This one plays a bit like indie classic Axiom Verge (2015), looks like it, but goes by the name of OVERWHELM. It’s from English indie developer Ruari O’Sullivan.

It has roguelike elements, but it’s officially an action-horror platformer. Themes of Ridley Scott’s Alien run amok throughout, but with its impressive atmospherics and looks this one is a bit of a winner.

Ermahgerd the Difficulty May Well OVERWHELM

OVERWHELM is a great little game that throws you straight in at the deep end. And it ties rocks around your ankles, too, and the water is pure chlorine.

Yes, this is one of those ultra-tough, “git good”, chest thumping romps. Much like the Jupiter-based Disc Room we covered recently.

Although hard as nails, if you persevere at OVERWHELM you do get to enjoy its slick gameplay and great control system.

Plot? Yes, there is one. You are a knight and there’s a hive. It’s your job to get on in there and exterminate everything you come across, with further nods to the the Alien series with facehugger type creatures and other guff. Here are the first few minutes in action.

Other than the basic baddies, you come across some pulverising bosses. Giant squid, bats, worm type things.

The horror elements come from its intensity, as you’re pretty overwhelmed a lot of the time and living on pure instinct.

That side covers the best moments of classic Half-Life 2 rather well, in fact, a FPS famous for its onslaught of aliens.

But this is a Super Meat Boy type endurance game. You’re going to get pummelled relentlessly and need the patience to persevere to get the most of OVERWHELM. If that doesn’t sound like you as a gamer (and it usually isn’t us), maybe skip this one.

However, there are a few options in your menu to make the game easier. Switch them on to get infinite ammo and lives. You’ll bloody well need them, old bean.

This is an ongoing debate with gamers right now after the launch of Elden Ring earlier this year, an incredibly difficult game some like to get on their high horse about as they’re good at it. And they sneer down haughtily at those who struggle with the difficulty.

Well, that bollocks aside, it’s all easily solved by developers including Easy, Normal, and Hard modes. Not too much to ask, is it?

OVERWHELM sort of has that, making it more accessible for gamers.

That’s more than welcome as we don’t have the time to master this thing on its toughest settings. But we love its aesthetic. And that synth heavy soundtrack.

OVERWHELM may be a bit of a handful with its difficulty, but we still have a lot of love for the game.

And it’s a brief one. You can have this completed in three hours (if you, like, somehow overcome its staggering onslaughts).

It’s not only for the “git gud” brigade.

You can revel in the sci-fi shooting action, too. It’s out RIGHT NOW (after its 2018 launch) on Steam and Nintendo Switch.