A flying head decapitating robots in a plastic-orange seventies future.

Gut instinct puts Headlander ahead of barely a quarter of all games. Low, and the detail confirms the fragility. On the emotional criteria it is rough: almost nobody takes it to a desert island, attachment sits at the very bottom, so does the wish to rediscover it, and fun never takes off. But the moment craft is the question, it climbs back to average: controller feel, art style and soundtrack all land around the middle of the ranking. Those lines rest on few votes and still need confirming, yet the picture is coherent: you recognise the craft without ever falling in love.

That is the paradox of many auteur metroidvanias. The core idea is brilliant, the visual signature is instantly readable, and yet the adventure leaves no deep mark. Double Fine excels at building worlds people quote more often than they replay.

So, who is it for? For you if you love bold concepts, absurd humour and a well-held retro-futurist look, for a solid ten hours or so. Much less so if you want a game that sticks to your skin long after the credits.