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Clash of the Kingdoms launches in Early Access on Steam

Indie studio New Horizons has released its turn-based strategy game Clash of the Kingdoms in Early Access on Steam.

Clash of the Kingdoms is a tactical turn-based strategy where every decision can change the course of battle. Players command armies of unique units on a compact 7×7 grid, competing to destroy enemy forces or capture the opponent’s base.

Early Access allows players to:

  • get acquainted with the core combat system
  • test key mechanics of tactical battles
  • play against AI, in local mode, or online via Steam
  • influence the game’s development through community feedback


“We are creating Clash of the Kingdoms as a fast yet deep tactical game where strategic thinking truly matters. This playtest is the first step, where we want to see player feedback and suggestions. We want to build our game together with the players,” say the developers at New Horizons.

Matches last an average of 5–10 minutes, making the game ideal both for short sessions and for serious tactical duels. The final version will feature expanded visuals, new factions, battlefields, titles, frames, a seasonal ranking system, and tournaments.

🔹 Platform: PC (Windows)
🔹 Interface languages: Ukrainian, English
🔹 Status: Early Access
🔹 Steam page

Crimson Capes to launch February 12th, bringing the Souls Formula to 2D 

Studio Poor Locke has announced that Crimson Capes will be coming to PC via Steam on February 12. Crimson Capes is a sword-and-sorcery action adventure that reimagines the core pillars of the Souls formula in two dimensions, blending deliberate combat, non-linear exploration, and online multiplayer into a high-adventure fantasy world.

Players step into the role of Milon the Tempest, a witch-hunter tasked with dismantling a growing conspiracy of wizards across the kingdom of Amvros. Leading the Crimson Capes – a guild of elite witch-hunters – players will take on contracts throughout the realm, slowly uncovering darker forces at work and coming face to face with the true cost of power.

Combat in Crimson Capes is built around deliberate, animation-commit swordplay inspired by realistic fighting techniques, where feints, thrusts, cuts, and guards create a deadly back-and-forth defined by timing, positioning, and mastery. 

Each of the four playable heroes features a distinct weapon style, moveset, and skill tree, encouraging experimentation, while magic is woven directly into combat through elemental abilities such as wind, thunder, fire, and darkness.

Exploration follows a Souls-inspired philosophy, rewarding curiosity and player choice. Ruined towers, forgotten caverns, mystical forests, and ancient strongholds can be tackled in any order, with artifacts, abilities, and narrative threads waiting off the beaten path.

Crimson Capes also brings classic Souls multiplayer into two dimensions. Players can join forces in online co-op to hunt together as Capes, or invade another hunt as a Deathblade, introducing unpredictable PvP encounters that reshape each mission.

Visually, the game features pixel art animation and hand-drawn environments, with rotoscoped graphics. Inspired by classic pulp sword-and-sorcery tales such as Conan and Elric, Crimson Capes embraces a raw, mythic atmosphere rooted in classic fantasy adventure and discovery.

“From the very beginning, Crimson Capes was built around deliberate combat that rewards initiative, precision and quick thinking,” said Dimitris Tsatsis, programmer at Poor Locke.

“We wanted to bring the tension, discipline, and satisfaction of the Souls experience into 2D, by rethinking how the level design, vibe and multiplayer interactions work in a side-scrolling space.”

KEY FEATURES

  • Souls-like, 2D combat with tight reads, punish windows, and build variety
  • Boss fights that will test your mettle
  • Sword-and-Sorcery adventures in a fantasy world filled with secrets
  • Online Co-op & PvP: Play online with a friend, or invade other witch hunters
  • Optional Dynamic Hunts with unique enemies and bosses, randomly generated each time (reminiscent of Bloodborne’s Chalice Dungeons)


AVAILABILITY
Crimson Capes will launch on February 12 at 10am PT / 6pm GMT for PC via Steam
Price : 15$
Launch discount: 10% for 9 days
Instruction Manual & Game Guide PDF files along with a printable world map will be included in the game files
Console versions will release at a later date

About POOR LOCKE
POOR LOCKE is an independent game studio led by programmer Dimitris Tsatsis, with art by Kostas MacFarlane and music by David Wurczel. The studio focuses on crafting hand-made, mechanically rich experiences driven by strong artistic identity and player agency. Previous titles include Windmills and Unbeliever. Crimson Capes represents the studio’s most ambitious project to date, merging classic sword-and-sorcery fantasy with modern Souls-inspired design.

Indie developer Tom Daly reveals upcoming game Protect the Pit

Indie developer Tom Daly has revealed their upcoming incremental tower defense game Protect the Pit. Their previous games Tranquil Isle (“I enjoyed every second.” – Thumbculture) and Little Aviary (“Little Aviary is a companion worth keeping” – Ladies Gamers) released in April 2025 and November 2025 respectively.

About the Game:
A short incremental clicker game that blends tower defense with the depth of sprawling upgrade trees. Build your own winding mazes to repel the oncoming hordes!

It’s up to you to stop the hordes of the forest from destroying your glorious pit!

Play your way
Build your own mazes to guide the hordes of oncoming monsters and fill them with as many traps as you possibly can! Upgrade towers, traps, economic buildings, and your cursors auto attack to defend your PIT!

–

Links:
Steam page
Reveal trailer

Veteran Indie Duo Announces School Janitor Simulator, coming soon to Steam

Veteran Argentine developers José Luis Scolari and Sebastián Gioseffi announce their first game as a duo: School Janitor Simulator, a cozy and deeply relaxing job simulator about the everyday life of a school janitor. 

The game channels the methodical, restorative gameplay of titles like House Flipper and PowerWash Simulator into the uniquely atmospheric setting of the Ford-Taylor School, a pretentious institution that’s seen better days and has decided to outsource its janitorial duties.

The core experience is built around a satisfying, varied task loop. A subtle progression system and quirky collectibles reward the player’s work, while a deeper narrative unfolds organically through the environment itself.

Some of the key tasks that players will be in charge of are:
 

  • Paint walls: Make sure to maintain the pristine state of the walls by regularly applying a new layer of paint when the old one peels off.
  • Unclog pipes: Sometimes, the plumbing overflows with the enthusiasm of youth. Make sure it flows smoothly again.
  • Clean up floors: The minds of our students are so often into the high realms of learning that they forget about the material reality of garbage. Clean their oversight.
  • Remove graffiti: The artistic inclinations of some of our more sensitive students take them to express themselves on many surfaces. Remove this unauthorized expression of individuality.
  • Fix electrical fixtures: This spark is not of genius, but of dangerous voltage! Prevent costly accidents by replacing and rewiring broken electrical fixtures.
  • Repair broken furniture: Nothing escapes entropy. Deal with its effects, before someone gets hurt.
  • Keep the greenery alive: A green, healthy yard might use a lot of water, but it looks really good in promotional pictures.
  • Tidy up messy areas: Look, there is only so much we can do to force the kids to put away everything at the end of the class. You take care of the rest.


School Janitor Simulator is scheduled for release on PC via Steam and itch.io by the end of 2026, with a public demo coming soon. The game is now available to wishlist.


Steam Page


About The Developers


A duo of veteran game developers, José Luis Scolari and Sebastián Gioseffi have a combined experience of more than 30 years, both in big companies and small indie studios. In their first foray as a team of two, they decided to venture into the job simulation genre they always loved.

Heartopia X My Little Pony Collaboration Event to begin Next Month

 XD Games is excited to announce that the Heartopia ╳ My Little Pony collab will officially begin in Heartopia this Valentine’s Day. 

The collaboration event sees the Tree of Harmony from My Little Pony appearing on Whale Island, needing to be reawakened by Heartopia players via the Elements of Harmony. By working together, players can ensure the tree returns home to the magical kingdom of Equestria. 

Ahead of the collaboration, a week-long pre-event will begin on 7 February, allowing players to complete a number of daily puzzles in order to unlock an exclusive pet costume based on the My Little Pony character Spike, as well as Time-Limited Exhibition Passes. More details on the Heartopia ╳ My Little Pony collaboration, including new activities, collections, and outfits, will be revealed next week.

Additionally, Heartopia’s first season — Winter Frost Season Fashionwave — begins today, bringing new winter-themed content and activities. Players who venture to the top of Onsen Mountain will be rewarded with ice and snow slides, as well as a brand new skating rink that allows townsfolk to perfect their figure skating choreography with friends. Players now also have access to ice rink flooring while in build mode, meaning they can construct their own practice rink at home. 

There’s also some snowman-related fun to be had in this frigid weather. Players can build their own snowmen by shovelling fallen snow, or they can turn into snowmen themselves by interacting with the huge snowmen that can be found dotted around town. 

Players can now purchase and level up their Winter Frost Season Fashionwave Gift Boxes, too. These can contain Exhibition Passes, Heart Diamonds, an exclusive instrument skin for a steel tongue drum, the Fashionwave Penguin set, building materials, and more. 

Heartopia players from all towns can meet one another at the concert venue, which will be hosting week-long opening and closing concerts celebrating Winter Frost Season. At nearby stalls, players can purchase items, like glow sticks, to wave about while watching the musical performances and firework displays.

Winter Frost Season runs from 31 January through 13 March. For a full breakdown of everything in this season, watch the Official Launch Special Program or follow Heartopia on X.

Heartopia is available to play for free now on PC, iOS, and Android.

About XD Games

Founded in 2003, XD Games. is a global video games developer and publisher with extensive experience across development, publishing and operations. As of 2022, XD has 38 free-to-play and paid games with over 50 million monthly active users worldwide. In addition, TapTap — a mobile games community and app store — was launched by XD in 2016 and is estimated to currently have 44 million monthly active users. 

XD’s mission is to assemble like-minded talented games industry craftspeople with a common goal of touching the hearts of players around the world. XD produces games of the finest quality with passion, offering a pure gaming experience, and encouraging players of all ages to embrace the unique joy of video gaming.

Party tycoon Disco Simulator is now available on PS5

Disco Simulator was developed by Polish studios Games Incubator and Frozen Cave Studio. It first launched on PC in 2024 and recently arrived on Xbox Series X|S. On Steam, Disco Simulator currently holds 72% positive user reviews. The console versions were published by Ultimate Games S.A.

Build a disco empire
Disco Simulator is a nightclub management simulator. This party-driven tycoon lets players build and develop their own venue, featuring dance, techno, and chill music.

At the start, players choose a manager from several candidates, each with unique skills that affect different aspects of club operations. Disco Simulator also offers a selection of clubs with distinct characteristics and locations, ranging from small towns to large cities.

Gameplay includes a range of mechanics related to running a music club. Players must take care of interior design, including furniture, lighting, and sound equipment. Staff management is also important. Progressing through the game unlocks upgrades and improvements for individual elements.

Success in the nightclub business also depends on maintaining customer satisfaction and the right atmosphere.

Disco Simulator features several game modes, including a campaign and a sandbox mode.

Disco Simulator – key features:

  • party-focused tycoon gameplay;
  • club design and management;
  • dance, techno, and chill music;
  • hiring and managing staff;
  • multiple game modes.

Disco Simulator launched on PlayStation 5 on January 29, 2026.
 
Disco Simulator – PS5 Release Trailer

Disco Simulator (PlayStation Store)

Disco Simulator (Microsoft Store)

Disco Simulator (Steam)

Basic information:
title: Disco Simulator
genre: simulation, tycoon, economic, relaxing, music, indie
developer: Games Incubator, Frozen Cave Studio, Ultimate Games S.A.
publisher: Ultimate Games S.A.
language: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Polish, Turkish, Brazilian Portuguese
number of players: 1
file size: 2.2 GB (PlayStation 5), 5.8 GB (Xbox Series X|S)
release date: January 29, 2026 (PlayStation 5), January 15, 2026 (Xbox Series X|S), March 5, 2024 (PC Steam)

Demo for incremental city builder Urban Ascend Launches on Steam

Urban Ascend is an incremental city-building game focused on long-term growth, layered upgrades, and systemic expansion. Players develop a city over time by unlocking buildings, scaling production, and responding to changing conditions as the city grows.

A demo is now available on Steam, allowing you to experience the game’s core incremental systems ahead of its full PC release.

The demo introduces the primary progression loop, including building placement, resource generation, and upgrade paths that persist across play sessions. As the city expands, new systems and constraints are introduced, emphasizing planning and prioritization.

Unlike traditional city builders with fixed scenarios, Urban Ascend is structured around incremental progression. Growth is driven by accumulated upgrades and unlocked systems, with each session contributing to the ongoing development of the city.

The demo reflects the intended structure and pacing of the full game and is designed to communicate how its incremental systems interconnect.

Platform: Windows
Release Date: 2026
Pricing: TBA
Engine: RPG Maker MZ

Developer & Publisher : BitQuest Studio

Metroidvania MIO: Memories in Orbit quickly established itself as one of the genre’s latest stand-outs

Focus Entertainment and Douze Dixièmes are today celebrating MIO: Memories in Orbit’s critical success with a brand-new trailer. Distinguished by its striking art direction and an equally remarkable original soundtrack, this French‑crafted metroidvania has resonated strongly with international critics, securing a Metacritic score of 84/100.

Watch the MIO: Memories in Orbit Accolade Trailer.

MIO: Memories in Orbit launched January 20th and is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch (both generations), and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Microsoft Store. The game is also playable day one on Xbox Game Pass and runs seamlessly on Steam Deck.

Composed by Nicolas Gueguen, the game’s original soundtrack is now available across all major streaming platforms — including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Bandcamp, and more.

Listen to the OST here. 

MIO: Memories in Orbit is priced at €19.99, with a 10% launch discount still available for Steam and Xbox players. Owners of the Nintendo Switch 1 version receive free access to the Nintendo Switch 2 version.

Walking Simulator Finding Polka gets Steam page and new trailer

Lidlocks is excited to share the Steam page of “Finding Polka”, a heartfelt walking simulator about a young girl’s journey to find her beloved dog. 
 

Friendy has a peaceful life alongside her beloved dog, Jazz. One day, she spots a dog in town that looks just like her childhood dog, Polka. Before she even realises it, Friendy and Jazz begin running after this piece of her past.

Game Features

  • Produced with the theme ‘fun in every step’ to create a magical journey with every step
  • A vast world created with lines of ballpoint pen, inviting players to encounter friends and reveal secrets
  • Explore from city to forest to ocean! Look closely and you’ll find everything from unique objects, fishing platforms and even rhythm games
  • Quirky yet endearing characters – a giraffe with an extra long neck waits patiently for.. something, a cat that’s always hungry and a star that keeps getting buried. Help them out and they may also help you in return!
  • Unspoken understanding – this game has no words or sentences. You’ll be able to feel and communicate with the characters through facial expressions, small gestures and sound effects

Game Information

Title: Finding Polka

Genre: Walking simulator

Number of Players: 1

Platform: Steam

Release Date: Q3 2026

Developer/Publisher: Lidlocks Inc

Languages: English, Simplified Chinese and more!

Trailer

Steam

YouTube

X

About Lidlocks
 

“Lidlocks” is the name of the torture device used to immobilize the eyes, featured in the film “A Clockwork Orange.” We chose this name with the hope of creating content that “makes it impossible to look away.” We are currently developing “Finding Polka,” a dog-finding walking simulator, with support from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s Sofu Acceleration Program.

Dystopian job simulator LOW VALUE JOB now available on Steam

#LOWVALUEJOB, a #dystopian job #simulation game centered on endlessly repeating a single, simple task: sorting mechanical parts scattered across a desk made by developer #YAYOIKAIHATSU is now available on #Steam.

All gaming intel: chrisjonesgaming.net 🎮 Level up your feed!

#gaming #gamingnews

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