⚽️Things I Miss in Video Games - "Championship Manager Hot Seat Sessions"⚽️

As I’ve got older I’ve begun to realise how precious time is to us all.

When we’re younger it seems we have all the time in the world to do whatever we want and we take it for granted.

This is especially true for playing video games.

⚔️ Ten minute Taster - City Of Brass - PS4 - "No Arms Mcgraw's Revenge!" 💀

🎮"I'm taking on the City Of Brass today which is full of undead skeletons, loot, No Arms McGraw and genies what's not to like?"🎮

☆ Review: Max: The Curse of Brotherhood "The modern Penny Crayon" ☆ @BrittRecluseuk #IndieGame #GameDev

Platform Reviewed: Nintendo Switch

Developer: Press Play

Rating: Ice Cool

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood (M:TCOB) is the sequel to the 2010 game Max and the Magic Marker. The game was originally released in 2013 and in the last few months it has been ported to both the Switch and PS4. 

Whilst I had a really good time with the game throughout its 6-8 hour campaign, there was one thing that burned my family photo-album on my birthday throughout…the framerate. 

It wasn’t enough to massively hinder my enjoyment but I must admit that I know the game would have benefitted hugely from a push from 30 to 60 fps.

⚽️ SNES Football Games Were Shite - FIFA 97 GOLD - 1996 - EA ⚽️

☆ Britt is a Self Confesed Video Game Animation-iac ☆ #Retrogaming @BrittRecluseuk

I recently reviewed a game called The Thin Silence which had the most amazingly lethargic ‘kick’ animation that I’ve seen in a game, I found it mesmerising and often I would just randomly kick things in the game to see that wonderful animation in action (booting generators also had a nice accompanying rattling sound effect). 

It dawned on me as I happily booted my way through the (very good) game that over the years there have been quite a few animations in games that I just found really pleasing to watch, almost therapeutic even, and I wondered if it was something that all gamers experience with certain games.

☆ Review: The Thin Silence "An introspective, narrative-driven puzzler" ☆

Game Title: The Thin Silence

Developer: TwoPM Studios

Platform Reviewed: PC (Steam)

Rating: Ice Cool

The Thin Silence puts the player in control of Ezra Westmark, a soldier who wakes up in an underground cave system, refusing to face reality and haunted by his choices, he begins the journey upwards. 

It’s a very deliberately-paced game that slowly unfolds the story to the player very carefully as they make progress.

🏀 Retro Review: Space Jam - PS1 "Jordan's Motivation To Return To Basketball?" 🏀 #Retrogaming #GamersUnite

This Space Jam video game is based on a movie by the same name that I am pretty sure I saw in theatres and remember very little about; partially because that was the only time I saw it, and I know very little about Michael Jordan or basketball as a whole, so it never kept my interest. 

I considered re-watching the movie for this review, but couldn’t find anyone I knew that actually owned a copy, so not sure what that says about the movie or my friends. It is a simple concept though, with the world-famous Looney Tunes meeting real-life NBA players—mostly just MJ after he decided to do baseball—and play a game of intergalactic proportions: Tune Squad vs Monstars, where the stakes are…

I honestly don’t recall, but I’m sure they’re big. The movie, however, was a hit, to the point that Hollywood is still talking about a sequel to this day, so I’m a little surprised there is only one Space Jam video game.

👑 Review: Chess Ultra "Pour a nice glass of Malbec and get that grey matter twitching" 👑

Game Title: Chess Ultra
Developer: Ripstone
Platform Reviewed: Nintendo Switch
Rating: Ice Cool

Ripstone have developed a video game that takes the essentials of the game of Chess, refines the various aspects of it and distils it almost perfectly onto the Nintendo Switch.

⚔️ Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion ⚔️ #AdventureTime

First Official Trailer Released for Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion

An Original Adventure Time Story Coming to Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on July 17 in the US and July 20 Globally

⚽️ SNES Football Games Were Shite - FIFA 96 - 1995 - EA ⚽️ #Retrogaming

🎮 "The SNES Football Games Were Shite Roadshow trundles on and this week it visits EA again with FIFA 96.... was it a turd or could I polish it?" 🎮 

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

⛵️ Review: Solo "A game about love, crafted with love" ⛵️ #GameDev @TeamGotham_

Game Title: Solo

Platform Reviewed: PC (Steam)

Developer: Team Gotham

Rating: Ice Cool

Release date – April 26th 2018

Solo is a video game featuring a sailor traversing an archipelago, solving puzzles and musing on love as he works his way across the scenic islands. I instantly warmed to its tone and charms as I puzzled my way through the game.

Solo starts with you choosing your character and their relationship status (which alters aspects of the story, the choices are quite varied and should cater for everyone). Starting off at your house, your cheerful, rotund character soon sets sail for a distant archipelago and the game starts in earnest.

⚔️ The Swords Of Ditto - Ten Minute Taster - PS4 ⚔️ #GameDev @onebitbeyond #IndieGame

⚔️ "The first title from One Bit Beyond is The Swords of Ditto, the beautiful looking micro RPG that generates a new story, adventure, character and world every time you play. The Swords of Ditto will be published by Devolver Digital on PC and PS4 on 24th April 2018."" ⚔️

☆ Review: Beckett - "An acid trip into a Burroughs-esque dystopia" ☆ #IndieGame @TheSecretExp

Game Title: Beckett

Developer: The Secret Experiment

Platform Reviewed: PC (Steam)

Rating: Ice Cool

There’s no sugar-coating this, Beckett is a tough ride for all the right reasons.

Scottish developers The Secret Experiment pull no punches as they envelop you in the twisted, broken world of Beckett. 

As I played through I winced, felt queasy, and even occasionally found it overwhelming, but I was never bored.

☆ EGX Rezzed 2018 "Tim Schafer & The Lucas Games Ranch Nerds" ☆ @DoubleFine

This years EGX Rezzed was another rip roaring affair with so much indie gaming goodness to take in and such a great atmosphere.

Tobacco Dock is a brilliant venue for this highlight in my gaming calendar and I always look forward to visiting its dungeon like underbelly for the awesome leftfield collection and the brick cavern like gaming areas on the first floor to experience more mainstream indie delights.

For me this year there was a highlight of the show that really stood out for me.

It was an awesome talk from Tim Schafer about his video games writing / developing career which was a brilliant way to spend 45 minutes listening to an industry legend’s experiences at Lucas Arts and Double Fine.

☆ Review: Bombslinger - "Tough As Old Bombs!" ☆ #Bombslinger #Nindies @mode4games

If you hear anyone talking about Bombslinger then you will most likely hear them refer to Super Bomberman R in the same sentence as they are pretty much cousins but they are most definitely not the same and Bombslinger does not come across as a game trying to best Super Bomberman R either.

So, what is Bombslinger all about and is it worth picking up for your Switch?

Well let's have a look shall we?

⚽️ SNES Football Games Were Shite - FIFA International Soccer - 1993 - EA ⚽️

🎮"Over the years of video games playing and owning a Super Nintendo I came to the realisation that the Super Nintendo was shit for Soccer games! They're all rubbish!"🎮

🎮"Join me as I trudge through the poo and serve up a steaming slice for you to consume in weekly portions"🎮

☆ The Sounds Gamers Will Never Forget ☆

Here's a video that I had fun pulling together of some of the sounds that as a gamer you will never forget.

See if you can spot your favourite video game amongst this lot...

☆ Review: Rally Racers - "Colourful Cartoon Karting" ☆ #IndieGame

Game Title: Rally Racers

Developer: West Coast Games

Platform Reviewed: Nintendo Switch

Rating: Melting

Rally Racers is a fun if slightly bland family-friendly racing game with a ‘kart-style’ approach that I found entertaining in short bursts as well as also oddly addictive, despite it’s issues.

☆ Where Are My Friends? - PS4 - Ten Minute Taster "An intriguing game of an eyeball and his friends..." ☆ #IndieGame

🎮 An intriguing video game set in a strange time as you try and piece together some puzzles and answer the question that I ask myself on a daily basis.

Where Are My Friends?! ." 🎮

☆ Retro Games Collector Talks Grandstand 3600, The Lords Of Midnight and Peanut Butter & Nutella Sandwiches - Video Games Memories ☆ #GamersUnite #Retrogaming

Today we invite a Spectrum Fanatic and Retro Gaming community legend @RetroGamesCollector in the Freezer to answer some cool questions on his retrogaming past present and future...