☆ The Games Freezer Ice Cool Awards 2017 ☆ #GameDev #IndieGames

The Votes Have Been Cast & The Results Are In!

The Inaugural Games Freezer Ice Cool Video Games Awards Of The Year Event is HERE!

We have 5 categories of award which have a varied range of winners to announce, from Indie to AAA game winners.

Review: Voxel Turf "An impressive mash-up of GTA & Minecraft that just spreads itself too thinly to be a must-have purchase"

Voxel Turf

Platform reviewed: PC (Steam)

Rating: Melting

Voxel Turf is a crossover of the modern Grand theft Auto video games and Minecraft.

A valiant attempt to meld two of the biggest franchises in gaming that falls frustratingly short of genuine greatness.

☆ Review: Dynasty Feud "frantic brawling action with a neat twist" ☆ #GameDev #IndieGame

Dynasty Feud
System reviewed: PC (Steam)
Rating: Ice Cool

Dynasty Feud is a four-player single-screen competitive brawler from Kaia Studios. 

A multiplayer-only title, it’s a great party game that will be staying on my hard drive for a long time to come.

☆ Here's 5 Awesome Video Games To Look For In 2018 ☆ #GamersUnite

So as we prepare to say a video games goodbye to 2017 it’s naturally time to look forward to 2018 and the video games that are going to be coming our way.

2017 has been considered one of the finest years in video games history with the release of the Nintendo Switch garnering us with two of the best games of recent history. Alongside that we had an Indie Gaming year of exceptional quality with some amazing games landing in the Games freezer!

So what’s coming our way next year in 2018?

Let’s dig into the deep freeze and see what potential treats we have in store for 2018…

☆ Sociable Soccer Has A New Patch, Watch Me Test Drive It ☆ #SociableSoccer

"I want Sociable Soccer to be so good it hurts! This new patch is looking promising. Join me as I play Sociable Soccer for the first time in a while as Early Access does it magic on Steam..."

☆ SWITCH TRIDENT PRO-S CONTROLLER "UNBOXING VIDEO" ☆ #NintendoSwitch

"The SWITCH TRIDENT PRO-S CONTROLLER from Game Devil is a cool 3rd Party controller for Nintendo Switch and gets an ICE COOL rating from the Games Freezer!"

Only £27 at Amazon!

Amazon Link

☆ My Christmas Video Games Memories ☆ #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

As Christmas draws nearer my mind always wanders back to when I was at school and constantly talking football and video games as the Christmas holiday came closer and closer.

My talk would always be of the video games or video game consoles or computers that I wanted from Santa that year.

It would vary from year to year and there always seemed to be something to get excited about in the world  of video games before Christmas.

☆ Review: Citadale: The Legends Trilogy "A Castlevania clone that does an admirable job of recreating a retro atmosphere" ☆ #GameDev #IndieGame

Citadale: The Legends Trilogy - PC

Citadale: The Legends Trilogy is a platform video game developed by Ezekiel Rage that owes a great deal to the Castlevania series of games (a GREAT deal) especially the 8-bit iterations on the original NES console. 

☆ First Look: Lust for Darkness "Satisfaction Beyond The Edge Of Our Universe?" ☆ #GameDev #IndieGame

Lust For Darkness - PC

Lust for Darkness is to be the last ever video game released through Steam Greenlight. Developed by Movie Games, a Polish studio, it is a first-person horror that takes place in two different realms thanks to the machinations of a mysterious cult. Dragged into this is a man looking for his wife, who went missing over a year ago in very mysterious circumstances.

☆ Review: Mantis Burn Racing - "Old school Top-down racing brought to the current generation" ☆ #GameDev #IndieGame

Mantis Burn Racing - Nintendo Switch

Mantis Burn racing is an arcade racer video game from Voofoo Studios. Released on PS4, PC and Xbox One last year and now ported to the Nintendo Switch, I can imagine that the playing portably on the Switch is probably the best way to get the most out of this game across all platforms.

☆ Rescue Quest Gold - Ten Minute Taster - PC ☆ #GameDev #IndieGame

"Match 3 games are normally junk, but not this little beauty from Boomzap Entertainment! 

This is a great game and I'm totally enjoying my time with it.....come take a look at the first few levels with me as I play this 'GOLDEN' title on PC"

☆ Ten Minute Taster - Black Mirror - PS4 ☆ #GameDev

"Those creepy creepy Gordon's are enough to drive any man insane!

Take a look with me at THQ NORDIQ'S Atmospheric Latest Release....

BLACK MIRROR" 

☆ Ten Minute Taster - Hand Of Fate 2 - PS4 ☆ #PS4

"A mix of tabletop card games, Dungeons & Dragons and some real time Arkham style combat brings you a video game that you just got to sample for yourself....

Step into the world of Hand Of Fate 2 with me and i'll guarantee you wont want to leave!"

See My Review Of Hand Of Fate 2 

>>HERE<<

 

"STAY FROSTY!"

☆ Review: Hand Of Fate 2 "Roll them bones" ☆ #GameDev #IndieGame #IndieDev

Hand Of Fate 2 - PS4

When I was growing up in the 80’s and 90’s I would often visit my friend Lee’s house to play video games on his SEGA Master System.

For some reason, we played a lot of World Cup ITALIA 90 which was an awful game but nonetheless held our attention for countless afternoons after school.

Whilst playing on Lee’s Master System we would have to play in Lee’s brother’s bedroom as he had the only TV upstairs.

It was whilst in Lee’s brother’s bedroom that I discovered something called Dungeons & Dragons.

☆ Review: Inmates - "Come on baby, light my match" ☆ #GameDev #IndieGame

Inmates - PC

Iceberg Interactive has published some great video games over the years, Conarium, Starpoint Gemini: Warlords, Darkness Within, The Lost Crown (and hopefully, one day before I wither away and turn to dust, its sequel Blackenrock) and many others. 

Inmates is the newest release from the publisher and whilst it does have nice moments, a great tagline and a very moody atmosphere, it isn’t up there at the tip of Iceberg’s catalogue.

☆ Review: Greedy Guns "An absolute MUST for fans of local co-op, you don’t like it? Talk to the hand!" ☆ #GameDev

Greedy Guns - PC

I make no secret of my love for co-operative video games, growing up in the 80’s and 90’s and having a younger brother; co-operative games have been a huge part of my personal gaming history. 

I’ve played truly great local co-op games over the last few years, games that were fine in single-player mode but elevated immeasurably when played in local co-op. 

Games such as Hunted, Rainbow Six: Vegas, Dead Nation, Mother Russia Bleeds, Broforce, Crimsonland and 7 Days to Die spring to mind as recent titles I’ve played through and I’m sure there are many more that I’ve missed. 

☆ My Favourite Video Game Idle Animations ☆ #Retrogaming

"If you want to see Commander Keen do a 'moonie' then you've come to the right place my friends!"

☆ Check Out The NEW NI NO KUNI II : REVENANT KINGDOM Trailer! ☆

"I love the look of this video game, it's got my attention right now!"

☆ Rocket Ranger Blasts Onto It'sVery Own Collector's Edition! ☆ #Retrogaming #DosGames #Amiga

Rocket Ranger Gets It's Own

Extended Collector´s Edition  release!

 

Here's some cool news for you all....

Rocket Ranger is out in a physical collectors edition version!

☆ Review: Super Mario Odyssey "You Can Almost Go Home Again" ☆ #MarioOdyssey

Much like the great traveller Odysseus, who spent so many years from home, I have also been on a long journey back to that place. No, not Ithaca—for me, the Mushroom Kingdom, and my passion for exploration. I just finished my first of what will be many playthroughs, and I did not want it to end.

Nintendo wanted to send their hero on a far-reaching adventure as he sought to reclaim his bride—again, like in Homer’s Odyssey—and some will boil it down to an attractive looking collect-a-thon—attempting to separate pieces of a wholly blended experience—but for me it was a joyous epic that came close to recapturing more than just what I could throw my hat on.

Mario’s next great video game experience is here, and it is time to dive into the craziness, moustache first.

☆ Ticket to Ride: First Journey - Ten Minute Taster ☆

"So, let me just tell you a secret, Ticket To Ride 1st Journey is my video games guilty pleasure. 

It's a kids game with bags of charm based on the more grown up version but I absolutely love this version. 

Take a look at me playing badly but just scraping a DRAW!"

☆ Review: Evil Genome "A Metroidvania-esque journey across a planet ripped apart by war…You may want to bring a guidebook, though" ☆ #GameDev #IndieGame

Evil Genome - PC

Evil Genome is Metroidvania style video game from Crystal Depths Studios, whilst a solid and enjoyable futuristic action/adventure with RPG elements, it is let down by a woeful translation that could, for some be a deal-breaker.

(for me it was the only aspect of the game that stopped this from being an ‘ice cool’ recommended purchase, the Games Freezer seal of approval)

☆ 21 Mini SNES Classic Reviews in 140 Characters ☆ #Retrogaming #SNES

After playing through the 21 great video games included on the Nintendo SNES Classic I thought it would be a good idea to do 21 reviews of those great games.

It seemed like a good idea at first but then I tried condensing my thoughts into 140 characters and I regretted it instantly!

☆ Mud Runners - Ten Minute Taster ☆ #PS4 #MudRunners

"Come along with me as we get those video game logs from A to B in our Mud Runners Ten Minute Taster. You're gonna love the WINCH!"

☆ MAX: The Curse Of Brotherhood - PS4 - Ten Minute Taster ☆ #GameDev #IndieGame

Ten Minutes Of MAX Gameplay on PS4

"When you chant an ancient encantation to make your bro disappear and it works, well then this is the kind of shizzle that happens next!"

☆ Review: Wulverblade "A visceral brawler with a surprising amount of brain to match the muscle" ☆ #NintendoSwitch #WulverBlade

Wulverblade - Nintendo Switch

Wulverblade is a cinematic side-scrolling video game brawler from developer Fully Illustrated, set in 120AD during the Roman invasion of Britain; it expertly melds extremely solid gameplay with tight design and presentation whilst also being an interesting education on the era.

☆ The Perfect Version Of Street Fighter ☆ #Retrogaming

Imagine if you were to create the ultimate video game version of Street Fighter.

Just sit there and think about it for a minute...

☆ Space Wars: Interstellar Empires Trailer ☆

"I'm a bit of a space geek too so this trailer also has me excited!"

☆ Pure Farming 2018’s Heroes of the Farm are out in the field ☆

"I'm a bit of a farm geek so this Pure Farming 2018 video game trailer has me excited!"

☆ Review: Numantia "Chess On The Battlefield" ☆ #GameDev #IndieGame

Numantia - PS4

With this not normally being a video game type I get stuck into on a regular basis this was a true learning experience for me.

Couple with this the fact that these type of games rarely exist on consoles this was really untouched territory for me in the video gaming landscape of 2017.

Numantia is a strategy game that takes you back to an ancient battle that is rarely covered in history let alone in console video games.

☆ Review: Morphite "To boldly go where no woman has gone before" ☆ #IndieGame #GameDev

Morphite - Nintendo Switch

Morphite is a Casual Atmospheric FPS video game that has been released on iOS, PS4 and has now made its way to the Nintendo Switch. Whilst graphically the game may draw comparisons to No Man’s Sky, Morphite is driven more through its narrative and works out all the better for it.

Having been in development for some time, a lot of pressure seems to have been placed on Morphite, especially after the debacle that greeted No Man’s Sky upon release. I actually hadn’t been aware of the game until being sent it for review and so I had no preconceptions about its abilities.

☆ My 80's Bedroom Coding Adventures! ☆ #Atari #Retrogaming

When I got Atari XEGS video games system for Christmas around 1989 I was about 9 years old and I remember this feeling that I was a part of something futuristic. 

I had a computer with a keyboard, a cartridge slot, a light phaser and a tape deck that was living in my bedroom!

☆ Review: Project Remedium - "Ever wondered what it would feel like to be an antibiotic?" ☆ #GameDev #IndieGame

Project Remedium is a first-person video game shooter that is developed by Atomic Jelly and published by Movie Games.

Atomic Jelly is games development studio from Poland, which was founded in 2016. Movie Games SA is a Polish company founded in 2015 by Aleksy Uchanski

☆ Video Game Hardware Timelines - Nintendo: 1899 to 2017 ☆ #Retrogaming

The grand old lady of video games is Nintendo and the history of Nintendo is something special in all gamers hearts.

This timeline shows Nintendo starting all that way back in 1899 with playing cards right up until today with their formiddable Switch console.

☆ Review: The Norwood Suite "A Hotel that would have mixed reviews on TripAdvisor" ☆ #IndieGame #GameDev

When I first read about The Norwood Suite video game, the premise of a mystery protagonist arriving at a secluded hotel to solve a mystery had more than a touch of ‘The 7th Guest’ about it.

The Norwood Suite is light years away from the 90’s Trilobyte classic (and its dodgy sequel) in a tonal sense but has a lighthearted style all of its own.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the gameplay to back up its audio and visual aesthetic.

☆ The Mini Centipede Arcade Machine Has Officially Broken The Internet! ☆ #Arcade #Retrogaming

Would you like to own a miniature replica of one of the most iconic arcade video games of all time?

This Kickstarter Campaign Has Broke The Internet!

☆ The 10 Best Fighting Video Games Ever ☆ #Retrogaming #Arcade

"Round 1 FIGHT!"

"Ten of the greatest fighting games ever assembled in one place 

with Music By Malabaster"

(Track: Steak Pie Please)

☆ "The Super Nintendo Mini Has A Super Book To Go With It" ☆ @primagames #SNESMini #SNESClassic #SNES

Those lovely people at Prima Games are constantly spoiling gamers with their awesome array of game guides and console accompaniment books.

When the NES Classic came out Prima lavished gamers with a nostalgic masterpiece which looked back at the NES Classic games with love and attention to detail. 

That book is a must in your collection if you can get your hands on one do it now! www.amazon.com

Now the SNES Classic has landed and we’re all going Super Nintendo Super Crazy the Prima Games guys have followed up the NES book with an awesome SNES book.

☆ Review: Echo "A beautiful game marred by repetition" ☆ #GameDev

Echo is a new third-person stealth-adventure video game that from the studio Ultra Ultra, a team of developers who are based in Copenhagen and formed from ex-staff of IO Interactive (Hitman series).

☆ Sine Mora Ex - Ten Minute Taster - PS4 ☆ #GameDev

"This is a beautiful looking shoot em up, so come join me as I take it for a test drive and uncover an awesome video game on the PS4!"

☆ Video Game Hardware Timelines - SEGA: 1983 to 1998 ☆ #Retrogaming

(YouTube video by TheGamerFromMars)

When you begin to dig into the SEGA console timeline you realise that the amount of consoles and add ons was an absolute mess! 

You have to give it to SEGA though, they went out with a massive bang of consoles and add ons. 

In order to try and make sense of it all I decided to write it all down and then create an illustarted timeline to show you all.

So here it is, hopefully you all enjoy!

☆ Review: The Solus Project "Going Deeper Underground" ☆ #GameDev

The Solus Project - PS4

As I tread carefully through a particularly claustrophobic cave system I begin to fear that I may become dehydrated any time soon as I can see my hydration levels drop. 

I then come across an opening area of the system and I breathe an audible sigh of relief as I spot the trickling water coming from the ceiling cracks. 

I hastily make a bee line for the water and take the time to refill my water bottle just in case I get caught short again on my next branch of exploration.

This is a typical spell of game-play in The Solus Project and it's the thing that keeps me playing to find out what is going on and how my character will fare at the end of this mission to report back my status to the mission control.

☆ Review: The Darkside Detective "Welcome to the dark side… bring your kids!" ☆ #GameDev #IndieGame

The Darkside Detective is a 2D point and click adventure video game from developers Spooky Doorway (a very apt name for the Halloween season) that follows the adventures of Twin Lakes’ finest supernatural police squad, Francis McQueen and his sidekick Dooley.

It is a charming, snappy and surprisingly funny selection of episodes (the game comes with all six episodes included) that I heartily recommend for all the family.

The game consists of six ‘micro-adventures’ (the developers’ own words) that make up case files for the protagonist, Francis McQueen.

☆ 10 Scary Video Games To Play This halloween ☆ #Retrogaming

"The creepiest video games are the ones that create an atmosphere of foreboding and here are 10 of the best out there for you to play this Halloween"

☆ The Gardens Between Trailer ☆ #PS4

"Sony just announced at Paris Games Week that The Gardens Between, the adventure puzzle game by The Voxel Agents, is coming to PlayStation 4 in Q3 2018. 

It will launch simultaneously on Windows and Mac"

☆ "The Night Football Fun Came Home To Playstation" ☆ #Retrogaming

Back in the time before FIFA ruled the soccer video games landscape PES was the game of choice.

The fun that the game brought me is incomparable to the sterile relationship I have with the current crop of FIFA reproductions we get handed every year.

I have said it before and it's most definitely true, the fun of football games has been drained out of the genre and replaced with a desire from developers to create a realistic as possible product.

The problem with this is that realism brings boring to the table. The fact is that 80% of real football matches are actually tactical boredom. 

Just look at the recent Liverpool vs Man Utd match to see how an overhyped product generally fails to deliver on the media frenzy from Sky and various media sources.

Now, why the heck would you want to spend your time playing a football game that makes it as hard to score in a game as it is in real life?

It's just not fun, is it?

☆ Would YOU Back A Mean Machines Kickstarter Campaign? ☆ @JazRignall #Retrogaming

Who Here Would Love To See A NEW One Off Special Issue Of Mean Machines Magazine?

Well ever since the special edition of Super Play 48 came out with Retro Gamer Magazine I have dreamed of a Mean Machines equivalent.

Julian "Jaz" Rignall has commented on Twitter that he would be interested in doing it if only he could step round the EMAP Copyright stuff.

So just for fun I have mocked up a Mean Machines Kickstarter....

Would YOU Back It?

☆ Review: Fantasy Strike "Are You Ready For The 'Yomi Counter'?" ☆ #GameDev

Fantasy Strike - PC

I like to think that it doesn’t matter whether I’m good at fighting video games or not, as long as I have fun; right? 

Some of the people I play against in Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat make that really hard to buy into though, and then there is my wife, who still beats me at Tekken. 

I love playing the genre though, trying new systems, figuring out styles, learning how different fighters work, but have never mastered the finer techniques. 

The first time my college roommate attempted to explain dash cancelling to me I honestly thought my brain was going to implode. 

I have gotten way better over the years, even if I still lose a lot and have to take pride in my own style and flashy alternate costumes, but along has come a game that I think many more will appreciate. 

☆ Review: Riskers "a game that fades into the shadows of its influences" ☆ #GameDev #IndieGame

Riskers - PC

I really wanted to like Riskers, all of the ingredients were here for a great game, but sadly it spreads itself too thin to be memorable.

The story that drives Riskers is that you play a garbage collector who finds a briefcase filled with cash, merely days later when you arrive home, you find your brother killed and head off to chase down the assailants.

☆ New Gaming Ghoulishness To Be Released For The NES! - "Time To Creep It Real!" ☆ #Retrogaming #NES

Those cool cats at Mega Cat Studios just listed some awesome new NES video games for sale!

 

These include, a  one of a kind collectors edition Creepy Brawlers, Creepin It Reel & Justice Duel.

 

You just gotta check out this NES awesomeness and get yourself in the Halloween mood with some retrogaming ghoulishness!

☆ Did You Know That Nick Frost Plays A Character In "Augmented Empire" ? ☆ #GameDev

Coatsink’s cyberpunk RPG Augmented Empire launched in July, exclusive to Samsung Gear VR and now Coatsink have released a mini-documentary featuring the cast which includes the legendary Nick Frost!


Take a peek at it now and let us know what you think...

"Stay Frosty!"
 

☆ Review: West of Loathing "A game that will ‘stick’ with me for a long time" ☆ #IndieGame #GameDev

West Of Loathing - PC

I’m not going to sugar-coat it, West of Loathing is my single-player game of the year.

I have never played any of Asymmetric Publications’ previous games but I will absolutely be front of the queue for their next release. 

West of Loathing is a joyous, hilarious and occasionally touching gem of a game that conjured up feelings that I haven’t had whilst playing a game since The Secret of Monkey Island.

☆ First Look: Sociable Soccer "Sensible Soccer's Grandchild" ☆ #GameDev #EarlyAccess

Sensible Soccer has a long and illustrious history and sits in the hearts of 90's gamers like no other football video game from that period ever did.

Lots of games tried and failed to replicate the perfect blend of fun and depth that was baked into Sensible Soccer's DNA.

In 2017 Jon Hare and co. are back with a next generation of the Sensible Soccer lineage that is looking to reinvoke memories of those heated and frantic 2 player matches that you had with your brothers, mates and family. 

Sociable Soccer is everybody's favourite second team right now and we're all rooting for the legendary midfield maestro as he comes back for one last go at lifting the cup.

Can Sociable recreate the glory days of the golden generation or will it fade like Kick Off Revival did?

Let's Kick Off with a Rabona Kick and find out, shall we?

☆ Ten Minute Taster - Maize - PS4 - "Corn! Yom Yom!" ☆

 

"3 Corns Are Running Away From YOU in a Field........What Should YOU Do Next?"

☆ Ten minute Taster - The Solus Project - PS4 ☆

 

"How to survive at least ten minutes after crash landing on an Alien Planet......

Lesson 1: 'Creating Fire'