Warframe has released a fully featured mobile version with ten years' worth of content and over 50 customizable Warframes, allowing for cross-platform progression.
Steam Next Fest is currently taking place, showcasing a variety of game demos. This year, the focus is on highlighting exciting demos rather than creating a wishlist. Some notable games featured include:
- A game inspired by hiding spiders under cups at holiday parties, which includes power-up cards that are not microtransactions.
- Rise Of Piracy, an early access RTS by MicroProse, where players command a fleet of corsairs and can engage in diplomacy and trading.
- Emberbane, a 2D metroidvania with elemental martial arts elements.
- Reigns: The Witcher, a deck-building narrative game set in the Witcher universe, where players control Dandelion.
- Utawarerumono: ZAN 2, an anime-style hack-and-slash game with base management and humorous elements.
- Spellcasters Chronicles, a 3v3 wizard MOBA from Quantic Dream.
- Tales of Berseria Remastered, a revamped action-RPG from Bamco.
- Snägäri Pinball, a pinball game themed around Finland’s late-night snack kiosks.
- Resident Evil Requiem, Capcom's latest horror installment featuring both third-person and first-person gameplay.
- Arrow World, a sokoban-style game with conveyor belt mechanics.
The RPS team is actively playing Resident Evil Requiem and sharing their experiences.
The convention atmosphere is lively, filled with diverse cosplayers from various entertainment realms, including film, anime, television, and video games. The column "Character Select" in PC Gamer highlights the artistry of the cosplay community, featuring remarkable creations and insights into gaming culture. The author shares a memorable interaction with cosplayers from the game "Cult of the Lamb." Cosplay is particularly popular for "Genshin Impact," with a wide range of characters inspiring attendees, including a cosplayer dressed as a Primogem. "League of Legends" also has a significant presence, with characters like KDA, Jinx, and Miss Fortune being popular, especially after the Netflix adaptation "Arcane." The author expresses curiosity about other fanbases or games that may deserve attention at future conventions.
Steam Next Fest is approaching, and several developers have released demos ahead of schedule.
- Fate Trigger by Saroasis Studios features hero-based tactical shooting with three maps, ten heroes, and four game modes.
- Romestead by Three Friends allows players to rebuild a post-apocalyptic Rome overrun by zombies, including two biomes, 15 dungeons, three bosses, and an eight-player co-op mode.
- The Witch’s Bakery by Silver Lining Interactive is an adventure and puzzle game where players run a bakery in Paris, offering one to two hours of gameplay in the first chapter.
- 1348 Ex Voto by Dear Villagers is set in Medieval Italy, following a knight's quest to rescue a loved one, with a demo showcasing the game's opening chapters and combat mechanics.
- Denshattack by Fireshine Games is a fast-paced arcade game featuring a gravity-defying train, with the demo including the first three levels.
- Witchspire by Envar Games is a survival-crafting adventure allowing players to reach level 7 and choose from two familiars and coven options, playable solo or in co-op mode.
- John Carpenter's Toxic Commando by Focus Entertainment is a cooperative shooter with two demo levels, featuring character selection and combat mechanics.
Witchspire is a survival game developed by Envar Studio, known for its League of Legends splash arts. It features a Sailor Moon-inspired anime trailer and Ghibli-esque visuals. The game includes a captivating narrative voiced by actors like Victoria Atkin and Matthew Mercer. Players assume the role of a witch in a mysterious realm, combating corruption while utilizing familiar survival mechanics such as crafting and upgrading weapons. Unique to Witchspire are the Familiars, companion creatures that assist players in combat. The game allows players to gather resources easily and features a magical sickle for cutting down trees. The combat mechanics have some flaws, particularly with AI behavior during encounters. Witchspire's gameplay is accessible, lacking hunger and stamina meters, and includes an Astral Projection system for strategic advantages. The game offers lore drops and voice lines that enhance storytelling. The demo is available on Steam, featuring the first island, Vyr's Landing, and supports multiplayer for up to four players.
- Marvel Mystic Mayhem will end new content updates on April 1 and servers will go offline
- Warzone Mobile servers will go offline on April 17
- Warframe is now available on Android with cross platform play
- CookieRun: OvenSmash is a real time battle action game with pre-registration available
- The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin is coming to iOS and Android on March 23
- Horse Racing Solitaire has launched worldwide on iOS and Android
- STPPL, a minimalist color puzzle game, will launch on Google Play next week
- Hatch Dragons, a dragon nurturing game, launches worldwide on March 4
- Takeoff: Unlimited, a 2D arcade dogfighter game, is available on the App Store
The anime gacha game market is becoming increasingly similar, with Genshin Impact as a dominant influence. New titles often struggle to differentiate themselves, leading to a saturation of open-world action RPGs with collectible anime characters. Arknights: Endfield introduces a unique factory-building mechanic, allowing players to mine materials and manage conveyor belt systems, which sets it apart from typical gacha games. Honkai: Star Rail is noted for its turn-based gameplay and humor, while other titles like Zenless Zone Zero and Genshin Impact feature vibrant character designs but face challenges with monetization strategies that can detract from gameplay enjoyment. Despite the innovations in Endfield, it still caters to the Genshin Impact audience, highlighting a desire for more engaging gameplay without the complexities of traditional action RPGs.
The first hour of Code Vein 2 felt lackluster due to the absence of exhilarating combat and overwhelming tutorial prompts. However, the gameplay improved significantly with the unlocking of dual swords and the execution of a Drain Attack, leading to a more enjoyable experience. The game is rated between 7-8/10, offering exhilarating combat mechanics and diverse build options, despite a lack of narrative depth and familiar character archetypes. Players take on the role of a Revenant Hunter tasked with preventing the world's collapse caused by Horrors. Code Vein 2 is available in Deluxe and Ultimate Editions priced at .74 / £63.74 and .24 / £72.24, respectively, both with a 15% discount, while the standard edition is priced at .74 / £46.74.
- John Highguard: A sci-fantasy raid shooter developed by former creators of Apex Legends and Titanfall.
- Winnie’s Hole: An early access title that transforms Winnie the Pooh into a cosmic horror roguelite.
- Echoes Of Elysium: An early access game featuring six-player co-op in a procedural clockwork world.
- Earth Must Die: A point-and-click sci-fi comedy from the creators of The Swindle and Lair of the Clockwork God.
- The Spirit Lift: A roguelite deckbuilder set in a haunted hotel.
- Roots Devour: A game where players control a malevolent tree deciding the fate of humans.
- DON’T LET THEM IN: A horror game where players are supermarket clerks dealing with cautious customers.
- Lanesplit: A first-person biking simulator with a cinematic style.
- Ghost Keeper: An early access title where players manage a house full of ghosts.
- Nova Antarctica: A post-apocalyptic game set in Antarctica focused on mysterious signals.
- The Midnight Walkers: An early access extraction shooter set in a megamall with a poison gas mechanic.
- Calyx: An RTS game featuring a military force against plant life.
- Feastopia: A city-builder roguelite where players feed an infant god to avoid becoming part of the menu.
- Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator: A sequel that escalates the absurdity of its predecessor.
- Cairn: A climbing adventure game with narrative depth.
- I Hate This Place: A survival crafting horror game inspired by comic books.
- Don’t Stop, Girlypop: An arena shooter with Y2K aesthetics.
- Code Vein 2: The latest entry in the anime Soulslike genre featuring time travel mechanics.
- Half Sword: An early access physics-based medieval combat game.
- Front Mission 3: A remake of the classic turn-based mech game.
