• Critical-Hits Studios
    • Criminals Card Game
    • Sentinel Comics: the Roleplaying Game
  • Downloads & Tools
    • Critical Hits Fantasy Name Generator
    • Drinking D&D 2010
    • Drinking D&D 2011
    • Fiasco Playset: “Alma Monster”
    • MODOK’s 11 for Marvel Heroic Roleplaying
    • Refuge In Audacity RPG
    • Strange New Worlds RPG
  • Guides
    • Gamma World
    • Guide to 4e Accessories
    • Guide to Gaming DVDs
    • Skill Challenges
  • RSS Feed
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Critical Hits

Everything tabletop gaming since 2005

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Columns
    • Dire Flailings
    • Dungeonomics
    • Musings of the Chatty DM
    • Pain of Publication
    • The Architect DM
  • Podcasts
    • Critical Hits Podcast
    • Dungeon Master Guys Podcast
  • Roleplaying Games
  • Tabletop Games
  • Game Hacks & Content
  • Video Games
You are here: Home / Archives for Newest Critical Hits / News / Critical Bits

D&D Character Builder Beta, Open to All

December 11, 2008 by Dave

The character builder is now available for everyone, D&D Insider subscriber or not. It is still only levels 1-3 (a recent Digital Insider suggests that early into 2009, but not that early, it will be opened up to all 30 levels) but contains some updates from recent material, including Martial Power. Check it out (it’s […]

Filed Under: Critical Bits, News, Roleplaying Games

Equivalent Exchange

December 9, 2008 by Dave

icv2 reports that Full Metal Alchemist will be getting a second series. Sequel series that picks up after the movie? Re-done version that sticks closer to the manga (ala Hellsing)? The adventures of the protagonist pair’s alter-egos in our world during the early 30’s? The article doesn’t say, but I’m skeptical that anything will be […]

Filed Under: Anime, Critical Bits, Television Tagged With: fma, full metal alchemist

Take a trip down to Fabletown

December 8, 2008 by The Main Event

Fables, my vote for the best ongoing comic of the past five years, has been approved by ABC as a pilot. This project has really high potential, but I fear could easily suffer from a serious watering down that would make the show revolve around a “fable of the week” concept at the expense of […]

Filed Under: Comics, Critical Bits, Television Tagged With: ABC, comic, comicbook, fables, pilot, tv show

Bioshock’s Lead Designer on the Triumph of the Nerd

December 5, 2008 by Dave

PAX 08 'Ken Levine Keynote' Ken Levine’s keynote speech from the latest Penny Arcade Expo is fantastic, so I’ve embedded it here. He talks extensively about what it was like growing up as a nerd in the 70’s, and talks extensively about finding a gaming group. Not only does he share much of how I […]

Filed Under: Comics, Critical Bits, Roleplaying Games, Video Games Tagged With: bioshock, ken levine, nerd, pax

Play Auditorium

December 3, 2008 by Bartoneus

Thanks to Tycho, today I found the game Auditorium online and now I’m hooked.  The funny thing is that I’ve only played with it at work where I don’t have speakers, but from the name and looks of it I imagine I’m missing a part of the game without the auditory experience.  I guess a […]

Filed Under: Critical Bits, Video Games Tagged With: auditorium, game, gaming, physics

And also also, the un-end of the D&D Miniatures Game

November 21, 2008 by Dave

WotC announced that the D&D Miniatures game would not die after all. Instead, they’ve decided to hand it off to a handful of committed volunteers to develop stats for future minis releases and keep the skirmish/tournament scene going, with official license from WotC.

Filed Under: Board, Card, and Miniature Games, Critical Bits, News Tagged With: DDM

The return of entangling and the red death

November 21, 2008 by Dave

Next month’s editorial calendar for D&D Insider is up. In it, there are not one, not two, but FOUR playtest articles coming out, including the Druid, Invoker, Adventurer’s Vault 2 items, and Mercykillers.

Filed Under: Critical Bits, News, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: adventurer's vault 2, D&D Insider, D&DI, dragon, druid, invoker, mercykiller, planescape, player's handbook 2

4th Edition Encounter Planner

November 14, 2008 by Bartoneus

Earlier this week I was talking to Asmor and idly mentioned to him how I was trying to make an Encounter Planner for 4th Edition that used the DMG encounter templates. I was hoping to have something where I input a level, choose a difficulty, and it outputs a list of the monsters that will […]

Filed Under: Critical Bits, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: 4th Edition, asmor, D&D, dnd 4e, Dungeons and Dragons, Roleplaying Games

Winter is Coming (to HBO)

November 12, 2008 by The Main Event

George R.R. Martin’s fantasy epic has been greenlighted. The plan is to adapt one novel each season, starting with 1996’s “A Game of Thrones.” – AintitCool Martin himself will be doing some of the writing chores (further pushing back Dance of Dragons, eh?) along with others.  Frankly, I’m really excited.  After seeing Rome/Deadwood I have faith […]

Filed Under: Critical Bits, News, Science Fiction & Fantasy Genre, Television

ZeroClix

November 10, 2008 by Dave

Citing the tough economic times, Topps announced today it will be shutting down Wizkids. For those who came in late, Wizkids was the studio that made the first clicky-base game MageKnight, and then was able to spin off the concept into their most successful game, HeroClix. They had a string of other clicky-base games, the construct-a-ship game Pirates of Spanish Main, various collectible card games, a board game or two, and a few other miscellaneous products. Topps purchased Wizkids in 2003 (when founder and game genius Jordan Weissman left).

Filed Under: Board, Card, and Miniature Games, Critical Bits, News Tagged With: heroclix, mage knight, wizkids

« Previous Page
Next Page »

About the Author

  • Dave

    Dave "The Game" Chalker is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of Critical Hits. Since 2005, he has been bringing readers game news and advice, as well as editing nearly everything published here. He is the designer of the Origins Award-winning Get Bit!, a freelance designer and developer, son of a science fiction author, and a Master of Arts. He lives in MD with e and at least three dogs.

    Email: dave@critical-hits.com

    Follow me:

Subscribe

RSS Feed

Archives

CC License

All articles and comments posted posted on the site (but not the products for sale) are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. References to trademarks and copywritten material are included for review and commentary use only and are not intended as any kind of challenge.

Recent Comments

  • fogus: The best things and stuff of 2024 on Remembering the Master: An Inelegant Eulogy for Kory Heath
  • Routinely Itemised: RPGs #145 on Review: The Magus
  • The Chatty DM on Review: The Magus
  • Linnaeus on Review: The Magus
  • 13th Age: Indexing Truths — Critical Hits on The Horizon Conspiracy

Contact The Staff

Critical Hits staff can be reached via the contact information on their individual staff pages and in their articles. If you want to reach our senior staff, email staff @ critical-hits.com. We get sent a lot of email, so we can't promise we'll be able to respond to everything.

Recent Posts

  • Remembering the Master: An Inelegant Eulogy for Kory Heath
  • Review: The Magus
  • Hope in the Dark Heart of Evil is Not a Plan
  • Chatty on Games #1: Dorf Romantik
  • The Infinity Current: Adventure 0

Top Posts & Pages

  • Home
  • The 5x5 Method Compendium
  • Dungeons & Dragons "Monster Manual" Preview: The Bulette!
  • Critical Hits Fantasy Name Generator
  • On Mid-Medieval Economics, Murder Hoboing and 100gp
  • "The Eversink Post Office" - An Unofficial Supplement for Swords of the Serpentine
  • Finally a manual for the rest of them!
  • Dave Chalker AKA Dave The Game
  • How to Compare Birds to Fish
  • The Incense War: a Story of Price Discovery, Mayhem, and Lust

Copyright © 2026 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in