I’d never heard of Nikoderiko: The Magical World before receiving it for review, but within seconds of playing, I knew exactly what treats I was in for. This is very much a game that tips its hat to titles such as Donkey Kong Country, and Crash Bandicoot, as we follow the adventurous mongoose duo Niko and Luna as they try to retrieve a magical artefact from the devious Grimbald and his army of ‘Cobrings’.
1 Nov 2024
31 Oct 2024
Mega Cat Studios: - Britt’s Mega Drive Odyssey Part 2: L'Abbaye des Morts ๐ฑ @megacatstudios #IndieGame #IndieGameDev
Once again, I check out a game from Mega Cat Studios, this time, L’Abbaye des Morts, a game in which you play as Jean Raymond, a persecuted man who is chased into the titular ‘Abbey of Death’ and must find his way out.
This was a game that really stood out for me when I first played it, as it is a wonderfully presented – yet delightfully simple (yet HARD) – game that has some really saucy features whilst coming from a very 8-bit home computer-centric design philosophy in terms of the gameplay and mechanics.
It really nails a specific sweet spot in time that resonates with my nostalgia perfectly and feels quite unique in that sense in the Mega Drive library. Plus, it’s effectively a horror game, and the Mega Drive certainly needs more of those in its library!
30 Oct 2024
PowerA Advantage Xbox Wired Controller - Fortnite Midas ๐ฎ @PowerA
Hot on the heels of our previous coverage of the PowerA Core Blush a little while back, we now take a look at the PowerA Fortnite Midas, a wired controller that makes an extremely stylish first impression.
Feeling similar to the Core Blush in how it fits in the hand, the first thing that struck me about the Midas was how it looked; the shiny detailing in the handprints, webs, skulls and flowers popping out from the matte plastic, and the ridged back of the controller providing grip for lengthier, more intense playing sessions.
The triggers are designed to be less spongy, shallower on the press than the official controller, so there’s a sense of snappiness in their use, giving more of an arcade vibe and a sense of quicker reaction time. This aspect is also adjustable, using the trigger locks on the rear to fine tune your experience.
29 Oct 2024
Nintendo Switch REMATCH GLOW Wireless Controller: Boo Hoo Review By Britt ๐ป๐ฎ @PDPgaming
I’ve covered a fair few controllers for the Nintendo Switch here at GF, and I find myself rotating between a few old favourites every now and again, but the arrival of the Boo Hoo controller has thrown things into disarray here at the Welsh branch of GF HQ, and I found myself becoming quite entranced with it during usage, and it has now become my ‘go to’ controller when gaming on the Switch.
23 Oct 2024
Camp Sunshine Nintendo Switch Review 6.5/10 "If you go down to the woods today…" ๐ช๐ฉธ @Fossil_Games #GameDev #IndieGame #IndieGameDev
Originally released in 2016 on PC, Camp Sunshine if now available on consoles. Part of Fossil Games’ ‘Sunshine’ series, the game casts you in the role of a young boy arriving for his first night at camp, only to find that during the very first evening there, things have gone…awry.
A perfectly timed release for the spooky season, Camp Sunshine is a game made in RPG Maker that admirably captures the 16-bit era. Whilst however, it scores highly for mood, sound design and setting, issues with the core gameplay take the wind out of its sails a little.
21 Oct 2024
Drova: Forsaken Kin Nintendo Switch Review 9.5/10 "One of the RPGs of the Year" ๐ป⚔️ @J2D_Interactive #IndieGame #GameDev #IndieGameDev
I’ll open by saying that, whilst Drova: Forsaken Kin ended up being one of my games of the year, during the review period there was a shaky few days where V1.0 of the game had some issues that made me think that this was going to be another case of Wasteland 3, Wartales, or Shadows of Doubt, whereby a gripping and fantastic adventure seemingly genetically designed for my tastes would be scuppered by myriad technical issues, breaking my heart into a thousand pieces and casting them into the ocean.
Luckily, patch 1.1 was released and completely annihilated all the issues that I was having with the game, transforming it into a title that will be with me for a long time. In fact, I don’t even really need to cover this game as my handsome, suave editor Rich is already covering it on PC (I can feel a pay rise coming on – ed), but I want to talk about it so much that I’m writing this review anyway, purely to spread the word and share my love of it. So yes, I liked it a lot.
16 Oct 2024
Games Freezer Interviews: Pirate PR! AKA Robby Bisschop ๐ด☠️๐ฆ @PR_pirate #IndieGame #IndieGameDevs #IndieGames
Games Freezer Interviews: Pirate PR!
Over the years, I’ve had many an email exchange with various PR companies, developers and publishers. Recently, Pirate PR have become somewhat of a Twitter / X highlight for me, as the man behind the machine – Robby Bisschop – has been incredibly open with advice and tips for game developers, as well as dedicating his time to exposing scammers, sharing his experiences for all to learn from.
He is very active on his channel (@PR_Pirate) and I thought it would be fun to learn more about the man, the myth…the pirate.
So get comfortable, and pop open a rum as we set sail across the seas of gaming.
11 Oct 2024
Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland Nintendo Switch Review 6.5/10 "The Rugrats Ride Again" ๐ถ @WallrideGames
I must admit that I wasn’t expecting a Rugrats game in 2024. I remember the cartoon back in the early-mid ‘90s, but I was far more preoccupied with X-Men and Spider-Man at the time, a lot of the quirkier shows of that era kind of passed me by, although some of my peers remember them very fondly.
That said, the show must have been on a hell of a lot, as the moment I booted up the game and heard that theme, even I was surprised how much of the show I remembered, from the voices, character names and family members, it all came flooding back. Heck, maybe I did watch it more than I can recall! Or perhaps it was such a cornerstone of culture at the time that it just permeated my very being.
9 Oct 2024
Video Game Lofi: Kirby - Britt's Review ๐ฟ๐ @CuragaRecords #VideoGameVinyl #Vinyl #VGM
๐Video Game LoFi: Kirby | Besso0 & GlitchxCity | Curaga Records
We are once again in the cosy arms of another in the Curaga Records LoFi series, this time centred around the music of the Kirby games, specifically; Kirby and the Forgotten Land (2022), Kirby’s Adventure (1993), Dedede’s Drum Dash Deluxe (2014), Kirby’s return to Dreamland (2011), Kirby Air Ride (2003), Kirby’s Epic Yarn (2010), Kirby Super Star (1996), and Kirby’s Dream Collection (2012), together - representing almost thirty years’ worth of music from the world of the lovable pink puffball across various systems, from SNES to Switch.
4 Oct 2024
Shadows of Doubt XBOX Review 5.5/10 "A Fantastic Premise Sandbagged By Technical Issues" ๐ต️ @colejefferies #IndieGame #GameDev #IndieGameDev
Much like my review for Cloudpunk and more recently, Wartales, Shadows of Doubt is a game that is packed with great ideas, a cracking premise, eyecatching visuals and intriguing gameplay, but is hamstrung by technical issues that will hopefully be a distant memory after several months’ worth of updates and patches – but sadly can’t be ignored at the time of launch.
Shadows of Doubt is game that I’ve been following for a while, the premise of being a private detective in a dystopian future comprised of glorious voxels, spending your days solving cases and scouting for clues very much appealed to me. When it was announced for consoles, my trousers were neatly folded in a drawer, hopefully to never be needed again.
3 Oct 2024
Deathchron Nintendo Switch Review 6/10 "A great premise hindered by design" ๐ค @CM_Games @RatalaikaGames #IndieGame #GameDev #IndieGameDev
The actual premise of Deathchron – in that you are a child in a mech that needs to occasionally leave the safety of the suit in order to get into small spaces or activate certain switches etc. leaving you vulnerable as you do so – very much appealed to me when I watched the trailer for Deathchron.
The vibrant music, tasty pixel art visuals, and platform-based side-scrolling action presented in super-smooth 8-bit fashion all had me twirling my moustache in anticipation, but upon actually playing the game – it became clear that there were too many factors working against my enjoyment to really make this a keeper.
2 Oct 2024
A Night on the Farm Nintendo Switch Review 7/10 "A bite-sized slice of spookiness" ๐จ๐พ๐ฝ @FrozenFlameInt #IndieGame #Horror #GameDev #IndieGameDev
Frozen Flame Interactive deliver us a mysterious tale that follows the events of a car crash at night. Our protagonist begins the tale by clambering out of their wrecked vehicle before heading off into the night, happening across a seemingly abandoned farm.
What follows is a short romp around the farm and its grounds, as you find out more about the strange notes and items that you find scattered in this lonely locale.
27 Sept 2024
PowerA Xbox Series X/S & One Wired Controller – Core Blush Review By Britt ๐ฎ @PowerA
PowerA – although founded in 2009 – hasn’t yet had any products covered here at GF, and whilst they have myriad items for sale, ranging from controllers and charging docks through to headsets – across most modern gaming platforms – today we will be taking a look at their wired controller for the Series X/S & Xbox One, in an exclusive Core Blush colour.
25 Sept 2024
Flutter Away Nintendo Switch | Mini Review 6.5/10 "A cosy game that may have fluttered by" @runawayplay #IndieGame #GameDev #IndieGameDev
Flutter Away is a simple and short game set in and around a small forest clearing. Set over five days, each day your character will wake up, makes notes in her journal regarding the flora and fauna discovered, in turn unlocking more of the backstory behind why she has sought out this return to nature.
Running at 60fps on Switch, this is an extremely light and calming 1st-person adventure game about completing daily tasks such as photographing butterflies, befriending animals and re-hanging fallen lanterns etc.
With relaxing music, a slow pace and zen tone, Flutter Away is a decent enough escape for an hour or two, but is probably best enjoyed by younger players. Or hardcore butterfly enthusiasts!
20 Sept 2024
Mega Cat Studios: ‘Britt’s Mega Drive Odyssey Part 1: Coffee Crisis’ ☕️ @megacatstudios #IndieGame #IndieGameDev #GameDev #RetroGaming #SEGAGenesis
Since joining GF back in 2016, one of the pleasures of my life has been discovering new titles for one of my favourite consoles – the Mega Drive. There are several companies out there that are doing the Lord’s work in bringing out new games out for SEGA’s saucy black box, but Mega Cat Studios were the first I was made aware off, when I covered Paulo Andres de Matos Villalva’s secretly wonderful ‘Devwill Too’ back in 2020*, and so I’ve always associated them with developing and publishing new MD titles, breathing life back into the system and hopefully getting players worldwide to dust off those creaky controllers!
This is the first in a series that will see us covering a large portion of the Mega Cat Studios Mega Drive-related output, with the end result being an interview and deep dive into the studio itself.
16 Sept 2024
Mika and the Witch’s Mountain Nintendo Switch PC Review 6.5/10 "A Delivery Service game lacking magic" ๐ง♀️๐งน๐ฆ #MikaandTheWitchsMountain #IndieGame #GameDev @chibigstudio
Beginning with an amusing introduction whereby beginner-witch Mika arrives at the top of the titular Witch’s Mountain for tutelage before promptly getting booted off a cliff by her very teacher!
11 Sept 2024
Murder is Game Over: Streaming Death Nintendo Switch Review 7.5/10 "Detective Guy and his canine sidekick Cleo return to Switch!" ๐ต️ @HitherYonGames #IndieGame #IndieGameDev #GameDev
Back in November 2023 I covered the first title in the ‘Murder is Game Over’ series, a fun title created in RPG Maker that puts you in the shoes of Detective Guy and his trusty canine sidekick Cleo as they work together to solve the murder of the eccentric video game designer ‘Lord’ Russell Gallant.
It’s a title that can be completed in a couple of hours, but the blend of basic fact-finding and breezy investigative work – bulked up a dog-treat collecting mini-game – made for a light evening of easy, crime-solving fun.
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
9 Sept 2024
Thief Simulator 2 Xbox Review 7/10 "Out on the nick, again!" ๐ฆธ @ULTGames #IndieGames #IndieGameDev #GameDev
30 Aug 2024
Just Crow Things Xbox Review 8/10 "Welcome to the Poopy Party" ๐ฆ⬛ @UnboundCreation #IndieGame #IndieGameDev #GameDev
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.