Wraithkal: The Indie Gaming Corner
Remember to update your bookmarks, wraithkal.info is now wraithkal.com.

Space Adventure Awaits: Explore Titan as the Lone Survivor in ‘Afterlight’

Welcome to the 22nd century. Your name is Xin and... well, you're stuck on Titan, following a rather harmful accident (or so it would seem). Given the fact that the rest of the crew did not survive, I'm willing to bet someone - or something - was behind whatever caused this catastrophic chain of events. But first, you'd better find a way to survive in Afterlight, aided by C.O.G., companion/drone.
Continue reading…

Itemization Changes ‘Dunk Lords’ From a Typical Basketball Game to a Strategical Affair

Basketball used to be a simple affair, two teams competing over who could put the ball through a hoop the most. This basic set of rules was also mimicked in video games - at least for a while. Then along came NBA Jam in 1993, forever changing the rules of virtual basketball (and for the better, I'd say). While Dunk Lords does add its own unique twists, I still suspect it is very much inspired by that classic. Groovy stuff.
Continue reading…

‘Ridiculous Rugby’ is Exactly What it Says, Ragdoll Physics and All

Last time I checked, rugby was, at its core, a game of skill and strategy; at times speed and brute force, sure, but mostly the other two. Something tells me that won't quite be the case in Ridiculous Rugby, ragdoll-based physics throwing any hope for a realistic simulation of the sport out the window. Is that a bad thing though? Crazy, sure, but bad? Heck no! Up yours, realism.
Continue reading…

Platform Through (Literal) Hell in ‘Philophobia: The Fear of Love’ to Mend a Broken Heart

Heartbreak can be hell, and in Philophobia: The Fear of Love, that's more than a mere metaphor, Stuart - its protagonist - traversing the actual bowels of Hell in an attempt to mend that which was broken. Whether it will actually work remains to be seen, but if nothing else, it's an undeniably unique way to work through the five stages of grief.
Continue reading…

‘while True: learn()’ Wants to Create a World Where Cats and Coding Go Hand in Hand

I know a lot about many an odd thing, but machine learning, neural networks, big data and AI? Not really. And yet I'm more than a little interested in while True: learn(), in spite of having a history of being awful at puzzle games. A game which is about all those things and more. Also, and the protagonist's cat is better at coding than him; shame it doesn't speak human language... yet.
Continue reading…

‘Wormhole City’ has Everyone Struggling for Even a Tiny Hint of Freedom… in Space

Technology can be a wondrous thing, and in Wormhole City, it has at least helped mankind reach the final frontier. Whether this is a good or a bad thing, however, depends on who you ask, diverging factions seemingly locked in neverending conflict for a taste of freedom (and control, in case the two do somehow end up going hand in hand). Amidst it all we find Acero Astra - its protagonist - who's been tasked with... an escort mission?! Oh boy.
Continue reading…

‘The Slormancer’ Will be Fast, Furious and Overflowing With Loot and Monsters to… Grind?

Buckle up, dungeon-crawlers, because The Slormancer is back in town and, well, you know how this goes by now: "You're the only one who can stop him!", or... something along those lines. Right. I suspect this is not so much about telling a grand story as giving you motivation to kick you-know-what, take names (along with an abundance of loot!), and gear up - to kick even more you-know-what and take even more names. The grind is real.
Continue reading…

‘The Red Stone’ Delayed Indefinitely as the State of Pyrodactyl Changes to… “Paused”

These past few years have proven quite the bumpy road for Pyrodactyl, creator of the zany Will Fight for Food, among other. Quite the bumpy road indeed, and yet, hopes were high that the fairly recent reveal of The Red Stone would eventually lead to another interesting title from said developer. But... less than a week ago, bad news regarding that mysterious stone - and its creator - were shared.
Continue reading…

Flip Out as You Pinball the Occult in ‘Demon’s Tilt’ for its Elusive Ultra Jackpot

In the beginning, pinball was a simple affair: a spring-controlled launcher sent the ball flying, after which all you had to do was make sure it smashed all the right areas to unlock score multipliers, maybe even some multi-ball craziness and... that was about it. Fast-forward to more recent times however, and we've got all sorts of madness in Demon's Tilt: quests, secret areas, bullet hell, multi-story tables and several boss fights!
Continue reading…

Slice, Dice, Cut, Gut and Blast Zombies in the ‘Dead Pixels II: Straight To Video’ Demo

Welcome to 1991. Zombies took over the world four years ago. How did the protagonist in Dead Pixels II: Straight To Video actually survive from 1987 to 1991? I honestly couldn't tell ya if I wanted to, as my time spent with the demo mostly consisted of sneakily stabbing the undead with a variety of knives... and blasting them with my trusty shotgun. Who cares though? There are zombies to kill and XP to gain!
Continue reading…

‘Dead in Vinland’ Gets Endless Mode DLC Alongside Rather Substantial 1.3 Update

If you're among those Dead In Vinland fans who's been eagerly awaiting a chance to ditch the story in favor of a far more customizable pure survival experience... then this DLC was made for you. Perhaps not literally, but almost. This mode also comes with exclusive features and additions, like, say, new merchants and starting skills, a map of randomized tiles (that regenerate after a while), and much more.
Continue reading…

‘Tower of Time’ Adds New Modes With Permadeath and Heavily Trimmed RPG Elements

Post-launch support is truly a magnificent thing, and Tower of Time certainly seems intent on providing plenty, what with its most recent update adding not just one, but two brand new modes to the mix: RPGlite and Permadeath. Unsurprisingly, they do exactly as they're called, greatly changing how the popular RPG is experienced. An RPG already overflowing with content, I might add.
Continue reading…

‘Ancient Enemy’ Stacks the Deck(s) Against You in a World Where Evil Has Already Won

Alright, I've got both good and bad news. The bad news is that in Ancient Enemy, well... evil has already won. How's that for a grand, dramatic way to kick things off? Oh right, there's also good news. Kinda. I mean, apparently all is not lost, as you do get to duel "a cast of deadly enemies" in an attempt to grow powerful enough to vanquish the greatest of them all. With cards. So many cards.
Continue reading…

Slightly Modernized Classic ‘The Eternal Castle [REMASTERED]’ Brings 1987 to 2019

I'm just gonna come right out and say it: CGA is awesome! Yeah okay, that's obviously a bit of an exaggeration, but there is still something undeniably intriguing about its limited color palette and resolution. Even more so when games like The Eternal Castle, originally released back in 1987, comes along to really push the limits of what can be done. Oh, and don't let that 'remastered' bit fool ya: this is not some nonsensical 'upscaled HD' thing, and thank goodness for that.
Continue reading…

‘FutureGrind’ Gathers the Bike Riding Enthusiasts of Tomorrow for Stunts and Tricks on Floating Rails

When I first heard the name ‘FutureGrind‘, my mind was immediately flooded with images of a sci-fi-y Tony Hawk's Pro Skater game, hoverboarding across the stars and such awesomeness. While that's not quite what this game is, there will still be stunts and tricks aplenty as you flip and spin to pull off massive combos on... wait, floating rails?
Continue reading…

‘Numgeon’ Will Test Your Ability to Think (and Click) Fast to Survive Numeric Encounters

Ha. Numgeon. I see what you did there. Clever, much like the game itself, which has you clicking numbers in an attempt to thwart off enemies. Simple stuff, right? Sure, except... it isn't. You can't just go spamming that left mouse button all over the place after all, hoping you'll deal some sort of damage. Numbers have to be clicked in the right order or you'll be on the other end of the sword. Or staff. Or dagger. Or spell.
Continue reading…

An Exciting Post-Apocalyptic Farm Life Awaits as ‘My Time At Portia’ Exits Early Access

Finally, a post-apocalyptic game that isn't all doom and gloom! I know how crazy that may sound, but... it's true. On top of that, My Time At Portia just looks like a genuinely good time. Which is also not something most would associate with such a setting. And yet here we are, ready to start a new life, rebuilding the town - and your dad's old workshop - through a mix of mining, animal husbandry, farming, and... there's even dungeon-delving and other RPG elements!
Continue reading…