Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 PC Game Reviews

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2

Like its predecessor, Curse of the Moon 2 emulates the classic 8-bit Castlevania titles, particularly Castlevania III. It looks, sounds, and plays very much like an NES title, but unfortunately, this means that it is also frequently very unfair and unforgiving. The increased amount of enemies during the platforming sections makes for a more frustrating experience than the first game and the playtime is also padded out by having to repeatedly complete all the levels to experience all the endings. As a sequel, it makes some improvements but also stumbles a few times, which is disappointing. It’s certainly not a bad game but loses some of the magic and novelty that the original had.

Gameplay: Very challenging, but also a little too frustrating at times.

Graphics: Great sprite work and once again very true to the 8-bit Castlevania era.

Sound: Authentic, but doesn’t come close to the Castlevania titles in this regard

Gris PC Game Reviews

Gris

Gris is a beautiful platform adventure with wonderful level designs and interesting puzzles. It is a very serene experience, though, as there is no threat of death or fear of danger. Some players will enjoy this casual experience as they explore the world and engage in light puzzle solving, but others might find it a little too easy and boring.

Gameplay: The game is very easy, but exploring the environments is enjoyable.

Graphics: Gris features a beautiful art style and great animations.

Sound: The audio consists of an incredible soundtrack and great sound effects

Rot Gut PC Game Reviews

Rot Gut

Rot Gut is a very short platformer featuring a gun-totting agent taking down bad guys during the American Prohibition. There’s virtually nothing in the way of a storyline and each of the six levels on offer can be completed in a matter of minutes. The art style is unique, though, and the soundtrack pretty decent, but even with the cheap price-tag, there’s not a lot of value for money to be found here.

Gameplay: Lots of jumping and shooting, but it’s over before you know it.

Graphics: The noir pixel art aesthetic is not too bad actually.

Sound: The chiptune jazz soundtrack is the highlight of the game

Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition PC Game Reviews

Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition

Ori and the Blind Forest immediately catches the eye with its hand-painted visual style, but beneath all the visual gloss beats the fiendish heart of a platformer. Exploring the vibrant game world is a joy, but the occasional spike in difficulty can also cause some frustration. The game’s Definitive Edition comes with plenty of enhancements and improvements that make an already great game even better. If you are a fan of the genre and up for the challenge, then you won’t be disappointed with Ori and the Blind Forest.

Gameplay: The game doesn’t veer too far off from what is standard for the genre, but it is a lot of fun to play.

Graphics: The art style of Ori and the Blind Forest is downright beautiful.

Sound: The game features a very fitting orchestral soundtrack

Toki PC Game Reviews

Toki

Toki is a great looking update of a classic arcade game, but despite the visual gloss and re-orchestrated soundtrack, it is still as tough as nails. This is not a game for players who demand infinite lives and saves, but fans of the original will get a kick out of this high definition version. Although it is a very short game, it is going to take a while for players to complete it, especially on the higher difficulties.

Gameplay: Tough as nails, but also a lot of fun.

Graphics: The updated visuals look great, but remain true to the original.

Sound: Features some lovely re-orchestrated music as well as the original tunes

Primal Light PC Game Reviews

Primal Light

Primal Light is a linear 2D platformer with great pixel art and punishing gameplay. It is very much an old-school title, so you can expect limited lives, checkpoints, and having to redo the entire level with each continue. Most platformers have eased up on these things, which means Primal Light can be enjoyably challenging or frustratingly difficult, depending on your skill level. However, the game was updated after its release, making the easiest mode more accessible to less skilled players.

Gameplay: The game can be brutal at times, but it’s nothing that can’t be overcome with some patience or playing on the easiest mode.

Graphics: Primal Light captures the 16-bit aesthetic perfectly.

Sound: The soundtrack for this game is moody and eerie

Fury Unleashed PC Game Reviews

Fury Unleashed

Fury Unleashed doesn’t do anything radically different for a platform shooter, but the rogue-lite elements and combo-heavy gameplay make it a blast to play. It’s also very addictive and offers a lot more replay value than typical 2D platform shooters. We would have liked to see more variety in the environments, but the impressive number of bosses and enemies make up for this. Overall, this is a great game that shouldn’t be missed if you are a fan of the genre.

Gameplay: Fast-paced and very addictive.

Graphics: The comic book art style looks great.

Sound: The music and soundtrack are fantastic

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night PC Game Reviews

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is as close as one can get to the original Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. For some fans, this will be exactly what they wanted, but the game can also feel a little too familiar at times. However, it’s an entertaining title that is packed with content, and exploring the twists and turns of the castle is certainly an enjoyable experience. The game isn’t perfect, but delivers on its promises and definitely scratches that Castlevania itch.

Gameplay: Plays almost exactly like previous Igavania titles.

Graphics: Good overall, but some things feel very out of place.

Sound: The audio is good, but the music is not quite as memorable as SoTN

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon PC Game Reviews

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon could easily have ended up as a promotional novelty to tide players over until the release of Ritual of the Night, but thankfully this is not the case. Instead, Inti Creates has crafted a compelling and enjoyable title featuring everything that made the 8-bit Castlevania titles so great. It does veer dangerously close to the Castlevania license at times, but considering how Konami is doing nothing with the series, fans certainly won’t mind.

Gameplay: As close as you can get to the 8-bit Castlevania titles.

Graphics: Captures the 8-bit style perfectly.

Sound: Great, but not quite as memorable as the classic Castlevania tunes

My Friend Pedro PC Game Reviews

My Friend Pedro

My Friend Pedro is a violent platform shooter with an emphasis on stylish action. Taking down enemies in slow motion is a lot of fun and the game has no shortage of props like frying pans, skateboards, glass panes, zip-lines and more to make it look even more impressive. The last half of the game skews perhaps a bit too much towards puzzles and platforming instead of stylish mayhem, but apart from this the game is a blast to play.

Gameplay: Violent, over the top and lots of fun.

Graphics: A few wonky animations and generic backgrounds, but overall good.

Sound: Decent sound effects and a great soundtrack