Cybercade #24 2025 | Tactical Classics & Cozy Co-Op
Dear Friends,
Welcome to this week’s edition of Cybercade. I hope you are all well.
If you're new here, Cybercade is a weekly game‑discovery newsletter. Every issue, I hand‑pick upcoming games across genres—from cozy indies to nostalgic throwbacks—so you can always find something fresh to play.
With Steam Next Fest now underway, it’s an especially busy week for gamers. Dozens of demos are going live, and it’s the perfect time to explore what’s coming next. To help you find your way through the flood, I present four new titles from the action, adventure, casual and indie sectors as well as a classic from the gaming past.
Let’s get to it.
| From the Vault
Syndicate (1993) – A Cyberpunk Classic
Developer: Bullfrog Productions
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release Year: 1993
Platforms: MS-DOS, Amiga, Atari ST, Macintosh, SNES, Sega Genesis, and others
Genre: Real-time tactical/strategy
Players: Single-player
What is Syndicate About?
Syndicate is set in a dystopian near-future where global corporations have replaced governments and control society through advanced technology. The key to their power is the "CHIP," a brain implant that manipulates people's perceptions and makes them susceptible to corporate control. As the executive of a rising syndicate, players command a team of up to four cybernetically enhanced agents, directing them through a series of missions around the world.
Gameplay blends real-time tactics and strategy: players must complete objectives such as assassinations, kidnappings, and sabotage, often facing off against local authorities and rival syndicates. Agents can be equipped with a variety of weapons and cybernetic upgrades, and the player manages research, finances (through taxing conquered territories), and agent enhancements. Missions are set in sprawling, isometric city environments, and success requires both strategic planning and quick reflexes.
What Makes Syndicate So Special?
Syndicate was groundbreaking for its time, introducing a gritty cyberpunk world, open-ended mission design, and squad-based real-time tactics that were rare in 1993. Its combination of strategic management, agent customization, and morally ambiguous gameplay set a new standard for mature, complex video games.
| Upcoming Games
The Hunter's Path
A tense top‑down survival game where you hunt, gather, and build to survive in a harsh wilderness. Craft tools, set traps, and fend for yourself in immersive terrain.
🧭 Genre: Adventure
📅 Release: 13 Jun, 2025
🎮 Developer: JustWallWireHead Games
🔗 Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3364600
Lighthaze World
A cozy puzzle‑adventure where you guide an anxious hero through a charming realm to rescue their faithful dog. Non‑linear puzzles and heartwarming storytelling await.
🧭 Genre: Action, Adventure, Casual
📅 Release: TBD
🎮 Developer: Radiobush
🔗 Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1747190
Boxville 2
Cans come to life in this quirky indie adventure. After a fireworks accident, your friend is missing—explore Boxville’s cardboard streets to solve puzzles and celebrate a town‑wide festivity.
🧭 Genre: Adventure, Indie
📅 Release: 26 Jun, 2025
🎮 Developer: Triomatica Games
🔗 Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3131280
Ruffy and the Riverside
A open‑world action game starring Ruffy, who manipulates terrain using a “swap” magic. Turn ice to lava, vines to waterfalls, and shape your surroundings to progress and fight.
🧭 Genre: Action, Adventure, Indie
📅 Release: 26 Jun, 2025
🎮 Developer: Zockrates Laboratories UG
🔗 Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1002260
| This Week in Pixels & Popcorn
💥 Big Bang Theory Spinoff Lands Heavy on CGI
The upcoming series Stuart Fails to Save the Universe promises a visual spectacle according to creator Chuck Lorre.
📦 Astro Boy Creator’s Rare Manga Box Set Coming July
A deluxe box set featuring lesser‑known works from manga legend Osamu Tezuka—preorders open soon.
🎮 2025 Game Releases Preview
Curious about everything coming this year? GameSpot’s 2025 schedule breaks down key titles and release windows.
| What to Listen to This Week?
🎧 Stellaris – Full Original Soundtrack
The cinematic score behind Stellaris delivers ambient, orchestral space vibes.
You can find it here:
| Final Thoughts
That’s it for this week! I’m eager to hear which of these games caught your attention—or what retro rediscoveries you’re revisiting.
Share this issue if you enjoyed it, and I’ll see you next week with more indie gems and nostalgic surprises.
– Belane
* Some screenshots in this issue are sourced from MobyGames.
Syndicate brings back SO MANY MEMORIES.
Most of that involved me not getting passed the first several missions because of my poor positioning and friendly fire. It was one of those games that I REALLY wanted to play but couldn't because I couldn't figure it out.
Syndicate was epic for its time. Me and my best friend in highschool stayed up late many nights trying to beat the final level. There has never been anything like it since.