There is no time like the present to fully invest yourself to the cause, and if you have any reservations about joining the Slayer’s Army, rest assured – this is one of the best, if not THE best, shooter experience you’ve ever laid your hands, eyes, ears, and guts on. Grab your chainsaw. Rip, and tear.
If you’re new to Level Down Games, you should know that we reserve perfect scores for the very rare event that a game should be considered a true masterpiece of its genre and that, for the life of the reviewer, we wouldn’t change a thing about the game. In 2019, we didn’t award a single perfect score to any game. I hope that our miserly use of tens leads you to take it very seriously when we finally hand one out. When I say that the music, story, combat, and flow of Hades is very near perfect, I don’t mean that I would change something, only that there is something that might have room for improvement that I have not been able to identify after many hours of playtime. Hades is priced at an affordable $24.99, and since its release has already had a few sales. It is worth much more than the asking price, and I genuinely can not recommend it enough.
Katana ZERO is a modern masterpiece with a nearly perfect aesthetic. The graphics are beautifully rendered and animated, the music masterfully composed, and the gameplay tight and satisfying. Almost every moment of this game is used meaningfully and, despite its overall relatively short play time, leaves you with a full story with enough twists and turns that keep you playing to the end and ultimately leave you satisfied.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are familiar with the nightmares and stories of horror from Cuphead veterans. The game is notoriously difficult and unforgiving, and some battles can be repeated ad nauseum for hours before you finally perfect the techniques. But if you’re able to set aside your rage, get a good grip on your Pro Controller, and power through try after try, you will be lucky enough to dive into one of the prettiest and most unique games of this generation, and maybe ever.
My mother always told me that forgiveness is a virtue. EA, publisher of Apex Legends, has made it difficult to embody this attribute because over the course of many sunken dollars, they have disappointed me with undelivered promises, pricey in-game transactions, and abandoned developments. However, like a beaten dog, I’ve come whimpering back to their wide open, well-polished arms. Apex Legends is fun, it’s addicting, and the urge to play JUST ONE MORE is ever present. It’s difficult to say after not even a week since its launch, but if you’re looking for the next big competitive game, Apex Legends might just be it. I, for one, will be happy if it is.
I can’t think of any other single player game that has offered such a wide breadth and endless stream of content without having to pay for every new level. Whether you are a creative and inspiring designer, a swift fingered speedrunner, or a casual weekend Mario newbie, there will forever be another flagpole to grab, castle to conquer, and princess to save in the incomparable Super Mario Maker 2. The team at Level Down Games can not put it down, and if you decide to make the purchase, we’re certain you won’t be able to either.
Yet, somewhere along the way, I and many other gamers felt lost. The deeply rich and vibrant lands we once ventured across no longer held any allure, only temporary distractions and shadows of the glory we once strove for. Leveling became easy. Professions became bothersome. Travel was insignificant. Money lost value. High fantasy was sacrificed for a fantasy/sci-fi hybrid, complete with motorcycles, rocket ships, and aliens. Even the war between factions held little intrigue, as too often had the conflict been sacrificed in the name of some greater evil. The flavor from World of Warcraft faded, and subscriber numbers slowly dwindled to a fraction of their peak. We didn’t want to play the seventh expansion of World of Warcraft anymore, we wanted to play the original. We wanted vanilla. We wanted classic. At least, we think we did…
Allow me to be candid for a moment. I work in healthcare and have small children at home. With the fear in the world of CoViD-19 and the surrounding hysteria and panic, these last few weeks have been nothing short of stressful. I’ve had travel plans cancelled, work schedules have been all over the place, and we’ve had some difficulty getting supplies for our home, including fresh food. My family is still in a good place, but the thoughts and worries have been constant clouds in my mind. Ori and the Will of the Wisps has been a welcome escape from these concerns. For a few short bursts of time, I was able to escape the crowded grocery lines and travel through Niwen, full of friendly faces and frightening foes alike, all placed in one of the most beautiful video game worlds to date. The credits rolled for me at just over 10 hours of play, but I expect to get a few more hours reaching towards the 100% marker in the first playthrough alone. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is available on PC and Xbox One via Xbox Game Pass, which runs at such a cheap price that this game should be a no-brainer for most people to play. For me, this is the first high profile release of 2020, and is a near-perfect Chapter One to what looks to be a very promising year.
All of that being said, Spider-Man: Miles Morales doesn’t wield the weighty price tag of $69.99 that other first party titles do and will. The $49.99 price seems to be of accurate value, and since I’m not a fan of Souls-like games and the universally-acclaimed Demon’s Souls does not appeal to me, this is so far, and will likely remain, my favorite of the PS5 launch titles. Like Miles stepping into the heroic role once occupied by Peter, Spider-Man: Miles Morales had the huge shoes of Marvel’s Spider-Man to fill, with all of the expectations that comes along with the title. It’s a little less than what you once got, and isn’t quite the masterpiece of its predecessor, but is still more than worthy of your time and attention. Hopefully, the universe continues onwards with a larger adventure, because Insomniac has created one of my favorite currently-running video game franchises.
After 26 years, returning to Koholint Island was a pleasant escape that provided a thoroughly realized game world that I had forgotten how much I loved. Most players will finish Link’s Awakening in under 10 hours, though collecting every seashell and piece of heart, or journeying through Hero mode after finishing a normal playthrough, will extend that game time dramatically. To some gamers’ dismay, this game is priced at $59.99 retail and in the US eShop. Complaints range from the relatively short campaign and cartoonish graphics to the fact of it not being a new game at all, but I would be challenged to find a more polished and charming game in 2019. For me, the weird, wonderful world of Koholint Island, with all of its funny characters, clever dungeons, and inspired background music, made the price tag worth every penny.
Concrete Genie is not everybody’s game, especially those who don’t already have a deep appreciation of visual art. The story is catered mostly for a younger audience, as a single adult doesn’t appear in the game outside of hasty flashbacks. The gameplay remains mostly static throughout its admittedly short six- to nine-hour playtime, outside of the aforementioned combat sequences that, although properly functioning, don’t really provide any new experiences or challenges that any gamer wouldn’t already be familiar with. The trailers for Concrete Genie do thankfully provide an accurate representation of the game, so if those trailers intrigue you, I think the $29.99 pricetag may justify this creative endeavor.
Few games have caused as much controversy and conversation in 2019 as Pokemon Sword/Shield, from the exclusion of previous Pokemon to the inclusion of gym missions and version-specific battles. For many, the question remains: Are Pokemon Sword and Shield good games, and more importantly, are they good Pokemon games? To both of these inquiries, I have to concede a confident “yes”. Pokemon has never felt better than it does in Sword and Shield, between variation of available monsters, flow of the storyline, larger than life moments and battles, and overall graphical integrity. I do understand the reservations many fans have, and share some of my own disappointment with them, but couldn’t help but smile while traveling through the Wild Area on my electric powered bike-ski.
I won’t act like Neon Abyss is a game for everybody, or even for most people. The difficulty scale is much too high for younger gamers or those that get frustrated too easily. The repetitive gameplay loop won’t keep many people interested. Even those that love rogue-likes, especially The Binding of Isaac and Dead Cells, might be put off by the repetitive appearances of their least favorite minibosses. Indeed, I think Neon Abyss would benefit from some DLC that improves upon the variation one might experience from run to run. But, for what it’s worth, and for those that particularly enjoy this type of painful punishment, you’ll find an impressively compelling loop that will keep you returning again and again and again (I even bought a new controller for my PC to help me play a little better). This is a game that deserves to be discussed amongst the best indie games of 2020, and will rank amongst the greats of its genre.
If you haven’t played Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout yet, I strongly recommended everyone reading this to watch a Twitch stream or YouTube video. The colors are bright and inviting, the gameplay is easy to grasp, and though I don’t think it will be everybody’s cup of tea, I think that most gamers will find at least SOME fun to be had in the trails of the jelly beans. The team at Mediatonic seem dedicated to this game’s success and support, and there is truly so much potential for this game. I can see myself a year or two from now, having a wardrobe full of unique colors and costumes, playing through as-of-yet unreleased minigames, still trying after that elusive crown, and still laughing each time I get haphazardly tossed to my doom. For me, the asking price is an easy investment to what I envision will be endless hours of fun. At the end of 2020, there will be a lot to look back on. Mostly bad, but some good, and I think Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout will be high on my list of good.
I can't say that Spiritfarer is a game for everybody, or that it's a perfect game, or even that it's MY perfect game, but I can say that it was a surprise just how much I found myself tangled up in the tales of my friends, and how much each one emotionally resonated with me. It made me consider my relationship with my children, and the duties I have as a father to raise, love, teach, and protect them. I considered my aging and elderly grandmother who lives multiple states away and is due for a visit from me. My thoughts wandered to my own mental health, how I care for myself and whether or not I give myself the attention that I need and deserve. Very seldom does a game come along that so precisely taps into my emotions and causes such a state of reflection. It's difficult not to recommend Spiritfarer to anybody at this point, because it is the most special indie game I've played in a long time.
In a few hours of play, you will see almost everything this game has to offer you, but I doubt you’ll be done with it. It’s easy to boot the game and temper your stresses for anywhere between minutes and hours. ISLANDERS is a wonderful excursion into a simple world of city building, puzzle fitting, and high scores.
Everything in My Friend Pedro works just right with plenty of shock value and jaw dropping moments to keep you excited throughout. The challenge ramps up wonderfully and by the end of the game, you’ll be Googling to see if the developer has plans for a sequel. But don’t worry, something as novel and beautiful as this is only a few years away from becoming a Triple A title in franchises that you already love.
I’m always delighted by segments of video games that allow me to control an animal, and even more glad to relax and laugh while playing games in my spare time. Rarely do these two all-too-rare genres cross in gaming, but when they do, and with enough clever direction and a pleasing original soundtrack, you get the beautiful gem that is Untitled Goose Game. Purchasing this game on sale would make for a perfect diversion to relax and waste a few hours of clean, simple fun, enjoyable by gamers (and non-gamers) of nearly any age.
If you can overcome (or somehow master) the imperfect controls of Luigi’s Mansion 3, you will be presented with the best Luigi’s Mansion experience available. The entire game is brimming with charisma, through the soundtrack, set pieces, and cinematic moments of grandeur. I have felt comfortable combing through each floor at a leisurely pace, my four-year-old excitedly watching over my shoulder every step of the way. Fans of the series shouldn’t be dismayed by the sixty dollar price tag, either. This game is both lengthier and meatier than either of its counterparts, and there is plenty to do and see for casual players and completionists alike.
If you are getting the idea that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is a great Star Wars game, then you’re on the right track, and I believe that Respawn (and EA) is too. There is so much great about this game that it can be easy to overlook its obvious flaws: graphical errors and glitches, a static and sometimes flawed combat system, unrewarding collectibles, and lacking RPG elements being chief amongst those complaints. A full play through of the campaign took me just over 12 hours – a span that told a cohesive story with impressive components, but in the end nearly overstayed its welcome and resulted in a game that felt to me rather one-note. Jedi: Fallen Order feels like a great base game that Respawn can build upon to make deeper, richer, and more stable sequels that fully explore the powers of a Jedi while polishing the individual elements borrowed from each different genre.