Just like in the Victoria series from Paradox Interactive, you command a chosen nation, guiding it through diplomacy, industrialization, and warfare to achieve global dominance. The game’s world is alive and interactive, letting you place cities, railways, and buildings anywhere on the map, shaping your nation’s growth with precision.

Hooded Horse CEO Tim Bender stated: “We love grand strategy games, and Gilded Destiny is shaping up to be one of the most exciting titles in the genre.” Aquila co-founder Kenneth Mei added: “Partnering with Hooded Horse will gild the road ahead, helping us realize our vision for a living world with deep military and economic systems.”

Funded by a Kickstarter campaign that raised over $150,000 from 2,300 backers, Gilded Destiny is targeting an Early Access launch in late 2026.

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While the trailer revealed little about gameplay, the Steam page offers some insight into what to expect. You start as a humble peasant in a vast world spanning Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, where every choice matters. This setup feels reminiscent of Mount & Blade, suggesting a similar experience.

The game offers significant freedom, allowing you to become a merchant, a powerful ruler, or a seasoned general. Developers promise castle-building, massive battles, and stunning Unreal Engine 5 visuals. Chronicles: Medieval emphasizes realism, reportedly featuring real historical figures and authentic martial arts through collaboration with HEMA expert Björn Rüther.

The sandbox nature of Chronicles: Medieval delivers an endless story. You can explore cities, manage resources, form alliances or rivalries, and shape the economy and events through your actions. The game will also support mods, enabling players to create anything from new missions to whimsical fantasy additions.

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Commandos: Origins marks the return of the iconic real-time tactics (RTT) series after a nearly two-decade hiatus since Commandos 3 in 2003. As a prequel, it dives into the origins of the elite WWII commando squad, featuring familiar characters like Jack O’Hara (Green Beret), Thomas Hancock (Sapper), Francis Woolridge (Sniper), Samuel Brooklyn (Driver), James Blackwood (Marine), and Rene Duchamp (Spy). With a focus on stealth-oriented gameplay, Commandos: Origins aims to blend the series’ classic formula with modern upgrade.

As a newcomer to the Commandos series but a huge stealth fan, I find these games incredibly tense and strategic. Despite the occasionally weird AI patterns, they’re consistently fun, making you lose track of time. Each game brings something unique despite their similarities, and Commandos: Origins is no exception. It’s challenging, far from easy, and absolutely worth it for fans of the genre or the earlier entries. Three difficulty levels (Recruit, Regular, and Veteran) adjust enemy detection speed and mission complexity, with Veteran mode being especially brutal for series veterans.

Real-time tactics and Command mode

In Commandos: Origins, you’ll navigate large, intricate maps set in diverse WWII environments, from Arctic tundras to African deserts. The core gameplay revolves around planning, trial-and-error experimentation, and executing synchronized actions to complete objectives like sabotage, rescues, or raids. So, expect a lot of saving and loading. The game doesn’t waste your time in that regard; need to reload or change difficulty? It’s all easily accessible.

The game’s isometric perspective provides a top-down view of detailed maps, filled with enemies whose vision cones dictate safe movement. Unlike turn-based tactics games, Commandos: Origins demands split-second decisions while managing multiple characters. Command Mode helps immensely here, allowing you to pause the game to let you queue simultaneous actions for your squad. For example, you can have the Green Beret choke a guard while the Marine distracts another and the Spy delivers a silenced shot.

However, from the start, this mode was a mess. Sometimes it wouldn’t commit to a command, for example, to throw a grenade and you can only do one action at a time. If you need to shoot multiple times with your gun, you have to repeat the command yourself as enemies often require multiple bullets to be killed. Characters also moved strangely sometimes and can get stuck inside enemies. Yes, there are bugs.

“Commandos: Origins demands split-second decisions while managing multiple characters.”

You’re free to explore the map in your own way

The open-ended level design encourages creative solutions. For example, you can lure enemies with a radio, have the Green Beret bury himself in dirt for an ambush, or use the Marine’s throwing knife to clear a path. With so many options, you can complete levels or missions without killing every enemy. But, the game’s reliance on trial-and-error can test your patience, as small misclicks or unpredictable enemy behavior often require quick-loading. Additionally, the game offers a two-player cooperative multiplayer mode, letting you tackle missions together either online or via local split-screen.

Each commando’s unique toolkit adds depth to the tactical sandbox. For instance, the Sapper sets traps or uses explosives, the Sniper takes out enemies with long-range silent kills, and the Spy disguises himself to infiltrate enemy ranks. Plus, there are plenty of side objectives and collectibles which boost replayability. I personally loved the moments of complete chaos control; you don’t always have to play it safe, but poor planning can definitely get you into trouble.

The controls on PC are intuitive, featuring customizable keybindings and a streamlined hotkey menu for tools and unit selection, while the isometric camera is fully rotatable and zoomable. The minimalistic UI, with unit portraits and a clean minimap, avoids clutter. Despite these strengths, my worst experience was when enemies sometimes detected commandos in bushes they’d already left or entered a permanent alert state, which disrupted my stealth plans.

“Each commando’s unique toolkit adds depth to the tactical sandbox.”

Worth it if you know what to expect

Commandos: Origins offers a visual upgrade over its predecessors, with more detailed environments that capture the charm of WWII settings. The game’s biomes are beautifully rendered too with realistic lighting, shadows, and explosions. Character models stand out with unique animations for each commando, though cutscenes have minor graphical flaws and repetitive dialogue.

The campaign in Commandos: Origins offers around thirty hours of gameplay, and with a little exploration, you can find collectibles scattered across the map. I love how unique each map feels, which keeps things fresh and makes experimenting with different approaches genuinely fun, giving you plenty of freedom. However, even a month after release, the game still has some noticeable bugs and technical issues – nothing game-breaking though. If you enjoyed the earlier Commandos games, you’ll likely love this one too, especially since you can now play with a friend. It’s a bit pricey, but worth it if you know what to expect.

Review copy provided by the publisher

4

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The Demo Version Brings New Content and Improved Graphics

Let’s start by saying this is, without a doubt, an excellent city-builder game, brought to us by a genre veteran. It’s no surprise that the gameplay is smooth, simple, and fluid. There’s no overthinking about what to build or where to place things, the game explains everything concisely, making it easy to reach the end of the demo. What stands out immediately is the significantly improved graphics, not just the visuals but also the colors, lighting, and overall details. The game looks more beautiful, the people within it have their own charisma, and the environment is more vibrant with various flowers, palms, and trees. There’s also an entire sector of buildings showing the destroyed Pompeii near the volcano.

Technology has been expanded; now we can grow wheat, build an iron mine, and use bricks. At the same time, Pompeii: The Legacy feels more balanced. I noticed some buildings are cheaper and easier to construct. However, transportation in the game seems quite slow, or too many buildings depend on each other, even though we can upgrade roads and speed up flow through technology. Buildings are scattered across the map: some need to be closer to water, quarries must be built on mountains, and it’s not entirely clear how much food you gather through hunting and mushroom foraging. While it takes time for things to complete, the production process is faster, which feels much improved compared to the playtest.

An Impressive Project with a Touch of Historical Authenticity

Upon launching the demo, it’s clear that Pompeii: The Legacy offers campaign, sandbox, and creative modes, promising hours of gameplay. It also introduces new customization options for crests and a variety of families with unique perks. The demo effectively showcases what’s to come. However, some key features, like family dynamics in diplomacy and the world map, remain underdeveloped, leaving their functionality unclear. While the city-builder mechanics are solid, other features will require more time.

The demo may not reveal the game’s full splendor, but the massive theater or forum hints at the scale of future structures. It’ll be exciting to see what architecture we can create, given the game’s focus on historical authenticity. The mid-to-late game stages are still to be seen, but based on what Željko showed us at the Zagreb studio, no stuttering and smooth handling of numerous elements, we have reasons to stay optimistic. Pompeii: The Legacy remains one of the most impressive Croatian games so far, and we hope its full release later this year will be truly remarkable.

The post [PREVIEW] We Returned to Roman Times with Pompeii: The Legacy, Now with a New Demo for Steam Next Fest first appeared on IndieGames.

In the game, you will build homes, aqueducts, and markets to keep citizens happy, all while managing resources like food and stone to fuel growth. The city feels alive; every road and fountain plays a role in its prosperity with unique citizen animations. You’ll even rub elbows with emperors like Trajan and Hadrian, completing their quests to earn rewards that boost your family’s status and Pompeii’s fortunes.

Trade is your lifeline too, letting you swap goods across the Roman Empire’s bustling routes. The game’s depth shines in its Family Bonuses, Dynasty overview and research system, split into Technology and Philosophy. Tech upgrades unlock better buildings or faster transport while Philosophy tackles social challenges like religion and education, opening new ways to govern.

Life in the Roman Empire isn’t always smooth sailing either. Random events like earthquakes, volcano eruptions, fires, or plagues can devastate your city, truly testing your leadership. Solo developer Željko Kos also revealed a new trailer for Next Fest and we even had the chance to interview Željko and visit his studio in person, so you can learn more about the game here.

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The latest update, detailed in patch notes on Steam, focuses on long-term performance improvements, delivering a significant boost in frame rates, especially for larger cities and the world map. The update also includes a visually overhauled world map. Player feedback drove additional changes, such as enabling the Copy Tool to include building upgrades and allowing queued movement orders for Navy Units.

Kaiserpunk stands out by combining the creative freedom of city-builders with the depth of grand strategy games. YOu shape your city-state from scratch, building housing, infrastructure, and industries while maintaining citizen morale and economic growth. On the global stage, you can trade, form alliances, or wage war across 100+ regions, balancing diplomacy and military might in a dynamic world inspired by Anno and Europa Universalis.

Launched on March 21, 2025, Kaiserpunk has earned a 68% positive rating from 385 Steam reviews, with praise for its logistics depth and unique premise, though some players noted performance issues now addressed in the update.

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Marking 25 years since the original Europa Universalis debuted, this fifth installment, developed by Paradox Tinto over five years, blends the series’ empire-building legacy with modern innovations. Crafted with input from the passionate Paradox community through a year of public discussions, the game aims to attract both longtime fans and newcomers with its expansive scope and refined systems.

Europa Universalis V transports you to 1337, at the dawn of the Hundred Years’ War, and spans through the Renaissance, Enlightenment, and beyond. The game features a larger, more accurate world map with improved projections, allowing you to lead hundreds of societies across every continent. The detailed map also introduces more nations and varied terrain.

A new population-based system replaces the series’ traditional province focus, letting you manage cultural, religious, and economic dynamics within your realms. You must balance the influence of estates, meet the needs of diverse populations, and navigate thousands of dynamic historical events that challenge you to replicate or reshape the past.

The game’s economy is driven by a detailed production and trade system, where you build farms, plantations, and factories to supply goods for economic and military needs. Trade networks, facilitated by roads, ports, and fleets, allow you to import resources or export products to amass wealth, with some buildings requiring specific goods to function. Nation customization is central, with policies, laws, and military structures adapting to technological advances and your goals, whether centralizing power, embracing tolerance, or building an elite army.

On the other hand, military and diplomatic options offer more flexibility to dominate through conquest or spying. You can rally levies, mercenaries, or professional soldiers, but wars impact population directly. Diplomacy includes royal marriages and trade treaties, but also provides options for peaceful paths to expand influence.

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Developed primarily by a solo developer with support from contracted artists, Strategos aims to differentiate itself from grand strategy titles like Total War by emphasizing tactical depth over campaign management. The game is currently in development with no firm release date, though it’s available to wishlist on Steam. It promises a detailed command-and-control system, over 120 factions, and more than 250 unique units.

Strategos immerses you in the ancient Mediterranean world, covering a timeline from roughly 500 BCE to 500 CE. This includes:

• The Persian Wars (Greek hoplites vs. Persian Immortals).
• The rise of Hellenic empires (Alexander the Great’s successors).
• The Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage.
• Conflicts involving Gallic, Germanic, and Iberian tribes.
• The late Roman era against the Sasanian Empire.

Thousands of soldiers can appear on-screen, with individual animations for movement and combat, though outcomes are resolved at the unit level using tabletop-style rules. An advanced system simulates the challenges of ancient warfare. Additionally, you can position generals to issue orders, send couriers, boost morale, or engage in combat, but units may act independently (charging, evading, or routing) based on morale and situational factors.

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Memoriapolis isn’t your typical city-builder. While most games in the genre focus on a single era or a linear progression of upgrades, this title challenges you to guide a settlement through four distinct historical ages: Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the Age of Enlightenment. Each era introduces new mechanics, buildings, and challenges, reflecting the evolving needs and complexities of a growing civilization.

Early Access began with just the first two ages, Antiquity and the Middle Ages, allowing you to establish your city’s foundations and navigate medieval struggles. The Renaissance arrived in a major update late last year, and now, with the full release, the Age of Enlightenment will complete the timeline, offering a grand finale to this historical saga.

What sets Memoriapolis apart is its organic growth system. Unlike traditional city-builders where you meticulously plot every road and building, this game employs a unique algorithm, crafted with input from an urban planner, to simulate realistic urban sprawl. Citizens shape the city’s layout as they move between key structures like forums, markets, and fortresses, creating a living, breathing metropolis that feels authentic.

With the Steam City Builder Fest discount running until March 31, 2025, now’s the perfect time to jump in and experience the game’s final Early Access build or wait for the full launch to see it in its entirety.

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The Steam Playtest runs until March 31, offering instant access through the game’s Steam page. It’s not a basic teaser but a “highly polished experience” covering the opening chapter, tutorials, early city growth, and port construction. My biggest disappointment is the lack of a sandbox or free exploration mode. The playtest offers about one to two hours of gameplay with solid voice acting and mechanics explained in detail. Still, what’s shown in the playtest looks very promising. I did encounter a few minor bugs, like quarries disappearing or frozen animations in buildings, but nothing game-breaking or too disruptive.

When I visited Željko at his studio earlier this year, I got an exclusive look at what the playtest would include, and now it’s exciting to see the gameplay out in the wild, with everyone able to experience it firsthand. Honestly, we’re seeing a surge of Roman city-builders lately, but Pompeii aims to strike a balance between realism and a touch of fantasy. Unlike typical historical retellings that focus on the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, this game starts 20 years after the disaster, casting you as the leader of a Roman family tasked with rebuilding the city from its ashes.

Living roman tapestry

In the game, you’ll build infrastructure like roads, water systems, and housing while managing resources such as food, stone, and wood. You’ll also need to ensure citizens thrive by providing jobs, maintaining hygiene, and offering entertainment. What I really like is how straightforward building is, though construction takes some time, the pacing feels just right. Plebeians and slaves each have their own roles, and building different types of houses is definitely important.

My biggest issue is with how money is earned. The playtest only showcased the marketplace, which doesn’t generate much income, and the tax office wasn’t available. This left me stuck at times, unable to continue building, which eventually forced me to just build the port and end the playtest. The UI is decent, the visuals are there but seem to lack proper polish, you can see the small pixels, and some animations are definetly not finished and stiff.

One thing to note is that I’m really hoping for more decorative options. I’m the type of builder who loves to beautify cities with statues and plants, but it was tough to do that since the game only offered a few options. I was hoping to experience the political side of the game, but the playtest focuses on straightforward gameplay with mission-based objectives. Željko did emphasize this point in our conversation earlier this year, and while it’s a good idea, it can feel repetitive if you’re just following quests without some freedom to explore or experiment.

Give it a try, you won’t be dissapointed

The technology aspect is well done. You don’t waste too much time researching, and progress feels gradual and rewarding. This turned out to be an intriguing feature, I found myself planning ahead for structures like the forum and reserving space for it in the city. The buildings also look incredibly authentic, giving you a genuine sense of being in the Roman era, and the animations for each structure add a unique touch.

Additionally, you can upgrade buildings to higher levels, unlocking benefits like more workers or a larger area of effect, such as with the architect building. However, I do wish there was a menu providing an overview of all buildings on the main screen, allowing you to upgrade them with a click instead of doing it manually.

There are some genuinely great ideas here, like placing stone quarries inside hills and clay manufactories near water, which makes logical sense. The inclusion of barber shops and possibly even physicians adds an intriguing layer, touching on historical details many of us might not know about. There’s also the ability to scavenge ruins for resources, which adds depth to the gameplay. To wrap it up, for city-builder and history enthusiasts, this is a must-try, especially since it’s free through the playtest. For now, it’s like excavating a Roman ruin, with the potential of uncovering a thriving city beneath.

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