8 Bit Horse: Vita

Showing posts with label Vita. Show all posts

Ultracore

A game by Digital Illusions and Strictly Limited Games for Genesis, PS4, Vita, and Switch, originally released for Genesis in 2019, with the updated version released in 2020.

Ultracore is a eurostyle shooter with a storied history. The game was originally developed by Digital Illusions (today known as DICE) for release on the Amiga, Sega Genesis, and Sega CD systems under the title of Hardcore, but its release was cancelled in 1994 by the game’s publisher, Psygnosis. Development was about 99% complete at the time of the cancellation, but with Sony’s Playstation just around the corner, the studio decided to focus on games for the new platform, cancelling dozens of unfinished Sega Genesis projects in a single day. (NB: Psygnosis was purchased by Sony in 1993.)

2019, 2020, Digital Illusions, Genesis, ININ Games, PS4, Strictly Limited Games, Switch, Vita

The Sun and the Moon

A game by Daniel Linssen for PC, Mac, PS4, Vita, and Xbox One, originally released in 2014.

The Sun and the Moon is an abstract puzzle platformer with a simple premise that is permuted upon in every conceivable way across the game’s 150 levels. The game began its life as an entry in the Ludum Dare 29 game jam, and was the winner of that competition. The game lives solely on its mechanics, offering no overarching narrative, a minimal color scheme, and a limited array of visuals that quickly communicate level elements to the player, making most areas very easy to parse.

The player controls a small orb that is able to perform high leaps from platform to platform. The primary dangers lie in coming into contact with spikes or falling off the bottom of the screen, either of which will kill the player instantly. That said, the player is given infinite attempts – as well as a quick restart button should he mess up or find himself in an unwinnable situation – and levels are designed to be completed in mere seconds, even on a first attempt.

2014, Daniel Linssen, Digerati, Kot in Action Creative Artel, Mac, PC, PS4, Vita, Xbox One

Shakedown Hawaii

A game by VBlank Entertainment for PC, PS4, PS3, Vita, Switch, 3DS, Wii U, and Wii, originally released in 2019.

Shakedown Hawaii is the follow-up to Retro City Rampage, which was an open world actioner with NES-era visuals that was heavily influenced by the top-down entries in the Grand Theft Auto series, with loads of references to the 1980’s. Shakedown Hawaii ups the visual fidelity to the SNES era while offering a larger open world experience set in modern day, but without the extensive pop culture references… but plenty of references to outdated 80’s technology used by the primary protagonist who claims every new technology to be a fad. The game also features a heavy focus on economics to help the player rise from the ranks of washed-up businessman to Hawaii's top mogul.

You take on the role of three individuals who embark on a coordinated crime spree across Hawaii, roughing up business owners, stealing cars, profiteering, manipulating real estate prices, and pretty much any crime they can think of to scrape their way to the top. The game offers more than 100 missions, hundreds of properties and businesses to purchase, and a number of score-based challenges (in GTA terms, think rampages) where you rack up kills and deliver destruction to earn medals.

2019, 3DS, PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, VBlank Entertainment, Vita

Dex / Dex: Enhanced Version

A game by Dreadlocks for PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, Vita, and Switch, originally released in 2015.

Dex is a cyberpunk action-adventure that takes place in the near future of 2037 where corporations are the ultimate power in the world. The gap between rich and poor has grown even further, with a handful of people living in luxury while everyone else is relegated to the slums. In most of the city, crime is rampant, and it’s easy to get your hands on drugs, prostitutes, and guns, as long as you have the cash… or the willingness to kill and take what you want.

You take on the role of the titular Dex, a young woman who finds herself thrust into a dangerous world. She awakens in her cramped apartment with a mysterious figure named Raycast broadcasting his image on her video screens. He tells her that she is in danger and she needs to get out before armed agents break in her door. She escapes out the window and makes her way to Fixers Hope where she meets up with a man named Decker and his hacker friend Tony.

2015, Dreadlocks, Linux, Mac, PC, PS4, Switch, Vita, Xbox One

Crossing Souls

A game by Fourattic for PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, and Vita, originally released in 2018.

Crossing Souls is an action-adventure set in the Los Angeles suburbs of Tujunga, California in 1986, where something supernatural is taking place. You take on the role of five kids who discover a dead body in the woods, and the dead man is clutching a mysterious pink stone shaped like a pyramid. The kids take the stone and soon find that it allows them to travel between the realms of life and death. Unbeknownst to them, there are larger forces at play, and they’re not the only ones interested in the stone… and they soon find themselves on a mission to save their families and the world.

The opening cutscene shows a pink glow appearing just beyond the mountains on the outskirts of town, followed by a lightning strike that wipes out the town’s power grid. The presentation is one of watching an 80’s cartoon on a VHS tape, complete with fuzzy tracking lines and occasionally warbling audio, and there are cartoon cutscenes throughout the game. The game is heavy on narrative, alternating between action sequences, puzzle solving, dialogue with NPC’s, and run-ins with members of the local gang, the Purple Skulls.

2018, Devolver Digital, Fourattic, Linux, Mac, PC, PS4, Switch, Vita

Battle Princess Madelyn / Battle Princess Madelyn Royal Edition

A game by Causal Bit Games for PC, Xbox One, PS4, Vita, Switch, and Wii U, originally released in 2018, with the Royal Edition released in 2020.

Battle Princess Madelyn is an open world action-adventure that takes its inspirations from Capcom’s Ghosts ‘n Goblins / Ghouls ‘n Ghosts series, placing the player in the role of an armored knight – with an exaggerated running animation – who has access to a variety of infinite-ammo projectiles, faces off against undead creatures and other such monstrosities in dark and spooky locales, and gets stripped of armor after taking damage and is reduced to fighting in just underwear. However, unlike the famous GnG series, this game stars a female protagonist, and instead of chasing after a damsel in distress, the brave knight is on a mission to avenge the death of her pet dog, Fritzy, who accompanies her in ghost form, while also saving the world from mortal peril.

Development of the game arose out of a conversation between the game’s creative director and his daughter, Madelyn. Christopher Obritsch was playing Ghouls ‘n Ghosts when his daughter asked if he could put her in the game so she could fight the famous “Green Head” boss at the end of the first level. Chris and his daughter are apparently big fans of the series, as Chris previously developed the GnG-inspired Insanity’s Blade and lists Ghouls ‘n Ghosts as his daughter’s favorite game to watch him play. Since Chris couldn’t insert her into that game, he offered to make her a game of her own where she could be a knight, to which she responded that only boys could be knights. In response, he asked what color the knight’s armor should be. His daughter requested pink armor… and so Battle Princess Madelyn was born.

2018, 2020, Causal Bit Games, Hound Picked Games, PC, PS4, Switch, Vita, Wii U, Xbox One

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon

A game by Inti Creates and ArtPlay for PC, PS4, Vita, Switch, 3DS, and Xbox One, originally released in 2018.

There’s no arguing that Castlevania has left a lasting mark on the gaming landscape. The series introduced players to gothic environments filled with classic monsters, the regularly-resurrected Dracula as its main villain, and a lineage of whip-wielding heroes with stiff jumps to push back evil for another 100 years (assuming Drac could ever stay down for that long). The series continued to break its own rules by introducing light RPG elements in its second outing, followed by a prequel that offered multiple playable characters, and then a revisitation of the original story of Simon Belmont that introduced new gameplay mechanics… and that’s all before the series went on to establish the basics of the now-well-trodden metroidvania subgenre.

While there are innumerable games that have pulled their influences from the metroidvania era of Castlevania, far fewer have drawn inspirations from the early games in the series. Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is one such game, delivering an experience that is so close to the early Castlevania games – Castlevania III in particular – that a few sprite swaps would make it impossible to separate it from the real thing; it looks and plays like a modern update to the classic series.

2018, 3DS, ArtPlay, Inti Creates, PC, PS4, Switch, Vita, Xbox One

Furwind

A game by Boomfire Games for PC, Switch, PS4, and Vita, originally released in 2018.

Furwind is a colorful platformer starring a fox, who carries the unlikely name of Furwind, as he embarks on a journey to save the people of Moontail village from a villain known as Darhûn. Moontail was once under the protection of four ancient beings, until one day Darhûn, the strongest of the ancients, decided to rise up and overthrow the others… but in the end, he was defeated and locked away. A thousand years have passed since that time, and a Darhûn-worshipping cult has decided to free him from his imprisonment and loose him on the world.

Furwind, serving as the chosen hero of the land, rises up to put a stop to all of this, venturing out into the surrounding forest, defeating monsters, rescuing imprisoned villagers, and reawakening the spirits of the other three ancients to gain new abilities. Along the way, he earns money to purchase upgrades and slowly opens up new sections of the forest to explore.

2018, Boomfire Games, PC, PS4, Switch, Vita

To Leave

A game by Freaky Creations for PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, and Vita, originally released in 2018.

To Leave is something of a free-flying obstacle-dodging actioner in which the lead character rides a flying door through a psychedelic fantasy world in a drug-induced dream that contains metaphorical elements from his real life. Now, that might sound like some kind of whimsical and carefree adventure, but nothing could be further from the truth. You see, the protagonist is a guy named Harm, a manic-depressive fellow who has experienced more than his share of tragedy of late, which has spurred him toward injurious action.

Harm steps through a magical doorway each day and passes into another world so that he may complete The Plan. He has detailed The Plan in scrawled journal entries between bouts of nausea within the confines of his dank and decrepit room, in hopes that someone will read and understand his thoughts after he has passed on. Harm is not well… he is not well at all.

2018, Freaky Creations, Linux, Mac, PC, PS4, Vita

99Vidas / 99Vidas: Definitive Edition

A game by QUByte Interactive for PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, and Vita, originally released in 2017, with the Definitive Edition released in 2018.

99Vidas is a beat ‘em up that centers around an ancient artifact that grants 99 lives to the person who holds it. Of course, the power of the 99Vidas is incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands, so a group of fighters have established themselves as its guardians. These guardians were given elemental powers to defend it from evil, but a crime lord manages to take it and use it for his own terrible purposes. You must stop his evil army and take the fight to his doorstep.

You take on the role of one of four warriors: King, with the power of water and ice; Izzy, with the power of electricity; Fries, with the power of earth; and Oak, with the power of fire. Players can go it alone or team up for 4P online or offline co-op, and there are several other characters that remain locked at the outset, eventually allowing for an 11-person roster. Characters are based on a Brazil-based video game podcast entitled 99Vidas; thus the title screen which displays 99Vidas: The Game. The game also features numerous 80’s and 90’s pop culture references and nods to video games of that era.

2017, Linux, Mac, PC, PS3, PS4, QUByte Interactive, Switch, Vita, Xbox One

Pix the Cat

A game by Pasta Games for PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, PS4, Vita, and Switch, originally released in 2015.

Pix the Cat is an arcade-style action game starring Pix, the big-headed blue cat who got his start in Arkedo Series 03 - Pixel! on Xbox Live Indie Games. Since then, the pixelated puss has visited other platforms via a port of his original game and the release of Pix’n Love Rush on mobile devices. In his first outing, Pix explored a traditional blocky platforming environment designed to mimic LCD-based titles, only with considerably more vibrant visuals. In addition to hopping and bopping on enemies’ heads and unleashing “meow.wav” projectiles, Pix could also enter individual blocks and move around in a zoomed-in world… and this concept carries over into his latest adventure.

Pix the Cat begins with only an Arcade Mode available, although there are three other modes that become available as the player reaches certain thresholds: Laboratory, Nostalgia, and Arena.

Arcade Mode
There is only one level available at the start of the game, in the form of the Starter Grid, which explains the basic rules and then drops the player into the action to figure things out. Eventually, the player opens up the Main Grid (which is key to opening the other modes), and skilled players will eventually unlock the Dessert Grid, which drastically increases the challenge with more complex layouts and loads of enemies. Per arcade conventions, the rules are simple to understand and difficult to master, and the challenge increases with every bit of progress the player makes.

2014, Focus Home Interactive, Linux, Mac, Pasta Games, PC, PS4, Switch, Vita, Xbox One

Nuclear Throne

A game by Vlambeer for PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Vita, and Switch, originally released in 2015.

Nuclear Throne, known during some of its development as Wasteland Kings, is a post-apocalyptic roguelike shooter featuring a colorful cast of characters blasting their way through hordes of enemies across the Wasteland to eventually reach the titular Nuclear Throne. There are no humans, nor any indication of what has happened to them; instead, the world’s remaining life forms are mutants, and survival means exposing themselves to more radiation in order to gain advantageous mutations to aid them in combat.

The Wasteland has randomly generated layouts, spawn points, and weapon/item drops spread across seven themed areas. There are 15 levels along the main route, but there are also numerous hidden levels – with unique themes – and these levels are often discovered by accident, as unlocking them often requires a very specific set of criteria.

2015, Linux, Mac, PC, PS4, Switch, Vita, Vlambeer

Necrosphere / Necrosphere Deluxe

A game by Cat Nigiri for PC, Mac, Switch, PS4, Vita, Xbox One, iOS, and Android, originally released in 2017, with the Deluxe version released in 2019.

In Necrosphere, you play the role Terry Cooper, some sort of agent who is killed during an ambush, and his spirit (or whatever) passes into the Necrosphere. Fortunately, his partners in the real world manage to survive have somehow found a way to slip little helpful notes into the Necrosphere to aid him on his quest… which is to find an exit and return to the Normalsphere. In order to do this, he’ll need to complete some tough platforming challenges and earn powerups that allow him to explore additional routes, metroidvania style.

According to Terry's still-living friends, the Necrosphere is the size of Earth, and he’ll have an eternity to explore and find the exit, which is rumored to have been permanently sealed. Fortunately, the game world is considerably less than the size of an entire planet, and level designs are somewhat straightforward, so the player won’t spend much time wandering aimlessly.

2017, Android, Cat Nigiri, iOS, Mac, PC, PS4, Switch, Vita, Xbox One

SteamWorld Dig 2

A game by Image & Form for PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Vita, and 3DS, originally released in 2017.

SteamWorld Dig 2 picks up after the events of the original SteamWorld Dig. In the original game, players took on the role of Rusty, a steambot whose father passed away while working in his mine. Rusty takes over working the mine and finds that it is not only filled with valuable minerals but also mysterious artifacts which grant him new abilities. But time has passed and Rusty has not returned to the surface, so a young steambot named Dorothy goes looking for her friend.

The SteamWorld universe is comprised of SteamWorld Tower Defense, the SteamWorld Dig series, and Steamworld Heist, and these games follow an alternate timeline for Earth in which 19th century humanity creates simple steam-powered robots and mechanical computers to perform basic tasks. But the rise in technology eventually leads to humanity’s destruction, forcing the remaining survivors underground while steambots continue living on the world above, largely unaware of the ancient technology that exists beneath their feet.

2017, 3DS, Image & Form, Linux, Mac, PC, PS4, Switch, Vita

Salt and Sanctuary / Salt and Sanctuary: Drowned Tome Edition

A game by Ska Studios for PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Vita, Switch, and Xbox One, originally released in 2016, with the Drowned Tome Edition released in 2018.

Salt and Sanctuary is an action-RPG very much inspired by the Dark Souls series and Bloodborne, offering a high level of difficulty, a complex interconnected world that the player is free to explore, and a limited number of health-restoring safe areas called sanctuaries. Rather than souls, the player finds himself collecting salt, which is gained by defeating enemies and lost upon the player’s death. If the player is killed, he is returned to the nearest sanctuary – at the cost of 10% of his gold – and he can regain his lost salt by returning and slaying the enemy that killed him… or getting killed again and losing his precious salt forever.

At the start of the game, the player is able to customize the appearance of his character, altering the sex, hair color, eye color, and facial hair, as well as choosing an origin country for the character, which affects his or her skin tone and facial features. More importantly, the player is able to select a class, which greatly affects how the player engages the game.

2016, Linux, Mac, PC, PS4, Ska Studios, Switch, Vita, Xbox One

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero / Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Ultimate Edition

A game by WayForward for PC, PS4, PS5, Vita, Xbox One, Switch, Wii U, and Stadia, originally released in 2016, with the Ultimate Edition released in 2018.

The Shantae series got its start on the GameBoy Color in 2002, but it wasn’t until recently that the purple-haired half-genie really made her way into the spotlight. In her original adventure, she used her magical animal transformations and hair whip attack to defend Sequin Land from a nefarious pirate named Risky Boots. But it wouldn't be until 2010 that her story continued with Shantae: Risky's Revenge. In this adventure, Shantae was able to defeat her nemesis once more, but victory came at a price… Shantae lost her magical abilities and was transformed into a human.

In 2014’s Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse, Shantae found that a new enemy was on the rise, and she formed an unlikely alliance with Risky Boots in order to save the land once again. Without her ability to transform into animals, Shantae instead uncovered Risky’s pirate gear, with each piece granting her new combat and environmental navigation abilities, allowing her to reach previously inaccessible areas in traditional metroidvania fashion.

As you may have guessed by the title of her latest adventure, Shantae regained her magical abilities (well, in the good ending anyway) and returned to her former half-genie self.

In Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, Shantae’s trademark hair whip attack and animal transformations make a return, but the visuals have undergone a significant makeover with a mixture of 2D and 3D elements, not unlike WayForward’s own DuckTales: Remastered. The series' trademark visuals are readily apparent in the new format, with vibrant colors, lots of detail, smooth animations, and loads of personality. (Ed note: Some screenshots were taken from the game’s Early Access Backer Build).

2016, 2018, PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Switch, Vita, WayForward, Wii U, Xbox One

Metagal

A game by RetroRevolution for PC, Mac, Switch, Xbox One, PS4, and Vita, originally released in 2016.

Metagal is an action platformer heavily inspired by the Mega Man series. You take on the role of a cyborg girl named Meta (a.k.a. GAL.00), who is on a quest to defeat General Creeper and rescue her maker, Dr. Ray, along with her cyborg sisters. Unfortunately, her sisters have been turned into battle androids and are now fighting on the side of General Creeper. However, by defeating each of her sisters, Meta can copy their abilities and use these powers to infiltrate Creeper’s fortress and take him down.

Meta has a 1.5x variable jump and the ability to dash along the ground for a short distance by double-tapping forward. Each press of the SHOOT button sends out 3 rapid-fire buster shots, and her special move is a cluster of blue and pink energy – very similar to the charge shot seen in later Mega Man titles – which draws from a secondary energy meter. In the game’s original release, the basic buster shot drained energy from the secondary meter as well, but this was removed in order to make the game more accessible.

2016, Mac, PC, PS4, Ratalaika Games, RetroRevolution, Switch, Vita, Xbox One

Moon Hunters

A game by Kitfox Games for PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Vita, and Switch, originally released in 2016.

In Moon Hunters, you take on the role of a set of legendary warriors whose tales have been passed down through the generations… only their stories have yet to be told. Your actions ultimately determine how you are remembered, and you’re not merely judged on your prowess in combat; you also earn a reputation depending on how you deal with situations that you encounter on your journey.

Each game begins with the mysterious disappearance of the moon goddess when the moon fails to rise at the end of the ceremonial Moon Feast, and you set out on a quest to determine what has happened. Opposing you are a number of wild creatures, as well as sun worshippers whose heliocentric beliefs put them at odds with you and your lunar-loving brethren.

2016, Kitfox Games, Linux, Mac, PC, PS4, Switch, Vita

Velocity 2X

A game by FuturLab for PC, PS4, Vita, Xbox One, and Switch originally released in 2014.

Velocity 2X is a follow-up to Velocity / Velocity Ultra, a game that mixes vertical shmupping with teleportation mechanics, and even some light puzzle solving. The bulk of the ship-based gameplay from the original game carries over into the sequel, albeit with a flashier presentation, but the new game also offers a substantial new addition in the form of on-foot sections. These areas break up the gameplay and offer fast-paced shooting on par with the overhead segments, but with additional platforming challenges and enemy types to put the player’s skills to the test.

Following the events of the first game, Lieutenant Kai Tana finds herself awakening onboard an alien spacecraft thousands of light years from home, a result of her final teleportation at the end of the original game. As she regains consciousness, she discovers that her body has been modified… Specifically, certain parts of her body have been replaced with elements from her ship, the Quarp Jet, allowing her to use her ship’s functions herself, including the ability to fire projectiles and teleport.

2014, FuturLab, PC, PS4, Sierra Games, Switch, Vita, Xbox One

Slain / Slain: Back from Hell

A game by Wolf Brew Games for PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Vita, Xbox One, Switch, and Wii U, originally released in 2016.

Slain! is a dark gothic action platformer starring Bathoryn, a man on a quest to destroy the monsters that rule over a series of towers. Inspired by the likes of Ghosts ‘n Goblins and Shadow of the Beast, the game oozes with atmosphere (sometimes literally) with candle-lit corridors, rivers of blood, macabre statues, and twisted creatures from the darkest depths attacking from all sides... all accompanied by a heavy metal soundtrack.

Combat is slow and deliberate, with heavy overhand sword swings and a timing-based combo system. Simply mashing the ATTACK button as quickly as possible results in a series of short weak slashes that barely impact enemies and leave Bathoryn open to retaliatory strikes. Learning the proper timing allows Bathoryn to follow through with a 3-hit combo, stepping forward with each strike and pushing his enemies back.

2016, Digerati Distribution, Linux, Mac, PC, PS4, Switch, Vita, Wii U, Wolf Brew Games, Xbox One