Mega Cat Studios: - Britt’s Mega Drive Odyssey Part 2: L'Abbaye des Morts 🐱 @megacatstudios #IndieGame #IndieGameDev

Once again, I check out a game from Mega Cat Studios, this time, L’Abbaye des Morts, a game in which you play as Jean Raymond, a persecuted man who is chased into the titular ‘Abbey of Death’ and must find his way out.

This was a game that really stood out for me when I first played it, as it is a wonderfully presented – yet delightfully simple (yet HARD) – game that has some really saucy features whilst coming from a very 8-bit home computer-centric design philosophy in terms of the gameplay and mechanics.

It really nails a specific sweet spot in time that resonates with my nostalgia perfectly and feels quite unique in that sense in the Mega Drive library. Plus, it’s effectively a horror game, and the Mega Drive certainly needs more of those in its library!

PowerA Advantage Xbox Wired Controller - Fortnite Midas 🎮 @PowerA

Hot on the heels of our previous coverage of the PowerA Core Blush a little while back, we now take a look at the PowerA Fortnite Midas, a wired controller that makes an extremely stylish first impression.

Feeling similar to the Core Blush in how it fits in the hand, the first thing that struck me about the Midas was how it looked; the shiny detailing in the handprints, webs, skulls and flowers popping out from the matte plastic, and the ridged back of the controller providing grip for lengthier, more intense playing sessions.

The triggers are designed to be less spongy, shallower on the press than the official controller, so there’s a sense of snappiness in their use, giving more of an arcade vibe and a sense of quicker reaction time. This aspect is also adjustable, using the trigger locks on the rear to fine tune your experience.

Nintendo Switch REMATCH GLOW Wireless Controller: Boo Hoo Review By Britt 👻🎮 @PDPgaming

I’ve covered a fair few controllers for the Nintendo Switch here at GF, and I find myself rotating between a few old favourites every now and again, but the arrival of the Boo Hoo controller has thrown things into disarray here at the Welsh branch of GF HQ, and I found myself becoming quite entranced with it during usage, and it has now become my ‘go to’ controller when gaming on the Switch.

TAITO Milestones Releases Exclusively for the Nintendo Switch On December 10th, 2024 🔫💥⚔️ @TAITO @ININ_Games @pr_hound #Retrogaming

Excitement is building as ININ and TAITO proudly announce the release date for the third instalment of the TAITO Milestones series, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch!

Mark your calendars for December 10th, 2024! TAITO Milestones 3 will be available both physically and digitally, reviving ten beloved TAITO games from the late '80s and early '90s. This collection, created in collaboration with HAMSTER Corporation, promises to bring players back to the golden era of arcade gaming.

Pre-orders for the digital edition start today, while pre-orders for the physical edition are already available. Take advantage of a 10% discount on early digital pre-orders until the official release date. Go check your Nintendo eShop for more details and secure your copy now!

Whether you're teaming up in the iconic “Bubble Bobble”, embarking on a heroic journey in the legendary Rastan series: “Rastan Saga”, “Rastan Saga II” and “Warrior Blade”, or experiencing the freshly added “Dead Connection”, TAITO Milestones 3 offers something for every retro gaming enthusiast. Notably, Dead Connection will be making its home console debut, adding a unique twist to this collection.

Prepare to relive the magic of arcade classics with TAITO Milestones 3 - a must-have for both nostalgic fans and new players alike.

101 Most Important Soccer Games Episode 4: International Soccer [1983] ⚽ #RetroGaming

 

Rich takes on the 101 Most Important Soccer Video Games one by one. Episode 4 sees Rich try and play International Football on the Commodore 64.

Graveyard Dude Brings Eerie Puzzle Adventuring To The NES Today 🪦 @megacatstudios #Retrogaming #IndieDev #GameDev

Limited to 200 copies worldwide, all proceeds to benefit the family of the game’s developer, Rani “Timekey” Baker

Just in time for Halloween, the frightening felines at Mega Cat Studios are thrilled to announce the launch of Graveyard Dude, a thrilling top-view box-pusher puzzle game for the NES. 

Join Henry the Knight, the unsuspecting cemetery guardian, who awakens to a graveyard in disarray on the fateful night the dead have risen.  

"Tetris Turn Based Combat" | Flowstone Saga | PC Gameplay 💚 @ImpactGameworks #IndieGame #GameDev

 

Flowstone Saga is a retro-inspired RPG developed by Impact Gameworks, known for their previous title, Tangledeep. The game combines classic JRPG elements with modern Tetris Based fight mechanics mechanics, offering a rich narrative and strategic turn-based combat.

Echoes of the Unread, Coming Soon To Kickstarter | "Turn The Page To A New Chapter Of 8-Bit NES Adventure!" 📚📖 @megacatstudios #IndieGame #RetroGaming

The retro gaming scribe Matt Tuttle at Clever Cat Games, in partnership with Mega Cat Studios and Video Game Sage, is hard at work penning a novel new adventure for the NES with Echoes of the Unread.

Coming to Kickstarter in Q1 2025, Echoes of the Unread turns the page to a fantastical chapter of 8-bit adventure. Step into the shoes of Rhapsody, a young girl who, after falling asleep while studying for exams, awakens to find she’s been trapped in the library by the magician Odele, who is angry and alone because her book never gets checked out from the library. The bitter magician schemes to obtain a magic quill from the library that can change her book and set her free. However, Odele’s freedom comes with a price, as doing so will trap Rhapsody within the Unread Book for all eternity!  

Gioteck™ FR5 Racing Wheel | PS5, PC & Steam Deck Compatible 🎮 #ComeGetSome @GioteckArmy

 

Turn Every Race into a High-Octane Adventure with the New Driving Peripheral for PS5™, PC and Steam Deck, That Lets You Play Your Way!

Gioteck™ launched today the Gioteck FR5 Racing Wheel, an all-new entry-level racing dock designed for your DualSense™ Controller. It delivers the ultimate driving experience to anyone curious about the genre, keen to experience the true thrill offered by racing games.

Designed for, and compatible with games which utilise Motion Sensor Support only, such as Gran Turismo™7 on PS5™, the Gioteck FR5 Racing Wheel promises exceptional immersion and precision control, making it an essential peripheral for both experienced racers and for those a little newer to the genre. The FR5 Racing Wheel is also compatible with PC and Steam Deck, allowing players to configure their favourite driving games via Steam software with seamless gyro functionality.

101 Most Important Soccer Games Episode 3: Football Director [1988] ⚽ #RetroGaming

 

Rich takes on the 101 Most Important Soccer Video Games one by one. Episode 3 sees Rich try and play Football Director on the Commodore 64.

Camp Sunshine Nintendo Switch Review 6.5/10 "If you go down to the woods today…" 🔪🩸 @Fossil_Games #GameDev #IndieGame #IndieGameDev

Originally released in 2016 on PC, Camp Sunshine if now available on consoles. Part of Fossil Games’ ‘Sunshine’ series, the game casts you in the role of a young boy arriving for his first night at camp, only to find that during the very first evening there, things have gone…awry.

A perfectly timed release for the spooky season, Camp Sunshine is a game made in RPG Maker that admirably captures the 16-bit era. Whilst however, it scores highly for mood, sound design and setting, issues with the core gameplay take the wind out of its sails a little.

Beyond GalaxyLand Nintendo Switch Gameplay ☄️ @EnrightBeats Published By @UtdLabelGames #IndieGame #GameDev

Beyond GalaxyLand is a 2.5D adventure-RPG where you play as Doug, a high-schooler transported to Galaxyland, a solar system of zoo-like planets.

Alongside his pet guinea pig, Boom Boom, Doug navigates this vibrant universe to uncover the truth behind Earth's destruction by an entity called The End. The game blends humour and serious themes, featuring unique characters like Martybot, a self-deprecating robot, and Boom Boom, who evolves throughout the journey.

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

🕹️ GAME LINK: 🔗 https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Beyond-Galaxyland-2634942.html

Watch Rich Fail To Escape Prison in Beyond Shadowgate On PC ☠️💀 @zojoi #IndieGameDev #IndieGame #GameDev #Retrogaming

👇WATCH RICH's Gameplay Video Here 👇

 Beyond Shadowgate is a sequel to the classic 1987 game Shadowgate. Originally released in 1993 for the TurboGrafx-CD, it has recently been revived for modern platforms. The new version, released in September 2024, is a point-and-click adventure game that expands significantly on the original, offering a world five times larger.

In Beyond Shadowgate, you play as Del Thornburrow, a lowly Fenling who escapes from a dungeon and embarks on a journey filled with puzzles, traps, and perilous encounters. The game retains the retro feel of the original while incorporating modern design elements and multiple endings.

Drova: Forsaken Kin Nintendo Switch Review 9.5/10 "One of the RPGs of the Year" 🐻⚔️ @J2D_Interactive #IndieGame #GameDev #IndieGameDev

I’ll open by saying that, whilst Drova: Forsaken Kin ended up being one of my games of the year, during the review period there was a shaky few days where V1.0 of the game had some issues that made me think that this was going to be another case of Wasteland 3, Wartales, or Shadows of Doubt, whereby a gripping and fantastic adventure seemingly genetically designed for my tastes would be scuppered by myriad technical issues, breaking my heart into a thousand pieces and casting them into the ocean.

Luckily, patch 1.1 was released and completely annihilated all the issues that I was having with the game, transforming it into a title that will be with me for a long time. In fact, I don’t even really need to cover this game as my handsome, suave editor Rich is already covering it on PC (I can feel a pay rise coming on – ed), but I want to talk about it so much that I’m writing this review anyway, purely to spread the word and share my love of it. So yes, I liked it a lot.

101 Most Important Soccer Games Episode 2: Football Manager 2 [1988] ⚽ #RetroGaming

Rich takes on the 101 Most Important Soccer Video Games one by one. Episode 2 sees Rich play Football Manager 2 on the Commodore 64⚽

101 Most Important Soccer Video Games Episode1: Football Manager [1982] ⚽️🥅 #Retrogaming #C64

Rich takes on the 101 Most Important Soccer Video Games one by one.

Episode 1 sees Rich try and play the original 1982 Football Manager on the Commodore 64, the true grand daddy of football Manager games.

Games Freezer Interviews: Pirate PR! AKA Robby Bisschop 🏴‍☠️🦜 @PR_pirate #IndieGame #IndieGameDevs #IndieGames

Games Freezer Interviews: Pirate PR!

Over the years, I’ve had many an email exchange with various PR companies, developers and publishers. Recently, Pirate PR have become somewhat of a Twitter / X highlight for me, as the man behind the machine – Robby Bisschop – has been incredibly open with advice and tips for game developers, as well as dedicating his time to exposing scammers, sharing his experiences for all to learn from.

He is very active on his channel (@PR_Pirate) and I thought it would be fun to learn more about the man, the myth…the pirate.

So get comfortable, and pop open a rum as we set sail across the seas of gaming.

Rich Becomes Brave, Grabs His Sword and Plays Marko Beyond Brave On PC ⚔️ @BraveMarko #IndieGame #GameDev #IndieGameDev

Marko: Beyond Brave is an action-packed Metroidvania adventure game developed by Studio Mechka. In this game, you play as Marko, the last survivor of three courageous brothers who set out to defend their village from a mutated beast. The game is inspired by Slavic myths and legends and features hand-drawn visuals and smooth animations.

You'll explore lush forests and crumbling castles, battle corrupted creatures, and navigate intricate traps. The gameplay involves jumping, slashing, and shooting your way through challenging foes and mighty bosses. The story revolves around saving your world from Entropy, a corrupting force slowly destroying the land.

The Karate Kid: Street Rumble Nintendo Switch Gameplay 🥋 @GameMillEnt #karatekidstreetrumble @KarateKidMovie

Rich dons his gi and enters the digital dojo as he plays The Karate Kid: Street Rumble which is a beat 'em up game that follows the storyline of the original three Karate Kid films. Players control Daniel LaRusso as he moves to California, faces off against school bully Johnny Lawrence, and learns karate from Mr. Miyagi. The game features retro visuals and focuses on gameplay, including minigames that capture iconic scenes from the films. While it offers nostalgic value, the gameplay can become slightly repetitive over time.

8-Bit Adventures 2 Nintendo Switch Review 8.5/10 "A game in a crowded genre that stands out by simply being very, very good." ☃️ @CriticalGamesAU #IndieGame #GameDev #IndieGameDev

We see a lot of RPG-Maker fuelled, 8-bit styled JRPGs here at Games Freezer, and whilst some can be memorable titles; bringing something new to the table - or are just plain ol’ fun short, narrative-driven affairs - there are many, many more that end up feeling like tedious grind-fests that seem to be designed to suck the enjoyment out of your time with the game. It is a massive genre, and so finding the gold can be daunting. Luckily, there are games like 8-bit Adventures 2 out there, flying the shimmering flag of quality as they game their way across the high seas.

Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland Nintendo Switch Review 6.5/10 "The Rugrats Ride Again" 👶 @WallrideGames

I must admit that I wasn’t expecting a Rugrats game in 2024. I remember the cartoon back in the early-mid ‘90s, but I was far more preoccupied with X-Men and Spider-Man at the time, a lot of the quirkier shows of that era kind of passed me by, although some of my peers remember them very fondly.

That said, the show must have been on a hell of a lot, as the moment I booted up the game and heard that theme, even I was surprised how much of the show I remembered, from the voices, character names and family members, it all came flooding back. Heck, maybe I did watch it more than I can recall! Or perhaps it was such a cornerstone of culture at the time that it just permeated my very being.

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Remastered | Xbox Series X Review 6/10 “A blaster from the past” 🌠 @transvaalgf @AspyrMedia

Recently I reviewed Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection, a remaster of two beloved games from the past, games I spent hours and hours playing and share a whole lot of love for. Star Wars: Bounty Hunter on the other hand, I have heard about but never played.

Going in without any nostalgia was going to be interesting as I felt the Battlefront remasters were held up entirely by nostalgia, and so having had no previous experience with it, would Bounty Hunter hold up in 2024 or should it have been left in 2002?

Video Game Lofi: Kirby - Britt's Review 💿📀 @CuragaRecords #VideoGameVinyl #Vinyl #VGM

🔗Video Game LoFi: Kirby | Besso0 & GlitchxCity | Curaga Records

We are once again in the cosy arms of another in the Curaga Records LoFi series, this time centred around the music of the Kirby games, specifically; Kirby and the Forgotten Land (2022), Kirby’s Adventure (1993), Dedede’s Drum Dash Deluxe (2014), Kirby’s return to Dreamland (2011), Kirby Air Ride (2003), Kirby’s Epic Yarn (2010), Kirby Super Star (1996), and Kirby’s Dream Collection (2012), together - representing almost thirty years’ worth of music from the world of the lovable pink puffball across various systems, from SNES to Switch.

Watch Rich Try To Survive in CITY 20 | PC Gameplay ☢️ @UntoldGamesTW #IndieGame #GameDev #IndieGameDev

Rich tries to survive in City 20 which is a dystopian survival sandbox game set in a secret Soviet nuclear city that was quarantined after a radioactive leak.

As a survivor in this harsh environment, you must navigate a world that dynamically responds to your actions, dealing with organized factions, harsh environmental conditions, and unsolved mysteries.

The game emphasizes survival mechanics, requiring you to manage hunger, thirst, and other vital needs while exploring a post-apocalyptic world rendered in a unique, dirty watercolour aesthetic. You'll craft your own narrative through a series of choices, working with or against factions to stay alive and ultimately aiming to escape the city.

Replay: Memoir of an Uprooted Family by Jordan Mechner | Review By Rich 📚📖 @jmechner #bookreviews #BookoftheDay

Reading a book is generally a personal journey that people take and the journey varies from reader to reader. I've recently been listening to a lot of audiobooks as it's a great way to read books whilst doing something else. In the last year I must have read in excess of 10 books but the years preceding that it was taking me a year to finish one physical book.

Recently though, this changed again as I was sent a digital PDF copy of  the Jordan Mechner Visual Novel/memoir, REPLAY, to read and it has reignited my love for two things, 1. Visual Novels 2. Jordan Mechner and his attitude to making video games. Obviously as it was a PDF copy it was almost reigniting my instinct to read a physical book even though I was using my tablet to read the book.

Replay: Memoir of an Uprooted Family by Jordan Mechner is a poignant and vibrant graphic novel that attempts and succeeds in weaving together the stories of three generations of the Mechner family. 

Shadows of Doubt XBOX Review 5.5/10 "A Fantastic Premise Sandbagged By Technical Issues" 🕵️ @colejefferies #IndieGame #GameDev #IndieGameDev

Much like my review for Cloudpunk and more recently, Wartales, Shadows of Doubt is a game that is packed with great ideas, a cracking premise, eyecatching visuals and intriguing gameplay, but is hamstrung by technical issues that will hopefully be a distant memory after several months’ worth of updates and patches – but sadly can’t be ignored at the time of launch.

Shadows of Doubt is game that I’ve been following for a while, the premise of being a private detective in a dystopian future comprised of glorious voxels, spending your days solving cases and scouting for clues very much appealed to me. When it was announced for consoles, my trousers were neatly folded in a drawer, hopefully to never be needed again. 

Deathchron Nintendo Switch Review 6/10 "A great premise hindered by design" 🤖 @CM_Games @RatalaikaGames #IndieGame #GameDev #IndieGameDev

The actual premise of Deathchron – in that you are a child in a mech that needs to occasionally leave the safety of the suit in order to get into small spaces or activate certain switches etc. leaving you vulnerable as you do so – very much appealed to me when I watched the trailer for Deathchron.

The vibrant music, tasty pixel art visuals, and platform-based side-scrolling action presented in super-smooth 8-bit fashion all had me twirling my moustache in anticipation, but upon actually playing the game – it became clear that there were too many factors working against my enjoyment to really make this a keeper.

A Night on the Farm Nintendo Switch Review 7/10 "A bite-sized slice of spookiness" 👨‍🌾👽 @FrozenFlameInt #IndieGame #Horror #GameDev #IndieGameDev

Frozen Flame Interactive deliver us a mysterious tale that follows the events of a car crash at night. Our protagonist begins the tale by clambering out of their wrecked vehicle before heading off into the night, happening across a seemingly abandoned farm.

What follows is a short romp around the farm and its grounds, as you find out more about the strange notes and items that you find scattered in this lonely locale.

Horror Tales: The Beggar | Xbox Review 8/10 “It’s Morvin Time” 👽 @CarlosGameDev #IndieGame #GameDev #IndieGameDev

Horror tales: The Beggar begins with introducing the titular Beggar a human(ish) creature who has been locked away. Now freed by a helpful robot he claims he will guide you out and help you on your way.

You notice very quickly the world is broken and has been for a very long time, you will find little sign of life, unluckily for the Beggar there is one being that follows him Morvin a product of his own imagination who isn't particularly friendly and will happily attack you on sight, luckily you have powers which are introduced as the game goes on, so you aren't completely helpless when old Morvin turns up, you have the power of telekinesis so not only can you move objects that are in your way, you can also hurl objects at your stalker, which after you have hurled enough objects at him you will get some respite and can continue traversing the fractured world.