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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

January

Glasshouse - Concept Demo available

by Hiddenx, Monday - January 29, 2024 16:32

A concept demo is available for Glasshouse:

CONCEPT DEMO available on Itch.io!

2+ Hours of gameplay, 3 Endings and much more!

Hello flatmates,

COPS DON'T BARK, the Concept DEMO of GLASSHOUSE, is officially available on Itch.io!

DOWNLOAD LINK (Windows) 

WHAT'S A CONCEPT DEMO?

This ludonarrative experience is the fruit of 1 year and 7 months of hard work, in free time and without funding. This is the Concept Feature-complete, the foundation on which GLASSHOUSE will rest, when it is released on Steam in the future.

"COPS DON'T BARK" is a story in itself, a Chapter of a project that began with great ambitions and little experience. This chapter is a Proof of Concept, a project that has been reshaped, torn apart and rethought from scratch several times over the course of time. We knew what we wanted to tell, but we didn't know how.

Today, the release of this CONCEPT DEMO represents the closing of one phase, pre-production, and the beginning of a new one: actual development. COPS DON'T BARK does not represent the final version of GLASSHOUSE but what, one day, it could be!

FEATURES

  • +2 hours of gameplay
  • 3 Endings
  • Completely redesigned UI
  • New 3D Character Models
  • Cutscenes
  • +50 minutes of Original Soundtrack
  • 2 new locations: Canal 73 and Wealdmaer's Room
  • Crafting: Build Tools, expand your Inventory and solve tricky puzzles with cunning
  • Political Compass: Choose your ideology, make tough choices through Political Skillchecks
  • Questlog: Your personal diary to keep track of your progress

Thanks Couchpotato!

Glasshouse

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

Details

Magic Cauldron - Dungeons - Kickstarter live

by Hiddenx, Sunday - January 28, 2024 08:35

Kordanor spotted a Kickstarter campaign for the dungeon crawler Magic Cauldron - Dungeons - (A demo is available here):

Magic Cauldron - Dungeons

The world of Magic Cauldron is full of secrets and legends just waiting to be discovered. But on the dark paths of legends and prophecies, everything has its price. Sometimes the price is certain death.

There is an old legend about a magical cauldron that is said to have the power to bring the dead back to life. This cauldron is said to be hidden on a remote island.

Many adventurers wanted to achieve fame and honour and also be bestowed with riches. Most of them failed miserably.

Are you perhaps an adventurer with the courage to face your demons? Choose a hero and throw yourself into the adventure.

Magic Cauldron - Dungeons is a classic dungeon crawler with a pixel art look. The game is reminiscent of the good old days of grid crawlers, which were still completely 3D-free. Turn-based battles and hidden chambers will bring out the explorer in you.

Main features:

  • Explore the island with its various vegetation and different dungeons
  • Fight against sinister enemies and show that you were born to survive
  • Find hidden switches and mysterious treasures
  • Brew potions with the different cauldrons to help you survive

Magic Cauldron - Dungeons

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

Details

Hibernaculum - Release: Q4 2025

by Hiddenx, Friday - January 26, 2024 18:27

The dungeon crawler Hibernaculum will be released in late 2025:

Hibernaculum is now officially on STEAM (coming Q4 2025)

 

Hibernaculum

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

Details

Voidspire Tactics - Retrospective Review

by Hiddenx, Friday - January 26, 2024 18:22

NoTimeToGame looks back at Voidspire Tactics:

Voidspire Tactics || Review || When the Credits Roll

 

Voidspire Tactics

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

Details

All Quiet in the Trenches - Released into Early Access

by Hiddenx, Monday - January 22, 2024 18:20

The survival RPG All Quiet in the Trenches has been released into Early Access:

All Quiet in the Trenches

All Quiet in the Trenches

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Modern
Genre: Survival-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: In development

Details

Kingsvein - Review @ Rock Paper Shotgun

by Hiddenx, Saturday - January 20, 2024 09:14

Rock Paper Shotgun reviewed the retro RPG Kingsvein:

Kingsvein review: monster-splatting RPG goodness that leads with its weak foot

Things get better the more you open it up

I disliked turn-based RPG Kingsvein at first. Quite a bit, in fact. An earlier version of this review would have been a very negative on, filled mostly with complaints and annoyances about opaque and frustrating systems, most of which I've since got over as the intent behind its design has become more clear.

It could definitely explain some things better, and its inscrutably tiny graphics remain a minor nuisance. But it's grown on me a lot, and though it may not be quite the kind of turn-based RPG I get on with best, it's an enjoyable one with a refreshing lack of bloat and timewasting, and with a class and combat system that will be pure catnip to a particular kind of player.

[...]

But I did learn those things, despite spurning most classes and only delving knee-deep in its possibilities after finding some mostly effective ones that I enjoyed. Those early frustrations gave way to satisfaction at scraping through a close call, and feeling like I'd won a fight through applying the right skills and plans, and making progress because I'd learned to judge my team's capabilities rather than just make a number go up enough. That's a great spot for any RPG to be in, and if you're less interested in complex or hefty narratives than some chunky tactical combat and tinkering with characters as toolboxes, Kingsvein could be a slightly rough gem.

Kingsvein

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

Details

Banner Saga - Looking Back

by Hiddenx, Thursday - January 18, 2024 20:00

Inverse looks back at the Banner Saga series:

It’s Time To Stop Ignoring The Best RPG Trilogy Since Mass Effect

10 years ago, one crowd-funded game found excellence in execution.

We’re never satisfied with perfection. Perfect things are rarely given more than a moment to exist. They’re almost always seen as “the right thing at the right time.” Perfection is never allowed much staying power because we expect iteration and improvement, especially for something as commercial as gaming. There’s always room for more pixels, better lighting, or bigger maps. But every once in a while though, something perfect and timeless comes along.

Ten years ago, that was The Banner Saga Trilogy.

The first game in the series, The Banner Saga, arrived on January 14, 2014. Developed by Stoic Studio, a small team mostly made up of former BioWare employees, it began with a Kickstarter campaign. More than 20,000 backers raised $723,000, far surpassing their goal of $100k. It’s easy to see why it was successful: stunning visuals that invoke the work of Disney legend Eyvind Earle, a Norse-inspired setting, and a gameplay balance that’s a mix of XCOM, Dragon Age, and Oregon Trail.

[...]

Thanks Couchpotato!

Banner Saga

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

Details

Kingsvein - Released

by Hiddenx, Tuesday - January 16, 2024 17:21

The retro RPG Kingsvein has been released:

Kingsvein

All contact with the city of Kingsvein has been lost. As Wisp Slayer, your role is to investigate and exterminate whatever evil lurks there.

  • Adventure through the castle and its outer reaches as you see fit - secret treasures and skulking beasts hide around every corner!
  • Dynamic and deep tactical combat - toss your enemies into spikes then electrify their blood, or cover the battlefield in flames
  • Customize your team by mixing and matching 15 different classes, each with upgradeable abilities and equippable passives
  • Use your abilities to explore - freeze rivers with your magic, blast through cave walls, and throw chains to topple statues
  • Ride your loyal steed in and out of combat, and train it to be as fierce as any Knight
  • Set in the realm of Graven, a weird subterranean world of living soil and half-stone Diecast
  • From the maker of the highly-rated Horizon's Gate, Voidspire Tactics and Alvora Tactics

Thanks Couchpotato!

 

Kingsvein

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

Details

Abalon - Overview @ TBL

by Hiddenx, Tuesday - January 16, 2024 16:50

The Turn Based Lovers present the dungeon crawler Abalon:

ABALON – OVERVIEW

Abalon was released in May 2023. D20Studios LLC developed this game, and there is a Steam demo if you want to try the game before buying. This tactical deckbuilding RPG has steam cards and achievements. Also, the game supports multiple languages besides English and is playable with controllers.

STORY
The player goes on an adventure, and lore about the world is slowly unlocked. Each summoner does not get a unique story and it changes based on the chapter you chose. The lore is found after winning a fight but gives some minor details about the game and some enemies you may find.

TUTORIAL
Explain the mechanics of the game and how to win fights, use spells, etc. It is thorough and easy to follow if you have played RPG games before.

MANA SYSTEM
Start with 2 Mana, and the player can store up to five mana if mana is unused in previous turns. There are some spells that allow you to get more mana as well.

[...]

Thanks Couchpotato!

Abalon

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

Details

The Crazy Hyper-Dungeon Chronicles - Demo Update

by Hiddenx, Monday - January 15, 2024 16:24

A new demo with many new features is available for the roguelike The Crazy Hyper-Dungeon Chronicles:

Exciting New Update for Our Game Demo!

A Lot of Changes! Discover Enhanced Gameplay, New Levels, and More!

We have completed the modifications for the new DEMO, which now includes almost all the features we decided to add following the invaluable feedback (both positive and negative) received from you. The only features still left out concern the game's future levels.

Here's the complete list of new features:

Perks:
We have developed a perk system that affects several gameplay elements, adapting to different playstyles, whether they are action-oriented, objective-focused, aesthetic, or a combination of these. Here are the four available archetypes:

  • Destroyer: Prefers intense combat, favoring games with physical challenges and fast-paced action. As a result, they will face more enemies and must excel in intense combat scenarios. Less focused on narrative elements.
  • Solver: Enjoys story and narration in games, thus able to overcome some challenges and combats using oratory skills, preferring strategy over brute force. Loves immersive expeNuovo Sistema di Vantaggi nel Gioco!riences with emotional depth, so dialogues will be richer, and characters more detailed.
  • Explorer: Goal-oriented and driven by achieving them, will find more loot and can carry more items from the start, earning greater rewards for puzzles solved. This profile is more cautious and can move unnoticed more easily.
  • Adventurer: A hybrid player who appreciates a balanced combination of action, exploration, and story, adaptable to various game situations.

[...]

The Crazy Hyper-Dungeon Chronicles

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

Details

Glasshouse - Announced

by Hiddenx, Monday - January 15, 2024 10:30

The story rich RPG Glasshouse has been announced:

Glasshouse

Story

Lundonstoch, once a productive feud bursting with industrial technology, is on lockdown due to the imminent Nuclear Threat announced by the terrorist union CoFoPo. You're a citizen that has found himself trapped in a cramped Apartment Complex with those you would consider friends. As time goes on, tensions rise, resources dwindle, and trust begins to falter, leaving the hope of survival in your hands. Do not understimate the spectrum of causality; in Glasshouse's world, there are only consequences and responsibilities.
This is the end of the Post-Capitalist world, welcome to the Quiet Revolution.

Condo Thriller

You find yourself catapulted into a political mystery bigger than yourself, a crime scene from which you cannot escape.
Master your oratory skills in challenging relationships while exploring the building in which you're locked in. Sacrifice your belongings and craft whatever it takes to be prepared for the incoming Nuclear Winter.

Features

  • An original reinterpretation of the cRPG genre with novel Survival grafts.
  • Experience firsthand a thriller story full of twists and turns, memorable characters, and unexpected endings based on your choices.
  • Exploration: Manage Apartment 28, collaborate with your neighbors, and investigate the mysteries of the narrow corridors of a Proletariat Condominium!
  • Table of Knowledge: Learn DIY Projects, recycle your furniture, and build survival equipment through the workbenches you will find scattered around!
  • Cunning System: Each tool in your inventory can unlock new interactions with the environment.
  • Political Compass: There is no shame in having ideals. Choose the political path on which to invest points and watch how the Glasshouse world reacts!
  • Puzzles & Minigames: The dialogue tab hides much more than just text, be prepared for unexpected twists such as puzzles and riddles.

Thanks Couchpotato!

 

Glasshouse

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

Details

Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade - Announced

by Hiddenx, Sunday - January 07, 2024 04:20

The action RPG Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade has been announced:

Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade

Taking place during the Edo period, Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade is an action RPG infused with fantasy elements and roguelite mechanics.
Immerse yourself in a realm brimming with authentic Japanese ambiance as you engage in seamless combo attacks against relentless demon adversaries.

Once upon a time, a delicate equilibrium existed between humans and demons. Despite occasional discord, both factions labored to uphold their dearly attained peace.
This equilibrium shattered when the sovereign of all demons, the "Nine-tailed Fox" arose, rallying demonkind to sow chaos across the mortal realm.
Embark on a journey in a chaotic world, confronting a myriad of demons, and seeking a path to reclaim peace. Through a series of adventures, piece together the truth behind the mystery and forge a path to restoration.

Replayable Multiple Stories
An Immortal Ninja, A Demon Emissary, A Monstrous Samurai... Each boasting utterly distinct combat techniques and unique storylines. Explore a diverse selection of exclusive weapons and captivating narratives, all set within the expansive realm of these three central characters!

Splendid Actions
Master an array of Demon Blades to combat the evil forces causing chaos across distant lands. Combine the powers of these weapons, collect hundreds of "Soul Orbs" infused with mysterious talents, and garner blessings from the Neko Shrine... craft your distinct strategy for each expedition!

Unlock Dream Recipes
Throughout your journey, you'll have the opportunity to gather various types of upgrade items. Beyond weapon components, you'll also come across ingredients for gourmet recipes. For an extra boost in strength, indulge in a bowl of fantastical ramen!

Let's Meet at the Demon Festival
In this colorful world, kind-hearted demons flourish, hosting festivals within alternate dimensions. Meet these powerful allies during each unique adventure and gain valuable rewards!

Challenge Hidden Stages
During your adventure, numerous secret areas are waiting to be unlocked. Test your limits and embrace high levels of difficulty within these challenging stages!

Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade

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

Details

Indie RPGs - Free Turn-Based RPGs

by Hiddenx, Saturday - January 06, 2024 09:19

The Turn Based Lovers present some free turn-based games of Itch.io:

BEST FREE TURN-BASED GAMES ON ITCH.IO – DECEMBER 2023

Despite Steam being a more popular platform choice for video games, Itch is a brilliant way to find and support lesser-known indie games. Thanks to the abundance of game jams hosted on the website, along with how easy Itch makes it to upload games, developers are releasing fresh new turn-based games all year round.

Better yet, at the time of writing, each game on this list can be played for free. However, some of these games are still in the form of jam entries, demos, and alpha builds.

METAL MODE
SLIPWAYS CLASSIC
FOLDER DUNGEON
TITAN TACTICS
UNDERGRAVE
PAPER SOLDIERS
POLYBOT-7
PORKLIKE
GEOPOLITICS
TANKS OF FREEDOM
SOLUS SECTOR: TACTICS
BUMPERS AND BROADSWORDS: TOURNAMENT

[...]

Thanks Couchpotato!

 

Indie RPGs

SP/MP: Unknown
Setting: Unknown
Genre: RPG
Platform: Unknown
Release: In development

Details

The Iron Oath - Interview

by Hiddenx, Saturday - January 06, 2024 09:00

The Turn Based Lovers interviewed Curious Panda Games about their game The Iron Oath:

10 TURN INTERVIEW WITH THE IRON OATH DEVELOPERS

THE IRON OATH IS A TURN-BASED TACTICAL RPG WHERE THE FATE OF YOUR MERCENARY COMPANY RESTS ON YOUR DECISIONS. CUSTOMIZE YOUR ROSTER, BUILD YOUR RENOWN, AND DISCOVER THE SECRETS THAT AWAIT IN THE MEDIEVAL FANTASY REALM OF CAELUM.

In the ever-evolving landscape of indie gaming, few titles have sparked as much intrigue and admiration as The Iron Oath, a turn-based tactical RPG that immerses players in the rich, medieval fantasy realm of Caelum. Today, we’re thrilled to sit down again with Curious Panda Games, the masterminds behind this dark fantasy world, where the fate of a mercenary company lies in the balance of player decisions. From the sprawling time scales to the intricate character backstories, The Iron Oath offers a unique blend of strategy, storytelling, and survival in a world teeming with danger and opportunity.

As we celebrate the game’s much-anticipated 1.0 launch, we delve into the creative process, challenges, and triumphs that have shaped The Iron Oath into one of 2023’s standout tactical RPGs. Join us as we explore the journey of its creation, the nuances of its gameplay, and the vision that drives its creators.

Howdy! I just want to say thanks for doing the interview and congrats on the big 1.0 launch!

Thank you! It’s been pretty hectic since our launch, but we’re happy to take some time to answer a few questions!

First Turn
In most RPG’s, the time scales work in the span of days to traverse their worlds, but your game can take months to complete quests and dungeons, as well as the campaign can last hundreds of years. What drove you to work with such a large scale of time, and what difficulties did you run into?

We were initially inspired by the time scale of games like Crusader Kings, and we liked the idea of playing with multiple generations of characters and seeing the world evolve over time through wars and successions. In practice, this was very hard to pull off, and finding a balance where time moved fast enough but players still got to spend enough time with their characters before they retired proved too difficult to achieve.

In the end, we ended up scaling back on the time progression by quite a bit. When we launched into Early Access, we also realized that a lot of players were resistant to the idea of their characters aging and retiring, so it’s something that we’ve put less emphasis on and chose to focus our efforts elsewhere. They still age and retire eventually, but there’s enough of a buffer there where the main storyline can be completed before that happens. We think it was the right choice, as the initial time scale was also problematic from a storytelling point of view.

Second Turn
How do you balance when you find one class is overpowered? Is it a matter of debuffing them, buffing other classes, or altering the world in a way to make the class more viable?

A little of everything. There have been a few abilities that have needed to be buffed, nerfed, or reworked, but in general the classes each have their use and we feel they are quite balanced. Most enemy types have damage resistances and vulnerabilities, which allows each class a chance to shine depending on what you’re up against. So even if one class is perceived as slightly weaker than the rest, they will still be useful in dealing with certain enemies and situations. Overall, we’re not too concerned with achieving a perfect balance since it’s a single-player game (especially if it’s a nerf to something that many players are enjoying), but we’re always listening to feedback and will step in when tweaks are needed.

[...]

Thanks Couchpotato!

The Iron Oath

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

Details

Archquest - Devlog #3

by Hiddenx, Monday - January 01, 2024 17:21

Couchpotato spotted devlog #3 for the strategy RPG Archquest:

Devlog #3

Character Creation

This is going to be an update on the development of Archquest- specifically an in-depth look at character creation. News of the game has been rather silent lately, but it is still under development.

This is the character creation screen. Before, there was only your class to select, but now there is a more comprehensive system where you select your ancestry, heritage, background, class, and more.

The system itself is standard for RPG computer games- There are menu items on the left which brings you to different sections of character creation. You can go back and forth as much as you want- it doesn't have to be in order.

Ancestry
For ancestries, Human, Elf, Dwarf, and Halfling have been implemented. Gnome, Leshy, and Goblin are not yet available, but maybe in the future. Leshy in particular would be interesting to have as a playable ancestry. If you're not familiar, a Leshy is a plant-like person, that can take many different shapes like a cactus or pumpkin. Its something that would require a good amount of art support- not just for making all of the different models(each one would be unique), but also armors. Each armor piece has to be modified to fit the different ancestry bodies. What does a Leshy in full-plate even look like?

On the right panel, you can see what your ancestry gives you- as well as the available ancestry feats. It gives you a little tooltip so you can what it does. You don't have all of these right away- You pick one at level 1 and gain more ancestry feats as you level up.

Your Ancestry, Background, and Class give you Ability Boosts, and this is the way in which Ability Scores are distributed. There is also a section in which you get 4 free Ability Boosts. In this case humans get two free ability boosts.

You can also see your total Ability Scores at the top. The game is still using the traditional OGL numbers for ability scores. In the revised rules, it's just the modifier. So, instead of 18, it's just +4. The code has not yet been updated to support the new rules, and I need to look at the ORC license and evaluate if it would be a good fit for the game. But I do think Archquest will probably switch over.

[...]

Archquest

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

Details

Graywalkers - Announcement

by Hiddenx, Monday - January 01, 2024 17:00

After their Kickstarter Project in 2014, Graywalkers: Purgatory entered Early Access on Steam in 2020 and then went into a developer hiatus for more than a year. Now finally there has been an announcement about the reasons, and future plans with lots of changes:

HAPPY NEW YEAR, APOLOGIES AND NEW BEGINNINGS

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
First of all, let me take this opportunity to say Happy New Year to all! We hope that you all had a joyous Christmas and that you will have a prosperous 2024 ahead.

APOLOGIES
Next is we would like to apologize for being quiet the past year. Our primary reason was that the company was a heartbeat away from being dead for quite some time due to financial issues. We had no choice but to refocus our efforts to doing outsource work to resuscitate the company. This of course, did not happen overnight, and it took us more than a year to get back to a functional state.

The second reason was we were in all honesty burnt out with Graywalkers at that time. We worked on the project for 5 years and unfortunately It did not do well due to its unpolished state, the pandemic (we released 1.5 months before the start of it), lack of marketing and many other factors.

The final reason was we simply did not know what to tell you at that point in time. We had already announced at that time that we were having financial difficulties, and we couldn't give you an answer or solutions to our problems.

Despite all of these, these are not good excuses to disappear for that long. We handled the situation poorly and we should have continued to communicate the situation regardless of how we felt at the time. The only thing we can do now is to apologize to all of you and somehow make it up to you as best we can. Again, we sincerely apologize to all of you who have trusted us by supporting the game.

We hope you can forgive us and give us another chance to make it up to you all.

NEW BEGINNINGS

As 2024 rolls in, we look forward to a new beginning, and we mean this in many more ways than one. Below we will list our plans for the future of Graywalkers:

RE-RELEASE

We plan to Re-Release Graywalkers Purgatory under a new name and as a new product in 1st quarter 2025. We wanted a fresh start and an opportunity to try again with the project but with more upgrades, better content and a more polished state. We will also reduce the original scope of the game to a more reasonable state. Our original plan had been too ambitious so we will reduce its scope and do a final release and then just add free DLC content to bring it closer to our intended vision. The game will be repackaged as Graywalkers: Genesis. Consider this as Graywalkers Purgatory Version 1.5.

Everybody who purchased the game already will get a copy of Graywalkers Genesis FREE.

So its pretty much just a continuation, but with the perks of us being able to hopefully bring in new players and at least have an opportunity to recoup the cost of continuing development on the game. We won't be taking down Graywalkers Purgatory until the Re-Release is ready.

The game will also be released under different publishers depending on the platform. We have come to accept that publishing is not really our strength, and we are not built to do it properly. So we will be working with different groups to help us do better in this area.

[...]

Thanks Kordanor!

Graywalkers

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

Details

December

The Bustling World - Announced for 2024

by Hiddenx, Saturday - December 30, 2023 08:24

The open-world RPG The Bustling World has been announced for Q4 2024 - a Kickstarter campaign has been started:

The Bustling World

The Bustling World is an open world RPG game set in ancient China. You can farm, breed, craft, build, fight, kill, establish a regime, run a country, conduct diplomacy, wage war, create a city… Openness, freedom and limitless are the game’s biggest features.

Thanks Couchpotato!

 

The Bustling World

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Historical
Genre: Survival-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: In development

Details

Monomyth - November/December Update

by Hiddenx, Saturday - December 23, 2023 07:51

Henriquejr spotted the November/December update for Monomyth:

Monomyth - November / December Update

State of the Game: Video Devlog 9.0 | Playstyles

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

It's time for the last update of this year, and there is plenty to report! Numerous things have been worked on during the last few weeks and you can hear all about it in this month's video devlog. One highlight is the new magic system, which should be interesting for everyone who likes combining runes in Ultima Underworld. But, please, see for yourselves:

I just uploaded the latest patch to the Closed Beta branch and I am now completely focused on polishing everything for the Open Backer Beta. I hope to have it ready very soon.

As always, you will find the transcription of the video below. You will hear from me in the new year. Thank you for your continued support and

Best wishes,

Michael

------------------------------------------

Hi dungeon-crawling fans!

Another month has passed! Time just flies by as the year comes to an end. What is also slowly coming to an end is the closed beta of Monomyth. There has been plenty of progress over the last few weeks and we are getting closer and closer to the Open Backer Beta. So let’s take a look at it.

This month I continued polishing mechanics. Last time I mostly did things related to melee combat, so I thought I could as well arrange these polishing phases around differrent playstyles. Generally speaking there is a distinct playstyle for warriors, mages and thieves.

So I started this month by making some last changes to the warrior’s playstyle.

To keep it short and simple: I removed the shield-bash and added kicking.

I tried keeping it as balanced as possible and it strongly depends on your available stamina. Unlike other attacks its stamina costs are set to a certain percentage. So you will always require, let’s say, a third of your stamina when you kick. When the kick lands, your enemy either falls down or is pushed back, depending on your stamina. Of course, kicks are only really useful against humanoids.

Most of this month's work was focused on the mage’s playstyle. I reworked casting mechanics, spell acquisition, spell mechanics and I also gave some spells a visual workover.

Originally the player could cast spells at any time. You would press the “C” key and start casting a previously memorized spell. This system has been changed. It is now necessary to equip a spellbook to your weapon slot. You can then cast any selected spell with a mouse click.

This is much more comfortable than the original system - especially while moving and aiming at the same time. Using the “C” key in such a situation always felt very awkward. You can still easily switch between a readied weapon and a spellbook mid-combat thanks to the secondary weapon slots.

One element I wanted to have for the mage’s playstyle was some form of explorative spell acquisition. As you may remember, in both Arx and Ultima Underworld you had to combine specific runes to cast a spell. Monomyth does something similar, but it moves into a slightly different direction with its execution.

[...]

Monomyth

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

Details

Stellar Tactics - Updates

by Hiddenx, Thursday - December 21, 2023 07:31

Stellar Tactics will get a few updates:

Faster load times, Dark Space, fixes and updates.

A few updates and fixes in this build as I work towards completing Chapter 3

I'm posting a few fixes and updates in todays patch before I lock everything down and start integrating the chapter 3 content. I've completed all assets for the new content update and it's time to put everything together.

This update adds pre-caching for all space content. You will notice that resources are being loaded when the game launches. This means a longer load to the main menu of the game, however, load times to space while in the game with be much faster. I also did a bit of work on load times for transitions between ground locations and will continue to work on this.

You will also find a new "Dark Space" option on the video options screen. This will set a single high resolution sky throughout the game. I felt this was a good option for players who would prefer a more realistic experience when flying through space. If you enable this at the main menu, loading a save will apply the new setting. If already in the game and in space, you will need to save and reload to see the changes.

[...]

Stellar Tactics

SP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Sci-Fi
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: In development

Details

Moonring - Review

by Hiddenx, Monday - December 18, 2023 15:06

Ye Old Entertainment reviewed the free RPG Moonring:

Ye Old Entertainment

Moonring

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

Details

Wartales - Pirates of Belerion - DLC Review

by Hiddenx, Friday - December 15, 2023 17:56

Mortismal Gaming reviewed the Wartales: Pirates of Belerion - DLC:

Wartales: Pirates of Belerion - DLC Review

Wartales

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

Details

Wartales - Pirates of Belerion DLC Impressions

by Hiddenx, Thursday - December 14, 2023 19:07

04AM checked out the Wartales - Pirates of Belerion DLC:

Wartales Pirates of Belerion DLC is MASSIVE - Exploring Everything You Need To Know!

Wartales

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

Details

Mystic Land: Search for Maphaldo - New Trailer

by Hiddenx, Wednesday - December 06, 2023 16:55

Couchpotato spotted a new trailer for the dungeon crawler Mystic Land: Search for Maphaldo:

Mystic Land: The Search for Maphaldo - Official trailer

Mystic Land: Search for Maphaldo

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

Details

LoA: The Forgotten Crown - Patch 1.28.1

by Hiddenx, Monday - December 04, 2023 18:20

Couchpotato spotted patch 1.28.1 for LoA: The Forgotten Crown:

Legends of Amberland version 1.28.1

Version 1.28.1 released

A small update targeted at improving gamepad support.

  • [interface] Gamepad support: Improved Virtual Keyboard (physical keyboard can be used identical to a physical keyboard when detected, more characters supported).
  • [interface] Enable/Disable Gamepad option (Options/Controls/Gamepad), useful for people who have a gamepad plugged in but who do not intend to use it. The option is ignored if SteamDeck is detected.

By the way, the sequel, Legends of Amberland II: The Song of Trees is out tomorrow!

LoA: The Forgotten Crown

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

Details

Wartales - Pirates of Belerion Teaser

by Hiddenx, Saturday - December 02, 2023 16:51

Couchpotato spotted a teaser video for the upcoming DLC Wartales, Pirates of Belerion:

Wartales, Pirates of Belerion | TEASER

Wartales, Pirates of Belerion releases on December 14th!
Embark on over +25 hours of new adventures and explore Belerion, a new hostile region far larger than any other part of the continent. Discover a land unlike anything you’ve seen with the first expansion to the world of Wartales! Unravel the secrets of the region's storyline, discover new factions and master the new way to travel: navigation.

Wartales

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

Details

November

Noctuary - Released

by Hiddenx, Wednesday - November 29, 2023 17:14

The Adventure-RPG Noctuary has been released:

Noctuary | Gameplay Trailer

Noctuary is a dual-protagonist Visual Novel. Players can play the role of the duo, Fancia Dream and Alina Nightsong who have dreams of "becoming Arborangers who protect and serve everyone." Travel through the fairy-tale-like world as the duo, experience their lively daily adventures, and gradually encounter the life story of a mysterious girl who came down from the sky.

Meanwhile, don't forget to fight against the everpresent monsters - "Darkritters!" These dangerous enemies threaten the life of Illuminators constantly. Sharpen your fighting skills, defeat ferocious monsters and ensure peace in your community!

Thanks Couchpotato!

Noctuary

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

Details