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Poll Watch

Are you concerned about the use of generative AI by game developers?
Yes, it will decrease the quality of games
16.33%

Yes, it will impact people's jobs / shift the industry
18.37%

Yes, but it is too early to say whether the net result will be negative
30.61%

No, it will increase the quality of games
16.33%

No, it will improve people's jobs
6.12%

No, it won't substantially change anything
2.04%

I don't have any opinion for or against it / don't know enough about generative AI to say
10.2%

Vote

July

Arcadian Atlas - Gameplay

by Hiddenx, Saturday - July 29, 2023 08:22

Wanderbots checked out Arcadian Atlas:

Art Noveau Tactical RPG! - Arcadian Atlas

Arcadian Atlas

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Strategy-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

Crimson Tactics - Early Access Review

by Hiddenx, Saturday - July 29, 2023 08:16

LT Gaming checked out the tactical RPG Crimson Tactics: The Rise of the White Banner:

Crimson Tactics: The Rise of the White Banner - Early Access Quick Review

Crimson Tactics

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Tactical RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

Arcadian Atlas - Reviews

by Hiddenx, Friday - July 28, 2023 06:37

Couchpotato spotted two reviews for Arcadian Atlas on RPGFan and RPG Site:

RPGFan: 

A fulfilling RPG experience that doesn’t require a 50+ hour time commitment is always welcome for those of us with busy schedules. The 13 or so hours I spent on a single playthrough Arcadian Atlas was time wonderfully spent. With its expressive sprites, fun gameplay, robust writing, and jazzy music, it is clear that Arcadian Atlas was crafted with lots of heart and is definitely worth a look.

Score: 81/100

RPG Site:

Aside from several gameplay design decisions that irked me and a mediocre story didn’t do anything for me, my time with Arcadian Atlas was pleasant and admittedly insignificant. I don’t have any strong feelings for what I played. It took me roughly 12 hours to finish with all the sidequests done. The music had a nice jazz-infused flavor that made it more memorable than I expected. If you’re looking for a new strategy RPG and are willing to give a new independent studio’s first shot a genuine chance, this one is alright.

Score: 5/10

 

Arcadian Atlas

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Strategy-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

Arcadian Atlas - Released

by Hiddenx, Friday - July 28, 2023 06:30

The tactical J-RPG Arcadian Atlas has been released:

Arcadian Atlas

Description:
Arcadian Atlas is a 2D isometric tactical RPG set in the richly detailed pixel art world of Arcadia. Watch your footing & mind the elevations as you traverse the maps -- A turned back or tumble on the battlefield could cost you a friend’s life. Let the moody jazz soundtrack carry you through a thought provoking & ruthless story of love, deceit, murder, companionship & war. Meant to be a modern go at the Tactics Ogre / Final Fantasy Tactics game style, Arcadian Atlas was designed from the ground up to incorporate more challenging battle strategies, new & balanced job classes, and darker subject matter for a more mature audience.
 
Featuring innovative job classes, character driven narratives that leave you invested & intrigued, strategic grid-based battles and a jazz infused soundtrack, Arcadian Atlas is a lushly handcrafted 2D isometric tactical RPG that takes the rich history of the genre and makes it modern.

History:
Twin Otter Studios is an independent game developer started in 2015 by siblings Taylor & Becca Bair. After ranking in various game jams, creating their 5 hour indie RPG "Genesis" together & working professionally in the gaming industry as a writer & freelance artist (respectively), the brother/sister duo decided to make their work official with an LLC & logo.

Our goal is to craft lovingly handmade games with a fusion of modern elements & classic aesthetics that we ourselves would want to play. We have brought together some of the freshest & most innovative talent in the industry to bring you unforgettable gaming experiences.

Features:

  • Hand-painted character art & a pixel perfect world designed by artist Becca Bair (Vidar, Dreamblazers). A labor of love!
  • Detailed battle system provides limitless strategy & challenges.
  • Epic storyline and 3-dimensional characters fleshed out by writer Taylor Bair (Business of Indie, Planet Destiny) will leave you intrigued & attached. 
  • Grid-based tactics play style hits all the right nostalgia chords
  • Retro-style sound effects & modern, chilled out jazz tunes by Moritz P.G. Katz (Fort Meow, German
  • Wahnsinn) bridge the gap between yesterday & today.
  • Innovative job classes with zero filler skills will keep you chasing that AP.
  • Marries tried & tested classic tactical RPG gameplay with new customizations & exciting mechanics that help innovate the genre.

Arcadian Atlas

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Strategy-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

Mystic Land: Search for Maphaldo - News @ Indie Retro News

by Silver, Wednesday - July 26, 2023 10:55

Indie Retro News reports on an RPG inspired by Wizardry 7 and Eye of the Beholder called Mystic Land: Search for Maphaldo. You can check out some new screenshots from their Instagram page.

[...]

Also according to the team behind the game "Mystic Land is an open world retro RPG. A true spiritual successor of Wizardry 7, Eye Of The Beholder and Might and Magic. Old-school dungeon crawling, party creation and turn based movement/combat with a bit of "extra" added. For example : different forest areas don't look the same and aren't using the same graphics, so each area you explore will be unique and special. Furthermore the possibility to add animations to everything - walls, objects, floor, ambient... like the animation of a rat crawling all over the dead Shkra warrior in the dungeon. This opens up lots of possibilities".

And that's we have on the game so far, but for further information make sure to check out the website link, or the twitter page above, we can't wait!

Mystic Land: Search for Maphaldo

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Dungeon Crawler
Platform: Unknown
Release: In development

Details

Crimson Tactics - Early Access Release

by Hiddenx, Tuesday - July 25, 2023 16:20

The tactical RPG Crimson Tactics: The Rise of The White Banner will be released into Early Access today:

Crimson Tactics: The Rise of The White Banner

Crimson Tactics: The Rise of The White Banner is a classical turn-based tactical RPG. It is set in a medieval high fantasy world and unfolds an action-packed mature political story on the continent of Xenthania. Experience the fate of an entire kingdom through the lives of the characters tied together by destiny.

The kingdom of Wendalle is peaceful but divided. It is weak and isolated. Wendalle is barely standing on one leg when it faces a new and devastating threat- an invasion by a strong and fanatic empire.

To make things worse, the king’s closest friend and confidant betrays him and paves the path for the invasion. Since the king has no heir, the traitor plans to take over the throne by claiming that this is to unite his motherland. Is his claim true? Or is he just a puppet of the empire?

Just when all hope seems to be lost, an unknown warrior comes forth with his allies and reshapes Wendalle’s future.

Crimson Tactics is strongly influenced by games like Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre and yet it stands on its own as a worthy spiritual successor to those classics. It also brings in new improvements and additions to the tactics genre:

  • The game features a complex class system with over twenty-five classes.
  • Players can choose and use from over two hundred abilities.
  • Recruit story characters with unique classes, weapons and abilities.
  • Combat features an extensive weapon system where players can mix and match from hundreds of different kinds of weapons for a more epic experience.
  • A unique mounting system that has mounts ranging from horses to dragons, with each having its own advantages and disadvantages.
  • Battles take place on grid based maps.

Crimson Tactics

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Tactical RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

Arcadian Atlas - Interview @ Game Rant

by Hiddenx, Tuesday - July 25, 2023 16:08

Game Rant interviewed an Arcadian Atlas developer:

Interview: How Arcadian Atlas Charts Its Own Course in the TRPG Renaissance

One Arcadian Atlas dev talks to Game Rant about the resurgence of tactical RPGs, inspiration from genre classics, and how the new TRPG stands out.

With recent releases like Diofield Chronicles and Persona 5 Tactica on the horizon, tactical RPGs are in the middle of a new golden era. One of the games making up this modern trend is the upcoming Arcadian Atlas from developer Twin Otter and publisher Serenity Forge.

Arcadian Atlas follows two lovers in an era of political intrigue, civil war, and powerful magical artifacts. The familiar notes from genre-defining games are where Twin Otter’s owner, Taylor Bair, found the inspiration and grounding of this new game. Though, as he told Game Rant in an interview, Arcadian Atlas charts its own path. The following transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Q: TRPGs are enjoying something of a renaissance lately. What do you think is driving that?

A: The resurgence often seems to correspond with age–those of us who grew up playing some of the classics of the genre like Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics are now adults, seeking out a creative way to express ourselves. So you see those influences start to seep in as those who were once players are now developers and have the chance to pay homage while crafting something new and adding their own special mark on a genre they fell in love with.

Q: What inspired Arcadian Atlas?

A: While the inspirations are too numerous to list here, much of them hearken back to the SNES and PS1 era when pixel art really came into its golden age, not just in the absolute sprawling beauty of still images and seamless tilemaps in games like Secret of Mana, but in animation work expressing itself so potently in Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI. These worlds were limited by the hardware at the time, but those constraints gave birth to revolutionary techniques with light, movement, and character emotion. Our love for those characters inhabiting those worlds really drove our passion for Arcadian Atlas–and we think that comes through in the animation work, the gorgeously rendered battlefields, and the rich story.

[...]

Thanks Couchpotato!

Arcadian Atlas

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Strategy-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

Edge Of Eternity - New Beginning Update released

by Hiddenx, Tuesday - July 18, 2023 10:18

Edge Of Eternity got a new update:

New Beginning Update is Out Now!

After the last update in April, we are very proud to announce that the New Beginning Update is now available. This update brings a new procedural dungeon and the beginning of the adventure has been revamped.

[...]

Thanks Couchpotato!

Edge Of Eternity

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Sci-Fi
Genre: J-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

Arcadian Atlas - Interview

by Hiddenx, Thursday - July 13, 2023 17:48

Hey Poor Player interviewed Twin Otter Studios about their upcoming J-RPG Arcadian Atlas:

Get to know a little bit more about Arcadian Atlas—and the people behind it!

2D isometric SRPGs are an absolute treasure if you ask me. There’s something about games like Final Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre, and the like that—between their engaging combat, endearing stories, and charming artwork—have always held a special place in my heart. Unfortunately, they’re also part of a bygone era… or so I had thought! Despite not being the most popular thing around anymore (were they ever, though?) the world of old-school SPRGs is very much alive and well—with the upcoming Arcadian Atlas being the most recent example (and a very exciting-looking one to boot!).

Maybe you’re wondering just what, exactly, Arcadian Atlas is about, though? Or perhaps you’d like to know a bit more about the development process? Well, you’re in luck, because we here at Hey Poor Player recently got to sit down and pick the brain of Taylor Blair—one half of the brother-sister duo sitting at the helm of the development studio behind Arcadian Atlas, Twin Otter Studios!

Hey Poor Player: To begin, could you briefly give us a synopsis of Arcadian Atlas in terms of both story and gameplay?

Twin Otter Studios: Arcadian Atlas is a tactical RPG in the spirit of Final Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre, and more modern interpretations of the genre like XCOM and Fire Emblem. We wanted to craft interesting and powerful classes that have different strategic usage in our gorgeous isometric battle maps – using some of our favorite skill tree features from games like Ragnarok Online and Diablo II to make each class further differentiated through wild and powerful abilities.

On the story front, the land of Arcadia is embroiled in civil war when the eldest surviving heir to the throne, Lucretia Belneive, is declared illegitimate by her stepmother, Queen Venezia. Lucretia raises the peasantry – the destitute and downtrodden – to resist and reclaim her throne. The ensuing war, driven by these two cold, calculating tacticians, forces the entire continent to choose sides, including our heroes: Vashti Dahlman and Desmond Rhines. But as the world around them burns, our characters find the bonds of love and family fray and snap. Arcadian Atlas is the story of that burning – and of what can be saved from the ashes.

HPP: Based upon what we can see in the Release Date Reveal Trailer, Arcadian Atlas seems to have PS1-era retro-ness about it. Was that done on purpose? If so, were there any games in particular that you would say helped to inspire you during this game’s development process?

TOS: The retro-quality of Arcadian Atlas existed from the very beginning and was born from our love of the SNES/PS1 era. Growing up in the ‘90s, we lived during the golden age of pixel art, when Secret of Mana, Final Fantasy VI, and Chrono Trigger pushed the artistry of these tiny pixels to their most endearing. We fell in love with these 16-bit characters. We felt their pain and rejoiced in their triumphs, even though they were just a collection of dots. Because we saw ourselves in them. We wanted to bring that depth of visual storytelling to Arcadian Atlas, and the retro style let us do that as a small team.

[...]

 

Arcadian Atlas

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Strategy-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

Crimson Tactics - Early Access on July 25 @ TBL

by Hiddenx, Saturday - July 08, 2023 13:52

The Turn Based Lovers report that Crimson Tactics: The Rise of The White Banner will be released into Early Access on July 25:

HIGH FANTASY TACTICAL RPG CRIMSON TACTICS IS READY TO ARRIVE ON PC

The highly anticipated tactical turn-based RPG, Crimson Tactics: The Rise of The White Banner, developed by indie dev Black March Studios is ready to release on PC via Steam Early Access on July 25, 2023. Set in the immersive medieval high fantasy world of Wendalle, this game offers players an action-packed political narrative filled with desire, destiny, and demise.

The kingdom of Wendalle teeters on the brink of disaster, riddled with ideological divides and awash in mistrust. A raging civil war spurred by a power-driven siege risks disrupting the kingdom’s stability as dukedoms fiercely vie for the throne. Amidst this turbulence, players will navigate the sinister schemes of Duke Arsenio Duran of Swozalta, an antagonist with a relentless ambition for power, and aid a dwindling rebellion fighting against his oppressive reign.

Crimson Tactics: The Rise of The White Banner puts players at the heart of this power struggle, pushing them to make critical decisions. Will they value the lives of their comrades or exploit them? Would they help those in need, or succumb to their own ideals? The choices made will shape not only the course of Swozalta but the entire kingdom of Wendalle.

Taking inspiration from iconic games like Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre, Crimson Tactics introduces innovative twists and enhancements to the genre. 

Key features include:

  • A unique mounting system featuring horses and dragons
  • Challenging tactical gameplay with aggressive and adaptive enemies
  • A dynamic difficulty option that adjusts according to player performance
  • Tactical grid-based maps promoting a broad range of playstyles

[...]

Thanks Couchpotato!

Crimson Tactics

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Tactical RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

Monomyth - June Update

by Hiddenx, Wednesday - July 05, 2023 15:19

Henriquejr spotted the June update for Monomyth:

Monomyth - June Update

State of the Game: Video Devlog 5.0 | The Inner Fortress

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

The latest video devlog is finally ready! This month we are taking a look at the last beta area and we will be listening to a short snippet of the combat music. If you keep your eyes peeled, you can even catch a glimpse of the game's crime system and its (currently minimal) implementation. But we will get to that in another update. Please, enjoy:

As always you will find the transcript below!

Best wishes,
Michael

[...]

Monomyth

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Action-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: In development

Details

Black Geyser - New Update

by Hiddenx, Monday - July 03, 2023 16:50

Couchpotato spotted a new update for Black Geyser:

Italian Translation Released

Localization News and Recent Changelog

Greetings, adventurers!

We are thrilled to announce that Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness is now available in Italian! Our heartfelt thanks goes to Giacomo Falconi from Wordbridge for the Italian translation of the game.

In March, we informed the community about serious issues regarding the current and future operation of the Black Geyser team. We are still working on these issues and will come to a final conclusion in August that we will share with you immediately. Thank you for your patience.

Since our last update, several fixes and improvements have been implemented as well. You can read their list below.

Latest Changes

  • Added Italian localization
  • Black Liquor's icon now appears properly
  • It's no longer possible to kill Bartender Ruflodac in Castle Alastor before he summons his illusions
  • It's no longer possible to attack Deron-Guld soldiers in the Guild Hall during Fair Winds and Foul quest without them fighting back
  • It's no longer possible to skip the enemy soldiers on the battlefield and go directly to their leader during the Only Who Is Left quest
  • Funnel Aura now properly updates effects each turn based on the number of nearby enemies
  • Subcontainer weights are now calculated correctly
  • Isla no longer asks about the Pendulum if the player has already talked to her about meeting him
  • Traps no longer sink into the ground in the lower level of Deron-Guld mine
  • Looting Bent Journal Page no longer increases greed
  • Vile ancients during Sephtys bossfight now correctly have their emerge animations and selection circles
  • Vile ancients now properly emerge during Sephthys bossfight even if the player started it after finishing Catalyst
  • Potion of the Frost Giant and it's recipe are no longer obtainable
  • Modified the recipes of Weak Potion of Exhiliration and Potion of the Raging Tempest
  • Potion of Invisibility no longer scales with player level, it now gives invisibility for a fix 10 turns
  • Removed healing effect from potion of invisibility
  • Removed Fortified effect from Strong Potion of Heroic Defense, it now cures poison instead
  • Increased Shady dealings and Theology check limits in Zornilsa's dialogue at Castle Alastor
  • Covetous Pendant becomes unusable if player refuses to serve Zornilsa at Castle Alastor

If you like our work, you can support the project by posting a review on Steam.

The Black Geyser Team

Black Geyser

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

Wartales - Update v1.0.26636

by Hiddenx, Saturday - July 01, 2023 12:46

Henriquejr spotted new update for Wartales:

Release Notes for 28/06/2023

Wartales v1.0.26636

Gameplay

  • Added a warning inviting players to verify their game files or to reinstall the game if it detects potential corrupted files.
  • Fixed an issue where stolen objects would still count towards the fine after giving them back or paying the fine.
  • Fixed an issue where the wanted amount of a single item would change when hovering over it.
  • Fixed an issue where the carrying capacity icon would hide the value on a unit’s character sheet.
  • Fixed an issue where the commodity tax would take trade goods stored in the post’s chest into account.

Items

  • Fixed an issue where dismantling objects would count as if they were crafted.
  • Fixed an issue where some crafting recipes shown in the compendium were not obtainable.
  • Lute’s recipe can now be found at numerous taverns around the world.
  • Drombach’s Trackers camp will now sell the following recipes : Pungent Powder, Feathered Collar, Training Collar, Tracker’s Reinforced Layer and Bard’s Reinforced Layer.
  • Powdered Rage’s recipe is now sold at the Drombach arena.
  • Mountaineer’s Hotpot’s recipe is now sold at the Drombach Rouste field.
  • Mutton au gratin recipe is now sold at the Mount Ernst haven.
  • King’s feast recipe can now be found in a chest in the cursed village of Ashtel.

Battle

  • Fixed an issue where Protective Overlay would prevent any malus to be applied.
  • Fixed an issue where bears would survive a thunderbolt.
  • Fixed an issue where the bee swarm hitbox didn't match its appearance.
  • Changed Assassin's Strychnine effect : "This unit gains Poisoned Weapon for 2 turns" -> "Damage increased by 25% against poisoned units.

Quest

  • Fixed an issue where having both Abbot Theocene and Captain Hostes in the party at the same time would prevent players from progressing their quests.
  • Fixed an issue where the Drombach Rouste field quest artifact could be sold, preventing the completion of the quest.
  • Fixed an issue where killing the smugglers in the derelict farm before going to the Garusa clan's Townhall would not complete the "Tomb Raider" quest.
  • Fixed an issue where the “Informing the tavern of fortune mades” bounty could not be completed.
  • Removed the chest in St Eleror abbey, as it was tied to a legacy quest.

Achievements

  • Fixed an issue where the “Eat a feast” Achievement would only trigger when traveling via the trading posts.
  • Fixed an issue where polar variations of bears and wolves would not count towards the completion of the “Leader of the pack” Achievement.
  • Fixed an issue that prevented the “Jack of all trades” Achievement from triggering.
  • Fixed an issue that prevented the “All modern comforts” Achievement from triggering.
  • Lowered the "Travelling light" Achievement requirement from 20 different camp tools to 15.

Wartales

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

June

Arcadian Atlas - Release Date: July 27

by Hiddenx, Thursday - June 29, 2023 15:33

The tactical RPG Arcadian Atlas will be released on July 27:

Arcadian Atlas - Release Date Reveal Trailer

Arcadian Atlas is a Tactical RPG about the choices people make in pursuit of power, love, and the havoc it wreaks on a kingdom.
Play as two lovers brought together by war, torn between the queen they’ve sworn fealty to and the charismatic illegitimate daughter who’s risen up to take back a throne denied her. As the war wages on, and powers more ancient than the soil resurface, watch the world burn or stand your ground and fight for the Arcadia you believe in.

Thanks Couchpotato!

Arcadian Atlas

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Strategy-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

Mount & Blade II - Development Update #12

by Hiddenx, Wednesday - June 28, 2023 17:38

Redglyph spotted development update #12 for Mount & Blade II:

Development Update #12: Weather System, Formation Targeting and Warehouses

Mount & Blade II

SP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Strategy-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

Mystic Land: Search for Maphaldo - Announced

by Hiddenx, Tuesday - June 27, 2023 17:50

Kordanor spotted a retro dungeon crawler Mystic Land: Search for Maphaldo - tweet:

Mystic Land: Search for Maphaldo

Mystic Land is an open world retro RPG. A true spiritual successor of Wizardry 7, Eye Of The Beholder and Might and Magic. Old-school dungeon crawling, party creation and turn based movement/combat with a bit of "extra" added.

Mystic Land: Search for Maphaldo

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Dungeon Crawler
Platform: PC
Release: In development

Details

Wartales - Review

by Hiddenx, Saturday - June 24, 2023 13:55

FlynnStrider checked out Wartales:

What Is... Wartales? (Review)

Wartales

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

Wartales - Community Update #1

by Hiddenx, Tuesday - June 20, 2023 16:53

The community update #1 of Wartales is out:

Community Update #1 Out Now!

Featuring community requests, new content, reworked features and more!

Attention, brave warriors of Wartales!

We're excited to unveil Community Update 1 (the first one since 1.0 release), a result of your invaluable feedback and requests. Community Updates are designed to enhance your gameplay experience and bring a selection of your desired changes, in line with our vision for the game, to life.

Prepare to customize your mercenaries with a stunning array of helmets, adding both style and protection to your adventures.
We've also prioritized accessibility and quality of life features, ensuring that every player can fully immerse themselves in the world of Wartales.
But that's not all! This update includes a host of minor content additions, carefully balanced gameplay adjustments, and crucial bug fixes.

Your input continues to shape Wartales, and we thank you for being an essential part of the game’s development.


Protect your heads!

Helmets are making a grand entrance in Wartales!

There is now a distinct helmet by weight category for every faction, matching the existing armors and bringing defensive attributes. Moreover, each of these helmets can give its bearer a specific combat Skill. This means we have added close to 30 new skills to the game!

What if you’d like a companion to use the skill of a helmet that doesn’t suit them? This is made possible thanks to a new customisation feature: Stamps. By dismantling a helmet with a master tinkerer, you can obtain a stamp bearing the helmet’s skill. This item can then be applied (just like a layer) on any other helmet, replacing its skill with the one on the stamp. With this system, build possibilities are multiplied!

[...]

Thanks Redglyph!

Wartales

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

Caves of Lore - Review @ RPG Codex

by Hiddenx, Monday - June 12, 2023 17:35

The RPG Codex reviewed Caves of Lore:

RPG Codex Review: Caves of Lore

INTRODUCTION

Caves of Lore is an isometric, turn- and party-based indie RPG, with retro-pixel graphics, developed solo by Mike Robins (Codex username LoreMaster) over the course of ~6 years. You play as a shepherd who goes looking for a lost sheep in a mysterious mist, causing you to fall into the eponymous caves, which is the start of your adventure.

Caves of Lore features tactical, square-tiled combat with a party of up to 6 members. Character development is primarily skill-based, with feats available through a unique (as far as I am aware) mechanic. Exploration incorporates time through the use of a lunar system that can affect the game world. Dialogue is keyword-based, with new keywords becoming universally available as appropriate.

[...]

CLOSING THOUGHTS AND RATING
The game closes a little abruptly, with an ending that makes it obvious a sequel is planned. I clocked in about 45 hours of playtime, a significant portion of which (probably a good 5 hours) was spent in the camp interface waiting on various moon phases. Yet the plethora of secrets, wide range of character development options, and the many areas of the game where I know there's more to discover mean I have already started a new playthrough. Needless to say I look forward to any sequels.

Caves of Lore is easily my favorite RPG played this year, and ranks up in the top 20, at least, of my favorite RPGs played ever. Distinguished by its excellent exploration mechanics, Caves of Lore was a contender for Game of the Year for me even before the continuous work put in post-release by the developer. After the many bugfixes, improvements and quality-of-life additions, Caves of Lore is easily my choice for Game of the Year. It's an outstanding addition to the ranks of both the CRPG genre and the efforts of indie developers. Mike Robins aka LoreMaster deserves praise and appreciation for his work, and it is my devout hope that he will continue making CRPGs well into the future.

Caves of Lore

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

Wartales - Roadmap

by Hiddenx, Monday - June 12, 2023 16:57

Redglyph spotted the new roadmap for Wartales:

Wartales Roadmap Update!

Attention mercenaries!

Following our recent 1.0 release, we are excited to share our plans for the rest of 2023 in the form of an updated roadmap!

With Community Update 1 (the first one since 1.0) just around the corner, we wanted to say a big thank you to you, our community, for all the feedback, thoughts and ideas that you’ve shared since the full release. We hope that this update will be welcomed with open arms!

As always, let us know what you think of what's to come!

- Shiro Games

Wartales

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

Details

Vagrus: The Riven Realms - The Geography of the Bronze Desert

by Hiddenx, Thursday - June 08, 2023 10:32

Lost Pilgrims Studio shared more details on the next Vagrus expansion, Sunfire and Moonshadow:

Expansion Devlog 1 - The Geography of the Bronze Desert

Learn more about our upcoming Vagrus expansion: Sunfire and Moonshadow.


Hey everyone,

With the announcement of Vagrus’s first expansion behind us, we thought that it’d be a good idea to create a short series of devlogs about certain frequently appearing topics regarding Sunfire and Moonshadow. The first of these – the one you’re reading – is about the region itself and its boundaries, with some lore tidbits sprinkled in. So, let’s get to it!

How Does it Measure Up?

Let’s not beat around the bush. The playable area of the expansion has the following borders:
- The Brown Mountains in the west and northwest
- The coast of the Northsea in the north
- The River Lethe in the east
- Voldano’s Shield, the Dead Forest, and the River Umbra in the south and southeast

Of these, some might deserve a short explanation, though we would not want to give away too much too early. The reason for not being able to travel past the Brown Mountains to the north is that the only traversable pass, the Pass of Glory, is kept open only for Imperial legions that are traveling to the frontlines past the continent and back. The lands beyond are either uninhabited or under martial law, so no free commerce is allowed anyway. Then there’s the Dead Forest, an accursed place where simply getting too close to the ailing trees can kill you, but nobody risks going in too deep. Moreover, beyond the forest and the mountain range called Voldano’s Shield lies the Plains of Agony – an ineffable, corrupted, nightmarish wasteland that none have returned from since its formation following the Calamity. And while you could theoretically pass over the Rivers Lethe and Umbra, each of these respective crossings are blocked for different reasons; these you will have to discover yourself.

And so you would have roughly the area below, which is more than a third but less than half of the original playable area of Vagrus’s open-world campaign.

The large majority of that playable area is the Bronze Desert with the foothills and coast surrounding it but down south travelers can descend into twilight made manifest as they reach the benighted Land of Shadows. Last but not least, there is the city of Kabur, Jewel of the North, a rich and diverse metropolis the likes of which can rarely be found in the Riven Realms.

What is the New Region Like?

The Bronze Desert is one of the largest contiguous deserts of a continent notorious for its arid wastelands. That said, it is markedly different from the dry badlands you have already come across in the game. For one, its natives, the Bandul, and their culture, is unique and cannot be found elsewhere on the continent. Then, there are the Tarkians – lots of them – who are not native but have certainly made a home away from home for their people. Imperials round out the list of the most prominent inhabitants, and as ever, their industrious and warlike ways have left their mark on the Bronze Desert. Even now, their war rages in the far north, and their legions are constantly on the march to and fro the frontlines. The three factions we’re adding to the already imposing list of potential allies mirrors these three people in intricate ways (more on them in the next devlog post).

They say that the region was already a desert long before the Calamity and it is true. For that reason, the people, creatures, and phenomena native to the Bronze Desert are much more in tune with the nature of this wind-beaten, sun-scorched realm. And so it would be potentially fatal ignorance to believe that the Bronze Desert is an empty, lifeless place. The many oases, outposts, and oil fields are teeming with nomadic wanderers and traveling opportunists alike, while the deep desert and the cold wasteland nights are stalked by many a strange creature.

And yet, the Bronze Desert is not the only realm of the expansion. As an almost anathema to its sun-drenched, coppery sands and blazing skies, the Land of Shadows is a dark, oppressive, benighted land that has been cursed into eternal twilight by the Calamity’s ruinous fallout. Even though few dare tread these forsaken plans and twilit forests, opportunities such as lumbering and mining draw enough interest to turn this region into a frontier – an extremely dangerous one at that. If the allegedly living shadows and life-draining trees weren’t enough, now a strange skittering echoes through the mountains to the west which brings dire portents to anyone trying to make it in this land of darkness.

So How Does One Get There?

A fair question, considering that hawk-eyed vagri such as you might have already noticed that the region outlined above does not have a direct border with the one in the base game. At this time, we can only say that it will be a unique, never-before-seen method of travel that we have spent a lot of time and love developing, and which – the dark gods willing – will be able to serve as a gateway to future content. For now, however, we shan’t give more away; instead, we hope that when you get to see it, it’ll be as exciting to explore and use as it was creating it.

That concludes our first devlogs on the expansion Sunfire and Moonshadow. In the upcoming weeks, we’ll have more of these posts on certain aspects of what we’ve been brewing up. Until then, stay tuned, stay vigilant, and conquer the wasteland!

The Lost Pilgrims Team

Thanks Redglyph!

Vagrus: The Riven Realms

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Post-Apoc
Genre: Strategy-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

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Dead Monarchy - Interview

by Hiddenx, Sunday - June 04, 2023 08:34

Tom's Gaming interviewed Kevin Zhang - developer of the tactical RPG Dead Monarchy:

Kevin Zhang [Dead Monarchy Studios] (Dead Monarchy) – Interview

Welcome to yet another developer interview. This time we are talking to Kevin Zhang, the man behind the recently released tactical RPG Dead Monarchy. We talk about the hardship of being a solo developer, dreams of the future, and what is planned next.

Tell me a little about yourself – who is the solo developer behind Dead Monarchy Studios?
So I’m Kevin Zhang, that part is probably quite apparent. I’m a Chinese man born and raised in Australia previously with a Thai surname. Yes, I am quite culturally confused. Dead Monarchy is my first game, I started development when I was 24, so the start of 2017 basically. I had no real experience prior to that, I just took on a relatively useless multimedia/games design degree that didn’t really teach me anything other than good folder management.

How come you started the difficult task of becoming a solo developer?
Depression and curiosity. Came out of a hurtful relationship and wanted to find meaning in my life. For a while games became the crutch then when I healed myself, I wanted more and more from gaming and eventually that curiosity made me take the plunge. I essentially see my whole solo game development journey as “real-life ironman mode”, I’m enjoying each step of the way, discovering new things and implementing things I’ve always wanted to do. It’s become a way of life for me now.

Is it your full-time job? If not, is it a dream to make it so?
Nah, I got other part-time jobs. It is my dream to be able to make games for a living but considering my games are super niche, it might always be a dream. That’s alright though, gives me enough reasons to keep pushing forward.

Do you do everything yourself – programming, sound, writing, etc?
I suppose if you want to get really technical, I designed the entire game myself but I didn’t develop the entire game myself. That is to say I didn’t make everything from scratch, I assembled various pieces that on their own are just tools, pieces of the puzzle. They have no real inherent meaning until they are put into the context of a game. I used to fiddle around with LEGO a lot, so in my mind it is like assembling a giant LEGO set. The music, those are all non-exclusive pieces, though I scour the asset store for suitable tracks which is surprisingly very hard to find. The writing, that’s all mine, it’s not particularly great but it gets the job done. I have various tools that assist me in programming and I invested quite heavily into those tools to get tailored solutions for Dead Monarchy. The only custom assets are the vast majority of the armour/weapon models and the animations, which I got help from by various contracted freelancers. It is still and I really mean this, an ungodly amount of work, especially when dealing with 3D which can quickly become a blackhole.

Let’s take for example the armours, when the models come in, I break them down into smaller pieces so I can get more customisation from them. I then rig the armour, decimate the polygons, create the alternative textures needed, like blood, scratches etc. Then I need to do the icons, do another pass for clipping and then set up the item in-game. I’m not a great animator either, so I got a freelancer animator to do my animations however for each attack he needed to animate, he wanted me to do a video of each attack taken from multiple angles. He would then use that video as the basis for the animation. So I spent about 100 hours of my life with a mop, hammer and umbrella bashing and slashing away like a maniac. After those animations are done, I then need to sync them with the various death and hit animations, etc, etc, etc. So when you take a step back and look at the entire picture, the assets make up about 90% of the overall game development process.

[...]

Thanks Couchpotato!

 

Dead Monarchy

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Strategy-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

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Chronicles of Vaeltaja - Demo available

by Hiddenx, Thursday - June 01, 2023 09:42

There's a demo available on Steam for the upcoming dungeon crawler Chronicles of Vaeltaja: In Search of the Great Wanderer:

Chronicles of Vaeltaja: In Search of the Great Wanderer

Chronicles of Vaeltaja: In Search of the Great Wanderer takes you back to the golden era of pc gaming, when role-playing games like Dungeon Master, Might and Magic, Eye of the Beholder, Lands of Lore, WIzardry and Ultima ruled the world. Gather your party of six adventurers and embark on a journey through the colourful kingdom of Twin Falls where sunny fields, lush forests, misty swamps and dark dungeons await to be explored!

Welcome, traveller, to the kingdom of Twin Falls where strange menace is threatening the land that once lived in tranquil. You are hired by the King Menekses II to investigate strange occurrences in seaside town of Pramea where children have been disappearing and travellers are under constant attacks from bandits and beasts that shouldn't even roam there. Your job is to gather a party and find out who or what is behind this new threat and uncover the mystery of the Great Wanderer who once saved the humanity from a great peril.

So ready your weapons and wits to take on a memorable journey across vast forests, fields, swamps and dungeons to bring peace back to Twin Falls.

  • First-person exploration in beautiful and colourful world created with 2.5D pixel graphics combining pre-made and custom assets.
  • Main questline where some quests give you a possibility to choose from a couple of different solutions.
  • Mythology inspired by ancient Gnostic writings.
  • Six character party system with skills and stats that affect beyond battles and conversations.
  • Multiple character classes to hire: Warrior, Hunter, Mage, Shadow, Priest, Witch.
  • Grid-based movement that takes you back in the golden era of pc-gaming.
  • Turn-based battle system with animated enemies.
  • Overworld areas full of exploration.
  • Atmospheric and dangerous dungeons where different enemies delve and puzzles await.
  • Fight against bandits, bats, skeleton warriors, zombies, leechers, dark mages and other creatures of evil.
  • Boss battles that might have other solutions than violence.
  • Hand-crafted game world with no procedural generation.
  • Multiple side-quest that may even lead to optional dungeons or other hidden secrets.
  • Branching conversations where your 'charisma' and speech skills are put to test.
  • No tutorials, no hand-holding, no cinematic cutscenes - just pure joy of experiencing and discovering!
  • Lots of equipment and items to help you on your journey - don't forget to buy at least torches as the dungeons are dark places to wander around.
  • Use mouse and/or keyboard to interact with the game world.
  • Control battles with mouse and/or keyboard.
  • Interact with NPCs to access side-quests.
  • Meet quirky characters like The Order of the Knights Who Never Discuss About the Same Topic Twice.
  • Inspired by the classics like Dungeon Master, Eye of the Beholder, Ultima and The Legend of Zelda

Thanks Kordanor!

-> dev-thread on RPGWatch!

 

Chronicles of Vaeltaja

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Dungeon Crawler
Platform: PC
Release: In development

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May

Dead Monarchy - Gameplay

by Hiddenx, Sunday - May 28, 2023 17:24

Splattercatgaming checked out Dead Monarchy:

Dead Monarchy - Sandbox Medieval Mercenary Company Strategy RPG

 

Dead Monarchy

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Strategy-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

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Trials of Kokoro - Released

by Hiddenx, Sunday - May 28, 2023 06:48

The visual novel/RPG Trials of Kokoro has been released - a demo is available:

Trials of Kokoro

A young man awakens in a forest, deep in the Hinodean wilds. He doesn't remember how he got there, or where he needs to be. Despite this, wielding a blade is all too familiar to him, and his knowledge of ancient history is greater than scholars that have studied their entire lives. On a quest to remember his past, the young man sets out, eager to find his way...

Customize your heroes the way you want. The game contains 54 weapons, 150 different types of armor and accessories, and 92 unique skills and spells for the heroes to learn. Additionally, there are 54 gems to equip, which enhance the heroes' skills in different ways.

The world is full of dangerous enemies, and each requires their own strategy. The Aranea Queen, for example, can trap someone in webs, and devour them instantly if they aren't freed in time!

There are a number of status effects, bonuses, and penalties that will help or hinder you during the journey. If you are unsure what a status effect does, mouseover the character or monster, and all of their statuses will display descriptions. Additionally, use the Combat Log to check previous battles, or catch up on something you might've missed during the fight.

Battles are turn-based, with unique mechanics. Powerful spells will take time to cast, and characters can use Free Actions, special skills that allow them to instantly act again. Some fights will grant the heroes temporary abilities, like the Assist command, which lets someone provide aid to their friends.

No grinding. The game is a linear adventure focusing on battles, visual novel segments, and visiting merchants to resupply. Difficulty can be changed at any time, even during dialogue.

Enemy aggro is based on a threat system. Characters that deal the most damage will have the enemy's attention. To help tweak aggro management in your favour, a variety of options are available, like the Ring of Pacifism, or the skill, Defensive Casting.

Items have a number of different qualities and differences. Blades forged in Hinode, for example, increase their wielders' critical hit chance, while those made in Guinevere are far more accurate, and can damage an enemy's armour.

The story is emotional and relatable, focusing on a group of friends that face hardships together, and how they change over time. Trials of Kokoro explores themes of family, facing one's past, coming to terms with the world's true nature, and the concept of trust.

Trials of Kokoro

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released

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