Boomstick Gaming checked out the tactical RPG The DioField Chronicle:

The Diofield Chronicle | Modern Successor to Final Fantasy Tactics?!

With patch 1.0.35 Telepath Tactics Liberated will get a randomizer mode:

New in Telepath Tactics Liberated: Randomizer mode!

The main campaign in Telepath Tactics Liberated can now be played in randomizer mode!

Randomizer mode mixes things up by removing the cast of characters you know and love, and swapping in a selection of procedurally generated characters with classes chosen at random. This allows you to replay the main campaign with totally different units at your disposal--you'll get a fresh experience and a different challenge every time!

You'll also find new tools to customize your characters in randomizer mode. New limited-use items let chosen characters place traps and timed charges; special books teach characters skills they wouldn't ordinarily know; and Emma can be trained into a new class of your choice a few battles into the campaign!

I've also added a couple of new achievements in for beating randomizer mode: Roller of Dice and Master of Randomness. Are you up to the challenge?

To unlock randomizer mode, simply beat the main campaign on any difficulty. The next time you go to start a new game, select The Randomizer of Emma Strider
from the list of campaigns and randomizer mode will commence! (If you've already beaten the game and received the Liberator achievement, the game will automatically detect it and unlock randomizer mode for you.)

Patch version 1.0.35

[...]

Rat Tower posted a dev update for Monomyth, with feedback on the beta and general progress information:

Monomyth - July Update

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

Another month, another update! Beta 1 is just around the corner and in the last few weeks, plenty of significant improvements have been implemented. So let's take a look at those!

Current Progress
As you know, Monomyth's beta has been out for about a month now. In this short period of time, there have been numerous hotfixes. Beta testers have been very busy reporting various problems and as a result, both major and minor bugs were corrected. One particularly nasty bug involved the functionality of NPC navigation, which, luckily, could be tracked to a simple, incorrect engine setting.

Besides fixing bugs, I have also been adding various features that would improve the overall experience of the game. NPCs will now greet the players via text messages over their heads. The same system is also used for idle chatter and combat taunts.

I have also re-introduced Offhand Actions, which were sort of a last left-over from the old codebase's feature list. This means you can now, again, press the middle mouse button and use your torch to light other torches in the game world (and set certain inflammable objects on fire as well).

Video - Offhand Actions

Some of you may have been unaware of it, but the Kickstarter demo also featured a shield-bash that could be activated in the same way. This feature is back as well, however, this time it is far more impactful. It can be used to knock enemies down or push them off ledges.

Video - Shield Bash

Combat AI has been improved as well and while it still needs work encounters are now more balanced. The rebalancing in the latest version of the game also affected weapon durability. A frequent feature request from the Kickstarter demo was the possibility to pick up the weapons dropped by enemies. This was an option in Arx Fatalis and Ultima Underworld. However, in Monomyth, this feature devalued some weapons, because of their sudden high availability. More precisely, it had an effect on the urgency of keeping an eye on your weapon's durability. This called the necessity for the durability feature into question (at least with regard to highly available weapons). Ultima Underworld circumvented this problem by permanently breaking weapons. This introduced an element of resource management into the game and reduced the effects of readily available weaponry.

I have been experimenting with a similar system in Monomyth's early game now. You can still repair your weapons at a forge, but if you don't pay attention to their durability you will risk losing them permanently. So far, at least in my experience, this little change makes the early game significantly more exciting. Obviously, this feature will be somewhat less relevant for rare weapons. These aren't readily available in the first place and some of them are indestructible anyway (they still wear off over time though, so they have to be repaired to fulfill their potential).

Video - Weapon Durability

I have also been thinking about the save system during the rebalancing process. At the moment free saving is the standard game mode on the basis of which the distribution of level-up shrines is balanced (these were originally used to save). I might actually turn this around and balance the distribution around the classic system from the Kickstarter demo. People will still have the option to turn on free saving during the character creation though.

I have also reworked the object carrying/placement system since I have noticed that players kept having problems with putting bread near a fire or into an oven. Therefore, I implemented a feature with which they can drop items from the inventory directly into their character's hands. Players can then precisely rotate and place the item with the help of a "ghost object". This is also very useful for stacking boxes.

Video - Obect Placement

Beta 1
The rest of the time, I have focused on closing the gap between the actual beginning of the game and the current beta content. This required a rework of the "Serpent's Bastion", an area you already know from the Kickstarter demo.

The patch integrating this content should be ready within the next few days. With its release, Monomyth will enter the "Beta 1" phase. Just like after the release of "Beta 0" I will then shortly focus on documenting and fixing various bugs found by the beta testers. Afterward, I will shift my focus toward working on the next beta patch. Going strictly by the plan from last month's update that would include the game's main settlement, I might, however, switch Update 2 and 3 around, since the latter still requires more work.

Either way, there is still a lot to do. I will keep you posted!

Best wishes,
Michael

Thanks Redglyph!

Elmarion: The Lost Temple has recently received a big update which added turn-based mode. Currently the game is in Early Access on Steam and 50% off.

1. Turn-based mode! A turn-based mode has been added to the game - the same as in the game Might & Magic 8. The mode is switched by the Enter key.

[...]

"Elmarion: the Lost Temple" is a real-time party-based first-person RPG in the spirit of games like Might and Magic, Wizardry, Legend of Grimrock, Diablo.The player controls a squad of 4 brave adventurers.

Each hero can be one of 8 different classes: knight, archer, fire mage, ice mage, air mage, nature mage, cleric, necromancer.

During the game, the squad explores the dungeons and clears them of monsters using a combination of different abilities of each hero.

Each class of heroes has 10 unique skills. Thus, there are 80 different skills available in the game that you can try on your enemies!

Items and Equipment: Dungeons contain many great magic weapons and armor. Try them on the heroes.

Excess items can be sold in the "village" from a merchant and with the proceeds to buy valuable potions, scrolls, armor. To quickly move to the village, the game provides portals.

The game consists of one safe village and several dungeons: main, fire, ice, air, natural and some others.

History

The king of one of the kingdoms learned about an ancient powerful artifact hidden in an abandoned temple, and sent a detachment of brave adventurers after him, promising them a generous reward for this.Purpose of the game: to get this ancient powerful artifact. 

Matt has interviewed Evan Robinson of TSR and EA fame:

Matt Chat 491: Evan Robinson of TSR and EA

Couchpotato interviewed GrapeOcean Technologies, the developer of Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness.

Link to article

A new dev log for Underrail: Infusion promises improved character models with the new engine.

Hi guys,

In this dev log, I'm going to give you a little sneak peek of what character customization will be possible in the new engine. Today, I'll only be showing and discussing male characters, but you can expect analogous customization for females as well.

As I mentioned in the previous dev log, we're now using PBR (physics based rendering) for characters. Might not be that apparent in the screenshot below, as all the characters are naked, but it'll definitely make a lot of difference once we start equipping them with gear made of different materials..

Of course, first and foremost, you'll finally be able to pick a skin color. Then you'll be able to select your hair style, beard and mustache styles and colors. Both skin and hair colors will be chosen from a predetermined list, so no orc, alien, or other unnatural silly characters will be allowed.

You'll also be able to choose a face from a predetermined list, though this will probably have the least visual impact due to the size at which models are rendered.

Characters also support having piercings, tattoos, scars and the like, but we'll see how we're going to make these accessible to player. For the most part, you'll probably not be able to choose these at characters creation, but will instead have to earn them along the way.

The most important feature, for me at least, is the body type variety. This you will not be able to pick freely, but instead, your visual body type will correspond to your physical attributes: strength, agility, and constitution. Strength will make you bigger, while agility will make you leaner. Constitution has a more complex interaction with your visual appearance as it is both a measure of physical sturdiness and endurance.

These things will also, generally, apply to the NPCs, so you'll be able to gauge their physical properties from their appearance.

That's it for now. I know a lot of you are very interested to see some environment screenshots, so hopefully we can get those out relatively soon as well. I think you'll be quite impressed with the upgrade from the previous game.

Cheers.

PCGamesN reports that Marvel's Midnight Suns has been delayed into potentially the new fiscal year.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns, the prog rock-style supergroups, has been delayed, possibly into next year. Publisher 2K says the delay will keep the game in the current fiscal year, meaning the new Marvel’s Midnight Suns release date will be sometime before March 31, 2023. 

During its quarterly earnings call, 2K said it was pushing back the launch of Marvel’s Midnight Suns in order “to ensure the teams at Firaxis Games and 2K deliver the best possible experience for our fans.” 2K’s fiscal year ends on March 31, and the publisher says it expects the game to launch before then, but did not specify a new release date. It had been scheduled to launch October 7. 

[...]

Three more reviews for for the Visual Novel/Tactical RPG Digimon Survive:

• Hardcore Gamer: Review: Digimon Survive - Score 3.5/5
• Digitaltrends: Digimon Survive review: two genres, one pretty good package - Score 3/5
• Gamepur: Digimon Survive tells a refreshingly mature story, if you’re willing to wait - Score: 7.5/10

Mortismal Gaming checked out the tactical RPG Hard West 2:

Hard West 2 - Review After 100%

The tactical RPG Tyrant's Blessing will be released today:

Tyrant's Blessing

The Tyrant landed in Tyberia bearing promises of a paradise, without war, without suffering… and without death. All Tyberians had to do in order to enter his paradise was to simply die at the hands of his Dead Army. The war was over before it even began, with thousands perishing in the Tyrant's wake, only to be brought into his fold as undying thralls, bound by magic. The few living warriors left are scattered across the remnants of their homeland, tirelessly looking for a way to turn the tables on the tyrannical Tyrant. Lead a great Uprising, defeat the Dead Army, and drive the monstrous overlord back into the depths of the sea from whence he came.

Tyrant's Blessing is a tactical turn-based game where your ability to plan, adapt, and strategize is more important than min-maxing your units or finding the sharpest sword in the hoard. Select battles every day, make challenging choices, and cleverly use the strengths of these rag-tag insurgents to defeat the undead hordes and maybe - just maybe - bring real life back to Tyberia.

Before you bring the battle to the Tyrant's doorstep, you'll have to make sure you live long enough to reclaim the Island.

• Decide whether to fight, rescue the living from the Undying, or gather your strength. Every choice matters throughout every day of the Uprising.
• As you fight your way across the face of Tyberia, face off against random encounters that force difficult decisions. Do you intervene and fight highwaymen, putting your warriors at risk? Do you try to save a child, risking valuable time and resources? Only your morals and ideals hold the answer.
• Pick your heroic roster carefully. Screeg, the elder wizard advising the Uprising, can only teleport three heroes and a pet at once: Do you send your elite warriors in? Or rookies to train and hold the line? Are they up to the task? Can you handle the consequences?

The Tyrant can’t be defeated without destroying an army's worth of the Undying. However, winning is more than simply whacking the enemy as hard as you can.

• Analyze the fray and plan accordingly. Place warriors around the battlefield to gain strategic advantages.
• Stay ever mindful of surroundings: kick up dust to make the enemies lose sight or hop over stones and dodge into bushes to avoid enemy attacks.
• Mind the enemy: every attack is telegraphed, but take care, simply moving away leaves behind a shadow. This remnant of a character can still be attacked if there is no way to avoid it..
• Knock the enemies out of the way and into obstacles, shield weaker heroes with ones that can tank damage, as well as chain powerful elemental attacks using the environment. Brute force works, but fight smarter, not harder.

Each of your heroes has their own personality, properties, and abilities. Who will you choose to put in harm's way?

• Enlist twenty hallowed heroes, each with a distinct set of abilities that can dramatically alter the course of any battle.
• But stay mindful: Not all heroes appear in a playthrough - and not everyone is guaranteed to make it to the finish line of this quest.
• Pick the right team for the task. An assassin may thrive in confined spaces, while an archer will suffer in close quarters. Some heroes may even bring their pets along, who might provide just enough leverage to win a battle for the group.
• Even if heroes fall, they can still be freed from the Tyrant's grasp. Track them down, defeat them in combat, and restore them back to their stolen life!

Soul Hackers 2 got a new Japanese trailer:

Soul Hackers 2 Overview Trailer

The dungeon crawler / shooter-RPG Earth's Shadow has been released into Early Access:

Earth's Shadow

Earth's Shadow is a third person action Sci-Fi dungeon crawler set in the year 3081 on planet Sumbra; a remote alien planet where legends of valuable relics surround this black world, calling to the greedy and brave explorers seeking a bright future... but end up uncovering an even darker past.

Working a dead-end job... Alexi-Ru, a cyborg CSP (cargo ship pilot), tends to fill the void-ness of his boring flight job by day-dreaming of the mysterious stories surrounding planet Sumbra, aka Earth's Shadow.

In the year 3081, the original Earth and it's galaxy has been dead for centuries, and although a few humans still exist, colonized in far away sectors... Earth's legacy is not forgotten with some even referring to Sumbra, as the shadow of Earth.

Intrigued by Earth's history, Alexi-Ru often finds himself flying millions of light-clicks off his normal cargo route just to speed by the mysterious planet, hoping to catch a glimpse of something on the alien surface via radar that might force him to slow down or possibly even stop.

Eventually Alexi-Ru's curiosity is justified when his ship encounters a malfunction one night, while passing by the tiny planet, forcing him to crash-land on the surface he dreamed of so often on previous flights.

Alexi-Ru remembers his attention right before the impending crash, focused on an un-jostled book, thrown from a compartment during the violent atmosphere re-entry, titled... "When Day-Dreams Turn To Nightmares"

"That doesn't mean anything," mumbles Alexi-Ru, trying to re-assure himself as he arms himself with a Tec-9000 semi-automatic and sets forth to explore... Earth's Shadow.

Features

• Three different game modes: ROGUE, ADVENTURE or STORY mode (Never lose progress or equipment)
  Fully Voiced NPC Characters
• Role Playing Shooter (RPS) - Level up your character while building your stats to become a powerful cyborg
• Explore and uncover secrets from an ancient alien civilization
• Find and equip weapons and tech with dynamic stats and modifiers
• Crawl through procedural and custom locations
• Adjustable DIFFICULTY settings to allow for an easier or more challenging experience
• All loot is random, allowing each playthrough to be a completely different experience

Captain Krowe Gaming has reviewed the action RPG Scarlet Nexus:

Scarlet Nexus Full Game Review!

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

RPG News Roundup (8-6-2022)

Henriquejr spotted some Hard West 2 reviews:

• Rock Paper Shotgun: Hard West 2 Review: rootin' tootin' tactical shootin'
• Gamespot: Hard West 2 is a hardy, accomplished turn-based tactics game with several flashes of genius - Score: 8/10
• Gamerant: Hard West 2 Review - Score: 3.5/5
• Eurogamer: Hard West 2 review - absolutely stellar fun - Recommended

Redglyph spotted that Desktop Dungeons will be remastered:

Desktop Dungeons: Rewind Announcement Trailer

WccfTech reports a rumour about a possible Deus Ex next installment by Eidos Montreal, now in the Embracer group:

Deus Ex May Return Under Embracer, Eidos Wants to “Do What Cyberpunk 2077 Couldn’t”

Following Embracer Group’s purchase of Square Enix’s Western AAA studios, most of the focus has been on what might happen with Crystal Dynamics and the Tomb Raider franchise, but what about Eidos Montreal? With another Guardians of the Galaxy game likely off the table, what might they be tackling next?
Well, according to Jeff Grubb on the latest episode of his Game Mess Mornings show, it seems they may be going back to the franchise they’re best known for – Deus Ex. While everything’s still very early, Embracer is said to be much more open to bringing back Adam Jensen, and Eidos Montreal is fired up to “do what Cyberpunk 2077 couldn’t” within the sci-fi RPG sphere.

[...]

Thanks Redglyph!

WolfheartFPS discusses the plot and narrative of Hogwarts Legacy:

The Narrative of Hogwarts Legacy Is Crazy

Thanks Redglyph!

Mortismal Gaming has reviewed Disco Elysium:

Disco Elysium - Review After 100%

00:00 Intro
01:16 Overview
02:42 Character Progressions/Skills
05:56 Min/Max Note
06:55 Skill Checks
07:52 Making Failure Interesting
09:47 Thoughts On The Writing/Story
12:29 Time
13:25 Politics
15:31 General Thoughts
17:53 Companions
19:01 Conclusion

Thanks Redglyph!

The second chapter of Dying Light 2 Stay Human will be released with the upcoming patch 1.5:

The second Chapter of Dying Light 2 Stay Human is coming in a couple of weeks

Techland unveils the first details about the upcoming second Chapter by introducing Shen Xiu - the newest Chapter Agent!

The second Chapter, entitled “A Huntress and a Hag”
will debut in a couple of weeks along with the upcoming patch 1.5. As previously mentioned, the Chapters are an essential part of the post-launch support plan for Dying Light 2 Stay Human. Moreover, a new “At The Fish Eye” episode is coming to better explain these content drops!

NEW CHAPTER AGENT - Shen Xiu
Meet Shen Xiu, AKA The Huntress - our newest Chapter Agent! Who is she? Where does she come from? What is her business in the City? For now, all you need to know is that this highly skilled tracker and archery expert has a very special task for you. Will you become the hunter… or the prey? Stay tuned as in the upcoming weeks; Techland will reveal more information about new missions, bounties, enemies, and weapons that the second Chapter will introduce!

NEW AT THE FISH EYE EPISODE
Check out the newest episode of our “At the Fish Eye” series, where Techland’s Game Designer responsible for the vision behind the Chapters - Karol Langier - and the Senior Brand Manager - Anna Kubica - explain the philosophy behind this new in-game content. Who knows… they might even give you some additional insight into the upcoming second Chapter!

The Cyber Heist DLC for The Ascent will be released on August 18:

Indents!

Gear up for an all new contract! The Cyber Heist DLC is coming on August 18th!

• New mission + side missions - check
• New locations  - check
• New weapons including MELEE  - check
• and more? - check

Get your squad ready, this ain’t gonna be a walk in the park...

We Got This Covered checked out Digimon Survive:

Digimon Survive is the best visual novel experience that fans didn't ask for

For those who grew up in the ’90s and early ’00s, Digimon was always seen as a sort of rival to the Pokémon franchise. While today it is clear which of the two won out, at the time, Digimon was a real contender. From multiple anime shows, manga adaptations, virtual pet toys, trading card games, and movies to video game series, the Digimon fan base was thriving.

Ultimately, Pokémon was the popular choice as the cute creature-taming and fighting franchise scene in Japan (and the world really), leaving Digimon in its dust. These days, the Digimon series has steered more towards the visual novel turn-based RPG, leaving the attempts at pseudo-Pokémon games behind. This has been a slow transition of formula, with Digimon Survive removing all trace of the previous games behind, forging a possible new path for the franchise. 

[...]

While Digimon Survive is certainly not the Digimon game that the fans have eagerly been awaiting, it is a strong contender on its own merits. The evolution of the horror to the isekai experience is well overdue and a welcome change in the monster battle RPG genre. Those who prefer the more mainstream, battle-heavy JRPG experience should give it a pass, while players who genuinely enjoy the Digimon franchise and are willing to try a new, more mature game should definitely give it a go. While it is lacking in gameplay and could use a rework in terms of explaining some of the more intricate elements, on the whole, Digimon Survive is an interesting and unique addition to the franchise that won’t soon be forgotten.

Movies Games and Tech has reviewed Outward Definitive Edition:

Review: Outward Definitive Edition

A crafting survival RPG that strays into simulation territory as it wants you to do everything yourself, Outward – an RPG of the fantasy variety – removes all modern conveniences from fast travel to levelling up, making you walk every inch of the map and defeat enemies just to get you meal to meal. 

This is mostly in the name of exploration and discovery rather than quest-led gameplay as you pull out your own bed, grab a huge cooking pot and stare at the stars when it’s become too dark to continue exploring. As the trailer states ‘Forget what other games have taught you’, Outward certainly does head in a different direction to what you might expect – a somewhat realistic one. 

[...]

Outward is quite the divisive title and will likely continue to be a dichtomy amongst gamers. Some will love the lack of hand holding, the long walks and the creative combination of crafting and survival gameplay, while others will pick apart its average implementation and frustrating mechanics. It is often said that when trying to write a story, it is helpful to think of the ending first and write backwards. Outward seems to think that the gameplay needs to be much the same, putting the onus on the player to make it fun through a significant time investment and hoping something sticks, instead of first making the formula fun.

Score: 6/10

COG checked out Sword and Fairy 7 aka Sword and Fairy: Together Forever:

Sword and Fairy: Together Forever Review – Surprising and Satisfying Action

Sword and Fairy: Together Forever Review

No gamer has the time or money to keep up with every release, even in genres they enjoy. So, don’t beat yourself up if you’ve never heard of the Sword and Fairy series of games. The Chinese franchise of RPGs has been beloved in Asia since the late 1990s, but only recently have the games appeared in the West. Sword and Fairy 7 dropped on the PC this year. Now it’s coming to the PlayStation 4 and 5 as Sword and Fairy: Together Forever. No matter what you call it, fans of action RPGs and good storytelling have a little-known treat in store.

[...]

From PC to PlayStation

I did not play the PC version of Sword and Fairy: Together Forever (i.e. Sword and Fairy 7), but it seems to have been beset by performance issues and bugs. On the PS5, there were few issues aside from an occasional framerate stutter in some of the cutscenes and very minor and rare scenery pop-in. Everything looked sharp and gameplay was fluid.

Unfamiliar with the franchise, I was genuinely and pleasantly surprised by Sword and Fairy: Together Forever. Although its pacing may frustrate impatient gamers, its story is worth telling. With outstanding art direction, music, and combat mechanics, Sword and Fairy: Together Forever should appeal to fans of sprawling RPGs. While the player can sometimes feel like an observer rather than a participant, Sword and Fairy: Together Forever is welcoming to newcomers. It may still be a niche series, but Sword and Fairy Together Forever cements the franchise’s viability for a larger audience.

Score: 89/100

The Turn Based Lovers checked out Vanaris Tactics:

Vanaris Tactics | Single-Player Turn-Based Tactics RPG | Gameplay First Look

AngryCentaurGaming reviewed the tactical RPG Hard West 2:

Hard West 2 Review "Buy, Wait for Sale, Never Touch?"

@PC Gamer Apparently Beyond Good & Evil 2 is still in development and has a new lead writer.

...

As for what it means for Beyond Good and Evil 2, that's anyone's guess at this point. The hiring of a new lead writer is the closest thing to a real sign of life we've seen in years (and the Ubisoft rep noted that the company is hiring for other positions at its Montpellier studio (opens in new tab), which is working on the game), but it's also easy to view it as a sign that the whole thing is mired and may well be starting over. That's obviously not a great place to be after 15 years of supposed work.

At the same time, well, does it really matter? Even if development is being completely rebooted, what's the loss? Beyond Good and Evil 2 barely exists as a concept in the public consciousness, much less an actual game in development, and it's not as if there was a realistic expectation of a release sometime within the next couple of years—or, quite frankly, even beyond that.

Redglyph spotted devlog #1 for Achilles: Legends Untold:

The Road to Update 0.2.0 (Devlog #1)

Civilian NPCs, Arenas, an in-game map, and more coming soon!

Hi everyone!

Recently, we have been sharing some insights about the development of Achilles: Legends Untold. The posts were pretty well received, so we decided to officially make them into a regular thing! This is the first entry in a new series of Devlogs, that will show you some of the features we’re working on, as well as behind-the-scenes stuff happening at our studio. Let’s begin, shall we?

The Map

We’ve been working on a big content update for some time now.

One of the main and most requested features that will be making an appearance, is the in-game map. Well, we think you’ll be happy to hear that the hardest part is already behind us, and the basics are already in place!

The map in Achilles: Legends Untold will consist of a minimap on the HUD, and a bigger, fullscreen one, that you can scroll around to seek various points of interest.

Of course, it still needs improvements, but seeing it in a working state made us all even more motivated to work. We're still working on the visual design of the map, but we’ll have something nice to show you soon ;).

The Arenas

Another thing that’s in development right now, are the fight arenas.

It’s a new activity for Achilles to take on – the player will be able to enter a new level, where he will face a sequence of special enemy waves.

We grabbed a short gif of the place, to showcase where you’ll be fighting. Take a look!

The Arenas are all Hades-themed, with a slightly spooky vibe to them. You’ll get to fight unique, stronger enemy variants, tainted by the underworld’s energy.

Each arena can be visited once, through an entrance point on the main map, that will close after you successfully complete the challenge.

Boss Fights

Tydeus
The next feature we want to talk about is our newest boss fight. The enemy in question is the mighty Tydeus, known mostly from the story of the Seven Against Thebes, who fought to take back the Thebes for Polynices.

The boss fight itself is still being polished, but if you’re curious how’s he going to look, here’s a concept art straight from under the pen of one of our artists:

Castor
That’s not all! We’re also still expanding on our current bosses. Castor just got more skills to aid him in defending his village. He’s a master in wielding his battleaxe - he’s able to perform a powerful 2-hit combo, swinging it at you, or rush at you from a distance. Be careful while fighting him, or you can easily get chopped in half.

The boss also received a second move - he can slam his shield against the ground, summoning a healing circle around him. His health will slowly regenerate while he stands inside, so better try and kick him out of there!

Castor will now pose as a greater challenge for heroes daring to cross the stone bridge, that the passage through he’s guarding so vigilantly.

Civilian NPCs

We’re livening up the map a bit! Now you’ll not only encounter warriors and various beasts scattered around Greece, but also the villagers that live and work there.

They’re not really the combative type – when they see a fight, they get scared, scream, and run for their lives. See for yourself!

Killing them is completely optional, and it doesn’t grant any rewards, so it’s up to you to decide what kind of warrior you’ll be.

Other Stuff

Apart from working on the new features, we’re still honing our current ones. The AI will be getting a new and improved player targeting system (see our previous dev post for more details!). Some items will be getting a bit of a rework, mostly new icons and descriptions. We’re also smoothing out the controls, squashing the leftover bugs and increasing the overall optimization.

It’s all hard work here at Dark Point Games! Our team’s morale is high, and we’re excited to let you play the update for yourself when it releases.

Mythology Trivia

Achilles: Legends Untold’s setting is entirely based around Greek Mythology. It’s full of interesting stories, and we’d love to share some of them with you! From here on out, the Devlogs will have a special trivia section at the end - ranging from fun facts about our characters, through some lesser-known details about the events from the myths they partake in.

Did you know?
Tydeus was mortally wounded by Melanippus during the war. Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, intended to make him immortal, but the seer Amphiaraus cut off the head of Melanippus and gave it to Tydeus, who proceeded to eat the brains of his killer. The Goddess, revolted by what she saw, changed her mind and left Tydeus to die.

Iron Tower Studio has updated Colony Ship with a new location, the ECLSS (Environmental Control and Life Support System):

New location - ECLSS

The ECLSS (Environmental Control and Life Support System) is now available, bringing the number of locations to 8 out of 12.

When the Mutiny broke out, the Chief Technical Officer promptly sealed the ECLSS, declaring that neither side will use it in their war. Those who wished to leave were allowed to do so; the rest remained with CTO Miller, committed to supporting life on the Ship.

Miller knew that the warring factions would be coming for the ECLSS. They would want control, power over life and death on the Ship, something their enemies could never permit. The fight for ECLSS would make the fight for Mission Control look like a border skirmish, and Miller knew how it would end: with destruction of the Ship’s essential systems, the failure of the mission, the death of every man, woman, and child aboard the Ship. That, he could not permit.

The only hope lay in true independence. But how? They would need strength of body, to resist force. They would need strength of will, to live apart from all society. And they would need all the intelligence they could get, not only to maintain Ship systems put under terrible pressure by both the civil war and the mere passage of time, but also to navigate the Ship’s shifting politics. Outsiders would need to believe the inhabitants of ECLSS to be above petty human concerns; and inside, they would need to be above petty human limitations.

The answer lay buried in the Ship's databanks: augmentations meant only for the most extreme circumstances, for small or even individual deep-space maintenance missions, augmentations that would make a man more than a man, and less – able to survive alone, smart enough and strong enough to deal with any challenges that might arise on years-long expeditions.

These augmentations went beyond the artificial eyes and reinforced bones common to the Ship, and amounted to a fundamental reworking of the human body. Functions inessential for long space missions would be removed altogether, freeing the body’s resources for more practical needs.

With this transformation, the ECLSS crew would become what they needed to be: just as the God of Ecclesiastes was above human struggles for power, for fame, for wealth, so too would the superhumans of the ECLSS be above the Ship’s passing struggles, devoted solely to its survival. Outsiders would be able to see them as something other than a foe or friend; and they would have the strength to carry out the heavy task before them.

Thanks Redglyph & Pladio!

The tactical RPG Vanaris Tactics will be released today:

Vanaris Tactics

Vanaris Tactics is a short narrative tactical RPG experience that tells the story of refugees fleeing their occupied motherland.
Follow this group of refugees seeking freedom outside the walls of Vanaris, unite your brethren, and use tactical prowess to escape your oppressors.

Story

Vanaris Tactics tells the story of Morgana in her struggle to find freedom outside the walls of Vanaris. Accompanied by her brother Nigel and nephew Adrien, they must flee their motherland, a place they once called home. Discover the vast realm of Vanaris and meet new people on the same path, as they must leave everything behind to escape their oppressors and find peace.

Features

• Vanaris Tactics implements a combat initiative unit turn system inspired by the greatest fantasy tactics RPGs of all time.
• Unite a band of unique characters with their own strengths, skills, and stories.
• Gain new abilities and increase your range of options to deal with new challenges.
• Different combinations of weapons and accessories and see a unit’s playstyle change drastically.
• Travel the land of Vanaris to discover powerful treasures and hear untold stories. However, keep your guard up as danger lurks in every corner.
• Unravel the story through fifteen unique story encounters and hand-crafted in-game cutscenes, as well as optional battles and boss fights.
• A rich blend of tactics and fantasy RPG, Vanaris Tactics implements an intuitive turn-based combat system inspired by the golden age of turn-based tactics games.
• Strategically plan your movement to attack enemies, and be aware of their counterattacks.
• Strike your foes from afar or jump into the fray; every decision will prove crucial in combat.
• Utilize various skills and status effects to aid your allies and cripple your enemies.

The tactical RPG Hard West 2 will be released today:

Hard West 2

Hard West 2 is a journey to the heart of darkness in the American West. Take control of a supernatural posse and catch the mysterious Ghost Train. Outsmart, outcheat and outgun your enemies in this turn-based tactics game set in a Wild West world where nothing is as it seems. 

The Turn Based Lovers assembled another top list - here's part 2:

Top 30 Best Turn-Based RPGs of the last 2 years - Part II

0:00 Intro
0:23 Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
1:05 Encased
1:53 Atom RPG Trudograd
2:42 Astria Ascending
3:11 Vagrus - The Riven Realms
4:05 Dungeon Encounters
4:52 Gloomhaven
5:49 Super Robot Wars 30
6:28 Voice Of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars
7:10 Ruined King: A League of Legends Story
7:45 Expeditions: Rome
8:19 Reverie Knights Tactics
9:08 Triangle Strategy
10:06 King Arthur: Knight's Tale
11:02 Symphony Of War: The Nephilim Saga
11:47 Outro

Noisy Pixel has reviewed the Strategy RPG Vestaria Saga II: The Sacred Sword of Silvanister:

Vestaria Saga II: The Sacred Sword of Silvanister Review – This One’s For the Enthusiasts

It’s been a while since a classic Fire Emblem game was released. 2015 in fact, with Fire Emblem Fates (And before you ask, Echoes doesn’t count due to the unorthodox nature of Gaiden). In 2018, SPRG Studio was released, a game maker in which one can craft their own low-budget strategy RPGs in the same vein as classic Fire Emblem.

The original creator of Fire Emblem, in fact, Shozou Kaga, decided that he would also have some fun with this game maker, and led a small team to make Vesteria Saga I, which was released in 2019. When you name something with I in the title, you know they’re going for that sequel later. And that’s what this review is about: Vesteria Saga II: The Sacred Sword of Silvanister.

[...]

Vesteria Saga II: The Sacred Sword of Silvanister is a fantastic SRPG that scratches an itch for fair challenge and minimalism that we haven’t had in a while. It’s definitely for more hardcore fans of the genre and is missing a few things, such as concise or clear tutorials or difficulty options that would let those interested in this medium jump in.

Score: 7/10

Crimson Herrings Studios are launching a public playtest of Sovereign Syndicate today:

New Playtest Launches Today!

Sovereign Syndicate Development Update August 2022

Hi Everyone!

It’s been a few months since our last major update. We’ve been hard at work on the game, incorporating all your great feedback from the last playtest.

We launched a new playtest today with all the latest changes. Head over to the Steam page and download the latest, or just update it if you kept it in your library from last time. The playtest is public and doesn’t require a key.

As I mentioned our last playtest generated a lot of great feedback, both positive and constructive, and we’ve spent the last few months reviewing this feedback and taking action to move the game forward.
Here’s an idea of what you’ll see in the latest version.

• New character creation and customization options
• Simplified skills and character sheet
• Improved tarot card mechanic
• Improved flow and readability of dialogue
• Improved communication of changes to your character, inventory, journal, and tasks
• Improved loading times and framerates

We’re excited about these changes and look forward to your feedback! As always, you can catch us over on Discord if you want to chat and stay up on all the latest developments.

-> Discord

Until next time, Take Care!

Thanks Redglyph!