tldr videogame curation
melbourne, australia

Genre: Shooter

Squirrel with a Gun delivers a zAnY, sandboxy experience where you control a gun-toting squirrel causing chaos in a suburban neighbourhood. It’s got some clever platforming and puzzle mechanics, and for a short time is a light-hearted, fun gameplay loop. Its absurd premise is the selling point, and you’ll know if you’ll enjoy it after seeing like 10 seconds of any gameplay.

KILL KNIGHT is a fast-paced, demanding, isometric shooter blending the brutality of DOOM with Crimsonland-like mechanics. Set in an eldritch hellscape dripping with vibes, its tight combat systems, rewarding progression, and striking visuals make it engaging, addictive and ultra cool.

The Forever Winter is a co-op survival PvE extraction shooter set in a bleak, mech-dominated, war-torn world. It’s super punishing; you’re not the hero in this world, scavenging for resources amidst constant threats. The atmosphere and dynamic combat are terrifying, keeping you constantly on edge. Won’t be for everyone, but a great addition to the genre.

UFO 50 is a collection of 50 retro-style games from famed indie devs Mossmouth and friends, crossing a wide variety of genres. While each game is simple in design, they offer surprising depth and at times challenge - but more than anything, demonstrate a wild imagination and passion for game design. The nostalgic visuals, creative concepts, and sheer variety make it a fun, unique and inspiring experience.

Take a look at another Alan Wake II expansion: Lake House, revealing fresh supernatural horrors. Set to launch in October.

Valve makes games! Initially kept under wraps via an invite-only system, Deadlock blends MOBA elements with shooter mechanics: its fast-paced, lane-based gameplay combines elements from the likes of Dota and Overwatch and is immediately compelling. While still in very early development, the game shows immense promise: everything already feels great and the setting, tone and aesthetic are super cool.

It’s another survival horror MMO set in a post-apocalyptic world infested with monstrous creatures! Once Human has something, though - the world is wonderfully creative and its crafting and base-building are intuitive and satisfying. Great visuals and an atmospheric setting, but it feels typically grindy and repetitive over time. Definitely worth checking out for fans of the genre.

The First Descendant is an almost aggressively pedestrian looter shooter - neither exceptional nor terrible. It combines ideas well but is held back by shameless drive toward microtransactions and apparent lack of identity: part Destiny, part Warframe, lots of fanservice. While the visuals and cooperative systems are strong, its gunplay and movement feel pretty average, and overall inconsistent quality and monetisation model won’t appeal to everyone. Worth a quick go if you wanna turn your brain off for a while.

In a contrite tweet, Sony have announced the cancellation of plans to enforce PSN accounts for HELLDIVERS 2.

We’re still learning what is best for PC players and your feedback has been invaluable. Thanks again for your continued support of Helldivers 2 and we’ll keep you updated on future plans.

It’s unclear what this means for Steam players in countries the game was removed from.

After enjoying three months of almost universal acclaim, Sony - in an incomprehensibly stupid move - has decided to make PSN accounts a requirement to continue playing HELLDIVERS 2. Since the announcement, the Steam review score has tanked to Overwhelmingly Negative, the game itself is no longer purchasable in 177 countries, and Steam are allowing refunds outside of the regular playtime window. Indeed, the HELLDIVERS 2 dev team themselves are encouraging negative reviews and refunds. You have to wonder what in the world is driving this decision and their apparent commitment to it.