Ethos 2: Fall Of Empires
Carve Your Own Path
Ethos 2: Fall Of Empires is a Historical RPG where every single decision you make affects your journey. Abilities, upgrades, weapons, interactions, quests, the atmosphere, and much more, are all affected by the actions and moral decisions you make within the game.
Become a tyrant, a hero, a lone wolf, or many other archetypes, the choice is yours!
The Story
The game takes place in the year 1453. You play as Constantine XI Palaiologos, the last Emperor of the Byzantine Empire. Your once great city of Constantinople has fallen into the hands of the Ottomans and your goal is to take it back.
You can do this by gathering troops/equipment/allies from leaders of other nearby nations in Egypt, the Balkans, The Middle East, and more! OR you can also choose to overthrow the leaders of other nations, and take their nations by force!
You may also attempt to take back Constantinople by making yourself an extremely powerful one-man-army, and attempt to take the city by yourself whenever you are ready. This can be through many means such as assassination of Mehmed the Conqueror, or by facing the entire Ottoman army by yourself.
Style
The game is very non-linear. Meaning that you can technically attempt to finish the final quest very early on in the game. Its an open-world game that doesn’t place a limit on exploration.
Consequences
Want to murder a main character that you need to complete a quest? Go for it. But expect there to be consequences. Want to become a pacifist and try to not harm anyone ever? Go for it. But expect there to be consequences.
Why This Game Is Being Made
As a massive RPG-fan, I was very tired of many AAA games giving you the illusion of ‘your decisions matter’. Because at the end of the day, choices in many AAA games pretty much only affected how much of a discount you could get at a merchants shop, or how some NPC’s react to you when you walk by.
I really want choices to matter in games. And that’s why this game is being made.
Saying that, this is a passion project for myself, and no one should expect this to be a AAA title. But hopefully it could be a really fun indie game that people can replay and have fun with :)
Read More: Best Fantasy Open World Games.
Underworld Ascendant
I realize that this game has drawn a lot of criticism, much of it justified. However, I would still recommend this game to anyone who enjoys games such as Thief or the Deus Ex series. In order to explain why I am recommending this game I will be going through some pros and cons of the game before giving what I feel is a good example of the game at its best.
The Pros
-The game grants the player an amazing amount of freedom in how you can go about accomplishing mission objectives. You can basically build your own character via the skill system and each character build feels shockingly unique. In fact, you can often accomplish objectives even without the use of specific skills so long as you are willing to get creative with what the environment provides.
– Real player with 159.0 hrs in game
Read More: Best Fantasy Dungeon Crawler Games.
I have been playing the game quite a bit so far and and it doesn’t feel like an Ultima Underworld successor at all. When I backed the game in the early stages, Otherside promised a very diffent sort of game, they grasped the interest of the old fans of UU and many backed/kickstarted this game in hopes to get an elaborate Underworld 3 with lovable new Characters and a persistent interconnected world.
Here is the kickstarter-link if anyone is interested: www.kickstarter.com/projects/othersidegames/underworld-ascendant
– Real player with 23.9 hrs in game
神秘世界 Mysterious world
There’s no reason for VR in this game. You’re playing 2D free to play browser quality java-type games from back in the late 90s or early 2000s. The music is pretty bad too. You don’t have to take my word for it though, just look at the store page video.
Rate 2/10.
– Real player with 0.6 hrs in game
Read More: Best Fantasy Music-Based Procedural Generation Games.
Wildfire
I’ll try to be as concise as possible, but I’m a long winded individual so…here goes!
First of all, I absolutely love this game. The art style, animation, gameplay, replay, and humor is just amazing. This is probably my favorite game this year and I think the first game I’ve gotten all the achievements on in a long time. It’s got it’s fair share of flaws, but nothing that completely breaks the enjoyment of the game.
Pros:
Graphically, the game is beautiful. Big fan of pixel art, the animation is key in pixel art. With very few pixels to represent a character or world, the only thing that separates the generic pixel art and a living world is animation and this game has it.
– Real player with 51.0 hrs in game
I played the demo and that was pretty fun, it kinda sold me on wanting to get the full version ASAP…even though I was already pretty set on wanting to get it since it’s initial announcements because of its various innovations with the elemental mechanics.
As much as I enjoyed the demo though, it was a fairly condensed experience designed to give you a small taste of each of the elements that you get to work with throughout the game and only lasts a couple of hours. At the time of me writing this review, with the full version of the game (which I found heavily discounted ~ what a lovely surprise that was) I’m at just under 40 hours and about to start level 21 (Mountains 6). I’m not sure how many levels there are overall (I could look it up I’m not one to spoil these types of details for myself lol), but when looking at the game map I’m in the upper right section…about to leave the mountains, so I still have quite a bit to go it seems, which is awesome.
– Real player with 39.3 hrs in game
Girls' civilization 2
Before the game launched I had it on my wish-list since it was announced, When the game first launched I tried the Demo, the game used to drop you in the ocean with a chest and it was hard to pick everything up. it was very frustrating that it put me off from buying the game. I tried the Demo again today after it updated, now you start the game locked up. I like the game now and It finally got my interest to buy it. some of the things you can do in the game is better then I hoped for when I first heard about the game.
– Real player with 9.3 hrs in game
Fun but optimised by drunk monkeys.
the game itself can be pretty fun, funny a times too when you forget the button to interact and end up punching someone, only to end up on the receiving end of a musket volley.
stuff like having to manage your ammo supplies by adding bullets to magazines or trying not to starve to death gave it a surprising bit of difficulty.
but all this is under one big issue, performance, more specifically the morphing blurs when you move. it isnt at all bad when playing desktop mode but it makes playing in VR a bit of a challenge.
– Real player with 2.5 hrs in game
Arx Fatalis
Highly recommended for those that have played and liked games like Ultima Underworld or Dungeon Master (Legend of Grimrock).
The developers wanted to created Ultima Underworld 3 but were unable to get the license from you know who, which is a shame. With stronger resources this game could have been very special indeed. For an old game (2002), the graphics are pretty good and sound in some instances quite amazing, the game engine has aged well. I played the game of Steam and in Windows 7 and it was more or less playable apart from some memory crashes - I learned to save often using all the save slots - you need to do this too, especially when you move between levels. It is best to play the game without any background noise such as the TV/ music or radio - believe that. Not only will you get immersed in the game world, beautifully crafted by the designers, you won’t miss key information said aloud by your character and then never repeated!
– Real player with 44.3 hrs in game
Anyone who has played Dishonored 2 will have trouble believing that the same company that made that game also made this one, a few decades ago, and I mean that in the best of ways (in the best of ways for Arx Fatalis, the comparison doesn’t favor their later projects). And just to be clear, this was the first time I played Arx Fatalis, I had no nostalgia goggles to affect my judgment.
Arx Fatalis is a metroidvania First Person action-oriented RPG, that “can” be played entirely as a First Person Stealth game, similar to the Thief series, but equal focus has been put into its other playstyles. The medieval fantasy world of Arx is an underground network of caverns and tunnels, as the world goes through an apocalyptic winter above-ground. Goblins, Trolls, Humans, sexy Snake Ladies and recently genocided Dwarves call this place their home, and somewhat coexist.
– Real player with 37.7 hrs in game
Travellers Rest
Hello!
I would like to say that this game is very fun to play. It’s still being developed but this game is very addictive. It actually helps calm me down.
The soundtracks, the vibes of the game are good. You can go at your own pace, do what you want with your Tavern and it’s very fun to play with friends!
I would 100% recommend this game to everyone!
– Real player with 104.7 hrs in game
Very fun little management game. I normally do not purchase Early Access games given that they tend to be pretty rough, but as this one stands (11/13/2021) I’ve put almost thirty hours into it without much hitch or problem. Highly recommend, love the art.
– Real player with 45.5 hrs in game
Gnomes & Goblins
I had been waiting for this since the intriguing demo many years ago, and it surpassed expectations! Going on an adventure with the kind-spirited goblins felt very close to a sense of presence. The highly-detailed, creative environments were magical, ethereal and stunning. When the goblins began to serenade me under moonlight in a mystical forest I was moved to tears, I ended up staying an hour or so there because it was just such a special moment. The caves with the beautiful crystal-sounding glowing glyphs felt wondrous, I spent more time there despite the goblin impatiently waiting for me to follow him. This is one of my top VR experiences for sure, and I will replay it again and again. So happy this finally came to fruition, they did an amazing job and really set the bar high for what a high quality, emotionally engaging VR experience can feel like. Amazing. This is a great experience for non-gamers or first-time VR users especially to blow their minds.
– Real player with 9.8 hrs in game
This game (or simulator) feels truly awesome. Using oc’ed GTX 1080, i7 7700K, 16GB 3200 MHz and Rift CV1 (oled). Also have the Index, but this game simply needs oled - it looks horrible using lcd hmds. For now there’s no way it’s 2/5 or 3/5 - I’d rate it 5/5 - but the 5/5 rating requires certain conditions:
1. You need an oled hmd - probably the CV1 (maybe Vive, O+ and/or Quest). This game feels like made for the CV1 - the SDE is very hard to see, just like in Stormlands. And you need ASW or motion smoothing enabled.
– Real player with 7.9 hrs in game
Bountiful Life
About Bountiful Life
Bountiful Life is the next step in Farming & Life Simulator gaming. You’ve been tasked with the responsibility of taking over an abandoned rinky-dink farm. Maintain a source of income, create wholesome relationships with your friends and family, and discover yourself within Jubilee Village. Your time in Jubilee revolves around the three core aspects of life; your work, your friends and family, and your connection with the world.
Work - As the newest farmer, and member of Jubilee, you have a personal obligation to rejuvenate the farmland back to its former glory. Utilize a wide range of forms of labor such as the husbandry of farming crops and raising livestock, foraging, fishing, mining, and other mechanics.
Friends/Family - Jubilee is home to over 30 unique villagers who all have their own personalities, hopes, and dreams. Getting to know the villagers better can grow into close friendships enjoyed over bonding activities and common interests. Investing time into these relationships can lead to a fruitful outcome, such as marriage. You then have the option to raise or adopt children.
Your Place in the World- An integral part of Bountiful Life’s story is determining how connected you are to the world around you. Explore the history of the Jubilee Village, its people, their myths, and their legends. Learn about the fate of the old spirits that once inhabited the lands of Jubilee, where they went, and how you’re connected to them; or advance the research and technologies to bring Jubilee Village to a new modern age.
Full Release Features:
Co-Op! - Play with up to a group of four players, with full cross-platform cross-compatibility support.
Farming, Fishing, and Foraging, Oh My! - Manage your own farm and create a steady source of income. Grow crops, raise cattle, catch fish, and forage forests at your own pace.
Upgrades, People, Upgrades! - Advance your tools and skills to make your work more efficient and have longer-lasting stamina throughout the day.
Find Yourself! - Find yourself in Jubilee Village by exploring the world around you and decide where you fit in this new land.
Mine All Day! - Discover new gems and ore to use for tool upgrades and jewelry, or make strides in scientific advancements by donating your finds to the Village’s Observatory. Just don’t mine at night or dig straight down.
Relationships! - Each villager has their own unique lifestyle and personality. Get to know them better by talking with them each day, learning about their interest. Soon, you may find yourself in a blossoming relationship with your favorite villager.
Let the Games Begin! - Jubilee Village hosts multiple festivals each month. Participate in engaging mini-games that test and hone your skills, and learn about the lore behind each festival.
Explore! - Get lost in Jubilee Village’s forests, stumble down through the mines, frolic through the fields, or feel the sand on your feet at the beach. There’s no limit to what you’ll find when you explore Jubilee.
Music! - Hours of original, professionally made music tailored to every setting and environment you’ll come across.
Controller Support! - Full support for generic, xbox, and playstation controllers.
What Makes Bountiful Life Unique?
Co-Op - Alcinous Studios is avoiding the pitfall of making their game single-player from the beginning. Bountiful Life is being developed with the end-goal of bringing you a cross-platform, co-op experience tailored to all mediums.
Artstyle - We have implemented a new standard in the creative direction of Farming and Life Simulators. The vibrant, stylized environment with stunning characters and precise attention to detail creates a more immersive atmosphere in the Village bringing our characters and the world around them to life.
Best Friend Mechanic - Romance is not the only reason to pursue relationships with others. In Bountiful Life, players can also unlock special events and dialogue that lead them to maintain a unique best friend relationship with one villager. Your best friend might even have an influence over your child! So choose carefully!
Mini-Games - Players will use engaging mini-games to complete part-time jobs, win festivals, fish, and cook.
Chionophile
While this game is tiny (the trailer honestly shows you most of the game) it’s stunningly pretty in a way you can’t quite define. Like other walking sims from the dev we are outside, this time in winter. Kind of like Bottle, but with a more upbeat tone and fresher graphics. It is short, especially if you use your right mouse button to act as a sort of heads up display and track down flowers and platforms quickly.
But there’s also a lot more to explore once you’ve checked all the achievements off your list. Honestly, yes, it’s short. I clocked in at 45 minutes, and I got terribly lost too. But it is also like Bottle in that you can make your own fun. Go back in and take a lovely walk in the gorgeous landscape. Let your worries go and just be.
– Real player with 1.6 hrs in game
In a similar vein to “Pluviophile”, it’s a nice looking environment, but with a number of strange design choices that mar its potential to be a nice peaceful walk.
To start, there are still, for some reason, flowers that you need to pick up and take to stone circles to open the path forward. There isn’t anything inherently interesting about the mechanic, so it just detracts from the experience by arbitrating certain places where you must go, making you less inclined to explore elsewhere on your own.
– Real player with 1.5 hrs in game