Continuing our short reviews, this time we have a game created by one guy in a matter of days.

“Soulvester VS Lil’ Beezy” is a straightforward horizontal scrolling shooter that gets right to the point. You navigate automatically towards the right, blasting away hordes of enemies. After reaching a certain number of kills, you level up—simplicity at its finest. The twist lies in the inclusion of day and night as part of the upgrade mechanic. Each time Soulvester levels up, three upgrade options are presented, which may have positive effects during the day but adverse effects at night, or vice versa. Only a few upgrades prove beneficial in both scenarios. As the game switches randomly between day and night, you must ensure your abilities remain suitably balanced.

The graphics boast a delightful cartoonish style, with Soulvester sporting an endearingly small body and a big face. Meanwhile, Lil’ Beezy embodies what one might imagine as a cute devil serving as a middle manager. The gameplay itself takes place within what appears to be an old CRT arcade machine, complete with clear indicators for health and special weapons on the left, as well as the current position in the day and night cycle on the right. The background evokes the hand-drawn worlds often found in children’s cartoons. The only aspect that falls short is the enemy design, which feels somewhat lacklustre in comparison to the rest of the game. It’s not to say that they’re bad, but they could have been more imaginative.

It’s a simple game with vibrant graphics and an enjoyable loop. The only issues I have with it are as follows:

• Soulvester’s size is slightly too large, making it challenging to dodge bullets at times.
• The play area feels a bit cramped.

Apart from these minor gripes, the game provides a fun experience for a few minutes until the gameplay loop grows repetitive or just finishes. At that point, it’s best to set it aside for a week or so before returning for another go just to beat your score.

Pros	Cons
Simple gameplay loop	Gets repetitive quickly
Colourful graphics	Can get overpowering in-game
Creative day-night cycle	low difficulty

Recommended Purchase price: $1

Final Score 7/10