This is everything you should be looking for in a solid indie action RPG. It may not re-invent the wheel, but everything it does it does right. The overall narrative is pretty light and more or less makes way for the hack n slash game play. With tight controls and a basic level up system, this is an easy title to pick up and play with little hassle. The enemy challenge (bosses in particular) can be a little tough, but plenty fair and the little secrets peppered throughout each level gives plenty of incentive for exploration. But what really captured me was the art design though. From the excellent music to the animation and general feel of the surroundings, this game sets a good tone for the overall experience. There's not a great deal I'll write other than this is a solid title and a must for those that love their hack n slash RPG's. Looking forward to seeing what these devs come up with next.
Ok, I get why a lot of people see this one as a hidden gem. Great retro 16 bit graphics, fantastic music, responsive game-play. It's a very satisfying metroid-vania. But it really doesn't add anything to the genre. Run and shoot and backtrack and explore, it's everything we are already use too. I love that people say that this game is better than the movie, however, that alone shouldn't make it stand out. If you love love love metroid-vanias, it is worth a go. But if you are expecting something that rewrites the formula or improves on it, you're better off looking elsewhere as there are a lot better titles out there.
Not a bad management sim overall. Interesting and original premise, but does become a little repetitive once you have the mechanics down. The story in this one is pretty cool, trying to save your daughter by taking a job as a mind scanner. And that job consists of diagnosing people and determining if they are sane or not. If insane, then treatment is administered and that's where the game-play really begins. Treatment comes in the form of different mini games while trying to juggle time and the patients well being. This all culminates in multiple ending depending on how you play and choices you make, lending a little replay value. The visuals and sound might be a little bland, even for some cool images. But at least the game-play is fresh enough for one run through. Not bad for an indie title, however, once I got the hang of all the mechanics, things ran dry. Still, it's a good price for what it is and worth playing if you like management sims.
A nice little action RPG with a nice combat system, but otherwise falls flat. Story, visuals and sound is very bland, adding nothing to the overall slow experience. The lack of direction and back tracking make this game more of a choir than a fun experience. Too bad, because as mentioned, the combat system is good.
Another twin stick run and gun rouge-like that doesn't really add much to whats already out there. Sure, the aesthetic is nice along with the music and sound, but the game-play has been done to death. Co-op is nice, yes, but I can name a lot of other games that do it better that are worth your time and money. Only grab if you are a big big fan of the genre looking for something new.
Not much to say other than the visuals are average, sound is average, no real story and the gameplay has very little to offer. There really is no depth here as everything just seems slapped together with no defined purpose behind it. There are plenty of better survival adventure games out there.
This is a hard one to class as there it is a nice tribute to arcade games of old. A few short and sharp experiences that have been taped together with a cool cinematic story. The slightly pixelated cartoony visuals really lend itself nicely to the overall game play here. You get a small shot at a beat em up, horizontal shooter, an 'outrun like' racer, side scrolling hack n slash and a mini RPG. All of which really do capture the feel of popular 80's arcade games in a satisfying way. What is really impressive is how they are all blended into the story of a teenager getting lost within the 'arcade world'. That, coupled with the amazing soundtrack really captured to imagination of the fictional character's love of gaming. However, the big let down is how short the whole experience is. As mentioned above, there are only 5 games in total and they are nothing more than a couple of levels each. You'll probably be left a little disappointed as this game can breeze by in one sitting. But once you factor in the price of around $15AUD and the great cinematic presentation, it's still worth it. Hopefully 198X acts as a bench mark for what these developers will build on in the future.
Very clunky UI, unintuitive game-play and lack of depth explains why this game has gone under the radar. The overall premise is solid. But just like any turn based strategy game, if the overall experience doesn't run smoothly, then the game can become a chore to get through. There are too many games that were released in this era that do a much better job, hence it's hard to recommend you give up your time to Sabre Team.
No shortage of games that rock the retro aesthetic. But Huntdown pulls it off with incredible style and substance while poking fun at the same time. The visuals in this game are outstanding! The background is full of life as you move from level to level. And the character animation flows vibrantly, bringing a lot of originality to each enemy and boss. So much so, that every encounter feels unique due to various attack patterns and comedic banter. Along with all this is the exception music and sounds, all of which feel ripped straight from an 80's sci-fi action movie. Even the cheesy one liners from the main characters fit the bill. The 80's feel is no accident of course, as the Huntdown wears a lot of it's influences on it's sleeve. Yet at the same time, maintains it's own identity as the plot is centred around your bounty hunter thrown into a gang riddled sci-fi city. So what we get is something of a mix between the Warriors mashed together with Blade Runner and maybe a sprinkle of Total Recall. It should go without saying, the overall atmosphere creates the perfect setting for a 2D side scrolling shooter. The game-play is a high octane roller coaster, but not too chaotic that it becomes overwhelming. Once pumping through mass amount of enemies in each level, you are met with a boss fight that requires you to learn attack patterns on the fly. It all contains the right balance of challenge and fun, making this a stand out of the genre. Everything this title sets out to do, it does brilliantly! Full of humour, personality and solid game-play, this is a must for anyone looking to jump into a new 2D shooter. A lot of fun alone or co-op with a mate.
I've never really followed Star Trek, but I always thought the overall concept is perfect for video games. So the prospect of any adventure game set in this universe is most welcome. Visuals are pretty good for the era. The sound is great, especially if you take into account that they scored the original cast for the voice acting. The story is interesting enough to keep most sci-fi fans engaged. But the game-play is well ahead of it's time! From dialogue options to space combat, this really offers a different, yet fun, experience in comparison to other point and click games of this era. If you are a fan of Star Trek, sci-fi, point and click or all of the above, well worth your time. Definitely ranks in games I wish I played when I was younger.
