Update
I was not satisfied with how the half of the content was spread on multiple comments. I had hoped that a comment would give as much space as a post (30000 characters)unfortunately, this was not the case (only 5000 characters). That is why I move it into separate blog posts to write.as.
I think it is much cleaner now to read.
Another problem I am facing is that the "markdown" that I am using to format these posts is very inconsistent on different platforms. On mbin under the images, it displayed the titles of the images; these were missing both on lemmy and writefreely (the software that write.as uses).
On writefreely I added them with title but mbin and lemmy do not support
So I just added the title to each image. Now on lemmy it is displayed correctly and on mbin twice, but I guess that will have to do for now. I have not dared to check out piefed
Welcome
to the third issue of B-side gaming zine. It has been three weeks since the last one. One week longer than the time between the last two issues, and I am thinking that from the next one it will be once a month only. This way I have plenty of time to put everything together without getting too tired working on it. That being said, life happens, and I am just one person working on it, so I might not be able to release an issue each month, but I hope it will not happen often.
As for this issue, I have gathered a ton of news—an endless amount of news. So much news that the whole issue will not fit in a post, and I will have to cut it off and post the rest as a reply to this post. Also included is the second part, the history of adventure games, with early adventure games that included graphics from the Mystery House to the first king's quest.
Additionally, I recommend 10 video games that are open source. Of course, a free game in Python code is included; this time it is a mini escape room game. As for indie gaming hardware, I have added a review for the popular arduboy. The corner of fun is also returning with jokes, memes and a comic.
But that is not all. I have added some completely new stuff, first the blast from the past area with reviews on two older games from the 90s. Second, a top 10.
I wanted to include a top 10 for a while but was not sure how to make it work, which games should be included, and who would vote for the games. Then an idea struct me; it is actually simple, and I don't need to do much since the voting system for games already exits. The games that are posted in the community are voted on by users of the community; I just need to sort them by top, and voilà, I have a list with the top-voted games, perfect! Well, almost perfect. I still had to set some rules; only direct posts of games are counted; excluded are game reviews, lists of games, and NSFW games, and the games need to be already out, not demos or early access. Also, for simplicity, downvotes are ignored. Well, that is it. I hope I did not forget anything. Enjoy reading :)
Gaming News
First the news. Lots and lots of news.
--Open-source--
News about indie games that are also open source.
Click here to read
--Indie games--
General indie games news
Nubby’s Number Factory
Gameplay
Gameplay
Victory
Work at the numbers factory consists of launching a sentient ball, Nubby, down rows of pegs, hoping to score enough to pass to the next level. Players only have six lives, and if all Nubbys are depleted before making quota, the sun explodes. When players meet or exceed the round goal, they earn restocks of the board based on how much they went over the necessary score. Restocks also earn lives and coins, the latter of which can be used to purchase items, which is where the real fun begins.
Read more
Blue Prince review
Gameplay
Clues
Camping, I hope no big bad wolf is around
Blue Prince is one of the greatest video games I have ever played, but please: don’t read this review.
I admit, in a landscape of constantly evolving Google algorithms, explicitly asking you to go away in the first line of an article might be seen as a trifle eccentric. But Blue Prince is best experienced with as little foreknowledge as possible. Believe me when I tell you, this is a game you need to experience the way its creator intended.
Read more
Cassette Beasts Launches Brand-New Sunshine Update
Cassette Beasts
Gameplay
Battle!
- Discover the new Sunshine Update in Cassette Beasts with an exciting storyline and partner character Sunny.
- Explore the mystery of New Wirral's Landkeepers and recruit Sunny to unlock her new questline.
- Meet three new monsters: Pawper, Pawprince, and Minosteam, and enhance battles with fresh strategies.
- Customize your gliding wings and soar through New Wirral with the premium Wings Pack DLC.
Read more
Game Over – A Musical RPG ?? Review
Your henchman looks like he could do with a sandwich
Rocking in the forest
Game Over – A Musical RPG?? is one of the strangest, most creative, and unexpectedly thoughtful indie titles I’ve played in a while. It’s weird, witty, and wonderfully unpredictable, fusing traditional RPG storytelling with rhythm-based combat, moral dilemmas, and an offbeat tone that feels like a blend of Undertale, EarthBound, and a late-night jam session. But make no mistake, this is a game that won’t land for everyone. It’s a highly stylized experience that feels tailor-made for a niche audience, yet its unique approach is worth celebrating.
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Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders Releases Baifushan Mountain Update
Screenshot
- Discover Baifushan Mountain in Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders' latest update.
- Explore four new trails with challenges, multiplayer, and leaderboards.
- Support Megagon Industries with a new pack featuring skins and gear.
- Enjoy skiing thrills with tricks, shortcuts, and breathtaking vistas.
Read more
‘R.E.P.O.’ Sees You Stealing Fragile Items & Fleeing Horrors
Gameplay
Gameplay
R.E.P.O. is a co-op experience where you are tasked with sneaking highly breakable trinkets out of a house without breaking them or dying.
Review
‘Big Hops’ Puts a Frog’s Tongue to Work With 3D Platforming
Gameplay
3D Platforming
Clearly inspired by Mario Odyssey, Big Hops allows you to explore colorful and vibrant stages filled with interactable puzzles and characters that you can help. Primarily using your tongue, you can swing, complete puzzles, and interact with various objects – it’s a lot of fun.
Preview
Kingdomino Will Be Released As a Steam Game In 2025
Titlescreen
- Enjoy authentic gameplay with original rules and artwork from the 2017 Game of the Year.
- Compete in cross-platform multiplayer with online, AI, and friends' modes.
- Expand creativity with customizable gameplay, immersive art, and active community.
Read more
Over the Hill Somehow Makes Driving Slowly Look Extremely Exciting
Gameplay
The terrain is its own challenge in Over the Hill.
Rather than the thrill of racing, Over the Hill aims to capture the quieter joy of slow offroading. The game was announced earlier this year, but the recent indie game showcase, the Triple-i Initiative, gave us a much closer look at the game. Its new trailer shows off a stunning, free-roaming driving sim.
Read more
New Studio Onibi Unveils First Game Tomo: Endless Blue
Tomo
- Experience voxel-based anime RPG adventure in Tomo: Endless Blue's boundless ocean realm.
- Dive into procedurally generated islands rich with unique cultures and mysteries.
- Befriend Tomo creatures with elemental powers for combat and everyday tasks.
- Enjoy multiplayer features with limitless players, both locally and online.
Read more
Starless Abyss Confirmed For Late April Launch Date
Starless Abyss
- Starless Abyss launching in April on Steam from Konafa Games and No More Robots.
- Play as a fleet commander against Eldritch gods in this sci-fi roguelike.
- Collect and combine 160+ cards to battle through tentacle-y boss fights.
- Embrace or fight insanity while using Ritual Cards to harness occult power.
Read more
Deedlee Doo! Carkour!
Gameplay
Gameplay
The two major features of the game are its art style and very "refined" soundscape. Everything in the game is made out of real-world clay and scanned into the game's world, the car itself, the paths, walls, trees, obstacles et cetera. "All of sounds and music are all mouth sounds," from explosion to car, drum, boots and cats, and guitars.
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MUSESTRUCK – Kickstarter Demo
a vibrant 2D platformer RPG following Journey and Quinn, two artistic friends thrust into the mysterious realm of Negative Space after investigating a fallen star.
Read more
Nomada Studio's graceful side-scrolling platformer Neva won the Best Artistic Achievement award
Gameplay
Nomada Studio's graceful side-scrolling platformer Neva won the Best Artistic Achievement award, seeing off Astro Bot, Black Myth Wukong, Still Wakes the Deep and Senua's Saga: Hellblade II. It was a well-deserved accolade for one of the most beautiful indie games we've seen.
Read more
Hark the Ghoul brings a retro '90s vibe with its first-person Souls-like dungeon crawler on Steam
- Explore an underground Victorian world filled with terrifying monsters and curious characters.
- Engage in freeform traversal and expressive combat within a lore-rich and melancholic setting.
- Discover unique gear and solve problems creatively in interconnected zones below Clergerac.
Read more
Beloved Indie Game Among Us Is Getting A Full 3D Version, Releasing Soon
Find the imposter now in 3d
Gameplay
Amongus 3d!!!!
Among Us is getting a new look for 2025, bringing the 3-dimensional style of the VR version to non-VR players. The extremely popular indie darling was released in 2018 but rose to internet fame around 2020 and 2021, when the world was in need of online social entertainment. A Virtual Reality version arrived in 2022 for PC VR devices and the PlayStation VR, to general success.
Read more
Cozy Incremental Game Unboxathon Announced For Steam
Game Art
- Join Unboxathon on Steam, a cozy incremental game about finding your lost childhood toy.
- Open boxes to discover loot, from camo socks to magical artifacts, while seeking your beloved plushie.
- Pop bubbles to earn mystery boxes and enjoy incremental upgrades for enhanced game features.
- Sell loot for profit and use earnings to unlock exciting upgrades and enhance gameplay.
Read more
Best Served Cold Confirmed For Release This May
Best served cold
- Murder mystery game Best Served Cold by Rogueside launches on Steam this May.
- Set in an alternate history Europe, solve mysteries at a speakeasy bar called The Nightcap.
- Engage with 22 unique characters, uncover secrets, and tackle five thrilling cases.
- Mix drinks and gather clues to save your business amidst the backdrop of wartime strife.
Read more
Satisfying Movement & Explosion In This Upcoming Unity-Powered Indie Platformer Wheelbot
Exploding Robots
Bots on wheels
Indie game developer BATTLE LAB had a robot-skateboard game prototype ten years ago, and recently, they've finally made it into a full game in this third attempt and released a trailer for it, showcasing polished and satisfying gameplay.
Read more
Puzzle Platformer Power Sink Receives Late-May Release Date
Power Sink
- Navigate submerged ruins using logic-based circuitry puzzles.
- Explore six diverse biomes in a rich, atmospheric setting.
- Unravel the mystery of the station's collapse with fellow Tidekeepers' guidance.
Read more
Resident Evil collides with Subnautica in one of the most frightening games we’ve ever seen. Dark Mass
Dark Mass
If you have a fear of the deep sea and horrific monsters then this new survivor horror could be your cup of tea or nightmare, depending on your perspective.
Read more
This 3D Isometric Action-Adventure Game Mixes Driving, Engaging Story & Horror Elements
Not Toy Story
Creepy Story
Gameplay
In this 3D isometric action-adventure game that features driving mechanics, an engaging story, and horror elements, players control a toy car to set out on a journey to look for the missing owner, a young boy.
Read more
Marisa of Liartop Mountain Announced For September Release
Marisa of Liartop Mountain
Indie game developer UnknownX and publisher Alliance Arts have revealed their latest game, Marisa of Liartop Mountain, and confirmed a release date. This is an all-new adventure RPG in which all of your choices are made with the roll of the dice, and depending on what you get, the path the story will take will be determined.
Read more
--Homebrew--
Unofficial game releases for gaming consoles
example
Click here to read
--Other news--
Other gaming news
Click here to read
Featured article: History of Adventure games Part II
Let's continue with the history of adventure games. After purely text-based adventure games in the early 80s, text adventure games with graphics were born.
[https://media.pocketgamer.biz/images/132753/86183/pgc-bcn25-pgbizarticlesimple-a-1200x_l1200.webp]
Click here to read
Blast from the past
Indie games are not a new thing, they have become more popular these days thanks to the internet but indie games have existed since the dawn of gaming. At blast from the past we take a looks some older titles.
Click here to read
Indie Gaming Hardware Review
Another indie hardware review I found online. This time for the popular Arduboy.
Click here to read
Free Game: Escape
Click here to read
10 Popular Open Source-games
Click here to read
TOP 10
Top 10 indie games of all time based on votes Bside gaming community.
Click here to read
Corner of fun
Click here to read
