On this edition of RPGs Coming This Week, we bring you fantasy, piracy, and a barista simulator (sorta, with card battles involved). Let’s get on with it!
Hammerwatch II – August 15th (Windows)
Hot on the heels of the co-op-friendly Baldur’s Gate III, the action RPG Hammerwatch II is bringing us more four-person multiplayer in a fantasy setting, this time in a colorful and detailed pixel-art open world. You know the drill: you and up to three friends choose from a variety of looks and classes and proceed to go questing and dungeon-crawling. There’s a crafting system that lets you make your own food and tools out of the materials you collect. It’s going to be a familiar yet (hopefully) fun time.
Expect Hammerwatch II to come out for consoles (Nintendo Switch, current and last-gen PlayStation and Xbox) later this year.
by Gio Castillo
Wayfinder (Entering Early Access) – August 15th (PS5, PS4, Windows)
From the makers of Battle Chasers: Nightwar and Ruined King: A League of Legends Story comes Wayfinder, a character-based action RPG with vivid visuals (mandatory), a broad array of combat options (you can fight with guns if melee isn’t your jam), and player housing (love when this feature comes up). It also supports cross-play and cross-save across PS5, PS4, and Windows, which is always, always a good thing.
Wayfinder is coming this week to Early Access on PS and Steam. The final version’s going to be free-to-play, but you’ll need to buy what’s called a Founder’s Pack if you want to play it now. There are perks and quirks to it, so consult this guide for more info.
by Gio Castillo
Affogato – August 17th (Windows)
We’ve seen games that simulate managing a café, but in Affogato, there’s more to being a barista. In addition to brewing coffee in the bustling magical city of Arorua, you can develop relationships with customers by hearing their tales from different viewpoints and helping them overcome their inner demons.
The real-time tactical card battler RPG features a reverse tower defense battle mechanic, which is unusual in the genre. Instead of setting up fortifications to ensure that no foe can infiltrate, you can opt to take the initiative and be the brave attacker to break through all defenses. Strategic battling and serving the perfect cup of coffee together await in Affogato.
by Tin Manuel
Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew – August 17th (PS5, XSX, Windows)
Mimimi Games is one of the industry’s rising stars. After putting out Desperados III and Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun, it has built a reputation as one of the world’s top purveyors of strategic, stealth-focused gameplay. Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew, Mimimi’s latest, could elevate the studio to even greater heights.
See, as interesting as the Wild West and shogun-era Japan are, Shadow Gambit lets you play with pirates (!!) embarking on a series of treasure heists. The core crew is made up of a lively bunch of scallywags with whole backstories to uncover. Each mission takes place on carefully designed maps meant to help you play how you want to. Theoretically, this game has it all, and early impressions seem to agree. Of all the games coming this week, I’d say Shadow Gambit is the most guaranteed to succeed.
by Gio Castillo
Also Coming This Week
Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition – August 17th (PS5, XSX)
Much has been written about Kentucky Route Zero, an acclaimed point-and-click adventure game whose five installments took about seven years to unfold. I think most fans that followed the story from the beginning would say the wait was worth it. Those newer to the party, however, are lucky to have the TV Edition, which handily compiles every episode.
If you don’t want to wait for the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S ports coming this week, you can find Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition pretty much anywhere (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Steam).
by Gio Castillo
And that’s that! The long trek through August continues, but I’m starting to see some sort of starry sea emerge on the horizon. Any guesses on what that might be? Stay tuned for the next RPGs Coming This Week!
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