Viking Frontiers, an open-world survival game with RPG, simulation, and strategy elements, arrives on consoles soon. Players take charge of a newly founded Viking settlement and must ensure the survival and growth of their clan. Viking Frontiers launches on PlayStation 5 and XBOX Series X|S on July 9. The game is also available on PC.
Viking Frontiers is the work of independent Polish studio BLUM Entertainment, known for Crown of Greed and Builders of Greece. The game first launched on PC in 2025. Wildlands Interactive S.A. is responsible for preparing and releasing the console versions.
Viking Frontiers is a first-person game that combines survival, simulation, RPG, and strategy elements. The title is set in an open world with a day and night cycle. Players take charge of a newly founded Viking settlement and must look after the fate of their clan. The goal is to survive and grow the settlement.
Viking Frontiers features a deep survival system with gathering, crafting, hunting, building, and exploration. Managing the clan is equally important, including its need for food and shelter, along with the activities, roles, and tasks of its settlers.
The path is up to the player and where they choose to focus. The game lets players follow the way of the hunter, farmer, builder, or priest, among others. Viking Frontiers also offers plenty of side quests and random events that add variety to the gameplay.
Viking Frontiers– Key Features:
Build a settlement and survive
Explore the open world
Gather, hunt, and build
Manage your Viking clan
Choose your own path
Viking Frontiers launches on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on July 9, 2026.
CAPTAIN TSUBASA 2: WORLD FIGHTERS launches on 28 August 2026, and a brand-new trailer offers a closer look at the exciting content awaiting players on the pitch.
The game features the “NEW STARS” Story Mode, based on the “World Youth Arc” and incorporating plot developments unique to the series. Players can experience the iconic “World Youth Arc” from the perspective of a fully customisable character, playing as a member of the Japanese national team. They can create their own player, strengthen their bonds with characters from the original manga to learn their moves, and make their mark on the world stage alongside Tsubasa and their teammates.
Watch the trailer here: CAPTAIN TSUBASA 2: WORLD FIGHTERS – Mode Introduction Trailer
In the “LEGENDARY/ADVANCED” Story Mode, new narratives, including “original storylines” not found in the original manga, unfold under the supervision of Yoichi Takahashi. Meanwhile, “RIVALS EPISODE” offers exclusive side stories focusing on rivals from around the world as they train to reach even greater heights.
Players can also unleash their creativity through the “PLAYER EDIT” and “TEAM EDIT” features. They can customise a player’s appearance, physique, and signature moves to create their own ultimate player, aiming for the world title alongside his national team. They can also sharpen their skills in “PRACTICE Mode” and compete against others from around the globe in “REGULAR MATCH.”
With all participating nations now confirmed, the world’s best young football talents are ready to take the field and battle for glory!
CAPTAIN TSUBASA 2: WORLD FIGHTERS launches on 28 August 2026, and pre-orders are available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo Switch.
DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2‘s final chapter, FUTURE SAGA Chapter 4, is now available and serves as the conclusion to a journey that began nearly 10 years ago with the game’s original release. Players will have to save the world, and history, as Fu puts his plan in motion, leading to the disappearance of those who fought to protect the Earth.
FUTURE SAGA Chapter 4 introduces two new playable characters, Supreme Kai of Time (Ultra Supervillain) and Goku (Ultra Supervillain Quelled), as well as Ultra Time Patrol Battles challenging players with relentless series of encounters against iconic foes.The chapter also includes Time Gallery, letting them revisit memorable scenes from past Patrols. In addition, it also adds the final Extra Missions Arc, as well as Parallel Quests, Additional Moves, new Costumes, and more.
With the fate of time lying in their hands, players will have to push themselves to the limit, to get history back on track and protect time.
DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2 is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
The Sword Art Online franchise managed to strike gold back when the original anime aired in 2012 and took the airwaves by storm, suddenly spiking the light novel series into one of the most popular of all time and making countless spin-offs and continued stories long past where the original death game took place. Similarly, countless video games following every step of Kirito’s journey across different games and even offering different genres have arrived over the years but this time, Bandai Namco has looked to take things in an entirely new direction. One that goes back to the roots and away from Kirito, instead placing players as a random player at the start of Sword Art Online in Echoes of Aincrad. The question is, does this return to the roots manage to produce results?
Story
Initially players find themselves playing as their non-customizable beta character that is running through a dungeon before the beta ends, trying to meet up with their friends. After encountering a PKer that wipes out their team, the player is helped out by the slightly more veteran fighter Iori who helps them through the rest of the dungeon. Alongside Iori players will spend nearly three hours running through the extended beta and run through the tutorial while meeting friends that they promise will play together when Sword Art Online fully launches in a month.When it does, the player loads up with their unalterable appearance again to find their spawn point has changed from the original game but still manages to meet up with Iori along the way to the Town of Beginnings and even meet up with two of their real-life friends once they arrive, though a third is nowhere to be found despite showing up online.
Suddenly, as everyone knows, a forced teleportation brings every one of the 10,000 players back to the Town of Beginnings to listen to the game’s psychopathic developer reveal that they are now trapped within the game with no way to log out and any attempt to remove their “Nerv Gear” will fry their brain. Those that die within the game also die in real life through the same means and informs the shocked players that the only way to escape is for someone to climb Aincrad’s 100 floors and complete the boss challenge at the top. Before he leaves, he provides a parting gift for every player, finally revealing the actual chosen appearance players want for their character and also revealing that not only is Iori a girl, but also a famous idol. Now, trapped within this death game and eventually finding themselves given a special quest to avoid an apocalypse that will destroy all of Aincrad regardless of player progression, it will be up to the player and their team to complete this quest while the real story happens in the background.
Echoes of Aincrad takes a very long time to get going and while this may work in the spirit of being part of a “beta” as the story intends, it also takes a very long time beyond that point, past the start of the Death Game, for things to even feel like the plot is starting to progress. This is thanks in part to quest design and the fact that the player is a blank slate that practically has zero personality beyond nodding or shaking their head, so they may as well not be involved in the story at all while the bulk of the narration is carried by Iori and the rest of the allies that players will come across along the way. Thankfully these allies, alongside Iori, are some wonderful characters and their banter back and forth during cutscenes is genuinely enjoyable, especially Iori who happens to be one of the best characters Sword Art Online has had in a while.
That being said, there is absolutely no character interaction with the player’s party in the field, nor any romance or even “friendliness” meter players can raise by journeying with the same ally multiple times. Since players will select a single partner, sometimes multiple for some quests, for every mission, one would think there would be incentives to building trust with an ally but unfortunately that simply isn’t the case here. Outside of town interactions and cutscenes the allies serve as nothing more than tools in the field with constantly repeated phrases, partly due to the fact that enemy variety is abysmal.
Now, there are some interesting ideas that come from the way the storyline is told, especially since it paints Kirito in a far different light than the “hero” he eventually became since at the start he was more of an issue for other players than not. Combine this with other signature faces that appear as temporary allies and uniquely impactful scenes that are unlike anything shown in the anime or described in the novel and it seems like there is a lot of potential here at times. But unfortunately again, due to incredibly poor pacing it feels like every story beat takes forever to develop or characters can vanish for hours at a time while players are tasked with obtaining a random piece of material or something similar for a main questline, squandering said potential. Again, this may make sense in an MMO, but it makes for lousy and boring storytelling and that is sadly where Echoes of Aincrad ends up most of the time. Almost every time that players feel like something interesting is happening, it gets pushed down the road further, until the final quarter of the game and the finale at least which is satisfying enough, even if players literally only explore the first two floors of Aincrad.
Gameplay
In many ways Echoes of Aincrad doesn’t feel like it knows the type of game it really wants to be. At its core it is an action RPG but it is stylized in such an obtuse manner that make it more akin to the first two Nioh games than anything else. Players will always set out from a town using the warp crystal to accept a quest and be sent off to a designated portion of the map that may look open but is actually incredibly limited and strict since trying to venture too far off the path will immediately send players back, saying they’ve gone off mission. Similarly, while players can level up and obtain items while out in the field through treasure chests and slaying enemies, they cannot actually use any of these items or apply these stats until they finish the quest and return to the inn.
Similarly, while out on a quest with an ally players will be moving along the mostly linear path and find rest zones that serve as the game’s checkpoints and fast travel system during a mission, though why players would need it is any guess since most quests highly limit where players can even teleport in. Ironically, there are even areas that are locked behind optional mini-boss fights that players can trigger, fight the boss to unlock the zone, only for that zone to be “out of bounds” for the current mission. It is also worth noting that anytime players rest at a checkpoint they will refill their limited free healing crystals and respawn every normal enemy back on the map, exactly like a soulslike game for reasons that aren’t really clear other than to maybe mimic MMO spawn rates.
Speaking of MMO spawn rates, a certain cartoon joked long ago about how the main characters would max level by fighting boars that spawn non-stop near the town in an MMO and that is pretty much how fights work in Echoes of Aincrad. While running around the field towards the next rest point and making their way to the objective, players will encounter the same boar type enemy at least twenty or thirty times if they are lucky, some wasps, wolves, and maybe even a bear mixed in for variety. Eventually some locations add in Kobolds and other different types of beasts but for the most part players will fight boars nearly non-stop. Fire boars, lightning boars, poison boars, sometimes more than one at a time. Even the bosses will be a boar though they’ll be at least a little tougher and have different stages where the player and their partner will need to shave off chunks of the boss’ body to take it down. Yes, this is a bit of an exaggeration but shockingly not much of one as the enemy variety is truly that bad and only until players reach the second floor of Aincrad will they see the change-up happen and offer more unique foes to fight.
The only place that truly feels somewhat meaty is the combat and how impactful it feels, at least from the player’s end of things. Echoes of Aincrad offers six different weapon types and players will unlock “Blade Skills” the longer they wield certain weapon types though only three of these skills can be equipped at a time, a rather limiting function. Players can string together light attacks into a heavy attack finisher, parry incoming blows or dodge rolls from an attack while managing their stamina. The selected partner for the quest will either fight other foes if set to “Any” mode where they’ll fight anything besides what the player is targeting or “Change” where they’ll stand-by to only move in and draw the enemies attention when the player is rolling or looking to recover. Every partner also has two unique skills that players can trigger when their gauge is filled and vary depending on who they are. Some are straight up offense focused moves that deal large amounts of damage in an area while others temporarily lower the defense of all foes in range.
Now, what makes the combat so impactful is the fact that heavy attacks will split or slice off large portions of defeated enemies, sending them flying into disintegrating pixels. The same oddly cannot be said about the player though as many enemy attacks, at least those that won’t knock them down, don’t register or make the player flinch at all. This is an issue since it can be hard to keep an eye on the HP bar during a larger fight while the character acts as if they haven’t been touched but is nearly dead. It is also worth noting that while it is a “Death Game,” actually being defeated in combat just sends players back to the last checkpoint. The only time it becomes a true Death Game is when players beat the game once and unlock the option to activate Permanent Death which will delete the character’s entire save if they die.
Character leveling and progression is also handled a bit oddly as well, though thankfully not negatively. Players can re-stat at will if they feel like swapping to a different type of weapon and there are various bonuses to increasing certain stats to certain levels, such as increasing the amount of XP earned, increasing running speed, and more. Similarly players can locate weapon and armor blueprints in chests out in the field and use the Blacksmith to help craft new armor and potentially new weaponry. Useless weapons can then be spent to upgrade the player’s current favorite alongside Col (money) or even their partner’s weapon but there is another benefit to fusing certain weapons dropped from enemies together, the random bonuses they contain.
These bonuses are called the EX-MOD system and allows players to really make the most out of what their gear can do and also do wonders for increasing the way players move in the field. This is because various mods include increasing running speed by 20%, increasing damage, and more, with up to four or five per weapon total. This is essential given the amount of random running around players will do and also, forget shortcuts of any kind. Falling into the water or even falling further than seven feet will result in the player character respawning back where they were, meaning even small cliffsides are literally obstacles for no reason.
Audio & Visuals
Echoes of Aincrad is a rather decent looking game with some impressive looking anime styled character models, especially when it comes to actual named characters, and a lot of NPCs milling about town. While exploring out in the actual world though things are quite barren and a bit empty most of the time outside of traveling through various forests, ruins, or caves. Or in the second floor where most of the terrain tends to involve deserts. Oddly enough, despite being designed like an MMO in many ways and even with the threat of Death hanging, there will never be other NPCs out in the field fighting mobs in any way, something that seems like a major oversight. It is also worth noting that outside of the digital dismemberment of enemies, the enemy designs themselves are incredibly repetitive to the point that many are simply recolors or slightly more detailed versions of their weaker selves.
The voice work for the game is handled quite well with Iori and the other allies that join the player all sounding rather impressive while the main character themselves never talks or has any kind of input. The opening theme for the game is rather impressive and the battle theme during bosses and while traveling through towns are quite pleasant and varied, but it is worth noting that general exploration tends to be rather silent which is disappointing.
Overall
Echoes of Aincrad feels like its wearing the suit of one genre while trying to put on the show of a completely different story and neither works out well in the end. While there are some interesting ideas from exploring what the early floors of Aincrad were like for random players and allies like Iori are exceptional, the pacing is just dreadful. Along these same lines while the combat feels and looks impressive in motion, the lack of meaningful enemies to fight, lacking exploration options, and generic mission structure make this feel like the developers were trying to mimic an MMO style from an era most MMOs were failing and for good reason.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Player feedback-driven update expands Biomods, adds new Biolabs, improves co-op flow, and refines exploration, survival, and base building
EL SEGUNDO, CALIF. – July 8, 2026 – Unknown Worlds today released the first Early Access update for Subnautica 2, expanding key gameplay systems and improving the early-game experience based on player feedback. The update arrives shortly after the game surpassed 5 million cumulative sales in early June following its Early Access launch on May 14.
Developed through Unknown Worlds’ “open development” approach, Subnautica 2 is being shaped alongside the community throughout Early Access. This first update focuses on refining core systems, improving co-op quality of life, and giving players more ways to explore, survive, and customize their progression.
Expanded Biomods and New Biolabs A major focus of the update is the Biomod system, which allows players to temporarily borrow traits from nearby creatures to enhance their abilities. The update adds two new Biolabs in the Coral Gardens and Axum Ruins, increasing the number of unlockable Biomods from four to six. Players can also unlock additional passive Biomod slots by scanning targets with the Bioscanner.
Improved Co-op Audio and PDA Databank Controls The update also improves how audio logs work in co-op. Audio logs will no longer play automatically when collected and can instead be played manually through the PDA Databank, the in-game archive that expands as players scan creatures and collect records throughout the world. This change helps prevent audio logs from automatically playing for other players during co-op sessions, creating a smoother shared experience.
Exploration, Survival, and Basebuilding Updates Exploration and survival have also been updated. Wrecks now include additional routes and oxygen-based puzzles, while players can now sprint outside the water, including on the surface and inside bases. Base-building improvements include better placement for the Tadpole Dock and Fabricator, along with a new dedicated storage structure. Additional improvements have also been made across rendering, creature behavior, and the user interface.
“With this update, we focused on refining the early-game experience and core systems,” said Fernando Melo, Executive Producer at Unknown Worlds. “We’ll continue shaping the world of Subnautica 2 together with our players throughout Early Access.”
Subnautica 2 is available now on Steam, Xbox (Series X|S consoles and PC), and the Epic Games Store. Players can learn more by visiting the official Subnautica website.
About Unknown Worlds Unknown Worlds is a renowned, global game development studio. The studio is best known for the genre-defining Subnautica series, which has sold over 18.5 million units worldwide, as well as the Natural Selection franchise and the turn-based strategy game Moonbreaker. For more information, please visit unknownworlds.com.
LOS ANGELES – JULY 8, 2026 – Netmarble, a leading developer and publisher of high-quality games, announced a major Version 1.2 summer update for its monster-taming action RPG MONGIL: STAR DIVE. Players can meet two new 5-Star characters and experience a limited-time seasonal event, new gameplay systems, and various quality-of-life improvements.
The limited-time summer event “An Unforgettable First Summer Dive!” runs through July 28. This event takes place in the new seasonal map Summer Lane, featuring a vibrant summer festival atmosphere with interactive attractions, including a water slide and an obstacle course mini-game.
The update also introduces two new 5-Star “Summer Dive!” characters: Earth-type Support Francis: Summer Dive!, and Fire-type Fighter Verna: Summer Dive! Players can participate in a variety of seasonal events, such as the “Summer Special 7-Day Gifts” event and “Grand Summer Festival Missions” event, to earn more than 100 summon tickets along with various in-game rewards.
The new Dispatch System has also been added. This system allows players to send characters to selected regions to automatically hunt monsters, gather resources, and mine materials, reducing the need for repetitive gameplay while supporting character progression.
Players can also obtain the new Monsterling for the Legendary Monster Reginula. When equipped to activate her exclusive Link Chain skill, Reginula accompanies players into battle and actively participates in combat alongside their characters.
Additional improvements include new Monsterling trait reset and enhancement features, guaranteed success when synthesizing Mutant Monsterlings, the addition of new higher difficulties in Conquest mode, and various other gameplay improvements based on player feedback.
MONGIL: STAR DIVE is the official successor to the beloved mobile RPG Monster Taming, which helped popularize the mobile collectible RPG genre after its original launch in 2013. Built with Unreal Engine 5, the game features cinematic storytelling, high-quality character presentation, a monster collecting system centered on capturing, collecting and combining monsters, and dynamic real-time tag-based combat with three-character parties.
More information about the Version 1.2 update and MONGIL: STAR DIVE can be found on the game’s official website and forum.
Founded in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a leading global game developer and publisher. Through acclaimed franchises and strategic partnerships with top-tier IP holders, the company delivers innovative and engaging gaming experiences to audiences worldwide. As a parent company of Kabam, SpinX Games, Jam City, and a major shareholder of HYBE and NCSOFT, Netmarble’s diverse portfolio includes Solo Leveling:ARISE, Seven Knights Re:BIRTH, RAVEN2, MARVEL Future Fight, and The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross. More information can be found athttp://company.netmarble.com.
Grab your Battlemallet and get ready to delve into a rogue-lite extraction adventure!
[United Kingdom] – July 8, 2026 – Gloom Box and indie.io today announced that Dwarf Delve will launch on Steam on July 27th 2026, bringing a high-stakes new spin to the rogue-lite and loot-extraction genres.
In Dwarf Delve, players descend into procedurally generated mines where every run is a race against time. The deeper you delve, the greater the rewards…but delve too greedily, and you risk losing everything…
Players step into the boots of a newly promoted Delveling, charged with recovering valuable ores and long-lost relics from ancient, unfathomable depths for the Coalition of Dwarves. It sounds simple enough—until tunnels begin to collapse, your time runs out, and the elevator to freedom leaves without you.
Every run is a self-contained challenge, blending sharp decision-making with constant tension. Do you smash one more vein of ore, crack open one last treasure chest, or abandon it all and make a break for the surface? That risk-versus-reward choice lies at the heart of Dwarf Delve.
To survive the depths, players wield a mighty Battlemallet alongside an expanding arsenal of tools, including flares, lanterns, and support beams. Used wisely, they can mean the difference between a legendary haul and being buried with your loot.
The riches you bring back don’t just pad your pockets. Between runs, stashed resources can be refined into permanent upgrades, new equipment, unlockable skills, and even lavish furnishings for your personal dwarven quarters!
With its blend of fast-paced extraction gameplay, endless procedural variety, and a rewarding progression loop, Dwarf Delve offers a fresh underground adventure—where fortune favours the bold, and the greedy are crushed!
Strap on your gloves, grab your Battlemallet, and prepare to delve. Dwarf Delve launches on Steam July 27th. Wishlist now, Delveling!
ABOUT GLOOM BOX
Headquartered in the dwarven capital of industry (London), Gloom Box is a one-man operation headed by Dante Knoxx. He likes ramen, cats, and reading.
ABOUT INDIE.IO indie.io is home to over 100 of the world’s best independent video games and developers. Our platform was built to provide independent developers with the resources, services, and management tools needed for success. Through collaboration and passion, we strive to cultivate a diverse and vibrant gaming landscape that resonates with players and creators alike!
Blast away a carnival of nightmares in an action-packed FPS from Thomas Brush and 3D Realms
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – July 8, 2026 – Step right up! Saber Interactive’s 3D Realms publishing label and indie developer Atmos Games have revealed that Twisted Tower, theaction-adventure FPS set in an abandoned 1950s theme park straight out of your nightmares, will launch on August 18 for PC via Steam. Battle legions of corrupted fairy-tale mascots and overcome deadly traps and puzzles to climb the tower and uncover the dark secrets of the past.
This ain’t a small world after all…
From Atmos Games, the indie studio helmed by Thomas Brush, whose prior hits include Pinstripe and Neversong, Twisted Tower splices Disneyland and BioShock together to create a macabre world of mischief and mayhem. A funhouse of silly mascots may be looking for a hug from you, but you’ll have a wide range of wacky weaponry to blast them away in fast-paced, hard-hitting action. Survive the ascent through the resort’s many worlds, including unique paths to discover on new playthroughs, and see if you’ve got what it takes to save the love of your life at the top of the Twisted Tower!
Key Features
Explore an abandoned 1950s resort inspired by Disney World and BioShock
Battle corrupted fairy-tale mascots in bloody, punchy gunplay
Discover a mysterious and emotional story across five hauntingly immersive levels: the hotel, waterpark, clown casino, carnival forest, and space station
Wield and upgrade a toyish arsenal, including a whack-a-mole mallet, rubber-band pistol, dart-throwin’ Tommy Gun, fartin’ shotgun, bubblegum-spittin’ chain-gun, sniper slingshot, skull-poppin’ ray gun, and more!
Collect bizarre toys to unlock new ways to jump, dash, and grapple up the tower
Choose from a variety of unique paths for a new experience with each playthrough
Wishlist Twisted Tower on Steam today before it officially opens to visitors on August 18!
About Atmos Games
Atmos Games is an indie game studio led by Thomas Brush, dedicated to crafting personal, hauntingly beautiful story-driven games with a deep sense of atmosphere. The studio has released Pinstripe and Neversong and is now preparing to launch Twisted Tower. Featured by Time Magazine and The Washington Post, and having collaborated with Apple Arcade, Thomas Brush has been making games for over 15 years, shaping worlds that blend beauty with emotional depth.
About Saber Interactive
Saber Interactive is a worldwide publisher and developer consisting of 15 studios in the Americas and Europe. Creating games for all major platforms based on original and licensed IPs, Saber’s titles include Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, Jurassic Park: Survival, Turok: Origins, Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, World War Z, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead, Bus Bound, Docked, SnowRunner, Expeditions: A MudRunner Game and RoadCraft. Founded in 2001, Saber is known for two decades of development partnerships with leading developers and publishers, including producing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for Nintendo Switch, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Crysis Remastered, and many others. Learn more at https://saber.games.
About 3D Realms
Redefining AAA – Action, Attitude, Adrenaline, 3D Realms has rocked the world for almost 30 years by publishing unforgettable, iconic games like Duke Nukem, Terminal Velocity, Shadow Warrior, Death Rally, Max Payne, and more recently, Ghostrunner, Ion Fury, Tempest Rising, CULTIC and RIPOUT.
Led by industry veterans, 3D Realms is a proud member of Saber Interactive, with a mission of publishing games for grown-ups. Unapologetic and uncompromising, we’re not afraid of being who we are and being damn good at it – for everyone’s benefit. For more information, visit 3drealms.com.
Test your luck against The Dealer and your friends on Xbox today
July 8, 2026 –How did you get here? It’s hard to remember.Buckshot Roulette is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Xbox on PC via the Microsoft Store for $2.99. It is also available on Xbox Game Pass for PC and consoles.
flashing club lights. industrial thumping. the stench of bodies and rust.
Buckshot Roulette is Russian Roulette with a 12-gauge shotgun. Critically acclaimed. Millions sold.
A door. A table. A man?
Enter the underworld and face off against the Dealer in a riveting single-player mode with multiple difficulty options, or play with up to four players in chaotic multiplayer.
Take your seat. Light a cigarette. Grab a controller and pull the trigger.
Double down, push your luck, or die trying. There’s no prize for second place.
*click*
Buckshot Roulette is out now on Steam, Xbox, and Game Pass for PC and consoles. A Dealer plush is also now available to pre-order from Youtooz.
About Mike Klubnika
Mike Klubnika is an independent game developer based in Estonia. With a knack for sci-fi horror, Mike has spent the majority of their free time developing horror games that take place in alternate dystopias, attempting to immerse the player in handcrafted industrial environments through detailed mechanics and visual storytelling. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Boards Of Canada and Aphex Twin, Mike has also composed grungy backdrops that are featured in several of their games.
About CRITICAL REFLEX
CRITICAL REFLEX is an indie game publisher obsessed with genre-blending, rule-breaking, brain-melting games. We help devs polish the weird, sharpen the wild, and launch their projects loud. Known for titles like Buckshot Roulette, Lunacid, Mouthwashing and No, I’m not a Human, we champion the unforgettable experiences. Genre is a prison and we ate the warden.
About CR Channel
CR Channel is the CRITICAL REFLEX publishing label focusing exclusively on indie horror. Join the Discord here: https://discord.gg/FrzN8srBfy
July 8, 2026 | Horien Studio is excited to announce that Phantom Tower, a fast-paced roguelike action RPG combining hack-and-slash combat with deep dungeon crawling, will launch into Early Access on Steam on July 13th, 2026. The game has been in development for 4 years, and a demo is available now.
Adventurers from all over the world gather at the foot of the mysterious Phantom Tower in search of power and glory. Many have attempted the climb. None have reached the top. Will you?
The Tower does not care about your build. It does not care about your plan. It will throw hordes of increasingly dangerous enemies at you until you break, or until you find something powerful enough to fight back.
About the Game Phantom Tower is a fast-paced roguelike action RPG that doesn’t hold your hand. You pick one of eight classes, each with their own skills, elemental affinity and combat feel. Then you start climbing. The Tower gets nastier the higher you go.
Combat revolves around four elements: IGNIS, AQUA, TERRA, and VENTI. You can swap them into your skills even in the middle of a fight. Get the combinations right, and you unleash one of 16 reactions. You can freeze whole packs solid, spread Erode so enemies melt from the inside (it even jumps to nearby targets when they die), or chain shockwaves that bounce damage across the room.
Between runs, you’re crafting your loadout from over 200 pieces of gear, including 128 weapons across six types. The Soulbinder system goes deeper still; fix the stats you want onto your gear permanently and push a single stat all the way to gear level 99.
Keep climbing, and you’ll eventually find Tower Blessings. 47 of them. Artemis Descent sends arrows hunting after the highest-HP enemy on screen every time you dodge. Chain Quake ripples damage between enemies in a spreading shockwave. Stack the right ones, and your runs start to feel completely broken in the best way possible.
Every death teaches you something. Every run you come back stronger.
Key Features
Climb Mode (main campaign): progress carries over between runs as you push floor by floor
Survival Mode: choose your loadout, face infinite hordes. When you fall, it’s permanent
8 playable classes, each with unique skills, elemental affinity and combat identity
4 elements and 16 reactions triggered mid-fight
200+ pieces of gear including 128 weapons across six types
