Author - Jerry Paxton

Insta360 X4 Brings 8K to 360 Degree Footage

Insta360 is excited to announce its new, groundbreaking flagship camera: Insta360 X4Much-anticipated 8K 360° video, plus 5.7K60fps and 4K100fps, add unparalleled image quality to the endless creative possibilities of 360° capture, including the ability to “shoot first, point later” and the Invisible Selfie Stick effect. X4 also doubles as a traditional action cam, with its Single-Lens Mode now upgraded to smooth, ultra-wide 4K60fps.

This premium imaging arsenal is supported by a powerful 5nm AI chip, a smart control system with features such as Voice and Gesture Control, and vastly improved battery performance with a 135-minute run time. A host of AI-powered shooting and editing features make it easy to capture and share unique, creative shots. New, removable lens guards for X4 will also be a very welcome addition, providing convenient, robust protection and peace of mind.

All of this in a tough, pocket-sized device makes X4 the new, essential tool for action enthusiasts, casual creators, and professionals alike.

8K will be transformative for creators as reframed video now holds its own alongside footage shot on regular cameras. But X4 isn’t just about image quality, it’s designed to be the most robust, easy-to-use 360° camera ever, no matter your experience. This idea was at the heart of a lot of the changes we made,” JK Liu, founder of Insta360 explained.

Insta360 X4 is available to order from April 16th, 2024 via the Insta360 Official Store, Amazon, and select retailers, priced at US$499.99.

Incredible third-person views in 8K and high-res slow motion.

It’s finally here! 8K30fps is our highest resolution ever for a 360° action cam and it looks incredible! With 360° video, creators can choose any angle after filming (known as reframing), like going back in time and pointing the camera! This makes X4’s 8K resolution a real game-changer because the footage remains incredibly detailed and sharp, even after reframing perfect as high-quality, standalone clips or for seamless integration into any edit.

And the upgrades don’t stop there. For action shots or slow motion, 60fps 360° video is now available at 5.7K for smoother, sharper images. There’s also a new 4K100fps setting for glorious, cinematic shots at 4x slow-mo.

Whatever the resolution or frame rate, 360° shooting with X4 offers unique benefits like the Invisible Selfie Stick effect, creating impossible third-person views that look like they were shot on a drone or with a personal camera crew! That extends to photos too, with X4 capable of 72MP 360° photos, now with built-in AI denoising.

A snowboarder filming himself with carving down the mountain and an effect to show how the selfie stick disappears in the final video

With Me Mode, X4 can even automatically frame the subject in the shot, while keeping the selfie stick invisible. Now at a whopping 4K30fps (up from 1080p with X3) or 2.7K120fps, that means ready-to-share flat video clips with zero reframing!

Get two cameras in one.

That’s right! X4 doubles as both a 360° camera and a regular wide-angle action cam. When you know exactly what you want to shoot, like a first-person POV from a chest-mounted position, simply switch to Single-Lens Mode for an immersive, wide-angle video.

This has been souped up for X4 with super smooth 4K60fps, and an ultra wide 170° view with MaxView at an upgraded 4K30fps.

A mountain biker wearing an Insta360 X4 on a chest mount and filming in Single-Lens Mode

A true action specialist.

X4 doesn’t just withstand the rough and tumble of adventure, it embraces it! How’s this for some action credentials?

  • Removable Lens Guards: A key upgrade for X4. Easy to apply and remove at a moment’s notice. Two options include Standard Lens Guards (free with the camera) or the Premium Lens Guards, made with tough, scratch-resistant, tempered glass for action-ready ruggedness.
  • 2.5″ Corning® Gorilla Glass® Touchscreen – Bigger, tougher, and super responsive for on-the-go use.
  • FlowState Stabilization & 360° Horizon Lock – X4 delivers smooth, level shots, no matter how intense the action.
  • 135-Minute Run Time at 5.7K30fps – A huge new 2290 mAh battery offers genuinely impressive 67% longer run time than X3!
  • Seriously Waterproof – Take X4 down to 33ft right out of the box, or for seamless 360° underwater stitching, try the Invisible Dive Case for shooting to 164ft.
  • Cold-Weather Resistant – Handles temperatures as low as -4ºF (-20ºC) with ease.

Creativity made easy.

No matter what you’re into, X4 makes it simpler than ever to capture incredible footage!

Got the camera mounted out of reach? No problem! Use hand gestures to start/stop shooting or take a photo (known as Gesture Control), or use voice commands courtesy of Voice Control 2.0.

Timed Capture lets you schedule X4 to power on, record, and shut itself off automatically. Perfect for capturing a sunrise without having to wake up!

X4’s creative shooting modes have also had some major upgrades:

  • Bullet Time – our signature Matrix-like slow-mo shot, now up to 5.7K120fps or 3K240fps.
  • 8K TimeShift – a mind-bending hyperlapse in sensational 8K resolution.
  • 11K Timelapse – watch time fly and capture the magic in between moments.

Other fun tools to try with X4 include the Motion ND effect, for adding cinematic motion blur without an ND filter. For runners and riders, try overlaying data like GPS, speed, and power from your Garmin device or Apple Watch in your video, with a choice of interactive stats dashboards (applied in the Insta360 app).

A couple in different locations filming with the Bullet Time effect on Insta360 X4

Smart, AI-powered editing.

The Insta360 editing suite has options for creators of all levels, from one-tap, zero-effort AI edits, to fully customized manual editing.

Reframing in the Insta360 app has two upgraded options. With Quick Edit (formerly known as Snap Wizard), simply move your phone or use the virtual joystick to point the camera. Editing your 360° video is now easier than playing a video game and just as fun! The reframed clips are immediately saved and ready to share!

For a fully hands-off approach, try AI Edit. Insta360’s algorithm handles the entire reframing process, now faster with improved subject detection. The Insta360 app also has Shot Lab, where creators can find 30+ viral-worthy effects that can be edited in just a few taps.

For creators who prefer a desktop workflow, the recently updated Insta360 Studio is a highly flexible editing tool for seriously clean, ready-to-share edits at maximized resolution, compatible with both 360° footage and regular flat images.

Both the mobile app and desktop software are also free to use, no subscription required!

Besides this, Insta360 has just launched Insta360 Reframe, their own plugin for Adobe Premiere Pro! Creators can reframe 360° files shot on X4 directly in Premiere Pro for a smoother workflow with minimal exporting and maximum image quality.

Availability

Insta360 X4 is available to purchase worldwide from 16th April 2024, priced at US$499.99. For more information and to order, check out the Insta360 Official Store.

RØDE Unveils Three New Products at NAB 2024

RØDE has announced three brand-new products today at the 2024 edition of NAB in Las Vegas. Introducing the Interview PRO, a broadcast-quality wireless handheld microphone for use with RØDE wireless systems, and two premium smartphone filmmaking accessories, the Phone Cage and Magnetic Mount, which join RØDE’s industry-leading range of solutions for today’s generation of mobile content creators.

“We are extremely excited to reveal these three new products at NAB today,” says RØDE CEO Damien Wilson. “RØDE has been helping creators capture incredible content with their phones since the early days of smartphone technology. We pioneered the plug-and-play smartphone mic category with innovations like the VideoMic Me and iXY, and more recently, with the VideoMic NTG and VideoMic GO II. Last year we released RØDE Capture, the first video app designed specifically for today’s creators. And we invented the world’s first wireless microphone that was universally compatible with mobile devices, the Wireless GO II, which kickstarted a revolution in smartphone content creation.”

He continues: “Today, we offer a wide range of audio solutions for mobile creators, and we are thrilled to introduce two new offerings to this ecosystem with the Phone Cage and Magnetic Mount. When combined with one of our microphones, these accessories give creators all the tools they need to capture incredible content on their phone. We are also thrilled to introduce the Interview PRO to our wireless range. Not only is this the ultimate solution for street interviews and run-and-gun presentations, but its compatibility with all of our Series IV wireless products makes it ideal for many different content creation applications, from professional broadcast to podcasting.”

INTERVIEW PRO

The Interview PRO is a broadcast-quality handheld condenser microphone for use with any RØDE Series IV wireless system. This includes the Wireless PRO, Wireless ME and Wireless GO II compact wireless systems for recording pristine audio into a camera, smartphone, or even a computer. It can also be paired directly to the RØDECaster Pro II, RØDECaster Duo and Streamer X just like an XLR microphone, making it ideal for podcasting, small presentations, or streaming applications where creators need the freedom of a wireless microphone. Utilising RØDE’s state-of-the-art Series IV 2.4GHz digital transmission with 128-bit encryption, it delivers incredibly stable wireless audio with a range of up to 200m (line of sight) and is optimised for close range operation.

Featuring a professional-grade condenser capsule, the Interview PRO delivers rich, detailed voice reproduction, and its omnidirectional polar pattern makes it very forgiving when it comes to mic placement, making it perfect for interviews, presentations and other voice applications. RØDE’s GainAssist technology – which utilises intelligent algorithms to automatically control the mic’s audio levels on the fly – ensures that the signal being sent to the receiver is perfectly balanced and minimises the risk of clipping. It also features 32-bit float on-board recording, allowing users to record directly on-board with no chance of the audio clipping. 32GB of internal memory offers over 40 hours of record time, with a dedicated button for stopping and starting recording. Not only does this mean users will always have a clean backup of their audio, but it also allows the Interview PRO to be used as a standalone field recorder, with no need to connect to a receiver, making it incredibly versatile.

Essentially, the Interview PRO combines all of the features of the game-changing Wireless PRO with the pristine audio quality of a professional handheld microphone. Internal shock mounting of the capsule ensures minimal handling noise, with an internal pop filter for reducing plosives, plus it includes a high-quality windshield for recording outdoors. It is the ultimate microphone for conducting street interviews, presenting in the field, hosting a casual podcast or creating content on the move.

The Interview PRO will be available in early May. Find out more here.

PHONE CAGE

The Phone Cage is a premium magnetic smartphone mounting system for creators looking to elevate their mobile content with professional audio, lighting and mounting solutions. Offering 33 mounting threads and five cold shoe slots, the Phone Cage is incredibly versatile and allows creators to build their ultimate mobile videography rig, tailored to their exact needs.

At the heart of the Phone Cage is a powerful magnetic mounting disc for attaching any MagSafe® iPhone® or MagSafe-compatible smartphone case or accessory. This is incredibly secure and allows users to instantly transform their smartphone into a professional filmmaking rig, with the option to add microphones and other accessories effortlessly. Integrated cable management slots make it easy to stay neat and tidy, with a slot in each corner for use in any configuration.

By itself, the Phone Cage can be used as an ergonomic grip for handheld filming, but its wide array of attachment points also make it easy to attach additional handles or grips, or mount onto tripods or desk mounts, taking stability to the next level either on the move or in the studio. With its innovative design allowing for both portrait and landscape orientations, the Phone Cage is perfectly suited to capturing cinematic footage in traditional horizontal aspect ratios as well as vertical content for TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and other social media platforms.

Constructed from high-grade aluminium, the Phone Cage is both rugged and lightweight, making it easy to carry around and durable enough to withstand the rigors of run-and-gun filmmaking.

The Phone Cage will be available in late April. Find out more here.

MAGNETIC MOUNT

The Magnetic Mount is another versatile magnetic mounting system for attaching microphones, lights and other accessories to any MagSafe iPhone or MagSafe-compatible smartphone case or accessory. It features the same ultra-strong magnet as the Phone Cage for attaching to a phone with complete security, even with vigorous use, and instead of the cage, it comes with three removable arms: short and long cold shoe arms for shooting in landscape or portrait mode, plus a long arm with ¼-inch thread for mounting onto a tripod, handle or desktop arm for use in a wide range of video or content creation applications. The Magnetic Mount’s portable, modular design makes it a breeze to transport and set up on the fly, and it is super lightweight and compact, making it the perfect addition to any creator’s everyday carry.

Now offering a complete ecosystem of microphones and mounting solutions for smartphones, these two new products solidify RØDE as the go-to brand for mobile content creators. With the Phone Cage and Magnetic Mount, plus any of RØDE’s best-selling wireless or shotgun microphones, it has never been easier for creators to produce exceptional looking and sounding video content with their phone.

The Magnetic Mount will be available in late April. Find out more here.

Among Ashes Demo Out Now

Rat Cliff Games is today thrilled to announce that a PC demo for its upcoming first-person survival horror title Among Ashes will be available to download via Steam on 15th April, as part of Steam’s FPS Fest.

Among Ashes is a metafictional horror title about a haunted video game and the disturbing story behind its creation. It’s a stormy night in the early 2000s and your friend has sent you a link to a horror game that he found online, Night Call. As you play, strange things start happening in your apartment. Something is terribly wrong with the game.

The game features an innovative framing device in which players will experience a full retro-inspired first-person survival horror game within another first-person horror game. In addition to a host of unique presentational touches, mechanics and puzzles that transport players back to the start of the millennium.

The demo offers a chilling 30-minute taste of the game’s opening sequence, in which players will download the enigmatic Night Call from an unsettling message board post, explore the atmospheric & labyrinthian halls of Stoker Manor, before coming face-to-face with the horrors that lie within.

Whatever you do… KEEP PL̶̹̔Ả̷̧YIN̷͙̯͊G

Isonzo Climb to Victory Trailer Shows Off Ascent Game Mode

BlackMill Games, the studio behind the WWI Game Series, today releases even more content for Isonzo, the authentic World War I FPS set on the Italian front. Climb to victory with the unique, limited-time Ascent game mode, a free update improving gameplay on consoles, and new DLC. Today also marks the release of Isonzo’s Ultimate Edition on PC, gathering all paid DLC in one bundle (coming soon to consoles).

Ascent is the first temporary mode for Isonzo and brings new climbing-based gameplay that has never been experienced in first-person shooters. Scale a sheer mountainside with only a pickaxe as bullets and rocks fly past in what might be the most daring way to assault an enemy position seen during the war! During each Ascent match, 32 players must battle it out to either hold their position on the mountain or conquer it. Earn your special event medal upon completion before it ends!

“As with our previous special events for the WW1 Game Series, such as the Verdun Christmas Truce event, Ascent stays true to our tradition of offering players a brand-new way to experience the conflicts of WWI, this time in the most extreme heights of the Italian Alps,” said BlackMill Games Founder Jos Hoebe.

Elevating Isonzo to higher levels on consoles

The console version of Isonzo has received a massive update with a range of quality-of-life improvements. Additionally, to enhance cross-platform and cross-gen compatibility in the console environment, voice chat has been added, meaning that soldiers on PlayStation and Xbox can now communicate by voice for the first time in the series!

Gear up for altitude!

When ascending to such heights in these conditions, it is important to gear up properly. For this exact reason, the “Altitude Units Pack” is being released alongside Ascent. This pack contains all kinds of clothing suitable for cold alpine warfare: fur-lined coats, fitting jackets, warm boots and even ski uniforms. There are also new headgear variants, mustaches, goggles, pipes and faces for both Italian and Austro-Hungarian soldiers.

Isonzo, the “Altitude Units Pack” DLC, and the game’s free update are now available on Steam, PlayStation 5 & 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, and the Epic Games Store. The Ultimate Edition is available on Steam and the Epic Games Store now and will come to consoles at a later date. Get the game and its various DLC sets at up to 67% off for a limited time, and enjoy the Ascent mode for free until April 24!

Turbo Kid Game Out Now

Outerminds®, a leading Indie studio based in Montréal, Canada, welcomes you to the Wasteland, with Turbo Kid™, an-all new Metroidvania-style adventure, available to download on PC today!

Unveiled to rapturous applause via the IGN® Fan Fest event in February 2024, Turbo Kid is a stunningly beautiful journey through a pixel-art dystopia, based on the cult-classic 2015 superhero movie.

No ordinary Metroidvania game, Turbo Kid dials the action up to 11, with bucketloads of outrageous gore, exquisitely animated characters, an over-the-top arsenal, and plenty of BMX action!

An alternative retro-futuristic vision of a nightmare 1997, Turbo Kid is the hero inside us all. Armed with his trusty all-terrain BMX bike, gamers must face off against the mysterious Preacher and his army of acolytes, as they battle to restore the decimated Wasteland town from his oppressive rule.

Developed in collaboration with RKSS, a writer-director triforce consisting of Anouk Whissell, François Simard, and Yoann-Karl Whissell, the brains behind the original movie, Turbo Kid delivers an all-new story set after the events of the film and before the planned movie sequel.
Here, your adventure will be no simple ride in the park, with danger at every turn and sprawling worlds full of grotesque characters hell bent on stopping you in your tracks. Upgrade your weapon systems and discover incredible power-ups as you run, crawl, jump, hang, and bike your way to victory!

Notable for their legendary soundtrack featured in the Turbo Kid movie, masters of electronica, La Matos return for the adventure, providing an all-new soundtrack guaranteed to electrify your adventure and keep you pushing on to the end.

63 Days Reveal Trailer

I’m a part of the first generation born into a free Poland, after 123 years of foreign occupation. The outbreak of WWII stripped me of my family, home, and future. We’re angry, tired, but united. We’re itching to do something, to regain some measure of control over our lives. My companions and I feel like we have only one choice: to get revenge and win back independence for our city and nation, or die trying.

The odds are overwhelmingly against us. We’re like brothers and sisters, emboldened by our fighting spirit, relying on our wits, stealth and teamwork. But will it all be enough?

63 Days is about brotherhood and the fight to regain independence against overwhelming odds in the 1944 occupied Warsaw, Poland. Despite its setting, it’s a universal story, showcasing the human cost of war from the standpoint of regular people, whose lives got uprooted with the outbreak of war.

It’s an isometric real-time tactics game that follows in the footsteps of Destructive Creations’ previous release, War Mongrels, building upon its gameplay mechanics. Anyone looking to scratch that tactical itch playing a proven formula with quality graphics, fresh gameplay elements, and music produced by the legendary Adam Skorupa, can already try the closed demo version of the game by registering here. An open, expanded public demo will also be available in a few weeks.

63 Days is planned for full simultaneous release in 2024 on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), PlayStation®5 (PS5™), PlayStation®4 (PS4™), as well as Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.

Robyn Miller to Compose New Music for Riven Remake

Today, Cyan Worlds is pleased to announce that Robyn Miller, company co-founder and original composer of Myst and Riven: The Sequel to Myst, is creating new music for the highly anticipated Riven remake. This marks Robyn’s return to the franchise he co-created after 27 years, for which he also composed a memorable and fan-beloved soundtrack. For this remake, Robyn will bolster the already iconic soundtrack of the game with brand-new music. The track debuting today is Part IV of a larger piece of music that contains four movements, and a first sneak peek is available right now on Cyan World’s social channels. You can check it out on the link below. More details regarding release platforms and availability for Riven’s soundtrack will be announced at a later date.

“Writing the music for Riven was a blast. I hope that fans like the additions.” shares Robyn. “I attempted to evoke the sounds of the original soundtrack but I was writing for an environment that is unique and stands apart from the original Riven. This piece had to live up to that and, in a way, speak a different musical language.”

With Robyn entering this new collaboration with the Cyan Worlds team —and Richard Vander Wende joining the team back in 2022 as game director for the remake— a unique opportunity presented itself to bring together the original creative team behind 1997’s Riven: The Sequel to Myst. Join Rand Miller, Robyn Miller, and Richard Vander Wende on a special roundtable conversation where the great minds behind the 1997 hit sit down and briefly discuss their approach to worldbuilding going from Myst to the original Riven, as well as the upcoming remake.

Riven is a modern remake of 1997’s monster hit Riven: The Sequel to Myst, and a love letter to the classic narrative-driven puzzle games of the ‘90s. When exploring the decaying age of Riven, Cyan Worlds wants the player to feel like an archeologist, slowly unraveling the many mysteries of the D’ni and Rivenese mythologies. Through careful exploration of Riven’s five enigmatic islands, players will uncover clues, decipher foreign languages, and immerse themselves in the game’s intricate lore. Riven encourages players to lose themselves in its world and find solutions to the game’s puzzles through careful and profound reflection, examination, and contemplation of the environment.

Leveraging modern-day technology and the power of Unreal Engine 5, Cyan Worlds aims to recreate and expand on its vision for Riven with development focused on delivering native experiences on both flatscreen and VR platforms. The game will offer an unparalleled level of immersion, allowing players to truly feel part of the enigmatic D’ni Empire while exploring the decaying age of Riven. With new puzzles, expanded storylines, and breathtaking visuals, even those who know the original by heart will find themselves lost again in its depths.

Key Features:
  • Intricate Storytelling and Mind-Bending Puzzles: Challenge your intellect with Riven‘s cunning puzzles woven throughout its narrative.
  • Immersive Environments and Stunning Graphics: Explore surreal islands, each meticulously crafted with unparalleled attention to detail, from dense, lush jungles to awe-inspiring caverns.
  • An Expanded World To Explore: Encounter an immersive and visually stunning world that will captivate newcomers and reveal new mysteries for long-time fans.
  • Fully Re-imagined Gaming Experience: Experience Riven like never before, with free movement through a real-time 3D environment. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer returning to Riven or a newcomer eager to explore Riven’s mysteries for the first time, this immersive and visually stunning world will captivate you.
  • Truly Immersive Experience Developed in Parallel for flatscreen and VR: Cyan Worlds is simultaneously developing the flatscreen and VR versions of the game to ensure a high-quality experience regardless of players’ platform of choice.

World of Warships Update 13.3 Trailer

Wargaming, the publisher and developer of the world’s leading naval battle MMO World of Warships, is setting the scene for the construction of the historic American battleship Wisconsin in the Dockyard, a real naval ship museum. Alongside this new shipbuilding process comes a special Event Pass with two 20-level progression lines to commemorate the Japanese Golden Week holidays, and the revival of the fan-favourite Asymmetric Battles!

Wisconsin and West Virginia ‘44 in the Dockyard
Leading April’s content update comes American Tier X battleship Wisconsin in the Dockyard. Equipped with nine precise 406mm main battery guns in three turrets, and both high speed and concealment on her side, she’s the perfect vessel for fast-paced gameplay. To mitigate damage risks from the ship’s weaker armour Wisconsin comes prepared with speciality combat instructions that decrease consumable preparation and reload time, along with the main battery gun reload time.

To unlock Wisconsin, players must complete 30 phases of the shipbuilding process, 28 of which can be completed via Dockyard combat missions. Along the way, players will also be rewarded with another American battleship, West Virginia 1944.

To help continue support for the restoration of the turret of the real USS Wisconsin, a naval ship museum visible in Norfolk, Virginia, several in-game bundles will also be available to purchase, with 100% of the proceeds donated to The Nauticus Foundation, and World of Warships is proudly sponsoring as well the entry tickets for all veterans and service members visiting Nauticus during the month of April.

Celebrate the Japanese Golden Week Holidays
To commemorate the Golden Week holidays coming to Japan at the beginning of May a brand-new Event Pass drops its anchor in Warships’ waters, offering new rewards for players to unlock and enjoy. Set across two 20-level progression lines, players can discover a wealth of rewards including signal Containers and Golden tokens.

Across the two progression lines, rewards include two different Commanders, Andrei Teodorescu from Romania with six skill points and Ashikaga Teru from Japan, a permanent bonus package for Tier VII ships, and four different camouflages. As part of additional festivities, players can get hands-on with a brand-new camouflage for the duration of this update, which features a special destruction animation.

Asymmetric Battles Rise Again from the Depths
For fans of player-versus-everyone gameplay, the revival of Asymmetric Battles delivers even more intense naval battles. From April 11 until May 16, players can get back in the action as they take on an armada of 12 bots. With the same ruleset as previous Asymmetric Battles, players can select from Tier VI-X ships of any type, assembling fleets of five in the pursuit of naval domination.

April’s update also continues Early Access to Commonwealth cruisers, before becoming researchable in the Tech Tree in update 13.4. This update also welcomes three new Brawls from April 22 until April 29, available in a nine-against-nine format for Tier X destroyers, cruisers and battleships.

You can find the full patch notes here.

Broken Roads Review (PC)

Broken Roads, from the indie studio Drop Bear Bytes, is an ambitious attempt to deliver a classic-style isometric RPG experience. Set in a post-apocalyptic Western Australia, it stands out from its inspirations with a focus on philosophical introspection and a unique morality system. While it boasts moments of genuine brilliance and a strong sense of setting, some rough edges and a pacing that sometimes trips over itself hold it back from greatness.

One of the core strengths of Broken Roads is the Moral Compass system. Rather than simplistic “good or evil” paths, your character develops a core philosophy throughout the game. This philosophy consists of four main traits: Humanism, Existentialism, Machiavellianism, and Nihilism. Decisions consistently push you towards one of these, subtly and sometimes drastically altering your options and how characters react to you. It’s a welcome innovation compared to other morality systems that feel arbitrary, and it creates a real sense that you are defining the soul of your character, not just picking a path on a chart.

This system is intrinsically tied to a well-written cast. Unlike many RPG companions, they’re often deeply flawed, but in engagingly human ways. They can feel like genuine people you are meeting, with motivations and inner lives that often become entangled with your own journey. It’s here that the potential for real narrative impact starts to shine through.

Broken Roads’ setting is also a triumph. The Australian Outback has rarely been explored as a post-apocalyptic setting, and the harsh beauty of the landscape comes alive. Drop Bear Bytes has clearly done its research, weaving in genuine Aboriginal mythology, colloquialisms, and a deep understanding of the land itself. The game doesn’t shy away from the legacy of colonialism and the very real challenges still facing Indigenous Australians. This commitment to respecting the land and its people helps it stand out from the often generic wastelands seen in similar games.

But this ambition unfortunately runs into the limitations of what seems like a small indie studio, especially when it comes to mechanics and pacing. Combat is serviceable turn-based strategy but rarely rises above “just okay.” Many encounters feel rote, and the tactical element falls a bit flat compared to the intricate conversations found outside of battle. There’s potential for depth with environmental effects and cover mechanics, but they’re rarely a crucial factor in victory.

Another issue is the sometimes disjointed pacing. There’s a strong open-ended structure, which I welcome on principle, but this leads to issues where exploration can feel frustratingly aimless. The game encourages taking your time, soaking in the atmosphere, and making choices based on your gut and not just quest markers. But, while this creates a strong sense of a lived journey, there are too many stretches where it feels like the main narrative is stalling out. This makes the occasional moments of high drama hit less intensely than they should.

The visuals are also a mixed bag. Hand-drawn character art shines, giving everyone you meet a distinctive and expressive portrait. But the environments and combat maps are less detailed and can feel a touch generic at times, failing to truly bring the unique post-apocalyptic outback to life.

Should You Brave The Broken Roads?

Ultimately, Broken Roads is a diamond in the rough. It’s a flawed game, yes, but a flawed game with a beating heart and a lot to offer players thirsty for an RPG that tackles complex questions without easy answers. If you can withstand some occasionally frustrating design, you’ll be rewarded with a rich world, a unique system for character development, and writing that isn’t afraid to make you think, not just mindlessly push forward.

Fans of classic Fallout will find elements to enjoy here, but it’s a game that also stands apart. Broken Roads doesn’t fully reach the heights it clearly aims for, but it’s still a journey well worth taking for those drawn to its thoughtful approach and willingness to experiment.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5

House Flipper 2 Console Launch Trailer

Hot on the heels of its celebrated PC launch last December, Frozen District is ecstatic to launch House Flipper 2 on Xbox and PlayStation today. The console debut is brimming with the freshest patches and the riveting additions from the Spring and Floor is Lava updates. Dive into the revamped, detail-rich world of house flipping for 39.99 USD / 39.99 EUR on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.