Recent reviews by deadlybydsgn

Run, strafe, shoot, kick, behead, burn, and explode your enemies in this moody yet frenetic FPS. It may be "Chapter One," but this '90s-inspired boomshoot eats like a meal. The game is paced to have moments of exploration balanced with intense action, and the occasional roadblock or (very) light puzzle felt like a nice touch. When you consider the sum of what you're getting here—snappy action, interesting weapons, "creepy killer cult" storyline, and a pulse-pounding soundtrack, it becomes even more impressive that it was developed by a one-man team.

Simple, addictive, and fun.

It's hard to ask for more than that out of $5.

It's Portal, but shinier.

It's like your favorite '90s beat 'em up with some new twists. It's hard to go wrong when playing this with friends.

Easily one of the best local multiplayer games I've ever played. It's deceptively approachable in a way that anyone can pick up and enjoy it. It's also a game that caters to the underdog, allowing the chance for comebacks right up until the very last second of a match.

Enderal is the closest I've come to re-experiencing Morrowind. The game world has a palpable strangeness to it that neither Oblivion nor Skyrim quite had. N'wah. Outlander. You know the drill. It's obvious that SureAI have poured their hearts and souls into this total conversion, and I'd recommend it to anyone that enjoys TES-like RPGs.

Embrace the weird -- this ride is worth taking.

It's pretty good for a free game, and the micro transactions aren't predatory.

If you're looking for the modern incarnation of '90s games like Syndicate Wars, Satellite Reign fits the bill.

Imagine FTL crash-landed into Dungeons of Dredmor, and you could begin to explain Dungeon of the Enedless. Sort of.

Amplitude has merged serveral genres into one in DotE (roguelike, 4x, squad tactics), and with stunning results. Don't let the mix of genres intimidate you. I'd never touched the 4x genre before, and found the basics of the game easy to learn.

You begin by choosing two party members as your escape pod crash-lands in a hostile environment. The goal is to get your crystal (i.e., what powers all of your rooms and strucures) to the exit of each floor. As you navigate your way through 12 levels, you will find a variety of equipment, teammates, and problems to solve (namely: how to keep your crystal from being detroyed).

Each door opened constitutes a new turn, and that's when resources (industry, science, food and dust) are gained. Industry allows you to buiild, science can be spent on researching new modules, food levels/heals/recruits heroes, and dust powers rooms. Because rooms are powered by dust, you'll want to watch how much you have, as unpowered rooms will spawn enemies on most turns. Enemies will navigate toward the crystal in the most direct path available, so plan your defense as your explore.

Choose your party members wisely, use their strengths to your advantage, and be careful about opening that next door. Some heroes are faster, tougher or more potent in combat than others. Some excel at a single role, while a few are flexible enough to do whatever the case calls far. Knowing when to man a defense and when to retreat will be important. A handful of heroes have the "operate" skill, allowing you to buff whatever major module they're manning. Make sure to pause often in combat -- it can save the life of your teammates when enemy waves become overwhelming. Death is permanent, so don't be stingy.

Your heroes aren't alone in this, however, as you can build and research new structures (Major and Minor modules, both offensive and defensive) to help you succeed. Major modules are mostly for gaining resources, while minor vary from standard turrets, defensive buffs/debuffs or even healing teammates on enemy kills. Keep an eye out for how to gather as many resources as possible, as they will prove vital to success. You can't take your built modules with you, but you will retain any resources accrued.

As far as sound and visual design go, DotE is a pleasant and consistent 16-bit palate. The visuals are highly stylized and consistent, and the soundtrack will keep reminding you of tunes that could just as easily be from SNES titles or FTL. Thanks to unlocking new characters, difficulties and escape pods, the game is chock full of replayability. Online co-op should further bolster the game's lifetime, but I haven't had any experience with it to comment on.

It's not as frustrating (read: unfair) as FTL, but still challenging enough to leave you feeling satisfied... even on the "Too Easy" difficulty setting. Highly recommended.

It felt like a pretty standard military shooter, aka Brown People Murder Simulator.

It was hard to get pumped about combat when you're up against a bunch of poor dirty poor people in robes and sandals.