In 2025, it’s very difficult not to see gambling advertised everywhere. It’s on billboards and sports broadcasts. It’s on podcasts and printed on the turnbuckle of AEW’s pay-per-view shows. And it’s on app stores, where you can find the FanDuel and DraftKings sportsbooks, alongside glitzy digital slot machines. These apps all have the highest age ratings possible on Apple’s App Store and Google Play. But earlier this year, a different kind of app nearly disappeared from the Play Store entirely.Luck Be A Landlord is a roguelite deckbuilder from solo developer Dan DiIorio. DiIorio got word from Google in January 2025 that Luck Be A Landlord was about to be pulled, globally, because DiIorio had not disclosed the game’s “gambling themes” in its rating.In Luck Be a Landlord, the player takes spins on a pixel art slot machine to earn coins to pay their ever-increasing rent — a nightmare gamification of our day-to-day grind to remain housed. On app stores, it’s a one-time purchase of $4.99, and it’s $9.99 on Steam. On the Play Store page, developer Dan DiIorio notes, “This game does not contain any real-world currency gambling or microtransactions.”And it doesn’t. But for Google, that didn’t matter. First, the game was removed from the storefront in a slew of countries that have strict gambling laws. Then, at the beginning of 2025, Google told Dilorio that Luck Be A Landlord would be pulled globally because of its rating discrepancy, as it “does not take into account references to gambling (including real or simulated gambling)”.DiIorio had gone through this song and dance before — previously, when the game was blocked, he would send back a message saying “hey, the game doesn’t have gambling,” and then Google would send back a screenshot of the game and assert that, in fact, it had.DiIorio didn’t agree, but this time they decided that the risk of Landlord getting taken down permanently was too great. They’re a solo developer, and Luck Be a Landlord had just had its highest 30-day revenue since release. So, they filled out the form confirming that Luck Be A Landlord has “gambling themes,” and are currently hoping that this will be the end of it.This is a situation that sucks for an indie dev to be in, and over email DiIorio told Polygon it was “very frustrating.”“I think it can negatively affect indie developers if they fall outside the norm, which indies often do,” they wrote. “It also makes me afraid to explore mechanics like this further. It stifles creativity, and that’s really upsetting.”In late 2024, the hit game Balatro was in a similar position. It had won numerous awards, and made $1,000,000 in its first week on mobile platforms. And then overnight, the PEGI ratings board declared that the game deserved an adult rating.The ESRB had already rated it E10+ in the US, noting it has gambling themes. And the game was already out in Europe, making its overnight ratings change a surprise. Publisher PlayStack said the rating was given because Balatro has “prominent gambling imagery and material that instructs about gambling.”Balatro is basically Luck Be A Landlord’s little cousin. Developer LocalThunk was inspired by watching streams of Luck Be A Landlord, and seeing the way DiIorio had implemented deck-building into his slot machine. And like Luck Be A Landlord, Balatro is a one-time purchase, with no microtransactions.But the PEGI board noted that because the game uses poker hands, the skills the player learns in Balatro could translate to real-world poker.In its write-up, GameSpot noted that the same thing happened to a game called Sunshine Shuffle. It was temporarily banned from the Nintendo eShop, and also from the entire country of South Korea. Unlike Balatro, Sunshine Shuffle actually is a poker game, except you’re playing Texas Hold ‘Em — again for no real money — with cute animals (who are bank robbers).It’s common sense that children shouldn’t be able to access apps that allow them to gamble. But none of these games contain actual gambling — or do they?Where do we draw the line? Is it gambling to play any game that is also played in casinos, like poker or blackjack? Is it gambling to play a game that evokes the aesthetics of a casino, like cards, chips, dice, or slot machines? Is it gambling to wager or earn fictional money?Gaming has always been a lightning rod for controversy. Sex, violence, misogyny, addiction — you name it, video games have been accused of perpetrating or encouraging it. But gambling is gaming’s original sin. And it’s the one we still can’t get a grip on.The original link between gambling and gamingGetty ImagesThe association between video games and gambling all goes back to pinball. Back in the ’30s and ’40s, politicians targeted pinball machines for promoting gambling. Early pinball machines were less skill-based (they didn’t have flippers), and some gave cash payouts, so the comparison wasn’t unfair. Famously, mob-hating New York City mayor Fiorello LaGuardia banned pinball in the city, and appeared in a newsreel dumping pinball and slot machines into the Long Island Sound. Pinball machines spent some time relegated to the back rooms of sex shops and dive bars. But after some lobbying, the laws relaxed.By the 1970s, pinball manufacturers were also making video games, and the machines were side-by-side in arcades. Arcade machines, like pinball, took small coin payments, repeatedly, for short rounds of play. The disreputable funk of pinball basically rubbed off onto video games.Ever since video games rocked onto the scene, concerned and sometimes uneducated parties have been asking if they’re dangerous. And in general, studies have shown that they’re not. The same can’t be said about gambling — the practice of putting real money down to bet on an outcome.It’s a golden age for gambling2025 in the USA is a great time for gambling, which has been really profitable for gambling companies — to the tune of $66.5 billion dollars of revenue in 2023.To put this number in perspective, the American Gaming Association, which is the casino industry’s trade group and has nothing to do with video games, reports that 2022’s gambling revenue was $60.5 billion. It went up $6 billion in a year.And this increase isn’t just because of sportsbooks, although sports betting is a huge part of it. Online casinos and brick-and-mortar casinos are both earning more, and as a lot of people have pointed out, gambling is being normalized to a pretty disturbing degree.Much like with alcohol, for a small percentage of people, gambling can tip from occasional leisure activity into addiction. The people who are most at risk are, by and large, already vulnerable: researchers at the Yale School of Medicine found that 96% of problem gamblers are also wrestling with other disorders, such as “substance use, impulse-control disorders, mood disorders, and anxiety disorders.”Even if you’re not in that group, there are still good reasons to be wary of gambling. People tend to underestimate their own vulnerability to things they know are dangerous for others. Someone else might bet beyond their means. But I would simply know when to stop.Maybe you do! But being blithely confident about it can make it hard to notice if you do develop a problem. Or if you already have one.Addiction changes the way your brain works. When you’re addicted to something, your participation in it becomes compulsive, at the expense of other interests and responsibilities. Someone might turn to their addiction to self-soothe when depressed or anxious. And speaking of those feelings, people who are depressed and anxious are already more vulnerable to addiction. Given the entire state of the world right now, this predisposition shines an ugly light on the numbers touted by the AGA. Is it good that the industry is reporting $6 billion in additional earnings, when the economy feels so frail, when the stock market is ping ponging through highs and lows daily, when daily expenses are rising? It doesn’t feel good. In 2024, the YouTuber Drew Gooden turned his critical eye to online gambling. One of the main points he makes in his excellent video is that gambling is more accessible than ever. It’s on all our phones, and betting companies are using decades of well-honed app design and behavioral studies to manipulate users to spend and spend.Meanwhile, advertising on podcasts, billboards, TV, radio, and websites – it’s literally everywhere — tells you that this is fun, and you don’t even need to know what you’re doing, and you’re probably one bet away from winning back those losses.Where does Luck Be a Landlord come into this?So, are there gambling themes in Luck Be A Landlord? The game’s slot machine is represented in simple pixel art. You pay one coin to use it, and among the more traditional slot machine symbols are silly ones like a snail that only pays out after 4 spins.When I started playing it, my primary emotion wasn’t necessarily elation at winning coins — it was stress and disbelief when, in the third round of the game, the landlord increased my rent by 100%. What the hell.I don’t doubt that getting better at it would produce dopamine thrills akin to gambling — or playing any video game. But it’s supposed to be difficult, because that’s the joke. If you beat the game you unlock more difficulty modes where, as you keep paying rent, your landlord gets furious, and starts throwing made-up rules at you: previously rare symbols will give you less of a payout, and the very mechanics of the slot machine change.It’s a manifestation of the golden rule of casinos, and all of capitalism writ large: the odds are stacked against you. The house always wins. There is luck involved, to be sure, but because Luck Be A Landlord is a deck-builder, knowing the different ways you can design your slot machine to maximize payouts is a skill! You have some influence over it, unlike a real slot machine. The synergies that I’ve seen high-level players create are completely nuts, and obviously based on a deep understanding of the strategies the game allows.IMAGE: TrampolineTales via PolygonBalatro and Luck Be a Landlord both distance themselves from casino gambling again in the way they treat money. In Landlord, the money you earn is gold coins, not any currency we recognize. And the payouts aren’t actually that big. By the end of the core game, the rent money you’re struggling and scraping to earn… is 777 coins. In the post-game endless mode, payouts can get massive. But the thing is, to get this far, you can’t rely on chance. You have to be very good at Luck Be a Landlord.And in Balatro, the numbers that get big are your points. The actual dollar payments in a round of Balatro are small. These aren’t games about earning wads and wads of cash. So, do these count as “gambling themes”?We’ll come back to that question later. First, I want to talk about a closer analog to what we colloquially consider gambling: loot boxes and gacha games.Random rewards: from Overwatch to the rise of gachaRecently, I did something that I haven’t done in a really long time: I thought about Overwatch. I used to play Overwatch with my friends, and I absolutely made a habit of dropping 20 bucks here or there for a bunch of seasonal loot boxes. This was never a problem behavior for me, but in hindsight, it does sting that over a couple of years, I dropped maybe $150 on cosmetics for a game that now I primarily associate with squandered potential.Loot boxes grew out of free-to-play mobile games, where they’re the primary method of monetization. In something like Overwatch, they functioned as a way to earn additional revenue in an ongoing game, once the player had already dropped 40 bucks to buy it.More often than not, loot boxes are a random selection of skins and other cosmetics, but games like Star Wars: Battlefront 2 were famously criticized for launching with loot crates that essentially made it pay-to-win – if you bought enough of them and got lucky.It’s not unprecedented to associate loot boxes with gambling. A 2021 study published in Addictive Behaviors showed that players who self-reported as problem gamblers also tended to spend more on loot boxes, and another study done in the UK found a similar correlation with young adults.While Overwatch certainly wasn’t the first game to feature cosmetic loot boxes or microtransactions, it’s a reference point for me, and it also got attention worldwide. In 2018, Overwatch was investigated by the Belgian Gaming Commission, which found it “in violation of gambling legislation” alongside FIFA 18 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Belgium’s response was to ban the sale of loot boxes without a gambling license. Having a paid random rewards mechanic in a game is a criminal offense there. But not really. A 2023 study showed that 82% of iPhone games sold on the App Store in Belgium still use random paid monetization, as do around 80% of games that are rated 12+. The ban wasn’t effectively enforced, if at all, and the study recommends that a blanket ban wouldn’t actually be a practical solution anyway.Overwatch was rated T for Teen by the ESRB, and 12 by PEGI. When it first came out, its loot boxes were divisive. Since the mechanic came from F2P mobile games, which are often seen as predatory, people balked at seeing it in a big action game from a multi-million dollar publisher.At the time, the rebuttal was, “Well, at least it’s just cosmetics.” Nobody needs to buy loot boxes to be good at Overwatch.A lot has changed since 2016. Now we have a deeper understanding of how these mechanics are designed to manipulate players, even if they don’t affect gameplay. But also, they’ve been normalized. While there will always be people expressing disappointment when a AAA game has a paid random loot mechanic, it is no longer shocking.And if anything, these mechanics have only become more prevalent, thanks to the growth of gacha games. Gacha is short for “gachapon,” the Japanese capsule machines where you pay to receive one of a selection of random toys. Getty ImagesIn gacha games, players pay — not necessarily real money, but we’ll get to that — for a chance to get something. Maybe it’s a character, or a special weapon, or some gear — it depends on the game. Whatever it is, within that context, it’s desirable — and unlike the cosmetics of Overwatch, gacha pulls often do impact the gameplay.For example, in Infinity Nikki, you can pull for clothing items in these limited-time events. You have a chance to get pieces of a five-star outfit. But you also might pull one of a set of four-star items, or a permanent three-star piece. Of course, if you want all ten pieces of the five-star outfit, you have to do multiple pulls, each costing a handful of limited resources that you can earn in-game or purchase with money.Gacha was a fixture of mobile gaming for a long time, but in recent years, we’ve seen it go AAA, and global. MiHoYo’s Genshin Impact did a lot of that work when it came out worldwide on consoles and PC alongside its mobile release. Genshin and its successors are massive AAA games of a scale that, for your Nintendos and Ubisofts, would necessitate selling a bajillion copies to be a success. And they’re free.Genshin is an action game, whose playstyle changes depending on what character you’re playing — characters you get from gacha pulls, of course. In Zenless Zone Zero, the characters you can pull have different combo patterns, do different kinds of damage, and just feel different to play. And whereas in an early mobile gacha game like Love Nikki Dress UP! Queen the world was rudimentary, its modern descendant Infinity Nikki is, like Genshin, Breath of the Wild-esque. It is a massive open world, with collectibles and physics puzzles, platforming challenges, and a surprisingly involved storyline. Genshin Impact was the subject of an interesting study where researchers asked young adults in Hong Kong to self-report on their gacha spending habits. They found that, like with gambling, players who are not feeling good tend to spend more. “Young adult gacha gamers experiencing greater stress and anxiety tend to spend more on gacha purchases, have more motives for gacha purchases, and participate in more gambling activities,” they wrote. “This group is at a particularly higher risk of becoming problem gamblers.”One thing that is important to note is that Genshin Impact came out in 2020. The study was self-reported, and it was done during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a time when people were experiencing a lot of stress, and also fewer options to relieve that stress. We were all stuck inside gaming.But the fact that stress can make people more likely to spend money on gacha shows that while the gacha model isn’t necessarily harmful to everyone, it is exploitative to everyone. Since I started writing this story, another self-reported study came out in Japan, where 18.8% of people in their 20s say they’ve spent money on gacha rather than on things like food or rent.Following Genshin Impact’s release, MiHoYo put out Honkai: Star Rail and Zenless Zone Zero. All are shiny, big-budget games that are free to play, but dangle the lure of making just one purchase in front of the player. Maybe you could drop five bucks on a handful of in-game currency to get one more pull. Or maybe just this month you’ll get the second tier of rewards on the game’s equivalent of a Battle Pass. The game is free, after all — but haven’t you enjoyed at least ten dollars’ worth of gameplay? Image: HoyoverseI spent most of my December throwing myself into Infinity Nikki. I had been so stressed, and the game was so soothing. I logged in daily to fulfill my daily wishes and earn my XP, diamonds, Threads of Purity, and bling. I accumulated massive amounts of resources. I haven’t spent money on the game. I’m trying not to, and so far, it’s been pretty easy. I’ve been super happy with how much stuff I can get for free, and how much I can do! I actually feel really good about that — which is what I said to my boyfriend, and he replied, “Yeah, that’s the point. That’s how they get you.”And he’s right. Currently, Infinity Nikki players are embroiled in a war with developer Infold, after Infold introduced yet another currency type with deep ties to Nikki’s gacha system. Every one of these gacha games has its own tangled system of overlapping currencies. Some can only be used on gacha pulls. Some can only be used to upgrade items. Many of them can be purchased with human money.Image: InFold Games/Papergames via PolygonAll of this adds up. According to Sensor Towers’ data, Genshin Impact earned over 36 million dollars on mobile alone in a single month of 2024. I don’t know what Dan DiIorio’s peak monthly revenue for Luck Be A Landlord was, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t that.A lot of the spending guardrails we see in games like these are actually the result of regulations in other territories, especially China, where gacha has been a big deal for a lot longer. For example, gacha games have a daily limit on loot boxes, with the number clearly displayed, and a system collectively called “pity,” where getting the banner item is guaranteed after a certain number of pulls. Lastly, developers have to be clear about what the odds are. When I log in to spend the Revelation Crystals I’ve spent weeks hoarding in my F2P Infinity Nikki experience, I know that I have a 1.5% chance of pulling a 5-star piece, and that the odds can go up to 6.06%, and that I am guaranteed to get one within 20 pulls, because of the pity system.So, these odds are awful. But it is not as merciless as sitting down at a Vegas slot machine, an experience best described as “oh… that’s it?”There’s not a huge philosophical difference between buying a pack of loot boxes in Overwatch, a pull in Genshin Impact, or even a booster of Pokémon cards. You put in money, you get back randomized stuff that may or may not be what you want. In the dictionary definition, it’s a gamble. But unlike the slot machine, it’s not like you’re trying to win money by doing it, unless you’re selling those Pokémon cards, which is a topic for another time.But since even a game where you don’t get anything, like Balatro or Luck Be A Landlord, can come under fire for promoting gambling to kids, it would seem appropriate for app stores and ratings boards to take a similarly hardline stance with gacha.Instead, all these games are rated T for Teen by the ESRB, and PEGI 12 in the EU.The ESRB ratings for these games note that they contain in-game purchases, including random items. Honkai: Star Rail’s rating specifically calls out a slot machine mechanic, where players spend tokens to win a prize. But other than calling out Honkai’s slot machine, app stores are not slapping Genshin or Nikki with an 18+ rating. Meanwhile, Balatro had a PEGI rating of 18 until a successful appeal in February 2025, and Luck Be a Landlord is still 17+ on Apple’s App Store.Nobody knows what they’re doingWhen I started researching this piece, I felt very strongly that it was absurd that Luck Be A Landlord and Balatro had age ratings this high.I still believe that the way both devs have been treated by ratings boards is bad. Threatening an indie dev with a significant loss of income by pulling their game is bad, not giving them a way to defend themself or help them understand why it’s happening is even worse. It’s an extension of the general way that too-big-to-fail companies like Google treat all their customers.DiIorio told me that while it felt like a human being had at least looked at Luck Be A Landlord to make the determination that it contained gambling themes, the emails he was getting were automatic, and he doesn’t have a contact at Google to ask why this happened or how he can avoid it in the future — an experience that will be familiar to anyone who has ever needed Google support. But what’s changed for me is that I’m not actually sure anymore that games that don’t have gambling should be completely let off the hook for evoking gambling.Exposing teens to simulated gambling without financial stakes could spark an interest in the real thing later on, according to a study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. It’s the same reason you can’t mosey down to the drug store to buy candy cigarettes. Multiple studies were done that showed kids who ate candy cigarettes were more likely to take up smoking (of course, the candy is still available — just without the “cigarette” branding.)So while I still think rating something like Balatro 18+ is nuts, I also think that describing it appropriately might be reasonable. As a game, it’s completely divorced from literally any kind of play you would find in a casino — but I can see the concern that the thrill of flashy numbers and the shiny cards might encourage young players to try their hand at poker in a real casino, where a real house can take their money.Maybe what’s more important than doling out high age ratings is helping people think about how media can affect us. In the same way that, when I was 12 and obsessed with The Matrix, my parents gently made sure that I knew that none of the violence was real and you can’t actually cartwheel through a hail of bullets in real life. Thanks, mom and dad!But that’s an answer that’s a lot more abstract and difficult to implement than a big red 18+ banner. When it comes to gacha, I think we’re even less equipped to talk about these game mechanics, and I’m certain they’re not being age-rated appropriately. On the one hand, like I said earlier, gacha exploits the player’s desire for stuff that they are heavily manipulated to buy with real money. On the other hand, I think it’s worth acknowledging that there is a difference between gacha and casino gambling.Problem gamblers aren’t satisfied by winning — the thing they’re addicted to is playing, and the risk that comes with it. In gacha games, players do report satisfaction when they achieve the prize they set out to get. And yes, in the game’s next season, the developer will be dangling a shiny new prize in front of them with the goal of starting the cycle over. But I think it’s fair to make the distinction, while still being highly critical of the model.And right now, there is close to no incentive for app stores to crack down on gacha in any way. They get a cut of in-app purchases. Back in 2023, miHoYo tried a couple of times to set up payment systems that circumvented Apple’s 30% cut of in-app spending. Both times, it was thwarted by Apple, whose App Store generated $1.1 trillion in developer billings and sales in 2022.According to Apple itself, 90% of that money did not include any commission to Apple. Fortunately for Apple, ten percent of a trillion dollars is still one hundred billion dollars, which I would also like to have in my bank account. Apple has zero reason to curb spending on games that have been earning millions of dollars every month for years.And despite the popularity of Luck Be A Landlord and Balatro’s massive App Store success, these games will never be as lucrative. They’re one-time purchases, and they don’t have microtransactions. To add insult to injury, like most popular games, Luck Be A Landlord has a lot of clones. And from what I can tell, it doesn’t look like any of them have been made to indicate that their games contain the dreaded “gambling themes” that Google was so worried about in Landlord.In particular, a game called SpinCraft: Roguelike from Sneaky Panda Games raised $6 million in seed funding for “inventing the Luck-Puzzler genre,” which it introduced in 2022, while Luck Be A Landlord went into early access in 2021.It’s free-to-play, has ads and in-app purchases, looks like Fisher Price made a slot machine, and it’s rated E for everyone, with no mention of gambling imagery in its rating. I reached out to the developers to ask if they had also been contacted by the Play Store to disclose that their game has gambling themes, but I haven’t heard back.Borrowing mechanics in games is as old as time, and it’s something I in no way want to imply shouldn’t happen because copyright is the killer of invention — but I think we can all agree that the system is broken.There is no consistency in how games with random chance are treated. We still do not know how to talk about gambling, or gambling themes, and at the end of the day, the results of this are the same: the house always wins.See More:

Category: ID@XboxMay 30, 2025 Eternal Evil Hits Xbox Series X|S – Vampires Grow Stronger with Your Blood Imad Khalil, Partner, Human Qube Eternal Evil is a first-person survival horror game that captures the spirit of the genre’s roots. With two playable characters, limited resources, and a city on the edge of collapse, players must think fast, aim carefully, and survive the night. In Eternal Evil, Every Mistake Fuels Your Enemy Vampires don’t just attack – they feed. If you let them get close, they’ll grow faster, tougher and harder to kill. This survival horror FPS turns every encounter into a choice: strike first, or be bled dry. At the core of Eternal Evil is its “feeding mechanic” – the longer a vampire is on you, the stronger it becomes. What starts as a basic fight can quickly become a deadly chase if you hesitate. You’re not just trying to survive. You’re managing your own downfall. Every Bullet Matters Combat is slow, deliberate, and brutal. Ammo is scarce. Headshots are everything. You won’t blast through hordes – you’ll count every round and pray you brought enough. The game demands tight inventory management, attention to detail, and preparation. Puzzles are embedded in the environment. There are no glowing objectives or quest markers. Progress comes from observation, not hand-holding. Two Storylines. One Outbreak. You’ll play as two characters: detective Hank Richards, locked inside a hotel during the first wave of infection, and his ex-military ally Marcus, navigating the city from the outskirts. Each path reveals a different part of the story – and only one of them makes it to the end. Environments shift from cramped hallways to burned-out streets and abandoned facilities. Enemy placement and pacing are designed to keep tension high throughout both campaigns. No Shortcuts, No Hand-Holding There are no tutorials. No mini-maps. No regenerating health. Eternal Evil respects your ability to adapt – and punishes those who don’t. If you’re stuck on a puzzle, an optional item allows limited auto-solves – but nothing comes free. Everything in Eternal Evil has a cost. Pure Survival Horror Eternal Evil doesn’t chase spectacle. It builds fear through restraint. Minimalist UI. Cold, comic-style cutscenes. No noise – just tension. This is what defined the golden age of survival horror: constant pressure, deliberate pacing, and the kind of dread that doesn’t let go. Eternal Evil is now available on Xbox Series X|S. Eternal Evil Axyos Games ☆☆☆☆☆ 4 ★★★★★ $19.99 Get it now In Eternal Evil, you'll immerse yourself in a dark, blood-soaked atmosphere filled with terrifying enemies and a gripping, mysterious storyline. Armed with a diverse arsenal of firearms, you'll experience realistic shooting mechanics as you battle evolving ghouls. The game challenges you with intricate puzzles. As you explore diverse and immersive locations, you'll manage your inventory carefully, all within a classic survival-horror experience. The game also features a physics-based damage system, allowing for enemy dismemberment, adding to the intense and visceral horror. Fans of traditional survival-horror gameplay—featuring tight corridors, limited resources, and a constant sense of dread—will feel right at home. The experience pays homage to the golden age of the genre with a modern edge, offering methodical combat, strategic exploration, and a deeply atmospheric world. Related Stories for “Eternal Evil Hits Xbox Series X|S – Vampires Grow Stronger with Your Blood” Category: Next Week on XboxNext Week on Xbox: New Games for June 2 to 6 Category: ID@XboxA Little Roguelike Fun: Cryptmaster’s Deckbuilder in the Anniversary Update Category: ID@XboxGet Connected: Indie Selects for May 2025 The post Eternal Evil Hits Xbox Series X|S – Vampires Grow Stronger with Your Blood appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Frontline Protocol – Tactical PvE Strategy Wishlist on Steam and join Playtest for free Hi everyone! I'm an indie developer working on Frontline Protocol, a real-time strategy game with a unique blend of rts, deckbuilding and auto battler mechanics, and a strong focus on cooperative PvE gameplay. This isn't your typical RTS: Instead of controlling units directly, players influence the battlefield by playing cards. Every card you deploy brings instant effects – from spawning units, constructing buildings, placing towers, to launching tactical actions. Positioning, timing, and smart synergy between your three active decks is key. Key Features Card-based RTS Control your army through over 300 cards: infantry, vehicles, towers, buildings, and powerful action cards.1–4 online Multiplayer PvE Co-op Jump into online Multiplayer battles with up to 3 friends. Share spawners, coordinate strategies, and specialize your decks for roles like defense, eco, support, or frontline pressure.Auto Battler Dynamics Once deployed, your units act autonomously – but their effectiveness depends on your deck structure, map control, and team coordination.Meta Progression Earn Booster Credits and unlock card packs containing new units, action cards, and some items. Permanently improve select cards, invest skill points for meta-progression, and shape your long-term strategy. Create new specialized decks like infantry only, anti vehicle, eco buildings or what you want.Mission System Take on dynamic PvE missions with modifiers like time limits or card restrictions. Complete them to earn Mission Coins and unlock exclusive tactical rewards from mission booster packs.Special OrderAdd extra difficulty and earn rare rewards. Special Orders can be activated by the host to increase mission difficulty for all players – by limiting income, increasing enemy spawns or something else. The entire team receives a special loot if they succeed under these conditions. Deployment PlansStrategically boost rewards during missions. Deployment Plans are one-time tactical items drawn from mission booster packs. Use them during missions to gain extra Player EXP, Card EXP, or bonus loot – either per map or at mission completion. Choosing the right plan at the right time can multiply your rewards. Stats: Genre: Real-Time Strategy meets Deckbuilder and Auto Battler Online Multiplayer: Cooperative PvE for 1–4 players Card-Based Tactics: Spawn units, fire missiles, deploy towers, build economy Multi-Deck System: Play with up to three customizable decks simultaneously Booster Packs: Unlock new units, new action cards, and items 300+ Cards: Infantry, vehicles, support units, towers, buildings, and special actions Shared Resources: Teamwide synergy through buildings and spawner sharing Deck Progression: Permanently upgrade cards and build long-term strategies Skill Tree: Earn XP and unlock passive bonuses like faster income or extra hand size Missions & Objectives: Take on randomly generated missions with bonus rewards Built for Co-op: Game design encourages collaboration and tactical communication No Paywalls: All content unlockable through gameplay only Dynamic Enemy Scaling: AI becomes stronger the longer you wait – pressure guaranteed Replay Value: Constant deck experimentation, randomized missions, and tactical depth Get more: Steam Page: Frontline Protocol on Steam Official Website: www.frontlineprotocol.com

A bunch of great games made with Unity dropped in May—across genres, budgets, and styles. Here’s a quick roundup of what shipped that anyone not still lost in Blue Prince should check out.IGF Awards Huge congrats to all the IGF finalists, especially the games made with Unity that dominated the awards this year — including Consume Me, which took home three wins! Fresh off their Audience Award win at the IGF Awards, The WereCleaner team joined us on stream. Check it out:Made with Unity Steam Curator Page Once again we sent out a clarion call for Unity staff to share which of your games they've been playing this past month. Be sure to see them all on our Steam Curator Page here:Working on a game in Unity? We’d love to help you spread the word. Be sure to submit your project.Without further ado, to the best of our abilities, here’s a non-exhaustive list of games made with Unity and launched in May 2025, either into early access or full release. Add to the list by sharing any that you think we missed.ActionShotgun Cop Man, DeadToast Entertainment (May 1)Deliver At All Costs, Studio Far Out Games (May 22)Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo, Pocket Trap (May 28)Bullet HeavenBioprototype, Emprom Game (May 19)Broventure: The Wild Co-op, Alice Games (May 15)Tower of Babel: Survivors of Chaos, NANOO (May 19 – early access)Cards, dice, and deckbuildersMonster Train 2, Shiny Shoe (May 21)Into the Restless Ruins, Ant Workshop Ltd (May 15)Casual, rhythm, and partyAmong Us 3D, Schell Games, Innersloth (May 6)Dunk Dunk, Badgerhammer Limited (May 8)Ithya: Magic Studies, BlueTurtle (May 7)Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo, Galla (May 16)Bugtopia, Nocturnal Games (May 21)Kabuto Park, Doot, Zakku (May 28)City and colony builderPreserve, Bitmap Galaxy (May 15)MEMORIAPOLIS, 5PM Studio (April 30)Darfall, SquareNite (May 8)Worshippers of Cthulhu, Crazy Goat Games (May 22)City Tales - Medieval Era, Irregular Shapes (May 22 – early access)ComedyPick Me Pick Me, Optillusion (May 28 – early access)Experimental or surrealistENA: Dream BBQ, ENA Team (March 27)FPSBloodshed, com8com1 Software (May 22)GRIMWAR, BookWyrm (May 16)Noga, Ilan Manor (May 30)HorrorLiDAR Exploration Program, KenForest (April 2)White Knuckle, KenForest (April 17 – early access)The Boba Teashop, Mike Ten (April 21)Out of Hands, Game River (April 22)Darkwater, Targon Studios (April 22 – early access)Management and automationBlacksmith Master, Untitled Studio (May 15 – early access)Liquor Store Simulator, Tovarishch Games (May 2)Animal Spa, Sinkhole Studio, Moonlab Studio (May 13)Toy Shop Simulator, PaperPixel Games (May 16)Alien Market Simulator, Silly Sloth Studios, Kheddo Entertainment (May 25 – early access)MetroidvaniaOirbo, ImaginationOverflow (February 11 – early access)SteamDolls - Order Of Chaos, The Shady Gentlemen (February 11 – early access)Narrative and mysterydespelote, Julián Cordero, Sebastian Valbuena (May 1)Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping, Happy Broccoli Games (May 22)Beholder: Conductor, Alawar (April 23)PlatformerPaperKlay, WhyKev (March 27)Bionic Bay, Psychoflow Studio, Mureena Oy (April 17)Once Upon A Puppet, Flatter Than Earth (April 23)PEPPERED: an existential platformer, Mostly Games (April 7)Ninja Ming, 1 Poss Studio (April 10)Seafrog, OhMyMe Games (April 15)Puzzle adventurePup Champs, Afterburn (May 19)Strings Theory, Beautiful Bee (Console release)Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer, Clifftop Games (May 20)Poco, Whalefall (May 20)Axona, Onat Oke (May 28)Projected Dreams, Flawberry Studio (May 29)Elroy and the Aliens, Motiviti (April 2)Leila, Ubik Studios (April 7)Tempopo, Witch Beam (April 17)BOKURA: planet, ところにょり (April 24)Amerzone - The Explorer's Legacy, Microids Studio Paris (April 24)Roguelike/liteSavara, Doryah Games (May 6)Vellum, Alvios Games (May 2)Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade, 7QUARK (May 14)An Amazing Wizard, Tiny Goblins (May 22 – early access)Garden of Witches, Team Tapas (May 23 – early access)RPGTainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, Questline (May 23)The Monster Breeder, Fantasy Creations (May 6)Yes, Your Grace 2: Snowfall, Brave At Night (May 8)SandboxA Webbing Journey, Fire Totem Games (May 19 – early access)Islands & Trains, Akos Makovics (May 29)SimulationThe Precinct, Fallen Tree Games Ltd (May 13)Liquor Store Simulator, Tovarishch Games (May 2)Doloc Town, RedSaw Games Studio (May 7)Tales of Seikyu, ACE Entertainment (May 21 – early access)Trash Goblin, Spilt Milk Studios Ltd (May 28)Sports and drivingThe Last Golfer, Pixel Perfect Dude (May 28)Turbo Takedown, Hanging Draw (March 3)StrategyTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown, Strange Scaffold (May 22)Tower Dominion, Parallel 45 Games (May 7)9 Kings, Sad Socket (May 23 – early access)SurvivalDino Path Trail, Void Pointer (May 9)Survival Machine, Grapes Pickers (May 7 – early access)Oppidum, EP Games® (April 25)That’s a wrap for May 2025. Want more Made with Unity and community news as it happens? Don’t forget to follow us on social media: Bluesky, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitch.

Category: GamesMay 30, 2025 Atomfall Story Expansion Arrives Next Week – Dare You Visit Wicked Isle? Ben Fisher, Head of Design, Rebellion For those of you who are new to the game, Atomfall is an action-survival mystery set in the UK. The story takes place five years after the real-life events of the 1957 Windscale Disaster in the North of England. In the world of Atomfall, a quarantine zone has been established around the Atom Plant and no one has been allowed in or out for five years. Life and society have changed and adapted under these trying circumstances and gangs of strange folk now wander the countryside. You wake up in a bunker with no idea who you are or how you got there. Given the circumstances you have little choice but to set out on a journey to discover what really happened at Windscale and maybe try to find out who you are in the process. The Wicked Isle expansion adds a whole new location, with its own set of characters and enemies as well as additional leads, weapons, skills, items and multiple new endings for the main game. What is the Wicked Isle? Surrounded by murky and perilous waters lies a wicked isle… a mysterious new region to explore, nestled off the Cumberland coast. They say there was a creepy old fishing village out there, but the locals haven’t seen anyone from there for years. The Wicked Isle is an entirely new area for players to explore in Atomfall, accessible by boat from the village of Wyndham. It’s a region that gave us an opportunity to really double down on the Folk Horror influences that you find throughout the game, as well as hints of sci-fi and cold war paranoia for good measure. When developing the Wicked Isle, there were two real-world locations that acted as key inspirations. The first was Lindisfarne – the “Holy Island” – which is a monastery on an island off the coast of Britain and was famously raided by Vikings in the 9th century. On the wicked isle, an Abbey towers over everything and constantly entices you to explore what secrets it holds within. The other major inspiration was Anthrax Island, a real-world island off the coast of Scotland that was used for military experiments during the Second World War. The entire island was quarantined until the 1990s as a result of the tests, and you might find evidence of similar experiments as you explore Wicked Isle. Explore the Isle’s Mysteries Shrouded by dense fog, this strange isle holds secrets that lead to the heart of the mystery of what really happened at the Windscale Plant. The Wicked Isle is located close to the Atom Plant and as a result, infection had spread rapidly and had a significant effect on the environment and the people that live there. You will have to tread carefully! As you investigate the island you will uncover new leads and story threads. While some of these are standalone stories, some leads link back to the overarching narrative of Atomfall as you seek to uncover what really happened. You will have to travel back to the mainland in search of clues and items which will in turn unlock multiple new potential endings for the main game. Uncover New Treasures While exploring you will find new items, weapons, and skills to help you as you survive in the Quarantine Zone. Deadly blunderbusses, upgraded metal detectors, and otherworldly abilities are just some of the things you’ll find on the isle. In creating these new weapons, we had an immediate and impactful opportunity to link to the key themes we were exploring in this story expansion – whether it be the Blunderbuss and Cutlass tying to the nautical history of the isle itself or some of the stranger ritualistic weapons used by the pagan druids who have made this their home. However, I’m most excited to see how people interact with the new abilities that the Wicked Isle brings. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but you’re going to find some pretty weird stuff going on out there. Face Fearsome Foes The inhabitants of the isle have not escaped the impact of the disaster. A deranged druid cult has become even more powerful through their pagan rituals; roaming bandits have embraced the island’s nautical past and strange creatures lurk in the watery depths. If you want to survive, you’ll need to be prepared to fight back. The response from the community to Atomfall has been incredible and we cannot wait for players to experience Wicked Isle. The stories and leads you uncover there and the people you will meet along the way add even greater depth to the mystery of Atomfall. Available from June 3, the Wicked Isle Story Expansion Pack can be bought separately and is also included in the Atomfall Deluxe Edition and Atomfall Deluxe Upgrade. Game Pass subscribers will also receive a 10% discount. We hope you enjoy visiting the dark and lonely waters. Atomfall: Story Expansion Pack Wicked Isle Rebellion ☆☆☆☆☆ ★★★★★ Get it now Surrounded by murky and perilous waters lies a wicked isle… a mysterious new region to explore, nestled off the Cumberland coast. They say there was a creepy old fishing village out there, but the locals haven’t seen anyone from there for years. There is a boat from the Wyndham Village shore for anyone brave enough to go and look for themselves. New mysteries, new supplies and new possibilities of escape could lie ahead for anyone who dares. The Atomfall story continues with the “Wicked Isle” Story Expansion Pack, introducing a new location, enemies, quests, characters, items, weapons, and more. Explore the isle’s mysteries Shrouded by dense fog, this strange isle holds secrets that lead to the heart of the mystery. Uncover leads that intertwine with the Atomfall narrative, expanding the story and unlocking new routes out of the Quarantine Zone. Uncover new treasures While exploring you will find new items, weapons, and skills to help you as you survive in the Quarantine Zone. Deadly blunderbusses, upgraded metal detectors, and otherworldly abilities are just some of the things you’ll find on the isle. Face fearsome foes The inhabitants of the isle have not escaped the impact of the disaster. A deranged druid cult has become even more powerful through their pagan rituals; roaming bandits have embraced the island’s nautical past and strange creatures lurk in the watery depths. If you want to survive, you’ll need to be prepared to fight back. Related Stories for “Atomfall Story Expansion Arrives Next Week – Dare You Visit Wicked Isle?” Category: ID@XboxA Little Roguelike Fun: Cryptmaster’s Deckbuilder in the Anniversary Update Category: ID@XboxGet Connected: Indie Selects for May 2025 Category: GamesFree Play Days – Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (MP & Zombies Only), The Division 2, ARK: Survival Ascended, and More The post Atomfall Story Expansion Arrives Next Week – Dare You Visit Wicked Isle? appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Monster Train 2 is a superlative sequel that takes everything that made the first game great and amps it up with smart new systems and even more replayability - here are our thoughtsTech17:09, 27 May 2025Ready to get back on the track?There’s nothing quite like a good roguelike deckbuilder . Whether you’re into Slay The Spire, Inscryption, or Monster Train, you’re not short of options either.So, how does a studio brute force its way into the conversation? By dropping not only a sequel to one of the aforementioned holy trinity , but also by making it possibly the best example of the card-based genre in years.‌Monster Train 2 is that rare sequel that expertly weaves new ideas into the fine-tuned locomotive engine of its predecessor, all while keeping many of the original parts. The result is one of the most moreish games of 2025, and even the last half-decade.‌This time, we're working upwardMonster Train debuted back in 2020, and its appeal came from its much more expansive art style than its contemporary, Slay The Spire’s simpler art direction, as well as the fact that its ludicrously-addictive card-based combat loop works on multiple levels (literally).Racking up the units to protect the top tier of your train added an element of positioning and a layer of tactility to combat, while also providing foes with an opportunity to outplay you.Article continues belowThankfully, Monster Train 2 doesn’t so much change that system as it buffs it to a shine while adding a whole host of small tweaks around it.There's a seemingly infinite amount of build diversityThis time around, your train isn’t headed for hell, but is instead sent speeding into the heavens as you plot your route and pick your battles, unlocking cards as you go and using them to see how long you can keep your violent voyage going.‌That simple change of direction from the deepest depths to the highest heights means you can now pick your crew from angels, demons, and everything in between, and it’s all done with just as much charm (and a little more character) than it was in the first game.Enemies arrive, and you funnel them through your train while protecting the heart of the engine with card-based attacks that you level up and collect over the course of a run. Do you go all out to protect the top level, or aim to wear down the foes at the base level first? Cards can be played on multiple levels, and that means there’s much more choice at play than in similar titles.It may look like Monster Train 1, but there's more going on‌With cards to play, units to assemble, and many of them having unique interactions, it’ll be a long, long time before you’ve seen everything Monster Train 2 has to offer, which will be mana from heaven for anyone still logging into the first game five years after its launch.That’s before we get into more complex systems, too, like which items to grab and when, or whether your equipment cards are best served to power up your own cleaving commuters, or to be dropped onto your foes to debuff them.With primary and secondary factions to choose from, each with their own starting units and customisation options, Monster Train 2 is the kind of game one could feasibly start playing at 9 AM and keep chipping away at until the small hours of the next day. In fact, that’s exactly what happened more than once in my playtime, especially since it’s a model citizen on the Steam Deck.‌We won't spoil the surprise, but the clan variety is amazingWant to hoard gold to be able to splurge on reinforcements? The dragons are your best shout, but you can also use the Underlegion to essentially outnumber your foes with the power of, um, fungus.The Lazarus League, on the other hand, are like a hand grenade that’s just as liable to go off in your hand as it is to do damage to your opponents, bringing units back to life with randomised bonuses that can make or break a run.‌Mixing a pair of these factions together and attempting to essentially break the game’s carefully measured combat system with a mix of random card additions, buffs, and plain old luck is a rush that saw me racking up the runs night after night.Then there’s Endless Mode, which lets you take your custom deck from a winning run and keep testing it. In essence, you just keep going, battling until your Pyre Heart goes out, but with positive and negative modifiers to keep adding more and more layers to its delicious mix of mechanics.The VerdictArticle continues belowMonster Train 2 is a game that will sap your free time if you let it, and if you have a Steam Deck, we’d give it a 6 out of 5 if we could.It really is that good, that addictive, and that fun that we may struggle to go back to the incredible original–high praise, indeed.Reviewed on PC. Review code provided by the publisher.‌‌‌

Death Howl is billed as a Soulslike deckbuilder game, developed by The Outer Zone and published by 11 bit studios. In it, players take on the role of a grieving mother as she tries to defy death and revive her son.

texhnolyze Shinra Employee Member Oct 25, 2017 26,475 Indonesia About This GameDeveloper: Questline Publisher: Awaken Realms Genre: RPG / Action / Open World Platforms: PC (Steam), PS5, XBS Price: $44.99/43,99€ (Pricing varies by region and platform.) Release Date: May 23rd, 2025 Game Length: 50-70 hours 10/10 https://gamerant.com/tainted-grail-fall-of-avalon-review/ What makes The Fall of Avalon worth playing isn't just its reverence for classic RPGs, but how it reinterprets their ideas through a much darker lens. Questline's take on Arthurian myth is an intense and mature narrative, pulling players through a crumbling world where every choice feels like it might be the wrong one. There are lessons here, but more than anything, there's a story that feels like it was made for players who still crave consequence, immersion, and discovery in their RPGs. And while it might stumble in execution at times, it rarely loses sight of what it's trying to be. Click to expand... Click to shrink... 8/10 https://www.dualshockers.com/tainted-grail-the-fall-of-avalon-review/ Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is an adventure to behold, especially for those who are fans of Oblivion and Skyrim. With endless build variety, a beautiful dark fantasy world, an interesting story, and satisfying combat that feels weighty, this game is a great choice for RPG enthusiasts. While the game can feel like it's still in early access in some ways, specifically with its enemy AI, outdated character models, and a world that can feel too empty in parts, none of these issues take away from what makes Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon so special. It's a project where passion is on full display and I can't wait to see what Questline does next. Click to expand... Click to shrink... 7/10 Tainted Grail: The Fall Of Avalon - Flawed In The Stone (Review) Tainted Grail: The Fall of AvalonReleased: May 23rd, 2025Developer: Awaken Realms, QuestlinePublisher: Awaken RealmsSystems: PC, PS5 (reviewed), Xbox Series Copy provided by publisherJohn Carpenter’s The Thing is one of my favorite movies, not least for the fascinating concept behind its titular... www.thejimquisition.com Perhaps it will be given the same grace (some early reviews have been quite positive). It's got less of a budget but a lot more heart than its "AAA" templates. It seems to be rooted in the archaic out of genuine love for the style as opposed to rote complacency, which counts for something. Given the size of the game relative to the size of the developer, it deserves to be called ambitious. As a result, I'm far more inclined toward leniency than I have been elsewhere. Plus, y'know, I had fun with it. Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is doing its little best, and if Skyrim is a hallmark of roleplaying quality, then Tainted Grail's best has to be good enough. Click to expand... Click to shrink... 8.5/10 Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon | Recensione Ci siamo tuffati nelle leggende arturiane con la versione 1.0 di Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon: nella recensione vi raccontiamo com'è andata. www.spaziogames.it If it is true that Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon does not shine in its technical sector and is a bit of a set of successful ideas sewn in a new way, it is also true that succeeding in this operation was anything but trivial. The developers have never hidden their (illustrious) sources of inspiration, and have thus created a love letter for open-world role-playing games, declined in a successful and engaging dark fantasy atmosphere - capable of stealing the hearts of lovers of the genre and, why not, of approaching new ones. It took some time in early access to get to this result, but it was certainly worth it. Click to expand... Click to shrink... 8.5/10 Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon | Recensione | The Games Machine Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon è un RPG open world con combattimenti intensi, progressione libera e riscrittura cruda del mito di Re Artù. www.thegamesmachine.it The developers of Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon call it a love letter to open-world RPGs as if the game were just a tribute to the cornerstones of the genre such as Skyrim or Oblivion, when in reality we are faced with a production with great personality, spectacular from an artistic point of view and with a plot intricate enough to glue us to the monitor for a long time. The gameplay does not aim to revolutionize the genre, but offers everything you could want from a modern RPG, reinterpreting the story of King Arthur in a dark key full of exciting combat. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon Review in Progress - IGN So far this is a fun but familiar open-world RPG that reimagines Arthurian myth. www.ign.com Otherwise, a lot of the 5 hours I've played of Fall of Avalon so far has been spent exploring, accidentally picking up smut, talking to people, and so on. This is a pick up everything, speak to everybody, the world exists to be your playground kind of game, and if you've played The Elder Scrolls, you'll probably be right at home Click to expand... Click to shrink... 8/10 View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o03nU7pRdgY View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpoOeihKoZo View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeASWY7m05I View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6ViWUExbDY I will add more when posted.  Last edited: 16 minutes ago MacheteSquadSteve Member Jan 6, 2025 285 there's a story that feels like it was made for players who still crave consequence, immersion, and discovery in their RPGs. Click to expand... Click to shrink... That's encouraging. I enjoyed the demo and already planned on checking this out at some point. I just don't have it in me to start another lengthy RPG.   TripleBee Prophet of Truth Member Oct 30, 2017 7,510 Canada Good reviews. Just wondering about performance on console really. I assume I should go PS5 pro over Series X, but also there's a bunch of visual sliders for quality - would be nice to have an idea of how stable it is in the bigger world.   Niosai One Winged Slayer Member Oct 28, 2017 5,235 This game's a ton of fun. I have a review in the works but I can say that if you have an Elder Scrolls itch, this game does a GREAT job scratching it.   ClayModel Member Oct 29, 2017 2,241 Decent reviews, the demo convinced me well enough to get to it one day.   Nameless Member Oct 25, 2017 17,262 I've been looking forward to this but I think I'll give them some patch time as post Early Access areas sound prone to broken side quests and such. Plus I'm still working my way through Oblivion + Clair Obscur, so it's probably not the best idea to bring a 60+ hour game into the mix.  Rhaknar Member Oct 26, 2017 51,799 do we know how much this is on console yet?   OP OP texhnolyze Shinra Employee Member Oct 25, 2017 26,475 Indonesia Review in progress. https://www.mmorpg.com/previews/the-rpg-files-tainted-grail-the-fall-of-avalon-review-in-progress-2000135010?amp=true Between the combat, enemy design, story, and draw to explore one more area, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon has been a great early game experience. I do have two concerns that I will explore more in the final review. Something about the gameplay is missing polish in specific aspects; I can't quite put my finger on it yet. I don't know if it's just some of the timings for combat or a combination of minor things. Also, while the character skills look quite varied, I don't know how much depth they actually have or how engaging specializing in a particular weapon or magic will be. Click to expand... Click to shrink...   chainlinkspiral Member Oct 25, 2017 12,502 Pretty swell reviews! The board game is an all timer.   Buckle Member Oct 27, 2017 44,645 Niosai said: This game's a ton of fun. I have a review in the works but I can say that if you have an Elder Scrolls itch, this game does a GREAT job scratching it. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Is magic as fun to use as it was in Skyrim? I had a blast going double barreled flame throwers and necromancy. Thats all I need to know.  Oliver James Avenger Oct 25, 2017 9,832 Damn, I didn't know about this game. I will try and get this.   Gavalanche Prophet of Regret Member Oct 21, 2021 25,954 The reviews kind of remind me of Drova, which was my GOTY last year. This game feels right up my alley!! Too much shit to play but I will grab it anyway. Great year for RPG's.  skeezx Member Oct 27, 2017 23,777 enjoyed my time with it in early access awhile back. it undoubtedly felt early access though so i didn't invest too much time in it would like to fire it up but on the heels of Oblivion I'll probably burn out. maybe in a month or three  OP OP texhnolyze Shinra Employee Member Oct 25, 2017 26,475 Indonesia BassForever One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 31,634 CT So is this a faithful adaptation of the board game or a game inspired by it's story/world?   FF Seraphim Member Oct 26, 2017 16,599 Tokyo Guys if you really love these types of games(oblivion, etc), pick this up. Incredible game. There is jank but it doesn't get in the way of the fun.   wasylycia Member Jan 11, 2024 65 character creator?   OP OP texhnolyze Shinra Employee Member Oct 25, 2017 26,475 Indonesia wasylycia said: character creator? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yes, you create a custom character with their own backgrounds at the beginning. It's not very complex but it's there. View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYEXo62eR0Q   Miracle Ache Member Oct 25, 2017 1,590 Enjoyed the demo so it's nice to see the game reviewing well.   carlsojo Shinra Employee Member Oct 28, 2017 37,589 San Francisco where the fuck did this game come from why are there so many games ;'(  Cyanity Member Oct 25, 2017 10,061 What is in the water this year??? I can't play all these games!!!   dreamfall Member Oct 25, 2017 7,366 I need it badly! I can not wait for the 1.0 release, it's going to be so good!   OP OP texhnolyze Shinra Employee Member Oct 25, 2017 26,475 Indonesia https://screenrant.com/tainted-grail-the-fall-of-avalon-review-in-progress/ For those who love dungeon-diving and grow weary of the cut-and-paste approach in these types of games, worry not, as all the interiors here have a noticeable maker's mark. The massive legacy dungeons like Sagremor's Keep are ostentatious centerpiece adventures, but even the many smaller caves and outposts bear their own quirks, surprises, and unique characters. Playing a massive open-world RPG that values its players' time investment is gratifying. I never roll my eyes at a cliché in Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon because it so frequently subverts them outright, nor do I ever fret over some daft resource-gathering distraction or unnecessary spot of padding. Even 40 hours in, it's been primarily killer over filler, so let's see what's yet to come in its endgame. Click to expand... Click to shrink... 7.5/10 Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon – Análise – Vale a Pena – Review Desenvolvido pela Awaken Realms, um estúdio polonês conhecido pelo trabalho com jogos de tabuleiro, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon é uma adaptação criticalhits.com.br Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is an open-world RPG inspired by Arthurian legends and influenced by games like The Elder Scrolls, bringing an engaging and original narrative. Despite the dated graphics and significant technical issues, such as frequent FPS drops and serious bugs at launch, the game stands out for immersive exploration, full of secrets and intriguing locations. With a well-constructed dark atmosphere and deep mechanics, it's a rewarding experience for fans of the genre who are willing to overlook these initial technical limitations. Click to expand... Click to shrink... 7.2/10 Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon Review | A Worthy Alternative｜Game8 2025.05.22 Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon is a new indie open-world RPG where you explore Avalon and shape its future in this dark reimagination. Read our review to see what it did well, what it didn't do well, and if it's worth buying. game8.co Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon is an RPG to look out for. For $44.99, it's a steal for how much content there is in the game. The devs have spent the time and effort to make it as good as it is now, which is evident in the quality and quantity of the first two acts. However, it may take a bit more time for the third act to be polished, as the first two acts were available in early access and were tested for a longer time. Nevertheless, it's a game that we recommend if you're looking for an alternative to play besides Skyrim, Avowed, and Oblivion, as this game is a clear competitor in the same genre. Click to expand... Click to shrink...   Last edited: Today at 12:12 AM wasylycia Member Jan 11, 2024 65 texhnolyze said: Yes, you create a custom character with their own backgrounds at the beginning. It's not very complex but it's there. View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYEXo62eR0Q Click to expand... Click to shrink... appreciate it! this is the most "what is this game" to "i want this day 1" feeling ive had in a long time lol. anyone able to get this on ps5 yet/know the release time? just seeing the demo  Elfgore Member Mar 2, 2020 5,221 Damn, those reviews are pretty solid. Looking forward to it!   OP OP texhnolyze Shinra Employee Member Oct 25, 2017 26,475 Indonesia wasylycia said: appreciate it! this is the most "what is this game" to "i want this day 1" feeling ive had in a long time lol. anyone able to get this on ps5 yet/know the release time? just seeing the demo Click to expand... Click to shrink... I think it will release at the same time everywhere, later today at 5pm CET.   Gavalanche Prophet of Regret Member Oct 21, 2021 25,954 This is where my boycott of xbox is paying off! I was really really wanting to play Oblivion, so now a weirder maybe more janky version has come out and I am not burnt out on Oblivion? Perfect.   SpellSwordFoxx Member Feb 27, 2025 446 yup, reviews convinced me. gonna jump in as a spellsword, as usual. maybe also try unarmed for the fun.  Puffins Member Nov 1, 2024 325 This sounds great. Liking the comparison to Elder Scrolls - did not expect that at all.   Yam's Member Oct 27, 2017 4,583 It seems like it may be worth waiting for a bit to give them time to polish it more, and maybe add a bit more content to the last area (even if the game is already quite long).   OP OP texhnolyze Shinra Employee Member Oct 25, 2017 26,475 Indonesia Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon Review – A Broken Masterpiece? When Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon first entered the conversation, it looked like just another attempt to ride Skyrim’s coattails. But beneath its rough edges lies a game that delivers a uniquely intense and atmospheric experience. It doesn’t pretend to be triple-A, nor does it need to. From... www.gamer.org Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is not polished to perfection. Animations falter, systems sometimes clash, and bugs are part of the ride. But what it lacks in refinement, it makes up for in heart. This is a rare open-world RPG where discovery feels meaningful, combat feels dangerous, and the world itself tells a story through its decay. It's a rough gem—one that clearly comes from a smaller team with big ideas. If you can accept its quirks, you'll find something genuinely memorable beneath the jank. And for under $50, it delivers more than many full-priced RPGs released this year. Click to expand... Click to shrink... 7.8/10 Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon Review - GamersRD.com Aquellos jugadores que como yo, les gusta la fórmula The Elder Scrolls, o lo que es lo mismo, RPG de mundo abierto, tendrán en Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon un buen candidato. Es un título basado en un juego de mesa, desarrollado por el estudio con sede en Polonia, Awaken Realms, en el que […] gamersrd.com Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a title heavily inspired by the open worlds of The Elder Scrolls. It doesn't intend to reinvent the formula, but its setting inspired by the Arthurian legend and its freedom to build the character to our liking give it its own identity. The game shines more for its atmosphere, narrative and classic role-playing mechanics than for its graphic innovation, as some technical and visual aspects betray its modest origins. The leisurely progression, challenging combat and free exploration are its calling card, and it does not disappoint. It's not without its flaws, but these don't overshadow a rewarding experience for fans looking for something similar to TES/Fallout. If you're willing to forgive certain graphical limitations and a slower pace, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon offers a dark, deep, and immersive journey. Click to expand... Click to shrink... 8.2/10 Análisis Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, el ambicioso sucesor espiritual de Oblivion creado por un equipo independiente Análisis y opinión de Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, un juego que rinde homenaje a clásicos como Skyrim con una aventura de proporciones épicas. www.hobbyconsolas.com In many fantasy RPGs, the story is a backdrop, a mere formality that serves to start the game. This is not the case with Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, which articulates its plot with the suggestive universe created by Awaken Realms in its original board game. The "Indie Oblivion" is everything we can hope for, and even more. With nearly 100 hours of content, a variety of activities, a versatile combat system, and superb freedom, The Fall of Avalon is a must-have in the genre of RPGs in the style of The Elder Scrolls. Click to expand... Click to shrink... View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6ViWUExbDY   ProdigyZA Member Jun 9, 2024 1,523 Reviews are great, really seems like the main issue was the bugs, but the actual game is really well done and content rich and a must play for Elder Scrolls fans.   LifeInTheFactory Member Jun 3, 2018 591 London BassForever said: So is this a faithful adaptation of the board game or a game inspired by it's story/world? Click to expand... Click to shrink... It's a first person RPG similar to Elder Scrolls, so it's not an adaption of the board game. But I'm a little puzzled as well. Is there any review out that talks about how this exactly relates to the board game, aside from name and scenario? I haven't read all of them, but couldn't find anything about it by skimming through a few reviews.  Kalentan Member Oct 25, 2017 50,673 LifeInTheFactory said: It's a first person RPG similar to Elder Scrolls, so it's not an adaption of the board game. But I'm a little puzzled as well. Is there any review out that talks about how this exactly relates to the board game, aside from name and scenario? I haven't read all of them, but couldn't find anything about it by skimming through a few reviews. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Correct me if I'm wrong, but the previous game before this was Tainted Grail: Conquest in 2021 which was a Rogue-lite Deckbuilder that came out into Early Access 1 year after the board game released. This seems to be a follow up in some kind to that game? A google search indicates the creator of the board game did work with the studio on these, or at least on Conquest.  OP OP texhnolyze Shinra Employee Member Oct 25, 2017 26,475 Indonesia LifeInTheFactory said: It's a first person RPG similar to Elder Scrolls, so it's not an adaption of the board game. But I'm a little puzzled as well. Is there any review out that talks about how this exactly relates to the board game, aside from name and scenario? I haven't read all of them, but couldn't find anything about it by skimming through a few reviews. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Here's some bits from the hobbyconsolas review. Seems like a retelling of the same story with its own twist or some sort. If you're a fan of tabletop role-playing, you'll have recognized the history. It is the same plot as the board game created by Marcin Świerkot and Krzysztof Piskorski; in fact, much of the art of it, and even some cinematics, are extracted from that title. In many fantasy RPGs, the story is a backdrop, a mere formality that serves to start the game. This is not the case with Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, which articulates its plot with the suggestive universe created by Awaken Realms in its original board game. Click to expand... Click to shrink...   Euler Member Oct 27, 2017 5,824 I really enjoy the vibes in the board game. Once I get some time I'll check this out.   Risev "This guy are sick" Member Oct 27, 2017 3,906 When does this release? Anyone got a timesheet for release hours?   weblaus Member Oct 27, 2017 1,062 TripleBee said: Good reviews. Just wondering about performance on console really. I assume I should go PS5 pro over Series X, but also there's a bunch of visual sliders for quality - would be nice to have an idea of how stable it is in the bigger world. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I haven't checked if they already have the planned updates out on consoles in the last few days, but in the original review copy state on both PS5 Pro and Series X the framerate had huge drops once you reach the first open world area and curiously especially in the first city (I stopped playing there for now) - really hope they can get that fixed as anyone who is somewhat sesitive to unstable framerates likely wouldn't much enjoy that.  Ganepark32 Member Nov 21, 2021 2,688 Risev said: When does this release? Anyone got a timesheet for release hours? Click to expand... Click to shrink... I believe it's releasing at 9am PST/12pm EST/5pm BST/6pm CEST. 8 hours, 11 minutes 

Malys is quite the surprise as a follow-up to Summerfall Studios' first game, Stray Gods: A Roleplaying Musical. Rather than craft another superb choice-driven visual novel with an emphasis on music and Greek myth, Summerfall's next game is a turn-based roguelite deckbuilder set in a demon-filled city. The tone looks to be far darker and there's a lot more to the gameplay this time around, but much like Summerfall Studios' first game, Malys looks like a visual delight and features characters I desperately want to get to know."There was an initial question, do we want to do this more as a visual novel, more like Stray Gods?" Summerfall creative director David Gaider told me during an exclusive gameplay preview of Malys. "Because Stray Gods did not have much in the way of gameplay, we wanted to try something that has more gameplay to prove that we're a studio that can do something that's fun and still narrative-driven but that has a very strong gameplay loop at its heart."Even the weaker demons can pack a punch.In Malys, you play as a former priest turned exorcist named Noah. He's striving to cross the entirety of a city to reach a major demon waiting for him on the other side, but lesser demons block his path. Each confrontation has a chance of wearing on Noah's will, and if it is fully depleted, he collapses, only to awaken back at the start of his journey with a time reset. These time loops allow Noah to better prepare for future runs and gain the trust of citizens, but he isn't the only one who remembers everything that transpires with every loop: A mysterious celestial, a powerful occultist, and a seemingly friendly masked demon are immune to the time rewinds, too.Continue Reading at GameSpot