⚔️🛡️ Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm | Review | Nintendo Switch | "A solid title that just misses the mark, for me" ⚔️🛡️ @cornfox #IndieGames #GameDev

Game Title: Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm

Platform Reviewed: Switch

Rating: 6.5/10

I’m always dubious about mobile ports to the Switch, having been burned by some pretty lazy examples in the past. With Oceanhorn 2, however, I was so taken by the trailer that I had to have a crack at it, as I fancied an open-world adventure that I could play on the move (well…in bed). 

Whilst the game is pretty, runs well and appears to tick all the boxes, it, unfortunately, felt a touch bland and as such, I couldn’t get fully hips deep in the experience.

👾🛸 Space Invaders Forever | Nintendo Switch | Review | "Time To Blast Those Invaders FOREVER!" 👾🛸 #SpaceInvaders

Space Invaders Forever is out on the Nintendo Switch and I have been taking a look at it for Games Freezer. 

When I first saw this I thought here we go, another attempt to cash in on one of legendary video games franchises from the history of this wonderful medium. 

After playing this collection of 3 games I'm both surprised and a little disappointed with what is on offer here on the Nintendo Switch version of Space Invaders Forever.

🐲 Bubble Bobble 4 Friends | The Baron Is Back | Ten-minute Taster | "Pop Some Bubbles With Bub N Bob" 🐲 @TAITO

The popular Dragons Bub and Bob are back! Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is the latest game in the legendary Bubble Bobble series from Taito.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends on the PS4 for around £36

BACK OF THE BOX QUOTE

"Pop Some Bubbles With Bub n Bob"

🧟‍♂️ Outbreak: The Nightmare Chronicles | Review | Nintendo Switch | "claustrophobic, early survival horror tropes return" 🧟‍♂️ @deaddropstudios #GameDev #IndieGames

Game Title: Outbreak: The Nightmare Chronicles

Developer: Dead Drop Studios LLC

Platform Reviewed: Switch 

Rating: 6/10

Having recently played the preceding titles in Dead Drop Studios LLC’s Outbreak series, I was keen to see how the third entry would play out. As it turns out, this is more akin to the first in the series – Outbreak: The New Nightmare – in that the fixed camera angles and more claustrophobic, early survival horror tropes return. 

This is a good thing, though, as the studio has improved on a lot of irritations from that early game, although some issues do remain.

🍕 Lunch-a-Palooza Review By Lee, A & J | "Although there's no shortage of colourful party games at the moment, I'm always up for another one." 🍕 @AlternSoftware #GameDev #IndieGames

Although there's no shortage of colourful party games at the moment, I'm always up for another one. 

In the far distant past when we were still allowed within a mile of our friends, a group of us would often get together and swear at each other while playing Heave Ho, Jackbox, and Wario Ware. 

So I approached Lunch-a-Palooza expecting another one for the rotation.

🏹 Foregone | Review | Nintendo Switch | "it plays like a more focused, 2D Metroidvania" 🏹 @BigBlueBubble #GameDev #IndieGames

 

Foregone 8/10

I really enjoyed my time with Foregone. Casting you as an Arbiter fighting her way through the city of Calagan against a horde of enemies, it plays like a more focused, 2D Metroidvania that doesn’t outstay its welcome at around 7-8 hours. 

☠️ GTFO | EARLY ACCESS | Review By Dr Congo Fighting "Work Together OR Die together" ☠️ @TenChambers #IndieGames #GameDev

OK, so let’s get the first bit out of the way. 

The game’s name is an acronym. I know what it stands for, you know what it stands for, but this is a civilised place, so let’s just keep it to ourselves, eh?

💰 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire | Review Switch | "Time To Phone A Friend!" 💰 @Microids_off #IndieGames #GameDev

Who Wants to be a Millionaire - 6/10

I love quiz games. From the arcade gold of Quiz and Dragons through Codemasters’ Pub Trivia to the numerous Trivial Pursuit games, they all feel timeless and fun, especially with friends and family. 

The last version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire that I played (for a good while) was the PS1 version hosted by Chris Tarrant. This game, however, has too much unnecessary extra baggage and combined with clear limitations, it, unfortunately, feels like a somewhat missed opportunity.

🐜 Britt's Brief Bulletin PART III | Flea! | Dreamcast Review 🐜 @Wallmasterr #IndieGames #GameDev

Game Title: Flea!

Developer: Lowteck Games

Platform Reviewed: Dreamcast (also available on Steam and NES)

Rating: 8/10

I absolutely adore new releases on older systems, especially when they are as great as this one. 

🤓 Britt's Brief Bulletin PART II | Angry Video Game Nerd I & II Deluxe | Nintendo Switch 🤓 @FreakZoneGames #GameDev #IndieGames

Game Title: AVGN1&2 Deluxe

Developer: FreakZone Games

Platform Reviewed: Switch

Rating: 9/10

As a casual fan of the Angry Video Game Nerd since around the late noughties, I was quite looking forward to the release of the game based on his exploits, although I had no idea what to expect. 

The 2013 AVGN game and 2016 sequel came out on PC and were very much what was needed, a tongue-in-cheek take on the platforming genre that was so well designed that it was clearly going to appeal to people outside of the AVGN fan-base, it was a great, challenging game that didn’t outstay its welcome. 

My lasting memories were of awesome music, frustration and satisfaction in perfectly equal measure and a sense of fun; I had an awesome time with them.

📯⚔️ Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla | Review | PS4 | "A Game That Definitely Gives Me The (Viking) Horn" ⚔️📯 @UbisoftMTL @Ubisoft_UK #AssassinsCreedValhalla

Game Title: Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal

Platform Reviewed: PS4 (base)

Rating 9/10

My personal history with the Assassin’s Creed series is pretty chequered, I played the original but didn’t really click with it and, following this, the constant releases, spin-offs and other media just alienated me slightly as the lore seemed to get ever-more dense.

I did dip back in with Black Flag on the PS3 at a friend’s suggestion but it seemed to run pretty sluggishly and once again, I didn’t connect with it.

It was actually earlier this year during lockdown that the stars aligned and teased me once again with the franchise.

My brother mentioned how much fun he was having with Odyssey and heartily recommended it just as I was after an open-world RPG to lose myself in (after completing The Witcher 3 for the second time as well as Kingdom Come: Deliverance) plus my fiancée was somewhat obsessed with the various soundtracks on Spotify, I was being attacked from all directions and so I decided once again to give it a try, and I’m glad I did.

🧟‍♂️ Britts Brief Bulletin PART I | Outbreak Epidemic | Review | PS4 | 🧟‍♂️ @deaddropstudios #GameDev #IndieGames

In this edition of BBB, I’ll be revisiting an old favourite from 2013 / 2016 in Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures 1 &2 as they teleport back into my life on console as a deluxe edition, getting hips deep on a new Dreamcast (panic not, it’s also available on Steam and NES. Good) title called Flea! as well as diving into the new Dead Drop Studios LLC console release, Outbreak: Epidemic. 

🚓 Autobahn Police Simulator 2 | Review | XBOX | "Some great ideas and moments hamstrung by severe technical issues" 🚓 @zsoftware #GameDev #IndieGames

Game Title: Autobahn Police Simulator 2

Platform reviewed: XBOX ONE

Rating 4/10

Whilst the score I’m giving Autobahn Police Simulator 2 isn’t numerically high, I want to come out of the gate by stating that I enjoyed my time with the game and really look forward to seeing where the series goes next. Under the myriad of problems that exist, there is a really tasty game here, begging to be let out.

⚔️💥 No more Heroes | Remastered | Review | Nintendo Switch | "Katanas R Us!" ⚔️💥 @marvelous_games #GameDev #IndieGames

 

No More Heroes - Nintendo Switch eShop Release Review:

After being ranked #11 in the United Assassins Association, Travis Touchdown puts his trusty beam katana to the test as he faces off against the world's top 10 assassins in deadly battle.

It's a long way to the top, but this all-American otaku won't stop until he's the #1 assassin, baby!

✍️ Britt’s Brief Bulletin: Postal Redux – 7/10 ✍️ #IndieGames #GameDev

A selection of games in this bulletin, from the shooty-shooty-bang-bang of Postal Redux to the quizzical quandaries of Who Wants to be a Millionaire via some 32-bit stylings, courtesy of Metroidvania-lite, Foregone.

🧁🧟‍♂️ Undead Darlings: No Cure For Love | Nintendo Switch | Review | "Zombie Girlfriend Simulator 2020" 🧁🧟‍♂️ @UndeadDarlings #GameDev #IndieGames

Undead Darlings on the Switch is a game that I’d never heard of before a few weeks ago but now it’s a game that I am repeatedly picking up my Switch to play on a daily basis.

It’s a game that brings a smirk to your face through its goofy humour and its oddball storyline and it’s keeping me coming back for more of the same.

It’s a good mix of a Japanese visual novel-style storytelling with a heavy splash of dungeon crawling and a sprig of turn-based RPG lite combat. Bake that in an oven with battling cupcakes that are actually zombified creatures that were possessed by a mysterious virus and you get a gloriously ridiculous video game plot that kinda works...you still with me?

🕷️ Scourgebringer | Switch Review by Dr Congo Fighting | "Get ready to find out a bit about a hard but rewarding rogue-lite platformer" 🕷️ @FlyingOakGames #IndieGames #GameDev

Pull up a seat, charge your joy-cons, and get ready to find out a bit about a hard but rewarding rogue-lite platformer.

🚀 PACER | Review | PS4 | "The year is 2075. I am 97 and high octane, anti-gravity, full combat motorsport is all the rage" 🚀 @R8Games #IndieGames #GameDev @showmemagic

The year is 2075. I am 97 and high octane, anti-gravity, full combat motorsport is all the rage and The Pacer World Championship is where it’s at!  

Pacer is clearly inspired by its successful predecessor WipEout. But does this play homage or does it do what Weekend at Bernie’s 2 did to Weekend at Bernie’s? Let us find out… 

🏎️💥🏎️ Accident | EARLY ACCESS | Review | PC | "It’s nice to be making situations safer and administering first aid." 🏎️💥🏎️ @PixelHunted @games_glob #IndieGames #GameDev

You’re pootling down the road and realise something is wrong up ahead. There’s been an accident: cars turned into jagged balls of metal and glass, fuel dripping ominously onto the asphalt, the pained groans of those cut to ribbons… and ominous silences from other vehicles. 

Nobody else is around - time to step up the plate and save some lives. 

But how? Where do you even begin?

♌️♈️♋️♓️♊️ This is the Zodiac Speaking | Review | PS4 | "In short, I was in the zone" ♌️♈️♋️♓️♊️ #zodiacthegame @zodiac_the_game #IndieGames #GameDev

Game Title: This is the Zodiac Speaking

Platform Reviewed: PS4

Rating: 5/10

A cool idea based on real-life crimes marred by esoteric implementation and some relatively serious technical issues.

In a happy coincidence, I had watched David Fincher’s 2007 slow-burn thriller Zodiac only weeks before receiving This is the Zodiac Speaking for review and, having a close friend harbouring dark obsessions with serial murderers, I was already acquainted with the heinous, unsolved crimes that plagued California in the ‘70s. 

In short, I was in the zone.