Cannibal Abduction Xbox Series X 7/10 “Leatherface Upstairs, Having a Quick 40 Winks” 🏠 @selewidev @transvaalgf #IndieGame #GameDev

In Cannibal Abduction, you play as Henry - a man who has borrowed his father’s car and is looking to spend time away from his parents; let his hair down, drive the open roads etc. and all was looking good until the engine blows and he is stuck in the middle of absolutely nowhere. 

His luck picks up when a very friendly man offers to take him back to his house and fix the car. Henry agrees, and off to the house they go. Whilst the man fixes the car, he notices tools in Henry’s car and asks about them, he learns that Henry has carpentry experience and asks if he could do him a favour and fix his wife's wardrobe upstairs. It’s a fair deal - he fixes the car, Henry fixes the wardrobe.

Now, on the one hand it was nice of Henry to help, but personally I have a rule in life - if a house looks like Leatherface may be upstairs having a quick 40 winks, I refuse to enter and run as fast as I can in any direction to get as far away as I possibly can. 

I understand that Henry would have to explain to his dad what had happened to the car, but I think that any truly loving father can understand that dodging a possibly cannibalistic family is more important than his nice car. Sadly for Henry, he doesn't live by my rules and well, spoiler alert! He gets chased by a cabbalistic madman.

A Thug's Ascension PC Gameplay "Roblox GTA?" 💥 @moonwalk_games #IndieGame #GameDev

Rich jumps into the murky world of A Thug's Ascension on PC which is a low-poly action-adventure / FPS story set in the dying city of Maratha, circa 2023.

Devil Inside Us: Roots of Evil Review 6/10 👿 ✝️ @MrSkullGameStu @FernandoTittz @ElderDefensor #IndieGame #GameDev

Devil Inside Us: Roots of Evil is based around a 74-year-old priest trying to save a family in a cursed home, the curse is initially making the fathers of the family murder their children, a sinister story indeed.

To stop this, he uses his abilities as a medium to exercise the evil that lives inside, but after 30 years he is drawn back to the original house to find that the same curse still lives…

Cute ‘Em Up" ‘Rainbow Cotton’ (XB/SW/PS/PC) Digitally Releases May 9th - Check Out The Trailer! 🌈🎮 @ININ_Games #RetroGaming #Retrogames

Rainbow Cotton, a colourful and whimsical shoot 'em up game, is making a comeback! Originally released for the Dreamcast in Japan back in January 2000, it’s now getting a fresh lease of life. Here are the exciting details about the upcoming release:

Release Date: Mark your calendars for May 9, 2024! Rainbow Cotton will launch digitally for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.

Visual Overhaul: The 2024 version of Rainbow Cotton features stunning visuals, taking the original Dreamcast release and giving it a magical makeover.

Enhanced Gameplay: The game has been revamped with improved mechanics, including snap-back, lock-on targeting, controller rumble, and speaker support.

Local Co-op Mode: Gather a friend! Rainbow Cotton now includes a local two-player mode. Play as Cotton and Silk together in this delightful addition.

Multilingual Cutscenes: The fully animated cutscenes return with original Japanese dubbing, accompanied by English, French, Spanish, Italian, and German subtitles.

Retro Mode: Want a dose of nostalgia? The Retro Mode lets you experience the charm of the original Dreamcast version.

So, get ready to embark on a whimsical journey through a bullet hell fest with Rainbow Cotton!

Alisa: Developer’s Cut PS5 Review 8.5/10 “Made in Heaven” 🏚️ @TransVaalGF @CasperCroes #IndieGame #GameDev

When I watched the trailer for Alisa: Developer's Cut, I thought, “ah, this game definitely has an early Resident Evil vibe”, then as the trailer was coming to an end there is a shot-for-shot remake of the first time you see a zombie in the original Resident Evil, so that absolutely confirmed my thoughts.

Now, over the last few years I’ve played so many ‘We wish we were still in the late ‘90s, playing Resident Evil, when tank controls and fixed camera angles were all the rage and will never ever be replaced’ that it really at this point should be a category on Steam, so many games have tried to capture survival horrors past - with varying degrees of success - and I found that the more of them I played, the more the nostalgia wore off.

Nostalgia can only take you so far and underneath these games you needed to capture the past but also bring your own flavour, as well. With these thoughts in mind, I was understandably elated when that was exactly what Alisa did. Yes, it very much wears its Resident Evil one influence on its heart, but it adds enough interesting twists to feel fresh.

Fantastic Gaming Speakers from Trust Gaming to Upgrade any PC Setup 🎶🔊 @TrustGaming

Trust are back again with more great value PC tech and this time it's the The TRUST GXT 612 and The Trust GXT 606 speakers!

The TRUST GXT 612 Cetic Bluetooth speaker set has the possibility for both a Bluetooth connection or a wired connection if preferred. 

The GXT 606 Javv is a wired speaker set and both are compatible with all PC/laptops with great audio, a nice and compact size with RGB lighting to set the mood.

Gloomhaven XSX Review 8.5/10 "How Deep is Your (board gaming) Love?" 🧙‍♂️ @GloomhavenGame #IndieGame #GameDev

Although Gloomhaven was originally released on PC back in 2021, I wanted to cover it here on GF (on Xbox) in 2024 because I had such a rich experience with the boardgame on which it is based at one of our regular nerdy weekends away a few weeks ago. At said weekends, we tend to have several smaller, briefer games, and then a hefty one to tuck into for a good portion of each day. In this way we’ve played some pretty heavy hitters...but Gloomhaven always lurked at the back of our minds. 

FiFine H9 Headset Review "The Best Budget PS5 Headset" 🎧 @FIFINEMIC @FifineStore @fifinemicrophone

Rich tries his hand at unboxing and testing out the FiFine H9 budget Gaming Headset on his PS5 which for the price point has a great quality headset microphone attached to it.

AMAZON AFFILIATE PURCHASE LINK🔗

https://amzn.to/3IH5IT7

H9 on FIFINE Official Website

https://fifinemicrophone.com/products/fifine-ampligame-h9

Speed Or Death Nintendo Switch Ten Minute Taster Gameplay 🏎️💨 ☠️ #IndieGame #GameDev @Dolores_Ent

Rich jumps in the driving seat to play Speed or Death where he will need to cross a city infested with enormous monsters, dodge the fiery breath of a dragon, find how to escape an alien invasion... all without getting eaten by a worm.

This is Speed or Death, a frenzied racing game where the most important thing isn’t reaching the finish line, but surviving the chaos around you. Unlock the different cars and live to tell the tale another day. What apocalypse shall we race through today?

PURCHASE LINK 🔗

Speed or Death | Nintendo Switch download software | Games | Nintendo

Grandia II Memorial Soundtrack Vinyl Review By Britt 🎶💿 @WayoRecords #VideoGameVinyl #Vinyl #VGM

An incredible triple vinyl collector edition that celebrates the music of Grandia II, Wayo records’ release is another incredibly-presented box-set that Grandia fans will clamour for.

Originally released for the Dreamcast in 2000 and eventually ported to the PS2 (and beyond), Game Arts’ Grandia II was a more mature affair than the 1997 prequel, and featured a lot of the returning original staff – including Noriyuki Iwadare, the composer of all three main Grandia games. The game told the story of Ryudo, a mercenary of wobbly morals who gets tasked with a seemingly simple escort mission that evolves into a grand(ia) adventure. 

Summerhouse PC Ten minute Taster Gameplay "a tiny building game" 🏠🌳 @Friedemann_A #GameDev #IndieGame #CozyGame

Rich takes a sip of a frozen margarita, sits back in his deck chair and plays Summerhouse on PC which is a tiny building game about beautiful lived-in houses. No rules or restrictions, just pure creativity and relaxation.

Radical Dreamers (Digital) Album Review By Britt 💿🎶 @AmerigoGazaway #VGM #Vinyl #VideoGameVinyl

Radical Dreamers is billed as an album that blends “melodic hip-hop beats, razor-sharp lyricism and the allure of old-school RPGs Chrono Cross and Chrono Trigger”. I mean, all of that sounds good, so let’s give it a go.

WWE2K24 PS5 Review 8/10 “Time to play the Game” 🤼‍♂️

Yearly wrestling games - and yearly games in general - have always had a ‘one step forward, two steps back’ problem. In years’ past, match types and modes would be added in just to be removed in the next instalment, so this year’s edition has rolled around, and I was very eager to see if we were still heading forward… or if we were about to take an unfortunate step back.

Well, it may not be a huge stride forward but I’m pleased to say the WWE2K series is moving forward. Now, if you looked at the gameplay it will feel very similar to last years’ game aside from a couple of small tweaks such as super finishers and the ever-popular ability to throw weapons being added, but largely it remains the same and as DDP would say, “it's not a bad thing, it's a good thing”. The base gameplay is good, the lighting and character models are great, some gimmicks are outdated - but that's going to happen with how much wrestlers change in a year. The matches and combat have been a highlight since 2K22, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. 

Trust Launches its Stylish and Spacious Trust Luminus RGB Gaming Desk for the Ultimate Base 🪑🎮 @TrustGaming

A great battle station for gamers, it is sustainably designed and enhances the gaming experience

Leading digital lifestyle accessories brand, Trust Electronics Ltd, is pleased to announce the launch of its new Luminus RGB gaming desk. Providing every gamer with the space, style and base that they need, the Luminus has multiple colour modes and easy controls for a slick and impressive experience to fit any game or mood. Also including various features to keep the space tidy and organised, it lets gamers focus on playing with no mess. 

The Trust Luminus RGB Gaming Desk is available to buy in black and white from Amazon and Very (black & white) for RRP £149.99.

 

With RGB products a becoming a rising trend within the gaming industry, the Luminus’ edge-integrated RGB lighting really allows players to stand out from the competition. With 10 different colour modes, operated by handy on-desk touch controls, the lighting can be adjusted to whatever mood or game is being played, providing a new gaming experience every time.

At a spacious 120x60x76cm size, there’s plenty of room for a monitor, keyboard, mouse and more; along with an attachable cup holder, headset hook, and built-in cable management system for an organised setup. Sustainably designed with a desktop made from FSC®-certified wood, the Luminus is a guilt-free buy, and also has a carbon-look anti-scratch top layer to keep the desk looking fresh during long gaming sessions.

 

Available in black and white, the Luminus is a great addition to any gamer’s setup, and is the perfect fit alongside the Ruya RGB chair for the ultimate Trust RGB furniture duo.

 

The Trust Luminus RGB Gaming Desk is available to buy in black and white from Amazon and Very (black & white) for RRP £149.99.

Specifications:

• Plastic material: ABS/PC
• Total weight: 15500 g
• Depth of main product (in mm): 600 mm
• Width of main product (in mm): 1200 mm
• Height of main product (in mm): 740 mm
• Max. weight: 150 kg
• Compatible Device Types: gaming console, lamp, laptop, monitor, pc, accessories, smarttv
• Cup holder
• Headphone holder
• System requirements: USB port for LED lighting (USB wall charger recommended), Mousepad (for optimized mouse tracking)

Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story Review 10/10 "If you have even the slightest interest in games as an art form, you must play this." 🦙🦙🦙 @DigitalEclipse #IndieGame #GameDev

Jeff Minter has been making my soul sing for three decades. I have hazy memories of being confused by the Amiga version of Revenge of the Mutant Camels in the early 90s, but Tempest X3 on PlayStation blew my young mind. Impossibly cool, brain-meltingly intense, and powered by a throbbing rave soundtrack, it felt like being allowed entry to the clubs the bouncers wouldn’t let me into yet.

Back then I didn’t know X3 was an inferior version of Tempest 2000 on the Jaguar, but it burnt a love of all things Minter deep into my gaming tastes. From there I hoovered up Space Giraffe (which looks incredible on Steam Deck OLED), developed a crippling late-night addiction to TxK that burrowed into my dreams, and played Polybius in VR for so long that after one session I fell down the stairs and hurt my shoulder. Worth it.

Cartel Tycoon PS5 Ten Minute Taster Gameplay "Grow Your Goods & Sell Your Goods" 💰💸 @CartelTycoon #GameDev #IndieGame

Rich gets stuck into Cartel Tycoon which is a survival business sim inspired by the ‘80s and '90s narco trade. Expand and conquer, fight off rival thugs and evade the authorities. Earn people's loyalty and strive to overcome the doomed fate of a power-hungry drug lord.

AdventureQuest 8 Bit: Dungeons & DoomKnights | Nintendo Switch Ten Minute Taster🐉 @ArtixKrieger #IndieGame #GameDev

Can Rich defeat the DoomKnight and his army of the evil undead? Explore a huge world and battle vampires, ghosts, deathknights, liches, ancient evils, giant flying eyeballs, chicken cows... and other unspeakable horrors in this retro gaming delight.

🐉

🕹️ GAME LINK: 🔗 https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/AdventureQuest-8-Bit-Dungeons-Doomknights-2506693.html

Fearmonium Nintendo Switch Gameplay | Ten Minute Taster 🧠 @RBSpade @RatalaikaGames @pr_hound #GameDev #IndieGame

Rich plays Fearmonium which is a psychedelic metroidvania where suspense intertwines with humour. 

Beginning the game as an unpleasant memory, you must progress and become a true phobia by breaking through all boundaries to uncover the most hidden corners of Max's mind.

Video Game Lo-Fi - Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest Vinyl Review By Britt 💿 @CuragaRecords #Vinyl #VideoGameVinyl #VGM

First off, I feel a fool! A fool I tell you! Up until receiving this record for coverage, I’d been under the impression that the second in the Donkey Kong Country series of games was called ‘Diddy Kong’s Quest’…but it’s actually ‘Diddy’s Kong Quest’ – I don’t feel too bad upon discovering this, as my fiancée was also under the same misapprehension, I’d barely taken the cellophane off this Curaga Records release, and I was already learning.

8BitDo® Presses the Nostalgia Buttons, Shipping the Retro Mechanical Keyboard Across the EU ⌨️ @8BitDo

 

Retro Styling Meets Modern Technology in The Ultimate Keyboard for Classic Gaming Enthusiasts 🔥🔥

Game Outlet Europe®, an independent distributor of video games and gaming accessories and part of Embracer Freemode®, announced today the shipping of the 8BitDo® Retro Mechanical Keyboard across the EU.

A love letter to the days of classic gaming, the 8BitDo® Retro Mechanical Keyboard fuses retro styling with modern technology, a match made in heaven for those looking to stylise their gaming setups or workstations!

Available in a choice of two distinct colour schemes gamers can choose between a red and gold ‘Fami’ design, or classic grey and red colours, known simply as ‘N’. With 80’s inspired fonts and a separate oversized 8BitDo Dual Super Button Unit, gamers will feel instantly at home with a mechanical keyboard that’s both practical and designed to be noticed.

Furnish Master PC Gameplay With Rich's Ten Minute Taster Gameplay "Jigsaw Puzzles & Furniture" 🧩 @AlFlakky #IndieGame #GameDev

 

Rich plays Furnish Master which is a relaxing game about furnishing apartments, houses, commercial estate and even outdoor territory! 

Realize your design dreams!

A Void Hope Nintendo Switch Review 8.5/10 "An enchantingly melancholic game with a world class soundtrack" 🌲👻🌳 @EldenPixels #IndieGame #GameDev

The team that brought us Alwa’s Legacy and Alwa’s Awakening has returned with A Void Hope, a 2D narrative adventure with a soundtrack provided courtesy of the monolithic skills of Waveshaper.

The game begins with a short prologue that sets the scene; a couple exist in a world where people are becoming ‘empty’, which is to say they slowly lose their memories, before becoming ghostly, wandering figures that ‘haunt’ the city. Whilst the female is the main character of the prologue, the narrative soon focuses on the male, who begins in a forest cabin and must make his way through the city to find out what has happened to his partner, before his memories completely elude him and he becomes one of the empty.

Slave Zero X PC Gameplay "Fight Those Lovely Pixels" 🩸 @playziggurat #IndieGames #GameDev

 

Slave Zero X is a stylish 2.5D character action game set in the biopunk world of Slave Zero (1999). Run & Slash your way through a dystopian future in this character action game which will resonate with fans of Devil May Cry, Strider, and Guilty Gear.

Top Racer Collection | Nintendo Switch Gameplay "Zooom Like it's 1992!" 🏎️💨 @qubytegames #RetroGames #RetroGaming

Rich jumps into the thrill of 16-bit racing from the 90s as he plays the complete Top Racer series with Top Racer, Top Racer 2, Top Racer 3000 and Top Racer Crossroads, a brand new game with new cars and exclusive content made especially for this unmissable edition.

QOMP2 | Nintendo Switch | Ten Minute Taster Gameplay | "Twisted Pong!" 🪩 @atari

 

Rich gets his head around this PONG inspired mashup of a game called QOMP2. An artful reimagining of Pong. Control a Pong ball aching to break free of its life stuck between two paddles. Explore a dangerous, minimalist world, armed with simple two button controls.

The Thaumaturge PC Gameplay Ten Minute Taster By Rich "Fight For Your Sanity" 📓 @11bitstudios #IndieGames #GameDev

Rich gets to grips with The Thaumaturge which is a story-driven RPG with morally ambiguous choices, taking place in the culturally diverse world of early 20th century Warsaw. In this world, salutors exist: esoteric beings that only thaumaturges can truly perceive and use for their needs.

Kingdom Heartbeats Vinyl Review By Lo Fi Lee "Firaga Records Bring Us Another RoboRob-Helmed Remix Album" 📀 @FiragaRecords #VideoGameVinyl #Vinyl #VGM

Firaga Records bring us another RoboRob-helmed remix album here, this time centred around venerable JRPG series Kingdom Hearts. The record comes beautifully presented, with a glossy gatefold sleeve inside a printed polybag housing a ten-track LP on clear vinyl.

Save Point and Patrick McBride interview - Jazz Hop Standards 📀 @CuragaRecords #Vinyl #VideoGameVinyl #LoFi

We recently had the pleasure of covering Curaga Records’ Jazz Hop Standards, a release from the label that took a different approach to previous records, using the stylistic approach of classic jazz standards to interpret covers of some well-loved video game tracks.

Britt caught up with Save Point and Patrick McBride, who were kind enough to answer some burning questions on how the album came to be, shine some light on their creative process – and tell us what the future holds.

Video Game Lo-Fi: Jazz Hop Standards Vinyl Review 📀 @CuragaRecords #VGM #VideoGameVinyl #Vinyl

The latest entry that we’ve received here at GF HQ in the Video Game Lo-Fi series from Curaga Records, Jazz Hop Standards is a different beast to other entries in that it features more of a collaborative effort, heavier involvement of acoustic instrumentation, and in a more tangible sense – a full size, four-page booklet that gives background and context to the music, a welcome involvement that enriches the listening experience.

Trust Launches The Powerful and Vibrant GXT 491 Fayzo Wireless Gaming Headsets 🎧 @TrustGaming

Leading digital lifestyle accessories brand, Trust Electronics Ltd, is thrilled to announce the launch of its Fayzo Wireless multiplatform headset, expanding its thriving gaming headset portfolio. 

Following on from the successful launches of the Fayzo Multiplatform Headset and Fayzo 7.1 USB headset, the brand new Fayzo Wireless offers an ultra-convenient dual wireless connection and is available in a range of stylish colours. 

The Trust GXT 491 Fayzo Wireless Gaming Headset is available from Amazon in black and purple for £59.99. The white colour is to follow late April.

Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons REMAKE "Spitting in a Well" 👨‍👦 @BrothersTheGame #IndieGame #GameDev

Rich plays Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons Remake for the very first time on the PS5 and discovers that spitting in a well is a cool side activity to the puzzle game which is really cool to play. This remake of the 2013 original is a co op players delight and something that rich will be playing over the next few weeks or so.

The Massive Verse Fighting Card Game (Powered By Pocket Paragons) | Unboxing Video 📦 @solis_studio #CardGames #Kickstarter #BoardGames #PocketParagons

Rich received an advanced copy of the Massive-Verse Fighting Card Game!  

It will be on Kickstarter Feburary 27th at 9:00pm PST! 

Come and take a look at Rich's unboxing video and if you like what you see then you should back the Kickstarter🎴

Hell Galaxy PC Gameplay Ten Minute Taster "OPEN THAT BLOODY DOOR!" 👽🪐 #IndieGame #GameDev

Rich enters Hell Galaxy and can't seem to open the door to get out!

Let's School PC Gameplay Ten Minute Taster "Fix That Crack In The Wall and Get Those Kids Educated" 👩‍🏫🧑‍🎓🏫🎒 @PatheaGames #IndieGame #GameDev

 

Rich plays Let's School and tries his hand at regenerating a dilapidated school by repairing the building and structuring the school day to get the best out of the students. 

In Let's School you get to dive into the exhilarating role of a headmaster entrusted to revive your alma mater! Beyond just bricks and mortar, train teachers, recruit students. Sculpt your school into a unique educational haven! Let's School!

Persona 5 Tactica Nintendo Switch Review 8.5/10 “Let me in your heart again” 👦👧 @Atlus_West #Persona5 @TransvaalGF

I have a very strong attachment to Persona 5, it was released at a time that I would comfortably describe as one of the worst periods of my life. Everything had fallen apart, and for a while, everything seemed a bit hopeless.

Luckily, I have been a huge fan of Persona and the Megami Tensei series as a whole since the PlayStation 2 era, so, just as everything seemed bleak - enter Persona 5, a game I had pre-ordered the special edition for, and it made me feel good. I spent 128 hours playing it with nothing but joy in my heart, it was the thing I needed - it wasn't just a distraction, it really felt like an old friend, and the story and the cast of characters really resonated with me, so every time this universe gets expanded, I’m always hopeful that special feeling will still be there.

Golfinite Nintendo Switch Review 7.5/10 "A surprisingly moreish golf title" 🏌️‍♂️⛳️ #IndieGame #GameDev @pmurph0305

As a keen – and yet impressively dreadful – amateur golfer, I’m always on the lookout for new golf titles to get me swingin’. Golfinite takes an interesting approach, in having a lot of depth to tuck into with the full array of clubs and shot styles available, as well as wind conditions and environmental hazards – the usual elements of golf games – but also taking a lighter approach in some of the wackier hazards that can get in your way, and the arcade-like power-ups that you can purchase with earned coins. These additions allow you to craft a playstyle that suits you, whether it be a ‘straighter’ style of plain golf, or more colourful and fun, which is a nice touch.

Gioteck Smart TV + Duo Wireless Controller Unboxing & Setup 🎮 @GioteckArmy

 

Rich gets to grips with the Gioteck Smart TV + Duo Wireless Controller and attempts to unbox and set it up on PC, TV and iOs.

🔗Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/4bMj9hR