Solar Panic: Utter Distress is a humorous adventure title that uses heavy pop-culture and low-brow comedy in a surprisingly effective way. With a short story, awkward game play features, and some low detailed graphics, many players may be surprised to find that Solar Panic: Utter Distress piles on the laughs enough to ensure most people looking for a chuckle will find a few.
Luckily, both of these together in the Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove makes the collection all the more worth it.
Story of a Gladiator is an action beat'em up from Brain Seal Entertainment that puts the player in the boots of a gladiator that has lost everything. While the title "Story of a Gladiator" may be a misnomer as the actual story is short, with no real impact on much of what you do, Story of a Gladiator manages to pull off a fun action title that will keep players invested for several hours as they bash, slice, and skewer their way to the top.
Avicii Invector is a high intensity rhythmic game centered around the largely praised electronic musician Avicii. The tap-to-the-beat game play coincides with many of Avicii's greatest works, joyfully playing against an illuminated theme park track, that is reminiscent of the EDM scene as a whole. Although the story in Avicii Invector leaves much to be desired, and some higher difficulties will prove too challenging for the fledgling rhythmic gamer, Avicii Invector is a faithful tribute to the late musician and his work.
While the puzzles are mostly enjoyable, the combat is largely uninspired, leading to tedious boss encounters and aggravating 3D battles that quickly neutralizes the fantastic points of AeternoBlade 2's design.
140 on the Nintendo Switch is still the same award winning rhythmic platformer, now on the Switch! 140 provides simplistic controls in conjunction with challenging beat-based puzzle-platformer action that will take players only a few hours of their time to beat. The experience is definitely worth the cost of admission.
Jamestown+ is a strange trip through space-age colonial times. Take control of several ships with dozens of optional load outs and protect Roanoke and Jamestown alongside John Smith from the allied forces of the Spanish and the Martians. While the premise may seem weird and hokey, the gameplay is solid, fun, and is sure to satisfy shoot'em up fans for hours with multiple difficulties, unlockable game modes, and additional challenge tiers.
WarpThrough is an indie arcade gem.
With no true online multiplayer and limited level options, Munchkin: Quacked Quest feels like a starter pack awaiting expansions before it's ready for prime time.
THOTH by Carlsen Games is a geometrical twin stick shooter with an attitude. With a kaleidoscope of killer shapes impeding your progression, twin stick fans will find THOTH a worthy adversary. Despite a few design decisions meant to extend the speed of completion, like checkpoints only available every few levels, and increased difficulty of levels upon death, THOTH still manages to provide an enjoyable experience.