Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon

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

Ghost 1.0

Ghost 1.0

Play as a digital ghost with the ability to control androids in this great Metroidvania title from the maker of Unepic. The game challenges you to infiltrate the Nakamura Space Station and uncover its secrets, a quest that will take you through almost 300 rooms. Ghost 1.0 features tight controls, engaging writing, likable characters, and plenty of action, which makes it very easy to recommend to fans of the genre.

Gameplay: Ghost 1.0 is quite challenging at times, but very addictive.

Graphics: The game features detailed visuals and some very nice design elements.

Sound: The soundtrack is excellent, but the voice-acting steals the show

Nephil’s Fall by Exordium Games

Nephil’s Fall by Exordium Games

Start weak and build up your character until they are an unstoppable force. That is usually how progression works in games. Some games strip you of all powers at the start and require you to slowly regain them again, but Nephil’s Fall dares to do things a little differently

The Waste Land

The Waste Land

The Waste Land is a great entry in the genre and while it is not without its flaws has plenty to offer fans. The gameworld is absolutely huge and the retro inspired visuals are spot on. There are also plenty of enemies to battle as well as huge bosses that take some skill to take down. The open world design is great for players who want to forge their own routes through the game, but can be confusing to those who don’t. Some areas, such as the combat, could have been made more engaging, but fans of the genre will still find plenty to enjoy.

Graphics: Imaginative, gory and very true to the 8-bit titles from which it draws inspiration.

Sound: Some nice tunes, but they repeat way too often which causes repetition.

Gameplay: Challenging and entertaining, but could have been a little more rewarding