Bulletin: News on Ghost of Yōtei, Endless Legend 2, and the puzzling Strange Antiquities!

Get ready for the launch of the long-awaited Ghost of Yōtei, in addition to some news on the recently released Strange Antiquities and Endless Legend 2!

Secrets Are Uncovered As The Waves Pull Back

Endless Legend 2 was released a little over a week ago, and people are loving the game. The sci-fi-fantasy strategy game, which Amplitude Studios and Hooded Horse developed, drops the player in a faction-divided ocean world filled with culture, conquests, and the possibility to carve their own legend. In the game, the inhabitants build great empires across an ever-evolving world, allowing the player to explore and expand these empires through turn-based tactical battles. That is, if they can withstand the dark ancient powers that lie within the planet’s core, of course.

Every game has its fans and critics, but the reviews for this game are very positive. Most agree that the game has improved from the original, especially complimenting the studio for introducing the new cataclysmic tidefalls mechanic. This addition ensures players can keep exploring the planet even outside of the starting phase of the game. The sci-fi-fantasy art style is perhaps not to everyone’s liking, but most seem to enjoy it, and it makes sure it sets itself apart from other strategy games. Endless Legend 2 is a worthy sequel, keeping most of the game mechanics of the original intact, whilst implementing improvements here and there to keep players hooked. If you’re interested in seeing this game in action, then join us on our Twitch channel, Streaming the Past, as we dive into this lucious ocean planet!

Strange Dealings In The Small Town Of Undermere

Let me take you away from the war-torn world of Endless Legend 2, as we take a look at the cosy puzzle game Strange Antiquities. Similar to Strange Horticulture (the studio’s previous game), the player is an employee/apprentice in a peculiar little shop. But whereas the first game centred around a plant store, the second is all about historical and mystical artefacts. Eli White, the shopkeeper, is attending to pressing matters in town as foreboding things have started to happen. It is why he hired you, the player, to keep an eye on the shop and its familiar, Jupiter the cat. Don’t worry, though, you won’t be stuck in the shop the entire time, as the game does allow the player to explore, search for artefacts, and inspect rumours around town. It is the player’s task to study the mysterious artefacts and then help customers identify what they need. But the question is: do you help or hinder with their occult dealings?

Bad Viking landed another hit as the game has received one positive review after another, with an overall 97% positive rating on Steam, ever since its release on September 17th of this year. Although the game is pretty similar to its predecessor, it is not a direct sequel. Players of the previous game can, however, expect to see a familiar face or plant now and again.

If you are looking for a cosy game that continues along the same lines as Strange Horticulture, or if you’re new to Bad Viking’s games and this seems fun to you, then you should definitely check Strange Antiquities out! Be prepared to delve into the mysterious world of Undermere in these cold months, but do keep in mind that sometimes…curiosity killed the cat…

Whispers Of A Ghost

The wait time is over, and Ghost of Yōtei is finally out! Sucker Punch Productions made another stunning game following the award-winning Ghost of Tsushima (2020). The game takes place 300 years after the events of the previous game and centres around the mercenary Atsu, who goes on a quest to avenge the murder of her family. It might sound like your basic revenge-story trope, but it is far more than that. Atsu’s character is fully fleshed out, and her personality really shines through in her dialogue and actions. Moreover, we get glimpses of her childhood with the wonderful and incredibly exciting flashback mechanic. The flashbacks aren’t simple cutscenes, but actual interactive moments of her past, where players can gather extra bits of lore, gain access to early-stage weapons, and much more! This all adds to the player’s bonding with the character, the immersion, and the narrative experience. Players should be wary, though, because the decisions they make in these flashbacks have consequences in the present time of the game.

In addition to the great character building, players also get to enjoy a journey through the gorgeous and vivid landscapes of Northern Japan. The development teams’ focus on Japanese nature, culture, and its feudal history really anchors the game. And this care and attentiveness can be nothing but appreciated by fans, as well as making the hearts of history nerds aflutter.

Fans of the first game will be glad to hear that the smoothness of the combat returns in this game, with the bonus that Atsu uses multiple different weapon types, which allows for more dynamic gameplay. Players can also enjoy small breaks in between the main storyline as the game offers plenty of smaller quests and stories that range from the supernatural to chasing outlaws. All in all, the game plays and acts similarly to Ghost of Tsushima, but provides a new story, a new area, and some new mechanics.

Will Ghost of Yōtei rake in the awards for Sucker Punch Productions like its predecessor did? The Early-access reviews make it seem like it might. If you’d like to hear our thoughts on the game, join us live on Friday the 3rd of October (17:30 CEST), as we stream the game on our Twitch channel, Streaming the Past. Hope to see you there!