Tag Archives: early access

Whispers of the Eyeless: An Interesting Take on Cult Management

I was sent the Whispers of the Eyeless demo to cover for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinion on the game. I understand the game is still in development, and will try to be a bit more lenient with my impressions.

If you’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the Epomaker P75 Mechanical Keyboard for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals.

What is Whispers of the Eyeless?

Whispers of the Eyeless is a unique CRPG with stylized dungeon crawling and an interesting resource management mechanic. The game will go on Steam Early Access either Q4 2024 or sometime Q1 2025. A demo is planned for February. Make sure you add it to your wishlist.

You are a prophet of the New Age of Whispers. People have forgotten the old gods, some believe them dead, but they are alive and in need of a new flock. Infiltrate the city and spread the gospel of whisper as you recruit new members to your sect, upgrade your temple, and delve into the dungeon. Will your influence be strong enough to take hold of new believers? Will you bring forth a new age?

Gameplay

Whispers of the Eyless has three gameplay loops: dungeon crawling, exploration, and resource management.

Dungeon crawling is how players earn money and influence. Players equip themselves with blessings they receive from the old gods and explore a dungeon. This part of the game feels like a choose-your-own-adventure point-and-click game with a bit of turn-based combat sprinkled in between. Players can go as deep into the dungeon as they want, but the difficulty increases with each level. The deeper a player goes, the better the rewards. Dying on the run will cause a player to lose favor, so make sure you delve carefully.

Combat is a simple turn-based system. Players choose their attacks and blessings (buffs) and try to defeat their enemies. There is an auto-battle function early on that I recommend using for early grinding. I would also speed up the animation after the first fight. While I love the style and art of this game, the grind feels too slow at normal speed. There is a strategy involved when fighting harder monsters, but it is nice to have the option to passively grind levels before then.

Exploration is a point-and-click event that happens in between delves. During these events, players can enter combat, find treasure, or have the opportunity to recruit members that grant the players valuable passive skills. Players are offered choices during these events that affect the outcome of the story, so make sure you choose carefully.

I particularly enjoyed the resource management aspect of the game. In between runs, players will have time to perform valuable upkeep for their cult. They can build new structures, upgrade existing ones, send cultists to perform jobs, and attempt to recruit new members. The choices made in the resource management stage affect how efficiently a player can maintain and grow their influence over the city. Players start with a dirty old cave with only access to the dregs of society, but they will slowly spread into the more affluent parts of the city until they gain complete control of the city.

Impressions

There are parts of this demo that feel slow and unfinished, but the overall experience has me excited for the full game. The art is fantastic, the story has me hooked, and the mechanics are solid. The art style make exploration fun, and I am obsessed with managing my cult. The amount of decisions I had to make felt a bit overwhelming at times but in the best possible way. It was cool to see my actions and decisions affecting the growth of my influence, but running a cult isn’t easy.

The combat is the only part of the game I am unsure about. The dungeon crawling is fine, but combat feels slow, even with the animation sped up. There is strategy involved, but most of the time I felt like passive farming. Thank god for the auto-battle feature. The demo only features an early stage of the game, and I am holding out hope that combat will get more fun as the game gets more difficult.

From what I’ve seen from the demo, I am ready to see more. I’ll be working on getting the full version for review, so make sure you stay tuned for that. Until then, make sure Whispers of the Eyeless is on your wishlist. Don’t forget to try the demo in February during Steam Next Fest!

Underspace Might Just Be the Space Sim You’re Looking for

I was sent a free copy of Underspace 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.

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What is Underspace?

Underspace is an arcade style flight sim for PC via Steam and GoG. It claims to be the spiritual successor to Freelancer. I have never played Freelancer and can’t confirm or deny this claim, a lot of people seem to agree.

You are now one of the galaxy’s star chasers, one of the crazy few who chase storms, fight against eldritch horrors, and take on any job that comes your way. Your goal is to make money and stay alive. Navigate the cold dark vastness of space, upgrade your ship, and become the best star chaser the world has ever known. Do you have what it takes?

Gameplay

Underspace is a space-themed sandbox RPG. Players take on quests and fly their ships through space to complete them. There is a main story that is said to take about 15 hours to complete, and countless side quests and exploration hundreds more.

If you’re looking for a realistic space simulator, you’ll need Elite Dangerous or hope Star Citizen isn’t a scam. Underspace has more of an arcade feel in its flight and combat system. That said, Underspace is still a valid space game experience. Combat and flight in this game are fine for the casual who doesn’t worry about the physics of space travel, but they are still challenging enough to keep things engaging.

What makes this game a unique space game is its storms. Occasionally, a storm will break out that raises the price of goods and releases eldritch horrors into the universe. A player can fight these horrors and attempt to close the rifts that cause these storms. Doing so earns the player valuable resources for trade and reputation amongst the Galaxy’s citizens. It is a hard job, but someone has to do it.

Review

This game looks dated when compared to other games in the genre, but that shouldn’t be discouraging. The game runs smoothly, it has a solid story, and the gameplay loop is a lot of fun. I was blown away by how creative the game gets with its horrors, and I found myself rushing towards every storm just to see the type of creature I would encounter. Although I am not the best pilot, I did well enough to have fun. Most importantly, there is so much to do in this game that you will definitely get your money’s worth.

Keep in mind that the game is still in early access, so there are bound to be problems. Some people have pointed out that the game drops too many frames or straight up doesn’t work. Aside from a few hiccups here and there, the game never became unplayable. There is still some roughness, but there seems to be continued support. I feel confident that there will be fixes in future updates. I think the roughness gave it its charm, and it made it feel like a retro space game without ever feeling like a slog.

If you’re looking for a new space sim, Underspace is a solid casual one with a decent story, great flavor, and fun gameplay. If you are a Freelancer fan, this might be worth looking into. If you’ve never played a space sim, this is a great place to start. I loved it, and recommend it, even if its only early access.

You can grab your copy of Underspace on Steam or GOG for $19.99. There is a Steam demo available if you need a bit more convincing.

Deathless. Tales of Old Rus is Next Deck-Builder Roguelike

I was sent a free copy of Deathless. Tales of Old Rus for free 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.

If you’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the SC3 Gaming Mixer for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals.

What is Deathless: Tales of Old Rus?

Deathless. Tales of Old Rus is a Scandinavian-themed deck-building roguelike that is out now on PC.

Take control of unique characters and use their skills and abilities and explore the dangerous land of Belosvet. Fight against powerful monsters and even defeat Koaschey the Deathless himself. Will the cards be in your favor?

Gameplay

Each run starts players with a basic version of a chosen champion deck. Each deck is flavorful and unique to each champion. As players make their way through the adventure, they can upgrade their decks with new cards and skills. These upgrades are random, making each subsequent run unique. The RNG is pretty fair, and I never ran the same deck twice. A run is over when the health of the champion reaches zero.

What makes Deathless unique is the movement and position mechanic. Players can only attack the frontmost enemy in combat unless the card use stipulates otherwise. Unless the monster uses ranged attacks, they can do the same. Knowing how to manipulate this position and the turns they swap them is an important mechanic to master. For example, some cards force monsters to swap positions, canceling their attacks. Other cards do extra damage depending on their position or if they’re moving. It is a very unique shift in the genre that I enjoyed tremendously.

Review


If you like roguelike deck-builders and need a new one to get into, buy Deathlessl: Tales of Old Rus. The game has beautiful art, fantastic flavor, and solid mechanics. The game is extremely replayable because no two runs will ever be the same. Even if you’re only using one character, the type of deck and strategy you’ll focus on will always be different. If you somehow get tired of what is available, there are new champions in the pipeline. Check out the official development roadmap for assurance.

Deathless. Tales of Old Rus is still in early access, but it feels like a finished game. The animation looks great, the soundtrack is nice, and the mechanics work fine. They are adding new features, which means the game will only get better. I love this game, and will keep it in my rotation. The game is fun, engaging, and it looks like it is actively being supported.

You can pick up Deathless. Tales of Old Rus on Steam Early Access for $24.99.

Lost Castle 2: The Cute Roguelite You’ll Play With Your Friends!

I was sent a free copy of Lost Castle 2 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.

If you’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the SC3 Gaming Mixer for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals.

What is Lost Castle 2?

Choose your class and make your way through the most adorable dungeons in search of treasure, money, and fame. Brave these procedurally generated dungeons on your friends online. What hilarious stories will you share around the campfire?

Gameplay

Players choose their class at the start of each run. These classes can be swapped freely at the blacksmith or through random weapon drops during a run. Players can choose between a melee, magic, or ranged class. Each class is unique, but I preferred the magic class for my play style.

Like most roguelikes, players will receive random upgrades and skills throughout their run. There are random shops within the dungeons that also sell player items. These upgrades are all RNG-reliant, which means luck can ruin a run. I thought RNG was fair for the most part.

Players will then move through the dungeon, clearing each room of its monsters. Enemies increase in difficulty with each room, but a player’s power level also increases. Players can choose the types of encounters after each room. They can fight regular monsters or elite monsters, rest and refill their positions, buy items from a shop, and eventually fight the area boss. These choices are mostly randomized. Make sure you plan your route wisely.

In between runs, players can buy permanent upgrades in town. They can level up facilities and give their character some valuable buffs for their future runs. While I am sure there is an optimal build path, I always went with what fit my playstyle the best.

If you have friends or want to make new ones, Lost Castle 2 has a built-in matchmaking system. I liked playing alone, but I can see this game being a lot of fun with other people. It definitely has a party game vibe similar to Castle Crashers.

Review

Lost Castle is incredibly cute, but that shouldn’t distract from its issues. The gameplay, while fun and engaging, can grow repetitive and stale if you let it. Multiplayer is what will extend the game’s shelf life, but you’ll at least get your money’s worth if you decide to go solo. The wacky quirky gameplay gives this game its charm, but it would be a lot better with friends. I definitely wish there was an opportunity for couch co-op.

If you’re looking for a fun party game you can only play online, this might be a solid solution. This is a cute game with a charming little loop, but one that won’t stay in your rotation for too long unless you can find a group of friends that can make the grind worth it. The grind isn’t terrible, but it gets repetitive. I enjoyed the repetition, but I also understand the value of a good friend group.

The game is in early access. While I thought the game was fine, I am sure there will be some valuable improvements on the horizon. Buy at your discretion. You can pick up Lost Castle 2 on Steam for $14.99.

Galactic Glitch is the Most Fun You’ll Have in Space This Year!

I was sent a free copy of Galactic Glitch to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions of the game. This will be my honest review. If you’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the SC3 Gaming Mixer for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals.

What is Galactic Glitch?

Galactic Glitch is a colorful and unique twin-stick roguelike shooter where you can throw your enemies into other enemies. The game has launched on Steam Early Access.

Travel through beautiful 2D maps full of enemies, mystery, and debris. Fight off swarms of enemies in unique space battles and upgrade your ship to be the best in the galaxy. How far into the darkness of space will you be able to reach?

Gameplay

Galactic Glitch starts in the traditional roguelike fashion. Players begin their campaign with a basic ship that they can upgrade along the way. The more you play, the better the ship becomes. You will die a lot, so be prepared for some repetition.

The ship comes with three weapons that can be swapped out and upgraded later in the game. Each weapon swap makes a meaningful change to combat, allowing players the ability to find a loadout that fits their playstyle. Players will also encounter random events that drop stat upgrades when completed. These are harder encounters and a very welcomed change of pace.

Combat feels like your typical twin-stick bullet hell, but the physics give it enough of a unique flare to set it apart from other games in the genre. Maneuvering around rooms and throwing objects into enemies feels so good once you get the hang of things.

Progress in this game is set up like a dungeon crawler. Players crawl through the vastness of space, clearing one room at a time. Rooms feel unique enough that the repetition doesn’t get stale, but to be fair, I do enjoy my repetition.

There is a story to this game, but it isn’t anything deep that you’ll need to follow thoroughly. At least it didn’t do enough to catch my attention. Instead, you’ll be picking up this game for the unique space-crawling goodness that it is.

Review

I loved every minute of Galactic Glitch. The art is great, the soundtrack is amazing, and the gameplay is so much fun. Geometry Wars was my favorite game growing up, and Galactic Glitch feels like that with a bit more purpose. I liked that I could switch my weapons but still pick up some RNG abilities along the way. I love that I could upgrade a home base for more powerups. I am sure I could have been a lot more efficient with my playthrough, but I had a lot of fun figuring things out.

If you’re looking for a fun game that will certainly become an addiction, pick up Galactic Glitch. It is a neat casual game with enough substance to keep players engaged, without it becoming a huge commitment. I love Twin-Stick shooters, and Galactic Glitch is definitely one of my favorites.

You can pick up Galactic Glitch on Steam for $12.99 (currently $9.74 until July 29).

Lose all Sense of Time With Deceptively Addicting STARNAUT

I was sent a free copy of STARNAUT 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. If you enjoy these reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials. 

What is STARNAUT

STARNAUT is a unique action roguelike out now on Steam early access. Starnaut travels the multiverse in search of Omega rockets full of memories in the hopes of resurrecting a dead earth. Before their demise, the people of Earth sent off rockets full of their memories in hopes they would find salvation. How many memories can you collect? Will you be Earth’s salvation?

Gameplay

Take control of a STARNAUT you upgrade as you fight off endless waves of enemies, explore trippy environments, and collect Omega ships. The game starts slow as the player fights off manageable waves of enemies. Weapons in this game auto-attack. You can punch and shoot enemies, but I prefer playing it like your typical top-down bullet hell. The longer you play a level, the harder it becomes. Plan accordingly! 

Players earn coins by killing enemies or breaking gotcha pon capsules and use these coins to buy powerups. The powerups matter, so buy carefully. I never felt like I needed a guide, but the game rewards careful planning. By the time you get to the end of a level, or die, its going to be longer than you expected. 

Impressions

I almost gave up on STARNAUT, but I am glad I didn’t. STARNAUT has a very slow start, but I urge people to power through. Once this game gets going, it’s hard to put it down. I lost all sense of time as I theorized my build and fought like hell to stay alive. 

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the artwork going into this game. The game feels like a random collection of assets swarming toward your little Starnaut, but it slowly grew on me. The rough mismatched aesthetic gives the game its charm and flavor. By the end of my session, the chaos, the music, and the action all came together into a beautiful experience I couldn’t put down. STARNAUT is a good time worth every penny. If you’re looking for a game that isn’t a huge commitment but will challenge you, get STARNAUT. I know it is still in early access, but the game needs more love and support. 

You can pick up your copy of STARNAUT on Steam for only $7.99. 

Pathless Woods is The Cutest Cozy Survival Sandbox Game

I was sent a Pathless Woods for free 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. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials. 

What is Pathless Woods

Pathless Woods is a cozy open-world survival game available now in early access on Steam. Players will travel through an adorable thematic world, gathering resources, building bases, and doing everything necessary to stay alive. The game offers a single and multiplayer mode, allowing gamers to choose the type of experience they want to play. This review will be based on the single-player mode.

Gameplay

The game starts with an easy-to-follow tutorial quest line to help guide players through the essential mechanics. While a guide might be needed for efficiency or more complicated recipes, the game does a fantastic job of getting players up to speed without feeling slow. Farming and gathering doesn’t feel like an unnecessary grind, and the recipes are pretty easy to follow. Some recipes are locked behind the quest line, but the game does this to teach players some of the less intuitive mechanics unique to Pathless. 

Pathless Woods is an adorable entry to the genre, with enough depth to deserve its attention. Building and gathering mechanics are all designed for relaxing sessions, but the recipes and gathering locations might require a guide to be tabbed. Combat in this game is cute, with enough options for strategy without things getting too sweaty. The game’s survival mechanics like thirst, hunger, and illness make a meaningful impact without ever becoming unmanageable. If you enjoy survival games but aren’t in the mood for anything hardcore, Pathless Woods is an answer. 

Impressions

I had a lot of fun with Pathless Woods. The game is adorable, there is a lot to do, and it never became a job. The game is still in early access, so there are some imperfections, but none of the glitches were game-breaking. Sometimes I couldn’t lock onto an enemy, or things wouldn’t load, but I could still play the game and have fun. 

What sets this game apart is its cozy aesthetic. The art design, music, and mechanics all come together to create this relaxing and chill experience. You can die if you aren’t careful, but I never felt like I was up against impossible odds. This experience can change in multiplayer. 

I am a huge fan of Fantasy Life, and this game had similar vibes but with a lot more content. If you like survival games or are just looking for something cute and chill to play, you need to get on Pathless Woods. I wouldn’t be too worried about the game’s Early Access status. The game is playable, it’s fun, and there have been consistent updates since I started playing. There is also a demo available if you need further convincing. Honestly, if I didn’t have to move on, I’d still be playing. 

You can pick up Pathless Woods now on Steam for $17.99 (normally $19.99) until April 16. 

Enshrouded Early Access is a Solid Survival Sandbox Experience

I was sent Enshrouded to review for free to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee

What is Enshrouded?

Enshrouded is a sandbox survival game out now in Steam early access. The game supports single and multiplayer gameplay, but I like to play my survival games alone. This review will be on the solo experience only, but hosting and joining a game isn’t difficult. I recommend joining the official discord for news, tips, and to find new friends.

I got to play the demo for Steam’s Next Fest earlier this year and enjoyed it. If you are looking for a new survival game to sink some time into, Enshrouded is a solid choice, but know that the game is a little rough because it is still in development.

Players wake up in a world in a depressing state of destitution. The Shroud plagues the land. Bloodthirsty monsters and marauders roam its hills. The only sense of civilization you’ll find is the one you create with your own two hands. How far can your determination take you? Can you rid the world of its blight, or are you merely prolonging complete demise?

Impressions

The game is still in early access, so I’ll try not to review it too harshly. The game runs well, but there is some noticeable roughness. Monsters get stuck, frames drop, and artifacts sometimes don’t render correctly. None of the issues are game-breaking, but they are noticeable. 

The game itself is fun, and a solid title to add to your collection. There is a good amount to do without it ever feeling overwhelming. I like that there is a quest line that guides players through the fundamentals. You will eventually need to reference a guide for farming locations and recipes, but the solo experience is pretty beginner-friendly. I went without a guide and while I do see the benefits of having a guide, it never felt like I was locked out of content for lacking one. 

Aside from a few kinks, combat feels good. There are a good amount of weapons to help players have the adventure they want. I was a huge fan of fighting with magic, but I didn’t mind when I was forced to switch to my secondary. The boss fights in this game was perfect for my skill level, and beating them was satisfying. 

What I liked most about this game is how much there is to do. If I wanted to relax, I could farm or build my base. If I wanted to fight, I could find shrowded zones and kill monsters. If I got stuck, I could follow the quest line. Most importantly, the game is fun. I love that I can sit back and enjoy the game at my own pace.

If you’re thinking of getting Enshrouded, do it. Aside from a bit of early access roughness, it is a solid survival sandbox. It looks good, feels good, and sounds good. I’ll be coming back to it from time to time, and reviewing it again when it comes out of early access. Stay tuned for that. Until then, you can pick it up on Steam for $29.99, or at the very least, add it to your Wishlist. 

Check out the Cute 3D Pixel art Survival Game Voxlands

I was sent an early demo of Voxlands to cover on my blog. While the game is playable, it is still rough. It wouldn’t be fair to review the game at its current stage of development, so I will limit my post to my initial impressions. I am hoping to get a full copy upon release, stay tuned for that. 

If you enjoy my content, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee. 

What is Voxlands

Voxlands is a pixel art survival game coming to PC. The game gives off Minecraft vibes but with enough of a twist to be its own thing. Travel through an open world, go on quests, fight monsters, stave off starvation, and craft what you need for survival in this cute and casual experience.

Gameplay

Thoughts

I was excited to get Voxlands because I love pixel art games. Voxlands has an adorable design with a fun and quirky tone that just works. I can’t really talk about its performance because the game isn’t finished. The demo is more than playable, but there is some roughness that I am sure will be ironed out on release. 

The game feels like Minecraft, but the guns and combat give it the unexpected retro Doom feel. I love how fast-paced everything is, and the combat, although a bit clunky at the moment, feels good. I didn’t do much with crafting, and the demo doesn’t have multiplayer. Not that I have friends to play with. 

This game is cute, and I am excited to see what it turns into. I still need to see a more fleshed-out crafting system, more weapons, and a bigger world before I can make my review, but I am curious. It is a short demo, but it does enough. Make sure you check it out when it goes live. There is no release date at the moment, but you can always add it to your Wishlist until then!

Roots of Yggdrasil: The Unique Village Builder Deck Builder

I was sent Roots of Yggdrasil for free to review for my site. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.

What is Roots of Yggdrasil

Roots of Yggdrasil is a roguelike deck builder that splashes village builder elements to create a unique gaming experience. The game releases on Steam in Early Access on January 24 for $14.99. Don’t forget to wishlist. 

Sunna and her tribe have been trapped between time, and they must find a way out. Together you must build a settlement, explore the unknown, and discover the secrets that will take the tribe to the top of Yggdrasil. But the road won’t be easy, and failure means you will have to start over. Do you have the spatial awareness to make it to the top of the mountain?

Gameplay

Players start a run of Roots of Yggdrasil with a random deck that they upgrade throughout a run. These decks summon structures that can be built on procedurally generated levels. Space and resources are limited, making efficiency a player’s most important resource. To beat an encounter, players need to complete several tasks to power up the ship for the next leg of the voyage. A player can run out of space or resources, or have a random disaster make it impossible to complete a level. For example, there is a deadly fog that slowly eats up the map, leaving players without enough space to build. 

Aside from the village builder elements, Roots of Yggdrasil plays like your typical deck builder. Heroes have special abilities players can cast periodically, there are random encounters that give players cards or resources, and there are permanent upgrades players can purchase in between runs. The hardest part about this game is building in the right order and leaving enough space for what you need. 

Thoughts

Roots of Yggdrasil is a cute game with a fun art style, amazing flavor, and interesting mechanics. I enjoyed this game a lot, but the game isn’t finished, and you can tell. It isn’t unplayable. The game never crashed, and the mechanics were fine, but it needs a little polish and more content. The gameplay started to feel repetitive after a few runs, so most people will want to wait for more biomes, mechanics, and features to be added to the game. 

If you don’t mind the roughness of an Early Access game and want to experience a unique deck builder, look into Roots of Yggdrasil. The bit I got to play is fun, and I can see the potential. I’ll be revisiting the game on a future release, so make sure you stay tuned for that. Until then, make sure you add it to your wishlist