Serving as an Epilogue to the main game, it adds a new boss fight against Ash which unlocks a more difficult version called “The Eldritch Hand.” The Halls of Cruelty have been added for platforming fans and completing all of the new challenges will reward new items. You can also choose different game modes from the start like Randomized Items, Madness Mode (which, barring weapons, destroys all equipped items on dying) and Fink Mode (which sees Fink ambushing you at different points).

Death’s Gambit: Afterlife – Ashes of Vados will be coming to PS4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One this Spring. Stay tuned for more details and a proper release date in the coming weeks.

Releasing on February 10th for PC and in Spring for PS4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One (which also marks the game’s debut on Xbox platforms), it will retail for $8. The DLC adds a new boss fight with Ash. Upon defeating her, a more challenging version will be available dubbed “The Eldritch Hand.” A new Arena with a Horde Mode and Boss Rush mode (with both normal and heroic variants) is also coming.

If you’re keen on testing your platforming skills, the Halls of Cruelty will offer a tough new level. New game modes like Random items, Madness Mode, Fink Mode and Heroic Forced are also being added for new playthroughs. And for those who complete the Arena’s challenges along with conquering Ash and the Halls of Cruelty, there will be new loot to earn. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.

While there’s plenty of new content to jump into, various quality of life changes have also been made. You can now try out each class at the selection screen and along with a general talent tree, there’s a separate tree for each. It will also be possible to multi-class in this game and mix-and-match skills.

Additional story content and multiple endings along with crafting and improved combat are also coming with the update. If you’ve ever wanted to revisit Death’s Gambit, then Afterlife seems to offer plenty of reasons. Stay tuned for more details and in the meantime, check out our review of the base game here.

The class selection screen has been changed, now allowing players to try out each before committing to them. Input buffering has been fine-tuned to provide more control over one’s actions, meaning the player can now change directions when starting an attack. Endurance and Haste will be capped at 30 but now provide more significant increases to damage, stamina and cooldown reduction.

As for talents, each class has a general talent tree and their own specific talent tree – one can unlock a second class talent tree and multi-class. Upon completing the game, Advanced talents become unlocked which provide boosts even when starting in New Game+. Lots of new weapons have been added, some being available in the open world and others being boss drops.

The full trailer is worth checking out due to the overwhelming number of changes. Death’s Gambit: Afterlife is out later this year and will be coming to Nintendo Switch first. It will then launch a month later for PC and another month after that for PS4.

Along with six new bosses, Afterlife offers ten new levels, an expanded world and hub, 100 talents, numerous new weapons and even crafting. Multiple endings have also been added and there should be some juicy new story content and lore to sink one’s teeth into. There even looks to be a showdown with Death, the one who provided the protagonist Sorun with his undead status.

Interestingly enough, Afterlife will be releasing for the Nintendo Switch so it’s unclear whether it will be releasing for PS4 and PC. Either way, it’s out this year so expect more details on a release date in the coming months. Check out our review for the base game here in the meantime.

The great news is that Steins;Gate Elite, which is a remake of the original interspersed with anime cutscenes in order to create a more dynamic experience than the static images and cutouts one usually sees in visual novels, maintain almost everything that is good about the original, while adding a layer of immersion that until now has been impossible to experience with any degree of interactivity. Put simply, by taking scenes from the anime, and making them part of the visual novel, Steins;Gate Elite essentially feels like you are playing the anime at all times.

"Put simply, by taking scenes from the anime, and making them part of the visual novel, Steins;Gate Elite essentially feels like you are playing the anime at all times."

This can feel like a gimmick (and at first, it barely feels like that), but the kineticism it imbues the story with can have a great effect. The issue with the original Steins;Gate, as with all visual novels, was that the actual storytelling comes from static images with loads of text boxes superimposed over it. It’s kind of like reading a comic book with fewer panels and more text; but you gain a full degree of control over the story in exchange. On the other hand, the anime truly depicts every event in the story—but it comes at the cost of any control over the story.

Steins;Gate Elite removes that choice, and you now get the immersion of the anime with the control you get in the visual novel. There are changes that have had to be made—remember, the anime lacks a lot of scenes and content from the visual novel. In a lot of cases, new ones were made to account for that. In a lot of other cases, the anime scenes have been reframed, refilmed, or reshot to better account for the pacing of the visual novel. It ends up working surprisingly well, and the virtues of the anime (from its strong art to its fantastic framing of the action) plays unexpectedly well with Okabe’s inner monologue, which, if you remember, was entirely absent from the anime and only in the original visual novel.

"For all these changes to how the story is told, there are very few ones made to the story itself, and with good reason."

For all these changes to how the story is told, there are very few ones made to the story itself, and with good reason. As I already pointed out, Steins;Gate is an incredibly strong narrative. It starts off extremely slow (frustratingly slow; it’s very easy to fall off the wagon early on with how little seems to be happening for the first half dozen or so hours), but the pace soon picks up as things come to a head. Steins;Gate’s story goes to some incredibly dark and unexpected places. One particular ending is extremely messed up (and also the easiest ending to activate), while the true ending is an emotionally exhausting, harrowing experience that has you question your commitment to multiple characters in the game, and forces you to come to terms with your own limitations and defeat before finally allowing you a win.

It’s a classic, and it’s elevated even further thanks to Okabe, the main character. Okabe is your textbook otaku, pretending he lives a grander life than he does, involved and embroiled in conspiracies and secret agents, constantly talking to himself about the so-called shadowy “Organization”. He can be incredibly annoying at first, but as his insecurities and vulnerabilities come to the fore, and his love for the people in his life, and as it becomes clear just how much he is willing to do to keep those people safe, secure, and happy, you realize there’s more to him than just the tropes he appears to embody at first.

"It’s a classic, and it’s elevated even further thanks to Okabe, the main character. Okabe is your textbook otaku, pretending he lives a grander life than he does, involved and embroiled in conspiracies and secret agents, constantly talking to himself about the so-called shadowy “Organization”."

Honestly, that’s true of Steins;Gate as a whole. It has a lot of anime tropes, sometimes uncomfortably so, and there are parts that are extremely out of place with non-Japanese sensibilities that I imagine will give a lot of people pause. Cultural relativism is not an excuse for any of that, and there’s little doubt that there are ways that the game handles topics which can be uncomfortable.

But in spite of the sometimes unfortunate presence of its tropes, the core story is absolutely incredible, and unmatched. It’s harrowing, thrilling, unpredictable, and keeps you at the edge of your seat as you try to understand just how Okabe will manage to get through the tribulations he faces that no human can possibly hope to prevail against. The payoff is worth it.

While some will be disappointed at the lack of an English dub—you get English text, but the voices are Japanese only—in the end, the Japanese voice acting is absolutely incredible, and for most viewers of anime, this is not likely to be much of an issue. For others, if you find the voices grating, you at least have the option to turn them off (though doing so misses a lot of the emotional nuance of later scenes, particularly in Okabe, Kurisu, and Suzuha’s deliveries).

There are shortcomings to Steins;Gate Elite, a lot of which come from its laudable ambition of reinventing visual novels by melding anime with VN. It succeeds to a surprising degree, and succeeds enough that such shortcomings can be overlooked. If you have not already, Steins;Gate Elite is the way to experience the classic story. This, too, is the will of Steins Gate.

This game was reviewed on Nintendo Switch.

"Princess Mononoke was a great source of inspiration for nature reclaiming its lands, as was Dark Souls for the scale and gothic architecture. Each area has its own inspirations based on the narrative we wanted to explore."

The game has quite a unique setting from what we’ve seen so far. What are some of the inspirations you drew from to depict this realm of the undying?

We wanted to explore what immortality would feasibly do to a kingdom. While it might enjoy prosperity and immense growth through an undying workforce, we figured people would eventually lose a sense of self and motivation. The landscapes are meant to evoke that sense of lost history. Princess Mononoke was a great source of inspiration for nature reclaiming its lands, as was Dark Souls for the scale and gothic architecture. Each area has its own inspirations based on the narrative we wanted to explore.

What can you tell us about the story of the game and about the protagonist Sorun?

Siradon is the land of immortality, subjected to a quadrennial event known as the Great Expedition. During this time, the surrounding kingdoms attempt to siege it and claim the source of undeath for themselves.

Sorun was born to a fiefdom within Vados. As part of their tribute, his father was drafted into the Great Expedition while Sorun was still a newborn. Growing up with his mother, she instilled in him the ideals to live a life worth remembering. They were her parting words before the Expedition took her as well.

Sorun would come to follow in their footsteps, taking command of a sizable company. But when faced with Death, he thinks immortality will give him the means to honor his mother’s memory, and make a name for himself. But immortality is not without its costs.

Since the character is supposed to be immortal, how exactly does the death mechanic work in the game?

Sorun is in a state of limbo between life and death. He can still be killed when squaring off against enemies, but will be resurrected at a Death shrine per his contract with Death. Knowing we would be making a difficult game, we wanted death to be a marker of progression. For one, if you die to a boss, you are rewarded experience for doing better than your previous attempt. A hiscore system of sorts. Secondly, characters will remember when you do die and return. And finally, death unlocks certain story related cutscenes and flashbacks that delve into the backstory of Sorun and the state of the world.

How important is your starting class in the game? Is it more just a place to start off with or does it define your playstyle for the rest of the game?

The game is balanced so that you can complete it with any of the classes. There are pros and cons for how you build out your character at the beginning, but there’s a lot of flexibility too, and your starting class is more about giving you different playstyles to experiment with on each playthrough. There is always room to adapt as the game goes on, with plenty of avenues for min-maxing. It’s really about making the hero you want to play.

"The pixel art style was chosen out of necessity. Between the two of us who started developing the game, there was no way I could animate fully illustrated characters or 3D models."

What can you tell us about the progression system in the game?

The game is non-linear, allowing players to explore different zones in whatever order they choose. Various skills and weapons become available through the paths you take, and equipment can be upgraded upon finding a specific NPC. Certain bosses offer new skills, vendors increase their items, etc. Defeating a boss will reward you with a talent point that can be spent on improving certain aspects of your character. However you won’t be able to fill out all of your talents in one playthrough, so strategically choose which progression path you wish to take.

What has your collaboration with Adult Swim Games been about?

Adult Swim has supported us financially as a publishing house, as well as provided marketing and venue space for conventions, and ad spaces around the web.

The game’s fantastic art style immediately arrests the viewer’s attention. What can you tell us about the inspirations and reasons that led you to use this art style?

The pixel art style was chosen out of necessity. Between the two of us who started developing the game, there was no way I could animate fully illustrated characters or 3D models. Pixel art gave us the leeway to create a demo to pitch. Beyond that, pixel art is just fun to do, and it inspires people’s creativity in a way high fidelity graphics don’t. Pixel art leaves it up to the player to imagine parts of the design. Each area has its own color palette and theme to keep it memorable.

As of now, the game has been announced only for the PC and PS4. Are there plans to bring it over to the Xbox One and Nintendo Switch in the future?

Right now we are just focused on the PS4 and PC versions, continuing to update them based on feedback we’ve received since launch.

What can you tell us about the non-linear gameplay and how exactly it works?

It was important for us to give players a sense of choice in their adventure. The full game really opens up to player freedom after the initial area. There are definitely easier paths and bosses you can choose to take on early, but we try to leave that up to you to discover. Either way, players are rewarded for their exploration with valuable gear and items that may help overcome the game’s various challenges.

"We’ve seen some incredible player strategies shine through these fights, and it serves to really inspire player creativity to overcome these challenges."

How exactly does the Heroic Mode work?

Upon defeating a boss, you have the option to challenge them again. In the same way that you are immortal and can continue to face them despite your deaths, this gives the bosses a chance to do the same. Certain twists are introduced to increase the challenge of the fight, as well as buffing their overall health and damage. We’ve seen some incredible player strategies shine through these fights, and it serves to really inspire player creativity to overcome these challenges.

Team Cherry’s beloved indie title Hollow Knight, which saw immense success on the Nintendo Switch this year, will be releasing for Xbox One and PS4 in Spring 2019 thanks to Skybound Games. That’s not all though – the publisher also announced that Death’s Gambit from White Rabbit will head to Xbox One and Nintendo Switch in late 2018/early 2019.

If that weren’t enough, both titles will receive physical releases for all three consoles. Skybound will also release a physical edition for Lab Zero Games’ Skullgirls 2, which is currently without a release date. Speaking to Variety, Skybound Games CEO Ian Howe stated, “Hollow Knight and Death’s Gambit represent the very best of independent game development. I’m thrilled to partner with Team Cherry, and Adult Swim and White Rabbit to bring them to retail.”

Team Cherry also issued a statement, noting that, “Skybound immediately impressed us with their experience and their focus on quality. And we can’t wait for them to deliver the definitive version of Hollow Knight into players’ hands.”

Jeff Olsen, VP of Digital and Games at Adult Swim, further added, “Death’s Gambit has a passionate fanbase, and we know that a physical release from Skybound will be welcome news to them.”

Skybound Games is still relatively new, and is a division of Skybound Entertainment, founded by The Walking Dead graphic novel creator Robert Kirkman. Titles like The Long Dark and Slime Rancher will also receive physical editions in September courtesy of Skybound Games.

You can read our review of Death’s Gambit through here, and our review of Hollow Knight through here. Both games come highly recommended, though one much more so than the other.

"However, when Death started playing a video game and opined about its “vision”, clearly referencing the developer’s own work in the process, it became a bit much."

Don’t be fooled though. You’re told almost immediately what your purpose is. Head into Siradon’s citadel, Caer Siorai, and destroy the “Source” of immortality so that Death can ferry souls into the afterlife once more. Death’s Gambit slowly unfolds past its inspiration, presenting a world of fantasy and ever-lasting life but marred by ruin and tragedy. The pixel art style, which relies as much on raw animation and detail as it does basic movement and rotation, feels grungy and raw. Even the music is a mix of epic orchestral warring and surreal tones. When Death’s Gambit does its own thing, it has an intrinsic flair. However, as its core opens up, the various uneven edges become more apparent.

The story-telling is very character-centric. Sorun isn’t some kind of husk that the player makes their own – he’s a pre-made entity with a past and personality, swaying between sarcastic and stoic when the conversation calls for it. Sorun’s mother Everly joined the expedition when he was a child and never returned. His motivation for venturing to Siradon for the so-called “Source” is revealed in interesting cutscenes between deaths. Furthermore, visions of the future and what’s to come can crop up as well.

Many of Sorun’s exchanges in the game are generally well-voiced. You’ll quickly find that Death is a constant companion, offering more information on Sorun’s circumstances and the world around him. Much of Death’s Gambit touches on the themes of life and death while exploring the lines in between. Immortality, viewed as a gift, can also act as a source of stagnation for those who simply have no drive or motivation to continue forth. However, as Sorun points out in his crusade to Caer Siorai, the various immortal entities seem plenty motivated to stop him. It’s that contrast, along with the various motivations of characters like Ione and Endless, that makes the plot of Death’s Gambit interesting.

Sometimes, Death’s Gambit will slip from clever to awkwardly self-referential. I can get behind the game acknowledging my deaths and characters speaking about my persistence or how I won’t stop fighting them. This helped paint the world as responsive to my actions rather than simply remaining static every time I died (though any new snippets of dialogue cease after a point). However, when Death started playing a video game and opined about its “vision”, clearly referencing the developer’s own work in the process, it became a bit much. Furthermore, without spoiling too much, a late-game twist gave a bit more context as to when Death’s Gambit was set. It was odd, to say the least, and didn’t do much to the overall lore aside from simply acting as a rough departure from the status quo till that point.

"If the atmosphere and world-building picked up the slack, I probably wouldn’t have minded the lacklustre characters all that much. Alas."

The environmental story-telling in Death’s Gambit, a crucial part of the journey as it drives one to explore deeper and deeper, is uneven. Much of this has to do with the aesthetic. While some environments like Garde Tum, Caer Siorai and Journey’s End are intriguingly designed, ranging from darkly atmospheric to macabre, others like Obsidian Vale and Amulvaro’s Tower just feel like rote levels. Some of the background details – like the Obsidian Vale boss just chilling in the background – can be pretty nice. Likewise, the gameplay twists in each stage like the laser gates and respawning enemies of the Tower or the sniper firing from afar (and becoming a boss later in the graveyard) are intriguing. They do little to draw you into the lore of the place though. Some structures should have deeper meanings and intriguing secrets but many times, they’re just locations you rush through en route to the next boss.

This isn’t to discredit the art-style or story-telling entirely. The various character sprites and enemies, especially bosses like the Eldritch Inquisitor and Dark Knight look pretty darn good. The latter in particular reminded me of Marvel Comics’ Venom with his morphing move set. The animation and sprite work is on point even if it’s somewhat lacking in places (like for the Forgotten Gaian and Cusith bosses). Likewise, the story itself mostly felt compelling enough that I wanted to see how it ended.

Unfortunately, I didn’t really feel any attachment to the characters or the overall plot. The motivations behind important characters like Endless and Vrael felt under-developed, which is a shame considering the former’s role throughout the game and the latter’s determination and excellent voice acting. One’s connection to the world of Siradon just felt underwhelming as a whole. Death’s Gambit does the rote work in terms of lore and secrets and it’s fine but only just. If the atmosphere and world-building were far more compelling, I probably wouldn’t have minded the lacklustre characters all that much. Alas.

The good news, for the most part, is that the gameplay is fairly tight. Combat is solid with each weapon – whether it’s the heft of the axe and greatsword or the rapid slashing of the longsword – feeling unique. Each has their own special attacks to learn. Longsword users can jump up high into the sky and crash down with a slice, increasing their damage for a short period. Alternatively, they can summon a giant sword of light to deal massive damage. There are plenty of choices to be had, especially for those who want to mix and match Intellect or Finesse skills with Strength builds. The skill tree offers some unique combinations like dodging in mid-air (something which I felt should have been unlocked from the start), using energy weapons with unlimited shots as long as an ability is on cooldown, and so on. Each class has their own starting perk as well like the Blood Knight restoring health upon immediately retaliating and that further incentivizes experimentation.

"Vertical movement is important in Death’s Gambit but there seems to be a contrast between the game’s emphasis on that and stamina management."

If that weren’t enough, there are also Auras granting special effects like recovering 5 percent health with each hit while above 70 percent health or increased Vitality (which can be lost upon dying). Other mechanics like losing Phoenix Plumes, the equivalent of healing charges, with each death introduce some other clever wrinkles. You can even forgo the number of Plumes held to increase damage dealt. Maybe you want to lose some Phoenix Plumes during a fight and pick them up the next time to increase overall damage by 20 percent thanks to a specific perk. There are strategies to be had, though I wasn’t a huge fan of skills relying on Soul Energy – garnered by hitting enemies – to use them.

The variety in boss fights is equal measures fun and frustrating. After a simple starting battle with the Owlking, you’ll be thrust into battling an overwhelmingly large boss, weakening it enough to handle its summoner-esque companion before taking both on at once. You’ll obtain different polarities en route to another boss, the opposite polarity doing more damage against him while the same polarity does less damage. These have to be managed during the fight as the boss changes polarities and charges up different, dangerous foes to assist him. Don’t even get me started on the encounter with Thalamus which is a more interactive test of will than an actual fight. Each boss also has a Heroic Rematch, a tougher version of the fight for players who want the additional challenge.

Vertical movement is important in Death’s Gambit but there seems to be a contrast between the game’s emphasis on that and stamina management. At times, stamina can feel too restrictive in some fights as you’re torn between jumping or dodging. As the game progresses, fights become more clear-cut in the different moves that have to be used. What can feel arbitrary in the beginning slowly builds up to dodging in mid-air or consuming less stamina with attacks (provided the appropriate aura is equipped), and you’ll find the combat to be more encompassing as a result.

Otherwise, jumping is realized through the various platforming segments. I’m a bit torn on how good some of it really is since it can range from typical (simply hop on disappearing platforms) to exceptional (mid-air swipes offering a bit of floating, which helps in the multi-stage Corpse City). Boss fights like Galaxy Mage Amulvaro, Cusith and Tundra Lord Kaern are where the platforming and verticality shine though they are the exception rather than the rule.

"Death’s Gambit offers an interesting soliloquy on existence while ensuring enough hack and slash action to keep fans chugging through the plot."

That being said, does the combat really stand out against the likes of titles such as Dead Cells or even Salt and Sanctuary? Not really. It’s solid and feels responsive but that feeling of engaging in just one more fight feels kind of lacking. Forgoing Plumes for the sake of more damage feels like a nice twist, as players who learn enemy patterns and dodge more effectively are rewarded with dealing more damage. However, it’s not an amazing new twist to the combat nor does it feel like an immense reward for knowing the ins and outs of the environments. The progression system, which involves enchanting items to bolster their base stats or disenchanting items for upgrade materials, is fairly routine as well.

Death’s Gambit offers an interesting soliloquy on existence while ensuring enough hack and slash action to keep fans chugging through the plot. As interesting as each individual aspect can be – even lacking bits like the world design and lore – the game as a whole feels somewhat diminished. A single playthrough for the challenge and unique boss fights along with the intriguing art-style and premise is worth a middling recommendation. However, that connection to a world, to a place that feels bigger and more alive with these stories and secrets tucked away and waiting to be discovered, isn’t really all that strong. Death’s Gambit may tell you a lot about life and death but it stumbles when defining its own existence.

This game was reviewed on PC.

In Death’s Gambit, you play as Siradon and serve as an agent of death who is on a quest which involves going to the undead realm where you will face lots of challenges. As you would expect from a game with this story, the visuals also reflect the dark themes of the story.

There are a lot of classes to choose from in the game and a lot of different weapons as well, each with their unique playstyle. The game is described as a hardcore Action platformer, but there are also some RPG elements in there which means you will be able to customize your character quite a bit.

The game also seems quite challenging and you can expect to face off against some truly tough bosses along with some difficult platforming sections. If you need help progressing past any particular section in the game, then the following video walkthrough will help you out.