Author: David Allen

Night Apes and Tactile Storms: Bootstrap Island Gets Massive 1.1.0 Update
If you’ve ever wanted to channel your inner Robinson Crusoe—but, you know, with the added terror of being hunted by 17th-century tropical beasts in virtual reality—then Maru VR has some brilliant news for you.

The developers have officially dropped Major Update 1.1.0 for Bootstrap Island, their critically acclaimed PCVR survival adventure on Steam. This isn’t just a minor patch; it’s a massive overhaul designed to make your time stranded on the island both significantly more rewarding and remarkably terrifying.

Here is everything you need to know about what’s waiting for you in the jungle.

1. Progress Even When You Perish: The Cumulative Progression System

Let’s be honest: survival games can be brutal, and losing a long run can feel soul-crushing. Maru VR is tackling that friction head-on. Update 1.1.0 introduces a Cumulative Progression System, meaning that unlocking new tools and items is now tied to your total survival time across all playthroughs.

Every single day you manage to stay alive chips away at future unlocks. Even if your next run ends in disaster, your time wasn’t wasted—you’re still advancing your long-term progression, making the early game much more satisfying.

2. A Simple Solution to Early-Game Inventory: The Crate

Tired of juggling resources in your bare hands before you unlock a proper satchel? Enter The Crate.

Players can now discover floating crates washed up around the island. You can fill these handy boxes with raw resources and supplies, carrying them by hand as a mobile storage unit. It’s a beautifully immersive, physical solution to early-game resource management.

3. Beware the Dark: Terrifying “Night Apes” Have Arrived

If you thought the island was safe once you got a campfire going, think again. The darkness just got a whole lot deadlier with the introduction of Night Apes. These aggressive, nocturnal predators emerge only after sunset, stalking the shadows and hunting down any castaways foolish enough to wander too far from the safety of the firelight.

4. Feel the Storm with Full bHaptics Support

For the ultimate immersion chasers, Bootstrap Island now officially supports bHaptics devices. If you own a wearable haptic vest, you will literally feel the impact of combat encounters, animal attacks, raging tropical storms, and literal lightning strikes rippling across your body.

5. Quality of Life & Performance Boosts

Alongside the headline features, Maru VR has packed in a ton of community-requested tweaks:
- Faster Movement: Slightly increased walking and running speeds.
- Better Combat: Tweaked animal behaviour, stabbing, and gutting mechanics.
- Smoother Visuals: Landscape and foliage optimisations to keep your frame rates steady.
- Easier Sparks: Reduced the frustrating amount of force needed to strike rocks together for fire.
The Verdict

Bootstrap Island already stood out as one of the most punishingly realistic VR survival games on the market. With Update 1.1.0, Maru VR has brilliantly balanced that hardcore realism with mechanics that respect the player’s time.

Whether you’re a veteran castaway or have been waiting for a friendlier entry point into the jungle, there has never been a better time to test your instincts.

Bootstrap Island is available now on Steam for PCVR, with a PlayStation VR2 release slated for later this year.

Find out more here

#BootstrapIsland #MaruVR #VRGaming #VirtualReality #PCVR #SteamGames #GamingNews #VRSurvival #TechMash
15th June 2026
Next Stop, Terror: Why This Indie Train Simulator is a Ticket to Pure Horror
Imagine this: You’re working the night shift on a cross-country train. Your biggest worries should be restocking the stale chips, keeping the coffee hot, and dealing with the occasional rude commuter. You push your snack cart down the narrow aisle, asking for IDs and tickets.

But as you look closer at the passenger in seat 4B, you notice something is off. Their blink is a fraction of a second too slow. Their skin looks a bit too much like latex under the flickering fluorescent lights.

Welcome to Only Humans On Board, an upcoming indie simulation game that takes the mundane dread of retail and mixes it with skin-crawling cosmic horror.

The Ultimate Customer Service Nightmare

At its core, Only Humans On Board plays like a twisted love child of Papers, Please and Dead Space. Your day-to-day responsibilities look normal enough on paper:
- Inventory Management: Buy your supplies, budget your earnings, and stock your cart with the snacks passengers crave.
- Customer Service: Walk the aisles, serve refreshments, and keep the passengers happy.
- Ticket & ID Verification: Scan identification cards and check tickets to ensure everyone belongs on the train.
The catch? Some of your “customers” are only pretending to be human. They want your snacks, but they might want your flesh even more.

Spot the Discrepancy, Stay Alive

As a train vendor, your scanner and your sharp eye are your only weapons. You’ll need to cross-reference IDs, look for facial anomalies, and listen closely to how passengers speak.

If you do your job right, you flag the impostor, call security, and survive to see the next station. But if you get complacent—if you skim an ID too quickly or ignore that weird, guttural click in a passenger’s voice just to hit your sales quota—your shift ends very, very differently. Let’s just say management won’t be accepting your resignation letter.

Why We’re Hooked

What makes Only Humans On Board look so promising is how it leverages psychological tension. It turns a claustrophobic, familiar setting—a train carriage—into a gauntlet of paranoia. Every passenger interaction becomes a high-stakes puzzle where a single customer service mistake is fatal.

If you love tension-building detective games and don’t mind looking at a commuter train the same way again, this is definitely one to keep on your radar.

What do you think? Could you spot a monster disguised as a tired businessman, or would you accidentally upsell a bag of peanuts to a shape-shifter? Let us know in the comments below!

Find out more here

#OnlyHumansOnBoard #IndieGames #GamingNews #HorrorGames #GamingCommunity #PCGaming #TechMash
15th June 2026
Solo Dev Magic: Tactical PvP Card Battler ‘Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel’ Hits Steam
The indie card game scene is about to get a lot more competitive, and this time, it’s coming from a solo powerhouse. Developer ShootingStar has officially opened the Steam page for Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel, an upcoming free-to-play tactical PvP card battler that proves you don’t need a massive studio to build an ambitious, deeply strategic universe.

If you are a fan of tight resource management, clever mind games, and deckbuilding, this is one indie title you need to add to your wishlist immediately.

What is Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel?

At its core, Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel is a turn-based 1v1 strategy game where board control and precise timing mean the difference between a glorious victory and a crushing defeat. Players choose a hero, manage a steadily growing mana pool, and fight to reduce the enemy hero’s health to zero.

What sets it apart is the sheer variety of tools at your disposal across five major card types:
- Characters: Your frontline fighters are tasked with attacking and defending the board.
- Structures: Durable fortifications that shift the field’s geography and provide passive advantages.
- Equipment: Direct stat-boosts and modifiers to empower your characters.
- Spells: High-impact cards for instant damage, healing, or board clears.
- Traps: Hidden, face-down cards that trigger on your opponent’s turn—perfect for baiting aggressive plays and completely reversing momentum.
Build Your 30-Card Strategy

The game skips over convoluted deck limitations in favour of a clean, hyper-focused rule: a legal deck consists of exactly 30 cards, with a maximum of 4 copies of any single card.

When you first step into the world of Astralight, you’ll select one of three elemental starter paths—Fire, Water, or Forest—giving you a strong thematic foundation to experiment with. Combined with unique, mana-activated Hero Skills that can define your entire win condition, the tactical permutations are vast.

A Massive Long-Term Vision

While the game is launching as a tight, competitive 1v1 PvP battler, the developer has massive plans for the future. Astralight is designed to eventually evolve into a full online card RPG, with plans to introduce:
- Co-op PvE roguelike expeditions
- Auto expeditions and card trading systems
- Shared social world features to connect the community
Best of all? Every match you play—win or lose—rewards you with currency and crafting materials, keeping the free-to-play model firmly focused on progression and collection expansion rather than paywalls.

Watchlist It Now!

Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel is listed as “Coming Soon,” and the Steam page is officially live for wishlists. Head over to Steam, check out the trailer, and support a solo indie developer trying to reshape the CCG landscape.

Wishlist Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel on Steam

#TechMash #Astralight #IndieGames #CardBattler #PCGaming #SteamGames #FreeToPlay #CCG #SoloDev
15th June 2026
Clock In, Grunts: ‘Goblin Company’ is Officially Out on Steam!

Attention all prospective subterranean labourers! WHAAG MINING INC. has issued its final corporate update, and it’s time to pick up your shovels. Goblin Company, the chaotic co-op mining survival game from BitBorne Studio, has officially launched on Steam.

If you’ve been coasting by on the free demo, we have some good news and some bad news. The bad news? The demo has officially closed its doors. The good news? The full, unhinged corporate mining experience is ready for you and your crew right now.

The Corporate Hype is Real

Management is thrilled to report that over 115,000 goblins wishlisted the game ahead of launch. That is a lot of expendable workforce ready to delve into the deep, dark, and dangerous caves for the glory of the company.

To those who participated in the alpha and beta phases, WHAAG MINING INC. Management has released a brief, mandatory statement:

“Thank you for your service. Now get back to work.”

What to Expect on the Shift

If you’re new to the team, Goblin Company blends the frantic resource-gathering of survival games with the absolute chaos of cooperative multiplayer. You and your friends will dig deep, fend off subterranean horrors, and try to make it out alive with enough loot to satisfy your corporate overlords.

Grab your copy on Steam today and start your shift!

Find out more here

#GoblinCompany #BitBorneStudio #SteamGames #CoOpGaming #IndieDev #GamingNews #PCGaming #TechMash #WHAAGMining

15th June 2026
Face the Cosmic Madness: The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu Demo Drops Today for Steam Next Fest!
The wait is officially over for horror fans looking to lose their minds—metaphorically and literally. NACON and ACE Team have announced that their highly anticipated cooperative horror game, The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu, is taking centre stage at Steam Next Fest from June 15 to June 22, 2026.

Starting today, PC players can officially download a free playable demo and take their first terrifying steps into a cursed, 16th-century South American canopy. To celebrate the hands-on event, the developers have unleashed a chilling new trailer giving us a direct look at the game’s oppressive atmosphere, psychological tricks, and tense squad gameplay. Check it out below!

Welcome to the Cursed Jungle

Developed by the eccentric minds at ACE Team (Zeno Clash, The Eternal Cylinder), The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu moves away from typical Victorian gothic settings to plunge up to four players into a deeply hostile historical jungle.

Your mission sounds simple on paper: set out from the safety of your galleon, take a rowboat to the mainland, complete high-stakes contracts, and recover legendary treasures. However, the supernatural forces dwelling within the jungle don’t just want to hunt you—they want to warp your mind.

Key Gameplay Features to Expect in the Demo:
- A Fragile Sanity System: As you venture deeper under the dense canopy, your sanity rapidly deteriorates. The game features highly individualised visual and auditory hallucinations. You might see the world drenched in blood, mistake deadly traps for mirages, or even see your teammates turn into monstrous entities.
- Proximity Voice Chat is Mandatory: Clear communication is your literal lifeline. The game relies on spatial audio. If a player panics, wanders off, and loses vocal contact with the squad, isolation will accelerate their madness. Even worse? Succumb entirely, and you might turn into a hostile creature controlled by the jungle, tasked with hunting your former friends.
- Trigger Discipline & Stealth: You are equipped with period-accurate gear like flintlock muskets, crossbows, and swords. Fire off a heavy musket, and the sheer noise risks awakening a reactive jungle that will aggressively hunt you down. Sometimes, running for your life back to the rowboat is the only real victory.
“We always say it existed long before the players got there, and I think you feel that when you explore. There’s stuff here that has nothing to do with you, wonders that weren’t put there for you to find.” — Edmundo Bordeu, Art Director at ACE Team

Play the Demo This Week, Launching This July!

The Steam Next Fest demo serves as a massive open test following the game’s recent closed beta, offering a substantial chunk of gameplay to tackle with your friends.

If you manage to survive the demo, you won’t have to wait long for the full expedition. The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu is scheduled to officially launch on July 15, 2026, coming to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S with full cross-platform support.

Head over to Steam, grab your crew, download the demo, and see if you have what it takes to tame the jungle before it devours you.

Find out more here

#TheMound #OmenOfCthulhu #SteamNextFest #CoOpHorror #IndieGames #NACON #ACETeam #GamingNews #PCGaming #Lovecraftian
15th June 2026
Craft on the Fly, Extract, Repeat: Expendabots Unveiled at Future Games Show!
The Future Games Show: Summer Showcase just dropped a major bombshell for co-op horror fans. Independent developer Collision Games and acclaimed publisher Blue Brain Games (the masterminds behind The House of Da Vinci series) have officially pulled back the curtain on Expendabots—a frantic, 4-player co-op horror extraction game that promises to test your nerves and your teamwork.

If you love high-stakes extraction loops, clunky robotic protagonists, and atmospheric dread, this is one title you need on your radar.

Welcome to the Custody Zone

In an alternate universe, the Custody Zone is a forbidden archipelago sealed off from civilisation. It’s a beautifully handcrafted, procedurally generated nightmare filled with abandoned facilities, unstable machinery, and technology that defies explanation.

To salvage what’s left, the mega-corporation Nullshore Consortium sends in the Expendabots—disposable, clunky robotic units engineered to dive into the dark, scavenge for valuable relics, and get the heck out before the island is lost entirely.

But you aren’t alone out there. The Zone’s ancient defence systems are still highly active, and the terrifying entities patrolling the halls react to both sight and sound.

Check out the core features revealed at the showcase:
- Frantic 1-4 Player Co-op: Team up with friends or go it alone on PC and Mac via Steam.
- On-the-Fly 3D Printing: Each Expendabot carries a portable 3D printer on its back. Scavenge raw materials mid-run to fabricate vital survival gear, emergency power cells, or decoys to lure threats away.
- Deadly Proximity Chat: Communication is key, but be careful—the enemy NPCs can hear you screaming over the proximity mic.
- Heart-Pounding Respawn System: In Expendabots, you are replaceable, but the mission isn’t. If a teammate falls, you can physically harvest their “heart” and carry it to a massive 3D printer to spawn them into a shiny new chassis.
- Procedural Peril: Featuring 5 distinct dungeon types, no two expeditions into the Custody Zone will ever lay out the same.
High Stakes, No Refunds

What sets Expendabots apart is its distinct blend of charmingly clunky robotic design with genuinely tense, atmospheric horror. The progression system revolves around upgrading your robotic limbs, unlocking new abilities and mechanics to survive deeper dives into the facilities.

It’s all about the risk vs reward: do you stay a few minutes longer to loot one last room, or do you extract with your squad before the island collapses?

Wishlist Now!

Following its stellar world premiere, Expendabots is officially available to wishlist on Steam. If you are ready to assemble your squad of scrap-metal heroes, head over to their official page, check out the debut trailer, and prepare for a wild, chaotic extraction experience.

What do you think of the Expendabots reveal? Let us know if your squad will be diving into the Custody Zone in the comments below!

Find out more here

#Expendabots #CollisionGames #BlueBrainGames #FutureGamesShow #CoOpGames #HorrorGames #ExtractionShooter #IndieGames #GamingNews #TechMash
15th June 2026
Crash the Yokai Party: Twilight Parade: Moonlit Mononoke Gets a Physical PS5 Release This July!
Physical game collectors and retro enthusiasts, clear some space on your shelves! Funbox Media Ltd has officially announced that they are bringing the vibrant, chaotic world of Twilight Parade: Moonlit Mononoke to the PlayStation 5 in a physical edition.

Mark your calendars: this physical release is set to drop across Europe and the Americas on July 31, 2026.

If you love nostalgic pixel art, chaotic bullet-hell action, and quirky Japanese folklore, this is one launch you won’t want to skip.

What is Twilight Parade: Moonlit Mononoke?

Originally released digitally by Eastasiasoft and developed by Super16bits, Twilight Parade: Moonlit Mononoke is a side-scrolling bullet-hell shoot-’em-up (SHMUP) that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

The premise is simple but hilarious: Every year, the spirits and monsters of Japan take to the streets to celebrate the Hyakki Yagy? (the Night Parade of the Hundred Yokai). But this year? They intentionally didn’t invite the rowdy Oni twins. Naturally, the only logical response is to crash the party and completely ruin it!

Key Features:
- Playable Yokai Heroines: Take control of four beautiful pixel-art characters—including the sweet-loving Blue Oni Sister and the hot-headed Red Oni Sister—each featuring their own distinct companion assistant (and yes, beachwear variants!).
- Retro Bullet-Hell Action: Battle your way through 5 chaotic, yokai-infested levels.
- Massive Boss Fights: Face down giant, screen-filling bosses at the end of every stage.
- Accessible Fun: With gorgeous 16-bit retro aesthetics and an infinite continue system, it’s a blast for hardcore arcade veterans and SHMUP newcomers alike.
A Packed 3-in-1 Disc: The Bonus Games!

Funbox Media Ltd isn’t just giving us a standard physical release; they are packing the disc with incredible value. To complement the main game, the physical edition includes two fantastic bonus games right on the disc:
1. Tiny Pixels Vol. 1 – Ninpo Blast: A fast-paced, retro vertical shoot-’em-up where you’ll fight off swarms of mythical insect baddies using shurikens, bombs, and hoverbikes. It features permanent weapon upgrades and online leaderboards for the ultimate arcade chase.
2. Overpowered 1 – Mars Infestation: Ready for a change of scenery? Jump into the year 2050 in this top-down, twin-stick sci-fi shooter. Exterminate aggressive alien threats on Mars using over-the-top firepower, fluid pixel art animations, and a pumping soundtrack.
“This release celebrates not only a wonderful main title, but also includes two fantastic bonus games that showcase diverse gameplay styles. It’s a great value package and a must-have for collectors.” — Funbox Media Ltd

Final Thoughts

In a digital-first era, physical releases like this are a true love letter to collectors. By bundling a beautiful side-scrolling SHMUP with a vertical ninja-themed shooter and a twin-stick sci-fi survival game, Funbox Media is offering massive arcade variety in one single box.

Keep your eyes peeled for pre-orders at your favourite retailers ahead of the July 31, 2026, launch date!

Are you planning to add this to your PS5 physical collection? Which character are you choosing first? Let us know in the comments below!

Find out more here

#GamingNews #PS5 #PhysicalGames #TwilightParade #SHMUP #BulletHell #RetroGaming #FunboxMedia #IndieGames #Yokai #TechMash
15th June 2026
Burn Rubber Early: Throttle Trace Drops a Surprise Playable Demo on Steam!
The engines are roaring, the tyres are smoking, and the starting line is officially open. MicroProse and Unordered Games have just announced that a playable demo for their highly anticipated racer, Throttle Trace, is officially live on Steam for everyone to experience right now.

If you’ve been itching for a racing game that perfectly balances high-octane speed with precision control, your weekend plans just sorted themselves out.

What is Throttle Trace?

For the uninitiated, Throttle Trace isn’t just another lap-around-the-track simulator. Developed by Unordered Games and published by the legendary strategy and simulation giants at MicroProse, this title aims to bring a fresh, adrenaline-fueled perspective to the racing genre.

Think tight corners, heart-pounding drift mechanics, and tracks designed to test both your reflexes and your tactical racing lines. With MicroProse backing the project, you can bet there’s a deep appreciation for mechanical detail and satisfying gameplay loops underlying every single drift.

What to Expect in the Steam Demo

The developers aren’t just giving us a glorified benchmark test; this is a proper taste of the tarmac. By downloading the demo today, you’ll get to experience:
- Responsive Handling: Get a feel for the game’s distinct physics engine.
- Immersive Tracks: Tear through meticulously designed environments that demand your full attention.
- A True Stress Test: Push your own limits (and your PC’s frame rates) before the full launch.
How to Play: You don’t need a special beta key or a pre-order code. Simply head over to the Steam store, search for Throttle Trace, and hit the “Download Demo” button to get behind the wheel immediately.

Why This Collaboration Matters

MicroProse has been on an absolute tear lately, resurrecting the spirit of classic PC gaming while championing innovative indie talent. By partnering with Unordered Games for Throttle Trace, they are signalling a bold step into high-speed action. This demo is a statement of confidence—they want players to feel the weight of the cars and the rush of the race firsthand because they know the gameplay speaks for itself.

Go grab your controller (or configure your wheel), head over to Steam, and lay down some rubber. Once you’ve set your best lap time, drop a comment below and let us know if Throttle Trace is living up to the hype!

Find out more here

#ThrottleTrace #MicroProse #UnorderedGames #SteamDemo #PCGaming #RacingGames #GamingNews #TechMash #IndieGames
15th June 2026
Escape the Abyss: Dark Action-RPG ‘Lostbound’ Hits Steam Next Fest with a Brand-New Playable Demo
The highly anticipated Steam Next Fest is officially here, running from June 15–22, and indie game fans have a major new title to add to their radar. Developer Tenkarider, alongside publisher Tambù Digital, has announced that their striking action-RPG roguelite, Lostbound, is participating in the event with a thrilling, freshly updated playable demo.

If you are a fan of dark, tactical roguelites where every single decision dictates your survival, this is one demo you cannot afford to skip this week.

Outrun the Hand, Manage Your Steps

In Lostbound, the ground beneath your feet is your greatest asset—and your biggest liability. Set in a decaying world being aggressively consumed by a living entity of darkness known as The Hand, the game blends classic action-RPG combat with unpredictable roguelite mechanics.

The core twist? Every movement leaves a permanent mark on the world map. Retrace your steps too frequently, and The Hand will physically erase the path behind you. As narrow corridors and safe routes vanish into the Abyss, your journey becomes a tense, calculated race against time and geography.

What’s Inside the Steam Next Fest Demo?

Tenkarider and Tambù Digital have loaded this updated demo with a substantial amount of content to give players a true taste of the abyss. Here is what you can expect when you download it this week:
- The Opening Region: Take your first steps into a crumbling reality and experience the baseline tension of Lostbound’s exploration loop.
- Two Distinct Modes: Choose between Adventure Mode or Campaign Mode, giving you different ways to tackle the story and its procedural elements.
- Dungeon Diving: Risk entering dangerous, pitch-black dungeons to hunt for game-changing artefacts and weapon types before nightfall claims you.
- Build Customisation: Experiment with diverse item synergies, multiple weapons, and permanent meta-progression upgrades fueled by gathering Dark Matter.
Behind-the-Scenes Developer Broadcasts

In addition to the hands-on demo, the development team will be hosting a special Steam Broadcast throughout the week. Players can tune in directly on the Steam page to watch live gameplay, gain insights into the dynamic procedural generation systems, and chat with the creators.

Verdict: A Must-Play for Roguelite Fans

Lostbound stands out in a crowded genre by making the map itself a predatory force. It demands smart resource management, flawless routing, and an appetite for risk.

The Lostbound demo is available to download for free right now on Steam. Dive into the abyss, test your survival instincts, and don’t forget to hit that Wishlist button if you manage to escape The Hand!

Interested? Check out the official trailer on the Lostbound Steam Page.

#IndieGames #SteamNextFest #Lostbound #GamingNews #Roguelite #ActionRPG #Tenkarider #TambuDigital #PCGaming #TechMash
15th June 2026
Get a Grip! Heave Ho 2 Swings Onto PC and Nintendo Consoles This July
If you and your friends haven’t finished arguing over who ruined your last couch co-op session, it’s time to patch things up. Publisher Devolver Digital and developer Le Cartel are absolutely buoyant to announce that Heave Ho 2—the highly anticipated sequel to the smash-hit, physics-based party game—is bounding onto PC, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 on July 16 for a wallet-friendly $9.99.

More Hands, More Chaos, and Online Play!

The original Heave Ho won our hearts by tasking up to four players with a simple, yet agonisingly funny goal: grab onto each other, stretch, swing, and absolutely do not fall to your death.

Heave Ho 2 takes that brilliant, slapstick formula and cranks the dial to eleven. The headline feature this time around? Online multiplayer support. For the very first time, you’ll be able to take the absolute pandemonium of your living room couch and bring it online to test friendships across the globe.

What’s New in Heave Ho 2?

Le Cartel isn’t just serving up a re-skin. The sequel introduces a whole host of gravity-defying upgrades:
- Eight Wild Themed Worlds: From the floaty mechanics of weightless space to absolute cookery chaos in the kitchen, each world introduces unique hazards.
- Fresh Mechanics and Gadgets: Players can expect new scenarios that require pushing, pulling, shooting, and squeezing through fiendish obstacles.
- Nintendo Switch GameShare Support: Switch 2 players can take advantage of local or online GameShare, meaning only one person needs to own the game to share the madness with up to three additional players.
Try the PC Demo Right Now

Can’t wait until July 16 to start dangling over a bottomless void? You’re in luck. A playable demo is live right now on Steam, giving you a taste of the precise timing and terrible teamwork that awaits.

Whether you’re looking for the ultimate party night experience or just want a reason to scream at your friends via Discord, Heave Ho 2 is shaping up to be the summer’s essential multiplayer title. Grab your copy on PC or Nintendo consoles this July for just $9.99!

Are you ready to lose your grip all over again? Let us know in the comments below!

Find out more here

#HeaveHo2 #DevolverDigital #LeCartel #IndieGames #NintendoSwitch #NintendoSwitch2 #SteamGames #PCGaming #CoOpGaming #PartyGames #GamingNews #TechMash
15th June 2026
All Aboard the Nightmare: Co-Op Horror ‘Forest Escape: Last Train’ Drops Free Steam Demo!
If you and your gaming squad have been looking for a fresh excuse to scream at each other in the dark, your next obsession just arrived.

Developer FragLab and publisher Two Cakes Studio have officially unleashed the free playable demo for Forest Escape: Last Train. If you’ve spent any time lost in the eerie, yellow-walled liminal spaces of The Escape Backrooms, this upcoming 1–4 player co-op horror exploration game needs to be firmly on your radar.

What is Forest Escape: Last Train?

Imagine being stranded in an endless, shifting woodland where the trees feel alive, the atmosphere is suffocating, and your only hope of survival is a mysterious train.

The demo offers a terrifying first taste of the game’s core mechanics. You can brave the woods entirely alone, or team up with up to three friends in online co-op. Your objective? Explore the haunting environment, solve environmental puzzles, manage your resources, and avoid whatever entities are hunting you down in the brush—all while trying to catch the last train out.

Key Features to Expect in the Demo:
- 1–4 Player Co-Op: Safety in numbers? Not necessarily. While having friends makes puzzle-solving easier, it also means more people to panic when things go sideways.
- Liminal Horror Atmosphere: Heavily inspired by modern internet urban legends and The Backrooms aesthetic, the game trades endless office corridors for a deeply unsettling, infinite forest.
- Proximity Voice Chat: (Highly recommended!) There is nothing quite like hearing your friend’s voice suddenly cut out mid-sentence as they are dragged into the shadows.
- High Replayability: Shifting layouts and unpredictable AI mean that no two escape attempts feel exactly the same.
Try It Yourself For Free

The indie horror scene has been on an absolute tear lately, and Forest Escape: Last Train looks to be a brilliant, anxiety-inducing addition to the genre. FragLab has nailed the sense of dread, and Two Cakes Studio is making sure everyone can test their nerve early.

The free demo is available to download right now on PC. Grab your flashlights, rally your bravest (or most easily scared) friends, and see if you can survive long enough to hear the whistle blow.

Are you brave enough to venture into the woods alone, or are you dragging your co-op crew with you? Let us know in the comments below!

Find out more here

#GamingNews #ForestEscape #HorrorGames #IndieDev #CoOpGaming #PCGaming #SteamDemo #BackroomsInspired #FragLab #TwoCakesStudio
15th June 2026
Leading from the Front: How Cyclops is Reshaping the Marvel Rivals Meta
The wait is officially over. NetEase Games has deployed the highly anticipated Season 8.5 update, and with it, the X-Men’s iconic leader has finally entered the fray. Cyclops (Scott Summers) has joined the Marvel Rivals roster as the game’s 51st hero, stepping onto the battlefield as a lethal, mid-range Duelist.

For a character known just as much for his tactical genius as his mutant gifts, his transition to a competitive hero-shooter needed to feel impactful. Fortunately, his kit delivers pure, unadulterated “punch-dimension” power that rewards geometry, precise aim, and disciplined positioning.

If you’re ready to scream “To me, my X-Men!” down your mic, here is everything you need to know about mastering the fearless leader.

The Geometry of Destruction: Cyclops’ Kit Breakdown

Cyclops isn’t just a straightforward hitscan character; he is a master of sightline control. His abilities make him a nightmare for enemies trying to play defensively or hide behind cover.
- Primary Fire (Optic Blast): A fast, high-precision hitscan burst of concussive force. At mid-range, this thing is devastating. If your mechanical skills are sharp, you can two-tap 300 HP squishies with well-placed headshots before they even know what hit them.
- Secondary Fire (Concussive Beam): A continuous stream of optic energy that melts shields and multi-targets. It can refract directly between enemies standing in close proximity, making it a spectacular tool for punishing tightly grouped teams.
- Ricochet Force (E): This is where the skill ceiling skyrockets. Cyclops fires a beam that bounces off the environment and walls. Did a low-health Strategist just duck around a corner to heal? Use the map’s geometry to bounce a laser right into their hiding spot.
- Vertical Mobility (Optic Ascent / Propulsion Burst): By firing his optic blasts directly into the ground or at a close-range threat, Scott can use the pure kinetic recoil to launch himself high into the air or propel himself backwards into cover, slowing any enemies caught in the crossfire.
- Ultimate (Ruby Rage): Scott removes his visor entirely, unleashing a massive, sweeping beam of raw kinetic energy. To make it even more terrifying, the blast leaves behind a trail of volatile energy that triggers a massive secondary explosion a moment later. Pair this with a teammate’s crowd-control ultimate, and you have a guaranteed team wipe.
Iconic Synergies: The “Blast Slash” Team-Up

You can’t talk about Cyclops without mentioning his fierce rivalry—and ultimate respect—for Wolverine. Season 8.5 introduces a brand-new Team-Up ability called Blast Slash, completely shaking up the X-Men meta.

When Cyclops and Wolverine are on the same team, Cyclops can supercharge Logan’s adamantium claws with his optic blasts. This grants Wolverine a passive 5% damage boost and replaces his Vicious Rampage with Kinetic Claws, allowing the feral mutant to lunge forward in a terrifying, spinning tornado of laser-infused slashes.

How to Play and Counter the X-Men Leader

Cyclops excels at holding down choke points, punishing grouped enemies, and pressuring the enemy backline from a safe distance. He is a phenomenal counter to passive, shield-heavy team compositions because his ricochet shots allow him to completely bypass defensive barriers.

However, he isn’t invincible. Cyclops relies heavily on his cooldowns to stay alive. If a highly mobile “dive” team—featuring heroes like Spider-Man or Black Panther—manages to bait out his Propulsion Burst, he becomes an incredibly easy target. He thrives best when backed up by defensive tanks like Doctor Strange or Magneto, who can buy him the time he needs to sit back and calculate his angles.

Season 8.5 has completely shifted the power dynamics of the game, proving that a team is only as good as its leader. It’s time to log in, queue up, and show the opposition what happens when the visor comes off.

Are you maining Cyclops in Season 8.5, or have you found the perfect strategy to shut him down? Let us know your favourite Team-Up combos in the comments below!

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15th June 2026