I'm in a mostly pitch-black ocean, separated by a few Earth-like planets here and there, conveniently connected by fast-travel warp gates. He has 10 unlockable starfighters, one of which swims through space, leaving thick exhaust fumes behind, and an octopus-shaped alien that occasionally flutters past like a bat, and an eternal backdrop. Observe the stars shining in the distance. After a while, I die.
power of ten It truly feels like a hidden gem, a secret presence. I'm glad I found it, but I was surprised at what I found. He was first released in 2023 and has a “Very Good” rating on Steam, but that rating is based on his less than 200 reviews (pretty low by Steam standards). Its developer, his Pew Times Three, is just one man: Andrew Richardson. His social media presence is almost non-existent aside from a few Reddit posts. power of ten as his first commercial game. Its new Nintendo Switch port, which launches on March 20th, probably would have been similarly unremarkable if I hadn't happened to find myself slouching between blockbuster releases. Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection and Princess Peach: Showtime!
The game's introduction adds a bit of backstory to the ship's invisible captain.
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all power of ten It's more modest than other games, but that doesn't mean it's less impressive. Despite its lo-fi pixel art, this twin-stick shooter roguelite excels at summoning endless galactic smoke and possibility. And after using it for a few hours, I found the Nintendo Switch port to be very comfortable to play.
But before that, I had to accept my position as a lone spaceship with a projectile. The game's introduction adds a bit of backstory to the ship's invisible captain, Jonio, an explorer stranded in unexplored space, but you don't need to worry about him to enjoy the experience. power of ten You will be given very clear goals. The goal is to save as many planets as possible, no matter how many warships surround the mysterious and villainous Deadeye army. And if Deadeye's missiles prove too much for your one-man rebellion, try to relax and enjoy eternal death. There is always a new procedurally generated map to spawn into.
These maps appear empty at first glance.
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At first glance, these maps appear empty. Relaxing, but. I walked up to the lumpy gray meteorite and blasted it with a single laser beam, collecting the mineral and gas bubbles that shot out. These resources repower decommissioned planetary shield generators that deploy protective force fields around nearby planets. I didn't see the need for this until I ran into a random Deadeye fleet and it exploded, as well as the amount of loot you get from restarting the generator (boxes of ammo, heavy missiles, armor power-up improvements). I didn't immediately understand the need for this. Up.
As you proceed power of ten, these enemy ships will be more diverse and aggressive. I was surprised when a manageable group of small spaceships deploying missiles eventually turned into a flood of large, medium, and spaceships. and The small ships still carry missiles, but they also have long-range lasers and the ability to coat weaker fighters with acid. You'll naturally get some upgrades as you progress through the levels, and there are also some cargo ships that will sell you new weapons. But frustratingly, most of these power-ups don't immediately feel as powerful as comparable casual roguelite upgrades. vampire survivors.So sometimes when I'm playing power of tenI felt punished as I watched my health bar pitifully decrease by five notches.
It may not save the world, but it's worth a try.
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Nevertheless, what I ultimately valued most about my fighters was their fragility. Just below the map in the heads-up display is a counter that tracks all the lives you save, with lives lost displayed in red. These numbers will fluctuate depending on whether you succeed or struggle with Deadeye. Even after just an hour of play, I found my heart racing as the “lost” counter increased. With lonely, dangerous maps and a perhaps lackluster power-up system; power of ten It makes you keenly aware of the fact that you are the galaxy's last and only hope. That's not ideal. You are weak and are only helping out of genuine need. Deadeye is also attacking you. It's better to stay home and lock your door.
But you're not, you're in space. power of ten You need to make the most of it and strengthen yourself with generosity and willingness. Not many shooter games can motivate players with this kind of empathetic trolling. power of tennew switch ports. It may not save the world, but it's worth a try.
