“It ain’t been easy”
While Sananda Maitreya is singing and telling me that “It ain’t been easy” (watch out for “The Fallen Angel Tour 2019 – Live From The Ruins!”, one of the best album of 2019!), I’m thinking about how many turn-based games are awaiting us during February. Most of them are not so well-known, but it doesn’t necessary means they cannot be interesting.
For sure in February there will be two important Early Access releases, one is Urtuk and the other one is Stoneshard. The first one is a tactical turn-based RPG with open-world features, set in a dark fantasy universe. About Stoneshard we wrote a lot in the past and in my humble opinion it will be one of the most outstanding Open World RPG of this year.
For games who goes in E.A. other ones leaves this shores, like Conglomerate 451, a grid-based dungeon crawler set in a cool cyberpunk world!
Other than that February will also bring us a couple of interesting oriental games finally translated in English (we’re talking about Banner of the maid and Labyrinth of the Witch) and a lot of other indie games of which I’ve never heard about…
At the end of the month there will be also a big surprise for the older gamers like me: after 30 years Wasteland is coming back in the form of a remaster!
That being said let’s go and see what is waiting us just around the corner.
THE DARK CRYSTAL: AGE OF RESISTANCE TACTICS – 4th Feb
In The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics, you will lead a fledgling resistance of Gelfling against their oppressive overlords, the Skeksis, across more than 50 unique turn-based tactics RPG battles. Along the way, you will recruit and customize new allies by assigning them jobs, modifying their abilities, and outfitting them with equipment to ensure victory.
With 14 playable characters, including familiar faces from the classic film and the new Netflix original series, build your own teams and devise winning strategies to overthrow the rule of the Skeksis and restore light to the Gelfling homeworld of Thra!
Very soon on Steam!
SOUL REAPER (E.A.) – 4th Feb
Reap souls by besting your foes in turn-based combat, then summon them to fight by your side! Arrange souls on a 3×3 grid for battle, or attach them to loot pieces to amplify their effects! Travel through The Vault in search for rare treasure, and slay the impostors claiming to be the Soul Reaper!
On Steam!
ELEMENTAL ABYSS (E.A.) – 5th Feb
Never heard of it before, but this game has a lovely graphic style and, from the video, it seems that even the gameplay is quite original!
It mixes turn-based mechanics with card elements (is there still a game without them???). In the game you’ll need to control the power of three elements to keep exploring the monster den, named “Elemental Abyss”.
The developers assure that Elemental Abyss will not be the classic card based roguelike we are familiar with and I think we can trust them!
ROGUELITE 2 – 6th Feb
Roguelite 2 combines roguelike dungeon crawling with turn-based jRPG gameplay. Features a 50-floor randomly generated dungeon, hundreds of treasures to discover, more than 10 playable classes and a quest system.
Among the various features we can find:
- A randomly generated 50-floor dungeon with 15 environments and challenging bosses to conquer
- Form a 4-person party with 6 playable classes plus 8 more classes to unlock
- Random events and weather patterns can cause double monster spawns–or double the treasure!
- Over 30 quests to complete to unlock additional classes, gold and starting items
- Multiple difficulties for beginners and jRPG veterans
STONESHARD (E.A.) – 6th Feb
I know I’m supposed to be impartial but I can’t help loving this game.
We covered the game on many occasions (here you can find an overview and an interview), but for the few who don’t know what is Stoneshard, we’re talking about an open world turn-based RPG with roguelike and survival mechanics.
If you want to try the game, before buying it, you can download the prologue for free here.
WARGROOVE: DOUBLE TROUBLE – 6th Feb
This is the new free DLC for the hit Wargroove!
Double Trouble adds a brand new co-op enabled campaign story which introduces Outlaw Commanders; the mighty Wulfar, troublemaker twins Errol and Orla, as well as the maleficent Vesper.
You can get it here!
LABYRINTH OF THE WITCH – 13th Feb
This one is described by the developers like a simple Roguelike/dungeon exploration RPG “that anyone can play”. We can just hope that “easy-to-play” doesn’t mean in this case “boring game”!
As usual on Steam!
BANNER OF THE MAID – 14th Feb
Banner of the Maid is a mix of turn-based strategy and JRPG. The lore of the game is rather engrossing because it is set in an alternate French Revolution with fantasy elements and follows the story of a young officer named Pauline Bonaparte!
Banner of the Maid has been already released in China, where it has been a bestseller, and finally is coming to the Western markets.
For more information you can click here.
URTUK: THE DESOLATION (E.A.) – 14th Feb
Urtuk is an open world, tactical turn-based RPG in a low-fantasy setting. Guide your band of adventurers through the ruins of an ancient world. Recruit new followers, loot the corpses of your fallen foes, and do your best to survive in this harsh and unforgiving realm.
Key features:
- Survival RPG with focus on combat and open-world exploration in a dark fantasy setting
- Turn-based, tactically rich combat on large maps, with multiple environmental factors and a carefully crafted class/skill system
- Procedurally generated survival campaign
- Extract character upgrades directly from your fallen enemies
- All graphical assets are hand drawn, from characters, monsters and objects, to the world map and battlefields
Here you can find our overview. Very soon on Steam!
PHAGEBORN (E.A.) – 14th Feb
I can’t say much about it, because I’m totally inept at card based games!
The developers described it as “An immersive online card game which combines rich and engaging storytelling with deep and strategic gameplay. Build powerful decks in synergy with the Avatar of your choice, obliterate your enemies and decide the fate of the universe!”
We will see. Obviously on Steam.
CONGLOMERATE 451 – 20th Feb
Conglomerate 451 is an old school grid-based Dungeon Crawler with a modern twist and a very intriguing sci-fi setting! After many months of E.A. and many positive feedbacks the game finally arrive at the end of road.
Key features:
- Manage your resources – Make use of your own personal R&D department to research advanced technology, unlocking new features, powers and options for progression
- More than just body mods – In addition to upgrading weapon and armor proficiencies, augment your body with interchangeable cyber implants that completely change your agent’s skills and utility
- Pain and Trauma system – Even the smallest wounds can have a lasting impact. By taking damage in combat, agents risk generating permanent Traumas that will follow them between missions
- Story or Endless Mode – It’s your choice. The Story Mode brings you in a world filled by events and a war with corrupted Corporations and their propaganda. In the Endless Mode, the game will create endless content for you
- Perks and Mutations – Your agents can acquire special skills (Perks) and obtain Mutations
- Drugs and Disorders – buy synthetic drugs to temporarily empower your agents, with the risk that they develop Mental Disorders
- Procedural cyber dungeons – Experience the dungeon crawling you love, mixed with future technology as you take on procedurally-generated dungeons and missions
- If you die in the game… – Each mission could be your last thanks to agent permadeath. Consider every move, because if an agent dies in battle, they will be lost forever
- Hack the world – Enter cyberspace mid-mission and hack your way ahead of the competition to get crucial intel and give yourself the advantage
Very soon on Steam!
Globlin Times (E.A.) – 20th Feb
Finally a game where “goblins” are the protagonists!
Here those nasty humanoids are the absolute dominators. They have their own ways of living. Money and power is what makes this world go around and also every goblin’s ultimate pursuit. Some goblins who are good at making money become leaders of the pack.
Set in an unusual steampunk world “Goblin Times” will arrive on 20th February on Steam!
WASTELAND REMASTERED – 25th Feb
Wasteland Remastered is an overhaul of the 1988 title that brought the post-apocalypse to video games. The Remastered title brings new graphics, audio, music, and digitizes the physical paragraphs book from the original with brand new artwork.
Personally I haven’t ever played the original version of the game (but I finished Wasteland 2!) and I think this will be the perfect occasion to try the precursor of Fallout and of any other post-apocalyptic game.
The RPG classic rises from the nuclear ashes on February 25 on Steam and GOG.
MAINFRAME DEFENDERS – 26th Feb
Mainframe Defenders is a turn-based tactics centered around gear and unit customization. It offers simple combat, high replayability, and tons of loot. Items don’t just provide stats boost, but also offer distinct mechanics that can be combined into powerful builds.
It features:
* RETRO STYLE: Graphics, inspired by 80s terminal PC with hybrid synthwave soundtrack.
* DIVERSE TACTICS: Cook enemy robots to death, bury them under your bullets, eliminate with a single powerful shot, or render your opponents useless with debuffs – this game is designed with a lot of viable strategies in mind.
* BUILD YOUR SQUAD: Similar to how in card games you have to build your deck, in MAINFRAME DEFENDERS you have to combine different items with unique abilities, to create an unstoppable squad. Work with item drawbacks or double down on them, creating flawed, yet powerful build!
* UNIQUE ENEMIES: Enemy squad won’t sit idle, though. Each unit has its own role in the squad and designed to counter certain strategies. Pick your targets wisely, or you will lose.
* PROCEDURAL LEVELS: Hand-made rooms are combined with procedural generation to create random levels. Missions have differing objectives, combined with unique mission conditions. Will you accept the challenge or avoid the unknown and risk to fall behind?
* PROGRESSION SYSTEM: Victory or defeat, the game is not over yet! Unlock new units, each with a unique set of upgrades and loadouts. Unlock new items to bolster your new strategies.
If you want you can try the demo right now!
4TH GENERATION WARFARE (E.A.) – Feb
Fourth-Generation Warfare simulates warfare in the 21st century, which, in addition to the direct opposition of military forces, now includes espionage, international politics, cyberwarfare, media manipulation, and trade wars.
As the leader of a nation, dispatch and control your team of characters all around the world to destabilize your enemies and establish your supremacy.
All methods are fair game: hacking, sabotage, political interference, military strikes, corruption, treachery, assassinations, energy domination, data theft…
4GW turn-based game combines a strategy game with a role playing game.
Sometimes during February on Steam!
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