Tag: Software

Sandbox games are always exciting to play, because aside from a few guidelines, you are free to do whatever you want. That premise is very exciting for a lot of people. Whether it’s Mount & Blade or Kenshi, there are all kinds of titles in this genre, but Valorborn is different since it adds a great medieval theme and an already beautiful, exciting world for you to explore. Unlike a story-driven RPG, Valorborn is different mainly because it pushes you towards making your own storylines. You can go ahead and rob NPCs, you can scavenge, hunt, mine for various minerals, etc. The upside is that you can explore every cave, road, building and so on. But since this is early access, there can be some issues, like getting stuck inside walls or the camera plummeting via cliffs. Saving often is important here, because some of the issues can be game-breaking. Then again, this is early access, so you have to expect crashes and missing features. However, a lot of the framework i...

Ever since I played the first MOBA titles in the early 2000s, I became obsessed with the immersive gameplay, but also the excellent replay value. These days though, we have only the major MOBA kings and few other titles coming here and there, trying to innovate. EverSiege: Untold Ages enters with an entirely new perspective, and a great blend of MOBA-like gameplay, roguelite progression, but also base management and hero-led combat. The core gameplay in EverSiege: Untold Ages is impressive and easy to understand. Every journey starts with you getting dropped into a generated world which is under attack by the Evil Master. So, what is your role here? You need to survive enemy waves, while also reclaiming territory, advancing into enemy strongholds and rebuilding the bastion’s infrastructure. What this means is that you can’t always attack, you have to carefully push the enemy but also pull back when necessary. For example, you need to power up your base, which means...

When KIBORG: Descent was announced, I was pumped to see even more content for the game, as the original was quite promising. Descent isn’t reinventing the wheel however, it’s more of a refinement to the original, as it adds 3 new environments, all of which I found to be interesting and cleverly done. Visually, the new locations are stunning, and the game certainly didn’t shy away from testing the limits of the engine. The new different enemy types are cool, certainly very creative, and the 3 new bosses are in line with the KIBORG lore. Speaking of bosses, they are the highlight of this expansion, because not only are they very intense, but they also require quite a bit of planning and thinking. That’s especially true for the last one, where you really have to test your skills in order to beat him. With that in mind, I found KIBORG: Descent to be increasingly difficult when compared to the original game. It will take a little bit to get past some of the areas you ne...

It’s weird how close supposedly ranged units have to get to their enemies to attack. It would be nice to engulf that enemy healer in a pillar of fire, but it means I have to get my vulnerable caster a little too close for comfort to enemy units. I weaken them by throwing a grenade and regret my decision not to spend essence on giving my squad the ability to use items two times a turn. Her fireballs weaken two enemies, and I move my heavy hitters into position to finish them off. I nail the simple rhythm sequence for the first, eliminating one alpha dog. But I miss one mouse button press on my second, and I can only hope that the enemy will not do too much damage once it acts. Wardrum is developed by Mopeful Games and published by Team17. I played on the PC using Steam, with the title not launched on any other hardware. The video game mixes rhythm mechanics, turn-based tactics, and a rogue-lite structure. The beat is at the center of this fiction universe. Everythi...

Beat’em’up games are always fun and intense, and I’m always excited to hear about new entries to the genre. With that in mind, Dead as Disco tries to make them even more fun by making you sync to the tunes you’re listening to. And while the game is in early access for the time being, it already managed to create a large, cult following. Why? Because the gameplay is one of the best in this niche already, despite the content being very limited. Dead as Disco’s story is interesting, because our main character was dead, but he rose from the grave and he has to rely on what Vice, a skull like a disco ball, has to say. Of course, this is just the setup, because what matters the most is beating people up, and that’s where Dead as Disco excels. The game is incredibly fun here, because the moment-to-moment combat is very satisfying, and the attack animations are nothing short of impressive. Also, the experience itself is very good, mainly because you need to match your atta...

Ever since Amazon made the Invincible series, I’ve been extremely interested in the idea of having a fighting game based on the show. Thinking about it, the premise lends itself to some really good fights, and there are lots of characters within the lore to make up for a great roster. And here we are. Invincible VS is finally launched, and this game is actually a lot more interesting than I originally expected. Invincible VS is a 3 v 3 team fighter, and it has a 2-way combo system. When you are landing a combo, you are entering a conversation, not just executing a sequence. The defender is reading your patterns, he is finding ways to break free, and he will do his best to turn your momentum when possible. It’s a great dynamic because every combo is risky. If you hold back, you lose pressure and if you push too far, you are predictable and the opponent will take advantage of you. I like this dynamic because it adds a lot of intensity and fun dynamics to the experien...

I’ve always enjoyed the idea of exploring the Solar System, its planets and conquering places that no one ever visited before. And with Solar Expanse, you can easily do that. The game allows you to enter a space race where you’re competing with other corporations in order to mine asteroids, colonize other planets and terraform. It’s all a sandbox, so the focus is on trying to colonize the system and prevent losing. And there are plenty of loss conditions. You can run out of money, for starters. Or you don’t tackle the asteroid heading towards Earth. But the true appeal of the game is certainly the experience, the ability to immerse yourself in a sandbox and customize stuff as you go along. For newcomers, Solar Expanse’s menus can feel rather overwhelming, but in a good way. A lot of the gameplay relies on planning and then executing spaceship missions. It’s interesting to browse ships and see their pros and cons, then choose the best ones. Some of them are great fo...

I should have claimed ground at a faster pace. I focused on growth and economic research, while placing outposts that made New Pariden the fastest growing city in the world. I also pumped out enough units to fill out two armies led by capable heroes, Garrett and Ilyra Fen, while four scouts discovered the mysteries of the world. I found three spots that would be great for new cities. But by the time I cleared out the monsters and founded Raven’s Heart, Capitar and Ruvenna got the other two locations locked down. And then I lost one big army and injured my leader in a quest battle. Producing fresh troops will not take long, but I need to decide whether I want to go to war for those prime city spots or if I should focus on the core of my kingdom. Elemental: Reforged is developed and published by Stardock Entertainment.  I played on the PC, the only hardware platform on which the title is available, using Steam. The video game combines and updates previous releases in...

It’s always a good idea to give people double rations, if possible. It keeps the population growing and, once the number of villagers that can work resources in a province is maxed-out, a decent stream of new combat-ready troops. Keep pumping out houses for anyone who needs them and try to get an inn quickly. Then gather the best fighters, use experience to get decent cards, and prepare to win a battle. Rising Lords - The Pilgrim War is developed by Argonwood and published by Deck13. This is the first downloadable content pack for the strategy title, offering fans a new campaign to work through and a new faction to control or fight against. The newcomer is the Kingdom of Atra, which is famed for its ability to put together big and terrifying armies. Their polity is wealthy, their cities are well fortified, and they follow a different religion than the factions from the North that players are already familiar with. The conditions for a major conflict are set. Playe...

The zombies are shuffling in a line. Technically, this violates every rule that pop culture has taught us about the living dead, be they slow or fast. They should be clustering, jostling for position, trying to get to my hot blood and tasty brains as quickly as possible. Their predictable movement means I can combine my shotgun and my knife to cut them down. It would have been nice to have a Molotov, but I used it a few rooms earlier, when I mishandled my movement and ended up in a corner. So, I try to use the knife as much as possible, even if that means I’ll have to use a med kit. All the bullets I save in this room will be crucial when I’ll have to deal with one of the more monstrous creatures later in the level. Vultures - Scavengers of Death is developed by Team Vultures and published by Firesquid. I played on the PC via Steam, with the game not offered on any other hardware. The title mixes turn-based combat with a classic biohazard scenario. It’s quickly cl...