varia posts

Welcome to Freeware Friday, a weekly column showcasing excellent games that you can play free of charge!

It's been quite a while since we've talked about shmups on Freeware Friday. It is one of our favorite genres, thanks to the replayability - even the shallowest shmups have quite a bit - combined with a basic gameplay mechanic that just works. While Varia doesn't do anything especially new or strange, it's a polished and well-designed look at several mechanics that haven't seen much action in the genre. Those that love shmups should definitely have Varia on their hard drive, and even though it is quite difficult, it has a charm that appeals beyond just the confines of the shmup fandom.