Bethesda's former design director thinks The Elder Scrolls 6 will keep The Elder Scroll 5: Skyrim's levelling up and progression system.
The spirit of the first Elder Scrolls game is alive and well in this '80s-inspired RPG with a bangin' Steam demo
04.10.2023 - 19:23 / gamesradar.com / Spirit Of
If you only play one thing today, you should make it the excellent free demo for Islands of the Caliph, an '80s style first-person CRPG with heavy Elder Scrolls: Arena and Ultima vibes.
Islands of the Caliph commits to the retro bit in every facet of its presentation and gameplay, from the CRT shader to the keyboard-only controls, but after playing through the demo, I'm delighted that it's a thoughtfully designed dungeon-crawler all its own. The diverse Middle Eastern fantasy landscapes and bustling cities are wonderful to explore and interact with, the music is so damn evocative of that glorious bygone era of gaming, and the survival elements and combat are satisfying and just challenging enough to keep you consistently engaged.
Don't be discouraged if you didn't grow up playing Might & Magic, Questron, and Alternate Reality, which Islands of the Caliph is directly inspired by. I'll admit those games are a little before my time as well, and I'm having a blast. The grid-based movement is indeed a relic of those very early RPGs, but it's surprisingly intuitive and mechanically very comfy. Even in combat, I never found the grid situation cumbersome in the slightest, partly because there aren't a ton of different inputs to memorize.
My biggest takeaway from Islands of the Caliph's demo is that it seems purposefully designed to appeal to newcomers. I worried the keyboard-only controls would be awkward and I'd struggle with the '80s-inspired systems, but instead it feels comfortable and strangely fresh, thanks in large part to its roots in Middle Eastern folklore. Simply put, if you like exploring a unique setting, collecting resources, upgrading skills, and getting lost in a true-blue RPG with multiple pathways and endings, you've very little to lose and a lot to gain by checking out Islands of the Caliph's free demo.
For something a little more modern, here are the best RPGs available now.
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gamesradar.com
24.10.2023 / 11:55
Skyrim’s magic system is “absolutely going to continue” into The Elder Scrolls 6, according to former Bethesda designer
The Elder Scrolls 6, as nebulous as it might feel, is eventually coming, and Bethesda’s former design director has shared some tidbits on what could be carried over from previous games, including Skyrim’s progression and magic systems.
rockpapershotgun.com
24.10.2023 / 08:47
Elder Scrolls 6 will keep Skyrim's approach to levelling and "traces" of its magic, says Starfield designer
The Elder Scrolls 6 is going to be a mixture of new ideas and RPG systems that go all the way back to The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, according to Bethesda's former design director Bruce Nesmith, who was lead designer on The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim and senior designer on Starfield. In particular, Nesmith reckons it will "absolutely" continue with Skyrim's approach to levelling and progression, whereby you improved skills by performing the associated actions. He also thinks the game will "probably" retain elements of the magic system he designed for Skyrim, which broke away from Oblivion and Morrowind in being simpler to understand and more immediately powerful, at the price of flexibility and inventiveness.
rockpapershotgun.com
23.10.2023 / 10:35
Space sim Squadron 42 is "feature-complete" and gunning for Starfield's lunch with massive new video
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fortressofsolitude.co.za
21.10.2023 / 07:55
The 8 Best Co-Op Horror Games To Play With Friends This Halloween
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gematsu.com
19.10.2023 / 18:33
SCP-inspired first-person horror game Go Home Annie announced for consoles, PC
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techradar.com
19.10.2023 / 15:09
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will receive a New Game Plus mode but it won't come with the day-one patch
Insomniac Games has confirmed that Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will receive New Game Plus and mission replay after launch, but they won't be coming via the Day One patch.
videogameschronicle.com
19.10.2023 / 12:11
A Spider-Man 2 update will add New Game Plus and mission replay post-launch
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wccftech.com
18.10.2023 / 10:11
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Solitude Looks Stunning Remade in Unreal Engine 5 with Lumen and Nanite
Despite having been released over ten years ago, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim continues to be among the most popular games still played to this day. Still, a modern remake taking advantage of the latest technology would be rather welcome, as highlighted by a new video shared online this week.
eurogamer.net
17.10.2023 / 13:11
Formula E launches first official video game on the blockchain
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screenrant.com
14.10.2023 / 13:43
There's One PS Plus Extra Game You Shouldn't Sleep On This October
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gamingbolt.com
14.10.2023 / 05:27
Lords of the Fallen is Out Now on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S
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