While it might be tempting to dismiss Terraria as a simple 2D Minecraft knockoff, its heavy focus on sidescrolling combat, boss fights, and crazy weaponry reveals just as large a debt to classics like Metroid and Castlevania.

If you're a PC gamer, you've definitely heard of Minecraft. If you're a console gamer, you've at least heard the name in passing. What began as one man's beta project quickly exploded into one of the most popular and profitable Indie games of all time, all based around the simple concept of creating...

Some games just aren't long enough for their own reviews, but are still important enough to deserve some attention. With that in mind we present the first of our Indy Shorts reviews. This week I turn my attention to two recently released titles on Steam: Terraria and Universe Sandbox.

There's a reason Terraria has sold a few hundred thousand copies in the first few months it's been on sale. It's because, if Terraria really does have a bottom, no one can be bothered to go find it. They're having far too much fun on the surface, and the spaces in between.

The consensus that most gamers come to after playing Terraria is that if you want to know what it's like, just imagine Minecraft in 2D with SNES-era graphics and gameplay. While Terraria certainly inherited its gameplay philosophies from Minecraft , it is unique enough to hold its own as a fantastic...

this game is one of the best indie games i have ever played it is cheaper, funner and generally better than minecraft not to mention it is cheaper.me and my friend both bought it and had the time of our lives playing it. Would deffinately recommend it.

All in all, with its simple but effective interface, nostalgic sounds and vast open world, Terraria is a game of almost unlimited scope and enjoyment, provided you are willing to put the hours in to get proficient at the tasks the game requires you to perform.

Epic. Nothing more needs to be said about this game. If you want millions of hours of gameplay, then buy Terraria. Terraria is truly brilliant. I bought it on steam when it first came out, and bought this again to support the development, and because I like the retail version of games.

"Part of the beauty of a game like this is that there really is no direction..." "...it's going to be awfully hard, even this early in the year, to find a downloadable game that can offer this much content."

Absolutely tons to do; Everything can be mined; chopped; and rebuilt; New content for PC expatriates

Early game is a drag; Occasional slow down; Crafting without a mouse

It was dawn when I woke up at the boundary between a desert and a forest, with no idea of how I had gotten there or how I would get away. I didn't waste any time. Rather than focusing on the troubling how of my predicament, I set off into the woods to punch down a tree with my fists.

Flipping gravity and rocketing into the sky

Trying (and failing multiple times) to face the first boss solo