Mandala (2022)

There is this kind of game where you while playing constantly wonder: Why did no one ever do this before? This one idea, so simple yet so captivating, can make a game stand out and defy all genres. I never came to play any classic bullet hell shooters. Normally this is too stressfull, too competitive, too much for me. But Mandala took this mechanics and made it better. Instead of fighting, you create something. Something that you can craft together in a careful selection of colours and patterns; or something that is randomly generated and still beautiful. Mandala gives you what the title promises: Mandalas to fill out while shooting colour at them and evading the enemies bullets. And the results remind me of my childhood, sitting at my desk and painting self-created mandalas. Although I am really bad at this I can't but return and try again. It is relaxing, but challenging. Soothing, but frustrating. I went out of my way playing Mandala, and didn't regret it.

Beautiful game, everything about this game is relaxing, from gameplay to music, with incremental difficulty. you can create beautiful color compositions with lots of mandalas and save them to file! It can be played with both keyboard and gamepad.

[h1]Mesmerizing and Fun[/h1] I don't know how I happened upon this but I almost didn't get it. I'm glad I did, and for such a good price too. I'm sure hopefully more will be added but its polished and plays very well with a controller. It does make you sit down and concentrate but in a relaxed way, and has a nice spice of difficulty. The gameplay is splendid, and unlike anything else I've seen. once you're in a groove with the projectiles and what you're doing it truly is hypnotic, and typically once I finish one I'll look around at everything slightly twisting/spinning. I'm sure some might dislike that but Its quite fun and almost psychedelic but more of like one of those optical illusions you stare at. I wasn't ready for so many good games this year, and even a small indie game like this fits perfectly if you need a small break from elden ring or insert whatever main game has you hooked.