With the surge of remaking old consoles, many are rushing to the comfort of old classics. But more than that, comfort can often be found in new games that have classic looks to them. Examples of this would be Thimbleweed Park and Spelunky. Looking to join those ranks is a 2D side scroller by the name of Driven Out. 

The aesthetics are delightfully charming in a nostalgic way. There are a lot of different environments that are actually really beautiful considering the 16-bit style of the game. There will also be no loading screens in this game giving traveling a much more fluid feel than older games. 

The story is pretty vague at this point, but depending on how retro the developer (No Pest Productions) wants to go, there may not be anything else added. This style of game doesn’t call for big elaborate stories. What I want is fun gameplay, bright colors and quick movements to entertain my tiny mind. It looks like Driven Out will hit all of those points in abundance.

Speaking of the fun gameplay, it looks like the combat will be equally fun and frustrating. Funstrating if you will. It is designed to be deliberate and difficult. You have to take your time, learning when is the right time to block and when it is wiser to attack. It doesn’t sound like anything out to the ordinary but in 2D, that makes it all the more challenging to have a sound combat system.

The innovative thing that Driven Out has done here is the ability to place your own checkpoints. You have a device, that for lack of a better word, makes a copy of your plucky protagonist when her time comes. These checkpoints can be placed absolutely anywhere, but you have to be careful. Some enemies will attack the device if you aren’t watching. If that happens, the device is destroyed and you have to wait for it to recharge before you can place another. 

The environments and enemies are incredibly varied and diverse. There are dreary castles, sandy beaches, quaint farming villages, you name it. So the chances of getting bored visually are fairly slim. The enemies, on the other hand, will constantly be keeping you on your toes. There are werewolves, knights astride fire breathing dragons, armor plated gorillas and yes, even a sword-wielding frog. Something for everyone really. 

If you like challenging games, this should be right up your alley. But be warned. There will be no easy mode, so prepare to get your but kicked a fair bit. There is no specific release date yet but it looks like a late summer, early fall release. It will be coming out on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.