Runegate is similar in many ways – the foundation is clearer and certainly less obfuscated. The characters, including your own, feel far more established, and while exploration still has that segmented feel with some samey objectives, it’s more organic. Like you’re slowly but steadily uncovering this vast world with unique factions, but also characters with their own interesting side stories and dilemmas. It’s one thing to read about a developer wanting to take what they made before and improve it in every single way. That doesn’t necessarily make this a remake, though. If anything, Runegate is more of a revisit – a reshaping but also an expansion, one that I didn’t think would immediately grab me as it did.

"These connections between activities feel seamless, whether you’re carrying out objectives as simple as slaying wolves for a Raven Clan desertee and his family, or happening upon a mercenary who can squad up with you."

As before, you’re part of a Dwarven clan in a world that isn’t exactly all that thrilled about your existence. And while that’s outlined well enough, the circumstances are much different, jumping in right after a brutal ambush by goblins. It’s all you can do to recoup, check on the survivors, and so on. However, there’s also a mysterious structure called a Runegate underground, seemingly leading to another world. After the goblins reappear, there’s no choice but to jump in, re-emerging in the remains of the Rivenbrook Camp to rebuild. Then you’re off to Otam, a completely different world but one that’s still subject to the same dangers.

Because you have no idea what it holds, you’re essentially spending food to navigate your wagon around, unfogging the map and discovering new points of interest. There might be a location where someone needs your help in rescuing their brother. Perhaps you’ll come across a scholar who’s investigating some ruins, and by solving the puzzle, you obtain some old writings that must be translated. A base to the north holds the Rockwardens, where you can find two merchants to add to your camp when not taking on quests to hunt goblins (which then leads to a cave where an artifact hunter needs your help in return for some goodies and a grey tabby cat).

These connections between activities feel seamless, whether you’re carrying out objectives as simple as slaying wolves for a Raven Clan desertee and his family, or happening upon a mercenary who can squad up with you. Some PoIs definitely feel isolated, serving as little more than the means to recruit newcomers or earn some cash, but Regions of Ruin toes a fine line in how often they’re doled out.

As you help out people and gradually unearth more information about the world – and how your kin have fared – you’ll obtain resources to expand on Rivenbrook. There isn’t any hands-on base-building – spend whatever is required, and then spend some more for upgrades. Nevertheless, it creates a pretty addictive gameplay loop, especially as workers join your cause and start passively generating resources. You could embark on an excursion, hunting down goblins, exploring caves, and gradually collecting resources, to then return and spend it all in the camp for, say, a storehouse or a blacksmith upgrade that lets you enchant weapons and armor. Or even a refinery for producing finer metals, or even a fishing spot for passive food generation (the same currency spent for exploration).

"And it’s saying something that for as free-form as the plot can be when choosing your own path, it can also deftly loop back around to your clan and their rebuild while unearthing more details about the world and the Dwarves as a whole."

In between all of this, however, you’re also fighting, and admittedly, this is one area where Runegate isn’t the most fluid. The fundamentals are easy enough to pick up – light slash, block, heavy attack from holding down the light attack button, dashing, and so on. But facing directions, especially relative to the mouse pointer, takes some getting used to (and I didn’t especially like the alternative option). When you’re facing off against a few enemies, it shouldn’t be all that problematic; it’s when you’re swarmed by smaller foes, or reinforcements arrive from above, that things can feel a little awkward.

Even if the targeting was on point, movement can also be a bit clunky. The responsiveness of landing attacks and heavy strikes is fine, as is dashing away from any attacks that could severely injure you. It’s just the jumping attacks which don’t feel as finely hued, even though that’s technically more realistic. Regardless, once you recruit more allies and start getting into bigger battles, combat can become quite enjoyable, especially with the sheer number of weapon choices. You could frontline, blocking attacks and chaining stuns on enemies, or hang back and slowly but surely whittle them down with a crossbow. If you want to leap into the fray and start swinging with a two-hander, well, have at it. Just don’t be surprised when all those arrows aimed at your frame stick there until they’re pulled out.

The sheer number of skills to unlock that all lean into specific playstyles feels nice, whether you’re stacking bleeds or shield-bashing through multiple foes. Some battles can occasionally get repetitive, mostly due to the kinds of enemies that you’re facing, but it’s to the game’s credit that it often spices up the circumstances. One scenario could involve escorting someone back to the entrance of a mine and dealing with an ambush from goblins; another could see a giant Troll working with a gaggle of the same foes (even if it doesn’t present the greatest challenge).

And it’s saying something that for as free-form as the plot can be when choosing your own path, it can also deftly loop back around to your clan and their rebuild while unearthing more details about the world and the Dwarves as a whole. In that regard, the writing isn’t half-bad either, whether you’re dealing with Clip Lucky Shot and his plan to use you as a meatshield or joshing that artifact hunter.

"As much as it isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, much less present the most complex of systems (though make no mistake – there’s plenty of depth to sink your teeth into), it succeeds in the one way that matters most: Taking everything about the original and making it bigger and better."

As for the presentation, Runegate still offers a 2D pixel art style like its predecessor, but it’s more finely detailed. The overall aesthetics and architecture convey a weathered civilization, one that suffered its fair share of hardships and harsh weather. And yet, even in a place like Rivenbrook with its various wreckage, there’s a vibrancy throughout. During the day, sunlight pours in, almost blinding you, while at night, the stars are out, and lanterns light up to subtly illuminate the surroundings. Various rocks and pillars offer their own uniquely colored glow. The music impresses with its emotional motifs, and the sound design feels appropriately grounded (barring some odd-sounding monster hits).

If you’re in the market for a side-scrolling action RPG and can deal with the various warts behind the combat, simply getting lost in the world and the lore surrounding it, then Regions of Ruin: Runegate is definitely worth playing. As much as it isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, much less present the most complex of systems (though make no mistake – there’s plenty of depth to sink your teeth into), it succeeds in the one way that matters most: Taking everything about the original and making it bigger and better. It may not make the biggest impact on new players, but there’s enough heart here to win you over.

This game was reviewed on PC.

Samson: A Tyndalston Story

Growing up is never easy, yet there’s a bittersweet feeling in returning to your childhood town, older and wiser. Not for Samson, though. His goal in Tyndalston is to pay off a debt that increases each day. Time is money, literally – you have limited hours to choose different jobs, whether it’s a getaway driver for a bank job or tuning up some local thugs. With a combat system that’s more about fighting dirty and vehicular mayhem that would make Mad Max proud, Samson promises a lot for its $25 price when it launches on April 8th.

DarkSwitch

Think Against the Storm, but expanding vertically – that somewhat explains Cyber Temple’s DarkSwitch. With a giant tree as your base and a malevolent fog slowly creeping in, you need to build, construct defenses and sometimes venture into the unknown to survive. It probably isn’t a coincidence that Akira Yamaoka is composing the soundtrack, probably hearing the word “fog” and asking nothing more. But with a full-fledged story mode that promises over 20 hours of thrills, DarkSwitch could end up a dark horse when it launches on April 9th.

Replaced

AI trapped in a human’s body, an alternative United States under the thrall of megacorporations, post-nuclear panic – all of this and more await in Replaced, Sad Cat Studios’ long-in-development cinematic platformer, which launches on April 14th. It also features stunning 2.5D graphics and a Free Flow combat system akin to Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham franchise. Over its eight-hour runtime (11 to 12 if you stay and smell what’s left of the roses), there’s a harrowing, unpredictable experience with more than its fair share of bleak commentary on the world as we know it.

Starfield (PS5) and Terran Armada

Bethesda’s new – and not at all controversial – IP is finally coming to PS5 on April 7th alongside the latest story DLC, Terran Armada. At $49.99 for the base game ($10 for the new DLC), it’s the best time for PlayStation players to explore the Settled Systems, especially with the Free Lanes update. Besides expanding on space travel, it introduces new companions, outpost improvements, new points of interest, more upgrade systems, and more. Meanwhile, Terran Armada promises a more interesting story, its own exclusive Incursions, new ships, and even an HK-47-style companion in Delta.

Regions of Ruin: Runegate

As intriguing as the pixel art style and sheer number of systems could be, I never expected 2018’s Regions of Ruin to get a sequel. Runegate is out on April 14th and follows pretty much the same premise – venturing out into a ruined world, helping your Dwarven brethren, obtaining resources, and ultimately, establishing a place to call home. With more varied locations, sleeker visuals and much more to do, it promises to be the definitive Regions of Ruin experience.

Road to Vostok (Early Access)

If you can’t wait for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2’s first story DLC to hit this Summer, Road to Vostok may tide you over. Entering early access on April 7th, it tasks players with exploring the post-apocalyptic areas between Finland and Russia, ultimately culminating in Vostok. You’ll need to loot supplies and build a formidable arsenal, dealing with changing seasons, rough weather, bandits, and even the military, with death in Vostok causing you to lose everything. It’s a ways off from full release, but those looking for another challenging survival FPS may find it worthwhile.

Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred

Vessel of Hatred was a steaming hot pile of whatever, but Lord of Hatred, Diablo 4’s next expansion, looks more promising. Available on April 28th, it sees the world in peril once more because Mephisto. You’ll likely be the one to lay the smackdown on him after venturing to Skovos, a scintillating new region full of new points of interest and plenty of demons to scour. Two new classes, the Paladin and Warlock, bring even more unique playstyles and build variety than before, while Blizzard is reworking the Skill Tree, bringing back the Horadric Cube, and more. Maybe this will be the release that finally elevates Diablo 4 to the next level. We can only hope.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire

What if you combine the rubber-hose animation of Cuphead with boomer-shooter-like gameplay? You get MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, a hard-boiled noir adventure focused on Jack Prepper, as he investigates a missing persons case and ends up discovering more than he bargained for. The slick hand-drawn animation is undoubtedly the appeal, as it brings Mouseburg to life in astonishing detail. Of course, this is a shooter as well, with weapons ranging from the grounded – pistols, shotguns, machine guns – to the wacky like freeze rays, corrosive turpentine and more. It’s out on April 16th and promises 12 to 20 hours of gameplay for $30.

Pragmata

Moon’s haunted, but instead of ghosts, there are homicidal robots out to get you. Launching on April 17th, Pragmata isn’t a Resident Evil-style survival horror – it’s the journey of Hugh, investigating a lunar base after lost contact and becoming swept up in the robot uprising. Together with the android Diana, he seeks a way out, providing the firepower while she hacks through an enemy’s defenses. The twist is that you have to do both simultaneously, creating a mix of puzzle-solving and tense shooting. It’s unlike anything we’ve seen before, and after the demo, we only want more.

Saros

Death is only the first step in Housemarque’s latest, and protagonist Arjun Devraj has miles to go before he can sleep. Investigating Carcosa for any sign of previous Soltari expeditions, he and his crew are caught up in the Eclipse, which twists the planet’s surface, culminating in the sun’s death. And yet, death won’t let them escape. Cue close encounters with tentacled monstrosities, discovering new weapons and clues that could help. And while Saros leans much further into rogue-lite progression than Returnal, it’s also expanded on the bullet dodging with a new shield that lets you absorb some damage and send it back with a vengeance. Saros arrives on April 30th, and even if you haven’t played its predecessor, it’s looking like another killer PS5 exclusive.

Invincible VS

Seemingly addressing the lack of 3v3 fighters, Quarter Up’s take on the brutal superhero epic packs 18 playable characters – including favorites such as Invincible, Omni-Man, BattleBeast, and of course, Conquest. And if the prospect of different classes, active and counter tags, and rollback netcode for online play doesn’t interest you, there’s a story mode to experience every bloody skirmish. It’s available on April 30th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Spark in the Dark (Early Access)

As typical of a dungeon crawler as Stellar Fish’s latest title appears, there’s an inherent charm and grittiness to Spark in the Dark. Maybe it’s the isometric perspective or more methodical pacing, coupled with how inherently dark the endless Dungeon appears (which makes it all the more scary when monsters show up). It’s available on April 7th via early access and only includes the initial tiers of the Dungeon, but we’re keen on plundering its depths.

MotoGP 26

Credit where it’s due to Milestone, as this will be its third consecutive racing game in three months. MotoGP 26 is all about the thrill of competitive bike racing at the highest level, although you can opt between Arcade and Pro Experiences to determine the difficulty. With an in-depth career mode, cross-play between all platforms (Nintendo not included, sadly), and new disciplines like Minibikes, Flat Tracks, Production Bikes, and more, this could be the series’ most feature-packed entry yet.

WILL: Follow the Light

Cropping up more than once during Steam Next Fest and impressing with its visuals, WILL: Follow the Light is a hard-hitting adventure focused on a seemingly simple goal: Returning home. It’s far from easy, however, as Will must brave islands, mountains and even the sea to reach his hometown and save his son. Puzzles and environmental storytelling abound, but it’s all about the atmosphere and how deep you’ll go to learn the truth. WILL: Follow the Light launches on April 28th for PC.

Kiln

Listen, I’m not saying this is exactly what I expected from Double Fine, which has delivered some of the finest platforms to date. But Kiln is…curious in a way that fits the developer’s profile. After all, what other multiplayer title invites you to become a pot, finely sculpted by your hands and scuttling off into an arena for some ceramic destruction? The fact that a pot’s design influences its playstyle is even more intriguing. Whether it figuratively blows up or not, Kiln is out on April 23rd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.