Displaying items by tag: Atmospheric

The Kickstarter campaign of the atmospheric mystery adventure game Trüberbrook starts today. Trüberbrook is produced by btf from Germany, mostly known for their infamous late night show “Neo Magazin Royale” in German TV with Jan Böhmermann.

Hand of Fate 2 brings the greatest strengths of its predecessor back in this sequel. Innovative gameplay combines action RPG combat with roguelike progression and deckbuilding, and small quality of life issues in the controls do little to detract from the masterful storytelling of this title.

A Hat In Time has grasped the title of the highest-earning 3D indie platformer ever funded on Kickstarter, and it’s no stretch of the imagination to see why. The story, the play, the graphics, everything it has instills in gamers one of the most comforting and thrilling nostalgic experiences in recent game development history. This platformer is itself a perfect modern game, with all of the classic staples players know and love, rather than being just an old game made in the present day; in a world of constant evolution and innovation, few things are as comforting as a nice easy blast from the past.

While it is respectable that  Syndrome VR attempts to pay homage to some of the best titles in the sci-fi survival horror genre, it neither distinguishes itself with new ideas nor does it improve or even match the elements it lifts from these titles. Its campaign is filled with backtracking and padding, and when anything of significance happens, this, too, is let down by poor stealth and shooter gameplay. Furthermore, the tacked-on VR mode is not up to the industry standard and doesn't justify the higher price. The most hardcore fans of the genre may be able to overlook many of its flaws, but as it stands, there are much better options out there.

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Tauronos promises an intriguing story, but since running out of lives forces you to start your journey again from the beginning, few players will have the patience to persevere and experience more than a fraction of it. Even so, the perfectly fitted aesthetic supports a minimalist but hardworking narrative, guaranteeing that players who grow frustrated enough to walk away still do so with regret.

Battle Chasers: Nightwar combines the classic turn-based RPG with action-RPG elements. This fun twist to the traditional RPG divisions enhances gameplay, strategy, and character customization. Despite a slow start, this title surely becomes more engaging and a quick favorite for RPG enthusiasts.

Inmates grabs you right off the bat and starts yelling in your face: you are screaming and afraid, but at the end of it all, you’ll probably tell your friends that they need to come over and get yelled at, too. Besides the game world being well designed, and the sounds making you check over your shoulder every few minutes, the creativity, the puzzles, and the story offer an experience that is to die for.

Even those who don’t normally play point-and-clicks can enjoy Darkestville Castle, but only the die-hard devotees of the genre will be able to persevere past the inevitable and frequent bouts of frustration from struggling through convoluted puzzles. An intriguing story and captivating art style round off this puzzling puzzler.

Every Thursday, TaleWorlds publish a new post tackling things such as why there is no release date for Bannerlod yet, how modding will be or introducing different members of the team and their work. TaleWorlds, developers of the Mount & Blade series, published today a new entry in its Steam dev blog explaining Influence, a new feature of the single-player campaign of Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord.

An atmospheric adventure called Growbot takes shape under the watchful eye of Lisa at Wabisabi Games. Classic point-and-click gameplay twines around puzzles like a clever vine. It’s all part of Lisa’s vision of integrating a diverse, dreamy score with biopunk illustrations and a picture book feel.

The Journey Down: Chapter Three is the sort of title that leaves me saddened by its completion, but eager to see what the crew at SkyGoblin will do next. The Journey Down feels like a love letter to the genre, and its legacy – there are elements of LucasArts, Sierra On-Line, and other industry giants present here. But it manages to stand alone as a memorable trilogy that only improved with each new chapter. It is a worthy addition to any puzzle-loving, soundtrack-blasting, humor-embracing point-&-click fan's library, and Chapter Three is a conclusion to the tale that's just what the doctor ordered.

Last Day of June is unique and story-driven, suited for those who appreciate a slower-paced journey. The reward is an artful experience that stands a chance of resonating with your heart.

Vaporum shows promise but still, has ways to go. The art style is finely tuned, but time spent polishing the look should’ve been invested in more various assets. I enjoyed playing it but still felt bored and uninterested at times, and it would’ve benefited from a larger variety of enemies and weapons. That being said, it’s not half bad, and one of the better games you’ll play this year; a sequel with some more attention to certain details would be an instant buy.

The moments I did have a good time were few and far inbetween, often overlooked and bogged down by repetitious fights and long periods of grinding out moves and experience. The glitches I experienced were numerous, but thankfully Sloclap is aware of most of these problems and is releasing patches to help eliminate them, while also adding new features. If you’re looking for crazy flashy combos and special moves, this isn’t the title for you. While Absolver is a fighting game, it’s a far cry from the likes of Street Fighter, Tekken, or Injustice. With many moves grounded in reality, or at least inspired by them, Absolver’s combat system still requires strategy, but even moreso patience — a quality for which many do not play fighting games.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm plays like a cutscene with a point-and-click element that is a joy; no button combinations or consulting a grainy minimap: Daedalus himself designed the levels. The title deals with weighty issues wrapped in stunning visuals and peppered with a comprehensive soundtrack by real artists. This addition to the franchise is a must-play.

The OPN interview with Deli Interactive. We Need to Go Deeper is a 2-4-player cooperative submarine roguelike set in a Verne-inspired undersea universe. In the game, you and your crew must embark on many voyages into a mysterious undersea trench known as The Living Infinite.

With Divinity: Original Sin 2, Larian Studios creates a title that brings together the best aspects of table-top and classic roleplaying games. The graphics, along with the score and voice acting, are painstakingly detailed and are truly awe-inspiring. Every decision you make, from character creation to dialogue, will affect your experience, giving you a slightly different playthrough every time. This is not a game for the casual player, however. The sheer size of the game and the difficulty of some battles will require dozens of hours and have you loading quicksaves time and again. Divinity: Original Sin 2 is primed to be on many all-time favorites lists; few, if any, have succeeded to this degree.

 What I played, I enjoyed. However, Empyre: Lords of the Sea Gates feels like it could use something more, as parts of the dialogue felt clunky; the musical and ambient sound overtly monotonous; the story intriguing, but not fully fleshed out. But, these are all minor musings. Ultimately, Empyre: Lords of the Sea Gates completes exactly what it set out to: create an entertaining addition to the top-down RPG genre.

Pathologic 2 is an open world survival horror game set in a town being consumed by a deadly plague. As the only sane medic around, it's your job to save everyone.

Trackless is a neat little experience. The puzzles are not very challenging, and it doesn’t take long to get through them, but the message is unique and thought-provoking somewhat. This title offers minimal raw entertainment, but the art and music have their own characteristic appeal, and the ending is a fair payoff for a brief time investment.

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