Much like Pac-Man in the 1980s, Toaplan’s platforming mascots Nick and Tom – aka the Snow Bros. – never had a uniform design, with their looks changing depending on which publisher had them under their wing. We’ve seen the duo several times since the Toaplan treasure chest of classics was unlocked for plundering, and it’s …
Remember the Xbox 360’s peculiar assortment of RPGs? I’m not talking about the likes of Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, financed by Microsoft to help change the console’s destiny in Japan, but rather European-developed RPGs such as Two Worlds, Risen, Divinity II, Venetica, and Arcania: Gothic 4. They’re connected not just by genre, more often …
I remember the day well. It was a quiet Saturday morning during June 2021 when a handful of games were free to play on Xbox over the course of that weekend. Nothing unusual there, but this weekend happened to include the Netflix show tie-in Cobra Kai – published by prolific licensed software purveyors GameMill. I’ve …
No sooner than purchasing TMNT Mutants Unleashed from everyone’s favourite high-street second hand retailer, said pseudo-movie follow-up was available to play for free on Xbox throughout a weekend. Turns out this wasn’t a blow to my wallet, as it was merely a two-hour trial. At around 12-14 hours, this isn’t something that could have been …
It’s tricky to talk about 2022’s Atari Mania without mentioning the Wario Ware series, so I may as well get it out of the way: Atari Mania is brazenly influenced by Nintendo’s celebrated microgame compendiums. In some ways it’s more diverse, but never any better for it. And it certainly isn’t any better than even …
The new Evercade Alpha bartop arcade-style systems launch this month, available in Mega Man or Street Fighter II variants. This isn’t the reason behind spending time with 2022’s Irem Arcade Collection 1 though. Ever since seeing screenshots in ‘90s gaming mags I’ve had a hankering for Irem’s In The Hunt, and this is one of …
Bandai Namco’s We Love Katamari REROLL+ Royal Reverie rolled onto Xbox Game Pass during the Tokyo Game Show, arriving alongside two belated RPG conversions from Square-Enix. The timing and pairing with new titles made me briefly believe it was debuting on Xbox after leaping from the Switch. But no – We Love Katamari REROLL launched …
At what point does a mini-game become a full game? It’s a question fans of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise have likely asked themselves at least once, with each entry brimming with distractions – some of which are surprisingly in-depth, such as the competitive remote-controlled racer Pocket Circuit. I’d argue that the playable arcade games aren’t …
This month has been busy for ol’ Games Asylum, bouncing from one new release to another. After plugging twelve hours into The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island, I invested roughly the same amount of time into Penny’s Big Breakaway, followed by playing Cartel Tycoon and Highwater for a good eight hours each. This, understandably, hasn’t …
Although an advocate of the original Xbox, purchasing one on launch day alongside Halo, Amped Snowboarding, and a cheap third-party controller made of the thinnest plastic imaginable, the Xbox’s second coming failed to resonate on launch. I was mildly intrigued by Kameo and Perfect Dark Zero, but these didn’t feel like system sellers on par …
Pigeons, those perpetually head-bobbing birds with a rhythm only they can comprehend, have found their stage in Headbangers: Rhythm Royale. Picture this avian extravaganza where pigeons compete to the beat, each flaunting their customisable feathered flair. It’s a whimsical world of headbanging and harmonies, where the silly meets the sublime, and you can’t help but …
On paper, Wanted: Dead puts a lot of ticks in a lot of boxes. Originating from Japan, it’s a gory third-person shooter with hack ‘n slash elements, blessed with a smattering of silliness and a bunch of mini-games that wouldn’t look out of place in SEGA’s Yakuza series. It also reminded me of SEGA’s overlooked …
It’s only human to be wary of new experiences. Jess, the protagonist of The Chant, wasn’t too englamoured with the idea of an island-based spiritual retreat, but after being plagued by visions following a death in the family, she eventually warmed to the idea. As for myself, I was wary of The Chant – a …
There aren’t many games around that allow you to re-live the innocence of being a child. Unless those games are ones you previously played as a youngster, you’re hard pressed to find something that awakens the inner child, knocking at the door of long forgotten memories and emotions. However, there is a fine line between …
Being a fan of the speedy needle mouse, it was inevitable I’d purchase Sonic Frontiers at some point. While I was happy to wait until it was closer to £20, a combination of an Xbox voucher in my Christmas stocking and long lead times on January’s reviews meant I was able to experience Frontiers sooner …