Dark Quest: Remastered Xbox Series X Review 6/10 *The boardiest of digital board games* ☠️⚔️ @brainseal #IndieGame #GameDev

I first got on board with the Dark Quest series back in 2023 with the third entry, which was a fantastic isometric title that relied on a blend of chance and memorisation as you delved ever further into its rewarding depths, as a man with a loud voice shouted numbers at you – good! 

More recently, I covered Dark Quest 4, which further evolved the formula with more classes and personalisation options – and so when I had the opportunity to go back to the start of the series and cover this remaster of the original Dark Quest – originally released back in 2015 for PC– I leapt at the chance, as Brain Seal have fast become a personal fave developer of mine – helped along by their recent explosive physics-based title Blow It Up. Although this remaster does feel a bit of a step backwards as opposed to a celebration and re-imagining of an earlier title. In the Brain Seal catalogue.

Esoteric Ebb Gameplay Showcase – Character Creator + First Hour (PC) 🎲☠️ @chrisbodegard #IndieGame #GameDev

I drop into the strange and stylish world of Esoteric Ebb as I dive into the PC version, explore the character creator, and play through some of Act 1. This first look showcases the game’s surreal atmosphere, unique art direction, and the intriguing choices that shape your journey.

In this gameplay video, I build a fresh character from scratch before heading into the opening act to see what mysteries, mechanics, and surprises Esoteric Ebb has in store. If you’re curious about the game’s tone, pacing, or early gameplay loop, this is a great place to start.

Britt’s Brief Bulletin - April Review Round Up! 🎮

ICARUS: Console Edition
Available on PlayStation 5

A game that was initially released on Windows at the tail end of 2021 and has now made its way to console, ICARUS comes from the mind of DayZ creator, Dean Hall. Developed by RocketWerkz, ICARUS is again in the survival genre, this time with a slightly futuristic bent but with the same sense of a world of beasts and nature itself being against you.

Visually impressive, and a game that does not hold your hand, ICARUS is all about incremental progress and practicality, playable online with multiplayer, this is a game that has you weathering out storms, building structures to protect you from wildlife as well as the planet itself...structures that can go up like a lit match if you are too cavalier with your campfire placement!

Certainly a game that invites you to dive in, explore...and survive in a harsh unrelenting world, this would be a blast with the up to eight players that can be in each drop, gathering and managing resources whilst fighting off curious animals as well as preparing a transient home away from the natural elements, but I did find a slight disconnect between these hostile planets, futuristic setting...and the fact that -initially at least – the fauna that you deal with are bizarrely very Earth-centric. 

It would have been cool to be up against things other than boars, wolves, and bears, as it can make the whole setup feel a little superficial, not taking full advantage of the fact that this could be a truly alien world, full of surprises, instead of being just another survival adventure, with the tutorial effectively snapped off. 

Finally, the in-game text is minute with seemingly no way of enlarging it, so if you have trouble with your eyesight, be prepared to get close up and personal with your TV.