Three Moves Ahead

Derek Paxton, game director, and Julien Gueguen, lead systems designer at Amplitude Studios, explore Endless Legend 2’s 1.0 launch. They discuss Tidefalls reshaping exploration, readable faction asymmetry, rogue factions, terraforming, narrative replayability, and lessons from player feedback. Plus, how analytics, surveys, and 60 major updates transformed the game over a year.

Ted Litchfield, PC Gamer editor and RPG specialist, joins gaming writer Luke Plunkett to explore Star Wars Zero Company. They discuss its Clone Wars setting, memorable squadmates, custom recruits, sharp turn-based combat, cinematic missions, and standout set pieces. Spoilers cover the Republic’s transformation into the Empire, emotional betrayals, and why the Coil storyline falls short.

A summer roundup of small games and odd obsessions. They riff on crown-management RPGs, Dispatch-style systems, and romance hooks. Heated tales from EU5 campaigns, Greenland tactics, and multiplayer automation. Quick takes on Civ 7’s Test of Time, Paradox’s new projects, and Mortal Shell II’s combat. Praise for Big Walk’s emergent co-op and shoutouts for quirky indies, mascot-horror, and puzzling gems.

A pirate city-builder with vertical construction, bridges and zip lines sparks a debate over neat planning versus chaotic 'goblin town' layouts. They dig into ship combat driven by cards and dice, and how captains and crew shape exploration and losses. Conversation covers logistics growth, UI routing tools, unique period materials, and the tradeoffs of cozy presentation against deeper management.

Len sits down with Game Director Marv Gouw and Consulting Art Director (and Relic co-founder) J. Aaron Kambeitz to talk about ZeroSpace, a new RTS inspired by the greats of the genre with BioWare-style cutscenes and story decisions. We dig into the odd place RTSes find themselves in the industry right now, how the "Homeworld look" relates to typefaces, and how the changes in the games industry today echo those the film industry went through decades ago.

Len and DM are joined by the current Age of Empires II world champion, Hera, to discuss the state of the game in 2026. We try to explain its longevity, examine what it takes to be a top-level esports player, and discuss Hera's streamer invitational tournament, The King's Gauntlet.

Evan Lahti, PC Gamer strategic director and games journalist, breaks down Slay the Spire 2 and the roguelike deckbuilder scene. He explains core mechanics, character differences, and co-op map strategy. They riff on wild combos, relic exploits, and accessibility versus deeper competitors. Expect talk of deck philosophy, timing big plays, and why players keep coming back.

Sin Vega, freelance games writer and critic of tactics games. John Boulding, strategy game critic and frequent commentator. They dig into Xenonauts 2’s old-school XCOM vibes and how it compares to classic UFO Defense and Firaxis reboots. Conversation hits action-economy changes, weapon and upgrade systems, base and squad design, mission pacing, and memorable chaotic combat moments.

They dig into a story-driven strategy RPG where you play a newly sentient AI in a quarantined city. Conversations cover sandbox freedom, procedural districts, and creative mission solutions. Topics include manipulating humans, building afterlives, cross-timeline puzzles, strange side quests like bees and fungal computing, and balancing ethics versus efficiency in long-term play.

D.M. Schmeyer, a Manhattan litigation partner who advises game studios, reconnects with Len to nerd out about nearly 30 years of gaming. They trade Tokyo and Japan travel stories, joke about Yakuza misadventures, and reminisce about formative strategy and JRPG influences. Conversations hop between industry life, press codes and teaching crisis management, and favorite deep-dive game recommendations.