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Lurks Within Walls Interview
Lurks Within Walls Interview At long last players, who are skittish about their reaction time in a survival horror can rejoice. Developer Here Be Monsters has taken first-person turn-based gameplay and combined it with the atmosphere of a horror title, complete with terrifying monster designs and a tense soundtrack to create Lurks Within Walls . RPGamer had the opportunity to sit down with the developers, who can be followed here on their X profile , to ask some questions about the game, which readers can learn more about at (the game's Steam page) . Ryan Costa (RPGamer): Lurks Within Walls has the atmosphere of a survival horror but the gameplay of a turn-based dungeon crawler. What made you decide to blend the two genres? @HereBeMonstersX : One of the main references is the now 30-year-old Resident Evil , especially the classic titles. Exploring corridors, finding items, managing resources, and surviving threats are the same actions we find in classic dungeon crawlers RPGs. Combined with first-person exploration, where each movement reveals new dangers, it felt like a perfect and underexplored combination. That was essentially where the idea for Lurks Within Walls was born. RPGamer: The sound design is incredibly on point. How difficult was it to find a way to make every step feel full of tension? HBMX : Thank you. This also aligns with the classics: being in a corridor, hearing something strange, and not having full control of a freely movable 3D camera helps build tension. The limitation forces us to find more controlled solutions, which ultimately helps us as well. RPGamer: Trevor Henderson's creature designs shown so far are thoroughly unsettling. Did you ever reach a point where the bestiary risked being too large? HBMX : We’re fans of Trevor Henderson; the more monsters, the better. Jokes aside, we now have another illustrator helping us, as well as an animator. Implementing the monsters into the 3D environments also requires extra effort so we don’t lose Trevor Henderson’s characteristic “cursed image” effect. I believe we’ll have the ideal number of monsters for the game’s scope. RPGamer: Players can choose different body parts to attack; how might strategies born from this evolve as the game progresses? HBMX : Yes, the demo version has already evolved. Today we’re more focused on the arsenal and the skills you can use with each tool. For example, you might have a shotgun and choose a headshot to deal a powerful critical hit but with a higher chance of failure, or use a “knockback shot,” with a lower chance of failure and a chance to push the enemy back. This way, the player can customize which weapons to bring and which skills to apply to each one, without making the system complex, while still allowing an extra layer of management and progression. RPGamer: With multiple paths, do the choices permeate across the entire game or within isolated sections? How large of an impact can they have? HBMX : This is where we need to be careful not to spoil the experience, but let’s say the floors are connected to each other, and many of them feature secondary or alternative paths. Combine this with new characters who have distinct actions and access options, and we start to have a structure that allows for varied experiences between sessions. RPGamer: For those that are squeamish, will there be jump scares included in the gameplay from moving enemies, or is it isolated to story scenes? HBMX : We’ll have some special moments, as seen in the demo, but the scares are spread throughout the environment and exploration. Imagine walking through a corridor full of slamming doors and, as you pass them, hearing one being forced open. Do you look back? Do you stop and wait? Or do you keep moving without ever turning around? Exploring in first person with classic dungeon crawler controls has allowed us to create situations that traditional first-person exploration games wouldn’t. At times, it even feels like cinema, where you control the framing; the difference is that ours is a game and allows interaction. RPGamer: Are the locations for treasure and monsters set, or is there an aspect of randomness for every playthrough? HBMX : Not entirely random, but rather modular. Using the example above, if there’s a corridor full of doors and you’ve already experienced that event, but you’re playing again and passing through the same area, imagine that the doors don’t slam this time, or that they’re all open. Maintaining this uncertainty increases tension and also allows for different experiences, rewarding new attempts and replay. RPGamer: Will there be a form of map that players can use, or is the sense of claustrophobia and panic aimed at keeping players feeling lost? HBMX : Maps are a major dilemma in first-person dungeon crawlers, because many players end up focusing on the map, prioritizing a top-down perspective and compromising the first-person experience. Although I’ve already answered the question indirectly, LWW is a horror game inspired by survival horror, so maps play an important role. We want to integrate them better into the game: imagine a floor-plan map displayed on a wall, indicating emergency exits, or a computer showing which rooms have been unlocked. Yes, we will have maps, but conditionally, not as a feature that compromises the intended experience. RPGamer: Will player decisions just result in combat-related deaths, or can those characters die from other means as well? Related to that, with a police officer shown at the end of the demo, does death result in a game over, or does perspective just transfer to another character? HBMX : In addition to combat, there are traps and events that come at an HP cost. Even player progression may allow improvements at a price. The demo introduces the dynamic of experiencing other characters’ perspectives; in the full game, you’ll have similar moments. Saying more than that might be a spoiler. RPGamer: Is there anything that you would like to share about the game not mentioned above? HBMX : Beyond classic references, we also love modern games, especially board games and RPGs. So, in addition to inspirations from Resident Evil and Legend of Grimrock , you’ll find influences from tabletop RPGs, ranging from modern Dungeons & Dragons hacks to the award-winning old-school revival RPG Shadowdark . Finally, thank you for the space and the opportunity to present the game’s behind-the-scenes. Lurks Within Walls is the game we would like to play, and that’s why it came into existence. RPGamer would like to thank the developers, Here Be Monsters, for their time answering questions about Lurks Within Walls , as well as Sarah Blackwell and Stride PR for making it all happen. Those looking forward to this tense turn-based horror dungeon crawler can check out ( the game's Steam page ). The post Lurks Within Walls Interview appeared first on RPGamer .
RPGamerApr 15
Aether & Iron Review
Aether & Iron Review The Big Floating Apple Developer Seismic Squirrel's debut title Aether & Iron does plenty of things to stand out from the RPG crowd. While drawing inspiration from tabletop adventures, it certainly isn't short on ideas, as it combines an alternate history 1930s decopunk setting with an intriguing turn-based combat system replicating car chases. Its fine use of noir stylings within its story and narrative helps give players an engaging experience, even if there are some missteps along the way. Aether & Iron is set in an alternate 1930s New York City that has been transformed by aether technology and a gravitational anomaly called the Well, around which float the city's numerous islands. The game takes place primarily in the Lowers, the almost lawless islands that are each run by powerful Barons with their own philosophies as they rule their parcels of land. This is in contrast to the Uppers, where the city's wealthy and elite live with a clear view of the sky. Even within the Lowers, there are various castes; for example, the Aethoneers, who are crucial for keeping the islands afloat, are often looked down upon by regular citizens. The game follows Gia Randazzo, a smuggler still coming to terms with a mission gone wrong that resulted in the death of her beloved uncle, with her actions in the aftermath putting a further stain on her reputation. While working a job in the Uppers, she comes across scientist Nellie in the aftermath of a bombing attack on her workplace seemingly connected to her research on the Well. With her research indicating that the Well is expanding and likely to swallow up the Lowers, Gia agrees to help Nellie, which puts her into conflict with the Barons running the particular islands, but also nets her allies elsewhere. [caption id="attachment_176110" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Rhiannon Moushall's narration as Gia really helps sell the noir inspirations.[/caption] Aether & Iron features an initial prologue before three main acts and a fairly brief finale, running for around twenty hours in total. The vast majority of the game follows the game's main storyline, with only a small selection of minor diversions in the form of optional character-related side quests. The story itself is well written and the cast in general is very strong as the motley crew comes together and forms tight bonds, usually informed by past struggles that get revealed or detailed naturally over the course of the game. The storytelling is helped by strong voice acting performances across the board, minus some technical hiccups, with the game itself fully narrated by Rhiannon Moushall as Gia, really helping to sell its noir atmosphere. Each of the main acts features its own main path with an introduction, middle, and end. They are individually very enjoyable and work well together to offer a cohesive journey for Gia and company, with the endings of their self-contained arcs proving very satisfying. Unfortunately, the overall finale is rather less successful; its twist is not all that surprising, and the way the conclusion itself plays out is all a bit sudden compared to the rest of the game. It at least solves the main objective of the game itself, and while it leaves open a few questions and plot threads, none of them are in need of a pressing answer, and the possibility of the developer returning to follow them in the future is quite welcome. Nevertheless, while the ending doesn't fully stick the landing in the same way each act does, it doesn't detract from the highly engaging journey to get there. Story sequences see Gia investigate locations and participate in conversations and events. Choices during dialogues and events impact how quests can play out and the fates of certain characters, usually with various skill checks attached to them, and fully investigating an area will often present additional options for Gia to handle the current quest objective. Each skill check involves the roll of two six-sided dice, with the result and any modifiers added together and compared against the target score. The game readily displays the chances of a successful check, with double ones or double sixes guaranteeing success or failure. Gia can also carry around various items of use that work either as direct bribes or gifts to unlock dialogue options or get out of sticky situations, or which allow dice to be re-rolled. In its regular mode, save scumming for favourable dice rolls is readily an option, but the game also includes a single-save option that removes the option to save scum and a permadeath mode. Quests never get very complicated, and there's not much to do outside of the story, but the balance of player choices, skill checks, and events helps the game tick along nicely. [caption id="attachment_176105" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Dice rolls are used frequently during story events and conversations.[/caption] Aether & Iron features a novel approach to strategic turn-based combat, taking the form of car chases. The party of up to three each drives their own vehicle as the streets zoom by, using their turn to move up and down the progressing grid and attack foes (or bystanders) as necessary. Each turn generally sees the enemy go first, followed by the player, before any hazards or changes to the road, such as it splitting into two or lanes ending, activate. The way the scenery is always zooming by works nicely to ensure that, despite being turn-based, it feels like the action is happening. Except where a mission actively requires their survival, there doesn't appear to be any penalty for defeating bystanders, which players can do to their advantage. Positioning is oftentimes the most important part of combat. It impacts what defensive and offensive moves might be available, whether any forthcoming threats -- indicated on the grid -- need to be moved away from, and even how and when players want to defeat foes, as any in the lane behind a defeated enemy will take damage when they crash. Each turn, a combatant gets a certain number of action points (AP) determined by their vehicle and any buffs or debuffs, which they can use to move and undertake actions. Each action has an AP cost, as does the direction of movement: it costs far less AP to move backwards (i.e. slow down) than it does to go forwards (accelerate). Available actions are determined by each car's equipment, such as weapons or auxiliary tools, and character skills. Generally, each action can be used once per turn. [caption id="attachment_176104" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The game's approach to combat is novel, turning car chases into strategic turn-based combat.[/caption] The game doesn't overuse its combat, with story events and skill checks arguably being a larger focus, which helps make each combat its own occasion. By and large, it is effective, with certain encounter designs creating good excitement and great satisfaction when players figure out a strategy that leaves them with minimal damage. However, there are also some encounters that are much less interesting and a bit annoying. One particular misstep comes in the game's finale, as it suddenly throws out a punishing three-stage final boss with no healing in between that many players will likely need to have a dedicated setup for. As players complete quests, skill checks, combat encounters, etc., they earn experience points for the party. Upon each level up, players earn a skill point that can be spent to upgrade each character's skills. There are nine skills in total, divided into three disciplines; Gia has access to all nine, while all other party members cover two of the three disciplines. Each skill has a linear set of upgrades, with every odd node providing an additional +1 modifier to dice rolls involving that skill while they are in the party, while each even node offers a new combat skill. These dice boosts stack across the active members. Elsewhere, players can obtain a reasonable selection of cars and equipment, but various restrictions mean that players aren't given a whole lot of freedom in how they can customise each car for combat, and trying to find a use for newly-acquired weapons often isn't worth the time. One of Aether & Iron' s biggest strengths comes from its music. Christopher Tin and Alex Williamson provide an appropriate jazz-heavy orchestral score that fits right in with its setting and is delightful to listen to. The strings, brass, and percussion all get their chances to make an impact on the music when called for, and it goes a long way towards making the game a pleasurable audio experience. [caption id="attachment_176106" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Where we're going, we do still need (translucent) roads.[/caption] Meanwhile, the visuals are effective if unspectacular. The art style and designs are nice to look at, but there's just not a whole lot going on in the presentation, and the combat action becomes a bit rote after a time. One area the game struggles a bit is on the technical front. The performance can be a bit rough at times for those with lower spec PCs, and the UI is definitely not the greatest. While the game does support gamepads, it makes certain menus even more awkward to navigate, sometimes requiring the use of the mouse and keyboard to bail out of them. There are also occasional issues of repeated or misread dialogue. Aether & Iron is the sort of game I like to see exist. It populates a novel setting with an interesting cast of characters and uses them to build upon a solid gameplay structure, while trying out plenty of its own ideas. There are definitely flaws within, but despite these, it's ultimately a very enjoyable game to play through, and I would be very happy to continue Gia Randazzo's story in the future.   Disclosure: This review is based on a free copy of the game provided by the publisher. The post Aether & Iron Review appeared first on RPGamer .
RPGamerApr 14
Elementallis Releasing Later This Month
Elementallis Releasing Later This Month Publisher Top Hat Studios and developer AnKae Games announced that top-down action adventure Elementallis will release on April 28, 2026. The game, inspired by the Legend of Zelda series, will be available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch, priced at $17.99. After players accidentally set the Elements wild and put the world in danger, Elementallis  sees them embark on a quest to fix their mistake. To restore them, players will need to conquer the temples where each Element resides by completing puzzles and fighting foes using the Elements they have previously gathered. The game includes eight different temples and eight biomes to explore.   [foogallery id="189095"]   The post Elementallis Releasing Later This Month appeared first on RPGamer .
RPGamerApr 14
Gothic Trilogy PS5, Xbox Series X|S Release Dates Announced
Gothic Trilogy PS5, Xbox Series X|S Release Dates Announced THQ Nordic release dates for Gothic Classic , Gothic II Complete Classic , and Gothic III Classic on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Gothic Classic will release on July 28, 2026, followed by Gothic II Complete Classic on September 29, 2026, and Gothic III Classic on November 24, 2026. All three games will be priced at €29.99 each. All three games were originally developed by Piranha Bytes and debuted on PC in 2001, 2003, and 2006, respectively. Each follows the Nameless Hero in the same fantasy world; the first game takes place in a penal colony, the second around the city of Khorinis, and the third on the continent of Myrtana. A remake of the first game is planned to release for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S on June 5, 2026.   The post Gothic Trilogy PS5, Xbox Series X|S Release Dates Announced appeared first on RPGamer .
RPGamerApr 14
Memolith: Forsaken by Light Fully Launching This Month
Memolith: Forsaken by Light Fully Launching This Month Korean publisher Webzen and developer Black Anchor announced that tactical RPG Memolith: Forsaken by Light  will fully release for PC on April 27, 2026. The game has been in Early Access on Steam and the Epic Games Store , initially under its previous title of Remore: Infested Kingdom , since 2023. The full release will support English, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese language options. The full release update will include expanded story progression, new Survivors, and a redesigned gameplay flow. The new flow will see players face a wide range of boss encounters in each stage of the game, including new mid-boss battles. It also features a reworked quest structure, plus upgraded weapon crafting and memory binding systems, balance adjustments, and more. Memolith: Forsaken by Light is set in a medieval land undergoing an apocalyptic event with creatures called the Infested roaming the land and slaughtering the people. It takes place in the ruined city of Remore, which was sustained by the structure known as the Memolith. After the Memolith shatters, the city falls to chaos, with people turning into monsters. Players explore locations, gathering supplies while trying to avoid being detected by the Infested, picking the ideal moments to strike them.   [foogallery id="189072"] The post Memolith: Forsaken by Light Fully Launching This Month appeared first on RPGamer .
RPGamerApr 14
Moves of the Diamond Hand Released on Steam Early Access
Moves of the Diamond Hand Released on Steam Early Access Developer Cosmo D Studios has released first-person urban RPG Moves of the Diamond Hand on Steam Early Access . The Early Access version is available for $19.99 with a 15% launch discount. The initial version contains the first two chapters of the game, with additional chapters to be added during the Early Access process. The game is expected to spend six to nine months in Early Access. The first chapter is available as a free demo on Steam. Moves of the Diamond Hand features a surreal jazz-noir setting and takes place in Off-Peak City. Players are looking to join the legendary Circus X artist crew; however, it is not recruiting. Players will need to find leads to get their way in while other strange happenings also take place, including a mayoral election in the city’s history with one candidate being a corporate-sponsored clone of a mayor from a century earlier, while a mysterious benefactor called the Diamond Hand appears to be playing various factions against one another. The game is billed as evoking the feel of a multiple-session tabletop RPG, with all stats, items, and more represented as customisable dice. Players are able to make decisions about who to help or hinder, which will impact their destiny and the future of their neighbourhood.   [foogallery id="189023"]   The post Moves of the Diamond Hand Released on Steam Early Access appeared first on RPGamer .
RPGamerApr 14
2D Adventure RPG Midnight Souls Revealed
2D Adventure RPG Midnight Souls Revealed Developer Spaghetti Cat announced Midnight Souls , a 2D adventure RPG built around dark humour. The game is in development for PC and is planned to release on Steam in 2027. Midnight Souls  sees players travel to the distant small town of Camomile Peaks to go on a date with their online girlfriend. However, their journey soon leads to a dark mystery involving unsolved murder and deadly puzzles. The game features various QTEs and mini-games as players go through various misadventures while also trying to keep their cat out of trouble.   [foogallery id="189048"] The post 2D Adventure RPG Midnight Souls Revealed appeared first on RPGamer .
RPGamerApr 14
Warhammer Classics Titles Released on Steam
Warhammer Classics Titles Released on Steam Boutique publisher SNEG announced it has partnered with Games Workshop and various developer and publisher partners to release various Warhammer titles on Steam under the Warhammer Classics label. The label sees seven PC titles newly released on Steam, with another twelve returning to the storefront. All titles are available with various launch and bundle discounts . Each title has been updated for compatibility with modern systems. The titles cover a variety of genres from adventure RPG and turn-based strategy to first-person shooter across both the Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 settings. The full list of titles covered under the label and its bundles is as follows (with their developers/publishers noted in brackets): Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat (Mindscape, SNEG) Final Liberation: Warhammer Epic 40,000 (Holistic Design Inc, SNEG) Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate (Random Games, SNEG) Warhammer 40,000: Rites of War (DreamForge, SNEG) Warhammer: Dark Omen (Mindscape, SNEG) Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior (Chilled Mouse/Kuju Entertainment, SNEG) Warhammer: Mark of Chaos - Gold Edition (Black Hole Entertainment, SNEG) Space Hulk (Full Control Studios, SNEG) Space Hulk: Ascension (Full Control Studios, SNEG) Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon (Flashback Games/The Lordz Games Studio, Slitherine) Warhammer 40,000: Sanctus Reach (Straylight Entertainment, Slitherine) Talisman: Horus Heresy (Nomad Games) Talisman: Digital Classic Edition (4th Edition) (Nomad Games) Talisman: Origins (Nomad Games) Man O' War: Corsair - Warhammer Naval Battles (Evil Twin Artworks, SNEG) Warhammer Quest 2: The End Times (Perchang) Legacy of Dorn: Herald of Oblivion (Tin Man Games) Warhammer Underworlds - Shadespire Edition (Tin Man Games, Steel Sky Productions) Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Anniversary Edition (Relic Entertainment) Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2 - Anniversary Edition (Relic Entertainment) Chainsaw Warrior (Auroch Digital) Chainsaw Warrior: Lords of Night (Auroch Digital) Dark Future: Blood Red States (Auroch Digital) Space Hulk: Tactics (Cyanide Studios, Focus Entertainment) Battlefleet Gothic: Armada (Tindalos Interactive, Focus Entertainment) Blood Bowl: Chaos Edition (Cyanide Studios) Blood Bowl 2: Legendary Edition (Cyanide Studios, NACON)   The post Warhammer Classics Titles Released on Steam appeared first on RPGamer .
RPGamerApr 14
Roguelite Action RPG Clockfall Announced
Roguelite Action RPG Clockfall Announced Publisher Radical Theory and developer Rever Games have announced Clockfall , a roguelite action RPG with time management and village defense mechanics. The game is planned to release on Steam Early Access later this year, before fully launching on PC and consoles in 2027. Clockfall  takes place after the player's village is razed by the hordes of the "Destiny". However, a mystical clock in the ruins, forces players to relive the massacre. Players aim to try and prepare to fight off the invasion before the clock runs out, completing dungeons to boost their character and unlock defenses. As players survive for longer, they unlock new permanent time bonuses and powers to help them fight in the next loop.   [foogallery id="189010"]   The post Roguelite Action RPG Clockfall Announced appeared first on RPGamer .
RPGamerApr 14
Mandrake Talks Curses and Consequences
Mandrake Talks Curses and Consequences Developer Failbetter Games released a new video for its upcoming rural life sim  Mandrak e . The three-minute video sees Communications Director Hannah Flynn discuss the Covenant of Weeds while showing pre-alpha footage from the game. The Covenant of Weeds is a curse placed on the village of Chandley, which has been in place for a hundred years and which prevents the populace from actively growing plants themselves. As a sorcerer, players are exempt from the curse, but their ability to use horticulture causes concern from villages who have seen the consequences of the curse. Mandrake is inspired by British history and folklore. Returning to their family’s abandoned home, they look to make a life in the village and uncover mysteries that were left behind. Players grow various crops that get stranger as their skills grow, such as plants that can call down rain to water the gardens for them. The game is planned to release on Steam Early Access , though a date has not been announced.   The post Mandrake Talks Curses and Consequences appeared first on RPGamer .
RPGamerApr 14