T.E.A.M., Intelligent System's thi...

Having recently played the demo for The Alliance Alive, I have been reflecting on the sheer amount of RPGs I have played on the 3DS. The Alliance Alive is likely to be one of my last purchases for the system, unless Nintendo decides to smash us with some worthwhile new addition late in the system's life. Regarding demos, however, I can safely say that I have not played some RPGs based on the way their demos operate. Sometimes a good demo can highlight the best parts of a game, and sometimes they don't. I recall my time with both the Etrian Odyssey IV and Legend of Legacy demos rather fondly. Both are extremely open-ended due to the nature of the gameplay of their full-retail gameplay motifs and systems, offering a great amount of potential for a player, and a figurative head-start, to boot. On the other hand, a demo can also be an extremely lackluster experience, either failing to sell the concept of a full-retail purchase, or simply because its something of a mediocre effort,...