Headlander Review Roundup

Headlander, a game that borrows from Metroid and campy '70s sci-fi, is out this week, and the reviews have already started to come in. Critics have spoken, and so far, the reception is positive.

Double Fine's latest is a humorous game that puts you in control of a human head in a rocket-powered helmet. Without a body, you need to fly around and take control of decapitated robot bodies and use their functions to gain access to new areas and fight enemies.

Headlander releases on July 26 for PS4 and PC. You can preorder it now on PS4 to get an exclusive theme and a 20 percent discount as part of PlayStation's annual Play promotion.

We've collected a bunch of reviews and compiled them below. For a wider view of the critical reception, visit GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

• Game: Headlander
• Developer: Double Fine Studios
• Platform: PS4, PC
• Price: $20

GameSpot -- 8/10

"From its odd mechanics to its captivating presentation, Headlander's parallels to Metroid bubble under the surface; it's the game's fresh qualities that grab your attention and make it one of the most delightful takes on the well-worn formula in years." -- Peter Brown [full review]

Eurogamer

"Headlander shows a lot of promise in its concept, but it quickly becomes complacent with its most original ideas and falls into a dull fug. There's little that [is] wrong with Headlander per se--it's a perfectly pleasurable project to while away the spare evening or two--but for a game with such a strong opening act, it's quietly heartbreaking to see it conform to such a tired template. It's got a head alright, but not a lot of heart." -- Jeffrey Matulef [full review]

IGN -- 8.2/10

"Headlander is an unexpectedly great take on Metroidvania-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." -- Brian Albert [full review]

PC Gamer -- 80/100

"Headlander's tone is a little inconsistent to function as an effective pastiche of the cult sci-fi it's clearly enamoured with: the jokes don't always sit easily with a story that takes itself surprisingly seriously. If anything, it's not quite camp enough, which is a weird thing to say about a game where you play as a disembodied head. Regardless, it's a game that feels comfortable in its own skin. This is a genre piece that perhaps plays things safer than you might expect, but its gorgeously kitschy world of thrumming synths and dazzling colour makes for an unforgettable adventure." -- Chris Schilling [full review]

Game Informer -- 7.5/10

"Headlander doesn't forge a bold new path, but it's a lot of fun to live in its strange world for a while. Its various elements are well trod--'70s aesthetic, Metroid-style exploration, big questions about the nature of identity and consciousness--but they've been arranged in a fascinating way that feels fresh." -- Jeff Cork [full review]

Destructoid -- 4.5/10

"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." -- Mike Cosimano [full review]

Shacknews -- 6/10

"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." -- Daniel Perez [full review]