Jonathan Bolding
Jon Bolding is a games writer and critic with an extensive background in strategy games. When he's not on his PC, he can be found playing every tabletop game under the sun.
Latest articles by Jonathan Bolding
![A walking four-legged tree trunk carries a fortress on its back in videogame Ark of Charon.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Hsu4jqCgmfa9xpxXaoGbaC-320-80.jpg)
Build a mobile fortress on the back of a walking tree in colony survival game Ark of Charon
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Four-legged world tree sapling monster. Why not?
![Path of Achra](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5Ht8FfWJ6x3XLRGvTNxJtT-320-80.jpg)
Path of Achra is a bite-size, old-school, dungeon-crawling dark fantasy treat
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Simple controls combine with broken builds in this roguelike RPG.
![Secrets of Grindea](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jPpthWhkjHVn85fbL2QDv7-320-80.jpg)
Old school co-op action RPG Secrets of Grindea releases after a decade of early access
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Sometimes an indie game just takes 13 years to make.
![Spiritfall](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SJaD4cApmSHb6vXHHU8AbU-320-80.jpg)
Spiritfall is an action roguelite with the combat of a platform fighter
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Some fans describe it as Hades with Super Smash Bros combat.
![Dicefolk](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yWTvSU6rqtCXrGo9AaorKA-320-80.jpg)
Collect a stable of weird monsters, and dice, in roguelike Dicefolk
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Recruit and train a team of mythical beasties.
![PulL Stay](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ntQyLD7KVyA5Sb3pDmQBUg-320-80.jpg)
Toothpaste turrets and deadly pillows keep people out of your house in this fusion of beat 'em up and tower defense
By Jonathan Bolding published
News You might remember Pull Stay from its very strange trailer a few years back.
![Nekokami](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SZvYG8pzVrwjkh8EN8UBs3-320-80.jpg)
Be a cat god in space and build planets by placing tiles in Nekokami
By Jonathan Bolding published
News There's a free demo to try now.
![Units leave a dropship in Archrebel Tactics](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ATH6wfYw2JsNSyThdNWvET-320-80.jpg)
Here's an indie tactics game inspired by X-Com, Rebelstar, and Laser Squad
By Jonathan Bolding published
Archrebel Tactics is calling on some of the biggest names in classic tactics for inspiration.
![Dwarf Fortress](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/icxqk22RzAfXtytygH8kXA-320-80.png)
Dwarf Fortress adventure mode preview shows off menu for grabbing enemies by their teeth
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Please never change, Dwarf Fortress.
![Image from RTS 9-Bit Armies: A Bit Too Far](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zEPwvhzoPHUgpjmzEuCsMe-320-80.jpg)
Here's a blocky voxel RTS from the studio that made the Command & Conquer remasters
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Petroglyph was the studio behind Star Wars: Empire at War, Universe at War, and Grey Goo.
![A proud citizen of Super Earth looking mightily confused, from Helldivers 2.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/54MEiamYTtwMj3ZkDEYmXB-320-80.png)
Etsy is already overrun with bootleg Helldivers 2 merch
By Jonathan Bolding published
News It's bad behavior that's bad for the gaming ecosystem.
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vaCwUSGLm7wavhNQdQ5DPi-320-80.png)
In true D&D fashion, you can bypass Baldur's Gate 3's most notorious dungeon with a single, simple spell
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Just politely Knock to be let in.
![civ 6](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MbuhG93ggr47MxxMAwTLXN-320-80.jpg)
Civilization 6 is free to try, 90% off to buy this weekend
By Jonathan Bolding published
News That's most of the percents off that something can be.
![Age of Mythology: Retold](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/a4vuaquR7PhuqaK9UNCAbB-320-80.jpg)
Age of Mythology: Retold's developers are going 'way beyond' the definitive editions for Age of Empires: 'We want to build the game in your head'
By Jonathan Bolding published
news Revamped graphics, changes to unit numbers and mythological powers are set to make Retold a huge update to the 2002 RTS.
![A tech-priest cleans a land raider tank in Power Wash Simulator: Warhammer 40,000](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AGeanuBQ9kdeT2NjRctkzC-320-80.png)
Please behold the glory of the PowerWash Simulator x Warhammer 40K DLC trailer, with release to follow this month
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Suds for the sud god.
![A colorfully dressed fantasy warrior from game Enotria: The Last Song](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ULZSc25Zuccdc5HrfhRTgD-320-80.jpg)
Here's a soulslike with the flashy, colorful outfits and neat folklore of renaissance Italy
By Jonathan Bolding published
News It's important to be well-dressed while a giant monster stomps you over and over.
![A still from please touch the artwork 2](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fn9uZ8zNgBXMMPL49zuXt8-320-80.jpg)
Free sequel Please, Touch the Artwork 2 is out today, inviting you to poke a pile of paintings for hidden things
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Help a skeletal painter find his way home.
![An alien spaceship hovering over a city in SimCity 4](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3k9daLfEMwtYD7DwhFjP8k-320-80.jpg)
SimCity 4 modders are cracking its deepest recesses in ever greater numbers, enabling extensive new changes
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Mods to the DLL files are revolutionizing the wildly popular old city builder.
![Gods Against Machines](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GDoYP6AFgt4YuCZiczjHqQ-320-80.jpg)
Be a fantasy god smashing an army of terraforming robots in Gods Against Machines
By Jonathan Bolding published
News It's an action RTS that plays like a modern roguelite.
![Screenshot of videogame Acid Planet. A horde of pixel art bugs attacks a ring of energy shields surrounding flamethrowing towers.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vPJhHX9GhJsZibfyGMBh4T-320-80.jpg)
Acid Planet looks like a cross of Vampire Survivors and They Are Billions
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Lure in those kaiju and hunt them like big game.
![A screenshot from deckbuilding game SpellRogue](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yGkGfRVMUZxfxMYRdctwsD-320-80.jpg)
SpellRogue is a dice-tossing take on the Slay the Spire format
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Toss dice to fuel your carefully constructed deck of cards.
![A promotional image of the Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern live play and stage show.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/G8WqDoTe7TPgj2TaP34oVh-320-80.png)
There's a proper, official Dungeons & Dragons live stage show now
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Something between a play and interactive theater.
![Helldivers 2](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CYmkcW2c9GxJdG8mi9Kyfa-320-80.png)
Helldivers 2 player counts more than double launch weekend, 300K and climbing, as the co-op shooter goes viral
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Sweet liberty, the success!