Rock, Paper, Shotgun

I felt like I should have paid somebody at least a pound or two when I played Stealth Bastard last year. What began as an experiment in stripping stealth mechanics down to their furtive fundamentals was released as the speedy and stylish offspring of Metal Gear and Super Meat Boy. Next month, anyone who did play the free version and found it pleasing will be able to purchase Stealth Bastard Deluxe from Steam. The price isn’t available yet, but the Deluxification comes in the form of eighty levels, new equipment, a connecting narrative and “lots of new ways to die”. There’s a trailer for the non-deluxe below and that version will remain available even after the Steam release. Discover it here.

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Taking up my trusty, weatherbeaten pickaxe’o'electronic delights, I chip another gleaming nugget from the mountain of indie games lurking in the RPS inbox. What new gem will I mine this time? It has a fine name indeed. That name is Stealth Bastard: Tactical Espionage Arsehole. It has a core philosophy, and that philosophy is “why does stealth need to be so slow?” Turns out, it doesn’t.
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Deliberate spontaneous combustion would be an incredibly useful tool, provided one could survive the ensuing explosion and that it caused significant propulsion in a direction of choice. Jolly good news for the star of Explodemon! who has such powers and is therefore able to navigate the obstacle-laden levels in which he finds himself. The game is available now, after a prolonged vacation in PSN country, and looks like a cross between Megaman and Splosion Man. There’s an interesting piece on the latter similarity here, and a bright and boomy trailer below.

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I haven’t played well-received PSN platformer Explodemon! as yet, but I have taken note of the fact that it has the best name. Or is it just me who thinks it sounds like someone gleefully detonating Pikachu into a shower of bloody yellow bits? Now, I can also take note of the fact that, as of next month, it will be a PC game.

Curve Studios’ self-exploding minihit is due in August, though a specific date hasn’t been announced as yet. This means it’s potentially up against erstwhile peer/rival Ms. ‘Splosion Man, which may also be PC-bound. You spend ages waiting for one game starring a combustive hero, then two come along at once. TYPICAL. A few facts and some footage of Explodemon! await below. Yes, it does have an exclamation mark in its title. Yes, it does make including its name in sentences incredibly troublesome.
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