Game Review: Skullgirls

I’ve always played fighting games for the spectacle, even if not just for it. Skullgirls is high on spectacle, setting standards for the quality of 2D graphics and animation. Every move and attack is making good on the promises games like Blaz Blue made but never fulfilled. This 1920s inspired dystopia presents its own twist on the anime style visuals we've come to know and comes with an overly sexualized female cast... offencive and welcomed at the same time.

Gameplay in Skullgirls is solid, if not new. Reverge Labs re-engineered what they knew worked into a game that blends some of the most successful mechanics in previous 2D fighters. The result is very satisfying and allows for layers of complexity that will have both the inexperienced and the hardcore with things to learn and play around with.



Being a cross-bred child of several fighting successes from the past, it's hard not to define Skullgirls by comparison. What you're getting into is a game with a lot of attack variety, speedy land and air movement as well as team mechanics that extend character abilities or compensate for their weaknesses. I'd likely compare it to a restrained version of Guilty Gear with optional team battles and bigger move arsenals.

It'd be a mistake to think this is an entirely derivative experience. The tutorials in the game, for instance, are the best I’ve seen in the genre. They succeed because of their great pacing and because they allow players to learn foundational fighting game concepts that have never been directly addressed by a game before. Not all areas are covered but even then the game is way ahead of the competition and comes across as both accessible and complex.

Are there downsides? Sure. There are some parts of the game that are just not there: things like move lists, in-depth training mode options and a bigger roster. The content and quality well surpasses the price tag and patches are in the works to fix some of the most glaring omissions.


Even with the limitations of rapidly shrinking budgets, post launch support has been stellar. The folks at Reverge Labs interact with the fanbase and involve them on decisions about upcoming patches. This is a product that you feel good supporting, not only because of its quality but also because of the people behind it.

Final Thoughts

Skullgirls is the intersection of craftsmanship and some of the most notorious minds in the fighting game scene. It’s a blast to play and watch for players new and old. Most importantly, it has managed to carve something new out of refining and improving upon what came before. If you are at all intrigued, you should buy this. I meant now.

Developer: Reverge Labs

Publisher: Autumn Games/Konami

Platform/s: PSN, Steam, XBLA

Release Date: 10 April 2012

Players: 1-2

Price: 1200 MS points (XBLA) £11.99/$15 PSN

By Federico Machado

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Game Review: Limbo

When I first started to play Limbo I wasn't sure what to expect. Reputed to be one of the best and most commercially successful indie games of all time, it had a lot to live up to. Vaguely aware of the game's art style due to stills on gaming websites, I loaded it up, but was completely unprepared for the game that came up before me. Because what stills of the game and reviews fail to encapsulate, is how much of the appeal and experience of Limbo lies in the atmosphere created by the animation and sound (or lack thereof). On the surface, Limbo is standard platformer, pretty much as simple as they come. There is nothing in the way of story within the game itself; Playdead only gave the game the tagline: Unsure of his sister’s fate, a boy enters the unknown. But it is this simplicity and ambiguity wherein lies the genius of Limbo.

On starting a new game the screen transitions from black to a dark forest in which the boy lies. The graphics are in greyscale, images in the forefront and background are out of focus, only the playable area is sharp. The screen flickers like an old black and white movie but nothing happens. I waited for my player to move, or for some indication that the game had begun, but until I pressed one of the arrow keys, the boy remained flat on his back. Upon hitting the key, the boy's eyes light up and he slowly got to his feet before waiting again for my command. This was the first indication that Limbo was not the usual spoon feeding game, that would offer instructions and hints in order to help the player solve a puzzle. The game required the player from the first instance to be proactive and learn how to control the boy themselves.

The boy's first challenge is climbing off of a tree trunk. It is completely simple, requiring only that he drops or jumps down close to the edge so he lands safely on the sloping ground below. From the top of the tree trunk it is impossible to see the ground and requires the boy to make a leap of faith. If the boy takes a running jump off of the trunk he will fall to his death, teaching the player early on in the game that being overly confident and taking action without thinking will get them nowhere. The player continues with care and trepidation, adding to the tense atmosphere instilled by the soundtrack.


It is difficult to underestimate how eerie a game without sound can be. The sound of footsteps, the rustle of trees, the crack of bones:  this is Limbo's soundtrack, at least in the earlier stages of the game. The distinct absence of sound in the initial stages, makes the louder sounds in the later levels all the more significant. The violent snap of the animal traps sent me flying about a foot in the air and shocked my system with adrenaline.

By now, the reader has probably sensed a strong sense of fear from this reviewer. This is due to the fact that (bear in mind I am a massive fan of the survival horror genre) Limbo is the most terrifying game I have ever played. The boy stumbles across dead bodies in cages, floating in pools of water and littered on the ground.  Seeing the spider creep silently behind you as you run away is far more affecting than any overproduced megaboss with frantic music of a Triple A title along the lines of the Legend of Zelda, Metroid and selected bosses of the Metal Gear series. The other boy figures who attack the player with dart guns and swinging traps make the outdoor area feel like Lord of the Flies without the cheery beginning, giving the game very sinister overtones.

The boy never gains any skills or power-ups, in this way the gameplay is very pure. Like other popular indie title Super Meat Boy, the difficulty of the game increases as new mechanics are introduced in each level. The boy must learn to time jumps, destroy body-possessing brain slugs and use anti-gravity switches in order to progress.  There are stages in which the whole level move and rotates (once in semi-darkness) which require great concentration on the players part, other levels which require different switches to be pressed quickly in order for the boy to reach the next level. The gameplay is innovative and the controls easy to use, with only two buttons: jump and action. Taking everything back to basics  allows Limbo to offer something original and atmospheric. The game doesn't last very long, you will finish it in a couple of hours, but if you are looking for something a little bit different and whole lot of dark I urge you to give Limbo a look.

Developer: Playdead

Publisher: Microsoft Studios, Playdead

Platforms: XBLA, PSN, Windows, Mac OSX, Linux

Release Date: 21st July 2010
Players: 1

Price: £6.99

By Emma-Lee Davidson

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Band of the Day: Death Cab for Cutie

Death Cab for Cutie

As an underground "alternative rock" band, Death Cab for Cutie can pull out even the most reserved emotions in people. They have been entertaining the socially inept since 1998. Trademarked with Ben Gibbard's smooth lead vocals along with his amazing piano skills, accompanied by Chris Walla on guitar, Nick Harmer playing bass, and drummer Jason McGerr. Death Cab for Cutie helps you escape the rigours of everyday living.

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Competition Corner: Win Fun Games!

Competition Corner

Update: New game added: Gish! Plus 3 Microgames by the creators of Voxatron!


We have four sets of the Humble Voxatron Debut Bundle to give away.

That's four fantastic games for free!

For a chance to win three exciting games for your Windows, Mac or Linux computer just do the following steps:

1. Go to this article and answer the poll on the page.
2. Answer the question below:

 Which operating system users have the highest average price paid for the current humble bundle?: 

A) Mac B) Linux C) Windows

If you're not sure of the answer, check the stats: Here

E-mail your answer to: blogmyteam@gmail.com

This competition ends on 18th November 2011. Four winners will be chosen at random from the correct entries received, they will be contacted within 7 working days with their unique URL which will allow them to download the games free of charge. Multiple entries will be rejected. 

                                 ____________________                                          

Take a look at some of Confab's other articles written by our various talented contributors:

Studying Games Design

Crazy Cat Lady

Resident Evil 4 Review

Scarface Review

Urban Exploration

Songs for Sleepless Nights Review

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Game Feature: Humble Bundles and Indie Trundles

 I'd buy that for a dollar!

The Humble Indie Bundles (Humble Bundles) are a series of bundled DRM-free multi-platform games, that were sold at a 'pay what you want' price point. The proceeds are split between the indie developers, two gaming related charities (Child's Play and EFF) and Humble Inc, which pays for the bandwidth and development of the promotion.

The first Humble Indie Bundle went on sale from May 4 through May 11, 2010 and included five games initially including: World of Goo, Aquaria and Gish.
The bundle went on to achieve more than US$1 million in sales within the week from approximately 116,000 donations.

The current bundle on offer is the Humble Voxatron Debut bundle which includes the alpha version of Voxatron, a 3D retro blended shooter and two other fantastic games: The Binding of Isaac and Blocks That Matter.

 

Purchase it here before it ends on 14/11/2011

Have you bought a humble indie bundle before?
Yes. No. I've been gifted one. Never heard of it.
	Results

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Music Review: Will Leatherbarrow - Songs For Sleepless Nights Album

Will Leatherbarrow: Songs For Sleepless Nights Review

Released: October 2011

Genre: Acoustic/Alternative/Folk

Tracks: 16

Price: £6

Contributing Artist: Amy Brain
Facebook page  
Bandcamp page 
Youtube Page

Songs For Sleepless Nights is the first album published by artist Will Leatherbarrow, which features many acoustic style songs, performed and written by Will himself, with the exception of 'Cold Water' in which he sings alongside Amy Brain. Though he does prefer to sing his own songs, Will has done a few cover songs in his live performances.

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