HUNTDOWN

Fun and anarchic platformer shooter but not so frantic because it pays to be careful and avoid enemy fire. Detailed pixel art that goes above the usual. Might not do much new in terms of mechanics, except cover, but superbly polished and executed. Game bleeds 80-90s punk attitude. Complete with cheezy one-liners reminding of Duke Nukem. Very good cover mechanic I only recall seeing in the old Blizzard platformer called Blackthorne. The varied bosses have "personality" and are a highlight. They are good challenges and require different tactics. They themselves usually get new moves when half their health is gone. Never beat them on first try but got them eventually with practice. Explosion effects are wonderful. My only complaint is that if I had to quit a level midway through or at the boss, I didn't like that my progress wasn't saved there and that I had to restart from the beginning of the level. Definitely worth playing.

This is simply one of the best games ever made. Anything below a perfect score is inaccurate.

Probably one of the best 2D action games I've ever played. pros: -I particularly enjoy how the game gets "straight to the point." The controls are simple. You don't waste time pausing to equip items or anything like that, neither upgrading things. If you want a new weapon, you must get it during the gameplay. And even so, the combat and level design are good enough that it never becomes repetitive. -The game has a great personality. The characters make funny remarks throughout the gameplay. The bosses are almost all interesting and entertaining. The ways of taking down enemies are very satisfying — guns, explosions, flamethrowers — and there's a slightly gory edge to it all. -The levels and scenarios are very well crafted, especially for fans of cyberpunk aesthetics. Great art and soudtrack. -The action is really fun. It's worth noting that this is a game for people who enjoy action and a TOUGH CHALLENGE. Reaching the end of the game (credits screen) is equivalent to the "Hunter" achievement (currently 16% of players manage to get it). And completing 100% of Normal mode is equivalent to the "Mercenary" achievement (less than 2% of players). Hard mode is truly brutal, but it's possible to complete 100% with persistence (1.2% complete it). cons: -The only part I didn't enjoy is if you want to platinum the game. Badass mode (0.8% manage to complete it) is genuinely cruel — to a level I no longer find fun. A single hit is enough to kill your character and restart the entire level. It's pure drawn-out suffering that can take dozens of hours. It can be a plus for some hardcore players. But not for me. -I encountered only one bug across dozens of hours of gameplay, and it only appears in a single level and very rarely. I also had a few minor issues with controller responsiveness, but only in some very specific sections of certain levels. Overall, for me, it's a solid gem.