Bloodhound Xbox Review 4/10 "Bit of a dog’s dinner" 🐕 @knfproductions #IndieGame #IndieGameDev #GameDev

I fear the word ‘retro’ sometimes. It can mean a loving homage to a classic release, or a genre. It can mean taking a game back to basics and focusing on great gameplay over Triple A graphics and presentation.

Bloodhound is retro in that it harks back to a golden age (for old gits like me) of gaming. Graphically it reminded me of games like Doom II/Quake and Duke Nukem , and even more so to the similarly titled Blood, from 1997. The trailer certainly piqued my interest with it’s fast-paced gameplay and throbbing rock soundtrack. When I was sent the preview copy I was EXCITED.

Just Crow Things Xbox Review 8/10 "Welcome to the Poopy Party" 🐦‍⬛ @UnboundCreation #IndieGame #IndieGameDev #GameDev

I find real pleasure in diving into games that are suitable for all the family, especially those that have a humorous streak running through them. My three-year-old is a bit of a litmus test when it comes to the child-friendly titles I cover here at GF, and when Just Crow Things came on, he was intrigued, but when he found out there was a poop button? He was sold.

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. 

Atlas Fallen: Reign of Sand Xbox Review 7.5 / 10 "Atlas falls, and rises again!" ⚔️ @Deck13_de @Focus_entmt #IndieGame #GameDev

Atlas Fallen is the newest release from Deck13 - the team behind Lords of the Fallen and the Surge series – and, whilst it was initially released in 2023 to mixed reviews, this free update to the Reign of Sand edition aims to fix some key issues that affected the initial release, namely:

• An expanded world
• New enemies and challenges
• Revamped progression
• New quests
• Reworked voice acting
• Additional difficulty mode and a New Game+ mode

I didn’t cover the initial release and so can’t really do direct comparisons; and so I’ll review the Reign of Sand version of Atlas Fallen completely on its own merits.

Retro Revengers Xbox Review 7/10 "Retro Revenge is Sweet" 🕹️ @shinyuden @RatalaikaGames #IndieGame #IndieGameDev #GameDev

A short and snappy title that harks back to 8-bit platformers. Retro Revengers has a modern twist mainly through the narrative, and whilst it is a very brief title at around an hour or two, this brevity is what keeps the gameplay and somewhat snarky story fresh up to the end.

Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III Xbox Review 8/10 "Twirl that parasol!" ⛱️ #Retrogaming

Released by Taito in 1991, Parasol Stars - the sequel to Bubble Bobble (1986), and Rainbow Islands (1987)– stuck closer to the formula of the original with single-screen action, this time with brighter visuals, larger sprites, and advanced audio – and yes, the soundtrack is absolutely as much of an earworm as the original!

Crow Country XBOX Review 7.5/10 "A throwback survival horror with narrative depth" 🐦‍⬛🌎 @SFBTom @SFBDim #GameDev #IndieGame

I’ve enjoyed the recent spate of games harking back to the visual style of the PS1 – albeit with the juddering, flat polygons and tedious loading screens removed – as it’s not only a style that feels as yet pretty un-mined but is also rich with nostalgia – as well as being suited to lo-fi horror with the low polygon vibes setting the imagination alight. 

With this in mind, getting my hands on Crow Country was a delight, and the fact that the game offers two primary modes – one more combat-centric, whilst the other eschews combat in turn of a more story-based approach – made the game even more appealing, due to its openness and accessibility for players who enjoy both styles.

The year is 1990, and we are introduced to the protagonist of the story - Mara Forest – approaching a seemingly abandoned amusement park called Crow Country, she claims to be a special agent with memory issues, and is determined to locate the missing owner of Crow Country… Edward Crow – for unknown reasons. 

What follows is a solid and intriguing few hours of pretty classic gameplay, in that you’ll find yourself scavenging for ammo, reading lots of lore, and working your way through both environmental and inventory-based puzzles. 

Whilst the crunchy polygons and incredible aural atmosphere (courtesy of composer Ockeroid) carry the game pretty far, as the combat and puzzles get a bit tired, it’s the narrative that will hook you through to the games’ end. 

That said, if you want the ability to play at a more leisurely pace, the aforementioned ability to remove the combat gives a breezier approach, leaving you to fully focus on the atmosphere and unfolding, twisting story. Don’t worry, there’ll still be some scares!

SUMMARY
A tasty PS1-esque survival horror title with a far more engaging and involved narrative than you’d expect, SFB Games have come out swinging with this, and for lovers of vintage survival horror, it’s time to get a ticket to Crow Country.

Justice League: Cosmic Chaos Xbox Review 7.5/10 "A fun, family-friendly title with surprisingly cool music" 🦇 @PHLCollective @Outright_Games #GameDev #IndieGame

As a fan of Batman in most of his incarnations through the decades, I’ve always leaned towards the darker interpretations of his character. That said, as the father of a young boy just discovering video games, the fact that I can get hips deep into some Diedrich Bader-voiced Batman action aimed at a younger audience is very, very fine indeed with me.

The story here is that life in Happy Harbor is turned upside-down by Mr. Mxyzplk, who usurps the current Mayor of the town by using Starro’s mind control powers to take control of members of the Justice League, leaving Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman – with a little help from some very super friends – to restore order to the idyllic town.

FIEHDUW Manba One Controller Unboxing & Review "A Beautiful Looking Controller!" 🎮 @manba_official

 

Rich dives into the Manba One Controller and finds that this thing is a real contender in the third-party controller market, aiming to bring some serious competition to the big names.

Pros:

• Versatility: Multi-platform support is a huge plus.

• Customization: The Interactive LCD screen and programmable buttons offer a lot of flexibility.

• Hall Effect: Hall Effect Joystick and Hall Linear Trigger is a big plus!

• Price: At £71 / $69.99, it’s a solid deal for what you get.

Cons:

• Build Quality: While sturdy, it doesn’t feel as premium as some competitors.

• Button Feel: The clicky buttons might not be everyone’s cup of tea.

• Start & Select Placement is slightly odd (at the bottom of the controller)

Overall, the Manba One Controller is a fantastic option for gamers looking for versatility and customization without breaking the bank. It’s not perfect, but it offers a lot of bang for your buck

Would you consider trying it out?

UK Amazon Affiliate Link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D2CYM4QS

Roxy Raccoon’s Pinball Panic XBOX Review 6/10 "Decent Mechanics Let Down By Flat Presentation" 📍 @RoxyRaccoon4 #IndieGame #GameDev

My household is one that does enjoy flipping the flippers, and there’s always a handful of pinball games installed on our various consoles, should the need for some high score settin’ arise.

Roxy Raccoon’s Pinball Panic begins with a story involving a witch and her evil animal cohorts teleporting away, with Roxy following in pursuit – leading to a series of pinball challenges wherein a balled-up Roxy will need to bounce around myriad tables to collect all of the available gems in order to proceed. 

Vera Blanc: Supernatural Mysteries Xbox Review 7/10 "Werewolves and Ghosts, oh my!" 🐺👻 @RatalaikaGames #IndieGames #GameDev

A pair of titles featuring intrepid supernatural investigators Vera Blanc and Brendan Mackey, Vera Blanc: Supernatural Mysteries centres around Ms Blanc, who – following a rather intense operation on her brain – is able to read the thoughts of others. 

Originally released in 2010, the games are mostly light visual novels with a very cool graphic novel art style, the core gameplay comes from multiple choice events – that can lead to instant deaths, so save often – and the optional word based / spot the difference puzzles that can be turned on and off with each play though, should you want a touch more interaction.

The characters are well-sketched without the game being too onerous with the text, and each tale moves along at a fair pace, with minimal audio work to add to the rising tensions. 

Whilst I preferred the first game in the series - as I am a sucker for werewolves – both are fun to get through, although the ghost story slightly alters the visuals and feels less exciting than the Bavarian werewolf adventure. 

SUMMARY

A bargain at the current price point and a solid evening’s entertainment (each case takes 1-2 hours to complete), Vera Blanc: Supernatural Mysteries won’t tickle your grey matter, but it might just raise the hairs on your neck!

Purchase Link:

Ratalaika Games S.L.

Crime Boss: Rockay City (2024) XSX Review 7/10 "A kick-ass cast in a game that once got its ass kicked" 💥 @ingame_studios @505_Games #IndieGame #GameDev

Upon its initial release in 2023, Crime Boss: Rockay City had a rough old time, with cutting reviews across the board. We didn’t cover it at the time here at GF, but as someone who grew up watching this – quite incredible – cast of actors in myriad movies over the decades, it was always on my mind, and I was intrigued as to how the game appeared to be such a misfire.

Fast forward a year and the game gets a massive overhaul for its Steam release. DLC is now included for free - and the developers have fixed a lot of the more glaring issues that plagued the game upon its initial release.

How does it fare in 2024? it’s a lot of fun, but the repetition at the heart of the game is hard to ignore.

Still Wakes the Deep XSX Review 9/10 "Possibly the most naturalistic dialogue in a video game" 🛢️🗼 @SWTD_Game @ChineseRoom #IndieGame #GameDev

The Chinese Room were the company that introduced me to the walking simulator genre with their minimalistic and glorious 2012 title Dear Esther. This was followed by a firm favourite of our household in Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. And so, learning that The Chinese Room were making a game set on a Scottish oil rig in the mid-’70s was enough to make my trousers fly off and fold themselves neatly in a drawer, before definitively slamming it shut.

Horizon Chase 2 Xbox Review 8/10 "Why did the frog cross the road?" 🐸🏎️ @HorizonChase #IndieGame #GameDev

Why did the frog cross the road? 

One of the oldest questions never asked, perhaps because everyone’s talking about that damn chicken. And I’m not about to answer that question as this is not Amphibian Psychology 101. I’m here to talk about HOW the frog crossed the road and how this (loosely) relates to Horizon Chase 2, new to Xbox.

Star Wars: Battlefront Collection | Xbox Series X Review | 4/10 “Turned To The Dark Side” 💩 #StarWars

There are two things I have a deep hatred for that are part of a lot of childhoods, and they are E.T, and Wookiees. Now, I won’t go into why I hate Mr Extra Terrestrial, but Wookiees are related directly with Battlefront 2, as a kid I loved these games, my friend and I played them for hours and hours - they are highlights of my childhood, but one memory sticks out and that's the time - whilst fighting a particularly tough battle - it came down to 10 vs 8, our team finally had the lead after replaying this missions several times, and victory was finally in sight! I had a fool-proof plan to win… get in a ship and take the enemy down from the skies. As I made my run to the ship, a Wookiee ran from the other side, entered the ship, and then flew it straight into the landing bay door destroying not just himself and the ship but also my hopes and dreams. As I stood in the landing bay filled with hate and disappointment, the enemy overturned the deficit and won. That moment changed me, I became a different person… I was now... a Wookiee hater.

Little Kitty, Big City XSX Review 7.5/10 "The purr-fect game to play with kids" 😸 🏙️ @LittleKittyGame #IndieGame #GameDev

It’s an interesting time in our household, as we have a three year old son who is just getting his feet wet in terms of gaming. I always keep an eye out for suitable releases to enjoy with him, and when we received the press release for Little Kitty, Big City, my dad-gaming eyes lit up. What we ended up enjoying was a wonderfully cute, fun game that wasn’t without its flaws, but the charm and family factor shines through, meaning that you’ll have a great time if you approach little Kitty, Big City with an open and curious mind...much like a kitten, in fact.

Little Kitty, Big City begins as very much a story of highs and lows, there you are – sunning yourself on your owner’s balcony when disaster strikes and you find yourself falling to street level, many floors below. Your quest? To get back to your favourite napping spot!

Loretta Xbox Series X Review 8/10 “Spiralling Down” ☠️🍶 @yabutuzoff #IndieGame #GameDev

Set in 1947, you control Loretta - a housewife who has murdered her husband, having finally had enough of his drinking, gambling, cheating ways - and decided to take matters into her own hands.

The game opens with a detective investigating his disappearance, he has come to question Loretta and have a look around the farm and it is here where we gain control of the titular character.

Early on you are presented with the choices that will shape her fate, I made the decision to try and poison the detective and… well… let’s just say it ‘didn’t go well’.

Throughout your time with this game you will get the chance to make important decisions such as should you higher your kill count or resist your murderous temptations and see if you can break free, and escape your current predicament.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Xbox Review 7/10 "A Sweet Suikoden Spiritual Sequel" 🔥⚔️ @eiyuden #IndieGame #GameDev

From the – sadly no longer with us – Yoshitaka Murayama, the creative mind behind the much-loved Suikoden series, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is very much a spiritual successor that has its feet firmly planted in more traditional gameplay, resulting in a title that feels comfortable and fun overall, but unfortunately a touch lacklustre in some key areas.

Our tale begins with Nowa, a young boy from a rural village who joins The Watch, a group of like-minded individuals who roam the lands, assisting the various denizens of the scattered villages and cities. Assisting them on this particular mission – to find a ‘Primal Lens’ - are hand-picked soldiers of the Empire, but whilst this motley crew work well together at present...what will happen when peace fails and they are sworn to fight against each other?

Dragon’s Dogma 2 Xbox Review 9/10 "The most fun I’ve had in a single player game in 2024" ⚔️🐲🔥👹 @DragonsDogma #DragonsDogma2

As someone who is – and will be forever – drawn towards single player RPGs, The last few months have been very, very fun. I’ve played three games that stand out in my mind for different reasons, and between them cover a lot of the main points that appeal to me about the genre at its core.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden won me over with its understated characters, music, atmospherics and earthiness, whilst Outcast: A New Beginning featured incredible traversal mechanics and lore, and now Dragon’s Dogma 2 – and out of the three, this is the title that I, by far, have the strongest history with – comes blazing out of the gate with its main strengths being in how much it embraces and excels at being a video game, completely nailing combat mechanics and explosive, immediate gameplay.

It’s a game that is a pleasure to write about, and I feel like I could just list all of my in-game experiences to get my point across because there are so many personal stories to tell, all through a design sentiment that eschews seriousness to put fun and gameplay at the absolute fore.

Outcast: A New Beginning Xbox Review 7.5/10 "An Outcast No More" 💥🌴 @OutcastGame #IndieGame #GameDev

I’ve had a spotted history with Outcast, when it was originally released in 1999, I played it briefly over a friend’s house and was entranced by the world conjured and possibilities laid out. The unfortunate thing was, I didn’t have a PC that could really get the most out of it at the time, and I fell away from it – assuming that I’d return soon – but the next time I spent any time with the game was when I picked up Outcast: Second Contact in 2020, and, revisiting the game so long after release highlighted the sheer scope and imagination of developers Appeal Studios, along with the unavoidable fact that the design and mechanics were lodged in a transitory period of the third-person open-world genre, and had aged appropriately.

Thus, when I caught wind of this new entry in the franchise- pseudo-reboot, pseudo-revising, pseudo-revisiting pseudo-sequel – call it what you want – I was glad to discover that I feel that this I finally the most complete, accessible, and wonderful way to know the story of the impossibly named ‘Cutter Slade’, and appreciate the full scale of the dev’s vision. A vision set into motion almost thirty years ago.

Welcome to ParadiZe Xbox Series X Review 6/10 "More PontinZ than ParadiZe" 🐘 #IndieGame #GameDev #PvE #Zombies

Welcome to Paradize promised a lot of zany zombie shenanigans through its trailer, but unfortunately the released game feels a watered down version of what could have been, and as the core gameplay loop is so well-worn, there’s not enough to really suck players in and chew the meat from the bones of their expectations.

I first caught wind of Welcome to Paradize a couple of months ago, and having been on a bit of an isometric / action run recently I was quite keen to start smashing and blasting some zombie heads, whilst the survival and crafting elements seemed accessible enough to have fun with, without getting bogged down in menus etc.