This week in PC games: Elden Ring Nightreign and a giantess dating sim

I awoke at 6 AM yesterday, fully immersed in the rhythm of writing a news article, only to discover later that it was a bank holiday. My realization struck me like a bolt of lightning when I stepped into the treehouse, greeted by the sight of a lone squirrel diligently gnawing on a discarded Snickers bar. Today, however, that squirrel has passed on, and the time has come to dive back into the world of gaming. A wave of new PC games is set to emerge from the shadows this week.

Tuesday 27th May

• Sol Cesto is making its debut in Steam early access. This caffeinated roguelike boasts a captivating, sketchy art style filled with quirky creatures and unique UI elements. Players embark on a quest as a hero searching for the sun, albeit underground—a curious place for such a celestial body.

• Also launching in Steam early access is Small Spaces, an interior design toolkit tailored for crafting small apartments. While I sometimes find myself drifting in open-ended creative endeavors, this concept inherently challenges players to design spaces that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional within limited dimensions.

Wednesday 28th May

• To A T is an adventure game from the creative mind behind Katamari Damacy, Keita Takahashi. Players take on the role of a 13-year-old boy perpetually frozen in a T-pose, accompanied by a giraffe known for its exceptional sandwich-making skills.

• Kabuto Park presents a vibrant, scrapbook-style creature collector, seemingly inspired by the beetle sumo battles of Boku no Natsuyasumi 2. Here, players collect beetles, display them, and engage them in combat to prove their worthiness to you, their capricious deity.

Thursday 29th May

• Another intriguing release is Islands & Trains, a “stress-free” sandbox city builder. It’s a bold assumption to think that a British person can contemplate trains without a hint of anxiety. I once endured a two-day sleeper train journey across central China, only to pay a similar fare for a mere fifty-minute return trip from London. The state of UK railways has truly gone to the squirrels, I tell you.

Friday 30th May

• Over the weekend, I sampled the demo for Debugging Hero, a charming ARPG featuring parries and dodges. The standout feature is a magical sword that allows players to pause the action and manipulate enemy stats through a ‘debug’ interface. While it may not reach the heights of a title like Baba Is You, it offers the ability to alter trap timers, transforming a leisurely spike pit into a relentless hazard.

• Deadly Quiet identifies itself as an immersive sim, which is intriguing, yet it also claims to be a 4-player co-op asymmetrical horror game, which feels less captivating.

• Doodle Empires presents a strategy experience where players draw their own territories. The humor in envisioning a tyrannical ruler scribbling on a map and declaring, “mine now,” is undeniably amusing—though, in reality, such scenarios do occur.

Edwin wrapped up last week’s Maw by sharing insights into the activities of the other inhabitants of the Treehouse. However, to uncover these details, I must reach out to them, and time is of the essence, especially with the squirrel funeral arrangements demanding my attention. Additionally, the glucose syrup from the Snickers has caused quite a mess, necessitating the scraping of melted squirrel from the floorboards. To make this tedious task a bit more bearable, I invite you to suggest any shiny gems I might have overlooked in the comments.