Freebie Feelers...  99Vidas

Freebie Feelers is a series where we download the free monthly console-specific or newly released free-to-play games to test their worth. This series will contain some useful information as well as plenty of personal opinion. While these articles may not be reviews, we hope that you will be able to use them to help decide whether that free download is worth it.

What is it?

It’s a scrolling beat-em-up in the vein of games like Golden Axe, Double Dragon, and Streets of Rage. This applies both in terms of style and substance, as it’s very 16-bit influenced graphically. There’s a lot of subtle references to other games in the genre, 11 playable characters, and a selection of upgradeable combos that add some extra panache to the game.

What did you think?

I’m a big Streets of Rage fan, and this game is massively inspired by it, which is no bad thing. The music is composed in a similar manner, some of the levels look strangely familiar, and power-ups tend to take the form of apples and chickens. That’s not to say that it doesn’t have any of its own tricks. There are two interesting bonus levels, one of which takes the form of a series of doodles in a notepad, giving you a change of scenery that’s quite clever. Overall though, this is a game that sticks relatively close to its source of inspiration, and as a fan of the originals, I’m also a fan of this.

Is it worth downloading?

If you like beat-em-ups, then you’ll want to get a copy of this. I recommended it last year at full price so I’d be even more in favour of acquiring it for free. If you’re not a fan of the style of game though, this isn’t going to do much to convert you. It’s not a brand new experience that breaks any ground, just a cool little game to grab with your PS Plus subscription this April that will evoke memories of the nineties.