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What are the best indie games on PS4?

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Terraria vs Journey vs FEZ

 vs Don't Starve Together vs Firewatch vs The Witness vs Hotline Miami vs Rocket League vs MineCraft PS4 Edition vs Thomas Was Alone vs Inside vs Shovel Knight vs The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth vs Night in the Woods vs Life is Strange: Before the Storm vs Outlast vs Abzû vs Unravel vs Super Meat Boy vs Spelunky vs A Way Out vs The Escapists 2 vs One More Dungeon vs Celeste vs No Man's Sky vs Detention vs Jotun: Valhalla Edition vs Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number vs Dandara vs Fe vs Hades vs Neon Chrome vs Don't Knock Twice vs Q.U.B.E. 2 vs Neurovoider vs Thumper vs Graceful Explosion Machine

Specs

Genre

2D platformer / Minecraft-like

Platforms

Windows, Mac, Xbox 360/One, PS3, PS4, Nintendo 3DS, Switch, iOS, Android

Co-Op

8 Player Online / 8 Player LAN

Controller Support

Android (MOGA / HID), Steam (Full)

Multi-Player

Local WiFi/Servers

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

-

Platforms

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

-

Platforms

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Roguelike, Survival, Horror

Platforms

PS 4, Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, Switch

Co-Op

2-4 Player Local

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Narrative, Adventure, Walking Sim

Platforms

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

-

Platforms

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

-

Platforms

Windows, Mac, Steam

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

Overwhelmingly Positive

Game Engine

Game Maker 8.1

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Sports / Racing / Soccer

Platforms

Windows, Mac, Linux, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One

Co-Op

4 Player Online / 4 Player Couch

Controller Support

Full

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

1080p60

Available on Steam

-

Genre

-

Platforms

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Puzzle, Platformer

Platforms

PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, Android, Xbox One, Wii U, iOS, macOS, Linux

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Puzzle-Platformer

Platforms

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

Overwhelmingly Positive

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Action, Platformer

Platforms

Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Windows, Mac, Linux

Co-Op

2 Player Local

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

-

Platforms

-

Co-Op

2 Player Local

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Adventure, Narrative

Platforms

PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Windows, Xbox One, Linux, macOS

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

Overwhelmingly Positive

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Adventure, Narrative

Platforms

Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Horror / First-Person / Survival

Platforms

-

Co-Op

None

Controller Support

Full

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

Overwhelmingly Positive

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

-

Platforms

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Puzzle, Platformer

Platforms

PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

No

Genre

Platformer

Platforms

PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, Android, Windows, Linux, macOS

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Platformer / Indie / Roguelike

Platforms

Win

Co-Op

4 Player Couch

Controller Support

Full

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Action-Adventure, Co-Op

Platforms

PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows

Co-Op

2 Player Online / 2 Player Local

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

No

Genre

Sandbox, Role-Playing, Strategy, Simulation

Platforms

Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, Linux, Mac

Co-Op

4 Player Online / 2 Player Local

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

First-Person Shooter, Roguelike, Dungeon Crawler

Platforms

Windows, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Platformer

Platforms

Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, Linux, macOS

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Action-Adventure, Survival

Platforms

PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Survival Horror, Adventure

Platforms

Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Linux, macOS

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Action, Adventure

Platforms

PC, Mac, Xbox One, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

-

Platforms

-

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Platformer, Metroidvania

Platforms

Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, Windows, iOS, Linux, macOS

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Adventure, Action, Platforming

Platforms

Nintendo Switch, Windows, Xbox One, Playstation 4

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

No

Genre

RPG

Platforms

-

Co-Op

Single Player

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

Overwhelmingly Positive

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Roguelike, Action, Shooter

Platforms

PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Windows, Linux, macOS

Co-Op

2-4 Player Local

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

First-Person Survival Horror

Platforms

Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

First-Person Puzzle, Adventure

Platforms

Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Roguelike, Shooter, Role-Playing

Platforms

Windows, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch

Co-Op

4 Player Local

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Action, Rhythm

Platforms

PlayStation 4, Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, iOS

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Genre

Action, Arcade

Platforms

Nintendo Switch, Windows, Playstation 4

Co-Op

-

Controller Support

-

Multi-Player

-

Steam Rating

-

Game Engine

-

Native Resolution

-

Available on Steam

-

Pros + Cons

Pro
 Fun combat

It starts out simple, with you whacking away at slow moving zombies and flying eyes, gradually shifting to more fierce and fearsome enemies such as flying demons, agile lizardmen, and many more. To survive you'll have to be always on the move, dodge enemy attacks, and be accurate when you retaliate. There are also plenty of weapons to choose from. Melee weapons such as swords, hammers, lances, and flails. Ranged weapons such as bows, crossbows, rifles, and miniguns. And various items that allow you to cast spells. Whatever you choose, it feels great to destroy hordes of enemies.
Comment

Pro
 Allows for freedom of expression for all ages, all at your own pace

Terraria has all kinds of tools and materials you can use to build whatever you can imagine. From housing, to furniture, to weapons, to types of structure, the possibilities are almost endless. This is great for children who enjoy building and problem solving, and for adults who enjoy the same. It also makes for a great objective-less game, where you can do just about anything you want at your own pace.
Comment

Pro
 Playing with friends allows for endless scenarios

Up to 8 players can join any Terraria world. You can progress through the game normally, build a race course and compete in it, or split into factions and wage war against each other. The scenarios are endless, you just have to let loose your creativity.
Comment

Pro
 Intriguing world

Terraria uses a bright color palette and an upbeat chiptune soundtrack to ease you into its world. However, once you start exploring and spend time in it you'll notice it's not as cozy as it first seemed to be. Blood Moons that rouse the dead from their graves. Goblin armies trying to destroy everything in their wake. Vast and dark cave systems, filled with odd creatures and various dangers. Ancient ruins, teeming with the restless dead and evil spirits. Pockets of decaying land, thriving with misshapen monstrosities. It's really fun to explore and discover something new about the world of Terraria.
Comment

Pro
 Lots of community servers, tutorials, and streams

Terraria has a large community of players on every platform including mobile, desktop, and console. Because of this, there are many servers to play on, as well as tutorials and Let's Plays. Finding content or help getting started is quite easy.
Comment

Con
 Progress can feel slow

Quite often you'll have to collect tons of materials to craft the necessary tools, equipment, and boss summoning items to advance. This can take a really long time, especially if you're unlucky with the items dropped by mobs.
Comment

Con
 Low replay value for those who play it as an adventure game

Terraria is a sandbox platform-adventure game, so it partly hinges on beating various bosses. If you play it purely for the sake of defeating all the bosses, you might have little else to do afterwards. Restarting the game won't be as enjoyable either because you'll already know what to expect, causing continued play without a new goal feel mundane or boring.
Comment

Pro
 Simple but really enjoyable gameplay

Journey doesn't have any difficult mechanics, any explicit story, or even an interface. You simply run, jump, and glide through the desert, trying to reach a snowy mountain in the distance. Along the way you'll find items, enemies, and even companions, but there never are any interruptions. It all flows so nicely, it feels like you're going gently down the stream.
Comment

Pro
 Beautiful visuals

Wherever you look you'll find something beautiful to look at. This can be the obstructed sun shining down on an endless desert, creating a very calming scene. It can be the very detailed and massive ruins that sometimes look mysterious and sometimes imposing. It can be the sand beautifully shifting between your character's legs as it walks. It can even be your character's red robe and scarf fluttering in the wind as you glide across the desert. Everything in Journey looks so nice you just want to keep seeing more.
Comment

Pro
 Emotional soundtrack

You can really feel the effort and care that went into creating the soundtrack. From the relaxing flute as you trot along the desert. The heartfelt cello solo as you slide through the ruins of an ancient civilization. To the dramatic piece performed by an entire orchestra as you fall into an abyss. The soundtrack helps you feel the right emotions at the right moments, making Journey an unforgettable experience.
Comment

Con
 Incredibly short

Journey is one of the shortest games ever made, clocking in just over two hours of gameplay. The ending credits will roll right as you're getting into it, leaving you unsatisfied. This may cause you to immediately replay it but it will never feel the same as your first playthrough.
Comment

Pro
 Charming graphics and world

The characters are interesting and expressive and the world they inhabit varies between vibrant forests and villages, foreboding caves, rainy cityscapes, and more.
Comment

Pro
 Great atmospheric soundtrack

Soft synth sounds mixed with chiptunes makes for an enjoyable soundtrack that evokes a feeling of nostalgia while creating a fitting atmosphere that complements the graphics.
Comment

Pro
 Mysterious world with lots of depth

FEZ goes beyond just being a great puzzle platformer. It also has a very clever storyline and game world with a mysterious bygone civilization that fits perfectly with the mysterious puzzles of the game.
Comment

Pro
 Brilliant puzzles

Fez has some deviously hard puzzles and mysteries that will require gathering clues from around the world to solve them.
Comment

Pro
 Clever 2D rotation game mechanic

The core mechanic of FEZ is the ability to spin the world around in 3D, and then traverse and interact with the resulting terrain in 2D. This allows you to experience navigation puzzles that are rarely found in any other game.
Comment

Con
 Slow gameplay

Navigation isn't quick, and each missed jump can make ascending an area feel like a laborious chore.
Comment

Con
 Loads of backtracking

The world is an intertwined maze that rely on specific portals to travel between. Since the entire game revolves around locating cubes -- a minimum of 32 cubes are required to reach the game's ending (64 cubes and "anti-cubes" exist in total). A considerable amount of backtracking is needed to locate the needed cubes; which are intentionally difficult to find and acquire.
Comment

Con
 Guess-and-check instead of intuitive puzzles

Unlike other great puzzle games like Portal or Braid, many of the levels in Fez are unpredictable. You can't just look at the map and predict exactly what to do. You have to guess and check, and not all of the results are intuitive. While guess-and-check puzzles works well for games like The Witness, it's really tedious in a game like Fez.
Comment

Con
 Very limited depth

The core gameplay loop of "jump until stuck, then rotate" is boring and repetitive within the first hour. Aside from this perspective-shifting mechanic, the game does not have much to offer.
Comment

Con
 Pen and paper absolutely required for full completion

There is a lot of backtracking and so, you need to keep a pen and paper near you to take notes, because you might need something very important later on. For some people this might be a fun killer.
Comment

Con
 Minimal direction

The lack of clear direction + the mysteries of the foreign writing alphabet and numeric systems may overwhelm players who got in expecting a simple & cute platformer game about a white dude with a red hat (a traditional Ottoman hat, which is called a "fez").
Comment

Con
 Phil Fish made it

Phil Fish has had a long rap sheet of being incredibly arrogant and toxic in his behavior, purchasing this game is an implicit endorsement of this kind of behavior.
Comment

Pro
 Deep and varied crafting system

The crafting system has a lot of depth to it and there are tons of items to make. Starting with the recipe for a torch and a pickaxe. You can also make weapons, armor, and various laboratories that enable new technologies. Building new stuff and advancing is the key to surviving the coming winter.
Comment

Pro
 The further you get, the more you will learn

Starting out you'll only be gathering twigs and grass, maybe chop a tree. You'll also gather basic food such as mushrooms and carrots. Then you'll start building your encampment, learning how the day/night cycle and the seasons work. Later on you'll start building massive farms, refridgerators, fortifications, and many other things. All of this is done for the sake of not starving. As the game progresses, you will encounter mechanics such as drought, forest fires, the rainy, season, the cold and many others. To counteract these you need to plan properly and will probably die the first time around. Once your knowledge reaches a certain level, you'll be able to survive indefinitely.
Comment

Pro
 Tweak the gameplay settings to fit any skill level

The game gives you a lot of customization options. You can change the length of day, weather patterns, and spawn rates for resources and monsters. This allows you to adjust the difficulty level to suit your skill and preference.
Comment

Pro
 Unique mix of 2D and 3D art offers a change of pace

Don't Starve Together has a very unique art style that places two-dimensional characters in a three-dimensional setting. Even the waves in the sea look like cardboard cutouts used in a puppet show. This look and feel to the graphics is a nice change of pace from ultra-realistic games.
Comment

Pro
 Pleasantly twisted sense of humor

There's a dark sense of humor that pervades the game. There's a humanoid spider boy who can grow a beard of silk. There's a living chest called Chester who acts like a dog. There's also silly info text, werepigs, trees that retaliate when you chop them, and many other things.
Comment

Pro
 Great replay value

Don't Starve Together has randomly generated (customizable) levels, unlockable characters, a story mode, and you can also play it with up to 5 other friends. All of this helps keep subsequent attempts/playthroughs fresh.
Comment

Con
 Can get repetitive

You'll have to repeatedly collect a lot of basic materials like twigs, grass, and ore. This is because most of the starting recipes share the same required materials. Even later in the game you'll be doing many repetitive tasks. Gathering enough firewood for winter is especially bad because you have to chop down dozens of trees. All of this is made worse by the limited inventory space, causing you to make the same trip multiple times.
Comment

Con
 Steep learning curve

The first few attempts will last only a couple of in-game days. This is because the game has various punishing mechanics, which you can only learn through trial and error. One such mechanic is the darkness, which will kill you in under a minute if you don't have a light source. Followed by packs of hounds that randomly spawn to kill you. In most cases preparation is key and you can't prepare without knowledge.
Comment

Pro
 Beautiful graphics

The graphics look great with a canvas effect.
Comment

Con
 Tremendous build up in story, only to have a lackluster finale

Comment

Con
 Story feels a bit weak

Once the player progress far enough into the game there are moments that are left unexplained that were once thought to be important as well as wrap ups that seem a bit too convenient.
Comment

Pro
 Adds a sense of human connection

Comment

Pro
 Fantastic voice acting

There are two leads with each being voice acted in a believable way in how they interact. The relationship presented in the story is given credence due to how well it is acted.
Comment

Con
 Short game

It maxes out at 5 hours of play, which is a bit short, though it is priced fairly for the time one gets.
Comment

Pro
 Adds interaction to the "walking simulator" genre

Unlike many walking simulator game the player is allowed to interact more with the environment than expected. User can repel down ropes, collect caches of items and even adopt a pet.
Comment

Pro
 Cleverly designed puzzles

All of the puzzles use a simple concept where you draw a line from point A to point B to solve them. This could get old really fast, but the developer has thought of many ways to keep it fresh. While the regular variants are just maze puzzles, they gradually get new layers added to them. It can be symbols you have to separate, panels you have to look at from different angles or clues in the environment. Even after solving around 300 puzzles, the new puzzles you encounter will still feel exciting.
Comment

Pro
 Thought provoking world

Even if some of the puzzles are rage-inducingly hard, the world of the Witness is really peaceful. It's an uninhabited island littered with stone statues and mismatched environments. Yet none of it feels out of place. It is really intriguing to explore each new area, especially because you can find voice recordings in them. At first these may seem like simple audio logs, but each one contains essential clues to gently shift your thought process. To succeed you need to shift your perspective and think outside the box.
Comment

Pro
 Vivid graphics make you want to explore

Everything about this game leads you toward exploration, even the graphics. They're very vibrant and feel alive, invoking in you a sense of wonder. This is thanks to a great variety of colors, ranging from wild, hot pinks to more subdued ocean tones. The colors are also used contrast the environments and make them stand out. For example, there's a location painted orange autumn colors next to a grayish-white quarry.
Comment

Con
 Some puzzles might be impossible for the colorblind and hearing impaired

Certain puzzles use colors to hint at the solution. If you're not able to tell them apart it may be impossible to solve the puzzles. There are also that puzzles require you to listen to the sounds in the environment and use them for the solution. Some of them are masked with sound effects such as car horns or birds chirping, making the puzzles hard to solve. This becomes a lot more difficult if your hearing is impaired.
Comment

Pro
 Unique, neon-soaked art style and surrealist, gritty story

Playing off of themes seen in movies like Scarface, Hotline Miami features a crazy violent story that exudes a very 80s feel.
Comment

Pro
 Excellent, ultraviolent close combat

The overhead view allows the player to see much of the level in order to plan how to attack each situation, in violent and gory aplomb.
Comment

Pro
 Great, tense soundtrack

The soundtrack has a very 80s electro flare to it that helps flesh out the feel of the game and its violent story.
Comment

Pro
 Great for quick play sessions

Each game has a time limit of 5 minutes, paused only when a team scores to reset the ball to mid-field. By keeping each session short, the game works well for people wanting to play a quick game without getting drawn into a long play session.
Comment

Pro
 Customization of cars is creative and fun

There are quite a few cars to choose from, including DLC cars such as the Delorean from Back to the Future. After picking a car, you can customized it with countless possibilities. You can change the paint scheme, color, paint type (gloss/flat, etc.), wheels, boost color, hat, and antenna toppers. This allows you to create a car that truly matches your style.
Comment

Pro
 Moon-like physics give a delightful sense of exaggerated abilities

The physics in this game are slightly warped, making it seem like you're on the moon. This means that cars fly around if they collide or go up ramps, giving it a feel of superpowers.
Comment

Pro
 Clear objectives keeps the focus on the gameplay

Get the ball in the net, soccer at it's simplest. This game is physics driven, using different cars as players, making it a fast-paced and exciting game with a basic underlying objective. Being easy to understand, just about anyone can get the hang of the game after a single play session.
Comment

Pro
 Simple controls

Whether you use a controller or keyboard and mouse, the controls are fairly simple. You are driving a car pushing a ball around, with forward, reverse, boost, power-slide and jump as your only real abilities to learn. The difficulty comes in learning to use them at the right times. Doing this will allow you to perform in-air and off the wall maneuvers, making for breath-taking and unexpected plays.
Comment

Con
 Match making can be slow at times

It can take a while to find an opponent, especially if you're a higher tier player, causing the queues to be even longer.
Comment

Con
 Minimal in features

While there may be more modes added with DLC in the future, currently there are only three unique game modes. This might be off-putting for players looking for more variety.
Comment

Pro
 Randomly generated worlds and distinct locations keep the gameplay fresh

Each new world is randomly generated, making for a different experience every time. There can be plains, rivers, beaches, ravines, giant mountains, hidden villages, and a lot more. There are also 38 biomes, which includes snow, desert, forest, swamp among others. Each one has its own set of unique blocks, plant life, and creatures. You won't get tired of exploring above ground or underground because every location will seem new and exciting.
Comment

Pro
 Local multiplayer option for when there is no internet

Minecraft can be played by 4 players locally via splitscreen. This makes it a great way spend time with your friends and family when you don't have access to the internet.
Comment

Pro
 Great creativity tool

If you prefer building, creative mode is the way to go. It immediately gives you unlimited blocks, the ability to fly, and immortality. This allows you to easily build anything you want without worrying about height or enemies. Things like giant castles, villages, roller coasters, and even unique builds such as the Enterprise from Star Trek. You can really let your creativity loose.
Comment

Con
 Limited amount of players on a server

There can only be 8 players on a server and 16 during battle mode. This might be disappointing for players coming from the PC version where you could have thousands of players on a single server.
Comment

Pro
 Polished ethereal soundtrack

Haunting guitar strums mixed with beautiful piano chords and bits of chiptune creates a very fitting soundtrack that allows for an experience of polish not often found.
Comment

Pro
 Great story

For what is a pretty simplistic looking game, Thomas Was Alone offers a truly great story that actually gets the player to care about what are basically squares and rectangles.
Comment

Pro
 Enjoyable professional narration

What really drives the well crafted story home is the wonderful narration done by British filmmaker, comedian, writer, actor, and presenter of radio and television, Danny Wallace. Not many indie small budget games receive the polish this game has in their voice acting, which really adds to the experience when playing the game.
Comment

Con
 Some puzzles can be difficult

Here an there are a few really tough puzzles in the game which can be frustrating, luckily they are few and far between as the gameplay does not tend to repeat itself too often.
Comment

Con
 Short

The gameplay only lasts about 3 or 4 hours.
Comment

Pro
 Unparalleled creepy yet intoxicating atmosphere

This game's world is colorless and soundless, which makes the bright player character really stand out. Occasional sound cues add to the tense and creepy atmosphere.
Comment

Con
 Very short

Only from 2 to 3 hours long.
Comment

Pro
 Remarkable storytelling via environmental navigation

The story is told through exploring and there is no written exposition or dialogue, so the story is left up to the player's interpretation.
Comment

Pro
 Pretty fun risk versus reward system

In each stage, there are multiple checkpoints you can revive at if you die. The twist is that you can destroy the checkpoints for extra treasure. Doing this also means you’ll have to start from the beginning of the stage if you die. It’s a pretty cool way to increase difficulty and add tension to a playthrough, especially because it’s never forced on you.
Comment

Pro
 Feels great to play

Shovel Knight has very colorful pixelated graphics, a decent chiptune soundtrack, excellent 8-bit sound effects, and the controls feel really fluid and responsive. So whether you’re just running through a castle, shoveling away at gems in a tunnel, or even jumping on a dragon’s head, Shovel Knight is a blast to play.
Comment

Con
 Can be frustrating

While Shovel Knight captures a lot of SNES era’s good parts, it also brings back some of the bad parts. It's mostly the hidden enemies that attack you as soon as you approach their hiding spots, causing you to take needless damage or even die. This adds a really tedious trial and error aspect that forces you to memorize all enemy placements just so you can beat a stage. In addition to dealing with the enemies, the timing of jumps or using special skills at the right moment adds to the frustration. Press the button too early or too late and you'll end up back at the start of a platforming section or worse, dead.
Comment

Pro
 A unique experience

Shovel Knight has 2D pixel art, a simple gameplay, and a retro feel. It stands out in an era dominated by 3D titles with super detailed graphics and convoluted gameplay because of its influences from classics like Zelda, Castlevania, Duck Tales, and even Super Mario Bros. It’s not just trying to cash in on the nostalgia of older players because it’s a game that can be enjoyed by anyone thanks to its polish.
Comment

Pro
 Great replay value

The levels in Binding of Isaac are randomly generated. They will have different layouts, monster combinations, upgrades, secrets, and bosses each time you start a new playthrough. You can even change characters to mix up the playstyle, swapping to a really fast but fragile character or a very durable but weak character. As a result, no two playthroughs will ever feel the same, allowing you to replay the game countless times without getting tired of it.
Comment

Pro
 Character upgrades are really fun

One of the best parts about Binding of Isaac is collecting upgrades and watching your character evolve. This can be nuances in the physical appearance of your character, adding a cute hat, changing its skin tone to green, or even lodging a rock into its skull. It can also be modifications to the way your tear bullets look and shoot, changing their color, speed, firing arc, or even turning them into a massive laser. It’s just really cool seeing your character turn into something entirely different by the end of a playthrough.
Comment

Pro
 Addictive gameplay that keeps you entertained

Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is very easy to pick up and play with each playthrough lasting about 30 minutes on average. It’s just really fun shooting enemies, collecting treasures, and dropping the occasional bomb, making it really hard to stop playing. One playthrough will turn into ten and many hours will have passed before you know it.
Comment

Pro
 Very creepy themes

Binding of Isaac is a story about insanity, religious fanaticism, ritual sacrifices, and even worship of the devil. Once you start paying attention to the various details, it can be genuinely terrifying and dark.
Comment

Pro
 Incredible amounts of content for a low price

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth has all the content of the previous releases and even new content. As a result there are tons of unlockable items, secrets, bosses, power-ups, hidden characters, challenges, and item combinations. There’s just so much to do and try out you’ll be entertained for dozens of hours, adding up to more hours you can spend in a lot of fullprice games.
Comment

Con
 Randomness can be really frustrating

You can have really bad luck in some playthroughs like finding very few keys, bombs, or coins, causing you to miss out on a lot of potential upgrades. There can also be times when the upgrades you find are bad. In both cases, a playthrough becomes unbearably hard and you probably won’t get very far. It’s very annoying when this happens multiple times in a row.
Comment

Con
 Can be really disgusting

While on the surface Binding of Isaac: Rebirth looks very cute and colorful, it actually has some pretty gruesome details within it. Blood, various bodily fluids, excrement, disfigured flesh, umbilical cords, and many more things that can make your stomach churn.
Comment

Pro
 Well-written side characters

Every character feels like they have a history and realistic personal motivations, even when they're left unexplained. Mae's friends are all different yet interesting in their own ways, like Gregg who's always happy to see her and helps Mae feel like someone truly cares, and Bea with her biting sarcasm and apathy that seem to cover up her more complex issues. The residents of the town also talk about things in ways that are true-to-life, like how they gossip about their neighbors as you listen in, or just flat-out tell you sometimes to leave them alone. Every character in the game feels like a real person, whether they're central to the story or just one of the NPCs you see sitting on their porch all the time.
Comment

Pro
 Great coming-of-age story

The coming-of-age story in Night in the Woods is unconventional for a video game, making it more unique and intriguing. After dropping out of college, the main character, Mae, struggles with her own disillusionment in life and refusal to grow up, all the while her old friends find success and move on without her. You join in on that struggle as you live as Mae: aimlessly going around town talking to everyone and listening to their worries, browsing your laptop when you're supposed to be doing other important things, and even pressing a button to wake up in bed every morning as a reminder of how mundane life can be. You see all the ways she doesn't necessarily want to grow up, wishing she could stay a kid forever, but then she talks to an old acquaintance who thinks she's washed up now, making her feel anxious about her failings as a young adult. This type of story is familiar for anyone who has also had a hard time with similar problems, and eye-opening for anyone who hasn't.
Comment

Pro
 Tragic, realistic setting and NPCs

Night in the Woods is set in Possum Springs, once a booming mine town but now a forgotten speck on the map, rife with poverty and decay. Its history is based on several real Adirondack towns, and its portrayal of rural decline is painfully accurate. The townspeople you talk to lament about having to close down their businesses, or wonder out loud how they'll make ends meet. Everyone's economic hardships feel real and relevant to anyone who's gone through the same thing or knows someone else who has.
Comment

Pro
 The simplistic gameplay is surprisingly fun

Running around the side-scrolling town as Mae day in and day out is more enjoyable than it sounds at first. It's mundane, but there's a lot of meaning to find around the town if you're willing to look for it. You go wherever you want, finding out stories about the townspeople and the town itself, or hanging out with friends for scripted story moments. Poking around all over town to find out the history is pretty cool, like the underground diner that Mae used to steal from back in the day, or the old shopping mall that barely gets any customers anymore. When you're not talking to people or going somewhere, you can play around with the rhythm mini-game as you practice with Mae's bass either in her room or in her old band with her group of friends. You can fall into a nice habit of checking in with the NPCs and locations you care about most, almost like in real life where you prioritize the people and places you spend the most time around.
Comment

Con
 Some pacing issues with the story

The story slogs through the premise of Mae's anxieties and disillusionment for a long time until it suddenly switches somewhere in the middle. There are a few hints here and there about how and why the plot becomes a murder mystery, but these things seem inconsequential and not as important as Mae's personal issues. It ends up feeling strange to change things up partway through to something unrelated to the original premise. While the murder mystery isn't necessarily bad, it would have been nice to see a more focused insight and resolution to Mae's young adult troubles.
Comment

Con
 The main character is insufferable at first

It's hard to like Mae from the start for a few reasons. She's extremely self-centered, she likes to steal for the thrills, and she has no interest whatsoever in fixing her shortcomings. Her life seems to be one awkward moment after another where you can't help but cringe in embarrassment, like in one early scene where she gets drunk at a party and blabs away about her personal problems after spending hours telling herself she wouldn't. As you get to know her, Mae might grow on you, but if you're the type to lose your patience with people who are immature, then you probably won't like her all that much.
Comment

Pro
 Chloe is more likable this time

In the first Life is Strange, many players complained that Chloe was insufferable and selfish as Max's best friend, complaining in order to have more of her time when she might not have deserved it. This time around, watching the events of Before the Storm unfold from Chloe's eyes is enjoyable, largely thanks to how easygoing she is with Rachel--for the most part--and how far she's willing to go to sacrifice for her throughout the plot. Chloe makes dorky jokes that don't always land and back-talks school staff at Blackwell Academy with harmless ease, making her a much warmer, sillier character compared to her prickly, temperamental self in Max's adventure.
Comment

Pro
 Improved writing over the first game

The original Life is Strange suffered from some instances of awkward lines that sounded like a middle-aged adult trying to emulate how teenagers speak; thankfully, Before the Storm has a much clearer, down-to-earth script that helps the characters sound more authentic and real. Rachel's use of "hella" is more amusing this time around, as it gives context as to why Chloe picked up on it and used it frequently in the first game. Overall, each of the characters in the game are more well-rounded across the three episodes thanks to the smooth writing.
Comment

Pro
 Choices have consequences

Much like in the first game, Before the Storm features several choices throughout the game that have an impact on future plot points across the three episodes. How these choices end up impacting the ending are debatable, but there are still a myriad of choices that change the outcome of a single playthrough, such as Chloe's decision to handle certain sums of money, or whether or not she's willing to accept her mother's unlikable new boyfriend. Chloe and Rachel's interactions can also be limited to friendship or expanded into a romantic relationship through player choice.
Comment

Pro
 Great soundtrack

Daughter, the indie folk band from England, worked on the tracks for Before the Storm, pulling together many of the game's great moments with thoughtful acoustic tunes and moody piano tracks. The more upbeat, hopeful tracks fit in incredibly well with Chloe's adventurous scenes with Rachel, giving a sense of wonder as the two explore Arcadia Bay together. One song in particular, 'All I Wanted', is a memorable, catchy folk track that captures the feeling of Chloe and Rachel supporting one another through their struggles, which is what Life is Strange: Before the Storm is all about.
Comment

Con
 Third episode falls flat in some areas

Life is Strange: Before the Storm is an all-around stand-out title, with the first and second episodes building up to an impactful third installment that feels lacking in certain aspects. Without getting into spoilers, there are a few plot holes that aren't wrapped up by the end, and much of the tension in the episode falls flat because of these glaring holes that none of the characters bother to address.
Comment

Con
 Shorter than the first game

There are only 3 episodes to this game and a bonus one based on Max and Chloe as children.
Comment

Con
 Limited exploration

With much of the focus on the storytelling, it's still unfortunate that Chloe can't leave the designated story areas without turning around and repeating the same line about how she's supposed to focus on her objective. The limited areas to walk around in are understandable, yet disappointing, with missed opportunities for Chloe to walk down the street from her home and see what her neighbors are up to, or for her and Rachel to hang out in more places around Arcadia Bay together.
Comment

Pro
 Really scary

Outlast combines its tense atmosphere, creepy setting, stellar sound design, and a cast of horrifying inpatients to deliver a truly nightmarish experience. The developers even replaced the usual flashlight found in horror games with a camcorder, which has this really creep nightvision mode.
Comment

Pro
 Unpredictable inpatients make exploration more tense

Outlast proves that people can be much scarier than ghosts. As you explore the dark hallways of the insane asylum, you’ll encounter many inpatients. Some of them good, some of them bad, but all of them crazy. So it’s sometimes really hard to tell which one will attack you. While some of them make it very obvious by holding knives or looking especially atrocious, sometimes they will attack unexpectedly. This uncertainty will creep inside your head, making exploration a lot more tense.
Comment

Pro
 Your character is really agile

Unlike most horror games where your character is clumsy and slow, in Outlast your character can actually move really well. Not only is your character fast enough to be able to outrun most enemies in the game, he also knows how to parkour. You can jump, grab ledges and climb them, and even slide over a table during a chase. This makes it a really refreshing horror experience.
Comment

Con
 Cliche story

The typical horror story protagonist goes to investigate a location that simply oozes danger. As if the abandoned SWAT trucks, locked doors, and boarded up windows were not telling enough, the protagonist realizes his terrible mistake right when there's no way back already.
Comment

Con
 A little too reliant on jump scares

In some parts of exploring the insane asylum there are too many jump scares one after another. After a while it loses its scare factor and instead becomes somewhat annoying. This feels like a missed opportunity to build on the dark and gritty atmosphere of the insane asylum.
Comment

Pro
 Unpredictable inpatients make exploration more tense

Outlast proves that people can be much scarier than ghosts. As you explore the dark hallways of the insane asylum, you’ll encounter many inpatients. Some of them good, some of them bad, but all of them crazy. So it’s sometimes really hard to tell which one will attack you. While some of them make it very obvious by holding knives or looking especially atrocious, sometimes they will attack unexpectedly. This uncertainty will creep inside your head, making exploration a lot more tense.
Comment

Pro
 Soft and calming

Diving through the ocean with an array of colorful fish is very soothing. Your character can even meditate, allowing you to gaze at the surrounding aquatic life. The orchestral music further adds to the soothing feeling, while also giving most locations a sense of wonder. Nothing quite like seeing a school of fish swimming around to the soft tune of pipe instruments.
Comment

Con
 Extremely short

The first playthrough will take you only about 3 hours, which is way too short for a game of its price. You won't get much replay value out of it either, unless you want to get all the trophies.
Comment

Pro
 Educational

Every time you encounter a new fish, you can learn what it's called. There is also the 'meditate' mode which cycles between all the different kinds of fish, naming them on screen.
Comment

Pro
 Absolutely striking art style

Abzû was made by Thatgamecompany, the makers of Journey and Flower. In each of their games, they emphasize taking a distinctive art style and Abzû is no exception. It uses a very bright and vivid color palette to bring out the allure and mystique of the ocean. Lots of colorful fish and underwater plants with the sun shining down on you. Each location looks so peaceful it makes you rethink if the ocean truly is scary. Some of those are followed by a dark area, dim lights and ominous creatures to remind you of the fear.
Comment

Pro
 Simple enough for children to play

The puzzles are nothing difficult and the game mechanics are simple enough aswell for children to play through the game.
Comment

Pro
 Amazing soundtrack

The soundtrack consists of sweet and beautiful instrumental pieces, adding to the overall nostalgic vibe.
Comment

Pro
 Beautiful environment

The environment is inspired by the beautiful scenery of Northern Scandinavia, including forest, swamps and fields. all during different seasons aswell. The game in colorful, but lifelike, creating a really pleasant vibe.
Comment

Pro
 Awesome graphics

Though it's a platformer, the graphics are actually very lifelike, just in a side-view.
Comment

Con
 Feels short

Though it's a good few hours of gameplay, the game feels a bit short. A few additional levels(memories to collect) would improve the experience.
Comment

Pro
 Unique visual style

As is typical of Ed McMillen's games, it looks like nothing else out there. The art style is 2D based but heavily unique with a vector graphics cartoony look.
Comment

Pro
 Large number of levels

This is not a game you are going to complete in an afternoon. With 240 levels scattered across 7 worlds there is a lot to play in the game.
Comment

Pro
 Forgivingly tight controls

The addition of a "run" button adds a lot of depth to levels, keeping the run-jump-repeat loop more interesting. The characters have acceleration as well, which demands finesse.
Comment

Pro
 Play through iteration is fast

When you die, you spawn quickly to try again. Many games draw out the death, and have to reload. Super Meat Boy immediately re-spawns you so you waste no time.
Comment

Con
 Cut-scenes lack polish

Between the games gameplay are cut-scenes that fill the player in on the evolving story, sadly the artwork and polish for these cut-scenes shows quite a bit that this is an indie game made by two people as they are a bit unrefined.
Comment

Pro
 Provides an interesting challenge by heavily relying on increasing your skill

Spelunky gives the player everything needed to succeed from the start so it is only when the players skills get better will they advance.
Comment

Pro
 Up to 4 player local co-op

Spelunky features 4 player local co-op where players share the same screen, which can get a bit hectic.
Comment

Pro
 Expanded gameplay through mods to improve replayability

Ranging from Mega Man to Metroid, there are a tone of great mods for Spelunky all of which make for a new experience in the game which vastly expands the replayability.
Comment

Pro
 Quick sessions so you can play in short bursts

Being that Spelunky is at its heart a roguelike the gameplay sessions can tend to be quick as the player will die quite often. This makes for something that can be played in quick bursts throughout the day. The convenient saving also lends to this as a game that is still ongoing can be quickly saved in order to be picked up at a later time.
Comment

Con
 Difficult to the point of frustration

Spelunky is pretty difficult and some could say abusive, but with practice and a desire for masochism the game can be mastered.
Comment

Con
 Co-op is boring and confusing

In co-op this game is very confusing with little instruction on how to play. With little to spice up the game play, it gets boring quickly.
Comment

Con
 A particular portion of the game can be disappointing

There's a section in the latter part of the game that devolves into a drawn-out action shooter devoid of story or much plot development. It doesn't have the fun cooperative gameplay puzzles that the rest of the game has, so it can feel like a weak point in otherwise enjoyable adventure.
Comment

Pro
 Every purchase comes with a free friend pass

After buying the game, you can send your friend a free game pass so they can play with you online without having to purchase the game themself.
Comment

Pro
 Encourages making decisions together as a couch co-op team

Many parts of the game will require you to make a story decision as a team, which results in some really engaging co-op choices. The two main characters, Vincent and Leo, will oftentimes have very different ideas about how to accomplish certain tasks. For instance, when sneaking past a police blockade, Vincent wants to plow through the patrol with brute force, while Leo prefers to sneak under the bridge. Since Vincent and Leo have to stick together for gameplay reasons, it will most likely spark a lively discussion with your friend as how to best proceed. These kind of choices are prevalent throughout the whole game, which results in some seriously fun chats with your friend as you weigh the pros of cons of each decision.
Comment

Pro
 Extremely immersive by focusing solely on the two main characters

Jumping into the roles of Vincent and Leo with a friend, and forming a bond with these characters is an easy and painless experience. The game goes out of it's way to make sure almost everything is focused on Vincent and Leo, the dynamics of their relationship, and how their story plays out. The growth and development of the duo is always center stage. There's no unnecessary side plots or needless filler characters. The entire adventure takes place as one seamless journey with no detours. Since you and your friend have full control over each and every decision made by the duo, and will be working together at all times, it can truly feel like stepping into a role.
Comment

Pro
 The team based action gameplay is just plain fun

Everything in the game is structured to be one big cooperative experience that will have you and friend relying on one another to get things done. Since the game relies on mostly simple mechanics, there's very little frustration involved, and that leaves a whole lot of room for fun. Sitting next to each other on the couch as you plan and coordinate each and every move between the two playable characters can be a really enjoyable gaming session. In one section, you'll be climbing up an elevator shaft together by coordinating quicktime button presses. In another, one player will be driving while the other is shooting from the back of the vehicle. Some sections will involve one player watching for guards while the other carries out objectives like unscrewing wall panels or sneaking around. You can boost each other up ledges and even row a boat together down a raging river. In all of this, there is a huge emphasis on simple teamwork and simply "talking it out" as opposed to bloated or tricky mechanics. Most of the actions in the game involve only a few quick button presses, but the level of teamwork and communication involved in playing out each and every scenario is where this co-op experience truly shines.
Comment

Pro
 Has side fun if you want to + good story

This game has some fun on the side which doesn't contribute to the story but is fun anyways, its optional to do. The story about these two characters is very well planned and is kick in the balls over and over kind of game because when one shocker comes another hits even harder.
Comment

Con
 Some boring QTEs

While the game does have a wide variety of different quicktime events with varying mechanics, a few are nothing more than mashing a single button as fast as you can. During activities such as arm wrestling, there's nothing too exciting about smashing the same button over and over.
Comment

Con
 Split screen dialogue overlaps

If your friend is having a dialogue in his section of the split screen while you're having a conversation in yours, the dialogue will overlap resulting in a confusing vocal mess.
Comment

Pro
 Co-Op multiplayer mode adds a new depth to gameplay

Working together creates a whole new experience with loads of possibilities. In co-op mode, you play with up to 3 teammates either online or locally as you work towards escaping the prison together. This adds a whole new dynamic to gameplay as working together creates experiences that just aren't possible when playing solo. Someone could distract the guards, while another searches rooms for crafting materials. One player could run around collecting items, while another scopes out the guard's patrol patterns. Some can complete quests to collect money while others are working on digging tunnels.
Comment

Pro
 A couple of alternative prisons add a change of scenery

Tired of bricks, cold floors, and cement cells? For those who want a change of scenery, there is a prison set in the wild west, and even a futuristic space prison. This adds a little bit of variety to the look of the game while keeping the same gameplay mechanics. It's a nice touch and gives your eyes a break from staring at the same tilesets over and over.
Comment

Pro
 Lots of replayability

No two games will play out alike. Each prison is an open sandbox, so it's definitely not a linear experience with a defined escape blueprint. Prisons can be replayed over and over to beat your previous time, measured in how many in-game days it took you to escape, which leaves plenty of room for trying new things on each successive playthrough.
Comment

Pro
 Great pixel art style for retro fans

If you enjoy a more retro style, then this game is pure eye candy. Simple but charming, the pixel art is colorful, with the sprites having a nice variety in animations when they're shoveling, searching, running around, fighting, or partaking in any kind of activity that would require movement. The tile sets for the game world are nicely detailed, colored and shaded. You won't get tired of looking at the same tiles over and over due to the sheer amount and variety of the art assets created for the game.
Comment

Pro
 Solid progression of difficulty

The difficulty increases as you progress, with each prison becoming just a little more intricate and more challenging to escape from than the previous. The prisons themselves get more complex with more obstacles to overcome such as tougher guards which results in more ways things can go wrong. The progress feels good and natural, as you're always building on what you learned in previous prisons to escape from the newest one.
Comment

Pro
 Good balance of game systems make for a rewarding simulation

Taking action in the game uses up your stamina, so you'll still have to make time for things like eating and sleeping if you want to have energy for things like digging through walls, fighting other inmates, or cutting through vents and gates. Items such as shovels and cutters have limited durability, so they can't be used endlessly. Raw materials can be found around the prison to craft items, or you can buy items from fences using money earned by running fetch quests for other inmates. No matter how you acquire them, crafting materials and finished goods are limited so you'll have to use your items wisely. Time is an important factor that has to be managed too, with certain activities having to be done at certain times. This limits the amount of time you have to roam the prison, since you have to show up for meal times and roll calls. Free time can be used to craft, roam the prison to determine the guard patterns, or finally put your ultimate escape plan into action. Juggling each and every one of the various aspects of the game results in a very deep and rewarding simulation experience.
Comment

Pro
 Encourages experimentation and creativity

There is no right or wrong way to do anything, and it's entirely a risk vs reward scenario for anything you want to try. You are only limited by your creativity in escaping, as each prison has almost endless possibilities and encourages the player to make the best use of their inventory and be creative in handling every situation. Bed sheets can be used to cover cell windows from the prying eyes of guards, desks can be moved to reach out of reach vents, crafted tools can be used for various purposes such as breaking through walls or doors, and shovels can be used to dig holes. You can try to sneak around guards, or opt to hide in vents until they're out of sight. If you're feeling especially brave, you can even attempt to fight the guards and take their keys allowing easier access around the prison.
Comment

Pro
 Barebones gameplay but still quite fun for a few hours

One More Dungeon is a fairly basic first person dungeon crawler. Roaming around dungeons, picking up power ups, killing enemies, avoiding traps, and using a variety of different weapons. There's no looking up or down, so combat is pretty straightforward. Run up and hit a monster, or line up your ranged attack. Bosses have a few simple mechanics but nothing fancy. Dungeons are randomly generated so you'll never play the same one twice.
Comment

Pro
 Retro art style

The simple pixel art is full of charm for those that enjoy the bloated 8 bit style, and it takes a lot of it's inspiration from games such as the original Doom and Minecraft. The blocky textures, chunky pixels, and 2D enemies are a definite nod to old school gaming. It's a visual feast for retro lovers.
Comment

Pro
 It gives you a fresh experience every run

The dungeons, items, and enemies are procedurally generated. This ensures the levels are truly random each and every time, with items, bosses, traps, and secret rooms scattered about in new places every run. You'll never play the same map twice.
Comment

Pro
 Interesting ranged weapon play

Staves act as the ranged weapon to shoot projectiles at your foes, as well have some magical attributes like freezing, poisoning, and burning. Staff use is limited as ammo comes in the form of various crystals (fire, ice, and acid) which can be found scattered around the maps. Some staves, such as the Ice Beam Staff, only consume ice crystals. However others, like the Mirror Staff which causes your shots to bounce off walls, requires 1 crystal of each type to use. Some enemies are also weak to certain damage types like fire or acid, so you'll have to plan and manage your crystals appropriately if you want to do max damage with staves. Between the sheer variety of staffs and micromanaging your crystals to use each staff to it's full potential, everything comes together into a ranged weapon system that's both interesting and functional.
Comment

Pro
 You can customize the gameplay with Mutators for an added challenge

Every time you kill an enemy, you earn points which can be used to purchase Mutators. These Mutators are game options that change your experience a bit, and are a great way to try something new or add an extra layer of difficulty. Some examples of Mutators include starting the game with 1 hit point, reduced view distance, extra power ups, and extra enemies. There are quite a few to choose from, and you can activate 2 at a time which means you can mix and match them to find your perfect challenge.
Comment

Con
 There's no story

The only goal is to escape the various dungeons, and there's no kind of story to keep your attention. While this may be okay for some, those who prefer at least a basic story with their games might be disappointed.
Comment

Con
 You can't look up or down

There's no Y-axis which means you can't look up and down. This greatly reduces the immersion in the environment and your only perspective is limited to a straight on, first person view.
Comment

Con
 Melee weapons feel imbalanced to play with

The melee weapons seem to hit a little off center and to the right of where you're actually aiming. You can adjust for this with a little practice, but it just doesn't feel good to control. Also, the range on most melee weapons is so low that they're almost effectively useless since you have to be practically right on top of enemies. During the early game, you'll be too weak to be up close and personal with enemies, so the sheer difficulty discourages any kind of melee play.
Comment

Con
 Repetitive gameplay

The randomly generated maps are very similar to one another. In most cases, they require a bunch of backtracking due to bad layouts, meaning a lot of play time is spent walking instead of fighting. Enemies either blindly charge at you or sit at the same predetermined distance to shoot at you, without any kind of noticeable strategy behind their actions. Overall, the similar maps and predictable enemies just don't change things up enough from level to level to retain your interest for long.
Comment

Pro
 The theme of overcoming anxiety and depression is tied into the gameplay

The game reinforces the attitude of never giving up, even in the face of a seemingly impossible challenge or self-doubt, and does this by tying this heartfelt theme into the gameplay itself. As Madeline sets out to scale to the top of the mountain, she will encounter a lot of depression, anxiety and self-doubt along the way, which literally manifests into an alternative version of herself simply called "Part of Me". A part of ourselves many of us are all too familiar with. During the more challenging parts of the game, this other self will appear to taunt, belittle, and even chase Madeline around telling her she's not good enough, and she'll never reach the top. She'll be a constant source of doubt throughout the duration of the game. But, after every player death, failure, and missed jump, the game will gently remind the player to "Keep going. You've got this!" and "You're learning!" along with other inspiring messages that encourage you to push past the doubt, and keep trying until you beat each challenging level.
Comment

Pro
 "B side" collectibles for those who crave a deeper challenge

In each level, there is a single hidden cassette tape, often in a hard to reach area. The platforms in these areas move to the beat of the level's soundtrack, and have to be correctly navigated to reach the tape. Similar to how old school cassettes tapes had two sides, collecting this tape will unlock the "B side" of each level. This presents the player with a much more challenging version of the level, adding new jumps, traps, and dangers. These remixed levels are extremely difficult and will provide a challenge for even the most seasoned platforming veteran. So if you've beaten the base game, and crave even more of a challenge, you will be pleased with this feature.
Comment

Pro
 Frequent checkpoints keep the game moving along

Checkpoints are encountered quite often, so when you inevitably die, you won't have to replay a huge portion of the level. This helps to keep the frustration to a minimum when tackling a particularly tricky section of a level, and lets you practice the part that's giving you trouble rather than making you replay the entire level.
Comment

Pro
 The platforming consistently adds new movement mechanics

The platforming definitely isn't stale and consistently adds new movement mechanics to keep things feeling fresh throughout your run. Glowing red orbs will send you flying in a certain direction, jump pads will blast you high into the air, and diamonds will give you an extra dash in mid air. Jumping, bouncing, and climbing around the various levels just feels fluid and fun with all these extra goodies that are seemingly endless and continually add flavor into the platforming aspect. There's a lot of "oh, that's cool!" moments when playing and discovering something new for the first time such as using a group of diamonds to chain a jump that's not only fun to watch, but fun to perform.
Comment

Pro
 Great variation in level mechanics to keep players on their toes

Each level features its own environmental hazard, which means players will have to adjust their strategies from time to time. One level is filled with winds that shift, sometimes assisting you across wide gaps and at other times stopping your progression forward or causing you to miss jumps. Another is shrouded in darkness with the area only illuminated when you're in mid-jump. Regardless of the hazard at play, they all add an extra level of challenge to keep players on their toes, even if they're seasoned platforming veterans.
Comment

Pro
 Optional assist mode for players who aren't good with platforming

For those who may not be so good at the platforming aspect of the game, Celeste offers an assist mode which allows players of all skill levels to experience the game in full. During gameplay, there are a few on-demand options available to do things such as become invincible (avoid spike traps and enemies), extend the air dash (jump further), and even slow the whole game down in 10% intervals. This is a great addition that makes the game accessible for all skill levels, and it's completely optional so that players who want the full challenge don't have to use it.
Comment

Con
 You'll die a lot

Although dying in this game helps to reinforce the game's overall theme of never giving up in the face of a challenge, this can be a turn off to some players. Missing the same jumps and landing on the same spike traps constantly can only happen so many times before it becomes frustrating more than fun.
Comment

Con
 Wind mechanic can be unfair

During one level, there is wind that pushes and blows you around, but it doesn't always work in your favor. It may send you hurtling off a steep drop right into a spike trap or ruin your carefully timed midair dash. It's very random which way it'll decide to move you, and can therefore feel unfair at times.
Comment

Pro
 Massive galaxy to explore

Thanks to the fact that the entire galaxy of No Man's Sky is procedurally generated, the amount of planets to explore is almost endless. The number of planets would be 18,446,744,073,709,551,616. However, the fact that 2 players managed to find each other in game on the first day, seems to make this number quite questionable.
Comment

Pro
 Good graphics

The art style of this game is very colorful and saturated and uses hues in a way that it gives you an otherworldly feel. Graphics like these tend to remain good for a much longer time than classic 3D graphics.
Comment

Pro
 Endless procedural generation

This game procedurally generates almost everything. Your spaceships are procedurally generated, so are the planets, moons, every animal on these planets, the resource nodes, trade routes, languages, etc. When discovering new species or planets, players get to rename these and leave their mark on the galaxy.
Comment

Pro
 Freedom to choose how you want to play

Ally with factions, trade or just be a pirate. When trading with NPC aliens, you build up a positive reputation with the faction they belong to. Alternatively you can also be hostile and attack trade ships, or even be attacked by NPC pirate spaceships. Both can be ways to get what you need, so do whatever suits your play style.
Comment

Con
 No clearly defined missions

The objective of the game is to ultimately reach the center of the galaxy. However, the player is completely free and unguided from the beginning. You figure it out for yourself as you start mining, crafting and upgrading your ship and gear. This game doesn't have a big story to tell.
Comment

Pro
 Balanced and intuitive puzzles

The puzzles are pretty straightforward and intuitive. Most items will serve practical purpose, rather than relying on the absurd logic that some other adventure games suffer from. For example, wire cutters are used to cut gates, paint thinner is used to dissolve paint, etc. Most puzzle items are used in the general area of where you pick them up, so there's not a whole lot of running around. While most of the early puzzles are fairly easy, some of the later puzzles can be quite tricky. However, they are still perfectly solvable with a little brain power. All in all, from an adventure gaming standpoint, it's certainly balanced.
Comment

Pro
 Creepy horror atmosphere

Jump scares are few and far between. Detention focuses more on atmospheric horror through it's rather oppressive and bleak environment. To emphasize the dread, most of the game's artwork consists only of dark shades and washed out textures. Almost everything is depressing and bleak - the story, artwork, and sound design - resulting in a real horrific atmosphere. Roaming through the dark halls of a deserted school and its flooded grounds while being hunted by disturbing looking ghosts results in some downright terrifying moments.
Comment

Pro
 Dread-inducing sound design

The soundtrack isn't a typical soundtrack. Rather, it is purely environmental ambience and effects. There are no gentle melodies or soothing tracks at all. Rather, the audio itself involves a lot of screaming, scratching, moaning, humming, and strange otherwordly tones. Forgoing music for strange ambience was an interesting design choice, but it definitely pays off here as it makes you feel entirely uncomfortable, and the sense of dread is captured incredibly well.
Comment

Pro
 Horror elements incorporate Taiwan's real life history to disturbing effect

Detention takes place in 1960s, a time period in which Taiwan was under martial law. The story focuses heavily on the social struggles of the time. Much of the game's horror elements are heavily inspired by the atrocities committed during this time. The creepy and disturbing factor is amplified due to the fact many of the notes and items scattered throughout the game are based on real historical events. The hopelessness and despair is felt throughout, especially when experienced through the eyes of the young and innocent protagonist, Wei.
Comment

Pro
 Tense gameplay

There is no combat or weapons in this game, making an encounter with the many ghosts a tense and frightening experience. Since you have no way of fighting directly or defending yourself, your only survival options are to use stealth and trickery. In order to sneak past a ghost, you will have to hold your breath and slowly creep by. You can't be detected when holding your breath, but managing your air supply while sneaking can be pretty suspenseful when a ghost is right next to you and starts to give chase. If you absolutely can't get past despite your best sneaking efforts, you can lure a ghost away from it's spot with a food offering placed on the ground. But, even in this case, you'll have to be very careful you're not seen when the ghost comes looking for the treat.
Comment

Pro
 An altogether tense horror experience

Detention does a great job of ensuring a tense horror experience from start to finish. The entire atmosphere is just downright creepy, often washed in dark with very few light sources. The ghosts look absolutely horrific. Having to sneak by them can create some of the most tense moments in the game. The story intertwines pieces of Taiwan's tragic real life history with the in-game narrative which gives it a historically accurate, but disturbing feel. On top of all this, the screaming and otherworldly sound effects which play in the background give you a constant sense of unease.
Comment

Con
 No auto saving can result in frustration

Saving can only be done at specified save points. Forgetting to manually save is quite common when you're wrapped up in the creepy atmosphere and story. When you die, it's rather frustrating to have to replay large sections of content.
Comment

Con
 Some minor pixel hunting

Some items are hard to find, resulting in a bit of pixel hunting from time to time. While this is the norm for seasoned adventure gamers, some may be frustrated by having to repeatedly backtrack and search areas for missed items.
Comment

Con
 Very short

The whole game can be played in about 3-5 hours.
Comment

Pro
 Beautiful hand-drawn graphics

The graphics and animations resemble a painting in motion thanks to their colorful, hand-drawn style. Lines are bold, with lots of contrasting colors. The crisp, vibrant look is easy on the eyes and helps to make your journey through green plains, forest, and snowy fields even more inviting. With gorgeous backdrops and scenery throughout, exploring the world is simply great.
Comment

Pro
 Immersive Nordic atmosphere

Not only do you fight war gods as a viking warrior, but the entire landscape and story is steeped heavily in Norse lore from start to finish. Rune stones are scattered around the world which give glimpses into tales and stories about mythology. The landscape itself is heavily influenced by Norway including green plains, mountain vistas, and rolling fields of snow. The soundtrack hums along in the background with soothing, woodwind ballads and crashing battle music. All the voice acting is in Norwegian. Taking on the role of a viking warrior as you roam this vast and detailed world is incredibly well done.
Comment

Pro
 Bosses provide an exciting shift in tone

Encountering a powerful boss after the relaxing nature of the exploration is a huge shift in tone. Rather than calmly discovering and taking your time, you're thrown headfirst into action-packed battles. This stark contrast between calm exploration exploration and thrilling combat is incredible, as the sheer physical size of the bosses shows how massive the world truly is.
Comment

Pro
 Great boss battles

Squaring off against the larger-than-life Jotuns (bosses) is action packed and requires paying attention to the mechanics, but the encounters never really feel unfair. Trying to get a hit in with your axe while dodging massive attacks and environmental attacks can be challenging, but doable once you learn the patterns. Each boss features their own mechanics, and surviving each of these encounters can be rewarding knowing you beat it through skill and persistence.
Comment

Pro
 Relaxing exploration

Much of the gameplay is simply focused on enjoying the scenery and soaking up the lore as you explore. Roaming around and encountering lore items that dot the map and then taking a break to listen to the stories contained within can be quite calming. Walking through snowy fields as the soundtrack plays Viking-inspired music really gets you in the state of mind to see whats around every bend. Casually exploring while enjoying the atmosphere is really what this game is all about.
Comment

Con
 Can be a bit boring

Much of the gameplay consists of walking around searching the various areas for power ups and runes. With the exception of the boss fights, there is very little combat. This slower pace may be boring to some.
Comment

Con
 Combat is too minimalist

There is only a light attack, heavy attack, dodge, and a couple special abilities (which are learned as you progress). You'll also use the same axe for the entire game.
Comment

Con
 Overtuned last boss feels very out of place

The last boss is so hard and unforgiving, that it completely ruins the laid-back feel of the rest of the game. This sharp difficulty spike feels very out of place compared to the other bosses.
Comment

Pro
 Exciting fast-paced action

Hotline Miami 2 is about brutally murdering mobsters in their safe-houses. You can plan out your path before entering a safe-house but once the action starts, it never slows down. You'll run down hallways and through rooms, killing mobsters with any weapon within reach, including baseball bats, knives, katanas, shotguns, rifles, and many more. Before you know it, there will only be a sea of corpses left to keep you company.
Comment

Pro
 Excellent soundtrack

The soundtrack perfectly fits the grimy and psychedelic atmosphere of Hotline Miami 2. Most of the songs fall within the electronic, synthwave, and outrun genres. Sometimes there are high-tempo songs matching the on-screen action, other times there are eerie songs in a really bizarre story scene. Whichever it may be, it's always exhilarating to listen to.
Comment

Pro
 Great art style for added immersion

Hotline Miami 2 has a very simple, colorful, and pixelated art style, which it uses to great effect for immersion. The bare minimum pixels were used to create the colorful environments, characters, and animations, so you never can make out the details. These pile up in your head, constantly using your subjective imagination to fill in the blanks. This creates a more disturbing and surreal experience, depending on how imaginative you are or how you feel about senseless slaughter.
Comment

Con
 Can be really frustrating

When you die in Hotline Miami 2, you have to restart the level/section. Because most enemies can take you out in one hit, a momentary lapse in attention can be fatal. This can be especially frustrating in long levels since dying near the end means you'll lose about 30 minutes of progress.
Comment

Con
 Confusing story

The story takes place before and after Hotline Miami 1, so it's never really clear when or why anything is happening. This is made worse by the fact that there are 12 protagonists, causing you to switch viewpoints a lot. If you ever feel like you're not keeping up with the story, don't bother with it, just enjoy the senseless slaughter.
Comment

Pro
 Rewarding boss fights

The boss fights are exciting and fast paced battles that will put your mastery of the wall jumping movement system to the test. One particular fight has temporary platforms that spawn out of thin air, so you never know where they're going to appear. This requires some on the fly thinking as you'll not only be paying attention to the platforms, but also dodging the boss' projectiles and his minions. You'll have to be precise in your jumping and shooting. Every boss fight incorporates the fun wall jumping flawlessly and defeating each one feels like a true accomplishment.
Comment

Pro
 Great balance between movement and combat

While you do have a gun, it takes several seconds to stop, charge up, and shoot. This means whenever you want to dispatch an enemy, you'll have to stop moving completely for several seconds. It's not as easy as it sounds, since oftentimes dodging projectiles, working around moving platforms, and finding a safe spot requires some planning ahead. Sometimes, it may be better to just keep moving rather than killing every enemy in sight. As a result, Dandara's combat provides a balance and unique challenge not often seen in "run and gun" style platformers.
Comment

Pro
 Fun gameplay thanks to unique wall jumping mechanic

Rather than running and jumping, all movement in Dandara is done through a unique wall jumping mechanic. This unique jumping is the heart of the game and what sets it apart from other platformers. You can jump to any wall, ceiling, or floor within reach, often bouncing among them in rapid succession like a ninja. The mechanic itself is simple, just aim and jump. However, this movement style makes shooting at enemies, dodging projectiles, or navigating each room a fun, unique challenge that isn't seen in other platformers.
Comment

Con
 Major difficulty spikes

Dandara is a challenging game as it is, but there are some pretty sharp difficultly spikes in some areas that feel a little too punishing. This can be frustrating to some players who felt like they were making progress, only to hit these roadblocks.
Comment

Con
 Save points are scarce

Killing enemies awards salt which can be used to increase your health pool and upgrade your stats. However, you can only use salt at camps (save points) which are few and far between. Additionally, having to replay large sections of content and losing experience every time you die makes the game lose some of it's fun.
Comment

Con
 Map is hard to use

The camera rotates when entering new rooms/areas, however the map doesn't rotate to reflect this. As a result, it's hard to tell which direction you need to go in. The static map feel a bit useless at times.
Comment

Pro
 Enemy encounters can be tense

There's no combat in Fe, resulting in some pretty tense situations with the monsters. If you are spotted by the Silent Ones, rather scary robotic creatures, they can kill you on sight. Hiding in a bush or climbing a tree in a panic to escape can deliver some pretty exciting and tense moments. No matter how careful you are in the open world, some objectives will require sneaking past or evading them to grab key items. These situations can deliver some of the most exciting moments in the game.
Comment

Pro
 Uses music as an interesting platforming mechanic

Songs are used to interact with the world and navigate the platforming aspects in interesting ways. Using various melodies, you'll be able to perform such actions as calling birds to help you cross large gaps, spring boarding off plants for super high jumps, and even summoning a stag to attack enemies. If you're ever lost, there is a melody you can use to call down a bird who will point you in the direction you need to be going. Using musical melodies to navigate the platforming is integrated incredibly well.
Comment

Pro
 Exciting ability progression

Abilities are learned gradually as the game progresses by collecting gems and also learning the musical language of the forest life from plants and animals. As you gain more abilities or learn how to interact with more creatures, you can then go back to old areas and find new paths that were previously inaccessible. For example, birds that may not have paid much attention to you before may now gladly carry you over large gaps once you speak their language. Plants can springboard you high into the air once you can communicate with them. This ability progression is an exciting way to keep things fresh, and makes visiting old areas rewarding with new secrets to be found.
Comment

Con
 Platforming is a bit unpolished at times

The platforming can feel a bit clunky or rough at times. For example, when climbing trees you have to jump to the top branch by branch. Hitting the jump button one time too many will result in falling and having to re-climb the tree from the base. It's just little unpolished details like this that can sometimes make the platforming feel a bit clumsy.
Comment

Con
 Story can seem nonsensical

There is no dialogue in the game, so the story can be hard to follow at times. During cutscenes, sometimes you'll have no clue what's really going on due to their surreal and strange nature. A lot of the story is left up your own interpretation, which can be disappointing for those who prefer a solid, coherent narrative.
Comment

Pro
 Different story experience, depending on player actions

Comment

Pro
 Excellent gameplay, interwoven with story

Comment

Pro
 Levels are exciting and filled with content

There's plenty of exciting things to see and do in each level. Besides shooting through a wide variety of enemy types, you can also go off the beaten path to hunt down loot boxes and weapon upgrades. If you can't find a path, you can always make your own by blowing up walls. Each level also has its fair share of danger - there are plenty of traps to avoid and special operatives who can stop you in your tracks.
Comment

Pro
 Random levels ensure the action stays intense

Each level is procedurally generated, meaning rooms, walls, and items are randomly arranged into new ways each run. You can never get too comfortable with any one strategy. You'll always be adjusting on the fly and dealing with new layouts, enemy placement, and objectives so the action stays fresh and frantic for a long while.
Comment

Pro
 Forgiving mechanics make it accessible

Neon Chrome manages to remove some of the frustrations that come with roguelites, making it an accessible experience for all. If you die, your weapons and stats are both saved and available for use on your next run. When you kill a boss, it acts as a waypoint, meaning you won't have to start over from the beginning.
Comment

Pro
 Immersive soundtrack

The ambient synth soundtrack with pulsating beats and otherwordly tones fits the futuristic theme extremely well. The music sounds like something you'd hear in an action sci-fi movie, which helps pull you into the game world.
Comment

Pro
 Impressive visual effects compliment the action

The levels glow and shine, and really give off a futuristic vibe. As the name suggests, everything is in bright neon shades and very colorful. As you're blasting your way through levels, the laser shots look especially great as they melt through walls and blow up generators. There's plenty of vibrant explosions to go around, which really highlights the action.
Comment

Con
 Lackluster character models

Both the playable character and enemy models in-game are rather fuzzy and don't have a lot of detail. They are bland compared to the colorful explosions going on around them at all times.
Comment

Con
 Upgrades can feel weak

While upgrades are plentiful and given flashy introductions with fancy fonts and icons, their direct impact on the gameplay is negligible at best. It's hard to feel their weight in action due to their very small stat increase.
Comment

Con
 Generic premise

You play as a hacker who must infiltrate the "Neon Chrome", a giant tower, and free the city from the rule of the malicious Overseer. It's not entirely original or exciting, and mostly serves as filler material to give meaning to the action.
Comment

Pro
 Constant sense of tension due to creative use of a phone

As you wander around the mansion as Jess, you will occasionally get a text message from your daughter Chloe. It's quite a decent jump scare when you're exploring a dark, silent room, only to have the silence broken by your phone buzzing and vibrating with a loud text. The little burst of fear and subsequent jump you get each time the phone rings in the darkness is a great way to add an extra layer of tension to the game. The messages themselves are rather cryptic and creepy with Chloe often telling us she wishes we were dead. You're never quite sure when or where the phone is going to go off, making it unpredictable and tense for the duration of the game.
Comment

Pro
 Creepy experience thanks to the setting

Exploring the mansion itself is a tense and creepy experience. Everything is unfamiliar, and there's a generous amount of disturbing moments like a bathtub filled with a sticky black substance or watching a shadowy figure get sucked out of a window. Rooms and hallways are incredibly dark, with a lot of ominous corners and shadowy spaces. Occasional scratches and tapping noises can be heard in far off rooms, making it seem like you are not entirely alone. Pictures fall off the walls and windows suddenly explode into showers of glass. There are plenty of carefully placed jump scares that create tension in all the right moments. There is no doubt you are playing a horror game, and the setting enables a very disturbing experience overall.
Comment

Con
 Generic story probably won't hold your interest

It's just another copy and paste paranormal story that doesn't really add anything new or exciting. You play as a mother named Jess, as she is attempting to reconnect with her estranged daughter Chloe. However, Chloe is on the run from some strange paranormal forces who are trying to harm her. In order to help her, you must search a mansion for pieces of a relic that can summon an evil witch. It's about as nonsensical as it sounds. Don't Knock Twice is based on the movie of the same name which was not well received.
Comment

Con
 Very short

The whole game can be completed in an hour, which is a far cry from the developers' claim of a "full length experience".
Comment

Con
 Managing the axe is tedious

In your hand, you carry an important axe that is used to chop through locked doors and other barriers. In order to use or interact with items, sometimes you have to put down your axe. There is no inventory system, so if you put your axe down to do something else, you will have to remember to pick it up again. If you forgot you where you left it, you are left scrambling around to look for it. This is a very poorly designed system that can result in loads of frustration, tedious and unnecessary button presses, and tons of wasted time. It's also important to note that since it's very possible to forget where you left your axe, and some rooms seal off after you've explored them, it's entirely possible to hit a dead end runthrough and be forced to restart.
Comment

Con
 Extremely linear gameplay

The game mainly consists of going from room to room, dealing with the frights and puzzles within, and then moving onto the next room. Puzzles are basic, with the solution usually being found within the same general area. The whole game feels like it's on rails, with rooms often sealing off once you've moved to the next one. While the setting and atmosphere is highly creepy, the gameplay itself is almost like a walking simulator with added jump scares.
Comment

Pro
 Enticing, mysterious narrative

You play as Amelia, and you've woken up alone with amnesia on a strange alien world. Soon, your earpiece crackles to life and you are informed by a woman named Emma you were on some sort of space mission. Guided only by the voice of Emma in your headset, you'll take shelter in a large structure and move from room to room using a mysterious suit to manipulate cubes and solve puzzles. The game is peppered with dialogue between Amelia and Emma that reveals pieces of the story, a little bit of a time. It gives you just enough to keep the mystery alive, and actually develops into a plot with some thriller elements. You'll be wondering what in the world you're doing on this strange planet, what Emma's real motives are, and how you're going to escape. The story doesn't feel tacked on, and it serves as a great way to keep you invested during the puzzles.
Comment

Pro
 Minimal UI that allows the puzzle solving to take center stage

The UI is very minimal, only showing the color cube you currently have selected in the lower right corner. This allows the game world itself to fill up the entire screen and makes puzzle solving the main focus. Looking around and exploring while solving the various puzzles within the alien world is clutter-free with no distractions.
Comment

Pro
 Great graphics

This game uses the Unreal 4 engine and looks gorgeous. Everything is shiny and glistening in a pristine, almost surgically clean environment. The lighting effects as it reflects and shines off smooth metal surfaces is a treat to look at.
Comment

Pro
 Unique and immersive atmosphere

There's a distinct sense of feeling alone and isolated immediately as you wake up on the surface of a dusty planet with no memory of how you got there. The landscape is empty and alien, but before you lays a giant cube fortress. Once inside, the pristine cleanliness, seemingly endless chambers, and strange technology can be a bit unsettling and adds to the overall mystery. The feel and polish of this unique, almost surgical environment will have you believing you're actually in some strange alien fortress manipulating odd cube technology.
Comment

Pro
 Simple, but entertaining cube puzzle mechanic

The game throws some curveballs from time to time like switches that have to be pressed, oily floors that can move cubes, or pressure plates that require a cube to depress, but overall it's the simplicity of the easy to grasp base mechanics that makes the puzzles shine. There are blank spaces on walls and floors where you can place 3 different colored cubes, with each having a different effect. For example, orange cubes can be pulled out to form a ledge, and blue cubes act as a jump pad. As you move from chamber to chamber, it's up to you to figure out how to best use the cubes in each room to reach the exit. It's fun to experiment creating ledges and jump pads, and trying various color combinations as you figure out how to best navigate the room.
Comment

Con
 Mistakes are overly punishing

Some puzzles can require manipulating over a dozen cubes, and if you mess up at any point, you have to start the puzzle over from scratch.
Comment

Con
 Puzzles get repetitive

While the puzzles do gradually get more complex and add some new mechanics from time to time, the same 3 cube mechanics are in play for most of the game.
Comment

Pro
 Great co-op

You can play the game's main campaign with up to 3 other players locally. This considerably amplifies the mayhem, resulting in really entertaining shootouts and boss battles. With Neurovoider being a roguelike, the permadeath mechanic still applies, which can lead to both tragic and funny moments.
Comment

Pro
 Great replayability thanks to extensive procedural generation

Almost everything in Neurovoider is procedurally generated. This includes levels, enemies, weapons, and even loot - the combinations are almost endless, to the point you probably won't encounter the same level layouts, enemies, and even loot twice. As a result, Neurovoider can stay fresh and exciting for a longer time than a lot of other similar games.
Comment

Pro
 Humorous setting

Neurovoider's setting is both dark and humorous - a dystopian Earth overrun by robots that spend all their time partying, so you, the last organic being alive on the planet, decide to crash that party with bullets and rockets. While this is a minor aspect of the game itself, the absurdity of the situation can add some unexpected humor to the intense shootouts.
Comment

Pro
 Exhilarating shooter gameplay

Neurovoider is a game where you enact a robot genocide with ludicrous amounts of bullets, rockets, lasers, and explosions. The mayhem almost never slows down, and as you enter new sections of a level, you're greeted with new hordes of misshaped party robots with fairly challenging boss battles occasionally thrown into the mix. On top of that, there's the roguelike permadeath mechanic, considerably adding to the intensity of each encounter, since every battle truly is a fight for survival.
Comment

Con
 Fairly difficult

Neurovoider is a super fast and hectic game, so anyone not used to playing games at a very high tempo can get instantly overwhelmed even on the easiest difficulty. While practice helps to lessen this, players looking for slower-paced games probably won't have as much fun with this title.
Comment

Pro
 Unique blend of rhythm gameplay and racing-like speed

Thumper is a rhythm game mixed with fast-paced action, setting itself apart from other titles in the genre. Your "character" is a vehicle that runs on rails in a track, with certain speedbump-like indicators on the road that show up in sequence. You have to press the button prompts in time with your vehicle driving over the indicators, ideally to the correct rhythm to the beat to rack up points. It can be tough going at full speed and catching all of the button prompts while staying in-sync with the song, but the payoff is incredibly satisfying.
Comment

Pro
 Intense controls and responsive feedback

Other than visual cues, the visceral feedback you get from timing your button presses just right helps keep you on-beat. Getting that timing down rewards you with an addicting rumble, helping you feel the rhythm in your hands. With your vehicle moving at such crazy speeds, pressing the right buttons on-beat simulates the feeling that you're really in the driver's seat, listening to the music playing at full volume all around you. Pressing the buttons correctly with feedback helps keep you glued to the game, motivating you to go after higher and higher scores.
Comment

Pro
 Really cool psychedelic visuals

Thumper looks stunning. The futuristic vibe with the flashing blues, purples, and reds everywhere. The road your vehicle travels on jets through a seemingly endless void that changes depending on the stage, such as showing off bosses that appear as large, abstract enemies looming overhead. The trippy visuals are pretty neat, making the game stand out more along with its unique gameplay.
Comment

Pro
 Playing in VR adds a whole new layer to the game

Virtual Reality makes Thumper much more fun and intense. Along with the feeling of the controls putting you in the seat of the vehicle, you're actually put into the game itself, surrounded by the visuals. The lights, the music, and the rumbles all feel more up-close-and-personal, as if you're part of the environment itself. Thumper is compatible with VR on both PlayStation 4 and PC, so anyone with a headset for either platform will be able to try it out for themselves.
Comment

Con
 Short playtime

A single playthrough will only take you about seven hours. However, if you go for a completionist playthrough to chase after high scores, then you'll get an extra dozen or so hours out of the game.
Comment

Con
 Might be difficult for players who are new to rhythm games

Thumper can be too hard if you've never played a rhythm game before. Because everything moves at such high speeds right from the start, you may miss a lot of the button inputs and get discouraged. Even for experienced players, it takes some practice before getting used to the flow of gameplay.
Comment

Pro
 Exciting online leaderboards

Being able to compare your scores with other players is awesome. It can amp up the in-game excitement and make the action feel even more intense since you're competing with others.
Comment

Pro
 Scoring system encourages fast-paced arcade action

Getting the highest score on each level encourages fast-paced play thanks to the metrics of the scoring system. For example, going too long without a shooting an enemy or not rotating between weapons fast enough will cause your score to be lower. Flying your ship around, making full use of your various weapons, and shooting enemies quickly in an attempt to get the highest score possible results in some pretty intense arcade action since it pushes you to be aggressively involved at all times.
Comment

Pro
 Excellent visual appeal

The visuals are minimalist but bright and colorful. When blasting aliens to pieces, watching them explode into geometric shapes with bold lines and vibrant colors is super appealing. Weapon effects look great, and the animations on everything are incredibly smooth. Seeing the screen fill up with all kinds of well-defined shapes and bright colors compliments the action well. Despite all the colorful action taking place, it never feels cluttered or chaotic. The simple style makes it easy to track what's happening on-screen, resulting in a great visual experience.
Comment

Pro
 Very interesting shooter-style gameplay

You have one basic weapon and three special weapons, and strategically managing them can be quite interesting. The only way to use the three special weapons is through killing enemies and collecting their energy. Since this energy is finite, your firepower is ultimately limited. Different enemies are weak against different weapons, but you can't just spam them constantly since they will also overheat from too much use. Knowing when to use each weapon, conserving energy, and rotating among your arsenal to unleash maximum damage can be quite a fun experience.
Comment

Pro
 Rewarding replayability

Taking what you've learned over time, and then playing challenge mode versions of older levels for a higher score is where the game truly shines. Learning how to properly manage your weapons, dealing with various enemy types, and learning to control your ship to evade attacks can all feel especially rewarding when you finally beat an old high score or take top position on the online leaderboards.
Comment

Con
 Difficulty spikes can ruin the fun

After the first world, there are some very sharp difficulty spikes where it's possible to hit a wall. These bottlenecks make it hard to progress and the resulting frustration can ruin the fun.
Comment

Con
 Getting hit by respawns doesn't feel fair

When new enemies spawn into the maps, sometimes they spawn way too close to your position. As a result, they'll get a few cheap hits in before you can evade them which feels highly unfair.
Comment

Con
 Many levels feel the same

Most levels are basically just a color swap from the one prior. There aren't a whole lot of enemy types either, meaning you'll be encountering the same ones throughout most of the game. Additionally, all weapon types are available from the start, so you'll be using the same ones for every level.
Comment
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