Now that Samson is out, what has been the biggest lesson for Liquid Swords from the game’s launch?

When you are a team of experienced developers, sometimes, we think we have all our ducks in a row. This was the first time we launched a game on our own; a new IP from a new team /studio. It’s been a massively learning (the hard way) experience.

The biggest lesson is that players are a lot less forgiving when your fundamentals are inconsistent, even if the ideas behind the game connect. We built a game with a clear identity and a lot of systems people genuinely responded to, especially the driving, the pressure(debt) systems, the atmosphere, and the way Tyndalston feels when the game clicks. But we underestimated how much technical friction, combat readability, repetition and rough edges would drag down the overall experience.

Personally, I think our biggest lesson learned was failing to communicate clearly what kind of game Samson actually was at launch, both in terms of scope and most importantly condition. That blew up in our faces. People walked in with expectations we did not properly manage, especially around the level of polish, scale and technical state. That’s something we have to live with and are currently working on correcting.

You don’t get partial credit from players because you’re ambitious on a smaller budget. If the combat camera fights the player, if AI gets stuck, if performance stutters, if chases become repetitive, then the experience breaks down no matter how much personality the game has underneath. That execution and communication matters equally has been the two biggest lessons learned.

Samson launched to a mixed response from both players and critics. How has that reception affected your immediate priorities for the game?

It changed the order of priorities immediately. Before launch, a lot of the focus was naturally on getting the full experience shipped. After launch, it became very clear that stability, responsiveness, combat readability, AI behavior and mission variety needed to move to the top of the list.

The first patches focused heavily on performance and crashes because they had to. We pushed fixes almost immediately after launch. Since then, the work has shifted more toward gameplay feel, polish and long-term replayability.

The community feedback has actually been fairly consistent. Most players are pointing at the same things. That makes prioritization easier and we can avoid guessing or just going after the game-internal “passion projects”.

Were there any points of feedback from players that genuinely surprised you after launch?

Yes, a number of them. A personal favourite was how positively people reacted to some of the smaller systems. Jake Baldino calling out things like turning off the engine and lights to hide in your car, or using the nitro system, was important internally because it confirmed that players were noticing details we cared deeply about.

"A personal favourite was how positively people reacted to some of the smaller systems."

Another surprise was how divided players were on the debt and pressure systems. Some players absolutely love the anxiety and momentum it creates. Others find it stressful or restrictive. We expected that system to be polarizing, but probably not to that degree. Here’s also a lesson learned as we communicated heavily around the game loop / debt and how it tied into the narrative of the game. There are a lot of improvements to be done in this area.

The strongest surprise overall was how many players saw potential through the roughness. Even some of the harshest reviews described the game as a rough diamond. That tells us there’s a foundation worth continuing to build on. With every update we release, we get a lot of constructive feedback that actually is based around an understanding of the state of Liquid Swords as a business and the state of the games business in general.

Liquid Swords has already acknowledged that Samson launched with issues. Looking back, what do you think were the biggest factors that led to the game releasing in that state?

The biggest factors were scope versus resources (including financial resources). We’re not a 1000-person studio. We’re a relatively small veteran team trying to build a dense urban action game with driving, systemic combat, AI, police escalation, streaming open world systems and heavy atmosphere on a much tighter budget than people probably assume.

At some point you start making tradeoffs, because you have to. Some systems got more attention than others. Some issues were known but not solved to the level they should have been before launch. We probably also held onto certain ambitions for too long instead of simplifying earlier.

There’s also the reality that games like this become exponentially harder toward the end. Small technical issues start stacking together. AI navigation, collision, combat readability, streaming performance, camera work, vehicle interactions, all of it overlaps.

I’m not making excuses here, so the honest answer is that players paid for the game. They expect it to work properly or at least be informed of the state of the game they are buying.

The roadmap has focused heavily on stability, polish, performance, and community feedback. Which areas of the game are currently the highest priority for the team?

Combat feel, more variation are the biggest priorities right now. That includes camera work, enemy behavior, readability in larger fights, feedback, responsiveness and encounter pacing. The recent combat camera changes are only the first step there and we updated the game as of today (Wednesday the 20th), with a lot of focus on combat/camera.

NPC behavior is another major focus. Enemies getting stuck, navigation issues, inconsistent reactions, those things damage immersion very quickly in a game like this.

Mission variety is also high on the list. Not necessarily entirely new mission categories, but expanding what existing jobs can become. More scenarios, more unpredictability (or even predictability to avoid chaos), more tension and more layered objectives. Right now, we work with what we have in the game and avoid throwing in new stuff, before the game is fixed.

Then there’s continued optimization and polish across the board because the game still needs it.

Beyond fixes, are there any parts of Samson’s core gameplay loop that you are reconsidering or meaningfully improving based on player feedback?

Yes, absolutely! We are looking closely at pacing and repetition across the larger loop. Some players love the pressure structure, while others feel certain loops become too predictable over time.

"Mission variety is also high on the list. Not necessarily entirely new mission categories, but expanding what existing jobs can become. "

The debt system itself is something we still believe strongly in, but the surrounding gameplay needs more variation and more emergent situations to keep that pressure exciting rather than repetitive.

We’re also looking at how pursuits evolve, how combat escalates, how city systems react to the player, and how jobs chain into unexpected situations. The core identity of the game is not changing. But the depth and variety around it absolutely can and will improve.

Samson’s structure, the daily quota, action points, debt pressure, and escalating consequences, is one of its most distinctive ideas. How have players responded to that system?

It’s been very split, which was expected and completely natural. Some players completely understand what we were trying to do. They like the tension and they like feeling trapped in a system that constantly pressures them forward. It creates urgency and gives the game its personality. Other players feel restricted by it. They want more freedom and less pressure. The world we currently have is quite small, so we will gradually expand player autonomy as we expand the world.

What’s interesting is that even players who dislike the mechanic often still admit it makes the game feel different from other open world games. That’s important to us and we never wanted Samson to feel passive or comfortable.

The challenge now is making the system feel less repetitive while keeping the pressure intact.

Combat has been one of the major areas discussed by players. What specific improvements are you looking at for brawling, enemy behaviour, feedback, and encounter variety?

The biggest issue with combat at launch was readability and was frustrating to us as well. When fighting multiple enemies, the camera often became too tight. You simply felt too swarmed. Situational awareness broke down. Enemy attacks became harder to track and sometimes was unfair to the player.

Enemy behavior is also being expanded. Bulkier enemies now have more attack variety. Navigation and positioning have improved. We’re continuing to work on crowd behavior, spacing and reactions. We want players to feel that they can walk into a room and simply go “F-K you!” and start beating the crap out of a group of enemies with self-confidence, not relying on luck. Improvisation – look at your surroundings and use environmental hazards (my current favorite is the not-so-often used A/C falling down on enemies). Adapt – you can strategize and some enemies might have moved back in the group and can easily be taken down with a bottle thrown to the head. There are so many ways we can make the combat more varied and fun and on vision and we keep our fingers crossed we’ll be able to go all the way.

Feedback is another important area as hits need to feel clearer and heavier. Environmental interactions need to trigger more reliably. Combat rhythm needs to feel more intentional instead of chaotic. That pretty much sums up what I said earlier.

Encounter variety is equally important. Better combat systems matter, but if encounters feel too similar, players still burn out. That’s where expanded job scenarios and layered situations become important. For clarity, layered situations means that we combine different types of jobs into one and try to get the heart rates racing.

"Better combat systems matter, but if encounters feel too similar, players still burn out."

Tyndalston is clearly central to Samson’s identity. How satisfied are you with how the city came through at launch, and are there plans to make it feel more reactive or alive through updates?

The atmosphere and identity of Tyndalston are the parts of the game I’m most proud of. We have spent so much time building this world and there’s still so much we want to get into the game or in a sequel.

A lot of players connected with the city exactly the way we hoped they would. It feels hostile, decaying, oppressive and strange. Tyndalston has personality and that was one of the goals from the very get-go – City as a Character.

But there’s still room to make it feel more reactive and systemic. We want more situations that emerge naturally. More reasons for the player to pay attention to the city beyond navigation. More pressure. More unpredictability. More environmental storytelling. Traffic improvements, navigation updates and future world systems all feed into that.

Are you looking at adding more missions, activities, enemy types, vehicles, or districts, or is the focus still primarily on polishing what is already there?

Polish still comes first because it where we failed to deliver in the first place. We are actively discussing additional missions, expanded job scenarios, enemy variety, gameplay modifiers and new systems that build on what already exists.

The important thing is avoiding feature creep. We don’t want to randomly bolt on systems that dilute the game. The additions need to reinforce the identity of Samson and not introduce new features before we’ve fixed the existing ones. Right now, mission variety is probably the most important content area.

When will you consider Samson to be truly “done”? Is there a specific quality bar, content target, or player reception milestone you’re aiming for?

That’s a tough one and a very valid question. I think the best answer is when the conversation around the game shifts from technical frustration to the actual experience itself.

The game has rough edges and we know some reviews focused heavily on issues that deserved criticism. What is very inspirational to us is that there’s also a version of Samson underneath that people clearly connect with and that’s worth building on.

There’s no exact review score or sales milestone attached to that internally. It’s more about reaching a point where the game fully delivers on the experience we intended. Not from the very beginning as that is a completely different beast but sharpen the experience we have set out to build.

Do you think Samson’s smaller, rougher, more focused approach is something the industry needs more of, or has the launch shown how difficult that path can be?

I think it is the way forward, for independent developers such as us. Not saying that big-budget AAA is dead, because they are not. However, there is no publisher in the world right now that spends any money on a new IP with an external team. And I say that for certainty based on my own experience. Sure, there are older IP’s that some try to reawake, but those doesn’t come with a big budget either. There are obviously exceptions, like IO’s awesome looking 007 First Light.

With that said, smaller and more focused games is the way forward and the industry need more games that takes risks, have identity and don’t cost $300 or more to make. The middle ground has kind of disappeared.

The industry for sure needs more games that take risks, have identity, and don’t cost 300 million dollars to make. The middle ground has kind of disappeared. The launch of Samson also shows how difficult that path is technically and commercially. Players still compare your game against the biggest productions, especially when you work in a genre which is associated with sky-rocketing development costs. That puts a lot of pressure on smaller developers developing in that genre.

At the same time, there’s value in games that are a bit rougher but more personal and focused. The challenge is making sure the roughness doesn’t undermine the experience itself, as many players unfortunately experienced with the launch of Samson.

"There’s value in games that are a bit rougher but more personal and focused."

With the console versions planned for later this year, how much of the PC feedback is being folded into the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions?

Everything we’ve fixed and updated in the PC version will be folded into the console versions. That means that the console versions will benefit directly from everything we’ve learned post-launch on PC. Stability fixes, AI improvements, camera work, navigation improvements, combat updates, all of it feeds directly into the console builds.

In some ways, the PC launch became a very aggressive learning process for the whole game. The console versions should feel more mature because of that.

What kind of performance and visual targets are you aiming for on PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S?

Our Tech Director Fredrik Lönn has responded to this question.

For PlayStation and Xbox Series X, we plan to have a performance and quality mode to choose from.

PS5 & XSX

• Quality: Dynamic resolution 1080-1660p with upscaling 4k
• Performance: 1080p with upscaling 4k

XSS

• 720p – 1200p with upscaling 1440p

Are you planning any PS5 Pro-specific enhancements, whether that’s higher resolution, improved frame rates, better visual settings, or ray tracing features?

Our Tech Director Fredrik Lönn has responded to this question.

PS5 Pro will feature higher-quality graphics.

Given the game’s current technical demands, is a Nintendo Switch 2 version something you would consider later, or is that not part of the plan for now?

Nintendo Switch 2 is currently not in the plans; our current focus is to make as great an Xbox and PlayStation version as possible.

After everything the team has gone through with development and launch, what gives you confidence about Liquid Swords’ future?

The Team! Despite the criticism, despite the rough launch, the team shipped a very difficult game with a very clear identity under tough conditions. Just releasing a game today, especially self-published, is a daunting task.

They also stayed with the company and as soon as the game was out, they tackled as many issued as they possibly could enabling us to respond quickly. They really owned the criticism rather than pretending it didn’t exist. As a founder and studio head, that loyalty, dedication and iron will, means a lot to me.

Many games, big and small, launch rough for various reasons. What matters is that the developer (us – Liquid Swords) understand why and learn from it, and keep on fixing the issues, improving the game with honesty instead of making excuses. We are doing just that!

We keep all the social channels open for discussion and have got some great feedback from the players and we continue to update the game. The next update is planned for June 9th and will be a BIG one.

The game’s promotional materials sell a world that’s impactful, but puts an emphasis on the grime that layers it all, and the style with which you’re able to deal with it. But that’s not what has us so excited to get our hands on this one. Instead, we think that Tyndalston’s gritty vibe is a potent backdrop for a game that constantly puts you under pressure, while forcing you to be disciplined about the way you approach tough situations, with very real consequences for bad decisions.

Wondering how we arrived at that conclusion? We’re happy to take you through that rather entertaining train of thought, so let’s dive in.

The Weight of the World

Samson’s core premise is decidedly heavy, and we think that it’s intended to be that way, as it underlines all of the chaos that life in Tyndalston has to offer our world-weary protagonist. He’s in deep debt with the wrong people, and the price of failure is his sister’s life. He’s managed to buy himself some time to set things straight, but it’s never that simple when your back is against the wall, is it? Your “debt grows by the hour”, since every missed deadline adds a hefty interest that piles on if you let it go out of control.

Your debtors are greedy, wanting to squeeze every possible bit of value out of a man who has managed to get himself entangled deep without any exit route, or even the hope of one. You only have that many action points to spend every day you’re in Tyndalston, and you have to use them as wisely as you can if you’re intending to keep your head up. There’s no safety net or do-overs if you get things wrong, and you’re just going to have to learn to live with the consequences of your actions.

It might look like a crime fantasy from a distance, something akin to a GTA-lite sandbox, thanks to how its visuals present Tyndalston. The clock’s like a ticking time bomb, working against you in an experience that doesn’t encourage casual improvisation in the face of complex problems. Instead, it seems designed to have you feeling cornered and under constant pressure to learn how to make the most out of systems that put you on the back foot.

In Tyndalston, Samson isn’t the hunter, but is rather the prey, and his survival is in your hands. Those are some high stakes, and it’s a good thing that the game’s combat looks like he’s got a few tricks up his sleeve. But will they be enough?

Fighting For Your Life

The game’s official position on its combat system is that it emphasizes using the world around you and improvised tools to sustain the momentum you manage to gain in a fight. With over twenty-five skills that can make Samson quite potent with his fists, with brawling being an important part of the experience, working alongside driving mechanics that come with the same design underpinnings, it can be easy to think that you’re going to be solving a lot of Samson’s problems with some stylized violence.

Once again, we think that the game’s most important message is being buried under expectations that might not truly align with the kind of gameplay loop it’s trying to sell. We couldn’t help but think of Sifu when forming our impressions of Samson’s combat. They may be entirely different games on the surface, but we think that every fight in that excellent martial arts experience was a desperate struggle to stay one step ahead of your foes through calm, calculated movements and positioning combined with some dexterous moves.

Samson’s combat could come with a similar vibe, requiring that you use his skills with precision instead of raw aggression. He’s one man against the world, and it seems designed to bury him under its weight, irrespective of how strong you can make him. We believe it’s not about the stylish chaos you might expect from a crime sandbox, but a more disciplined approach that requires restraint and aggression in equal measures.

Of course, Samson isn’t going to rely solely on his martial prowess, and there’s another important layer to his time in Tyndalston that deserves his due. We’re talking, of course, about his car.

Creating Distance From Your Problems

What does one do when their problems seem to be suffocating them, with seemingly no escape? Well, they try to run, of course. Samson isn’t above trying to put some distance between himself and his enemies to get some breathing room, and, as such, is going to depend on cars quite a bit as he tries to deal with his debts. The game’s been quick to refer to vehicles as blunt weapons, and that they’re going to be quite important to you as you engage with Tyndalston’s underbelly in your desperate efforts to get ahead.

Of course, every world-weary hero needs a ride they can count on, and for Samson, that’s Pacific Drive. It’s been presented as your only companion, a constant in a world that’s primed to pull out the rug from under your feet time and time again. You’re going to need it, as trying to run is only going to have people trying to catch you with chases, collisions, traps, and close-quarters encounters being touted as a part and parcel of life back home for Samson.

All of that looks like your car is going to be an integral part of your time in the game, woven into the gameplay organically enough to make it a foundational inclusion, not a decorative one. Pacific Drive isn’t a fancy toy for you to play with, but a potent tool that you must use to its fullest if you want to increase the chances of your survival in this game’s gritty world, which brings us to how the game seems structured.

A Focused and Frenetic Experience

We think that Samson isn’t going to be a stream of content that many would call bloat, an attempt to pad out a world that otherwise feels empty. The reason for that is the developers telling us that the main story is roughly ten hours long while that’s a rather short run time that doesn’t necessarily mean that it won’t be a good one.

Well, Samson might disagree considering why he’s in it, but we think that the game is more about quality over quantity, and that Tyndalston is going to pack more meaningful content that fits within the larger narrative to make a cohesive, focused adventure that sustains a fast pace while maintaining the tension that the game places on your shoulders. It’s a game that doesn’t seem interested in mass appeal, instead focusing on delivering a memorable experience for those players who choose to engage with it.

And while we’re on the subject of the game’s world, it’s time to turn our attention to Tyndalston as a stage upon which Samson’s fate unfolds.

A World That Keeps You In Check

With the game’s official position being that the chaos you create dictates the pressure you’re going to face, it only makes sense to weave the city itself into that loop. Samson isn’t just running from outlaws, but from a reactive sandbox that’s just waiting to respond to his actions in the game.

The city fights back if you try to push it too hard, and demands that you carefully navigate its intricacies via your interactions with the various factions and people you’re going to meet as you try to help Samson find a way out of his quandary. Tyndalston isn’t a city that’s waiting for your strong hands to take over it, but is instead one that remembers what you do, and responds to those actions in ways that matter via tangible shifts to its streets and who you meet in them.

That’s a facet of the experience we can’t wait to see more of, if we’re being honest, as we think Tyndalston isn’t going to be like GTA, where you go all out to create chaos. It’s less of a playground and more of a pressure chamber that you’re meant to navigate with care and tact, evolving your strategy in the face of a constantly shifting world.

Balancing Excitement and Expectations

Samson’s wishlists are definitely a cause for celebration, and all of those players waiting to dive in are not wrong to be excited for it. Heck, we’re more than ready to dive in and see how its systems come together after all. But we can’t help but wonder how much of the hype is built around the aspects of it that are more in your face. It’s so easy to think of this one as a crime fantasy where you unleash your fists and drive around causing mayhem as you evade your enemies or bring a grisly end to their bad intentions towards you.

But it’s more than that. We’re excited because we see a game that’s built on tension, requiring a restrained approach while you navigate choices, while trying to offset trade-offs that come from your decisions. The game’s wishlists are only an indication of how many eyes are on it, and the hype surrounding it is certainly justified. But for a game as ambitious as this one, the expectations that its players carry might be a factor that influences its early reception.

We believe that Samson is going to be a pleasant surprise, not because its size and scope surpass what is expected of it, but rather because it won’t be a game that’s afraid to hit back at every turn, and demand more of its players than they are ready to give it. And that’s the part we’re most excited for, as we love beating a game that does its utmost to punish us.

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.

As indicated by the title, you’ll play as Samson, a man who returns to Tyndalston to wipe out an extensive debt. The problem? It becomes more oppressive as time passes and the city consistently reacts to your actions, becoming more hostile. You have a limited number of Action Points to spend on different jobs daily, and the consequences can be permanent.

Of course, the actual gameplay in Samson isn’t exactly strategic. Combat is rough and tumble, and encourages leveraging the surrounding environment to survive, whether it’s tossing enemies into obstacles or using rudimentary weapons. And despite Sundberg’s pedigree, Tyndalston isn’t a fully open-world setting, mixing dense content-rich areas with a more narrative-driven focus.

Overall, the main story promises about ten hours of gameplay. However, there may be room for repeated playthroughs, especially as you opt for different decisions to find the best way forward. For more details on the pricing and how Samson punches above its price, head here.

Well, that’s exactly what we’re setting out to do. Here are a few recently announced titles that are sure to make 2026 and the next few years all the more exciting with their presence. Let’s get started!

1. Sons of Sparta

This one was quite a pleasant surprise, being made available right after its reveal at State of Play. If you love hard-hitting action, big set-piece battles, and a setting that goes all-in on spectacle and emotion, this one’s an absolute no-brainer.

It’s a 2D platformer that rewinds the clock, diving into a protagonist’s past as he fights alongside his brother and begins carving out his place on the battlefield. It leans heavily into tight platforming challenges, while its spear-and-shield combat proves surprisingly addictive, rewarding precision, smart parries, and well-timed evasions.

2. The Trilogy Remake

It was a welcome surprise to see the announcement land at the show, especially with a full remake project on the table for players. We’re eager to see how the updated versions modernize the classic gameplay loops, sharpen the pacing, and refine the combat feel while keeping the general flow and feel intact.

Either way, we’ll be jumping in the moment it’s playable, though it sounds like it may be a while, with development still in the early stages.

3. Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse

It’s always great to join one of the Belmont’s on a monster hunting adventure, and this one’s setting in Paris has us fascinated by its gothic vibe and buttery smooth combat animations. Of course, the Vampire Killer is making its return to your side along with new weapon types that let you take the fight to whatever monstrosities the game throws at you.

While details about its story are a tad scarce at this time, we’re sure that Konami and the Dead Cells team are up to the task of making it one worthy of the long-standing franchise.

4. Gothic Remake

This is another remake that we’re itching to get our hands on considering just how much work is going into making it a game that stays true to the classic RPG while modernizing it to make it appealing to a new generation of players.

With the most recent in a series of videos about its development showcasing how the team has crafted its NPC character models from the ground up, this one’s shaping up to be a very fine addition to a slew of remakes of classic titles. Even better is the fact that it’s currently scheduled for a 2026 release.

5. Samson

This one’s quite unique in that it features a man in a leather jacket literally taking on the world in order to pay off his debts and save his family. That’s easier said than done, however, as the city of Tyndalston is not an ideal place where one can earn their fair share without a little bit of violence involved.

Miss a day’s payment, and you’re even deeper in the debt trap with both the law and the lawless out to get you. This action brawler is going to keep the pressure on you, but of course, it gives you everything you need to come out on top. Just don’t expect it to give you cash or mercy.

6. Aphelion

While we’ve seen our fair share of sci-fi adventures where humanity needs to move out from the Earth thanks to hostile living conditions, we’re still excited for Aphelion as it does things a little differently. You see, it focuses on two explorers stranded on a potentially new home for their fellow humans, their ship having crashed, and one of them being injured in the process.

With two protagonists with their own abilities and skills, and a story that explores the burden of duty in a dire situation, this one could pull at your heartstrings more than you’d like to admit.

7. John Wick

It’s always going to be great to see Keanu Reeves play another video game badass after his work as Johnny Silverhand. And John Wick’s excellent take on the character’s signature gun-fu style is looking very promising in the reveal trailer at State of Play, February 2026.

Saber Interactive looks like it’s staying true to the character while bringing all of the action and chaos that seems to chase him around to the table in a title we’re excited to play, although that could take a while.

8. Knight’s Path

When life gives you lemons, you pick up a sword and wander the land in search of redemption. At least, that’s what Arlyk, the protagonist of this action-RPG set in ancient Rome, sets out to do in order to rebuild his life as a noble.

With combat that’s looking like you’re going to earn your reputation as a swordsman without comparison, this one is going to have us spending a lot of time with mechanics that are designed to make each swing or slash of your blade count. Add in an immersive world and a potentially memorable cast of characters, and you have yourself a winner.

9. Kena: Scars of Kosmora

Kena is now older, wiser, and more determined to bring her unique blend of empathy and compassion to Kosmora, a brand new location that’s opened its doors to her. She’s more confident in her role as a guide and is determined to help the living as well as the dead as she goes about her duties.

That’s good news for us as it gives us more opportunities to experience a story that hopefully retains the wit and charm of Bridge of Spirits with a combat system that seems fast, fluid, and, most importantly, fun.

10. Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol 2

We’re never going to say no to any opportunity to play more Metal Gear Solid, and the chance to replay MGS4 on a modern console without having to boot up our admittedly ancient PS3 is always a reason to celebrate.

And with Peace Walker retaining its online play components, this is a title we’re eager to get our hands on when August 2026 finally comes around. It’s time to round up your friends and take on a Metal Gear title that was built around cooperative play in this second addition to the Master Collection series from Konami.

11. GreedFall 2: The Dying World 1.0

The prequel to Greedfall has been in early access for a while now, but it’s finally ready to face the world this March. We’re stoked to return to Tree Fradee, a place where your choices carry wait and there’s always a bit of danger for those adventurers who care to go looking for it.

If this new title is anything like its predecessor, this one could have us spending more than a few hours finding out that our actions have consequences, and ones that we didn’t expect more often than not.

12. ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies

The spiritual successor to Disco Elysium is definitely up there with the more interesting concepts we’ve seen in recent years. You play as a former secret agent who harbors dark secrets and is now working as a PI after being forced out of the agency in disgrace.

The story is about rebuilding burned bridges as much as it is a mystery, where you need to think carefully about your actions while also paying attention to your crumbling mental state. That’s a lot to take in, but it’s going to be worth it from everything we’ve seen about this one.

13. Road to Vostok

Coming to early access in April 2026, this post-apocalyptic survival title takes you to Vostok, a harsh place in which even a silly error could mean the end of your adventure, with permadeath being a constant threat that hovers over you as you make your way through the story.

With a dynamic world that features a comprehensive weather system, multiple hostile factions all determined to give your character a premature death, and of course, a ton of loot to be gathered, Road to Vostok has us quite enthusiastic for all of it.

14. IKUMA – The Frozen Compass

Any adventure where you’re accompanied by a NPC is one that’s worth it in our book, and this one definitely caught our eye with its unique visuals and art style. You play as Sam, a boy who finds himself alone and stranded on an island in the Arctic with his loyal furry friend Ellie at his side.

Together, they must find a way home, braving all of the challenges in their way in a coming-of-age story that forces Sam to confront his past in order to ensure he has a future.

15. Project Windless

If you liked The Bird That Drinks Tears series of novels, this is a game that’s going to be a treat for you. It’s an open-world RPG set in the same universe as the books, placing you in the shoes (metaphorically, of course) of a giant humanoid bird who is armed with a pretty cool pair of dual blades and out on a mission that has you taking on several enemies who are quite skilled at coming at you from all directions based off what we’ve seen in the trailer.

This is a game that we’re eager to play thanks to its focused, single-player experience.

And that’s a wrap on our most anticipated titles for the rest of this year and perhaps a few that are going into 2027 and beyond. Of course, you can be sure you’re going to hear from us the moment new information on any one of them becomes available.

As Samson, who’s returned to the city of Tyndalston indebted to some rough customers, players won’t be controlling a “soldier” or “martial arts master,” as principal programmer Strati Zerbinis describes him. Rather, he’s a tough guy who’s having to improvise more often than not when against the odds.

“You’re going to get ganged up on. They’re going to try to get behind you. They’re going to charge in on all sides. You’ve got to keep moving. Keep swinging, you know, maybe fight a little dirty. Fair fights are for chumps, right?”

It’s a fascinating proposition backed by the fact that the entire city is your weapon. “You can walk into a nice, clean room and totally wreck the place. The world is not just an arena in which you have a fight. The world is part of the fight.

“You can use everything you break. You can take broken things and make them into weapons. You can knock stuff over onto people. Debris can get in enemies’ way. Heavy stuff can fall and kill people. Like it’s crazy. We really want you to be able to use the city to really, really hurt your enemies.”

That approach carries over to vehicles as well, especially when you have to take out enemies that are speeding away. All it takes is a little nudge with Samson’s Magnum Opus (a nice little nod to Mad Max, which studio founder Christofer Sundberg previously worked on) and you can send another car careening into a pole.

“It’s the relative momentum of the two cars, like how fast the car is, how much mass they have, that dictates the damage done,” says senior design Alex Williams. Cars also have many different parts that can be damaged in the process.

“I don’t want to feel like a car just dies. Cars don’t die. They’re made up of lots of different parts. We have a parts system – there are tires, wheels, the engine – these can all degrade. The player will feel the consequences of how those parts are damaged.”

Of course, there are plenty of other uses for vehicles, like acting as a getaway vehicle during a heist or delivering items. Standard open-world activities, despite Samson not being a fully open world. Regardless, having that freedom and mixing things up on your terms, whether it’s with fisticuffs or behind the wheel, looks enticing.

Samson launches in early 2026 for PC, with console versions due later.

“You are free to approach missions in different ways, and the world supports and encourages exploration. However, the experience is structured and intentional, rather than endless or sandbox-driven.”

Essentially, it “sits between” a fully open-world experience and one that’s more narrative-driven with “limited areas.” “You have freedom to move through the city and explore, but the world is designed for density, pacing, and purpose. We value meaningful content over sheer size.” This sounds pretty similar to Mafia, except with more content in the surrounding spaces.

As for how long it will be, which is vital given the price, the developer said the main story takes roughly ten hours. However, it anticipates that “players will spend 25 hours or more exploring everything the game has to offer.”

Samson’s story focuses on the protagonist paying off their debts, with each day bringing new challenges. The twist is that you have total freedom in accomplishing this. You could take on “high-stakes hits” or participate in underground races alongside “vehicle-based jobs” and getaways.

“The game also offers opportunities for theft, hand-to-hand combat, and tailing missions to gather critical information, delivering a rich and diverse gameplay experience that extends well beyond the main storyline.” Of course, you may want to take on those jobs to improve and unlock different upgrades, which could help make “better choices” down the line.

Samson will launch for PC first before coming to consoles later. Stay tuned for more details and gameplay leading up to launch.

A “specific date” will be shared in the coming months, but even more intriguing is that Samson will retail for $24.99. “As an independently developed and published title, we don’t have the overhead of a large organization — just the core development team. This gives us the freedom to set our own price.”

“At $24.99, we hope players will be encouraged to give it a try and discover an experience that truly punches above its price point.”

Of course, it won’t be available for all platforms at once. Console versions will be released later since this allows Liquid Swords to deliver “the best possible version” on PC first, without “spreading ourselves too thin.”

And just for the sake of clarification, there’s no multiplayer in Samson. It’s a single-player title without any microtransactions. “We believe that when you buy the game, you get the game. “

Localization focuses on English, French, Italian, German and Spanish for launch, but the studio has plans for more down the line. That said, the voice acting will be English only. Also, if the trailer didn’t make it clear, this is a “Mature” game with plenty of violence, crime, “moral ambiguity,” drug use and more.