Wardogs

Developer: Bulkhead
Publisher: Team17
Platform: Steam early access (Windows). Coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2028
Price: $40 during early access

There’s a new tactical first-person shooter on the scene. Wardogs is off to a flying start after selling more than a million copies and soaring up the concurrent user chart on Steam, peaking at 340,171 players on its first day.

Rather than taking the well-worn battle royale or extraction shooter paths, Bulkhead opted for a “king of the hill” approach. Each match can feature 100 players, who are split into three squads. The teams battle for control of a 2km-square area that can pop up anywhere on whichever of the three maps they’re playing on. The more players your side has in a control zone, the more points you earn. The first team to 100 points wins.

Wardogs features local voice chat (so you can talk to enemies as well as teammates), along with base building and destruction. The most interesting aspect to me is the economic system. Each time you spawn into a match, you’ll spend cash on your loadout. You’ll earn more by controlling the zone, transporting allies there, reviving downed teammates, taking out enemies and so on. Your remaining cash carries over to the next match, so if you splurge on a vehicle to help your team win while you’re low on funds, you might have to start your next game with basic equipment.

Valheim

Developer: Iron Gate
Publisher: Coffee Stain Publishing
Platforms: Steam (Windows, Mac, SteamOC/Linux; Steam Deck Verified), Humble, Mac App Store, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox for PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2
Price: $30

After five years in early access, a fully formed version of Valheim is here. The Norse mythology-inspired survival game also debuted on PS5 and Switch 2 this week. There’s crossplay support for up to 10 players across all platforms.

The 1.0 update brings a whole heap of additions to Valheim, including a Deep North biome as well as fresh weapons, armor sets, tools, creatures, buildable items, crafting materials, locations, events and much more. The new animated intro is neat too.

Valheim was an early access hit out of the gate, and it has now sold more than 17 million copies. I spent a few hours dabbling in the procedurally generated sandbox when it debuted in 2021. A few of my friends were much more into it — one has put around 600 hours into the game. It’s not quite my favorite genre, but I might have to dip back in to get a sense of what Valheim is like after the latest patch.

Mewgenics

Developers/publishers: Edmund McMillen, Tyler Glaiel
Platforms: Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X/S. Already available on Steam
Price: $40

Another successful indie game has spread to more platforms, as Mewgenics (which sold a million copies in its first week earlier this year), is now out on consoles. The long-in-development RPG is all about breeding cats to combine their attributes and abilities. You then take a crew of kitties into a run of turn-based battles. After a successful run, a cat may only be used for breeding.

It’s a strategy game with life sim elements and complex systems. You can experiment with combinations of powers, mutations and items for your cats, and you’ll probably never see the same one twice. “There are currently 74 sextillion (basic) cats in Mewgenics,” Edmund McMillen said last year. “If you factor in Mutations, Classes, Abilities and Voices, it’s a lot more.”

Shroom and Gloom

Developer: Team Lazerbeam
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Platform: Steam early access (Windows, Mac)
Price: $15

Dungeon crawler deckbuilders with turn-based battles aren’t usually my kind of thing, but the art direction of Shroom and Gloom caught my attention. I’m glad I gave it a go, since there are some neat ideas here.

This is actually a double deckbuilder. Along with the cards you use in combat, there’s another deck for exploration. You’ll use this to rest, modify cards and unlock new abilities.

I’ve only played one run so far, but I’m already starting to see how the mechanics tie into each other. I enjoyed being able to turn an enemy into food if I was able to kill it with fire. Consuming that can another card into a weapon that doesn’t have a casting cost. While Shroom and Gloom isn’t Steam Deck Verified yet, it’s running well enough for me on the system. I’m probably going to stick with this one for a bit.

Effulgence RPG

Developer/publisher: Andrei Fomin
Platform: Steam (Windows; playable on Steam Deck)
Price: Usually $20, with a 25 percent discount until September 24

On the subject of games with striking art styles, my goodness does Effulgence RPG look neat. Andrei Fomin used ASCII characters to create the 3D characters and objects. I don’t recall seeing anything quite like it.

This is a party RPG that just left early access. Enemies are your resources as vanquished foes break down into particles that you can collect and feed into a matter printer. You can use this to unlock more weapons and gear, even during combat. The mechanics sound almost as interesting as the visuals. The game doesn’t require a significant commitment either, as Fomin says a playthrough will take roughly five to seven hours.