We reviewed five new video games from Montreal

Reviews of five video games produced in Montreal (and the region) by Natalia Yanchak and Marc Shakour.

With more than 300 video game studios in Quebec, it’s not unusual for several games to be released by Montreal studios every month.

These five games being released in April — highly polished, super fun titles in a variety of genres — are the result of years of development by small, hyper talented local teams. There’s something for everyone coming out of Montreal’s indie game scene this month.

BIOMORPH (Lucid Dreams Studio)

In this thrilling 2D metroidvania title (tagged as “the fusion of Hollow Knight and Kirby), you play as an anthropomorphic character with the ability to take on the appearance and skills of your enemies. This mighty morphing power allows the player to attack certain enemies and solve puzzles as they explore the moody and dark environments. This is highly replayable, as the powers you unlock also grant access to previously inaccessible areas. A fun, fast-paced, button-smashing romp. On Steam April 5, free demo available now.

Spirit City: Lofi Sessions (Mooncube Games)

Maybe you’ve heard of the ultra popular Lofi Girl on YouTube? Part productivity app, part playlist manager, Spirit City: Lofi Sessions is an interactive version of this experience, designed to help you focus on work or tasks you are trying to accomplish. Customize your character, camera angle and companions as you listen to ultra-chill music. The game has tons of music, with more available externally through a custom browser. Manage your tasks by creating in-game to-do lists, then set timers, moods, breaks and goals to get things done. Out April 8 on Steam, free demo available now.

Turbo Kid (Outerminds)

From the studio that brought you branded experiences from YouTubers like H3H3 and PewDiePie, Outerminds specializes in fast-paced pixel art gems. In this pixelated metroidvania from the Turbo Kid franchise, you can unlock and upgrade ludicrous weapons and skills as you burn through tricky levels on your BMX-style bike — as Turbo Kid, of course. The studio brags about the game’s “over-the-top gore, rendered in glorious pixel-art and painstakingly precise ragdoll physics.” Great for speedrunners, Turbo Kid is a fun platformer set in a campy, ’90s themed dystopian wasteland. Out April 10 on Steam, free demo available now.

Goons: Legends & Mayhem (RageCure)

This multiplayer beat-em-up arcade hockey title is more fun with friends, either locally, online or with bots. Travel to the cute and cartoony land of Zambonia where you’ll slapshot your way through challenges and boss battles. Choose from whimsical characters and grab power-ups to win. (RageCure is based in Quebec City but we will give them a pass here as some of their team work from Montreal. ) Goons is a guaranteed fun time. Out April 11 on Steam and coming soon on Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Playstation.

Anarchitects (Squido Studio)

A unique, social sandbox VR title with a big focus on UGC. Players can design their own mini-games and connect with friends in a fun and colourful VR/MR environment. Through the user-friendly in-game tools, you can craft a zero-gravity gun battle or kick off a football match — either by editing your own maps or starting with templates. Taking inspiration from creative platforms like Roblox and RecRoom, Anarchitects incorporates physics-based mechanics with an anything-goes approach, while adding a social multiplayer dimension to the mix. Out April 23 on Meta Quest App Lab for free with in-app purchases.

This article was originally published in the April 2024 issue of Cult MTL.

For more Montreal arts coverage, please visit the Arts & Life section.