Brand new artwork to brighten up even the seediest of casinos
Bristol, United Kingdom — November 27, 2024| What’s better than getting into crippling debt at a dodgy blackjack table? Snazzy cardbacks! Everyone’s favourite questionable card game is back in fashion with today’s brand-new update. Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers will be treating loyal locals to new cardbacks, event artwork, tarot cards designed by Yogscast’s own Boba, as well as a host of balance changes and bug fixes.
Adventuring through a seedy, twisted town of Blackjack addicts, players will be challenged with curating the perfect deck as they go, and will ultimately face off against whoever’s behind the corrupted casino. Or, simply enjoy the chance to gamble with no risk to wallets or loved ones – now with prettier cards!
Available from today (November 27, 2024), players can update their game and gawk in awe at the new pixel-style art, card designs, and overall graphic improvements. So long as they ignore the sticky tables, moth-eaten cards and questionable stains, players will be in for a visual delight.
Since its release in August, the beloved roguelike deckbuilder has been a huge hit for publisher Yogscast Games and developer Purple Moss Collectors. Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers offers players the opportunity to play Blackjack like never before. Unless, of course, they regularly play with tarot cards, business cards and report cards shuffled into the deck.
Those who have yet to descend into degeneracy can do so on Steam at a discounted price during the Winter Sale and get 30% off! Happy gambling!
About Yogscast Games
Yogscast Games was established in 2017, with a simple goal: to work with small teams to develop and publish games which are as fun to watch as they are to play. Its most recent releases have included poker-powered deckbuilding game ‘Aces & Adventures’, the wickedly amoral ‘Trolley Problem, Inc.’ and the wildly successful restaurant management roguelike ‘PlateUp!’.
About Purple Moss Collectors
Purple Moss Collectors is a tiny game studio from New Zealand, making weird and wonderful replayable games. We are currently developing a blackjack roguelike deckbuilder called Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers.
Embark on a thrilling adventure in Gielinor as seasonal event mode Leagues V – Raging Echoes turns up the heat
Watch the trailer for Old School RuneScape Leagues V ‘Raging Echoes’ below
Wednesday, 27 November, 2024, Cambridge, UK. Jagex is pleased to announce that the highly anticipated competitive mode for Old School RuneScape is back, as Leagues V – Raging Echoes kicks off today for eight thrilling weeks of action.
Until January 22nd, 2025, jump into Old School RuneScape and experience the fantasy world of Gielinor with exciting new twists, as Leagues V – Raging Echoes elevates the action of the beloved MMORPG to the max.
Leagues V – Raging Echoes sees the return of a fan-favourite competitive mode that tests RuneScape members’ skills and combat through a series of challenging in-game tasks. Start a new adventure on a fresh character, complete tasks, earn points, and unlock relics to access new regions with additional challenges to face.
To make the most out of Leagues – Raging Echoes, check out the Tips and Tricks video guide below:
Enjoy the return of much-loved features as Area-Locking becomes a permanent Leagues fixture, while Theorycrafting and Enhanced Bosses return once more. New for Leagues V – Raging Echoes, Combat Mastery introduces a system that will change the way players progress and evolve through the League. The new core of combat power, Combat Mastery now compliments the Relic System to give players more control over the battle buffs and boosts they unleash in battle.
With huge XP rewards, fresh changes, and exciting new twists on classic Old School RuneScape gameplay, Leagues V – Raging Echoes is a highly-accessible seasonal game mode for all RuneScape members to jump in and forge their path through Gielinor.
To help players jump into Leagues, Jagex has launched a special Membership package, providing access to Members content for the duration of Leagues V – Raging Echoes at a discounted rate, available for both new and returning players. Players can check out the special Membership package, and follow Leagues V – Raging Echoes here. https://osrs.runescape.com/leagues
Old School RuneScape is available now on PC, Steam, iOS, and Android, complete with cross-platform progression and play on PC and mobile.
About Old School RuneScape
Old School RuneScape is the industry-defining collaboration between the community and developers. Embracing its nostalgic heritage, hundreds of thousands of active players control the direction of the game with an in-game polling system. Featuring adventures for solo play through to 100-player strong raids, Old School RuneScape caters for every brave adventurer. Old School RuneScape continues to innovate, introducing its first ever new skill in 2023 to commemorate its 10th anniversary, arriving later this year. Play now at http://oldschool.runescape.com
About Jagex
A leader in creating deep and engaging forever games that empower our communities across PC, mobile and consoles. Jagex’s flagship MMORPG, RuneScape, has welcomed over 300 million player accounts to its world and is a $1billion + lifetime revenue franchise. Today the RuneScape franchise exists beyond live operations; our titles are forever games that connect and inspire millions of players, with content and experiences both inside and outside of inexhaustible game worlds. Both RuneScape and Old School RuneScape, on PC and mobile, offer ever-evolving, highly active worlds and our community-focussed development ethos empowers players to have a real say in how each game is shaped.
In 2022, Jagex expanded with the acquisitions of PipeWorks and Gamepires, bringing its expertise in building forever games to SCUM, a multi-million selling open-world survival title in Steam Early Access & other unannounced titles. Jagex employs more than 600 people globally, and is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Other retro titles from the Backyard Sports franchise are available to wishlist on Steam
BackyardSoccer ‘98 – the nostalgic video game series from the iconic franchise Backyard Sports – is now available for purchase on Steam and Steam Deck. The remaster is published by Playground Productions, a pioneering full-service production company dedicated to creating best-in-class content for children and families, in partnership with Mega Cat Studios, a video game developer aimed at bringing retro and indie titles directly to the fingertips of gamers, aficionados and enthusiasts alike.
Backyard Soccer ‘98 comes on the heels of the highly-anticipated launch of Backyard Baseball ‘97, the inaugural re-release from the Backyard Sports franchise which was the #1 new sports game and a Top 10 overall game on Steam at launch. Other retro titles now available for wishlist on Steam include Backyard Football ‘99, Backyard Basketball ‘01, Backyard Baseball ‘01 and Backyard Hockey ‘02. By following the Backyard Sports franchise page, players will be notified about the official game drops.
Looking ahead, Playground Productions – led by Founder & CEO Lindsay Barnett and Chief Product Officer Chris Waters – and Mega Cat Studios are in the process of making many of the Backyard Sports announced classic titles accessible for mobile gameplay to reach a wider audience. A next-generation video game inspired by the classic is deep in production. And games are just the beginning, as the production company seeks to expand the ways Backyard fans can engage with the brand and its beloved characters.
Playground Productions is a children’s and family company focused on making best-in-class film, television, digital media, and video games. Playground’s founder Lindsay Barnett spent close to a decade teaching second grade in a Chicago Public School in addition to manufacturing educational products. Playground’s content aims to inspire a love of learning and play. By leveraging the best technology, talent, and character IP, Playground creates content that celebrates the spirit of play, meets children where they are developmentally, and allows kids to be kids.
ABOUT BACKYARD SPORTS
Backyard Sports is a nostalgic brand for the whole family, capturing the feeling of the 90s. The franchise features over 30 diverse characters and is one of the only brands where boys and girls share the same athletic abilities. The Backyard Sports content is centered around everyday neighborhood children playing sports together. The charm of the games was due in large part to the Backyard kids embodying the same quirks and humor as seen in children’s little league, little dribblers or pee wee football.
ABOUT MEGA CAT STUDIOS
Founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Mega Cat Studios strives to deliver unforgettable experiences for gamers of all generations. With our hearts firmly planted somewhere in the 1990s and gazes set on the future, our team combines a passion for crafting new retro classics with an unwavering commitment to delivering compelling current-gen content.
Grab 20% Off Cat Quest III on Steam from today until Dec. 4
LONDON (Nov. 27, 2024) – Sea captains and their trusty crewmates can dive into all-new adventures with a free content update for Cat Quest III, available today on PC (via Steam) and coming soon to players on Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
From today, players can dive back into the Purribean and enjoy a treasure trove of new adventures, including:
Five New Side Quests – Meet new characters and uncover new mysteries from familiar faces while overcoming challenging new foes.
Four New Explorable Dungeons – Overcome new challenges in unique dungeons which each contain new stories, new gameplay mechanics and puzzles and surprises to discover.
Three New Boss Fights – Take on three fearsome new boss battles in thrilling, unique encounters.
A Bounty of New Gear – Discover new gear items and add even more options to your character builds to unleash your full feline fury.
The free content update is available from today on PC (via Steam) and will be coming soon to other platforms. Stay tuned to the official game social channels for more updates and timings.
To celebrate today’s free game update, players on Steam can get their paws on the game for 20% off until Dec. 4*.
The vast open seas of the Purribean are both bountiful and dangerous for any would-be explorers – but it’s here you’ll find the treasure your group of adventurers has been searching for, the legendary North Star. Buccaneers beware – you aren’t the only ones on the lookout for treasure, the fur-ocious Pi-rats are here too, and they’ll stop at nothing to reach the treasure before you. Featuring local co-op, Cat Quest III features an array of gear, weapons, spells and trinkets that allow you to create the cat that is right for you. Whether you want to go in claws blazing or take a more tactical approach, the Purribean can be explored however you see fit.
Cat Quest III is available now across Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC (via Steam). For more information visit: https://thegentlebros.com/catquest3/
About The Gentlebros:
The Gentlebros is an award-winning studio Singapore-based studio and creators of the million-selling Cat Quest series across PC, consoles and mobile. Made up of game industry veterans, The Gentlebros aim to create worlds for people to have fun in. The newest installment in the Cat Quest series, Cat Quest III, launched on PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S and PC (via STEAM) in August, 2024.
About Kepler Interactive:
Kepler Interactive – led by the founders of Kowloon Nights – is a developer and publisher that operates on a co-ownership model. Its studios are given strategic leadership roles, all while continuing to develop their games their way, with no creative limitations. Kepler’s partner studios are as varied as they are talented, including A44 Games in New Zealand, Alpha Channel, Awaceb and Timberline in North America, Ebb Software, Tactical Adventures and Sloclap in Europe, and Shapefarm in Asia. Kepler Interactive itself is headquartered in London. Nintendo Switch is a trademark of Nintendo.
In a new collaboration, Hunt partners with the legendary musician and gaming enthusiast Post Malone to bring a carnival of supernatural horror in a brand new upcoming event
Frankfurt, DE – 27th November: 9x diamond-certified and gaming enthusiast Post Malone is set to make his mark on the extraction shooter genre with the arrival of the biggest ‘Hunt: Showdown 1896’ event to date – Post Malone’s Murder Circus! Bringing a unique blend of musical artistry and supernatural horror to the Bayou, Gulch and beyond, Post Malone takes on the role of the outcast Ringmaster turned deposed King – the lord of the circus and the human oddities who made up its twisted crew.
Post Malone comments about his passion for ‘Hunt: Showdown 1896’:
“You’re either hundred percent in or you’re done. I could either rock this dude and send him off, or I’m totally naked…. Every game I’m shaking, like this is awesome. Whenever you pull it off, I feel like I’m the best player in the entire world.”
Post Malone’s Murder Circus invites players into a nightmarish world where a once-traveling carnival has been transformed by a mysterious artifact known as the HelioStone. Post Malone, who plays the role of the vengeance driven Deposed King, the former Ringmaster, brings his unique creative vision to the game’s gritty historical landscapes marred by Corruption.
Driven out by the HelioStone’s power, Post shadowed the Circus across the continent vowing to destroy HelioStone. Every time it manifests, he does his best to tear it down to the ground. Sometimes he recruits others – bounty hunters, desperadoes, and suchlike – to do it. Sometimes he takes on the task himself. But always the HelioStone eludes him, and so the chase continues.
Circus Tent Interior – Credit: Crytek
Post Malone’s Murder Circus also features a new Monster – orphaned bear cubs, turned unnatural beast, Ursa Mortis. With deformed bodies and minds, twisted into savage hunger by the HelioStone, the monstrous bear that stalks the Circus grounds and will charge at Hunters and attack with a lethal roar.
The collaboration introduces a series of themed hunter skins, weapon variants, enemies and more. Players are invited to experience a surreal carnival-inspired aesthetic that combines the game’s gritty historical setting and extraction shooter mechanics with the artist’s signature style.
Scott Lussier, Game Director for Hunt: Showdown 1896 comments on the collaboration:
“We’re thrilled to have had the opportunity to collaborate with such a passionate and high-profile Hunt fan such as Post Malone. Hunt: Showdown 1896 has always been about creating immersive, high-stakes gameplay. And with Post Malone’s Murder Circus, we’re bringing a new level of intensity and dark entertainment to the Hunt universe”.
Post Malone’s Murder Circus event will soon be available for Hunt: Showdown 1896 players on PC, PlayStation 5 and Series X|S. Be there, when the curtain rises, and the dethroned King of Post Malone’s Murder Circus appears!
About Hunt: Showdown 1896
Hunt: Showdown 1896 is the new era of the competitive first-person bounty hunting game, packing the thrill of survival and the reward of profit into a horror match-based format. Set in Colorado in 1896, the game boasts a mixture of PvP and PvE elements that create a uniquely tense experience. It’s not just the monsters who are a threat—it’s every Hunter on the map. In the classic Bounty Hunt game mode, a match pits 12 players—playing solo or in teams of two or three—against each other as they race to take out gruesome creatures for a Bounty they must collect and extract from the map. Hunt’s Soul Survivor mode offers a shorter match for solo players to scavenge for weapons as they compete for a diminishing pool of Bounty. The higher the risk, the higher the reward–but a single mistake could cost you everything. Hunt: Showdown 1896 is out now on PC, PlayStation 5 and Series X|S. For more information, visit www.huntshowdown.com
London, November 27, 2025: Gaming history is about to be made as Archer Maclean’s DropZone celebrates 40 years of action-packed, adrenaline-fueled gameplay. Launching December 2024, the 40th Anniversary Edition of this legendary retro classic from System 3 pays tribute to its storied legacy while introducing exciting upgrades for a new generation of players.
First released in 1984, DropZone quickly became the gold standard for Defender-style games, earning critical acclaim and capturing the hearts of gamers worldwide. This iconic title, crafted by gaming visionary Archer Maclean, has stood the test of time, inspiring countless players and developers alike. Now, System 3—a pioneer of the retro revival—invites fans to rediscover the magic of DropZone like never before.
What’s New in the 40th Anniversary Edition?
This special edition combines classic gameplay with modernen hancements, offering something for both veteran fans and newcomers:
Upgraded Graphics: Dive into DropZone’s high-definition visuals that retain the nostalgic charm of its pixel-art roots. Switch seamlessly between the original 8-bit graphics and updated visuals in real-time during gameplay—a groundbreaking feature for retro remakes.
Enhanced Controls: Experience optimized precision on today’s controllers, including Xbox, PS5, and PS4. For the truly nostalgic, keyboard input is still supported (but not recommended!).
Original Retro Mode: For purists, relive the classic with authentic graphics and sound, accessible at the press of a button.
A Legendary Mission in the Year 2085 The stakes are higher than ever! Humanity’s survival depends on you as aliens descend upon Jupiter’s moon, Io, threatening its vital Ionian crystal mining operations. Rescue the survivors, retrieve the crystals, and deliver them safely to the DROPZONE while fending off relentless enemies,including the dreaded Planters, explosive Nemesites, and the fearsome Nmeye. With every level, the pressure mounts, but the thrill of victory is unmatched!
A Legacy Honoured Retro gaming fans know DropZone as one of the most beloved titles of its time, a fact reflected in its stellar reviews:
“…The graphics are superb, and the play is utterly addictive.” – Popular Computing Weekly
“Any shoot-em-up fan who doesn’t have this game as pride of place…needs psychiatric treatment now!” – Zzap!
“Very fast, very playable, and very addictive!” – Total!!
Join the Celebration This December, relive the electrifying gameplay that captivated the world 40 years ago or experience it for the first time with all-new upgrades. Archer Maclean’s DropZone – 40th Anniversary Editionisn’t just a game—it’s a celebration of gaming history.
Are you ready to save the future of humanity and honour thepast of gaming? The countdown begins now.
Archer Maclean’s Dropzone – 40thAnniversary Edition will launch in December 2025 on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X.For more information, visit the Steam page
Plenty of presents, including a Tier VIII Tech Tree ship, a Warships-style Advent Calendar, and famed World War II vessels await players in this festive update
AUSTIN, TX (November 27, 2024) – Wargaming, the developer and publisher of the leading naval battle multiplayer game World of Warships, is kicking off the festive season with a Warships winter wonderland in its latest seasonal update. Packed full of goodies and events to commemorate the festivities, players can unwrap free ships, camouflages, and Containers, along with the addition of the historical USS Archerfish submarine and Shinano aircraft carrier, themed Event Passes, and much more.
Good Tide-ings Await Players in the Wonders of the Arctic
Bringing in the season of giving, players will find rewards piled high as the Wonders of the Arctic event brings Port Nordlyshavn to World of Warships. Here, a festive tree waits to be decorated with ornaments, earned by playing battles. As the tree is adorned in an array of festive decor, players will unlock free items ranging from Containers to World of Warships Premium Account access. Once all unique ornaments have been added, players will receive a New Year Sky permanent camouflage, three More Coal Containers, and a By the Fireplace flag. Adding more trimming to the tree, World of Warships brings back its in-game Advent Calendar, rewarding loyal players with a variety of daily gifts throughout December.
A brand-new Expedition to the North Pole event further spreads the holiday cheer, and concludes the adventures of Li Wei and Olaf Lundgren, seen in previous updates. This event features free Tier VIII Tech Tree ship, American battleship North Carolina, up for grabs to all players, and Tier X Tech Tree German battleship Schlieffen available for those who complete the Expedition, alongside additional rewards.
Finally, Festive Rewards return from December 1 until January 9, available to ships Tier V and higher. By completing a series of missions, mariners will be rewarded with Santa’s Gift certificates. These can be redeemed for Santa’s Gift and Santa’s Mega Gift Containers, or for a plethora of credits. The Containers offer the chance to earn one of 145 ships or a Golden Gift Container, packed with valuable rewards, including Tier IX ships and higher.
Reenact an Iconic Battle from World War II
As part of the latest World of Warships update, renowned American Tier X submarine Archerfish and Japanese Tier X aircraft carrier Shinano join the roster. The two ships are known for their battle at the height of World War II, in which Archerfish managed to take down Shinano – the largest carrier to be built at that time. American Tier X submarine Archerfish comes equipped with short-range homing torpedoes and high-speed sonar pings, perfect for scouring out prey to take down on the high seas. It’s also the first submarine to come equipped with Combat Instructions, which offer a reload boost to all consumables. Shinano’s options make her more akin to a battleship, offering a new plane squadron of skip bombers for air battles, along with a tactical Smoke Curtain Generator to stealthily take aggressive positions. Each vessel also comes equipped with Commanders, camouflages, flags, and more, alongside a chain of missions that can earn captains a historically recreated patch of USS Archerfish.
Even More New Content is on the Horizon
The latest World of Warships update brings plenty more for players. Two new themed Event Pass chapters arrive, dedicated to Li Wei and Olaf Lundgren. Each chapter will run for three weeks across 25 levels, packed with information on these Commanders, alongside patches, Containers, camouflages, and more. Beginning on November 27, the Hamburg Dockyard will commence construction of Tier IX Pan-European Battleship Niord and Tier V Pan-European Destroyer Kalmar, both equipped with a diverse set of weaponry and abilities. Plus, players will get hands-on with the arrival of Clan Patrols, the return of Asymmetric Battles, and new seasons of Clan Battles and Brawls.
This update also brings a number of bug fixes, upgrades, and balance changes across the game. You can find the full patch notes here.
About World of Warships
World of Warships is a free, historical, online combat PC game from Wargaming. With its massive fleet of most iconic war vessels, including five different ship classes and strategically designed environment, World of Warships provides the ultimate naval warfare gaming experience, suitable for everyone. Thanks to its largest collection of historically accurate ships available to play, World of Warships prides itself as a digital ship museum and a focal point for naval history enthusiasts. New thematic content and innovative game modes are being added on a regular basis, providing a diverse and exciting gameplay to its broad player base.
One franchise – multiple platforms
After the successful launch of World of Warships on PC, its unique gameplay and design has been adapted to bring free massive naval battles to other platforms with World of Warships: Legends available on PlayStation and Xbox and mobile devices and World of Warships Blitz on iOS and Android mobile devices. Official website: http://www.worldofwarships.com
About Wargaming
Wargaming is an award-winning online game developer and publisher headquartered in Nicosia, Cyprus. Operating since 1998, Wargaming has grown to become one of the leaders in the gaming industry with 16 offices around the world, including studios in Chicago, Prague, Shanghai, Tokyo, Vilnius and Belgrade. Millions of players enjoy Wargaming’s titles across all major gaming platforms. Our flagship products include the free-to-play hits World of Tanks, World of Warships and World of Tanks Blitz.
Liberte, a hack’n’slash game inspired by the 18th century French Revolution with card game and roguelite elements, will be released on PlayStation 5 this November 29. The title features a dynamic combat system and a unique card system including more than 100 skill and talent cards. Liberte draws on the works of H.P. Lovecraft, and the storyline combines political intrigue with the occult. The game offers a single-player campaign and local co-op modes for up to 4 players. Liberte was previously released for PC and Xbox Series X|S.
The title was developed by Polish studio Superstatic and appeared first on PC and recently on Xbox Series X|S. Ultimate Games S.A. is responsible for the development and release of Liberte on PlayStation 5.
Liberte is a hack’n’slash game, which is also distinguished by elements of a card game and roguelite. The gameplay is based on exploration and combat, in which the player can use both white and firearms. A unique system of dynamic combat allows one to create almost any combination from more than 100 available skill and talent cards. At the same time, Liberte offers single-player campaigns and local co-op modes (up to 4 players simultaneously).
Developers from the Superstatic studio were inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft, body horror films by David Cronenberg, and historical events from the French Revolution, among others.
In Liberte, the player finds himself in an alternate version of 18th-century Paris during a revolution. The chaos associated with the revolution is compounded by a being from another dimension, the mysterious Lady Bliss. The player takes on the role of Rene, whom Lady Bliss chooses to find a new ruler from among the representatives of the four factions vying for power. As the player progresses, he can take on other characters as well.
Liberte – main features:
a hack’n’slash in the reality of the French Revolution;
Lovecraftian mysteries;
dynamic battles
a plot that combines political intrigue with the occult;
unique card system.
Liberte will be released on PlayStation 5 on November 29, 2024.
Umeå, Sweden – 26 Nov. 2024 –Cthulhu’s Reach: Devil Reef, the Lovecraftian action-roguelike co-op dungeon crawler from developer The Fine Arc, conjures up a publishing partnership with First Break Labs and crawls into Act II, available on PC via Steam Early Access Tuesday, 10 Dec., 2024. Hunt down a sweet deal while the game is 15% off in Steam’s Autumn Sale from 27 Nov. to 4 Dec.
Stuck with enormous debt and a greedy gangster to pay off, it’s time to accept misfortune and risk it all to find the hidden treasure of Devil Reef. Travel to the creepy seaside town of Innsmouth and venture deeper and deeper into the daunting unknown, where piles of gold may await… under the watchful eye of lurking eldritch horrors.
Brave mythical beasts and creatures behind each dungeon’s door by unlocking upgrades for powerful arcane scrolls and incantations ready. Journey through this horrifying space solo or with a group of up to four fellow dungeon crawlers, embracing the atmospheric soundtrack and pixel art inspired by H.P. Lovecraft and the glorious golden era of ‘90s games.
In Act II, enter the dreadful new environment of Hydra’s Hollow, filled with red-hot magma and Esoteric Priests performing dark rituals hidden in the shadows. Find new weapons by exploring new areas rife with destruction and misery. All roads lead to Mother Hydra, a horror inspired by the classic Cthulhu myth; grant her a quick end before she decimates everything in her wake.
“Embark on a treasure hunt of a lifetime, with even more content packed in each gnarly generated dungeon in Cthulhu’s Reach: Devil Reef,” said Daniel Olofsson, one half of the team at The Fine Arc. “Act II will feature more ghouls, guns, and gripping gameplay, ready for a deep dive when it arrives later this December!”
Cthulhu’s Reach: Devil Reef dives deeper with Act II on PC via Steam Early Access on Tuesday, 10 Dec. 2024. Act I is available now for $9.99 USD with English language support.
First Break Labs is an innovative, independently financed collective of video game industry veterans, committed to spotlighting groundbreaking new video games. With extensive experience at SEGA, Nintendo, ATLUS, and SmileGate, First Break Labs is on a mission to provide essential funding and marketing support to like-minded indie developers.
About The Fine Arc
The Fine Arc is a Sweden-based game studio with a focus on creating satisfying and atmospheric titles. The team is currently working on its first title, Cthulhu’s Reach: Devil Reef.
Among the many post-apocalyptic games that have been released throughout the years, the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise has always held a certain reputation for being brutal, unique, and often busted with jank. Despite having three games released over the course of as many years, the franchise has long been one thought dead, but in the radioactive fallout of Chornobyl, is anything truly dead? GSC Game World has returned and strived through unfathomably difficult circumstances to bring the franchise back with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. With such a tumultuous development and hopes for the franchise at an all time high, have they managed to deliver here?
Story
Thankfully, considering the time difference between STALKER games, players do not require any direct knowledge of the previous games, though doing so will provide some important context to the game’s various mutants, anomalies, and why the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, simply called the Zone, is the way it is. Instead, players take on the role of Skif, a mainlander who suddenly finds his home torn up by a powerfully strange artifact that had landed outside the Zone. In an attempt to find out what this artifact does and recharge it with the energy it needs to be as potentially life-changing with how valuable it might be, Skif takes on the risky job of sneaking into the Zone and performing some scans to try and power the artifact.
What was meant to be a simple trip in and out of the Zone quickly takes a turn for the worst as Skif finds himself betrayed and left for dead with nothing but a nearly empty pistol to his name and a radioactive and mutated dog chewing on his boot. With the rare help of a passerby, Skif learns of a town nearby that might have some people inside that may know the way to track down the people who nearly killed Skif. Maybe. For a price. Nothing is free in the Zone and a helpful hand is rare indeed and nothing drills that into the skull of Skif faster than the first few hours of the game’s story that sees players traveling through numerous locations trying to learn little bits of information that simply send them towards their next target, chasing breadcrumbs in the Zone filled with anomalies, bloodthirsty bandits, Stalkers with a bone to pick, numerous factions that are at odds with one another, and of course, violent mutants.
STALKER 2‘s initial tutorial mission that sees players planting the scanners before Skif’s betrayal serves as a way to introduce players to some elements of the game’s mechanics such as some mutant types, random bandits that’ll fire upon Skif without a second thought, and of course resource management but it also serves as the most direct narrative of the game that sets players up on their initial quest for revenge. The story moves slowly at the start, partly due to how unprepared Skif is to take on the various challenges that exist in the Zone but mostly because he’ll be relegated to doing work for those who hold the leverage of knowledge over him, sending Skif, and therefore the player, on numerous outings for hours before the meat of the storyline starts to kick in. While we won’t go into detail here about when and what happens that really kicks things into overdrive and makes the story of STALKER 2 feel more impactful and well put together than any other release in the series, it must be said that once this narrative gets going, it feels extremely well handled.
This is partially due to how player choice plays a role in how certain things turn out, how characters around the Zone will react to Skif, and other smaller elements. While STALKER 2 may not feature any RPG skills to force dialogue checks, players can still select dialogue for Skif that will determine his tone with characters, sometimes kicking off fights even, and these are put into great effect throughout the game. Nowhere do these types of choices come into play more than in some of the sidequests that players can undertake outside of the main storyline. While some choices may simply boil down into giving an item to one faction or another, raising Skif’s standing with them and potentially harming it with the other, there is almost always some extra level of nuance to a mission.
One of the earliest involves a trip to a dead anomalous poppy field that contains a religious artifact for someone who has lost their entire family. Upon arriving, players will find that a caretaker has kept watch over the poppy field to supposedly protect people from venturing into the deadly poppies that will put those who linger too long in the beautiful flowers through strange hallucinations before sinking them into a permanent slumber. Players can either take the risk of exploring the field themselves or gather equipment from others that died in the field and deliver it to the caretaker for a direct map to the location of the relic and, upon recovering the relic, they’ll be prompted with another choice. Do you deliver it to the man who requested his lost family heirloom? Or turn it into the caretaker for a powerful and souped up rifle? This is a simple enough choice that is only the tip of the iceberg as to the type of choices that players can make and while it rarely feels “proper” to save scum or make use of the game’s quick save system to do so, it generally feels right when it comes to these choices. Especially when some offer some rather sinister options that aren’t directly given. In this instance? We traded the relic for the firearm only to shoot the caretaker in the head and take it back from his body along with a key that revealed that perhaps he wasn’t minding the fields out of goodwill in the first place. Then we returned the relic properly, receiving both rewards in the process with none the wiser.
Obviously not every quest has these types of options and some may fail the quest outright should the player try to deviate from the proper course, but many of them have alternatives. In fact, the world of STALKER 2 is one where there is always a gray area and almost everyone is out for themselves in one way or another. Will you be the nice guy and fish a gun out of a river for a poor soul that lost it in favor of earning some respect from the base? Or simply keep it for yourself. Give an artifact to someone so they can escape safely or kill them off and keep the valuable? Is the person that even gave you the quest the one in the right at all? These questions spring up quite often in side-quests and there are even those random events that can result in no reward at all, not even Coupons, the in-game currency.
To top these side-quests and their high variability off, the world itself is often a living and breathing thing. Using the developer’s “A-Life 2.0” system, players can be venturing across the Zone only to find a random group of humans in a firefight with a pack of blind dogs or facing off against a deadly bloodsucker that is darting back and forth while invisible to pick them apart. Other times players may find themselves exploring a ruin only to hear gunshots outside and find that two opposing factions are trying to kill each other outside. Should you intervene and save one side? Pick off the survivors? Or just wait and loot the corpses of those unfortunate enough to die in the firefight. All these choices are up to you. Even something as innocuous as sitting at a campfire and playing the guitar with other random Stalkers can find players talking and trading with these temporary friends or having to face off against a powerful mutant that was drawn to the commotion.
This level of random world events keeps every expedition through the Zone an interesting one, since players never know when that empty field might just contain a fresh foe or event happening the next time they run through it. That being said, there is some annoyance here as the game’s systems fail to properly balance some of these encounters. In more than a few instances our Skif found himself facing down a pack of blind dogs that are far deadlier than they sound only to finally eliminate them and then hear even more barking in the distance, leading to either another desperate fight for survival or simply fleeing the area and hoping for the best. The Zone is an unforgiving land and while its story is an interesting one that is more nuanced and features plenty of choices to be had throughout it, players will need to struggle to survive nearly the entire time to make their way through it.
Gameplay
Although STALKER 2 may feature an inventory system, various choices that players can make, and a number of survival systems to handle, it is worth noting that this first person game is far from an actual RPG. Players will not gain experience points for slaying random bandits or taking down every mutant they come across, instead the best way to stay alive the Zone and grow stronger is with proper planning, finding and upgrading valuable equipment, and even obtaining artifacts. That being said, the Zone is a punishing place filled with more dangers than players can ever expect, thanks to pre-set encounters and anomalies and the aforementioned A-Life 2.0 system that will throw random events the player’s way during exploration.
Initially, players will always feel like they are on the back foot when it comes to exploring the Zone, especially since many of the starting pieces of gear aren’t the best and Coupons are somewhat scarce. However as players learn the ropes they’ll find that they will have plenty of things to manage while exploring or preparing to venture out. Thankfully, each primary town has an inter-connected “stash” that players can use to store away any ammo, spare equipment, or even extra food and healing items they may not need on an adventure out towards their goal. Even then, being prepared doesn’t necessarily mean things will be easy, especially with how many survival mechanics and limitations are put on the player.
Not only is Skif only able to carry around 80kg of equipment at a time, with his movement and stamina regeneration growing slower the more encumbered he is, but every piece of equipment short of his flashlight and scanner degrades with use. This means every shot from a firearm, impact from a bullet into the vest, or stepping into a whirlwind anomaly will damage his equipment. Damaged armor is less protective while degraded firearms have a tendency to jam, requiring an extra reload to clear the jam and stay in the fight. Repairing equipment comes at the cost of valuable Coupons, something that is exorbitantly expensive compared to many other items players can simply purchase. This means players may need to risk using their favorite gun only to have to waste their entire reward repairing it afterwards or fall back on guns grabbed in the field that are already degraded and have a chance at jamming when needed most.
This adds an extra layer of tension to every encounter in STALKER 2 and the tension is already high enough as it is.. Players will encounter random bandits that shoot first and ask questions later, factions that may be hostile to them or simply want to protect their land, or even have to deal with an interaction turned violent and be ready for a firefight. Many of the guns in the game feel satisfying to use, with enemies properly responding to getting hit more often than not, and a headshot downing a human enemy almost always in one shot. Scoped weapons make things a bit easier here but players will need to make sure they aren’t treating the enemy AI as stupid. Yes, it is stupid more often than not as there are plenty of occasions where enemies will run out into the open and make for easy pickings or take cover with a large portion of their body hanging out, but for as many times the AI fails, it proves to be tactical as well. Staying entrenched in cover can lead to enemies flanking your position, moving to take wide-open shots at the player while their buddies keep them pinned down or toss grenades to flush the player out of hiding or take the chance to move as well. Countless times we’ve seen the enemy AI act quite intelligently in the field and keep the pressure on us and when players have to manage not only their health but also bleeding effects as well, this is quite a dangerous situation and makes standard enemy encounters often feel tense and worthwhile when facing down a group.
The various mutants that players encounter are something of a mixed bag on the other hand. Standard mutants such as mutated blind dogs or enormous rats are deadly in packs but are fairly easy to pick apart but then there are the stronger more dangerous mutants such as the invisible Bloodsucker’s that only appear when they attack, Poltergeists that throw items and appear as mist, and even those that can mimic friendly speech before zipping out to slash at you with mutated feline claws to name a few. These aren’t even the deadliest ones around as many mutants have different ways to debilitate or affect the player outside of direct attacks as well and since players have no way to defend or even dodge these attacks outside of strafing, they’ll need to simply pump bullets into them until they drop. Almost all mutants, with the exceptions of the rats, dogs, and fleshes, are tanky problems to deal with that will not only dwindle a well-stocked Stalker’s ammo reserves but their healing items as well. This can feel more than a little frustrating sometimes, especially since some mutants seem to have inconsistent health pools and are more annoying to fight than anything else, making fleeing a more viable option if possible especially since mutants rarely drop useful rewards unless they are a target of a quest.
If hostile humans and bloodthirsty mutants weren’t enough, the Zone’s various anomalies will be just as deadly. These anomalies come in a variety of types ranging from standard to highly specific ones that have even been given special names by the residents of the Zone. The player’s scanner will beep to alert when they are near an anomaly and can either avoid it or toss a bolt into it to trigger it early, allowing for safe passage depending on the type. Some anomaly locations have the chance of containing an artifact as well that players can uncover. These artifacts offer a variety of bonuses such as increased resistance to certain elements or damage types or even increased carry weight at the cost of emitting constant radiation that the player will need to drink booze or take pills to eliminate. There are even “arch-artifacts” that contain special powers with no radioactive effects. These artifacts can be equipped like armor and are highly valuable, making them a great source for Coupons if players don’t need them or find one that does more harm than good.
Outside of the aforementioned equipment degradation system, STALKER 2 has a variety of survival mechanics as well. A few of these have been mentioned before, with players bleeding from gunshot wounds of claw marks that slowly degrade their health over time as well as radiation that not only distorts the screen but also increases the amount of damage the player is dealt. Alongside these are hunger, thirst, and even tiredness mechanics though they all feel rather basic. The only notably detrimental one is tiredness of these three, as being sleepy can cause the player to blink or even fade off for a short period of time, leaving them vulnerable to attack. As for hunger and thirst, players will never find themselves running low on these items enough to suffer from them. This leaves these mechanics feeling a bit too simple in nature and makes one wonder why they were there at all at times.
Now it wouldn’t be a STALKER game if it wasn’t chock-full of bugs and while some of these are meaningless and even endearing, such as a mutant body sliding away like it’s on ice or a pair of feet sticking out of the ground because the bandit spawned upside down, some are far more detrimental and still persist even after multiple patches. While some issues have been fixed, such as quest-breaking bugs that wouldn’t properly spawn a proper NPC to interact with or have the NPC impossible to interact with, there still are a number of issues throughout the game that are both annoying, such as permanently locked doors that are meant to be accessible, and also game-breaking. One such bug involves a late-game mission that, when triggered, forces the NPCs to halt in place and never move from their spot, making it impossible to continue the main storyline. The only current way to seemingly get around this bug was to reload a save over an hour prior and somehow manage to make the NPCs interact in a way that they wouldn’t connect with one another and trigger the issue again. There is always some jank to be expected in a game this massive, especially given the eurojank that the STALKER franchise is known for, but these issues run the gambit of being less charming and more frustrating than anything else, once again reinforcing our earlier suggestion to make frequent saves into separate files to avoid a hard progress lock.
Audio & Visuals
It must be said that STALKER 2 is an absolutely gorgeous looking game with its approach to the apocalyptic and decrepit land within the Zone. The dilapidated buildings that players must deal with, the monstrous looking designs of the mutants that players will need to face off against, the unique wonder of some anomalies, and even the tranquil beauty found within this hellish zone are a wonder to behold. There are some texture issues that frequently appear in certain locations and the game does seem to suffer from traversal stuttering when running too quickly between locations, but playing on quality mode does make for a gorgeous looking game. This is especially true with the atmospheric effects, with the sinister lightning storms feeling like they are cracking down, quite literally in some cases, right next to the player nevermind the Emission Storms that will send players scurrying for safety or face horrible death.
The game’s voice work is a bit of a mixed bag and that is mostly thanks to the fact that the English dub, while serviceable, isn’t the best around in any regard, be it Skif’s performance or the many NPCs players encounter. This means that players will want to choose the other voice track, the native Ukrainian language, to get the most out of the game. Not only does it sound more natural and fluid, the voice actors here sound far more emotive and better suited for their roles. The soundtrack features a unique collection of background music that pops up whenever a radio might be nearby featuring Ukrainian music and other songs, though most of the time players will simply be in silence as they travel the zone, with only their footsteps, geiger counter, and distant gunshots and growls keeping them company.
Overall
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl’s very existence is a triumph in its own right and the fact that GSC not only managed to create such a massive world for players to explore, that is dripping with interesting locations to explore and numerous systems to manage is a feat as well. With an impressive story that takes a bit too long to get going, but once it does features some truly outstanding moments as well as the moment to moment gameplay that often keeps the tension high, and STALKER 2 is a challenging treat that you just don’t see that often these days, especially in this style. Yes, there are bugs galore and janky elements to deal with as well as numerous frustrating elements as well, but it’s the Stalker way to persist through these issues to survive and that happens to be the case here. While the title is certainly in dire need of some extra polish and bug fixes that are happening quite frequently after release already, those ready to dip their toes into the irradiated Zone will find STALKER 2 a satisfyingly enjoyable challenge.
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