ROCK AND STONE! Deep Rock Galactic Rogue Core Releases in Early Access TODAY!

Hello Reclaimers!

The Core has gone Rogue. Deep Rock Galactic needs your help!

STORY

Expenite - a new mineral of incredible value and use has been discovered on planet Hoxxes! Space mining company Deep Rock Galactic immediately sets up covert mining operations deeper than ever, to harvest this precious material. 

Suddenly and without warning - all the dig sites go dark, and all contact is abruptly lost. In this action-packed 1-4 player co-op roguelite, take on the role of a team of elite dwarven Reclaimers called to planet Hoxxes IV to deal with the situation. 

Bring the lost dig sites back online, unravel the mystery of The Greyout, and keep it from happening again using all the guts, guns, and grit at your disposal. The Core has gone Rogue. DRG needs your help!

GAMEPLAY

Co-op Roguelite

Each Rogue Core mission begins with selecting your loadout - picking a Phase Suit equipped with an Active Ability of your choice, as well as one of a range of unique Reclaimer Weapons. Once loaded up, you board your Drop Pod and land at the outer boundary of a lost dig site, facing the Greyout Barrier surrounding it. Luckily, R&D has equipped you with a device capable of carving a hole through it, but once you go in, there is no way back except mission success. Proceed through the Barrier on foot and fight your way down multiple procedurally generated stages to the deepest and most dangerous level of the site. 

During each stage, you will salvage caches of DRG equipment and weapons to expand your arsenal for that mission. The dig sites are also full of the wonder-mineral Expenite. Deposit any Expenite you can find into your trusty Processor Drone to generate a wide range of powerful temporary upgrades. Thus, as you progress ever deeper, your power will grow, but so will the challenge. Every little bit will be needed to make it through all the stages, reach the Core, and reclaim the dig site. 

Between missions, you return to your ship - the RV-09 “Ramrod”, parked in low orbit above Hoxxes. By completing mission tasks and reclaiming dig sites, you will earn the means to research and permanently unlock new Reclaimer Weapons, Phase Suits, and Suit Mods. Expand your gear options and experiment with various setups to tackle the deepest and most dangerous dig sites.

 

Early Access - FAQ

How is DRG: Rogue Core different from Deep Rock Galactic?

The main difference is the roguelite game structure. In short, this means that you start each mission with only the most basic equipment, and you collect random upgrades, gear and abilities as you go. This makes for lots of variety in your build, and the potential for extremely powerful upgrades and synergies.

On top of that, the core gameplay has three main differences:

• It's faster-paced. You’re under more pressure, and time is a resource you need to manage. Each level is on a mission timer, and you may not be able to complete every single side objective before your time runs out and you reach critical threat level.
• It's harder and more intense. The baseline difficulty is more challenging. We’d say the game probably starts close to the 'Hazard 3' experience from Deep Rock Galactic, and it scales up from there. 
• There's more focus on combat. In Rogue Core, the cave generation is more linear. Where DRG had more focus on traversal and terrain modification, Rogue Core introduces fighting in and around industrial structures in the caves.

Is this Roguelike or Roguelite?

While ‘Roguelike’ is often used broadly for all kinds of games that have “runs”, “builds” and random upgrades, we deliberately use the term Roguelite to indicate that there will be a meta gameplay level with permanent character progression that carries over between missions.

What playable classes are there in Rogue Core?

In Rogue Core, you step into the boots of the Reclaimers — Deep Rock Galactic’s elite corporate security force. In early access launch, it features five playable Reclaimers:

• GUARDIAN: The walking shield. An expert in area denial and close protection. Damages enemies with concussive blasts, and restores the team’s armor.
• FALCONER: The aerial attacker. Deploys an airborne assault drone to electrify enemies, and in an emergency, can even revive teammates from afar.
• RETCON: The fighting hologram. Capable of ‘warping’ back to a previous point in spacetime, restoring health and ammo to recover from dangerious situations. Lethal in all time zones.
• SPOTTER: The marksman. Highlights and weakens targets with toxin darts, sees enemies through walls, and can deploy ammo for use in extended firefights.
• SLICER: The melee class. Carries an energy blade capable of dismembering all but the toughest opponents. Mobile, agile, aggressive.

Do you have more classes planned in the future?

Yes! But we don’t know exactly what, or when.

Can the female dwarves have beards too?

Yes. They’re dwarves.

How long does an average run last?

Completing a mission (or ‘run’, as we call them) in Rogue Core usually takes around 45 to 50 minutes. Some can take longer than others. And of course, they can be shorter as well if you meet an untimely death.

Why isn’t Rogue Core just an expansion of Deep Rock Galactic?

There are two main reasons for this.

Rogue Core introduces a lot of new gameplay mechanics and progression systems. When we started working on Rogue Core as a prototype project, we quickly realized that we’d really have to dial down our scope and ambitions if we wanted it to all fit into Deep Rock Galactic. It’s been much more motivating (and fun) to explore new gameplay systems, art directions, weapons and damage mechanics when we don’t have to ‘justify’ or balance it with regular Deep Rock Galactic. If we tried to mash it into Deep Rock Galactic, we’d risk screwing up the balance, or diluting that game’s own identity.

You can’t do Early Access with a DLC. Early Access is a really important way for us to shape the game according to community feedback, and there’s no way to do that with DLC for an existing game. Deep Rock Galactic wouldn’t have been the success it is without a healthy Early Access run, so we wanted the same development experience with Rogue Core. For more of our thoughts and feelings about Early Access, check out the ‘Early Access’ section up above.

Will Rogue Core eventually come to consoles?

We hope so, but we’re not working on it right now. Our priority is running the early access version here on Steam, and bringing the game toward an eventual 1.0 launch. Perhaps one day though!

Will I get a discount on Rogue Core if I own Deep Rock Galactic?

Yes. We’ve made a Steam Bundle with the two games, so you’ll automatically get a “complete the Bundle” discount. Keep in mind that to get this, you need to buy the Rogue Core via the Bundle, rather than the standalone title.

When does the Early Access arrive?

The Rogue Core Early Access is out now on Steam!

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

We like community feedback. The best way to get in touch with us is through our Discord server, which is also where we organize regular playtests for fans and community members. All feedback, whether positive or negative, helps us steer our development process and ultimately make a better game.

If you’ve got some feedback you want to share with us, you can:

• Reach out through Discord
• Write us an email via the Ghost Ship Games website
• Holler at us during our weekly dev livestreams
• Send an old-fashioned paper letter to our office

We look forward to hearing from you. 

Article by: Susan N.

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Medieval Crafter: Blacksmith - PC Review

Medieval Crafter: Blacksmith by developer Compact Core Games and publishers GameDev.ist, Gamersky Games—PC (Steam) review written by Valerie with a copy provided by the publisher.  

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

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Medieval Crafter: Blacksmith, to me, is a relaxing simulation game until you get to the time-management portion of it. I've had the pleasure of actually making a part for my sewing machine at a friend's forge which this game brought back some fond memories. The great part about this simulation game is that you're not actually standing in front of the forge like in real life and getting that 'red' tan!

When you start up this game it has hints on the bottom that had gone by too fast for me to fully read them, so, while I was waiting on the game to load, I did my best to read them as they scrolled through until the game started. There were only four of them, so it was easy to catch them all.

The tutorial starts out with you learning that a new castle is in need of a blacksmith. All during this short tutorial you'll see a yellow outline of where to go next. At the game start you go into the castle for your first meeting with King Aurelius. You're told to meet up with the now retired dwarven blacksmith, Thudgric Anvilbreaker, where you'll take over. In the next quest you'll have to fix up the forge, which he helps you with, to make sure everything is running smoothly for you. I really enjoyed some of the dialogue throughout Medieval Crafter: Blacksmith where "Let's see if you've got the fire for the forge" had me laughing.

In this little realm are the castle, the village, the mines, Heroes Hall, the arena, the forest, and the dock. The first four are unlocks through the tutorial and the others get unlocked as you progress through the leveling and questing systems. There's a fairly simple setup for every part of the game with accessible areas like you and your inventory with tabs for the hero, your talents, and achievements. When you pull up your inventory screen, the tabs listed above make it easier to drop equipment into your hero's inventory as well as keep track of how you're progressing.

Your quests are in the top left corner of the screen and they turn green when completed with an OK! after them. The passage of time is at the top center with a turning sky, night with stars and moon, daylight with the sun shining. Right under the time 'clock' you'll see when an adventure is completed, or a set of zee's to mark the time to rest. The top right corner of the game is your location map and the bottom is your hotbar. More on that later.

A subtle ambiance is the whole of the game with music quietly playing in the setting of a medieval castle realm. The graphics are of the medieval setting with all the tools of the trades and bartering, the areas of interest relating to parts of the realm that quests take place in, and the lighting with fire and candles everywhere. 

Getting around the castle realm is easy with a teleport stone that looks like a knight. When you activate the teleport stone, the map immediately shows up where you click on the location you need to go next. In the tutorial your next stop is the mines because you need copper and coal to fire up the forge.

In the mines there is an elevator, but I chose to head straight ahead not realizing that when you use the elevator that goes to one of the four 'layers' available. The one you are on is the only one you can mine resources in. When you click on the elevator you realize the rest of the layers are locked, so leveling up and progressing through the talent tree will unlock them. When you're mining you are using the pickaxe that Thudgric gave you. As you are using the pickaxe there are green targets that you line up your cursor (which is just a pinpoint dot) for each hit. If you're successful in hitting all the targets you gain both experience and sometimes a gem or another such goodie.

You'll find that as you get your tools to work the forge, that they automatically slot into your hotbar, or action bar as it's called in this game. The first three slots are for your tools and the other six slots are for items picked up after crafting or finding them. You have an ample backpack of thirty-three slots which I found was enough for starting the game. After you bring back the coal and copper your next part of this quest is to smelt the copper ore. It’s a beautiful sight when you pour the slag into the ‘pot’ which should appropriately be a mold for the ingot, but since your ingot production can be as few as three to a lot more, a regular mold plate for the ingot was probably too cumbersome for the game action cycle where the bucket suffices. 

During the tutorial you learn about the parts to the items you create. Even though you forge a lovely sword blade, you find you'll need more to make the actual weapon to present to the king. You're introduced to the anvil, sharpening stone, assembly table, and a storage crate. Later you find out that there is a recipe book that tells you all the parts you'll need to craft the Basics, Weapons, and Armor.

After getting approved by the king, Thudgric directs you to get some rest and that there is a cottage that's empty and ready for a new occupant. It’s also the place where your game progression gets saved - other than the escape and click to save button. During the tutorial itself, I found that a red warning text that you need rest pops up, but you cannot access your bed until that is opened up to you through the tutorial progression. I found that a little aggravating because I was engrossed in the forging process and the quests I needed to complete. Sure, I'm slow, but I am also thorough!

The next part of the tutorial focuses on your hero: where you meet him or her, what you do to outfit your hero, and where to send your hero off to. Your hero is your resource collector of rare goods and resources. The village tavern is where you hire them from and the Heroes Hall is where you'll be sending your hero out on adventures. I so wished I could go with him, but you've settled into this realm as the blacksmith helping the people with equipment you make and by sending your hero off to gather supplies to make the equipment. 

The last part of the tutorial is where that time management comes in. You'll be filling orders (how you make money) and selling your wares. You only have a weapons rack at first, but there is plenty of room for other racks as they unlock during your progression. You learn about haggling with your customers to sell them the piece you made when it’s not exactly what they had requested. Definitely a way to test my reflexes in clicking a button fast enough to get that haggle!

And that, my friends, is where you take over the reigns. Thudgric occasionally pops up as you progress, but I’ll leave you to find that out. I did leave out some parts of the tutorial to give you things to discover on your own. All in all, Compact Core Games did a fine job on this little simulation game for smithing in medieval times. Don’t forget to save, as with most of these types of games you do lose your progress if you haven’t done so!

Score: 9 / 10

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Get Your Freak On in Ground Zero Hero's Horde Survival Demo Today!

LOS ANGELES — PC gamers can get their freak on today with a free Steam demo for Ground Zero Hero, the upcoming horde survival action roguelike from Acclaim, Inc., and Australian solo developer Rowan Edmondson.

Featuring a vibrant hand-drawn art style inspired by The Simpsons and Rick and Morty, Ground Zero Hero challenges players to explore a post-apocalyptic wasteland as they face off against massive hordes of marauding mutants. Pummel piñatas, crunch candy, and absorb the irradiated guts of monsters to unlock new mutations and become the ultimate mutant.

Available now, the demo drops players into the game’s first wasteland, Doomsday Desert, offering a taste of the chaos to come. Players can experiment with 14 of the game’s 19 total mutations, beginning with five and unlocking nine more as they progress. Each mutation also features a wild “bonkers” form that can be discovered within the demo, giving players an early look at the game’s most unhinged power-ups. Best of all, all progress made in the demo carries over to the full release.

To celebrate the demo’s launch, Acclaim, Inc. has released a new trailer, showcasing the over-the-top action, insane mutations, and cartoonish chaos that await players. 

Download the Ground Zero Hero Steam Demo: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2570580/Ground_Zero_Hero/

On crafting a game that revolves around the historically important themes of candy-crazed genetic mutations, piñata destruction, and giving birth to a man in a chicken suit, creator Rowan Edmondson summed it up as only he could:

“I worked hard on this nonsense,” said Edmondson.

Those craving mutations and mayhem won’t have to wait much longer to get their hands (or tentacles) on the game. Ground Zero Hero launches on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Switch 2, and Steam this summer.

Key Features:

• UNLOCK an ever-growing list of powerful mutations and permanent upgrades
• DISCOVER devastating combinations to craft your ultimate mutant
• EXPLORE multiple wastelands, each with its own unique interactive elements
• BATTLE to a dynamic soundtrack that changes with gameplay
• SURVIVE the apocalypse by destroying piñata for that sweet, sweet candy
• GIVE BIRTH to a man in a chicken suit

About Acclaim:

Originally founded in 1987, Acclaim established itself as a leading global developer, publisher, and mass marketer, bringing beloved franchises such as Mortal Kombat, Turok, and NBA Jam into homes worldwide. Today, Acclaim carries its legacy forward with an unwavering commitment to supporting talented indie developers and delivering high-quality, premium indie games to a global audience. Acclaim’s modern revival stands as a testament to the strength and enduring appeal of its iconic brand.

Article by: Susan N.

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Official Patreon for Revenge of the Firstborn is Live!

Minnesota, U.S.A. May 2026 | Following the launch of its playable demo earlier this year, the tactical fantasy RPG, Revenge of the Firstborn, has officially launched a Patreon, giving players and supporters a new way to follow the game’s ongoing development while getting closer to the world, lore, and creative process behind the project.

Developed by Sawtooth Games, Revenge of the Firstborn is a story-rich RPG inspired by the classic 3.5 SRD ruleset, blending tactical turn-based combat, deep party customization, meaningful exploration, and narrative-driven adventure in a world haunted by ancient curses and forgotten truths.

The newly launched Patreon offers supporters access to behind-the-scenes development updates, exclusive content, early looks at the game’s progress, and additional insight into the creative process shaping the world of Revenge of the Firstborn. Fans interested in supporting indie RPG development and following the journey toward the game’s full release can now join the Patreon community directly.

Earlier this year, Revenge of the Firstborn released a standalone Steam demo that introduced players to a hidden society known as the Lorekeepers, sending them on a dangerous hunt for a vampire guarding forbidden knowledge connected to the mysterious Firstborn. The demo showcased the game’s tactical combat systems, explorable environments, dungeon crawling, dialogue systems, and party progression mechanics.

Set within a beautiful and mysterious fantasy world, Revenge of the Firstborn emphasizes player choice, strategic encounters, and immersive storytelling inspired by classic tabletop RPG experiences.

Players can currently wishlist the game and play the demo on Steam while following ongoing development through the newly launched Patreon.

About Revenge of the Firstborn

Revenge of the Firstborn is a story-rich RPG based on the classic 3.5 SRD ruleset that blends narrative-driven exploration with strategic combat and deep party customization. Set in a world shaped by ancient curses and forgotten histories, players will uncover hidden truths while forging their path through danger and mystery. 

Article by: Susan N.

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Priest Simulator: Vampire Show Released on Xbox Series X|S!

On May 7, the highly-rated action game Priest Simulator: Vampire Show will release on Xbox Series X|S. Set in a grotesque and absurd atmosphere, this title combines shooter, hack'n'slash, simulator, renovator, and sandbox genres. The game is aimed at fans of the South Park series, as well as games such as No More Heroes and Postal. Priest Simulator: Vampire Show is also available on PC and PlayStation 5.

Priest Simulator: Vampire Show was developed by the independent Polish studio Asmodev, which also publishes smaller titles such as Booze Masters: Freezing Moonshine and Priest Simulator: Heavy Duty. Released on PC in 2024, the game was well received by players and currently has 94% positive reviews on Steam (based on over 700 reviews). The publisher is Ultimate Games S.A.

A totally absurd shooter with exorcisms

Priest Simulator: Vampire Show is an uncompromising first-person action game. It blends multiple genres, including shooter, hack'n'slash, simulator, renovator, and sandbox.

In the game by Asmodev studio, the player controls Orlok the vampire, who, after crazy events, becomes a priest in the village of San de Ville. The main goal is to fight evil and care for the faithful. The story is set in a grotesque and absurd reality.

The story in Priest Simulator: Vampire Show is told through cutscenes styled as a mockumentary. The gameplay is varied, including activities such as performing exorcisms and rebuilding the church. Players can also expect other intriguing mechanics, many side quests, and races.

On the day of the game's release on Xbox Series X|S, the Her Ghost DLC will also be available, featuring a new storyline.

Priest Simulator: Vampire Show – Key Features:

• Fighting evil;
• An absurd and grotesque storyline;
• Mockumentary formula;
• Exorcising and shooting;
• Exciting side activities;
• An original soundtrack (by the black metal band Gruzja);
• Over 10 hours of gameplay.

Priest Simulator: Vampire Show will release on Xbox Series X|S on May 7, 2026. The standard price on consoles is $19.99/€19.99 or equivalent. The Her Ghost DLC will also launch for $2.99/€2.99.

Article by: Susan N.

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Stabjack Comic-Noir Roguelike Deckbuilder Demo Available on Steam!

U.S.A. May 2026 | Indie developer Cosmic Cog LLC and publisher Zemore Indie Games are reminding players that Stabjack, the upcoming comic-noir roguelike blackjack deckbuilder, has a demo and recently participated in Steam’s Deckbuilder Fest. Players can jump into the playable demo now on Steam.

Blending blackjack-inspired mechanics with roguelike progression and first-person knife combat, Stabjack challenges players to survive by bending the rules, manipulating the deck, and taking dangerous risks at every turn.

What is Stabjack?

In Stabjack, players step into the role of Jack, a man investigating the violent death of his wife while wielding a mysterious sentient knife that speaks in her voice. As players descend deeper into a world of demons, corruption, and hidden truths, each encounter becomes a deadly game where strategy and luck collide.

Unlike traditional deckbuilders, Stabjack transforms blackjack into a tactical combat system. Players draw cards to perform attacks, defense, and setup actions while aiming to hit 21 without busting. Along the way, players can “cheat” by storing cards, manipulating outcomes, and creating powerful combinations through deck upgrades, modifiers, and supernatural abilities.

Players Can Experience:

• A unique fusion of blackjack mechanics and roguelike deckbuilding
• Fast-paced first-person knife combat with cinematic style
• Strategic “cheating” systems that reward clever risk-taking
• Mystery-driven storytelling and supernatural investigations
• Comic book inspired noir visuals packed with atmosphere
• A playable Steam demo available now

Designed for fans of innovative deckbuilders and dark narrative experiences, Stabjack delivers a stylish and high-risk spin on the genre where every draw could mean survival or disaster.

Players can wishlist Stabjack and play the demo today via Steam.

For more information, visit the Official Steam page.

To stay updated on development news and future updates, you can find Stabjack and Cosmic Cog LLC on Twitter/X, Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.

Article by: Susan N.

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Clockwork Ambrosia - PC Review

Clockwork Ambrosia by developer Realmsoft and publisher OI games - PC(Steam) review by Richard with a copy provided by the publisher

Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

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What was your last vacation like? Did you visit an island? Tour the local industries? Get your airship shot down by a giant mechanical dragon? Well Iris from Clockwork Ambrosia has, and boy is she going to need a new vacation when she’s done with this 2D metroidvania adventure.

Clockwork Ambrosia is a rather ambitious metroidvania adventure developed by a small group of people who really went for something a little different here, and I’m all for it. Setting the scene, we have Iris, a young girl traveling by airship while on vacation. Upon arriving at an island she is shot down by a mechanical dragon. Thankfully for Iris, and eventually the inhabitants of the island, Iris survives the crash and begins to set out to explore the island and discover more about what’s going on. Turns out it’s a robot uprising, that can’t be good.

So begins the tale of Iris and her adventure across the island. Along the way she will encounter a range of interesting characters, enemies, and treasures. To help get Iris through the tribulations of the island, you will need a wide variety of different items: equipment, relics, and of course weapons. Relics will act as your one time pick-up that will give you a new ability or allow you to access more areas of the game.

Equipment involves your weapons, two of which you can have equipped to swap between at a time, but also includes the rest of your apparel, such as shirt, skirt, boots, and gloves. An interesting choice to have so many pieces of equipment, but mixing and matching to fit your playstyle or exploration needs is actually quite nice. If you also take into account how you can expand your equipment slots to eventually equip two pieces of equipment for each slot, and suddenly you get a ton of customization options. Additionally, as you beat enemies they may drop crafting materials that will allow you to upgrade your equipment once, either enhancing the current effect or adding a new one. For example you can wear goggles as a piece of equipment, and upgrading a specific one adds an item collection function that draws items to you.

Speaking of customization options, let’s finally take a look at what is probably the most focal point of Clockwork Ambrosia: the weapons. As you explore the island you will pick up some weapons to help fight off the aggressive local fauna and raging robots. You’ll be able to get a blaster, a rocket launcher, a revolver, and a grenade launcher. Don’t let the fact that there are only four weapons fool you however, because Clockwork Ambrosia has a ridiculously extensive weapon modding system. I could tell you how each weapon works, but depending on what mods you attach your functionality could be completely different from what I liked to use. The only real hard fact is that the rockets and grenades tend to be better for dealing with armoured enemies, although based on your setup even that may not be strictly true.

Clockwork Ambrosia has a bunch of different modding slots for each weapon, and not only can you mix and match mods that fit the slot type whenever you want, even on the fly, but you can discover weapon upgrades and mods that can drastically change your weapon. For example, you could discover a rocket upgrade that allows you to equip an extra firing mod, or a blaster upgrade that allows you to use two different mod types in one of the slots instead of the default one. You can also set up your weapons to be general use or specific use too. A good example of this is the blaster. You can front-load the blaster to deal enhanced damage and consume all your shots at once in a single forward blast, or you could set it up so that you have a huge fan of shots spreading out in front of you. I personally preferred the fan, but how you use the weapon is up to you.

Another interesting aspect of the weapons is that they all have ammo. The blaster works on a sort of energy capacity that needs time to recover, whereas the other three weapons you need to reload, either when out of shots or manually. Depending on mods your weapons can have more or less ammo slots as well. Using my rocket setup, at one point I had I think eight shots available before needing to reload, but at the end of the game I was down to five in exchange for firepower. It’s really cool to be able to get such a diverse feeling from the same weapon depending on how you change it yourself.

So, we’ve talked a lot about customization mechanics, but how about the core gameplay progression? Well, the developers also decided to implement some cool ideas here, but for the most part it plays like a tried and true metroidvania. You have side-scrolling adventures through the island set up as individual “rooms”, shooting up enemies, exploring for chests and items, fighting bosses, collecting power-ups that allow you to explore new areas, and collecting crafting materials. You can pick up a cartography set pretty early on that allows you access to a pretty traditional metroidvania type map, where rooms are square blocks with key points of interest noted. You can also put down your own indicators of a question mark, item bag, or circle with a line through it in order to mark areas of interest or where you need an ability or item to get through later. There are hidden rooms and walls, so be careful and pay attention to your surroundings.

The cool aspects implanted by the dev team revolve around how the exploration functions. Basically, while the first few areas are mandatory, after a point you are pretty much free to explore in whatever direction you want how you want. While I’m not completely sure it’s intended strictly speaking, I was able to finagle my way into areas I probably shouldn’t have been able to without a specific ability or item. Is this game breaking? No, because eventually you’ll have to explore around anyway, and I never got hard stuck in an area, and I didn’t really skip anything, but it is kinda nice if it was intended. For the most part ability upgrades are primarily for the area you’re currently exploring, and while they certainly help out in other areas, you do have some ways of getting around a lot of that, barring one or two exceptions and the final stretch of the game.

Ooh, and one of the things I thought was really cool? The map wraps horizontally. If you keep going left enough, you will end up on the right. You can see this if you open up the map and hold left or right, the map will eventually come full circle. I think the last time I saw this done that I can remember was in Metroid Fusion, and even that was all hidden and you probably wouldn’t ever realize on a casual playthrough. While I would have liked a little more in the way of map customization icons, three felt too few to me, and that’s more of a 100% completionist. This comes from my metroidvania enthusiast mindset rather than a strictly inherent problem. Pro tip by the way, you may want to make personal notes written down about things to come back to or to investigate later, because I definitely found myself forgetting what some of my map markers were for.

I’ve got one last particularly interesting design decision to share, although I don’t know where I should put it exactly. As with almost all metroidvania titles, you’ll gain the abilities necessary to jump either higher or further. There are actually multiple ways to do this, and some involve equipment, which I wasn’t expecting. Normally exploration enhancement is done through permanent upgrades, and not say equipping a certain pair of boots. A really interesting choice, and while I’m not sure how most people will feel about this, I thought it was a really cool idea. Since the equipment can also be upgraded, this means if you invest in finding the upgrade resources this could help you out a lot. I can positively state that the exploration equipment made the last boss about 30% easier for me personally, although I assume others may prefer more combat focused gear for that.

Clockwork Ambrosia also has a really wonderful aesthetic to it. Somewhat reminiscent of older titles such as the Gameboy advance Metroid or the mid collection Megaman X games, Clockwork Ambrosia sports a bit more of a retro feeling graphic-wise, both in spritework and in background graphics. This actually works really well with the gameplay and thematic design, and I’m really happy to relive some of my nostalgic metroidvania retro past. The sprites are also really expressive for the different characters, which is pretty impressive considering they all have their own personalities that really show through the animation and design work. The background music collection is also really well put together and is fitting for the areas they play in, and I found enhanced the ambience of the region I was exploring.

While I absolutely loved my adventures in Clockwork Ambrosia, there are a few areas that caused some issues. The most notable is probably an issue with the soundtrack looping. Occasionally the soundtrack would stop for about a full second before starting again during the looping sequence. I also found that if you transition areas too fast or often, the game might not play the correct soundtrack, instead playing the track from the area you came from instead of the one you have entered. Additionally, fast travel is unlocked fairly late into the game depending on your choices, so be prepared for that.

As a pretty much unavoidable issue in a game like this, boss difficulty is…well, a mixed bag I suppose? Early game bosses I found really easy, and the late game bosses I shredded because I had upgraded and modded my weapons to a dirty degree. Mid game bosses were a little tougher while I was figuring things out. Unfortunately this is really a matter of personal experience rather than balancing. If you feel the game is too easy, try experimenting with other weapons or mods, or maybe challenge yourself somehow. I managed to beat a few of the final set of bosses way too fast, but it’s really hard to balance that against players that may not have the same mods and skill level. It’s certainly a tough job balancing a game like this where you can take different routes and mod the heck out of your weapons, so this may be more on the player to figure out. Perhaps a difficulty option for increased boss health for those who want a greater challenge? According to the steam achievements I’ve explored more than 95% of the map, so take this with a grain of salt since I’ve unlocked a ridiculous amount of mod options and equipment.

In terms of gameplay, I discovered two things of note, although the specific situation they can happen in are a little restrictive. First up is screenwrapping issues. Basically, if you try and escape through an edge of a room you aren’t meant to, but manage to anyway, you’ll get put on the opposite side of where you were. I used this twice accidentally and ended up in a closed-off area I was supposed to go around to get to or solve a puzzle for. I’ll take this over the game crashing, and it’s not like it resulted in sequence breaking in these circumstances, but I’m sure there are areas of the game where this could produce some bigger issue. There was also a boss room near the top of the map that would shove me away after I beat the boss and tried to reenter later. I managed to power through by repeatedly dashing at the entryway, but it was certainly weird. Only the one time that ever happened though.

Overall I have to say that Colckwork Ambrosia is a really wonderful metroidvania title. With a really fun weapon and equipment customization mechanic, some rather unexpected ability upgrades, and a cast of interesting characters, I can wholeheartedly recommend Clockwork Ambrosia to any metroidvania fan. While there are some areas of concern, such as music looping, some minor glitches, and a map that definitely needs more pin options, and a sliding difficulty that’s super player dependent, the amount of chaotic fun you get from the weapon mod system and exploration dynamics certainly outweighs the minor issues. While a bit on the shorter side, clocking in at between 15 to 20 hours of gameplay, I’d say it’s well worth it.

 

Score: 9 / 10

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Horror Adventure Game The Shore: Enhanced Edition Available on PlayStation 5

Athens, Greece, April 30, 2026 | The Shore: Enhanced Edition is available now on PlayStation 5. Dragonis Games and Iphigames have brought the acclaimed Lovecraftian horror adventure to consoles for the first time, delivering the most complete and refined version of the game to date. The Xbox Series X|S version is planned for later in 2026.

Available on PlayStation Store: https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/the-shore-enhanced-edition

Following years of requests from the community, The Shore: Enhanced Edition is available now on PlayStation 5, the first time the acclaimed Lovecraftian adventure has come to console.

"Bringing The Shore to PlayStation 5 is something I have been dreaming about for a long time. The response from the community over the years has been overwhelming and today we finally get to deliver.”

— Ares Dragonis, Founder, Dragonis Games

Key Features

• Explore the Forbidden Island: A dark and abandoned island inspired by Lovecraftian horror, with villages, ruins and strange landscapes.
• Cosmic Horror Atmosphere: Dark visuals, huge creatures, and unsettling locations create a constant feeling of dread.
• Uncover a Tragic Story: Learn Andrew’s story through exploration, notes and events that reveal the island’s past.
• Solve Eerie Puzzles: Solve environmental puzzles using logic, observation and strange objects.
• Face Eldritch Entities: Encounter frightening creatures beyond human understanding.
• Artifacts of the Old Gods: Use powerful ancient items to survive and move forward, but every power has a cost.
• Immersive Sound Design: Sounds, whispers, and silence build tension and pull you deeper into the world.

Availability

The Shore: Enhanced Edition is now available on PlayStation 5 for $21.49.

Its physical edition with Necrophosis: Full Consciousness as a complete package will be available on the 28th of May 2026 in collaboration with PQube.

About Dragonis Games

Dragonis Games is an independent game studio founded by Ares Dragonis, focused on creating atmospheric, story-driven experiences inspired by cosmic and psychological horror. Previous titles include The Shore, Eresys and Necrophosis.

About Iphigames

Iphigames is a game development studio based in Athens, Greece, supporting distinctive and ambitious projects and helping developers bring their creative visions to console and global audiences.

About PQube

PQube is a leading international creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment. The company’s teams worldwide are committed to publishing games they love by working closely with development partners and reaching consumers globally on all major gaming platforms.

Article by: Susan N.

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Head into the Mathematical Wildlands of Talystro Demo on Steam Right Now!

April 29, 2026 | Independent Norwegian studio Filiokus today launched the free public demo for Talystro. This roguelite deckbuilder challenges players to think differently about combat by turning mathematics into its core weapon. Talystro combines dice rolls, cards, and creative arithmetic, casting players as the unlikely Math Mouse standing against the evil Necrodicer and an army of corrupted numbers brought to life.

In Talystro, combat isn’t about slowly chipping away at enemy health. Instead, players must match the exact value of their enemies to defeat them instantly. Each card contains unfinished calculations, variables and modifiers, while dice rolls dynamically shape the possibilities available each turn. Success depends on understanding the order of operations, adapting to shifting probabilities and making strategic decisions as each encounter unfolds.

The demo drops players straight into the Wildlands, the first act of Talystro’s world, for a complete run of seven levels, culminating in a boss fight that puts everything learned to the test. Including two modes playing on Normal or Expert, a full run takes around 45 minutes, packed with decisions, dice rolls and the satisfying click of a perfectly matched calculation.

The studio’s signature hand-drawn, frame-by-frame animation style has expanded throughout the experience, with new animations woven into the moment-to-moment flow of play. Music and full sound design are now part of the game, adding a layer of personality and charm that brings the world of Talystro to life in a way the closed build only hinted at.

“Talystro is built on our belief that mathematics is fundamentally creative,” said Martin Lothe Sæterdal of Filiokus. “With this demo, we’re inviting players to experiment, adapt, and discover the beauty of problem-solving through play. The best feedback we’ve received so far? ‘This is the most fun I have ever had doing math.’”

What’s in the Demo

• A complete first act run through the Wildlands, across seven levels, including a boss fight
• Around 45 minutes of play per run, with Normal and Expert modes available from the start
• Dice and card combat where creativity and arithmetic are your only weapons
• A growing collection of cards, upgrades and artifacts to discover across each run
• New unlocks that carry over between runs, rewarding continued play
• Hand-drawn, frame-by-frame animations and full music and sound design throughout
• Accessible by design, no time pressure, no camera movement, built for thoughtful play 

Availability

The Talystro free demo is available now on Steam for PC. The full game is in development with a release planned for later in 2026.

Download the demo and wishlist the full game at: store.steampowered.com/app/3524740/Talystro

About Filiokus

Filiokus is a Norwegian game studio on a mission to rethink what educational games can be. Viewing games as artistic systems driven by mathematics, the studio focuses on highlighting the creative, strategic, and expressive sides of math through interactive experiences. Talystro is the team’s second title, continuing their exploration of how probability, arithmetic, and play can come together to create something both meaningful and fun.

Article by: Susan N.

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Whirlight - No Time to Trip - PC Review

Whirlight - No Time to Trip by developer imaginarylab and publisher Vsoo games - PC(Steam) review by Richard with a copy provided by the publisher

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

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Well folks, guess what time it is? Time to travel through time! A wacky adventure point-and-click title by the same people that brought us Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Town comes the newest title: Whirlight – No Time to Trip.

In Whirlight we are introduced to genius (lol) inventor Hector May, who is currently going through a bit of a slump. In the process of trying to overcome his slump, he makes the invention of the century, time travel! Unfortunately for him, as well as Margaret who he surprises upon his first time travel foray, it turns out his newest discovery is a bit more unstable than desired, leaving him trapped in the future. Together both Hector and Margaret work together to not only put this new discovery to good use, but also to prevent a potentially horrendous future from occurring.

Whirlight is a point-and-click adventure game with a lot of gags and some pretty funny interactions. You’ll explore the town of Verice Bay, as well as some other interesting locales, in your quest for science! As a point-and-click title gameplay is pretty basic, mostly involving walking around by clicking in an area you want to move to, examining objects by clicking on them, and interacting with items by combining them or using them on something. Thankfully the developers have included a few quality of life aspects into this adventure. First of all, in most areas comprised of a bunch of smaller screen sequences, you are usually able to find a map that will allow you to fast travel around the area, provided something hasn’t happened to keep you out of the area you want to go to.

The next really nice gameplay mechanic is that you can hold down right click to see anything that’s interactable in the area. This is super useful for finding those small spots you may have overlooked, or if something interactable is close to something else and you didn’t notice it. The last handy mechanic is the ability to double-click to either run to a location on screen, or if you double-click a screen transition you fast move to the next area without having to wait for your character to run all the way there. Combine that with an easy to use inventory by using the scroll wheel up or down to bring the inventory up or put it away and there are a lot of user friendly aspects to Whirlight.

While there are a few puzzles to solve, both item interaction and more hands-on puzzles, most of them are fairly reasonable. I will stress the most here. Some of the interactions are…well, perhaps a little less intuitive than you would expect. Oddly enough, I found the greatest issue of this in the first half of the game, and the longer I played, the more intuitive I found the item combinations or uses were. I’m not ashamed to admit there was one interaction I actually had to go watch the game trailer to help me out with. With that in mind, allow me to give you a few tips if you’re stuck. Tip one: try and combine all your inventory items to see if any stick. Normally there are a few that you may have forgotten a reference for or were kind of out there and you didn’t realize. Tip two: exhaust character dialogue. If there’s a person to talk to, usually all of the stuff they have to say is worth hearing. In fact, there’s one required item that you can only get by continuing to talk to a character. Final tip: don’t be scared to go through every possible item in your inventory while interacting with something. Even items you can “lose”, you’ll still get back by returning to where you got them from. For example, there are some newspapers you can burn, and returning to the newspaper pile you get more. No hassle no fuss.

Another cool thing to make note of is that all of the interactions and controlled character quips are all fully voiced. Yup, all of them. A really neat feature you don’t see nearly often enough. Whirlight has some pretty colourful and unique environments, with a cast of interesting characters. Add in a pretty unique plotline and some solid music and you’ve got everything you need to make a stellar point-and-click adventure! While there’s a lot to like here, there are a few issues that pop up occasionally. From a gameplay perspective, sometimes you can “use” an item, or attempt to use an “item”, and the game will half tell you “there’s something to this” or “I need to do this right”, which can be misleading sometimes. Case and point, the interaction I needed to watch the trailer video to figure out was one of these. The second issue I’ve run into is one where after talking to a character and getting them to perform an action for me, they are stuck in a pose and I cannot interact with my inventory unless I go talk to another character. There is also another character in the area you can perform an action for but their reaction text speeds through and you can’t read it in time. It doesn’t lock you out of anything, and I hope it’ll be fixed by the full release, but it is there.

Overall Whirlight – No Time to Trip is a good bit of retro fun in a nice and funny package. With a memorable cast and some interesting adventures, I’m sure Whirlight will appeal to all you point-and-click fans out there.

 

Score: 8.5 / 10

 

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Akuma Rise - PS5 Review

Akuma Rise by developer Exe Create Inc. and publisher KEMCO. PS5 review by Richard with a copy provided by the publisher.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

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Well everyone, here we are with another KEMCO title. Last time we had a departure from classic JRPG, but this time we’re back in the turn-based JRPG genre with Akuma Rise.

Akuma Rise takes place in the Shadow Realm of Adribune, a land of various species of demons. It is here that the game starts off with our protagonist Kaine washing up on the beach of the Oni country. He is discovered by the local princess and rescued, only to discover he has amnesia! Oh no! Things couldn’t get much worse in the Shadow Realm either: the Overlord is missing and his second in command is causing trouble. Heroes from the Radiant Realm are attacking the locals, and now Kaine doesn’t really remember anything other than his name and his goal of finding some type of “fragment”. Thankfully for Kaine, the Oni princess Iroha is interested in helping out, and Kaine is interested in beating up the “heroes” that are attacking from the Radiant Realm.

Akuma Rise is a pretty traditional JRPG in the KAMCO flavouring that it’s probably become known to you by now. KEMCO JRPGs tend to come in two flavours, and this one is the standard turn-based battles with a turn order and a more “cartoonish” art style. Gameplay consists of going between towns, or castles in the case of Akuma Rise, by traversing the world map and making it through a dungeon between you and your next goal, all while completing sidequests along the way. Enemy encounters are random, but you are bequeathed a pair of boots very early that adjusts encounter rate between: normal, every step, or none (or half if you’re in an uncleared dungeon).

Towns allow you to nap at an inn for a quite reasonable charge, purchase equipment and items, or if he’s around, an old man will create orbs for you. These orbs act as a sort of secondary equipment-like accessories. While you have a weapon and armour slot, you also have five orb slots. Three of these are for equipable magic, and two are for passive effects, like stat increases or experience gain increases. Magic orbs have an element and a rank. The element is the type of magic used, for example might is fire and attack buffing spells, while rank determines how much an orb can be upgraded. Magic orbs will gain their own exp after battle when equipped, and the spells they hold will level with them, dealing more damage or reducing delay time if they don’t do damage. Alternatively you can infuse new orbs with old ones of the same element to get an exp boost.

Both orb types can be increased in rank if you have the correct items to do so. No worries about running out, as you can farm for these later in the game. For magic orbs ranking up allows them to level further, whereas the passive effect orbs will increase their effect. For example a five percent stat increase will turn into a ten percent increase. There are a bunch of different orbs with different effects, some magic orbs even combine different elements and spells, so it’s kinda fun to mix up your team every so often.

Now that you’re all geared up, it’s time to set out. Exploring the Shadow Realm is dangerous, and you’ll for sure be getting into all kinds of fights. During battle you have access to a list of commands on your turn that include: item use, defense, magic orb skills, power skills (which are unique character-based skills), and a basic attack. Enemies and allies are set on a three by three grid each, and enemies can take up multiple spaces. Different skills, and sometimes your basic attack, can hit single or multiple tiles on the grid adding a bit of strategy or forethought.

If you’ve been following my reviews on KEMCO titles for a while, you may have noticed that this style of KEMCO title usually comes with “quality of life” options for those who want an easier time and aren’t in it for the challenge. Well, it’s back here in Akuma Rise, and it’s a fairly decent midpoint between “absolutely busted” and “no help at all”. Every three battles from common enemies in-game that you actually fight will reward you with ten of a special resource. This resource can be exchanged at an in-game shop like premium currency in an online game, either to get items, adjust certain gameplay elements, or to roll for new equipment. This also applies to all save files. For example, you can exchange a set amount of the resource to increase the amount of experience earned permanently. Another option is to draw a piece of equipment from a random pool and maybe get an awesome magic orb or armour. Unlike some of the other titles, the shop and equipment selection in Akuma Rise is very reasonable and doesn’t fully break the game or offer too little if you’re struggling.

Between the freemium currency shop, the battle rate adjustment, the four difficulties offered, and the option to speed battles up to three times the speed, there are a lot of methods to cut down on grinding time. I hit level 99 well enough before finishing the game, and most enemies or bosses weren’t too much of a challenge, difficulty setting depending. That being said you can always increase the difficulty and not purchase the boosters if you’re interested in the challenge.

Sporting a more cartoonish art style and some enemies that will definitely be familiar to enjoyers of other KEMCO titles with a similar art style, Akuma Rise doesn’t really break new ground on the aesthetic side of things. That being the case there’s nothing wrong with the art style or music direction, so take it as you get it. Keep it in mind it is also available on a phone App Store.

Overall Akuma Rise is a pretty fun title to add to the KEMCO JRPG pool. While the plot is maybe a little cliché and the assets reused from previous titles, there’s enough in the new storyline and characters to keep it entertaining if you don’t think too hard about it. Definitely a pick up for those looking for a retro JRPG that want something to play in the background or casually.

 

Score: 8 / 10

 

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Mandated Fate by Indie Developer Tetrarchy Studios Launches Demo on Steam!

France, April 2026 | In a world where the truth is dangerous, and loyalty is mandatory, how far will you go to survive?

Indie developer Tetrarchy Studios has announced that Mandated Fate, an upcoming dystopian narrative thriller, will open playtesting ahead of its public demo launch in early May on Steam. To participate in the playtest, gamers can join the Official Discord server and request a Steam key, or request access via the Mandated Fate Steam page. Within the game itself, there will be an option to fill out a completely anonymous feedback form.

Blending investigation, political intrigue, and high-stakes decision making, Mandated Fate puts players in the role of an Imperial inspector navigating a towering technocratic regime where every action is monitored - and every choice has consequences.

A System Built on Control (and Merit Score)

Set in an alternate 1985, Mandated Fate drops players into a society obsessed with technological dominance and absolute unity. Tasked with investigating a mysterious murder in a resistant district, players quickly uncover a web of secrets, surveillance, and conflicting loyalties. 

Through deep dialogue systems, environmental exploration, and faction manipulation, players must decide whether to uphold the regime, or quietly dismantle it from within.

• Interrogate suspects and uncover hidden truths
• Navigate a dense, vertical city with seamless exploration
• Make morally complex decisions that shape multiple outcomes
• Balance personal survival against political consequences

Wear the Mask. Keep your Soul.

Balance your Merit Score - the Empire’s cold, official metric of your worth - against your Loyalty, the hidden fire of your true convictions, in a world that never stops watching. Every word is a gamble: Navigate the rigid protocols of bureaucratic NPCs who only see your file. Earn the trust of desperate Dissidents or evade the gaze of zealous Loyalists who smell your true intent.

Will you become a model citizen to survive, or maintain a flawless public image while secretly feeding the flames of rebellion? In the Empire, the most dangerous weapon is the one they can’t see on your record.

Playtesters Wanted - Help Shape the Investigation

Ahead of its public demo, Mandated Fate is actively seeking players to help refine the experience.

The team is specifically looking for:

• Steam Deck testers to evaluate performance and handheld playability
• Controller users to refine input feel and accessibility
• Narrative-driven RPG fans ready to stress test choices, dialogue, and outcomes

Player feedback will directly influence polish, balance, and overall immersion as the game moves toward release.

Step Into the System Before the World Does

With its blend of noir detective work, branching narrative, and oppressive dystopian atmosphere, Mandated Fate challenges players to operate inside a system where breaking the rules isn’t optional - it’s expected.

The public demo launches in Early May, but those who join the playtest will be the first to uncover its secrets and shape how the story unfolds.

About Mandated Fate

Mandated Fate explores a future where humanity’s grand technological dreams have collapsed into systems of control. Drawing inspiration from classic dystopian storytelling and noir science fiction, the game presents a bleak yet compelling world where gravity manipulation powers an authoritarian society. Built almost entirely by a solo developer, the project reflects a passion for sci-fi narratives in which humanity ultimately becomes crushed under the weight of its own ambitions.

If you’re interested in staying in the loop on all things Mandated Fate, you can join the Official Discord Server, where feedback and suggestions are always welcome!

Article by: Susan N.

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