The best July indie games will help you escape from the Summer heat into worlds of fantasy, vampires, and big old bugs. That’s right, the year keeps rolling on accompanied by even more game releases and this time it’s the turn of July for the spotlight. As ever, the month is stacked with releases so we’ve tried to narrow it down to the most intriguing and exciting-looking games the month has to offer.
There’s a good mix of art styles and genres in the list this month, so whether you’re a strategy buff with a love of modular toys that rhyme with Shlego, or you’re someone who just appreciates a good digital gun, you’ll be able to find something to enjoy here. Let’s get to the list.
Whilst Ark of Charon doesn’t seem to have anything in particular to do with the boatman of the River Styx, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t look fun. This game is all about building a powerful mobile fortress that can fend off all manner of invaders. Your fort will sit atop a walking tree, and you’ll need to manage your resources, build turrets and more to protect it. It’s a really cool concept, and there’s a demo for this one available if you want to check it out.
While we’re on a strategy roll, let’s talk about Cataclismo. Cataclismo is an incredibly cool-looking strategy game where you build up your castle brick-by-brick – it was inspired by LEGO® – to defend the last remnant of humanity from horrifying monsters. You’ll need to not only build your defences but also create production lines, set up training for your troops and pick where to deploy them. If you want a game that kills you when you slip up and rewards you when you’re super-smart, then it looks like this one could be it.
Our next game couldn’t be more different – an FPS all about vampires. We all love vampires, right? EvilVEvil has you playing as a vampire hunter as you try and overcome a cult full of fanged menaces with an array of weapons that look and feel awesome. Each vampire has their own strengths and powers, and you’ll have to try and overcome them by modding your weapons with supernatural buffs. Oh, and it’s also co-op, and we love a good co-op experience.
The 16th of July is a busy day for awesome indies, with Gestalt: Steam & Cinder our third entry in the list to pick that day to release. You play as Aletheia – aided by a cast of colourful characters – as she platforms and fights her way through a handcrafted Steampunk world filled with clockwork golems and associated horrors. Inspired by both 16 and 32-bit classics, Gestalt – as we will refer to it – is a gorgeous 2D metroidvania that looks to be ticking all the right boxes for fans of the genre.
Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus is a stunning hand-drawn action platformer with Japanese folklore at its core. In this 2.5D action platformer, you fight through multiple mythical enemies – upgrading your powers as you go – as you try and fulfil an ancient prophecy. Whilst the action and platforming both look very slick, we’d be lying if we said that the main draw, at least ahead of release, wasn’t its gorgeous visual style.
Next on the list is Dungeons of Hinterberg, which may need no introduction given that it already has a lot of hype around it. Another game with an abundance of style, Dungeons of Hinterberg has you tackling dungeons that are filled with different mechanics, puzzles, platforming challenges, and monsters. Alongside all that, you’ll also be able to chat with locals in order to learn more about the game world, gain new skills, or just simply vibe with someone for a bit. This is another stunning-looking game, and we’re expecting big things from it.
Nostalgia is a fun thing because it reminds of us a time when we didn’t have quite so many responsibilities. Exophobia is an incredibly old-school-looking FPS game that looks older than even the original Doom. Actually, it looks as though someone created an FPS on the original Game Boy, which is an impressive accomplishment in every sense. You get to pew-pew your way through a beautiful blue and red world unlock new abilities, evolve your cool alien gun, and eventually escape alive… hopefully.
EARTH DEFENSE FORCE is the single greatest game series to exist and no we won’t take any questions on this matter, nor will we discuss World Brothers and its interesting vibe. The main series has been stellar, however, and as of the fourth entry actually runs pretty well too. With five being the pinnacle so far, we’re extraordinarily excited to shoot at giant frogmen using mech suits and space bombardments in EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 6, and if no other games were to release in July, we don’t think we would be complaining.
“Get ready!” as Sonic would say because Sega’s beloved PC games have zoomed onto Green Man Gaming. From strategic epics to heart-pounding adventures, Sega’s diverse lineup is now just a click away. So, grab your favourite snacks, settle into your gaming chair, and join us as we celebrate Sega’s arrival with a look at 10 must-play Sega games now available on Green Man Gaming.
Kickstarting our list is a strategy behemoth – Total War: Shogun 2. Transporting players to 16th Century Feudal Japan, they assume the role of a clan leader vying for supremacy in the darkest age of Japan. With the typical Total War blend of turn-based strategy and real-time battles combined with meticulously crafted landscapes and deep gameplay, it’s no wonder this game is a fan favourite and rightly on this list. Plus, who doesn’t love the chance to feel like a powerful Daimyo plotting the downfall of rival clans?
Ah, Sonic the Hedgehog. This blue blur has been racing through our hearts since the early ’90s and could have had endless entries on this list. We have opted for just one, however, as Sonic Mania is a glorious return to the franchise’s roots, capturing the essence of what made Sonic so beloved while adding fresh, modern twists. With pixel-perfect graphics and a toe-tapping soundtrack, your journey through iconic zones will certainly be a nostalgic one. It’s a celebration of speed, rings, and those infuriating but irresistible special stages.
For those who crave an intricate narrative with a side of street brawling, Yakuza 0 is a must-play and earns its spot on this list. This prequel to the Yakuza series delves into the backstories of protagonists Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima and is set in the glitzy, gritty world of 1980s Japan. Offering a mix of intense combat, minigames, and a storyline that tugs at the heartstrings, it’s like playing through a top-tier crime drama, but with karaoke.
If over-the-top action is your jam, Bayonetta will hit all the right notes. This hack-and-slash title follows the eponymous witch as she battles angels and demons with balletic grace. Not only is the combat fluid, but the visuals are also stunning and Bayonetta herself is a powerhouse of charisma. With combos that flow like a well-choreographed dance and a narrative that’s as wild as it is engaging, this game is pure, unadulterated fun and is rightly on this list.
It wouldn’t be a good list if we didn’t include arguably one of the best survival horror games ever released. Set in the terrifying universe of Ridley Scott’s Alien franchise, Alien: Isolation captures the claustrophobic tension of the original film like no game before or since. Players control Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen Ripley, as she navigates a decrepit space station while being stalked by a relentless Xenomorph. The atmosphere is palpably eerie, and the AI of the alien ensures no two encounters are the same. It’s a masterclass in suspense and survival.
For those who appreciate a blend of tactical strategy and role-playing elements, Valkyria Chronicles is a gem. Set in a fictional continent resembling Europe during World War II, the game’s gameplay expertly combines turn-based strategy with real-time action sequences whilst the watercolour-inspired visuals and emotionally charged storyline create an experience that’s both beautiful and poignant. It’s a perfect choice for gamers who enjoy planning their moves as much as executing them.
Sports enthusiasts will find themselves glued to their screens with Football Manager 2024, the latest entry in the long-running simulation series. This management simulation puts you in the shoes of a football team manager, responsible for everything from tactics to transfers. As fans have become accustomed, the depth of detail is staggering, offering a realistic and engrossing experience for football fans that isn’t matched anywhere else. So remember whether you’re leading an underdog team to glory or maintaining the dominance of a top-tier club, every decision matters.
Persona 4 Golden is a role-playing game, set in the rural town of Inaba, that seamlessly blends daily life simulation with dungeon-crawling adventures as players follow a group of high school students as they investigate mysterious murders linked to a parallel dimension. The game’s unique blend of social interactions, turn-based combat, and psychological themes creates a compelling and unforgettable experience that earns it a spot on this list. Plus, there’s nothing quite like bonding with virtual friends over some intense, supernatural sleuthing, right?
If you’re in the mood for some light-hearted simulation, Two Point Hospital is an excellent pick that would earn a spot on the list for its humour alone. This hospital management game puts you in charge of building and running a healthcare empire and is from the same creative minds behind the cult classic Theme Hospital. From designing the layout of your hospital to managing staff and treating bizarre illnesses, the game is unsurprisingly packed with humour and charm, as well as strategic depth. It’s a delightful blend of creativity and management that will have you diagnosing patients with a smile.
Closing our list is Company of Heroes 2, arguably the best real-time strategy game set during World War II. Focusing on the Eastern Front, the game offers a gritty, realistic portrayal of the conflict as players command Soviet forces in intense battles, utilizing a combination of strategy, resource management, and tactical prowess. The game’s dynamic weather system and destructible environments add layers of depth to the combat, making each skirmish feel like a genuine historical battle.
From the strategic depths of Total War: Shogun 2 to the heart-pounding terror of Alien: Isolation, there’s a game here for everyone. Whether you’re reliving the glory days with Sonic Mania, experiencing the heart-pounding terror of Alien: Isolation or diving into the gripping narratives of Yakuza 0 and Persona 4 Golden, there is truly a Sega game for everyone. So what are you waiting for? Dive into these exceptional games and more with Sega now available on Green Man Gaming.
Right up until November 14, 2017, my disdain for the card battler genre was both all-consuming and utterly ignorant. Though I had tried my hands at earlier fare such as Blizzard’s Hearthstone among others, it’s fair to say that card battler games just didn’t click with me and as time went on I just couldn’t work out why I kept bouncing off this seemingly much loved and popular genre. Thankfully my ignorance would come to a surprising end when on that aforementioned date, indie outfit Mega Crit released Slay the Spire into Steam Early Access, essentially turning my odious view of card battlers upside down and giving me the most unexpected Game of the Year candidate ever.
With Slay the Spire 2 in the works, here is how the original Slay the Spire became the gold standard for the card battler genre and what still sets it apart from the many games that followed.
Clarity Above All Things
One of the most overlooked aspects of Slay the Spire’s heady calibre is just how clear and concise the whole thing is. With a blissfully clutter-free screen, coupled with a resolutely clean presentation and colour-coded cards which indicate their function, Slay the Spire’s lean UI is a breezy world away from many of its peers in the card battler genre and helps newbies to hit the ground running. Other card battlers could learn much from Slay the Spire’s restrained and wonderfully streamlined presentation, that’s for sure.
A Short, Sweet Gameplay Loop That Anybody Can Pick Up
What chiefly allows Slay the to Spire to succeed in welcoming genre newbies is the beautifully lean and compelling gameplay loop that defines the core of its experience. Slay the Spire is wonderfully easy to understand – you take turns playing cards against your enemies, using energy which is replenished each turn. The aim is to use your correspondingly numbered cards until you whittle down their HP to zero by using a mixture of attack, defend, skill and power-based cards.
When you’re not fighting with enemies, you’ll be making your way up through the map that each act provides, collecting treasure chests, dealing with random multiple-choice, gamebook-style events and tackling toweringly tricky bosses – and it’s all devilishly easy to pick up and play at a moment’s notice. Slay the Spire is simultaneously a gateway to the card battler genre and also an offering that sits at its apex.
Four Very Different Characters With Unique Mechanics
One of the biggest ways that Slay the Spire meaningfully separates itself from the competition is in how it offers up four different characters (most of which are unlockable – but we’ll get to that in a bit) that each change up the moment to moment gameplay in a number of interesting ways.
The barbarian-like Ironclad has the highest starting health of any character and automatically gains six health points at the conclusion of each fight, making him a super suitable choice for less-tenured players. Meanwhile, the poison-loving assassin, Silent, not only leverages damage over time poison cards but also gains two extra cards at the beginning of every battle. Veering into the more sophisticated territory, the Defect is a powerful automaton that can channel different elemental orbs which are triggered at the end of every turn, increasing its offensive or defensive capacities dramatically. Finally, the Watcher leverages different stances that accentuate the defensive or offensive qualities of various cards. Put simply, there is something for everyone with Slay the Spire’s quartet of playable characters and the potential for mastery of each character for those willing to invest the time is substantial, easily running into the high hundreds of hours and beyond.
You Are Always Progressing And That Feels Great
Beyond its supremely compelling gameplay loop, Slay the Spire manages to keep players engaged by leveraging its roguelike design DNA to make sure that even in defeat, you’re still progressing. Essentially splitting progression into the micro and macro, Slay the Spire lets you build out your deck, gain potions that can be used on a per-battle basis and loot powerful relics that can provide a positive effect for the remainder of your run – although you do lose all of your in-run loot should you either perish or when you defeat the final boss in either the third or secret fourth act. Beyond such micro progression on a per playthrough basis, Slay the Spire also has progression on a macro scale, with you gaining precious experience points – even when you die – at the end of each playthrough which is then used to unlock a broader variety of new cards for each character that will be shuffled into every consecutive playthrough.
In addition, Slay the Spire also neatly incentivises you to play with each character, since while the Ironclad is the first and only character available on your first playthrough, you unlock the Silent by attempting a playthrough with the Ironclad and then unlock the Defect by attempting a playthrough with the Silent and so on. When taken in tandem with its straightforward UI and easy-to-grasp mechanics, the progression that Slay the Spire provides makes a hugely enticing card battler even more so.
Risk And Reward Taken To Another Level
As you gradually amass a collection of gold, potions and numerous relics on your journey through Slay the Spire’s four different acts, there is no shortage of opportunities in every playthrough to risk your booty for a shot at better loot, often at the expense of something else. For example, upon felling one of Slay the Spire’s many bosses, you’ll get a choice of three special relics to choose from and one of them might provide you with an extra energy point for each turn (more energy points allow you to play more cards or can be used to play fewer, more powerful cards), but at the expense of being able to upgrade your cards at the various camps that dot each level. This then encourages you to really consider whether the benefit of that particular relic outweighs the weakness that it brings to the table.
This commitment to embedding risk and reward in its overall design permeates elsewhere in the Slay the Spire. At the beginning of every act you’re given an overview of five or six different paths to the boss fight and you’re allowed to choose which path you start with and you can also elect to change your path based on your tolerance for risk. See an elite enemy fight that you want to avoid, so you can heal yourself at the next camp? You can do that – albeit at the expense of potentially beating that elite enemy and scoring an elite relic that would potentially make future fights easier. Ascension levels are another great example of this too, since these are unlocked after beating the game and satisfying several conditions, resulting in more challenging runs that are at once filled with more challenging elite encounters, but also the potential of more elite relic loot opportunities as a direct consequence.
Genuinely Clever Enemy & Boss Encounters That Really Test You
Perhaps Slay the Spire’s superb design is never better exemplified than in the spread of boss encounters it forces the player into at the end of every act. Far from pedestrian tests of your card-battling expertise, these big bads are smartly engineered fiends that subvert Slay the Spire’s gameplay loop in a whole host of surprising ways. Take the creepy-looking Time Eater for instance. A towering demonic fiend, in the early going it seems like a fairly straightforward scrap, right up until they engage a magical clock which progressively shortens your turn length, forcing you to think and act extremely quickly with the dwindling amount of time that is available to you.
In another example, three black slime monsters present an interesting threat – not least because all of them are connected by a ‘life link’, which results in them being brought to life so long as one of their comrades remains standing. This means you have to balance out your damage output across all three to make sure that they all perish at the same time, rather than defeating them individually. A real treat, the numerous enemies and bosses of Slay the Spire are certainly one of its marquee attractions and invariably aid in triggering that ‘one more go’ sensation whenever you fall in battle against one of them.
It’s fair to say that creature-collecting games will probably always be popular. There’s just something about catching adorable critters and then training them until they’re unholy abominations that makes us all feel good. It’s also true that if you’re a Digimon fan, then your options for similar games are a lot less numerous than Pokemon-style games. Thankfully, one of the options you do have is Anode Heart, and it’s exceptional.
Anode Heart takes place in a world where the physical and digital realms have started to fuse, and it turns out that that is, in fact, very bad. One of the side effects of this is that Tama, the creatures that roam this world, have started to glitch and become increasingly violent. You take control of a robot called Seek, which’s lost all its memories, and your job is to try and prevent the great calamity looming on the horizon as a result of these intertwined worlds.
As you would hope – with a setting so cool – the story is very character-driven, with NPC’s giving you seemingly pointless quests that’ll either teach you about a key system, be an opportunity to recruit them for your village or uncover some important information about the main plot. Of course, the main draw, however, is the Tama themselves, and hoo boy are there some cool systems here.
Your Tama can evolve as they get stronger, but you’ll occasionally need to reset them back to level one to help them become stronger in the long run, as doing so enables both higher stats and a higher level cap. Along with the attacks they learn as they level up, they can also learn attacks from enemies, meaning you can teach a fire-type a water-type move, allowing you to build a wholly unique swiss-army tool Tama.
It’s an exceptionally cool battle system where speed is essential because Anode Heart doesn’t adopt the typical approach to turn-based combat. Instead, each move your Tama can make costs a certain amount of energy, and Tama with higher speed stats get more energy to spend in battle – so make sure you pay attention to your Tama’s speed as well as their power.
Anode Heart is a really enjoyable indie creature-collecting game, so if you are a fan of the genre – but have yet to check this one out – you should absolutely play it and relish in its unique take on the genre.
Setting a gleaming gold standard in mythological angry dad simulators, Sony Santa Monica’s superb God of War sequel, God of War Ragnarök, now finds itself cutting a bloody swathe onto PC in arguably its most definitive form.
Be sure to keep this guide in your favourites as we cover everything you need to know about God of War Ragnarök on PC including the release date, special edition details, PC features story details, gameplay details, the latest trailer and more.
God Of War Ragnarök PC Release Date
God of War Ragnarök PC has been officially confirmed for a full release via Steam and the Epic Games Store on September 19, 2024. God of War Ragnarök was previously released on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in November 2022.
God Of War Ragnarök PC Editions
In addition to the Standard Edition of the game, the PC Digital Deluxe Edition of God of War Ragnarök provides the following extra goodies for those with heavier wallets:
The Full Game
Darkdale Armor
Darkdale Attire (Cosmetic)
Darkdale Axe Grip
Darkdale Blades Handles
Dark Horse Digital Art Book
Official Digital Soundtrack
God Of War Ragnarök PC Story
Unfurling its narrative tapestry several years after the events chronicled in the previous game, God of War Ragnarök picks up with Kratos and his maturing son Atreus living an isolated existence in the snow-dappled wilderness of Midgard. Soon enough however, matters take a dire turn as former Queen of the Valkyries, Freya, chases down Kratos to avenge the murder of her son while powerful Norse deities Odin and his viciously unstable son Thor, also manifest themselves in Midgard with scores of their own to settle. Without veering too deeply into spoiler territory, you need to have played through the previous God of War title released on PC in 2022 to get the full picture of just what is going on here with Sony Santa Monica’s thunderous sequel. To that end, if you’re uninitiated in the Norse-themed trials and tribulations of Kratos, you can catch up with the previous God of War here.
God Of War Ragnarök PC Gameplay
Much like its immediate predecessor, God of War Ragnarök is a sprawling, third-person action-adventure that emphasizes visceral melee combat and relentlessly compelling exploration. As Kratos, the titular (though now somewhat retired) God of War, players find themselves taking on all manner of grotesques and epic bosses from the deepest depths of Norse mythology, leveraging his different weapons depending on the violent situation at hand.
Indeed, there is a substantial amount of strategy and intelligence built into God of War Ragnarök’s combat system, with certain foes finding themselves weaker against Kratos’ frosty Leviathan axe (which can be both thrown from a distance and employed up close) while others find themselves more actively stymied by our protagonists legendarily fiery Blades of Chaos. Likewise, those who have sunk time into Kratos’ previous adventure will also recognise the role that his trusty shield plays in proceedings, allowing our deadly distressed dad to both block and parry incoming attacks with aplomb. There is also a third weapon that you will collect in God of War Ragnarök which is utterly different from the aforementioned previous two weapons though, again, at the risk of spoilers my lips remain sealed. Suffice it to say that Kratos’ arsenal is as satisfying to use as it is tactical.
Neatly supplementing all this is Atreus, Kratos’ own son who now is very much a super capable ally to have in combat. Not only can Atreus essentially ‘pull’ enemies away from Kratos with his constant barrage of archery-based attacks, but he also has his own skill trees and can unleash devastating elemental and arcane attacks on his enemies to damage them further. There’s also a dash of Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda about the whole affair, with breathtaking exploration that is underpinned by the notion of gaining new abilities that will allow you to access previously inaccessible areas and secrets – prompting exhaustive explorers to comb over every inch of God of War Ragnarök’s immaculately rendered worlds.
It’s also not much of an exaggeration to say that God of War Ragnarök not only has one of the most epic final battles of any video game in the last decade but by far one of the best bar brawls ever witnessed in the same medium. To say it’s a thing of beauty would be something of an understatement. It’s also worth mentioning that much like its immediate predecessor, everything that happens in God of War Ragnarök occurs in a single, seamless camera shot. This means that whether you’re mashing up some enemies or you’re in a cutscene, the whole thing is just beautifully joined together as one continuous shot. It remains a breathtaking visual flourish that lends God of War Ragnarök a deeply cinematic quality that few other games can readily match.
God Of War Ragnarök Valhalla – What Is It?
Once the credits have rolled on God of War Ragnarök’s nearly one-hundred-hour-long story campaign, there is still much more for armchair mythological warriors to sink their teeth into. God of War Ragnarök’s Valhalla DLC is included as part of the package that PC gamers will get stuck into on day one and as well as providing as an epilogue of sorts to the events of Ragnarök, where Kratos confronts his past life in Ancient Greece, Valhalla also provides players with a variety of different roguelike trials which will push your combat skills to the absolute limit.
God Of War Ragnarök PC Features
Akin to many of PlayStation Studios’ previous PC ports, God of War Ragnarök’s debut on PC is no mere straight port from the original PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 releases. Right off the bat, God of War Ragnarök on PC deftly leverages the greatly increased power provided by top-class CPUs and graphics cards, resulting in razor-sharp native 4K resolution, a vast range of visual presets and support for an unlocked framerate to boot. In addition to boasting 21:9 ultra-widescreen functionality, God of War Ragnarök on PC is also a fully paid-up member of the image upscaling club as well, providing support for cutting-edge NVIDIA DLSS 3.7, AMD FSR 3.1 and Intel XeSS 1.2 upscalers, allowing gamers to hit higher resolutions without compromising framerate. Further afield, God of War Ragnarök’s trip to PC has also resulted in support of NVIDIA’s low latency Reflex technology, providing an extra degree of responsiveness above and beyond what would normally be possible.
Where Can I Watch The Latest Trailer?
The latest trailer for God of War Ragnarök on PC is available to watch right now and you can catch it above. Given that this is a PC port of an already existing title, it probably shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to discover that the latest trailer for God of War Ragnarök on PC delves primarily into the PC-centric upgrades that the Jetpack Interactive developed effort will be bringing to the table. Handily, the just over-a-minute-and-a-half-long trailer also provides a succinct primer on what to expect from God of War Ragnarök regarding both story and gameplay.
PC System Requirements
As we have already established, God of War Ragnarök is no slouch in the graphics department and looks even better thanks to its PC-specific enhancements. With that in mind, we imagine you will need a fair PC setup to power it but as of writing, there aren’t any confirmed PC requirements for God of War Ragnarök.
Easily one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year, not to mention a remake that has been a good few years in the making, Konami and Bloober Team’s reimagination of survival horror classic Silent Hill 2 is almost here. Though the story remains untouched, it will nonetheless bring with it a whole host of changes in other areas of its overall offering. What are those shiny new changes you ask? Well, we’ve got all the answers as we delve into the changes you should expect from the Silent Hill 2 remake when it releases this October.
Unreal Engine 5 Brings New Fiendish Fidelity To The Horror
A technically impressive genre offering when it was released for PlayStation 2 all the way back in September 2001, Silent Hill 2 still impresses even today with its moody, detailed visuals that marry up tremendous art direction with technical sheen to create one of the most atmospheric survival horror games ever created. In its newly remade form, the Silent Hill 2 remake brings Epic’s hugely capable Unreal Engine 5 technology to bear. This has resulted in a tremendous uptick in visual fidelity that gives this new version of Silent Hill 2 much-improved texture and world detail, together with reworked fog, shadow and reflection special effects. This combines to ensure that the Silent Hill 2 of 2024 is every bit as atmospheric as its 23-year-old source material.
A New Perspective
The leap to Unreal Engine 5 isn’t the only significant difference to the presentation of the Silent Hill 2 remake, as developer Bloober Team has also elected to change the camera perspective. Electing to ditch the elevated and sometimes overly cinematic third-person perspective of the 2001 original, Bloober Team’s take on Silent Hill 2 instead uses the same sort of over-the-shoulder perspective that fans and players of the recent Resident Evil remakes will no doubt already be familiar with. Though this decision might rankle those who wish to hark back to the presentation and perspective style of the original, there is no doubt that this shift in camera perspective will make Silent Hill 2’s numerous combat scenes a whole lot less fiddly than they were before. Speaking of which…
Survival Horror Combat Evolved
As part of its remit to remake Silent Hill 2, Bloober Team also wanted to overhaul the combat system which underpins many of its more violent encounters. Now, while combat was hardly a defining aspect of Silent Hill 2 in the way that it arguably is for the Resident Evil games, Bloober Team has nonetheless updated the combat experience in its Silent Hill 2 remake, with iron-sight aiming, a timed evasion system and much more physical melee battles to bring Silent Hill 2’s various grotesque skirmishes kicking and screaming into the 2024 survival horror genre.
Character Redesigns That May Upset You – Or Not
A quick look at any of the trailers or gameplay walkthroughs that Bloober Team has released for the Silent Hill 2 remake also confirms an unexpected fact – there have been changes, some subtle, some less so, to its cast of characters. Perhaps the most obvious example of these changes is Maria, the mysterious woman that our main protagonist James Sunderland meets when he reaches Silent Hill. Bearing a substantial resemblance to his missing wife Mary (with his wayward spouse being James’ whole reason for being in that fog-swamped town in the first place), Maria is everything that the darker side of James’ psyche wanted Mary to be. Sexualised and objectified by him, Maria is dressed in an appropriately risque fashion because she is, in part, reflecting James’ own desires which make her eventual fate all the more troubling. In the Silent Hill 2 remake however, she’s dressed much more modestly and while this may not mean much to newcomers to the game or series at large, it does alter some of the themes and key plot points that were so crucial to the original game in 2001.
A Broader, Deeper Game World With More Opportunities To Explore
Even though the Silent Hill 2 remake is largely a beat for beat match for the story of the original (and quite honestly, I can’t imagine series fans – or Konami – having it any other way), an opportunity has been seized to broaden the width, depth and breadth of the game world in which Silent Hill 2’s narrative unfurls. In real terms, Bloober Team intends to simply provide players with larger locations than the 2001 original, along with a raft of entirely new locations and areas filled with enemies and new secrets to be uncovered. Essentially, if when the credits rolled on Silent Hill 2 back in 2001, you simply craved more of that world to explore then Bloober Team looks to have you covered with its contemporary remake.
Reworked 3D Audio That Surrounds You With Fear
Much more than just a purely visual upgrade over the PlayStation 2 original, the Silent Hill 2 remake also brings fully reworked 3D audio to the table, meaning that you’ll hear every creeping footstep, every sound in the distance and of course, every single blood-curdling scream in all 360 degrees around you. Though it’s certainly great to have a feature like this, it’s also worth keeping note of how much money you’ll need to save in order to replace all the underwear you’ll be going through.
No Loading Screens – At Last
The leap to cutting edge technology has also meant that Bloober Team have been able to make the most of modern SSD storage solutions to essentially do away with loading screens entirely, making the Silent Hill 2 remake a pleasingly seamless experience from beginning to end. After all, twenty-second, mid-game loading screens were *so* 2001.
DualSense Controller Features
Jointly developed for both PC and PlayStation 5, the Silent Hill 2 remake also makes ample use of Sony’s handsomely made and versatile DualSense controller. Not only is haptic feedback fully supported, allowing you to feel the recoil of every gunshot and the impact of every incoming strike, but the adaptive triggers are also used by the Silent Hill 2 Remake to replicate the feeling of resistance that you get as you pull the trigger on your trusty firearm. It’s all good stuff that further enhances the level of immersion that is on offer in a game that already looks to be drowning in atmosphere.
If all this discussion of Silent Hill 2 has got you itching to lock in your October survival horror fix, then be sure to head over to the Green Man Gaming store and secure your copy at a tidy little discount.
There are a lot of reasons to get excited about Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, not least because it’s the follow-up to one of the greatest games of all time, and arguably FromSoftware’s most impressive game to date. That level of excitement and expectation should come as no real surprise when you are a company that spawned a whole genre.
So, if you’re hoping to find out everything you need to know in order to be ready for Shadow of the Erdtree, then we’re on hand to help. We’re going to talk about trailers, the release date, what’s new in the DLC, and what you need to do to be ready for it. So, let’s follow the grace and see where it takes us.
Shadow of the Erdtree Release Date
There isn’t long to wait, as Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree launches on Friday 21st June. This is prime “book one day off and ignore sleep for three days” territory, which can only be a good thing. Whilst there is no official confirmation, there are rumours of the game being pre-loadable two days before release, so keep an eye out for that if you’ve pre-ordered.
Shadow of the Erdtree Editions
In addition to the standard version of the expansion, there are also two additional versions of Shadow of the Erdree to pick up – the Premium Bundle and the Collector’s Edition.
Premium Bundle Edition
Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion
Digital Artbook
Digital Soundtrack
Collector’s Edition
Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion
Mesmer the Impaler 46cm Figurine
Hardcover Artbook
Digital Artbook
Digital Soundtrack
Alongside that, there are also new Editions of Elden Ring that include the base game and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, making it the perfect starting point for people who missed it the first time around.
Shadow of the Erdtree Story
Although we are not 100% sure about the entire story for Shadow of the Erdtree, we do know that the story will heavily feature Queen Marika and the mysterious Land of Shadow, a new realm which exists alongside the Lands Between (the setting for Elden Ring) but is inaccessible to most.
That’s not all, the DLC will also go far deeper into the story, and lore, behind Miquella, who at present in a strange cocoon behind Mohg, Lord of Blood in the underground areas of the Lands Between. Spoken of frequently throughout the base game, mostly by the brutally difficulty Malenia, Miquella is an Empyrion demigod, which means he is particularly important to the Elden Ring lore due to his potential to ascend to the Elden Throne.
Along with all of the other denizens of the Shadow Land, we’ll also come up against Messmer the Impaler, an exiled demigod who is wreathed in flame and with a lot of snake motifs. Given that we’ve fought a giant flaming snake in the form of the God-Devouring Serpent and Rykard in the main game, it’s hard to ignore the shared vibes there.
How To Access Shadow of the Erdtree
Interestingly for a DLC, purchasing it is just one step to unlocking access to the Land of Shadow. In order to access the new content you will first have to make way to Miquella’s cocoon, which is after the fight with Mogh, Lord of Blood in Mohgwyn Palace. You can access this area either by following along with White Mask Varre’s quest and using the special item he grants you after completing some invasions, or by finding the portal in the east of the Consecrated Snowfields. So if you are planning to check out Shadow of the Erdtree at launch, you best make sure you have done the above ahead of release day.
What’s New In Shadow of the Erdtree
Although we have an entire blog article dedicated to what’s new in Shadow of the Erdtree – check it out here – it makes sense to quickly recap some of the key changes and differences here too.
Let’s start with the headline figures. Shadow of the Erdtree will reportedly add in over 10 new bosses, a fair amount more mini-bosses, and eight brand-new weapon categories. Plus, the weapons will all have new move sets to master, and there’s even a bunch of weapons dedicated to martial arts, which should feel like a step up from the standard fist weapons of the base game.
That’s not all, there’s also a new levelling system that requires you to hunt down different items and areas to increase your strength. This is a pretty intriguing take on things and should allow the difficulty to feel more oppressive even for those going in with end-game level characters. There will also be plenty of new dungeons to explore alongside the new open-world area, which navigating – we are told – feels even more seamless than in the base game.
With Shadow of the Erdtree apparently FromSoftware’s biggest expansion to date – quite a feat given the size of some of their DLCs – it could well mean many dozens of hours of gameplay for you to experience and even more hours of gameplay for you to master.
Where Can I Watch The Latest Trailer?
To help users get up to speed, Bandai Namco has very handily created the above recap to set you up perfectly to dive back in into Elden Ring at release. If you are looking for more Shadow of the Erdtree specific content, however, you should definitely check out both the latest Story Trailer and Gameplay Trailer.
PC System Requirements
Packing just as much of a visual spectacle as the base game, it should come as no surprise that you will need a fairly decent set-up to experience Shadow of the Erdtree in all its glory. You can catch the latest PC system requirements for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdree below.
We know there are a lot of roguelikes, but it’s still always worth highlighting the ones that either do something new and exciting or just feel good to play. Vellum manages to do both of those things and on top of that, also looks absolutely fantastic thanks to its inky art style and fountain pen protagonists.
Given its fondness for calligraphical objects, it should come as no surprise that Vellum tasks you with fighting your way through different books. Each book is divided into chapters and each chapter comes with its unique rewards that you can unlock along the way. Some of these will be things like allowing your tome-bound wolf companions to use special attacks, while others are quests you need to complete to unlock new buffs.
You’ve then also got your spell buffs and tweaks too. You start with only one movement, one special, and one standard spell and you can unlock more of these as you progress. Each of these can be changed and upgraded as you complete different levels, or as you overcome specific enemies or find hidden objectives. On top of that, you’ve got signature ink colours to utilise. You begin with a blue one, which is a damage-over-time effect and you can unlock new ones as you progress, like the yellow one that allows for critical hits, or the red one that lets you steal the life of your enemies.
And to build on things even further, you have to choose buffs to bestow on your enemies as you progress. You get to pick your poison and make things harder for yourself or choose the one that’s going to be the least awkward to deal with, adding a lovely layer of strategy into the mix. The systems all wrap around each other to make for a truly exceptional action roguelike. Plus, and this is one of our favourite bits, it’s also co-op!
Vellum is currently available in Early Access, but it’s already changed substantially in the two months since its launch, so we can’t wait to see how it keeps evolving.
Offering up a veritable cornucopia of gaming offerings for players of all stripes and tastes, this year’s Summer Game Fest really did have something for everyone. With such a spread of splendid-looking titles announced and promising existing offerings shown off during this year’s various showcases, we felt we had to compile a list of our favourites. So without further delay, here are some of the best games from Summer Game Fest 2024, Xbox Showcase, Ubisoft Forward and more.
Alan Wake 2 – Night Springs DLC
A continuation to one of 2023’s best games and certainly one of the atmospheric survival horror efforts of the past decade, the Night Springs DLC for Alan Wake 2 has the titular cursed writer scribbling television scripts as a means of escape, only to be drawn yet further still into the living nightmare that has defined his existence. Offering up three episodes that each boast a very different set of themes, not to mention a faster, more action-packed adventure and guest appearances from the protagonists of Quantum Break and Control, Night Springs is shaping up to be a tremendous expansion, to say the least.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
With just over thirteen minutes of stellar gameplay footage, Assassin’s Creed Shadows deep dive at Ubisoft Forward 2024 reassured me that the series’ long overdue trip to Feudal Japan will be greatly successful. Predictably split into two parts, the Assassin’s Creed Shadows gameplay walkthrough gave us an extended look at the twin protagonists, Yasuke and Naoe, going about their business. As Yasuke, confrontation and brute force are the order of the day, with combat which ranks as the most violent the franchise has ever seen with Yasuke bludgeoning folk to death with a massive spiked club before beheading his target, alongside new armour break systems and varying stance postures to boot. When we switch to Naoe, however, more of the series’ traditional mechanics are on display, emphasising acrobatic traversal, stealth and assassination from the shadows, and the ability to destroy light sources (ala Splinter Cell). Coupled with an overhauled engine that offers some truly striking visuals, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is shaping up to be the best Assassin’s Creed in years.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyZY_BiTmd8
With Treyarch back at the steering wheel and the relative mediocrity of last year’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 becoming an increasingly distant memory, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 reminded us all that the world’s longest-running FPS franchise can still put on a show and give genre fiends much to be excited for. Not only has the emaciated afterthought of a campaign that plagued last year’s effort been replaced by a much more ambitious, full sugar and full fat Call of Duty campaign set in the Gulf War, but improvements have been wrought across the board in traditional multiplayer and round-based Zombies modes too. Elsewhere, the new ‘omnidirectional’ movement system now not only provides players with the ability to turn onto their back from a prone position for greater freedom of aiming but so too can they now leap through the air and turn mid-move, allowing players everywhere to live out their myriad John Woo fantasies unimpeded.
Civilisation VII
Though precious few details were revealed regarding the reveal of Civilisation’s much anticipated seventh entry, just the fact that Civilisation VII merely exists was enough cause for fans and the series faithful to lose their collective minds. Set to launch on PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch platforms, a full gameplay reveal is expected this August. Until then, stay the course, my friends. Stay the course.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Coming completely out of the blue, the flamboyantly named Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 already looks like one of the best and most polished turn-based RPGs to come along in a hot minute. Coming from French developer Sandfall Interactive, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 honestly looks like it wouldn’t be out of place in the Final Fantasy universe, with a motley team of companions coming together to thwart a malicious entity known as the Paintress, who can erase time and life with a stroke of her brush, Thanos style. Gorgeous to look at and with a wonderfully sophisticated combat system, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will be released on PC, Xbox and PlayStation platforms sometime in 2025. If only time would go a bit faster, eh?
DOOM: The Dark Ages
A face-thumping, gore-smashing and metal-thrumming origin story for DOOM’s central protagonist, DOOM: The Dark Ages takes the Doomslayer into a dark fantasy era as he carves his way through the forces of Hell in a story that establishes the roots of his legendary rage. Being a modern DOOM title, DOOM: The Dark Ages revels in the rapid hyperkinetic and visceral combat that the series has long been known for. New additions to the formula include a throwing shield that can rev up like a chainsaw, a gun that chews up skulls and spits out bone into your enemies and what looks like a massive DOOM mech(!) that can be used to smash your enemies to bits. DOOM: The Dark Ages blasts its way onto PC, Xbox and PlayStation consoles in 2025.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Though we must confess that we greatly prefer its previous title (‘Dragon Age: The Veilguard’ doesn’t quite hop off the tongue as readily as ‘Dragon Age Dreadwolf does, but we digress), Dragon Age: The Veilguard nonetheless is shaping up rather wonderfully all the same. With a more vibrant art style, coupled with a cutting-edge technical presentation, Dragon Age: The Veilguard not only brings back heroes from previous games such as Varric and others, but it also introduces players to a whole new cast of companions from which players can choose from as they wage war against the apostate Elven mage, Solas. Dragon Age: The Veilguard will find its way to PC, PlayStation and Xbox platforms almost exactly a decade after its predecessor, Dragon Age: Inquisition. Oh and in case you’re wondering, there are still plenty of romance opportunities to be had. Oh yes.
Gears of War: E-Day
Eschewing a direct sequel to 2019’s Gears 5 (though Microsoft did confirm that the series would eventually continue along the same narrative trajectory), developer The Coalition instead presented onlookers with a glimpse at Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel which explores the first day of the Locust invasion and the first meeting of future alpha bros, Marcus Fenix and Dominic ‘Dom’ Santiago. Perhaps the most technically accomplished game of the whole show, Gears of War: E-Day leverages Epic’s powerful Unreal Engine 5 to stunning effect, creating an in-engine trailer showcasing a brutal one-on-one fight between a Locust Drone and a young Marcus Fenix that really looks like a CG movie. Most interestingly, Gears of War: E-Day would seem to re-establish the relatively humble Locust Drone as a terrifying threat, as the trailer shows our hero routinely getting overpowered and beaten until the very end. With its jaw-dropping visuals, a tear-jerking reunion of Marcus and Dom, coupled with carefully chosen instrumentals from the Mad World song that accompanied the launch of the very first Gears of War, Gears of War: E-Day looked simply incredible. No release window for Gears of War: E-Day has yet been set.
Lego Horizon Adventures
Though perhaps the writing was on the wall for a Lego and Horizon collab before Sony’s June State of Play briefing, few could have guessed it would look quite as splendid as this. A playful isometric, third-person action-adventure overflowing with charm, Lego Horizon Adventures has Aloy tearing through machines, building Lego structures and exuding the sort of freewheeling humour that the Lego games have long prided themselves on. Set to release on PC, Nintendo Switch and PS5 platforms this Holiday season, Lego Horizon Adventures already looks like a marquee Lego title and a great Horizon game in its own right.
Perfect Dark
With rumours of its demise seemingly greatly exaggerated, not only was it a pleasant surprise to see the new Perfect Dark at the Xbox briefing, but so too was it something of a relief to see it in such fine fettle. A compelling mish-mash of traditional FPS shenanigans, Deus Ex-flavoured immersive sim elements and Mirror’s Edge-style acrobatic traversal through a futuristic city, Microsoft’s Perfect Dark reboot is already looking like a handsomely made effort that is on track to bring this oft-forgotten franchise back into the limelight.
Star Wars Outlaws
Looking to one-up its stellar work on last year’s warmly received Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Massive Entertainment graced audiences with an extended look at Star Wars Outlaws, its open-world action RPG Star Wars adaptation which takes place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. A sprawling Star Wars offering, Star Wars Outlaws combines cover shooting, planetside exploration and space combat with a huge overarching non-linear narrative to great effect. Looking better and better every time we see it, Star Wars Outlaws stands a very good chance of being the best Star Wars game in ages. August 30 really can’t come soon enough.
UFO 50
Finally, a personal highlight. Though UFO 50 from Spelunky developer Mossmouth lacks much of the AAA bombast and high-end gloss that can be found in other games mentioned in this list, it more than makes up for it with an overabundance of charm, innovation and good old-fashioned classic gameplay. Essentially a fictitious take on playable documentary collections like the superb Atari 50, UFO 50 presents players with no less than 50 full (not mini) games which were released for fictitious UFO console systems during the 1980s. Encompassing everything from fighting games to classic shoot em’ ups through to dusty RPGs, platformers and more, with many of these titles also boasting multiplayer support, UFO 50 is that rare kaleidoscopic treat that everyone will be able to enjoy when it releases on PC this September.
We’re all still reeling from finishing Baldur’s Gate 3 and wandering aimlessly through a digital world now, right? Well, Skald: Against the Black Priory wants to remedy that issue with its 80’s graphical stylings, incredible story, grimdark eldritch horror story, and some absurdly deep RPG mechanics.
Skald has you journeying through a stunning 8-bit world that’s almost always trying to kill you and then dares you to succeed anyway. Aside from your overwhelming tactical genius, you will also have every kind of skill, weapon, and character you can find and bring to your cause. Nothing comes easy in this world, but that just makes earning it all the sweeter.
Fights take place on incredibly detailed grid battlefields and most attacks have an area of influence that means that it’s not just about what attack you use and when, but more importantly where. Your positioning, and keeping your characters working together, are essential especially because you’ll nearly always be outnumbered and outgunned.
Despite the old-school sensibilities of the music and the art, Skald infuses it all with plenty of modern RPG components, including a full inventory system and skill trees. This gives it the feeling of a game that could only exist in 2024, even though its art style suggests otherwise. The mix of classes, status effects, weapons, and armour you need to manage means you can find your own playstyle and master it. That’s not all, it’s also got a cool feature called auto-resolve which is great if you’re finding a specific fight simply too much and can’t find a way out of it, because it just sorts the fight out for you.
So if your longing for a new CRPG – especially on that also taps into that Dungeons & Dragons feeling – but just haven’t found the right one yet, Skald: Against the Black Priory could well be the one to end your woes.
Monster Hunter Stories is finally making its way to more platforms, and that means it’s a great chance to make sure you can get your creature-catching fill by playing other games in the genre too. While there aren’t many games that perfectly match the feel of Monster Hunter Stories – aside from the others in the series – it’s always fun to branch out and try new things, right?
We thought so, so we’ve made sure to compile a list of other games that’ll have you enjoying the wonders of different creatures and monsters for months to come. So, if you’re looking to change things up, or just want to make sure you’ve got plenty to play, then let us fill you in on some options.
Best Games Like Monster Hunter Stories
It’s worth noting that there are a lot of games in the creature-collecting genre. Games like Siralim Ultimate, Anode Heart, Coromon, and even Monster Sanctuary are all gems that don’t get enough attention. However, they lack the 3D punch of Monster Hunter Stories, so we’ve not included them in the final list. Do check them out though, because they’re excellent.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is quite possibly the best game in the long-running series. It breaks away from the standard formula to make you feel like the world itself is a threat to you, and that you have to live alongside it. You’re not so much asserting your will over a bunch of monsters, although you do that because it’s a Pokemon game, but you’re researching and discovering things. It’s a joy, and while it’s not perfect, it is a lot of fun and a worthy entry on this list.
Digimon Cyber Sleuth: Complete Editon
Digimon are indeed “the champions” because few games match the sheer volume of evolutions and devolutions you can go through than the two available here. That’s right, Digimon Cyber Sleuth: Complete Edition has two games in it, and both are exquisite. They’re a little grind-heavy for some people, but if you like trying to create god-level monsters, then this game is it.
WORLD OF FINAL FANTASY™ COMPLETE EDITION
World of Final Fantasy is a seemingly cutesy take on the Final Fantasy series that blends all of the classic monsters into one adorable chibi world. You take control of Ryenn and Lann as they hunt down their past and find out what’s happened to them and their parents. To do so, they gain the power to capture monsters, ride them into battle and master the ability to stack monsters on top of one another to succeed. It’s an absurd concept, but a very well-executed one with a surprisingly dark story.
Palworld
If you expected this to be on the list – then congrats, you were correct. Palworld takes the concept of creature collectors and throws it into a survival game. While you can’t evolve your Pals, you can upgrade them and make themes stronger through battle and training. You also get to make the survival aspects much easier by getting them to farm materials for you, and even fight alongside you with machine guns. Look, we don’t make the games, we just list them.
Ni no Kuni Wrath of the White Witch™ Remastered
If you want a heart-warming story that also just so happens to look like a Studio Ghibli film then you’ve probably played Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch before, but if you somehow haven’t’ then now is as good a time as any. The story follows a young boy called Oliver who’s forced into an adventure through some horrifying events but then finds friendship and immense strength on their journey. It’s cute, it’s fun, and it’s beautiful to behold – which makes it perfect for this list.
Monster Hunter Rise
Alright, so technically this isn’t really like Monster Hunter Stories, but it is a Monster Hunter game so gets a mention on that basis alone. We were torn between Monster Hunter Rise and Monster Hunter World, but honestly, both are exceptional games, so you can’t really go wrong. So, if you’d rather carve up the monsters you’ve been befriending, then this is the way to do it. Whilst they may be fairly challenging action games they’re so intensely rewarding that we’re sure you will have a blast.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince
The Dragon Quest Monsters series is amazing, and Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is the latest entry in it. It follows a half-human half-demon prince as he tries to overcome a horrible curse that means he can’t avenge his mother. To do this, he learns to tame monsters, and the rest is history. Well, it’ll be history once you finish the game anyway. Rather than evolving monsters, you fuse them together in this, and the skill system is a lot of fun to master. Whilst you will have to pull out your Nintendo Switch to enjoy it, it’s definitely worth it!
The best June indie games are coming at us at full speed and will not be deterred, not even by the likes of Destiny 2: The Final Shape nor Elden Ring: Shadows of the Erdtree. If we’re all being honest here, June is a scary month to release a game primarily because of those two Titans, but that doesn’t mean we’re not going to have anything to play.
In fact, we’ve gone ahead and made a list of the coolest-looking indie games releasing in June because not everyone’s going to want to be playing those big titles. If you’re looking for something off the beaten path and something that might just inspire you, then have a read on and get stuck into what June has to offer.
What do you get if you combine 4X strategy and RTS autobattler and throw in a story-rich campaign and a gorgeous Art Nouveau art style? Well, Songs of Silence of course. A hit during last October’s Steam NextFest, you must lead powerful armies against AI and players alike as you seek a new homeland in a world ravaged by an ominous threat known as the Silence. Oh, and it has some pretty awesome musical chops, with the soundtrack composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto.
Have you ever wanted to run your own movie studio? Of course you have – after all, how hard can it possibly be to sit at the top of a company founded because mummy and daddy had lots of money? Well, you can live that life out in Blockbuster Inc. which has you making films, managing funds, nurturing your own stars, and even winning awards. Better yet, there’s a demo available for you to test it out before you buy it.
As is customary, there is also a new indie rogue-lite coming to a PC near you soon. Dragon is Dead is an intense action game where you’ll be hacking and slashing your way through countless monsters all to try and defeat Guernian, the leader of the Dark Dragons. Guernian has taken to corrupting the world out of fury, and you have to become a dragon slayer worthy of defeating them. There are loads of skills to mess around with, different characters to try, and all the rage and fury you’d expect from a new entry in the rogue-like genre.
Renowned for their ‘walking simulators’, the latest entry from indie darlings The Chinese Room looks set to see them return to their routes and infuse it with some of their most terrifying horror yet. In Still Wakes The Deep, you are a stranded off-shore oil rig worker who must save their crew from an otherworldly horror that has climbed aboard during a storm. As if the ocean wasn’t already scary enough.
While we’re on the topic of vampires, if you’re more interested in beating them up than being their shoulder to cry on, then check out #BLUD. Inspired by 90s cartoons, and we’re very much talking more along the lines of Courage the Cowardly Dog and Ren & Stimpy here, #BLUD has you fighting off vampires as you make your way through dungeons full of them, and just generally get into a lot of fights. Expect violence, and you won’t be disappointed.
Did you like the narrator from Baldur’s Gate 3? Of course you did because Amelia Tyler is an immense talent. Well, Tyler is playing a character in Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss, which is a brand-new adventure drama game where you need to find out what happened to your former crew, and how they ended up at the bottom of the ocean. This seems like a good choice for those who need a good cry.
Hatch Tales has a bird with a grappling hook in it. Honestly, we might just play it to find out why a bird needs a grappling hook, but the fact that it also looks to be an immensely charming and cute platformer game has certainly piqued our interest too. You’ll need to go through plenty of trials and tribulations to try and save your world, and you’ll need to use every tool at your disposal to succeed – good c-luck!
With the Metroidvania subgenre stretching back decades, it can sometimes feel like the well of innovation is running a little dry at times, with the high points of the genre such as Hollow Knight and Dead Cells seemingly so far and above their peers when it comes to a richness of imagination. Enter Gestalt: Steam & Cinder. Yes, it’s a Metroidvania, but it makes grand use of its Steampunk setting to fashion a new entry in the Metroidvania subgenre that is far more compelling than a great many of its peers have seemed to be in recent times. This is how Gestalt: Steam & Cinder has managed to leverage its Steampunk setting to stand out in an increasingly crowded genre.
A Colourful, Varied Steampunk Dystopia Like No Other
One look at any of the screenshots or assorted media that’s been released for Gestalt: Steam & Cinder will inform both your eyeballs and your brain that this isn’t your regular Steampunk setting. Sure enough, though some of the areas in the game can be found filled with the expected arrangement of bronze-gelded pipes that twist into the sky, such locales are just one in a veritable kaleidoscope of varied locations that Gestalt: Steam & Cinder presents to the player.
Arguably the locale where this diverging bounty of Steampunk colour and style can best be witnessed is in the Steam City of Canaan, an area which both serves as the hub and the centrepiece of Gestalt: Steam & Cinder’s story campaign. A bustling, vibrant metropolis that is much more than just a mess of pipes, cogs and steam outlets, Canaan’s bustling streets and rumour-filled taverns with their 19th-century era stylings and gaslight lamps are an evocative and brightly hued sight that immediately dispel that usual misty and somewhat darker visual stylings that the Steampunk setting usually conjures.
Peel away at the corners of that somewhat unconventional idyll however and a deeper, more complex Steampunk world reveals itself. From the vast mechanical wasteland known as the Scrap Sea, to the vast pools of molten lava of the Fornax furnace and the decaying streets and stalls of the Irkallan Black Market, Gestalt: Steam & Cinder is not lacking in retina-stroking locations that are both varied and compelling to explore.
It all adds up to a Steampunk effort that isn’t just more visually arresting than other titles that have adopted a similar aesthetic, but one which keenly stands out from its peers in the Metroidvania genre. Pointedly, you might reductively think that one Metroidvania is as similar as the next, but in both form and function Gestalt: Steam & Cinder’s Steampunk setting is one that allows it to stand out in both aspects. Oh and before I forget – yes, there are doggo folk in Gestalt: Steam & Cinder and yes, you can absolutely stroke and pet them until your fingers fall off.
Prepare Yourself For A Murder’s Row Of Clanking Machines And Bloodthirsty Foes
Aside from the main protagonist Aletheia and her merry band of allies who all wish to see the Steam City of Canaan free of the evil that encroaches upon it, Gestalt: Steam & Cinder has a more than capable cadre of villains that each reflect a nightmarish vision of the Steampunk setting that serves as its creative touchstone. Numbering among Gestalt: Steam & Cinder’s burgeoning cast of baddies are all manner of horrid foes, including towering automatons with rocket launchers for arms, ferocious mutants and screen-filling arachnid machine constructs to name just a couple. So if you were hoping to get into it with a cast of familiar and relatively dull enemies, Gestalt: Steam & Cinder has you absolutely covered.
Fire And Ruin – An Array Of Deadly Industrialised Weaponry And Armour
Of course, neatly balancing the equation of all those scary folk you’ll be scrapping within Gestalt: Steam & Cinder are the various weapons and combat styles that you’ll have at your disposal. From the start, Aletheia has access to a deadly, razor-sharp sabre (in keeping with the aesthetic, of course) which she can deploy not only in single, powerful strikes but can also chain together a combination of standing combos, juggles and power moves.
Beyond her trusty sabre, Aletheia can also use her trusty hand cannon to finish off foes should she so wish – but its uses extend beyond that of a mere combo ender. By upgrading the weapon, through salvaging parts littered throughout the world and upon fallen enemies, Aletheia can turn her firearm into a devastating weapon with extremely powerful charge plasma attacks that can punish a sizable hole in all but the most robust enemies. In a sense, the combat in Gestalt: Steam & Cinder comes across like a 2D Devil May Cry, with Aletheia making the most of her industrialised melee and firearms-based arsenal to swiftly send her foes to the scrapheap.
Of course, Aletheia’s offensive gear is just one side of the equation, because in Gestalt: Steam & Cinder, our heroine can also loot, equip and upgrade various pieces of armour as well, with each protective piece not only boosting her stats, but can also provide additional buffs and status effects as well. As such, Aletheia is very much a soldier that is emblematic of her industrial age.
Thickly Layered Lore That Enriches The World
Much more than just merely an aesthetic choice, the Steampunk setting of Gestalt: Steam & Cinder also supports a substantially fleshed-out world that has been generously stuffed with its own detailed lore. Put simply, there’s a *lot* going on in the world of Gestalt: Steam & Cinder that you might not necessarily appreciate at first glance.
Both beneath and within the neon-lit walls that serve as the illuminated flora of Canaan, the Comitium are lurking – a conclave of nihilistic overseers that will stop at nothing to change the very nature of existence through their unnatural experiments within the Steam City. With a massing army of Clockwork golems, twisted messes of flesh-metal and many other grotesque fiends at their disposal, Aletheia must stop at nothing to put a stop to the Comitium’s schemes and a big part of that effort are the different characters she’ll meet along the way. From shopkeepers and fellow rebels to forgotten faces from her past, all of them will take Aletheia deeper into both the history and the current plight of Canaan and its surrounding areas.
If all this talk of Steampunk Metroidvania goodness has gotten you excited about what Gestalt: Steam & Cinder is bringing to the genre, be sure to check it out over on the Green Man Gaming store.
Warhammer Skulls, the Ultimate Festival of Warhammer video games comes to the Green Man Gaming store this week with a whole host of discounts alongside new content releasing for several Warhammer titles.
Huge Warhammer fan, actor Rahul Kohli, returned as host for the second year in a row, with the Skulls Showcase kicking off an exciting week of world premieres, announcements and content reveals for Warhammer fans. Alongside the celebration, players can expect huge deals and discounts on the Green Man Gaming Store with up to 90% off savings during the event.
The Warhammer Showcase brought a whole host of surprises with it this year which if you missed you can check out on the Warhammer Twitch channel.
The first of those surprises was the newly announced Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus 2, the sequel to the much-loved original boasting a unique new feature that will let you play as the ancient Necrons as well as the Adeptus Mechanicus this time around. Much like its predecessor, Mechanicus 2 promises to be a high-intensity turn-based strategy game that’ll have you second-guessing your every move as you try to fight for the Imperium—or against it. Mechanicus 2 is coming soon to the Green Man Gaming store.
There were also not one, but two! Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 trailers with the highly anticipated game showing off a 3-player co-op campaign mode, Operations PVE mode and the return of the beloved online multiplayer in 6v6 Eternal War mode.
The online multiplayer mode will feature up to 6v6-player action, and you can play as Chaos Space Marines or the Adeptus Astartes across six modes, including Annihilation, Seize Ground, and Capture & Control. Alongside that, a cooperative PvE mode allows players to work in teams of up to three Space Marines. If that announcement has got you excited, Space Marine 2 will be coming soon to the Green Man Gaming Store.
The Warhammer Skulls Festival also brought with it a slew of other game updates including the new Forges of Corruption DLC for Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, the first-ever DLC for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, which will be titled Void Shadows, and the new Necromantic Horror Faction for Blood Bowl 3. Furthermore, the next Legendary Hero Lord for Total War: Warhammer III was announced, which will be Karanak, the Hound of Vengeance, and will be available for free, coming soon.
Hopefully, that has you all hyped for a great week of Warhammer gaming. You can check out all these games and more on our new Warhammer Franchise page right now! The Warhammer Skulls Sale runs from May 24, until May 30.
After the MultiVersus online beta finished on June 25th 2023, and Warner Bros. Games roundly solid platform fighter MultiVersus was pulled offline, many gamers have been wondering about what developer Player First Games would bring to its much anticipated full-fledged 1.0 launch. To that end and ahead of a full release on May 28th 2024, here are all of the things that have changed since MultiVersus left its open beta stomping grounds.
Rollback Netcode Locked In On Day One
Arguably one of the most significant shiny new things that the MultiVersus 1.0 release brings to the table, rollback netcode stabilises the online player experience in ways that simply were not possible during its beta. Essentially resulting in much smoother online gameplay, thanks to some neat timestamping technology that registers the time of every movement, developer Player First Games has also had to rebuild much of the rollback netcode from scratch in order to fit Multiversus’ often hectic, multi-person matches. The end result is that MultiVersus feels so much smoother and more responsive to play than it ever did at any point during its open beta phase. Fantastic stuff indeed.
Shift To Unreal Engine 5
Continuing the shift to newer and more promising technologies, MultiVersus 1.0 will move over to Epic’s Unreal Engine 5 when it drops in its full release form on May 28, 2024. Providing a sizable uptick in character detail and environment effects that just wasn’t possible prior, the shift to Unreal Engine 5 has also resulted in character models that are larger than they were before, while the scope of blast zones in each stage has been tweaked to account for the bigger combatants. Finally, the camera has also seen something of an upgrade as well, with movement that is much more dynamic than ever before resulting in a presentation that always ensures that the action is clearly in focus.
Refreshed Animations And Sound Effects To Identify Player States
Sitting atop those aforementioned visual improvements, MultiVersus 1.0 also makes some notable strides in terms of its functional aesthetics as well. For a start, brand new animations have been added to MultiVersus which help players to identify whether their characters are in a confirmation or a stun state – both of which are key to skilled play. Elsewhere, a range of new sound effects have also been added to consolidate those new player states, providing MultiVersus combatants with just another avenue of stimulative response in correlation with the on-screen action.
Parrying Is Here To Stay
Another seismic change that has been brought to bear with MultiVersus’ 1.0 version is being able to parry. An entirely new gameplay mechanic that is intended for high-level play, parrying, when done correctly, allows players to recover from an incoming attack quicker than their opponent, providing an ample window to unleash a devastating counterattack in return. Of course, the emphasis here is on being able to ‘successfully’ pull off that parry. With a very small amount of time to pull off the parry, only expert players will be able to make this manoeuvre play off in the heat of battle and so a sizable element of risk and reward is brought into every fight. Do you risk attempting a parry with the chance that you might not be successful and thus take a chunk of damage yourself, or, do you simply just don’t do it – preferring instead to fall back on the other mechanics that MultiVersus offers? All in all, the new parry mechanic is just one example of how MultiVersus has sought to become a more tactical affair since its time in beta.
Say Hello To The Dash Attack
Further afield and neatly complimenting the parry mechanic, MultiVersus now comes packing a shiny new dash attack that all characters can now use. Something of a swiss knife in terms of its potential applications during battle, the dash attack can not only be used to swiftly close the distance between one fighter and another but it can also be leveraged as a means to start or end your combo, depending on when you decide to use it. When paired with the equally new parry mechanic, the dash attack looks set to be an immensely valuable tool in the arsenal of any MultiVersus player going forward.
Updated Character Kits
Given the breadth and depth of MultiVersus’ roster of celebrity scrappers, it should probably come as no surprise that developer Player First Games has used the lengthy downtime that MultiVersus has enjoyed to update its character kits. On day one of MultiVersus’ full release, every single character will be extensively tuned and updated from their closed and open beta forms. Everything from hit placement and hit volume, through to timing and move damage has been tweaked, while all-new abilities supplant moves that from just about every character. Put simply, the scope of the updated character kits now means that even MultiVersus veterans will have to learn their favourite characters all over again – and have a great deal of fun in doing so.
Reworked Armour Mechanics
The substantial reworking exercise that defines MultiVersus full releases expands to the way in which armour is dealt with, too. In addition to a range of specific multi-hit and armour-breaking moves, a range of new limitations and perks have also been introduced, adding yet further sophistication and complexity to MultiVersus’ defensive game.
Casual And Competitive Stage Variants
In addition to the inclusion of new stages, MultiVersus 1.0 will also bring the notion of competitive and casual stage variants, with the former boasting more hazards and traps than usual, while the latter is much plainer by comparison and proves to be better for newer MultiVersus players.
Long Overdue PvE Modes Are On The Way
At long last MutliVerus will receive a selection of PvE modes as part of its leap from beta to full release, though these are expected to arrive a little while after the 1.0 release on May 28, 2024. Regardless, the fact that such modes are even on the cards is fantastic, not least because arguably one of the main dents in MultiVersus armour in beta was that it didn’t possess sufficient modes to keep solo players invested in the game.
Duelists of Eden is an incredible follow-up to one of the coolest deck builder hybrids ever made: One Step From Eden. In One Step From Eden, you fight through loads of awesome enemies and bosses, discover game-changing artefacts, and build a powerful deck as you go. Fights take place in real-time on a grid and have you firing off different spells from your deck and trying to create a build around them as you go.
It’s all very heavily inspired by the Mega Man Battle Network games, and it’s truly sublime. It had multiple endings, plenty of stuff to unlock, and a gameplay loop that could theoretically last you hundreds of hours. Duelist’s of Eden isn’t a sequel to One Step From Eden, it’s a new version of the game, but instead of playing against enemies and bosses, you’re fighting for your life against other players in brutal PvP battles.
In Duelists of Eden, you get to pick your character, build the deck that you want, and then go online to try and beat down other people who’ve done the same. The result is an intensely fast-paced fighting game with a unique feel to it. If you’re a fan of the original roguelike then you’re in for a treat with an entirely new level of challenges, whereas if you’re a fighting game fan who’s looking for something different, Duelists of Eden is exactly that. As with any game, it helps that the graphics are amazing and the sound design is great. It also helps that despite this being a truly exceptional game, it’s somehow less than a fiver.
The bottom line is, you can get this instead of a coffee and still have enough money left over for a chocolate bar or an energy drink to help you try and retain full focus for the battles ahead.
Aiming to be one of the most realistic FPS entries on the market, Gray Zone Warfare is an intense genre offering that combines MMO, PvP and PvE elements to create a sense of scale quite unlike any other tactical shooter on the market as players choose from a selection of PMCs (Private Military Companies) and go to war with one another. Put simply, Gray Zone Warfare is looking to scratch that itch left behind by realistic fare such as Arma 3 and then some.
Be sure to keep this guide in your favourites as we cover everything you need to know about Gray Zone Warfare including the release date, early access details, story details, gameplay details, latest trailer, PC specification details and more.
Gray Zone Warfare Release Date
Gray Zone Warfare was released on PC via Steam in Early Access on April 30, 2024. A full release for Gray Zone Warfare will happen as soon as the Early Access period concludes at which point a release on the Epic Games Store seems likely too. Gray Zone Warfare has not been announced or confirmed for a console release on PlayStation, Xbox or Nintendo platforms as of writing.
Gray Zone Warfare Early Access
Gray Zone Warfare is currently available on PC Early Access via Steam. Though developer Madfinger Games hasn’t put a timeline on when Gray Zone Warfare will leave Early Access, it is quoted as saying “the approximate timeline may span several years, depending on community feedback and the fulfilment of our shared vision” on its Steam page, so we likely have a long time to wait for the Gray Zone Warfare full release. The community can give feedback to Madfinger Games via the official Discord for Gray Zone Warfare. Currently, Gray Zone Warfare’s Early Access provides players with the following features:
A trio of distinct PMC factions supporting up to 48 players in total, with a maximum of 16 players per faction
The expansive 42 km² open world of Lamang, based on a real location, showcasing an unprecedented representation of a jungle
Ruthless AI behaviour, with hundreds of enemies reacting to the player’s moves through the actions and emotions
Complex external and terminal ballistics simulation for a realistic shooting experience
Comprehensive simulation of realistic firearm recoil based on real-world data
An innovative health system that intricately simulates even bodily cavities and damage effects
A network of six unique vendors offering 150 quests in total
Eight highly customizable weapons with over 400 interchangeable parts
A diverse array of over 80 gear items for tactical advantage.
An engaging, interconnected player progression system
Detailed character creation and extensive apparel customization options
Formidable squads, allowing for up to four members for coordinated gameplay
Integrated social features, including Friends, VOIP, and Messenger, for enhanced player interaction
Gray Zone Warfare Special Editions
In addition to the standard version of the game, Gray Zone Warfare boasts no less than three special editions that each come with their own perks, currency and gear. It’s also worth noting that not only will the equipment in each edition be added to your character after every game reset, but so too can players upgrade from one edition to the next with only the difference to pay in order to do so.
Tactical Edition
10×35 size locker for storing items
2×2 size lockbox for storing items that will remain after death
Standard Edition equipment
Tactical Edition equipment
$15,000 of in-game currency
Elite Edition
10×45 size locker for storing items
3×2 size lockbox for storing key items that will remain after death
Standard Edition equipment
Tactical Edition equipment
Elite Edition equipment
$20,000 of in-game currency
Supporter Edition
10×60 size locker for storing items
3×3 size lockbox for storing key items that will remain after death
Standard Edition equipment
Tactical Edition equipment
Elite Edition equipment
Supporter Edition equipment
$25,000 of in-game currency
GZW in-game shirt
GZW in-game gloves
GZW in-game trousers
Special supporter name colour
Exclusive supporter badge
Gray Zone Warfare Story
Taking place on the fictional Southeast Asian island of Lamang, a mysterious incident has resulted in the entire island being almost completely evacuated and placed under quarantine. Keen to not only uncover the enigma behind Lamang’s quarantine protocol, the various PMCs that are vying for control must also pick the island clean and deal with any stragglers left behind by any means necessary.
Gray Zone Warfare Gameplay
Gray Zone Warfare is certainly an FPS that leans very strongly into realism, mirroring earlier efforts such as Arma 3 and Insurgency to name just two. Players are invited to explore and carve their way across the island of Lamang, a mammoth-sized 42 km² landmass filled with jungles, beaches, mountain ranges, abandoned villages, derelict bases and so much more.
Within the boundaries of this persistently online world, players can band together into closely knit squads to take on AI enemies, scour the island for hidden loot caches, take down enemy fortifications or take on one of the many story missions that each shed some light on the reasons why there are stragglers left on Lamang in the first place.
There is also a punishing vector to Gray Zone Warfare’s FPS sensibilities, too. When killed, you will lose all of the gear that you have on your person, while any gear stored in the much smaller secure lock boxes will be safe from looting, if you happen to find yourself six feet under. The upshot of this looting mechanic is that PvP skirmishes in particular carry with them a certain level of anxiety and intensity that you wouldn’t normally experience while forcing the player to prioritise what gear should go into those secure lock boxes and what gear they would potentially be comfortable losing in battle.
Elsewhere, Gray Zone Warfare makes the most of its lean into a more realistic shooter too. Not only has Madfinger Games infused Gray Zone Warfare with a range of fully customisable weapons whereupon the changes and adjustments made to each firearm can affect their ballistic performance on a micro level, but an innovative health system is also in place, where injuries to specific parts of your anatomy can directly affect your performance on the battlefield. Been shot in your right arm? Don’t count on using your primary weapon for a while, for example. With each injury having a bespoke effect on the player, identifying just what those injuries are is a big part of Gray Zone Warfare and one that when taken in tandem with other aspects of its design, makes Madfinger Games’ latest effort feel like the sort of truly gritty shooter many of us have long pined for.
Gray Zone Warfare Content Roadmap
Between now and its eventual final 1.0 release, the current Gray Zone Warfare content roadmap has been outlined by developer Madfinger Games can be glimpsed below.
A complete map featuring all locations and diverse biomes
A hazardous Ground Zero area with end-game enemies and new storylines
Different types of AI behaviours are based on the enemy type, situation, time, or weather condition
Faction-based AI with its own agenda involving quests, patrolling, scavenging, and attacking others
Factions featuring progression systems and diverse reputations
Immersive environmental storytelling featuring mature and engaging plots
Advanced quest system encompassing both main and side storylines
Game-changing, captivating seasonal events
Resource-intensive and survival-focused crafting
Dynamic weather changing the gameplay experience
An accelerated day and night cycle
Unique skills system based on the player’s achievements, not grind
Customizable “hooch” player’s base quarters
Enhanced weapon customizations
Fully customizable gear
Complex trading system for players
Where Can I Watch The Latest Trailer?
The latest trailer for Gray Zone Warfare is available to watch right now and you can catch it above. Heralding the release of Gray Zone Warfare into early access, the latest trailer for Gray Zone Warfare provides a rapid-fire glimpse at everything the game has to offer in its current state, along with a nice and hefty chunk of gameplay to boot.
PC System Requirements
Showcasing a large and densely detailed open world jungle for players to battle around in, as well as a swathe of highly detailed character models to boot, it should come as no surprise that Gray Zone Warfare requires a fairly beefy PC rig to get the most of it. That said, it’s also worth noting that with Gray Zone Warfare essentially at the start of its Early Access journey, the minimum and recommended PC system requirements could very well change between now and the full 1.0 release. You can catch the latest PC system requirements for Gray Zone Warfare below.
With Green Man Gaming turning a golden fourteen years old this month, it can perhaps be a little too easy to forget the years and decades of truly great games that have come and gone in that time. Luckily, we’ve conjured up this feature to remind you just what the best games were of the last fourteen years, so strap in and reacquaint yourself with some of the best games ever made.
Fallout: New Vegas – 2010
Long considered by many to be at the zenith of the recently reinvigorated Fallout franchise, thanks in no small part to the unexpectedly great Amazon series adaptation, Fallout: New Vegas took players to the irradiated Great Southwest and spun out a multi-layered adventure filled with double-crosses, great characters and some of the best writing the series has ever seen. Further cementing its place at the apex of the series is the setting itself, with everywhere from the neon-stained Vegas Strip through to the dusty Mojave Desert providing an evocative backdrop to the delectable open-world RPG shenanigans that Fallout: New Vegas offers at every turn.
Portal 2 – 2011
An eye-opening exercise in achieving the seemingly impossible, Valve’s Portal 2 was somehow not just better than its much-celebrated 2007 Game of the Year-winning predecessor, but it was superior in every way a sequel can be. Portal 2 didn’t just double down on the fiendish, spatial conundrums that made the original such a smash hit, it also introduced a host of new characters to the proceedings along with an endlessly compelling two-player cooperative mode to boot. Even in 2024, it’s not unreasonable to say that Portal 2 still stands tallest in the three-dimensional puzzle-solving genre.
Dishonored – 2012
When Dishonored released in 2012, it not only felt like the heir apparent to the long-dormant Thief series with its super satisfying stealth beats but Arkane’s effort managed to innovate on its own merits too, casting players as a supernatural assassin hellbent on securing his revenge in a world where the arcane and technological often violently clash. Aside from allowing players free rein to tackle its numerous quests and environments however they see fit, Dishonored’s setting strikes something of a match in the imagination too, with the city of Dunwall proving to be an evocative, alternate historical take on the industrialisation of the 19th century where whale blubber and other arcane sources power the city, all the while filth, rats and decay and tear through the city streets.
Grand Theft Auto V – 2013
One of the best-selling video games ever with nearly 200 million(!) copies sold to date, Grand Theft Auto V was (and still very much is) an industry juggernaut the likes of which we probably won’t see again until Grand Theft Auto VI touches down sometime in 2025. Grand Theft Auto V’s success was well-earned however, with extremely high production values underpinning a frankly gargantuan story campaign that had players switching between wannabe criminals Michael, Franklin and Trevor in arguably the most epic single-player campaign Rockstar had devised up until that point. Beyond its sprawling single-player story campaign, Grand Theft Auto V also introduced Grand Theft Auto Online to the masses, a constantly updated open world where players can indulge in all manner of heists, missions, new storylines and traditional PvP modes that is still going unbelievably strong even today.
Alien: Isolation – 2014
Few would dispute that 2014’s Alien Isolation was as perfect a distillation of its big-screen counterpart as you could possibly get. Eschewing the confrontational guts and glory tone of James Cameron’s Aliens, Alien: Isolation instead hews closer to the much more intense dread that crackled through every frame of Ridley Scott’s 1979 Alien. This results in an oppressively claustrophobic and always terrifying survival horror adventure that has you hiding in lockers, crawling around air vents and generally making as little noise as possible as you attempt to evade a roaming xenomorph while learning about Ellen Ripley’s fate after the events of the first movie. Alien: Isolation provides weapons-grade terror that is still as effective today as it was ten years ago.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – 2015
With generous amounts of widespread praise heaped upon it, it was clear that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was exactly what the franchise needed to bring it into the big leagues of the RPG genre. Providing players with a beautifully handcrafted world to explore based on Slavic mythology, together with some of the best quests you’ll ever play in an RPG and a cast of characters where an acerbic comeback is never far away, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt remains one of the best genre efforts you can buy and soars as a blissfully accomplished fantasy RPG that deftly combines darkness, ultraviolence and a grim sense of humour like no other.
Stardew Valley – 2016
Ably maintaining its status as a worldwide phenomenon more than eight years after its initial release, Stardew Valley is a delightful hybrid of farming sim and RPG elements that oozes wholesomeness out of every digital pore. Featuring both single-player and multiplayer activities, Stardew Valley has you finding your place in an idyllic village as you tend to your crops, attend local events, complete quests, discover love and find your place in a welcoming community. Just writing about it gives me the fuzzies.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – 2017
Though Nintendo had seemingly resisted the trappings of the open-world genre for years, it finally succumbed in 2017 when the Japanese industry giant released The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Bringing its tentpole adventure franchise kicking and screaming into the open world, Breath of the Wild didn’t just build upon the template, by actually providing a vibrant world that you want to explore thanks to a mixture of overworld dungeons, unique landmarks and secret areas, it masterfully did so in tandem with traditional Legend of Zelda series design. Somehow, those wizards over at Nintendo had fashioned a Zelda game that simultaneously maintained its essence all the while enjoying the sweep and spectacle that open-world design can bring. Truly magic stuff.
Red Dead Redemption 2 – 2018
A prequel to 2011’s Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 is set in the dying days of the Wild West where the lawlessness and savagery that dominated much of the time are spasming through the stubborn holdouts that are resisting the impending 20th century. Set against this rich socio-historical backdrop, Red Dead Redemption 2 invites players to put on their bandit sash and tear across the Old West in a blistering tale of vengeance and hubris that arguably stands as the best single-player campaign Rockstar Games has ever created.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice – 2019
Regarded by many as technically the finest Soulslike game ever made, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice meaningfully separates itself from other comparable offerings in several key ways. Not only does Sekiro’s action unfold during Japan’s Sengoku period – albeit with a whole heap of mythology chucked in for good measure – it also makes massive, yet nuanced changes to the combat system. Rather than just chipping away at the health bar of your foes, Sekiro is all about striking out at the posture of your enemies, eventually leading to a split-second parry that can result in an instant kill, lending Sekiro a level of intensity and satisfaction that no other Soulslike can match.
The Last of Us Part II – 202
Though The Last of Us Part II doesn’t fiddle too much with the survival horror, combat and crafting systems that defined its predecessor, it does deliver a nihilistic odyssey that is without parallel in its presentation, scope and narrative. Encompassing an absolutely harrowing story that makes the first game look like an episode of Paw Patrol, The Last of Us Part II isn’t just a cautionary tale about the cycle of violence, it also happens to be one of the most atmospheric, satisfying and downright ultraviolet adventures you will ever play.
It Takes Two – 2021
Elevating the bar for local multiplayer gaming into orbit, It Takes Two puts players into the shoes of a squabbling couple who find themselves trapped within their daughter’s hand-made dolls. Locked within the confines of their own home, the two must learn how to work together all over again as they seek to make their escape and break the spell. Embracing a mixture of platforming and puzzle-solving elements, together with a hefty dose of humour and heart-tugging moments, It Takes Two is without a shadow of a doubt the best local multiplayer experience of the last decade and it isn’t even close.
Elden Ring – 2022
Much like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild before it, Elden Ring was a capitulation of sorts by its developer to embrace open-world design. Naturally given the affection that From Software commands, some players were somewhat anxious about whether or not the Soulslike formula would work in that framework. As it turns out, they needn’t have worried as Elden Ring leans on many of the Soulslike principles that helped to establish the sub-genre in the first place, such as challenging combat, losing collected Runes (think Souls) when killed and more. Yet From Software’s magnum opus takes it even further by giving players a massive realm filled with so many dungeons to conquer, hidden areas to uncover and so much more besides, that the setting of the Lands Between itself is as much a character as the main protagonist themselves.
Baldur’s Gate 3 – 2023
Quite simply, Baldur’s Gate 3 is the entirety of the classic Dungeons & Dragons tabletop experience and all of its trimmings manifested into reality. A true titan of the RPG genre, Baldur’s Gate 3 not only pulled off the unthinkable feat of surpassing the much loved Baldur’s Gate 2 with ease, but it also gave us a resolutely polished, choice-stuffed, utterly massive and downright compelling adventure that doesn’t look like it will be bettered in years if not decades to come. Bravo.
Vampire Survivors is a game so iconic that even though it’s only two-and-a-half years old, it’s still managed to spawn an entire genre. The unique take on horde mode mechanics, item fusions, and meta-progression have all helped the game stay the course, and while other games have built on that in different ways, Vampire Survivors is still a delight. That becomes more true with each DLC, and this time around we get another crossover DLC in the form of Operation Guns.
Operation Guns shoves the world of Contra into Vampire Survivors and brings with it missile launchers, mechs, more aliens, and some really cool boss fights. Aside from the usual mix of new music, new levels, new characters, and loads of new items to mess around with, the biggest new edition comes from the end-of-level boss fights.
There are some spoilers here for the last boss of the first level, so don’t read if you don’t want that spoiled, but just know it’s a very cool moment.
Vampire Survivors has been playing with its own formula for a while. The top-down viewpoint has changed the feel of the game entirely with new multi-layered levels, teleports, and even a character who grows larger in size as they level up.
For example, the first boss you fight in Operation Guns, the first end-of-level boss anyway, is this huge robot that bursts through a door in Neo City. You run up expecting to fight as you always do, and instead, the game shifts the world around you so that you’re no longer top-down, but side-on. You can now run up walls, and the ceiling, and drop down at will, all while fighting this huge boss. It’s just such a clever change and continues to show off how good Vampire Survivors is. If anything else, it also makes me want even more crossover DLCs – but maybe that’s a pipe dream.
Given the success of the recent Fallout TV series on Amazon Prime – it’s very good by the way – there has never been a better time to dive into the world of Fallout. Whether you are a newbie to the series or a veteran returning to the franchise, however, it can be hard to follow exactly where in time and space the events of the game and show take place. That is where this handy little refresher will come in…
When does the Fallout series start?
NOTE: Naturally, there are major spoilers for the entire Fallout franchise ahead, but you can just look at the sub-heads if you are simply looking for the best chronological order to approach things. It’s worth noting, however, that some parts are interwoven, so keep that in mind.
The 1950’s. Alright, so the Fallout series technically starts later than this, and we’ll get to that, but, because it’s essentially set in an alternate version of our world, we should explain that those differences start taking place in the 1950s, with the main split between our realities taking place in 1969. Ironically, that’s when the USA of Fallout also splits, and it becomes 13 commonwealths instead of 50 states.
From here, the technological worlds of robotics and weaponry advance at a pace that far outstrips our own, although, for some reason, no new music ever pops up – weird. This arms race is in preparation for the perceived nuclear war that’s on the horizon – mirroring the Cold War fears in our reality – except in the world of Fallout, it’s more than just a distant fear. Instead, it becomes something that everyone comes to accept as inevitable, leading to the creation of the Vault-Tec Corporation. It’s on their shoulders that the future of humanity rests as they begin their work to build 122 of their nuclear fallout vaults across America to shield citizens from the effects of nuclear war (oh, and to conduct outlandish and highly illegal experiments – which is a running narrative through the games and TV series).
Unsurprisingly, the inevitable eventually does happen with the bombs dropping in 2077 and kicking off the world of Fallout as we know it.
Fallout 4 Prologue – 2077
Despite being the second-most recent Fallout game, Fallout 4 kicks off with the bombs dropping and is the only time in the game you get to experience it directly. The opening has the traditional process of creating your character before you are rushed off to a nearby vault as the sirens blare. You get to experience the bombs falling as you’re going underground, and then you’re put into a cryogenic sleep. Goodnight, Vault Dweller.
This is also a period we flash back to regularly in the Fallout TV show – but we won’t spoil any of that.
Fallout 76 – 2102
The very first vault to open in the world of Fallout, Vault 76 – the setting of Fallout 76 – unleashes its vault dwellers onto the world in 2102 – 25 years after the bombs dropped. As you’ll likely know from the advertising, the game is set in West Virginia, and you’re tasked with helping to start America back on its path to healing following the nuclear apocalypse.
The only MMO in the series, Fallout 76’s main narrative sees everyone – including your character – tasked with the annihilation of the Scorched, a special ‘breed’ of mutant causing havoc in the wasteland and upsetting the planned settling of America. You can approach this however you see fit – as with any good Fallout game – but to do this properly, you’re meant to nuke them into non-existence because, as we have established, nobody in the world of Fallout respects how dangerous these weapons are. Being the most recent entry in the series – and somewhat of a ‘live service – the game is still evolving, but it’s a great way to see the beginnings of classic Fallout factions that we will grow to love/hate, like the Brotherhood of Steel.
Fallout – 2161
Fallout, or Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game, is technically the first entry in the series (released back in 1997) and is set 84 years after the bombs dropped. Emerging from Vault 13, you are tasked with finding a new water chip for your vault (a callback and potential plot point referencing this in the TV show) but because video games are rarely simple, you end up facing off against a being called The Master. Unsurprisingly, for a post-apocalyptic world, he wants to mutate humanity using a special virus that turns them into Super Mutants, because of reasons.
Naturally you, as the Vault Dweller, put a stop to this via whatever means suits you and try and return to Vault 13 with the new chip and, if you have done things “right”, a truckload of amazing achievements. In true Fallout style, however, you are refused entry because you are now considered too inspirational – typical.
Fallout Tactics – 2197
Fallout Tactics – or to give it its full name, Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel – is the first spin-off game in the Fallout series and is dedicated solely to the Brotherhood of Steel. Set in 2197, it tells the story of the creation, development and rise of the iconic faction. Importantly, however, not all of the game’s plot is considered canon, despite some parts being referenced in later games, so if you’re just going for dedicated lore, you can sort of skip it (although it is a very good game).
Fallout 2 – 2241
Fallout 2 is set in 2241, which you’ll note is a fair bit after the original game and even longer since the bombs dropped (164 years, in fact). Interestingly, this game not only tells you what happened to the Vault Dweller from the first game, but you’ll actually get to play as one of their grandkids. You once again have to save your community – there is a theme developing – but rather than a water chip, this time you are seeking out a Garden of Eden Creation Kit (G.E.C.K) – a handy little Vault-Tec creation that allows for terraforming in the wasteland.
Throughout your travels, you’ll come across the New California Republic for the first time, another of Fallout’s iconic main factions, and then upon returning home encounter the Enclave, yet another of the series factions. They are trying to wipe out humanity – well, everyone but them – so you must save your home and the people in it by killing the President of the United States, who is the head of the Enclave. The game ends with you creating a brand-new community made up of Arroyo, the encampment area you grew up in, and Vault 13, where your grandaddy was from.
Fallout 3 – 2258-2277
Fallout 3 kicks off 181 years after the bombs dropped and allows you to experience life in Vault 101 during the prologue. You get to play through the beginning of your character’s life as you go through the first few years of your life, being fathered by Liam Neeson (well, a character voiced by him at least). Things start to go awry when you turn 19, however, and you wake up to find that your father has left Vault 101 and you must head out into the wasteland to find him.
In expected Fallout style, you find out a huge amount on your journey outside the vault, including plenty of secrets – for example, that your parents were actually part of a weird science experiment (who would have thought). You also end up in the middle of a war between the Enclave (them again) and the Brotherhood of Steel (again). Finally, you will have to find another G.E.C.K terraforming unit and defeat the Enclave (again) alongside an enormous robot called Liberty Prime. Look, we didn’t say Fallout wasn’t silly.
Fallout: New Vegas – 2281
Fallout: New Vegas (another spin-off entry in this series, but a full canon one this time) is set 204 years after the bombs dropped and sees you play as a courier who has to try and deliver a package to New Vegas (an area that survived the armageddon relative unscathed). As should be expected in a Fallout game by now, your journey doesn’t exactly go to plan, and you end up stuck between the New California Rebuplic and a new faction called Caesar’s Legion. This just keeps happening, doesn’t it?
Roundly regarded as one of the best games in the series, in New Vegas everything has an impact on the area in which the game is set and its six add-ons each show off a new area and add a new adventure for your courier. Importantly, there are actually four potential endings in Fallout: New Vegas based on who you decide to side with, so technically this could be considered another fracture to the timeline, but it’s localised for now.
Fallout 4 – 2287
We are post-prologue in the world of Fallout 4 now and a massive 210 years after the bombs dropped (and the setting of the game’s prologue). Whilst in cryosleep you accidentally see your wife murdered and your child stolen – something you look to avenge immediately upon waking up in Vault 111. Discovering you are the Sole Survivor of the vault, and seeking out your missing son, you head out once more into the wasteland where you will once again encounter many of the iconic factions as well as something new, Synths.
The long and short of all of this is that you’re not fully aware of how long it’s been since you witnessed your son’s abduction – a common issue with cryosleep – and it turns out that your son is now an old man who’s in the last few years of his life. In what is probably the weirdest nepotism hire, he wants you to continue the work he has started. The only problem is that the organization he created, the Institute, is all kinds of evil, so, unless you choose to join him, the ending actually has you destroying it by blowing up a nuclear reactor. Once again, when will they learn?
Fallout TV Show – 2296
And finally, we reach the Fallout TV Show itself – the furthest point in Fallout lore so far and an impressive 219 years after the bombs dropped. We’re not going to go into spoilers for what happens here but as mentioned at the top of this article, it’s worth noting that some elements of the series are set before all of the games. Go and watch it on Amazon Prime to find out more about Vault 33 and the main protagonist of the show, Lucy MacLean.
