It seems kinda fitting that after a fairly lengthy enforced absence from playing much in the way of videogames, the first game I want to post about is by Tom Sennett, author of the last game I posted about.

Ultralight Beam is the perfect distillation of the be-positive-scribblepunk aesthetic Tom’s been working with for years and as aesthetics go, it’s definitely one of my favourites. Combine that with an arena collect ’em up? Yeah, I’m down for that, alright.

A scribbly screen with STAY COOL in green letters.

Look, you just collect stars and avoid monsters, right? There’s not really that much to explain.

A screen with REJECT PEER PRESSURE on it. It is a pic of the game, promise.

But sometimes you don’t need much more than collecting stars and avoiding monsters.

A screen with TALK TO THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU on it. It's all very colourful.

Because sometimes avoiding monsters and collecting stars feels really fucking good.

Quit your job, in big letters

And when the game looks and sounds really good too?

Bands of colour with the score "130" overlaying them.

Don’t look at me to go picking at it, wondering if and where it could be better.

This screen reads "escape your life"

Sometimes I just want to feel good, y’know?

It's the words Ultra Light Beam across bands of colour
It's the words "get stars" with lots of scribbly stuff going on.
It's the words "avoid monsters"

Yeah.

Originally posted May 2016, updated January 2021


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