Headlander

Not as unique as you'd perhaps expect given the premise, but still a very stylish, characterful and funny...

I'm a pretty big fan of the Metroidvania style games. I know people for some reason dislike that term, but when I say it, you know exactly the style of game I'm talking about. Well, Double Fine has decided to make their very own Metroidvania game in the...

Headlander's retrofuturist aesthetic is creative enough to make up for the fact its underlying mechanics are anything but.

Headlander shows a lot of promise in its concept, but it quickly becomes complacent with its most original ideas and falls into a dull fug. There's little that wrong with Headlander per se - it's a perfectly pleasurable project to while away the spare evening or two - but for a game with such a strong opening act, it's quietly heartbreaking to see it conform to such a tired template. It's got a head alright, but not a lot of heart.

It’s not always clear but Headlander doesn’t overstay its welcome, and it doesn’t waste time on extraneous stuff. Instead, Headlander finds smart core mechanics and a really cool idea and pushes them both to smart places that make for a game remains engaging even as it steadily grows more challenging. It’s not the funniest guy in the room, but it’s still a lot of fun to hang around with.

From its odd mechanics to its captivating presentation, Headlander's parallels to Metroid bubble under the surface; it's the game's fresh qualities that grab your attention and make it one of the most delightful takes on the well-worn formula in years.

Headlander is an unexpectedly great take on Metroidviania-style action. Some of the objective design renders its flashier, body-endangering powers moot, but the quick and complex moment-to-moment gameplay carries it splendidly. It’s difficult but fair, and fast-paced but satisfying through to the end. And with a story so dangerously loaded with trope upon trope, it’s a joy to see Headlander sidestep some cliches with a beautiful setting, dark humor, and, well… a rocket-powered head. That’ll do the trick.

Headlander doesn’t forge a bold new path, but it’s a lot of fun to live in its strange world for a while. Its various elements are well trod – ‘70s aesthetic, Metroid-style exploration, big questions about the nature of identity and consciousness – but they’ve been arranged in a fascinating way that feels fresh.