HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?

Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows, PS4, PS Vita

In Downwell, you play as a guy who jumped down a well full of monsters wearing boots that shoot bullets. If that doesn't intrigue you I don't know what will. So, the game is basically a rogue-like platformer shooter. Let me break it down: your main purpose is to traverse this vertical nigh bottomless pit with your jumping and shooting skills. Each level has a set of monsters, their positions are randomly generated along with the ledges and platforms you can land on. Your gunboots act as the harbinger of death and a below par jetpack.

The game is merciless, the platforming in it is super tight, a small mistake equals to a life lost, the fast pace doesn't help. It's a game where you'll die time and time again to progress but it's so addictive that you won't get bored. For a small game like this, it has incredible depth. You can play as the careful guy who looks before he jumps or you can wreak havoc by continuously jumping on top of enemies without touching any platform. Enemies add an additional layer, monsters with white outlines can be jumped on, and the others have to be shot down. Add in variable upgrades and it never gets old.

The graphics are old-school goodness, goes really well with the gameplay and has a nostalgia factor. Each level has a different chiptune soundtrack which complements the overall feel of the game. Since every run is quite different from the last, replay value is never a problem, one of the strengths of rogue-likes.