Kick'n Hell

Kick’n Hell is a tight, focused, and furious platformer that trades hand-holding for harsh lessons and big payoffs. With its unique kick-based locomotion, brutal difficulty, and beautifully crafted pixel hellscapes, it stands out as one of the more memorable indie releases this year. It might frustrate you. It might break you. But when you finally kick your way to the top and stare down Satan, it’ll all be worth it.

Kick’n Hell may just have the most unique and interesting movement I’ve ever experienced. And it works amazingly. Using kicks to throw myself across the sprawling environments was one of the most fun and frustrating mechanics I’ve experienced this year. Having to think hard about my trajectory and where I wanted to go, both made me feel incredibly accomplished and enraged. Kick’n Hell doesn’t hold the player’s hand. Far from it. Countless times, I would find myself soaring through the air, only to fall right back down to a lower platform. Or a much lower platform. It was as infuriating as it was incredibly engaging.