Sound the trumpets, Terry's platforming opus is released today! Click on the link to play the demo. In the meantime you should check out the soundtrack. It's glorious stuff.
EDIT: It's out! Check out the demo on Kongregate (already linked to), be amazed, and purchase the full version. Once I stop hyperventilating, play through the game, and arrange my thoughts in a coherent fashion I'll update this and the review.
Genetos is tres cool. It's a little dojin shmup in four levels, but each level corresponds to an evolution in the genre of the shmup, and your ship's powers change and increase as you "evolve."
That is, the first game level is Space Invaders, and at the end of it you 'evolve' the ability to move in two dimenions rather than along a line. The second level is an 80s shmup, with waves of attackers in predictable patterns. The third level adds bombs, more firepower, and hoards of enemies -- and the fourth level brings us to bullet-hell.
Ah, here it is.
At least we get to try this.
Alright, it's quite fun to play, but the two levels of the demo I played where enough, I certainly won't buy it for 10€, that's way too much for such a game. There are freeware games that are as long as the full version and even that use the somehow similar mechanics.
So yeah, it's good, but I won't remember it forever.
Today's indie - yesterday's mainstream
On repeated and most enthusiastic recommendations by TheDustin here at PTT, I gave a try to VVVVVVV, playing the demo version.
If such minimalistic and retroish GFX resonated well with your sense of aesthetics, how about game screens like this, and this, or this?
For those whom VVVVVVV's gameplay and visual design appealed to, I can heartily recommend the following 8 bit Commodore Home Computer games, all commercial mainstream titles back in their days:
First and foremost, The Dark Tower, and other games such as like (and incl. mods and official sequels based on the same 2 or 3 game engines):
* * *
My thoughts on VVVVVVV in comparison to the above titles is, you will find the same pixel-exact leaps and jumps hardcore arcade level design, crumbling platforms, patrolling bogeys, laser walls and whatnot, but the old ones only gave you 3 or 5 lives to beat all levels, and many of these games provided no checkpoints. GAME OVER was no satan back then.
If you enjoyed Knytt, Finders Keepers may also find a warm reception with you.
The above are all Commodore 64/plus4 games, requiring the "x64" / "xplus4" apps from the VICE emulator suite, respectively.
Other 8, 16 and 32 bit Home Computers (ie. not peecee compatibles) also have tons of great old stuff for today's indie gamer.