Playing GTA 4 in 2024 To Prepare For GTA 6 In 2025... 💥

Late last year I decided that in preparation for Grand Theft Auto 6 I would play GTA 4 as the last GTA that I played was GTA China Town Wars on the DS and I also dabbled in the Nintendo DS GTA China Town Wars a few years back.

My GTA journey originally began with a Grand Theft Auto Demo Disc on the PlayStation 1 that was timed at 10 minutes. I'd go to my mate Lee's house and take it in turns to play the ten minutes before handing over the controller. Looking back now, it was actually a great way to play as it meant no matter what happens the other person gets a go after 10 minutes!Thinking back now, I don't think I ever actually owned the FULL game for GTA1 or GTA2.

I Made an Arcade Cabinet Out Of A Bunk Bed 🕹️ #retrogameroom #retrogaming#arcade

"No one ever picked on Duck Zangief"

Rich has turned an old Bunk Bed Ladder into a functioning arcade cabinet using an old Lenovo Mini Tower PC and putting Batocera on it. Learn exactly how he achieved it by watching this short video.

GameSir Launches X5 Lite Mobile Controller and GameHub Gaming Platform 🎮 @mygamesir

X5 Lite - Ideal entry-level mobile controller with precise hall effect sticks, cushioned triggers, and turbo function, pass-through charging, and software support

GameHub - Free Gaming Platform that supports cloud gaming and game streaming, breaking the barriers between mobile and desktop platforms

GameSir has announced the launch of the GameSir X5 Lite mobile controller and GameHub, a free gaming platform that bridges the gap between mobile and desktop gaming. 

Both innovations aim to provide an unparalleled gaming experience for mobile gamers while maintaining flexibility, precision, and convenience. 

The GameSir X5 Lite is available for $34.99/£34.99 from Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA and the GameSir website in both Black and Wasabi colour options.

GameHub is available for download at GameHub, giving gamers access to a dynamic and interactive gaming experience that seamlessly connects mobile and desktop environments.

Toaplan Shooters Collection Vol 2 - Ready for Re-Launch! Pre Orders Are Live NOW! 💥

Two iconic Toaplan shoot 'em ups are now available for your collection! Building on the success of re-releasing four of their titles for SGN 16-bit consoles five years ago in collaboration with Tatsujin and Masahiro Yuge, this new collection showcases the evolution of Toaplan’s craft with one of their earliest classics, Slap Fight, and one of their final masterpieces, Grind Stormer. The community’s incredible response has made this nostalgic revival a reality.

Slap Fight and Grind Stormer are both iconic shoot 'em ups with distinct features:

Slap Fight: Known for its innovative power-up system, players can collect stars to upgrade their ship's abilities, including speed, weapons, and shields. The game offers strategic gameplay, allowing players to customize their ship to suit different challenges. Its vertical scrolling design and intense enemy waves make it a classic in the genre.

Grind Stormer: features two gameplay modes—instant power-ups and a strategic upgrade bar system. Players control the NA-00 space fighter through six stages, battling enemies with various weapons like missiles and lasers. It includes unique mechanics like a smaller hitbox for the ship and a sci-fi FM soundtrack by Masahiro Yuge, enhancing the immersive experience.

Both games showcase Toaplan's creativity and evolution in arcade gaming.

PRE ORDER LINK: https://retro-bit.com/toaplan-shooters-2/

PRE-ORDERS END JUNE 1ST, 2025

Is This Game Trying To Kill Me? X Box Series X Review 8.5/10 "a glorious blend of horror, intrigue, and puzzles." ☠️🗡️ @StatelySnail #IndieGame #GameDev

I’m a big fan of escape room games when they are done well. It’s all too easy to dig into one with a friend or two, before finding in short order out that the puzzles are either tedious or far too abstract – not so here! Is This Game Trying To Kill Me? Is one of the best escape room style ventures I’ve embarked on for quite a while, with a neat central premise and a well-balanced tone that gives it character without being all doom and gloom, there’s humour in the game, alongside a few well-timed jump scares!

Assassins Creed: Shadows Xbox Series X Review 9/10 “Sharper combat and characters make this a top target” 🗡️ @assassinscreed

I’ve always been a big Assassins Creed fan from the start, which is amazing when you replay the first game in the franchise and spend most of it shouting at Altair for how badly he controls as he leaps and jumps in any direction he feels like. Now, I know what you’re thinking - the ‘i’ in Altair doesn't have a diaeresis over it in this article, and that's because even after looking how to do it on Google, I still couldn’t work out how to do it so maybe I shouldn't be as critical of old Altair, he won’t take direction, and I won’t spell his name correctly.

Anyway, I actually became a bigger fan with the change of direction that Origins brought to the series, although I loved all the previous games, I must say that the last few have delivered some of my favourite Assassins Creed experiences, so when this was announced - combined with the fact that I really like the Feudal Japan setting - meant I was buzzing with excitement.

HUNGER GAMEPLAY REVEAL TRAILER 🦠☠️ @GOODFUNHUNGER #IndieGame #GameDev

I stumbled across this trailer for Hunger and there's something about this game that has got me very interested for when it eventually hits Early Access.

HUNGER throws you into the chaos of plague-ravaged Napoleonic Europe. This PvPvE extraction RPG blends brutal melee and ranged combat with deep long term character progression, questing and crafting. Scavenge for resources, battle unspeakable horrors, and outlast rival Living.

👉Wishlist Here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1752080/HUNGER/

Seafrog "Tony Hawk Meets Seafrog & A Wrench" 🔧 @OhMyMeGames #IndieGame #GameDev

Rich tries to master Seafrog's rocket-powered wrench as he slides, grinds and tricks his way through challenging skatepark-like stages at sea!

Is it worth paying €499 for a PS5 in 2025? 🎮 #PlayStation #PS5

It's late into the PS5 lifecycle (5 years!) and PlayStation announced last week that The PS5 Digital Edition will now cost €499.99 in Europe, up from its previous price of €449.99 (an increase of €50).

• Europe PS5 Digital Edition – €499 (up from €450)
• UK PS5 Digital Edition – £430 (up from £390)
• Australia Standard PS5 with disc drive – AU$829.95 (up from AU$799.95)
• Australia PS5 Digital Edition – AU$749.95 (up from AU$679.95)
• New Zealand Standard PS5 with disc drive – NZ$949.95 (up from NZ$899.95)
• New Zealand PS5 Digital Edition – NZ$859.95 (up from NZ$799.95)

Kaya's Prophecy PC Gameplay "Village Building, Card Battler" 🎴🃏 @YogscastGames #IndieGame #GameDev

Rich gives his first impressions of Kaya's Prophecy" which is a unique card-based village builder available on Steam, where players take on the role of a village leader navigating the challenges of resource management and divine intervention.

The game combines strategic deck-building with exploration, crafting, and combat, all while appeasing your god to earn blessings or avoid wrath. Released on April 10, 2025, it offers a fun and engaging experience for fans of strategy games and is easy to pick up and play.

Mega Cat Studios: Britt’s Mega Drive Odyssey Part 5 – Rocket Panda SEGA Mega Drive Review 🐼 @megacatstudios #IndieGame #GameDev #Retrogaming

As someone who has played games for almost forty years, as much as I love heavy-duty RPGs, horror titles, and a good story – there’s always a part of me that lights up when a game is outright charming, and a celebration of gaming at its most wholesome, it almost feels like gaming at its most pure and innocent.

Cue Rocket Panda, a game developed by Space Pants Games, in which you – as the titular Rocket Panda – must save Biscuit Land from the clutches of the evil Biscuit Head, saving your caged badger friends as you do so.

Rich Plays Broken Sword: Shadow Of The Templars Reforged On Nintendo Switch ⚔️ @RevSoftGames #IndieGame #GameDev

 

Rich jumps into Broken Sword Shadow Of The Templars Reforged on the Nintendo Switch after last playing the original about 10 years ago. This updated version looks great and plays well on Nintendo Switch.

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

🕹️ GAME LINK: 🔗

https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Broken-Sword-Shadow-of-the-Templars-Reforged-2685867.html

Mega Cat Studios: Britt’s Mega Drive Odyssey Part 4: Yazzie ⬜ @megacatstudios #IndieGame #GameDev #Retrogaming

It’s been a little while, but once again it’s time to spend some time with my favourite console, and take a look at another title from Mega Cat Studios ever-expanding repertoire of video games released on classic systems. I’m also planning a sort of sister article to this series focusing on upcoming Mega Drive games in 2025 – exciting stuff!

Anyway, on to the wonderful Yazzie!

Developed by Retro Souls – the brains behind the addictive Old Towers -  the titular Yazzie is a gold digger that must traverse myriad single-screen puzzles, collecting all of the gold in each area, whilst avoiding the zombies, ghosts and hazards that act as obstacles between Yazzie and riches! 

Caligo Xbox Series X Review 6.5/10 "Striking Visuals and Imagery, with Heavy Iconography" 🕯️🗼 @Krealit_team @Pinkerator #IndieGame #GameDev

"Jane's tent was a bitch to put up but it was a hit at Glastonbury"

One of the most visually interesting walking simulators that I’ve played, Caligo begins with your unknown player character being beckoned forth by a masked entity through a series of locations to meet a mysterious individual. 

The first thing you’ll notice is how crisp and interesting the game is visually – with each area you pass through being rich with things to take in, as well as the occasional, scattered collectible item to pilfer. 

Rendering Ranger R² [Rewind] Nintendo Switch Review 7.5/10 "SH'MUP & RUN ANYONE?" 🔥🏃‍♀️‍➡️🛸 @playziggurat @LimitedRunGames #IndieGame #GameDev #Retrogaming

"George wasn't a fan of the new stand up tanning booths"

Rendering Ranger R² [Rewind] is a revival of a video game from the Super Famicom / Super Nintendo era of 1995, originally released in Japan. Developed by Manfred Trenz, the game combines two distinct gameplay styles: run-and-gun action reminiscent of Contra and also side-scrolling shoot-'em-up sequences akin to R-Type. 

While most people point to Contra as their fave retro run and gun from their childhood, mine was always Midnight Resistance. Specifically Midnight Resistance on the Commodore 64. There was a demo tape on the front of a C64 magazine back in the early '90s that I couldn't get enough of and me and my mate Johnny would endlessly play this demo tape in awe of the run n gun gameplay and the beautiful looking Commodore 64 graphics. 

Eventually I actually located a Midnight Resistance Arcade cabinet in the local Kebab House (which also had a pool table) and once again I fell in love with the run and gunnery of Midnight Resistance.

Accolade Sports Collection Nintendo Switch Review 5/10 🌭 "Hotdog anyone?"

"Cassidy's new glasses were rubbish! They were so bad he started pitching to 3rd base!"

Growing up I almost exclusively played sports video games. I was sports mad. I loved any sporting event you could imagine and consumed any and every sport on UK TV. I watched Grandstand, Sports Night, Final Score, Match Of The The Day, The Match, Football Gazzetta, Transworld Sport Special and any type of sport that anyone threw my way. I stayed up to watch the Super Bowl every year and I loved every Olympics from 1988 onwards. 

I was a big fan of the EPYX GAMES Series with California games and Winter Games probably being my favourites (hotdog anyone?), if I see a Track & Field arcade I just have to play it and I fell completely for the Wii Mario & sonic at The Olympics video games. 

Upon seeing that this Accolade Sports Collection was coming out, I had high hopes! After spending time with the collection I am afraid to report it's just not as much fun as I remember these games being.

Forgotten Worlds Issue #4 & #5 "A Magazine About Making A Magazine About Old Video Games Magazines!" @american80s #Retrogaming

Forgotten Worlds Issue #4 is 'A magazine about old video games magazines' (it says so on the front.)

This wonderful insight into the world of old video games magazines piqued my interest immediately and just so happens that it coincided with me just finishing reading Julian 'Jaz' Rignall's Book 'Games Of A Lifetime' so I was well in the mood for some more old video game mag stories and histories.

Why I Love Worms The Video Game - The Origin Of Worms (Part 2) 🪱🪱🪱 #Retrogaming

Worms the Video Game was always a part of my gaming life even when I had a bit of a gaming hiatus in my late teens. It was a game for me that united gamers and non gamers with a simple concept that could be played by anyone. It was also a great game when having a few drinks at a mates house. Drunk Worms is truly the greatest video game experience! 

My first taste of Worms was on the PlayStation 1 when my friend had invited me over for a few drinks and a game of Pro Evolution Soccer. After a few games of PES he mentioned Worms was a great game that him and his girlfriend played a lot of. 3 hours later, 4 Player Worms matches were kicking off left right and centre and I had fallen in love with the Worms franchise.

I think the original Worms and Worms 2 are the gold standard for the Worms franchise but I will play any worms game that comes along.

Worms recently entered my head while I was on a long boring car journey (I was driving) and I thought "Hang on, I barely know anything about the origin of Worms", So I took to the internet (after I had stopped driving) and went down a 'WormsHole' to try and find out some tasty facts on the origin of Worms and here's what I learned.

Pacific Drive Xbox Series X Review 6/10 "Now my car has a slightly stronger left door. Thrilling!" 🚘🌲@ironwoodtweets #IndieGames #GameDev

Keith was a little disappointed that the picture on Auto Trader didn't quite match the car which was on the car salesman's forecourt...

What happens when a heaping pile of things I love crashes at full speed into a brick wall of stuff I despise? Pacific Drive, that’s what! On paper, this chill, spooky, and surreal adventure is very much my bag. Within the first few minutes, it becomes clear this is a big honking homage to Andrei Tarkovsky’s monumentally awesome 1979 film Stalker, with a killer indie-synth soundtrack and fun 70s aesthetics bolted on top.

The game opens with you driving through a beautifully realized recreation of Washington state’s rainy Olympic Peninsula, before being accidentally tossed into the “Zone”. This walled-off area is the testing ground for mysterious technology, resulting in chaotic, dangerous, and surreal phenomena. After finding a working station wagon, you must figure out a plan of escape, aided by eccentric scientists and technicians on radio comms.

That crack in John's windscreen was something that AutoGlass just outright refused to fix.

Moving Houses Xbox Series X Review 7/10 "Time to Get a Move On" 🏠 @gordlittle #IndieGame #GameDev

Keith's favourite party trick was the levitating controller

A game that features bright visuals that hides a darker underbelly, Moving Houses is a 1st person title that begins with your character in the process of – as the title suggests – moving house. It starts off simply enough, grab a cardboard box and fill it up before chucking it in the back of the van blocking the driveway, whilst hurtling larger objects in by themselves – no box needed. 

You level up upon packing each batch of items and unlock little bonuses such as a jump, or the ability to fit more items in boxes etc. but what you’ll notice as you get deeper into the game is that house seems….a little…off. The further you get into the house and various rooms, the more unusual things become, it’s never outright horror or even anything close (as is evident by the age rating), but it is a touch surreal.