You've all played SuperHot , yes? Then we can begin. This week's roundup features a utopian paradise, a very punchy sailor, and a couple of dancing secret agents, among other things. Unless it turns out this was all some sort of daymare, you can join me to hear more after the break.
Brawlin' Sailor by Major Bueno
Major Bueno are back! Or rather they were back last week, but *cough*. Brawlin' Sailor is another beautiful/hilarious short story of a game, this time traversing into sidescrolling beat-'em-up territory. There's no challenge to the combat; you're playing for the story, which takes about five glorious minutes to see through.
I Am Level by SmilingBag
Oh wow, this is wonderful. I Am Level is a Spectrum-style game with some canny enhancements – there's a Metroidvania-like world structure, alternate costumes and even a leveling system – but at its core this is a ruggedly old-fashioned platformer with one hell of a chiptune soundtrack. The twist here is that it's also a pinball game; you're tilting the levels, and activating paddles, rather than moving the game's spherical hero directly.
Daymare Town 4 by Mateusz Skutnik
Well I seem to have missed Daymare Towns 1-3, but perhaps you'll forgive me as the last was released over three years ago. (In the meantime, creator Mateusz Skutnik has given us the lovely platformy spin-off Daymare Cat .) The main Daymares are more traditional adventure games, set in a surreal, beautiful world and with no handholding in their puzzles whatsoever. You'll need patience to overcome 4's obscurity, but you'll be rewarded in spades with yet more atmospheric, mysterious scenes and memorably unusual characters. An HD, full-screen version of Daymare Town 4 can be yours for $5 – it's a bit of a pixel hunt, so if you enjoy the game, that may be worth a look.
Utopia by Tom Flynn
A short slideshow of beautiful scenes, and probably the most technically impressive use of Twine I've seen. There are better Twine games out there, but none (that I've played) that implement music or images in such an adept way. You'll want to linger on each scene (there aren't many) before progressing, as the music is abruptly replaced for each one. (Via Cara Ellison )
The Last Tango by Barking Dog Interactive
I had to download the offline version of this New Mexico Game Jam-winning, reflex-testing tango game, but you may have better luck with the above link. Play it in any case, because any game that features a couple of top secret agents defeating their enemies with the power of the dance gets a definite thumbs-up in my book. The pixel art, and the gory deaths, make it. (Via IndieGames )
