Quarrel

Quarrel is a game very fun and different. Unfortunately, in Italy his success is linked to more than a good knowledge of english: essential to appreciate the game.

As a straight-port with added multiplayer, developers Denki have done a decent job with Quarrel. Moving forward, there's plenty to build on in order to establish this as a successful series. When it comes down to business, Quarrel does its best to puff out its chest, but loses breath quicker than expected upon first playing. There's no doubt this is a charismatic, challenging and fun way to spend your time, if you don't mind some irritating tendencies along the way.

Word games are only as good as their dictionary is reliable, and while Quarrel has one of the best around, it's occasionally hamstrung by Microsoft's Victorian sensibilities.

Despite this, much of the game is a joy to play, providing more than its share of simple, disposable fun. Moreover, Cabela's Survival: Shadows of Katmai nails the spirit of its protagonist and the atmosphere of the adventure. Although its scenario is silly and many of its incidents are ridiculous, the game succeeds because it never takes itself very seriously.

Its strategy is just complex enough to demand some skill, and breaking down words is right up every word nerd's alley. Quarrel is flawed, but selective players who know what they want will find themselves enraptured by a siren song written in eight-letter words.

At its core, this is a really good game with a winning gameplay mechanic, but its flaws often grind the fun to a screeching halt.

Quarrel is an interesting mix between Risk and Scrabble where you must conquer the enemy territory using anagrams. It's a nice game that can keep you playing for a long time, if you tolerate its frustrating AI that sometimes gives the sensation of cheating.