TechBeat Heart (2021)

Developer: Lost Machine Games
Platforms: Windows, Linux
Genres: Action, Indie
Rating: 4.6 of 5, 98 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 1.0 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

You juggle combos like a timer in a pixelated bullet hell, scrambling for every second as you blast through procedurally generated waves with escalating fury.

franticfast-pacedintensepunishingdifficultaddictivearcaderetro

What players say

Players describe it as a brief arcade-style bullet hell confined to a single arena, built for high-score chasing rather than progression. Opinions are split on balance: some say the laser is overpowered, others call it unforgiving with only 2 health. Many note it is very short, with an achievement for beating it in under three minutes.

Screenshots

More games like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.