As new gameplay trends emerge and old ones are revisited, it’s interesting to see the ebb and flow of which genres are popular and how long they stay that way. Turn-based RPGs are popular right now in their many forms and subgenres, for instance, bolstered further by Star Wars Zero Company’s release, and Steam users only have two weeks left to claim a “Mostly Positive,” free-to-play turn-based fantasy RPG before it’s delisted.
Over on its Steam store page, Stones Keeper: King Aurelius is a free prologue to the main, paid game, Stones Keeper. It’s a turn-based strategy RPG that immerses players in medieval fantasy, and, while it isn’t a deck-builder, the art style, animations, and isometric perspective in Stones Keeper: King Aurelius will be adored by anyone who is fond of Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales’ own RPG gameplay.
Stones Keeper: King Aurelius is free to play and claim on Steam, but only until September 14, when it will be taken off of the storefront. So, fans who wish to try it out have until then to do so, and can continue to play it from their Steam libraries thereafter. But even if you don’t find yourself fully in love with Stones Keeper: King Aurelius, there’s arguably no better time to learn about the franchise, as the developer that made the game is more or less unhappy with it, too.
Fortunately, the reason for Stones Keeper: King Aurelius being delisted from Steam is actually positive. Indeed, the studio has chosen to discard this version of the game, as it “no longer meets the quality standards” it has for the series.
In its place, the studio is releasing Stones Keeper: Director’s Cut, which should be demonstrative of everything that has been “significantly reworked” in the series since. And, if you enjoy Stones Keeper: King Aurelius or Stones Keeper’s new-and-improved director’s cut—scheduled to be swapping places with Stones Keeper: King Aurelius on September 14—you can also try out a free demo for Stones Keeper II: Chaos Lord, coming soon to Steam.
Brand
Valve
Original Release Date
September 12, 2003
Developed by Valve and released in 2003, Steam is a popular video game distribution service originally used by the company to provide updates for Valve games. In 2005, Steam expanded to distribute third-party titles. Steam users can not only browse games for purchase, but they can also post reviews and upload self-made content.