Humble Games’ annual $1 million Black Game Developer Fund is still going strong as news of eight new recipients has been announced.
Since its inception in June 2020, the Fund has provided over 25 developers and studios financial support, resources and guidance from industry professionals.
Let’s find out a bit about some of the developers and the games they are working on.
CryoGX – Advent Neon
CryoGX is a studio created by indie developer Larry Boyd. It's working on Advent Neon , a retro 2D action platformer. Larry has a background in computer science and a love for music and art, and that’s very evident in Advent Neon .
You play as Neon, a robot who has to restore balance to Neopolis. There are seven districts to navigate your way through, fighting enemies to gain “resonance”, the power source in the game. In Advent Neon, you wall jump, dash, and attack-chain your way to victory.
If you’re itching to get a taste of Advent Neon, fear not! Not only can you Wishlist it on Steam, but you can also try out its free demo .
Jordan Scott – Arbiter
Arbiter is by developer Jordan Scott . In this single-player action-adventure game, you play as Ashe, who must defeat demonic spirits known as Umbras and Ethers. What’s so special about Ashe? Well, he’s the newest Arbiter, and Arbiters are the only ones powerful enough to take on the demonic spirits.
In Arbiter , you can shape-shift into four different spirit forms. You can also jump between dark or light powers, and equip up to eight different abilities. Combat is at the heart of Arbiter, so expect satisfying combos, swordplay and sharp, fast movement; plus, you absorb the power of the bosses you defeat. Pretty cool, eh?
Follow Arbiter on Twitter , Facebook and join the Discord to keep up to date with its development.
Kaizen Creed – 5 Force Fighters
5 Force Fighters is a side-scrolling 2D action fighting game from three-person indie studio Kaizen Creed .
In Story Mode, follow the 5 Force Fighters (Blaine, Pebbles, Cocoa, Pomme and Stralechi), to see how they unite to take down their enemy Ken Sagre. There are four other game modes: Challenge (a selection of mini-games), Training, and local and online multiplayer.
5 Force Fighters promises a “jazzy, hip-hoppy soundtrack” with fun combat options, like super force meter, which allows you to land super moves to destroy your enemies.
5 Force Fighters is out on August 24, 2022, but in the meantime you can add it to your Wishlist on Steam .
Miscellaneum Studios – Distraction Machine
Distraction Machine is a puzzle game centered around music. The development house behind it, Miscellaneum Studios (founded by Lateef Martin) also makes comics, music, and more. It considers inclusivity to be a core value.
Paradise City is a shadow of its former self, following a zombie apocalypse that left few survivors. You play as a "distractor" whose job is to fulfil requests from your “cycle punk” community, using music to lure and trap zombies while uplifting your community from the misery of their devastated city.
You’ll also have to send out "followers" to scavenge various sites around the city and collect parts to create "bike-based instruments". Each site contains different materials, and each follower has unique skills, so choose wisely.
For all things Miscellaneum Studios and Distraction Machine, follow on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook .
Neo Interactive – Samurai Zero
Heavily influenced by feudal Japanese samurai, Samurai Zero is a third-person tactical RPG hack and slash by Neo Interactive, an indie studio founded by Marlowe Ethos Crawford.
Play as a three-person team or solo it up through Edo, a stunning science fantasy world, as one of “ super-powered Samurai ”, Cinder, Ryder, Luna and Wraith. Each Samurai is unique and possesses signature attacks and abilities that affect teamplay and combat.
Samurai Zero promises fast-paced combat with “skillful competitive mechanics” and “tactical game modes”.
If you’re like us and can’t wait to get your hands on Samurai Zero, you can Wishlist it on Steam , where you can also sign up to be a playtester.
Pancake Games Studio - Slime Heroes
Slime Heroes is an adorable serving from Pancake Game Studio , founded by artist and lead designer Tomas Gomez .
In Slime Heroes , you play as a slime burdened with saving the world from an evil fog that has infested and corrupted all living things except them.
Play solo or multiplayer coop to defeat corrupted minions and collect skill gems that can create “thousands of unique magical abilities” to use in combat. What’s super cool about Slime Heroes is its convenient coop mode, which allows your friends to jump into your game at any time and get right into the fray.
So be sure to add it to your Steam Wishlist.
Soft Not Weak – Spirit Swap Lofi Beats to Match-3 To
Brought to you by “worker-owned” game co-op Soft Not Weak, Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats to Match-3 To is a colorful and fun part visual novel match-3 game.
In Spirit Swap’s story mode, you have to match lost spirits to cast spells. The big twist here is you do it to the lo-fi beat. You can decorate the main character Samor’s bedroom with the trinkets you get during the game; you can also form romantic relationships with the witches and demons you encounter along the way.
There’s also competitive multiplayer, survival, time attack, local coop and score attack modes to enjoy.
Try out the free demo, join the Discord and mailing list , and add it to your Wishlist on Steam .
RainBros
RainBros is a studio founded by game designer and developer Akira Thompson. There’s no information available on the newest title from the RainBros team just yet, but since “RainBros’ mission is to craft experiences that provide its players with perspectives they may not have otherwise considered,” we’re sure whatever is coming will be thought-provoking.
Google Photos update could bring order to your chaotic Android photo library
If your Google Photos library is an unruly mess of screenshots, photos and other digital detritus, then a new app update could be about to restore some order – if you're an Android user.
As spotted by Googlenwu , some new hidden functions in the latest version of the Google Photos Android app (version 5.78.0.428376309) could soon deliver a clearer way of organizing your Library, along with fresh ways to import snaps.
The main change is in the Library tab, where the Archive, Personal Folder, Tools and Trash icons have been shunted down the page to make way for a helpful new carousel of tabs. These include All, My Albums, On Device and Shared Albums.
Those folders look like a clearer way to filter your snaps, based on where they're stored. The 'All' tab naturally includes snaps that are stored locally on your phone and in the cloud, while 'On Device' is just your phone-stored photos.
'My Albums' takes you to cloud-based albums, and you can also switch to only albums that you've shared with others by going to the 'Shared Albums' tab. Below these tabs are handy separate folders for screenshots and snaps taken on your phone.
In the current versions of the Android and iOS apps, it also isn't immediately obvious how to import snaps to Google Photos from other services. That's likely why Google has added a new 'Import Photos' option in the Library tab, which takes you to a variety of new useful options.
These include a 'Copy from other services' option, which will let you import snaps from the likes of Facebook and iCloud from within the app, plus 'Copy from a camera' to let you grab photos from a connected camera. Another beta option, 'request photos from friends', will apparently let you send friends a link to ask for the photos they've forgotten to share with you.
Google is making it easier to bring printed photos into your library, too. The 'scan photos with your phone' option will take you to the PhotoScan app, although this is still a separate app rather than being built into Google Photos.
All of these features are currently only available to a small circle of Google Photos users who have the latest version (5.78.0.428376309), but should be rolling out more widely soon.
Analysis: A helpful Google Photos reshuffle
While it isn't a major redesign of the Google Photos Android app, this update could bring some much-needed filters and import tools to the smartphone experience – if it ever gets a widespread rollout.
The new Library tabs should make it quicker to filter your snaps based on where they're stored, rather by the traditional 'favorites' route. That could be particularly helpful if you use Google Photos' 'Back up and sync' function to store copies of your phone snaps in the cloud.
It's also good to see Google Photos offer more options for importing photos from within the app itself, even if some of these do already exist in different menus. It's currently a slight pain to transfer snaps from the likes of iCloud, so being able to add them to your library from within the Google Photos app could prove popular.
What isn't yet clear is when (or if) these updates, which are currently in the testing phase, will roll out to more users. Not all features that are beta tested make their way to the final app, but hopefully these ones will arrive soon on Android and (much later, no doubt) on iOS.
Dakar Rally live stream 2022: how to watch the race online from anywhere
Just as tough on your tyres as the cogs of your mind, the Dakar Rally is the ultimate off-road adventure. Talent and raw speed only gets you so far, the rest depends on your ability to think fast for hours and hours and days on end, in the searing heat, with practically zero preparation time. Read on as our guide tells you how to watch a 2022 Dakar Rally live stream from anywhere in the world.
It's that dusty, rocky, oppressively beige terrain that makes the rules here. It's up to the drivers to sniff out the best route across 12 stages, all while frantically studying a roadbook that arrives moments before the racing begins.
Early missteps are magnified, so much so that it isn't unusual to see rally raid masters lose their bearings and end up going in completely the wrong direction. But take too long and you might not be in the race at all.
Stéphane Peterhansel grew his legend as the greatest Dakar Rally driver of all time, by winning last year's event, and as always, there are different competitions for different categories. Find out how to watch this year's race and get a Dakar Rally live stream from anywhere in the world.
Dakar Rally FREE live stream 2022: how to watch the race in the UK
How to watch a Dakar Rally live stream from outside your country
If you're abroad when the Dakar Rally is on, you'll likely find you're unable to access your domestic coverage like you would at home. This isn't necessarily cause for alarm, but rather the result of geo-blocking - best understood as digital borders that restrict certain services and content to certain parts of the world.
Fortunately, there's a convenient way around this in the form of a VPN . This is a nifty bit of software that lets you slalom around these digital borders, thereby allowing you to globe trot and still access your preferred Dakar Rally live stream. It's a completely legal workaround, very affordable, and super easy to use - allow us to explain more.
Use a VPN to watch a 2022 Dakar Rally live stream from anywhere
How to use a VPN
Using a VPN is as easy as one-two-three...
1. Download and install a VPN - as we say, our top choice is ExpressVPN
2. Connect to the appropriate server location - open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate location.
3. Go to the broadcaster's stream - head to your home broadcaster's site or app and watch as if you were at home - so that's Discovery+ for the UK.
How to watch Dakar Rally: live stream the 2022 race in the US
How to watch Dakar Rally FREE: live stream 2022 race online in Australia
2022 Dakar Rally live stream: how to watch the race online in Canada
How to get a Dakar Rally live stream: watch the 2022 race in New Zealand