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I Hate This Place is an isometric horror and survival game which is inspired by a comic series with the same name. No one expected that 10-issue miniseries to transform into a game, but here we are, and the developers certainly brought their own twist as well. However, this is not a 1:1 adaptation of the series, instead they decided to share a story set in the same world. Here, you play as Elena, on a quest to try and find Lou, her friend. She is also trying to figure out what happened to her mother a few years ago. But along the way, you will encounter strange things, like cults, horrific experiments, all of which tie to someone named the Horned Man. The game has plenty of side characters, and you will get to learn more and more about your mother, her connection to the horned man and all other details. Of course, the main story is just a part of the experience, and the side stuff really spruces up the game and makes it more exciting. It also helps that the art sty...

It’s somewhat unclear what the agent I’m trying to keep alive can actually do. She’s fitted with a remotely controlled defibrillator, but her suit is unable to keep her warm after she gets shot down in Antarctica. I help her avoid drones at first, moving through pipes to make sure she’s not detected, but then she suddenly decides that she can take one down and hack it. While guiding her to potential safety, I’m trying to understand what the wider conspiracy might be. The base harbors a big secret, and no one wants to say exactly what the threat might be. Only one satellite can work in this weather. A hacker is hinting that something more sinister is going on. And no one is ready to say anything true about Burn-9. The video game is developed by 14 Hours Productions and published by Fellow Traveller. I played a preview version of it on Steam. The title mixes techno thriller inspirations and indirect control in some intriguing ways. The major inspiration, clear from t...

Gothic 1 was a title that revolutionized 3D RPGs and brought in a great story, along with unique gameplay mechanics. Having played the game at launch and many times after that, I was very excited to see not only what they would change, but also how the remake would look. The demo they released years ago was not encouraging. However the finished version is way better, and a true homage to the beautiful RPG that Gothic 1 is. First, the game’s main story is mostly left intact. And that’s a good thing, because the story itself was excellent. There are plenty of twists and turns, and it feels very satisfying up until the end. I am happy to see people experience the friendship that Gorn, Milten, Diego and Lester have between themselves, but also the relationship they develop with our nameless character. Speaking of them, it’s important to note that the game has 3 factions. The Old Camp is the main camp in this game, where you can find Gomez and his crew that are digging ...

Green, almost radioactive-looking stones probably make for bad habitats. They also hint that something bad is hiding under the ice, so I steer clear and decide to belly slide on the snow. Following the wind isn’t easy in this world of sheer ice cliffs and badly placed holes in the ice. My penguin is probably unable to process information delivered by a human voice, but I have learned a lot. Expeditions from two countries are here in Antarctica. They are barely surviving the cold and darkness. And something older and deeper is gnawing at the edges of reality and crushing their sanity. The big question right now is: can a penguin go mad? Penguin Colony is developed by ORIGAME DIGITAL and published by Fellow Traveller. I played a preview version on Steam. The video game focuses on getting the player inside the mind of a penguin with an unhealthy degree of curiosity. On the brink of World War II, two would-be superpowers are scrambling to deal with a creature that is ...

Mirage 7 is one of those games that came out of nowhere for many people, and it started to impress with its premise and nifty gameplay ideas. At its core, this is an action-adventure title with a fantasy quest through the desert. But what makes it different is the interesting sci-fi twist. Granted, this might not be to everyone’s liking, however I like it when developers are trying something different, and it’s definitely the case here. As you start, you (Nadira) are thrown into the desert with Jiji, who is your lizard companion. You need to access water, build up a fire and eliminate enemies that try to kill you. It’s pretty basic stuff for an adventure and survival game, however once you finish that, the focus is clearly on finding your sister. What you learn is that Nadira’s sister was grabbed by soldiers years ago, and the only way to get her back is to ask Princess Taishma for assistance. The premise is interesting and I felt it to be compelling enough to cont...

Fatekeeper is the first game developed by Paraglacial, and it aims to step into the shoes of Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, one of the most popular first-person action RPGs from the past 20 years. Unfortunately, we never had a true successor to that game, but Fatekeeper aims to do that and a lot more. Right off the bat, we should note that the game is made only by 13 people, and it just entered early access. You have around 2 hours of playable content, and the game manages to provide a very intense, albeit short experience. You take the role of Kor Tenarim, a watcher who wants to complete his training. He also has a rodent partner called Kor Guran, and the two focus on braving enemies using magic and melee attacks. The game’s scenery is stunning, and it feels made by a much larger theme. The attention to detail is also incredible, from the blood pouring from enemies, down to the very detailed leaves you can find within the game. It all looks amazing, and it makes...

These days, FMV games have become quite popular, and they are improving in quality quite a bit. The idea of having real-life people as videogame characters and controlling an interactive movie is a lot of fun. Hacked The Streamer is a game that clearly shows how challenging and tricky the streaming world can be. Sure, at first glance, it all feels glamorous and a job where you make easy money. But clearly, it’s much more than that. It just goes to show that the challenges that you can face are hidden, but still very dangerous. Simply put, in Hacked: The Streamer we follow Beril, a streamer known online as PinkiePie. She is growing as a streamer and has just got access to her first large sponsor. She enjoys that success and wants to celebrate with the fanbase and the moderation team. But as that happens, we have a viewer threatening to expose her via a variety of personal revelations. That viewer wants $50000 from her, otherwise he will reveal the videos and possibl...

This scientist is starting to get on my nerves. He really wants to test how efficient taking out arachnids using nuclear missiles is, when I’ve already demonstrated that mixing chemical and radiation-armed mechs offers a clear solution to his bug problem. I’m easily taking out big groups of enemies, and rarely do the techs need to come in to patch up my forces. Even the lowly handlers, who basically suborn enemy drones, are more than capable of handling a few warriors on their own. The arachinds rely on numbers and access routes that cannot be destroyed to take back territory. So, the Eradicators need to remain mostly mobile, only using fortifications to block attack routes and make sure their supplies keep flowing. Starship Troopers: Terran Command - The Eradicators is developed by The Artistocrats and published by Slitherine Ltd. This downloadable content pack introduces a campaign, alongside new units, both linked to the Eradicators from the name. These are bas...

Road 96 was a game I enjoyed when it was released, and I was curious where the creative minds at Digixart will go with their next game. And now we have it, in the form of Tides of Tomorrow. The game is designed as a narrative adventure, but you get to follow in your friend’s footsteps, see their actions and decide what your own path is. That’s cool, because you rarely have some type of coop where you get to follow other people’s path without having to actually play at the same time with them. The narrative in Tides of Tomorrow is cool, because you have a great flood which turned the world into a giant ocean. Not a lot of people survived, but those that did live on tiny islands and boats. The islands are occupied by various factions like the Reclaimers, the Marauders, and also the Mystics. It’s a nice starting point, and as you play, you get to unravel a lot more depth and hidden facts or stories related to these factions. Tides of Tomorrow’s main strength is defini...

Killing the cows doesn’t make me feel good, even if they are loaded with explosives and determined to take my lone ranger out. I get into a rhythm of shooting where the boss is going to be next turn, then sidestepping, reloading, and shifting to make sure the cows can’t get near. I have three health packs ready to go, a shotgun in reserve, and I’m only using my big dodge when the situation is really dicey. Because my weapon also moves my character, it makes it easier to ensure bullets do not get near Marcia. Stand-up fights are not my biggest problem. She only has problems when levels feature a ton of indestructible environmental traps, because it’s easy to focus on enemies and take damage from them at the wrong time. Enter the Chronosphere is developed by Effort Star and published by Joystick Ventures and Gamirror. The title is in Early Access on Steam. The video game combines turn and rhythm-driven combat with a rogue-lite structure. The game starts with a giant ...