Focusing on games new and old you might not know about, Have You Heard Of This? is set to help you discover games you may have missed.

It also includes a look at games that might not get a full review.

Terry O'Neill 29/07/2025 Terry O'Neill 29/07/2025

The Last Transmission

Assigned to a remote radio outpost known as Station 23, your duties are simple: log weather reports, monitor incoming transmissions, and follow your directives. But when a storm hits your station, things start taking a turn for the unnatural.

I've said before how much I just love stumbling across indie games when I'm least expecting it. It's one thing to find it on Steam or through a recommendation, but finding a game that looks great on your own just feels more satisfying, and those are the games I end up looking forward to the most. In this case, I found this game simply scrolling through my personal TikTok which doesn't feature many games, surprisingly. When it popped up on my page, I reached out to the developers and they were happy for me to feature The Last Transmission here for my Have You Heard Of This section, and provided me with the necessary information and a press kit to write up this little recommendation.

The Last Transmission is a first-person psychological horror game (yes, that's two recommendations in a row. But what can I say? These games always catch my eye) that's set in a remote radio station nestled deep within the mountains. As part of your routine tasks, you listen out for incoming transmissions, log changes in weather, and follow the protocol assigned to you. But when a storm rolls in, you begin to get the unnerving feeling you're no longer alone. As the storm worsens, the incoming transmissions start to sound unusual.

The developers over at Hidden Veil Studios have been focusing on crafting a deep narrative that is rich in atmosphere and an underlying sense of dread. Instead of relying on jump scares or pulse-pounding chase sequences, The Last Transmission instead focuses on a tighter, more claustrophobic feeling. With a creeping silence that is only broken by the raging storm outside and the interspersed bursts of radio signals, The Last Transmission will slowly build up the tension as the story unfolds. This minimalist approach will also mean combat will be absent, instead focusing on a more narrative-driven experience, which I am here for.

As part of your logging and recording duties, you will have access to a radio, a typewriter, and a phone to interpret and detail the transmissions you receive. With only a small number of tools at your disposal, you must use what you have to decipher the mysterious signals you've been receiving. But as the storm rages outside Station 23, the signals start to get a little stranger. With radio broadcasts urging you to seek shelter from the storm, it seems a no-brainer to stay hauled up and wait for it to pass. But when the phone rings, you realize you're being watched. The man on the other end of the line says he used to do the job you do. He adds that he's in the house across the lake from you, before ending with the vague promise that he would see you after the storm ends.

With an unnatural storm raging outside and a mysterious stranger on the other end of the phone planning a meeting, there's already tension brewing. Will you risk braving the outdoors to meet your mystery caller or will you stay locked up in Station 23? The building sense of isolation will most likely drive even the most resilient of players insane, especially with the increasing phone calls. And that's saying nothing about the curious or fearless players. To me, the slow-burning lead up to the events that will unfold in The Last Transmission is what I'm most excited for. I only know the basics of what the story will entail, but I'm already looking forward to seeing how it all plays out.

The Last Transmission is already oozing in atmosphere and mystery from the first trailer. The setting lends itself well as a major part of the story, especially when the storm rolls in, and it'll make players feel truly isolated as it progresses. With a more contained cast of characters and scenarios, The Last Transmission can focus more on delivering a story that will keep you on your toes. This minimalist take on game design is a palate cleanser from all the over-the-top, almost action-like horror games that seem to take the focus away, and I feel like it will play well into how the game and its story lead to its natural conclusion.

If you’re a fan of anything horror, then The Last Transmission should be right up your alley. A slow-burning mystery that builds up its story until the tension hits a crescendo, before the story (and you) slowly unravels to tell what’s promising to be a deeper, more contained narrative. The team at Hidden Veil Studios is hard at work, and this will be one to keep an eye on if you love indie horror. If you haven’t already, you can wishlist The Last Transmission on Steam, as it will mean a great deal to the developers. There’s no set date for The Last Transmission just yet, but it will be coming to Steam around Q1 2026. I’m looking forward to picking up the game when it launches, and I hope you do, too! But until then, Have You Heard Of This?

I created this website as I feel the state of the games industry and games reporting as a whole has gotten overly negative and full of clickbait. While I understand both of these are a great way to generate engagement, it’s a detriment to those gamers (like myself) that are just trying to enjoy games and not have to worry about the negativity of the current state of the gaming industry. I want a space where gamers can come for unbiased news that doesn’t rely on clickbait or rumours with a dash of humour and have the opportunity to share their passion for games.

Terry O'Neill 23/07/2025 Terry O'Neill 23/07/2025

Mouthwashing

After a crash leaves their spaceship heavily damaged, five crew members are left drifting through space. With dwindling supplies and rescue light-years away, Mouthwashing follows the events of the Tulpar as they unfold, leaving the shipwrecked survivors struggling to maintain order.

Harkening back to the days of PS1 horror titles, you might think Mouthwashing doesn't exactly sound like a horror title. And I agree with you. But it starts to make sense the further you get into the story. Inspired by the old and oft-forgotten horror games from the PS1 era, Mouthwashing is a first-person psychological horror game that will leave you questioning the events unfolding around you. With retro graphics and minimal voice acting, Mouthwashing hits you hard with its story nonetheless. Copious amounts of violence, gore, and an unsettling feeling of unease will keep you on your toes as you witness first-hand just what exactly being trapped in space can do to your psyche.

After colliding with an asteroid, the crew of the Tulpar, a freighter hauling a mysterious cargo for the Pony Express corporation, is left to fend for themselves while waiting for rescue. The crash leaves the ship's Captain Curly limbless and maimed beyond recognition. Unable to speak, Curly is left in the care of the remaining crew, who now must uncover what caused the incident while trying to come up with a plan to survive. Relationships between the survivors begin to fracture, exacerbated by the depleting supplies and having to care for their injured captain. With the looming reality of starvation ahead and rescue from their employers at Pony Express too far off, the survivors begin to take action. But isolation and claustrophobia are not a good combination. Paranoia quickly takes hold, and the group withdraws from each other more.

Mouthwashing balances the thrills of a psychological horror with a deeply artistic narrative, one that is loaded with thought-provoking and sometimes even downright jarring moments. It’s a story that has some familiar beats, with a wide variety of emotional and traumatic scenes that will test your mental resilience as much as your gore tolerance level. Descending into madness would be expected for a crew lost in space with nothing more than a few weeks of food and water to keep them going, but Mouthwashing is so much more than that. It’s a gripping and sometimes emotionally terrifying experience. It questions how people would react in a scenario when the structure of our everyday lives is ripped away at a moment’s notice.

I will admit that, while I was excited to give a new indie horror title a shot after my time with Look Outside, I wasn’t immediately gripped. I loved the artistic style reminiscent of horror games long since past, and I am a sucker for the whole “scenario goes wrong in space” media (thanks Event Horizon), which is another key factor in luring me into playing Mouthwashing, I was questioning my enjoyment early on. But it didn’t take long for the story to unfold.

The story is told in chapters, with the events unfolding in two different periods: before the crash and after the crash. Now, as the player, I got to see the story in a way the rest of the crew was oblivious to in the beginning. Avoiding spoilers, I did find it a little confusing at the start of the game when the actions I was making did not match what I would have expected, but I soon realized it was just the narrative. Mouthwashing was subverting my expectations as I played, and I quickly fell in line. Some scenes would end with a brief freeze effect as it transitions to the next chapter or scenario, and the first time I experienced it, I thought the game had crashed on me.

The healthy members of the crew, Jimmy, Anya, Swansea, and Daisuke, are deliberating their odds of survival. They’ve already implemented rationing and begin to discuss the cargo they are hauling for Pony Express, with the crew divided on the next steps they should take. Anya argues it could be useful to them, with Swansea refusing and saying the company will dock their pay if they tamper with their cargo. It was at that point that I took control of Jimmy, who assumed the role of acting Captain.

As the story progresses and the crew begins to distance themselves, I got to see how each member of the crew began to react to the traumatic events. Taking responsibility plays a significant role in the story, but it also highlights the burden placed upon each crew member as they confront isolation and the tasks they undertake to ensure survival. The loneliness of space and the weight of trying to unite a team nearing the end of their ropes begins to take its toll. The story carefully lays the groundwork of the slow descent into madness disguised as maintaining control of the crew, showcasing just how much things slip away when trying to keep order.

With time running out, the crew agrees to breach company protocol and open up the cargo hold in the hopes of finding food and medicine to keep them going. But the cargo they're hauling isn't what they were expecting. It's boxes and boxes of… mouthwash (I told you it would loop back into the title). The bottles of mouthwash have too high a sugar content to be used for medicinal purposes, but upon closer examination, it’s found to have 14% ethanol. Swansea, the Tulpar’s resident mechanic and recovered alcoholic, sees it as good a time as any to relapse, seeing as it seems unlikely he will live long enough to regret it.

While there is social commentary woven throughout, it is expertly crafted to fit the narrative to the point you’d be forgiven for not noticing it, instead getting caught up in the experience. There were plenty of times where I had to really stop and think about something that seemed initially obscure. The characters, their moments both on-screen and alluded to in other scenes, the slipping into darkness that you think you see coming. It’s lightened here and there by moments of levity, but Mouthwashing goes beyond showing a darker side of human nature. It practically holds the mirror up to your face and shows you how you can be the biggest part of the kinds of horrors the game presents.

Not every theme will be relatable to each player, but some are uncomfortable in how relatable they are: fear of loss, being held accountable for your actions, moral complexity. The writers behind Mouthwashing did an excellent job presenting dilemmas that made me question to what ends people would go to to survive or to avoid repercussions for their actions. It’s bleak, but it’s well-crafted. The sound design, the narrative, and the setting are all highlights, in my opinion. It took my expectations and surpassed them. By the end of the game, I was left reeling. The last few story beats solidify Mouthwashing as a must-play, but if you aren’t mentally prepared for a draining psychological horror that leaves you questioning the human mind, you may want to take it slow.

I played Mouthwashing exclusively on Steam Deck. It isn’t a demanding game, so I was able to fully enjoy my time with it without worrying about battery life. It’s also an easy game to pick up and play if you only have a few minutes throughout the day. It was completely bug-free for my playthrough. I had a little trouble with some of the game’s puzzles, but it was rewarding when I was able to figure out what to do next. Mouthwashing is thematic and well-written. While people might find the gameplay to be a little lacking, the story and setting more than make up for it. It doesn’t risk outstaying its welcome with a bloated or confusing plot, nor is it bogged down with unnecessary segments. Everything is crafted to give just the right amount of psycho thriller you’d expect (and some you wouldn’t) to make it memorable. Even writing up this article is giving me the urge to dive back in for another playthrough to focus on the story knowing the outcome. While the title might be a little out there for a horror game, Mouthwashing is bloody and disturbing in all the right ways, choosing to rely more on the horrors of isolation and human error rather than jump scares or a threat you can easily fend off. It’s the threats that you can’t fight that you need to watch out for. But until then, Have You Heard Of This?

Mouthwashing is available now on Steam for €12.79 or your regional equivalent, with a console release slated for sometime this year. It sits at a nice Overwhelmingly Positive rating from its players.

Terry O'Neill 08/07/2025 Terry O'Neill 08/07/2025

Cursed Companions

Horror games tend to lose their scare factor when co-op is introduced. But the potential for humour increases significantly, especially with the right group of friends. That's where Cursed Companions comes in, a co-op horror game full of humour, charm, and memorable moments.

We all have the ability to be little devils. Especially if it may lead to hilarious moments with our friends. Throw in a game that actually listens to what everyone is saying and reacts accordingly, and you have a recipe for excellent comedy. Side effects may include a rift in your friend group or affected team members looking to pay you back in kind. Cursed Companions is a game rife with opportunity for experiencing laughs and panicked moments.

One of the more intriguing features in Cursed Companions is that the game is listening in on players and how they play. Now, I don't mean the game is actively listening to every single thing players say, but it is always listening out for key phrases. In Cursed Companions, your voice is your greatest tool. Traps and puzzles can be overcome by simply saying a command. Sounds simple, right? Well, if you aren't careful, you could accidentally cause a friend to plummet to their death or draw the attention of something big and nasty you don't want to. As funny as it will no doubt be for you to cause your friend who's lagging behind to get caught in a trap, it could also end your run prematurely. It's all about teamwork, after all.

The trailer showcases some of the phrases and what might happen when you say them. There are some great benefits, such as casting spells to light the way forward (well, a torch) or to heal your teammates should they have fallen victim to one of your poorly-timed trap activations. Choose your words carefully, as even asking your team to follow you can result in dire consequences. Knowing what words to avoid can be the difference between surviving or ending your run. Unless you intentionally want to try and complete the game solo, in which case have at it.

No two runs will be the same. And that's not counting the times you end your run because you want to see what would happen if you kill off half your team. Each dungeon you dive is procedurally-generated and they get deeper the further your team progresses. The more you play, the higher chance you have of getting lost, meaning you'll have to keep going if turning back isn't an option. The next room might just have the treasure you must seek to please the Dark Queen, who reassures you the dungeons and their denizens are safe.

Players serve the Dark Queen in her quest for treasure. And like any rightful queen, she sends minions to do all the hard work and plunder ill-gotten gains in her name. Returning the treasure safely results in you earning favour with the Dark Queen. Failing to do so, or to hit the required amount, can result in extreme consequences. Said treasure just so happens to be cursed, too, making things even more challenging. Speak the forbidden words on the treasure and risk damage or even death to you and your team. But you wouldn't want a boring run with nothing happening, right?

And that's if you can pry the lustrous loot away from the creatures blocking your way. Not every monster is inherently hostile; some are just content to get in the way. But if you rile them up, you better hope you can get outta Dodge fast. Some of the critters hunt by sound, though, so running isn't always a good idea. Maybe if you try to shoo them away or send them to their room, you might just survive long enough to bring the treasures home.

Additional loot can be found along the way. While the cursed treasures go to the Dark Queen, there's nothing wrong with pocketing a little loot here and there to make your efforts worthwhile. Cash in your findings to upgrade your skills and buy fresh equipment. But be sure to keep some of that gold aside, as you can use it to upgrade your home base and make it more than just a place to relax in. That's if your friends have forgiven you for that last stunt you pulled.

If you're not one for teamwork, you can always switch to Cursed Companions’ Traitor Mode. Leaving behind the camraderie and somewhat trustworthiness, Traitor Mode lets you turn on each other. The traitors have two unique abilities that other players won't have access to: the ability to see the health and death curses of other Companions (kinda like Shinigami eyes from Death Note) and the ability to dole out death curses to whomever you wish. It's up to the Companions to track down and vote out the Traitors before they all get eliminated.

There's no set release date for Cursed Companions just yet, but it is due to launch in Early Access on Steam sometimes this year. Once I have a release date, I'll be sure to share it with you. But until then, Have You Heard Of This?

Terry O'Neill 01/07/2025 Terry O'Neill 01/07/2025

13Z: The Zodiac Trials

A hectic hack-and-slash rogue like pitting players against trials of power, determination, and increasing challenges, 13Z: The Zodiac Trials sets players on a quest to become the 13th Zodiac.

Finding and spotlighting new and lesser known games is the most enjoyable aspect of the Have You Heard Of This section. Sometimes I get recommended games from people who want to bring more attention to upcoming projects. In this case, I was recommended 13Z: The Zodiac Trials, and, after a quick look at the game’s Steam page and released trailers, I knew this would be something I would love to draw attention to.

13Z: The Zodiac Trials offers players the option of a small cast of challengers, including Fox, Raven, and Panda, each with their own unique animal spirits which come into play throughout the trials. In addition, there is an upgrade system implemented to help further diversify gameplay, giving gamers the option of creating a playstyle best suited to them. Scrolls and skill books offer further upgrades and players can unlock new playable characters as they progress.

If you have some friends who are keen on diving into something new together, 13Z: The Zodiac Trials offers up to four player co-op to take on the trials together as a team. Enemies and bosses will scale in difficulty as more players join the fray, so be sure to bring your A-game. If, however, you're like me and want to try the game out solo first, you can take on everything in a single-player experience instead. It won't be as difficult, but it's sure to provide a challenge that'll keep you on your toes. But that's not to say the game isn't beginner friendly. I had no issues getting into the thick of things.

As for my own experience with the game so far, I have been having a blast. Not long after being recommended 13Z, I saw that the developers were launching a Global Playtest, so I signed up and got my invitation shortly after. I installed the Playtest and after booting it up and adjusting my settings, I dived into the game for the first time. After a nice opening cutscene that introduced me to the game’s lore, I was greeted by one of the Zodiac who advised me if I wanted to become one of them I would need to complete a number of trials. A quick tutorial on basic gameplay combat and the movement system followed, and I was faced with two options for my first real trial.

The gameplay and combat feels fluid and responsive and I was quite impressed with how it felt to battle my way through an assortment of enemies to complete the first step in my trial. Each trial shows an overall grading on how well you did, based on things like time taken to complete, enemies defeated, and damage taken. I am not certain, but I think combos also play a factor in how much score you receive. I cleared the trial in around a minute and earned a B rating, which is higher than I expected for my first foray. Before moving onto the next section, I was given a choice for a fire-themed upgrade to one of my combat abilities.

I did notice that health didn't regenerate after each battle, which added to the challenge. And while there were the occasional health pickups dropped by enemies I defeated, the health restoration they gave was paltry. In comparison to the damage I sustained during each trial, I do believe it was part of the experience, however I feel like it could be tweaked a little more. There is also a parry option available, which I have yet to Master, so maybe taking more damage is on my fledgling skills. But with a little increase to health drops, I reckon we'll hit that sweet spot of challenging and rewarding.

I really can't stress how much I loved the art style and animations in this game. The damage indicators felt crisp and punchy. The world I experienced in my trials was vibrant, the colours vivid and I never had to worry about enemies blending in to a dull background. The character models I've seen so far are full of detail, and there was a decent variety of enemy types, distinctive in their looks as well as their combat encounters.

I'll also give a special mention to the giant frog boss that ended my first trial run right quick when I got cocky and thought I had a win in the bag. It's the first of a number of bosses to encounter in 13Z: The Zodiac Trials. It's moves we're well telegraphed, but it is surprisingly agile. Combined with my already dwindling health and my overconfidence, it's safe to say I will respect it a bit more on my next run against it.

Though it's currently running through a playtest, there is a lot of details and improvements gone into the game since its last playtest. While I missed out on that one, watching the trailers gave a quick recap. I must say it's quite impressive to see how much work and love has gone into this game so far, and I am quite excited to see how well it plays out at launch. Fingers crossed there's further updates to keep me coming back post-release, but even if not, they have definitely gotten my attention.

I played through using a controller on my PC and everything was fast and responsive. I didn't encounter any glitches or bugs during my playthrough, which is quite refreshing. Of course, each individual playthrough will vary and some may suffer issues. The devs do preface this by mentioning what may be missing or errors that may occur, but I didn't experience anything like it

We don't have a set release date for 13Z: The Zodiac Trials just yet, but I'll share more news on it as it comes. But until then, Have You Heard Of This?

Terry O'Neill 10/06/2025 Terry O'Neill 10/06/2025

Look Outside

A survival horror taking place in a single apartment building, Look Outside tasks you with figuring out what happened to your neighbors while fighting to stay alive. And whatever you do… don't look outside.

We all love staying at home some days. Enjoying the comforts of a familiar location is a nice and relaxing experience, especially when the weather isn't good. But what would you do if you couldn't go outside? What if something happened that prevented you from leaving your apartment block or even from looking out the windows or doors? Well, that's the main premise of Look Outside, a survival horror game that takes place in a single apartment building while chaos descends outside. Like any good survival horror, players must explore and loot a limited amount of supplies to figure out what exactly has happened to cause everything to go sideways.

Taking on the role of Sam, players wake up one morning as an unknown event unfolds across the world. As Sam goes to open his curtains, he's warned against doing so. After a conversation with his neighbor, who explains what's going on elsewhere and advises that whatever is happening should subside in 15 days, we get to explore Sam’s apartment and the rest of the third floor where he resides. But not everyone in the apartment building is as fortunate as Sam, who was living as an unemployed recluse before the events began to unfold. Many of the building’s residents have fallen victim to the mysterious event going on outside, resulting in them mutating into all kinds of abominations and then getting trapped in their homes or various other rooms within the apartment block. As time goes on, the number of residents dwindles, leaving Sam as one of the few remaining survivors.

Time passes if you stay at home and take part in a number of different activities, such as cooking, showering, or playing video games. I have heard it’s possible to stay inside and play video games until things return to normal (how very meta), but I can’t imagine it being as fun as actually experiencing the game. However, the quickest way for time to pass is to explore new locations for the first time or participate in combat. Every trip outside the safety of Sam’s apartment feels like it could be the last one you make, but that is what makes the exploration so much fun. The bid to push yourself just a bit further in the hopes of finding enough healing supplies to get through the day or a new weapon to replace the one that just broke in your last combat encounter is something you'll be trying to convince yourself you need to do, and it's something you'll do often as you progress because the next room might have just what you're looking for or you might not make it out.

Look Outside features turn-based combat, which isn't overly common for the genre, but it really adds to the experience. As players progress through the game and the various rooms and apartments, they'll eventually come across a wide variety of NPCs that can be recruited to their party, each with their own levels, abilities, and gear. Some of these party members will turn up on your doorstep when you're at home between excursions, and if you're anything like me, you won't answer the door to the majority of folks. Though not everyone who turns up means to do you harm, as occasionally you'll have traders turn up. It's up to you to make a judgement call and engage with them, or pretend like no-one is at home until they go away. Like a true anti-social adult! It took me until I reached the ground floor from the third floor before I got my first companion, which was no easy feat.

While resources are scarce, there are a couple of vendors who choose to take advantage of the ongoing chaos to mark up the price on the goods they have, and it’s up to you to decide if you want to splash the extra cash while you have it or save it for when you might really need some supplies. Exploring a neighbouring apartment can net you a crafting kit to keep back at home and mix up some deadly cocktails or some juicy healing supplies. If you’re running low on health, return home and cook up a delicious meal with the food you take from your neighbour’s fridges. The longer you explore, the more time passes, and the more time passes, the more experience earned when returning to the apartment.

It’s an addictive gameplay loop that is difficult to break once it has got its hooks into you, but that’s yet again part of the charm. Every floor I progressed through, every room I looted, left me feeling like there was more content just waiting for me around the next corner. And when I assumed I cleared a floor or an objective, I found more reasons to go back and ensure I was as thorough as possible in my explorations.

There is a lot of content in this stunning little indie title, and the more time I put into it, the longer I want to play and explore more. The story is intriguing and leaves me desperate to figure out what is going on and why. Like traditional survival horror games, it doesn’t hold your hand with story beats, encouraging you to try and figure things out on your own, with only cryptic hints from other NPCs to decipher. And while there’s the option to let 15 days pass, I don’t want that to be my experience. The game has multiple different endings, so players will be able to play through again and again if they want to see how each unfold. I have already put in about 8 hours and I and eager to dive in for more every chance I get.

I played Look Outside exclusively on Steam Deck on my breaks, on public transport, or even a few minutes before sleep every night. Throughout my game time on Steam Deck, I haven’t encountered a single issue with the game or the device itself. It’s still early in the year, but I have a feeling I already have a strong contender for my personal Game of the Year, and I just know I’ll be planning a full review at some point. But until then, Have You Heard Of This?

Terry O'Neill 28/05/2025 Terry O'Neill 28/05/2025

Tokyo Xtreme Racer

Taking inspiration from PS2-era racers, Tokyo Xtreme Racer is a fast-paced, high-octane arcade racer taking players to the highways of Tokyo.

*Gear up for an arcade racer where you take on other drivers to become the number #1 street racer in Tokyo. Image copyright,* © Genki

If you miss the simpler times of arcade racers from the PlayStation 2 era, then you’ll be pleased to know that particular style of games is making a comeback. Lately, there hasn’t really been to many mainstream racing titles that focus on pure, simplistic fun. While the Gran Turismo series has kept things relatively grounded, and the Forza Horizon series has been blending the realism of the Motorsport series with arcade-style racing, there hasn’t been much focus on good, solid arcade racing. This is where Tokyo Xtreme Racer comes in. It feels like EA has long since given up on making a new entry into the Burnout franchise and Rockstar’s Midnight Club has been forgone in favour of Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, so it’s small wonder why it feels like the arcade-racing genre is on life support.

Tokyo Xtreme Racer aims to revitalize things, and so far, fans of the genre have been pretty receptive to the game Genki Co., Ltd. are building. And I’m happy to say that I’m one of them. I dabbled in all manner of games on my PS2 when I was younger, including some racing games like Need For Speed: Underground 2. While I didn’t really appreciate racing games when I was a teen because I hated losing, I did love Underground 2. And that’s the kind of experience I felt after booting up Tokyo Xtreme Racer for the first time.

*After selecting your first car from the three options presented, it’s time to dive in. Image copyright,* © Genki

Tokyo Xtreme Racer is an arcade racing game set in many racing fans’ dream of a near future Tokyo. Drawing inspiration from the street racing set on the Shuto Expressway in Japan’s Greater Tokyo Area, players compete against powerful AI drivers to try and become the best racer on the Shuto. No one wants to be the worst racer in a racing game, that’s no fun, but how the player goes about this is what makes the game so addictive. Giving players access to dozens of real cars to choose from and customize to their own liking, and take to the carefully crafted race courses, Tokyo Xtreme Racer keeps the idea of fast-paced, frenetic fun in mind throughout.

Not knowing a whole lot about cars, I went with the above car that caught my eye from the available choices, a Mazda Roadster RS ‘15. I like the design compared to the others, and when I made my choice, I was shown through some text-based tutorials and tips, and finally set loose onto the Shuto Expressway as a novice racer. Now, what I said earlier still applies. I don’t like to lose. But overall, even when I lost a race in Tokyo Xtreme Racer, it never felt unfair. The few times I did lose races were more of an inherent power gap between vehicles, more than a lack of skill. And while there were times when simple luck or bad timing caused a very quick loss, I was eager to challenge the racer again to correct my mistake.

Head-to-head races against other drivers are the key to Tokyo Xtreme Racer’s gameplay. I did not have this many credits in my playthrough, this screenshot is courtesy of the developers. Image copyright, © Genki

Loading into the Shuto Expressway course from any number of different starting points, the idea is to find racers to challenge, drive up behind them, and initiate an SP Battle race. Usually, this results in you being behind the other driver as the race starts, but that never lasts too long. The idea of the SP Battle (Spirit Point Battle) race is that both racers drive as fast as they can to deplete their opponent’s SP bar, which appears on the top of the screen, while taking care not to let their own SP bar hit zero. The idea is to get as far ahead of your opponent as possible as quickly as possible. While that’s the general idea of a race, the SP bar depletes in other ways if you’re not careful. Speed is obviously important, but crashing, grinding your car against walls and other cars, and even careless driving at top speeds can all lead to sapping your own SP bar first.

It’s fun to win a race with only a sliver of your bar remaining, but it’s also disheartening to come from behind in a race and take the lead from your opponent only to have victory snatched from you because you ended up drifting a little too hard and are now trading paint with the scenery and watch the last of your SP bar disappear. Lightning-quick reflexes and knowing when to make your move are just as important as speed, and that’s what makes Tokyo Xtreme Racer so much fun. An interesting aspect is that when you win around 5 races (maybe more, depending on your opponents), you’ll stumble across Team Leaders who will drive up behind you and challenge you to a race for beating their team members. This usually comes after you’ve finished a race, so be wary in letting your guard down if you’ve noticed a trend with the racers you’ve already beaten.

*Get too cocky and defeat too many racers in a team and the team leader will have something to say about it. Image copyright,* © Genki

There’s still a lot I want to cover for Tokyo Xtreme Racer, so I’ll be expanding upon my thoughts in a review for it at some point. I want to thank the team at Genki Co., Ltd. for providing me with some of their own images to pair with the screenshots I took from my own playthrough, and for making such a fun racer to begin with. I played just over 4 hours of Tokyo Xtreme Racer, mostly playing on my Steam Deck while on breaks at work. It performs extremely well, and if you want a game where you can easily drop in for a few minutes at a time, this might be worth considering.

Tokyo Xtreme Racer is currently available in Early Access on Steam, where it sits at a Very Positive rating with over 10,000 reviews. Genki has extended the Early Access period until the end of September of this year to further fine-tune the game based on player feedback, but for anyone looking for a fun arcade racer, I recommend taking the risk and picking it up now. I will be coming back to the game over time and will have my own review ready to coincide with the game’s full launch. But until then, Have You Heard Of This?

Terry O'Neill 12/05/2025 Terry O'Neill 12/05/2025

Forsaken Realms: Vahrin’s Call

Plenty of bigger titles are heavily promoted at all kinds of showcases. However, plenty of lesser-known releases are often stumbled upon when you least expect it. Forsaken Realms: Vahrin’s Call is one of those titles. So just what exactly is Forsaken Realms: Vahrin’s Call? Read on below to find out.

Forsaken Realms: Vahrin’s Call is a brand-new action-RPG from up-and-coming indie studio, Titan Roc. Based in the South-west of England, United Kingdom, the team over at Titan Roc is already hard at work on Vahrin’s Call, bringing their own passion for gaming to this original franchise. Though the team is small, numbering only in the single digits, this streamlined approach makes it easier to build a more cohesive experience for players.

Set within the high-fantasy world of Leyda, Vahrin’s Call sets players on a quest to reach Vahrin, a city ravaged by war. Stepping into the worn leather boots of a seemingly conventional mercenary, it’s not long before they’re thrust into an unfamiliar location and help those remaining to reclaim the city of Vahrin from a threat great enough to wipe it and every other human city from existence.

Citing inspiration from other RPG heavy-hitters such as the Fable and The Elder Scrolls franchises, Titan Roc is focusing on making a story-driven RPG with an overarching story that will span through subsequent games in the Forsaken Realms series, with narrative cohesion and choices that make you think, infused with just the right amount of humour from what I’ve seen so far.

Though the world is vibrant and full of mysterious oddities to marvel at, it’s not without its share of challenging enemies and head-scratching puzzles to keep players on their toes as they explore the handcrafted world within Forsaken Realms: Vahrin’s Call on their quest to save it from certain destruction.

Gameplay-wise, Vahrin’s Call features the kind of gameplay mechanics you’ve come to expect from a fantasy RPG, letting players choose their own combat styles in which to take on the wide variety of enemies throughout the game. Magic, melee, and ranged combat are all present, but Titan Roc are giving players freedom with how they wield their chosen method of killing, letting players mix and match weapons, clothing, spells, skills, and more to suit their own personal preferences.

Players can plunder treasures lost to time to further bolster their own gear or currency reserves and uncover forgotten secrets that will help bring the world and the story of Vahrin’s Call into sharper focus. Puzzles will be uncovered through exploration, which players will need to solve to progress in the game or hopefully find a shiny new weapon to play around with.

I stumbled across this game while browsing social media, and it piqued my interest. Looking into the game some more, it definitely seems like my kind of game to sink some time into when it launches. I reached out to the development team to ask if I could feature Vahrin’s Call here and they were only too happy to oblige. I’ll be picking up a copy when it launches and, time permitting, planning a review once I get through a good chunk of the story.

Forsaken Realms: Vahrin’s Call is set for a 2025 release, but no specific date is set in stone just yet. It will be arriving on PC when it launches, though no word yet if it’ll come to other platforms. Until then, Have You Heard Of This?

Terry O'Neill 24/04/2025 Terry O'Neill 24/04/2025

Pixel P.I.

If you’ve ever felt like you’d be a good detective, testing your skills in Pixel P.I. is a great place to start. Can you get to the bottom of a number of cold cases, or will the crimes remain unsolved?

The next indie title I’m recommending is one I’m personally very excited about. After years of watching crime shows and reading mystery novels, I was fortunate enough to stumble upon Pixel P.I., a game that has piqued my interest and given me a chance to see if I can solve a number of cases as the titular character, Pixel, a hacker detective.

Diving into a futuristic world of crime, I got a brief intro to Pixel and her mysterious past. Like any good mystery novel, part of the core gameplay will be to take on six of Pixel’s old cases and unravel each mystery in turn in the hopes of learning what happened to Pixel.

Each individual answer was deciphered as my interviews progressed, granting me with case specific clues and more generalized clues. To ensure I wasn’t hitting a dead end, I was able to consult with Ethan at any time, who would prompt me to take a different approach or advise what I should ask next.

If I uncovered certain information that was different from what I was originally told, I could use the new clue to catch the suspect in a lie. Doing so reminded me of how often I would see a detective in a TV show do the same thing, and it felt satisfying to catch someone out and force them to change their angles or reveal a little more information I could use.

Certain clues would also lead to more interviews in the case. I didn’t need to unlock every answer in one interview to move onto the next, so I started to bounce between interviews, testing each suspect and seeing what clues I could come up with. That level of freedom helped keep my mind fresh so I wouldn’t hit a mental block. When I had exhausted all the obvious questions to ask, I had to really rack my brains and wonder if I simply needed to rephrase them or if I should go through my accumulated clues to see if I missed something.

*Asking the right questions is a challenging, but rewarding experience*

The game opens with a mysterious figure warning Pixel not to pursue a redacted case or individual, as chasing up on this could result in getting herself killed. One morning, Pixel wakes up to find she’s missing the last two years worth of memories. Here, we’re introduced to Ethan, a robot companion who will help Pixel with her cases. Playing against her distrust of robot’s, Pixel nonetheless teams up with Ethan to try and restore her lost memories using a physical notebook she has found with old cases.

It’s here where I got to sample the cases first-hand, starting with an interview with the first suspect, Alex. And this is where my favourite feature of Pixel P.I. is introduced. You see, unlike every other mystery thriller game I’ve ever played, I got to ask the actual questions. And I mean that quite literally.

In order to gather clues and progress through the cases, players need to type in the questions they want to ask to get the answers they seek. Now, you don’t need to be incredibly specific with your questioning to get answers. As long as you’re in the rough ballpark with your questions, you’ll trigger the response from your advesary. If your question didn’t meet the requirements, you get prompted to try again.

Finding Pixel P.I. was an interesting feat for me. Unlike other games I’ve found through word of mouth or searching the Steam store, I actually stumbled across Pixel P.I. on a subreddit for writing. A notification popped up on my phone, I checked it out, and I found an indie developer who was looking for advice on their work, part of which was the aforementioned Pixel P.I. they were building. I reached out to the developer, Crischu, and we got to discussing the game.

I watched the preview trailer for Pixel P.I. on Steam and then booted up the available demo, immediately losing track of time trying to crack my first case. I was able to provide feedback on my experience so far with the game which Crischu was only too happy to receive. I enjoyed my time with Pixel P.I. so much, and I requested to feature it here on my website, hoping to draw as many more eyes onto it as possibile. Crischu was only too happy to oblige.

Being able to reach out to an indie developer and be able to feature their work on my website is a huge honour for me, and I am grateful for Crischu to give me this opportunity and to be the first indie developer I feature directly here.

There’s no definitive date for Pixel P.I. just yet, but I have already added it to my Steam wishlist. Once I get an update, I will be happy to share it here. Until then, Have You Heard Of This?

Terry O'Neill 17/04/2025 Terry O'Neill 17/04/2025

Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel

There are a ton of indie titles popping up on every platform in 2025. Is Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel worth keeping an eye on?

*Fighting your way through the Nine Realms is quite the challenge, but never did it seem so easy*

Ever since I started reviewing video games, I’ve been looking to expand my horizons for what games I can play. I was never really interested in indie titles, but after taking a step back and browsing through Steam, I’m happy to say that changing my opinion on how I perceive indie games is one of the best things I’ve done so far this year.

Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel is a roguelike horde-survivor game in the same vein as Vampire Survivors. While that game was a critical and commercial darling, it never really appealed to me. But after taking a chance on Jotunnslayer and seeing the appeal of the genre, it’s safe to say I would probably enjoy Vampire Survivors too. While vampire games are undoubtedly cool, the concept of fighting my way through the multiple different realms of Norse Mythology has a much greater draw for me. And at only €10, I figured the risk wouldn’t be too great. And that risk has paid dividends.

Now, as much as I am enjoying Jotunnslayer, I do have to point out that it’s an early access title. But what you’re getting for that low entry fee is worth it. And even as I was working on this mini recommendation, the developers over at Games Farm have pushed out another update, bringing with it a new God, new weapons, and a host of other improvements. I’ve put around 8 hours of gameplay into the game so far, grinding out gold coins to improve my character’s abilities in addition to powering up the bonuses the Norse Gods grant per level. Each run can range from around 12 minutes and up, counting the timer and additional tasks, and the final Jotunn fights at the end, which has been perfect for me, squeezing in some game play while travelling or taking breaks.

*Summoning the Gods of Asgard, both Old and New grants many a boon*

As a game in early access, Jotunnslayer features only 3 of 5 realms at the moment, though those 3 realms differ greatly, featuring gameplay elements and enemies exclusive to each map. Players have the option of 4 different classes to take into the land of Jotunns, and like the realms, they offer unique playstyles. The Berserker melee class is the default option, but it won’t be long before all four classes currently available will be unlocked. To add new levels of replayability to Jotunnslayer, each class has access to multiple variations of their main weapons which are unlocked with Soul Stones for beating Jotunn or occasionally found in chests and come with their own boosts.

There’s a Skill Shop for players to increase the benefits of each class and the Gods whom will be lending you their strength on each session. Gold is earned at various points, and players will be using that Gold to unlock more skills and boost their powers. Each realm will come with its own set of challenges to beat to unlock modifiers. These modifiers often increase the difficulty in some ways, with the trade-off being an increase in resources earned. Having multiple modifiers active is a great way to farm Gold and Soul Stones to make subsequent runs easier. Only the first available realm, Niflheim, has the Easy Difficulty, but the two other realms available go as high as Insane Difficulty. After hours of grinding, it’s safe to say… I’m not there yet.

*There’s a lot going on at any one time, and as the time ticks down, things only get more hectic. And that’s fun*

While not everyone will agree, there’s a lot on offer in Jotunnslayer for such a low entry price. The developers are actively working away to provide additional content and from my experience, it enhances the gameplay and fun factor. I started off with the intention of just bringing more attention to this game, but I will be writing up a full review once the game is a bit further along and I’ve put in even more time. Until then, Have You Heard Of This?