Dverghold – Early Access Release Date [Trailer]

Back in February this year, I gave the Dverghold demo a go and found it very appealing in both gameplay/mechanics and retro visual style. In other words: it was something to look forward to—if you enjoy blobbers, that is. And now a release date has been announced, which is closer than I expected: July 22, 2026. It comes with one drawback, though—an Early Access release.

It will be released in an unfinished state, but it will contain Chapter 1 of the story. I just hope it’s a success so we actually get to see the completion of the game—because EA, in the context of an indie developer, is truly a double-edged sword for early adopters. But I believe in Kvltgames!

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Dverghold – Demo Impressions

Christmas must have come early this year, because here is yet another turn-based blobber on a grid. And just like the demo of Underkeep, the Dverghold demo is excellent too—landing right between feeling genuinely old-school and modern in the form of UI and snappiness. There doesn’t seem to be a way to create custom party members, which is a bit of a bummer. However, I understand the design decision, as it seems death is permanent. Meaning that the run will continue, even in defeat, as long as you have recruits for your dungeon diving gang back at base.

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Cralon – Demo Impressions

Does the green bright eyes help with navigation in the darkness?

It’s time to try Björn and Jennifer Pankratz’s (former Piranha Bytes) game Cralon from their newly established studio, Pithead Studio. Cralon is a first-person dungeon crawler that is clearly inspired by the classic title Ultima Underworld. After finishing the short demo, the exploration and atmosphere sure are there. However, the combat will require some serious polishing, as it felt clunky and not very satisfying. But mood is one of the fundamentals to get right for a game like this—so, I’m glad they nailed this important aspect in the demo.

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Knights of the Chalice – Fireball, My Only Friend [Field Report]

Welcome to this report on Knights of the Chalice. This is not a true review, since I’m far from the ending, as the game seemingly looks to be huge, with plenty of monsters and evildoers needing vanquishing. Treat this more as an ongoing field report in appreciation of what this title offers. The way I’m playing it, it fits better as an audiobook companion (don’t judge me!) than a full RPG experience that requires your complete attention—even if it does need it for success in the hairiest situations.

You see, this is a Dungeons and Dragons fighting simulator where the story only serves to take you from one challenging battle to the next. Knowledge of the DnD 3.5 ruleset is mandatory, or the orcs will make sheesh kebab out of your heroic group of adventurers before you even have time to unsheathe your sword.

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Dungeons & Dragons Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition – Impressions

I’m not a Neverwinter Nights 2 expert, since I never gave the original release much more than about twenty hours or so for the first main campaign. That’s a minuscule amount of time, considering the collection on GoG, and now this Enhanced Edition comes with several expansions, and a whole sea of player made custom adventures. However, I do know why I never finished it. It had camera issues, party-control felt messy, stuttering, questionable story beats, and overall jank that brought the experience down. It has always been my plan to play again one day though, so why not now when the golden opportunity presents itself? With that, the only question remains: has the Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition remedied any of my concerns?

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