🤖 Review: Robbotto “Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto” 🤖 #IndieGame #GameDev

Developer: JMJ Interactive

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Review by: Gareth ‘GazChap’ Griffiths @GazChap

The first thing that crossed my head when I was asked to review this cute little puzzle-platformer from JMJ Interactive was “Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto” – I’m reasonably sure that this was intentional on the part of the developers, but if it wasn’t then I can only ask “and why not?”

✍️🕹️ Ritin wurds abowt gamez or ‘A Few Words on Writing Some Words’ 🎮✍️

I am by no means an expert on reviewing video games, having only begun ‘full-time’ daily review writing just over eighteen months ago, however after recently seeing a vote on Twitter whereby 50% of people are of the mind that a reviewer should complete a game entirely before reviewing it, I thought I’d just throw in my thoughts on the matter. 

This article could also sort of double up as a basic guide for people who want some guidance or a simple framework on how to initially plan out and structure their own reviews, should they wish to get started and feel a bit lost.

⚽️ Episode 26: Zico Soccer - 1994 - EA - SNES Football Games were Shite ⚽️ #Retrogaming #SNES

 🎮"Zico Soccer is an oddity of the 90's football video game world, you gotta see it to believe it as I give the 1st half a whirl"🎮

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

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⬛️⬜️ Review: Flat Heroes "N++, But You’re A Square" ⬜️⬛️ #GameDev #IndieGame

Developer: Parallel Circles

Platform: PC – Steam

Rating: Ice Cool

Review by: Gareth ‘GazChap’ Griffiths @GazChap

The tagline to Parallel Circles’ Flat Heroes promises “an epic minimalist adventure” – and, you know what? 

They’re not wrong.

🛩️ Airheart - PS4 - "A Twin Stick Air Fishing Shooter With A Grappling Hook!" - Ten Minute Taster 🛩️ #GameDev #IndieGame

🎮 "Rich takes a look at Airheart and learns how to do air fishing, use a harpoon and what a Sky Whale is..."🎮

⚔️🏰 Review: La Mulana 2 "Tough as old whips" 🏰⚔️ #indiegame #gamedev @LaMulana

Game Title: La Mulana 2

Developer:  Nigoro

Platform Reviewed: PC (Steam)

Having never played the original game or any of the remakes, I was thrust into the world of La Mulana pretty fiercely. 

Whilst tough by design, it also feels the closest game to capturing the same magic of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night that I’ve played in quite some time and obviously that’s a very good thing.

🕹️ Play Expo London 2018 - "A homage to the colossal retro gaming event that was Play Expo London 2018" 🕹️ #Retrogaming @ReplayEvents

"A homage to the colossal retro gaming event that was Play Expo London 2018!

Full of Arcade Cabinets, Retro Systems and tons of merchandise it was a retro gamers dream..."

⚽️ Episode 25: World League Soccer - 1991 - CLAB - SNES Football Games were Shite ⚽️ @dndn1011 #Retrogaming

⚽️ Strange things are afoot in the world of SNES football games as I investigate World League Soccer, is it Kick Off 2? Is it GOAL!? Is it Pro Soccer? Is it made by Dino Dini? Watch and find out....⚽️

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👹 Preview: Tanzia "Feels like a HD re-master of a PS2 game" 👹 #IndieGame #GameDev

Although Tanzia is a game that initially charms with its cute characters, vibrant colours, joyful sound track and strong introduction sequence, the actual playing of the game feels like a HD re-master of a PS2 game with floaty, weightless controls and repetitive game play that unfortunately takes away too much  fun from the title to make it a recommended purchase.

👨‍🔬 VR Review: Throw Anything "A dastardly scientist, known only as Scientist X, is trying to take over the world!" 👨‍🔬 @gazchap #IndieGame #GameDev @

Developer: Visual Light 
Platform: PC – SteamVR (reviewed using Oculus Rift + Touch) 
Throw Anything is developer Visual Light’s first release on Steam, coming out of Early Access on July 26th with the full game.

🕯️🔍 Preview: Lamplight City - "A unique adventure that draws from various sources and styles to create a world of its own" 🕯️🔍 #IndieGame #GameDev @GrundislavGames

Lamplight City (Preview) by Grundislav Games

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of adventure games in all forms, having enjoyed the genre over the last thirty years, sometimes a newly released game can be truly great but the tired reliance on illogical ‘use item on  other item’ puzzles and pixel-hunting can too often cloud over great writing and sumptuous, hand-drawn artwork.

🕹️ Review: Crossing Souls "The 80s are strong with this one" 🕹️ #IndieGame #GameDev

Game Title: Crossing Souls

Developer: Fourattic

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch

Rating: Ice Cool

There has been a wave of 80s-related games in recent times (as well as throughout all media) and Crossing Souls continues this trend unabashedly. 

Set in American suburbia, Crossing Souls tells the story of a group of children and their involvement with the mysterious Duat stone. 

A fun game with a strong aesthetic and great music, although the game play feels a bit light in certain parts, although the story is fun enough to keep the interest up.

⚽️ Episode 24: Tactical Soccer - 1995 - EA - SNES Football Games were Shite ⚽️ #Retrogaming

🎮 "Tactical Soccer from EA was an attempt at RTS in the Soccer Game world.......
it's safe to say that it didn't end well...." 🎮

🛄 Rich gets his hands on a Tough Case By Snakebyte for his Nintendo Switch 🛄 @snakebytegear

"Rich gets his hands on a Tough Case By Snakebyte for his Nintendo Switch"

🛠️ Review: Yonder The Cloud Catcher Chronicles "Think of a more sedate Breath of the Wild, where combat and puzzles are replaced with crafting and stone masonry badges" 🛠️ @squareblind #GameDev

"Think of a more sedate Breath of the Wild, where combat and puzzles are replaced with crafting and stone masonry badges. This is Yonder, a simple, yet engaging and relatively budget friendly title"

👾 80 Classic Films Pixel Art Gifs - "Which One Is Your Favourite?" 👾 #Retrogaming #80s

Angie's List recently ran an article which contained some amazing animated Pixel Art gifs...

These cool pixel art gifs are Floor Plans from classic 80's films such as Ghostbusters, Back To The Future and Karate Kid!

There are 7 in total, which one is your favourite?  

Source: www.angieslist.com

⛪️ The Video Games Hall Of Shame - #3: "Rich from Games Freezer Confesses About A Video Game Beginning With Z and one with a D!" ⛪️ #Retrogaming

The list of shame for me is a list of those video games that you almost feel like you should've played by now because everyone else loves them or you know you'd love but just never got round to playing them.

Maybe you feel like you've played the game because you've seen so many videos and pictures but then realise that you never actually played the game and maybe just watched someone else play it?

⚽️ Episode 23: Super Soccer Champ - 1992 - TAITO - SNES Football Games Were Shite ⚽️ #Retrogaming

🎮The Arcade version of Soccer Champ by TAITO was one of my fave Arcade Games in the Arcades of the 90's.

It drew me in with its outrageous presentation and easy to play gameplay.

Will the remastered SNES Super version be a TURD or a TRIUMPH?🎮

👮🏻‍♂️🚨The Video Games Hall Of Shame - #2: "Dylan From Arcade Attack Comes Clean On His Video Gaming Crimes" 👮🏻‍♂️🚨 @arcadeattackUK #Retrogaming

Dylan's "Where the hell were you?" top 5 games of shame...

It's hard to top Rich's list that he kindly did for Arcade Attack but here goes!

🕹️🕵The Video Games Hall Of Shame - #1: "Matilda Tells Us Her Guilty Video Gaming Secrets" 🕹️🕵 #Retrogaming @Bhaal_Spawn

As games players, we all know that it’s impossible to play all the games in the world. 

Hell; its often impossible just to play all the games we actually buy!

I regularly buy games in a Steam sale which I know will download straight to the back of the queue; confused and surprised, having expected to immediately be mummy’s, new baby. 

But NO; they wait an eternity, naked in cold oblivion.

But those games are the lucky ones. 

Sometimes, some games pass you by completely and don’t even get to your list in the first place.

Either way, these are the games which I have never played and which cause me shame.

🧠🤯 Review: Esper - "The PSVR Telekinesis Is Strong In this One" 🧠🤯 #PSVR

Esper is a VR puzzle game that uses telekinesis to test your skills in solving unique 3D puzzles to progress through the game.

You are a trainee in a government-funded retro spy institution that evaluates new recruits telekinesis powers. 

You start the game on your first day in the government centre undergoing telekinesis assessment tests, checking how well you can use mind powers to carry out your spy missions.

🧐 The Spectrum Retreat - PS4 - Ten Minute Taster 🧐 #GameDev #IndieGame

"There's something sinister about a hotel with no guests apart from you and a bunch of faceless mannequin robots which talk to you....WELCOME TO THE HOTEL PENROSE!" 

⚽️ Episode 22: World Cup USA 94 - 1993 - US GOLD - SNES Football Games Were Shite ⚽️ #Retrogaming

🎮"The World Watched As USA 94 Kicked Off Without Graham Taylor's England...Could US GOLD Make Up For The Lack Of England With A Great Football Video Game?....."🎮

🏙️ Review: Unavowed "An alternate New York so good, it’s hard to leave" 🏙️ #GameDev #IndieGame @WadjetEyeGames @BrittRecluseuk

Developer: Wadjet Eye Games

Platform Reviewed: PC (Steam)

Rating: Ice Cool

Having been a fan of Wadjet Eye Games for years, I must admit that I just assumed that Unavowed would continue their streak of making great games with the foundation solidly placed on an involving narrative set in an immersive world. 

As impressive as their oeuvre has been over the last decade, with pinnacles of the graphic adventure genre such as Technobabylon, Gemini Rue and the Blackwell series, their hit streak continues with what could possibly be my favourite game thus far, Unavowed.

🕹️ Levelling Up in Liverpool "The immortal question, The Beatles…or Heavy Nova?" 🕹️ #Retrogaming

 

Recently, I was invited by a close friend to accompany him on a trip to Liverpool as he wanted to stay at the Hard Day’s Night hotel, a keen Beatles fan, he was KEEN to fully immerse himself in The Beatles culture that the wonderful city of Liverpool is so (rightly) proud of. 

👨🏻‍🚀 Preview: P.A.M.E.L.A - PC - "I’m off to pop into stasis until the release date" 👨🏻‍🚀 #GameDev #IndieGame #EarlyAccess

P.A.M.E.L.A (Early Access Preview)

System: PC

Developer: NVYVE Studios

Some of my favourite moments in video games have come from wandering off the beaten track with a few scraps in my inventory, looking through bins for a few bullets or food to eat. 

There’s something about those scrappy early stages of games such as Fallout that gets lost in the later game when you are wielding laser Gatling guns with companions made of golden sunlight, one-hit killing everything in your path with thousands in the bank. 

Those moments when you don’t know if you’ll survive the next attack or even if you’ll stave of starvation long enough to die in the fight in the first place!

🤖🔎 Review: Detective Case and Clown Bot in "The Express Killer" "A Deeply Flawed 'Comedic' Murder Mystery" 🤖🔎 #GameDev #IndieGame #PointnClick

Developer: NerdMonkeys

Platform Reviewed: PC (Steam)

Rating: Melted

"A deeply flawed comedic murder mystery"

I’ve played quite a few graphic adventure games in my time, some I’ve loved and some that had their issues but Detective Case and Clown Bot in: The Express Killer (DCCB) could well be the worst point and click game that I’ve ever played.

⚽️ Episode 21: Tony Meola's Sidekicks Soccer - 1993 - SNES Football Games Were Shite ⚽️

🎮"Join me for an overhead kick orgy in the centre circle..."🎮

⚔️ 🏔️ Preview: Caves of Qud (Early Access) "What The Hell is Going On?" 🏔️ ⚔️ #GameDev #IndieGame

Game Title: Caves of Qud (early access)

I feel ill-equipped to preview Caves of Qud (COQ) because the only other pure roguelike game that I’ve played in any real depth was Ancient Domains of Mystery, a few months ago (A game that I found to be more initially accessible than Caves of Qud) and I’m glad I did, because compared to this game, ADOM was a breeze.

⚔️ Review: Pylon: Rogue - "rogue, rogue, rogue your boat" 🧙🏻‍♂️ #GameDev #IndieGame

Game Title: Pylon: Rogue

Developer: Quantum Squid Interactive

Platform Reviewed: PC (Steam)

Pylon Rogue is an action/adventure roguelike game which looks great in trailers but when played, doesn’t quite hold up to the initial promise.

🍄 Review: Mushroom Wars 2 - "It’s….it’s….it’s a mobile port" 🍄

Game Title: Mushroom Wars 2

Developer: Zillion Whales

Platform Reviewed: Nintendo Switch

I just wanted to say something to preface my review. I have never been a fan of mobile games and generally avoid playing them or reviewing them as I have a general disdain for their design and marketing. My problem is, “games as a service” has basically been the default model on mobile from the start, so now the expectation is that all games will be “free to start”. 

⚔️🧙🏻‍♂️ Review: Nogalious - "A tough cookie rooted in the early days of 8-bit gaming" ⚔️🧙🏻‍♂️ #GameDev #IndieGame #PixelArt #Retrogaming

Game Title: Nogalious

Developer: LuegoLu3go Studios

Platform Reviewed: PC (Steam)

Nogalious is very much intended to evoke that very specific sense of platforming that was rife in the 8-bit days, especially on the Amstrad CPC. 

⚽️💩Episode 20: Super Soccer - 1991 - HUMAN - SNES Football Games Were Shite ⚽️💩 #Retrogaming

🎮 "Super Soccer was the very first Soccer Video Game to be released on the Super Nintendo and I played it to within an inch of it's life in 1991. Will it be as good as I remember it or will it be a bag of [insert expletive]" 🎮

🤖 MotherGunShip - Ten Minute Taster - PS4 🤖 #GameDev #IndieGame

🎮"MotherGunShip dishes up a gun creation mechanic that makes you think long and hard about which gun you are going to build for each of your mech suit arms.....NOICE!"🎮

🌳 Review: Semblance "A delightfully deformed development" 🌳 #GameDev #IndieGame

Game Title: Semblance

Developer: Nymakop

Platform Reviewed: Switch

Rating: Ice Cool

Released simultaneously on Switch and through Steam, Nymakop’s Semblance is a wordless puzzle-platformer that bounces off all the right buttons, making playing through its rubbery world a joy.

🛸👽 Review: Another World - "Another version of Another World that isn’t quite Out of this World" 👽🛸 @BrittRecluseuk

Game Title: Another World

Developer: Eric Chahi

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch

The impact that the original Another World had on the gaming industry upon its original 1991 release cannot be underestimated.

A moody, minimalist cinematic platformer featuring protagonist Lester Chaykin’s travels through an alien landscape whilst accompanied by his alien companion, ‘Buddy’, the game captured the hearts of an entire generation of gamers. 

🗡️The Beast Inside – Demo Preview "Time To Solve A 100 Year Old Murder Mystery!" 🧟‍♂️ #GameDev #IndieGame

The Beast Inside is based around the premise of a young man returning to his family home with his wife. Intending to make a living out in this rustic farmhouse, the game begins with the arrival of the couple at the estate. 

⚽️ Episode 19: Super Cup Soccer 2 - 1993 - Jaleco - SNES Football Games Were Shite ⚽️

🎮 "Take a trip with Jim Jaleco as we look at the second instalment of Super Cup Soccer on the SNES. Will the behind the player camera view make for an awesome video game or a pile of shizzle?!" 🎮

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

🚀🌕Review: Deep Sixed - *”Space…the final fron-…ah, damn, the microphones knackered, again”* 🚀🌕

Game Title: Deep Sixed

Platform Reviewed: PC (Steam)

Developer: LRDGames Inc.

Rating: Ice Cool

Deep Sixed is one of the most unique and fun video games that I’ve played in a little while and the only real downside is that it’s so well-designed that its specific nature may be off-putting for some, but those that click with it will find an absolute gem of a gem that will capture their imagination for a long time to come.

⚔️ Preview: Soulblight "Time To Don My +5 Armour of Sandcastle-Building" ⚔️ #IndieGame #GameDev

An intriguing game with distinctive visuals and depth but the clunky, simplistic combat and finicky menus could be an issue.

The story that drives Soulblight tells of a tree of life guarded by man, but increasingly buried away behind concrete and towers as time passes by, resulting in its wilting. 

Soon, a darkness ravages the land, leaving your character as the last hope to bring light to the waning lands .

🕹️ Bristol Gaming Market June 2018 - With Britt & Faye 🕹️ @BrittRecluseuk @ReplayEvents @KingdomOfCarts

The last time Faye and I went to a gaming market, it was last summer in London and we felt that the six-hour round trip wasn’t quite worth it and so vowed to only attend expos with markets as a part of them as opposed to gaming markets alone.

However, as this was so close to us we felt that we couldn’t miss the opportunity and so once again booked a hotel, packed up the Nintendo Switch (the hotel’s HDMI port was AWKWARD to reach!) and started off on our trip.

💾🦉The BBC Computer Literacy Project 1980-89 🦉💾

If you grew up in the 80's you might remember an awesome piece of BBC TV called the Computer Literacy Project.

It focused on the BBC Micro and helped to ignite a love for the awesome machine that graced many a school classroom during the 80's.

If you remember these days fondly you're in luck as there's an awesome BBC Website set up purely to showcase this amazing programme...

⚽️💩 Episode 18: Super Formation Soccer 95 Serie A - 1995 - Human - SNES Football Games Were Shite 💩⚽️ #Retrogaming

🎮"Super Formation Soccer 95 comes at you with a dose of Serie A Arcade Football on the SNES. The question is, is it a Turd or a Triumph? Watch and see..."🎮