Retro Inspired
Whipseey and the Lost Atlas (Switch) Review
Upon looking at this title, I was immediately reminded of Kirby’s Adventure as I’m sure most were. Whipseey and the Lost Atlas definitely channels the lighthearted nature of Nintendo’s pink hero aesthetically but there is a surprising level of challenge that leans more on the unpolished side of things. I played this on the Switch, which so far seems like a solid way to play this quick, inexpensive...[Read More]
Reventure (PC) Review – An Adventure Worth Revisiting
Pixel art stylized games have had quite the resurgence over the past several years with indie darlings like Shovel Knight and Fez proving that old-school inspired games can still feel fresh. Both of those titles put a unique twist on the formula, without straying too far from the source material. Indie developer Pixelatto’s latest 2D action-adventure game Reventure puts an incredibly unique twist ...[Read More]
Bloodstained Ritual of the Night (PS4) Review
When it comes to Blooodstained: Ritual of the Night, there is one word that comes to mind, expectation. Following a massively successful Kickstarter campaign and a back and forth with backers and fans that eventually led to a visual overhaul, Ritual of the Night seems like it has been a game that has shifted design quite a bit. Even after several years and honing in that experience, Ritual of the ...[Read More]
Hive Jump (Nintendo Switch) Review
There have been several times that I have run into Hive Jump as a games writer. In fact, Hive Jump was one of the first games that I played early, marking my first attempt at connecting with the people that create and market games. I watched the game grow as the years went by in which there was a successful Kickstarter, a PC launch, a launch on the dying Wii U to fulfill promised support, and rece...[Read More]
Wonder Boy Inspired Aggelos Launches on Steam
If there’s one thing that surprisingly never gets old (for me at least) it is games that take the design past titles and renovate them for something new, yet nostalgic. This is precisely where Aggelos fits in, a title that is out now on PC with console releases coming soon that cites Wonder Boy in Monster World as an inspiration. The premise is that the hero is thrust into a battle for survival as...[Read More]
Super Rad Raygun Headed to Xbox One and DRM Free
Retro-inspired games are all the rage as more and more gamers become frustrated with the sleazy dealings of AAA publishers and look for something that reminds them of simpler times. Super Rad Raygun is one of those games, an action-platformer that takes a ton of inspiration from Mega Man and paints it all in a way that hearkens back to the original Game Boy days. That title will soon be headed to ...[Read More]
DUSK – A Throwback with Guts
Even as video games continue to push the boundaries as a medium visually, there is something timeless about a retro look. For those that played on a PC in the early 90s, there is a visual style that probably comes to mind. Blocky polygons, rudimentary lighting that was monumental at the time, and blazing fast gameplay. Dusk takes the mold of games like Quake to create something unique that will ha...[Read More]
The Escapists 2 (Nintendo Switch) Review
The Switch is steadily becoming a console that perfectly complements another console of this generation and is almost at the point that it could be a standalone gaming machine. The sheer amount of variety is steadily increasing with AAA fps games hitting the console, Nintendo finally regaining their stride, a ton of classics ported over, and the endless wonders of indie games. This is where Escapi...[Read More]
Mummy Demastered (PC) Review
Almost always, when a game comes out based on a movie it is typically built as a quick cash grab, a way for studios to make more money on the name than just the film. These deals have made some of the worst games in history, but Way Forward may have proved that they can take a flawed, poorly performing film and make it into a great game. Mummy Demastered is the game in question, one that takes the...[Read More]
A Hat in Time (PC) Review – Heckin’ Great
Even though its often considered the lesser of the series, I always had a soft spot for Super Mario Sunshine, aside from the weird insinuations between Peach and Bowser and the long cutscene that seems to take eons. Super Mario Sunshine had a lot of charm and the folks at Gears for Breakfast seemed to have similar memories. A Hat in Time is a love-letter to not only Sunshine, but all platformers. ...[Read More]
Phantom Trigger (Switch) Review
A while back I played a preview of Phantom Trigger, which was developed by Bread Team and published by Tiny Build. During that preview, I came away pretty intrigued at the general premise of the story, but I wasn’t enthralled with the combat. Now the game has launched on PC and Switch and has been available for the past couple weeks. Usually, I would have had this review done a while back, f...[Read More]
Retro City Rampage DX Hits Switch
The Switch is quickly becoming one of my favorite ways to enjoy retro-inspired games, especially if Neo-Geo games are a favorite. Switch players may have just received another reason to load up the E-Shop, as Retro City Rampage DX is now available.