DeVuego

Boomfire Games has all the ingredients for an incredible side-scrolling platformer. I like the 16-bit graphics and the look of the character, as well as the boss designs and wide-open levels. They made some smart decisions that lead to a charming game that seems like the kind of thing I would normally fall in love with. Unfortunately, the repetitive stages, laggy controls, bland power-ups and predictable story left me underwhelmed. It's not bad, but Furwind the fox deserves a more exciting adventure.

I'm not going to mince words; I love this game. This is easily the best side-scrolling platformer of the year, perhaps the best since Axiom Verge in 2015. And it's not just because of the exciting conceit and morbid sense of humor, but also because of the fast and tight gameplay. The world they've created is fun to explore, especially with all of the shortcuts and secrets. A lot of the same endings can be tackled in completely different ways, which gives you a real sense of being in control over your fate. I'm impressed that the game doesn't fall into the usual traps of having cheap hits and precision problems. Even without the fun gimmick, this would still be a great platformer on its own merits.

Despite the lackluster level designs and dickish checkpoint system, I had a fun time with Caveman Warriors. It plows a lot of familiar ground and never really does much with the cool concept, but it's also a great multiplayer game with a lot of exciting moments. And while it probably won't spawn a new generation of caveman games, I love that there are developer still fascinated by prehistoric times.

If you can get beyond the punishing difficulty, A Hole New World offers a fun and authentic experience with a lot of charm. I like most of the levels, memorizing the boss patterns and the effective pixel art. I think the developers at Mad Gear Games has a lot of potential and I can't wait to see what they come up with next. This is a retro-inspired action game that not only makes the most out of the old school theme, but also reminds you that games from the 1980s can be insanely frustrating at times

From the throwback visuals to the way the way the story plays out, there's a lot to like about 8Days. Sadly, it's marred by a frustrating single-player experience that doesn't feature enough health pickups and has some bad checkpointing. It doesn't do much you haven't seen countless times before, but fans of the genre will have a good time fighting through all 8Days.

I'm sure there's a good game deep down inside this frustrating action game. I'm sure that with some balancing and a lot of changes to the camera, this could be an interesting hack and slash roguelike. But that's not the game that is for sale today. Heart&Slash has a cute look and a likable hero, but unless you like throwing your controller against the wall in frustration, I would avoid this unnecessarily sadistic action game.

With a few tweaks to the combat and the elimination of one especially egregious mission, Megamagic: Wizards of the Neon Age would be an incredibly easy game to recommend. As it is, I can't help but yearn for what could have been

Kromaia Omega is a visually intoxicating space shoot-em-up that absolutely nails the core mechanics. It could use a few more stages and another boss or two, but I cannot say enough good things about the action-packed combat. Kraken Empire has created a game that perfectly captures the arcade fun of Star Fox, while adding the amount of depth you would want from a modern game. Best of all, it finally washes away the horrible taste of Voxel Blast.

Despite the short run time, I was riveted to the game's story and narrative device. As somebody who has dealt with his own share of self-confidence issues, it was easy to connect with the lead's counterproductive inner-monologue. Nihilumbra manages to get character growth right, something that many games have a problem delivering on. Even if the puzzles are too easy and the gameplay is simple, the emotional payoff is worth the journey.