[Did I expect this particular Sega franchise to come back & hit big? Nooope.]
We’re back again with Video Game Deep Cuts newsletter on Substack, folks. I’m still enjoying putting these together - not least because there are plenty ‘big news of the day/week’ newsletters, but finding time to discover the alternative material is rewarding.
The ‘all the notable new games’ section may be getting too big/complex. But even working out what came out can be surprisingly tricky for the average reader, with all the platforms/microscenes out there. So I’ll keep noodling!
- Simon, curator
The Current: New Games In The Spotlight
Gears Tactics (PC) takes the limb-strewn franchise into XCOM territory.
The Flower Collectors (PC, pictured) is an unusual short narrative game - “a simple but full-hearted spin on Rear Window.”
Fallout 76’s ‘Wastelanders’ update (PC, Xbox, PS4) - which is solo play-focused, intriguingly - seems to have elevated the game to ‘try this out!’ levels.
Paper Beast (PS4) is the under-the-radar Eric Chahi (Another World) PlayStation VR game which “throws players into a hallucinatory cyberscape.”
2D brawler remake Streets Of Rage 4 (PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox) is a bit of a surprise hit. (BONUS: ICYMI, Treachery In Beatdown City is an intriguing 2D RPG-brawler combo.)
4 vs. 1 multiplayer shooter Predator: Hunting Grounds (PC, PS4) has mixed reviews - game ‘feel’ better suited to dev’s previous, Friday The 13th?
The Culture: Game Culture & Deep Dives
Screenwriter (& former game mag editor) Gary Whitta has built a talk show in Animal Crossing, complete with bandleader & musical guests. (Example!)
Fortnite is more fully embracing the Metaverse comparisons with a no-shooting Party Royale mode.
How the game biz is dealing - somewhat awkwardly - with pregnancy & motherhood as a game dev.
The video game arcades struggling to survive in the era of COVID-19.
There’s a green vs. purple alien war in Grand Theft Auto Online that’s taking over the Internet? Apparently?
The Past: Game History
Vintage interview on the making of Capcom’s classic 2D fighter Darkstalkers (concept art pictured).
A visit to see Final Fantasy illustrator Yoshitaka Amano in his art studio.
Where are our queer and transgender elders in video game history? A historical look. (Part of a host of interesting MAGFest talks/panels coming online.)
How PC game ‘shareware’ came about, from Softdisk to Apogee & beyond.
A longform documentary on the genesis of megahit indie strategy battler Darkest Dungeon.
The Other Goodness
Magic: The Gathering has a wild card trading/speculation scene.
