swordplay Archives

AppWizard

August 13, 2026

Defender of the Crown: The Legend Returns (PC) Review – CGMagazine

Defender of the Crown: The Legend Returns is set in 1149 during a power struggle in England following the king's assassination, with players tasked to rally lands, defeat rival armies, and claim the throne. The game features turn-based strategy mechanics, including army building, castle raiding, and tournament hosting, and offers both the original MS-DOS version and an enhanced iteration. It includes a deck-building roguelike mode that introduces card-based battles. The Jousting and Swordplay modes have been improved with new mechanics like blocking and parrying. However, the game has shortcomings in tutorial explanations and battle mechanics, which can lead to confusion. Visuals are enhanced while retaining a nostalgic pixelated style, and the audio has been upgraded.

AppWizard

August 4, 2026

Beast of Reincarnation Roars Onto Game Pass, Xbox, PlayStation, PC – Game Freak’s Ambitious Action RPG Has Arrived

Game Freak has released a post-apocalyptic action RPG titled "Beast of Reincarnation," available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, Play Anywhere, and PlayStation 5, with a price of £49.99 for the Standard Edition and £57.99 for the Digital Deluxe Edition. The game is also available on Game Pass from day one. Set in the year 4026, it features protagonists Emma and her dog Koo as they navigate a Japan overrun by nature and a deadly blight. The combat system allows players to control both characters, with Emma utilizing swordplay and Koo executing special techniques. Players can customize Emma's skills through various trees, spirit stones, and equipment. The Digital Deluxe Edition includes additional content such as skins for Koo, a special hat for Emma, a sword, in-game currency, and vegetable seedlings.

AppWizard

August 4, 2026

Beast of Reincarnation review

"Beast of Reincarnation," developed by Game Freak, is an action RPG set in a desolate 41st-century Japan, featuring a protagonist named Emma who suffers from the Blight, a condition that affects her emotions and memories while granting her unique powers. The gameplay combines open and linear exploration with fast-paced combat reminiscent of titles like Sekiro and Nier, though enemy placement can feel uninspired outside of major encounters. The game has a rugged art style that captures a post-apocalyptic world but may hinder exploration due to dense graphics. Technical performance issues have been noted, particularly on gaming laptops. The narrative is characterized by mature storytelling and nuanced voice acting in Japanese, focusing on silence and introspection rather than typical humor. Despite its flaws, the game aims to offer a unique experience in the action RPG genre.

AppWizard

July 31, 2026

Corsair Cove Sets Sail On PC And Game Pass – Time To Build The Ultimate Pirate Haven

Corsair Cove is a new city-building strategy game developed by Limbic Entertainment and published by Hooded Horse, available exclusively on PC through the Xbox Store, Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Steam, and the Epic Games Store. The game is priced at £34.99. Players start with a shipwreck and survivors, expanding their pirate settlement by constructing various buildings while managing resources and production chains. The game features vertical construction, tactical combat against enemy fleets, and exploration of neighboring islands for resources and treasures.

AppWizard

July 8, 2026

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced review

Ubisoft is releasing a comprehensive remake of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, titled "Resynced," on July 9, 2026, priced at in the U.S. and £50 in the U.K. Developed by Ubisoft Singapore, the remake features enhanced graphics using the latest Anvil engine, dynamic weather, a realistic day-night cycle, and improved combat mechanics. The game has been verified for Steam Deck, though performance may be an issue. While it retains core elements from the original, some features, like customizable homes and additional ship ammunition types, were already present in the original game.

AppWizard

June 21, 2026

Mojang says that Minecraft Dungeons 2 has more overt “callbacks to vanilla Minecraft” than the last ARPG it released

Minecraft Dungeons 2 is an upcoming action role-playing game (ARPG) that emphasizes swordplay and cooperative adventures in various locales. It aims to be an accessible dungeon crawler, appealing to fans of the Diablo series while providing a simpler alternative to games like Path of Exile 2. The sequel seeks to strengthen connections to the original Minecraft experience by incorporating more "callbacks" and introducing an interconnected world that encourages exploration. Additionally, it features a refined item rarity system with four tiers: Common, Rare, Special, and Unique, enhancing gameplay and engagement.

AppWizard

June 17, 2026

Capcom has heard feedback that Onimusha is too easy, says it’s ‘confident fans will be satisfied with difficulty’ in the final game

Onimusha: Way of the Sword features a demo that showcases a later segment of the game set in Kyoto's open areas, highlighting its art direction, character movements, and swordplay. The melee combat differs from FromSoftware titles, offering immersive animations and impactful feedback. The demo was perceived as easy, particularly in "Action" mode, with basic enemies posing little threat, while the challenge increased during the boss fight. The game's director, Nihei, noted that both the demo and the event version are early in the game's progression, explaining the ease of basic enemies and indicating that players will face tougher foes as they advance. The demo included button prompts over enemies, which will not be present in the final product. Capcom intends to gradually introduce Musashi's abilities and increase enemy difficulty in the final release. The game will launch with only two difficulty settings: Story and Action, on September 24.

AppWizard

June 10, 2026

18 embargoes from Summer Game Fest just lifted, so let’s rank everything I saw in LA

Morgan Park attended a recent gaming showcase featuring various titles with mixed reactions from attendees. Grave Seasons had a demo focused on introducing townsfolk and watering seeds, with a plot twist involving a murderer left unexplored. Resident Evil: Veronica was presented in a Capcom theater segment that included a Q&A with producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi, but offered little new information. Join Us combined management sim and third-person shooter mechanics, allowing players to expand a cult's influence while fending off a gang. Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 aimed for a Left 4 Dead-style co-op experience, but early impressions noted a lack of excitement in shooting mechanics. Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game impressed with its faithful recreation of the Nickelodeon show's aesthetic and attention to detail in character movesets. Gears of War: E-Day showcased visual engagement but revealed little about gameplay evolution, confirming a shift to 4v4 PvP modes. Bad Magpie featured whimsical chaos-driven gameplay, allowing players to disrupt a soccer match among mice. The Wolf Among Us 2 demonstrated smoother animations and an immersive experience through Unreal 5 and motion capture. Spyro: A Realm Beyond hinted at new gameplay mechanics, including an innovative flight system. Blood Message offered a grounded action gameplay experience set in the late Tang dynasty, blending stealth and combat. Stupid Never Dies featured a zombie protagonist who absorbs enemy powers in a roguelite format. Fable highlighted an intricate social sandbox system with various activities, though some interactions felt mechanical. Onimusha: Way of the Sword showcased exceptional combat mechanics, while N+ Infinity Times Two provided an exciting multiplayer platforming experience, particularly in its Tag mode.

AppWizard

June 10, 2026

We’re finally getting a Vanillaware game on PC – Muramasa: Revenant Blades, an expanded 4K edition of the gorgeous Japanese action RPG

Vanillaware is set to release an expanded 4K version of their 2009 hack-and-slash title, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, now titled Muramasa: Revenant Blades. This edition will include enhancements from the PS Vita port, Muramasa: Rebirth, and additional content from the Genroku Legends add-on, featuring a DLC where players take on the role of a farmer battling against his landlord. The game will offer a variety of fighting styles from its ensemble cast and is expected to include some racy content, such as hot spring bathing scenes and revealing outfits. The release is scheduled for next year.

AppWizard

March 30, 2026

Wyldheart Announced for PC, Blending Tabletop Roleplay With Online Co-Op Action

Wyldheart is a cooperative fantasy RPG developed by Wayfinder Studios, featuring a team of former developers from EA DICE, Embark Studios, and Mojang Studios. The game is currently in development for PC and can be wishlisted on Steam and the Epic Games Store. It allows solo or cooperative play for up to four players, focusing on collaborative storytelling, exploration, and combat. Players will experience multiple campaign arcs, each offering around 10 hours of gameplay, set in the fallen Kingdom of Caerwyn. The game emphasizes player choice, exploration, and character development, placing players in the roles of unknown adventurers. The development team includes industry veterans like Dennis Brännvall and Fia Tjernberg, and they are seeking community support through Kickstarter.