DeVuego

Waterfall Prisoner is an engrossing and masterful effort by Spanish indie game developer Albert (APA estudi). The creepy ambiance, engaging puzzles, and the game’s ability to build genuine tension and horror without relying on cheap jump-scares are truly amazing.

Play this one with a friend, preferably one who’s watched Herbert West: Reanimator with you and/or stolen a bird mount from you in Golden Axe after you got knocked off. Good times.

Kharon’s Crypt – Even Death May Die is an excellent throwback to an age of adventure games that many look to with fondness. It throws itself at this challenge with enthusiasm while bringing its own ideas along for the ride. It also comes with a lot of in-universe lore to find, adding narrative depth to its world. There are a few niggles here and there, such as some text that requires a little proofreading, but for the most part, this is an excellent retro Metroidvania title that should delight anyone looking for a nostalgic trip through a pixel art dungeon.

Unfortunately, having a great soundtrack isn’t enough to keep my interest. With sluggish character movement, boring fetch quests and a poorly written script, not even a radical amount of ’80s references can save Megamagic: Wizards of the Neon Age. The combat is too repetitive, with very little in the sense of real accomplishment, and the NPCs just flat out bored me. The interest may be there for diehard fans of the RTS/RPG genre, but the RPG elements within just come a little too short.

The Count Lucanor is an inspired, entertaining little horror game. It’s a creepy, 4-hour fairy tale shaped by the choices you make along the way. If you’re a fan of classic fairy tales and the horror genre, this game will not disappoint.

Another factor that will ensure multiple play-throughs is how challenging it is to get the “great” ending. There are three different endings you can view, are discovered based on how many secrets you can find. You may find this game to be more reminiscent of the Castlevania series, an enjoyable ride to the end with a wonderful chiptune soundtrack and Ninja Gaiden-like difficulty. It doesn’t seem as refined as Maldita Castilla, but therein lies the charm.

Crazy Steam Bros 2 is a game with some neat ideas, but they are not implemented as well as they could have been. Its story could have been more engaging and its levels should have been more fun to play through. Its floaty controls, however, are what will turn a lot of people off.

The foundation for a better, more enjoyable game is there if it’s worked on a bit more, but where it stands as of right now, I’d recommend spending your time on another more compelling shoot ’em up experience.