Ryan Taylor

Dr. Oil misses the mark in regards the core concept of what makes a platformer fun - a feeling of accomplishment for overcoming a challenge through skill.

Spelunky 2 is not a game for everyone. If you don’t like precision platformers or incredibly challenging games, then this isn’t going to be for you. But if you enjoy roguelikes or are after a game that challenges you, feeling incredibly rewarding when you pull off some crazy maneuvers, then I can’t recommend Spelunky 2 enough.

For a good chunk of the time, Red Ronin is a fun game that provides a good challenge. I just wish that the mechanics introduced in the second half of the game could’ve either been implemented better, or left out altogether.

Once you get used to the feel of the controls though, Aeon Drive is a fast-paced platformer that is sure to offer you a decent challenge. Especially if you take the time to grab all of the collectibles.

If you are looking for a short puzzle-game, with a nice, classic visual-style, and some satisfying puzzles to beat, then Gardener’s Path is well worth the buy. 

Circa Infinity is what more platformers should strive to be like. It’s not just a redundant push through the same kind of puzzles. Each puzzle is well thought out, the difficulty doesn’t fluctuate randomly, and there is a real feeling of satisfaction each time you overcome an obstacle. If you want a platformer that’s going to force you to think and act quickly, then Circa Infinity is a must have.

If you like cutesy mixed with mild gore, then A Pretty Odd Bunny is certainly one to try out, but keep in mind that you will have to contend with a few bugs as you play.

It’s hard to recommend Ghoulboy. The gameplay isn’t awful, but the amount of bugs I’ve encountered have made it hard to enjoy

Bone Marrow is an affordable game and it does give an easy 1000G, but there are free games that have similar mechanics, and are far more enjoyable. It’s hard to recommend.

Rogue Explorer is a game I really did want to like. I liked the inclusion of the crafting system and I think it could’ve been developed into a really fun rogue-like, or at the very least a basic platformer. But the amount of quality control issues have just kept piling up.

Barry the Bunny can be completed in under two hours, especially if you are rushing through things. If you’re an achievement hunter then it does give you a quick 1000 Gamerscore, but I don’t think you’ll get much more joy out of it then that. There’s nothing wrong with the game per se, it’s just easy and a bit redundant after a while.

If you haven’t played Splitgate but are looking for a new shooter to try out then it is most definitely recommended. 1047 Games have done a great job with server support and connection times have continued to improve since first launch.

ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights does almost everything right, with varied level design, a multitude of enemies, a good progression system, and a beautiful soundtrack.

Developed by Nerd Monkeys and published by Hatinh Interactive, Out of Line is an adventure platformer with a heavy emphasis on puzzle-solving. With no dialogue or text boxes, the narrative of the game is told through details in the background and the actions of the characters. Which makes sense, given that the most eye-catching aspect of Out of Line is the art style - the entire game is in a hand-drawn 2D style; this includes the characters, animations, and backgrounds.

If Sun Wukong VS Robot was longer and structured a bit more like a traditional metroidvania where the upgrades were tied to progression, it could well be a great little game. As it is, it’s a good challenge and does manage to kill a couple hours, and so if you grew up playing old Game Boy or NES games, then Sun Wukong VS Robot might be a nice nostalgia trip.