Honest, In-Depth Reviews From Platformer Veterans

Every title played to completion, scored on design merit, tested against the runs we chart in our own speedrunning database.

Latest Verdicts

Full playthroughs, no clickbait scores — just what stood out and what didn't

01

Pentiment — Quiet Triumph

A murder mystery told through woodcut art and patient dialogue trees; its pacing rewards attention over speed, a rare feat this cycle.
02

Cocoon — Puzzle Mastery

Nested worlds fold into each other with almost no text, and the mechanical clarity holds up even after the twist wears off.
03

Sea of Stars — Faithful Homage

Turn-based combat borrows heavily from genre elders, but the timed hits and pixel art carry enough new ideas to stand alone.
04

Tunic — Deceptive Depth

What reads as a cute isometric adventure hides a dense manual-driven puzzle box; patience pays off far more than reflexes here.
05

Blasphemous II — Grim Precision

Combat feels tighter than the original, and the level layouts finally reward the kind of route-planning our speedrun readers appreciate.
06

Chicory: A Colorful Tale

A painting mechanic doubles as both puzzle tool and emotional metaphor, though the back half stretches longer than the concept needs.

Check the verdict, the routing notes, and whether it's earned a spot in the world record catalog.

No sponsored placements, no rushed verdicts

Full Completion Runs

Every reviewed game is finished start to end before a verdict is written, including side content that shapes the pacing.

Merit-Based Scoring

Scores reflect design, mechanics, and lasting impact — not hype cycles or release-week pressure from publishers.

Community Cross-Check

Draft verdicts get reviewed against feedback from our speedrunning and platformer community before publishing.

Routing Context Included

Where relevant, we note how a game's structure lends itself to categories, resets, and any% considerations for runners.