if you have been reading the bulk of my posts for the past... two-fifths of the year...?? then you probably know what's up. if you haven't, well, lemme sell these video games to you
they're slathered in layers of mystery yet fantastic examples of their genre all the way through. they challenge the player, not to Not Die And Lose Progress, but to recognize that even in death your game skill and game knowledge are a kind of progression no game can take from you. they are love letters to their bevy of inspirations without ever feeling unoriginal. they are both a lot of fun to play with other people - local co-op in ZR is a blast even over netplay like parsec or steam remote play, and VS is made even better if you have pals to bounce ideas off and get hints from. they both have ABSOLUTELY STELLAR SOUNDTRACKS just as rich and engaging as the games they're in.
they won't be for everyone, but if you're willing to tune into what they're trying to broadcast, you will discover something special.
the itch versions come with steam keys, too, so you can add em to your steam library or gift em to your pals!