EMPYRE: Lords of the Sea Gates
I played a lot with this game because the victorian style steam punk world created in this game is very interesting. The quality of the graphics is not on the same level as the top games but it is well made with a good atmosphere.
The gameplay is the same old rpg feeling, with party, movement, action (fights and dialogs), collecting loot, get stronger. The story is interesting, the setting is exciting.
– Real player with 870.9 hrs in game
Read More: Best RPG Steampunk Games.
Borderline recommendation. The negative reviewers are not wrong - it is clunky and linear, the combat is unsatisfying, there is a lot hinted at but never realized. It’s not just poorly documented but a lot of the skills you’ll bother developing are never actually used. I suspect they planned a much bigger game and had to dramatically scale back. They aimed for Wasteland 2 and fell a bit short of Shadowrun.
Having said that I wasn’t actually bored and that’s my line for recommending. I finish all games in order to provide a fair and detailed review on my site and in this case I didn’t have to force myself. The story is cliche but well written and brisk, you get new guns and characters throughout and constantly change maps. The combat improves to passable and some of the missions are interesting. It did enough to engage me and with the lovely setting that gets a pass.
– Real player with 19.1 hrs in game
Cliffhanger: Challenger of Tomorrow
Just finished it today. Here are my thoughts:
Elements I adored:
The writing itself. Wow, William sure can turn a phrase! I really enjoyed how he described the action, the settings, etc. You can tell he’s put his work in strengthening his craft.
The richness of the world. Talk about a fully-developed universe! I can’t imagine how much mental energy William put into world-building for this game, like seriously I can’t imagine. I’d conservatively estimate that one could spin off an entirely new game from any of over 100 references he makes to different individuals, settings, ideas, phrases, etc. I kept thinking, “Oh that’s a cool premise!” “Oh that is a really neat idea!”
– Real player with 6.2 hrs in game
Read More: Best RPG Choose Your Own Adventure Games.
I highly recommend this adventure to anyone who enjoys getting into the heat of the situation and calling all the shots! Its an amazing tale that takes not only history as we know it, but legends and myths we have all heard about, and spins them into something at once recognizable and yet completely new.
You will constantly be making choices while confronted with situations that are utterly familiar, in settings that remain completely relatable, while obviously not being the from the world as you know it. Its a high adventure romp that none the less still has the Player making some tough moral choices. Best part imho being that even though the “story” is to be continued in another book, This story wraps its self up nicely. Every plot point gets resolved, in a way that is very satisfying.
– Real player with 4.4 hrs in game
HELLMALL
About This Game:
Beat your foes and save your souls! Lead Callaghan and his friends to victory in a reel-spinning, deck building roguelike in an infinite virtual mall. Craft your reels, make some friends, and talk to dogs. Pave paradise and check out the swag loot drops… all to escape the HELLMALL!
features:
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Dynamic character switching combat:
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Choose the right party character for the job. Whether it’s a vicious first strike, a powerful party buff or a quick HP injection, your friends have got you covered!
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Tactical deck building with a twist:
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Find items and equipment to modify each character’s reel with new attacks. Build your reels carefully and hit those triples!
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People to meet and things to do:
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Every run through the mall is unique, but the characters you encounter will remember you. Develop your relationships with the other doomed souls lurking in PleromOS for new party characters. Complete unique side quests to know your friends better!
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Secrets to find and new mysteries to uncover:
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Gain currency after every run to acquire new resources, questlines and character traits that can appear in your next run!
Read More: Best RPG Deckbuilding Games.
Man of the World
It is possible to become a famous musician, take part in medieval battles, earn a fortune from trade, become a thief of women’s hearts or an avid duelist. The game allows you to do all this.
Selenwald
Prepare to face the unimaginable magnificence of the university of Selenwald!
Enter the halls of Selenwald to learn forbidden knowledge never meant to leave the cursed edifice. Meet madmen and face horrors that cannot be described by mere words. Discover the truth that terrifies scientists and priests alike.
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Challenging Combat - Fight for survival having ultimate control over your character’s actions. Engage in melee combat or take enemies down from afar using firearms and powerful magic. Aim carefully since every attack can miss if executed blindly. Dodge enemy attacks and adapt to enemies' behaviour. Use stealth and assassinate or sneak past enemies to avoid risky encounters altogether.
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Resource Management - Most of your combat and survival capabilities are dictated by what resources you find. Resources are limited and so is the character’s inventory. Make choices on what to bring with you every time you descend to a lower level. Every bullet, potion and spell makes a difference.
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Character Development - Every class has different starting traits and types of inventory slots available. Make choices when being presented with new random traits to gain power and build interesting combinations. Modify your inventory with acquired accessories to further customize your character.
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Permanent Death - If your character dies, they die for good. Choose a new, random adventurer and embark on a new adventure. Even if you don’t manage to go far, your actions will have consequences that carry over to subsequent playthroughs. Dying is a natural part of the game.
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Random Dungeons - Every playthrough brings completely different areas to explore. No shuffled predefined rooms - truly original locations every time.
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Unique Setting - Visit Western Europe of the late 1700s to discover how scientists isolated from the outer world crossed boundaries dictated by known science to gain access to powerful forces reminiscent of magic. Gain answers to mysteries never before found on the pages of written history.
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Mature Story - Unravel the dark, rich story of philosophical nature. Witness how a groundbreaking scientific revelation drives even the brightest minds into madness. Meet tragic characters with intriguing past. Discover the very foundations of life and death and see the true, terrifying nature of matters humanity has desperately tried to explain with religion.
Wraiths of SENTINEL
A very solid CoG - better than most. I really only have two criticisms for the story:
1. The romance wasn’t handled that well in my opinion. It’s very abrupt, especially with the Sorcerer, and with the limited character exploration of the romance optinos it feels empty.
2. I didn’t like the inclusion of the non-Wraith entities. Magicians, demons, etc. To me it makes the whole thing feel smaller. I get that the author is building a shared universe with MetaHuman Inc. (which is a good game), but… meh
– Real player with 8.0 hrs in game
I liked MC’s base wraith superpower, I think it was unique and cool. I don’t think it counts as spoilers since you’re introduced to this power at the very beginning of the game: you can walk through walls and other solid stuff (including people) like a ghost, and you are invisible to the human eyes which makes you the perfect spy. It’s cool to see that MC wonders about the extents of this superpower, like can you somehow pass through earth and so on.
There are a number of major choices (at least it looks like it) and different endings (I’ve explored 2 endings, at least). I felt like most of the choices I’ve made had some effect at later stages of the game which is good.
– Real player with 5.5 hrs in game
Not Tonight 2
Immigration Enforcement Case #112: You are under arrest. Unless your friends can cross a broken America, retrieve your identifying documents and stay out of trouble… this is the end of the American dream for you.
In an alternative broken America, where capitalism and political greed have taken center stage, your friend has gone missing. Snatched during a protest, Eduardo Suarez has been seized by the authorities, and now sits ready for processing in the Miami gulag.
Not Tonight 2 is an American document-checking road trip, fusing a time-pressure RPG with a politically charged, dark comedy where every decision matters. Will Eduardo’s friends Malik, Kevin and Mari manage to locate and deliver his documents to Miami in time, or is this the end of the American dream?
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Three branching stories, written by a team of POC authors
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Make your way across America, making terrifying decisions along the way
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Work the doors of clubs, churches, race tracks, casinos, and cults
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Check IDS, while completing a variety of silly, poignant minigames
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Rhythm games, word association, serving burgers, assessing religion, checking chickens, and more
Dixotomia
The time has come, vampires are ready to come out of the shadows and open the Pandora’s box to let the ancient evil out. But humanity decides to fight back. So be it, the war to the last breath.
Now the saving of the World is in your hands. Learn how to defeat the genetically modified creatures from another dimension. Use your superpowers and a rich arsenal of weapons and decide the fate of humanity in the battle with the squads of vampires and their leader!
Now it is you to decide how our history will turn out.
Features:
• Two skill branches: take control of the vampire mutation or improve your hardware with new updates;
• The course of events depends on your own choice (you can join any of the opposing sides);
• Enhanced AI opponents, which makes battles even more interesting and dynamic.
Not Tonight
If you liked papers please you’re gonna love this game. Its the same concept of looking at papers and deciding whether they should pass, but as difficult as papers please was. (sorry my review will contain a lot of comparisons with papers please) Instead of working at one place you will work in many beautiful and interesting stations each with an interesting manager/boss. Each station will have different working requirements, some have 3 lines you will have to watch and let people through from and from as much as i’ve played you can get up to 4 sheets to check which creates a really hard game, and you will even have to check things like contraband and dress code. The game will guilt you into letting people in, you will also be bribed, there’s a resistance you could support and you can sell drugs/candy (still not sure) for extra cash.
– Real player with 31.5 hrs in game
Survive a oppressive world in this enjoyable Papers, Please-esque
Developed by PanicBarn, Not Tonight took place in an alternate history; a Post-Brexit United Kingdom specifically where citizens that are of European heritage (known as Euros) are constantly being oppressed by the government. You play as citizen #112, another ‘filthy Euro’ just waiting to be deported to your original country. Your goal is simple: avoid your inevitable fate, any means necessary.
Gameplay
As mentioned before, the game overall structure is similar to the much more well-known Papers, Please. In other words, a lot of micromanagement gameplay. As #112, you’ll be working as a bouncer for a multitude of different locales, ranging from nightclubs to drinking pubs to the London Wall itself. Your job is to supervise the entrance and decide whether the customers are allowed to enter or not. Or whether they deserved it or not.
– Real player with 28.9 hrs in game
Time Fragments: 24h in Capua
BACKGROUND
Time Fragments: 24h in Capua is an adventure RPG game set in 73 BC during the famous slave rebellion in Capua lead by the infamous Thracian soldier Spartacus.
In the future the human race have found a way to send up to three persons to a specific time and place in the past for observation purposes. The “Bridge” is open for only 72h. After no contact has been made with the three scientist for 48h, you and a companion of your choice are sent in to find them or at least one of them, having only 24h to do so!
UNIQUE STYLE OF PLAY
Game focuses on a unique style of play. At your disposal you have skills like manipulation, intimidation, negotiation, sneaking, distracting, pickpocketing, lockpicking, forgery, running, jumping and climbing, rather than the traditional “hit and kill” your way through the game type of RPGs. Luck is a part of these encounters and it has a special way of being intertwined with the game mechanics.
The game is “turn based” with a top down view. This will force you to organize your every move as every action, except conversations, costs some number of minutes or hours. Stories are flowing and ever changing depending on your actions and skills you harness. Choices will echo throughout the game, leading you to new encounters in each playthrough.
RANKS
If you ever wondered how would it feel to be the general of the Roman army, a good senator or maybe even gladiator or the new leader of the rebellion, you will have that option. It will not be easy, it takes some serious planning, but it will be worth it. A completely new and fun way to play ones obtained.You can play for both sides, double or triple cross. Each choice will matter, for better or worse. Will you end up as a slave? maybe the richest person in the whole Capua, prominent doctor or the “Champion of Capua”…and many more outcomes will depend on the choices you make but never lose sight on the end goal-to find the missing scientists.
MAP
The map has over 100 locations. You are free to chose any direction and any way, but be mindful of the time it takes to get to them! Some locations will require disguises or special items to get in, others can be infiltrated in other nefarious ways.
Each location offers some clue on the whereabouts of the missing scientists. You can obtain them in multiple ways, manipulating and distracting the guards or maybe setting the place on fire to empty the room. Each location is unique and can be played differently each time.
Features
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Chose the background of your character to coincide with your unique style of play
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Over 12 skills available within 4 groups of abilities (Social, Thievery, Endurance, Intelligence)
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Special system for “luck effect”
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Find your gear to further enhance your character
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Disguise yourself as with one of 25 disguises and gain access to forbidden areas, new stories previously unattainable
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Explore the map with over 100 locations
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Plan your every move within in-game 24h. EVERY ACTION costs time…and minutes add up!
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Choose your style of play, whether is to approach silently making a domino effect or use your highly tuned skills help you out
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Chose your Companion! Each one has a different need, but offers different help
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Replay it more than 15 times each time with a unique story, different way of playing and a new ending
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Richly diverse world with possible alternative history
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Try to rise through army, political or rebels ranks, do completely new quests and meet new people
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Try saving all three scientists that are lost, but most of all try to SURVIVE!