Resonant control
Developer/publisher: Remedy Entertainment
Platforms: Steam (Windows), Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox for PC. Available on Mac via Steam and the App Store later this year
Price: $60
Yes, Resonant control is an indie game, although it has a much larger budget than many of the games we feature in this weekly roundup. I even saw a full-screen ad on the home page when I opened my browser on Thursday, the day it was released. However, Remedy is an independent studio, so it falls within our remit.
I’ve been looking forward to this since we learned five years ago that a sequel to Control was probably on his way. I thought we would see more of Jesse Faden’s misadventures through The Oldest House. But that is not the case here.
Remedy isn’t a studio known for sticking to conventions. It defied expectations by making Jesse’s brother Dylan the protagonist, expanding the scope from the confines of a shape-shifting building to an open world, and abandoning the morphable service weapon in favor of hand-to-hand combat.
I haven’t had time to get started yet and I’m really looking forward to doing it this weekend. The reviews I’ve read are generally positive, although some note that the combat becomes repetitive. But it doesn’t bother me much. Fighting wasn’t what interested me Control. The world and story that Remedy built in this game was confusing and captivating, and that’s what I’m ready to see more of in Resonant control. If the fight becomes too tedious, it’s always possible to activate invincibility and one-shot kills.
Stick it to the Stickman
Developer: Free Lives
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Platform: Steam (Windows, Mac, SteamOS/Linux; Steam Deck verified)
Price: Usually $12, with 50% off until October 1
I appreciate art that has a clear point of view, and Stick it to the Stickman don’t hesitate to get your message across. It is a satirical, anti-capitalist roguelite brawler. The main loop sees you climb the corporate ladder (well, floors of a building) to defeat your company’s CEO and take his position. Then you start again as a new employee. The turnover rate in this company is incredibly high, so I think it says something that the characters are basically stick figures with few defining characteristics.
Along the way, you’ll battle your colleagues using a wide range of attacks, from a stapler and flying kick to a hadouken and projectile coffee cup. You’ll start each game (which only takes a few minutes) with a certain trait and a few moves, and unlock and upgrade your abilities as you move around the building. There’s also a lot going on in the overworld, where you might be tasked with fighting off protesters or getting a Grand Theft Auto-style police wanted level.
I played for about an hour Stick it to the Stickmanwhich left early access this week and I’ve enjoyed my time with it so far. The animations are smooth and kicking enemies through windows or into electrical panels doesn’t get old. I’m tickled by the frequent appearances of the former colleague who recommends your first character for a job and is immediately replaced by this one. The short runs also help make this a good Steam Deck game.
However, it’s probably not best to think too closely about what’s going on. Spending your avatars’ hard-earned money to grow the business seems macabre, even if you reap benefits from it.
The dog doesn’t care
Developer: Rohan Nowell
Publisher: Rotub Games
Platform: Steam (Windows; Steam Deck verified)
Price: Usually $15, with a 10% discount through October 8
In The dog doesn’t careThe outfits you unlock for the troublemaking pup are called “pajamas”. That’s all I really needed to know to realize that this adventure game is for me. It is helpful that reviews suggest fans of Untitled Goose Game And Little Kitty, big city (I like both!) I will enjoy it.
You play as Charlie, a puppy left home alone by his owner, and your mission is to cause carnage and impress his friends. You’ll earn badges for your mischievous acts, which may simply involve diamond theft. It looks chaotic and kind of cute. Sometimes you just need something chaotic and kind of cute.
Video game menu: The game
Developer/publisher: Sebastian Gioseffi
Platforms: Steam (Windows), Itch
Price: Usually $4, with a 10% discount on Steam until September 30
Video game menu: The game is one of the titles included in the Out of the Box showcase. This is a short game that fits into the booming Fake OS genre while parodying this category. As you might imagine, it’s all about navigating a video game menu system. Things get completely ridiculous very quickly.
I played a little Video game menu and developer Sebastian Gioseffi immediately sets the right tone. As I do with almost every game, I opened the settings before doing anything else. I was pleased to see a drop-down menu that allowed me to choose from a range of emotional depth options for challenges, ranging from “I just want to kill zombies” to “I just want to kill zombies.” Sophie’s choice. Turn on the gore option and every time you change the setting there is a splatter of blood. If you like to see the numbers increase arbitrarily, why not enable random scoring? You’ll also never guess what happens when you turn on airplane mode.
I hadn’t even started the game yet and was enjoying the way the settings distorted what I saw and heard. I won’t give anything else away, but if you’re looking for something stupid to play this weekend, Video game menu is right there.
