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video game reviews

Unlock New Adventures with Secrets of the Eastern Sea DLC

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of the Wandering Sword: Secrets of the Eastern Sea. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. Make sure you check out my review for the base game.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link.

What is Secrets of the Eastern Sea

Secrets of the Eastern Sea unlocks a new area to explore, new martial arts (Quingyun Fan Technique) to explore, and a new character to unlock. You will need the base game to play this game. This is midgame content that will unlock a series of new quests and story which is great for those replaying the game, or just getting into it. Those who enjoy cosmetics can collect two new mounts (white and gray seals), and a few new outfits for some added flare. Players can also create their own island retreat where they can gather resources and trade with visitors, for those who enjoy that type of management game.

Review

I really enjoyed the Secrets of the Eastern Sea DLC. The DLC takes full advantage of its beautiful art and creates a unique and interesting island adventure. I love the vibe, music, and flavor of the new area, and I had a lot of fun exploring as much of it as I could. The new characters and martial arts are strong, and a lot of fun to use. The quest and story are worth playing through. It does a good amount of world building, and a must buy if you want to know more about the world. It is a little short, but for $7, it is not a problem. Especially since it is mid-game content.

You don’t need to buy the Secrets of the Eastern Sea DLC to enjoy Wandering Sword. The base game is fantastic and worth your time on its own, but the flavor, characters, and settings the DLC adds are worth visiting at least once. If you’re looking to buy into Wandering Sword, or want to support a very good game, go pick up Secrets of the Eastern Sea on Steam.

video game reviews

Wandering Sword: A Must-Play Turn-Based RPG Review

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Wandering Sword to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link.

What is Wandering Sword?

Wandering Sword is a martial arts turn-based RPG out now on Steam.

This beautiful game takes players back to an ancient world where political feuds and martial arts pave the landscape. A young swordsman finds himself caught up in one of these feuds, losing his friends and almost losing his life. Determined to reach the highest levels of martial arts, he trains hard and searches the word for strong allies and his powerful technique. Dive into this vast and immersive pixel art world as you fight enemies, learn new skills, and enjoy one of the many boasted endings. How far will your journey take you?

Gameplay

The game offers a good amount of exploration through its world as players move between story beats. There are a lot of side quests, and some can be missed, so make sure you look carefully. Throughout the game, players are able to recruit new units to their team. Recruiting new members are based on a friendship mechanic, so make sure you do side quests. Some characters won’t unlock unless you gather enough favor. The game also has an interesting crafting and gathering system for those who enjoy the soothing feeling the repetition offers.

The combat in this game is very creative. Combat is turn-based with grid-based movement. Units get advantage based on positioning, so make sure you move with purpose. Units can learn new techniques and ability through the game’s creative skill tree system. Players have access to a good amount of diversity in their team composition and creation and a scaling difficultly for added replay-ability. It is defiantly an ecosystem of mechanics that needs to be experienced first-hand.

Review

Wandering Sword is easily one of my favorite strategy games, and I recommend to everyone. Even if you don’t like turn-based strategy, you need to give Wandering Sword once. The initial draw to this game is its art style. The 2.5 pixel art world truly pops, and I appreciate the amount of cultural flare that goes into the flavor. If you are a fan of Chinese martial-arts movies, you will love the aesthetic.

The story is solid, and one that I had a hard time putting down. There is also a good amount of side-quests to keep players busy. I got very side-tracked early on, but I was enjoying the world-building too much to notice.

Ultimately, you are playing Wandering Sword for its gameplay. This game is fun, and it features one of the most creative combat systems I’ve experienced in a game. The positioning mechanic made kept me engaged with the game and the animations are fun to watch. I liked exploring the different units and their abilities even when I found a team I liked. I also love that there is an auto-battle system in place for when I needed to grind. There is a grind, as there is tradition in the genre, but it doesn’t feel too bad. I usually put it on auto and intervened whenever I wanted to play the game. I fought all the bosses on my own, and the bosses were fun and creative.

If you enjoy turn-based strategy with a good amount of replayability, I don’t think you can do better than Wandering Sword. The game plays fine on the Steam Deck, looks great, and it is a ton of fun. You can pick up your copy of Wandering Sword on Steam for $24.99.

video game reviews

Afterlove EP Review: A Journey Through Grief and Healing

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Disclaimer

I was a free copy of Afterlove EP to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link.

What is Afterlove Ep?

Afterlove EP is a stylistic slice of life visual novel out now on Steam.

Rama was a promising musician when tragedy strikes. Rama loses his girlfriend suddenly, and weight of her absence upends his life and everyone else who knew her. Play as Rama as he struggles through his grief, mends the relationships he pushed away, and tries to find the inspiration for his next great song. With the help of friends, music, and a little bit of therapy, Rama just have what it takes to move forward and achieve the his dreams. All he has to do is get through it.

Review

If you enjoy visual novels, Afterlove EP should be in your library. I could not put this thing down. The quirky art style and animation make the game feel cozy, even though the subject isn’t. The soundtrack is fantastic. There is not a bad song in the batch, and I loved playing the rhythm games as Rama worked on discovering his new sound. Most importantly, the story is fantastic.

I haven’t been captivated by a story like this in a while, and I am very glad I picked it up. The story is sad, and it depicts grief in such a realistic way that I have to leave you with this trigger warning: don’t get this if you’ve lost someone and it is going to make you sad. I cried, but I am in the stage of my grief where it felt revealing. It was kind of nice to experience grief through someone else because it felt less lonely. A lot of Rama and the people around him feel after Cinta dies mirrors what I’ve felt. It is a very nice wholesome story about grief that I recommend to everyone, but there are parts that will make you sad. But there are also parts that will make you smile. I think the art style plays a huge roll in taking away some of the darkness that can come with grief so that people can focus on the process and not just the tragedy.

Afterlove EP is a must read for anyone who likes the genre and doesn’t mind feeling a little sad while reading it. I would even argue that you should read it if you do mind because it might help you go through it.

Do yourself a favor, pick up Afterlove EP for $19.99 on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. It is Steam Deck certified, and it looks great on the Steam Deck.

video game reviews

Hellbreak Review: A Fast-Paced Roguelike Shooter

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Hellbreak to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinion. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link.

What is Hellbreak?

Hellbreak is a 1st person roguelike arena shooter out on Steam Early Access.

Fight for your eternal salvation as you enter Hell’s deadliest arena. Earn a daemon lord’s blessing as you fight off endless waves of demons using your weapon, magic, and anything else you find along the way. Can you earn enough power to repel all enemies, entertain the lords of hell, and earn your salvation?

Gameplay

Like all other roguelikes, players choose a starting loadout and try to survive the waves of enemies until the boss fight. Players will earn random buffs or weapons at level up and can pick up ammo, health, and other useful power ups from random enemies. The round is over when the boss is defeated or the player dies. Between runs, players can buy permanent upgrades for their weapons, blessings, or skills. There is also a quest system that helps give players the currency needed for some of the more important upgrades.

Review

One thing I will say about Hellbreak is that it does take some warming up to. Choosing the wrong weapon, picking the wrong blessings, and bad RNG will ruin a run and can ruin a first impression. I was ready to write this game off because there are better titles in the genre, but then I found a weapon I truely vibed with and it was hard to put it down. Don’t get me wrong, the game does have a kinks it needs to be ironed out, but nothing that can’t be fixed with future patches.

Aesthetically, this game looks great. The monster design, the levels, and the weapons create an interesting hellscape. The game also has a solid sound track to make your fight through hell a little more epic.

Gamplay wise, the game is fun. I enjoyed the fast paced chaotic nature of combat, and the different playstyles the weapons and blessings offer. Some of the weapons and skills do feel bad, but players can swap out the starting loadout until they find something they like. The RNG also doesn’t feel fair yet. There were a few runs that were ruined because I didn’t get any good blessings. The game feels a little solvable for this reason, and choosing anything less than optimal feels bad. Personally, I would appreciate the freedom to choose any wacky build that fits the mood so every round is different, instead of hoping for the good blessings each time I level up. It gets a little better as you unlock new abilities, but it makes it feel like there is a grind.

Overall, if you want some fast paced Doom-like action and don’t mind the roughness of the Early Access, this game is fun. While there is some roughness and room for reworks, the Hellbreak is in a good enough place where I can recommend it. Go check it out!

You can pick up Hellbreak on Steam Early access for $14.99.

video game reviews

Fantasy Kommander Review: Retro Turn-Based Strategy

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Fantasy Kommander: Fascination of Evil to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link.

What is Fantasy Kommander: Fascination of Evil?

Fantasy Kommander is an homage to to classic turn-based game out now on Steam.

Take the role of Marcus III as you command and build a powerful army and vanquish any foe that dares cross your path. Make your campaign across your future empire as you go up against orcs, trolls, dragons, and other opposing factions. Every action you take matters, so make every turn count. Do you have what it takes to be the great Kommander your people needs?

Review

Fantasy Kommander: Fascination of Evil is a niche game made for its audience. If you are a fan of old school strategy, this is a solid game. The graphics, animations, and just about everything is going to feel dated if you’re coming from modern strategy. The mechanics are sound enough to make it a decent strategy game, but there are a lot of nuanced mechanics that are not going to be obvious for newer players. The game does provide a link to a tutorial, but the link is dead and you are left to figure things out on your own.

Figuring out the game isn’t impossible, I am sure smarter people can do it, but I had trouble understanding some of the movement and attack mechanics. It would make some levels easier if I knew what I was supposed to be doing. In the end, I was able to click my way through some of the easier levels through trial and error and that was good enough for me. I enjoyed my time enough to recommend it to people who like this style of game, but it is going to be a hard sell for everyone else. I wouldn’t buy this if you are new to strategy games or if you don’t like how dated it looks.

You can pick up Fantasy Kommander: Fascination of Evil for $3 on Steam.

video game reviews

Emotional Journey through Puzzles in After Light Fades

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of After the Light Fades to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link.

What is After Light Fades?

After Light Fades is a sokuban-style puzzle adventure out now on Steam.

After the loss of her partner, Alice must travel through a magical land, collecting memories and learning to let them go. Alice must go back to the places she shared with her partner Aura as she works through her grief with the help of magical artifacts. What she will uncover along the way? Will she be able to let things go?

Gameplay

After Light Fades is a top down puzzle game where players must interact with the parts of the map to find a path forward. There are over 100 puzzles to solve, each guiding the player through an emotional narrative of grief. The game also have a level creator for those who are feeling creative.

Review

After Light Fades is a hardcore puzzle game that will test a players patience and challenge their problem solving skills. Puzzles are creative, and they get challenging once it teachers its players the core mechanics. A guide might be needed in a few places, but it is satisfying to beat the harder levels. I appreciate how creative the game gets with its mechanics and solutions.

One aspect I didn’t like is that the interactions can bug out. Sometimes, you will move a piece on accident because of how interactions work. It isn’t a deal breaker, but it does lead to some frustrations. Other than that, the game is solid, if you’re looking for a puzzle game. It definitely does feel a little more niche side of puzzle games, but it has a decent story with some interesting puzzles.

If you enjoy Sokuban puzzle games and want a challenge, After Light Fades is for you. If you don’t want to think too much, this game closes its chill pretty early on. I thought it was fine, but I’d recommend checking out the demo before making the decision. The niceness of it all makes it hard to recommend.

You can pick up After Light Fades on steam for $14.99.

video game reviews

Ruffy and the Riverside: A Whimsical Adventure Game Review

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Ruffy and the Riverside to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinion. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link.

What is Ruffy and the Riverside?

Ruffy and the Riverside is a quirky 3D adventure game out now for Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

An ancient evil has reawaken, hungry to reclaim this world as its own. Its power has corrupted the land, caused wide spread destruction, and damaged the world core. It is up to Ruffy and his special powers to travel across the whimsical world of Riverside, and restore the peace it once knew. Using the powers to change the world around you, solve puzzles, defeat enemies, and repair the world core. Do you have what it takes to restore this world’s peace?

Gameplay

Ruffy and the Riverside is a 3D adventure game with a unique gimmick. Ruffy has the power to change the world around him in a way that helps him move through the world by copying elements and pasting them elsewhere. For example, he can copy a piece of ice to freeze a lake so he can walk across, or turn a stone pillar into wood to create a bridge. The game gets extremely creative with this mechanics, and it is one of those things you need to experience first hand to appreciate. The game is filled with collectibles, puzzles, riddles, and enough platforming to keep its player base busy.

Review

I have been excited about Ruffy and the Riverside since I first saw the trailer. It looked like a cute platforming adventure, and I was not disappointed. I did try the demo out as soon as it went public, and I recommend you check that out if you’re somehow still on the fence. The demo provides the perfect snapshot of what to expect, and full game only gets better.

First off, this game has a fantastic art style. I love the 2D figures moving through a fun 3D world. The world is chaotic, with lots of wacky details to build its whimsy. I had so much fun exploring the world, that I kept forgetting to play through the main quest. There is so much to see, and even more to collect which is fantastic for those who value good world building in their video games. There is also a fun soundtrack to keep things light which is always appreciated.

The story itself is cute. I enjoyed the humor and quirks, and it honestly kept my attention. Despite being constantly distracted by the world, I did genuinely want to know what happened next. It definitely is a silly story that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it is all part of the whimsy.

The gameplay is the reason to get this game. If you enjoyed Spyro or Banjo Kazooie, Ruffy and The Riverside should be in your library. The game has a fantastic gimmick, with fun creative puzzles to make full use of it. The puzzles in this game are challenging. I almost broke and looked up solutions, but it was much more satisfying to solve it on my own. While the game does shower the players with achievements, nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment when you figure out one of the challenging puzzles. Best of all, it runs great on the Steam Deck.

This game is easily one of my favorites from this year. The game is fun, the concept is interesting, and the aesthetic is cute. If you’re looking for a new game, you can’t do better than Ruffy and the Riverside. Go get it now.

You can pick up Ruffy and the Riverside on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

video game reviews

Yosei Wars Review: A Cute Retro Adventure

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Yosei Wars to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do.

What is Yosei Wars?

Yosei Wars is a retro inspired arcade platformer out now on Steam.

The evil Junk Food army has invaded, taking the Tooth Faries Hostage and threatening tooth health. It is up to you to jump through its colorful world, fight off the many Junk Food monsters, and save any Fairy in your way. Do you have what it takes to be be the champion of good dental hygiene, or will this world rot away like an untreated cavity?

Gameplay

This is a very straightforward 2D platformer with some clear inspiration to its retro predecessors. Players will jump through colorful thematic levels collecting teeth, fighting monsters, and rescuing faries. There are 36 levels total with 6 unique bosses to overcome, and a fun little story to tie things together.

Review

Yosei Wars is an adorable nod to a classic era of gaming that I didn’t know I was missing. This game is cute, simple, relaxing, but offers enough of a challenge to keep things engaging. I love the colorful retro aesthetic, and the fantastic score that accompanies it. I would check this out if you’re looking for a cute and dose of nostalgia, I don’t think it gets better.

I’ve never been a fan of these types of platformers, but something about Yosie Wars kept me playing. Part of the draw was the retro colorful world, but the rest was the gameplay. The platforming is managable, the ramp in difficulty is fine (and the game does get hard), and the bosses are creative. My only complaint is that I could not get it to work on the Steam Deck. The game feels good on a desktop, but I would have preferred to play it on handheld. Maybe with enough attention, we’ll get that update.

Aside from that personal gripe, this is a solid game if you’re looking for something cozy, cute, and casual. Especially if you’re in the mood for something a little retro. You’ll definitely get $5 worth of fun out of this game.

You can pick up Yosei Wars on Steam for $4.99.

video game reviews

Is Scar-Lead Salvation Worth Your Time?

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Scar-Lead Salvation to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest reivew.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do.

What is Scar-Lead Salvation?

Scar-Led Salvation is a 3D third-person action shooter out now on Steam and PlayStation.

Willow wakes up in a strange robot testing facility without the memories of her identity. With the help of her advanced AI companion, she must make her way out of the facility, and maybe find out what is going on. But this won’t be an easy task. The facility is filled with robots ready to attack, and its hallways are a winding and confusing maze. Will Willow find out what happened to her, why she is here, and who she is?

Gameplay

Players control Willow as they fight their way through rooms of enemies. Combat is a pretty strait forward third person shooter. Players gear Willow with random weapons and abilities they find throughout a run. These weapons and abilities can be upgraded through out the level at upgrade stations. If Willow dies, she is reset at save point with only her basic weapons and abilities.

Review

Scar-Lead Salvation is a fun game, for the first few minutes of play. The game looks fine, combat feels good, and discovering the right weapon is exciting. Once the novelty of the game wears off, the game starts to feel repetitive.

One of the issues I have with the game is with the gearing system. Once you find a build you like, which happens early on in the game, there really is no reason to try anything new. Most of the drops become useless, and I started ignoring loot pretty early on in my playthrough. There really is no reason weapons should be drops since a lot of the time, they offer nothing new. In a looter shooter like Borderlands, even when a lot of the drops are useless, there is always a chance you get a weapon with a cool ability worth swapping into. Here you might find a gun with slightly better stats, but the difference it makes isn’t worth the time it takes to verify.

Combat in this game is smooth, but there really isn’t anything exciting to it. Enemies have the same patterns, and once you learn them, you aren’t dying. It gets very repetitive, especially since most of the rooms feel the same. I do like how that abilities charge by parrying successfully, but it doesn’t add too much depth to the game. The abilities don’t add much to the game either.

This is a game that does railroad its players through the story. There is no room for exploration because the rooms are bare and simple, and most of the loot you find is pointless. The story itself is fine. It has solid voice acting, but its not good enough to play through the game to find out what happens.

The game isn’t bad, but there also isn’t anything that leaves an impression. This is a game I will definitely forget playing, and one that I would have been mad if I paid full price for. It feels dated, and not in a good way. If you like the art style, I would wait for sale. If you are looking for a new game to play, I’d probably look elsewhere.

You can pick up Scar-Lead Salvation on Steam for $59.99.

video game reviews

Drakantos Close Beta Signups are now Live!

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it is finally happening! After a long anticipated wait, we finally get a date for the Drakantos closed beta! The closed beta will run from July 25th – July 27th, and signups are live! Make sure you join the official Discord and add the game to your watchlist! If you don’t know what Drakantos is, make sure you check out my initial post.

This will be a short post because not much is known aside from the dates. We will get news about the playable characters at a later date, and I will be sure to cover it then as well. For now, all we know is that you will be able to invite your friends to the beta if you get in (provided the Steam function properly works properly that weekend).

I have been following Drakantos since I got a chance to talk to a few of the devs during my time at GDC a couple years back. Every Dev log, and I recommend you check them all out both the official coverage and my own, has added to my excitement and made me impatient. I am really rooting for this game’s success because I love the art, the flavor, and the passion that is going into the project. I can’t wait for finally get my hands on this game! Until then, we wait for more news.