The AI-driven turn-based RPG Wheel of Fate has gone into Early Access on Steam last month.

Since its debut on Kickstarter, the developers for Wheel of Fate have worked to expand the game's AI element which builds and changes the world around you based on your choices and adapts to your gameplay. Spinning the wheel will affect enemy difficulty, dungeons, loot and much more. UDX Interactive also created an Active Response Battle System designed to keep you on your toes when engaging in the game's turn-based combat.

Aerea, the game in which music plays a big role is available now on Steam, with a discount.

AereA is a music themed Action RPG in which you play as one of Great Maestro Guido’s disciples and explore Aezir; a floating island that was broken into pieces. Your mission is to find and return the nine primordial instruments to restore balance and peace to the world. You have to find your way through all parts of the scattered islands; complete quests, solve puzzles, defeat bosses and discover the truth behind the islands. Will you be able to return the nine primordial instruments?

Steam Hammer, which is apparently a hardcore Steampunk RPG, is currently in Early Access on Steam.

Hardcore Steampunk RPG Steam Hammer Storms into Early Access

New Trailer Reveals Highlights of Massive Sandbox World

Hello! We're indie developer Big Way Games, and we're proud to announce that our hardcore steampunk RPG, Steam Hammer, is now officially available in Early Access.

Offering a massive sandbox world, where jetpacks and airships meet a flexible open class system, Steam Hammer is an ambitious steampunk title featuring survival elements that has been two years in development following a successful Kickstarter campaign.

Key features of Steam Hammer include:

• Open Class System: combine or switch skills between engineer, scientist, farmer, gunsmith, stormtrooper, sharpshooter and many more.
• Victorian Steampunk Setting: wondrous mechanisms, machinery, weapons, armor and clothing all await.
• Forge Weapons and Armor, Build Houses, Factories and Towers: use what you find to craft over 40 types of weapons and armor, or over 100 types of buildings and fortifications.
• Action-Combat System: battle enemies without the aid of a targeting system, relying on skill to emerge the victor.
• Fight on Land and in the Air: engage your foes, be they wild animals or other players, on the ground, or grab your steam jetpack and take to the skies to hijack an airship...
• ...Or Build Your Own: create your own fleet of customised airships and show your rivals who's boss, assaulting otherwise impregnable fortresses from above.
• Terraform the World: construct mines, tunnels, ditches, mounds - whatever you need to survive.

The game begins by creating your character using extensive customisation options and deciding upon appearance, crafting abilities and combat skills. From there, players venture into a world free from rules and restrictions, with no pre-defined roles and imposed goals.
Steam Hammer is currently available via Steam at $29.99/£22.99/€27.99.

The top-down tactical action RPG Strain Tactics will be availbale this Thursday on Steam.
This is what Steam syas the game is about:

Strain Tactics is a real time, top-down tactical ARPG that takes players to a cyberpunk, apocalyptic future where the world has been taken over by an infectious alien strain. Featuring 80 playable characters and over 150 unique items and weapons, the game challenges players to defeat enemies by commanding customizable ground teams from their Helibase overhead. Players can indulge in a variety of scenarios across over 30 different maps, and the sandbox-style mechanics allows users to approach the maps according to their play style.

The Press release mentions this:

AGAINST ALL ODDS
After losing a secret war fought on the surface of Neptune against a hostile alien organism, you are faced with the realization that the “Strain” threat is heading for Earth. A re-cloned commander of the Neptune Incident, you must now take command of a group of up to five ground team members to defeat the Strain ... and put an end to the alien menace once and for all.

Taking a bird's-eye view of the battlefield from the vantage point of your Helibase, you’re able to issue commands to assault units who can be inserted (and extracted) from anywhere on the battlefield. Choose from 80 playable characters – all equipped with a weapon and three extra inventory slots for maximum flexibility. With more than 150 unique items and weapons, you can customize the ground team to deal with virtually *any* situation – both domestic and extraterrestrial!

Draw paths for your units using a nifty drag-control system and give special commands to your troops while they follow the path – allowing you to carefully choreograph the flow of battle. Need to quickly change orders? No problem: You can manually override orders in real time and direct individual soldiers (or multiple units) to new targets on the go. Experienced soldiers will level up – increasing their damage, resistance, or endurance. Death is not the end: Make the most of casualties by recovering body bags to revive team members – or sell their corpses for much-needed credits.

With a variety of maps and distinct scenarios, each mission in Strain Tactics can be approached like a sandbox. And if things get too crazy on the ground, the Helibase features its own weapon systems: Support your ground team from afar with some serious firepower!

KEY FEATURES

• Build and command your own 1-5-member heliborne task force.
• Assemble a ground team from 80 playable characters with unique personalities and strengths – featuring 1-3 extra inventory slots and countless weapon/item combinations.
• Choreograph your team’s actions in real time with a dynamic drag-control system or manually micromanage units.
• Defend your Helibase and protect your team from above with miniguns, autocannons, and more.
• Preserve your team’s mental health – and protect them from contamination.
•  Level up your units, upgrade items, and revive fallen team members by body-bagging (or sell their corpses for points).
• Travel to more than 30 maps with five unique scenarios – including Hunter-Killer, Escort, Retrieval, Perimeter Defense, and Clean Sweep.

PRICING & AVAILABILITY
Strain Tactics will be available on Steam (Windows only) on May 4 for $14.99.

The third episode of the couch Co-Op RPG Eon Altar is available at Steam.

The Final Episode of Couch Co-Op RPG Eon Altar Revealed in New Trailer

December 16, 2016 - After the defeat of Lady Allevia and putting an end to her centuries-old torment, a mysterious, powerful figure has saved you from Guild Lord Davian's attack and left you in the dark caves below the Catacombs. Ancient ruins lost to history, a malevolent race, and this mysterious figure's agenda all stand between you and Davian: survival isn't enough; your destiny await.

Flying Helmet Games is pleased to announce the third episode of Eon Altar titled "Watcher in the Dark," releasing on January 19, 2017. Episode 3 will require both Episodes 1 and 2 to play.

What does your mysterious benefactor want? And can he help you escape the Paths of Madness with your sanity intact?

Episode III - Watcher in the Dark Consists of:

• Chapter 1 - The Paths of Madness

• Chapter 2 - Hall of the Builders

Continue your adventures with Episode 3 - Watcher in the Dark. With over three hours of new content, you'll continue to banter with your friends in dialogue, prepare your characters for the final battle, and fight as a well-oiled, tactical machine.

Learn more on Steam

Designed to be the ultimate couch co-op experience, Eon Altar is best played on a TV. Using the free Eon Altar controller app available on the iOS App store and Android via Google Play, 1-4 players can sync via wifi to one copy of the game for an epic RPG local co-op experience.

Eon Altar is labeled as a couch co-op RPG where you use your smartphone as a controller.

Eon Altar: Episode 2 – Whispers in the Catacombs

Journeys to Steam on October 6

Level Up Your Couch Co-op RPG Experience with Smartphone Integration

The Brotherhood of Keepers is in shambles, and it falls to you and your group to descend into the depths of the unknown in Eon Altar: Episode 2 – Whispers in the Catacombs, available on PC and Mac October 6, 2016. Developed by Flying Helmet Games, the second episode of Eon Altar continues to refine the couch co-op RPG experience on Steam using your smartphone as your controller.

 

With over three hours of new story, the adventure continues as 1-4 players journey to the Eon Altar. Will you work with your friends, or betray them for your own means to an end? Each player has his or her own personal information they can choose to share with the group, or keep to his or herself for personal gain.

 

Included in Eon Altar: Episode 2 – Whispers in the Catacombs:

• Chapter 1 - Together We Fall
• Chapter 2 - The Safehold
• Arena Mode - The Cultist Rising
      ​The Zaquentists have been busy corrupting Destiny Markers to summon a creature of unfathomable power. The clock is ticking—Can you stop them and cleanse the gate before it’s too late, or will you be forced to face off against a creature of nightmare to save yourselves?

Designed to be the ultimate couch co-op experience, Eon Altar is best played on a TV. Using the free Eon Altar controller app available on the iOS App store and Android via Google Play, 1-4 players can sync via wifi to one copy of the game for an epic RPG local co-op experience.

Eon Altar: Episode 2 – Whispers in the Catacombs launches on Steam (PC, Mac) on October 6, 2016.

You can vote for the Action J-RPG Legrand Legacy on Steam Greenlight now:

Trailer:

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LEGRAND LEGACY is an exciting new game that blends classic JRPG components with modern mechanics, hand-drawn visuals, and a twisted storyline.

Unexplored started out as a proof of concept, to see if automatic generated levels can be done as good as a designer would make them. By means of a new technology, the answer to this is still 'no', but it is getting close.

One simple trick makes machines better level designers

At its core, the theory is very simple to explain. Usually, programs tasked with creating levels typically think in straight lines. Which makes sense, the player needs to get from A to B. However, a human level designer typically does not think in straight lines. Intentionally or not, they design levels thinking in circles, in loops. Intuitively adding a shortcut back to the main path just after a key, adding a secondary path to the same goal with a different type of challenge, those kind of touches.

And that’s the simple but far reaching and fundamental change coming to computer generated levels in the near future: cyclic structures instead of just branching paths. One of the first games to fully embrace this theory is the upcoming dungeon crawler Unexplored (now on Steam Greenlight).

Being the brainchild of game researcher and developer Joris Dormans, Unexplored provides some great examples of cyclic level generation. See for yourself:

A level like this would be impossible to generate using the existing methods of branching paths creation. However, “The biggest and main advantage of a system like this”, says Dormans, “is the fact it makes games with computer generated levels just so much more compelling and fun to play.”

Although Unexplored, which started as a proof of concept but evolved into a fully fledged dungeon crawler, may be one of the first of its kind, it definitely won’t be the last. Dormans: “Every time I play the game myself, I’m surprised about the complexity and hand crafted feel of the levels. After release we will share everything we’ve learned about the cyclic creation process. We fully expect, and hope, other developers will take advantage of this.”

UNEXPLORED
Easy to play, easy to die!
Unexplored creates dungeons so challenging and fun, you can't stop playing! 
Beat hundreds of monsters, slay the dragon and find the amulet of Yendor!

• 'Easy to learn, easy to die'-gameplay 
• Brand new dungeon generator tech, the first of its kind! 
• Hundreds upon hundreds of hours of pure fun 
• Intense dual wielding melee combat 
• Clever puzzles and challenging dragons 
• An epic soundtrack!

 
The next step in roguelikes
Unexplored is a funny but dangerous dungeon crawler. Expect danger, a ‘live fast & die young’-attitude and a brand new dungeon every time your hero fails. It’s really easy to learn how to play, butUnexplored isn’t a forgiving game. It rewards only the survivors. When you die, you can’t go back to a saved game. 
Never dull, never repetitive. The game rewards skill and cunning and lots of practise! Unexplored uses the latest in game design and level-generation, while committing to a vintage look and feel of the classic 80’s RPG storyline. True to the classics, you will enter the dungeon only after you’ve met the old geezer in the tavern who knows a lot about it….

ArsTechnica reports that Microsoft will use Steam to sell their Windows-games:

Microsoft will use Steam to sell Windows games, not just its own store

While some of Microsoft's older game titles, such as Age of Empires II HD (a 2013 update of a 1999 game) are found on Valve's Steam platform, its latest high-profile titles, such as Forza 6 Apex and Quantum Break, are exclusive to the Windows Store. But this is going to change, with Microsoft planning to release more titles on the popular store.

Phil Spencer, head of the Xbox team at Microsoft, was talking on Giant Bomb's E3 stream, via GameSpot. When it comes to PC gaming, the Windows Store is very much an also-ran, with Steam the dominant force. As Spencer noted, "I don't think Valve's hurt by not having [Microsoft's] first-party games in their store right now. They're doing incredibly well." Accordingly, Spencer said that Microsoft "will ship games on Steam again."

Meanwhile, Microsoft's own experience had been more inconsistent. While some games have done well in the Windows Store, with Spencer naming both Forza 6 Apex and Killer Instinct as successful titles, he said that "Quantum Break wasn't our best PC release" and that Gears of War Ultimate Edition was merely "OK."

[...]

The roguelike game in a cyberpunk setting, named Leap of Fate is now available on Steam and the Humble store. Both have it available for a limited time with a discount.

Narrative-Driven Cyberpunk Roguelike 'Leap of Fate' Blasts onto Steam Today

Husband-and-wife developer Clever-Plays' debut game shakes up genre

Montreal, Canada - March 30, 2016: Leap of Fate, the narrative-driven, cyberpunk isometric roguelike is now available to buy on Steam and the Humble Store.

Leap of Fate has an intriguing grown-up design philosophy and great development story (Mattieu Bégin, lead developer runs Clever-Plays with his wife from their Montreal family home - see below). 

"With Leap of Fate we wanted to make a fresh roguelike with more narrative substance", said Mattieu Bégin, lead developer of Clever-Plays. "There's no main evil guy to defeat, it's about overcoming your own fears, discovering your own fate. For me, it's the culmination of a decades-long journey, from making tabletop RPGs and board games as a child to running an independent games studio today. We're so excited to release our debut game and can't wait to see which of the four playable characters is the most popular. There's some strong discussion online already!"

What is Leap of Fate?

Developed by Montreal-based Clever-Plays, Leap of Fate is a fresh take on the roguelike genre. With its more mature, narrative-driven story, isometric perspective and furious gameplay, Leap of Fate adds depth to the typical roguelike. Here are some of the key features:

• Explore a modern-day cyberpunk fantasy spanning cybernetics labs, dark alleys & secret societies

• Enjoy furiously-paced action with extremely mobile Shadow Walk ability

• Upgrade a hundred+ magical skills through an innovative, randomly-generated skill tree system

• Battle a hundred+ randomly placed enemies, from pit fighters to mad cultists

• Navigate through the Deck of Fate (magical tarot cards) to determine your procedurally-generated levels

• Discover the four distinct stories of the player-characters, told through beautifully illustrated cinematics

In Leap of Fate, you play one of four mages, each with their own distinct gameplay style and storyline:

• Aeon, the shadow mage - Psychologically scarred by years of oppression in a secret society

• Big Mo, the cyborg technomancer - Wrestling to come to terms with his dual nature

• Mukai, the spirit channeler - Struggling to regain control of her mind from three powerful entities

• Rasimov, the rogue occultist - A centuries-old mage on an endless quest to cheat death

Terran Ascension is trying to be greenlit on Steam and says it is this:

This is a Space Based RPG following Humanity as it transitions to a Type 2 Civilisation.
Developed by a two man indie studio named Shogunate Games.

When can we play the Game?
We are currently in the early pre-alpha stage. Currently we are planning our first Alpha stage to allow wider testing of the game. There will be closed and open Alpha Phases, before moving into Beta before the Summer.

What can we look forward to in the Game?
We hope to share as much of the development process as possible. There will be Interplanetary Trading, Smuggling, Transporting Passengers, Mining of Asteroids and more. We hope to have enough time to put in a working Quest system with a multiple choice driven Storyline.

What Works?
Interplanetary Travel, Trading, Docking, Pirate Patrol, Pirate Seek, Pirate Boarding, Saving & Loading, 8 Planets, 2 Belts for Mining.

What is Planned?
We put up a Trello Page to give an idea of the direction and format the game is heading into here:
https://trello.com/b/8RQt6F5s

Will the Game be Free-to-Play?
This being our first game we have plans to make more Games when Terran Ascension is Finished. Our Game will be priced modestly alongside similar titles available at time of Launch.

Will there be a Kickstarter Campaign?
We cannot rule that out, however we have no plans to start a funding campaign. This is our First Game and we only started development in December 2015. With that said we have made encouraging progress, A great many things including Trading and interplanetary travel are already working as shown in February's preview videos.

What Platforms will This Game be available on?
Terran Ascension is currently being built for Windows Operating Systems in 64-bit. We have no plans for console or mobile adaptations, however it is within scope if there is enough interest.

Thanks Eye.

Help Stellar Tactics on Steam Greenlight:

Stellar Tactics combines a classic narrative driven, Party-Based RPG with turn based ground combat, space exploration and a deep character and ship customization system. You will build a team of elite mercenaries and explore a vast universe of over 200,000 systems.

Gather your team and embrace your destiny as you explore the far reaches of deep space.

Faced with inevitable destruction at the hands of a mutagenic virus and a irreversible cosmic event, the remnants of the human race embark on a sub-light journey across the vast expanse of space.

Many thousands of years later, they arrive at their destinations hoping to colonize distant worlds. The journey, however, has unexpected consequences, changing the sleeping passengers on each ship in untold ways, giving them frightening powers and amazing gifts.

You are an elite warrior genetically modified, bred for warfare. Your team will wake to investigate an occurrence on one of the ships that carry the remnants of your people, suspended in a deep sleep for the long sub-light journey. Your deeds, will change the destiny of those you protect. Choose wisely, as your actions will be reflected in the events that unfold when you reach your destination and you are unleashed into the void.

A fusion of Sci-Fi and Fantasy, Stellar Tactics tells the story of a parallel warring species of human beings, genetic mutation, ancient alien civilizations, unprecedented power and hope. A compelling narrative of finely crafted lore specifically designed to mesh with an open ended RPG sandbox universe. A sandbox universe designed to entertain for many years to come with episodic content releases that will fill thousands of star systems with story and content.

Explore

• Delve into hidden bases, ancient ruins and caves on planets
• Scout derelict ships, abandoned space stations and anomalies
• Prospect and mine asteroid fields and planetary resource nodes
• Gather scanning data that can be sold for profit
• Pilot your ship across a massive universe in search of fame and fortune

Fight

• Fight, disable and board enemy ships
• Utilize Psionics - a powerful psychic energy - pyrokinesis, psychokinesis, cryokinesis and geokinesis
• Augment your weapons and defenses with modifications, devices and nano-technology
• Build your own specialists in a classless progression system - choose from over 300 skill perks to customize your team members

Trade

• Choose your ship - fast and light for smuggling or massive and slow for large loads of cargo - pilot 40 ships, each with a unique upgradeable configuration
• Establish the most profitable trade routes between systems
• Craft some of the most powerful gear in the known universe for use or trade
• Hack stations and place data buoy's for real time trading data

Loot

• Tons of loot, thousands of item combinations
• Five weapon tiers, from basic to epic including armor sets and legendary weapons dropped from hand crafted faction and world bosses
• Customize your team with upgrades and modifications
• Personal shields, devices and med-packs will keep you alive when used strategically

[...]

Some free to play Visual Novels have been released on Steam:

CUPID:

"Love is both poison and cure, both knife and remedy." Set in 18th Century France, this is a gothic romance tale about loss, revenge and the different faces of love.

The Bottom of the Well:

A visual novel where Alice steps into a different kind of wonderland.

In The Bottom of the Well, you play as Alice who has just had an unsettingly life-like dream about the end of the world. She retells her experience to her friend in a huge, branching narrative. Although a single play-through might take as little as 20 minutes, experiencing all the possible paths Alice can take through the ruins of her city will take you many hours.

The open world RPG Xcylin is looking to be greenlit on Steam.

A vast planet hidden in the outer reaches of space, ruins of a long extinct civilization. You awake in the wreck of mankind's first and only interstellar starship, lightyears away from earth. Soon to find that you are humanity's last hope for survival from a disaster. A disaster that was supposedly caused by the inhabitants of this alien planet.

As you explore strange landscapes, you can't shake off the feeling that you are not alone ...

Xcylin is an open-world RPG that puts you on a planet where you need to explore, craft, and fight in order to survive. It features a strong story and a sophisticated dungeon generation system to ensure that no two missions play the same. Many challenging dungeons with their own secrets await you, and invite you to explore the history of an ancient alien race and the technology they left behind.

Once you have finished your mission, Xcylin's fully moddable engine ensures that there is a huge amount of community-made planets waiting for you to discover.

Thanks Eye.

Portal Knights, which is currently on Early Access at Steam, has been played by Nerdmuch.

The 3D sandbox RPG Portal Knights from 505 games made its debut on Steam Early Access on February 23rd. We’ve had the opportunity to play it and offer you our initial thoughts (admittedly, it wasn’t easy to tear ourselves away to do so). This is a game we’ve been looking forward to since it was announced just a few weeks ago, and it definitely does not disappoint.

This game has all the features we love from Minecraft and Terraria, but with added RPG elements that elevate it to a whole new level of addictive. The ability to choose from three standard RPG classes (Warrior, Mage, or Ranger) and customize your character’s appearance certainly add to the game’s appeal, although right now the classes feel a bit sparse. For example, there are abilities to choose from as you level your character, but very few and most levels don’t give you a choice; also, your stats are allocated automatically. More features added to each class would really put this game head-and-shoulders above other sandbox games.

And there is also this preview on YouTube:

Thanks Eye.

The action based tactical adventure We Are The Dwarves will be released on February 26:

The Dwarven stars are slowly dying-- putting the race at the edge of extinction. Deliverance is poised upon three Dwarven astronauts who are sent on an expedition to find a new star in the depths of the Endless Stone. Take control of Forcer, Smashfist, and Shadow as they explore the unknown territories of the stone universe while meeting new civilizations and ancient monsters from the deep layers of space.

We Are The Dwarves is an action-based tactical adventure with active pause (extreme slowdown of time) placing you in control of three Dwarven astronauts. Forcer is capable of ranged destruction, and timely set-up exectution. Smashfist, a brute at heart, gets up close and personal with rage worth avoiding. Shadow stays just where you'd expect him to, launching deadly successive assassinations and precision archery from afar. As a trio, combine each dwarfs attack styles into orchestrated destruction against your foe.

Features of We Are The Dwarves -
Three distinct characters, each with an array of abilities and talents.
Individual skill trees for each dwarf; customization varies from stealth to slasher​.
Pause and queue gameplay - slow time and set up a series of commands to be executed.
Enemies vary in sense interaction, picking up movement, ambient noise and scent.

Some Gameplay:

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Eye spotted this odd game, where you can learn Japanese while playing. On top of that it is calimed to be an RPG as well. The lengthy name of the game is: Learn Japanese To Survive! Hiragana Battle.

Learn Japanese To Survive! Hiragana Battle is an educational game that is the ideal introductory course to the Japanese language!

You’re reading this page now because you have more than a passing interest in learning Japanese. Maybe you’ve tried learning it before, but never had any luck? That’s completely normal, so don’t worry! Learning a language can be daunting. And with a language like Japanese, full of strange and wonderful written characters, you might not even know where to start.

You need a learning tool that’s going to keep you interested, challenge you at the right pace, and most importantly, keep you coming back for more.

That’s why Learn Japanese To Survive! Hiragana Battle was made! This isn’t just educational software – this is a full-blown RPG specifically designed to keep you engaged. By playing along, you’re going to be introduced to the Japanese language like never before.

Learn how to read and write Japanese characters (Hiragana) at a steady pace. There’s a new set of characters to learn each chapter, and your revision takes place on the battlefield! If your knowledge is up to scratch, you’ll claim victory in exciting strategic battles. If you’re falling behind, you have the opportunity to revisit specific chapters and brush up on your knowledge.

As a bonus, you’ll also learn common Japanese words and phrases and important grammar points!

What is Hiragana?

Hiragana is the basic writing system used in Japanese. Japanese actually combines 3 different sets of characters to form written works – Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji. This game focuses solely on Hiragana, the foundation. By learning Hiragana, you can write and pronounce nearly any Japanese word.

Features:

• An exciting story based on the concept of learning Japanese. As the characters in the story learn Hiragana, you learn along with them!
• Learn every single Hiragana character, with detailed instructions on how to read and write each character.
• Visual animations displaying how to write each character.
• Audio speech examples demonstrate how to pronounce each character.
• Exciting gameplay with familiar RPG elements – collect items, complete quests, engage in battles!
• Earn experience points and level up your characters.
• Revise completed lessons to brush up on your knowledge.
• In-game quizzes to test what you’re learning.

The local co-op mode for Dungeonrift is now life in the Early Access of the game.

It has been a long work, but second DungeonRift Early Access update is live! We’re happy to finally release local co-op mode (we’ve played it ourselves and really liked the way it plays) as well as fixes for lots of issues we (and our dear players) found since last build. Next update will be more content-wise and we hope it will take WAY less time for us to develop.
We will rebuild our Demo in nearest future for it to make more precise impression of our game.

Patch notes:

• Local co-op mode implemented!
  
  • You can join as a second player in “Start Game” menu with the desirable controller;
  • Alternative skins for second player’s characters (more skins and skin selection to come in later updates);
  • Dead players are revived by opening chest on next level (chest-loot is lost this way);
• 3 new environments with 6 new awesome music tracks;
• Option to switch camera zoom to “toggle mode” (thanks to TheTycoon for the advice);
• Option to disable timer ticking for those who was enraged by it;
• Some control-based glitches have been fixed (thanks to Rachelle for the report);
• Engine upgraded to Unity 5.3 (expect some perfomance boost!);
• Tons of optimizations and little bug fixes for better game experience.

The developer of Stories of Bethem: Full Moon contacted us about his game, which is currently on Steam.

Stories of Bethem: Full Moon is a classic action-RPG adventure that tells the story of Khoma, a young man of the Kingdom of Bethem whose father has been cursed by the Blue Witch when he was investigating about the birth of his world.

Khoma sets out for a quest that will lead him to the Red Witch, the only person that can break the spell. But he will find himself in an unexpected adventure in search of the oneiric objects needed to save his father. Khoma’s will be a long travel throughout which he will have to learn magic, a real challenge to his strength and skills.

Be enchanted by a traditional-style action-packed adventure full of secrets, puzzles, unrequited love, exploration and loads of madness.

Features

• Explore a vast kingdom full of secrets to discover.
• Overcome dungeons full of puzzles.
• Have fun with about 20 hours of game.
• Be surprised by the characters and the wildest stories you can imagine. Guaranteed fun!
• Use and get new magic spells to open your way.
• Collect all the monster auras at the museum.
• Fight against fearsome monsters.
• Complete the side-quests and get the Steam achievements to squeeze the game.

Stories of Bethem: Full Moon is an improved and extended edition of Stories of Bethem. It includes new orbs and puzzles, a more polished story, improved dungeons and new ones, extended kingdom zones and new ones, new items and side quests, a new ending and Steam achievements. All this with a renewed graphic style and a lot of gameplay improvements.

Black Rune spotted some interesting games on Steam Greenlight:

Shadows of Adam:

A new age retro JRPG with innovative gameplay for the modern era. Gorgeous art, music to remember, and a story you'll never forget!

Shadows of Adam is on Kickstarter as well.

Aselia the Eternal:

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Aselia the Eternal combines hardcore strategy gameplay with an epic fantasy storyline to create a fantastic experience for gamers of all ages. Travel to a fantasy world and lead an army of cute girls in battle against powerful enemies. With dozens of missions, hundreds of skills, three difficulty levels, and eight endings, Aselia the Eternal offers countless hours of RPG fun.

Minaurs:

A stunning adventure with unique gameplay based on exploring and rescuing lost Minaur Nation scattered in various planets underworlds of the Minaurs Universe. A catastrophe has occured and now you are one of the few surviving Minaurs. Your quest is to rescue and reunite the Minaur nation.

The game has a nonlinear gameplay and it is unique for each player. There are various ways to achieve you goals in expeditions. Find your own way, find your own style. The game controls are easy; but to successfully finish your missions will demand full focus of your mind.

Travel to and explore hundreds of unique locations blooming with life. Game offers many interactive worlds on various planets with specific environments and wildlife. Conduct expeditions and explore these unique detailed ecosystems. Observe and use specific behavior of wild animals their various abilities and way they interact with their environment to your own advantage. Save lost Minaurs and fulfill special tasks. Gather and manage valuable resource as well experience. With help of the resource you gather and experience you collect build new and upgrade special abilities of your Minaur. You have a large choice of different abilities to learn and their further development.

Minaurs are a plentiful nation so prepare for a serious long lasting adventure… Minaur scholars continuously discover and develop their special abilities. New possibilities of upgrading your character as well as new worlds will appear with time.

The only thing left now for you is to begin! All depends on your abilities and decisions…

A new development update for Dungeon Rift was made available, just before the end of last year.

Hello guys,
Giving you a little update on game development and our future plans, because there was a long time since last news, but we sure want you to know that we’re still alive and active.
We’ve finally finished local coop at functional level and now we’re slapping together some kind of user-interface, before releasing it. Also there are some halloween-themed content that we’ve failed to deliver in time and also a couple of new tilesets.
In a week or two we’ll finish minor polishing and we’ll be ready for releasing the update. Also we will rebuild our demo version that already has a huge functional gap from actual version of the game and does not demonstrate it properly.

Meanwhile, we’ve revisited our development plans and decided to cut them a little in order to keep more realistic approach in light of our development rate. Sadly we’ve decided to left story mode behind, as well as any other modes beside main one. This will keep us focused on the main game features and we hope that the final project will be better.
In light of this little downscaling we’ve dropped price to $9.99 and promise not to increase it after official release out of Early Access.

We will keep you in touch about any change about the development.

Our Eye spotted this preview at Indie Game Magazine, of a game I have not heard of before, named Dungeon Rushers, which is a turn-based dungeon crawler.

Levels in Dungeon Rushers are individual dungeons. Start a dungeon and you either clear it out or all of your characters run out of health and you have to start it over. Health and mana do not regenerate (though potions are available) so it’s wise to refrain from blowing through all of your mana. Some characters come equipped with abilities that can tilt the odds in your favor during specific situations. For example, the minstrel character can lull a group of enemies to sleep before the battle begins, giving you the guaranteed advantage of first strike.

It’s worth pointing out that Dungeon Rushers will allow the player to build their own dungeons to share with other players, but I didn’t get to experience that adventure just yet.

I’m looking forward to playing Dungeon Rushers again when it officially launches, which looks like Goblinz Studio is aiming for the first quarter of 2016. So in a few months. Until then you can check out Dungeon Rushers on Steam Greenlight.

The oldschool dungeon crawler The Quest started a Steam Greenlight campaign:

For many years now going way back to 2009, I've always been hoping that Redshift Games would bring their incredible dungeon crawler of ' The Quest ' away from the iPhone and towards the PC. Well, after some months of keeping an eye on their Facebook page, the same developers have finally announced the Steam Greenlight campaign for their hi-res overhaul with brand new high resolution graphics of the original dungeon crawling classic ' The Quest '.

If this game stays as true to it's original grid based movement and combat gameplay as possible, while overhauling pretty much everything else for PC players, you are in for a serious treat with this dungeon crawler. It may not have the graphics of more modern games such as Legend of Grimrock or Dungeon Kingdom, but ' The Quest ' is a highly regarded dungeon crawler that even I found difficult to put down. [...]

Greenlight page:

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The Quest is a beautifully hand-drawn open world role playing game with old school grid-based movement and turn based combat.

Eye noticed that the game Sunken is now available on Early Access.

Action RPG meets Roguelike in this atmospheric dungeon crawler. Spawned by two hardcore gamers, Sunken will constantly test your ability to adapt to a situation while it takes you through a dark journey of the one that has sinned.

Steam has a sale of the Dreamatrix games (Legends of Dawn Reborn, Wave of Darkness, Spaceforce Rogue Universe HD, Spaceforce Homeworld, Spaceforce Constellations), with discounts varying between 50% and 80%.

Another Steam sale is for the Shadowrun games, you can get all three Shadowrun games (Shadowrun: Returns, Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director's Cut, Shadowrun: Hong Kong) for a total cost that is lower than the regular cost of Shadowrun: Hong Kong.

Hard West is also on sale with a discount of 25%.

Serpent in the Staglands is on sale with a 35% discount.

The Fallout franchise is on sale, with the exception of Fallout 4, so it isn't really a franchise sale.

Darkest Dungeon has a discount of 40%.

And a load of other games are on sale as well....

The action RPG KRUM - Edge of Darkness has been released on Steam:

It is a fun, hack and slash RPG game, аn action adventure with advanced combat tactics. You will face countless fearsome mobs and grotesque beasts, hidden deadly traps, powerful demon knights and dragons.

KRUM - Edge Of Darkness is now live on Steam!

I am happy to announce that the game is finally ready to play.
My work of course doesn't stop at the release. Expect new updates, introducing new weapons, weapon combos and more.
Also a huge DLC called "KRUM - Battle Arena", where you will try your combat skills agains strongest of monsters in the world of KRUM and write your name with
blood on the Wall Of Fame.

So for now - enjoy!

If you like the Puzzle Quest series, you might also like Gems of War. The game resembles Puzzle Quest 2, but adds, amongst others, multi player support. Windows Central reviewed this free-to-play game, which means it comes with in-game purchases, of which they say this:

The big question with any free to play title is: Is it fairly monetized, or does it constantly reach for your wallet? I'm glad to say that Gems of War is very fairly monetized. If you spend money on this game, it'll be because you appreciate it so much, not because the game pushed you into it.

And conclude with:

Gems of War is one of the most surprising games I've played this year. It practically came out of nowhere, with little hype or fanfare. And yet it has become one of my very favorite Xbox One games. Match-3 games on their own might get boring, but throw in some RPG elements and you have an engaging experience.

The new PvP and Guild mechanics make Gems of War even better than the Puzzle Quest series that inspired it. Give Gems of War a try, and be sure to join our Guild if the game hooks you!

Thanks Eye.

Disgaea is coming to PC, in February next year, according to the date on Steam.

Two years after the death of his father, Overlord Krichevskoy, the demon prince Laharl awakens to discover that the Netherworld is in turmoil. With unlikely allies, his devious vassal Etna and the angel trainee Flonne, he must battle his way to supremacy to retake the throne and become the next Overlord. Experience the SRPG classic, now on PC!

Key Features:

• An SRPG from the most prolific SRPG creators in the world, Nippon Ichi Software
• Choose from over 40 unique character types
• Even with a max level of 9999, use Transmigration to start all over again, but your characters will be even stronger per level!
• Delve into the Item World, a randomly generated dungeon world, to level up your items!
• With max level characters and leveled-up items, dish out millions of points of damage!
• Over-the-top battle animations
• Geo Panels - A puzzle game within a Strategy RPG
• Lift & Throw - Throw your allies up ledges to reach enemies in hard-to-reach spots, or toss your enemies around instead!
• A zany story set in the Netherworld, where the notions of good and evil are reversed
  
  New to Disgaea PC (It's not just a port!):
  
  • Updated UI and textures
  • Keyboard/Mouse and controller support
  • Includes all content from Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness
  • New Steam features, such as Achievements, Cloud Saves, Badges, and trading cards

Eye spotted Reign of Kings being in early access on Steam. She had some doubts on wether or not it is an RPG, or has sufficient RPG elements and so do I, although it does have some. So unless there are people who think it is worth our time to keep an eye on this, I won't be keeping tabs on this one.
It's predominantly a multi-player survival game in which you can craft, build and fight, next to being able to customize your character.

Struggle to survive in a harsh medieval world. Hunt wildlife, mine resources, build structures, and craft weapons and armor in order to protect yourself. You may form a guild, bring war to all opposition, and try to seize the throne and become king!

In Reign of Kings we allow you to collect resources and craft a wide variety of items needed to build a vast and powerful kingdom. We were primarily inspired by Rust & Chivalry in the development of this game.

In addition to standard resources, you may compete over the Ancient Throne which resides in a throne room which overlooks the island. All players who are not part of the King's Guild are taxed on the resources they collect.

The development of a melee combat system adds a gritty and visceral feeling to Reign of Kings that will allow players to become deeply immersed in a realistic and intense medieval survival experience.

The world itself is designed to inspire competition and struggles for power. Resource locations strategically spread throughout the game will create inequity and envy. Players will have the ability to make war, or even capture and hold other players in order to get what they want. Each player will have the power to decide the fate of the kingdom, or choose to entirely forego the responsibility of ruling the kingdom and roam the land as a freeman.

Our Eye stumbled over the RPG Crystal Picnic on Steam. A game that looks really colorful and also looks to be a rather casual game. It does have an interesting price point of $2.

Crystal Picnic is a lighthearted and colourful tribute to the classic era of action RPGs! Join a sarcastic gardener and a wannabe knight as they journey across the kingdom chasing after ants who stole magic crystals from the castle. Oh, and did we mention the ants have gone mad because they're EATING those crystals? Yeah, that makes things much more unpredictable! Hours of exploration, mesmerizing platform-style combat, plenty of new friends to meet and loads of wacky enemies to encounter. When you fight chubby birds and ants carrying bazookas, you know you're in for a good time!

Some cool features of the game are:

• Real-time battles
• Lots of RPG elements (equipment, stats, etc...)
• A humourous story in a unique setting
• Tidy pixel graphics
• A great soundtrack
• Small download size

Giantbomb have played the roguelike Curious Expedition and decided to interview the developers.

On its surface, The Curious Expedition is a bright & colorful vision of exploring "because it's there". However, the subtext of the game gets quite disturbing with villages being destroyed and valleys being laid to waste just so an explorer can get a statue of himself built. (Explorers unleash disastrous curses when they steal treasures from shrines like volcanoes, chasms, and black holes.) Would you rather have the game seen as a celebration of exploration or a condemnation of it?

The fact that you ask this question is very satisfying to me, because it is exactly what we want the players to ask themselves. I don't want to give a definitive answer to that because it should be up to the players to make up their own minds. If the answer to this question would be too obvious I would say we would have failed in making an interesting game. We don't want to make a straight educational game, but if players reflect on their own doing within the game world, that is very welcome to us and we put a lot of thought into aiming for this effect.

Is trying to strike a balance between "exploit natives" and "respect natives" a factor in game balancing? Or is that affected more by trying to make sure there's a variety of ways to win? Back in the spring alpha builds, the easiest way to win was to steal everything that wasn't nailed down. Did you consider keeping "exploit" an easier way to win than "respect" in order to drive a point home?

Yes, your last point was actually our intention from the very start. The thought that even if you have good intentions, it is hard not to get corrupted. I was actually a bit surprised to see how many people picked up on that and asked for other ways to win the game. That's why we've been working also on giving more peaceful players more variety and chances to win the game. In the end there will still be a certain bias though as we feel it's important to the overall statement.

Thanks Eye.

The rythm RPG Before the Echo formerly known as Sequence is now available for Linux and Mac:

Before the Echo now available for Mac and Linux!

Huzzah! Now all users of Steam may climb the Tower, engage in witty repartee, and dance battle until the cows come home!

I mean, where were the cows, anyway? How did they get out? This should be looked into. I'm glad they're home, but still.

Thanks Eye!

According to the steam page for Darkflame, this 2D action RPG is coming to Kickstarter on October 1. The page does say 2015, but it isn't anywhere to be found on Kickstarter with no news on why not, so that might say something about the level of communication.

I will be releasing my new polished demo on the 1st of October! Can we get some HYPE!? (yay)

I will also be starting my Kickstarter campaign on the same exact day... so if you want this game to be finished/polished up as much as I do, then you should stop by and lend your support!

For those of you who want a sneak peek at what the new demo will consist of, my buddy Mr. Mustachio will be playing the new demo on his twitch.tv site! You can check it out on 29 September @ 0:45 at Mr. Mustachio's Great Show of Excellence! He is very charismatic and worth the visit ;) (especially if you're a night owl.

That demo isn't available yet either, only the old one is on the games web site.

And here is the referenced video:

Thanks Eye.

I don't know exactly what kind of game Hylics is, but here is a review for it:

Haywire Magazine:

Embracing the Incomprehensible in Hylics

Heather Alexandra finds contentment in Mason Lindroth’s bizarre take on RPGs.

I die for the third time. I watched my bones crumble and my face melt before awakening in an afterlife populated by flopping fish. Walking over to the dispenser, I deposit pounds of meat in exchange for Flesh. One of the fish tells me that the executive lounge is open to those who’ve died at least three times. I qualify. The lounge is nothing but a small balcony populated by a writhing lump of unknowable gender and a water cooler from ages past. I fill up a paper cup I found at the top of the mountain, its location first revealed to me by a churning machine that made me dream of the realm where I also found the Sage of Brains. I activate a crystal and warp back to reality. Or whatever passes for reality. [...]

-> Hompage

The strategy RPG Tears of Avia is now on Steam Greenlight:

A Kickstarter for this game will be launched on September 22.

Robin Walker from Valve talks about the new Steam controller. Its due to be released November 10th.

The complete Risen franchise is 80% off in a midweek madness Steam deal.

The Rogue-Like Caves of Qud is now available on Steam Early Access.

A good overview was spotted by Watcher Silver at KillScreenDaily:

To give you some context: Caves of Qud is set in a post-apocalyptic land called Qud, it belonging to a terrible future vision of Earth in which most of our technological advances have been lost. It's a jungle-like area that is bordered by a salt desert and large mountain ranges. Mostly, it's a terrible place to be, and a worse place to live, yet there are those that do. People also travel to Qud in their droves as, inside its ancient caverns and temples, can be found valuable lost technology. There is also an ancient evil arising from these caverns but we don't have to be concerned with that right now.

In the game, the land of Qud is represented from a top-down perspective, and while it doesn't adopt the basic ASCII-style of many roguelikes, its limited graphics feel like a throwback to it. The point being that when you're looking at the screen you can't immediately read everything that is on it unless you recognize the symbols and know what they represent. Another salient point is that when moving across the land, you do so a screen at a time, which gives you four different directions to travel in, and each screen you travel into is procedurally generated as you enter.

Trailer:

This tactical combat strategy chess game could be interesting for some Watchers: Warhammer 40,000: Regicide will be released on August 26:

WARHAMMER 40,000: REGICIDE
Regicide is a brutal take on one of the greatest turn based strategy games of all time. The game fuses multiple phases of combat with dynamic action. Manoeuvre your army into place and unleash a devastating array of tactical abilities to crush your enemies. The game offers two distinct modes:

REGICIDE
Plan the attack and command your soldiers through two phases of combat. Open fire on your enemies, utilise tactical abilities and unleash psychic powers to crush your foes. Fight your way through violent single and multiplayer battles to destroy everything that stands between you and certain victory.

CLASSIC
Sharpen your tactics in both single and multiplayer games based on traditional chess rules, executing brutally violent kills in dramatic battlefield terrains. Select your race and go to war online against opponents from all over the world in the fully cross-platform multiplayer mode.

This is only the beginning. The universe spans untold galaxies to conquer.
This is not just war. This is REGICIDE.

Evan Lahti (PC Gamer) has written an article about the current game-glut on Steam - a snippet citing Swen Vincke:

How small studios feel about Steam

Whatever your reaction to this trend, the people whose lives are most braided to it are independent developers and publishers. And when I reached out to them to talk about Steam, I was surprised that the majority of them are unfazed by how crowded Valve’s platform has become.

To Swen Vincke, CEO at Larian Studios, today’s Steam is simply a return to the way things were before digital distribution, but not in a bad way. “Access to retail used to determine which games we got to play, something that hampered the evolution of videogames,” says Vincke, who believes digital distribution has created “a true renaissance” in the industry. “However, the quantity of games being released now means that the new barrier to entry has become discoverability, and as a developer you need to plan from day one how your target audience will find out about your game, and ensure that your game has more reasons to be played by players than a similar game your competitor may be making. Which, if you think about it, is exactly how it’s always been. There are just more competitors now, so there’s no room for slacking. That’s a good thing, too, in my opinion.” [...]

The 4x Strategy game Sorcerer King has been released today on Steam:

Your world is about to come to an end in this new fantasy strategy game from Stardock. You’re in a struggle against the ever ticking Doomsday counter to save your world from the Sorcerer King before he can cast the Spell of Making to become a god and destroy the world. You’ll explore the land and encounter hundreds of quests along the way as you expand your kingdom, learn powerful new magic spells and choose who will be your friends or rivals. Can you last long enough for the final showdown? Can you stop the Sorcerer King?

You can help this indie Action RPG on Steam Greenlight - ApoCatlypse:

Trailer:

Story
ApoCatlypse is a short story about a cat which survives a plane crash.

As the only survivor of a plane crash, you wake up in a mysterious land.
Your body is mutated to some kind of humanoid cat creature.
You will meet friendly and evil mutated creatures.
Everything is different in this world, talking cats, giant mushrooms and
other things which will surprises you.

As the only creature with the strongest mutations you decide to
save this world from all evil and become a hero.

A deadly adventure awaits you...

Features

• Beautiful world, with many things to explore.
• Collect hundreds of Items.
• Gather resources like: Ores, Wood, Herbs.
• Fish.
• Dig for treasures.
• Cook.
• Do lots of quests.
• Slay enemies with many weapons and spells.
• Changing weather, snow, rain and other effects.
• Day / Night system
• Beautiful particle and light effects.

Extras
With the included Game Editor you can Create your own:

• World with infinite size.
• Animated characters with your own graphics.
• Dialogues
• Quests
• Items
• Particle effects
• Sound effects
• Story

Steam bonuses:

• Trading cards
• Workshop
• Achievements

A third person standalone version of the the two year old Zombie Survival RPG How To Survive was released at the 2nd of July. FlareWolf has reviewed the game:

Final Score: 3.5 out of 5.

DungeonRift is a new fun game at Steam:

DungeonRift is arena-like dungeon crawl where your enemies grow and learn new perks instead of you. Every time you defeat them, the Rift will rebuild the dungeon around you and grant your enemies with more tools to defeat you.

Alpha gameplay:

Sergey Galyonkin (Medium.com) with some insights about Steam. A snippet:

Sales and genres

I will start by saying that Steam’s own genre categories aren’t really useful because a lot of games have to be assigned to several genres and the list is limited. User tags, on the other hand, are a bit too vague to be used for analysis, but much more useful when you’re trying to find a game to play.

The average game on Steam does not sell really well, at least not since 2012. While we all heard about breakdown success of some big titles, it doesn’t apply to your average title. “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” has about 8.6 million users on Steam, “Grand Theft Auto V” sold about 2.2 million copies in less than a month, but how does the average game on Steam perform?

It is a bit better if you check the genre distribution with RPGs selling 55,000 copies on an average while Early Access games (that is a genre by Steam’s definition) only sell around 9,000 copies. And while free to play games look lucrative with 330,000 owners on an average, when you consider a rather optimistic conversion rate of 10 percent, you will end up with about 33,000 paying users – not really different from the average paid game on Steam.

I found this newsbit at GameSkinny:

LISA: The Painful was the most memorable game I played in 2014 for a number of reasons, most of which related to how the game worms its way into the player's head.

If you gave it a go and loved it, I've got some good news for you: Dingaling has announced LISA: The Joyful is making its way to Steam this summer.

It's hard to imagine where the series will go in its final chapter after the rollercoaster of gameplay and emotions in The Painful, but you can bet it's going to be both heart-wrenching and awesome.

For the uninitiated, LISA is a unique point among the current indie game scene. It's difficult to really describe the mixture of visuals, themes, music, and absolute humanity that LISA: The Painful just oozes out of its wounds. No other game in recent memory so perfectly blends the game world and gameplay so masterfully, much less a turn-based RPG.

I implore you to give this gem a shot before LISA: The Joyful stealths its way to the Steam storefront this summer. You could not do much better for $9.99, and it's an experience you absolutely will remember months down the line. I guarantee it.

Amber Throne should has been put on Steam Greenlight:

Amber Throne is a painted turn-based JRPG about a girl in a desert world beneath a mysterious floating castle, and her quest to reach it.

After awakening from her coffin, Arra recalls little but the last words spoken by her father, “Destroy the Amber Throne.” Looking into the sky, she finds what was once his magnificent castle is now floating in the sky, far above the world below. Arra must find a way to reach the castle before others catch wind of it, lest the powerful Amber Throne fall into the wrong hands.

Amber Throne is a traditional JRPG-styled game that focuses on turn-based battling and some light exploration. The game features a large cast of unique monsters that change stances depending on actions taken during combat, and a party with mostly hybridized roles to deal with them. Learning monster behavior is essential to reach victory. There is no mana to limit skill use, and no traditional "healer" character, letting you loosen up and use skills and items whenever/however you'd like, and making battles a little more strategic!

The game is currently in a beta state, and is relatively finished - meaning it should be near releasable as soon as it's greenlit. :)

Thank you for checking out the game. Hope you'll try it out when it's done!

New Trailer:

Have you ever played a single player multiplayer RPG? Maybe Super Dungeon Run is a game for you...

Features:

• Super Dungeon Run is a massively single player roguelike RPG! It is designed to be accessible and addictive. It’s part Diablo, part Temple Run and part Pikmin.
• Different every time! Semi-procedural levels mean no two dungeon runs will be the same.
• Epic equipment! Unlocking new outfits and potions for your heroes will greatly improve their strength and capabilities, allowing them to get deeper into the dungeon for greater rewards.
• Deadly traps and dangerous monsters! Encounter all manner of creatures and contraptions that are focused solely on your premature demise in a variety of violent (and usually messy) ways.
• Multiple dungeon types! Discover multiple dungeons and their various inhabitants, such as the musty, mildewy cellar, or the eerie, enigmatic crypt.
• Exciting content! Complete quests for colourful characters or see how far down into the dungeon you can make it. Will you discover what lurks in the deep dark depths?
• Get loot! Make your fortune by pilfering gold from the dank denizens of the dungeon and discover valuable materials to craft upgrades for your heroes.
• Level up your party! Gain experience and stop your heroes from spectacularly dying in the dungeon… for a while anyway!

-> Steam Greenlight

The refund policy of Steam has changed. Valve will refund for any reason within 14 days of purchase and if you played the game for less than two hours.

You can request a refund for nearly any purchase on Steam—for any reason. Maybe your PC doesn't meet the hardware requirements; maybe you bought a game by mistake; maybe you played the title for an hour and just didn't like it.

It doesn't matter. Valve will, upon request via help.steampowered.com, issue a refund for any reason, if the request is made within fourteen days of purchase, and the title has been played for less than two hours. There are more details below, but even if you fall outside of the refund rules we’ve described, you can ask for a refund anyway and we’ll take a look.

You will be issued a full refund of your purchase within a week of approval. You will receive the refund in Steam Wallet funds or through the same payment method you used to make the purchase. If, for any reason, Steam is unable to issue a refund via your initial payment method, your Steam Wallet will be credited the full amount. (Some payment methods available through Steam in your country may not support refunding a purchase back to the original payment method. Click here for a full list.)

Thanks Drithius.

A turn-based strategic survival game with some RPG elements called Thea: The Awakening has been released on Steam Greenlight asking for votes.

And so it all begins. We're in our final months of dev for Thea: The Awakening and it's an exciting journey that we are now ready to share with the community. So, if you like what you see and would like to see it on Steam, please VOTE YES and if you don't please do leave us feedback!

I also mentioned the game on our Kickstarter forum last year.

Craze Creative Studios notified me of their game called Lord of the Dark Castle that was just launched on Steam Early Access for $4.99. Here is the trailer and games description.

Lord of the Dark Castle is a casual turn-based retro style roguelike dungeon crawler with elements of strategy. Randomized levels, lots of skills without dependencies and lots of spells to cast. Challenging Monster AI - play it smart or die. Remember: Death is Permanent!

A game I covered a few months back called In Exilium was released on Steam. So here is the games latest release trailer, and description just in-case you forgot like me.

In Exilium is a 3D, "isometric" hack and slash RPG with an emphasis on minimalistic design and player discovery. It is a simple, exploration driven experience, comprised of action based combat, character attribute customization and random item generation to accommodate many diverse play styles. There are many enemies and bosses to defeat as well as plenty of puzzles to solve and secrets to explore. There is no hand-holding throughout the game, no other characters, no mindless quests, everything must be discovered by the player. If you like RPG's and have become disenchanted with typical RPG design practices, In Exilium is for you.

In Verbis Virtus is a game for every D&D gamer who wanted to role-play a spell-caster properly by speaking the correct spell incantation to unleash your magic.

It reminds me of the Arx Fatalis spell system but is very different. So moving on the game is now available on Steam with a 25% discount till April 10th.

Use your real voice to cast spells in In Verbis Virtus, a fantasy adventure unlike any other.  Step into the shoes of a wizard in search of an ancient power.

Explore a lost temple, making your way through forgotten chambers brimming with unspeakable beauty and terror. Unlock spells and use them to solve the temple’s enigmas and battle the monsters that lurk in its depths.

Built on the Unreal Engine, lose yourself in the breathtaking world of In Verbis Virtus, possibly the most unique and immersive game you’ll play all year.

DragonHead Studio announced this week their new program called MyRPG Master was released on Steam Early Access. So here is the new video, and description.

MyRPG is a set of many editors that will help you create your 3D (MMO)RPG World. These editors are divided into 4 categories: 3D editors, GUI editors, Rules editors and Universe editors.  My RPG is a tool that is able to create game universes and storylines playable solo or multi through local network or online servers.

I was sent news today of two different games that are available on Steam. The first game is from OhNoo Studio, and is a new adventure game called Tormentum.

A nameless hero finds himself in a place between fantasy and nightmare. He doesn't remember his name nor where he comes from. Wandering through strange lands, he struggles to discover the truth about the world around him, as well as about himself.

The second game is a new JRPG game called Gurumin from Nihon Falcom.

Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure is a fantastic Action-RPG from leading Japanese developer Falcom (Developers of “Ys” and “Zwei” among other classics) featuring real-time combat, stunning 3D graphics, tons of fully voiced characters and mini-games , 90+ items, multiple endings, a rocking soundtrack, 35+ hours of playtime, and more.

Ubisoft has officially released their F2P RPG game The Mighty Quest For Epic Loot.

Over the past week we've shared our 2014 & 2015 road maps highlighting Mighty Quest's journey.

We first marked the end of open beta with a retrospective, highlighting the big milestones we passed on the way to the official launch of Mighty Quest.

Next, we outlined the road ahead, with a heads up on the exciting things coming for players to look forward to.

As we the official launch kicks off, we thought it would be cool to take a snapshot of where we are right now, and look at the degree to which the features we've introduced have been put to use by players.

Below you'll see the 2014 Road Map marked up with stats that we’ve compiled indicating how players have incorporated those features into the game.

With nearly 45 MILLION CASTLE ATTACKS, everyone clearly has good reason to beef up their defenses, and the rest of the stats give further insight to other aspects of the kingdom we love.

We'll try to update this from time to time and we look forward to doing the same with the new features coming down the line for Mighty Quest in 2015.

They also released a new trailer if you want to see the game in action.

The gates are really open now! The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot officially launched yesterday and I can tell you there was much revelry and exhaustion.

We are looking forward to a big year of building castles, defeating creatures and of course, all the looting that Opulencia has to offer.

To help kick it all off, we've created a video to celebrate the launch and to invite new players to join the adventure

Developer The Bitfather have released Pixel Heroes. In-case anyone needs a reminder you can check out our last news-bit about the game from last month.

Pixel Heroes Release (February, 6th 2015)

Radical Retro-RPG available on Steam from today

Are you ready for a nostalgic adventure? An adventure that'll throw you back into a time when games were young and innocent, just like you? When you were sitting in front of your tube with burning eyes and just couldn't stop playing?

Idea Factory has released Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1 for the PC on Steam today, and you can buy it for half off till February 5th for $14.99.

Key Features

• Previously only available on consoles, now you can immerse yourself in the zany JRPG madness of the Hyperdimension Neptunia series for the first time on PC!
• Major graphical updates let you savor the true power of these Goddesses in glorious HD!
• Battle with up to 3 characters on the field, with 3 more as support. Use them to perform special attacks, or swap them out at any time!
• Use "Plans" to customize the game - change up enemy difficulty, dungeon treasures, and more!
• Craft unique equipment imbued with one or more abilities!

Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic is a new RPG/Roguelike Game that will be released on Steam this February. Now as I usually do here is a short description, and a new video.

Back to the 1980s with Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic

Remember the golden age of roleplaying? Descending to the Stygian Abyss for the first time? Looking into the gazing eye of the very first Beholder you have encountered? Listening to the tales of bards or diving into the pools of radiance?

The time has come to revisit these wonderful memories with the upcoming release of Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic!

"Listen! The end is nigh!! Hear my words and prepare! An ancient cult has set foot in our lands! They call themselves -The Sons of Dawn- and pray to some dark elder god. They have started recruiting people for their cause all over the country. I fear that they want to try to awaken something which should be left sleeping. Something dangerous and sinister! Something that might destroy us all. Spend your last of days wisely...“

Enter the world of Pixel Heroes and prepare yourself for a thrilling RPG/Roguelike experience like you have never seen before! Explore a randomized world full of hilarious events, deadly dungeons and the weirdest NPCs you will ever meet in a game! Choose three heroes for your party and take them on a journey that will be completely different each time you start a new game. Bath in a pool of procedurally generated loot and defeat the evil forces that threaten the township of Pixton!

FEATURES

•     Thirty unique hero classes to unlock, each with individual skills and attributes.
•     More procedurally generated axes, spears, maces, swords, shields, bows, crossbows, spells and prayers than a llama has hair on its body.
•     Thirteen mystic and beautifully cruel dungeons to explore. Epic bossfights waiting!
•     Three campaigns to unlock, each with its own final dungeon and boss.
•     Permadeath! You know you want it.
•     A detailed graveyard where you can mourn your dead heroes, compare their statistics and see which of their choices led to their tragic death.
•     Completely crazy NPCs, each one of them with a significant storyline that you can follow to unlock cool stuff!
•     Tons of random events that you will encounter on your way, expecting you to make important choices. Will you yell at the cat like a crazy idiot?
•     Many achievements and unlockables, try to get them all and become the most badass Pixel Hero in the world!

Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic is to set for release on PC, Mac and Linux on Steam 6th February 2015 and is being developed by The (wonderful) Bitfather.

Marvelous Europe sent out information you can now buy Alphadia Genesis on Steam.

Alphadia Genesis available TODAY on Steam

Marvelous Europe are pleased to announce that Alphadia Genesis is available to download from Steam today from 4pm GMT. The retro-styled JRPG will be launching with a discounted price of €11.99/£8.79

Since my last post about Dungeon of the Endless last year the game has had many patches on Steam, and has been officially released on Steam last month.

Dungeon of the Endless is a Rogue-Like Dungeon-Defense game, in which the player and their team of heroes must protect the generator of their crashed ship while exploring an ever-expanding dungeon, all while facing waves of monsters and special events.

Forum member Pladio also sent me a new link for a Quill18 YouTube video preview.

Marvelous Europe sent out news about a new JRPG game called Alphadia Genesis that will be released on Steam on January 12th. Here is a video and some information.

Alphadia Genesis for Steam: Available January 12th 2015!

London: January 5th, 2015 - Marvelous Europe has today announced that the charming retro-styled JRPG Alphadia Genesis will be available to purchase on Steam from January 12th 2015. Alphadia genesis is a Japanese Role-Playing Game that is perfectly suited to those who love the genre. The classic turn-based battle system, the exploration, the rich characterisation and the twisting narrative are all traits of a great JRPG, and the gameplay is wrapped in a 16-bit style which bears resemblance to classic SNES RPGs of the ‘90s.

Alphadia Genesis will launch with an introductory price of € 11.99/£8.79 and will be the first KEMCO RPG released on Steam. “We can’t wait for the Steam Community to get their hands on Alphadia Genesis” says Jonathan Nevill, Project Manager, Marvelous Games. “It’s a great game for JRPG enthusiasts to get stuck into. Good luck to those that aim to 100% the game content, and reach the TRUE ending! Pro-tip: Be prepared!”

Rime Berta is a new Japanese SRPG from developer NEXTSOFT that has just released on Steam this week. As usual here is a short video to get you interested.

Command an army of puppets in this Japanese SRPG as you hunt for a relic said to grant any wish. Livia's village is dying, and all that can help them is an ancient relic situated somewhere within a mystical tower.

If you act now you can get a 10% discount for the next few hours.

Hardland, a new open-world action/adventure RPG from indie studio Mountain Sheep, got a fairly extensive update today, with erosion-based terrain and randomized NPC's.

• The first iteration of the new erosion based terrain system (iteration 2 coming soon!)
• Brand new story generator which randomizes NPC items as well as generates character names, titles, dialogue and simple quests
• New set of younger villagers (men & women)
• Save functionality improved so that player position is now remembered and new world is only generated on request in the main menu
• New dialogue and examine camera
• The merchant has the ability to sell and buy items
• Support for item prices
• New sprinting mechanic which consumes stamina (ala Dark Souls)
• More variants of Town Guards, Forgotten Folk, Goblins Villagers and Wood Elves
• Improved Wood Elf animations and plenty of other smaller art asset tweaks
• Unique carry positions for characters and items

More information.

Strife, the hybrid FPS/RPG from 1996, has been remade for modern resolutions and released on Steam.

Well here's a lovely Christmassy surprise. Strife—the Doom-era game that mixed first-person shooting with first-person roleplaying waaay before Deus Ex—is now on Steam, in remastered, 'Veteran Edition' form. Despite the name, they haven't tinkered with the game to make it more palatable to war veterans, but they have (optionally) smoothed over many of its jagged pixels, restored a cut multiplayer mode, and generally ensured that Strife should be more compatible with today's mega-monitors, and with the youth of today's pixel-phobic retinas. It's also 25% off until next Friday.

A persistent complaint I've noticed across Steam reviews and on the game's Steam forum is talk of sluggish mouse controls, but the developers are aware of this issue and say that they've fixed it in the beta build, so maybe give that a download if you find yourself suffering from that particular problem. Tech talk aside, why should you be interested in Strife? I'll let Paul Dean's Reinstall and Richard Cobbett's Crapshoot do the talking.

Along with the reinstated Capture the Chalice multiplayer mode, automap objective markers, and a Torpedo weapon HUD, Strife: Veteran Edition adds the following stuff:

• Support for high resolutions, with proper aspect ratio.
• OpenGL for video backend to provide portability and support for vertical sync.
• Dynamic lighting and bloom
• Widescreen support.
• Ability to freely rebind all keyboard, mouse, and gamepad inputs.
• Steam Achievements
• Steam Trading Cards

More information.

And now Steam's holiday sale is up. It's not quite as irresistibly wallet-busting as in previous years, but there's lots of stuff from the RPGWatch Curation List, including:

• The Last Remnant - 33% off for $6.69
• Agarest: Generations of War - 50% off for $7.49
• Alpha Protocol - 50% off for $7.49
• The Banner Saga - 50% off for $9.99
• Deus Ex: Human Revolution - 50% off for $9.99
• Dishonored - 50% off for $9.99
• XCOM: Enemy Unknown - 50% off for $14.99
• Might & Magic X - Legacy - 40% off for $14.99
• Endless Legend - 33% off for $23.44
• South Park: The Stick of Truth - 40% off for $23.99
• Wasteland 2 - 25% off for 29.99
• Divinity: Original Sin - 20% off for $31.99

And as usual a bunch of classic series like Geneforge and Avernum can be had for a few bucks each. Myself, I'm going to listen to the 'Watch and pick up The Last Remnant -- not a game I would normally have considered, but you guys haven't steered me wrong yet.

[Update: some of the stuff Steam has on sale is cheaper today at Greenmangaming -- in particular you can get Dishonored at five bucks instead of ten. Thanks, JDR13.]

A while back, Benetar tipped me off to Epic Battle Fantasy 4, a lighthearted turn-based RPG heavily inspired by Final Fantasy and other JRPG classics.  Thanks, Benetar!

Epic Battle Fantasy 4 is a light-hearted turn-based RPG, heavily inspired by old classics. You will battle through waves of adorable enemies, grow your characters, explore a diverse world, solve puzzles, and finally, save the world from the destructive Godcat.


    Over 140 different enemies to slaughter, from fluffy animals to gods.
    Over 170 different items of equipment, and 150 different usable skills, allowing for lots of character customization.
    Lots of humor and references to video games and anime.
    Inspired by 16-bit era RPGs, minus the annoying features like random battles or save points.
    A mix of orchestral and electronic background music by HalcyonicFalconX. Full Soundtrack included!
    25 hours of gameplay, plus Newgame+, survival and boss rush modes.
    Suitable for both casual and hardcore gamers.

More information.

Forum member Black Rune sent me information about a game that was released on Steam called Merchants of Kaidan from Indie developer Forever Entertainment S. A.

Regain your riches, restore your honor and avenge your father's murder. A challenging trading game with lots of RPG elements.

If you are a fan of the original rouge-like game Tales of Maj'Eyal the games developer DarkGod has released a new expansion called Ashes of Urh'Rok.

Many in Maj'Eyal have heard of "demons", sadistic creatures who appear seemingly from nowhere, leaving a trail of suffering and destruction whereever they go. Their Fearscape floats far above the skies, watching and waiting, but not idly; their agents scout the land, their legions build up their forces, and their scholars develop new spells and strategies. As the barrier between our worlds begins to crack under their scrutiny, helpless Eyalites have begun to disappear, whisked up to serve as their slaves and playthings. They imbue these victims with magical powers to better survive the ensuing stresses - can you use your new-found abilities to escape the legions of Mal'Rok?

Its available on Steam, and the games webpage.

Once again a game I mentioned last year called Forward to the Sky is on Steam Greenlight looking for votes. As I usually do here is a video, and game recap.

Hi everyone, thank you for your supporting! So far we've got a good start on Greenlight. 673 yes votes and 13% toward the top 100. Not too bad.

We are glad you like the game and really looking forward to bring this game to Steam for you to enjoy. :)

There are comments mentioning the Zelda feeling. We are happy and took it as an compliment. Zelda is a great game that brings a lot of fun. We do have some similar elements such as puzzling and action gameplay. You are going to find the interesting designs in Forward to the Sky as well.

At this point we are still fighting on getting noticed. And in order to be greenlit we need a lot more yes votes ( like 10k yes votes! ). Please help us spread the words to your steam friends and groups. Kindly ask if they are interested in voting yes for Forward to the Sky. That's going to help a lot!

Reveal the story of the sky tower. Forward to the Sky is a third person action adventure game in the sky tower ruin. You are going to collect all the crystal pieces to connect the story and everything will be revealed once Princess reaches the top level.

Sproggiwood the turn-based rogue-like I mentioned two months ago is now available on Steam. Here is the trailer, and a short description of the game.

Bring civilization to Sproggiwood, a story-driven, turn-based roguelike set in a humorous world inspired by Finnish mythology. Grow your civilization and plunder procedural dungeons with six unique classes. Outsmart mischievous monsters who work together in unexpected ways. No two dungeon dives are alike.

Darklands, an undying RPG classic from 1992, and Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers 20th Anniversary Edition are now available on Steam.  Thank you, HiddenX!

Heroic Adventures in Medieval Germany
Deep in the twilight of the Black Forest, you and your companions crouch before the robber-knight's tower. Hans, the alchemist, places his mysterious potion by the door. Ebhard the friar implores Saint Dunstan to bless your weapons and armor. And you and Gretchen grip naked long swords, praying your plate mail won't squeak.

With a thundery crash, the door explodes into fragments! You charge inside, swords and maces swinging. One guard falls beneath the power of your blade... then two more! You storm upstairs to the second floor, but there to greet you is Erhard the Red Wolf, the infamous robber-knight, surrounded by his henchmen. Hans tosses a choking potion into their faces and you quickly charge into the fray. The room echoes with the clash of steel on steel... it's a battle to the death in the Black Forest!

Prepare yourself to enter Darklands... the first realistic fantasy role-playing adventure for computers!

More information.

Delphine Software announces that Darkstone is now available on Steam for a very cheap price of $2.49. I recall playing the game on the consoles many years ago.

THE ARPG HIT NOW AVAILABLE ON STEAM (PC VERSION)

Paris, September 25, 2014. Joystick Replay releases "Darkstone ", a precursor in Action/RPG, on Steam, the most important PC games download platform.

In 1999, " Darkstone " marked the Hack’n Slash universe on PC then Playstation. Critically acclaimed (9/10 on IGN.com, 17/20 on jeuxvideo.com) and developed by Delphine Software, the title found its public thanks to its universe, its atmosphere and the depth of its gameplay. Today, “Darkstone” is reaching the Steam video game portal in a version very similar to the original one.

The players’ task is to take up arms to help the inhabitants of the Land of Uma where the evil Draak wreaks havoc. To that end, they must find the 7 legendary crystals which will put an end to his vile doings. Players have to complete many quests, explore randomly generated dungeons, fight hordes of monsters to get the best possible equipment and the most powerful spells. Players will tread a long road before restoring peace.

To begin the action, players can choose one or two heroes among 8 available classes of characters (monks, assassins, amazons and sorceresses...) as well as the level of difficulty. When the players play for the first time, they have to start at the novice level, but once they have reached level 20, players will be able to start at master, then expert level (from level 35) and hero (from level 45). Once in the Land of Uma, player can control a character or the other as he wishes. He will switch between heros, access maps, shortcuts for spells (e.g. Resurrection or Fireball), skills (like foiling traps and finding hidden objects...) and various potions that restore the health or give magical energy.

As well as the traditional health and energy status bars, players also have to keep an eye on the characters’ hunger gauges. With a single click, they can see and do everything that relates to their characters: equip or feed their heroes with the food you buy to prevent their health from waning, check out statistics and amounts of gold, use their inventories, and customize shortcuts.

For swift mastery of the game’s basics, players can run through the tutorial before they start. The Steam version of the game has stayed faithful to the original where players explore a world that has been plunged into chaos.

To complete a game, players have to carry out eight main quests that they choose randomly among the 22 available. There are also additional quests that enable the player to collect special equipment. The positions of the enemies and objects also change from one game to the next, in order to constantly change the tactics. Players have to alternate between consecutive explore and fight phases in order to find the seven crystals scattered among the different dungeons. Confrontations enable the players to gather experience, equipment and gold – all necessary for improving their characters’ levels, increasing their powers, and buying spells and skills from local merchants.

 “Darkstone” can be played in cooperation up to 8 players on local network. In this configuration, each one will control his own hero.

«  Darskstone » is available on Steam (PC) since September 25, 2014.
It is dubbed in English and subtitled in English, French, Italian, German,
Spanish and Swedish.

"Darkstone"  (PC on Steam)
Price : $2.49 at launch then $4.99
Weight : 600 M0
Link : http://store.steampowered.com/app/320320/

For those who were not aware of this yet, we have a RPGWatch group on Steam headed by HiddenX that you could join. With the curation feature that steam recently added, we currently have more than 100 games we can recommend and that can be found in our list of recommended games. So head on down there, to check it out.

Here are a few more Steam sales this week each one has a certain time limit so hurry.

Deus Ex: Game of the Year Edition -75%
Deus Ex: Invisible War -75%
Deus Ex: The Fall -75%
Deus Ex: Human Revolution: Director's Cut -75%
Starpoint Gemini -75%
Starpoint Gemini 2 -40%

Steam has a few sales on some RPGs a few of you might be interested in.

Septerra Core -  85% off for $0.74

At the very heart of Septerra lies the Core, a huge Biocomputer. Seven continents at different elevations, each with its own unique people and culture, orbit around the Core. According to an ancient prophecy, Septerra's continents will one day converge and join in orbit together on one level - this is the Legacy of Marduk, the Creator's son. The Chosen, fanatical believers in the supremacy of their own wisdom and technology, impatiently try to force the issue - causing a global catastrophe which threatens the lives of all Septerreans.

Expeditions: Conquistador  - 60%off for $7.99

Conquer the New world: In the 16th Century, Spanish explorers and soldiers reached the shores of America. The search for gold, fame, and adventure drove these travelers into a treacherous wilderness where they faced hunger, disease, and dangerous predators. In their wake, the Aztec Empires lay in ruins.

The Banner Saga -  50% off for $9.99

Live through an epic role-playing Viking saga where your strategic choices directly affect your personal journey. Make allies as you travel with your caravan across this stunning yet harsh landscape. Carefully choose those who will help fight a new threat that jeopardizes an entire civilization. Every decision you make in travel, conversation and combat has a meaningful effect on the outcome as your story unfolds. Not everyone will survive, but they will be remembered.

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II -  50% off for $19.99

It all seemed so simple: defeat the mad scientist, free the land and ride into the sunset, but sometimes the fall of a villain only opens the way to more sinister foes. So the incredible adventures continue, and Van Helsing, the famous monster-hunter returns to save the day again with the help of his charming, ghostly companion, Lady Katarina. The gothic metropolis of weird science is on the brink of destruction as chaos rules the streets and a new enemy plots revenge. It’s time to enter the dark side of Borgova and the forbidden wilderness, but beware: you are not the only one behind a mask.

And many more of course but I can't list them all.

Well it's a new week and Steam has another batch of games on sale. Here are a few that might be of interest to some RPG players.

DARK - 75%Off for $9.99

Two Worlds Epic Edition - 80% off for $1.99

Avernum Bundle - 80% off for $2.39

Steam announces that the Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land RPG is now available for a low price of $4.99. Here is a video and some game details.

Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land is Now Available on Steam!

Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land is a turn-based strategy/role-playing game based on the award winning Call of Cthulhu RPG. Developed in conjunction with Chaosium and based their multi-award winning Call of Cthulhu RPG. Set in the midst of World War One, the game pits your team of investigators and soldiers against an ancient enemy, one older than humanity itself... Can your team of investigators keep their grip on sanity long enough to stop these diabolical plans?

The game features:

- Full 3D graphics with high quality textures, images and effects.
- Select from a range of authentic period weapons, equipment, armour, skills.
- Build your team up to match your gaming style; will you shred your foes with massed rifle fire or blast them with powerful spells gleaned from forbidden tomes? It's your choice!

Call of Cthulhu was originally the title of a novella by cult American horror writer H.P. Lovecraft (1890–1937) which has, since it was published in 1928, captured the imagination of generation after generation of fans. Returning to the horror from Lovecraft's original 'Reanimator' set during the dark days of WW1, Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land draws the player into a nightmare world where the terror of mustard gas and trench warfare are but a foretaste of what is to follow.

Well this came as a surprise today it seems Steam is now selling all three classic Realms of Arkania games. Here are the details.

Steam is selling XCOM: Enemy Unknown for 75% Off. You can also buy the DLC, and XCOM: Enemy Within for 50% off.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown will place you in control of a secret paramilitary organization called XCOM. As the XCOM commander, you will defend against a terrifying global alien invasion by managing resources, advancing technologies, and overseeing combat strategies and individual unit tactics.

The original XCOM is widely regarded as one of the best games ever made and has now been re-imagined by the strategy experts at Firaxis Games. XCOM: Enemy Unknown will expand on that legacy with an entirely new invasion story, enemies and technologies to fight aliens and defend Earth.

You will control the fate of the human race through researching alien technologies, creating and managing a fully operational base, planning combat missions and controlling soldier movement in battle.

Steam continues to discount select games, and as usual here a few that might interest you. As with the other sales you should have a day left untill the deal ends.

Mass Effect Collection - $9.99

Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition - $6.79

Might and Magic Heroes VI: Complete Edition - $9.99

Steam continues offering more games with a huge discount. Here are three more RPGs for everyone, and you have at least a day left to buy them.

Behold Torchlight, a fresh new Action RPG franchise developed by Runic Games. Torchlight is being developed in Seattle by a veteran team composed of the designers and leads of projects like Diablo, Diablo II, Mythos, and Fate. Our team has spent many years honing and evolving this unique style of gameplay.

The award-winning action RPG is back, bigger and better than ever! Torchlight II takes you back into the quirky, fast-paced world of bloodthirsty monsters, bountiful treasures, and sinister secrets - and, once again, the fate of the world is in your hands!

Torchlight II captures all the flavor and excitement of the original game - while expanding the world and adding the features players wanted most, including online and LAN co-op multiplayer. Torchlight II is fast, fun, and filled to the brim with action and loot. Adventure solo or online with your friends!

Immerse yourself in a gorgeous hand-painted world on a search for your true identity. As the mysterious warrior, Dust, your action-packed journey will take you from peaceful glades to snowy mountaintops and beyond. At your disposal is the mythical Blade of Ahrah, capable of turning its wielder into an unstoppable force of nature, and the blade's diminutive guardian, Fidget. Battle dozens of enemies at once with an easy-to-learn, difficult-to-master combat system, take on a variety of quests from friendly villagers, discover ancient secrets and powerful upgrades hidden throughout the massive, open world, and uncover the story of an ancient civilization on the brink of extinction as you fight to uncover your own past.

Steam has a few more games on sale that are well worth a look.

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing:Complete Pack - $6.79

Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition - $5.99

Bastion - $2.24

Steam has a bunch of games on sale once again. Here are a few I think might interest some of you. I know the last two cost more, but both games are worth it.

Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition - $7.99

Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition - $16.74

Shadowrun Returns - $8.99

FTL: Faster Than Light - $3.39

State of Decay - $9.99

Dishonored - Game of the Year - $23.99

Skyrim - Legendary Edition - $35.99

Steam has a bunch of RPG games for 75% off for the next 40 hrs. Here are some links to a few games that I think might interest a few of you.

The Witcher: Enhanced Edition Director's Cut - $2.49

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition - $4.99

Dragon Age: Origins - $4.99

Dragon Age: Origins - Ultimate Edition - $7.49

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition -$4.99

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition Deluxe -$6.24

Steam is offereing a complete Arcania + Gothic Pack for 75% off.

Buy Arcania + Gothic Pack

WEEK LONG DEAL! Offer ends December 16th

Items included in this bundle

ArcaniA - $4.99
ArcaniA: Fall of Setarrif -$3.74
Gothic 1- N/A
Gothic 3: Forsaken Gods Enhanced Edition -$2.49
Gothic II: Gold Edition - $2.49

Steam announces that a new RPG called Ravensword: Shadowlands is now available for purchase. Now before we get the usual complainers the game is a phone port.

From the award winning studio that brought you Ravensword: The Fallen King and Aralon: Sword and Shadow, comes Ravensword: Shadowlands.

After the fall of Ravengard, the world descended into chaos. The Kingdom of Tyreas stood alone against a sea of dark elven invaders. The Ravensword was lost, and the dark times began. As a descendant of an ancient line of kings, you alone have the power to wield the Ravensword again and restore that which was lost.

Steam is selling the original Wasteland for 50% off for the next 15 hours.

For the first time in over 20 years, we are heralding the return of a much loved piece of gaming history with the classic RPG, Wasteland!

Mutants. Again. Even more than there were last time: they seem to materialize out of the very grains of the radioactive desert sand. Venomous yellow eyes. The black gunmetal glint of Uzis as they close in for the kill. There's nowhere to run, and nothing to rely on but your MAC 17 machine gun. What a way to save the human race.

The year is 2087, eighty-nine years after an all out nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union turned vast swaths of the Earth into a hellish wasteland where survival is a daily struggle against thirst, hunger, radiation sickness, ravaging raiders, and mutants - always mutants. You are a Desert Ranger, one of a band of stalwart lawmen born from the remnants of a U.S. Army detachment who survived the nuclear holocaust by holing up in a maximum security prison. You may wear ragtag uniforms and carry make-shift weapons, but the Desert Rangers are the only law left in what was once the American southwest.

Now something more secretive and sinister than the usual roving bands of mutants and raiders is menacing humanity, and it's your job to investigate. Recruit the help you need, follow any leads you find, but beware. The wasteland is lawless desert and a lonely place, and the choices you make will shape the world around you. Better choose wisely. Your life depends on it.

Key Features

• The godfather of the modern post-apocalyptic cRPG
• One of the first reactive and immersive worlds that delivered persistent consequences to player choices
• Featuring toggle-able modern updates such as new paragraph voice over, new music tracks and updated portraits. Play in classic mode to get the original experience
• Awarded "Adventure Game of the Year" in 1988 by Computer Gaming World
• Contains backstory and tie-ins to its long-awaited direct sequel, Wasteland 2, coming soon for digital download through Steam!

How to Survive is a new Hack & Slash game developed by 505 Games. It's now available on Steam for 30% untill October 31st.

You're shipwrecked on an isolated island, a desperate castaway in a total freakshow world. How will you survive?

Collect the pages of a Survival Guide and figure it out, of course! Find food, water, and shelter before you perish. Uh oh, is it getting dark? Figure out how to get through the night! While you’re at it, gather up some of this awesome stuff and piece together over 100 handmade weapons and tools—from shotguns to Molotov cocktails. Now you can defend yourself and your friends like a boss!

• Choose one of the three playable characters, each with different characteristics and skill trees.

• Explore four islands filled with unique flora and fauna and a variety of abhorrent monstrosities.

• Collect “Survival guide” video chapters to learn tips that will save your life!

• Play with a friend offline through the story mode or go online and play with a friend through 8 demanding challenges..

• Try the “Iron Man” difficulty for a demanding hardcore game experience.

Steam is having a new Deep Silver Publisher Weekend sale with a variety of games that might interest a few watchers. 

Includes 6 items: Dead Island, Dead Island Ripper Mod, Dead Island Riptide, Dead Island: Riptide - Fashion Victim, Dead Island: Riptide - Survivor Pack, Dead Island: Ryder White DLC

Steam announces that Wizardry 6, 7, and 8 is now available.

Three Classic RPGs Now Available For All Desktop Adventurers

One of the greatest fantasy role-playing series in gaming history comes to Steam today with the release of three games from the Wizardry franchise. The final three epic PC adventures from a series that spanned two decades that entertained millions of gamers are here, thanks to the work of Night Dive Studio – a company dedicated to reviving and restoring access to classic games from the past.

The re-release of Wizardry VI, Wizardry VII and Wizardry 8 follows on the heels of Night Dive’s spring release of System Shock 2, the first classic RPG that they chose to make available to modern audiences. Now you can play some of the most celebrated fantasy role-playing games ever released, all built on the old ideas of party composition, fiendish puzzles and deadly random encounters.

Steam announces the Focus Publisher Weekend. It's a good chance to buy Game of Thrones and Mars: Wars Logs.

The Focus Publisher Weekend has begun!

Now through Monday*, take advantage of great deals on Focus titles or save big on the Focus Special Pack.

Other great deals include:
Mars: Wars Logs, 50% off
Game of Thrones Bundle, 75% off
Wargame Franchise Pack, 60% off
Cities XL Platinum, 66% off

Steam announces that Daedalic Entertainment's Memoria is now available for 10% off.

Memoria is Now Available on Steam and 10% Off!

Two stories, two main characters, one epic experience: in Memoria, players travel through different time periods, while following two distinct protagonists: Sadja, a southern princess who wants to be a war hero, and Geron, a bird catcher who wants to lift a curse from his girlfriend. The game combines point & click gameplay with unique magic skills.

Sadja, a Southern princess, has an unstoppable desire to become the greatest hero in history – by joining and succeeding in the biggest war Aventuria has ever seen: The war of the Mages, fought in the middle of an uninhabitable desert.
Bird catcher Geron lives almost 450 years after the Great War. Geron’s eternal love, Nuri, has been turned into a crow by an evil curse. To give her back her human form, Geron needs the help of the mysterious merchant Fahi, who has magical powers. But Fahi is only willing to help Geron if he agrees to solve a puzzle which Fahi has seen in his dreams. The quest for answers soon leads to a chain of events that connects both Sadja's and Geron's stories, threatening to turn the present into a grim reflection of a long forgotten past.

Memoria combines classic point & click adventure gameplay with the features of The Dark Eye, one of the most successful RPG universes known in the fantasy world. Point & click adventure game puzzles get a unique twist by adding magical features – and a wise, talking staff. Over eight chapters, players control both Sadja’s and Geron’s fates, involuntarily interacting with each other and bridging over 500 years of time. Each chapter in Memoria features opulent graphics, epic locations, a thrilling fantasy crime story and a unique puzzle design that differs from chapter to chapter.

Steam is having a new sale in honor of QuakeCon 2013. You can buy all 20 of Bethesda's and Id Software games for $90. Or if you prefer you can buy them separately with up to 75% off. The deal lasts till August 5th.

Akaneiro: Demon Hunters the action/RPG from American McGee and Spicy Horse Studios is the newest game to offer early access on Steam. The cost for early access is $9.99.

Today, Akaneiro launched on Steam’s Early Access program. This is critical milestone for us; something we had been working towards completing for several weeks now and we’re all very proud to have made it. Launching Akaneiro through the Early Access program has been a controversial decision, for in doing so we have made the game available at a cost of $10. This $10 gifts the player with $30 of in-game items, but as a game that it available elsewhere as free-to-play it has garnered more than a few questions.

Why $10? Our initial launch of Akaneiro across our SpicyWorld platform and Kongregate, though successful, simply hasn’t provided us with the necessary feedback to prepare the game for the next stage, for crafting and co-op. When Valve discussed placing Akaneiro in the Early Access program, we saw this as an opportunity to leverage the experience of the Steam community before opening the game to a wider audience.

What about Kickstarter backers? As a Kickstarter backer, you’ve already “paid” for the game once. We’re not going to ask you to pay a second time. If you wish to play Akaneiro on Steam now, e-mail Ophelea and she will provide you with the necessary key.

Can I transfer my account from SpicyWorld/Kongregate? No. This is simply not possible as it breaks the Terms of Service with Valve. We cannot move account information from one platform to another.

What about Groupees participants? If you are a Groupees beta tester and wish to receive your free Karma for beta testing, please contact Ophelea and she will provide you with the necessary key.

Games Foundry announces their two-year long project has finally hit Steam Early Access. Folk Tale is a beautifully imagined sandbox fantasy city-builder with you at the helm of your own great kingdom of peasants.

Folk Tale is a sandbox fantasy city builder strategy game in which you lead a ragtag band of peasants in growing a small settlement into a thriving market town, while the dastardly Slavemaster Urzal and his minions plot your downfall. Sound the rallying call and head out into the wilds with parties of heroes and fight back the tide of evil in a game of endless possibilities.

Rule with tyranny and oppression, or liberalism and justice. Play as a merciless expansionist hell-bent on destruction, or as a gold-hoarding mercantilist who'll sell their own grandmother. With random events and dynamic story, in Folk Tale you never know how the story will unfold.

Folk Tale for PC, Mac and Linux is developed by indie collaboration studio Games Foundry. Our small team spans 15 time zones and is yet to meet face to face, but talk every day to bring you a refreshing and exciting break from conventional gaming.

Steam has a Star Wars sale going on for the weekend. Individual Star Wars titles are on sale for 66% off and a Star Wars Collection bundle is now 50% off.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 - $3.39
Star Wars: Dark Forces - $1.69
Star Wars Empire at War: Gold Pack - $6.79
Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Outcast - $3.39
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2 - $1.69
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy - $3.39
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith - $1.01
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - $3.39
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 - $3.39
Star Wars Republic Commando - $3.39
Star Wars Starfighter - $1.69
Star Wars The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes - $6.79
Star Wars The Force Unleashed: Ultimate Sith Edition - $6.79
Star Wars The Force Unleashed 2 - $6.79

RPGsite has put together a list of RPG's on Steam Greenlight. Some of the games seem interesting but others I leave it up to you to decide.

Don't let anyone tell you that there are a lack of RPGs on the PC. There are plenty out there - you just have to find them and support them. Take for example Steam Greenlight. It's a service from Valve where developers try and get their games on to their digital distribution platform by courting interest from the community. In order to do so, viewers decide to rate a game up or down based on the content the creators share with them. Those that meet a certain threshold of votes are then filtered by Valve to determine what games are appropriate enough to be on their service, and then they help the developers bring their titles to the online market.

The other day I decided to take some time and look through what games were attempting to make their way through the process after Ghostlight Games was able to successfully greenlight Agarest: Generations of War for Steam (so look for that to be coming soon). What I discovered was a good variety of games, each with their own interesting design decisions and strong talent that shows off just how impressive the indie community has been as of late. I present to you eight of those games that I felt are worth checking out and support.

Steam has announced a new batch of Greenlight games today. Among those some Watchers might be interested in a few.

Agarest: Generations of War - This Japanese role-playing strategy game quickly shot up the charts and will now add to the small but growing number of Japanese RPGs on Steam.

Battle Worlds: Kronos - This richly-colored turn-based strategy game blew through its Kickstarter goal and jumped quickly up the Greenlight charts with votes of excited strategy fans.

City of Steam - This free-to-play action RPG received a lot of visibility and votes from their beta at the beginning of the year, and now look forward to running another beta soon.

Dead State - In less than a month, this survival RPG has jumped up the charts with enthusiastic support. Plus, the game blew past their Kickstarter goal in the summer of last year, securing an incredible 10,096 backers.

Elsword - This free-to-play, action RPG uses classic side-scrolling beat ‘em up gameplay mechanics and has captured the votes of existing fans and potential new customers alike.

 

Yesterday the Autumn Sale of Steam has started. Each day until next week 6 games are on sale with a discount, like X-Com Enemy Unknown with is 33% cheaper. In addition Of Orcs and Men is still available for 5 more hours in a flash sale with a 50% discount.