Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered Xbox Series X Review 8.5/10 "New life to an old soul" ⚔️🔥 @AspyrMedia #IndieGame #GameDev

A quarter of a century on from the first release included here (Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, 1999), Aspyr continue their mission of updating vintage classics for a modern audience. With this title, they have created such a celebration of the Legacy of Kain series that is so rich with a treasure trove of historic goodies that it’s almost sure to please fans of the franchise, and it will certainly be an important release for a lot of people that hold the games dear.

The EPYX Games: Sports Collection Nintendo Switch Review 6.5/10 "a pleasant (and challenging!) blast from the past." ⛷️🥇🏄‍♀️ @pixelgamesuk #RetroGaming

A collection of Epyx sports titles that I am very familiar with, having played them all in my childhood (to various degrees of success), and then re-buying them again in my thirties – they currently (sadly) reside in storage until we get a bigger place! -  this collection is a pretty meaty one, with over 50 sports events spread across 8 titles:

Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat | Video Gaming Memories by Imraan Nazir 🎮🤜💥🤛 #RetroGaming #SuperNintendo

Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat were two of the biggest rival fighting games of the early 90s. I remember at school we would ask each other the famous question of that time.

‘What do you think is better: Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat’?

Five Gaming Genres to Keep an Eye On in 2025 👀

 

A Man Gaming on a PC - Free Stock Image 

The video game industry is set for remarkable growth in 2025, with new technologies and evolving player preferences driving change across a wide range of genres. From expansive open-world adventures to immersive online casino experiences, the future of gaming promises to captivate players of all kinds. Here’s a look at the most exciting genres to keep an eye on in 2025.

My First SNES Game | Video Gaming Memories by Imraan Nazir 🎮🤜💥🤛 #RetroGaming #SuperNintendo

In the early 90s Street fighter 2 The World Warrior hit the arcade machines. This game changed the fighting game genre and till this day I think this is one of the best Street fighter games and I still play it till this day.

My local chicken shop had the street fighter 2 arcade machine and used to play it with my older brother. I could never do the moves and I would always lose. I was always player 2 for some reason. Till this day never knew why that was.

In 1992 Street Fighter 2 came out on the Super Nintendo. This put Nintendo on the map. Street Fighter 2 was only available for Super Nintendo. This meant that anyone with a Sega Mega Drive had to buy a Super Nintendo to play the game.

There was a poster that came out saying 'Street Fighter 2...Sega owners dream on'.

Exploring the Role of Online Casino Games in UK Lifestyle 🎲🎰

https://www.vecteezy.com/photo/50681921-game-chips-and-cash-on-a-dimly-lit-keyboard-during-an-exciting-gaming-night-at-home

In the vibrant and ever-evolving tapestry of UK culture, entertainment plays a pivotal role in shaping lifestyles and bringing people together. From the charming tradition of pub quizzes, where communities gather to test their knowledge, to the electrifying atmosphere of football matches that unite fans across generations, British pastimes are deeply rooted in a sense of communal spirit, strategy, and excitement. 

In recent years, online casino games have emerged as a new form of entertainment, blending digital innovation with traditional leisure activities. These games offer a unique intersection between technology and recreation, raising an intriguing question: how do they integrate into the fabric of contemporary UK life and influence its dynamic culture?

Britt’s Nintendo Switch Mini-Review Round Up: PART 1 🎮 #IndieGames #GameDev

We get sent a lot of games here at GF, and as we are such a small team it’s sadly inevitable that we don’t get around to fully covering every game that is kindly sent to us. The below are a selection of titles that have been on the pending pile for far, far too long, and so I thought I would shine a light on them. As these reviews are far shorter than our usual coverage, I won’t be scoring these numerically, just highlighting them for fans of the genre and mentioning any stand-out features – hopefully we come across a couple of hidden gems!

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle | PC Gameplay | "BEWARE OF THE DOGS!" ⚱️🏺🗿 #IndianaJonesandTheGreatCircle

Rich dons his fedora and packs the whip into his waistband as he decides to take on Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on the PC.

In this Ten Minute Taster Rich takes on the Fieldwork mission of Rescuing Sidney from the clutches of the "Blackshirts" in The Vatican...BEWARE OF THE DOGS!

Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable Meta Quest 3 Review 3/10 "Broken blades won’t do in battle!" 🪝 @UNIVRSstudios #IndieGame #GameDev

Two glass snails, a framed picture of my girlfriend’s nephew, a small model frog, several Christmas tree baubles, and the temporary disablement of my left little finger. This was the price of Attack on Titan VR, the Quest title that’s easily the most physically destructive game I’ve ever played.

In game, I’m a graceful sword-wielding warrior, acrobatically swooping around a city to plant precision blows on rampaging titans. In reality, I’m obliterating my mantlepiece for the second time as my increasingly exasperated partner tells me to go out and buy some superglue to piece together the shattered remains of her ornaments. Is calling this game “Unbreakable” some kind of sick joke?

Is Crypto the Future of Savings? Insights from Biden's Executive Order 🪙

There is no doubt that cryptocurrency has emerged as a force in the last few years, more especially, the use of blockchain technology. With many investors showing much interest in the future of cryptocurrency. 

The recent executive order on digital assets has further illuminated the potential of this new technology and how it can actually help in securing the future.

However, volatility and regulatory concerns remain serious issues when it comes to its future as a common tool for savings.

In this publication, we will examine the significant advantages of crypto as a form of savings and the potential risks involved. This article will focus on the regulatory landscape of crypto in relation to the Executive Order on cryptocurrencies signed by US President Joe Biden on March 9, 2022.

Neo Harbor Rescue Squad PS5 Gameplay "Saving Lives With Mini Games" 🐬🚑 @bancyco #IndieGame #GameDev

Neo Harbor Rescue Squad is a game that lets you live the life of a rookie paramedic through frantic minigame action and a wild, funny story. You'll juggle waves of patients with a battle-like triage system, master dozens of treatment minigames, and aim to win the city's recognition from the rival fire department. 

The game features over 50 minigames with multiple difficulty variations, allowing for hundreds of combinations. It's available on PS5, PS4, and Steam. 

If you're into action-packed medical simulations with a dash of humour and character-driven storytelling, this might be a game worth checking out.

How the Internet Transformed Gaming

The gaming industry has been around since Tennis For Two, the first video game, debuted back in 1958, but it arguably didn’t really get going until the internet became ubiquitous.

And evidence for that can be found by looking at the video game industry’s revenues over the years. In 2005, when the internet wasn’t yet fully fledged, revenues hovered around the $60 billion mark; by 2022, it had skyrocketed to nearly $200 billion. 

Of course, that didn’t just happen because the internet was around. It happened because the internet provided a wealth of advantages that were conducive to the gamer’s experience, some of which we’ll outline below. And the most exciting part? We’ve only scratched the surface of what the internet can do for the gaming world, so there’s no telling what things will be like in the future.

Photo

Video Game Lo Fi: Undertale (Vol. 1) Vinyl Review By Britt 📀💿 @CuragaRecords #Vinyl #VideoGameVinyl

In this collection, producers Hotline Sewhani & Emunator join the long-running Curaga Records Lo Fi series with a chillhop take on music from the seminal indie game. Featuring ten tracks that all clock in at under three minutes each, this is an album that packs a lot into a short space of time, and fleshes out the originals with airy synth, lush melodies, delicate, glassy percussion, trip-hop beats and even a touch of slap bass (good), all wrapped up in the usual Curaga Records high quality presentation and artwork.

PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller – Fortnite Sticker Mania Review By Britt 🎮 #Retrogaming

The first PowerA controller for Switch that we’ve covered here at GF – although we have covered PowerA Xbox controllers previously (PowerA Core Blush, PowerA Fortnite Midas) – and it’s been an instant hit in our household, with my son especially gravitating towards it over the other controllers available, which is always a good sign! He has been officially named it “My Sticker ‘troller”

Tetris Forever PC Review 8/10 "The Story Is the Star" 💣 @DigitalEclipse #Retrogaming

My Tetris is Nintendo Game Boy era Tetris. Once you had that chunky Game Boy in your hand and a copy of Tetris inserted into the back of that pocket gem it meant that was all you were going to play for the next 6 months until the kid at school who had 15 game carts was able to lend you another game to play on your Game Boy.

Tetris Forever fills in the gaps of what came before Nintendo's 1989 Tetris and also what came after. During this wonderful character led journey Digital Eclipse prove once again that they are the masters of the interactive video game documentary.

Drova - Forsaken Kin PC Gameplay "An Indie RPG GOTY Contender!" 🛖⚔️ @J2D_Interactive #IndieGame #GameDev

Drova - Forsaken Kin landed in the Games Freezer and blew the GF Cardiff and London HQ's wide open. It came from nowhere and received massive acclaim from Britt in his review (Britt knows his onions) and now Rich has finally gotten around to giving you 30 minutes of Drova video goodness on the PC. Relax, sit back and enjoy the start of this RPG Rolls Royce.

Mega Cat Studios: - Britt’s Mega Drive Odyssey Part 3: Old Towers 🏰 @RetroSouls @megacatstudios #IndieGame #IndieGameDev

Retrosouls’ Old Towers is next up in my Mega Drive Odyssey, and it’s one that my three-year old gravitated to as I was playing through each game, showing that awesome puzzle titles are ageless!

As with Mega Cat Studios other titles, the Mega Drive case is branded with their logo which really is a nice touch as it makes them stand out and feel that little bit extra special. The cover image is of the main character moving at speed towards a golden coin, as if he’s hurtling out of the image itself, with the background featuring heavy motion blur to give that sense of pace. The spine is also uniform and matches up perfectly with other MCS releases whilst the rear sums up the gameplay in a succinct paragraph as some additional quotes hammer home that this is an addictive puzzle-based title, along with some screenshots.

Jon Hare Talks To Rich About Sociable Soccer 25, Banana Shots and Beef & Horseradish Sandwiches ⚽🥪🍌 @Sociable_Soccer @jonhare

Jon Hare has been a video game design hero for me since the days of Microprose Soccer, Sensible Soccer, Cannon Fodder and SWOS to just name a few great games that Jon had a hand in making.

Jon is now fully committed to delivering a new and fun footy experience across PC and consoles in the form of Sociable Soccer and it's iterations since 2017.

When I was given the opportunity to ask Jon a few questions I obviously leapt at the chance and then thought what the hell do I ask the guy who created one of the finest football video games to ever be created...

So I regressed to 12 year old me and all was good...

BZZZT! Nintendo Switch Review 9/10 "A Perfect Potion of Platforming Perfection" 🤖🥪 @ko_dll #IndieGame #GameDev

The people who make the best platform games are the people that know the genre inside out from playing the classics and having an understanding of what makes a great platformer. What we have here my friends is one of the best indie platform video games that I have ever had the pleasure of playing. 

Developed by KO.DLL BZZZT! is truly a love letter to the classics of the genre and also brings its own brand of charm and sauce! Bzzzt offers up a fast-paced, precision platforming experience with the game clearly being designed to be accessible to both newcomers and veterans of the genre with its perfectly pitched variation of difficulty levels.

Bandit Knight PC Gameplay "Stealing In Style!" 🕵️‍♀️ @BanditKnightG #IndieGame #GameDev

Bandit Knight is a stealth action game where you step into the boots of a master thief. The game features vibrant 2.5D pixel art and requires players to outsmart enemies, steal legendary treasures, and navigate various environments. You can customize your tools, unlock upgrades, and rise to become the ultimate King of Thieves.

THE BIGGEST VIDEO GAME MUSEUM IN ITALY OPENS TO THE PUBLIC 🕹️ @gammuseum_ #Retrogaming

Italy celebrates games culture with a new museum now open in the heart of Rome

GAMM - Game Museum has now opened to the public in the historical center of Rome at Piazza della Repubblica. GAMM - Game Museum aims to highlight the cultural and artistic value of video games as interactive works allowing visitors to immerse themselves in a path based on the combination of history, technology, and the exploration of gameplay. 

101 Most Important Soccer Games Episode 5: Emlyn Hughes International Soccer [1988] ⚽ #RetroGaming

 

Rich takes on the 101 Most Important Soccer Video Games one by one. Episode 5 sees Rich try and play Emlyn Hughes International Soccer.

Gaming Platforms Increasingly Adopting New Payment Methods To Meet Gamer Demand 💳

 

Person using computer playing FPS game photo – Free Gaming Image on Unsplash

The gaming industry has evolved drastically over the years, and with that, so have the ways in which gamers make transactions. Whether it’s buying a new game, purchasing downloadable content (DLC), betting at online casinos, or making in-game purchases, gamers are increasingly seeking more convenient and secure payment methods to enhance their gaming experience. 

Gaming platforms are responding by adopting new payment methods to meet the growing demand for seamless and varied ways to make purchases. This shift reflects broader trends in digital payment preferences, driven by the need for faster, safer, and more flexible options.

Taito Milestones 3 Nintendo Switch Review 8.5/10 "A Glorious Collection of Classics" 👾 @TAITO @TaitoCorp #Retrogaming

The third entry in Taito’s ‘Milestone’ series, this selection of solid gold feels the strongest overall in terms of the games included here.

The ten games included are Bubble Bobble (1986), Rainbow Islands (1987), Rastan Saga (1987), Rastan Saga 2 (1988), Dead Connection (1992), Cadash (1989), Champion Wrestler (1989), Runark (1990), Warrior Blade (1991), and Thunder Fox (1990).

49 Keys Nintendo Switch Review 8/10 🗝️ @2Pcom @49chiavi

A game based on a celebrated Italian gamebook titled ‘49 Chiavi’, released in 2022, 49 keys has been adapted for consoles adapted by the original author, and hits all the right notes as a slow-burning text-heavy adventure title.

Set in 1520, your character travels to a distant abbey - following the last wishes of your former master - on a quest to unveil the secrets held within. Presented as if in the form of an ancient manuscript, 49 keys features incredibly evocative writing, crisp visuals and puzzles that will get your grey matter pulsating. Keening, aching music will accompany you as you make your way around the island, collecting items and taking notes – all the while getting closer to the centre of the mystery.

Black Friday Sales: Huge savings to be had on PowerA controllers and accessories for PC, Xbox and Nintendo Switch 🎮 @PowerA

It’s that time of year again when parents and loved ones are looking for ways to cut costs on Christmas shopping, with many keen to take advantage of Black Friday sales. If you’re looking for amazing deals this week, look no further than PowerA’s range of controllers and accessories at Argos.

Whether you are shopping for children, teenagers, or a gaming-obsessed friend, there are several cool PowerA products in the sale. 

From affordable, high-quality Xbox controllers to Fortnite-themed Switch accessories, there’s sure to be something exciting to open on Christmas day.

Gioteck FR5 Racing Wheel Unboxing + Setup | PS5 and PC Compatible "The Best Budget Racing Wheel?" 🛞 @GioteckArmy

In today's video Rich unboxes and sets up the Gioteck FR5 Racing Wheel which is a versatile and affordable entry-level racing wheel designed for gaming enthusiasts. Priced at £39.99, it offers excellent value for money, making it an attractive option for both casual and competitive racers.

GameSir Launches the Cyclone 2 Multi-Platform Wireless Controller with Mag-Res™ Technology and Tri-Mode Connectivity 🎮 @mygamesir

GameSir, a World-renowned brand in gaming peripherals, proudly announces the release of the Cyclone 2, an advanced multi-platform wireless controller designed to redefine precision and gameplay experience. 

Featuring cutting-edge technology and versatile functionality, the Cyclone 2 caters to gamers across Switch, PC, Android, iOS, and Steam devices. 

The GameSir Cyclone 2 is available for $49.99/£49.99 on Amazon US / UK for the standalone model and $55.99/£55.99 for the bundle including charging dock on Amazon US / UK. 

They can also be purchased on the GameSir Official Website. Colour options include Shadow Black and Phantom White.

World of Horror Nintendo Switch Review 9/10 "A Must For Horror Fans" 🔪😱 @panstasz @YsbrydGames

World of Horror has been on my radar for quite a while, the 1-bit visual style reminded me of the incredible Return of the Obra Dinn, and the Japanese-centric horror backdrop is always appealing to me, there’s something enticing about an alien culture combined with horror, you already have a sense of being an outsider, and out of your comfort zone – before the horror even kicks off!

After playing the game, I feel pretty confident in saying that this is a title that will be raising its head again in my GOTY article in a few short weeks.

A Tale Of Two Halves: The History Of Football Video Games | Book Unboxing ⚽️ @bitmapbooks #Retrogaming

Rich gets his hands on Bitmap Books' NEW book all about the wonderful world of soccer video games from the 1970's up until the present day. In this video Rich unboxes the CAPTAIN Edition of the book and fondles the pages lovingly.

*Love goes to Britt for sending me this amazing book as an early Christmas Present, what an amazing guy! 💙

PURCHASE LINK:

https://www.bitmapbooks.com/collections/video-game-history/products/a-tale-of-two-halves-captains-edition

Monarchy Xbox Review 6.5/10 "Monarchy of the Glen" 👑🐎 @brainseal #IndieGame #GameDev

Brain Seal quickly became ones to watch for me ever since covering Dark Quest 3 last year, a game I really clicked with, and spent a lot of time diving in for ‘one more run’. And so, I was quick to check out Monarchy.

A 2D game that involves resource management, combat, and base-building – but all in a very brisk arcade style - the game tasks you with building up your little village until you gain enough gold in your coffers to finish the level (of which there are several available).

The game begins with a tutorial, which is somewhat abstract in how it’s entirely wordless – this is charming and fine…but this is game that could really have done with a little more depth here, and after showing your little horse-seated monarch how to complete the basic game mechanics, it ends with an emblem on the screen. I thought the game had crashed, as the tutorial had clearly finished, but none of the buttons on the controller did anything to move past this greyed-out screen. It turns out that I had to press ‘start’ then ‘new game’ and the main levels were now playable, it’s this slightly esoteric approach that makes the game seem a bit more involved and daunting than it actually is.

The visuals are bright and cartoony, the animation smooth, and the music lilting and gentle - before ramping up a touch in the night-time sections that is, where the combat happens in earnest. During the day, you move left or right, adding folks to your tiny army, searching for chests and coins to afford various builds and defences. Then, when the night comes, you have to fend off small waves of sword-wielding attackers. The game ends if your main tent is demolished, or you get struck by an enemy whilst not holding any coins (they act as a sort of health bar), as this causes you to fall of your horse, ending the game.

The premise and presentation is great, but I found the game limiting in a lot of aspects. You cannot directly control anyone aside from yourself – and you can only attack by turning away from the enemy and kicking them with your horse (an automatic action)– but they will pretty much always strike you at the same time, taking a coin away from your treasury.

This means that you have to rely on the archers that follow you around, and more often than not, they’ll get distracted by shooting at a passing rabbit or deer. The base building is also quite functional, and almost feels like a ‘lite’ version of itself, I found it hard to get engaged in the game, as I spent most of the evening standing still in my fort (the days / nights pass quickly, so it’s only a few minutes) then in the day, wandering around trying to find something to do, the lack of text in the game sort of hampers it, as sometimes the on-screen icons aren’t particularly clear.

Monarchy also has a two-player co-op screen where the other player can be another friendly monarch assisting you, and this adds some fun and extra tactics to the game, but even then it feels oddly slight, as if there’s something missing to really get me engaged. It almost feels like a mobile game in this aspect, as it’s such a breezy experience.

SUMMARY

Whilst I much preferred the depth in Dark Quest 3, I get the feeling that I didn’t quite ‘get’ Monarch, and I hope that other players will click with the game more.

As it stands, I’ll still play with my young son – as he quite liked the characters and simplicity – but Monarch does – to me- feel like a game that needs a little fleshing out in order to stand up above the crowd, and pull plyers in for the long haul.

6.5/10

💧MELTING💧

Predator: Hunting Grounds PC Review 5/10 "The devil is in the details" 💀 @IllFonic @PHGTheGame

You can see why they thought this would work. Asymmetric horror-themed multiplayer is IllFonic’s bread and butter and the much-missed Friday the 13th: The Game did an incredible job of putting you in the sneakers of hapless Camp Crystal Lake counsellors… or wielding the machete of Jason Voorhees.

If you were perusing other 1980s IPs looking for something to fit into the Friday the 13th mould, Predator makes a lot of sense. The all-timer 1987 Predator sees a group of macho characters who already feel like they’ve been lifted out of a video game battling against a single powerful adversary - the ideal recipe for asymmetric multiplayer.

And so Predator: Hunting Grounds was born.

Mining Mechs Xbox Review 7.5/10 "A budget title that drills down deep into the well of fun" ⛏️ @DelayedVictory_ @eastasiasoft #IndieGame #GameDev

It’s always fun to cover smaller games that are under a fiver, as it’s always pleasant to be surprised by a game that may otherwise have passed me by. Mining Mechs is a game that was released on Steam in 2023 and has now been ported to consoles. I played Mining Mechs on the XSX, and was quite won over by the core gameplay loop, surprisingly catchy music, silly humour, and pixel visuals.

The Story of Thor: A Successor of The Light – Britt's Vinyl Review 💿📀 #vgm #videogamevinyl #vinyl #vinylrecords #OST

Originally released on the Sega Mega Drive back in 1994, as part of the 30-year celebrations, Wayo Records have released this deluxe 2-disc vinyl set, with audio captured as purely as possible for absolute authenticity.

Known as Beyond Oasis in North American markets, the game was Ancient’s take on the Zelda formula, and tells the story of Prince Ali, who has found a golden armlet and must travel the land of Oasis, visiting four spirits in order to gain the eventual powers and abilities to defeat a rising evil who has located the corresponding silver armlet.

The music for The Story of Thor was composed by the mighty Yuzo Koshiro, someone that Wayo Records have previously worked with in their release of ActRaiser, and I’m sure is a luminary that our readers here will be very much aware of from his incredible resume of solid gold on the 16-bit machines. Heck, we named our son after one of his characters!

Liberte Xbox Review 5/10 "A promising premise that has issues throughout" 🫡🗼 @LiberteGame #IndieGame #GameDev

A Lovecraftian action-adventure game with horror elements set in 17th century France, Liberte was subtly on my radar for a little while leading up to its release, and I was quite intrigued as it had been a while since I’d played a game in the action-adventure genre.

Unfortunately, Liberte has quite a few technical issues that bear down on a game that ends up feeling feels unrewarding and unfortunately – a missed opportunity.

Antank Gaming SiWiQu Nintendo Switch Dock S3 | Unboxing & Setup 🎮 @Antankgaming

Rich takes a look at the Antank Gaming SiWiQu Switch Dock S3 which is portable and Compact: The dock has the classic red and blue Switch colours and is only 100g(3.5oz) which makes it more portable and lightweight than the official switch dock. It’s the perfect replacement for Official Nintendo Switch Dock.

Product Link: https://antank.net/products/siwiqu-tv-dock-station-for-nintendo-switch

10% Product Discount code: antank

Bitmap Books – A Tale of Two Halves: The History Of Football Video Games | Britt's Review ⚽️📘 @bitmap_books #RetroGaming

Image Credit: www.BitmapBooks.com

We have covered many of Bitmap Books’ fine releases here at Games Freezer, with the most recent being Dave Cook’s rather wonderful Run ‘n’ Gun tome. This, their latest, is a very different beast, tackling a genre that has existed since the early ‘80s and was very much been twisting and morphing for decades before settling into (mostly) more sedate, incremental releases in recent years.

The book covers the football (or ‘soccer’ depending on your geographic location) genre from its nascency in the early ‘80s - when the games were effectively variations on the Pong theme - right up through the modern generations where the majority of the releases are ultra realistic and pretty – but perhaps lack the character and individuality that previously made the football genre a more interesting beast, with some incredible goals, some near misses...and some that deserved a red card, and a kicking in the car park.