Crimsonland isn’t a looker. Even when it first launched on the PC in 2003, it had an archaic art style straight out of the mid- 1990’s. It’s built entirely out of chunky 2D sprites. These are not the throwback hand- drawn pixel art that’s so popular in current indie games and retro revivals either, but rather 2D artwork based on glossy pre-rendered 3D models. The result is a visual package that was instantly dated and has only grown more awkward and ungainly with time.
But Crimsonland doesn’t need amazing graphics to reveal its core strength: fun game design. Based on the timeless dual-stick shooter template first popularized by Robotron 2084 and copied millions of times since then, Crimsonland has perfect action gameplay that’s full of satisfying close calls, intense shooting action, and challenging enemy variety.
Across Crimsonland’s huge menu of content, you’ll control a lone Trooper as he blasts aliens, bugs, zombies, lizardmen, and other monsters with a large variety of weapons. You move with the left stick and shoot with the right, and that’s it. All other abilities are unlocked through a randomized progression…
