This isn’t the first time I’ve been frustrated by a 2D shooter with old-school inspired animation. It’s clear as day what Enchanted Portals’ heaviest inspiration is (you know, that indie game with the Netflix show), but after playing two preview levels, I’m pleasantly surprised to find how much this title has going for it to stand as its own thing. Enchanted Portals has you playing as a rookie magician traveling through portals and fighting all sorts of villains with every […]

The post Enchanted Portals Sets Itself Up for Fast, Frenetic Fun from Joey Rambles appeared first on Cultured Vultures, Cultured Vultures - .

Despite being one of the elder statesmen of the beat ‘em up genre, the Double Dragon series doesn’t quite have the same level of recognition as the likes of Final Fight or Streets of Rage. Double Dragon Neon was enjoyed by a lot of people, but that came out a decade ago, and fans of the series have been waiting patiently for a proper new entry in the series. After getting some time with the Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of […]

The post Double Dragon Gaiden Brings Retro To The Modern Era from Ash Bates appeared first on Cultured Vultures, Cultured Vultures - .

In space, no one can hear you scream, which is lucky, because the healthcare at my intergalactic hospital is less than stellar. But if you feel you know better when it comes to medical matters in outer space, then you should check out Galacticare. In the field of tycoon games, hospital management isn’t a new subgenre. There’s been several games with similar themes, including Theme Hospital, Project Hospital, and most recently, Two Point Hospital. But far from being a mere […]

The post Galacticare Is A Charmingly British Space Tycoon Game from W.B. Mason appeared first on Cultured Vultures, Cultured Vultures - .

We’re big fans of Max Payne here at Cultured Vultures, so naturally when indie gaming’s resident madlads Strange Scaffold announced they’d be making a Max Payne inspired shooter called El Paso, Elsewhere, our excitement levels went into overdrive. After finally getting hands-on with a demo of the game, we were right to be excited, as there’s every chance that El Paso, Elsewhere could become 2023’s sleeper hit. You play as James Savage, a pill-popping bullet slinger with the same penchant […]

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Exoprimal feels like it’s already fighting from underneath, as it might not have been what many long term Capcom fans were hoping for when it was originally announced. This isn’t Capcom’s first dalliance with dinosaurs in their games after all. Dino Crisis is sitting right there, waiting for a Resident Evil level remake all of its own, but that’s a whole other issue. The point is, Exoprimal is already sitting in a precarious position, and after playing the beta for […]

The post Exoprimal’s Good, But Will It Find An Audience? from Ash Bates appeared first on Cultured Vultures, Cultured Vultures - .

A lot has happened since Dead Island 2 was first revealed. This site was still in its infancy, Dying Light wasn’t even a thing yet, and TiK ToK was just an annoyingly catchy Kesha song. It feels almost surreal to finally be playing Dead Island 2 in 2023, but perhaps the most surreal thing of all: it’s actually pretty good. Make no mistake, Dead Island 2 likely won’t sweep The Game Awards, but there’s more than enough here for even […]

The post Let Dead Island 2 Surprise You from Jimmy Donnellan appeared first on Cultured Vultures, Cultured Vultures - .

It’s a pretty good time to even tangentially be related to a game like Elden Ring. Following its massive acclaim and success in 2022, many developers and publishers will no doubt be looking to replicate its special sauce and capture an audience expectant for more. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty not only looks like it could whet the appetite of Souls aficionados, but it brings more than enough of its own ideas to promise plenty for its full release this March. […]

The post Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Is A Game You Might Play For A Long Time from Jimmy Donnellan appeared first on Cultured Vultures, Cultured Vultures - .

The Outlast Trials wants you to know that it’s hardcore pretty much immediately — it’s not like those other multiplayer horror games. Before you’ve even pressed a button, it eviscerates some poor guy in front of you, then drills something into your face in first-person while the music sounds like a chainsaw being accosted by a gang of hoodlum bees. It pretty much never lets up from that point and while the game itself is certainly fun, it doesn’t really […]

The post The Outlast Trials Might Need To Calm Down A Bit from Jimmy Donnellan appeared first on Cultured Vultures, Cultured Vultures - .

Collectible card games, or CCGs for short, are some of the most popular strategy subgenres, with thousands of players logging in daily to experience rock-solid competitive strategic and tactical gameplay. On the other side of the fence, tabletop miniatures games are popular with avid and veteran hobbyists due to the freedom to create, paint, and bring to life your own armies. CCGs and miniatures games seem like a perfect match as both tap into the desire to complete your collection, […]

The post Moonbreaker Will Scratch That Miniature Painting Itch from Maxim Klose-Ivanov appeared first on Cultured Vultures, Cultured Vultures - .

Some of the most mechanically and conceptually refreshing city builders come from the minds of indie development studios, such as Erik Rempen’s Kainga. Stray Fawn Studio is now taking its own signature creative approach to this subset of games, focusing on the idea of symbiosis between people and enigmatic avatars of life. The Wandering Village offers a full course of strategic city building, management, and survival delight, and while it’s visually stunning, it still needs to hit its stride. The […]

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It’s quite fascinating to see how games can be improved by taking an established formula and going “but with guns”. Palworld, for instance, has made huge waves for looking like a game that gives Jigglypuff a Kalashnikov, but its the roller-skating, rampaging Rollerdrome that has caught my eye the most. If you thought the extreme sports games of your youth weren’t quite extreme enough, Rollerdrome is here to give you what you need, especially if you can get your hands […]

The post Rollerdrome Is Perfect For Steam Deck from Jimmy Donnellan appeared first on Cultured Vultures, Cultured Vultures - .

Not many video games are brave enough to feature a protagonist who’s more relevant and easier to relate to, but Exhausted Man does. Literally, you’re playing as a dude who’s too tired to even stand up right, which is a pretty big mood for someone who struggles to get out of bed in the morning and has an attention span shorter tha–is that a bird outside? A slow-paced physics-based puzzler from Candleman Studio with a limited time demo available now […]

The post Exhausted Man Is A Very Relatable Game About Being Too Tired from Ash Bates appeared first on Cultured Vultures, Cultured Vultures - .

The Game Awards 2021, in between all of the adverts anyway, was filled with some big announcements and reveals, but one of the more surprising ones was Outerloop Games’ Thirsty Suitors. Published by Annapurna Interactive, the game’s vibrant art style, bold music and unique blend of gameplay genres caught the attention of many immediately, and after witnessing a bigger look at the game via a hands-off Discord demo, it could be a real hit. The game follows Jala, a queer […]

The post Thirsty Suitors Aims To Tackle Love & Generational Trauma from Ash Bates appeared first on Cultured Vultures, Cultured Vultures - .

Fortnite: Chapter 3 – Season 3 is offering players the chance to get a free emote known as Vibrant Vibin’ in the season also known as Vibin’. Check out the Vibrant Vibin’ emote in action below. Here's the two dance emotes we got this update! – "Steady" (Battle Pass)– "Vibrant Vibin'" (Item Shop) pic.twitter.com/IerXJWqnmX — Shiina (@ShiinaBR) June 5, 2022 A spin on the Vibin’ emote, which was first introduced in Season X, players can earn Vibrant Vibin’ for free […]

The post Fortnite: How To Get The Vibrant Vibin’ Emote For Free from Jimmy Donnellan appeared first on Cultured Vultures, Cultured Vultures - .

While it’s (sadly) not still 1994, there’s only one word I could think of after I wrapped up a short press demo for the upcoming Metal: Hellsinger from The Outsiders: rad. This has every chance of being the definitive video game for the metal scene, and it’s also a pretty compelling first-person shooter to boot. Metal: Hellsinger is a rhythm FPS in which you play as a part human, part demon who’s out for revenge in Hell against The Red […]

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