Things are heating up over at Pixelated Playgrounds HQ, but that just because Bryan and Josh have been playing firefighting / cat saving platformer, Nuclear Blaze! Created by Sébastien Bénard, one of the developers behind the excellent Dead Cells, Nuclear Blaze was originally designed for Bénard’s child as he noticed a striking lack of firefighter focused video games. Bénard and his studio Deepnight games, took on the mission of creating a game that his child could play, creating Nuclear Blaze with a built in ‘Kids Mode’ as well as a more difficult ‘Hold my Beer’ mode for players seeking a greater challenge. Sporting some eye-popping pixel art and a novel fire spreading mechanic, Nuclear blaze is a short and sweet platformer with a lot to admire. So grab your hose and helmet and skydive into the depths of Nuclear Blaze with Josh and Bryan.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - He’s on Fiiiiirreee

Josh - Fun Fiery Explosion

After a development cycle spanning almost a decade, Unicorn Overlord released in March of 2024 to the joy of Ogre Battle fans everywhere! Two of those fans, namely Bryan and Josh, picked up the game and dug right in. With Vanillaware’s signature art and polish on full display Unicorn Overlord makes a stunning first impression and backs it up with an incredibly deep and complex battle system which is fitting for the titles which inspired it. It has been over 25 years since Ogre Battle 64 released for the Nintendo 64, and while Unicorn Overlord does not reach the narrative heights of Ogre Battle or Tactics Ogre, it certainly has enough going for it that folks craving a real time tactical RPG will have plenty to sink their teeth into. So pour yourself a mug of ale and sit down beside the fire with Bryan and Josh as they discuss their experience leading a revolution in Unicorn Overlord!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Tinkering Against Tyranny

Josh - Somehow Too Much

In this episode Josh and Bryan go down a rabbit hole with 2024 indie hit, Animal Well. What starts off as a non-violent, platforming based metroidvania game, quickly gives way to a truly mysterious and intricately puzzle-driven experience. As the first solo endeavor from developer, Billy Basso, as well as the first title for game game’s publisher, Big Mode, Animal Well is a triumph critically, commercially, and perhaps most importantly, in terms of sheer novelty and design polish. So grab your bubble wand and hop on over to listen to Bryan and Josh puzzle over the incomparable Animal Well!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Magnificent Mystifying Menagerie

Josh - Play and Discovery