Category: Game Preview

Live War is a real-time strategy game that Mirage sent to me, and I have always appreciated it. I should also point out it is a preview version of the game, which means it is still being worked on, so I won’t be giving it a score as it seems unfair to grade unfinished work.

The game itself is easy to learn. You command your troops; each troop type has strengths and weaknesses. Don’t try sending a couple of foot soldiers after a tank, obviously. Also, maybe don’t send that tank after air support. This seems like common sense, but I tested it anyway. Do not do that.

It is also nice to see how easy it is to learn, but hard to master the game actually is. In the first couple of battles, you can kind of get away with just sending a ton of troops straight into the action. This is a quick way to lose the war, though. Also, the old school rope a dope doesn’t work. Sending a couple of troops forward to entice the enemy to chase you into an ambush rarely works.

Now, how does the game function? Well, I can play on my laptop just fine. I can’t imagine his will cause any real issues for anyone with a half-decent setup. I did have some mild slowdowns when there were a lot of explosions on screen, but this was very mild and very few and far between.

Real-time tactics fans are definitely going to want to keep an eye on this one, even the preview version I was sent is a ton of fun to play. Hell, I don’t even know what was missing from it.

• The Empty Desk is launching on consoles this April!
• Etrange Overlord PlayStation 5 Review
• Albion Online Coming To Xbox on 21 April
• Icarus PlayStation 5 Review
• Basketball Classics Xbox Review

Sintopia is a fresh, spicy new title from PiraKnights that will tug at the nostalgia strings of fans of The Sims, Black & White, and Two Point Hospital.  On the OVERWORLD, watch a silly civilization of chickpea people make their mark on the world and unfortunately for them, damn themselves by committing a host of sins. Punish those poor, dead, squishy souls, keep your receipts for expenses, and generate profit to help you build and sustain your Hellish empire.

The demo itself has been a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to try out the full game. The concept is quite original and is nice to see. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

• The Empty Desk is launching on consoles this April!
• Etrange Overlord PlayStation 5 Review
• Albion Online Coming To Xbox on 21 April
• Icarus PlayStation 5 Review
• Basketball Classics Xbox Review

School is almost in session! Red Art Games is happy to announce that Spellcaster University, the hit PC wizard school management simulator, will come to Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4 and Xbox One consoles on May 2. Created by French indie studio Sneaky Yak Studio, Spellcaster University has been ported to consoles by Red Art Studios and will be published both digitally and physically by Red Art Games. 

In addition to its digital release, Spellcaster University is also getting two different physical versions on Nintendo Switch, PS5 and PS4 (the Switch physical version will come out on May 23). While the Spellcaster University Standard Edition will be available from most major retailers upon release, the Spellcaster University Deluxe Edition is a RedArtGames.com exclusive. Limited to 300 copies per platform, the Spellcaster University Deluxe Edition comes with a wraparound box sleeve with alternate cover art, a poster and a keychain.

In Spellcaster University, you take on the role of the headmaster of a wizard school set in a colorful heroic fantasy world. Build your school, manage your budget, recruit teachers. Will you turn your university into a black magic academy where the best professors of necromancy and demonology teach? Or will you create a place in complete harmony with nature whose goal is to train druids and shamans? The choice is up to you. 

Be warned that all of this won’t be easy. You will need to survive the ruthless attacks of the orc tribes and work around the strict control of the education authorities.

Spellcaster University’s console versions will include all the content and updates added to the PC version until now. It has also been totally reworked to make it fully playable with a controller.

Features

• Create your very own university using an original magic deck mechanic
• Each type of magic has its own deck
• Pick the type of students that you want to teach to
• Manage the wellbeing of your student… and discipline them if need be
• Upgrade your school’s rooms with powerful artifacts
• Use your school as a shelter for mythical creatures (dragons, pegasus, janitors…)
• Your choices have both short and long term consequences
• Fight the dark forces and find new allies to help you
• Fully playable with a controller for the first time ever
• Native 4K graphics on PS5 and Xbox Series X
• Languages supported: English, French, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, German, Spanish, Japanese, Polish

I was tossed an early preview version of Frozen Ship by the company. It is a pretty early build, so please don’t take this as a review; it’s more of a this is where the game is at currently.

There are some things I instantly noticed going into it. The translation into the English language isn’t finished. There are a few story elements that are still impossible to read if you don’t speak- well, honestly, I don’t know what language that is. I think it was Russian. All the items and options you can pick were in English, as were all the guides on what to do. I was never lost on what to do, just on why I was doing it. This will definitely be fixed before the Q3 expected launch date.

That being said, if you are familiar with games like The Long Dark, you know how this game is played. This time, you have help, though. You are in charge of a very large machine that is constantly moving. Don’t worry; it is pretty slow. As it moves, you assign jobs to your crew in the morning, and they will search for wood to keep the place warm, find materials to build, cook food, etc.

After this, you can leave the ship and search for things on your own. As you break down boxes, beds, or various other items, time will pass, and your vehicle will move. Don’t lose track of it, or you will eventually freeze to death. Anyone not in the ship by a certain time will be considered lost.

The game has a lot of potential, and the story is also great. The world is ever-changing from the moment you leave the safety of the dying volcano, the last safe haven for your 20 survivors, as you crawl across a frozen wasteland. This preview did nothing for me but make me wish I could play the full game even more. I fell in love with games like The Long Dark and Subnautica years ago, and this will probably be my next obsession. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

• The Empty Desk is launching on consoles this April!
• Etrange Overlord PlayStation 5 Review
• Albion Online Coming To Xbox on 21 April
• Icarus PlayStation 5 Review
• Basketball Classics Xbox Review

Developer Minimol Games in partnership with SMG Studio are pleased to announce that Chessarama, their unique anthology of original chess-inspired puzzle games, is coming to Switch and PlayStation platforms. Prepare to reimagine chess as you never have before, with eight single-player variations of the classic board game that will force veteran chess aficionados to rewire their brains while also training new players to think like a chess master!

Chessarama is a smorgasbord of chess-inspired single-player games that use chess pieces and their established move sets, then reimagines their goals and themes. Choose a game, quickly learn its rules and play through the campaign, unlock collectibles, and compete against each other on the leaderboards. Endless replayability awaits you. Welcome to Chessarama!

Each game has its own theme, set of rules and original handcrafted levels for you to play! In Dragon Slayer, players must move a pawn to the end of the board where it can slay a mighty dragon, though the dragon attacks the board after every turn, obliterating any unprotected piece. In the feudal Japan-set Lady Ronin, the chess Queen must eliminate every piece on the board in order to get close to the Shogun and assassinate them. And in Soccer Chess you must position your pieces in pursuit of kicking the ball into the goal. Try all these and several more original chess-inspired puzzle games in Chessarama!

Varied chess-based puzzle game collection Chessarama coming to Switch and PlayStation April 17th Experience chess like never before, with 8 unique riffs that reimagine the classic game!Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, April 3rd, 2025 – Developer Minimol Games in partnership with SMG Studio are pleased to announce that Chessarama, their unique anthology of original chess-inspired puzzle games, is coming to Switch and PlayStation platforms. Prepare to reimagine chess as you never have before, with eight single-player variations of the classic board game that will force veteran chess aficionados to rewire their brains while also training new players to think like a chess master! Chessarama is a smorgasbord of chess-inspired single-player games that use chess pieces and their established move sets, then reimagines their goals and themes. Choose a game, quickly learn its rules and play through the campaign, unlock collectibles, and compete against each other on the leaderboards. Endless replayability awaits you. Welcome to Chessarama! Each game has its own theme, set of rules and original handcrafted levels for you to play! In Dragon Slayer, players must move a pawn to the end of the board where it can slay a mighty dragon, though the dragon attacks the board after every turn, obliterating any unprotected piece. In the feudal Japan-set Lady Ronin, the chess Queen must eliminate every piece on the board in order to get close to the Shogun and assassinate them. And in Soccer Chess you must position your pieces in pursuit of kicking the ball into the goal. Try all these and several more original chess-inspired puzzle games in Chessarama!Watch the Chessarama new platforms trailer“We were thrilled by the love people both in and out of the chess community had for Chessarama upon its launch on PC and Xbox, so we can’t wait to share it with a whole new audience on Switch and PlayStation,” said Raphael Dias, CEO and Game Director at Minimol Games. “Chessarama is more than ‘just another chess game’; it’s a varied puzzle game that tickles the puzzle-solving parts of your brain, regardless of your experience with chess.”Features:Play 8 exclusive chess-inspired games available in Chessarama;Puzzle campaigns featuring 100+ levels plus 100+ unique challenges;24 exclusive Chess Figures to unlock and collectUnique art style, with beautiful dioramas;Daily and Weekly Challenges;Compete against each other on the leaderboards;Learn chess movements, tactics and strategies through a modern video game experience;Also includes “Classic Chess” for you to put your learnings into practice!

Coming to PC and Switch in 2026, The Rabbit Haul places players in the role of a cute cottontail trying to rebuild their hometown after it’s been ravaged by greedy raccoon gang, the Trash Panda Posse. During the day, you must tend to your crops, replenish your food reserves and economy, water your farm, add harvested produce to your haul, and grow defensive tower plants that will help thwart off invaders. Be strategic in your placement, as an ideal garden will make use of synergies created between harmonious plants. 

When you choose to switch over into nighttime, you must defend your haul against the assailing Trash Panda Posse. They’ll grow stronger with each wave, with different enemy types attempting to spoil your riches, so you must upgrade your weapons and defenses to ensure you can survive the night!

No two playthroughs are ever the same, as The Rabbit Haul features a sprawling, randomly generated world full of quests and treasures. Explore the overworld to discover unique items and allies that will help rebuild your town and reinforce your defenses even further. Between runs, you can upgrade your towers, unlock new merchants, and prepare yourself for your next adventure. With an array of unique weapons, upgrade paths, powerful towers and crops to unlock, The Rabbit Haul offers countless playstyles to master!

In addition to the story trailer, Caldera Interactive also put together this 60-second Dev Diary offering an introduction to The Rabbit Haul’s gameplay loop. Take a peak at The Rabbit Haul’s structure and sign up for its alpha playtest this summer on the Discord!

• The Empty Desk is launching on consoles this April!
• Etrange Overlord PlayStation 5 Review
• Albion Online Coming To Xbox on 21 April
• Icarus PlayStation 5 Review
• Basketball Classics Xbox Review