☆ Review: Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star - "Exposition & Supposition" ☆

Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star - PC

Originally released on PS4 and PS Vita last year, it’s time for The Umbral Star video game to hit PC (alongside Switch). Fate is a fantasy universe that encompasses manga comics, anime TV series, visual novels, prequel novels, and various home console and arcade games. An epic brawler in the tradition of Dynasty Warriors, this latest incarnation is a bright, enjoyable action RPG let down by poor storytelling, minor presentation issues, and some grinding gameplay.

☆ This Mario Kart VR Looks Awesome! ☆

You gotta check this Mario Kart VR out. 

This is one VR Project that has got me salivating.

☆ DOOM NOOB EPISODE 10 "LOST" ☆

"Being LOST in living hell can never be fun right? Plus I have got a tram to catch and an iPad to find! Tune into my DOOM NOOB Adventures to see how I get on in 
Episode 10..!"

☆Chess Ultra - Ten Minute Taster ☆

"Come and relax as I play my through a quick game of Chess Ultra...."

☆ Retro Review: Incredible Crash Dummies "You could learn a lot from a dummy" ☆ #Retrogaming

This is one of those video games that I remember seeing at Blockbuster as a kid for rental. I never tried it then, but the subject matter alone left enough of an impression that I remembered it years later and wondered: how did that get a game?

Sure, that’s a thought I have often, but this one stood out for some reason. For many, this will strike some memories of the old PSAs (public service announcements) that proclaimed,

“You could learn a lot from a dummy. Buckle your safety belt.”

☆ Imraan On Instagram - His Video Games Story ☆

On 28th May 2017 I reached 1000 followers on Instagram.

I was shocked by this as I thought that this would not happen. So I would like to thank the followers for their help and support.

To mark this achievement I would like to tell my story for how I got into Instagram.

☆ Review: Death Squared "The Cubes Will Die!" ☆

Death Squared - Nintendo Switch
Death Squared is not an exclusive Switch title, having already been released for PC and its more powerful console rivals earlier this year.

Yet much like the Switch launch title SnipperClips, in an ideal world, it would be the type of game that Nintendo 's portable/home console hybrid system is renowned for by the end of its lifespan.

☆Review: Caromble! "Aye Caromble!"☆

Caromble! - PC

Caromble is the first video game from Crimson Owl Studios, at its heart it’s a modernised version of the classic block-busting bonanza ‘Breakout’, but packed with features and a very cool style that sets it apart from the crowd.

☆ A Brief History of Videogames - Part 5 "The 7th Gen" ☆ #Retrogaming

This is a cool series on YouTube from our very own Britt who looks to deliver a straight forward and informative discussion about the history of video games, from Spacewar to Star Citizen.

☆ The Video Game Arcades Of The People "Chip Shops, Video Shops , Newsagents & Taxi Ranks" ☆ #Arcade #Retrogaming

If like me you only ever went to the seaside once a year then your experiences of a true video game arcade were limited to these holiday visits. Those arcade visits are the ones that shaped the way I feel about arcade video games to this very day.

The thing is the unsung heroes of the arcade world for the other 52 weeks of the year were the arcade cabinet pioneers on our local high streets. 

These local shops who would have one or two arcade cabinets on their premises so we could get our fix of Street Fighter II, Altered Beast, Golden Axe and Bad Dudes even if we lived nowhere near Southend On Sea.

☆ Review: Bouncy Hoops "Feel The Rush Of A Buzzer Beater!" ☆

I don’t usually do reviews for mobile video games but this one has got me hooked and it is done so well that I feel that I need to talk about it.

☆ Review: XField Paintball 3 "Unfinished Business" ☆

Often when I’m given a code for a video game to review I begin by researching the title before I download and play anything, especially if it is something I’ve never heard of.

XField Paintball 3 was a bit of a mouthful for sure and I had to pause and wonder if I had ever played a paintball video game before that wasn’t that one mode in Goldeneye 007, but pulling up the website I saw something that looked quite sleek and had a trailer featuring music that got me really pumped to shoot at people and probably be eliminated a lot.

☆ Review: Hell Warders "Welcome To Hell......Warders" ☆

Hell warders - PC

Welcome to Hell....Warders, a basic tower defence game with decent graphics and not so decent gameplay. Hell Warders is in very early alpha so I hope that a lot of the issues with the game will be cleared up shortly, as of now, it's just not anything special. 

☆ The Ataribox Looks Rather Sexy....Here's What We Know... ☆ #Retrogaming #AtariBox

So Atari is slowly teasing us with a drip feed of info on the upcoming Atari Box hardware release.

This time they have revealed what the box looks like and what it is (sort of)

Let's take a look at the facts, shall we?

☆ Ben Steele's Video Games Memories "Karnov & That Damn Duck Hunt Dog!" ☆

When I find myself with uninterrupted time to play video games I always find myself returning to my old classics, games I’ve played hundreds of times even when I have new games not even opened from their wrapping waiting to be played on the latest consoles.

Although I do love new games they just don’t excite me like the old ones.

Is it an age thing?

Is it the memories the games release hidden in the depths of my subconscious or are they just better more enjoyable games?

☆ A Brief History of Videogames - Part 4 "SONY Playstation" ☆ #Retrogaming

This is a cool series on YouTube from our very own Britt who looks to deliver a straight forward and informative discussion about the history of video games, from Spacewar to Star Citizen.

☆ Pixelate & Assassinate ☆ #GameDev

After close to a year of video game development “Pixel Assassin” was launched for mobile devices on June 27th.

It's available for free worldwide on Google Play and the App Store.

☆ Thimbleweed Park Gets Its Very Own Retro Hint Line ☆

The awesome Thimbleweed Park game has received a few new updates and the most significant one for me is the inclusion of a hint system.

The cool thing about this hint system is the fact that it's a proper old school in game hint line!

Read an excerpt of Ron Gilbert's blog post to get a taste for what the Thimblweeders wanted to achieve with this latest inclusion....

☆ That Elusive SNES Mini Has A Massive Amount Of Awesome Games! ☆ #Retrogaming

It's real......

It's happening.....

It's probably already SOLD OUT!

BUT Let's salivate over the video games that will be packaged into this SNES MINI MARVEL!

☆ Get Your Arse To Blackpool For Retrogaming Heaven! ☆ #Retrogaming

PLAY EXPO BLACKPOOL 2017

It's back for its sixth year and did you know it's the UK's longest running retro expo?

The PLAY team have somehow managed to cram in more than ever before so let's take a look at what is in store for you this year...

☆ Book Of The Week: NEOGEO: A VISUAL HISTORY ☆ #Retrogaming

Those awesome chaps at BITMAP BOOKS have sent us some new details on the 

NEO GEO VISUAL HISTORY book that I think will make you want to own this tome opus even more!

☆ MidBoss - Ten Minute Taster Mini Review☆

MidBoss - PC

Midboss is an Indie Turn-Based Point-and-Click Adventure game developed and

published by Kitsune Games for PC on May 25^th, 2017.

☆ A Brief History of Videogames - Part 3 "The Console Wars" ☆ #Retrogaming

A straightforward and informative discussion about the history of video games, from Spacewar to Star Citizen.

☆ Review: First Strike: Final Hour "Prepare to Prepare to Fail" ☆ #GameDev

First Strike: Final Hour - PC

What’s that old saying, “If you fail to prepare then prepare to fail”. Well, this does not apply to newcomers to this strategy video game. I prepared for ages, I prepared so much that I was completely unprepared. Perhaps they should rename the game to prepare to prepare to fail. That’s enough of that word, for now, I’ll dig the thesaurus out to find any other way of describing my unpreparedness (that’s the last time honest).

☆ Review: Missile Cards "Hear That Hydraulic CLUNK" ☆ #GameDev

Missile Cards - PC

Missile Cards is a card-based take on the 80’s ‘Missile Command’ formula, it works but perhaps this particular formula is better-suited to mobile gaming (whilst writing this review I discovered that the game is due to be released on mobile devices ASAP, which is where I feel it will find it’s market)

I must say that I found the tutorial completely baffling and panicked somewhat upon starting my first game but it’s turn-based style only took a few minutes of gameplay to figure out and within moments I was hips deep in the unforgiving Missile Card world.

☆ SEGA Forever Launches With 5 Free SEGA Classics! ☆

SEGA's Very own retro video games service has arrived and it could turn out to be a special place for us retro gamers to visit.

SEGA Forever is looking to launch 'new' retro games every couple of weeks to mobile devices and tablets and starts the ball rolling with 5 SEGA classics which are available to download for FREE on the App Store and Google Play.

Let's Take A Closer Look Shall We...?

☆ Review: H1Z1: King of the Kill "Seize Your Moment Of Glory!" ☆

H1Z1: King Of The Hill - PC

I've spent the last few days getting immersed in the video game world of H1Z1. 

A basic battle royale style shooter involving You, You and a Teammate, or You and four teammates, versus 150 plus players with everyone looking to achieve one goal. 

Be the last man standing.

☆ DOOM NOOB EPISODE 9 "Arcade Fire" ☆

"Take a look as I Tinder, DOOM Style as I take on Arcade Mode"

☆ Review: Geneshift "Bring A Rover 800 and a wheelbarrow full of bullets!" ☆

Geneshift - PC

Geneshift is a top-down shooter video game made by Nik Nak Studios (Ben Johnson). 

This is another case of a top quality game being released by one man and the fact that the game has such strong, rounded single player and multiplayer modes is a testament to his skill as a developer. 

Geneshift is a game that has taken eight years for Ben to complete and was definitely worth the wait.

☆ A Brief History of Video Games Part 2 "The Crash" ☆ #Retrogaming

This is a cool series on YouTube from our very own Britt who looks to deliver a straight forward and informative discussion about the history of video games, from Spacewar to Star Citizen.

☆ Retro Review: Crash Bandicoot: Warped ☆

Everyone else is doing it with the N. Sane Trilogy coming out, so it’s time to jump on the train and review a PlayStation classic video game featuring their box-smashing mascot.

☆ DOOM NOOB EPISODE 8 "Welcome To The Hotel Hell!" ☆

"Welcome to the Hotel Hell and say hello to Big Bad Barry the Bellboy!"