Weekly Notes (Sep 15 – 21): From Zombie Parkour to Brewery Management

Niklas Borglund

Author

2025-09-23

Dying Light: The Beast dominated headlines with Kyle Crane's return this week. And the sheer volume of games leaving Early Access suggests developers racing to hit Q3 targets before the holiday season.

From Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor to brewery management sims, it's been a packed week!

Let's dive in and see what was released.

Dying Light: The Beast by Techland

Largest audiences: ~42% English, ~20% Chinese (Simplified), ~11% Russian

The heavy hitter this week is the new Dying Light game. Set in the zombie infested world where you play as Kyle Crane, where you want revenge after being experimented on and transformed into half man, half beast.

The fans seem generally positive. They love the parkour mechanics, fluid combat and feel like this game captures the essence of the first Dying Light more than Dying Light 2 did.

But it's not without its problems. The biggest criticism is bugs and glitches, with lots of players reporting crashes and performance issues that can break immersion.

No, I'm not a Human by Trioskaz

Largest audiences: ~36% English, ~32% Russian, ~8% Chinese (Simplified)

A first-person psychological horror simulation where players navigate a post-apocalyptic world, interrogating guests and making decisions about whom to trust or eliminate.

Players praise the unique concept, immersive atmosphere, and engaging mechanics that create a lot of tension.

However, the saving system frustrates many players. It seems like you have to have an item to be able to save that is quite rare. Also, repetitive gameplay after multiple playthroughs becomes an issue, while the lack of depth in choices makes them feel shallow.

Personally, I like the look of it. I'm a sucker for game's with lots mood & atmosphere, and this one seems like it ticks that box.

skate. by Full Circle

Largest audiences: ~76% English, ~7% Portuguese (Brazil)

EA's newest installment in the skate-series enters Early Access with online multiplayer focus.

It's free-to-play, and some players appreciate that along with the potential for future improvements. The nostalgia factor draws in longtime fans hoping to recapture the magic of previous titles.

However, issues dominate the conversation. Technical problems including persistent bugs and crashes frustrate players. The lack of offline mode limits accessibility, while microtransactions feel intrusive to the core gameplay.

Many feel their community feedback has been ignored, and it's always difficult to try and top the expectations of a beloved franchise.

Since it's released in Early Access, I guess this game will be updated and patched to try and meet those.

Megabonk by vedinad

Largest audiences: ~79% English

A roguelike survival game where players fend off hordes of enemies, this time in rather unique third person setting - and the players love it.

Players love the unique gameplay mechanics, addictive nature, and humorous atmosphere. With good difficulty balance and high replay value, it keeps players coming back.

Minor criticisms include some balance issues with scaling, grindiness that can detract from enjoyment, not enough meta progression systems, and randomness in upgrades that can frustrate gameplay.

Jump Space by Keepsake Games

Largest audiences: ~73% English, ~7% Russian, ~5% German

Made in Stockholm by game industry veterans as Keepsake's first title. It's a mission-based co-op PvE game for up to 4 players where you manage a spaceship, switching between crewing the ship and exploring on foot while battling enemies.

Players love the cooperative gameplay that emphasizes teamwork and shared experiences. The fun factor keeps players engaged, with smooth gameplay mechanics for both ship and ground combat. Graphics receive praise for their immersive quality.

Critique is mainly one of performance issues and mission variety that will most likely be ironed out during early access.

As one of the main "winners" of the latest steam next fest and garnering over a million wishlists - this one is something to keep an eye on.

Town to City by Galaxy Grove

Largest audiences: ~70% English, ~10% German, ~5% Chinese (Simplified)

A cozy city builder that lets players create communities without any grid constraints. Players love the cozy atmosphere, relaxing gameplay, and extensive customization options. The charming graphics and engaging soundtrack enhance the experience, while intuitive controls make city building accessible and enjoyable.

Minor criticisms include performance issues with larger cities, micro-management concerns that can shift the game toward tedium, and limited map size that restricts late-game expansion.

⚔️ Early Access Graduates

• Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor - A single player survivor-like auto-shooter. Players love the addictiveness and the high quality of the meta progression system. They don't like the time pressure mechanics when having to rush to the drop pod, causing it to be overly stressful. The grindiness and lack of multiplayer is also pain points for some.
• Wobbly Life - A whimsical sandbox game. Players absolutely love the fun gameplay and that the game is both family friendly and content rich. It seems to be especially fun in multiplayer. Minor concerns are with controls and perceived grindiness at times.
• SUPER PEOPLE - A battle royale game. Players love the fun gameplay and the potential of the game. They dislike the state of the game at launch and are concerned about the low player base affecting matchmaking.
• RAM: Random Access Mayhem - A top-down roguelike shooter where you play as an AI that controls the world. Players love the innovative and fun mechanics as well as that the game rewards skill and strategic thinking in a good way. Some players thinks it lacks basic quality of life features, complaints about the limited content as well as frustrating controls.
• Lost Skies - A high-flying action-adventure game. Players love the grappling hook mechanics and like the exploration aspect of the game. However, It's compared unfavorably to its predecessor Worlds Adrift by some. Main criticism is bugs and stability issues.
• Monster Care Simulator - A creature collecting simulator with cute monsters. Players love the monster designs and the relaxing and fun gameplay. They appreciate the frequent updates from the developers. Players dislike minor bugs and glitches often found, issues with the worker AI and the repetitiveness after playing a while.
• Roman Triumph: Survival City Builder - A city builder with a Roman empire setting. Players like the engaging gameplay, fun factor and they can see the potential of the game long term. They dislike issues with bugs & performance and lack of content.
• Ale Abbey - Monastery Brewery Tycoon - A strategy simulation game where players manage a monastery brewery. Players love the charming atmosphere, fun gameplay loop and solid mechanics. They dislike the repetitive gameplay and the perceived lack of depth and variety.

Notable Mentions

Here are some games or DLCs that were on the top but didn't get its own section in the weekly notes.

Other Significant Releases

• Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter - (Party-Based RPG. JRPG. Adventure)
• Ratatan - (2D Platformer. Action Roguelike. Rhythm)
• Voyagers of Nera - (Action-Adventure. Open World Survival Craft. RPG)
• Easy Delivery Co. - (Automobile Sim. Interactive Fiction. Racing)
• Strange Antiquities - (Adventure. Casual. Detective)
• Arena Breakout: Infinite - (Extraction Shooter. MOBA. Tactical RPG)

Full List: Top Releases for September 15 - 21 (2025)

And that's it! Thank you for reading!

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