The joy of indie games right here in the form of UFO 50. This late 2024 release is an imaginative reimagining of the notorious disaster Action 52 (1991), except this time the… games are good!
This miracle is thanks to indie team Mossmouth Games, who’ve worked wonders here in this ultra-charming selection of mini NES-era type delights. Really, one of the top games of 2024 that just oozes life-affirming excellence.
Go Retro Like Never Before in UFO 50
This is currently only available on Steam (PC), but we expect console released to follow. It feels pretty mandatory given this title’s quality.
Mossmouth was founded by Derek Yu in 2009, a solo indie developer in LA. Previously, he’s responsible for the popular Spelunky games. However, for this ambitious title he enlisted the help of six other game designers (Jon Perry, Eirik Suhrke, Paul Hubans, Tyriq Plummer, Ojiro Fumoto) to complete this creative monster.
Yes, there really are 50 games in UFO 50! We got down to it and bravely, for the sake of this review, heroically played every single one of them.
Thoughts? Seriously, some of these little games are just fantastic. Our favourites include:
- Paint Chase
- Mortol
- Porgy
- Waldorf’s Journey
- Warptank
- Velgrass
There’s so much variety and creativity within established genres going on, it’s almost ridiculous how the team has managed to do this. Here’s a gander at some of the games in action.
Mortol
Mortol is a unique take on 2D platformers that had us playing to the end. Really, just an outstanding take on a sidescroller—we’ve never seen before (in over 35 years of playing the things).
You get 18 or so “men” to use per level, using a combination of ways to get them killed. This opens up pathways across the level (such as by detonating blocks), allowing your other men to progress.
This concept that could be an entire full game in its own right.
Porgy
Porgy is just quiet and calming, a cutback take on Dave the Diver. You plunge the depths, get resources, avoid the massive shark, and all that jazz.
Waldorf’s Journey
You star as a walrus (Waldorf) who is dreaming and must navigate through his dream. The goal is to guide him to the end of the stage ASAP. This has led to much speedrunning of the title.
Plus, you get to play as a goddamn walrus. Need we add more?!
Paint Chase
Paint Chase is very addictive. You have to drive your car over certain areas to paint them blue, ensuring you have the most on-screen areas coloured in (compared to the CPU’s red painting communist freaks).
Instantly accessible, bags of fun, and you just have to keep on playing.
UFO 50 Rights the Wrongs of Action 52
Whilst Action 52 is a laughingstock, UFO 50 has come along to prove how the concept should’ve been done. The result is one of 2024’s best games.
And another tribute to the brilliance of the indie game scene.
The attention to detail is exquisite, telling a story amongst the 50 fun titles on display. The fictional developer UFO 50 studio is depicted as releasing games for the (also fictional) LX-I, LX-II, and LX-III series of consoles between 1982 and 1989.
Mossmouth has created it all with NES style title cards, with titles becoming progressively advanced between as the ’80s move on. Each game offers a fun, intriguing twist on established genres.
UFO 50 is just a total triumph. Brilliant—just thinking about it makes us happy.
Finally, from the press and gamers we’re now seeing growing criticism of how derivative and stale so many AAA games are. Something we noted ages ago and so switched over to the vibrant world of indie games. UFO 50 is a shining example.
We saw a video on YouTube the other day with the sensationalist headline, “Why Do All Modern Games Now Suck?” Pretty simple—stop playing boring major AAA releases you’ve seen 15,000 times before. Get playing indie games.
Start with UFO 50.
Beyond its seeming simplicity is a multi-layered world of detail. Each game offers considerable replay value, excellent video game design, not least with how the speedrunning community (nod to Summoning Salt) has taken to certain titles to set world records—always a sign the devs have done something very right indeed.
Marvellous! There’s nothing else to add.
