Couchpotato spotted the second part of the Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era FAQ:

FAQ: Part 2

Welcome to the Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era FAQ: Part 2! Here, you'll find answers to additional questions about the game, its features, and more. If you missed Part 1, you can check it out here.

How long will the campaign be? Will there be campaign-only heroes?
Our aim is to release the first 8 missions of the campaign with EA, though keep in mind this is still subject to change. Right now we cannot estimate how long these will take, as some of you may try to speedrun them. However, we do still expect many hours of gameplay for everyone that will take on this challenge! There will indeed be campaign-only heroes that will not be present in skirmish games.

Will we see some previously known characters to be present, I hope we'll see their forefathers or maybe some long-living ones, will that be the case?
Indeed, it makes sense for some characters to be alive at the time when OE happens — the undead, vampires, elementals, and maybe some extremely long-lived elves. And, indeed, some other characters may have ancestors. One faction in Olden Era happens to say “thank Forefathers” (instead of “thank gods” and the likes), and that’s for a reason! So you will see some familiar or semi-familiar faces.
But generally, we want to focus on characters who happen to be more of a blank slate. This game is such an interesting opportunity to create a backstory for characters that didn’t have it at all!

Will the slow late game be solved/shortened somehow? In the late game, players are endlessly chasing weak enemy heroes but can hardly have some tough matched combats. How will you fix this?
This topic is a bit too broad to be conveyed in the FAQ. In short, we’re aware of the issue and are working on ways to solve it. For example, some templates and maps have unique win conditions designed to create a faster endgame. Such win conditions are optional, which means that players will be able to choose their preferred play dynamic. We can also mention that there will be a timer, for both turns and the battle itself that you can toggle, as well as a shorter 1 hero mode.

Will different towns have different maximum mage guild level? Like Stronghold had 3 maximum levels and Tower had 5 maximum levels in HoMM III.
Yes. Also, mage guilds in different towns will have different specializations and a different chance to receive various spells. There will be a separate devlog about mage guilds in the future, where you will learn a lot more about the mechanics present in Heroes of Might & Magic Olden Era.

[...]

Player Choices in Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Decisions, decisions...

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is all about tough choices - so we put together this graphic to see which stories our community told!

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

Which paths did you take?

[...]

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Learn more about the gameplay cards of Flint: Treasure of Oblivion:

Dive into Flint’s Gameplay - Cards

Ahoy there!

Gotta play your cards right to gain the upper hand in combat! Whether it’s to galvanize your crew, immobilize your enemies or have another chance after a fail, always remember to keep an ace up your sleeve just in case.

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Gamesradar checked out Avowed:

Big Preview: Avowed – Exclusive access and hands-on impressions of Xbox's first must-play RPG of 2025

With access to Obsidian's studio and hours spent playing Avowed, we dive-deep into one of the biggest video games of next year

Avowed is quickly shaping up to be Xbox's first big hitter in 2025, and a major landmark for RPG fans. While developer Obsidian Entertainment have released great games since they were bought by Microsoft back in 2018, those of us who have adored the studio since Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2, Fallout: New Vegas, and Pillars of Eternity have been desperate to see what the studio could accomplish with a full-on Xbox exclusive RPG, and with all the blockbuster power that comes with it.

It goes without saying that when we got the call to visit Obsidian Entertainment HQ in Irvine, California, we jumped at the opportunity to neglect the sunshine and instead stay indoors pouring over every facet of Avowed available to us. That means talking to the great RPG developers responsible for this rather unique and funky fungal take on the genre, and, of course, spending many hours with the opening of the game. We get into it all, from getting started with questing, meeting the companions, the combat, and more – all while discussing it all with the many individual developers that have been crafting it.

[...]

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Rogue Trader is one year old:

Birthday report from Abelard

Lord Captain!

Today is a special day for us. Exactly one year ago, we embarked on the perilous journey across the Koronus Expanse. On this occasion, allow your faithful Seneschal to recall the heroic deeds you have accomplished this year!

Happy Birthday, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader!

Let us know in the comments how many of our memes you spotted in the video!

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Learn more about the Crossbowman class of Wartales:

Crossbowman: Class Overview

Greetings Mercenaries,

Your eyes do not deceive you: crossbows are coming to Wartales, for free!
As a bit of context for newcomers, crossbows have probably been the most requested (or at least way up there) feature since early access. We know a lot of you have waited a long time to see them added to the game, and we thank you for your patience!
We are happy with the current design and wanted to share a little introduction to the class ahead of their addition in a free update on December 10th, the same day as The Skelmar Invasion release.

Unlike traditional crossbow mechanics, which often alternate between firing and reloading every other turn, this class uses a unique "Loaded" and "Empty" system. When the crossbow is "Loaded" it can fire. After firing, it becomes "Empty" and needs to reload before it can fire again.

The dexterity-based class starts with a basic “Shoot” attack that can be replaced with a new attack at level three. For example, the Multi-Shot attack deals damage to the target and attacks one additional time for each “Reload” this unit has performed in the same turn.

A “Reload” can be triggered multiple times in the same turn thanks to passive skills that are unlocked as your Crossbowman levels up or that are tied to the crossbow itself, this is unlike any other weapon in Wartales as they all have attack skills tied to them.

At level five, these passive skills build upon the "Reload" mechanic by introducing effects or bonuses triggered by reloading, how often the unit reloads, or whether the unit is in a "Loaded" state at the end of its turn. At level eight, the skills introduce new ways to trigger reloading such as applying status effects, landing critical hits, or using different abilities. The right skills can lead to deadly combos.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that the Crossbowman must maintain its distance with enemies like its ranged cousin the archer. The class can equip medium (and light) armour, and if paired with the right passives and weapon, can get up close and personal to devastating effect.

The Crossbowman is a versatile and dynamic addition to the mercenary roster that can shift the momentum of an engagement.

Once again mercenaries, we thank you for your feedback and can’t wait to see what interesting builds and combinations you’ll be able to create with the new class!

Don’t forget to join our Wartales community on Discord, Reddit, as well as follow us on BlueSky, Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date with the latest news.

- Shiro Games

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IGN explains the enhanced combat system of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

How Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Evolves Its Combat

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 had a weighty task to spar with: following up on one of the most in-depth, skill-based, historically-inspired melee combat systems to ever slice its way into the RPG world. But it's no secret that it was an uphill battle just to become competent with the first game's complex directional strikes and precisely-timed blocks. Plenty of players bounced off of those demanding skill requirements. But the technical demands of the combat, and the feeling of getting better as a player, were also a huge part of what made it great.

Warhorse's goal for the sequel, then, was twofold. They wanted to lower the skill floor required to play competently – without getting your butt handed to you in a cloth sack by any random bandit – but also raise the skill ceiling required to take on the very most unforgiving optional challenges. In terms of the story, this checks out. Henry was a complete nobody in KCD1, but by the time the sequel begins, he's been an aspiring swordsman for quite a while now. It wouldn't really make sense for him to still be struggling against poorly-trained opponents.

On Your Left…
The first way this is obvious is that KCD1's five attack directions have been reduced to four: up, down, left, and right. Swords use all four, but not all weapons do. Polearms, for instance, generally only have three, which is something to consider when choosing a fighting style. KCD1 also had two different attack buttons: slash and stab. In KCD2, all basic attacks are generally slashing. Thrusts still exist as part of multi-hit combos, but only on weapons where they make sense. You won't be poking people with the tip of a blunt weapon like a mace, for instance.

[...]

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Mortismal Gaming checked out Path of Exile 2:

Check Out: Path of Exile 2

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Like every week the RPG Crawler sums up the computer and tabletop RPG news:

RPG News Roundup (12-7-2024)

Couchpotato spotted a new Of Ash and Steel Q&A:

Q&A with the Devs №2

Greetings, adventurers!

Thank you for all the questions you left for us on Steam and Discord for Of Ash and Steel. Welcome to Part 2 of the Q&A Session!

Q: Will the main story be divided into chapters?
A: Yes!

Q: Will there be multiple endings?
A: There will be one main ending, but the world’s final state will reflect your choices, making the conclusion feel unique to your playthrough.

Q: Subterranean exploration: Will there be mines, ruins, or keeps in the rock?
A: Oh, yes! Expect dungeons, underwater caves, abandoned temples, mines, and crypts. Bring a torch — you’ll need it!

Q: What kind of magic will the game have? Are there schools of magic, or is it limited to support magic/melee-magician hybrid styles?
A: Magic works similarly to how Jedi use the Force in Star Wars games or how Geralt uses signs in The Witcher.

Q: Will there be secondary abilities such as alchemy, blacksmithing, or horsemanship?
A: Absolutely! Hunting, leatherworking, alchemy, blacksmithing, armor reinforcement, weapon sharpening, fishing, and more. As for blacksmithing, you can even become a master smith and create unique swords from special metal using your own designs: choosing sword parts, accessories, and even customizing the scabbard to your liking. And then you can upgrade it all further!

[...]

PC Gamer showed a trailer for the tactical RPG Chains of Freedom:

Chains of Freedom World Premiere Trailer – PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted 2024

Step into a thrilling turn-based tactics game set in a fictional, dystopian Eastern European state. Lead an elite military squad as you navigate perilous missions filled with danger, deceit, and moral dilemmas.

As you delve deeper into a conspiracy threatening your nation, engage in high-stakes tactical combat that demands precision with every move. Arm your team with a variety of weapons and gear, adapt their skills to meet ever-changing challenges, and confront intense missions that push your resolve to its limits. Uncover the truth in a world where the nation’s fate lies in your hands.

Turn-Based Combat
Meticulously plan each move in high-stakes tactical battles, where every decision shapes the outcome. Leverage your squad’s unique abilities to outmaneuver and outgun your enemies.

Gripping Storyline
Unravel a complex plot involving a rogue scientist, mind control serums, and a government teetering on the edge of collapse. Navigate through layers of conspiracy and betrayal to protect your nation.

Gear Up for Survival
Outfit your squad with an array of weapons, ranging from meat hooks and axes to flamethrowers and mortars, and enhance your characters with unique abilities by mixing and matching biocrystals found in the world. Scavenge for ammo and make use of diverse consumables, such as healing kits and Molotov cocktails, to adapt and thrive in a world under constant threat.

Post-Apocalyptic World
Explore the mysterious and atmospheric regions of a fictional post-apocalyptic Eastern Europe, from grimy, abandoned urban landscapes to hidden forest laboratories and fortified military bases.

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The Turn Based Lovers already made a list of the turn-based games of 2025:

Turn-Based RPGs of 2025: Release Dates and Platforms

Just like I did for 2024, here’s the article you’ll want to keep bookmarked in your browser and check back on regularly to stay up-to-date on all the major releases in turn-based RPGs and Strategy Games.

This article will be constantly updated, covering RPGs, strategy games, and even roguelites that feature certain mechanics. Here’s what to keep in mind about the list below:

• The list will be updated frequently.
• You’ll find the best turn-based RPGs, strategy games and roguelites
• Includes both indie and AAA titles.
• Early Access debuts are also listed.
• Covers PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

Some minor errors in release dates are inevitable, as schedules often change, and I might not always be able to update them in real-time. The same goes for platform availability.

Want to help keep the list accurate? Feel free to email me at info@turnbasedlovers.com with corrections or even suggestions for games I might have missed.

At the moment, only a handful of official release dates have been announced. For the most part, this is a list of titles expected to launch at some point in 2025. As time goes on, I’ll add more precise dates and platform details. With that said, here’s a look at the most exciting releases for 2025.

[...]

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PC Gamer reports that the Fallout London mod gets a DLC:

Fallout: London, the DLC-sized Fallout 4 mod, is getting DLC of its own

The next patch was getting pretty huge, so Team Folon decided to go all-in.

Fallout: London, the Fallout 4 mega-mod that brings the post-nuclear experience to the British Isles, is getting DLC of its own. Developer Team Folon said the next patch for the mod has gotten a little out of hand, so the team has decided to roll with something more ambitious.

"What started as a simple hotfix has grown into something much bigger," the studio said on the Fallout: London Discord. "Given the scope of this update, we're aware it may make changes that impact save files, so rather than risking breaking things for a small update, we're looking to roll this into a part of our very first DLC!"

[...]

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Game Developer reports that Dragon Quest 3's HD-2D remake sold 2 million copies.

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Couchpotato spottred a new trailer for the action RPG Empyreal:

Empyreal Silent Games TRAILER - PC Gaming Show Most Wanted 2024

Couchpotato spotted a gameplay trailer for MENACE:

MENACE - Gameplay Trailer - Pirate Attack | Sci-Fi Tactical RPG

The fantasy RPG Legends of Awen: Rise of The Fianna has been announced:

Rise of The Fianna World Exclusive Reveal Trailer – The PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted 2024

Legends of Awen: Rise of The Fianna is a single player, story-driven cRPG developed on Unreal 5.

Venture forth into an original medieval-fantasy world inspired by the Celtic myths, where bards invoke curses or blessings through poems and songs, druids weave powerful enchantments bound to the magic of the Shee, ritual warpaints grant supernatural abilities, and legendary weapons channel the spirits of ancient heroes.

• Step into the role of Finn, an orphan child gifted with otherworldly powers.
• Gather your party of legendary Fianna, Champions of the High Queen, and rise to become their leader!
• Embrace an epic adventure to protect the kingdom of Tara from scheming lords and supernatural forces.
• Unravel a sinister conspiration and investigate an even greater threat, buried and forgotten, craving for revenge…

Classless Character Creation
The Fianna are trained in the ways of the Bard, the Druid and the Warrior. If your Companions are more inclined to follow one of these paths, you can fully customize Finn by mixing and matching them, accessing to a wide range of skills and abilities.

Non-violent Encounter Resolution
When conflicts arise and combat seems to be the unavoidable outcome, the game shifts from real-time exploration to turn-based Encounter Mode, played out on a tactical grid. Depending on your own gameplay style, you can let your weapons and spells speak for you and take advantage by a strategic use of the environment, or you can de-escalate violence by combining specific character traits, non-lethal skills, and dialogue opportunities conditioned by your past actions.

Romanceable Companions
Forge strong bonds of friendship and engage in romance with unique companions, each with their own secrets, goals, and moral compass. Your relationships with them will weight heavily on the many decisions you make on your journey, as they may not always agree with you and could even leave your party.

Choices and Consequences
Inspired by the tabletop RPGs, we wish to emphasize the “Role” in RPG and provide you with meaningful and impactful choices. Starting from character creation, all your actions and decisions will build your Reputation and have far-reaching consequences. NPCs will notice and remember. Make your choices, and watch the world around you react to them.

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Fextralife checked out the Early Access version of Path of Exile 2:

Path of Exile 2 Early Access REVIEW - Is it the BEST ARPG of ALL TIME?

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Zenless Zone Zero version 1.4 will launch on December 18:

Zenless Zone Zero Version 1.4 "A Storm of Falling Stars" Special Program

Couchpotato spotted a Monster Hunter Wilds interview on PC Gamer:

Monster Hunter Wilds Interview with Art Director Kaname Fujioka

PC Gamer interviewed Carrie Patel about Avowed:

Avowed Quickfire Interview with Director Carrie Patel | PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted 2024

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Eurogamer interviewed game director Corinne Busche, and series creative director John Epler about Dragon Age: The Veilguard:

The big Dragon Age: The Veilguard post-release interview: "It was never going to match the Dragon Age 4 in people's minds"

The reaction, the making of, and what comes next.

There's a line at the beginning of the Dragon Age: The Veilguard art book, in an introduction by art director Matt Rhodes, where he says there was more artwork created for The Veilguard than all other Dragon Age games combined - and possibly more than the Mass Effect trilogy combined as well. Extraordinary! But then, the fourth Dragon Age game project has been extraordinary for BioWare in many ways.

It's been in development one way or another for roughly a decade, far longer than any other game BioWare has worked on. The entire Mass Effect trilogy was released in half that time, and BioWare made a whole persistent online world for Star Wars: The Old Republic in half that time. Dragon Age 4 is a project that's had three major revisions, surviving a foray into live-service multiplayer at one point. That it should eventually emerge as a single-player role-playing game at the end of it feels like a minor miracle. And now here, finally, the game is.

[...]

Eurogamer: We're roughly a month after launch now so some of the dust and nerves have settled. How did you find the launch period as people's opinions and reviews were rolling in?

Corinne Busche: The biggest thing I was feeling was a sense of curiosity. We get so close to the work - we're focused on the day-to-day of it - and of course we're playing and we're mindful of the overall experience. We know what we've got. But there's something, even when you go through preview events, or you have smaller hands-on demos - there's nothing quite like players getting it in their hands, or reviewers playing through the game for the first time. You're always curious, right. Of course, we've poured a lot of ourselves into the game, but I find, for myself, a sense of trying to let go of the personal investment and just step back and absorb what everyone else then has to say about the game experience. So for me it's curiosity.

John Epler: I'd say for me probably relief was definitely at the top of my list. I've been on the project for a very long time and there were definitely times in development where, especially early on, it felt like this day would never come. So the fact that it came out felt amazing.

I also thought it was interesting reading the reviews to see just the variety of what people were engaging with, what people were bouncing off of, maybe, and pulling some of that feedback early on. Because again, as Corinne says, we're so close to the game, so close to the project that it's hard to take that step back and look at it through that lens. So seeing other people look at it through that lens was really great.

To Corinne's other point: curiosity definitely there too. But for me: relief that it's out, relief that the reviews were coming in fairly well, and excitement for fans to get their hands on it and to start to see how they were going to react to it.

[...]

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Couchpotato spotted a new Dune Awakening trailer on PC Gamer:

Dune Awakening Trailer and Developer Message | PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted 2024

Couchpotato spotted a new Atomfall trailer on PC Gamer:

Atomfall New Gameplay Trailer | PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted 2024

Chrono Sword will be released into Early Access today:

Chrono Sword - Introducing the action elements

The action RPG Path of Exile 2 will be released into Early Access today:

Path of Exile 2 Early Access - 1 Million Redemptions!

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II will be delivered a little bit earlier on February 4, 2025.

Here's the story trailer:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Official Story Trailer

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Couchpotato spotted a new trailer for Shadow of the Road:

Enjoy the brand-new trailer!

Samurai!

Lots of things have been happening recently, and we barely have time to share everything with you. We still have a lot of work to do, but we are so glad to see how our dreams come true and Shadow of the Road becomes what we always envisioned it to be. We hope that the final result will bring you the same delight and pleasure that we get from working on the game. We will share more news soon, but today we are excited to reveal the brand-new trailer!

Take a look at what we’ve been working on lately and look closely — there are a lot of hints! Enjoy the trailer:

Also we are actively working on the new visual identity, tell us in the comment section — what do you think about the new key-art?

And last, but not least: we are honored to be a part of Isometric Sale in the upcoming section - wishlist Shadow of the Road right now!

Join our Discord server to make sure you don’t miss out on any good stuff.

Mortismal Gaming looks back at one year of Rogue Trader:

WH40k: Rogue Trader - One Year Later

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GINX TV interviewed Neil Newbon about Baldur's Gate 3:

Neil Newbon Shares Baldur's Gate 3 Friendships and Franchise Story

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The Chinese Room posted a new developer diary for VtM: Bloodlines 2:

Sounds of Seattle

Developer Diary #23

Hello everybody, today we return with another audio-focused Dev Diary. We’ll be talking about sound design and implementation, with a specific view on the less obvious aspects that go into this. Our hearing is sometimes described as our ‘shadow sense’ – sound and listening by and large affect and work at the subconscious level. Our ears are never turned off; even when we are asleep, our ears and brains continue processing sounds. For sound design, this means that a lot of our work is designed to be subtle and go unnoticed.

So in this Dev Diary, us at The Chinese Room’s audio team want to explain the processes and thinking that go into designing sounds and audio systems that one might take for granted: environmental audio, UI sound design, player traversal, combat and the mix process. These all contribute to making the world of Bloodlines 2 feel alive and believable. There is a lot of craft and passion that goes into getting even the smallest of details just right, so I’m proud to let some of the audio team members have the opportunity to show and discuss their work in progress.
-Audio Director Daan Hendriks

[...]

[...]

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The J-RPG Fantasian Neo Dimension will be released today:

FANTASIAN Neo Dimension Launch Trailer

Embark on an adventure to discover your memories and save the world from a mechanical infection. Maneuver your skill trajectories during battle, and dive into a new dimension with a unique twist on a classic RPG experience.

Dustgrave: A Sandbox RPG will be released into Early Access today:

What's going to be in Dustgrave EA Release?

As Dustgrave’s Early Access release approaches, we wanted to share with you more details about what you’ll find in the current version of the game and what our plans for the future are!
Our ambitious goal with Dustgrave is to create a deep and vast RPG Sandbox experience, focusing on player’s freedom and the impact of choices on the game’s world. We focused on creating the core gameplay features and the codebase we needed to handle thousands of entities, so that now we can efficiently add content to the game, following your feedback and ensuring all plausible narrative paths are open to players.

Here’s what you can expect to find in the imminent release:

• More than 15 settlements, that will dynamically change to reflect their wealth, who rules over them, or which major events are affecting them.
• 6 Classes and 14 Skill Trees to experiment with. More than a hundred equipment pieces to create your perfect build.
• 4 political Factions, 3 criminal Factions, and 2 minor Factions. You’ll be able to join all political and criminal factions, gaining access to unique quests and gear, but also drastically affecting how NPCs in the world will see you.
• 50 Different dynamic quests, with content that adapts to the current context to offer a varied and consistent experience.
• 160 different event Records that track what happens in the world, affecting relationships with characters and factions, with special attention to your choices and their consequences.
• A stealth system allowing you to steal, lockpick, pickpocket, and start fights with an advantage.

According to the QA sessions we did, Dustgrave already offers 15-30 hours of playtime for a single playthrough, depending on how many towns are visited and with how many factions you want to develop solid relationships.
What are Dustgrave’s future steps? We already collected a lot of feedback with the Prologue and the QA sessions we did, and after the EA release we will closely follow discussions on Steam and Discord to determine our priorities. Optimization and bugfixes will always be on the top of the list, but right after those we will collect your opinions and ideas to focus the development on what the community wants to see in Dustgrave.

During the Early Access, we’ll drastically increase the game’s content, with particular care devoted to the following aspects:

• Making the World Map feel more alive and engaging, adding local and worldwide events and allowing minor quests to be done dynamically with encounters on the map.
• Adding a ton of dynamic quests, especially when it comes to unique content for factions and late-game content, the latter of which is completely absent for now. Following the feedback we received, we also want to add more minor and major quests that can be done in the same location, to avoid constant traveling in and out of levels.
• Expanding the current Classes and Skills selection, integrating new features in the combat and improving what’s already available.
• Giving more content to companions, allowing you to develop relationships with them and doing quests to help them with their personal stuff.

Thank you for your support and please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts and opinions. We mean it when we say we plan on including player suggestion!

The roguelike Caves of Qud will leave Early Access today:

1.0 pre-Launch Information

Dromad Deluxe edition, speedrunning contest and merch

Hey friends,

Caves of Qud 1.0 comes out in just over a week, on December 5th! It’s been an emotional and exciting time and the team has been hard at work with all the finishing touches on the update. We wanted to share some info about what you can expect on launch day.

Dromad Deluxe Edition

The 1.0 version of Caves of Qud launches alongside the Dromad Deluxe edition, which includes Caves of Qud, the newly enhanced soundtrack now with over 2 hours of music, and the Pets of Harvest Dawn DLC pack with in-game companions to start the game with. And most importantly, if you purchase the Dromad Deluxe edition, you get a special, shiny, dromad badge on your main menu screen!

If you already own Caves of Qud, don’t worry; you can complete the Dromad Deluxe bundle by purchasing the OST and Harvest Dawn pet pack separately.

[...]

IGN checked out Kingdom Come: Deliverance II:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 - Exclusive In-Depth Hands-On

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Couchpotato spotted a Monster Hunter Wilds preview on RPG Site:

Monster Hunter Wilds is brilliant - and it might be the most full-on RPG the series has ever been - hands-on

When we write about Monster Hunter on this website, inevitably the comment comes: “that isn’t an RPG!” And, you know, though the defining lines are fuzzy and honestly who really cares, I totally get where people are coming from. But Capcom has always called these games Action RPGs - it’s just that there has always been a greater emphasis on the Action. With the latest entry, however, Monster Hunter might just be more of an RPG than it has ever been before.

When I sit down to play a generous six-hour preview of the upcoming Monster Hunter Wilds, there’s a curious wrinkle to the setup: there’s no co-operative play available. This isn’t some strategic play by Capcom to show off the single-player chops of the latest entry, I’m told. I and a handful of other media are playing the game a good two and a half months before release, and the truth is getting the preview machines running non-final versions of the game linked up for co-op proved a logistical nightmare - so each hunter had to go it alone. Capcom representatives were apologetic - but this is the sort of thing that ultimately proves to be a happy accident.

You see, playing Monster Hunter Wilds like this really really underlines some of the subtler changes made to the game that make it feel more like a ‘traditional’ RPG. You can feel the influence of something like The Witcher 3 in its structure - and the result is compelling.

Don’t get me wrong. Under the hood, this is the same old Monster Hunter. To dip into cliché, if you played Monster Hunter World, you’ll be right at home in Wilds. Everything about Wilds is a continuation of the brilliant groundwork laid out in World, which in 2018 served as a dramatic audience-expanding soft reboot of sorts; the perfect entry point for newcomers. Millions of newbies dutifully joined the hunt. Now, the parameters remain largely the same - but everything has been ever so slightly stretched to draw full potential from the concepts.

[...]

Couchpotato spotted a new development update for Xenonauts 2:

Xenonauts 2 Monthly Development Update!

Hello everyone - it's time for the November development update for Xenonauts 2. Read on to see what we were working on last month!

Milestone 5 Prototype Update
November was a productive month for us. All the core systems for Milestone 5 are now complete and we're currently in the process of testing the initial prototype, which we'll hopefully be releasing onto the Experimental branch later this week.

As always, the first Experimental build for a new Milestone is likely to be a pretty rough experience - although all the major new gameplay mechanics are present there'll probably be a lot of bugs, balance issues, and missing pieces of content that need to be patched in. If you'd rather have a more polished experience then it'd be best to wait until the final version of Milestone 5 arrives on the standard branch early next year!

Before we move on, I just want to be clear - although players will be able to unlock the final mission and complete the campaign once Milestone 5 is out, this will not be the final update for Xenonauts 2. We still want to add more polish to the game, so we're planning another major update before the 1.0 release.

The Testing Process
Most of our work this month has been addressing the numerous gameplay and stability issues encountered in our testing. Each new batch of fixes has allowed us to play further into the game, and we're currently testing the last month or two of the campaign (so fighting Battleships and doing the final mission).

So far we've been doing "strategic" playthroughs that involve auto-winning the tactical battles for speed (the average campaign is 30+ missions), but once we confirm it's possible to complete a "strategic" playthrough we'll shift to playing a full campaign including the tactical missions. Most game-breaking stability / balance issues tend to occur on the strategy layer, so hopefully this will go smoothly - but whether we release the prototype this week as planned really comes down to how many issues we encounter.

One major benefit of this testing is that all of these campaign playthroughs have given us plenty of opportunity to playtest and iterate the new strategy mechanics. We actually found the first iteration of the new Geoscape mechanics weren't quite as engaging as we'd hoped, so we expanded them a bit more and came up with something stronger! Speaking of which...

Updated Geoscape Mechanics
I personally think the updated Geoscape mechanics are a major improvement on what we have before, giving the player more things to interact with and a wider selection of possible strategies without being too overwhelming.

Players now gain a certain number of Operations Points per day (representing the off-screen work carried out Xenonaut agents), which can be spent on Strategic Operations or recruiting Supporters. Strategic Operations provide powerful instant effects, such as allowing the player to reduce Panic in a specific region or receive some extra cash / alien materials. They are not the most efficient way to spend Operations Points, but can still be very useful in the right circumstances!

Each of the six funding regions contains four Supporters, which represent key figures in the local government who can become aligned with either the Xenonauts or the Aliens. If they fall under Alien control and become Infiltrators (usually caused by successful Infiltration UFO missions), they will generate additional Panic in the local region each month - but if convinced to join the Xenonauts they will instead slightly reduce Panic in that region each month and provide a permanent bonus to your organisation.

Additionally, each region has a unique "region bonus" that is unlocked if you recruit all the supporters in that region (e.g. the North America bonus improves the quality of your starting soldiers, while the Soviet Russia one reduces your upkeep costs, etc). However, most regions also contain a single Elite Supporter who provides double the bonus of other Supporters of the same type; prioritising recruiting these Elite Supporters from the various different regions can be an alternative to racing towards a specific region bonus.

Although I think these additions work well, my own personal opinion only counts for so much - we'll be really interested to hear what the community think of the new systems once the prototype is out!

Other Additions
We also had time to work on a few miscellaneous things this month. Firstly, the tactical combat now properly supports objects falling, so we've been able to enable destruction on building roofs. Explosions can now collapse these and cause units and items to fall onto the level below.

The illustration work is now complete on the updated Research screen background art, and this month we'll be creating the "advanced" versions of this that are unlocked as you progress through the game and gain access to more advanced technology.

We're continuing to revamp the visuals of some of the weaker parts of the tactical combat. We started work on some new models for the Sebillian aliens, and we've also updated the appearance of quite a few assets in the Farm biome. Neither of these updates are currently present in Milestone 5 but both should be patched in before we finalise it.

We've made some further AI improvements and written some custom AI for the new missions added in Milestone 5, one of which is a wave defence mission. A few updated sounds have been added to the tactical combat for the new Biter alien, and also some new unique movement sounds for the MARS / ARES / Sentry Gun vehicles.

We also set up the proper Game Over screen for the various types of victory and loss. The final victory cinematic isn't ready yet, but the new UI has unique art / text / music / campaign stats / etc so still it's a lot more atmospheric than the plain popup you got in earlier versions of the game.

That's it for this month - stay tuned for the Milestone 5 prototype, and we'll be back with another update in the new year! Happy holidays!

Learn more about the unarmed combat of Flint: Treasure of Oblivion:

Dive into Flint’s Gameplay - Unarmed Combat

Ahoy there!

Sometimes, there comes a time when you just can’t find a weapon to teach ruffians some respect. Luckily, your good ol’ fists can do the talking instead!

Couchpotato spotted a Grim Dawn dev update:

Grim Misadventure #187 - Wights Arise

The ancient conflicts of the Kurn have scarred the land, and its champions. Learn about Wights, the tormented fallen heroes of the Kurn, in today's dev update!

Saturn features now voice acting from GameVoice:

Saturn now has voice acting from GamesVoice!

Saturn features new voice acting from GamesVoice.

The game features new voice acting created by GamesVoice. The game's heroes have acquired the voices of Thor, Scarlet Witch, Johnny Silverhand and other legendary characters. The amount of work is comparable to the duration of three full-length films!

Characters who have received voice acting:

Akim Kovalev - a slightly melancholic, but stubborn and determined protagonist. Voiced by Ilya Bledny, who previously voiced Johnny Silverhand from the game "Cyberpunk 2077".

David Dvorkin - Akim's childhood friend, a cheerful big guy, but a terrible curmudgeon who will not give even a friend a discount on his goods. He was voiced by Ivan Zharkov, who voices Thor from the Marvel films.

Andrey Lykov - a lively guy who values ​​high waves in the sea almost as much as science. His voice was provided by Gleb Gavrilov, who previously voiced Joffrey Baratheon from the Game of Thrones series.

Elena is a famous pop singer who traded the Reflection capsule for the stage in the past. She was voiced by Ulyana Chebotar, who voiced June Mindy from the film Don't Look Up.

Wang Shi is the head of the ARKA space research department. Over the years of working in Russia, she already speaks Russian without an accent. Her voice was provided by Anna Kisileva, who previously voiced the Scarlet Witch from the Marvel films.

Chong Ju is the head of the largest department of the Chinese Huangdi in Russia, Sochi, a stern and pedantic manager. He has learned Russian perfectly, but in moments of excitement, an accent sometimes slips through. He was voiced by Danil Shcheblanov, who voices Ryan Gosling.

Professor Gavrilov is the creator of the "Reflection" program, a charismatic but very harmful former mentor of Akim, who values ​​high science and the attention and awards that come with it, but thinks little about the people around him. His voice was provided by Alexander Matrosov, who previously voiced Lobo from the game "Resident Evil 8".

And the mysterious Diana, who knows more than she tells Akim... Her secrets will have to be revealed to players, getting to know her better in the game itself. She was voiced by Christina Sherman, who voiced the Twins from the game "Atomic Heart".

The free project was made possible thanks to funding from the IRI, and you can support the developers by purchasing an exclusive soundtrack.

Immerse yourself in the atmosphere with professional voice acting and a new trailer, find out what secrets "Saturn" hides!

Thanks Couchpotato!