Something is intriguing about late generation Mega Drive and SNES titles. 1997 was the final year at retail for both systems, with barely a dozen games released for each. The PSone, Saturn and even N64 were available, and so these late arrivals were mostly licensed games, tired annual sporting updates, or aimed at younger gamers …
If you’re glancing over Parkitect’s screenshots and wondering why it looks a few generations behind the times, then allow us to fill you in. The development of this theme park management sim began in 2014, ergo the start of the PS4/Xbox One era. After a successful Kickstarter and a spell in early access, the full …
In a short space of time, publisher Afil Games has carved out an identity by releasing inexpensive auto-shooters and tower defence games. It isn’t clear if they’re actively seeking these kinds of games to publish, hoping to stumble on the next Vampire Survivors, or if it’s simply a case of indie developers currently favouring these …
Indie publisher Afil Games are keen to ride the ‘auto shooter’ bandwagon, with a chunk of their back catalogue being Vampire Survivors imitators. We couldn’t find much enjoyment in their coliseum set Gladiator’s Arena, with it feeling more like a proof of concept than a fully-fledged game. The good news is that the tribal warrior …
Have you ever experienced a boss battle involving staying alive for a few minutes while being pelted with projectiles and other attacks? Go Go Jump takes that concept and expands it. Our canine star Dylan wants to follow in the footsteps (well, pawprints) of their late father, known to the world as a Jump Master. …
More developers should be allowed to refine and experiment with spin-offs before committing to full-blown sequels or new projects. There’s often scope to implement ideas leftover from a predecessor and make tweaks based on feedback, while adding a new gimmick or two. That’s the deal here, with ENCORE being an extra helping of 2022’s well …
One thing Times & Galaxy isn’t short on is imagination. You play as a robotic news reporter fresh off the production line, out to make a name for themselves at the titular holo-paper. Times & Galaxy is well regarded, but readership is on the wane. As an intern, you’re tasked with covering mundane events and …
When browsing the Japanese libraries for consoles such as the Mega Drive and SNES, it’s clear why countless games remained in SEGA and Nintendo’s home turf. Things like romantic visual novels, horse racing-based gambling games, and sumo wrestling sims would have performed poorly commercially in Europe and the US. Then there are games that would …
One trend that has fallen out of fashion is the concept of mascot-driven pinball spin-offs. SEGA kickstarted things with Sonic Spinball in 1993 – a stand in for the lack of a mainline entry that year, ideally needing more development time. Nevertheless, Nintendo saw potential here, creating pinball games starring Kirby, Pokémon, Samus, and even …
Prince of Persia meets Mirror’s Edge in this first-person parkour platformer. Taking place in a ruined world with fantasy elements, you’re guided by a mysterious voice and encouraged to seek three relics that hold memories of the past. It’s a journey that’ll take you across ice, lava, and sand. Lots and lots of sand – …
A change of pace can do wonders for the soul. Nobody knows this better than Cleo, the protagonist of this nature-centric wetlands restoration sim. After city life takes its toll, Cleo heads back home to help an old school friend establish a frog refuge, all the while taking comfort in the niceties that working outdoors …
Turns out Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore isn’t the only unlikely Philips CD-i revival. Created by Twitch streamer SuperMegaDav, the idea for this old school single screen puzzle platformer comes from the CD-I’s Hotel Mario – a title which Nintendo had nothing to do with outside of a licensing agreement. You can watch SuperMegaDav play …
The history of Duke Nukem Forever is one aspect of video game history that’s curiously well documented. While playing this throwback first-person shooter, intended to recall the early noughties with its pixilated visuals and shlock sci-fi setting, I couldn’t shake the fact that part of DNF’s DNA was present here. Not in a derogatory sense, …
With the video game market stalling, publishers have finally realised that it’s beneficial to release their games on as many platforms as possible. Microsoft made headlines with multiplatform announcements earlier this year, and Square-Enix has plans to cast their nets wider too. Yet, the allure is still there for publishers to release games on Apple …
The tutorial for this tower defence game takes less than two minutes to complete, duly informing how to place defences and gather resources by ordering your “minions” to chop trees and smash stones. Two minutes were all that’s needed – the controls are surprisingly intuitive, using only a few buttons on the joypad. Unfortunately, this …