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Pokémon Pokopia Review A Remarkable Transformation If you could ask Pokémon players to name a defining feature of the series, many would say it's the Pokémon battles. So, what happens when you place Pokémon in a post-apocalyptic world without trainers and completely strip away the beloved battle system? The result is the cosy goodness that is Pokémon Pokopia ; an impressively designed spin-off, with lore that rivals the philosophical depth of the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. I'm no stranger to the Pokémon series, or life simulators, so I had high expectations and a massive wishlist of features to boot. The teams at Game Freak and Koei Tecmo’s Omega Force not only show that the series has plenty more to offer players than Pokémon battles, but they convey it with so much conviction that Pokémon Pokopia has set a new precedent for the level of craftsmanship that I want to see in the Pokémon series going forward. The narrative is full of spirited Pokémon and heartwarming moments. In Pokémon Pokopia , a Ditto awakens from hibernation in a Poké Ball, and meets another lone Pokémon, Professor Tangrowth, tinkering away and talking to themselves in a cave. Confused by Ditto's appearance, Professor Tangrowth remarks that they didn't think there were any humans left. After a second look, the Professor realises that it is a transformation, mimicking the appearance of Ditto's trainer. They head out into the wilderness, and with Ditto's abilities and Professor Tangrowth's resourcefulness, the two work together to restore a deserted town, meeting new Pokémon along the way. Ditto comes across signs of human existence, and with each area restored and friend made, the Pokémon begin to unravel what happened to their world. Trainers and Pokémon have long coexisted peacefully, so what could have possibly led to the disappearance of humanity? Pokémon Pokopia invites players to see the world through the perspective of the survivors, the Pokémon, and how they fare without humans. [caption id="attachment_187618" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Meeting the quirky Professor Tangrowth.[/caption] Although it's a quiet, fairly intuitive mystery that keen explorers may piece together quickly, players will feel their minds linger on the thought as they go about rebuilding the world. There is plenty of room for intrigue on the finer details of what happened, and when players stumble across clues of their own accord outside of the story, it feels like they've been let in on an exciting revelation. However long it takes the player to uncover the truth, there is a strong sense of gratification when the story comes to its sentimental and amusing conclusion. At its core, Pokémon Pokopia is about restoring barren environments to reintroduce Pokémon back into the ecosystem. There are hallmarks of a solid life simulator, and the crafting, farming, mining, cooking, building, and terraforming systems are quite moreish. The game is bursting at the seams with content, yet there is room for expansion. While these mechanics are certainly not new, the teams behind this game have truly understood exactly what parts of the franchise's essence they needed to capture, distil, and inject into this world to make it its own distinct life simulation game. For instance, rather than using tools, players use moves taught by other Pokémon, such as using Water Gun to water plants or Rock Smash to mine iron ore. For a post-apocalyptic setting, it is immensely satisfying to watch the world in Pokémon Pokopia come alive as a result of the player's actions. Sometimes the dialogue can be repetitive or feel like too much too soon (for example, Pokémon expressing that they love spending time together when they've only just met the player), but the Pokémon NPCs are more intelligent than they have been in any other Pokémon game to date. Pokémon do not stay glued to their homes; they wander and regularly interact with everyone around them, not just the player. They speak their thoughts and are perpetually curious about the environment, with special dialogue occurring between certain Pokémon, too. [caption id="attachment_188158" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The rivalry continues.[/caption] Pokémon also sleep, play with one another, forage for food when they are hungry, and are capable of accurately determining when to use their specialties, even without prompting. They have detailed preferences ranging from preferred flavours of food to décor tastes, and this information is kept handy in the Pokédex. As friendship levels increase, Pokémon also start calling players by their names, give gifts, and play mini-games. This deftly designed feature of Pokémon Pokopia simulates Pokémon idiosyncrasies and creates wholesome, often entertaining experiences that feel personal to each player. The monster taming aspect is also around, but in a new way. Each Pokémon belongs to at least one habitat, and when that habitat is restored, the Pokémon appears. The encounter time varies according to the time of day, weather, or degree of rarity. There is nothing quite like the satisfaction of seeing a Pokémon appear in rustling grass or announce their approval of the habitat that the player has eagerly created for them, and almost equally so when players move a Pokémon into a new home that is customised to their liking. Restoring habitats and increasing a Pokémon's comfort level contribute to the environment level of the town, which in turn unlocks more items and recipes for the benefit of the residents. Additionally, each Pokémon comes with one or two specialties. Pokémon with the Chop specialty can cut small logs into lumber. Those with the Grow specialty can accelerate seedling growth. Similarly, Pokémon with the Burn specialty can light fires, and so on. There is a real sense of camaraderie when players call on the help of Pokémon to build amenities and house kits, which can take anywhere between fifteen minutes or until the next day to complete in real time, depending on the size of the building project. [caption id="attachment_187619" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Pokémon with the Burn Specialty can assist with smelting materials in the furnace.[/caption] With snappy controls, up to five Pokémon at a time can accompany players around their native towns or beyond, and it is an excellent interaction that adds depth to the sandbox. Pokémon Pokopia is a co-op game, and while the game can be played entirely solo, playing with others establishes a community, as well as a self-sustaining feedback loop of creativity, where players can be inspired by others' designs, create memorable experiences with each other, showcase their own creations, and repeat. Pacing is fairly consistent throughout, although players who are familiar with this type of game are likely to inadvertently figure out some things on their own before hitting the relevant story beat. There are no unnecessarily long cut scenes or pointless dialogue, and for a real-time life simulation with no time pressure, there is always plenty to do. The game currently encompasses a substantial number of Pokémon from all nine generations , with scope to add more. Each area has an underlying story to complete, with its own set of environmental challenges. The gameplay loop is largely the same in each town, including restoring the Pokémon Center and raising the environment level to at least level five. Beyond the individual area objectives, players are asked to complete the mysterious Team Initiation Challenge, which puts their skills to the test, as the requested resources become harder to procure in each additional stage of the challenge. [caption id="attachment_187855" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Pokémon Center restored.[/caption] Visually, Pokémon Pokopia is vibrant and super easy on the eyes. The designs don't stray far from the signature aesthetic and colourful palette of the franchise, but do incorporate the popular block-based style seen in other simulation games. The end result is a marvelous 3D art style that sits at the intersection of endearing and goofy, particularly evident in the design of Ditto's resting slack-jawed expression. Exclusively on the Switch 2, Pokémon Pokopia runs extremely smoothly, at 60 FPS, though the graphics remain an area of improvement for the franchise, including low fidelity textures and unfavourable visual effects such as Pokémon clipping into objects. How a town looks and feels is largely left to player autonomy and appetite for terraforming. Players can choose to use building kits as a template, or build entirely from scratch --- the world is their Cloyster. Pokémon can live in a human-inspired metropolis or straw beds in a tree house. There are also exclusive objects from the world of Pokémon , often discoverable in relics. Additionally, players unlock a host of charming emotes and the ability to take photos in-game, showcasing the lighthearted nature of the design. [caption id="attachment_187617" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Say "cheese"![/caption] The score in Pokémon Pokopia is delightfully cosy. Each area has its own little tune, which also varies depending on the time of day, with elements of jazz, acoustic, soft synth melodies, and alternative arrangements of familiar tracks. Pokémon Pokopia's soundtrack remains quietly atmospheric and pleasant, even after listening to the same track looping for hours. Sound effects, from the swoosh of the Cut ability, soothing droplets of rain, to the encroaching silence of players heading deeper into the mines, are all immersive. Although there is no voice acting, each Pokémon's unique battle cry is featured. Pokémon Pokopia also allows players to create in-game ambience by adding diegetic sounds, not only with music tiles, but with CDs discovered in the world. These older, nostalgic tracks from previous games can be played through the Pokémon Rotom, or CD players, and Pokémon with the Hype specialty, in particular, enjoy these additions. Pokémon Pokopia is a worthy spin-off that breathes new life into the series. With a refreshing narrative and an incredibly engaging world, the game flourishes with its bold direction and diligent execution. It's hard to believe that this is the series' first foray into life simulation games because of how snugly the game fits. Between making sure my Pokémon residents are as happy as they can be and stopping to smell the roses, I have been too busy living my best Poké life to miss Pokémon battles. The post Pokémon Pokopia Review appeared first on RPGamer .

RPGamerApr 1

Omori Review Cry, Forget, Remember, Accept Omori is a turn-based, surreal horror RPG released in 2020 by Omocat. The game initially presents itself as a colorful retro adventure, but beneath its eye-catching aesthetics lies a deeply unsettling exploration of trauma and escapism. By intertwining its RPG mechanics with emotional storytelling, particularly by shifting the boundary between dream and reality, the game transforms familiar genre conventions into a means of expressing its protagonist's internal struggle. It is a game that understands grief better than most, one that resonates in a way that is hard to shake and even harder to explain. The game begins with a boy waking up in a colorful dream world alongside his friends: Kel, Basil, Hero, and Aubrey. Together they move through a whimsical place full of strange creatures and warm, almost unbearable cheerfulness. However, that warmth does not last and Basil disappears without a trace. The search for him pulls players deeper into this world, which is called the Headspace, a vast dreamlike world divided into strange and distinct regions, from the wandering depths of Vast Forest to the eerie quiet of Pyrefly Forest, each area stranger and more unsettling than the last. The exploration of this world lets players experience the slow unraveling of a world that was never as safe as it seemed. During this search, new people appear whom players can choose to help, as if solving their problems is easier than confronting their own. And for a while, the Headspace lets them believe that. [caption id="attachment_187889" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Omori meeting his friends in the headspace.[/caption] But Omori never lets players settle there comfortably. Running parallel is the real world, quieter and heavier, centered on a boy named Sunny who has not left his house in four years. He has had no contact with any of his old friends in this time, and has become a complete shut-in, planning to move to a different town in a few days. Those few days are the entire length of the game. The impending move acts as a quiet countdown, a deadline that forces Sunny back into a world he has spent four years avoiding. Old friends begin showing up at his door, the town outside his window holds memories he has buried, and the life he abandoned is suddenly asking to be looked at again. These few days become his only chance to mend what was broken and face what he has been running from. There are no monsters to fight here, but the real world is still scarier than the Headspace, simply because it is the reality he cannot escape. The more time spent in this world, the closer it gets to the truth of why Sunny is the way he is, and the more the two worlds begin to bleed into each other. One of the most distinct aspects of this game is the turn-based combat, which brings some twists of its own. After every normal attack, a follow-up can be performed, and the follow-ups are unique to all the characters. For example, Hero can pass the turn to other party members and heal them, while Omori can attack an additional time. Follow-ups use up an energy bar that sits at the bottom of the screen. This fills up as the party takes damage, and once filled, the player can perform an energy release that does major amounts of damage. [caption id="attachment_187890" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Sunny waking up after a good night's rest[/caption] The emotion system is also a really important part of combat. It works like rock, paper, scissors; for example, the emotion Sad beats Happy, Angry beats Sad, and Happy beats Angry. Characters can inflict different emotions on each other or the enemy; Omori can inflict Sad, Kel can inflict Angry, and Aubrey can inflict Happy, with each emotion having different effects. Sadness causes the affected to take less damage, but also do less damage in return; Anger does the opposite, causing more damage dealt and more damage taken; and Happiness increases luck and speed. The emotion system ensures that simply spamming the strongest attack is never enough. Every difficult fight asks players to read the situation, manage emotions, and build toward something, giving the combat its identity. The follow-up system layers onto this and rewards thought: managing party energy, deciding when to hold a follow-up back for a burst, and syncing the right abilities at the right time creates a rhythm that a lot of turn-based games never manage to find. What stops the system from getting stale is that the emotion triangle is not just impacted by the party. Enemies can also shift emotions mid-fight, meaning the setup that worked two turns ago can fall apart and force a pivot. That back-and-forth keeps boss fights genuinely tense in a way that goes beyond just having high enough stats to survive. The emotional states also carry personality. It is hard not to find it a little funny watching Kel make an enemy angry on purpose, or Hero reading a poem mid-battle to inflict sadness. The system fits the characters and the world without ever feeling like it was bolted on for the sake of being different. The world is huge and vast, but the game still manages to make players explore all the parts without ever feeling overwhelmed. Each area has a distinct visual identity and tone, so even though the world is large, it never feels repetitive to look at, and hidden items, optional bosses, and side quests are scattered throughout, rewarding players who take the time to wander rather than rush. But some areas of the game feel drawn-out; it feels like there is often a bit too much padding between more emotionally significant moments. In addition, while the different types of enemies and bosses are fun to fight, most of the common enemies become extremely underwhelming once players exceed level 15. Past a certain point, there is no real incentive to fight common enemies at all since the items they drop become redundant fairly quickly. The game seems aware that its real strength is its story and atmosphere, so when it leans too hard into dungeon crawling, it loses some of its grip. [caption id="attachment_188034" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Omori and his friends fighting KING CRAWLER[/caption] The visual art direction of Omori deserves its own moment. At first glance, the game is vibrant and colorful, with a warm and comfortable palette. The hand-drawn visuals lean into this, giving the Headspace a childlike quality, like a world someone imagined rather than built, and the character designs are deliberately simple and cute but deeply expressive despite that simplicity. But Omori knows exactly what it is doing with all of that brightness, and its change in color scheme when things start going wrong is jarring in a very effective way. The warmth does not go away, but it becomes more disturbing than darkness could ever hope to be. The game understands that the scariest thing is not something visible, but the feeling of something being off without being able to define it, and the visual style is the primary means of achieving this. While music might not demand immediate attention, it resonates long after finishing the game, not necessarily because the tracks are catchy but because they carry something heavier than just their melody. The 179 tracks composed by Pedro Silva (SLIME GIRLS), Jami Lynne, and bo en feels like a single coherent emotional journey. What makes it work so well is that none of it is trying to be noticed. The Headspace tracks are warm and gentle in a way that matches how Sunny wants to see things, not how they actually are. That gap between what the music presents and what the game is actually about is where all the tension lives. Tracks that feel lighthearted and safe the first time come back later in completely different context; something that sounded like comfort suddenly sounds like grief, and the game does not announce this, it just lets it happen. "Duet" is the clearest example of this. It sounds gentle and tender the first time, the kind of track that makes a moment feel safe. When the game shows what it is actually about, it becomes one of the hardest things to sit through in the entire game, not because it is dramatic, but because it is so quiet about it. A soundtrack that can take the same melody and make it feel like two completely different emotional experiences across a single playthrough is doing something most composers spend entire careers trying to figure out. [caption id="attachment_187892" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Sunny and his friends celebrating his birthday and gifting him a violin[/caption] What also deserves more attention than it usually gets is how much the interactivity of Omori is doing underneath the surface. The game has two full routes and several endings, but the main split comes down to a decision that seems almost trivial: whether Sunny answers the door when Kel knocks. There is no dramatic prompt, no warning that this will change the course of the game. On top of this, smaller choices throughout accumulate in quiet ways. Watering Basil's flowers in the Headspace, something that looks like optional busywork, changes what happens at the very end. The game asks players to do things without explaining why those things matter, which mirrors exactly how Sunny exists in his own story, going through the motions and not fully understanding the weight of what he is carrying. That design choice is not an accident. It is the game asking players to be present in the same way it asks them to be present for its music and its story. While I have been lucky enough to not lose a loved one to tragedy, Omori still managed to make me feel the despair of losing someone cherished, and the powerless feeling of being able to do nothing to bring them back was replicated perfectly. The game tackles the idea of acceptance and escapism beautifully, and when the credits rolled, I did not move for a while. It is one of those persistent games that follows players even after putting the controller down. I think about it more than I expected to; it creeps in at night before I sleep, and whenever I come across a screenshot or hear the name, something in me just recalls the weight of it immediately. People process loss in completely different ways and at completely different speeds, and Omori never pretends otherwise. What makes it so remarkable is that it does not ask players to have lived through something specific to feel it. It just asks for attention. And with attention, Omori will find something in players to pull on regardless of what their lives look like. The post Omori Review appeared first on RPGamer .

RPGamerApr 1

PAX East 2026 Quick Impressions RPGamer got the chance to demo a variety of upcoming games this year's PAX East in Boston. This includes two upcoming titles from NIS America, DLC for Borderlands 4 , and two interesting indie titles. As a bonus, we've also included impressions of the upcoming Bubsy 4D , which aims to flip the reputation of that series on its head. Disgaea Mayhem [caption id="attachment_185820" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Smashing prinnies in real time is a blast.[/caption] Disgaea Mayhem will be instantly enjoyable to any Disgaea fan with at least a passing interest in the musou genre. Though there is only a single playable character, all the different weapon types present in the main series are available. Companion characters will change into these various weapons, with a wide range of familiar skills for each. The demo on display offered three different stages with familiar enemies and bosses to tackle. The mechanics were easy to understand and quite entertaining, but it's unclear how much depth the game will have just based on this small slice. It appears to be a very promising offshoot off the Disgaea series, however. Brigandine: Abyss [caption id="attachment_187975" align="aligncenter" width="640"] There's a lot going on in battles in Brigandine: Abyss.[/caption] Brigandine: Abyss is the third entry in this series of strategy RPGs, which originally started on the PlayStation. The demo for the game did not hold back in the slightest, promptly assaulting anyone playing it with a barrage of information about strengths and weaknesses, magic types, terrain, and a system of units controlling summoned monsters. It was certainly a lot to take in, but it quickly became clear why it was necessary. This is an incredibly in-depth strategy game, where hastily made decisions can spell utter disaster, as I quickly discovered. My rush to play with the mechanics led to many key units quickly dying. This can be especially disastrous, as a leader unit dying removes any monster units tied to that commander. Though it was a bit overwhelming as far as a demo goes, it was clear there was a lot to this game, and it ultimately makes the full game seem more intriguing instead of the demo being a turn off. Strategy fans should certainly keep an eye on this one. Borderlands 4 DLC Though there was no playable demo for the Borderlands 4 DLC, there was a show to promote the new story content, which launched shortly afterwards. The cosmic horror-themed DLC features a new location, but more importantly, an-all new vault hunter named C4sh. This new character isn't limited to the DLC either; he can be played in the main campaign as well, with a full set of voice lines to match. Themed around special powered playing cards and a special dual-wielding ability, the new character offers a whole new way to play. The story pack, titled Mad Ellie and the Vault of the damned, will include many new weapons, including a flamethrower-type weapon that sprays blood, which was shown during the presentation. The new content is available now. Mad Mojo [caption id="attachment_188025" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Mad mojo is a weird mashup of a bunch of different indie hits.[/caption] Mad Mojo is an upcoming indie game that could best be described as a mashup of different concepts from hit indie games. The game is presented as a faux playtest of a new monster-collecting game, and strange things start happening immediately as the player goes through the fake EULA. The main gameplay is a roguelike deckbuilding adventure using cards based on the monsters the player has captured. Attacks are played as poker-style matching of cards, and defense uses a simple active parrying mechanic. If this strange mix of mechanics wasn't enough, death kicks the player out to a fake computer desktop screen. Puzzles will be presented to the player once there that give hints of the overall meta-mystery of the game before returning the player to the main gameplay. It's unclear how well this mish-mash of ideas will work out, but the demo certainly showed a lot of promise. Crystalmancers [caption id="attachment_188031" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Crystalmancers feels like a take on Puzzle Quest, replacing that game's match-three with Tetris-type mechanics.[/caption] Crystalmancers is a roguelike adventure that feels reminiscent of Puzzle Quest , using puzzle game mechanics as a way to handle combat. Instead of match-three, in this case, Crystalmancer works with Tetris mechanics to handle combat. Instead of pieces steadily progressing down, the player can take their time and move the current piece in any open space it can fit. Enemies attack by re-arranging tiles or simply making new pieces appear on the bottom of the screen to make it harder for the player to clear. As the player progresses through the game, they'll acquire new pieces with special abilities, and even the ability to visit a blacksmith and change the shape of pieces by adding or removing blocks. The basic concept was immediately engaging and showed a ton of promise. Any fan of puzzle-RPG mashups should keep an eye on this one. Bubsy 4D [caption id="attachment_188060" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The Bubsy series shockingly keeps rolling along.[/caption] Yes, Bubsy 4D is obviously not an RPG and not something we'd usually discuss, but it was hard not to mention the latest entry in this series of notoriously awful games. This is because Bubsy 4D is immediately incredibly fun and engaging right off the bat. This shouldn't be too surprising, given that the developer of this entry is behind the excellent Demon Turf and Demon Tides platformers. Mechanically, Bubsy has a number of moves for double jumping and climbing across the game's carefully designed levels. Moving Bubsy around the stages was fast and smooth, and most of all fun. There's even a mechanic where Bubsy turns into a ball shape for rolling around Sonic-styled pipe sections that rival the better 3D Sonic games. There wasn't a ton of combat in the demo, so it's yet to be seen if that aspect of the game will match the quality of the rest. Overall, it was truly shocking to play a Bubsy game that felt like it could be the next big thing in the genre instead of the next example on how not to design a game. Hopefully, the final product matches the quality of this demo outing. The post PAX East 2026 Quick Impressions appeared first on RPGamer .

RPGamerApr 1

Manafinder Coming to Consoles This Week Ratalaika Games and Wolfsden LLC announced that turn-based RPG Manafinder is coming to consoles this week. The game, which originally launched on PC in 2022, will release for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on April 3, 2026. The console versions will be available for $11.99/€11.99. Manafinder is a pixel-art RPG inspired by classic JRPGs. It is set in the world of Aevi, which is roamed by powerful beasts. The humans who live there depend on manastones to protect their settlements, with Manafinders like protagonist Lambda risking their lives to find them. Those looking to read more about the game can check out Luis Mauricio's review of its PC release. The post Manafinder Coming to Consoles This Week appeared first on RPGamer .

RPGamerMar 31

The Elder Scrolls Online Shows New Seasonal Content ZeniMax Online Studios held a new 2026 Seasons Direct presentation, during which it showed the new content coming to MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online as part of its new seasonal update model. Seasons are intended to run for three months, with all gameplay content in each Season — including any new zones, dungeons, storylines, systems, classes, or skill lines — being free for all owners of the base game. Each Season will include its own battle pass-style experience offering free rewards and optional paid upgrade paths. Season Zero: Dawn and Dusk will begin on PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on April 2, 2026, and run until July 8, 2026. It will include the Night Market, a new limited-time Event Zone in the Oblivion realm of Fargrave that lets players choose one of three unique factions and serve them in a PvE encounter gauntlet while earning a new player home. A new overland Challenge Difficulty system will also arrive on June 8, 2026, with the season also including updates to PvP and combat. Season One is planned to release in summer 2026, and will include the return of the Thieves Guild. Its new story will continue the previous storyline and take players to a refreshed Glenumbra zone. It will also include a puzzle-focused gameplay area called The Sage’s Vault, and a new questline involving the Daedric Prince of Madness, Sheogorath. Other content planned for later in 2026 includes the High Seas of Tamriel event, which features naval combat and underwater exploration; solo versions of existing dungeons; and a new base game Trial called the Crimson Veldt. [foogallery id="188128"] The post The Elder Scrolls Online Shows New Seasonal Content appeared first on RPGamer .

RPGamerMar 31

Darksiders Warmastered Edition PS5, Xbox Series X|S Release Announced THQ Nordic announced dedicated PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions of Darksiders Warmastered Edition . The remaster of the 2010 action RPG -- which is currently available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch -- will release on the consoles on May 19, 2026. It will include enhanced visuals, improved performance, and all previously released content. Darksiders tells the story of War, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who finds himself tricked into bringing about the end of the world. Accused of betraying the most sacred laws, War must travel to a war-scorched Earth to prove his innocence. The game received two sequels, Darksiders II and Darksiders III , as well as spin-off prequel Darksiders Genesis . A new title, Darksiders 4 , is currently in development. The post Darksiders Warmastered Edition PS5, Xbox Series X|S Release Announced appeared first on RPGamer .

RPGamerMar 31

Zero Parades: For Dead Spies Arriving on PC in May ZA/UM announced that its narrative espionage RPG Zero Parades: For Dead Spies will release for PC on May 21, 2026. The PC version of the game will be available through Steam , GOG.com , and the Epic Games Store , priced at $39.99. A PlayStation 5 release is planned to follow later this year. Zero Parades: For Dead Spies puts players in the role of Hershel Wilk, aka CASCADE. She is a brilliant operant (spy), but is still haunted by a failed mission that took place five years ago. She is suddenly recalled to undertake a mysterious mission and prove herself once again. Players will need to seek out secrets through various methods such as collaborating or clashing with informants and other characters, passing skill checks, and getting out of dangerous situations. Player choices can impact other characters’ loyalty, available paths, and the state of Hershel’s mind. The story is stated to be built to encourage players to continue even if they fail at their current task. The post Zero Parades: For Dead Spies Arriving on PC in May appeared first on RPGamer .

RPGamerMar 31

R-Type Tactics I・II Cosmos Coming West in June NIS America announced that Granzella's strategy RPG remake bundle R-Type Tactics I・II Cosmos will release for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 in North America and Europe, and for PC worldwide, on June 18, 2026. The title, released on consoles in Japan last year, is available to pre-order through NIS America's online store for $79.99 that includes: Physical copy of R-Type Tactics I・II Cosmos for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch (a planned Xbox Series X|S physical edition has been cancelled) Two-disc soundtrack Set of six conceptual art cards RFW-9A Arrowhead acrylic stand BFW-1Dα Bydo System Alpha acrylic stand Collector's box R-Type Tactics I・II Cosmos contains remakes of R-Type Tactics and R-Type Tactics II: Operation Bitter Chocolate . Both games originally released for the PlayStation Portable, with the first game released as R-Type Command in North America and the sequel only released in Japan. The titles are spin-offs to the R-Type shoot-’em-up series and put players in charge of a force of space fighters, battleships, and other units as the Earth Space Corps fight against the alien Bydo. The post R-Type Tactics I・II Cosmos Coming West in June appeared first on RPGamer .

RPGamerMar 31

Revenge of the Firstborn Demo Releasing This Week Developer Sawtooth Games announced that it is releasing a demo for cRPG Revenge of the Firstborn . The demo will be available through Steam from April 2, 2026. The demo features a standalone slice of the game that includes an explorable outdoor environment, a dungeon crawl involving a vampire guarding ancient documents, a boss encounter exclusive to the demo, and core gameplay systems. Revenge of the Firstborn features gameplay based on the 3.5 SRD ruleset. The game is set in a fantasy world where the Firstborn were immortal beings created to help shepherd and guide the universe. However, they violated a prohibition on creating new life, and were sealed away into myth. Players lead a party to uncover the truth behind the Firstborn and the powers they hold. [foogallery id="188074"] The post Revenge of the Firstborn Demo Releasing This Week appeared first on RPGamer .

RPGamerMar 31

Thysiastery Review A Roguelike Dungeon Crawling Jailbreak First-person turn-based dungeon-crawling is an RPG style as old as they come, giving players many ways of combining different classes and abilities to conquer difficult enemies. DIRGA's Thysiastery builds on the sub-genre's basic concepts with the wrinkles of roguelike gameplay, unique skill progression, and random character creation. The game focuses on best utilizing its random characters, and making the most out of skill customization and uncertain treasure collection. Its roguelike nature, makes the gameplay fast-paced, and building parties is enjoyable even in defeat, making for a fun yet basic loop. The player's first character -- who can be customized and named, or randomly chosen -- wakes up branded in a jail cell. They only recall where they came from, with some classes offering different skills available to learn based on that, but otherwise there is just an introductory backstory to the world that rarely comes up within the gameplay. The only motive is escape, and gameplay is the full focus for Thysiastery . Enemies and equipment lean into a combination of sci-fi, modern, and fantasy in a way that juxtaposes everything to give the world a bit of character, yet it still feels like everything fits in. The advantage of creating the first party member to explore the labyrinth in Thysiastery is that it gives a sense of normalcy within the random roguelike confines. Random characters can still turn out well, though the biggest hurdle to survival is making sure magic, to hit elemental weaknesses and heal party members consistently, is covered. There are a lot of skills in the game, so even the most unlucky characters can be worked into something productive. With consumable items being sparse and healing spells rarely appearing on non-dedicated classes, finding a way to keep party members alive, usually through a dedicated healer, is a priority. After clearing the introductory floor, a mural with a fighter, mage, and healer allows players to choose an archetype and gain the relevant skills to fill that role within the player's party. The only other guaranteed party member, randomly generated, can be found at the campsite starting off the second biome. Otherwise, players fill out their party by breaking characters out of cages that may be found on the randomly generated exploratory floors. All in all, players can collect seven total members on a full run, presuming no one dies, and being able to mix and match them into a good party is definitely easy enough to do. [caption id="attachment_187876" align="aligncenter" width="640"] A small wizard by itself in a labyrinth. It is easy to be more scared of it then it is of the party.[/caption] However, while it is easy enough to make a viable party, there’s a big asterisk in there due to the natural difficulty of combat. Random combinations of characters can only succeed if players survive long enough to make them powerful. Levelling up is necessary to garner the skill points to either learn or unlock the powerful skills that every character can access. All six skills in the basic skill tree can be learned normally, with up to four extra abilities available to be gained by developing a new ability through one they already know, or by being taught one of another character’s learned skills. Developing and teaching can branch characters out from the path they're already on, giving a lot of customization. Developing a skill always results in the same follow-up ability being learned, but Thysiastery always presents this as unknown, leaving it to the player to remember what developments are worthwhile to pursue. The randomized layout rarely does equipment gathering any favours. Some aspects are set in stone; for example, the first floor players wake up on will have four treasure chests in it, and the boss floor of that same biome will have two in the same spots each time. That does not mean that anything is set for anywhere else; some playthroughs have treasure in abundance, while others have very little. The most important feature is that each non-boss floor has a merchant hiding somewhere on it. This merchant will offer a somewhat randomized trade one-for-one with something the player has in their inventory. This includes currently equipped gear, so it can be quite tantalizing to have an exciting offer, even when it's for the party's strongest current weapon. Every piece of equipment found, even as early as the first floor, can be a lifesaver, simply by being better than what players start off with, and there is no guarantee they will find any better. [caption id="attachment_187875" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Just a giant rot golem, things will be fine.[/caption] Thysiastery is not a long game and can be completed within fifteen hours. There are four total biomes, each ending in a standardized boss floor, with the remaining two floors in each biome being randomized and containing a few guaranteed points of interest. Each randomized floors contains a merchant, a tablet that gives all active party members a skill point, an altar where vitality can be sacrificed for any other attribute, and a caged potential party member. Occasionally, a mirror can also appear that either duplicates an item or steals what's placed on it. This leads to a lot of exploration as players will want to make sure each of the points is found while enemies constantly spawn in. If players decide to stick around fighting too long, a special enemy appears that will likely defeat the party, but the timeframe on its appearance is pretty generous, and the entire floor can typically be cleared before it shows up. The party and the enemies each move in tandem, one square of the labyrinth grid at a time, though enemies can initiate combat before players join, giving them a few hits if players dawdle. Since enemies will hound the party after seeing them, unless it's in a rare open area, close to a campfire, or a ladder to the next floor, it is just easiest to fight the enemy as soon as they are seen. If players run but can't hide, other enemies can join in, making a potentially difficult fight even worse. Soon after the party begins exploring the labyrinth, they gain focus. While focused, all of the skills players would use cost a fraction of the Technique Points (TP) needed. Manipulating TP this way feels like an expectation due to how powerful routine enemies can be and how high their health totals can get, easily eclipsing a regular set of strikes. Parties will perish, often, as the random luck on equipment can sometimes just feel impossible to overcome, but with fortune just around the corner, even a bad start can turn around quickly. There is always a sense that each run is winnable with what's available on hand; some just feel like the chances are much lower at finding that perfect set of circumstances than others. This feeling is compounded by the merchant's trade options, which can only be viewed once, and sometimes it feels like not having an item from a nearby treasure chest can mean that an offer has shifted or been taken away due to not having what is expected from the party at that point. Combat always finishes swiftly, win or lose, and with the varying party member compositions and skills, it never feels stagnant, making it easy to pop in and out of to enjoy a run or two. It is a battle of quick wits that feels contrary to the thoughtful dungeon crawlers that make up the genre's past. [caption id="attachment_187874" align="aligncenter" width="640"] A wandering merchant's wares are never offers to take lightly.[/caption] Thysiastery is an interesting mix of old school when it comes to its presentation elements. The music is very much ambience, never shifting out of that background gear while providing a foreboding dread that tickles tension levels as players explore the labyrinth. At first glance, the visuals seem minimalist with only one monochrome colour utilized, until probing deeper and noticing the use of styling, shading, and background details. These same details are put into the enemy designs that grow on players with each encounter. The way that enemies can slowly materialize from the shadowy background to stalk the party until combat begins, adds to the tension that the music hammers in, particularly when a powerful monster is just ahead. Character portraits in the menus have that same level of detail, but can look more muddled when viewed on the UI during exploration. Thysiastery is a simple title at heart. The roguelike dungeon crawling always has a sense of random luck in mind that can cause a lingering frustration due to how easily a party can be defeated. This frustration can give way to a pleasant surprise when weak party members strive farther than expected, or when that next treasure chest or merchant visit changes everything for the better. The quick-paced combat is always fun to dive into, and the amount of skills gives plenty of viable variety to tinker with in party composition. Charging blindly is not a usual feeling for the typical first-person turn-based dungeon crawler, but the easy replayability found here makes it exciting to explore all the possibilities, and despite a decent amount of trial and error it is a worthwhile chance to take for fans of roguelikes and dungeon crawlers alike. Disclosure: This review is based on a free copy of the game provided by the publisher. The post Thysiastery Review appeared first on RPGamer .

RPGamerMar 31