Releasing at the tail end of 2022, Marvel’s Midnight Suns was I think eagerly, but skeptically, awaited.

There has been a general feeling of Marvel fatigue in general thanks to an overabundance of TV shows, movies and comics, and it seems there’s a wariness of superhero games since the acrimonious release of Gotham Knights.

There was also a feeling that Marvel’s Midnight Suns was an already known property. Developer ‘Firaxis licensed Marvel characters to do XCOM with a super hero skin’ went the thinking.

It would be good, but nothing revolutionary, surely.

I am very pleased to let you know that this thinking was entirely wrong. Marvel’s Midnight Suns is not just a fantastic Marvel game, but a fresh take and evolution of the tactical role playing game genre as a whole. 2022 saw a number of good RPG releases and Marvel’s Midnight Suns is the cherry on top of a year of revival for the genre.

So what is it all about?

Marvel’s Midnight Suns starts with the resurrection of your main character, The Hunter, drawn out of a three century slumber to fight against their… mother, a demon intent on taking over the world.

A bit of a fish out of water, you find yourself teaming up with members of both the Avengers and titular Midnight Suns, going on missions and deepening relationships with your supernatural acquaintances. And that last part was the most surprising part of the whole package for me – the strong focus of Marvel’s Midnight Suns on relationships.

In fact, Marvel’s Midnight Suns plays much more like a Persona title than any tRPG that I’ve come across. Between missions you have a lot to do. Beyond upgrading abilities, cards, and more, a key part of your time will be going on little “dates” with various superheroes.

Once your dates are over though, you’re thrust through into combat, and here you see some of the most major changes to the tactical tRPG genre that the game brings.

Gone are two staples – cover and percentages.

This is seemingly to fit thematically with superhero combat – does Iron Man really cower behind a wooden box? – and through that, revolutionise what a tRPG can be. I was smitten with these changes from the get go. No more save scumming just because a 95% chance to hit failed, and the lesser importance of cover has lead the developers to double down on elements such as environmental damage and knockbacks.

The other major change to combat is the use of a card deck, consisting of skills, attacks and support moves. I was initially wary of this, but in the end deck sizes are small, leading to the whole system feeling like a more powerful version of swapping skills in and out of a character screen.

You can upgrade cards, build your deck in a particular way to take your individual superheroes in particular directions, and it’s a surprisingly versatile system for having only limited numbers of cards in each deck. Within combat, deciding who gets how many moves, countered against what else is left in the deck to draw, always keeps combat fresh and interesting.

As you use these cards, you build up heroic points, which lets you either use the environment as additional attacks, or use more powerful cards, typically with larger attack radiuses and / or damage.

Despite all this good stuff, there were some parts of Marvel’s Midnight Suns that need addressing. First and foremost, there is no pausing in cutscenes. This was surprisingly infuriating and needs to be addressed in a patch ASAP. Even backing out to the PS5 home screen kept the cutscene running in the background. Given how long some cutscenes are, and their importance to the story, missing story beats because you have to look away for whatever reason is quite annoying.

And while the game looks pretty good, if not amazing visually, I feel more work needed to be put into most of the character models and their animation. For the amount of talking these characters do, most are very basically animated, leading to quite a few relatively boring A-B shot conversations.

Something to note is that Marvel’s Midnight Suns is a surprisingly long game. The wide variety of combat missions are augmented by the deep relationship development side of the game. A quick license tie in this is not.

This review is coming in a little bit after the game has come out, and it has gone on sale a few times, so you should be able to pick it up cheap. Even at its full price though, Marvel’s Midnight Suns is a game that’s worth supporting. It revolutionizes the tRPG genre with care, so even if you don’t have any particular affection for Marvel properties, it will be engaging and a worthwhile adventure.

Does every game need to have the core structure of Persona though? We’ve seen the social sim aspect expand to genres other than JRPGs recently, such as Neon White’s first person platforming and now Marvel’s Midnight Suns. While not necessary, it can be a nice inclusion for those invested in particular superheroes, particularly the lesser-known ones featured in this game.

Still, I empathise if all you want to do is get to the combat, because it is excellent and there is a lot to sit through and manage in between each fight. Marvel’s Midnight Suns is a refreshing, surprising release. It is absolutely worth your time, for Marvel fans and tRPG fans alike – including when that Venn diagram doesn’t overlap at all. If you’re in either, or both camps,, you would be remiss to let this late-2022 release pass you by.

The post Marvel’s Midnight Suns (PlayStation 5) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Corruption 2029 is the follow up to Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden.

Well, actually, it is Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden, with a new skin and a much less interesting sci-fi world. Let me explain.

Set amidst the second United States Civil War, you play as leader of an elite squad tasked with some of the hard and dirty work that the usual forces can’t do. I can’t remember which side I was on, but there are bad guys need fighting, so off I go. Much like Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden, this is accomplished through taking out enemies in a combination of stealth and turn based tactical combat a la XCOM.

These encounters are all set in a world that’s in decline. Much like the post-apocalyptic setting of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden, Corruption 2029 is a beautiful look at a ruined society, barely hanging on as the edifices of civilisation slowly crumble. There’s no denying that there’s some stunning artwork here, and with all the settings ramped up it is a gorgeous game. There are plenty of small touches that show the care and thought put into creating a lived-in world.

The world is partly demolishable too, which was nice to see.

Lob a grenade at an enemy on a tower and watch as half the building (and it’s cover) disappears. Shoot at or near a wall and watch it fall apart realistically. Each area is split up into missions, and each mission can contain multiple areas. It is a much more natural approach than splitting each encounter up into its own level, and I appreciated how you need to fully scope out each area (in real time) before engaging in any form of combat. Alert one guard by mistake and the whole section will come alive with enemies, easily overwhelming your small team. And although your team is equipped with modern arms, your range is generally quite limited.

Even with the sniper rifle you’ll need to get up relatively close and personal with guards before you can take them out lest they alert others to your presence.

A fight generally follows this progress. Enter a map (or re-enter, as some are used repeatedly), scope out the enemies’ locations, take out the stragglers and those who you can ambush, then when you’re brave enough take on the handful of probably much stronger survivors. And while there’s no quicksave or quickload, a fairly good save system lets you try different scenarios before combat, if you’re happy to save scum like I am.

I do wish I could have seen the range of my weapons before I start an encounter, as sometimes I would confidently position my team, and start the ambush only to realise all of my soldiers are out of range of the enemy.

As you complete these missions you will start to gain a few more abilities that can change up how you play. By the end you have much more flexibility in how to tackle each encounter, though you can get through without the abilities, if like me, you occasionally forget they’re there.

Whether or not you land a shot is determined in 25% percentages, much more like Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle than XCOM, and personally I prefer this simplified approach.

Still, perhaps it is my general unfamiliarity with the genre but sometimes I couldn’t understand why my opponent could get an almost guaranteed shot on me, while I technically didn’t even have a line of fire on them at all. It required a bit of experimentation, and by the end of the game I think I had it worked out.

The game encourages team play, as one-on-one fights against all but the easiest of enemies aren’t likely to go in your favour. More often than not this meant my three squad mates ganging up on an enemy at a time, all while trying to manage ammunition, movement, tactics and abilities, and of course keeping any of them from dying. While you do get a chance at revival if one goes down, if they do then it is pretty much mission over, and you will more likely than not be reaching for that “load game” button.

And though I understand there is purpose in reusing assets and animations, playing Corruption 2029 and Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden side by side it seems that there’s a little too much similarity for comfort.

But does Corruption 2029 ultimately stand alone as a good game?

Well, yes, but I would love to see developers The Bearded Ladies push forward and try a few new things to freshen up the formula in their next title. They’re clearly talented, the game is gorgeous, and the core turn-based combat is exhilarating.

It’s just hard to shake the feeling that you haven’t already seen it before.

The post Corruption 2029 (PC) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Camex Games announced to us here at STG that their recently released PC and Android Hex Grid tactical-RPG Tactical Monsters Rumble Arena is coming to iOS on January 25th, 2018 and it’s bringing with it a whole suite of iOS goodness.

iPhone X ready at launch, 3D Touch, Game Center Achievements and Leaderboards are all coming to the game through the upcoming iOS launch. Tactical Monsters will also feature AR Kit content (imagine in-game monsters appearing in the real world!), Apple Watch support, iMessage Emojis, ReplayKit support for sharing screens and game video, and Live Streaming.

And if all that wasn’t enough, the game will also add Game Center Continuity — allowing cross play on Apple OSX, so players can play between their Apple smartphones and tablets, along with the Mac OS version which will also be available for download from the Mac App Store soon. Jump into a game on your iPhone, then pick up where you left off when sitting at your Mac later!

Did you know Bigfoot actually exists in real life? Tactical Monsters Rumble Arena lets you take your favorite mythical Yeti on an augmented reality trip by using cool new ARKit features. Capture Bigfoot in the most ridiculous moments you can imagine and share with your friends. Or, show your kids all the “hidden monsters in the house”, by using the game’s AR features to make Bigfoot walk around the living room, make a mess in the kitchen, and more!

What’s more fun than showing off that you have not only captured the mythical monster, but have him on your phone, at your beck and call!

The post TACTICAL MONSTERS RUMBLE ARENA FOR iOS! appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Swedish indie developer Nodbrim Interactive today announced that Acaratus, its medieval steampunk tactical turn-based RPG, is set to launch on Steam on the 25th of May, 2017. Outfitted with customizable battle suits called mecha units, players must use their strategic skills in combat, using collectible cards as boosts, in order to succeed in a perilous yet beautiful steampunk world where randomized maps make each playthrough a whole new experience.

“Over the past year on Steam Early Access we’ve listened to the community and have incorporated lots of feedback into the game”, said Martin Kupski, Creative Director at Nodbrim Interactive. “We really think that players will enjoy the improvements that we’ve made when they see the final version at the end of next month”.

Acaratus has multiplayer and single player modes both brimming with high-strategy challenges which encourage players to plan their battle tactics in advance. Players can construct their own Steampunk inspired mecha units from highly customizable modular attachments and decide between ranged, melee, boosters and defensive parts. Weapons range from war hammers to longer ranged projectile-based weapons, such as cannons. Ability card decks can also be used by players as attack, defence or skill boosts to support their unique play styles and help them succeed in the deep tactical turn-based gameplay. Combat takes place in a mesmerising medieval steampunk setting with randomised maps, or players can also take the fight to each other in the battle arenas.

The campaign mode in Acaratus presents a narrative rich story where players assume the role of a freed slave who saved the life of his former slave dealer Adina unwillingly making her the head of a small rebellion. Adina starts recruiting slaves to fight back against the regime entrenched after the decade-long Valerian Conflict between Queen Valeria in the north and emperor Helios in the southern lands won by Helios and his hordes of mecha units. Now, Helios has enslaved people who oppose him and hunts down the remaining battle suits that are used by the opposition. Armed with forbidden mecha units, players and Adina are in the process of setting an example for human rights.

The post Medieval Steampunk RPG Acaratus Releasing in May 2017 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Gaijin Entertainment and Darkflow Software, creators of the upcoming MMOG Enlisted, today announced to us at StG the development of Xenos vs Marines, a tactical command first person shooter featuring a revolutionary approach to realism in Sci-Fi games. In  Xenos vs Marines, gamers play as Colonial Force Space Marines, interplanetary invaders who come face-to-face with alien races trying to defend their home worlds.

Xenos vs Marines tells the story of a futuristic advanced humanity that is fiercely determined to stake its territorial claim on the universe. With an emphasis on realism, the game will allow players to experience the unique challenges of the Colonial Forces, led by the brave Space Marines, sent out to seize new areas of influence for mankind first-hand. Equipped with ultra-advanced weaponry, powered armour and other tools of conquest, players will not only fight against diverse breeds of aliens, but also must survive the environmental hazards and anomalies found on the new worlds.

“We often see them on TV – the elite heroes of a space-era humanity, fighting on alien planets for the advancement of man, at the expense of others. Every one of us wants to experience epic intergalactic battles in the most unusual and unpredictable circumstances, but this time we have turned traditional storyline on its head and added realism,” says Alexander Poliakov, Producer of Xenos vs Marines. “This is a game about tactics and coordinated efforts. And of course, it’s also about sharp reflexes and  pumping adrenaline.”

Currently, the game is in an early development stage, but already available are first 3D character and equipment models as well as early screenshots of one of the locations. The game is based on the technological groundwork of the realistic squad-based WW2 military shooter Enlisted, whose backers will be among the first to be able to try Xenos vs Marines.

The post Xenos vs Marines: New Futuristic Action Announced from Gaijin & Darkflow appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

I greatly enjoyed Fire Emblem: Awakening and so getting my hands on the next installment, Fire Emblem: Fates had me more than excited. This afore mentioned tactical role playing held my imagination and interest in the past and I’m happy to say it does so again.

Fire Emblem: Fates has three story paths to follow. The two major paths,Birthright and Conquest, are actually sold as separate games with the third option, Revelation, being available as DLC. Though if you get your hands on the special edition, then you get all three. Each with different events and available characters. The first recommended play through is Birthright. This is what I started with. The game does inform us that Revelation should be played after at least playing through one of the other campaigns.

Fire emblem: Fates focuses on a created character which is you. The game has you create the hero, be it male or female and modify the character to some degree. From here you set off to help your chosen allegiance. Being of royal blood, whichever way you choose, you become the pinnacle of the events that determine life and death for many and the burden of your decisions weigh heavy on your shoulders, regardless if you personally made them. The story is very engaging and keeps the player very interested as events unfold.

The game has a heavy focus on character relationships. You can build them as you like. There can be some restrictions with certain characters but mostly you can marry off, befriend and marry whoever you like.I found myself very interested and even preoccupied with developing these relations between characters. It may sound possibly boring but the game has a small but intriguing set of interactions between most characters, that you can uncover and experience if you chase the building of the relationships between them. The friendships you build between characters can also impact combat as the better the relationship the better the support that a particular set of characters might offer one another.

The tactical gameplay is fantastic. One might assume a turn based game can lack for intensity but in spite of it Fire Emblem: Fates manages to really maintain a tense and exciting feel. You can take as long as you need between moves but this doesn’t take away any of its edginess but rather adds to it as you usually only take longer when the battle is quite a tough one. Each move is a vital one and so making the right move can take some serious consideration.

The actual process of maneuvering your team around the map is quite a fluid and well created system that mostly continues the same mechanics from Fire Emblem: Awakening; with its grid based maps that can include various obstacles, traps and even dragon veins that allow those with dragon blood to bend nature to their needs.  Maps are mostly unique and each presents its own difficulties and opportunities to utilizes various strategies.

You are also given good selection of classes to choose from. Most base classes can also later be upgrade to one of two choices. Further diversifying your option of class on the battle field. This both allows different techniques to be implemented and if you don’t like a character type there are ways to change a character’s class. I did find I had certain favorites and particular ways to use a certain class in combat but the enemy AI are well created and offer a very good challenge regardless of who you battle with.

There are various modes to complete the game. Apart from difficulty you can also make choices of things like turning on permadeath.I personally chose it to be on and was both a good and bad decision. I preferred high level of engagement brought about by not wanting a single character to die. This however did have me redo many battles as when a character did die, I just turned off the console and restarted the battle. To the games credit, this never compelled me to stop playing, I was just more determined than before to get through the battle with all my favorite characters alive.

The game has a home base area. Here you can construct new buildings, from shops to a miscellaneous group of other buildings that offer some small bonus or interactions. This area can be attacked by other players. There is a decent ingame focus on building defenses and giving bonuses to your party members specifically for battles in your castle. This however was generally unusable feature as playing in Australia doesn’t really see that many other players around the place. So sadly the features for this aspect mostly superfluous for someone living in this particular region.

The music score is amazing, there isn’t a moment I didn’t greatly enjoy both it and the atmosphere it brings about. The game does actually have a focus on the music, especially in some parts and it does a great job being impressive. Visually,for a 3DS game, it looks great and the animated cut scenes are quite spectacular.

Fire Emblem: Fates is a fantastic tactical RPG with a plethora of content available to players. The game really draws you in and makes care about your party and the relationships the have with each other. It incorporates an interesting story, engaging characters and well created gameplay to create an amazing experience on the 3DS.