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.

Stunt Flyer Xbox Series X Review 7/10 "A fun title for casual pilots, tally-ho!" ✈️ @TorusGames @ULTGames #IndieGame #GameDev

Originally released on the Wii back in the ‘00s, Stunt Flyer is now unleashed on Xbox with a host of visual upgrades to bring it up to speed. Also playable in local multiplayer, Stunt Flyer is a game more suited to more casual, or younger gamers.

You’ll find yourself diving into action with very little tutorial, and working out the majority of the buttons for yourself, as you barrel roll and loop-de-loop through various rings and missions, shooting your water guns at hidden gift boxes along the way in a bid to unlock all three islands and a host of aircraft. 

Agent Fall Nintendo Switch Review 6.5/10 "A brief ‘n breezy 2D shooter for the casual player" 🔫🕵🏻‍♀️ @PufferfishDig @eastasiasoft #IndieGame #GameDev

Whilst the blurb for the game may look to convince you that this 2D run ‘n gun title will provide a serious challenge, it is actually a very short, simple and quite charming little title that provides an hour or so of blasting action, with a paper thin story that acts as an excuse to move from place to place, all the while taking down enemies in droves in single player, or co-op.

From the Website:
'Agent Fall is an action game inspired by classic titles, where you face an intergalactic government conspiracy. With aliens siding with the government, you, as an agent, must take down this dark alliance. Prepare for frantic combat, with powerful weapons, relentless enemies, and epic bosses.'

Kemono Heroes Nintendo Switch Review 7.5/10 "hectic swipey-swipey action!" 🦊 @MadGearGames @JanduSoft #GameDev #IndieGame

From the developers that brought us A Hole New World – an 8-bit styled title - comes Kemono Heroes, now making the leap to a 16-bit style, complete with chunky pixels, parallax scrolling, and a lot of weapon-based swipey-swipey action. Good!

Playable with up to four players in co-op, Kemono Heroes has a mystical Eastern vibe in which the main characters are anthropomorphic animals, each with their own special skills, although the main attack of each is a ‘Strider’-esque swipe of their blade - a little nod to one of its influences. 

Survivalist: Invisible Strain Xbox Series X Review 7.5 / 10 "More zombies than you can shake a selfie-stick at!" 🧟‍♀️🧟‍♂️🧟 @bob_the_PR_bot #IndieGame #GameDev

Zombies are very much here to stay! Luckily, I am nowhere near tired of the shambling monstrosities in gaming, and so the chance to delve into Survivalist: Invisible Strain was very much up my strasse.

Casting the player in the role of a wandering survivor, Survivalist: Invisible Strain is playable in both campaign and sandbox modes, with the sandbox mode especially offering an incredible amount of customisation options to suit your preferred approach, with the ability to pretty much knock the zombie element on the head and focus purely on city-building and the more social aspects, should you so wish. 

The game features graphic novel-style visuals, with quite a unique screen layout, including portraits of the characters and enemies taking up a fair chunk of the screen real estate. It’s quite an idiosyncratic premise, but really does give Survivalist: Invisible Strain a sense of identity, and the focus on individuality in the game also ties in with this design aspect.

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!

Gulikit Elves 2 Pro Controller Review By Britt 🎮 @GuliKitDesign

There are a lot of controllers out there in the world, and sometimes something comes along that scratches a specific itch that you may not even know that you had. I believe that this is the first Gulikit product that we have covered here at GF, and it’s a heck of a product to kick off with!

Available in two versions – black or retro - the Elves 2 Pro Controller gives very strong Sega Saturn controller vibes in the feel and style, with the ‘black’ being reminiscent of the EU/US Saturn pad and the ‘Retro’ nailing that much-loved Japanese Saturn controller vibe.

Trident’s Tale Xbox Series X Review 7.5/10 "Pirate fun for all the family!" 🏴‍☠️⛵@3DClouds #IndieGame #GameDev

The chandler never mentioned the glow in the dark sails at the showroom

My four-year old son has a penchant for open world games in which you are free to do as you please, with LEGO City Undercover, little Kitty Big City, and Goat Simulator 3 being firm favourites that will seemingly never be uninstalled from my consoles. When I caught wind of Trident’s Tale, I snapped up the chance to cover it, as the cartoonish darkness and spookiness appealed to me, and pirate games are always worth a blast of the cannons!

Playing the part of Ocean, a young pirate who yearns to explore the seas, she soon finds herself mourning the loss of her guardian as skeletal pirates hunt her down, seemingly due to her discovering a small trinket that has a lot of otherworldly folks very interested in it!

The Precinct Xbox Series X Review 8/10 "Pick up that candy wrapper, punk – go ahead, make my day" 👮🏻‍♀️🚔👮🏻 @fallentreegames @Microids_off @kwalee #IndieGame #GameDev

Basketball Hoop looked on longingly from the side of the court

A top-down, action-packed police procedural with simulation elements, The Precinct is the latest title from Fallen Tree Games, the developers who previously gave us a game that I have always had a soft spot for - American Fugitive. Whilst this is a worthy follow-up to American Fugitive – and definitely improves on the frame rate issues that plagued that title (on Switch, at least) – I couldn’t shake the feeling that there are a couple of little, missed opportunities along the way.

Hot Rod Mayhem Xbox Series X Review 6.5/10 "Smooth Racing and Vibrant Visuals" 🚘🚔@CasualBrothers #IndieGame #GameDev

Kart racing is a genre that has certainly had its ups and down over the years, it feels like there have been an incredible amount – of varying quality – that have been released in the last few years alone on the Switch and Xbox, where there will always be a niche due to the focus on local multiplayer, after all – bashing around with friends is always fun!

To this end, Hot Rod Mayhem makes a great first impression, with energetic music, and a colourful customisable cast of characters as well as several vehicles to choose from, each with their own stats. 

Britt’s Mega Drive Odyssey Part 6 – Gun Slugs SEGA Mega Drive Review 🔫🐛 @megacatstudios #IndieGame #GameDev #Retrogaming

Firstly, a huge thanks to Retro Room Games for kindly allowing us to cover a handful of their releases! The first of these…Gunslugs.

Originally developed and released back in 2013, Gunslugs is the result of the hard work at OrangePixel.

Since that time, it has been released across a myriad of platforms, and eventually made its way to Mega Drive - in both digital and physical formats – courtesy of Space Pants Games who designed this MD port from the ground up. A 2D action-platformer, Gunslugs puts you in the role of a special agent charged with taking down the Black Duck Army.

Peglin Xbox Series X Review 7.5/10 "Can Peglin best Peggle as the king of the ball game?" 🏐 @rednexusgames @BlitWorks #GameDev #IndieGame

The Peggle series of games has been a hit in our household for almost a decade, heck – it even sucked in my non-gamer mum for a few months at one point! Much like word-based RPGs, the pachinko genre is one that always gets my britches twitchin’, and I can’t seem to turn down the chance to play and talk about them.

Peglin begins with your initial character – a little goblin (possible the titular ‘Peglin’, thinking about it) – taking a rogue-like path through various stages. It’s all about how the balls fall, you’ll find treasure, upgrades, stores, random encounters, and of course – enemies to thwart. 

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.

Time Enforcers – Preview By Britt ⌚ @TimeEnforcers #IndieGame #GameDev

Time Enforcers Website

Available on Steam, iOS App Store, Galaxy Store, Amazon Appstore, Steam, Mac App Store, and itch.io, Time Enforcers casts you as the titular group as they travel through time, thwarting the evil schemes of Chronolith. Chapter 1 is presently available, with more on the way. Set in feudal Japan, this opening chapter focuses on Kaizen, a Samurai warrior who is part of the Time Enforcers. 

A unique blend of fully voiced digital comic, top-down action, and – my favourite part – quiz sections focused on the era in question, Time Enforcers is shaping up to be an ideal fit for mobile devices, with enough variation in the gameplay to keep things fresh as the accessible narrative unfolds. 

The brainchild of Paul Hebert, Sr – Time Enforcers is very much a product of passion that is available on both PC and mobile devices right now.

What you waiting for? get out there and stop Chronolith!

Is This Game Trying To Kill Me? X Box Series X Review 8.5/10 "a glorious blend of horror, intrigue, and puzzles." ☠️🗡️ @StatelySnail #IndieGame #GameDev

I’m a big fan of escape room games when they are done well. It’s all too easy to dig into one with a friend or two, before finding in short order out that the puzzles are either tedious or far too abstract – not so here! Is This Game Trying To Kill Me? Is one of the best escape room style ventures I’ve embarked on for quite a while, with a neat central premise and a well-balanced tone that gives it character without being all doom and gloom, there’s humour in the game, alongside a few well-timed jump scares!

Mega Cat Studios: Britt’s Mega Drive Odyssey Part 5 – Rocket Panda SEGA Mega Drive Review 🐼 @megacatstudios #IndieGame #GameDev #Retrogaming

As someone who has played games for almost forty years, as much as I love heavy-duty RPGs, horror titles, and a good story – there’s always a part of me that lights up when a game is outright charming, and a celebration of gaming at its most wholesome, it almost feels like gaming at its most pure and innocent.

Cue Rocket Panda, a game developed by Space Pants Games, in which you – as the titular Rocket Panda – must save Biscuit Land from the clutches of the evil Biscuit Head, saving your caged badger friends as you do so.

Mega Cat Studios: Britt’s Mega Drive Odyssey Part 4: Yazzie ⬜ @megacatstudios #IndieGame #GameDev #Retrogaming

It’s been a little while, but once again it’s time to spend some time with my favourite console, and take a look at another title from Mega Cat Studios ever-expanding repertoire of video games released on classic systems. I’m also planning a sort of sister article to this series focusing on upcoming Mega Drive games in 2025 – exciting stuff!

Anyway, on to the wonderful Yazzie!

Developed by Retro Souls – the brains behind the addictive Old Towers -  the titular Yazzie is a gold digger that must traverse myriad single-screen puzzles, collecting all of the gold in each area, whilst avoiding the zombies, ghosts and hazards that act as obstacles between Yazzie and riches! 

Caligo Xbox Series X Review 6.5/10 "Striking Visuals and Imagery, with Heavy Iconography" 🕯️🗼 @Krealit_team @Pinkerator #IndieGame #GameDev

"Jane's tent was a bitch to put up but it was a hit at Glastonbury"

One of the most visually interesting walking simulators that I’ve played, Caligo begins with your unknown player character being beckoned forth by a masked entity through a series of locations to meet a mysterious individual. 

The first thing you’ll notice is how crisp and interesting the game is visually – with each area you pass through being rich with things to take in, as well as the occasional, scattered collectible item to pilfer. 

Pacific Drive Xbox Series X Review 6/10 "Now my car has a slightly stronger left door. Thrilling!" 🚘🌲@ironwoodtweets #IndieGames #GameDev

Keith was a little disappointed that the picture on Auto Trader didn't quite match the car which was on the car salesman's forecourt...

What happens when a heaping pile of things I love crashes at full speed into a brick wall of stuff I despise? Pacific Drive, that’s what! On paper, this chill, spooky, and surreal adventure is very much my bag. Within the first few minutes, it becomes clear this is a big honking homage to Andrei Tarkovsky’s monumentally awesome 1979 film Stalker, with a killer indie-synth soundtrack and fun 70s aesthetics bolted on top.

The game opens with you driving through a beautifully realized recreation of Washington state’s rainy Olympic Peninsula, before being accidentally tossed into the “Zone”. This walled-off area is the testing ground for mysterious technology, resulting in chaotic, dangerous, and surreal phenomena. After finding a working station wagon, you must figure out a plan of escape, aided by eccentric scientists and technicians on radio comms.

That crack in John's windscreen was something that AutoGlass just outright refused to fix.

Moving Houses Xbox Series X Review 7/10 "Time to Get a Move On" 🏠 @gordlittle #IndieGame #GameDev

Keith's favourite party trick was the levitating controller

A game that features bright visuals that hides a darker underbelly, Moving Houses is a 1st person title that begins with your character in the process of – as the title suggests – moving house. It starts off simply enough, grab a cardboard box and fill it up before chucking it in the back of the van blocking the driveway, whilst hurtling larger objects in by themselves – no box needed. 

You level up upon packing each batch of items and unlock little bonuses such as a jump, or the ability to fit more items in boxes etc. but what you’ll notice as you get deeper into the game is that house seems….a little…off. The further you get into the house and various rooms, the more unusual things become, it’s never outright horror or even anything close (as is evident by the age rating), but it is a touch surreal.