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Will Freeman

@spadgy.bsky.social

1.8K followers 1K following 680 posts

Head fulla noise, toys, & hobbies. 🕹️🪀🛹 Freelance game journalist, copywriter, events, mock reviewer, etc. Edge, The Guardian, Eurogamer, BAFTA, PC Gamer, GI, Bitmap Books, etc. Arcade/shmup/retro player. Yo-yoer. https://linktr.ee/willfreeman_spadgy

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Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · Nov 5

Gotta admit I’m proud of this. Perhaps my favourite games thing I’ve written in my 19 years at it!

I wrote about the fascinating relationship shared by graffiti and video games, for the mighty @apwot.bsky.social magazine!

Illustrated by Rita Diaz, with extra pieces by Team Reptile writers!

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Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · 13h

Would dream of something with the Neo Geo Pocket Color’s micro switched thumbstick!

Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · 14h

Cor! Sounds great. Thank you!

I’m all about modding arcade sticks to my shmup needs. Love to pull ‘em apart and switch things around. Love a fancy stick. And yet I’ve never upgraded my Joycons. Time to change that!

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Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · 15h

Ooh: I’m a shmup devotee, and have Flipped Gripped since launch. But still on stock Joycons. What do you roll with for shmups?

Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · 5d

I popped downstairs to find this one in my living room!

She didn’t even dash off. Sat there chilling, and watched us a while. 💚

A young adult fox, likely female, sitting inside a living room just a few inches from an open door leading outside. The fox appears to be looking directly to the camera.

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Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · 9d

This may also be why I’m best working self employed! Don’t let me near your office furniture!

Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · 9d

Notepads for work lists and doodling? Pah!

It’s my desk for me. Anyone else!?😁

A physical desktop covered in drawing, to-do lists, doodles, tests of pens, ink spillages, and so on, all drawn directly onto the desk.

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Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · 13d

Yeah. I’d be a lot more understanding if the games I bought weren’t marked ‘in stock’. I hope they turn it around. I’m still very willing to receive my games!

Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · 13d

Hmmm. I ordered Rival Megagun, Natsuki Chronicles, and Ginga Force. All apparently in stock. I wonder if one of the Qute games is holding things up?

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Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · 13d

Seems that’s the case for everybody. Urgh. Did I give away £110 I won’t see again!? Seems so.

Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · 13d

Has anyone received anything for First PRess Games... say... this year?

I'm still waiting for months on some 'in stock' shmups I ordered, and I'm desparate to hear anything to give me hope!

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Reposted by Will Freeman

Tegiminis @tegiminis.bsky.social · 14d

playing devil blade reboot again (after playing it a bunch at launch) and yup, still goated. it's on sale for the autumn sale and is a wonderful beginner-friendly shmup.

"Let me show you the power of God! Hell is mine to command!"

store.steampowered.com/app/2882440/...

Save 25% on DEVIL BLADE REBOOT on Steam

An immersive pseudo-3D shoot 'em up experience that pushes the limits of pixel art. Push your score higher with the innovative Berserk System: the closer they are, the more points you get!

store.steampowered.com

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Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · 21d

And here's the first Psyvariar 3 trailer/teaser.

(We got Psyvariar Delta in 2018. Very ace, but a remix of the first Psyvariars. Psyvariar 3 appears entirely new.)

Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · 21d

Psyvariar isn't just one of my favourite shmup series - it's one of my favourite game series.

22 years after Psyvariar 2, Psyvariar 3 just got revealed! First screens! 👀

'Buzz' and 'Roll' systems remain. Arcade, arrange, caravan, and more modes. And a Cotton cameo!? PS5/Switch 1 & 2.

#shmups

A screenshot from the newly announced shmup video game Psyvariar 3, showing a small spacecraft dodging bullets and firing on enemies.

A screenshot from the newly announced shmup video game Psyvariar 3, showing the character select screen, with a reinterpretted version of the lead charcater from the Cotton shmups on screen.

Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · 23d

The game industry has been family to me when it’s come to my mental health, traumatic events, being an overwhelmed carer, & more.

Support that’s saved me… as part of a dream career!

I went on @gothbosscat.bsky.social’s podcast to talk about building a career in games when life is complex. You can!

Cat Burton @gothbosscat.bsky.social · 23d

Honestly getting a wee bit emosh rewatching clips from this week's episode of the podcast with @spadgy.bsky.social ❤️

It quickly became an honest conversation about his struggles & how the industry has rallied around him.

Available now in all the usual places!

youtu.be/9BU1BzVf7sk

Games Journalism and a Love Letter to the Industry with Will Freeman

YouTube video by Cat Burton

youtu.be

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Reposted by Will Freeman

Cat Burton @gothbosscat.bsky.social · 23d

Games Journalism and a Love Letter to the Industry with Will Freeman

YouTube video by Cat Burton

youtu.be

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Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · Sep 15

Snagged the EP of a load of dot-matrix printers making ‘music’ together. Works lovely for my ears/brain.

Love the vinyl sleeve with the floppy-style slots!

Here’s the tunes/noises: staalplaatlabel.bandcamp.com/album/sympho...

A hand holding up a 12 record im a black sleeve, in front of a hedge/bushes. The record has a small label as seen on floppy disk, with the text ‘The User’ most visible.

Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · Sep 7

Enjoy! There are so many amazing articles in there (and the Portal piece has some wild layout bits. I’m still blown away to be featured alongside such amazing writers!

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Reposted by Will Freeman

John Linneman @dark1x.bsky.social · Sep 4

First thought

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Reposted by Will Freeman

K'eeg @armormodekeeg.blacksky.app · Sep 2

I always liked the notion that danmaku wasn't invented for the sake of truly crushing difficulty, but rather to make shooters more visually enticing and thrilling. It's a little sad that these types of games got assumed by onlookers to just be completely impossible instead.

Herbert @xxgr1llmast3rxx.bsky.social · Sep 2

Tsuneki Ikeda of CAVE on the value of hard games shmuplations.com/ikeda

I personally think that games are not just for having fun; they could also be called a form of competition, of gamer vs. game. When you watch a story unfold in a game, it can be moving. However, when you clear a game that has a reputation for being impossible to all but the most dedicated of players, then you will experience something that is distinct from what narrative games offer.

So long as there are players who want very difficult games, I hope to keep making them. Of course sometimes we overdo it, and the players get pissed at us. (laughs)

I mean, if it’s ok for there to be casual games for casual players, then what’s wrong with having hard games for hardcore players? Casual players are an important part of the audience, it’s true, but hardcore players are equally important. My hope is that I can convey the joy of these difficult games to casual players via the visually dazzling medium of danmaku; maybe then normal, everyday players will have their interest piqued.

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Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · Sep 1

Today is 20 years exactly since I went full-time writing for and about games & the game industry.

Shout out to all the fascinating, creative, supportive people I’ve worked with, & the amazing projects you’ve involved me in.

I’m so lucky this is how I put food on the family table… thanks all of ya!

Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · Aug 20

Generous dog turd bin!

(Definitely wasn’t me. 😁)

Reposted by Will Freeman

Geeky Jay @geeky-jay.neocities.org · Aug 18

what if every franchise have a shmup spinoff just like how they have pinball and/or racing spinoffs?

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Reposted by Will Freeman

Shmup STG Clips @shmupdb.bsky.social · Aug 16

Raiden IV & Raiden III x MIKADO Deluxe Edition shmups by MOSS -35% Steam on Fanatical 👇
www.fanatical.com/en/game/raid...

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Will Freeman @spadgy.bsky.social · Aug 18

Mate - thank you for the kind words about my shmup writing. I'm so glad you enjoyed it - and coming from you with all your genre experience, the kind words mean all the more to me!

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Reposted by Will Freeman

Scowsh @scowsh.bsky.social · Aug 17

Cracking Sunday, sat outside in the sun, reading about Tiger Heli with a cup of tea. Absolutely loving @spadgy.bsky.social retro gamer shmup/stg articles, making me wanna play this one again! #outside #sun #magazine #retrogamer #shmup #stg #tigerheli #toaplan

Double page spread about Tiger Heli from retro gamer magazine on a table outside, with a cup of tea next to it.

Another page about Tiger Heli from retro gamer magazine on a table outside, with a cup of tea next to it.

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