Headlander Reviews
Check out Headlander Review Scores from trusted Critics below. With 18 reviews on CriticDB, Headlander has a score of:
Headlander is entertaining, looks and sounds excellent, and gives off a cool vibe, but this isn't quite a classic.
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Headlander is a unexpected but pleasant title that has rekindled my interest in 2D side-scrollers. The title is both familiar and wholly unique, and the main mechanic of Headlanding is both entertaining and intuitive. A sleek and stylistic design matched with an incredible attention to detail more than make up for any frustrations with the game’s combat or puzzles.
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There are so many Metroidvania games releasing nowadays that innovation goes a long way. Thankfully, Headlander is bursting with uniqueness from its wacky premise to its gameplay, so let's get started. Off with your head!
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Imagine if those heads in the jars from Futurama could fly. Now imagine that not only can they fly, but they can attach to any robotic body or generic computer port. That’s the basis for Double Fine’s newest game Headlander, a Metroidvania style 2D side-scroller. In a world where everyone’s consciousness exists in the ethereal cloud and downloads into any body they want, you are what seems to be last flesh and blood human…or at least the head of one. As the silent protagonist (silent because you have no lungs) you must uncover the mystery of where all the bodies...
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Still for all the shortcomings addressed, Headlander is an enjoyable title. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, as evident by all of the tongue and cheek humor, nor is it really difficult (Not completely anyway). As a Double Fine Productions game, It’s right up there with some of their best, I just wish it was a tad longer and didn’t spend too much time focus on slapstick comedy and included more gameplay content. For the asking price for $20, Headlander is a great choice for enjoying 8-10 hours of gaming fun. Perhaps the game would have been a tad better...
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When the team previewed Headlander at EGX Rezzed they were justified in their excitement. Double Fine and Adult Swim have produced an immensely assured game that is highly recommended to any gamer. It’s a simple game in its approach: its mechanics are not over-wrought or complicated, but it’s top quality fun. Headlander is of the few games in recent memories to garner a true belly laugh. Now where did I leave those flares and dancing shoes? I’ve got a space disco to attend.
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Even though Headlander may be lacking in terms of quantity, the content it does have is quality. As far as Metroidvania games go, it's one of the betters ones, utilizing its unique premise for some effective dark humor and interesting gameplay mechanics. It's safe to say that both fans of the genre and fans of Double Fine's distinct style will enjoy Headlander, and it should serve to keep disgruntled Castlevania and Metroid fans satisfied for the time being.
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Without those lackluster diversions, it would be an amicable trifle. Even at its best, the game feels like an idea gestating in real-time, like a sponge dinosaur filling up with water. So much of Headlander teases you with the idea of what could have been; a shame, because the game we actually got is kind of a bummer.
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Flash, wit and ‘70s chic lift Double Fine’s Headlander above its familiar systems.
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Double Fine was able to take a classic gaming genre and imbue new life into it with their trademark humor, and the resulting experience is solid. It could use some tweaks here and there, but fans of metroidvanias are sure to have a great time floating through the ridiculous world of Headlander.
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Headlander is an unexpectedly great take on Metroidviania-style action. Some of the objective design renders its flashier, body-endangering powers moot, but the quick and complex moment-to-moment gameplay carries it splendidly. It’s difficult but fair, and fast-paced but satisfying through to the end. And with a story so dangerously loaded with trope upon trope, it’s a joy to see Headlander sidestep some cliches with a beautiful setting, dark humor, and, well… a rocket-powered head. That’ll do the trick.
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This ultimate head trip occasionally strays too far from its purpose. Here is our review of Headlander!
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While the game does have a few slight irritations when it comes to its design, Headlander still manages to keep its head on its shoulders (or traveling through space via rocket propulsion) thanks to its eclectic blend of old-school, side-scrolling gameplay and its art direction that sci-fi fans will truly enjoy. Though it shares more similarities with the likes of Metroid, Logan's Run, and so many of its other influences than it may for something completely new, Double Fine and Adult Swim Games have still managed to make Headlander into an experience that's funny, delightfully weird, and might just make...
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Headlander proves to be a nice distraction in the midst of the Summer drought season as I enjoyed its humor from start to finish. While its humor helped carry me to the end, the literal disconnect of the character's head from his body turned into a figurative disconnect as its story wasn’t engaging enough. It has some nice Metroidvania moments, although it sputters towards the end to only rely on its color-coded components to keep me out of certain areas, which felt like a cheap way to finish the game.
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While lackluster combat and simplistic puzzles would prove a damning criticism for most games of this type, Headlander’s tone and aesthetic is so fully-realized that the whole package manages to be a groovy, retro delight.
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There’s really no other way to put this: In Headlander, you play as a disembodied head. Fortunately for you, the space-age setting is tailor-made for someone in your predicament. Humanity has opted out of its flesh-and-blood cages in favor of uploaded consciousness and robotic bodies. With a little ingenuity and suction, you can pop off the heads of friendly NPCs and enemies and take over. It’s definitely weird (did I mention it’s a Double Fine game?), but this Metroid-style adventure is more than just its oddball concept.
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