DeVuego BD

El Gancho is a fun pixel-art action platformer but one that isn’t a must play. The randomly generated levels and fast paced gameplay can make it addictive to want to give it one more run but there are also so many other options out there to get this experience from. It’s very affordable however so if you’re looking for something on the cheap to get a lot of play out of then this is worth a try.

Psychotic’s Colossus Down is a dark, humorous beat ‘em up with great visuals but it may not appeal to everyone. I personally found the dark humor to be enjoyable but if that’s not your thing then I totally understand that. The actual beat ‘em up gameplay isn’t as impactful of say some other recent entries in the genre like Streets of Rage 4 but there is still fun to be had here either playing solo or with a friend locally.

I was surprised how much enjoyment I got doing basically the same thing repeatedly. I entered the pyramid, slayed dozens of enemies, stole their gold, died, upgraded and did it all over again. I love how each run never felt like a failure, despite ending with death. Upgrading my character meant that the next run was that much easier, barring any terrible scrolls. If I had to change one thing about the game, I wish I didn’t have to lose all my leftover coins. I would love a way to bank them, even if a fraction of the total had to be sacrificed. I can see myself returning to Immortal Redneck for a long time, whether to farm coins or attempt to beat the entire game in one sitting. As a shooter, a platformer and rogue-lite, Immortal Redneck might be your next gaming addiction.

Vaccine makes an admirable attempt to recapture the original survival horror style game, both looking and playing the part. Unfortunately, the advancements that developers have made in the past 20 years have made games like Vaccine obsolete. It isn’t scary and it’s likely to frustrate most of those who play it; younger gamers especially won’t have any emotional ties to similar classic games. I’m more intrigued by the challenge of “solving” the mystery, which I have not yet done, and seeing how many times I can return the vaccine without dying. Aside from that and the meta-challenge of achievements, I don’t see myself getting re-infected much more.

What all this adds up to is a game that is incredibly unique and challenging, while at the same time being a visual delight. Admittedly, there were times when I got mad at the game and wanted to give up; I thought the section I was stuck at was impossible to pass. Thankfully with a little time away and some fresh eyes, I always managed to make progress. Rise & Shine takes many risks with its design and blending of gameplay genres; thankfully it came out the other end smelling like roses. While I don’t think any game is perfect, Rise & Shine is incredibly exemplary. Highly recommended.