QCF: Battle Princess Madelyn (PC)

et’s begin with the obvious point right out of the gate, this game looks like Ghosts ‘n Goblins. Actually no, that’s wrong. I know I will get corrected by retro gamers far more knowledgeable of the genre so I already did an internet search and discovered that its aesthetic is more like Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts. I never played those games, mostly because of the reputation the titles have earned as some of the most difficult games ever made. Fortunately, Battle Princess Madelyn allows fans both old and new to experience action platforming with superior gameplay and a challenging Arcade mode. Sadly, these attempts are muddled and obscured with a literal lack of direction, and a vague Story mode that seems like more of an afterthought than a priority.

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Bullet Heaven, Episode 212 - Ikaruga Full Compare & Switch Review

In episode 59 of Bullet Heaven, we took a look at the XBLA version of Ikaruga on the Xbox 360. We really love Ikaruga, and with the recvent Switch version, we though it'd be neat to compare every home version of "Project RS2" to the most recent iteration of this amazing classic. How does it stack up?

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Bullet Heaven Episode 183 - Senko no Ronde 2

he premier 'Ballet' Shooter is back! The Senko no Ronde series returns with a new installment on PS4 and PC, thanks once again to Degica Games! But what's this? Isn't Senko no Ronde 2 just Senko no Ronde DUO with a fresh coat of paint? Only one way to find out... Let's take a closer look!!

Get Senko no Ronde 2 on PSN or STEAM!!

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Bullet Heaven, Episode #176 - Castle of Shikigami (PC)

e took a look at Castle of Shikigami 2 on the PS2 all the way back in episode 2 of Bullet heaven ages and ages ago. Turns out, its predecessor, Castle of Shikigami was, in fact also released - as Mobile Light Force 2, stripped of story complete with a bizarre, unrelated cover. Degica Games is back with a restored, localized version of this classic game... but how does it hold up in the transition to Steam?

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Bullet Heaven, Episode #175 - Deep Space Waifu (PC)

iant, spacefaring women. Destruictable clothing. One naughty, naughty bear. Loads of nudity. That's what you'll get in Deep Space Waifu. This review is obviously not safe for work. Obviously.

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Bullet Heaven, Episode 171 - Danmaku Unlimited 3

anmaku Unlimited 3 joins the fray on Steam amongst a glut of indie developed bullet hell shooters. Some have been great in the past... many more have been not so hot. How does Danmaku Unlimited 3 Stack up ?

In The Credits: 
NYXX
Vector Strain
Ghost Blade HD: Altered State NOW AVAILABLE!

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QCF: Night in the Woods

o matter how old you are, there’s always going to be this unspoken acceptance between you and the friends you makes; an acceptance of who’s going to stay for the long haul, and who’s going to be a memory, if anything at all. Some of the key elements that define the human condition are ones that’re fundamentally tied to the concept of loneliness and the effects that it has on people.

This leads to a misinterpretation that the relationships we form are done from out of mutual interests and similarities, glossing over the fact that mutual hatreds and fears have a lot to do with who interact with and trust on a daily basis.

There aren’t a lot of experiences that I can think of that have evoked these ugly truths quite like Night in the Woods by Finji. The tagline of the game tells its players that at the end of everything, you have to try to hold onto anything, setting a tone that consistently sticks it to you the further you dive in. The messages and themes offered in the adventure side-scroller are poignant in their relatability to the hardships of youth in modern Americana, and struggle with mental health issues that stem from the experience.

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QCF: Owlboy

he concept of “living to fight another day” has always been a strange perspective, and easily one of the most endearing when it comes to the human condition, and this underdog theme has only resonated with me more and more as I got older—it never stopped being so captivating to me.

As much as I want to believe that I identify with that try-hard sentiment though, the reality is that I would immediately weigh in on the option of cutting my losses before I ever considered staying and finishing what may end up being a losing fight. I kick myself every time I stray towards the mindset, but the realist in me can’t help but eek out some semblance of control over which hill I choose to die on, and which I don’t. It’s this weird struggle to describe, and one that I’ve never really seen explored in great detail within most narratives we consume in modern day media.

That is, until I booted up D-Pad Studio’s Owl Boy; a game starring an introverted hero who’s only wish is to do what he thinks is right in spite of his personal flaws, and the flaws of everyone else around him for that matter. Hidden in this surprisingly charming platformer is a tale that’s deceptively rich with character and heart like none that I’ve seen in quite some time.

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