Note: List is in random order.

Firewatch

Developer: Campo Santo
Publisher: Campo Santo, Panic Inc.

Firewatch puts players in the role of a man named Henry, a retiree that has taken a new lonesome position. His new gig has him stationed in the Wyoming wilderness where he simply watches out for forest fires. The only means of communication with the outside world comes in the form of a radio to his companion and supervisor Delilah. Since Firewatch was Camp Santo’s first video game, little was known or expected until Pax 2014. Taking place in the 1980s, the story of Firewatch is one of exploration and mystery as it seems not just the wild animals are lurking in the lush forest.

During Pax 2014, the development team expressed that Firewatch is open-world but not as some would expect. Instead of being able to locate new places and take on different quests, the story will drive players into a more linear path. Nonetheless, Firewatch does carry over elements from Telltale Games, thanks to ex-Telltale Games creative director and designer Jake Rodkin. Expect a number of different responses to choose from when talking with Delilah. Unfortunately, it’s unknown if dialog choices will play a big part endgame.

To a lot of PC game players, the tense, survival action game, STALKER represents the peak of what PC gaming had to provide all last generation; while the IP is unlikely to see another new entry at this point, there seems to be something else like it on the market- the MMOFPS Survarium, which seems to wear its inspiration on its sleeve.

Of course, with this being a free to play MMO game, it is definitely never going to offer the same experience that STALKER did, but it is being developed by much of the same developers who worked on that cult classic, so there are similarities here, as well as the incentive to play their next game.

Anyway, the game is now in open beta in Europe; technically, there is nothing stopping American players from trying the game too, but the game’s servers are, at least as of now, all in Europe, so the pings might suck.

Stay tuned to GamingBolt for more coverage on the game.

Vostok Games, the developers of the upcoming Survarium, have released a new developer diary that reveals some more snippets and facts about the yet unreleased title.

The new developer diary reveals a new faction for PvP. The new faction is called The Fringe Settlers; apparently, they live on the edge of the Safe Zone in Survarium’s post apocalyptic version of the world, and they have a deep rooted respect of nature as it slowly reconquers the planet in the wake of a cataclysm.

The new developer diary also explores an all new area, which seems to be the inside of a rather run down looking, old chemical plant.

Survarium is currently in a pre release PvP alpha focused phase. The team behind it are the same guys who made the critically acclaimed atmospheric shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Survarium launches in 2014. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for further coverage of the title.

Make sure to check out the developer diary clip for yourself.

This is the third official developer’s diary video highlighting the development progress of the Survarium game project. The diary discloses Scavengers faction, Rudnya in-game level and some key features of Vostok Engine, the technology behind the game.

Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Survarium is a free-to-play MMO made by the STALKER developers, whose previous project STALKER 2 didn’t get the green signal. However, we have four new shots from their new game which looks fantastic, and is still work in progress. These screenshots are taken from Rudyna location in the game.

“The stills were made based on an early build of the game and do not represent the final quality of the project,” wrote Vostok Games on their blog. We do not have a release date for this game yet, but it should be headed for the PC next year.

Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Following this Stalker 2 saga is like following a fast bird, it’s hard to know where it is going. I think we may have finally reached the conclusion to this drama. Stalker 2 isn’t being made, and I know plenty of you will be upset at this news.

It wasn’t due to monetary concerns either. They are now under the Vostok Games banner and are working on a new game called Survarium. It’s a spiritual successor to Stalker and is a free-to-play MMO.

“We did not reach agreement with the rights owner regarding the use of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. brand, that’s why we made the decision to move forward as an independent studio with a new project. That day became our starting point for Vostok Games,” a post on their website read.

“Vostok Games is a new studio founded by veterans of Ukrainian game industry with multi-year experience of developing and releasing commercially successful projects. In March 2012 we reached agreement with Vostok Ventures Ltd. to back up the financing of our new game – free2play MMOFPS Survarium (working title).”

It has also been rumoured that the owner sold the Staker IP to Bethesda, but you know how rumours are.

Tell us what you think in the comments section below.