Video Games
Throwback Shooter ‘Hellbound’ Invades Steam on August 4
The last we heard of Saibot Studios and their throwback 90s FPS Hellbound was the demo that was released last November. Fast forward to now, and despite missing its original Spring release, the game is now set to unleash hell on August 4.
“We’ve learned a lot since the demo’s release, and have fueled that into the creation of a full-fledged campaign that will test players’ mettle as they carve their way through demons as fast as they can! Speed is the name of the game in Hellbound,” says Tobias Rusjan from Saibot Studios.
If, for whatever reason, the demo didn’t satisfy you, you also have the option to indulge with the Hellbound: Survival Mode, the free standalone mode which is still available on Steam for you to play while you wait.
Video Games
Demo Now Available for First-Person Action Title ‘Vampire Hunter: Nightrise’, Coming July 14 [Trailer]
Over the Moon Games has announced that their upcoming first-person title Vampire Hunter: Nightrise will launch on Steam on July 14. You won’t have to wait until Steam Next Fest next week to get a chance to get your vampire slaying fix in, as the game’s demo is available now.
Touted as “Castlevania meets Tunic,” Nightrise puts players into a vampire’s castle with a single goal: reach him before nightfall. Of course, it’s easier said than done, since you’ll be needing to deal with the castle itself. Rotating fireplaces, moving bookshelves, watching portraits, and hidden passages are open from the start, but they only give way once the player understands how the place works. No keys, only knowledge.
Meanwhile, despite not having a whip, you’re equipped with something just as cool in a stake launcher that pins enemies to walls. You can also fire stakes through flame to ignite them, and even turn the castle’s own furniture into ammunition.
Underneath it all, the player’s faith is a major gameplay mechanic, functioning as as a literal resource that the castle constantly tempts them to trade away for power, quietly shaping how the story ends. As your conviction weakens, the castle’s influence grows stronger. You’ll have to manage faith as carefully as ammunition.
“In Nightrise, almost everything is open to you from the very beginning, if you know how to reach it,” explains Over the Moon Games’ John Warner. “There is something deeply rewarding about learning to overcome an obstacle instead of just finding a key. It creates a real sense of power and wonder. We took huge inspiration from Tunic in that respect, and from Outer Wilds.”