I really do not get all of the hate for retro-inspired 2D platformer games. Maybe it is because I grew up with at a time when this genre was all the rage with gamers but I cannot get enough of these little throwbacks even in the year 2019. Halloween Forever is a loving throwback to the genre while also celebrating my favorite holiday of the year.
Halloween Forever gets you into the mood for the season right away with the playable characters. One early character is a Jack O’Lantern which grows a body and attacks enemies by vomiting candy pieces on its enemies. There are other playable characters you can unlock in the game such as a buff and shirtless Santa Claus. My favorite character is a witch girl who tosses cats as an attack move.
You can argue that the level backgrounds and enemies are pretty standard for a game based on Halloween and you wouldn’t be wrong. The requisite cemetery and church levels are present and you will face off against tropes such as zombies and spiders. Most of the enemies are not too original but they are appropriate for the season.
Halloween Forever is not a long game nor is it particularly difficult. Unlockables provide incentives for replay and there are features you can toggle to make the game more challenging such as a “one-hit” mode.
The game is available for about $5 USD on the PlayStation Vita and PS4 consoles as well as on PC through Steam and Itch.io. It was rated for the Nintendo Switch but I have not been able to find it on the eShop (If I am mistaken here then someone please correct me.) Check out the game’s trailer below.
