In the 37-minute episode, Chief Creative Officer Ryan Hill is joined by Game Director James Lowe, Lead Systems Designer Daniel Regan, and Producer Alex Harkin to discuss how the team is transforming the dual-realm system introduced in Lords of the Fallen. The new version—referred to internally as “Umbral 2.0”—takes heavy inspiration from player feedback and aims to make the eerie realm far more aggressive and central to the gameplay experience.

Within the world of Lords of the Fallen II, players will once again navigate between two connected realities: the dark fantasy realm of Axiom and the grotesque mirror world of Umbral. Using the mysterious Umbral Lamp, players can shift between realms to uncover hidden paths, solve environmental puzzles, and push deeper into the game’s hostile world—but venturing into Umbral brings escalating dangers that can quickly overwhelm the unprepared.

According to Hill, the realm has undergone a dramatic transformation. What was once simply the land of the dead has become something far worse—a restless domain of the undead that feels more alive, oppressive, and unpredictable than before.

What’s New in Umbral

A Reimagined Otherworld
Umbral now features radically different environments, new biomes, and more narrative-driven moments. The realm can even bleed into the living world, making exploration more dynamic and unsettling.

Dread Redefined
Instead of relying on a simple timer that raises the threat level, danger in Umbral is now influenced by player behavior, creating a more organic and constantly shifting sense of tension.

Enemies Reshaped
Players will face new creatures that lurk in Umbral’s shadows, many capable of evolving into more lethal forms. The enemy roster has expanded significantly, promising new challenges for returning players.

Currently in development for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, and PC, Lords of the Fallen II is scheduled for a global release in 2026. Set 1,000 years after the fall of the demon god Adyr, the story follows a lone kingdom resisting the spreading influence of the dead realm and its mysterious master.

Players take on the role of a Lampbearer, wielding brutal new combat abilities including a dismemberment system and cinematic executions. Alongside expanded enemy types and large-scale boss battles, the game will support both solo play and cooperative progression.

With its darker tone and deeper mechanics, Lords of the Fallen II is shaping up to push the series’ signature dual-realm gameplay further than ever before.

After gaining early attention on itch.io with more than 100,000 downloads, Nippets is now preparing for its full release with an expanded experience.

In Nippets, players explore hand-drawn 2D maps while searching for lost items and solving small environmental puzzles. The world is designed to be interactive and playful—shake trees, scare birds off lamp posts, honk a garbage truck’s horn, or peek through windows to uncover hidden surprises.

Each map features multiple explorable spaces, with puzzles that unlock additional areas and reveal small stories woven throughout the environment. Some of these stories even continue across different seasons, encouraging players to keep exploring to see how things change over time.

Features

• Around 2–3 hours of gameplay

• A charming hand-drawn world

• Classic hidden-object style puzzles

• Multiple maps with secret areas to unlock

• No timers or high-score pressure

• Pettable cats

Nippets arrives on PC through Steam on April 7.

Originally launching in summer 2025, the neon-soaked rhythm brawler quickly found its groove with fans of both action and music games. Its core hook is simple but effective—every punch, kick, and combo syncs perfectly to the beat, transforming each fight into a high-energy performance.

That unique style hasn’t just resonated with players—it’s gone viral. Dead As Disco has racked up over 300 million views across TikTok, while also earning a 98% “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating on Steam from thousands of user reviews.

The current demo already packs in plenty of content, offering a slice of the single-player campaign, 13 playable tracks, and one standout feature: Infinite Disco’s “My Music” mode, which lets players import their own songs and turn them into fully playable, beat-synced battles.

At the center of the experience is Charlie Disco, a fallen music icon fighting to reclaim the spotlight from the Idols—his former bandmates turned larger-than-life adversaries. Each boss encounter plays out like a stylized music video, complete with signature tracks and choreographed combat.

Customization also plays a big role. Players can deck out Charlie in bold, over-the-top fashion, decorate their personal Dive Bar hub, and even create their own music-driven gameplay experiences through modding and user-generated content tools.

Key Features:

• Combat that syncs every move to the music

• Stylish boss battles against former bandmates

• Custom music support with player-created tracks

• Multi-genre soundtrack with original and licensed songs

• Deep customization for both character and hub space

With momentum continuing to build, all eyes are now on the Triple-i Initiative Showcase on April 9, where Brain Jar Games is set to reveal a major new announcement for the game.

Dead As Disco is shaping up to be more than just a rhythm game—it’s a full-on performance, and it’s only getting louder from here.

Developed by ByteRockers’ Games, DeeSicks takes the traditional bullet hell formula and flips it on its head. Instead of simply surviving waves of increasingly difficult enemies, the focus here is on building overwhelming power—turning players into unstoppable forces capable of dominating the battlefield.

At the center of the experience is a clever dice-based system that drives every run. Before combat even begins, players interact with a physics-based board, aiming and colliding dice to determine their loadout. Each roll and placement directly impacts the spells, modifiers, and synergies available, making every decision count.

From there, the game unfolds across a three-phase loop. First, players manipulate dice to shape their options. Next, those dice are assigned to spell parameters, allowing for deep customization and strategic build crafting. Finally, everything comes together in high-intensity combat, where those builds are unleashed against waves of enemies and massive boss encounters.

What sets DeeSicks apart is its emphasis on escalation. Runs quickly evolve from manageable encounters into dense, screen-filling chaos, with bosses growing in both scale and complexity. The deeper you go, the more the game demands adaptation—not just in skill, but in how you construct and refine your build.

Experimentation is key. With multiple characters, archetypes, and board variations, players can create everything from tightly controlled, efficient setups to wildly unpredictable, explosive builds that push the game’s systems to their limits.

Key Features:

• Physics-based dice rolling that directly shapes your build

• Deep spell and relic synergies for strategic customization

• Multiple characters, archetypes, and board layouts

• Intense bullet hell and bullet heaven combat

• 15+ bosses that scale in size, difficulty, and spectacle

With its blend of strategy, physics, and relentless action, DeeSicks delivers a system-driven experience where every run feels different—and every roll could be the one that breaks the game wide open.

You start locked in a prison cell with a single objective: escape. The problem? Your only tool is a spoon. From there, it’s all about digging your way to freedom—literally carving out tunnels beneath the prison while searching for valuables, hidden routes, and anything that might give you an edge.

The core gameplay loop is built to keep players hooked. Dig, loot, return, sell, upgrade, and head back down for another run. Each trip underground becomes a balancing act between risk and reward, as players manage limited resources like stamina, light, health, sound, and inventory space. The deeper you go, the stranger—and more dangerous—the world becomes.

But this isn’t just a straightforward escape sim. Escape By Spoon leans heavily into its unique tone, mixing tension with absurdity. Patrol-based enemies keep you on edge, punishing careless digging, while the game’s rubber-hose cartoon art style gives everything a surreal, almost theatrical feel. It’s less about outright horror and more about suspense wrapped in a bizarre, animated presentation.

Visually and mechanically, the game pulls inspiration from titles like Dave the Diver, Cuphead, and A Game About Digging a Hole—combining satisfying progression systems with a bold, memorable aesthetic.

Escape By Spoon is currently in development, with a playable demo planned for an upcoming Steam Next Fest. The full release is targeting late 2026 on Steam, offering a single-player experience that’s equal parts tense, ridiculous, and oddly satisfying.

If you’re into unconventional indie concepts with strong personality, this is one prison break worth keeping an eye on.

Developed by 8BitSkull, this roguelike auto-battler puts players in control of a floating skull necromancer out for revenge—against their own body. Yes, really. After being betrayed by your former flesh, you’ll command waves of undead minions to fight in your place, diving into procedurally generated dungeons packed with loot, enemies, and evolving challenges.

Each run lasts around 20 minutes, blending quick decision-making with strategic depth. Players can recruit and merge different unit types, stacking abilities to create wildly overpowered builds. From skeleton hordes to resurrected enemies, your army becomes a customizable force of destruction, enhanced further by perks, items, and dungeon-based boons.

Variety is a major focus here. No two dungeon runs play out the same, with shifting layouts, diverse enemy types, and unlockable challenges that keep things fresh. Multiple playable skull characters also add unique twists to each run, including one that doubles down on necromancy by raising both flesh enemies and skeletons.

Key Highlights:

• Play as multiple skull-based necromancers, each with unique abilities

• Build and evolve your undead army through merging and upgrades

• Procedurally generated dungeons ensure every run feels different

• Unlock new perks, items, and challenges as you progress

Skull Horde will support a wide range of languages at launch, along with Steam Deck and Linux compatibility.

If you’re into roguelikes, auto-battlers, or just the idea of commanding an army of the dead with a grudge, this is one to keep on your radar when it hits PC this April.

The cozy open-world adventure follows Doug, a duck astronaut who crash-lands in a colorful, offbeat galaxy. What starts as a mission to survive quickly turns into a slower, more reflective journey—gathering resources, crafting tools, and rebuilding a spaceship into something that feels like home.

A Relaxed Journey Through the Stars

Duck Side of the Moon leans into a calm, exploration-first approach. Players travel between small, vibrant planets, collecting materials and uncovering secrets at their own pace. The focus stays on curiosity and discovery rather than pressure, with each new stop offering something a little different.

Craft, Customize, and Settle In

Progression revolves around upgrading Doug’s crashed ship. As players gather resources, they’ll craft gadgets and expand their spaceship, gradually transforming it into a personalized, cozy space.

Customization also extends to Doug himself, with a variety of outfits and hats that add a playful touch to the experience.

A Galaxy Full of Personality

Along the way, players will encounter unusual characters—including surprisingly talkative rocks—while completing lighthearted quests. The world is designed to feel welcoming and a little strange, keeping the tone consistent with its relaxed, whimsical theme.

A Story About Finding Home

At its core, Duck Side of the Moon focuses on themes of rest, belonging, and starting over. Through exploration and small interactions, the game builds a narrative centered on finding comfort in unfamiliar places.

And yes—there’s even a dedicated quack button.

The story follows four friends—Lars, Leah, Samson, and Ivy—as they navigate life in their early 30s following a personal tragedy. Inspired by real events, the experience allows players to step into each character’s point of view as their interconnected stories unfold.

Revisit Moments From Different Perspectives

At the core of Travelling Light is its rewind and replay system, which lets players revisit key scenes and shift perspectives. By seeing the same moment through different characters, new layers of context and emotion come into focus.

A Narrative Balanced With Light Gameplay

While the story explores themes like grief, friendship, and personal growth, gameplay remains accessible through simple, calming puzzles that help guide the narrative forward.

Visuals and Sound That Support the Story

The game features bold, cohesive color design inspired by Wes Anderson, with each scene reflecting a character’s emotional state. Sound design leans on foley techniques, using everyday objects to create grounded, tactile audio details.

Supported by European Arts Organizations

Travelling Light is backed by The Danish Film Institute, Creative Europe Media, The Danish Arts Council, and Berlin Senate for the Fine Arts, highlighting its focus on storytelling and artistic direction.

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