⚔️🏹 Rogue Heroes: Ruins of Tasos | Review | Nintendo Switch | 8.5/10 | "Alone or with friends...it’s all good" ⚔️🏹 @Team17 #IndieGames #GameDev

Rogue Heroes: Ruins of Tasos is a game that came across to me through the trailer as a multiplayer 16-bit Zelda title actually had more going on under the bonnet than I initially assumed and is all the better for it.

👹⚔️ Hellpoint | Review | PS4 | 7/10 | "Did I Mention This Game Was Challenging?" 👹⚔️ @CradleGames #IndieGames #GameDev

I will try to write this review without mentioning and drawing the obvious comparisons, to Dark Souls. 

I am better than that, aren’t I?

Let’s go!

💥 Shot In The Dark 💥 | @PossumHGames #IndieGames #GameDev

 

"Shot in the Dark is a classic western tale of bloody vengeance, rituals, and teeth in the dark. Take up the gun of the lone bandit as they stop at nothing in the pursuit of vengeance. The only thing standing between the bandit and their quarry is the occult nightmares lurking in the darkness. From demons to cultists and long-dead gunslingers, all manner of foes is arrayed against you.

Shot in the Dark offers a unique challenge, combining nail-biting pixel-perfect platforming with precise point and click shooting. But many of the cruel creatures of the night remain hidden in shadow. The bandit will have to be on the lookout for glowing red eyes, shadows moving through the trees, and figures lurking in the night. Because sometimes the only sign of a demon on your trail is the slight movement of the tall grass. And sometimes all you can do is take a shot in the dark."

🤜💥🤺 Guilty Gear Strive | PS4 | BETA | Gameplay | "Every Character Tried" 🤜💥🤺 @ArcSystemWorksU #GuiltyGearStrive

Guilty Gear Strive is a fighting video game developed by Arc System Works and the 6th main instalment of the Guilty Gear series.

Come watch me try all the characters in the starting roster.

Rich

💥 Speed Limit | Review | Nintendo Switch | 7.5/10 | "Live. Die. Repeat" 💥 @gamechuckretro #GameDev #IndieGames

Speed Limit is a game that takes the player on brisk journeys across classic genres ranging from side-scrolling shooters to racing games and even isometric flight.

It's a game that works great in both single-player mode, ‘pass-the-pad’ party fun and I can also imagine is a keeper for the speedrunners out there.

⚔️💀 Cathedral | Review | 8/10 | Nintendo Switch | "2D Metroidvania action with a chiptune soundtrack? Good" 💀 @EldenPixels #GameDev #IndieGames

An 8-bit styled Metroidvania, Cathedral really sucked me in with vibrant visuals and comfortably familiar gameplay. 

That said, musical issues and a clunky map do detract from the overall enjoyment.

Cathedral was a game I hadn’t heard of before but after a quick goosey at the trailer, I was sold. 2D Metroidvania action with a chiptune soundtrack? Good.

🕵️‍♀️ Dry Drowning | Review | Nintendo Switch | 7/10 | "A Cyberpunk Visual Novel" 🕵️‍♀️ @VLGpublishing #IndieGames #GameDev

A cyberpunk, visual novel with light interactive elements, Dry Drowning has great presentation and an intriguing story to tell but is held back by some elements of characterisation and gameplay.

🖲️ Kinetic Edge | Ten minute Taster | PC | "Crazy Golf Neon Marble Madness" 🖲️ @KineticEdgeGame #IndieGames #GameDev

Kinetic Edge is a physics platformer based racing game where you have to figure out the best way to overcome obstacle courses with a shape of your choice.

🎮🕹️💻 Remembering My Childhood Video Game Store 🎮🕹️💻 #RetroGaming

Sitting down in lockdown 3 watching some rubbish on the TV whilst reading Retro Gamer Magazine late at night I was dreaming of the time when we could walk into shops and browse video games and then my mind wandered off to when I was an 11-year-old boy who would visit LOGIC Computers in Cheshunt Hertfordshire to buy my Atari XE/XL tapes and cartridges for my ATARI XEGS.

👁‍🗨 The Dark Eye : Chains Of Satinav | Review | Nintendo Switch | "A Game that will please old school point n click enthusiasts but that may also put off newcomers to the genre" 👁‍🗨 @daedalic #IndieGames #GameDev

The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav was originally released by Daedalic Entertainment in 2012 on PC and has now come over to the Nintendo Switch.

The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav can definitely be defined as an old-school point-and-click adventure game and it's definitely entrenched in the design decisions that will please old school point n click enthusiasts but that may also put off newcomers to the genre as the frustration levels may increase unless you play with the assist / easy mode switched on.

🧞‍♂️ The Theme of the New Wonder Boy trailer is Pepelogoo 🧞‍♂️ @ININ_Games @pr_hound #IndieGames #GameDev

 

The theme of the new Wonder Boy trailer is Pepelogoo, Asha's trusted blue sidekick and one of the main characters in the game!

The trailer shows the two of them working together to overcome any obstacles. 

🖲️ Glyph | Review | Nintendo Switch | 8/10 | "Glyph is an expansive title that has a lot under it’s sleek hood" 🖲️ @PlayGlyph #IndieGame #GameDev #MadeWithUnity

A game based on fluid movement and exploration, Glyph is an expansive title that has a lot under its sleek hood but also isn’t shy when it comes to the difficulty curve.

👧🔫 Gal*Gun Returns | Review | Nintendo Switch | "A Light Gun Would Light This Up" 👧🔫 @PQubeAsia #GalGun

Whilst I’m not familiar with the Gal*Gun series, my initial thought was that any rail-shooter that is to be controlled by anything other than a light gun would really suffer in the gameplay department and those worries were indeed well-founded. 

As well-presented as the game is, it feels to tame to be titillating and too repetitive to be engaging.

🐉⚔️ Nioh 2 : The Complete Edition | PC | Review | "Swinging Your Spiky Balls Around Has Never Been So Much Fun!" ⚔️🐉 #Nioh2

Nioh 2: The Complete Edition, was released on the 5th of Feb and I'm excited to be to tell it’s not only beautiful but it’s astonishingly good fun to play! For those unfamiliar with Nioh 2, you will get to Become a fully-fledged Samurai in a brutal action-packed adventure set in a reimagined magic-enthused Japan during the Sengoku period.

🛋️ Moving Out | Review | X Box Series X | 9/10 | "An extremely fun and silly party game that will clearly remain installed for a long time to come" 🛋️ @smgstudio #IndieGames #GameDev

Upon seeing the trailer for Moving Out, I initially assumed it was some sort of mobile port due to the top-down viewpoint and colourful aesthetic. 

I’m VERY glad that my intuition won out and I ended up playing the game, however, as it’s an extremely fun and silly party game that will clearly remain installed for a long time to come (especially as there is imminent DLC!).

👒 Evan’s Remains | PC | Review by Pixel Hunted | 2/10 | "Evan’s Remains is about hitting ‘A’ over and over and over (and over) again" 👒 @PixelHunted # Evansremains #GameDev #IndieGames

Evan’s Remains is about hitting ‘A’ over and over and over (and over) again. 

The game is 80% visual novel and 20% game: a barely interactive experience in which your participation is mostly jamming a button to cue up the next bit of bad writing.

⚔️🐲 Morbid: Seven Acolytes | Review | Nintendo Switch | "A Lovecraftian Hack n' Slasher ARPG That is Really Punishing" ⚔️🐲 @MorbidTheGame #IndieGames #GameDev

A Lovecraftian hack n' slasher ARPG that is really punishing at first? 

That, reader, is the sound of my boxes being ticked.

Morbid: Seven Acolytes packs a ton of lore and gore into a very nice-looking package. The pixel-art graphics are really lovely and detailed, letting you see the frankly disgusting range of enemies and characters that populate the world of Mornia.

⛏️ Aground | Review (revisited) | XBox Series X | "One of The Best Games I Have Ever Played 10/10" ⛏️ @WhiteThornGames #GameDev #IndieGames

I first reviewed Aground in its initial PC incarnation back in July 2020 (https://www.gamesfreezer.co.uk/2020/07/aground-pc-review-best-2-d-crafting.html) and I absolutely adored it. Rich (my hateful, drunken boss) tends to cover a lot of the PC games we receive for review and I lean more towards console releases.

I mention in my original review that it was totally by chance that I picked it out for coverage when my Switch was being Animal Crossing-ed to death by someone who shall remain nameless* and I’m so glad that I was introduced to it.

🎮 Pre-order Boxed Physical Starts on 21st Feb - Speed Limit (PS4 & Switch) 🎮 @RealStrictlyLTD @HoundPicked #IndieGames #GameDev

Strictly Limited Games will be releasing an exclusive limited physical, boxed, version for pre-ordering commencing on 21st February for the out and out action title Speed Limit for PS4 and Switch.

The exclusive pre-order for this unforgettable arcade experience will start from Strictly Limited Games on February 21st.

💥 Turrican Flashback | Nintendo Switch | Review | "Turrican was a must-have video game and every kid at our school had it" 💥 @ININ_Games #RetroGaming #Turrican

In the days of the Commodore Amiga, Turrican was a must-have video game and every kid at our school had it. 

Turrican was famous for running and gunning your way through levels using creative weapons, destructive bombs and sometimes even a grappling hook! It was a great series and now you finally get the chance to relive this great series on one release from Inin Games.

🕵️‍♂️ Disjunction | Review | Nintendo Switch | "Cyberpunk is a Genre That Always Makes My Bronzed Fists Vibrate" 🕵️‍♂️ @soldout #IndieGames #GameDev

Cyberpunk is a genre that always makes my bronzed fists vibrate. You know there’ll be achingly beautiful music, towering cityscapes lit at night and a moody tale to tuck into, populated by shadowy characters.

Whilst stealth has often been a part of this, I believe that Disjunction is the first Cyberpunk game that I’ve played with such a heavy focus on the stealth aspect.

Whilst Disjunction is a solid game with a great, pixelated aesthetic and music, I couldn’t help but wish the focus was more on narrative as opposed to stage-by-stage sneakiness as I enjoyed the setting, audio and presentation so much.

⚔️🏰🐀 Hero U : Rogue To Redemption | Review | Nintendo Switch | "Hero U Combines Old School Point n Click Adventure Style Gameplay with a Harry Potter Style Storyline" ⚔️🏰🐀 @SilesiaGames #GameDev #IndieGames #PointNClick

Silesia Games brings us Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption and manages to somehow effortlessly combine old school point n click adventure style gameplay with an intriguing Harry Potter esque storyline which is set around a small but perfectly formed set of memorable characters and on the switch I feel that this game really comes into its own.

Hero-U is a spiritual sequel to a game series that was released in the ‘90s called Quest for Glory and after playing Hero-U Rogue To Redemption I’m intrigued by the Quest For Glory anthology of video games as I missed those titles the first time around.

🛸🚀 Habroxia 2 | Review | Nintendo Switch | "After a ‘mental reboot’, I realised the subtle genius of the design" 🛸🚀 @LillymoGames #GameDev #IndieGames

Upon initially playing Habroxia 2, the game didn’t quite click with me and it was very much my fault. 

After a ‘mental reboot’, I realised the subtle genius of the design and from that moment onwards, my trousers were very much down.

🕹️🎮📅 Name A Year and I Will Name 4 Video Games (1979 to 2020) 🕹️🎮📅 #RetroGaming #GamersUnite

I saw this cool trend on Twitter whereby you name 4 games from any requested year.

I thought it would be a good idea to compile my 4 games from every year of my life so far...so here goes!

🤜💥🤛 The King Of Fighters XIV | Review | PS4 | "Right I’m off to build my own fight stick out of a cardboard box and a banana" 🤜💥🤛 @SNKPofficial #KingOfFightersXIV

Released back in 2017 King Of Fighter XIV was the newest entry in the acclaimed THE KING OF FIGHTERS series of fighting games. 

The project was led by the legendary veteran creator of FATAL FURY Yasuyuki Oda.

KOFXIV took the classic fighting game gameplay that the series was known for and implemented lush new 3D visuals which were a first for a mainline entry in the series! 

The game comes with a massive roster of 50 characters in the base game along with 4 DLC characters, including both returning fan favourites and new characters.

It was billed as a perfect entry point for veterans and newcomers alike...

💥👽💥 Alien Scumbags | Review | PC | "A Fantastic 2D Pixel Art Horror Game Inspired by Doom and Duke Nukem" 💥👽💥 @KKindiegame @TristaBytes #GameDev #IndieGames

As you explore the dark corridors of an abandoned spaceship you stumble across a shotgun!

It’s just what you were looking for to fend off these alien Scumbags once and all for all.

The tannoy announcements play out loud as you tread carefully.

You hear a noise and jump into an empty locker to hide from the impending doom!

Nothing nasty comes along so you carefully make your way out of the locker and tiptoe along the corridor preying to avoid any trouble and maybe discover a health drop from a vending machine.

Then it hits you! “BAM!”

A massive Alien Scumbag lurches towards you with the intent of ripping your head off, so you unload a shotgun into its midriff and bring it to its knees and then finish it off with your final shotgun shell!

Meanwhile, the darkness and the foreboding atmosphere envelopes you as tread carefully forwards towards another impending scrap with an Alien nasty.

👽🖥️ Alien Function | PC | Review | "Vance Baryn might not have an eye for visuals but the guy can certainly put together a juicy set of adventure game puzzles!" 👽🖥️ @PixelHunted @StandOffGameDev #GameDev #IndieGames

Let’s get it out of the way: Alien Function looks like crap. Stand Off Software’s latest is a car crash of pre-made assets, outright ugly character models and fonts that should be prohibited under the Geneva Convention. 

The game puts its worst foot forward on the title screen, showing a badly animated alien pursuing what seems to be an NPC from The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

🕹️🎮 Is Nintendo a Threat to The Top Dogs? 🕹️🎮

When it comes to the gaming industry, it is obvious that the two top dogs in the industry are Sony, who operate Playstation products, and Microsoft, who operate Xbox products. However, since the resurgence of the Japanese gaming conglomerate company, Nintendo, in early 2017, according to data presented by Find Betting Sites it is evident that they present a challenge to the industry giants.

👽💥 Alien Scumbags | Ten Minute Taster | PC | First 20 Minutes Gameplay | "Get Ready To Obliterate Some Alien Scumbags" 👽💥 @TristaBytes @KKindiegame #GameDev #IndieGames

Alien Scumbags is a sci-fi action platformer with a big slice of horror and a stack of pop culture references.

You'll run, hide and kill across several levels, collect items from capsule machines and unlock characters.

No checkpoints, if you die it will cost you your score to continue.

📱🕹️ The History of Mobile Gaming 📱🕹️

Many decades have passed since the first gaming console was released by Magnavox in 1972. This was a historic event, seeing as gaming would become one of the largest digital markets ever to be known.

The gaming industry took a turn for the best when the company Sony released the PlayStation 2 for the first time on the 4th of March in the year 2000. This is described by many as one of the most influential consoles in the history of gaming and was consequently one of the best sellers.

Thus, the gaming industry transformed because of these devices. By this time, IBM, an electronics manufacturer, already released the world's first smartphone with gaming capabilities referred to as the Simon personal communicator. 

Image by 梓坚 陈 from Pixabay

🎧 Gioteck TX50 Headset & VP1 Viper Cable Pack Review 🎧 @GioteckArmy #GamerHeadsetReview

Regular GF contributor Lee Manuel recently positively reviewed two other headsets from Gioteck, the HC2 Decal Edition and the XH100S - https://www.gamesfreezer.co.uk/2021/01/headset-review-gioteck-hc2-decal.html – this, combined with the positive experiences that I have had with their controllers, mean that Gioteck is fast becoming the go-to brand at GF HQ for affordable accessories that don’t sacrifice quality. Good.

🤖👧 Encodya | PC | Ten Minute Taster | Tutorial & 30 Minutes Gameplay | No Commentary 👧🤖 @encodya #IndieGames #GameDev #pointandclickadventure

Encodya is a point & click adventure game that follows the sort of Tina and S.A.M - 53 through a Neo Berlin from the future.