Warcraft II: Remastered – Orc Fest [Review]

Put on your troll-skin boots—it’s time to return to Azeroth, where the orcs are once again restless and in need of a lesson in etiquette. While Warcraft II: Remastered has seen a little more effort put into it than Warcraft I: Remastered, it still suffers from the same issue: cheap AI slop, masquerading as improvements. Now, to be fair, it runs better and much smoother than the original (I tried), but the new visuals and the upscaled CGI cutscenes are of poor quality. This means that the only part you pay for is the increased performance, as everything besides that is worse, or on the same level as the original.

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Warcraft I: Remastered – My liege? [Review]

I decided that I wanted to experience the canonical storyline of Warcraft up until World of Warcraft. Where else to start than the beginning with the first RTS game in this legendary franchise. Now, I’m not playing the original release, but a remaster simply called Warcraft I: Remastered—made by Blizzard themselves. While it left me with a disjointed feeling towards its presentation, it’s probably the best way to play the original campaign. Many mechanics have been made modern in terms of gameplay, like being able to select larger groups, and hot-key support. 

However, as mentioned, the presentation is questionable at best, with the “improved” graphics seemingly only getting a cheap AI upscaling instead of genuine care to keep the aesthetics and feel of the original game. So, is the remaster worth the trouble, or does it undermine its own legacy?

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D.O.R.F. Real-Time Strategic Conflict – Kickstarter!

This Kickstarter came as a surprise to me, as I thought D.O.R.F. was one of those games that was self‑financed and soon ready to go. But oh how wrong I was, because just recently they launched their Kickstarter campaign. It’s going really well at over 100% funded already when writing this post. This announcement also comes with a Kickstarter trailer, which you can watch after the click. It looks fantastic, appearing to become a great throwback to the RTS games of old. However, the estimated delivery date is Aug 2028.

Ouch! So it’s not a game around the corner exactly. But if you want them to take the project full‑time, make sure to send them some money!

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Cralon – Demo Impressions

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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Swordhaven: Iron Conspiracy – IS OUT!

After about a year in Early Access on Steam following its successful Kickstarter campaign, Swordhaven: Iron Conspiracy is finally out! I have invested a few hours into it, but it was a while back (about a year ago). I remember being entertained in a low-level RPG way, similar to Baldur’s Gate, which I just love. Funnily enough, this was said back then too, but I’m sticking with it! I don’t think much has changed in that regard, though—except that we have a full game on our hands now. So, it’s a pure Christmas joy, as I didn’t actually know it was this close to release, yet, here we are. Make sure to take a gander over at their Steam page, if you want a cozy, grounded adventure during the winter months. And the price is not too shabby, just a bit over twenty euros, making it a steal!

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