Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors Nintendo Switch 2 Review 9/10 🧛🍷 "A surprising spin off that stands as tall the original" @poncle_vampire #IndieGame #GameDev

Vampire Survivors melted the world when it was released back in 2022. I’ve had friends and colleagues here at GF that adored that game and spent many, many hours with it, and whilst I dipped my toe in for a few weeks and thoroughly enjoyed my time with it, Vampire Survivors never really sucked me in as it did for others…Vampire Crawlers, however, has crawled out of its sarcophagus, plunged its teeth into my neck, and yanked my trousers down with such force and intent that the friction burns blistered my trembling thighs. Good.

The words ‘roguelike deck-building game’ have almost become burned onto my retinas due to how often I’ve come across them over the last couple of years. Whilst I love the genre, it seems to have replaced ‘soulslike’ as a term that makes my eye twitch whenever I stumble across it whilst checking out upcoming games. That said, as with anything, if a game is good, it doesn’t matter how many others there are in the field; it’s a cracker. 

Such was the case with Vampire Crawlers, which was kindly sent over to us from Nosebleed Interactive, who are the minds behind Arcade Paradise, a game that my editor, Rich, very much fell in love with back in 2022. 

I was offered the code, installed it on the Switch 2, and that was it; I was hooked.

Beyond Words Nintendo Switch 2 Review 9/10 "So Good That it’s Almost Beyond Words!" 📖 @PQubeGames #IndieGame #GameDev

Beyond Words is exactly the sort of game you’d expect from era-spanning veterans of some of the most celebrated FPS titles of all time… a word-centric puzzle game with deck-building / roguelite mechanics. Yes, the only head-shot you’ll come across here will be a word comprised of Scrabble tiles and will net you some tasty points and multipliers...not a frag.

Word-based games are treasured here at the Welsh branch of GF, with one of the best-loved here being Letter Quest: Grimm’s Journey, but Beyond Words takes a different approach that rewards failed runs and scratches that one-more-go vibe by constantly rewarding you with unlocks and bonuses that can make or break on the tougher stages.

Beginning with a snappy tutorial that sets the stage for the simple game mechanics, you’ll find yourself making words up from the hand you are dealt, with the ability to shuffle and change a few, if needed. The main game board has a simple image behind it to add a bit of personality and colour to the proceedings, whilst there are also special tiles that act as multipliers or upgrade tiles to boost your word score. 

Dread Delusion Xbox Series X Review 9/10 "A Beautiful Misery" 📖⚔️ @DreadXPGames #IndieGames #GameDev

I knew nothing about Dread Delusion before diving in, and what I discovered excited the hell out of me. Dread Delusion is one of those games that aches like it’s the final burst brainchild of a single individual, and – as with all truly great prose - takes a while to get to grips with.

A first-person RPG beginning with your character being tasked with tracking down known sausage Vela Callose (aka - the most wanted person in the Apostatic Union.), your task soon branches out into various side and main quests over the various ‘skylands’ before you. 

Presented in a PS1 visual style with a surprising amount of options as to just how PS1 you want your experience to be – you’ll soon find yourself traipsing around the world of Dread Delusion, accompanied by a beautiful, keening (if slightly repetitive) soundtrack, sparse visuals, and tightly-funnelled game design that feels like a lesson in world-building without waste.

Britt's iOS Odyssey - Adventure To Fate: Dungeons iOS Review 9/10 "A dungeon that begs to be delved into" 🧙‍♂️ @AdventureToFate #IndieGame #GameDev

This is effectively part 2 of my iOS odyssey into finding the best single player RPGs on mobile. In the previous instalment I covered both Dawncaster, and Caves of Lore – both very different games with the linking factor that they were both awesome, a theme that I’m glad to say very much continues on here, with Adventure To Fate: Dungeons.

I want to say upfront that developer Touchmint is a very active dev, with this being a one-cost game, meaning that you pay just once and get full access not only to the entire game, but also any future packs that may be added. Very cool stuff, and this openness is bolstered through the accessibility features that Touchmint has added to ensure that as many people as possible can enjoy the game, regardless of their abilities.

Static Dread: The Lighthouse PS5 Review 9/10 “Shining a light on Lovecraftian Horror” 🗼🐙 @StaticDreadGame #IndieGame #GameDev

I don’t think a game has ever come along at the right time for me more than this one. Last year I got hips deep into Arkham Horror: The Card Game, which - like Static Dread - draws from the works of one Mr H. P. Lovecraft. I got really into both his works and the lore of the world he created which meant whilst playing this title I not only got the references, but that I had a better understanding of what Static Dread: The Lighthouse was going for, that fear and dread play a larger role than outright scares. Some scares do crop up in the game, but it is the complete, unsettling dread creeping over you that is the real horror.

Lumines Arise PC Review By PixelHunted 9/10 *Lumines Arise is an incredible game played on any size screen* ⏹️🟥🟧 @enhance_exp #IndieGame #GameDev

Many of you will know what it’s like to feel the cold hand of Father Time on your shoulder when it comes to gaming. Such is the case when I booted up Lumines Arise and grimly realized I’ve been playing this game for… Christ. 20 years…. Where did the time go?

I picked up the original Lumines in 2005 along with my shiny new PlayStation Portable. After Rez on Dreamcast I’d become a firm Tetsuya Mizuguchi fan, and his stylish little puzzler had me hooked. A year later, I had Lumines II, and in 2018 I was pleased to see the game return in shiny enhanced form as Lumines Remastered.

Deathless. The Hero Quest Xbox Series X Review 9/10 "A Deck Builder Based on Slavic Folklore" 🃏 @Deathless_TOR #indiegame #gamedev

I’ve been quite partial to digital card games recently, and whilst I’ve played some corkers over the last year, Deathless. The Hero Quest seems to be pulling me back more than most, it’s blend of beautifully expressive and smooth animations, rousing soundtrack and compulsive gameplay means that I find myself settling down for that golden sense of ‘one more try’.

Set in the fictional fantasy world of Belosvet, the game begins with a number of options to tailor your journey to your specific level of difficulty, as well as letting you decide which hero you will take on this epic quest first, will it be the sword and (surprisingly gun-like) wand-brandishing Alyosha? The towering Dobrynya, an armoured warrior who wields a huge sword and dragon skin covered shield? The sorceress Vasilisa, or perhaps the treasure hunter Varvara who tears into battle with a pickaxe and magic braid? Whoever you choose, fun is certainly imminent.

HELLDIVERS 2 XBOX SERIES X Review 9/10 "A Veritable Cornucopia of War Crime Options" 🦟 @helldivers2

I had had my eye on Helldivers 2 since the PC launch last year, and had been itching for the promised Xbox release for a long time. The release actually got me to pay for an Xbox game for the first time in ages, Game Pass being what it is.

For the uninitiated, Helldivers 2 is a squad-based shooter, where you and up to three team-mates drop onto a planet to achieve your mission objectives before being airlifted to safety. These objectives range from 'take this thing here', 'blow this thing up' or 'defend this bit of ground while a thing happens', through to 'kill as many enemies as you can while staying as alive as you can'. It's safe to say that it's not a story-heavy game. 

However, there is some framing. You are a Helldiver, one the elite soldiers of Super Earth, sent to battle its enemies while championing liberty, spreading Managed Democracy and staying true to the cause. Of course, it's all camouflage over the fact that you fight for a totalitarian dictatorship, with the satire very reminiscent of Starship Troopers.

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon Xbox Series X Review 9/10 "Take a swig from a true holy grail" ⚔️ @TaintedGrail_AR @awaken_realms @Aga_Szostak #IndieGame #GameDev

I’ve played some very good games over the last year, but very few gripped me quite as much as Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon. Polish developers Questline have created what I’ve secretly yearned for, for many a year - a spiritual successor to the likes of Oblivion and Skyrim with a nod to the darker side of life. 

A huge world begging to be explored, tied to an Arthurian storyline courtesy of Polish writer Krzysztof Piskorski, who originally created the world of the Tainted Grail for a board game that was an enormously successful Kickstarter project back in 2018. Questline previously released a game based in the Tainted Grail universe that was in the deckbuilder genre back in 2021, called Tainted Grail: Conquest – which I haven’t played – but the fact that four years later they’ve released a fully-fledged open world RPG in a ‘Western’ style is incredibly impressive, not to mention the full voice acting, audio, narrative and all the other glorious aspects of Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon that I’ll delve into here. 

Basically, this game is absolutely fantastic and has kept me apart from my trousers for over two weeks now, it’s one of those games that creeps into my mind throughout the day and pulls me back towards it with an almost sexual magnetism. If there was ever a game designed to seduce me into neglecting my family so I could play it all day long in 2025? Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is that game.

Inspector Waffles: Early Days Game Boy Color Review 9/10 "A Purrfect GBC game, this cat definitely gets the cream!" 🐈 @golosogames @Broke_Studio @HomebrewFactory #GameDev #IndieGame

A feline-centric police procedural with a lightness of touch and a sharpness in its design, Inspector Waffles: Early Days has very quickly become one of my favourite Game Boy games.

A prequel to Goloso Games’ 2021 release Inspector Waffles, Inspector Waffles: Early Days follows the cat detective in his rookie days, as he finds his place in Cat Town. 

Under the guiding eye of your partner, Pancakes (yes, this game will make you hungry), you’ll crack six cases in total, cases handed into your capable paws by your chief – Patches. 

The first of these cases deals with the theft of a rare video game cartridge (good!), and you’ll soon find yourself falling into the satisfying pattern of discovering clues, interrogating suspects and solving crimes– as well as hopefully discovering some secrets along the way!

Monster Train 2 XBOX Review 9/10 " One hell of a freight" 🚂👹 @TheMonsterTrain #IndieGame #GameDev

In most visions of apocalyptic battles between heaven and hell, between angels and demons, between God and the Devil itself, the battleground is a scarred wasteland and the warriors are on horseback, wielding swords and axes. Something distinctly more Tolkienesque than Shiny Shoe’s interpretation in the Monster Train games. If their idea is to be believed, then the final tussle on earth takes place in a train carriage more reminiscent of something halfway between Snowpiercer and the climatic fight in Broken Arrow.

But what of the game itself? I’ll get this out straight away. Fans of the original certainly need not worry. This is everything the first game was and more. Expanded and enhanced in terms of options, cards, clans and mechanics.

9th Dawn Remake Xbox Series X Review 9/10 "A Glorious CRPG that kept me coming back for more"⚔️🛡️🧙‍♂️ @Valorware #Retrogaming #IndieGame #GameDev

Five years ago I covered 9th Dawn III: Shadow of Erthil, and whilst I had a good time with it, there were some issues that chipped away at the fun somewhat. Although this is a remake of the first game in the series (which I haven’t previously played), there’s a freshness and tightness to the experience that really makes this stand out from the crowd, and especially when compared to the 3rd title in the series, with a lot of issues ironed out, and more accessibility and snugness in the design whilst also feeling incredibly expansive and very rewarding in terms of exploration.

Assassins Creed: Shadows Xbox Series X Review 9/10 “Sharper combat and characters make this a top target” 🗡️ @assassinscreed

I’ve always been a big Assassins Creed fan from the start, which is amazing when you replay the first game in the franchise and spend most of it shouting at Altair for how badly he controls as he leaps and jumps in any direction he feels like. Now, I know what you’re thinking - the ‘i’ in Altair doesn't have a diaeresis over it in this article, and that's because even after looking how to do it on Google, I still couldn’t work out how to do it so maybe I shouldn't be as critical of old Altair, he won’t take direction, and I won’t spell his name correctly.

Anyway, I actually became a bigger fan with the change of direction that Origins brought to the series, although I loved all the previous games, I must say that the last few have delivered some of my favourite Assassins Creed experiences, so when this was announced - combined with the fact that I really like the Feudal Japan setting - meant I was buzzing with excitement.

Starbound Xbox Series X Review 9/10 "Terraria in Space" ⭐️ @ChucklefishLTD #IndieGame #GameDev

A few years ago, my partner and I were hips deep in Terraria, I genuinely think I own a copy on every system it’s been released - aside from Switch, thinking about it - and we would often spend weeks just getting back into the groove with the amazing music (which I am lucky enough to own on vinyl) and just the pure sense of wonder and relaxation that exists in the quiet exploration. To be honest, we barely bothered with the boss fights, it was all about pottering about for us.

My next – and true – love, came through the glorious Aground, and once my gaming thirst had been slaked there, I vaguely hearing about Starbound, but as it wasn’t then available on consoles, I promptly forgot about it and went on my day, a day that was bereft of crafty, pixel, action-adventure games…until now.

Dance of Cards Nintendo Switch Review 9/10 "A game that won my heart...and spade, club, diamond." 🃏🃏 @FrogOfHearts #IndieGame #GameDev

I bloody love coming across games like Dance of Cards – which seems to be released on the Switch just for me, at the perfect time. I’ve been playing Balatro on and off over the last few weeks, and one evening, as I failed yet another run, I mused idly to myself how awesome a poker-based RPG would be...and a few days later, Dance of Cards sidled shiftily into my deck. Needless to say, I went in blind.

The game casts you in the role of the heroically named ‘Martin’, a magician and card mechanic in a small town that is getting sent on to the big city by his shady manager, on a cruise ship. And on said voyage...things go somewhat awry.

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.

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.

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.

Super Woden GP II Review 9/10 "No Wooden Spoon for Woden 2" 🏎️ @maxharvey79 @ViJuDaGD #IndieGame #IndieGameDev #GameDev

As a man of a certain age, and one who cut his teeth on Commodores rather than Nintendo's, my nostalgic heart belongs to isometric racing games. Super Cars, Super Off Road and Skidmarks (*titter*) all get my pistons pumping and having tried a couple again recently (prompted by this review), they stand up fairly well as the gameplay is solid and simple.

Super Woden GP II has a silly name, but we’ll not dwell on that. We will dwell instead on what this game brings to the modern racing table. It brings us something delightfully retro, is what it does. What I will say before anything else is that if you enjoyed the games mentioned above, there’s a very good chance you’ll love this. 

Still Wakes the Deep XSX Review 9/10 "Possibly the most naturalistic dialogue in a video game" 🛢️🗼 @SWTD_Game @ChineseRoom #IndieGame #GameDev

The Chinese Room were the company that introduced me to the walking simulator genre with their minimalistic and glorious 2012 title Dear Esther. This was followed by a firm favourite of our household in Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. And so, learning that The Chinese Room were making a game set on a Scottish oil rig in the mid-’70s was enough to make my trousers fly off and fold themselves neatly in a drawer, before definitively slamming it shut.