Cloudbreaker was sent my way by Ballast Games, and I always appreciate that. Cloudbreaker is the typical bullet heaven game where things will try to murder you as you gain experience and survive as long as you can and improve your ship. When you die, in typical roguelike fashion you can earn permenent upgrades to make your next runs easier.
You may have noticed I normally love these games, and this one isn’t bad. It also unforutnaly wasn’t one I found fun. It does sit at a positive rating on Steam with 24 reviews, and one of the negative reviews simply says that it “does not break clouds” which is technically true, during my time I did not break a single cloud. I did laugh when I saw it however and thought it was worth mentioning.
My issues with the game come in two flavors. One the grind is very real, your first few runs, and by few I mean many you won’t feel like you are getting any stronger. Then suddenly you will until just as suddenly you hit a wall again.
My other issue is while the Steam page it says it is compatable with an Xbox controller, it really isn’t. I was force to use the mouse for many things and it didn’t even pause when going into menus like it does normally.
As for the game play itself,the game does it well. Putting different types of weapons and shields and such on your ship takes thought and strategy and this is thankfully where the game shines. At no point did I die and feel like it was cheap, it was simply either my mistake or being outgunned which is what I expect from these sort of games. The issues I meantioned however did limit my enjoyment a bit. For the price of $12 fans may still want to check out this 6/10 title. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.
Gladio Mori (fun fact, means die by the sword in latin, yes savior took some latin in high school) was sent my way by the fine folks over at Bonus Stage Publishing which I always appreciate. I almost passed on this one because I thought it probably looked fun but played badly,I won’t lie.
I was so wrong. For a game that cost $20 and looks so lazily made, it is anything but cheaply done. Yes you are basically fighting with crash test dummies, but you can custimize them if you want; I have even seen a few people take the time to do it. I haven’t, but I have seen it done. Nobody seems to do it; we all want to get to the main point here. Killing each other.
See the game comes with a quick tutorial which teaches you what you need to know takes about 5 minutes. Then you can hop into the campaign modes which are basically more training for the main event. There are 3 difficulties with some settings to mess with, battles can be fought at .25 speed all the way up to full speed. This sounds silly but it helps get timing and distance down.
Before the fights you pick your gear, a weapon, some armor and it is all real and has legitmate advantages and disadvantages. That long spear will allow you to stay away from the guy duel wielding hook swords, but if he can hook your spear or get in close, he will literally open up your stomach. Want to know how I know? This has happened more than once to me. Want to smash a guys head in with a mace? Go ahead nobody will stop you, except the guy living his samurai fantasy that will chop your head off as you move in. Yes that is a personal experience. Yes there is plenty of gore to go along with it.
Now, of gore isn’t your thing but you still want to play you can turn it off. You may notice I talk about my own experiences but use assets from the PlayStation Store. That is because I want to be able to explain what you can do and show what the game is and can be. You can shut most of the gore off.
Is the game perfect? No, but it is damn close. In a game where movement and distance in key I found at times movement when people get close especily near walls id try to move in one direction and my character just wouldn’t. Also a few times I would win a fight by causing Aorta damage but I smashed a guy in the head with a mallet. Or I woul lose a fight from blood loss after being stabbed in the leg, but the other guy was legitmatly fighting half the battle, missing his shield arm and a leg. None of this is a deal breaker, this one will be in my rotation for a long time to come and is a must buy but it does drop it from the perfect score I would love to give it to a 9/10. I hope to see you on the battle field, because it is a good day to die, over and over again. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.
The Depths of the Damned update introduces Spillway, a new mission which sends players into the deep and dangerous recesses of an unseen area of the Hive. The notorious domain of Tertiums Water Cartel is a sprawling labyrinth of tunnels, waterways and forgotten passages, crawling with chaos, decay and threats best left undisturbed. Spillway’s journey is far from straightforward. Strike teams must choose their paths wisely, some routes are more perilous than others. One thing is certain, all lead to the Prophet of Decay – a twisted Psyker boss encounter. The Spillway campaign is only the beginning, Depths of the Damned also introduces an array of new content! The Update will be available from September 29th on Steam, PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Expanded Arsenal: The warband is expanding their armory against Chaos with six new weapons coming to Darktide! Players will be able to unleash a mix of both new weapon marks and weapon families accessible to a range of in-game classes.The new weapon marks include the Crusher Krourk MK VII, Double-Barrelled Shotgun Krouk Mk IV, Gromm Mk I Battle Maul and Mk V Slab Shield. For the new weapon families Darktide is introducing the Ogryn Cruncher, Huntsman’s Shotgun and the Ogryn Thugshot. For a more in depth breakdown of the weapons check out Fatsharks forums for an upcoming Feature Highlight.
Face The Prophet of Decay: Deep within the Hive, something has taken root. Little is yet known about the Prophet of Decay, save for one grim certainty…they are no ordinary spawn of Chaos. A powerful Psyker, the Prophet has made the depths its domain and what awaits the Strike Teams in the dark remains to be seen. More information on the Prophet of Decay will be revealed in the weeks ahead.
Other Transmissions from the Hive: Alongside the above the Depths of the Damned update will also feature additional content, such as a new live event, store rotation and quality of life improvements.
Mortal Shell 2 is the newest souls-like to hit the market from Playstack, and as the clock struck the 0 hour to get my request in, through a weird twist of fate over on Twitter (yes, I still refuse to call it X), I ran into Playstack’s very own Charlotte, who worked I don’t want to know how many hours the weeks leading up to release to get review codes out to slobs like me. So thank you, Playstack, and a special thank you, Charlotte; you did not go unnoticed.
Without a shell, dude is ugly.
If you never played a Mortal Shell game, you play as a hero in Mortal Shell 2, the Harbinger sent on a quest to collect the Ova (of which you are a surviving one of) and save the world from evil. You can inhabit what are known as Shells; each has its own abilities to help you fight. Tiel, for example, is more stealth- and speed-based, while Proxima is made to take advantage of her lightning to essentially stunlock enemies. There are 8 in total to choose from once you find them all.
The flowers do not help at all
I am going to get the bad out of the way before I gush over the game, because admittedly it has some issues. Far more so if you play on PC; luckily, I know a few others who played through side by side. It is very unoptimized on PC currently, with people falling through the floor on the final boss, enemies doing extremely weird things like running away for no reason, and frequent crashes. The game is playable, but there are some decent issues.
Found a lute, had to play it.
On PlayStation 5, I did not have a single crash in at least 50 hours. However, I loved the lute as a side arm, and I did die a couple of times when attempting to run because my character would simply sit down and play the lute. See if you have the lute out and hit the run button; he plays it. This should not be an issue, but currently there is a weird glitch where he will occasionally sit down and play his main weapon like the lute. I won’t say it is rare; I have seen it at least 10 times. But it also isn’t common, considering that in my 50 hours I probably had the loot for 40 of them.
These spots don’t do anything; you can just enjoy the view
Once, while trying to sit next to a random guy with a bag on his head, I suddenly found myself in the sky. Also, while getting the Tiel Shell, I walked through a door instead of opening it. Both soft-locked the game, and I had to quit out and restart. Nothing major, but it was annoying.
Now, on to the good. First, the game is beautiful; it is better looking than some AAA titles I have played. Second, I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the lack of stamina in combat, which is becoming more common nut Mortal Shell 2 nails it. Dodging and light attacks being infinite sounds like it would make the game easier, but it is easy to get caught up and then be punished. A new level of patience is now required for some enemies, not just bosses.
Another thing I love is the exploration; while I wish beacons were a bit better proportioned, discovering a new dungeon or beacon feels like an accomplishment. It reminded me of Elden Ring in many ways. Stumbling on a new weapon or tarstone was always a treat.
proof I saw the ending
There are so many good things to say about Mortal Shell 2; I actually can’t say them all in one review without this thing going even longer than it already has. Expect to see me talk about this one again. While I love this game and I wish I could give it a higher score, the technical issues can’t be ignored. For now, it is an 8/10 because, to me, the fun I had can’t be ignored. But to go higher would be dishonest. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.
Developer AREA 35, Inc. is bringing full theater battles to Gamescom, where attendees will have the opportunity to go hands-on with the anticipated tactical strategy warfare game TINY METAL 2 at Hall 10, Booth #C-70-D-071. For fans who cannot make it to Cologne, yet still want a chance to play the biggest TINY METAL game ever made, the fight is coming to them.
AREA 35 today announced that players around the world can now join the next TINY METAL 2 playtest, a limited-time online multiplayer-focused test built around both competitive and cooperative play, available now through September 13, 2026 EDT. Participants who complete one online match will also earn an exclusive Player Icon and Player Icon Background reward to carry into the full release of TINY METAL 2 on Steam.
Built around online multiplayer, the playtest lets commanders face off in Free for All or team up in Co-op across 10 multiplayer maps designed for battles of varying sizes, including large-scale scenarios that support up to 8 commanders.
“Gamescom gives us an incredible opportunity to put TINY METAL 2 directly into players’ hands, but we want the battlefield to extend far beyond Cologne,” said Hiroaki Yura, CEO of AREA 35 Inc. “This playtest is an important step for us because online competition and cooperation are major parts of what we are building. We are excited to have players around the world jump in, challenge each other, fight together and help us make the experience even stronger.”
The playtest will feature flexible, lobby-based online multiplayer, giving players the freedom to battle alongside or against friends, other participants and CPU-controlled commanders.
Participants will also experience the latest round of refinements to TINY METAL 2, with improvements across battlefield readability, pacing, audio and visual feedback, balance, and Commander abilities, all designed to make battles clearer, smoother and more satisfying.
TINY METAL 2 TAKES THE WAR TO LAND, SEA AND AIR The latest entry in AREA 35’s tactical warfare series is the most ambitious yet. TINY METAL 2 expands the grid-based strategy formula with battles spanning land, sea and air on the same battlefield, including naval warfare for the first time in series history.
Commanders will lead combined forces that include familiar land and air units, as well as battleships, submarines, transport vessels and other naval units. TINY METAL 2 also expands the series with a roster of more than 15 playable commanders, a large collection of Campaign and Skirmish maps, and new tactical systems designed around playing both together and against other commanders.
The game’s presentation is also taking a major step forward, featuring music by award-winning composer Go Shiina and performances by the Sydney-based Eminence Symphony Orchestra.
ALSO PLAYABLE AT GAMESCOM: PROJECT BLITZ Alongside TINY METAL 2, attendees visiting AREA 35’s booth can also experience PROJECT BLITZ, a fast-paced arcade party game set in the TINY METAL universe.
Designed for quick, social play, PROJECT BLITZ features short, objective-driven battles where changing objectives, environmental hazards and power-ups can quickly shift the momentum of a match. Easy to jump into but built around tactical decision-making, the game is designed to create lively, unpredictable battles with friends.
AREA 35 is using Gamescom as an opportunity to put the project in front of players, see how they respond and gather feedback that will help inform its future role in the TINY METAL universe.
About TINY METAL 2 TINY METAL 2 is in development by AREA 35, Inc. and will be published by AREA 34, Inc. when it releases in spring 2027 on PC via Steam and other platforms. The title is currently available to Wishlist on Steam.
Doloc Town was recently released in 1.0. If you remember, I was sent an early access version by Redsaw Games to review. Now I am back after putting some time into 1.0 after getting early access to it, which I always appreciate.
You can read my earlier review if you want to get into some of the details of what the game is; I mostly want to focus on what is new. For example, the story finally has a finale. You can see how it truly all ends now. Don’t worry, your hard work won’t go away; you can still keep playing.
We all know I love fishing
Another new thing is automation. I enjoy farming, but I don’t always love taking care of the farm itself. Now you can eventually set up machines to take care of all that dirty work for you while you reap the rewards. This, to me, is a huge game-changer because it leaves more time mid- to late-game to solve many of the quests, including the new three final quests and the new residential area to explore.
There are also new characters and enemies, and plenty of balancing issues. Now you may have noticed I haven’t mentioned any fixes for other issues, like the game running better. That is because the game has always played great. Even when I played in early access, I never ran into crashes or stutters. The game still has overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam. I once rated this game a 9/10 experience, and that has not changed. Why is it missing that 1 point, you may ask? Is it tradition because I have never given a perfect score? Am I being petty? No, the game does falter in one area. I don’t find the characters very appealing. They are cute, but overall, many of them simply exist in the world. In a game with what is a very nice story, the lack of intriguing characters is kind of heartbreaking. Regardless, the game is amazing. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.
Far Lands on PlayStation 5 was sent to me by Axyos Games, a company I have worked with a few times in the past on games like Ebola Village and Apartment No 129. The good thing about Axyos Games is that you always know what you are going to get. The bad thing about them is it will never be a fantastic game. Far Lands continues that trend; it is an open-world survival game where you survive a plane crash and find yourself with nothing but a rock. Do not lose this rock until you use it to mine some more rocks and wood, or you will have problems.
If this game is starting to sound familiar, it is because it is basically the premise of most other survival games out there. You will also get attacked by zombies, only a couple different kinds, and very quickly run into guys with guns. Yes, if you are quick, you can kill them with the aforementioned rock; they don’t track you very well with the gun if you get close. None of the enemies are very smart, truth be told.
I know this sounds like I didn’t like the game, and I still haven’t even touched on how bad some of the animations are. I don’t know who designed the horse riding animations, but those look like something from the N64 days. Not liking it actually could not be further from the truth; you see, what they made was a FUN game. Yes, the game is clunky and adds nothing new to the genre. The game isn’t all that good-looking, but you can build some interesting things if you want; just looking around is fun in its own way, and there aren’t many survival games out there for $15 that function well and also offer this many ways to customize your base.
This game definitely isn’t for everyone, and the best way to play this is with friends who don’t take it seriously. It is a 5/10 game if I ever played one. I can’t hate it though. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.
Echo Isle was sent my way by Josh Koenig Games, which is always appreciated. I won’t lie to you; I did not expect much from a game that cost $5 and was made by one guy and in every way appeared to be a complete rip-off of the original Zelda. I have learned one thing over the years, however: judging games by a quick look and the price is a quick way to miss out on a fun title.
First, yes, there is no way to avoid there is no way to avoid comparing this to Zelda because this game is an homage to the early games in the series, and it wears that very proudly. More importantly, it does it very well.
Now you are going to notice fast that this is a pretty short review, because the game is designed to also be short. This is sort of Josh’s thing; he makes retro games that are affordable, easy to get into, with no fluff. The dungeons are small, which doesn’t mean easy; some of the bosses can be tough if you aren’t careful. You get in, find the key, and then upgrade, fight a boss, and move on.
The story is equally as easy to get into. The lighthouse on the island has gone out; you are on a quest to relight it. The people on the island help with what they can; you explore a bit to find a few secrets, and away you go. The game can be finished in one sitting; I think I beat it in about 2 hours. My only complaints are the lack of achievements and the sword on some enemies could be a bit finicky later in the game. Not in any sort of game-ruining way, but a few times I swung and missed when I definitely did not miss. Still, this is a 9/10 game. Everyone should buy it. If you like old Zelda games, you will love this; if you don’t, this might give you a reason to try them. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.
It is well established how much I love and respect both Atari and Strictly Limited Games, and at a time when physical games may be coming to an end in certain areas, I am happy to announce that Bread and Fred will have a limited-edition physical release on both PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch from Strictly Limited Games. This is not a code-in-a-box situation; these are true physical games. Feel free to click the links and place your pre-orders while supplies last.
In partnership with Atari and Strictly Limited, this fan-favorite co-op platformer is making its way to physical format, giving collectors and platforming fans the opportunity to add one of the most charming cooperative adventures of recent years to their shelves.
In this playful and challenging co-op platformer from Sand Castles Studio, players take control of two penguins tied together by a rope as they set out on the ultimate climb to the summit of a towering snowy mountain. Beneath its charming exterior lies a delightfully demanding challenge where every jump matters, every swing counts, and every hard-earned victory feels unforgettable. Whether playing side by side, online with a friend, or solo alongside a stone called Jeff, players will discover a unique platforming experience that rewards perseverance and skill.
This Limited Edition includes the complete Bread & Fred experience, featuring local and online co-op, the dedicated single-player mode with Jeff the Rock, Speedrun Mode for seasoned climbers, and the extensive Laboratory Update, adding new mechanics, fresh challenges, and hidden secrets to discover..
The physical release of Bread & Fred will be completed by the physical publishing experts at Strictly Limited as a Limited Edition for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5. It will be available through the Strictly Limited Store, the Atari Store, as well as select retail partners and online marketplaces worldwide.
In Verho – Curse of Faces, players take on the role of nameless protagonists exploring the hostile world of Yariv, where masks serve as essential protection and bearers of identity. Each mask represents a specific class, ranging from powerful melee fighters to agile duelists and mighty mages. The system offers maximum freedom: Instead of being bound by rigid constraints, flexible character development allows players to specialize in any direction they choose. Players can freely develop their individual class concepts at any time, regardless of their initial choice. The gameplay is characterized by a synergy of exploratory elements and combat challenges.
The visual presentation is inspired by the 32-bit era. Through the deliberate use of low-poly models and rough textures, the game captures the nostalgic PlayStation 1 aesthetic. These intentional technical limitations reinforce the game’s oppressive atmosphere and give it a unique identity.
Key Features
Mysterious masks and an ominous curse – In a world where showing one’s face leads to certain death, the residents are forced to hide behind unique masks. The protagonist sets off for the land of Yariv to uncover the origins of the deadly curse.
A sinister world and its inhabitants – In addition to the story of the curse, Yariv is full of NPCs who carry their unique circumstances and traumas. Behind a large number of characters lie further quests, mysterious challenges, and unique personalities.
Build variety, melee fighters, and magical abilities – Verho – Curse of Faces offers a wide range of weapons, abilities, and spells that completely alter the gameplay. Players will experience combat in a brand new and unique way with every new playthrough.
Dark Fantasy RPG in the spirit of King’s Field – Verho – Curse of Faces celebrates the dark fantasy RPG genre established by icons such as King’s Field. With authentic PS1-era retro graphics, Verho – Curse of Faces offers players neo-retro charm that appeals not only to children of the 90s.
Regular updates for Verho – Curse of Faces can be found on the CTG Social Media channels Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X and Facebook.
You can find Verho – Curse of Faces here on Steam for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
