Need some 2D goodness recommendations (PS4/PS5)

Giallo Corsa

Giallo Corsa

Member
Hey boys, since I'm stuck with my PS portal, I'm going to turn it into my "indie" console for some quick play sessions.

I like beat 'em ups, Souls-likes, action platformers and Metroidvanias - please don't suggest rogue likes since I have a heavy dislike towards them or RPGs since I don't have the time to actually finish them 😉

Right now, I have these in my wish list :

- Vengeful guardian moon rider

- Gravity circuit

- Ender lilies : quietus of the knights

- Afterimage

- Souldiers

- ANNO : mutationem

- Earth's dawn (only 2.5 euros at the moment)

- Double dragon Gaiden (the one with the chibi chars)

- Blasphemous 2 (finished the 1st, couldn't stand the cryptic side quests)

Can't judge the games' quality only via Metacritic, I'd like to hear some opinions/suggestions from GAF users - preferably from those that have finished these games.

Most of those games are in the 11-12-14 Eurodollars range and I'd like to grab 2-3 of them.

Thanks in advance gents, cheers 😉
 
Last edited:
Luna Nights: Cool metroidvania with some bullet hell elements, great soundtrack, a bit on the shorter side though.




Crosscode: Action JRPG, great combat, nice story, semi-open world with cool exploration, pretty long (60 to 90 hours).

 
Last edited:
274px-Hollow_Knight_first_cover_art.webp.png
 
Double Dragon Gaiden is phenomenal. Just got 3 additional characters as free DLC. Been on sale multiple times for $15 which is a bargain.
 
Last edited:
Regarding Souldiers, when it released on Steam I gave it a try but it found it quite frustrating with checkpoints and healing being sparse which could lead to losing lots of progress, enemies were damage sponges and classes were poorly balanced. Was just a slog to play. It does look great though.

They've supposedly done some patching but I never went back to it.
 
Punished Miku said:
Double Dragon Gaiden is phenomenal. Just got 3 additional characters as free DLC. Been on sale multiple times for $15 which is a bargain.
Click to expand...

I'll bite dear Miku 😉
Riddle.me.this though : how does the gameplay feel ? is it more Streets of Rage 4 (good) or more like that shitty Scott Pilgrim where I found it to be unplayable ? Same thing for DD neon (hated it, it was too slow with cumbersome controls).
Is it "smooth" ? Does it have combos/juggling ?

Man, if it's anything like SOR4 I'll press the "buy" button now.

cheers
 
One recommendation I have is unfortunately only on PC. There was plans for a console release but that never happened. Possibly because the developer had issues with the publisher and ended up losing control of the game for a while (delisted from Steam). But they recently regained control of the game and are working on it again so keep an eye out for it on PSN.

 
Giallo Corsa said:
I'll bite dear Miku 😉
Riddle.me.this though : how does the gameplay feel ? is it more Streets of Rage 4 (good) or more like that shitty Scott Pilgrim where I found it to be unplayable ? Same thing for DD neon (hated it, it was too slow with cumbersome controls).
Is it "smooth" ? Does it have combos/juggling ?

Man, if it's anything like SOR4 I'll press the "buy" button now.

cheers
Click to expand...
Personally I think it's one of the best beat em ups ever made. Possibly in the top 3. Streets of Rage 4 is #1 for me.

It may look a bit like Scott Pilgrim, but when you see it in motion the animations are phenomenal. You can really tell that the people who designed the moves understand fighting and made them look like they have impact. The system feels simple at first, but hides a lot of subtle depth for high skill ceiling players since you can really optimize combos by tagging in your partner and immediately jumping into other moves with the new player while your old move is finishing up on the other character before they leave the screen, or doing a move and canceling into a special move, or even doing two specials in a row by canceling out the first instantly but they both hit. There's a lot of characters for a beat em up and they really play substantially differently. There are a few "doubles" but you have the Lee brothers, multiple large characters, multiple characters with guns (yes you read that right), and specialized characters like the whip user and the ninja, and the lost Lee brother is a drunken master too. Each have several interesting quirks with how to line up and optimize their moves that weren't immediately obvious. If you like to experiment with moves you will figure that stuff out I'm sure. The ninja jump attack has so much forward momentum you have to do it from far away, but once you get used to it it's insanely good. The aerial moves seem not very interesting at first, but all have great use cases. One of the boss characters you unlock always does hit jump kicks in a way that puts you behind the opponent, so if you are used to that and anticipate it you can pull off lots of sick set ups. The drunken master has lots of interesting things about his moveset as well I haven't seen in beat em ups, such as his run attack splitting a crowd and pushing some in front and some in back, or his forward special being able to be used instantly in reverse direction since he can attack in either direction. The stages evolve based on which order you pick them in, so if you pick stage 1 first, stages 2, 3 and 4 all add a 2nd layer. If you pick Stage 2 2nd, then stages 3 and 4 add a 3rd layer. So you have lots of incentive to replay the game repeatedly in different orders to unlock new stages. You also have some minor artwork and OST unlocks to spend tokens on. They just added a survival mode I haven't messed around with too much. Repeat runs are also interesting with slight variety since you buy temporary unlocks each run that augment your moves. I got the platinum and unlocked everything pretty easily.

Only let down for me was the music, which could have been better with how legendary the original OSTs were. There isn't an emphasis on juggling, but you can do it a bit. Certain moves hit enemies on the ground and you'll figure out which ones pop them up for a few extra hits.
 
Last edited:
Can't go wrong with those games:

  • Hollow Knight
  • The Messenger
  • The Mummy Demastered
  • Celeste
  • Blasphemous 1 & 2
  • Rogue Legacy 1 & 2
  • Last Faith
  • Blazing Chrome
  • Dead Cells
  • Shovel Knight
  • The Binding of Isaac
  • The Castlevania collections made by Konami
 
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is the best Metroidvania in a while, hits all the right notes of both a Metroidvania with fun combat with some great action-platforming and a few fun puzzles. Probably still my GOTY so far, highly recommend.

F.I.S.T. is the most underrated Metroidvania ever, excellent game no one played.
 
Last edited:
I just watched this episode of Game Sack and there are some excellent recommendations in it.

 
Try Mercenary Kings for a change. Side scrolling run and gun pixel art. Pretty Metal Slug inspired. Very challenging with a mission based structure. The more you invest the more you will get out of it. I love it.

 
This isn't my genre at all.
But I enjoyed the hell out of this.

mDYO0v1.jpg


People seem to skip this one. I guess because it's a port from the 3DS.
 
I liked Strider, Guacamelee, The Messenger, Matterfall, 9 Monkeys of Shaolin, Deadlight and a bit more basic visuals but sorta chaotic sorta clever gameplay Extreme Exorcism.
All lower budget, Metroidvania or linear action stuff.
 
Slave Zero X (2.5D)
Slave-Zero-X-Cover.jpg


Ghosts 'n' goblins resurrection
Ghosts-n-Goblins-Resurrection-PC-Version-Full-Game-Setup-Free-Download-1000x600.jpg


La-Mulana 1 & 2
la%2Bmulana%2B1%2By%2B2.jpg


Spelunker HD deluxe
review-spelunkerhddeluxe-ps4-capa-900x506.jpg


(Please note, the ones above are supposed to be hardcore, demanding 2D games. If that's not your style then disregard these.)

Cybershadow
cyber-shadow-key-art-en-01-22jun21


Sword of the vagrant
Sword-of-the-Vagrant.jpg


Valfaris
Valfairs-header.jpg
 
Last edited:
Giallo Corsa said:
I'll bite dear Miku 😉
Riddle.me.this though : how does the gameplay feel ? is it more Streets of Rage 4 (good) or more like that shitty Scott Pilgrim where I found it to be unplayable ? Same thing for DD neon (hated it, it was too slow with cumbersome controls).
Is it "smooth" ? Does it have combos/juggling ?

Man, if it's anything like SOR4 I'll press the "buy" button now.

cheers
Click to expand...
If you like side scrollers/BEU's give Dragon's Crown Pro a try. Its $3.99 currently on the store (or free based on your PS sub) and it's gorgeous.

gXsfM2E.png


Dragon's Crown Pro on PSN
 
Castlevania Requiem. Contains the best arcade (Rondo of Blood) and RPG oriented (Symphony of the Night) metroidvanias in existence.
Contra Zoneoftheenders GIF by KONAMI


Streets of Rage 4 & Mr. X Nightmare. Contains the most replayable beat 'em up in all of gaming. You can even customize moves by earning them in survival mode. Play secret classic boss battles and unlock old sprite versions with their own mechanics.

50042639923_dff9bb098c_o.gif


Cuphead. It is primarily a boss rush Contra with an overworld and some run n' gun stages. It has great controls and amazing classic Disney aesthetic.
South Bronx Crying GIF by SB2
 
Last edited:
The Messenger is a must-play. A fun, funny, brilliant little game with a clever twist that couldn't be done in another medium. Best non-Nintendo platformer of the last decade.

Streets of Rage 4 is the peak of the beat em up genre. Great combo potential, beautifully drawn and animated. Tremendous game.
 
Fucking hell man, half of the games in my wishlist have gone back to full price 🤣

Only DD Gaiden and Earth's dawn are still discounted...
Was thinking of getting also WH40K: Bolt gun (not 2D I know) just for a couple of quick bang bang play sessions but that's also back to full price.

Is Chasm any good lads ?

Thanks for the suggestions, keep em coming !
 
Last edited:
ssringo said:
Regarding Souldiers, when it released on Steam I gave it a try but it found it quite frustrating with checkpoints and healing being sparse which could lead to losing lots of progress, enemies were damage sponges and classes were poorly balanced. Was just a slog to play. It does look great though.

They've supposedly done some patching but I never went back to it.
Click to expand...
They really fucked up with the difficulty, but there was a balance patch and it's more fair now.

My recommendations.

Souldiers (best pixel art graphics right now).
Crosscode (best action/rpg ever).
Steel Assault (difficult, but it really feels like an 90's arcade game).
Greak: Memories of Azur (Metroidvania'ish game with Lost Vikings mechanics, gripping story).
Wuppo (oddball metroidvania).
TNMT Shredder's Revenge (This is the greatest and best beat 'em up in the world, Tribute).
 
  • Ghost Song​
  • Grime​
  • 8 Doors​
  • Deadlight DC​
  • Dust An Elysian Tail​
  • Headlander, if it hasn't been deleted (adult swim game)​
  • Chasm​
  • Imp the Sun​
  • 3000th Duel​
If you are into adventure puzzle games
  • Inside
  • Planet of Lana
  • Unravel 1&2
  • Trine games
  • Typoman
  • Teslagrad 1&2
  • Creepy Tale trilogy
  • Creaks
 
Never forget that PS4 had an awesome port of Castlevania Symphony of the Night and Rondo of Blood. The GOATs. The other Castlevania and Contra collections are good too, Konami - if nothing else - did good with their retro offerings.

As for indies... Mark of the Ninja and Cuphead are among my favorites.
 
Last edited:
Guys, I've hit a wall with decision fatigue, seriously, there's a ton of solid picks in this thread and it's overwhelming to take it all in.
Interesting tidbit: a bunch of the 2D games I'm checking out aren't even up for grabs on Playstation, like Bushiden, Panzer Paladin, Gestalt: Steam and Cinder, Berserk Boy, and so on.

- I was thinking Chasm but the random generated stages a re a no-go from what ive been reading.
- Steel Assault looks really nice but it's very easy and short.
- Slave zero looks amazeballs but it's 30 bucks
- Astalon definitely looks like a buy but it's back to 20 bucks
- Tohou luna knights looks like it has some really nice gameplay but it's way too AnimU and Moe for me.
- Afterimage is a "maybe".
- I'd get Ender lilies but it's back at 30 Eurodollars - fuck that.
- Gravity Circuit is 22 Eurodollars - fuck that.
- The Last Faith looks amazing but i'm gonna grab it on a sale (it's 27 right now)
- Double Dragon gaiden is most definitely gonna get bought - good price, good replayability , has online co-op, can play it with my GF.

Ι'm looking at cheap-ish/discounted games since there's also stellar Blade in a few weeks so...

Thanks for the suggestions guys, appreciate it ;)
 
Giallo Corsa said:
Wolf, you ain't gonna like this but...I played it for more than 10 hours and i just stopped - slow progression and very hard, I felt like it didn't respect the player's time TBH...
It's a well-made game but it wasn't for me, thanks anyway !
Click to expand...
I'm playing it right and yes, there is a sudden difficulty spike around 6-8 hours in, And the fact that you have to blindly enter rooms you dont know if you'll be able to get back from. Still an enjoyable game.
 
Several 2D hidden gems available for PS4/PS5:
  • Cursed Castilla (Maldita Castilla EX)
  • Super Hydorah
  • Blazing Chrome
  • Dragon's Crown
  • Fight'N Rage
  • Narita Boy
  • TMNT Shredder Revenge
  • Streets of Rage 4
  • Velocity 2X
  • Blasphemous
  • Blasphemous 2
  • Sound Shapes
  • Hyper Light Drifter
  • The Messenger
  • Eternum EX
  • Flat Heroes
  • Downwell
  • Double Dragon IV
  • Yatagarasu Attack on Cataclysm
  • Guacamelee
  • Hotline Miami
  • Hotline Miami 2
  • OlliOlli
  • OlliOlli 2
  • OlliOlli World
  • Ghost 1.0
  • Nuclear Throne
  • Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap
  • Lumines Remastered
  • Tetris Effect
  • Sea of Stars
  • Celeste
  • Souldiers
  • Sonic Mania
  • Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom
  • Rayman Legends
  • Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection
  • PAC-MAN 256
  • Windjammers
  • Windjammers 2
  • Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX
  • R-Type Final 2
  • Capcom Arcade Stadium
  • Capcom Arcade Statium 2
  • Capcom Beat 'em up Bundle
  • Street Fighter 6 (includes serveral Capcom arcade classics emulated)
  • Sword of the Necromancer
  • Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 & 2
  • Megaman Zero/ZX Legacy Collection
  • Mega Man 11
  • Superepic
  • Locoroco Remastered
  • Rise & Shine
  • Baboon!
  • Shantae and the Pirate's Curse
  • Shantae: Risky's Revenge
  • Parappa the Rapper Remastered
  • Garou: Mark of the Wolves
  • Mother Russia Bleeds
  • PAC-MAN Championship Edition 2
  • Arcade Archives Bubble Bobble
  • The Bit.Trip
  • Arcade Archives Renegade (this is the first proper beat'em up, made by the creators of Double Dragon)
  • Nidhogg
  • Super Stardust Ultra
  • Resogun
  • Spelunky
  • Spelunky 2
  • Hohokum
  • Towerfall Ascension
 
Last edited:
Over the last few days, alongside your recommendations, i've been reading and watching reviews all over the internet/Steam and...there's LOTS of good/amazing 2D action platformers/Metroidvanias out there to the point that you'd need a salary to get all of them ;)
Unfortunately, some of the most interesting ones are either TBA or only available on PC and/or Switch.
These are some of them :
- The Devil within : Satgat
- Blade Chimera
- Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn
- BlazBlue Entropy Effect
- Altered Alma
- AWAKEN - Astral Blade
- Anima Flux
- Berserk boy (Switch)

...and those are just a few of them dammit :messenger_beaming:

Anyway, did a small haul of games yesterday which consists of :

- Double Dragon Gaiden : Yeah, the chibi graphics are...what they are but GOD DAMN, this is a PROPER beat 'em up, combo+juggles ahoy, nice music, nice,proper hit-stun on enemies that just feels "right", c-c-c-c-c-runchy sound effects with flashy animations when doing >3 enemy KOs and everything feels really nice and fluid (in contrast to something shitty as Scott pilgrim).Punished Miku was right, shit's amazing !
This, alongside SOR4 is one of the best beat 'em ups i've played in the last decade (still have to try fight' n' Rage).

- Chasm : played for about an hour and a half, looks really nice, OST is good and the controls are precise, really happy with it.

- Castlevania Requiem (Rondo of blood + SOTN) : never played Rondo, finished SOTN back in the day (more than 20 years ago).
G'damn, being able to only hit enemies horizontally is fookin' me up, plus, i don't know if it's the inherent PS portal/remote play input lag but...shit is hard as fook (always talking about Rondo here).
I already know what to expect from SOTN so...
I could have done without it but since it was only 3.99 on PSN i had to get it.

- Earth's Dawn : not gonna lie, only got it 'cause A) i was always curious about it since release and B) 'cause it's flashy.
It may not hold a candle compared to a vanillaware game but...
Anyway, read that it gets super-tedious but, it was only 2 Eurodollars so...fuck it.

PS : i specifically got these games to play them exclusively on the PS Portal and...it almost feels like i'm playing them locally (wi-fi 6 router/good home network), now i really get why people have fallen in love these last few years with portables again.

Now, if it wasn't for the infamous 59.96Hz stutter things would be even better, here's hoping Soony® fixes it (although i am not holding my breath).

Thanks boys !
 
Last edited:
Giallo Corsa said:
- Castlevania Requiem (Rondo of blood + SOTN) : never played Rondo, finished SOTN back in the day (more than 20 years ago).
G'damn, being able to only hit enemies horizontally is fookin' me up, plus, i don't know if it's the inherent PS portal/remote play input lag but...shit is hard as fook (always talking about Rondo here).
Click to expand...
Sounds like you should learn your sub weapons and use the item crash to kill everything on screen. I really like being able to jump below stairs and onto stairs as well as do the backflip in this one. You can do even more crazy stuff with Maria.
 
Last edited:
The Messenger is such an incredible game. See my top 10 below, OP. Not in any particular order. I had an amazing time with all of them. Only 8 of these are available on play station consoles.

Hollow Knight
The Messenger
Moonscars
Aeterna Noctis
Ori and the blind forest (not on ps consoles)
Ori and the will of the wisps (not on ps consoles)
Mark of the Ninja Remastered
Rayman Legends
Song of the Deep
Blasphemous
 
NeverYouMind said:
Sounds like you should learn your sub weapons and use the item crash to kill everything on screen. I really like being able to jump below stairs and onto stairs as well as do the backflip in this one. You can do even more crazy stuff with Maria.
Click to expand...
I know this is super late by a few decades but how does one go about unlocking Maria? I never made it far to find out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Need some mouse recommendations
2
98
2K
BlackTron replied
  • Locked
PS5 System Update adds frame-gen to PS4 games?
34
611
Kerotan replied
Digital Foundry: The Outer Worlds 2 - DF Review - Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PS5 Pro - Impressive on Xbox, PS5 Needs Work
2 3
112
709
nemiroff replied
Fatal Run 2089 - Gameplay Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games
1
165
thief183 replied
[Gameatsu] Fear Effect for PS5, PS4, Switch, and PC now available
48
953
TheDuskwalker replied
Top Bottom