Welcome to another edition of Keep An Eye On It, where we take a look at upcoming turn-based games that deserve attention! This time around we have a wide assortment of genres, from RPGs like Tribal and Pawsecuted to 4X strategy games like Solium Infernum and Yield! There’s even a Wikipedia-based trivia game on this list that’s sure to be a hit on your next game night!
Most of the games featured in KAEOI result from hundreds of hours of hard work by indie developers. As always, if you see a game here that you like, be sure to Wishlist and follow it on Steam. Not only does it help the developers get noticed in the platform’s search algorithm, but it also lets them know that people are excited about their game! Now, without further ado, let’s take a look at this round of titles.
Wildfrost
Winter is coming, but Deadpan Games’ Wildfrost lets you fight back! This roguelike deck builder challenges players to defend the last settlement in a frozen land, making a journey to defeat the Frost Guardian and end the eternal winter. Between runs, you can build and expand your town, adding a sense of growth and progression to the experience.
Fans of shows like Adventure Time will appreciate Wildfrost’s cartoony aesthetic, and the devs have promised daily challenge runs to keep players coming back after they’ve completed their quest. A demo is available to try right now, and the game is expected to launch – fittingly – this winter. Wishlist Wildfrost on Steam
Pixel Gangsters: Mafia Manager
Pixel Gangsters feels like an old-school management sim, letting players take control of a randomly-generated city through various illegal activities. Not only will you need to recruit mobsters and buy up properties, but there are rivals to neutralize, officials to bribe, and heists to plan!
Pixel Gangsters, as its name implies, uses retro graphics to make it feel even more like the PC games of yesteryear. Gamers looking for a dose of nostalgic gampelay should check this one out. The game is already playable on mobile, and is coming to Steam in the near future. Wishlist Pixel Gangsters: Mafia Manager on Steam
Munchkin Digital
Munchkin is infamous among tabletop gamers as a silly dungeon-crawling card game where backstabbing and manipulation are fully encouraged. With countless expansions and licensed versions, it’s been a staple of local game stores for almost twenty years.
The irreverent, pun-filled gameplay of Munchkin is finally coming to PCs, so you can betray your friends and steal their treasure without having to look them in the eyes, or do the same to strangers you never have to see again! If you’ve never played Munchkin, give it a try when the digital version releases this fall. Wishlist Munchkin Digital on Steam
Solium Infernum
Lots of 4X games challenge you to conquer the world. In Solium Infernum, you’ll be trying to take over Hell itself! With the disappearance of the Great Dark Majesty, the throne of the underworld is up for grabs. As a powerful archfiend, you’ll compete with your rivals to seize the crown and reign in Hell eternally.
Solium Infernum is a remake of a 2009 game, this time courtesy of League of Geeks, the developers behind the excellent digital board game Armello. Fans of the original can rest assured the property is in good hands, and newcomers can look forward to their new favorite 4X game sometime in 2023. Wishlist Solium Infernum on Steam
USC: Counterforce
Inspired by the classic board game Space Hulk, USC: Counterforce puts players in control of a squad of space commandos fighting hordes of dangerous aliens. You’ll have to contend with close quarters and destructible environments as the swarm closes in, either in single player or co-op.
USC: Counterforce features tons of options for fighting hostile life-forms, from standard melee and ranged weapons to deployable mines and turrets. Each soldier can also level up as long as they survive, unlocking new passive abilities to keep the team in one piece. USC: Counterforce can currently be played as a demo, and the main game is expected to enter early access in Q1 of 2023. Wishlist USC: Counterforce on Steam
Yield!
At first glance, Billionworlds’ debut title Yield! might look like a standard historical 4X. Look a bit deeper, though, and you’ll find a colorful, lovingly-presented game optimized for team-based multiplayer. All players on the same side of an alliance move their pieces simultaneously, and once they’re done the other team does the same. This makes coordination between teammates essential.
Yield! also has a single-player campaign full of challenge missions, centered around the wars of Anglo-Saxon England. The full game is available on mobile, and it’s expected to come to Steam soon. PC gamers can give the demo a try, and tell your friends – you’ll need them if you want to claim victory! Wishlist Yield! on Steam
Pawsecuted
Pawsecuted is an anthropomorphic survival RPG set in a Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic Australia. After escaping the brutal labor camps of the koalas, you’ll explore a procedurally-generated world, gathering supplies and recruiting followers to build up your power base.
The game has equal parts humor and danger, and survival isn’t guaranteed. Fans of crafting and survival will want to check this one out, especially if you’re looking for a game that doesn’t take itself quite so seriously as other titles in the genre. A demo is available right now, and Pawsecuted enters early access on 1 November. Wishlist Pawsecuted on Steam
WikiArena
We’ve all gone down a Wikipedia rabbit hole at one time or another. If you think you’re a true Wiki aficionado, put your skills to the test with WikiArena. Each round, you’re presented with the title and intro paragraph of two real Wikipedia articles, chosen at random. Your task is to correctly guess which one is longer or more popular.
Streamers and trivia hounds should have a blast with WikiArena, and the game provides links to each article it shows if you really want to expand your knowledge with each playthrough. The game launches on 25 October and oddly, at the time of this writing, does not have its own Wikipedia page. Wishlist WikiArena on Steam
Artis
Players looking for a JRPG without the stress of learning enormous skill trees or memorizing massive amounts of lore should try Artis. This minimalist title is a light-hearted game that believes post-apocalyptic settings don’t need to be all doom and gloom. Wander the world helping people, and use your sword to fight monsters in turn-based battles.
Players can either follow the story or seek out optional quests and bosses, or a combination of both. This indie title is currently only available as a demo; hopefully more information about the full release will become available soon. Play the Artis Demo on Steam
Tribal: Slavene Kingdoms
This hand-drawn CRPG lets players explore a world based on medieval Slavic mythology and culture. Exploration and combat take place on the same hex-based map, and each turn you’ll plan your entire party’s actions then execute them all simultaneously with your opponents’. As with any good CRPG, Tribal is full of opportunities to make friends or enemies, enact meaningful decisions, and interact with the world however you like.
Players who enjoyed the Thea games, or are just looking for a new open-world RPG, will find lots to love in Tribal. The game still seems to be a while out, and we don’t expect that it will release until 2023 at the earliest, but the devs have teased that there will be a demo coming soon! Wishlist Tribal: Slavene Kingdoms on Steam
