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Showing posts from February, 2023

What Was Worth A Damn About Summer Game Fest 2025?

Yes, it’s once again time to check in on Geoff Keighley and his merry band of misfits, to see what of worth came from this year’s Summer Game Fest show. As with last week’s State of Play highlights , we’re just here to look at the interesting stuff - the games that caught my eye, either through a strong showing or a fascinating angle on their given material. How many of these titles will actually stick the landing remains to be seen, but for now here are my thoughts… Felt That: Boxing Developed by: Sans Strings Studio Doing what basically seems to be a straight “save the orphanage”/underdog boxer story, but where everyone is Basically a Muppet, is a great gag. Seems like it’s a mix of Punch-Out-like fights and an assortment of minigames themed after training montage moments, that’s some good stuff. Marvel Cosmic Invasion Developed by: Tribute Games The folks behind the excellent TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge making another pixel-art beat 'em up, this one a mash-up of Marvel Comics hero...

From the Archives: Squidlit Review

Still have some newer writing in the works, but for now enjoy this trip down memory lane with another review from the archives. This time: the delightful throwback platformer about a cartoon squid... Developed by Alex Barrett & Samantha Davenport (Squidlit Ink. LLC) Released on March 2nd, 2018 Version Played: Windows PC (also available for Nintendo Switch)   So I’m a fairly easy lay for the mascot platformer – partially of because the child-like whimsy it evokes in me, partially because these tend to be rather interesting games on multiple levels. Mechanically there’s various divergences that have come about in the post-Super Mario Bros space, from exploration-centric “Metroidvania” games to those works which toy with more specific gimmicks (like Sonic the Hedgehog’s speed or Sparkster’s rocket pack). And then there’s the variation in aesthetics, sound design, graphical detail, presence of an overarching narrative or themes… in short there's a lot to love there. But they also ...

2023 in Gaming: The Most Promising Games

Last time, we talked about the least good looking games set for release in 2023. This time, it's more hopeful as we examine the handful of titles that - based on available visual and written information - appear primed for success this year. Starting from the bottom... The FOURTH MOST PROMISING: Killer Klowns from Outer Space Releases sometime in the first quarter of 2023 The Basic Premise: We know at this point that it closely resembles the 1988 sci-fi comedy of the same name, bringing with it the unique design of the clowns themselves. Beyond that and the basic concept of a competitive multiplayer game being at its core, not much is readily apparent. How Am I Feeling? I'm newer to the fandom for this particular 1980s cult curiosity, but I adore its goofy digressions and visual gags that serve to give life to an otherwise familiar monster movie structure. Killer Klowns is delightfully singular in its twists on well-worn sci-fi horror tropes, and it runs exactly long enough ...