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Check out the Realm of Ink Demo Today!

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The Realm of Ink demo is now live on Steam. If you are looking for a new action roguelike to sink some time into, download this demo today! The demo is only 40 minutes long, but you’re going to want more. 

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Hook

Realm of Ink is a short story collection controlled by the Book Spirit. For the most part, characters within its pages live their lives as written. This changes when on a hunt for a cunning Fox Spirit, Red discovers that everything around her is a fabrication. After her awakening, Red makes her journey through this fictional world to find out the truth of the Book Spirit. What secrets will she learn along the way?

Gameplay

Thoughts

The full version of the game will give players access to different characters, spirits, and upgrades, but the demo is limited to one character, chapter, and a limited selection of upgrades and spirits. While I was left wanting more, the provides players with a solid grasp of the gameplay loop. 

Real of Ink plays like your traditional Rogulike. Players start each round with a random spirit and earn random upgrades as they move through the levels. Champions have access to a light attack, a heavy attack, and two spirit abilities. 

These types of games are repetitive by design, but there is enough RNG in this game to make each run feel different. I ran through the demo version a few times and never had the same build twice. Some builds are better than others, but that is the nature of RNG. 

Red is a cool champion with three loadouts. Players start the demo with the single sword but can unlock a duel wield version for faster attacks and a ranged attack after you end your first run. Each loadout plays differently, which keeps the game feeling fresh. I preferred the ranged version of Red because I had a lot of fun kitting in this game. 

Realm of Ink is beautiful, and I recommend you check it out to appreciate its art style. The demo also has fun flavor, and an amazing soundtrack. The gameplay was fun. Combat was great, leveling was fast and easy, RNG seemed fair, and the spirits gave fun abilities. I don’t like that you start the game with one spirit and have to find the second through RNG. 

The only complaint I have is that in some runs, I only had access to one spirit ability. This felt like a disadvantage, especially when it came to the boss fight. I hope spirits are easier to collect on full release because it is the mechanic that gave the game its unique flavor.

The demo is short, but it was long enough to get me excited. I need a little more story and gameplay before I can form a full opinion. If you’re looking for something new to play, check out the Real of Ink demo. It’s free, it’s fun, and it isn’t a huge commitment. 

We don’t have an official release date, but I will be trying to get my hands on a copy when it comes out. Stay tuned for that. If you enjoy my content, please leave a comment, like, follow, and share this with your friends!

gaming news, video game reviews

If you are looking for your next survival game, check out the Enshrouded demo

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There are so many games featured in the Steam Next Fest that it can be a bit overwhelming. If you are looking for a game to try, I recommend you check out the Enshrouded demo. Enshrouded is an open-world survival game coming soon to PC. The demo is only available until the 22nd, so I suggest you download it now!

I dabble in survival games from time to time, but I am by no means an expert. I enjoy them as casual experiences, but I am sure there will be guides available for efficient survival. The demo has a multiplayer mode option, but I stuck with solo play because I keep strange hours. My impressions will be on the solo experience. Feel free to try the multiplayer, I hope there isn’t much griefing. 

The demo runs great. I rarely encountered bugs, but there is an easy-to-use report feature available if you encounter any. The game plays like any other survival game with a few unique gimmicks. Farming is relaxing, crafting is simple, and combat is fun. I liked that with minimal crafting I was able to test out different weapons and find one that worked best for me. I loved using making the wand and blasting my enemies with magic. The combat is smooth, and dodging was really fun. 

The tutorial and starting missions do a fantastic job of getting players set up. New players can learn the game’s fundamentals, but veterans have the freedom to do whatever is within the limitations of the demo. The world feels big with lots to do and explore. This can be overwhelming at times, but there are available quests if you need some direction. I spent a lot of time running around without focus because I was having fun trying out the different systems. 

 What is unique about this game are the shrouded areas. These are areas on the map that are afflicted by a mysterious curse. Your character can only exist within these zones, so travel carefully. Other than that, it is exactly what I would expect and want from a survival game.

If you are in the market for a new survival game, Enshrouded might be for you. There is no release date set, but you can try the robust demo in the mean time. 

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The Monolith: Requiem of the Ancients Demo is live, and I liked it

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The Monolith: Requiem of the Ancients PC demo is out and part of the Steam Next Fest happening now. This adorable little action RPG is sure to win some hearts over with its fun combat mechanics, and interesting narrative. Dark forces threaten Gliese, and it is up to a lone hero and his sword to rescue it. What secrets will you uncover? What challenges await? 

I’ve been excited about this game since it was first announced. It gives off some strong Zelda vibes, which I totally appreciate, and it has an adorable art style I can get behind. Combat is fun and intuitive, and the soundtrack is phenomenal. I love the magic and upgrade system, but need to see more. The demo is a bit rough. The sound mixing needs work, and I encountered some stuttering and frame drops. None of the bugs I encountered were game-breaking, but there were enough of them present that I couldn’t ignore them. That said, the demo is playable. If you’ve been curious about this title or enjoy the Zelda games, it doesn’t hurt to try it out. 

It is too early to judge the game harshly, so I’ll wait till I get my hands on a full version to get more in-depth. Monolith: Requiem of the Ancients will be released for PC, PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox sometime next year, but no date has been announced yet. Until then, go try it out and see for yourself!

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The Cowboy 3030 demo offers a solid glimpse of a neat little rogue-lite coming to PC

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I got to try the Cowboy 3030 demo, which will be featured in the Steam Next Fest. The Steam Next Fest is a multi-day event where gamers can try new games, chat with devs, and learn about upcoming releases. The Event runs from October 9th to the 16th, so make sure you tune in. 

Cowboy 3030 is a rogue-lite Wild West-themed shooter set in the future. Choose your cowboy and fight your way through the endless waves of goons from the evil Nebularos gang. 

The demo lets players choose between two cowboys: Calix and Keri. Calix is fantastic at short-range combat with his revolvers, electric lasso, and flash grenade. Kari is your girl for long-range combat with her arsenal of riffles, access to a defensive electro screen, and an exploding bowling bomb. Both have distinct playstyles, and the game has a unique skill tree that ensures each run feels different. 

Players will start their runs by choosing a loadout. As you play, you will unlock new weapons and characters to help you hone in on a playstyle that works best for you. The goal is to clear as many of the procedurally generated levels without dying. Throughout each run, you level up your tree and collect money to buy upgrades. The tree is a large grid that gives players the freedom to build their character to their liking. The tree is randomly generated, but I never felt like the RNG ruined any of my runs. 

Cowboy 3030 has a solid demo. The game looks great and runs well, the mechanics are fun, and players get a nice taste of what is to come. Obviously, there isn’t enough content to judge it too harshly, but I enjoyed the demo enough to recommend it. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the Steam Next Fest catalog, Cowboy 3030 is a solid place to start. It is a nice relaxing rogue-lite that will keep you entertained for a couple of hours. The game is planned to be released during Q1 of 2024, but you can try the demo out today!

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The Bridge Curse: Road to Salvation – The creepy looking survival game that is looking to be a solid scary story

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The Bridge Curse: Road to Salvation is a horror game coming to PS5, Xbox, and Switch. No release date has been announced yet, but preorders for the physical copies of this game go on sale on the 15th for PS5 and Switch only. There are also collector editions of the game for those interested in the swag.

Six university friends investigate a well-known urban legend, but what they find is a lot more than they bargained for. The group has awoken an ancient curse. Now they must survive the night as vengeful ghosts hunt for them. Do you have what it takes to solve the mystery and survive the night?

Play as one of the students and try to survive one of the longest nights as you stealthy explore a creepy and immersive setting, solve puzzles, and experience what looks to be a well-presented narrative. The art and graphics look great, the setting looks scary, and the voice acting is fantastic. Of course, this opinion is based on the trailer, but the trailer did enough to creep me out.

I don’t really play horror or stealth games, but this is going on my watch list. Hopefully, I can muster enough courage to play through this game, even if it has to be with the lights on. If you don’t want to wait for the console release, you can pick it up on Steam for $19.99. It is currently on sale for $13.99 until the 13th. There is also a demo you can try if you need more convincing.

Folks looking for a physical copy of this game, you can preorder your copy for the PS5 and Switch on the 13th.

You can also get the collectors edition for the PS5 and the Switch if you are interested in the artbook and a few extra goodies:

  • The Bridge Curse Collector’s Box
  • The Bridge Curse Game (region free)
  • The Bridge Curse Manual
  • The Bridge Curse Original Soundtrack CD
  • The Bridge Curse Artbook
  • The Bridge Curse Numbered Certificate
video game reviews

My impressions of the Battle Shapers demo

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I was sent the Battle Shapers demo to review, but it is unfair to review a game that is still this early in development. While the game looks fine, it isn’t finished. Instead, I will write about my impressions of the demo.

Battle Shapers is a fast-paced arcade shooter for PC where players fight off hordes of robots as they try to take their city back from the evil overlords that now run it.

This demo is not the best start for this game. If the goal was to spark interest for the game, it fails to do so. I wasn’t able to enjoy the demo because it stuttered so badly that it became unplayable. It isn’t a hardware issue because my computer can easily run this game on the highest settings. I tried playing the game on the lowest setting, but encountered the same issues. It might be an issue with Windows 11, but I am unable to test the theory. I forced myself to play this game as long as possible, but the constant stuttering ruined the experience.

If ignore the performance issues, the game play is okay. I enjoy the fast pace, there is an interesting melee mechanics, but I can see it become a bit repetitive. You make your way through areas, clearing room of mobs, and gathering loot. Unless the full release comes with different areas, mobs, and bosses that introduce different mechanics and require different strategies, this game is doomed to grow stale. It’s a game that sort of reminds me of Borderlands, but I would rather be playing Borderlands. At least based on my experience with the demo, this opinion could change at release.

It is a shame because the game looks cool. I love the art style, I enjoy fast pacing, and it has a fantastic sound track. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend it because it isn’t a good demo. I can only hope that they patch the demo and start working closely with the community to make the game better, or at the very least playable. I’ll keep an eye out for future updates and try to get my hands on the full game, but as it stands, I am not impressed.

You can download the demo now on Steam.

video game reviews

Strayed Lights

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If you like action-adventure games, you might want to look into the upcoming title, Strayed Lights. This game looks beautiful, and the bit of music I’ve heard is amazing! You play as this being of light and dark as you travel over this dreamlike world on a quest to become awakened. But the path is full of angry monsters. Use your powers to soothe the beasts and free them of their inner demons.

This game looks so pretty and promises a new form of combat that I am interested in trying. The soundtrack is composed by Grammy-winning Austin Wintory, so it might be at least worth the listen. I’ll be getting my review copy soon, and I can’t wait to hop on in.

Strayed Lights is releasing on April 25th for $24.99 on the PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC through Steam, Epic Games, and GoG. If you preorder from the official website, you will get a cool digital art book and a copy of the soundtrack. There is also a demo you can try on Steam.

To stay up to date on all the news, make sure to join the official Discord and follow the socials: YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Don’t forget to add it to your wishlist!

Images taken from the press kit

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Sea of Stars Demo

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Pictures are screenshots from demo

The Sea of Stars demo is out on the eShop, so I decided to give it a try. I love the pixel art, and I am always in the market for a new RPG. The demo is only available on the Nintendo Switch, but the game will also release on Steam and PlayStation on August 29, 2023. If you are interested in the game and have a Switch, I recommend downloading the demo.

The demo does a fantastic job of giving players a sense of the combat mechanics and dungeons featured in Sea of Stars. The demo lets you control the three featured characters as you make your way through an abandoned wizard’s tower. It was such a beautiful setting, and I am curious to see what they do with the rest of the world.

One thing to note right off the bat, this game does not waste time on a tutorial level. You will be thrown into the story and left to figure things out. I highly recommend you read the help guide included in the main menu because there are mechanics introduced in this game that aren’t intuitive. I hate having to sit through tutorials, and I am happy with this choice. The guide is pretty comprehensive and easy to follow. 

The puzzles in the demo were very manageable. I found the experience quite relaxing. The game might be more difficult at release, but I will be here for it either way. Combat is where this game truly shines. I have never played an RPG where the combat was this engaging. Instead of waiting for your turn, you can press buttons to either buff your attacks or defense. If you get the timing right, the small boost you get from this mechanic makes a nice difference. You can play this game like every other RPG, but I recommend you do the extra work to keep things interesting.

My favorite part of Sea of Stars is the way in which they handle magic. Each spell has an extra step that determines how much damage you do. For example, there is a spell where you cast a boomerang that you can keep bouncing between enemies by pressing the A button. Timing is crucial for this spell. Missing the timing on the return means the boomerang doesn’t bounce, and you do less damage. Any mana you expend casting spells you can earn back performing basic attacks. I loved that I didn’t have to horde potions in spells for the end of the dungeon. 

The demo ends with a fun boss battle. It didn’t feel like the usual slog against a damage sponge because I was so focused on the buff/debuff mechanics. The fight was difficult enough to keep me engaged without feeling like a slog fest. Please make sure you save at the save points! When you die, you restart at your last save. I lost a lot of progress.

I’ll reserve my judgment for the story because there wasn’t much of it in the demo. I wasn’t a fan of the writing style, but it is too early to know for sure. There is also no voice acting, and I didn’t really care for the music. That said, I am looking forward to this game’s release! Make sure you mark your calendars for August! In the meantime, go check out the demo.

video game reviews

Octopath Traveller II Demo

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The Octopath Traveller II demo is out now, so I had to give it a try. I played it on the Switch, but the demo is also playable on Steam and PlayStation. I loved the original Octopath traveler, so I have been rightfully excited for this sequel’s release. I am a huge fan of the art, the gameplay is solid, and although the story is a bit lacking, it was good enough to finish.

The demo lets you pick from the eight playable classes and play through the first three hours. If you decide to buy the game, you’re save carry over to the full game. This is a fantastic way to handle a demo because you have nothing to lose. 

Screenshot from game

Honestly, this demo excited me for the release later this month. I played the thief story and was caught off guard by how dark it got. The voice acting is fantastic, and although I’m not a huge fan of the writing style, it did enough to get me hooked. If you are looking for a chill RPG with a decent story and production value, try out this demo. Don’t worry if you haven’t played the first Octopath Traveler. The games are self-contained enough that it doesn’t matter where you start. You might as well start with what is new and shiny. 

Octopath Traveller II comes out on February 24, 2023, but you can download the demo today!

Image By Square Enix – IGN, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72138946

video game reviews

Timemelters: First Impressions

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I got sent the Timemelters demo as a review code, and although I am grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. Since this is a demo, this will be less of a review and more of my first impressions. You can download the demo on Steam today, and I recommend you try it out.

Timemelters is a first-person tower defense-like game that I had a lot of fun with. It reminds me of the Orcs Must Die! series but with fewer traps. In Timemelters, you control a single character and run around a large map setting traps, killing mobs, and turning back time. There is a bit of strategy involved in this game, but it shouldn’t be a problem for most people. I am not very smart, but I managed to brute force myself through eventually.

All pictures are from screenshots

This game is incredibly polished for being made by such a small team of three developers. It runs smoothly, looks beautiful, and is a lot of fun. The concept is simple, but the range of abilities and the pacing of the mobs kept the game fast-paced and exciting. 

I can’t speak on the story because the demo doesn’t explore it too much, nor can I speak on the diversity of the missions. The demo offers a great tutorial and a few missions that provide a fantastic taste of what it has in store. I never felt lost or overwhelmed by the information and was only limited by my skill level,

The game fully launches on Steam on October 12th. This game deserves a lot of love. I am vastly impressed by how much this team of three was able to accomplish. If you like tower defense games with some RTS elements, give this game a try. The demo is free, and it is available on Steam!

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