What happens when you play this set of CDs?

(not quite) All The Crystals

I’ve not been posting much here in recent months. Sorry, apart from my generally being rubbish and lazy I’ve also started a new job which tends to leave me knackered and therefore provides ample excuses for not doing anything.

Anyway, I thought rather than just leave this place to gather more cobwebs I’d do a post or two about games I’m enjoying at the moment which probably aren’t getting vast amounts of coverage everywhere (i.e. they’re not Battlefield 1 or Civilization VIIIIIIIII). First up is Redder. This game is around six years old now, having originally appeared as a free online game, but is far too good for that kind of nonsense and is now also available in delicious download-and-keep flavour in exchange for currency.

Essentially an 8-bit style exploration/metroidvania platform game about collecting crystals, what lifts this above the average are the often-brilliant, frequent puzzles largely built around activating and deactivating red and green blocks, as well as the atmosphere created by the subdued colour palette and brilliantly melancholy music. It’s a great example of gameplay and graphics/sound combining into a successful whole. Plus it feels like it could have run on a ZX Spectrum, and that always gets extra marks from me.

Redder is available from itch.io here.

Tags: metroidvania games, windows games