Caladrius Blaze

Caladrius Blaze

Take to the skies as one of eight different characters and blast your enemies to bits in this vertically scrolling shooter. It is heavy on fan service, and the visuals have not aged as well as we would have liked, but in terms of gameplay, Caladrius Blaze is still a very solid shooter. It has plenty of modes as well as an adjustable challenge that makes it accessible to players of all skill levels. The game does have a couple of issues, so make sure you know about these before purchasing.

Gameplay: The game can be as challenging as you want it to be and is quite addictive to boot.

Graphics: Nice character designs and plenty of fan service, but the 3D textures really show their age.

Sound: The audio features Japanese voiceovers and some nice background tunes

Bird Assassin

Bird Assassin

Birds have killed your dad, and it is up to you to seek vengeance! Bird Assassin is a blood-soaked action game where you walk from left to right and try to eradicate every bird crossing your path. It is action-packed but also a little repetitive, and with only nine levels, it won’t take very long to complete. Still, it is being sold at a very wallet-friendly price, so it is worth it if all you want is a few minutes of mindless entertainment.

Gameplay: The game features plenty of action but is a little repetitive and also quite short.

Graphics: The birds and main character have a lot of detail, but the backgrounds are lacking.

Sound: The sound effects are decent enough, and the lead character has a couple of funny quips

Beat Hazard

Beat Hazard

If you are tired of boring licensed tracks by bands you’ve never heard of and dull brown shooters then Beat Hazard is a revelation. The ability to play to your own music collection is nice and the visuals, while over the top, are certainly colorful. It’s not something you are going to be constantly playing, but you will find yourself coming back to it.

Gameplay: As long as you have music you’ll have fun.

Graphics: Retina searing bursts of color.

Sound: Depending on your taste this is obviously the best part of the game

Prototype

Prototype

Prototype is one of those games where you can have hours of fun just messing around with the gameworld. Add in a bunch of gruesome and over the top moves and you have yourself quite an adventure. It is not without its flaws, but overall it is a very enjoyable game.

Gameplay: Lots of fun to be had.

Graphics: Quite gruesome.

Sound: Good voice acting and sound effects

Portal

Portal

Playing Portal is a awesome experience and while the earlier levels might feature a bit too much hand holding you’ll really be proving your skills towards the end. With only its length really counting against it, this is a great game that should be experienced by all gamers. Portal 2 can’t come soon enough.

Gameplay: A refreshingly different take on the genre and an absolute brain scrambler. You’ll love every second of it though.

Graphics: Minimal but stylish..

Sound: Outstanding voice-overs

Dead Space™ 2

Dead Space™ 2

Dead Space 2 is a thrill a minute rollercoaster ride through an infected space station and while some people might be put off by all the action it does make for a very gripping game. The frights are less this time round, but the tension is still high and as far as sequels go this one is good.

Gameplay: The same core gameplay as the first game just way more action packed.

Graphics: While not the best I’ve seen the art style is good and the locations way more varied and interesting.

Sound: Ominous

F.E.A.R. 3

F.E.A.R. 3

The series is moving away even further from its creepy horror roots and starting to feel a bit like a typical “Call of Duty” style shooter. There’s still a few nice ideas, but the scares are thin on the ground and the story isn’t exactly gripping. The co-op seems to have been the main focus of the game and works well.

Gameplay: The shooting mechanics are solid but it loses that spooky “F.E.A.R” feeling along the way.

Graphics: Looks good and the environments are a bit more varied than before.

Sound: Nothing but silence from the lead character, but overall the voices and music is decent

JYDGE

JYDGE

A robotic cop that acts as judge, jury, and executioner? It might not be the most original idea, but JYDGE from 10tons Ltd certainly offers a lot of fun. It is a top-down shooter with tons of customization options for your character, as well as weapons. This means that it caters to various playing styles and offers a lot of replay value despite the relatively small number of levels. If you are a genre fan or enjoy games that allow you to experiment with how you approach objectives, you’ll have a blast with JYDGE.

Gameplay: Jydge is action-packed and offers lots of fun.

Graphics: The visuals are perhaps a little too similar to Neon Chrome, but it still looks good.

Sound: The soundtrack is great, and the sound effects are very impressive

Press X to Not Die

Press X to Not Die

Press X To Not Die is a quick-time-laden FMV game with B-movie levels of acting and effects. While this sounds pretty terrible in theory, it is actually quite entertaining when you sit down and play it. Unfortunately, the game isn’t very long, but it is a lot of fun while it lasts, and there is some replay value thanks to the branching storyline and the multitude of ways you can die. The game also sells for pocket change, so if you are in the mood for thirty minutes of goofball entertainment, you can’t go wrong with Press X To Not Die.

Gameplay: Press “X” (and a few other keys depending on the difficulty setting) to not die (and perform a few other actions.)

Graphics: The visuals consist purely of HD GoPro footage.

Sound: The acting is as cringe-worthy as one would expect from an interactive movie, but this just adds to the entertainment

EVERSPACE

EVERSPACE

Everspace might not have millions of systems to explore or an open world galaxy of possibilities, but it does have action-packed dogfights, procedurally-generated levels, roguelike elements and stellar visuals. The end result is a game that is highly addictive and offers buckets of replay value. Like all roguelike titles it can feel like a grind at times, but with three very different ships and plenty of perks to upgrade, each new run is very entertaining. If you are a fan of pretty visuals, addictive gameplay and plenty of action, then you don’t want to miss out on Everspace.

Gameplay: Very polished and highly addictive.

Graphics: Space has never looked more spectacular.

Sound: Decent voice acting, great sound effects and the soundtrack isn’t half bad either