Hop in your flying car and hunt down bounties in Blue Drifter

Sokpop Collective is a prolific developer of tiny games, releasing a whopping two of its wee experiments every month. The latest, appearing on itch.io yesterday, is the stylish Blue Drifter, a bounty hunting game set on a miserable, wet planet.

As a bounty hunter, you're just trying to earn enough cash to get off-world, taking jobs and heading to their location in your cute flying car. When you arrive at your destination, you'll have to use your scanner to find your target, take out any enemies in the way, and then bring back the ID chip for a cash reward.

The shooting is inelegant and absent much feedback, and the loop is incredibly simple, but it's got a vibe I can't get enough of. And I'll never turn down a flying car. I much prefer flying around the gloomy, green world in my squat vehicle than the actual bounty hunting, and it's open to explore.

It's a lot like the excellent Bernband, created by Sokpop's Tom van der Boogaart, which is exclusively concerned with exploration, namely of a peculiar, labyrinthine alien city. You're just there to do some sightseeing. A follow-up is in development, and I'd love to see a bit more from Blue Drifter, too.

You can check out Bernband for free, while Blue Drifter is $3. Sokpop also has a Patreon where you can get two games for $3 a month.

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.