One of the things that will periodically sneak up on me with indie games are titles that are obviously new, but somehow feel like they’re taking me back in time. Unsurprisingly, these tend to be games with a pixel graphics hook, but they also tend to feature simpler overall play in terms of controls and mechanics… and that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. That’s definitely the case for me with Last Night of Winter, which may not feature loads of variety but has its focus, sticks to it, and for a budget-friendly price it feels like it executes quite nicely.

For the most part, the gameplay revolves around a mix of combat on one end which will require some patience and timing, and then puzzles and platforms on the other. Without all that much direction you’ll be dropped into a dungeon setting and left on your own to survive, weaving through each area and trying not to leave anything behind along the way. The jumping challenges in particular feel pretty old-school, requiring a mix of timing and precision in spots where you’ll need to move between platforms quickly and decisively since some will fall quickly after you land on them. Your moveset for combat is relatively limited, but at least over the course of the game you’ll work with a variety of different weapons, so you won’t be locked into the same methods for success throughout either.

Now, if you’re expecting much in the way of variety, or some sort of grand narrative thread to elevate the experience, you’re going to likely walk away disappointed. While for the most part the controls work fine, I did hit some spots where they felt a little finicky, especially when trying to quickly jump between platforms, but it usually wasn’t much of a distraction at least, you just have to have your timing down. I wouldn’t say that it’s a stand out in any particular area of play, but if you’re looking for something that offers a refreshing challenge for under $10 you can absolutely do worse.