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
![United Penguin Kingdom](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/trJrmLswvD3CwHGfUE46CL-320-80.jpg)
Obviously there should be a city-builder about penguins, so try the demo for this one
By Jonathan Bolding published
News I had no idea penguin technology was so advanced.
![Tapestry-styled image of medieval strategy videogame rising lords](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Gs8sBQWmoFPJao4srWw2BW-320-80.jpg)
Curious little turn-based medieval strategy game Rising Lords musters for a January release
By Jonathan Bolding published
News The hex-based strategy draws from board and card games.
![Small 8-bit pixel art creatures smash into a rock.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2oiq4uhVH6mVhieQpg6Cym-320-80.jpg)
My new favorite idler is about these little guys who hit their heads against a rock
By Jonathan Bolding published
News They are called Gnorps and I would die for them.
![Escape From Tarkov's Ground Zero urban downtown area](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hHtSxfs9fC4PLWjXoqhDY-320-80.png)
Escape From Tarkov adds Ground Zero, a dense urban area
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Here's trailer and patch notes for the 0.14 update.
![A tiny pixel man fights a dragon in Tiny Rogues.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/94XucqFFGgjasWdJrbn27M-320-80.jpg)
Tiny Rogues feels like someone stuffed Brotato and Binding of Isaac into a fantasy shell
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Like a delicious, cheesy baked pasta shell, to be clear.
![Key art of an orbital battle scene from Dyson Sphere Program](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FYzYCZyqrpgxzSv5yiTfua-320-80.jpg)
Dyson Sphere Program's Dark Fog are here to blow up your space factories
By Jonathan Bolding published
Or you can build defenses and not get blown up. That's fine too.
![Abiotic factor gameplay showing hazmat suited scientists and assorted gizmos in purple environment](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2BdK48v4hpDb2frZzHUhpm-320-80.jpg)
I urge you to playtest Abiotic Factor, a survival game about scientists trapped in a vast underground black site
By Jonathan Bolding published
news Isaac Kleiner, eat your heart out.
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/niZpJPFUgHRBWpBDCjLd8H-320-80.jpg)
Last Train Home review: A rich experiment in history-as-game
By Jonathan Bolding published
Rail shooter Historical storytelling in a survival RTS set during the Russian Civil War.
![Picayune Dreams gameplay showing high level chaotic gameplay](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uT2bd4tGqtTCzmZMESNeQ9-320-80.jpg)
Here's one for people who like Vampire Survivors, bullet hell, and when games go all meta and screw with you
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Picayune Dreams alternates between horde survival and bullet hellish boss fights.
![Four train engineers stand near a boxcar talking from videogame Railroader](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/V83ZSU56fhuK7Yjk22TvcF-320-80.jpg)
Train people are dang pleased with this line operations sim because it's not too hardcore, nor too simple
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Railroader is swig of truck simulator, a dash of a proper train sim, and a sprinkling of co-op.
![An illustrated pale man with white hair in anime style speaks to the viewer, saying "mortal you are dismissed."](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aKoeHPy557WH6gtp8EFafW-320-80.jpg)
People are exceptionally thirsty about this free game where you flirt with the grim reaper on text chat
By Jonathan Bolding published
News A Date with Death is pretty much about flirting via Discord.
![Against the Storm](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Z6mS9DHHc3oDtg5r3S3Y8d-320-80.jpg)
Superb survival city-builder Against the Storm is finally finished and released
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Yes it has only been two years, yes I was impatient, next question please.
![Space explorers looking out over a planet in No Man's Sky.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8TcmiGGaddHKziH6fG84gJ-320-80.jpg)
No Man's Sky will rerun all this year's time-limited events in December
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Also, one of the first ones from back in 2021, which is nice.
![Lightyear Frontier](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cZhyRvmp6b3cswCMBpeDri-320-80.jpg)
That game where you farm with your mech finally has a release date
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Lightyear Frontier does have a less nebulous release date—early access, mind you.
![Cute pixel art from bullet hell metroidvania game Tevi](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KiyThayPBbbCgQwTYSAkNX-320-80.png)
Put on your bunny ears and go to bullet hell in indie metroidvania Tevi
By Jonathan Bolding published
News A spiritual sequel to 2016 cult hit Rabi-Ribi.
![Furi Demake](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gmtWDaBhmpjK5pPXLwkQiF-320-80.jpg)
Furi's creators dropped a free demake of the first boss fight as a thanks to fans
By Jonathan Bolding published
News A throwback freebie that feels like a bit of time travel.
![A warrior fights skeletons in the underworld in crisp pixel art style from game Death Must Die](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Sd6SacLrKVzV69a97bUdNk-320-80.jpg)
This indie fuses the structure of Hades with the horde smashing action of Vampire Survivors
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Death Must Die has you invade the underworld over and over, getting stronger each time.
![A Qi Fruit from Stardew Valley](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Her5pX52UnfMT7xoGfzegf-320-80.png)
Stardew Valley 1.6 is still chugging along, says creator, after a month of "self-imposed" crunch
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Plus, a teaser for a new thing.
![Frog fights insects with rolling dice in cute pixel art in Die in the Dungeon](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CeTQoSHjzycBehhXVZ5wwT-320-80.jpg)
Be a frog, kill bugs, collect cool dice in the demo for dicebuilding roguelike Die in the Dungeon
By Jonathan Bolding published
News Roll fast, eat bugs.
![Isometric shooter Gatekeeper](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UbZR6QoHHy4Fqo9BmHzbvY-320-80.jpg)
Gatekeeper is like an isometric Risk of Rain 2, so go ahead and try the free prologue
By Jonathan Bolding published
News It's fun, it's cooperative, you can try it for free. What more do you want?
![Image form sci-fi roguelike deckbuilder Cobalt Core of two spaceships facing off against each other](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QNprsx6GvRGgRE962PKoXh-320-80.jpg)
Deckbuilder fans owe themselves some time with the brilliant Cobalt Core
By Jonathan Bolding published
News A cute art style belies a rich, interesting deckbuilding experience.
![Furious Farm Total Reap Out](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eVK6iFYjrwqS6jYKkQ55Pm-320-80.jpg)
Behold, the world's first combine harvester combat racing game
By Jonathan Bolding published
The race is to reap the most grain.
![Image from martial arts RPG Hero's Adventure Road to Passion](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dqv2Y6dUNgrjJvRx58RexE-320-80.jpg)
Check out this open world martial arts tactical RPG with dozens of story paths
By Jonathan Bolding published
News These Chinese martial world games just keep getting better.