Check Out the Demo of Kingdom Loop an Indie Strategic Roguelike on Steam!

On January 15 players can try a free PC demo of Kingdom Loop, an indie strategic roguelike with deckbuilding set in a medieval fantasy world. The game blends elements inspired by titles like Loop Hero with classic turn-based strategy. The full version of Kingdom Loop is planned for release on PC in the first half of 2026, with console versions to follow on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Kingdom Loop is developed by the independent studio RootGame and will be published by Ultimate Games S.A.

Where Hero Loop Meets Tactical Turn-Based Strategy

Kingdom Loop is a strategic roguelike with 3D visuals and an isometric camera. It draws inspiration from the cult hit Loop Hero and classic turn-based strategies like jRPGs and Heroes of Might and Magic III.

In Kingdom Loop, players guide a hero on a quest for the Grail in a medieval fantasy world where humans and the undead are at war. Each faction has its own traits, and all 8 heroes have unique abilities that change how the game plays.

Build Your Kingdom in an Endless Loop

Kingdom Loop’s gameplay mixes kingdom building, resource management, army development, and combat.

Players guide a hero around an endless loop that circles the Grail Temple. The land has over 200 tiles, each with unique effects that players place using cards. After each loop, enemies get stronger, so players must adapt or risk defeat. Losing can teach valuable lessons for the next attempt.

Kingdom Loop’s turn-based combat relies on dynamic mechanics, where players make important choices about unit selection, positioning, and targets. The game also offers deep systems for managing resources, recruiting different units, and building structures.

Kingdom Loop stands out for its high strategic depth. Strong gameplay variety, combined with significant randomness, allows extensive experimentation with card decks, factions, and synergy creation. As a result, the game offers not only high replayability but also a wide range of viable tactical approaches.

Try the Free Kingdom Loop Demo Now

A free demo of Kingdom Loop has been on Steam since January 15. It gives players an early look at the game and a chance to try its main mechanics.

In the demo, players control one hero from the human faction, each with unique stats. With the card deck, players can try out kingdom building and look for synergies between buildings, resources, and artifacts.

Kingdom Loop Demo – Key Features:

• 1 human faction hero (unique attributes and card deck)
• Endless loop-based gameplay
• Card-driven kingdom building
• Tactical turn-based combat
• Resource management and synergy creation
• Collection of powerful artifacts
• High replayability

The full PC version of Kingdom Loop is expected in the first half of 2026, with the exact date to be announced. Console versions for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2 will come later.

Article by: Susan N.

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Developer Slitherine and Virtuos Releasing Iconic Fantasy RPG as a Strategy Game

July, 2025 | Finally, RuneQuest becomes a video game. For the first time ever, PC gamers will be able to dive into the original and iconic fantasy world of RuneQuest, the legendary tabletop RPG first published in 1978 by Chaosium, with a turn based strategy game. 

RuneQuest: Warlords is a turn-based strategy game that brings the rich and myth-infused universe of Glorantha to life like never before. Developed by Slitherine and Virtuos with deep respect for the original RPG, the game transports players into a fantasy setting unlike any other — one inspired not by medieval clichés, but by the mysticism, warfare, and tribal cultures of the Bronze Age.

Slitherine has just unveiled the first gameplay footage, showcasing a faithful adaptation of the RuneQuest mythos through deep strategic mechanics, faction-based warfare, and rich narrative elements. Fans of the classic RPG and newcomers alike will find a world shaped by gods, myths, and runes — not just as sources of magic, but as fundamental forces that define identity, culture, and destiny itself.

Set in the rich and immersive world of Glorantha, RuneQuest: Warlords takes players on an epic 18-mission campaign filled with heroism, sacrifice, and brutal conflict. Players lead a tribal champion from Talastar as they forge alliances — even with unlikely factions — to repel the relentless Chaos invasion from Dorastor. RuneQuest: Warlords brings an original vision of fantasy to the strategy genre, blending deep tactical gameplay with the soul of a living myth. Fans of lore-rich worlds, tactical battles, and narrative-driven strategy games won't want to miss this.

RuneQuest: Warlords Core Elements

A world driven by myth, not tropes: Glorantha isn’t your typical fantasy land. Its conflicts are steeped in myth and legend, where belief shapes reality and every war has cosmic meaning.

 

The power of Runes: These aren’t just magical symbols — they’re the core of who you are. Your alignment with specific Runes influences everything from your people’s culture to your warriors' abilities and your place in the grand tapestry of the world.

 

Heroism beyond the sword: You're not just a warlord — you're a champion of your people. The game explores deep themes of struggle, identity, and divine favor, as your characters rise through the ranks not just through might, but through mythic deeds and spiritual allegiance.

 

Do you want to test and taste the magic of RuneQuest: Warlords? Click here to enter the closed beta, and help Slitherine to forge the game. 

More details, including release plans, will be revealed soon - stay tuned!

USEFUL LINKS

RuneQuest: Warlords Steam Page

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2366500/RuneQuest_Warlords/

RuneQuest: Warlords Showcase Event

https://www.youtube.com/live/CbJ_k3Rv4Mc

RuneQuest: Warlords Gameplay trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5U5giW7kH4

About The Slitherine Group

The Slitherine Group is the world’s leading producer and publisher of digital strategy and wargames. Under the Slitherine (www.slitherine.com) and Matrix Games (www.matrixgames.com) brands it has published literally hundreds of games, with many award-winning titles in its portfolio and spanning all digital platforms, from home consoles to PC. Slitherine also works with a wide array of key licensing partners, such as NBC Universal®, Games Workshop®, Sony Pictures, BBC, Osprey, and many others.

About Virtuos

Founded in 2004, Virtuos is one of the largest independent video game development companies. We are headquartered in Singapore with offices in Asia, Europe, and North America. Specializing in full-cycle game development and art production, we have delivered high-quality content for more than 1,500 console, PC, and mobile games. Our clients include 23 of the top 25 gaming companies worldwide. Visit www.virtuosgames.com to find out how we can make games better, together. 

 

Volmi is a Virtuos studio since 2022.

About Chaosium

Chaosium was founded by visionary game designer Greg Stafford in 1975. For more than forty years, Chaosium has captivated gamers, readers and mythic adventurers worldwide.

Their award-winning roleplaying games, board games, and fiction are praised as being some of the most engaging and innovative of all time.

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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Endless Legend 2 is Coming to Early Access on PC This Year!

Paris, January 23, 2025 | Today, Amplitude Studios announced ENDLESS Legend 2, the long-awaited next entry in the award-winning fantasy strategy series. ENDLESS Legend 2 brings players back to the ENDLESS Universe with a mysterious world, unique factions, and epic storytelling. Developed by Amplitude Studios, ENDLESS Legend 2 combines the expertise behind the ENDLESS games and HUMANKIND to push turn-based strategy to new heights. ENDLESS Legend 2 will release in Early Access on PC in early 2025. Wishlist the game now on Steam.

EXPLORE A WORLD IN CONSTANT EVOLUTION

Dive into Saiadha, a breathtaking yet perilous oceanic world where ever-changing seasons and monstrous tidefalls dramatically transform the landscape. As the water goes down, the environment itself becomes both an obstacle and a chance for discovery. Players will have to adapt to these constant shifts, confront ancient threats, and uncover the secrets buried deep within Saiadha. Each cataclysm brings new dangers, but also unique opportunities.

FORGE YOUR OWN LEGEND

Step into a world where your choices matter. Players need to lead their hero on epic journeys to conquer new territories, earn valuable experience, and build deep relationships with allies and rivals alike. Select from a variety of factions, each with their own distinct philosophies, strengths, and playstyles, offering a unique gameplay experience. The diversity of these factions is reflected in their asymmetric gameplay, ensuring that no two paths are the same. Discover four unique factions when the game launches into Early Access, with two more to be added by full release.

JOIN THE INSIDERS PROGRAM ON JANUARY 30

For players eager to explore the latest chapter in the ENDLESS Universe, Amplitude’s Insiders Program is reopening! This exclusive opportunity welcomes a select group of players to test ENDLESS Legend 2 before its official release in Early Access and provide valuable early feedback to help refine and enhance the game.

HOW TO BECOME AN INSIDER?

Players simply need to fill out the application form here. Amplitude will try to include as many players as possible, but not all applicants may be selected for every test phase. However, by applying, players will be considered for future testing opportunities.

For the latest information on ENDLESS Legend 2, visit our Steam page, and follow Amplitude Studios on our social channels: Discord | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | X

About Amplitude Studios:

Amplitude is a team of experienced, quality driven video game lovers and creators of the finest strategy games with the help of our players! Founded in 2011, we are a French indie studio with a team of over 180 developers based in Paris with an international team hailing from all over the world.

We are well known for our critically acclaimed ENDLESS™ series, played by millions worldwide, and for Humankind™, our historical strategy game.

Our close relationship with the community is a core feature of the studio’s philosophy. We’re proud of the way we create games together with our players via Amplifiers, our custom-built community platform that enables our community to play a key role in the creation of our games at every stage of development.

About Hooded Horse(™):

Hooded Horse is a publisher of deep strategic and tactical games with people and partners around the world – From the distant past of Manor Lords and the haunted woods of Against the Storm to the depths of space in Terra Invicta and Falling Frontier. Our goal is to empower and support developers in doing what they do best: creating world-class experiences for their audiences.

You can find out more about us on our Steam publisher page, as well as our social channels: Twitter, Bluesky, Facebook, YouTube, Discord, and website.

© 2025 Amplitude Studios SAS. All rights reserved. Amplitude, Amplitude Studios, Amplitude’s logo, Endless Space, Endless Legend, Endless Dungeon, Dungeon of the Endless and Humankind are registered trademarks of Amplitude Studios SAS.

Article by: Susan N.

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Classified: France '44 - PS5 Review

Classified: France '44 by developer Absolutely Games and publisher Team17—Sony PlayStation 5 review written by Jim with a copy provided by the publisher.

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes.

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When I was younger lots of games were set in WWII. You had Medal of Honor games, Call of Duty was still set in WWII, Brothers in Arms, and Battlefield just to name a few. Nowadays you don't see WWII used as much but it is still one of my favorite settings. I used to learn a lot of history from those games so when I see a game based on WWII today I just have to play it. Classified: France '44 is one of those games I just had to play.

Although I am used to first-person shooters set in WWII, Classified: France '44 is a turn-based strategy game. You start with just a small group of four soldiers. As you play you will rescue others who will join your cause. The four soldiers were parachuted into France before D-Day to help weaken the Nazis in the area and to capture key points to help make D-Day a success all while helping three different resistance factions.

The gameplay reminded me of X-COM mixed in with a board game. The missions and combat play like X-COM where you move the soldiers about on a map and try to take out the enemies. There are however different mission types, For example you have stealth missions that you can try to complete without alerting the enemies by getting in close and using a knife to attack. This will kill most common enemies but not tougher ones. Another mission type is ambush. You start in stealth but once you kill enough enemies you will start an ambush which lets you use all of your soldiers before the enemy's next turn. 

Each character has AP that is spent on doing things like moving, shooting, throwing a grenade which you only get one of per mission per character, and reloading their weapon. When getting shot at both your characters and enemies will lose morale once it gets low enough they will become suppressed. And if it is completely empty they become broken and can't do anything on their turn. If this happens the next mission they will start with one less morale point. Each unit also has health. Once it runs out they will go down and will revive in three turns or if another one of your units reaches them and revives them. If they go down more than once they will retreat and become injured. Injured units will start the next mission with one less health point. One thing I did not like was that in almost all the missions enemies will keep spawning in every few turns. It does show that they are coming, but this just made me feel rushed and not able to do what I wanted in each mission. Definitely made it unnecessarily harder.

There are different types of units that you can recruit during a playthrough. Leaders who can help restore morale, support who can heal, and a sniper are a few. Something you don't see very often in WWII games is women and you will have a French woman who can join you. It's a good detail as there were females in the resistance. Each unit type uses a different weapon and everyone has a side arm they can switch to that does less damage. This is good for the times when their main weapon is empty and an enemy is near. Enemies also have unit types like a grenadier that explodes after you kill them. Some of the heavy units you won't be able to take down with one knife attack so you cannot stealth kill them.

After each mission, the units that were on that mission will earn experience points and level up. Leveling up gives you points that you can then use to add new skills. You will get resources that you can use to buy new gear or send a unit on tasks. Lastly, you will level up one of the three factions depending on the area the mission took place. Leveling these up unlocks new gear to buy. Each character must use equipment of their own country though. On the main map after a mission, you will be able to strengthen an area that can help once you take all three parts of an area. 

The hospital for example helps your character heal faster. The enemy can take one of the three areas back at times and you will need to send one of your units on a task that costs resources to retake it. Other tasks you can do is fully heal a unit including health and morale, train a unit if you have the right part of the map freed, and other such things. Also on the map, you will be able to use skill points, change load-outs and equipment, and hear a conversation from two of the characters that also restores morale points between missions. These conversations help you learn a little more about the characters. You also will have a countdown to D-Day so you have to get as much done as you can in so many days. Most missions cost two days but they vary.

Graphicaly the game could be better, but it gets the job done. I do like the cut scenes you get after some missions as it looks like it's getting drawn right in front of you. It makes me think the leader is writing this all down in a journal. The music is what I would expect for a WWII game, but it's nothing grand. Like the graphics it gets the job done. The voice-over is all right; just like before it's nothing great but it works. The game ran smoothly for me with no glitches or crashes. The loading times are a little longer than they should be on a PS5.

Overall Classified: France '44 is a decent WWII turn-based strategy game. I both enjoyed and hated the missions if only enemies wouldn't respawn so much. Each mission for me is also a bit long with most taking over a half hour for me. Other than that I enjoyed the art of the cut scenes and the conversations the characters would have. I am glad to have a new WWII game on the market that was decent and not an online multiplayer-only FPS.

Score: 7.5 / 10

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505 Games Announce Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes for April 2024!

Calabasas, Sept 14, 2023 - 505 Games and Rabbit & Bear Studios proudly announce the release date of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. Exclusively revealed during today’s Nintendo Direct, the No. 1 funded Kickstarter game of 2020 is now slated for global release on April 23, 2024 on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC on Steam and the Epic Game Store. Rabbit & Bear is also pleased to unveil a new key visual featuring the three main characters Nowa, Seign, and Marisa.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is an JRPG from legendary game developers Yoshitaka Murayama’s (Suikoden I & II) and Junko Kawano (Suikoden I & IV) which takes the turn-based strategy game experience to the next level. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes features a finely crafted six-character battle system, meticulously created 2D sprites and 3D backgrounds, a riveting story with over 100 playable characters and engaging gameplay designed to bring players a modern take on classic JRPGs.

“We are thrilled to finally announce the release date of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes,” said Studio Lead Yoshitaka Murayama. “Having our game featured at Nintendo Direct this year is a real testament to the hard work of our team, but more importantly, to the patience of all our fantastic backers who have had the faith in us to deliver the Action JRPG they’ve been waiting for.”

Visit the official Eiyuden Chronicle Website and join the official Eiyuden Chronicle social channels on Discord, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Article by: Susan N.

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Strategic Mind: Fight for Dominance Review

Strategic Mind: Fight for Dominance by developer StarniGames and publisher Klabater—Microsoft Xbox Series X review written by Nick with a copy provided by the publisher.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

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Strategic Mind: Fight for Dominance takes a pair of releases previously available on different platforms and puts them together on the Xbox. The Strategic Mind games are not to be taken lightly, and are dense tactics titles that may not be the most welcoming title to the strategy genre, but for those who are willing to put the time in to learn the controls and appreciate the depth of strategy here, will likely come away feeling rewarded for the time they put in.

To start, Strategic Mind: Fight for Dominance is a combination of the two games Strategic Mind: Blitzkrieg and Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism. Essentially what you do in Dominance is pick which of the two campaigns you want to play. Both titles are history-driven World War 2 settings, but as you could likely discern from the name, puts you in charge of either German or Russian forces. I’ve played some of the other Strategic Mind games on PC, and this campaign is much more focused on the ground units than Strategic Mind: The Pacific, which was centered on naval combat.

In general, I’d say that the Strategic Mind: Fight for Dominance stories are basically adequate, but far from riveting. There’s important historical figures like Stalin and Hitler that help set the tone for the objectives, but the visuals and voice acting during the cutscenes are pretty rough. Character models are stiff and the mouths aren’t even close to being synced with the speaking parts. While many of the scenarios make an attempt at historical accuracy while setting the table for your skirmishes, there’s obviously some liberties taken with stages as well, as you are basically leading one side to victories that they did not always achieve.

From a presentational standpoint, things get a bit better once you’re in the game itself – but not much. This is a hexagon-style turn-based strategy. For fans of the genre, a lot of games come to mind that fit this description, and honestly… most of those other ones probably look as good if not better. The biggest issue is that in order to avoid the sort of ‘sameness’ from one hex to the next, you have to be pretty well zoomed in, but that makes deploying units – especially across larger maps – rather cumbersome. There’s a pretty nice zoom-in effect that often takes place when units are moving or engaging in combat, but it’s nothing special.

There’s not much in the way of a tutorial here, though the initial campaigns are meant to sort of walk you through the basics. The first time to choose a unit, you get a pretty detailed audio description of how it’s best used, which is nice enough. You start to get a feel for managing fuel and ammo, understanding how you can provide cover for your ground forces using aircraft and large artillery guns and more. Each scenario presents primary objectives and secondary ones. Most of the achievements are tied to secondary ones, so for achievement hunters you will find yourself moving at a slightly slower pace to the end-game of each scenario as your primary objective might be to take a string of cities in a specific order, but the secondary asks you to assist with rebels in some side-city you wouldn’t otherwise have ventured towards or to use your new tanks a few times to make sure they’ve been properly ‘tested’ on the battlefield.

The other complaint that needs to be brought up is in the interface and control scheme. These titles were initially designed for PC, and the port to console feels rough around the edges. Cursor movement and selection even in the first map when trying to apply custom settings had me accidentally starting the campaign twice before I figured out how they wanted me to interact with those sliders on the right-hand side (spoiler alert: not with any of the face buttons on the controller). Even then, moving around the screen and choosing units while playing is just easier if you go to the bottom and click on each unit as shown there, so it jumps you to where they are on the map, as opposed to trying to find the units on the map due to the aforementioned rather muddy textures to everything. There were times my cursor wanted to jump to the upper right of the screen for what seemed like no apparent reason. All of these things make it a bit of a slog to really get into Strategic Mind: Fight for Dominance, and could likely scare newcomers off from really playing it.

Which would be a shame, as the actual tactical depth here is really quite good. For starters, credit to the developers for having some customizable difficulty settings. I played some of these titles on PC previously, so I had a pretty good idea what I was getting into, but these options can really help players get the feel for the combat. You have multiple types of units – naval, airborne, anti-aircraft, carriers, recon and more. Some have very specific purposes both on offense and defense, while others such as tanks might offer a bit more of a well-rounded set of uses on the battlefield.  

There’s all sorts of layers to how the strategy unfolds here. For example, the longer a unit remains in place, the more of an entrenchment bonus it receives. There are some scenarios where this is hugely helpful as you try to fend off attacks. You start to get a feel for how to protect your ground units by using long-range cannons and airborne units – but you need to be mindful of things like their fuel. Those planes can only control the airspace for so long before they need to head back to refuel, so you need to learn to operate them in waves. Recon units are immensely helpful to avoid ambushes. Those aforementioned planes won’t be of much help if you accidentally fly them right into antiaircraft guns.

The progression elements of the units you use is pretty strong as well. They can gain experience. You can provide them with equipment upgrades (which can have a tremendous impact on combat depending on how you tailor them) and by and large new types of units are historically accurate. This means that as you progress through the timeline, you’ll gain access to new types of units that are period appropriate.

Strategic Mind: Fight for Dominance is an above average pair of strategy titles bundled together into one package. The presentation across the board fails to impress, and the UI suffers from this series having been designed for a mouse and keyboard, not a controller. There’s a lot of hurdles to get past with the control scheme, rough cutscenes and little to no handholding when you start to play. However, if you work past those issues, you’ll find a pair of lengthy campaigns with a high attention to detail and some truly interesting strategy gameplay. 

Score: 6.5 / 10

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'The Dragoness: Command of the Flame' Is Coming to Playstation, Xbox, Epic & GoG on August 10th!

Nintendo Switch Version Coming September 7th, 2023

Visit our website - https://pqube.co.uk/the-dragoness/

Watch the new Campaign Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRPgJ13-UqA

PQube (London, UK) - July 17th, 2023 – ‘The Dragoness: Command of the Flame’ mixes HOMM-like exploration, base-building and turn-based strategic combat, with a roguelite twist. 'The Dragoness: Command of the Flame' arrives on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Epic Games & GOG on August 10th, and later comes to Nintendo Switch on September 7th.

Venture into the war-torn realm of the Drairthir Peninsula, home of the regal Dragoness. Following a devastating civil war, the Dragoness has requested the aid of a veteran elvish Commander. Battle the wicked Shai-Va forces by building your army and harnessing the six schools of arcane magic to gain the edge in battle.

•     Heroes of Might & Magic-inspired strategy RPG now coming to consoles - 'The Dragoness: Command of the Flame' combines base-building, exploration and grid-based tactical combat with a roguelite twist
•     Level up The Commander and gain powerful skills by completing quests and exploring the world
•     Restore the capital of Niwenborh with different buildings and upgrades that gives you access to new spells and units
•     An expansive 30 hour campaign with four unique regions to explore
•     40 unique units to recruit - Only by recruiting a powerful beast army and managing your resources will you be able to prepare yourself for the dangers that lie ahead
•     Roguelite mechanics and strategies - Replay completed levels and beat challenges to gain additional special runes and resources
•     Coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S August 10th!
•     Nintendo Switch version coming September 7th, 2023
•     Also available now on Steam!

Check out 'The Dragoness: Command of the Flame' new Campaign Trailer:

THE CAST OF HEROES

THE COMMANDER

You play as The Commander, a young elf noble woman from the Elvish Empire. You have been summoned by the Dragoness to lead her army and bring order to the restless kingdom. As a talented magic user, The Commander can cast powerful spells to aid in her battle

THE DRAGONESS

The great ruler of the Regal Dragons. The Dragoness claimed victory over the Shai-va in the battle of Voven-sal. However, in the aftermath the kingdom was plunged into chaos and she was forced to fall back to her seat in Niwenborh where she awaits a new champion.

NATIQ

Natiq Hay-awan is the Dragoness' loyal advisor and a member of the noble houses of battle pangolins. He welcomes the Commander to the Drairthir Penninsula, and acts as her guide. He often dreams about one day becoming a dragon himself...

WIZARD

This mysterious old hermit can be found throughout the Peninsula. Despite being a powerful member of the mage's guild, the Wizard often asks the Commander to help him complete his many unusual experiments.

The Dragoness: Command Of The Flame
 

Article by: Susan N.

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Strategic Mind 5 Soon On PC, Xbox, and PlayStation!

Strategic Mind: Spirit of Liberty - the fifth installment of the saga is coming to Xbox, PlayStation soon after Steam.

Warsaw, Poland | March 22nd, 2023 - Klabater announces the fifth Strategic Mind installment, Strategic Mind: Spirit of Liberty, will be available on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 soon after its PC release announced for 2023. Starni Games signed another porting and publishing agreement with the Polish publisher.

We are excited to deliver the entire Strategic Mind saga to PlayStation and Xbox war games fans thanks to the joint efforts of Klabater and Starni Games teams - said Ihor Tymoshenko, CEO of Starni Games. Being war history passionates and game developers, it is our fulfillment to share the history of WWII and allowing to dive into strategic thinking through our games. We are happy to see there is a niche on various platforms that continuously enjoys every other installment added to the saga - added Ihor Tymoshenko.

Strategic Mind: Spirit of Liberty is a history-driven turn-based strategy game set in WW2. Players will lead the scarce Finnish forces through the armed operations of the Winter War, Continuation War, and Lapland War, opposing the so-called Red Menace forces.

A story from the legends, but in real history.

Watch the original Strategic Mind: Spirit of Liberty Gameplay Trailer from the official Starni Games YouTube channel

   Game name:

•         Strategic Mind: Spirit of Liberty

   Release dates:

•         Xbox: TBA
•         PlayStation: TBA
•         PC: 2023, WISHLIST NOW

    Publisher:

•         Consoles: Klabater
•         PC: Starni Games   
  

    Previous installments:

•         Strategic Mind: Blitzkrieg
•         Strategic Mind: The Pacific
•         Strategic Mind: Fight for Freedom
•         Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism

Strategic Mind series is a (hi)story-driven turn-based strategy set in the WW2 period. It offers refined wargame mechanics, story-rich gameplay, and modern 3D graphics. Strategic Mind games are famous for their distinction between sticking to historical events and so-called "what-if" scenarios giving players an unconventional approach to narrative.

Main Features:

•     Experience heroic struggle and make tough choices.
•     Play two campaigns: historical and “what if”.
•     Immerse yourself into the (hi)story-driven gameplay.
•     Create and grow the army of your own design, thanks to faithfully recreated historical units an upgradable models.
•     Train your troops and choose equipment, while combining units, and acquiring diverse supplies.
•     Manage your Headquarters between the operations and get promotions and awards increasing your Command points.
•     Use elaborate combat mechanics to overcome any foe.
•     Utilize the most advanced supply and infrastructure system in the genre.

ABOUT KLABATER

Klabater is an indie game developer and publisher established in 2017, in Poland. With a catalog of 25+ games published on PC and consoles, the studio aspires to be a recognized and acclaimed porting and publishing partner for indie game developers.

 

Article by: Susan N.

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Capes Preview

Capes by developer Spitfire Interactive and publisher Defiant Development—PC (Steam) Preview written by Susan N. with a copy provided by the publisher.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes 

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From the development team behind the deck-building hit 'Hand of Fate' comes a new and drastically different title 'Capes'. When the 'Hand of Fate' studio went under, former employees established their own studio known today as Spitfire Interactive. The developers take their first step into the turn-based strategy genre with comic book flair and unique superheroes in 'Capes'. With only a demo copy provided by the publisher, I have some high hopes for the title.

Gameplay

Superhero games exist but rarely do they present themselves like a Marvel or DC Universe movie. Capes is a turn-based strategy game with superheroes that have cool abilities, entertaining dialogue, and an epic comic book art style. This is part of the reason I was interested in the game - let's be real here.

Right at the start of the demo, players are tasked with taking back their city as the supervillains have reigned supreme over the course of 15 years. It's a tall task and it felt a bit like the first X-Men where a group of superheroes forge new friendships and learn to work together. Each character has specific abilities like telekinetically throwing rocks and enemies, or teleporting behind a foe to backstab them. As players gain experience, they put points into those powerful abilities where some of them can be used in tandem with another superhero. It takes careful planning to take down the villains due to the fact that reinforcements can turn the tides of battle.

Strategy

The key to Capes is to employ a healthy level of strategy. There are mission goals to eliminate all enemies by a certain turn, for example. This is only achievable if players position well and use the environment to their advantage. We're able to click on abilities and actions to physically see the range of each attack or move location. Unlike games like XCOM 2 or Battletech where the units are given a percentage to hit, Capes deals in static numbers. A basic attack might only do one point of damage but if one of the other superheroes has made them vulnerable, players can easily take them out.

There are a couple of key pieces of information about Capes that will help with a player's strategy. First, if a superhero moves through a square that is in range of an attacker, that attacker will get an attack of opportunity. Secondly, there are several maps with explosive barrels. If used at the proper time, those barrels do significant damage to your foes. In fact, the barrels will leave a sizable fire on the map. Unlike certain turn-based strategy games that automatically lose the obstacle, in Capes, the fire remains on the battlefield. What is great about using these barrels is that even if your heroes aren't successful in taking out the villains, you can lead them through the fire! As I always say, if the game has a mechanic that can be used in your favor, do it. What's the worst that could happen?

Graphics and UI

I adore the graphics style because it's a departure from other turn-based strategy games. Aside from some questionable graphics renders that I chalk up to early access issues, it is clean and quirky. Each superhero and villain has animated abilities that make you feel like you're inside a comic book. That is true right down to the font choice and bold color choices. It even goes as far as to have hammy dialogue sections in the cutscenes and in the middle of combat. After a particularly good hit or kill, the characters will often say something silly that only superheroes would say. (Think, "You've tripped on one of your tricks this time, Joker!" Yes, that is from the old television Batman and Robin TV Show. So sue me... I loved that one!)

Anyways, the UI is not cluttered for a turn-based game, which I appreciate. On the left is a list of objectives to complete, including optional ones that grant extra experience. On the right is a display of the turn order which helps to strategize your next move. Then on the bottom is a handy display for each character's ultimate ability, their movement capabilities, and their attack actions. Along the bottom bar are filled-in squares that indicate the total action and movement points a character has. And what I find great about the straightforward UI is the fact that it is playable on controller!

Final Thoughts

At this stage, I do enjoy Capes and hope that it does well when it launches in early 2023. It is fun to play but is hard to accurately assess as there are limitations to leveling progression and customization of the characters. That said, from what I've seen between the graphics style, map layout, and general gameplay, Capes is on my list of games to grab!

Capes is a turn-based strategy game similar to XCOM 2 or BattleTech but in comic book form. Players get to teleport around maps, hurl massive boulders, and chain lightning the supervillains who have ruled with an iron fist for too long. This game allows players to quite literally sock it to the bad guys, and we're here for it. For fans of comic books and superhero stories, Capes looks quite promising!

Score: N/A

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