Games in the present

What We Liked..

Classic top down simulation overview

Easy to navigate user interface

Turn based strategy adds an extra dimension to the game

.. and what we didn't

Advanced building options take ages to complete

Graphics are very basic

Players may not be familiar with tile-based combat

4.5 out of 5
Editorial vote: 9.0

Genre: strategy, war, managerial

Setting: city, historical, present

Graphics: animated artworks

PvP: guild or factions PvE PvP


This free to play browser-based game allows you to create your very own empire, starting in the early Bronze Age and advancing towards the Industrial Age and beyond (if you can).

Forge of empires is not just a city building simulation; as your city expands you must fend off other players who attack mercilessly in an attempt to plunder your resources. Cunning, strategy and economic balance all come into play to make Forge of Empires a challenging and enjoyable game.

The free to play model works well here and it is completely possible to experience all features of the game without having to purchase "extras" in order to succeed. A real benefit with Forge of Empires is that game play is really easy-going and there are no lengthy downloads required to play, which is even more reason to give it a try!

➔ Main points:

  • Completely free to play browser based strategy game.
  • No download required to play, simply sign in via a webpage and away you go!
  • Resources and experience are plentiful, making the cash shop almost unnecessary.
  • Easy going and non-demanding game play.

What We Liked..

Fast-paced gameplay

Convincing atmosphere

.. and what we didn't

Lacks some content

4.2 out of 5
Editorial vote: 8.5

Genre: MOBA, mmorpg

Setting: fantasy, present, anime

Graphics: full 3D

PvP: guild or factions PvP all vs all


Embark on the immersive world of Naraka: Bladepoint, a distinctive battle royale game released in August 2021 and converted to Free-to-Play in late 2023 by 24 Entertainment and NetEase Games Montreal. Set on Morus Island, the game accommodates up to 60 players, allowing them to choose from a diverse roster of heroes, each equipped with unique skills.

Naraka: Bladepoint stands out with its focus on martial arts-inspired melee combat and a rock-paper-scissors combat system, creating a dynamic and challenging gameplay experience.

Whether venturing solo or teaming up in trios, players navigate the island, adapting to a shrinking safe zone and strategic encounters with other squads.

With a global player base surpassing 6 million copies sold, the game transitioned to a free-to-play model, extending its reach across PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PlayStation 5 platforms.

Naraka: Bladepoint offers an engaging and accessible entry into the world of battle royale, where players can enjoy the thrill of combat and strategic gameplay in a visually captivating environment.

➔ Main points:

  • Martial Arts Mayhem: Get ready for melee combat like you've never seen! It's like Bruce Lee meets a rock-paper-scissors showdown, with weapons, grappling hooks, and skills that'll make you go "whoa!"
  • Solo or Trio Tango: Play it your way - solo or team up with two buddies. Because why fight alone when you can have a squad with you? Teamwork makes the dream work, baby!
  • Chaos on Morus Island: Explore, fight, and survive on this crazy island. As the safe zone shrinks, the shadow corruption spreads, and you'll be praying at Buddhist sites, dodging enemies, and respawning like it's a wild, action-packed game of tag.
  • Global Gaming Galore: With over 6 million copies sold worldwide, Naraka: Bladepoint is strutting its stuff on PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PlayStation 5. Plus, it went free-to-play, so now everyone can join the party without breaking the bank!

What We Liked..

Magic and superpowers makes things interesting

Retains familiar gameplay

Character system offers long term goals

.. and what we didn't

Premium is pretty expensive

Graphics

4.2 out of 5
Editorial vote: 8.4

Genre: war, shooter

Setting: fantasy, present

Graphics: full 3D

PvP: PvP


CRSED is a grotesque battle royale online shooter that lets you play as one of eight unique hero characters, and each one will offer a different combat style thanks to their skills.

Unlike most generic battle royale games, CRSED has littered its maps with ritual sites offering mythical superpowers and magic abilities (that of course bring advantages to the players who use them), alongside traditional weaponry and... yes, the frying pan.

There's plenty of progression with skill trees for your characters, new seasonal content to keep things fresh, and a cosmetic shop to dress them up when you want to look fancy.

CRSED offers the familiar battle royale gameplay experience with a much-appreciated touch of humour.

➔ Main points:

  • Free to play battle royale shooter that feels familiar
  • Eight character heroes to choose each with unique skills and progression system
  • Plenty of authentic weapons mixed with funny cooking utensils and magic spells
  • Decent player base with a steady stream of new content

What We Liked..

A fun twist on battle royales

Free to play

Fair way to earn cosmetics

.. and what we didn't

Lack of maps and modes

Queue times are long

Optimization issues

4.0 out of 5
Editorial vote: 8.0

Genre: MOBA, shooter

Setting: present

Graphics: full 3D

PvP: PvP all vs all


Cuisine Royal is a refreshing battle royale game that pits players against each other either in solo, duo or squad groups on a large open map. The game features similar gameplay to other battle royale titles such as gearing up through searching houses and other buildings on the map for weapons, and moving to secured locations when the safe timer is up. Cuisine Royale stands out by letting players use kitchen utensils like cooking pans, pots and chef knives as part of the equipment players can fight with.

For a free to play game, Cuisine Royale offers some limited character progression through its crafting system that lets you earn cool looking rewards like masks and outfits. While there are three sever locations currently, the player base fluctuates and it can be hard to find matches off prime time hours.

➔ Main points:

  • A battle royale game made unique thanks to its kitchen inspired theme of gear and weapons
  • Three server locations including NA/EU and Eastern Europe
  • Free to play with limited lootbox microtransactions

What We Liked..

Gameplay is simple yet complex enough to keep the player engaged

Accelerated time keeps the game moving and interesting

Graphics are engaging and excellent

.. and what we didn't

Dangerously easy to rely on the game shop

Not good on battery life

Very time consuming as you level up

3.8 out of 5
Editorial vote: 7.5

Genre: casual, simulation

Setting: city, present

Graphics: animated artworks

PvP: no fighting


Overview

If orange is the new black, then farming is the new popular app. With games like Farmville and Hay Day, players can immerse themselves into the artificial pleasures of farming. This includes things like growing crops, raising livestock, and delivering goods and services to awaiting customers. Like Farmville, Township got its start on the Facebook platform and evolved into a standalone app. But where Farmville and Hay Day focus strictly on farm-building, Township expands the player's reach into other areas of development, like house-building, factories, restaurants, movie theaters, and even a zoo. It blends farm and city building together into something that's less 'nostalgic farming' and more 'farming metropolis'. The game is also quick to catch on to, with a fairly basic tutorial that relies on simple animated GIFs that show the player exactly how to play, but leaves enough room to let the player explore on their own if they want.

With a fairly basic premise ("Congratulations on inheriting some property!"), a simple-yet-complex gaming structure that keeps you engaged, and amazing graphics, Township remains a top contender in the world-building simulation apps out there.

➔ Main points:

  • Blends both city building and farm building together
  • Grow your own crops, take care of your own animals, and sell the wares that you make
  • Build and grow things in real-time with accelerated speed
  • Focus on building your city into whatever you want it to be!
  • Game shop allows player to use real money to advance your level faster

What We Liked..

Free to play and mostly fair

Good graphics

Runs well on modern rigs

.. and what we didn't

Low player population and long match finding queues

Input lag issues

3.5 out of 5
Editorial vote: 7.0

Genre: war, action, shooter

Setting: present

Graphics: full 3D

PvP: matches or duels PvP


notmycar is a free to play vehicular battle royale game, featuring fast cars and deadly weapons in fast paced matches using familiar battle royale mechanics. The game is in early access beta, meaning that more features and gameplay improvements will be added over time. There are limited game modes available, but players can expect brand new rewards from progression systems like XP levels up, or they can be purchased from the Season Pass and Cash Store.

The game runs very well with excellent graphics and presentation. Gameplay is fluid and fun, but suffers from occasional input lag in which skills don't react fast enough to make a difference in vital moments. The playerbase is also low for a game that's fairly new. Overall, notmycar is a fresh entry into the battle royale genre and one that's worth a look if you enjoy pimping out cars.

➔ Main points:

  • Free to play vehicular battle royale game that doesn't feel like a clone.
  • Only two game modes available which is solo and group play.
  • Progression is rewarding without spending money but it is a grind.
  • Very good graphics and game feels fluid and fun.
  • Low population for a new game is a worry.

What We Liked..

Faster gunplay than other games that sets it apart

Good amount of weapon customizations including accessories like keychains

Easy join and leave game lobbies to get into the action quicker

.. and what we didn't

Very generic maps and gameplay features

Not new player friendly as newbie lobbies are empty all the time

Only 5 maps since 2016

3.5 out of 5
Editorial vote: 7.0


Watch the trailer:

Genre: shooter

Setting: present

Graphics: full 3D

PvP: matches or duels PvE all vs all


Zula is a full 3D, team-based first person shooter that's been out since 2016, developed by IDC Games. The setting for its matches take place in present modern day era, and players can battle it out on a variety of realistic maps from Turkey to Ukraine, and the battlefield designs are strategic.

The gunplay is incredibly fast-paced and shooting feels excellent as bullet sprays are quick. This means enemy players die quicker, resulting in a hectic and frantic feeling in matches. However, the core gameplay is generic and bland as there are only 5 maps. This is further accentuated by the limited amount of game modes that we've already seen in similar games.

Overall, Zula is a decent free to play first person shooter that delivers fast paced action matches if that's what you crave from your FPS games. It has long haul progression systems for player levels to unlock weapon upgrades, in addition to skins and customization from both in-game and cash store to keep you busy.

➔ Main points:

  • Very fast paced gunplay speed that feels incredibly in matches
  • Good progression and customization options for players committed to the long grind
  • Offers daily missions to diversify daily gameplay offering
  • Zero tolerance on cheating and developers take it seriously

What We Liked..

Available on Steam

Fun and fluid combat

gorgeous art style

solid voice acting

.. and what we didn't

Combat gets repetitive after a while

lack of endgame content

English version has halved exp rates and double energy costs

obnoxious stamina system

too many P2P/P2W elements

server issues and long loading times

3.5 out of 5
Editorial vote: 7.0

Genre: action, mmorpg

Setting: city, present, sci-fi, anime

Graphics: full 3D

PvP: PvE PvP


Anime MMORPGs are a rare breed. Good ones anyway, and for use anime and MMO fans, that’s a darn shame. So when a good Anime MMORPG comes around, we play it as long as we can and cherish it more than that all-red Pokeball.

SoulWorker is a refreshing entry into the somewhat sparse Anime MMORPG genre. The art style is just plain gorgeous, and the combat is fast and furious, no Vin Diesel required. And most importantly, the game is fun.

While it lasts at least. The game is still young, but in its’ current state, there just isn’t enough to do. Players will have a blast in the initial hours, but once the serious grinding starts, the fun drops off a cliff. The endgame is pretty nonexistent, and what little there is to do, isn’t very enjoyable. Soul Worker is an instanced based, dungeon hack and slash, and it can get very repetitive very quickly. And the alterations that Game Forge made to the game, make the bad aspects of Soul Worker even worse. In its’ current state, it doesn’t have much in the way of lasting power, but it’s a great way to spend a weekend or two with friends.

➔ Main points:

  • Downloadable Hack n Slash MMORPG
  • Fast and fun combo heavy combat
  • Get repetitive towards late game
  • Very little endgame content
  • English version of the game is a lot harder and more grindy than the SEA version
  • Too much P2W/P2P Elements in the English release
  • Lots of server issues

What We Liked..

Solid FPS gameplay

Very accessible

Numerous match modes

Large player base

.. and what we didn't

No support for larger screen resolutions

Poor graphics

3.5 out of 5
Editorial vote: 7.0


Watch the trailer:

Genre: action, shooter

Setting: present

Graphics: full 3D

PvP: matches or duels PvE PvP all vs all


CrossFire is the world's most popular free to play tactical FPS shooter, and the game has achieved this thanks to it's solid gameplay mechanics that makes matches quick, fun and easy to play. The game also boasts a huge amount of match modes and weapon customization that offers players plenty of options and keeps them coming back for more.

While the graphics are horrendously outdated, it doesn't hinder the game but enhances it instead. The majority of maps available are small in size which offers non-stop action and players will have no problems finding a match due to CrossFire's large player population.

CrossFire is a fanstastic tactical FPS game that's easily accessible and fun to play regardless of player skill levels and PC specs.

➔ Main points:

  • Solid FPS Gameplay that's been tweaked to perfection
  • Small maps that provides non-stop action
  • Large variety of match modes, weapons and customization
  • Huge player population means no problems finding a match quickly
  • Very accessible due to light and fast client download

What We Liked..

Intuitive UI functionality

Healthy playerbase

.. and what we didn't

Difficult for free players

Localization issues

3.5 out of 5
Editorial vote: 7.0

Genre: strategy, war, simulation

Setting: present

Graphics: animated artworks

PvP: guild or factions PvP all vs all


Generals: Art of War is a free to play browser-based strategy game. Set in a modern-day period in which authentic military elementsdoesn't look modern but if that's not your concern, then gameplay will feel very familiar to veterans. New players can ease their way in thanks to a good tutorial, and the community is large enough to support engaging alliances that is a core feature for team-play in larger warfare. The game does have a cash shop and while beneficial, players can opt to play for free and still make progress.

➔ Main points:

  • Free to play modern warfare browser sim
  • Intuitive UI design makes it easy to play
  • Active playerbase to help with group play
  • Heavy reliance on the in-game cash shop