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Gaming has a problem with memory. Too many games disappear entirely, with hardware becoming obsolete, games being removed from stores, or being shut down. It means we live in a constant ‘now’, unable to look back on history properly, never truly learning from the past. Thankfully, some games facing closure are fighting that, with indie ARPG Wayfinder returning to ensure it can continue to be played.
It’s all too common for online games to simply wink out of existence when they reach the end of their lifespan, especially in this modern age of games-as-service. Wayfinder, an online action RPG, looked set to suffer the same fate. When Digital Extremes shut down the part of its business which published games, the rights to the game reverted to the developer, Airship Syndicate. Still in early access, things looked gloomy as the online-only model proved unfeasible for an indie developer.
Wayfinder was subsequently delisted from Steam while the developer worked on it, now returning in a brand new form with the Echoes update. There’s plenty to celebrate with this 0.5 patch, mostly because the game is now fully playable in offline mode with no online requirement, though a three player co-op mode has been implemented. In addition, associated microtransactions have been removed, meaning there’s only one transaction in order to play; buying the game.
Of course there’s a few rough edges, which you might expect because this kind of transition rarely happens. The main drawback will affect existing Wayfinder players, as all player data has been deleted meaning you’ll have to start from scratch. This is due to how saves were stored, with them now moving from a server to your local PC.
There’s also plenty of changes outside of these, with huge gameplay updates and refinements aiming to make the game feel better to play than in its prior incarnation. There’s a new Wayfinder, voice lines, backstories, weapons, a revamped armor system, and much more.
The Wayfinder Echoes update is out now, you can also pick up the game once again with 10% off until Tuesday June 25. Head over to the Steam announcement to get the full lowdown and to check out the game for yourself.
You can also take a look at our guide to the best fantasy games you can play, as well as our best multiplayer game picks.
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