Japanese developer Acquire has a knack for putting out janky action games with a lot of charm and creativity. This was especially the case during the PlayStation 2’s heyday, which saw the release of two games: Way of the Samurai and Shinobido: Way of the Ninja. Both were ahead of their time in many ways …
This newest entry in the Worms franchise makes some significant changes. Instead of a team of worms fighting it out in turns, Worms Rumble puts you in charge of a single worm, wiggling around a side-scrolling arena in real-time while trying to annihilate other players. For those worrying that Worms Rumble is gaming heresy, don’t …
I came to this arcade-style shooter expecting a sense of dread and despair – the artwork, showing hellish crimson backdrops, focuses on the game’s mechanical arachnoid adversaries. All the more surprising to find that the tone is light-hearted, backed by comic-book style presentation. You play as a baseball cap-wearing dogsbody, tasked with blasting metallic bugs …
Some ideas are so remarkably obvious they leave you wondering why nobody has thought of them before. Arkan: the dog adventurer fuses arcade-style brick breaking, as seen in Breakout and Arkanoid, with traditional platforming. Our bipedal canine hero is able to double jump around the single screen arenas while returning the ball with his staff, …
Presumably due to the amount of work involved, developers are extremely choosey when it comes to remastering 8-bit games. On the rare occasions when an ‘80s title is plucked from the halls of gaming history and given a modern makeover, they do at least tend to choose the cream of the crop, including such celebrated …
Within moments of starting Monobot, I was drawn into the sci-fi tale that was about to commence. In this surprisingly twee physics-based puzzle platformer, it’s your job to guide the tiny chap through the levels by moving along control platforms, activating mini teleporters, and facing bosses. The story sees Mono woken and set free by …
Prior to playing, we had an inkling this horizontal shooter paid homage to Konami’s legendary Parodius. It was the character select screen that gave it away, revealing that the trio of playable canines have their own unique projectile attacks and upgrade paths. Within moments, more similarities come to light, from the bright and vibrant visuals …
Pierre is an incredibly special detective. He has the ability to find his way through any maze. Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective is a cross between a platformer game and Where’s Wally, with perhaps a dash of Professor Layton. Based on the children’s activity book, each level is a wide and distracting map full …
This twin-stick shooter stars a group of spiky-haired rebels on hoverboards. Although this does make a pleasant change from the usual non-descript spacecraft, while also recalling the ‘90s CGI show Reboot, it’s the first of many peculiar design choices. Not only do the hoverboards gain momentum, making changing direction tricky, but they also have a …
This eerie adventure takes the classic horror movie trope of a somehow creepy, out of tune, children’s music box and runs with the idea. This box encompasses an evil entity – simply referred to as The Presence – which can cause hallucinations, spurring a descent into madness. In place of zombies and other overused horror …
Appearances can be deceptive. Sumire might look twee at first glance, but it very quickly puts that right. Sumire’s grandmother has died, her father had left, and her mother is withdrawn. She is, quite understandably, unhappy bordering on hopeless. Let’s have a narrative adventure! There is a fair old dose of twee in some of …
The timing behind this Mediterranean adventure is impeccable. Presenting an idyllic island to explore – one that’s full of wildlife and features several picturesque resting places – it’s able to provide a taste of paradise at a time when worldwide travel is a no-go. From the sandy beaches to the quaint whitewashed town, it successfully …
I have an odd relationship with retro games. I owned a NES and played a lot of classics at the time they were released. Yet, I’ve barely touched the NES and SNES apps on the Switch. I’ve occasionally booted up games like Super Metroid, only to drop them pretty quickly. I think it’s because I’ve …
Within ten minutes of starting this sandbox mayhem simulator, our hapless elderly lead had been subjected to all kinds of pain and torment, from drinking too much and urinating on a sparking plug socket to being decapitated by piranhas – all in the name of ruining a fellow old fogies’ birthday. If this sounds like …
This explorative shooter is a sequel to Aqua Kitty (UDX) – a game where a team of milk mining cats overcome their seafaring fears to tap into a huge natural reserve of deliciously creamy milk that has been discovered under the sea. This direct sequel launches the felines into space for more RPG shooter action, …