Creep into an Upcoming Tim Burton-esque Cozy Horror Adventure Game

June 25th, Paris, France and Warsaw, Poland — Untold Tales has teamed up with Atlas V, Fishing Cactus, 3DAR and ARTE France to bring the wonderfully grim story of Gloomy Eyes to life.

 

Gloomy Eyes is a single-player “self-coop” cozy horror adventure. Players will alternate between controlling Gloomy and Nene, two unique characters as they embark on a journey to bring sunlight back to a world plunged into nasty, bitter darkness. 

The game is set in a lovingly haunting, Tim Burton-esque visual aesthetic, reminiscent of Corpse Bride and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

A free Steam demo is currently available to try the first opening levels.

WHO ARE THESE TWO DELIGHTFUL LITTLE DELINQUENTS?

Meet Gloomy, a sweet zombie boy, and Nena, a mischievous human girl, who defy the rules of their world and elders by teaming up. Why? Because one day, after the sun got fed up with humanity’s stupidity, he simply… left. 

His absence created a bitter, angry world where the living and the undead are locked in endless squabbles. Now it’s up to Gloomy and Nena to find him and bring back his light. 

Each character has their own set of unique abilities and notable weaknesses, so they’ll need to work together to overcome the world’s many obstacles.

FROM AWARD-WINNING VR MOVIE TO FULL-LENGTH GAME

Gloomy Eyes was originally conceived by 3DAR, AtlasV, and ARTE and released in 2019 as a VR movie/experience narrated by Colin Farrell. The experience received widespread acclaim and numerous awards for its openly Tim Burton-inspired visual style, innovative technology, and charmingly grim narrative. 

The experience collected nominations and awards at Sundance, SXSW, Raindance, Venice, and Vancouver International film festivals to name a few. 

 

GAME FEATURES

A “Self-Coop” Adventure

Control both Gloomy and Nena in a fully single-player experience. Switch between the two to solve brain-teasing environmental puzzles. Each character brings their own abilities that you’ll need to overcome obstacles and progress through this delightfully wretched darkness.

Creepy Cozy Horror with No Jump Scares

Step into a world where the macabre meets the magical. Inspired by the art style of Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride or Nightmare Before Christmas, Gloomy Eyes offers a lovingly crafted universe brimming with spooky charm, eerie beauty, and heartwarming gloom. There’s no gore or jump scares, just an enchanting, haunting atmosphere that will tug at your undead heartstrings. 

A Whimsical Tale of Forbidden Companionship

Gather ‘round for a heartwarmingly bleak fairy tale of necromantic adventure, as told by the old gravekeeper. While the living and the undead are squabbling something fierce, two unlikely souls meet and become one another's closest companions. But for any hope of a cheery forever after, they must set off on a journey together to find the sun and restore its light.

Explore Twisted Little Dioramas

Each level is a stunning, handcrafted rotatable diorama, overflowing with visual macabre charm and ghoulishly delightful details. Explore these miniature worlds from multiple angles as you uncover secrets, solve puzzles, and play out a story of a love that should never be.

Article by: Susan N.

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Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary is Releasing Soon on All Platforms!

Monday June 10th, 2025 | Today German publisher BBG Entertainment GmbH is proud to announce the forthcoming release on all major platforms on July 24, 2025 priced at €19.99 / $19.99, which include PC, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Xbox, Mac and Sony PlayStation 4 and 5, of one video game industry's iconic and much loved franchise Boulder Dash with a superb and exciting 40th Anniversary release. Starring the loveable central character, Rockford, this brand new 180 level dash and bash blast comes with a completely redesigned engine but staying close to the ideals, look and essence that resembles the original from the 80s.

  

The Definitive Purchase

The original million seller from way back  in 1984 is a true pioneering genre marker, with its simplistic ideas, that has gamers hooked from the moment they load up the game. Immerse yourself in 40 years of video game history and experience the classic BOULDER DASH® in an epic anniversary edition! Now, the iconic title returns with a completely new, faithful game engine and 180 new levels. A treat for long-time fans and newcomers alike. Your task: Collect enough diamonds in a cave filled with treacherous enemies and falling rocks to open the door to the exit. Here, you not only have to be skillful and quick to react, but also develop a suitable strategy more than once in order to survive. And once you've completed all 180 levels, you can use an editor to not only design new levels, but also download and play content from the worldwide Boulder Dash community for free. Never before has Boulder Dash looked better or sounded more spectacular!

 

FACTS ATTACK!!

• 6 new, never-before-seen worlds
• 3 new worlds created by hardcore the fans
• 180 completely new, balanced, and refined levels
• Variety of new and unique items, including growing walls, slime, enemy generator, eggs, plus more
• Construction kit to create, share, or download other players’ levels
• Distinctive visual style that aims to blend original color schemes with contemporary themes
• Option to select and play for one of the three main heroes, each crafted in line with the game’s original vision
• Music and sounds composed by Germany’s most famous video game musician Chris Huelsbeck (Giana Sisters, Turrican, Star Wars Rogue Squadron, Teenage Mutant Ninja  Turtles: Splintered Fate and many more).

  

BOULDER DASH 40th Anniversary is distinguished and is equally vibrant and challenging as it ever was and will appeal to all gamers that love a challenge and puzzling out how to avoid the boulders so that ROCKFORD can pave a way to the exit without being crushed. Such a simple idea but one that has been copied and cloned 100s of times but Boulder Dash stands heads and shoulders above all comers and imitations!! The fact that BOULDER DASH 40th Anniversary won at the prestigious Pixel Awards Europe 2025 in Warsaw on 7 June in the ‘Retro Roots’ category confirms the exceptional quality of the title. On the same day, the Boulder Dash Master Challenge took place for the first time. The winner was Adam Strzelczyk, who will now represent Poland at the Boulder Dash World Championship on 23 August at gamescom in Cologne. 

Facts speak louder than words!

“We pursued two goals: Firstly, we wanted to bring the first three parts Boulder Dash I, II and III to life as faithfully as possible on current machines. Secondly, we wanted to spice up the classic gameplay with contemporary visuals and suitable new ideas such as growing walls, slime, an enemy generator, eggs and other things. All in all BOULDER DASH 40th Anniversary is certainly the most comprehensive game in the series of all time: The first three games in the original Commodore and Atari look, more than hundred of brand new levels in a new look, and all tested and approved by the best Boulder Dash players worldwide. On top we have integrated a level editor which allows the users to create, play and share all these levels to Boulder Dash players worldwide plus stunning music and sounds from Chris Huelsbeck.”

For those that love the Boulder Dash experience or have yet to experience what this acclaimed brand offers and own a Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC or Mac!

YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!

A MUST PLAY GAME!

About BBG Entertainment GmbH:

BBG Entertainment, based in Munich, Germany, has had two main focuses since it was founded in 2008: In the “Casual Games” area, the publication of new editions of real video game classics, which, thanks to a unique game principle, guarantee gaming fun for the whole family even decades after their initial publication. In the “Education” area, titles that not only have a demonstrably positive effect in the training and learning segments, but are also fun thanks to an entertaining production. In 2016, BBG Entertainment purchased all rights to the legendary Boulder Dash® brand from the US company First Star Software Inc. In 2023, BBG Entertainment acquired two more IP classics from Intellivision Entertainment LLC: Shark! Shark! ® and Astrosmash®. The current portfolio includes classics such as Boulder Dash®, Dynablaster®, Shark! Shark! ®, Astrosmash®, Quiz with Fritz®, Einstein™ Brain Trainer for various platforms such as PC (Steam, Windows, Mac), consoles (Switch, Xbox) and mobile (iOS and Android).

Boulder Dash® and Rockford® are trademarks of BBG Entertainment GmbH, registered in the US, the European Union and other countries. Boulder Dash® 30th Anniversary™, Boulder Dash® Deluxe™, Boulder Dash® 40th Anniversary™, Crystal™ and Goldford™ are trademarks of BBG Entertainment GmbH. Copyright © 1984-2025 BBG Entertainment GmbH. All rights reserved. The original Boulder Dash® was created by Peter Liepa with Chris Gray.

 

Intellivision is a registered trademark of Intellivision Entertainment LLC. ALBERT EINSTEIN and/or EINSTEIN are trademarks or registered trademarks of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, represented exclusively by CMG Worldwide and are used with permission. Official licensed merchandise. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Information about all BBG Entertainment products can be found here: https://www.bbg-entertainment.com.

 

Social Media Channels:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550842448965

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/bbgenter

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bbgentertainmentgmbh

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbg_enter/

Official Site: https://boulder-dash.com/

Article by: Susan N.

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Guards II: Chaos in Hell - PC Review

Guards II: Chaos in Hell by developer Battlecruiser Games and publisher HeroCraft PC—PC(Steam) review written by Mike with a copy provided by the publisher. 

 
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

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Published by HeroCraft PC and Developed by BattleCruiser Games “Guards II: Chaos in Hell” begins with a journey into Delaware… no, I’m kidding. Hell is our central location as the player takes charge in this turn based lane combat strategic adventure against all types of enemies straight from the very depth of Hell itself. The Sequel of the original “Guards” Developed and Published by HeroCraft PC is a far cry from the earlier 3d top down graphics of the original. Replaced with pixel style everything, and I do mean everything. The art and backgrounds show a deep love of environment settings, world building, atmosphere and the unique enemy/Hero designs shine through immensely in layers.

Guards II begins the story of a young magician summoning a Ifrit, a powerful spirit or demon from Middle eastern folklore often linked to the element of fire, the ifrit offers him a deal. The Devil had united all Kingdoms of hell in a effort to invade the human world. Not wanting this to happen, he proposes to the young magician to aid in causing chaos in the kingdoms of hell to thwart the invasion. With no hesitation, the wizard agrees to help, summoning heroes into the realm to assist in the mission. 

My initial first impression of this well-structured turn-based title had me on a nostalgic memory trip as the pixel graphs and easy to adapt control interface felt very inspirational if not reminiscent to the early days of commodore 64 titles. I found myself slightly surprised at how simple and complex a game could be made in such a manner where halfway into a battle it feels less like a tower defense and more in the ways of a type of Chess re-imagined! 

In Guards II you start in control of the placement of 4 of the player pieces in a lane with combat as a turn-based defense against swarm after swarm of enemies. You begin with the Young Wizard, the Demon hunter, the Alchemist, and the Warrior Princess. Each hero is unique with their own attacks, defenses, strengths and weaknesses as well as their own Upgrade trees to level up as you progress through the various kingdoms of hell. Utilizing each hero to defeat the waves of enemies per kingdom requires some strategic planning and organizing of short range, mid range and long range attacks so as to prevent any of the summoned heroes from falling in battle. There is also an upgrade tree which will allow the heroes to become stronger and more resilient to various factors in the long road ahead.

The combat is turn-based as you are allowed the ability to swap two Hero characters on the battlefield before the attack/defense phase plays out. Certain enemies will be weak to the Alchemist bombs as they cause some fire damage, whereas other enemies will have a harder time dealing with the Warrior Princess in close quarter fights. Upon winning a few kingdom regions of the map, you will unlock the ability to upgrade overall skill powers that swing favor in battles to your entire team, and unlock more Heroes as you progress deeper into the depth of the kingdom map. At the time of this writing I have advanced to the 5^th kingdom of Hell after trial and error with swapping out heroes to either take blunt force, resist curses cast by enemies or simply made enough mistakes to understand and adapt each hero's strengths to advance forward through these trials of chaos.

Every turn, you exchange two heroes positions. Heroes that are moved into the resting zone get healed. A hero who moves out of the resting zone executes their special move. The Archer has a barrage of Arrows damaging all enemies in his lane, the Alchemist tosses a potion to heal teammates, and so on. All other heroes in each lane perform their normal attack in the action phase. The game loop is to figure out which sequence is best to eliminate the required amount of enemy units, or to take down the bosses. However, if any of your heroes are defeated in battle, you lose the match and are prompted to try again or head back to the staging area. Utilizing the rest zone behind the primary 3 attacking heroes will keep your units healthy and in fighting order. The summoned heroes do different attack element types such as fire, magic, or death, and different enemies are weak/strong against different damage types. Think Chess with Rock Paper Scissor mechanics. Heroes have different attack ranges, so some trial and error is bound to occur as you learn as the battlefield changes kingdom to kingdom. 

Tutorials are explained by the Ifrit through text dialogue and don't overwhelm the pick-up and play approach of this game. In a matter of minutes you may find yourself jumping back into completed kingdom zones to understand and defeat enemies with alternative strategic placements. The difficulty levels can be chosen by the player, introducing replay-ability of completed kingdom regions in the event the preceding battle was just too quick or easy. The challenges get progressively more difficult as you progress deeper into the kingdoms and enemies have larger health pools. Weaknesses and strengths fluctuate as progress is made. There are 4 tiers of difficulty that can be changed per level to the players preferences.

The music is beautifully crafted and well composed, even when in battle mid way through a fight I find the soundtrack suiting and enjoyable at every phase. Each enemy as well has unique animations for surrounding, attacks, defense, taking damage and death. The battles are well animated sprite work that show a great dedication to the art teams dedication toward keeping the theme and feel of the characters in the setting environments players will encounter without feeling like they are out of place. The style choice is not only appealing but easy on operating systems for this game to run smoothly, even on a low end graphic PC. I highly recommend this title to anyone looking to have a challenge and appreciate the time and energy placed into pixel animations, well worthy of wandering off the regular treaded path of larger name titles to appreciate a unique and original style of this development team.

If you have a knack for a thinking game matched with a classic strategic turn-based experience, this title is well worth diving into to keep your brain thinking 5 steps ahead as you fight through the levels of the kingdoms of Hell, or die trying. The design and music are  just the icing on a well made cake.

Score: 7 / 10

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Learn to Love the Sand in a New Game by Hooded Horse!

June 17, 2025 | Hooded Horse is proud to announce it’s adding a new game to its world-class portfolio of games – Sandustry. Mine, refine, and automate the world in this factory/automation game where every pixel is a physical object able to be harvested and manipulated as players delve deep to discover an ancient civilization’s powerful secrets and learn to love the Sand.

Players will find themselves stranded on a procedurally generated planet, armed with nothing more than their wits and a (slightly unnecessary) passion for industrial automation. Discover countless chemical and physical reactions and exploit them to develop production chains, build a pixel-perfect factory, or just embrace the chaos through webworks of conveyor belts and lifts – so long as they get the job done! Be warned, sand will get everywhere.

Explore a fully destructible world, digging, demolishing, and decoding everything in sight – build factories, expand logistic networks, and delve deeper underground to unlock new technologies and discover the secrets of an ancient civilization. Did we mention the sand?

Sandustry will be localized from English into German, French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Ukrainian, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.

Sandustry is coming to PC via Steam Early Access. 

About Hooded Horse™

Hooded Horse is a publisher of deep strategic and tactical games, including Manor Lords, Against the Storm, ENDLESS™ Legend 2, Old World, Norland, and 9 Kings. With people and partners around the world, our goal is to empower and support developers in doing what they do best: creating world-class experiences for their audiences.

You can learn more about us via our Steam publisher page or website, as well as our social channels: Twitter, Bluesky, Facebook, YouTube, and Discord.

About Lantto Games™  

Lantto Games is an independent game studio run by solo developer Lantto. It specializes in systems-driven games built around novel mechanics that spark emergent gameplay and reward player creativity.

You can find out more via the official website, YouTube, and across social channels such as Twitter, Bluesky, and Discord.

Article by: Susan N.

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Master the Art of Dispatching in Rail Route on Nintendo Switch

June 20th, 2025 | Prague, Czechia and Warsaw, Poland | Indie developer Bitrich.info and publisher Untold Tales today released Rail Route on the Nintendo Switch!

In Rail Route, you design, build, and automate a railway empire! Start with a few tracks and stations that you’ll manually control to ensure they arrive on time and without any incidents. Then expand and grow into a thriving automated system of trains crisscrossing real-world-inspired city maps. 

Multiple modes, including Story, Endless, Rush Hour, and Timetable, allow you to pick between a relaxing time dispatching trains at your pace, right through to high-pressure scenarios that will challenge your quick thinking and problem-solving skills. 

Rail Route releases on Nintendo Switch with a 20% launch discount, while owners of various popular Untold Tales published games will be able to grab the game for 30% off.

GAME FEATURES

Master the Art of Dispatching and Automation

Experience the thrill of dispatching and transforming your small, manual network into an automated, self-sufficient marvel. 

• Plan and build with precision to keep trains running on time.
• Strategize upgrades to expand and improve operations.
• Automate and expand to watch your creation thrive.

 

Rail Around the Globe on Maps Inspired by Real World Cities

Build rail networks across multiple maps inspired by real-world locations - Amsterdam, Berlin, Chicago, Glasgow, London, Osaka, Paris, Prague, Shanghai, Tokyo, New York, and more!

Play Your Way with Multiple Modes

Whether you’re a casual player or a master strategist, Rail Route offers something for everyone:

 

• Story Mode: Learn the game under the guidance of a fatherly veteran conductor who takes you under his wing and leads you on a journey of memories and timeless life lessons.
• Endless Mode: Build your network from scratch at your own pace in a relaxed and chill play session.
• Timetable Mode: Solve puzzle-like challenges on pre-set maps and schedules, designed for players who enjoy a strategic test.
• Rush Hour Mode: Face waves of intense dispatching challenges, ideal for those who thrive on overcoming complex obstacles.

Easy to Start, Rewarding to Master

With its intuitive design, Rail Route is accessible to new players while offering deep gameplay for automation enthusiasts. Every signal you place, every contract you take adds a new layer of complexity, reflecting the challenges of real-world rail management.

Article by: Susan N.

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Memorable Music in Gaming #64

This week we’re all about tunes that are epic in nature. These tracks will have you convinced you’re part of something philosophically bigger than yourself.

Tekken 6 | Azazael's Chamber

Biblical in nature, the haunting choir amplifies the feeling that you’re in the fight of your life. It's oppressive, ancient, and grand—exactly what you want from a final boss track.

Tekken 6 Soundtrack: Azazel's Chamber

Ace Combat 4 Shattered Skies | Rex Tremendae & Megalith Agnus Dei

Latin chants will never not be cool—this is a prime example of that. There's something incredibly potent and uplifting about this music. I feel like I could conquer the world with this as my soundtrack.

Video Game Music Gems - 156 - Ace Combat 4 Shattered Skies - Rex Tremendae - Megalith Angus Dei

Call of Duty: World at War | Black Cats

World at War is the only CoD game I’ve properly finished (aside from the original), so everything about it sticks vividly in my head—including this fantastic mission.

This track’s thumping, primal rhythm masks your real-life heartbeat by providing a new one.

Call of Duty World at War OST - "Black Cats"

Arc the Lad IV: Twilight of the Spirits | Ordeal

That’s some of the best shred guitar I’ve ever heard in a video game soundtrack. It’s what a collaboration between Yngwie Malmsteen and Kenji Kawai would probably sound like—melodic chaos with a cinematic core.

Arc The Lad Twilight Of The Spirits OST~ Ordeal

Doom Eternal | KarEnTuk

Heavy metal has come a long way from burning guitars, bat heads, and even chainsaws. This track takes it a step further.

It has screams and yells of the damned, and then—out of nowhere—Nature Ganganbaigal delivers an otherworldly throat-singing performance. This is musical carnage with culture.

Doom Eternal Master Soundtrack - Kar En Tuk (Unreleased Track)

Article by: Hamza

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Hover on Over to PC, Xbox, and PlayStation to Play Star Overdrive!

Montpellier, France – June 19th, 2025 | Italian Independent developer Caracal Games and publisher Dear Villagers are proud to announce that Star Overdrive, their high-speed action open-world game, is now out on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series. Players can now buy the game for the full price of $34,99 in the normal edition, and the Deluxe Edition for $39,99, which includes 3 styles, 1 design and 50 colorings for the Hoverboard, as well as the original digital soundtrack and the digital manga written and drawn by the Caracal Games team, telling a prequel story to the main story of Star Overdrive. A 20% discount will be applied to both editions on the Steam version during the first two weeks after release.

The Caracal Games team has been hard at work for years to create an alien open world in which players will have to answer a distress signal to save their loved one. They will face challenges and enemies, which they will have to overcome thanks to their speedy Hoverboard, physics-based powers and powerful Keytar.

Following an already successful launch on Nintendo Switch back in April 2025, the developers have been hard at work to publish several updates, which will all be available on all platforms at launch, to include community feedback and suggestions, such as improved movements, gameplay features, and more.

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.

Star Overdrive: 

• https://www.instagram.com/star_overdrive/
• https://www.tiktok.com/@star_overdrive
• https://x.com/star_overdrive
• https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560770525416
• https://www.youtube.com/@star_overdrive

Caracal Games:

• https://www.instagram.com/star_overdrive_dev/
• https://bsky.app/profile/caracalgames.bsky.social
• https://x.com/CaracalGames

About Caracal Games

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. 

Article by: Susan N.

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Sobakistan: The Land of Dogs is Opening its Borders to New Adventurers!

Tokyo, June 1, 2025 | Indie studio TERLETSKI GAMES announces Sobakistan: The Land of Dogs, a narrative adventure game set in a totalitarian country inhabited entirely by anthropomorphic dogs. Presented in the style of a classic pixel-art JRPG, the game features black humor, puzzle elements, and sharp satire. Invitation to the great leader ‘Comrade Buddy’ funeral rehearsal will be available via Steam in 2026.

For the first time in its history, Sobakistan opens its borders. The nation’s Supreme Leader, Comrade Buddy, has staged a lavish rehearsal of his own funeral to witness the people's grief in advance. What could possibly go wrong?

Among the invited foreign guests is a journalist — the chameleon Henri Pascal, famous for his hard-hitting documentaries. You begin the game in his shoes, preparing to film a documentary about this secretive nation.

Steam Page: 

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3742720/Sobakistan_The_Land_of_Dogs

Players will gradually uncover the secrets of Sobakistan, switching between six playable characters each one will appear in a set order throughout the game’s 13 chapters  to view the same events from multiple perspectives. A demo featuring two chapters and two characters — Henri Pascal and Harmony — is planned for summer–fall 2025.

Playable Characters:

• Henri Pascal – A chameleon and world-renowned journalist
• Comrade Buddy – The eternal leader and symbolic "sun" of Sobakistan
• The Supreme General – Head of the secret service and Comrade Buddy’s right paw
• Orbita – A puppy girl whose mysterious fate is tightly bound to that of the country
• Tadeusz Wolczetski – A school-age wolf cub who grew up too soon
• Harmony – A humble working dog and loyal citizen of Sobakistan

Key Features:

• A deep narrative with satire, dark humor, and moments of horror
• Consequence-driven choices and multiple endings
• Integrated puzzles and mini-games
• JRPG-inspired elements: item collection, turn-based sequences
• Metanarrative elements and breaking the fourth wall
• Unique pixel art aesthetic
• Developed by the creators of the original comic

Upon entering the country, Henri Pascal’s video camera is confiscated and replaced with a basic surveillance device that allows for text entry, low-res pixel snapshots, and GPS tracking. These are the materials the player works with throughout the game — creating an unconventional narrative toolset.

ABOUT TERLETSKI GAMES

TERLETSKI GAMES is a micro-indie studio founded by author, artist, and publisher Vitalii Terletskii in 2024. Originally based in Saint Petersburg and now operating out of Tokyo, the studio gained recognition for its humorous narrative games inspired by internet culture (Alt Girl for Skoof, Gnomes and Knights). Sobakistan: The Land of Dogs marks its first fully original, large-scale title — set to release on Steam in 2026, with console versions to follow. Terletski Games on X. || Steam Developer Page

Article by: Susan N.

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Action Game Maker - PC Software Review

Action Game Maker by developer and publisher Gotcha Gotcha Games—PC review written by Nick with a copy provided by the publisher.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes.

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Archmage Labs Announcing the Release of God of Weapons on Xbox Consoles!

June 10, 2025 | On June 12, God of Weapons arrives on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. This arena survival game mixes roguelike mechanics with action RPG elements and bullet hell chaos. It delivers fast-paced gameplay that rewards smart tactical choices. After earning glowing reviews on PC, God of Weapons is now coming to console—with a PlayStation 5 release planned in the coming months.

The game is developed by Archmage Labs, an independent studio based in Vietnam. Originally launched in 2023 on PC, it was warmly received and currently holds an 85% positive rating on Steam from nearly 4,100 player reviews.

Intense and Addictive Mayhem

God of Weapons is an isometric arena survival game combining roguelike structure, action RPG depth, and bullet hell intensity. Gameplay centers around surviving relentless monster hordes as you ascend the Tower of Zhor. The story revolves around the battle against chaos and destruction, all wrapped in a dark visual style.

Combat is automatic, leaving the player free to focus on dodging, positioning, and optimizing their loadout. With limited inventory space, smart gear choices are key to staying alive.

Players can equip a wide arsenal of melee and ranged weapons, plus a variety of accessories and special combat skills.

Levels in God of Weapons are procedurally generated, and each run is further varied by random gear, abilities, and enemies. Progressing unlocks even stronger weapons and gear for future attempts.

Key Features of God of Weapons:

• Arena survival gameplay
• Intense and dynamic combat
• Roguelike, action RPG, and bullet hell elements
• Swarms of unique monsters
• Strategic inventory and gear management

God of Weapons launches on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S on June 12, 2025. A PlayStation 5 version is also on the way later this year.

Article by: Susan N.

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Design, Build, and Automate Your Railway Empire on Nintendo Switch!

June 13th, 2025 | Prague, Czechia and Warsaw, Poland | Indie developer Bitrich.info and publisher Untold Tales have released a Rail Route 101 Gameplay trailer ahead of its Nintendo Switch debut on June 20th, 2025!

Originally released on Steam in 2024 and currently holding an 89% positive rating from 1900+ reviews, the popular train dispatching and rail automation simulator will make its console debut on Nintendo Switch on Friday, June 20th, 2025.

In Rail Route, you design, build, and automate a railway empire! Start with a few tracks and stations that you’ll manually control to ensure they arrive on time and without any incidents. Then expand and grow into a thriving automated system of trains crisscrossing real-world-inspired city maps. 

GAME FEATURES

Master the Art of Dispatching and Automation

Experience the thrill of dispatching and transforming your small, manual network into an automated, self-sufficient marvel.  

• Plan and build with precision to keep trains running on time.
• Strategize upgrades to expand and improve operations.
• Automate and expand to watch your creation thrive.

 

Rail Around the Globe on Maps Inspired by Real World Cities

Build rail networks across multiple maps inspired by real-world locations - Amsterdam, Berlin, Chicago, Glasgow, London, Osaka, Paris, Prague, Shanghai, Tokyo, New York, and more!

 

Play Your Way with Multiple Modes

Whether you’re a casual player or a master strategist, Rail Route offers something for everyone:

• Story Mode: Learn the game under the guidance of a fatherly veteran conductor who takes you under his wing and leads you on a journey of memories and timeless life lessons.
• Endless Mode: Build your network from scratch at your own pace in a relaxed and chill play session.
• Timetable Mode: Solve puzzle-like challenges on pre-set maps and schedules, designed for players who enjoy a strategic test.
• Rush Hour Mode: Face waves of intense dispatching challenges, ideal for those who thrive on overcoming complex obstacles.

Easy to Start, Rewarding to Master

With its intuitive design, Rail Route is accessible to new players while offering deep gameplay for automation enthusiasts. Every signal you place, every contract you take adds a new layer of complexity, reflecting the challenges of real-world rail management.

Article by: Susan N.

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Date Everything - PC Review

Date Everything by developer Sassy Chap Games and publisher Team17—PC(Steam) review written by Natasha with a copy provided by the publisher.

 
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

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*Knock Knock*

“Delivery!” 

“Weird... I don't remember ordering anything?” Pulls open the door to find a strange package with a note on it.

Note:

Dear Writer!

You have been chosen, out of a random raffle that you probably forgot you signed up for, to take our newest prototype glasses for a test spin. CONGRATS! We hope they improve your “Creativity” in your writing adventure!

P.S: Try not to @#$% everything!

“Okaaaaaaaay...” As I open the box I am greeted by a stylish pair of spectacles! With a shrug of my shoulders, I swap my current prescription lenses, for these fishy ones. Suddenly, everything in my apartment turns into hot people. Smiling and beckoning me closer. I clear my throat.

“As the great Argus Filch, caretaker of Hogwarts, once said: Oh, dear... We are in trouble...”

~

Is It Weird to Date Your Furniture?

Have you been feeling down? Lost your job? Are you an introvert who wishes to find true love, but can't seem to pull away from your anime waifu or husbando? Look no further, because Date Everything is a Visual Novel, Dating Sim that takes some unknown forces, or mad genius, that decided to have pity on your soul and sends you the perfect pair of scientific glasses that turn most of your household amenities, furnishings and doohickeys into personified stud muffins!

What's that? Don't believe in such fairytale like gadgets? Well, too bad, because they're real and they're about to up your dating life with a one of a kind experience that most people only dream of! The 'finding a hot date' kind... not the fact that you may (or may not) be able to make out with your Bed, Fridge, Bath, Etc... The list goes on and on.

I never thought writing a review, while my PC gives me the bedroom eyes would be so hard? LITERALLY!

A Global Palate Worth Exploring

There are over 100 dateable characters to meet in your home. Some are easy-peasy, while others can be tricky-whicky! Luckily your phone will keep track of all ROOMers you hear in your home. Your Dateviators (the name of your funky, spunky, glasses) will highlight items of interest that may be be your next potential victi---- AHEM---- I mean date, which is handy in wondering whether or not you can flirt with your light socket. Who knows? Try them and find out, that's half the fun! Even keeping track of time will become essential. Tick, tock, people!

You also only have 5 tries in a day to start up a conversation. That counts toward one you've already had a chat with, so you will have to keep track of what counts as the same character for certain items. Example: Your night stand, coffee table and dinner table all count as the same person.

AND ANOTHER THING! WHY DOES ALMOST EVERYONE DO THE LIP BITING THING!?!? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THAT AFFECTS ME? LIKE, BEYOND BUTTERFLIES IN MY STOMACH! I KNOW I'M A SNACK, THANKS!

Not to mention that all 100 dateables are fully voiced by different voice actors. You may recognize one or two. Or ten. There's a lot, so chances are at least SOME you'll recognize.

There's Someone/Something for Everyone

One of the biggest things that stands out to me in this game is the shear amount of detail in each character that was carefully crafted. From height, to gender, to ethnicity, to quirks, to ABSOLUTE nut cases. Can't handle certain personality types? Don't worry, because the game has set up trigger warnings incase you're uncomfortable with certain... stereotypes? They've gone to such lengths to make sure no one is blindsided by certain individuals that may stir up past traumatic memories of real life experiences.

So, if I wanted tall Nigerian Princes, or a Shadow Daddy, or even a Samurai Warrior to sweep me off my feet, this title's got your back!

Let's Take a Minute to Check Those SPECS

One of MANY interesting aspects that the game will teach you about in romancing, be-friending and rivalling is the SPECS meter. Short for Smarts, Poise, Empathy, Charm and Sass. For each relationship you develop you will gain some points that will eventually help you to REALIZE those who you wish to grow a stronger connection with.

Uh oh, happen to piss off the wrong person? Maybe you were “FREIND-ZONED”? Don't worry, because there are these tasty little candies that'll open an opportunity to hopefully rekindle that relationship. Careful, though, they aren't easy to get. So Chews wisely!

I May Never Leave My House Again

To conclude, Date Everything is a modernized Visual Novel Dating Sim with almost everything for everyone. It doesn't go above and beyond to force you into any uncomfortable or unwanted situations/relationships. It gives out ample opportunity to make careful, or crazy, decisions. Visually stunning characters and dialogue for days. And overall, an abundance of content just waiting to be discovered. If you have the time, patience, PASSION and heart, then perhaps this dating sim is your calling. I'm happy to give this game a rating of 9.5 out of 10!

~

*Checks SPECS*

“50 out of 100 lovers?” Readjust the Dateviators. “I'm, half way there, baby!”

Score: 9.5 / 10

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Unleash Your Potential with Creative Mode in Mini Motorways!

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – June 7, 2025 | Mini Motorways, the award-winning minimalist strategy traffic management sim with over nine million players from developer Dinosaur Polo Club, will debut the highly requested Creative Mode in a free content update coming to Apple Arcade, Nintendo Switch, and PC and Mac via Steam on Tuesday, August 26, 2025 (Pacific Time), as revealed today in Future Games Show Live from Los Angeles 2025.

Creative Mode, Mini Motorways’ most highly requested feature to date, will soon break ground and turn city planning on its head. This new game mode completely refactors the Mini Motorways experience by giving the player newfound freedom to redesign their city in every map. Embrace the ability to recolor, move, and pivot houses and destinations on all existing maps, introducing a new way to play with ultimate creative control.

Customize colors from maps’ bright and lively color palettes, move buildings around trees and mountains, and create ultimate dream cities with more upgrades than ever available to use in Creative Mode. Build your perfect city layout, test creative capabilities, and let innovation stand tall, no matter the path carved!

“After much anticipation from our community, we are ecstatic to bring the update that people have been waiting for since Mini Motorways first launched,” said Casey Lucas-Quaid, Dinosaur Polo Club’s Community Manager. “Buckle your seatbelts, because you’ll finally be able to scratch that creative itch when Creative Mode arrives as a free update this August!”

After six years of ongoing updates and (soon!) four different game modes — Classic, Endless, Expert, and Creative — Mini Motorways caters to a plethora of playstyles, bringing hours upon hours of play. Hop into the driver’s seat, take control with Creative Mode, and set off to destination cities just waiting to be completely transformed and customized!

For more information, please visit the Dinosaur Polo Club website, follow the studio on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, or search for #MiniMotorways on social media.

About Dinosaur Polo Club

Dinosaur Polo Club is an independent game development studio based in beautiful Wellington, New Zealand. Founded in 2013 by brothers Peter and Robert Curry, the studio first made waves with their award-winning and BAFTA-nominated debut Mini Metro. Created in collaboration with Disasterpeace and Jamie Churchman, Mini Metro explores relaxed and minimalist subway design. The second game developed by Dinosaur Polo Club introduces a brand new type of city management with colorful road-building and resource management found in Mini Motorways. Combined, Mini Metro and Mini Motorways make up two parts of an expanding Mini Collection. 

With an inclusive and supportive culture that believes in giving back to its creative community, the studio has grown and is now home to nearly 30 Dinos as it works on new titles with relatable simplicity.

Article by: Susan N.

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The USS Ronald Reagan Makes Its Debut in Carrier Deck, Now Available on Consoles!

June 7th, 2025 | Carrier Deck, a unique game about flight deck management on the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, debuts on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch consoles. The title combines an aircraft deck management simulator with strategy elements. In Carrier Deck, which was previously very well received on PC, the player takes on the role of an officer serving on an aircraft carrier during active hostilities.

South Africa-based independent studio Every Single Soldier is behind Carrier Deck. The game hit PC first, and currently has 89 percent positive player reviews (out of nearly 1,000 reviews) on Steam. Ultimate Games S.A. is responsible for developing and releasing the title on consoles.

USS Ronald Reagan on the warpath

In Carrier Deck, the player takes on the role of an officer serving aboard the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), an American nuclear-powered Nimitz-type aircraft carrier.

The gameplay comprehensively focuses on managing all operations involving aircraft. Among other things, the player is responsible for the selection and execution of search, reconnaissance and interception missions. There is also no shortage of operations with ground strikes and close air support.

This is a game aimed at fans of military simulations and time management. The title offers dynamic gameplay in the reality of a war conflict. Carrier Deck includes both a campaign mode and a fast-paced skirmish mode. The campaign allows you to test your skills in a wider spectrum of war operations on the world's oceans.

In Carrier Deck, it is necessary to make quick decisions to avoid collisions and ensure smooth operations on board. In doing so, care must be taken to ensure that individual aircraft units are properly moved, refueled, maintained and armed.

The game manages a variety of aircraft and helicopters. The list of units includes the F/A-18 Hornet, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, CH-47 Chinook and S-3 Viking, among others.

Main Features:

• Flight deck management simulator;
• Dynamic gameplay in wartime realities;
• Aircraft and helicopters;
• Campaign mode and fast-paced skirmishes;
• USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76).

Carrier Deck was released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on June 5, 2025.

Article by: Susan N.

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Covenant of Solitude - PS5 Review

Covenant of Solitude by developer Magitec and publisher KEMCO—PS5 review written by Richard with a copy provided by the publisher.

 
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

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Covenant of Solitude is an RPG released by Kemco. Originally released in 2013 as an android/iOS title, it is now available on the PS5! While maybe a little graphically aged and somewhat standard JRPG fare compared to some of KEMCO’s other titles, Covenant of Solitude is rather fun and more engaging than you may initially expect.

Covenant of Solitude stars a young man named Fort, who has the power to talk to monsters. Living a rough life in a small village, Fort has his world burnt down when the Empire invades his village and slaughters the inhabitants. Fort must then find his place in the world and what he wants to do with himself and the people in it. Using his power that not only allows him to speak to but also to command monsters in battle, the power of a genie, Fort tries to carve out a place for himself.

By and large the plot of Covenant of Solitude isn’t anything particularly outstanding, nor are the characters really. While there are some interesting dialogue moments between Fort and the demon Wicca who signs a contract with him, most characters are either cartoonishly evil, extremely predictable, or kind of dumb. As an example, Fort seems to have the frustrating disability to be skeptical of anybody. He basically says at one point “why would somebody be nice to me if they weren’t a good person?”, which I almost threw something after reading. That being said, the writing isn’t bad, just pretty cliché or unsurprising.

The gameplay is very traditional JRPG style that is very reminiscent to me of the first Final Fantasy game. You will explore a world map, get into random fights, explore dungeons, find treasure chests, and do the occasional side quest as you go. In Covenant of Solitude there is a bit more to it. You can recruit different species of monsters to your party and give them different jobs. A monster’s species will affect their general stat distribution, for example the beast type characters have higher speed, while the job chosen determines growth path and skills. A fighter class will learn physical attacking skills and have a more attack focused stat distribution.

You will be able to change jobs by using a certain item, although new jobs are set at level 1. You may also be able to find special items that allow you to change to an advanced job class. However, if you do change jobs, you will get to keep previously learned skills.

Once you’re set to go with your party of Fort and up to three monsters, you’re ready to tackle the world. This means a decent amount of fighting, by the way. In combat is very traditional fare: select command, attack in turns until all commands are complete, repeat. You can attack, use a skill, defend, use an item, etc. and certain weapons have different effects, such as hitting back rows for full damage or hitting in a pattern. Spells can also hit rows or columns and there is an elemental alignment chart. Upon victory you are awarded with experience and money to fund your vicarious lifestyle.

Dungeons are an interesting experience. They certainly aren’t the worst designed areas I’ve seen, and the minimap certainly helps you navigate, although they do tend to be either needlessly roundabout or uninspiring. There are a few dungeons with gimmicks or traits that make them interesting, such as a fire and ice dungeon. In here the ice you slide on and the fire you take damage when walking over, yet they are somewhat few and far between.

Sidequests are a little weird as well. While there aren’t many, it would be interesting to note that a fair amount require a certain monster at a certain level, such as a vampire at level 30 in order to complete an objective. A rather unique way of doing things, but since units not in the party don’t directly earn exp, leveling one if you aren’t actively using them could be a hassle.

There is an in-game store where you can buy items basically at any time you have free movement, so running out of healing or revive items isn’t really an issue. There is also a store where you can buy special items for points you earn from killing enemies, which are usually game-breaking items or super good equipment. Interestingly enough, you don’t earn points super fast, so it would still take some work to afford these items.

Graphically and musically Covenant of Solitude isn’t really that great. I wouldn’t say it’s bad, but it’s definitely not beating the “2013 phone game” allegations even when ported to console. A bit of an update would have done it really well, even if it was just replacing some environment textures to add more variance or giving some better looking character portraits. As I said earlier, not the worst, but certainly could be better.

Overall I don’t really know how to feel about Covenant of Solitude. It isn’t spectacular by any means, but it isn’t bad. I definitely had more fun playing than I expected, but I can’t really say why? Perhaps it just has a sort of nostalgic charm that draws you in. Nothing over the top or super fancy, no gimmicks, just traditional JRPG mechanics and storyline, but that isn’t bad every now and then.

Ultimately, Covenant of Solitude is a perfectly average experience. While it doesn’t do anything new or exciting, or even really put it’s own spin on things, it also doesn’t lack in the backbone that made older JRPGs so entertaining. It’s not bad, but it’s not great. If you’re looking for something to play in the background, or to do while waiting for something else to release, this might be a neat little tide over until something else comes along, but I certainly wouldn’t claim it as a “big name RPG”. Give it a look to see if this is something right for you.

Score: 7 / 10

 

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