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So what's the deal with this game?

UFO 50 is a compilation of 50 games created by the devs behind Spelunkey, Downwell, and Skorpulac among others. It's set in the fictional gaming system LX-III, a console which takes inspiration from 1980s consoles and personal computers, such as the MSX and NES. These are games that vary in scope and size, but act as solitary experiences. Some are very long, taking as long as 20 hours to beat. Each game is retro-inspired but have their own unique twist that makes each one standalone. Genres are all over the place, from platformers to puzzles to full-blown strategy and even a JRPG ala Deltarune. It's a huge labor of love that took over 7 years to finish, with tons of secrets and unlockable achievement-style rewards to keep players coming back.


Do I have to unlock all the games?

NO. Right from the start, you have EVERY game, as well as a quick and easy way to categorize by genre, multiplayer, and amount of time played. You don't even have to play them in order: just play whichever one you want. However, I recommend starting with Pilot Quest as soon as possible. You can read why in my short recommended games list below.


Are there any bad games?

Having played them all, I would say that a vast majority of them are extremely solid. Some are difficult or have odd design quirks, but for the most part it is an extremely solid list of games. There's just hit after hit, and I'm personally so excited for it that I would consider the compilation itself a solid contender for Game of the Year.

The games that might not be a hit for you could be the following, which other players complained about. Doesn't mean they're bad perse, just that there's mixed opinions on them:
- BARBUTA: This is an adventure game inspired by games like Citadel for the BBC Micro. Personally, it reminds me more of Spider-Man for DOS. A very simple but very slow game where you are a knight hatched from an egg attempting to explore the castle and defeat the boss. It's purposefully designed with cheap one-hit deaths, but a ton of room to find plenty of secrets the more you're willing to be patient explore. It is the most retro of retro out of every game on the list, and is the first on the list chronologically. Maybe it sets a bad taste in your mouth, maybe it doesn't, but whatever you're feeling is very much intentional.
- MOONCAT: As praised as it is hated, this is an obtuse platformer where you play as a literal bean with legs and traverse to the end while avoiding obstacles. Seems straightforward, except the game uses only two buttons for every action, including movement. That means the D-pad acts as one button while the buttons on your right thumb (A, B, etc) act as the second button. The way your character controls is odd, but very clever, and I won't spoil it for you. It's an unexpected treat to play this game, and I'd say give it a proper chance before you judge it too harshly.
- COMBATANTS: Definitely the most hated on the list. This is a simple RTS game similar to Pikmin where you are a blue ant building an army to destroy the red ants before they destroy you. As simple as it sounds, it's very slow, and the AI is pretty obtuse. It's also very hard, as the red ants deal more damage and take more hits to kill. It takes a lot of patience to play this game, and it's probably not for you if you're like me and get frustrated easily.


The best ones?

It was hard to narrow it down to just a few, but here's some games you might really enjoy:
- PILOT QUEST: An idle/adventure game where you're a space pilot who crash-landed on an alien planet, now on a mission to find the parts to your spaceship. A mix of Legend of Zelda 1 and Cookie Clicker, you're able to collect resources automatically, even when you switch to another game. Once in a while, you're able to spend limited resources to go out into the wild and explore, but make sure you return before the time runs out or you won't collect what you've earned. Dungeon and item locations are also randomized, so it makes for a slightly different experience each time you play. A super addicting game, and highly recommend starting this one ASAP so you don't miss out on resources.
- PARTY HOUSE: The fan-favorite. This is very similar to a random card draw game where you're the host of a happenin' 80s party, and you invite guests over by clicking on the front door, which brings in a random guest from your Rolodex guest list. End the party with tons of guests and cash in Popularity resources to expand your guest list. Make your house bigger with Cash to invite more guests at one party. However, some guests can be trouble: have 3 or more people who cause trouble, and someone calls the police, ending the round early. The game ends when you invite four Star Guests, such as aliens, dinosaurs, and mermaids, all with different abilities. It's super original, easy to get into, and a blast to play with friends. This is definitely a must-play if you purchase this game.
- MIN & MAX: One of the longest games on the list. This is a huge Metroidvania game in the style of Super Mario Bros. 2 meets Alice in Wonderland. Play as a little girl named Min as you shrink down in size and explore the vast world of the Closet, making friends with all sorts of little things like bugs, toys, and dust bunnies. Later on, a whole other world begins to open up, making what seems to be an 8-hour game into a 20-hour exploration game. Tons of people to meet to help with their problems, as well as new abilities to float, store items, and command enemies. Not to mention it's extremely adorable and great for kids. If you've got the time, this is a very fun and satisfying experience.
- AVIANOS: A very simplistic turn-based strategy game in which you manage bird soldiers to capture and hold castles. Pray to different deities for different actions, and build up your army to rush the enemy castle. Attacks are done on-screen in a semi-automatic way with a few minor control options at the bottom to give outnumbered soldiers a fighting chance. Even if you can learn all the rules fairly quickly, the depth of this game is surprisingly pretty vast as there are tons of ways you can take the game. The story mode is unfortunately very short (3 levels), but there are many trials afterward if you want to put your skills to the test. There's also 2 player versus with a lot of home rules to mess with in the options setting.
Keep in mind that there are tons of other games that fit into many more genres. I've only mentioned 7, and there's 43 other games on this list. Try them all out!


Verdict

This is an amazing lineup of games for all players. Even if this game is retro-inspired at heart, there are still a ton of clever modern mechanics that they use to keep a lot of games from being too frustrating. Half of the games are two-player, and is highly recommended for Steam Deck. If any of this sounds interesting, this is a must-buy, even at full price. You'll get more than your money's worth out of the amount of hours you'll be spending.


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