The Dungeoning - PC/Mac

Over the last few weeks, I've been delighted to see Nick from Physmo release more screens from their forthcoming game titled The Dungeoning.

Physmo have a growing reputation for releasing quality games, with Mos Speedrun, GhostRacer and Seaglass already under their belt. The Dungeoning is looking splendid so far but when Nick told me this was a Roguelike platformer, I almost cried tears of pure ASCII joy.

The Dungeoning is currently deep in development for PC and Mac, and Physmo have announced the game will feature a variety of weapons, projectile-based magic, levelling up and - most importantly - permadeath.

No release date has been announced yet but The Dungeoning is definitely one to keep your eye on. In the meantime, gaze at this small selection of screens from the current build and head over to the official Physmo site for more information.

The Bridge - PC

There is something quite endearing - and familiar - about The Bridge's lead character. Resplendent in blazer, diamond-emblazoned jumper, well-knotted tie and round spectacles, he is an intriguing fellow - and the mystery behind him and the gravity-defying world he inhabits is just as mesmirising.

The Bridge is a puzzler, which likes to futz with gravity, mess with your sense of perspective and takes great delight in being responsible for melting your brain with its collection of gravity-shifting conundrums.

Clearly taking its visual cue from the head-scratching drawings by Dutch artist MC Escher, The Bridge is a thoroughly absorbing title and one which fuses simple controls with visually complex levels.

The player is able to walk the protagonist left and right and can rotate the screen both clockwise and anti-clockwise, with the ultimate goal of reaching a door which then whisks our smartly-presented gentleman into another, more complicated warped world.

Of course, that sounds simple but The Bridge is anything but. Snaffling keys unlocks these doors, but the act of collecting them is a lot tougher than you might initially imagine. They have a tendency to slip into the ether through gaps in the levels as you gingerly rotate the world, dangle tantalisingly just out of reach and perch precariously on ledges.

Even when you manage to collect these monochrome treasures, you still have to navigate your way to the exit - no easy task, especially when giant grinning stone marbles are intent on erasing you from existence and quirky vortexes like to swallow everything and anything that gets too close. Thankfully, The Bridge lets the player rewind time so they are free to finely tune their tactics and this nifty Prince of Persia-like mechanic keeps the game ticking along nicely.

But even though some of the puzzles are maddening - especially when polarity is introduced - the sublime monochrome pencil sketch visuals and gentle music keep the player engaged and seeing what fresh mental torture awaits keeps the player moving doggedly on.

The Bridge, then, is a rather fine game and like any good puzzler there's a wonderful sense of accomplishment when you finally figure out a level. Polished, brilliantly presented and delightfully devilishly, a stroll across this bridge into another world is a trip you should definitely take.

This review initially appeared on the Gert Lush Gaming website. Thanks to Jim for allowing me to post the review here.

Kentucky Route Zero: Act I

I could ramble on at great length about the first act of Kentucky Route Zero. But instead, I'll merely mention the strange characters, the slick art style, the unsettling atmosphere and the joy of driving around its spindly, monochrome map learning more about this eerie twilight-bathed land and its inhabitants. Why won't I go into more detail? Simply, Kentucky Route Zero is a game full of charms best discovered first-hand.

Act one of this fine point and click adventure is available here and although short, it is well worth the asking price. I can't wait to see where developer Cardboard Computer (Jake Elliott and Tamas Kemenczy) plan on taking Conway and his old, rattling truck in the months to come.

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate

Rejoice, my fellow hunters! Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is almost with us! Well, we still have a few months to wait, but I hardly need much persuasion to post something Monster Hunter related, so here we are.

Ultimate is stomping its way to the US on March 19, before swimming across the Atlantic - presumably tied to the back of a Lagiacrus - a few days later on March 22. Ultimate will be released simultaneously on Wii U and 3DS and that means one thing - I'll finally be picking up a Wii U to coincide with the release. I've been putting it off for too long and this gives me the perfect excuse to jump into Nintendo's new console.

While the Wii U version will have full online play, the 3DS version doesn't have this feature. However, cross-platform saves mean I gather resources on the bus to and from work on my 3DS and then transfer them to the Wii U when I get home. Perfect.

While it's doubtful we'll ever celebrate Monster Hunter like they do in Japan, I really hope this is the version which finally convinces those sitting on the fence how good Monster Hunter really is.

And, as if all this Monster Hunter goodness wasn't enough, there are rumours abound that Monster Hunter 4 - due to arrive in Japan this year on 3DS - will also be coming to Vita. The thought of playing an import version on the Vita's sumptuous screen is enough to make a wyvern cry shiny tears of joy.

I'm off for some 1000 Year Crab and Hairy Tuna sushi to celebrate!

Freedom Planet

Years of being mercilessly battered by critics have left Sonic the Hedgehog - that once proud, hi-top wearing flash of blue, sprawled face down on the canvas. Sure, he manages to occasionally drag his limp, bruised body over to the ropes and raise his bloodied face to give us a soupcon of fun - usually in something other than a platform game - but the old codger just hasn't been himself since the Nineties.

It's a shame, because on the Megadrive, the spiky hog was light years ahead of the competition, starring in several wonderful and perilous platform capers. Sonic's star might have faded since then, but rather than sit around and wait for some Cocoon-like rebirth, the team at GalaxyTrail Games have come up with something quite exciting - a frothy platformer which doffs its cap to Sega's old mascot, before zooming away on a madcap dash to the finish line.

Freedom Planet is the name and judging by the excellent demo, the dev team could be on to something of a winner. The game bears a striking resemblance to Sonic's old adventures, but GalaxyTrail have added a fresh injection of fun to the old formula by adding a dose of inspiration from Megaman and Gunstar Heroes.

Multi-tiered levels, unlockable characters with their own unique moves, infuriatingly catchy tunes and breathless platform action should ensure healthy sales and with a modest Kickstarter target already surpassed, this could be big.

Visit Freedom Planet's Kickstarter page to download the demo and see the game in action for yourself.

Chasm

When Shiren the Wanderer and Koppa took me on a journey to the Lair of the Golden Condor back in 2008, little did I know the lasting effect it would have. Since then, I've become a complete Roguelike nerd, geeking out at the mere mention of permadeath, procedurally generated dungeons and gold-plated +5 katanas. So, when I found out about Chasm - a Roguelike/platformer in early development from Discord Games - I couldn't help but sit up and take notice.

Taking its inspiration from classic Roguelikes and games such as Diablo and Castlevania, Chasm has its heart in the right place, while the crisp, pixelated visuals have already set my heart aflutter.

The plan is to release the game on Windows, Mac and Linux, with the possibility of a XBLIG release to follow. It's not going to be out in the wild anytime soon, but I plan on keeping my peepers on Chasm as it goes through development.

Visit the official Chasm site to check out the latest news about the game and you can show the game a little love over on Steam Greenlight.

Knytt Underground

Nicklas Nygren’s games are always worth playing but perhaps his most accomplished work has been his fabulous Knytt series. Back in 2008, I urged Sony to bring Knytt Stories to PSN and finally, unbelievably, a new Knytt game has popped up on PS3, Vita and PC – and it’s wonderful.

Knytt Underground is split into three chapters, with the first two introducing the player to the various play mechanics, while the third chapter throws everything together to create yet another spellbinding adventure.

Nicklas – or Nifflas as he's better known - has taken elements from his previous Knytt games and fused them with another of his celebrated works, Within A Deep Forest, to create a brilliant and superbly thought out game where exploration takes centre stage.

What makes Nifflas’ games so memorable is the wonderful environmental sound effects, which blend with the simple visuals to create a sublime atmosphere. Knytt Underground continues this theme with a host of aural delights. From gentle acoustic guitars playing over rustling leaves in the wind, to minimalist electronica, it's all here and it sounds quite incredible through headphones.

If you want to check the game out, you can download a demo (Windows, OS x and Linux) from the Nifflas’ Games website, or grab the digital download from the PlayStation Network.

Extinct

This four-level Ludum Dare entry is a perfect coffee break game and features a few neat ideas. The aim is to try and stop a band of prehistoric tribesmen from crossing a map to claim a tasty haunch of meat. The loincloth-wearing humans follow a pre-determined path towards their lunch but by placing objects such as mammoths, ice flows and god statues along their path, you can kill them before they reach their goal.

There's a nice layer of strategy thrown into the mix as each of the items at your disposal has pros and cons. For example, placing a volcano in their path might seem as if it will lead to a fiery death for the hunters - and it often does - but in some cases they'll claim fire from the lava which they can then use to scare away the ferocious beasts you've dropped in their path.

Extinct is a smart little game, even though it's all over in a few minutes. You can play it in your web browser here.

Delver

I do love a good Roguelike and the latest to sink its claws into me and drag me off to a grisly death is Chad Cuddigan's Delver – a game which is currently in development for Windows, Mac, Linux and Android devices. Unlike the vast majority of Roguelikes - which are usually viewed from a top-down perspective - Delver is viewed in the first-person, which makes the simple task of rounding a corner a nerve-shredding experience.

The visuals in this spelunking excursion are excellent, with some nifty lighting effects used as you scuttle down corridors, while there are some cool weapons to snaffle, especially the wands which have a devastating effect on the subterranean denizens.

Chad has some big ideas for Delver and although he's constantly beavering away on making it even better, what is here already is really quite special.

For more, head on over to the official website where you can check its development, follow Chad on Twitter and vote the game up on Steam Greenlight.

Radio the Universe

I’ve been on something of a crowd funding crusade of late, throwing my hard-earned cash around as if it were Monopoly money. That said, it has been an incredibly exciting few months, with some fabulous looking projects on the way, including Sui Generis, Maia, Richard & Alice, Ouya and the cheeky little scamp that is Spud’s Quest.

As if all this wasn’t enough, I’ve was tuned into Radio the Universe just before Christmas – a dark and brooding title which, according to developer 6e6e6e, takes its inspiration from games such as Zelda, Dark Souls, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Hotline Miami.

The mere mention of Dark Souls is enough for me to part with my cash instantly, but a quick glance at Radio the Universe’s screens actually brought to mind the overlooked and quirky DS RPG Contact – albeit with a darker edge.

The game hit its Kickstarter target of $12,000 within hours and has now reached all of its stretch goals, which promise to expand the game world, add secondary weapon systems and double the amount of cut scenes.

Head on over to Radio the Universe's Kickstarter page to find out more and see the game in action.

Games of the year - 2012

No messing about, let's get straight into my favourite games from 2012. Enjoy.

10. F.T.L

Permadeath, micro-management, edge of the seat combat and the threat of alien boarding parties kept F.T.L fresh no matter how many times I played it – and I played it a lot. Being constantly pursued by an alien fleet and fleeing into danger - and usually disaster - F.T.L managed to keep the suspense up at all times. Having to send your long-suffering team to put out fires and repair life support systems while battling space pirates was a frantic affair but the rewards were always worth it. A gem.

9. Gravity Rush

Sony’s hand-held finally arrived earlier this year and was met with the usual babbling about a lack of quality software. Nonsense, of course, as the Vita has had plenty of wonderful experiences tucked up it sleeve if you look hard enough. One of the gems to arrive was Gravity Rush, a cracking cell-shaded jaunt with gorgeous visuals and enough gravity-defying gameplay to give the Mario Galaxy games a run for their money. True, the combat could become an awkward kerfuffle due to weird camera angles, but Kat’s world was a joy to explore thanks to beautiful environments, varied game styles and the cast of quirky characters she met along the way.

8. Persona 4 Golden

The remake of this PS2 classic isn’t out until February in Europe but with Sony’s hand-held region free, I decided that was just too long to wait and dropped the cash on the US import. The mix of dungeon crawling and juggling the demands of teenage life in rural Japan remained as intoxicating as ever and with new bells and whistles added – such as online help and new Personas to summon – this is the definitive version of the Japanese RPG. It’s perfectly suited on Vita and the bright visuals really pop on the OLED screen making for a sugary sweet visual feast. The presentation is top drawer, with funky menu screens and a quite brilliant soundtrack tying the experience together.

7. Asura's Wrath

Capcom's interactive anime shouldn't really work. After all, most of the time you're watching cut scenes and when called into action, you'll spend much of your time battering away at the controller in furious QTEs. But despite this, Asura's Wrath yelled and roared its way into my heart. From start to finish, the game is a heart-in-mouth rollercoaster ride, boasting spectacular visuals and a crazy storyline. Even those pesky QTEs work well and compliment the relentless on screen action. More please, Capcom.

6. Final Fantasy XIII-2

I really enjoyed Final Fantasy XIII – even the 20 hours it took to get to Gran Pulse and the open environments so many people craved (why is linearity seen as bad thing, anyway?) but this sequel improved on the formula to create something I found to be a bit special. The story might be wafer thin and delivered in a saccharine sweet style, but the fluid, fast-paced combat - combined with a host of stunning locations to explore - managed to create some of my gaming highlights from 2012. It’s certainly not for everyone, but those who desperately wanted to love FFXIII but came away disappointed should find everything they hoped for bundled in this sequel. Special mention goes to the soundtrack, which manages to be even better than XIII's fabulous score.

5. Torchlight 2

There's always been a special place in my heart for dungeon crawlers and loot drop games and I was spoiled this year with the release of Diablo III and Torchlight 2. I enjoyed both but for me, Runic’s Torchlight 2 shone brightest. Its chunky, World of Warcraft-inspired visuals were instantly appealing and as the action wasn’t confined to a single location like the original, the art team were free to go wild and create a variety of delicious locations to explore and plunder. New classes, a multitude of quests, co-op and an almost endless supply of loot has kept Torchlight 2 firmly in the spotlight, leaving Diablo III looking on enviously from the side of the stage.

4. Crusader Kings 2

I’ve always loved the sound of grand strategy games but usually find myself frustrated by their huge size, complex play mechanics and archaic UI. However, Crusader Kings 2 invaded my life back in February and left me daydreaming about murderous plots, elicit affairs, sowing descent among neighbouring countries and locking up members of my family for treasonous thoughts. In allowing the player to strive towards their own goals, developer Paradox opened up a world of possibilities and created intricate storylines which brought delight and dismay in equal measure. A superb game in every way.

3. Binary Domain

I don’t particularly enjoy third-person shooters but with Yakuza developer Toshihiro Nagoshi at the helm, I decided to take a punt on this blast from the future – despite the best efforts of the box art to put me off. But it’s not just the awful cover that creates a bad first impression – the stereotypical loud-mouthed characters and the uninspiring trudge through the first few levels made me wonder why I was even bothering to play. But after a few hours, Binary Domain managed to turn the corner and blossom into a frantic, over the top and quite brilliant game. Chipping chunks of armour off the relentless rush of mechanical masses was pure entertainment – as was the fact that a headshot would instantly turn an enemy into an ally - but it was the story (and a certain robotic sidekick) which sealed the deal for me.
Like Spec-Ops: The Line, Binary Domain took me completely by surprise and a worthy inclusion in my top games of 2012.

2. Journey

Some complained this epic journey was more of a day trip but such was the emotional and visual beauty of Thatgamecompany's latest PS3 title, that to criticise it for its length seems churlish. There's a sense of wonder as you explore Journey's exquisite world - whether that's sliding down sun-kissed sand dunes, trudging up snowy mountain passes, discovering abandoned buildings or finding another player gleefully jumping through the beautiful environments. The journey was underpinned with a spellbinding musical score which contributed to one of the finest gaming experiences I've had in years. A masterpiece.

1. Dragon's Dogma

It’s not often I start playing a game again immediately after completing it, but such was the magnificence of Dragon’s Dogma, that I reached for the controller the very second after the credits rolled – and that was after a mammoth 73 hour playthrough. No other game this year gave me such a sense of adventure, with surprises around every corner, scores of wonderful quests to get lost in and a unique online play mechanic which allowed me to pick and choose from a team of player-made creations. The world of Gransys was a beautiful place to explore, with exquisite lighting effects giving the game a wonderful atmosphere, while the combat was equally magical, with battles against hulking mythical beasts causing me to gawp at the screen with slack-jawed disbelief on more than one occasion. What I presumed to be another by-the-numbers high fantasy romp turned out to be a glorious fusion of Dark Souls, Monster Hunter and Skyrim. Game of the year by a considerable distance.

Honourable mentions go to Botanicula, Spec-Ops: The Line, Dear Esther, Legend of Grimrock and Sound Shapes.

God of Blades - iOS

God of Blades by developer White Whale Games is an atmospheric side-scrolling slasher, which beautifully combines fluid combat with an eye-catching art style inspired by Seventies prog rock and pulp sci-fi novels.

Playing as either The Nameless King or The Whispering Lady, the player dashes ever onwards, hacking their way through swathes of enemies with gusto, sending them into oblivion with timely sword swings.

As the game handles forward movement, the player is free to concentrate on the satisfying, meaty combat, which comprises of swirling strikes, devastating upward-strokes and hefty downwards smashes. A parry move is also worked in and all moves simply require the player to swipe a direction on the screen at the right moment.

There’s a nice variety of enemies to slice through and dexterous use of all the abilities is essential to make it through to the end. Not only that, but the varied selection of swords all have their own special powers with which to wreak havoc.

New swords can be unlocked through the Campaign mode, but not all of these desirable prizes are dished out for completing levels or garnering experience. Using the Loreseeker option - which takes advantage of Foursquare and GPS on iOS devices - players can find new blades in their local library – which is a really neat touch.

Along with the Campaign mode, there's a nerve-shredding Eternal option and the new Revenant mode. The latter allows you to create and level up a character, deck them out in a variety of armour and then challenge your friends to a brutal showdown.

The visuals throughout are excellent and the high fantasy backgrounds are packed with detail; marauding armies cause bloody chaos, neon-tinged expanses of space float by and dank caverns flicker with the constant flow of lava. The character animation is also spot on and it's incredibly satisfying to chip away at an opponent's armour, before finally delivering the killing blow.

While the game is only currently available on iOS, White Whale have teamed up with Venus Patrol to release Slayers - a free PC/Mac spin-off which tasks two players with knocking seven bells out of each other as they charge headlong into the fray. It provides brilliant and tense scraps and the frantic action is a real test of timing and rhythm.

White Whale have really pushed the boat out to deliver a compelling and delicious romp through wonderful ethereal environments and God of Blades is definitely one of the best mobile games I've played this year.

Find out more about the iOS version at the official website. For more about, Slayers on PC and Mac, click here.

Praise the sun! Dark Souls vanquished

After 123 hours, countless deaths and some of the most amazing gaming moments I've ever experienced, I finally delivered the coup de grâce and sent Gwyn, The Lord of Cinder into eternal slumber. Yes, I've finally completed Dark Souls.

Over the course of the weekend, I knuckled down and made my way through Demon Ruins and Lost Izalith, dispatching four bosses before finally coming face-to-face with Gwyn in the Kiln of the First Flame.

It was an amazing feeling to finally finish what I consider to be one of the greatest games ever made and even though the 123 hours logged was perhaps a bit extreme, I used that time well, exploring every inch of the game world - which, incidentally, features some of the best level design I've ever seen - and repeated sections to farm souls and upgrade weapons and armour.

Now, NG+ awaits, but I'm considering starting a new character and going through the whole experience again, playing in a completely different style.

So thank you to the spirited brawler who helped me take down Ornstein and Smough, to the multitude of invaders who made my heart beat significantly faster, to the horned Capra Demon for teaching me patience and new swear words, to the person I heard ringing the first Bell of Awakening which raised my flagging spirits, to those goggle-eyed curse frogs who taught me the true meaning of terror, and finally to Hidetaka Miyazaki and his team for delivering a truly epic experience.

The Monster Hunter Beginner's Guide

Since cutting my teeth on the first Monster Hunter on PS2, I've been a huge fan of the series and have watched it evolve from a decent idea hampered by unwieldy controls into the sleek and impressive beast it is today. However, despite my best efforts, I've found it incredibly difficult to persuade people to take the plunge.

Those who have tried it have either immediately fallen in love with the game or stopped playing within the first hour as they thought it was too complicated. But fear not, because help is at hand from the duo behind the fabulous and informative My Fair Hunter website.

Roy Blakely and Sarah O’Donnell have lovingly crafted the Beginner's Guide to Monster Hunter - a beautifully presented guide full of gorgeous illustrations and packed with practical information on the series. Topics such as upgrading armour, skills, weapon attributes, questing basics, the role of companions, combining items and recognising monster behaviour are interspersed with tips from the Monster Hunter community to give a general overview of what awaits first-time hunters.

Even though the guide - which is available in either print or digital versions - is aimed squarely at novice hunters, I still think there's enough here for existing Monster Hunter fans to enjoy and besides, it is a rather lovely product.

To get your copy - and to have a free sneak peek at four pages from the guide - head on over to Roy and Sarah's Culty website, where you'll also find a collection of Sarah's Felyne artwork, which can also be purchased.

Happy hunting.

Richard & Alice - update

Back in July, I had the pleasure of playing a small section of Richard & Alice - the forthcoming point and click adventure by Lewis Denby and Ashton Raze. Even though the small slice of action was still in Alpha, there was more than enough included to whet my appetite and make me eager to delve deeper into the intriguing story.

Now the guys are looking for a helping hand and hope to raise a bit of cash to help push Richard & Alice over the finish line. They are using Indiegogo rather than Kickstarter and thanks to the site's flexible funding, even if they don't make the target, they'll still get the cash that's been pledged.

For my thoughts on the Alpha build, click here and to visit Richard & Alice's Indiegogo page, click here. Even if you can't afford to pledge any money to the project, you can vote it up over on Steam Greenlight.

Good luck, guys. Looking forward to seeing the finished product in all its glory.