In all my years of gaming, I’ve rarely heard a bad word about Contra – Konami’s 1987 hard but fair run ‘n gun shooter. It’s the game that often headlines dubious NES-based plug ‘n play consoles, no doubt much to Konami’s infuriation. Even today, when a new run ‘n gun game is announced it’s usually …
It seems THQ Nordic’s Outcast: A New Beginning is off to a slow start, failing to make the UK top retail chart 40, and only showing up at #9 in the Xbox Series top ten – one position higher than LotR: Gollum, of all things. THQ Nordic’s next release, South Park: Snow Day, will likely …
You never forget your first. This is especially true for anyone who has played a Jeff Minter game. I was introduced to the mind of Minter in 1993, discovering Llamatron 2112 on an Amiga shareware disk. The use of llamas and goofy enemies made for a memorable experience, putting a nonsensical spin on the seminal …
Steady your wallets, as numerous big name titles are vying for your hard-earned cash this week. This should make for an interesting UK retail chart next Monday, with a handful of titles destined to set tills ringing. Or couriers out delivering, which is more likely the case these days. Dragon’s Dogma 2 is something long …
Star Wars games trailed off in quality during the 32-bit era, with the likes of Jedi Power Battles, Demolition, Masters of Teräs Käsi, and the Phantom Menace tie-in failing to offer more than a couple hours of entertainment for even the biggest of Star Wars fans. A couple of these duds even spilt over to …
When it comes to games based around climate change, ergo melting ice caps and rising oceans, the first bar was set astonishingly low. Ocean’s Waterworld games were, ironically, no better than the movie – and I struggle to think of anything before 1995. Since then, numerous developers have given us flooded worlds to explore, usually …
Had we included the names of every big name and noteworthy release on Switch this week, that headline would be even lengthier – and it would have meant not giving shouts to smaller titles, which is something we always aim to do. On the agenda for this week, there’s Kingdom Come Deliverance – Royal Edition, …
Presumably to prevent angering an entire continent, it’s never revealed where Cartel Tycoon takes place – even though it’s glaringly obvious. The same applied to the Tropico series, clearly inspired by the Cuban lifestyle but instead falling back on the term ‘banana republic’. There’s fair reasoning behind this, with the writers of The Simpsons once …
Had Cybertrash STATYX existed in the ‘90s, it would almost certainly be an Amiga 1200 title circa 1993. Not any Amiga game, but one heralded by the format centric magazines for showing the humble home computer can hold its own against the 16-bit consoles. It’s reminiscent of Elfmania and Fightin’ Spirit in particular, featuring anime …
Modern arcade game manufacturer Alan-1 has announced plans to create new arcade cabinets with Atari, each based on their revamped Recharged series. The company aims to produce “at least ten” different full size arcade games in the next three years, with the first due nationwide across the US during Q3 2024. Cabinets will be equipped with pinball …
How can you tell something is the result of passion and care, rather than cold, hard economics? For me, it is the little touches. The things that developers add in when there’s absolutely no need whatsoever. In Inkulinati, a game where you draw beasts onto a battlefield, your hand is represented by a human hand. …
The spare time sapping RPG package GRANDIA HD Collection is coming to Xbox One and PS4 on March 26th, courtesy of GungHo Online Entertainment America. Not only this, but Limited Run Games will be releasing a physical edition for $34.99, with pre-orders going live on March 15th. It’ll include a trio of art cards and a …
All systems are go – Nightdive’s well received System Shock remake, which had an incredibly long development cycle, will launch on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series on May 21st. This classic sci-fi shooter reborn will support “up to” 4K 60fps on PS5 and Xbox Series, and also features redesigned controls intended for joypads. …
Square-Enix’s well-received Final Fantasy VII Rebirth could only hold onto the UK chart’s top spot for a single week, dislodged by new arrival WWE 2K24. The star-studded grappler seems to be a return to form for the franchise, boasting an 82% Metacritic, while being praised for its fun mechanics and wealth of modes. WWK 2K24 …
It’s a quiet week for new releases, with nothing noteworthy due. Only joking – it’s yet another stacked week. We can only assume publishers believe we’re happy to purchase games day one just to add them to an ever-growing backlog. Here’s hoping April will allow us to play catch-up. If you can find some wiggle …
