The tax man cometh… Sunsoft has announced that their casual co-op game Ikki Unite is now available on Steam PC. Known outside Japan as both Farmers Rebellion and Boomerang, the original Ikki was released in 1985 and puts players in the midst of peasant riots (or “mostly peaceful” demonstrations) in feudal Japan. It’s time for the autumn harvest, but a
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Earlier this week, renowned comic book creator and YouTube personality Ethan Van Sciver launched a crowdfunding campaign for CyberFrog: Dark Harvest, which offers three separate CyberFrog books that include reprinted, remastered, and all-new material (depending on what you pick up). Like many of Van Sciver’s previous crowdfunded projects, the Dark Harvest campaign is already a strong success, having raised roughly
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Better Red than dead… wait, that’s not right… On Tuesday, publisher Klabater announced that Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbone and SeXbox on 9 March 2023. Originally released on Steam PC in 2020, Spectre of Communism is the fourth installment of the Strategic Mind war game series inspired by the actual battles and events of
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No, it’s not about a strip club. At least I don’t think it is… On Monday, Sierra Whiskey launched a crowdfunding campaign for No Cover, a 60-page (58 pages of story) action comedy book. The project is already fully funded, having raised more than $8 thousand at the time of this writing. Written by Sierra Whiskey and featuring illustrations by
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Soooo…. Satan? Over the weekend, DarkGift Comics launched a crowdfunding campaign for Lightbringer: Genesis Volume 2, a 32-page, black and white fantasy book. Written by Elizabeth “Iron Liz” Skochil and featuring illustrations by Dean James, volume 2 picks up where the first Lightbringer: Genesis left off, and the creators point out that the book is already 2/3 complete. Here’s the
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It’s been a while since caveman games have had a good heyday. Chuck Rock, Joe and Mac, Legendary Axe, erm… Caveman Games… But now, SLG and the developers 7Levels have brought back the caveman-themed side-scroller and taking it to new heights! (kill me), and Strictly Limited Games (the other small-run physical video game publisher) is bringing the game to the
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Fancy a good suck? On James D. Lee recently launched a crowdfunding campaign for The Stines, a 48-page fantasy horror comic featuring quite the bosomy bloodsucker… and some other guy… Count V… something… Written and illustrated by James D Lee and colors by Gabe Eltaeb, The Stines is an epic vampire story centuries in the making. Here’s the official pitch
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A virtual version of 52-Card Pickup it is not Publisher Hamster has announced that Magical Speed is now available on Nintendo Switch and PS4 as part of the digital Arcade Archives series. This is the first time that Magical Speed has been available outside of Japan. Originally released in arcades by Allumer in 1994, Magical Speed is a competitive card
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An all-new Easter classic in the making? Independent author and aspiring comic book creator Ali Lauderdale recently launched a crowdfunding campaign for EGGBEATER, a 24-page, black and white horror book modeled after classic slasher stories. The project is well on its way to being fully funded, having raised 66 percent of its funding goal at the time of this writing.
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“Bluuuuuue shadoooooows on the traaaaaail…” Publisher Toplitz Productions recently announced that the genre-blending Wild West Dynasty is set to enter Early Access on Steam PC and the Epic Games Store on 16 February. Developed by Moon Punch Studio, Wild West Dynasty blends elements of open world sandbox, survival, story-driven adventure, roleplaying, city building and resource management, all the while telling
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ZOO Corporation recently announced that Mystic Gate is coming to Steam PC on 9 February and to the Nintendo Switch eShop a month later on 9 March. Mystic Gate is a sci-fi/fantasy bullet-hell shooter with Roguelike elements and procedurally generated dungeons. It also represents ZOO’s maiden Nintendo Switch release. Here’s the official breakdown of Mystic Gate from ZOO Corporation, followed
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“Chro’ Dogs!” Over the weekend, Arrow Comics launched a crowdfunding campaign for Chrome Dog issue 1: Perfect Strangers, a 32-page sci-fi book. The project is nearly funded, having already raised more than $1700 at the time of this writing. Written by Justin K. Sweet and illustrated by Luke Stone (Hybrids: Sons of the Gods, Voodoo Nations),* Chrome Dog is described
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It took me far too long for that “Octo Gone” pun to dawn on me. Over the weekend, aspiring comic book creator Ryan James launched a crowdfunding campaign for Octo Gone issue 1, a 48-page sci-fi book intended as the first of a three-part miniseries. Written and illustrated by James, Octo Gone is described as an “action-packed underwater adventure like
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On Friday, publisher Kemco released fantasy RPG Heirs of the Kings for SeXbox, Xbone and Steam PC. Developed by Exe Create, Heirs of the Kings was originally released for mobile devices back in 2018. The game has all of the touchstones requisite of a classic JRPG: colorful 2D artwork, magic, a character with amnesia, and all manner of mythical creatures
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Undoubtedly in celebration of “Metal Black History Month”, City Connection has announced that Metal Black S-Tribute is now available on Xbone and Steam. This version of Metal Black is based on the SEGA Saturn version of the game. An arcade port of Metal Black is already available for the PS4 and Nintendo Switch via Hamster’s Arcade Archives series. This S-Tribute
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Those are truly, truly mega… fists. On Wednesday, independent comic book creator Tyler Carpenter launched a crowdfunding campaign for The Girl with the Mega Fists volume 3, a 200+ page (!), black and white graphic novel. Written and illustrated by Carpenter, The Girl with the Mega Fists is an ongoing sci-fi saga with a heavy manga influence. The project is
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Independent developer Jackson “TheSmashers” Clayton has announced that the Steam store page for the retro-inspired CASTILLO: The Nine Circles is now live, while the full release date has yet to be announced.* Featuring a throwback pixel art aesthetic and gameplay reminiscent of classic FPS titles of the early 90s, The Nine Circles is the follow-up to CASTILLO: Shattered Mirrors, which
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Straight outta Serbia, the one-man development machine Nikola Bulj has announced that Goblin and Coins II is set to release in April on Steam PC. A sequel to the 2016 original, Goblin and Coins II is a 2D platformer crafted with a specific aim of incorporating feedback and features requested by fans of the first game. Players take on the
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Remember, remember the 13th of… Friday… erm, this isn’t working…. Fulqrum Publishing has officially launched the 1.0 version of Dread Templar for PC via Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store. Created by the one-man developer at T19 Games, Dread Templar is a first-person shooter inspired by its classic 90s forebears – most obviously Doom. The game puts players in
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“Who likes to rock the party?” Publisher Hamster has announced that The NewZealand Story (aka The New Zealand Story) is now available on Nintendo Switch and PS4 as part of the digital Arcade Archives series. Originally released in arcades by Taito in 1988, The New Zealand Story is a 2D action game where players take control of Tiki, the chief
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Japan based development studio Kanipro recently announced that their first game – maiden game, if you will – Violet Wisteria will launch on 9 February via Steam PC. Inspired by the retro classics of the early 1990s, Violet Wisteria is a Valis-esque 2D action platformer featuring a color-switching attack mechanic akin to Ikaruga. Here’s the official breakdown of Violet Wisteria
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The interdimensional lizard people are upon us! On Tuesday, independent author and “the leading Hispanic voice in science fiction” Jon Del Arroz launched a crowdfunding campaign for Flying Sparks: Ultra Light Beams, a 72-page graphic novel. The project is already fully funded, having raised more than $6 thousand at the time of this writing. Written by Del Arroz and featuring
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Have gun, will legend. On Monday, Donkey Madness (Madness, I tell you!) launched a crowdfunding campaign for Shotgun Samurai Legends, a 48-page action/adventure anthology and the follow-up to the Shotgun Samurai manga that was successfully crowdfunded in 2021. The project is already fully funded, having raised roughly $2 thousand at the time of this writing. Here’s the official pitch taken
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Sunsoft has announced that their casual co-op game Ikki Unite will be coming to Steam PC on 15 February. Known outside Japan as both Farmers Rebellion and Boomerang, the original Ikki was originally released in 1985 and puts players in the midst of peasant riots in feudal Japan. That doesn’t sound very “casual” to us, but maybe these are “mostly
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“Monsters” seems a little bit strong… “Hippies” maybe… Pum Spak recently launched a crowdfunding campaign for Unemployed Monsters, a 56-page comic book featuring work by artists from Rick and Morty and Bob’s Burgers. The book is fully funded, and currently in-demand, so you can still buy into the project if you missed it during the crowdfunding period (like we did).
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ININ Games recently confirmed that three compilations of Jaleco’s classic Ninja JaJaMaru games will be coming to the West in February, with two of them receiving physical editions from Strictly Limited (the other small-run physical video game publisher). These collections are being developed by City Connection for both Nintendo Switch and PS4, with preorders now available via the Strictly Limited
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Japan-based developer Drecom recently announced that their upcoming adventure game Tokyo Stories (working title) will be exhibited at the 2023 Taipei Game Show, which will be held from 2 to 5 February in the great nation of Taiwan. Wrapped in a mishmash of 3D and pixel art visual aesthetics, this generically named adventure puts players in the midst of a
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Earlier this week, Strictly Limited Games (the other small-run physical video game publisher) opened pre-orders for limited physical editions of Infinite-Beyond the Mind for both Nintendo Switch and PS4. Developed by Emelie Coyo, Infinite-Beyond the Mind is an indie platformer that has been available for Steam PC since 2020. Here’s the official breakdown of Infinite-Beyond the Mind from Strictly Limited:
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How an unassuming art book saved the ComicsGate name
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Gorillas not confirmed. On Friday, developer Onyx Wings unveiled its upcoming supernatural, mystery-based platformer Mistcaller, which is planned for a December release on Steam PC. Described as “an eerie, yet thrilling puzzle-platformer that takes place in a world covered by mist,” Mistcaller is a game where players are able to control the mist and haze that surrounds them in a
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The Splintering 