Armored Core 6 hands-on preview impressions and more from Los Angeles & Germany events. We got to play the first 11 missions and try out different cores.

Armored Core 6: Hands-On Preview for the Mech Enthusiast

Recently, we had the exciting opportunity to travel to Los Angeles for an in-person, hands-on experience with Armored Core 6, courtesy of FromSoftware and Bandai Namco. The highlight of the event was getting the chance to pilot a real-life Mech, which was undeniably cool. In this video, we’ll be sharing our impressions from the event and discussing what we think about Armored Core 6 so far, as well as what players can expect when the game releases on August 25th.

Before delving into the details, it’s worth mentioning that all the gameplay footage you’ll see in this video is our own captured gameplay from the event. This is not the same footage that has been shown in other Armored Core 6 videos; it’s specifically from our playthrough with our red Mech adorned with the Fextralife logo.

Missions of Rubicon

One aspect we want to touch upon is the game’s length based on the content we played. During the event, we were able to experience the first 11 missions of the full game, although we’re only allowed to showcase about half of those missions here. It took us just under three hours to complete these 11 missions, which was intriguing given that we were told the game would be around 50 to 60 hours long. This suggests that players can expect over 100 missions in total, although the later missions may be longer, slowing down the mission count progress.

The missions involve various tasks like taking out enemy Mechs, destroying enemy batteries, and acting as a wingman for other Mechs.

The dialogue we’ve encountered so far is well-executed, with characters feeling authentic and fitting the style of the game. Nonetheless, there were instances where the dialogues seemed overly lengthy, which could be a bit of a drawback, especially for newcomers eager to dive into combat. However, players do have the option to skip these dialogues, but we chose to listen to them to get a better understanding of the game’s background story and Armored Core 6 in general.

While the early dialogues in the game might be a bit lengthy but as you progress it becomes less of an issue. Each mission starts with a debriefing on your objectives, and then you load into the mission, which typically follows a format of starting in an open outdoor area and then moving to an indoor space with less verticality. Once the mission is completed, you return to the base for a debrief and possible foreshadowing of what’s to come in the overall story. Sometimes the story bits are told through cutscenes that tie together the game’s overarching plot nicely. 

Fast-Paced Mech Fighting

The combat is the game’s main focus, and the controls feel smooth and responsive, making it enjoyable to pilot the Mech even at high speeds. Mastering the game’s mechanics will take time, but skilled players will be able to perform incredible maneuvers and look very impressive in combat. This may even be more so than the Souls games, Armored Core 6 players will eventually be able to do even more cool and impressive things in this game. Not only will you be zooming around killing everything, but you’re going to look like an absolute badass while doing it.

Melee attacks are particularly powerful in the game, as they can stagger enemies and leave them vulnerable for a short time, making it easier to deal heavy damage. Your mech will actually be pulled forward into a melee attack animation. 

I also found that using a bazooka on my right-hand weapon made it so that after I did this melee combo, I could just fire that bazooka point-blank into the enemy before they could move. This often completely filled up their stagger gauge if they were close, and then I could repeat the melee attack and keep repeating this pattern. I used this strategy to defeat the final boss on Mission 11, and it allowed me to beat it on my first try. I was hyper-aggressive with melee and my bazooka, staggering the boss and unloading my rockets into it repeatedly.

This will definitely be everyone’s style in the game. I found that this particular approach worked well for me, but players will be able to express themselves very much since there is tons of build potential. 

Armored Core 6 Mech Customization

Let’s talk about Mech customization in Armored Core 6. At the beginning of the game, you’ll spend time customizing your Mech, experimenting with different legs, arms, weapons, and cores to find a setup that works for you. However, there are a lot of stats on these weapons that might be confusing for new players.

Understanding these stats becomes more important as the difficulty increases, helping you optimize your Mech setup. While it’s not necessary to understand everything from the start, delving into the customization options and understanding the stats will benefit you as you progress.

The Mech customization is a nostalgic and enjoyable aspect, and players can experiment with different weapon sets and configurations to find effective combinations. Players will spend a lot of time tinkering with their mechs, especially since the systems are extremely flexible. While it seemed like there were some distinctly better weapons than others, it will probably change later on in the game as more options open up. 

A substantial portion of the game revolves around customizing your Mech and engaging in pre and post-mission dialogues. However, as you fine-tune your Mech and get more familiar with the game mechanics, the tinkering aspect is likely to diminish, and the bulk of your playtime will consist of completing missions back-to-back, immersing you deeper into the gameplay.

Passing Visuals

Regarding Armored Core 6’s graphics, they are serviceable but not outstanding. Since the game is made for last-gen and current-gen consoles, it lacks the visual appeal that you might expect from a Mech game. As the industry advances with modern engines like Unreal Engine 5,

FromSoftware’s engine is starting to show its age. Despite this, the game runs smoothly, with no bugs or glitches, which is typical of FromSoftware’s games.

Armored Core 6 Preview: Final Thoughts

In conclusion, I enjoyed my time playing Armored Core 6, especially since I love Mech games. The controls feel familiar for those who have played FromSoftware’s other titles. However, I believe many players who are fans of FromSoftware’s other games, such as Elden Ring or Dark Souls, might be reluctant to switch immediately to Armored Core 6. The timing of its release might impact its initial player base. It is up against some heavy hitters, such as Baldur’s Gate 3, Starfield, Lies of P, or even Lords of the Fallen. Overall, the game is enjoyable, but its competition with other popular titles might affect its initial reception.

Be sure to check out the Armored Core 6 Wiki for more information on the game! 

The post Armored Core 6: Hands-On Preview for the Mech Enthusiast appeared first on Fextralife.

In this Armored Core 6 preview, we’re going to be talking about new gameplay details for the mech Souls game that’s being developed by From Software, releasing on August 25th, and coming to PlayStation, Xbox, and PC via Steam.  

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Gameplay Preview and Impressions

Just a couple of days ago, we were fortunate enough to attend a presentation being put on by From Software and Bandai Namco, where the producer of the game, Yasunori Ogura, showed us the ins and outs of Armored Core VI.

If you didn’t know, Armored Core is a staple franchise for From Software and one of their first franchises, first being published in 1997 at the studio’s inception.

Armored Core VI aims to take this franchise and reboot it in a sense, and it seems to me, having seen this presentation and watched the gameplay, that there are a lot of Souls-like mechanics that you will see in this gameplay if you look closely enough.

Flying Through the Fires of Rubicon

So, for starters, let’s take a look at one of the big focuses of Armored Core VI, and this is the use of three-dimensional space as a mech. Your player is piloting a mech in this game, so being able to move up and down vertically and travel in these huge spaces, which is only possible because you’re driving a mech, is a huge focus of this game.

Designing these huge three-dimensional spaces for each mission is a significant part of this game, allowing players to take on objectives in different ways and giving them enough room to maneuver around. It makes players feel like they’re in a mech and can pilot it around, and they’re not just confined to a limited space. This is one big aspect of the level design.

The other part of this is the interior spaces of each level. After you’ve explored the exterior and got into the later parts of a mission, you’re going to be inside more confined spaces, and verticality plays a lesser degree in this space. It’s more on the same level playing field, not completely vertical like in the larger spaces of the game. This is where you really get to see the combat that From Software is known for, where players decide when to use their shield when to boost left or right when to attack. 

Final Flight of the Osiris

What’s really interesting about the combat in Armored Core VI is that there is an impact gauge above the enemy. When it’s completely full, the enemy will stagger, similar to the posture system from Sekiro. So, players are not only dealing damage to the enemy but also trying to stagger them to open them up for direct hits that deal increased damage. However, players should also be cautious as they have their own impact gauge and can be staggered if they take too much damage too quickly.

There is also a boost bar at the bottom of the screen, which functions similarly to a stamina gauge. It determines how often players can boost, dash left or right, or move vertically in the larger spaces of the game. Managing this boost resource or energy resource is similar to managing stamina in games like the Souls series or Elden Ring.

Inside the internal spaces, players will have objectives they can scan through walls to locate enemies and use the element of surprise to take on enemies that are unaware. They need to hack through doors to access certain places, and there will be boss fights as well.

Boss fights are expected to play a huge role in this game, and players are expected to die. Just like in the Souls series or Elden Ring, players will have to learn from their mistakes, study attack patterns, and adapt their strategies accordingly.

Customization Core

One of the things we absolutely love about mech games in general, particularly Armored Core, is the freedom to customize your mech according to your preferences. If you want to play a certain style, you are free to do so. For instance, you can change the legs on your mech, opting for tank-like legs, quad legs, or reverse legs, each significantly altering your gameplay experience. 

Rolling around instead of flying drastically changes how you approach levels. The freedom to customize your equipment and stats further influences your playstyle in Armored Core. The focus on the parts you use dictates your approach. Not only can you change the legs, but you can also modify the head, core, arms, and internal parts, allowing for endless combinations and personalization.

In addition to body part customization, Armored Core VI offers a wide range of weapons, both ranged and melee. From machine guns and assault rifles to laser daggers and missile launchers, the options are diverse. 

Furthermore, different types of boosters and generators affect thrust mechanics and machine performance. The complexity of options and finding the perfect combination is a significant aspect of the game. Expect build guides and mech guides to help you discover effective combinations that work well together.

Mission Impossible

One remarkable feature of Armored Core VI is the ability to change your mech’s loadout and assembly between missions. Even when you die, you can adjust your loadout and retry a boss or checkpoint with a different strategy. This dynamic element sets Armored Core VI apart from other games where changes can only be made at the beginning or between missions, eliminating the frustration of replaying entire missions due to improper setups or unsuccessful strategies.

The freedom to customize and adapt in Armored Core VI is a thrilling element of the game. Discovering the perfect configuration for your mech and the ability to adjust loadouts between missions or after deaths adds an extra layer of enjoyment and strategic depth to Armored Core VI.

Armored Core VI Preview: Stocked and Loaded

There are supply points located around the maps that serve as checkpoints for players and replenish ammunition. These supply points also provide repair kits, which function similarly to Estus Flasks with a limited quantity that can heal the player until reaching the next checkpoint. 

Balancing damage taken and the availability of ammunition becomes crucial in progressing to the next checkpoint. The amount of damage sustained should not impede reaching the next checkpoint. 

Careful attention must also be given to ammunition usage, as depleting all rocket rounds before reaching halfway to the next checkpoint will pose challenges. Players need to consider the number of shots fired, the damage incurred, and the time spent to effectively eliminate enemies in Armored Core VI.

Masters of the Arena

Furthermore, it is worth noting that Armored Core VI is primarily single-player, but it features online PvP, allowing players to engage in battles with each other. This inclusion of online PvP adds an intriguing aspect, particularly for fans of PvP and FromSoftware titles. 

We fondly remember our own experiences of enjoying online PvP in Chromehounds, another mech game developed by FromSoftware, where you could tinker with their mech, participate in battles, and witness the outcomes. Although the exact player counts for simultaneous online play was not disclosed, we’re sure this will be revealed quite soon. 

The showcased gameplay and information highlight the distinct FromSoftware style present in the game. From well-crafted level designs to intense boss fights and responsive combat mechanics, the game exhibits the familiar elements associated with FromSoftware titles. The player’s character feels responsive and aligned with their intentions, creating a sense of personal responsibility when mistakes occur. 

Even if someone is not typically inclined towards mech games but enjoys FromSoftware titles like Elden Ring or Dark Souls, Armored Core VI might still hold appeal due to the presence of these important elements, which may not be immediately apparent.

Armored Core VI: Project Phantasm

So what do you guys think of the new information and the new gameplay footage? Are you guys excited for Armor Core 6?

I’m super excited to play this game. We can just see so much of From Software in this game. Every time we look at the gameplay and it just gets us more and more excited than you know. August 25th is just a couple of months away. 

Let us know what you think in the comments below! 

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In this Lies of P Demo Impressions article, we will be checking out what Lies of P can bring to the table. The demo provided a hefty amount of content that sheds light on the game’s exploration, mechanics, combat, story, and overall presentation. Join me, especially for the fans of the genre as we dive into it together to determine if Lies of P is worth the wait as it will be released on major platforms.

Lies of P Hands-On First Impressions

Story and Presentation

Starting with the story and overall presentation, the story sets in the city of Krat where puppets became rampant and their kind wreaked havoc and dealt a significant loss to the major population of Krat. Playing as Pinocchio, you were ordered to find Geppetto by a mysterious voice and survive the perilous journey through the city of Krat.

Right from the start, players will be thrown into this world without any kind of understanding of the lore or any backstory that may explain the recent events in the City of Krat. Instead, the developers focused on an environmental storytelling approach that will soon be eerily familiar, especially for Soulsborne fans. As players progress, items like the local newspapers Known as “Krat Times Issues” can be found in different locations that contain lore bits and pieces, and as you get more of these, you get to piece the recent events and have at least have a brief understanding of what’s going on.

Exploration

Lies of P is another title that explored the Soulslike Genre and reused its staple designs to come up with something fresh. Bloodborne players will definitely find all of the elements of this game familiar. The city of Krat is a maze in general, except for the labyrinth-type layout especially when traversing the city. Checkpoints are laid out strategically across the area, and players can unlock shortcuts to quickly access the said checkpoints.

As you might have guessed, shortcuts are usually in the form of ladders and gates. While Stargazers which I will explain more about that later, serve as teleporters so players can fast travel from checkpoint to checkpoint. I had a decent time exploring at least within the first parts of Krat, where I needed to traverse from building to building to find my way to progress. Getting lost in the city streets is a plus and made my time worthwhile as I get to admire the visual fidelity of this game despite the gruesome state of Krat. 

General Combat

Moving on to the Combat side of things, this is where Lies of P shines the most. Right off the bat, when you get toe to toe with your first set of Puppets, the enemies in this game, one can observe the DNA of the Soulslike genre. Expect all the great things that this genre offers. From the intricately calculated move sets, backstabs, stagger mechanics, critical hits, attack animations, and more.

Enemies

All enemies pose a threat and have their own weaknesses that you will need to determine. Normal Puppets are easier to deal with but their numbers will usually overwhelm you. One thing to mention is, Elite Puppets blend in with these groups which often provide the highest level of threat and these enemies have their own move sets for you will need to figure out. I will call them elites from now on.

When players kill one, they don’t re-spawn and drop favorable items. It is a fact that players can’t just breeze through the enemies like a madman, it will not work here and it should be pretty clear by now knowing this is a Soulslike game. Careful planning is the key. Pick enemies one at a time if possible and master your arsenal while outsmarting your enemies. I had fun mostly in these fights and popping enemies felt good and rewarding, making the gameplay loop interesting. 

Weapon Assemble System

Combat is interesting enough, but why not add more features to make it more engaging? The Weapon Assemble feature will allow the player to play with their Weapon combinations such as changing the Handles of your existing swords to different ones or changing Blades in general. By doing this, you can alter the stats of your weapon according to your needs.

I did have a decent time playing with weapon types and at the start of the demo, you will have the option to choose a Saber which is the balanced weapon among the three that has a moderate speed and damage. A Rapier is adept in attack speed and reach but deals lower damage compare to the others. While the Greatsword has the slowest attack speed but deals the highest damage on single hits. Knowing the weaknesses of these weapons and their behaviors is a must if you want to gain the upper hand in combat. You will die, a lot and that is to be expected.

Fable Arts

Adding the icing on the cake for combat are Fable Arts, which are a set of skills with special attack animations that you can unleash on your enemies. I find the usage of these skills satisfying which often leads to death blows.

Ergo

When you die, your Ergo drops, meaning you need to find it again and pick it up if you don’t want to lose your Ergo. Ergo is your main currency in this game to buy Items from Merchants and even use it to level up as well as increase your stats. Speaking to a certain NPC in the Hotel Krat is the primary way to level Pinocchio.

Lie System

As the name implies, this is a feature worth noting. When a player reached Hotel Krat for the first time, Sophia, an NPC in the game will ask Pinnocio to lie in order for him to get through to the hotel. However, every time Pinocchio tells a lie, there are repercussions, causing him to suffer internally. At this point, it is unclear what could be the negative effects that Pinocchio may suffer. There’s a possibility that your choices will likely impact the endings later on.

Legion Arms

Pinocchio’s left arm is distinctive and functional. This Arsenal is known as Legion Arms. A prosthetic arm that can be almost anything and you see its potential as soon as you use one. Surely enough, players will have the chance to change their arms into devastating weapons. That could turn the tides of battle in the late game. The Puppet String is the one that I tried in the demo that servers as a grappling hook, hooking enemies and staggering them in a short period of time. Sekiro fans will find this feature familiar as this arsenal behaves like Prosthetic Tools. I can’t wait to know what other Legion of Arms may offer down the line, as it is something to be excited about.

Character Progression

There’s a little bit of freedom to character progression on the other hand. We already knew that using Ergo will level up Pinocchio. Players can allot it to the stat they desire, shaping Pinocchio in a way they want to. It is not much but at least there’s a little bit of depth there. I decided to have a glass cannon build putting all of my stats majority to the “Motivity” stat, increasing my overall attack.

Stargazers 

Stargazers on the other hand are your bonfires. In Lies of P, checkpoints that are scattered around the map. You are required to find and repair them to activate them. This is your way to fast travel from point to point. Helpful in case you want to jump to a specific area to explore later.

When players die, they will respawn at the last Stargazer that they activated. Other benefits that Stargazers provide are the machinery that will let Pinocchio change his Legion Arms, Assemble Weapons (Change Blades and Handles), Fast Travel, refill your Pulse Cells, and Legion.

Hotel Krat, Main Hub

One thing that I want to dive into is the Hotel Krat. This serves as your main hub in the game. Soulsborne fans are very well aware of how hubs work and it functions the same in Lies of P. As you progress through the story, you will likely meet NPCs and later on will reside in Hotel Krat. While players need to be careful whose NPCs they will send an invitation to, to stay in the said hotel, as it may result in repercussions.

These NPCs provide various rewards and often additional upgrades to the protagonists. Players can enjoy additional content when interacting with these NPCs as each of their own has their interesting backstories. Hotel Krat is your haven, you level up here, and you do your upgrades here, so be sure to pay attention to its features.

Side Quest

Related to Hotel Krat, I want to briefly touch on side quests. As mentioned, it is likely that NPCs move into your main hub after completing their deeds. Like in other Soulsborne titles, NPCs are scattered across the map, and fulfilling the objectives serves the actual Side Quest in Lies of P. Since I had a little time interacting with side quests in the demo, these NPCs progress or move to different locations according to Pinnochio’s decisions, or when he reaches certain checkpoints in the game.

Bosses

The last thing that I do want to talk about is bosses. Bosses are the meat of any Soulslike games. Lies of P did a decent job presenting their bosses. The Parade Master is the first boss in the demo and even though this boss offers basic movements, it is a fun opponent to beat. Bosses have phases as well after I deplete their HP to a certain threshold they will transform into stronger ones, which alters their combat behavior.

Mad Donkey is a humanoid boss which had three movesets for me to master. Some of these bosses felt repetitive. But I still had to mind my timing still and calculate my moves in order to succeed. Even though the bosses’ AI in general are little bit predictable it still provided a memorable experience. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, I had a great time playing Lies of P even with the limited time that I had. After experiencing its combat, overall presentation, character progression, and exploration, its potential is up there. As an avid fan of Soulslikes, I can’t wait to see more of this game. Looking forward to its full release. A lot can change here as this is a work in progress. But across the board, this game is worthy to be on my list. I am obsessed with Bloodborne and this game shares the same aesthetics so it’s a no-brainer.

That’s it for our first impressions of the Lies of P Demo, I hope you enjoyed the preview. What do think about Lies of P after seeing the demo? Are you excited about it, or you will pass on it? Share your thoughts in the comments and always thanks for watching. 

Lies of P will be launching on September 19th 2023. In the meantime, you can drop by our wiki for all the latest on weapons, enemies, bosses and more! You can check out the demo for yourself from June 9th to June 27th on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.

For more previews check out next Chrono Odyssey Gameplay Preview – MMORPG In UE5 and Elder Scrolls Online Necrom Preview – Arcanist Class and More!

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Solasta: Palace of Ice DLC Hands-On Preview Impressions – Just this week, I had the opportunity to sit down and play with Tactical Adventures while discussing their biggest DLC to date, Palace of Ice. Palace of Ice comes almost 2 years after Solasta: Crown of the Magister was released with a level cap increase from 12 (if you’ve played Lost Valley) to 16, new monsters to fight, and unique Spells to try out. So in this Solasta: Palace of Ice Hands-on Preview Impressions, I’ll be talking about these changes and how they’ll affect the way you play the game, as well as give my thoughts on how much Solasta has changed years after its launch. If you’re interested to get a glimpse of what this huge DLC has to offer, then this article is for you!

Solasta: Palace of Ice DLC Hands-On Preview Impressions

• Genre: Tactical, Turn-Based RPG
• Developed by: Tactical Adventures
• Published by: Tactical Adventures
• Release Date: May 25th, 2023
• Platform: PC

Solasta: Palace of Ice DLC – What is the Palace of Ice DLC?

Palace of Ice is a sprawling DLC that will take players to an entirely new region of Solasta, specifically in the Northern part of the Principality of Masgarth. It’s a direct continuation of Crown of the Magister where your assistance is needed once again to help the Snow Alliance with their plight. Currently, the Kingdom of Gallivan is making them a prime target of a brewing invasion. So even after the concluding events at the end of the base game, you’re left to investigate how this all came to be and who’s behind the dastardly decision to raise hell. Are the Soraks still involved? Who are the major power players in the DLC?

The story of Palace of Ice is more immersive than before. Unlike in Crown of the Magister where the narrative is presented in a more linear manner, this DLC will have you choose the Quests you wish to participate in after completing the first act. It’s an interesting feature that exposes you to multiple scenarios and clans you’ll meet while at the same time, improving Solasta’s replayability. Choosing one quest over another will close the doors in other areas of the game so you need to be firm in the decisions you make.

In addition to quelling the corruption that’s prevalent in certain clans, you’ll also need to convince and reunite them to prepare for a possible threat even though they’re knee-deep in their own problems. Some examples include Bandits closing in on Dwarven Mines while the dwarves themselves remain disorganized due to the absence of a leader. However, amidst all of these issues, it’s up to you and your allies to save them from damnation. 

There are several Factions in this DLC, each of which resides in environments that are starkly different from anything you’ve seen in the past. There are the Snowy Mountains up North, the Elven Village in the West situated high up in forests, and even the remote Under Mountain where you can find Trading Dwarves. These Locations are certainly a feast for the eyes and show how far Tactical Adventures has grown since the base game was released. Not only is the overall setting more vibrant but it also feels alive given the NPC’s characterization and tiny details that represent who these clans are. So if you’ve played Crown of the Magister and you’re itching for more D&D 5E content, then the Solasta: Palace of Ice DLC should be up your alley!

Solasta: Palace of Ice DLC – Gameplay

Solasta’s Palace of Ice DLC improves upon the current gameplay system. One example is the Multiplayer Mode, which was released together with the Lost Valley DLC last April 2022. Just like before, as long as the host has access to the latest version of the game, the rest of their friends can tag along without having to purchase anything else. This time around, playing with others will have a different meaning because you’ll get to encounter tougher creatures and use high-level Spells and Powers to defeat them. Party synergy is a top priority, especially if you and your allies intend to progress through the latest DLC in the hardest difficulty! 

Level 16 & Character Balancing

One of the things we talked about is the decision to cap the character level at Level 16. If they pushed it to something as high as Level 12, why did they specifically go for 16? Why not 15, 18, or even 20? It may seem like an arbitrary and random number but Level 16 is the perfect balance in terms of gaining additional skill points, HP, and the last time at which players can increase their Ability Scores without having to further raise the number of Spells and Feats available to Spellcasters and Martial Classes. 

It’s also the ideal level up sufficiently to fight against the new creatures you’ll face since they’re difficult to go up against. In addition to the classic Soraks, you’ll face demons who are much more resistant to taking damage. Because of the threat they pose, those who teeter between Levels 10 to 16 are the only ones who can stop them. Additionally, you’ll have the choice to create brand-new characters or use the premade ones that are readily available.

Equipment

Since you can import saves from any of your previous runs (as long as they don’t involve Level 13+ characters), you continue to gain access to specific loot. But if you decide to create characters from scratch, you’ll be supplied with starting magical items such as +3 versions of the Longsword and other Armor. Furthermore, new regular sets will be made available, which can be crafted, whereas Legendary Sets are going to be quest rewards. These items will be limited to certain questlines that will push you to make hard decisions and side with a faction. 

In the Palace of Ice DLC, one distinct feature that has been implemented to further improve the importance of gear is its interaction with the environment. Since you’ll be exposed to several biomes, you’ll want to be prepared because the weather won’t be kind to travelers. For example, if you’re out in the Snowy Mountains, it would be best to wear the Boots of Winter or Ring of Cold Resistance, otherwise, you’ll end up with a status effect, which will slow you down. It’s a significant change and one that will add to the game’s complexity since gone are the days of simply traveling and fighting random creatures. Players will need to gear up to improve their survivability.

Solasta: Palace of Ice DLC – Combat

During my session with Tactical Adventures, we visited 3 environments and engaged in 2 Combat encounters with all of our characters at max level. What you see right now is our first big fight, which is located on the Northern outskirts of the Principality of Masgarth, against none other than the Soraks themselves! This particular encounter is a snapshot of what you can expect in the DLC. 

Combat is going to be more difficult because the game assumes you already have enough experience with Crown of the Magister so you’re more likely aware of how the AI operates. Otherwise, there’s a huge possibility to fumble around unless you’re familiar with the D&D SRD 5.1 Ruleset. Nonetheless, you can toggle the difficulty settings at any time in the game, even for those who want to crank up the challenge should they find encounters a bit too easy for their taste. Even now, the tactical aspect of Solasta is what will continue to draw veterans and new players alike. 

As mentioned earlier, the Palace of Ice DLC introduces a whole new set of creatures to face in the form of demons and fiends like the pesky Vrocks and extremely tanky Glabrezu. The Vrocks, for instance, can stun most of your allies with their Screen Power. They’re also annoying to target since they tend to fly away. Meanwhile, the Glabrezu has several Extra Attacks so if a hapless Wizard happens to be near them, they’re more likely to perish within a few turns. The cool thing about these monsters is that they have a lot of resistance against receiving damage, especially from Spells. So although Wizards gain access to higher-level and supposedly powerful Spells like Feeblemind and Delayed Blast Fireball, these aren’t going to be effective unless you pair them with actions that can limit the enemy’s action per turn.

So you’re going to have to think harder and more creatively since these creatures are resistant to the usual Elemental Damage like Fire, Cold, and Poison. But together with your friends, you can make use of summons and buffs to boost damage. The new combat, Spell, and Feat implementations are engaging ways to introduce unique challenges, especially ones that would require you to think outside of the box. Compared to Soraks whom you can easily attack with Fireball, demons and fiends are here to stay and they certainly wouldn’t back down without a hard fight!

Now the inspiration behind choosing them as the main baddies is brought about by the story the developers want to tell, considering that they haven’t been introduced previously. Furthermore, these fiends are also creatively fun to make due to the liberty of visually designing them differently from their peers. From the Glabrezu to the Incubus and Hezrou you’ll meet along the way, you’ll instantly notice how eye-catching and much more devious-looking they are compared to the Soraks.

Solasta: Palace of Ice DLC – Dungeon Maker

One of the features that will receive a huge boost is the Dungeon Maker. Whereas in Crown of the Magister, you can only create a dungeon with several rooms, now it’s possible to come up with a fully-fledged campaign! Not only will you be able to make use of the new environments and monsters, but you’ll also gain access to the World Map and NPC Follower Systems. 

The World Map will allow you to link Crown of the Magister, Lost Valley, and Palace of Ice to be able to connect and integrate them with one another. This allows for a huge degree of freedom to place biomes and random events from one area to the next in order to make encounters more interesting. For example, you can have the player hunt and fight for a unique item, which will serve as a key to a magical door. Sky’s the limit when it comes to coming up with a campaign to share with others!

Next is the NPC Follower System, which will allow you to recruit NPCs you meet along the way should they say yes to your invitation. This is what the community has been asking for since they’ll get to increase their party size to more than 4 once they successfully convince an NPC to join them. Currently, the system allows for at most 10 NPCs in a group but I’m not sure how complicated this will be in combat given the volume of characters to pilot. More importantly, they’ll have their own quips and opinions to spice things up.

Audio, Visuals & Design

Solasta: Palace of Ice DLC features a total of 4 new environments, particularly the Snowy Hills, Dwarven and Elven Settlements, Dwarven City, and Mountain Caves. What’s immediately apparent as we jumped from one location to the next is the level of detail that illustrates the atmosphere of every clan you’ll encounter. For instance, the Elven Village on top of the trees is bright, serene, and relaxed compared to the claustrophobic and dark Under Mountain or City of the Central Clans, which is inhabited by Dwarves. 

Additionally, the special effects and animation of higher-level Spells like Earthquake is a delight to watch. This is specifically one of the harder Spells to implement graphics-wise because of its persistent effect where the ground continues to shake for several turns. Although it turned out well in combination with decent sound effects. However, one aspect that didn’t receive an update is the stiff facial animations and voiceovers of characters in dialogue. It can at times be immersion-breaking because of how unnatural they look and sound but these shouldn’t affect your enjoyment of the game, especially if you’re more concerned about the strategic side of combat.

Final Thoughts

Solasta: Palace of Ice is the most ambitious DLC yet with over 25 hours worth of content to sift through. From the new Races such as Gnomes and Tieflings to play to the challenging high-level encounters to engage in, you’ll always be preoccupied with the game. Plus, an enhanced version of the Dungeon Maker will be available, allowing you to create your own campaign from scratch and make use of the World Map and NPC Follower Systems! Furthermore, this DLC will follow a non-linear campaign so you’ll end up finishing acts differently based on the choices you make. 

If you want to engage in unique and challenging experiences that encourage you to think in unconventional ways in addition to exploring new locations and hunting for new Legendary Equipment, then you’ll enjoy this Solasta: Palace of Ice DLC. It’s set to be released on May 25, 2023!

Be sure to check out our Official Solasta: Crown of the Magister Wiki and Twitch Channel if you have questions about the game. You can also refer to our Solasta Crown of the Magister Beginner’s Guide: 10 Tips You Should Know Before You Play and other Class Build Guides. What are your thoughts on this Solasta: Palace of Ice DLC Hands-On Preview Impressions? Which feature are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below!

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Honkai: Star Rail Gameplay Overview – In this Honkai: Star Rail Gameplay Overview, I’m going to run through everything you need to know in terms of the types of characters you’ll gain, how combat and weapon upgrades work, what the Warp System is, and how different the Multiplayer Mode is this time around. Honkai: Star Rail is developed by HoYoverse, the same creators of the popular free-to-play Action RPG, Genshin Impact. If you’re interested in knowing what Star Rail is all about and how it compares to Genshin Impact, then this article is for you!

Honkai: Star Rail Gameplay Overview (F2P Turn-Based RPG)

Honkai: Star Rail Gameplay Overview – What Is Honkai: Star Rail?

Honkai: Star Rail is a continuation of sorts of Honkai Impact 3rd, even though the game is set in an alternate sci-fi universe, which mostly features different versions of previous Honkai characters, making this worth visiting especially if you’ve been a fan of the Honkai universe. But there are some returning NPCs such as the intergalactic traveler Welt Yang, who finds himself in the middle of events that are currently happening in Star Rail.

As a Trailblazer humanoid who has been implanted with a Stellaron or “seed of ruin”, players will go on a series of quests to find the cure for a destructive force inside them and to prevent further disasters from transpiring across the universe. You essentially visit one planet to the next by boarding the space train, Astral Express. Despite its sci-fi nature, you’ll recognize the similarities of Star Rail with Genshin Impact, in terms of the overall character design, the overworld’s art style, and quick combat pace. However, the major difference is that Star Rail features a turn-based combat system similar to classic JRPGs like Final Fantasy X and X-2.

Honkai: Star Rail Gameplay Overview – Characters And Skills

Every character in Honkai: Star Rail has a Rarity, an Elemental Affinity, and a Path associated with them. Rarity can either be 4-star or 5-star where 5-star characters will generally have stronger stats and abilities, but will be much more difficult to come by. As of writing, there are over twenty potential companions revealed so far.

And then you have Elemental Affinity, which is self-explanatory, as well as a character’s Path. Path refers to the class, archetype, or playstyle that defines a specific person’s strengths and overall role in combat. At the moment, there are a total of 7 different Paths assigned to all the available characters. These range from The Destruction Path, which makes them a general all-around DPS, to The Erudition, which is strong at dealing damage against multiple foes, to The Harmony, which specializes in buffing teammates.

Furthermore, Star Rail also mimics Genshin Impact’s level-up systems. For example, you can level up your character by using certain materials. Once they hit the base cap’s maximum level, they’ll be eligible for “Ascension”. This means that you’ll need to consume specific resources to raise your level cap further.

Next, characters will have Traces and Eidolons. A Trace is part of a skill tree that provides extra stats, passive abilities, or even enhances existing skills. Trace upgrade materials can be obtained by playing the game normally. Eidolons, on the other hand, is an upgrade path that will grant more impactful effects similar to Genshin Impact’s Constellations. Because of this, you need to obtain duplicate characters to experience significant improvements in their buffs, particularly Basic Attacks and Ultimates. And since this system is linear, you can’t jump from one path to the last so Eidolons have to be unlocked in sequence.

Honkai: Star Rail Gameplay Overview – Equipment

When it comes to equipment, Honkai: Star Rail’s version of weapons and accessories are known as Light Cones and Relics, respectively. Light Cones don’t have physical manifestations so they won’t appear on your character but confer stat boosts for HP, Attack, and Defense. You can also expect to gain a passive ability to improve other attributes such as Crit Rate. But to do this, it’s important to make sure that both the character and weapon’s Paths are aligned or the same. It’s also possible to enhance the corresponding stats and passives that Light Cones provide by leveling them up and superimposing them with multiple copies of the same weapons, respectively.

Next are Relics consisting of a wide array of trinkets including hats, gloves, and shoes. They also grant stat boosts and come in sets that have passive abilities like increasing your attack by a certain percentage. These grow in strength depending on how many items in a set you have equipped.

Honkai: Star Rail Gameplay Overview – Combat

Honkai: Star Rail is different from anything HoYoverse has ever done before in that this title follows a tactical turn-based combat system, which highlights the elemental abilities and buffs that players can cast. But just like in Genshin Impact, you’ll be roaming the world with a single active character that could then be swapped at any given time.

Fights are also initiated by literally striking an enemy in the overworld map, damaging a random target even before the fight begins. Once combat starts, you’ll be able to make use of your entire 4-roster party. Right from the beginning, you’re given the chance to activate an effect. This effect lets you buff your allies or debuff and attack your foes. Character turns are determined by a speed stat known as Action Order, which also defines how quickly they can act again.

Players can choose to perform a Basic Attack or use a Skill during their turns. Basic Attacks are much weaker but cost no resources. Skills require the use of Skill Points that are generated by activating Basic Attacks. Players start with 3 Skill Points for every battle so they won’t begin combat slowly. Doing so also lets them efficiently build up more resources in the long run. As the fight goes on, each character accumulates Elemental energy. Once the corresponding energy meter has been filled, you’ll be able to activate a powerful Ultimate Ability.

Currently, there are 7 Elements in the game, namely, Physical, Fire, Wind, Lightning, Ice, Quantum, and Imaginary. Using a foe’s elemental Weakness against them will deplete their Toughness level or stagger bar. Once this bar is completely empty, they’re briefly stunned, skipping their turn in specific rounds of the fight. They also become susceptible to taking damage over time due to Elemental Attacks. For example, Physical causes Bleeding, Ice causes Frozen, etc.

One improvement in Star Rail’s combat is Auto-Battle, which lets you relax while your characters fight opponents of similar or lower levels and farm resources. This Auto-Complete option is also available when breezing through the game’s dialogue and story. What’s more, is that you can speed up combat if you’re finding it too slow so gone are the days where you have to sit through long skill animations!

Exploration and Activities

Honkai: Star Rail is not an open-world game. Instead, you’ll visit one small area after the next unlike in Genshin Impact, which has interconnected locations. This makes it so that the pace of the game is faster since you’re able to jump on the space train to conveniently go around and explore what you can. You’ll also tend to frequent some planets more than others to farm for certain rewards and treasures.

One unique interaction while you’re learning more about the game is the messages you receive on your phone. It’s a nice touch, especially when you’re trying to make sense of the world around you. For example, you can consult your “Astral Express Family” to clear things up like asking what Relics are and how these are connected to Stellarons whereas other NPCs will contact you to initiate missions.

In terms of activities, you can choose to participate in several of them to gain as many rewards as possible. These include the Simulated Universe, Calyx, and Assignments. In the Simulated Universe, you’ll be clearing multiple domains where every level features random enemies, layouts, and rewards. And as you hop from one challenge to the next, the difficulty increases, but fear not since you’ll be able to select three companions to assist you. Once you come out victorious, you’ll gain Blessings that can be further enhanced to effectively boost your stats.

Next is the Calyx, which essentially involves defeating waves of enemies. The more waves, the greater the difficulty but you also increase the chances of getting extra character and Light Cone materials as well as credits. Note, however, that you need Trailblaze Power to enter and raise the number of Challenge Waves you’ll be participating in. You can either wait for these to be replenished or acquire more of them using Stellar Jades, a premium currency that you earn in-game.

And finally, you have Assignments where you send some of your inactive characters to go on missions to gather extra experience materials just like in Genshin Impact.

Warp System

Honkai: Star Rail is a free-to-play title but there’s going to be a Warp System that closely follows in the footsteps of Genshin Impact. This is the main way to acquire new and powerful characters and Light Cones since you pull them from Banners or Warps. Star Rail Passes are used for Starter and Regular Warps whereas Star Rail Special Passes are reserved for time-bound Event Warps. You’ll then need in-game currency like Undying Embers, which you receive from duplicate pulls, or Stellar Jade to buy more Passes in the Store.

It appears that there’s going to be a Pity System where too many Warp attempts will reward special items. For instance, you’re guaranteed to receive a 5-star character within 50 pulls should you go for the Starter Warp. The same could be said for Regular Warps where a bulk 10-pull will at least give you a 4-star character or Light Cone.

Multiplayer Mode

The final topic of interest in Honkai: Star Rail is Multiplayer or co-op. Here, you’ll find a clear departure from the mode implemented on Genshin Impact. Sure, you can still add friends in-game but they won’t be able to join you in order to explore the galaxy together. Instead, you’ll only have the option to lend or borrow characters as a form of support in combat.

Final Thoughts

Honkai: Star Rail is shaping up to be another highly-anticipated live service title from HoYoverse with over 10 million pre-registrations as of today. It features multiple systems inspired by Genshin Impact such as the exciting combat and the ways in which characters progress and how equipment is improved. But it’s worth mentioning that even if you haven’t played Genshin Impact, there are still various activities and events to gain many rewards from that’ll get you hooked and invested within a few hours of playing. Plus, its turn-based combat system will bring back delightful memories from older JRPGs.

Honkai: Star Rail will be launched on April 26, 2023 via PC, iOS, and Android. The date for the PlayStation release has yet to be disclosed. This free-to-play turn-based RPG will also have cross-save support, allowing players to easily hop from PC to mobile and vice versa.

Which Honkai: Star Rail systems do you think need to be improved? Will you be jumping in the Astral Express on the day of launch? Let us know in the comments section below! For more previews, be sure to check out Jagged Alliance 3 Preview (Turn-Based RPG) and Elder Scrolls Online Necrom Preview – Arcanist Class and More!.

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Strayed Lights Impressions – In this Strayed Light Impressions, we’ll be looking into Embers’ first title, Strayed Lights, in terms of the action-adventure’s story and setting, gameplay, combat, and more! How is the story told? What gameplay features set it apart? How does combat feel like? If you’re curious about these questions and what we think of the game, then this article is for you!

Strayed Lights Impressions – A Luminescent Feat

• Name: Strayed Lights
• Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch
• Developer: Embers
• Publisher: Embers
• Release Date: April 25th, 2023
• Genre: Action-Adventure

Strayed Lights Impressions – Story & Setting

Strayed Lights takes place in a seemingly inescapable and mysterious realm. The game starts with your birth, a tiny ball of light that gains consciousness to explore a world ripe with adventures. But this is going to be a different experience altogether since the developers have opted to tell a story through the vast use of imagery. There’s no dialogue between the characters, nor is there the usual narrator’s voice to share a certain history of the place you’re in.

Right from the very start, you don’t have a clear sense of what’s going on around you. Aside from having blurry vision, walking feels foreign but once you understand and try it by taking a few steps toward the light, you soon learn to run. It’s a decision that’ll allow you to make your way into this vibrant and colorful world to build your experiences from scratch, just like in real life. Strayed Lights depicts moments of growth from something as crucial as learning how to harness the energies of enemies to something as life-changing as choosing to overcome the shadow that could corrupt your soul.

The theme is centered around drawing a fine line between one’s emotions to maintain balance within. It’s a rather simple idea about making tough choices to live a good life and helping others do the same. But how the story is conveyed throughout the entire game is one that will be ingrained in memory for years to come due to how breathtaking the setting is.

In fact, one of my favorite locations resembles that of a dream – colorful compared to the other backdrops and quite hazy to represent the dream-like state of ambiguity. It’s a fairytale world that’s too good to be true yet you won’t be able to resist it. Every distinct biome is given the same attention to detail and care, thereby encouraging you to explore the world over and over again and be in awe every single time.

Strayed Lights Impressions – Gameplay Features

The Inner World & Energy Affinity

In Strayed Lights, you’re meant to absorb the energies of hostile shadow creatures. Doing so will not only rid them of their corruption but also allow you to reuse these energies to grow and build your character. Inner World is the skill tree in the game with two major branches. The active abilities on top are unlocked by acquiring runes from completing boss fights whereas the ones at the bottom can be accessed upon receiving enough crystals by defeating regular enemies.

At any point in the combat, you can cycle between active abilities, of which there are three to choose from. One example is Balance where you’ll be given a brief time when you won’t need to swap colors to successfully parry attacks. Another is Blast, which will make you lunge at enemies to deal a powerful punch. You also gain passives such as improved health and extra damage. Additionally, you’ll be able to increase the amount of energy you absorb from enemies with Energy Affinity. Energy Affinity is upgraded by collecting sufficient energy orbs via exploration or by searching for Purple Eggs, which may or may not yield valuable information about the fantasy realm.

Exploration

Since words are only reserved for tutorials, it’s up to you to piece things together so anything you see and hear is open for interpretation. This is one of the best features of Strayed Lights because it gives the players the freedom to decide what their understanding of the game is. What helps give meaning to the overall experience is exploration. Even without a map, navigation isn’t difficult. Instead, finding where to go becomes intuitive immediately.

This is where good world design comes into play since leading paths will always point you in the right direction. In some cases though, such as collecting energy orbs, you’re going to have to be more meticulous because there are barely enough signs nearby. So it’s important to search every crevice possible, otherwise, you can easily miss them if you’re not too careful.

However, one glaring aspect of this Strayed Lights Impressions, is it focuses less on the intricacies of character building and more on experiencing the world’s atmospheric beauty and participating in combat, which represents overcoming adversity. As such, players won’t be stifled with scrounging for equipment since there are no weapons and armor to wield and wear.

Combat

The combat of Strayed Lights leans on parrying, which is the way to fight and survive. But it’s not only about defending against incoming attacks since you’ll also need to match the enemy’s colors with that of your own for a successful parry. Inspired by both Sekiro and Ikaruga, Embers is aiming for combat that’s both nerve-wracking and worthwhile, and they deliver. Because of this color-switching mechanic, you’re forced to pay closer attention to the enemy, and therefore to adapt accordingly. Normal attacks are present of course but they’re minimally effective at best.

The two main colors in the game are blue and orange for parrying. When the target’s color changes to purple though, you’ll need to dodge since this type of attack can’t be defended against. Learning enemy patterns and parrying effectively doesn’t take long to understand. In fact, I wouldn’t consider the game to be punishing, unlike traditional Soulslike titles. There’s no Stamina Management to worry about while you’re sprinting, jumping, dodging, or parrying. And, dying has no repercussions either since you don’t lose in-game currency or ‘Souls’ for this matter. Instead, you’re teleported a few feet away from where you fell.

But don’t let these dissuade you from giving Strayed Lights a shot. Its combat encounters are still challenging, especially while you’re trying to figure out the enemy’s movesets and having to correctly switch from one color to the next. Successfully parrying an attack while your color is similar to your enemy’s will restore a sizable chunk of your health. This becomes tough if you’re battling it out against two shadows who consume too much of the space around you. Here, you’ll need to be quick enough to alternate between dodging, color-switching, and parrying because oftentimes, their colors are going to be different from one another.

Perhaps to improve the game’s complexity, I would’ve preferred to cycle between more colors. Doing so would certainly add to the combo of actions you’d need to master and utilize to gain more energy.

The highlight of combat in Strayed Lights is the boss encounters because of their unique moves that you won’t see repeated in another fight. Oftentimes, they take quite a while to defeat since they persist through multiple phases. These battles take the difficulty one to two notches higher due to how domineering and wide the massive creature’s reaches are. It’s definitely not a walk in the park.

Meanwhile, the finisher moves are also wonderful to watch due to their grandiosity and dazzling style – you’ll certainly pat yourself on the back for having triumphed over the shadow you’ve saved. But if there’s one thing I would change, it would probably be the inclusion of additional quick-time events to further involve the player in the last few moments of these encounters.

Audio & Visuals

Strayed Lights provides an ethereal experience by marrying great visuals with outstanding musical scores. In terms of the art style, bright and bold colors distinctly highlight the game’s dreamlike appeal from the claustrophobic greens of the spider’s caverns to the bluish hues of the forest’s twisting branches. Every location is a surprise in and of itself because of how different they look and the emotions they evoke.

But it’s not only the environments that are given great attention, as we’ve noticed in this Strayed Lights Impressions. Both you and your enemies stand out from these visually striking facades as Embers makes use of color palettes that are in stark contrast with the backgrounds. All characters have bright blue, orange, or purple silhouettes, making them clearly pop out. This will even remind you of a lite version of Ori and the Will of the Wisps’ aesthetic but by no means is it a bad thing. Furthermore, a sense of scale is emphasized because of the area’s verticality. In some cases, you see how tall the structures are and the expanding reach of the area. While you won’t be able to literally climb any of the walls or glide toward them, you’ll eventually reach these sights one way or another.

What I do enjoy is witnessing the boss’s visual designs, which make them look like they belong in the environments they live in. One example is going up against the King residing in the jungle, who is an ape-like figure threatened by celestial-looking animals and foreign entities such as yourself.

Audio-wise, there’s no voice acting but the delivery of music and sound effects at every moment is fascinating. You’ll hear a variety of instruments for every boss fight that create unique and haunting tunes. While you’re exploring, a whimsical cacophony of tones will awaken your senses, making you feel grounded in the location you’re in. For example, wildlife sounds such as familiar crickets flying about creating life within the forest. What’s more, is that combat encounters feature punchy and realistic loud effects that showcase how painful your and your enemies’ attacks truly are.

Final Thoughts

If you’re expecting a Soulslike experience, you’ll need to think again. Although the story, gameplay, and combat elements of Strayed Lights aren’t as complex and deep, the title is a labor of love that’s worth a visit. Sure, there are improvements to the gameplay that could be made like adding in more colors and abilities as well as quick-time events toward the end of boss encounters. There are also occasional performance issues or stutters while exploring or fighting enemies that need to be addressed.

But its overall beauty is undeniable from the gorgeous sceneries evoking different kinds of emotions to the gripping hard-fought battles to save kindred souls. This is a one-of-a-kind adventure that’ll surely remain unforgettable. The action-adventure tale also does justice to visual storytelling, even more so due to its calming, exhilarating, and wistful instrumentals. If you’re searching for a wonderful and charming indie title with a narrative you’ll have to piece together, and one that offers some challenge in combat, then Strayed Lights is the game for you. It’s now available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch consoles.

Is Strayed Lights a game you’d play on the first day of launch? If so, what is its main draw for you? Let us know in the comments below! If you have questions, feel free to drop by our Twitch Channel. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out our recent content, Jagged Alliance 3 Preview (Turn-Based RPG) and Elder Scrolls Online Necrom Preview – Arcanist Class and More!.

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Jagged Alliance 3 Preview (Turn-Based RPG) – In this Jagged Alliance 3 Preview, I’m going to run through the gameplay mechanics and combat of the upcoming turn-based tactical RPG, which could potentially be a worthy sequel to Jagged Alliance 2. I’ll also talk about features that are similar to the original games as well as some elements, which can be improved down the line. If you’re curious about whether or not Jagged Alliance 3 lives up to its predecessors, then this article is for you!

Jagged Alliance 3 Preview (Turn-Based RPG)

Jagged Alliance 3 Preview – What Is Jagged Alliance 3?

Jagged Alliance 3 is a Turn-based Strategy, Tactical RPG, which is set in the fictional country known as Grand Chien. Rather than having to fight against a prominent dictator, players will find themselves in the middle of a grand plot to search for and save the abducted President Alphone Lafontaine from an enigmatic figure referred to as The Major, with the help of several mercenaries.

Just like in Jagged Alliance 2, you’ll be recruiting highly skillful people including Mechanics, Doctors, and Explosive Experts, to name a few. There’s also an equivalent version of the tactical screen, which allows you to control the passage of time, repair damaged items, and tend to the injuries of allies. What’s more, is that the turn-based tactical combat system is meticulously put together from letting players utilize multiple kinds of firearms to closely managing their next moves based on the Action Points they have left. Jagged Alliance 3 aims to deliver an experience that harkens back to the good old days of strategy and shooting. And this doesn’t come as a total surprise since the writer is none other than the Game Director of Jagged Alliance 1 & 2, Ian Currie.

In Jagged Alliance 3, the build that I played didn’t have a complete set of character voice lines available and so some banters and conversations were diluted in the background. The mercenaries you would hear weren’t captivating enough or enticing to listen to either but I’m hopeful this will change when the rest of the voice lines and interactions have been added later on.

When it comes to visuals and design, Haemimont Games has done right by considerably improving the game’s overall aesthetics. Most especially, I do appreciate the biome diversity and day and night cycles that come with exploring different sections of Grand Chien. From the jungles at night to the dry and desolate mines during the day, players are going to want to discover what this war-torn country has to offer.

Jagged Alliance 3 Preview – Character Recruitment & Progression

In Jagged Alliance 3, there are two ways to recruit mercenaries, one is via the A.I.M. Database while the other is through the I.M.P. Web. The Association of International Mercenaries or A.I.M. provides a list of people you can recruit based on their stats, perks, equipment, and expertise. For those of you who have played the earlier Jagged Alliance, you’ll notice a couple of returning characters such as the Explosive Expert Barry Unger and Doctor Fox Guzzman, which are nice treats.

But if you prefer to customize your character from scratch, then it’s better to opt for the Institute for Mercenary Profiling or I.M.P. Here, you’ll be answering a Personal Evaluation Test or P.E.T. to identify your personality type, dominant psychological need, and finally, spirit animal. With this information, the system will generate a character and have his or her stats and perks tweaked accordingly!

When it comes to character progression, Jagged Alliance 3 allows characters to deviate from their initial specializations based on the stats they learn along the way. Similar to the older titles, some of these stats alongside their corresponding effects have been retained. For instance, Leadership continues to influence the rate at which militia is trained, whereas Marksmanship still determines the preciseness of a gunshot.

To increase a stat’s value, you’ll need to consistently perform the actions associated with them, or have another character with a higher specific attribute teach you. In doing so, you’ll gain access to more powerful perks when you level up. For example, Kalyna’s high Agility can improve her Free Move when she makes a Melee Attack or if she were to wear Light Armor only. Note that there are also perks given to the characters right from the very beginning called Traits and Talents.

Traits are personality quirks, which don’t have major implications and are often useful outside of combat. Like Barry, he’s a reliable hacker and is adept at disarming landmine traps to prevent further injuries. On the other hand, each character has a defining Talent that’s only unique to them. Because Barry is into bombs, he has the ability to craft 1 Shaped Charge every now and then whereas the sharpshooter Kalyna can effectively deal damage against armed opponents.

There are a lot of different pathways a single character can take, and the classless system certainly makes it more interesting. From changing the core stat of a mercenary to deciding the proper perks that will synergize well as their level increases, players have a ton of flexibility when it comes to effectively managing their team.

Jagged Alliance 3 Preview – Gameplay

Jagged Alliance 3 retains several familiar gameplay elements from Jagged Alliance 2 that’ll make fans excited for the sequel. This includes features like the SAT View to make strategic decisions as well as gain insightful information on the surrounding area.

SAT View & Intel

The SAT View shows the overall layout of the entire map of Grand Chien. Here, you’ll get to decide where your teams should go, meaning, if they ought to walk on foot or set sail to another part of the gigantic country. There are also different ‘Operations’ or a series of activities that you can assign characters to while they’re not embroiled in combat.

As mentioned earlier, doctors can treat wounds provided that they have enough medicine while other mercenaries can scout the area to gain additional supplies and know the precise positions of enemies. Scouting works well with Intel since you can use this information to hunt down good-quality loot and understand the terrain of particular locations. Making use of the “Overview Camera” lets you survey a version of the city to quickly spot points of interest.

Moreover, you also have the option to train the local population to defend themselves against invasions from the Legion who is working for the Major. However, while this is ongoing, you won’t be able to explore other sections of the map unless you split occupied characters from their current squad or stop the Operation altogether. Remember though that they can still participate in combat encounters.

The beauty of the SAT View is you can pause and play activities to think things through. One of the advantages of doing so is to allow exhausted characters from excessive exploration to rest in order to remove the negative effect of having reduced AP. Or you can gauge whether or not you need extra income to renew mercenary contracts since growing your band of misfits doesn’t come cheap.

Blood Diamond

In terms of making money, Jagged Alliance 3 will have you liberate diamond mines from the Legion to take advantage of. The higher your Loyalty points are with neighboring settlements by driving away this antagonistic group, the more profit you’ll take home. Additionally, looting and completing tasks for NPCs will reward you with money but this won’t be as sustainable and reliable as taking ownership of the mines.

Tough Choices to Make

Similar to other classic RPGs like Fallout, there are tough conversations in the game that characters will need to engage in as the story progresses. Oftentimes, these are unavoidable, especially since you have to interact with others to identify the whereabouts of The Major.

Depending on whom you speak with, your popularity and reputation will soar but you’ll end up inevitably antagonizing someone else. In one scenario, I was able to intimidate an NPC, who moments later, I encountered once again. Instead of gunning down my group, I made him surrender his weapons by capitalizing on his fear. As I’m also constantly reminded by the game in the middle of dialogue, choices have consequences and so I imagine that the repercussions, later on, will be harder to swallow.

Combat

The next feature I’m going to discuss, and one that I think is the best part of Jagged Alliance 3, is the turn-based combat system. Battles are initiated when your squad ends up occupying the same space as your opponents’ in a bid for control over that section. You have the option to hit auto-resolve if they’re weaker than you, otherwise, you’ll need to surge forward and fight ahead.

Here, combat happens in real-time, and similar to other turn-based games, every movement and action consumes a limited set of Action Points whether it involves changing the character’s stance to blend into the background for cover or throwing grenades at a group of enemies. At the start of every round, you recover your Action Points unless you get penalized based on the status effects you’ve incurred.

There are a number of things that can affect your performance with the environment and weather effects taking the top seed. Fighting during the day while the sun is still shining is the most optimal condition because you can clearly see everything. But this drastically changes at night when your vision is considerably skewed, making sources of light a must-have to raise the accuracy of your shots. Moreover, an effect that hampers effectiveness is the rain, which increases the likelihood of your gun jamming while you’re shooting, thereby wasting your turn to fix it.

Another interesting aspect of combat in the game is shooting various body parts of the target to either deal greater damage or inflict a condition such as Inaccurate when you aim at their Arms. You can also blow up objects and walls by throwing explosives, which makes the world highly reactive to your actions.

However, what needs to be improved on is the absence of a “% Chance to Hit” indicator. This shooting success (or lack thereof) is based on several factors like the character’s Marksmanship stat, range from the target, and whether or not the enemy is crouched. You also need to account for the armor and body part of your opponent and your weapon’s fire rate. Even if you’re standing in front of them, and you’re only a few grids away, you can still miss your shot. As such, the unpredictability can be frustrating, especially when the odds are stacking up against you and your only chance of survival is to make precise shots in the coming turns.

But as confirmed by Haemimont Games several months ago, this decision is purely intentional in order to avoid XCOM-like qualms. Who can forget the 99% chance to succeed, which can still result in failure after all? Instead, they’re hoping that people will be more open to taking risks by having minimal information about their hit chances. However, perhaps they would consider leaving in a % range sometime in the future to at least give us a hint of what the eventual outcome would be rather than leaving us blindly fumbling around.

Final Thoughts

Jagged Alliance 3 follows a turn-based strategy system that hopes to capture the spirit of its predecessors in more ways than one. Based on its current gameplay elements, the direction this title is taking seems to be promising from how reactive the world is to the player’s choices and actions, to the flexibility that comes with character progression. There are enough complexities and nuances that’ll keep you invested.

However, there weren’t enough banters and interactions in the first couple of hours between the mercenaries themselves. The main focus was understanding how the game worked. But hopefully, the development of their relationships will be improved in the next updates to truly bring back the magic that the original games had. Despite this, I continue to stay positive about the future of Jagged Alliance 3 because it has notable strengths such as the highly engaging combat and the effects of the player’s choices on the citizens of Grand Chien.

If you’re looking for a game to scratch the itch of classics like Jagged Alliance 2 and Fallout, then Jagged Alliance 3 may just be the title for you. Who knows? We might just know the release date soon enough.

What are your thoughts on this Jagged Alliance 3 Preview? If you’ve played Jagged Alliance 2, what are you hoping to see in the sequel? Let us know in the comments below! If you have questions, feel free to drop by our Twitch Channel. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out our recent content, Elder Scrolls Online Necrom Preview – Arcanist Class and More! and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Gameplay – Light Years Ahead.

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Elder Scrolls Online Necrom Preview – Arcanist Class and More! – A couple of days ago, we had a sneak peek preview of the much-awaited Necrom Chapter. 9 years in and 6 Chapters after, we’ll revisit Eastern Morrowind, specifically the Telvanni Peninsula. And then we’ll take a look at the Apocrypha Zone, which was last seen in Skyrim’s Dragonborn DLC. In this Necrom Preview, we’ll also unpack the new Arcanist Class, Companions, and the Sanity’s Edge Trial so if you want to know the details behind the upcoming chapter in ESO, then this article is for you!

Elder Scrolls Online Necrom Preview (Shadow Over Morrowind)

Elder Scrolls Online Necrom Preview – Story & Setting

In ESO’s Necrom, players will make their way to two distinct Zones, namely the Telvanni Peninsula and Apocrypha, where players will encounter the Daedric Prince Hermaeus Mora. Hermaeus Mora is a highly intelligent being and Master of Fate who is extremely knowledgeable, and protective about the things he has discovered about the world. But with this knowledge comes a deadly secret that can bring about the ruin of Nirn and Tamriel the moment it escapes to the public. To make things worse, conspirators are also banding together against him. It’s through Leramil, the Prince of Fate’s Mortal Agent, that your journey begins.

Right off the bat, biomes in the Telvanni Peninsula will feel both familiar and alien just like in Morrowind because the areas are populated with lava, ash, rocky spires, giant mushrooms, and otherworldly creatures such as Ogrims roaming about. One could also say that this location is older than the Dark Elf Tribunal and that the City of Necrom is built on the corpses that Vivek slayed in one of his bloody conquests.

In terms of developing this huge and unpredictable storyline, Zenimax had to find a way to ground Hermaeus Mora into the real world, and what’s better to do this than to focus on one of the great five houses in Morrowind, particularly the Telvanni. Unlike the other Houses such as the Hlaalu and Redoran, the Telvanni are known to wield great and powerful magic. They’re also similar to the Daedric Prince in terms of immersing themselves in deeply understanding the lore of Tamriel and keeping this knowledge within their inner circle.

Now as you progress in the story, you’ll end up traveling to Apocrypha, which is the Daedric Plane of Existence of Hermaeus Mora. This time around, you’ll get to experience the Cosmic Horror side of Elder Scrolls. The first biome features hues of green and black, often giving off an unusual and eerie feeling of isolation. References from Skyrim will also be present here if you’ve been reading the books, that is. Meanwhile, the second biome depicts the mind of Hermaeus in a chaotic and confusing manner as represented by multiple colors and shapes of different sizes.

The Necrom Chapter will be as huge as High Isle, meaning you can expect to play through this expansion for more than 30 hours.

Elder Scrolls Online Necrom Preview – Key Characters & Companions

In addition to these two Zones as well as Hermaeus Mora and Leramil the Wise, players will come across a once prominent but now dead Telvanni Magister named Meln the Mouthless together with the watchling Scruut who is a devoted servant of the Daedric Prince. Fan favorites such as Morag Tong veterans Naryu Virian and Ashur will make a return as well as Sotha Sil, the least known Tribunal. But it still remains a mystery when you’ll be meeting them and what their roles are in this narrative.

In Necrom, you’ll be facing two major antagonists who go by the names of Master Shelreni and Torvesard. Shelreni is a power-hungry Telvanni Magister who is vying for total control of the council while Torvesard is the prominently featured Dremora leader in the Cinematic Announcement Trailer. He’s an enigmatic figure though, meaning no one knows how he acquired his powers, what his motivations are, and who his true master is.

Additionally, the Seeker from Skyrim will be making its return together with new enemies like the Mind Terror and Hushed. The Hushed are interesting creatures who were originally mere mortals. But after spending too much time in Apocrypha, and learning a lot of dark secrets that their minds couldn’t handle, they were eventually transformed into these one-eyed and mouthless feral creatures we now know today.

When it comes to Companions, you can choose to aid Azandar Al-Cybiades or Sharp-As-Night. Azandar is a Redguard Arcanist who, like the Telvanni, is focused on acquiring knowledge to the point that he’s considered a mad scientist. As a result, Azandar will need your help to save one of his failed experiments. On the other hand, Sharp-As-Night is an Argonian Warden who has no memory or recollection of his previous life. He’s also skilled at doing odd jobs as a mercenary to survive. But Sharp-As-Night needs your assistance to figure out who he really is and how he got here in the first place. Who, then, will you take as your Companion?

Elder Scrolls Online Necrom Preview – Arcanist Class

Next the Arcanist, which takes its inspiration from Hermaeus Mora himself, is the latest Class to join the ranks of the Dragonknight, Sorcerer, Nightblade, Templar, Warden, and Necromancer. It’s also the first Class since Elsweyr Chapter’s launch back in 2019. Unlike the previous ones that came before, the Arcanist won’t be the same Stamina-centric Class with familiar Skill rotations, but they do have damage, tanking, and healing Skill lines.

This new Class will have the ability to create runes of power (as depicted by green corrupted pyramids floating around them) from the dark books of Hermaeus Mora. Their purpose is to conjure dangerous effects in order to obliterate their opponents. The way the Arcanist works is through an elaborate “Combo Point System” or Crux. Some abilities can either spend or generate Crux. It often begs the question of when the right time is to activate them.

When you spend Crux, the abilities associated with it may either grant more potent effects such as dealing greater damage or lowering the cost of resources. For instance, if you wish to heal an ally and decide to use a Crux, you’ll also end up restoring a portion of their Stamina or Magicka resources. Furthermore, you can choose to build Crux to a maximum of three to then reserve your empowered abilities for more challenging encounters. It’s also possible to morph specific abilities into Spenders or Builders, allowing you to pilot the Arcanist Class with added flexibility.

One of the interesting Skills the Arcanist has is the Apocryphal Gate, which lets them summon two gates that they can go through in order to close the gap between themselves and their enemies. Another is their ability to simply produce a beam to destroy a target. These are certainly interesting and it’s made all the more exciting thanks to the Skill’s visual and sound effects as well as interactive animations.

For now, though, Zenimax has no plans to revamp the existing animations of current Classes but they’re going to consider feedback about this during the PTS. Also, they won’t be adding a Class Change Token so players will need to level up their Arcanist from the ground up.

Sanity’s Edge Trial

Next, we have the Sanity’s Edge 12-player Trial, which is similar to Rockgrove in terms of its overall difficulty and Dreadsail Reef in terms of its size and scale. Here, what Zenimax has done is push their engine to the limit by exploring three major sections of the mind of a Mage Guild member. There’s the Nightmare Realm where Mages are being persecuted together with the Dream Realm where everything’s upside down, meaning the Mages themselves are involved in the persecution. And finally, there’s the Broken Mind where players will be vying for control over the Mage’s mind.

Necrom and Beyond – What’s Changing?

On top of the massive changes that we’ve already gone through, the structure of ESO’s yearly updates will be done differently in Necrom. In Q3, the main focus will be on the general improvements of the game instead of introducing another Dungeon. The idea is to focus on streamlining the processes to improve the server’s stability while enhancing the QoL for players.

In Q4, there will be a new feature rather than a story-centric DLC. The goal here is to provide a repeatable mode that’ll keep players excited, and therefore entice them to come back, instead of coming up with another story, which can be finished quickly anyway. Additionally, to replace the lower number of Dungeons this year, there’s going to be a new Endless Dungeon Mode to look forward to.

When it comes to PvP, plans are in place to add more content but at the moment, the current priority is to complete hardware upgrades to improve the system’s stability and performance. But as to what this new PvP content entails and when they’ll come into play is anyone’s guess since no further details have been mentioned.

Another feature in the Necrom Chapter will be the addition of a new Tales of Tribute deck, particularly one that’s centered around one of the Tribunals, Almalexia. And lastly, players will also be able to hunt after 10 new item sets together with 4 new Mythic Items that’ll shake up the current meta!

Final Thoughts

ESO’s Necrom Chapter features a lot of exciting content from the storyline of this enigmatic cosmic being to familiar and new characters as well as monsters we’ll encounter along the way. But above all of these, no one can deny how cool and interactive the Arcanist Class is, and how Crux Management will affect combat in meaningful ways.

The Necrom Chapter is now available for pre-purchase starting at USD 39.99 if you already have ESO’s Standard Edition. If you don’t own the base game yet but wish to take part in this upcoming expansion, then the entire collection will cost USD 59.99. It’ll also include all of the previous chapters from High Isle to Morrowind. Necrom will be released on June 5, 2023 for PC and June 20, 2023 for PlayStation and Xbox consoles.

Will you be participating in Necrom’s PTS or will you wait for its launch date instead? What systems or features are you looking forward to trying out first? Let us know in the comments section below!

For more previews, be sure to check out Total War: Warhammer III – Should You Play It? Is it Worth it and Wayfinder Closed Beta Impressions – NEW MMORPG.

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Total War: Warhammer III Should You Play It? Is it Worth it? – In this Total War: Warhammer III article, I’m going to mainly talk about the game’s mechanics and features to help you decide if this gargantuan RTS is what you’ve been looking for. Regardless of whether or not you’re new to the genre, learning the ropes won’t be as daunting as the previous iterations of the series since there’s a dedicated Lost God Prologue Campaign to guide players accordingly. So if you’re interested in diving into the nuances of Total War: Warhammer III, and you want to know more about its trial period and future offers, then this article is for you!

Total War: Warhammer III Should You Play It? Is it Worth it?

Total War: Warhammer III Gameplay Overview – What Is Total War: Warhammer III?

Total War: Warhammer III’s main campaign is set in the Realm of Chaos. Here, the Bear-God Ursun was imprisoned by the Daemon Prince, Be’lakor to steal his power. With the help of an advisor, your goal is to get to Ursun before he becomes a distant memory of the past. Can you defeat traitors and control your empire until you reach the Bear-God?

What will make players spend hundreds of hours in this title is the amount of content and distinct gameplay features every faction brings to the table. For instance, choosing the Grand Cathay Race will have you restore Harmony by balancing Yin and Yang whether you’re researching new technologies or upgrading buildings. Comparatively, if you were to select Khorne, the goal will be to bathe in the skulls of your enemies by constantly engaging in wars to effectively improve your army. Total War: Warhammer III is a free-for-all type of game, which provides you with the necessary tools to make tough decisions and to fully immerse yourself into the world of Warhammer.

Combat-wise, you’ll be declaring wars and raiding structures to dominate and grow your empire. Rather than a hex-based grid, you’ll be commanding multiple armies with the help of Lords and Heroes. These armies can then be grouped accordingly based on the strategies you wish to execute. Additionally, instead of using Action Points, large-scale battles are executed in real-time so you can pause, play, and hit fast forward if you find the default pace too slow.

Total War: Warhammer III Gameplay Overview – Campaign, Recent DLCs, and Races

In Total War: Warhammer III, there are 3 campaign modes to choose from. You have The Lost God, The Realm of Chaos, and Immortal Empires. As mentioned previously, The Lost God is specifically created for players who are either new to the Total War: Warhammer universe or for those who need a refresher. The entire tutorial takes about 3-5 hours to finish and is a great stepping point into Warhammer III since the basics of every functionality are explained in detail. This mode also serves as a decent prologue to the main story. However, in The Lost God, you won’t be able to choose another race, instead, you’ll be part of the Kislev Expedition.

Hopping onto the story-driven base game or The Realm of Chaos, you can now pick from any of the 9 factions including the Daemons of Chaos, Kislev, and Khorne, to name a few. It’s worth noting that each of them consists of backstories and mechanics, which are distinct from one another, making for an enriching experience every time.

And finally, there’s the Immortal Empires. This is the biggest sandbox campaign mode to date, having been released last August 2022. When you select it, you’ll see a vast array of 23 races if you happen to own all the DLCs. But if you only have Warhammer III, then you’ll still be able to jump into the Immortal Empires campaign to experience the game differently where you’ll encounter other land masses and units.

If you’re interested in playing the factions not included in the base game, then these can be bought separately via DLCs. For instance, if the Vampire Coast sounds appealing, then you’re going to have to purchase Warhammer II’s Curse Of The Vampire DLC, not Warhammer II itself.

Another recent Total War: Warhammer III DLC is The Champions of Chaos, which lets you choose 4 new Lords from the Warriors of Chaos Race. There’s Valkia the Bloody representing Khorne so she thrives on Bloodletting or the (almost) endless slaughter of hapless victims to gain the blessings of the Blood God. And then you have Festus the Leechlord, a doctor who has pledged his allegiance with one of the most infamous Chaos Gods, Nurgle himself. Together with his units, you’ll primarily poison foes and spread corruption.

Total War: Warhammer III Gameplay Overview – Combat

Total War: Warhammer III features large-scale battles that can take about 30 minutes to finish depending on the difficulty, the armies you’ve raised, and the strategies you’ve utilized. The game features one of the most engaging combat encounters because of its depth and complexity coupled with the tactics you need to execute to wipe out your enemies without mercy. You basically have total control over how you wish to lead your troops into victory.

Right from the start, you’ll be grouping units together so they move at a similar pace, identifying their initial and optimal positions, and seeking out terrains where to gain the advantage. For instance, they can hide in the forest to momentarily conceal themselves and then attack the enemy from behind. This maneuver is also going to be very useful when flanking in order to catch them off-guard.

Moreover, you’ll be recruiting different unit types due to the unique strengths they possess. For example, the cavalry moves faster to engage enemies right away, even those hidden in specific terrains, but they’re weak against spearmen who excel in charging at larger targets. With the help of the Unit Details Panel, you’ll quickly see their strengths, weaknesses, and stats to make necessary choices, especially when the encounter becomes more challenging. But you need to be careful. If your units become too exhausted to fight, they can flee from combat, thereby decreasing your chances of winning.

Since Total War: Warhammer III is an RTS, you can pause the battle to regroup while still issuing orders. These will then be executed the moment you hit the play button. Additionally, you can refer to the bar located next to the timer to give you an indication of the tide of combat – whether you’re on your way to victory or not.

Next, you must be cautious when it comes to enhancing the abilities and spells of your Lords and Heroes because these considerably determine how well they perform in combat. In The Lost God, you can activate Yuri’s Ursun’s Roar to inspire melee allies through his leadership, thereby increasing the power of their respective attacks. Note that once you invest points into certain abilities and you exit the Skills Menu, you won’t be able to reverse the changes anymore.

In some cases, you can Auto-Resolve battles, especially if the Battle Result says that your victory is imminent, thereby allowing you to save time. Although when choosing this option, you don’t have control over the number of units you may potentially use since the predicted number of casualties isn’t precise. This feature is also applicable if you intend to siege settlements to fight for control over them. But the difference with siege encounters is you need to first avail special equipment to then raid the structure and its units over time. Once they’ve been weakened, you can now engage in battle either through Auto-Resolve or manually fighting on the field.

Total War: Warhammer III Gameplay Overview – Settlement Management

In addition to the immersive combat experience, Total War: Warhammer III equally delivers when it comes to Settlement Management. This includes recruiting units, Lords, and Heroes together with upgrading buildings to boost their defenses against invaders and to increase the types of soldiers that become available to you. You’ll also need to invest your research points into certain technologies. Doing so will improve your recruitment rank, leadership, and capabilities of units in battle.

In some cases, waging war isn’t always the ideal option, especially since a lot of your resources, money, and units will be quickly depleted. As such, you’ll need to form diplomatic relations with other factions. You or they can offer a peace treaty, agree on a non-aggression pact, and even form a Military Alliance to request support in the event of war. Not only can you avoid the cost of war, but you’ll also have allies who will protect you in the event of an invasion.

Should a treaty be broken by you, however, you’ll potentially antagonize several factions all at once. However, note that being diplomatic won’t always be advantageous. Instead, it’ll always depend on the faction you’ve chosen. If you’re an Exile of Khorne, then opting to engage in war more frequently will yield better results in terms of growing your forces.

After performing all the activities during your turn, you’ll need to press the hourglass to wait for the factions in the campaign to do theirs. Additionally, you’ll need to address events that happen around the world. In one Grand Cathay campaign, for example, I had to choose what to do with a Box of Delights presented by an Alchemist. I could either increase the Yin or Yang, slay the Alchemist, or simply continue on with my life where I chose the latter. There are a lot of these events, which will pop up randomly and so it’ll be up to you to make the right decisions.

Exploration and Quests

In connection with Settlement Management, you can group armies together depending on the number of Lords and Heroes you have and the settlements or provinces you’ll be conquering and managing along the way. To make matters better, Total War: Warhammer III’s visuals are stunning, thereby encouraging you to explore the ends of the world. They’re even thematic to the faction you’ve chosen. So for the Exiles of Khorne, you can expect to see darker colors and a somber environment raging with fire, hatred, and anger whereas the Grand Cathay’s province depicts a rather serene and well-lit atmosphere consisting of vast fields of green.

Regardless of the campaign mode you’ve chosen, you’re given a series of Missions in the form of quests. Completing them will improve your relations with factions, possibly allowing you to form alliances. If you were to finish all of the quests listed under Victory Conditions, you’ll win the campaign. This is a bit different for Immortal Empires where you can choose the specific condition you intend to complete whether it’s the Short, Long, or Domination Campaign Victory. Doing so will involve destroying factions, invading and controlling settlements, or even sacking numerous provinces but again, the choice is entirely up to you.

Trial Period and Offers

For those who are interested in dipping their toes into the RTS genre or are fans of the Warhammer Fantasy universe, I encourage you to give Total War: Warhammer III a try. By the time this video has been released, a trial period on Steam will have started. The free weekend will run from March 9 to 13 at 8 PM CET. This would be the perfect time to try out the title with zero commitment because the base game alone should already provide you with dozens of hours of content.

For veterans of Total War: Warhammer I and II, there’s also a treat for you! If you wish to play Warhammer III for longer periods of time, you can purchase it at a 33% discount from March 9 until March 23 at 8 PM CET.

Final Thoughts

Total War: Warhammer III provides the ultimate experience for Warhammer Fantasy and RTS newcomers and tabletop fans alike. From commanding multiple armies to maintaining control over the provinces you govern, it’s simply impossible to run out of things to do in this nuanced game.

Although there are a few bugs such as stutters and rare crashes when certain choices are made in events, these aren’t deal-breakers given Warhammer III’s strengths. Battles, which take time to understand and master, are incredibly immersive and players are given the freedom to make important decisions that can radically affect their factions. Certainly, a lot of thought has been placed into creating a universe, which closely mimics the brutality and nature of the Warhammer universe. I can’t wait to see what the Forge of the Chaos Dwarves DLC has to offer!

If you want to get into the Total War: Warhammer series, then Warhammer III is the best game to pick because of its beginner-friendly tutorials and streamlined gameplay mechanics. Be sure to use the links below to support the channel! Total War: Warhammer III Free Trial.

What are your thoughts on this Total War: Warhammer III Gameplay Overview? Are you going to give it a try anytime soon? If so, what faction will you play first? Let us know in the comments below! If you have questions, feel free to drop by our Twitch Channel. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out our recent content, Wayfinder Closed Beta Impression – NEW MMORPG and Top 5 Upcoming RPGs Of March 2023 (Wo Long Fallen Dynasty, Bleak Faith Forsaken and More!).

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Wayfinder Closed Beta Hands-On Gameplay Impressions – In this Wayfinder Closed Beta Hands-On Impressions, I’m going to break down the F2P Action MMO’s gameplay mechanics, and whether they’re engaging enough to warrant your attention in the next few months or not. If you’d like to know what Wayfinder has to offer in terms of its characters and classes, combat, and other features, as well as how it compares to the other MMOs, then this article is for you!

Wayfinder Closed Beta Impressions – NEW MMORPG

Wayfinder Closed Beta – What Is Wayfinder?

Wayfinder is set in Evenor where your job is to go on a series of adventures with fellow Wayfinders to curb the corruption spreading in your world. With the help of the Gloom Dagger, you can travel to mysterious places to participate in Expeditions and Hunts in order to face off against a multitude of creatures, including challenging bosses. And in doing so, you’ll be able to boost your character’s overall performance, allowing you to gain access to more difficult encounters.

Wayfinder is currently being developed by Airship Syndicate, the same creators of the more recent Turn-based RPG known as Ruined King and the Action-Adventure title, Darksiders: Genesis. In fact, you’ll notice how similar the cell-shaded art style is among these 3 games. Wayfinder is a third-person action game that features bright and colorful eye-catching visuals, whereas Darksiders: Genesis is an isometric title, both of which feature fast-paced hack-n-slash combat.

Unlike its 2 predecessors, Wayfinder is free-to-play. Partnering up with Airship Syndicate is no other than Digital Extremes, who is known for Warframe. Although there’s no glimpse of what the shop in Wayfinder is like in Closed Beta, I’m optimistic that a similar monetization scheme will apply here, giving players the option to acquire in-game currency through playing rather than outright buying them. More news will be released on this matter in May 2023 when Early Access comes out.

Wayfinder Closed Beta – Classes

At the start of the Wayfinder Closed Beta, there were three characters or classes to choose from – you have Wingrave, Silo, and Niss. A 4th character who goes by the name of Senja, was also released for free at a later date, meaning, players didn’t have to craft her. Out of all of these though, I mainly played as Wingrave, the support or Paladin who has multiple abilities to heal allies. More often than not, these would deal significant damage while restoring the health of your character and nearby allies. In order to acquire Silo and Niss, you had to pay a considerable amount of gold and acquire multiple memories, which were obtained from farming boss fights.

This in itself wasn’t that grindy if you were lucky with RNG. At the time of writing this gameplay impressions article, however, I still didn’t manage to obtain all the required memories to gain access to Silo and Niss. But I did witness how distinctly they perform in encounters. Additionally, unlike in Warframe and according to the developers, you can instantly acquire them without the need to wait for a considerable amount of time.

Every character represents a certain class. Whereas Wingrave excels in protecting allies by conjuring shields and taunting enemies while dealing enough damage at point-blank range, Silo makes use of multiple types of bombs to burn them and inflict damage over time. He’s also adept at ranged combat thanks to his trusty firearm.

On the other hand, Niss is your typical sneaky rogue who moves in the blink of an eye to reposition herself better, thereby zipping from one location to the next. Remember though that you’re not limited to the weapons you start with. You’ll eventually unlock ‘Mastery’, which lets you gain access to 3 more weapon types using Memory Fragments. But the corresponding Mastery Perks were not yet available in the Closed Beta.

Wayfinder Closed Beta – Character Progression

Character progression in Wayfinder is the game’s main strength because of how user-friendly and nuanced it is. You have the Loadout, which features your character’s current level, your weapon of choice, relics, and consumables. Except for consumables, every basic piece of equipment has corresponding affinities. For instance, tempering your weapon or swapping relics will increase your stats, which in effect increases your overall Power Rating, similar to the system in Destiny 2. This rating then determines whether or not you’re fully equipped to take on harder activities in the game.

Additionally, there are Echoes, which you can fuse in order to further boost your performance in combat. These mod augmentations are randomly obtained from Expeditions and Hunts and provide you with the freedom to increase specific stats or trigger certain effects. For example, the Broodmother S’ilreth Echo raises your max health while significantly reducing the damage your break damage or shield soaks in. So maximizing your Echo capacity is a must to enhance your Power Rating as effectively as possible.

Furthermore, you can invest in character and weapon affinities directly as long as you have enough gold and materials to do so. It’s worth noting that you’ll get passive perks from character affinities as long as you level them up high enough, allowing you to further customize your build. What’s more, is that the abilities you unlock can be upgraded for free the higher your level becomes but it remains to be seen whether or not they can be respected.

In the Wayfinder Closed Beta, the actual character leveling phase isn’t laborious due to the decent pace and short activities. In fact, it’s fair when you compare it to other MMOs where you’d usually take more than a week to max out your characters. My only gripes here are the persistent lags and disconnection issues in tough dungeons, hindering the ability to acquire rare loot to craft high-end weapons and unlock other characters. As such, the time I end up spending has been notably lengthened.

Last but not least, I do hope to see an in-depth customization option in the future where we’ll be able to change our character’s appearance by choosing the colors of every component we decide to wear. Right now, it’s only possible to swap from one clothing piece to the next.

Wayfinder Closed Beta – Combat

Combat-wise, Wayfinder retains the fun factor that’s familiar in Darksiders: Genesis. It’s fast-paced as expected in an action game, responsive in terms of the characters’ fluid ability animations, and challenging at the same time. What makes encounters thrilling are the difficulty modes and imbuements you’re able to incorporate. You can think of imbuements as modifiers that amplify the performance of your enemies, thereby changing how combat feels. This becomes really helpful when you’re testing out different abilities and weapons to improve your build.

Furthermore, and similar to Destiny 2’s Strikes, there is a matchmaking option in-game so you can simply hop on and start the adventure right away with other players. But what happened frequently was I would get disconnected in the middle of the combat encounter so the experience wasn’t as good as I expected it to be.

Next, you need to be mindful of your stamina reserves because every move considerably consumes it. Stamina management is a tricky aspect of the game, especially when you’re fighting a difficult boss since this can mean life or death. I do wish that there will be more combos available besides the abilities themselves because these are limited to only two types in the Closed Beta, namely, light and heavy attacks.

Depending on the activity, death is handled differently. Expeditions or instanced-based dungeons will still allow you to respawn in the nearest waypoint but the number of reward energies corresponding to loot received decreases every time. For Hunts or boss fights, if you aren’t revived by your teammates, you’ll simply have to wait there. You won’t be able to spectate the match at all so you’ll need to decide whether to stay and hope that your allies will beat the enemy or abandon the encounter altogether.

Exploration and Other Activities

Exploration in the Wayfinder Closed Beta is bare since there are a lot of open spaces without much going on unlike in Destiny 2 where a number of random events would pop up, giving you the choice to participate or not. Although the locations are beautiful, they ended up looking and feeling similar due to the lack of activities and NPCs or creatures that would roam the world. It doesn’t help that the quests aren’t as interesting either since they often point you to a farther location, and then immediately right after, bring you back to where you initially came from.

Only two main towns are available, specifically Skylight and Highlands, so I’m not certain if the others will be more interactive than what I’ve experienced now. Plus, I’ve been experiencing constant stutters simply by running around despite enabling DX11 and capping the framerate at 60 fps.

Additionally, the map orientation needs to be improved. The default is Style 1, which is static so the circular map located on the upper right-hand corner of the screen doesn’t move even if you’re already charting another course. If you pick Style 2, which is supposedly dynamic, the circular map moves accordingly, but so will your main map view. So you end up reading inverted words on the screen.

As mentioned previously, only 2 activities are available in the Closed Beta, namely Expeditions and Hunts. Particularly, the Expeditions don’t seem to be randomly generated. Instead, each one of them has a select number of map layouts that rotate every time you begin a new adventure so although there’s a decent amount of loot in the end, the journey becomes strenuous due to the repetitive gameplay.

According to Airship Syndicates December post, players can also expect “Endless Challenges” but no further details have been revealed about it. Hopefully, this corresponds to raid-like levels of difficulty that would take hours of coordination and practice to add exciting encounters to the game. Furthermore, although Apartments aren’t available yet, I’m looking forward to the implementation. Will it resemble the detailed customization Housing System of Elder Scrolls Online? What other features will this one have? These are just some of the questions I’m hoping to get answers to in the coming months!

Final Thoughts

Wayfinder is shaping up to be a decent F2P MMO largely because of its character progression, class diversity, and exciting combat encounters. However, it still needs to undergo several improvements before becoming ready for its full launch in the Fall of this year. Despite these issues, I’m eager to see how much more the game has to offer this May. If you’re considering jumping into an all-new action-packed MMO from the same makers of Darksiders: Genesis, then you should consider signing up for Early Access soon!

Be sure to check out our Wayfinder Wiki for everything Wayfinder! What are your thoughts on this Wayfinder Closed Beta Gameplay Hands-On Impressions? What aspects of the F2P MMO do you find interesting or should be improved upon? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to drop by our Twitch Channel if you have questions about the game. For more reviews and previews, check out Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Review – Better Than Nioh? and Like A Dragon: Ishin Overview.

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