Players will get their first hands-on experience with this highly anticipated post-apocalyptic MMOFPS
BELGRADE, Serbia — June 3, 2025 — GFA Games has announced that PIONER, the long-awaited post-apocalyptic MMO shooter, will feature a playable multiplayer demo during Steam Next Fest, running from June 9-16. This marks the first opportunity for players worldwide to explore the dark and unpredictable world of Tartarus Island.
The demo will offer access to the game’s full prologue, the central player hub, and five unique quests. Players will also be able to engage in multiplayer activities, including a cooperative Raid.
The Steam Next Fest demo represents a major milestone on the road to PIONER‘s official launch later in 2025. Just a week ago, GFA Games revealed plans for an extended open beta this summer, signaling steady progress toward release.
PIONER is scheduled to launch on PC later in 2025, with console releases planned for a future date. Players can addPIONER to their Steam Wishlist to stay updated on the latest news and be among the first to explore its dangerous, anomaly-ridden world.
PIONERis a post-apocalyptic MMO shooter set on the mysterious Soviet-era island of Tartarus, offering a vast open world spanning over 50 square kilometers. Blending intense PvE and PvP action with player-driven storytelling, the game features faction missions, hidden dungeons, and dynamic environments. Realism takes center stage, replacing traditional health bars and levels with immersive mechanics. High-risk zones like the “Shadowlands” push PvP to the extreme, allowing for chaotic, high-reward battles where alliances are key — or optional.
About GFA Games
GFA Games is a game development studio based in Belgrade, Serbia, dedicated to creating immersive and atmospheric gaming experiences. Founded by a team of passionate developers, the studio focuses on blending rich storytelling, dynamic gameplay, and striking visual design. Their upcoming title, PIONER, showcases their commitment to crafting unique, post-apocalyptic worlds filled with depth and challenge.
June 3rd, 2025 – The NES-ential Celebration, a lovingly made 40th anniversary tribute to the Nintendo Entertainment System has today been announced by Playbug Books, with its Kickstarter campaign now underway. A timely companion to the Switch 2 era, The NES-ential Celebration is a beautifully produced hardcover book that serves as both a tribute to – and a thoughtful examination of – the system that helped define modern video gaming.
Edited by veteran games journalist Tom Regan (The Guardian, Fandom, GamesRadar), The NES-ential Celebration features contributions from some of the most respected voices in the industry, including Andy Robinson (VGC), Mark Brown (Gamemaker’s Toolkit), Christian Donlan (Eurogamer), Matthew Castle (Official Nintendo Magazine, The Backpage Podcast) Alex Donaldson (RPG Site, VG 24/7), Jeremy Ray (GamesHub, Fandom), Jen Glennon (Inverse), and Andy Kelly (Edge, PC Gamer) to name a few.
These sit alongside exclusive essays from legendary developers like Nintendo’s Takaya Imamura, Racoon Logic’s Alex Hutchinson, RARE’s Gavin Price, The Game Kitchen (Blasphemous), Ironwood Studios (Pacific Drive), Sabotage Studios (Sea Of Stars) and beloved indie developers, musicians and devoted superfans
Featuring stunning original artwork interspersed with nostalgia-tickling spritework, this beautiful collector’s book explores the NES’s legacy from multiple angles — from chronicling its role in reviving a dying industry after the 1983 crash, to how NES games laid the foundation for the IPs and genres that we still play today.
The NES-ential Celebration is the perfect coffee table companion, mixing insightful essays on the birth of console gaming with fun, nostalgic looks at the franchises and formats that defined an artform.
While most of us wait through a long and uncertain Switch 2 pre-order season, the Kickstarter campaign for The NES-ential Celebration offers a lovingly-portioned jolt of Nintendo nostalgia. You may not have your new console just yet, but this book is ready to take you back to where your love of Nintendo began — with essays, stories, and artwork that celebrate the humble origins of a gaming behemoth.
Meet the Cop, the Doctor, the Priest, and the Lady
Nice, France, June 3rd 2025 – Developer Wolcen Studio has today released their third devlog for their newly launched neo-noir twin-stick shooter Bullet Noir, which is now available on PC via Steam in Early Access! Meet the four characters who seek to avenge the recently murdered mob boss Vito Spriale.
n the third dev diary of the series, Community Manager Meric Cakici introduces the four main characters that make up Bullet Noir’s tale of bloodshed and revenge. The story kicks off with the murder of Vito Spriale, a powerful underworld figure who lived many lives. He wore many faces—protector, father, lover, mentor. Now, those closest to him are ready to burn the world down to settle the score.
The Cop was his son. They didn’t always agree on the law, but Vito was still his father—and his all-guns-blazing style lets him slow time, Max Payne-style. The Doctor owed Vito her life, and returns the favor with deadly precision—each kill briefly slows time, letting you chain takedowns. The Priest, Vito’s blind best friend, sees through faith, using Daredevil-like hearing to reveal enemies across the battlefield. And The Lady, Vito’s lover, fights with intimate fury—her twin katanas grant her brief bullet immunity after every kill, encouraging a bold, relentless approach.
About Bullet Noir
Bullet Noir is the debut title under Wolcen Studio’s new “indie Initiative”, which nurtures in-house grassroots game projects into full releases. This gritty, fast-paced shooter invites players to uncover the backstories of four uniquely driven protagonists, each consumed by a personal vendetta. As the plot unfolds, players will navigate each character’s personal story, intertwined with the larger narrative.
Bullet Noir’s one-hit-one-kill mechanic offers intense showdowns around every corner, whether you’re charging in guns blazing or opting for a stealthier approach. Navigate through a rain-slicked metropolis of alleys, hovels, and high-rises, and carve your own path through each protagonist’s overlapping quest for vengeance.
Bullet Noir is now available to play on PC via Steam Early Access for $11.99 / £9.99 / €11.79!
About Wolcen Studio
Headquartered in Nice, France, Wolcen Studio is a European game studio that unites over 120 talented professionals across the globe to create groundbreaking gaming experiences. In 2015, driven by our passion and belief in our vision, we launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring our first title to life, Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem. We want to shape the future of gaming by bringing together passionate, expert-driven people dedicated to pushing the boundaries of the industry. https://wolcen-studio.com
Batter-up With First Pitch Ceremony, Exclusive Giveaways, and Fan Activations at Petco Park
PALO ALTO, CA – JUNE 3, 2025 – Level Infinite revealed today that Goddess of Victory: NIKKE, the epic sci-fi RPG with adorable android NIKKEs, will bring a special in-game universe to life during the upcoming San Diego Padres vs Los Angeles Dodgers game on June 10. The celebration will include a themed first pitch ceremony, limited-edition merchandise and interactive fan experiences at Petco Park.
As part of the evening’s festivities, attendees will witness a special first pitch ceremony featuring Goddess of Victory: NIKKE‘s character Rapi, brought to life by renowned cosplayer and streamer Emiru. Emiru and other official NIKKE cosplayers will also be available for fan meet-n-greets ahead of the highly anticipated matchup between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Fans can purchase the official theme game package, which includes a ticket to the San Diego Padres vs Los Angeles Dodgers game and a limited-edition BLANC collectible pin, featuring the fan-favorite NIKKE character in Padres-themed gear. Tickets are available at www.padres.com/themegames.
NIKKE-themed activations will be located at Petco Park, where attendees can win a limited-edition themed T-shirt by visiting their booth in Gallagher Square and sharing their experiences on social media using the #NIKKEATBAT hashtag. Additionally, the exclusive limited-quantity collectible baseball cards will be available for free to all visitors at the NIKKE Booth.
About Goddess of Victory: NIKKE
GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE takes players on an immersive, story-driven adventure in a post-apocalyptic world, brought to life with beautifully animated characters and dynamic combat mechanics. Each NIKKE features a unique weapon, skill set, and playstyle, allowing players to build the ultimate squad to battle invading forces and protect humanity. With stunning visuals, voice acting, and cinematic boss battles, NIKKE offers a compelling RPG experience for mobile players worldwide. To learn more about GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE, go to: http://nikke-en.com
Level Infinite is Tencent’s global games brand, dedicated to delivering engaging and original gaming experiences to a worldwide audience, whenever and wherever they choose to play. The brand also provides a wide range of services and resources to a network of developers and partner studios around the world to help them unlock the potential of their games. Level Infinite is both publisher of breakout hit games like PUBG MOBILE, Honor of Kings and Goddess of Victory: NIKKE and a collaborative partner in games such as Dune: Awakening from Funcom, Warhammer 40K: Darktide and many more. To learn more about Level Infinite, visit www.levelinfinite.com
The summer of Splitgate begins this week on gaming’s biggest stage
Zephyr Cove, NV (June 3, 2025) – Portals change everything on June 6 as online first person shooter Splitgate 2 is set to emerge from its open beta to its official 1.0 launch on PC (Steam, Windows Store and Epic Game Store), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 (www.splitgate.com). 1047 Games has yet to reveal the biggest part of Splitgate 2, which will be unveiled on June 6 alongside the game’s official launch. While the current beta hosts a variety of modes, weapons and content, a massive surprise is still in store at the upcoming Summer Game Fest livestream.
1047 Games also unleashed asurprisingly emotional new trailer today to mark the game’s launch date, giving fans a touching look at the pressure and grit it takes to be a professional ace in the cutthroat, futuristic world of Splitgate.
Being a professional Splitgate ace is the best job in the world – there’s nothing like ripping through a portal after a three-story drop to get the final headshot to win the round, or going all-in with your team in your favorite mode to pull off that split-second victory. Today’s trailer pauses the heart-pounding action of Splitgate 2 to take a look at the stakes involved in the future’s most intense and beloved sport.
Would-be aces can also jump into Splitgate 2’s final open beta, going on now through launch, to get a taste of some of what the futuristic portal shooter will offer on June 6 – a metric ton of maps, weapons and modes are all there for the taking. Best of all, it’s totally free. Players will have the option to purchase sweet cosmetics for looking good while locking in, or to grab the Beta Battlepass and get a head start on your stats. Progression will not reset when the game officially launches on June 6.
Splitgate 2 is a totally unique, free-to-play, fast-paced multiplayer shooter that features player-controlled portals, changing the game and taking the FPS genre to a new dimension with its portal mechanics, delivering high-flying, multi-dimensional combat. The follow-up to the smash 2021 hit Splitgate, Splitgate 2 is the ultimate realization of 1047’s vision for Splitgate. With talent from teams behind some of the most legendary games in history like Halo, Apex Legends, Valorant, Call of Duty and more, 1047 Games is inspiring the future of online shooters.
New map explores the frozen North with new missions, dynamic snow,19 new animals and more
STOCKHOLM – 3 June, 2025 – Expansive Worlds, a creative division within Avalanche Studios Group, today announced theHunter: Call of the Wild’s new DLC map Askiy Ridge Preserve will launch on PC and console on 17 June. A frigid landscape with deep snow, players can undertake 13 missions as they discover and track 19 species across pine-covered peaks and frost-swept grasslands with dynamic snow.
Askiy Ridge Preserve Map – Key Features:
A bitterly cold landscape teeming with life. Discover and track 19 species through the snow, tackle 13 engaging missions, and explore from the pine-covered peaks down to the frost-swept grasslands to find the perfect hunting spot – but watch out for falling trees, a sign that the preserve’s most industrious inhabitant is active!
Dynamic snow with animal trails to follow. Askiy Ridge’s diverse wildlife, some exclusive to the region, have all adapted to survive in the region. Tracks in deep snow reveal hardy species such as the Manitoban Elk or Great One mule deer. While the sound of fallen trees may lead to the North American Beaver.
A diverse landscape. Start at altitude in the dense boreal forest before heading down into the rugged foothills. The contrasting sightlines of the grasslands afford easy spotting that even the most experienced hunters will appreciate.
A journey into Albertan culture. Experience the diversity of the Albertan ecosystem, home of the First Nations, with 13 location-exclusive missions to complete. Help the warden and local experts to maintain the preserve on the trail of the secretive Sasquatch, with challenges designed to test even the most skilled hunters. To top it off, enjoy an epic soundtrack inspired by the wilderness and native cultures of Alberta.
Expand the hunting arsenal. The new Laperriere Outrider .30-30 is a lever-action rifle with a side-loading and side-ejecting design, suited for small to medium game, like the Whitetail Deer or the Gray Wolf. Compatible with a wide range of rifle scopes, it is a versatile and powerful choice for hunting at any time of day or night.
Askiy Ridge Preserve is coming soon to PC and console platforms. Players can wishlist it now on Steam, Windows Store, and Xbox.
About Expansive Worlds
Expansive Worlds is a creative division within Avalanche Studios Group and a leading developer and publisher of outdoor games. Since 2009, Expansive Worlds has been devoted to delivering highly immersive outdoor gaming experiences for millions of players. It is best known for the long-standing and successful theHunter franchise, as well as the new fishing game Call of the Wild: The Angler. Expansive Worlds develops games using the proprietary Apex engine, enabling vast open worlds with endless creative possibilities. Learn more at www.avalanchestudios.com/divisions/expansive-worlds.
About Avalanche Studios Group
Avalanche Studios Group is a leading interactive entertainment company offering a wide range of games and live services from creative divisions Avalanche Studios, Expansive Worlds, and Systemic Reaction. Its portfolio includes the Just Cause franchise, theHunter: Call of the Wild, Generation Zero, Rage 2, Call of the Wild: The Angler, and the upcoming Contraband. Founded in 2003, Avalanche Studios Group draws from more than two decades of open-world experience. All its games are developed using the proprietary Apex engine, enabling vast and dynamic worlds, full of emergent gameplay and endless creative possibilities.
At Unreal Fest Orlando, the State of Unreal keynote opened with a live on-stage presentation that offered an early glimpse into the latest Unreal Engine 5 features bringing the open world of The Witcher 4 to life.
Spotlight:
Tech demo showcased how the CD PROJEKT RED and Epic Games are working together to power the world of The Witcher 4 on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, and bring large open-world support to Unreal Engine.
The tech demo takes place in the never-before-seen region of Kovir.
As Unreal Fest 2025 kicked off, CD PROJEKT RED joined Epic Games on stage to present a tech demo of The Witcher 4 in Unreal Engine 5 (UE5). Presented in typical CDPR style, the tech demo follows the main protagonist Ciri in the midst of a monster contract and shows off some of the innovative UE5 technology and features that will power the game’s open world.
The tech demo takes place in the region of Kovir — which will make its very first appearance in the video game series in The Witcher 4. The presentation followed main protagonist Ciri — along with her horse Kelpie — as she made her way through the rugged mountains and dense forests of Kovir to the bustling port town of Valdrest. Along the way, CD PROJEKT RED and Epic Games dove deep into how each feature is helping drive performance, visual fidelity, and shape The Witcher 4’s immersive open world.
Since the strategic partnership was announced in 2022, CDPR has been working with Epic Games to develop new tools and enhance existing features in Unreal Engine 5 to expand the engine’s open-world development capabilities and establish robust tools geared toward CD PROJEKT RED’s open-world design philosophies. The demo, which runs on a PlayStation 5 at 60 frames per second, shows off in-engine capabilities set in the world of The Witcher 4, including the new Unreal Animation Framework, Nanite Foliage rendering, MetaHuman technology with Mass AI crowd scaling, and more. The tools showcased are being developed, tested, and eventually released to all UE developers, starting with today’s Unreal Engine 5.6 release. This will help other studios create believable and immersive open-world environments that deliver performance at 60 FPS without compromising on quality — even at vast scales. While the presentation was running on a PlayStation console, the features and technology will be supported across all platforms the game will launch on.
The Unreal Animation Framework powers realistic character movements in busy scenes. FastGeo Streaming, developed in collaboration with Epic Games, allows environments to load quickly and smoothly. Nanite Foliage fills forests and fields with dense detail without sacrificing performance. The Mass system handles large, dynamic crowds with ease, while ML Deformer adds subtle, realistic touches to character animation — right down to muscle movement.
Speaking on The Witcher 4 Unreal Engine 5 tech demo, Joint-CEO of CD PROJEKT RED,
Michał Nowakowski stated:“We started our partnership with Epic Games to push open-world game technology forward. To show this early look at the work we’ve been doing using Unreal Engine running at 60 FPS on PlayStation 5, is a significant milestone — and a testament of the great cooperation between our teams. But we’re far from finished. I look forward to seeing more advancements and inspiring technology from this partnership as development of The Witcher 4 on Unreal Engine 5 continues.”
Tim Sweeney, Founder and CEO of Epic Games said: “CD PROJEKT RED is one of the industry’s best open-world game studios, and we’re grateful that they’re working with us to push Unreal Engine forward with The Witcher 4. They are the perfect partner to help us develop new world-building features that we can share with all Unreal Engine developers.”
The Witcher IV is a single-player, open-world RPG from CD PROJEKT RED. At the start of a new saga, players take on the role of Ciri and embark on a journey through a brutal dark fantasy world. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, it aims to be the most immersive and ambitious open-world Witcher game to date.
For more information on The Witcher IV, please visit the official website. More information about The Witcher series can be found on the official website, X, Bluesky, and Facebook.
About The Witcher IV
The Witcher IV is an upcoming single-player open-world role-playing game from CD PROJEKT RED and the next mainline entry in The Witcher series of games, following the critically acclaimed The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. At the beginning of a new saga, players take on the role of Ciri, a professional monster slayer, and embark on a journey through a brutal dark-fantasy world. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, and developed in-house by CD PROJEKT RED, it aims to be the most immersive and ambitious open-world Witcher game to date.
About CD PROJEKT RED
CD PROJEKT RED is a game development studio founded in 2002. It develops and publishes video games for PCs and video game consoles. The studio’s flagship titles include the futuristic RPG Cyberpunk 2077, its spy-thriller expansion Phantom Liberty, and The Witcher series of games, including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and its two expansions. In collaboration with Studio Trigger, CD PROJEKT RED also created the award-winning Netflix anime series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, set in the same universe as the game. Other games developed by the studio include Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales and GWENT: The Witcher Card Game. Together with GOG.COM, a game store offering hand-picked titles for PC and Mac, CD PROJEKT RED is part of the CD PROJEKT Group. CD PROJEKT S.A. is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ISIN: PLOPTTC00011).
Two new systems will transform you into the world’s first trillionaire in no time.
SEATTLE, Washington, USA – 3rd June 2025 – Space Kraken Studios, is bringing a major demo update to Military Incremental Complex this June Steam Next Fest. Starting June 9th, players can try out the material system and stock market system, among other updates.
MAJOR DEMO UPDATE!
A major demo update is coming this June Steam Next Fest. Currently, players can experience the production system with three different weapons, and the research system with upgrades that improve your manufacturing capabilities, drive down costs, and increase sales. In the Steam Next Fest update, players will be able to produce a fourth weapon and also try the materials and stock market systems. Expand the business by purchasing mines and refineries to exploit resources for use in production, then use your funds to invest in the stock market and passively accrue dividends, earn upgrades, and a big cash payout.
Make Money Now!
It’s cash o’clock! It’s time to make some big bucks in Military Incremental Complex. Start off small by assembling bullets by hand and use those sales to expand your production and fund research. Six gameplay systems offer different but interconnected mechanics to grow your business. Let the good times roll as you expand your product line, develop new production methods, and start to play the stock market. Are you ready to make money?
That’s Business, Baby
Military Incremental Complex is an incremental game featuring rich systems and active mechanics. Assemble your products using your cursor to click, hold, drag, and spin buttons and knobs. Hire interns and researchers to expand your product line, automate production, and more. Take over the supply chain by establishing your own mines and refineries, and use your additional funds to play the stock market. Step into the big leagues and cozy up with government officials by lobbying for large benefits for your company. When cash flow starts to slow, look towards prestiging, restarting your progress but unlocking powerful prestige meta abilities that will have your numbers flying sky-high.
Major Demo Update Features:
Try four of the six interconnected systems that shape the gameplay flow, affect your company’s production, and will have you making the big bucks.
The product line system previews bullets, grenades, guns, and now bombs, each with unique assembly patterns and production progression.
The research system features over 60 upgrades that will have you maximizing every aspect of your business.
New! The materials system introduces new materials to extract and refine that will boost your company’s production and bottom line.
New! The stock market system allows players to purchase stock in two companies to earn dividends and enticing gameplay benefits.
Military Incremental Complex has a major demo update planned to release the first day of the June Steam Next Fest, June 9th. Players can also try the current version of the demo now on Steam.
Wishlist the game to keep up with future updates and news from the developer.
About Space Kraken Studios
A 2-man studio in Seattle, composed of friends Braxton and Nick. Both have backgrounds as engineers, but got tired of the corporate life and left to make indie games. Enjoying the more strategy focused side of idle games, they’re currently developing Military Incremental Complex, their first endeavor to add to the genre.
The developer and publisher presentation will take place on June 6th at 6pm PDT and will include updates, trailers, and a host of surprises in a special livestreamed event
Copenhagen, Denmark, June 2nd, 2025 – IO Interactive, the independent video game developer and publisher behind, among others, the internationally acclaimed HITMAN franchise, has announced its first IOI SHOWCASE, a livestreamed and in-person event revealing details from the celebrated game creator’s properties and its publishing branch IOI Partners, including HITMAN, MindsEye, and 007 First Light.
The event will be livestreamed from Los Angeles on IOI’s Twitch,YouTube, and TikTok channels starting Friday, June 6th, at 6:00 pm PDT. The broadcast will feature trailers, announcements, gameplay demos, and a live Q&A with key figures from IO Interactive, Build A Rocket Boy, and more. Alongside announcements pertaining to IO Interactive’s game lineup, the studio will also share a look at its proprietary game engine, Glacier.
“This event celebrates our 25-years history with the HITMAN franchise and shares an in-depth look at the diverse future of our studio” commented IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak. “We’ve prepared some truly exciting surprises.”
The IOI SHOWCASE presentation will include new details for the following titles:
HITMAN World of Assassination – With the Hitman franchise set to celebrate its 25th Anniversary this year, announcements regarding upcoming content for HITMAN World of Assassination and collaborations around the Hitman franchise will be shared.
MindsEye – Developed by Build A Rocket Boy and published by IOI Partners, MindsEye is a narrative-driven action-adventure thriller, and will be an ever-expanding player experience, with new studio-created premium content delivered monthly. Mindseye will launch on June 10, 2025.
007 First Light – Developed by IO Interactive, 007 First Light is the title of its highly anticipated standalone original James Bond video game, set to be revealed this week.
Fans can also look forward to additional surprises and special guests throughout the show in celebration of IO Interactive’s abundant future.
Unique TikTok and Twitch drops will be ready for unlock, by watching the IOI Showcase on each respective channel, so tune in on June 6th at 6pm PDT.
About IO INTERACTIVE
IO Interactive is an independent video game developer and publisher with studios in Copenhagen, Malmö, Barcelona, Istanbul, and Brighton. As the creative force behind some of the most talked-about multi platform video games in the last two decades, IOI is dedicated to creating unforgettable characters and experiences using their award-winning proprietary Glacier technology.
IO Interactive develops and publishes 007 First Light, an immersive third-person action-adventure featuring a reimagined James Bond origin story, set to release in 2026. IOI is also currently developing a new IP under the codename Project Fantasy. For more information, visit: https://ioi.dk.
ABOUT IOI PARTNERS
IOI Partners is the publishing division of IO Interactive, dedicated to publishing and supporting games developed by third-party studios. Leveraging over 25 years of experience in the gaming industry, IOI Partners collaborates with visionary developers to create immersive, original experiences. IOI Partners’ first published game, MindsEye, developed by Build A Rocket Boy, is scheduled for release on June 10th, 2025.
ABOUT MINDSEYE
MindsEye is a story-driven, action-adventure thriller, set in a fictional near-future city of Redrock. Featuring best-in-class cinematics, high-intensity driving and explosive combat from game director, Leslie Benzies.
Play as Jacob Diaz, a former elite soldier burdened by The MindsEye neural implant that haunts him with fragmented memories of his past and holds the key to humanity’s future. Fight to uncover Jacob’s truth in a world where AI, high-tech experimentation and unchecked military power shape every encounter. What starts as a personal quest unveils something so large it threatens the spark in everything alive, as the danger of the sentient robots rises propelled by human greed.
ABOUT BUILD A ROCKET BOY
Founded in 2016 by acclaimed game developer Leslie Benzies, Build A Rocket Boy is an independent video game studio and entertainment company headquartered in Edinburgh, with offices in Cambridge, Montpellier, and Budapest. The Build A Rocket Boy team includes hundreds of the industry’s brightest development talents with the shared vision to create new and innovative digital experiences.
Not too long ago we mentioned in another review of a Compile Heart developed game that players never quite know what to expect from the developer and while in this instance it happened to be about a spin-off to a charming but gore-filled RPG, this time around it’s the fact that the developer, alongside Neilo, have made a third-person shooter/roguelike of all things with Scar-Lead Salvation. Designed with a sci-fi anime aesthetic and offering fast movement with a variety of weapons, few could have expected that this would be the latest title to arrive from the developer and with Idea Factory International bringing it worldwide, is Scar-Lead Salvation a pleasant surprise or a dreadful one?
Story
Players awaken as an amnesiac woman with a mysterious glowing line of numbers on her cheek saying “00001” as well as a bountiful set of sci-fi armor and a laser shooting assault rifle. Willow, as her name appears to be through all of the marketing though players will take quite some time before they find out her name themselves without this, has no idea where she is or why she is even so skilled at moving in this suit of powered armor and firing a gun but when she starts to explore the strange facility she’s found herself in only to find that the only other thing occupying it are murderous robots. Despite Willow’s best efforts she is slain (via tutorial death) only to re-awaken right from the same pod she did before, only this time the number on her cheek reads “00002.”
When an unhelpful AI starts to chime in and talk with Willow, she learns a little bit about the location she has found herself in but neither can figure out how or why she is there let alone why the robots want her dead. This leaves Willow’s only option being to fight her way through the robotic menaces while ascending the floors of the military testing facility in hopes of being rescued in some way, all while occasionally chatting with the AI as players blast away at enemies, be it philosophical musings, struggles with lost memory, and even the state that the rest of the world might be in all while Willow is fighting through similar looking halls looking for the next teleporter.
Scar-Lead Salvation has a story to tell, but it does so in such a poorly drawn out manner and lackluster way that players will find themselves struggling to really care most of the time, especially since it is almost entirely doled out through side-conversations between Willow and the AI as players travel between rooms and occasionally even in the middle of a battle. There are a few cutcenes here and there though these tend to be limited to boss fights and victories, where more limited exposition arises and even then so much is left vague that players will end up feeling just as frustrated as Willow is when the AI vaguely responds to her answers or says it cannot access databases it clearly does have access to.
It is interesting to note that there is a semblance of an interesting story here, mostly involving the fact that humanity has been pushed to the brink of extinction in a losing war against a multi-dimensional force, but this once again mostly serves as framing and vague mentions. There are certain developments that we won’t spoil here, especially regarding the latter half of the story, but it is rather disappointing to hear how much potential for plot there was that just wasn’t taken advantage of. It is also worth noting that players can find notes left behind in the research facility but thanks to the game’s roguelike nature the appearances of these notes are random and inconsistent. Sometimes portals to the rooms they are in only spawn after a room has been cleared of enemies multiple times and even then on a delay, let alone the fact that some won’t spawn at all unless the player has died and that is in and of itself something of an issue.
Gameplay
Scar-Lead Salvation starts out on the right foot by making it feel absolutely great to control Willow while exploring and fighting. Willow controls tightly when moving and sprinting around, can perform a dodge that can give herself temporary invincibility and dodge through attacks and projectiles, a “photon strike” melee that is punishing and can parry projectiles while absorbing their energy to boost her Exo Phase gauge, and of course jump, though it always sort of feels like a double-jump should have been added or unlockable at some point. Willow can carry two weapons at a time and swap between them on the fly, reloading them as needed with an infinite amount of ammo. Once she has filled up her Exo Phase gauge at least to one full portion players can even enter “Onslaught” mode that makes her temporarily invincible and boosts the damage her weapons deal, though she will still have to reload.
Unfortunately, other than the damage mechanic to Willow’s armor that we will discuss in a bit and some satisfying weapons that make up a somewhat lackluster armory with some weapons feeling downright awful to wield and underpowered compared to others, even at the same level, Scar-Lead Salvation’s gameplay fails to deliver in almost any satisfactory way. Almost every single room plays out the exact same way, with Willow entering a room, finding a number of robotic enemies inside that tend to always look and attack the same with only slight change-ups in later stages, who will ignore her until she starts shooting at them. Then as players take advantage of Willow’s speedy dashing and dodges to avoid their mostly predictable firing angles and attacks and destroy them all, either a new wave will spawn in or players can simply gather up the “Elm Chips” they drop that serve as the in-game currency and head on out through the door. These chips can be used to purchase health refills at shops or items or increase the levels of equipped weaponry between floors. Ironically, the player can actually just run through the door to the next area anytime they want strangely enough, something discovered after having had multiple waves spawn in during the second stage including a late-wave of suicide-bombing bots that we found out could simply just, leave. Ironically, the fact that players have the option to just run straight through any combat arena outside of “Hardcore” rooms that players need to take a teleporter into anyways, is rather funny considering just how monotonous things can become.
Every stage will see players battling through the same looking rooms fighting against the same looking combinations of robots with often the incredibly limited or no real reward for beating them only to venture into the next hallway and into the next room and have to repeat the exact same thing and this is rather dreadful considering how long some stages can be, with floors feeling like they never end. Occasionally things will change-up and players will find a room only filled with laser traps and boxes filled with health items, Exo Gauge boosts, weapons, or Exo skills. The only real reward for often cleaning out an entire wave of a room will occasionally be the appearance of a portal but players are given no indication of what is actually on the other side. Sometimes it is as simple as a reward room filled with boxes of potential buffs or an aforementioned note, a shop where items and weapons can be purchased, or a locked down challenge room.
Exo Skills are little buffs that players can pick up as they fight through the facility and range from increasing player’s defense, their dodge–window, aiming reticle, and more. The further players progress through the game the more slots they unlock for skills but skills are locked to specific slots, meaning players cannot simply pick up a health boosting skill and slot it into slot two, it will instead replace their high level defensive boost option instead. Oh, picking up a duplicate skill will level up the one player’s already have equipped, giving players little reason to want to reset their skill levels especially since Exo Skills are the one thing that players can retain if they are killed in combat, though this, as mentioned before, will happen rarely until late into the game and potentially against a boss battle since at least the boss fights feel like proper bullet-hell style fights that take proper dodges, parrying, and timed shots to defeat the boss by the skin of Willow’s teeth.
One aspect that does make Scar-Lead Salvation a bit unique as a roguelike is the way that well, barely anything worthwhile is carried over or improved over the aforementioned Exo Skills which is disappointing, but the real unique aspect happens to be Willow’s armor. Every time that Willow respawns she will come out with her full set of armor on and players will notice that they actually will receive no damage as long as Willow’s armor is still intact. As she is hit with projectiles or incoming attacks though her armor will slowly start visually breaking and disappearing until she is only down to her under-suit and it is here that players will need to then be careful because at this point Willow will be vulnerable to taking damage. Having an armor mechanic like this that is portrayed visually is an interesting idea and one that isn’t even explained to players so they may feel like they are doing far better than they are only to start getting pulverized once Willow is stripped of her armor. That being said, the game is still incredibly easy for a roguelike and players will most likely find themselves rarely struggling to defeat enemies and only rarely having to put everything on the line against a boss. This lack of challenge is an issue in and of itself for a roguelike hoping to give players reasons to play through it multiple times, because otherwise the game’s frankly short running time for a roguelike quickly reveals itself, even when going for the true ending.
Audio & Visuals
As mentioned earlier, Scar-Lead Salvation puts a strong foot forward when it introduces Willow with her sci-fi anime aesthetic appearance but it quickly falls flat on its face from then on. While Willow may look and move impressively and there are some fancy looking weapons available, the whole thing quickly becomes a bore once players realize they are fighting through the exact same metallic rooms and hallways with slight variations here and there in the randomly generated floors and each stage offering only minimal visual differences. The real standout aspect of the game, visually at least, is that there is almost no slowdown outside of some intense boss fights that feature an intense amount of projectiles being launched at the player and Willow’s armor system. You see, this wouldn’t be a Compile Heart game if there wasn’t some type of fan-service but players need to survive quite a bit to see it here. While there is no cutesy charm or fourth wall-breaking, once Willow’s armor is fully broken and she is down to only her combat suit, the suit will slowly start to be damaged as players take damage themselves. Slowly shredding off parts of it to the point of baring large portions of Willow’s body and simple underwear, providing some level of fan-service but nothing too drastic and to get to this point players need to survive quite a while by healing and surviving encounters or even making use of purchasable revival gems.
The voice work for the game is handled solidly enough with the English voice actors for the amnesiac and confused Willow being handled wonderfully, especially when she is taking an angry or sarcastic tone with the sardonic AI in conversation.. The soundtrack is largely forgettable to the point that it barely serves as background noise to the action and while it does seem like it may differ between stages, the difference is minimal once again.
Overall
Scar-Lead Salvation almost feels like the type of game that is still in its development stages rather than an actually fully published game. Between a story that is far from satisfactory, boring enemies and generic locations to explore, the only real enticing elements happen to be how quickly Willow moves and the way combat works most of the time, including the way Willow’s armor is chipped away for fan-service’s sake. Barely there roguelike elements make this often bland feeling third-person shooter a hard sell, even if it were sold at a discount, but to ask full price for Scar-Lead Salvation is downright the most shocking aspect of the game.
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