Showing posts with label 8/10. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 8/10. Show all posts

11 Apr 2025

Life On Earth: Reimagined SEGA Mega Drive Review 8/10 "Boobs, bullets and a bloody serious challenge" 🌎 @Kai_MSX #Retrogaming #IndieGame #GameDev

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Life On Earth: Reimagined
I previously covered KAI Magazine Software’s Metal Dragon and Life on Mars: Genesis, thoroughly enjoying both. Life on Earth: Reimagined is set in the same universe as Life on Mars, and casts you in the role of the extremely buxom and impractically dressed Zhira, who is on a mission to halt the progress of a Mars-based lifeform that was brought to Earth for study and has - naturally - broken free of its restraints, and is quite frankly – causing ructions.

First impressions are fantastic, the action is quick and precise, with the gameplay being reminiscent of titles such as Rolling Thunder 2, or Sunset Riders as Zhira combats spawning enemies from all sides as she makes her way through the stages. Oscar Albero’s graphics are genuinely stunning in some areas, as cherry blossom trees and cityscapes at night rush past in a whirlwind of cyberpunk. Zhira’s arsenal consists of a melee attack and well as standard, triple, auto, and explosive shots to take down the myriad enemies that come at her in waves. There’s also other vehicular sections to add variety to the gameplay, not to mention multi-section bosses to take down in pitched battles scattered throughout.
Life On Earth: Reimagined
I also have to mention the incredible music in Life on Earth: Reimagined, as the composer Savaged Regime has created something glorious here, it’s one of the most ‘Mega Drive’ scores I’ve ever heard and pulls out all the stops in creating an audio environment for the game that absolutely rocks, fantastic stuff! They also have more music available so please check out the incredible talents of Savaged Regime.

So, there’s a lot to love about Life On Earth: Reimagined, with solid mechanics, tasty gameplay, incredible audio….but it’s also worth mentioning the difficulty, as this is a game that is not shy. In the tougher stages, enemy respawns can be problematic and pretty consistent, alongside a chase stage in which Zhira is pegging it away from an encroaching explosion that will really test your patience and get your MD controller creaking. That said, if you like a challenge in your games, that will very much be of appeal, as – although you can lower the difficulty, completing the game on easy mode doesn’t show you the full game, so you’ll need to up the challenge to see the true end of Zhira’s adventure.
Life On Earth: Reimagined
In terms of the physical release, the clamshell box is solid and features a reversible cover that alternates between the early and later styles of releases on the MD, inside are some art cards featuring Zhira, as well as a multi-language full colour booklet that is packed with information about the game. 

SUMMARY
As usual – KAI Magazine Software have released a top quality modern MD game that feels right at home on the system, with the music especially feeling like it’s showing SEGA’s 16-bit console at its best. A great run n’ gun title that doesn’t take any prisoners when it comes to challenge!
8/10
πŸ†’COOLπŸ†’

πŸ”—Purchase Link: 

10 Apr 2025

The Cursed Legacy SEGA Mega Drive Review 8/10 "Run n’ Gun? Metroidvania? Mini-games? The Cursed Legacy has you covered!" πŸ’₯ @Goodgamestudios @Broke_Studio #IndieGame #GameDev

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The Cursed Legacy SEGA Mega Drive Review
The last game I played from GGS Studio was The Cursed Knight back in 2022, an awesome title that was also distributed through broke Studio. The Cursed Legacy is again a Mega Drive release that continues the high quality production values laid down by Broke Studio, as well as classic retro gameplay from GGS, and again continues their quirk of mixing up genres, in this instance those genres being run n’ gun, metroidvania, and riffs on classic mini-games.

25 Feb 2025

Catagrams iOS Review 8/10 "Like word-based puzzle games? This could be purr-fect for you" 🐈 @catagrams #IndieGame #GameDev

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It’s not often we cover mobile games here at GF, but I’ve yet to find a word-based puzzler that I didn’t like and so Catagrams was installed on my phone faster than a moggy racing to the milk bowl. 

A simple and addictive title that caters for all skill levels, Catagrams is a very calming and cat-centric title that presents multiple scrambled words that need to be re-aligned, there are multiple coloured threads that run through each word to assist you in showing how they fit together, and you can also adjust the difficulty by selecting longer, more complex words – or simplify things by using the inbuilt hint system to show as many bonus letters in the words as you’d like to help you on your way if you are a little stumped.

14 Feb 2025

Atomic Heart DLC : Enchantment Under The Sea [DLC3] PC Review "A wife in the hand is worth 3 in the bush?!" 🌊 @mundfish #IndieGame #GameDev

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Atomic Heart Enchantment Under The Sea DLC 3 Review
I've admired Atomic Heart from afar over the last couple of years with it featuring on my "Must Play" list for that time. With all the great games that have come out in that time Atomic Heart has been pushed to the back of my queue.

Now that I finally get a chance to cover the game through Games Freezer I am glad to say that I finally got to play it! Although, as I have been asked to cover the Enchantment Under The Sea DLC this means that I have committed a gamer crime by playing the 3rd DLC before I've even played the base game!

Someone may already be knocking on my door to take me away for such heinous crimes to gaming but for now I'm on the run and able to give you a review of my time with Atomic Heart: Enchantment Under The Sea.

10 Jan 2025

Westild’s Law Nintendo Switch Review 8/10 "How the west was won and where it got us" 🀠 @BUG_Studio #IndieGame #GameDev

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Westild’s Law Nintendo Switch Review
Westerns and gaming go together like bourbon and gherkin juice – perfectly well. The rootin’-tootin’ wild west is ripe for gun play, gals n’ galoshes, so whenever a Western-themed title tips its hat at me as it mosies on into the saloon, I’m more than happy to challenge it to a duel at high noon.

Priced extremely fairly, Westild’s law is a top-down shooter that casts you in the role of a male or female bounty hunter (the gender can be changed at any time) as they take on bounties from the Westild town sheriff, all the while upgrading their abilities, guns, and skills.

10 Dec 2024

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

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Tetris Forever PC Review
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.

28 Nov 2024

49 Keys Nintendo Switch Review 8/10 πŸ—️ @2Pcom @49chiavi

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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.

1 Oct 2024

Horror Tales: The Beggar | Xbox Review 8/10 “It’s Morvin Time” πŸ‘½ @CarlosGameDev #IndieGame #GameDev #IndieGameDev

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Horror Tales: The Beggar
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.

24 Sept 2024

Rewind or Die PS5 Review 8/10 “The Good Stuff” πŸ“Ό @PuppetCombo @torturestar #IndieGame #GameDev #IndieGameDev #HorrorCommunity

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Rewind or Die PS5 Review
Puppet Combo games have been my jam, I think I have reviewed one of their games every month for the last several months (I have another in the pipeline already, for next month). 

I’ve enjoyed every game, and the last few releases have been some of their most diverse - with Lakeview Cabin Collection being a side scroller and The Glass Staircase being a PS2 zombie horror inspired by classic Italian films. 

Rewind or Die gets back to what I imagine when I think of Puppet Combo - A grubby, dirty slasher-inspired romp with PS1 style graphics mixed with VHS. It’s not only what I think of… it’s what I love.

13 Sept 2024

CONSCRIPT Xbox Review 8/10 "It captures the grinding, stifling atmosphere of war really, really well" ☠️ @ConscriptGame #IndieGame #GameDev #IndieGameDev

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CONSCRIPT Xbox Review
War is hell. Thus spoke US Civil War veteran General William T. Sherman, and, let's face it, he's not wrong. Conscript is a top-down pixel-art survival horror set during World War I, specifically the 1916 Battle of Verdun. 

You control young French soldier Andre, slogging through unending miles of trenches and bunkers ridden with sucking mud, enemy soldiers, rats and mustard gas, in search of your captured brother Pierre and a safe return home.

10 Sept 2024

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Xbox Review 8/10 "Satisfying Combat and more frowning men than you can shake a stick at" ⚔️ @Focus_entmt #SpaceMarine2

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Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2  Xbox Review
There are certain franchises that can feel quite overwhelming to jump into if you haven’t been involved with them since the start, the Warhammer 40k franchise has been on the periphery for me for decades; yes, I’ve dabbled with the board games and a handful of scattered video games along the way, but as for the lore and terminology? 

Mate, I don’t know my Ultramarine from my Burnt Umber.

30 Aug 2024

Just Crow Things Xbox Review 8/10 "Welcome to the Poopy Party" 🐦‍⬛ @UnboundCreation #IndieGame #IndieGameDev #GameDev

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Just Crow Things Xbox Review
I find real pleasure in diving into games that are suitable for all the family, especially those that have a humorous streak running through them. My three-year-old is a bit of a litmus test when it comes to the child-friendly titles I cover here at GF, and when Just Crow Things came on, he was intrigued, but when he found out there was a poop button? He was sold.

From Unbound Creations – the team behind Rain On Your Parade – Just Crow Things ostensibly casts you in the role of a young crow that is on a quest to get her sunglasses back from bullies, but the real meat of the game is just having fun and causing carnage throughout the game’s stages. 

30 Jul 2024

Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III Xbox Review 8/10 "Twirl that parasol!" ⛱️ #Retrogaming

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Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III  Xbox Review 8/10
Released by Taito in 1991, Parasol Stars - the sequel to Bubble Bobble (1986), and Rainbow Islands (1987)– stuck closer to the formula of the original with single-screen action, this time with brighter visuals, larger sprites, and advanced audio – and yes, the soundtrack is absolutely as much of an earworm as the original!

17 Jul 2024

RoboCop: Rogue City PS5 Review 8/10 "Oh, how I miss squibs!" πŸ€– @TeyonGames #IndieGame #GameDev

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Robocop Rogue City PS5 Review
Oh, how I miss squibs. These days action movies simulate blood splatter from gunshots with CGI and, while now relatively convincing, it just doesn’t have the same visceral impact as detonating a small bag of fake blood. 

RoboCop: Rogue City developer Teyon clearly feels the same way. This is a game almost entirely about blasting sneering criminals with high-powered weaponry and every thumping shot sends beautiful fountains of the red stuff spiralling through the air and onto the scenery. If this somehow isn’t enough, the game offers a “More Gore” weapon upgrade to truly paint the town red. Paul Verhoeven would be proud.

26 Jun 2024

Echo Generation: Midnight Edition Nintendo Switch Review 8/10 "Slightly Stranger Things" πŸͺ“πŸ§’ @cococucumberco #IndieGame #GameDev

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Echo Generation: Midnight Edition Nintendo Switch Review

As a person who eschews the Savalas* and instead prefers movies, I’ve been spared the all-encompassing phenomenon that was Stranger Things and so the following tidal wave of ‘80s-tastic follow-ups very much didn’t pop up on my viewing radar, in fact – it’s been more through reviewing vinyl like the absolutely stunning Kingdom Eighties: Summer of Greed that the wave of ‘kids n’ kooky’ has trickled gently over my feet.

Not that I have an issue with it at all, my point is purely that I’m not burned out on it like I know others are. I am burned out on anime style visuals, however. Voxels - I continue to inhale as much as possible.

25 Jun 2024

Death and Taxes PS5 Review 8/10 “Only two things in life are certain” πŸ’€πŸ“ @PlaceholderGW #IndieGame #GameDev

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Death and Taxes PS5 Review
Have you ever been envious of the Grim Reapers job? walking around with a big scythe, getting to meet a lot of interesting - before taking their souls? sounds like a great job! Sadly, just like most jobs in the modern age it’s now a desk job with lots of bureaucracy - and no big scythes.

13 Jun 2024

Horizon Chase 2 Xbox Review 8/10 "Why did the frog cross the road?" 🐸🏎️ @HorizonChase #IndieGame #GameDev

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Horizon chase 2 Xbox Review
Why did the frog cross the road? 

One of the oldest questions never asked, perhaps because everyone’s talking about that damn chicken. And I’m not about to answer that question as this is not Amphibian Psychology 101. I’m here to talk about HOW the frog crossed the road and how this (loosely) relates to Horizon Chase 2, new to Xbox.

7 Jun 2024

Loretta Xbox Series X Review 8/10 “Spiralling Down” ☠️🍢 @yabutuzoff #IndieGame #GameDev

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Loretta Xbox Series X Review
Set in 1947, you control Loretta - a housewife who has murdered her husband, having finally had enough of his drinking, gambling, cheating ways - and decided to take matters into her own hands.

The game opens with a detective investigating his disappearance, he has come to question Loretta and have a look around the farm and it is here where we gain control of the titular character.

Early on you are presented with the choices that will shape her fate, I made the decision to try and poison the detective and… well… let’s just say it ‘didn’t go well’.

Throughout your time with this game you will get the chance to make important decisions such as should you higher your kill count or resist your murderous temptations and see if you can break free, and escape your current predicament.

5 Jun 2024

KUDZU Nintendo Switch Review 8/10 "A great title with Game Boy Roots" πŸ•Ή️ @PFBStudios #IndieGame #GameDev

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KUDZU Nintendo Switch Review
Originally released as a physical Game Boy cartridge and now ported to the Switch, Kudzu – especially at its current price point – feels a steal for those who have a soft spot for adventures on Nintendo’s classic handheld.

The player takes control of tea-loving gardener protagonist Max, who goes off on a quest in search of his master, Zoen, who has seemingly lost his mind and wandered off into the ever-expanding fields of Kudzu that surround their home town.

11 Apr 2024

Bang On Balls - Chronicles Nintendo Switch Review 8/10 "a unique, content-packed, open-world sandbox adventure" πŸš€πŸŒŒπŸŒŽ @bangonballs #IndieGame #GameDev

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Bang On Balls - Chronicles Nintendo Switch Review

Are you looking for a thrilling 3D game that you can enjoy with your friends?

If so, then Bang-On Balls: Chronicles may be just what you need.

It is a unique, content-packed, open-world sandbox adventure that offers multiple elements such as combat, platforming, character customization, and a scavenger hunting experience.

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