Psycutlery

This is probably the best 2D platformer I've ever played, and as an extra, it's also a free game. Psycutlery takes inspiration from some Nintendo IP's, like Yoshi or Kirby, but refines the ideas on those games to push them even further while also having a simple controlling scheme that is easy to learn, with only 3 buttons needed to be press: - One for jumping, an action that here you can chain up to 6 times (you theoretically can do more, but those can't be spammed) until you touch the floor, which resets the counter, which adds floatiness to the movement to give some margin of error to the played, - A second button dedicated to your main attack, which is a projectile that hits the first enemy or obstacle it faces, and once you defeat them, you can grab them to use them as a single use throwing item that does more damage than your main attack. - The last one is a bit situational, since it's for using the power ups that you grab during the adventure, those not only have offensive properties, but also can give some utility, like being invincible or giving extra jumps to play it extra safe. But unlike in Kirby games, they can't be used forever, and once you run out of power, or exit…

I was there back when Thunder Dragon brought the world Psycho Waluigi, an iconic Mario fangame so good that you'd swear it was some lost official GBA title decompiled for the PC. And down the line, I heard about the game when the demo dropped and watched its development like a hawk. And I beat the full game before it got ported to Steam, and it's a blast from start to finish. Not to mention this is free. FREE. 100 total levels, a gripping narrative with quirky humor, a whole post-game bonus mode, and it's free as a bird. You have no excuse to ignore it (unless you're not into platformers in which case whatever). If there's any criticism I have, it's to have an option to donate to Thunder Dragon because she deserves a cut of cheddar for something this tight. And I look forward to her upcoming game Telegeddon.

If you like 2D combat-platformers, you need to check this out. It's free, after all.

Psycutlery is an imaginative 2D platforming adventure that takes an intentionally absurd concept and develops it into something surprisingly substantial. Developed by Skye June and published by FreakZone Games, it follows Lillian the Alien as she explores the strange world of Planet Geozaic with an unusual companion: a psychically controlled spork. What could easily have been nothing more than a visual gag instead becomes the foundation for many of the game's mechanics, giving the adventure an identity that immediately separates it from more conventional platformers. Movement is energetic and unusually generous. Lillian can perform multiple jumps while airborne, eventually chaining as many as five jumps together. This gives traversal an almost acrobatic quality and allows stages to emphasize verticality without making every missed platform excessively punishing. The spork provides another layer of interaction by allowing Lillian to manipulate objects, grab things, throw items, eat, and deal with enemies in unconventional ways. Rather than limiting the player to a standard jump-and-attack formula, the game encourages experimentation with whatever objects and abilities are available…

Psycutlery is one of the most bizarre platformers I have played, and that is honestly a huge part of why I enjoyed it. I play as Lillian the Alien with a mind controlled spork that can grab, throw and even eat things, which is the sort of premise that immediately tells me this game is not taking itself too seriously. I liked the constant sense that the next area was going to introduce something even stranger. The platforming is much more varied than I expected. The game constantly introduces new gimmicks and different ways to interact with the environment, so I rarely feel like I am repeating the exact same type of challenge. Lillian can also jump multiple times in midair, which gives the movement plenty of freedom. I enjoyed learning how each new mechanic changes the way I approach a level. The spork itself is what really makes the gameplay stand out. Instead of simply being a weapon, it becomes a tool for interacting with enemies and objects in all sorts of ridiculous ways. I can grab something, throw it somewhere else or even eat it, and the game encourages me to experiment with those abilities. The large selection of power ups adds even more possibilities and keeps the combat…

When the asking price for the game is "free", it's hard to ask for more than what this one has to offer. Easily has the quality and content of a 5 or 10 dollar game. In a similar vein to a mainline Mario game, each level (and optional challenge level) has a new gimmick to keep things fresh. As such, gameplay never felt stale for me in the campaign because there was always something new. The story is on the silly and cute side, but still endearing enough I liked the characters.