October 2, 2021 — In this weekly roundup, several smaller developers take the spotlight with dark narratives and brutal gameplay. Worlds of darkness and madness tear through the fabrics of reality, their morose and Grimm imagery a telltale sign of a blood-soaked future. These stories, crafted by shadow-soul imaginations, are what graces the gaming fabric of Kurgan Compass™.

What follows is a blend of new announcements and ports that provide players with a glimpse of interactive, multi-genre dark fantasy.

‘Death’s Gambit: Afterlife’ is stand-alone DLC

In 2018, developer White Rabbit introduced players to a 2D world full of death. The action-platformer pits players in the role of death itself’s right hand on a quest to locate the source of immortality and destroy it. It is no easy task with hordes of horrifying enemies and massive guardians scouring the lands of Siradon. The original Death’s Gambit proved a success, garnering plenty of praise. Afterlife takes the core Metroidvania gameplay of Death’s Gambit and expands upon it with new content, including ten levels, more than 30 weapons, five bosses, and more.

The expanded edition is not only about building upon the core experience as developer White Rabbit also ported the game — fully intact with the monstrous bosses, vast world, and RPG-style elements, to the Nintendo Switch. Death’s Gambit: Afterlife launched on the Switch and Steam on September 30 and has kept the multiple character classes, branching skill tree, character customization, and crafting system of the original.

Death’s Gambit: Afterlife is a robust, stylized adventure with plenty of action for players to dig into.

‘Darksiders III’ Brings the Apocalypse to Switch

Darksiders III did not earn much favor when it first launched on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in November 2018. However, that did not stop developer Gunfire Games from porting the underwhelming, third title in the series to the Switch, where, if early reviews are any indication, it will continue to disappoint as Darksiders III has failed to capture the charm of its predecessors — even with a character as cool as Fury headlining the hack ‘n slash experience.

Also, the Switch port includes the original game as it was at launch and both DLC packs. ‘The Crucible’ introduces a bevy of challenges for players to take on as the whip-wielding heroine. ‘Keepers of the Void’ actually expands on the original story, adding new locations and enemies for those who care to extend their time with Fury.

Darksiders III for the Switch is a technical jumble, with long load times and plenty of bugs carrying over from the original titles. However, the Darksiders series is rich with lore that makes this lackluster port worth playing (and, perhaps Darksiders IV is in the making?)

‘Rogue Lords’ is a mashup of horror’s greatest

In what world do the Headless Horseman, Dracula, Doctor Frankenstein, and other horror legends fight for the same cause? One where the Devil is caught in a perpetual battle of Good and Evil. Rogue Lords puts players in the role of the Devil, emerging from a decades-long slumber to slay the Demon Hunters that nearly bested him ages ago.

These masters of the dark arts and creatures of the night round out a roster of playable villains known as Disciples. In parties of three, Rogue Lords Disciples serve the Devil, doing his bidding to remove the demon hunter threat. The game, which is available on Steam and coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in early 2022, plays out in a roguelike RPG, with each Disciple bringing unique attributes and stats to the turn-based fight.

Characters fill one of several roles, using their skills to support fellow Disciples — or cripple and destroy their foe. Expect to get lost in the winding skill tree and ample number of abilities on the quest to build the most cohesive team of fiends.