Couchpotato spotted a new Starfield update:

Starfield - Official May Update

TSA checked out Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance:

Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance Preview – Can Persona’s progenitor hit the big time?

We’ve all heard of Persona - it’s one the undisputed kings of the RPG right now, each game pitting one unwitting school kid against an evil adult, using an army of angels and demons to achieve the insurmountable odds stacked against them. But how many people have played a Shin Megami Tensei game, the franchise from which Persona was born? We’d guess comparatively few people. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is the latest opportunity to change that.

There’s no shame in not having played Shin Megami Tensei, of course. SMT is much bigger in Japan than in the West, and as a ‘hardcore’ RPG, it plays to a different audience. Its lack of availability on most consoles doesn’t help, with 2021’s Shin Megami Tensei 5 being a Switch exclusive, and Shin Megami Tensei 4 coming out in 2013 on the 3DS, of all things.

Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance seeks to address that, by bringing a god-tier RPG to more modern (and more powerful) consoles. Having sat down to play a good four-hour chunk of the game on the PS5, we can say that this opportunity to open the franchise up to a much wider audience is not one to be missed.

But first, what is Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance? How is it different to the original, and is it worth getting if you’ve already played SMT5?

[...]

Learn more about Mythical Beasts in Titan Quest II:

Mythical Beasts

In our March update, we detailed the ichthian faction, but alluded to how not all types of enemies in Titan Quest II form factions. The boss enemies that you encounter are perfect examples of this. Usually fighting alone, these enemies will generally be some of the most lethal encounters you will come across. In today’s update, we give you a glimpse of two of our minibosses: the gryphon and the hippokampos.

Gryphon
Mythologically, gryphons hail from Skythia, a region in eastern Europe and central Asia, where a tribe of them is said to sit atop a hoard of treasure. Like many monsters in Greek mythology, they are a hybrid creature, with a lion’s body and an eagle’s head and wings. When a gryphon moves into the neighborhood, there’s bound to be trouble, as they are known for picking off sheep, goats, pigs, and even wild boars for their supper. A fight with a gryphon is the perfect opportunity for a fledgling Greek hero to prove their mettle. But be warned--gryphons can be crafty creatures.

In combat, the gryphon’s most powerful ability has it take off into the air and utilize a powerful swooping attack. As an agile creature, it will also be capable of pouncing around the player, lashing out several times in a row where least expected. This then gets rounded out by several variants of regular melee attacks. While this is the first and easiest miniboss you will come across, we still intend for it to pose a threat and test your combat fundamentals.

Hippokampos
Hippokampi are what the ancient Greeks believed the adult form of the sea-horse looked like, and you can see that reflected in their colorful, almost feather-light appearance. In the world of Titan Quest II, they were coveted by the ancient Mycenaeans for their menageries. As mounts to the Nereids and chariot-horses for Poseidon, they can be quite dangerous when provoked.

The hippokampos is somewhat more advanced in combat than the gryphon. Utilizing a mixture of cold and lightning damage, it will hit the player with a barrage of powerful attacks, such as a telegraphed, but sudden geyser eruption, as well as a powerful water jet followed up by a stunning lightning strike. It will also be able to hurl ice shards at the player, and make use of several melee attacks, as well as a defensive barrier. What’s more, we are experimenting with making this creature completely immune to crowd control effects (e.g. stun, freezing) outside of telegraphed windows of vulnerability. These aspects together will require that the player makes use of all they have learned so far. A good sense of attack timings, movement during combat, and evasion will be rewarded.

As far as our vision for these boss encounters goes, studious players that learn the moves of these creatures will be best equipped to respond to them--it’s all about building a rhythm and achieving a clean execution. To aid this learning process, these creatures perform clear sequences of attacks, making it so that clean play can result in victory on a first attempt, provided you survive as you are learning the enemy’s moves! Mind you, death carries a heavy price in Titan Quest II. The entire encounter that killed you (whether it’s a boss or not) gets fully reset, and you will respawn in the previous hub (convenient teleport options will be provided, though). These creatures will certainly have the tools to put players down when they’re making several mistakes. Even defeats can teach useful lessons, however.
You can also always choose to work on getting a little stronger before returning for your next attempt. You can level up beyond the current area’s level, or simply farm for items that help against the specific boss in question, such as via resistances. On the other hand, if you are looking for even more of a challenge, you can raise the difficulty by invoking rituals.

Lastly, these fights are not one-off experiences, as you will be able to re-summon these beasts in order to reap the rewards again and again. We will talk about these rewards in more detail soon.

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The tactical RPG FRONT MISSION 2: Remake has been released:

FRONT MISSION 2: Remake

A classic tactical RPG returns! The second game in the main Front Mission storyline is finally available outside of Japan for the first time.

FRONT MISSION 2: Remake blends intense strategy with a deep and involved storyline.

12 years have passed since the second Huffman conflict. The impoverished People's Republic of Alordesh has been suffering a severe economic decline ever since the war ended. In June 2102, soldiers of the Alordesh Army rise up and, led by Ven Mackarge, declare independence from the O.C.U. (Oceania Cooperative Union).

Ash, an O.C.U. soldier, manages to survive the ensuing battle, but Alordesh is completely overrun by the Revolutionary Army. Ash and his surviving teammates infiltrate Alordesh's chaotic underground in an attempt to escape the country. However, they soon discover that there is a huge conspiracy behind the coup.

In FRONT MISSION 2: Remake, the perspective switches between three characters: Ash, Lisa, and Thomas, creating a worldview that goes beyond a simple dichotomy between good and evil.

FRONT MISSION 2: Remake preserves the mature story, strategic turn-based combat, and Wanzer customization options of the original. Enjoy the revitalized classic with updated visuals and new features and enhancements!

Features:

• Improved loading speed
• Support for many new languages
• New 'free camera' option to zoom in during gameplay and check out Wanzers in detail
• New coloring and camouflage options
• Modern in-game effects
• Renewed soundtrack

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Mortismal Gaming checked out Lords of the Fallen again:

Lords Of The Fallen - Several Months & Updates Later

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GamingBolt checked out Remnant 2 - The Forgotten Kingdom DLC:

Remnant 2: The Forgotten Kingdom DLC Review - The Final Verdict

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The retro dungeon crawler Labyrinth: The wizard's cat will be released in Q2/2024:

Labyrinth

Enter the dungeon and help the master wizard to find his missing cat in this oldschool dungeon crawler game with nice retro pixel art graphics.

Make your way deep into the dungeon. You will explore levels filled with challenging enemies and various traps & puzzles.

Discover powerful magical items and weapons and fight your way through hordes of enemies in this real time combat dungeon crawler.

To help you through the dungeon you have an automap and you can save and load the game anywhere in the labyrinth.

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The Adventure RPG Dread Delusion will leave Early Access on May 14:

Leaving Early Access!

Delusionites, your time is coming

Thank you again to each and every one of you who made Dread Delusion’s early access a success! Your enthusiasm and feedback have been essential to helping create the final version of the game, and everyone at both Lovely Hellplace and DreadXP are eternally appreciative of each one of you who has taken this journey along with us.

Speaking of the final version of the game... May 14th. That's right, 1.0 is almost here.

With the game is leaving Early Access, there is also going to be a big update that goes live at launch. This includes some much-requested changes, the ability to finally (finally) complete a playthrough (with an ending!), new mechanics, and even more that we can share when the game comes out!

We look forward to players both seasoned and new getting their hands on the full version of the game soon, the road here has been long and fruitful but this marks not the end of this journey... but a new beginning.

Until then fellow Delusionites...

P.S.
Also you can get an airship. You can upgrade them. It's awesome.

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Knight's Arcade interviewed Warhorse Studios about Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 - Warhorse Studios Interview (English)

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Henriquejr spotted an article about XCOM-likes on Tom's Gaming Blog:

2024, the year of X-com-likes

The X-com genre hasn’t exactly been dead, so I can’t say 2024 is the year it will make a glorious comeback, but hot damn, there sure are a lot of games coming out in the genre making it somewhat of an event. For X-com aficionados the world over it’s going to be a very busy year with a lot of turn-based tactical combat and the building of bases. Now, I can’t say for certain that all these titles will come out this year, but the prognoses are looking good for many of the games. I will list the games under three categories. Games that are set for a 2024 release (according to Steam), games with a more unclear release, and then games that are out already. Here we go!

Xenonauts 2
Zodiac Legion
Cyber Knights: Flashpoint
Project Haven
King Arthur: Legion IX
Crown Wars: The Black Prince
Menace
Every Day We Fight
Mars Tactics
Interregnum: False Prophet
Urban Strife
Archrebel Tactics
Twilight Wars
Classified: France ’44

[...]

Noisy Pixel reviewed SAND LAND:

Sand Land Review - Raising the Bar for Anime Games

Couchpotato spotted a Todd Howard Interview at Kinda Funny Games:

Todd Howard Interview: Fallout, Starfield Updates, and More - Kinda Funny Gamescast

IGN shows some features of the Farming Sim Mirthwood:

Mirthwood: Farming/Cozy Elements Trailer

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Which turn based games feature good combat systems? The Turn Based Lovers have the answer:

10 GAMES FEATURING AN AMAZING TURN-BASED COMBAT SYSTEMS

In recent years, we’ve witnessed a significant evolution in video games, particularly in turn-based games. Much of this innovation stems from indie developers who, with great originality and a dash of madness, manage to introduce innovative and engaging mechanics that often become benchmarks of the genre, inspiring many other game studios.

It started with classic tabletop games and eventually evolved into the video games that we know and love today. From hardcore, turn-based RPGs such as Darkest Dungeon to classics such as Worms: Armageddon, these are just some of the best combat systems in turn-based games.

SLAY THE SPIRE
DARKEST DUNGEON
CASSETTE BEASTS
BATTLE BROTHERS
WORMS: ARMAGEDDON
FINAL FANTASY: TACTICS
SEA OF STARS
DIVINITY: ORIGINAL SIN 2
STEAMWORLD HEIST
INTO THE BREACH

[...]

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Learn more about the ultimate abilities featured in King Arthur: Legion IX:

Sneak Peek! - VLTIMATE SKILLS

Ave!

One of the new features introduced in King Arthur: Legion IX are ultimate abilities. We are giving you a sneak peek of two of these super powerful skills that may turn the tide of any battle!

• Octavius Remus's Hadrian's Wall, and
• Gaius Julius Mento's Hack and Slash

Beware, though!
Your whole party shares the resources needed to use these ultimate abilities, and you will have 6 different options, so choose wisely!

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The Adventure RPG Dungeons of Hinterberg will be released on July 18:

Dungeons of Hinterberg - Official Gameplay Trailer

Welcome to Hinterberg, a new tourist hotspot in the idyllic Austrian Alps! You play as Luisa, a burnt-out law trainee taking a break from her fast-paced corporate life to conquer the Dungeons of Hinterberg. There are plenty of dungeons to find and adventures to be had in Hinterberg – will Luisa be sent packing on her first day, or remain to become a Master Slayer? Only one way to find out…

Snowboard down a glacier, zipline through the forest, climb a mountain, or have a coffee by the lake... There’s no shortage of places to discover while you’re out looking for your next dungeon!

Monsters lurk around every corner in Hinterberg, and your sword and magic skills are essential for keeping them at bay. Harness the wind, conjure a snowboard out of thin air, or freeze your enemies in a jelly block!

Braving a dungeon requires more than just cutting-edge sports gear and a good sword arm: Hinterberg’s dungeons are full of puzzles that will surprise and challenge you. Use your head, your magic skills, and every trick in the book to solve them!

Spend your nights forging friendships with the locals and other adventurers! Some of them will help you get stronger or teach you new tricks, others are just here for excitement and selfies... But good relationships don't just make your stay more memorable - they're the key to becoming a better slayer!

The Atom Team has reached their Kickstarter funding goal for Swordhaven: Iron Conspiracy - Congratulations!

SideQuesting checked out Outcast - A New Beginning:

Outcast: A New Beginning review

What’s old is finally new again.

I never played the original Outcast, so I’m not quite sure if it was a popular game or what it did well (or not). It released at the end of the 90s and was set in space, or something.

But I do know that this sequel, 25 years in the making, wears those 90s vibes on its sleeve while adding gorgeous visuals, and surprises me with an experience as silly and fun as it ends up being.

And it has jetpacks!

Outcast: A New Beginning really feels more like some of the best medium tier action games of the Xbox 360 era of game development. That’s not a bad thing, and in fact it’s actually welcomed here, making playing the game feel familiar. I never played the original, but I felt right at home here. Perhaps it is that jetpack that we get early on, which lets us jump great distances or can be upgraded to zip around the entire planet fort no real reason. Or maybe it’s that era’s busywork that creeps into the questing system, or the unlocks and upgrades which look like just about every other skill upgrade path we’ve ver come across. Or perhaps it’s the campy plot and characters that feel ripped out of Star Trek.

Or, probably all of that.

Whatever drives the way the game presents itself, it’s silly enough to be enjoyable and not take itself too seriously.

Just be ready to fall back to those old gaming tropes, no matter what year it is now.

[...]

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The Gamer Social Club checked out the upcoming tactical RPG Capes:

Capes Preview – The Supes are back in town… well, almost.

Welcome to Capes, the turn-based tactics game based in a world where the supervillains won.

The streets of King City are suffocating under the boot heel of The Company, and it’s up to the Capes (and you!) to stop it!

Welcome to Capes, the turn-based tactics game based in a world where the supervillains won. This first game from Spitfire Interactive and Deadalic Entertainment is set to release in early May, and brings superheroes to the X-Com style of turn-based tactical action. Clearly a labor of the love of comic books, the game captures a modern day interactive vibe quite well. The devs were kind enough to provide GSC with a code and I was allowed to play the first chapter, which is pretty awesome!! Thanks to the guys at Spitfire and Deadalic for that! Now…onto the preview.

Since bein’ this is my first game preview, am going to stick to a similar structure to my reviews. So let’s start with the Good!

The Good!
First things first, the graphics are actually really impressive for a indie dev working on their first game. Lots of very modern graphics techniques at play here and optimized fairly well for a preview build; the game ran quite well at 1080p and High settings on my i7-3770K/1050TI machine. There’s a decidedly cartoon/comic book visual aesthetic to the world design and visual style, while still retaining the photorealism vibe of most of today’s game engines. Interstitial cutscenes and character bios are presented with hand-drawn characters and limited animation sequences between missions, all really nailing the theme the devs were going for. The writing is a little hit or miss sometimes, but overall, manages to fit right into the campy, over the top and intentionally cliche world of light superhero comics very well. The voice acting, especially for the villains(which is where the money was spent in this regard), is actually quite enjoyable. The villains are suitably over the top and comment on the normal superhero/supervillain tropes of the genre, which makes for some laughs when you encounter them.

[...]

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RPG Site reviewed the post-apocalytic RPG Broken Roads:

Broken Roads Review

The number of games set wholly in Australia (that aren’t sports games) is terribly small, so as an Australian, I was most excited to learn of Broken Roads, a CRPG set in post-apocalyptic Western Australia, even more so upon laying eyes on it. Set within the post-apocalyptic society that remained in Western Australia’s wheat belt you blow in from wherever to work around the lovely town of Brookton before it’s attacked. From there you try to find a way to rebuild and involve yourself in numerous other people’s problems.

[...]

I was excited to see my country represented properly in a video game, and that did happen. Sadly the game itself isn’t worth a damn, it’s a classic style RPG but none of my choices matter and I can hardly make any of them. Many systems and choices are just odd and make it unfun to play. They have a roadmap to change some issues I had, and some minor odd design decisions have already been fixed, but we’ll have to wait and see if that really fixes the poor story. The only real redeeming quality this game has is the art.

Score: 3/10

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IGN thinks remasters for Fallout 1 & 2 are a good idea:

The Original Fallout Games Deserve The Diablo 2: Resurrected Treatment

It'll be a long road to Fallout 5 – in the meantime, Microsoft should bring back the games that started it all.

As great as it is to see the 3D Fallout games enjoying another moment in the sun following the popularity of Prime Video’s excellent TV adaptation, the games I most want to direct new fans toward are the classic original Fallout and Fallout 2. Aside from being where it all began, those are the stories that hold many of the answers people coming off of the show are looking for: the origins of Shady Sands, the Brotherhood of Steel, the Enclave, what happens when a vault’s water chip fails, and much more. Their stories, scenarios, and memorable moments have stuck with those of us who played them for decades, and bringing those same experiences to an entirely new audience that’s ravenous for Fallout content seems like a slam dunk.

However, in 2024 that recommendation comes with more caveats than it ought to: While both are readily available on Steam (and included in PC Game Pass) and run on modern PCs, when you fire it up you’re presented with an array of tiny buttons, no tutorial, and 2D sprite graphics designed for 800x600 CRT monitors that, despite being loaded with post-nuclear character, make you squint to see what’s going on. It’s enough of a barrier to re-entry to make even a (very) old fan like myself balk a bit at diving in for another playthrough – and a reminder that if there’s one series that has been criminally overlooked in the era of remasters, it’s old-school Fallout.

[...]

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Developer Jarnell Marasigan announced that a Kickstarter campaign for his J-RPG Crown Code Chronicles will launch next week:

Crown Code Chronicles Story Teaser

Crown Code Chronicles is a story-driven, JRPG style game with a tactical, active turn-based combat system. Inspired by titles like Chrono Cross, FFX, Child Of Light, and more. Experience this emotional roller coaster as Varien; a prince who uses an ancient relic to time travel to save his loved ones!

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GamingBolt made a list of elements they don't like in RPGs:

16 Things We CAN'T STAND IN RPGs

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Fextralife summarizes this week's gaming news:

Gaming News – Blizzcon CANCELLED, Warhammer 40K Darktide Update, Lords of the Fallen Update 1.5

Timestamp
0:00 - Top RPG News of the Week
0:02 - Warhammer 40K Darktide Path of Redemption Update
1:16 - Unending Dawn is Heading to PS5
2:09 - Release Date of Zenless Zone Zero LEAKED by accident
3:26 - Embracer Group Splits into 3 Companies
4:54 - Metaphor ReFantazio Release Date Announced
6:09 - 7 Days to Die Ends Early Access After more than 10 Years
7:40 - Assassin's Creed Hexe Details Leaked
9:17 - Lords of the Fallen, Master of Fate Update 1.5
10:23 - Blizzcon 2024 Cancelled

Couchpotato spotted a new devblog for Urban Strife:

Urban Strife Spring 2024 Dev Blog (Episode 1)

Today we’ll reveal the scope of the main campaign and our progress towards the finish, with details about AI roles, ballistics & armor, zombification and RPG improvements. Next episode will detail additions to perks & learning, the stealth game, crafting changes, cars and travel, item durability & healing/pain.

AI Improvements at Play
We have mentioned the possibility of adding more specific AI roles in the previous articles, thanks to the new AI systems. As the work on the main campaign has progressed and we’ve started to place the actual faction on the maps, the opportunity to use such roles has materialized.

Tough enemies know new tricks
First, all bosses have received specialist bodyguards, assigned to protect them and protect them only. Most of the special “named” actors have also received medical supplies, such as bandages or boosters. And you’ll notice them making good use of them, painkillers in particular being the most effective in combat. In the example shown Court Administrator Jenkins, the right hand of the Courthouse boss, takes advantage of the decent cover and medicates on his turn after being previously injured.

[...]

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The Turn Based Lovers checked out Bloomtown: A Different Story:

A PIXELATED PERSONA-LIKE JRPG YOU MUST TRY – VIDEO GAMEPLAY

Bloomtown A Different Story - Gameplay First Look

Bloomtown: A Different Story is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated titles of 2024. This game is the result of a collaboration between Lazy Bear Games & Different Sense Games, with production overseen by Twin Sails Interactive. It features a captivating blend of storytelling, social features, and monster taming, reminiscent of the Persona series but set in a pixel art-styled 1960s America.

The game follows a group of youths dealing with a dark mystery, evoking atmospheres similar to those of Stranger Things or The Goonies.

As in the acclaimed Persona series, the social aspect is crucial. Players will need to maintain and develop relationships with NPCs and allies to unlock new bonuses and features, which will evolve based on the choices and actions made during exploration.

The narrative and social dynamics are well-integrated, and I initially feared that the combat system might be marginal, as often happens in games that mix various elements. Fortunately, this is not the case with Bloomtown.

The combat system, also inspired by the Atlus series, offers a balance of complexity and challenge. Players can exploit strengths and weaknesses, alternate skills to trigger combos, gain attack bonuses, and capture demons to accompany the Guardian that each character has.

The game’s demo particularly impressed me, both for its technical level and the richness of the game world, which includes numerous NPCs to meet, homes and structures to explore, and a dynamic and challenging combat system.

[...]

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ENFANT TERRIBLE made a list of upcoming RPGs:

TOP 30 MOST INSANE RPG Single Player Games coming out in 2024 and 2025

• 00:00 Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (CryEngine) - 2024 - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 02:16 Astropulse: Reincarnation (Unreal Engine 5) - No release date - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 06:50 No Rest for the Wicked (Unity) - April 18, 2024 Early Access - PC
• 08:26 King Arthur: Legion IX (Propietary Engine) - May 9, 2024 - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 09:46 Crimson Desert (BlackSpace Engine) - No release date - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 12:24 Exodus (Unreal Engine 5) - No release date - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 14:31 Dragonkin: The Banished (Propietary Engine) - 2025 - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 15:44 Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree (Propietary Engine) - June 21, 2024 - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 18:25 Enotria: The Last Song (Unreal Engine 5) - August 21, 2024 - PC and PS5
• 20:46 AI Limit (Unreal Engine 5) - 2024 - PC and PS5
• 23:01 Stygian: Outer Gods (Unreal Engine 5) - 2025 - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 24:04 Last Sentinel (Unreal Engine 5) - No release date - PC
• 25:48 Titan Quest 2 (Unreal Engine 5) - 2024 - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 28:21 Lost Soul Aside (Unreal Engine 4) - 2024 - PC and PS5
• 29:57 New Mass Effect (Unreal Engine 5) - No release date - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 30:23 Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn (Unreal Engine 5) - Summer 2024 - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 31:33 GreedFall 2 (Propietary Engine) - Summer 2024 Early Access - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 33:08 Gothic Remake (Unreal Engine 5) - No release date - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 35:16 Flint: Treasure of Oblivion (Unreal Engine 5) - 2024 - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 36:25 Hades 2 (Unity) - 2024 Early Access - PC
• 38:34 Where Winds Meet (Propietary Engine) - Late 2024 - PC
• 44:15 Avowed (Unreal Engine 5) - 2024 - PC and Xbox
• 46:19 Black Myth: Wukong (Unreal Engine 5) - August 20, 2024 - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 48:16 Witches of the New World (Unreal Engine 5) - No release date - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 49:37 Dragon Age: Dreadwolf (Frostbite Engine) - No release date - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 52:08 The First Berserker: Khazan (Unreal Engine 5) - No release date - PC, Xbox and PS5
• 53:55 Eldrimar (Unreal Engine 5) - 2024 - No release date - PC
• 55:12 Earthlock 2 (Unreal Engine 5) - No release date - PC, Xbox and PS5

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Couchpotato spotted a new CD Project Red podcast:

AnsweRED Podcast 5 – Episode 5: Creative Adaptation in Games

GameSpot checked out roguelike Hades II:

Hades 2 Is Already An Exciting Sequel With Confident Changes | Technical Test Impressions

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Mortismal Gaming reviewed Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes:

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes - Review After 100%

The RPG Crawler checked out the dungeon crawler Class of Heroes Anniversary Edition:

Review - Class of Heroes Anniversary Edition

Like every week the RPG Crawler sums up the computer and tabletop RPG news:

RPG News Roundup (4-27-2024)

Game Rant talked with the dev of One Fenix Down:

One Fenix Down Interview: Dev Talks Making a '90s-Inspired RPG in 2024

In a Game Rant interview, One Fenix Down's developer talks about how '90s RPGs influenced the development, story, and world of the game.

One Fenix Down has been in development for the last eight years, and the passion project-turned 40-hour RPG is hopefully going to get a demo and Kickstarter launch in the early summer. One Fenix Down is a product of love and nostalgia for classic JRPGs like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, created by indie developer RC Dunn, who wants to offer linear gameplay with charming characters and a taste of the 1990s golden era of gaming.
 
Dunn told Game Rant in a recent interview that One Fenix Down offers new, modern options for JRPG lovers, but it's something that's still familiar to them, like "comfort food." He described his approach to the combat design, which mimics the mechanics of those old JRPGs, mentioning that the game title itself is a nod to an old Final Fantasy detail. Dunn also explained that, while fate and destiny is a "very philosophical question" that he never intended to address, it is evident in some spots of the game, especially in the personality of main protagonist Fenix. The following transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Q: For our readers, can you tell us a bit about yourself and One Fenix Down?

Dunn: My name is RC Dunn. I work full-time and make games as a hobby. It's been a learning experience for me because I started around 2015 as just something to do after work. I put together some RPGs, and I've been working on One Fenix Down now for about eight years. It's really turned from a little side hobby into an actual full-fledged 40-hour RPG Adventure.

I would describe One Fenix Down as a retro-inspired classic turn-based RPG, and what that means is it's basically designed from the start to feel a lot like the games that a lot of us played in the '90s like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. Like them, it is a slower-paced, 2D grand epic adventure where you have your protagonist and some epic story about saving the world—maybe it's a little generic story-wise—but I think it's like comfort food. It's a comfort game. A lot of people enjoy that sort of story and the characters that you can cherish.

Q: One of the first things that caught my attention, and probably others as well, is your art style in the game. I was immediately reminded of my favorite games from the '90s. What influenced you to use this kind of art style?

Dunn: My biggest influences were those Final Fantasies, so Final Fantasy 4 and Final Fantasy 6. Those are the ones that got me into not just playing RPGs, but playing games in general. I really want to go back and do justice to that 16-bit graphical style and have a lot of pixel art in my game. When you're running around the world, it’s 16-bit SNES-era-style graphics. When you get into combat, you have some really beautiful pixel art battlers that I got from a well-known Japanese artist. He’s making those and several other artists are working on the Pixel art enemy battlers.

[...]

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Mortismal Gaming checked out SAND LAND:

Sand Land - First Impressions

Couchpotato spotted a new update for Cyber Knights: Flashpoint:

Update #77: Obligation Call

Welcome to Update #77, where we 

New Obligation Call heist and storyline, improved firing mode display, fixed Overwatch bugs, improved post-Carnivore end

have a new storyline and heist to pull with exciting new set of objectives. The new storylines focuses on an Obligation Call - a short cycle, high difficulty mission to complete the Obligation you've sworn to a Contact. Keep it in mind, if you're making promises, you'll have to pay the piper eventually.

We've also added a nice improvement to weapon display to show their firing modes, fixed a sneaky bug with Overwatch that had crept in and fixed some inconsistent behavior with timeline events around medical and injury time healing. So - let's take a look!

We're excited to be making continual progress toward the next major roadmap item. If you like our pace or the direction we are heading, be sure to leave a review on Cyber Knights!

New Heist: Obligation Call
Obligations are promises you make to Contacts in the underground. They are the reverse of how a Contact can owe you a Favor and will redeem it later for cash or to help you. So, when a Contact who you owe an Obligation calls it in, you've got a tough choice to make. Jump and do whatever they need without payment or burn the relationship to the ground and suffer the consequences.

This new heist is the first Obligation Call storyline, which gives the Casting Director a lot of free rein to find someone who you owe an Obligation and matches a wide profile of Contact. Then things get interesting. With Obligation Calls, you're almost always on a razor sharp timeline. Will you keep your Obligation? Remember that if you don't, the burning of the relationship will flow outward into the network of relationships, so anyone who liked or disliked the Contact in question will follow suit with their own Stress and Hype.

You'll need a squad about Power Level 2 and a Contact to whom you own an Obligation, but you start with a few of those - so most squads should be ready to rock on this one.

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Everyting turn-based:

EVERYTHING TURN-BASED – WEEKLY RPG NEWS AND RELEASES – 27 APRIL 2024

BATTLESECTOR, METAPHOR REFANTAZIO, EIYUDEN CHRONICLE, AND LOTS OF ANNOUNCEMENTS, NEWS, AND RELEASES

Here we are at the last RPG Recap of April 2024. Let’s see what happened before we dive into next month, which also promises a slew of exciting new releases that I’ll showcase on Wednesday in an article dedicated to all of May’s releases.

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RPGamer checked out Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance:

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Is a Richly Deserved Second Chance

Shin Megami Tensei V released in 2021 to a largely favorable reception, and boasting a strong 84 aggregate score on Metacritic. Despite this, a lack of post-launch staying power and a single primary flaw in its comparatively lacking narrative led to the game feeling a bit forgotten in the pantheon of Atlus RPGs. Personally, the game is one of my favorites in Atlus’s RPG library, and I could not be more excited to dive back in with the release of Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance this June.

Shin Megami Tensei V has three incredibly strong elements. The first is its atmosphere. The desolate landscapes of Da’at mesh incredibly with the game’s alien-sounding soundtrack, lending it an incredible “fear of the unknown” atmosphere that permeates the entire experience. The opening section is a great example of this, as the idea of survival in an unknown environment is brought home by not just the monsters and the desolate wastelands, but also the soundtrack and the harsh lighting.

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Couchpotato spotted two Early Access Reviews for No Rest for the Wicked:

No Rest for the Wicked has the Bones of a Great Game @ TechRaptor

After 2 Winsome Ori Games, a Pivot Into Dark Fantasy @ New York Times

IGN gives some tips for No Rest for the Wicked (some spoilers):

No Rest for the Wicked Tips You Need to Know

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Take a look at the next Honkai: Star Rail version:

Version 2.2 "Then Wake to Weep" Special Program

The action RPG SAND LAND has been released:

SAND LAND

 Dive into a desert world where both humans and demons suffer from an extreme water shortage. Play as and watch the Fiend Prince, Beelzebub, Sheriff Rao and demon Thief set off on an adventure in search of a Legendary Spring hidden in the desert.

In this action RPG, you become the main character as Beelzebub. Lead your company of heroic misfits and explore the legendary world of SAND LAND developed by the creator of Dragon Ball & Dr. Slump, Akira Toriyama.

Use your tact and imagination to develop tanks and other vehicles for your adventures utilizing a wide array of part combinations. Build up your base of operations into a thriving city with the help of the people you meet along the way in the vast desert.

The dungeon crawler Class of Heroes 2G: Remaster Edition has been released (and the predecessor Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition, too):

Class of Heroes 2G: Remaster Edition

A call for brave adventurers awaits at the doors of Crostini Academy. Prepare yourself for a remastered classic dungeon crawler, full of exploration, combat, and endless opportunities. Take advantage of the classes and quests available to build the ultimate, hardy cohort of students!

Build your perfect roster and handpick out your ideal party of 6 students to storm the labyrinths. Mix and match from 10 races and 18 classes, each with their own unique skill sets. Crawl through over 100 labyrinth maps facing over 250 potential enemies. Don’t forget to collect artefacts, explore inter-dimensional travel and conquer adversity. You determine the standard you thrive at, take note of recipes for weapons, potions, and any upgrades necessary.

Within this year, groups of excited students will walk through the doors of Crostini Academy to learn the tools of the trade and leave as the next Class of Heroes!

Do you have what It takes?

Enemies hunt your every forward and backward step within the dungeons. From clusters of small enemies, to terrifying beasts, there is only one way to defeat them all.

The twisting, maze-like paths that form the labyrinth are never quite the same, with different terrains and environments for your students to learn to conquer, experience builds true heroes.

The best battlers are those prepared. With plenty of choice for weaponry, armour, and ability-granting accessories, you’re never alone with protection at your side.

This time there's different schools to visit and each school has its own host of interesting characters, and even more interesting courses which your students can take!

With 10 different classes, 18 different courses, 3 different alignments, the possibilities for creating the perfect cast of students is seemingly endless.

Collect recipes and get crafting! The items you find in the labyrinths can help you weather different storms.