Simulation

The Rimworld Steam Keys Debacle

Rimworld is this neat little gem that only Steam account users will have the hotness for. It’s a pretty awesome Dwarf Fortress esque game with some hints of the unnatural sci-fi that one may know from the Firefly series. The developers of said game even have this great deal for Early Access Steam keys. Then douchebags had to muck it up.

The whole story here is that the devs of Rimworld, Ludeon Studios, decided to put out a promo so that they could earn more money. God knows these indie developers need all the help that they could get. They offered that, instead of buying Steam keys from Steam itself, that takes a 30-40% pay cut from the developers with every unit sold, people interested in Rimworld should opt to purchase from their site instead. Naturally, Steam sells them cheaper than Ludeon does so, to sweeten the pot, Ludeon would send free Steam keys to put into any Steam account for those that bought the non-Steam version of the game. Simply typing in their purchase email was enough to merit this free Steam key of Rimworld. It’s essentially getting two copies for the price of a slightly higher one.

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So basically, more money for Ludeon Studios and shiny Steam keys for longtime supporters. Everybody wins. RimWorld is a massive undertaking, too. Ludeon deserves every penny they get.

Unfortunately, the Steam keys black market can be pretty brutal for the uninitiated. These fraudulent rapscallions descended upon the hapless developer in full force. In a blog post, Sylvester of Ludeon explained:

“If you bought before today, you can still get a key. However, I’ve been forced to stop offering Steam keys for those who buy today and in the future. We’ve been getting hammered by fraudsters who are obviously more experienced at this than I. Shutting it down for now is the only way to avoid thousands of dollars in chargeback fees and lost sales. It’s time to take a breather, because I can’t fight this ‘live.’”

With tons of chargebacks done with those free Steam CD keys, Ludeon lost more money than what would normally be normally sound for a developer of their level. Not to mention the Steam keys used in nefariously fraudulent actions are now being banned.

The plight facing RimWorld and Ludeon Studios’ shines a light on one of the biggest issues in PC game publishing right now: that developers may face crushing chargeback fees from stolen credit cards used to buy Steam keys. Fraudsters make money by selling these keys on via eBay-style PC game websites.

This is a tough one for Ludeon and I do hope it’s something they can recover from.

Dead by Daylight Review Part 1 – Steam Codes Spotlight

The 80’s horror thematic has been relatively untouched in recent years save for a few games like Until Dawn on consoles. While it’s an amazing game, it, sadly, has no Steam codes to speak of, so we connoisseurs of this relatively campy genre had to wait for a good long while. And, who would have thought that we’d be getting two of these at the same time? While Friday the 13th is backed by a gloriously powerful IP, Dead by Daylight is no slouch at all with a very unique multiplayer experience that still retains the essence of dread and terror we felt from those very same 80’s movies.

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Steam Codes: Dead by Daylight in a Nutshell

The game, at its core, is very simple: It’s essentially Evolve in reverse. A player controlled serial killer hunts down 4 other players who take on the role of prey and/or victims as the latter attempt to outmaneuver, outwit, and escape the former. In a map, there are basically five generators that the teens must activate in order to open up the exit doors, enabling them to claim victory over the serial killer. But this does take a lot of time and skill, as well as taking on the numerous quick time events that come along with starting a generator. Failing to do a couple of QTEs will blow a fuse in the generator, making it even more difficult for survivors to escape. In fact, this even alerts the serial killer player to their location and can make it much more impossible to start said generators in peace.

What about the serial killer? Well, all he has to do is, uh, kill them. It’s a wee bit more complicated than it sounds because the players that play the killer have their own mechanics and rules to follow, as if they were playing a different game all entirely. In true 80’s horror fashion, the killer is, of course, unkillable, and has the odd ability to chase down healthy survivors with ease despite the essentially permanent dread walk from the likes of Jason and other noteworthy antagonists. However, just like Jason and other antagonists, killers have a lot of trouble navigating small and narrow spaces like windows, corridors, and is easily stopped by simple, makeshift blockages in paths. Killers also have to play in the first person, unlike the prey who play in third person, giving the former a narrower field of view. Killing a survivor isn’t as simple as lopping off their heads, but killers must rely on a “bleed out” mechanic in order to fully eliminate a player. They can either wait for it where they struck down the survivor or hang them by a meat hook in your “safe” space, but will essentially have to wait it out. They can be rescued at any point if they’re not too careful, putting them back into the game.

It makes for tense games, with on-the-fly decision making and rounds filled with do-or-die moments, each of which gives every game a climactic feel: you either escape or you get horribly killed. There’s an astonishing feeling of dread when you’re being hunted: the killer projects a blood red vision cone showing where they’re looking, and seeing that creep up on you – as well as hearing the the chase theme that suddenly begins to intensify as they get closer – is creepy and unnerving. Willing to purchase the Steam codes or not, Just seeing the killer is enough to spook even experienced players: they move quickly, but are animated as to appear to be doing the Michael Myers walk, looming not running, and their sheer size projects an air of hideous inevitability should you be caught. Bit by bit, this is looking great to get a Steam redeem code for it, isn’t it?

Continued in the next part.

 

Dead by Daylight Review Part 2 – Redeem Code Spotlight

Continued from Dead by Daylight Review Part 1 – Steam Codes Spotlight

At its very core, Dead by Daylight is scary as scary can be. With randomly generated maps, teams will be using the environment to their advantage as killers will bypass them completely though their menacing looms and larger-than-life unpredictability. It’s a series of fear-driven encounters that have both sides running frantically to outwit each other. While it’s a great game, this sort of gameplay is weak against developing metas, as with most competitive games. Well, just think about it; you’re playing as a lone killer against a team of well coordinated survivors – you are definitely going to lose.

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Right now, the survivors definitely have the greater advantage over the killers. Though, one could also say that killers are underpowered instead, but it still shows that fights against coordinated survivor teams or even just from well-experienced players make the game a bit too one-sided. With the meta of the game right now, the slow movement speed of killers are easily exploited and outclassed by the clear advantages of survivors. Though killers have their own sets of abilities to tip the scales in their favor, it still feels like they are too underpowered for their own good.

Other issues also grate, particularly the fact that at every turn the survivors get second chances, from needing to be hit twice, to (potentially) wriggling free of your grasp when carrying them to a more advantageous spot, to the speed at which the survivors can free others from the meathooks you hang them on to kill them. Visually, it can often appear very muddy and washed out, which isn’t great for spotting or tracking targets (if you’re looking for someone who’s been downed you can forget it).

The progression system in the game could use a little more work as well. Akin to the system in place for Payday, players get some xp and perks after every match, like a slight, but permanent, boost to move speed, but it isn’t so much that it will help a lot in the long run. It’s pretty shallow at the moment but, of course, this could change in the future. The game is great overall and the sense of dread is authentically amazing that you’ll be able to dismiss some of the glaring problems at its core for quite some time. Given a bit more time to develop, this could turn out to be a good staple of gaming like the Left 4 Dead series. Here’s to hoping.

Redeem Codes: Is it Worth it?

So, should you buy it? It’s great but not great enough for you to blow your money on PC redeem code or Xbox redeem code right this instant. It’s more worth it if you just wait for a sale.

10 Games to get in the Steam Summer Sale Part 3 – Redeem Code

Continued from 10 Games to get in the Steam Summer Sale Part 2.

Continuing onto our Top 10 games to get during the Steam Summer Sale of 2016 Part 3! Steam redeem code purchases can be hard decisions to make and let us make them for you!

7. Wolfenstein: The New Order Redeem Code

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So, yeah, Wolfenstein: The New Order isn’t exactly an obscure game, but this still does count as something that may pass other folks by and, at the price of $9.99, you’d be punishing yourself for not getting this. Doom isn’t the first time that Bethesda tried to resurrect an amazing IP, but they also took a jab at Wolfenstein through this title. It doesn’t exactly feel like the old games, but it still manages to deliver the original crunch of awesomeness that Wolfenstein is known for. In fact, a lot of people argue that this reboot is the best entry in the series, period. Nazis, crazy experiments, robots, things blowing up; what’s not to like?

8. Sunless Sea Redeem Codes

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This game isn’t exactly for everyone at first glance because, come now; in an age of rampant Call of Dutys, Mobas, and Assassin’s Creeds redeem codes, who in the mainstream gaming communities actually pay attention to seafaring survival horror? Yes, you heard me right: Boat Horror. No, it’s not what you’re thinking. Sunless Sea, going for $9.49 during the summer sale, is a seafaring, survival horror, exploration game where you roam the seven seas in search for treasure and avoid Lovecraftian monsters that have, apparently, cause the world to collapse. Each moment is a wonderfully tense experience that simply can’t be replicated by any other game. Not to mention that its visuals are simply stunning.

9. Dungeon of the Endless Redeem Code

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I’ll keep things short here; Dungeon of the Endless, going for $4.07, is a tactical, roguelike dungeon crawler that has a mix of tower defense. It’s not easy to explain. It’s just great, especially if you’re into exercising your strategy muscles like a boss.

10. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Steam Keys

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The Vanishing of Ethan Cartergoing for $3.99 during the sale, is the final game we’d like to plug. It’s not for everyone and there are no words to change that fact. It’s even called a “walking simulator” by many detractors. But the drop-dead gorgeous world, amazing writing, and suspenseful plot is something to die for. If anything, it’s a real life “journey simulator.” Much like the last game on the list, this game isn’t easy to explain. Check out the trailers for it on Steam and judge it for yourself. But it’s in our opinion that this game’s redeem code is totally worth the price tag and the time.

 

10 Games to get in the Steam Summer Sale Part 2 – Redeem Code

Continued from 10 Games to get in the Steam Summer Sale

This is our continuation of our Top 10 games to get during the Steam Summer Sale of 2016. We’re going to make sure you get the most band for your buck on Steam redeem code purchases.

3. Crypt of the Necrodancer Redeem Code

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Crypt of the Necrodancer is an oddball of a game that fuses together two unlikely genres: roguelikes and rhythm games. It’s very reminiscent of the older Zelda games where dungeons are just filled with baddies you have to whack, but can only do so when following a musical rhythm. Heck, this can even be played with dance pads ala Dance Dance Revolution. It’s stupidly good fun.

4. Grim Fandango Remastered Redeem Codes

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While it didn’t do so well during its release, it has become a cult classic and a classic in general in the gaming industry, Grim Fandango is quite possibly the greatest old-school adventure game ever created. Damn fine humor, dry wit, and creative puzzles line this classic’s CV, with a host of very colorful, and likable, characters to boot. For a mere $3.74 on the Steam store this summer sale, the only two reason you wouldn’t get this game is because either you already have it, or you simply don’t like having fun. This is most definitely a sure redeem code to purchase.

5. Door Kickers Steam Redeem Code

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Door Kickers is a game that pays great homage to the classic top-down strategy games of an era gone by. Put into the role of a SWAT commander, Door Kickers lets you command a small SWAT team that handle tactical interventions that vary from the common, domestic criminal to full on terrorists. Bad guys are basically in a structure that you have to get into, pacify the hostiles, and achieve whatever it is you have to in a specific mission. Your SWAT team has everything they need for combat; it’s up to you to give them the best approach to the situation. If you like tactical games, then you certainly shouldn’t pass up on the $2.99 redeem code price tag of Door Kickers during the sale.

6. Invisible Inc. Steam Keys

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Going for $6.79, Invisible Inc. is another fantastic strategy game akin to certain elements of XCOM, Metal Gear, and roguelike games where the difficulty, punishment, and need for strategy are very real. I daresay that Invisible Inc. may be the Dark Souls of the strategy genre. Much like Door Kickers, you’re in command of a team but, this time, made up of secret agents that attempt to gather resources, intelligence, and counter an enemy that drove them out of their headquarters. This is an absolute steal and you simply must get it. If you aren’t one for strategy games, I assure you, this game will change your mind about them.

 Click here for the next part!