We recently reported on the release of Tiny Pixels Vol. 2: Stormy Knights, and now bring you our review after giving this delightful retro-inspired action title a go. The game is out now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, priced at $4.99. Tiny Pixels Vol. 2: Stormy Knights has been developed by our friends over at EastAsiaSoft and makes up one part of an exciting array of classic arcade action titles coming this summer from the prolific retro publisher, including Fallen City Brawl, which looks fantastic.
The premise of Tiny Pixels Vol. 2: Stormy Knights is to rescue the princess by beating a succession of enemies, each of which plays out like a boss fight. There are actual boss fights, but it makes the game easier to explain if we think of every battle as a boss or mini-boss. You’ll start as a weak knight, wading through each battle. For every enemy you defeat, you’ll have the chance to pick up some coins by spinning into them as you are transported to the next fight. It’s the smallest of mini-games, but fun trying to get all the coins.
For every few standard enemies you defeat in Tiny Pixels Vol. 2: Stormy Knights, you’ll encounter a proper boss. These foes have much more health and kill you with a few strikes. They also have a couple more maneuvers to take you out with, so learning how to defeat each one will take a couple of goes. Defeat the main boss for the area, and you’re rewarded by saving the princess, and then moving onto the next stronghold, where the process starts again, with a different set of enemies with new moves to learn.
As you can imagine, each time you progress to a new area in Tiny Pixels Vol. 2: Stormy Knights, the enemies become much tougher and take longer to defeat. But fear not, each time you die, you can visit the upgrade screen and spend your coins on new moves, sturdier armour, and extra buffs that will help keep you alive longer. The gameplay loop is very engaging, and each of the upgrades makes a meaningful impact on your ability to progress further with each playthrough.
Tiny Pixels Vol. 2: Stormy Knights also controls very well, and the more you practice and experiment with the moves, the further you’ll begin to progress. You have a shield that can deflect attacks and stun enemies as well as block arrows. There is the standard sword attack that can be upgraded into longer combos. The dash backwards move is very important, as it provides a quick getaway from powerful assaults. You can also duck out of the way of arrows, and finally, once unlocked, zap enemies with a limited lightning attack, which is useful to use on main bosses.
Although the basic elements of the game are easy to learn, it’s knowing when and how to use them against each enemy type where the real, deeper gameplay come into play. At first, we were just dashing back to avoid attacks in Tiny Pixels Vol. 2: Stormy Knights. But once we grew in confidence and started stunning enemies by parrying their attacks, we found we could deal more damage and get through battles quicker. The gameplay has been very well thought out by the developer.
We really enjoyed playing Tiny Pixels Vol. 2: Stormy Knights and feel this is a bargain at $4.99. Anyone who enjoys pure arcade gameplay will appreciate the simplicity on offer while admiring the tough challenge. Getting through all the levels will take some time, although as your character increases in power, things do get a little easier. But you still need to use all the skills on offer to avoid taking damage; no amount of powering up the knight will keep you from harm.
Overall, Tiny Pixels Vol. 2: Stormy Knights is a great arcade title that has great pixel art, music, and enough challenge on offer to make this a worthy purchase. We played the Switch version and feel this is the perfect game for long journeys or when you want to pass some time. Those looking for a deeper experience will probably wish to look elsewhere, but for arcade fans, this is an engaging romp that will test even the toughest of arcade veterans. We highly recommend this one.
