Tim talks about skill-based experience points:

Skill-based XP

Here are some release day reviews for Broken Roads from Gameffine, Mortismal Gaming and I Dream of Indie Games:

Broken Roads Review @ Gameffine

While I try to stay detached from the games I’m to review, one or two slip by this self-imposed rule. I have been eagerly anticipating the release of Drop Bear Bytes’ post-apocalyptic CRPG Broken Roads ever since I interviewed the game director nearly 4 years ago. After a last-minute delay in 2023 and a sudden publisher change, Broken Roads is finally coming out today. As someone who’s been playing the game in its multiple stages of development, this review has been a long time coming. I’ll be answering two major questions in this review — did the game live up to my hype, and would I recommend it to the average CRPG enjoyer?

Moral Dilemmas
You can already deduce the answer to the first question from the title of this review. From the outset, Broken Roads had all the right ingredients in stock — the ever-selling post-apocalyptic template, an unsaturated locale, 30 years’ worth of inspiration, and industry veterans as consultants. But what I experienced was a run-of-the-mill, and at times buggy CRPG that fails to capture some of the most crucial elements of a CRPG. Broken Roads is not a bad game by any means, as it shows signs of brilliance occasionally. But there are a dozen modern CRPGs that do what Broken Roads does better and the bugs don’t help either.

[...]

I won’t deny that my anticipation for Broken Roads has affected my opinion of the finished product in one way or another. The idea of Broken Roads propagated by the mainstream press is a far cry from the game I played to completion. The game’s witty Aussie charm and gorgeous visuals are let down by its underwhelming narrative, static game world, and barebones combat mechanics. But, if you’re a newcomer to CRPGs, then Broken Roads may satiate your urge. Even then, my suggestion is to wait for the developers to clean up the remaining bugs.

Score: 60/100

Broken Roads - Review After 100%

Broken Roads Review - Heartbreaker

The isometric RPG Broken Roads will be released today:

Broken Roads

Born of a love for traditional computer role-playing from franchises such as Pillars of Eternity, Disco Elysium, Fallout, Wasteland, Tyranny, Pathfinder, and Baldur's Gate, Broken Roads provides a rich, engaging narrative in which players make their way across a desolated future Australia. Blending together traditional and all-new role-playing elements on top of a classless system offering nearly unlimited character development options, Broken Roads presents players with an original morality system: the Moral Compass. This novel design sees dialogue options and questing decisions influence, and be influenced by, a character's philosophical leaning.

Immerse yourself in a game world set in post-apocalyptic Western Australia filled with intricate lore, deep history, and compelling characters. As you embark on your epic journey, complex storylines, branching quests, and memorable encounters await. Uncover hidden secrets, unravel political intrigues, and confront moral dilemmas that challenge your assumptions about right and wrong. Every decision you make shapes the rich narrative, leading to multiple outcomes and ensuring a truly personalized gameplay experience. From the grand overarching plot to the smallest details, the world is brought to life with atmospheric descriptions and vivid dialogues, delivering an immersive and unforgettable adventure.

The game seamlessly merges classic RPG elements with innovative features, providing players with a unique and customizable gameplay experience. Building upon a classless system, it offers an extensive range of character development options, allowing players to shape their abilities and skills to suit their playstyle. The inclusion of all-new role-playing elements adds depth and complexity to the game's mechanics, intriguing moral choices, and immersive narrative arcs.

The Moral Compass introduces a groundbreaking morality system that goes beyond traditional notions of good and evil. Instead, it focuses on a character's philosophical leaning, allowing players to shape their protagonist's world view in unique and nuanced ways.

For example, a character who leans towards utilitarianism may prioritize the greater good, making decisions based on the overall benefit to society, even if it means sacrificing individual lives.

With every tough decision that is made, the characters Moral Compass can shift, potentially making them more broad or narrow-minded or even able to change their morality entirely as the journey progresses.

The system allows players to create a protagonist with a unique moral identity that influences their journey and relationships, but also is influenced by every choice they make.

Roam the vast Outback, explore decaying urban centers, and navigate treacherous desert regions as you uncover the secrets of this hauntingly beautiful and dangerous land. Survive, fight, and forge alliances in a unique setting that captures the essence of Western Australia's diverse people and landscapes and brings a fresh twist to the post-apocalyptic genre.

A new update for Monomyth:

Monomyth - March Update

State of the Game: Video Devlog 12.0 | Open Backer Beta

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

It's time for another update! Monomyth is finally entering its Open Backer Beta phase. You can hear all about it in the new devlog. As always you can find the transcript below!

Kickstarter backers of the 15-dollar tier and above will soon receive an e-mail with their Open Backer Beta key. Please remember that these keys are not final. They will be locked shortly before the game enters Early Access.

I am looking forward to your feedback!

Best Wishes,

Michael

Noclip made a documentary about Pentiment:

The Making of Pentiment - Noclip Documentary

Fennec Studio will start a Kickstarter campaign for the Adventure RPG Runa on April 16:

Runa

Runa is an adventure game inspired by modern and classic JRPG, with turn-based battle system, social links and a story-rich science fantasy world. Promising to keep intact what makes classic JRPG games fun, Runa also features elemental puzzles and base building, as well as minigames like farming, fishing and cooking.

Runa is set in a world in which runas symbolize the technological advancements of an ancient civilization. Whether for domestic use or combat, the use of runas is key. Only some people, known as adepts, are able to fully control them and unleash their true powers.

Explore a huge world
The world of Runa is a colorful and vibrant fantasy one, but also full of mysteries and sci-fi elements. Follow the journey of a group of adventurers who, driven by their unique motivations, find themselves traveling the world and unraveling all its hidden secrets.

Fight turn-based battles
The "Elemental Break System" is a battle system inspired by JRPG classics: turn-based battles with ordered turns, elemental affinities and strategical approach. With 4 active and a total of 7 party members, that can be swapped anytime -no turn wasted-, group ultimates, and a lot of powerful skills!

Relationships and romance
Date different characters individually to strengthen your relationships with them. If you're trying to find that special someone in the world of Runa, you'll have more than 15 romance options, including same-gender relationships.

Solve elemental puzzles
Solve a wide variety of elemental riddles, with 7 different elements and 12 elemental skills at your disposal. Engage in quick puzzles in both the overworld and cities, and navigate dungeons designed around unique puzzle combinations.

Base building and minigames
Build your own base in the city of Enyth by creating and enhancing buildings according to your preferences. Recruiting certain characters or completing important quests unlock the creation of some buildings, including: Residences, Canteen, Dojo, Lab, Farm, Runa Research Center, Antique Shop...

And more...
- Weather & Time changes
- Day and Night cycle
- Mixed calendar system
- Elaborate dialogue system with choices
- No silent protagonist
- Elaborate quests
- Hand-painted minimaps

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RPG Site checked out Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch:

PAX East 2024 - Lost Eidolons: Veil of The Witch delivers more of the best parts from the original

Back in September 2022, I stumbled on a strategy RPG at PAX West that was such a pleasant surprise that I instantly became a fan - that game was Lost Eidolons from Ocean Drive Studio. Now, almost two years later, and with Lost Eidolons having released (you can check out my review), I knew I had to check out the new spinoff game, Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch, while I was in Boston for PAX East. 

Veil of the Witch returns players to the land of Benerio, picking up after the events of the original Lost Eidolons. Veil of the Witch opts for a different structural approach, which, according to the developers, "highlights and focuses on the parts that players seem to have liked the most" from the original title - its tactical combat. Whereas Lost Edilon saw your time split between its tactical combat and running around exploring (akin to something like Dragon Age), Veil of The Witch shifts all of its focus to the combat side of the equation.

Combat will instantly feel familiar to everyone who played Lost Eidolons - a wonderful blend of challenge and rich strategy that requires you to utilize the mechanics efficiently. As far as I could tell (in an hour or so I've played), every system from the original release returns, including the environmental interactions, characters carrying two weapon types, and the weak point + combo mechanic - my personal favorite of Lost Eidolon's offerings.

Horrific beasts and other monstrosities once again feature weapon-specific weak points that can be broken, allowing for ever-increasing damaging combos that turn these fearsome adversaries into toothless pups. Successfully using my party's skills to pull off those combos remains a great little serotonin hit - just as in the original.  

Veil of The Witch has adopted a roguelike system where you will form a party from a pool of characters to embark on a multi-act quest with branching paths to choose from - each with different challenges and rewards - testing you along the way. As you progress down the paths through Veil of the Witch's Acts, you must ensure your party is up to the task ahead of them. To survive to the end and grasp victory, as you tackle various tactical encounters, your characters will gain levels with certain levels rewarding you with a selection of new abilities or benefits to pick from - with various rarities of each.

[...]

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RPG Site reviewed The Legend of Legacy remaster:

The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered Review

The Legend of Legacy was released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2015, yet its follow-up The Alliance Alive received an HD remaster to other consoles first. I was very impressed with The Alliance Alive, but this legend’s legacy isn’t going down quite as well with me.

The most important thing to know about The Legend of Legacy is that the narrative is quite basic and relatively uninvolved. A lost continent resurfaces, and adventurers come for their own reasons to discover its past. You will get some minor bits and piecs of lore here and there, but there’s not much at all in the way of cutscenes or dialogue. Picking the frog prince Filmia as my main character meant the dialogue that I did receive was pretty amusing, at least.

The combat overall is a somewhat intuitive menu-based affair at a glance, but there are a couple of systems, like this game’s version of magic, that do change up a few things from the norm. Your party of three can also be put into different formations, which is important not to ignore if you want to increase youor attack, defense or support levels during various stages of the battle. Formations are chosen on each turn so it’s easy to switch up on the fly if you want your tank in front or for everyone to dish out as much damage as possible.

[...]

In the end I’m not really sure how to feel about The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered. There were points where I enjoyed myself, but I’m also not sure I’d beat it if I didn’t have to for this review. I don’t really mind the game's minimalist approach to narrative, but the dungeon design, repetitive battles, and difficulty walls I hit made it hard to press on. If the skill progression system sounds fun to you, The Alliance Alive HD Remastered is a much better option if you have yet to play it. But, if you’re looking for a game that gives you turn-based combat without much fluff, this would be still a fine choice.

Score: 5/10

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Shacknews checked out Coridden:

Coridden is a smooth action RPG with combat juice and an excellent shapeshifting hook

Diablo meets Animorphs in Aftnareld's co-op action RPG epic.

One of the biggest surprises for me at PAX East was easily Coridden. I sat down with one of the developers to run through their co-op demo, and I didn’t want to get up. This game not only makes the familiar hacking, slashing, and looting of the classic action RPG feel great, but it has a monster collecting-slash-transforming gimmick that fits the space perfectly. I do have some questions or concerns for the full thing, but after one demo session I’m completely on board to find those answers myself.

On the surface, Coridden is a traditional action RPG with up to four players. The characters are defined, but their roles and skills are not. Some of that will be determined by the equipment you find as you go, but there are plenty of skill tree options to dive into as well. Those choices feel important, as Coridden definitely has the juice when it comes to combat. It wasn’t complex, but the way I could seamlessly play with light attacks, heavy attacks, skills, and dodging felt almost out of place in this genre. But in a good way that elevated the Diablo-like structure to more than simply button-mashing.

The icing on the cake is the monster system. While it doesn’t go as far as approaching Pokemon-style collecting, certain encounters result in a monster “drop,” which you can then equip as a new skill tree. From there you can transform into the monster on demand, giving you access to a whole new set of gameplay mechanics. That extends from combat into exploration, an example being the first monster you get allowing faster movement speed and longer jumps. Also, in co-op, you can have one player ride the other, giving you even more combat options. And it all feels great in your hands. Nothing stood out as clunky, janky, or anything like it.

[...]

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TheGamer is pondering about side-quests in current RPGs:

I’m Having Trouble Caring About The Main Quest In RPGs

Side quests are stealing the spotlight in all of the big RPGs of this generation.

I think we can all agree there is a lot to do in modern roleplaying games. In some games, like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth or Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, there are a massive amount of minigames. True, you will need to play a few minigames to get through the main storyline, but you don’t need to master them to finish the plot.

Other games like Baldur’s Gate 3 (and, for that matter, those games I already named) have an endless series of optional side stories that take hours to complete. Some, like Tears of the Kingdom, just make it fun to screw around for hours. But all of it is making it hard for me to care about the main quest in RPGs.

I’m not saying I don’t like the storylines themselves. Each of the games I’ve mentioned have incredible, fulfilling stories that take dozens of hours to complete. These are stories that make you laugh, make you cry, and make you go, “Wait, was that JK Simmons?”. They’re all intricately planned, beautifully written, and - in the case of Baldur’s Gate 3 - do in fact feature JK Simmons. I’m being genuine when I say that I deeply enjoyed the main quests of these roleplaying games - when I got around to it.

[...]

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Couchpotato spotted two articles about time delation in Exodus on Gamingbolt:

Exodus Developer Says Time Dilation Will Make Players “Truly Feel the Weight of Every Decision They Make”

Exodus’ Time Dilation is “All About Hard Choices and Long-Term Consequences,” Narrative Director Says

Gamesradar interviewed the dev team of Honkai Impact 3rd:

What's next for Honkai Impact 3rd, the Genshin Impact dev's original hit RPG: Girl friends, aerial combat, and a "point of entry for newcomers" after 7 years of lore

Interview | Honkai Impact 3rd Part 2 is a comprehensive update for a surprisingly old game

As one of the older gacha games out there, Honkai Impact 3rd can be intimidating. It feels like I was seeing inescapable YouTube ads for this action RPG's launch just yesterday, but the original hit for Genshin Impact developer Hoyoverse is now somehow approaching eight years old. But it also feels a bit like a new game nowadays thanks to its recent Part 2 update, which delivered extensive combat and systemic changes and, most importantly, started a whole story chapter featuring fresh protagonists.

The enormous cast and frankly terrifyingly deep lore of Parts 1 and 1.5 haven't been forgotten, but new leading ladies Senadina, Helia, and Coralie take center stage in a bespoke new space-faring storyline currently orbiting Mars. Part 2 has been billed as an approachable jumping-on point for a game that was getting to be a bit long in the tooth, so as someone who's enjoyed Hoyoverse's more recent games but always skipped Honkai Impact 3rd, I was cautiously optimistic. I was also curious to chat with the devs about what's next for the game, how it got here, its penchant for stories about gals quite simply being good pals, and how it's co-existing with the many other Hoyo games that didn't exist when it launched, especially the loosely paralleled Honkai Star Rail.

GamesRadar+: I've come to think of Part 2 as a soft reboot for Honkai Impact 3rd. Is that accurate in your eyes?

Honkai Impact 3rd development team: This is an update to the existing one, with comprehensive optimization on story lines, combat system, UI design, etc.

I know Honkai Impact 3rd by reputation, and a lot of the praise I hear is related to the previous main character, Kiana. How long have you been planning to move onto an all-new cast with Part 2, and what pushed you to leave Kiana behind?

We always try to provide something new, something exciting, and something [imaginative]. We have been dedicated to creating new content and experiences for both new and avid gamers of Honkai Impact 3rd while inheriting the core spirit of the Honkai franchise. 

[...]

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The dev diaries episode 4 explains the Forest Land area of SAND LAND:

SAND LAND – Dev Diaries Episode 4: Forest Land

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Fallout lore explained by GameSpot:

The Lore Of Fallout Explained

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Wizard Worm checked out Class of Heroes 2G:

Class of Heroes 2G: Remastered Review (Dungeon Crawler)

The Turn Based Lovers present games from #TurnBasedThursday:

15 MOST ANTICIPATED RPGS, STRATEGY, AND ROGUELITES FROM #TURNBASEDTHURSDAY FEST 2024

SOME OF THE MOST PROMISING RPGS, STRATEGY GAMES, AND ROGUELITES CHOSEN FROM 350 PARTICIPANTS

In case you haven’t heard, the #turnbasedthursdayfest was held last week (4-8 April), and we are now in the final hours. This celebration of turn-based games was created by the turnbasedthursday team in collaboration with Steam! They’ve hand-picked over 350 games to be featured, many of which have discounts and demos available.

We love looking ahead to see what great turn-based games are on the horizon, and there’s been no shortage of exciting titles to showcase during the event. These are some of my most-anticipated games launching in 2024, many of which are from indie and solo developers! Wishlist them, try the demos, and let me know your thoughts.

SONGS OF SILENCE
UNTRAVELED LANDS: CHANTICO
SKYGARD ARENA
DEAD SEASON
DEAD UNDERWORLD
AETHERMANCER
EVERY DAY WE FIGHT
ESCAPE THE MAD EMPIRE
IRONHIVE
TRASH OF THE TITANS
NORTHWIND
ARCHREBEL TACTICS
THOSE WHO RULE
SLAVES OF MAGIC
WANDERER’S SIGIL: DICE-FUELED ADVENTURE

[...]

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Couchpotato spotted a mod for Starfield called TGs Galactic Colonies Expanse at DSOG:

Burning Flames (2024) Episode 25 English SUB

Starfield just got a DLC-sized expansion mod, allowing you to create whole colonies with giant mechs, defense turrets, a farming system and more

Modder ‘Tank-girl444’ has released a must-have DLC-sized expansion mod for Starfield, called TGs Galactic Colonies Expanse. This mod will allow you to create entire colonies, and it comes with new assets for you to use. So, let’s take a closer look at it.

This mod aims to greatly expand the game’s outpost system, production features, and more. The goal is to transform the outposts into a detailed space colonization simulator, drawing from the game’s own lore and story. It’s a highly ambitious mod.

[...]

Tim Cain thinks that you can learn a lot from older games:

Replaying Diablo

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Fextralife summarizes this week's gaming news:

Gaming News – Bloodborne Kart is Back, Silksong in Xbox Store, More Layoffs, Enshrouded Big Update

Timestamp
0:00 - Top RPG News of the Week
0:04 - Bloodborne Kart is Back, Now Called Nightmare Kart
1:18 - Pathfinder Gallowspire Survivors on Steam
2:07 - Hollow Knight Silksong Listing on Xbox Store
3:03 - Enshrouded Hollow Halls Update
3:54 - Ubisoft Makes 45 New Layoffs
4:53 - Dragon’s Dogma 2 Has Sold Over 2.5 Million Copies
5:45 - New World Fifth Season
7:05 - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake is Still Alive
8:15 - Dino Crisis Could Be The Next Capcom Remake
9:21 - Bethesda Reveals How Development Of The Elder Scrolls VI Is Going

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Mortismal Gaming checked out New Arc Line:

New Arc Line - Initial Details

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You are missing Baldur's Gate 3? GGrecon searched for similar games:

13 best games like Baldur's Gate 3 in 2024, from Divinity Original Sin to Diablo 4

• How I chose the best games like Baldur’s Gate 3
• Best games like Baldur’s Gate 3
• What is the best game like Baldur’s Gate 3?

As the latest title from Larian Studios, Baldur's Gate 3 is a Dungeons & Dragons-based CRPG that comes complete with a ridiculously in-depth character creator, a vast amount of companions, dialogue, and a gorgeous world to go questing in.

What's more, it's no secret that Baldur’s Gate 3 was met with critical acclaim, even becoming one of our Game of the Year contenders. So if you've explored every inch of the game and want to dive into something else like it, I've selected some of the best games that you should be playing in 2024.

How I chose the best games like Baldur’s Gate 3
My methodology for picking entries for this list was to look for titles that have similar gameplay features or overarching themes. As Baldur’s Gate 3 is an RPG with plenty of dialogue where your choices can change the course of the story, you’ll find plenty of dialogue-heavy games here.

13 - Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition
12 - Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
11 - Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
10 - Fable
9 - Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
8 - Divinity Original Sin 2
7 - Diablo 4
6 - Pillars of Eternity
5 - Elden Ring
4 - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
3 - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
2 - Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
1 - Dragon Age: Inquisition

[...]

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Digital Foundry checked out the patched version of Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2: Does The New Patch Fix The Game? All Systems Tested

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Kordanor played King Arthur: Knight's Tale a lot - here's his review:

King Arthur: Knights Tale - Review after 300h, including all* Expansions [EN] by Kordanor

Here is a shorened transcript of the conclusion for the news:

[...]

Neocore Games created a great Tactics-RPG, which can convince through this whole main campaign with its deep, tactical battles, which are well balanced , a joy to play and free of frustration also thanks to the great interface and lacking relevance of luck for the most part.
The enemies are well designed and quite varied, with lots of different models and skillsets, and even the choices of your characters new abilities stay interesting for the longest time.[...]
The Alignment system offers some nice rewards and it's also cool that you can even unlock missions for additional characters, but a system like that always comes with the problem that you basically chose one alignment at the very start and then just limit yourself in your decisions for the rest of the game, to actually get all these rewards.
The one thing which bothered me more is the lack of plannability regarding the characters. While this isn't a disaster, it's the main reason why the game, which can completely convince with its main campaign, "only" gets a solid thumbs up from me, but no t a golden and sparkling thumbs up. But even "just" a full thumbs up means that I would recommend the game to everyone who is interested in tactical RPGs and can afford the quite substantial price of 45 Euros or 45 US Dollars. It's definitely worth it. King Arthur: Knights Tale offers more than a hundred hours of fun and it's an astonishingly rounded and well-polished game that has actually exceeded my own expectations.
In regards of the additional content thats quite a bit different.

[...]

Splattercatgaming checked out the Early Access title Songs of Conquest:

One of My Favorite Strategy RPGs on Steam Today

Matt is talking with Kurt about J-RPGs, Adventures and Hardcore Gaming 101:

MC525: Kurt Kalata on JRPGs and Hardcore Gaming 101

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

RPG News Roundup (4-6-2024)

Couchpotato spotted patch 1.4 preview for Dark Envoy:

Patch 1.4 Preview

Get ready for an exclusive sneak peek at what's coming in the upcoming Patch 1.4!

Get ready for an exclusive sneak peek at what's coming in the upcoming Patch 1.4! In addition to addressing reported issues and refining game balance, Patch 1.4 will introduce exciting new features detailed below.

Narrative changes
One of the main features introduced in Patch 1.4 includes narrative changes. We have listened to your feedback, which is why we made cutscenes more dynamic and less janky. These changes are particularly significant in the first act of the game. For example, now you start the game by controlling two characters instead of just Malakai, as it was before. This adjustment allows for seamless co-op play right from the beginning. Additionally, we've added a scene where Vasso, one of the characters who will join us later, helps us deal with enemies.

New Unique items
We have prepared new unique items, including unique items for each of the available bosses, as well as those that can drop randomly from chests or enemies. We expanding on the feature from the last patch, introducing even more weapons that will have their unique abilities.

When creating new items, we aimed to ensure that these new abilities are directly associated with bosses. For example, defeating the Bob, who is one of the first bosses, will reward you with the one-handed hammer "Fallen Rat King's Scepter" along with a new weapon skill "Rat Toss" allowing you to throw it at enemies dealing 200% weapon damage and poisoning them additionally it will also provide us with an passive skill that will add immortal rat companion that will assist the wearer in fights.

Weapon Rebalance
We've received a lot of feedback indicating that ranged attack-focused builds are much stronger than melee variations. Therefore, in Patch 1.4, we have made significant changes to melee weapons. To rebalance them properly, in the newest update, they will now deal approximately 60% more damage than ranged weapons. Additionally, we've buffed 2-handed ranged weapons, especially the two-handed crossbows, which were underutilized despite their explosive effect.

Additionally, with the 1.4 update, we make graphical improvements such as an enhanced map and a new look for mining deposits, which will now vary in appearance depending on the resource obtained.

Thank you to all who provide feedback on Discord and Steam. Remember, you can directly share your ideas using the in-game "report issue" tool, ensuring they reach our team for consideration.

The Dark Envoy team

IGN reports some statements about the game industry by Larian:

Baldur's Gate 3 Dev Larian's Publishing Director Calls Games Industry Layoffs an 'Avoidable F*ck Up'

Larian publishing director says the notion that industry-wide layoffs are inevitable is 'just not true.'

Over the past few months, Baldur's Gate 3's developers have used its platform during awards season speeches to advocate for a healthier game industry. This tradition now extends to its publishing director, who, in a recent interview with Game File, shared his thoughts on industry-wide layoffs plaguing developers over the past two years as an "avoidable fuck up."

Chief among 2024's massive layoffs include Nintendo announcing its restructuring in March which has the potential to affect over 100 contract workers; Sony laying off roughly 900 employees in February — including developers across studios like Insomniac, Naughty Dog, and Guerrilla, and Microsoft laying off 1,900 staff from its workforce in January following its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

The complex and avoidable nature of layoffs
Speaking with Game File's Steven Totilo, Michael Douse likened major gaming companies to massive oil tankers predicated on their ability to steer toward sucess. Should a company fail to plan accordingly, while giving developers proper financial reserves to pivot, fallout via layoffs is sure to come. Instead of feeling like layoffs are an inevitable aspect of the gaming industry, Douse argues that they are avoidable.

"But to prevent these giant operational failures that we call layoffs…they are an avoidable f*ck up. That's really all they are," Douse told Game File. "That's why you see one after the other. Because companies are going: ‘Well, finally. Now we can, too. We've wanted to do it for ages. Everyone else is. So why don't we?’ That's really kind of sick.’"

[...]

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Couchpotato spotted another update for Songs of Conquest:

Livening up Loth!

Dig deep into the Aurelias secrets with our latest update!

Greetings, Wielders!

Prepare yourselves for another update, this one comes with a grave-like touch as we return to the eerie Barony of Loth and embrace our inner cultists! As always, this latest version of Songs of Conquest is packed with a little bit of everything. From essential bug fixes and AI behavior updates to a plethora of small tweaks and changes, we've left no tomb unturned. But let's be honest – there's definitely an undead theme lurking in the shadows.

[...]

Ah, it seems we missed a buried treasure in last week's update – but fear not! The elusive Great Excavation map has been tracked down and added to the roster. It's almost as if it sensed it belonged here all along.

But that's not all – speaking of maps, we've got some exciting additions for all you cartographers out there! We've introduced faction-based wood generators, allowing you to tailor your maps even further to suit your vision.

And for those who prefer a more randomized playstyle, we've got you covered too! We've revamped the two-player Random Map layout for better balance, with more frequent and formidable guards and resource generators to keep you on your toes. Embrace the unpredictability and conquer the unknown!

[...]

Siliconera checked out Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes:

Preview: Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Offers Classic JRPG Vibes

I played a lot of old school PS1 classics on my PSP back in the day, since I never owned the JRPG-centric console, but one of the most memorable games I played was Suikoden 2. As such, my hype for Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes couldn’t be higher, and it fortunately seems to lives up to the hype so far.

Ahead of launch, I checked out a recent PC demo build of the game on my Steam Deck that let me see a solid chunk of what seemed to be an early part of the adventure. The story elements felt a bit light, despite the frequent cutscenes, which left me very little to go on. That said, what I know without a doubt is how stunning its visuals seemed.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes bears some similarities to the HD-2D stylings of the Octopath Traveler games, minus the pixel art. It has a beautiful mix of the 2D hand-drawn characters and colorful 3D environments. The world looks stunning, from what I saw. This build included a neat mix of places to explore, such as a smaller town, a more open world map area, and mysterious ruin dungeon.

[...]

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IGN is giving some tips and tricks for Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2: How Pawns, Vocations, Portcrystals (And More!) Work

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Tim Cain talks about the development timeline of Fallout:

Fallout Development Timeline

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The Elder Scrolls Online is ten years old:

The Elder Scrolls Online - 10-Year Anniversary

ESO’s 10th Anniversary Celebration Begins Now!

Join us for 15 months of reveals, retrospectives, rewards, and more as we celebrate 10 amazing years of The Elder Scrolls Online.

We are thrilled to announce that ESO’s 10th Anniversary Celebration has officially begun! This massive celebration puts a spotlight on you (our players), the game, and the development team over the next 15 months*. 

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Thanks Couchpotato!

Ladies Gamers checked out Terra Memoria:

Terra Memoria Review

Terra Memoria is that increasingly rare game that some of us still crave, a fantasy pixel-turn-based RPG. Developed by French developers La Moutarde, it offers a deeply thought-out, unique fantasy world inhabited by a mix of anthropomorphic animal folk and the rare humanoid, all of whom seek ‘constancy’ in their lives. But that constancy is under attack from forces both mundane and deadly, and your haphazard team of cuties must venture out into the world to see if they can knock some sense back into it all. On the way, there’s light collecting, crafting, and building elements to fuss with.

It’s a game I desperately want to like, so let’s see if it succeeds!

The World of Terra Memoria
Constancy isn’t just a word in Terra Memoria, much less a struggle for anyone with ADHD. It’s the core tenet of a secular faith that doesn’t look to gods so much as it does the concept of a world where things behave in a way that you can rely on. It’s not the only faith in the world; the foxes have their own spirit realm, and you’ll get to explore that, too. But mostly, it’s about reliability, and the world has precious little of that going on as the game starts.

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All of that said, I came in wanting to like Terra Memoria, and in the end, I still mostly do. It’s chunky, yes, and the tone is sometimes a little off – maybe it’s the South Park exhaustion, but a subplot about ‘they took our jobs’ didn’t hit quite the right note for me when it was introduced – but its charm really is undeniable. The game is just too bright, breezy, and pretty to stay cranky, and its flaws can be soothed by taking breaks and coming back to it when you’re ready.

The world building is also something that the developers put a lot of care into, and that’s also a delightful surprise. I’d be thrilled to revisit these characters and their quirky, magitek-laden world again in the future. It’s an indie delight, through and through, and I’m happy to say that, yup, it gets the green.

Final Verdict: I Like It

IGN reviewed ASTRA: Knights of Veda:

Astra: Knights of Veda Review

Mortismal Gaming reviewed Geneforge 2 - Infestation:

Geneforge 2: Infestation - Review After 100%

Game Rant looks back at Final Fantasy VI:

30 Years Later, Final Fantasy 6 is Still a Perfect Time Capsule for the Franchise

Looking back at Final Fantasy 6 on its 30th anniversary provides a snapshot of one of gaming's most important franchises at a pivotal turning point.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Final Fantasy 6 released on April 2, 1994 and marked a turning point for the franchise with new graphics and a fresh direction, ending an era of original creators.
• The game is considered a masterpiece, combining ideas from previous Final Fantasy games to create a groundbreaking experience.
• The core development team of Final Fantasy 6 included legendary creators who went on to work on other iconic games in the industry, and it remains an important piece of video game history.

Thirty years ago today, Square unleashed Final Fantasy 6 upon the world, revolutionizing both the franchise and the role-playing game genre. Not only would Final Fantasy 6 end up being the last game in the series to utilize 2D sprite-based graphics, but it would also be the first game in the series to feature direction from someone other than Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. As a result, Final Fantasy 6 represents a monumental turning point for the franchise, signaling the passing of the torch from the first generation of creators to the new luminaries behind the Final Fantasy games. Essentially, Final Fantasy 6 is the end of an era.

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Thanks Couchpotato!