Huntdown

Huntdown

Huntdown is a side-scrolling run-and-gun shooter featuring three bounty hunters on a mission to take down various criminal gangs. The presentation of the game is great and the beautiful pixel art visuals coupled with the synth-heavy soundtrack make for a very enjoyable, not to mention nostalgic, experience. Huntdown can be challenging and each of the twenty levels ends in a tricky boss battle, but the game remains fair throughout and fans of the genre will definitely not want to miss out on this one.

Gameplay: Non-stop action and some of the best bosses that we have seen in the genre since the 16-bit era.

Graphics: The beautiful pixel art visuals really shine thanks to incredible animations and detailed levels.

Sound: Huntdown features both an incredible synthesizer soundtrack as well as top-notch voice acting for all the characters

Dungeon Marathon

Dungeon Marathon

A hag has tricked a Warrior, Valkyrie, Wizard, and Dwarf into thinking that perilous dungeons are actually gyms and players must help the unarmed heroes make it through them unscathed. This involves dodging or running away from hazards and enemies while collecting keys to open gates and grabbing apples to stay healthy. Apart from a poison mechanic and a few power-ups that is all there is to the game, but while short-lived Dungeon Marathon can be fun and is certainly quite unique.

Gameplay: Instead of fighting, players must run for their lives while trying to find the exit to each short dungeon.

Graphics: The retro-style visuals have a certain nostalgic appeal, but are still very basic and not that memorable.

Sound: The music and sound effects get the job done, but neither stand out in any way

Anstorm

Anstorm

Anstorm is a straightforward arcade shooter with a unique setting that challenges players to survive hordes of enemies while accomplishing simple objectives. The campaign mode features interesting bosses and some variety in terms of what players must do, but overall the game falls short of what fans of the genre will expect. In addition, the Survival mode, which could have provided the game with some much-needed replay value only serves to highlight its flaws.

Gameplay: The campaign levels in Anstorm are short and can be exciting, but eventually become tedious, while the Survival mode is particularly disappointing.

Graphics: The art style won’t appeal to everyone as the goofy enemy designs are at odds with the epic science fiction story the game is trying to tell.

Sound: While not bad, the music and sound effects are pretty generic and not very memorable

Limbo

Limbo

Limbo plunges players into a bleak and dangerous world as a young boy in search of his sister. The black and white visuals make for a stylish-looking game, but the abundance of traps, enemies, and a physics system that delights in killing players keeps the game challenging throughout. Limbo is a short game, but a memorable one, and despite its flaws comes highly recommended.

Gameplay: The trial-and-error puzzles can be frustrating, but making it through tricky sections is very rewarding.

Graphics: Limbo uses a very minimalist approach for the visuals, but it gives the game a very distinctive look which has since been copied by many other titles.

Sound: The eerie acousmatic music and ambient effects of Limbo are best experienced with a good set of headphones and the game also makes clever use of sound for some puzzles

Overdrive Escape First Look Video

Overdrive Escape First Look Video

Overdrive Escape by Orazgylyjov Davut is a neon-lit 3D first-person shooter with rogue-like elements. It is currently available on Steam Early access and features randomly generated levels where players must take down waves of enemies. Players can unlock new weapons and make use of power-ups while exploring the cyberpunk-themed levels and listening to the synthwave soundtrack. Check out the video below for a quick look at what to expect from the game

Atomic Heart

Atomic Heart

Atomic Heart is a single-player first-person shooter that tasks players with saving a retrofuturistic Soviet utopia from a robot uprising. The look and style of the game immediately draw comparisons to classics such as Bioshock, but Atomic Heart has some interesting ideas of its own too. The combat, which is filled with giant adversaries, powerful guns, and interesting polymer abilities makes for visceral encounters, but things like quick time events and tedious fetch quests mar the experience. Players hoping to sneak through the game will also quickly end up frustrated. Nevertheless, despite some issues, Atomic Heart is worth the experience, and fans of the genre will enjoy what it has to offer.

Gameplay: After a slow start the action picks up considerably and the game is filled with lots of action as well as some exploration and puzzle-solving.

Graphics: The Unreal Engine 4 is put to good use in Atomic Heart to deliver stunning outdoor vistas as well as massive boss battles and detailed indoor environments.

Sound: The voice acting can be a bit questionable at times, but the sound effects and soundtrack are really good

Planet of Lana First Look Video

Planet of Lana First Look Video

Planet of Lana by Wishfully and Thunderful Publishing is a cinematic puzzle adventure framed by an epic sci-fi saga that stretches across centuries and galaxies. Players must help a young girl named Lana and her loyal friend embark on a rescue mission. Their journey will take them through a colorful world full of cold machines and unfamiliar creatures. Check out the video below for a quick look at the start of the adventure

Atomic Heart First Look Video

Atomic Heart First Look Video

Atomic Heart by Mundfish, Focus Entertainment, and 4Divinity is a single-player first-person shooter that takes place in an alternate history version of the 1950s. Chaos ensues in its retrofuturistic utopia after mutant creatures, terrifying machines, and superpowered robots all suddenly turn on their creators. Players are thrown into this world and must use the combat abilities of their experimental glove, along with other cutting-edge weaponry, to survive and find out what is really going on. Check out the video below for a quick look at the start of the game

Hotline Miami

Hotline Miami

Hotline Miami is a surreal, brutal, and bloody top-down shooter where players are given access to a bunch of weapons and set loose on Russian mobsters. Almost everyone, including the protagonist, can be killed in one hit, which, coupled with the speed of the game, makes for a very intense experience. The neon-tinted color palette used for the retro 16-bit visuals and the synthwave soundtrack further enhances the experience and draws players into the seedy game world. The game is extremely challenging and not without flaws, but the overall experience is one that comes highly recommended.

Gameplay: The game is fast-paced with brutal violence, but one misstep can result in instant death.

Graphics: The visuals are pixelated but detailed, and the overall aesthetic is quite memorable.

Sound: The soundtrack is easily one of the highlights of the game, and the music is a perfect match for the action

Forever Skies First Look Video

Forever Skies First Look Video

Forever Skies by Far From Home is a first-person post-apocalyptic survival game set on Earth that was ravaged by an ecological disaster. Players get to build and customize a high-tech airship that serves as their home, workshop, laboratory, and more while flying above the planet’s surface. However, descending below the dust reveals a surface that has changed and requires players to face evolved fauna and flor while hunting for the viral pathogens needed to cure a mysterious illness. Forever Skies is currently available on Steam Early Access with large game and content updates planned every three to four months along with smaller updates and patches in between. Check out the video below for a quick look at the start of the adventure