Summer might not be the high season when it comes to game launches, but it’s a great time to shine the spotlight on a couple of indie game releases. Here are reviews of Pogo Stick Champion, Cyber Citizen Shockman Zero and Bouncy Chicken.
Pogo Stick Champion review (PS5)
Pogo Stick Champion, published by Ratalaika Games, brings the charm of 2D platformers to all current consoles with a twist of its own when it comes to your method of movement. Players use a pogo stick to navigate through 60 levels spread evenly across four distinct worlds. Each stage challenges players to bounce their way to the finish line, avoiding hazards like spikes, lasers, and saws along the way. The simplicity of the premise, combined with the gradually escalating difficulty, makes for a compelling, if occasionally frustrating, budget-priced experience.
The gameplay mechanics are straightforward yet challenging. Controlling your character with the pogo stick involves angling your landings to ensure a safe bounce to the next platform. While this control scheme is easy to grasp, mastering it is a different story. The unforgiving nature of the levels means that players will often find themselves starting over, making each successful completion all the more rewarding. However, the repetitive nature of the gameplay can become monotonous over time – though it’s also the kind of game you can pick up for a short ten or twenty minute session.
Visually, Pogo Stick Champion offers a fairly simple aesthetic that contrasts with its challenging gameplay – those who played the Midnight games by the same developer (Petite) will certainly recognize what they see here. The simple but colorful graphics are pleasant to look at, and the soothing music provides a calming backdrop to the intense platforming action. This combination of visuals and audio creates an enjoyable atmosphere that helps to mitigate some of the frustration from frequent failures.
Despite its minimalistic approach, Pogo Stick Champion succeeds in delivering a fun and engaging platforming experience. Its budget-friendly price makes it an attractive option for those looking for a quick and challenging game. While it may not offer much depth or variety, its core mechanics and charming presentation make it worth a try for fans of the genre looking to challenge themselves for an evening or two.
Cyber Citizen Shockman Zero review (PS5)
Cyber Citizen Shockman Zero, published by Ratalaika Games on modern consoles, returns as a restored classic, bringing the retro 2D, side-scrolling action to modern consoles. The premise will sound familiar to those who played the (also recently re-released) other Cyber Citizen Shockman games: players join the bionic heroes Raita and Azuki in their mission to save humanity from the nefarious B.B. Dan group, making their way through eight stages packed with enemies and boss fights.
The game stands out from others in the series and genre with its blend of platforming and beat ’em up mechanics. Unlike previous entries in the series, most enemies require multiple hits to take them down, forcing players to perform small combos. Raita and Azuki each have distinct fighting styles; Raita employs physical attacks reminiscent of a boxer, while Azuki wields a sword for swift, precise strikes. Both characters can charge powerful beam attacks as well, adding a bit more depth to the combat system. The controls are straightforward, making it accessible for new players even though mastering the game’s nuances requires skill and patience.
Visually, Cyber Citizen Shockman Zero captures the nostalgic charm of its era with detailed pixel art and fluid animations – with a look and feel that’s close to the others in the series. The environments are diverse, ranging from urban construction sites to forests and even a spaceship. Stages are filled with dynamic traps and enemies that keep the gameplay engaging, and the game’s audio complements the retro aesthetic and action with its energetic soundtrack. The newly added CRT filter and save states are familiar touches, but welcome in bridging the gap between old and new.
The difficulty curve can be steep, especially for those unfamiliar with classic platformers. However, the game’s two-player co-op mode offers a fun and collaborative way to tackle the tougher stages. Overall, Cyber Citizen Shockman Zero is a delightful throwback that successfully brings back another game in the series, making it a worthwhile pick for fans of retro action games – though part of us wishes these were released in a compilation.
Bouncy Chicken review (PS5)
Bouncy Chicken, published by Eastasiasoft, delivers a silly action puzzler experience on consoles. You’ll have to navigate 90 unique levels, using strategic shots to ricochet a chicken around obstacles and collect cobs of corn. The top-down 3D visuals and straightforward mechanics create an engaging gameplay loop that increases in complexity over time, but remains a game that’s easy to pick up.
The core gameplay is both simple and challenging, requiring precision and planning to overcome the increasingly more difficult levels. But while the game also gradually introduces new mechanics, the repetitive nature of the levels and basic controls is a drawback and can make extended play sessions feel monotonous. We recommend playing this in shorter sessions, where it can be enjoyed by players of all skill levels and ages.
Visually, Bouncy Chicken boasts a bright and colorful aesthetic that enhances its charm, paired with cheerful sound effects and music that adds to the overall appeal. In conclusion, Bouncy Chicken offers a fun and light-hearted puzzle experience at a reasonable price. While it may lack variety and suffer from repetitive gameplay, its charming presentation and accessible mechanics make it a decent choice for fans of casual puzzle games. For those seeking a simple yet challenging puzzle game at a budget price, Bouncy Chicken is worth a look.
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