It isn’t flashy or snazzy like other apps, but it’s also not as empty. Like its forbearers, this Harvest Moon is a low-key, laid-back experience where hard work is its own reward. Whether that’ll be enough to keep your kids engaged is the question, but for $4 it really couldn’t hurt to try.

A game for puzzle fans who have a high tolerance for frustrating design. It's a great game that sometimes fights with players due to its loose and sometimes confused stylus control, but the game's fun-factor and satisfying puzzling gameplay overrides the annoyances to create a pretty good little portable title.

Despite the rough edges, Dimps' work is easy to like if you're a Sword Art Online fan hungry for something new to advance the franchise with. Though ultimately held back by the jank, it's definitely worth checking out, if for nothing else than a welcome change of pace and setting.

Above all, I'm most charmed by how honestly Puppeteer wears its influences on its sleeve. From classic platformers like Mario to more recent excursions such as Rayman Origins, Sony Japan's sidescrolling adventure is littered with nods to the very best in platform gaming -- a genre so criminally underused these days.

Unmechanical: Extended is a cute little experience. The stories are told in a way that takes at least a little bit of effort on the player's part. For those willing to put that effort in, and the effort to get through the puzzle rooms, escaping from the tiny robot gulag is a worthy way to spend a day.

A merging of ideas offers little room for Cronos' identity to manifest and grow which is fitting for this survival horror. Cronos: The New Dawn is immersive for its atmosphere and mysterious narrative paired with excellent level and sound design that takes ahold of your curiosity and fuels your drive to press forward for humanity's sake. Has the makings of a true survival horror, but sadly doesn't offer much of a challenge. This title loses itself when answering its biggest questions and raises more by the time the credits roll because of its lacklustre conclusion.

A flawed, but generally enjoyable slice of hardcore gaming. The fast-paced shooting mechanics and old school ideas make for some really intense, exciting, and just plain fun moments, but the squiffy controls and lack of true online score competition prevent The Club from reaching its true potential.

If you want to be told a vexingly bizarre story presented with a real sense of style, The Chinese Room may have exactly what you want. If you're a massive survival horror fan who wants to be made to scream, however, you probably want to stick your snout in someone else's offal.

Deathsmiles on PC is an odd port of a classic shooter, and even though it may not measure up to some of its Cave-bred ilk, it's still worth playing if you haven't experienced it yet.

Most WarioWare fans will likely want to pull the trigger on this one, but I don't blame you for being wary.

Songbringer is an adventure that is both reminiscent of many other popular titles, but also has a heart of its own. This makes for a juxtaposition of recognisable, rigid structure and a desire for free, rule-breaking indie design. It's an odd mix that I think will turn off as many people as it turns on. But many players will find the cleansing of Ekzera a weird, dizzying challenge, that's curiously familiar yet very unique. For this reason the game is a trip worth considering.

I have no doubt that this is going to be — and in many cases likely already is — a runaway 2024 favorite for many. It didn’t quite land there for me, personally, but I won’t soon forget the satisfaction of a deft parry and the shrieks of those who sacrificed themselves throughout Christian’s harrowing journey. Hell, I may even dive back in and see how it holds up to a return trip, just not anytime too soon; the wounds are still fresh.

Over the four hours it takes to see the end, and additional time to complete entirely, it never overstays its welcome. The concept behind it is solid, and it has been developed well past that initial idea.

It'll be a grind, but I'm still eager to do it. There are just so many recognizable monsters that hold special places in my heart, it seems like it would be a disservice to neglect them. Plus, there are the post-game bonus dungeons that aren't going to conquer themselves.

It Comes From Outer Space is not going to blow your mind with Kefling innovation. It's simply more Keflings action and as such gives you what you expect; although it's more enjoyable than the simple and lazy type of DLC NinjaBee could have given us.

It's a decent adventure with varied combat, cool boss battles, and semi-interesting locales. I'm going to keep at it until I've obtained everything there is to obtain, but even then I know I won't have seen everything there is to see. Some of the neatest stuff possible isn't scripted in by the designers, it's waiting to be imagined and created by an aspiring magician.

Regardless of how you feel about the game, give Nuts & Bolts a rent, and who knows -- you may end up purchasing the game with the desire to see it to the end, and then some.

However, Cannibal Abduction is solid for what it is. It’s to the point where I might recommend it to any newcomers. If you want to introduce someone to slasher horror games, it’s a comfortable entry point that might not immediately scare them away. For any longtime fans of the indie scene, however, it might feel a bit too familiar. Nonetheless, it’s still an enjoyable morsel that, at the very least, justifies its price tag.

Hey! Pikmin is a little too simplistic for its own good, especially early on, but Arzest does a fantastic job of distilling what makes this series so special into bite-sized chunks. The transition cutscenes that play out like physical comedy shorts and the adorable little noises really sell it.

The concept is simultaneously inventive and archaic, doling out moments of pure delight and agonizing frustration in equal doses. Culdcept Revolt is such a niche title – perhaps the most niche game in my gaming history – I can’t tell you if you’ll like it. What I can tell you is as someone who is a bit of a masochist for these types of experiences, I enjoy it very much.

It may not be as tight of a package or have enough variety in its quests, but the additional multiplayer components and new Yokai make this worth picking up.

A fun spin on sci-fi real-time strategy that makes good use of tower defense mechanics in an offense-focused game. A little rough around the edges, it still manages to succeed in creating an experience that is challenging and unique every round while providing options which accommodate a wide range of skill level.

Breakers Collection offers 2D fight fans the opportunity to relive one of the finest examples of myriad Street Fighter II clones, refreshed with polished gameplay and modern online technology. While first-timers may be warned off by its perceived simplicity, Breakers remains a fun, satisfying, and compelling scrapper, deserving of its resurgence in the competitive scene. Breakers may have dated somewhat over the ensuing decades, but this solid scrapper, much like Tia’s legwarmers, never goes out of style.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session achieves its goal of being incredibly simplistic but wonderfully addictive.

Kingdom Hearts is a good rhythm game that meanders way too often with its presentation.

By no means is RAGE not worth your time -- it looks stunning, the combat on both wheels and foot is fun, and there's a tremendous sense of atmosphere that deserves to be experienced. However, RAGE's quality only makes its lack of ambition more painful in the long run, as it could easily have been better than it is. It's a good game, most definitely, and one that id fans will enjoy ... just don't expect it to do half of what it looks like it can do.

A fun romp, and definitely worth a play. It’s easy to pick up, a joy to look at, and and some of the boss battles are pretty great. My recommendation is that you take it in smaller doses, or try out the drop-in/drop-out cooperative play, which will definitely help when the going gets tough.

A great game, despite its lackluster multiplayer component. The intense imagery and action is framed between gratifying exploratory segments that allow you to navigate and learn about the haunted world at your own pace. A coherent story holds the dizzying narrative together, which is something that the game’s predecessor sorely lacked.