Community MetaSteam | April 2026 - Paradox Road to the Cosmic Kiln of Destruction

2026-03-header.png

  • Any and all credit for the concept of these threads goes to the amazing MRORANGE!
  • And a MASSIVE thank you to Mor who keeps these threads going! :blobhug:

Ui6SVim.png


  • Big thanks for taking part in those monthly threads!

Z3leLST.png



Darwin's Paradox!

With his extraordinary intelligence and incredible abilities – swimming, camouflage, and many other fascinating skills – help him overcome the most formidable traps and dangers in this captivating platformer, adventure, and puzzle game.

In the peaceful vastness of the ocean, Darwin, a young octopus, explores the deep sea… until a strange beam of light pierces the abyss and pulls him toward the surface. Thrust out of his aquatic world, he wakes up disoriented in the middle of a gigantic junkyard, backed by a foreboding factory.

But something is wrong. Between the threatening machines, strange holding tanks, and the mysterious and dangerous creatures and characters that inhabit the place, Darwin realizes he is in danger. To return to the ocean, Darwin will have to outsmart, evolve, and reveal to the players through his journey the mysteries of a conspiracy that goes beyond anything one could have imagined… and which could very well seal the fate of humanity!​



Road to Vostok

Your road begins in Area 05, an evacuated zone located in the southeastern part of Finland. In Area 05, you will find shelters, traders, tasks, and starting loot for initial survival. Your peaceful life in Area 05 is often interrupted by hostile Bandits, an anarchist group taking advantage of the lack of authority in the area.

Once you have gathered enough loot and equipment, your road continues toward the east, where you will find the Border Zone, a guarded border line between Finland and Russia. Each Border Zone map has a crossing point with different challenges. Some crossing points may include mines or physical obstacles, while others require using waterways with boats. On top of these challenges, the Border Zone is guarded by a group called Guards. These foreign border guards are armed, corrupt, and often rely on air support to prevent people from crossing the border.

If you manage to cross the Border Zone, you will enter Vostok. Located in Russia, Vostok is a high-risk, high-reward zone and holds the most valuable loot in the game. Every Vostok map is a permadeath map. If you die in Area 05 or Border Zone, you only lose the equipment and loot you're carrying, but if you die in Vostok, you lose everything. Vostok is controlled by the Military, an armed troop with heavy weaponry and the ability to use armored vehicles. The Military faction is the most dangerous faction in the game, and they have one objective: to push you back where you came from.

Time of Day: The game uses a 24-hour day & night simulation where lighting conditions change dynamically with sun and moon cycles. You can manipulate game time by sleeping, but most of the time, you will need to prepare for darkness when roaming through the game world. Weather: The game has randomized weather states that vary from sunny to dark skies with thunder and everything in between. If you are lucky, you may even see northern lights on a clear night sky. Seasons: If you survive long enough, the game world will shift from summer to winter, and you will start facing issues related to snow and cold. You can also choose constant summer or winter modes for your playthrough. Events: On top of the changing lighting conditions and weather, dynamic events occur every now and then in the game world. These events vary from small ambient sounds to aerial events, like airdrops and crash sites, to faction-based special events.​



Spark in the Dark

The Endless Dungeon that was created long before humans... So say the old people. Now — a place of darkness and ugly creatures. Spark in the Dark is an atmospheric Dungeon Crawler in a medieval dark fantasy setting, where our hero dives into the depths of a grim ancient Dungeon. Deep and intricate lore; About one hundred books and annals with stories revealing the secrets of the dark Dungeon as well as diaries, notes and points of interest. What terrible secrets keep dark depths in themselves? Is there a limit to the Abyss? Who lived here before us? Try to survive in the darkness of endless Dungeon full of ancient secrets and terrible creatures. Or stay here forever, trying to find a way out!​



Samson

Samson comes home to the worst streets of Tyndalston, a place that built him hard and never forgave him. Muscle, speed, and nerve decide who stays upright. He learned violence before he learned mercy, and the city hasn’t forgotten. Every clash matters. Every hit is meant to break or be broken. You cut through alleys, rooftops, and backroom dens designed to keep you moving, not sightseeing. Tyndalston shapes how you fight, climb, corner, and vanish. It’s familiar ground, but never safe ground.

Cars are not set dressing. They’re blunt instruments. You rip through the outskirts and industrial wastelands in battered machines held together with scrap and stubbornness. Ram, drift, smash, or outthink whoever chases you. Nothing here is clean. Samson’s debt hangs over everything, and his sister is the pressure point his enemies squeeze. Time is short, and the bill keeps growing. This is a focused, brutal chapter in his story, built with intent, no excess, no padding. He didn’t return to entertain. He returned because this is the only place where he can fight his way out.

Your debt grows by the hour, and the people holding it squeeze harder every day. Every job, every dollar, every choice cuts a path forward or shuts it down. No do-overs. No safety net.

Story That Hits Back: Uncover what broke Samson’s family and what it takes to fix it before time runs out.​



The Occultist

You play as Alan Rebels, a paranormal investigator who travels to an abandoned British island after his father's disappearance. Explore Godstone island, face supernatural entities, and uncover long-buried occult rituals.

In The Occultist, paranormal investigator Alan Rebels travels to the mysterious island of Godstone to determine the cause of the sudden disappearance of his father. Even though he mentioned the island repeatedly over the decades, all that Alan really knows is that his father was born and spent his early years there. However, Alan does not travel alone. He carries with him his mystical pendulum, an object of unknown origin that accompanied him on all his past paranormal investigations. As he explores the foggy streets and maddening buildings, apparently being the only things that remain on the mysterious island of Godstone, it becomes clear: This will be a case unlike any other.

Godstone was inhabited until 1950 by an infamous, macabre cult that performed disturbing experiments and cruel rituals. No one has ever set foot on the island since - until today. Using his paranormal talents, Alan must interact with the ominous souls that seem to remain in the foreboding streets and buildings left on Godstone; or avoid them at all cost, should they be wrathful. Being a paranormal investigator, none of this is new to Alan Rebels. The mysterious Godstone however and his search for answers to his father’s disappearance put Alan’s skills to the test. More than any investigation before, Godstone shakes Alan’s convictions of what is possible in the world of the occult. Maybe Godstone hides a curse that can be lifted… but should it be?​



PowerWash Simulator 2 - Adventure Time Pack

Clean up five new levels from the Land of Ooo. Don’t worry, everything stays right where you left it, but just a little bit cleaner. It’s not quite Adventure Time… yet! Right now, you have only an approximate knowledge of what’s to come.​



REPLACED

In an alternate 1980s America reshaped by nuclear catastrophe, Phoenix-City has become one of the Corporation’s strongholds - a haven for corruption where outlaws thrive and human life is traded like currency. Step into the role of R.E.A.C.H., expose the Corporation’s hidden agenda, and uncover the purpose behind your creation.

As R.E.A.C.H. grapples with unfamiliar human instincts and the weight of emotion, the city’s hidden power structures gradually come to light. Themes of humanity, identity, and control unfold through morally complex characters and the slow reveal of a world pushed to its limits. Every corner you explore tells a story, and every secret you expose carries a cost.​



Regions of Ruin: Runegate

All that remains of the once-glorious dwarven civilization is dust, scattered exiles, and monster-infested landscapes. Embark on an explorative RPG hack-and-slash adventure as a lone dwarf attempting to re-establish a haven for your dwarven kin - and delve into the mysteries of their forebears. The former land of the dwarves is as diverse as it is vast, filled with rich veins of resources, loyal allies and fearsome foes. Journey through lush environments, treacherous weather, glowing crystal-filled caverns and more in your pursuits for riches and information. And be prepared to carve your path through relentless enemies, hell-bent on sending the last of the dwarves into extinction.

On your travels, you will encounter dwarven allies in need of assistance. Come to their aid, enlist their help and create a safe haven for your people by rebuilding a civilization. By gathering resources and meeting skilled adventurers, you will be able to unlock new facilities and technologies, furthering your pursuits.​



MOUSE: P.I. For Hire

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is an action-packed first-person shooter that draws inspiration from the classic cartoons of the 1930s. Its black and white rubber hose visuals are drawn by hand, frame by frame, delivering a striking vintage aesthetic. Unravel layers of corruption with a thrilling noir-fueled detective story, lively environments to explore, an original big band jazz soundtrack, and a fully-loaded arsenal of cartoon weapons and devastating power-ups.

Meet Private Investigator Jack Pepper, a former war hero-turned-detective in a world where danger lurks even in the smallest mouse hole. Uncover the truth when a simple missing persons case quickly escalates into a complex web of intrigue, with corruption, kidnapping and murder all on the docket. Investigate the seedy underbelly of Mouseburg, battle heavily armed gangs and crooked cops, and discover clues to reveal the conspiracy buried underneath the surface.​



Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss

In this tense Lovecraftian thriller, you play Noah, tasked with investigating the mysterious disappearance of miners in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. With the help of your AI companion, Key, explore the vast, labyrinthine prison of R’lyeh—an ancient, sunken city of cyclopean proportions—and resist the creeping madness caused by Cthulhu's influence. At its core lies a secret that could shatter your understanding of reality. Face nightmares and cosmic abominations that will push your sanity to its limits. Journey through a futuristic reinterpretation of Lovecraft’s mythos and uncover the legendary sunken city of R’lyeh. But beware: the deeper you descend, the more your mind succumbs to Cthulhu's relentless influence. Dive into the darkness with Key, your AI companion. Follow leads, gather scattered clues, and sharpen your detective skills to solve immersive and complex puzzles. Uncover hidden truths and look beyond appearances to choose your path to resolving the case. Every mystery offers branching routes and secret passages waiting to be discovered. As an agent of Ancile, a secret division of Interpol specializing in occult affairs, you are thrust into a gripping story with complex characters, brought to life through cinematic storytelling. Immerse yourself in a first-person investigative horror adventure with a rich, branching narrative, where your choices and understanding will shape Noah’s fate in this nightmarish world.​



PRAGMATA

It is the near future, and protagonists Hugh and his android companion Diana, must work together as they make their way through the cold lunar research station.​



Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch

Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch is an over-the-top beat ‘em up where you unleash a dizzying array of irreverent combos, special moves, collect and summon assists. You’ll need to harness every ounce of smoke-fueled creativity to get past the throngs of hockey-stick wielding teenage thugs, dookie demons, hipsters with babies, old grumpy danglers and massive, movie-inspired boss battles.
Jay and Silent Bob embark on an epic adventure from their humble, suburban New Jersey Quick Stop to an unearthed mystical mall that has unleashed an evil hold on the city.​



Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors

In a dark world, a new adventure begins. Explore maps, level up powers, kill monsters. Find treasures.

From the somehow triple-BAFTA‑winning creators of Vampire Survivors, Vampire Crawlers: the turbo wildcard from Vampire Survivors turns the snowballing thrill of Vampire Survivors into a turbo turn-based, card-driven BLOBBER with rogue-lite elements. Build busted decks, explore familiar dungeons from a new perspective, and unleash world-ending combos. Either take your time and be tactical, or play turns as fast as you humanly can: the outcome is always accurate!

Dungeon Crawling: Explore dungeons packed with something seldom seen in Vampire Survivors: functioning walls. And then all sorts of unique treasures and interactions. Find the shovel to dig into the next floor, that will most likely take place in the clouds!​



Masters of Albion

Starting in the undeveloped village of Oakridge, players will step into the body of a god, controlling the town and its citizens, building a small business and completing orders for various customers. But Masters of Albion goes beyond mere city building as it weaves a rich narrative into the gameplay, and offers players the opportunity to enter into the bodies of the people, exploring the world through their eyes, as they tackle challenges and quests, battle with bandits, search for secrets and treasures, and roam freely across the world.

It is your destiny to defend the people of Albion, and wield the power of the Mask as only a pure blood can. Old Albion is gone, swept away by the advance of modern technology. But magic, once forgotten, seeks to return, curling its fingers around the edges of this world and squeezing the life force from its peoples. You play the role of the Chosen One, granted the power of a god, to shape the world as you see fit, in order to defeat an ancient power and a deadly enemy. The game’s story revolves around becoming the Master of the Mask.​



Outbound

Outbound is a cozy open-world exploration game set in a utopian near future. Start with an empty camper van and turn it into the home of your dreams - alone or together with your friends. Build and explore at your own pace. Explore a colorful world in your electric camper van, powered by the sun, wind, or water. Discover iconic landmarks across diverse biomes. You can adopt a new friend at the Paws & Whiskers Lodge who you can feed, pet, and train to help you. Go on a road trip across diverse biomes and build your home on wheels solo or in co-op with up to 4 players online.​



Sudden Strike 5

A host of tactical options and more than 300 playable units open-up multiple approaches to reach your objectives in a 25 mission campaign on historical battlefields in Europe and North Africa. Timing is key, seize opportunities like capturing strategic locations to gain access to reinforcements or destroying bridges to cut-off enemy movement. Outsmart your enemies while managing supplies, and make sure you are in the right place at the right time to turn the tide of battle. Choose your tactics wisely – we’ll meet you in the trenches! Command massive battles: Sudden Strike 5 delivers a truly immersive strategy experience 25 missions across huge, diverse maps and the highest unit counts ever seen in the series, setting the stage for large-scale tactical warfare. A vast arsenal of WW2 units is available to command – including more than 190 vehicles and 110 infantry units – such as the Sherman tank for the Western Allies, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 for the German troops, and the T-34 for the Soviet troops. Utilize unprecedented strategic freedom by choosing your own tactics, units, and objectives to complete the mission goals. Seize and defend key locations like Field HQs, Supply Depots, and Train Stations to gain critical advantages, while using recon, sabotage, alternative routing, and smart unit combinations to outmanoeuvre your enemies.​



Kiln

Kiln is a pottery power-fantasy that celebrates both Creativity and Destruction: the pleasure that comes from both making beautiful things, and then smashing those things to smithereens. Create your pot, grab your friends, and join a team of colorful spirits who face off against one another in online arenas, where the ceramic creations you sculpt on a pottery wheel become the bodies you bring into battle. The shape of your pots affect your attributes and your play-style. Will you be big, or small? Wide, or tall? Will you make a plate, a jug, a cup or a bowl? There are a multitude of different sizes and combinations to discover, each with unique abilities and attacks, along with new and surprising ways to play. Work together to find the best combination of pots and play-styles to break through enemy lines, and collect enough water to douse the flames of the enemy’s kiln — Does your team have what it takes to shape and smash your way to victory? As the battlefield becomes strewn with the shattered fragments of friend and foes alike, your brawling skills and some great teamwork will be required to assure victory.​



Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth

When Moomintroll unexpectedly wakes up early from his winter hibernation, he finds himself completely alone for the first time, in a world he barely recognizes. The familiar landscape of Moominvalley is now cloaked in the frosty veil of the Lady of the Cold. Initially seeking someone to care for him and longing to banish winter, young Moomintroll reluctantly embarks on a journey into the unknown, learning to forge new friendships and help those in greater need than himself.

Explore a winter wonderland
Wander through the beautiful landscape inspired by Nordic nature, exploring Moominvalley and the nearby forests and mountains. Meet new friends and experience winter for the first time as Moomintroll.

Help Moomintroll confront his fears
The cold season is filled with challenges and unknowns for Moomintroll. While moments can be scary and hard for him to overcome, there is also warmth to discover through community and kindness.

A trove of nostalgia for fans of Moomin, and an approachable starting point for those experiencing this wonderful world for the first time.​



Half-Life 3

The super-portal is closed. The Combine are cut off. City 17 is a crater, and for the first time in twenty years, the war feels like it could be won.

But Alyx Vance is gone.

The player once more picks up the crowbar of research scientist Gordon Freeman, who finds himself on a changed Earth - the Combine wounded but far from beaten, the Resistance fractured without its brightest, and an old man with nothing left to lose pointing toward the Arctic. A ship lost between seconds in time holds the key to ending the occupation, or to unraveling something far worse. Freeman has toppled Citadels and killed gods. None of it prepared him for what the Borealis carries, or what it will cost to get Alyx back.

And the man in the suit is done waiting.​



He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Dragon Pearl of Destruction

Eternia is in peril! The nefarious Skeletor has uncovered the ancient Dragon Pearl of Destruction, a relic of unspeakable power. With the help of Evil-Lyn, he intends to perform a ritual that will plunge all of Eternia into eternal darkness. Only the Most Powerful Man in the Universe and his heroic allies stand in Skeletor’s way.

Take control of He-Man, Man-At-Arms, and Teela in a fast-paced, magic-brawler that blends the crunch of arcade classics with the high-fantasy action of the animated series. Harness character-specific moves, devastating special abilities, and screen-clearing magic to decimate the forces of evil.

Battle your way across the diverse landscapes of Eternia, from the Royal Palace and the Vine Jungle to the dark corridors of Snake Mountain. You’ll square off against iconic foes including Skeletor, Evil-Lyn, Beast Man, and Trap Jaw, along with deep-lore appearances like the dark sorceress Shokoti and the Shadow Beasts.​



Aphelion

By 2060, Earth will be uninhabitable. The discovery of a 9th planet – Persephone – at the edge of the solar system, is humanity's best hope. The European Space Agency is dispatching the Hope-01 scientific mission, consisting of 2 of their accomplished astronauts, Ariane and Thomas. Their mission: to survey the planet and determine whether humanity can prosper anew here.
Your adventure begins in chaos, as the crash landing of their ship scatters them across the planet, launching them on a desperate quest to find one another.
Aphelion is a cinematic third-person action-adventure set on the planet Persephone, an uncharted, frozen world. Stranded and isolated, you must survive the truly unknown, find each other, and complete the mission. Traverse stunning alien landscapes, avoid lurking threats, and discover the haunting secrets buried beneath the ice.
Explore the surreal beauty of Persephone, a vast frozen world shaped by deadly weather and ever-changing terrain.
Armed only with your explorational tools – pathfinder, oxygen tank, grappling hook, and more – you must face the unknown, traverse treacherous terrain, and gather clues about the strange, reality-bending phenomenon threatening your existence.
Ariane must persevere and push forward to save Thomas. Her Pathfinder tool helps her find the way through the shifting expanse. She faces desperate swings over dark chasms and tricky climbs up melting ice – risking her life with every step. Thomas, injured in the crash, must rely on ingenuity and observation, piecing together what surrounds him to survive. As both characters explore and investigate, they will uncover secrets and clues as to the planet’s strange conditions and what caused the crash of their ship.
You are not alone. There is a hostile lifeform stalking you. Avoid detection in tense, thrilling stealth sequences; use the environment to your advantage, and stay one step ahead of whatever hunts you. Explore Persephone and complete the mission, all while trying to survive in the terrifying presence of an unknown enemy.
Helpless on the edge of the solar system, the Hope-01 crew faces a brutal new world and the echoes of a complicated past. Ariane Montclair and Thomas Cross share a deep connection, a relationship left unresolved by the demands of their careers and their mission. Facing overwhelming odds, their fractured bond becomes a lifeline as they grasp in the dark for one another.​



Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred

Prepare to embark on your next epic demon-slaying journey in the new Diablo IV expansion, Lord of Hatred. Make your final stand against the Prime Evil Mephisto in a rich new campaign. Master two new classes – the Paladin and Warlock – and discover the ancient region of Skovos.

Whether picking up where you left off or jumping into an all-new adventure, Lord of Hatred also includes the first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, so you don’t miss a moment of the diabolical Diablo IV saga.

The demons of Hell overflow, tormenting Sanctuary as the Lord of Hatred carries out his quest to shatter mankind. Mephisto’s faithfuls spread across Sanctuary, twisting devotion into devastation, but you see the imminent threat and the stakes have never been higher. In this darkest hour, a beacon of hope emerges but Lilith herself is the only way to reach it. With the help of old friends and unlikely allies, you must rise against Mephisto before he reaches the Pools of Creation and bathes the world in hatred. Are you willing to risk it all for the fate of humanity?

Skovos is a dangerous land – the ancient birthplace of the firstborn civilization and the former home of Lilith and Inarius, now ruled by The Oracle and Amazon Queen. From the volcanic west to the forests of the east and the sunken lands between, discover crumbling temples and waterlogged shores. Each expedition reveals new towns, dungeons, and monsters, testing your courage against sinister cultists, horrors from the sea, and the lingering shadow of Hell.

Lord of Hatred brings new ways to engage with Diablo IV’s endgame, combining new activities and major system updates designed around choice, mastery, and high-stakes rewards. Craft War Plans to create your own endgame progression - advance through selections of your favorite activities and apply a range of modifiers to earn coveted rewards. Put your builds to the ultimate test in the Echoing Hatred, facing unending demonic hordes. Plus, find respite from demon-flaying by Fishing through the perilous waterways of Sanctuary.​



Invincible VS

Invincible VS is a brutal superhero 3v3 tag fighting game set in the Invincible universe, where you can battle to the death as a team of fan-favorite characters in iconic locations. Unleash bone-breaking combos through fast combat and smart defensive tactics to leave a trail of blood and destruction. Land vicious Super moves and Ultimates to leave your opponents in a mess of blood.
Invincible VS features a captivating cinematic story mode with an original narrative from a writer of the animated series.​


Jh6Cp3K.png


  • Notice a poster that is obnoxious or harmful to the thread? REPORT THEIR POST AND/OR WARN THEM.
  • Do not solicit/trade/sell/beg for games in this thread.
  • Do not spam post your game stats/games count or post damage lists from sales.
  • NO ANIME / J-ROCK / POP.

HRSBnzc.png


  • How do I do giveaways? - Use our very own Mona, or use the [REPLY] tags ("Hide until reacted" in the toolbar)
  • How do I recommend a game / challenge / retro to the OP? - Send me a PM.
 
It's a shame Valve don't properly demo Steam Controller. I imagine it will review better than the old one, but the core features and usability probably just ignored so ultimately probably not as well received or understood.
2 easy demos to explain how useful it is - actually being competitive in an FPS with low friction trackball and gyro for velocity based aim, which pretty much approaching mouse level precision, now made better with multiple ways to ratchet/reposition gyro with the added gripsense. Could also demo a souls type game with the dpad integrated into the right trackpad, while simultanously supporting velocity based mouse look and right stick click, so you never have to move hand position or lose camera control, especially with the rear buttons too.
 
Thinking about it, making the next Xbox having Steam available is the only way for it to survive. People don't give a shit about today's Xbox consoles, it is so bad that in the Nordic countries, the consoles are not even sold. Having the Helix as a regular console or a PC without Steam available will just continue the streak of people not caring about Xbox.

I'm still not sure how Microsoft would make profit using this concept. They can't charge for online gaming, and most people would buy games on Steam instead of Microsofts own store (similar to the current situation on PC).
 
  • Like
Reactions: lashman
I'm still not sure how Microsoft would make profit using this concept. They can't charge for online gaming, and most people would buy games on Steam instead of Microsofts own store (similar to the current situation on PC).
They profit on the hardware price.

It's essentially a consolised PC and a retreat from the console space.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lashman
Oh I agree. I mentioned in my other post that bringing up the walls around their systems and having exclusives is akin to living in 1996 again.

Going back to exclusives won't work, but my post was about the thinking behind it. Consoles need a differentiator and the current thinking is exclusives are that because they can't differentiate on price anymore.

It's a doomed stance to take and I think anyone pinning their hopes on an ecosystem revival will be sorely disappointed by this approach. I strongly believe all the next-gen consoles, including Switch 2, will show a significant decline in install base and game sales by the end of the generation.

But I do stand behind my point that consoles are now competing with PC as hardware prices go up. It's inevitable. People's budgets only go so far and for a lot of people the choice of the next hardware purchases is an expensive console + a shitty laptop that is unpleasant to use, or a good laptop that plays most of the games they want to play good enough.

I think the main point is the consoles can't compete with that so they're scrambling to find a way to compete. So out come the exclusives.

Consoles are outdated devices not fit for the computing landscape of the future. They're monotaskers in a single or maybe two form factors. PCs are multitaskers in multiple form factors.

It's always why I never understood the crowing from console warriors when they talk about sales of Steam Deck, ROG Ally and so on only being a drop in the ocean compared to the Switch, as if the devices are even comparable just because they share a form factor. The reality is, what it tells us is a subset of PC users in the magnitudes larger ecosystem want that form factor, with the rest opting for something else like a desktop, laptop or even tablet. I think the fact that the same games that run on a Steam Deck also run perfectly fine on other devices goes completely over their head and/or breaks their brain.

Yeah, I agree that the main problem of the console business model is that it hasn't found a new way to grow and bring in more customers. Increasing prices so that the existing userbase pays more isn't sustainable but the people in charge don't have any other ideas.

My objection on the topic of PCs competing with consoles is that most of the console userbase is older, already invested in its chosen ecosystem and happy with the experience provided. Those customers don't have a reason to switch even if consoles and PCs cost the same.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lashman
I don't know why I thought the Steam Controller would be a bit cheaper, I was planning to buy two, but at that price I'll probably just buy one
 
  • This!
Reactions: lashman
I'm still not sure how Microsoft would make profit using this concept. They can't charge for online gaming, and most people would buy games on Steam instead of Microsofts own store (similar to the current situation on PC).

Well all of that is MS problem to think about.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lashman
I just took my 3rd Steam controller out of its packaging literally earlier today. (The shoulder button on the second one became intermittently unresponsive; at first I thought I might finally be getting worse at games but I swear it's just the hardware!)

I really do hope the right trackpad is still usable as the main and preferred input device over the right stick on the SC2, just from looking at it I'd much rather have it in the central position it's at on the SC1.

But overall I'm just glad I won't have to go back to controlling an in-game camera with a thumbstick like a Neanderthal :P
 
I did a completionist playthrough of Mouse PI. Took about 22-23 hours, which is double of what it'd take to just play through the game.

rare.webp

The game is pretty good. The black & white rubber hose animation aesthetic and the cheesy noir detective movie atmosphere are obviously the highlights of the experience. Absolutely unique, impeccable, top notch stuff. There's so much love and passion put into the game that you can just feel while playing... from small touches here and there to really big swings in terms of content they tried to deliver. The story plays out exactly like the potboiler airport novels it's trying to emulate and the writing is funny, cheesy and fully self aware. Troy Baker voices the main role quite well. There are a variety of levels in the game with different settings like an underground lab, a circus, a riverboat, a movie studio and more. It also has a ton of references to other games and pop culture.

1.webp

It's a totally goofy and entertaining first person shooter. We don't see that many high budget single player FPS games these days and this is definitely fairly high budget for being an indie game.

That said, the game does have some flaws in my opinion. The combat feedback for the weapons is just not very good. In fact, there's nearly no feedback for most of the weapons. Combat feedback is a combination of animations, sound design and physics and they just weren't able to combine them correctly. When you fire a shotgun (or any gun) in an id Software game you can always feel the 'punch' when you press the trigger. Now, it's not really fair to compare an indie studio to id Software but the fact is that even indie games these days can get this right. As an example, games like Prodeus or Cultic have really good feeling weapons. I feel like this should have been a very high priority for a studio making a first person shooter. My other issue sort of contradicts what I said above... I feel the game is too long (and that's not because I personally played it for twice as long as most people will). The thing is... the game shows it's hand quite early on. You will see virtually everything the game has to offer in the first 3-4 levels. The game does unlock new movement abilities and weapons throughout the campaign but they don't really alter the experience. For example, the movement abilities you learn either feel like they're standard features you expect in a game like this (double jumping) or they are given to you so late that they are heavily underutilized (wall running, wall climbing). Similarly, you will unlock maybe 10 weapons throughout the game but most people will only ever use 3 of them because the rest are either too situational, have ammo shortages or are just not good enough. The other contradiction is that despite all the variety they try to put in the levels, they all just look the same. In other games you can have a level in a city followed by one in a desert and then a jungle and then a resort and so on. That keeps the game feeling fresh. In this game, a room in the circus looks the same as one in the mansion which looks the same as the one on the boat and so on. With no colour and the same props repeated over and over, it looks great, no doubt, but it also all looks the same. That's why I think it would have been better if they had trimmed down the length of the game a bit. They already have DLC planned so cutting some of the content from the base game and putting it into the DLC offering would have been ideal in my opinion. I think a lot of people will disagree because you want more for your money but it's just how I feel.

None of my issues with the game make it bad or unworthy. It's a really good, unique shooter and anyone interested in FPS campaigns should check it out. The Steam forum does have quite a few complaints about bugs and achievements not working though. Fortunately I never ran into any problems but they are hotfixing the game almost every other day so it might be best to wait until the game stabilizes before trying it.

EDIT - If anyone does play it, I would recommend trying a mod that changes the blood splatter from enemies and makes it red. So you have an entire black & white game but with red blood everywhere. It looks pretty cool in my opinion and helps a bit with the monotony.

---

After Mouse I started Vampire Crawlers and yep, that game is crack. Again. What the hell. How did they do it twice in a row?? It's really cool how they managed to bring every character and item and level from Vampire Survivors into this new one. The early experience is basically "Oh wow this new thing I discovered is the same as the thing from that other game I like so much". Really good game and works perfectly on the Steam deck.
 
Last edited:
  • Sweating
  • Like
Reactions: QFNS and lashman
I just took my 3rd Steam controller out of its packaging literally earlier today. (The shoulder button on the second one became intermittently unresponsive; at first I thought I might finally be getting worse at games but I swear it's just the hardware!)

I really do hope the right trackpad is still usable as the main and preferred input device over the right stick on the SC2, just from looking at it I'd much rather have it in the central position it's at on the SC1.

But overall I'm just glad I won't have to go back to controlling an in-game camera with a thumbstick like a Neanderthal :P
Also on my third.
Broken R1 on the first after quite a lot of years.
Same on the second shortly after
My third has a broken battery cover, where its small plastic latch for closing snapped, so I have elastic band to hold it on and still use it.
New one can't come soon enough :LOL: