2d

Exp Parasite is not an RPG like the name might suggest. Although I couldn’t see it anywhere in the game apparently the ‘Exp’ is short for ‘Experimental’ rather than ‘Experience’ as you play as a parasite who can control mechanical objects and must do so to progress through ten challenging, […]

Exp Parasite – PS4 Review

25 Sep, 2020 in PS4 tagged 2d / difficult / exp parasite / flappy bird / gravity / platformer / super meat boy / vvvvvv by Gareth

Tamiku is the latest Ratalaika title and is a familiar mix of retro visuals and gameplay and easy to achieve trophies. It comes by way of Josyan Games, the solo developer who also brought us Zeroptian Invasion which was a very basic Space Invaders clone that did its best to feel like an […]

Tamiku – PS4 Review

17 Sep, 2020 in PS4 tagged 2d / arcade / easy platinum / ratalaika / retro / tamiku by Richie

Banner of the Maid is a strategy RPG in the vein of Final Fantasy Tactics or Shining Force. It’s been developed in China rather than Japan but that makes little difference as it follows the template closely. The last Chinese developed RPG I reviewed was Sword and Fairy 6 and […]

Banner of the Maid – PS4 Review

27 Aug, 2020 in PS4 tagged 2d / banner of the maid / bonaparte / chinese / french / rpg / strategy / sword and fairy / visual novel by Gareth

This week’s Ratalaika release is Prehistoric Dude, a 2D Metroidvania-style platformer. Yes the platinum is easily obtainable and done so before you finish the game as usual from this publisher, but is it worthwhile otherwise? You play as Dude and his lunch has just been stolen by a large dinosaur […]

Prehistoric Dude – PS4 Review

13 Aug, 2020 in PS4 tagged 2d / dinosaur / metroidvania / prehistoric dude / ratalaika / short by Gareth

Cuphead has been out on various formats for many, many years now but it’s finally arrived on PS4. Everyone who is interested will know about the visuals and difficulty, but was it worth the wait? You play as Cuphead or his brother Mugman, or both in local two player, after […]

Cuphead – PS4 Review

4 Aug, 2020 in PS4 tagged 2d / animation / belated / bleed / contra / cuphead / difficult / run and gun by Gareth

PSN has been host to a few 2D airplane shoot ’em ups, most notably Luftrausers which was a good retro-flavoured affair and the brilliant Rogue Aces, which we still rate as one of the most exciting shoot ’em ups on the system. Aircraft Evolution, from Satur Games and ported by Russian coding crew Sometimes […]

Aircraft Evolution – PS4 Review

22 Jul, 2020 in PS4 tagged 2d / aircraft evolution / dogfights / harrier attack / planes / retro-ish / shoot em up by Richie

The last Shantae game, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, was my first experience with the series and was a delight. Now the previously iOS only Shantae and the Seven Sirens has hit PS4 bringing more light-hearted, Metroidvania-style platforming action. Shantae and her friends start the game on holiday. They’ve been invited to […]

Shantae and the Seven Sirens – PS4 Review

15 Jun, 2020 in PS4 tagged 2d / and the seven sirens / dancing / Half-Genie Hero / metroidvania / platforming / Shantae / transformation by Gareth

A PS4 and Vita review, that must mean it’s Ratalaika time! Thunder Paw is this week’s release and as usual it’s cross buy with both versions having their own, easily obtainable, platinum trophy. What genre is it this week? A quick look at the images in this review will tip […]

Thunder Paw – PS4/Vita Review

21 Mar, 2020 in PS4 / Vita tagged 2d / knock back / platformer / ratalaika / shooter / thunder paw by Gareth

Despite sounding like the latest product from a pharmacy company, Habroxia is in fact a shoot ’em up in the classic coin-op style and is out now for PS4 and Vita as a cross-buy. Developed by Canadian coders Lillymo Games, this game is very much a love letter to an era of […]

Habroxia – PS4/Vita Review

26 Sep, 2019 in PS4 / Vita tagged 2d / arcade / habroxia / retro / shoot em up by Richie

Distraint is a short but bittersweet 2D adventure game from one man developer Jesse Makkonen which has been ported to the PS4, and Vita, by Ratalaika Games, the Finnish perpetual publishers who we seem to be reviewing every week. You already know what they are about, quick and easy platinums, […]

Distraint – PS4 Review

12 Sep, 2019 in PS4 tagged 2d / adventure / distraint / feelings / puzzles / ratalaika by Richie

Ratalaika Games are back again this week with Paradox Soul on PS4 and Vita. As usual that means a quick and easy platinum trophy for each system, but this time the genre is Metroidvania. A quick google search will find a browser version of this game to play for free, […]

Paradox Soul – PS4/Vita Review

5 Jul, 2019 in PS4 / Vita tagged 2d / easy platinum / metroidvania / paradox soul / ratalaika / retro by Gareth

The Neptunia games have been going on for almost a decade now. They’re primarily JRPG games but Neptune and co. have dabbled with multiple genres over the years with the characters that people know and maybe love being the one constant. Super Neptunia RPG is, as the name suggests, an […]

Super Neptunia RPG – PS4 Review

26 Jun, 2019 in PS4 tagged 2d / hyperdimension / nep nep / Neptune / neptunia / rpg / Super / superdimention by Gareth