PixlBit

The flash clone died soon thereafter.

As a huge Halo fanboy, I’m happy to take any non-Master Chief content the good brand managers at Microsoft are willing to toss out there. After getting fairly hooked on the Halo novels, and finding that the universe created to support a space marine shooter was actually pretty interesting, I’ve often pined for actual games that use this setting in completely new ways. Halo 3: ODST was a fantastic side-step and Halo Wars reportedly made a great effort at a console RTS, but the latest attempt to get Halo characters not wearing green body armor on your Xbox, Halo: Spartan Assault, smacks of an easy cash grab.

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A perfectly fan-serviceable, but mindless brawler.

Despite the variety of games classified as brawlers, they typically fall into one of two camps: Those that have deep, complex mechanics and require thoughtful, strategic combat decisions and memorization of enemy tactics, and those that are simple, fun, and generally don’t require a whole lot of thought. These are games like Streets of Rage, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or Musou games like Dynasty Warriors. Senran Kagura Burst falls squarely into this second camp, but that doesn't mean it’s not a unique experience. Senran Kagura Burst is probably the most Japanese game I've ever played, and that’s really saying quite a lot.

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In space, no one can hear you flicker.

When R-Type showed up on the arcade scene in 1987, it was a force to be reckoned with. Thanks to its razor-sharp graphics and techno-organic alien atmosphere, the game quickly became considered to be one of the best shoot 'em ups (SHMUPs) of its time, rivaling the popularity of the Gradius series. With this arcade gem's success, it was only logical that it should be ported to every major home console, right? In theory, yes, but in reality, it saw a release on only two video game systems compared to being ported to at least eight personal computer systems at the time. Of the scarce home console releases, the Sega Master System saw a port of R-Type in 1988. Although faithful to the arcade version in terms of content, the game takes a nosedive when the action gets heavy.

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The space action adventure you couldn't pronounce -- until now!

Now and then, game developers like to mix it up a little and create a game that pitches together several genres into one. Xexyz (pronounced “zeks-zees”) on the NES is one such game. It's a rare attempt to blend elements from the platformer and shoot 'em up genres, with just a pinch of RPG thrown in there for extra measure.  Released by Hudson Soft in 1990, Xexyz proved that fusing three genres can work quite well. 

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Welcome to The Elder Scrolls Forge! An ongoing, episodic feature that showcases the coolest mods for The Elder Scrolls Anthology

Greetings, my fellow Draugrs! The Halloween season is upon us, so The Elder Scrolls Forge is celebrating in grand fashion by bringing you the most bone-chilling mods for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Whether you are looking for some terrifying quests, Halloween-themed overhauls, greater immersion, or just a little aesthetic character embellishment we've got you covered. Remember, all images are scalable if you'd like to get a better look, and if you are interested in snagging yourself a copy of any of the mods just click on the title to be taken to its respective Skyrim Nexus page. So whenever you are done cursing off Valgar Vinicia for running out of pumpkin spice, dim the lights and prepare to celebrate Halloween, Dovahkiin style!

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