Community MetaSteam | December 2025 - Cosmic Routine: Ninja Story from the Remastered Temple

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MARVEL Cosmic Invasion

After an unprecedented attack is launched across the galaxy, all life hangs in the balance. Nova, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Phyla-Vell, Captain America and many more heroes, both earth-born and cosmic, will join forces in a star-spanning brawling adventure against the deadly Annihilation Wave. From New York City to the depths of the Negative Zone, the future of the Universe will be fought for across the stars.​



SLEEP AWAKE

SLEEP AWAKE is an immersive first-person psychedelic horror narrative experience that explores the realm between sleep and death. From Blumhouse Games and led by Cory Davis (Spec Ops: The Line) and Robin Finck (Nine Inch Nails), SLEEP AWAKE blurs the boundaries between reality and imagination.

In a desperate attempt to remain awake, the denizens of the last known city on Earth are reaching a panic crisis of reckless experiments in their effort to avoid The HUSH, the inexplicable disappearance of those who sleep.

Playing as Katja, you must survive the devotees of various depraved death cults and try to stay awake. Solve the puzzles of this mysterious world to shatter the horrors of the past.

In a unique setting, where an unfathomable phenomenon means that humans are disappearing when they fall asleep. The result is a warring world where dogmatic factions insist they have the one true solution for staying awake.​



Effulgence RPG

Effulgence RPG is a party-based, turn-based RPG where enemies are more than obstacles – they're raw material. Defeat creatures to break them into particles, then feed those particles into a matter printer to create weapons, gadgets and mechanisms. All of this plays out in a world built from shimmering text symbols arranged in 3D space.

Explore a stylized ASCII 3D globe of locations. Fight as a small squad in turn-based, party-focused combat. Break enemies into particles and print gear mid-run. Watch the world shift as text symbols reconfigure into new shapes and animations.

It's easy to transmit a video signal when you're just the distance of a satellite away. Go beyond the solar system and it may take hours to send a regular image to Earth. But when the signal comes from a galaxy a million light-years away, only fragmented symbols make it to us. Sometimes, they can be decoded and assembled into an animation made from text characters. Effulgence RPG imagines what happens when that signal is interactive – when you can walk inside the shimmering sea of symbols, and the creatures made of text don't intend to stay static.

This Early Access build is a vertical slice that will grow over time. The overall target is a 3-5 hour campaign with room for experimentation and replay.​



OCTOPATH TRAVELER 0

Experience a story of restoration and retribution over the divine rings-an epic saga that unfolds across the realm of Orsterra. You are the protagonist of the story. Choose your appearance, voice, motions, and favorite dish with the new character creation feature! Restore your hometown through town building. Invite companions and allies to live in a town of your creation!​



FEROCIOUS

Stranded on a deadly island, survival is all that matters.
Every step challenges you with savage predators, treacherous terrain, and limited resources.
Explore carefully to uncover hidden paths, secrets, and essential gear. Turn the wild to your advantage: control dinosaurs to attack enemies, open paths, or infiltrate guarded areas.
Every encounter is an opportunity - or a threat.​



ROUTINE

ROUTINE is a First Person Sci-Fi Horror title set on an abandoned lunar base designed around an 80s vision of the future. Curious exploration turns into a need for survival when a lunar base goes completely quiet. Searching for answers puts you face to face with an enemy who is certain the main threat is you. Discoveries lead to deeper unknowns and the only way to go is forward.​



American Truck Simulator - Louisiana

Discover the subtropical climate of the state which has provided the magnificent brooding scenery of the coastal bayous, and the lush, dank vegetation. Truckers can look forward to the beautiful and iconic landscape of this southern state, historical cities like New Orleans and Baton Rouge, miles and miles of long stretching roads, and also the Mississippi River delta that has helped shape how the area looks today.​



Skate Story

You are a demon in the Underworld, made out of glass and pain. The Devil has given you a skateboard with a simple deal: Skate to the Moon and swallow it - and you shall be freed. Ollie, kickflip, and grind your way through the ash and smoke of The Emptylands as you take on a seemingly impossible quest. Learn to master your weight and motion to conquer the weeping concrete. Savour the ritualistic beauty as you set your feet to pop a perfect kickflip.

Skate fast to destroy vicious demons, help a forgetful frog, and save other tortured souls on your journey from fragile beginner to hardened skater. Push through hell and discover The Devil's greatest weakness: humility, perseverance, and a disgustingly sweet backside tailslide.

Skate through nine layers of The Underworld. Cruise through streets and surreal landscapes full of waxed ledges, unholy gaps, and tortured demons.​



Yakuza 0 Director's Cut

Fight like hell through Tokyo and Osaka entertainment districts as yakuza Kazuma Kiryu and cabaret club manager Goro Majima in an epic crime drama of intertwined fates that created legends.

Kiryu and Majima each have three unique fighting styles to dynamically switch between to creatively crack skulls with your fists, makeshift weapons and more.

Fighting isn't the only way to kill time in 1988 Japan: from discos and darts to classic SEGA arcades and cabaret clubs, there's endless distractions to pursue in the immersive, neon-lit city.

Director's Cut content gives deeper insight into key incidents and character backstories with never-before-seen cutscenes.​



UNBEATABLE

UNBEATABLE is an anime-juiced rhythm adventure where you (figuratively) destroy on stage while you (literally) destroy on stage. During rhythm gameplay, you only need two buttons: a button for up and a button for down. The pink-haired girl is Beat, and she is you, and you have a lot of things to worry about. The cops are everywhere, and they are mad at you for what feels like no good reason. Though it doesn't help your case that you keep making friends with people that the cops are mad at for slightly better reasons. Talk to people, help them out (or don't, I'm not your mom!), play huge concerts, and punch cops. And then run away from the cops you punched. Also there are monsters or something. The music got you here. It'll get you through it. All of this culminates in massive setpieces where everything is at stake.​



The Temple of Elemental Evil

An evil demoness founded a cult dedicated to exploring evil in its most elemental forms. This cult was based in a temple just outside the village of Hommlet in a vile shire known as Nulb. Soon, this cult ruled the region with tyranny; times of chaos and violence ensued. Hard-fought battles were waged and the war was eventually won by the good armies of nearby lands. The temple was razed, the villains were imprisoned, and order was restored. The temple itself faded into distant memory...until now.

Recently, bandits have begun patrolling the roads outside Hommlett and wicked forces are rumored to be afoot, converging on the ruined temple at Nulb. Their purposes for such meetings are as yet unknown. The identity of these people are equally a mystery. Some claim they are bent on slaying monsters and maintaining order within the region, but no one can be sure.

It is an adventure that will lead to the source of a deep and abiding mystery, to the very core of evil itself.​



The Last Ninja Collection + Bonus Games

The Last Ninja Collection brings together seven iconic titles for the first time, celebrating the golden era of retro gaming and the preservation of pioneering games from the '80s & '90s. The Last Ninja series is known for its innovative gameplay, memorable graphics, atmospheric music, and groundbreaking reviews that captivated gamers worldwide, setting a new standard for action-adventure games.

This collection includes The Last Ninja, Last Ninja 2, Last Ninja 3, Ninja Remix, International Karate, IK+ and Bangkok Knights. These games were milestones in the gaming industry, pushing the boundaries of technology and making them available to play on Windows PC. The Last Ninja was developed and published by System 3 in 1987, navigating through beautifully hand-crafted environments, solving puzzles, and engaging in combat. It was a global commercial and critical success, earning numerous awards, including 'Game of the Year,' 'Best 8-Bit Graphics,' and 'Best Music Soundtrack.' Last Ninja 2, developed and published by System 3, follows Armakuni's quest for vengeance in modern-day New York against the evil Shogun Kunitoki, featuring atmospheric, isometric environments and challenging gameplay. Last Ninja 3 received a perfect 100% review score, marking an unprecedented achievement. Ninja Remix enhances the original experience with new soundtracks, updated graphics, and gameplay tweaks.

International Karate (rebranded as World Championship Karate in the USA) was the first European game to top the Billboard charts on the C64, setting the standard for martial arts games. IK+ is a multi-award-winning sequel with improved graphics and gameplay, featuring a three-player mode. Bangkok Knights was the first fighting game to feature large, distinct characters, inspiring Street Fighter's development. These games represent a pioneering time for video games and for System 3, a games company founded in 1982 by Mark Cale. Preserving these games is crucial, not only for nostalgic reasons but also for understanding the roots of modern gaming and the legacy of System 3's contributions, including The Last Ninja series, which sold over 23 million copies across the trilogy and influenced action-adventure games for decades.​



BioMenace Remastered

Explore the original 3 episodes (36+ levels) plus a brand new 4th episode (15+ levels), spanning a range of diverse environments including cities, forests, underground caves, and secret high-tech labs. Rescue hostages and encounter a variety of dangerous enemies and hazards, putting your fighting and platforming skills to the test. Snake Logan is a top-secret operative for the CIA ordered to complete missions that others would regard as suicidal. One day, Snake is called into headquarters and briefed on a situation that has arisen in Metro City. It seems that thousands of monster-like creatures are on a rampage of destruction through the city. Many thousands have already died, and Metro has declared martial law just before losing all communications. Right before the city was overrun, authorities received a message from a man calling himself Dr. Mangle. He stated that Metro is to be an example of what will happen to the rest of the world unless all factions of government comply with his wishes. Snake is ordered to take a plane, fly recon over the city and then return. While circling over the area, he is suddenly attacked by some kind of laser weapon, and the plane loses engine power! He's forced to make an emergency landing and explore the ravaged city on foot. It's now up to Snake - and you! - to save any survivors, find the source of this destruction, and stop Dr. Mangle.​


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Grabbed this as it looks like a decent diet Skyrim and the demo was fun. Hoping to get around to it after I catch up to the story in Honkai Star Rail.


I nabbed this as well along with the new Sarras DLC thanks to the -30% discount.

The demo sold me with alarming quickness. Like within 20 min. I was sold.

Someone termed this Black Metal Skyrim and it fits. No one seems to be able to capture that Elder Scrolls gameplay loop & feel, but man does it work here. Like I can't think of the last time I felt Bethesda sandbox energy this strong from a non-BGS release.

The tone is def. dark, maybe a little more than I'm typically used to. But it's played so earnestly here that it won me over. It's not just teen-angst attitude, it's backed up with thorough & thoughtful worldbuilding & lore. Which makes sense as the IP comes from TTRPG roots.

Really glad I tried the Tainted Grail demo as I'm having a ton of fun so far.
 

Unity appears to be introducing a new annual fee for Enterprise customers starting at $250k and rising to $2m.

Mobilegamer.biz sources have been taken aback by emails sent out by Unity this week outlining what appears to be an additional fee targeted at bigger Unity customers.

Our sources claim that the engine maker threatened to revoke their licenses if they fail to pay what appears to be a new ‘Unity Enterprise Minimum Commitment Program’ fee.

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Looks like Unreal might get some new customers. :timinator:
 
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Zoe Quinn and other game writers claim that Larian had lots of unpaid work through writing tests:


And a former employee claims that there was sexual harassment and fascists who worked at the studio, which the studio was against firing:

 
I'm not surprised at the hiring practices being shitty. That's almost a given at any company above a certain size. And even below that size you're open to dumb people who think they are God's gift to whatever industry they are in.
You really can't win. Stealing work from people desperate to get into the industry is a story as old as time. I can't even feign surprise.

A non-evil company might as well be as rare as a unicorn.
 
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I'm not surprised at the hiring practices being shitty. That's almost a given at any company above a certain size. And even below that size you're open to dumb people who think they are God's gift to whatever industry they are in.
You really can't win. Stealing work from people desperate to get into the industry is a story as old as time. I can't even feign surprise.

A non-evil company might as well be as rare as a unicorn.
it's almost like there's a lesson to be learnt in there somewhere :thinking-blob:
 
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Damn, 18000 weird people bought the most controversial title of the year
They should be put on a list...
I'm one of them
 
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This makes sense as I played both Pillars games before playing Avowed.

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Lot of interesting games for me were released this year, so I'm not surprised by these numbers.

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I'm not sure where Fishing is coming from and I was expecting maybe puzzle or something like that as I played The Roottrees are Dead, Blue Prince and PETS for quite some time.
 
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Yeah thats great! But when it comes to GOTY voting, we could end up with a top ten list where every game is sharing the first spot :face-with-open-mouth-and-cold-sweat:

Given all the diversity of games that we played, I propose that if the GOTY tallying gives the win to Clair Obscur like every other place then we throw out the results and pretend the vote never happened :D (I haven't played the game yet)

I swear it said the 19th.

Pretty sure it was the 19th of November.



I checked my email receipts and I bought a 2TB Kingston KC3000 for 13000 rupees a couple of years ago. The price of that SSD today is 29000 rupees. What the actual fuck?!

Anyway I wanted to buy some more RAM when the prices started going up but by the time I got around to looking at it seriously, the prices were way beyond reasonable. So after hearing rumblings about SSD prices also potentially going up, I went ahead and panic bought this 2TB SSD yesterday. It was the cheapest one available and was still too expensive as far as I'm concerned. I actually called up the store in Bangalore where I regularly buy my PC hardware and asked them if they had it in stock before putting in my order. They called back a while later and told me that it wasn't. My theory is that they checked their site and realized they had the lowest price of any major store across the country and decided they didn't want to sell it to me for that price so they just lied about it not being in stock. That might be cynicism and paranoia on my part but, well, just because you're paranoid... doesn't mean they aren't after you.

I thought the backlash against Sven for his thoughts about generative AI were overblown, as usual. He basically said they're looking into how they can incorporate AI in a sensible way in their pre-production workflow and the internet immediately reached the conclusion that he's an artist hating reincarnation of Hitler. The rest of the backlash doesn't seem coincidental either.

I'm not surprised at the hiring practices being shitty.

The hiring practices being talked about don't really seem that shitty to me... Not anything that is dramatically out of the norm. I always find it a little silly that FAANG type companies have 6 or more rounds of interviews but hey, they offer the most money and want the best of the best so that's how they filter people. Those interviews ask for lots of code and algorithms and problem solving and it's such a stretch to call it 'unpaid work'. Valve doesn't even have a formal hiring process. Their mantra is that if you're the best in the world at what you do, get in touch with us and we'll see if we want you. The top companies in the world get to be as choosy as they want to be. So again, to say that Larian is asking for 'unpaid work' when they ask writers to write up stories and scenarios is searching for the most uncharitable interpretation of events.

Likewise, I don't think it's a bad practice for a company to not want WFH employees. Baldur's Gate 3 turned out as good as it did because it was an evolution of Divinity Original Sin 2 which itself was an evolution of DOS1. It was a decade or more of refining a formula that could only be done with institutional knowledge built up over time. If Larian believes that people need to work together to achieve that then you can't really hold it against them. If you say "Hey, I want to work for you but from another country" and they say "Sorry, that's not how we operate" then I don't think you can say they have 'bad hiring practices'.

Again, I think all this news coming out is just an extension of the gen AI backlash. I promise you every company in the games industry and elsewhere is looking at AI to see how they can fit it into their system. It doesn't mean they're all mustache twirling villains. The discourse around AI is way too extreme.
 
Hardware unit sales for consoles in November was the worst since 1995 in US. Physical software also worst since 1995 wtf.

Xbox sales down 70% YoY lol. PS down 40%.

All these years they said PC gaming is dead.

It looks like consoles will die first.

But PC is right behind tho with these component price increases.

Industry is gonna be in a lot of shit unless they accelerate cloud gaming or next consoles have to be severely underpowered + dirt cheap. But it really does feel like nothing will ever be dirt cheap again :tired-face:
 
Hardware unit sales for consoles in November was the worst since 1995 in US. Physical software also worst since 1995 wtf.

Xbox sales down 70% YoY lol. PS down 40%.

All these years they said PC gaming is dead.

It looks like consoles will die first.

But PC is right behind tho with these component price increases.

Industry is gonna be in a lot of shit unless they accelerate cloud gaming or next consoles have to be severely underpowered + dirt cheap. But it really does feel like nothing will ever be dirt cheap again :tired-face:

The games industry needed a slap in the face. They seem to think that they can raise prices indefinitely and not face any consequences while much of their audience struggles to pay for food, rent and electricity.
 
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Hardware unit sales for consoles in November was the worst since 1995 in US. Physical software also worst since 1995 wtf.

Xbox sales down 70% YoY lol. PS down 40%.

All these years they said PC gaming is dead.

It looks like consoles will die first.

But PC is right behind tho with these component price increases.

Industry is gonna be in a lot of shit unless they accelerate cloud gaming or next consoles have to be severely underpowered + dirt cheap. But it really does feel like nothing will ever be dirt cheap again :tired-face:
Cloud gaming isn’t saving the games industry. If it goes all cloud, that’s pretty much the death of it because we’re already seeing sub fatigue across other entertainment mediums and gaming costs significantly more to deliver a shitty product via cloud.

Consumer hardware is kinda fucked for a while, but developers need to start making games for hardware that already exists rather than pushing people into the infinite upgrade churn.

This console gen needs to be stretched out and next gen systems delayed or cancelled until the NAND situation settles.
 
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I think at least some of the idiosyncratic results on the spider graph are because they had to mess a bit with the data in order to make it interesting. If they just went with the completely obvious strategy (e.g. summing up all mentions of all tags on games you played and taking the top N) then everyone would just end up wit hthe hyper-generic/common tags like "Action", "Adventure", or "Single-Player".
 
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Nihon Falcom on using Ai

We are proceeding cautiously due to legal considerations. We are actively using AI for brainstorming scenarios, conducting research, and similar applications. Tasks that previously took 2-3 hours can now be completed in 10 minutes. AI also handles proofreading for typos and errors in scenarios.