by theygamesI don’t know about you, but when I die, I don’t want to resurrect in a videogame. It’s not that I don’t love them – obviously I do, otherwise I wouldn’t be writing about them – it’s more that they can be pretty dangerous places, even for those who’ve returned from the other side. In Ghostware Arena of the Dead that’s exactly what’s happened to the game’s main character, and it’s up to you to find out what the heck is going on. Released back in June, it just got its first major update with a slew of new maps to test your mettle in, along with some extremely summery skins.
Ghostware Arena of the Dead namechecks a few different ‘90s FPS games but the one that stands out most when looking at it in action is the original Unreal. It manages to capture that feeling of exploring truly alien places – which is fair enough as you are trapped in a retro arena shooter – with wild and wonderful being the name of the game for the level design. Not content with dipping a toe into the FPS well, it also has traces of adventure game DNA running through its veins, as there’s plenty of plot to uncover and a band of other souls to chat to.
With an expansive single-player campaign to explore that takes you both in and out of the videogame at the heart of Ghostware, there’s also lots to keep you coming back with an arcade mode that lets you face off against a series of bots. These Deathmatch battles are highly customizable, allowing you to change the ruleset and tweak how everything works to provide the experience you’re looking for – either something chill, or something that will truly kick your ass.
It’s the arcade which is the focus of the Ghostware Summer 2024 update, which adds three new Deathmatch maps for you to blast and get blasted in. Golden Hour, Swimming Pool, and Galactamax HQ are now available for you to hop into, expanding the game’s roster considerably. There’s also a ton of new skins for the player character, with beachwear being the overarching theme. If you felt like being stuck in a wizard’s videogame wasn’t bad enough, try doing it in swimwear.
The Summer update is out now for Ghostware Arena of the Dead and you can also save 20% on the title until Monday August 12, which takes its price down to $12.99 / £10.23 from $16.24 / £12.79. Head over to Steam to check it out for yourself, and see if you want to dive into some nostalgic shooter action.
You can also take a look at our picks for the best classic games you can still play in 2024, as well as our recommendations for the best retro games out there right now.
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