With new game consoles on the horizon, most big publishers are holding back their releases for later this year. But the indie developers aren’t slacking. Here are four of this spring’s cheapest and most stylish games for every platform.

“Guacamelee!”

Developer: DrinkBox Studios

Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita

$15

Metroid, memes and Mexican wrestlers are all part of the recipe for “Guacamelee!” When an evil skeleton attacks Juan’s pueblo on the Day of the Dead and kidnaps El Presidente’s daughter, Juan must venture through deserts, sierras and temples to rescue her. Two players can team up to pummel skeletons and chupacabras, earning new moves along the way that both add to their arsenal and help unlock new areas. The walls of the picturesque cartoon landscapes are covered in game references and Internet memes, adding a silly flavor to the world.

“Guacamelee!” will make you work for the rewards, though. The last couple of hours of combat can be brutal, and a few secret areas require meticulously controlled jumping. Still, the game does a great job of teaching you all you need to know to get to these points. In the current trend of tutorials and easy modes, the game’s difficulty is refreshingly retro.

“BattleBlock Theater”

Developer: The Behemoth

Platform: Xbox 360

$15

“BattleBlock Theater” makes an impressive first impression. The slick, cartoon style and music on its menu screen give way to a manic narrator who tells the story of cats capturing your friend and forcing him to wear an evil hat. The story mode is just a primer for the user-created multiplayer levels.

As the game’s title suggests, each level is composed by a grid of simple blocks, and the level editor makes it easy for players to make their own mazes and arenas. Two-on-two game modes like Color the World, Capture the Horse and Grab the Gold — from the smiling golden whale — each offer their own twists on beating each other senseless. But don’t worry, it’s all crazy fun.

“Hotline Miami”

Developer: Dennaton Games

Platform: PC, Mac

$10

“Hotline Miami” asks the hard questions about video game violence, but not before turning players into ruthless serial killers.

Set among the drug-filled, neon-lit world of Florida in the ‘80s, the game puts players in a letterman jacket and rubber animal mask before they enter a building to wipe out everyone inside.

Each building is a puzzle of sorts: Your victims are armed with all sorts of guns and melee weapons, and one hit will end you. The top-down, pixelated visuals can only conceal so much gore as you gun, smash and neck-snap your way through white-suited foes. And it’s all set to a pounding synth soundtrack. With an upcoming release on the PlayStation Network and a sequel already in the works, this killer has only just started its rampage.

“Papers, Please”

Developer: Lucas Pope

Platforms: PC, Mac

Free

Most games are about having fun. Others are about immigration inspectors guarding national borders in the most mundane way possible. The fictional Soviet bloc country of Arstotzka has just drafted you to a desk job at its new security papers checkpoint, and it’s your civic duty to check passports and visas all day. If you give in to sob stories, your pay will be docked. If you let in a terrorist, your pay will be docked. Also, you have a family to keep fed, warm and healthy with each stretched paycheck.

Luckily, the tactile feel of clicking and dragging documents around, checking for discrepancies and stamping a big “PASSED” or “REJECTED” on each passport is surprisingly engaging. The dull-colored, pixelated graphics convey the gloomy tone perfectly. You’ll soon feel some serious empathy for immigrants and government clerks alike. You can find the beta download at dukope.com, or wait for the full game later this year.

Published on April 15, 2013 at 12:58 am

Contact Isaac: ikdavis@syr.edu