Answering questions from various Twitter users, Gallat has revealed that that Ghost of a Tale 2 will mark his studio’s move away from Unity Engine, with him having spent around eight months learning how to develop using Unreal Engine 5.

The original Ghost of a Tale was released back in 2018, and puts players in the shoes of a ministrel mouse named Tilo. Gameplay revolves around exploration, hack-and-slash action, and stealth elements.

While Ghost of a Tale was released on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, it is currently unknown what platforms Ghost of a Tale 2 will be released on. Considering the use of Unreal Engine 5, it is quite likely that the game will be released on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

"Have you seen this Mouse…?"#GhostOfATale2 #UnrealEngine5 pic.twitter.com/wBixeo5c0j

— Seith (@SeithCG) December 27, 2022

Gallat wished “good luck” to Unity and said that he hopes “they can benefit from improved leadership at some point in the future!” This may seem like a response in the wake of CEO John Riccitiello’s comments on developers who don’t focus on monetization early on in the creative process (which he has since apologized for). But the decision was made several months ago, which indicates that the development team had faced issues much earlier.

Whatever the case may be, Ghost of a Tale is getting a follow-up, which is good news. A release window wasn’t mentioned, but the use of Unreal Engine 5 could indicate a release on Xbox Series X/S and PS5 along with PC. Stay tuned for more details in the coming months.

Might as well go public about this: Several months ago we made the tough decision to ditch #Unity3d and move on to #UE5 for our follow-up game to #GhostOfATale. It set us back significantly in terms of schedule (lots of work to recreate) but we know it was the right decision. pic.twitter.com/SGnLkivb8f

— Seith (@SeithCG) July 15, 2022

(The picture above is a 2D illustration by @sinto_j for the PS4 limited edition of GoaT)

We wish good luck to @unitygames and hope they can benefit from improved leadership at some point in the future!

— Seith (@SeithCG) July 15, 2022

Microsoft has announced its first wave of titles coming to Xbox Game Pass this February, starting with Ghost of a Tale (PC) along with Project Winter and The Falconeer (Android, PC, console) on February 4th. Project Winter serves as a nice alternative to Among Us, especially with its survival mechanics. The Falconeer, meanwhile, was a decent launch title for Xbox Series X/S especially with its aesthetics.

On February 11th, Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age (console and PC) and Frontier’s Jurassic World Evolution (Android and console) arriv on the service. The underrated Stealth Inc. 2: A Game of Clones (Android and console) is also available on the same. Wolfenstein: Youngblood for Android rounds out the list.

Thankfully, not too many games are leaving this month. De Blob and Ninja Gaiden 2 are leaving from the console side along with World of Horror on PC from February 15th. Cult classic Shadows of the Damned will be gone on February 16th. Stay tuned for more details on other Game Pass announcements later this month.

Action RPG Ghost of a Tale, developed by indie studio SeithCG, launched on PC earlier this year after five years of development, and was slated for a full launch launch on PS4 and Xbox One later this year as well. However, SeithCG have announced in a new update that the game will not be launching this year, and that both systems will be seeing a full release for the game in February of 2019.

Interestingly enough, the developer was very transparent about why they made this decision- because the Holiday season is crowded enough as it is, and releasing Ghost of a Tale for PS4 and Xbox One now probably won’t get them and their game the spotlight and coverage that they need.

“Following a discussion with our distributor we’ve been made aware that releasing the Xbox One version of Ghost of a Tale smack in the middle of the holiday’s season is Not a Good Idea™,” the developer wrote. “That is unless we want it to go totally unnoticed.”

“In parallel with this we have also been informed that the PlayStation 4 version of the game will be ready towards the beginning of the year, for a potential release in February,” they continued, after having explained that since they are not bound to the whims of a publisher, they have the freedom to push back the release if they want. “So the decision was straight-forward: We will do a simultaneous console release of Ghost of a Tale on Xbox One and PS4 in February. This way we’ll stand a much better chance at getting noticed by the specialized websites, which at this point is exactly what the game needs.”

Judging by the reception the game has gotten since its full PC release in March, console owners will definitely find the game to be well worth the wait when it does launch. Currently, its Steam user score stands at “Very Positive”, so if the developers feel pushing back the game by a couple of months allows them to be recognized for their game a bit more, well, more power to them.

To me, the term “indie” developer is equal parts counter-culture and unfettered creative vision. However, they are not on a different level from triple-A studios – really, the only things that separate them are bigger budgets and more marketing. Just like indie games are not by virtue worse than triple-A titles because of the lack of money, so too are they not superior because of their unique ideas (which come down to proper execution at the end of the day). I’m not a fan of the “triple-A” or “indie” moniker when it comes down to great games. Because great games, at the end of the day, are great games. And 2018, for all its typical franchises, has seen a lot of great games.

"Developed by Matt Thorson and friends aka Matt Makes Games that brought us the wildly entertaining multiplayer-centric Towerfall: Ascension, Celeste turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of the year."

Let’s start with January. It was a cold, dark month, punctuated by the impending release of Monster Hunter World. For me, the month was important for two reasons – Cellar Door Games’ Full Metal Furies and Konjak’s Iconoclasts. The former, obviously, is due to the developer’s amazing Rogue Legacy. Full Metal Furies has been in development for a long time and while its beat ’em up mechanics were decent, the overall gameplay and structure felt a bit wanting. It came and went but thankfully, the same didn’t apply to Iconoclasts. This years-in-development action platformer from Joakim Sandberg culminated in a colourful adventure with a deep story, lovable characters and excellent boss fights. It’s coming to Nintendo Switch as well, making it the perfect title to have on the go.

However, between these titles and Unknown Worlds’ Subnautica finally leaving Steam Early Access amid much fanfare (rightly so given how excellently the development was handled), there was Celeste. Developed by Matt Thorson and friends aka Matt Makes Games that brought us the wildly entertaining multiplayer-centric Towerfall: Ascension, Celeste turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of the year. It overtook a number of other indie titles by coming to the Nintendo Switch at launch but otherwise, it was a great game in every aspect regardless of the platform.

Mechanically, the platforming and variety in level design was compelling, fresh and organically challenging at every turn. The music and visuals were suitably retro but embodied a surrealistic flavour that felt unmistakably contemporary. I would give the most credit to composer Lena Raine for the sheer perfection that her soundtrack serves in setting the mood but everyone who worked on the game, from the artists and programmers to Thorson as designer and director, deserves the highest praise.

Even as Monster Hunter World was setting records and stealing many players’ hearts, Celeste was already my personal Game of the Year.

"Even though there wasn’t a ton of competition, the best new indie game of February was undoubtedly Into The Breach."

Surprisingly, February felt uneventful in comparison. Aegis Defenders from GUTS Department had a certain appeal to its gameplay with the mix of tower defense and 2D platforming but ultimately remained a niche title. February was mostly the month that numerous titles like SteamWorld Dig, Owlboy, Night in the Woods, Layers of Fear: Legacy, Outlast and much more released on the Nintendo Switch. The Nindies program was starting to pick up momentum.

Meanwhile, EA’s Fe was probably the biggest new indie release of the month simply based on the EA Originals label. Was it really exceptional? Did it push any boundaries, especially after January’s cavalcade of great releases? Not really but it was a solid title from the studio behind Stick It To The Man and the upcoming Ghost Giant. Moss was the other big title, simply due to the pedigree of its developer Polyarc (whose team had worked on titles like Guild Wars 2, Halo: Reach, Red Dead Redemption and Dragon Age).

Whether it was the instantly recognizable protagonist Quill or simply being one of the best VR titles ever made, Moss ably established its presence. There was also Where The Water Tastes Like Wine that sadly was proclaimed as a commercial disaster by the developer. Nevertheless, its gorgeous art-direction and strong cast, intermixed with interactive stories, was a welcome offering. An offering that will hopefully receive more appreciation down the line.

Even though there wasn’t a ton of competition, the best new indie game of February was undoubtedly Into The Breach. FTL: Faster Than Light developer Subset Games took a semi-rogue-like approach into the turn-based strategy genre, evoking an aesthetic similar to Advance Wars with intriguing gameplay and squad possibilities. The procedurally generated nature of maps, scaling difficulty and challenge completion required for new units ensured multiple playthroughs. But it was the deceptively simple yet complex gameplay that cemented it as one of the year’s best. There was just something so sweet about knocking an enemy unit into another while their attack kills a third. The ripple effect that this would have on surrounding buildings and other enemies was also worth watching out for at all times.

"Though ultimately falling back on the “one big twist” style of story-telling and having no single-player option, A Way Out’s characterization and strong mechanics allowed it to sell exceptionally well."

The scene started picking up again with all kinds of releases in March. Evoland developer Shiro Games returned with a completely different offering in Northgard. The strategy title focused on settlement building and exploration, as players managed resources and set out to conquer the immense campaign. Despite the strong critical acclaim, Northgard didn’t get too much appreciation but saw a number of updates to extend its life.

Other standout releases that didn’t get too much attention include Ghost of A Tale, a stealth fantasy game focused on a mouse named Tilo as he explores the history of a strange, anthropomorphic inhabitated kingdom; Q.U.B.E. 2, a puzzler in first person that involves the manipulation of cubes while one navigates an immense maze to survive; and of course, Hazelight Games’ A Way Out. Published under the EA Originals label and hyped up thanks to the antics of creator Josef Fares, A Way Out imbibed the couch co-op experience with a compelling story and gameplay situations. Though ultimately falling back on the “one big twist” style of story-telling and having no single-player option, A Way Out’s characterization and strong mechanics allowed it to sell exceptionally well. It crossed 1 million units sold in just two weeks.

April started earnestly enough with Minit. The game focuses on a mystery but much like Half-Minute Hero, a limited time period is provided to accomplish solve it. In between these sixty-second lives, players gather items that are shared across different lifetimes and advance forward (ideally). Though Minit handled its concept well, it was ultimately overshadowed by Harebrained Schemes’ BattleTech and 11 bit Studios’ Frostpunk, not to mention Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice finally coming to Xbox One.

In terms of heavyweights, that’s a pretty solid list. BattleTech became quite successful and Harebrained was acquired by Paradox Interactive. The developer announced future updates and more content (the recently revealed Flashpoint is the first paid expansion). Frostpunk, meanwhile, has been releasing free updates and quality of life changes besides prepping a new scenario for release later this year. Whether it was a tactical turn-based strategy with mech-building and customization or city-management with survival elements and an aspect of humanity, PC players weren’t wanting for unique experiences in April.

"Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, despite having a budget that could dwarf other indie titles, presented an old-school approach to computer role-playing games in the vein of Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale."

Of course, there was also Pizza Titan Ultra, an action platformer which featured giant mechs rampaging through cities to deliver pizzas. Why? Because of course, the mech owners ran a pizzeria! It’s crazy and bizarre but combines the over-top style of Crazy Taxi with the destructible landscape of Blast Corps. It’s nuts and yet extremely endearing.

In May, the flow of indies picked up. Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, despite having a budget that could dwarf other indie titles, presented an old-school approach to computer role-playing games in the vein of Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale. The addition of piracy, ship combat and exploration made it a fun romp even if, like the first game, the writing could be less than quaint. Titles like Omensight and Wizard of Legend also rose to prominence. The former was developed by Spearhead Games of Stories: The Path of Destinies fame. It saw players reliving the same day in Urralia, attempting to solve a murder to reverse the land’s destruction. Time manipulation, hack and slash combat and the ability to influence key characters all created a unique experience (plus the art-style was pretty good looking).

Wizard of Legend took a more straightforward rogue-like approach. Players explored a fixed number of dungeons with procedurally generated elements but the real hook was developing and combining magical spells together. Combat was fast, and the number of spells and items helped provide enough variety for a few repeat playthroughs.

Then there was Moonlighter, a much-anticipated pixel-art dungeon crawler that combined the combat of Zelda with the item shop management of Recettear. While its shopkeeping elements didn’t feel as dynamic, Moonlighter still had an enjoyable loop of combat, upgrading, dungeon looting and selling that was insanely addictive. Did we also mention the art looks simply gorgeous? It’s since been updated with over a hundred new rooms, various quality of life improvements and more interesting twists to the item store.

"July belonged to two major releases – The Banner Saga 3, the climactic conclusion to Stoic’s excellent trilogy, and No Man’s Sky NEXT."

Other titles that stood out in May include City of Brass, a first person rogue-like themed on Arabian Nights where players must venture into a dangerous city for the promise of treasure; FAR: Lone Sails, a linear adventure game where players embark on a sea-faring adventure of mystery, braving hazards and attempting to keep their ship going; and Yoku’s Island Express, a charming side-scrolling platformer that incorporates pinball into its core gameplay. Seriously though, if nothing else, try out Yoku’s Island Express. It’s a ball (I know, I’m sorry).

June and July were relatively quiet, though E3 2018 saw a number of titles either announced or outright released. Unravel Two debuted at EA Play 2018 and while it wasn’t as intriguing as Sea of Solitude (which is out in 2019), the sheer charm of the first game was unique. Plus, there was co-op this time. EA further surprised us by releasing the game as soon as it was announced because…well, why not? Nintendo followed suit. It released the Switch port of Team Cherry’s acclaimed Hollow Knight during its Direct presentation. Hollow Knight has since gone on to fame and fortune, selling over 1 million copies since first launching for PC last year.

Dontnod’s Vampyr was the other big indie release for June. While it seemingly flew under the radar, only slightly buoyed by reviews that praised the story but criticized for its combat, it managed to sell 450,000 units in a manner of weeks. July’s releases were pretty straightforward – This is the Police 2 released and alienated a few fans, though its shift towards a more XCOM-style tactical game wasn’t terrible. Chasm finally released after years in development and while it wasn’t bad, it did average slightly higher than “okay”. At least its 2D art maintained its appeal after so many years.

Honestly, though, July belonged to two major releases – The Banner Saga 3, the climactic conclusion to Stoic’s excellent trilogy, and No Man’s Sky NEXT. The latter technically wasn’t a new game but a large update, overhauling a number of features, adding new ones like co-op multiplayer (and PvP for the more violent-minded folk), and significantly improving the visuals. It did mark the game’s debut for Xbox One but perhaps the most significant development was Hello Games co-founder Sean Murray finally speaking out and admitting to the numerous problems at launch. The commitment to keep improving the game, especially with weekly events, continues.

"Perhaps what impresses me most about this year thus far is how many indie titles seemingly came out of left field and proved to be compelling experiences."

We hence come to August which saw the incredible Dead Cells finally leave Steam Early Access and become a fairly big hit with critics. I’ve waxed eloquent about how brilliant the game is, nailing its core gameplay loop thanks to a striking yet organic aesthetic. And really, it’s tons of fun to kill stuff in that game. No joke.

Guacamelee! 2 wasn’t a revolutionary leap over the sequel but it’s still an excellent follow-up, celebrating Mexican culture and folklore while embodying the very best of Metroidvania gameplay. Death’s Gambit, a 2D Souls-like, also released after numerous years in development. While I personally had a few qualms with it, the combat is fun and challenging to engage with as are the boss battles. Overcooked! 2 brought a whole new meaning to hating your friends with its cooking-based missions (and that odd design choice of only the hosting player receiving progress should be fixed by now). Even Donut County, a game where you control a whole that’s swallowing things up and increasing in size, looks bizarrely fun.

Perhaps what impresses me most about this year thus far is how many indie titles seemingly came out of left field and proved to be compelling experiences. For as much hype as there was for Iconoclasts, Celeste simply came out of nowhere and became known as one of the very best games ever made. Likewise, with August coming to an end (as of this time of writing), Sabotage Studio’s The Messenger has released and proven itself to be an excellent homage to the old-school Ninja Gaiden.

Even without the direct comparison, it’s still proven to be a fantastic 2D action platformer. For The King, IronOak Games’ tabletop roguelike RPG, was also pretty good and despite leaving Early Access with very little fanfare, it’s been well-received by both critics and regular fans. The same goes for Event Horizon’s Tower of Time, a more story-centric RPG dungeon crawler with some compelling combat and decent story-telling.

"Not everyone may find success but each title has earned its place in the hearts and minds of its fans, no matter their number."

Though the Fall and Holiday seasons are known for their triple-A releases, there are a few awesome indie games to look forward to. InExile’s The Bard’s Tale 4: Barrows Deep will arrive on September 18th, introducing a new generation to the dungeon crawling, RPG excitement that permeated old-school titles. Secret of Mana-style action RPG CrossCode will also finally release, exiting Steam Early Access on September 20th, and I couldn’t be more excited about finally playing the game through from start to finish. A number of titles like This War of Mine, Hyper Light Drifter, Everspace, Beat Cop, Moonlighter and much more will also be making their way to the Nintendo Switch, which has proven to be a premier destination for indie titles. Just ask anyone still addicted to Dead Cells on the go.

Frozen Synapse 2 is also probably still coming this year. It’s really hard to say at this point.

The industry has seen its ups and downs throughout the years. Whether it’s last year’s hefty push for loot boxes and reinforcing essential gameplay elements with loot boxes, or the constant nagging about the Battle Royale genre this year, there will always be some kind of pervasive cynicism. That doesn’t mean that some great games – even those seemingly “ruined” by microtransactions – aren’t available to indulge in but that’s beside the point. Through all the twists we’ve seen the industry take, the indie development scene continues to push forward. It may not always be easy or lead to returns as exemplified by Zeboyd Games (Cosmic Star Heroine) or Infinite Fall (Night in the Woods). Some developers like Hello Games may be forever marred by their past failures. Others may be defined more by their explosive personalities than their actual work like Josef Fares.

At the end of the day, the market has proven receptive to indie games and fresh experiences in general. Not everyone may find success but each title has earned its place in the hearts and minds of its fans, no matter their number.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

After announcing that Burnout Paradise Remastered would be coming to PC next week, Electronic Arts has also confirmed that the game is available for Origin Access Premier this month. The Big Surf Island DLC is also included with it and in fact, those with an Origin Access Premier subscription can play it right now.

For those with regular Origin Access, there are a number of quality releases to look forward to. Zoink’s Fe, another title in the EA Originals program, will also be available. Though it’s not the most compelling platforming adventure game, it still boasts a nice aesthetic and pleasing atmospherics. Other titles including Hover, Ghost of a Tale, Mr. Shifty, Pillars of the Earth, Punch Club, Splasher, and Figment are also confirmed to be included in Origin Access for this month.

Origin Access costs $4.99 per month or $29.99 per year, while Origin Access Premier is $20 per month and $130 per year. The latter is costlier, but offers instant access to new EA titles like the upcoming Battlefield 5, Anthem, FIFA 19, and more. In fact, you can even play them in full earlier.

SeithCG’s Ghost of A Tale has had a long development process, spending quite some time in Steam Early Access before finally releasing on March 13th. That being said, the stealth action RPG wasn’t perfect – it had its fair share of bugs and the developer knew it. It recently released an update to help fix the “vast majority of the remaining bugs” while also explaining why they were there to begin with.

“In case some of you are wondering why those bugs were there to start with, the answer is simple (besides the fact that Ghost of a Tale is quite complex under the hood): a dozen persons testing the game on and off over a period of 2 months is simply no match for having thousands of people all starting to play at the same time. That being said, it’s my fault of course,” the developer said.

“When I realized what was happening it was obviously too late to say, ‘Whoops, sorry I’ll put it back in the fridge for moment.’ The fact that most sounds didn’t play in the second half of the game furthermore gave the impression that it wasn’t finished. And that sucked.” This is despite the Early Access period going fairly smoothly according to the studio.

Things are more or less fixed now and SeithCG considers this an “apology” to players who didn’t think it lived up to their expectations. “Today…the game is what it should have been right from the start. So let this serve as an apology to the players who felt the game was not up to their technical standards when it launched, and an invitation to those who’ve been waiting to come and visit the world of Ghost of a Tale.”

Some of the major fixes (without spoilers, which you can learn more about here) include no ambient sounds playing in the catacombs, harbour, great hall and shore. Abrupt transition between ambient noise, elevators in certain areas not playing sounds, spiders not playing sounds, no sound when climbing ladders and other sound related issues have all been fixed. Check out the non-spoiler fixes below.

Fixed:

• No ambient sounds playing in the catacombs, harbor, great hall and shore.
• Abrupt transitions between ambient sounds.
• Elevators (courtyard, baskets, bells, etc…) don’t play their sounds.
• Ravik’s arrival sequence (on the bridge) doesn’t play any sounds.
• Sounds during dialogs are sometimes too loud.
• Spiders don’t play their sounds.
• No sounds when climbing ladders.
• Several reverb zones are not kicking in.
• Gallworms don’t play their sounds.
• Pressure plates don’t play their sound.
• Pinecones don’t play their sounds (collapsing worm holes, etc…).
• All ambient sounds are turned off after quitting and relaunching the game.
• The rebel mice remain visible although the skiff has left the harbor.
• An invisible wall keeps Tilo from crossing the already-opened metal gate in the harbor near the crab’s pen (coming from the elevator).
• The commander is sometimes not visible in his office.
• It is possible to sleep in the commander’s bed.
• Rolo at the forge is not hammering and talks about weird unrelated stuff.
• The camera is too close to Tilo after reloading a save.
• Cases where reloading an autosave results in the camera remaining locked on the spot.
• Cases of invisible Ravik on the bridge.
• The Gusto & Fatale’s achievement is not triggered.
• The Lore Master achievement is not getting unlocked.
• The wrong map is shown after getting to the shore via the cave.
• Some map markers for items on the maps are wrong.
• The well key can sometimes get stuck in an unreachable place.
• The HUD is not properly restored after leaving photo mode.
• The guards in the harbor can chase Tilo beyond the harbor (and disappear).
• Some French characters are not properly displayed in the books UI.
• The grid ladder in the jail tower can sometimes get stuck (after reloading multiple times).
• Problems when reloading a save while the end sequence is still playing.
• Some trees on the shore are missing their colliders.
• Rare cases where Silas is awake instead of sleeping.
• Some missing colliders in the catacombs walls.
• Tilo can sprint and sneak while wearing the armor when launching the game and loading a save with the armor upgrade skill.
• Ambient music abruptly kicks in instead of fading in.
• Guards’ knocked out timer UI remains on screen after leaving the area of the guards.
• Shutters don’t play their sounds when Tilo opens them.

SeithCG’s crowd-funded Ghost of A Tale is finally available on Steam. Retailing for $25, the game focuses on Tilo, a mouse and minstrel who’s searching for Merra, his love. To do this, Tilo must explore a vast world (including the treacherous Dwindling Heights Keep), sneak his way past enemies and converse with numerous other animals for information.

Though billed as an action RPG, Ghost of A Tale is more about exploration and adventure as Tilo knocks his foes out from the shadows, pursues quests, dons disguises and much more. All in all, you’re looking at a good 20 hours of gameplay here.

What’s most interesting is how long Ghost of A Tale has been in development for. After reaching its Indiegogo goal in 2013, the first trailer released in 2014 before it was subsequently delayed to 2015. Eventually, the game came out on Early Access in 2016. To think that it’s finally reached a full release is certainly something special.

What are your thoughts on Ghost of A Tale? Let us know in the comments below.