Akane

This is just the best damn game. Challenging and super rewarding, balanced and fair, satisfying when you get it right, but not infuriating when you get it wrong. Simple but extremely replayable. Addictive, even. And damn, I got it for £1.99 on sale. Best money I’ve ever spent. (A note for Mac users - this runs on my M5 MacBook Pro running Tahoe 26.6.1. So the banner saying it’s not compatible may be misleading, though I can’t speak for every system)

Some guy made a run based twin-stick with swords instead of guns. You play Crimsonland? Like that. Little like Vampire Survivors also but no autobattler stuff. Most sex parry in all of vidya. What you play is what you get. The whole game is there from the start, just with some unlockables on top that trickle as you're able to get farther in the game. This thing would have gobbled a billion dollars in quarters 30 years ago.

cannot sex the main character 0/10

Akane is a unique game that scratches that itch for mechanical perfection and it will demand mechanical perfection from you. The music matches the rhythm and feel of the game but it can get a little repetitive in long sessions. (but you can always turn it off and play your own!) The gameplay is difficult but not overcomplex, genuinely super satisfying once you get the grasp of it. Being able to create and express your own style through items was a very neat idea from the developer. In my opinion this game is extremely zen, a violent meditation demanding your entire focus for a split second of un-focus can and will lose you your run. My simple critiques would be that I wish for a button / hotkey that restarts the level for you (for those psychos who can't drop a combo) and that the combo timer is just a tiny tiny bit more forgiving. Perhaps adding a small ammo counter below the stamina bar as well would be nice too but it might be intended in the design language to be the way it is. Overall, If you want a game that takes your full attention and you love learning mechanics this is a game to pick up. Especially on sale as it is a steal! Thank you Ludic Studios for making thi…

Everything dies in one hit, but so do you. It's a fun little high score games you can kill an evening or two with. It does get repetitive pretty quickly, but considering the price I think that’s fair. It feels more like something you pick up for a few short sessions rather than a game you to sink hours into. Not a game I’d spend hours playing in one sitting, but for the price (especially on sale), it’s decent if you want something simple to pick up and play and scratch that Hotline Miami or Katana ZERO itch.

4/5