If you grew up with a Sega Genesis controller glued to your hands, the name “ZPF” probably sounds like some forgotten 1992 arcade cabinet your cool older cousin told you about. In reality, ZPF is a brand-new release from Mega Cat Studios, and after spending time dodging screen-filling laser beams and banging my head against some seriously tough bosses, I’ve got some thoughts.
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If you’ve spent any time in the “survivors-like” or bullet-heaven genre lately, you know the drill: walk around, auto-fire at thousands of enemies, get a dopamine hit from shiny gems, and pray for a good RNG build. But while most of these games lean into retro pixel art, Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel decided to go full “heavy metal album cover” with a gorgeous 3D art style that makes the genre feel properly epic.
I’ve been sinking some serious hours into the Xbox version lately, especially with the recent Conan the Barbarian DLC, and I have thoughts. If you’re wondering if it’s worth your gold, here’s the breakdown.
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If you grew up in the golden age of arcades—or if you’ve just developed a deep appreciation for quirky Japanese retro gaming—you probably know that developer Taito has a bizarre obsession with turning everyday items into weapons of mass destruction. First, it was bubbles in Bubble Bobble. Then came the magical umbrellas.
Recently, ININ Games dropped a delightful little package on the Xbox Store called the Parasol Superstars bundle. Priced at $23.99, this bundle pairs two incredibly charming, umbrella-wielding platformers: the classic Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III and the rare, formerly Japan-exclusive arcade gem Spica Adventure.
If you bought these separately, they’d run you around $33, so the bundle offers a solid discount. But is it worth your time and hard-earned cash? I spent time shielding myself from cartoon monsters and chucking bad guys across my screen to find out. Here’s my breakdown of what makes this bundle an absolute blast.
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If you’ve been waiting to scratch that World War II strategy itch, the wait is finally over. Sudden Strike 5 has officially marched onto Xbox, and after spending a weekend deep in the trenches of the European and North African campaigns, I’ve got some thoughts.
Is it a revolutionary leap forward for the RTS genre, or a nostalgic trip back to the battlefields of the early 2000s? The answer, honestly, is a bit of both.
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Whether you’re a longtime reader of the blog or just joining me for the first time, you probably know my relationship with Formula Legends for Xbox has been a bit of a rollercoaster. As I said in my original review, this is a game that is “gorgeous to look at, but tough to love.” It lures you in with that stunning, retro-stylized aesthetic and then punches you in the gut with a simulation-heavy engine that demands absolute perfection.
Since then, I’ve tracked the game’s evolution through the Raw Power Pack and the experimental Tech Power Pack. Now, developer 3DClouds has released the Iconic Tracks DLC, and I’ve spent the last few days trying to master these new (yet very familiar) circuits.
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For those who have already cut their teeth on the brutal campaign of Dustwind: Resistance, the Canyon Cross DLC offers a compelling reason to head back into the wastes. It’s more than just a few extra missions; it feels like a refined extension of the tactical DNA that made the base game on Xbox so engaging.
Continue readingThe post-apocalypse is a crowded neighborhood in the gaming world. Between the sprawling deserts of Fallout and the frozen wastes of Metro, it takes a specific kind of grit to stand out. Dustwind: Resistance recently made its way to Xbox, and for those who miss the era of high-stakes, isometric tactical combat, it feels like a brutal, rewarding homecoming.
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If you’ve been hanging around the Xbox store lately, you’ve probably seen a thumbnail that looks like it was ripped straight out of a 1930s Disney vault—only, instead of whistling on a steamboat, the mouse is packing a Tommy gun.
I just finished my first full run of Mouse: P.I. For Hire, and honestly? It’s one of the most visually stunning and unapologetically fun shooters I’ve played in years. If you’re a fan of Cuphead’s art style but always wished you could play it as a fast-paced “boomer shooter” like Doom or Bioshock, this is exactly what you’ve been waiting for.
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After staring at non-Euclidean geometry and listening to the haunting echoes of a cello, and frankly, I’m not sure if I’m still entirely “sane.” But if that’s the price for playing through NACON and Big Bad Wolf’s latest masterpiece, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, then call me Wilbur Whateley and sign me up.
If you’ve been following the horror scene this year, you know the hype has been real for this one. It’s finally out on Xbox Series X|S, and after emerging from the depths of the Pacific, I’ve got some thoughts.
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We’ve all had that feeling, right? You’re the last person in the office. The fluorescent lights are humming a little too loudly, the shadows in the corner of the breakroom look like they’re moving, and every creak of the floorboards makes you jump.
Most of us just pack up and sprint to our cars. But in The Empty Desk, the latest indie horror title from JanduSoft, you don’t get off that easily.
I recently sat down with this one on my Xbox, and honestly? I might never look at a cubicle the same way again. Here’s the breakdown of why this lo-fi nightmare is worth your time.
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