Defender's Quest 2: Mists of Ruin is a really solid if unspectacular tower defense title, that plays it safe by not really taking a lot of chances, and seldom strays from the original game’s formula.
In this open-world game you are challenged with turning a hostile planet into a habitable haven for all of human kind. You have the ability and equipment to temper the climate, and to create a breathable atmosphere!
Dungeon Inn is a cozy strategy management game that has an amusing story. The premise? Sara and her crew end up trifling with a scary dragon who catches them red-handed stealing from him.
Do you want to fight with gun and sword in a post-apocalyptic style future Osaka against demons from myth and fantasy? Well then, look no further than BLADE CHIMERA!
Glitchwalkers is the first DLC to launch for the game Astroneer, an exploration, survival, crafting game set in space. It originally released in 2016 and has vastly improved gameplay from...
Loco Motive is a wonderful point and click, puzzle, adventure game about a retiring wealthy heiress, Lady Unterwald, who has a hard time picking her next successor.
“Today's adventure destination, is Down” Kletka opens with a simple and easy to understand premise: gather together with your crew of inmates or solo and venture into the obscure world below.
8-Bit Adventures 2: The Adventures of Squishy, is finally here on consoles! Who's Squishy you ask? Squishy is your robot and totally the main protagonist.
Placing you in command of either NATO or Warsaw Pact nations, Sea Power is an incredibly detailed simulation of modern naval combat and will test you every step of the way.
January 22, 2025 - Independent developer Leonard Menchiari, Director of
Trek to Yomi, The Eternal Castle [REMASTERED] and publisher Abonico Game Works
are proud to announce that Path of Fury: Episode I - Tetsuo’s Tower, will be
launching on the Meta Quest Store this March 12. This on-rails Virtual Reality
action game is inspired in the Chinese Kung-Fu movies from the 80s like the Wong
Kar Wai series or The Raid Redemption and games like Time Crisis and the 90’s
First of the North Star arcade cabinet. The title will be sold at a price of
9.99 USD and will supported by the Quest 2, Pro and 3 devices.
In
Path of Fury: Episode I – Tetsuo’s Tower, you’re thrust into a relentless
gauntlet, armed with nothing but your fists and raw willpower. Tetsuo’s fortress
rises above you, each floor crawling with enemies that are ready to end you.
Your only option? Punch your way through every last one of them.
Precision
and speed are everything. Each enemy has a weakness—you’ll have to find it and
strike before they swarm. As the floors stack higher, so do the odds. The action
doesn’t let up, and neither can you. This is pure, high-stakes combat where
every punch counts, and hesitation could be fatal.
Path of Fury
doesn’t just test your skill—it tests your endurance.
The question
is: how far can you go?
"I think VR is at its best when it combines exercise with beautiful, immersive
environments, so I tried to create something that could merge those things
together. Through this, I was able to craft a linear experience with a strong
backstory that despite being very straightforward, still felt different each
time. That was the goal at least, but I feel like I got pretty close to what I
was aiming for." - Leonard Menchiari (Game Director)
GAME FEATURES
Experience the essence of Kung Fu. The goal is to deliver the most powerful
strikes and achieve quicker knockouts with the least effort possible,
players will feel the progression after playing more and more sessions.
Linear experience but feels different each time. With a strong backstory,
the game is designed to be very straightforward and to still surprise the
player with new details and progression elements each time they play.
Essential training tool component. Patience pays off. Every enemy has a
weakness that can be exploited, so the more you practice, the faster you’ll
beat them.
The combat is in the sweet spot between authenticity and accessibility,
designed with everyone in mind, with a focus on striking, while rewarding
resistance precision and speed instead, just like in Kung-Fu.
The Lore Behind Path of Fury - Meet Tetsuo
Tetsuo is the man governing this quarter. Here, the outskirts are where he gets
the money, mainly from the nightclubs, where he sells the products he bakes to
feed the city. The streets outside the tower are pure chaos: gangs fighting for
territory, thugs scraping by, and a police force too corrupt or powerless to
restore order. Under the tower is where people live, underground, where Yakuza
members keep peace and order among the addicts and gang members. Inside the
tower is where the products are made, so that the higher floors can enjoy their
parties and have fun while at the very top Tetsuo's men train all day and night
to become the most powerful martial artists in the world, placed there to
protect him from anyone who wants to tear his empire down. Here is where Tetsuo
resides, watching over the world he's built, safe from anything that could get
in his way. Until now, perhaps.
Leonard Menchiari, is a game developer who started his career in 2010 in the
audiovisual production field with short films like Half Life’s Singularity
Collapse, he worked with Valve in 2011-2012. He directed the real world events
based crowd-control tactical game RIOT Civil Unrest in 2016, then the
platformer adventure The Eternal Castle [REMASTERED] in 2019, and the
cinematic Samurai combat-centered adventure Trek to Yomi in 2022.
About Abonico Game Works
ABONICO GAME WORKS is a new independent game publisher founded by the
marketing and business consultant Jesús Fabre in 2024, with a particular focus
in small to medium-sized, arcade and retro-inspired games. We are committed to
delivering the old good fun experiences to PC, consoles, and VR platforms. We
have a team of experienced senior professionals that really care about the
games we publish.
Here we are - the end of the road, at least in this series. It's a challenging question we posed to the CGR team: name the video games that have been most impactful to you. It's a difficult question with no wrong answers, but we wanted to share our picks with you and invite our readers to do the same in the comments.
February 1st, 2025 | Bushcraft Simulator, a new survival game with roguelike elements, is heading to PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2. The player will find himself in a wild forest, where he will have to demonstrate his bushcraft and survival skills. Bushcraft Simulator is expected to be distinguished by realism and varied and well-balanced gameplay. The simulator harks back to games like Green Hell and The Forest, but at the same time is expected to provide a number of its own solutions and mechanics. The release date will be revealed at a later date.
Polish studio A2 Softworks (e.g. Gatewalkers and Climber: Sky is the Limit) is working on Bushcraft Simulator. The publisher will be Ultimate Games S.A., which is known for, among other things, the well-reviewed Ultimate Fishing Simulator series and the best-selling Thief Simulator 2.
Bushcraft Simulator is a realistic simulation game with roguelike and survivalist elements, in which the player fights for survival on an island cut off from the world and overgrown by wild forest. The player must survive as long as possible in a hostile environment with only limited resources at his disposal.
The idea of the game refers to the art of survival and coping with wildlife. The gameplay will focus on survival, but it will not lack gathering, crafting, exploration and combat. The issue of taking care of the basic needs of the character, i.e. health, eating, hydration and warmth, among others, will play a very important role.
Bushcraft Simulator with unique survival mechanics
As announced by the developers, Bushcraft Simulator is to be distinguished by its realistic approach to survivalism. Making water will require the player to obtain and process the right raw materials (e.g. charcoal, sand, etc.) and then apply them in the right order. When setting up a camp, the player will have to properly plan sleeping areas, shelters and campfires to ensure comfort and safe survival of the night. It is worth noting the mechanics in which the type of campfire affects the amount of heat generated and how long it burns.
Another important element is the exploration of the wild forest, which will require the player to plan the equipment necessary for the next stages of the game. Skillful weight management and preparation of the right set of tools will be crucial and may determine survival. In the game, in addition to fighting wildlife, the player will encounter mysterious signs and structures.
"This is a game that should appeal to fans of bushcraft and survivalism. Certainly players who appreciate productions in the style of Green Hell, The Forest or Valheim will find something for themselves in Bushcraft Simulator. The game focuses on realistic aspects of survival, which can be found in vain in other productions with similar themes. The simulator will be distinguished by a thoughtful combination of realism and varied and intriguing gameplay," says developer from A2 Softworks, Andrzej Stroiński.
The player will feel as if he is on a lonely expedition, where – relying only on himself and simple tools – he must obtain drinking water and food. Gathering, hunting and fishing are only a part of the skills that will come into play. Thoughtful construction of shelters, orientation in the field, making simple tools, lighting fires, tying knots, and working with wood and other materials will also play an important role.
Bushcraft Simulator – Main Features:
the struggle for survival in the wild forest;
collecting and crafting;
shelter creation;
exploration, combat and uncovering secrets;
roguelike survival.
The game's release date has not yet been set. Bushcraft Simulator is set to launch on PC first, followed by PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
February 1st, 2025 | Today we are proud to
share official release dates, pricing information and
target platforms for seven global releases scheduled
for launch across consoles and PC in February 2025.
While
most of these titles have been announced in previous
press communications and showcase videos, for many
this is the first time that official release dates
have been specified. We hope this summary of new
details will make it easier for players to plan for
their most anticipated titles.
Defender's Quest 2: Mists of Ruin is a really solid if unspectacular
tower defense title, that plays it safe by not really taking a lot of chances,
and seldom strays from the original game’s formula. By and large, given how
great the original game was in its time, that might seem like the smart play.
That being said, I have to admit that I wanted just a bit something more after all
of these years since the original. Defender's Quest 2: Mists of Ruin was still
a good deal of fun, but it lacks the spark of the original.
When it came out over a decade ago, there was something fresh
and addicting to Defender’s Quest: Valley of the Forgotten. The presentation
was simple enough, but there was some quality RPG depth to how characters
gained experience and you tweaked their abilities to your liking. There was a
fun D&D-like fantasy vibe to the story as well, which was quite
trope-heavy, but still enjoyable. I have picked the original up on multiple
formats over the years, and you can see exactly why in my original review
on PC back in 2014.
For those unfamiliar with the tower defense genre, the
basics are pretty simple. You have streams of enemies that funnel onto the map
from one or more points of entry. Over the span of stages, they tend to take on
different attributes such as more hit points or armor, but faster or slower,
some attack back and so on. They march towards a destination and if too many of
them get through, they destroy that destination and the stage ends. What you do
to fend them off is play a variety of different characters along the way that
attempt to kill the attackers as you try to figure out the best combinations of
characters along the best paths. It’s an addicting, strategic genre that I’ve
greatly enjoyed over the last decade or so.
Much of this basic framework is alive and well, with some
DNA shared by both titles. The gained experience, the ability to level up and
pump points into ability upgrades, the different classes actually feel unique
from one another – all good things that kind of drizzle some RPG elements onto
what is a fundamentally sound tower defense game. There are some other fun things
that give the characters a bit more of an RPG feel besides their levels and
upgrades, as you can buy and equip more powerful items on them as well.
At first, things started simply enough in Defender's Quest
2: Mists of Ruin. While the visuals and storyline were different, the gameplay
was quite similar. Almost too similar to the original, really. The more
sci-fi-y spin on things didn’t appeal to me as much as the more fantasy-based
nature of the first. In fact, there’s really nothing story-wise to connect
these two titles, and I admit I had a harder time getting invested in the
storyline and characters this time around. But essentially, the characters
played out very much like the original game.
Thankfully, things improved when a second crew was
introduced that had characters with more unique attributes. In particular was an
overlarge and powerful character who takes up more spaces than the rest of the
cast, and a character who teleports between two anchor locations. These
wrinkles were much appreciated and gave Defender's Quest 2: Mists of Ruin an
injection of originality it had been lacking up to that point. Additionally,
since two ships and crews were involved, there were times where Defender's
Quest 2: Mists of Ruin mixed things up further by having you defend two units
instead of one.
In terms of presentation, despite roughly ten years between the
games, not much has advanced on that front. Sound and music are fine, and the
same simplistic art style – mostly shown in still images – do a good enough job
of representing the characters and story. It’s a very different art style from
the first; I’m not sure if I like it more or less to be honest. It’s just
different. It’s worth noting that the maps and characters on the map look
better than the original game, and aside from a couple of pre-release day
crashes that hadn’t happened to me since, stability has been solid from a
technical standpoint as well.
While the content in Defender's Quest 2: Mists of Ruin is pretty
good, I just struggled to engage with it quite as much as its predecessor. The
story and characters weren’t as interesting to me personally, and I think there
was opportunity to take more chances with the gameplay mechanics. That being
said, most of those innovations taken were good ones, even if I had been left
wanting to see a few more. It’s worth noting that it seems faster and easier to
get through Defender's Quest 2: Mists of Ruin than the original. Maybe it’s
just way I approached it this time, maybe it’s because the two games are so similar
that I had a pretty good idea how to approach it, but it sure seemed like I
cruised through the sequel here a good deal faster.
Defender's Quest 2: Mists of Ruin is a solid entry into the
tower defense genre, and by and large I expect fans of the genre or the original
game will find enough here to enjoy. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that
with a decade having passed since the last one, there could have been ‘more’
from Defender's Quest 2: Mists of Ruin. More content, more unique classes, or
even more of a tie to the original game’s characters and story. Still, the
gameplay loop is a satisfying one, as is leveling up characters and putting
points into your preferred skills. Defender's Quest 2: Mists of Ruin might not
stand out as much from the crowd as its predecessor did, but this latest
iteration holds its own.
January 17 - Paris, France - Why Not AI and
Touched by Grace studios announce the release of HPL:
Nyarlathotep Rising on Steam on February 19, 2025, and present
an introductory podcast to the game. A pure Lovecraftian
adventure where you play as Mark, Anna, and Victor in this
visual novel of psychological horror where all choices matter.
In mid-1929, Nyarlathotep is about to take over the
world. Play as Anna, Mark and Victor, souls in the grip of their
demons, whose every choice will affect their sanity and the fate
of the world. Will you become a zealot of The Crawling Chaos, or
try to stand against him?
'HPL: Nyarlathotep Rising'
is an immersive visual novel with a Lovecraftian atmosphere,
supported by captivating settings, complex characters and an
intriguing soundtrack. This oversized RPG novel offers a wide
range of readings and possible endings that evolve according to
the characters and your choices.
Unique Features
Lovecraftian Themes and Lore: The game stays true to H.P.
Lovecraft's cosmic horror, creating a chilling and
mysterious atmosphere.
Oversized experience: Between 15 to 18 hours of exploration
and gameplay.
Player Choices: Impactful decisions lead to varied story
paths and multiple endings for high replayability with up
to15 different endings for each character.
Narrative-driven Gameplay: Experience engaging dialogue,
relationships, secrets and exploration as you tell your
story, along with atmospheric contemporary illustrations.
Character Development: Control three unique characters and
experience the story through each of their different
perspectives with all three characters appearing in each
telling.
Psychological Horror: Choices influence characters' sanity
and statistics as they face unimaginable horrors.
Worldwide Investigation: Travel to diverse locations, gather
information, and find powerful items.
Why Not AI is a production company specializing in
Animation and Interaction for video games, animated series, and
tabletop games. Led by one of the founders of Cryo Interactive
and Virgin Interactive France. Why Not AI's first video game,
'HPL-Nyarlathotep Rising', due for release in Q1 2025, was born
out of our worst nightmares and our devotion to the worlds
imagined by HP Lovecraft.
About Touched By Grace
Touched By Grace is a French videogame publisher, created by
three videogame specialists, totalizing a lifetime experience in
the entertainment industry, from development to distribution.
Among others, the publisher is co-owner of the "HPL-Nyarlathotep
Rising" license.
Montpellier, France – December 12th, 2024. Italian developer Caracal Games and publisher Dear Villagers are proud to announce the release date for their eagerly anticipated indie open-world action-adventure, Star Overdrive. It will launch on Nintendo Switch on April 10, 2025.
As players traverse the game’s expansive alien world, they will face challenging enemies, solve intricate puzzles, and uncover secrets hidden across diverse biomes. The game also lets players customize their hoverboard, adapting its speed, handling, and gravity to their personal style or the challenges at hand.
Following its release, Star Overdrive captured the attention of sci-fi and action-adventure fans. During the reveal, the developers cited The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as one of their biggest inspirations. While Star Overdrive draws inspiration from classic open-world action games, its hoverboard-based navigation and physics-driven powers offer a truly distinct experience.
After intercepting a mysterious distress signal, you'll start your daring adventure through an uncharted alien planet. The journey reveals stunning landscapes ranging from shimmering deserts to vast aquatic zones, each biome pushing their traversal skills to the edge. Along the way, players will encounter remnants of an ancient civilization and piece together the mystery behind the signal.
Combat is a creative blend of physics-based powers, melee strikes and the Hoverboard companion’s special moves, challenging players to find new ways to outmaneuver and defeat enemies.
Every challenge brings players closer to uncovering the connection behind the distress signal, the protagonist’s past and the fate of the galaxy.
KEY FEATURES
Hoverboard Navigation and Racing: Speed through vast landscapes, perform incredible tricks, and gain the edge in intense combat.
Emergent Physics-Based Gameplay: Unleash and combine powers to battle enemies, bend the laws of physics, and solve intricate puzzles.
Mysterious and Diverse Alien World: Journey through four uniquely distinct biomes, each brimming with challenges and secrets to uncover.
Epic Battles Against Creatures of All Sizes: Engage with unique creatures, from small-scale rivals to towering bosses, each requiring strategy and skill to overcome.
Caracal Games is an independent game development studio based in Rome, Italy, recognized for its dedication to crafting unique and engaging experiences. The studio began as a small three-person team and steadily grew to a family of ten through the development of titles like Downward in 2017 and OkunoKA in 2018, which laid the foundation for future projects. In 2023, they continued to push boundaries with 2021: Moon Escape, bringing a fresh perspective to retro gaming. The team also collaborates with major publishers, optimizing and porting titles such as Martha is Dead and Blanc for the Nintendo Switch. Awarded the IVGA Best Italian Indie Studio in 2017, Caracal continues to evolve, driven by seasoned developers from both AA and AAA backgrounds.
About Dear Villagers
Based in the South of France, in sunny Montpellier, we are a boutique publishing label composed of a team of twenty people. Open-minded and versatile, Dear Villagers offers handcrafted marketing and production guidance. Our mission: We tell memorable stories through memorable games. We love pixels, but we believe in people.
It's difficult to think about something in absolutes. 'The most'. 'The best'. 'My favorite'. So we tried to create a list that gave each member of our team to put together a list of video games that had some sort of meaningful impact on us in some way. Some of us probably could have put together lists 10, 20, 50 titles long, but we wanted to challenge ourselves and focus in on the elements that mattered most.
Montpellier, France – January 15, 2025 | Polish indie developer Goat Gamez and French independent publisher Dear Villagers are proud to reveal that Sports: Renovations will be releasing this March 27 on Steam, PS5 and Xbox Series, their upcoming simulator game where players have to save their beloved team’s court from being torn down by a real estate developer. In order to do so, they will have to earn the needed funds by renovating dilapidated sports facilities.
Players will restore the glory of old gyms, courts, and pitches, access to a wide range of tools and equipment, and upgrade them during their journey across venues filled with memories and souvenirs tied to the glory of former champions or full of hopes for future generations of athletes, in a wholesome storyline.
MAIN FEATURES
Renovate dilapidated sports facilities;
Immerse yourself in a wholesome storyline and complete side quests;
Buy new tools and upgrade the equipment you already own;
Earn money for your renovation jobs and use it to expand your base of operations – each room unlocked will add some perks;
Buy cosmetic items you can place around your office;
Collect memorabilia in your Trophy Showcase and discover the history of sports.
The shining star of your youth where you watched fantastic matches played by your favourite team. It’s a place where many young talents started their careers. It’s a home of many fond memories, now covered in cobwebs and dust and deteriorating rapidly.
Use the money you earn to upgrade your equipment and expand your headquarters – each unlocked room comes with its own perks, advantages and sometimes with a little side quest.
Leave no corner undusted and no wall unpainted. Carefully design the area and arrange every room with its functionality in mind. You have all the time in the world so use it to polish your skills and plan out the space – some designs are better than others so be creative! Tinker with sports equipment and assemble the furniture to the best of your ability.
Along with the hard work they will perform, players will have to put on their interior designer hat as they will buy and place items around several work sites and their own base of operation: a derelict basketball court in their hometown. Collect trash, clean up the dirt from walls and floors, give the place a fresh coat of paint, fix broken fixtures, furnish and decorate the place. Remember to take a photo before and after to prove how good a job you did!
About Goat Gamez
Goat Gamez SA is a video game developer and producer founded by Movie Games and Robert Lewandowski. The company focuses on creating sports-themed games, which it approaches in an unconventional way: Goat Gamez games focus on sports emotions shown from an unusual perspective, including from behind the scenes.
About Dear Villagers
Based in the South of France, in sunny Montpellier, we are a boutique publishing label composed of a team of twenty people. Open-minded and versatile, Dear Villagers offers handcrafted marketing and production guidance. Our mission: We tell memorable stories through memorable games. We love pixels, but we believe in people.
Can a single video game change a person? I suppose it depends on the person, but for a lot of us here at CGR who have played video games for many years now, the answer seems to be a resounding 'yes'. Maybe it's not life-altering levels of change, but sometimes a series of smaller, more subtle ones can be just as important. Maybe there's a character you felt a kinship with, a story that tickled parts of your imagination in a new and interesting way or maybe a particular game helped to create core memories with you and your friends. These video games impacted us, and maybe you'll see some familiar titles and think back on how they impacted you as well.
REDONDO BEACH, Calif. - January 14, 2025 -
GungHo Online Entertainment America
announced that the
LUNAR Remastered Collection
— a collection of two JRPG classics: LUNAR: Silver Star Story
Complete and LUNAR 2: Eternal Blue Complete — will be released
physically and digitally on April 18, 2025, for the
PlayStation 4
(compatible with PlayStation 5), Xbox One (compatible with Xbox
Series X|S), Nintendo Switch™, and on
Steam.
Digital editions will be available for $49.99 USD
/ €49.99 EUR, while physical editions offer an alternative for
the collectors:North America: Physical editions will be
available exclusively through Amazon for $54.99 USD. A purchase
link will be shared soon.
Europe: Physical PS4 and Nintendo
Switch™ editions will be available through our partnership with
Clear River Games, priced at €54.99 EUR. Follow @clearrivergames on social media
for updates.The physical editions will feature reversible covers
showcasing two new key arts for LUNAR: Silver Star Story
Complete and LUNAR 2: Eternal Blue Complete, both illustrated
exclusively for the LUNAR Remastered Collection by Toshiyuki
Kubooka.
Originally developed by GAME ARTS for the
PlayStation 1 (PS1), the LUNAR Remastered Collection brings the
beloved JRPG classics to a new generation with modern
enhancements. This remastered edition features a new English
voiceover, wide-screen support, high-definition pixel and
animated art, and quality-of-life updates, such as customizable
battle and strategy settings for streamlined combat. Two
additional language options are also introduced, making the game
more accessible to fans worldwide.
Whether you’re a
long-time fan or a newcomer to the LUNAR saga, this remastered
collection will captivate you with its romantic storytelling and
breathtaking soundtrack that has made this series a timeless
classic. This remaster not only preserves the heart of the
original games, but also showcases the LUNAR series’ influence
on generations of JRPGs to follow.
LUNAR Remastered
Collection Key Features:Strategic Turn-Based Action: Play
through two magical worlds in LUNAR: Silver Star Story Complete
and LUNAR 2: Eternal Blue Complete as you fight it out in
turn-based battle style, where each character’s speed, distance,
position, and attack range must all be accounted for.
Powerful
Voices and Captivating Animated Sequences: Immerse yourself in
battles with fully-voiced attacks and incantations in either
Japanese or an all-new English voiceover by playable characters
and enemies. Not to mention, the stylistic animated sequences
that still capture the hearts of players today. Relive the
Classic or Go Remastered: Choose between classic or remastered
mode — an option that allows fans to travel back in time to the
games’ PS1 releases, or see them in a new light with wide-screen
support, revamped PS1 pixel art, and high-definition animated
cutscenes.
Two New Language Options: LUNAR Remastered
Collection not only includes Japanese and English subtitles and
sound, but also two new subtitle language options: French and
German. Speed up Battle + Improved Strategy Settings: Save
time and speed through battles with the flip of a switch!
Additionally, new options have been added to the original
strategy settings for streamlined combat.
About
LUNAR: The Silver Star
Originally developed by GAME
ARTS, creators of the GRANDIA series, LUNAR: The Silver Star was
met with wide critical acclaim upon its first release on the
SEGA CD in 1992. As its first hit game, LUNAR: The Silver Star
remains the best-selling SEGA CD title of all time in Japan.
Relive the tale with Alex Noa – a young and resilient fighter
who recently passed the White Dragon’s trial–as he embarks on
his journey to become a Dragonmaster. As Alex revels in his
success in passing the trial, a mysterious Magic Emperor
unexpectedly enters the fold, aiming for world domination. With
young Alex determined to become a Dragonmaster, will he and his
companions band together and succeed in saving the world? The
PlayStation 1 version, LUNAR: Silver Star Story Complete, is
included in the LUNAR Remastered Collection, which will be
available on
PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch™, and Steam in
Spring 2025. For more information, visit the official website:
www.lunarremastered.com
About LUNAR: Eternal Blue
After the
success of LUNAR: The Silver Star, GAME ARTS developed LUNAR:
Eternal Blue. Originally released in 1994 for the SEGA CD,
LUNAR: Eternal Blue takes place one thousand years after LUNAR:
The Silver Star. It follows the story of Hiro, an inquisitive
archaeologist, and friends as they journey to help a mysterious
girl from the Blue Star, Lucia, to seek out the Goddess Althena
and stop Zophar – a relentless and evil God of Destruction who
plots the demise of Lunar – from wiping out their existence. The
PlayStation 1 version, LUNAR 2: Eternal Blue Complete, is
included in the LUNAR Remastered Collection, which will be
available on
PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch™, and Steam in
Spring 2025. For more information, visit the official website:
www.lunarremastered.com
GungHo Online
Entertainment America, Inc. (GOEA) is a multi-platform developer
and publisher dedicated to delivering fun & unique titles
like Puzzle & Dragons, Ninjala, and LET IT DIE. GOEA is the
US division of GungHo Online Entertainment (GOE), whose studios
include leading developers SUPERTRICK GAMES, GAME ARTS, and
Gravity. GOEA distributes games for consoles, handhelds, mobile
devices, and PC. GOEA is located in Redondo Beach, CA. For more
information, visit
www.gunghoonline.com.
Clear River Games is a multi-platform
publisher with a passion for classic retro games. Based in
Karlstad, Sweden, the company was founded by Freemode, a part of
the Embracer Group. Their vision is to bring the joy of
experiencing vintage retro and revived classic game franchises
to players around the globe. Clear River Games focuses on
publishing high-quality classic game franchises, modern retro,
pixel art, and indie games that inspire gamers, bring back great
memories of the past, or help discover new great games, making
them accessible both physically and digitally to players
worldwide.
Starting this fine year of 2025, we are adding to the Memorable Music in Gaming series. The last Wednesday of each month will feature a game genre and favorite composer by each of our authors here at Chalgyr Games Room. Since our All Hands on Deck was well-received, we decided that it was time for a little bit of everyone to join in the fun! This month's genre is First Person Shooter composers and the music that grabbed each and every one of our author's love of their music in the game that they presented those soundtracks. I, for one, work from home, so blasting the music from my favorite composer gets my creative juices flowing and my body up out of the chair for that much needed exercise from sitting too long in front of a computer screen, or drawing board. Are there any favorite composers you'd like to talk about? Or just favorite game soundtracks in general?
When I think of first-person shooters and music, without hesitation the first song that comes to mind is the titular “Halo”. It is a song that within the first notes is immediately recognized, and has been covered and remade over the years numerous times in a variety of ways.
While O’Donnell had plenty of credits prior to Halo: Combat Evolved, it was said that he was a little nervous trying to concoct something “big, exciting and unusual with a classical orchestra touch to give it some weight and stature. We also wanted it to have some sort of ‘ancient’ feel to it.” (per references in Wikipedia).
On that front, I think the theme of Halo (which was leveraged in future titles and covered numerous times and ways by other artists over the years) certainly hit the mark. I remember finding it almost a surprise at first. I was familiar with the visuals before the game came out and given the futuristic weapons and armor and science fiction settings, I was expecting the OST to be much more futuristic or techno in nature, but instead got something far more satisfying and memorable.
If this was the only notable song released for the game, it still would have been impressive in its longevity and instant recognition, but the rest of the Halo: Combat Evolved soundtrack was amazing as well. As the audio director for Bungie at the time, Martin O’Donnell gets most of the credit, but it’s worth calling out that Michael Salvatori is also credited with the soundtrack.
Pulse pounding tunes like “Brothers in Arms” and the percussion heavy “The Gun Pointed at the Head of the Universe” do an excellent job of representing the action found in this FPS classic, while “Under the Cover of Night” blends a variety of softer instruments and ambient sounds to compliment the game’s quieter moments. Beyond the song “Halo”, my next favorite title in this particular track is also the longest, “Truth and Reconciliation Suite”. Due to the song’s length, it has a bit more time to move between swells of sound that are loud and demanding of attention, and moments of lull and slower pace that make it feel like a more complete piece than most of the offerings here, which turn to run about three minutes or less.
FPS titles aren’t exactly my main forte, and I’ve usually not been too great at them either, but there have been some titles over the years that have caught me. While I’ve played a lot of the other titles that my cowriters have written about or discussed, there is one title that is probably the most memorable to me, although I probably wouldn’t list it as the best soundtrack, even though it isn’t bad.
By far the most memorable FPS soundtrack for me has to belong to Perfect Dark. The original, I’d like to point out. From the haunting opening theme, the cool menu theme, all the way to the Skedar Leader theme. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Perfect Dark was probably more popular in my circle of friends growing up than 007 was, believe it or not. There were many nights spent with gag weapon loadout runs, only proxy mines, and a lot of laughs and yelling. Even if there were only two of us, we could always tackle the campaign together.
Honestly, the menu themes still play in my mind to this day. The haunting tones of an intrepid mission that you must complete, but you’re still in the preparation phase. The Combat Simulator theme as me and my friends try to complete all the challenges. All primarily put together by the man, the legend, the absolute Chad that is Grant Kirkhope.
If you don’t recognize Kirkhope, shame on you, but you’ll probably recognize some of the soundtracks he’s been a part of: Banjo Kazooie/Tooie, GoldenEye 007, Killer Instinct 2, Star Fox Adventures, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (remake of the original soundtrack and original compositions), Civilization: Beyond Earth, Guest Composer for A Hat in Time. He also did voicework as Donkey Kong and Mumbo Jumbo from the Donkey Kong and Banjo Kazooie games. He’s also made guest appearances at video game orchestras and even on a cover from FamilyJules. I honestly think the man has a golden touch, because every soundtrack he touches comes out as pure gold.
Doom 2016's score is something of a powerhouse soundtrack and is among the most influential pieces of music in the past decade. Nearing 10 years old, the Doom 2016 soundtrack is one of the best in the business. Standing firm like a lighthouse standing against the oppressive weight of a deep fog, Mick Gordon's work is a standout among game soundtracks. Typically dominated by the likes of Nobuo Uematsu, Hans Zimmer, or Jeremy Soule, Mick Gordon brutally carved a place amongst that pantheon of greats by following the philosophy of, "combat as rhythm." In doing so, Doom's soundtrack is on that dynamically adapts to the player's actions in game. This approach was not just more immersive, but it streamlined and simplified the music that Mick composed. Rather than overly complex music that's meant to wrap the player up in warm and fuzzies, Mick's approach is simple, straightforward, and energetic. From Rip & Tear to Ties that Bind and everything in between, adrenaline and immersion are the goal.
And he succeeded in attaining that goal, and then some.
For as weaving and complex as the music found in Doom sounds, the long and short of it is that it's actually quite simple in approach. Mick went in with a mission and came out with a BAFTA-awarded soundtrack for his work; something only a handful of artists in the video game world can claim. The only truly sour note in Mick's legacy is with how he was treated with regard to Doom Eternal's soundtrack. If you listen to the two of them, there's a noticeable difference in quality between Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal. That's because midway through production and after Mick had already composted about a dozen songs (wickedly-good songs, mind you) to be used in Doom Eternal, he was unceremoniously replaced ... and id Software didn't even have the common decency to pay him for his work.
So let's talk about the work ... what makes it great? Synthesized chainsaws. Gordon actually synthesized the sounds of chainsaws to use in Doom's soundtrack and all the while, he paid deep homage to Bobby Prince's original Doom score. Truly epic. Take Rip & Tear for one; perhaps my favorite track on a soundtrack full of my favorite tracks, this adrenaline-pumping track draws you in and doesn't let you go for nearly four and a half minutes. For me, it's the definitive "I'm the superboss and this is my song and you're about to have a bad time" track that truly fulfills the power fantasy. The fact that it dynamically plays throughout Doom is just the icing on the cake and there are times that I would get so wrapped up in the music that I'd be breathing hard after some of these songs, because they just put you in a mood ... a mood to rip and tear through the denizens of Hell.
When it comes to first-person shooters, you cannot find a more influential title than DOOM. And when it comes to the music, there are very few that parallel the rockin’ tunes of Bobby Prince.
Active primarily in the ’90s, Mr. Prince’s repertoire includes the likes of Bio Menace, Duke Nukem 3D, Rise of the Triad, Blake Stone, Wolfenstein 3D, and, of course, DOOM and DOOM II. His contributions to the latter two are nothing short of legendary.
At Doom’s Gate, or E1M1, is quintessential. It’s the archetypal track that continues to inspire underground and mainstream musicians to this day. In the seven-part BBC documentary Seven Ages of Rock, Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke likens the opening snare of Dylan’s Like a Rolling Stone to “a judge wackin’ the gavel on his desk” and says that “history is called to order.” I believe the same sentiment applies to the opening riff of E1M1. With just a few notes, the landscape of gaming was changed forever.
The rest of the soundtrack is just as iconic, with I Sawed the Demons (E2M1) and The Demons from Adrian’s Pen (E2M2) being personal favorites. Even some of the lesser-known tracks, such as the Tchaikovsky-inspired Waltz of the Demons (E2M7) and Donna to the Rescue (E3M2), are bangers in their own right.
For DOOM II, Mr. Prince raised the bar even further, producing what I consider to be his magnum opus. There isn’t a weak track here; each is a worthy successor to what came before.
Running From Evil, or E1M1, is fantastic in its composition. Anyone who’s spent even 10 minutes attempting to create their own WAD in Doom Builder can attest to its earworm catchiness. I’m sure that if there had been a third entry in the classic series, Mr. Prince would have scored a hat trick with yet another unforgettable E1M1 track.
As for the rest of the DOOM II soundtrack, I often come back to Shawn’s Got the Shotgun and Into Sandy’s City. These two are regular repeats in my household. Out of all the tracks mentioned in this article, these two wear their heavy metal inspirations the most on their sleeves, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Mick Gordon—the composer for DOOM 2016 and DOOM Eternal—was, in some way, trying to meet the standard set by these tracks.
Bobby Prince may not be very active anymore, and the younger generation might not even recognize his name, but to us slightly old hats, he remains one of the defining composers of our time. You may be a Prince, but you’re definitely a King.
Of all the first person shooters I've played, I still relish Quake (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeNrRHty-Lo). The music of this game composed by Trent Reznor had me going from the theme, all through the rooms, and to the final area. In case you didn't know anything about this game, your mind definitely plays tricks on you if you get so engrossed in the music and not pay attention to your surroundings. This first person shooter has a wonderful gothic environment with a wide array of weapons from sci-fi and fantasy.
I have a penchant for unique music and Nine Inch Nails supplied my quest for rocking out the shots while getting all the treasures in a room. That is, of course, if an enemy didn't pick me off first! Trent Reznor is pure genius in the composing of all of Quake. The Hall of Souls (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SFkuwGPdeg) sounded so much like a room whispering tips and tricks to me. Never, never take your hand off your gun during the pounding, fist-pumping sequence at the 4 minute mark in this track.
Want me some Scrags! These bad guys popped out of nowhere it seemed to me, until I finally had a good bead on them as I rounded a corner, or aimed up a lot. The Castle of the Damned (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90gID2mLPZA) is pure Lovecraft done in music at its best! I felt like I was sitting on a beach with the waves licking my toes. Put that to the dark, monster-ridden game and one can imagine red instead of blue for those waves licking your toes.
Mr. Reznor makes fine use of industrial rock, industrial dance, industrial, electro-industrial, industrial metal, electronic rock, alternative rock, and alternative metal in all the tracks on the Quake OST. I had a lot of fun in this game because of the real-time 3D rendering in the Quake engine that differs from the DOOM series I also play.