Cybercade #26 2025 | Modem Screams and Meteor Dreams
Dear Friends,
Welcome to this week’s edition of Cybercade.
If you're new here, Cybercade is a weekly game-discovery newsletter. Each week, I hand-pick a fresh mix of upcoming games across genres—from meditative indies to nostalgic throwbacks—so you always have something new on your radar.
This week, we're spotlighting four titles spanning Action, Adventure, Casual, Early Access, Indie, and Simulation—plus a genre-defining classic from the golden age of arena shooters.
Let’s get to it.
| From the Vault
Unreal Tournament – Enter the Arena
Developer: Epic Games, Digital Extremes
Publisher: GT Interactive
Release Year: 1999
Platforms: PC (Windows, Linux, Mac), Dreamcast, PlayStation 2
Genre: First-Person Shooter (FPS), Arena Shooter
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer (LAN/Online)
What is Unreal Tournament About?
Unreal Tournament (often abbreviated as UT99) is a fast-paced, competitive first-person shooter. Unlike story-driven shooters, UT99 focuses on multiplayer combat in a variety of modes, including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Domination, and Assault. Players choose from a roster of futuristic warriors and compete in intense matches across diverse, imaginative maps.
The game is renowned for its responsive controls, balanced weapon selection, and innovative AI bots that made even offline play exciting. Its mod-friendly design fostered a vibrant community that created new maps, game modes, and total conversions, extending the game's life far beyond its initial release.
What Makes Unreal Tournament So Special?
UT99 offered freedom, speed, and competition in equal measure. It helped define early LAN culture, and its community-first approach paved the way for the modding ecosystems we now take for granted.
I still remember playing it online with a friend over a telephone line—listening to the modem screech as we connected, then diving into frantic Capture the Flag matches late into the night. It was the beginning of a new way to connect, compete, and have fun with friends—no matter the distance.
| Upcoming Games
Snowfall's Mystery
A psychological interactive novel about a haunted floppy disk and a mind on the edge. Help Elliot face his demons and unravel the mystery of the program that’s changing everything.
🧭 Genre: Adventure, Indie
📅 Release: June 2025 | 🎮 Developer: Sempiternal Rain
🔗 Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3582360
BloodRush: Undying Wish
A breakneck hack-and-slash roguelike set in a gothic, dying world. Combine fluid attacks and abilities in a frenzied dance of survival where death is only the beginning.
🧭 Genre: Action, Indie, Early Access
📅 Release: 1 Jul, 2025 | 🎮 Developer: Lightmancer Studios
🔗 Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2471390
Milly's Meadow
A tranquil desktop companion. Watch Milly go about her day in a cozy meadow—raking leaves, napping, or just being cute. Customize her world and vibe while you work.
🧭 Genre: Casual, Indie, Simulation
📅 Release: 4 Jul, 2025 | 🎮 Developer: Diesel Laws
🔗 Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3063730
Everdeep Aurora
An apocalyptic meteor shower has driven life underground. As Shell, a feline child, drill deep into the Everdeep to find your mother—and maybe humanity’s future.
🧭 Genre: Adventure, Indie
📅 Release: 10 Jul, 2025 | 🎮 Developer: Nautilus Games
🔗 Steam Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2251400
| This Week in Gaming
Battlefield single-player details leak
Footage from the new Battlefield single-player campaign is surfacing online, offering a first look at its narrative and design direction.
Duke Nukem returns?
Adi Shankar, producer of Castlevania and Devil May Cry, has acquired Duke Nukem’s rights and promises a new, unfiltered franchise approach.
| What to Listen to This Week?
Kosmische Wellen – Full Album
A Berlin School-inspired synth journey through deep space and vintage soundscapes. You can get the album also on Bandcamp and support the artist.
You can find it here:
| Final Thoughts
That’s it for this week! Let me know which titles caught your attention—or what classic you’d love to see featured next.
Share this issue if you enjoyed it, and as always, thank you for reading Cybercade.
See you next week.
– Belane
* Some screenshots in this issue are sourced from MobyGames.
Damn! Those color palettes!