📔 Ben Dever Interview "Lone Wolf is the life’s work of my father - Joe Dever - and sits in a very particular place in gaming history right between the tabletop, and the computer." 📔 @Holmgard_Press @ARLoneWolf

Fantasy gaming pioneer Joe Dever’s epic gamebook series is back in paperback for the first time in over 30 years.

Originally published to huge acclaim and popularity in 1984, with over 12 million copies sold, Joe Dever’s classic Lone Wolf gamebook series have been fan favourites ever since but not widely available.

Author Joe Dever passed away from cancer in 2016. It was his final wish that his son, Ben, complete the remaining unfinished books in the series and bring all of the books back into print for a new audience.

I was lucky enough to get to share a few emails with Ben, talking about the rich history of Lone Wolf, as well as what the future holds for this incredible, long-lasting series.

Security and Privacy in Crypto Casinos: How Blockchain Technology Enhances Player Protection

Enhancing security and anonymity in cryptocurrency casinos is largely made possible by blockchain technology. Blockchain removes the need for mediators and centralised authority due to its decentralised and transparent nature, making it very hard to hack and manipulate.

A tamper-proof record of all activity is produced through the permanent and immutable recording of every transaction inside the blockchain. As a result, player money and transactions are safeguarded from criminal activity.

Additionally, while playing casino games like the best slots online, the integrity and privacy of player data are maintained using robust encryption provided by blockchain technology. Crypto casinos use blockchain technology to build a strong and secure infrastructure that gives players trust and maintains the safety of their transactions.

Brain Show PC Review 2/10 "Brain Show may eventually get better..." 🧠 #IndieGames #GameDev

Sony’sBuzz! trivia game series was a massive PlayStation hit in the 2000s. Its straight forwardness was key to its success, with the game faithfully replicating a TV quiz with the aid of the Buzz! Buzzer controller that lets you chime in to answer just as on a real-life game show.

Sadly the format didn’t last, presumably, because the internet is swimming with free trivia quizzes. These daysBuzz! games and peripherals are most commonly found clogging up the shelves of charity shops across the nation: casual players don’t need this plastic tat in their house and retro games fans are a little snooty about this powerfully mainstream mini-franchise.

It’s now been thirteen years since the last Buzz! game and the (aptly named) developer Simplicity Games thinks it’s time for a comeback. Enter Brain Show, which waits until the dead of night, grabs a shovel, heads to the graveyard, and tries to bring Buzz! back from the dead.

Amnesia: The Bunker Xbox Series X 7/10 “One Element Away From Being a Stone-Cold Classic” ⏱️@frictionalgames

Something Alanis Morissette might find ironic is - even though I’ve played every Amnesia game, I realised that I couldn’t remember a single thing about them, which isn’t because the games aren’t worth remembering, just my poor memory; so I set out and went through them all again to jog my ailing mind and I’m glad that I did as it really helped cement my opinion of this game in that I think it does so much so well, and one thing very poorly.

Fishing Vacation Review Nintendo Switch 8/10 "Some More Bite-sized horror has reeled me in!" 🎣🪱 @TeebowahGames #IndieGames #GameDev

After recently covering a couple of Puppet Combo games and assorted other budget horror titles, my horror trousers were very much still firmly attached to my legs. As I was pottering around through our list of games for coverage, Fishing Vacation stood out – an atmospheric horror with Game Boy visuals? Count me in.

A game that can be completed in under an hour – although it has multiple endings – Fishing Vacation begins with two old friends who haven’t seen each other for years driving up to a rural cabin on a fishing trip. When they arrive, the uncle that owns the cabin is nowhere to be found and everything is in disarray...oh, and the fridge is full of rotting fish-heads…

The Fantastic Adventures of Dizzy Picture Disc Review | Record Label - 8-Bit is Enough 🥚💿 #Vinyl #VGMvinyl #Vinyl

The Dizzy series of games are among my earliest gaming memories, I inhaled them on my Amstrad CPC – and later – Commodore 64, not really understanding the difference between budget and full-price titles at the time, as far as I was concerned – the Dizzy series were the best games in my collection!

Along with the inventory-based puzzles, combined with platforming and memorable locations and sprites, the music – of course – was an integral part of the experience, giving bouncy life to the many screens traversed in your quest. Here, Matt Gray and Gavin Raeburn’s work on the NES is captured in picture disc form, and it makes a heck of a first impression!

Circuit Superstars Nintendo Switch Review 8.5 /10 "Leading The Pack" 🏎️ #IndieGames #GameDev @CircuitSUP

As someone who has grown up enjoying the best of top-down racers through the decades, the sheer quality and depth of Original Fire Games’ Circuit Superstars completely leave a lot of others in the dust when it comes to blending seemingly superficial gameplay with incredible depth, without feeling alienating in its design and accessibility.

Last Labyrinth – Lucidity Lost XSX Review 5/10 "A Puzzle Missing a Key Piece" 🧩 @AmataTokyo #IndieGames #GameDev

Originally released for VR platforms in 2019, Last Labyrinth – Lucidity Lost casts the player in the role of a mute, wheelchair-bound person that can only communicate by using a laser pointer attached to their head.

Assisting them through the labyrinth of deadly traps and tricks is a young girl who can be guided by the aforementioned laser pointer. Working together, both must solve puzzles and make their way through the labyrinth, in a bid to survive the deadly trials laid out before them.

Bitmap Books – PC Engine - The Box Art Collection Review 🕮 @bitmap_books

Having previously covered Bitmap Books’ Game Boy - The Box Art Collection, my expectations were pretty high for this collection of PC Engine art, as their releases tend to be of extremely high quality in terms of the physical products themselves, as well as the work that goes into the design, research, information, and editing. 

I have to spend a second just high-fiving the packaging that Bitmap Books use. As someone who gets vinyl in the post – a notoriously delicate product - there have been occasions when I’ve actually been nervous when opening parcels due to the condition in which they’ve turned up.

I’m not a snob, but the thought of a warped or bent record sends shivers up my spine! With Bitmap Books, though – this is never an issue, as the packaging is generous, tightly bound and could probably stop a close-range shotgun blast. Good.

A Little To The Left Ten Minute Taster PC Gameplay Video Part 1 ✂️ @MaxInfernoGames #IndieGames #GameDev

A Little to the Left is a cosy puzzle game that has you sort, stack, and organize household items into pleasing arrangements while you keep an eye out for a mischievous cat with an inclination for chaos. Check out this playful and intuitive puzzler with 75+ satisfying messes to tidy.

Brave Soldier: Invasion of Cyborgs XSX Review 6.5/10 "Cyborgs Schmyborgs" 🤖 @eastasiasoft #IndieGames #GameDev

Brave Soldier – Invasion of Cyborgs is a pretty direct run ‘n-gun shooter in a 16-bit style. The game sees – as you would assume from the title – cyborgs invade Earth, and (for some reason) only you can stop them.

Needlemouse Mania Vinyl Review "10 Adrenalin-Fuelled Dance Takes on Those Classic Tracks We’ve All Been Enjoying Since 1991"🦔 @FiragaRecords @RoB_KTA #Vinyl #VideoGameVinyl #VGMVinyl

Having recently covered LOST:TREE’s Lo-fi Sonic album, and presently being in the throes of covering Sonic Origins Plus on Xbox, it’s clear that I’m Sonic-tastic at the moment, which is absolutely fine.

Here, London-based VGM remixer ROBKTA gives the Sonic back catalogue an invite to an after-show party, then a double vodka and Red Bull before pushing it out onto a bottom-lit dancefloor and letting it groove.

What follows is ten adrenaline-fuelled dance takes on those classic tracks we’ve all been enjoying since 1991. Good.

Fall Of Porcupine Nintendo Switch Ten-Minute Taster Gameplay "Pigeon Jumping Fun!" 🕊️ @CritRabbit @AssembleTeam #IndieGames #GameDev

Fall of Porcupine is a unique story adventure. The collision of work and daily life – an exciting reflection of an unhealthy healthcare system. Experience the exciting story of Finley and his friends in a lovingly illustrated world and uncover the darkest secrets of Porcupine and its residents.

Ascent Of Ashes PC Gameplay Ten Minute Taster Preview "Lost In The Woods" 🌳 #IndieGames #GameDev

Ascent Of Ashes is a colony sim set in a post-apocalyptic dystopia. Build and defend your base. Manage your survivors. Engage raiders, aliens, Remnant soldiers and other factions in real-time-with-pause combat. Or use stealth to outwit them. Explore the massive world. Survive at all costs!

How Crypto Casino VIP Experiences Stand Out From the Crowd

https://www.pexels.com/photo/dealer-holding-playing-cards-7594301/

Online betting has become a topic of international sensation in recent years, with the sector becoming increasingly popular amongst people of all ages. The booming popularity of crypto casinos has opened up opportunities for players to experience multiple levels of play, including luxurious VIP experiences. 

All your favourite operators will be investing in some form of VIP platform with exclusive play styles and benefits for those who are looking to play a little adventurously, so if you’re looking for a new take on classic crypto casino games, and more bang for your buck, investing in a VIP opportunity would be a wise move. 

Blade Assault XSX Review 7/10 "I Was Well On Board Even Before Picking Up The Controller" 🔪 @SuneatTeam #IndieGames #GameDev

Having seen the trailer video for Blade Assault, I was well on board even before picking up the controller. Blade Assault is a 2D hack-and-slash roguelike platformer that lets you tear through enemies at a rate of knots.

Return To The Wild Review (Music from Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) 💿 @RoPanuganti

Like Breath of the Wild? Like prog rock? If you do, then metal musician Ro Panuganti has an album for you. 

Hailing from Raleigh, South Carolina, USA, Return to the Wild is the second in his series of rearranged Legend of Zelda music, with this album running the gamut from the blues rock of Tarrey Town to the wailing prog of Awaken.

Gigantosaurus: Dino Kart XSX Review 6.5/10 "A Simple Racer, Perfect For Hatchlings" 🦖 @3DClouds @Outright_Games #IndieGames #GameDev

Based on the French educational TV series Gigantosaurus, Gigantosaurus: Dino Kart puts the main characters of Rocky, Bill, Tiny, and Mazu – along with a  host of their friends – into various pre-historic kart-type vehicles and sets them speeding around their world through 15 different tracks, avoiding hazards such as steam blasts, chasms, rockslides and, of course – Giganto himself!

Gigantosaurus: Dino Kart is a game aimed at very young children, as is its TV show counterpart. So straight off the bat, it’s worth getting out of the way that this title – even on its hardest difficulty setting – isn’t going to be a challenge for those adult karting veterans out there.

That said, the way in which Gigantosaurus: Dino Kart caters to the younger demographic is impressive and made it possible for even my two-year-old to have enormous fun joining in the races.

Homebody | Xbox Series X | Review | 8/10 | “With Death Comes Knowledge” 🔪 @HomebodyGame @Rogue_Co @GameGrumps #IndieGames #GameDev

Homebody is the newest game from the YouTube channel Game Grumps and Rogue Entertainment, the game is a psychological horror with fixed camera angles, retro graphics and a love for some good old-fashioned puzzle solving.

Trepang 2 PC Gameplay: Ten Minute Taster "Where's That Vent!?!" 💥 @TrepangStudios #IndieGames #GameDev

Watch Rich attempt to become the ultimate badass in Trepang2: A gory, action-packed FPS set in the near future.

Unleash all hell on your enemies, dodge bullets and leave a trail of destruction in this hardcore and frenetic shooter.