Recent reviews by NinjaBlade

A fast-paced game packed with violence and gore, Hotline Miami is about a man who receives mysterious calls that tell him to commit massacres at specific places. The player can use a wide array of weapons that classify as melee, firearms, or throwables. They can even throw melee weapons and guns at enemies to kill or knock them down. It takes only one attack to kill you, so you should be quick and strategic as you kill all the enemies to progress. The gameplay is unique and fun while also being challenging. The story is okay at best, but that's fine because the main focus of this game is the gameplay. Overall, Hotline Miami is a fast and violent game for people who want a challenge filled with destructive mayhem.

In Press Any Button, the player interacts with an artificial intelligence named A-Eye. A-Eye will constantly improve the game the player is playing to make it more unique and fun. The gameplay is rather basic, but the game makes up for it with its story. Throughout the game, A-Eye will speak and ask about personal and philosophical topics, like why humans wage war. A-Eye was a character I genuinely liked, and he made me think more deeply about life and other subjects. With only about an hour of playtime, Press Any Button is an experience I won't forget about anytime soon, and I recommend this game to those who want a short but meaningful experience.

THE BUTTON by Elendow is a simple game about pressing a button. When pushed, the number on it increases, but the chance of the number resetting also increases. Random messages will appear beneath the button. I don't have anything else to say about this game.

A colorful metroidvania with charming pixel art, challenging puzzles, and a surprisingly dark story, Iconoclasts follows the journey of a rebellious mechanic named Robin as she traverses the world, escaping the clutches of the One Concern and helping everyone along the way. The game has many different locations to explore, each with its own intricate puzzles and secrets. The player uses a large wrench and a blaster with various modes to solve unique puzzles and defeat powerful bosses. The puzzles have a lot of thought put behind them, making the player use specific game mechanics to get through them. The boss fights are unique and challenging, often requiring players to figure out the gimmick behind one and how to use it to their advantage. As Robin continues her journey, she meets new people who become her friends and allies as they assist and travel with her. The story wasn't nearly as lighthearted as I thought it would be, but I consider it to be the game's best part. The characters had in-depth personalities, backgrounds, and personal problems to deal with as they grew as people. The game also has collectibles and a few sidequests to give the player more gameplay beyond the main story. There's even a challenge mode for hardcore players who want a more formidable experience. Overall, Iconoclasts isn't one of the best games I have ever played, but I still consider it a unique experience that metroidvania and indie game fans would enjoy.

It's a rhythm dating game where you play as Finch, a bird that recently experienced a breakup and is now looking for someone new. At the start of Lovebirb, Finch's best friend introduces him to a dating app to help him find a life partner. To answer a date's question successfully, the player must input a button sequence in time with the visual indicator for whichever of the two answers are correct. The rhythm-based gameplay is simple but fun; however, the timing can feel awkward at the start. It took me a couple of tries to get through the tutorial. The conversations with dates can be fun to read, with each bird resulting in a different ending. Overall, Lovebirb is a short game with a cute story with multiple endings that can be fun for about an hour or two if the player can get the timing of the inputs down.

It's a rhythm game about a girl named Beat who plays in a band with her friends, Clef, Quaver, and Treble. UNBEATABLE [white label] is a demo made for UNBEATABLE. The rhythm mechanics introduced in this game are unique and fun, and the music is astounding, even featuring remixes of the original songs. The animation is also worth praising for its colorful and stunning art style. Throughout the demo, Beat would talk about her past and reflect on parts of her life after completing a track. She is an interesting protagonist with a backstory I would like to learn more about. Overall, UNBEATABLE [white label] is already a great game, even though it's just a demo, and if the demo is this good, then I can't wait to play the full release of UNBEATABLE.

A short platformer about a llama, Pancake, going on an adventure to save his wife from the alpacas who kidnapped her. Alpacalypse is a basic platformer that allows players to double jump, spit (ranged attack), and kick (melee attack). The game is a little buggy, with some attacks not registering and the llama sometimes not moving when it's supposed to; there was even a time when I encountered an enemy that wouldn't die for some reason, even though it was one of the weak ones. The game does have a cute art style, though. Overall, because the game is free and lasts for less than an hour, Alpacalypse is alright for anyone who wants to complete a game quickly and pass a bit of time.

Everhood was a unique experience for many, myself included. It's an unusual rhythm game with excellent music, gameplay, and story. During some fights, many visuals will begin to change, such as bright background changes and the screen rotating around; this creates the trippy feeling that the game is known for. The music makes the gameplay even more enjoyable, with the enemy's notes lining up with the timing of the song playing. The story isn't very memorable, but it's solid and intriguing. At some points in the story, I was caught off guard and surprised at how the events unfolded. As you explore the world of Everhood, you will meet a large cast of quirky characters who contribute to making this experience an odd but wonderful one. Overall, Everhood is a game that is incredibly different from any other recent game, and its gameplay and weirdness are the reasons why it's so original and worth playing.

A story-driven game about a group of misfits being gifted a mecha called Cowboy and then trying to climb the ranks of a fighting tournament with it. The dialogue can be lengthy sometimes, but the story was great, the characters had depth, and the turn-based mecha fights were fun and satisfying. You play as the protagonist, Dominic Shade, who manages Team Cowboy. Throughout the game, more of Shade's backstory will reveal itself, showing the player how he ended up reuniting with his close friends, Knife and Duque. Players can customize Cowboy with different kinds of parts that each have their own drawbacks and advantages, and the pilot, Knife Leopard, can equip various moves and stances, allowing the player to develop their own mecha-fighting playstyle throughout the game. Almost the entire game has high-quality voice acting. It also has a unique and stylish art style. Overall, Wolfstride was an experience that was like no other game for me, and I believe that it's a highly underrated indie gem.

It's a fantastic rhythm game. It's similar to Beat Hazard 2 but different enough to provide a fresh experience. Each song you play will generate a unique level and reward you with a ship that's unique to that song. The weapon upgrade system introduced in this game allows a lot of customization for the different aspects of each weapon, letting people test out custom builds to see what's right for them. This game successfully improves on the two original games in the Beat Hazard series to deliver a similar but very unique experience.