deKay's Lofi Gaming

Xeodrifter (PS4): COMPLETED!

You can clearly see Mutant Mudds’ DNA in Xeodrifter. Similar chunky pixel graphics, the same feel in terms of physics, plane shifting, 8-bit music and similar looking baddies. But it’s not a sequel, ditching fantasy mud monsters and platforming for Metroid inspired planet exploration with Metroidvania style progression through ability unlocks. As you flit to and from four different planets in search of your damaged ship’s warp core, you pick up health and weapon boosts, improving your stats and making …

The Stanley Parable (PC): COMPLETED!

I don’t know what the one true ending is. I don’t know if that’s the one I reached. I reached many endings, most of which involved the death of poor Stanley, but one, the final one shown in my spoiler-filled video, seemed to be “the end”. I found the credits at least, anyway. To describe the game gives too much away. What I will say, is that it is genuinely hilarious, as the narrator tries to tell you what to …

Picross e6 (3DS): COMPLETED!

Picross e6 is HUGE. Especially compared to previous Picross eX games. Picross e2 took me 18 1/2 hours to finish, and was the previous largest game, but e6 took me just shy of 30 hours. Massive, see. Unfortunately, it does this by cheating a bit. You see, it seems that all the standard Picross puzzles are duplicated as Mega Picross puzzles. You know, those ones where numbers span two rows or columns. Sure, it means the solutions aren’t the same, …

Deus Ex Machina 2 (Mac): COMPLETED!

Way back in the primordial past, when games were made from rocks and cost as much as a family car to buy, there was a game called Deus Ex Machina. I’ve never played it. I’ve read a lot about it, none of which makes any sense. From what I can discern, it was more an experience than a game, and consisted of some minigames that you played while listening to an audio tape. Because, of course, voices in early 1980s …

Spoiler Alert (PC): COMPLETED!

I had no idea what to expect when playing this, as I’d never heard of it before. In fact, I only own it at all because it came in a Humble Bundle I bought for other reasons. I have to say, it was a bit of a surprise. First off, it appears to be an endless runner game, albeit with an end. Like Bit Trip Runner. Only with a running chilli. Thing is, you start at the end of the …

Grow Home (PS4): COMPLETED!

So many people were excited for this game, and voted it way ahead of two other potential PS+ titles this month as a result, but the majority of views of people after they’ve actually played it seem negative. Apparently, it’s “ruined” by screen tearing. It’s boring. The controls (specifically the climbing) are terrible, and so on. I’d like to suggest, that those people are idiots. Yes, there is screen tearing. But I only noticed it when it was pointed out …

Octodad: Dadliest Catch (PS4): COMPLETED!

Firstly, I should point out that the lyrics to this game’s theme song have been wedged in my head for the last few days. Specifically “Octodad – nobody suspects a thing”. It’s so catchy. As for the game, it’s frustrating, looks a lot like that original Xbox Leisure Suit Larry game in graphics quality and style, is impossible to control, had a terrible camera, and is awesome. You’re an octopus trying to live his life, implausibly with his family who …

3D Gunstar Heroes (3DS): COMPLETED!

The second game of the day, with Heroes in the title! I never completed Gunstar Heroes back in the day. In fact, I don’t think I ever played it much (I didn’t buy it until many years after release anyway). Or even enjoyed it. Yeah, I’m a heretic. But there’s something about these 3D ports on the 3DS that make you want to play them anyway, isn’t there? Otherwise why did I buy Altered Beast again? Hmm. My main issue …

Lego Marvel Super Heroes (Wii U): COMPLETED!

I think this may actually be the first Lego game I’ve completed entirely in co-op. Lego Batman 2 and 3 were both mostly co-op, but Lego Marvel Super Heroes I’ve played only in co-op with my daughter. Which is nice. There’s a lot of mopping up bricks to do, as usual. We’ve done some, after finishing the story, but we’re still only at around 52/250. Finding the rest is going to be a pain, as although most of them are …

Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture (PS4): COMPLETED!

I find the term “walking around simulator”, which games like this have often been categorised as, somewhat derogatory.  It’s as if there’s nothing to the game at all, bar walking around, and it should be derided because of this. Which is missing the point.  The aim of these games is not to “win”, not to solve puzzles and leap gaps and shoot Nazis, but to discover the story. Yes, you do this by walking around, but there’s more to it …

3D Streets of Rage 2 (3DS): COMPLETED!

Streets of Rage 2 was always so much better than Streets of Rage 1 in so many ways. Better graphics, more moves, none of those stupid Blaze clones who are impossible to beat, and so on. It was also easier, but sadly the music isn’t quite as good. Ah well, you can’t have everything. I played through it today on the 3DS (in lovely 3D), as Blaze (because Blaze is best and not because you can see her knickers oh …

Princess Nom Nom (PC): COMPLETED!

A really quick one this. You know Cookie Clicker? Well, imagine something like that without the frantic clicking. With a fat… blob that appears to be a princess. And you have to feed her. Feed her enough, and she produces minions from her bellybutton, and these minions can gather food and so produce more minions. Unlock new places to get better food from, produce more minions to collect it all faster and in greater quantity, and make the princess even …

Never Alone (PS4): COMPLETED!

Well that was short. Apparently Never Alone is about three hours long, but I appear to have completed it in little over half that time. Probably just as well, actually, as after the first 45 minutes of “ooh” and “ahh” over the graphics and the setting and how unusual it all appeared to be, Never Alone quickly became a tedious platformer with bugs and glitches and some rubbish jumps. Relying on the wind to carry you further frustrates as there’s …

Injustice: Gods Among Us (PS4): COMPLETED!

Well this was a surprise. The Mortal Kombat series left me cold after UMK3, and although this isn’t technically a Mortal Kombat title, it clearly is a Mortal Kombat game. It’s the same team, it’s a fighting game, it’s a followup to Mortal Kombat vs DC, and it’s even got Scorpion in it. And I enjoyed it. There’s little depth to the fighting, and in many ways the fights just seemed like the gaps between the story in single player …

Life is Strange: Episode 4 (PS4): COMPLETED!

Well that was pretty hard to come to terms with. Four major incidents in this episode, in fact – none of which I can mention without the spoiler below: [spoiler]Chloe asking you to kill her, you deciding to go back in time to save Chloe but kill her dad, finding Rachel, and the reveal at the end of who has really been drugging kids.[/spoiler] I did say Nathan wasn’t quite what he seemed. One thing I really did love about this …