A game of Cold War strategy, Terminal Conflict puts players in a digital chair guiding global high-stakes power struggles. A blend of history and tactical management, the game’s console aesthetic evokes retro charm, and I chatted with Gellert Keresztes, Lead Game Designer at Strategy Mill; note the early access status on Steam or join them on Discord.
Disjunction presents a near-future plagued with economic, environmental, and societal instability, a world in which scarcity and climate change have pushed millions of Americans into massive, festering metropolitan areas riddled with crime. As a cyberpunk stealth-action RPG, the game drops players into the interconnected roles of three characters braving the dystopia headlong, and I chatted with Ape Tribe Games dev Erwan LeCun on the strategies and nuances driving his work.
As story-focused indie isometric adventures go, Valiant Game Studio‘s 1920s fantasy-world-based Pendula Swing hits all the right beats. With its occupants navigating a time of societal change tempered by innovation, glamour, and strife, the game invites players to ponder systemic oppression and the role of history, both personal and institutional, in the lives of citizens. All while treating the audience to swing and a landscape transitioning to modernity. Plus, there’s lots of autumnal beauty. I had the fortune to chat with the dev team, diving into their guiding principles and project goals.
As indie game features go, Stone Story RPG‘s ASCII art and bot mechanics turn heads for good reason, both pushing the envelope of what’s possible and challenging while creating a retro aesthetic I wish I’d seen during my childhood. With so many games focusing on eye-popping 3D art and franchise protagonists, the 2D world of SSRPG and its innovative use of assets feels even more impactful, which made my chat with Lead Developer Gabriel Santos a delight.
An atmospheric game from Indonesia-based StoryTale Studios, Pamali creates unique environments and challenges from the stuff of taboos and ghosts, grounding the experience in domestic settings and graveyards. With a recently-successful Kickstarter campaign under his belt, I chatted with Technical Director Andreas Andika on the things that go bump in the night…
