Indie Bin: Fox n Forests, Hyper Sentinel, Reverie

From the embers of the Push Square Podcast rises Indie Bin – a feature that draws attention to some of the smaller games in PlayStation's busy release schedule. Once the Indie Bin is full, we'll put it out for collection in these consolidated articles featuring several pint-sized reviews. The metric here is simple: games we don't like stay Indie Bin, and games we do like rest Outdie Bin. Without further ado, let's crack on.

Fox n Forests

Delightfully retro action platformer Fox n Forests is just about up there with the likes of Shovel Knight. It scratches that pesky nostalgia itch rather well, and manages to be a great little adventure at the same time. Sure, sitting too close to your television may make your eyes bleed thanks to the amount of raw pixels on-screen, but some lovely looking environments, enemies, and character animations make up for any lasting damage. Cool gameplay mechanics like the ability to change the seasons put just enough of a twist on the usual old-school formula, and a suitably catchy soundtrack ties everything together. If you've a hankering for a blast from the past, Fox n Forests should not be missed. RR

Verdict: Outdie Bin

Hyper Sentinel

This is a pretty straightforward Uridium-esque 2D shoot-em-up that sees you flying a little spaceship over big enemy crafts, sweeping them with laser fire until all the ground targets are destroyed. Once that's done, you'll face off against the level's Guardian. While all this is happening, airborne enemies, power-ups, and score-multiplying doodads will fly across the screen, distracting you from your ultimate goal. While it's responsive and intuitive to play, the game is very slight, and it's all a bit too busy. The cacophony of the music and sounds, along with a screen that's always far too hectic for its own good, means that only hardcore fans of arcade shooters will be interested -- and even then, there are far better alternatives. ST

Verdict: Indie Bin

ACCOUNTING+ (PSVR)

ACCOUNTING+ is the virtual reality equivalent of a mid-noughties Newgrounds video created in Macromedia Flash. This barmy brainchild of Rick & Morty creator Justin Roiland can be best described as an acid trip, as it whisks you from one fever dream to another, without any real logic or continuity. Multiple playthroughs reveal secrets, while the gameplay adopts a “toy box” philosophy, with items that can be picked up and inspected in full 3D space. Weighing in at less than 30 minutes, it very much subscribes to the tech demo formula that has perhaps plagued PlayStation VR since its inception, but as a short-form medically-induced hallucination without any of the side-effects, this is unquestionably effective. SB

Verdict: Outdie Bin

Reverie

Clearly inspired by the likes of The Legend of Zelda and Earthbound, Reverie is a top-down adventure game set on a fictional island off New Zealand. It tells a story surrounding Kiwi legends and a young boy who, while on holiday, finds himself on a quest to calm the restless spirits threatening the island. The simplistic gameplay doesn't offer much in the way of challenge, and the structure of the game is predictable, but it's hard to dislike this bite-size adventure title. Its chunky pixel art style and sense of humour afford Reverie a plucky charm, and while there are certainly more original games out there, this just about does enough to escape the bin. ST

Verdict: Outdie Bin

Drunkn Bar Fight (PSVR)

The developers of Drunkn Bar Fight may argue that the intense motion sickness that you’ll encounter while playing its game is all part of the simulation – after all, this is all about embroiling in Jäger-fuelled brawls. Effectively a tech demo, this is a sloppy PlayStation Move powered fighting game that sees you battling with boozers across three different environments, armed with everything from iPhones to Prosecco. The gameplay works similarly to Sony’s long-forgotten The Fight: Lights Out, but there’s no Danny Trejo to make up for the poor collision detection and dreary visuals. SB

Verdict: Indie Bin

Words: Robert Ramsey, Sammy Barker, Stephen Tailby