SEUM Speedrunners from Hell

SEUM: Speedrunners from Hell is exactly as committed to its identity as the title suggests. You play Marty, an ordinary guy whose late breakfast was interrupted by a demon kicking down his door and stealing his last batch of limited-edition Walrus Ale. The fight cost Marty an arm, but he won — and afterward, he ripped off the demon's arm, did some DIY to attach it where his arm used to be, and headed into hell to retrieve his beer. The afterlife is now his speedrunning gym.

Gameplay is hardcore first-person platforming at extreme speed. Run, jump, bounce off pads, teleport, reverse gravity, and fire fireballs from the demonic arm to reach the exit portal of each level in as little time as possible. The game owes equally to Quake 3's movement and to Super Meat Boy's death-and-retry rhythm — a hundred merciless arenas, each more devilish than the last, each rewarding seconds shaved off the run.

Leaderboards in every level rank you against friends and strangers, and the toughest Uber Skull medals are reserved for the elite times. Online high scores keep the competition fresh. For players who'd rather take their time, beer cans hidden in each level reward exploration with mysterious bonuses, and the level editor lets you build and share your own arenas.

The original soundtrack is heavy metal driven by exactly the kind of energy the game asks the player to bring. The presentation, the writing and the level design all commit to the bit. The developer warns of leaning disease — the involuntary forward lean players make during difficult jumps — and notes, helpfully, that smashing the monitor with your head is not a valid completion strategy.