With its neon shapes blooming beneath a Vaseline smear, and its C64 loading bursts creating transitions between chunky plastic urban sprawl and queasy – almost gynaecological – chicanes, Leave Home is not just another clever shooter: it's a place you may find yourself returning to far more than you initially expected - to see what's changed and what has remained the same.
Born in Cornwall, England, Matt James is the one man team behind Hermit Games, creator of Leave Home and most recently qrth-phyl. The latter being the winner of our Best of Indie Games Uprising III.
qrth-phyl took a known formula, updating it passionately and breathing life into it. The result was an intergalactic snake that felt very much alive. When playing both these titles there was a feeling of a hidden depth that I felt I could never truly uncover.
[Shane Ryan, Thunderbolt]
Eurogamer writes: "It would be really nice if we could reliably pick an interesting game from each download platform every week, but sometimes you just have to get what you're given.
This week is a pretty good example, with nothing worthy of full investigation on most of the major download avenues. Maybe it's just part of the traditional summer lull, with some key games being held back. Or maybe it's just how the chips landed. Whatever the reason, we had a steaming pile to waft away from your delicate senses, resulting in this rather Apple-skewed selection."
Billy Withers talks with Matt James about Leave Home, the humble ZX Spectrum and future projects.
