It's certainly blightbound if it's bloodborne

In today's contest you can win a Steam Early Access copy of stylish dungeon crawler Blightbound!

I feel like having Devolver Digital as a publisher is something of a pedigree for a game -- it just gives that certain "wow factor" that many publ??is?hers can only dream of. Maybe it's the conferences, maybe it's the style...or maybe they just select awesome games. I'm thinking it's the latter.

Devolver teamed up with Ronimo Games to bring you Blightbound, a stylish dungeon crawler availa?ble now via Early Access. And since I'm?? writing this, you know what that means!

Blightbound is a classic dungeon crawle?r with popping visuals. A group of three heroes -- the warrior, the mage, and the assassin -- must venture down from their mountain base into the Blight, an all-consuming fog producing a variety of monsters and demons. You'll acquire new skills, new loot, and new heroes as you fight your way through the hordes of evil to rid the land of the scourge which plagues it.

As this is an Early Access title, it's always expanding with new content. Recently released is the Khulia?th expansion, adding a new area, two new heroes, and tons of new weapons and i?tems to collect and craft.

Best of all, if you win you'll get access to all current ?and future updates at the cost of free! Call it Christmas in August.

Enter to win by commenting below telling us what your ??class would be, and what special ability you'd bring to the fracas. Of course, I'd be a mage of the Tacomancer discipline. I wouldn't be very helpful in a fight, but at least you wouldn't go hungry with me around!

We have ten Steam Early Access keys to give away; winners will be randomly selected Tuesday, August 25. Make sure to comment using a Dtoid account with your current email address on file, and if you're new to these parts, sign up here to take on the Blight with us.

Blightbound is available now via Steam Early Access. Hit up PC Invasion for more chances to snag a copy.

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The more I think about it, the more into this idea I am

I'm always down to check out what Ronimo is up to post-Awesomenauts – that's how much the 2D MOBA means to me. The team is collaborating with Devolver Digital on its next title, Blightbound, a? team-centric hack-and-slash game that has players fighting as either a warri?or, mage, or assassin.

A few things jumped out at me on the Steam page. As one of three players, you'll descend from a mountaintop base (which can be expanded over time) to face the Blight below, and the game has a prominent loot and hero collection hook. There are "over 20" individual heroes with different active and passive skills, and everyone can b?e bolstered with "hundreds of unique items to loot and craft."

Ronimo calls Blightbound an "ever-expanding game," but it says that the dungeons are "ha??ndcrafted," an?d the heroes have a "fully narrated story to complete." As for multiplayer, it's "online and local."

I'm not completely on board with the pitch yet – Blightbound is debuting on Steam Early Access later this year, which means I'll probably want to hold off in the beginning – but above all, I??? trust that Ronimo can design a side-scrolling game with a bunch of distinct, fun-to-play characters. It's in their DNA.

I wonder if we'll catch any references to Awesomenauts or Swords & Soldiers.

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Local and online multiplayer are a go now

All the way back in 2015 (which feels like forever ago), Swords and Soldiers 2 dropped on the Wii U. Even further still in 2009 Swords and Soldiers graced various platforms and also killed it.

They're both heart-filled strategy romps and haven't gotten th?e attention they deserve, but maybe the 2019 re-release will c??hange that.

Yes you read that right: Ronimo Games (the same fine folks who created Awesomenauts, which is still running by the way, credit where credit is due) released a Wii U-only game just under four years ago right as th?e system was hitting hard times. That c??hanges this month as the studio is spreading the love to PC, PS4 and Switch in the form of a "Shawarmageddon" release, which is basically like a Game of the Year edition.

The additions aren't Earth-shattering. There's some campaign tweaks, extra maps and most importantly: online multiplayer. But the core is still there, mostly focused around heated multiplayer matches that garner "one more round" responses no matter the conclusion. If you've never played this series before, you're basically sending out units in a straight line (with nuances like hills and sometimes portals or gates) from base to base, trying to raze an enemy commander's fort. Swords and Soldiers 2 features three distinctly d??ifferent ?armies: the Vikings, Demons and the Persians.

The former is more of a workhorse of a force with strong units, the Persians are a cunning faction with units that can cloak and subvert other foot soldiers and the Demons are a mix of both with a penchant for explosives and cannon fodder tactics. As each mat?ch progresses you'll need to react to what your opponent is doing in sort of a rock paper scissors fashion, with certain units countering others with plenty of on-command spells in the mix.

It's fun as hell. No one match feels the same, especially if you're playing with different people, as the relatively hefty building/tech tree allows for a ton of different viable strategies. Spells really add a skill-based component into the mix, as they're very twitch-based and require awareness and precision. For a series predicated on simple 10-15 minute matches there's a lot there. If you want a bigger gameplay breakdown you can read our full review here.

As far as the Switch port goes things run very smoothly a??nd the game as a whole is boosted by the portable nature of the system. That short burst round setup is conducive to playin?g one or two campaign levels (or even an AI match) while on a commute, as is the notion of playing locally with a friend in either TV or tabletop mode.

If you haven't played this series yet, now is a good time. It's just as great as it was 10 years ago: Swords and Soldiers ;deserves to be on the map? and in your rotation of party games.

_{[?This assessment is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publishe?r.]}

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The full game this time!

Contests are the best: Enter for your chance to win a Steam copy of Swords and Soldiers 2.

We gave away a bunch of beta keys for this one -- who redeemed one? If you did, then give yourself a pat on the back for hel?ping the team over at Ronimo Games make sure everything was good to go for th??e full release.

You've tried the beta, now enter for your chance to win a full copy of Swords and Soldiers 2 Shawarmageddon!

If you somehow missed our first two posts, this side-scrolling RTS game from the makers of Awesomenauts is finally out now?? for Steam! Send troops to push back the enemy forces to take control of their base and annihilate their armies! Game features include:

• Vikings, Persians and Demons! Play any of three deadly factions, each with their own unique units and spells as well as distinctive strengths and weaknesses.
• Side-scroll over your enemies: Defend your base, claim resources, and use over 45 units, spells and buildings to run down your enemy!
• Find the perfect Shawarma!: As Chief Redbeard, you and your Vikings must fight your way through an extensive 45 level single-player campaign across tundra, forests, deserts and the pits of hell to find out who stole your dinner!
• Strategize and customize: Use the Custom Army feature to conscript your favorite troops, spells and structures, then pit them against your friends!
• Multiplay it your way: Play online, via local network or split-screen in intense 1 v 1 battles and level your opponent’s base! 
• Play the waiting games: While waiting for your rival to show up online, you can enjoy all kinds of mini-games - battle it out against the AI in a skirmish or go for a high score.

Third time's a charm, slackers!

To enter to win, comment? below telling us who stole your shawarma. I know for a fact that my neighbor, Jerry, broke into my house while I was sleeping and stole it out of my fridge. I'm currently? busy preparing the troops to send over to his house in a single-file line.

We have five Steam copies to give out. Winners will be drawn on Sunday, November 11. Make sure you comment using a Dtoid account that has your current email address on file. If I have to do any work to give you a free game, I'm sending my sin?gle-file soldiers after you once they're done with Jerry.

Swords and Soldiers 2 Shawarmageddon is available now for Steam and PS4, with a Sw??itch release on the horizon. Check out PC Invasion for more chances to win!

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This series rocks

Swords and Soldiers lives on. Although the (good) second iteration was fated to slowly fade on the troubled Wii U, talented developer Ronimo brought it back in upgraded Shawarmageddon form on PC, PS4 and Switch.

The former two platforms will host the game on November 6, with the latter getting it "later" (maybe in December). For those of you who haven't played the Swords and Soldiers series yet (get on that, there's ?tons of avenues for the first game), it's kind of like an advanced castle defense type joint, where two players are sending out troops strategically from one side of the map to another.

Whoever destroys their enemy's fortress wins, which you'll accomplish by countering the many troop types such as vehicles, ranged damage dealers and melee fighters ?across three armies: Vikings, Persians and Demons. If you already own it on Wii U, the Shawarmageddon enhancements in??clude online multiplayer (it works great locally?? already), touched-up visuals, more maps and campaign tweaks.

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Welp

[Update: Switch is happening as per Ronimo's Twitter, and more info is coming?? "in the near future".]

On June 20 developer Romino Games put up a Kickstarter campaign to add more content to Swords and Soldiers II: Shwarmaggedon, itself an enhanced port of the Wii U original from 2015. That crowdfunding effort was just canceled this week, but the planned PC and PS4 ports remain in development, set t??o debut later?? this year.

While the slow-going campaign wasn't blamed directly (they hit €5,000 of their €50,000 goal in over two weeks), the team decided to can the Kickstarter because "so many people wanted a Switch port." Well you know what? Now? they're "exploring new options" to make that happen.

A bit of bad news, a bit of good news. I just hope Ronimo keeps making games forever basically. Outside of the rockiness with the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions (a problem Ronimo says was due to their old publishing partner), I can't believe they've supported Awesomenauts for over six years.

Ronimo Games [Facebook]

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Get the original free on Steam for a little while longer

I really, really enjoyed Swords & Soldiers II when it hit the Wii U in 2015; but the Wii U's low in??stall base didn't help it set the world on fire. It's a shame it didn't get talked about more as Ronimo really struck a good balance between over-the-top silliness and strategic action, but that may change when it gets a new lease on life three whole years later.

According to Ronimo, Swords & Soldiers II is coming to PC and PS4 in the form of a "Shawarmageddon" port, which will add new maps, tweak its gameplay a bit, and allow for online multkplayer. It seems like this is happening no matter what, but if you're so inclined you can check out its Kickstarter, which w?ill add more content in, both cosmetic and practical.

A few units could definitely use some tweaks, but even if the Kickstarter fizzles and it's basically the exact same game, I'd still pick it up again. As a PSA, the original is free on Steam for a few more hours.

Swords & Soldiers II Shawarmageddon [Steam]

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It's a great MOBA for newcomers and seasoned players alike

With 330 hours on my account, it feels utterly strange coming back to Awesomenauts after a long h??iatus. I remember Clunk being my bestie, and not much else. There's a handful of ??characters I don't even recognize, which is frightening in a three-on-three MOBA where you have to pull your own weight.

What originally pushed me away from the game wasn't boredom so much as the dwindling active player base and everything that can entail in a competitive multiplayer title. I wasn't sure I'd ever care to return barring a sequel, but with Ronimo shifting to a free-to-play model (see the here's-what-you-get breakdown for returning players right here), I had to pay Awesomenauts another visit.

In short, the game's still got it and more players will mean faster matching queues and more evenhanded teams. Awesomenauts is a good, no-risk point of entry to MOBAs if you've ever been curious. It handles like an action-platformer, and there aren't so many characters or items to keep track of that you'll feel overwhelmed for very long. Really, I can't vouch fo??r it enough.

"Looking beyond the coming weeks, I can tell you we already have lots of new content lined up as well," noted Ronimo in today's an?nouncement. "We've recently been teasing a new c?haracter that will join the Awesomenauts in Update 4.1 and you can look  forward to the full reveal on May 31st!"

I only wish this had happened sooner.

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I'd love to see this game thrive

On May 24, the 2D MOBA Awesomenauts is finally, thankfully going free-to-play.

That's a while from now, though. Why make the announcement so early? Roni??mo is gearing up for the free-to-play transition with a beta update for current players available today, April 26. What to expect:

• A reworked tutorial and "beginner experience."
• A new progression system that tracks your profile and individual characters to award unlocks like currency bonuses, portraits, and character items.
• A new form of currency, "Awesomepoints," that's earned in-game through PvP matches or the new co-op vs. bots mode. You can use these points to buy characters, profile portraits, and drop pods.
• Medals for reaching specific milestones.
• The ability to buy playable characters and drop pods with real money, including an "All Nauts" pack that grants access to every current and future character. As before, cosmetic skins will only ever be purchasable with real-world currency.

According to the studio, "Nobody will lose any content during this transition. Existing players will automatically have all the content they previously owned unlocked. And as an additional thank-you, all players who have registered a copy of Awesomenauts on Steam before of April 26th will be granted 'Founder' status, with a unique medal. Players who own Awesomenauts and both the Starstorm and Overdrive expansions by May 24th will automatically be upgrade???d to the new 'Awesomenauts All Nauts Pack,' which will grant them all playable characters for free, forever."

I haven't played since Ronimo implem?ented its new matchmaking system. I'm way overdue.

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There's an all-new matchmaking system

I'll never forget the good times I've had with Awesomenauts. Ronimo has continued to support its 2D MOBA for years, and it's to the point now that I can hardly fathom how it's still able to come out with updates when so many players have moved on. While I'd prefer a sequel at this point, that persistence is admirable. Today's update, "Rise of Galactron," addresses matchmaking and networking.

Impressively, the matchmaking system has been redone. "The game will no longer require you to maintain a non-stop conn?ection to the Steam servers, which will ensure you don't disconnect from a match if the Steam servers go down for a second or two. Matchmaking is entirely handled by our own tech, and we've fundamentally changed the matchmaking flow. Players will now be matched all at once every few minutes, rather than be assigned to the best possible match that already exists."

Other revisions include a persistent party system, the ability to watch r??eplays and chat while queuing, the option to rejoin a match after a disconnect, harsher leave penalties, and an overhauled character select screen that can remember your most recently played character and mark that as the default. And it wouldn't be an update without new skins, balance changes, and fixes as well.

"The development on Galactron lays the groundwork for many awesome features that will be coming to Awesomenauts over the next year," says Ronimo. "Including a live spectator mo??de coming next month, and a level editor with full Steam Wor?kshop integration coming next year!"

See? There's no stopping these guys!

Awesomenauts 3.3: Rise of Galactron - Out now! [Steam]

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Under the 'Assemble' banner

Ronimo is one of those studios that seems to really care about their games long term. Barring an unfortunate incident with a publisher that essentially nuked the previous generation versions of the game, they've been supporting Awesomenauts on PC since 2012.

It's also available on current-gen systems too, and in addition to the PS4's launch in 2014, it's out now on Xbox One...four years later. If you grab it now through September 12, you'll also get the Starstorm expansion.

While the console iterations are a little behind and don't get new characters right away, they're still pretty solid and have a decent playerbase behind them. If you like MOBAs but don't want to commit ?entirely to them, this action platformer hybrid is worth a look -- though I recommend grabbing it?? cheap on PC first.

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September 7

Announced all the way back in mid-2014, Awesomenauts Assemble! (the console follow-up to the ill-fated original release that featured a nasty case of publishing problems) is coming to the Xbox One on September 7. As part of the celebration, Xbox One owners who pick the game up from launch until September 12 will get every character from the Starstorm expansion for free.

Just like the PC and PS4 editions it'll feature split-screen play, as well as 26 characters and tons of cosmetic skins. Every so often I go back to Awesomenauts ??and try out new additions, whether it's a cast member or a level, and I'm never disappointed. Ronimo has also done a great job of supporting the game since 2012, and is constantly tweaking things like t??he UI, adding quality of life additions, and balance changes.

It's in go???od hands, even if the console updates take longer than PC due to certifications.

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Three premium characters plus a free update

I never could have predicted Ronimo would be able to keep Awesomenauts going for this long. It's impressive! Today, the studio released another major update for the 2D MOBA as well as the second paid expansion, Overdrive, which adds three characters to the roster.

All playe?rs are getting a new matchmaking system; touched-up visuals for special effects, user-interface elements, and even char?acters (Lonestar looks so much better); and a free 'naut, Ix the Interloper. He was the winning entry from last year's "Design-Your-Naut 2" contest.

As for Overdrive itself, the expansion is $8.99 and includes the robo dino-summoning Professor Milton Yoolip, the biker bounty hunter Chucho Krokk, and the twins Jimmy, Amy, and their Lux-5000 Toddletron mech?? (all one character). As usual, the artwork is great.

Since I last played Awesomenauts, Ronimo rolled out a new progression system for leveling up. That stuff might be new for you, too. There's also a map from the Starstorm expansion currently playable in a pre-alpha state in custo?m matches ahead of its final release later th?is year.

Enough to get me back in? Probably not, if Heroes of the Storm has anything to say about it.

Overdrive [Awesomenauts]

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Among other enhancements

You really have to give it to Ronimo. It released its 2D action platformer MOBA Awesomenauts back in 2012, and as a smaller developer, it has gone through so much. It's dealt with legal issues surrounding the publishing of the game on previous generation consoles, and even created other projects while maintaining monthly support for Awesomenauts, as well as an expansio??n and a heap of free characters. You could say the team has its hands full.

And the ride isn't over yet. Ronimo just announced its newest update, which is yet another expansion, titled Overdrive. It's set for release sometime next year. Among other base enhancements to the game like a new matchmaking system, the recent shared XP update (which brings it more in line with Heroes of the Storm and less like Dota or League), and visual reworks for classic characters, ??there's also a ton of new content coming.

Four characters are already confirmed (Professor Yoolip, Chucho Krokk, Jimmy and Amy, and Ix the Interloper), as well as that Starstorm stage that still hasn't been released yet. Three of the characters will be part of the premium ?package, but Ix will be free for everyone.

I had a chance to play Yoolip this past week, and I have to say he's a pretty great addition to the team. His unique ability to repair allied NPC bots by whacking them with a wrench is incredibly useful, as is his ranged stun, and his power to create tiny robots of his own. Overall he feels a bit underpowered even if he's fun to play, but Overdrive is still in b?eta, so I expect?? Ronimo to make a lot of tweaks by the time he's actually out.

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Also, the 2.12 update

I can't believe Awesomenauts is still getting free characters at this point beyond their Starstorm expansion -- it's been over three years since the game launched on PC. But here we are, and on September 2nd, the game will get its 2.12 update, which will bring Ksenia, a "hairdresser assassin from spac??e."

She'll be the 23rd character in the game, and she'll arrive w?ith a Sentai-like premium skin. You can get a look at her character above, as well as some hints at future updates.

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Rocco the bird

It's been a while since I've booted up Awesomenauts, but I think I'll be doing just that when the newest character hits the roster. His name is Rocco, and he's a bird with a bow. He also has chicken feet, which makes him amazing. Rocco will be added to the game in patch 2.11, at which point he'll be available to play for everyone who owns the game -- no Starstorm restrictions.

I can't believe Ronimo ??is updating the game over three years later, but here we are. I wish ??they didn't have their constant issues with the console editions of the game, as a cross-platform experience could have been really big for them.

Patch 2.11 [Awesomenauts] Thanks, Jonathan!

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Vikings, Demons, and Persians, oh my

Swords and Soldiers, released in 2009 as Ronimo's first game, was an underrated treasure. Although it was soon eclipsed by their subsequent release of Awesomenauts a few years later,?? it remained a staple in my house, as it was wonderously easy to pick ??up and play at any time.

Swords and Soldiers II builds upon ??that foundation and adds just enough depth to keep t??hings interesting.

Swords and Soldiers II (Wii U)
Developers: Ronimo Games
Publisher: Ronimo Games
Released: May 21, 2015
Price: $19.99

This time around, the playable armies of the Chinese and Aztecs have been replaced b?y Demons and Persians. Although the former two will be sorely missed (I'll never forget some of their sayings), the replacements have more than enough tricks up their sleeve to justify their inclusion.

The way Swords and Soldiers II works is strikingly similar to its predecessor. As a strictly "one on one" affair, players will opt to build and research units, sending them in a straight line against another f??oe. If one gets close enough your units will start attacking their resource accruing units, and just like a complex RTS, your days are numbered as your enemy whittles down your base for a win. It's not just a "set it and forget it" style, as a constant array of di?verse spells that can be used at any time keep you on your toes, and can change the tide of any given battle within a round.

My favorite part of this scheme however is how quickly everything goes down. After you have the gold, units can be built instantly. Other than the select few instances in a match where you need to erect towers, no real "buildings" need to be created. It's all action all the time, but there is depth to it. While Soldiers does have a story mo?de, the heart of the game?? lies within its head-to-head versus and skirmish gametypes.

The campaign is basically table-setting for everything else, giving you a rundown of the strengths and weaknesses of each individual unit, some ideas for how armies counter one another, all set to the tune of a really goofy story that illuminates some background?? on all three armies. It'??s not going to win any awards, but the jokes are occasionally laugh out loud funny, mostly due to the superb voicework that carries over into the other modes.

Where the sequel mostly succeeds is diversity between the armies. Vikings mostly focus on ?spells, Demons,? towers, and Persians have a health mix of both with their own unique trappings. Every time I started to embed myself in an army I felt like I was playing an utterly different experience, which is definitely a positive. Over time I ended up gravitating towards the Persians, who have some really cool abilities on-hand. I really love the invisible units that are only seen while attacking, but they're balanced, expensive to build, and have plenty of counters.

I also enjoyed the low mana-cost cannon s?tructure, which does nothing on its own, but can fire a low-damage, tiny genie-summoning canon shot across the map. I quickly learned that Demons could counter my stealth units by building barrel riders -- suicidal creatures that would explode and destroy them even if they were in??visible, and were at a lower cost. In return I researched the bribe skill, which allowed me to take over specific units at a cost of gold and mana.

There's hundreds of coun?ters like that across the multitude of characters and strategies present in the game, and thankfully, it's never too overwhelming at any given time. After seeing a new unit you'll have an incentive to try out the army and use it yourself, which is really easy to do considering how open the research tree is at the start. If you want to spend all of your starting gold just to build one big unit -- you can do that. Likewise, you can bunker up with a defensive-strategy at the start, or "Zerg" rush with some low-cost units. It's surprisingly balanced and open-ended.

Another new layer of depth is the gold and mana drop mechanic. On every map, airdrops will occasionally fall down and litter the?? map. You're presented with a choice -- let your gold gatherers stay within the comfort of your base for consistent riches, or brave the world for a massive reward. This is on top of micro-managing your army, spells, researching, and building responsibilities. It gets even more intense on one map in particular, where the only way to any resources of any kind is to pick up drops.

Multiplayer is played by way of one mode -- a local versus setup where one player uses the GamePad, and another, the TV. Although the lack of online play is a bummer, Ronimo really chose a perfect platform that caters directly to the dual army conceit. In short, it's a perfect situation for my wife, who prefers the TV and the Wii U Pro Controller (though a Classic Controller Pro and Wiimote can be used), and myself, who vastly prefers the GamePad. I ended up plugging in some noise cancelling headphones so I couldn't hear her unit sounds (and vice versa), and it was a much easier setup than we achieved with the previous game, getting two PCs togethe?r, logging into Stea??m, and hoping we consistently connect to one another.

There is one hangup though -- you can set your tweak a few extra stats in versus like your starting gold settings or change up build and cooldown rate?s, but you need to do this every round once you quit out of a session. It will work if you stay the same armies on the smae level to "rematch," but it feels like an oversight to have to switch it back every time. Your mileage may also vary if you don't?? have a friend to play with, but then again, that's where Skirmish comes in.

If you don't have anyone on hand, you can opt to play with the AI. Surprisingly it's actually challenging, though I will say that the CPU cheats from time to time, like when it throws down an area-of-effect (AOE) ability on the ground, knowing that your invisible units will cross over it. Still, I can put everything on random and play skirmish f??or hours, despite the fact that there wasn't anyone to revel in my victories with on the couch.

Although Swords and Soldiers II has a limited appeal for those of you who like to only game solo, it's a fine strategy title, and a perfect mix of brevity and depth. I'm li?kely still going ??to be learning the ins and outs of each army months down the line, which is a really great thing.

_{[This review is?? based on a retail build of the game provide??d by the publisher.]}

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The base game is $0.99

I've been playing Awesomenauts off and on for a few years now. I was pretty happy with my purchase of the Steam version for full price, but for the next few hours it's on sale for $0.99. If you haven't given it a shot yet, now is a good time. All of the DLC (including the Starstorm expansion) is half-off.

The?? PC edition is the clear-cut best version of the game, as it adds updates the moment they become available, instead of having to wait for publisher-specific patch processes on the PS4 (and the Xbox One ??release when it drops this summer). The developers are still fine-tuning it on Steam constantly, with new balance patches and fixes on a regular basis.

Awesomenauts [Steam]

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All out of hard drive space, though

I've got a soft spot for sidescrolling strategy games like Swords & Soldiers. Maybe you do too. While they typically aren't as de??ep as their 3D contemporari?es, they scratch a certain itch and can be hard to put down once you get in the groove of unleashing the right troops at the right time.

Coming off of the last game, the art direction in Swords & Soldiers II is major upgrade. Ronimo has sent?? over word that the Wii U-exclusive sequel will release digitally on May 21, 2015.

Besides the familiar Viking faction, you'll also be able to play in ski??rmishes as the Persian Empire (complete with Djinns!) and the Demon Horde. There's also a full campaign again, of course??.

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Looks like I'm coming out of retirement

In detailing some of what's in store for Awesomenauts' upcoming patch 2.6, Ronimo Games announced that it's finally preparing another map: AI Station 205. That's not to be confused with the existing AI Station 404, which is similar "but also contains some fundamental changes.??"

The patch will also add "some of the best and most fun" community-made bots to Awesomenauts, as well as a more in-depth profile screen, better replays, and a cool-sou??nding AI Editor update which "will make it possible for modders to create, for example, a defense mode where three players need to defend against waves of enemies."

I've stopped playing the game in recent months (it's one of the few that causes me to get overly competit??ive) but this -- this sounds like reason enough to return.

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To bring it more inline with the PC version, but not full parity

If you've been patiently waiting for the PS4 version of Awesomenauts to actually get inline with the PC edition, your waiting has partially paid off. Ronimo has announced that the first major patch has dropped today, which includes characters Ted McPain as well as Penny Fox, custom games, and various other bug fixes.

The sad news is that Sentry and Skree are still nowhere to be found, and considering that it took months before Ted and Penny reached the PS4 version, it's up in the air as to when those two will drop. Also, with the Xbox One version coming soon, I don't know what both timetables are g?oing to be like.

On the bright side though outside of featu?re parity issues,? the PS4 port is very, very well done.

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He's a 'Technoshaman'

Ever since Skree was announced earlier this year for Awesomenauts, I've wanted to play him. With his cool looking hover-board and Predator-like design, he always looked like a ton of fun to play. Well now you can give him a shot, so long as you have the Starstorm expansion installed.

He'll have a lightning rod at his disposal for his core attack, as well as saw blades and a magical totem. His primary attack is a chain lightning of sorts, the saw blade ?can hit multiple enemies as well, and the totem blocks off escape routes.

All in all he seems like a pretty technical character, so I can't wait to try him out. In addition to Skree, there's also an AI Editor update, as well as general re-balancing. Here's what's left for Starstorm -- an online spectator m??ode, a new map, global chat, and another fifth expansion character.

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In case you missed it on one of the other twelve platforms

Awesomenauts has enjoyed a healthy life, appearing on last generation consoles and thriving on PC with tons of updated content. Awesomenauts Assemble! released on PlayStation 4 earlier this year, and although it lags behind the PC version with none of the Starstorm content yet, it looked like a pretty good port. But what abo?ut the poor Xbox One users who have been without the 2D battle arena? Ronimo has got them covered now too.

Awesomenauts Assemble! is headed to the Xbox One, but Ronimo has not given an estimated release window yet. The Xbox One version is planned to be identical to the PlayStation 4 version, which means the?? newer characters should be added in the future, as well as any other updates "as long as it's commercially viable."

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More Starstorm content released on PC

It seems we only just got Penny Fox in Awesomenauts: Starstorm and now Ronimo is back with its 18th character to date, Sentry X-58. He has a risky ability that launches a black hole, dealing back damage he's taken during a? short window of opportunity. That plus a teleport ability usable after not taking damage for two seconds should be a devastating combo.

Also in this update, you'll find a long-awaited feature: replays. Accessible from the main menu, replays are saved automatically?? and represent Ronimo's initial work toward a full spectator mode.

I'm not one to buy character skins, but X-58's alternate appearance looks so cool. I played a round with him and, in the right hands, he??'s going to be deadly. But that's normally the way with character rollouts -- st?art 'em off overpowered and make tweaks from there.

Starstorm Report #?34: Sentry Phones Home, Joins the Awesomenauts [Kickstarter]

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An all-around more polished game

Ronimo has rolled out its Secrets of Space update for Awesomenauts today on Steam and it's time to give the multiplayer game another look. The patch will be available on PlayStation 4 at a later date -- "we'll do our best to make it as soon as possible," says the studio -- but those players should at least look over what's in store. There's a lot to take in.

Beyond the new Starstorm character Penny Fox, who has quickly become one of my favorites thanks to her engaging play style, there are loads of polish improvements and all 16 prior 'nauts have undergone balance changes. Visual effects are noticeably better in spots, and I love that it's now clear how much solar you're picking up with numbered pop-ups. See the full notes here.

Had I ever stopped playing Awesomenauts, now would be a terrific time to get back in.

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It makes sense, since it's nearly everywhere else

Ronimo Games is hard at work with Swords and Soldiers II, but that doesn't mean they're done with its predecessor. The developer has just announced that in collaboration with fellow Dutch developer Two Tribes, that they're bringing over the original Swords and Soldiers to the Wii U.

It'll featu??re the same game with "high-res HD graphics," GamePad and Wiimote support, and multiplayer functionality involving the second screen. It's expected to drop in April 2014 at a "low price."

Swords and Soliders HD for the Wii U [Two Tribes]

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Plus a third faction to be announced

Swords and Soldiers was a pretty fantastic time waster. Although there was a good deal of depth to it, it was a ton of fun to boot up and play with someone else for a fe??w rounds even if you were just m?essing around.

Naturally I'm looking forward to Swords and Soldiers II, especially with the announcement of the new Demon faction. You can get a good look at both the Vikings and Demons in the video above, and a thir??d army?? will be revealed eventually.

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'The Foxy 'Naut'

Romino is still trucking with their Awesomenauts Starstorm update, and we have a number of cha?racters and a new level to drop still. Ted McPain was the last addition back in December, but today, the developer has announced the "Foxy 'Naut" -- with her name to be revealed later down the line. If you're an Iron Tier backer, you can try her in the beta now.

They expect her to be fully live in a few weeks after her beta ends, and she'll arrive with Update 2.3, which also includes balance work on upgrades and abilities??, as well as one extra addition designed to prohibit cheating. In the pas??t, some players would quit a losing game only to come back as a different character and counter-pick. After this update, you can only play as the same character throughout -- nice!

Starstorm Report #32 [Kickstarter]

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No Ted McPain or updated patches yet

After a series of delays the PS4 version of Awesomenauts is finally here, albeit slightly behind the PC version in terms of content. For starters, you won't find the newest character Ted McPain anywhere, nor will you find any elements of Starstorm.

Despite that holdup, I played a few games today and it's been extremely smooth sailing. The servers seem to be in good shape, Assemble runs very smoothly, and it looks great on a big screen -- slightly better than it does when I hook up my PC to a TV. I also can't get enough of how good the Dualshock 4 feels, and it's perfectly suited for Awesomenauts with a similar setup to the PC (just sub in the touchpad as the leaderbo??ard button)?.

As long as creator Ronimo and PS4 port developer Abstraction Games start adding Starstorm content to Assemble sooner than later, it'll end up being a fine console port, and a major upgrade from the dev??eloper's previous efforts on the 360 and PS3.

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Yeah, I'd be down for more of this

While I'm a huge Awesomenauts fan first and foremost, I also got a kick out of Ronimo Games' prior release, Swords & Soldiers. It is one of those sidescrolling real-time strategy titles where you send you??r troops to the other end of th?e screen to beat up opposing troops. Simple fun. Nearly five years later, it's getting a sequel. What have they learned since then?

The studio has announced Swords & Soldiers II for Wii U and the vikings are back, this ti??me concerned with saving the world, not putting on a killer barbeque. Little else is known at this point, however if development is anything like it was for the last game, I'd expect ports and lots of 'em.

Ronimo will be saying more at the Game Developers Conference in March, and Swords & Soldiers II is going to be publicly playable a??t PAX East in April.

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