Valve is finally putting all possible doubt regarding Steam game ownership to rest by explicitly stating it??s u??sers are getting a license to play the games they pay for on Steam.

Once you add a game to your Steam shopping cart, you will now be able to read the message,? "A purchase of a digital product grants a license for the product on Steam". Below the message, users will find a link to access the entire subscriber agreement. Long story short: we don't really own the games we pay for on the platform �regardless of them tending to cost as much as physical copies would.

Actual ownership of St?eam games has always been a controversial issue. ?Those in the know have always expressed distaste at not really acquiring the games they pay for. The others have spent who knows how many hard-earned dollars blissfully unaware they're merely acquiring access to Steam's property.

What does not really "owning games on Steam" mean?

Ultimately, it means Valve �in an extreme case, I'd hope �can bar your access to any gam??e (even you have it installed) should the company find a justification deemed reasonable enough by the company itself.

While the exact reason for Steam's newfound openness isn't known, it's likely coming about as a premeditated response to California's upcoming 2025 law regarding transparency of rights ownership.

GOG naturally used Steam's updated transparency notice to fire back. Steam's rival storefront quickly tweeted that the digital products you buy on GOG will provide you offline installers. GOG then made a very strong and practical point by stating that not even a zombie outbreak that wo??uld cut off your Internet service could keep you away from your GOG games.

It's great that you get to keep GOG's games so long as you have a functioning PC, and pretty ironic that Steam might force you to fight off against a horde of IRL zombies should you really want to re-experience Left 4 Dead 2. Still, it's important to remind you that e??ven GOG's storefront is also just selling you licenses. The main difference here is that once you get the game, GOG cannot ever take it from you, whereas that's always a possibility with Steam.

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GOG has revealed the release date for the last game in their re-releases of the Resident Evil series. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis joins the rest on September 25.

GOG announced that they were working on re-releases for the first three games in the Resident Evil series back in June. At that time, they launched the first game, with preorders open for the other two. In August, Resident Evil 2 followed, leaving only this one remaining.

And, honestly, I’ve never played through OG Resident Evil 3. I played the 2020 remake, but I don’t think that’s really the same thing. It was fine, but not really up to standards with the Resident Evil 2 remake that came before. So, I’m looking forward to playing it on PC�right after I actually get around to playing the first two. Weirdly, I did find time to finally play through Resident Evil Revelations, which was sitting on my Switch for yonks. I guess I get distracted easil??y.

While Resident Evil 3 launched on PS1, there was a PC version released. However, by many accounts it wasn’t very good, and getting it to run on a modern OS causes even more suffering. So, GOG went to work upgrading it to run ?more effortlessly.

Resident Evil 3 re-releases on PC via GOG on September 25, 2024.

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If today's RPGs don't have enough airships for you, one developer hopes to rectify that in style. Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire wants to bring folks back to the "golden era of classic JRPGs," and we'll see how it fares the skies s??tarting on October 10, 2024.

Publisher PQube and developer Octeto Studios announced the date along with the new trailer below. You can spot some real Skies of Arcadia vibes a??t first glance. When this one launches, it'll be plundering the skies on PlayStation 5,? Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG. 

You might have already taken these wings for a spin yourself at this point. Sky Oceans had a demo during Steam Next Fest in June, offering up a brief taste of the life of a dogfighting sky pirate. The aerial battles themselves are turn-based, giving you the option to attack or evad?e enemy fire when necessary. If your crew's gear isn't cutting it, you can take some time outside of battle to reinforce equipment, boost your arsenal of weapons, and improve overall agility.

The story has you traversing the world above the clouds as Glenn Windwalker, who certainly has a name suited for adventure. The actions you and your squad take throughout the narr??ative can shape the future of communities around the world, each providing their own unique characters, dilemmas, and related sub-quests.

Whether or not Sky Oceans lives up to its inspirations is still, if you'll pardon the expression, up in the air. Perso??nally, we don't have ne??arly enough sky-faring RPGs featuring rag-tag pirate crews, so the more the merrier. 

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GOG has announced that their PC re-release of Capcom’s 1998 classic Resident Evil 2 will be available on August 27, 2024. I mean the original version of Resident Evil 2, not the 2019 remake. Of course. Just clarifying.

While Resident Evil 2 is often best remembered as a PS1 title, it was also released on other platforms, including Windows. Unfortunately, PC games from the era can be extremely finicky on modern platforms. There’s plenty of voodoo you can do to pull it off, but for those who don’t want to bother, GOG’s re-release will be pretty tempting. Rather tha??n simply re-introduce the original Windows version back into the wilds, they’re going the extra mile to make sure it’s more comfortable on our futuristic super-computers.

The list of improvements shows items that are both necessary and hilarious. They include things like “Issue-less game exit�and “Improved game registry settings�among the audio f??ixes and improved subtitles. Then? there are fewer must-haves like The 4th Survivor and The Tofu Survivor being available from the beginning.

The re-releases of the original versions of the first three Resident Evil games were announced this past June, along with the sudden appearance of the first title. 2 and 3 were left pending without a given release date, though you could buy the full trilogy in preparation. We’re still waiting to hear when we’ll see Resident Evil 3.

For my money, Resident Evil 2 is easily the best game in the series. While I have a strong fondness for the 2001 Resident Evil remake, I find that the infested police station is a much better setting than the Spencer Estate. The Resident Evil 2 remake is fantastic in its own right, but something gets lost when you remove the ??tank con?trols and fixed camera angles.

The PC re-release of Resident Evil 2 will be available on GOG on August 27, 2024.

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When last we heard about the ambitious Fallout 4 mod Fallout: London, the team had to delay the project due to Bethesda releasing a big update for the base game. We still don't know when it'??s coming out, but it looks as though we're just moments away from a release date.

A recent message posted on Team FOLON's Discord channel �as mentioned on X/Twitter as well �Fallout: London is just waiting for the "final? green light" from Good Old Games before the mod is ready to l??aunch. The developer has sent "several builds over to GOG for QA testing," so it just seems to be a waiting game at the moment.

Once this has been done, the team says it "should be good to go," but we still d?on't know for certain when that will? be exactly. Could be days. Could be hours. Honestly, any ideas at this point will be pure speculation.

What is Fallout: London, again?

As with pretty much any Bethesda game, the vanilla experience is often vastly improved with the help of dedicated fans and those in the modding community. Fallout: London is no different, expect it's a project that ha??s a ton of ambition.

As the name suggests, it brings a post-apocalyptic universe to the English capital city, thanks to a heavily modified version of Fallout 4. It's being referred to as "DLC-sized," thanks to its huge? scope. It adds in a new story, new factions, new weapons, and new enemies. It's basically newness all the way down.

As for what you can e?xpect to ??find in there, regulars to London should recognize the decayed ruins of places like Islington, Hackney, Westminster, Croydon, Lewisham, the City of London itself, and more. Team FOLON is not messing about with this project.

It is a bit of a shame it had to be delayed. It wasn't an easy decision for the modders to make, especially as Fallout: London was scheduled for release on April 23 (St. George's Day, natch). However, Bethesda then announced the launch date for the long-awaited "next-gen" patch for F4, which rolled out on April 25, meaning the mod needed more work to take into account the up??date.

Once it releases, Fallout: London will be available on GOG.com, hence waiting for this last green light. You'll be able to download it for free so long as you have legitimate copies of the main game, plus all the official DLC. Currently, it's only coming to PC, with no plans for a console port just yet. Check out the FAQ for more details.

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Somehow, it's been over 10 years since Volgarr the Viking delivered its brutal brand of hack-and-slash platforming. Now it's back for another round of glorious battle in Volgarr the Viking II, which is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, an??d PC via Steam and GOG on August 6, 2024.

You can see some of what developer Crazy Viking Studios has learned since releasing its debut game back in??? 2013 in the announcement trailer below.

It's wild to think about how many similarly challenging indie games have been thrust into players' hands since the original Volgarr launched. The space is more crowded than ever before, and it's also full of a ton of quality efforts within the same genre. As such, Crazy Viking St??udios has evolved in some ways and is looking to offer players the means to hone their skills before putting them to the ultimate test on the battlefield.

Among those modern upgrades are features like practice mode, checkpoints, save profiles, and even the option to run through with unlimited continues. These additions may not wholly sate Volgarr's bloodlust, though, so you'll eventually want to try a run without them to see everything the sequel has to offer. As the description states, foregoing these "modern comforts" will allow you to unlock everything Volgarr the Viking II has to offer. 

Volgarr the Viking II was initially unveiled as part of this week's Guerrilla Collective showcase. It's nice to see the release date land in ?that August sweet spot, giving? us plenty of time to sharpen our steel again with the first game before diving into the second. 

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I'm ashamed to admit that, until recently, I didn't realize that CD Projekt was behind the Good Old Game distribution platform. Of all the video game PC clients out there, Steam is undoubtedly the head honcho, but GOG is a great alternative, especially when it comes? to retro releases.

However, there's something you need to be aware of. As outlined in a section on the GOG.com support page, the platform will begin removing Cloud Save files from its servers af?ter August 31. Everyone who has an account is encouraged to review their own files if they don't want to lose any data.

However, it's only going to be on saves that exceed the "default allocati?on limit" of 200MB per game. But it's in your best interest to se??e what �if anything �you're happy to delete from the servers in order to stay within the storage cap.

Why's this happening?

According to the article, GOG is limiting cloud space to? take into consideration the growing demand for storage in this modern gaming era. The message says that such measures being put into place after August are to "ensure that all players have access to sufficient and manageable space for their game progress" and that the company can "keep the associated costs?? under control."

If you absolutely want to make sure you don't lose any save data from the GOG cloud service, this page will give you a quick lowdown on how to back up files through the GOG GALAXY app. Once the time comes, data will be deleted from the servers, starting with unnecessary files, such as "things that are not at all related to your game, but have found their way into the Cloud Save folder?."

However, save files that are stored "locally on your computer" will not be deleted. In short: if you have a GOG account �especially if you use GALAXY �make sure you review the games on your account to make sure they're within the 200MB limit.

The post You?? need to review your GOG Cloud Saves by August 31 appeared first on Destructoid.

With games like Earthbound and Undertale inspiring so many creators over the years, there's no shortage of quirky RPGs out there. Athenian Rhapsody pulls in even more esoteric inspirations to create a stew that's veritably overflowing, and ??it's now set to bring its absurdity to the world on May 14, 2024.

Athenian Rhapsody comes from a developer by the name of Nico Papalia. From the first frame of the release date trailer you'll pick up on the vibe it's going for, but keep watching and you'll see a sizzle reel that paints a pretty packed picture. There are WarioWare-style minigames, enemies you can fight or befriend, ??and 16 party members to find over the course of your ridiculous journey. 

It's billed as a "true choose-your-own adventure" in whi??ch no two players will have the same experience. Building on that promise is the concept of Rhapsodies. Every time you finish the game, you get a unique Rhapsody that includes all the details of your individual story. You can show off your stats and trade playthroughs with friends, and you can apparently even choose to be a huge jerk and delete your friend's Rhapsodies. You can see a sample of that and more in the trailer from publisher Top Hat Studios below.

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Delisted from digital storefronts in 2019 due to the expiry of music licensing, Alpha Protocol is being made available again thanks to the wor??k of GOG. It’s now been relisted and available to purchase on their store.

Alpha Protocol was first released in 2010, where it gained a cult following. Reception by the press was less warm, however. Writing for Destructoid at the time, James Stephanie Sterling went as far as giving the game a 2. Ouch. Despite this, I played it, and while it has its issues, I st?ill look back at it fondly.

It definitely has a myriad of problems. Like many of the era’s Obsidian games, it had more bugs than bones. The narrative, while simple at its core, was heavily choice-driven and would branch in all directions. In that way, it was over-ambitious and tied its own noose. A great many people were able to look past these issues and found a game that reaches to extend the era’s hallmarks to more impac?tful ends. It’s classic Ob?sidian: painfully broken and deceptively brilliant.

I’ve had some hands-on time with GOG’s build, and I can give you all the details on it. On the whole, it is largely just a re-release of the 2010 PC version. So much so, that it even recognized my old save games from the Steam version, still buried in the cavernous depths of my secondary hard drive, which I should definitely replace before it dies.

However, some of the smaller details have changed. First, GOG did relicense the soundtrack, so none of the music has changed or been removed. They also added standardized gamepad support, so anything from Dualsense to Switch Pro Controllers now function as they should. That’s a good thing because while I like my mouse and keyboard setup for most shooters, Alpha Protocol clearly wasn’t designed for it.

They’ve also gone to work trying to clean up as many bugs as they could before release. That’s not to say that it’s not still a buggy game. It still feels like it could rattle apart at any moment, and like alt+tabbing it might cause a brain hemorrhage. I noticed texture problems and caught a brief glimpse of some T-posing. Hopefully, you won’t run into anything too bad, but all the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Alpha Protocol together again.

GOG has also gone to the work of localizing the text for ??other regions, and added achievements for GOG Galaxy, which were previously only on console.

I was so happy to hear Alpha Protocol w??as returning, even if I could just boot up my Steam version at any time. Despite what review scores may suggest, it’s definitely a title worth playing. Portions of it are still burned into my memory. Such as the Gelato Man sequence featuring Jim Cummings.

When I played it back closer to release, I went in with the intention of romancing every character I could. Near the end, I chose to let one of the romance options kill another to avoid having an awkward discovery potentially spoil the ending. Using m??urder-by-proxy to hide my infidelities gave me pause, so I turned to a friend to give me moral guidance.

I asked, “What does that say about me as a person?�/p>

He replied, “That you’re a problem solver.�/p>

Not many games can lead to a magical ???moment like that.

Alpha Protocol is available now on PC via GOG.

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SNEG continues their effort to preserve classic PC titles by releasing another long list of Strategy Simulations Inc. (SSI) and Mindscap?e ??games on Steam and GOG.

This latest drop of games runs a wide gamut of genres and timeframes. The first title listed is the Phantasie Collection which combines Phantasie (1985), Phantasie 2 (1986), and Phantasie III: The Wrath of Nikademus (1987). While we’re on the topic, there was a Phantasie IV: The Birth of Heroes in 1990, but that was released exclusively on Japanese home computers despite the ser?ies being originally by an American developer. T?hat's not included here.

The next up is the Great Naval Battles Collection, which brings Great Naval Battles: North Atlantic 1939-1943 (1992), Vol. II: Guadalcanal 1942-43 (1994), Vol. III: Fury in the Pacific 1941-44 (1995), Vol. IV: Burning Steel 1939-1942 (1995). ??You can probably guess that these games are all WWII naval strategy games.

Continuing the theme of collections, we have Wargame Construction Set Collection. This includes the 1986 original, followed by Wargame Construction Set II: Tanks! (1994) and Wargame Construction Set III: Age of Rifles 1846-1905 (1996). These kind of sound like they should ?be about handling the production of various implements of war, but they’re actually customizable strategy games.

Onto a la carte titles, we first have Star Command (1988), a sci-fi RPG. Then there’s Prophecy of the Shadow (1992), a fantasy RPG that came around after SSI lost the DND license to Interplay. Next is Renegade: Battle for Jacob’s Star (1995), which is technically a sequel to Renegade Legion: Interceptor (1990), which hasn’t been re-released yet. Both are space combat games. Interestingly, both games are adaptations of a FASA (Shadowrun, Battletech) board game. Savage Warriors (1995) is up next, and it’s a fighting game, of all things. Finally, we have Warbreeds (1998), which is a typical �0s RTS, but with the ability to modify your units�DNA to create new co?nfigurations.

I’ve played exactly none of these games, which is why I appreciate SNEG making them available. While some of them are simply using DOSBox in the background, they’re configured in a way that makes them easy to jump into. Their most impressive effort was to re-release all of SSI’s D&D games, but the fact that they’re jumping deeper into the back catalog really warms my heart. I didn’t get to experience much of the PC landscape throughout the �0s and �0s, so I’ve always found it interesting what got buried behind the console and arca?de ?scene.

Mayb??e I’ll make it a point in 2024 to explore some of SNEG’s SSI re-re?leases.

The games and collections outlined above are now available on GOG and Steam.

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It's not just Steam that has sale events, albeit those are the ones most PC gamers think of. Other outlets such as GOG also put some deals on as well, and the CD Projekt-owned distribution site has recently started its winter sa??le.

If you head over to Good Old Games, you'll see a host of titles that are currently on offer. The event?? is going until January 4, so you've got some time to get a few downloads in around the Christmas period.

As for what's on offer, there's a veritable bevy of classic/retro and more modern releases. For example, the original Mortal Kombat games are currently 75% off, as is the complete Yakuza series. The remake of System Shock is 35% off and, naturally, Cyberpunk 2077 and the DLC are discounted at 50% and 15% res??pectively?.

Yes, of course Skyrim is in the sale, too

?All-in-all, there are around 6,000 games that are part of the winter sales event. Oh, I could list off many more examples, but I'd be here for quite some time.

Suffice it to see, there's quite a few that I'll be tempted to pick up between now and January. I was pleasantly surprised to see the Myst 30th anniversary collection at nearly 60% off. Not because I'm a fan of Myst (have never played it), but because I don't t??hink I even knew?? it was that old. Time is fleeting, etc.

Anyway, as we approach t?he end of 2023, a?ll the gaming platforms and websites will be putting on their own sales. Look out for the Steam winter event next week. Admit it. That's probably what most of you are waiting for.

The post The GOG winter sale is in full swing appeared first on Destructoid.

Game preservation is a topic close to my heart. For me, video games never age. I spend just as much time playing games from decades ago as I do with modern titles. My favor??it??e games are the ones I’ve never played before, and that isn’t exclusive to the future.

Accessibility is therefore important, especially when it comes to PC titles where changes in operating systems, graphical processing, and even monitor resolutions have rendered a lot of old titles unplayable on modern setups. GOG has, for a long while now, been an important fi??xture to people like me. It provides easy access to retro titles from the DOS and early Windows days in formats that are typically simple to get working with minimal configuration.

Typically.

Recently, I’ve been interested in what drives the busin?ess of retro games. Is preserving old games on new platforms viable from a business standpoint, or is it always just a matter of passion? I got the chance to speak with Urszula Jach-Jaki, Managing Director at GOG, to dig deep into the details.

Publisher grip

There are only so many classic titles still up for grabs these days. Some might argue that the most important titles of yesteryear are still accessible, but that’s proveably bupkiss. Some large, significant publishers like EA and Warner Bros. hold on tightly to some of their most significant titles in their backlog. EA is perhaps the most vexing, as titles like SimCity or even The Sims aren’t readily available on e?ven their own storefront.

I asked Jach-Jaki if GOG has tried working with these companies and why they’re so tight-fisted with their properties. “We can cite a few examples of well-known franchises that were not initially available in digital distribution,�they responded. “Thanks to our efforts, a re-release became a reality �Diablo, for example. However, it's always the publish?er's decision, and we can only provide them with convincin??g arguments.

“There could be various reasons behind not releasing well-known titles. Sometimes, it's due to intellectual property ownership issues, with the publisher uncertain about whether they own 100% of the rights to the property (and proving this can be quite complex), or they simply lack the capacity to work on the old build and re-release the game on modern systems.�/p>

There’s also the theory that the availability of games that have newer iterations, such as The Sims, would have their sales cannibalized by older, cheaper versions. However, SimCity has the 2013 version, but you can still purchase SimCity 2000, so the v??a?lidity of the assumption is questionable.

Immediate profit

For that matter, I wondered what games are actually fit for re-release. Specifically, how does GOG estimate the profitability of re-r?eleasing old titles. “The key metrics we assess before making a decision typically involve a blend of our experience, conclusions drawn from the past, certain business metrics, and the developers' vision and assumptions,�Jach-Jaki explained.

Further than that, they explain that sometimes it isn’t about how many sales a title will get. “It is not always about pure profit. Oftentimes, we invest to bring back games that didn't achieve commercial success, aiming to make fans of the game and our community happy �especially if fixing the game is not time-consuming. What helps us with these decisions is our community wishlist which we monitor on a regular basis. Some of the games at the very top are challenging to get, so we focus our attention on whatever's next in line, based on level of complexity (and that's usually a mix of who owned/owns the code/IP and what's the history behind the title).�/p>

Since, as I said in the intro, I have to wonder if a lot of game preservation is a matter of passion over profit, I asked if all the games GOG has made available turned a profit, whether after launch or eve?n during its lifetime. Is it worth bringing them back, even if they do??n’t turn a profit?

“Reviving many 'forgotten' titles may not be profitable in the short term,�Jach-Jaki told me. “Despite marketing efforts around these games, it won't change the fact that many of them may not garner enough attention. While we acknowledge this reality, preserving the legacy and keeping those games alive and accessible to all the gamers who appreciate them, as well as introducing them to new generations, is an important factor. This commitment sometimes means having to wait more time to recoup the investment. However, we can name many examples of re-released games, that continue to be very popular and profitable.�/p>

“This may sound somewhat idealistic,�she continues, “considering we are a store and our primary concern should be generating profits from all the titles in our offering. Game preservation goes beyond financial gain for us and by bringing old games back to life we aim to stay true to our roots and recapture the spirit of our early days with games when we were children. For most of us, these old games played a crucial role in shaping our identities. We strive to extend this opportunity to the younger generations of gamers, whose gaming experiences differ significantly, allowing them to experience the same excitement we felt.�/p>

“As long as this ambition is achieved, it’s perfectly acceptable even if it doesn’t yield immediate profits.�/p>

The lawyers

This made me wonder about something else. Some of the releases on GOG have been modified to be playable on modern operating systems, ?but others have merely been packaged with DOSbox, and presented as is. This has caused some problems with games on the storefront, requiring a bit of finessing to get them working properly.

The example that still bothers me to this day is 1997’s Interstate �6. It’s a game that has a myriad of problems today that make it nearly unplayable. Even if you do get it running, physics are based on framerate, which makes a particular level impossible to complete. As a result, fans have had to step in an??d provide workarounds and fixes for the game. These haven’t been incorporated into the actual store relea?se, so if you buy the game, you then have to dig for the fixes and implement them. If CD Projekt Red and GOG are passionate about these games, why release anything in this sort of state?

The ans?wer w??as something I hadn’t even considered before.

“It depends on the specific contract provisions,�she explains. “In most cases, we do not possess the rights to modify the game build, and if bugs are reported, only the developers can address them. Our role here is to report any issues and offer technical support when necessary, but we cannot act independently to alter the game files. Of course, there are certain situations where we can implement fixes or perform deeper modifications to the game, but such arrangements are relatively rare.�/p>

Oh, right. It’s always lawyers.

Source Port

This is also why GOG usually can’t incorporate fanmade source ports on their storefront. Duke Nukem 2, for example, has the fantastic Rigel Engine that allows the game to run natively on modern operating systems with a myriad of additional tweaks. But if GOG isn’t allowed ??to modify the game in any way, even if they had the fan’s permission to use the port, they wouldn’t be a??llowed to.

A major exception with this was the Daggerfall Unity - GOG Cut, which not only ports the game to the Unity Engine, but also implements a number of fan mods that make Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall more comfortable to play.

“Daggerfall Unity �GOG Cut was our passion project and we were very thrilled with its critical acclaim,�Jach-Jaki said. “In many ways, what the modding community does aligns with our mission �making games look and play better, regardless of their age. Mods can enhance the overall experience with games not only by fixing bugs, but also by offering diverse content and improving gameplay mechanics. We see them as a way to cater to various gamers�preferences and we are eager to work closely with modders to facilitate the integration of their input into the games.�/p>

I’m hoping we get?? more ?of that from the platform. At least now, there’s some precedence.

Dragon's horde

In recent years, GOG has slowed down a bit from its original mission of making old DOS games accessible again. More focus seems to be on modern titles. As Jach-Jaki puts it, “The vision for Good Old Games in 2008 was simple: bring back games from the pre-digital era of gaming. This provided us with plenty of fuel for many years. Fast forward 15 years, and we have 1600+ classic games (10Y+) which is roughly 20% of our catalog.�/p>

“We want to be a store that invites modern games as well because, at the end of the day, it's about providing amazing games to our community and catering to various tastes and needs. Even better if we can do it DRM-free!�/p>

It’s still pretty unfortunate that there are some games that may never get a re-release simply because of licensing issues. Even getting a game as historically important as Goldeneye 007 available on modern consoles took decades, and I feel we had to make a compromise as there were very few quality-of-life improvements in the releases we did get. Meanwhile, Activision and EA are sitting on piles of 007 titles that I doubt anyone would go to the trouble of re-releasing.

Jach-Jaki explains, “This is essentially why reviving classic games based on huge licenses (many of which are held by AAA publishers) is such a challenge. There are expired OST rights to consider, sometimes actor fees, product placements, or outdated credits content. All these factors, combined with the necessary involvement of legal teams, producers, and brand teams, make it a significant undertaking. It's a lot of work, not only for us but also for the publisher. Sometimes, as harsh as it sounds, however amazing it might be to restore a game, the opportunity cost does not add up.�/p>

“There are plenty of games like this that will probably never be enjoyed by new generations again unless game preservation is taken seriously. This is precisely what we are here for!�/p>

The future of retro

Finally, I asked if there were any games that Urszula Ja??ch-Jaki personally wants to see? preserved.

“There are many of them!�she said. “Allow me to be somewhat vague here and refrain from mentioning specific titles, but rest assured that we have major announcements pending regarding titles we've been diligently working on for an extended period. The classic games community has much to be excited about.�/p>

“Let me also take this opportunity to express our gratitude to our fellow gamers for suggesting titles that should be revived and contributing to the growth of our community wishlist. While we may not be able to fulfill all the requests, we strive to release as many as possible.�/p>

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Originally revealed back in April, Apogee Entertainment and Emberheart Games' Vexlands is here for everyone to try. The release window is still penciled in for sometime in early 2024, but now a new demo offers a taste of adventure. Despite the fact that this one has curses, monsters, and other threats, there are plenty of opportunities to relax throughout. Check out some of the open-world crafti??ng in action in the new trailer below. 

Vexlands is billed as a "cozy crafting adventure," but you'd be forgiven for not seeing much of that in the preview. Developer Emberheart Games is looking to strike a balance between cozy and p?erilous with this one. Sure, you could strike out in an attempt to explore the land and hunt for resources. You could also take some time to rest and relax in your ever-expanding homestead. Decorate your place, tame wild animals, fish, and farm? if that's more to your liking.

Are you a cozy enough dude to cleanse the land?

When you're done chilling, there's still going to be a world to save and tiles to unlock. Vexlands features procedurally generated environments with dynamic weather, and each area can unveil something either helpful or harmful. You might find artifacts hinting at the past, or precious resources for trading or crafting. Or you might run into some nasty enemies or a sudden strike of lightning. You can roll the dice yourself with the demo, which is live on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. Vexlands will also be available on GO??G when it launches.  

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The digital gaming world has been on the grow for years and while Steam is arguably the head honcho, GOG.com is a worthy alternative. Beginning life in 2008, the PC storefront is c??urrently celebrating its 15th year with a mega sale event that sees hundreds of games being discounted.

If you head over to the GOG website, you can peruse all the games that have had their prices slashed for the celebrations. There's pretty much something for everyone here, whether you want 40% off Cyberpunk 2077, 75% off the GOTY edition of Fallout 3, or some other per?cent signs attached ??to some other game.

There's also a blog post that gives a little bit of history about the service, as well as a few facts about the website. For ??example, did you know you can use the famous ?Konami code on the homepage?

Intended to preserve PC gaming

Started by CD Projekt around the time it found fame with the Witcher series, Good Old Games was born as a means of digitally distributing PC games. This idea goes back even further �to 1994 �in which the company ?want?ed a way of combating video game piracy in Poland by, as the website itself says, "offering classic games at budget-friendly prices."

As the digital age grew in the 2000s, the likes of GOG.com have become a haven for "forgotten gems." While the company responsible for it would become bett??er kn?own as the developer of AAA games (under the CD Projekt Red brand), its PC gaming storefront is a strong force in the quest to keep classic games in circulation.

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It's been two years since bullet hell roguelike Ira launched in Early Access. Now it's almost ready to blast off outta there with Nicalis setting a PC launch date for October 3, 2023. Ira will be available for $19.99 on Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG. 

Ira puts players in the role of a girl ??named Yeon, who channels an ancient god's powers to battle the forces of Chaos. Korean studio ABShot is behind this one, which mixes anime-style art with bullet hell shooting and roguelike game design. You can see a sample in the PC release date trailer below.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThN39v3hVEU

Bringing a bow to a laser fight

If you're a fan of the bullet hell brand of shooters popularized by developers like Toaplan and Cave, you'll be right at home in this colorful maze of lasers. In addition to godly powers, Yeon wields a bow in her quest to locate the scattered remnants of the Ira crystal. Over 150 different bows can be found throughout the game along with various active and passive power-ups. Some might say 150+ bows is overkill, but can you ever really have enough? There are 150 unique relics and 43 bow+relic combo synergies on top of that, and Yeon can summon five Apostles to perform ultimate skills and trigger passive perks. 

As for the roguelike elements, Ira's six stages consist of procedurally generated maps and weapon drops come at random. Early Access feedback seems mostly positive on Steam, where folks have been providing feedback since August 31, 2021. We'll find out how the final version shapes up soon.  

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Previously planned for October 25, the release date for the Alone in the Dark reboot has been delayed. THQ Nordic decided to avoid the October rush of games, changing the date to January 16, 2024 to give it some breathing room. As the publisher put it, they're hoping to "remain as Alone in the Dark as possible." 

While October is an ideal month for horror games, competition really is fierce this year. THQ Nordic specifically cites Alan Wake II and Spider-Man 2 as some new releases it would rather not launch alongside. 

"Our intention is to avoid competing with the wake of Alan's epic release and to evade the dazzling skyline of cities adorned by the graceful swings of Spider-Man," THQ Nordic stated. Beyond that, this also gives the team an opportunity to further refine the game. Oh yeah, and they also want to dive into that sweet deluge of games themselves. 

//twitter.com/AITDGame/status/1699045029535179071

The fall flood

While they specifically mention the Alan Wake and Spider-Man sequels, that's not all that's coming out this October. Assassin's Creed Mirage, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Ghostrunner 2, and Lords of the Fallen are just a few on the calendar. It's a busy month for any game, much less a legacy horror title looking to grab a firm foothold. 

It remains to be seen just how alone THQ Nordic and developer Pieces Interactive will remain. There's still time for more big titles to slot in January 2024 plans, after all. In the meantime, you can see more footage of Alone in the Dark in the recent teaser. The latest take on the survival horror series that's been around since 1992 will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. 

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Get ready for throwback action because developer Maple Powered Games is working on a new G.I. Joe beat 'em up. The studio announced G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra with Q1 2024 release plans on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG. 

G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra promises both online and couch co-op for up to four players in Story and Arcade Mode. Duke, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Roadblock, and other classic characters are getting in on it, so you can shelve your figures for a while after launch. A trailer accompanied Maple Powered Games' announcement, providing an idea of how the retro-style brawler looks. 

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tHrCaYrDd4

The forces of nostalgia are firing on all cylinders. There's music from Tee Lopes (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge) with vocals from Crush 40 vocalist Johnny Gioeli. We've also got rough animation that honors the stupendously goofy spirit of the G.I. Joe cartoon. Then it all ends with a quick dash of in-development gameplay footage, which looks like a slightly slower beat 'em up in the vein of The Punisher or Captain America. 

[caption id="attachment_401202" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Freedom Games[/caption]

Wherever there's trouble

Some locales planned for Wrath of Cobra include G.I. Joe headquarters, "The Pit," Cobra Island, and Cobra's secret underwater base. You won't get much of a feel for it from the trailer, but apparently Wrath of Cobra sports a parry system. That should come in handy when dealing with enemies like Ninja Vipers, the Crimson Guard, and HISS Tanks. Man, I'd say I miss '80s toys, but you can literally go to Target and pick up exact replicas right now. 

However this turns out, at least it's likely to have a killer soundtrack. I don't know that it will reach the heights of the villainous twist theme song from 1987's G.I. Joe: The Movie, but there's plenty of time to dream big.

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We got word of a sequel to cyberpunk hack-and-slasher Ghostrunner back in May 2021, and now we have a date. 505 Games set Ghostrunner 2 up as another drop in a jam-packed bucket on October 26, 2023. 

Along with the news came a new trailer for the first-person followup, which continues the story of Jack, a veritable cyber ninja who was thought to be one of the last active Ghostrunners. The new gamescom story trailer dips its toes into what's new this time around. This includes?? a quick look at the absurdly fast motorcyle and some of the vehicular combat that comes along with it. There's also a nasty AI cult to contend with, which doesn't sound too divorced from reality.

Ghostrunner 2 features a totally revamped progression system, with new abilities and paths available. According to 505, the sequel hopes to be more approachable to both new and experienced players alike. There's also a new block and perfect parry system, for those who pride themselves on their flashy CQC skills. It sounds like there's more freedom in the encounters and exploration, too, particularly when it comes to taking on bosses.  

[caption id="attachment_397767" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via 505 Games[/caption]

Rev 'em up

Those looking to pick up Ghostrunner 2 when it launches can dig through a few pre-order options. The $39.99 Base Edition is both physical and digital, and the $49.99 Deluxe Edition and $69.99 Brutal Edition are digital. Picking up the Brutal Edition grants access to the sequel two days early on October 24. There's also a Season Pass with a new mode and four asset packs, a bonus animated skin and a motorcycle skin. If there's a way to make my motorcycle look as ridiculous as possible, count me in. 

Ghostrunner 2 will dash to PlayStation?? 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC when it launches on October 26.

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Get your tiles drawn out

SNEG is soon releasing an absolute buffet of classic Strategic Simulations Inc. DOS games onto GOG and Steam. Four, to be specific. Do you remember when GOG was all about preserving retro PC games? They still do. It just isn’t as much of a focus ?anymore. It’s always exciting to see when classic games get ported over.

The first is Veil of Darkness. Originally released in 1991 by Strategic Simulations Inc., it’s not a strategic simulation. It’s actually an isometric adventure game with RPG elemen?ts. It’s exploration-heavy, which kind of makes it feel like a pioneer of the survival horror genre, just without most of the?? survival horror hallmarks.

Next is Star General, which is part of the 5-Star General series that Strategic Simulations Inc. published. Catware developed this one and released it in 1996. Star General features hexagonal, turn-based combat that takes place both in the horrific vacuum of space, as well as on the horrific terrain of alien planets?.

//youtu.be/Vl9Z4j8Kbe0

Then we have The Summoning, which is a fantasy RPG with multiple endings. Developed by Event Horizon Software, The Summoning originally released in 1992. It’s rather narrative-heavy, and the graphics and?? audio just scre??am MSDOS.

Finally, we have Dark Legions. This was a 1994 title by none other than Silicon Knights, who would later release cult classics such as Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem. This one is an action-strategy game that has battles taking place in a board game for??mat. This one was a bit more well-received than the others back in the day.

New audiences for old games

Person??ally, I haven’t played any of these Strategic Simulations Inc. games, but I always get excited when a publisher brings back retro titles. While none of these are certifiable classics, they deserve the chance to live on and potentially find new audiences. Mayb??e I'll even play and enjoy them, who knows?

All the games listed above w?ill be available on GOG and S??team. The only listed release date is “May 2023,�so it could be any day now.

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Dead Cells update shows some love to the game's peers yet again

Dead Cells is one of the most renowned indie games of the past few years, and it's part of a larger wave of really awesome roguelike games we've seen. Now, as yet another homage to beloved indie games, a free Dead Cells update is available that includes in-game goodies inspired by titles like Terraria, Hotline Miami, Shovel Knight, Slay the Spire, Risk of Rain 2, and Katana Zero. It's known as Everyone Is Here Vol. II, and the update includes new lore rooms based on the featured games, in which players will find related weapons and armor they can use in their next Dead Cells run.

The theming doesn't just stop at being able to wear ??costumes or don weapons from those games -- the effects and animations for actions like attacking and jumping are also pulled from the featured games. You can check out the update in more detail with the trailer that Motion Twin posted earlier today. I'm honestly impressed at the detail the developers included in a DLC like this, rather than just slapping a skin into the game and calling it a day. Indie developers are known to be really passionate people who simply care a lot about not only the game that they're making, but games as a whole, so it's not surprising to see them include a nod to what I can only assume are some of their favorite games as well with so much care.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_kmohIc-b4

The previous Everyone Is Here update included references to other indie classics like Hollow Knight, Blasphemous, Hyper Light Drifter, Guacamelee, Skul: The Hero Slayer, and Curse of the Dead Gods. There honestly isn't a better way to get good game recommendations than from the developers you admire, so the list of included games in both updates are a great place to start if you're looking to dive into some other great indies (I will also include my personal endorsement of Slay the Spire, which has been han??ds down one of my most-played games of recent years).

Dead Cells' Everyone Is Here Vol. II update is live today, and free for all players on PC platforms, including Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.

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A decade later, the fire still burns

Little Inferno is a name you might not have heard in quite a while. The indie project about burning things for fun and profit is back in 2022, with the Little Inferno Ho Ho Ho Holiday Expansion.

Arriving on November 18, Little Inferno is ringing in the ??festive season with plenty of kindling. Nutcrackers, reindeer, jelly beans, and more are all ripe for the flam??e.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3DWkqFyqhw

It's a pretty sizeable expansion, with an entirely new story and a new character. Plenty of holiday products await your flame, and there are over 50 new combos to discover. Or you can ?just get the infinitely burning Yule Log and have yourself a relaxing, cozy night by the TV light.

All I want for Christmas is fuel

Little Inferno first lit a spark back in 2012, becoming a bit of a sensation in an ever-growing indie scene. Developer Tomorrow Corporation has gone on to make some fun puzzle games, like Human Resource Machine and 7 Billion Humans.

But something about the discoverability and mystery of Little Inferno still feels all its own. While it's made it to new consoles in the time since its debut, seeing a new DLC drop for it this?? many years later is pretty exciting.

So if you want to ring in the new year with a little fuel and a little fire, Little Inferno is back with more reasons to celebrate the season. It's up for wishlisting on Steam, Epic, and GOG, and is headed to Ninte?ndo Switch, iOS, and Android sometime soon.

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A local village for local people

Anybody fancying a little bit of a slow burn scare this weekend would do to take a look at Cloak & Dagger Games' latest release, The Excavation of Hob's Barrow, now available on PC via Steam and GOG.com.

Seeped in folk horror vibes and sporting an aesthetic reminiscent of the golden age of the Commodore Amiga, The Excavation of Hob's Barrow is the tale of author an??d antiquarian Thomasina Bateman, who is traveling the length and breadth of the count?ryside to explore the many barrows of Victorian England.

//youtu.be/x-1C_9RQJb8

While her travels so far have brought about many interesting sights and characters, Bateman's arrival in the little-known village of Bewlay sees her research expedition take a particularly dark turn �with our intrepid hero becoming mired in a world of unanswered questions, ancient cultures, and living nightmares, a??s she delves deeper into the village and its highly u??nnerving community.

Choosing atmosphere, mood, and impending dread over the genre's well-worn trope of tired jump scares, The Excavation of Hob's Barrow blends mystery, exploration, and a sense of ancient malevolence to weave its tale, beckoning the player in with its intriguing loc?ale, creepy cast of characters, and plucky, daring protagonist. It looks to be a real sleeper hi??t of the year, and well worth checking out for those who like their ghostly goings-on a little on the psychological side.

The Excavation of Hob's Barrow is available now on PC via Steam and GOG.com.

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September 5 is the deadline

Immortal Redneck might not ring a bell, but it's free on PC, and it's worth checking out. You've got until 6:00 a.m. Pacific on Monday, September 5 to add ??it to your GOG library. There's a "claim" button on GOG's front page, and you'll need to sign into your account.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGyvt1Vk5bs

This is an ancient-Egypt-themed FPS that's aiming for the old-school, fast-paced Doom crowd while also working in a modern roguelite progression system like Rogue Legacy.

Expect mythological shootouts in pyramids, plenty of verticality in the level design, a buuunch of weapons, big bosses, unlockable alternate starting classes, and an unavoidable stat-boosting grind as you upgrade your ski?ll tree from run to run.

In some ways, I feel like Immortal Redneck is speaking to two very different (and in some cases incompatible) crowds, but with so many "standard" throwback s??hooters popping up these days, the run-based structure helps it stand out. Above all, it feels good.

[caption id="attachment_342891" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Gold is a crucial part of the progression loop.}[/caption]

Arena shooter flair

In his 2017 review, Chris Carter was pretty high on Immortal Redneck, in large part due to its shooter fundamentals. The key quote: "While many studios have attempted to recreate the magic of the original Unreal Tournament or the arena shooters of old and failed, developer Crema managed to get it right. [...] While the roguelike setu?p will no doubt scare some people off (you do you, reader), anyone looking to temporarily transport themselves back through the ages of FPS-dom without making concessions should give it a chance."

It's not necessarily a game you'll want to fully finish �less-than-friendly roguelite tuning is one of the issues �but for free, Immortal Redneck is an easy game to dabble in.

GOG is also hosting a sale right now, hence this foot-in-the-door giveaway. Games like Deux Ex GOTY Edition ($0.97), Tomb Raider: Anniversary ($0.98), and Heroes of Might and Magic 3: Complete ($2.49) are charting as best-sellers. A few bucks can take you far.

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72-hour deal in effect until June 20

As part of GOG's Summer Sale, the site is giving away free PC copies of Beautiful Desolation, a post-apocal?yptic isometric adventure game with some gn??arly art direction.

To claim this free-to-keep deal, you'll need to click the green button GOG's home page before 6:00 a.m. Pacific on Monday, June 20. It's a pretty generous 72-hour window.

Before we go any further, check o?ut this sick-l?ooking skeleton:

[caption id="attachment_330812" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Just a friendly chat with a skeleton.}[/caption]

Building off its work on Stasis, Cape Town-based developer The Brotherhood released Beautiful Desolation in 2020, and now the team is gearing up to launch Stasis: Bone Totem at the end of the year; ??if you're afraid of the deep ocean, you may want to look away �or try to face your fears. This team has a knack for crafting coo??l isometric settings.

It's worth it for the sights alone

Generally speaking, Beautiful Desolation went under the radar, but it got good reviews and has a positive player receptio?n, so it's a worthwhile free point-and-click pickup, for sure.

Here's a bit more about the story and setting from the developers: "Mark, a man out of time, searches for his lost brother Don, in a far-flung futuristic era ruled by highly advanced technologies which are both revered and reviled. The inhabitants of this world will help and hinder you, as you make new discoveries and navigate the spectacular African-inspired landscape. From thriving villages to crumbling cities, petrified forests, and bone-dry ocean ??beds, this strange new world holds a multitude of terrains to uncover."

//youtu.be/Y6AjUYpXPxE

I've ?seen complaints about some design elements �what's your tolerance for fetch quests? �but as an overall visual experience, this looks memorable.

June 20 is the deadline, and the GOG Summer Sale has another giveaway lined up.

While you're poking around, you may also want to snag Daggerfall Unity - GOG Cut, a modern take on the classic game that will feel more palatable for some Elder Scrolls fans in 2022 who want to "go back" but not all the way back. It's also free �"all you have to do is download the game and simply launch it," acc??ording to the team. I love a no-fuss setup.

Th??e free games are really piling up these days, huh?

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Scroll down on the giveaway page a bit

GOG is giving away a free Shantae and the Pirate's Curse PC copy, in case you don't own the game already.

So here's a quick rundown of how to redeem the free Shantae and the Pirate's Curse copy on GOG:

• The landing page of the game is here: you'll need to click "go to giveaway" to head to the main site to actually redeem it.
• On this giveaway page, you'll find the "add this game to your account" button roughly halfway in: just look for the Shantae image.

You have roughly 46 hours from the time of publication to actually claim the game. Note that you'll need to (at least temporarily) agree with ?marketing communi??cations from GOG to claim it, and have a logged-in account to boot.

Definitely do it, even if you have no intention of playing it anytime soon! Pirate's Curse is an interesting deviation from the Shantae formula, ??as it sees the titular character losing her genie powers in favor of going on a more traditional adventure. Some folks still consider it their favorite in the franchise, and given the aforementioned conceit, it's a great entry point.

This is your chance to dive into the series!

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It's about damn time

Although large-scale change is always slow, we've seen the games industry moving in a better direction over the past few years by way of workers' rights. While much of those conversations have been focused on crunch and outing workplace abusers, a new conversation about menstrual leave has emerged by way of GOG (which stands for Good Old Games), a digital distribution platform for media, and a subsidiary of CD Projekt.

"We're happy to announce that, effective today, we're implementing Menstrual Leave for all menstruating employees of GOG," the company said in a LinkedIn post. PC Gamer reached out to CD Projekt's PR Director Radek Grabowski to inquire whether this policy would also exten?d to GOG's parent company, to which he replied, "GOG is spearheading this ?initiative, and we're looking into it further for the whole CD Projekt."

GOG's culture and communication manager Gabriela Siemienkowicz led the initiative to implement the menstrual leave policy. The company estimates that employees who use the leave will take "an additional day off per quarter," although they may take time off as needed, Siemienkowicz told Axios.

//twitter.com/cdprojektred/status/12366638414?02032128

A larger conversation about menstrual leave throughout all industries has been brewing for months now, with some raising concerns about policies, which some consider to be controversial. The main fear is that those who take the leave will be considered "le??ss capable," Axio??s said.

It's a real shame it should even be an issue in the first place, especially when women are already constantly trying to prove their capabi??lity as employees in the games industry, because those who deal with menstruation know how necessary it can be to take time off of work. With a continued push for workers to put their health first, this initiative is an important step towards a more inclusive, beneficial work-life balance for employees.

Considering what a large figure CD Projekt is in t??he games industry, offering menstrual leave could be setting a great precedent for the rest of the industry to follow -- now here's to hoping it starts to ca??tch on elsewhere.

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It's a part of the Good Old Game section

Robert Jordan's fantasy novel series The Wheel of Time had a PC game in 1999, and now it's back with an easily accessible digital release from GOG and Nightdive Studios.

Legend Entertainment's The Wheel of Time showed up on GOG today with "modern OS compatibility and hi-resolution support," and I'd call it a very pleasant surprise, even as someone wh?o never played this first-person spellcasting game originally.?? I was nine! My only real experience with the books was seeing my uncle's shelf full of them.

That said, just at a glance, the idea of a fantasy-themed Unreal Engine FPS with magic seems neat, regardless of the ??source material. Even just the HUD elements ??look intriguing.

[caption id="attachment_315466" align="alignnone" width="1280"] _{The Wheel of Time (1999).}[/caption]

The Wheel of Time is currently $8.99 until Wednesday, April 13 (at which? point it'll bump up to its normal price point of $9.99), and it's pla?yable on Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11.

The beauty of re-released pa??ssion projects like this? is giving fans a chance to play old favorites again without jumping through hoops, and potentially pulling in curious new players at the exact same time. I mean, go on, make a show of it. Rally the fans.

On that front, it's nice to hear that GOG is "reviving" its original branding with a dedicated Good Old Game tag on the storefront that's meant to highlight "500 games that our Team has deemed iconic classics." While GOG has branched beyond a classics-only focus in order to ??sell modern games, it still wants to be known as "the best place for?? classic PC games." Lending more discoverability to these curated classics is a small but helpful step.

Whenever an old PC game gets a new lease on ??life, I want to check out the opening cinematic. And wouldn't you know it?, GOG's got the intro right here.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdVuqO_mKJM

There was something so special about seeing a full-blown intro like this before gearing up to actually play the game. I feel like th?ey're su??ch a lost art in the modern gaming era.

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The summer getaway just got way bigger

Today is April 1, or April Fool's Day. Many game studios are publishing jokes and fake-outs of potentially cool ideas that aren't happening, but some are actually adding neat ideas. Thankfully, that's the case for A Short Hike, which has a multiplayer mod out today.

A Short Hike developer Adam Robinson-Yu shared the mod on Twitter today. Dubbed A Short Hike 99, this is a PC mod that lets players on Stea??m, Itch, or GOG set out on their hiking ??adventure with friends. Up to 99 of them, actually.

//twitter.com/adamgryu/status/1509900196003655708

Spurred on by a friend's recommendation that he should announce a Battle Royale version of the ch?ill summer adventure, Robinson-Yu created the mod. There is no battling though; "just vibing."

This being April 1, I booted up my Steam version of A Short Hike and opted in through the Betas tab to make sure it was real. And sure enough, I was soon greeted by a bunch of o?ther bird pals, flying around and hopping on each others' heads.

I still need to play through A Short Hike myself, but this experience may have tipped me over. There was something really enjoyable about not just vibing in the gorgeous world, completing the little quests and activities, but doing so with others. Having random encounters with other players?? and emoting with each other added a little extra joy to it all.

The instructions for getting into the mod are here, and they're pretty easy to follow.?? While Robinson-Yu says he only plans to keep his own server up for two weeks, others can host their own and even run one in the background.

He also clarifies it's not a beta and it's rough. Essentially, it's just a neat thing he got working and has only tested with, according to Robinson-Yu, "max 10 people." But in the spirit of the holiday, it's a pretty fun way to re-experience a nice ga?me, or even see it for the first time.

Check out A Short Hike on Steam, Itch, and GOG here.

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This indie lets you personalize your own nostalgic aesthetic

Many games have been turning to retro-inspired art styles. But while action-platformer B.I.O.T.A. has some clear retro inf??luence, it's also got a lot of variety in its palettes. Over 50 of them, actually.

Shown off during today's Media Indie Exchange livestream, B.I.O.T.A. is launching on April 12, 2022 for PC via S?team and GOG. It's a "Metroidvania" with a distinct four-color aesthetic, where you explore the world and shoot some bad monsters amid pixels to a chiptune soundtrack.

If the initial color palette isn't to your liking, don't worry. B.I.O.T.A. has 54 different unlockable color palettes, which players can swap at any point to change up their preferred 8-bit layout. Hot-swapping styles and graphics settings can be a pretty cool trick, and seeing the different styles of B.I.O.T.A. makes me interested in what rare and unusual styles might be hidden around its worl??d.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAtXod6mBtg

Alongside the aesthetic, B.I.O.T.A. also has eight different playable characters to unlock and upgrade. It's got arcade-style levels alongside the search-action exploration, and a campaign with two endings, as well as time trials and target shoot??ing. It's a retro game, and developer small bros is heavily leaning into that appeal. And honestly? It's working for me.

If you're unsure, there are also demos available on both Steam and GOG. That should give you a good chance to jump in and see for yourself if you're also itching for some retro action. Or maybe even just some f?ancy 8-bit color palettes to swap around.

B.I.O.T.A. hits PC on April 12, 2022.

The post B.I.O.T.A. has retro action and dozens of color palet?tes next month appeared first on Destructoid.

This includes the GOG distribution platform as well

Over the last week, game developers and publishers have been putting support behind Ukraine amid its invasion by Russia. Today, publisher CD Projekt took a significant step. CD Projekt will suspend digital sales and physical stock deliveries of its pro??ducts to Russia and Bel?arus.

This includes distribution of games on the GOG platform, which GOG owns and operates. In a statement, CD Projekt put its support behind Ukraine.

"While we are not a political entity capable of directly influencing of state matters, and don't aspire to be one, we do believe that commercial entities, when united, have the power to inspire global change in the hearts and minds of ordinary people," reads the statement. "We know that players in Russia and Belarus, individuals who have nothing to do with the invasion of Ukraine,?? will be impacted by this decision, but with this action we wish to further galvanize the global community to speak about what is going on in the heart of Europe."

The publisher recently launched the next-gen versions of Cyberpunk 2077, and also runs the online store GOG.

Bloober Team, creators of The Medium and other horror games, have also pulled all their games from digital?? stores in Russia and Belarus, starting with Steam.

//twitter.com/Bloo?berTeam/s?tatus/1499353861047341059

Game developers have been showing their support for Ukraine from arou?nd the wo??rld. Statements backing the people ??of Ukraine and donations to humanitarian aid have been steadily?? flowing in. Now, it seems like publishers are taking even firmer stances on the matter.

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