The Crazy Hyper-Dungeon Chronicles at Milan Games Week!

Meet us at the Indie Dungeon as finalists of the Red Bull Indie Forge 2024!

Hello adventurers! 

We’re excited to announce that The Crazy Hyper-Dungeon Chronicles will be showcased at the Milan Games Week this year, taking place from November 22 to 24, 2024!

You can find us in the Indie Dungeon area, where we’ll be celebrating being named finalists for the Red Bull Indie Forge 2024. It’s an incredible honor, and we can’t wait to share the game with you.

Come and meet Hero and Heroine, try the game, and enjoy some free gummy candies (because every dungeon crawl needs snacks)! 

If you can’t make it to Milan, don’t worry - stay tuned here on Steam for more updates about the game’s progress and upcoming events.

Thank you for your continued support, and we hope to see you there!

Join us on our Discord server for more details and discussions.

The Development Team

A Kickstarter campaign for the RPG Dragonic Overlords has been started:

Dragonic Overlords

Is a party-based fantasy role-playing game with tactical turn-based combat and full character customization. 
Dragonic Overlords is a classically inspired fantasy role-playing game with turn-based combat and a party system that allows you to control up to six characters at any one time. Whether you yearn for an open world to explore at your own pace, tactical combat that allows you to plan your moves carefully, or want to lose yourself in the rich fabric of our world, trying to survive and make your mark, Dragonic Overlords offers endless choices, massive lands to travel, enemy and monster swarm (over 400 monster and enemy types) dungeons and a horde of a story to follow. Find depth and riches for your adventures that combine the very best of traditional gameplay with modern day technologies. You will find that the world is very much alive and challenging (No hand holding).

Key Features:

• Turn-based combat, featuring many favorite spells, feats and actions, based on rules evolved from the Open Game License (OGL) by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
• Custom-built, isometric graphics.
• Fully voiced pc's and npc's.
• A huge open world, explore entire continents, with hundred's of NPCs, with complex stories.
• Create a party of up to six characters, with customizable stats, feats, skills, spells, ranging from 8 different races and 11 different classes.
• More than one hundred spells, each with unique, stunning visual effects.
• Thousands of individual items to use and interact with. Crafting, fishing, take on jobs like mining, lumberjacking, cooking, fishing, blacksmithing, and hunting.
• An extraordinary  storyline, massive quests, tons of secrets and side quests, hordes of enemies and monsters and a world that is deep in lore and mystery.

[...]

Couchpotato spotted a new update for Starfield:

Starfield’s November Update is now live

Thank you to the over 15 million players who are adventuring through the stars in Starfield!

We’re thrilled that so many of you have embarked on this journey with us, and we appreciate your feedback. We are always looking for ways to improve your experience playing the game and wanted to give our community an update on the most recent adjustments we’ve made to Starfield.

Quality of Life Improvements
Starfield’s November Update is now live! In this update, we’ve made some performance and stability improvements for all platforms and reintroduced the uncapped frame rate option for Xbox Series X users. We’ve also addressed several issues that were affecting the Tracker’s Alliance quests, as well as included fixes for some other quest issues that players were running into.
For a detailed breakdown of all changes and improvements, check out the full patch notes Update Notes.

Achievement-friendly Creations
We’re happy to share that we have implemented one of your highly requested features. As of the November Update, Starfield Creations released through the Verified Creators program will have the option to be achievement friendly. This means that certain Creations will no longer block achievements.
If you already have a Starfield creation installed, we encourage you to keep an eye on the Creations menu in Starfield or Bethesda Creations page for its achievement friendly status.
Achievements will not retroactively unlock on previous game saves with Creations, even if those Creations are now achievement friendly.

[...]

The development of Archmage Rises continues probably as a one person project in 2025.

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Fextralife presents some indie games:

Top 10 Indie Games To Play in 2024 & 2025

Timestamps
0:00 - Top Indie Games 2024 & 2025
0:30 - Mirthwood
1:40 - Wanderstop
2:57 - Reanimal
4:09 - Hyper Light Breaker
5:29 - Tails of Iron 2
6:51 - Slay the Spire 2
8:12 - Tenjutsu
9:22 - REPLACED
10:36 - Morsels
11:35 - Tears of Metal

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The farming sim Call of Elyndra has been announced:

Call of Elyndra - Announcement Trailer

 

Cozy farming meets adventuring and combat in CALL OF ELYNDRA. Experience a story of 3 people bound by faith to both make a change in a local community and save the world from evil forces.

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S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl will be released today:

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl — Launch Trailer

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl — Radio Beats: Sinking Skadovsk

Genshin Impact Version 5.2 is now live - the story goes on with Chasca and Ororon:

Character Trailer - "Chasca: Feather-Fletched Peace"

Character Trailer - "Ororon: Elusive and Unfathomable Hues"

Game Rant reviewed VED:

VED Review

It seems like every month players are treated to another unique RPG adventure. Whether that be in a massive franchise such as Dragon Age or a brand-new IP like Black Myth: Wukong, players have enjoyed a wide variety of experiences. This month, one such adventure comes in the form of the hand-drawn RPG VED. The first game from Lithuanian developers Karaclan, VED promises to deliver a magic-filled story for players to sink their teeth into. And while the game's art style may be a sight to behold, almost everything else about the experience falls flat.

[...]

VED is far from a perfect game, but it does have a few redeeming qualities. The hand-drawn art style is wonderful to look at, showcasing how strong this game could be. Additionally, the combat is often thrilling, because if players are not careful, then things can quickly fall apart. However, the story and the dialogue hold the experience back considerably. And ultimately, it leads to a pretty lackluster experience overall.

Score: 5/10

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Learn more about the Wizard class of The Adventurers:

Introducing the Wizard!

Adventurers,

the long awaited sneak peak of the Wizard has finally emerged, bringing unmatched devastation to the battlefield! We’re excited to unveil this powerful new addition, designed to reshape combat with a unique blend of utility and high damage spells.

Here is a peak of the wizard's abilities!

[...]

As a master of the arcane arts, the Wizard excels at controlling the flow of battle. With spells that can immobilize and stun enemies, the Wizard is an invaluable ally in any party. And when it’s time to unleash destruction, they can rain down elemental fury, dealing devastating damage across the battlefield providing more AOE damage and high single target output. If you are able to level them up high enough they also can change the flow of time altering the turn order for the party or use them to help mitigate some damage.

We thank you for your patience and support as the Wizard is brought to life. Your feedback has been essential to making them as impactful and fun to play as possible. We can't wait to hear about the creative ways you’ll use this powerful new class!

Will inform you all as soon as the wizard is available in the Beta Branch where additional features will be added.

Prepare to cast, control, and conquer!

Thanks Couchpotato!

Couchpotato spotted a new preview of Svarog's Dream:

Expansion Preview #2: Devotion, Shrines, and World Events

Welcome to the second of seven posts where we’ll be diving into all the new features coming with the expansion. In this update, we’ll explore how we’re introducing more combat opportunities and making the world feel a bit more interactive.

Devotion Shrines
Scattered across the world, you’ll now find around 30 large and 60 small Devotion Shrines. These shrines are guarded by enemies, and cleansing them offers you the chance to devote them to Order or Chaos.
Large shrines can also be dedicated to specific gods, unlocking skill upgrades as a reward.

Our design philosophy for these shrines was to provide optional combat challenges throughout the game. Since death carries significant consequences, we’ve been cautious about overwhelming players with overly strong encounters in the open world. With these shrines, you can face tougher enemies on your own terms.

We’ve already showcased how all 12 core game classes interact with some of these shrines during the combat update patch. Check out the gameplay video here:

Devotion to Gods
The expansion brings a new character page where you can team up with one of the gods. Picking a deity means they’ll step in to help you now and then, each in their own unique way.

These divine interventions have long cooldowns, but how often they happen depends on your relationship with the god you’ve chosen. Your bond with them changes based on what you do in the game, the gods are always watching and judging how well your actions match their ideals.

Order and Chaos Events
To make the balance between Order and Chaos more impactful, we’re adding over 60 new world events. These events will trigger based on the current state of the world:
-A world leaning toward Order will result in calmer gameplay.
-A world dominated by Chaos will bring more combat-heavy scenarios.

The idea behind the events is the same as before: to keep the world alive and interactive. We’re just doubling down on what you already enjoyed.

That’s all for this update! Stay tuned, there are five more posts coming your way as we unveil more about the expansion. See you in the next one!

A weekly overview of turn-based games:

What To Play This Week – New RPG Releases, 11/18/2024

I’m back from the depths of hell - yes, the hell of a stomach virus that hit me last Thursday and only loosened its grip of vomiting, headaches, and fever by Sunday. Now I’m feeling great and ready to tackle the work week ahead, especially with updates from Turn Based Lovers. Let’s dive into the weekly recap of what’s set to debut this week.

Skygard Arena
Dimensionals
Forgotten but Unbroken
Seer’s Gambit
Toads of the Bayou
Demiurges
Starsim

[...]

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RPGamer checked out Of Ash and Steel:

Of Ash and Steel Preview

The inspirations behind the game are fairly clear, but Of Ash and Steel has plenty to differentiate it from those inspirations.

Developer Fire & Frost Studios has revealed its debut title Of Ash and Steel. A third-person action RPG that is inspired by classic fantasy RPGs, it looks to blend old-school adventure with modern design. With the game set to launch for PC via Steam in 2025, published by tinyBuild, RPGamer was given an early look at what awaits players.

Of Ash of Steel is set in an unforgiving low-fantasy world and takes place in the formerly prosperous Kingdom of the Seven, named after the islands that make it up. 2000s RPG are very much the driving inspiration for the game, with titles like Gothic and The Witcher specifically mentioned as providing significant influence. The low fantasy setting means players won’t encounter other races, but there will be various monsters; and while magic exists, it is only used by a select few, which does include the player character in ways such as being able to transport next to an enemy. There will be a range of biomes from dense forests to snow-covered peaks, though the developer has looked to ensure the world is not just big for the sake of it and strikes a balance between some of its old-school adventure elements and a desire to keep its locations vibrant.

[...]

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Couchpotato spotted a new trailer for Atelier Yumia:

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land - Second Trailer

"Atelier Yumia" is a story about “memory”. Explore the field to gather materials and synthesis items. The items you create can be key to advancing the story and can also be used in battles and exploration. Additionally, you can create your own base with “Building" in the field.

WolfheartFPS presents a development update for Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon:

Huge Development Update Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon (Dark Fantasy Open-World RPG)

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Couchpotato spotted a trailer for the GotY Edition of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous:

Game of the Year Edition | Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous

Mortismal Gaming reviewed Drova - Forsaken Kin:

Drova: Forsaken Kin - Review After 100%

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Mortismal Gaming checked out Dragon Quest III:

Check Out: Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake

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The medieval RPG Of Ash and Steel has been announced:

Of Ash & Steel First Preview: A Medieval Fantasy RPG With Potential

Of Ash and Steel is an immersive third-person open-world RPG created by a passionate team that values the essence of classic old-school RPGs and modern designs. Explore the lands of a once-prosperous island, hone your combat skills, and survive in the unforgiving realm of the Kingdom of the Seven.

Automaton reports that the devs of The First Berserker: Khazan don't think of their game as a soulslike:

The First Berserker: Khazan’s devs don’t think of the game as a soulslike, but rather a 3D successor to Dungeon Fighter Online for consoles 

The First Berserker: Khazan is a “hardcore” action RPG currently in development by Dungeon & Fighter developer Neople (owned by Nexon). The title’s grueling bosses and technical gameplay have been earning it comparisons to soulslike games, but its developers don’t think of it as belonging to the genre. 

Talking to GameWATCH in a recently published interview, Neople’s CEO Myung-Jin Yoon and Khazan’s creative director Junho Lee say that they don’t consider their upcoming game to be a soulslike. Although there may be similarities, Khazan is first and foremost a successor to Neople’s nearly 20-year-running RPG Dungeon Fighter Online. The developers consider it to be a “What if” project that transposes the essence of Dungeon Fighter Online into a full price, 3D console game. 

[...]

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Couchpotato spotted a new roadmap for The Necromancer's Tale:

Release Roadmap

Fans and supporters, we are resetting the game release date and this announcement contains a full status update including the rationale for the new date. A huge thank you to the team who have at this point implemented over 350,000 words in the game narrative, over 180 unique NPCs, a robust combat system, and an incredible city and environs.

The bulk of game content is now in place, and has been heavily tested from a bugs point of view, but we need some more time to do playthrough testing, balancing, and content tweaks. Please continue to report bugs in the demo, in particular the specific places where you find you can run through walls - this has been an ongoing challenge since we implemented and continue to improve free-movement with WASD/joystick control. We would like to say a huge thank-you to our supporters who continue to help us improve overall quality.

We want to ensure we release the game to our highest achievable standard and trust therefore that your patience will continue as we endeavour to bring you the best experience we can.

Narrative
We have implemented over 350,000 words in the game narrative, with about 25,000 words left to write. Books, lore, and journal notes are complete and add about 25,000 more, bringing the game to around 400,000 in total. This has been a huge undertaking over the last 4 years, involving a writing team of 8 part-time writers/editors.

Characters
Over 180 unique NPCs are now in the game, playing major and minor roles in the game plots, as well as many having their own sidequests. Almost all have partial voice-acting, from our 25 voice actors.

Combat
The combat system is core-complete, having undergone some major revisions in the last 2 years. A few battle-magic spells and crafted battle-potions remain to implement- these generally require knowledge that you pick up while exploring dungeons, forests and ruins.

Open-World
The over-world is complete, including the city and its environs (forests, cemeteries, canyons). Building interiors are complete, as are most of the underground and arcane areas (caves, crypts, catacombs, realms of the dead)- some small underground regions remain to complete.

Dates & Release Plans

Development
End-2024: Core content complete - main quests and sidequests.
Feb 2025 Controllers & Steam Deck finalising & certifying.
March 2025: Completion of voice and ambient sound.
April 2025: Completion of additional narrative and open-world side content.
May 2025: Completion of Battle-magic and Potions.

Testing
Balancing (trust and tension systems, skillchecks, combats) to run Feb-May 2025.
Coverage playtests to run Feb-April 2025.

Release
May 2025: Release-Announcement Trailer
May 2025: New Demo (with unseen content)
June 2025: Steam NextFest
Late June/early July 2025: Game Release.

Couchpotato spotted a development update for the scifi-RPG Within the Cosmos:

November 2024 Development Update

Hey everyone,

I want to start by addressing the recent silence since the game was supposed to launch a few weeks ago. I know many of you have been eagerly awaiting the release of Within the Cosmos, and I truly appreciate the support and patience you’ve shown over the years.

When I tried to launch the game on the 29th of October, I encountered unexpected issues with the final build. After several late nights, nights where I didn't sleep at all, and pushing myself hard to hit that release date, I was completely drained, mentally and physically. Encountering build issues when I was ready to launch just drained everything I had left in me. I tried to power through a bit more, but I simply couldn't. I'm sorry for that. I had to take a break. I made a quick announcement on Twitter, but I should have posted here too. That’s on me, and I’m truly sorry if that felt like I was ignoring this wonderful community. You all deserve better communication than what I provided.

The break was necessary for me to get back to a place where I can finish this game properly. I’ve used that time to regroup and get my mind in a better mental state. After taking a few weeks off, I finally feel refreshed, and I'm fully committed to getting this game across the finish line.

As for the games launch, rather than announcing a new release date and risking a delay for the millionth time, I’ve decided to keep things under wraps and just do a surprise launch very soon. My goal is to ensure that when it does go live, it’s as polished as it can be, so you can jump in and enjoy it without any issues.

I understand that your trust has been shaken by the previous delays and missed dates. That's totally my fault. I feel like things never went as planned during the development of my game. The journey to completing this game has been difficult with a VERY steep learning curve along the way. It has been a very long time since my initial Steam Greenlight submission until now, but I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has stuck with me through all the ups and downs. Your support means more to me than I can ever possibly express.

Thank you for your patience. I’m excited for you to finally experience Within the Cosmos, and I’m going to do my absolute best to deliver something you’ll truly enjoy.

- debdev

The Wild Walker Class DLC for Zoria: Age of Shattering has been released:

This DLC contains a new class, the Wild Walker

The Wild Walker is a master of the natural world, channelling the raw forces of nature to protect, destroy, and empower. Wild Walkers can summon ferocious spirit animals to fight alongside them, turning the tide of battle with their relentless ferocity. Beyond their bond with nature’s creatures, the Wild Walker commands the elements themselves. With a flick, they can summon devastating storms, calling lightning bolts to strike down their enemies or stirring up tempestuous winds to hinder their foes.

Trait Ability — Nature's Blessing
When the Wild Walker is in the party, the health regenerated after a combat is finished is increased by 10%.

Resting Bonus
Incantations and whispers spoken around the campfire will increase the resistance to Fire, Water and Nature by 25 for 15 minutes.

This is a DPS/Support class that can deal physical and magical damage, and can also buff and light-heal its allies.

[...]

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PC Gamer thinks Drova - Forsaken Kin is a hidden gem:

This Gothic-inspired RPG indie is shaping up to be my favourite hidden gem of 2024

Drova is a handcrafted pixel art RPG with more freedom than most of this year's big blockbuster RPGs.

I know I'm not alone in feeling a bit adrift post-Baldur’s Gate 3. No RPG since has offered the rewarding exploration of Larian’s modern classic, nor the satisfaction of developing a character from mangy loser into unstoppable powerhouse. So I approached Drova with unfair scepticism. This modest looking pixel art RPG released last month and has flown under the mainstream radar, though it's already amassed a strong cult following and a very busy subreddit. I’m not saying it’s the next Baldur’s Gate 3—far from it—but it rewards exploration and novel approaches to problem solving, which is more than can be said for any blockbuster RPG I've played this year.

[...]

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GamingBolt gives an overview of STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl:

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl - 12 Things You Need To Know BEFORE YOU PURCHASE

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Daniel Albu interviewed Jane Jensen:

A Conversation with Jane Jensen (Gabriel Knight / Gray Matter / King's Quest VI / Police Quest 3)

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Couchpotato spotted a Metal Slug Tactics interview on Game Rant:

Metal Slug Tactics Interview: How to Make a Tactics Game Feel Like Metal Slug

Metal Slug Tactics is the latest addition to the legendary Metal Slug series, and rather than joining its predecessors as a sidescrolling shooter, this franchise entry is a turn-based tactical roguelike with a refreshing approach to the traditionally slow-paced genre. The team at Leikir Studio sought to channel Metal Slug's fast-paced sidescrolling by centering the game around its movement system, and the result is a tactics game with unique qualities and a game that feels distinctly Metal Slug.

[...]

Q: Metal Slug is typically known for its sidescrolling shooter gameplay. What inspired you to make a Metal Slug tactics game instead?

A: When we talked with our publisher, Dotemu, it was after quite a long time of wanting to work together. In the past, Dotemu had already worked with SNK, so everyone was trying to find a project we could all work on together. But it’s not that easy because a lot of SNK’s great games are in the fighting genre, and you really need to be a studio specializing in fighting games to make one of those.

[...]

Crate Entertainment announced a Grim Dawn livestream on November 25.

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Couchpotato spotted the Fall update for Sacred Fire:

Fall Update

Act 3 Testing Progress, Title Assassinations and Music Variability

Hello everyone,

To celebrate Sacred Fire's participation in the Czech and Slovak Games Week, we’ve prepared a historically low discount of 33% and another short development update.

While we continue to add more bits of Act 3, we’re also going to be testing quite a few new things in today’s update to the testing build:

Role-playing

The player character has always been able to use insights to spread rumors about characters and weaken their renown. To add another layer of consequence to your choices, if feeling angered or betrayed, characters from your community can now spread rumors about you to weaken the strength of your titles (epithets like ‘the Strong’, or ‘the Swift’).

[...]

Couchpotato spotted a new patch for Drova - Forsaken Kin:

Patch 1.0.6 is live

Dear explorers of the Otherworld!

We have just released patch version 1.0.6. This contains various bug fixes and minor improvements.
Exactly 1 month ago we released Drova and a lot has happened in that time. Thanks to all of you. Thank you for your feedback, your kind words and for playing Drova.
We try to respond to all feedback, so please understand if we don't reply immediately. We try to read everything.

We are currently working on the feedback patch that will be released at the end of November.
We are looking forward to releasing it soon and are eagerly awaiting your feedback.

Have fun with Drova and have a nice weekend,
Just2D

Patchnotes

[...]

WolfheartFPS checked out S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2:

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl - Do Not Miss This Open-World Survival "RPG"...

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Ephemera looks back at  the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, movie and novel:

Why STALKER Matters: A Retrospective Documentary

Why does STALKER matter? This retrospective documentary will explore the themes and connections between the game series, the Soviet-era Tarkovsky movie, the original Roadside Picnic novel, as well as the real Stalker subculture of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. Into the Zone. Good hunting, Stalkers.

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Ye Old Entertainment checked out five Card Battlers:

Five more card battler deckbuilders to add to the tier maker list. Some are your recommendations!

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Couchpotato spotted a new Liegecraft devlog:

Liegecraft || Illustrating vassal with commentary || DEVLOG #2

Mortismal Gaming presents the final update of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous:

Pathfinder: WotR - Gold Dragon Update (Final Content Update)

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The story-driven RPG The Starbites has been announced for 2025:

The Starbites

Starbites is a story-driven RPG set on the war-torn, ruined planet of "Bitter." In this adventure, you will strengthen your partner Mecha and meet various allies while growing throughout the story. You play as Lukida, a rookie debris collector scavenging spaceship parts and relics in Delight City. Together with the laid-back, kind-hearted drinker Gwendol and the calm engineer Badger, who solidly supports the duo, you'll embark on a thrilling adventure.

RPGFan reviewed the remaster of Horizon Zero Dawn:

Review: Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered

Horizon Zero Dawn made a splash in 2017. Full of surprise, mystery, and AAA-production value, gamers near and far adored this new intellectual property. Being a new IP is risky business, especially with the sort of budget this title had. When sequels and reboots are the soup of the decades, a publisher (Sony) really needs to have faith in the team and project. Which leads us to the Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered! Is this worth your time and money? Kind of!

Aloy, our lead protagonist, is an orphan under the care of an outcast, which makes her an outcast. The setting is a harsh world in which humans survive in low-tech tribes amongst animal machines. Up until recently, the machines and humans lived with a quiet understanding, but something has begun to corrupt the machines as they aggress on humans and their territories. We get to see Aloy grow up and try to earn her way back into this new, old civilization, but wouldn’t ya know it? Something turns everything on its head.

[...]

In a word, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is stunning. If you missed this title because you didn’t have a PlayStation 4, then this is a worthwhile purchase. Don’t expect this to be Forbidden West-caliber, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’ve already played Zero Dawn, this is much harder to recommend unless you’re a super fan. The remaster undoubtedly looks better, but I’m not sure this warrants shelling out the cash or investing precious time, unless you’ve been meaning to give this game another go.

Score: 82/100