Fenix Rage

Much like Super Meat Boy and the many clones it's inspired, Fenix Rage is an intentionally difficult platformer that aims to reward more than infuriate. It's that extremely delicate balance between fun and frustration, though, that this subgenre often...

Fenix Rage is nothing short of great. It’s a worthy entry into an unfortunately short line of hardcore and enjoyable platformers, with great aesthetics and music backed by solid mechanics. The occasionally difficult to look at environments and relatively thin plot are made up for by addicting, quality gameplay. Did we mention that collecting enough cookies nets you a real-life cookie recipe? That’s right. It even teaches you how to bake some damn good cookies.

Fenix Rage wears its gimmick on its sleeve, so if you’re ready to be worked into frothy-mouthed anger, this delivers. You might hit a wall and want to quit forever, especially since there is no way to skip levels you’re stuck on; you can’t make progress on other stages and come back to the problem level after a break. I have nothing against mega-difficult games, there are just better ones to spend your time with than Fenix Rage.

Fenix Rage managed to appeal to my inner masochist. No doubt, it threw down some of the toughest gaming challenges I've faced in 2014. Sadly, it didn't deliver that constant drip of challenging satisfaction that games like Dark Souls and Super Meat Boy...