Watch the Action Packed Trailer for Upcoming Game 'Stolen Realm Survivors'!

January 7th, 2025 | Developer and Publisher Burst2Flame Games announces a new Action Roguelike Stolen Realm Survivors this year. It is an action packed online co-op survivor-like auto-shooter that can be played solo, too! Battle massive hordes of enemies and discovery shiny artifacts. It's unique skill trees allow players to increase their skills to survive the perils. In order to prevail in the Stolen Realm, be sure to unlock as many powerful upgrades as possible.

Take a look at the description from the Steam page below:

REVERSE BULLET HELL, WITH UNMATCHED CUSTOMIZATION

Crush foes, find potent upgrade combos, and venture deeper into the mesmerizing regions of the Stolen Realm. Collect and assemble a formidable array of skills, unleash chaos on waves of fantastical enemies, and secure precious loot from deep within the realm. With auto-shooter mechanics, forget aiming and firing—just customize your character and run for your life, as you automatically fire away.

Every quest is unique, with procedurally generated events and enemy waves. The Stolen Realm is ever-evolving.

GAIN LOOT AND COMBINE SKILL TREES TO GROW STRONGER

Survivors, venture forth! Within the Stolen Realm, your goal is survival. Complete quests and events to face even deadlier and more rewarding encounters. Progress deeper into the realm, gain items and levels, and survive to claim your hefty rewards. Craft your unique character by blending loot and diverse skill trees.

STOLEN REALM FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE

Explore the Stolen Realm solo or with friends in a brand new way! Navigate environments like the Freewind Forest, Emberlands, and Castle Gloom from a top-down view, experiencing nonstop auto-shooter action. Immerse yourself in an incredible fantasy world rich with lore and untold stories. Adventure awaits!

Check Out The Trailer:

About Burst2Flame Games:

Burst2Flame Games was founded by three friends who spent years making games on the side in their spare time. The indie studio achieved their breakout success with the critically acclaimed title Stolen Realm. The game's success allowed them to finally quit their day jobs and focus full-time on crafting immersive gaming experiences. Dedicated to creating games that emphasize online co-op, their mission is to make sure players can always bring along their friends for the adventure.

Article by: Susan N.

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Play Chernobylite the Complete Edition on Nintendo Switch!

13 December 2024 | The Farm 51 and Untold Tales are proud to announce that Chernobylite Complete Edition is out now on Nintendo Switch.

A brand new live-action trailer which also shows extended Switch gameplay has been released.

The game will be available in two forms. The Chernobylite Complete Edition comes with the full base game + all content updates to date, including extra story missions, new locations, additional weapons, unique game modes and more.

Additionally, in Early 2025, the Chernobylite Premium Edition will be released with all the above plus digital downloads of the official Chernobylite Soundtrack and Artbook along with two cosmetic weapons and hideout DLCs - The Seasoned Scavenger and Irradiated Hideout DLC.

GAME FEATURES:

BASE BUILDING & CRAFTING

Build and customize your home base to serve all your operations and expeditions. Expand and upgrade to suit your needs and those of your companions. Use workstations to craft powerful gadgets, traps, and weapons, or fine-tune your existing gear to gain an edge in your excursions.

RESOURCE & TEAM MANAGEMENT

Recruit a diverse group of skilled companions to join you on your journey. Assign them to missions to gather resources, scout new areas, or eliminate threats. Manage your base to meet their needs and keep morale high, all while making tough story choices that will shape their loyalty to you.

STEALTH, SURVIVAL & COMBAT

Survival in The Exclusion Zone is tough, as each day brings fresh challenges and diminishing supplies. Venture out on supply runs, use stealth to evade detection, or engage in intense combat when necessary. Navigate through perilous environments and face formidable enemies, all while ensuring you extract back to base to keep your scavenged loot.

NON-LINEAR STORYTELLING & CHOICES

No playthrough is the same. Your choices and actions shape your story, but no decision will satisfy everyone. Choose carefully whom to trust, whether to prioritize resources for survival or research and when to face conflicts head-on or avoid them. Every decision carries weight and leads to different outcomes.

Article by: Susan N.

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Memorable Music in Gaming #60

Happy New Year, dear viewers! What better way to kick off the year than with a collection of fantastic minimalist compositions? Sit back, enjoy, and have a wonderful year ahead.

Mass Effect 2 | PC | Uncharted Worlds

The Mass Effect series boasts one of the best sci-fi soundtracks ever composed. If classic sci-fi novels came with their own background music, I’d imagine it sounding exactly like this.

I love the optimistic and curious nature of this track—it makes exploration feel intellectual rather than intimidating.

Uncharted Worlds

Celeste | PC | Quiet & Falling

If the real world sounded like this, I’d go out every day.

[Official] Celeste Original Soundtrack - 11 - Quiet and Falling

Siren: New Translation | PS3 |  Lament

I haven’t played this game yet, but there’s something deeply wistful and melancholic about this track. The occasional voice cracks only enhance its haunting, cerebral atmosphere.

If you told me this was from a Suicide album, I’d believe you.

Lament - Siren: New Translation OST

Silent Hill 2 | PC | White Noiz

Akira Yamaoka returns with yet another minimalistic masterpiece. Who would’ve thought a few sustained notes could send you spiraling into a stream of consciousness?

White Noiz

Mass Effect | PC | Presidium

We started this list with Mass Effect, so why not bring it full circle? Longtime Chalgyr.com readers may remember that Mr. Nick—honorable founder of the site—wrote about Presidium way back in entry #33 of this series.

I don’t have much to add except that this is yet another quintessential sci-fi music gem.

Mass Effect Soundtrack - The Presidium [Extended]

 

Article by: Hamza

 

 

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Watch The Trailer for Borderlands 4 from The Game Awards 2024 Here!

At the Game Awards in December 2024, 2K and Gearbox Software released the first look at Borderlands® 4 showcasing new details from one of the most highly anticipated games coming in 2025. Revealed at The Game Awards, a new trailer introduces The Timekeeper, a ruthless dictator who dominates the masses from on high. A world-altering catastrophe threatens his perfect Order, unleashing mayhem across Kairos, the most dangerous planet discovered so far in the Borderlands universe.

Borderlands 4 is the most ambitious Borderlands to date, lovingly hand-crafted by the development studio that first forged the looter shooter genre. The title evolves the series’ gameplay and storytelling in new ways while delivering on the quintessential Borderlands experience fans know and love, including:

• Intense action, badass Vault Hunters, and billions of wild and deadly weapons on an all-new planet ruled by a ruthless tyrant.
• The deepest and most diverse Vault Hunter skill trees of any Borderlands title yet, giving players an unprecedented level of expression through their builds. Paired with the most expansive loot chase yet, players will have all the tools they need to seek out and perfect the build that best matches their style.
• Players will be able to seamlessly travel between zones and become immersed in a more dynamic world featuring events and discoverable side missions that encourage and reward exploration.
• New traversal mechanics add to the exploration for loot and add new dimensions to combat. A vehicle that can be summoned almost anywhere will have players racing across the beautiful vistas of Kairos in style.
• Fight solo or in co-op with up to three other players in this immense sci-fi adventure, packed with free-form combat and exploration, pulse-pounding boss fights, infinitely varied loot drops, and an eclectic cast of unforgettable characters new and old.

"Borderlands 4 is about freedom and being badass,” said Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford. “This is by far the biggest and most insane world we’ve ever made - it's overloaded with jerkface ratnozzle scrote monsters that need to be put down with the most over-the-top hardcore nuts op guns and loot in any game ever. Oh, and the story also seriously kicks ass!”

Borderlands 4 will launch in 2025 on PlayStation®5 (PS5®), Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store. It is available to wishlist now.

The Borderlands franchise has sold-in more than 87 million copies to-date, receiving critical acclaim from reviewers and fans alike. With unforgettable characters, deep world building, and more unique guns than can be counted, the franchise has cemented itself as a must-play series.

For the latest information on Borderlands 4, wishlist the game, visit www.borderlands.2k.com and follow the game across YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

Borderlands 4 is currently rated RP for Rating Pending by the ESRB.

Gearbox Software is a 2K studio. 2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

Article by: Susan N.

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FromSoftware and Bandai Namco Launching Nightreign This Year!

LOS ANGELES - Dec. 12, 2024 – The world of ELDEN RING™ is getting a standalone multiplayer co-op action survival game that challenges players to band together in order to defeat the Nightlord. Developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc., the upcoming game, ELDEN RING™ NIGHTREIGN will thrust players into co-op multiplayer PVE combat against a harsh and unforgiving world. Teaming up in squads of three – or daring to go solo – they must outlast a three day-and-night cycle, making split decisions about combat and exploration across a changing map to become strong enough to take down terrifying bosses at the end of each day. ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN will launch in 2025 for PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam®. Follow the latest information on the official website here: www.nightreign.com.

Players take on the night together in an all-new experience from the team at FromSoftware. ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN will be a multiplayer-focused return to Roundtable Hold, set in a universe parallel to the events of ELDEN RING. Players must choose from eight unique characters, each with their own unique abilities and powerful Ultimates. Their journeys take them to Limveld, an ever-changing map, where they will have to make split-second decisions when it comes to combat and exploration in the face of a night cycle that shrinks the map with the coming Night’s Tide. At the end of each night, players will face a powerful boss and, if victorious, awaken to bigger challenges. Each session will culminate in the third night when they must face off against the chosen Nightlord. Individuals can fight the night alone, but strength will come in numbers. Nightfarers must learn to cooperate to take down these challenges, combining their unique abilities together for an unparalleled experience in the ELDEN RING universe.  All is not lost for those who fall in defeat. Unsuccessful runs will grant players relics to allow them to customize and upgrade their characters tailored to their personal play styles. 

ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN is unlike any experience created before by FromSoftware, Inc. In this condensed action RPG, players will never experience the same journey twice as enemies, rewards, and Limveld itself are ever-shifting and evolving each session. Defeating greater enemies and venturing into the more dangerous parts of the map will uncover more powerful weapons and greater Rune rewards. Find Sites of Grace to give each hero a chance to level up and gain crucial power. With each session-based adventure being akin to playing through an open-air dungeon, every journey provides an opportunity to grow lasting stat bonuses. Successful runs against the night bring players ever closer to defeating the Nightlord and unraveling the story behind each Nightfarer in this parallel world. 

For more information on ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN and other products from Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc., please visit www.bandainamcoent.com. Join the conversation on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/BandaiNamcoUS, check us out live on Twitch at https://twitch.tv/bandainamcous, or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS.

About Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. 

Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc., part of the Bandai Namco Group, is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for major video game consoles, PC, online, and mobile platforms. The company is known for creating many of the industry’s beloved classic franchises such as PAC-MAN®, GALAGA®, TEKKEN®, SOULCALIBUR®, and ACE COMBAT®, and publishing the critically acclaimed DARK SOULS™ series and the blockbuster title ELDEN RING™. Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. is also the premier publisher in the Western hemisphere for anime-based video games including GUNDAM™, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, DRAGON BALL™, and ONE PIECE®. Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. is headquartered in Irvine, California. More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.bandainamcoent.com.

©Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. / ©2024 FromSoftware, Inc.

Press Release ©Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. 

All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners. 

Article by: Susan N.

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On Your Tail - PC Review

On Your Tail by developer Memorable Games and publisher Humble Games—PC(Steam) review written by Mike with a copy provided by the publisher.

 
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

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“One that is wise to wait, has no hurry” 

Humble Games has published a wonderful title with the development team at Memorable Games focused on the protagonist Diana Caproni as she hones her writing skills learning empathy, overcoming apathy, and meeting a slew of characters in the world of “On Your Tail”.

We start the journey in Turin Italy. Diana is listening to her teacher, Professor Vecchi, over a conference call as discussion regarding the topic of talent springs up. Lost in thought, Diana is quickly brought back on track as Professor Vecchi will be one of the judges in an upcoming writers competition Diana has entered. Professor Vecchi is concerned about the lack of emotion and feeling in Diana's writing. Though well structured, her writing tends to come off as if written by Artificial Intelligence: emotionless and lacking in his expectations of her potential skills.

The blunt and honest feedback is our first hurdle as Diana has to decide on what response to give her professor via a choice tree format. This mechanic will pave the way forward into the world around her.

The criticism weighs heavily on Diana and the discussion carries on as the Professor reassures her that his intentions are not to diminish her efforts but to provide some feedback on areas to improve.

After the conversation wraps up, we are awarded a "player card" giving information on the person we just had an interaction with, as well as one of Diana herself. These cards are stored alongside the other, at this time of writing, eight hundred and thirty one cards you will be discovering along the way stored inside the "Mind Palace" of Diana. Cards will range from culture, leisure, characters, and more. Information and background is written on each card giving insight to each topic discovered.

A bit of self pity and moping over criticism later, we rise up from the desk and begin the adventure before us: to get more experience in the writing field. Setting her sights on Borgo Marina from a postcard her Nona had collected in the past, Diana takes her trusty “Vispa”, a reliable non-trademarked Scooter, a pilot jacket, and starts her adventure.

I found myself immediately enchanted by the music emphasizing the world around me, drawing the player in with a very suitable and melodic score. Sound design of captivating a first impression lands me optimistic in what I will discover in the lands ahead. Voice acting is a series of reactive noises such as grunts and gasps. Conversations are dialogue driven with unique character art and silhouettes in place of some lesser important roles. The presentation is subtle but not a fully voiced ensemble for the characters. This is not a negative aspect however, as the attention remains on writing and keeps one focused on the information being gathered as the story is unfolding.

After a small tutorial on how to operate the Chronolense, a magical device left to Diana from her Nona, you are deducing a crime scene layout to aid in retrieving important clues. Diana's first case is aiding a feline graduate find her car keys, which opens the pathway down a peaceful coastal trail to some abandoned railway tracks. Fate takes a turn as the train tunnel is longer than anticipated and Diana arrives later in the evening, managing to wrangle her Vispa up the path to Borgo Marina amid heavy rainfall. 

Crashing in an attempt to not collide with a shadowy figure in the night, she is rescued by Orlando De Montoni and given a place to rest. After a brief introduction to Orlando's wife Beatrice, Diana is informed the shadowy figure she almost ran over was a thief stealing from the couple's villa. Being ever the optimist, Diana takes on the investigation in order to improve her writing skills amid a burglary mystery in the township, aiding those effected and bringing the criminal to justice as an amateur investigation journalist.

A good thing to keep in mind is that you are primarily here for a holiday escape. You do not play the role of Batman, but a laid back and social type of Bruce Wayne, without money, or Bat-mobile, or Bat anything really. Point is, the game is centered around social interactions and experiencing the world around you day to day, all while aiding in a mystery plaguing the townsfolk as a side objective.

Reminiscent of the area of Cervia Italy, the landscape and architecture show love and care placed into every texture and model depicted along the way. The coastal view is a simple and sweet setting giving off the allure of a peaceful and reserved town. The foliage is well made with unique plants and flowers decorating the areas, making the town feel alive and flourishing with personality. The stone walkways and architecture shine vibrantly as the design team clearly did plenty of research, and I found myself admiring the many paintings and art on display throughout the world. Classical paintings recreated in the anthropomorphic style to fit the animal-like depictions was a beautiful touch to the game environment.

Some of the vegetation and fruits can be collected on a daily basis, once you acquire a shopping bag from a local shop near the photography studio along the beach that is. Collecting raw ingredients prompts a mini-game where accuracy is key as one missed click will cause Diana to collect nothing and need to wait for an in-game day before attempting to harvest again.

Events unfold as you inquire more with the local residents on the recent thefts, from meeting love interests to finding a place to stay in town, discovering pass-time activities, fishing, and even photography. Within the second day I was slinging gelato, delivering parcels for the post office, and found a great joy in the restaurant mini-game to earn currency in the township for various purchases. Skipping stones and playing Marbles on the beach with locals between traveling around the township sets the laid back mood of easing into a fine finished presentation about a holiday adventure without the constant bearing down weight of the thief mystery. Patience is key in this game as things will take time. It's good to sit and reflect every so often.

I found myself finishing important dialogue with characters only to check in on side jobs. I was eager to earn more lira to buy fresh groceries, allowing me to experiment with the kitchen mini-game to perfect certain foods and drinks. You will need to read a recipe book or two in order to unlock certain dishes though. Maybe it will impress Diana's love interest if I manage not to spill all of the coffee, or burn it by accident. Progressing into the days ahead unveils more investigations all around the area, and events to take part in as you enjoy your escape into the lives and mysteries of the residents of Borgo Marina.

The controls of the game are simple and sweet with a polished user interface, where the graphical presentation has moments of the gameplay feeling as picturesque as a cutscene. The travel around town is by foot, or hoof as the characters are anthropomorphic. With the trusty Vispa out of commission early on, traversing from one location to another is often times met with a casual stroll amid the infrastructure and buildings or a sprint that at times feels like a gentle jog. Once you earn enough Lira the rental boat becomes a seaworthy form of transportation, however the length of time in-between islands is a test of patience as there is no fast travel option for the player to speed through the fairing of the sea. Inverted steering will be a test of skill for many climbing aboard their boat for the first trip.

With it's slight drawback of rendering and optimization issues that are being patched by the development team on a regular rate, any issues encountered will be nothing but a memory as the team behind the title have put hard work and dedication into a fully fleshed out release.

Some will dive right into the Adventure/Puzzle solving aspects with absolute ease as there are times even when I felt lost; the gameplay did little to hold one's hand but felt rewarding every time a mystery or investigation was solved in succession.

In grand summary, “On your Tail” lands in a special place of my heart as it has enough charm and content to draw in even hard-set players of different genres, enticing the discovery and deduction skills of a amateur investigator. On Your Tail presents it's traits to an adventure game appeal to keep the pace and experience, always yearning to unravel more about the world ahead of you.

Pros: The Game feels whimsical and easygoing, a pick up and play for casual and advanced mystery solvers with a keen eye for clues and deductions. Development team is releasing patches and fixes on known issues very swiftly, truly a labor of love title.

Cons: At times the camera controls can lead to complications and jolty movements, some barriers of invisible walls are a small setback to the full game experience.

On Your Tail lands a wonderful 8 of 10.

Score: 8 / 10

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Loco Motive - PC Review

Loco Motive by developer Robust Games and publisher Chucklefish—PC(Steam) review written by Natasha with a copy provided by the publisher.

 
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

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*Radio Static*

Agent Type! Come in, Agent Type? This is Operator Po. Do you read me?

I read you loud and clear, Op Po! What's the situation?

We have been informed that our target audience is in compartment 6. They are armed and heavily guarded with the latest review on Loco Motive.

EGAD! We don't have a moment to lose. (Straps on a harness and pulls out a copy of my review from my finest tailor cut suit) It's now or never! (I swing down from the top of the train and smash into our target's private quarters. Only to hear shots fired) NO! Am I too late?

(I rush over to our target and cradle them in my arms. I notice their breath is shallow and catch someone escape out the room.) Please... *Wheeze* I need... good content before I pass on. (I see them gripping another copy of a review)

Foul play! This is CRAZY! Who would have the motive to do such a thing? (I rush to shove the copy of my review into their view) Read, dammit, read! Don't let your final moments be in vain. This content could bring you peace of mind. I need you to READ!

~ ~ ~

All Aboard the Reuss Express

Loco Motive is a wonderful point and click, puzzle, adventure game about a retiring wealthy heiress, Lady Unterwald, who has a hard time picking her next successor. Wanting to make a grand spectacle about it she chooses to celebrate her future retirement on her most prized possession: The Reuss Express. A  new type of train that is the first to run on the power of steam (for it's time). As she gathers her friends and family, upon the moment of her revealing the successor, the train travels through a sudden dark tunnel. No one expected to find a murder at the end of the tunnel. Killed in cold blood, it's up to her attorney, Arthur Ackerman, and the helping hand of other special individuals, to solve and find the late Lady's killer and final will and testimony. Will you find the clues in time or will this twisted individual get away with all the gold and glory?

A Trio of Unlikely Agents

You would think the best private investigators are on the case, right? But, you'd guest wrong, as this is an impossible situation and you'll have to make do with the cast of characters who are on board this murderous train. Who knows... it could be fun?

Arthur Ackerman

A semi professional attorney who seems to have won the most trust with Lady Unterwald. A good soul at heart he tends to become extremely gullible to everyone around him, which in turn could land him in hot water. He tries to see the best in everyone he meets, but can fall short of taking a hint from time to time. If his loyalty to the wealthy heiress ain't apparent, you should see how he reacts to a mountain of paperwork.

Herman Merman

An aspiring novelist, who tries to triumph over all his competition, especially that suave newcomer, Dirk Chiselton. This passionate adventurer for literature means well, but he will low key try to sabotage someone in order to work it out in his favour. He does tend to stay hidden under dire circumstances, but if you squint hard enough, this man tends to blend into the background effortlessly. Don't let all this negativity fool you, why he said so himself that all his published works are purely recounting the tales of his own trials. Maybe you've heard of 'Herman Merman and the Suburban Burden'? Quite the tale. You should give it a read.

Diana Osterhagen

Our final addition to the team is the lovely agent-in-training. Determined to prove her worth she jumps at the opportunity to earn her gold badge. Now if she could just convince her superiors to give her a chance. However, she has a hard time getting her seniors to notice her. She'll have to take things into her own hands and prove her cunning and brilliant secretive work. As she scoops up her trusty sidekick “Agent M” (Straight up a Mouse), the two take on the biggest gig of her life: infiltrating the Reuss Express.

Bureaucracy Powers this Murder

With the late Lady Unterwald passing, everyone onboard is in an uproar, but with a bit of digging we could solve this deadly mystery. And hopefully we're not too late.

As straight forward as it seems, a point and click adventure is just that. You point at an object of interest and investigate whether or not it is of any importance. Some items are obtainable and could even be combined with other items you pick up along the way. With a bit of brain work you may mix and match an item of greater use for you elsewhere.

There will be times where you will have to solve a puzzle or two in order to progress further into the story. None of them were relatively difficult, but if you find yourself struggling to move forward in the story, Loco Motive makes sure to never leave you stranded for long.

A Hotline worth Calling

Remember how I mentioned the game will lend a hand if you seem stuck? Introducing the Chiselton Hotline: your one-way ticket to help if you so require it. Stuck on your next move? Whelp there is a telephone on the train that'll connect you to the one and only up and coming talented detective himself. There are no penalties for how many times you need aid, Dirk is always available to lend an ear and some well laid out advice. It's even worth asking him multiple times, as he may just have the answers you seek.

A Cacophony of Hilarious Moments

One of the game's most noticeable genres that sticks out like a well earned paycheck, other than the obvious Mystery vibes, is Comedy. This locomotive is chock full of funny moments and hilarious quips. It's even worth talking to everyone multiple times just to get the whole picture of a running joke that started off as a mild chuckle, then blindsides you with a bellyful of laughter. I think I lost count on how many times the slap-stick jokes just got better with repetition. Even messing around in the menu section of the game is worth your time. Detail was key when the writers came up with this concept. Pure Comedy Gold!

One way Trip to Fortune

As we reach our destination on this magical voyage upon the beautiful Reuss Express, my experience is nothing short of, Bravo! Loco Motive seems to have reawakened my 'Days of the Tentacles' years and put a modern twist into the mix. If you're looking for a good time exploring, laughter and great story telling, then look no further. Visually, it's a story book crime adventure, never filled with dull moments. Each character is crafted to be memorable and fun. Surely, it marks a comeback to point and click adventure. I'm giving this title a solid 9.5 out of 10. Chugga Chugga Choo Choo!

Score: 9.5 / 10

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Memorable Music in Gaming #59

This week, we’re diving into songs that aren’t just cool but also have some of the coolest titles around.

Suikoden II | PS1 | Gothic Neclord Battle

Now this is what you call a banger of a title. Bram Stoker would be proud.

The vintage, Jon Lord-esque organ piece perfectly sets the Baroque-era vibe, capturing the feeling of squaring off against an ancient villain. Dramatic, gothic, and unforgettable.

Best VGM 78 - Suikoden II - Gothic Neclord Battle

 

Breath of Fire V | PS2 | Electric Power Building

Maybe the title doesn’t fit the traditional definition of “cool,” but there’s something about brutalist-sounding words that feel right at home in the Mega-City One aesthetic of Dredd. Even its alternate title, PowerOne, is just as good.

The thumping, repetitive notes evoke the image of walking through desolate corridors with flickering lights and lifeless beige walls—a hauntingly industrial vibe.

Best VGM 161 - Breath of Fire V - Electric Power Building (PowerOne)

 

Final Fantasy IX | PS1 | Dark Messenger

Catchy doesn’t even begin to describe this one. It’s straight out of a melodic operatic metal album.

The cinematic buildup transitions into a rocking, unforgettable middle section. While it may not be as iconic as some other tracks in the series, it confidently holds its own as a classic.

Final Fantasy IX - The Dark Messenger (Trance Kuja Theme)

 

Shadow Hearts | PS2 | Coffee with Bullet

Come on, how cool is this title? It sounds like the name of a gritty comic miniseries from Vertigo or Image Comics, complete with noir or neo-noir potential.

This track is the shortest on the list, but it’s also the calmest. It’s the kind of tune you’d hear as the protagonist wakes up, draws the curtains, and brews a fresh cup of coffee.

Shadow Hearts Track 12 - Coffee with Bullet

 

Persona 3 | PS2 | Mass Destruction

Rap infused with funk and catchiness—what’s not to love? The entire song is a masterpiece, but Yumi Kawamura’s vocals take it to the next level, making it one of the best tracks in the Persona series.

Say it with me now: Baby, baby, da-dada-dada, dada-dada.

Persona 3 OST - Mass Destruction

 

 

Article by: Hamza

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Game of the Year 2024

It's been a couple of weeks of showcasing some of our favorite and most memorable titles, even some that surprised us in 2024, but alas, there can only be one winner. Some of these titles may shock you, some may be obvious choices, but no matter what anyone says, all of our reasons for loving certain games are valid. Check out Chalgyr's Game of the Year below and let us know what games are on your list!

Nick:

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

The initial entry was one I waited a long time to play through, but once I started it I couldn't put it down. I didn't wait that long for Rebirth, and with good reason. The continuing story was one that kept me invested from the beginning, and continues to connect with me in a way that the original (which I always enjoyed well enough) never quite did all those years ago.

Valerie:

Caravan SandWitch 

I absolutely loved this game! It had everything in it to keep me absorbed and wanting to keep playing even after I would finish one of the puzzles or finish a quest. The characters were interesting as the story progressed and they fit right in the village they occupy. The bad guy in the game actually wasn’t who I thought it was at first and then clues revealed the true baddy not too long after I met the Sand Witch. The graphics were very colorful and spot on for each item and scenery in the game. The mechanics of the van in the game weren’t too hard to master, but I did wish for a couple of things as I played the game. Kudos to everyone at Studio Plane Toast! You made my Game of the Year and I look forward to the second ending, when I have the time to sit down to play again!

Susan:

The Talos Principle II: Road to Elysium

My Game of the Year could only be one (only because the other game that could take this spot I haven't yet purchased!) We all know about my love for puzzle games, and the Talos Principle II: Road to Elysium DLC takes the spot! There are a number of reasons why, beginning with the absolutely adorable story of Yaqut and Miranda. Of all the stories, this one made me smile the most. It grabbed at the heart strings. Although, the challenge world has an emotional story of its own as you get to experience what Byron went through. Not only does the challenge world kick you in the gut, the puzzles you have to solve are brainmelting. Unlike other game DLCs which may introduce new tools to solve puzzles, all of the tools you used previously are used. There is no guessing what new tools do to increase the challenge of the areas, the puzzles require a new way of thinking. And that is part of what makes it the game of the year for me, the fact that the difficulty is derived from your preconceived notions of how to solve a problem. The characters, the scenery, the secrets are cherries on the top of the cake. What's crazy about this DLC is that no one was expecting it! Road to Elysium was mentioned at an event like the PC Games Show, and I only found out about it because of another puzzle fanatic friend of mine. Honestly, if you love puzzle games, Talos Principle and Riven are the top dogs in my opinion.

Richard:

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2

I'll admit that the first experience I had with the Earth Defense Force series was...less than stellar. Once I started playing this EDF title? Man, I feel stupid for not getting more into the series before now. I've spent a lot of time trying to get others into the series now to play with me, and no shame will stop me making shameless plugs for it.

P.Y.:

Unicorn Overlord

Vanillaware? They know what they are doing. Having moved from side scrolling JRPGs into more narrative heavy experiences and real time strategy, Unicorn Overlord had me hooked from start to finish. This was one game that I just couldn't wait to finish work and boot up. The flow of the story, the real time strategy combat to move your forces around, but topped off with a hands off automated turned based combat, it meshed and merged styles in a great way that was hard to put down. I also very much enjoyed that while there were a variety of story based characters to add to your ranks, the more generic units weren't useless or just padding. They could hold their weight and at times even carry the fight over the narrative based characters because of their class types making them better in the combat situations that they found themselves in.

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Ultima: Exodus - Retro Reflections

Ultima: Exodus by developers Origin Systems and Newtopia Planning and publisher FCI —Nintendo Entertainment System.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

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There are two times of the year that tend to get me reflecting on games of old. One is near the end of spring, around my birthday and the other is near Christmas. The connection here should be obvious, as when I was a kid – most of the video games I played were gifted to me during one of those two yearly occasions.

In prior articles, I’ve touched on some of these gifts. Unabashed link-fest coming up, but I still have some strong memories and emotions tied to when I received my Nintendo Entertainment System (and Joust – I’ll have to reminisce on that one soon) from my Uncle Ken for Christmas. That same year my parents got me Elevator Action and Dragon Power as gifts, and my Grandpa Joe and Grandma Bev got me Double Dribble. A few years later, my Grandma Barb picked up Tecmo Basketball for Christmas. Before that my parents had gotten me into gaming with a TI99/4a, and years later my Uncle Ken again came through with the win, giving me a Sega Genesis for my birthday (and a ton of games such as Columns, Altered Beast, Sonic the Hedgehog and an EA golfing game). 

Okay, that was a lot of nostalgia. But when I think of Ultima: Exodus, I get hit pretty hard with nostalgia as well. This wasn’t year one of me having my NES – it was a couple after I received it. This title got released on over a dozen platforms, with some variance in the naming such as Exodus: Ultima III and Ultima III: Exodus, but as it was the first release on the Nintendo Entertainment System, they simply went with the title Ultima: Exodus.

I had never heard of this game, and I’m not entirely sure what inspired my parents to pick it up. I vaguely recall my dad saying that he thought the cover of the box looked interesting and he was well aware that I was a big fan of the fantasy genre. This however, was also my true introduction to the roleplaying genre. Dragon Warrior wouldn’t be too far behind – I wound up borrowing that from a friend a few months after discovering my love for grinding through oodles of turn-based battles. This was well before I was introduced to Dungeons & Dragons or played my first Final Fantasy.

Now, in retrospect, Ultima: Exodus is a pretty flawed but still fun game. I’ve played it in somewhat recent years, and sure – any game release in 1989 is going to struggle when held up to today’s standards more than three decades later. I’m not talking about the graphics and sound (it is surprising how quickly the music tickled the back of my brain, but I logged dozens and dozens of hours with this game back in the day, so that music’s apparently been burned into my brain by now.

But even comparing this game to some of its contemporaries from around the same time, such as the first Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy titles, Ultima: Exodus just had a lot of rough edges. Several things were poorly explained (somewhat common for the time), leading to a lot of wandering about and happening on to the next steps in the journey. The number scaling was off too, as experience for leveling was far easier to come by than the gold needed to purchase leveling. Those two things feel out of sorts with one another, despite being tied to the same progression system.

Also, the way the world handled levels was a little oddly inconsistent as the overworld scaled with your level but the dungeons were more set to level ranges, leading to an uneven experience if you grind a lot early on. Combat had a sort of weird hit / miss frame thing that was more about timing than the more traditional behind the scenes dice rolling. 

However, there was a flexibility to Ultima: Exodus that felt somewhat ahead of its time as well. Character creation was incredibly flexible compared to similar titles. You had greater control over the way you could interact with characters, with commands to attack, attempt to steal or even bribe NPCs. You could even pick a fight with the king (though you’d lose – he’s indestructible). I did a lot of saving back then – but there were a lot of things that you could try – and screw up. Reviving characters is expensive, which makes the game feel more punitive than most of the era.

It's also worth noting that when you discover the hidden land of Ambrosia, the game opened up in a new and unexpected way, including better character progression. That’s sort of the theme of Ultima: Exodus. It was a dense game with a lot of systems that often were not well explained, and there was precious little handholding done. It’s not one of the hardest NES games in the traditional sense, but a lot of hours and perseverance is needed to see it through to the finale.

In the end, however, for all its foibles, Ultima: Exodus is more than just the game it is – at least to me. It’s another set of memories tied to a Christmas gift from loved ones, and it also introduced me to one of my favorite video game genres ever. I think those things make Ultima: Exodus something far more special.

Article by: Nick

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Watch the Debut Cinematic of Civilization VII from The Game Awards!

December 12th, 2025 | Sid Meier's Civilization VII Debuted the Epic Opening Cinematic at The Game Awards 2024

Live orchestra performs music by GRAMMY award-winning composer Christopher Tin; watch the full version of the trailer here

2K and Firaxis Games debuted today the in-game opening cinematic to Sid Meier's Civilization VII at The Game Awards 2024. During the show, in-person attendees were treated to an epic live orchestral performance accompanying the cinematic, featuring music specially composed by GRAMMY® award-winning composer Christopher Tin.

Voiced-over by Civilization VII-narrator Gwendoline Christie ("Game of Thrones," "Star Wars" franchise), the opening cinematic takes viewers on a journey through the Ages. As a lone farmer uncovers a buried and rusted saber, we see its history unfold. The saber passes from one generation to the next, across different cultures and regions of the world, illuminating a central theme of the game - that history is built in layers. The full uncut version of the opening cinematic is available to watch here.

In addition to the opening cinematic, the main theme for Civilization VII, "Live Gloriously," was also revealed. Composer Christopher Tin shares: "With 'Live Gloriously,' I wanted to capture universal themes of hope, heroism and mortality that have resonated across history. You'll hear words from The Iliad, Beowulf, Popol Vuh and Ramayana, delivering a beautiful sense of gravity and emotion that embodies the story of humanity."

Sid Meier's Civilization VII launches on February 11, 2025 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, and Mac and Linux via Steam. Sid Meier's Civilization VII is currently rated E10+ by the ESRB. Firaxis Games is a 2K studio. 2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

Article by: Susan N.

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Tactical Adventures Unveils Ambitious Sequel 'Solasta II' in 2025!

PARIS (Dec. 12, 2024) | At The Game Awards, indie studio Tactical Adventures unveiled Solasta II, the ambitious sequel to their beloved tabletop-inspired RPG. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, Solasta II is set to launch in Early Access on PC in 2025, with a free playable demo due for release early next year. Tactical Adventures are excited to work with the community once again to refine and shape Solasta II into the ultimate TTRPG experience.

Decades after the events of Solasta: Crown of the Magister (2021), Solasta II transports players to the vibrant high-fantasy realm of Neokos—a land of breathtaking beauty teetering on the edge of ruin at the hands of Shadwyn, an all-powerful being brought to life by Amelia Tyler (Baldur’s Gate 3, Hades II). As her endless tide of corruption spreads across the continent, a band of valiant adventurers rises to the challenge. While navigating towering landscapes to contending with political factions vying for power and fighting fearsome foes, players must make wise decisions to end an ancient feud before it engulfs the lands in bloodshed and strife.

Mathieu Girard, Creative Director, shared, "Our team of 35 combines deep expertise with a passion for crafting immersive and challenging gaming experiences. With our first game, we started as a Kickstarter success story, building on the SRD 5.1 ruleset to create a tactical RPG that has resonated with over 1.5 million players. Now, with Solasta II, we’re taking all that even further – pushing the system with fresh takes on tactical depth, fun and accessibility. Players will explore Neokos, a new continent brimming with magic, colossal landscapes and discover unprecedented lore, while facing the growing force of Shadwyn, a charismatic villain driven by a relentless desire to reclaim her lost power.

This project is powered by ambition, respect for our players and a shared belief in the strength of what we’re building together. We can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on it and tell us what they think!"

Players will roll the dice with the D20 system, create their party and embark on a quest filled with strategy, magic and intrigue. With Solasta II, Tactical Adventures aims to deliver a truly immersive experience featuring deep tactical combat and a wealth of exciting features.

Key Features Include:

• Complete Party Management and Customization - Create and develop your own party of four adventurers, all fully voiced and each fully customizable with unique skills and abilities.
• 1-4 Player Online Co-op - Team up with others online to strategize and share tactical triumphs.
• Turn-Based Tactical Combat - Master tactical combat, utilizing the full depth of the D&D 5E ruleset for immersive, strategic battles.
• Unreal Engine 5 - Experience cutting-edge visuals and immersive environments.
• Console Optimization - Designed for seamless play with console pads delivering an experience on par with mouse and keyboard.

 

Solasta II is in development for PC and available to wishlist now with Early Access coming in 2025. Fans can look forward to a playable demo soon and stay up to date with the latest news by signing up for the newsletter at www.solasta-game.com. They can also speak directly with Tactical Adventures through the official Discord.

Follow Solasta II on Twitter, Discord, YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, Instagram, and Steam here: https://www.solasta-game.com/hub/linkhub

About Tactical Adventures

Tactical Adventures is an independent development studio based in Paris, founded in 2018 with a commitment to bringing the tabletop RPG experience to life on screen. Led by industry veterans, the team focuses on crafting deeply narrative-driven games within the RPG genre. Their passion for immersive storytelling led to the creation of Solasta: Crown of the Magister, a project initially brought to life through a successful Kickstarter campaign. Tactical Adventures is currently working on Solasta II, the highly anticipated sequel set to debut in Early Access for PC in 2025.

Article by: Susan N.

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Take a Look at PQube Asia's Showcase of Upcoming Games in 2025!

PQube (London, UK) - December 11th, 2024 | Today, PQube hosted a showcase of their upcoming games, including five brand new announcements! To those that missed the showcase, all the upcoming releases can be seen below, or on the stream VOD. 

 

The Showcase featured the following title announcements:

• Class of Heroes 3 Remaster (Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS5) Coming 2025
• Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark (Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox) Digital Launch March 27th, 2025
• Death Match Love Comedy! (Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox) Coming 2025
• K-pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut (Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox) Coming 2025
• Iwakura Aria (Steam, Nintendo Switch) Coming 2025

Each newly announced title will receive more information in the form of a press release in the coming weeks.

WATCH THE SHOWCASE

CLASS OF HEROES 3 REMASTER

Class is back in session! After a 15 year wait, Class of Heroes 3 Remaster, the revered school-themed dungeon RPG series, is finally here! Enroll in one of three distinct schools and join your fellow students on an epic dungeon crawling adventure.

 

• Delve into dungeons!: Class of Heroes 3 Remaster takes 3D dungeon-crawling RPGs to a new level - with more characters and bigger dungeons than ever before!
• Back to School: Choose from one of three distinct schools - each will change your uniform, difficulty and story!
• Make new friends: The expanded relationship system lets you forge (or break!) bonds with the fellow students in your party. The stronger the bond, the greater the benefit!
• Let’s party!: Team up with fellow students from a huge range of races and classes to build the best possible party of heroes to explore dungeons with.
• Plunder the dungeons!: Take your party into colossal, labyrinthine dungeons - fight off enemies and plunder the loot to make yourself stronger on each run!
• Build it your way: With hundreds of weapons, armour and items - along with even more combinations of races and classes. Customise your team to suit your playing style!
• New and improved: As the third iteration in the series, every aspect of the original games has been enhanced and improved to make this the most enjoyable in the series yet!

Class of Heroes 3 Remaster is coming to Steam, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5 next year.

Gal Guardians Servants of the Dark

Take control of the demon sisters Kirika and Masha as they attempt to revive their Demon Lord Maxim and rebuild their castle in this 2D action Metroidvania adventure!

 

Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark takes the tight action players enjoyed in “Gal Guardians: Demon Purge” and vastly increases the exploration and collection elements, shifting genres completely to a full Metroidvania for an all-new experience.

 

Servants of the Dark moves the setting from a single demonic castle to the entirety of the demon world. Players will control two demon maids as they explore the underworld: Kirika and her younger sister Masha. They each have different attacks and abilities, requiring players to switch between the two as they explore each area, upgrade their weapons, defeat demonic bosses, and revive their master, the Demon Lord Maxim.

 

Additionally, Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark features online 2-player co-op, allowing two players anywhere in the world to control the two sisters simultaneously.

 

Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark is coming digitally to Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Xbox on March 27th, 2025.

Death Match Love Comedy

From the creators of “Raging Loop” comes a wild-ride of a visual novel, full of slapstick comedy, occult experiences, and romance!

 

First year Kei Yagi is about to receive a love confession from not one, but two classmates, when he suddenly explodes! Although this initial incident was an illusion, he discovers that due to a mysterious curse put upon him, the next time he receives a confession of love he will truly explode and die!

 

Map it all out: Multiple routes and endings can be navigated easily through the chart system which allows you to pick up from various points along any route you’ve travelled.

 

Confession Time: A special confession warning light appears when the time for love confessions looms near, helping you avoid destruction (or accept it to collect all the bad endings!).

 

The Popular Kid: With all sorts of strange happenings and encounters with curious characters, at least Kei isn’t alone in this rollercoaster ride. From girls fighting over him, to classmates fighting alongside him, Kei’s making some unforgettable high school memories.

 

Sister Universe: Loved “Raging Loop”? Then you’ll love this. At first glance it may seem like completely different work, but these visual novels are deeply connected sister works by scenario writer amphibian.

 

Enjoy your time in this hybrid, high school fantasy / romantic slapstick comedy visual novel, where you need to push away the affection thrown your way, lest you instantly explode all the while trying to break the strange curse put upon you.

Death Match Love Comedy! is coming to Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox in 2025.

K-POP IDOL STORIES: ROAD TO DEBUT 

A love letter to the exciting world of K-Pop, K-pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut is a life simulation where you are the manager of multiple K-Pop talents. Manage their schedule, pick their music and choose their fashion to turn them into superstars!

 

Choose your trainees: As their manager, it's up to you to understand their stories, personalities, and strengths. Assemble a diverse and dynamic group of idols to create a perfect team!

 

Original K-Pop Soundtrack: What’s your K-pop group’s concept? Choose the soundtrack for their debut single, produced by a K-pop composer exclusively for this game.

 

Your Choices Matter: What kind of manager are you? Disciplined and straightforward, or caring and compassionate? The choice is yours.

 

Unlock and Plan their Schedules: Should you send your idols to rigorous dance practice, or let them unwind with a relaxing yoga class? Your choices impact the team’s growth and the story’s direction.

 

Moving Minigames: From hitting the pitch to memorising dance moves, be a true part of the training process. Aim for an S-rank to ensure your trainees achieve their ultimate potential.

 

Discover More: By selecting different places on the map and visiting different locations you can uncover snippets of other characters' lives and maybe even discover their secrets...

 

K-POP Idol Stories: Road to Debut is coming to Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox in 2025.

 

IWAKURA ARIA 

Iwakura Aria is a brand-new original visual novel from MAGES. The Iwakura mansion holds a dark secret. Ichiko the new young maid joins looking for nothing but safety and security, but she would soon find herself entangled with the beautiful daughter of the Iwakura household. Unravel the secrets of the Iwakura mansion in this gripping suspense visual novel.

Heart Pounding Revelations: Play as Ichiko, housekeeper to the Iwakura mansion, and uncover the chilling machinations at play as you grow closer to Aria and her dark fate.

Change the Future: With nine different endings to unlock, the choices you make affect the outcome of the future and the life the protagonist is living 33 years after the events of the main game.

Unlock Secrets: Use the map to explore different rooms of the mansion to piece together key information needed to uncover characters' hidden secrets.

Ichiko’s Sketchbook: Carefully detailed drawings of what captivates her interest, these drawings can also reveal hidden clues to the twisted heart of the Iwakura mansion.

Renaissance Dream: The story comes to life through painterly illustrations and cut-out frames which piece together multiple images into one scene, by illustrator Hyakunen and graphic designer Fumi Nakada.

Gripping Connections: The bonds between the women of the mansion pull together the story, from friendship to love, these strong emotions underpin the suspense which builds with each chapter.

Iwakura Aria is coming to Steam and Nintendo Switch next year.

More information on these titles will be available in the coming weeks.

Stay Tuned for more PQube Asia Titles Coming Soon!

Article by: Susan N.

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