Dead Cells
An early contender for the systems ‘indie darling’ Dead
Cells has continued to expand and develop since its release. There is certainly
a lot of game here for players that click with its action platform groove. The different
areas are varied and offer just the right amount of risk reward to entice
players to explore for hidden treasures (and probably die in the process). The
only major issue we had with it was that the games frame rate stutters at times
which can lead to confusion and often death. The bosses are also particularly challenging
and will see many hit a substantial wall that stops them progressing on to see all
it has to offer.
Moonlighter
For those that like their adventuring more from the top down
point of view Moonlighter represents a charming time sink to get into. At night
you explore one of four themed dungeons retrieving loot and slaying beasts and
by day you put things on sale in your shop to raise gold. It creates a
compelling loop that allows players to feel like they are progressing even when
life in the dungeons isn’t going well. Even with upgrades to equipment there is
still a good level of skill required to overcome the games gigantic bosses but
the challenge is never overwhelming to the point that you are likely to give up
and dedicated players will be onto new game+ before they know it. It’s a unique
mix of styles that works well and should be sort out by the adventurous types
out there.
Downwell
A simple, yet effective, platformer of sorts, Downwell is a
pure shot of adrenaline which works perfectly in small sessions. Players have
to guide themselves down a well while using there gun boots to blast away at
rocks and the many enemies they encounter. A host of new power ups and styles
are available and the action is always intense and fast moving. It’s also
unbelievably cheap to get hold of (around £1.99), and really there is no excuse
not to give it a try.
Void Bastards
Just to prove that rogue elements will work in just about
any genre here we have a FPS take on it heavily inspired by system shock.
Players must guide their ramshackle ship along a galaxy map stopping at
derelict vessels to scavenge for food, fuel and parts to continue on. The
cartoon style of the graphics and sharp script create a game both funny and
terrifying in equal measure and help to ease the pain of the many deaths you
will encounter. Creatures and ships are varied and fun to explore, though we
did find ourselves in later levels running onto a ship, grabbing whichever part
we needed and legging it a little too often. The occasional frame rate glitch is
also present but in this case rarely causes a problem. It’s not overly long
either which means you’ll be diving into the challenges and other extras while
you are still hungry for more.
Black Future 88
If you like your roguelike set in a dystopian future inspired
by Blade Runner then Black Future 88 may well be the game you’ve always dreamed
of. Glowing neon and pounding synths accompany players as they have minutes to
make it up a procedurally generated tower and topple the evil Duncan. The action
is insanely intense and unrelenting as you blast and slash your way through a
crazy assortment of enemies and bosses. There a numerous weapons and buffs that
can be unlocked along the way and countless different systems you will have to
balance out to have a decent shot at getting to the top in one piece. The only
down side is that there is so much going on that when played in handheld mode
it can get difficult to see at times. This really is an overlooked gem that
everyone should experience.
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