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.

Reboxy Review By Britt "every video game has a soul. And every soul deserves a body." 💾 #Retrogaming

One of the things we are very keen on here at GF is the preservation of older video games, and Reboxy is very much in the same vein. Creating high quality products that allow gamers, fans, and collectors to celebrate key games from their gaming histories in physical form.

I first became aware of Reboxy a few weeks ago when I received an email from Ziggurat Interactive – another company that celebrates the legacy of older games- as they were promoting their collaboration with a PC big box release of Terminal Velocity. This really intrigued me, as Ziggurat have brought some really intriguing releases back from the brink (including a personal fave of mine – Boiling Point), and I was soon making my way through the Reboxy website which led to GF being in the position of being able to cover two Reboxy editions – Litil Divil (1993), and Realms of the Haunting (1996).

The presentation is absolutely top notch, these specific titles are officially licensed from Funbox Media, another company that we’ve previously covered here at GF and I especially love the attention to detail, such as the logos on each box regarding Gremlin Graphics / Interactive reflecting the logos used at the time of original release, and the colouring of Reboxy’s logo on each release matching the main font / colour of the game in question, for example – Litil Divil’s box font is red, whilst Realms of the Haunting is gold, and the Reboxy logo on the side is colour-matched accordingly. It’s a small touch but shows the level of detail that goes into these Reboxy editions. Also of note is that all editions are DRM free!

FastSnail 8 in 1 JoyCon Charging Dock for Nintendo Switch 1&2 - Review By Britt🕹️ "GF RECOMMENDED"

I believe that this this is the first time I’ve covered a product from FastSnail, and it’s a solid one to start off with! This is very much a ‘does what it says on the tin’ product, acting as a snazzy charging dock for your Joy-Cons, whether that be the Original Switch, or the Switch 2. You can even mix and match, as I do – for reasons described later in this article -it’s Ring Fit Adventure-related.

Currently priced at around the £15 mark, The FastSnail 8 in 1 Charging Dock is a sleek and practical way to keep your Joy-Cons charged and at the ready. Especially if you own both Switches and need to flit between them, as of course - due to the new magnetic lock design - you cannot physically attach original Switch Joy-Cons to the Switch 2, although they are pair-able with the system.

Top Racer Collection Nintendo Switch Review 7/10 "Top Gear (no, not that one) is back!" 🏎️ @qubytegames #RetroGaming

Known outside of Japan as Top Gear upon its initial release, the Top Racer Collection collects 4 titles from the series (Top Racer, Top Racer 2, Top Racer 3000, and Top Racer Crossroads – which is a ROM mod of the first game and so not wholly original) into a single pack, and as with other QUByte titles, there are various extras and bonus information about the series included, always a boon!

These are all titles from the early-to-mid ‘90s and as such are 16-bit emulations that keep the original frame rates etc. so it’s best not to expect silky smooth 60fps here! These are as close to the original releases as possible in terms of vibe and gameplay, so your mileage will certainly vary dependent on how much nostalgia and enjoyment you get out of typical 16-bit racers. That said, one thing that is solid gold about these games are the soundtracks, which are pure fun and took me right back to the early days of my gaming, bloody lovely stuff.

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.

Britt’s Brief Bulletin - March Mini Review Round-up! 🍷 #indiegames #gamedev

Pour yourself a large glass of Primitivo and take a gentle sip as Britt delves into the Games Freezer games locker and digs for some Class A Indie Gold in his ‘Britt’s Brief Bulletin’ March Round-up!

Blades of Fire

(Available on PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5)

A game that unfortunately passed me by upon its original release window back in the Summer of 2025, developed by Spanish team MercurySteam (who I’m most familiar with through their Castlevania: Lords of Shadow back in 2010) and published via 505 Games, Blades of Fire casts the player in the role of blacksmith Aran, who is taken from his rural reclusery (definitely a word, don’t look it up) and back into civilisation when he saves a young boy from an attack. Instantly drawn into the shenanigans of this fantasy world, Aran makes it his mission to fight his way to the palace in a bid to assassinate the queen. Whilst this isn’t a flawless game by any means, it’s an accessible entry in the soul-like genre that has some lighter moments and big pluses, such as the weighty, satisfying combat, fluid animation, variety in locations, and offbeat characters. Admittedly this is offset by some parts of the game that feel a bit shoe-horned in, and the weapon crafting mini-game can get a bit laborious – although you can ‘save’ the weapons that you’ve created so that they can be auto-built when you have the right crafting items, thankfully – and the in-game quest markers may as well not exist, there’s a definite satisfaction in making your way through the world and battering all in Aran’s way.

Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition Nintendo Switch 2 Review "Rayman Returns To His Roots" @RaymanGame #RetroGaming

Originally released in 1995 on the PS1, Rayman was soon ported to other systems, but it was that original PS1 release that most folks hold dear. Digital Eclipse have worked with Ubisoft to bring this 30th Anniversary Edition to life, including PS1, Atari Jaguar, PC (MS-DOS), Game Boy Colour, and Game Boy Advance versions, this collection is very much aimed at fans of the original, with a physical version also being available.

Thomas & Friends: Wonders of Sodor Xbox Review 6.5/10 "A beautifully realised license frustratingly hampered by technical issues and design choices" 🚂 @dovetailgames #IndieGame #GameDev

I grew up with Thomas the Tank Engine, and now – a full generation down the line – my son has taken up the mantle of enjoying Thomas and his cast of friends making their way around the gentle island of Sodor. 

Developed by Dovetail Games – the folks behind the Train Sim World series of games, they know their way around a caboose! - this is a wonderfully realised world in which the characters are absolutely TV perfect and the voice actor from the show also appears to add class to the game.

There are several modes, with exploration (free roam) mode, and a more mission-centric being the main focus. I was intrigued as to how they would make a game in which you can effectively just go forwards and backwards interesting, especially when the sim element is removed or heavily simplified, but Dovetail Games have really worked some magic here with the chapter stories, voice work, and overall presentation being spot-on.

ROG Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Review By Britt 🎧 @ASUS_ROGUK

It’s the first time I’ve ever said it on the digital pages of this website, but...I’m in love. I’m in love with the ROG Cetra Open Wireless Earbuds. 

I’ve covered a fair few earbuds; in-ear, over-ear, noise-cancelling, wired, wireless, cupped...and all have had their pros, some becoming my go-to for months or even years, but never before have I been so smitten as with these bad boys. 

Designed for gaming, I’ve used them for various reasons, from gaming through to podcasts in work through to ASMR / relaxation ‘tapes’ in bed and even for listening to mixes of my own upcoming album. 

With incredible comfort, battery life, style, and robustness – the only downside that I found was that, being open-ear – they aren’t particularly practical in windy areas (I live by the sea), although they do handle things surprisingly well in areas of general noise such as offices, city streets and the like. As I said. I love them.

Winter Burrow Nintendo Switch 2 Review 8/10 *Cute Creature Crafting Comforts* 🐁🌳@pinecreekgames #IndieGame #GameDev

I had my eye on Winter Burrow for a while, and whilst I’m not naturally drawn to crafting games, the art style and draw of being a little mouse in a snowy forest rebuilding his family home whilst fending off insects and rediscovering his childhood was almost too cute to ignore. The final straw was when I showed my partner and our 4-year old son the trailer to Winter Burrow, and when I looked at them as the snippet ended, they had turned into anime characters with wide, trembling eyes, emitting a collective “aaaaawwww”.

The Precinct Vinyl Soundtrack Review By Britt 💿 #Vinyl #VideoGameVinyl #VGM

I was lucky enough to be in a position to cover The Precinct last year, as I was a huge fan of American Fugitive, the first game from developers Fallen Tree Games. I loved the vibe that it laid out, and that classic top-down, open-world vehicular gameplay brought back to a life a genre that I really didn’t feel had played itself out through its initial run. 

The Precinct is a celebration of ‘80s cop films, placing you in the shoes of a rookie in the police force as opposed to the titular fugitive protagonist of the first game, and as you’d expect from such a setting, the music is a huge part of the experience, setting the scene for the player as it does as you make your way around the rain-slicked streets of Averno City. 

This eleven-track soundtrack release comes from Lost In Cult, a company that know their onions, we here at GF have been fans of them since their inception, with their various books and board games all being of incredible quality thus far, and I believe this is the first record from them that we’ve had the pleasure to cover.

That said – let’s dive into the soundtrack that echoes off the graffiti-covered walls of Averno City!

Turtle Beach Rematch Wireless Controller: Mario Jump 🎮

We recently covered the fantastic Turtle Beach Rematch Wireless: Mario Bricks and now Turtle Beach have released a new Mario Jump variant! Compatible with Nintendo Switch OLED / Lite / 2, the Turtle Beach Rematch: Mario Jump features a C Button for GameChat, mappable quick-action buttons, and built-in motion controls. An officially licensed Nintendo product, this Mario Jump variant has all the features of the Rematch line, including up to 40-hour gaming time on a single charge! 

Power up your play with the Rematch Wireless Gaming Controller, officially licensed for Nintendo Switch™ 2. This controller also works with Nintendo Switch™, Nintendo Switch™ Lite, and Nintendo Switch™ – OLED Model.

Whether you are speeding through intense races on Mario Kart™ World or breaking new ground on Donkey Kong™ Bananza, this controller keeps up with every move. Thumbsticks with integrated TMR (Tunneling Magnetoresistance) sensor technology offer precision and durability, while built-in motion controls enhance responsiveness. Access GameChat features quickly with the conveniently placed C Button. Enjoy up to 40 hours of wireless play thanks to the rechargeable battery.

With its bold semi-translucent Super Mario™ Jump design, this Rematch wireless controller is built to deliver next level performance, comfort, and control every time.

Purchase Link

Video Game LoFi: Final Fantasy Vinyl Review ⚔️💿 🎶 @MateriaStore #VideoGameVinyl #Vinyl

Curaga Records are back once more! With this, a double LP collection of twenty tracks from the Final Fantasy series of games re-imagined as lo-fi chill-hop songs, all presented in chronological order, taking us on an aural journey spanning Prelude from Final Fantasy II through to Lunar Serenade from the recent Final Fantasy XVI, that’s 1988 to 2023, which is a pretty incredible stretch of time!

As always with Curaga records, the packaging prioritises sleek style over garishness, with simple and bold being the keywords, all the while having imagery that evokes the game series at hand, in this case, the blacks, pinks, purples, and blues matching the mellow dreaminess and focus on hopeful melody that permeates the soundscapes of the Final Fantasy games.

The Cabin Factory PS5 Review 9.5/10 "A beautifully designed bite-sized horror that’s a must play for fans of the genre" 🛖 @ICS_indie #IndieGame #GameDev

As long time readers will know, I’m a (blood) sucker for short horror games. I love settling down and knowing I’ll be watching the credits roll in an hour or two and will get a short blast of unsettling thrills. Combine that with the fact that The Cabin Factory costs less than half a pint of lager, and we are very much onto a winner.

I’m purposely not going into the game that much here as discovering it is where a lot of the fun lies, all you need to know is that this is a first-person 3D horror game in which you play an older lady that begins The Cabin Factory in a lift en route to the huge aeroplane hangar-like room in which she will be performing her job…checking if cabins that roll up on a conveyor belt are haunted or not. There are two buttons marked ‘danger’ and ‘clear’, and if you get eight cabins correct on the trot – you finish the game, it really is that simple.