ScourgeBringer [Nindie Choice!] - There’s something about ScourgeBringer that deep down brings back my nostalgia for being in an arcade, pumping quarters into a game that consistently kicks my butt yet still puts a smile on my face. Be warned, ScourgeBringer is a tough and intense slashing and shooting experience with runs that will often end too quickly as you just couldn’t get in the groove. What makes it so worth it are those runs where you break out and get on a tear though, getting the right combination of perks and some luck on your side to smash some bosses and prove to yourself that it can be done. Of course meta progression is also a key part of you building success and overall I’d say the pacing of gaining currency to unlock some absolutely vital abilities feels about right, with you at least gaining 1 coin if you can defeat the first sub-boss. It can sometimes take a run or two to then feel comfortable making use of your newfound power but things like your heavy hit deflecting bullets or knocking enemies into each other are incredibly important to have when you’re in the heat of things. None of the above would matter if the game’s engine wasn’t up to the job but in terms of performance, fluidity, and mechanics I really can’t find any flaws with it. If anything some people may find the action too fast, and watching it can be a bit crazy, but when you’re in the moment it’s extremely satisfying how responsive your character is as you dash around the screen slashing, deflecting, stunning, and smashing. ScourgeBringer is yet another roguelike that stands alone with a pretty unique hook and overall flow while delivering a satisfying degree of intensity and challenge that the hardcore set should find compelling.
Fracter - There’s something to be said for some visual flair to add to
the gameplay experience as a whole and when the aesthetics can be used in
alignment with improving the action itself that’s always a bonus. Fracter has
a great black and white look and really leans into the use of light as part of
what you’re looking to do, whether acting as a barrier, a means to activating
the environment, or even taking out some enemies. Trial and error does play a
part a bit as there’s no real explanation for what needs to be done, and once
you’re introduced to new ideas you’ll be expected to apply that to new
scenarios. While I wouldn’t consider it to be terribly difficult as a whole,
the way the stages play out is at least pretty novel and as you go further
you’ll need to work a bit harder to be successful. All in all it’s a pretty
unique action puzzle adventure that sets itself apart not just with its look
but also the style of its play, not a bad thing when the eShop is full of
titles that don’t do as good a job of differentiating themselves.
Alpaca Ball: All-Stars - Watching a game of soccer who can honestly say
they haven't taken a moment to contemplate how different the game would look
if played as a 1-on-1 or 2-on-2 match between alpacas? I know I have. Whether
or not you’ve ever been so inclined that’s what this game is all about and for
being a wacky and weird sports game without too incredible an amount going on
it actually works quite well. This is definitely a case where the controls
being a bit on the loose and imprecise side is intended, though you can
certainly learn to be effective, but the matches are more about craziness and
fun than serious scoring. You can jump, hit the ball, make a power shot, and
do a back kick and there’s more to being successful than it would seem,
accuracy does count. Playing through the campaign solo is fine but this is
definitely a title more geared towards playing with family or perhaps some
friends with everyone a bit tipsy for maximum hilarity.
Terror Squid - There’s nothing wrong with sometimes playing a game that
has one core idea in place and just asks you to run with it. That’s all Terror
Squid is, and the idea in this case is that you’re moving around a sphere,
projected forward seemingly by the bullets in various patterns your ship is
putting out. You can only steer, do a quick dash which can be useful in a
pinch only, or detonate which will hopefully set off a large chain reaction,
destroying the majority of the bullets around. The problem is every time you
use the detonate your ship will move on to its next bullet pattern and each
new version tends to further complicate things, adding to whatever previous
bullets remain. It’s all about simply surviving as long as you can, which to
get a high score generally means holding out on your detonations but to do a
great job of that you really need to have and execute a plan. There’s not much
to it, and unless you love pushing to eke out a few extra seconds it won’t
likely appeal to you, but for high score chasers there’s a global leaderboard
as well as daily leaderboards to test yourself against.
Cloudpunk - With an interesting steampunk / futuristic look with huge
skyscrapers and vehicles flying through the clouds people were excited by
early looks at Cloudpunk. When I played it at PAX I was honestly a bit taken
aback thinking it still had a while to go since there were some performance
issues and in the time I had with it simply not much was happening. Fast
forward a few months and here we are, and it’s out, and unfortunately not a
whole lot has changed since last I saw it. While flying around the city
skylines is at least novel, it’s also where you’ll spend far too much time
simply ferrying from Point A to Point B. Sure, there’s often some conversation
along the way from your dispatch as you go over the details of the city and
your various sketchy activities you’re not to ask too many questions about but
the story really can’t buoy what’s a generally dull and performance-challenged
experience in places.
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