Softpedia News / Global 002873 http://cdn.softpedia.com/_img/spdfavicon.svg http://cdn.softpedia.com/_img/spdlogo.svg https://news.softpedia.com/ Softpedia en-us 2001-2026 Softpedia. All rights reserved. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 18:15:24 +0000 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 18:15:24 +0000 News http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 10 https://cdnssl.softpedia.com/_img/softpedia_logo_rss.png https://news.softpedia.com/ https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/medieval-crafter-blacksmith-review-538184.shtml Medieval Crafter: Blacksmith is a game that tries to bring many people’s fantasy of creating their own weapons to life. The sheer focus here is on crafting weapons the way you want, in a very immersive way, while offering something entirely new and interesting. And what I like about the game is that it doesn’t sugar coat just how hard it is to do the blacksmithing work.

Instead, it goes through everything from mining ores, forging weapons, then arming heroes and sending them on all kinds of quests for profit. I like this approach because it’s very cool, immersive, and it gives you a unique perspective towards the world of fantasy blacksmithing.

I didn’t expect the game to be so fascinating when it came to the details that they added. It truly is a simulator, and it shows all the different steps that you go through when it comes to creating a weapon. I enjoyed that immensely, as you can also add enchantments, create weapons and armors, and you can sell them at the s... (read more)]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:39:12 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/medieval-crafter-blacksmith-review-538184.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/dead-or-alive-6-last-round-review-538183.shtml It’s clear for many fighting game fans that 3D fighting games are by far the most challenging ones to make. And Virtua Fighter or Tekken fans know that all too well. Yet DEAD OR ALIVE 6 Last Round manages to take the series forward, with some interesting upgrades.

Right off the bat, the thing you will notice about the game is that it comes with a new engine, making the game look better than ever before. Visual fidelity has improved exponentially this time around, making the world feel more immersive. I still feel that the cutscenes are lower quality than the game itself, which normally is not the case. But it’s still pretty good overall, and the visuals will definitely keep you going.

Additionally, there’s more focus on shading and lighting. You can see that on most maps, but it’s particularly evident on the Lost Paradise stage, particularly its oboro version. Not all maps were improved, but the developers committed to offer those down the line as free updates.

Pe... (read more)]]> Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:15:08 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/dead-or-alive-6-last-round-review-538183.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/swan-song-review-538182.shtml It’s a good idea to ignore the hunter at first. Sure, he can take down the swan in one shot, which means the slide will go back into the music box and the slate will be wiped clean for another try. But constantly thinking about that figurine will make it harder to take in the entire puzzle that’s in front of you, with its tiles and weirdly shaped pseudo-musical notes.

The swan needs to move, and the puzzle solution is the only way to keep up with her. Sometimes, after seeing the notes, the solution is clear, even if the timing takes a few tries to nail down. Other times, it is easy to place the first note, but the others don’t seem to fit in anywhere. And, once the hunter and other obstacles appear, fitting them in adds an extra layer of fun complexity.

Swan Song is developed and published by Business Goose Studios. I played using Steam on the PC, the only platform on which the title is offered. The video game uses accessible but solid puzzle mechanics to tell a st... (read more)]]> Thu, 25 Jun 2026 20:44:55 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/swan-song-review-538182.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/the-spell-brigade-review-538181.shtml As someone who plays quite a lot of bullet hell games and survivor-like games, I was excited about the idea of having coop done right in this genre. And The Spell Brigade strives to do that. It’s been in early access for quite some time, and I’ve had my eyes on it for many months. But how does it play? It’s actually very simple, easy to get into, yet it takes a while to master it.

Right off the bat, the game gives you 15 unlockable wizards, and each one has their own spells. You need to battle hordes of enemies spread over 4 different biomes. There are also objectives that you need to complete, along with fighting bosses and earning gold. You can use the gold to unlock new wizards, boost your existing wizard’s stats and so on. It’s great because you get to choose how powerful you become, how you improve your wizard and so on. All of those things are exciting in their own right and give more variety to the gameplay which can get stale at times for this genre.

Natura... (read more)]]> Wed, 24 Jun 2026 20:06:04 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/the-spell-brigade-review-538181.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://news.softpedia.com/news/hawthorn-preview-pc-538180.shtml Hawthorn is a very interesting concept for a game, because you are in a beautiful fantasy world, a sandbox filled with animals, and you get to explore it, craft stuff, complete quests and enjoy everything living around you. You’re in a woodland settlement that was meant to be a trading post for the woodland creatures, and your focus is to try and breathe life back into it. And you do that by recruiting woodland creatures, which is very exciting.

Since this is a sandbox RPG at heart, that means you will be foraging, fishing, crafting and doing all kinds of tasks similar to that. You can take the role of a woodland creature and then focus on developing the lakeside settlement in Windermere valley. One of the things I enjoyed but never expected from the game is to have seasons in the game, as well as resource cycles.

The game goes even further by allowing you to easily recruit NPCs in order to assist with tasks and automate them the way you want. It’s nice to see that... (read more)]]> Tue, 23 Jun 2026 19:09:36 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://news.softpedia.com/news/hawthorn-preview-pc-538180.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/the-big-hollow-1982-review-538179.shtml I’ve tracked down all the information I could from two crime scene photos, but a senior agent had to give me the actual names of the victims. Maybe the crime scene investigators should have taken more images, allowing my aspiring agent to get access to more information. One image shot from one angle can only carry so many clues.

I then worked through two images taken from the home of one of the victims, before making deductions about her and the circumstances of her death. It seems that a serial killer is targeting vulnerable women, but his psych profile is elusive, and the evidence is limited. Maybe it’s a good idea to drop any big-picture theories and focus on what an investigation can actually uncover. The murderer tried to cover up his tracks, but he’s clearly made mistakes, and a keen mind will use that to discover who he is and then catch him.

The Big Hollow: 1982 is developed by Krams Design and published by DANGEN Entertainment. I played on the PC via Steam... (read more)]]> Tue, 23 Jun 2026 18:58:08 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/the-big-hollow-1982-review-538179.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://news.softpedia.com/news/warhammer-40-000-gladius-eradication-pack-dlc-yay-or-nay-pc-538178.shtml The Space Marines and the Orks have been battling over ten or fifteen hexes for an eternity. They have the numbers and an obsession with bringing in Blastajets, while we have the tech edge and some experienced Terminators to hold the line. Moving units out of the line to heal and repair, while using heroes to deal with the biggest threats, makes for some satisfying Warhammer 40,000 combat storytelling.

It’s three turns until the Space Marines bring their first Thunderhawk online. It’s costly, but even if I can’t fill its hold with Assault Marines, it will shatter the equilibrium. A deep strike, with some orbital bombardment support, should make it easier to get to the Ork settlements and level them. Time is of the essence, as scout patrols are encountering both Chaos Space Marines and Tyranids.

Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Eradication pack is developed by Proxy Studios and published by Slitherine Ltd. This downloadable content pack adds more units for players to dep... (read more)]]> Mon, 22 Jun 2026 18:19:28 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://news.softpedia.com/news/warhammer-40-000-gladius-eradication-pack-dlc-yay-or-nay-pc-538178.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/voidling-bound-review-538177.shtml Right upon starting Voidling Bound, I’ve been very excited about the idea of a creature collector, third person game with elements from Pokemon, Skylanders and so on. However, even if it does borrow some elements from those games, Voidling Bound also manages to stand on its own, while delivering an intense and rather impressive gameplay mechanic.

In the game, the idea is that our planet and the entire universe are in peril, so we need to find new resources and thus we have to identify new worlds. That’s why humans are venturing out into space and the focus is on finding hew locations. But as we do that, we are finding all kinds of species. And in the meantime, humans have created tech to link the human brain to evolving creatures. That’s where Voidling Bound comes in, and it delivers a rather impressive and intense experience, but also something you rarely get to see in this type of game.

 When you take control of a creature, you can easily jump, run, dash and do a... (read more)]]> Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:49:38 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/voidling-bound-review-538177.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://news.softpedia.com/news/frontier-legends-preview-pc-538176.shtml I’ve always been fascinated by the Wild West and how people were able to live and survive during those harsh times. That’s why I enjoyed games like Red Dead Redemption and its sequel but also clamored for a survival game in this genre. Wild West Legacy was not it, and Frontier Legends tries to bring us a new take on this genre.

Frontier Legends does have its own story, but the premise is to establish your mark in this world, build your own base and stay alive in the unforgiving setting of Wild West. At first, your camp is small, but eventually, you get to upgrade it to a settlement. Of course, there are lots of threats, be it bandits or natural threats like various dangerous animals.

The great appeal behind Frontier Legends is that it allows you to be anything you want. You can focus more on trading, hunting, being a bandit or anything you want. And that’s the cool factor, the game doesn’t force you to be anything, you slowly uncover things and establish yourself a... (read more)]]> Fri, 19 Jun 2026 06:41:07 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://news.softpedia.com/news/frontier-legends-preview-pc-538176.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/reptilian-rising-review-538175.shtml After cleansing one historical era of the slithery invaders, I got quite a few upgrades. I can bring in three heroes at the start of a level, up from two, which makes it easier to engage threats quickly and dash for the first time portal to claim it. I also used Obsidian to make sure I had one retry in case I lost a battle, while gold allowed me to boost my heroes.

Unfortunately, the time-traveling reptiles, which I am now fighting in Ancient Egypt, have brought reinforcements. The human cultists of this era have a bad habit of holding on to one hitpoint after a ranged attack from Cleopatra, forcing me to use another hero to take them down or allow them to strike once. And the layout of this level makes it hard to reach portals quickly, which gives them time to call in reinforcements.

So Sir George is running ahead, using the long range of its helmet laser to engage the tougher enemies, while Matilda is in charge of dealing with stragglers and hacking gates. Cleopa... (read more)]]> Fri, 19 Jun 2026 06:27:34 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/reptilian-rising-review-538175.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/nba-the-run-review-538174.shtml We’ve all tried the NBA 2K series, but it never satisfied the need for some quick, intense matches. That’s something that NBA THE RUN tries to rectify, by offering us 3v3, online matches where you try to advance and potentially win a 3v3 tournament. You are playing with either randoms or a team of friends, and there are multiple game modes to try out.

My favorite thing about NBA THE RUN is that it’s very simple, yet it still has some great players. And naturally, it’s a game that you should play with a controller, although in my experience even on the keyboard it ran great and you can end up winning a lot of matches if you time things correctly.

Despite its more arcade nature, the game is meant to be fun and strategic. You can easily strategize with your team, focus more on defense or offense, or experiment with all kinds of attacks. I like the fact that you can steal the ball, block, dive for loose balls and so on. Even if it still is an arcade game at heart, it’s... (read more)]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2026 02:22:03 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/nba-the-run-review-538174.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://news.softpedia.com/news/nighthawks-preview-pc-538173.shtml Being a vampire was supposed to be all about dominating humans. But it seems that their patrols are keen-eyed, able to easily spot suspicious activity, and more than willing to intervene. I decide to back off rather than risk a wound because it’s pretty tricky to get the weird doctor to treat one. So, I abandon the idea of feeding and decide to get back into detective mode.

I talk to a few people, trying to extract info. They don’t have anything new to say, so I take a look at my phone. A little bit of sneaking gets me into a locked room, where I get information, I’m not supposed to have. Human vigilantes try to attack me as I head back to my hotel sanctuary, but judicious use of my vampire talents makes it easy to avoid any damage. I have high hopes for tomorrow’s hunt.

Nighthawks is developed by The Curiosity Engine and published by Wadjet Eye Games. I played a preview version on Steam. The video game uses an adventure game framework to tell a story about blood d... (read more)]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2026 02:12:09 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://news.softpedia.com/news/nighthawks-preview-pc-538173.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://news.softpedia.com/news/cursemark-preview-pc-538172.shtml Have you ever wanted to play a pixelated diablo with cool loot, excellent magic and intense gameplay? Cursemark is a title that wants to cover all those things, and even if it’s just in early access, it already feels incredibly promising. The game offers a great combination of melee and spellcasting, with a large array of runes you can implement for even better results.

You can be more melee-focused, but still use wards, ultimates and spells in order to become the ultimate killing machine. The game is room/level based, as you clear a room and then move on to the next. There are different biomes and enemy types, and also plenty of bosses. Even if the game is in early access and still incomplete, the content that’s there was extremely impressive for me.

What stands out in Cursemark is definitely its combat and great attention to detail. The game map looks stunning, and every level is detailed, even if the graphics are pixelated. They even have a CRT mode, which bring... (read more)]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2026 13:30:57 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://news.softpedia.com/news/cursemark-preview-pc-538172.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/terrinoth-heroes-of-descent-review-538171.shtml Kharaz, the dragon knight, might have advanced a little too far into the throng of enemies. He is tasked with keeping as many enemies as possible entertained, even if he cannot kill them, as my archer and my wizards are dealing damage and weakening anyone who cannot be easily destroyed. These druid cultists have invaded a temple, and they need to be cleared out and their Dark Vine destroyed.

I throw the tank one of my healing potions and decide it's time to activate Veshi’s ultimate power, which deals damage directly and then burns all enemies for a few turns. It will help thin the herd, while my ice wizard activates her area of effect spell and then slows down two enemy casters. Unfortunately, Cedwin, the ranged specialist, is caught in a bad tactical position.

He swings to hired ground, which means he can only attack twice, but it’s better than allowing him to get hit. It takes another four turns to kill everyone, and we probably have another big battle to get th... (read more)]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2026 11:01:13 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/terrinoth-heroes-of-descent-review-538171.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://news.softpedia.com/news/pioneers-of-pagonia-meadowsong-dlc-pc-yay-or-nay-538170.shtml Pioneers of Pagonia was warmly received by city building fans, because it brought that impressive Settlers theme, along with beautiful visuals and good gameplay. The new DLC called Meadowsong brings us an interesting campaign with many hours of content. It also introduces us to the Withering, a challenge that brings disease in crops and pioneers. That’s why your pioneers and you have to figure out ways to tackle this problem to the best of your capabilities.

It’s also a nice way for them to introduce cats and dogs, which help attack whiterrats and witherwolves. I found it funny that you can’t have dog houses and cat trees near each other though, because they are mortal enemies.
Pioneers of Pagonia: Meadowsong focuses on adding a lot of mechanics, new buildings, while also focusing on a specific storyline. 6 buildings, 4 new animal species, 2 new plants and 11 new goods are yours for the talk, and they do help make the gameplay more interesting. I also like the idea ... (read more)]]> Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:56:24 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://news.softpedia.com/news/pioneers-of-pagonia-meadowsong-dlc-pc-yay-or-nay-538170.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/skull-horde-review-538169.shtml As we play those large, AAA games, we always feel the need to take a break from all the complex storylines. And games like Skull Horde are the perfect distraction. It’s an auto-fight dungeon crawler that I found very intense, yet inherently fun and with a ton of cool gameplay mechanics.

The fact that our main character is a skull tells you everything you need to know about the game. It’s not meant to be a very serious, 50-hour long RPG. Instead, it’s similar to titles like Vampire Survivors where you have a lot of automatic systems designed to make the gameplay easier, but still intense and fun.

At its core, the idea is quite simple in Skull Horde. You are a floating skull commander, and you create a tiny bone army near you, with a variety of skills. Those soldiers will be there to fight and die for you. As you play, you will get cudat coins that can be used to reroll squad members or purchase them and corpuscles blood, which can be used to improve your stats.

Lik... (read more)]]> Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:44:49 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/skull-horde-review-538169.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/generation-exile-review-538168.shtml Generation Exile is one of those sandbox games that comes with great premises. You’re in a dystopian world where humanity is on the brink of total extinction. As you are on the final generation ship, the focus is to find a new place for our society to be reborn and shine. That’s inherently interesting, but it also offers plenty of challenge as well.

When you start the game, you learn more about the game’s story and there are different choices you can make during the dialog. It’s not much, but it does allow you to bring your own spin on the situation. It doesn’t impact your overall gameplay, so that’s good to know.

Generation Exile has an interesting art style that’s both bright and vivid but also doesn’t deter you from a lot of lights. At times, it will bring its own sense of darkness, with intricate and darker nuances. But it all blends together very nicely, including the music which offers a wonderful vibe that matches the action you see on your screen.
In this g... (read more)]]> Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:57:00 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/generation-exile-review-538168.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://news.softpedia.com/news/the-guild-europa-1410-preview-pc-538167.shtml The Guild - Europa 1410 puts us in the 15th century Bohemia, right on the verge of the Hussite Revolution. The idea is that we are a local business owner and we must create a dynasty within a city called Kuttenberg, the only one available in the demo version we played. The demo also limited the starting professions to alchemist, taverner and smith.

That being said, every mission has a set number of turns, and here turns are basically a season each. It’s nice to offer us a great way to monitor time, but adding turns and a limit does make the gameplay a lot more intense. Like any Guild game, this one is very complex, and as soon as you start playing, the game puts you in control. Everything is explained, but it does take a little bit to get used to every detail and piece of information.

Since you are a business owner, your focus is on narrowing down on your business first. The civil war happening within the country does affect people’s morale, but it’s just nice to s... (read more)]]> Mon, 15 Jun 2026 04:08:48 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://news.softpedia.com/news/the-guild-europa-1410-preview-pc-538167.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://news.softpedia.com/news/hearts-of-iron-iv-thunder-at-our-gates-dlc-yay-or-nay-pc-538166.shtml The stalwart forces of Australia, boosted by ANZAC spirit, are easily holding the Japanese at the Malaysian border. In my version of World War II, Singapore is not threatened, and, with some good support from airpower and naval assets, we can even drive the invaders back. And then the rest of the Empire decides to prioritize this front.

Crowding a lot of divisions into space with limited infrastructure and ports is a bad idea. Attrition does damage that the enemy cannot. My first instinct was to use my civilian factories to get supplies into Indochina. After a month, I pulled out my forces, allowing the rest of the Empire to hold the front. The problem is that they also abandon the front after a while.

With Singapore threatened again, I redeployed my elite rangers from Papua and decided to take it as slowly as possible. Create the infrastructure, rebalance my divisions, use force multipliers rather than just infantry, and hope that the Allies manage to control the ... (read more)]]> Fri, 12 Jun 2026 09:05:49 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://news.softpedia.com/news/hearts-of-iron-iv-thunder-at-our-gates-dlc-yay-or-nay-pc-538166.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/puzzle-parasite-review-538165.shtml If you have that Portal itch and you want to scratch it, then Puzzle Parasite might very well be the game that you are looking for. The title is a sci-fi mystery game combined with a physics-driven puzzle experience. You have a vintage cricket bat and the will to solve all kinds of exciting puzzles. But that’s easier said than done, since Puzzle Parasite is continually bringing its own fair share of challenges, while also retaining a good focus on first person puzzle solving goodness.

The idea of using an old-school cricket bat to solve puzzles is cool, and I think it’s well-worth considering, especially for puzzle lovers. You use that to redirect beams, manipulate all kinds of energy cores and even create your own light bridges. Although it definitely feels quite different than what you might expect, Puzzle Parasite is very much a rewarding and powerful first-person puzzle experience with a very exciting twist, and something people will appreciate quite a lot.

Unl... (read more)]]> Fri, 12 Jun 2026 08:52:16 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/puzzle-parasite-review-538165.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/stonemachia-review-538164.shtml Stonemachia’s main focus is to seamlessly blend the world of chess with soulslikes. And while it has obvious budget restrictions, it’s definitely one of the more exciting soulslikes which appeared in recent years. It strays away from the regular formula, while still being very engaging and lots of fun to play.

The setting is dark, and that means we don’t have as much detail when compared to the other soulslike games. But this is not an AAA title, nor does it have that kind of scope. Yet it still manages to feature giant stone buildings, massive enemies, massive cathedrals scraping the sky and all that kind of stuff you always see in a soulslike title.

Stonemachia’s story takes place in a country that had to deal with an event called the Plague of Angels. But those who attacked the country are far from being angels, they are spooky, disturbing and a true sign of evil. And your focus is to cleanse the world and eliminate these enemies, while also trying to stay alive... (read more)]]> Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:25:00 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/stonemachia-review-538164.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://news.softpedia.com/news/hellslave-ii-judgment-of-the-archon-preview-pc-538163.shtml I don’t want to think about fighting level 8 ghoul animals, so I nimbly dodge the groups, staying out of their detection range. I move toward my quest and engage a group that doesn’t move. My items, most scavenged from other dead enemies, give me a time advantage, and I intend to use it.

I inflict poison and thorns on the monsters, and then sit back as they finally get to act. They bite, so I activate the healing crystal. My magic wielder adds lightning strikes and kills two beats. I prolong the battle a little to use my healing again and get enough experience to level up.

HellSlave II: Judgment of the Archon is developed by Ars Goetia and published by Dear Villagers. I played a preview of it on the PC using Steam. The video game combines real-time exploration and combat built around time management.

The title’s high-fantasy universe imagines a world stuck at the Medieval society level where archdemons are controlling the land, fighting a war that has lasted for t... (read more)]]> Thu, 11 Jun 2026 12:19:50 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://news.softpedia.com/news/hellslave-ii-judgment-of-the-archon-preview-pc-538163.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/i-hate-this-place-review-538162.shtml I Hate This Place is an isometric horror and survival game which is inspired by a comic series with the same name. No one expected that 10-issue miniseries to transform into a game, but here we are, and the developers certainly brought their own twist as well. However, this is not a 1:1 adaptation of the series, instead they decided to share a story set in the same world.

Here, you play as Elena, on a quest to try and find Lou, her friend. She is also trying to figure out what happened to her mother a few years ago. But along the way, you will encounter strange things, like cults, horrific experiments, all of which tie to someone named the Horned Man. The game has plenty of side characters, and you will get to learn more and more about your mother, her connection to the horned man and all other details.

Of course, the main story is just a part of the experience, and the side stuff really spruces up the game and makes it more exciting. It also helps that the art sty... (read more)]]> Tue, 09 Jun 2026 15:04:00 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/i-hate-this-place-review-538162.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://news.softpedia.com/news/burn-9-preview-pc-538161.shtml It’s somewhat unclear what the agent I’m trying to keep alive can actually do. She’s fitted with a remotely controlled defibrillator, but her suit is unable to keep her warm after she gets shot down in Antarctica. I help her avoid drones at first, moving through pipes to make sure she’s not detected, but then she suddenly decides that she can take one down and hack it.

While guiding her to potential safety, I’m trying to understand what the wider conspiracy might be. The base harbors a big secret, and no one wants to say exactly what the threat might be. Only one satellite can work in this weather. A hacker is hinting that something more sinister is going on. And no one is ready to say anything true about Burn-9.
The video game is developed by 14 Hours Productions and published by Fellow Traveller. I played a preview version of it on Steam. The title mixes techno thriller inspirations and indirect control in some intriguing ways.

The major inspiration, clear from t... (read more)]]> Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:29:58 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://news.softpedia.com/news/burn-9-preview-pc-538161.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/gothic-1-remake-review-538160.shtml Gothic 1 was a title that revolutionized 3D RPGs and brought in a great story, along with unique gameplay mechanics. Having played the game at launch and many times after that, I was very excited to see not only what they would change, but also how the remake would look. The demo they released years ago was not encouraging. However the finished version is way better, and a true homage to the beautiful RPG that Gothic 1 is.

First, the game’s main story is mostly left intact. And that’s a good thing, because the story itself was excellent. There are plenty of twists and turns, and it feels very satisfying up until the end. I am happy to see people experience the friendship that Gorn, Milten, Diego and Lester have between themselves, but also the relationship they develop with our nameless character.

Speaking of them, it’s important to note that the game has 3 factions. The Old Camp is the main camp in this game, where you can find Gomez and his crew that are digging ... (read more)]]> Mon, 08 Jun 2026 18:02:00 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/gothic-1-remake-review-538160.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://news.softpedia.com/news/penguin-colony-preview-pc-538159.shtml Green, almost radioactive-looking stones probably make for bad habitats. They also hint that something bad is hiding under the ice, so I steer clear and decide to belly slide on the snow. Following the wind isn’t easy in this world of sheer ice cliffs and badly placed holes in the ice.

My penguin is probably unable to process information delivered by a human voice, but I have learned a lot. Expeditions from two countries are here in Antarctica. They are barely surviving the cold and darkness. And something older and deeper is gnawing at the edges of reality and crushing their sanity. The big question right now is: can a penguin go mad?

Penguin Colony is developed by ORIGAME DIGITAL and published by Fellow Traveller. I played a preview version on Steam. The video game focuses on getting the player inside the mind of a penguin with an unhealthy degree of curiosity.

On the brink of World War II, two would-be superpowers are scrambling to deal with a creature that is ... (read more)]]> Mon, 08 Jun 2026 17:43:47 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://news.softpedia.com/news/penguin-colony-preview-pc-538159.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/mirage-7-review-538158.shtml Mirage 7 is one of those games that came out of nowhere for many people, and it started to impress with its premise and nifty gameplay ideas. At its core, this is an action-adventure title with a fantasy quest through the desert. But what makes it different is the interesting sci-fi twist. Granted, this might not be to everyone’s liking, however I like it when developers are trying something different, and it’s definitely the case here.

As you start, you (Nadira) are thrown into the desert with Jiji, who is your lizard companion. You need to access water, build up a fire and eliminate enemies that try to kill you. It’s pretty basic stuff for an adventure and survival game, however once you finish that, the focus is clearly on finding your sister. What you learn is that Nadira’s sister was grabbed by soldiers years ago, and the only way to get her back is to ask Princess Taishma for assistance.

The premise is interesting and I felt it to be compelling enough to cont... (read more)]]> Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:49:54 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/mirage-7-review-538158.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://news.softpedia.com/news/fatekeeper-preview-pc-538157.shtml Fatekeeper is the first game developed by Paraglacial, and it aims to step into the shoes of Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, one of the most popular first-person action RPGs from the past 20 years. Unfortunately, we never had a true successor to that game, but Fatekeeper aims to do that and a lot more.

Right off the bat, we should note that the game is made only by 13 people, and it just entered early access. You have around 2 hours of playable content, and the game manages to provide a very intense, albeit short experience. You take the role of Kor Tenarim, a watcher who wants to complete his training. He also has a rodent partner called Kor Guran, and the two focus on braving enemies using magic and melee attacks.

The game’s scenery is stunning, and it feels made by a much larger theme. The attention to detail is also incredible, from the blood pouring from enemies, down to the very detailed leaves you can find within the game. It all looks amazing, and it makes... (read more)]]> Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:35:48 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://news.softpedia.com/news/fatekeeper-preview-pc-538157.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/hacked-the-streamer-review-538156.shtml These days, FMV games have become quite popular, and they are improving in quality quite a bit. The idea of having real-life people as videogame characters and controlling an interactive movie is a lot of fun. Hacked The Streamer is a game that clearly shows how challenging and tricky the streaming world can be.

Sure, at first glance, it all feels glamorous and a job where you make easy money. But clearly, it’s much more than that. It just goes to show that the challenges that you can face are hidden, but still very dangerous. Simply put, in Hacked: The Streamer we follow Beril, a streamer known online as PinkiePie. She is growing as a streamer and has just got access to her first large sponsor.

She enjoys that success and wants to celebrate with the fanbase and the moderation team. But as that happens, we have a viewer threatening to expose her via a variety of personal revelations. That viewer wants $50000 from her, otherwise he will reveal the videos and possibl... (read more)]]> Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:16:19 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/hacked-the-streamer-review-538156.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile) https://news.softpedia.com/news/starship-troopers-terran-command-the-eradicators-dlc-pc-yay-or-nay-538155.shtml This scientist is starting to get on my nerves. He really wants to test how efficient taking out arachnids using nuclear missiles is, when I’ve already demonstrated that mixing chemical and radiation-armed mechs offers a clear solution to his bug problem. I’m easily taking out big groups of enemies, and rarely do the techs need to come in to patch up my forces.

Even the lowly handlers, who basically suborn enemy drones, are more than capable of handling a few warriors on their own. The arachinds rely on numbers and access routes that cannot be destroyed to take back territory. So, the Eradicators need to remain mostly mobile, only using fortifications to block attack routes and make sure their supplies keep flowing.

Starship Troopers: Terran Command - The Eradicators is developed by The Artistocrats and published by Slitherine Ltd. This downloadable content pack introduces a campaign, alongside new units, both linked to the Eradicators from the name.

These are bas... (read more)]]> Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:04:54 +0000 Softpedia News / Global https://news.softpedia.com/news/starship-troopers-terran-command-the-eradicators-dlc-pc-yay-or-nay-538155.shtml Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile)