Chainsaw carnage, lots of music-based titles and other new indie games worth checking out

"As P, your aim is to destroy all of the machines in an oversized construction site using a cool chainsaw-style weapon. There are some nice ideas here, like the third-person camera that's its own character, a drone that accompanies P. The Mirror's Edge-style parkour and Shadow of the Colossus-inspired boss designs looked good in trailers and I do love the low-poly aesthetic. Travelling up and along walls using the chainsaw is nifty too."

"However, the controls are off-putting. They're too imprecise to be properly compatible with the game's platforming demands. P suffered many (surprisingly grizzly) deaths at my hands, so I was at least thankful that respawns are quick. Speaking of P, the game often objectifies her in a way that feels icky. And then there are long stretches of running with nothing much to look at other than another upcoming, ominous section of the world for P to battle through."

"If I haven't put you off trying Motorslice, you can snap it up now on Steam, GOG, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox for PC. It usually costs $20, but there's a 10 percent launch discount until May 19. You can also check it out via Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass."

"Wax Heads is another one of several music-focused games we have to tell you about this week. This is a record store sim in which you'll chat with customers and recommend things for them to check out. It's said to embrace the community spirit of music and how it can connect us. I love that. All of the songs and albums featured in Wax Heads were created for the game. They span pop, punk, metal, rap, folk and other genres."

Motorslice tasks the player with destroying machines across an oversized construction site using a chainsaw-style weapon. The game includes a third-person camera with its own character, a drone companion, Mirror’s Edge-like parkour, and Shadow of the Colossus-inspired boss designs. A low-poly aesthetic and wall-traveling movement using the chainsaw add visual and mechanical appeal. Quick respawns help after frequent deaths caused by difficult platforming. Controls feel too imprecise for the game’s movement demands, and the character presentation includes objectifying elements that feel uncomfortable. Long stretches of running with little to see further weaken pacing. Wax Heads is a separate music-focused record store simulation with original songs across many genres.

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