Indie Bin: Slay the Spire, Bomb Chicken, Giga Wrecker ALT

From the embers of the Push Square Podcast rises Indie Bin – a feature that draws attention to some of the smaller games in PlayStation's busy release schedule. Once the Indie Bin is full, we'll put it out for collection in these consolidated articles featuring several pint-sized reviews. The metric here is simple: games we don't like stay Indie Bin, and games we do like get taken Outdie Bin. Without further ado, let's crack on.

Bomb Chicken

You might be sick to the back teeth of pixel art platformers on PS4, but Bomb Chicken is at least doing something different. You play as a plump chicken that lays bombs instead of eggs, and aside from moving left and right, it's your main interaction with the game. You have a few seconds to get away from them before they explode, and you can use them for all sorts of obstacles: blowing up barricades, exploding enemies, or stacking them to reach a higher platform. It's basic, silly, but surprisingly well produced. ST

Verdict: Outdie Bin

Giga Wrecker ALT

Giga Wrecker ALT is a puzzle platformer from Game Freak Inc and Rising Star Games which places you in the role of a young girl, Reika. She is in the midst of a robot invasion and equipped with a prosthetic arm that allows her to gather scrap to form useful weapons and materials she must solve puzzles to help her both navigate her environment and destroy her foes. It’s a very simplistic game, with very simple gameplay and a very minimalistic art style, that won’t hold your attention for long. SF

Verdict: Indie Bin

Slay the Spire

This cross between deck-building strategy and roguelike is a surprisingly potent mix. Choosing one of three characters, each with their own set of unlockable cards, you ascend the randomly generated tower, adding cards to your deck with each victory. Through clever card combos, synergies with passive relics, and useful potions, there's a deceptively deep tactical core that'll quickly have you hooked. Throw in daily challenge and custom game modes, and there's a decent level of content too. The presentation and poor performance let it down slightly, but this is otherwise a highly compelling game that roguelike fans shouldn't ignore. ST

Verdict: Outdie Bin

Table of Tales: The Crooked Crown

Table of Tales The Crooked Crown is a virtual reality turn based board game. You are exploring your deceased grandfather’s attic and stumble across a magical table. This table opens up and you play through levels as a band of four heroes, defeating various foes along the way all whilst a mystical bird narrates their story to you. You are framed for a murder and must uncover the mysteries behind it, the story is very intriguing and well presented. The gameplay is enjoyable and challenging and with the stories branching pathways there is plenty of content to keep you returning for more. SF

Verdict: Outdie Bin

Words: Simon Fitzgerald, Stephen Tailby