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
![Immortal Life](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ioJ84fqRDrGzschECfPJaC-320-80.jpg)
Here's a farm life game but it's about a sect of Chinese fantasy martial artists
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Use your incredibly potent chi to harvest grain really, really well.
![A river is slowly tainted with polluted red water in city building game Timberborn](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KRbFYoJdLWhBmNYyR9wPML-320-80.png)
Everyone's favorite post-apocalypse beaver city builder now has horrible, polluted water
By Jonathan Bolding published
News A huge Timberborn update adds poisonous badwater and a ton of new tech to deal with it.
![A white sheep-like thing sits in front of a giant robot which is identical to it while watching a sunset, in pixel art style, from Mobile Suit Baba.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/drip3dv8jCo6CuvMRs4mS8-320-80.png)
The latest Baba Is You spinoff injects it with Into the Breach to create Mobile Suit Baba
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Baba, get in the robot.
![Concept art of a gigantoraptor from Ark: Survival Ascended](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wczwRGkR5q2jD5vjPTVTxa-320-80.jpg)
Ark: Survival Ascended gets powerful mod tools this month, expansion maps in February and April
By Jonathan Bolding published
News "Imagine it: crafting not just ARK mods, but entire custom Unreal Engine games."
![An advanced city in dieselpunk city builder New Cycle](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UGcyiFZVT8iUZ3GqjvGoKD-320-80.jpg)
Diesel-powered city builder New Cycle invites you to rekindle hope after a solar flare wrecks the world
By Jonathan Bolding published
News The post-solar-flare city builder will have a focus on industrial society, including trains and conveyor assemblies.
![An army of pixel sprites marches to battle on 3D terrain in Dominions 6: Rise of the Pantokrator](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mA7tgkX227JZXRGhB8ZSSA-320-80.jpg)
Niche strategy sickos rejoice, Dominions 6 will let you cook up bizarre gods shortly
By Jonathan Bolding published
News The long-running contest to be the god of gods gets its latest entry on January 18.
![Preview image of American Truck Simulator: Missouri](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Zxpe4gToETk9gLXtv3Y4gN-320-80.jpg)
After Nebraska and Arkansas, American Truck Simulator is going to show me Missouri
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Gateway Arch? Check. Mississippi river? Check. Trucks? Probably.
![A frog jumping gleefully through the air in cartoon style. It is leaping toward a giant beetle and giant fly. There is a field of grain and a barn in the background. From the videogame Pesticide Not Required.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KomKK7FTkxceG8A4s9Ud5W-320-80.png)
Turns out that farming is a pretty compelling addition to the horde survival roguelite formula
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Try the demo for Pesticide Not Required, which is a bit like Vampire Survivors smashed into Atomicrops.
![Ultros himsa ahimsa](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/T9gNh7QihG6ZEmQxTcAXcF-320-80.png)
A new trailer for this psychedelic metroidvania confirms that cosmic womb gardening is very good videogame subject matter
By Jonathan Bolding published
News The psychedelic world of a plant-bound cosmic uterus that will give birth to an annihilating demon
![New bulk inserter for Factorio 2.0](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8LQjCB2Jqjjr2TzNmw8oKk-320-80.png)
Factorio 2.0 will let items on conveyor belts stack, something long thought impossible
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Seriously, they said it couldn't be done for a decade.
![Factory Town Idle](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/N53kRV3X5BYjM7RADbdyAe-320-80.jpg)
Spinoff of cute little Factory Town turns it into a sprawling spreadsheet exercise
By Jonathan Bolding published
News It's called Factory Town Idle, but there's always something to do.
![Sand Land](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MBUjR42BpRYxpWrWtfzSsT-320-80.jpg)
Drive little tanks and mechs in Sand Land, based on a world by the Dragon Ball creator
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Akira Toriyama's famously cute cars, tanks, and planes come to life.
![A female Viera with grey hair, wearing a white off-the-shoulder top throws her hand up in the air as she pulls a face of annoyance.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iBLfZmqcVGN4kJxfpDQkSD-320-80.png)
FF14 director says there's no firm release date for new expansion because he wants to avoid another Endwalker-style delay
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Naoki Yoshida had to delay a release once, and that was too many times for him.
![Final Fantasy 14 dawntrail trailer chinchilla](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JPhztJCeWADnv2yWsVRfZ3-320-80.png)
Here's the full trailer for FF14 Dawntrail, including an adorable chinchilla
By Jonathan Bolding published
News It's coming in summer 2024.
![Pictomancer from final fantasy 14](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qfc95VswpkzopGFm4FK4GZ-320-80.png)
Paint wizards and female catfolk are coming in FF14 Dawntrail
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Plus, two dyes on one outfit.
![Tales of Seikyu](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sRaHX3kkQRyvQb5a8ytGEk-320-80.jpg)
Farming adventure Tales of Seikyu invites you to entertain monsters in your inn, and become one
By Jonathan Bolding published
News The cooperative farm game
![Image from Old World Wonders and Dynasties DLC depicting the Roman Colosseum](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CwRrGqDesL5WdhdnbhjdFd-320-80.jpg)
Excellent 4X strategy game Old World drops its fourth DLC, adding a boatload of historical figures and wonders
By Jonathan Bolding published
News 120 new historical figures is a lot. A whole lot.
![Counter-Strike 2 header image](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xz2HxeuCGUzmZKoWCdp8JV-320-80.jpg)
Steam's Best of 2023 highlights top sellers, most played—apparently Steam Deck players really like Half-Life
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Seriously, Half-Life in the same tier as Baldur's Gate 3, Dave the Diver, and Vampire Survivors.
![Road to Vostok in-development screenshot of a first person view, bolt action rifle, staring down a muddy road.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mt3vGUSEqrmBibBLfiena9-320-80.png)
Hardcore survival shooter Road to Vostok is looking really good after switching engines from Unity to Godot
By Jonathan Bolding published
News The single player, post-apocalyptic survival game has gotten a lot of buzz.
![Into the Necrovale](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YgFaRreUfTcv5RumLtrSGk-320-80.jpg)
Delve a hopeless dungeon and die of despair in indie action RPG Into the Necrovale
By Jonathan Bolding published
News It has a nice little demo.
![Detailed pixel-art screenshot from Skald: Against the Black Priory](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yG9KutDBnkC2iGKZ7AV2g9-320-80.jpg)
Grim fantasy retro-RPG Skald: Against the Black Priory has a new demo ahead of a spring 2024 release
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Prepare to kill a truly remarkable number of fishmen in pursuit of their horrible masters.
![Skul the Hero Slayer 2M copies sold announcement graphic](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UrBKYweyEFarMt9qixMVsG-320-80.png)
Action roguelike Skul: The Hero Slayer has sold more than 2M copies
By Jonathan Bolding published
News The side-scroller's on sale, 50% off, for a while longer.
![In-development screenshot of game Psycho Patrol R. It is a low-poly, low-fidelity graphical style with deliberately clashing colors and interface elements.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R5aF3zZEoRNTht73aiEgq4-320-80.jpg)
Buckle up, the developer of Cruelty Squad is making a game about thoughtcrime cops with mechs
By Jonathan Bolding published
News It's an "FPS/mecha hybrid europolice sim."