27/05/2021
π€‘ Strangeland | Ten minute Taster | PC | "Scary Times In A Strange Land" π± @WWSGames #IndieGames #GameDev
26/05/2021
⚔️π° Legend Of Keepers | PC | Ten minute Taster | Gameplay | "Heroes Scaring Simulator" ⚔️π° @studio_goblinz #IndieGames #GameDev
25/05/2021
π° SIEGE SURVIVAL: GLORIA VICTIS | PC | GAMEPLAY | TUTORIAL π° @SiegeSurvival #IndieGames #GameDev
"A medieval city under siege and a handful of civilians are all that keep the walls from falling. Mixing survival strategy and resource management, build your camp, craft supplies, and scavenge the occupied city to supply the last troops holding back the invaders."
π» Best of 2021: Top 6 Browser Games π»
“Another blog on games and how they are the perfect panacea for our boredom.”
“Yes, you are right but don’t bounce off. This blog is different. I promise! Give me 10 more seconds, and I’ll tell you how this blog isn’t like your usual gaming blogs.”
24/05/2021
π©Έ Outbreak: Endless Nightmares | Review | 2/10 | “I was completely on board with this game...until I played it.” π©Έ #IndieGames #GameDev
I always like to start my reviews by explaining my relationship to the game, genre or franchise etc. and I feel in this review it’s especially important as I am very specifically the target audience.
It is a game trying to capture the aesthetics, gameplay and vibe of the late ‘90s horror games. I love those games - Resident Evil 2,4 and Silent Hill 2 are in my top 10 games of all time so I was completely on board with this game.... until I played it.
23/05/2021
π© Lunch With Professor Layton π© #NintendoDs #RetroGaming
A few years ago my daughter had reached the age to get her first console and after doing my research I felt that at the age of 5 a 2DS would be perfect, and it was. We played a lot of Animal Crossing New Leaf together and totally enjoyed our time with the 2DS but then everything changed in 2017 when I got my Nintendo Switch. It was at that point that my kids wanted to play my Switch way more than the 2DS and the poor old 2DS was resigned to its fate to live on a shelf next to the DSi.
Meanwhile, I fast forward to 2021 when for some reason I got the hankering to play a Professor Layton game as I had never got round to playing Professor Layton before and it has been a franchise that I have admired from afar.
22/05/2021
πππ Total Arcade Racing | Nintendo Switch | Review | 7/10 | "Total Arcade Racing Takes its Cues from The Retro Racing Classics" πππ @CasualGames_nu #GameDev #IndieGames
Ivan 'Ironman' Stewart's Super Off-Road had one of the clunkiest names of any game I've ever played, but it was great back in my Amiga days.
Super Sprint too. Total Arcade Racing takes its cues from both of these classics and does a good job in bringing the multiplayer pain to the Switch.
21/05/2021
πΉ️ Mega Man the Wily Wars Available for Pre-Order for Genesis/Mega Drive! πΉ️ #RetroGaming #MegaMan
Retro game fans can look forward to a really special collection coming from CAPCOM.
Mega Man: The Wily Wars combines three awesome titles to play: Mega Man, Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 3 for Genesis/Mega Drive.
The Collector’s Editions featuring some very special and carefully selected items will be available for pre-order for one month - from May 21st, 4pm (CEST) to June 21st at the Strictly Limited Games Partner Store.
πΏ Video Game Vinyl Fantasies | #1 | Britt Recommends πΏ
Having got into vinyl around ten years ago upon inheriting my late grandfather’s record player, it was only upon the release of Streets of Rage 2 via Data Discs (in 2017-ish?) that I began dipping into picking up video game soundtracks with any regularity.
At first, it was just the Data Discs releases that intrigued me; Outrun, Golden Axe, Sonic Mania, Shinobi etc. but I soon got hips deep into the scene and began learning of some really cool labels that were releasing some serious gold.
In this article, I thought I’d shine a light on the labels and releases that really stand out for me and will include links in each section. Whilst this list isn’t exhaustive, it does pretty much sum up the records that are entrenched in my mind at the moment.
Maybe the next article would be the soundtracks I’d dearly love to be released in vinyl form, who knows?
For now, enjoy and please, let me know if there are any that I’ve missed!
20/05/2021
π️π½️ Mortal Kombat Movie Review (2021) π️π½️ #MortalKombatMovie #MortalKombat
The Mortal Kombat franchise is quite the behemoth, a string of games and spin-off titles since the early ‘90s that number over well over a dozen followed by two movies, an animated series and more recently, a collection of short online episodes.
As a more casual fan of the franchise – I like the original game, ‘95 movie and enjoyed a tickle at the most recent game – I was intrigued as to the approach this film would take, especially with the more visceral, over-the-top, recent entries in the videogame series.
It turns out that this particular incarnation of Mortal Kombat has some really golden moments in terms of fight sequences and nods to its gaming roots but tries to cram too much into its running time and ends up rushing through sequences and dancing between characters in a bid to keep all the razor-edged plates spinning.
19/05/2021
π The Sinking City (enhanced) | Review | Xbox Series X | 8.5/10 (Ice Cool) | "The Best Lovecraft-Inspired Game Yet?" π @Frogwares #GameDev #IndieGames
Released to relatively positive reviews back in 2019, Frogwares’ The Sinking City wasn’t exactly a technical marvel, with most of the negativity focusing on the lengthy loading times and visual issues such as screen-tearing and an unreliable frame rate.
I fully intended to play the game upon its original release but it somehow slipped through the cracks and so I had no preconceptions of the title going into this review. I’m pleased to say that this enhanced version of The Sinking City really does seem to solve all the technical problems that it seems people had with the 2019 release and to me, stands up as one of – if not THE - best games based on Lovecraft’s works.
18/05/2021
π΅️πͺπ©Έ Hitman 3 | PS5 | Review | 9/10 | "A Fitting End To The World of Assassination Trilogy" π΅️πͺπ©Έ @Hitman @IOInteractive
The Hitman series is one that I've played and loved for about 15 years and the 2006 entry Hitman: Blood Money specifically is one of my favourite games of all time.
The series has always been about the creative kills; drop a piano on an unsuspecting criminal, poison the mob boss’ morning gin, dress up as a clown and beat a villain to death with a frying pan at his child's birthday party etc.
It’s a series about creativity, of how cunning or sadistic can you be? My strategy would always be - try to plan something clever. Fail. Panic, ending up with bursting into a room, shooting the target and then hiding in the nearest bin.
πΌ Tape Recovery Simulator 96K πΌ @cawigames #IndieGames #GameDev #RetroGaming
Tape Recovery Simulator 96K is a game focusing on recovering data off of reluctant old tapes.
During the 80's and early '90s, the audio analogue tape was one of the main storage mediums with a capacity of 600 Kb stored as actual sound.
It wasn't very reliable, to begin with, since tapes and tape recorders varied greatly in quality and compatibility.
If not stored properly, tapes have a tendency to degrade over time, especially if left near strong magnetic/electric fields (like cathode monitors/TVs, speakers, children, power sources, power plants, EMP bombs, any kind of star, ...).
Sometimes, some of the data can still be recovered even after decades of mistreatment.
Tape Recovery Simulator 96K builds new game mechanics around old data recovery tricks.
Caffeine Withdrawal Games’ philosophy is “games you haven’t played before” and TRS 96K is the perfect example of it.
17/05/2021
π Rem Michalski - Harvester Games Interview π
I’ve had the opportunity to interview some very cool people for Games Freezer in the past and the man behind Harvester Games – Rem Michalski – has been on my radar for a while. Having inhaled his games; Downfall, The Cat Lady and Lorelai (collectively known as ‘The Devil Came Though Here’ trilogy), I was casually checking up on possible release dates for his next project, Burnhouse Lane, when I stumbled across a limited vinyl release of The Cat Lady soundtrack through Stumpy Frog records.
After purchasing the album as quickly as physics would allow, my mind drifted back over Harvester Games’ output and it freshly dawned on me that they are good. REALLY good.
It’s always awesome to find out that the people behind adored creations are good folk and this was very much the case here, Rem is a cool guy that makes extremely memorable, high-quality games that everyone should play, quite frankly.
16/05/2021
π₯ Star Renegades | Nintendo Switch | Ten Minute Taster | Gameplay | "The Stars Are The (break) Limit!" π₯π @starrenegades #GameDev #IndieGames
A service robot named J5T-1N has arrived in your dimension to warn of impending doom from an overwhelming force known as the Imperium.
Fight for survival across a procedurally generated and emergent mission-based campaign through a reactive, tactical turn-based battle system that emphasizes interrupts and counters. Standing in your way is an Intelligent Adversary system with enemy officers that evolve and move up in the ranks.
As your band of heroes fall in the fight against invading Imperium and hope is all but lost, J5T-1N must be sent to the next dimension with everything you’ve learned to give the next group of heroes a chance to prevail. Each dimension and each playthrough is unique, challenging, and never the same.
15/05/2021
π£ Warpips | PC | Ten Minute Taster | Gameplay | Tutorial | "Pixel Pummelling Action!" π£ @WarpipsGame #IndieGames #GameDev
14/05/2021
π Ploid | NES | Review | 4/10 | "It’s not very good " π @PixelHunted @NapeGames #Nes #IndieGames #GameDev
But how do you evaluate an elephant’s painting?
This is the conundrum presented by Nape Games’ Ploid, a new NES game that runs on original hardware.
13/05/2021
πππ¨ Hitchhiker | Review | XBOX SERIES X | 6.5/10 | "A Slightly Surreal Trip With Some Bumps in The Road" @MadAboutPandas πππ¨ @Hitchhiker_Game #IndieGames #GameDev
Hitchhiker is a great premise; you are a mysterious passenger trying to piece together your past through surreal journeys with a mix of drivers. The enclosed space meaning that puzzles must be inventive to be interesting and the idea of working out your history and motives from rolling conversations that come from possibly unreliable narrators is a solid start.
Unfortunately, Hitchhiker unravels slightly around the halfway mark, meaning that the last ninety minutes or so don’t stand up to the initial intrigue that propels the game forwards.
π« Narrative FPS Puzzler Claire De Lune Has 3 New Gameplay Trailers π« @TacticStudios #IndieGames #GameDev
Announced in 2015, narrative FPS puzzler Claire de Lune has received not one, but three new Gameplay trailers!
With gameplay totalling more than 20 minutes, players get a glimpse at what Claire de Lune has to offer on its very own proprietary engine.
12/05/2021
π️ Before We Leave | PC | Ten Minute Taster | "Those Pesky Elevators!" π️ @BalancingMonkey #GameDev #IndieGames
11/05/2021
π₯ XIII Remastered | Review | PS5 | 3/10 | "A Very Unlucky Number" π₯
XIII was a game I had never played but it has always been on my radar. It’s a game I that I could see a screenshot of and instantly identify but never dipped my toes in, so when I saw it recently on sale, I thought - after 18 years, let’s finally give it a try and I picked up the remastered version.
Well, I was hoping for an action-packed, highly stylistic thrill ride… That is not what I got. This remastered version just feels soulless. It has a real emptiness and everything about it feels hollow.
10/05/2021
π️ Insurmountable | PC | Gameplay | Ten minute Taster | "Beware The Herb Goats!" π️ @Insurmountgame #GameDev #IndieGames
09/05/2021
π€ Orbital Bullet | PC | Gameplay | Ten minute Taster | "Run Circles Round Those Robots!" π€ @SmokeStab #GameDev #IndieGames
08/05/2021
π² Ashwalkers: A Survival Journey | PC | Ten Minute Taster | "A Mysterious Point & Click Adventure" π² @DearVillagers #IndieGames #GameDev
07/05/2021
π€ Terminator: Resistance Enhanced | PS5 | Review | 7/10 | "Saviour of humanity or just another game to be terminated?" π€ @Reef_Games #GameDev #IndieGames
I really love the Terminator franchise and by that I mean I really love the first two films, the rest of the franchise consists of a lot of lows but those first two films are such highs. This game sums up the franchise well, as it has great highs and low lows.
06/05/2021
πΊ Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood | PC | Review | 7/10 | "All This Began To Add Up Into A Good Time"πΊ @DevespressoG @PixelHunted #IndieGames #GameDev
When I get to hell they’re going to be playing electro-swing. If you haven’t had the pleasure, this is a music genre that dropped right out of the devil’s arsehole: an unholy jazz-era pastiche of big beats and brass primarily enjoyed by twats with overly groomed moustaches, waistcoats and top hats. I would rather have needles jammed into my spine.
Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood opens with electro-swing. Its heroine is the lead singer in a band called *sigh* Foxtrot Bop (they all have terrible names like this) and we meet them on their way to their make or break gig. This is, to say the least, not a promising beginning. My tolerance levels for this garbage are measured in seconds rather than hours and I strongly considered tapping out right then and there.
Then a tornado whisks Scarlet Hood off to an Oz-like fantasy land and, save for a few unpleasant tootly moments on the repetitive soundtrack, the awful electro-swing band plot is abandoned.
05/05/2021
π Bitmap Books – Game Boy: The Box Art Collection | Book Review By Britt | "an extremely tasty tome" π @bitmap_books #RetroGaming #GameBoy
I’ve heard nothing but good things about Bitmap Books’ prior releases and so was keen to get hips deep in this, their most recent project. The book definitely lived up to the weighty expectations and really feels of a high quality throughout its almost 400-page heft.
04/05/2021
πͺ The Official Release Date for Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is May 28th 2021 πͺ #IndieGames #GameDev
The official release for Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World for the Western retail release for both physical and digital Nintendo Switch and PS4 versions will be on May 28th 2021 for North America, Europe and Australia!
The retail editions for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 will be available for €39.99 / $39.99 / £34.99 and include the original Monster World IV exclusively.
03/05/2021
π️ Tools Up | Nintendo Switch | Ten Minute Taster | "Don't Cry Over Spilt Paint" π️ @AllinGamesPub #IndieGames #GameDev
02/05/2021
π The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark | Nintendo Switch | Review | 8/10 | "More Top-Notch, Spooky, Point n Click Shenanigans" π @spookydoorway #GameDev #IndieGames
I reviewed the original Darkside Detective back in 2017 (https://www.gamesfreezer.co.uk/2017/10/review-darkside-detective-welcome-to.html) and found it a really fun and funny experience.
This sequel continues in very much the same vein, if you were a fan of the original, this is a smooth and high-quality continuation but the way in which the story begins and progresses, you’d need to be aware of the events of the first game to really understand what’s going on and get full enjoyment out of the experience.
01/05/2021
30/04/2021
π₯ Samurai Shodown | 7.5/10 | Xbox Series X | "A Solid, if Familiar Bout" π₯ #BrittsBriefBulletinPart3
All the usual and expected modes are here - story, versus, arcade and the like as well as sixteen characters to initially choose from with others featured as paid DLC.
Whilst the game plays well and loading times are swift, it doesn’t offer anything new and feels like a bit of a stepping stone in the series as opposed to a milestone. One that will please its fan base without winning many newcomers over, I’d imagine.
Samurai Shodown is a solid fighter with satisfying combat, responsive controls and rewarding wins but it feels too familiar to really stand out, Haohmaru’s journey for perfection continues.
❄ Protocol | Review | Xbox Series X | 6.5/10 | "A Test of Patience That I Failed" ❄ #BrittsBriefBulletinPart2
Protocol on XBOX Series X is a first-person comedic adventure that casts you in the role of a recently divorced special operative that has been assigned by no one less than the President to complete a gauntlet known as ‘The Protocol’ in the Arctic Circle.
π₯ Sturmfront: The Mutant War | Review | Nintendo Switch | 7/10 | "Metal, Mutants and Many Bullets" π₯ #BrittsBriefBulletinPart1
If you are a fan of metal music and twin-stick shooters then look no further as Sturmfront: The Mutant War has you covered!
29/04/2021
π» Mundaun | Xbox Series X | 9.5/10 | "Black and White, Yet Solid Gold" π» @MundaunGame #IndieGames #GameDev
28/04/2021
⚽️π Championship Manager 2 - Nottingham Forest vs Blacburn Rovers - Episode 39: "Mckinlay Masterclass" ⚽️π #RetroGaming #ChampionshipManager #NottinghamForest #BlackburnRovers
27/04/2021
πͺ Deiland Pocket Planet | Nintendo Switch | Ten Minute Taster | "Animal Crossing Meets Super Mario Galaxy!" πͺ #GameDev #IndieGames
- Play and relax. Smooth and cute graphics as well as a relaxing soundtrack to ease up the bustling everyday routine.
26/04/2021
π€ Star Renegades Limited Edition Available for Pre-Order (PS4/Switch) π€
ININ Games together with Raw Fury proudly present a really unique game that calls for players who are not afraid of any challenge!
25/04/2021
π Lust From Beyond | PC | Review | 8/10 | "There’s No Shortage of Games About Sex" π @PixelHunted @MGLunarium #GameDev #IndieGames
24/04/2021
π½ Stitchy on Tooki Trouble | Nintendo Switch | Review | 7/10 | " A Fun, if Familiar Adventure" π½ @polygoatstudio #IndieGames #GameDev
A 2D platformer in which a cartoon scarecrow called Stitchy embarks on a journey to regain his stolen corn from a group of fiendish Tooki, Stitchy in Tooki Trouble plays out as a smooth and fun adventure but does feel a touch samey in gameplay as you enter the latter sections and brings nothing new to the table in terms of features or gameplay.
That said, if you are a fan of titles such as Donkey Kong Country and early Crash Bandicoot, you’ll definitely get along well with this funky scarecrow.
23/04/2021
⚔️πΉ Siege Of Avalon | Anthology | PC | Ten Minutete Taster | "Find Captain Avarous!" ⚔️πΉ #IndieGames #GameDev
Siege of Avalon is an isometric story-driven fantasy RPG. The Citadel of Avalon is all that remains of the once-mighty seven kingdoms.
The invaders have surrounded Avalon and the depleted garrison is bracing for the final assault.
Now is the time for the birth of a legend.
ππ Celebrate 8 Years Of Games Freezer With An Ice Cool GF T Shirt! ππ #SafeInOurWorld #GamersUnite
That World exists and we live in it! π
Games Freezer has teamed up with Seven Squared and The Safe In our World Charity to produce a tee that celebrates 8 years of Games Freezer and pledges to continue supporting the gaming community.
Pick up your tee here:
π
https://sevensqua.red/collections/charity/products/games-freezer-retro-gamer-t-shirt
and send us pics of you wearing your tee to @gamesfreezer (Twitter)
22/04/2021
π«π Cyanide & Happiness : FREAKPOCALYPSE | Nintendo Switch | Ten Minute Taster | "Hall Pass To Hell" π«π @SerenityForge #IndieGames #GameDev
21/04/2021
π±π₯ How To Be A Call Of Duty: Mobile Pro π₯ π±
Call of Duty: Mobile is a much better game than it has any right to be. All too often, mobile versions of venerated franchises turn out to be watered-down cash grabs, but that’s not an accusation anyone can level at CoD: Mobile.
It’s a fully-featured first-person shooter with buttery-smooth mobile controls, a robust progression system, and plenty of scope for simply breathtaking plays. Don’t believe us?
Just check out a montage on YouTube to see some of the game’s best players at work. With enough effort and dedication, you can become a Call of Duty: Mobile pro as well. Here’s how to do just that.