Great games that I’ve tried and that you should too.
Ah, so many new ways of doing things here at Mr. Dave Games. I think probably the most notable change has been the expansion of my YouTube operations. I've covered a whole 18 new indie games this month, including one switch game (Vesper.) If you think this is a lot, wait until next month, when things are going to get very serious. I've also uploaded three new tutorials to my channel, which are doing great. Woo hoo! Okay, yes, YouTubing showcases has allowed me to cover more content, but this blog is just as important and as I pursue new projects, this one is just as important for me. So, as a kind of hybrid concept post, let's go over what was played in May 2022.
Haiyai is a pretty cool game. I played another game like it recently called Pizza Tactics, but only in the sense that the main mechanic is drawing a path with my mouse. Really though, Haiyai is a full-feature game aimed at casual play. Control one of 5 Ronin, and clear hordes of enemies swarming from the sides of the map by dragging a line between the individual enemies in one long swipe. It could double as a mobile game, but I really enjoyed playing it on my computer. Huge cool feature here though,you can actually play this with a drawing tablet if you like! That is a new one for me. I am guilty of saying that I will replay a lot of games that I never do but this one is so easy that I could just open it up and play whenever.
So, first off, a correction to my YouTube video here, Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue actually released in December. With the permission of the publisher, we've been allowed to take another look at this game. According to reviews and members in the Indie Game Collective, patches to this game earlier in 2022 have made the game substantially more playable. I never tried that original version, but concur that the current state of the game is as seamless and responsive as it could be.
Yep, Haiku the Robot is about robots, although you're more likely to catch on fire before most of its poetics! It's a dystopic pixel platformer with a variety of routes to navigate through. The tunnels are left from the aftermath of an apocalyptic turn. It does have somewhat of a narrative for the first minute. Mostly, you'll be in the heat of battle. You are thrown into the general theme of trying to find your way around immediately. Thankfully, maps are available.
Vesper: Zero Light Edition is out on Nintendo Switch and PC today! Players can find this new version, plus the big debut Switch release, on eShop and Steam. It's an innovative platformer with arcane space vibes and shimmering, colorful environments. It also includes a compelling and innovative storyline told through holographic recordings and plentiful checkpoint diversions. I played the first twenty minutes on my Switch for you. I have to say it's one of the more stylistically compelling platformers I have played a release version of.
Back with another Indie Game Collective showcase for Rotund Zero. It's a precision platformer with a Game Boy monochrome style that uses directional keys only to solve puzzle levels made of bouncing blocks. It's only $1.99 on Steam at the moment and encourages problem-solving in timed runs. You have 5 minutes to complete as many levels as possible, and there are 26 levels, 1 for every letter of the alphabet! You'll be on your toes to speedrun all of those levels, but the pressure is mild. Watch the YouTube video at the top of this article to see me run, a genuine but beginner, 5-minute run. I've been trying to cover more Game Boy-style retro games, so thank you to the developer and publisher Dahku for providing the key!
Today, I'm taking a look at the soon-to-be-released, arcade-style title Galacticon from developer Radin Games. It's similar in style to 1980s arcade games like Defender, Joust, and Jetpac. You might be familiar with some of these from the book Ready Player One; and maybe the film, but I can't remember, although I know Joust featured prominently in the book. I sat down with the space-themed preview they provided and honestly got really into it. Initially, I wondered how much there'd be to say, but the game has many objectives. There's also an online leaderboard to compete with, so it is full of incentives to play. I'll give you a rundown of some features as well. And as usual, I've included my gameplay, as usual, with the YouTube video at the top. Let's get started.
It's been some time since a game like this has been featured on MrDavePizza, but Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective absolutely belongs. As a game that originated in a book series, the game takes many cues from the visual classics of growing up. Incidentally, I was a big fan of books like Where's Waldo? and Eye Spy, which are similar in scope and content as Pierre the Maze Detective--perhaps you remember too. So, let's get into this, what is Labyrinth City? It's a top-down puzzle game with hand-drawn characters in a visual feast of eccentric characters and scenes, through which you must navigate through a maze of people to track down the devious "Mr. X." I spent some time playing it so you can know what to expect from this delightful indie with a charming and surprising origin to a perfectly playable game form. Okay, let's have a look.
Dogurai by HungryBear is a Game Boy-style indie Metroidvania. I know about it through, a couple of co-creators from Indie Game Collective. Thank you, Jaunty Adventures and Pursuing Pixels. Their taste is superb, as this turned out to be an exciting game. I've covered very few Game Boy titles here, aside from Lasagna Boy and... actually, that might be it. It's a great genre if you want to get into indies. In summary, the designs are aligned with the palette and rendering of old-school Game Boy games. This one in particular is a nice platformer/Metroidvania that takes you through some moderately challenging levels. There are ruffian henchmen, shielded hulks, and old-school SMB 3-style bosses. In my video, I had to jump around like more of a ninja to obliterate the first boss.
I've got a great video up for Bum Ballon on my YouTube channel because I found this game on a Steam sale for 89 cents! With some investigation, I narrowed down some impulse options for pixel art platformers in the likes of some recent faves like Grapple Dog (which hopefully I'll get to) and PomPom. It's a game with unique characters and a traditional SNES-type side scroller plot--a game that personally puts me into an optimized chill mode. Basically, hop in a cannon, and, after blast-off, interact as you're taken for a ride through a colorful world with unique obstacles and moderate challenges.
