SPARTA 2035 – Demo Impressions

SPARTA 2035 is a turn-based tactical game that I can best compare to Jagged Alliance 2 and Xcom 2. Jagged Alliance 2 in terms of story, and setting, since you will be running a bunch of mercenaries saving a despot country from itself. And Xcom 2, in terms of gameplay, seeing as it ditches true line-of-sight, and cover that actually gives protection in favor of the more abstract Xcom 2 “board game” rules. That’s not to say it’s bad, though. It all depends on what you prefer. I enjoyed the demo for what it is, and I can say that it’s a title worth watching for the future.

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Four games to look forward to! [Steam Next Fest]

It’s once again time for Steam Next Fest, and as usual, it will absolutely drown you in a variety of demos. Unsurprisingly, many games are terrible, but if you are willing to trudge through the sludge of cheaply made asset flips, there are a few gems to dig up from the muck. I managed to locate four so far. One of them I have played before, but it has improved massively since its initial presentation. The three others are completely new to me, which fills me with excitement for the future!

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The Necromancer’s Tale – Demo Impressions

Ever wanted to be a Necromancer? Well, now is the time. Sadly, I never managed to reach that stage in the demo, but from my two invested hours, the Necromancer’s Tale showed true RPG potential for the future. I base this on the very interesting setup, good engaging writing, turn-based combat, inventory & loot, and plenty of skill checks that depend on your created character. Good stuff all around, so far.

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Tempest Rising – Demo Impressions

I have written about Tempest Rising before, but mostly out of my fears of it being passed off as shovelware or just being shoddily made. While I think I have been proven wrong by testing out the new demo they put out (that goes away on the 22nd), at least when it comes to the presentation, I did find the gameplay somewhat limited. It’s mostly just a rehash of old stuff, but in a fancy new engine. In some aspects, it’s a step back, since for example, you can’t garrison infantry in civilian buildings which have become a standard feature.

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Enoch : Children of Fate – Demo Impressions

How about a dystopian noir cyber-thriller point & click game in the style of the excellent graphic adventure, Technobabylon? Now, Enoch: Children of Fate is not made by the same developer, but the visual style and the moody atmosphere is very similar. And that’s an excellent thing. The demo isn’t long. However, my time spent with it was enough to hook me into the mood for an atmospheric detective story. So, it was a sad thing when the demo finally ended.

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