Black Knight Sword Review (@IGN)

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Nathan Meunier

“Diving into Suda 51’s latest bizarre creation, it’s no big shocker to find Black Knight Sword steeped in abundant freaky style and general weirdness. Stabbing microwaves until they spew fountains of beating human hearts, purchasing power-ups from a giant talking eyeball with six mouths, and battling against a two-story wolf beast with the demonic face of Jim Morrison is all par for the course in this odd fantasy platformer. But despite all the “WTF” craziness each stage throws at you, it’s disappointing the same level of creativity isn’t found in the gameplay itself.”

Check out the full review here at IGN.

Backtracking: Space Giraffe (@ OXM)

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Nathan Meunier

“It’s not often that a game’s splash screen is so alarmingly bizarre that it forces you to pause for a moment to consider whether or not it’s a good idea to proceed. Space Giraffe gets off to such a weird start that it makes you wonder if you’ve just been dosed with hallucinogens. You’re greeted with a swirling neon vortex punctuated with a fuzzed-out bobbing giraffe head, a child’s voice chanting repetitive gibberish, and high pitch electronic space blips — and that’s before you even start playing. While this love-it-or-hate-it retro space shooter made a splash with its over-the-top psychedelic freakiness, equally memorable is the controversy that surrounded its creator’s outspoken response to critic reviews and meager sales.”

Check out the full article here at Official Xbox Magazine.

Review: The Adventures of Shuggy

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Nathan Meunier

“When cooking, throwing in too many different ingredients can pollute the flavor of the pot and produce unpalatable rubbish. The same can be said about making video games, though every so often, this approach turns out something worth digging into. Bouncing around from one quasi-familiar gameplay idea to the next like an ADHD-addled youth, The Adventures of Shuggy throws a lot at you in rapid succession. At first, flip-flopping between a hodgepodge of game mechanics is disorienting because the game’s endearing pint-sized protagonist switches up his powers in almost every level. But the constant fluctuation soon yields a
satisfying rhythm of its own, and tackling the diverse obstacles strewn across the many stages found in this lighthearted platform puzzler evolves into a tasty surprise.”

Check out the full review here at GameSpot.

Review: Lucha Fury

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Nathan Meunier

“Blending an outlandish comic book setting with the already bombastic nature of Mexican wrestling has a lot of potential to yield high-octane fun, but Lucha Fury squanders its cool premise and artistic beauty on some of the most poorly crafted side-scrolling brawler gameplay in recent memory. While the genre isn’t known for its forgiving nature, Lucha Fury sports a string of truly asinine design decisions that will push your patience into the red and kill the experience early on in the game. Overly sluggish combatants, boring attack combos, and droves of insipid foes are just a few of the many glaring issues that mar what could have been one sweet game.”

Check out the full review here at GameSpot.

Indie Spotlight #6: Detachable Robot Boobs

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Nathan Meunier

It wasn’t until I played Shoot 1UP last year that Mommy’s Best Games’ work first popped up on my radar. The game’s crazy 1UP mechanic that boosts your squad of fighters instantly is pretty cool, but it’s the ridiculousness in the game’s visual design that really hooked me. At one point you fight a massive uterus-thing. Then there’s the giant MechaLilith with her detachable missile boobs that shoot more missiles out of the nipples. Amazing. I caught up with Nathan Fouts last spring at PAX East to chat about Grapple Buggy, but this week’s Indie Spotlight column delves deeper into the inner workings of Mommy’s Best Games. Enjoy!

Check out the full column here at GameSpy.

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.

Review: Limbo

Posted on July 31, 2010 by Nathan Meunier

I recently started writing a bit for the newly re-launched EGM and EGMi, which is an exciting recent development. Everyone has been raving about Limbo lately, and for good reason: It’s one hell of a game. You can find my take on the spookly little puzzle platformer in the latest digital issue of EGMi here. I have some stuff going into an upcoming print issue, and I expect more work will likely follow shortly.

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.

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.

Top Downloadable Games: April 2010

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Nathan Meunier

“It seems there’s never a dull moment in the downloadable gaming world, as new and exciting titles are launched each week across numerous systems. This month continues the winning streak for players seeking fun games to download with some hotly anticipated releases and a few other pleasant surprises. Plug in and get set, as we dig into pixilated caves, hop after thieving monsters, explore the challenges and drama of high school, and uncover alien conspiracies.”