This Week in Gaming (Week 25)

[TheLostSwede]

After a couple of slow weeks of new game releases, we're finally back on track with a wealth of new game releases this week. We even have a AAA title, although some of you might disagree with it being such, mainly due to the blue aliens and there being four different editions of the game. When it comes to the rest of this week's releases, we have a city builder with sacrifices, a medieval inspired MMO, a very sandy game that has nothing to do with giant worms, a Viking inspired online co-op game, a DLC for a very popular RPG game and a dystopian city builder.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora coming to Steam / This week's AAA release / Monday 17 June
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a first-person, action-adventure game set in the Western Frontier. Abducted by the RDA, you, a Na'vi, were molded to serve their purpose. Fifteen years later, you are free, but find yourself a stranger in your birthplace. Reconnect with your lost heritage and discover what it truly means to be Na'vi as you join other clans to protect Pandora. Steam link




El Dorado: The Golden City Builder / Monday 17 June
El Dorado is a strategy city-building game in which you plan, build and develop your settlement to conquer Jukatan and earn the title of The Golden City. Become a leader, whom even Gods will bow to. Offer sacrifices to the Gods to earn their favor, but beware and don't lose yourself in your riches. Steam link



Pax Dei / Tuesday 18 June
Welcome to a vast, social sandbox MMO inspired by the legends of the medieval era. Here, myths are real, ghosts exist, and magic is unquestioned. Join thousands of players as you explore the land, build your home, forge your reputation, and craft your own stories. What world will you make? Steam link



Sandwalkers / Wednesday 19 June
Sandwalkers is a roguelike turn-based exploration game. Build your team, traverse varied hostile environments, face countless dangers, and gain knowledge that will help you find and resurrect the Mother Tree Umama. Steam link



Aska / Thursday 20 June
Lay claim to unspoiled lands and pave the way for a fierce Viking tribe. Craft the ultimate settlement solo or together with up to x3 friends. Trust in the Gods and the power of the Eye of Odin and summon intelligent NPC villagers to provide camaraderie and relief from the toils of survival. Steam link



Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree / This week's DLC / Thursday 20 June
The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion features an all-new story set in the Land of Shadow imbued with mystery, perilous dungeons, and new enemies, weapons and equipment. Discover uncharted territories, face formidable adversaries, and revel in the satisfying triumph of victory. Dive into the riveting interplay of characters, where drama and intrigue intertwine, that create an immersive experience to savor and enjoy. Steam link



Dystopika / Friday 21 June
Dystopika is a small city-builder inspired by cyberpunk and the wanderlust of cities that never sleep. Place buildings, giant billboards, and towering holograms, working in harmony with procedural generation for landscape, traffic, and lights to create your own future metropolis rich with vibes and ambience. Escape to your own little dystopian dreams (or nightmares). Steam link

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Chry]

The two best things were left unmentioned in either week 24 or week 25:

Talos Principle: Road to Elysium
An absolute treat for puzzle/philosophy game enjoyers with high IQ.

Ashes: Hard Reset
Latest iteration in one of the best community made FPS games on the original Doom engine.

 

[TheLostSwede]

The two best things were left unmentioned in either week 24 or week 25:

Talos Principle: Road to Elysium
An absolute treat for puzzle/philosophy game enjoyers with high IQ.

Missed that one

Ashes: Hard Reset
Latest iteration in one of the best community made FPS games on the original Doom engine.

That's not a game though, that's some kind of mod, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[SN2716057]

The two best things were left unmentioned in either week 24 or week 25:

Talos Principle: Road to Elysium
An absolute treat for puzzle/philosophy game enjoyers with high IQ.
snip

That's a DLC though, a 20 euro dlc.
---
Aska looks like Valheim with better graphics. Oh, and they have a demo. edit: It's okay, a bit rough around the edges, but promising.
And Dystopika has a demo too. edit: it's a...erm... a cyberpunk 'city' building, like a walking sim but just making pretty cities. Absolutely not like sim city. Just a relaxing 'game' with nice music.
Pax Dei looked great but alas is an mmo, so hard pass for me.
-
I already have the avatar game as it came with my cpu. Story is meh but the sounds and graphics are top notch, it does feel like Assassin's Creed in blue though. (read: not bad).

 

[GodisanAtheist]

How is Frontiers of Pandora launching now, I could have sworn we got a performance review for the game months ago from Wizz.

 

[trsttte]

How is Frontiers of Pandora launching now, I could have sworn we got a performance review for the game months ago from Wizz.

It's only now coming to steam

 

[Tahagomizer]

Third screenshot in Pax Dei - a medieval proto-influencer painting a green screen on his parent's wall?
Aska seems to be a Valheim clone, which might be good as I very much enjoy Valheim.

I would like to submit for your future consideration Manor Lords, a city builder which I believe got quite popular recently. It's in early access which might deter some people, but it's actively developed and extremely playable. What I find most impressive is that's a one man project. In my humble opinion it's the best thing in city builders for quite some time.

Manor Lords on Steam

Manor Lords is a medieval strategy game featuring in-depth city building, large-scale tactical battles, and complex economic and social simulations. Rule your lands as a medieval lord – the seasons pass, the weather changes, and cities rise and fall.

store.steampowered.com

 

[TheLostSwede]

It's only now coming to steam

Ah yes, my bad, I wasn't even thinking about. Oh well, nothing else really major this week though, even though I thought it was a bit weird as well.

I would like to submit for your future consideration Manor Lords, a city builder which I believe got quite popular recently. It's in early access which might deter some people, but it's actively developed and extremely playable. What I find most impressive is that's a one man project. In my humble opinion it's the best thing in city builders for quite some time.

Manor Lords on Steam

Manor Lords is a medieval strategy game featuring in-depth city building, large-scale tactical battles, and complex economic and social simulations. Rule your lands as a medieval lord – the seasons pass, the weather changes, and cities rise and fall.

store.steampowered.com

It was already covered in the past.

 

[trsttte]

Ah yes, my bad, I wasn't even thinking about. Oh well, nothing else really major this week though, even though I thought it was a bit weird as well.

It's fine, like a tree in the woods doesn't make a sound if there's no one to hear it, a game isn't really launched until it's launched on Steam

 

[Tahagomizer]

It was already covered in the past.

Fun thing: I just checked, it was featured on April 21st when I bookmarked it and bought soon after release. Which means I bought it thanks to your recommendation. Kudos, the system works.

 

[Chry]

That's not a game though, that's some kind of mod, if I'm not mistaken.

That's an excellent question.
It can be viewed as a completely new story/game built on Doom engine (just like for example Hands of Necromancy is a separate game build on Doom engine sold on Steam). The only difference from Hands of Necromancy is that Ashes is simply made from free. So I guess the question here could be 'is being commercial the difference between a mod and a full-fledged game?'

 

[Assimilator]

I can't wait for all my gaming news feeds to be clogged up with Elden Ring wankery again. I'm convinced nobody actually enjoys those games, what they actually enjoy is the feeling of superiority they get from claiming they do so.

 

[konga]

Ubisoft choosing not to launch Avatar on Steam until the week a massive new Elden Ring expansion is coming out sure is a choice.

I can't wait for all my gaming news feeds to be clogged up with Elden Ring wankery again. I'm convinced nobody actually enjoys those games, what they actually enjoy is the feeling of superiority they get from claiming they do so.

Are you sure you aren't the one feeling a sense of superiority for saying you don't enjoy it? Because it sure sounds like you don't think highly of those who do.

It's just a video game, it's silly to feel superior about your preferences one way or another.

 

[trsttte]

I can't wait for all my gaming news feeds to be clogged up with Elden Ring wankery again. I'm convinced nobody actually enjoys those games, what they actually enjoy is the feeling of superiority they get from claiming they do so.

It's an interesting challenge, I'm not a fan by any stretch but when I picked the first Dark Souls game it was fun for a bit, instead of holding your hand it just tells you "figure it out". Then quickly became disillusioned by mechanics that are completely hidden like how to get out of the asylum you have to guess and get into the nest, and how to get back there you have to take a very weird almost glitchy route that just seems like someone forgot to put a ladder there, just stupid but I moved along looking stuff online.

I kept playing until a point where I wanted to do some challenge that would be locked if I continued and gave up because Dark Souls 1 is very old at this point so it was barely possible to matchmake and collect the necessary things.

From that experience I think more than hard the game is unfair, in the beginning you're screwed without equipment and knowing how to play with zero instructions. After you start knowing some things it get's easier very quickly and to me it gets even more annoying because of the death system that requires you to keep doing large parts of the map because of an unlucky fight.

I plan to try both Elden Ring and Demon Souls eventually but they're still a tad expensive.

 

[Trompochi]

Dawntrail it is for me.

 

[Gameslove]

Missed game release:
Horror Adventure Thriller - 'Still Wakes the Deep' planning to release Jun. 18 2024 with good graphics. Looks interesting...

 

[TheLostSwede]

I can't wait for all my gaming news feeds to be clogged up with Elden Ring wankery again. I'm convinced nobody actually enjoys those games, what they actually enjoy is the feeling of superiority they get from claiming they do so.

My almost 60 year old cousin would disagree with you, he's level 327...

Missed game release:
Horror Adventure Thriller - 'Still Wakes the Deep' planning to release Jun. 18 2024 with good graphics. Looks interesting...

I didn't miss it, but I chose to cover a game that appeared to have more interest, at least based on SteamDB's data.
At the moment, we're generally only doing one game per day, except the major release of each week and any big DLCs.
This might change in the future though.

 

[Solaris17]

I can't wait for all my gaming news feeds to be clogged up with Elden Ring wankery again. I'm convinced nobody actually enjoys those games, what they actually enjoy is the feeling of superiority they get from claiming they do so.

I get it. I played Elden Ring only because I was interested in the story and I cheesed the shit out of it. I stayed in like the first two areas for like 30 hours literally doing nothing but leveling so I could skate through the rest of the game.

The other souls games? Hard pass; absolutely no interest.

 

[unwind-protect]

I'll be all in on Pax Dei tomorrow. I am ready for a new life.

 

[colossusrageblack]

I can't wait for all my gaming news feeds to be clogged up with Elden Ring wankery again. I'm convinced nobody actually enjoys those games, what they actually enjoy is the feeling of superiority they get from claiming they do so.

I'm sure there are some that play Souls games for their feeling of superiority. However, I'd argue that Elden Ring isn't like the other Souls games. Elden Ring was my very first real attempt at a Souls game. I had previously given Bloodborne a shot, but was killed constantly within the first area, so I just left it. Elden Ring lets you just move on from areas or bosses you can't defeat and go either level up or just try out different areas. Dark Souls and Bloodborne required you to defeat each boss, making them walls to proceed.

After beating Elden Ring 6 times (I was obsessed), I tried Demon Souls (terrible combat), Dark Souls (terrible combat and mostly unfair gameplay), Dark Souls 2 (better combat, but boring), Dark Souls 3 (great combat, engaging, but some areas are annoying to play just by overwhelming opponents), and Blood Borne (great combat, engaging, but aesthetic isn't for me). I have yet to finish any of those games, pretty much because I hit a wall in each and the only real option is to go back and try again, but I'm at an age where that's just not as appealing to me, I don't get that much time to game.

All this to say, if you enjoy high fantasy action adventure games, you should consider giving Elden Ring a try, it's not like the other Souls games.