Previews & Early Access

Previews cover anything from Alpha and Beta games to Early Access games.

Drop Point Preview With Tiny Indie Studio
Features, Previews & Early Access

Drop Point Preview With Tiny Indie Studio

Recently, I received a very interesting email. It was purely titled Days Gone Meets Rust. This piqued my interested as these are both games that I absolutely love. Fast-forward a few days, and I'm getting an invite to a special, exclusive showing of Drop Point. The brainchild of Tiny Indie Studio. A small studio from Hamilton, New Zealand. Could you read this before I Drop my Point? Jumping onto a video call, they had an awesome presentation ready to go. I honestly felt the excitement from the start of the call. It also helped that both Mike (Project Manager) and Piripi (Art Lead) from Tiny Indie Studio were absolutely awesome guys to talk to! Gameplay Drop Point is a base-building, base raiding, harvesting, crafting, and combat survival game. The game is set on an island where a large...
The Drifter – PC Preview
Previews & Early Access

The Drifter – PC Preview

Follow Mick into a world of unknown as he awakens from death again in The Drifter. Powerhoof's upcoming release has players unravelling a conspiracy while trying to understand why Mick has come back to life. Whilst the game doesn't launch until July 17th on PC (Windows, Mac, Linux), we were lucky enough to get our hands on a small preview build. Watch as he drifts from one life to the next! Before you start reading you need to head to Wishlist for The Drifter on Steam. Trust me. Now you've done that, let's get into this preview. Gameplay Albeit short and simple, The Drifter drags players into a brand new world full of mystery. After waking up in a train, Mick is ready to go meet his family in his old home town but things go awry when the homeless man in the carriage with him seems ...
Hordes of Fate: A Hand of Fate Adventure – PC Demo Preview
Previews & Early Access

Hordes of Fate: A Hand of Fate Adventure – PC Demo Preview

Hordes of Fate: A Hand of Fate Adventure is an action roguelite, horde survivors-like based on the setting of the Hand of Fate games by Defiant Development. Spitfire Interactive (Capes) is developing the game in this genre though, with Defiant Development (Hand of Fate) publishing. The game is currently only available to Wishlist on Steam, but you can download and play the demo now. My Games are Blending Together... Ok, so maybe roguelites aren't the only games I seem to end up playing around here. Horde survivors-like games seem to be just as likely. Hordes of Fate: A Hand of Fate Adventure is the more latter leaning of the two. So where does it stand up currently with the rest? Check out my thoughts on the demo build below. Gameplay Hordes of Fate: A Hand of Fate Adventure is the...
Hotel Architect – PC Early Access Preview
Previews & Early Access

Hotel Architect – PC Early Access Preview

Step into the chaotic life of being a hotel owner in Hotel Architect! Developed by Pathos Interactive and published by Wired Production, this hotel construction and tycoon management game allows you to build your hotel from the ground up and to tackle the challenging demands of your guests. Get ready to check in for Early Access today on Steam! Is Breakfast Included? I've got high hopes for this one! The game is still “under construction” but already feels very nice and smooth to play. It's got quite a bit of content already, too! I'm excited to jump into the game, especially since my knowledge of hotels in general is very limited. All I really know is the fact that even looking at the mini-bar will most likely bankrupt you immediately. Do you have any fun hotel stories to tell? What ...
RuneScape: Dragonwilds – PC Early Access Preview
Previews & Early Access

RuneScape: Dragonwilds – PC Early Access Preview

RuneScape: Dragonwilds is a new survival game twist on the classic IP of the same name. It came roaring into Early Access out of nowhere in mid-April, with developing and publishing by Jagex Ltd (RuneScape, Old School RuneScape). It may not be free like the previous games, but is still at a reasonable price point. You can pick it up today on Steam for £24.99. Solid Survival Gameplay with a touch of Dragons I honestly don't recall ever playing RuneScape growing up. The original launched in 2001 and that would have been the same time that I was more into Counter-Strike than anything else on PC. Before I really even knew what MMOs were. I wasn't friends with anyone that was playing it either, so I've only roughly known bits and pieces about it. RuneScape: Dragonwilds caught many by surprise...
White Knuckle – PC Early Access Preview
Previews & Early Access

White Knuckle – PC Early Access Preview

White Knuckle is a first-person roguelite speed climbing game. You ascend through the multiple gloomy floors within SUB-STRUCTURE-17. White Knuckle was developed by Dark Machine Games and published by DreadXP. This is the first game developed by the studio, and it takes quite the leap in terms of mechanics and this type of genre of games. All bugged out for this game! White Knuckle is now available in Early Access on Steam for £10.99. I've had this one on my radar quite a while, so let's find out what I thought below! Gameplay The gameplay in White Knuckle is fairly simple. You ascend the chambers as fast as you can as there is a big goop like substance filling up the chambers. Be quick, otherwise it will make you perish. Falling from great heights without grabbing onto something w...
Darkwater – PC Preview
Previews & Early Access

Darkwater – PC Preview

Recently released in early access on the PC, Darkwater aims to deliver something new to what some may call an overcrowded survival genre. Targon Studios has opted to take some of the best features of a number of similar games, jiggle them all into a nice pie, then bake it for 20 minutes at 180 degrees. With the hope that a nice pudding comes out. Were they successful? To find out I assembled some other members of the Thumb Culture team to hold my hand fill all the crew spots. Watch Out For The Darkness So, are you a fan of this genre? The Steam page lists a number of genres, action, adventure, casual, indie, RPG and strategy all feature. How would you describe Darkwater? Let us know, once you've read the review of course. Gameplay Starting up the game for the first time, you are asked ...
Used Cars Simulator – PC Preview
Previews & Early Access

Used Cars Simulator – PC Preview

Used Cars Simulator is (you guessed it!) a simulator game developed by DreamWay Games and published by none other than (you guessed it again!) PlayWay S.A. The game features an open world and is available on Steam in Early Access. Hit or Miss, you decide! Gameplay Used Cars Simulator drops you right into a seedy bar, and your objective is to speak to a woman in a red dress named Mercedes. She asks you to perform a stunt in her car, which, after the case, turns out to be her boyfriend’s. After her angry boyfriend demands that you fix his car, an onlooker offers you the opportunity to fix up cars for profit. There are two ways to get used cars: illegally and legally. The legal way is to either find someone selling via your computer, or people with their parked shabby cars out...
Wildkeepers Rising – PC Early Access Preview
Previews & Early Access

Wildkeepers Rising – PC Early Access Preview

Wildkeepers Rising is a horde survivor meets bullet hell, meets creature collector by Lioncode Games. A roguelite set in a hand-drawn world, free Guardians to help fight back against attacking hordes. The game just recently went into early access and is available on Steam. A Unique Blend of Genres If it wasn't obvious by now, I seem to be playing various roguelites often lately. From the most recent bullet hell, Odinfall, to the more survival-like Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel. Each thus far, including Wildkeepers Rising, has thankfully been unique in its own way to keep things interesting. Anyone else play variations on the same genre of games to keep things more interesting? Check out my thoughts on the game's current build below. Gameplay Wildkeepers Rising is a game that combines...
Stygian: Outer Gods – PC Preview
Previews & Early Access

Stygian: Outer Gods – PC Preview

Stygian: Outer Gods is the prequel to the old game Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones. But this new survival horror is being made Misterial Games. In this early preview, I’ll be looking around the small village of Kingsport. And uncovering clues and events leading up to the Black Day. The game will be releasing on April 14th on Steam. So click here if you think it's up your alley. Warning! This article contains GIFS with flashing images. The whispers, they talk to me. Gameplay The devs aimed for Stygian: Outer Gods focus to be exploration. This is to allow the player to get fully immersed in the story and its characters. We will get to make choices that will create events leading up to the Black Day. Whatever that is. This will come into play when interacting with NPC and how you act w...