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Barotrauma: Major Expansion With Base Building, New Faction, and Free Update Arriving 2026

Revealed today at the PC Gaming Show, the new Expansion adds base management, a mysterious faction, and fresh challenges to the icy depths of Europa

Jupiter, Europa – June 8, 2025Daedalic Entertainment and developers Undertow Games and FakeFish are thrilled to announce Home & Harbor, a major expansion for the hit sci-fi submarine sim Barotrauma. The expansion will launch in 2026 and was officially revealed today with a brand-new trailer at the PC Gaming Show. Players can wishlist Home & Harbor now on Steam [LINK TO DLC] to stay updated on its development.

Steam Page Home & Harbor Expansion: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3714450/Barotrauma__Home__Harbor_Expansion/
Steam Page Barotrauma Main Game: https://store.steampowered.com/app/602960/Barotrauma/

Home & Harbor will transform the Europa experience by adding two exciting pillars of new content:

  • Base Building: For the first time, players can gain ownership of their own outpost. Customize, upgrade, expand, manage, and defend your base, unlocking perks to boost your campaign progress and crafting a true home beneath Europa’s icy seas.
  • New Faction – The Descendants: Meet the Descendants, a mysterious, high-tech faction whose origins date back to the earliest days of human settlement on Europa. Their unique storyline introduces new challenges, secrets, and rewards that will reshape how players engage with the game world.

The Home & Harbor expansion will launch alongside a large free update for all players, ensuring that even those without the expansion will benefit from new gameplay content and enhancements.

About Barotrauma:
Developed by Undertow Games and FakeFish, Barotrauma is the ultimate 2D co-op submarine simulator where survival is an afterthought and betrayal is just another day at the office

About FakeFish and Undertow Games:

Barotrauma, an underwater, outer-space game of teamwork and ever-present Danger, reached 1.0 in March 2023 after several years in early access on Steam and continues to receive regular updates. Embracing mod-ability and open development, Barotrauma is built in close communication with its players, and its Steam Workshop hosts over 50,000 fan creations. Barotrauma began as a freely downloadable project by Undertow Games, the solo developer of the free open-source horror game SCP – Containment Breach. Later, the award-winning fellow indie studio FakeFish joined the project with their team of industry veterans and fresh talents to launch Barotrauma on Steam. Based in Turku, Finland, the joint studio continues to support Barotrauma with further updates while also developing future game titles.

About Daedalic Entertainment
Daedalic Entertainment is a renowned publisher that has supported indie developers for over 17 years, bringing its titles to every major gaming platform. The lineup of games includes a diverse variety of unique titles, focusing on four distinct areas: storytelling, strategy, co-op games, and wholesome games. With an international team of around 45 employees, Daedalic is currently working with various development studios to create a new lineup of innovative games across consoles and PCs to market. Recent hits include New Cycle, Barotrauma, Unrailed!, REVEIL, Potion Tycoon, Deponia, Shadow Tactics, Inkulinati, Hidden Deep, Fling to the Finish!, and more.

Please look out for upcoming games, including The Occultist, Woodo, Once Upon a Puppet, Wild Woods, and many more. Since April 2022, Daedalic Entertainment has been a subsidiary of the French publishing house, Nacon.

New Trailer Revealed + Early Access Date Announced for Chasing Rats’ Cultist Roguelike

Montreal, QC – June 8, 2025 – Chasing Rats Games, the mischievous minds behind Struggling, just dropped a brand new trailer during the PC Gaming Show for their upcoming title Worship, a Pikmin-inspired, co-op roguelite about blood rituals, cult management, and doomsday devotion.

Following a sucessful kickstarter campaign and funded by Kowloon Nights – a videogame fund supporting amazing indie titles such as Spiritfarer and Sea of Stars – Chasing Rats Games has also revealed the game releases in Early Access on July 16, 2025 exclusively on PC via Steam, inviting players to don the robes of a zealot, carve symbols in blood, and incite the apocalypse alongside friends in online co-op chaos.

Worship is a multiplayer game where up to four players team up to spread their faith, grow their cult, and bring on the apocalypse. Inspired by Pikmin, the game puts a twisted spin on real-time unit control, as players use hordes of loyal followers to fight, explore, and—when necessary—be sacrificed in grisly rites to appease their dark deity. With its striking ink-sketch aesthetic and hand-drawn animations, the art direction walks a razor’s edge between disturbing and delightful, combining gleeful absurdity with unsettling rituals.

Key Features:

  • Blood Rites – Draw mystical symbols with blood to cast devastating spells, manipulate your environment, and solve puzzles. 
  • Followers are Everything – Command your faithful to fight, carry, destroy, and die for your cause. Their devotion is absolute… and expendable. 
  • Ever-Changing World – Each run takes place in a procedurally generated map, filled with rival factions, evolving challenges, and divine tests of faith. 
  • Test your Faith with Friends – Complete rituals, earn devotion, and prove yourself worthy in boss encounters before summoning your god into the mortal realm through online co-op multiplayer.

Worship will launch in Early Access on July 16 2025 and is available to wishlist on Steam right now. Stay updated on the game’s official Discord for the latest news straight from the source.

About Chasing Rats Games

Chasing Rats Games is an indie video game studio based in Montreal. We bring our flavor to the indie scene with whacky, genre-bending games that thrive on chaos and camaraderie. Our goal is simple: to make weird games that are as fun to play as they are to watch in the best possible way.

Yee-haw, Partner! Wild West General Store Simulator Throws Open Its Demo Doors For Steam Next Fest

Ever wonder what it takes to keep a tradin’ post runnin’? Saddle up and step inside!

Oberhaching, Germany, June 9, 2025 – Publisher SunDust, a label from the German publishing folks at Toplitz Productions is proud as a peacock to announce that the demo for Wild West General Store Simulator is available now as part of the rip-roaring Steam Next Fest!

Pack your bags and travel back to days yore where you’ll be takin’ over the granddaddy of what will become supermarkets. Deck your shop, located in the middle of a dusty ole ghost town, with all manner of goods – from mighty fine baked beans and other foods right up to tools. Walk the thin line between supply, demand and them pesky profit margins. Savor the sweet “Ka-ching!” of the cash register ringing in your ears as coins start fillin’ your pockets.

Earn your stripes by unlockin’ new products and fancy stuff as your store grows and you have to tell yourself, that the customer is king, as they get mighty particular bout their needs. Prove that you got what it takes to handle random calamities like grain or meat shortages, so you ain’t gotta go to the bank beggin’ for a loan to stay afloat. Need some help? Hire a trusty sidekick to work the checkout or wrangle the stock, Test your mettle in a mostly fair and square contest of Tomahawk Tossin’ to win new licences for your store or tempt fate when you spend your hard-earned dough on mystery crates packed with rare treasure or more stuff to peddle to the townsfolk.
For them hardcore shopkeepers, they can try the “Realistic Prices” mode, where every penny counts just like in the 1800s. Try makin’ ends meet when all you’ve got are nickels and dimes to bring home to Molly!

Demo Highlights:

  • 25 goods to stock them shelves
  • Constantly changin’ customer hankerin’s
  • A full blown economy, which can be tougher than a char-coaled steak
  • Random happenin’s to keep you on them toes
  • “Casual” or “Realistic” pricin’, so pick yer poison
  • Tomahawk Tossin’ Contest
  • Do-it-all-yourself or hire a sidekick for stockin’ or cashierin’
  • Smooth as butter controls 
  • A right proper tutorial so you can start making decent bucks

The full-blown release of Wild West General Store Simulator is ridin’ into town on Steam Early Access later this year. And it is stacked, packin’ more than 70 products, three of them minigames (all of them with different levels of grit), more helpers to help you out (if you can afford them, that is, cause they ain’t coming cheap), more and fancier decorations, a higher store level cap with sweet unlockables, a rustlin’ and growin’ town around ya and a whole heap more!

So what’cha waiting for? Dust off your boots and start buildin’ the mighty finest general store this side of the Big Apple.

About SunDust

SunDust, a label of Toplitz Productions, focuses on charming indie games with a lot of heart and soul. The spectrum of casual-oriented titles ranges from user-friendly simulations to exuberant party games as well as other accessible and entertaining game concepts. At SunDust, indie studios with character can find a stage to give free rein to their creative ideas, personal flair and individual style.

GORE, GUTS, AND A FREE TASTE OF GRISLY GLORY! Terrifier: The ARTcade Game Demo Unleashes Pixelated Carnage on PC, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch!

Barcelona, Spain – 9 June, 2025. Sharpen your cleavers and charge your controllers as a playable demo of the upcoming Terrifier: The ARTcade Game has just carved its way onto PC via Steam, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, giving horror fans a blood-soaked sneak peek at the twisted mayhem to come!

Publisher SelectaPlay and developer Relevo invite you to step into the blood-caked shoes of Art the Clown in this unapologetically brutal, retro-inspired beat ‘em up. Equal parts hilarious and horrifying, the demo lets players experience a slice of Art’s demented world where cops are minced, limbs fly freely, and no film set is safe from pixelated slaughter.

With its gorgeously grotesque pixel art, spine-snapping finishers, and fluid animations that ooze menace, this isn’t just a demo, it’s a taste of carnage so rich, you might just lose your lunch (grab a puke bag, just in case).

Terrifier: The ARTcade Game Features:

  • Old-School Arcade Horror: Inspired by the bloodiest gems of the ‘80s and ‘90s, the demo delivers pure beat ‘em up chaos with that signature Terrifier edge.
  • Jaw-Dropping Pixel Violence: Every slice, dice, and dismemberment is lovingly animated to make your stomach turn and your inner sadist smile.
  • Gore-Fueled Gameplay: Pick up brutal weapons, unleash ridiculous finishers, and terrorise your foes with Art’s uniquely murderous flair.
  • Multiplayer Madness: Team up or take on your friends in local co-op. More bodies, more blood.
  • A Killer Soundtrack: Chiptunes meet chainsaws in a music mix that’s equal parts nostalgia and nightmare fuel.

Think you’ve got what it takes to survive Art’s twisted playground? There’s only one way to find out, play the demo now and prepare to paint the pixels red.

Terrifier: The ARTcade Game is coming soon digitally to PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PC via Steam, and Xbox Series X|S and as a terrifyingly gorey physical Collector’s Edition for PlayStation 5 and NIntendo Switch, but for now, horror hounds can download the demo for FREE and get a delicious head start on the carnage!

About Selecta Play 

Selecta Play is Selecta Visión’s video game publishing branch. The company works with talented studios on unique video games and helps them publish their titles in both physical and digital formats in Europe and worldwide.

About Relevo 

Relevo has been developing video games for various platforms since 2009, be it consoles, PC, mobile, arcades, or even vintage microcomputers. They are committed to creating well-designed video games that offer fresh and creative gameplay, lots of depth, great characters, high replay value, and loads of fun retro gaming influences.

NEON ABYSS 2 is Back – Steam Multiplayer Demo Available Now

LONDON (June 9, 2025) – Following the success of the original Neon Abyss, the highly anticipated sequel, Neon Abyss 2, is set to make its mark when it launches July 17, 2025.

Veewo Games are thrilled to give players a taste of the action by releasing a Multiplayer Feature Demo during the upcoming Steam Next Fest. This demo builds on all the wonderful feedback from previous playtests. With 16 new weapons added since the playtest there are a whopping 32 weapons to discover.

Players can band together with up to three friends to conquer the Abyss as a team, taking on the roles of either Nik, Elise or Saya. They can also team up with friends in the Time Attack Mode which gives players different time limits based on the difficulty selected to complete six levels. It’s all over if the players die or the timer runs out.

For those who would still rather go it alone, all content in the demo can be played single player.  Players can coordinate their builds to multiply each of their unique synergies and combos, creating powerful forces of destruction. 

About Veewo Games

Founded in 2011, Veewo Games is an award-winning independent game development studio based in Xiamen, China. With a focus on creating replayable, surprising, and dramatic gaming experiences. The studio’s titles include Neon Abyss, Super Phantom Cat, and Super Phantom Cat 2 and they are now working on Neon Abyss 2. Veewo Games is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of interactive entertainment and continues to deliver immersive, high-quality experiences for players worldwide.

Spooky RPG Demonschool Hits the Books (and Bosses) in PC Gaming Show Trailer

OAKLAND, CA — June 8, 2025 —Demonschool, the school-life tactics RPG with hints of PersonaShin Megami Tensei, and Italian horror cinema from developer Necrosoft Games and publisher Ysbryd Games (WORLD OF HORRORVA-11 HALL-A), turns in a new trailer ahead of its Q3 2025 release on PlayStation 5|4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, as seen during today’s PC Gaming Show.

Survive a semester as Faye, a freshman coming ashore to enroll at an eerie island university haunted by supernatural creatures she’s only read about in family texts. Team up with newfound friends for extracurricular investigations and grid-based tactical battles with macabre monsters rooted in ‘60s and ‘70s Italian horror cinema and Japanese horror manga.  Form bonds within a four-person battle party from 15 different playable characters with distinct special skills to triumph over tricky demonic attacks. Balance their class schedules with training, side quests, and more to boost their abilities in battle, and foster interpersonal friendships to create flashy combos on the battlefield when their paths collide.

Take down hellspawn on a chess-like tactical board inspired by Into the Breach in a realm where 2D and 3D collide. Plan out the perfect strategy in the Planning phase, rewinding and redoing as needed, and watch moves and specials play out simultaneously in the Action phase. Utilize Faye’s powerful kicks, Ti’s rock columns, Knute’s reliable heals, and more flashy abilities to bury the lowliest crawling demon under the tallest stacks of haunted televisions! “Our team took great pride in fleshing out the world of Demonschool as much as possible,” said Brandon Sheffield, creative director of Necrosoft Games. “With plenty of class and demon assignments to complete, characters to hang out with, and minigames to play, students won’t run out of things to do on Jabberwock Island.”

Demonschool kicks demon butts on PlayStation 5|4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows PC via Steam and Epic Games Store in Q3 2025 with English, French, Spanish, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese language support.

Research Ysbryd Games via its official website, follow @YsbrydGames on social media, and join fellow students on Discord. Find Necrosoft Games on its official websiteDiscord, and @necrosoftgames on social media.

About Ysbryd Games

Publisher Ysbryd Games delivers games with stories that have the heart and soul to stay with players for a lifetime, underlined by captivating gameplay and striking aesthetics.

About Necrosoft Games

Necrosoft Games is an Oakland, California-based game developer with members all over the world. Founded by Game Developer Magazine and Gamasutra alum Brandon Sheffield after he left journalism, the studio now numbers six strong after developing a string of cult indie gems like GunhouseOh, Deer!, and Hyper Gunsport.

Soft Rains Kicks Off PC Gaming Show with Evocative Sci-fi Adventure Ambrosia Sky

With unique “clean-’em-up” shooting mechanics and inventive traversal, Ambrosia Sky thrusts you into a mind-bending world of death, decay, and what comes after.

First Demo Available Now on Steam

Toronto, Canada – June 8, 2025 – Soft Rains, a new Toronto-based studio formed by veterans of Bethesda, Capybara Games, Ubisoft Toronto, and Riot Games, unveiled their debut title Ambrosia Sky today during the PC Gaming Show.

Play the demo now, available on Steam.

Ambrosia Sky is a first-person sci-fi “clean-’em-up” that weaves a haunting tale of humanity’s fight for survival. Players take on the role of Dalia, a deep-space disaster specialist dispatched to her home, The Cluster, a crumbling space colony in the rings of Saturn. Her mission: clean up an unpredictable alien fungus contamination, research its strange origins, and lay the colony’s many victims to rest. Blending innovative action with intimate themes like death positivity and survivor’s guilt, Ambrosia Sky asks the player to contemplate the symbiotic relationship between humankind and nature.

Key Features:

  • Cleanse the Contamination. Ambrosia Sky’s unique gameplay blends FPS action with meditative cleaning. Cleanse alien fungus with your chemical sprayer, harvest its fruit, and upgrade your gear to survive the spreading crisis.
  • Discover an Alien Ecosystem. Each species of alien fungus has unique behaviors and properties – some explode, others electrify, and some will even hunt you down.
  • Research and Update Your Equipment. Craft new ammo types that mimic the abilities of fungus you encounter. Upgrade your sprayer’s efficiency, create new spray types, or enhance your tether to better navigate and explore the unstable gravity fields of the colony.
  • Navigate Zero-G Environments. Traverse treacherous pockets of unstable gravity throughout the Cluster. Use your tether to grab objects, uncover hidden corners of the colony, and explore environments where unpredictable fluctuations in gravity can change direction and strength at any time.
  • Lay the Dead to Rest. Seek out the tragic victims of the crisis and lay them to rest in poignant scenes that unravel the mystery of what happened and why.

“With Ambrosia Sky, we’re crafting something that feels totally unique while still being grounded in lessons learned from games we love, as well as some of the games we’ve helped create in our careers,” said Joel Burgess, Soft Rains Studio Head. “The result is a game that could only be made by this team, at this moment, and we can’t wait to share that with players who are ready for something fresh.”

“I’m really excited about Ambrosia Sky – the team has worked hard on making a special game about cleaning up after death, and the care that surrounds those acts,” said Kaitlin Tremblay, Narrative Director at Soft Rains. “This game is representative of everybody who worked on it, who contributed to its particular identity, and I’m so proud of what we’ve made together as a team.”

Soft Rains is also excited to announce a co-development partnership with Blackbird Interactive (Hardspace: Shipbreaker), who will further bolster Soft Rains’ veteran team, empowering them to deliver a unique and evocative sci-fi adventure with Ambrosia Sky.

“Partnering with Soft Rains to support Ambrosia Sky was a no-brainer,” said Rory McGuire, Blackbird Interactive’s President and Chief Creative Officer. “Our shared passion for impactful sci-fi storytelling with striking artistic vision was immediately evident. We’re honored to support Soft Rains in bringing this story to life.”

Experience an early slice of gameplay in Ambrosia Sky’s first demo, available on Steam. For more information, visit Soft Rains’ official website.

Ambrosia Sky is coming soon to PC on Steam.

About Soft Rains

Soft Rains is an independent game studio founded by developers behind acclaimed titles like SkyrimGrindstoneFallout 3/4Watch Dogs LegionA Mortician’s TaleCreature in the WellVALORANT, and Left 4 Dead. Based in Toronto and built by a team of AAA and indie veterans, Soft Rains is developing a single-player, first-person action-adventure game set in a lush, fantastical sci-fi world. The studio is committed to crafting immersive worlds, emotionally resonant stories, and memorable gameplay experiences.

Unravel New Secrets in Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf, Coming in 2026

Experience a New Cinematic Journey Across Eras and Galaxies with Evolved Gameplay, Diverse Puzzles, New Mechanics and a Deeper Story

Gothenburg, Sweden – June 8, 2025 – Today, Thunderful and Wishfully Studios announced their continued collaboration and revealed that Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf, the highly anticipated sequel to their award-winning cinematic puzzle adventure, Planet of Lana, will launch on Xbox Series X|SXbox Game PassPCPlayStation 4PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch in 2026.

In Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf, players will embark on an unforgettable journey with Lana and her loyal companion Mui, stepping into a new adventure where an ancient mystery emerges from Novo’s hidden depths. As they scour these depths, a new threat will put their unbreakable bond to the ultimate test, guiding Lana to confront her destiny amidst encroaching shadows. Perfect for new players and returning fans, the game features an original story with touching themes of friendship, tougher challenges and evolved gameplay. 

“In the past few years, we’ve been honored to see how Planet of Lana has touched players worldwide, from its cinematic world to its heartwarming story and action-packed gameplay,” said Adam Stjärnljus, creative director at Wishfully. “Our team learned a lot from creating the first game and we always knew that Lana and Mui’s story wasn’t over, so we’ve created a whole new adventure for players, packed with creative puzzle sequences and surprises around every corner. We can’t wait for players to join our dynamic duo once again, and unravel the mysteries of Novo’s world.”

Key gameplay features that await players in Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf include: 

  • Unique, Evolved Companion Gameplay: Experience Lana and Mui’s profound, evolving bond. Guide Mui with enhanced precision for deep exploration and collaborative puzzle-solving.
  • Solve Diverse & Clever Puzzles: Tackle a wider array of physics-based puzzles, including hypnotizing spectacular creatures and controlling new hybrid robots for unique solutions.
  • Master Stealth & Wit: Carefully navigate dangerous situations using refined stealth mechanics and tactical wit to outsmart foes.
  • Survive Challenging Action Sequences: Use your reflexes and master Lana’s new agility with wall jumps, run-slides, and faster movement to survive thrilling, dynamic action sequences.
  • Discover an Epic & Deeper Story: Immerse in a longer, more profound sci-fi saga. Confront Lana’s own demons and unveil the planet’s darkest secrets across stunning, diverse worlds, including new underwater chapters.
  • Return of an Acclaimed Composer: Experience Takeshi Furukawa’s critically acclaimed score, from the original Planet of Lana. His mesmerizing compositions seamlessly elevate every emotional beat and cinematic moment.

Additionally, and in celebration of the announcement, Planet of Lana is available for 75% off on Steam beginning today until June 22, with a variety of attractive discounts across various storefronts.

Developed by Wishfully Studios and published by Thunderful, Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf will launch in 2026 on Xbox Series X|SXbox Game PassPCPlayStation 4PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. Wishlist Planet of Lana 2 here, watch the reveal trailer here, join the mailing list here and join the community on XTikTokYouTubeFacebookInstagramBluesky and Threads. More details can be found on Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf’s website here.

About Thunderful

Founded in 2017, Thunderful is a video game publisher headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. Thunderful offers third-party publishing, co-development services and publishing support services. The company has published and/or developed award-winning and critically acclaimed titles such as the SteamWorld IP, Planet of LanaViewfinder, LEGO® BricktalesLost In Random and more.

About Wishfully Studios

Wishfully is the indie game studio behind the critically acclaimed Planet of Lana. With a passion for creating stunning artwork, deep storytelling, and innovative design, they consistently strive to make games that leave a lasting impact.

ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN Review

ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN

Developer: FromSoftware
Publisher: FromSoftware, Bandai Namco Entertainment
Platforms: Xbox Series XXbox OnePlayStation 4PlayStation 5PC (Reviewed)
Release Date: 29 May 2025
Price: $39.99 USD – Available Here $69.95 AUD – Available Here

Overview

Let’s get one thing straight right from the beginning: Elden Ring: Nightreign is, by all definitions, a spinoff. And to be honest, I’ve never been a big fan of spinoffs in any form of media—whether it’s TV shows, movies, or video games. More often than not, they tend to ride the coattails of their successful predecessors, offering little innovation or originality. They bank heavily on nostalgia and name recognition while playing it safe with the same old formula. Think about it—we can all quote countless moments from Friends, but how many people can even remember a single scene from Joey? Exactly. So, when a spinoff comes along, it typically falls into one of two camps: it either brings something genuinely fresh to the table or exists purely to cash in on past success. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at Nightreign and see if it breaks the mold. Does it innovate? And more importantly, does it deliver on the fun?

Story

The game is set in an alternate universe of the Lands Between. The events of the original game never happened. Marika did not destroy the Elden Ring, and the Tarnished were not tasked to become the Elden Lord. In the original game, a civilization of humanoids and creatures known as the Nox existed, beings who rejected the Greater Will and were subsequently exiled underground in the Eternal City. In this alternate timeline, the Nox succeed in defeating Marika and the Golden Order, destroying the Erdtree, and plunging the Lands Between into fatal darkness. You are one of the warriors from across and beyond the Lands Between, summoned to stave off the Night and defeat the Nightlords, under the watchful eyes of Nox.

Gameplay

At the core of it, Elden Ring Nightreign is a roguelike. You pick one of the classes (with two that you can unlock later), join a party of three, and travel to a procedurally generated Lands Between on a spectral eagle in a segment that is suspiciously similar to “where we droppin’, boys” from Fortnite. You can choose between Wylder, Guardian, Ironeye, Raider, Reculse, and Executor. These are all the archetypes of your typical thief/warrior/mage/knight classes, each with their strengths and weaknesses. And here is the first peculiar thing: the game either supports 3-player co-op or solo, nothing in between. Your main goal in every run is to survive up to day 2 in The Lands Between and face the final boss of the run. As you start, the map will gradually shrink until it pushes you all to one small area where the boss will spawn. Until that happens, you are free to roam around, taking down enemies and field bosses. Gather enough souls and level up at the site of grace so you can have a decent chance at taking down the boss(es).

Unfortunately, your best chance of making it far enough in the game solely depends on what kind of co-op buddies you’ll have. Unless you have a trained team of Elden Ring veterans who managed to beat Malenia in the first 100 tries, you’re not gonna have much fun. It will also require a lot of testing with blind runs until you find a class that suits you best, and at the time of writing this, solo players are still at a great disadvantage compared to 3-player runs (even with the latest balance patch). Another peculiar thing is the field bosses that greatly vary in difficulty. As in, some are just not worth risking it for a party wipe (avoid the dragons btw) and can be a lot more dangerous than the bosses at the end of Day 1 or Day 2 runs.

Visuals

If you’ve already played Elden Ring (and let’s be honest—who hasn’t by now?), then you more or less know what to expect when it comes to the visual style. The art direction remains stunning, with that signature FromSoftware touch, blending haunting beauty with decayed grandeur. However, despite the procedurally generated nature of the new map, you’ll start to notice a sense of repetition. Many of the same assets from the base game are reused—castles scattered around somewhat randomly, the occasional gothic church, winding gorges to delve into, and of course, the ever-present poisonous swamps. It can sometimes feel like a familiar world shuffled into a new order. That said, the “random map generator” occasionally stumbles upon unexpectedly breathtaking layouts. There are moments of visual brilliance that really stand out in each run. Just be sure to stay alert—this is still Elden Ring, and a dragon could descend from the skies at any moment to end your journey.

Audio

To be honest, at first, I didn’t really have much time to sit back and appreciate the soundtrack. I was too caught up, frantically running across the map, trying to level up just enough to stand a chance against the next brutal boss encounter. Because of that, I initially only paid attention to a few of the boss themes, and those really stood out. The intense orchestration and emotional weight behind each track perfectly matched the high-stakes battles. It’s well known by now that Elden Ring: Nightreign features the return of several iconic bosses from the Dark Souls series, and hearing the themes associated with the Nameless King or the Gaping Dragon again was incredibly nostalgic. Those tracks remain just as powerful and spine-chilling as when we first heard them. While the overall soundtrack might not quite reach the same legendary heights as the original Elden Ring, it still delivers a rich, memorable auditory experience.

Overall

All in all, Elden Ring Nightreign is not a game for everyone. Come to think of it, even the original game is far more accessible and newb friendly now than this one, mostly because you’re going to be relying on randoms to make any kind of progress when it comes to the story. But once it works, it works to perfection. There is nothing better than randomly being part of a skilled team that covers all bases when it comes to tanking bosses, reviving, and exploring all the important locations on the map. It is a perfect game for a few runs per day (while praying to Lady Luck to get into a good team), with all the expected rage and frustration that’s a staple of an Elden Ring game. As of right now, I could only recommend it to the Elden Ring pros, and it’s definitely not something that you should jump in lightly.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

FREE-TO-PLAY OPEN WORLD ACTION RPG ANIIMO REVEALED AT XBOX GAMES SHOWCASE

Coming in 2026, the new cross-platform game focuses on creature-collecting, open world exploration, and a brand-new perspective-shifting mechanic known as ‘Twining’

Singapore — June 8th, 2025 – Kingsglory, a new publishing label established by FunPlus focused on investing in innovative studios building IP for cross-platform games that push the boundaries of graphics and technology, has announced the upcoming release of Aniimo. Revealed at the Xbox Games Showcase on June 8, and developed by Pawprint Studio, Aniimo is a free-to-play, creature-catching open-world ARPG coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC and mobile in 2026. Players can sign up for an exclusive closed beta test on PC which will start later this summer.

Players of Aniimo will enjoy a groundbreaking game where players collect and merge with magical creatures called Aniimo (through the unique ‘Twining’ mechanic) to explore uncharted landscapes, solve ancient mysteries, and master dynamic gameplay in a journey of discovery. Players can sign up for an exclusive closed beta test on www.aniimo.com. 

Key features include:

  • Discovery of the Aniimo, beautifully rendered magical creatures which players can seek, capture, battle, upgrade, develop, research and evolve as they progress through the game. 
  • The interactive and expansive open world of Idyll inhabited by the Aniimo, providing multiple options for Aniimo to grow and evolve, and the perfect stage for them to shine.
  • The merging of players and their Aniimo, known as Twining, whereby players will unlock  more abilities, different perspectives, and new and unique ways to play. 

“Like every other player, the Aniimo team has always believed that one day, there will be a game that exists that makes all our dreams come true. Instead of waiting any longer, we created it ourselves” said Jovi Zhang, Executive Producer, Pawprint Studio. “Every day we are discovering more about the Aniimo’s personalities, their interactions, their stories and their environment. The world of Aniimo is now ready for you to explore with us, and we can’t wait to see you there!” 

For more details on the closed beta test, please visit www.aniimo.com. 

“We are excited to take this concrete step in growing our commitment to IP-driven cross-platform experiences for players in the form of Aniimo” said Chris Petrovic, Chief Business Officer and Chairman of the Board, FunPlus. “Aniimo will shake up the creature-collecting genre and introduce players to an expansive and beautiful open world that the dev team is looking forward to growing with them, based on feedback from the first closed beta test.”

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About Kingsglory

Kingsglory is a new publishing label established by FunPlus, focused on investing in innovative studios building IP for cross-platform games that push the boundaries of graphics and technology. Its first game, Aniimo, developed by Pawprint Studio, is a free-to-play, next-gen creature-catching open world ARPG slated for release in 2026.