Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown [Teaser]

Now, this is not what I was expecting going through the AAA slop coming out of Gamescom. A game that might actually be fun. Once again, Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown is set during one of the better shows, which I think is great, but also hilarious. It seems developers and publishers have zero faith in that anything created in the modern Star Trek era would sell. I don’t blame them. It feels a little like the curse of Star Wars, in how nobody wants to make a game in the Disney era – with everyone looking back to the glory days instead.

About the game itself, it looks to be some kind of strategy space survival, where you get to re-live the TV-show, making your own choices, instead of letting Captain Janeway run the ship. Could be fun, could be total toast, but more Star Trek is never bad. Trailer after the jump!

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Archrebel Tactics – Official Trailer

Do you remember Archrebel Tactics, the spiritual successor to Rebelstar? I interviewed Fernando Pereira, the solo creator, some time ago. Back then, it was a personal project with big ambitions, but it felt like there was only about a fifty percent chance it would ever be completed and released. One moment that cemented my doubt was when Fernando had to return to a regular 9-to-5 job for financial reasons.

However, that was then. Now, Fernando has signed with MicroProse to publish his game, and he’s been able to leave his job to work on Archrebel Tactics full-time again. That’s fantastic news, because the demo was very entertaining and showed great promise for the future! Check out the trailer after the jump!

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Lessaria: Fantasy Kingdom Sim – Playtest Impressions

If you are missing a comfy game like Majesty 2 in your life, I got a treat for you. Lessaria: Fantasy Kingdom Sim is a spiritual successor to Majesty 2 coming out this year according to Steam. I was invited to playtest the game, where I tried out three campaign missions and an endless mode. My first impressions are very positive. It retains that cozy approach to gaming where you just feel relaxed (just like Majesty 2), due to its presentation and gameplay. Even the original narrator returns! However, even perfect weather comes with a few clouds of rain.

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Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream – Demo Impressions

My next title on the Steam NextFest repertoire is Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream. It’s a beautiful stealth game viewed from an isometric viewpoint. The premise and setting reminds me of A Plague Tale: Requiem, but with a brother sidekick that isn’t the bearer of rat demons – yet. The visuals and the story are very charming, and detailed. But what about the gameplay?

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Cyber Knights: Flashpoint 1.0 is out!

Finally, after years, and months of suffering, Cyber Knights: Flashpoint version 1.0 is here. Goodbye Early Access! I have already given it about six hours of my life, and my first impression: pretty damn good. However, it’s not without faults. I think going 3D should have come with a tad more polish concerning the visuals and animations. Characters can come across somewhat weird in a cartoony way, and when moving, it looks like agents and soldiers ice skate instead of walking. A little sloppy, unfortunately.

Two other issues are the alarm system for when going loud, which punish you with endless enemy reinforcements. Never liked these types of mechanics, even if I know why from a gameplay standpoint (to punish you for getting caught). The final problem (so far) is that initiative/turn-order is individual instead of being group based. It adds to the tedium when you have to make daring escapes, as it can be really hard to plan ahead. More in-depth first-impression coming soon (probably). Other than this, the game is fun, and the narrative device seems interesting as well. Check out the launch trailer below!

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