[News] Roguelite Dungeon Crawler Cryptical Path Releasing on PC on Jan. 29

 Old Skull Games officially revealed the release date for its roguelite dungeon crawler, Cryptical Path. Launching on Steam on January 29, 2025, Cryptical Path sees players controlling the Architect, building their own path and navigating an ever-changing labyrinth within which they’ve been summoned. The game pushes the boundaries of the roguelite genre as it is the very first action roguelite builder that allows players to add a new creative angle to their style of gameplay.

An action roguelite that makes you the Architect of your adventure

In Cryptical Path, players dive into a universe where every run is theirs to shape. The goal is simple: reach the boss and defeat him. But there is a twist. Thanks to a unique feature, players can place their own rooms in the dungeon, creating their own path and influencing the challenges ahead. This gameplay mechanic adds a new layer of optimization and a unique depth to the roguelite genre.

A journey designed by roguelite fans

Aimed at action roguelite enthusiasts, Cryptical Path stands out with its dynamic and ever-evolving gameplay, where every decision in configuring the dungeon can reshape the course of the adventure. This modularity gives players control over their experience while preserving classic genre staples like progression through repeated attempts, diverse enemies, and intense combat. 

Cryptical Path’s key features:

  • Rogue-builder: The ability to carve your dungeon, increasing the replayability and the control you have in each and every run.
  • Immersive world: Explore a 2D side-scroller within beautifully crafted 3D environments.
  • Fast paced action: Embody the Architect, a dynamic character that can dodge, dash and slash in the blink of an eye!
  • Constant progress: Unlock powerful items and choose which talents to master.

This Is 40 (2012)

   This is 40 is a sort of sequel to Knocked Up where Pete and Debbie deal with the unhappy fact of turning 40, having kids that seem to truly hate each other. To make matters worse, someone is stealing from Debs store and Pete’s record label isn’t doing well at all.

This movie shouldn’t be as funny as it is with that premise,yet it somehow is. Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann are great together,and seeing them gaslight Melissa McCarthy might be one of the best things I have seen lately. Both of them say horrible things to her and her son are separate parts in the movie, then in the principles office they magically become perfect parents and nice people. It’s hilarious.

The movie isn’t perfect obviously,it’s a comedy based off another comedy they were minor characters in. And the entire premise is two people are getting older and there is an entire fight based on a dude taking Viagra.  The movie definitely should not be taken very seriously. It is just a fun movie,and that is all I expected. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Carry On (2024) Review

Carry On is a 2024 movie starring some guy I couldn’t care less to look up to be honest. (Taron Egerton) And another guy I think may have been important in the 80’s. (Jason Bateman) my friend told me to check it out and pitched it to me as “this generation’s Die Hard” which I thought was a bold claim to make. But was he right?

First off let’s get this out of the way,Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Carry On,just seems to take place on Christmas Eve. I am happy to listen to rebuttals however.

  That part out of the way, the movie is absolutely fantastic. It is a game of cat and mouse between a man just trying to do his job,and a TSA worker trying to get a promotion. All the man wants to do is get a package onto an air plane and the TSA agent in question simply won’t let him do it.

 

The movie is full of action, plot twist and the occasional comedic moment. It has honestly been years since I’ve had this much fun with a movie. Is it the equivalent to Die Hard for this generation? No I don’t think so. There won’t be a debate about it being a Christmas movie for example.  There is no way this movie has the cultural impact as Die Hard for example. But it is absolutely just as good of a movie. That is honestly good enough for me,best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Subservience (2024)

Subservience with Megan Fox, Michael Morrone, and Madaline Zima is one of those movies that has it all and nothing at the same time. Want to see good-looking people ( Megan fox and Michale Morrone ) mostly naked? Deal. Want to see Megan Fox brutally beat the breaks off some dude or kill someone? This movie has it. Want to know the potential dangers of AI in a capitalistic world like America? This movie will perfectly demonstrate how eventually robots might steal every job imaginable and how humans will then rebel and wreck them.

The only real issue I had with the movie was as entertaining as it was, which I have said before is all a movie needs to be, is if you saw M3gan Unrated review you basically saw this. The premise is basically the same. An AI-powered robot that is meant to make life easier gets far too attached to someone in the family, in Megan, it was the daughter in Subserviance to the husband, and starts doing insane stuff to make them happy or protect them including killing people. Even the endings are quite similar in many ways. I don’t mean this as an insult, I enjoyed both movies quite a bit, in fact, I recommend watching them both. It would however be quite dishonest to say they aren’t similar. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Godstone Demo Review

If you think back a long time ago, to last week, I talked about Godstone. You can read more about GodStone: Early Access Trailer there for a quick outline. I did get time to play the Steam Demo and I have to say it shows plenty of promise. The controls are promising, and I think they would work even better with controller support. I assume this is something that will be implemented at some point if it isn’t already.

The graphics are not what most people would call spectacular by today’s standards, but I disagree. I love the old-school look and feel of them. It had that great Super Nintendo look while feeling new and modern while using it.

Something else the demo does an amazing job of showing is that you can run right ahead in the game, I can see speed runners loving this game. I got demolished when I did it. On my second attempt, I didn’t do much better. My third run I took my time and explored more and the area that killed me my first two runs was far easier. The game truly does reward exploring with more items and permanent power-ups and even in this case assistance in a boss fight by rescuing a friend.

power-up at levels are basic pick a card get a power-up. you know what the cards do but not what cards you get

You will notice the one thing I haven’t much talked about is story and honestly that is intentional. I don’t know much about it besides you play as Gerion, magic is seen as bad by your people but everyone seems to use it, there is an Ice Witch everyone seems to hate, though she likes you, your people want you dead, and finding this Godstone is something everyone wants. Oh, and Gaming gods be damned I can’t wait to find out more March 30th when the planned release date hits. Until then, try the demo, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

GodStone: Early Access Trailer

Godstone from DemendPlant is a game I came across on Blue Sky from a solo dev that looked rather, well to be honest infuriating. It is a roguelike dungeon crawler that might just become your next obsession as you battle both minibosses and level bosses in what will surely be death after death as you enjoy a story of betrayal and secrets. You can try a demo and wishlist it on Steam now. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into this one. I will get back to you with more once I give the demo a shot. I was just really excited to let you guys know this is out there. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

V Rising hits 5 Million Sales!The Vampire Revolution Continues with Exciting 2025 Expansion

Below is new information released from Stunlock Studios, Also they have sent me a review copy to personally check out so stay tuned for my full review coming probably in the next couple weeks!

Stunlock Studios celebrates a monumental achievement as V Rising, the open-world vampire survival game, surpasses 5 million copies sold! This milestone cements the game’s status as one of the most popular survival games of recent years, captivating players with its addictive blend of survival mechanics, intense combat, and gothic world-building.

Since its launch, V Rising has drawn millions into its hauntingly beautiful world, garnering critical acclaim and overwhelming community praise. With over 89% positive reviews on Steam, it has become a beloved staple for fans of survival action RPGs and vampire lore alike.

Watch out Vampires! The Future of V Rising Burns Brighter than the Deadly SunlightPrepare for a vampiric evolution as Stunlock Studios is set to redefine the vampire experience with a big update coming in 2025. A brand-new biome awaits, teeming with uncharted territories, a deadly new faction, and ancient technologies ready to be claimed.
Players can also look forward to a revamped progression system featuring stat caps, a Fusion Forge for crafting ultimate builds, and risk-free PvP options like dueling, customizable castle arenas, and much more. These updates promise endless experimentation and thrilling battles, solidifying V Rising as a must-play title in the survival genre.
What Awaits You in V Rising:Awaken as a Vampire:
Rise from centuries of slumber as a weakened vampire. Feed on blood to regain your strength, avoid the burning sunlight, and dominate in intense PvE and PvP combat as you carve your path to power.Explore a Gothic Open-World:
Venture into a vast and dangerous realm filled with mythical horrors and hidden treasures. Traverse lush forests, haunted ruins, and shadowy caverns, battling supernatural foes and unearthing the secrets of Vardoran.Build Your Vampire Kingdom:
Construct and customize a gothic castle to serve as your stronghold. Gather resources, recruit loyal thralls, and expand your domain to become the ruler of a growing empire. Defend your treasures from rival vampires and claim your place as a true lord of the night.Master Sword and Dark Sorcery:
Wield deadly weapons and master unholy abilities in skill-based combat. Combine spells and armaments to create your perfect blend of power, adapting your strategies to conquer formidable enemies and claim their abilities.Compete or Cooperate:
Play solo or join forces with friends to take on the challenges of Vardoran. Raid enemy castles, forge alliances, or dominate in PvP battles. The night is yours to conquer, whether through cooperation or betrayal.Haven’t joined the vampire horde yet? Now is your time to claim the night on Steam or PlayStation 5.
Join the Vampire Community:V Rising has a thriving community of over 5 million players worldwide. With overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam and a dedicated fan base, the game continues to evolve with new content and features shaped by player feedback.

Stay connected and follow V Rising on social media for the latest updates and community events:Buy now on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1604030/V_Rising/Buy now on the PlayStation store: https://store.playstation.com/concept/10007965Visit our Website: https://playvrising.com/Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@playvrisingFollow us on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/VRisingGameLike us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VRisingGameJoin the Discord server: https://discord.gg/vrising

Signal Space Lab’s latest Human Within Dev Diary

Signal Space Lab and Actrio Studio are proud to release their second Dev Diary for their upcoming multimedia sci-fi interactive VR project Human Within, coming to Meta Quest 2 and 3 on January 9th, and coming soon to SteamVR. Titled Human Within: An Original and Thrilling Branching Storyline, this Dev Diary discusses the ways in which decisions and choices have consequences in Human Within, introducing the main characters and how different selections affect what is and isn’t seen along the journey.
Read the Human Within: An Original and Thrilling Branching Storyline Dev Diary HERE
The second Dev Diary introduces the world of Human Within alongside the main characters of the experience: Linh, who the player experiences the entire story from as their consciousness in the digital world; Nyla, Linh’s sister; and Blake, Linh and Nyla’s boss. Throughout the thrilling narrative, memory sequences unfold where you focus on Linh’s relationship with either Nyla or Blake. Who you focus on determines which backstory you follow, each backstory containing flashbacks that task you to make either a selfish or compassionate choice. An amalgamation of choices influences what happens at the end, and with a total of nine decision points and five different endings, each with around a 90 minute playthrough, technology and Linh’s fate is entirely up to you.

About Human Within

Directed by Avi Winkler and Anne Weigel, Human Within unfolds in a modern world where Nyla, a cyber engineer, and her sister Linh, are employed at Forward Industries. Together, they pioneer a groundbreaking supercomputer by harnessing the human brain’s processing power. However, when Nyla seeks to disengage from the project, both sisters are detained, compelled to continue their work amidst suspicions of their employer’s hidden motives. In a daring bid for freedom, Nyla is forced to connect the technology to Linh, and use it in the very way she feared it would be.

Signal Space Lab began pre-production of Human Within, in 2019, including script writing and prototyping the experience under the creative direction of Avi Winkler. Director Anne Weigel and award-winning German producer Actrio Studio joined the project and wrapped principal photography in December 2023. Human Within then began its festival tour in October premiering at FIVARS in Toronto on October 3rd and Beyond The Frame Festival in Tokyo on October 25th-27th, 2024. Supported by Meta, Canada Media Fund, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, and Filmstiftung NRW Germany, Human Within aims to raise the bar for interactive narrative VR experiences.

Alterium Shift Early Access Review

Alerium Shift is a turn-based RPG that the people over at Drattzy Games were nice enough to send me a copy of to check out the early access version. The game is currently sitting at mostly positive reviews with a lot of the complaints honestly being fair. The game does cost $20 and has a few known issues, none of which I ran into. They do encourage you to try out the available demo, and I do as well.

The graphics are beautiful, and I love the art and character designs. The combat is an amazing throwback to old-school turn-based RPGs. They have added some new elements to it though to keep it fresh. For example, it is easy to know what each ability does while still maintaining that old feel of learning new skills at leveling up. HP and MP don’t restore after each fight so you have to be careful with how you use your skills but areas aren’t so big you will be punished for using them and when you level up they are restored and items aren’t so expensive as they need to be reserved for emergency situations, but they also aren’t so cheap they can be abused.

Your early game choices also matter, something small you say to annoy a character at the start might be mentioned or thrown back at you later in another chapter. The game is far from perfect, certain areas feel large with nothing to do and you may find yourself exploring for no real reason. Thankfully traveling isn’t really a chore so when this happens it isn’t a huge waste of your time.

This boss is fun and interesting to fight

The real question, is this game worth $20? With my experience and a mostly positive rating on Steam, most people seem to think yes. Personally, I probably wouldn’t as I am not a fan of early access in general so anything more than $10 makes me nervous. What is here however is a 7/10 RPG and I look forward to seeing more of it. So play the demo and judge for yourself, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Yield! Fall of Rome Steam Review

Yield! Fall of Rome from Daedalic Entertainment is an interesting 4X Strategy game developed by Billionworlds. They were nice enough to send me a copy of the early version to check out the first part of the campaign and I have to say it quickly caught my attention.

You can see where the creators grew up loving civilization but wanting something that played a bit faster without losing the need for strategy. From the beginning, you are greeted with the familiar hexagonal map and fog of war you are used to seeing. You will also be sending off a settler to start a city in an advantageous spot surrounded by useful resources, however,you can simply click on those resources to build when you have the right technology and enough money to build farms rather than using builders. Tech is also simply bought with gold rather than science.

Games now have a turn limit of around 50, which doesn’t sound like much but it is plenty of time to get all the tech and explore the much smaller maps or wage all the wars you want. Wars can quickly become quite large and require planning, I quickly learned you can’t just spam units and hope for good results. My first attempt I just sent massive amounts of horses and quickly saw them dead and me without the resources to even defend my cities.

Is this game going to be a civilization kill? No, and it definitely isn’t meant to be. Is it a good alternative? My initial feeling is yes, the time I spent playing it, this game is absolutely going to fill that niche. I don’t always have time to spend hours on a game, but I can spend the time on this and it feels great. I can not wait to spend more time on this 8/10 title. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.