Month: January 2025

Vampire Syndicate: The combat

The solo developer behind Vampire Syndicate recently released a video about the turn-based combat it will use. It will use a modern Xcom control scheme, meaning it leans more into abstraction than being realistic with simulated projectiles and the like. While a simulation is preferred personally, I don’t mind the Xcom take, if it fits the game. Which, to be fair, it does look like Vampire Syndicate will pull off. From the little shown, I enjoy the scale, and the focus on all these different skills – from regular gunplay, to magic, since it will have ancient vampires ripping the head off people. Take a gander for yourself down below.

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Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force – Attack of the Scrimps

Put on your black tights, and make sure the batteries for your phaser are charged. Because it’s time to kill an endless line of alien bugs, and a few humanoids. The prime directive is secondary this time around! Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force is an old school first-person-shooter in the style of the arena shooters of the past, seeing as it’s made in the Quake 3 Arena engine. However, it feels fairly “modern” in the sense that the mission structure is linear, with a touch of the cinematic, aka cutscenes that propel the story forward. Let’s get into it.

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Menace – Dev Diary Number 5 (Squad Leaders)

It’s once again time for a dev diary for Menace. Unfortunately, this is probably the weakest of the lot, since it does not say much new at all. We knew there would be officers with different backgrounds already, and that these agents would lead the squads from a leader position. The characters will be pre-written, as to have a stronger personality writing, and story connection – compared to say anything randomly created. This is all fair and good, but if there aren’t a ton of agents for release, it’s going to be slim pickings when it comes to repeated playthroughs, or missions wipes.

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Heavy Rain – Monsoon of Murders

In my never-failing wisdom, I thought it was time to try out David Cage’s Heavy Rain on Steam. Now, I wouldn’t say it’s an entirely bad game, but if you have a heavy allergy to quick-time events, stay far away! The overload of this mechanic will probably kill within a few nanoseconds. I’m immune thanks to my passion for adventure games with a moody story. The problem with Heavy Rain, for my part is the extremely slow pacing, the fractured story with plot-holes, and the absolute lack of any challenging puzzles.

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Menace – Dev Diary Number 4 (Weapons)

Whoopee, a new Menace developer diary! This one goes more in-depth on the weapons that you will be using throughout the campaign. Sadly, the post didn’t really provide much new information, or anything super interesting. It did however reaffirm my thoughts that the game will be much more abstracted than I initially thought.

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