The 7th Guest Remake Xbox Series X Review 9/10 "Stauf is back!" 🔦🕯️

The 7th Guest Remake Review – Wine, Whispers and the Wonders of Stauf’s House

A Haunting Journey Through a Reborn Classic

I can’t believe that it was back in 2023 when I reviewed The 7th Guest VR, of which this game is a port. Awarding it a 9.5/10, it was one of our highest-rated games ever, perfectly capturing as it does the essence of what makes The 7th Guest such a special game for so many whilst bringing it to the eyes of modern audiences. 

A huge boon here for me is that as much as I adored The 7th Guest VR, I struggle with motion sickness when playing in VR, and so it was tough to get through certain sections, and I had to play the game in bite-sized chunks. 

Whilst the move from VR does leave the cobwebs of some elements that now feel unneeded – such as the ability to pick up everything and rotate it in your ghostly hand – this realisation of Stauf’s manor and the guests and puzzles within is so strong that it feels fickle to focus on those aspects. As above, if you want to know my personal history with this title and get a deeper dive, check out my previous review of the VR version as it covers a lot of this ground.

Gothic 1 Remake PS5 Review 7.5/10 "A Throwback in the Truest Sense of the Word"

Gothic 1 Remake Review – A Gritty, Grubby Triumph with Proper Old‑School Bite

Bugs, Quirks and the Lack of Hand‑Holding

I’ve had many a dalliance with the Gothic series over the years, most recently in 2024, when Gothic 2 was released on Switch. Piranha Bytes very much had their own approach and vibe to their creations, and I was gutted when they closed their doors last year, having given us the Gothic, Risen and Elex series of games. Titles that were definitely flawed, but also idiosyncratic and rich with a dry sense of European humour as well as being unique, memorable experiences for better or worse.

I heard of this Gothic remake a couple of years ago, and I have been yearning for it ever since, and reviewing and scoring this game was oddly difficult because…well, it kind of does what you want/expect a Gothic game to do. Still, there are some design issues and other aspects that are lacking. That said, I fully appreciate that there is a large chunk of fans of the original out there that will embrace this and see it as a genuine GOTY, and I completely understand that viewpoint.

The original Gothic was released in 2001 on PC and is set in and around a penal colony that is under a magic barrier. Nothing living can escape the barrier, and the folks who live within it have split into various groups with their own ways and goals. The remake reflects this main plotline whilst breaking away in terms of the various side quests and its own twists on the design of the original. 

The Follow Up To A Game I Reviewed 10 Years Ago Is Coming! - Shadows of Eldemir

Shadows of Eldemir: Arif Games Resurfaces with a New Cosmic Horror Epic

A Missing Fiancée, a Forbidden Artefact, and a Village on Edge

Back in 2017, one of the first games I ever reviewed for Games Freezer – possibly the first, come to think of it! – was Arif Games’ Dark Fear, a great horror title that was available on PC and iOS platforms and was awarded our highest accolade of ‘ice cool’. At the end of that article I stated that I was excited for what was to come next from the Yorkshire-based Arif Games…and now, almost a decade later, that moment has arrived!

Details of Shadows of Eldemir are below; information taken from the Arif Games website, the game can be wish-listed on Steam and is due for release in 2027. If their previous work is anything to go by, this will be a beautifully crafted horror adventure dripping with atmosphere and ominous stylings. I for one am keen.

Pengilo PS5 Review 6.5/10 "A Pleasant Penguin Physics Puzzler" 🐧

Pengilo: A Simple Slice of Penguin‑Tossing Puzzle Zen

Verdict: Fun, Floaty, but Not Quite Stand‑Out

A simple and accessible physics-based game from developer Double Mizzlee and publisher Eastasiasoft, Pengilo is a single-screen puzzle title with fifty stages of circular penguin-chucking action.

A bright and colourful entry in the genre presented in 2D, Pengilo tasks the player with tossing a penguin into the air, collecting stars and keys to unlock the door in order to exit each stage.

A budget title that currently costs under a fiver, Pengilo only allows you to take control of your penguin for a follow-up directional shove after a single bounce; this means that you have to be accurate if you don’t want to fall off the screen, resulting in a retry of the stage. 

GluMe PS5 Review 8/10 "Let’s Stick Together"

GluMe Review – A Charming, Cartoonish Sokoban Puzzle Challenge

Sticky Mechanics, Bright Presentation and 80 Fiendish Single‑Screen Stages

A sliding puzzle game in the Sokoban style. GluMe casts you in the role of a cartoonish blob who must move around the single-screen stages collecting gems by sticking to other blobs in the correct sequence. A single miscalculation means that you won’t be able to complete the stage – which can be but a few seconds long if you know the route! – and requires a restart. 

I found the whole approach of GluMe quite appealing. There’s a heavy sense of cartoonishness with the animated blobs having large eyes and gently bouncing around. The chiptune music by Liniker Nasciento is absolutely a perfect match for the breeziness of gameplay and keeps things bright and light to match the visuals.

Letter Quest Remastered Xbox Series X Review 9.5/10 "There are no words for a game this good!" 🔤 @thebaconbandits #IndieGame #GameDev

Letter Quest Remastered: The Undisputed King of Word‑Based RPGs

The Humour, Art, and Personality That Make Letter Quest Shine

Over the years, whenever I cover word-based puzzle games, Letter Quest often crops up as the standard-bearer for quality. It seems unusual to retrospectively cover a game released over a decade ago, but I was sure that I had sung the praises of Letter Quest in an article upon its initial release - I had certainly played it enough! - but I checked during my research for Beyond Words, and no, I hadn’t. So I’m getting to rectify that here.

God of Weapons PS5 Review 6/10 "Ambitious but Fatiguing Over Time" ⚔️ @ArchmageGames #IndieGame #GameDev

God of Weapons – 3D Vampire Survivors‑Style Action with Inventory Management Depth

Verdict – Ambitious but Fatiguing Over Time

A game that takes inspiration from poncle’s Vampire Survivors and moves the game into the 3D realm whilst also adding in some inventory management action, God of Weapons has some nice ideas, but the inherent repetition of the auto-battler genre is amplified here by short music loops and a staid environment.

A game that takes place in single-stage chunks, God of Weapons shows you at the start just how much content there is here, as the myriad unlockable characters are shown in silhouette before you dive into the main tower that makes up the heart of the game. As you proceed, you’ll also unlock a pretty chunky weapons armoury in which you can delve to select which loadout you fancy at the time, of course…keeping that aforementioned inventory space in check.

The stages are all very similar visually, differing mainly in enemy type and level size, although the mechanics are mainly the same, albeit having to perhaps dodge spike traps etc. You have to survive for between one and two minutes on the stages as insurmountable monsters spawn around you, causing you to run and dash out of their way as your weapons and spells auto-fire quite satisfyingly.

Games Freezer’s favourite YouTube Channels #2 Britt 📼

Over the coming weeks, the team here at GF will be sharing their favourite gaming channels on YouTube.

Here are the channels that Britt keeps returning to!

Kim Justice –

The channel I’ve probably been watching for the longest period of time, Kim’s passion for gaming bleeds through the screen, and it’s always a genuine pleasure to sit down with a glass of wine and plough through her lengthy docs, especially the ones with a focus on the 8-bit microcomputers. An awesome documentarian who really knows her stuff!

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.

Mouse: P.I for Hire Nintendo Switch 2 Review 8.5 /10 "A Very Gouda Game" 🧀 @mousethegame #IndieGame #GameDev

When you think about games set in a fictional world akin to 1930’s cartoons, Cuphead will probably spring to mind, and as much as that game made an incredible impact – although I admit, its boss rush gameplay wasn’t for me, and I’ve spent far more time engrossed in the Netflix series – Mouse: P. I for Hire really caught my eye when I saw early trailers, and I pounced when the option to review it here at GF popped up. 

I’m very pleased to say that this is a game that really lives up to the promise of the trailer, and dives deep into the mousey, cheesy, noir world of Mouseburg, balancing challenging gameplay with great voice acting, an incredible sense of vibe, and visuals you’d ink your shorts for.

Set in the fictional city of Mouseburg in the ‘30s - a place inhabited by anthropomorphic rodents – you are private eye Jack Pepper, a typical hard-nosed noir detective who has his office next to a bar, and is friends with both the seedier side of town as well as up-and-coming mayoral prospects. Through a seemingly minor case, he soon finds himself embroiled in a city-wide scandal far outside his usual scope. So far, so noir.

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.

Marvel MaXimum Collection Nintendo Switch 2 Review 6.5/10 "Welcome to DIE!"❌🦹‍♀️ @LimitedRunGames #RetroGaming

With some games featuring regional variations (JP, US, EU) and also archival details – as well as a ‘jukebox’ section – on the face of the matter, this looks like pretty decent ‘snikt!’ For your buck, but the age and design of some of the games, as well as a bare bones feel to the package in terms of the extras included does end up making things feel a little lacklustre overall, although you do get the usual save state and rewind features along with the choice of using a CRT filter.

A collection of six games from the early to mid-nineties starring beloved Marvel characters, Marvel MaXimum Collection puts the below games in one place:

1. Silver Surfer (NES)
2. Captain America and The Avengers (NES, Arcade, Genesis)
3. X-Men (Arcade)
4. Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade’s Revenge ( Genesis, SNES, Game Boy, Game Gear)
5. Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage (Genesis, SNES)
6. Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety (Genesis, SNES)

Crime Simulator PS5 Review 6/10 *A Game That Almost Stole My Heart* 🦹 @ULTGames #IndieGame #GameDev

Back in 2024, I covered Thief Simulator 2 and whilst I had a lot of fun with, it was very clearly rough around the edges and needed refining. Fast-forward to 2026, and the newest release from Polish studio CookieDev has made its way to consoles, and it is a game that is frustratingly short of being a really unique gem in the stealth-thievery genre but has too many issues to really be a recommended title.

The game – a first-person affair - begins with your character locked up in prison and being bailed out to quite a princely sum by a mysterious cabal of insalubrious individuals that intend to make you steal and earn your way through your debt. 

Beginning in an abandoned warehouse, you only have a PC, a box to send over your stolen goods, and a wall chart to pan out your next nick-fest. There is only one neighbourhood available at the start, with you and your team – up to four players online – needing to rack up some earnings (via a percentage cut from what you steal, which gets higher dependent on the difficulty) in order to unlock heists and other areas to pillage.

Dark Quest: Remastered Xbox Series X Review 6/10 *The boardiest of digital board games* ☠️⚔️ @brainseal #IndieGame #GameDev

I first got on board with the Dark Quest series back in 2023 with the third entry, which was a fantastic isometric title that relied on a blend of chance and memorisation as you delved ever further into its rewarding depths, as a man with a loud voice shouted numbers at you – good! 

More recently, I covered Dark Quest 4, which further evolved the formula with more classes and personalisation options – and so when I had the opportunity to go back to the start of the series and cover this remaster of the original Dark Quest – originally released back in 2015 for PC– I leapt at the chance, as Brain Seal have fast become a personal fave developer of mine – helped along by their recent explosive physics-based title Blow It Up. Although this remaster does feel a bit of a step backwards as opposed to a celebration and re-imagining of an earlier title. In the Brain Seal catalogue.

Dragonkin The Banished PS5 Review 7/10 "A Solid, If Generic ARPG That Runs Fantastically" 🐲⚔️ @Eko_Software @DragonkinGame #IndieGame #GameDev

A new ARPG from EKO Software, Dragonkin The Banished has a lot going for it in terms of the smooth visuals, intriguing world, city-developing aspect, and dragon-centric story, but fails to stand out from a crowded genre in a meaningful way, and results in a game that makes you wish it had something else up its sleeve – or a little more character – to really leave a mark.

Choosing from a pool of heroes, you (and up to one other player locally, or up to three more if playing online) are challenged with defeating a world being overcome with the corruption of banished dragons. Beginning in the one remaining city as yet untouched by corruption, you start your quest. 

A game full of various options to customise your experience in terms of accessibility and camera zoom – you can choose whether to be closer to the action, or see more of the landscape – it’s here you’ll get to grips with the games mechanics and systems. 

Dragonkin The Banished features a hexagonal upgrade system in which you can put tiles together to boost your powers, not to mention those of your wyrmling; a small dragon that accompanies you on your quest and primarily features elemental powers in a bid to aid your combat finesse, these can eventually be armoured and powered up alongside you. The city also gains its own experience points as you explore in your journey and you’ll find new areas such as stores and features cropping up with each level. 

Pilgrims 'Curious Adventures' Board Game Review By Britt 🎲♟️

I’ve been a big fan of Amanita Design for a few years now, first being introduced to them through their incredible Machinarium (I previously covered the glorious soundtrack to this), Creaks (and the art of the game), and more recently, Phonopolis and Happy Game.

Titles from Amanita Design have incredibly distinct and unique visuals and music, with Radim Jurda being a huge part of this, with his handcrafted artwork and talents. The first board game from them that I’ve covered, Pilgrims casts you as a wanderer that meets new characters whilst building up their tale and hopefully – having enough victory points to best the other players!

ZX Dreams Vol. 2 Review By Britt - Author – Graeme Mason Publisher – Fusion Retro Books 📖 #RetroGaming

I covered ZX Nightmares, the original book in this series back in 2023, and was so taken by it that I followed it up with an interview with the author, Graeme Mason. It remains one of my favourite books on gaming (being one of the few to genuinely make me laugh out loud whilst also being incredibly insightful) and is sadly out of stock on the Fusion Retro Books at present, because so many incredibly wise folks snapped it up upon initial release! 

I remember seeing some noise on the internet that there would be a follow-up (ZX Dreams) which got me excited, and then for reasons I still can’t fathom – it completely passed me by, I can only assume that I was buried deep in some preposterous 90-hour JRPG review for GF and time had all but ceased to hold meaning. Whatever the reason, I recently noticed that a second volume of ZX Dreams had been released, and jumped at the chance to cover it here at GF.

The cover (and included dust jacket) feature a handsome gentleman in a white t-shirt lying in bed, lost in the realms of sleep as various instantly recognisable 8-bit characters dance around his head. From Trap Door characters through to Dizzy via the racer from Super Hang-On – it hints at the titles to be covered inside these hallowed pages. Also included is a white-ribbon page-marker to keep your page – and you will need this, because, like all the best books about gaming – you’ll probably find yourself pausing to jump online and watch some footage of / spend a bit of time playing the game currently being discussed in ZX Dreams, as Mason’s words bring the experience to life, and often add context and intrigue to each title.

Bethesda Pinball Brings Three Legendary Universes to Life in One Explosive Collection 📌⚽

Bethesda’s most iconic worlds have collided with the fast‑paced chaos of pinball, and the result is a glorious, flipper‑flicking celebration of Fallout, DOOM, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Bethesda Pinball is now available across PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4/5, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2—complete with a purchase link ready for vault dwellers, slayers, and Dragonborn alike.

Whether you’re chasing high scores, mastering ramps, or simply soaking in the nostalgia of these beloved franchises, this three‑table pack delivers a surprising amount of depth, personality, and replayability.

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon DLC – Sanctuary of Sarras ⚔️🧙‍♂️ @TaintedGrail_AR #IndieGame #GameDev

I covered Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon last year, and it was one of my GOTY titles for 2025. An absolute gem of a game that takes the ball from Bethesda, and runs with it it into a deep, dark, Arthurian fantasy. Good.

Developers Questline have continued to support this cracking game, and I’m pleased that it’s been such a success that they have the time to polish and craft the experience even further, recently announcing a small FPS boost on console, this DLC and a roadmap for an upcoming free DLC at the end of March 2026, good times for all!

A drowned secret of Avalon
For six centuries, the fate of Sarras and its rebel crew has been shrouded in myth. Now, a hidden passage reveals a path into the past. In a completely new storyline, follow the trail of Nimue and the deserters who challenged King Arthur. Piece together the truth behind their disappearance and Merlin’s horrible retribution.

Sanctuary beneath the waves
The Sanctuary of Sarras invites players into a brand-new realm shaped by the deep sea. Ancient structures rise from the ever-shifting currents, and forgotten paths pulse with the life of a submerged world. But try not to get charmed, as when you begin to explore the unknown, the true nature of Sarras starts to surface.

Ancient treasures to claim
The Sanctuary brims with around 15 hours of challenges and rewards that follow. Meet new characters, hear their stories, and decide whether to help them. Venture into over 20 meticulously crafted dungeons and interiors. Confront unique epic bosses and other new adversaries. Discover over 100 new pieces of equipment, from armour sets and weapons to rings, amulets, relics, spells, and more; each offering a new way to improve your character.

Progression altered
A new progression system transforms the usual journey through Avalon. The underwater enemies scale to your level, keeping every encounter tense. At the same time, sacred shrines you activate weaken foes and grant points to invest in three completely new, distinct skill trees. At any moment, choose which tree is active, reshaping your build on the fly to match your current needs.