It’s 1999 and surfing the web is no longer the nerdy pastime it once was. If you don’t own a fan site dedicated to the latest fad, or a homepage filled with crudely animated GIFs, you’re a nobody. Dreaming big – quite literally, in this case – an innovative company known as Merchantsoft has created …
Whether it’s the warming sensation of the sun beating down on glistening water or the thrill of carving through waves, something is enticing about jet ski racing games. Kandagawa Jet Girls has the additional pull of surprisingly sharp and vibrant visuals, along with playful menu design featuring icons bobbing on water. Where presentation is concerned, …
We love a good pun, so upon being asked to review a game running with a pun on a 1900s anti-war book, we jumped at the chance. Norman’s Great Illusion is a pixel art visual novel with overtly political themes. The developers bill it as an attempt to talk about people who ‘allow the coming …
If Double Kick Heroes existed during last-gen’s rhythm action/novelty peripheral craze, chances are it would have been bundled with a car-shaped controller. Rather than jamming out on a guitar or pounding the drums, it puts you behind the wheel of a sleek ‘Gundillac’ – a weaponised Cadillac. Each beat fires up the car’s machine guns, …
After becoming trapped in an ancient temple during an expedition, the unfortunate Mr. Paf – Mr. Whack to our French chums – is tasked with solving block-shoving puzzles to escape. This cartoon puzzler is viewed from an isometric angle, and also features platforming. It’s smartly designed and visually appealing with cutscenes that frequently impress. Monsieur …
While we may not be able to escape to exotic, sun-drenched, locations this summer we can at least try to escape from fictional vicious worlds. A tenuous link, we know. The far-flung planet of Tethys houses a research facility plunged into chaos. As a scientist, it’s up to you to fight off the planet’s primitive …
Something is fascinating about games daring to tackle mental health of any form, trying hard to illustrate the pain and anguish people go through. What Happened – out now on PC and coming soon to consoles – takes us down this bleak path. It’s a psychological thriller which casts you into the life and mind …
As horror games go, this indie adventure has greater appeal than most. Both history buffs and those with a passion for all things supernatural will revel in its Welsh folklore, with a plot drawing upon the 1872 novel The Maid of Sker – a chilling tale of the allegedly haunted Sker House. In keeping with …
No game in recent memory pulled a three-sixty on us as quickly as Aircraft Evolution did. Although an arcade shooter of the explosion heavy carpet-bombing variety, it initially appears to have a surprising amount of depth. It has resource management – special bombs and repair kits must be purchased before a mission starts – and …
There’s a surefire way to know that a puzzle game has sunk its claws into your brain: it’s there when you close your eyes. It’s happened with Get 10 Quest, which is almost all you need to know. With that said, on with the needless detail. It’s a simple mechanic: tap an area of two …
It’s not easy to keep things simple, to resist the temptation to over-complicate. Singled Out originally came out of a game jam (theme: ‘only one’), and the full release – initially on Steam, now on Switch too – hasn’t tried to needlessly bulk it out. This is a self-proclaimed “short, simple but challenging arcade game”. …
The Xbox 360 certainly wasn’t short on arcade-style shooters. In addition to frequently popping up on XBLA, publisher Rising Star brought the likes of Deathsmiles, Akai Katana, and Under Defeat HD to our shores. If that wasn’t enough, the majority of shooters left in Japan were region-free. Pricey but precious, you didn’t have to look …
Like Animal Crossing, Natsume’s Harvest Moon didn’t reach its full potential until a handheld version was released. The series’ renown gameplay loop is perfectly suited to on-the-go play, with a typical day lasting around fifteen minutes. Tend to crops, feed the cattle, talk to the townsfolk, and fish ‘n’ forage in the wilderness before tucking …
Remember the days when EA released standalone, non-annual, FIFAs based on the World Cup and the UEFA league? They reused the most recent engine while adding new tournaments and modes, altering presentation accordingly. The Catch: Carp & Coarse is the fishing equivalent to a FIFA off-shoot, building on Fishing Sim World’s sturdy foundation to create …
The publisher behind VASARA Collection recently slashed the price to under a quid. Featuring two little-known arcade shoot’em ups and a new-fangled 3D version, it’s the gaming equivalent of a McDonald’s cheeseburger – cheap and flimsily put together, but mildly satisfying. In comparison, Darius Cozmic Collection Console is a prime rib steak dinner – meaty …