Video Game Deep Cuts: XCOM's Cloudpunk Industries Of Titan 2

Cloudpunk (Steam, PC - pictured) is “a story-driven delivery game set in a stunning voxel metropolis”, and looks gorgeous. 

Surprise stand-alone mini-sequel XCOM: Chimera Squad (PC) “achieves greatness by disassembling the turn-based formula.”

The raytracing tech of Minecraft RTX (PC) is super-impressive - the engineers behind it explain how they did it. (BONUS: a more detailed deep-dive.)

Industries Of Titan is out on Early Access (PC, on Epic Store) & is “a sci-fi Sim City” with a surprising two-level playfield.

Out next week, Fancade (iOS, Android) is a really endearing-looking ‘make your own game’ game - one to watch.

Meet the storm chasers of Red Dead Redemption 2, streaking across the map in search of lightning strikes.

Going deep on the design of Peggle-like dungeon crawler Roundguard (pictured). [Interview by me!]

Visiting the offices of Serious Sam creator Croteam, ‘Croatia’s game dev pioneers’.

The legacy of fy_iceworld, Counter-Strike's divisive and hugely popular custom map.

Animal Crossing’s Nook Miles Tickets have become a weird trading currency. 

Itch’s ‘games that help you stay inside’ free (but PWYW!) sale has ended up being a big hit with those stuck in the house. 

The history of the bizarre Bungie ‘game’ (OK, in-joke) Pimps At Sea, pictured. 

Deconstructing 8-bit arcade fonts with type designer Toshi Omagari. 

The making of spectacularly ahead-of-its-time sandbox game Stunt Island. 

Auto Museum 64 is a virtual museum featuring cars, boats, and other vehicles from 20 racing games in the Nintendo 64 library.

Somebody unearthed an English cartridge of a Pokemon Sapphire bootleg - with ‘unconventional’ bootleg text - translated between the JP & EN release dates. 

Why Fortnite might surreptitiously be the first step towards the Metaverse.  (Related: the Travis Scott x Fortnite in-game concert - pictured - was/is just amazing. Go check it live before it disappears.)

How animal sounds are made in games, “from kazoos to trashcans”. 

Behind the concept of ‘juiciness’ in games with the creator of Holedown.

The strange ways that Fallout 76 players are reacting to COVID-19. 

Blizzard’s virtual Take Your Child To Work Day included Samwise Didier’s super-cute ‘How To Draw An Orc’ video.(BONUS: how Blizzard & other studios went remote during COVID-19.)

Discussing the game Occupy White Walls, a modern-art themed sandbox construction space with “luxe minimalism”. (Also see, in VR: the Museum of Other Realities.)