I'm going to come at you with the spiciest take you've ever heard in your entire life — the first-person shooter genre has grown stale. This is not a talking point that every content creator has used, and it's a totally original opinion devised by yours truly. But really, games like Call of Duty and Battlefield have done away with crafting an engaging or interesting campaign and seem only interested in offering you wild and CrAzY skins for a portion of your monthly mortgage. I love getting killed by Nicki Minaj; it's exactly what I want to do after a day at work.

Now, if you're looking for some shooters with some genuine SAUCE? That's where the indie scene comes into play. Games made by one person that inject more style and flair than the last 10 years of FPS shooters combined. Are there some good AAA shooters out there still? Absolutely. But at the end of the day, rather than giving a massive corporation $70 and continuously being drip-fed more content through microtransactions and DLC, I'd rather spend less than $15 and get my hands on two of the best shooters I've played in years.

BRAZILIAN DRUG DEALER 3: I OPENED A PORTAL TO HELL IN THE FAVELA TRYING TO REVIVE MIT AIA I NEED TO CLOSE IT Is an ID Tech 2 Powered Fever Dream

Have you ever had a dream that you, um, you had... your, you- you could, you'll do you... You wants, you, you, could go to... you'll do, you could, you you want, you want to go to BRAZIL TO OPEN A PORTAL TO HELL IN THE FAVELA TRYING TO REVIVE MIT AIA, but you could close it? The most realistic Brazil simulator on the market, without a doubt, BDD3 is one of the most exciting additions to the indie scene in years. No, I'm not even exaggerating on that fact.

Built on the bones of the ID Tech 2 engine, the same engine that powered games like Quake, Hexen II, and Blood, BDD3 is an assault on the eyes and ears from the moment you start it up. On appearance alone, it's like rubbing a block of steel wool in your eyes, and then taking it directly and shoving it in your ears. But to me, it's a work of art. It's pure beauty in every form, and solo developer Joeveno has created something that can withstand the test of time here.

BDD3 Puts Gunplay and Memes First, and It’s Better for It

A quick look at the game, and you may be quick to brush it off. It's easy to do so. Especially if you're a stickler for photorealistic graphics and sound design that doesn't sound like someone held an old Creative Zen up to a speaker and recorded music from the radio. But the gunplay, level design, guns, memes, and everything in between that BDD3 has to offer? They're all top of their class. It's one of the most exciting shooters I've played in forever, with levels packed full of secrets, and an excellent look into the world of Brazilian culture.

Every moment of the game is pure sensory overload. But I mean that in the best way possible. I could spend hours typing up all of the things that I absolutely adore about this game, but that would ruin the purpose of getting you, the reader, to dive into this surreal shooter for yourself. It's roughly $5 on Steam and offers more content than some of the biggest games on the planet. A horde mode, online co-op through the story, references to goddamn RONALDINHO SOCCER and El Chapulín Colorado, it's like this game was made exclusively for me (or anyone else that suffers from excessive brainrot).

There’s a Reason Why BDD3 Is Sitting at ”Overwhelmingly Positive” on Steam at This Moment in Time

It seems that I'm not the only sicko who loves what BDD3 has to offer. As of the time of this writing, it's sitting at over 3,000 "Overwhelmingly Positive" reviews on Steam. While I think that BILLIONS MUST PLAY BRAZILIAN DRUG DEALER 3: I OPENED A PORTAL TO HELL IN THE FAVELA TRYING TO REVIVE MIT AIA I NEED TO CLOSE IT, it's heartwarming and utterly inspiring to see this many people diving into a game that I hold so weirdly close to my heart. Here's the thing — you're never going to know if a game like this is your speed unless you try it. So what are you doing? YOU NEED TO SAVE MIT AIA.

Plus, you need to get in on all of the lore that BDD3 has available before the sequel drops. That's completely right — Joeveno is completely bypassing BRAZILIAN DRUG DEALER 1 & 2 in favor of a whole new experience. BRAZILIAN DRUG DEALER BEFORE 4: DEMONS FROM THE PORTAL TO HELL I OPENED ARE STILL IN THE FAVELA AND NOW I HAVE TO SAVE MAMADAS FROM RONALDO. Need me to sell you on the sequel/prequel/whateverthehellitis? You now have a double jump because the main character shoved fireworks up their ass.

Games Like This Are Exactly Why I Love the Indie Scene as Much as I Do

While BDD4 may already be in the running for my personal GOTY, it's astonishing to see the love and care Joeveno puts into a game like this, only to sell it for like... $3. While games are getting more and more expensive, seeing developers care more about their passion than profit is extremely telling of the type of person he is. Saying that BDD3 reinvigorated my love of Boomer Shooters is an understatement in itself. And I am beyond hyped to see what this upcoming addition to the lore is going to do to my psyche forever.

Even for the wackiest and weirdest folks out there, maybe BDD3 is a bit TOO wild. That's completely valid! It's a game meant for the freaks and the sickos, and that's something that I'll gladly lump myself in with. But this next game? Oh, be prepared to get whisked back to the fever-dream of MLG montages, Mountain Dew swilling, and Dororito munching madness of... 2016. Wait, that was already TEN FUCKING YEARS AGO?!?!? WHAT?!?!

420BLAZEIT 2: GAME OF THE YEAR -=Dank Dreams and Goated Memes=- [#wow/11 Like and Subscribe] Poggerz Edition is Actually Goated

If you're going to sit here and tell me that the MLG phase of the Memepocalypse wasn't the best shit you've ever experienced in your life, I know you're lying. We all fell victim to this. We all know EXACTLY who Dat Boi is. It was the best time on the internet, before everything went to shit as we know it now. Every five minutes, there's a new meme erupting out of the walls, but there are some that are eternal. Some that will withstand the test of time. I don't need no gottdamn Tung Tung Tung Tung Sahur when Shrek is Love, Shrek is Life exists in the void known as my mind. That's the type of energy that 420BLAZEIT 2: GAME OF THE YEAR -=Dank Dreams and Goated Memes=- [#wow/11 Like and Subscribe] Poggerz Edition brings to the function, and I absolutely do fuck with it.

Much like BDD3, 420BLAZEIT: GOTY is an incredibly overstimulating game. It uses ha ha funni text-to-speech for its characters; there are references to Tourette's Guy, Death Grips, Shrek, and whatever else was popular during the heyday of meme culture. Rainbow flashing lights, MOM GET THE CAMERA, Wombo Combo — all the shit I can age myself with. But under the surface of a premise that would likely sell a morbillion copies on its own is something even more shocking. An incredibly competent shooter that handles like a dream.

Why Is the Gunplay in 420BLAZEIT Better Than Most AAA Shooters?

If you spent hours of your younger years playing games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, the gunplay in 420BLAZEIT: GOTY is going to feel just like home. It handles incredibly well, and weapons feel punchier and more impactful than a lot of AAA releases that come out nowadays. This isn't a "big number go up" game, either. Every weapon has the potential to kill, no matter if it's the golden GOATED weapons you can find, or something like the Trash Gun that shoots random assets out of it. Everything hits like a truck, and it feels great to mow down rows of enemies with all of the weapons here.

But even outside of the general "meme-y" nature of the game, it's genuinely hilarious. Picking up a shitty pistol was just as funny the last time I did it as it was the first time I did. Kicking someone halfway across the map with a Kick Extender broke the group I was streaming to. None of the jokes missed here, at least for me.

Press ‘F’ To Pay Respects — You’re Going to Never Want To Play Another Shooter Outside of These

I think the most impressive part about 420BLAZEIT: GOTY, outside of the presentation and gunplay, is that it doesn't feel forced. I never once felt like the game was pandering to the "How Do You Do, Fellow Kids" crowd and was built by someone who genuinely loved this era of meme culture. It has more heart and soul than other games could only dream of having. But buried underneath the sheer clusterfuck of everything happening at once? Normal Wholesome Games has the understanding and knowledge to make an excellent shooter.

If you were to strip all of the meme flavor out of here, it would still be an excellent game to play. It's hard to nail the perfect feeling for an FPS, but here we are. Power-ups that make us feel unstoppable, paired with responsive and excellent handling, make it a joy to play. The added memes are for good nature. Nature that I would gladly pay to go back into again and again. Thankfully, since I love the source material, I'll get my money's worth and then some from this game.

Completionists and l33T g4m3rz Have a Lot to Love Here

If you're a completionist nerd who loves a good challenge, you can stop reading here. Well, after this paragraph, I should say. There are a ton of challenges in 420BLAZEIT: GOTY, ranging from finding hidden weapons on the map to completing boss fights in what feels like an unrealistic amount of time. But if you can min-max everything that you're doing and develop some l33t strategies to tackle the levels here? You'll be in second heaven. I strongly recommend the Laxative pickup, shitting yourself has never been cooler than it is here.

Of course, the game is bright and colorful, and filled to the brim with DANK WEED REFERENCES, but that's where the charm is. It's a wild ass ride, and you'll be left not only pondering your orb when it's done, but pondering some of your life choices. Why can't we go back to this era of the internet again? I'd rather see that godforsaken frog on a unicycle daily instead of AI-generated sharks with Nikes.

Don't Let Your Memes Become Dreams

For folks feeling fatigued of more "conventional games", I feel you. I completely and totally get where you're coming from. That's why these two games deserve that extra bit of talking time. They do things differently from their colleagues and are miles better for that reason. Most "ball and gun" gamers out there are likely going to bypass these on appearances alone. I strongly suggest giving them a try. Open your eyes and invest your time in the indie scene, and see where the real progress is being made.

But even if you prefer games like Call of Duty? Still give these a try. They may help you realize and see where the modern landscape of FPS games has gone since the glory days. It's genuinely shocking to see how these small teams are outpacing and outperforming their much larger competition. And to be fair? I'd rather play a game like this any day of the week. Don't let your gaming dreams become wasted memes. Take these two games for a spin and see what the world of indies has to offer.