Here we are with another issue of this fantastic newsletter. I am getting more and more passionate about this media, I like how 'slow' it is. Slow in the good sense of the word, meaning to appreciate its content calmly, to be able to read it at our leisure, when we want to, without having to finish it in one session. I know your phones are full of apps but I highly recommend downloading Substack, it's a hotbed of interesting newsletters, stories, role-plays, and in-depth articles.

Now to us!

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I have to be honest, I am a bit creatively drained this week. I can't find a thread to tie the topics of this issue together, in fact, I can't think of any topics to talk about at all.

I still have a couple of suggestions left over from the last issue, concerning the last Steam Next Fest, let's start with those.

Sons of Valhalla

As a fan of the Kingdom series, I could not resist trying Sons of Valhalla. The developers are not the same but it is a derivative game from Kingdom. 2D side-scrolling, very similar pixel art and the same type of gameplay but with some differences and modifications that still make it a different game and worth playing.

Sons of Valhalla is a combat and base-building game set in the Viking Age. Build fortresses and lay siege to enemy strongholds, gather warriors and board longboats, and engage in personal combat as you raid and conquer across England.

It's the classic game that pulls you in and when you come off you realise it's two o'clock in the morning and you've played for five hours straight. Highly recommended!

Phantom Brigade

Oh boy, this is potentially one of my GotYs. I discovered it through the Three Move Ahead Podcast (HERE) and didn't know it had already come out on EGS. I immediately took advantage of the Steam event to try it out and it was instant love. Yeah, but what is it? It's a strategy game starring mech.

The twist is that the gameplay is a hybrid of a real-time and turn-based RPG. There is this combat system based on a timeline that you can navigate freely and that allows you to see the enemy's future moves. Using this technique, we can decide how and when to activate our mechs, how to make them move, what actions they should perform, and once we are satisfied with the implemented strategy, press the 'end turn' button and see the outcome of our (and their) actions live.

Easier to prove than to explain. There is also an incredible amount of customisation of our mechs and a story that seems very well written. You can wishlist here!

Lakeburg Legacies

Last but not least, Lakeburg Legacies is a cute village management game but based on social interactions. Play matchmaker to create the most effective, and most loved-up, couples and help your kingdom thrive.

The style is wonderful and the game flows very well. Of course, being a demo I couldn't assess the pace once we reached challenging levels in terms of the number of couples and the inhabitants of our village, but the premise looks great. A title definitely to keep an eye on for lovers of management games.

News time.

Jeff Minter, the genius behind games like Tempest 2000, Centipede and a lot more talks about making a cover that is respectful of the original but up-to-date and modern.
Today is the day of Returnal on PC and PCGamer release their review too. (spoiler: not so good)
On RPS, Hayden Hefford talks about Inkfell, a tactical RPG with a great soundtrack!

Upcoming games.

Pharaoh: A New Era - The legendary city-builder returns.

Plan B: Terraform - Build trucks, trains and sprawling factories on an enormous hexagonal planet.

Elderand - Only the strong will conquer this gruesome action platformer with RPG elements

Birth - Birth is an adventure puzzle game about constructing a creature from spare bones & organs found around the city in order to quell your loneliness

SpaceBourne 2 - Embark on a journey to greatness. Get ready for adrenaline-fueled battles and a chance to claim your place in the galaxy

My Dream Setup - My Dream Setup is a simulation game about building the room you've always dreamed of.

Akka Arrh - Akka Arrh is a modern take on a scrapped project from the 1980s, providing players with a fast-paced, addictive, arcade shooter experience and psychedelic visuals.

Redemption Reapers - Descending suddenly on the world, the macabre Mort armies destroy nation after nation, leaving humanity decimated in their wake

That's all for today, see you next week and share the love!

Lukather's Trove 🕹

More indiegames from Steam Next Fest