RGCD

You Have To Win The Game (PC)

2012-05-10T23:13:00.001+01:00

You Have to Win the Game is an indie platformer crafted by one J. Kyle Pittman, an employee of Gearbox Software who has not only worked on many mainstream titles (e.g. Borderlands, Duke Nukem Forever) but also "maintains a semi-regular hobby development cycle." The latest fruit to be borne of said cycle is a gorgeous romp through a heavily cyan-ed and purple-d retro world.

The goal of the game is not entirely clear; just that you have to win it, of course. Controls are extremely simple - guiding your little baseball-capped hero is as easy as direction and jump keys on your keyboard, though a gamepad is recommended. He's a nimble kid; jumps and movement are extremely precise, something that shows its importance later on in the game, and leaves only you to blame for those last 37 deaths.

Similar to superhit Super Meat Boy, players are gifted with unlimited lives in this adventure, surely a necessity given the devious difficulty of certain screens. This brings us to another interesting quality of YHTWTG: the fact that there is no scrolling. Each screen is its own individual entity, with fun titles to boot. If you can't see where you're jumping, that's because it might be a trap (I fell in many of those) or perhaps a hidden ledge or teleport mirror leading to a bag of cash to collect, rewarding players for trying the unconventional route. Panels from early in the game intentionally bump up against places you can only get to later, platforms too high to jump on are introduced only to tease (leaving you to complete another 30% of the game to acquire the item needed to get there) and handy checkpoint bells are peppered throughout so you won't have to start a particularly hair-pulling sequence from the start every time.

At various points, you'll encounter a big bad boss character spewing projectiles at you, usually which guard an important item necessary for further progress. The player is required to navigate through the pattern of these bullet showers, "bullet hell" style, to claim the prize.

These rewards begin with enabling platforms scattered throughout the world, Super Mario-esque dotted-border ghost bricks that fill in with solid colored bricks once activated. Further on, you'll find other fancy accoutrements to help you, well, win.

From the moment you fire up this game, its charm is clearly evident. The 8-bit style sound effects are sparse, but effective, and the playing screen is presented as a very well done, retro-style curved television set--enhancing the immersion, but never becoming annoying. I found myself glued to the screen for many hours, sans music, fully robed in YHTWTG's mysterious caverns, ruins, and lofty mushroom forests.

You Have to Win the Game is available for free (Windows only) and comes highly recommended as an excellent, modern interpretation of old-school platform action, seamlessly blending retro aesthetics with the tried-and-true MetroidVania gameplay model.

Download the game here (from the Pirate Hearts website).

Offspring Fling (PC/Mac)

2012-05-10T23:04:00.000+01:00

Oh Kyle Pulver. If I ever meet you in person, I'm going to hug you. It's going to be joyful, warm, and exceedingly awkward once you realize I won't let go. Your latest game, Offspring Fling, easily draws out my inner child despite my sturdy lock on its cage for my laborious adulthood. Am I surprised by your feat? Hardly. I've had my eye on you since 'Everyone Loves Active 2' and you never disappoint. Those smooth seductive graphics ohthethingsIwoulddo... oh right, the review. Enough of me being super creepy. Isn't it understandable though? I could spend a whole paragraph highlighting all of his games, but let's just save some time; how about you just go play them all. Like, right now. Don't worry, I'll be here when you get back...

...Okay, you get it now right? I know! Wow, Pulver has some serious talent and Offspring Fling is a great addition. I had a smile on my face the whole time I played it and I have a smile right now just thinking about it. In fact, I'm gonna go play it again right now. I need screenshots so uh, that's kinda like I'm still doing work. Offspring Fling is literally about its own name. You pick up your little chickadee offsprings and fling them about the level to solve puzzles. At its heart, it's a puzzle platformer made of short snippets of cleverness emphasizing speed (the longest puzzle in the game is about 40 seconds and most take around 15). Despite the murdertastic premise, the game is overwhelmingly adorable - and big part of that is the soundtrack.

Alec Holowka brings the tunes and he does not disappoint. This stands tall with his other work (and this is the man who gave us the Aquaria soundtrack, so that's not an insignificant statement) and every song proves instantly hummable the moment you hear it. Heck, I haven't been this overcome by something so happy since the title theme of My Neighbour Totoro. Yes, it's *that* good.

The game itself never gets boring, and I sheepishly admit I was worried about that at first. When I hear that a game has 100 levels, especially puzzle games, I pause in disgust. With the simple concept guiding Offspring Fling, I wasn't sure what to expect. It's pretty simple: picking up babies makes it a little harder to move or jump each time they stack. I was certain such simplicity would falter quickly.

Well, the game easily rose above my foolish assumption. The levels are carefully organized, each demanding just a little more technique (often hinting with the name of the level) and refreshing the experience with new backgrounds and music at just the right times. In fact, by the end of the game I felt like I wasn't done with it. I wanted more, if only because the game never really shows its teeth with the difficulty... unless you're after the developer speedruns. Then it's just ridiculous; I mean, are they even possible? Yes I know, I can *see* them happen (you can compete with the black champion ghost once you get the gold), but my mind it is blown.

I suppose a minor quibble I can muster is the lack of native joystick support. Of course like any good indie dev, Pulver provides joy2key with some settings to help, so it's all good. Also, does anyone else find it strange that the mouse is usable on the menus when it's not part of the core gameplay? Man, I feel like a heartless bastard for even bringing up something so stupid. Bah, enough of this. It's only $8 for PC/Mac (it's a Flash app); buy it from the website or via Desura (and now on Steam too!? Kyle you stallion!). If you don't at least play the demo right away, there's probably no hope for you and I don't think we can be friends.

Download the demo/buy the game here (from the Offspring Fling website).

Fairy Well Cartridge Available! (C64)

2012-05-06T23:00:00.000+01:00

At long last, RGCD are proud to present Wide Pixel Games' universally acclaimed Fairy Well on cartridge! The winning entry of 2011's C64 16KB cartridge game development competition, Fairy Well is a unique and ambitious flick-screen collect-em-up arcade adventure of epic proportions squeezed into a tiny 16KB of ROM space.

With it's multiple game modes (via a character selection at the beginning of your quest), huge randomly generated level maps, varied enemies and items, boss-battles and timeless adventure gameplay, Fairy Well is a modern C64 classic. Guide your fairy through the labyrinthine underworld on your quest to rescue the captured princess and restore peace to the forest!

Fairy Well is both NTSC and PAL compatible, and it's joystick-only control means that it's even playable on the Commodore 64 GS console. The box artwork was created by our resident artist Flemming Dupont, and the game comes in a purple cartridge shell complete with a printed manual and exclusive sticker.

Grab your copy today from our online shop (£20 Europe/£21 Rest of World, shipping included).

Voxeliens (PC)

2012-05-06T21:52:00.000+01:00

Voxels aren't a concept new to gaming, and neither is the vertical shooting gameplay style of the 1978 classic Space Invaders - but the newly-released Voxeliens by Volumes of Fun manages to merge the two together into something fresh, yet familiar. For those not in the know, voxels, or volumetric pixels, as a concept can be quite deep and complicated. However, their use in games tends to be for rendering objects, landscapes & terrain, or for visual appeal - making it much easier to grasp. A voxel itself can be thought of as a three dimensional pixel, representing a data point (block) in an open space. If this conjures up thoughts of Lego blocks, that's because it's a similar concept, except for that entire games are now being made of them, literal voxel sandboxes, universes, and battlefields.

This style of virtual world could best be experienced in the explosive indie darling Minecraft, in which players are plunked into a random paradise of their own naming, tasked with one thing, and one thing only - survival. (Well, and killing a dragon.) The game world consists of nothing more than open space and multitudes of beautifully colored cubes, each of which can represent dirt, water, sand, stone, or even zombies out to eat your brains at night. Markus "Notch" Persson's creation has spawned a number of "minelikes," all of which attempt to emulate the voxel-based style. Another interesting spin on the model is Lexaloffle's Voxatron, a dual-stick style shooter taking place in levels constructed entirely of voxels - all as destructible as your player and the enemies you destroy.

For fans of the humble yet undeniably powerful voxel, it was nice to see something other than a Minecraft-style sandbox utilizing the form. Thus, my interest was strongly piqued by Voxeliens, a title promising to present "Space Invaders as it wishes it could have been." The team behind the game, Volumes of Play, found its beginnings as a technology company. Their engine, PolyVox, is an open source voxel terrain library written in C++ and is also what powers Voxeliens. Developer David Williams graciously allowed me to test the final polished version of Voxeliens, but does it deliver on its promise?

The official product page on Volumes of Play's website doesn't pull any punches - read the gleefully simple and pointed description of the game, and one knows exactly what they're in for. This is Space Invaders in 3D, people, and not just 3D for show - your craft roams along the ground, utilizing (and avoiding) the terrain, firing up at the relentlessly advancing alien horde before they get a chance to destroy the planet, and of course, you

Gameplay is simple, but does expand on the formula of the original by adding various poweups, including a fantastic laser beam which gives you the power to vaporize a "line" of aliens vertically in 3D space, or a destructive spread shot. Plus, the introduction of this play style into a voxel based world allows for terrain to play a part in the level. For example, a rock bridge or cave can give momentary shelter from a xenomorph's bullet attack - while impassable objects could trip you up for just as long as it takes to get iced by a stray projectile. The game isn't as easy as it appears at first brush - one may think all they really have to do is "shoot the shadows," but navigating around the varied terrain in order to line up a shot adds another layer of depth and challenge.

There are a variety of ways that the ship can be controlled, but I found the fastest and most responsive way to be mouse control, enabling me to deftly dance around the deadly barrage of alien firepower and systematically eliminate the intruders. I felt the game was far too easy at first (even on the hardest setting) but as the levels progress it begins to get dicey, the hordes of invaders growing continually larger, and moving ever more quickly.

Overall, it's very simple to heartily recommend Voxeliens to any Space Invaders or retro-shooter fan, and by retro I mean late 70's/early 80's style retro. This title may be too simple to have any lasting appeal to those of a newer generation of gamers, which brings me to the game's simultaneously best and worst feature - its purity. Voxeliens doesn't expand much on the gameplay of olden day shooters; many things could have been added to really transform this title, such as randomized levels, big bosses, terrain editors, etc. However, when I consider the bargain price (currently $4 USD/£2,5 GBP), the smooth voxel graphics, and solid bite-sized gameplay, Voxeliens is still worth a purchase, and is a welcome diversion when you have a few minutes available to blast some antennae'd critters from the sky.

Download the demo/buy the game here (from the Volumes of Fun website).

Happy Birthday RGCD!

2012-04-27T00:10:00.000+01:00

Exactly one year ago, the former discmag RGCD was relaunched as a retro gaming news site and publisher - and to mark the occasion our friends Trevor 'Smila' Storey and Jason 'Kenz' MacKenzie (of Psytronik Software) have kindly allowed us to offer their FULL version of the official PC remake of the classic C64 shoot 'em up Armalyte for FREE download (for the next 24 hours only).

In addition to this, Trevor has also sent in three signed copies of the boxed version of Armalyte as prizes for our 2012 C64 16KB Cartridge Competition, making the jackpot even more attractive to potential entrants!

Right, I'm off to grab a celebratory beer. Thanks to everyone whose contributed, commented, linked and shared our news and reviews over the past year - you guys are awesome!

(Download expired!)

Note to people using AVG who reported a virus within the archive - AVG have confirmed that this was a false positive and have now updated their virus definitions file. Update your copy and the warnings will go away! :)

Mari0 (PC/Mac)

2012-04-26T23:03:00.000+01:00

Just a few weeks ago I was happily running amok through the multiple worlds of Mushroom Kingdom Fusion, an absolutely bonkers Mario fangame. Now another Mario fangame has made its way onto my screen; so with no further ado, I humbly introduce Mari0, which is the answer to the question "what would happen if Super Mario Bros. and Portal defied the laws of nature by somehow mating and producing a baby?"

It's a game of two halves, this one. First up there's the faithful remake of Super Mario Bros. but with one diversion from the original: our moustachioed hero is packing a Portal Gun. And it's just as fun, dear reader, as it sounds.

Since this is a freeware game it really is worth the download alone just to set up an infinite portal loop and watch Mario bouncing in and out of portals until the time runs out. Actually playing the game, and not snickering at Mario's death, is also a hell of a lot of fun. Throwing a Portal Gun into the mix opens up a load of problem solving options, and allows the player to catch Koopas in hilarious feedback loops and run the timer down just looking at them being all pathetic. The Portal Gun is aces for doing away with enemies (although setting up portal traps to drop them down bottomless pits is a lot more convoluted than just jumping on their heads) and allows for some handy teleportation, but it's a testament to the original Super Mario Bros. gameplay that throwing in a Portal Gun doesn't break the game. SMB is still fried gold in gameplay terms, with the added ability to create portals adding another level of crunch to the gaming experience.

I'm guilty of the occasional lapse, both in and out of work (although I really hate to call playing video games and writing about them "work"), and I managed to almost entirely miss out second facet of the game, Mari0's "side two", in cassette terms, which was the absorbing Mario-isation (I may or may not have made that word up) of Portal into a brilliant 8-bit style puzzle platformer. I was too distracted by the downloadable content (including a hilarious acid trip level) to even notice the option to play Mario Portal the first time around, and promptly had to scrap this entire review and start again from scratch!

The Portal end of the Mari0 experience is smoothly put together with smart puzzles that, while occasionally quite difficult, never stray into the realms of the barely possible, and the game strikes a good balance between problem solving and platforming skills. The graphics are distinctive, and the transplantation of our bright, blocky hero Mario to a clinical, laboratory setting of whites, greys and blues works very well on an aesthetic level.

The option of up to four player gameplay makes everything go a bit bonkers, with four multicoloured Marios bouncing around the screen at one time, and a user friendly map editor allows for plenty of distraction from the goal at hand! The game's producers have already added some player designed (I assume) downloadable content to the game, including the aforementioned acid trip level (complete with a "press down to take drugs" option) and a map pack featuring the levels from the Japanese release of Super Mario Bros.

Mari0 has hidden depths, and with a level editor and a producer that shares downloadable content it has massive potential. With its update to the Super Mario Bros. experience it is very much a successful case of teaching an old dog new tricks, and this re-working of the classic platformer stands up on its own as brilliant, even without the Portal levels and downloadable content.

Download the the game here (from the StabYourself website).

Wizorb (PC/Mac/Linux/XBLA)

2012-04-26T22:52:00.002+01:00

I've always had a deep love/hate relationship with brick breakers. I can literally smell the fresh scent of pre-made chain restaurant pizza wafting over to the small corner in which my nemesis lay waiting. This particular purveyor of pizza pie held within its confines an original Arkanoid machine, and circa 1987 or so, I often found myself begging my poor parents for quarters to give those colorful bricks a good thrashing just... one... more... time.

See, brick breakers tap into one's compulsive mind - those with a need for order, complete elimination of barriers, or an eye for precision can be irresistibly drawn to the unforgivable nature of these old-school paddle controlled games. Not much has changed in the genre, however - from Atari's original Breakout to modern day casual games such as Brick Breaker Revolution 3D, we're continually met with the same old "move the paddle, hit the ball, don't die, occasionally grab a laser and shoot" pattern.

I had hoped, then, that Wizorb would put a fresh face on this tired genre. Wizorb is brought to us by Tribute Games and Johnathan "Pixeltao" Lavigne, who also worked on the River City Ransom throwback Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game and the indie classic platformer Ninja Senki.

From the first glance of the gorgeous promotional art, to the in-game screenshots it's clear this title aims to bring back the magic of NES-era retrogames with a unique pixellated style. Although it's not blatantly stated on the official site as of now, the game also appearsto offer a number of RPG-style elements, including an arsenal of magic spells that can be cast, a town (with townsfolk!), a navigatable overworld, shops in which items can be purchased, etc. Let it be said clearly that I was definitely excited to play this game - wouldn't it be wonderful if a genre that I somewhat enjoy (brick breaker) could be fused with my favorite genre of game (RPG)?

Not to burst the proverbial bubble, but that fusion was not to be. Wizorb left me a bit disappointed. No, actually more than a bit, as I really wanted to love the daylights out of this title. It's no fault of the gameplay, though. Wizorb is a solid breakout clone, but not even 5% RPG. Initially, you're plopped into the town of Tarot, which is nestled in the fantasy kingdom of Gorudo. Tarot has been leveled by evil monsters, and it's up to you to help the villagers repair the town (and save some kidnapped kids, apparently.) You can navigate through the little burg as if it were an unfound title in the Final Fantasy series, speaking to fine folks and even one furry friend, most of whom will ask you for cash (but we'll cover that later.)

Once you trek off to the first group of stages, though, it becomes clear that this is no RPG. There's no leveling, no classes, no quests. There are some 'epic' end-of-stage bosses thrown in, but that's about all. Once your character, Cyrus, morphs into his little magical sphere (I wonder if that's a painful transformation?) he's off to smash bricks, crates, bushes, and various monsters shuffling about, with only his magical paddle to keep him from falling into the undefined abyss that is the bottom of the screen. Once in a while, you can use a key to break into bonus rooms or enter shops to purchase extra lives and other powerups.

This is perhaps where Wizorb does deviate from the standard formula, even if only by a small amount. Cyrus can wiggle his magic hands (although I'm not sure how he does this in ball form) to invoke some pretty cool powers. Some are as pure as unleashing a fireball at a block or baddie of your choice, others allow you to control the ball directly in order to get that hard to reach nook or that one last block that just won't die. While you play, potions will fall from certain blocks or crates that allow you to replenish your magic, which is a finite resource that you learn to control quickly, lest you be caught with a stubborn block in a bad place and no spells available to vanquish it.

Coins will also fall from the various broken bricks and crates, which allow you to purchase items from the shops as well as help the townspeople repair their village. Bestowing a gift to the villagers brings you a gift in return, such as an extra life or a 'rampart' that acts as a temporary shield to prevent you from losing a life in the event of a few missed balls. That's where the involvement with the town seems to end, though, and I was very disappointed to see the interaction there was severely lacking.

Overall, I can't state enough how much I wanted (and still want) to absolutely love Wizorb. It seemed to have it all: to-die-for pixel art, old-school chiptune soundtrack and retro gameplay with a twist. After playing for a while, I was left with the impression that the fact that Wizorb is, in its distilled form, simply a Breakout clone with an RPG flavored retro skin. This will probably be both the best and worst thing about it in the eyes of gamers.

For me, I almost dreaded loading up a new level to see whatever configuration of square obstacles lay before me, knowing that I'll have to slowly eliminate them all with only a few spells to save me from the monotony of doing so; the irony being that I most often used those spells to actually avoid playing the game and finish the level more quickly, hopefully to see something more interesting in the next stage. From the perspective of someone who both loves and hates the Arkanoid genre, I can say that Wizorb could have been so much more with some deeper RPG elements.

For example, Cyrus could have advanced levels, with higher chains of broken blocks awarding higher portions of experience. He could have had spell upgrade trees, allowing players to select magics that appeal to their play style. The ball could have been faster, the challenges deeper. The top-down town and exploration mode could have been expanded dramatically, pulling players into the world of Gorudo. Equippable outfits and gear could have given Cyrus unique abilities or changed the ball's behavior. Coins could be used to purchase unique paddles with different designs. The paddle could have 'gem slots', allowing players to replay stages to collect the rarest gems offering the best upgrades. It could have had a random endless mode.

None of those things happen in the game. For me, it's safe to say that while this is an absolutely gorgeous game with tight gameplay, it breaks a lot more bricks than boundaries. Unless you're a die-hard fan of the genre, you may be left wanting more.

However, it's worth mentioning that this title offers a lot of gameplay for its low price, currently sitting at about $2.99 USD / £1.99. I don't feel bad about my purchase at all, given that it supports the efforts of the developer and it is such a well made, beautiful game.

Buy the XBLA version of the game here (from the XBOX Games Marketplace).
Buy the PC/Mac/Linux version of the game here (from the Tribute Games website).

Fez (XBLA)

2012-04-26T22:25:00.000+01:00

After five years of development Fez was always going to have to be pretty special to impress. Fortunately, it is, and does.

Gomez is a 2D fellow living happily in his 2D world, until he is given the game's titular Fez and inherits the ability to rotate the world 90 degrees. That is as much plot as you need. Thus each room or tower becomes four interlocking areas to be traversed in 2D. Once rotated, any surfaces that appear to be connected (from the current viewpoint) behave as if they are connected. Whilst this is a device we've seen before (albeit in a more M.C. Escher like way) in Echochrome, it feels fresh and unforced here. After very little time playing you have adjusted to this 3D way of thinking and are happily guiding Gomez around platforms that would otherwise be insurmountable by deftly rotating the world - conveniently mapped to the shoulder buttons. The aim of the game is to collect the 32 golden cubes spread throughout the levels, most of which have been split into 8 smaller shards. And thus, in a very Super Mario-esque way, you are left to collect shiny things in a beautiful landscape.

The platforming is responsive and very forgiving – no health, no real enemies to speak of, and death from dropping too far results in instant respawning from where you leapt from. Unlike a lot classic platformers, there are no numbered stages and levels are connected through numerous doors – some of which are locked and require using one of the keys Gomez chances across - some only open when Gomez has a certain number of cubes. Despite locked doors, from the word go there are a lot of areas to explore. Initially this is slightly intimidating, and unfocused wandering around collecting shards of cube is the order of the day. Some sections require some fairly simple puzzle tasks to be solved to navigate areas, valves to be opened to change water levels, sections of the landscape to be rotated in 3D, or (at its most taxing) timed platforming jumps.

At this point the fear sets it. Something along the lines of "This is not presenting much of a challenge, and I am collecting cubes at a rate that'll mean I've finished it well before I feel I have got my money's worth." The player's opinion is probably also not aided by a map screen (which adds new areas as you first visit them) and never quite makes the world intuitive to navigate - thus players can find themselves occasionally wandering aimlessly through areas they have already been to. And the game might actually crash once in a while – unforgivable for a console game (in this reviewer's play-through there were two crashes, both of which ejected to the Xbox dashboard – but the auto saves are so frequent it caused little more than a slightly worrying inconvenience). Developers Polytron have acknowledged this problem and are hoping to issue a patch as soon as possible.

So given the above paragraph, how can this game possibly be deserving of the 5/5 score? Simply by offering the determined player so much fun. Taking it's inspiration from Nintendo's Super Mario series, the game is full of secrets. Rooms are full of runes to be decoded, and every nook and cranny has something tucked away in them – often taking the form of a cryptic puzzle to solve. Some are obvious – it's probably not too much of a spoiler to suggest that most people would spot a QR code painted on a wall and realise it might be helpful to decode it – and solving one of these mysteries rewards the player with an anti-cube. There are 32 of these this in the game, making 64 cubes in total, although only 32 (of any colour) are required to 'complete' the game.

Completion is (literally) only half the story though, once finished you can start a 'New Game+' which continues from where you got to, with a distinctly game changing addition (which I shall not spoil here), allowing the completion of cubes that would have been previously impossible.

Once you have gotten to this stage it is time to allow your O.C.D. to kick in and return to the map – which, despite being slightly unhelpful to navigate, does give information as to which areas have yet to give up all their secrets. And so the hunting begins. It is a long time since I felt the need to take notes as I played through a game, jotting down things I saw on walls that might come in handy later, or trying to decipher the language being used in the game. These things, that seemed initially like design choices to create mystery and add flavour really are the mysteries to be solved. You know that the scraps of paper that Gomez finds give clues to something... but the game doesn't tell you what. You are expected to deduce, and work at solutions – in a game that has such rudimentary platforming challenges, it is refreshing to see a complete lack of hand-holding with the puzzles. It feels almost akin to a point-and-click game in so far as the tests are cerebral and half the game is trying to work out what it is trying to ask you to do.

Without doubt this is where the game shines – it takes a force of will to not resort to looking answers up on the internet – but to do so would be to miss out on most of Fez's delights (and the feeling of achievement when you crack a puzzle). Retro gamers will love the delightful homages to the past – whole areas that look like Gameboy or VirtualBoy games, a crashing NES, nods to Zelda and utterly delightful low res pixel art. It is clear that lead designer Phil Fish has a genuine fondness for all things Nintendo. Yet, despite Fez sharing it's 2D-in-a-3D-world with Paper Mario, this is a lazy comparison – Fez might actually owe more to the Super Mario Galaxy games – with their short discreet levels that are quickly unlocked, and a willingness to have great new ideas used for a single level, then not explored again. Fez is full of this – smile inducing devices are found all over the game, but ideas not are spread thinly, perhaps only used once or twice. The notion of returning to the game after it is 'complete' is also very Nintendo – 100% completion on this (or Galaxy) is only half the game – and certainly not where the real challenge lies.

The naysayers will point out that the artwork is very reminiscent of Cave Story, and that the game is too short (poppycock if you are actually solving these challenges for yourself), but everyone who enjoys some lovely platforming, and a sense of wonder (at both the game world, and the puzzles) should buy this immediately – it joins the hallowed list of Braid, Limbo, Portal and Super Meat Boy that every Xbox owner should own. Unreservedly recommended.

(Fez can be purchased from the XBOX Games Marketplace for 800 Microsoft points. A free demo version is also available).

Buy the game here (from the XBOX Games Marketplace).

Soulless (Preview) (C64)

2012-04-14T01:23:00.000+01:00

Psytronik Software have already done an amazing job of giving a detailed preview of our joint upcoming release from Endurion, Smila and Encore, but as a latecomer to the Soulless publishing party I felt that I could also offer my first impressions and experiences of playing the game from a fresh perspective. So, here it is, my long overdue Soulless preview write-up, less than a month away from the proposed release date!

For those of you who haven't heard of the game, Soulless is an exploratory platformer that sees you playing the role of a betrayed King who has been transformed into a beast and trapped within an subterranean prison, your mission being to gather the soul-stones hidden throughout the underworld in order to regain your humanity. Once you have all twelve stones (by searching objects scattered about the rooms Impossible Mission style) you'll need to navigate to the temple at the top of the 70+ screen map and arrange them in the order shown via clues in various rooms around the underworld dungeons. The locations and order of the stones is randomised at the start of each game so it cannot be beaten via a process of elimination over repeated plays - to complete Soulless you'll need to return to the lost art of *writing down notes* every time you play; which (as a fan of classics like Lords of Midnight back in the day) was an experience that I found to be both enjoyable and nostalgic.

As detailed in the aforementioned Psytronik article, Soulless will be available as a digital download, cassette, disk and cartridge - and the physical versions of the game will come complete with what can only be described as an awesome bundle of extras. Each copy of the game includes a huge game map (with a Soulless poster on the other side) and a CD containing the game OST as audio tracks, digital copies of all formats, soul-stone sheets and an exclusive making-of interview - but the jewel in the crown has to be the CD-inlay mini-comicbook that Smila has illustrated to provide the background story (and instructions). I haven't seen this much dedication to the presentation of a C64 game in years!

However, don't be fooled into thinking that all of these extras are provided to distract from a weak game. On the contrary, Soulless is the best C64 platformer I've played since Knight 'n' Grail and is superior to the majority of original-generation games too. Graphically it is a masterpiece, looking a little like Antriad, but with a larger play window and far flashier details, the backgrounds giving a real sense of atmosphere and the moody soundtrack provided by Encore fits the game perfectly.

Gameplay-wise, the first few introductory screens (where you escape from your prison and enter the main game area) may give the false impression that it's a simple jump-and-avoid linear flick-screen romp, but as soon as you make it past the first guardian things really start to fall into place, with the first room providing you with a spawn/recharge point and multiple routes to take.

Normally I'm not a fan of mixed graphics modes, but Smila and Endurion have come up with a design that looks amazing, with neither hires characters or wide-pixel graphics looking out of place. I'm particularly fond of the search 'progress-bar' that pops up - especially the fact that it remembers how far you have searched an object so you don't need to start over again if you are interrupted by a rampaging critter - even if you leave the screen!

It's not all about jumping and searching either - to progress through the underworld you'll need to do a bit of back-tracking with keys to get past obstacles, but thankfully the spawn points are littered around quite generously so you need not cover a huge amount of covered ground should you die. Having said that, there are still plenty of nail-biting moments when you're down to your last hit point and a few screens from safety! And you never know when you'll find a bonus item hidden in an object either - from points-awarding gold and rubies to enemy-destroying magic and quaffable health potions, there's plenty of treasure to be had...

Although undeniably challenging (with time and dedication needed to win), the game is never unfair - we've playtested throughout development and have made changes and tweaks when anything niggled us in the slightest. Some people will doubtlessly complain about the fact that the Soulless beastie has a fixed jump (you cannot control his direction when in mid air), but quoting Smila, "this is the way the game was designed"; experiments have shown that changing the jumping physics adversely affects the gameplay and screen design.

As well as the random nature of the soul-stones making Soulless very replayable (with time-taken and score being announced each time you complete it), the amazingly well-crafted intro - and suitably triumphant outro - make it a game that you'll want to boot up to impress visiting retrofans. Like the packaging, the level of attention to detail here is oustanding. The animated intro sets the scene, with cute little animated sprites acting out the Kings transformation and exile whilst the story is told via text displayed at the bottom of the screen and a brooding score plays in the background. For a game developed by a three man team in just a few months, there's a lot of content here.

Ultimately, time will tell whether or not the game deserves the status of modern classic, but from where I'm sitting (in an admittedly biased position) I find it hard to imagine any reviews being unfavourable. It has been an honour to have been part of the testing team and I'm really excited about getting my hands on the final build.

Soulless will be available to buy on C64 cartridge from RGCD, and disk, tape and digital download from Psytronik Software next month.

R-Type (128K Remake) (CPC)

2012-04-12T21:41:00.000+01:00

It's been 25 years since the release of the genre-defining shoot em up R-Type, and a quarter century on the Evil Bydo Empire is nowhere near defeated! R-Type was ported over to the Amstrad CPC back in 1988, but that version (based on the Spectrum code) was more than a little lacklustre. Now, we've already seen one CPC port made over and rebuilt into something better this year (the brilliant Bubble Bobble For CPC) and this rebuild of R-Type certainly outshines the original CPC port of the game.

A flashy intro kicks off R-Type 2012 (not its real title but since I'll be doing a bit of comparisons between the two games it's fit for purpose) and it's difficult to not make the decision that this is indeed an entirely superior remake just from this alone! A solid chiptune soundtrack underlines a palette of cool blues and blacks as the technical specifications of our R-9 fighter appear, and it's all looking very polished indeed. I imagine it's easy to storyboard a passable, bare bones intro for any game (correct me if I'm wrong!) with just a few explosions, a bit of action and, let's say, the title flying in from over the horizon then exploding, or something. In contrast, absolutely tons of work appears to have been put into this remake's intro, a slow buildup of tension leading to the big reveal of the title screen.

I know I've banged on a lot about the intro just now, but it really sets the game off to a good start. It also sets a precedent, raising the bar for the action that follows. From takeoff it's clear that this is a faithful remake of R-Type, the level design is almost exactly the same as the original CPC port, but with bolder, bigger reworked graphics. Gameplay keeps up with the improved graphics as well. Bear in mind that the gulf of quality between the remake and original CPC port of Bubble Bubble that I mentioned earlier was huge, and this was partially to do with how shoddy the original was. In the case of R-Type the original material is already fairly decent, but the improvement is no less impressive.

R-Type 2012 plays a lot faster than its older predecessor, and smoother too. I have to confess that I've always found R-Type a pretty hard game to play in any format, and managed to get further into the original than I did the remake. The structure of the game is pretty much unchanged; the attack waves all seem virtually identical to those in the original, with larger enemies taking the same number of hits to kill, and this attention to detail is commendable.

The soundtrack also improves on the original; well, the original lacked background music so anything would be at least some kind of improvement, but the sound effects have been improved as well. They were inarguably tinny back in 1988 and the remake pushes the CPC's sound chip fairly hard to deliver some pleasing sounds a world away from the percussive, trebly pops that signified explosions.

This remake of R-Type matches the standards set by ports on other formats, and provides yet more bragging rights as to what the CPC can do. It has beaten the hell out of me several times, but that's just the way of R-Type.

Download the game here (from the Easter Egg website).
Run it using WinAPE (freeware).

Knight 'n' Grail (C64)

2012-04-12T00:42:00.002+01:00

Any readers of my past reviews may have me down as a dyed-in-the-wool Spec-chum. That I cannot deny – not would I ever wish to. But I have a confession to make: I may, in my youth, have... dabbled with other machines. Primarily, I am talking about our friend the C64, of the colourful graphics and (comparatively) 'rocking' SID chip.

I have been impressed by the quality of new Spectrum games I have encountered recently, but the C64's Knight 'n' Grail from Wide Pixel Games occupies a higher plane. In terms of graphics, audio, game design, storyline, gameplay, general polish – and any other factor you might care to mention – it is exceptionally good.

I believe it is important to the game-playing experience for the whole package to be excellent, and that starts with the packaging, instructions and storyline. The first two are difficult to experience if downloading a game and playing on an emulator, but Knight 'n' Grail excels with its powerful and perfectly pitched story that quickly transports you to the action. The scene is expertly set for the beginning of the game, but there is much left unsaid that you will discover as the game unfolds. The narrative voice continues into the game, with tablets of stone offering direction and warnings throughout.

Knight 'n' Grail is a huge, detailed arcade adventure with the emphasis firmly on action. The game's world draws the player in and enthralls from the very beginning, as your knight approaches a foreboding castle. A gloomy score sets a sombre mood before the game's sound effects come to the fore; the game switches between the two periodically in a way that enhances the atmosphere. Your character sprite is well-drawn: a squat, chunky armoured knight with a frankly massive sword that he appears to drag behind him, poised to strike.

Gradual exploration and swift despatching of enemies is the order of the day as the castle is inhabited by all manner of acid-spitting snakes, pesky imps and fireball-launching stone heads. Contrary to my expectations, your knight launches his blade at enemies with a tap of the fire button, though at this stage your range is limited. You will encounter a number of locked doors blocking your path; the game revolves around finding keys and other objects, weapons, and special powers that allow you to progress. The game is very playable with generally slick controls but I did find that jumping was a little awkward on the occasions when it needed to be just right.

The levels, enemies and backgrounds are very well realised and as you get further in the game the scene changes to mines, sewers, mountain passes, and dungeons. Each level is populated by hostile creatures from ghoulish skeletons that throw their heads at you, to menacing wyverns, to lumbering golems, to unidentifiable creeping slimes. It's creative, atmospheric, and beautifully designed.

There's a puzzle element in Knight 'n' Grail which will involve you travelling backwards and forwards through the game world, though thankfully the 'Well of Wishes' will transport you from one end to the other. You must collect new swords and armours, each named after an element (e.g. Sword of Water or Armour of Lightning) which confer different powers, immunities, shooting styles and ranges on your knight. This adds an interesting variation to the game, where you must select the right weapon for each enemy, and at certain times, select the right armour just to survive. Each new power you earn will allow you to explore new parts of the game – like the Power of Woodpecker that lets you smash through walls, or the Power of Ostrich that lets you jump higher.

To truly succeed, you will need to take on some tough creatures: a huge wyvern is the first guardian you must defeat. It towers over you and showers you with fireballs in between fits of maniacal laughter. Quite scary, actually – but if you have the right armour to protect you, you should be alright. The game ups the tempo at these points with a dramatic soundtrack (which adds to the stress of the situation!) Throughout the game there are a number of equally imposing and impressive guardians; one minor quibble is that the challenge in defeating them is somewhat lacking as it is often straightforward to identify a safe-spot launch your attack.

As you explore, the game automatically draws a map which you can reference at any time. I have to say that without this excellent feature I would not have had a hope of completing the game as it really is labyrinthine and immense.

The object of Knight 'n' Grail is to retrieve the grail of the title and allow your beloved to drink from it to release her from the curse that has cruelly turned her into a reptilian monster. When you eventually find the grail – in a wonderful twist – you need to ensure you have explored the entire game and found every item. If you haven't, your efforts will be in vain and you will experience a tragic failed ending. Luckily, at this point you can pick up the complete game map, which enables you to see the areas of the game you have yet to find.

Knight 'n' Grail has great depth and variety to keep the player entertained. There is a real sense of achievement as you progress, and you will want to keep going until you have completed your quest. I absolutely recommend this game, and the only criticism I can make is that I found the challenge waned a little as I got closer to the end. The main reason for this is that you can collect power-ups that increase your maximum energy from three hits ultimately to over sixteen hits. Coupled with this, there are several 'Runes of Rebirth' which not only allow you to save your game position (an essential feature), but also maximise your energy. Some later passages in the game are also easier than parts of the castle, when the game should be on a gradual upward difficulty gradient.

This is a fabulous game and, as a self-confessed Spec-chum, it pains me only a little to wholeheartedly recommend it! It uses the full capabilities of the C64 and in terms of graphics and sound it is spot-on, but its real strength is in the brilliant game design and its enduring depth – Knight 'n' Grail had me glued to the screen from start to finish.

Knight 'n' Grail is available to buy from Psytronik Software as a digital download (£1.99), budget disk (£8.99) or premium disk (£12.99). There are of course less-legal ways in which to obtain a copy of the game, but here at RGCD we firmly believe that Wide Pixel Games and Psytronik deserve your support!

Buy the game here (from Psytronik Software).
Run it using VICE (freeware).

Oracle III (C64)

2012-04-10T00:49:00.000+01:00

Originally completed in 1995, Oracle III was developed in the twilight years of the C64's commercial existence, and as such it suffered the same fate of many games of that period in that it failed to find a publisher. However, miraculously the game that everyone thought was lost recently reappeared on CSDB in 2006, and a few more years down the line Art Project Studios finally managed to get their game out on (digital) shop shelves via retro publisher Psytronik!

This one completely slipped under my radar when it was released at the end of 2011, and despite not being a huge puzzle game fan I thought I'd take a gamble on the £1.99 download to show my support. And as it happens, this turned out to be a gamble worth taking - Oracle III is a fantastic and original game with high quality production values and a huge amount of levels to beat.

At it's core, Oracle III is a tile matching game - a genre that I usually loath - but the twist here is that instead of controlling a generic cursor you move about a little frog (or Free-Roaming Object Grappler, to be precise) who has to ride the tiles around the screen in order to join them together. So from you starting point, every time you move on from two or more connected tiles of the same pattern they vanish - and when you need to move tiles from one area to another you have to repeatedly swap them around each other by jumping between them every time you move. This gives the over-saturated match-x genre a refreshing arcade feel, whilst still requiring a good deal of cerebral prowess in order to progress through the more difficult levels.

But I'm jumping forward here - lets talk a little about first impressions. Upon loading the game you are initially presented with a cracktro-style intro screen (complete with logo, a bouncing sprite and fading credits text), clearing show the game's scene roots. Its obvious that a lot of work went into the presentation, and it makes a refreshing change to many other modern homebrew games that throw you straight into the action without building up any atmosphere beforehand. Oracle III wants you to know that it's a special game from the outset, and this intro is certainly a great start.

Following this, the player is faced with a rather ominous looking full-screen of text options, but ultimately it's pretty simple - select difficulty, turn on or off background graphics and music/sfx, set your lives and frog colour. Each difficulty setting has 32 screens to solve (with a fourth difficulty unlocked after mastering the hard setting), meaning that there are 128 to beat in total. Not only that, but you have just a few lives and five credits in which to achieve this - and with no passwords Oracle III is far from a casual affair, requiring time, practice and dedication to beat.

The game features an incredible amount of content, with a wide variety of background graphics (although on some levels the game can be less confusing if you turn them off) and an excellent ambient SID soundtrack that is more than worthy of the bonus OST-CD release that is packaged with the premium disk version of the game. However, I can't end this review without picking at a couple of small things that niggled me whilst playing.

I suspect that like me, the majority of C64 gamers these days don't have the time it would take to beat all 128 levels in one sitting. As I played the downloadable version through VICE, this wasn't a major issue as I could save my game via a memory snapshot - but I can't help but feel that a password system would have been a great addition to the game. Having said that, at least it isn't necessary to actually beat all the intelligence-insulting Easy and not-much-harder Medium levels to win - I'm told that the game can actually be completed by beating the 32 Hard and unlockable 32 Professional levels only, although I haven't been able to achieve this myself yet.

I say 'yet' here because Oracle III is definitely a game I'll be returning to again. What I've played so far I've thoroughly enjoyed, and considering I'm not usually a fan of the genre (read as 'a match-x hater'), this is quite an achievement. Sadly there's no demo version available, but if this review has at all piqued your interest then I'd certainly recommend that you give the super-cheap £1.99 digital download a go - although to be honest, after hearing the soundtrack I'm almost regretful that I didn't buy the £10.99 premium version to get the included OST CD.

Buy the game here (from Psytronik Software).
Run it using VICE (freeware).

Frogs (Atari XE/XL)

2012-04-09T00:44:00.000+01:00

Vulnerable to just about everything and facing the possibility of a watery death at every single move in the pond, frogs have a hard life - or at least that's what Agenda would have you believe in their recent Atari XE/XL release. In fact, I've found Frogs to be such an incredibly difficult game that it has taken me several hours to beat the first screen - a feat I was determined to achieve before writing this review, and one that I've since been unable to repeat. Growing up in the 1970/80's, I'm well aware that 8-Bit games are historically famous for being challenging, but Frogs takes this to a whole new level. In fact, the description 'NES-hard' has now lost a good deal of it's threat for this jaded gamer, with this humble little title completely resetting the difficulty benchmark here at RGCD towers.

Released (and placing 3rd) at the SillyVenture demo party game-development competition last year (2011), this deceptively cute little game sits somewhere between the puzzle and arcade genres, combining reactionary avoid 'n' collect gameplay with a mind-boggling alternating turn-based movement - with a single player controlling two frogs on one joystick in the same manner that normal two-player games are played hotseat. Confused? Try actually playing the game to experience this feeling tenfold.

You start each single screen level with a frog placed in the top-left and bottom-right corners of the screen, with the rest of the arena full of hazards and collectables laid out randomly each game. Your goal on each stage is to collect all the green apples whilst avoiding the toxic brown ones, lilly-flowers, bugs, snakes and dragonfly. The lilly-pads provide a safe haven and the pebbles can be pushed around to block enemies, but with the bizarre control method this is a lot easier said than done. Maybe my brain just isn't wired up the right way, but whilst playing I found it impossible to keep an eye on what was happening to one frog whilst moving the other - and all to often I found myself completely cross-eyed, thinking that I was going to move one but actually controlling the other (which nine times out of ten resulted in instant death). Ultimately, after watching what must be a ninja-robot playing Frogs in the youtube video below and comparing it against my pathetic method of play (which involves frantically trying to get one frog on the lilly-pad and then attempting to collect the remaining apples with the other one), I think it's time for me to throw in the towel.

To be honest, this game deserves a decent score in many respects because it ticks all the right boxes; it's an original game idea with great graphics and sound, marred only by what I can only describe as non-intuitive controls - not to mention the fact that it's just screaming out for a simultaneous two-player mode. Despite being a little difficult to see against the brown-coloured swamp background, the pondlife all seem to follow set patterns, the hearts are offered generously and in theory it should be simple enough to master. Quite possibly you'll have more luck doing so than me.

I know when I'm beat - and I have well and truly met my retro gaming Nemesis in Frogs.

Download the game here (from Fandal's website).
Run it using Atari800Win Plus 4.0 (freeware).

C64 16KB Game Development Competition Prize: 1970's Commodore LED Watches

2012-04-07T23:52:00.001+01:00

In these days of online sales, ebay and amazon, it's not very often that I bother to walk into Exeter to visit my local computer shop (Titan Computers) - but man, am I pleased that I did. After observing the fact that the shop held a mini 'retro museum' (which included a Sinclair C5!) I opened up a chat with the manager to complain about the lack of Commodore hardware on display - and before long my jaw was on the floor as he told me an almost unbelievable story about how he had come into the possession of thousands of new, unused, original Commodore LED watches from the 1970's.

Back then Phil worked in a Dixons store, and although initially popular and undeniably cool, LED watches became completely obsolete almost overnight when low-battery usage Quartz LCD technology became available. As more and more LCD watches took up shelf space, LED watch sales plummeted, and it wasn't long before manufacturers began recalling them for recycling.

Not wanting to see the watches wasted, Phil enquired as to whether or not it would be possible to buy some of the dead stock from Commodore - and a short while later he became the owner of over 3000(!) watches and parts, bought at a frankly ridiculous knock-down price (using money borrowed from his parents). After initially managing to sell a few here and there, it wasn't long before he began to regret his purchase - as the 1980's and 1990's rolled on he still had a garage completely full of unwanted watches, and he even considered dumping the entire lot for scrap. But then in the 2000's Yahoo Auctions and later ebay matured into an easy way of shifting this insane quantity of vintage hardware for a decent price. Check out his seller page here - note that he's been a ebay member since 2001!

So, a short while later I walked out of the shop with my very own, genuine Commodore LED watch. And being the top bloke he is, Phil has offered RGCD three more identical watches as prizes for our C64 16KB game development competition - and at an sale value of just shy of £100 each, I cannot express in words how totally awesome this is.

The moral of the story? Visit your local IT shop once in a while and help keep face-to-face independent specialists in business - you never know what retro treasure you'll find lurking at the back of the store.

Retro News Update

2012-04-07T22:49:00.000+01:00

It's all go here at RGCD HQ, and even with our new team members we've been unable to give all the games that have come out recently the full coverage they deserve! So, whilst we struggle to catch up with our backlog of reviews, here's a quick update on the stuff we've missed. There's quite a lot here, so get ready with that scroll-wheel...

Verminest '83 & Boxed Copies of Locomalito's Games For Sale! (PC)

Starting with the PC news first, our good friend Locomalito has not only released a special early coin-op 'coloured' version of his recent blast Verminest (it now looks even more like a suped-up version of Galaga), but he's also made the decision to make boxed copies of his back-catalogue of widely acclaimed games available to buy! The games themselves are of course still free to download - the boxed copies are offered as a 'gift' for people who make donations, with around 30 Euros for one game or 90 for all five. Grab yours today from here.

Fallout Now Available For Free Download! (PC)

Now, I'm sure you've all got a copy of (or at least played) the original Fallout, yeah? No?! Well in that case, head over to www.gog.com, register as a new user and get your own DRM-free copy of Black Isle Studios' classic post-apocalyptic RPG. Huge thanks to the gog team for making this happen!

Zytron II (PC)

Hardcore C64 fans might recall an old shoot 'em up called Zytron: Mega Blast that was sold exclusively through Zzap64 back in the mid 1990's. Well the big news here is that the coder, Kevin Murphy, is back with a PC-based sequel published through our partners over at Psytronik Software - and it's a huge improvement over the somewhat primitive original.

An innovative blend of Geometry Wars style game-play and a traditional side-scrolling shmup, Zytron II is available to buy on disc and via download for £9.99/4.99, and even comes with a copy of the original game (for use with emulators or real hardware)! So round up three of your friends and give the playable demo a shot - we'll be featuring a review in the near future.

Orbitron: Revolution (PC)

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Defender, so when I heard that Firebase Industries had released their formally XBox Live exclusive arcade-blast Orbitron: Revolution on the PC I had to grab a copy. Sadly I've not had an opportunity to give it my full attention yet, but going by first impressions I'd have to give it a tentative thumbs-up - especially considering the low sale price of £2.99.

With it's three game-modes, intense high-speed blast 'em up action and AAA-quality visuals that are more than slightly reminiscent of the Designers Republic's work on the Wipeout franchise, I'm looking forward to giving this a thorough play-test over the coming weeks.

Mutant Storm Reloaded, Titan Attacks & Wizorb Now Available On Steam! (PC)

I've recently been on something of an indie-gaming spending spree, and these three are definitely worth checking out if you've got a few pounds burning a hole in your pocket. First up, Pom-Pom games have released another of their formally console-exclusive titles on Steam, and at £3.99, Mutant Storm Reloaded is an absolute steal. A must for arena shooter fans, it's only surpassed (in my humble opinion) by the sequel-of-sorts Mutant Storm Empire - and hopefully that'll be the next pompom release to receive the Steam treatment.

Titan Attacks is another pocket-money priced retro blast - and although the original non-Steam version has been around for years, it's still a fun and ever-so-slightly casual take on the Invaders genre that deserves your attention. In fact, it plays a little like Taito's Super Space Invaders; with the alien aggressors attacking in a wide variety of craft and formations each level presents a fresh challenge - which is certainly something that the original lacks. At £2.99 who can possibly say no?

The cheapest of the bunch at £1.99, Wizorb has recently arrived on Steam - and thankfully the critical 'no-sound-in-Windows-XP' bug has finally been fixed! Yes, this beautifully presented mash-up of Arkanoid and console-RPG is actually now in a reviewable state - so you can expect a write-up from us soon! ;)

UWOL: Quest For Money (ZX81)

Stealing the thunder a little from our own C64 cartridge release, UWOL - one of the most widely ported 8-Bit games in recent years - has miraculously made an unlikely appearance on the woefully underpowered Sinclair ZX81! I have my doubts as to how playable the game can be with it's character sized pixels and incredibly short-range visibility, but the fact that the Mojons have succeeded in getting the game running on the ZX81 is in itself a newsworthy feat. Check it out over at the Mojon Twins website.

R-Type (Amstrad CPC)

Next up on RGCD's retro radar is R-Type, an new and improved conversion of the original arcade for the CPC by Easter Egg. I've not personally had a chance to load this up yet in an emulator, but our man Ruari is on the case and penning a review comparing it against the original Amstrad port as I type.

Boasting features such as improved graphics, sound and play-speed, multiple game modes and high score saving, I think he'll be hard pushed not to give it full marks!

Birth Order (XBOX)

Wide Pixel Games have deviated from their platform of choice and have followed up their modern C64 classics Knight 'n' Grail and Fairy Well with an XBox Live exclusive, Birth Order. A unique mash-up of board game, Simon-style colour matching and frenetic bullet-hell shooter(!), Birth Order bares Wide Pixel Games' trademark stylish dark artwork in an intelligent shooter that faces the player with waves of enemies that can only be destroyed by using the same colour fire button on the controller.

In anyone else's hands Birth Order would have been a mess, but Mix256 has done an amazing job of taking three seemingly randomly selected game mechanics and using them to craft a well-constructed, detailed and completely original game. Definitely worth the paltry 80 MS point sale price.

Princess Quest (MSX)

We don't get a huge amount of MSX news here at RGCD, which makes it a little unfortunate that the latest game for the system is currently only available to buy as a real MSX cartridge as none of us here have a system to play it on! Princess Quest certainly looks like the kind of Ghouls 'n' Ghosts style platformer we'd enjoy, but in the absence of a demo or downloadable emulator version you'll have to make do with the above screenshot and a short gameplay video. Princess Quest is available to buy for 24 Euros (plus shipping) - and if you buy a copy please drop us a line to tell us about it!

Colorclash (Videopac/Odyssey2)

*Sigh*. I really wish there was more I could tell you about Revival Studios' new game Colorclash, but other than the confusing screenshot above there's hardly any information about the game at all! No video trailer, no playable demo, just a few lines describing what sounds a little like a puzzle-based shoot 'em up, with you having to match up the symbols on the advancing craft with those fired by your ship. Or something.

Anyway, our resident Videopac/Odyssey2 expert Flemming Dupont has vowed to buy a copy in the near future (for 39 Euros plus shipping) so hopefully we'll get a review of this one up soon.

Downfall (Amiga)

Last but by no means least, one of RGCD's former writers (Graham Humphrey) has released his first game on the classic Amiga! Downfall is heavily inspired by a Reboot Atari Jaguar release (also called Downfall), and despite looking a little basic it does at least offer an enhancement over the original in the form of a competitive two player mode!

Downfall is available for free for Amiga hardware and emulators. There are currently some incompatibility issues with pre-OS 3.XX machines, but hopefully these will be addressed soon.

Right, that's the update finished - time to get back to the reviews!

UWOL: Quest For Money Cartridge Available! (C64)

2012-04-06T00:54:00.000+01:00

RGCD are proud to present our very first 64KB cartridge with Albarbi's official conversion of The Mojon Twins' UWOL: Quest For Money. Originally released back in 2010, the C64 port of this superb little platformer has stood the test of time admirably and remains as enjoyable today as was on its initial release. With the ZX Spectrum game designer na_th_an on board, Algarbi rewriting the code and Conrad on soundtrack duties, UWOL's classic arcade design and addictive gameplay translated over to the C64 to create a game that's arguably better than the original - UWOL is more than deserving of it's respectable 8.9/10 score over at CSDB.

This cartridge version by iAN COOG was actually created to test our new 64KB PCBs, but it proved to be so much fun that we just had to look into the possibility of publishing it with The Mojons' permission. After a few quick emails and deals signed and secured, the final release candidate arrived at RGCD HQ ready for production - and now you too can own a physical copy of this great C64 conversion and guide UWOL back through Storm Mansion's cellar labyrinth on his quest for money!

UWOL is both NTSC and PAL compatible, and it's joystick-only control means that it's even playable on the Commodore 64 GS console. The box was created using the promotional artwork by Ferrán Criado, and the game comes in a red cartridge shell complete with a printed manual. It's available to buy now from our online shop at a price of £24/25 (including European/Rest of World shipping).

Mighty Jill Off (Atari XE/XL)

2012-04-06T00:46:00.001+01:00

Anna Anthropy is well known in indie gaming circles; to some, she is controversial - to others, genius. I admire her philosophy and work deeply. Anna brings to the table strong opinions about what gaming should be, can be, and ought to be - challenging developers to embrace games as experiences, as art, and as a mode of expression.

Her latest creation, dys4ia, has garnered much praise and press. Presenting a narrative in the form of classic gaming tropes and colourful pixel art, dys4ia tells Anthropy's story of beginning hormone therapy - in her words, an "it gets better" of sorts for other trans women. I played through dys4ia myself and quite enjoyed it, it was a heartfelt and compelling journey, giving a window-glimpse into a personal challenge many will never have to face, or don't fully understand. This game defines for many a part of who Anna Anthropy is: an out-of-the-box, open-minded indie dev challenging the limits of the medium.

Perhaps, then, the brutal platforming gameplay of Anthropy's 2008 masterwork, Mighty Jill Off, might surprise those who play it if dys4ia was their introduction to her world. Make no mistake - Anna also holds retro gaming dear to her heart, and it shows in what is possibly her best known title.

Mighty Jill Off is a platformer with a twist - an homage to the 1986 classic Mighty Bomb Jack with a brutal difficulty level. Fitting, this... the game incorporates a running BDSM theme. The titular character (whom you play as) is a submissive lesbian with a boot fetish, tasked to climb her dominant Queen's tower after behaving like, in the game's (Queen's) words, a "greedy slut." Her pre-mature boot-licking leads her straight to the bottom of said tower; tasked with climbing back up to the top, you lead Jill jumping through a series of challenging rooms.

While I played the original PC version of Mighty Jill Off some time ago, the focus here is on the 2011 demake of the game, coded by the morons of HAR for the Atari 800XL. (This version won 2nd place in the ABBUC software contest of 2011 and more information on the development of the game is available here.) While most of the BDSM scenes are lost due to the 64KB restrictions of the Atari, the gameplay is matched almost perfectly to the original, with a few subtle differences between the versions; for example, the jump-float technique seems more effective in the Atari demake.

Other than that, the original game mechanics transfer flawlessly, consisting of only three elements: walking left and right, jumping, and floating (the latter of which requires you to tap the fire button to float slowly down rather than plummeting to your demise.) As with other demonically difficult platformers I've dabbled in recently, any failure in Mighty Jill Off is likely due to one's bumbling misstep rather than the game engine. Fortunately, unlike our feline friends (who are limited to nine) Jill has unlimited lives, meaning that all you'll have to do is suck up being whisked away to a previous level checkpoint rather than being booted down (see what I did there?) to the bottom.

While challenging, this title by Auntie Pixelante (One of Anna's other aliases) is certainly very accessible, and the Atari demake gives it due praise and honor. Personally, I almost prefer the visual style of the redux; it seems a little darker, a little more brooding to me, something I find appropriate given that she's climbing a dark tower. Plus, the audio track is, in a word, awesome.

For anyone who calls themselves a indie gamer, Anthropy's titles are a must play, Mighty Jill Off included. The Atari demake is a wonderful way to experience the game, but don't forget to check out the original as well.

Download the original PC version of the game here (from the Mighty Jill Off website).
Download the Atari XE/XL version of the game here (from Fandal's website).
Run it using Atari800Win Plus 4.0 (freeware).

RGCD Online Shop Relaunched & Restocked!

2012-04-06T00:30:00.000+01:00

Regular visitors may have noticed that our shop page has just received a much needed update and restock! After negotiating with our clients, we have decided to make our published catalogue of recent games available to buy on cartridge on a permanent basis. Although we understand that this may upset the collectors out there who initially bought some of last year's titles thinking that they would be a 'limited' release, the truth is that we receive emails on a daily basis asking when/if games will be available again, and it seemed unfair to hold back from the perspective of the game developers and potential customers. So that's it - from now on no one will miss out.

Now for some bad news...

It was bound to happen sooner or later, but to be honest I wasn't expecting quite such a dramatic change. Royal Mail's proposed price increase (due to come in at the end of this month) will result in every parcel we send out costing more than £1 extra - and I'm sorry to say that we will be increasing our shipping-inclusive sale prices towards the end of the month to reflect this. So if you've been debating on whether or not to buy a particular game, please consider doing so now while the price is still low!

Yeti Hunter (PC)

2012-04-04T04:05:00.000+01:00

An established name in the indie scene, Vlambeer are best known for their awesome twitch-arcade game Super Crate Box (which is still awaiting a retrospective review here at RGCD), as well as the infamously app-store cloned Radical/Ridiculous Fishing, flash-based Luftrauser and Serious Sam tribute The Random Encounter. Last September, at Fantastic Arcade they showcased a new first-person shooter with a minimalist attitude - and now it's finally available to the rest of the world, free of charge.

Yeti Hunter has a bit of what I expect from Vlambeer: a tasty lo-fi dressing over simple satisfying gameplay. Dispensing with their usual light-hearted attitude, Yeti Hunter is a tense outing that builds suspense fast. The game mercilessly drops you into a confusing context; it quickly becomes clear the crazy task that lies ahead of you.

Davy Crockett can grin down a "barr", but even he'd be lost looking for a yeti in a snowstorm. It's one hell of a hunt: a snowy grave with pixels bigger than Ken's Labyrinth and more fog than Silent Hill. The whole enterprise of hunting seems unfeasible on the face of it. Yet the deft craftsmanship of Vlambeer shines through and it proves to be a fun time. I'll outline my personal experience to explain why.

My footsteps crunch in the snow as I quickly survey the area. The snow is white, the fog is white, and so every blank pixel must be scrutinized. I have failed at every turn to find my prey, yet always a clue points me forward. Is that a footprint barely etched into the fresh powder? Or is it a flat rock? A mighty growl in the distance? Or is it simply the wind? A shadow of the beast moves... Or is it just snow blowing across a snowbank? Finally, I see an outline. I'm sure of it. I take my shot through the scope and let loose the drums of war. The rhythmic beats punctuate my sprint across the drift as I give chase into that pale green wintry fog. I find nothing. Nothing and the sky dims over me, the night seeps in and I have failed. What little I saw before now hides safe from me in the darkness. I climb a tree, sit, and wait for another chance to kill in the freezing cold.

It can get to you. The depth of sound, more than anything, draws you in. (I'm also sucker for 80s sci-fi synth and the music here matches the visuals perfectly.) I know it sounds silly to be so immersed in a flat 3D environment like this. For me, the simplicity reinforces the uneasy nausea of snow blindness. Even now, I'm staring at the innocent white pixels in notepad, wary of the dust on my monitor. It's a mood that's tough to shake. I never did catch that damn yeti.

(Thanks to Terry Cavanagh's brilliant news site www.freeindiegam.es for the recommendation).

Download the game here (from the game's website).

C64 16KB Cartridge Game Development Competition!

2012-04-03T15:21:00.000+01:00

Following the success of last year's competition, RGCD are proud to announce the start of the C64 16KB Cartridge Game Development Competition 2012!

We are currently in the process of securing prizes and sponsorship, and awards will be given to entries that place 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively.

RULES

So you can get started, the basic rules are laid out below:

The competition deadline is midnight GMT on the 30th November 2012 (this gives you over 6 months of development time).
There will be no competition unless a minimum of six entries are submitted by the deadline.
All submitted games must be in working 16KB cartridge ROM format (help is available to test ROM files on real hardware). Compression is allowed (and encouraged) but the final file size must not exceed 16KB (.crt (VICE) at 16.0 KB (16,464 bytes) or .bin (C64) at 16.0 KB (16,384 bytes)).
The games submitted do not necessarily need to be new, but must be your own work and not released in cartridge format previously. Cartridge ROM hacks will obviously not be accepted.
PAL must be supported, with additional NTSC support optional (but encouraged). If possible, please consider GS compatibility.
The maximum number of single entries from a person or group is set at three. If more entries are made, the applicant has the opportunity to replace a previous entry with a new one.
All applicants that submit a valid entry (see above) will receive one physical cartridge copy of their game for free.
The applicant owns their work, so therefore submitted games will *ONLY* be released for sale at an agreed price via RGCD if the coder expresses a desire to do so.
There will be a panel of judges (announced in full over the coming weeks), and entries will be scored on a point distribution basis across several criteria. The decision of the panel is final.
Judges *CAN* enter games themselves, but cannot self-vote (award points to their own release).

USEFUL LINKS / INFO

The following links may prove useful:

codebase64.org/doku.php?id=base:assembling_your_own_cart_rom_image
unusedino.de/ec64/technical/aay/c64/memcfg.htm

In addition to this, our resident cartridge expert Enthusi has written an ASM cartridge framework that should help people new to the format.

REGISTERING

If you are interested in entering the competition, send us a message via the form on our contact page confirming that you'd like to take part and we will be in touch with more details.

Registered applicants and their entries are listed below:

Achim Volkers (On The Farm III / Untitled Game)
Bago Zonde (Untitled Game)
Endurion (Untitled Game)
Fnac (Twinblaster)
Malcontent (Katabatia)
Paul Koller (Untitled Game)
Richard Bayliss (Untitled Game)
Ron & Wolk / SOS (Monkey Eat Milkey)
S.E.S./Crest (Untitled Game)
Skate & Hydrogen (Untitled Game)
Slartibartfast (Tronscii)
The Mad Scientist (Escape From The Laundry)
Wide Pixel Games (Untitled Game)

SUBMITTING A GAME

You can send in your game via email, yousendit (or other service), upload it to your server or even pop it in the post on a CD-ROM/SD card/etc. but it *MUST* be received/downloaded by us prior to the deadline.

GAME STATUS

On The Farm III (Achim Volkers) (In Progress)

Monkey Eat Milkey (Ron & Wolk / SOS) (In Progress)

THE JUDGING PANEL

We are still in the process of building up a panel of judges, which at the moment includes the following people:

Andy Jenkinson/Uglifruit (RGCD)
Enthusi (Onslaught)
Flemming Dupont (RGCD)
Frank Gasking (GTW64)
Heavy Stylus (RGCD)
Kenz (Psytronik)
Mayhem
Milo Mundt (RETURN Magazine)
Nreive (Retroaction)
Ray Lejuez (RGCD)
Ruari O'Toole (RGCD)

SCORING SYSTEM

The scoring rules are very simple. Depending on the number of entries, the judges will award points to each game over several criteria (as discussed below). If there are 6 entries, 6 points go to the best, then 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 to the worst.

If a panel member has entered a game themselves, then the number of points that they can award will be adjusted (in this example, to 5) and they will not score their own release. This may initially seem harsh (and disadvantageous), but is countered by fairly taking a mean average based on how many people judged each game.

The criteria that each game will be evaluated on are:

Originality/Concept (quality of game design, taking into account originality),
Execution (execution of design, taking into account controls, NTSC/GS compatibility),
Presentation (quality of graphics, audio and overall presentation),
Gameplay (a measure of how enjoyable the game is to play),
Lasting Appeal (replay value, addictiveness).

When the panel has scored each game accordingly, the totals for each criteria will be divided by the number of judges to produce a mean average. These averages are then added together for each game to give a final score.

PRIZES

As well as a free copy of their submitted game on cartridge, there will also be prizes awarded to the entrants behind games that place 1st, 2nd and 3rd (as decided by the judging panel). Many thanks to Titan Computers/LEDWatch, Psytronik Software, Retream, Daniel Krusenbaum and Gareth Darby for their sponsorship!

1st Prize
£150, Genuine 1970's Commodore LED Watch (RRP £90), a signed copy of Psytronik Software's PC conversion of Armalyte, a copy of Retream's excellent multi-platform game BOH & an Easy Flash cartridge complete with Mr. SID's C64 conversion of Prince of Persia (version 1.1).

2nd Prize
£75 Genuine 1970's Commodore LED Watch (RRP £90), a signed copy of Psytronik Software's PC conversion of Armalyte, a copy of Retream's excellent multi-platform game BOH & an Easy Flash cartridge complete with Mr. SID's C64 conversion of Prince of Persia (version 1.1).

3rd Prize
£25 Genuine 1970's Commodore LED Watch (RRP £90), a signed copy of Psytronik Software's PC conversion of Armalyte, a copy of Retream's excellent multi-platform game BOH & an Easy Flash cartridge complete with Mr. SID's C64 conversion of Prince of Persia (version 1.1).

(More prizes will be added to this list as they are confirmed).

Mushroom Kingdom Fusion (Preview) (PC)

2012-04-03T13:24:00.001+01:00

Who here remembers that Mario game where you had access to machine guns and slaughtered other humans on mean city streets? Or the one where you had to climb inside the body of an underwater beast, and then it got all body-horror as you crawled through its guts and fought zombies?

Nobody. But nonetheless, there's one out. It's called Mushroom Kingdom Fusion, it's a fan made game still in its beta stage (v.05, number fans) and it is MENTAL. Almost a year ago, I warned that Sega's legal division would probably rip Golden Axe: Myth (a fan-made prequel to, unsurprisingly, Golden Axe) a new potion-hole but it's still there. Mushroom Kingdom Fusion, on the other hand seems designed to get a variety of companies' litigation guys foaming at the mouth. Throw stuff from franchises including (but not limited to) Zelda, Mega Man, Metal Slug and Halo into the Mario Mincing Machine (which itself sounds like an upcoming Wii release) and this absolutely bonkers, huge fun mess of a game comes out. I dearly hope there's some kind of fair use clause that will protect this delightfully unhinged game from being smashed off the internet by a mega-robot made of lawyers standing on each others shoulders.

A quick caveat: MKF is nowhere near finished. The dial on this game is still set firmly to debugging mode, with every level accessible without beating the previous stage (although there are a few levels on the standard issue Mario world map that can't be entered and I surmise are probably not built yet), areas set aside for tidal mechanics testing and a level close to the starting point which is full of bonuses including 99 extra lives (a reviewer's dream). Despite this it's still a lot of fun. It's a Mario platformer, with loads of other lunatic stuff piled on top, so the producers haven't tried to reinvent the wheel with it - they've just covered the wheel with loads of really cool stuff and then set parts of it on fire.

The game begins with our Italian hero in a familiar looking Mario world. The bonuses, enemies and chirpy music you would expect are there in full effect. Fire-flower pickups, Goombas, Shy Guys, and lots and lots of pipes; it's Mario to the max. But battling through this first world (or at least you will when it's finished, but for now you can simply walk over the map to the pipe leading there) leads to an alternate Earth being invaded by all sorts of multi-dimensional bad guys. There's an especially well-realised Las Vegas level, all neon and funk guitar and pig cops from Duke Nukem 3D. From there the next target is a Mega Man world, and the worlds that follow are all pretty much spectacular. The Nintento Subspace world even features a Tetris level, and a stage where you team up with Bub (of Bubble Bobble fame). Level design seems consistenly good throughout, although a few levels are hard as coffin nails and difficult to beat without picking up the extra lives bonus at the start of the game.

Although the majority of the artwork is clearly ripped from other games, the presentation throughout is brilliant, with lovely weather effects appear in some levels and others (like the aforementioned Las Vegas stage) just ooze atmosphere from every pixel. Seeing Mario dressed as a Halo space marine doing his little running-with-arms-held-out-like-a-little-Italian-aeroplane thing is worth the download alone.

But this isn't a finished game by any means, and it's tough to engage with such an early stage beta as this. Even so Mushroom Kingdom Fusion is a little more gripping than the average beta, and it's certainly got this reviewer's interest piqued; I'm watching and waiting now for further developments and will hopefully even get to review this game once more when it's a finished product. For now, leaping around blowing the hell out of things as Mega Man Mario is keeping me happily occupied.

Download the game here (from the development forum thread).

M-Tanks (MSX)

2012-03-21T19:38:00.002Z

MSXDev is a great competition that injects fresh life into the MSX scene every year. It gave us Heroes Arena, a great homage to the NeoGeo and Konami; Deep Dungeon, a fun mindless roguelike; British Bob, the greatest Elizabethean arcade platformer ever; Caos Begins, a Maze of Galious inspired metroidvania; Dr. Pill, a crazy text adventure; for nearly a decade it's really been the rallying point of fantastic ideas from a hard-working community. If you haven't played any of the games just mentioned, you owe it to yourself to dig deep into the history of the scene. In fact, you might as well, because the game reviewed here just can't compare.

Ruari's recent Mecha 8 review was spot-on. I didn't just agree with every single point; it completely captured my feelings on the entire competition as a whole. What the hell happened this year? I can't be the only one who is depressed by the paltry turnout this time around. Even at its best (with Zombie Incident), I can't say MSXDev '11 was more than "barely competent". And M-Tanks? In what would be considered an afterthought entry any other year, somehow managed to score third.

Yes I know, it's made by a new guy on the block. I'll give some credit to Assembler's first project: his solo effort has some positive qualities. M-Tanks is clearly meant as an update to Atari 2600's Armor Ambush. (I wonder if the "M" in M-Tanks is for the old developers 'M Network'?) In a sense it does play like a long-lost sequel, with expanded multiplayer support, a good variety of levels and modes; it oozes with a sense of purpose. But despite all this, it's marred by some bad design choices.

There isn't any one huge problem holding the game back; it's more like a death by a thousand cuts. In my effort to be kind, I'll allow that perhaps some missteps are intentional design decisions to invoke the era. Although, to be honest, even that doesn't make me feel much kinder towards it.

Let's start with the graphics. It's occasionally difficult (and frustrating) to tell where walls begin and floors end. The shadows blend seamlessly with some decorations and the walls possess no clear demarcations. Hell, if the tank is the same colour as the ground (such as playing the grey tank in the second level), you're literally invisible to yourself and opponents. I know the art style is intentional and this aesthetic isn't an accident, but the execution is irresponsible. It's thankfully not as eye-bleeding as it could be (Mecha 8, I'm looking at you) but that's not really a compliment.

Then there's the snail-paced gameplay and painfully predictable combat. Again, this was likely intentional to give the impression of controlling a slow, heavily armoured tank. But what's the excuse for the horrible firing delay? Is the gunner radioing HQ for confirmation of his target before taking every shot? And are these explosive tank-destroying shells that are being fired, or tins of beans? The number of hits it takes to destroy your opponent suggests the latter. And if all that wasn't bad enough, you still have some pretty terrible AI for company. My suggestion? Find a friend.

It's obvious that a lot of work and thought went into this game; I really wish it came together in the end - and maybe with a bit more playtesting and feedback from the MSX community it would have. Assembler has shown with M-Tanks that he clearly possesses the necessary skill to make a decent game. I'm sure that if he continues to build on this, his next MSX project will fare quite a bit better.

Download the game here (from the MSXdev website).
Run it using blueMSX (freeware).

Sqrxz 3 (PC/Mac/Linux/Dreamcast/GP2X)

2012-03-21T01:30:00.000Z

Do you enjoy going to the gym and performing the same rigorous workout day after day, each time pushing yourself just a little bit further, beyond the threshold to completion and experiencing the rush of victory through a blinding fog of muscle burn? Do you enjoy crunching through a difficult problem, banging your head against the wall for hours, just to find the ultimate answer?

If the answer is yes to both these questions, then Sqrxz 3 is probably the game for you.

The third (yes, third!) in a series of increasingly hardcore platform games, Sqrxz's roots actually trace back to a 1996 DOS game by Marcus Vesterlund and John Holmvall. Jumping forward to 2010, Retroguru, the same label behind the widely-acclaimed Giana's Return remake decided to give this relatively unknown underdog a 21st century facelift and release it on just about every gaming platform available (including the Dreamcast, Amiga, PC, Mac, Pandora and more).

This latest addition to the Sqrxz saga could best be described as a brutal twitch platformer with the soul of EPIC Games' Jazz Jackrabbit, the mechanics of indie darling Super Meat Boy, and the boundless player-hatred brought forth by the Impossible Game. Starting the game, even after bypassing the ominous intro screen, it all feels cute and cuddly. The beautiful hand-drawn intro evokes memories of my 90's PC gaming youth, and the wonderful bouncy demoscene-style music tickles my eardrums.

Lulled into a false sense of nostalgic security, I start the game for the first time and die within mere moments. Second attempt, I die again. Rinse and repeat dozens of times to the tune of cheerful chip music. And that's only for the first few screens worth.

Gameplay in Sqrxz is simple and straightforward, and the play mechanics work well for this style of game - so that's not the reason for my repeated demise. In terms of controls, there isn't even a jump or fire button - only the up, down, left, and right arrows are used (in the Windows version tested). Running and jumping is fast, frantic, and frankly very spot on. I never felt frustrated with the controls; only with my own failure to properly master them to complete a level due to the incredibly devious level design.

Ah yes - completing a level is a real achievement here; this is no Super Mario Bros., let me tell you. Every screen and every block represents a potential death... or escape. Beyond the running and jumping lies a complicated dance of crate-moving, skull-dodging, spike-avoiding and swimming away from acid fish. By way of an illustrated example, in the screenshot below you'd think you could just move the crate to the right, jump over, and be done with it.

However, it isn't quite that simple, as collecting those little rings is mandatory. Plus, beneath the rings lay deadly spikes waiting to make bunny kabobs out of your furry friend. As such, the not-so-obvious solution (shown above) is to move the crate over, jump to the right ledge, jump in between the skeleton moving very quickly left and right in between those two crates, push the right crate off the ledge, allow the skeleton to trap itself in the hole you created move the left crate on the island and drop it into the right side of the pit in which the rings await, jump onto the crate and collect the right ring, then jump off the edge over the pit in order to collect the ring on the left side.

Yeah. This single example, one of dozens of gruelling platforming puzzles the player will face, pretty much sums up the Sqrxz experience. This is certainly not a casual game. Oh, and remember when I mentioned collecting all the rings is mandatory? Finishing a level is an accomplishment enough on its own, but if you do so without grabbing every last trinket, you are told to commit suicide. Whoa.

This mechanic introduces the "Impossible Game" part of the equation. In case one is not familiar, The Impossible Game is a minimalist platformer of sorts that requires not only fast reflexes but also rote-memorization of what happens every step of the way - causing endless replays of each level until you master it in completion, moving just a little bit further each time. However, the rush that can be expected upon finally finishing a level properly is unequalled.

In summary, Sqrxz 3 is definitely not for everyone - and by that statement alone, it will gather a cult following. It builds on the roots of basic platforming, memorization and puzzle-solving with a delightful soundtrack, tight and clean game controls, and colorful pixel art that pops like it's 1994, baby. It's a difficult game to give an overall score because it's target audience is so limited - however, if you're a sucker for punishment and possess ninja-like platforming reflexes and a logical mind, then you'll meet your match with Sqrxz.

Sqrxz is available for Amiga OS4, AROS, Caanoo, Dingoo A320 (OpenDingux), Dreamcast, GP2x, Mac OS X, Motomagx, MorphOS, NetBSD (Intel), Pandora, Playstation Portable (unsigned), Symbian OS Series 60, Symbian OS UIQ3, Ubuntu, Windows and Wiz. Be sure to check out the earlier games in the series and the excellent Giana's Return from the same team.

Download the game here (from the Sqrxz website).

Ms. Particle Man (PC/iOS)

2012-03-19T10:22:00.000Z

Originally created for Alverno Presents: Sexy Results (a post-modern variety show inspired by the search for the elusive Higgs Boson), Picobots' Ms. Particle Man was introduced to the elite crowd at the Turner Ballroom, Wisconsin, in the form of a one-of-a-kind, hand crafted arcade machine. It's a unique inception that matches the equally original game concept, one that is fully entrenched in the serious world of physics yet represented as an unashamedly retro and non-serious videogame about colliding particles.

Ms. Particle Man's simple blocky style, single-screen levels and bright neon colours brings back memories of playing Exidy's iconic classic Venture. However, instead of raiding dungeons for loot, the player's objective in Ms. Particle Man is to collect all the photons in each level, progressing forward to the 'boss particle' with which you must collide to reach the next area. There are three collider worlds, each with varying physics, characteristics, and challenges.

Depending on the platform on which it is played (PC, iOS, web browser and even XBox 360), Ms. Particle Man can be navigated through the levels in a variety of ways. For this review I chose the iOS version, and thus I controlled my spherical, bow-adorned chum (chum-ette?) using swipes. This was an excellent way to mirror an analogue trackball, the control method of choice for the aforementioned custom arcade cabinet designed specifically for it.

At some points, this control system was deeply rewarding. Mastering finely tuned jumps using forceful swipes then gentle, braking counterswipes made me feel like a physics genius. However, at some other points, this control system proved deeply frustrating. One example was a particularly devilish level in which it was necessary to fight strong gravity in a precise manner; it was simply physically difficult to swipe fast and hard enough without obscuring a large quantity of the screen with my ham fists. A minor gripe, but given the challenges with this game on a touchscreen, I can only imagine the precision required to play would be virtually impossible using a keyboard or other means.

Each level presents its own novel challenge, some of them bordering on puzzles that can be solved in multiple ways. The game environment is constantly changing - a level with little specific gravity (but not quite zero gravity, as Ms. Particle Man will come to a stop based on how much force you swipe with rather than staying in motion) will change to a level with the same gravity but a 'paralysis' field, then morph again into a level with moving 'death particles'. And then, later in the game you'll find yourself in the second collider, which offers Earth-like gravity and a standard platformer feel. In addition to this, level design feels unique while the influence from some of the most famous/infamous game franchises of all time is difficult to miss, giving the game a familiar face while remaining a truly new, pleasurable experience.

However, within that pleasure lies a demon we all know and love; the retro demon, with its razor-sharp horns of no continues and dangerous claws of no saves. This game does not fold to the present day tradition of hand-holding and takes the player back to the era where if you wanted to beat the final level you had to play the whole game flawlessly to get there. Ms. Particle Man takes this even further with a brutal time limit; I'm so used to time counters in games simply being for show or for score, but this one is out to disembowel you. Frantically swiping and tapping whilst the clock ticks down while cursing relentlessly is an experience I haven't had in a while... and I liked it.

Add to this a consistent, beautiful retro style, a fun and interesting soundtrack of minimalist bleeps and beats, as well as knowing nods to many beloved vintage game franchises and you have a spectacular, if short-lived, retro modern masterpiece.

Download the game here (from the Picobots' website).
Play the game online here (at the Picobots' website).

Mecha 8 (MSX)

2012-03-19T09:59:00.000Z

There have been quite a few times when I've picked a game to review and then given up on it, not because I disliked it but because I found nothing to write about; basically I just didn't care enough about it to either damn it or praise it. However, that's not the case with Mecha 8, one of the entries in the MSXDev 2011 game design competition.

I really wanted to enjoy this game, and while a few good points stood out in my runs through this vertical scrolling giant robot shoot-em-up there just weren't enough sparks of brilliance to make me fall in love with it.

Mecha 8 plays fast, which is normally a good thing, but a few mechanical flaws let the game down. Taking a single hit from enemy weapons fire instantly removes all weapons and speed upgrades snatched from slain enemies, and in a fast moving game like this (with an inarguably oversized player sprite) getting hit happens a lot. The sad result of this is a game where weapons powerups are dished out to the player and then yanked away again within seconds. The same goes for speed upgrades, which are quickly lost with the first bullet the player's mecha takes.

But now and then I found myself getting on a roll, in that sweet spot, the perfect storm where a speed bonus and a weapons powerup came along together at exactly the right time, and I found myself having more fun than I expected. When Mecha 8 hits its stride it's a fun game, but this is inevitably brief, and within seconds it's back to piloting a lumbering bullet magnet with a peashooter.

The presentation in Mecha 8 is a mixed bag. The player's mecha is portrayed as a wireframe 3D model, which would look really cool on a sparse, minimal background, but just looks odd flying over a more realistic, full-fat city. There have been a few poor choices in the palette stakes as well, with some enemies tending to disappear as their colours become lost in the background. In the game's defence, however, anyone beating through the first level will find that the simpler backgrounds of later stages work much better and there's little to no inconvenient disappearance of enemies. To add even more variety the end bosses appear to have had more time lavished on them than anything else in the game; the first one being especially well realised, with more than a hint of Battletech about it.

The player's robot switching from flying mode to walking mode was quite a nice touch, although didn't appear to change the gameplay that much. At least it shows some creativity, and from the game's unravelling of the storyline as play progresses you cannot deny that the designer has clearly invested in his work - it does look like a lot of love has been put into it.

I've rarely had this many mixed feelings about a game; It would be a lie to say I haven't had moments of genuine excitement playing Mecha 8, but they've been far outnumbered by moments of frustration and I found my motivation to replay running out much quicker than usual.

I can see what the developer was aiming for with this game, and there are a few good ideas in there. Coding a game for a contest obviously adds time restraints, and not everyone does their best work under pressure. Perhaps if there had been more time to work with Mecha 8 would have been a much better game; but as it stands this flying robot (for me anyway) doesn't really make it off the launch pad.

Download the game here (from the MSXdev website).
Run it using blueMSX (freeware).