Dark Light: Survivor

Dark Light: Survivor's early access debut is the most mechanically ambitious Bullet Heaven I've played. The instantly swappable camera system, twin-stick and third-person combat layered onto the genre's classic auto-attack, the Hades-style Deity power-ups, and the reactive enemy design all combine into a chaotic, deeply engaging package. Mirari&Co. clearly understand what makes the genre tick and have the courage to push it in new directions. The forgettable soundtrack, finicky auto-attack, and stingy meta progression keep it from sitting at the top of the genre right now, but every issue feels fixable through early access updates rather than baked into the foundation. Mirari&Co. has a true champion in the making with Dark Light: Survivor and I hope and expect that it will be heralded as the pinnacle of the genre by the time it reaches 1.0.