[REDACTED]

Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Current goal: Finish a run

Every once in a while a game is so fun, popular, and successful, it becomes a blueprint for other games; a sub-genre unto itself. See Metroid, Minecraft, and Vampire Survivors. Also Hades, whose roguelite, action-RPG progression is now the foundation for lots of new experiments, including [REDACTED]. Striking Distance Studios’ latest game applies the formula to the alien horror world of its previous release, Callisto Protocol, but you really don’t need to know anything about it to immediately start digging [REDACTED]

The isometric shooter is snappy, well-paced, and sports a very pretty “future punk” art-style. Its twist on the whole “customize your character by choosing between random buffs at the end of each round” thing comes in the form of Rivals, AI-controlled versions of your previous attempts that will try to thwart your progress. The goal of each run is to be the first and only survivor to an escape pod. Defeating Rivals will net you extra tools and resources for your arsenal, but it will also slow you down and potentially fuck up your day. I don’t know if [REDACTED] will ultimately have the same longevity as other standouts in the genre—much hinges on levels of variety and depth that aren’t revealed until several hours in—but it’s a “good one of those” thatI’m excited to dig into more this weekend. — Ethan Gach

on Steam”]