A COLLECTION ASIDE

Luckily she’s created her version of a blanket fort; Rimworld, where she’s been stockpiling rice and chocolate. Indeed, the threat of impending doom neatly ties together this issue’s collection, including vengeful, encroaching armies and murderously negligent hospitals. Even Thimbleweed Park’s Delores, in her own standalone adventure, notices ominous signs that things are not quite right. Read the indie pages, or hide under your bed’s covers. We respect your decision, either way.

RIMWORLD: ROYALTY

DEVELOPER Ludeon Studios PRICE $28.95 RELEASE Out now.

ONLINE https://store.steampowered.com/app/1149640/RimWorld__Royalty/

As you may recall, at the end of the last collection, I was neck deep in spiders, thanks to one of Rimworld Royalty’s many hilarious, new quests, involving a greedy pawn and his penchant for jelly. The expansion had arrived like appetising raiders to a hungry ice sheet (I devoured this tasty surprise). My chief concern, after dispatching the spiders, was how to stay alive long enough to appreciate the new content, so I did something I would never usually do; switch to a Peaceful Phoebe Chillax, the base-building game master, from Cassandra on Rough.

I made this decision after a second mechanoid cluster wiped out the entire supportive contingent from the Exodus Empire (whereas last time, I only lost one), a friendly caravan (of about twelve) and two of my own pawns. Had I been preparing badly? Maybe. But, do you remember the posh woman (being chased by a snow hare) who would only eat chocolate and berries? Now half my damn colony is that picky. I