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.

GolfR | PC Game Preview By Rich ⛳️🤖 @GOLFR_the_game #IndieGame #GameDev

I was contacted by GolfR Indie Dev duo Andrew Laing and Karthik Subramanyam about an interesting new game that was described as an indie sci-fi robot golf game. As you can imagine, my socks flew off immediately (would my trousers follow?)

GOLFR is billed as a unique sci-fi golf action game published by Drivehead Games LTD. The game is set in the near future, the game follows a robot scout from Earth that crash-lands on an alien planet filled with ancient relics hidden beneath abandoned golf courses.

The game combines traditional golf mechanics with action elements, allowing you to drive, chip, and putt your way through multiple biomes while engaging in combat with hostile enemies.

EDGE OF SANITY Xbox Series X review 7/10 "Is that a horrible tentacled thing ahead?" 🐙 @Vixa_Games #GameDev #IndieGame

Edge of Sanity is a game that brings together those obvious bedfellows of Lovecraftian horror and inventory management.

I jest, slightly, given that this is a survival horror, which is very much in keeping with a lot of games inspired by HP himself. Set in the wilds of Alaska following a mysterious industrial accident, you play Carter, sent in by the company to find out what's happened and, possibly, save the day.

How Beginners Can Dip Their Toes into Online Gambling 🎰

 

Image credit

Are you wanting to get into making some money on esports, but worried whether or not it’ll be worth your time? What about making money online in general through gaming? Well, a lot of people actually look into online gambling (as it comes in various forms) as a way to have fun, do what they love (gaming), and hopefully make some extra money, too. But at the same time, it’s scary because you just don’t know what you’re doing at first, right? Plus, what about the money?

Well, that’s fair enough! It’s totally normal to want a little thrill without risking your hard-earned cash. Online casinos can look super tempting but also a bit scary when you’re just starting out. But believe it or not, you can keep it all low risk while dipping your toes. Because who knows, maybe you’ll hate it, maybe you’ll love it, but regardless, you don’t deserve to gamble away a bunch of cash for that risk!

Looney Tunes Wacky World of Sports Xbox Review 6.5/10 "Looney Tunes return (the serve)" 🏀🎾⚽️ @BamtangGames #IndieGame #GameDev

The premise of an anarchic Looney Tunes sports collection felt oddly nostalgic, and I was quite keen to dive into the game in multiplayer at home, as we are all familiar with the characters, and as the game supports up to four players locally,  numbers wouldn’t be an issue. Whilst the visuals, characters and functionality is there, the games all feel a little too flat to be a recommendation, unfortunately.

Purpose 1951 Xbox Review 5/10 "These boots are made for walkin’ (and simulatin’)" 🥾 @TongucBodur #IndieGame #GameDev

Purpose 1951 is a brief little game that blends walking simulation with extremely light puzzle elements. Clocking in at around an hour in length as the character muses about the situations that have arisen to bring him to his current predicament.

Presented in a 1st-person POV style, Purpose 1951 is a very slender game in a lot of ways, you follow a mostly linear path – with the only branches areas leading to what are effectively ‘trophy points’ - as the narrator monologues as you trek.

Gori: Cuddly Carnage Xbox Review 8.5/10 "Gory, gruesome, and great fun!" 😼🛹 @GoriCarnage @AngryDemonGames @wiredp #IndieGame #GameDev

I’d been following the development of Gori: Cuddly Carnage for a while, and was hoping that the promised blend of cutesy innocence and uber-violence, combined with the neon, graphic-novel visuals would scratch my turbo-arcade itch...and yes, yes it has.

5 Things You Should Try Playing After Baldur's Gate 3 🎲

Link - CC0 License

As it is one of the top games of 2023, a lot of people have been left with the craving for more of Larian’s roleplaying magnum opus, Baldur’s Gate 3. However, if you’ve already done just about every playthrough you can think of, you might find yourself wanting to look outside of it for more like it. Thankfully, there is a pretty vast world of roleplaying games out there, many of which are worth a closer look.

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem Xbox Review 7/10 "Stunt fun for the young ‘uns" 🔥🛻 @GameMillEnt @3DClouds #Indie #GameDev

As the father of a three year old, I’m very familiar with Hot Wheels, and, whilst the Hot Wheels Unleashed games are a permanent fixture on my Xbox, the promise of a game more suited to the monster truck side of things – and with a simpler, more child-centric focus – was definitely tickling my gherkins.

Moving away from the primarily race-driven previous Hot Wheels games,  Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem instead leans towards – as the title suggests – stunts in various arenas.

The Total Joy Of Football Manager 2024 ⚽️↘️↙️

After a hiatus / self inflicted 2 year ban on me playing a Football Manager video game I have succumbed to my drug of choice and have entered the murky realm of Football Manager 2024. 

The problem is that it’s even more dangerous this time as I have begun playing FM24 on my mobile phone…

Pinball M Camp BloodBrook DLC Review "A Slashing Good Time!" 🔪⚪️ @zen_studios #IndieGame #GameDev

 

☝In this video we take a look at the Pinball M Camp BloodBrook DLC on the PC. 👆

Camp Bloodbrook is a thrilling pinball game that brings a slasher classic vibe from the 80s to life. It's part of the Pinball FX and Pinball M series, developed by Zen Studios.

In this game, you use your pinball skills to escape the clutches of Jacob Wells, also known as "The Wellbound" The game features various camp activities like nightly scavenger hunts, deadly hide and seek, and canoe adventures. It's available on multiple platforms, including PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

Total Extreme Wrestling 9 PC Review 9/10 “A Wrestledream” 🤼 @TransvaalGF @ArlesGreyDog #IndieGame #GameDev #TEW9

I've always been a huge fan of GM (General Manager) mode, a mode that for some unknown reason comes and goes from WWE games. Luckily, it is currently back in the last few games and I have spent many hours living out my dream of being a wrestling booker. The main criticism these games have is the lack of features, things that have been taken out, or should be have been in from the start. TEW9 doesn't have this problem, it was my first time playing this series and wow! Was my mind blown.

Nikoderiko: The Magical World Nintendo Switch Review 8.5/10 "A highlight reel of classic late ‘90s platformers" 🐲 @GamesVea #IndieGame #GameDev

I’d never heard of Nikoderiko: The Magical World before receiving it for review, but within seconds of playing, I knew exactly what treats I was in for. This is very much a game that tips its hat to titles such as Donkey Kong Country, and Crash Bandicoot, as we follow the adventurous mongoose duo Niko and Luna as they try to retrieve a magical artefact from the devious Grimbald and his army of ‘Cobrings’.