The name “Adorable Adventures” may not inspire much confidence, sounding uncannily similar to Switch eShop shovelware, but you only need to play it for a minute or two – or perhaps even just glance at the screenshots – to discover that it has been blessed with a modest budget. This is evident not just in …
True to its name, this Lovecraftian-inspired horror commences on a shoreline. Setting the tone of dread and despair, the shore is peppered with wreckage from small fishing boats, skeletal remains from former crew included. Such sights no longer faze protagonist Andrew, the last inhabitant of this accursed island. Every attempt to return home has resulted …
When Vampire Survivors launched to critical acclaim, it ushered in a wave of imitators. The first of these weren’t up to much, cobbled together with various recycled assets and mostly relying on their themes (sci-fi, primaeval, steampunk, etc) to stand out. Today, things are a bit different. The roguelike auto-shooter genre has proven itself not …
When the all-conquering PlayStation launched in 1994, it arrived with some of the most impressive games around. By the time it was superseded by its successor and entering its twilight years, circa 2003, the release roster couldn’t have been more different. Amongst the tired annual sports updates, Platinum reissues, and the moderately big name releases …
Due to being described as a retro style survival horror, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect from Malformation Games’ debut release. While it definitely makes good on its promise to provide an experience recalling Capcom’s 32-bit era horrors – with a little bit of Silent Hill and Parasite Eve …
Finally, a relatable video game. Way back in middle school, every pupil was encouraged to dress up for a charity fun run around the school field. The next evening was then spent crudely creating a robot outfit using two cardboard boxes taped together and wrapped in tin foil – think Eric Cartman’s Awesom-O. While other …
Back in 2024, a Kickstarter launched to fund this brand new Mega Drive shooter – one intended to push SEGA’s humble 16-bit system and delight dedicated fans who still have a Mega Drive (or Genesis) hooked up to a dusty CRT somewhere. News of ZPF’s campaign spread through the retro gaming community, helping to smash …
The saying “There’s no smoke without fire” rings true in this Slavic folklore-filled fantasy adventure. Playing as an Asher – a fire mage able to see and alter memories of the past – you’re tasked with restoring the timeline, ergo altering the fate, of an entire village. This is achieved by trekking across the Finnish countryside …
Much like 2024’s puzzle platformer The Meating, this side-scrolling action game resembles a NES classic of yore, but isn’t something that could have existed during the NES’ heyday. This isn’t so much to do with looking and playing like a NES game on steroids – with numerous sprites on screen at once, fast action, and …
Have you ever walked past a corporate building and wondered what’s inside? After curiosity strikes, Ayana lines herself up for an interview with tech firm Helios. They’re heralded as the saviour of mankind after creating an unlimited energy source that now provides the entire planet. This evaluation to become a Helios agent goes incredibly well, …
It’s often easy to pinpoint the spark of inspiration that led to a game’s creation, indie releases especially. In the case of this latest release from Unbound Creations (Rain on Your Parade, Just Crow Things, Leaf Blower Man) it’s harder to spot. It has a distinct tech-demo feel due to featuring countless pieces of discarded …
Becoming absorbed in a good book while soaking up the sun at the beach is a joyous pursuit. Sure, you could take a Kindle or similar along, but that’s risky business knowing sand gets everywhere – charging ports included. Noticing a demand for a book at the beach, Tiny Bookshop casts you into the role …
Considering its relative obscurity, Jaleco’s Goal! series has quite a confusing history. Different regions gained versions under different branding, with examples including Super Goal! rebranded as Super Cup Soccer for the Japanese market, and the Famicom sequel ditching the ‘2’ in the title – making it appear the same as the US original. Then there’s the …
Billed as the lovechild of Metal Slug and Earthworm Jim, this side-scrolling shooter makes good on that fascinating fusion. It has the explosive weaponry of Metal Slug along with hostage saving side-quests, while from Earthworm Jim it borrows not just its warped sense of humour – with our hero being a human haphazardly fused with …
From fixed camera horror games to retro-style first-person shooters, indie developers have successfully brought back numerous previously defunct genres over the years, all of which were once deemed no longer profitable or popular by the biggest publishers out there. One genre indie studios don’t get much credit for reviving is the humble single-screen platformer. There …