The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai

Until the credits roll at the close of the single-player story mode — after 14 brutalizing stages packed with assassins, robots, and zombies — you’d never guess that it was created by just one guy. From how Dishwasher bleeds details with its goth-y antihero cleaving chumps in two to how its meaty, crunchy jabs and slashes feel, it’s all incredibly well done.

Or at least for those of us who’ve fought back the tides of undead in any number of side-scrolling beat-’em-ups from console generations past. Dishwasher is not just for anyone wandering in off the street — it’s a blood-soaked love letter to those gamers bold enough to consider themselves “hardcore” hobbyists. Just imagine a screen full of grenade-dropping cyborg soldiers paired with jetpack-hovering, missile-firing bad guys…on top of zombies, giant skull-headed robots, and blade-wielding, self-exploding skele-ninjas…all gunning for you. Even on the easiest difficulty setting (there are five in all), mastering the intricacies of how to pull off “clean” or “messy” kills for maximum health bonuses is essential — and juggling a room full of lethal badasses to get there ain’t easy.

In addition to the story mode, both Arcade and Dish Challenge modes await you as well, as does enjoyable online-capable (or same-system) multiplayer. It’s an all-you-can-eat buffet of hardcoreness, really, pockmarked only by its “you must be this tough to ride this ride” niche appeal, as well as an often-tricky time deciphering your onscreen position amid the visual insanity, plus an exploitable cheap-out when playing co-op (sandwich a boss or bad guy between you and your friend, then get with the whaling). But for those of us who like a little tough love with our games, Dishwasher’s ironclad challenge and simple-but-effective design scratch an itch few games can reach.