The Blood of Dawnwalker [Gameplay video #2]

Another long-form gameplay video is out for the RPG The Blood of Dawnwalker to showcase the different paths you can take to complete quests. Just like in my comment on the first video, the similarity to Witcher 3 is still very palpable. Now, I have warmed up to it more since, and it will probably be an interesting gritty semi-grounded RPG worth playing. Yet it can’t seem to escape that “copied” legacy. If this is a negative, it all depends on how the world feels, of course. If the design is cloned from Witcher 3, it risks being an extremely static world where people don’t mind you ransacking their house for loot. Oh, a priceless heirloom from grandma—worth 2 gold coins? *yoink*.

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Of Ash and Steel – Demo Impressions

It’s rare, but sometimes it happens. That rare stumble upon a game that both has a fantastic demo, and a release date not set in the far future of 2035. Of Ash and Steel is this game, and after giving it three hours, I couldn’t help but give it two thumbs up! It’s an old-school RPG in the form of Risen—and trust me, I did the test. I swung my sword at the back of my host as thanks for nursing me back from death, and he promptly kicked my ass. But see, he didn’t kill me, he just knocked me out, called me something foul and took my bow as compensation. If that isn’t old-school “living-world” mechanics, I don’t know what is!

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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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My Top 10 Tactical Games (X-com-likes) on PC

Welcome to yet another top ten list! This time we are leaving the RPG genre behind and going straight for intense tactical combat in the form of X-com-likes, with the X-com games included. Specifically, this means: The games on this list must have some kind of base/camp management, where the player will upgrade, equip and recruit units for the campaign. The game must also involve tactical combat, with an overlaying strategic map where decisions are made like where to attack. And finally, the most important requirement: It must be sandbox-orientated—even if it has a story, where the deaths of soldiers, agents, or mercenaries don’t result in an instant game over.

The X-com genre is one of my absolute favorites. The gameplay is dynamic, has natural high tension thanks to permanent deaths, cool sense of progression, and sweet tactical action when tasks must be accomplished. But it’s not exactly a well-defined genre on its own. However, I will try to keep it in line with the original that started it all. With that said, let’s start the list with the most obvious entry:

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My Top 10 Solo RPGs on PC

Hello and welcome back! This time we’re tackling my favorite solo RPGs in a new top ten list. Perfect when you are tired of babysitting a bunch of demanding companions, questioning your every choice from level one to level one hundred. In other words: It’s me time, baby!

I usually prefer party based RPGs, fixed or with a custom crew, but once in a while I want to go on an adventure solo, soaking in the atmosphere in my lonesome. It’s just a different feeling to the RPG genre, that often comes with a melancholic vibe, even if the developer never deliberately intended it that way.

The rules go: You must be solo for the majority of the game. If the game has companions, they must be temporary, locked to certain missions, and not something permanent to the experience. That’s basically it, and if you find the list missing your favorite game, it’s because I haven’t played it, or I plainly just didn’t enjoy it. It’s that simple. To the list!

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My Top 10 RPGs with Fixed Parties on PC

Hello, and welcome to another top ten. The last time, I presented a top ten list over RPGs with a custom-made party. So, a list of RPGs with a fixed party feels like a natural pick for the next. I can’t say that there will be too many surprises on this list, seeing that I’m as much of a pleb as the next guy when it comes to taste.

While I do love my RPGs with a created crew. I can’t deny the allure of a well crafted story with intriguing pre-made companions, as it adds another dimension to roleplaying. That cool and collected lawful good Paladin that you like, might not see too kindly to your murder-hobo ways for loot. It forces a natural choice of character of whom you want to be and accomplish. Who will you align with – the forces of good, or the snakes in the grass?

Just like the first list, if a game isn’t on it, which you think should be, it’s because I haven’t played it, or I just didn’t like it. It’s that simple. The criteria for the games are: The game must feature a party, from at least two and up, and they must be integral to the story. Players also need to retain control over the party members when it comes to battles, and progression. Let’s begin!

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