🏆🗓️ Britt’s Game Of The Year 2019 (& Most Disappointing) 🏆🗓️ #GOTY2019

Britt’s Games of the Year

2019 has been another great year in my gaming career, with a lot of quality titles released. Aside from some real indie classics (my true love), there were also some larger budget titles that caught my eye that I’m happy to include here as games that stuck in my head for 2019… and also a couple that stayed with me for reasons that *ahem* aren’t ideal.

⛳️ BOLF | REVIEW | PC | EARLY ACCESS | "Take The Driver Out The Bag and Get Ready To Hit A Turkey!" 🎳 #bolfgame #GameDev #IndieGames

BOLF the video game takes the idea of mixing Ten Pin Bowling with Golf on full-size golf courses and at this moment in time goes about 25% of the way towards turning this into a fully realised video game idea.

I love golf games a lot, to the point where I did a 19 episode Golf video games feature on retro golf games for Games Freezer. 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnXszwskV-8CbULj8kAjAZtU1kcoUuvO2

Therefore I am always up for new golf video games experiences especially after sampling the delightful What The Golf back in October this year. http://www.gamesfreezer.co.uk/2019/10/what-golf-review-this-is-golf-jim-but.html

🎮🚗 Everything You Need For Gaming On The Go 🎮🚗

Image by https://pixabay.com/photos/pokemon-pokemon-go-phone-game-1553995/

If you can’t bear to tear yourself away from an exhilarating game, or you’ve got a long journey ahead, gaming on the go could be the solution.

With more and more people choosing to play on the move, it’s easier than ever to stay connected and enjoy the thrills and spills of gaming, no matter where you are in the world. If you’re a fan of playing games on your commute, or you love to pass the time between meetings or classes fighting enemies and building kingdoms, this is the guide for you. Here’s everything you need for seamless gaming on the go.

🎶 AViCii INVECTOR | REVIEW | "A Tribute To A Music Legend" 🎶 #AviciiInvector

Avicii Invector is a rhythm action video game that sees you take control of a futuristic space fighter jet as you journey through Avicii’s entire back catalogue of amazing thumping tracks. You are tasked with undertaking complex manoeuvres and timing various button presses all in time with the glorious Avicii soundtrack.

⚽️📓 Championship Manager 2 - Nottingham Forest vs Barnet - Episode 19: "The Bees Are Buzzing!" ⚽️📓 #RetroGaming #ChampionshipManager #CreatorsUnite

Championship Manager 2 has been on my list of games to play on YouTube for years now and finally, I have pulled my finger out and taken the job of Nottingham Forest Manager.

Come see how my season unfolds in these short sharp Champ Manager vids.

⚽ GOLAZO! | Review | Nintendo Switch "A 90's Inspired Arcade Soccer Romp" ⚽ #GolazoTheGame

GOLAZO! Evokes the memories I had of playing footy games like Football Champ in the Arcades and the awesome TECMO World Cup series as well as taking inspiration from the SNK football games such as Super Sidekicks.

The game takes on a 7 a side, cartoon, no rules approach to footy games that I simply love in an era when we are swamped with ultra-realistic dull football simulations that have lost their identity and character.

The game is, however, slightly let down by a few small things that annoyed me so let’s take a gander at what I liked and disliked about this little gem before we sum it all up.

🚪💥 Door Kickers: Action Squad | REVIEW | PS4 | "I Am The Kicker of a Thousand Doors" 🧨🚪 #GameDev #IndieGames

I’m a big fan of well-made games that have a tongue firmly in cheek whilst being backed up by fun gameplay. In this regard, Door Kickers: Action Squad delivers shovelfuls of gaming gold.

A slightly different type of game to what I was initially expecting and all the better for it.

⛏️⚔️ Forager | REVIEW | PC | "simple but in-depth mechanics" ⛏️⚔️ #GameDev #IndieGames

Forager doesn’t seem to have a story but it does have some solid gameplay. It’s made by the same people who made Impossible Dungeon which was a four-player game which I personally haven’t played but does look pretty good. Although I don’t usually enjoy games without a story behind them, I did enjoy this one.

🎮🗓️ A Yearly Gaming Roundup 🎮🗓️

2019 has been another incredible year for gaming. Year on year we've not failed to be impressed by the quality of games and consoles that are released. But this year we feel like gaming has come into its own.

🎨👩‍🎨💾 My Video Game Inspired Art "Alex Kidd In Miracle World" 💾👨‍🎨🖼️ #RetroGaming #AlexKidd #SEGAMasterSystem

For me, Alex Kidd in Miracle World was a game that defined my video games playing childhood. It was a game that everybody seemed to won as it was the pack-in game with the SEGA Master System II.

My best mate Paul had a Master System II and I had the Mark 1 version with the built-in snail game. When Paul got his sleek-looking Master System II I was in awe of its design and size along with the amazing built-in Alex Kidd game. 

🚀🥎⚾️The Outer Worlds | My Tossball Trading Cards Addiction | "Meet Aaron Dubois The Popular Tile Backers Goalie" ⚾️🥎🚀 @OuterWorlds #TheOuterWorlds

The Outer Worlds is currently consuming every thought in my brain. I've made a lifelong friend in Parvati and I'm looking after Felix like a big brother while we wander the planets together taking on Marauders and Mantiqueens by the dozen whilst looting the hell out of every stash I can find and making new friends on the way.

When I go to sleep at night I dream of Amber Heights and The Ground Breaker whilst also thinking of how I am going to somehow complete my Tossball Card Collection!

You see the thing is The Outer Worlds has a few things that are collectables but not actually collectables if you catch my drift...

📚📗 Half Mario/Half SONIC | Fuck Yeah Video Games "The Life & Extra Lives Of A Professional Nerd" 📚📗 @DanNerdCubed @Mr_Rebecca

Recently I purchased an e-book entitled Fuck Yeah Video Games "The Life & Extra Lives Of A Professional Nerd by Daniel Hardcastle @DanNerdCubed as I had heard it was a great book.

When I started reading it I wasn't disappointed but for me, the best thing about this book is the lovely illustrations/cartoons by Rebecca Maughan @Mr_RebeccaThey are awesome!

⚽️📓 Championship Manager 2 - Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City - Episode 18: "Sky Blue Troubles" ⚽️📓 #RetroGaming #ChampionshipManager #CreatorsUnite

Championship Manager 2 has been on my list of games to play on YouTube for years now and finally, I have pulled my finger out and taken the job of Nottingham Forest Manager.

Come see how my season unfolds in these short sharp Champ Manager vids. 

🌵🧙‍♀️Ritual: Crown Of Horns | REVIEW | Nintendo Switch | "Tough As An Old Witch Wearing Tough Armour & A Tough Hat" 🧙‍♀️🌵 #GameDev #IndieGames

Ritual: Crown Of Horns - Nintendo Switch - £18 in the Nintendo eShop

BACK OF THE BOX QUOTE

“It’s Just Me, My Witch & I”

🎖️🎖️ Sudden Strike 4 | REVIEW | PC | "21st Century Cannon Fodder" 🎖️🎖️ #suddenstrike4 #GameDev #IndieGames

Sudden Strike 4 is a War Based Real-Time Strategy game which sees you command tanks, infantry and airforce units across many battlefields from various conflicts from the 20th century.

💎⛏️⚔️ Sparklite | REVIEW | "Sparklite Me Up, Buttercup!" 💎⛏️⚔️ #GameDev #IndieGames

Sparklite is a charming top-down action-adventure that has flecks of Moonlighter, Zelda and others, Sparklite will definitely light up the eyes of players as they work their way through the steampunk world before them.

🥚👶 Arthur Parallax reviews….Death Stranding | "A Bit Like My Nan’s Mantelpiece" 👶🥚

Arthur Parallax reviews….Death Stranding

"I met Hideo Kojima once, well, I say met, I was standing behind him in a chip shop in Burnham-on-Sea called ‘The Battered Husband’ as he ordered fish, chips and mushy peas with loads of vinegar and lashings of brown sauce. Due to his seeming inability to truncate anything combined with how he couldn’t work his way through even a basic sentence without resorting to heavy-handed metaphors relating to existential crises, by the time he had finished reciting his order, his reasons for it and the history behind his reasons for it, the shop had closed and we were ushered hungrily outside. Turning to me, he said that he had never been to Burnham-on-sea before* and asked if I knew of anywhere that would be open that still served food.

🧠💬 Fractured Minds | Nintendo Switch | Review | "An Important Short Video Game On The Subject Of Mental Health" 🧠💬 @EmilyMGames #GameDev #IndieGames

Created by Emily Mitchell, a teenager who turned towards game development as a way of having an outlet for her stress and anxieties, Fractured Minds is a short - around half an hour in length - first-person puzzle game split into six chapters, each which look at specific scenarios that are designed to resonate with to those that suffer from or are close to those with mental health-related issues.

🛩️ Airport CEO | RAPID REVIEW | Early Access | "Building A Runway Has Never Been So Much Fun!" 🛩️ #IndieGame #AirportCEO #GameDev

Airport CEO - PC

STEAM: https://store.steampowered.com/app/673610/Airport_CEO

BACK OF THE BOX QUOTE

“Build Your Very Own Luton Airport!”

⚽️📓 Championship Manager 2 - Nottingham Forest vs West Ham - Episode 17: "The Bubble Bursts" ⚽️📓 #RetroGaming #FootballManager2020

Championship Manager 2 has been on my list of games to play on YouTube for years now and finally, I have pulled my finger out and taken the job of Nottingham Forest Manager.

Come see how my season unfolds in these short sharp Champ Manager vids. 

🚀 Rocket Wars | REVIEW | Nintendo Switch | "Asteroids 2019" 🚀 #GameDev #IndieGames

Rocket Wars 

Developer Name - Rooftop Panda

Format – Switch 

Price - £10

You are a rocket fighting other rockets. A simple game. I think that it takes inspiration from the 1979 game Asteroids and taking inspiration from a classic is not a bad thing. 

The game sees you flying around like a rocket with simple graphics around an arena type space area.

You use your rocket to destroy other rockets. Fighting against the simulator or against other people in online mode. You can get the chance to fight over different power-ups from lasers to a shotgun burst of bullets. 

📺 Was The Games Master TV Show Really As Good As I Remember It? 📺 @GamesMaster

The Games Master TV programme acts as a warm nostalgia blanket of 90s television whenever I think about it.

The thing I have begun to wonder though is, would this fuzzy nostalgic vision of awesomeness be ruined if I were to rewatch these 90s soaked video games tv programmes in 2019?

Was the show really as good as I remember it?

🌳🏚️🌳The 13th Doll | REVIEW | "Dare YOU Return To Stauf’s Mansion?" 🌳🏚️🌳 #GameDev #IndieGame #7thGuest

A fan game based on The 7th Guest - the seminal PC adventure game released in 1993 – 13th Doll is a charming but flawed love letter to the original that has been in development for effectively over a decade and still feels like it could have used a few more months to iron out the more troubling issues.

If you are a fan of the original and yearn for more of the same then this could be a pleasant return to Stauf’s world but if you have no nostalgia for The 7th Guest, this probably isn’t the best place to start.

🎨👩‍🎨💾 My Video Game Inspired Art "Lucky & Wild" 💾👨‍🎨🖼️ #FanArt #RetroGaming #NAMCO #CreatorsUnite

Lucky & Wild the arcade racing/shooting game has been an obsession of mine since I saw a cabinet out in the wild a couple of years ago in 2017 (Isle Of Wight) and was compelled to write an article all about my arcade finds of that year here:

http://www.gamesfreezer.co.uk/2017/09/sun-sea-arcade-games-part-iv-back-to.html

🔪🍚 Narcos Rise Of The Cartel | REVIEW | PS4 | "Slowly Slowly Catchy Pablo!" 🍚🔪 #GameDev #IndieGame #Narcos

My expectations for NARCOS: Rise Of The Cartels were low but I was hopeful that the dev team would be able to make something that NARCOS fans could enjoy. 

I’d say that they have surpassed my expectations and made a fun Turn-Based strategy game that although can become a little repetitive at times more than makes up for it in the atmosphere and lovely level design.

🔵🔴 Bubble Bobble 4 Friends | Nintendo Switch | REVIEW | "I'm Forever Popping Bubbles" 🔴🔵 #BubbleBobble

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends on the Nintendo Switch for around £36 in the Nintendo eShop

BACK OF THE BOX QUOTE

“Hubble Bubble Toil & Trouble”

⚽️📓 Championship Manager 2 - Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa - Episode 16: "The Fizzy Cup Thriller" ⚽️📓 #RetroGaming

Championship Manager 2 has been on my list of games to play on YouTube for years now and finally, I have pulled my finger out and taken the job of Nottingham Forest Manager.

Come see how my season unfolds in these short sharp Champ Manager vids. 

⚔️ 🔥 CITADEL: Forged With Fire | REVIEW | "Behold The Wild Pigs Of War & Invisible Stones!" 🔥⚔️ #CitadelReignited #IndieGames #GameDev

Citadel Forged with Fire is a fantasy Action RPG MMO that has you crafting from resources found on your travels and building a home in order to survive in Ignus.

🐯🦍🐻🦒🐧🐗 Planet Zoo | REVIEW | PC | "Tending To Virtual Tortoises Has Never Been So Much Fun!" 🐯🦍🐻🦒🐧🐗 #GameDev #PlanetZoo

Build a world for wildlife in Planet Zoo. From the developers of Planet Coaster and Zoo Tycoon comes the ultimate zoo sim.

🎮 Conglomerate 451 | Early Access | Review | PC | "Let's Party Like It's 2099!" 🎮

Conglomerate 451 is a Steam Early Access game.

It's a turn-based tactical combat mixed with a grid-based, dungeon-crawling the first-person RPG with roguelike elements set in a cyberpunk world.

💺🎮Tips For Making Your Gaming Experience More Comfortable 💺🎮

Image Source

Gaming has changed so much in such a short space of time that many of us who game can end up spending hours on gaming because there’s so much more to be engaged with.

With long storylines and bigger maps, you might be starting to feel a little uncomfortable.

So here are some tips to make your gaming experience more comfortable.

🐘 Woven | REVIEW | PS4 | "Quite the Quilter’s Dream" 🐘 @WoventheGame #IndieGames #GameDev

Woven is a wonderfully creative and vibrant, knitted, open-world game is that is ‘quite the quilter’s dream’ you could say.

It consists of textile-infused scenery full of patterns galore. You play a soft, stuffed elephant to boot. Just watching the trailer, it won my attention; I was definitely intrigued at what this Dutch developer (Alterego Games) had to offer. 

🎮🕹️ The Future Of Video Games 🎮🕹️

Image Credit Pixabay.com License CC0

It’s been a long time now since the likes of pong and Pacman started entertaining kids and adults alike. There are plenty of middle-aged folks out there now who will remember playing these games as a young child.

The video game industry is now what you could consider as being a mature industry. It has gone through loads since the first arcade games in the seventies started finding their way into our homes. 

When the early home entertainment systems such as the NES started appearing in the living rooms of kids across the world, people probably thought that the future was there and that things could not get better than that. 

🎮⛳️ House Of Golf | Nintendo Switch | Review | “Time to smack your balls into a rake!” ⛳️🎮 #IndieGame #GameDev

House of Golf is a crazy golf game on the Nintendo Switch set in some rooms of the house such as the garage, attic, Bedroom, Lounge and the good old kitchen!

🤠 Sydney Hunter and the Curse of the Mayan | REVIEW | NINTENDO SWITCH | "tough as old whips" 🤠 #GameDev #IndieGames

Whilst Sydney Hunter and the Curse of the Mayan’s challenge can have you pinching the bridge of your nose, its charm and solid design will keep dragging you back to the underground temples (as you massage your own).

⚽️📓 Championship Manager 2 - Nottingham Forest vs Leicester City - Episode 15: "DJ HESKEY" ⚽️📓 #RetroGaming

Championship Manager 2 has been on my list of games to play on YouTube for years now and finally, I have pulled my finger out and taken the job of Nottingham Forest Manager.

Come see how my season unfolds in these short sharp Champ Manager vids. 

🍒🍒 Pac Man | Pocket Player | My Arcade | Unboxing & Impressions | "PAC MAN, PACMANIA & PAC PANIC" 🍒🍒 #Retrogaming @MyArcadeRetro

The PAC-MAN Pocket Player from My Arcade is a wonderful looking handheld gaming machine that comes pre loaded with PAC MAN (Arcade version), PACMANIA (1987) and PAC-PANIC / PAC ATTACK (1993).

It's a great handheld for the PAC MAN enthusiasts at a great price!

Take a look at my unboxing and impressions to see what I think.

🎧 Stealth Gaming Headset Stand | Unboxing | £15 Headset Stand 🎧

Compatible with most Gaming Headset designs, the STEALTH Gaming Headset Stand will help keep the shape of your headset AND reduce the likelihood of physical damage.

Compatibility: The STEALTH Gaming Headset Stand is compatible with most headsets on the market right now!

U.S Link: https://www.ebgames.com.au/product/nintendo-switch/249054-stealth-headset-stand-frosted

UK Link: www.argos.co.uk

🎮 Stealth SP-C50 Single Charging Dock | PS4 | Unboxing 🎮

The STEALTH PS4 Single Charging Dock is the 2 in 1 premium charging solution from one of the UK’s biggest Gaming Audio brands. Be prepared, give your controller a full charge overnight.

If you forget, don’t worry! You can Play AND Charge with the premium braided Micro USB cable the next day.

https://www.stealthgaming.net/products/stealth-sp-c50-ps4-single-usb-charging-dock-black

⚡️ Close to the Sun | REVIEW | "Tesla’s Tortured Titanic Tale" ⚡️ #IndieGames #GameDev @WiredP

A well-presented story and rich atmosphere are the highs here with some technical issues and somewhat flat gameplay bringing down a well-realised concept.

⚔️ Battle Princess Madelyn | PS4 REVIEW | "The Nostalgia is Strong" ⚔️ #IndieGames #GameDev

Battle Princess Madelyn is a Pixel art side-scrolling video game which takes a lot of inspiration from the Ghosts N Goblins series from its combat and mechanics to its art style.

⚽️📓 Championship Manager 2 - Nottingham Forest vs Everton - Episode 14: "A Tasty Toffee Tirade" ⚽️📓 #RetroGaming

Championship Manager 2 has been on my list of games to play on YouTube for years now and finally, I have pulled my finger out and taken the job of Nottingham Forest Manager.

Come see how my season unfolds in these short sharp Champ Manager vids.

⚔️ Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes | Review | "bonkers’… but bland" ⚔️ @marvelous_games @suda_51

The newest entry in Suda51’s No More Heroes franchise is an odd one.

The neon-tinged, smash-cut, in-your-face and zany presentation just doesn’t match up with the gameplay which, whilst having moments of intensity, is surprisingly repetitive and ultimately a bit boring.

⚔️ Northgard | Review | Nintendo Switch | "This One Is For The Viking Lovers" ⚔️ #northgardswitch #GameDev #IndieGames

Northgard was originally released on PC, PS4 and Xbox, it has now been released on Nintendo Switch. 

Developer Name: Shiro Games

Format: Nintendo Switch 

Price: £30

🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️ The Walking Zombie 2 | REVIEW [PC] | "Born Into The Zombie Apocalypse!" 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️ #WalkingZombie2Game #GameDev #IndieGames

The Walking Zombie 2 is a post-apocalyptic Zombie first-person shooter primarily but with RPG elements such as skills, perks and XP Levels which will aide in your overall quest within the Walking Zombie World.

🌾🍅 Harvest Moon: Mad Dash | REVIEW | "Don’t Dilly-Dally" 🌾🍅 HarvestMoonMadDash

Most of us are familiar with and have probably played at least one in this very cutesy role-playing, farm simulation game series.

If you haven’t, you should go and do so now (You know I’m right)!

The series first hit our good, old-fashioned CRT monitors in Japan back in 1996 with the first game in the series, Harvest Moon, on the Super Nintendo (Yes, I was around then, I was a decade old!). Since then the franchise has evolved greatly and has been seen across many platforms - mostly Nintendo - but also PlayStation and IOS.

🌴💥🌴 Shakedown Hawaii | Review | Nintendo 3DS "Business At The Front, Bodies In The Back" 🌴💥🌴 #GameDev #IndieGame @ShakedownHawaii

Shakedown Hawaii is a top-down GTA-like game from the GTA 1 and GTA 2 era with a lovely pixel art style and over the top cartoon violence.

🍔 ⏰ 🎉 BurgerTime Party! - REVIEW - "Flippin' Fun!" 🍔 ⏰ 🎉 #GameDev

A fun little game that is best played with friends in a ‘dip in and out’ way, if you are a fan of the original BurgerTime (Data East, 1982), this literally plays like a remastered version with multiplayer added. Good.

⚽️📓 Championship Manager 2 - Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa - Episode 13: "Vying With The Villains!" ⚽️📓 #RetroGaming

Championship Manager 2 has been on my list of games to play on YouTube for years now and finally, I have pulled my finger out and taken the job of Nottingham Forest Manager.

Come see how my season unfolds in these short sharp Champ Manager vids. 

⚔️ Greedfall "Final Boss Battle" + Good Ending ⚔️

Greedfall has had me encapsulated for around 3 weeks now and I've finally managed to see the credits. First up we have the Final Boss Battle against the Nadaig Baro + the Good Ending.