The Sinking City 2 – Kickstarter

Frogwares just launched their Kickstarter for The Sinking City 2. So, if you want to see a sequel to this somewhat odd Lovecraftian third-person survival horror game, now is the time to invest. I enjoyed The Sinking City for the most part. However, I felt they totally fumbled the ending, coming off as pretty weak and linear. Also, having to run defense for Innsmouthers in the middle of the story felt strange and very forced. I guess, the lure of good-boy points by the press was too tempting, but it didn’t work at all for the narrative. Anti-racism only goes that far, after all. Here is the trailer:

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Iron Tower’s new tactical RPG (maybe)

I’m not the biggest Iron Tower fan, seeing as their games (at least to me), are more of a CYOA (Choose Your Own Adventure) experience than a free-form RPG. But, it can’t be denied that they are hits within the cRPG community. Colony Ship and The Age of Decadence weren’t too liked by me, yet, it shows that they know their craft and have a specific style and tone they follow, regardless of my lack of appreciation. However, while successful, it seems the games didn’t bring in enough money, and for anyone that followed the drama after Colony Ship‘s release knows that the future looked grim for the studio. Then, the other day, right out of the blue, they announced they are working on a fresh new game, and it certainly has me curious!

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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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SKALD: Against the Black Priory – Tentacle Island

Polish your sword, and stock up on the travel weed, because it’s time to explore the cursed islands of SKALD: Against the Black Priory. While I don’t have much of a personal nostalgia connected to the Commodore 64, the graphics still manage to warm me in its low-pixelated glory of the past. However, it’s not without issues, as the amount of detail can actually be a detriment on this somewhat humble scale. At times it’s hard to distinguish the environment, seeing where you can or can’t go. It means when playing with a keyboard, you will have to prepare yourself to slam into objects like a bumper car trapped inside a tiny arena with randomly placed walls all over. Outside of that, it’s a pretty fine party-based adventure in the style of classic Dungeons and Dragons fantasy.

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Alone in the Dark – Black Goat Country

There is no denying that the reboot of Alone in the Dark takes heavy inspiration from H.P. Lovecraft, which sadly most of the time falls short when it comes to gaming. However, this time around, I’m happy to tell you that Alone in the Dark does a slamdunk when it comes to tickling the old cosmic horror bone. You who know your Lovecraft lore probably won’t be too surprised by what is being presented. Regardless, it’s a superbly told story that takes the dark juicy parts – the parts drenched in unfathomable dread, and runs home with it. What is doubly impressive is that this remains consistent throughout the game, all the way to the end.

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