Endless Dungeon has a release date, and you can get Dungeon of the Endless for free
The next game in Amplitude's Endless series will be Endless Dungeon, a follow-up to 2014's Dungeon of the Endless, which is my equivocating way of saying it's not actually a sequel. Where that was a roguelike tactical RPG with a bit of tower defense thrown in, the new game seems more like a twin-stick shooter with a bit of tower defense thrown in. And it'll be available on Steam and the Epic Games Store from May 14.
The trailer makes it look like a cross between Overwatch and Hades, and I sure hope it plays like Hades. If you want to find out for yourself, you can get an early look at Endless Dungeon's in-development build until January 30, but only if you preorder the Last Wish digital edition. It also comes with bonuses including hero skins, badges, avatars, the soundtrack, artbook, and access to both a closed beta and then the full game 48 hours before its release.
The current OpenDev period Amplitude is calling "Final Rodeo" lets you play as four heroes in singleplayer or co-op multiplayer: Comrade (Gunsmith), Bunker (Tank), Blaze (Artificer), and Shroom (Medic). There are four districts open for play, a new boss called the Shelldiver, and a Saloon to hang out in between missions where you can modify your weapons and try drinks that have different effects. Sounds a bit like Deep Rock Galactic's Abyss Bar. Let's just hope it has a jukebox.
Rick Lane got to try a version of Endless Dungeon last year. He emphasized its difficulty, saying, "You must open doors to accrue resources, but every door you open potentially adds another enemy-spawning hive to the map. Consequently, the stakes ramp up quickly. Waves of enemies will trigger every few minutes, and if you haven't established a sturdy defence by the third or fourth wave, your crystal-bot is going to end up stardust. You can't rely on turtling around the crystal either. Eventually, you must order it to unlock the bulkhead that'll let you access the next area, meaning your defence needs to be consistently strong all along the crystal-bot's path."
Amplitude is continuing to support Endless Space 2 as well, and is currently working on a patch that will apparently "focus on the last DLC, Awakening, and some bug fixing and balance." It's also planning to publish a comic called Endless Space 2 Stories on March 7 through Titan Comics, which will collect the free Endless Space 2 webcomics in print form.
You can get a free copy of Dungeon of the Endless that activates on Steam by signing up for an account at Amplitude's community site, while stocks last. Scroll down on the rewards page to find some DLC and other freebies as well. Meanwhile, Endless Dungeon can be preordered on Steam and the Epic Games Store.