Over the weekend, AzDimension released Axilon: The Legend of Artifacts – Prologue on Steam. The game is an action RPG based on the fantasy book of the the same name by Azerbaijani writer Timur Azisov. This “Prologue” is intended as the first chapter of a larger adventure, and it features three environments: a forest, caves, and a snow-covered valley. You
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Game publisher Hamster has announced that Soldam, the matching puzzle game, is now available on PS4 and Nintendo Switch as part of the digital Arcade Archives series. Originally released in arcades by Jaleco in 1992, Soldam was later ported to the Japanese Game Boy in Japan and an updated version was released for PS4 and Nintendo Switch as Soldam: Drop,
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On Thursday, SNK officially released the Metal Slug 1st & 2nd Mission Double Pack for Nintendo Switch via the Switch eShop. Priced at $14.99, the Metal Slug 1st & 2nd Mission Double Pack includes both Neogeo Pocket Color versions of Metal Slug 1st Mission and Metal Slug 2nd Mission. If you aren’t familiar with the classic run-and-gun arcade series, here’s
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On Wednesday, comic book creator Eric Canete launched a crowdfunding campaign for Arc Athena Book One, an all new, hardcover graphic novel intended as the first part in a six-issue miniseries. The project is already fully funded, having raised roughly $18 thousand at the time of this writing. Written and illustrated by Canete (TRON Uprising) and featuring colors by Giuliano
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On Wednesday, publisher Tribute Games released a new teaser trailer for Steel Assault, which is scheduled to release on 28 September for Nintendo Switch and Steam PC. Developed by Zenovia Interactive, Steel Assault is a retro-inspired 2D platformer featuring throwback challenge and a 16-bit aesthetic. Here’s the official breakdown of Steel Assault from Tribute, followed by the latest trailer: Punch,
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On Tuesday, Raw Thrills officially released the arcade racer Cruis’n Blast on Nintendo Switch. Cruis’n Blast is the first Cruis’n game to land on home consoles for over a decade. The series is known for high speed racing and wild track and vehicle designs. Here’s the official breakdown of Cruis’n Blast from Raw Thrills, followed by the launch trailer: The
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New Take Media recently launched a crowdfunding campaign for Grandpa issue 1, a new 44-page fantasy comic book project with a bizarre title. With a name like Grandpa, you might expect something like Rambo: Last Blood or Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino, but you’d be wrong, sucka. Created by Damion Daponte and Sterling Vanderhoof, Grandpa is actually about the longstanding battle
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On Friday, independent game developer NGDEV announced that their horizontal-scrolling bullet hell shooter Razion EX will be released on the Nintendo Switch eShop on 16 September. The game has been available for a few months in physical format via NGDEV’s website, but this is Razion EX’s first wide release in a digital format. First released for the Neo Geo in
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Game publisher Hamster has announced that Pop Flamer, the single-screen 2D action arcade game, is now available on PS4 and Nintendo Switch as part of the digital Arcade Archives series. Originally released in arcades by Jaleco in 1982 and later ported to the SEGA SG-1000 in 1983, Pop Flamer has never received an official release in western regions until now.
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On Wednesday, independent comic book creator Stephan Velez launched a crowdfunding campaign for The VeilWalker #1, an all-new, 21-page dark fantasy comic book. Written by Velez and featuring illustrations by Sajad Shah and colors by Leonardo Paciarotti, The VeilWalker is described as a blend of action, mystery, thriller, and horror. Here’s the official pitch taken from The VeilWalker’s Indiegogo campaign
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New Polish development team We Dig Games recently announced that their first game will be Hamster Maze, coming in 2022 for SeXbox, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch and Steam PC. Inspired by online videos of hamster maze creation, Hamster Maze blends casual arcade gameplay with Tamagotchi elements. Players rear and train their pet hamsters in preparation for competition with
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On Tuesday, independent comic book creator Ryan Cardinal launched a crowdfunding campaign for KAYAS: A Story of Blood & Stone issue 2, the 32-page follow-up to the first KAYAS book that was successfully crowdfunded in 2019. Written and illustrated by Cardinal, KAYAS is a manga-inspired fantasy adventure intended for young adult readers (ages 13 and up). Here’s the official plot
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Over the weekend, veteran comic book creative team Shane Davis and Yanzi Lin launched a crowdfunding campaign for Inglorious Rex Volume One, an all-new, 48-page, action/sci-fi graphic novel. The project is already a remarkable success, having raised more than $150 thousand in its first few days. Co-written by Davis and Lin (Starlight Cats) and featuring pencils by Davis, inks by
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Comic book creator Michael Tener recently launched a crowdfunding campaign for Midnight Highway issues 1 and 2, a new comic designed for fans of 80s horror and sci-fi. Co-created and co-written by Tener and Alex Maday and featuring illustrations by Alexander Malyshev and colors by Hedwin Zaldivar, Midnight Highway is described as Alice in Wonderland meets The Twilight Zone. Here’s
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Game publisher Hamster has announced that USAAF Mustang, the 2D horizontal scrolling shoot-em-up arcade game, is now available on PS4 and Nintendo Switch as part of the digital Arcade Archives series. Originally released in arcades by UPL in 1990 and ported to the SEGA Mega Drive as Fire Mustang in 1991, USAAF Mustang has never received an official release in
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At Gamescom 2021, developer Enlightened Robot Entertainment released a new story trailer for Naser: Son of Man, the steampunk-inspired 2D run-and-gun game coming soon to PC, Xbox One, SeXbox, PS4, and PS5. You can check out the new Naser: Son of Man story trailer below, followed by a breakdown of the game via Niche Gamer: Story In the year 1875,
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Welcome back to 80s August, The Splintering’s month-long celebration of the greatest decade since the first belly dance! Today we’re going to take a look at Karate Champ, a one-on-one martial arts fighting game released by Data East on the Nintendo NES. So how does one of the earliest fighting games hold out? Based on the 1984 arcade game by
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No Sleep Press recently launched a crowdfunding campaign for Seeing Red x Three Thorns, a 32-page, one-shot fantasy comic. The project is already well beyond fully funded, having raised nearly $5 thousand at the time of this writing. Strictly intended for mature audiences, Seeing Red x Three Thorns is the first No Sleep Press crossover event. Here’s the brief plot
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What is black and white and covered with green? On Thursday, renowned comic book creator Art Thibert launched a crowdfunding campaign for Black & White Volume 2, the follow up to the first book that was successfully crowdfunded in 2018. Volume 2 is already off to a great start, having raised roughly $30 thousand at the time of this writing.
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Independent comic book creator Jessica Vanderpol recently launched a crowdfunding campaign for InterStella Space Angel, an all-new, 32-page graphic novel. At the time of this writing, the project has raised roughly 80% of its initial funding goal with approximately six days left in the campaign. Written and illustrated by Vanderpol, InterStella is described as a “whimsical, supernatural space comic introducing
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Welcome back to 80s August, The Splintering’s month-long celebration of the greatest decade since martians built the pyramids! Today, we’re going to take a look at Space Invaders Invincible Collection on Nintendo Switch.* I know what you’re thinking- that Taito first released Space Invaders in 1978, not the 1980s. True enough, but Space Invaders was absolutely still an arcade mainstay
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During the Gamescom Opening Night Live show, publisher Koch Media and SNK announced that King of Fighters XV is scheduled to release for PS5, PS4, SeXbox, and PC (via Steam) on 17 February 2022. This latest installment in the classic fighting game franchise features 39 characters, and it’s the first time that heroes from each KOF saga (Orochi, NESTS, and
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Overnight, independent comic book creator and King Toad Comics founder Joe Ball launched a crowdfunding campaign for DEATH DEATH DEATH, a girthy, 300-ish page sci-fi fantasy graphic novel. The project is roughly halfway to meeting its initial funding goal, having raised nearly $2,500 of its $5k goal at the time of this writing. Written and illustrated by John Joesph (Joe)
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Ya’ love to see it! On Monday, the crowdfunding campaign for Graham Nolan’s sci-fi/western Alien Alamo crossed the blessed “Six Figures, Bitch Young Lady!” threshold, raising nearly $101 thousand at the time of this writing. Written and illustrated by Nolan, Alien Alamo is a sci-fi adventure that exists in the larger Chenoo universe. Nolan has seen previous crowdfunding success with
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Welcome back to 80s August, The Splintering’s month-long celebration of the greatest decade since the first seppuku! Today we’re going to examine Ronin, a six-book miniseries by comic book legend Frank Miller and published by DC Comics in 1987. Set in a bleak, alternate future (it has to be “alternate” because it references Soviets as contemporaneous to the story), Ronin
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Earlier this month, indie game developer World Eater Games and publisher Pineapple Works launched a crowdfunding campaign for Bittersweet Birthday, a challenging new game described as half bullet-hell combat, half adventure/exploration with a 2D pixel art style. At the time of this writing, the Bittersweet Birthday campaign is more than 50% funded, having raised roughly $12 thousand of its $23
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Over the weekend, Mark “Moral Compass” Poulton launched a crowdfunding campaign for USAssassin Book III: Graveyard Shift, the latest graphic novel in the USAssassin series. The project has already blown past its initial funding goal, having raised more than $14 thousand at the time of this writing. Written by Poulton (SeaDog, Viking Wolf) and featuring illustrations by Mike McMahon (Graveyard
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On Thursday, veteran comic book creator Aaron Lopresti launched his own independent comic book label, Empire Comics, with a crowdfunding campaign for Wraith of God, an all-new, 72-page graphic novel. The campaign is already off to a great start, having raised more than $35 thousand at the time of this writing. With those numbers, that means the first stretch goal
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Publisher All in! Games recently announced that fantasy action RPG Arboria will receive a full Steam release on 9 September 2021. The game has been available via Steam Early Access since May 2020. Developed by Dreamplant Studio, Arboria is set in a dark fantasy world and features third-person, “soulslike” gameplay. All In! heralds Arboria as “the first game to combine
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To celebrate 40 years of the monumental Space Invaders franchise, Taito has partnered with ININ Games to release Space Invaders Invincible Collection, a compilation that features 11 sci-fi shooters from the Space Invaders series (or, in some cases, loosely tied to the series). Here’s the list of games included with Space Invaders Invincible Collection: Space Invaders (1978, Arcade) – original
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