Become a wolfgirl with a fliphone and explore brutalist, liminal dreamscapes in nophenia

I understand why walking sims aren’t really a thing any more. Some of the earliest big names like Gone Home, Dear Esther, and arguably The Stanley Parable all came at a time where indie games were growing in popularity, but were still predominantly 2D. Something simple like a walking sim is obviously quite resourceful compared to contemporary AAA games, but now the indie scene has blown up to the point where mechanics-first genres like roguelikes are dominating. Except I like walking sims! So when a game like nophenia, a walking sim where you’re a wolfgirl with a flip phone exploring different dream worlds, shows up, I’m going to pay attention.

Read more

The Long Dark: Wintermute’s final episode catches a delay but nabs a concrete release date to make up for it

Crikey, it’s been a long time coming, but it looks like The Long Dark is finally coming to a close… next year. Up until earlier this week, the fifth and final episode of The Long Dark’s Wintermute DLC was due to be released by the end of the year. As you’ve probably gathered, the end of the year is very close now, so as a result, episode five has been delayed, but it is a delay that at least comes with a concrete release date.

Read more

Into the Fire mixes fire and rescue, mysterious folklore, and a volcanic island in what might be yet another Divine Comedy adaptation

When I first caught a very quick glimpse at Into the Fire, the kind of glimpse where you more just see a character design amidst a bunch of fire, I thought it was a new simulation game. A fireman sim, that kind of thing, the kind of game I’m sure exists already without needing to Google it. Into the Fire is not that at all. There is fire, and there is rescue, but there are also ancient mysteries amongst natural disasters, fiery, destructive jellyfish-esque spirits, and a tantalizing mix of science-fiction, folklore, and the supernatural.

Read more

A new Dead Rising is reportedly on the way, and one that might come with a familiar face

All that trouble going on with Monster Hunter Wilds aside, for a good long while now Capcom has been doing quite well for itself. Multiple quite well liked Resident Evil games, fresh new bits like Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess and the upcoming Pragmata, and even a few remasters, namely for the Ace Attorney games (throw a dog a bone and give us a new one of those, though Capcom), but also for series like Dead Rising that also haven’t had a new entry in a while. Well, for now at least, as a new report suggests a new Dead Rising might be in our future.

Read more

However a non-Hollow Knight game from Team Cherry might look, there’s a particular through line you can still expect

Right now, Team Cherry’s future is pretty unclear. There is some kind of Hollow Knight: Silksong DLC that’ll be coming somewhere along the line, but understandably the developer is keeping their cards close to their chest in terms of what’s actually next. They certainly do have some ideas on how they would expand Hollow Knight, i.e. by not making any direct sequels, much like how Silksong isn’t one. But in a recent interview, Team Cherry spoke (ever so slightly) more openly about their own future and how the thing that might get in their way most is, well, death.

Read more

After six hours of tweaker gunslinging and trench warfare, I’m sold on Darktide’s imminent Hive Scum update

I was precisely whelmed when Fatshark revealed the mohawked, chem-huffing Hive Scum as Warhammer 40,000: Darktide’s next class; most of the existing player characters being unwashed crims as it is. Turns out, however, they make good company when it counts. Having played about six hours of Hive Scum, ahead of launch on December 2nd, I’m convinced the class offers something new – and even those who don’t drop the requisite $12 on it will still, on the same day, get a rollicking new mission type that delves into properly muddy 40K ground warfare.

Read more