A half-human / half-zombie hybrid with powers from both sides, Reid must balance the human side of himself – that allows acceptance from other humans – with the undead, zombie side that grants superpowers in combat. Admittedly, the sheer amount of in-game items and upgrades that can swing the pendulum both ways mean that it’s never really a massive concern, although it does allow the player to loosely approach the game as they wish.
The music from my band Recluse is being used in Arcade Paradise and so I don’t feel comfortable in reviewing the completed product, because I’m clearly incredibly emotionally involved, and so one of my esteemed colleagues will handle the final review. HOWEVER – this is my preview article, and so I can espouse my love of it freely, and my editor won’t stop me because he’s an incredibly bribable man, and I’ve sent him a fiver. What he DOESN’T know, is that it’s an old, paper fiver – so I’d better crack on with this before it arrives in the post and he realises that it’s not legal tender.
Final Vendetta is a hard-hitting action-packed beat ‘em up for 1 or 2 players in the vein of classic arcade titles. Featuring stunning pixel art and a thumping soundtrack with exclusive tracks from Utah Saints! Brawl with bad dudes and tough girls as you fight through dangerous environments.
Claire Sparks, a student and martial arts expert, has become unwillingly embroiled in the rescue of her sister. Duke Sancho is a quick-witted, bare-knuckle fighter from London, earning his nickname after a brawl in the Duke of Wellington pub. Not forgetting the towering figure of Miller T. Williams; a Canadian ex-pro wrestler controversially removed from competitions for use of excessive force. Together the three friends must battle their way through the streets of London on a dangerous journey to bring back Claire’s sister!
The gameplay mechanics are sure to go down well with fans of the genre, giving players a vast array of moves and the ability to block, run, dodge, strike downed opponents, and even perform juggle combos! Each character has a unique feel and move set that the player will have to master.
• Hardcore fighting action that pulls no punches.
• Stunningly animated pixel art.
• A thumping dance/techno soundtrack featuring exclusive tracks from Utah Saints and Featurecast.
• 1 or 2 player co-op.
• 3 playable characters with varying fighting styles.
• 6 areas to battle your way through.
• Classic beat-‘em-up gameplay with fresh mechanics.
• 4 exciting game modes – Arcade, Survival, Versus & Boss Rush.
• 3 difficulty settings.
• Several unlockables.
• Dozens of moves and combos to master.
• An array of succulent street food to sample.
Purchase Link - Here
Wave Game Studios continue their impressive run of Dreamcast releases – I believe it’s one a month! - with this, the physical version of Running With Scissors’ 1997 title, POSTAL.
The artwork throughout is once again amazing and the writing in this 3rd issue has clearly hit its stride with articles that are not only thought-provoking but also informative and an education for any self-respecting gaming nerd.
Each page is a treat as you get to sample the thoughts of many talented writers that delivered for me an insight into topics that are outside of my gaming knowledge sphere.
Sony Music Masterworks / Dead Oceans
Nominated at the Golden Joystick Awards 2021 for best audio, Japanese Breakfast (Michelle Zauner) has created a soundtrack that captures the stark, expansive atmosphere of the game on which it was based – Shedworks’ 2021 hit, Sable. The soundtrack is in turn soaring, beautiful, thoughtful, and introspective as the thirty-two tracks unfold their audio narrative.
When I first received Sable for review, I had only heard of Japanese Breakfast in name only, and so had no preconceptions of the style or approach they would bring to a video game soundtrack, with the Wikipedia description of their genre as ‘alternative pop’ leaving a lot of room for interpretation.
Opting against listening to any of their music from outside of this soundtrack, I dived straight in* and the dreamy, atmospheric and often hypnotic sounds quickly won my heart.
The Lovecraft connection comes in through atmosphere, tentacled monsters and the odd reference to Cthulhu or Azathoth here and there.
Composed by Gabriel Koenig
Purchase Link - https://www.stumpyfrog.com/
A warning that this article contains spoilers for the game Jettomero: Hero of the Universe, if you don’t want to read them but wish to know the outcome of the article - the soundtrack to Jettomero is fantastic and you should listen to it extremely intently and often.
Developed by Binary Sonata Studio | Published By Bitmap Soft
The minds behind a plethora of new releases on classic systems, Bitmap Soft have games across a multitude of platforms, from Amstrad CPC through to the Mega Drive.The first handheld release I have covered in quite some time, In the Dark’s simple premise, means that it’s a great ‘dive in ‘n out’ puzzle title for your Game Boy.
It turns out that no prior knowledge of Rifftrax is required, as Wide Right Games have created a fantastic and often hilarious party game that is accessible to all, and this is a game I highly recommend whenever you have friends or family around.