Our CMS Will Get Sad If We Post the Full Title of BRAZILIAN DRUG DEALER BEFORE 4:

Hrm, nope, still can't even fit it in the subhead.

Okay then, I guess we'll have to do it here! Today, you can head on over to Steam to purchase and enjoy the extremely normally titled 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, the semi-sequel/standalone expansion to BRAZILIAN DRUG DEALER 3: I OPENED A PORTAL TO HELL IN THE FAVELA TRYING TO REVIVE MIT AIA I NEED TO CLOSE IT, both by Brazilian solo developer Joeveno, who was kind enough to send me an early copy to poke at.

Video games are so very normal.

First, let me say that if you're confused as to what's happening right now, no, you are not having a stroke. Also, no, owning and playing neither of these games won't explain much of anything. What I can say is that for a certain breed of sicko (i.e., me), BRAZILIAN DRUG DEALER BEFORE 4 is a ton of fun, although I have a feeling I'd enjoy it even more if I were even half as steeped in Brazilian meme culture as Joeveno.

See, the original BBD3 (saves me copy-pasting) was a parody of Brazilian bootleg game culture. Frequently incoherent, hastily assembled nonsensical reskins and reworks of popular western games, sold on burnt discs. Only instead of cramming random bits of Brazilian iconography into a Grand Theft Auto game (as is most common), it did the same with the original Quake. It was an intentionally janky, completely incoherent but still shockingly playable (as it's basically Quake) fever-dream.

The standalone expansion out today, BBDB4 ('Before 4', because there's a BBD4 in the works too), takes that formula and builds on it in really fun ways. There are new weapons! There are new enemies! You're on a quest to defeat Ronaldo McDonaldo! There's double-jumping and air dashing explained as your character sticking fireworks up their bumhole! There are piles of optional lore to read that is still borderline incomprehensible even in English! It is also still an unrelenting assault on the senses, but one that plays shockingly smoothly, like a modern movement shooter sent back in time to the '90s but got a bit Brundlefly'd in the process.

This is the poster child for making games intentionally wrong. There are some utterly unhinged bits of level design here that make absolutely no sense, like a 'ladder' that's encased in water allowing you to 'climb' it, and invisible walls blocking you off from touching very visible, solid walls just a few meters out of reach. The levels themselves are good fun and flow well; it's just that everything is janky and horrible in a way that only a person who is actually GOOD with these tools could inflict on the world. Plus, the game's HUD is ripped from early Grand Theft Auto games, but with a cheerful emoji instead of Ranger's grizzled face.

It is a trip, and if you're up for taking one too, 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 is out now for £4.59/$5, with a 10% discount and a little more off if you own BRAZILIAN DRUG DEALER 3: I OPENED A PORTAL TO HELL IN THE FAVELA TRYING TO REVIVE MIT AIA I NEED TO CLOSE IT. Joeveno also promises monthly content updates, so you're getting a decent bit of bang for your buck. Just don't stick it anywhere unpleasant.