What are the best 2D games on Steam?

Genre:Action / Adventure / Beat 'em Up

Co-Op:4 Player Online / 4 Player Couch

Controller Support:Full

The most fun to be had with the game is during four player co-op play. The unlockables and upgrades also keep the player wanting to come back and play just a bit more with their friends. The co-op is available as local and online. See More

Top Pro

Co-op up to 4 players

Top Con

Bugs that appeared in the original XBox title were not fixed for the PC part

There are still bugs and glitches in the game that were in the original XBox version. Even though there were simple fixes for some of these neither the dev nor publisher bothered to address them. See More

Екатерина Сав's Experience

A Behemoth game. 'Nough said. See More

Top Pro

Individualistic levels

Each level in the game has its own look and design which can keep the gameplay varied thanks to creating a need to explore in order to see what comes next. Ranging from deserts to ice filler terrain, there is no level that looks the same. See More

Top Pro

The gameplay is very lighthearted and amusing

There are several jokes and silly moments throughout the game. All done without speaking any word. This keeps the game lighthearted and amusing thanks to the humor of the creators and how they infused it into the game itself. See More

Top Pro

Successfully avoids becoming repetitive and boring

Each level in the game has its own look and design which can keep the gameplay varied thanks to creating a need to explore in order to see what comes next. Ranging from deserts to ice filler terrain, there is no level that looks the same. See More

Top Pro

Supports co-op up to 4 players

The most fun to be had with the game is during four player co-op play. The unlockables and upgrades also keep the player wanting to come back and play just a bit more with their friends. The co-op is available as local and online. See More

Has a very dedicated Aesthetic that works beautifully. See More

Hollow Knight

Top Pro

Amazing art and sountrack

Top Con

Slow first 2 hours

Game feels slow until you acquire an important upgrade. See More

ReverentSuaixtix's Experience

Hollow Knight is an amazing game. It kept me overjoyed throughout my entire experience with its colossal map, fun challenges, amazing atmosphere, intriguing lore, and memorable characters. Unfortunately, no game is perfect, and probably one of the largest of the very few, very miniscule problems is that the first area of the game progresses very slowly, and many people may lose interest and drop off until reaching the second area and gaining the first major movement ability, after which the game really begins to shine. See More

Specs

Genre:Platformer

Co-Op:Single Player

The game world is enormous, with a massive amount of secret areas that really reward you for sniffing them out. See More

Top Pro

Rewarding exploration

Top Con

Choppy on certain hardware

Even on powerful hardware, the game seems to have choppiness issues. Users report that this issue happens more often on Nvidia cards. See More

CharmingNike's Experience

Slow start, terrible visuals and graphical design which isnt appealing to all sadly. Visual presentation and stale initial slow gameplay and slow start are a big turn off. See More

Top Pro

Has character

The visuals, music and sound effects are both quirky and charming. You may stay for the gameplay, but you come in for the lovable world. See More

Top Con

Map system

To get a map, you must find an NPC first for each area you visit. Map updates whenever you find a bench. You also get sent to your last-visited bench when you die. It does not update in real-time, but the map will update with wherever you have been when you find a bench. This is all assuming you have bought the base map from the NPC in that particular area. See More

AwareResheph's Experience

An amazing game everyone should give a shot. Amazing artwork, amazing music, amazing story... Just buy this already See More

Top Pro

Difficult, but never too hard

Learn enemy attack patterns and you can easily beat the game. See More

Top Con

Design is a turn-off

Top Pro

Fun, challenging boss fights

With a couple exceptions, the boss fights are challenging in a way that does not feel cheap. If you die, it is because you screwed up and not because the game didn't feel like keeping you alive anymore. See More

Top Pro

Tight and fluid movement

Every movement in the game makes you feel like you are in control. See More

Top Pro

Large amount of content

Over 30 hours of gameplay. See More

Top Pro

Amazing story and lore

Top Pro

Amazing art and soundtrack

Has a very dedicated aesthetic that works beautifully. See More

Top Pro

Unique experience for every user

The game starts off relatively linearly, but as you progress through the first few areas and gain movement upgrades dozens to hundreds of different paths are opened up to you, allowing you to take completely unique paths as you stumble through the ever-expansive kingdom of Hallownest. See More

Top Pro

Mysterious story/lore

Makes you wanna explore more to find out whats going on and you may find secrets with NPCs that will tell you more or add to the mystery. This keeps things interesting. See More

Top Pro

Has free DLC

Two DLCs have been released, adding additional quests for free. See More

Top Pro

Forces you to learn attack patterns

You won't get far just going in swinging. Learning enemy behavior is much more important than in any other Metroidvania and that feels very rewarding. See More

Top Pro

Variable difficulty

Difficulty is not changed by a selection at the start of a playthrough, but is dictated by how the game is played. If a boss is too difficult, it is possible to leave, explore the map, gain health and damage upgrades or movement abilities and "charms", which grant alterations to the player's standard abilities or apply passive buffs. After becoming more powerful, the player can return to the boss they had trouble with and defeat them much more easily. Unfortunately, this effect is much less drastic for the first and last few bosses, but affects most of the game. See More

Instead of building a deliberate feeling of suspense, Terraria uses bright palettes and arcade action to provide a fun experience outside of the survival elements. When those elements gradually appear one by one, each is all the more shocking from the contrast. See More

Terraria

Top Pro

2D retro-platformer style

Top Con

No tutorial and un-intuitive menus

There is no tutorial to speak of and the menu system can be a bit cumbersome and confusing. See More

Henry Arguedas's Experience

Sunk a few hundred hours into this game around the time it came out. I never saw the appeal of Minecraft but could play this game for days. I haven't played any of the others but Terraria is a great game. See More

Specs

Genre:2D platformer / Minecraft-like

Co-Op:8 Player Online / 8 Player LAN

Controller Support:Android (MOGA / HID), Steam (Full)

Terraria has a very large community as it is a very popular game. Released on just about every platform including mobile, PC/Mac/Linux, consoles, it allows for anyone to play no matter their prefered device. This also means that with many players comes many servers to play on as well as tutorials and Let's Plays. So finding content or help or just basic information on the game will be quite easy. See More

Top Pro

Large community

Top 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. See More

ThoroughEndovelicus's Experience

Great. Love the game, music and of course the Bosses. Very fun. See More

Top Pro

Extensive crafting system

The vast majority of items in Terraria can be used to create other items, often requiring specific crafting stations (which themselves must be crafted). This is the core of character advancement, since gear defines nearly everything about your character. See More

Top 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. See More

NobleAnnaPerenna's Experience

Love the game I have 367 hours on it!!! See More

Top 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. See More

Top Con

Gameplay can feel slow

While there is little to show progress in the game over gaining many items and having many structures built, progress overall can be slow due to having to collect every item needed to craft the necessary tool, equipment and materials. This can be time consuming and may turn some people off. See More

Top 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. See More

Top Pro

Multiplayer also an option with up to 8 player online co-op

Up to 8 online players can be invited to join a shared Terraria world, including worlds that are also used in single-player mode. This allows for large co-op or PvP games to be played, for those that are interested, meaning you can choose how you play. Build something big together, or destroy the other guy's base. See More

Top Pro

Encourages creativity for all ages

Terraria is like a 2D Minecraft, so you can alter the world around you and craft things, which teaches creativity and critical thinking skills. This is great for children who enjoy building and discovering new ways to tackle ideas just as it is great for adults who enjoy the same things. It also makes for a great objectiveless game where you can do just about anything you want, which allows for less stress due to being able to play at any pace the player likes. See More

Top 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. See More

Top 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. See More

Top 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. See More

Areas are randomly generated and moves are semi-turn based. This leads to many gameplay possibilities. See More

FTL: Faster Than Light

Top Pro

True rogue-like

Top Con

Can be pretty difficult

The amount of choices to be made (many not being good ones) and the randomization of the game makes for a situation that may be too difficult for some. This is not a game that you will beat in one play session nor 10, it takes a lot of time to get in a good run that results in winning, which some people may not have patience for. See More

Specs

Genre:Roguelite

Co-Op:Single player

The roguelike game design combined with the huge amount of choices that can be made in both encounters as well as ship management makes FTL a highly strategic game as you never quite know what the game is going to throw at you. There are many decisions that can be made in the game, such as what parts of an enemy ship to target (their shields, their weapons) or where to concentrate your defensive strategies, such as powering up an ion engine to run, or powering up one's shields to stay and fight. These choices can all affect the final outcome of the game, so it is up to the player to make the best decisions at their disposal. There are also many choices of ships to use and equipment layouts for each that can be tweaked. Depending on the ship used and what equipment is used or where it is placed, it can greatly affect how the game will play out as well as how the game will need to be played. If choosing a fast ship with low shield power, it will be best to outrun a lot of encounters. Whereas if choosing a slow ship with good gun capabilities and a high shield power, a good strategy would be to go in guns blazing for each encounter. See More

Top Pro

Allows for highly strategic gameplay

Top Pro

Stress-free timely decision making

The game can be paused at any time, which allows for one to contemplate their next move in the game. This makes for a less stressful experience since one can leisurely make their decisions without it impacting the gameplay. See More

Top Pro

Stress free timely decision making

The game can be paused at any time, which allows for one to contemplate their next move in the game. This makes for a less stressful experience since one can leisurely make their decisions without it impacting the gameplay. See More

Top Pro

Morality based decisions

The game works a lot like a text adventure in a roguelike wrapper. The decisions asked of the player during this adventure can affect much of the stories plot, making for an interactive story through choices such as telling aliens you are a god in order to potentially receive less trouble in your encounter with them, to abducting aliens in order to sell them for a profit. One choice may appeal to the player more than another, it also provides a way to role play as a morally bankrupt space captain. All in all though this is all up to the player, which can be really fun to see what may happen. See More

Top Pro

Pixel-art magic

Game graphics build mainly on pixel sprites, so it has pretty low hardware requirements and very distinctive old-school games ambiance. See More

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

FEZ

Top Pro

Brilliant puzzles

Top Con

Limited button mapping support on keyboard

FEZ has a couple of preset control schemes to choose from, but the buttons can't have functions assigned individually. See More

Specs

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. See More

Top Pro

Mysterious world with lots of depth

Top 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. See More

Top 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. See More

Top Con

Slow gameplay

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

Top 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. See More

Top 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. See More

Top 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. See More

Top 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. See More

Top Pro

A variety of platforms supported

This game is available on Xbox 360, Windows, Linux, OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Android, iOS. See More

Top 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"). See More

Top Con

Frequent crashes on PC

PC version of the game has stability issues. Luckily, FEZ autosaves often so no much progress is lost when the game crashes. See More

Being a relatively short game (five or six hours long), it's perfect for people who love interesting puzzle games that don't overstay their welcome. See More

Limbo

Top Pro

Good for people who don't want to waste too much time on a game

Top Con

Entire game is extremely dark, hard to see things.

Specs

Limbo manages to keep your attention all throughout the game by consistently presenting new, interesting things for you to solve. It starts out simple, but increasingly gets more intricate and grows into smart multi-part puzzles. See More

Top Pro

Quite addictive

Top Con

Has some pacing issues

The first half of the game is filled with interesting creatures that you as a player encounter on the journey. While in sharp contrast, the second half of the game takes place in a deserted industrial area devoid of any lifeforms and even though puzzles become more and more interesting as you approach the end of the game, this sharp contrast between the two halves of the game creates some serious pacing issues. The pacing issues are even more evident as you reach the ending, which while good comes quite unexpectedly. See More

Top Pro

Unique black and white aesthetic

Limbo uses (what was once) a very unique monochromatic color scheme to give an atmospheric feel. See More

Top Con

Keyboard controls not that good

Movement is locked to the arrow keys instead of wasd. See More

Top Pro

Does not become frustrating even if you die a lot

Most players die a lot in Limbo. Fortunately, this does not translate to a frustrating experience while playing the game. If you die from a trap, the game immediately reloads and takes the character right before reaching that very same puzzle. This way you can try again immediately and find a solution. See More

Top Pro

Artistic puzzle

Limbo has very unique environment with highly creative puzzles that offer a great experience with monochrome, b/w and other dim colors. See More

Top Pro

Immerses the player fully

Since there are no cutscenes or loading screens, Limbo makes you fully immerse yourself in the puzzles and atmosphere of the game. See More

The exploration, crafting, and combat are all both very polished and deep in terms of what you can do, especially compared to other games in the genre. This makes the sandbox very fun to play in as you're never really stuck doing the same thing over and over. See More

Starbound

Top Pro

Incredibly deep gameplay

Top Con

First few hours are boring

Initially, the player needs to amass enough coal to fuel their ship, which is a bit of a grind. See More

ProductiveBriareus's Experience

The most intriguing open world game I've played. Very entertaining all throughout, with a fun universe and story. See More

Specs

Starbound allows the player to go at their own pace while completing the tutorials. By the end of the tutorials the player will have the skills and equipment to succeed in the game and have fun doing it. See More

Genre:Survival

Co-Op:Online Co-Op/PvP

Top Pro

Informative and well paced tutorials

Top Con

Combat

Combat is frustrating and unfair at times, as enemies do not knock back as far as you would wish. See More

ReasonableUkeMochi's Experience

Best exploration game, better than terraria See More

Top Pro

Ongoing gameplay

it is also multiplayer and you still have plenty to do after the story See More

NobleAnnaPerenna's Experience

The game is great the only cons I'd say is the story line is strange but it's far better then bad See More

Top Pro

Boss levels

For what is a procedurally generated game, Starbound offers boss levels that once beaten unlock new sectors of space to explore. See More

Up to four local players can play sharing a single screen at the same time in Rayman Legends which is great for when kids get stuck on hard parts as another sibling or parent can jump in and help them out. See More

52 Other Games Considered

Rayman Legends

Top Pro

Up to four player local Co-Op so you can help children through hard parts

Top Con

Jump is floaty

The jump action feels a bit floaty which may take a bit to get use to. Normally platformers will offer tighter controls, which people tend to get used to making games that stray from that more difficult or just not something that appeals. See More

Saeed Khalili's Experience

u 've to paly & enjoy it See More

Specs

Genre:Platformer

Co-Op:Local Wireless

Controller Support:Full

From the beautiful design of the 2D cartoon graphics to the level design, soundtrack and multiplayer, Rayman Legends is on par with the best of platformers. See More

Top Pro

One of the best platformers released in years

Top Pro

Visually impressive boss stages

The visual mechanics in the boss stages are pretty impressive as they use 3d rendering but still hold to the 2D graphical look of the game. This allows for bosses that weave in and out of stages as well as attacks that can come from the foreground or background depending on where the boss is located. See More

Top Pro

Great music, especially in music levels

Top Pro

Daily and weekly online challenges

There are daily and weekly online challenges that users can compete in, against their friends or just the high scores listed. See More

Top Pro

All powers unlocked from beginning

Unlike Rayman Origins, Legends has all of Rayman's powers unlocked from the beginning. Players are able to jump float, wall run and attack starting at the first level. See More

Top Pro

Fun cute characters

The cartoony design of the characters is animated smoothly and looks great on screen. For each their design is cute an amusing while also showing differentiating characteristics. See More

The game actually has no dialog, meaning that the music and sound effects emote what the player should be feeling. Luckily they do their job and then some, the music is easy to listen to and works with the game well, same with the sound effects. Everything feels as though it belongs, which is quite an accomplishments due to how stylized the game is. See More

Hyper Light Drifter

Top Pro

Great sound

Top Con

Gameplay can be tough

The game can get difficult, causing a good deal of frustration due to the difficulty of enemies in the game. While no impossible, many may feel it is too tough in the later portion of the game. See More

Specs

The layout of each dungeon will change dynamically as you kill enemies contained within. So walls will move or disappear, making for a new path, depending on who you have killed. This makes for an enthralling experience that constantly asks the player to shift their strategy, making for gameplay that does not get stale. See More

Top Pro

Dynamic dungeons

Top Con

Can be difficult to figure out what to do

With no dialog it can be difficult to figure out what to do and where to go. There is no hand holding here, which is a bit of a throwback to games back in the 90s, but still can be frustrating when stuck and having no idea what to do next. This can be exacerbated by the fact that certain basses need you to be equipped with a certain upgrade in order to defeat them. Since there is no explanation of what this upgrade is, it can easily be missed leaving the player dying over and over again at the hands of certain bosses. See More

Top Pro

Many collectibles

There are many collectibles and secrets for those who like to find everything. See More

Top Pro

Fantastic pixel graphics

While pixel graphics have seen a revival of late being that they are cheap to make, which lends itself well to the indie scene, Hyper Light Drifter is a step above any of the best offered in this style before. Everything is hand drawn and beautifully detailed. The color pallets used stand out on just their own, as the backgrounds are all quite detailed, with different color choices being used in order to differentiate each area. All the animations in the game are pretty detailed too, even for pixel graphics. T See More

Top Pro

Tells the story through pictures

With no dialog in the game (including text), the game is told through the use of pictures. When talking to an NPC, they will tell their story through a series of pictures. This goes for all interaction in the game. Which is an interesting way to go about telling a story and is pretty unique. Luckily the game tells its story successfully through this method, making for an enjoyable story overall. See More

Top Pro

Level design full of choices

Much like older Zelda games, there are different paths that can be taken in each level, there are hidden areas as well. This allows for a good bit of exploration in the game, giving a sense that you are the one exploring and discovering this world. See More

Top Pro

Good combat

The combat in the game is action based in real time. Each enemy has a different attack pattern that can be learned meaning that with time the player knows when and where to hit an enemy. While the combat can be tough at time when multiple enemies are on screen, the challenge can be worth it for the enjoyment of accomplishment. See More

Dead Cells encourages fast-paced gameplay and requires quick reactions. The hits are impactful, the controls are super-responsive, and it's overall very fluid. The game has a good variety of weapons, skills and enemies that all change how the game plays out. Some weapons work best if the enemy is bleeding, some skills hurl enemies at you, some enemies are immune to attacks from the front. Which items you find and decide to keep will change what approach to combat you need to take. See More

Dead Cells

Top Pro

Satisfying combat with a good amount of depth to it

Top Con

Frustrating for players new to roguelikes

If you're new to the genre, this may not be the best place to start. The game gives you one life (except with a certain perk), so if you die, then your whole run is over. This would be fine if it wasn't so easy to lose all your health in an instant and fall back to level one. This makes it frustrating if you spend a lot of time on a run only for it to all go down the drain from a small mistake. The punishing difficulty can be pretty overwhelming for newcomers unless you're really looking to push yourself. See More

LikableChronos's Experience

Great game! See More

Specs

Genre:Roguelike, Metroidvania, Action, Platformer

All the little details come together to make Dead Cells incredibly rewarding to play. Making one mistake can mean death, which makes the game challenging but also fun as you learn how to take on certain enemies with different sets of weapons and skills. Also, every level is procedurally-generated, so even when you die and have to restart it feels unique and different every time. This keeps the game from ever getting old, even after you finish the game on the highest difficulty level. See More

Top Pro

Brilliant game design that presents a good challenge

Top Con

Shallow story

The story feels totally inconsequential. You feel motivated by the progression of the game rather than any emotional connection to the story. See More

Top Pro

The developers put a lot of love and care into the game

Throughout its time in Early Access, the creators of Dead Cells consistently updated the game with new features, adding entirely new areas and weapons each time. The game could have honestly been released a while ago and fared decently, but they kept making it better. Even more importantly though, the developers took player feedback into account many times. The devs love the game and the community and it shows through their work. See More

Top Pro

Beautiful pixel art graphics

The pixel models for your character and the enemies manage to feel modern in the way the animations flow swiftly from movement to movement. The colorful art design is a nice throwback to the retro games that inspired Dead Cells. It goes hand-in-hand with the side-scrolling gameplay, with a cool look to the monster and gadget designs. The reds, blues, and greens especially pop a lot to give the game a distinct look to help it stand apart from others in the same genre. See More

Top Pro

It's hard

If you're a veteran of the genre then this is a must-have. See More

The Mark of the Ninja requires stealth throughout the whole game, getting spotted will get the player killed pretty much instantly. See More

Mark of the Ninja

Top Pro

Pure stealth gameplay

Top Con

Puzzle stages in mid game feel out of place

About midway through the game users will run into puzzle platforming sections, these feel as if they were added to add longevity to the game and feel out of place with the rest of the gameplay. See More

Specs

The art was done by the same team that did the Shank series, which itself is also known for great art. It is clean yet well illustrated, which shows a lot of polish. See More

Top Pro

Great art

Top Pro

Lets you choose your own gameplay style

Whether you want to stealthily evade everyone, silently kill everything, or stab everyone in the face, you can play how you want. The game doesn't tell you how it should be played; the choice is up to you. See More

Newly added into the game are challenges and earn-able trophies which extends the gameplay by allowing those to seek out these tasks. It also allows for some bragging rights for those that have completed certain ones. See More

Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara

Top Pro

Challenges and trophies

Top Con

Short gameplay

At only 2 hours the games are a bit short and are easily finished in a single sitting, though to be expected as they are ports of classic arcade games, which normally had these type of play times. See More

Specs

Co-Op:4 Player Online / 4 Player Couch

Controller Support:Full

There are a few additions that make these games more than just a regular beat 'em up. Branching paths, item shops with usable inventory and special player abilities create a game that is more like an action RPG than a side scrolling beat 'em up. See More

Top Pro

Not just a normal beat 'em up

Top Con

Co-op is spotty and limited

There is no way to mix local and online players, so it has to be one or the other. On top of that the net code seems a bit spotty as disconnects can happen. See More

Top Pro

Widescreen support

Being that the original arcade games in this set were 4:3, it is nice that the developers included a widescreen mode for modern monitor support. See More

Top Pro

Allows for 4-Player co-op (online and local) just as in the arcades

Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara has 4 player local and online co-op play which is the same scenario that the arcade allowed with up to four players at the same time. See More

The game uses an interesting way of telling the story through a narrator, which has an exceptional effect. Has an odd universe, something like a post-apocalyptic "Alice In Wonderland" during the cowboy era. See More

Bastion

Top Pro

Great story

Top Con

Combat is mundane

Like a lot of hack and slash titles, the combat itself can be pretty repetitive and Bastion is no different here. There is a lot of button mashing going on in this game, which can get boring pretty quick. See More

Specs

Genre:Action RPG

Top Pro

Beautiful art style

Bastion has a hand-painted art style that is very colorful and unique. See More

Top Con

Story could be better

The story feels a bit lacking and does not really make great use of making the player care. See More

Top Pro

Fun, varied gameplay

The RPG elements combined with the battle mechanics make the core gameplay fun and varied as the weapons/items/abilities/upgrades play out very differently from each other. See More

Top Pro

Incredible soundtrack

Bastions soundtrack sets the atmosphere perfectly. It's so good that although supergiant games had no intentions of releasing the soundtrack, demand from fans resulted in it being released and some tracks having over a million plays on Spotify. See More

Top Pro

Innovative narration

The games narration is dynamic based on what you're currently doing. See More

Just like the simple but pleasant graphics in the game, the music matches this with a lo-fi score that is very fitting. See More

Undertale

Top Pro

Incredible soundtrack

Top Con

Story is bland

2/3 endings end in a cliffhanger, the only ending that ties anything up is the True Pacifist Route. See More

ExceptionalMinos's Experience

it's just a beautiful RPG that you can play over and over again without ever making you bored See More

Specs

Genre:Role-Playing

Co-Op:Single Player

A game that is very immersive. See More

Top Pro

Unforgettable characters and story

Top Con

The visuals could be better

Much of the game is plain-looking with simple graphics, but sometimes the visuals are just awful. The pixel art can be charming for some players, though it's hard to ignore when certain areas are barren or have ugly textures. It's notable that a single person created the whole game; it would have been nice if they'd had more time or resources to clean up some of the visual problems. See More

Top Pro

Full of interesting easter eggs

There are many secret mechanics to be discovered in the game. It may take a couple of playthroughs to discover them all, but when found it will make for a mind bending discovery. How the game appears is not how the game is actually being played. See More

Top Con

Replaying can be a chore

The first time going through the game it's a nice experience, especially when we know nothing about the game. A different story is when we try going the same route and try changing one thing. Not only all the jokes and plot points have already been experienced, it can take a while to get to the point when we decide to do something different. See More

Top Pro

True choices

In-game choices have lasting consequences. See More

Top Con

Extremely boring and repetitive random encounters

The boss fights are well-done, but outside of them everything else is a snooze-fest. See More

Top Pro

Amazing characters

The characters in the game are written well, each with their own personality. One may be too nice, and will lower their hit points when you attack, just to not offend you. Another may have personal goals of validation from their friends and family. This well fleshed out world works thanks to the characters contained within, making for an enjoyable story filled with humor. See More

Top Con

Art could be better

Much of the game is plain looking with simple graphics, and some with downright bad looking graphics. While it can be appreciated this was all created by one person, the graphics could use some polish in order to really make the game shine. See More

Top Pro

A Lot Of Endings

Playing the game differently can lead to different endings. It's really satisfying when you have that ending. See More

Top Con

Can be frustruating

The battles can be upsetting See More

Top Pro

Unique battle concept

Top Con

Banal themes

Top Pro

Tons of geeky references

Papyrus & Sans for one. See More

Top Pro

Many interesting secrets to find

There are many secrets to discover in the game, like hidden mechanics that might take you by surprise. It may take a couple of playthroughs to find them all, but once you do, it may completely change how you see the story, the characters, and a lot more. There's a lot more to Undertale beneath its simple-looking surface. See More

Top Pro

Story-rich

Top Pro

Your choices lead you down different story paths

Depending on your choices, your playthrough can change in drastic ways. If you don't want to kill enemies in battle, you can choose to have a dialog with them instead. Doing this consistently is basically a pacifist playthrough where you don't kill anyone, and characters respond to you in certain ways based on that. Or you can go for a genocide playthrough, which is basically what it sounds like, where you kill everyone you come across whenever you get the chance. This can have serious consequences, since the game does its best to make you feel bad about this approach, by having certain characters hate you. It's an interesting way to get to see the world and story from different angles. See More

Top Pro

Unpredictable gameplay

Various ways too tackle the game that depends solely on the choices you make. See More

Top Pro

Witty humour

Top Pro

cute dogs

so many cute dogs! See More

Top Pro

It makes you think about your actions

This game is playing with people's expectations. We are used to playing games one way, but this game takes this habit to a different aspect. It is incredible and my favorite game of all time. It's not perfect, but it really doesn't need to be. See More

There is an included level designer so users can design their own levels making for endless playtime through inventing and playing ones own levels. See More

SpeedRunners

Top Pro

Level designer for extended gameplay

Top Con

Difficult to play without a controller

Using a keyboard to play can be difficult as it is mainly designed around using a controller, so for those without a controller they may be handicapped playing against others that do. See More

Specs

Matches are quick and only take a few minutes to play, so it's a great game to play on your lunch break, or when you just have a few minutes of free time. This also makes for a good game to play with friends that have limited time to play online. See More

Top Pro

Short matches

Top Con

Buggy

Like most Early Access games, bugs are to be expected. The game may crash to desktop and players may fall through the level, hopefully these get fixed before the full release. See More

Top Pro

Gives everyone a chance to win

The game is balances up in a way where it's naturally harder for the player in front to see upcoming obstacles, giving players behind great opportunities to get back ahead. This makes the game fun to keep playing in a group as you're unlikely to keep losing to the one over-competitive friend that tries too hard. See More

Top Pro

Easy to pick up and play but doesn't get boring

You can get up to speed in just a few minutes as the controls are very simple to learn, but the game still has plenty of depth, as mastering when to use different skills on different levels keeps it fresh. See More

Top Pro

Fun and intense races

SpeedRunners is an intense race around a 2d course. The camera follows the player in the lead, so if you get too far behind you will go off the screen and instantly die. To stay in the lead you will need to dodge obstacles, use a grappling hook to move faster and intelligently use power-ups. See More

Top Pro

4 Player simultaneous, combined local and online

There are 4 slots per game, and each slot can be filled with a local player, a bot, a friend over the internet, or a random internet stranger. See More

Top Pro

Interesting movement mechanics

The game has a freeing walljump mechanic as well as a grappling hook that can be used to swing across obstacles, pull towards ledges, etc. This makes for movements that are intuitive and fun as well as well controlled. See More

Top Pro

Fun power-ups

The game includes powerups like homing rockets, freeze rays and magma balls that can quickly change the game and add a level of randomness to each match making for a unique experience every time. See More

Players can risk destroying checkpoints for loot, which means if one does die after destroying their checkpoints they will have to start from the beginning of the stage. Basically this is a gambling system that can pay off or cause a crushing blow. See More

Shovel Knight

Top Pro

Risk reward system

Top Con

Enemy design is not always great

Some of the more recurring enemies often have just a pallet swap in order to differentiate them, which comes off as a bit lazy and uninspired. See More

Specs

Genre:Action, Platformer

Co-Op:2 Player Local

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. See More

Top Pro

Feels great to play

Top Pro

Combination of the best gameplay elements of retro pixel games of the NES era

Combining elements from Mega Man, Mario 3, Duck Tales, Zelda II and Castelvania Shovel Knight excels over the rest of the games trying to cash in on the 2D pixel art revival of recent years. See More

Top Pro

Competent loot system that allows for purchasing upgrades

User can upgrade their armor and weapon through earning loot drops from enemies or digging. The earned cash allows one to purchase upgrades that help the player advance in the increasingly difficult game. See More

Top Pro

Retains an original feel despite clear influences

The art design, music and writing maintain a very original feel to the game despite its obvious influences, which is what helps the game stand out, which makes it enjoyable in its own right. See More

In cave story you have access to tons of upgradable weapons with unique properties for different situations. See More

Cave Story+

Top Pro

Tons of fun and unique weapons

Top Con

Getting the best ending is almost impossible without a guide

Getting the best ending requires a few highly counter-intuitive if not nonsensical actions to be taken. See More

SuccinctNgai's Experience

Best game so far See More

Specs

Cave Story offers a pretty deep storyline, more than one would think by just taking a quick glance at the game. There is a reason this game is still so popular after being around for so many years and it's story is it. See More

Top Pro

Great storyline

Top Pro

Incredibly challenging, with hard mode for veterans

Cave Story is hard and the hard mode even harder, which makes this game great for players looking for a new challenge. See More

Top Pro

Multiple versions available

After the initial release in 2004, the game has been ported to other platforms and updated along the way by various fans and indie devs. See More

When you work on your farm, go fishing, explore or just walk around the town you'll be accompanied by a really nice soundtrack. It's sometimes upbeat, sometimes soothing, and sometimes even melancholic, with every track matching each location and season perfectly. There's also a wide variety of instruments used, including a piano, accordion, banjo, synths, and many others. This allows you to listen to the soundtrack for hours without getting tired of it. Sometimes it's very hard to believe Stardew Valley and its soundtrack was produced by just one person. See More

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Stardew Valley

Top Pro

Great soundtrack

Top Con

Can get really repetitive

Living on a farm is a lot of work, so you'll have to repeat the same tasks quite often. This includes tilling land, planting seeds, chopping trees, and many other farm related activities. While it's normally pretty fun and relaxing, it can get incredibly tedious during long play sessions, especially if you're just trying to progress. See More

MellowCacoch's Experience

Spent around 100 hours playing this game which makes the value extraordinary. See More

Specs

Genre:Farming Simulation, Role-Playing

Co-Op:Online and Local, up to 4 players

When creating your own farm you aren't just limited to plowing fields for planting crops. You can also dig wells, put down fences, and even build various structures such as barns or stables. This allows you to build a farm that firmly matches your goals and sense of aesthetics. See More

Top Pro

Great freedom in designing your farm

IntuitiveDikaiosyne's Experience

nice See More

Top Pro

A great mix of genres

While Stardew Valley is primarily a farming simulator, it also has social interaction elements and combat elements. The social interaction elements allow you to interact with people around the town. You can befriend them, get quests from them, hang out with them, and even find a significant other to go out with and eventually marry. It can be very addictive to max out your relationship with everyone. The combat elements are introduced when you unlock the dungeon, allowing you to battle creatures such as slimes, golems, and even mummies. While the combat is pretty simple, having you just swing your weapon, it's very satisfying to whack away at enemies. If farming ever starts feeling stale you can try either of these to mix it up, allowing you to keep the game fresh for a longer time. See More

AgreeableSelardi's Experience

I have tried this game for about 5h, but it really has low-pace. And the story, I do not see anything that keeps me to play more and more. There are a lot of stuff to do, to explore, but it is still boring to me. Could it be that this game doesn't suitable for me. See More

Top Pro

Very fulfilling to play

Stardew Valley is a very simple game where you're free to do anything and everything at your own pace. This includes building your farm, planting and harvesting crops, and exploring the world among many other things. It will feel enjoyable no matter how fast or slow you do it. This coupled with the colorful/pleasing art style and the great soundtrack makes it an extremely pleasing experience. See More

SplendidThoosa's Experience

great game See More

Top Pro

Great animations and art

Top Pro

Fun to play