There has been a revival of survival horror in the last couple of years, but very few games have mimicked the original controls and camera control (tank controls & fixed camera angles). MoonGlint with their game Echoes of the Living aims to change that, so let’s see how they managed so far in their demo.
Continue reading
USC: Counterforce looks like a game that could be made for me considering its theme – space marines fighting aliens in space. Unfortunately, it is not, and left me rather unimpressed. The demo starts with a tutorial that explains one million and a half things, and it all seems rather complex, however, as soon as you know the controls it’s rather basic. You can argue that the classic X-com game is also rather basic, but what that game does that is missing from USC: Counterforce is simulated systems – like weapon projectiles. This makes Counterforce have more in common with the modern iteration of X-com than the original, which is disappointing and makes for pretty boring gameplay.
Continue reading
If you ever wondered what it would be like to run something like StarGate, now you get your chance. At least for a little while in this demo of Exogate Initiative. Gameplay-wise it’s a base builder, and I think it could be best compared to Evil Genius, except that are you not hellbent on world domination. Here it’s about catching specimens from far-away worlds, analyzing them, and earning money from the patented research that follows.
Continue reading
Tried out Infested Fortress by Bitmen Studios, and it’s a hybrid of X-com and Dungeon Keeper, set in a medieval fantasy setting. It is similar to their previous game The Storm Guard: Darkness is Coming, but a lot more advanced. While it ticks a lot of my gaming boxes, it comes with a serious problem… just like Storm Guard to be frank. The problem is that it’s way too hard on normal!
Continue reading
Manor Lords is a village/city builder by Slavic Magic, and going by the demo it is showing great promise. It’s basically Kingdom Come: Deliverance but as a builder. The theme, setting, and even graphics are very similar. Now, the demo is pretty darn buggy, since it’s pre-EA, pre-alpha even (I hope). That is expected, though, so it’s not something I hold against the game in its current state. However, stuff that works, feels and looks good. It got the classic builder stuff that we all are used to now, but its focus on authenticity, and the realistic “slowness” of things make the title interesting to me. The focus on simulation over raw gameplay is what stands out. Which also has the effect of slowing down the game, making it a more relaxing experience, especially in combination with the fabulous music.
Continue reading
Tom's Gaming Blog 