2D Platformer

It seems like forever since I’ve played a roguelike platformer. A few years back, they arrived more frequently but that drought has now been broken. Chenso Club is a fast-paced, 2D platformer that combines forgivable platform challengers with some simple but swift combat. Swedish developer Pixadome are at the helm. […]

Chenso Club – PS4 Review

September 27, 2022 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 16-bit / 2D Platformer / chenso club / melee combat / pixadome / roguelike by Mike

When I see the Ratalaika logo pop up, I’d like to think now I haven’t an idea of what I’m in for. It’s usually visual novels or quick arcade-ish experiences and Arsonist Heaven did appear to be the latter. Coming from Omegacore, this simple platformer about a hazmat-wearing pyromaniac does, […]

Arsonist Heaven – PS5 Review

August 12, 2022 in PS5 / Reviews tagged 2D Platformer / aliens / arsonist heaven / flamethrower / gunplay / liquidator / omegacore / pyromaniac by Mike

Avenging Spirit was a 1991 action/platformer arcade title that was originally known as Phantasm to Japanese coin-op players. Little known in the West at the time, we became aware of it thanks to MAME, the famous arcade emulator. It was one of those hidden gems that looked great, had really interesting gameplay […]

Avenging Spirit – PS5 Review

August 2, 2022 in PS5 / Reviews tagged 2D Platformer / arcade / avenging spirit / coin-op / port by Richie

Indie platformers are a dime a dozen and it can be hard to sort the diamonds from the rough. Especially if they don’t initially appear to stand out visually or heavily lean on a gameplay hook. Still, I enjoy a good one and Guin Entertainment’s hoping to provide with Adventures […]

Adventures of Chris – PS4 Review

July 10, 2022 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2D Platformer / adventures of chris / Balloons / fat children / globe-trotting / guin entertainment / metroidvania / thanks chris / vampire by Mike

Alwa’s Legacy comes from Elden Pixels after a successful kickstarter and a 2020 PC release. It was well received for its focus on exploration and interesting tweaks on player traversal. Metroidvania’s might be commonplace on game stores but it’s been a while since one strayed across my path. Thankfully, this […]

Alwa’s Legacy – PS4 Review

December 25, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2D Platformer / adventure / alwa's legacy / amnesia / catacombs / elden pixels / exploration / magic / metroidvania / retro aesthetic by Mike

It’s great to see retro staples come back with a new coat of paint. Re-releases are key to preserving gaming’s past and it’s always nice to see the games of old making a comeback. Today it’s the turn of Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX. Coming from Jankenteam, this port […]

Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX – PS4 Review

June 22, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2D Platformer / alex kidd in miracle world dx / jankenteam / paper / retro remake / rock / scissors / sega master system by Mike

Gravity’s a sure-fire fact of life but, in terms of games, mechanics around the force seem to becoming more commonplace. It’s a relatively quick way to reconsider how a level and encounters are designed but not everybody seems to get it right. The latest to attempt it is Brazil’s Studica […]

Gravity Heroes – PS4 Review

May 2, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2D Platformer / brazil / bullet-hell / gravity heroes / local co-op / robots / shooter / studica solution by Mike

The indies appear to have gone into overdrive this year and I certainly feel relieved when a smaller game comes to my attention. Dreaming Sarah is one such game that feels almost like a short experience rather than a traditional game. A puzzle-platformer from Asteristic Game Studios, this fairly slim […]

Dreaming Sarah – PS4 Review

March 13, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2D Platformer / anthony septim / asteristic game studio / dreaming sarah / metroidvania / surreal by Mike

Every now and then you come across a game where mechanically, there’s something on offer that feels different and fresh. Spooky Chase by QUByte Interactive and Burning Goat Studio, is one of those instances. From a combination of small Brazilian studios, this platformer looks to a neat idea and hangs […]

Spooky Chase – PS4 Review

March 7, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2D Platformer / burning goat studios / candy / capture the flag / ghosts / halloween / qubyte interactive / spooky chase by Mike

Indie platformers are plentiful and it does seem a fair few chase a responsiveness and challenge that I’m not always up to. Two Parsecs from Earth is a rather more bitesize effort, coming from ABX Game Studios. Whilst it does have some interesting ideas about progression and a fairly focused […]

Two Parsecs from Earth – PS4 Review

October 27, 2020 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2D Platformer / abx game studio / challenging / collectibles / Robot / two parsecs from earth by Mike

Another week, another Ratalaika release. This time from Brazilian boutique developer lightUP comes Super Wiloo Demake. At least we assume they’re Brazilian due to the Portuguese language choice having the Brazilian flag anyway. Super Wiloo Demake is a charming retro styled platformer with a baffling plot we’d struggle to get […]

Super Wiloo Demake – PS4 Review

August 6, 2019 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2D Platformer / brasil / ratalaika / retro / we are sepultura by Ian

Not many people will be giving much attention to PAW Patrol: On A Roll given that it is one of the few retail games that dared pop its head above the parapet and release on the same day as Rockstar’s Yeehaw Simulator MkII but we figured it was worth a crack. The somewhat […]

PAW Patrol: On A Roll – PS4 Review

October 29, 2018 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2D Platformer / paw patrol / rote by Ian