Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands Xbox Review

Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands was sent my way by the fine folks from, well, Deathbulge. It is always appreciated, and since I love a good turn-based RPG, this was a special treat.

The story is quite simple to start. You play as Faye, Ian, and Briff, a 3 piece band that Faye signs up for a battle of the bands to win the right to go on tour with the biggest band of them all. What she didn’t know was that this would curse them to fight to the literal death to win this battle of the bands. Now she and her bandmates must go on an adventure to break the curse.

Obviously, that is only the start of the story, and I won’t go into any more depth to avoid spoilers; I just like to wet your whistle a bit. Besides, the story means very little if it is presented poorly or the battle system is poorly executed. The battle system is a bit weird to me, as you get three characters but can only use one each turn. The two you aren’t using sort of sit to the side and replenish their action points. You can swap them around freely, however, with no repercussions. In fact, the game encourages this. Faye for example was my fastesst character, so I would often use her to bring my turn around faster and then swap her into with Ian to hit hard or Briff to heal.

Another neat thing is that status effects don’t affect people; they affect the turn bar. So burns hurt everyone, so a burn will hurt all of the enemies or all of your team. Boosting your speed or a slow debuff will speed up or defuff the entire group. This also brings me to my complaint. While you are forced to make the decision about who will fight, the enemy does not have this issue. If you are fighting 3 enemies, it basically becomes 3 turns to 1 of yours. The best you can hope for is 1 versus 1 when it comes to turns. Luckily, they did a great job balancing most encounters.

The writing is also great, Ian really stole the show for me in terms of humor. This is truly one of those games that I probably would not have picked up on my own, but I am very glad I got to play. It is an 8/10 title that RPG fans should pick up. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

BigFire Games Releases New CINDER CITY Developer Preview

NC has just launched the official Steam page for CINDER CITY, its upcoming open-world, cinematic third-person shooter, set in a dystopian near-future Seoul, developed by BigFire Games.

NC has also released a new developer video preview featuring gameplay footage from the current development build.

Please find the full announcement below and the latest assets here. We would be so grateful for any coverage of the news and the new video.

CINDER CITY is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

NC (formerly NCSOFT) launched the official Steam page for CINDER CITY today, its upcoming open-world, cinematic third-person shooter developed by BigFire Games. Players can now visit the Steam page to learn more about the game, view newly released screenshots, and explore key features. 

Those who add CINDER CITY to their Wish List will receive the latest news and updates as development progresses. NC also refreshed the official CINDER CITY website and launched an official Discord channel, where it plans to share the latest news and updates on the game’s development. 

Alongside the Steam page launch, NC released a new Developer Video Preview featuring gameplay footage from the current development build. In the video, Lead Concept Artist Samuel King and Project Manager GH Shin introduce the game’s setting and development vision.

HellSlave II: Judgment of the Archon Steam Demo Review

HellSlave II: Judgment of the Archon is a demo that was sent to me by the fine folks over at Dear Villagers while back, and I don’t normally spend a lot of time on demos because honestly they are always pretty short. This one, however, has a nice chunk of meat to it, as they say. It is a dungeon crawler RPG where you can start as a warrior or a sorcerer. I chose a sorcerer. Now, while doing so, you can pick between different specializations. I went with basically giving enemies the plague.

As always, I won’t go too deep into the story as to avoid spoilers, but I started meeting a friend in a town that it turns out was attacked by a species nobody seemed to like. Racism is alive and well in this world, maybe. These guys are barely more than animals, honestly. I mean that literally; I only met one that actually spoke, and he seemed to be granted this ability by a magical entity. This quest worked as a combination of entry into game mechanics and how the world works. I enjoyed you could skip enemiess if you wanted but were rewarded not only in levels for it but also extra points to put into skills and such for clearing an area of all the enemies.

From here I went on a bunch of side quests, these varied from go kill this monster for me to go save my sister type of stuff, you know the usual RPG fan fair. Another nice thing you don’t see often is the ability to not only respec for free, but you can also save three different loadouts if you want to prepare for different issues that may arise. Since you are a lone adventurer in this game this comes in handy. I never really needed this in the demo but I can see why you absolutly would in the full game.

Equipment also plays a very large role in the game, and you will constantly be able to find or buy new stuff which is nice. As you guys know I don’t typically score demos, and that isn’t changing here. I do however encourage you to go try this one out. It is a fantastic demo, and I look forward to the full Release of HellSlave II: Judgment of the Archon. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

First-of-its-kind Souls-like FPS Guns of Eschaton Announced, Set in Viktor Antonov’s Apocalyptic Dying West

Publisher 4Divinity and developer Eschatology Entertainment have today announced Guns of Eschaton, a mystical Western first-person shooter fused with a Souls-like challenge and the final original universe envisioned by the late Viktor Antonov, the art director behind some of the most memorable worlds in videogames including Half Life 2 and Dishonored. 

Set in nineteenth-century America, Guns of Eschaton draws upon iconic historical figures and mythic archetypes of the Old West, reimagined within a fantastical apocalyptic world, where every enemy encounter means risking death. 

Guns of Eschaton sends players on a journey from the West to the East Coast through a dying America. In this apocalyptic world, every enemy encounter becomes a test of preparation, resource management, and survival. 

Players will learn to tackle enemy encounters through the use of specialised ammunition, well-timed parries, precise dashes, and the Codex, which reveals enemy weaknesses through its Sequence Points system. Together, these core mechanics form the foundation of the game’s strategic combat. Just remember: Every. Shot. Counts. 

“We are incredibly honoured to be revealing Guns of Eschaton, the final project shaped by the extraordinary vision of Viktor Antonov,” shares Fuad Kuliev, Studio Head at Eschatology Entertainment. “From the earliest stages of development, I had the privilege of shaping this world together with Viktor: where ideas, themes, and concepts evolved through his talent into the world players will see today. Viktor’s imagination and creative legacy have been a constant source of inspiration throughout development, and this game is the result of an incredible collaborative effort from our entire team to bring that vision to life. We are proud to share it with players around the world in partnership with our publisher, 4Divinity.” 

Key Features

  • Every bullet counts: Face off in deliberate, high-stakes gunfights where preparation matters as much as aim. Study enemies through the Codex to uncover weaknesses, execute calculated parries, and wield mystic abilities granted to you by the occult. 
  • Build your legendary gunslinger: Customize your playstyle with deep character progression and flexible buildcrafting. Experiment with a vast arsenal of firearms, ammunition types, occult powers, talismans, armor, and consumables. Combine active and passive abilities, find powerful synergies, and learn deadly tricks from legendary gunslingers.
  • Explore an occult apocalyptic west: Roam the Apocalyptic West like never before. Created by the legendary Viktor Antonov, the world blends 19th-century frontier Americana with occult horror. 
  • Ride alone or together: Experience this unforgiving world alone or alongside allies, with full solo and co-op progression allowing players to tackle every challenge however they wish. 

Flesh Made Fear PlayStation 5 Review

Over the weekend, Assemble Entertainment hooked me up with a treat called Flesh Made Fear on the PlayStation 5. Now, when I first saw this game, my first thought was, ” Don’t review this game. It represents a lot of things I hate.” I have always hated tank controls, for example. The number of games that try to play homage to Resident Evil but are just rip-offs, by the way, is simply mind-boggling. People need to realize you can respect a series and want to show that love with a similar game, and not just steal its stuff. But how does Flesh Made Fear manage to walk this line?

Truth be told, it doesn’t really walk the line. It knows exactly what it is, and it doesn’t even try to hide it. I am not saying it is some sort of shot-for-shot remake or anything of the sort; it isn’t. But it embraces what it is, and lets you enjoy that rather than hiding behind some imaginary wall of its homage, not copying. The characters definitely are not Chris and Jill from Resident Evil. Who you choose, Natalie or Jack, will determine how parts of the story play out, and if you start with a bigger inventory (Natalie) or more health (Jack), which probably sounds familiar.

The horror is also pretty top-notch, from the very start, the camera angles are used in great ways to create tension, but are rarely used to screw the player. This was a complaint I always had about early games in the genre: you can create tension without placing enemies in such a way that players scramble with controls that are switching as the camera changes angles at weird times.

This brings me to my two major complaints about the game. The tank controls, while not the worst I have ever used, make the combat hit or miss, regardless of the character you are using. Not enough to ruin the game, but enough to be frustrating and has gotten me killed a couple times, causing me to have to restart from a previous save point.

I still enjoyed the game far more than I expected, and it may be the best of this throwback genre. It is an 8/10 game that fans should definitely experience. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Endurance Motorsport Series Sets the Nevada Desert on Fire With New Trailer

NACON and KT Racing are proud to unveil new content for Endurance Motorsport Series, the official simulation dedicated to endurance racing. This new video showcases the spectacular Nevada circuit as well as two iconic American endurance cars: the Cadillac V-Series.R and the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R. Endurance Motorsport Series offers a unique and realistic racing experience focused on endurance, where strategy, team management, and driving skills combine to recreate the intensity of the world’s greatest endurance racing competitions.

Nevada: Speed, Endurance, and a Constant Challenge


In the heart of the American desert, the Nevada circuit offers a unique setting where top speed and race management go hand in hand. With its long straights, demanding braking zones, and technical sequences, the track puts both drivers and engineers to the test. In Endurance Motorsport Series, players will have to navigate the unique challenges of this unconventional track: high temperatures, constantly changing grip levels, and the critical importance of tire management during the longest stints. Every strategic decision could mean the difference between victory and defeat.

Two American Endurance Icons


As symbols of American racing expertise, Cadillac and Chevrolet are currently making their mark at the highest level of endurance racing in the Hypercar and GT3 categories. In Endurance Motorsport Series, players will be able to get behind the wheel of two highly anticipated models:

  • Cadillac V-Series.R (Hypercar) – Introduced to competition in 2023, the Cadillac V-Series.R has become one of the benchmarks in the Hypercar category. Powered by a naturally aspirated V8 paired with a hybrid system, it embodies the power and character unique to the American brand.
  • Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R (GT3) – The heir to a long line of endurance-race-winning Corvettes, the Z06 GT3.R marks Chevrolet’s official entry into the GT3 era. Based on the highest-performance production Corvette ever built, it was designed to shine in the world’s premier international races. Its balance, versatility, and iconic V8 engine make it a formidable machine for professional drivers.

Developed by KT Racing, a studio renowned for its expertise in racing games and its know-how on the WRC series, Endurance Motorsport Series marks a major advance in the racing game market. Combining simcade gameplay with accessible controls, the license places team cohesion at the heart of the experience. Based on a unique cooperative concept, the game offers simultaneous management of track performance and strategic decisions in the pits. Each team is made up of four members—three drivers and an engineer—who must work together to compete against other teams in endurance races where strategy is key.

Endurance Motorsport Series will be available on PC, PlayStation®5, Xbox and nacongaming.com in 2026.

Add Endurance Motorsport Series to your Steam wishlist

Follow Endurance Motorsport Series on social networks to get all the latest news about the game: Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, and Reddit.

Find all NACON games and accessories at nacongaming.com

Enshrouded 1.0 Release Date Revealed for PC and PlayStation 5

Enshrouded Exits Early Access and Launches for PC and PlayStation 5 on October 15!

Enshrouded is a game of survival, action RPG combat, building, and crafting, set within a sprawling voxel-based continent called Embervale. You are Flameborn, the last ember of hope for a dying race. Venture into a vast world, vanquish punishing bosses, build grand halls, and forge your path in this co-op survival action RPG. Endure the corrupting fog that plagues the land to seek rare treasures and frightening creatures within it, and to reclaim your kingdom’s lost beauty and history. Beneath the ruins and within the Shroud lies a story of magic, ruin, and redemption. Awaken the ancient Flame and reclaim the hope that once illuminated this fallen world.

Features:

  • THE SECRETS OF A FALLEN REALM: Journey across its diverse biomes, from the sun-scorched Kindlewastes to the shadowed depths of The Revelwood, to uncover the remnants of lost cultures and forgotten myths.
  • BEST IN CLASS BUILDING SYSTEM: Bring life back to the land with powerful voxel building tools. Create grand structures, customize every detail, and shelter NPCs who unlock workshops and the means to craft epic gear.
  • SURVIVAL IN THE SHROUD: Scavenge the ruins, battle the wilds, and grow strong enough to face the horrors within the Shroud.
  • HEART POUNDING ACTION COMBAT: Battle corrupted factions and deadly bosses twisted by the Shroud. Dodge, parry, and unleash powerful skills and spells while you forge your own combat style as a Wizard, Ranger, or Warrior.
  • CRAFTING GEAR WORTHY OF LEGENDS: Craft and upgrade legendary weapons and armor. Expand your skills to master sword, shield, staff, and bow and stand against the Shroud.
  • MULTIPLAYER, CO-OP: Join up to 16 players in co-op to raid, build, and battle the Fell hordes together with your friends.

Enshrouded entered Early Access on Steam in January 2024 and has welcomed over 5 million players to date. Keen Games continues development for the 1.0 launch of Enshrouded for PC, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 5 Pro on October 15, 2026. Development of the Xbox X|S edition carries on, with launch planned for spring 2027. Follow Enshrouded news and developers on the official website, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, TikTok, Facebook, and Discord. 

Something is killing the children (vol.1)

We all know monsters don’t exist, so tell that to James, the sole survivor of a sleepover gone violently wrong. Something viscously ripped his friends to pieces, leaving James as the town pariah. So many children have disappeared in Archer Bay with little evidence and no reason. A strange blond lady comes to town to help, knowing exactly what’s happening. Erica Slaughter is on the hunt for monsters and nothing will get in her way…

I’ve heard rave reviews for this comic over the past few years. I finally got to snag the first volume and I’m pretty happy I did. The premise is simple but effective. The writing is raw at points and never becomes goofy. Erica is a interesting character you want to know more about; I want to know what the hell is with the stuffed octopus she carries. The book leaves a lot of questions but is written so naturally, I breezed it through effortlessly. The artwork is gruesome and I love we never get a clear visual of the monster itself. I will say it may trigger some people because you do see some bloody stuff involving children, so if that triggers you, that’s basically way I wouldn’t recommend this comic. I’d say this was a damn good read I can’t wait to follow up on. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Dungeon Crawler Carl

The Apocalypse is here and it’s being televised. Carl just broke up with his girlfriend Beatrice while she was on vacation. Bummed, still babysitting her apartment and her fluffy show cat, Princess Donut, Carl is in a bad spot. When Donut attempts to runaway in the middle of the night, Carl runs into the night in just his jacket and boxers. All hell breaks loose. Millions dead instantly, leaving the baffled survivors with an announcement: they’re now contestants in a intergalactic game show. Thrown into the Dungeon, now dubbed Crawlers, the survivors most traverse hellscapses full of monsters, looting for gear, and facing bosses before the level collapses. 18 floors, each harder than the rest. And Carl’s only companion is Princess Donut…

The hype around this book was pretty nuts. Every author tuber I follow has this book somewhere on their bookshelves, I’ve seen it posted all over Instagram and Tiktok, and recently it was greenlit for a series on Peacock. I went inn totally blind, weary of literary Blockbusters. This is one of the rare times I think it was warranted.

Dungeon Crawler Carl is a really fun book with great characters, humor, heart, lore and some really cool action. As a gamer, I enjoyed the gaming tropes and found the setup really relatable. Carl and Doughout are great characters that play well off each other, though Doughnut does steal the show more than not. Matt Dinnaman’s writing is down to earth and easygoing, making for a smooth read. My only real complaint is I feel like the book doesn’t come to a real climax. It just ends. No main antagonist per say. There’s alot of threads to be followed up on and their are plenty more books so I’m not too mad. In the end, I loved this book and I highly recommend checking on it. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

New Reviewer/Blogger Advice

Everyone starts somewhere when it comes to blogging and reviewing things, and it doesn’t really matter what those things are. If you missed my last post about the subject, you can find it here. Maybe you fancy yourself a journalist, nothing wrong with that. So you are going to start looking up where to get started, talking to people who have done it or are doing it, and that might be how you ended up here. You will see big scary phrases like “Search engine optimization” (SEO for short) and probably think, ” What the hell is that?”

It’s a falcon

That is a simple answer that people will make complicated, by the way. Every search engine in existence, Google, Bing, or whatever, will have its own criteria as to what it shows when people try to use it to look things up, to decide what it shows people. Things like does your article have pictures, backlinks ( have people used you as a reference, essentially, this says trusted people also trust you) have you linked to other people to show you are also proving what you say. You can learn more about SEO here.

Now, all this is to say, if you grew up when Nike started their “Just Do It” campaign and had to explain to your grandmother what IT was in the middle of a mall, you understand how this is both great and bad advice. You do need to just get started, but you also need some sort of a plan. Maybe not a step-by-step plan, but the semblance of one at least. So here is where the advice comes in.

Make your plan, but don’t be so solid about it that it can’t change because you need to be able to adapt, then get started. Bad content is better than no content, and chances are, your content at first will be bad. That’s fine, nobody is likely to see it. You are building anyway. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and all that cliche stuff. The goal to start is to get comfortable putting yourself out there and writing to an audience you will probably never know, and in a way, some algorithm will show people. This takes some people years to master. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.