Infamous Arcade
Welcome to my arcade! I'm Josh, and this spot of the web is a place for me to share my thoughts and passions for video games I consider special or noteworthy. So get your pocket-full of tokens and come in to the Infamous Arcade.
Top 5 List
Top 5 Favorite Games of UFO 50, 1982-1986
After covering the chronologically first half or so games from UFO 50, I decided to go back and pick my five favorite games from the first 27. It ended up feeling like I was picking my favorite child. While my list will be ranked from 5-1, some of these could flux day to day. I’ve also noticed from online discourse that everyone's tastes are heavily varied so do keep in mind this is just MY top list. Last note before we begin, I will give an honorable mention to Mooncat. A unique and fun platformer, once you achieve all endings there is little in the way of replay factor. Still a blast that I hope everyone gives a shot! Without further ado…
Retrospective
UFO 50 Part 4: If It Ain’t Broke…
Entering into their fifth year of releasing games, consumers now know what to expect from UFOSoft. 1986 would see a couple cute arcade-y games, a couple new genre attempts, a couple games with a much increased scope, and a release that became a nearly unanimous fan favorite from UFOSoft. While not too much risk has been taken this year, fans could see the beginnings of a shift for the developer and 1986 acts as almost a harbinger of things to come. What this all adds up to is another healthy year for UFOSoft’s library of games with plenty of new software for players to sink their teeth into, with one iconic title to truly put a spotlight on 1986.
Retrospective
UFO 50 Part 3:Continuous Innovation
With 11 games released from 1982 to 1984,LX Systems had discovered their ability to offer an unprecedented variety of video games for such a small team. After 3 years of entering the game development world and establishing themselves as one of the most versatile teams, crafting an early catalog of unique adventures, LX Systems, now fully and officially rebranded as UFOSoft, had two choices. Coast, make some sequels and enjoy the money rolling in or to increase output even more and create experiences in genres yet to be explored for them while simultaneously pushing the envelope in terms of quality and range. Unsurprisingly at this point, UFOSoft chose the latter
Retrospective
UFO 50 Part 2: Finding A Groove
1984 was an important year for UFOSoft and LX Systems. This year marks the launch of the second iteration of this gaming computer, the LXII, and an increase in output of software. This year saw the release of seven completely new titles, almost double what the developer had launched the previous two years. This period is when UFOSoft certainly found their comfort zone, which is honestly not having one. Each game continues to innovate and stand out, covering many genres and showing just how versatile a games company UFOSoft truly is.
Retrospective
UFO 50 Part 1: A Past That Never Was
UFO 50, released in 2024, is a compilation of UFOSoft and LX Systems’ totally non-fictional library of games released from 1982 all the way up until 1989 on the LX line of console computers.The compilation unsurprisingly holds 50 games spanning the decade and I felt inspired to take a look back on this incredible run of entertainment, while documenting inspirations and influences along the way. Over time, all 50 games will be covered chronologically, starting with four releases from the years 1982-1983
Elevator Pitch
Return of the Obra Dinn
In 1802, a trade ship departed from Falmouth, England and headed for The Cape of Good Hope on the southernmost peninsula of Africa. Her name is The Obra Dinn, and she carries 60 souls on what is most assuredly a routine sail. However, our ship never makes the rendezvous and, to anyone concerned, is lost to the sea forever.
5 years later in 1807, The Obra Dinn drifted back into Falmouth, almost as if guided back home, without a living soul on board. This is where we come in, as a newly appointed Chief Inspector of the East India Company to board this ship and attempt to log any information for insurance purposes. As we board the ship, we find the remains of a body and realize things are going to be less than orthodox.