In this edition of RPGs Coming This Week, our low-key summer starts to sizzle with three titles that have generated quite a lot of buzz. I’d rather not waste any time, so let’s just dive in!
Black Myth: Wukong – August 20th (PS5, Windows)
The gaming industry’s long streak of Journey to the West adaptations continues with arguably its grandest and most ballyhooed yet: Black Myth: Wukong. You don’t need to be familiar with the source material, developer Game Science says, so all you need to know is that it’s one of the most popular Chinese novels ever. Even I’m familiar with it; I used to read an illustrated version of the series growing up.
Expect Black Myth: Wukong to be a gritty, brutally difficult game—it’s a Souls-like, after all—with a focus on felling bosses. Combat is fast-paced and combo-heavy, and the player character Wukong heals primarily (only?) with the game’s equivalent of the Estus Flask. So… prepare to die, and hopefully have fun while doing it!
by Gio Castillo
Dustborn – August 20th (PS5, XSX, PS4, XB1, Windows)
Dustborn sees you on a road trip through a dystopian, alternate history of America with a colorful found-family cast of characters, all while harnessing the power of words. Player actions and decisions along the way greatly shape the game’s narrative and potential outcomes, so can you maintain your group’s cover as a traveling punk rock band?
I recently reviewed Dustborn on the Steam Deck and, overall, enjoyed my time with it despite a few caveats. While not necessarily for everyone, Dustborn is a compelling narrative adventure detailing a heartfelt journey for those it hits the right notes for. If you’re curious, you can try the game out for yourself when it releases later this week!
by Audra Bowling
Tactical Breach Wizards – August 22nd (Windows)
Tactical Breach Wizards delivers exactly what it says on the tin: a strategy RPG about an eclectic squad of magic-wielders. The group is on a mission to unearth and stop a conspiracy, and in their way is seemingly everyone, from a religious cult to other, scarier wizards like the Traffic Warlock and the Black Ops Chronomancer. Sick names, I have to say.
The most interesting thing about Tactical Breach Wizards is that it gives you full, unrestricted rewind powers. This means you can tool around freely, eliminating the risk of getting stuck and needing to restart. I know Fire Emblem‘s been inching toward that for a while, but it’s cool that this game just removes that friction.
by Gio Castillo
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