Indie Spotlight #8: No Need To Kill

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Nathan Meunier

“For all the massive growth the gaming industry has seen over the past few decades (with thousands upon thousands of titles released into the wilds), it’s surprising to see that so many games still cling to such Neanderthal objectives. Run. Jump. Shoot. Kill. Annihilate. Thinking far outside of the box, the folks at indie studio thatgamecompany set out to break away from the status quo of violence, and instead focus on crafting gaming experiences revolving around emotion and expression. In doing so, they’ve found success while also blurring the boundaries between games and art.”

Check out the full column here at GameSpy.

Review: Acceleration of Suguri X Edition

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Nathan Meunier

“Incomprehensible plot setups and outrageous situations are nothing new in the vast and peculiar world of Japanese gaming culture. So a game starring a gaggle of pint-sized android schoolgirls that duke it out in a vitriolic war over who gets to eat the last pudding on earth seems pretty tame on the weirdness scale when compared to some of Japan’s edgier offerings. A quirky gem hailing from Japan’s thriving indie-game development scene, Acceleration of Suguri X Edition packs an oddball mix of bullet-hell blasting and competitive arena fighting that doesn’t take itself seriously at all. That’s mostly a good thing because the frenetic brawling action found in this small package is well paired with the game’s outlandish vibe.”

Check out my full review over here at GameSpot.

Top Downloadable Games October 2010

Posted on November 5, 2010 by Nathan Meunier

“The spooks and specters are out and about this month, which means the holiday gaming season is almost upon us. With lots of big blockbuster titles recently released and many others great games set to launch in the coming weeks, there’s a lot to be excited about. But don’t forget about the tasty downloadable goodies awaiting you as well! This month’s downloadable games selection has us hunting for candy in crazy costumes, hopping through scores of comics, rhythmically blasting robots in space, and head-banging with some baddies.”

Ok, I’ve neglected to post each installment here over the past few months, but my monthly downloadable games column is still going strong over at What They Play. Check out the October installment here.

Hands-On: Cladun: This is an RPG!

Posted on September 17, 2010 by Nathan Meunier

“We’re not exactly sure how someone can be sexy “in an 8-bit sense,” but we certainly applaud the folks at NIS America for loading up their latest retro gaming throwback with some seriously off-the-wall character dialogue and wacky self-referential humor. Amusingly, Cladun: This is an RPG literally wears its genre on its sleeve while poking fun at it in the process. Blocky 8-bit warriors, jokes about cosplay, heavy duty dungeon grinding and talking cats punctuate this promising and quirky retro RPG.”

Check out the full hands-on preview here at GamesRadar.

Top Downloadable Games August 2010

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Nathan Meunier

“Summer has faded away, and school is back in session, but that hasn’t stopped the flow of great downloadable games. In this month’s exploration of downloadable gaming delights, we jump into high speed racing boats, corral strange monsters on a dangerous planet, pummel 8-bit baddies to win a girl’s affections, and explore a mirror-image kingdom.”

Check out the full column here at What They Play.

PTOM September 2010 Issue Contributions

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Nathan Meunier

Things will be changing up a bit starting out in the Nov. Issue, but I’ll still be contributing to the monthly PSN coverage and other areas of PTOM beyond that point. In the meantime, peep my two-page PSN review spread on pages 90 and 91. This month I tackle the excellent Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West, Rocket Knight, Tecmo Bowl Throwback, Super Stacker, and Soldner-X2: Final Prototype among others. I also have a full page review of Joe Danger on page 82 that’s worth checking out. In case you’re not in the know: get it…immediately. Great game. That is all!

Top Downloadable Games June 2010

Posted on June 30, 2010 by Nathan Meunier

“Summer is officially here, and the month of June brings with it some seriously hot downloadable games to match rising temperatures and sunny weather. If you need a break from the bright sun, there are plenty of cool new gaming downloads to check out for every system. Get ready for action this month, as we blast colorful gems, pull off daredevil bike stunts, incinerate space garbage, and dogfight with classic cartoon characters.”

Check out the full column here at What They Play.

Review: Rocket Knight

Posted on June 3, 2010 by Nathan Meunier

“It’s been a long time since good old Sparkster had a chance to dust off his armor, fuel up his rocket pack, and sharpen his sword for a big adventure. Retiring into obscurity has been a cruel fate for the poor fellow. Those who spent most of the ’90s honed-in on a different speedy videogame critter probably don’t as readily recall the armored marsupial hero of the Rocket Knight Adventure games on Sega Genesis and SNES. While Sparkster never quite rocketed to fame like his main competitor Sonic, the bouncy jetpack-adorned protagonist is back for another go around. His latest outing brings back the high-speed stabby-stabby fun yet fails to fully lift off.”

Check out the full review here at GamesRadar.

Top Downloadable Games May 2010

Posted on June 1, 2010 by Nathan Meunier

“The warmer season is ramping up into full swing, prompting many folks to venture outside for some fresh air, T-shirt temperatures, and pleasant sun. But when the inevitable rainy spells and cold snaps put a damper on the many delightful outdoor activities that summer brings with it, there’s still plenty of downloadable gaming fun to explore. This month we ride along with rocket-powered possums, shred carpet in tiny remote controlled race cars, go jogging with Commander Video, and bust out some silly kung-fu moves.”

Check out the full column here at What They Play.

PTOM Print Contributions June 2010 Issue

Posted on May 28, 2010 by Nathan Meunier

After evil subterranean excursions in Badman, I was anxious to dig into What Did I Do To Deserve This, My Lord?! 2. It’s a rad sequel with some solid improvements. My full-page review is in the June issue on pg. 78. It was also a good issue for downloadable games. This month’s PSN Games review column covers the retro-tastic Mega Man 10, Greed Corp, Echoshift, and Super Pocket Tennis. You can find those write-ups on pg 90 and 91. The next issue should be out soon, and there’s more downloadable goodness to come.