This week in PC games: become a magic girl in Kernel Hearts, a dog commando in Fright Train, or a capital class warship in Sublight — Gaming

What we're feeding the Maw

A heavily-armed dog looking shifty next to a menu showing their equipment, in Fright Train.

Happy new week all! Over the weekend I banished all thought of rocks, paper or shotguns and volunteered to pick apples at a local orchard. Many wonderful varieties were carefully netted, then jumbled together in a huge mesh bag: speckled golden sours, fit to devour immediately with an appreciative grimace; jolly green cookers, wearing their scabs like medals of honour; sharp little reds that slice up into the clearest white wedges. Such intoxicating fruit! As we blundered around with poles and hard hats, we trampled on dozens of fallen, rotting apples, spicing the air with a sickly pungence.

It was then that I saw it: the juiciest apple of all, dangling almost within grabbing distance in a peculiar depth of shade, beneath a tree of somehow abyssal provenance - its leaves salt-rimed and its roots akin to sunken steel anchors. I reached and the apple danced back a metre, becoming luminous. By its light, I perceived the slow parting of enormous crystal fangs. Damn it, Maw! I am trying to pick apples in peace. It's just as well I've brought a second mesh bag of new PC games to feed you.

Monday 14th September

Dunebound Tactics is a roguelite sandship RPG with grid-based battles and an emphasis on messing with the terrain.
Did you enjoy The Girl's company in Resident Evil Requiem? Rehaunted appears to be another 2-3 hours of that.

Tuesday 15th September

I don't quite understand why you're a disdainful-looking dog in Fright Train (pictured), but I can't deny the intrigue of either its meticulous-seeming tactical shooting, or the constant pressure to keep a huge Antarctic research train operational.
Dimraeth (early access) is a mix of dungeon-robbing action-RPG and fortress builder with multiplayer for up to eight. It doesn't look to be shattering any molds but the pixelart is quite absorbing.
Sublight is a capital class roguelite 'bullet heaven' for people who spend far too long arranging their turrets in Battlefleet Gothic.
In sidescrolling action platformer Knuckle Jet you have a rocket for a hand, all the better to blast and richochet through clockwork cities as you seek to stop a tycoon exploiting the local orphans.
Fleetbreakers (early access) is a roguelite real-time strategy affair from former Halo Wars and Age of Empire people. You get to roll a new mothership and supporting squadron every run. "The satisfaction of RTS decision-making without the long buildup", apparently.

Wednesday 16th September

Paratopic: Overdub is "a twisting 3-in-1 remaster, remix, and sequel" for very good despairing VHS Americana sim Paratopic.
Also from Paratopic devs Arbitrary Metric, Roman Sands RE:Build is a "shape-shifting absurdist adventure" that alternates between a violet tropical resort and a ravaged zoological research facility.
Woodo is about plonking and slotting together handsome wooden toys, with scenes bursting into colour and motion as you complete the puzzle.

Thursday 17th September

"BECOME A GOD-SLAYING MAGICAL GIRL." You don't have to shout, Kernel Hearts.
Concrete Burial is a first-person dungeon-crawler from Dread XP featuring a gun that drinks your blood. Also wants you to "confront god". Lotta god-bothering in games of late.
Back in 2024, there were 20 Small Mazes. Now, there are 20 More Somehow Even Smaller Mazes. But will we be able to confront god?
Tumblebee looks like the most cursed bumblebee game I'll ever play, and I've played exactly three. Arachnophobes beware.
United Heist Facility Zero is a co-op puzzler in which one player is a thief, exploring a mindboggling vault, the other a control room operative viewing events through cameras and holographic sandtables.

Friday 18th September

Northanger Abbey is a modernised dating game adaptation of Jane Austen's famous novel Goth Frock 1818: Parsons Akimbo, aka Northanger Abbey. I studied that book at school and all I can remember now is that it has an abbey, likely also some flirtatious repartee.
Draco and the Seven Scales is sort of Link's Awakening but with a jumping pirate ship, bullet hell elements, and a fishing minigame that looks like a Pokemon battle.

Do you like apples? How do you like them apples? As ever, please let us know if there's a promising game we've missed. As for RPS staff doings this week, Mark has joined the Papists while James and Callum dispute the merits of a game that almost rhymes with, but sadly is not actually called Bogroll Elegant. Julian and I are trying to get a big feature through the door, among other things. Guides sheriff Ollie is putting the final nails in Mortal Shell 2, while Jeremy continues to drink The Blood of Dawnwalker.

There is at least one Embargoed Thing this week. I shan't tell you what it is, but let's just say that if you're a massive fan of Half-Life games… you will be hugely disappointed, because it's not a Half-Life game. Ah, screw you too. Have a good week.