A PASSION FOR ALL THINGS GAMES
Published by Ratalaika Games, Red Pippy is an endearing little 8-bit platformer about a bird learning to fly. This one-hour, casual romp doesn’t have much replay value but the low-cost, low stress, and each Achievements justifies the asking price. As I cleared the last stage and watched the brief ending sequence, the word “pleasant” kept […]
Retroware and Zenovia Interactive’s Neon Inferno is a striking run-and-gun shooter seeped in brooding mood, it is loaded with action, and has a deep, memorable tone. While the personality and visuals are cranked to eleven, sadly, the gameplay doesn’t exactly match high presentation values. The action takes heavy inspiration from classics like Contra and Wild […]
Published by EastAsiaSoft for $5, Bomb Kitten follows the classic Bomberman formula but with more reaction-based puzzle solving as opposed to explosive action. Instead of playing as a colored bomber dropping round bombs to destroy barriers and enemies, Bomb Kitten has the player controlling cat who drops square bombs to destroy barriers and enemies. However, […]
From the same developer that worked on Resogun and Dead Nation, Sektori is an eye-melting, insanely paced, twin-stick shooter. The adrenaline pumping gameplay mixed with kaleidoscope visuals and techno soundtrack results in constant sensory overload. You know those warnings you sometimes get as a game boots up… the one that warns of seizures, don’t play […]
Square Brothers is an environmental puzzle platformer published by Ratalaika Games for $5. With no timer, score, unlockables, leaderboards, or way to die, this puzzle game is simple and reminds me a bit of Lost Vikings. You control two pickle looking characters. One is tall, skinny, and can jump higher but cannot fit into tight […]
Dreams of Another, released by the Pixel Junk creator, deserves respect for trying to do something different – instead of a gun destroying things, it creates… at least this is how the game is marketed but isn’t exactly true. Sadly, the nonsensical narrative, repetitive gameplay, and awful audio qualities make this the leading contender for […]
Twilight Parade: Moonlit Mononoke is another low-cost digital download published by EastAsiaSoft. A horizontal shooter with multiple playable characters, this shmup might sound appealing on paper but the end result feels horribly unfinished. This cartoony shooter might be the most baffling game I’ve ever played. Nothing makes sense and nothing is explained to the player. […]
Published by EastAsiaSoft, Halloween 1985 is a new, retro-style arcade gem that hits all the right notes. From the simple-yet-challenging gameplay to the mid-80s pixel perfect presentation, this low-cost digital download is easy to recommend. Perfectly timed for the 2025 Halloween season, this low-file size game takes some inspiration from classic Donkey Kong as there […]
Developed by a small indie team and published by Ratalaika Games, Beaked Buccaneer is a 1-hour Metroid-like romp that gets right to the point, doesn’t have any fat, and maintains uncomplicated gameplay throughout. It isn’t fancy but it doesn’t need to be. In fact, this simple and straightforward adventure is refreshing in 2025. Playing as […]
Published by Retroware, The Angry Video Game Nerd 8-Bit not only encapsulates the crude humor of the YouTube series, but it is also an excellent homage to NES greats. Unlike the games depicted on the show, this game doesn’t suck. Developed by Programancer, creator the superb Prison City, it is actually in contrast to the […]
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