Adrenaline game. Adrenaline Board Game: A High-Octane FPS Experience on Your Tabletop

How does Adrenaline board game simulate a first-person shooter experience. What are the key components and gameplay mechanics of Adrenaline. How many players can participate in Adrenaline and what is the recommended play time.

Unleashing Carnage: Overview of Adrenaline Board Game

Adrenaline is a board game that brings the exhilarating experience of first-person shooter video games to your tabletop. Designed by Czech Games Edition, this high-octane game pits players against each other in a battle for supremacy, where wounding and eliminating opponents is the key to victory.

The game’s core mechanics revolve around a clever scoring system that rewards both delivering killing blows and spreading damage across multiple targets. This unique approach adds depth to the gameplay, forcing players to think strategically about their target selection and timing of attacks.

Key Features of Adrenaline

• Simulates FPS gameplay in a board game format
• Supports 3-5 players
• Playtime ranges from 60-90 minutes
• Intricate scoring system
• Variety of weapons with unique effects
• Multiple game board configurations

Components and Setup: Preparing for Battle

Adrenaline comes with an impressive array of components that bring the game to life. The core elements include:

• Double-sided game board (two parts)
• 5 player boards and miniatures
• 21 weapon cards
• 24 powerup cards
• Damage tokens and ammo cubes
• Skull markers for the killshot track

Setting up the game involves choosing the game board configuration, placing skulls on the killshot track, and distributing weapons and ammo tiles across the arena. Players start with their miniatures, player boards, and a set of ammo cubes.

How many skulls should be used for the first game?

For your first game of Adrenaline, it’s recommended to use 5 skulls on the killshot track. This setup allows for a quicker game and helps players familiarize themselves with the mechanics. As players become more experienced, they can increase the number of skulls to 8 for a full-length game with more strategic depth.

Gameplay Mechanics: Mastering the Art of Virtual Combat

Adrenaline’s gameplay is structured around a series of turns where players can perform one of three actions: Grab, Move, or Shoot. This simple action system belies the depth of strategy involved in each decision.

Action Breakdown

1. Grab: Collect weapons or ammo from the board
2. Move: Reposition your character on the game board
3. Shoot: Attack other players using your collected weapons

Players must manage their resources carefully, balancing the need to collect new weapons and ammo with the desire to attack opponents and score points. The game’s weapon system adds another layer of complexity, as each weapon has unique effects and targeting rules.

How does the weapon system in Adrenaline work?

In Adrenaline, players can hold up to three weapons at a time. Each weapon is unique, with its own set of effects and ammo requirements. When a player grabs a weapon, it comes loaded and ready to use. After firing, the weapon becomes unloaded and must be reloaded using ammo cubes at the end of the player’s turn. This mechanic ensures that each weapon can only be fired once per round, adding a tactical element to weapon management.

Scoring and Victory: The Path to FPS Glory

Adrenaline’s scoring system is one of its most innovative features, designed to keep all players engaged throughout the game and prevent runaway leaders. Points are awarded for both dealing damage and securing kill shots, with a clever mechanic that reduces the point value of repeatedly eliminated players.

Key Scoring Elements

• Points for dealing damage to opponents
• Bonus points for securing kill shots
• Diminishing returns on repeatedly eliminated players
• Additional points for most kills at game end

This nuanced approach to scoring encourages players to spread their attacks and think strategically about when to go for the kill. It also ensures that even players who are eliminated frequently can still impact the final outcome of the game.

How does the diminishing returns mechanic work in Adrenaline’s scoring system?

In Adrenaline, each time a player is eliminated, they become worth fewer points in subsequent eliminations. This clever mechanic prevents a single player from becoming too easy a target and keeps the game competitive. It forces players to carefully consider their target selection, balancing the need for immediate points with the long-term strategy of maintaining valuable targets on the board.

Game Variants and Replayability: Keeping the Action Fresh

Adrenaline offers several elements that enhance its replayability and allow players to customize their experience. These include:

• Four different map configurations
• Varying number of skulls on the killshot track
• Optional “final frenzy” ending for more experienced players
• Domination mode variant for team play

The combination of these elements, along with the diverse array of weapons and powerups, ensures that no two games of Adrenaline play out exactly the same way.

What is the “final frenzy” ending in Adrenaline?

The “final frenzy” ending is an optional rule for more experienced Adrenaline players. When the last skull is removed from the killshot track, instead of ending immediately, the game enters a final round where all players get one last turn. During this frenzy, players have enhanced abilities and can potentially score significant points, adding an exciting climax to the game.

Pros and Cons: Evaluating Adrenaline’s Gameplay Experience

Like any board game, Adrenaline has its strengths and weaknesses. Understanding these can help players decide if it’s the right fit for their gaming group.

Pros of Adrenaline

• Unique FPS-inspired gameplay
• Diverse and interesting weapon effects
• Clever scoring system that keeps all players engaged
• High-quality miniatures and components
• Good replayability with different maps and variants

Cons of Adrenaline

• Can play slowly, especially with new players
• Complex weapon effects may require frequent rule consultation
• Some components (like cards) could be of higher quality
• May not capture the fast-paced feel of video game FPS

Is Adrenaline suitable for casual gamers?

While Adrenaline can be enjoyed by casual gamers, it may present a steeper learning curve due to its complex weapon effects and strategic depth. However, the game’s theme and engaging gameplay can appeal to a wide audience. For the best experience, casual groups might want to start with simplified rules or shorter game variants before diving into the full experience.

Strategic Tips: Dominating the Adrenaline Arena

Success in Adrenaline requires a combination of tactical thinking, resource management, and adaptability. Here are some strategic tips to help you dominate the arena:

1. Familiarize yourself with weapon effects to make quick decisions
2. Balance your attacks between multiple targets to maximize points
3. Pay attention to the killshot track and time your eliminations strategically
4. Use the board layout to your advantage, controlling key areas and ammo spots
5. Manage your ammo carefully, ensuring you can reload powerful weapons
6. Consider the diminishing returns on repeated eliminations when choosing targets

How can players speed up their turns in Adrenaline?

To keep the game moving at a brisk pace, players can:
1. Study weapon cards between turns to plan ahead
2. Familiarize themselves with the board layout and available actions
3. Make quick decisions rather than over-analyzing every possibility
4. Use a timer for turns if all players agree
5. Encourage simultaneous planning during other players’ turns

Comparison to Other Games: Where Adrenaline Stands

Adrenaline occupies a unique space in the board game market, blending elements of first-person shooters with tactical miniature combat. While it shares some similarities with other games, its combination of features sets it apart.

Games with Similar Elements

• Doom: The Board Game – Also based on an FPS video game, but with a more cooperative focus
• Neuroshima Hex – Tactical combat with unique faction abilities
• Frag – Another attempt at translating FPS gameplay to tabletop
• Arcadia Quest – Competitive miniature combat with campaign elements

Adrenaline distinguishes itself through its unique scoring system, weapon variety, and focus on pure player-vs-player combat without additional monster or scenario elements.

How does Adrenaline compare to video game FPS experiences?

While Adrenaline captures many elements of FPS games, such as diverse weapons and arena-style combat, it naturally plays at a slower pace due to its turn-based nature. The game emphasizes strategic thinking and resource management more than reflexes and aim. It offers a different, more contemplative take on the FPS genre, allowing players to experience the thrill of virtual combat in a social, tabletop setting.

In conclusion, Adrenaline offers a unique and engaging board game experience that successfully translates many elements of first-person shooters to the tabletop. While it may not perfectly capture the frenetic pace of video game FPS titles, it compensates with deep strategy, interesting weapon interactions, and a clever scoring system that keeps all players involved until the final shot is fired. Whether you’re a fan of tactical combat games or simply looking for a fresh gaming experience, Adrenaline is well worth considering for your next game night.

Amazon.com: CGE Czech Games Edition Adrenaline : Toys & Games

Adrenaline is a game in which each player tries to wound and kill other players, and therefore gain the most victory points. The scoring system is clever, as it rewards both making a kill shot and wounding multiple players. Each time a player is killed, they are worth fewer points the next time that they are killed, though, so it makes target selection slightly more difficult than a no-brainer. There are also some bonus points for who got the most kills. There are four maps utilizing two sides of two boards, and recommended layouts for number of players. The maps feel just about the right size, although I can’t comment on the three-player version.

There are three spawn points on each map (almost everything is in threes in this game), which hold three weapons each. There are also ammo refills on most squares on the board. A player can Grab, Move, or Shoot each turn, so the first turn or two is usually spent Grabbing stuff. Players can hold at most three weapons and can have up to three each of three different ammo “types” (really just colors). Each weapon does something different – there are no duplicates – and choosing the right weapon for the given board and players is key. When you Grab a weapon, it is loaded, and becomes unloaded when you Shoot it. At the end of your turn you can spend ammo to reload it, so each weapon can only be fired once per round.

Adrenaline is a pretty good representation of an FPS as far as weapon variety and maps go, but plays much more slowly. “Of course it does – it’s a board game!”, you might say. While it is fun, and I plan on playing it several more times, it can actually bog down a bit. The problem is the weapons. There are too many weapon effects that target multiple players, and in specific ways like, “Exactly one square away”, or “Not closer than two squares away”. It leads to players calculating the “exact right move”, which of course means downtime. I think that if every player knew all the weapons and just concentrated on causing carnage, the game could be a bit faster. As it is, I haven’t had a game go less than 90 minutes with four or five players. I doubt it could be a sub-60 minute game, which it really needs to be.

Pros:
Fun representation of an FPS.
Good variety of weapons.
Clever scoring mechanic.
Miniatures and most components are well-made.
All players are in it until the end, and can have an impact on who wins.

Cons:
Plays too slowly, especially for first-time players.
Figuring out weapon effects requires consulting the manual frequently.
Cards are flimsy.

I would recommend this game, as it can be very fun (who doesn’t like Shotgunning a virtual representation of their friend in the face, which knocks them back, then Tractor Beaming them right back to you and shooting them again?), but it’s not perfect. It seems like it has decent replayability, and indeed, it gets better the more you play it as knowledge of the weapons and boards helps a great deal.

How to play Adrenaline | Official Rules

Components

• 1 double-sided board in two parts
• 1 board for game variants
• 5 player boards
• 5 action tiles
• 1 starting player marker
• 86 point tokens
• 36 ammo tiles
• 5 plastic player miniatures
• 100 plastic damage tokens
• 45 plastic ammo cubes
• 8 plastic skulls
• 21 weapon cards
• 24 powerup cards
• 1 bot card
• 1 rulebook
• 1 weapons manual

Setup

1 Choose two sides to make your game board.

2 Place 5 to 8 skulls on the killshot track. We recommend 5 skulls for your first game. A normal game uses 8 skulls.

3 Shuffle the powerup cards and place them on the game board in a face-down stack.

4 Shuffle the weapon cards and place them on the game board in a face-down stack.

5 Deal three weapons face up to each spawnpoint.

6 Place the point tokens on or near the board.

7 Mix the ammo tiles and stack them face down near the game board.

8 Deal one ammo tile to each square of the game board that does not have a spawnpoint.

9 Choose a starting player. Give him or her the starting player marker.

Your first game has 5 skulls and a sudden death ending. It’s a quick way to learn the game, and you get to shoot lots of cool weapons. Don’t worry about points too much. Just have fun.

The game is balanced for 8 skulls and a final frenzy ending, so once you know how things work, you should try it that way.

The game board is made of two double- sided pieces, which can make 4 different arenas.

Player Setup

1. Get your stuff. Your figure, your board, your action tile, and your damage tokens are all the same color.
2. Take 3 ammo cubes of each ammo color.
3. Put 1 ammo cube of each color in your ammo box.
4. Make an action-hero comment indicating you are ready to play. “Lock and load!” is traditional, but feel free to improvise.

Object of the Game

The object is to get the most points.

Game Play

Players take turns, beginning with the starting player, and continuing around the table clockwise. Figures will come onto the board one at a time and remain on the board for the rest of the game.

Spawn Location

On your very first turn of the game, you start by determining your spawnpoint:

1. Draw 2 powerup cards.
2. Choose 1 to keep.
3. Reveal the other and put your figure on the spawnpoint with that color.
4. Discard the revealed card.

Tip: Powerups are explained in the Adrenaline Weapons Manual. Before your first game it is absolutely imperative that you read the description of each powerup thoroughly.

Failure to fully grasp all the strategic ramifications of this crucial choice may greatly diminish your chances of victory.

Each powerup card has 3 potential uses:

As soon as you are on the board, take a normal turn, as described below.

Your Turn

Run Around

Use the Run Around action to move 1, 2, or 3 squares.

Move

A move follows these intuitive rules:

These squares are 1,2, or 3 moves away from Banshee.

Grab Stuff

Every square has stuff. Use this action to grab it. This action includes a free move. You can either:

1. Move one square and grab the stuff in that new square.
2. Or stay and grab the stuff in your current square.

You can’t grab stuff and then move as part of the same action.

Once you grab something, it is gone, but new stuff will replace it at the end of your turn.

Grab Ammo

Every square that is not a spawnpoint offers ammo. To grab ammo in your square:

1. Remove the ammo tile.
2. Move the depicted cubes into your ammo box.
3. If the tile depicts a powerup card, draw one.
4. Discard the tile.

Limits on Ammo and Powerups

Your ammo box never holds more than 3 cubes of each color. Excess ammo depicted on the tile is wasted. Similarly, you can have at most 3 powerups. If a card depicted on the ammo tile would put you over this limit, do not draw it.

If Grab a Weapon

If you are on a spawnpoint, you can grab a weapon:

1. Choose 1 of the spawnpoint’s 3 weapons.
2. Pay the cost.
3. Take it into your hand. It is now loaded.

The cost is depicted in the upper left corner of the card. When you grab the weapon, the top cube is already paid for and you must pay the remainder of the cost. If you cannot pay, you cannot grab the weapon.

Paying an Ammo Cost

To pay an ammo cost, remove the depicted cubes from your player board and set them nearby.

Instead of moving a cube, you can pay all or part of an ammo cost by discarding a powerup card that depicts the required cube.

Weapon Limits

If you already have 3 weapons, you must drop one when you grab the new one. To drop a weapon, put it in the empty space left by the weapon you are grabbing.

You can drop a loaded or unloaded weapon. It automatically becomes partially loaded – anyone (including you) can grab it later in the game for the usual cost.

Shoot People

To shoot people:

1. Play a weapon card from your hand.
2. Specify one or more targets.
3. Pay any additional costs.
4. Hand out damage and resolve any other relevant effects.

When you play a weapon card place it face up on the table in front of you. It is now unloaded. It will stay there until you reload it, which you may be able to do at the end of your turn.

Your choice of targets is determined by your weapon and the positions of the figures on the board. This is explained in detail in the Adrenaline Weapons Manual. To Shoot People, you need at least one target. Each weapon has a basic effect that you paid for when you put the card in your hand.

Some have optional effects or alternate fire modes, which may have additional costs. You pay an additional cost the same way you paid the cost to put the weapon in your hand – by removing the depicted cube from your ammo box or by discarding a powerup that depicts that cube.

Damage is represented by damage tokens in your color. Give the indicated number of damage tokens to your target. Your target places the tokens on his or her board. It is possible to give damage to multiple targets with one action.

Damage and Adrenaline Actions

Your board is divided into 4 zones. If it has 0, 1, or 2 points of damage, you use the normal actions on your turn.

If your board has 3 or more points of _ damage, your Grab Stuff action improves. When you use it, you can move up to 2 squares before grabbing.

If your board has at least 6 damage, your Shoot People action also improves. As part of that action, you can move 1 square before shooting.

You are not required to use the adrenaline action’s extra move. Note that it is still not possible to grab- then-move or shoot-then-move with one action.

As with normal actions, it is legal to use the same adrenaline action twice in one turn.

Killshot

The 11th point of damage is the killshot. A board with 11 damage will be scored at the end of the turn. (Which means you might have time to give it a 12th!)

Scoring

At the end of your turn, score all boards that have taken killshots:

First Blood!

The player who shot that board first gets 1 point.

Damage!

The player who has the most damage on that board gets 8 points. The player with the second most gets 6. And so on, as depicted on the board.

Tie Breaker

If multiple players dealt the same amount of damage, break the tie in favor of the player whose damage landed first.

Killshot!

Killshots will play a role in final scoring. Take the damage token from the 11th space and put it on the killshot track of the main game board. It replaces the leftmost skull.

Death!

Take that skull from the killshot track and put it on the 8 pentagon below the dead board’s damage track. The next time that player’s board is scored, it will be worth fewer points. Details on the next page.

Overkill?

A 12th point of damage counts as overkill. If the board has a 12th damage token, put it on the killshot track on the same space as the killshot token. This plays a role in final scoring. Damage over 12 is wasted.

Revenge Mark?

Killing is okay, but overkill is just insulting. If you overkill a player, that player will give you a mark representing his or her desire for revenge. Marks and overkill are explained on on the following pages.

Double Kill?

If you deal multiple killshots on your turn, you get 1 extra point. And you are awesome.

Point Tokens

Your points are represented by tokens you take from the bank. You can make change, if necessary. Point tokens are kept near your board face down.

Death and Respawn

If you receive a killshot, tip your figure over. At the end of the active player’s turn:

1. Hand out points to everyone who shot you, as explained above.
2. Remove all damage (and hand the tokens back).
3. Pick up your figure. You are dead.
4. Draw one powerup card, even if you already have three.
5. Discard one of your powerup cards with no effect and place your figure on the spawnpoint indicated by it. You are alive again.

If you have any marks (see next page) those will remain on your player board. You keep all your weapons and ammo. Loaded weapons remain loaded, and unloaded weapons remain unloaded.

Your damage is reset to zero, so you no longer have access to adrenaline actions. But don’t worry. You’ll get shot again soon.

Marking A Target

Some weapons, powerups, and game mechanics allow you to mark other players. This represents a potential for extra damage – because you gain knowledge about your targets, or you track them in some way, or perhaps just because you really really want to hurt them.

When you mark a target, hand the player one of your damage tokens and say, “I mark you!”

A mark is not damage. The player receiving the mark puts the token in the box above his or her damage track.

The next time you take an action that does damage to the marked player, all of your marks are added to the damage track along with the usual damage.

If you deal marks and damage as part of one action, resolve the damage first. This moves all of your old marks onto the damage track. Now add the new marks. They can be triggered only on a later action.

Marks do not count during scoring. They remain on the board even after the player respawns.

Limits On Marks

You can have at most 3 marks on another player’s board. Any marks that would exceed this total are wasted.

Note: This means your board can have up to 3 marks from each other player.

Overkill

The 11th point of damage is the killshot. The 12th is overkill. This is a game about shooting people, so overkill is rewarded.

The 12th point of damage counts when determining who did the most damage, and it will go up to the killshot track (on the same space as the killshot) which may be important at the end of the game.

Wasted Damage

Any damage beyond the 12th point is wasted. If you deal damage that would take your opponent beyond overkill, give him or her only enough to reach overkill. If your marks turn into damage that would exceed overkill, your opponent hands you back your excess marks.

Revenge Mark

If you deal overkill, your victim gives you a mark. This is just like a mark from a weapon or powerup.

Diminishing Values

The first time a board is scored, the reward for dealing the most damage is 8, 6, 4, and 2 points. The board receives a skull on the 8. The skull indicates that the board is now worth fewer points.

The second time a board is scored, the reward for most damage is 6, 4, 2, and 1. The board receives a skull on the 6.

The third time, it is worth 4, 2, 1, and 1. And so on.

• Only players who did damage score points.
• Each player who did damage scores at least 1 point.
• Each skull reduces the reward for giving that board the most damage.

End Of Your Turn

1. Reload as many weapons as you want.

   To reload you must pay the full reload cost – all the cubes depicted in the upper left corner of the card. You may pay this cost with cubes and/or powerup cards.

2. Score all player boards that received a killshot.

   Scoring has already been explained.

3. Replace any stuff you took.

   Replace ammo tiles with new tiles from the ammo stacks. If you empty the stacks, shuffle the discard pile (including any tiles you grabbed this turn) and make new ammo stacks.

   Replace weapons by drawing from the weapons deck. If the deck is empty, no new weapons will appear for the rest of the game.

Sudden Death

Your first game ends when the last skull is taken. Skip over the Final Frenzy rules and go down to Final Scoring.

Final Frenzy

Sudden death is very … sudden. A standard game uses a few more rules at the end to balance out the scoring opportunities. This is called final frenzy.

Final frenzy is triggered when the last skull is removed from the killshot track. Everyone gets one more turn, including the player who made the killshot.

Note: If you trigger final frenzy with multiple killshots, put all your killshot and overkill tokens on the killshot track. Don’t worry about who gets the final skull token.

Final Frenzy Setup

All players with no damage (including those who were just scored) flip their boards over. They keep marks and ammo, but skulls are set aside. Their boards offer no point for first blood. The reward for damage is 2, 1, 1, 1.

All players flip over their action tiles. On your last turn you will have …

Frenetic Actions!

Note: You may be wondering what benefit this second option gives you, but it can be useful in the Turret Mode.

Easy Targets

Boards that are killed in final frenzy are flipped over to the 2-1-1-1 side. Killshot and overkill tokens go to the killshot track as usual.

End of the Game

After the final turn, score all boards that still have damage tokens. Score them as you usually would, except, of course, they don’t have killshots. If you are playing with the final frenzy rules, don’t forget that flipped boards offer no point for first blood.

Then score the killshot track. The player with the most tokens gets 8 points. The player with second most gets 6, and so on. Break ties in the usual way – the player who got the earlier killshot wins the tie.

Everyone reveals their points and whoever has the most points wins.

Tiebreakers

If players are tied, break the tie in favor of the player who got the higher score on the killshot track. If players who did not get a killshot are tied, they should be mocked for not getting a killshot. Also, they remain tied.

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Review: Adrenaline

Pew pew pew! Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch! Boom! Splat! Kapow!

As you probably gathered from that slew of comic book sound effects, Adrenaline is an action-packed game of guns and glory. It’s also kind of a Eurogame.

And don’t worry: no one really dies. At least, not for long.

How It Plays

Adrenaline is an action game all about blasting your friends into tiny bits with the biggest, coolest guns.

Boom!

Here’s how it works:

On your turn, you can move, shoot, or pick up items (guns or ammo). After 2 actions you can reload your guns, then score any kills you made during your turn before play passes onward to the next player!

The weapons are where the heart of this game dwells. Each weapon (in addition to having a cool name and FPS-style design) has an effect that typically deals out damage based on your target’s proximity. Most guns have multiple possible effects, and some allow you to spend ammunition when you put the gun into play to increase its effectiveness. For example, one gun lets you choose to deal a lot of damage to one player, or spread out the damage to multiple players in the same space. There are guns that shoot through walls, guns that suck your target towards you, guns that let you run up, smash someone for damage, and then run away.

You’ll need ammo to power your guns, so you’ll pick up tiles that let you collect ammo cubes and someimtes item cards that grant additional powered abilities.

Guns. Lots of guns. (also swords)

Each player has a health track with a dozen or so points on it. Whenever you damage someone, you hand them damage markers in your color. As you take more damage, your abilities grow more powerful – you can move farther before grabbing ammo, and eventually move and shoot in the same action.

When someone’s damage meter is full, they die, points are scored, and they respawn instantly. They’re also worth fewer points the next time they’re killed.

Points are awarded primarily for having dealt the most damage, but each player that has contributed damage earns some points. The kill shot itself is worth no points, but it does allow you to put your markers on the kill shot track which scores points at the end of the game.

When a certain number of kills has been reached, “Final Frenzy” is triggered – this gives each player one last shot at blasting their friends to pieces with adrenaline-infused actions. Once this final round ends, each player’s board is scored one last time (even if they aren’t dead) and points for kills are tallied. Then, whoever has the highest score is declared the winner! Great work, murderer.

Two additional game modes are included to supplement the default “Deathmatch” mode described above. In Domination mode, players can earn points by controlling the Spawn points, by attacking one or ending their turn on one. In Turret mode, players can place turrets across the board, which automatically damage anyone who moves nearby. Players can take over each other’s turrets, too, and bonus points are scored at the endgame for having more turrets on the board than other players.

Domination Mode’s scoreboard

Heart-Stopping Action

Adrenaline is quite the odd commodity. It’s got the body of a stodgy old European riding a horse, but the face and body armor of a space marine.

What in the great space race does that mean, futurewolfie?

Everything you can see about the game – the box cover, the way the rules are written, the theme, the components – they all suggest a thrashy American game with guns and conflict and hurting other players and taking-that all over the place. Tentacled aliens and smiling robots abound, and there’s flash. Lots of flash.

FLASH

But the core of the game, the actual mechanics? Pure Euro. It’s not even one of hybrid monsters like Eclipse which has the economics and the dice and the explosions all mixed in.

Peel off the theme and what you’ve got is basically an area-majority game. It’s all in place: you’ve got a few abstract actions with which you can pile your tokens onto the available areas – in this case, the other players – which eventually “break” and score, awarding everyone involved a bit of something. The 1^st-2^nd-3^rd place scoring is straight out of the Euro playbook.

A scoring hierarchy? What?

You can’t even harm the other players. Weird, right? For a game about shooting everyone as fast and as furious as you can manage, you can’t actually slow the other players down. Actually, you can only make them stronger. That’s right, another common Euro trope: the thing you do to score points grants another player some benefit. Other than the competition involved in area control, the only direct assault you can make on other players is to grab a gun or piece of ammo they wanted. But there are plenty of guns to go around.

Even dying doesn’t slow you down. You keep your weapons, ammo, and cards, and you become less valuable a target to the other players. You immediately respawn, with no penalty to your actions, abilities, or points.

Man. Way to take an action-packed premise and do your best to make it… boring.

*quiet echoes*

And it would be boring, too, except for the guns. The game provides a good 40 or so weapons, each with unique functions and abilities, for you to play with. And play you will.

The euro-centric mechanisms allow you to focus your turn on maximizing your carnage in fun and surprising ways. How can you combine your weapons effects for maximum damage? How can you do damage and make sure you can reload your weapons so you can keep delivering bullet sandwiches next turn? You don’t have to worry about someone having some surprise card or ability that completely ruins you. Sure, they can mess up your ideal turn slightly, maybe by killing your intended target, or breaking up a clump of players you were going to smash all at once. Maybe they’ll kill you and you respawn on the other side of the map. But you’ve still got plenty of room to do stuff. There’s no munchkin-esque “Go back to level 1” of any kind.

Happy robot is happy about this

I’m getting off topic. Guns. Lots of guns. It’s silly and fun and hilarious, the variety of weapons at your disposal. A good chunk of entertainment comes from the iconic depictions of the weapon effects; it’s somewhat Portal-esque, with featureless stick figures suffering violent wounds and death. Getting stabbed and punched and shocked and sucked into vortexes.

And then you get to do those things to your friends. It paints a vivid picture in your mind of what’s going on – as gory or as tame as you prefer. I can’t think of a single weapon that I don’t enjoy using.

Getting sucked into a vortex. Good times.

Despite the over-the-top action theme, there’s no gruesome imagery, or blood, or gore. The art on the cards looks like an FPS video game, but typically not in the middle of any violent action. As I mentioned, the effects are depicted with icons in a humorous way. The rulebook kicks off this over-the-top style by covering up the long, detailed “backstory” so typical of these thematic games with one of the player characters simply saying “Yeah, this is boring, just get into it okay?”

Of course, gore or no, I’m sure the theme will be off-putting to some. It makes no attempt to hide what it is, so you can judge for yourself.

Well… skulls, I guess

I will say that Adrenaline does play with a different vibe than other games with a similar theme. There’s no excitement of rolling dice or surprise action cards that keep everyone on their toes. There’s no risk of abject failure, only the possibility that you might not play as efficiently as another player. The game, being a euro, tends towards quiet, thoughtful turns with short bursts of excitement as a player decides what their actions will be and then describes the result of their weapons. The fun comes from the guns, but there’s not much unpredictable happening. It is what it is.

So, Adrenaline isn’t the game I would choose to play every time I want a little action in my cardboard. But it is an incredibly well designed game, a smart use of theme with solid Euro mechanics. It balances action and strategy, rewards players for spreading their damage around to all players, and keeps everyone involved throughout the whole game. Because there’s no randomness, turns resolve quickly and fluidly, and games don’t last longer than they should. You won’t get the excitement of taking risks with dice and cards, but you will get a solid, entertaining action game with great weapon effects that keep things interesting.

iSlaytheDragon would like to thank Czech Games Edition for providing a review copy of Adrenaline.

Summary

Pros:

Action-packed!
Great components
Solid euro mechanics
Encourages players not to gang up on each other
No painful “take-that” actions
Variety of weapons and game modes adds replay value

Cons:

Not necessarily the game people expect when they look at the box
No thrill of risk or uncertainty

9. 0

Excellent

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Adrenaline Review | Polyhedron Collider

Way back in Days of Yore, when Settlers of Catan ruled the great board
game wildlands and Facebook was something aggressive librarians did to
unruly students, I was engrossed in video games. In fact, I’ve been a
fan of the digital smile machines since I was old enough to smash
fingers into keyboards and code my first POKE-based programs on my
trusty old Amstrad CPC-464. And yes, I realise I’m showing my age with
that one. Once games evolved to the point where we could shoot each
other over the internet, the idea of digital deathmatch has exploded,
mostly due to two games: Quake and Unreal Tournament.

Yes, I know there
were others, but let’s be honest, they were crap in comparison. I never
got into Quake as much as UT for reasons best known to myself and I
spent many an hour with the phrases “Head-Shot!”, “Double Kill!” and
“Ultra-Kill!” ringing in my ears. And probably my neighbour’s ears too
as the speakers were always turned up loud enough to wake Tutankhamun
and his extended family.

It seems that I’m not the only one who enjoyed spamming my arena enemies with flak cannons, rocket launchers or pulse rifles as is evidenced by the recent release from Czech Games Edition in the form of Adrenaline, which is essentially Unreal Tournament in board-game form.

Now, the avid Polyhedron Collider readers and podcast listeners (and why wouldn’t you be?) will know that this isn’t the first time we have encountered this particular cardboard shooty fun, indeed we actually got a playthrough of an advanced beta courtesy of Paul Grogan at the UK Games Expo in 2016. Anyone with half a working brain may start to put two and two together and work out that after playing a beta then buying a copy for himself, there’s a good chance we may have enjoyed ourselves. Perhaps. Or maybe Steve just forces me to play games or I won’t get fed. Don’t let the happy-go-lucky bearded façade fool you; he’s quite the slave driver when it comes down to it.

But enough of Steve’s sadistic ways and back to the subject at hand: Adrenaline. A game for 3-5 players, which seems rather restrictive at first glance, but given the fact that it’s a deathmatch scenario, it makes sense. You need a minimum number of things to shoot at (solo deathmatch wouldn’t be much fun unless you have a fixation on Hari-Kiri), but you can’t have too many or the map becomes more clogged than the sewers the morning after Taco Tuesday. I think a change in mindset is needed for Adrenaline – in most games you’re not interested in open war with anyone unless you have to; even then you pick your targets well. Not the case for this game – everyone is a target and everyone will get shot, there’s no hiding in the corner sucking your thumb. You have no choice but to get stuck in and open several cans of particularly violent whoop-ass.

The idea of Adrenaline is to get Victory Points – pure and simple. How you do this is the genius of the game (I’m showing my hand again here). There are three spawn points on the map and each player can choose (within reason) where to spawn. You then take two of a possible three actions: Run, Move and Grab or Shoot. Grabbing means either picking up ammo or a weapon. You can carry up to three lumps of each type of ammo (red, blue or yellow) and each weapon will require some or all of these types. Simple enough.

Once you’ve fired a weapon, it needs to be reloaded. At this point we’ll forego why each weapon is a one-shot-wonder, suffice to say it is in keeping with the mechanics of the game and keeps everything nicely balanced. Different weapons do different amounts of damage – some single target, some multiple etc. There’s a vast array of weapons so you’re never stuck for choice.

Doing damage to opponents is the clever bit – killing an opponent and doing the most damage is obviously important, but you don’t score until the opponent dies. So they can run around for ages squirting blood from any orifice, wholesome or otherwise, without releasing any VPs. Until you get that all important frag, they’re tying up all those tasty victory points. You score points in four ways – First Blood, most damage to target (you usually score higher this way), the final kill and the most kills in the game. Most points at the end (usually 8 total frags) wins. Simples. Once you’ve killed someone, they get a Skull icon, which blocks off their VP track making them less attractive a target in future. I like this mechanic as it prevents victimisation of a single player (not that I speak from experience of course). Once you’ve been killed you’re worth fewer points, so it’s in everyone’s interests to spread the pain around like a particularly gruesome jar of Nutella over the toast of combat.

The game has a few different modes beyond Deathmatch so you can mix it up and change play styles. The boards are double sided providing four different possible maps to play on, which also accommodates differing numbers of players. The miniatures are all very different and everything is very recognisable and fun. There’s even a “mark” mechanic so you can store up pain on a target allowing you to unleash hell when you do hit them again.

Once you have suffered a certain level of damage, your actions change and become more powerful – you get an Adrenaline rush (see what they did there?). You can move more before a grab and move and shoot. So people better beware – poke the cornered wolf and he’s probably going to be less happy than a middle class local Conservative group over the proposed construction of a wind farm near to the bowling green.

So what’s not to like about Adrenaline? Not very much if truth be told. It’s fluid, fast and doesn’t require too much thought so you can rattle through a game quite quickly. And because the frag total is scalable, you can alter the length of the game at will making it very flexible indeed. If I’m honest, I think a 3-6 player game would have been better instead of the 5-player limit currently imposed and would have improved the value for money as for nearly £50, the game does seem a smidge on the expensive side. It’s not crippling though because you get a good, well made and fun game for your money.

So, it would appear that first impressions do count for a lot and are certainly the case here. Seeing Adrenaline for the first time it was like a teenage couple – a lot of attraction at first followed by a brief, but enjoyable fondle in the corner. Things then grew and matured so we’re left with something that’s well rounded, even more attractive and definitely something you’d take home to meet the family.

Assuming your family are into guns. Lots of guns.

Adrenaline review – Tabletop Gaming

Filip Neduk captures the speed and style of first-person shooter video games on the tabletop

The relationship between tabletop and video games has long been an uneasy one. Many physical takes on virtual worlds fall prey to becoming all style and no substance, while others introduce convoluted or just plain dull mechanics in an effort to simply emulate the gameplay of their digital counterparts without making it fun or engaging to actually play.

Attempting to steady this rocking boat is Adrenaline, the new title designed by Goblins, Inc. creator Filip Neduk and published by dependable games outlet Czech Games Edition. While it’s not based directly on an existing video game, Adrenaline’s heart clearly lies in the virtual world, coming across as thematically and aesthetically inspired by the vivid palette and breakneck speed of classic 1990s multiplayer first-person shooters such as Quake, Unreal Tournament and Doom rather than the slow tactical realism of modern-day successors Call of Duty and Battlefield.

Players control a colourful cast of heavily-armed robots, aliens, lizardmen and soldiers – although disappointingly despite this apparent diversity the only overtly female character, Violet, still ends up dressed in skimpy clothing and characterised in the rulebook by the finish of her nail polish. It’s Violet who also provides fourth-wall-breaking commentary throughout the instructions – a clear attempt to inject some humour into learning the basics, but more than a touch irritating and smug. If you enjoyed the style of self-aware jokes in video games such as Borderlands, it might raise a chuckle.

The characters spawn into an arena put together using any combination of the game board’s two double-sided halves. The rooms are lit up in vibrant hues to highlight the combination of player and weapon spawnpoints and ammo pickups available. Movement is performed in the four cardinal directions between squares, with players able to move up to three spaces as one of their two repeatable actions each turn – with the ability to pick up items or shoot enemies being the other options.

Ready-loaded weapons are obtained by paying the required number of red, blue or yellow ammo cubes, which can also be used to reload spent armaments at the end of each turn. Ammo is acquired randomly from facedown cards dotted around the arena. This introduces a tactical consideration where swapping a powerful but empty weapon for a ready to fire gun can pay off – while running for the nearest ammo crate can land you in hot water.

There’s a healthy supply of firearms, covering the FPS staples you’d expect; rocket launchers, railguns, shotguns, machine guns and melee weapons are all present and correct. In addition, there are also some more inventive tools, such as the tractor beam and power glove.

Nearly all of the guns have alternate fire modes, which cost extra ammo to deploy but allow you to dish out more damage, attack extra targets or apply special effects, such as the ability to mark, which causes additional damage when the target is hit again.

While they may lack the visceral auditory and visual pleasures of their virtual equivalents, the weapons still feel formidable to wield and balanced for a variety of strategies, from long-ranged sniping to close-quarters combat. Power-ups gained from ammo tiles add single-use skills, including the ability to teleport or push back enemies. 

As you might expect, the aim of the game is to kill your opponents, zipping around the arena to gather weapons and ammo to fill enemies full of lead or whatever it is that comes out of a railgun.

In an interesting twist, dealing damage to an opponent means handing over your own health tokens to them, which fill up the rival’s health bar. When the bar reaches the skull, the player is killed and point tiles are distributed depending on which player caused the most total damage, landed the first hit and potentially achieved an overkill. The various bonus points on offer solve the frustration of seeing your hard work weakening a player go to waste when someone else finishes them off, while also rewarding those who swoop in for the killing blow. The defeated player respawns instantly, but places one of the killshot skulls on their player card, making them worth fewer points each time they are killed. It’s a smart way to discourage ganging up on one player, while also painting a target on more experienced or powerful characters that remain more valuable.

After a set number of kills have been achieved, the Final Frenzy mode is triggered, which bumps up every player’s abilities for a final turn and makes characters with no injuries worth far fewer points, sparking a last-ditch rush to cash in previously applied damage by finishing off hurt characters. Afterwards, points are tallied and a winner declared.

The rulebook proposes other ways to play in line with common modes in shooter video games, involving controlling set areas or earning points by commandeering turret. There’s also an autonomous bot for three or four player games, making the game quite flexible and replayable.

Once the rules are read and the game is underway, Adrenaline flows almost as quickly and smoothly as the fast-paced PC shooters it takes as its muse. The tone is a little off at points and the artwork strays into cliché, but the mechanics at the heart of the gameplay are a solid foundation for a really fantastic experience backed up by a fitting theme. You can’t help but feel that the game might have benefitted from securing a well-known video game licence, if only to encourage more people to play it.

MATT JARVIS

CONCLUSION

True to its name, Adrenaline is a thrilling duel to the death (after death after death) that embodies the moment-to-moment action and tactical depth of its video game inspirations without being dragged down by overly complex mechanics. Only the hackneyed artwork and the rulebook’s contrived humour tarnish its polished finish.

Publisher: Czech Games Edition

Price: £47.99

Genre: Strategy

Players: 3-5

Time: 30-60 minutes

Age: 12+

Website: czechgames.com

Sometimes we may include links to online retailers, from which we might receive a commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate links do not influence editorial coverage and will only be used when covering relevant products.

The Beneficial or Harmful Effects of Computer Game Stress on Cognitive Functions of Players

Basic Clin Neurosci. 2018 May-Jun; 9(3): 177–186.

,^1,2,²,³,⁴,^2,*,²,⁵,⁶,²,⁷ and ⁸

Hamed Aliyari

^1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical, Biomedical and Mechatronics Engineering, Qazvin Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran.

^2. Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Hedayat Sahraei

^2. Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Mohammad Reza Daliri

^3. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.

Behrouz Minaei-Bidgoli

^4. Department of Computer Engineering, School of Computer Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.

Masoomeh Kazemi

^2. Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Hassan Agaei

^2. Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Mohammad Sahraei

^5. Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Seyed Mohammad Ali Seyed Hosseini

^6. Department of Social Sciences, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

Mohammad Mehdi Hadipour

^2. Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Mohammad Mohammadi

^7. Human Motion Control and Computational Neuroscience Laboratory, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Zahra Dehghanimohammadabadi

^8. Department of Statistics, Faculty of Mathematical Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.

^1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical, Biomedical and Mechatronics Engineering, Qazvin Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran.

^2. Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

^3. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.

^4. Department of Computer Engineering, School of Computer Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.

^5. Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

^6. Department of Social Sciences, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

^7. Human Motion Control and Computational Neuroscience Laboratory, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

^8. Department of Statistics, Faculty of Mathematical Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.

^*Corresponding Author: Masoomeh Kazemi, PhD, Address: Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Tel:+98 (21) 26127257, E-mail:moc.oohay@himezakm

Received 2017 Nov 30; Revised 2017 Dec 19; Revised 2018 May 1; Accepted 2018 Mar 26.

Copyright © 2018 Iranian Neuroscience Society

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.

Abstract

Introduction:

Video games are common cultural issues with great influence in all societies. One of the important cognitive effects of video games is on creating stress on video players. The present research objective was to study different types of stress in players based on video game styles.

Methods:

A total of 80 players, aged 18 to 30 years, played four types of video games; Runner game, Excitement game, Fear game, and Puzzle game. In the beginning, the players filled in the form of personal information as well as some general and specialized information on the games. Before starting each game, the saliva samples of the players were collected to measure their level of cortisol and α-amylase. At the end of each game, the same samples were collected again. The concentrations of cortisol and α-amylase were measured using a specialized kit and an ELISA device. In addition, the variations of brain waves were recorded by an Emotiv system. Finally, the data were analyzed in SPSS and Matlab system (after and before playing video game).

Results:

The research findings revealed that the salivary α-amylase concentration increased significantly after playing the Fear game, Runner game, and Excitement game and decreased significantly after playing the Puzzle game. Moreover, the concentration of salivary cortisol increased significantly after playing the Runner game, Excitement game, and Fear game and decreased significantly after playing the Puzzle game. The brain wave analysis also revealed that the level of stress experienced by playing Fear game was higher than the Excitement game.

Conclusion:

According to the research findings, video games can affect the stress system as well as the cognitive system of humans depending on the game style. In addition, the type and level of stress triggered in the players depend on the game style.

Keywords: Stress, Puzzle game, Runner game, Excitement game, Fear game, NeuroGame

Highlights

• Video games have different effects on the stress of players.

• The type of stress depends on the game style.

• The resulting stress may reinforce the cognitive elements or destroy them.

Plain Language Summary

The attractiveness of the computer games and also the day by day increase on the number of their corresponding audiences on one hand, and their different cognitive (positive and negative) effects on the players’ nervous system on the other hand have motivated conducting research and investigation in this area. The purpose of this research is to study the level and type of different stress effects on the players based on the game style diversity. In this research, four styles of computer games were studied: Puzzle games, Runner games, Excitement games, and Fear games. Based on the results, four different types of stress have been found from the NuroGame perspective. In other words, we studied the possibility of categorizing the games on the basis of their stress effect on players and the classification was made based on that. The results have depicted different cognitive responses and alterations on the players (in positive and negative ways) that makes the classification possible.

1. Introduction

Video games are an interactive medium and a novel technology spreading all over the globe. Neurologists and researchers are much interested in video games due to their effects on the nervous system. Because of their nature, these games can activate different parts of the brain. They activate the cortical regions of the brain such as the frontal cortex, the sensory-motor cortex, the visual cortex, and the subcortical areas (such as the amygdala and hippocampus), which play a substantial role in emotions and cognition, and thus considerably contribute to the personal behavior and cognitive functions (Aliyari et al., 2015; Lupien et al., 2005; Smeets, Otgaar, Candel, & Wolf, 2008). Stress is an important cognitive reaction significantly affected by video games.

According to new definitions, stress is a mental state affecting both mind and body. Some parts of the brain such as the prefrontal lobe are mainly associated with cognition and stress experience. Stress is of the acute and chronic types. Acute stress triggers the autonomic nervous system and increases the excretion of the cortisol, adrenaline, and other hormones (Lupien et al., 2005; Smeets et al., 2008). The unnatural rise in the level of cortisol results in an increase in the heartbeat, respiration rate, and blood pressure. Accordingly, the blood redirects from the end organs to the large muscles so the body gets ready to fight or escape. This condition is known as the fight-or-flight response. Chronic stress, on the other hand, refers to the long-term effect of one or several stress factors on human’s life. These chronic stress stimulations may result in the outbreak of neurological diseases such as anxiety and depression (Beylin & Shors, 2003; Lupien & Lepage, 2001; McEwen & Morrison, 2013).

Concerning neuroanatomical positions, many parts of the brain are associated with the stress state. Some of these areas include hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, prefrontal cortex as well as forebrain and midbrain, which are associated with chronic stress and the down-scaling of the dendrites (Krawczyk, 2002; McEwen & Morrison, 2013; Rosenbloom, Schmahmann, & Price, 2012). The pathologic activation of the stress system and the adrenal-sympathetic system leads to an unnatural increase of the hormones and impairment of the nervous system. In this regard, video games are among the important causes of changes of the cognitive functions (Aliyari et al., 2015; Bartholow, Bushman, & Sestir, 2006; Lupien et al., 2005). Since the stress system is closely associated with cognitive functions (i.e. memory, learning, and reward) in the nervous system, the secretion of cortisol has different dose-dependent effects. An effective dose of cortisol enables humans to cope with stress and plays an important role in consciousness, motivation, attention, concentration, memory, decision making, and learning. However, an improper dose results in the inability to cope with stress, affects the normal performance of these systems, and impairs the order and coordination of the brain functions (i.e. concentration, attention, decision making, memory, and learning). Hence, the person’s cognition may be impaired under chronic stress (Anderson, Kludt, & Bavelier, 2011; Beylin & Shors, 2003; Lupien et al., 2005; Maheu, Joober, & Lupien, 2005).

Research results have indicated that improper performance of the stress system may result in reactions generally known as fear. One of the most important responses to this malfunction is the increase in the secretion of the salivary enzyme (α-amylase). This reaction happens very quickly and shows its effect within a few seconds. Hence, an increase in the concentration of the salivary α-amylase is a noninvasive simple bio-indicator that could be used to measure the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. In other words, this enzyme is known as the fear marker (Davis & Granger, 2009; Feinstein, Adolphs, Damasio, & Tranel, 2011; Nater & Rohleder, 2009), in other words, a valuable means of studying the stress-induced fear. Research results have indicated that the level of this enzyme varies in response to acute and chronic stress. The increase in the level of this enzyme occurs due to an increase in the activity of the adrenergic system in salivary glands (Davis & Granger, 2009; Green & Bavelier, 2003).

In addition, research findings suggest that the type of stress is associated with concentration, which can have positive or negative effects (Boot, Kramer, Simons, Fabiani, & Gratton, 2008; LaBar & Cabeza, 2006; Weber, Ritterfeld, & Mathiak, 2006). In video games, stress varies by the game style. For instance, the logic stress is a type of stress under which the person only searches for logical solutions to handle the stressor and the situation. Under this type of stress, the person feels no temporal and spatial constraint and can travel the path to the goal at any time. In addition, no destructive pressure is put on the person, and the person can use his or her knowledge and capabilities to attain the goals peacefully and even reinforce his or her capabilities (LaBar & Cabeza, 2006; Szubert & Jaśkowski, 2014). The main stress factor involved in the development of the limit stress is restraint, and its evident examples are temporal restraints. Under this type of stress, the person needs to accomplish the tasks quickly and carefully to handle the situation. To solve the problem, the person not only must pay adequate attention but also does need to have the ability to make temporal and spatial predictions and function quickly to coordinate the neural and muscular (sensory-motor) systems (Boot et al., 2008; Gracia-Bafalluy & Noel, 2008). Fear stress is undoubtedly the type of stress we have all experienced. Under this type of stress, the activity of the neuroendocrine system is at its peak, and thus the characteristics of the vague type of stress are evident in this type associated with recognizable signs and symptoms. It deprives the affected person of the ability to decide accurately and duly. Moreover, the affected person loses its concentration on the environment and fails to function satisfactorily (Burdo, 2014; Weber et al., 2006). Interactive stress is a type of stress associated with interaction with the surrounding elements in video games. Under this type of stress, the affected person experiences stress due to his or her presence in the environment, the sensory inputs (including the visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile inputs), and his or her previous experiences and memories (Ballard & Wiest, 1996; LaBar & Cabeza, 2006).

EEG signals reflect the electric activities of the brain. These signals carry useful information on the performance of the brain, and thus are widely used in the fields of medicine, pathological conditions, mind engineering, and cognitive markers. This method is widely used by different researchers in various fields to noninvasively assess the variations of brain signals (Ballard & Wiest, 1996; Burdo, 2014). As a powerful means of demonstrating brain activity, EEG signals play a major role in most studies on brain. Hence, the ability to measure and record EEG signals that are free of pollution is an important goal of these studies. Perhaps an EEG signal is the only type of data that provides online and direct information on the condition of the brain and its activity (Burdo, 2014; Weber et al., 2006). Since stress is not always destructive and its effects depend on its type, this study was conducted to examine the different types of stress with regard to the style of video games.

2. Methods

A total of 80 male volunteers aged between 18 and 30 years enrolled in this research project. The study questionnaire gathered the relevant data about personal characteristics of the players, the games of interest, game type, how much do they play per day, and so on. The volunteers were grouped into four (each 20 members). In this research, four video games namely the Runner game, Fear game, Excitement game, and Puzzle game, were investigated. Each group played one type of the games. The saliva samples of all participants were collected before and after playing the games using 10-mm falcon tubes, which were stored at −20°C in a freezer. On the day of experimentation, the samples were liquefied at room temperature and centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 5 minutes. Afterwards, 20 μL of each sample was isolated for the test, and the human cortisol ELISA kit (Diagnostics Biochem Canada Inc.,) was used to measure the level of salivary cortisol. Also, Pars Azmun kit was used to measure the levels of salivary α-amylase. The brain waves of the players were recorded and analyzed online using an Emotiv device. A total of 14 electrodes were placed on different locations of participants’ heads from the beginning to the end of the games to record the changes of brain waves. To identify the differences, first, the EEG signals of the participants’ brains were recorded. Afterwards, the data were filtered and the noises were omitted. The necessary features were extracted and classified using the machine learning algorithms. In the end, the data were analyzed and the algorithms were tested. The obtained data were analyzed in Matlab and R.

2.1. Study video games

2.1.1. Puzzle game

A Puzzle game generally improves concentration, memory, and the harmony between the hands and the brain. This game is based on the mathematical sum function. Interestingly, this type of game has gained extensive popularity after a short period of time, because its immense allure entertains the player for hours. Stress is caused by the fear of inability to function.

2.1.2. Runner game

The symphony of tiles makes the user calm and enables him or her to avoid addiction to the game. This game is classified as a musical game. Another source of attraction of this game is the excitement caused by the rapid and simultaneous movement of the fingers and the eyes, which results in the composition of a pleasant song. The cause of stress in this game is time limitations.

2.1.3. Fear game

Many video games released in the fear and horror category claim to induce fear in the player. Some of these games show disgusting scenes, some others try to frighten the player with the aid of psychological stresses, and a group of games uses a combination of these factors. The key to winning this game is to frighten the player with the aid of sound effects. You will be frightened when you play this game but the fear is mainly caused by the mysterious sounds rather than the disgusting faces of the characters. This type of fear is known as the fear of the unknown and is considered a psychological type of fear.

2.1.4. Excitement game

It is a violent and highly exciting game in which the player fights all of his or her rivals and beats them to win the game. You must get used to the bloodbath and the torn apart body parts you will see during the game. However, the blood, flesh pieces, and crushed bones are the elements of a very detailed and entertaining fighting game that amaze you from the moment you start to play. You will fight characters that fight quickly and thoughtlessly in a highly dynamic detailed environment.

2.2. Data analysis

The research data were expressed as Mean±SD (Mean±SEM) values. The non-parametric Wilcoxon test method was used to determine the differences between the groups. The significance level was also set at <0.05.

3. Results

The research findings indicate that the variations of the salivary α-amylase concentration decreased significantly after playing the Puzzle game type (P<0.001) (). In addition, it was found out that the concentrations of the salivary α-amylase increased after playing the Runner game type (P<0.001) (). It was also found that the variations of the salivary α-amylase escalated significantly after playing the Fear game type (P<0.0001) ().

The variations of the mean concentrations of the salivary α-amylase in the players that increased significantly after playing the four video games

Finally, the changes of the variations of the salivary alpha-amylase increased significantly after playing the Excitement game type (P<0.001) (). The mean variations of the concentration of α-amylase are depicted in and the percentages of the mean variations of the salivary α-amylase are presented in . According to the largest change was caused by the fear game.

The mean variations of the concentration of α-amylase after playing the four games

The largest change was caused by the Fear game.

Table 1

The percentage of the variations of the mean concentration of α-amylase after playing the games

According to the research findings, the variations of the concentration of the salivary cortisol decreased significantly after playing the Puzzle game type (P<0.001) (). The variations of the concentration of the salivary cortisol rose significantly after playing the Runner game type (). The variations of the concentration of the salivary cortisol escalated significantly after playing the Fear game type (P<0.0001) ().

The variations of the mean concentration of the salivary cortisol in the participants increased significantly after playing the four games

Finally, the variations of the concentration of the salivary cortisol escalated significantly after playing the Excitement game type (P<0.001) (). In addition, the mean variations of the salivary cortisol after playing the four games and the percentages of the mean variations of the salivary cortisol are shown in and , respectively. Our investigations showed that the activity of the right forehead hemisphere of people experiencing social anxiety or people exposed to social threats is higher.

The mean variations of the concentration of cortisol after playing the game showed that the highest change was caused by the fear game

Table 2

The percentages of the variations of the mean concentration of cortisol after playing the games

Therefore, based on these findings and neurofeedback sources, the method selected for analyzing and determining the level of stress must show the ratio of the activity of the two brain hemispheres in the forehead. depicts the positions of the electrodes on the heads of the players. Note that the relatively higher activity of the right hemisphere as compared to the left hemisphere reflects the relatively higher α activity in the left hemisphere. Moreover, the signals of different people were analyzed with regard to the mentioned stress type.

The positions of the electrodes on the participants’ heads

and are indicative of the level of fear (the stress performance of the brain signals) in two individuals who played the Fear game and Excitement game under similar test conditions. It is worth stating that these diagrams are zero mean diagrams and the horizontal direction is a temporal direction with 0.0625 second increments (Lupien & Lepage, 2001; Rosenbloom et al., 2012). and shows the mean stress of the participants or the stress performance of the brain signals, which equals the ratio of the alpha power of the frontal left hemisphere to the frontal right hemisphere, in different time points. The mean results of each player of each group are also depicted in the bar diagram No. 1 ().

The changes of the stress feature of the brain signals of a participant after playing the fear game

The changes of the stress feature of the brain signals of a participant after playing the Excitement game

The levels of the stress indicator in two different groups

4. Discussion

The players of video games are different with respect to their age, gender, nationality, and time zone. The importance of video games lies in their effect on the central nervous system of the gamers and their ever-increasing number. The different styles of video games attract different users and have different effects. Video games use moving pictures and exciting sounds to bring a world of excitement to the fans. This attraction brings the user’s soul and body to a world of imagination and makes him or her feel like a hero of the story. These effects use various techniques and tricks to affect the thoughts and minds of the players to the extent that they think they are a part of a whole (Boot et al., 2008; David, Harris, & Bley Jr, 1983; Davis & Granger, 2009; LaBar & Cabeza, 2006; Weber et al., 2006). Related research suggests that action video games can affect the visual short-term memory, spatial understanding, multi-tasking, and some of the aspects of performance (Boot et al., 2008; LaBar & Cabeza, 2006).

Research results also indicate that cortisol is the most important hormone secreted by the adrenal gland cortex of humans in response to stress. When the human brain considers a factor a stress (or risk) factor, amygdala is activated and triggers the parontotrichular nucleus of the hypothalamus. As a result, corticotropin-releasing hormone is released from the neurons of this nucleus into the blood. This hormone affects the secreting cells and causes the release of adrenocorticotropin from these cells into the blood (Cardinal, Parkinson, Hall, & Everitt, 2002; Fuster, 1988; Gray, Braver, & Raichle, 2002; Lupien & Lepage, 2001; Smeets et al., 2008). In addition, the adrenal sympathetic stress axis, as the second axis, responding to stress in the human body, increases the secretion of ptyalin into the saliva by stimulating the sympathetic system and increasing the norepinephrine hormone. The variations of the salivary ptyalin are the measures of cortisol and α-amylase. According to the investigation, chronic stress leads to mental dysfunction, whereas the acute stress reinforces mental abilities such as attention, processing speed, and the decision-making power (Davis & Granger, 2009; Maheu et al., 2005). Moreover, the effects of stress on the cognitive performance of humans depend on the effective dose of cortisol (LaBar & Cabeza, 2006; Pham, & Tran, 2012; Ramirez & Vamvakousis, 2012).

The research results also reveal that the levels of cortisol and concentration of α-amylase decrease significantly in the participants who played the Puzzle game. This game is designed based on logic and problem-solving skills, and due to the activation of the decision-making parts of the brain (including the prefrontal lobe) the stress system is deactivated and the levels of cortisol and α-amylase decrease. This type of stress can be defined as the logic stress (Szubert & Jaśkowski, 2014). The analyses of the Runner game showed that the concentration of cortisol increased slightly after playing this game. The increase in stress equals the circumvention of the time limitation, which increases the activity of the stress system and induces fear to overcome this limitation. This time limitation is thought to have positive effects, increases human’s speed and reinforces the eye-hand coordination. This kind of stress is known as the limit stress (Gracia-Bafalluy, & Noel, 2008).

The other findings of this research show that the levels of cortisol and α-amylase increase significantly in the players of Fear type game. Since this game is a horror game it can be destructive in the long run because the players are constantly feeling fear and stress, the adrenal gland and the hypothalamus-pituitary axis are always ready to function, and cortisol is released abnormally. These endless activities impair human’s cognitive functions such as concentration, attention, decision-making, and memory in the long run. This type of stress is known as the fear stress (Burdo, 2014). The increase in the unnatural secretion of cortisol impairs the glutamate system, destroys the nervous synapses, and results in the impairment of memory, learning, and emergence of anger, violence, or depression. The increase in the concentration of extracellular glutamate and the excessive activity of the ionotropic receptors cause toxicity, which damages the nerve cells and the hippocampus synapses (Krawczyk, 2002; Smeets et al., 2008; Yu, 2016).

The results of studies on the violent Excitement game showed that the levels of cortisol and α-amylase of the players increased significantly after playing this game. This game is formed of a set of elements that are not superior to one another, and thus the resulting stress cannot be attributed to a certain feature of the game. This is because stress is caused by violent and frightening visual and sonic elements as well as timely decisions and logic of the player. In other words, this game induces interactive stress (Ballard & Wiest, 1996). Since the NMethyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptors play a major role in transmitting the stimulating messages, plasticity, and neural destruction of the central nervous system, the excessive activity of these receptors leads to the generation of large amounts of neurotoxic substances that demolish the nerve cells and synapses. The physiological effects of the damage are demonstrated in the form of unwanted angry and violent behavior and depression and a decrease in the cognitive readiness of the individual (Ballard & Wiest, 1996; Fox, 2011).

Recently, stress is defined a mental state that affects human brain and body. According to this definition, by playing the Puzzle and Runner game, the players’ stress-fear system is almost deactivated due to the activity of the decision-making, attention, and concentration zones of the brain (which include the prefrontal area and frontal lobes). In addition, as seen in the provided diagrams, the deactivation of the fear-stress system decreased significantly after playing Puzzle game and slightly after playing the Runner game. This difference is caused by the described stress. In other words, the style-wise results of this research proved that the elements of these games had no destructive effect on the stress-fear systems of the participants. The examinations of the Excitement game and Fear game showed that the level of α-amylase (as the marker of fear) and cortisol (as the market of stress) changed significantly.

The escalation (%) of α-amylase concentration was considerably higher in the players of the Fear game than the players of the Excitement game. This finding reflects the differences between the game contents. After playing these games the concentrations of cortisol increased, but the percentage of variations was higher in the Fear game. However, these differences were not considerable as compared to the variations of the α-amylase levels. The results obtained by recording the brain waves of the players mainly indicated the development of fear after playing the Fear game. In addition, the analysis of the brain signals of the players who played the Excitement game showed high levels of stress. shows that the Fear game players had a larger stress performance index compared to Excitement game players. In general, the type of stress depends on the game style, and the resulting stress may reinforce the cognitive elements or destroy them, but more research is required to clarify the effects.

Ethical Considerations

Footnotes

Funding

We express our gratitude to the Neuroscience Research Center of Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences for financial support, and also Soft Technology Development Council and Neurogame Research Group.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no potential conflict of interest pertaining to this journal submission.

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Adrenaline | Elements the Game Wiki

Description

Spell effect

Price

Notes

Number and strength of attacks depend on creature strength

The adrenaline effect allows a creature to attack up to four times per turn. The first attack will be made at the creature’s normal attack power, and this determines the strength and number of subsequent attacks. Creatures with strength over 15 do not gain any additional attacks.

A creature with multiple attacks will be damaged multiple times by the Fire Shield.

Forest scorpions will only apply poison for two of their four attacks.

A creature with multiple attacks may be stopped multiple times by Procrastination; for example a creature with four attacks may be stopped after the first attack, spend its second attack recovering, be stopped after its third attack, and then spend its fourth attack recovering. At the end of each turn it will have delivered two successful attacks and still be active, ready to use its power on the following turn. But if it began its turn in the stopped state, it will deliver two successful attacks and end the turn still stopped and still unable to use its power on the following turn.
Each of the attacks against Dissipation Shield will drain the usual number of entropy quanta. For example, an attack 2 creature with Adrenaline will make 4 attacks, each of which will drain 1 entropy quantum from the opponent for a total of 4. A normal attack 8 creature would only have drained 3.

Attacks chart[]

The damage and number of attacks are as follows:

90,000 adrenaline game – Colorful veils and more – LiveJournal

Why do children, as well as some adults, sometimes have a painful urge to break and hide something or commit misconduct.

Among many reasons, the following scheme was noticed: a child twists something in his hands, he knows that he will be scolded for damage to things, fear appears, adrenaline is released, the person continues to bend or twist a useful thing. The level of adrenaline grows along with the increase in danger and fear, then suddenly the thing breaks down and here it is already necessary to urgently hide the traces of the crime – even more adrenaline.Moreover, the more valuable a thing, the higher the level of hormones obtained. This is a dangerous game in which children and parents are involved, and the parents’ fear of losing something is also involved in the process and the child feels it. In case of indifference on the part of the parents to material values, the child transfers the game to the area of ​​his own health, where the parent cannot remain indifferent.

This is a semi-magical game, when the exchange of energies in the form of experiences and fears is carried out even without direct contact of the participants.

The more it is explained to a person that this should not be done, the more he gets involved in the game, the stakes grow, the fear grows, the release of hormones is off the charts. Most adultery situations fall apart as soon as the mystery comes out. There is no additional energy derived from fears that everything will be revealed.

It turns out lunch from the first, second and third. Soup is fear when committing an offense, the second is the offense itself and its concealment, and the third is exposure and catharsis through repentance.From the point of view of obtaining energy, the game is a win-win.

To explain that this is a very expensive thing is pointless precisely because it is new and expensive, you can start the game by testing it for strength. It is the same as telling a child with round eyes that doing parkour is very dangerous.

The question arises what to do in such cases. It seems to me that a playful attitude, humor, bringing into awareness, showing the pettiness and primitiveness of this kind of behavior can help here.

upd: a few hours after this post was written, the eight-year-old beauty, having played Mozart on the piano, climbed under the table and started playing with an adrenaline clapperboard – “what will happen if you slowly pull the string.”The result is a floor strewn with confetti and a smoky face.

The next day – an elongated stretched spring at the cage with a bird just donated.

A shed on a plot with a roof that can be climbed … One and a half meters high.

1. Just climb, but don’t jump. (Temptation. First shot of adrenaline)
2. Come to the edge. (Supplement. Temptation 2. second adrenaline rush)
3. Jump (Fall. Third adrenaline rush)
4. A choked scream, twisted leg, passionate whisper: “Just don’t tell your mom !!!” (Victim.The fourth portion of adrenaline)
5. Tikhorilovo, limping, fears, what if mom finds out? (Torment. Fifth adrenaline rush)
6. Mom recognized. Scandal (Confession and subsequent rebuke. The sixth portion of adrenaline)
7. Trauma center, swelling, X-ray fear of getting into the trauma department again. (Seventh rush of adrenaline)
8. Repentance, a promise never to do this again, forgiveness. (Catharsis)

And in a new way, but at a different higher level, since the usual scheme does not give the necessary portion.

Signs of people playing an adrenaline game:

Closing the door. (You mommy go, I’ll stay here in the room alone)
Taking loans from the bank. (Given by parents)
Appeal and performance for mom or girlfriend. (To stop the game, you need to immediately make a clear decision and say. “If I get on my motorcycle, I will not change diapers to a paralyzed vegetable!)

Suburb Magazine – Adrenaline games

May is the opening of the season not only for boarding houses and out-of-town recreation centers.Fans of various “outdoor games” – adults, serious games that give a great adrenaline rush, also actively attracted to nature.

MOST of the gamers are office workers who make up for their five-day sedentary life with “outdoor adventures.” The two most fashionable games today are geocaching and paintball. Geocaching is an exciting option for family vacations, paintball is for a corporate trip out of town.

NEW RUSSIAN STORAGE FINDERS

For a long time, the topic of finding treasures is surrounded by an atmosphere of attractive mystery.Who among us has not dreamed of being like Indiana Jones or Stevenson’s heroes! Many adults devote their lives to uncovering ancient secrets, among which there are quite real caches and treasures.
A game called “geocaching” is literally translated as “laying hiding places in the ground.” The rules of the game were invented by the American Dave Ulmer, who in May 2001, in honor of the cancellation of the limitation on the accuracy of the navigation signal transmitted by the satellite (this made it possible to reduce the error of GPS receivers from 100-150 to 30 meters), laid a cache in the vicinity of Portland and published the coordinates of the “treasure” on one of the internet forums.Three days later, Ulmer received a letter from another forum member, in which he reported that he had found a cache.
The essence of the game is as follows. The player hides a plastic container and determines its coordinates in the GPS. After that, they are posted on the geocaching.ru website along with a map of the area and a description of the route. Other players search for the cache and report search results to the same site. In general, orienteering with elements of treasure hunting. Anyone who owns a GPS-receiver can participate in the game.And any noticeable point can act as a bookmark: both an old pine tree in the swamp, and the Pavlovsky Palace – the main thing is that the place is interesting outside the city.

In Russia, the original rules were left unchanged. People of two types participate in the game – those who are looking for treasures out of sports interest, and those who have long been fond of tourism or local history. The latter use geocaching as an excuse to get out to a new interesting place. Near St. Petersburg, where there are many remarkable places, geocachers are becoming real local historians: the Faberge dacha, Shuvalovsky Park, Lindulovskaya Grove, Fort Ino, “bison” in Toksovo – just a short list of places where “treasures” are hidden.

The “burial ground”, which is usually a waterproof bag or container, can contain anything. One of the active participants in the game, Valery Ivannikov, lists the objects he encountered: pencils, pens, a disc with bard songs, a Turkish charm bracelet, a 1979 map of the Leningrad region, a pager … Whoever found the cache takes one of the items and puts it on it the place is new. Usually, the container also contains a notepad, in which you need to note: names, when and where you came to the cache.Sometimes there you can read whole poems about the search for a cache. The report on the search for the treasure is also posted on the site.

Often the whole family participates in the trips – the children support the search with passion. A portrait of an “average” geocacher: income level of $ 500, a car (without it, it is simply impossible to get to most of the hiding places) and Internet access. The income level is important, since the player needs to buy a GPS receiver, which is not a very cheap pleasure – from $ 200 to $ 650.

DEFENSE GAME

For those who first came to the site where this game takes place, it may seem that he will become a participant in a news release about another military conflict.A forest or an abandoned factory building, people in khaki uniforms and protective masks … They are looking for cover, shouting something to each other, holding strange weapons in their hands. The clatter of shots is heard from everywhere, a charge fired from a grenade launcher can explode overhead. And … to stain clothes with splashes of bright paint. It also looks like a military exercise or a meeting of crazy avant-garde artists. But this paintball is a completely safe sport and the most colorful game in the world.

It is believed that paintball was invented in 1981.It was then that three comrades who were stock brokers bought markers – guns that shoot paint. Since friends adored military action, then, without thinking twice, they decided to arrange something like a military battle. Ten more people took part in it. The game turned out to be extremely addicting and after a while became very popular in the USA.

Paintball has almost all the indispensable attributes of a real military skirmish: weapons, bullets, shots, “killed”, ambushes, heavy fire, and so on.But at the same time, the game is less dangerous to health than a walk along the evening streets of the city. Shooting is carried out from markers: the main thing is to mark the enemy, to indicate that the shot has reached the target. Instead of bullets – special balls filled with bright non-toxic paint. The shell of each ball is made of the same fragile gelatin as the capsules for medicines, so the ball flying at a speed of about 90 meters per second breaks against an obstacle and leaves a stain on it. In case the ball hits the head, all players must wear a special mask with a visor to protect their eyes, face, ears and neck.

Everyone plays: men and women, teenagers and students, athletes and businessmen. The most interesting paintball games are role-playing. They are created according to scenarios of both real battles that took place in history (for example, the Battle of Stalingrad) and fictional wars. They often gather several thousand participants. In such games, every little thing becomes important – from historical accuracy in uniforms and the location of units to combat tactics.

But more often than not, the game is played on relatively small sites that allow you to play out several not very difficult scenarios.Since paintball is a team game, most of its types are, in one way or another, a confrontation between two or more teams. There are games where everyone plays for himself.

In the Big-games club (in Gorelovo) there is an “Empty Village” training ground. As the name implies, rickety wooden houses with boarded up windows and doors serve as shelters for players. This site is most often used for the Capture the Flag scenario game: from the “own” end of the field you need to get to the flag standing in the middle and transfer it to the “enemy” half.The game on this field is interesting without a script at all: in this case, the meaning of the “battle” is to “shoot” more players from the opposing team in a certain amount of time (7-15 minutes).

In the Gatchina paintball club, the game is played in the park area of ​​the Orlovaya Roshcha. Here, the simplest and most popular paintball scenario of “cleansing” is most often played out: two teams start from different bases, the task is to “destroy” all rivals. Trees, bushes and hiding places allow for the element of surprise: one team moves into the forest, the other players ambush.
The club “Krasnaya Zhara” offers (among others) the site “Lost City” – several

detached one-story buildings in rough terrain with natural relief. The forest area alternates with various buildings, parapets, trenches and earthen embankments. Outwardly, it is very reminiscent of a secret military town “lost” in the forest.
Recently, it has become fashionable to celebrate birthdays in paintball clubs. The game is especially popular among people with a busy schedule of life: it allows you to really get distracted.“Only here I was able to get rid of the thoughts of work. The only thing that revolves in your head during the game is to hide, not to get under fire, to hit the enemy. And that’s all! ” – a regular client of the club shares his experiences.

Ekaterina GOLUBEVA

Squid game: why the world has gone crazy with the TV series

Everyone loves games (yes, even cruel ones)

The concept of the Squid Game is simple, but effective: several hundred people in need of money participate in a bloody show according to children’s rules games.The winner gets a day of life, and in the future, a jackpot of almost $ 40 million. The loser is a bullet in the forehead.

We have before us a successful implementation of the format of cruel survival games that has been used for a long time (and very successfully) in cinema. The formula is as simple as possible and works flawlessly: from the very beginning, the viewer is caught on the bait of waiting for the finale (like the heroes of the series – on the bait in the form of a valuable prize). And no matter how frightened you are by the sight of blood and ultraviolence in the frame, or repulsed by an unusual Asian style of play, or irritated by some secondary nature of the plot structure as a whole, curiosity will surely turn out to be stronger.

There are many adrenaline-pumping analogs of the Squid Game in the world cinema, so it is easy to answer the question of what to watch after. All parts of Saw and The Hunger Games, of course. Or domestic versions of the “Survival Game” and “Call Center”. Japanese dystopia “Battle Royale”, “The Terrible Will of the Gods” and “Alice in the Borderlands”. There is another South Korean version, also about money and debts, – “Game of Liars”, one of the adaptations of the popular Japanese manga (by the way, it was she who was inspired by the creator of “The Squid Game” Hwang Dong Hyuk, who came up with the idea of ​​his project back in 2008) …

Well, the most faint of heart can switch to Fort Boyard and The Last Hero. One way or another, all of the above shows satisfy our voyeuristic needs, and in addition, they force us, willy-nilly, to ask uncomfortable questions: how will I personally behave in extreme circumstances? Will humanism or selfishness win in me? Instincts or Conscience?

A reference to childhood and sugar candies

However, the cruel games themselves would not be so interesting if the authors did not come up with a curious move – to appeal to a sense of nostalgia.After all, the Korean children’s games that formed the basis of the competition are understandable to everyone. Putting their smartphones aside, the fans of the series play the game “Quiet you go – further you will” (from a Yakut designer to schoolchildren from Yekaterinburg), prepare patterned caramel dalgon sweets to squeeze out different figures from them, and throw takchi. The latter – the pieces of paper folded in a special way – is a game similar to the “inserts” popular in our 1990s.

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At the same time, the director and screenwriter Hwang Dong Hyuk admits that the concept with games from childhood was chosen precisely for the simplicity of the rules – the viewer is not distracted by trying to understand what’s what, but is more focused on the behavior and interaction of the characters.Well, in this sense, the monstrous contrast between innocent games and their bloody consequences, when the loser gets a bullet in the forehead instead of a click, and the truth creates a strong effect – with a terrible aftertaste.

Thoughtful universe and perfect marketing

Despite the bloody ruthlessness, the series is packed smartly, even festively. If the coffin, then with a bow. If sneakers, then snow-white. The faces of the disgustingly bored “moneybags” will be hidden, of course, with golden masks, and the characters will definitely get meaningful names (for example, the old man’s name at number 001 O Il Nam literally translates as “person number one” or “first person” – for those who have already seen the ending, this stroke will sparkle with special colors).

Bright, thought out to the smallest details visual style largely explains the viral popularity of Squid Games, which has spawned dozens of memes (scroll through the gallery below) and hundreds of videos on social networks with the #squidgame hashtag.

Memes based on the Squid Game

And now everyone wants the same slip-on sneakers (sales of white Vans have increased by 7800%) and a green tracksuit like the players, fuchsia overalls like the guards, a VIP mask and, of course, the main symbol of the series is a doll humming a murderous song.Viewers have already found its Russian incarnation in the form of a nesting doll, and a photo of the latter, taken by one of the actors of the series in Russia, instantly collected hundreds of thousands of likes.

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Most likely, the number of fans will also grow for the architectural masterpiece of Ricardo Bofill – the Spanish apartments La Muralla Roja, reminiscent of that eerie pink labyrinth with narrow stairs in one of the trials.

The residential area La Muralla Roja in Spain is now often compared to the labyrinth from The Squid Game | Source: Legion-Media.Common crawl en

Korean actors are terribly overacting (and you can’t take your eyes off)

What are these grimaces and bulging eyes? Why do the actors suffer so pretentiously and talk unnaturally? Viewers do not address these claims to all performers, for example, the beautiful Jung Ho-yeon spent the entire season with an impenetrable poker face. But some are terribly overplaying. In terms of emotional overlap, two are in the lead: the 48-year-old protagonist sitting by an old mother’s neck, Song Ki Hoon (played by Lee Jong Chae) and the hysterical heroine Han Mi Nyo (Kim Chu Ren).

Expression on the verge of hysteria is annoying, but it is impossible to break away. Moreover, the hypertrophied manner of performance inherent in Asian cinema reduces the dramatic pathos. When the air sparkles with tension, a character will bulge his eyes and become more cheerful.

Serious social overtones

Despite the brilliant wrapper of an intricate thriller, The Squid Game bears a clear social line – as did another South Korean hit that won the Oscar 2019 and caused a lot of noise “Parasites”.It is not only South Korea with its debt burden and class inequality that criticizes the series. We have before us a disturbing picture of the entire capitalist world. Especially considering that an inhuman and savage farce is unfolding in front of the eyes of the depraved and insatiable powers that be.

In theory, the brutal race for survival is with the consent of the players, it can be stopped. But this is a trap, and there is really no choice. This inequality sewn into life (and not in puddles of fearless, in fact, blood) is the main frightening component and the key message of the series.The choice is just an illusion and a fake. Money is more important than one’s own life and that of someone else’s. And it seems that while some are ready to go to great lengths for the sake of a hard-hitting coin, others will be willing to pay for it – and vice versa. So, we are waiting for the continuation.

Doom Eternal, Darksiders Genesis on Switch and Hollow Knight. What did you play last week?

Beginning of a new week – another piece about the games that the Kanobu editors played last week. Join the discussion in the comments and tell us which games you’ve played recently!

Darksiders: Genesis on Switch – still the same Darksiders

The Darksiders series for me is a kind of guilty pleasure: I am perfectly aware of all its shortcomings, some (for example, the portals in the first part) madly enrage me, but I still like to play.I myself do not understand the reasons, just like that.

Genesis turned out to be even more amazing: in addition to being just Darksiders, which I understand pretty much everything about, it is also an isometric action game. Not Diablo even close, but a naturally familiar part of Darksiders, but with a top view.

At some point it seemed to me that I would definitely bypass this game, but in the end I still got to it on Switch – the only platform that does not require special preparation and excessive immersion.And spent several hours in Genesis! Heck.

If very quickly, then the new Darksiders is really the same Darksiders that you know, but in isometric view. Does this change the gameplay? No, not really: the main characters still jump around enemies just as deftly during battles, perform acrobatic somersaults, climb steep walls and cling to ledges. And yes, it is the heroes – in the plural: you can play Genesis for the War, familiar from the first part, and the new rider, Strife.The first is the same “tank”, the second is a swift and dexterous warrior armed with pistols. By the way, you can play for them in co-op.

And, to be honest, Genesis has the same problems as all other Darksiders. But at the same time, playing it is just as exciting as the rest of the Darksiders. At least for me.

Author: Denis Knyazev, head of the games section.

Hollow Knight is a game where you can spend

years fighting a boss

I’ve been playing Hollow Knight since the end of the summer of 2018, when, on the advice of Lesha Egorov (with whom we share a love for complex and controversial bosses), I purchased the indie role-playing game just released on Switch.Roughly 19 months of that time was spent fighting a single boss. This is the so-called Failed Champion, the second, hidden form of the very first worm boss.

I don’t know if this is because I didn’t upgrade the “nail” that the hero fights with. Or the fact that burning meteors are constantly falling from the ceiling of the cave, more or less randomly thrashing the Knight and knocking out the rhythm, pace and distance of the duel. Or the fact that the fight is quite slow on Switch at key moments. In any case, going through all three phases of the boss (3 portions of 75 hits), I broke my own record for the duration of meetings with one enemy – previously it was Vicar Amelia from Bloodborne.It happened that I fought with one boss for weeks and even months … but never for YEARS.

At the same time, I got great pleasure from every second of the fight. I’m not a big fan of Hollow Knight as a game – I hate metroidvania, and it’s not very difficult. But the optional, hidden bosses in this game are the best I’ve seen outside of From Software games.

If you’ve read my article “How To Play Cuphead Correctly”, then you know that I find Mega Man 2 and Gunstar Heroes pretty easy games.So the main thing here is not the complexity itself, but the honesty and thoughtfulness of each phase of each super-enemy. Even if you are continuously bombarded with fiery meteorites, and the boss himself makes false moves in order to knock you out of range and take out with 1-2 hits, you still always control everything. The controls in the game are so responsive, and the combat system is so subtle and fair that even in the most difficult moments there were no completely hopeless situations. Only those in which I moved too slowly or thought hard.

Let’s see what awaits me in my meeting with Nightmare King Grimm. See you in a few years in one of the issues of this column!

Author: Alexander Bashkirov, head of the section “Films and serials”.

Alto’s Adventure and Alto’s Odyssey are great games for emotional relaxation

I am a fan of games where you have to overcome the distance from point A to point B in style, performing dangerous stunts, since Gravity Defied: Trial Racing. The Altoʼs Adventure and Altoʼs Odyssey Dilogy are great games for emotional relaxation with minimal design and flow-like gameplay, even though they don’t have a B-spot, only A.

Odyssey came out later, and therefore, in terms of content, it is richer, so you can immediately play it: several zones with different environments, a little more tricks and a variety of slides and jumps. And yes, as soon as you open the second playable character (Maya), you can immediately switch to Zen mode and not complete tasks, but simply swim endlessly on the sand waves.

Author: Sergey Ulankin, editor-in-chief.

Doom Eternal – wicked, sadistic, insanely fast and adrenaline game

It took me 18 hours to complete Eternal.And by “complete” I mean that I collected everything that is not bolted to the floor, completed all the tests on the assignments and all the “masterworks” of the weapon. And all I can say about the game is it was fucking fucking awesome.

The new Doom is certainly not sinless. Some people will not like the increased role of platforming, others will complain about the too colorful (and completely customizable, yes) interface, but I tend to criticize the game for the last level. He’s basically good – adrenaline, angry, with a bunch of really hard fights – but at the same time it could have been made much more epic and interesting.Moreover, the answer to the question “how?” will come to your mind as soon as you remember the giant robots scattered across the first levels and the same robot in the hangar near Dumgai. I understand that I screwed myself up and began to wait for too epic completion of the storyline campaign, but honestly – who would be worse if the authors let go of the reins, shouted “to walk like that!” and arrange a Pacific Rim crossover with Doom? Yes, no one, everyone would only win.

My second problem is the thrice-cursed marauders.For a few minutes, this mob completely changes the rules of the game in the arena, and woe to you if you didn’t manage to clear it before its arrival. Perhaps the most annoying opponent in the game, in a good and bad way at the same time. Well, the challenge where you have to kill such a person in thirty seconds is generally a mockery. You have to break the whole pace of the game (and fingers at the same time) to deal with this misunderstanding.

But otherwise everything is great. The combat system in Eternal is very similar to that of the game in 2016, but with a couple of significant differences.Firstly, there are much less cartridges here. Secondly, the charges in the chainsaw are endless and recharge on their own (and quite quickly). Thirdly, after a couple of finishing moves, you can move the enemy between the eyes with such force that his legs will fall off. A flamethrower and cryogrenades also appeared, with the help of which you can get yourself additional armor and health. It sounds, of course, cumbersome, but in reality …

In fact, it works like this. You rush into a crowd of demons with a super shotgun. Shot “minus one”, switch to a shotgun and underbarrel grenade deprive the arachnotron of its tail-machine gun.Dash is back, in his hands is already a machine gun with a sniper mode – and at the Mancubus both of his guns “fall”. Another dash to dodge a kick, an instant switch to a super shotgun – and minus one more demon. A cryogrenade and two ordinary ones fly in the survivors, you switch to the Crucible and, with a wild cry, run to the tyrant, who, due to his slowness, could only now limp before you – so that a second later he would fall to half a hundred kilograms of lightly fried minced meat. All this takes about ten seconds, and the adrenaline rush is over the roof.And keep in mind that this was only the first phase of the battle, further reinforcements will be brought down to the demons, and you have to turn on.

This is all the magic of Doom Eternal – there are no extra weapons, no extra gadgets. In battle, absolutely everything will come in handy, from a chainsaw to a flamethrower, and at some point you will catch yourself thinking that you are doing everything on autopilot.

Did you see the Cybermankubus? He burst in and punched him in the liver to make the armor fly off. Then he flew off on a dash and blew the guns from the sniper rifle to the revenant.He gutted a teleporting trifle from a rocket launcher, fed the cacodemon with ballista charges, casually cut the unfortunate imp in half, turned the Hell Baron into Swiss cheese … the rules of the game are remembered instantly and are imprinted into the subcortex after one or two battles. Perhaps the only weapon I never really used was an alternate version of the BFG called the Unraveler. The thing is certainly funny, but it just eats cartridges at a cosmic speed – it’s better to use the usual BFG.

Is Doom Eternal a good game? Oh sure. Angry, sadistic, insanely fast and adrenaline-pumping – just what the doctor ordered during the coronavirus epidemic. Should you play it if the previous part has not gone? Probably not. Is it worth playing if the previous one has entered? Definitely yes – although you should be prepared for a major change in the rules.

Author: Alexey Egorov, editor.

Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light on Switch – Scary Tale

As a longtime fan of the Metro series, I couldn’t miss the release of my favorite game on a portable console that I always carry with me.I will not retell the plot, you all know it perfectly: nuclear war, subway, blacks. I’d better tell you about my impressions.

First of all, the game hasn’t lost the graphics at all. Of course, it makes no sense to compare it to Exodus, which I went through in 4K, but for a portable console, the graphics are more than good. And not for the picture we love Metro. For me, the atmosphere, its surroundings, is much more important. The shadows dancing on the walls from the only fire burning at the station, the rustle of spider paws coming from the tunnel – all this creates that unique world in which you do not want to live, but in which you want to return.

Secondly, I got the opportunity to once again pass through the story of Artyom. I do not scatter loud words. The plot of the game touches the soul, and the heroes with unique charisma come back to mind again and again. Putting the console down, after an hour I get bored without Ulman’s jokes or Bourbon’s thug songs. Do you understand what I mean? Heroes are alive, you believe them, you want to help them. Probably for me this is the main indicator of a good game.

I strongly recommend not to miss the opportunity to go underground again, to the Moscow Metro.I know that you already hate the word coronavirus, but while you are in quarantine because of it, play around, brighten up your everyday life with an amazing story. A terrible tale awaits you, the ending of which depends only on you.

Author: Alexey Pankov, news editor.

90,000 Pioneers 2021

Quest fans, our regiment has arrived. January brought to the “Quest World” entourage adventure quests, adrenaline and mystical performances, driving action games and mesmerizing VR quests.Let’s get acquainted.

In Moscow 11 impressive new products appeared at once. You can go on a comfortable and safe “Journey to the Dark World” with the “Masters of Kung Fu” or find out what the “Wrong Fairy Tale” is. The last two performances returned to us after reconstruction and are already waiting for your new assessments. For fans of more terrible games in the capital, the mystical horror films Abode of the Damned and Bella’s House were launched. Beginning “from the company” Quest-Art “. An eerie performance with an intriguing title “Lucky Hotel.Behind Closed Door ”, which is also available for booking on our website. Fans of non-standard quests with sophisticated mechanisms, in which “Stranger Things” are happening, should look into the “Lost Room”. And, finally, those who want to warm up and enjoy the driving team game are waiting for the action games “Laser tag” Wild West “,” Laser tag “Enclave” and “Hide and Seek”.

At Serpukhov, are waiting for guests in “Apartment 13”. If you are not timid, come in.

In St. Petersburg four interesting quests from “iLocked” have opened at once.Daredevils, take the Horror Store on a mind-blowing tour of the darkest and most hidden corners of your mind. Born detectives and accusers of villains are very much awaited at the “Crime Scene” to continue the investigation of “Scooby-Doo” itself. The School of Magic has opened its doors for curious kids. The presented quests also have alternative versions, which means that the choice is even wider.

In Yekaterinburg the adventure quest “The Hobbit and the Secret of the Ring” has opened. You have to go to the aid of the hobbit Frodo Baggins and together with him find the ring of omnipotence.

For residents of Yaroslavl , no less interesting novelties were opened. The fantastic quest “Among Us” and the adrenaline quest with elements of the performance “Chamber” are already waiting for the guests.

In Kazan , two exciting quests for young adventurers have begun. Minecraft. The Real World “and” Alice in Wonderland “are looking forward to the visit of the little ones.

In Nizhny Novgorod the action game “Among Us” was launched – an ideal option for a large and active company.

“Alice in Wonderland” also looked at Tulu . Join the maelstrom of famous events in a fabulous and colorful VR quest.

Residents and guests of Stavropol are invited to play “Hide and Seek in the Dark” . Participants are guaranteed a cool play space and vivid emotions.

In Orenburg opened the “Labyrinth of the Minotaur”. You have to repeat the feat of a real hero: get out of the maze of a terrible monster with the body of a man and the head of a bull.Go for it!

In Tyumen , after reconstruction, the quest for fans of military themes and complex mysteries “Vault 13”, known earlier as “Fallout: Vault 142”, “Vault 142”, has returned. If you crave to know, “Who is the traitor?” in your team, we recommend visiting a dynamic action game.

In Omsk horrific events unfold. Your team will have to find out who is behind the bloodthirsty crimes in a performance based on the famous horror movie.Book the “Scream”, which is again available on our website.

In Novosibirsk the Zero Day Project was launched. Check if you are able to resist the brutal group and fight back the vicious system.

For active and perky guys in Chelyabinsk the action game “The Last Hero” has opened. The quest based on the famous show can be completed in a team of up to 30 people.

In Gomel the “Base of Superheroes” appeared. Those wishing to join the ranks of fighters for justice are already waiting in the new quest from “Questland”.

Daredevils, go to the “Exclusion Zone” if you are able to carry out an important public mission and uncover the secret of the “Jupiter” plant in Kiev . Imagine, the quest takes place in the flooded underground communications of a military bomb shelter. VR-quest “Alice”, in turn, awaits connoisseurs of fairy-tale themes and a bewitching atmosphere. You can complete the quest on Mishugi Street, 3 B and Luteranskaya Street, 21.

The Qzone company has opened six interesting quests at once in Odessa .Adventurers are eagerly awaited in the entourage quest “The Curse of the Pharaoh” and its children’s version “The Riddle of the Pharaoh. Kids “. Fearless players and fans of florid riddles are invited to try their hand and get out of a cunning trap in the “Corsairs” and “Abduction” quests. Well, the legendary “Saw. Survival Game and Saw 2: Survival Game. Adrenaline quests with a familiar storyline are again available for booking on our website.

Lasergame-Arena Prag

Laser Tag

Laser tag, or laser battle, is an adrenaline-pumping team sports game that takes place in real time and space.Participating from 2 to 16 players. The more participants in the arena, the more goals and the more interesting it is to play. The game uses state-of-the-art high technology, including infrared radiation and lasers. Laser tag is great entertainment for everyone – men and women, adults and children who love the game, are looking for vivid impressions and just want to have a good time.

Spielregeln

Before the start of the game, each player receives a special electronic vest, to which a laser pistol is connected.From this weapon, the player seeks to hit the sensors on the enemy’s vest. In the event of a hit, the enemy is excluded from the game for a few seconds. At this moment, he seeks to hide, to break away from his pursuers. The vest is then automatically activated and the player returns to the game. For each accurate hit, the player is awarded a certain number of points. The goal of the game is to get maximum points for hits for yourself and your team. Only one team wins, only one player becomes the best! One game lasts 12 minutes.Believe me, you will like it !.

Arena

The game takes place in a 420 m2 dark arena. Here you will run, crawl, hide, sneak up and shoot at opponents. Numerous barriers with different openings will serve as cover for you, among which you will find excellent shooting positions. The arena is equipped with many fantastic lighting and smoke effects.

Wardrobes

A wardrobe with lockers is used for changing clothes, which is constantly monitored by video cameras.For a small fee, you can rent t-shirts from us for the game.

Game options

Are you team players or rather individualists? Here you can choose the format of the game that suits you. You can play each for himself (“Solo-game”) or for two opposing teams (“Tim-game”). In the whole Czech Republic only in our arena you can play the game “Capture the Flag”

Equipment

We will provide you with the most advanced laser tag equipment currently available. The weapon, which weighs only 0.6 kg, allows you to accurately hit the opponent from a distance of 35 meters. Weighing only 1.8 kg, the vests accurately capture the hits of your opponents. On the LSD display placed on the weapon, you can see which of the rivals hit you, how many points you have, how much time you still have to play.

What is required to play?

To participate in the game, you only need sports clothes and shoes.We recommend dark (optimally black) clothing – it is not so noticeable. The game is physically demanding, so don’t forget the towel!

Other entertainment

After the game, you can relax or have fun. For example, take part in the official ITSF Garlando Olympic table football world championship, or play in the Army salon on the X-Box console, or watch sports broadcasts on TV. While in the bar, you can watch what is happening in the arena using a fisheye video camera.Free WIFI internet for our guests.

Welcome, we are waiting for you!

FAQ on adrenaline and adrenaline combos – Unreal Tournament 2004 – Games – Gamer.ru: social network for gamers

Q: What combos are there?

A: Initially there are 4 combos in the game:

Speed ​​

Berserk

Invisible

Booster

In addition, two more views can be added using the Bonus Combos mutator:

Pint-sized (Zoom out)

Camouflage

Q: How can they be launched?

A: The combo starts when there is the required amount of adrenaline, if you dial a certain combination with the navigation buttons.Further, when mentioning the combination, I will use the following abbreviations:

forward button – F

right movement button – R

left movement button – L

Reverse button – B

The combination FFFF will mean four times pressing the forward button. Please note that you should type the combination quickly, otherwise the combo will not activate.

Q: What does the Speed ​​combo do?

A: This combo starts with 100 adrenaline with FFFF and lasts for 16 seconds.While the combo is active, you can jump 1.5 times higher and move 1.4 times faster. The player who turned on this combination is clearly visible by the two yellow “tails” stretching from his feet.

Q: What does the Berserk combo do?

A: This combo also requires 100 adrenaline and lasts 30 seconds. You can start it with the RRFF combination. The combo increases the rate of fire of the weapon by 25% and does more damage. In addition, the effect of the combo differs depending on the weapon:

Assault Rifle: The main fire mode deals 1.33 times more damage.The flight range of the grenade is “pumped up” 1.5 times faster.

Bio-Rifle: In Alternate Mode, charges up 25% faster.

LinkGun: Deals 1.33 times more damage with a beam.

MiniGun: 1.33 times more damage in Fast Shot mode.

ShieldGun: Pump up to max level 25% faster.

Q: What does Invisible combo do?

A: For 100 adrenaline, makes the player relatively invisible for 30 seconds.Activated by the RRLL combination. Although with some diligence, most cases of the invisible player can be discerned close, the effectiveness of the combo is influenced by the graphics settings of the invisible opponents, as well as, sometimes, the features of their video card installed. Someone can see the invisibility from afar, someone may not notice it at close range. They are very fond of the invisible because of the strong advantage that this combination gives.

Q: What does the Booster combo do?

A: For 100 adrenaline, restores health and armor over 30 seconds.It is started by the combination BBBB. Every second health will increase by 5 units, until it reaches 199. If the combo by this moment does not end before the same, armor will begin to increase by 5 units, up to 150 units. Upon reaching 199 health and 150 armor, the combo works “idle”.

Q: What does the Pint-Sized combo do?

A: For 100 units of adrenaline for 30 seconds, reduces the player by 2 times. It is started by the RRRR combination.

Q: What does the Camouflage combo do?

A: Again for 100 units of adrenaline and for the traditional 30 seconds disguises you as some large object (for example, a column).I have never seen anyone use this combo. It is started by the LLLL combination.

Q: Can the combo be extended?

A: Yes – for this you need to collect adrenaline while the combo is in effect. The combo will last until the adrenaline is used up (except for invisibility – the limit of the duration of this combo is 60 seconds).

Q: What happens if I get killed the moment the combo is active?

A: Combo effect will end.