DeVuego

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is one of the most visually impressive, mechanically solid and competent retro-re-styled platformers I’ve ever played. It not only nails the tone and authenticity of the classic Ninja Gaiden games, as well as maintains the style set in the modern games, it encapsulates the feeling of a classic 80s platformer and successfully modernises it in a way that anyone can and will find a way to enjoy it. With gorgeous pixel art, a banging soundtrack and a strong variety of gameplay with some epic boss battles, Ragebound is a truly remarkable return to the franchise to its roots and a delightful challenge that keeps you entertained throughout. Sensational!

Blades of Fire is an interesting take on a familiar genre, offering some clever ideas, well engineered combat and a vibrant world. There’s challenges with this one, though, like traversal, iffy mini games, and some grind. However this is a mostly enjoyable romp that deserves the chance to be played and appreciated and a game that ultimately presents in a positive light.

Blasphemous 2 is a bold, bloody, brilliant sequel that betters everything that came before it. The Game Kitchen have polished, refined, and re-energised this franchise, crafting a fantastically unique and compelling souls-like, metroidvania that may just be one of the best things Team 17 have ever published.

Kao and the Five Pirates of Mara is a stunning looking, decent platformer with heart, charm and fun to be had. Unfortunately it all feels quite simplistic, stutters and stammers, controls awkwardly, and frankly, other games have just done it all so much better.

Bleak Sword DX is a good challenge with a wonderfully designed retro 3D aesthetic, a steadily paced, increasing difficulty of enemies to keep the content feeling fresh, and some nice gameplay changes to ensure you’ll stick with it through the fun times and the rough. Odd disconnection issues, combat and control repetition and responsiveness do add to the frustrations a bit, but not enough to deter you from this satisfyingly savage slasher.

After Us may appear to be a game with a profound message at first play, but the deeper you get in, the more its grip lessens on the player between drawn out traversal sections, reptitive puzzling, clunky controls and a profound emptiness permeating throughout. While I appreciate what I think the game is trying to say, unfortunately, I don’t think it gets that message across as well as it would have liked.

Fourattic have given us a wholesome, humble, and most importantly fun video game that you’ll simply adore from start to finish. No doubt about it, Crossing Souls is the indie game to beat in 2018.