Samantha Merrilees, from Falkirk, says her son Scott was left waiting for nearly a year for mental health treatment before he took his own life aged 16.

A mum has told how her teenage son was denied urgent mental health care in the months before he took his life- despite repeated suicide attempts.

Samantha Merrilees, 46, said her 16-year-old son Scott was failed by the system and left waiting nearly a year for specialist help while his condition deteriorated.

The grieving parent spoke to the Record about the state of Child and Adolescent Mental Health services in Scotland (CAMHS) after a recent report showed young people have been left waiting more than 4.5 million days for treatment since 2019.

Samantha hit out at the figures, branding them “a disgrace” as she gave her harrowing account of her fight to keep her son alive.

She told the Record: “Scott died five years ago in desperate need of help and the latest figures are disgusting.

“They show that drastic changes are needed and the system is not fit for purpose.

“It’s a disgrace that kids are still being turned away and that they aren’t being heard, taken seriously or supported.”

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Scott, from Falkirk, died aged 16 on January 1, 2021 – just six days before his 17th birthday.

The talented sportsman played in youth squads for Falkirk FC, Hearts, Rangers and Partick Thistle, as well as local sides Syngenta Juveniles and LK Galaxy.

And after moving from football into boxing in 2018, he quickly excelled and became Scottish Amateur Boxing Champion within a year.

After leaving St Mungo’s High School in Falkirk in 2020, he started work as an apprentice joiner for his dad, David.

Samantha continued: “Scott was a popular boy and had loads of friends.

“He was doing well in sport and work.

“But he had a cancer scare at age 12 when a tumour was removed from his bladder and then he began struggling with his mental health.”

Scott developed paranoia when he was 15 but his symptoms were dismissed as “teenage hormones”.

She added: “I went to the GP and they told me he was hormonal.

“But he later confided in a family member that he had been self-harmig and walked out in front of a car.

“I phoned the NHS straight away and took Scott to hospital. I asked them to keep him in, to keep him safe.

“I didn’t know what else to do.”

But Scott was discharged and sent back to his GP surgery where he was given medication and a referral to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

A few months later, Scott was found attempting to buy suicide materials in a shop. Staff refused the sale out of concern.

Samantha said: “He slept in my bed that night and the GP changed his medication and marked his referral as urgent, but we were warned it could still take up to 18 weeks just to receive a letter.”

Instead, Scott remained on a waiting list for 11 months, receiving only brief telephone calls every couple of weeks.

Samantha claims that during that time, CAMHS also attempted to discharge him twice.

She said: “They kept saying he wasn’t ill enough for immediate support, but he was getting worse and worse.”

Samantha believes that her son had developed psychosis.

She added: “He thought he was being filmed 24/7 and thought people could read his thoughts when he made eye contact.”

Scott finally received CAMHS appointment on December 21, 2020.

During the appointment, Scott told the clinician that he believed people could read his thoughts but his mum said a recording of the assessment reported that he appeared well, had “good eye contact”.

He was advised to return after four weeks.

Nine days later, Scott was dead.

Samantha said critical opportunities to save her son were missed.

She continued: “If Scott had been properly assessed, I honestly believe he would still be here today.

“We begged for help for so long and wasn’t heard.”

Samantha spoke out amidst the Record’s Save Young Lives campaign to back our demands that waiting times are cut for children’s mental health services and that suicide prevention to be taught in schools to help educate kids in a crisis.

Scottish Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie described Scott’s case as “scandalous”.

She said: “My thoughts are with Samantha and her family. They should not have had to go through this experience.

“Sadly, the reality is that far too many young people are facing painfully long waits for CAMHS treatment, with thousands being turned away.

“It is scandalous that they are being failed in this way.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton added that the details of Scott’s case are “barbaric”.

He said: “This is a tragedy that should never have happened, and my thoughts are with Scott’s friends and family, particularly his mother, Samantha, who has shown an incredible amount of bravery in speaking about this.

“Scott’s experience illustrates that we are dealing with a broken system in urgent need of repair.

“It is impossible to fathom how Scott could have been neglected like this. It is inhuman, barbaric and wrong.”

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In response to Scott’s death, the family set up The Scott Martin Foundation to support young people struggling with their mental health.

The charity provides funded counselling and therapy sessions for children who need immediate help. The foundation has already supported more than 200 children in Falkirk, funded entirely through community donations.

“Parents or children can refer themselves and get help straight away,” she said. “If someone asks for help, they will get it.”

The Scottish Government declined to comment.

An NHS Forth Valley spokesperson said: “Significant investment has been made in developing and improving mental health services and support for children and young people across the area. This, along with other changes in the way services are designed and delivered, has resulted in NHS Forth Valley having some of the lowest waiting times in Scotland for CAMHS and it has met or exceeded the national waiting times target since February 2024.”

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Malton Rackets Club is gearing up for 2026, with the club celebrating the building of the clubhouse a half-century ago.

With racketball, tennis, and bowls in full swing, with courts ready and various leagues in progress, the club says there is no “closed season”.

Although the squash competition season just ended, coaching options remain available. 

Members of the club take a combined effort to actively maintain and upgrade the club’s facilities.

This includes squash and racketball courts, tennis courts (grass and hard), bowls green, licensed bar, changing facilities, and table pool areas.

The club fosters a sense of camaraderie among its members through in-club competitions, an enjoyable inter-sport challenge, participation in local leagues, and a common summer barbecue.

With 360 members across the sports, Malton Rackets Club also offers social sessions across the sports.

The clubhouse across the bowls green (Image: Malton Rackets Club)

These social sessions allow members and potential newcomers to check out the club’s environment.

The club also gives the opportunity to learn a new sport and reconnect with ones from the past.

With room for new members, the club invites all levels of play and provides coaching.

Details about the social sessions can be found on the club’s website: maltonracketsclub.com.

Malton Rackets Club has also planned a forthcoming Bingo Night, scheduled for Friday, April 17, 2026.

The bar will open at 6.30pm, with the main event starting at 7:30pm.

Attendees have the opportunity to win from the many prizes that will be on offer. The standout top prize is £50 in cash.

Tickets are priced at £10, which covers six games and snacks.

Those interested in attending the Bingo Night can book online via the club’s website: https://www.maltonracketsclub.com/EventsV2

The Red Hands lost their captain and vice-captain to injuries in the first half of Sunday’s Ulster SFC clash against Armagh and went on to lose by one point after extra-time

Malachy O’Rourke said criticism of the Tyrone team “didn’t sit well” with his players as they came agonisingly close to beating Armagh at the Box-It Athletic Grounds on Sunday.

The home side were odds-on favourites on the basis that they had a strong League campaign in Division One whereas the Red Hands picked up just five points in a disappointing Division Two campaign.

However, the League form went out the window as the two teams traded blows in a pulsating Ulster SFC dogfight that almost went all the way to a penalty shootout.

That was probably the least Tyrone deserved, but Niall Morgan couldn’t find the target with a last-gasp ’45.

O’Rourke said that he was pleased with the character displayed by his team in the wake of some stinging criticism.

“We knew that the performances during the year weren’t good enough and we weren’t happy with it, but there were different factors playing into that,” stated O’Rourke.

“We were determined to come here today and put on a big performance. We had a number of setbacks during the game, but we just showed great resilience to bounce back each time. I’m just glad that people showed, a lot of people outside who are critical of a lot of things in the camp, that there’s a bit of faith and a bit of spirit there and a bit of quality there as well.

He added: “It’s just annoying, I suppose, for the group and annoying for the lads involved who are putting serious commitment in.

“But look, that’s the way of the world and we just have to put up with it. But at the end of the day, it was up to us to try and answer that as best we could. At least with regards to the effort and application, I think we couldn’t have asked for any more.”

“I know the character of the lads is there, I know they’re working very hard. It wasn’t sitting well with them, some of the criticism we were getting, but look, we have to take it in the chin and go on. Just disappointed, obviously, we didn’t get the victory out of it.”

The Tyrone boss added that Darragh Canavan picked up a hip flexor injury while the full extent of Brian Kennedy’s injury isn’t known.

“I was just saying that I think some ligament injury. I’m not sure exactly what it is,” O’Rourke said of his captain.

“I think Darragh is possibly a hip flexor. It wasn’t a contact injury. It was more something that he made a pull.

“Again, we’ll just have to wait and see how long they’re out for. Kieran McGeary I think was more a dead leg. It should clear up that wee bit quicker.

“We’ve a mounting injury list. We’ve a couple of lads who weren’t able to talk out today. I suppose the break will do us good from that point of view.”

Kieran McGeeney, meanwhile, was relived to see his side progress, admitting it wasn’t Armagh’s “finest day” while he also questioned how Tyrone were completely written-off in the build-up.

“I’ve been watching football for almost 40 years now. I’ve yet to see Tyrone put out a bad team,” said McGeeney.

“A bit like Kerry last year, you always have to be careful who’s writing the stories.

I think when we were 7-1 up, we stopped playing well. We started getting sloppy. We just gave the ball away a lot.

“Didn’t test them at different times but you have to give credit to them. They were able to slow the game down, get vital scores at different times. A couple of two-pointers. It’s not our finest day but credit has to be given to Tyrone too. They came here, written off and fought and fought.”

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Scottish Labour will launch their manifesto on Monday but opinion polls show John Swinney is coasting to victory on May 7.

It’s a crucial day in the Holyrood election campaign for Scottish Labour. Anas Sarwar will this morning unveil his party’s manifesto at an event in ­Edinburgh.

It will include a welcome pledge to reduce inflation-busting water charges for households across Scotland. The cost-of-living crisis has not gone away and too many Scots are still ­struggling to make ends meet.

Scottish Water is publicly owned. It doesn’t need to line the pockets of ­shareholders. But it still announced a nine per cent hike in bills this year.

The Scottish Parliament does not control the levers of the UK economy but it does have enough powers already to make a positive impact on people’s lives.

The SNP has been in power since 2007 but opinion polls show John Swinney is coasting to victory on May 7.

Scottish Labour is trailing behind and Sarwar must find a way to convince voters he’s worth their ballot. The unpopularity of Keir Starmer has dragged the party in Scotland down.

Labour now faces a battle just to finish second in terms of MSP numbers, with the arrival of Reform UK on the scene and the increasingly vocal and confident Scottish Greens climbing in the polls.

Many younger Scots, fed-up with soaring property prices and stagnant wages, are equally fed-up with Labour at Westminster and the SNP at Holyrood.

Sarwar has just three weeks left to make his case to the public.

A bold policy offering on how to tackle the cost-of-living crisis would be a good place to start.

Harrowing figures

None of Scotland’s major political parties can plead ignorance when it comes to the state of children’s mental health services.

Waiting times for initial appointments are months long in too many cases, with young people and their families left distraught as a result.

It cannot be said too many times that suicide remains one of the largest causes of deaths among young Scots, a tragic state of affairs made worse by mental health services not being available when needed.

Samantha Merrilees today shares her heartbreak over losing her 16-year-old son Scott. He was denied urgent care in the months before he died – despite repeated attempts took take his own life.

The grieving mum said Scott was failed by the system and left waiting nearly a year for specialist help while his condition deteriorated.

Too many other families have faced similar harrowing experiences.

Mental health waiting times must come down. The next Scottish Government must ensure they do.

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Turton Road will be shut on April 12, between where it meets Chapeltown Road and Shady Lane, for maintenance work on the railway bridge at Bromley Cross Railway Station.

Traffic will be diverted via Blackburn Road and Crompton Way for those looking to pass between Tonge Moor and Bromley Cross.

Turton Road and the railway bridge. (Image: Google Maps)

Commenting on the road closure, Cllr Nadim Muslim, representing Bromley Cross and Egerton, said: “It’s a bit of a shame we weren’t told any sooner, but hopefully on a Sunday there won’t be any delays.

“They’re looking to do some safety work on the bridge, nothing majorly serious just to update stuff like some signage.

“Cars will have to have longer diversions but pedestrians will still be able to pass by the bridge by going through the train station.”

Nearby, Chapeltown road was closed for three days last month due to electrical repair works after homes and businesses lost power.

Gary Neville fears the selfish actions of two Chelsea stars will see the club miss out on Champions League qualification.

Liam Rosenior’s side saw their hopes of a top five finish suffer a further blow on Sunday when Manchester City left Stamford Bridge with three points following a swashbuckling second half display.

Goals from Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi and Jeremy Doku emphasised the chasm that currently exists between both teams as Chelsea struggled to get to grips with their rampant opponents.

The home side’s cause wasn’t helped by the absence of their skipper Enzo Fernandez who was sitting out the second game of a suspension imposed on him by his own employers for his outspoken comments over the course of the international break.

While Fernandez was forced to miss out, the club took a more lenient view of Marc Cucurella’s revelations but regardless of the former Brighton full-back being let off the hook, Neville believes Rosenior being undermined in such an obvious way can only lead to more unrest.

Neville told Sky Sports: ‘It’s a struggle and you add to that the ill-discipline of Enzo Fernandez and Cucurella who have been speaking up in the last few weeks.

‘As a football player in a dressing room what do the rest of their teammates think.

‘When you speak like they have, that’s entirely selfish. It’s entirely selfish. It’s not helping your manager who is young and inexperienced. It’s not helping your teammates. It’s not helping the fans because they’re thinking you’re discontent.’

Chelsea have now lost five of their six games in all competitions with their only win in that run coming against League One strugglers Port Vale in the FA Cup and Neville condemned the actions of two senior players, particularly given the less than ideal timing.

He said: ‘In a period when you need to knuckle down, you’ve just gone out the Champions League and been mauled by PSG, which is no embarrassment they’re a good team. You needed everybody to knuckle down and stay in that mode of tightness.

‘When you’ve got the two experienced players that they have are demonstrating discontent and saying that the previous manager was good and we liked him and not sure why it changed. I agree there had to be consequences.

‘What they’ve done is say you need to have the camera on you against Manchester City being in the stand with everyone knowing you’ve been ill-disciplined. That can’t be helpful.

‘The problem is those players are still going in the dressing room having an influence and if they’ve got a bottom lip down by their shoe and sulking and slagging the club off, I think you’re going to have a difficult end to the season.

‘It feels to me now that Chelsea will miss out on Champions League football. I think Chelsea are going to miss out because of what has happened over the last few weeks.’

MORE: Michael Owen makes Premier League title prediction after Man City thrash Chelsea

MORE: Rio Ferdinand warns Mikel Arteta ‘you can’t do that’ ahead of Man City vs Arsenal clash

MORE: Liam Rosenior names Chelsea’s problem after Man City loss and says he’s to blame

Nature, luxury, culture and 300 days of sunshine. Take just one of them and you’ve already got the basis for a great holiday. But all at once? That’s something else!

Introducing the Turkish Riviera – a lush, scenic stretch of Türkiye’s southwestern coastline fringed by the dramatic Taurus Mountains.

Spanning 620 miles (1,000 km), it’s a year-round Mediterranean paradise featuring a world-class collection of beachfront resorts, boutique hotels, golf, wellness and all-inclusive experiences. 

Alongside these modern indulgences is a rich local culture shaped by centuries of history, with ancient castles, temples, and ports sitting alongside vibrant coastal cities serving up exquisite local cuisine. 

It sounds idyllic – and it is! Here’s why the Turkish Riviera offers all the ingredients for a dream getaway.

History meets nature  

Visiting historical sites at home is often a rainy-day activity. But in the Turkish Riviera, it’s an open-air experience.

We’re talking sun-drenched ruins scattered among pine forests, Roman temples overlooking turquoise waters and tombs carved into soaring coastal cliffs. 

The area is home to the three ancient regions of Lycia, Pamphylia and Pisidia, which grew wealthy in antiquity and left behind an extraordinary historical legacy.

This includes the ancient cities of Side, Patara, Olympos and Phaselis – considered among the most beautiful in the world (and best admired from the sea via a boat trip from Antalya’s Roman harbour). 

Both are cultural hotspots, with Mersin putting on an annual music festival, while Antalya hosts Türkiye’s most important film festival.

Alongside these historical attractions, the Turkish Riviera is big on outdoor activities of all kinds. Sailing is especially popular, typically aboard a traditional two- or three-masted wooden boat known as a gulet.

The pristine, forest-fringed coves around the cities of Antalya and Mersin are ripe for exploring by boat, as is the picturesque island of Kekova. 

Inland, there are even more outdoor adventures to discover, from caving, camping and biking to trekking along long-distance footpaths like the Lycian Way.

But to make the most of the region’s blend of nature and history, you need to sign up for a diving lesson. Gliding under the crystal-clear waters, you’ll find ruins and wrecks interspersed with vibrant corals and enchanting marine life, from rare Mediterranean monk seals to loggerhead turtles.

Pampering – Turkish style 

After all that exploring, it’s time to enjoy one of Türkiye’s other unforgettable experiences. 

The hammam, a centuries-old purification ritual set in a traditional Turkish steam bath, is the ancestor of the modern spa day.

When you arrive, you’ll be invited to douse yourself in water before lying down on a warm marble bed. 

An expert tellak or natir (male or female attendant) will envelop you in foam before scrubbing away dead skin with a coarse glove. Finally, they’ll treat you to a silky massage to leave you feeling utterly relaxed – and impossibly clean! 

The ritual also has a social element, so be sure to head to the communal refreshment area to enjoy an ice-cold drink or a cup of Turkish coffee.

The pull of the city

Relaxation and wellness are a major part of life in the Turkish Riviera, but there’s a livelier side to it too. Mersin and Antalya, two of its major cities, are major attractions in their own right – and the perfect complement to a nature-themed break. 

Keen shoppers will find plenty to delight them too, from tiny craft stores on side streets to ultra-modern malls. 

Antalya’s pedestrian-friendly, cobbled streets are lined with laid-back cafés and bars. As afternoon eases into evening, set aside some time to relax on a sunny terrace with a cocktail before heading to the harbour to tuck into traditional mezes, such as salted bonito or shrimp in butter and garlic sauce.

This part of the Mediterranean is particularly famous for its citrus fruit, such as oranges and mandarins, which make a refreshing end to an evening meal. And if you’d like the fun to continue, Antalya’s nightlife is second to none, ranging from snug live music venues to high-energy nightclubs.

Where to stay

The Turkish Riviera boasts an astonishing range of holiday experiences, and its accommodation offering is similarly varied. 

From all-inclusive hotels with spacious rooms to private villas featuring breathtaking sea views, there are hundreds of options for both couples and families. 

Think swimming pools, aqua parks and golf courses alongside luxurious spas and lavish buffet restaurants. In other words, everything you need for an incredible holiday!

If you’d prefer something more low-key, you can opt for a boutique hotel nestled in the countryside or tucked away on a side street in a coastal town. 

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While you can visit all year round, May, June and September are considered some of the best times of the year to go, while July and August are peak season. 

Plan your dream trip to the Turkish Riviera at turkishriviera.goturkiye.com

Joe Fishburn from Scarborough, alongside Amanda Wah, a gym owner from Warrington, triumphed in the final of the competition broadcast on April 12 on BBC One.

Joe paid tribute to his grandmother, Christine, who had raised him after his mother died when he was two years old.

He said: “I never had a father figure present, and she’s done everything for me.

“I hope you’re proud.”

Fishburn had a six-second head start on his fellow finalist, East London youth worker Mus Dumbuya, as they entered the Eliminator.

The coach set a new Eliminator record by finishing the course in 0.55 seconds, according to the programme.

Fishburn mentioned he would place the trophy on his “grandmother Christine’s mantelpiece” and described the experience as “definitely the best thing I’ve ever done”.

He said: “We were in an amazing final, and I felt like I already won coming into this process, but obviously it’s always nice to complete the whole thing and take the win.”

He told co-host Barney Walsh: “I have absolutely no words, I just want to say I couldn’t be happier to do this with someone like Mus, it means the world to me and Christine, this amazing woman brought me up from the age of two when, unfortunately, I lost my mum.

“Mus is an amazing opponent, contender, friend, everything he does is so amazing, and it was an honour to be in the final with him.”

In the women’s competition, Aneila Afsar, a supply teacher from Manchester, had the upper hand in the final Eliminator battle, having earned a 1.5-second head start from their previous events, but was ultimately beaten to the finish line by Wah.

Cheering for Wah were her girlfriend, two children, friends, and family, while Fishburn was supported by Roddy Mackay, a contender from 1993, and his family.

Gladiators was revived in 2024 on the BBC, with army officer Finlay Anderson and personal trainer Marie-Louise Nicholson having been crowned champions.

The show originally aired on ITV for eight years until 2000 before being cancelled and briefly returned on Sky from 2008 to 2009.

This story was originally published in the York Press on April 12, 2025.

The lineup included legendary acts like Runrig and Deacon Blue.

Scotland is known for its amazing festivals that have brought iconic musicians to the country from all over the world and delighted tens of thousands of Scottish music lovers over the years. From T in the Park in the 2000s to current-favourite TRNSMT, everyone will have memories of at least one.

One festival that is somewhat forgotten when compared to these behemoths is A Day for Scotland, which took place in Stirling on July 14, 1990. Although you don’t tend to hear much about the event these days, the 30,000-plus people who attended will likely never forget it.

Held at Fallen Inch Field beneath Stirling Castle, the massive outdoor festival offered a unique combination of music, comedy, theatre, and general fun for the entire family. Among the headliners at the event were Runrig, Deacon Blue, Coatbridge pop duo Hue and Cry, and Aberdeen psychedelic rockers The Shamen.

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Other famous faces who appeared at the festival included singer-songwriter Carol Laula, poet and songwriter Hamish Henderson, and folk musician Dick Gaughan. Attendees also enjoyed entertainment from the likes of comedian Elaine C Smith, theatre group 7:84, and the Alien Arts Company.

A Day for Scotland also had a significant political message, providing a link between pop culture and the campaign for a Scottish parliament. The festival, which was organised by the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) and Stirling District Council, was an important symbol of the rising enthusiasm for devolution amongst people in Scotland.

As reported by Scene Stirling, Dr Scott Hames of the University of Stirling’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities previously commented: “Cultural activism played a key role in the campaign for devolution, and A Day for Scotland is a fascinating example.

“It gave the STUC and pro-devolution campaigners a chance to connect with a much greater audience outside of party politics and a means to connect with young people and communities through the voices of musicians. It also paved the way for large pop concerts at Stirling Castle from the mid-1990s.”

Meanwhile, the Stirling Centre for Scottish Studies reveals that local councillor John Hendry described A Day for Scotland at the time as “a unique opportunity for people of all ages, interests and backgrounds to join together in celebrating Scotland’s past and present achievements through music, drama, dance, comedy, sport, food and everything that is good about Scottish culture.”

According to the University of Stirling, Dr Peter Lynch of the Scottish Political Archive at Stirling University stated: “Billed as ‘a Festival for Our Future’, A Day for Scotland was a key event not only for Stirling, but in linking popular culture and politics in the campaign for a Scottish parliament.

The Monday letters page remembers the glory days of the Commodore 64, as a reader recommends indie game Beyond Words.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Old is new again
All the recent talk about the ZX Spectrum and other retro formats warms my heart, not least because they’re UK formats and not the NES, which I have ever seen in my life and definitely did not know anyone that had one when I was a kid in the early 90s.

I’m not sure why there’s been this sudden outburst of discussion but I imagine it has a lot to do with how messed up the games industry is at the moment and the five or more year wait we have between big games now. Compare that to the old days when you’d get a sequel every year, that was made by just one or two people.

The games felt raw and exciting, not the manufactured rubbish you get nowadays. Indie gaming is a lot closer to what gaming was in the old days but my problem with them is that so much of it is pandering to nostalgia and they’re always held back, either on purpose or by budget, whereas back in the day the game games were always pushing the envelope in terms of technology.

Now, I’m not so much of a hypocrite to say I’m not going to buy GTA 6 or any other big name games I like but more and more I find myself more interested in retro gaming and less in the modern stuff. Especially as there’s so much I didn’t play at the time, so there’s always something new to discover.
Jacob

The best bit
I haven’t seen the film yet (I know I’m going to enjoy it from what I’ve read) but all the talk got me in the mood for Star Fox so I thought I’d play a bit of Star Fox Zero and this game is terrible! When it’s just the Lylat Wars on-the-rails shooter it’s fine and it still looks great. But it keeps forcing you to use the GamePad for aiming and turn into that awful chicken thing.

It’s a great tribute to the N64 game at times but it’s just held back by these baffling gameplay decisions. If they do release a new game then hopefully they don’t try any gimmicks and just keep it as an on-the-rails shooter.
Simon

GC: It’s not terrible, but we don’t think anyone would argue the on-rails sections aren’t the best part. The problem for Nintendo is whether anyone still wants to play a game that is only that.

Licensed property
Talking about the C64 in the Inbox, I have just been watching the Commodore 64: Classic Game Insights Vol 1 Blu-ray and there is an interesting fact about Ron Gilbert (who made Maniac Mansion and The Secret Of Monkey Island games) when he started working at Lucasfilm he and his co-developers could not make any Star Wars games because George Lucas had sold the rights out to third party companies like Atari and others!

So, it’s a bit like somebody going to work for Nintendo and Nintendo telling their developers they couldn’t make Mario and Zelda games because they had sold the rights out to other companies! So what Ron Gilbert and his co-developers did was make up new games like Maniac Mansion and Secret Of Monkey Island, etc., in response to that.

The company that made this documentary is doing a full documentary for the C64 computer and it’s games and are looking for 2,000 followers on Kickstarter before they can launch the Kickstarter for the documentary. They currently have about 1,300 followers, one of which is me!

The people making the documentary also made The PlayStation Revolution documentary and the recent Rubber-Keyed Wonder documentary about the Spectrum, which were both very good in my opinion.
Andrew J.

GC: That sort of thing happens all that time. It’s why Sony still has the licence to make Spider-Man movies.

40 years, man and boy
I’m loving all this chat about the ZX Spectrum.

I never had one myself, but I did have friends when I was a young kid, that either had a ZX or a Commodore 64, so I would enjoy gaming via osmosis through them.

It’s weird because when I look back, I didn’t realise how much of a gamer I was, it was just a new and exciting entertainment form which I was happy to get involved in.

For me personally, it stated with those LCD gaming devices you could pick up at your local paper shop behind the glass cabinet for £2.99.

My friend used to borrow me his Game & Watch Mario and Donkey Kong and I didn’t care what my mom did for tea, as far as I was concerned I was living the life, it really fascinated me.

There was normally a high score of 9999 back then and I might be wrong but I’m pretty sure that’s where the term ‘clocked’ came from, when the game you were playing had no other numbers to give so just reset to 0, hence the term clocked.

I remember the Tomytronic games and the Tomy Racing Turbo, that was a particular favourite of mine.

Anyway what I’m getting at, is it took me years to realise I was a gamer.

I work with a gentleman who takes the mickey out of his son in law and his PlayStation 5 yet he spends most of his time playing online snooker against other people!

I think we all have it in us to enjoy gaming in the same sense you really have to be a movie buff to enjoy a movie or watch a lot of television to enjoy a programme.

It’s a great hobby and I feel very fortunate to have watched it grow up from its infancy.
freeway 77

GC: We believe that ‘clocked’ started with pinball games, but that is the gist of it.

Beyond Balatro
I wanted to write in to alert possibly yourselves, but mainly your readers, to a new game released on PC and Switch 2 (not sure about other formats).

It’s called Beyond Words and it is similar to Balatro but it plays along the lines of Scrabble rather than poker.

It for me, it isn’t necessarily as polished as Balatro but having put a few solid hours into it already… it is going to be right up there for replayabilty. It’s only just over £10 at the minute, so for all those that loved Balatro give this one a try.
Complex

GC: It seems to be on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S as well, to judge by the trailer.

What are ya selling?
I’ve finally gotten around to playing the Resident Evil 4 remake on PlayStation 5. I have to admit the game looks better but more importantly the controls are much improved. Sticky situations with the hostile locals are less sticky now that Leon can move while aiming.

One change for the worse I’ve noticed, however, is the merchant. Have the developers recast him? Leon sounds the same to me, but the merchant definitely isn’t as good. Why change the merchant? Wasn’t he a very popular character when the original version of the game came out?

If I recall correctly the original Resident Evil 4 merchant had a sort of a pirate voice. The new merchant just sounds like a bland cockney. What a bad decision if the developers recast this character. Why not simply reuse the voicework from the original game?

Anyway, I’m enjoying the remake apart from that, but I do fear what else has changed for the worse. Are the regeneradores/regenerators still scary? Is Ashley less annoying?
Michael Veal (Twitter/X)

GC: Everyone was recast; Metal Gear Solid Delta is the only big budget remake we can think of that has ever reused the same voice files from 20 years back. But the merchant was always meant to be cockney.

The unfunniest day of the year
Read some stuff online that the Nemesis system patent had been revoked, you seen anything credible about that?
Magnumstache

GC: We’re afraid that was an April’s Fool ‘joke’. Although if any company wanted to do something similar a patent wouldn’t stop them. Lots of video game ideas are patented – Sega owns the patent to changing camera angles by pressing a button, for example – but they’re always too general to stop anything but a straight clone.

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Stardew nightmare
Great to hear that Graveyard Keeper 2 will be an eventuality, as I thought the first one was a great attempt at a variation on the Stardew Valley experience. It was definitely an interesting theme on the management genre, taking care of the corpses in a correct manner to get cemetery ratings.

It was following the crafting, technology, and economy as what is required in these games, but with the added disposing and preparation of the corpses dropped off by the donkey delivery service. Conducting autopsies for crafting was a great idea, along with the skull ratings you get for doing a good job with the body.

Then putting them in the cemetery making them look as good as possible, with decorative items. It was a great way to do your grave keeping whilst farming parts for the technology and crafting side of the gameplay and then choosing the paths you want to use these items and resources in the technology tree.

Now what’s interesting for the sequel is how it is to expand the creative part of the game and it’s not just fixing up a graveyard and church but an entire community in a zombie infested town with a zombie apocalypse on the horizon.

The town management is definitely a step up, with whole new areas of research to explore and take control of. Can’t wait for another indie classic.
Alucard

Inbox also-rans
I totally understand where the reader at the weekend is coming with when it comes to the GameCube. It was the first console I bought as a wage owner and despite its problems I have very fond memories of it and its games.
Wendel

With so many Resident Evil remake on the way I wish they’d remake the remake of Resident Evil 3, as that was awful was barely anything like the original. Resident Evil 1 is going to be remade twice, so why not that?
Carlet

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