New Release Round-Up (August 17, 2023)

Welcome to RPGamer’s new release round-up. In this column we look to provide our readers with details on all of the RPGs released over the week. Please note we do not currently include Early Access releases where the game is still in development.

Affogato

Affogato is set in a city of eternal night and puts players in the role of a newly-arrived sorceress in Arorua as she manages her new coffee shop. Players meet various customers who tell their own stories, and she is able to use her powers to dive into their minds to uncover their secrets to form relationships with the NPCs. Combat takes place in the customers’ minds, and is billed as a mixture of reverse tower-defence and card battling.

Black Skylands

Black Skylands combines action-adventure, top-down shooter, and RPG elements with players building and customising their own skyship and aerial base. Players are put into the role of Eva on an Earth turned into thousands of floating islands. Eva is a member of the group called the Earners, which suffered an attack from the Kain’s Falcons bandits that killed her father. She sets out to rebuild her home and take revenge. The game had been in Early Access since 2021.

Book of Hours

Librarian-themed narrative RPG Book of Hours is set in a version of the 1930s filled with hidden gods and secret histories. Players control a new recruit brought in to fill the position of the Librarian of Hush House, which was a fortress of knowledge until a fire ruined its collection. Becoming the new Librarian, players are tasked with rebuilding the library by acquiring, restoring, and cataloguing occult books, scrolls, and curiosities, as well as guiding visitors and their stories down various paths.

ELEX II

Action RPG ELEX II is a sequel to 2017 action RPG ELEX. The game is set some years after the events of the first game, with the planet Magalan enjoying a period of peace as new factions rise in place of the vanquished ones. However, protagonist Jax returns bringing news of a new threat to Magalan, and must unite the new factions in order to overcome it. Those looking to read more about ELEX II can check out Pascal Tekaia’s impression of the game.

Everspace 2

Space action RPG Everspace 2 is a follow-up to Everspace and follows Adam, a clone pilot in the Demilitarized Zone of Cluster 34. Players explore the various star systems, undertaking main and side quests while acquiring and optimising new ships.

Iron Danger

tactical RPG Iron Danger is based on Nordic mythology, particularly The Kalevala and Finnish folklore, and features time-manipulation elements. The game stars Kipuna, a village girl who is granted power over time and death. She leads a group of heroes as they become embroiled in a war between the city of Kalevala, ruled by an immortal, and the armies of Northlanders led by their Witch Queen.

Hammerwatch II

Hack-and-slash action RPG Hammerwatch II is a follow-up to 2013 title Hammerwatch and sees players controlling members of King Roland’s resistance after Blight the Horrible and his dragon army succeed in overthrowing the king and bringing ruin to the Kingdom of Herian. The game will include solo and co-op play for up to four players as they travel the kingdom undertaking various quests. A console release for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch is planned for later in the year.

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is a stealth strategy title set in an alternate history version of the golden age of piracy. Players control a team of pirates pulling of heists in the Lost Caribbean, which is under the control of the Inquisition and suffering from the Curse of Lost Souls. Players select which crew members to take on each mission and can manipulate time during gameplay.

Vampire Survivors

Bullet-hell roguelike Vampire Survivors sees players controlling a character that automatically attacks while fighting against waves of enemies. The longer players survive, the more tools they can unlock for future runs. The game won RPGamer’s Best Hybrid RPG Award for 2022. The Nintendo Switch release comes with a free update for all versions of the game that adds local co-op for up to four players.

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