This week's INVEN Weekly Top ranking is topped by 'Palworld,' which officially launched on July 10. Although it was omitted from last week's popularity poll, we have included it due to high demand and its status as the hottest game currently on Steam. After surpassing 850k concurrent players on its launch day, it has recently climbed past 960,000, proving that the term 'second golden age' is well-deserved.
With 'Palworld' taking the top spot, the games from last week's rankings have each shifted down one position. 'Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced' took second place, while Hound 13's 'Dragon Sword: Awakening,' backed by high pre-launch anticipation, debuted at third.
'Blind Three Kingdoms' by FloTrick has been selected as this week's hot new release. One of the charms of the Three Kingdoms era is the thrill of recruiting talent. From legendary generals like Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to strategists like Sima Yi, Zhuge Liang, and Zhou Yu, the challenge of deciding whom to recruit is a joy in itself. 'Blind Three Kingdoms' focuses on exactly this. With real names hidden, players must deduce identities using clues such as stats, loyalty, achievements, faction ties, and combat records. Despite being in Early Access, its unique concept is generating a quiet buzz among Three Kingdoms fans.
Notable New Releases, Events, and Updates
Last week saw the release of action roguelike 'Ascend to Zero' from KRAFTON subsidiary Flyway Games, and the strategy-deduction hybrid 'Blind Three Kingdoms.' In gaming events, the 'Goddess of Victory: Nikke' Band Live Concert was held over the weekend, showcasing the intense passion of attendees that matched the summer heat.
The 4.4 update for 'Honkai: Star Rail,' long-awaited by fans, has also arrived. Featuring the release of the alternate version Himeko Nova—which had generated buzz even before the update—and the showdown with Asat Pramad, the update has been praised as well worth the wait. Additionally, the 3rd-anniversary 'Itasha' car award ceremony was held on the 17th; the event drew attention when it was revealed that the winner of the global event was a Korean user.
The team-based PVP title 'Alkeron' is currently holding its CBT from the 16th to the 27th. This test focuses on the new core content, 'Spires.' While the existing competitive mode, 'Ascension,' follows a traditional style of exploring large maps to farm equipment and compete, 'Spires' streamlines the exploration process to focus on combat. The CBT is open to anyone who applies via Steam, and participants will receive three limited rewards: a unique skin, a rare banner background, and a banner title.
This Week's ISSUE: A Fresh Start on Steam! 'Dragon Sword: Awakening'
The open-world action RPG 'Dragon Sword: Awakening,' developed by Hound 13, is officially launching on Steam. It is a self-published reconstruction of the original live-service 'Dragon Sword' into a single-player package. The biggest difference is the business model: unlike the character-gacha-based 'Dragon Sword,' 'Dragon Sword: Awakening' has shifted to a paid package model, where all characters can be acquired solely through in-game play. The game also differentiates itself from its predecessor by remodeling certain characters like Lute and Seris and adding new content.
Team Tetrapod's new entry in the psychic deduction adventure 'Stepper' series, 'Stepper Retro,' officially launches on the 23rd. While inheriting the thrilling deduction and solid storytelling of its predecessor, 'Stepper Case,' it introduces new 'Retro' and 'Re-story' systems to provide a fresh experience.
The new 'Splatoon' series title, 'Splatoon Raiders,' also launches on the same day. As the first spin-off in the series, it is specialized for single-player gameplay, unlike the team-based competitive focus of previous entries. Players wake up on a mysterious island and must join forces with fellow castaways to defeat salmonids and survive. Since multiplayer is also cooperative rather than competitive, it is a great title to enjoy with friends online or via local communication.
'Dino Blade,' one of the most talked-about titles from the last Steam Next Fest, officially launches on the 24th. It captured global attention with its bold concept of combining dinosaurs with Soulslike gameplay. The interest has persisted because the game is not just a gimmick, but has been evaluated as having solid gameplay. As a result, it recently surpassed 500k Steam wishlists.
Last Week's Metacritic Scores?
Last week, the Metacritic score for 'Palworld' was finally revealed. Following its peak of 2.1 million concurrent players on Steam shortly after Early Access, it maintains 960k players 10 days after its official launch. With reviews oscillating between 'Very Positive' and 'Overwhelmingly Positive' on Steam, the Metacritic score was highly anticipated. Based on six critic reviews, it currently holds a 86. The game is particularly praised for its consistent updates and the organic integration of survival crafting and monster collection systems.
'Densha Attack!,' developed by Undercoders and published by Firestoke, is a game packed with B-movie charm. The player controls a train (densha in Japanese). While one might expect a train simulation, the resemblance ends at the visuals; the actual controls are closer to a skateboard. You don't just race along tracks with acrobatic stunts; you even perform drifts around corners. It is currently receiving significant attention on Steam with an 'Overwhelmingly Positive' rating and a 86 on Metacritic.
'Moss: The Forgotten Relic' is a reinterpretation of the existing series, including the VR titles 'Moss' and 'Moss: Book II.' Serving as a compilation of the series with enhanced graphics, camera improvements, and quality-of-life features like combat skipping, it can be considered a definitive edition. It currently holds a 95% recommendation rate on Steam and a 80 on Metacritic.
The puzzle adventure 'Detopia' recorded a 73. While its intriguing concept and atmosphere—questioning whether a designed paradise can truly be called a paradise—were praised, it also faced significant criticism. In particular, the simple art style and slow tempo hindered the heavy narrative, leading to complaints that the game is boring.
New Game Popularity Poll
This week's poll covers games released or scheduled for release between June 20 and August 20. Consequently, titles such as 'Dave the Diver: In the Jungle,' 'Sol: Enchantment,' and 'Adventurer Elliot's Thousand Year Tale' have been removed from the voting list, while games like 'Palworld' and 'Steins;Gate Reboot' have been added.
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