What makes a game like BioShock? A weird world gone bad? First-person, superpowered shooting? Creepy, slightly off-the-wall enemies?
Other bits and bobs that actually came from System Shock first? Either way, I'm more than confident in calling Twisted Tower very, very BioShock-y after playing its new demo released just ahead of Steam Next Fest.
Steam Next Fest is flooding the storefront with countless more demos for us to try out, and Twisted Tower in particular grabbed my attention because it was recommended by BioShock and BioShock Infinite's director Ken Levine on social media.
Twisted Tower isn't exactly subtle about its influences, either. The game's creator thanks Levine "for being such a massive inspiration," and Twisted Tower's Steam blurb says it's set in "an abandoned 1950’s resort reminiscent of BioShock and Disney World." What a pitch, eh?
Levels are designed around different theme park mainstays like a fairy tale castle or a water park - this time packed with pig-mask enemies whose heads will pop with blood and confetti after a well-placed shot.