Mortismal Gaming reviewed Geneforge 2 - Infestation:

Geneforge 2: Infestation - Review After 100%

Rock Paper Shotgun reviewed Geneforge 2 - Infestation:

Geneforge 2 - Infestation review: bold and great like Baldur's Gate

Laptop-friendly roleplaying for the post-Larian age

Like the good works of Calvin Klein, these genes come pre-distressed. Geneforge 2 - Infestation is fresh from the rack, yet looks and functions like the CRPGs of the late 1990s. Where most isometric throwbacks these days offer a forced perspective over 3D scenes, Geneforge 2 is the real deal - its flat character sprites gliding across tiled backgrounds, with the elegant shuffle of Shōgun-era ladies-in-waiting.

This look is less a nostalgic affectation than it is simply practical. Geneforge 2, like all of Jeff Vogel’s games, was made in the spare bedroom of his Seattle home with the help of his wife, Mariann Krizsan - plus a handful of artists spread more broadly. It’s the latest in a long line of low-budget Spiderweb Software RPGs to achieve sprawling scale and reactivity by leaning on cost-effective and old-fashioned production values. Here there is no voice acting, nor any ambient noise that cannot be sourced from royalty-free soundbanks. In pastoral areas of the map, the impression of grazing livestock is conveyed entirely through a free sound effect called ‘Eating a rusk.wav’.

[...]

By the time you’ve begun to appreciate these nuances and story synergies, you’ll have long since seen past Geneforge 2’s visual shortcomings, the UI that fails to upscale with higher resolutions, and the goofy main menu with its frankly teenage animated cursor. Even if Baldur’s Gate 3 triggers a renaissance age for the western RPG, Spiderweb Software’s output will be unignorable so long as it delivers such a distinct flavour of wry, complex, and open ended roleplaying. Long may Vogel be in vogue.

Thanks Soola!

Mortismal Gaming checked out Geneforge 2 - Infestation:

Geneforge 2: Infestation - First Impressions

Thanks Couchpotato!

Geneforge 2 - Infestation has been released - a livestream is planned for  March 31 AT 12:00 AM:

Geneforge 2 - Infestation Release Livestream and Q&A #2

Release stream! Take a look at the new unique, open-ended fantasy RPG in an alien world.

Geneforge 2 – Infestation is a truly open-ended fantasy adventure in a unique world of alien fantasy. You are one of the Shapers, wizards with the awesome power to create life. Want a tool, a trap, an army? You summon it into existence. You create mighty beasts, and they totally obey you. Usually. Almost 90 zones to explore and 50+ hours of gameplay. Multitudes of skills, abilities, factions, treasures, and servants to create.

Geneforge 2 – Infestation is coming out March 27 for Windows and Macintosh. We're celebrating the game with several developer streams. Come see the game and ask questions!

This livestream is done by the developer, a grumpy indie developer veteran who has been making his odd, low-budget, fun adventures for 30 (!) years. Enjoy learning about Geneforge and the indie games business from a fun old crank.

Thanks Yemeth!

Couchpotato spotted a new Kickstarter update for Geneforge 2 - Infestation:

Geneforge 2 - Infestation Kickstarter, February Update #8

We have lots of great news for all of Geneforge 2’s kind backers. We are thrilled to say, after all of your support and a ton of work, you can finally play the demo of the game! 

Demo Is Available For Steam Next Fest

Steam Next Fest is an event where indie developers can show off demos of their work. For the third time, Spiderweb is taking part. On Geneforge 2 - Infestation’s Steam page, you can now download the first big chunk of the game and play it. The demo will be active for a week, and your saved game progress will carry over to the full game. The demo is at our Steam page.

You can watch the developer (Jeff) stream the game on February 7th (7 PM PST) and February 10th (2 PM PST). Go to the Steam page to see the stream. If you can wishlist it, it would be hugely appreciated. Have fun!

Release Date Announced

We have also announced the official release date. The game will be coming out March 27, 2024 for Windows and Macintosh! The iPad version will follow soon after.

All Backer Surveys Are Out

We are about to send out backer surveys for people who backed at the first two levels (game, and game deluxe edition). Watch your inbox for it. If you haven’t heard from us soon, check your spam filter. We have already sent backer surveys to all other support levels. If you haven’t gotten anything, contact us at support@spiderwebsoftware.com.

We have sent out beta test invites for all high tier backers. Again, if you haven’t gotten the message, contact us. We will write the hint book soon and send that to all beta testers as well.

Finally, if your backing tier included physical merchandise (pins and stickers), those will be mailed soon.

So, a short update with lots of news. The next month is wrapping up the game, doing PR, setting up the game on stores, and putting out fires. You’ll probably hear from us next when the game is actually out. Thank you again so much for your support, and the game you believed in is on the way!

  - Jeff Vogel

PC Gamer reports that Geneforge 2 - Infestation will be released on March 27. A demo will be released during the Steam Next Fest from February 5 to February 12.

Couchpotato spotted a Kickstarter update for Geneforge 2 - Infestation:

Geneforge 2 - Infestation Kickstarter, December Update #6

Happy Holidays from Spiderweb Software! Before a brief end-of-year rest, we wanted to let you know what has been going on with Geneforge 2 - Infestation. We have some great news.

The game is done, for both Windows and Mac! Almost. There are a handful of unfinished bits of code and a couple pieces of art yet to be completed. Plus tons of testing. However, the game world is done. It is possible to play through the entire storyline. The first group of Beta Testers have played through every game path several times. Barring a considerable disaster, the game can ship in March!

This is always a big milestone. We finally get to switch gears from creation to distribution. Now we start configuring store pages, making installers, going hard on PR, tweaking game balance, fixing bugs, and completing the million steps to get a game out into the world.

But if you were worried that this Kickstarter might not make a game exist, worry no more! A game exists!

Now, at last, we can get serious about the details ...

Kickstarter Backer Surveys

At the beginning of January, we will send out the Kickstarter surveys. You'll need to give your email address for game keys and your physical address for physical rewards. Higher-tier backers can say how they want to be listed in the credits.

Watch for this at the beginning of January. If you haven't heard from us, check your spam filter.

Backer Beta Testing

Backers who can beta test the game should get a message from Kickstarter in mid-January. You'll get a bunch of time for your feedback to be incorporated.
And that is our update. Check out some of our new creation art below. We post new screenshots regularly on Twitter/X. If you wishlist us on Steam, it is very helpful for getting visibility. See you next year!

- Jeff Vogel

Couchpotato spotted the newest Kickstarter update for Geneforge 2 - Infestation:

Geneforge 2 - Infestation Kickstarter, October Update #5

Greetings, kind backers! We have some exciting news for this update. We’ve reached a major milestone … We’ve officially announced the game!

We’ve released a bunch of information, screenshots, and a trailer. You can see them on our web site and on Steam. Take a look! We’re still aiming for a release in March, 2024.

If you would like to give us a little extra help, feel free to go to our Steam page and wishlist the game. Steam uses wishlists to determine which games get exposure in the “Popular Upcoming” page, which helps a LOT. This is a great way to support indie developers you’re fond of.

We’re also doing beta testing with our small, elite core of Macintosh beta testers. This has slowed development a bit, but, in return, every day a bit more of Geneforge 2 becomes suitable for actual release. We’re putting in a lot of hours, and the results are very satisfying. Once the Windows port is done (hopefully in December), we can begin much wider testing.

We will be polling everyone to get their information for delivering your rewards very soon. Keep an eye on your email!

A short update this time, but with a ton of information. Development is exactly where it should be, and things are going well. Take a look at the trailer, and you’re hear more from us soon!

- Jeff Vogel

Geneforge 2 - Infestation has a new trailer. The game is expected in Q1 2024.

Geneforge 2 - Infestation is a wildly open-ended fantasy adventure in a unique fantasy world. Use battle or diplomacy and trickery to change the world, served by an army of custom-made mutant monsters. Almost 90 zones to explore and 50+ hours of gameplay. Enormous range of abilities, factions, quests, and paths to victory.

Spiderweb's RPG Geneforge 2 - Infestation is already funded on Kickstarter:

Geneforge 2 - Infestation Kickstarter One Week Update!

Greetings, supporters! It has been a week since the Geneforge 2 - Infestation Kickstarter started, and it’s time for the first of several weekly updates.

We are thrilled with how the Kickstarter has gone. It funded almost immediately, and we’ve already reached our first stretch goal. There will be a game (out early 2023), and it will have a new creation to send into battle. After the Kickstarter is done, we’ll begin asking your opinions for what it should be and what it can do.

We’re looking good for our next stretch goal: Adding a new, long quest storyline with a bunch of new sections to explore. Hopefully, it will fund before next week’s update.

Almost all of the design rewards have sold out. We’re both grateful and overwhelmed. That’s a lot of quests, characters, and artifacts to create. Yet, we’re excited about it. We’ve done this several times. It’s difficult, but it also results in a more varied and interesting game. We can’t wait to hear your ideas!

We’re going to spend the next few weeks finding places to spread the news about this Kickstarter. We’d love to reach more goals and add more adventures to the game.

Thank you again for your support! Back to work, and you’ll hear from us next week.

- Jeff Vogel

The Kickstarter for Geneforge 2 - Infestation has started:

Geneforge 2 - Infestation

The indie cult classic, totally remastered! Open ended fantasy role-playing fun with your own army of custom-made mutant monsters.

The Geneforge Saga is a true cult classic from the distant history of indie games. Started in 1999, it was a series of unique and innovative role-playing games, with a one-of-a-kind setting, fascinating story, and a level of open-endedness that still stands out today.

They were also really fun, and they still are.

Want to use trickery and diplomacy to win the game without ever attacking a single foe? You can. Want a ton of different factions to join, some of which are actually insane? We're happy to oblige. Want to scorch the earth, devastating every location you find? Um, it's an option. 

Geneforge games don't hand you a 'bad guy'. You decide who is bad. Pick a side and start fighting.

And, of course, whatever you do, you can create your own army of custom-made mutant monsters. 

The Geneforge games have had a cult following for decades, but they are very old. 

Our tiny little company worked on the five parts of the Geneforge Saga from 1999 to 2008. They were truly unique games, with a strange and fascinating world, complex characters, tough moral choices, and a blend of fantasy and science fiction unlike anything that had come before.

However, they don't run properly on modern computers, and they don't exist on mobile devices at all. These games were huge successes and developed quite a following, and it pains us to see them disappear from the Earth.

Thus, this remaster. We are going through the Geneforge Saga, one game at a time, and giving each a massive, ground-up remaster. They will always be scrappy, retro indie games, but now they can be that in a bigger, funner, more modern way. We already made Geneforge 1 - Mutagen, and it was a big success. (Playing Geneforge 1 is not at all necessary to enjoy Geneforge 2.)

It is time to return to Geneforge 2, first released in 2003. We want to create Geneforge 2 - Infestation.

[...]

Thanks Kordanor!

The Turn Based Lovers report that Spiderweb Software will start a Kickstarter for Geneforge 2 - Infestation on February 8:

Geneforge 2: Infestation – a remastered edition of the cult-classic RPG – is heading to Kickstarter this February

Spiderweb Software is excited to announce the launch of the Geneforge 2: Infestation Kickstarter campaign on February 8th, with a goal of $30,000. The game will feature improved visuals, a new melee and missile system, and new content such as characters, storylines, and abilities. Stretch goals include funding for new missions and monsters.

The game’s original creator, Jeff Vogel, will be the primary developer, working alongside freelancers to bring his vision to life. This is the second Kickstarter for Spiderweb Software in the Geneforge series, following the successful funding of Geneforge 1: Mutagen in early 2020.

[...]