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Ah, the sweet moment of roping your friend circle into a game on Steam that you'll only play a couple of hours and shelve. It's a reflective scenario that almost everyone has experienced at least once in their lives.
The high-fantasy strategy of Total War: THREE KINGDOMS and the sci-fi extraction of Wildgate have officially rotated out as of today, January 8. In their place, Epic has launched today Bloons TD 6 as the free title available to claim until January 15 at 11:00 AM ET. Following this window, the store will shift into a stealth-focused week by giving away Styx: Master of Shadows from January 15 through January 22. While the giveaway is the most resourceful way to build your library, those who prefer other platforms can find Bloons TD 6 on the Steam Store for $13.99. For a significantly cheaper alternative, G2A (affiliate link) currently lists global keys for roughly $2.45, which is a 76% discount compared to official retail.
Bloons TD 6 is far more complex than its bright art style suggests. It is a massive tower defense title featuring 24 distinct “Monkey Towers,” each with three separate upgrade paths and unique 5th-tier abilities. The game also introduces powerful “Heroes” that level up automatically during a match, providing specialized buffs or massive screen-clearing attacks. Since its release, the developer has added a steady stream of content including weekly Boss Events, four-player co-op, and “Paragon” towers that fuse multiple tier-5 upgrades into a single ultimate unit. It is a resourceful pickup for anyone looking for a strategy loop that supports both quick ten-minute sessions and long-term completionist goals across nearly 90 different maps.
Starting next Thursday, January 15, the mood shifts significantly with the arrival of Styx: Master of Shadows. This is a dedicated stealth-RPG where you play as a two-century-old goblin navigating a massive, vertically-designed fortress. Unlike many modern “stealth” games that allow you to fight your way out of a mistake, Styx disincentivizes direct combat, forcing you to rely on cloning yourself for diversions, using invisibility, and manipulating the environment to stay alive. If you want to jump in early or grab it on Valve’s platform, Styx: Master of Shadows is priced at $19.99 on Steam. However, you can find keys on G2A (affiliate link) for approximately $2.60, representing a 92% discount for those who miss the upcoming free period.
You have exactly seven days to claim Bloons TD 6 before it is replaced by the Styx giveaway. Both of these titles represent a solid start to the year for gamers who value mechanical variety over raw graphical power. While Bloons provides a social, co-op experience for up to four people, Styx offers a challenging, single-player dive into traditional stealth mechanics. Make sure to hit the “Get” button on Epic before the refresh next Thursday to ensure these remain in your library permanently, or use the Steam and G2A links to secure them for your preferred secondary launcher at record-low prices.
The post Strategy and Stealth: Epic Rotates to ‘Bloons TD 6’ and Teases ‘Styx’ appeared first on Game Reviews, News, Videos & More for Every Gamer – PC, PlayStation, Xbox in 2026.
Embark Studios finally stopped playing coy about how their machines sort the digital wheat from the tactical chaff. Patrick Söderlund basically handed the Reddit theorists a victory lap by confirming Arc Raiders employs aggression-based matchmaking. This system attempts to bucket the bloodthirsty PvP enthusiasts away from the folks who actually want to scavenge in peace. If you spend your time hunting players, you get a lobby of hunters. If you’re there for the loot and the atmosphere, the algorithm tries to find you a kindred spirit who won’t shoot you in the back the second a rare component drops. It is a bold move for an extraction shooter, a genre that usually thrives on the total lack of safety, but Embark is clearly trying to manage the salt levels of its growing player base.
The CEO admitted the system is hardly a perfected science. It functions as a secondary layer beneath the standard skill-based parameters and party-size filters. The logic is simple: the game tracks your propensity for violence. A week ago, this invisible hand started nudging the “kill on sight” crowd toward their own private hells. It aims to address the viral chaos of retired pros dunking on casuals, but it raises questions about how the game defines intent. If you only fire in self-defense, the system might still struggle to differentiate you from the aggressor. The tension of the extraction genre relies on that unpredictability. Sanitizing the experience too much could strip the game of its actual edge, turning a tense standoff into a predictable chore.
The post Arc Raiders Aggression Matchmaking: How Embark Studios Is Sorting Looters From Killers appeared first on Game Reviews, News, Videos & More for Every Gamer – PC, PlayStation, Xbox in 2026.
If you’ve spent the last few days trapped in a house with family, Epic Games has the ultimate stress test for your relationships. Today, December 26, the mystery vault has opened to reveal We Were Here Together, a strictly two-player cooperative puzzle game. This is not a title you can play solo with an AI partner; you need a second human, two microphones, and a lot of patience. It’s a perfect pick for a post-Christmas afternoon with the kids or a friend, provided you’re prepared for the inevitable communication breakdowns that happen when you’re separated in a frozen wasteland.
The brilliance of this series lies in how it handles information. You and your partner are often split up into different rooms, each seeing only half of a puzzle. Your only link is a virtual walkie-talkie. Because only one person can talk at a time, you have to be extremely precise when describing strange symbols or mechanical parts to someone who can’t see what you’re looking at. This third entry in the series adds more meat to the experience by starting both players together at a base camp before dragging you into the depths of a sinister Antarctic castle. It creates a genuine sense of dread and reliance on the person at the other end of the radio.
While the game is free on Epic for the next 24 hours, the developer has also launched a massive 62% discount on the Steam Store that runs until January 5. Interestingly, this official Steam price is currently even lower than what you’ll find on many grey-market sites like G2A(affiliate link), making it the best time to pick up a permanent copy on your preferred launcher. If you are planning a long-distance session, remember that the game supports cross-play between Epic and Steam, so you aren’t locked into a single ecosystem to play with your friends.
Before you dive in, make sure both you and your partner have working microphones, as trying to play this via text chat is essentially impossible. While the in-game walkie-talkie adds a lot of “found footage” style immersion, many players switch to a clear Discord call for the more complex alchemical and mechanical puzzles later in the game. You have until December 27 at 11:00 AM ET to claim your free copy. It’s a small, $13 investment normally, but for free, it’s one of the most rewarding social experiences you can find this holiday season.
The post We Were Here Together Is Epic’s Latest Duo Challenge 24h For Free appeared first on Game Reviews, News, Videos & More for Every Gamer – PC, PlayStation, Xbox in 2026.
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If you’re already gearing up to smash heads with friends and the anticipation for MARVEL Cosmic Invasion is hitting critical levels, then there’s only one real fix: more beat ‘em ups. The genre has evolved in all the best ways, and it’s genuinely lovely to see something so deeply satisfying back in full force.
If you want a few games to dive into ahead of launch, we’ve rounded up the best titles like MARVEL Cosmic Invasion below. This list has some incredible picks, both new and old, so let’s hop into it.
Castle Crashers is getting on a bit now, but it remains wonderfully charming and a huge amount of fun anyway. A wave of post-launch content expanded its look and piled on even more bonkers brawls. You’re technically saving a princess, but really, it’s about being the most slapstick heroes the kingdom has ever seen.
Young Souls puts you in control of two rebellious twins battling their way through an entirely different world. It boasts a lovely art style, brilliantly interesting characters and an exceptional combat system too. The only downside is that it sticks to local co-op, but if you’re playing with someone at home, that’s hardly an issue.
Absolum is an absolutely incredible beat ‘em up roguelike that has a lot going on. Not only is the story sublime, but there’s also a frog warrior who surfs on their own staff. The depth here is absurd, and if you want the most modern possible take on hitting things a lot, this is it.
Lost Castle 2 is massively slept on, despite being one of the coolest 2D action games in recent years. It has you carving through wildly cool monsters and levels to reach the titular castle, though the stronghold itself remains tantalisingly out of full reach while development continues. Combat lands somewhere between a 2D Monster Hunter and pure build-crafting chaos, with every weapon offering a totally different feel and some frankly absurd endgame setups.
The Last Friend stands apart because it mashes beat ‘em up action with tower defence, and also, you get to save a bunch of dogs. You’ll lay down multiple defensive lines of towers before wading into battle to rescue as many fluffy friends as you can using your fists. It’s cute, fun and a brilliant change of pace.
Streets of Rage 4 is the de facto classic beat ‘em up with a sharper, more modern edge. It played a huge role in reviving genre appetite for so many players. Dotemu’s signature flair—both visually and in combat—cements it as one of the best the genre has ever seen. If you’re craving over-the-top violence in a grounded, more realistic setting, nothing scratches the itch quite like this one.
Whether you’re here for couch co-op chaos, ridiculous weapon builds, or just the primal joy of hitting things a lot, the beat ‘em up genre has more than enough to keep you busy until MARVEL Cosmic Invasion arrives. From slapstick castles and frog-surfing roguelikes to genre-reviving classics, there’s something here for every kind of brawler fan. So grab a buddy, clear some screen space, and dive into the mayhem — because if anticipation hits hard, these games hit harder.
The post Top Games Like MARVEL Cosmic Invasion You Can Play Right Now appeared first on Green Man Gaming Blog.
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