1st Impressions - SCOURGEBRINGER, COFFEE TALK, HYPER LIGHT DRIFTER, & more

(By Melody Werner)

I follow many, many video games--as part of the ever-growing Noteworthy Video Games project. During my time on line, I have become much more into the gaming scene than I ever was as a kid--my understanding of the medium and its industry far more holistic too. As a hopelessly pitiful hipster, I keep my finger on the pulse when it comes to indie and boutique published titles. With this segment, I'd like to give a few words on the games I'm bouncing between--before I eventually review them in full.

(acquired during Alienware giveaway)

DEV: Doinksoft | PUB: Devolver Digital | YEAR: 2019

Gato Roboto is a lovely, monochromatic Meowtroidvania with stellar 1-bit pixel art, fun gunplay and exploration, and paws down the cutest protagonist in any 2019 game: Kiki.

(purchased full-price)

DEV: Toge Productions | YEAR: 2019

Coffee Talk is a talking simulator, that is incredibly well written so far. The pixel art and music are aces, and the general concept is remarkably unique.

(was part of itch.io's BLM bundle)

DEV: Pixel Pushers Union 512 | PUB: Means Interactive | YEAR: 2020

Tonight We Riot is a superb piece of badass leftist agitprop. A concussive mix of Streets of Rage and Pikmin which carries its pro-AntiFa message through faithfully. Brutal combat and crunchy pixel art.

(purchased full-price)

DEV: Adventure Islands | YEAR: 2020

Adventure Islands is an indie dev who specializes in high concept puzzle/platformers such as Total Party Kill, or Heart Star. This romantic platformer sees you navigating two lovers through some lightweight but clever puzzles.

(purchased during launch sale)

DEV: Retrific | PUB: Headup Games | YEAR: 2020

Colt Canyon is a rollicking, high octane Western shooter that boasts magnificent pixel art and cataclysmic gunplay. Every attack feels earth shatteringly massive. Absolutely worth the wait since its Kickstarter outing years ago.

(was in a Humble Bundle)

DEV: Hempuli Oy | YEAR: 2019

Baba Is You is a delightful, brainbending puzzler with a neat, minimalistic aesthetic. The puzzles aren't so difficult as to be inaccessible, but they do require thinking outside the box, making them all very rewarding to solve.

(purchased during Summer Sale)

DEV: Mografi | YEAR: 2019

What if you had a Nancy Drew-esque detective book series where the author was forced to start killing off characters once sales took a nosedive and readership began to dwindle out of boredom with the formula? That's the premise for the story behind Jenny LeClue: Detectivú, a side-scrolling adventure with an exceptional art style, excellent writing, and an exemplary story. It's definitely an amusing title worth checking out.

(purchased full-price)

DEVS: Flying Oak Games, E-Studio | PUBS: Dear Villagers, Yooreka Games | YEAR: 2020 | EARLY ACCESS

Say hello to one of the absolute best games of this year. Good lord is this an outstanding entry into the "Roguevania" style. Its combat: pitch perfect. Its pixel art: gorgeous. Its humor: unexpected, but very much appreciated. Its world: intriguing. Its music: thunderous and exhilarating. If you're looking for something as addictive as Dead Cells, ScourgeBringer is on par with that. I recommend it to anyone who thinks it looks cool--trust me, it is.

(purchased with EGS coupon)

DEV: Bird Bath Games | PUB: Raw Fury | YEARS: 2019/2020

I know it's heretical as a gamer™ to confess that I use the Epic Games Store, but I do. It's not like Steam or GOG are run by very ethical companies, and I've generally had positive experiences with the EGS. But obviously its greatest selling point would be its litany of top-notch store exclusives, like Atomicrops. Atomicrops is one of those indie/boutique games that puts AAA titles to shame. A fun, eclectic art style and fun farmin'/shootin' gameplay. Very inventive and enjoyable to play.

(purchased during sale)

DEV: Cybernate | PUB: Fellow Traveller | YEAR: 2015

Super Mutant Alien Assault, better known as the Citizen Kane of Super Crate Box Clones (yes, that's how they actually marketed this thing), is a crunchy action/platformer built for short blasts of adrenaline with its arcadey runs. I'm not a huge fan of the dubstep in the gameplay, but the menu music is stellar.

(was in a Humble Bundle)

DEV: Heart Machine | YEAR: 2016

If there was ever an indie title that was destined to go down as one of the greatest games of all time, Hyper Light Drifter is certainly up there. Its unique sci-fi/fantasy world, coupled with blissful visuals and music is a sheer joy to behold, let alone explore. The combat is frenetic, tense, strategic. The puzzles are a sleeker, modernized riff on classic Zelda. A top-notch game that has me eager to see more of Heart Machine's follow-up, Solar Ash.