For the last few years I've been thinking about what I want to do with RPGWatch. The reason for this is that I have lost all stamina with respect to RPGWatch. I found and find no enjoyment in the things I do here anymore and I find it a chore to continue doing them, so I end up not doing them anymore or only partially.

The interests I have in this phase of my life, simply do not match with what RPGWatch is anymore and I like to do other things that bring me more joy and fulfilment. RPGWatch has changed over the years, but so have I.

As mentioned, this is something I am feeling for quite some time and there isn't a particular reason why I am telling you my decision now and not in a couple of months or a year, besides that I think it is about time to let you know this and not drag this on much longer.

I have decided to stop RPGWatch. The option to fund RPGwatch via Paypal has already stopped and the funding we still have is sufficient to make us go on until the end of July, which would then also be the end date.

I've started with RPGDot in 2000 and created, together with the RPGDot team, RPGWatch in 2006. I have many fond memories of those 22 years. Also a couple of bad ones, but lets not dwell on those. Once RPGWatch is gone, I'm sure there will be days in the future where I will not only miss RPGWatch, but will miss especially the RPGWatch team and the people I like and liked to interact with on our forums.

Eventhough my feelings about RPGWatch are no longer the same, I am proud of everything we did and have accomplished in the past years and I really want to thank all of you for being with us.

I'm sorry for bringing this bad news to you.

Learn more about the map and calendar of Alaloth: Champions of The Four Kingdoms:

Learn more about the events shaping the game world

Hello Champions!

Following what we said with the Spring 2022 Update and the latest post with a big summary of all the info available so far for Alaloth, we are here today to talk a bit about how the map and the calendar work in our game.

We are going to give you a taste of Plamen’s topography along a bit of gameplay-related info! As you know, there are four huge areas in Plamen [the kingdoms] with the end-game area in the middle [The Fifth Kingdom, the area where Alaloth is trapped, by lore]. It is really important to keep in mind that you can move wherever you want since the very beginning and different terrains mean different travel speed: don’t expect to cross a dwarven mountain chain as swiftly as you would with a small elven forest, and the more you get away from roads, the more trouble you shall find on your way. Monsters, wandering merchants, wandering units from other clans and houses and other champions are constantly moving on the map, so always plan your route to your destination to prevent dangerous encounters. Defeating brigands is surely a way to get some loot and some juicy bounty, yes, but without resting in some bed your wounds won’t certainly recover. You have the chance to set your camp on the way. You are constantly being notified by events happening anyway and you can access a log tracking all the key moments you should be aware of. You'll be able to use mounts and mounts will be crucial in many different ways: you can increase the size of your inventory and of course take advantages of riding many different beasts! We'll have horses of course but each race will have its own racial mount to use and specials will be unlocked with reputations and quests. Bears, wolves, battle goats but even a griffin could be an option for the best warriors! We'll go in details very soon wheh talking about vendors in one of the next updates!

The passing of time and the calendar are key elements of the gameplay too. We've built the world of Plamen with the idea of creating an ever-changing world and basically we've created different phases that are going to change things during the playthrough in many different ways. Alaloth becames stronger and stronger in each phase, mobs spawning on the map will be way more deadly and new dangers will pop-up from The Fifth Kingdom, making things very difficult. Night and day cycle is a thing: we'll have different spawns on map but even different layouts for each place you are going to visit. If you enter a city during the day, you'll have access to shops, you can enter the royal palace or meet NPC that are going to be somewhere else by night. Shops will be closed, few locations not accessible and so on. Even quests avaialble will be different of course. So don’t forget to visit cities and points of interest in different moments as there are many things happening only when the sun rises-up or goes down: you can find exotic merchants coming from other kingdoms sellinq unique items or weapons and remember that rogues and thieves feel better doing their stuff covered by the darkness...

Entering Westwall during the day...

...and by night

We have 10 months, 30 days each and while you can imagine every race has its own holidays and festivities [which will bring unique NPC appearing as the aboive mentioned merchants for example], crossing the sky is one thing that everyone shares. Moon phases are indeed important and someone says that the biggest secrets will be unveiled only at full moon [Moonstone anyone?]. A few recently asked if the time passing should have an impact on the quality of runs, because thought about being forced of playing with a timer on top of his head, withouth a way to go at his pace and enyoy so let's clarify this one more time: the phases of the world are strictly connected to Alaloth and nothing more. So, simply, the world became more dangerous in each phase. There is a difference between the single player campaign and the competitive one but it's not related to these phases but to the presence of other champions competing for the same objectives. This makes each run unique, because when you play competitive, the other champions are randomically rolled at the beginning, they are 40 and they have different behaviors. So, someone could be more aggressive, some other could be more passive and this is the way the player will be affected in terms of gameplay. To enter the end-game artifacts have to be collected. If another champion has one of the artifact, at some point you'll have to hunt him/her in order to complete the game. If you have artifacts, any of them can decide to hunt you for the same reason. The world will go on on its own in the back so it's really about the strategy adopted, the other champions and the combination of both things while playing. But again: this is only when competitive mode is selected. Even these aspects will be detailed with the next updates!

We are going to speed-up things dropping some lore related content by Friday the latest, we still have to introcude the companions, the coop, items, crafting, enchanting, skills and other cool stuff!

If you have questions about the topic, post it in the comments!

Stay tuned!

Thanks Henriquejr!

IGN checked out the Action RPG Asterigos: Curse of the Stars:

Asterigos: Curse of the Stars Gameplay Preview

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The DLC Jaws of the Lion has been released:

JAWS OF THE LION - NEW DLC AVAILABLE NOW

The first ever Gloomhaven DLC is out. Join the adventure now!

You and your group are sitting down for some cold brew in the Sleeping Lion after a hard day's mercenary work. Protecting that merchant was too troublesome... Suddenly a peculiar Orchid covered in an innumerable amount of crystals approaches and sits down at the table.

Looking from under her shadowed hood, she begins speaking.
"So you're the the mercenary group I've heard about?"
She looks around the table.
"Not that it says much coming from the people I heard it from. But I'd like to know what kind of feats you can muster."
She eyes each of you intently, measuring your value to her.
"Prove your true worth." She snaps "Accept the challenge that is coming and uncover all that lies beneath the veil..."

A chill runs down your spine at her final words, but before you can consider responding to the ludicrous comments of this crazed Orchid, she disappears in an instant. Your group stares quietly at one another, wondering what kind of wild and harrowing adventure awaits you all...

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The story of Queen's Wish 2: The Tormentor is already complete:

Greetings, backers! Just a quick update to let you know where we are with your game and rewards!

The story of the game is done! We’re only a few days from the game being actually complete. We’ll be testing and tweaking it for a couple months before release in (most likely) August. It’s great news to be this close to the end of the journey, though configuring everything for a game release is a daunting job. Lots of online stores to configure and lots of tricky problems to solve. We’re not expecting any delays, though.

We have sent out the first set of backer surveys. If your reward tier included your name in the credits or you ordered a map or certificate, you should have received an email. If you haven’t, check your spam filter. If you ordered a physical object, we need your address. If you’re in the credits, we want to make sure you’re listed the way you want to be listed.

We are getting close to being able to start beta testing for high end backers. We are also putting together a demo for Steam Next Fest in June. Showing our game to so many new people is exciting but kind of scary. We hope you like it!

That is all for May. Thank you again for your support, and we’ll have an actual playable game in your hands soon. Enjoy a brand new screenshot below.

- Jeff Vogel

Gameinformer has reviewed Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising:

Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising Review

Lots Of Chores, Little Reward

Summed up, Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a simple and straightforward action/RPG. It’s easy to get lost in its tranquil cycle of collecting stamps via fetch quests and combat. However, Rising doesn’t have much substance. The whole experience is bland and commits various RPG transgressions, which is disappointing. Especially as it’s a prequel introducing the Eiyuden world ahead of Eiyuden Chronicle: A Hundred Heroes – a spiritual successor to the Suikoden series. If this is a sign of what’s to come, I’m concerned.

Rising’s protagonist, CJ, is a young adventurer who wants to make a name for herself as a treasure hunter. She sets up in a town that attracts adventurers far and wide for its valuable nearby resources; think of the Gold Rush. During her trek, she teams up with a grumpy and feisty kangaroo appropriately named Garoo and a sharp and elegant magic user named Isha. The main story primarily serves to get you moving to your next destination, serving up a few revelations about why mysterious, dangerous threats have appeared. Overall, the narrative is very predictable and generic.  

[...]

Pretty visuals can only get you far, however, and Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising doesn’t offer enough entertaining or unique content to keep it from being anything more than a passable RPG. At the very least, it introduces the Eiyuden world and some characters involved in Hundred Heroes, but that’s very little incentive for putting up with tedious gameplay and boilerplate characters.

Score: 6.75/10

IGN checked out the Early Access version of Achilles: Legends Untold:

Achilles: Legends Untold Early Access Review

A spoiled war.

Achilles: Legends Untold puts the "early" in Early Access. Across the board, this action RPG is full of ideas that feel like they are still an epic journey away from being ready. Combat, which has Soulslike ambitions, is competent but a bit flat; the first stage of this world looks good and is full of monsters to kill but devoid of things worth exploring; and the story – beyond its interesting reframing of the death of Achilles by a well-placed arrow from Paris of Troy – is trivial and its characters are rote. And, while it should go without saying that early access games are buggy, at launch Achilles has more than its fair share, even by this standard. In its current state, there’s nothing legendary to talk about.

The imaginative addition to the myth is that after being slain, our titular demigod goes to Tartarus and meets Hades, where they agree that it would be in their mutual interest to let Achilles return to the surface so that he can take his revenge; in return, Hades gets a superhuman tool to do his bidding. Familiar characters, like King Agamemnon, meet the freshly undead Achilles and aren’t always happy to see him. It’s a good start, but the other characters and story elements introduced thus far are largely forgettable, and much of the dialogue is utterly underwhelming.

[...]

Verdict
There's no reason that, in a good amount of time, Achilles: Legends Untold couldn’t turn into an action-adventure game of mythological proportions. The fundamentals are all in place, including a decent idea for a story. But all you get when you buy into its early access version is mundane combat, an empty world, and by-the-numbers plot, all of which are a Trojan Horse for a load of bugs and glitches so heavy Atlas couldn’t lift them.

WolfheartFPS reviewed the Outward: Definitive Edition - this version has been released today:

Outward Has A Definitive Edition.. One Of My Favorite RPGs Of All Time

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Movies Games and Tech has reviewed Ruined King: A League of Legends Story:

Review: Ruined King: A League of Legends Story

For over 10 years, Riot Games had exclusively focused their developmental efforts on creating and maintaining League of Legends. This paid off massively for them as League rose to unfathomably heights, and still remains today as the most concurrently played title worldwide.

However, on League’s 10th anniversary, Riot announced that they were aiming to expand their catalogue, and were going to put the S back into Riot Games. They began with the launch of the competitive FPS Valorant, and followed up shortly thereafter with the digital collectible card game, Legends of Runeterra. They also branched out of the gaming space late last year, when they partnered with Netflix to release the hit animated series, Arcane.

In the midst of this, they also created the publishing company ‘Riot Forge’, allowing them to outsource their IPs, and collaborate with various indie studios. This is what led developers Airship Syndicate into creating the ‘Ruined King: A League of Legends Story’, and it is that which we will be discussing today.

[...]

Final Thoughts

The Ruined King is varied enough that it kept me entertained throughout the majority of my playthrough, but combat fatigue eventually left me feeling a little exhausted by the end of it. While the story is fairly simplistic, the charming characters, mixed with the sublime art style, made it a fun jaunt overall. If you are a fan of League of Legends and turn-based RPGs, then this is the game for you. Otherwise, I’d recommend waiting until this goes on sale before picking it up for yourself.

Score: 7/10

TheGamer checked out Citizen Sleeper:

Citizen Sleeper Review: Are We Human Or Are We Sleeper?

A beautifully written and thought provoking narrative RPG

It’s been a long time since I looked up from a game and found myself awake in the wee hours of the morning, on a work night no less. Instead of doing the sensible thing – closing my laptop and going to bed – however, I clicked ‘end cycle’ and spent another day on the Eye. You know the feeling: the night is dark and the dim glow of your screen lights up your face as you peer into the world of Citizen Sleeper.

It takes a special kind of game to turn me into a night gremlin. I don’t remember the last game that did. Games that keep you up all night need to be the perfect storm, everyone’s criteria for which will differ – an all-nighter feels like it speaks to you, personally. But Citizen Sleeper is a special kind of game.

[...]

I’ll close the curtain on the behind-the-scenes look at games criticism and I won’t spoil any more of Citizen Sleeper, but this review in particular was a joy to write. More specifically, Citizen Sleeper is a joy to play. The Eye is crammed with wonderful stories, and it feels like it’s truly bustling with activity – far more than any Triple-A open world populated with soulless NPCs going about their same daily routines. The simple visuals allow your mind to fill in the gaps like a good book, and it’s a testament to Jump Over the Age’s storytelling that it manages to create such a rich world. I already know that I’ll pop back to the Eye for the rest of the year, maybe longer, just to experience stories I missed, to see how different decisions play out, but mostly just to spend more time there, soaking up the atmosphere in an obsolete body as I absentmindedly peoplewatch over a steaming pot of noodles.

Score: 5/5

Take a look at this Behind The Scenes video for the action RPG Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn:

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn - BTS #2 - A Rich World

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Action RPG checked out the upcoming action RPG Dolmen:

New Action RPG Dolmen Dropping Soon!! Sci-Fi & Cosmic Horror!! Time For Elden Ring Break!?

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Euphoniac reviewed the J-RPG Shadow Fate on Steam:

Shadow Fate Review

"Shadow Fate" is one of the best JRPGs I've played in a long time. Among the ones made with RPG Maker VX Ace, it's my favorite one together with "Forever Home". If classic old-school JRPGs with turn-based combat are up your alley, you won't regret buying this massive adventure (40+ hours of playtime).

Story: Spawn, an embodiment of human sin, is summoned by the Vengeance Guild that ostensibly fights crime in the city of Atro. When Spawn learns about the Vengeance Guild leader Ysella's true goal (which is to summon Ioro, the Devourer, an entity beyond the mortal realm that prevents humans from reaching paradise), Spawn is forced to flee. Together with other party members that get involved, he must first fight to live another day, until the party is strong enough to thwart Ysella's and Ioro's ambitions. It's a well-executed save-the-world story with a few twists and many shades of gray. There are also implications about our wasteful lifestyle, and despite themes like "human sin", the game doesn't really enter the minefield of "religion territory". Furthermore, two well-executed love stories are central to the plot. To top it all off, the ending is emotional and immensely satisfying, and the many unexpected and competently foreshadowed secrets of the party members spice up things along the way. Only small demerits can be noted: A few MacGuffin hunts in the game's later half slightly impact the story flow, and the party only learns about Ysella's and Ioro's past through "flashbacks".

Characters: It's a lovable bunch. Spawn struggles with his (absence of) humanity in a way that makes him the most human of all characters. His teammates get involved involuntarily in the great quest, but they all have unique personalities and make great additions. Meet Wyatt, the caring gunman who didn't want to follow in the footsteps of his father (a famous bounty hunter); Terell, a bodyguard who struggles with heights and old age (both played for jokes); Rennie, a sassy farmer girl who gains the ability to change into different monster forms; Kye, a merchant with telekinetic powers; his sister Kendra, a psychic that loves (recorded) TV dramas and to steal shiny things; and, lastly, Sidalia, an assassin of the Vengeance Guild whose life and beliefs get turned upside down as the plot unfolds. The antagonists Ysella and Ioro are great, too, since they share a heartbreaking past.

The graphics are beautiful, a lot of resources are used to create stunning maps. In contrast to many other RPG Maker VX Ace games, "Shadow Fate" can be played in an expanded window mode.

Gameplay: The usual here: You explore dungeons and fight (mob/boss) monsters in turn-based (side-view) battles. Dungeons (like forests, plains, temples, ice, volcano, sewers) are well designed and offer lots of exploration incentives (many well hidden treasures) and a few (not really hard) puzzles. On most dungeon maps, the party members' field abilities can be utilized to obtain extra treasure, so it's a good idea to scour all maps using different party compositions (unfortunately, party members can only be switched out at inns, and you can't see a field skill map icon unless the character in question is in the active party). Spawn can use teleportation panels and cloak himself to give the party a first strike state when engaging in battle (monsters are visible/respawnable - no random encounters - and chase/ambush you when you approach them uncloaked). Wyatt can snipe a few distinct enemies to convert them into treasure chests, Terell can destroy obstacles, Rennie can reach far-away treasure chests, Kye can float nearby treasure chests and create bridges, Kendra can talk to the dead and remove spiritual obstacles, and Sidalia can charm or lure enemies for certain benefits. Fast travel is unlocked later, and a quest log details the party's objectives, which means the player doesn't have to do without modern amenities.

Battles are very complex, but a lot of fun, not only because of the great skill animations. The active party is composed of three members, and Spawn (if present) can't be switched out. Each character has a huge set of unique skills at their disposal, which means the player has always means to fight back. Spawn is a jack-of-all-trades neutral and elemental (especially shadow) damage dealer that can also be played as an evasion tank. Wyatt utilizes physical gun shots with elements attached and learns some really powerful support and damage skills later. Terell is mostly a classic tank, but can dish out a surprising amount of physical damage as well. Rennie is a party of her own, since each of her monster forms, between which you can switch freely, plays differently. Kye has a variety of unique "merchant"/"sailor" skills and is the only one who can fly and ground flying enemies. Kendra is a great healer/mage/disruptor and the only one who can steal items from enemies. Finally, Sidalia is another jack-of-all-trades, utilizing different stances related to different playstyles.

One important mechanic at play is the "EX meter" that fills by using certain skills or performing certain actions during battle. You can either wait until the "EX meter" is full to use a "super" skill, or you can use part of the meter to trigger the "EX effect" of one of your basic skills by pressing "Esc" shortly after the skill selection. Other factors to consider are the enemies' positions, the many status conditions that can be inflicted, the use of "instant" skills (that don't use up an action point), the reach of multi-target skills, and skill cooldowns and warmups. Also, some skills can only be used in the aforementioned first strike state during the first turn. Furthermore, while actions can't be freely distributed among party members (each party member has to use up their own action points, usually one per turn, but more when certain skills are used or conditions met), the order can be chosen freely (e.g. you can cure a silenced party member on the first position, enabling him/her to use a skill this turn). The battle system seems overwhelming at times, yet it's "easy to learn, but hard to master" at its best. By the way, all party members can and should be developed, not only because the final boss fights cleverly force you to use all of your party members. You're "stuck" with certain party members during particular segments, which means it's a good idea to become accustomed to their playstyles.

Adding to the complexity is a plethora of items, including specialized equipment pieces for nearly any situation, character-exclusive accessories and food items that provide decent (but mutually exclusive) buffs. Honestly, it seems a bit too much at times, and it's definitely possible to overcome all challenges by sticking to a few select equipment pieces, but I'd rather have too many than too few options. Many equipment pieces even have skills attached that can be learned by using the skill a certain number of times. Most of these skills are "mere" elemental ones, but they are great for exploiting enemies' elemental weaknesses.

Sadly, a lot of things can be permanently missed during the game's first hours, including the ability to earn certain achievements (later), so completionists should refer to the information provided on the Steam forum. In addition to offering a lot of side quests, the game "challenges" the player with different mini games, including three well designed "seahorse racing" tracks and a bowling mini-game, all of which can be completed even by players that are less proficient when it comes to action segments. While the game contained a few bugs at launch, the developer, who is very active and friendly, has fixed them astonishingly fast.

In conclusion, the game is everything I'd expect and hope to see in a modern retro-style (insert your favorite classic JRPG series). If every other game showed the amount of love and detail that has gone into "Shadow Fate", our gaming backlogs would be infinitely longer.

Cublikefoot compares the two PC releases Makai Kingdom and ZHP:

Good Games, Bad Ports? - Checking Out NIS Classics Volume 2: Makai Kingdom / ZHP

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The Gamer explains the new features of the recently re-released classic J-RPG Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Rebound:

Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed And Rebound - Guide To Every New Feature

The new Makai Kingdom trumps the old one. Learn what's up with Petta Mode and more.

[...]

What Is Reclaimed and Rebound?

Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Rebound is in some ways new, in others old, and in no ways very old. It's technically a modern port of a Japan-only PSP re-release from 2011, so folks over on that side of the pond can celebrate a smooth graphical overhaul and… not much else, really. But here in the West, that PSP content never did arrive. That means fans new and old are in for a feast by comparison.

To reiterate, then, 2005's PS2 version was, until now, the only official way for Westerns to enjoy this game. Six years later in 2011, Japanese fans were in for a treat with a neatly-enhanced PSP purchase. Along comes 2022, and the rest of us can finally play catch-up. 

[...]

Petta Mode swaps Zetta for a young woman who claims to be his daughter. But she’s not just his daughter. She’s his daughter from the future! What does it all mean? And will Zetta even care? Players can find out over the course of a full four chapters’ worth of battle maps and plenty of new cutscenes.

Davidvinc hase reviewed Rise of the Third Power:

RISE OF THE THIRD POWER: Review - Indie Trash or Treasure?!

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Mortismal Gaming has reviewed King Arthur: Knight's Tale:

 King Arthur: Knight's Tale - Review After 100%

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Thanks Redglyph!

Redglyph spotted the latest update and roadmap for Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness:

Latest Update & Future Roadmap

Here's what's on the horizon for Black Geyser

Ho there, adventurers!

In March, after a hugely positive Early Access period, we launched Black Geyser into 1.0. We were incredibly proud to have addressed many of the issues that players raised and our small team did our best to identify and fix key concerns. While the game wasn’t perfect and there remains plenty to accomplish, we’re glad to see that our continued efforts have seen our recent raft of reviews vastly improve player perceptions.

We’ve still a long way to go to get the game where we want it to be and have been working hard on not only our next update but also our future roadmap. In last week’s update, we added the Pass Time feature alongside other improvements. Where today’s update is concerned, there’s quite a lot of improvements that many of you have requested (full changelog here):

• You can now use the worldmap to travel to reachable areas without the need to visit area border
• Multiclassing is more worthwhile: previously, XP requirements of chosen classes were summed for multiclassing. These XP sums are now reduced by 20% for using two classes, and 40% for using three classes, making multiclassing more fun.
• Magical bags for additional item storage: Bottomless Bag of Bulguras and Superabundant Sack of Swinishness
• Rebalanced final battle and the ability to pre-buff before most key battles

Besides this and before the end of the month we’ll also be adding the following (with more to come):

• 37 brand-new Steam achievements
• Dozens of new banters for party members
• Finished (extended) companion quests for Bjalla, Jade and Hamlin
• Dozens of side quests fixes

As far as our mid-term plans are concerned - and some of these may arrive before the end of the month - we’re wanting to further expand on our quest journal and travel system. These changes will include:

• Quest journal mentions the quest giver name and location
• Quest journal offers a button to travel directly to quest giver (allows a single loading screen instead of multiple loading screens across outdoor and indoor areas)
• Customize the shortcut for ingame highlights (currently, it’s hardcoded to the TAB key)
• Compare a weapon item to both equipped weapon sets (three-tooltip comparison)
• Potion Case, Ingredient Pouch and Parchment Satchel item to hold potions, ingredients, scrolls and recipes

Finally, our long term plans are very much in the works and while we don’t yet have a firm date on when they'll arrive, we’ll have them to you as soon as possible.

• Finished (extended) companion quest for Arvex
• Customizable ability bar by player
• Item descriptions will list the classes that can use the item
• Pets
• Strongholds
• More spells
• More love for unarmed combat (such as items giving a bonus)
• Two-handed weapon style
• Flails
• Deluxe Edition
• Game OST as an independent asset
• Revising many fetch quests to make them more complex and interesting
• Additional, complex side quests
• Create a full party during character creation
• Savegame file compression to reduce disk space usage
• Modding support (including the possibility to lift class restrictions of races)
• Additional localizations (translations) of the game

For everyone who has joined us on this journey and continues to support Black Geyser we’re incredibly grateful and we look forward to you diving into these latest updates.

/Black Geyser Team

Wizard Worm checked out the free prologue of the Adventure RPG The Inn Between:

The Inn Between: Prologue - Afterlife Party-Based RPG (Turn-Based Combat)

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The Inn Between: Prologue is a dark and atmospheric third person RPG with turn-based combat, puzzles, and a focus on exploration. Acquire party members and make choices that shape the world around you. Discover secrets lurking behind every corner!

Avalanche Reviews presents some lesser known RPGs:

Obscure Forgotten and Underrated RPGs

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00:00 Intro 
02:42 Shining Soul
09:27 Suikoden I and II 
12:44 Suikoden IV
14:30 Suikoden V
14:50 Suikoden Tactics
16:12 Eiyuden Chronicle
17:38 Emerald Dragon
21:55 Grandia
23:44 Grandia II
25:08 Grandia Extreme
25:27 Grandia III
29:11 Wachenroder
33:14 Legend of Dragoon
39:05 Growlanser Generations
42:18 Growlanser Heritage of War 
43:18 Growlanser Wayfarer of Time 
45:19 Resonance of Fate 
50:51 Ring of Red 
01:00 Wrapping Things Up 

Wizard Worm checked out the turn-based party RPG Yaengard:

Yaengard - Is It Worth It? (Turn-Based RPG)

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Hoyoverse announced a new action RPG - Zenless Zone Zero:

Welcome to New Eridu - Where Humanity Rises Anew! Z.Z.Z Trailer

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Redglyph spotted the newest dev-blog (with pictures) for Broken Roads:

Dev Blog: Level Design With an Art Perspective

Today’s devblog is with Luke Dorman, our intrepid Level Designer and Unity integration expert. Luke’s going to walk us through Ardath, a location in Broken Roads that holds a special place in our hearts. Our very own hive of scum and villainy, Ardath is where you’ll find the very best of black market goods and the (almost) worst that humanity has to offer. Collectively, the people living here can be a bit disorganised, but they know how to throw a punch, how to take one, and best of all, they brew their own beer. Cheers, Luke!

Hello, all! I’m Luke, the Level Designer of Broken Roads, and today I’ll be going over some of the things I use from an art perspective when creating and assembling levels for Broken Roads!

We’ll be looking at some of the props and objects around the Ardath Hotel. Ardath is a small settlement filled with thugs, thieves, artists, and those who were rejected from other societies. These people are bandits, pillagers, and raiders, but they feel truly free here in Ardath.

The Ardath Hotel is of course based on the real-world equivalent in the actual location of Ardath in Western Australia. The 3D model of the building was done by Bianca Roux, and the texturing was done by Sara Laubscher, both brought the building to life while giving it that Aussie post-apoc flair!

[...]

Click4Gameplay checked out the action RPG Achilles: Legends Untold:

Is Achilles: Legends Untold Worth Playing? | C4G Preview

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SplatterCatGaming checked out Decision: Red Daze:

Decision Red Daze - Zombie Apocalypse Base Defense RPG

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The strategy-game Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia has been released for the PC:

Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia Steam trailer

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Rock Paper Shotgun checked out Songs Of Conquest:

Songs Of Conquest early access review: an already-stylish tactical RPG

Just a few days ago, the expected release of Songs Of Conquest turned into the expected release of Songs Of Conquest into early access. There are times when such a pivot might dramatically change the angle you'd need to review a game from.

This isn't really one of those times, because I think I'd be recommending Songs Of Conquest overall as it is anyway. Giving it an estimated year for Lavapotion to "figure out, together with the community, what features we should prioritize" could well push me into a wholehearted endorsement, though. 

[...]

Some unevenly mighty magic aside, Songs Of Conquest is a comfortable, satisfying tactical RPG with lots of potential for fiendish spellcasting tricks. 

Thanks Henriquejr!

A free content update for King Arthur: Knight's Tale called the Chained God will be out in June:

Free content update out in June - The Chained God

Knights!

Your journey in Avalon has just begun but things won't stop after the launch of course. Besides some hotfixes which are in the works (already released minor ones), the game will receive its first big patch in a form of a free content update in June.

The Chained God

We're happy to announce "The Chained God", the first free seasonal content update for King Arthur: Knight's Tale, coming in June for all players.

In "The Chained God" players will take up the role and will be able to play as the mighty Fomorians, the brutal and terrifying giants of Avalon - the main enemy faction of the Knights of the Round Table. The update features a brand new chain of short story missions, focused on these mystical creatures, introducing new gameplay, new items and expanding the lore.

"The Chained God" is the first of many free content updates coming to Knight's Tale.
Besides these, other, longer form content is also in the works, however, details about these will be revealed later.

Accolades Trailer

We assembled a short Accolades Trailer, so you can check below what critics are saying about King Arthur: Knight's Tale.

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To Avalon!

Thanks Redglyph!

Bethesda announced on twitter that the launch of the games Starfield and Redfall are delayed to the first half of 2023.

Thanks Redglyph!

Thumb Culture has reviewed King Arthur: Knight's Tale:

King Arthur: Knight’s Tale Review

King Arthur: Knight’s Tale is now out of Early Access and available on Steam. Developed and published by NeocoreGames (Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing, Warhammer 40k: Inquisitor), it is a turn-based tactical game blended with character-centric RPG gameplay. Read on to learn more about this latest game from a veteran studio.
Life After Death in Camelot is Darker than Expected

Something about Medieval times has always had my interest. I’m not a hardcore historian of the times, I just have always found it fascinating how the world once was. But alongside the history books are the books of mythology. Some clearly with many elaborations but others are a bit closer to fact than to fiction. King Arthur: Knight’s Tale puts a new twist on what I would consider one of the better-known tales of the time. Has there ever been a time you’ve run across a new perspective or take on something you hadn’t thought of before? ‘Cause this one is pretty dang cool if I do say so.

[...]

Final Thoughts

King Arthur: Knight’s Tale is another great game by NeocoreGames. Even if you aren’t a fan of turn-based strategy games I would really encourage you to check it out. The setting, gameplay and storytelling are top-notch. This game definitely deserves the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.

TCGS reviewed the Sci-Fi RPG Citizen Sleeper:

Citizen Sleeper Review - Incredible Sci-Fi Roleplaying In The Ruins Of Interplanetary Capitalism

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Citizen Sleeper - Roleplaying in the ruins of interplanetary capitalism. Live the life of an escaped worker, washed-up on a lawless station at the edge of an interstellar society. Inspired by the flexibility and freedom of TTRPGs, explore the station, choose your friends, escape your past and change your future.

From the developer of In Other Waters, and featuring the stunning character art of Guillaume Singelin, Citizen Sleeper is a narrative RPG set on Erlin’s Eye, a ruined space station that is home to thousands of people trying to survive on the edges of an interstellar capitalist society.

OhNoItsAlexx checked  out the action RPG Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising:

Eiyuden Chronicle PC PORT Review. Square Enix Take NOTES! A JRPG That ACTUALLY WORKS ON PC?

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Wizard Worm checked out the Strategy RPG Songs of Conquest:

Songs of Conquest Review - Better than HoMM? (Turn-Based Strategy)

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PC Gamer likes Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters, too:

Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters review

Deal with cosmic plagues and a quarrelsome crew.

Grand Master Kai looms over my crew via hologram like an enraged Greek cybergod. It's our bimonthly report and he's not happy. Our onboard Inquisitor's desire to procure knowledge about the Nurgle plague has inadvertently accelerated its spread, and he wants to know who's responsible. Do I cover up for Inquisitor Vakir and piss off Brother Ectar, revered captain of the Grey Knights Space Marine Chapter, or do I throw the brash Inquisitor under the bus? Whatever I do, someone will be unhappy, and that will have knock-on effects.

I go for the third option: tell the Grand Master that the mission is going exactly as planned. He buys it, and seeing as we're doing so well in our campaign (which we're really not) he diverts our requisitions and armoury access to some other chapter that needs them more. My reluctance to attribute blame has meant I've stayed onside with my crewmates, but have also ensured that the next two months of our campaign are going to be particularly gruelling.

[...]

A layered and engaging space opera that triumphs both on and off the battlefield.

Score: 87/100

Thanks Henriquejr!

The Kiseki Nut checked out The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki - the first part of the Calvard arc:

Why You Should Be EXCITED For Kuro No Kiseki

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Why You Should Be EXCITED For Kuro No Kiseki

0:00 - Intro
1:24 - How I Played Kuro
2:08 - Can you start the Trails Series with Kuro?
3:14 - The Location
3:45 - Falcom's New Engine
5:34 - Combat
7:56 - Customisation
8:30 - OST
9:15 - Characters
11:50 - Connect Events
13:02 - Alignment System
13:40 - Narrative and Conclusion

It's no secret that I've moved away from Trails specific content in the past few months, but that's not due to a loss of love with the Series. And with Kuro no Kiseki releasing late last year, I was finally able to give it a go thanks to the generous and talented blokes over at the Zerofield team.

Kuro no Kiseki is the first game of the long awaiting Calvard arc, and is the 11th title in the mainline Series. It also acts as a soft reboot for the Trails Series in many ways, overhauling combat, utilising a new engine and introducing a new land.

So if you're trying to figure out if Kuro no Kiseki might be a good game to start in the Trails Series, if you're looking for which game to start with in the Trails Series or if you just want to know what Kuro no Kiseki is all about, then hopefully this video will give you what you need.