Headlander

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 36 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 36
  3. Negative: 6 out of 36

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  1. GamingDrake
    Sep 2, 2016
    6
    This is a unique game setting, the 70's sci fi is great, the ambient music, sounds and art style were brilliant. Apart from that its a slog to go through, i only completed it for the platinum. It's just that the story is weak, the laser fights are to precise which makes fights hard and the boss fights was bad, annoyingly bad, if you die just before you kill the boss you have to do theThis is a unique game setting, the 70's sci fi is great, the ambient music, sounds and art style were brilliant. Apart from that its a slog to go through, i only completed it for the platinum. It's just that the story is weak, the laser fights are to precise which makes fights hard and the boss fights was bad, annoyingly bad, if you die just before you kill the boss you have to do the whole 4 stages again. The map layout is similar to shadow complex so there is quite a lot of back tracking to do which is frustratingly boring. It is a different game just not a very good one.… Expand
  2. Underpants158
    Jul 29, 2016
    6
    Pros!:
    -Earl, the voice in your helmet, is a pretty cool guy. And I got attached to my disembodied head dude.
    -The sense of humor appealed to me (imagine any of Double Fine's previous stuff) -It's a metroidvania and I always find those fun to explore and find secrets in. Oks!: -World seems intriguing at first but the more you see blander it feels, acid tripping robots housing human    Pros!:
    -Earl, the voice in your helmet, is a pretty cool guy. And I got attached to my disembodied head dude.
    -The sense of humor appealed to me (imagine any of Double Fine's previous stuff)
    -It's a metroidvania and I always find those fun to explore and find secrets in.

    Oks!:
    -World seems intriguing at first but the more you see blander it feels, acid tripping robots housing human conscious' is cool for like 20 minutes guys!

    Cons!:
    -Rigged shooting mechanic makes it feel like controlling a tank.
    -Lasers everywhere! You shoot lasers, your enemies shoot lasers, the walls reflect lasers-the screen gets filled with lasers and you can't help getting hit. I know your bodies are expendable but I still found it annoying that I couldn't avoid them.
    -Related to the point above - there is no jump or crouch, which would help a great deal in dodging lasers.
    -Terribly boring boss fights: At least they realize the controls are clunky and don't require you to do anything nimble    … Expand
  3. FriedConsole
    Aug 25, 2016
    6
    Initially cool but after you realize the game is a boring slog the charm wears off fast. Combat is terrible and just ripping off heads was the best strategy but the combat is never hard because I think the developers know the controls are wonky. "Puzzles" are just finding the right thing to get you to progress. Never gets interesting or challenging. Disappointment.
  4. jeffbizloc
    Jul 23, 2018
    5
    Finished the game as it wasn't super long. But overall was not impressed with this title outside the cool theme.

    Pros: - Fun theme - 70s sci fi - Like the concept of using your head to switch bodies and then use color coded access to gain new areas or solve puzzles Cons: - Several bugs where doors would get locked and robots wouldn't spawn I had to work around - The puzzles were    Finished the game as it wasn't super long. But overall was not impressed with this title outside the cool theme.

    Pros:
    - Fun theme - 70s sci fi
    - Like the concept of using your head to switch bodies and then use color coded access to gain new areas or solve puzzles

    Cons:
    - Several bugs where doors would get locked and robots wouldn't spawn I had to work around
    - The puzzles were mostly tedious
    - Could be difficult to tell where to go next as well as the color of the robots    … Expand
  5. Babutto
    May 8, 2019
    7
    Not the best DF game, not the worst. Just good. And pretty fast. The story is simple, gameplay is fun. Style is awesome. Something like Scrapland but more like an arcade.
  6. HuevoAlce
    Jun 27, 2022
    7
    A quick, fun game to play and beat within a couple of hours. Easy platinum trophy as well.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 40
  3. Negative: 0 out of 40
  1. BaziCenter
    Feb 10, 2017
    70
    Headlander takes on an old setting with a new formula and does it just right. The Balance between combat and puzzle-solving is quite good but the story might leave you unsatisfied, while the gameplay also gets repetitive after a few hours.
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  2. DarkStation
    Oct 17, 2016
    80
    Coming in at around six hours for a pretty thorough playthrough, Headlander was an absolute delight.
    Read full review
  3. Games Master UK
    Oct 3, 2016
    79
    A retrofuturistic adventure that promises comedy and action, and only ever falters on the latter. [Oct 2006, p.75]
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