Valve's new PC game promo covers roguelikes, roguelites, soulslikes, and metroidvanias

Valve is hosting a big Going Rogue sale on Steam this week, and if you're into roguelike games, roguelite ?games, and everything in between, there are deal?s to check out by May 9.

Curiously, Steam's digital "festival" is also highlighting a whole bunch of games that were inspired by the Souls, Metroid, and Castlevania series, so the lines are even more blurred than normal. Valve broke down the genre differences in an explainer video, and as someone who tries not to g??et cranky about ever-shifting game genres, I'll stay out of it.

The main link: "They're all rooted in elements of RPG fantasy or action, and persistence means success." That sums up a lot of my favorite ??video games, especially lately.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=3POUi1Imy0k

Whether or not you agree with the organizers' exact terminology, it's still a cute, well-meaning, personable video, and I hop??e Valve does more of these in the future.

One more caveat: not every Going Rogue game is on sale, so this spotlight is about getting Steam users' attention f??ocused on cool games they might've missed.

The best of the best

Speaking of, it's neat to see the "top-rated" list, which spans Dead Cells, Hades, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, Slay the Spire, Rogue Legacy 2, Risk of Rain 2, and even Vampire Survivors. I've been mea??ning to check out that last one �it's three bucks. What am I waiting for???

You really can't go wrong with any of those well-reviewed picks. I'd also strongly recommend Death's Door fo??r $11.99 �it's suitable for a really wide audience, and I hope it gets the legacy it deserves. What an awesome game;?? I loved 100%ing it.

As for me, I've got a lot more Rogue Legacy 2 grinding ahead of me. In case you missed it, ??the 1.0 version is?? out and it's fantastic. And better yet, it's 20 percent off right now.

The post Steam’s Going Rogue sale is full of great time sinks appeared first on Destructoid.

Back to the Rat Race

Exciting news for fans of the bloodthirsty, violent, and fuzzy world of Tails of Iron, as developer Odd Bug Studios and publisher United Label Games announced a huge DLC expansion for the charming, but particularly grim, Souls-like adve???nture game. Better yet, it will be free for all players. And perhaps best of all... it drops today!

(The trailer below contains some obvious spoilers for the main Tails of Iron campaign.)

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SRNT8-0w_M

The "Bloody Whiskers" DLC adds a slew of extra content to the base game. As noted in the image below, this new update sees the magnificent hero Redgi �barely recovered from the crit?ter chaos of the toad wars �don his armor and raise his blade once again to embark upon a new questline, which will further cement his legend as the stoic, proud, and undefeatable monarch of the beleaguered and recovering rat kingdom and its people.

King Redgi will test his mettle in a brutal tournament featuring five all-new boss character??s. These range from the nefarious pirate Captain Black Tail and the rabbit warrior Grey Ears of White Whiskers, to a mysterious and almighty champion, the identity of which remains unknown. Players can enter the tournament at any point after completion of the Tails of Iron story campaign, and you'll need all the experience you've earned there in order to find victory here.

In addition to the tournament timeline, the Tails of Iron Bloody Whiskers DLC includes five new armor sets and six extra weapon skins. The new update will also add two optional difficulty settings set at opposite ends of the challenge spectrum. "Fairy Tail" will tone down the difficulty for players who wish to ease the pressure and enjoy the story. Conversely, the titular "Bloody Whiskers" mode will offer a double dose of difficulty for those that have mastered Tails of Iron's deep and reactive combat. Many players asked Odd Bug Studios fo?r tougher gameplay option and... W?ell... sharpen your steel.

Finally, two new rooms have been added to The Keep. We will find out what is behind that mysterious locked door, leading to the masterly King's Chambers. More sinisterly, The Top of The Tower threatens to reveal a deep, dark secret of the dearly departed King Rattus. What will this mean for Redgi and his kingdom? I guess we're all going to have to venture inside and find out. That's all of us. Honestly, I have no idea what's in there!

Tails of Iron is a fantasti?c title. Dramatic, attractive, challenging, and passionately produced. The new update, delivered to all players gratis, is s??et to make a great game even better. You may have banished the toad menace, but the battle rages on.

The post Tails of Iron reveals free DLC expansion Bloody Whiskers, and it’s out today! appeared first on Destructoid.

Let's croak us some toads...

The noble bard told us "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown" and nobody knows this better than Red??gi of the Crimson Fort. Having only been King nary a minute, Redgi already lies, broken and alone, under the blood and mud-stained bodies of his own people. His father slain, his kingdom in aflame, his family missing, and his people in panic. The Frog Clan had made their presence felt, effectively and with callous disregard for the life of the innocent. It certainly is the most ignoble of starts to Redgi's reign, but while the scaly marauders surely brought unheard catastrophe to the Rat Kingdom, they made one mistake, they left our young king's heart still beating...

So begins Tails of Iron, a brand new action-RPG from indie outfit Odd Bug Studios. Inspired by fantasy fiction of yesteryear and pad-snappingly toug??h examples from the "Souls-like" genre, the British developer's new release �only its second video game to date �hopes to capture the same m?urky worlds, engaging characters, and tense, hyper-combative gameplay of its contemporaries, transitioned to an anthropomorphic storybook universe. With a beady-eyed cast of characters both stylized and named after the team's own, dearly departed rodent pals, the furry friends get to live again in this somber-looking, yet strangely beguiling, fantasy adventure.

??So cut yourself a chunk of the finest cheese (not my writing) and let's take a look at this regal rodent saga.

Tails of Iron (PS5 [reviewed], PS4, Xbox, PC, Nintendo Switch)
Developer: Odd Bug Studios
Publisher: United Label / CI Games
Released: September 17, 2021
MSRP: $24.99

Tails of Iron establishes its mood in its earliest minutes. While no one would deny the inherent cuteness of its rodent cast and their lovely little kingdom; violence, death, and destruction are swiftly visited upon young prince Redgi and his people �the merciless Frog Clan striking fast and hard while the city has its guard down. It soon becomes apparent that for all of its adorability and quaint storybook appearance, Tails of Iron will adhere to the dark, medieval tone of its older, Souls-like brethren. In more ways than one.

Now a king without a kingdom, it is the player's task to guide Redgi on a perilous quest to rescue his abducted brothers, rebuild and rehouse his fallen people and, finally, tread the grim, well-worn path of vengeance to the lair of the Frog Clan and its disgusting leader, Greenwart. Our story is told without dialogue, our friends and allies conversing in pictograms and sparse musical notes, much like the rodents of '70s children's show The Clangers. We aren't wholly without context, as the dulcet tones of Geralt of Rivia himself, Doug Cockle, ??narrates the unfolding story, provide guidance for the pl??ayer's actions, and adding some rare, but welcome, moments of dry humor.

This is all in fitting with Tails of Iron's clear olde wurlde influence, further reflected in its illustrative and striking visuals �like a decades-old picture book sprung magically to life. Redgi's kingdom is awash in murky Grimm stylings, with parallax scrollin??g and puppetry-style animation adding depth and personality to our cast and their world. The narrative itself is interesting enough, though a solid opening act gives way to some oddly ??eventless padding in the middle. The story picks itself up for an interesting, even surprising, final third, culminating in a thrilling climax.

For all of the spirited and fist-pumping pomp of Tails of Iron's opening, a chunk of its story is surprisingly dry �featuring a lot of back-and-forthing against insect-ridden sewers as our noble regent performs jobber fetch quests, our lust for revenge craving him to start dismantling Greenwart's slimy army, Yojimbo-style. For a king at war, Redgi sure seems to do most of the kingdom's "busy work"??, a strange story choice that even the narration itself calls out.

Still, the tail... erm... tale doe?s find its feet. The opening and closing thirds of the adventure are very satisfying.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_BS_5mqAHQ

Redgi's quest blends area-based exploration with the challenging and deliberate combat of a Souls title. Redgi?? starts out with a humble sword and shield, recovering and/or crafting new weapons �along with armor?, helmets, and even ranged tools �as his journey continues. These death-dealing artifacts have distinct stats, offering better or lesser effect against varying species of enemy. Weight is also a factor. You can be the rat equivalent of Juggernaut for all I care, but it doesn't mean cheese if you can't dart out of the way of impending danger.

Every fight, from the smallest bug to the biggest of wartoads, is a potential "Game Over" situation, as signified by that now genre-standard statement: "You Died". Players must exercise timing, patience and deft ?agility to win each battle, utilizing the best tools for the job, recognizi?ng the opponent's attack "tells", and ensuring that they are not too encumbered to get the hell outta the way when stabby sticks approach their whiskers. Drop the opponent's health far enough, and Redgi can end the furor with a face-caving execution. That, my friends, is gonna leave a mark.

It must be noted that those turned off by the difficulty of the FromSoft catalog might find themselves right at home with Tails of Iron. While undoubtedly challenging, this particular take on the genre is firm but fair, and most anyone with an ounce of patience and an eye for preparation will hold their own in battle. In fact, Tails of Iron makes an ideal entry point to the notoriously difficult genre �its 2D plane and simple inventory stripping back on the complicated movement mechanics (not to mention the abhorrent ca??merawork) that can haunt other titles.

Tails of Iron provides a perfect place for newcomers to cut their teeth, while still offering satisfying and engaging combat to battle-hardened warriors. Personally, I feel that, if anything, Tails of Iron lowers its guard a little too much as it progresses, becoming a bit over-generous with its head-cleaving axes, spears, and broadswords. Still, combat remains difficult, (and occasionally painfu??l), but never frustrating �an important sweet ??spot for beginners and veterans alike.

While Tails of Iron has few failings of note, there are limitations, (perhaps budget-based), that cast a shadow over the RPGs full potential. While the kingdom is pretty vast, and Odd Bug Studio has done well to create distinctly different locations, (with a latter-hour locale being a particular standout), a lot of the missions are very samey, often revolving around traveling to an area to perform a quick bout of the aforementioned bug extermination. I think there's much more to be explored in the story of Re??gdi's impending battle against his amphibious enemies.

After a strong opening, we're missing missions where our furry hero stealths into a camp to steal plans, or perhaps intercepts a weapon delivery, destroys a guard post, or some other Art of War chicanery. While the rebuilding of the Crimson Fort and the final surge are gratifying, quests to clean out basements of beetles, find a cookbook, or construct a beehive are a touch anti-climactic given the apocalyptic events of Redgi's week. Regardless, Tails of Iron holds firmly to its unrushed and sure pace, paying off during the back half of its 8-10 hour quest... lon?ger still if ye?? keep dying.

To introduce a new world and its characters is no easy feat for any video game, but Tails of Iron succeeds, despite any aforementioned motivational shortcomings. Importantly, the story definitely left me wanting more, and I only hope that this release finds deserved success, and we revisit the Rat Kingdom again in the future. There is so much scope and possibility within this universe, and Tails of Iron is an id?eal prologue to further epic tales of Rats And The Frogs Who Hate Them.

2021 has seen many brilliant indie releases, and Tails of Iron absolutely deserves to stand among them. Odd Bug Studios' grim-yet-charming fable of bravery and brotherhood is a passionately made tribute to both classic storytelling and the challenging efforts of games of yore. Importantly, the very heart of its developer is up there on-screen, pumping the blood of the Rat Kingdom's enchanting world, empathetic heroes, and dastardly villains. If you're yet to jump into "Souls-likes" and want a place to start, or if you're a Souls veteran who just fancies a more unique take on the gloomy, unforgiving genre, then you can't?? go wrong with this walk on the particularly wild side.

With its tough-but-fair combat, timeless storybook visuals, and unique furry fantasy, Tails of Iron is one of the year's most distinctive RPG experiences. The intentionally subdued pace and challenging nature will definitely test the impatient, but anyone looking for a knuckle-cracking slugger, powered by a tale of valor and vengeance, will find Odd Bug Studio's sophomore effort washes down like ??a fine flask of Bug Juic??e. Rest well, Redgi, your friends have done your memory proud.

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

The post Review: Tails of Iron appeared first on Destructoid.

Better than a CD player's bass boost

Remember "bass boost" in the '90s, on those little portable CD players? Well, boosting is a bit different now, and can frankly crank up old games to stunning levels. That includes the new Dark Souls 3 60FPS patch.

Yep, as announced by Microsoft, Dark Souls 3 has officially jo??ined the boost club, and will now benefit ?from enhancements on Xbox Series X/S. All you need to do is download the patch for free on a new console and the game will automatically swap to the best mode possible.

So Jason Ronald, director of PM at Xbox, actually has a little more info for u??s here:

"We heard you! The team is thrilled to bring FPS Boost to Dark Souls 3. This required a brand new technique, unique to Dark Souls 3, to enable 60 FPS on Xbox Series X|S. H??uge thank you to our partners at FROM Software and Bandai Namco for their partnership and support."

Not only was this a "brand new technique," which is interesting on its own, but Microsoft confirms that they worked with From Software and Bandai Namco to make Dark Souls 3 60FPS happen specifically. It's the sort of thing that Microsoft is becoming known for this generation, on top of the rise of Xbox Game Pass and a commitment to backward co?mpatibility as a whole.

Seeing Microsoft work with a Japanese developer and publishe?r like this bodes very well for the future of the Xbox brand. While they've stumbled a bit in the past, moves like this?? can only spell good news for Xbox owners.

The post Microsoft helped ??make ?Dark Souls 3 60FPS on Xbox Series X/S appeared first on Destructoid.

He's also stoked about jumping

Like many of you out there, the Elden Ring trailer blew me away. As did the news that it would arrive early next year! For now, we wait, but Hidetaka Miyazaki is also shedding a bit more light on the game thanks to a string of interviews from Famitsu.

As translated by FrontlineJP.net, the savant creator had a lot to say about Elden Ring, mostly in terms of game balance. Fascinatingly, while Miyazaki stops short of saying that Elden Ring is going to be?? easier across the board (and as is tradition, it won't have difficulty settings), he does note that for solo players, there are a few concessions to make the game more welcoming.

For one, summons. Now players can summon their own NPCs, which range from "tanks" to "archery" companions, an?d beyond. In the interview, Miyazaki explains that you'll be able to say, summon a tank, then attack an enemy on a flank to make the fight more manageable. Spirits have upgrade capabilities (!) and can be customized. This approach also eliminates any need for an online connection, or any social anxiety that goes with playing with real people.

Another layer is stealth. Miyazaki stresses that the game, like some elements of Sekiro, is more strategic in that way, and isn't necessarily all about twitch acti?on skill. He explains that by taking it slow and easy you can avoid enemies entirely or hit them with a damaging stealth attack.

Curiously, Miyazaki notes t?hat bosses also have a very different role in the game. They will no longer gatekeep progress until the very end of a zone, and you can even finish the game without killing every boss. If this system is more open-ended, it should skirt the issue of a player not being able to say, clear Ornstein and Smough and ?throwing the game in the trash (but you came so far!).

//www.tiktok.com/@destructoid/video/707279194??968136??4230

In all, Miyazaki likens the difficulty to Dark Souls III rather than Sekiro, ultimately stating that "it can be handled,?" despite being "very difficult." Multiplayer is another curious case, as you do have some restrictions while playing it (like not riding horses), but the game will not automatically end after you finish a boss off. Speaking of horses, you'll need one, because Miyazaki confirms that this is the biggest game From Software has created to date, and it may take 30 hours to complete "with no detours," though he stresses that he isn't sure.

He's also completely jazzed about the idea of jumping around in a Souls-like, and mentions it multiple tim??es in the interview. It's so much info and so many vague teases ??in one place!

The post Miyazaki says Elden Ring will be ?more accessible because of spirit summons and stealth appeared first on Destructoid.

I've got no strings to hold my souls

It's always entertaining to see classic tales reimagined in video games. But today, Neowiz and developer Round8 Studio have announced a mash-up I never thought I'd see: the story of Pinocchio, in the form of a Souls game.

Lies of P is an upcoming entry in the "Souls-like" genre, hit me with a one-two punch. First was the trailer, which appears to show Geppetto entering a fallen city and presu??mably beat up an automaton? We only smash-cut to the aftermath, but Geppetto certainly seems to have given the robot a good walloping.

We then cut to Punished Geppetto, as I'm calling him, standing over a small boy he calls "son," who has a mechanical ??arm. And after the title drop, the "son" is seen walking towards a wall of various weapons.

This is already a wild trailer, but then you can over to the Steam page for Lies of P, which gives us some more solid details. Playing as Pinocchio, a mechanoid puppet, you seek out Mr. Geppetto in the city of Krat and find a way to become human. Alongside the late 19th century aesthetic and swapping out body parts for new skills, there is also a "lying" mechanic. According to the store listing, quests will play out depending ??on how you lie, and those choices can affect the story's conclusion.

I have to say, I'm intrigued! It feels like a throwback to dark fairy tale games like Alice: Madness Returns, so a Pinocchio Souls is honestly not that hard to im??agine. But the lying system is another level, adding some nuance that's both thematic and really wild.

Lies of P is coming to PC, PlayStation 5,?? and Xbox Series X|S, though it has no release window just yet.

The post I can’t stop thinking about Lies of P, an upcoming Souls-like inspired by Pinocchio appeared first on Destructoid.