VGM Essentials - Final Fantasy Vinyl Review By Lee 📀 @FiragaRecords #Vinyl #VideoGameVinyl

Firaga Records and the VGM Essentials series. Lots of them are out, many of them are essential for the discerning video game/electronic music fan in your life. And this, the Final Fantasy edition, is no different.

I'm not going to delve into the history of the series, because everyone who knows video games knows Square Enix's franchise, from the NES era to the modern 9th-generation console powerhouses. One thing the multitude of FF games has in common, though, is excellent music. This collection takes a sprinkling of that magic from across the whole series and allows a bevvy of producers to drag it firmly into club-ready territory.

The presentation is, as usual, exemplary. A bright, glossy die-cut slipcase houses two sleeved records, pressed on black vinyl at 45rpm. Each sleeve has a beautiful crystal design that is visible when the package is put together. Each track is remixed by one or two producers, some of whom will be familiar to fans of the series, such as SARE, nokbient and Noteblock, along with some new-to-me names like Emunator and Prower.

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.

Dead Format PC Review By Ayden 6.5/10 📼 "A 3-8 hour horror-action experience with character"

While I’m a fan of horror movies and books, I haven’t had much experience with horror games up until this last year. I put this down to it being easier to desensitise oneself to films and the written word, whereas with video games there is no option to mentally disengage. Your choices matter, when you move matters, and that is quite a bit more terrifying than simply watching a slide show of off-putting and uncomfortable scenes.

All this to say, I may have watched over 50 horror movies last year with a stony and dead eyed expression, but when it comes to games of the same genre, I’m a snivelling coward. So I can’t promise that what got me nervously pausing and gathering myself before I could again brave more of the Video Ghastlies will equally terrify you. What I will say, is that if the stress detector on my watch is to be believed, this game achieved what it set out to with me.

The game starts with scant details, other than you are on a search for your missing brother. You enter his flat and search for clues which ultimately leads you to uncovering the mysteries of a new and inexplicably dangerous VHS format, “Video Ghastlies”. After watching the first tape, you will find yourself stepping out of the flat and into its macabre reality. Whilst in these other realms, you will find new tapes and trinkets required to proceed. You do also at some point get a bone-gun that shoots teeth (don’t ask, I’m still not sure), so it’s not an experience entirely built on hide-run-hide-run. 

Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition Review 7.5/10 "Ridiculous Fun, Lovingly Preserved" 🪱

I went to a flat party in 1999 and was in the front room when the host asked me if I'd ever played Worms before. I said, "No". He said, "You're Gonna Love it!" and proceeded to fire up the PS1 and welcome me into the crazy, crazy world of Worms: Armageddon. 

By the end of the night, most of the people in the flat were playing Worms, and the manic action was being fuelled by the many litres of Red Bull & Vodka being consumed (it was the late 90s, after all). From that moment on, Worms was THE party game and all my friends loved to drink and play this; it was essential for a great night out, either pre-party, post-party, post-post party or during party!

Fast forward to today, and it's true that some games age gracefully… and then there’s Worms Armageddon, a title that refuses to age at all. Firing it up feels like opening a box in your mum and dad's loft packed with banana bombs, holy hand grenades, and the kind of ridiculously crafted chaos that not too many video games attempt nowadays. Worms is most definitely still utterly ludicrous, endlessly funny, and capable of turning players into cackling agents of worm-fuelled destruction.

Armageddon remains the perfect expression of what makes Worms tick. The physics are just unpredictable enough to keep every turn tense. The weapons are as silly as ever, and still capable of producing those hilarious local multiplayer moments; it’s as manic today as it was in 1999.

What really elevates this release is the museum timeline charting the history of the series, the unexpected star of the show, with behind‑the‑scenes content that is a love letter to the Worms legacy.

These documentary‑style segments are surprisingly heartfelt. They chart the evolution of Team17’s iconic series with archival footage, developer interviews, early concept art and some cool Stories about how certain weapons and ideas came to be.

It’s the kind of material we've all come to expect from a Digital Eclipse release, and once again, for fans of gaming history, it’s pure gold nuggets. For Worms fans specifically, it’s borderline emotional. You get a real sense of how this quirky British strategy‑comedy hybrid became a global phenomenon.

Worms is Worm, but why does it still work? Well, Worms Armageddon endures because it’s built on timeless ingredients of simple rules, deceptively deep strategy, endless unpredictability, and a tone that never takes itself seriously. It’s the rare game where losing can be just as entertaining as winning, especially when your last worm is blasted into orbit by a rogue sheep or a concrete donkey.

SUMMARY
For me, this is more than a nostalgia trip. It’s a reminder of how inventive, chaotic, and downright joyful games can be. The core experience is still a riot, but the documentary timeline pushes this version into “must‑own” territory for anyone who loves retro gaming, British game development history, or just a good laugh. My kids and I are playing this endlessly as I introduce a new generation to Worms and have more couch chaos with the family!

Right, I'm off to drop a concrete donkey on my wife...

7.5/10

🆒COOL🆒

Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition | Nintendo Switch games | Games | Nintendo UK

MARVEL COSMIC INVASION XBOX SERIES X Review 8/10 "A vibrant, retro-inspired beat 'em up that channels old-school arcade energy" 💥 @MARVELCosmicInv @Dotemu

Marvel Cosmic Invasion is here: it hits Xbox Series X as a vibrant, retro-inspired beat 'em up that channels old-school arcade energy - think the classic 1992 X-Men arcade game - with the combos, special moves and overall depth we've come to expect from Dotemu, the publisher behind the excellent Streets of Rage 4.

The game follows the Marvel Annihilation storyline, pitting a huge roster of 15 playable characters against the evil Annihilus and the deadly Annihilation Wave. You punch, claw, fly and swing through locations ranging from New York City, through the Avengers Helicarrier, to the depths of the Negative Zone. The excellent pixel art style and fast-paced brawling capture an energetic comic-book feel that is very much in keeping with other Dotemu releases.

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.

Britt’s Brief Bulletin - April Review Round Up! 🎮

ICARUS: Console Edition
Available on PlayStation 5

A game that was initially released on Windows at the tail end of 2021 and has now made its way to console, ICARUS comes from the mind of DayZ creator, Dean Hall. Developed by RocketWerkz, ICARUS is again in the survival genre, this time with a slightly futuristic bent but with the same sense of a world of beasts and nature itself being against you.

Visually impressive, and a game that does not hold your hand, ICARUS is all about incremental progress and practicality, playable online with multiplayer, this is a game that has you weathering out storms, building structures to protect you from wildlife as well as the planet itself...structures that can go up like a lit match if you are too cavalier with your campfire placement!

Certainly a game that invites you to dive in, explore...and survive in a harsh unrelenting world, this would be a blast with the up to eight players that can be in each drop, gathering and managing resources whilst fighting off curious animals as well as preparing a transient home away from the natural elements, but I did find a slight disconnect between these hostile planets, futuristic setting...and the fact that -initially at least – the fauna that you deal with are bizarrely very Earth-centric. 

It would have been cool to be up against things other than boars, wolves, and bears, as it can make the whole setup feel a little superficial, not taking full advantage of the fact that this could be a truly alien world, full of surprises, instead of being just another survival adventure, with the tutorial effectively snapped off. 

Finally, the in-game text is minute with seemingly no way of enlarging it, so if you have trouble with your eyesight, be prepared to get close up and personal with your TV.

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.

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.

WWE2K26 PS5 Review 7/10 “Core Gameplay and GM Mode Save The Stagnation Issues” 🤼‍♂️

I always brace myself whenever I’m about to play a new WWE 2K game after years of ‘two steps forward, one step back’ for over a decade in the 2010’s. I’m always nervous, 2K have been on a good run for the last few years, there have been improvements and 2K have been taking what they have and building onto it instead of taking things out... to then only put them back in years later and claim its a new feature. 

So, when I booted up WWE 2K26 I wondered if, just like The Undertaker at WrestleMania 30 was the streak about to end? I can thankfully report that, no it hasn't...but it has run into a bit of stagnation. 

The core game is solid but I would say this edition doesn't feel like the jump that previous years have had, and a few new issues have been brought into play.

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!