Headlander Reviews
Double Fine Productions has managed to craft an experience in Headlander that successfully combines the retro style of 1970's science fiction with excellent modern gaming trappings. Don't let the absurd premise sway you, there's more than just zaniness here.
Headlander had me hooked during my nine hours with it. The game oozes with charm through its off-the-wall and eccentric gameplay mechanics, and its humorous characters and fictional world. Though the checkpoint system may feel a little too ‘hardcore’ for some, and the game seems to struggle under the pressure of some of its more demanding moments, those who are after a Metroidvania-style side-scroller could do a lot worse than this.
We’re not exactly short of Metroid clones these days, but Headlander rises above the herd through a mix of its ingenious body-swapping game mechanics and its bonkers '70s retro sci-fi vibe. It’s great-looking, absorbing and genuinely funny, managing to imbue its robot cast with a real sense of character. And if it has sequences where its ideas fail to click, these aren’t that numerous or annoying. While it’s not quite up there with Psychonauts, Headlander is still one of Double Fine’s finest.
While the game does have a few slight irritations when it comes to its design, Headlander still manages to keep its head on its shoulders (or traveling through space via rocket propulsion) thanks to its eclectic blend of old-school, side-scrolling gameplay and its art direction that sci-fi fans will truly enjoy. Though it shares more similarities with the likes of Metroid, Logan’s Run, and so many of its other influences than it may for something completely new, Double Fine and Adult Swim Games have still managed to make Headlander into an experience that’s funny, delightfully weird, and might just make your head turn.
Headlander doesn't spend all of its time building a monument to Super Metroid, opting instead for a dangerous medley of absurdity that's nevertheless stable and, once you really start to look at it, kind of marvelous in its ability to stand upright and qualify as evidence of meaningful dissent.
Still for all the shortcomings addressed, Headlander is an enjoyable title. It doesn't take itself too seriously, as evident by all of the tongue and cheek humor, nor is it really difficult (Not completely anyway). As a Double Fine Productions game, It's right up there with some of their best, I just wish it was a tad longer and didn't spend too much time focus on slapstick comedy and included more gameplay content. For the asking price for $20, Headlander is a great choice for enjoying 8-10 hours of gaming fun. Perhaps the game would have been a tad better if it didn't stick too close to the tried and true Metroidvania gameplay and swam a bit more in the deep end. Still, at the end of the day, I enjoyed myself and I'm sure you will as well.
Headlander is a little action, a little puzzle, and a great time overall. At around 10 hours or so, it doesn’t overstay its welcome, and I think it’s perfectly balanced as a game to pick up for an hour of gradual progress after work or school a couple hours a day. It’s well-designed and has a clear purpose in mind.
While lackluster combat and simplistic puzzles would prove a damning criticism for most games of this type, Headlander’s tone and aesthetic is so fully-realized that the whole package manages to be a groovy, retro delight.
This game will have its players enjoying the experience from beginning to end with a smile over their faces.
Overall, Headlander is the most fun I’ve had with a Double Fine game since the first time I played through Psychonauts. With gameplay revolving around an elegant, but surprisingly involved head landing mechanic, and audio and visual flair in spades, this is definitely something any video game fan should check out.
Headlander deftly delivers a smart story via a constant stream of varied, original ideas, to ensure a journey that feels remarkably vibrant and fresh from start to finish. Crammed full of Double Fine's trademark humour, and loaded to the brim with references to classic sci-fi, it pays loving homage to that corny, yet fun, era of film and television, that often gets overlooked in the age of the green screen and digital effect.
Headlander probably won't be the best "Metroidvania" everyone has ever played, but it is one of the most unique. Its overuse of door-based progression is unfortunate, but is more than made up for by a plethora of inventive scenarios. This is all backed by solid controls and combat mechanics, which is always appreciated. The visual and sound design is reason enough to convince players not to quit until they've finished the game. The way everything comes together makes for an unparalleled sci-fi experience.
In the end, Headlander is a very good adventure game for fans of the Metroidvania blueprint. The gimmicks that come from a flying head are used well, and the idea never feels tired. The action in firefights is good, and the number of areas and slightly hidden passageways in the world makes exploration equally worthwhile. It does feel like a drag whenever you have to perform the same action multiple times in different parts of a level, but the game is short enough that the padding doesn't feel too bad. Overall, genre fans will have a great time with Headlander.
Headlander may not be perfect, but I'll be darned if it isn't one of the most enjoyable games of the year so far.
Headlander is a lightweight Metroidvania. Aim problems are annoying at some points, but they do not take away the fun, and the main mechanics of owning the bodies with the helmet generate as many intense battles as moderately well-thought-out puzzles. Although the story itself is not the main highlight of the title, it certainly was a joy to experience because of the comical dialogues of the characters that interact with the protagonist. Going through rooms such as the "High Five Lounge" or "Rings of UrAnus" translate the light spirit of this adventure with incredible ''retro-futuristic'' visuals.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Headlander continues to demonstrate that simplicity isn’t necessarily a bad thing with its upgrade system. While most games in the genre have you picking up dozens of different powers to get to new areas, Headlander only has a few, making many areas accessible early and eliminating the need for lots of backtracking.
By narrowing their focus, Double Fine have crafted probably their most cohesive and mechanically sound game to date, one that takes its gimmicky concept and executes it to perfection.
Headlander it an outstanding game artistically speaking, gameplay-wise its really fun and even though it's story is lost midway through, it's not something that hurts the game at all. The difficulty scales linearly as the game progresses, finding more powerful enemies as we advance, enemies which in turn we can posses, making it all beautifully balanced. Some gameplay mechanics fall short as they are not used enough, however the game is enjoyable from beginning to end. This is why i absolutely recommend this game, it's a fun experience all the way through, although clocking at around six hours, it left me wanting for more.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Headlander is an enjoyable experience that shouldn’t be overlooked, especially if you like the Metroidvania style of games.
The game is loaded with Double Fine’s signature humor, from snappy dialogue to turrets that apologize while firing at you