The first games offered this month include Banners of Ruin, Brothers: A Tale of two Sons, Desert Child, Quake, Doors: Paradox, Rose Riddle 2: Werewolf Shadow, Spinch, and The Amazing American Circus.

Later this month on December 27 you can get Dishonored 2, Metal Slug, Metal Slug X, and Metal Slug 3, The King of Fighters 2003, as well as The Last Blade and The Last Blade 2.

The Prime Gaming giveaways also include in-game content for games such as Angry Birds: Friends, Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Vanguard-Warzone, Dead by Daylight, Destiny 2, Fall Guys, FIFA 23, Grand Theft Auto Online, Guild Wars 2, Iron Man, Illustrious, League of Legends, Legends of Runeterra, and Realm Royale.

Among the more popular games offered for free are Dishonored 2 (2016) from Arkane Studios, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, (2013) from Starbreeze Studios, and id Software’s classic game Quake. Here are most of the games offered this month.

Starting Dec. 1

• Banners of Ruin
• Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
• Desert Child
• Doors: Paradox
• Quake
• Rose Riddle 2: Werewolf Shadow
• Spinch
• The Amazing American Circus

Starting Dec. 27 – Jan. 3

• Dishonored 2
• Metal Slug
• Metal Slug X
• Metal Slug 3
• Real Bout Fatal Fury
• SNK 40th Anniversary Collection
• The King of Fighters 2003
• The Last Blade
• The Last Blade 2
• Twinkle Star Sprites

If you’re not a Prime member sign up here to grab some free games!

That was 20 years ago. As games evolve so do the processing demands that go with higher resolution, levels of interaction, and increased framerates. It’s suggested to play Halo Infinite on a Series X, Series S or older Xbox One if you can. But if you’re a PC gamer, not any old Windows box will do.

We’ve outlined the minimum and recommended specs found in the 343 Industries graphic below. Of course, you can always shoot for the stars and go for the “Ultra” setup to maximize the experience. The more powerful your system the better the framerate and response.

Halo Infinite PC Requirements

Minimum Requirements (or greater):

• OS: Windows 10 RS5 x64 (Oct. 2018 update)
• CPU: AMD 5 1600 or Intel i5-4440
• GPU: AMD RX 570 or NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti
• VRAM: 4GB+
• RAM: 8GB+
• Storage: 50GB (30GB for just multiplayer)

Recommended (or greater):

• OS: Windows 10 19H2 x64 (Nov. 2019 update)
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel i7-9700K
• GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT or NVIDIA RTX 2070
• VRAM: 8GB+
• RAM: 16GB+
• Storage: 50GB+ (30GB for just multiplayer)

Original publish date 11/16/2021

Titles now available include:

• The entire Max Payne series and the F.E.A.R. franchise are now playable on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles for the very first time.  
• The entire Skate franchise is now complete with the addition of Skate 2 and playable on both Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles.  
• We also heard the desire for more original Xbox titles to be added to the catalog. We are pleased to announce we were able to bring more than 20+ original Xbox titles to an entire new generation of gamers, including Dead or Alive Ultimate, Star Wars: Jedi Knight II, Star Wars: Starfighter, and Otogi franchises.

Click on the graphic below to see the full list.   

Source: Xbox

Community manager Tosch wrote: “We are aware of a possible duplication exploit that has been circulating the forums and social media. We are disabling all forms of wealth transfer between players (ie. sending currency, guild treasury, trading post, player to player trading) while we investigate. Any player that has engaged in the use of this exploit will be actioned against.”

He then followed with, “Once the duplication exploit has been investigated and we are ready to turn on wealth transfer again, we will update this post.”

Would you take advantage of a glitch in gaming software that allowed you to make some free money?

Games getting ultra-high 120fps include Battlefield (1, 4 & V), Titanfall (1 & 2), STAR WARS Battlefront (I & II), Unravel Two, Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare (1 & 2), and Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville.

“Higher, steadier framerates make games visually smoother, resulting in more immersive gameplay,” said Microsoft in a release.

The higher frame rate feature also means 60fps for games such as Fallout 4, Fallout 76, Prey, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, to name a few.

However, higher frame rates may require a reduction of video resolution. So, by default FPS Boost is turned off. Look at the settings Manage Game and add-ons > Compatibility options > FPS Boost to enable and disable.

On May 3, Xbox added 74 more games to the list getting FPS Boost (either 60fps or 120fps) including Assassin’s Creed titles, Deus Ex Mankind Divided, and Mad Max to name a few. That brings the total number up to 97. See the list of FPS Boost games available with Xbox Series X and Series S consoles on Microsoft’s blog.

How do you ensure higher frame rates? Here’s a tip from Microsoft: “To experience FPS Boost and to be able to toggle the feature on and off, make sure your console has taken the latest update and you’ve rebooted your console.”

According to a Tweet earlier this month, “after considering various factors like changes in the industry, we’ve decided to shift more focus into physical media with movies, streaming On Demand & new exclusive content moving forward.”

After considering various factors like changes in the industry, we’ve decided to shift more focus into physical media with movies, streaming On Demand & new exclusive content moving forward.

— Redbox Care (@redboxcare) December 8, 2019

After entering zip codes we found deals like Death Stranding (Xbox One, PS4), Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Xbox One, PS4), and WWE 2K20 (Xbox One, PS4) for $24.99 each, Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville (Xbox One, PS4) for $14.99, and Team Sonic Racing (Nintendo Switch) for $14.99.

To take a look at what Redbox has in your area head over to their website, find a title you’re interested in, and enter your zipcode to locate a box.

Premiering with iOS 13, Apple Arcade will be located in the Arcade tab of the App Store and will launch with at least 100 games to choose from.

In addition, Apple Arcade will be available on September 30 on the upcoming iPadOS platform and tvOS 13 upgrade, followed by macOS Catalina in October.

Some of the games Apple demonstrated were Konami’s Frogger in Toy Town, Capcom’s Shinsekai: Into the Depths, and Anna Purina’s Sayonara Wildhearts. According to Apple, all games will be playable offline.

“We are so excited to launch Apple Arcade on the App Store. A curated selection of over 100 new and exclusive games from many of the most innovative game developers in the world is the perfect complement to the App Store’s existing massive catalog of games,” said Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior VP of Worldwide Marketing.

Other titles boasted on Apple’s website include Where Cards Fall (Snowman, The Game Band), The Pathless (Annapurna Interactive, Giant Squid), LEGO Brawls (LEGO, RED Games), Hot Lava (Klei Entertainment), Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm (Cornfox & Bros.), and Beyond a Steel Sky (Revolution Software).

Some games even extend beyond the Apple devices for “maximum flexibility when playing.” According to Apple, “some games will support controllers, including Xbox Wireless Controllers with Bluetooth, PlayStation DualShock 4 and MFi game controllers, in addition to touch controls and Siri Remote.”

Apple says Arcade will be available to play in 150 countries worldwide upon launch.

For PS4:

Days Gone
WWE 2K20
The Last of Us Remastered Hits
Minecraft
Madden NFL 20
Resident Evil 2
God of War
Devil May Cry 5
NHL 19
World War Z

For Xbox One

The LEGO Movie 2
Skyrim Special Edition
MotoGP 19
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
No Man’s Sky
LEGO The Incredibles
Subnautica
WWE 2K19

There are plenty more PS4 and Xbox One games listed. Here is a link to the Amazon promotion.

Amazon is offering discounts on select Nintendo Switch consoles and offering a bonus $35 Digital eShop Gift Card with the purchase. They are also reducing the price of Nintendo Joy-Con (L/R) controllers by 25%.

This headphone/mic set is a must for gamers, and on Prime Day Amazing is offering up to 50% savings on Astro A40 TR headsets. Want to get into VR? Amazon is dropping the price of the Oculus Go 32GB by up to $40.

For consoles, you can save $112 on the Xbox One S Two Controller Bundle (1TB), $137 on the Xbox One X 1TB Console with 4k streaming and built-in Ultra HD Blu-ray player, or 24% on the Xbox One S PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS Bundle.

And, if you’ve been waiting to upgrade your old PS3 or want to get a PlayStation for the first time, you can find up to 33% savings on the Sony PS4 Pro Console bundle, and 45% on the Marvel’s Spider-Man PS4 1TB Bundle with DualShock-4 Wireless Controller

Prime Day Video Game Deals

• Save on select Nintendo Switch + $35 Digital eShop Gift Card
• Save 25% on Nintendo Joy-Con (L/R)
• Save up to 50% on Astro A40 TR headset
• Save up to $40 on Oculus Go 32GB
• Save up to 33% on Sony PS4 Pro Console bundle
• 45% off Marvel’s Spider-Man PS4 1TB Bundle w/DualShock-4 Wireless Controller
• Save $112 on the Xbox One S Two Controller Bundle (1TB)
• Save $137 on Xbox One X 1TB Console with 4k streaming/Ultra HD Blu-ray player.
• Save 24% on the Xbox One S PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS Bundle

Check out more video gaming deals on Amazon during Prime Day.

For one, the Lite won’t be able to connect to TVs via USB-C or HDMI. While some may not see this as a problem, others may miss the value in using the Nintendo Switch as a traditional gaming console connected to a big screen. In fact, Nintendo describes the device as “dedicated to handheld play.”

However, local wireless connections will still allow the linking up to eight Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite systems together to play multiplayer games. And, online play with others will still be offered with a Nintendo Switch Online membership.

Another feature you might miss is the lack of detachable Joy-Con controllers, which, in addition to being stationary will not support rumble or IR motion sensors.

The other downside is the Switch Lite reduces the display size down to 5.5-inch from the 6.2-inch screen we are used to. While the difference doesn’t seem like much on paper, it’s a mile when talking mobile devices of this size.

For game compatibility, the Switch Lite will play any Nintendo Switch games that work in handheld mode.

The Switch Lite adds battery power (3 – 7 hours, improved slightly from 2.5 – 6.5 hours), weighs less (.61 lbs vs. .88 lbs), and is of course smaller (8.2” x 8.2” vs. 4” x 9.4”. The depth (or thickness) of the Lite stays the same at .55″.

Other features still available include the headhphone jack (although Bluetooth hasn’t been added yet). And, the Lite adds a traditional D-pad replacing the buttons used for the Joy-Cons on the standard Switch model.

The Nintendo Switch Lite launches on Sept. 20 and will be available in grey, yellow, and turquoise. A Pokemon Limited Edition will also be available.

PS4 users can find The Division 2 on the PlayStation Network, while Xbox One users can find it at the Xbox Store. An Xbox Live Gold membership is required to play online.

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 was developed by Massive Entertainment and set in Washington, D.C. following a smallpox pandemic. The game was released on March 15, 2019 for Windows PCs, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Google Stadia.

Specific server start/end times are posted below.

PC/Uplay
Server opens 06/13 at 07:00 UTC
Server closes 06/17 at 07:00 UTC

PS4
Server opens 06/13 at 7:01 UTC
Server closes 06/17 at 6:59 UTC

XBOX
Server opens 06/13 at 7:01 UTC
Server closes 06/17 at 6:59 UTC

Check out the free gameplay offer over at Ubisoft.

During E3 2019 in Los Angeles, Epic Games announced their free game per week offer would be extended through the end of the year. This isn’t limited freeplay either. According to Epic “once you pick up a free game from the Epic Games store, it’s yours to keep.”

Right now, Kingdom: New Lands (pictured above) is free until June 13, followed by Enter the Gungeon which will be free from June 13 to June 20.

The Epic Mega Sale at the Epic Games Store is offering up to 75% off and $10 off every game $14.99 or higher upon checkout.

Games coming soon to the Epic Games store include titles like Chivalry 2, Cyberpunk 2077, Griftlands and RUNE II (see a full list below of titles mentioned by Epic Games at E3).

Epic Games Store Titles Coming Soon

• Atomicrops
• Auto Chess
• Chivalry 2
• Cyberpunk 2077
• Griftlands
• The Pathless
• Phantom Brigade
• RUNE II
• Shenmue 3
• The Sojourn
• Twin Mirror
• Solar Ash Kingdom
• Untitled Goose Game
• WHAT THE GOLF?
• Zombie Army 4: Dead War

Of course, the free base game does not include any expansions or game packs like the popular City Living, Parenthood, and Cats and Dogs. The Sims 4 is also part of EA’s Origin Access subscription program that provides early access to new games and expansions.

Fans of The Sims‘ previous releases may opt to purchase the Digital Deluxe edition for $49.99 that includes The Sims 4 Up All Night Digital Content, The Sims 4 Life of the Party Digital Content, The Sims 4 Awesome Animal Hats Digital Content, and The Sims 4 Digital Soundtrack.

The Sims 4 requires a 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, AMD Athlon 64 Dual-Core 4000+ or equivalent processor with at least 2GB RAM/14GB storage and another 1GB for custom content and saved games. However, for optimal playing Origin suggests 4GB RAM/18GB storage along with an Intel core i5, AMD Athlon X4 processor and NVIDIA GTX 650 or better video card.

Required Windows operating systems include Windows XP (SP3), Windows Vista (SP2), Windows 7 (SP1), Windows 8, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10, but 64 Bit Windows 7, 8, 8.1, or 10 is recommended.

On Mac, users need to running OSX 10.7.5 (Lion) but 10.9 or later is recommended.

On Apple hardware, the Steam Link app is supported on any iPhone or iPad running iOS 11.0 or higher and on Apple TV running tvOS 11.0 or higher.

The release of the app comes about a year after it was originally rejected from the Apple App Store due to “business conflicts.”

To use the app and play games from your library on an Apple device you just have to pair an MFI or Steam controller to the Apple device and connect to a computer (Windows, Mac, or Linux) running Steam on the same local network.

Valve says for best performance:

* Connect your computer using Ethernet to your 5Ghz WiFi router

* Connect your iOS device to the 5GHz band of your WiFi network

* Keep your iOS device within a reasonable range of your router

The Steam Link app uses the Steam Remote Play technology that’s utilized in the Steam Link hardware. H.264 video is encoded in real-time and sent over a custom low-latency network protocol. On a 5GHz network, the Steam Link app targets a resolution of 1080p at 60 frames-per-second.

The Steam Link app also supports the Steam Controller and other input devices using Bluetooth.

On Android devices the app is still in beta so Valve can “do more exhaustive testing.” It’s worth noting however, that while you can purchase games on Android devices you are not able to on iOS or tvOS.

The Xbox One S 1TB All-Digital edition ($249) is $42 more than the same model with an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc drive ($207.75).

Both versions are 1TB, white, include a white Xbox One wireless controller,  offer a 1-Month Xbox Live Gold subscription tryout, are sold and shipped by WorldWide Distributors through Walmart, and qualify for free 2-day shipping.

The All-Digital model, however, comes with three free digital games including Minecraft, Forza Horizon 3, and Sea of Thieves (although, Sea of Thieves requires an Xbox Live Gold subscription to play).

Which model would you purchase? Considering the Xbox One S with 4k Blu-ray player can also be used as an All-Digital console wouldn’t you just pick up the cheaper edition? Or, is $42 worth it for those three games?

But even if you own a 4k HDR TV have you set it up to display HDR (High Dynamic Range) video?

Here in the US, HDR comes in a couple of different flavors, the most popular being HDR10 and Dolby Vision. HDR10+, by the way, is an upgrade to HDR10 that makes it even better. The spec was developed by Samsung and is open source, while Dolby Vision is proprietary. That means any TV, playback device, or media source that uses Dolby Vision needs to pay a license fee.

To make sure you are seeing HDR on your Xbox One X or Xbox One S the first thing you should do is go to your TV settings. Look for settings under HDR, High Dynamic Range, Ultra HD, Premium Ultra HD or a similar setting that will enable HDR. By default, it should be enabled. But who knows?

Second, go the System > Settings on your Xbox. Select Display & sound > Video output > Video modes and check the box that says Allow 4K, Allow HDR, and/or Allow Dolby Vision.

The mini console comes with two controllers and was originally priced $100 but has since dropped to $60 (also presently on sale for $39.99). You can play games like Final Fantasy VII, Ridge Racer Type 4, and Grand Theft Auto among the  20pre-loaded titles.

The PlayStation 4 Pro model, on the other hand, still costs $399 (in Jet Black finish) and includes a DUALSHOCK 4 wireless controller, headset, and other basic accessories. The console is capable of 4k (2160p) output, HDR (High Dynamic Range) color, and comes with 1TB storage.

To see the free PlayStation Classic just add a PS4 to your cart. You will automatically see the mini console in the cart overview listed as a free item with $59.99 value.

The deal only works for a full price PS4 Pro. We tried adding a refurbished PS4 and the regular non-pro model but the PS Classic was not included as a free item.

Pictured above: Masters of Anima

I’m back with another batch of new releases on Steam that you might have missed. This is not a recommendations list, just a highlight of some titles that stood out among Steam’s weekly releases. Be sure to check out reviews and videos to find more information on each game.  

Super Daryl Deluxe

PC, PS4, Switch

Dan & Gary Games

$19.99

Super Daryl Deluxe is a quirky 2D “RPGvania” brawler that was Kickstarted back in 2014 for a modest $7,861 by 73 backers. You play as Daryl, a friendless loser that has just transferred to Water Falls High School. What started as just an quest to meet new friends quickly turns into a dimension-sprawling adventure through the physics-defying high school and it’s monster-infested hallways. Explore the school to meet new people and find hidden areas with rare items. Customize your play style with a skill tree that includes over 40 abilities that you can learn over the course of the game. The developers estimate that Super Daryl Deluxe will keep you busy for around 15 hours.  

Masters of Anima

PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One

Passtech Games

$19.99

Masters of Anima is a new Pikmin-like strategy RPG by the developers of the Space Run series. You are an apprentice wizard able to control the powers of Anima, giving you the ability to summon and lead armies of up to 100 Guardians. There are several classes of Guardians that fulfill different roles in and out of combat, including puzzles and using your minions to navigate harsh environments. Hone your strategy skills on your quest to defeat Zahr and his army of magical Golem constructs.  

Deployment

PC

Whale Rock Games

$12.99

Deployment is a competitive, class-based top-down shooter by the developers of an obscure little tactical RPG called We Are The Dwarves. Civilization was nearly annihilated by a new world war. Advanced computer networks have kept everything running, but there is a constant cyber war waging between megacorporations and rival governments over control of the virtual world. Face off against your enemies as an Infosoldier, an AI program capable of capturing key systems and setting up turrets to fend off attacks. There’s five classes in all, each with a different selection of weapons and perks that you can unlock while playing. Deployment is mostly focused on multiplayer, but there are AI skirmishes you can play if you can’t find an opponent.

Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle

PC, iOS, Android

Blue Wizard Digital

Free-to-play

Blue Wizard Digital is an indie company comprised of ex-PopCap developers that created a unique puzzle game called Slayaway Camp back in 2016. Inspired by classic slasher flicks like Friday the 13th, Slayaway Camp placed you in control of a homicidal maniac trying to navigate sliding puzzle-like levels to kill groups of annoying, oversexed teenagers. For their follow-up, Blue Wizard managed to actually acquire the Friday the 13th license that the original game was inspired by. Killer Puzzle includes over 100 levels and follows the same gameplay conventions as Slayaway Camp. The levels are divided into 12 episodes, the first eight of which are completely free. Additional chapters will cost you $2.99 each, and you can help support the developers further by purchasing character skins for $.99 a pop.

Vandals

PC, iOS, Android

Cosmografik, Novelab, Ex Nihilo

$4.99

Vandals is another puzzle game that recently hit Steam and mobile devices. The game features mechanics similar to Lara Croft and Hitman GO, where you stealthily move past guards on a series of predefined lines. However, instead of trying to take out enemies like in those games, your objective is to leave graffiti on specific walls and surfaces while avoiding detection by police. Vandals features 60 puzzles across five cities, and comes with a level editor to make new challenges.     

Heckpoint

PC

Nodacoy Games, Jadan Bliss

$9.99

Heckpoint is a chaotic side-scrolling roguelite shooter with fully destructible levels. Shoot, slash, and explode your way through eight procedurally generated worlds as one of 12 customizable characters. Collect genetic material from your enemies to permanently upgrade your character with over 70 perks, weapons, and abilities. Use melee weapons to deflect lasers, rockets, and grenades back at your enemies. Heckpoint has three difficulty settings to challenge players of all skill levels, plus an endless mode.                   

Germination

PC

Sullivan Boyd, Caden Petersen

$3.99

Finally, we come to Germination, another simple-yet-challenging indie platformer. You play as an astronaut stranded on an alien world that must survive against waves of carnivorous plants by jumping on their heads. Chain together combos to stay airborne as long as possible as more seeds rain down from the sky. Germination has both a campaign mode and an endless mode designed to pad out your high scores.  

Which of these games caught your attention?   

Pictured above: Dead In Vinland

Last week was too light on releases to warrant an article, but now I’m back with another batch of new indie and AA releases that you may have missed. I’m not here to personally recommend any of these games, just to highlight some titles that stood out among the many releases that hit Steam on a weekly basis. Be sure to check out reviews and videos to find more information on each game.  

PWND

PC

Skydance Interactive

Free-To-Play

PWND is a class-based arena shooter focused on fast, vertical combat that recently exited Early Access. Created by former developers from Treyarch, PWND‘s key mechanic is also where it gets its namesake from: humiliating your fresh kills. To score the maximum amount of points, you’ll need to successfully perform a victory dance on your disabled foes as they slowly bleed out. You are completely defenseless while performing your victory dance, so a big part of PWND‘s teamplay comes from defending players that are performing PWNs, or trying to interrupt an enemy’s PWN to save your teammate from humiliation. PWND‘s business model is based around acquiring new outfits and other cosmetic items to customize your character’s appearance.     

Minit

PC, PS4, Xbox One

JW, Kitty, Jukio, Dom

$9.99

Minit is a new adventure game developed as a collaboration effort between four famous indie devs, and published by Devolver Digital. This minimalist adventure game is loosely inspired by the older Zelda titles, especially the time aspects of Majora’s Mask. You explore the game world in 60 second chunks, finding new areas, foes, and secrets during each interval. The goal is eventually break the unfortunate curse that causes each day to last only one minute at a time.      

Loyalty and Blood: Viktor Origins

PC

Shorebound Studios

$9.99

Loyalty and Blood is the prequel to Viktor, a side-scrolling shooter that originally released back in 2014. The prequel is set several years before the original, and follows the origin story of Viktor as he climbs through the ranks of The Legion. The phase shift mechanic returns, allowing you to quickly dodge through enemies and projectiles alike. Unlock an arsenal of 40 upgradable weapons across 90 missions, bounty hunter challenge levels, and a New Game+ mode.

The Adventure Pals

PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One

Massive Monster

$14.99

The Adventure Pals is a colorful and quirky 2D platformer with light RPG elements. Your birthday bash is ruined when the maniacal Mr. B dad-naps your father as part of his devious plan to turn old people into an army of hotdogs. Join your pal Sparkles the Giraffe on an adventure through five themed worlds full of traps, enemies, and treasure. Level up by defeating enemies to improve your abilities and learn new skills. The Adventure Pals can be played alone or with a friend via local co-op.

Dead In Vinland

PC

CCCP

$19.99

Dead In Vinland is a survival management game with RPG-style character progression and turn-based battles. Eirik and his family are the only known survivors of a Viking expedition to an unknown land, and have found themselves stranded on a mysterious island. Manage the physical and mental health of your family, build up your camp, explore the island, and interact with other people stranded on the island. Eventually you’ll find yourself controlling a full community of survivors, each with their own character quirks and personalities that can cause tensions within the group. Dead In Vinland promises a massive story with over 150,000 words of dialog and branching paths, as well as three difficulty settings designed to cater to gamers of all skill types.    

Tower of Time

PC

Event Horizon

$24.99

Finally we come to Tower of Time, a party-based tactical dungeon crawler RPG that just released from Early Access. Create a party from seven flexible character classes and embark on a journey to explore the Tower of Time, a mysterious structure that blends magic and ancient technology to create a world where the normal laws of physics no longer apply. Use the game’s “Arrow Time” mechanic to slow time to a crawl so you can react to new threats and queue up orders to your party, and manipulate the bizarre gravity of the Tower to perform superhuman feats of strength and agility. In another interesting twist for the genre, many of the game’s spells and abilities can be “drawn” through a gesture-based system to place effects exactly how you want them. Tower of Time touts over 50 hours of content, with five difficulty settings, branching paths, and an alignment system for additional replayability.        

Which of these games caught your attention?        

Pictured above: Golem Gates

Last week was too light on releases to warrant an article, but now I'm back with another batch of new indie and AA releases that you may have missed. I'm not here to personally recommend any of these games, just to highlight some titles that stood out among the many releases that hit Steam on a weekly basis. Be sure to check out reviews and videos to find out more information on each game.  

AirMech Strike

PC, Xbox One, PS4

Carbon Games

Free-to-Play

AirMech has been around since early 2012 on various platforms, with Strike being a complete overhaul and rebranding of the PC version that recently exited Early Access. For those of you that have somehow avoided the game up to this point, AirMech is a MOBA/RTS hybrid heavily inspired by the classic Genesis game Herzog Zwei, which many people cite as being one of the first real RTS games. Players directly control transformable mechs as they construct and escort waves of units to the enemy base. Strike is purely a competitive game at this point, with the old PVE modes being expanded into a companion game called Wasteland. The business model is based around buying experience and cash boosters, as well as skins and other cosmetic items. You can find AirMech under the name AirMech Arena on the PS4 and Xbox One.

Ash of Gods: Redemption

PC

AurumDust

$24.99

Ash of Gods: Redemption is a turn-based tactics RPG that has drawn many comparisons to The Banner Saga due to its art direction and combat mechanics. The story revolves around three key protagonists that have been swept up in a war following the return of an ancient enemy threatening the peace and prosperity of Terminum. One of the game's main hooks is that the death of main characters doesn't result in the end of the story. Even the three protagonists can die and the game will continue on, taking their deaths and your choices into account. The turn-based battles also have an element of CCGs and deckbuilding in the form of a limited supply of enhancement cards that you'll gain throughout your journey. Ash of Gods is currently only on the PC, but it will supposedly be making its way to consoles at some point in the future.             

Scalpers: Turtle & the Moonshine Gang

PC

A Sweet Studio

$9.99

Scalpers is a boss rush twin-stick shooter set in a lawless Wild West world of anthropomorphic animals. Up to four friends can form a posse in local or online multiplayer to take down wanted outlaws and their gang of miscreants. Spend your hard-earned bounty on new weapons, gear, and abilities between missions to take on even greater challenges. Scalpers also has a competitive mode that supports up to eight players.  

Empires Apart

PC

DESTINYbit

$29.99

Empires Apart is a civilization-building RTS set in the Middle Ages with a vibrant, low-poly art style. Take control of the Aztecs, Chinese, French, Mongols, Arabs, or Byzantines on procedurally generated maps that support up to eight players in AI skirmish or online multiplayer. Additionally, you can hone your skills in a set of six challenges for each civilization, or last as long as you can against an AI horde in the Survival Mode. Be aware that opinions are pretty mixed regarding Empires Apart, with the most common complaint being a lack of depth and content compared to the classic RTS games it's trying to emulate.            

Golem Gates

PC

Laser Guided Games

$29.99

Gamers still sad about the closure of the RTS/CCG hybrid Battleforge might want to check out Golem Gates. Golem Gates features over 100 cards representing creatures, spells, upgrades, and structures. These decks of cards are used to summon units and activate abilities in the game's fast and competitive RTS battles. The primary game mode is a variant of King of the Hill, where you'll need to use your army to capture and hold strategic locations to gather points. Unfortunately, Golem Gates' lack of coverage has resulted in the game's online multiplayer being dead on arrival, though the game also features a campaign, AI skirmishes, challenges, and a survival mode.    

Through the Ages

PC, Android, iOS

CGE Digital

$15.99

Vlaada Chváti's popular civilization-building board game, Through the Ages, has just received a digital adaptation on PC and mobile. Build your small tribe into a thriving superpower by gathering resources, researching groundbreaking technological advancements, and amassing a powerful army. While this digital version is focused on multiplayer with your friends, Through the Ages still includes a variety of single player challenges and AI options.

Flash Point: Fire Rescue

PC, Android, iOS

RetroEpic Software

$19.99

Finally we come to Flash Point, another board game that received a digital adaptation this week. In this turn-based strategy game, you'll coordinate a team of first responders trying to find and rescue civilians trapped inside a burning building. Use your team of specialists to fight back the flames, treat survivors, break through walls and locked doors, and escape before the fire becomes out of control. You can control your team by yourself or enlist the aid of your friends and family in local co-op.

Which of these games caught your attention?