Funwhole® House of Sweets F9009 Building Set UNBOXING & Build 🍬

 
This unboxing sees Rich get to grips with the Fun Whole House Of Sweets as he spends Christmas trying to build it. Welcome To The House of Sweets Stop by the House of Sweets to pick up the best treats of the Season. Packed with cakes, cookies, and many other treats the House of Sweets F9009 building set for Christmas is the perfect Seasonal display.

Life on Mars: Genesis Kai Magazine Software SEGA Mega Drive Review 8.5/10 "There’s life in the Mega Drive, as well!" 🌕 #SEGA #SegaGenesis #IndieGames #GameDev

When Life on Mars: Genesis was announced, I was excited due to the fact that there were so few (if any) Metroidvania titles on the Mega Drive. I’m a fan of the genre, especially the shorter, snappier releases such as Shadow Complex. 

I find that a sub-12-hour blast keeps things spicy and fresh, and Life on Mars: Genesis falls into that camp, feeling like a novice entry in the genre, which fits in well with the fact that it is effectively an entry to the genre as a whole on the Mega Drive.

GOTY 2022 - Rich "The year Of The Ring" AKA "100+ Hours In and I'm Still Sh*t!" 💍 #GOTY

2022 was a year dominated by me wandering around a desolate abandoned landscape with a Steam Deck in my hand.

Elden Ring was the game that took up over 140 hours of my 2022 and I would be lying if I said that I loved every minute of it as the early parts of being a Tarnished are completely terrifying and incredibly difficult. There are many moments when you think  'is this game really worth the effort?!" 

I can now conclude that yes it is worth the effort and yes I am still sh1t at the game.

Chained Echoes XSX Review 8.5/10 "I can still hear you saying you would never break the chain" 🔗 @ChainedEchoes #IndieGames #GameDev

It’s been a good while since I got hips deep into a turn-based RPG, in fact, I believe the last one to really capture my imagination to this extent was Octopath Traveller a couple of years ago.

A very different beast, Chained Echoes calls to mind 2018’s Crosscode in the visuals and style of traversal in the game world, but the setting and narrative feel more traditional and classic in terms of the delivery.

Merry Christmas Freezer Followers! 🎅🎄

Merry Christmas To ALL Of The Freezer Followers Who Have Been With Us This Year!

Next Year will be our 10th Anniversary of Games Freezer and we are really excited for 2023 but today is a day to relax with family and eat too much.

Maybe even play a few multiplayer local co-op games with family (that's the dream right there!)

Anyway, "Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Animals!"

🎅🎄

A Plague Tale: Requiem PC Review 9/10 "Requiem goes hard on disgusting environments and intense squalor" 🐀 @APlagueTale

It’s estimated that the Black Death killed around 25 million people when it tore through Europe in the 14th century. You’ll see most of those corpses in A Plague Tale: Requiem, which doesn’t miss an opportunity to toss you into a charnel house bristling with rotting bones, have you clamber over giant heaps of fly-ridden bodies, or simply gently float downstream on an otherwise peaceful riverboat cruise as dead peasants serenely bob around you.

The Knight Witch Nintendo Switch Ten minute Taster "Bullet Witches In Hell!" 🧙‍♀️ @SuperMegaTeam #IndieGames #GameDev

The Knight Witch is a Metroidvania adventure game with fast-paced, shoot-'em-up combat set in a beautifully hand-drawn world. Cast devastating card-based spells, forge close bonds, and make moral choices all in your quest to save your home and discover who's behind the War Golem invasion.

Marvel Snap | Mike's Love Letter 💙 #MarvelSnap

When developers Second Dinner announced a new Marvel game featuring over 200 characters my tired heart skipped a beat, then when I realised it was a mobile card game… I died inside.

No, not the "card" bit, but the ‘mobile’ bit. If you've played any mobile games in the last five years you no doubt feel a pang of pain in the wallet at the sound of it. They all seem to be in a race to bankrupt you as quickly as possible.

To my delight, not only is that not the case with Marvel Snap but - cosmetics and bundles aside - its currency of credits and boosters is obtainable in-game.

GIOTECK HC2 Football Edition Gaming Headset 🎧 @GioteckArmy

The multiplatform GIOTECK HC2 Football Edition gaming headset can be used on most platforms - PS4/5, Xbox One and Series S/X, Switch, Evercade and PC to name a few – and the included five sticker set (England, Wales, Scotland, Brazil and a more generic football-themed logo) means that you can decorate your headset in team colours, GIOTECK has several variations on the trusty HC2, and this will definitely appeal to the more patriotic gamers out there!

Britt Removes His Trousers & Brings Down The Flaming Gavel On 2022 🏆 #GOTY

As we approach the end of another year, rich with the fruits of developer labours, I sat in my zen garden and thought about which games from 2022 still have a strong presence in my mind - for whatever reason – and the below made themselves known to me.

Presented in no particular order, my most memorable experiences of 2022 are…

The 6 Best Games That I’ve played in 2022 By Transvaal 🏆 #GOTY

#6 Primordia

Starting off with a game that I still think about often, I really found the world of Primordia an interesting one, a world of machinery with only the remnants of human life, the world is decaying and has very little life left in it. The story is a very simple one, with protagonist Horatio trying to get his stolen power core back, it’s a story that does spiral outwards, and has some very interesting twists and turns. The one criticism I’ve seen a levelled at Primordia is the character Crispin being irritating for some, but I personally found his back-and-forth with Horatio one of the best bits in the game.

2022 in review or The Toilet at the End of the World by Dr Congo Fighting 📆 #GOTY

I have been offered a "loving nudge" to write something about my favourite games of this year. I don't know what that is, but I'm keen to find out.

So here it is - my favourite video game "stuff" of the last year. 

SAVE ROOM PS4 Review 7/10 "Rotate Your Eggs & Ammo" 🥚 @RatalaikaGames #IndieGames #GameDev

 
Watch Rich's Video Review for SAVE ROOM on the PS4. It's an inventory management puzzler that is strangely enjoyable and Zen. If you enjoyed Resident Evil 4 then you'll love this!

"When you enter a save room you know you are safe, no danger can come to you, you can relax. Take advantage of this short period of time to organize your inventory, heal your wounds and reload your weapons. Can you make all the items fit in your inventory?"

8 Bit Do Ultimate Wired USB Controller Unboxing "My XBOX 360 Wired Controller Replacement (finally)" 🎮@8BitDo

 

Rich takes a look at the Ultimate Wired Controller and plugs the beauty into his PC for the first time. 

It looks like it's going to be an X360 beater already!

Visit 8BitDo Here: 

https://www.8bitdo.com/ultimate-wired-controller/

Ugreen launches new 100W and 65W USB C Desktop Chargers with Advanced GaN technology, compatible with Steam Deck! ⚡️🔋 @UgreenOfficial

The latest product launch from Ugreen today announced its 100W and 65W USB C Desktop Chargers with Advanced GaN technology.

With Power Delivery 3.0 and Quick Charge 4+, the 4-in-1 Multiport Chargers include three USB-C ports and 1 USB-A port (100W model) and 2 USB-C ports and 2 USB-A (65W) model, making both capable of charging a MacBook Air with M2 chip in just 1.5 hours. 

They are also compatible with MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Dell XPS, iPhone 14/13/12 series, Galaxy S22/S21 series, iPad, Steam Deck and more.

Mariachi Entertainment System – Contigo en la Distancia Social Vinyl Review 💿 #Vinyl #VideoGameVinyl #VGM

The second release that we at GF have covered from Troggo Studio recently – with the previous Lifestream being a real highlight of my year -  and this certainly takes a different approach from the progressive rock of Lifestream, being a creation borne out of a love of Mexican ensemble music.

Recorded during COVID lockdown, the title (translated: With You in the Social Distance) captures a sense of togetherness during one of the hardest – and most divisive -times in recent memory, and the feel-good heart of Mariachi music is a great way in which to do so.

Roadwarden PC Ten Minute Taster Gameplay "Beautiful Words & Pictures" 🪓 @MoralAnxiety #IndieGames #GameDev

Roadwarden is an illustrated text-based RPG that uses isometric pixel art and combines mechanics borrowed from RPGs, Visual Novels, adventure games and interactive fiction.

TURMOIL INTRODUCES MULTIPLAYER! 🛢️ @Gamious #IndieGames #GameDev

Today, Gamious released a free online multiplayer update to their popular oil drilling game Turmoil on Steam. Millions of Turmoil fans will now be able to challenge each other in the quest to become the ultimate oil entrepreneur.

Multiplayer mode features a completely new and more compact map, where instead of just playing NPCs, players will now be pitted against each other. Players will be able to join a random game against three other players or start a custom game with friends. The same areas and technology progression as in the main game will be used. It’s also possible to start a game against just one other player, where the remaining open slots will be filled with NPCs.

“Ever since the launch of Turmoil, players have been requesting a multiplayer mode. After releasing the DLC campaign ‘The Heat is On’, and porting the game to other platforms and mobile, we finally got around to making this. We’re thrilled to offer this free update to our players, if only because we can’t wait to take on the competition ourselves!”, said Jos Bouman, Creative Director of Gamious.

Bouman continues: “The Turmoil franchise has been around for years, and it's still going strong. The release of the multiplayer update will certainly not be the last. Work has already started on new content, and we’ll have exciting news to share about that next year!”

EDENGATE: The Edge of Life XSX 5.5/10 "Hello? Is it Mia you’re Looking For?" 🏃‍♀️ @HOOKcrew #IndieGames #GameDev

I am a fan of walking simulators. The appeal of a snack-size, unfolding story over a handful of hours will always appeal to me. It’s a genre that is ripe for narrative opportunities with a light interactive touch. Of course, there’s also room for things to slip into the more generic territory, with poor story-telling, stilted gameplay and an unrewarding tale.

The Stand-Out Casino Games Of 2022 🎰

Slots Slot Machine - Free photo on Pixabay

There has been a ton of incredible online casino games in 2022, and if you have been keeping up with the industry yourself this year, you have likely experienced this for yourself. However, as is always the case, there have been some games that have stood out amongst all others.

In this article, we will be taking a look at a couple of the stand-out online casino games of 2022, as well as going over a few reasons why the games in question managed to reach such heights. Let’s jump right into it. 

Marauders PC Ten Minute Taster Gameplay "In Space NO ONE Can Hear You LOOT n SHOOT!" 🛸 @PlayMarauders #IndieGames #GameDev

Marauders is a tactical first-person multiplayer looter shooter set in a sci-fi universe. As a space pirate, work solo, or in a squad with up to 3 other players to navigate a hostile battleground, hunt for loot, craft new weapons and gear and salvage what you’ll need to survive.

The Pinball Wizard Ten Minute Taster Nintendo Switch Gameplay "Flippin' Good Fun!" 🔮 @frostypopgames #IndieGames #GameDev

The Pinball Wizard is an arcade adventure game where the main character is propelled into action by a set of flippers, like the ball in a pinball machine. Each level of the game is a contained area inside a tower. The goal of the game is to survive and get to the top of the tower.

Dave the Diver Ten minute Taster PC Gameplay "Dive To Make Your Sushi Bar Survive" 🐠 🐠 @DaveDiverGame #IndieGames #GameDev

Welcome to 'DAVE THE DIVER', a marine adventure set in the mysterious Blue Hole. Explore the sea with Dave by day, and run a sushi restaurant at night. Uncover the secrets of the Blue Hole, and unwrap this deep sea mystery involving 3 friends, each with distinct personalities. New adventures await.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me Xbox Series X Review 8/10 “Once you are in hell, only the devil can help you out” 🔪 @TheDarkPictures @SuperMGames #IndieGames #GameDev

While playing House of Ashes, I remember saying to my brother “I really hope the next instalment is more of a slasher - just a killer chasing you around”, so when I saw the trailer and read that The Devil in Me was inspired by America’s first serial killer H.H. Holmes with a bit of the saw films thrown in, I was excited, it was exactly what I wanted.

And so, come launch day - I gathered three fellow gamers to enter the horrors of the famous murder house… let the games begin.

New World Nightveil Hallow Event Guide

 

Pumpkins Galore!

Amazon Games launched a Halloween-themed event for New World called the Nightveil Hallow. During the event, players could play a unique set of circumstances in the MMO that’ll have them battling against pumpkin-headed opponents and a major boss designed to freak the pants off you. We’re talking about Baalphazu and his Pumpkinites—the villains trying to spread eternal Nightmare across the world of Aeternum. Players who defeat this boss will be rewarded with spooky New World items.

OSRS: Is it Worth Getting the Quest Cape?

 Here's what you should know if you are considering getting the Quest Cape.

Getting the Quest Cape is a milestone many players look forward to because of the fun they get from enjoying the experience of skilling up and getting OSRS gold. On the contrary, other players are not driven by skilling up and getting OSRS gold specifically for quests and can hate the questing aspect of the game. They might only enjoy getting the Quest Cape as a means of getting it out of their way, even though that can be a short-lived victory as you will no longer be able to equip and use the Quest Cape once a new quest gets released.

Best WoW Dragonflight Gold-Making Profession

 Farming gold through professions in World of Warcraft got much more convoluted.

The huge rework for the Professions system is the difference between Dragonflight and the other previous expansions that World of Warcraft has experienced over the years. Not only will it change the way we farm WoW gold, but it will also alter how we play the MMO. In this guide, we’ll be going through the most profitable professions to get into at the launch of World of Warcraft Dragonflight. We’d like to highlight that some of the professions we’ll be discussing might not be as relevant when you get to the later parts of the expansion, depending on your needs. Nevertheless, we’ll explain the specializations you can focus on and what items you want to craft in exchange for gold.

A Valorant Mobile Open Beta is in the Works

We already know Valorant Mobile is coming, but what about the open beta?

Valorant is a competitive online FPS that Riot Games created in an attempt to flourish in another gaming market. Valorant has gained tons of success following its launch, but it’s only ever available on PC. Things are about to change, though; you’ll be happy to know that Valorant Mobile was announced during the game’s first anniversary. According to Riot, Valorant Mobile is part of their plans to expand their flagship first-person shooter onto new platforms. We’re unsure whether this means players can log into the game’s PC and mobile version using the same account with all their Valorant skins in it, but we have some tidbits on what you can expect for the upcoming title.

Soccer Story PC Ten Minute Taster Gameplay "Pass & Move The Soccer Story Groove!" ⚽️ @PanicBarn #GameDev #IndieGames

In Soccer Story on the PC, The world might as well be over - Soccer Inc. has closed down every local stadium, team and tournament. What kind of world can survive without the beautiful game? Thankfully a magical soccer ball has chosen you, our Savior of Soccer!

Bravery and Greed XBOX Review 9/10 "On the surface, Bravery and Greed looks like a souped-up Wonderboy clone" ⚔️ @BraveryAndGreed #IndieGames #GameDev

On the surface, Bravery and Greed looks like a souped-up Wonderboy clone. And, excellently, that's pretty much what it is. Rekka Games, along with publishers Team 17, have brought us a retro-styled rogue-lite hack and slasher that's really easy to pick up but presents a proper challenge.

Trust 24533 Comfort Trezo Mouse & Keyboard Review 🖱️⌨️ @TrustGaming

Silent, sleek action at a reasonable price, this desktop combo from Trust really does lessen the noise you create when working from home, with softer keystrokes and mouse clicks.

Offering a full-size keyboard, I was initially concerned as some keys appeared to stick for the first few touches– but it quickly became clear that it was just an ‘initial use‘ issue, as they smoothed out within moments of typing.

The keyboard design itself is quite no-frills in terms of design, although there are plenty of shortcuts available. I often find that keyboard tilt/height is a mild irritation, but the Trezo keyboard sits at a really comfortable angle for long typing sessions (it also doesn’t have a ‘grill’ design in the wrist rest and so is easy to wipe clean.

Ultimate ADOM – Caverns of Chaos XSX 5.5/10 ⚔️ "rock, rock, stairs, rock, rock, stairs" @adom_dev #IndieGames #GameDev

I covered ADOM (Ancient Domains of Mystery) back in 2018 and remember thoroughly enjoying my time with the game and the level of depth that it offered, catering to different styles of play and offering high levels of replayability. At the end of that review, I mentioned that Ultimate ADOM would be released for consoles at the tail end of 2018 – and now, four years later…it was time for me to return to the world of ADOM.

Alfred Hitchcock Vertigo Nintendo Switch Review 4/10 “VertigNo” 🕵️‍♂️ @pendulostudios #IndieGames #GameDev

I had a plan when this game was released, I had promised myself this year to watch more Hitchcock movies, and so before I played Vertigo, I would sit down and watch the film version first - and then dive straight into the game. I hoped that by watching the original source material I would enrich my gaming experience by having a fuller picture and understanding how this game embodies the film on which it is based.

I can say that watching the film Vertigo didn’t really help. The game doesn’t follow the plot at all, it takes a couple of aspects but changes them heavily which isn’t a bad thing, per se. The game tries to have a Hitchcockian vibe and incorporate the ‘master of suspense’ style into many aspects of the game. This is a huge undertaking, and the game never gets near hitting the heights of Hitchcock or Vertigo.

Shatter Remastered Deluxe Review 9/10 ⛔️ @PikPokGames #IndieGames #GameDev

Brick-breaking games have been around for ages. AGES. I mean, in gaming terms, they were probably what the dinosaurs were playing just before they got too busy for gaming on account of a massive asteroid wiping them out. Were joysticks invented to address the problems T-Rex’s had with reaching a mouse and keyboard? I suppose we’ll never know. 

For the unfamiliar, brick-breaking games kinda do what it says on the tin – you’re in control of a  paddle, which you use to bounce a ball against bricks until they break. A bit like one-player ping pong. But that’s where the similarity ends as they’re a lot more fun than Forrest Gump’s favourite Olympic sport. 

Godlike Burger Nintendo Switch Ten Minute Taster Gameplay "Can't Cook - Won't Cook" 🍔 @daedalic #IndieGames #GameDev

 

Godlike Burger puts you in the shoes of a maniac chef who makes the best burgers in the universe. The secret ingredient? The customers themselves! Run the restaurant, cook delicious burgers and kill lots of aliens. But be careful – leave no witnesses uncooked!

Shadows Over Loathing PC Review 8.5/10 "Very Little To Loathe" 🧟‍♂️ @asym #IndieGames #GameDev

Asymmetric’s previous title – West of Loathing – was my 2017 game of the year,  to this day, over five years later – I’ve rarely laughed as heartily as I have at that game. It was reviewed before we integrated our rating system, but it would have honestly been teetering on being the first 10/10 game I’d played.

That’s a pretty hard act to follow, and whilst Shadows over Loathing is a fun and extremely funny game that leans heavily on the template set down by its predecessor, it doesn’t quite have the impact of the original.

Bravery & Greed Nintendo Switch Ten Minute Taster Gameplay "Bravery and A Heap Of FUN!" ⚔️ @BraveryAndGreed #IndieGames #GameDev

Bravery and Greed is a beat 'em up, rogue-lite, dungeon brawler for up to four players. Choose from four classic fantasy classes, engage in a deep robust combat system, and play a variety of cooperative and competitive game modes with friends via local, online or both. Get rich, or die trying!

WordFall, where Scrabble meets Tetris Available Now as a Daily Play Game 🅰️🅱️🅿️ @FatherFilTwitch @WordFallTwitch

Twitch Hit Viewer Game Heads to a Wider Audience

Subscription Labs, a developer of interactive experiences and software solutions, is pleased to announce the launch of hyper casual Twitch hit, WordFall, as a daily play word game.

Atari 50 The Anniversary Celebration PC Ten minute Taster Gameplay "Sweet Sweet Atari Heaven!" 🕹️ @DigitalEclipse @drewscanlon

Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration takes players on an interactive journey through 50 years of video games via interviews with designers, developers and industry leaders, documentary footage, product design documents, high-res original artwork, and a curated list of more than 90 playable games.

Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef Nintendo Switch Review 7/10 "Waaagh" 🔫 @RoguesideGames #GameDev #IndieGames

I’ve dabbled in several Warhammer games throughout my gaming career, but as far as I’m aware, I’ve never played a game in the 2D run ‘n gun genre – which is a genre that lends itself to co-op fun, which is lucky, as Shootas, Blood and Teef supports up to four players, good!