narrative depth Archives

AppWizard

March 4, 2026

Esoteric Ebb Review

Esoteric Ebb is a role-playing game inspired by Disco Elysium, focusing on exploration rather than combat, and features a narrative rich in literary and political themes. The game blends narrative depth with mechanics similar to Dungeons & Dragons. - Price: £21 - Release Date: March 3, 2026 - Developer: Christoffer Bodegård - Publisher: Raw Fury - Reviewed on: Steam Deck, Windows 11 (Core i5 12600K, RX 9070 XT, 32GB RAM) - Steam Deck: Verified - Official site link available Gameplay includes strategic challenges, such as an early ambush by an assassin where players can use spells creatively. Some minor complaints include a cluttered user interface on the Steam Deck, cumbersome inventory management, typographic errors, and occasional UI glitches. There are also reports of bugged feats affecting gameplay. Despite these issues, the game is considered compelling for RPG enthusiasts and offers good value for its price.

AppWizard

March 1, 2026

Cara Ellison, senior narrative designer on Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 before Paradox switched developers, discusses her love of Troika’s original RPG: ‘Everyone on the team helped really make that maximum goth’

Cara Ellison is a narrative designer whose journey in gaming began with a BBC Micro and the 1987 game Acheton. She has worked as a games journalist for publications like PC Gamer and transitioned into game design, contributing narratives to titles such as Dishonored 2, Void Bastards, God of War: Ragnarok, and Ghost Town. Her latest project is Sleight of Hand, a deckbuilding stealth game inspired by Metal Gear Solid and Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines. She has a fondness for the original Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines, despite its technical challenges, and has logged 103 hours in Kentucky Route Zero. Ellison keeps Sunless Sea installed on both her work and personal computers, appreciating its narrative depth. For her writing, she uses Scrivener, which she utilized for Void Bastards. Her desktop is relatively tidy, featuring a mix of business and leisure icons, with a wallpaper from Vertigo.

AppWizard

February 28, 2026

Is Marathon’s time-to-kill too fast, or am I too Arc Raiders-pilled?

The author completed the original Mass Effect and shifted focus to extraction shooters, particularly Marathon, influenced by experiences in Arc Raiders. During the first 24 hours with Marathon, the author compared it to Arc Raiders, noting the challenging gameplay dynamics, including a fast time-to-kill (TTK) and the importance of teamwork. Initial frustrations with Marathon's pace shifted to appreciation as the author adapted strategies with friends. The game emphasizes sound and teamwork, with a TTK that feels punishing but manageable with squad support. The author reflected on the need for better resource management, expressing concerns about inventory issues and the early loss of loadouts. They suggested that Bungie should streamline gameplay to enhance the PvP experience.

AppWizard

February 23, 2026

The upcoming Disco Elysium for D&D nerds just dropped a 90-minute supercut of its weirdly beautiful soundtrack

Publisher Raw Fury has released "90 Minutes of Esoteric Ebb Music | A Lazy Day in Norvik" on YouTube as a preview of the soundtrack for the upcoming fantasy RPG, Esoteric Ebb. The soundtrack features elements typical of fantasy games, including wistful strings and memorable synths, distinguishing it from its inspiration, Disco Elysium. Esoteric Ebb combines narrative depth and urban exploration similar to Disco Elysium while incorporating classic Dungeons & Dragons elements, including spellcasting and combat. The demo includes a dialogue-based combat scenario where players can engage in ability checks against a zombie. The game is available for wishlisting on Steam.

AppWizard

February 21, 2026

Avowed’s massive anniversary update adds new playable races, but they don’t get any unique dialogue because there were ‘no dedicated narrative people available’

Avowed's anniversary update introduces new features including stat bonuses, customizable difficulty modifiers, a New Game Plus mode, and a new staff weapon type. It adds three new playable races, expanding options beyond the previous choices of humans and elves. The update faced challenges in ensuring character customization worked seamlessly across the new races, but lacks unique dialogue choices for each race due to the writing team's focus on other aspects. Each new race provides different gameplay attribute bonuses, enhancing the gameplay experience. The update is available at no additional cost.

AppWizard

February 18, 2026

How often do we see game sequels totally shift genres?

Remedy Entertainment is known for its third-person shooters and has released a new game following the success of Control, which features telekinesis and a shape-shifting pistol, emphasizing rich narratives and immersive environments. Ryu Go Gotoku Studio has transformed the Yakuza franchise from traditional brawling to an open-world, turn-based RPG format, introducing a new protagonist and quirky gameplay elements. Valve's Half-Life: Alyx has shifted the franchise to a VR experience, showcasing the company's commitment to innovation despite mixed reactions regarding VR accessibility. The Red Dead series began with Red Dead Revolver in 2004, evolving from a level-based shooter to open-world storytelling in Red Dead Redemption and its sequel. Return to Zork marked the transition from text-based to graphical adventure games, expanding storytelling possibilities while sparking debates among purists. Dune 2 transitioned from an adventure game to a real-time strategy format, influencing future RTS titles and highlighting genre-blending potential. Grand Theft Auto 3 redefined open-world gameplay, allowing players significant freedom and interaction, greatly impacting the gaming landscape and solidifying Rockstar's reputation.

AppWizard

February 13, 2026

Epic Games Store is giving away my favorite cyberpunk game for free – a dark, dystopian LA Noire

L.A. Noire is a groundbreaking detective game known for its narrative depth and immersive gameplay. A new game, Nobody Wants to Die by Critical Hit Games, is set in a dystopian cyberpunk future in the year 2329, where players control detective James Harra investigating the mysterious death of Edward Green. The game features tools like the Reconstructor and an X-Ray tool to aid in the investigation. Harra's partner, Sara, adds depth to the narrative, which blurs the line between reality and hallucination. The game prioritizes storytelling over action and is described as a walking simulator with a runtime of four to five hours. It received an 8/10 review and is currently available for free on the Epic Games Store until February 19.

AppWizard

February 11, 2026

Poking around Hytale’s unfinished sandbox is the first time I’ve felt hope for a voxel RPG since Cube World broke my heart (twice)

Cube World is a voxel-based, procedurally generated RPG released in 2019 that failed to meet player expectations due to a lack of engaging content, minimal NPC interaction, and monotonous exploration. The game was criticized for its hollow adventure and mindless combat. In contrast, other titles like Dragon Quest Builders and V Rising successfully combine survival, crafting, and narrative depth. Hytale, developed by Hypixel Studios, aims to learn from Cube World's shortcomings, offering a voxel world with dynamic combat and a promising adventure mode. Hytale features engaging combat mechanics and has a strong focus on modding, with nearly 4,000 user-generated mods available. The game has rekindled interest in the open-world survival crafting genre, standing out as a promising contender.

AppWizard

January 28, 2026

Get ready to battle bruxae and swipe sorceresses in Reigns: The Witcher, out next month

Nerial is set to release Reigns: The Witcher on February 25. Players will assume the role of Geralt of Rivia, with gameplay narrated by Dandelion. The game features decision-making that affects relationships with various factions and includes a real-time combat system. Each playthrough resembles a ballad of Geralt's adventures, often ending in his demise. Players will encounter sidequests that enhance the story and Dandelion's skills, with humorous elements included. The game incorporates nostalgic features from The Witcher 3, aiming to appeal to both fans and newcomers.

AppWizard

January 28, 2026

Code Vein 2 may not be a soulslike masterpiece, but it proves that the rule of cool is much more fun

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.