The Bloodline PC Ten Minute Taster Let's Play Gameplay "A Seriously Impressive One Man Open World" ⚔️🛡️ @ShieldBearerDev #IndieGames #GameDev

Rich plays The Bloodline which is a sandbox adventure RPG that lets you play your way. Reforge bonds between kingdoms, explore the wilds, craft and plan adventures and wield mighty weapons or magic as you prepare for what is to come…

Night at the Gates of Hell Nintendo Switch Review 7.5/10 "More grimy, gory gaming action from the purveyors of filth" 💀 @henryhoare8 #IndieGame #GameDev

We at GF have learned to look forward to new console releases from Torture Star Video, as their awesome brand of video (game) nasties always entertain, and have a dirty streak a mile wide. The last game published by Torture Star Video that I personally covered was No One Lives Under the Lighthouse, a Lovecraftian-inspired slow-burn tale that captivated me with its lo-fi visuals and bewilderingly saucy sound design.

Night at the Gates of Hell, however, does not have a subtle, slow-burn approach… it instead goes for an especially nasty Italian zombie horror vibe, which it absolutely nails down with rusty masonry nails in a bloody mess of viscera and gore.

Top Video Games for Novices 🎮

Video games possess the remarkable ability to immerse you in imaginative and uncharted realms, captivating your emotions through their narratives. While some games prioritize dramatic storytelling, others prefer gameplay mechanics. Given the vast number and scope of games available today, selecting a starting point can be challenging.

However, certain games are ideal for novices and will undoubtedly leave you eager for more.

Bang On Balls Chronicles Nintendo Switch Ten Minute Taster "Let's Switch Up Those Balls!" ⚽️🏀⚾️🥎🎾🏐🎱 @bangonballs #IndieGame #GameDev

Rich has a go at banging his balls in this 3D platformer on the Nintendo Switch. Glorious bouncy 3D platforming and combat inspired by some of the best in the genre from Italian plumbers, blue hedgehogs, or wild bandicoots! Become BOB, a reckless bouncy hero embarking on a quest of epic adventures and chaos. Open World Exploration and Destruction Roll into jam-packed open worlds that let you explore and utterly smash them to pieces in the process! Conquer adversaries and boss fights, tackle thrilling challenges, and unearth hidden secrets. Realms bursting with activities to do at your own pace while you break almost everything along the way. Bounce Around History Bounce between multiple (slightly inaccurate) historically themed open worlds, each with unique mechanics, items, and enemies. From the Vikings through to the Age of Pirates. From Feudal Japan over into The Space Race. Each world lets you hop in and out whenever and carry over progress.

Video Game Lo-Fi Kingdom Hearts Vinyl Review - Review Lo Fi Lee 💿 @CarugaRecords #Vinyl #VideoGameVinyl

It was bound to happen eventually – one of the titanic JRPG series has its own lo-fi remix album. The original Kingdom Hearts came out way, way back in 2002, and the series now comprises as many as 13 games (depending on who you listen to, and whether you include collections, mobile games etc). Unlike other releases in the Video Game LoFi series, we have one producer across the whole album with featured artists, instead of the ensemble efforts we’re used to seeing. In the words of lost:tree themselves:

“This series and the music always had a special place in my heart ever since I was a kid and it still means a lot to me now, so picking only 10 tracks to remix was really difficult for me. This album is like a love letter to the game and I hope I was able to do the music justice with these remixes.”

Video Game LoFi: Kingdom Hearts vol. 2 - The Ocean Between Vinyl Review by Lo Fi Lee 💿 @CuragaRecords #Vinyl #VideoGameVinyl

Hot on the heels of the original album, here we have the second volume in the Video Game LoFi series, from Curaga Records, featuring reworked songs from the Kingdom Hearts series. 

This one comes from the mind of the producer foreteller with a little help from others. The major difference between volumes 1 and 2 is that this one is generally instrumental, with only the opening and closing tracks featuring guest vocalists. 

The presentation is in line with much of the Video Game LoFi collection, comprising a holographic jacket, paper sleeve and a pretty blue, purple and pink marbled record on 180g vinyl.

Side A kicks off with Simple and Clean, featuring vocalist REVEN, whose lyrics are kept low in the mix, allowing a summery breakbeat and dreamy synth to come to the fore. Track 2, Destiny Islands, all the way from the first game, features erstwhile series producer Save Point, with laid-back acoustic guitar giving the whole thing a Super Mario Sunshine feel. Across the rest of the side, Sacred Moon uses echoey sampling and gentle breaks to give an introspective mood, while Nachtflügel comes with a quiet island vibe before Treasured Memories closes us out with muted vocal samples over early-90s beats and washes.

Xion’s Theme opens side B, sampled bass guitar looping hypnotically around synth waves before fading into Ventus’ Theme, which features marimba-ish percussion supporting uptempo keys. Cavern of Remembrance is up next, with oddly truncated kick drum samples making it one of the more curious tracks in the series. Dark Impetus features more islandy guitar work before we finish with Don’t Think Twice, another track that featured on the first album. Vocalist Nila turns up on this one, albeit vocodered to within an inch of her life. It’s a wide-open number with gentle DnB hi-hats, and probably hits the mark as the standout track.

SUMMARY

This album marks a return to series themes for Video Game LoFi; whereas volume 1 changed it up with lots of vocals, this one goes back to using them sparingly, along with the odd sample from the games. 

This doesn’t mean one is better than the other – both albums are worth your time, but fans of the series will probably prefer this one. 

As always, the album is available on Bandcamp, but can also be found in the usual streaming haunts if you fancy a bit of try before you buy.

PURCHASE LINK: 

https://materia.store/collections/video-game-lofi-kingdom-hearts-vol-2-the-ocean-between/products/video-game-lofi-kingdom-hearts-vol-2-the-ocean-between-foreteller1xlp-vinyl-record

Chipmonk! Nintendo Switch Ten Minute Taster "Side Scrolling Mice!" 🐭 #IndieGame #GameDev

Rich plays Chipmonk! on the Nintendo Switch and learns that 4 mushrooms unleashes a torrent of Whales from the Sky on unsuspecting side-scrolling foes and less than 4 mushrooms will unleash a shower of fish! This game is bonkers good old-fashioned side-scrolling beat and bash 'em up action.

LET IT RAIN(whales)!

Seek vengeance on the gluttonous grey squirrel in this retro-inspired Beat 'em up starring chipmunk warriors!

The Rise of Esports Betting in the UK

In recent years, the United Kingdom has seen a remarkable surge in the popularity of esports betting. Esports, competitive video gaming, has transcended from a niche subculture to a mainstream entertainment phenomenon, and the betting industry has taken notice. This article explores the rapid growth of Esports Betting in the UK, its legal framework, popular games, and what the future holds for this exciting industry.

The Growth of Esports in the UK

Esports in the UK have grown exponentially, thanks to a thriving community of gamers, dedicated esports teams, and a burgeoning fan base. Major esports tournaments and events, both local and international, have contributed to this growth. Esports has captured the imaginations of people of all ages and backgrounds, with fans filling arenas to watch their favourite teams compete in games like League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Dota 2.

KeyWe Nintendo Switch Review 7.5/10 "You'll quickly fall in love with the game's charming Kiwi bird protagonists" 🦃🦜 @stonewheat #IndieGame #GameDev

Looking for an adorable and entertaining game that's perfect for all ages? Look no further than KeyWe, a short co-op puzzle game featuring cute animal protagonists. While it looks like it is aimed at children, adults looking for a fun and engaging game will also enjoy it. 

You'll quickly fall in love with the game's charming Kiwi bird protagonists - Jeff and Debra - but the chaotic puzzle platforming levels will keep you hooked. The levels are challenging and require teamwork, making it a great game to play with friends or family.

Gamedec Soundtrack Vinyl Review "Gamedec will fit snugly on your shelf as you dive into cyberspace" 💿 #VideoGameVinyl #Vinyl

Anshar Studios’ Gamedec was a game that I followed pretty much throughout its development cycle, until its eventual release. An impressive, combat-free cyberpunk adventure that really tried to take a lot on and perhaps overreached its grasp, it is a game that stayed with me long after playing due to its eschewing of fighting/shooting mechanics and absolute focus on narrative and player freedom. As such, it was a pleasure to get the opportunity to cover the vinyl release of the soundtrack, which fully captures a musing mood of mystery and suspense for those dark and stormy evenings.

Purchase Link

Reasons To Level Up Your Graphics And Improve All Gaming Experiences 💪

 

https://unsplash.com/photos/G86jAn1Y1S0 

If you are a gamer, you will know all about the development of graphics over the years. If you are an ultra-competitive gamer, the graphics may not be your first thought, but they still come into things. 20 years ago, we thought we saw an astonishing level of improvement regarding the graphical side of things - now we know that it was only the tip of the iceberg. In this day and age, video games are like interactive movies as the realism is off the charts. 

Bit Trip Rerunner + Runner Maker PC Ten-Minute Taster Gameplay "Keep Runnin' Runnin' " 🏃 @TotallyChoice #IndieGame #GameDev

 
Rich jumps into the classic rhythm platformer BIT.TRIP RERUNNER + RUNNER MAKER! The fun of the original now sports fresh mechanics, art, and soundtrack – plus RUNNER MAKER, which allows you to create custom levels. A must-play for rhythm newbies, experts, and everyone in between.

Daymare: 1994 - Sandcastle PS5 Review 6.5/10 "Backtracking to the ‘90s" 🧟 @transvaalgf @InvaderDevs #IndieGame #GameDev

The original Daymare lives in infamy to me. When originally reading about it, the developer had published a list of features for the game and within said list was ‘backtracking’. I found it very amusing, as although I loved old school horror, I never had nostalgia for running back through areas I had already been through, but to my surprise, when I finally joined Twitter and engaged with Twitter horror gaming fans I found that yes, people did indeed love a bit of backtracking!

If you search for ‘horror game backtracking’ on Google, Reddit pops up with a lot of pro-backtracking articles, and the third hit is a thread entitled ‘I love backtracking (especially in horror games)’ so I realise that, although it is something I have never thought about, it was genuinely a feature to some and in the case of Daymare - a very important one, as the game is completely sold on nostalgia. Its biggest selling point is it’s going to try to take you back to the good ol’ days of survival horror.

Video Game LoFi: Kingdom Hearts vol. 2 - The Ocean Between Vinyl Review by Lo Fi Lee 💿 @CuragaRecords #Vinyl #VideoGameVinyl

Hot on the heels of the original album, here we have the second volume in the Video Game LoFi series, from Curaga Records, featuring reworked songs from the Kingdom Hearts series. 

This one comes from the mind of the producer foreteller with a little help from others. The major difference between volumes 1 and 2 is that this one is generally instrumental, with only the opening and closing tracks featuring guest vocalists. 

The presentation is in line with much of the Video Game LoFi collection, comprising a holographic jacket, paper sleeve and a pretty blue, purple and pink marbled record on 180g vinyl.

One week until One Special Day: Over 90 industry partners back SpecialEffect’s flagship fundraiser 💙 @SpecialEffect #OneSpecialDay

 
One week today, on Friday, 6 October, some of the biggest names from the worldwide games industry, including the likes of Xbox, Supercell and EA, are uniting behind SpecialEffect, the gamers’ charity, for their annual One Special Day flagship fundraising campaign.

At the heart of the campaign is the opportunity for gamers to raise money for the charity by purchasing and playing qualifying titles from the partner companies, who will donate some or all of the resulting revenue from the day.

A wide range of titles will be available through both the One Special Day Steam Promotion, running from 5-8 October, and the Mobile Promotion on One Special Day itself.

Samorost 3 Vinyl Soundtrack Review "Samorost 3 is pure Floex through and through" 💿 @FloexOfficial @Amanita_Design #Vinyl #VideoGameVinyl #VGM

I was a big fan of Tomas Dvorak’s soundtrack for Samorost 2, it also holds the wonderful distinction in our household of being the first music that my – then 1-year-old – son had ever danced to, which was a very special moment for us as a family. 

Dvorak (A.K.A – FLOEX) has a special way of creating unique, alien landscapes, aurally, through his blend of strong, emotive melodies and idiosyncratic instrumentation, and this continues here in his compositions for Samorost 3, with that signature clarinet vibe hitting home each time it’s used on the album.

There is a real difference in the art styles used in the cover here when compared to Samorost 2, whereas the prequel was abstract and paint-flecked, here we are treated to a luscious evergreen landscape, set underneath a darkened sky spotted by pinpricks of light.

Almost alone, and very small and vulnerable in this image is the protagonist, blowing through a horn as he is watched by a strange, bearded wanderer that is almost hidden in the foreground – ensconced in the shadows, and surrounded by a peppering of fantastical animals.

Graeme Mason Interview "It was a pleasure to learn more about ZX Nightmares and also to find out where Graeme’s pixelated quill will take us next" 📖 @Wizwords @Retro_Fusion #Retrogaming

I recently thoroughly enjoyed Graeme Mason’s new book, ZX Nightmares, published by Fusion Books, and found that reading the book was such a fun experience that I wanted to know more about the background of its creation.

I have a little bit of personal history with Graeme, in that it was through his contacting me through Retro Gamer magazine for a ‘Collectors Corner’ article that my now evil editor endgame boss, Rich, caught wind of my existence and asked me to begin writing for The Mighty Games Freezer waaay back in 2017 –I definitely owe Graeme a pint at some point!

It was a pleasure to learn more about ZX Nightmares and also to find out where Graeme’s pixelated quill will take us next. 

I hope you enjoy this article about one of the most active writers in the retro gaming scene today. 📖

Arthur Parallax – On Starfield "I performed my gaming ritual - a ceremonial removing and burning of the trousers" 🔥👖 #Starfield

Ah, Starfield. Bethesda has taken us across wastelands; the frozen, fantastical north; wowed us with dragons; crazy quests; zany characters, and hundreds of memorable moments for well over two decades, and most recently they offered up an entire universe for exploration…in Starfield.

I was so excited at this premise that I left my wife in preparation, and signed over total custody of our two children, Brian and Flelilda. It may seem extreme to some, but they would doubtless become nought but a distraction as I travelled the far reaches of space, taking me out of my gaming fantasies for such menial reasons as requiring heat, food, and illustrations of love (my third album).

Such piffling quibbles would completely remove me from my immersion in Starfield, and so it was best for all that I move to a single-bed bungalow in rural Scotland, paint all of the windows black and lose myself in Bethesda’s newest creation, a creation that was over a decade in the making!

I tried to stay away from finding out early scores and thoughts – I wanted this experience to be unsullied by others and be mine, and mine alone - but I admit, I did catch wind of the incredible ratings, the 95/100s, and the 10/10s, my engorgement was almost complete.

THE CRPG BOOK: A GUIDE TO COMPUTER ROLE-PLAYING GAMES (EXPANDED EDITION) REVIEW ⚔️ @BitmapBooks #CRPG

The release of a new Bitmap Book is always a good thing, and this expanded edition of The CRPG Book: A Guide to Computer Role-Playing Games weighs in at a mammoth 684 pages and is the perfect sibling to their A Guide to Japanese Role-Paying Games – released back in 2021.

Each of these tomes is beautifully designed, and can be used to fend off burglars, so thick are they with glorious information and imagery. This book, in particular, took me a lot longer than usual to review purely because I was poring over each page, devouring the words and constantly getting side-tracked in marking where I was and then watching YouTube videos on the releases covered therein, because the passion of the text drew me in so much that I yearned to find out as much as I could about the games covered.

I’d had my eye on the CRPG Book since a reprint was announced several months ago, and I vividly recall spending a few moments on the Bitmap Books website genuinely getting lost in the cover art alone.

I’ve said this before, I’m not a student of art, and the visual arts are very much not my forte, so when something grabs me in that aspect, I really enjoy the sensation, a sensation which was spiked upon seeing the cover of this book. The richness of the illustration here absolutely captures the feeling of RPG gaming, where the imagination takes over and boundaries between game and gamer bleed into each other, the sense of dynamism and kineticism in the characters bursting forth from the screen is ‘framed-poster-worthy’ (definitely a term, don’t look it up) in how it almost hypnotises the reader into opening the book and getting lost in the pages. Awesome stuff, thank you Jan Pospíšil!

Sentry City Nintendo Switch Ten Minute Taster 🤖 @CrashableStudio #IndieGame #GameDev

Sentry City is a cyberpunk-style side-scroller with gameplay that is part trial-and-error, and part reaction time-based. Traverse the city using the motorcycle overworld map, blast and think your way through the levels, and fight tough bosses to uncover who is behind the city's AI disruption.