Bordering on exploitative, yet undivided amounts of fun on the part of Luca Galante. It’s like a litmus test for one’s self-control, whether they choose to participate in it or not. As schematic as it might seem, and play, since it literally just takes one analog stick to play the whole way through I’d liken it to musou. This game is kind of a stroke of formalist genius.

The way this game is designed is grossly… “mobile.” There is plenty of room here for some kind of pay-to-win model to be integrated, but there is no such thing. What you see is what you get and you can play it for as little or as long as you feel. But for all of that, the game doesn’t demand anything of you except for the five dollar entry point.

All of this, dozens of unlockable characters with their own presets and stat pages, plenty of levels to clear with their own challenges, and an endless stream of content. It will have you coming back whether you like it or not. It becomes subconscious, seeps itself into you and drains your life force like a parasite. Make of that what you will. Play this game at your peril. Once you pick it up there’s a good chance you won’t put it down.