Taking players back to an age of city pop and vaporwave, STONKS-9800: Stock Market Simulator lives up to its title by providing a chill text-based experience with plenty of variables. There might not be much dialog to speak of, but there’s enough action to make sure players will always come out ahead. [Early Access Review]

It is good to know that we already know the worst game of the year in May. Do yourself a favor and forget about The Lord of the Rings: Gollum – it is anything but precious.

Synthwave FURY looks and sounds the part, but everything else misses the mark. The broken physics make this title unplayable, and any sort of course correction on each track is simply a lost cause.

Locke(d) attempts to convey a deep message, but ends up feeling hollow. There’s simply no substance to this visual novel, making it feel more hopeless than the message it is setting out to convey.

Jected – Rivals flying and driving mechanics get the job done, but those looking to rise to the top should learn to overcome its different quirks and repeated events. Nevertheless, this battle royale shows promise, and we’re eager to jump back into this show for future seasons. [Early Access review]

Synth Retro Vapor Wave is a game without purpose, style, or polish. An absolute resource hog with the looks to match, this game is anything but a relaxing Sunday drive.

Impasto has a great premise, but that’s the only thing this walking simulator-stealth hybrid has going for it. A glorified fetch quest at its core, this title is downright insulting to players.

Devil Devour Alive DX works better as an art piece than a video game – and even that is a bit of a stretch. This title has the depth of a puddle, and while the graphics are true to the 90s, it also captures the worst elements of the time.

Trapped with Jester is a proof of concept and nothing more. The voice work is at the top of its class, but it serves as more of a portfolio than a real game.

NeverSynth is a rhythm game without rhythm, with procedurally generated courses that don’t quite match up. While it is great to rock out to your own tunes, those looking for near infinite fun best stick with the Audiosurf series.

Clown for Speed will only make you feel like a clown. The drifting is simple and the cars fun, but everything in this package feels like the circus is in town.

If you’ve ever played a visual novel in your life, you’ll know exactly what to expect in The Sound of Fireworks: The Haiku. This title is a walking, talking cliche, cribbing notes from the best without doing anything unique.

Cleaning garbage in a video game is about as fun as it sounds, and Vacuum Story doesn’t make a compelling case to pay for the privilege. Not even its vague story can hide how dreadfully dull the whole affair actually is.

While everybody loves the game of skee-ball, Extrorb does not make a compelling case to switch to the world of video games. Do yourself a favor and stick to the analog version of the game.

A top-down Crazy Taxi clone is the stuff nostalgia is made for, doubly so if it references one of Keanu Reeves’ finest moments. However, Deliver or Die! misses the mark in almost every way imaginable, exploding in a fiery blaze that even Michael Bay would be proud of.

New Meaning tries to feature a deep message about mental illness, but absolutely fails the landing. With everybody reduced to a brief stereotype, it’s hard to care about anything that happens in this visual novel.

For a game that’s supposed to be chill, the camera in Seaside Driving will do everything in its power to infuriate you. This lazy drive is anything but, and will make you take a quick U-Turn back to Outrun.

THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD: Remake is an absolute disservice to the light gun classic. From the pop in to the loading times to the broken control scheme, this re-release would make even Dr. Curien cower in fear.

Cyber Pool bends the rules of pool a little too much to make it worthwhile. Diehard pool sharks will want something more realistic, while those looking for a more casual experience will feel like things are a little off.

One Gun Guy blatantly copies Mega Man’s homework and yet still manages to fail the assignment. The idea of the entire game being one screen has some merit to it, but that’s all it has going for it.

Drift King fixates on the things that don’t matter, pouring all of its energy into minutiae instead of what makes a racing game truly thrive. Its bland tracks and broken drifting mechanics are not conducive to a good game, and the grind to unlock content will turn people off sooner rather than later. [Early Access Review - Score = 50]

Dinoland’s billiards concept is squandered with its broken physics engine. The title is borderline unplayable, making even the simplest shots a major struggle.

Speed Mazing and its overly basic nature makes this a tough game to suggest for those looking for multiplayer mayhem. Its overly simplistic control scheme and its lack of options means that players will be tired of this game faster than it takes to finish a single round.

Unplugged blatantly copies One Finger Death Punch’s tried-and-true formula, but fails to jot down what made that indie darling so great. With simplistic gameplay and game-breaking bugs, this title is a pretender more than a contender.

For a game that relies heavily on its storytelling, my brother lives in a canyon fails to engage players. The acting and plot simply aren’t there, and this tale of brotherly love simply lacks the punch of the better walking simulators on the market today.

Casual racing experiences have their place, but Sparks – Episode 1 plays things far too safe. There’s simply no variety or flavor to each of its tracks, making the whole package feel drier than a package of saltines.

You would think a game about minigolf would have a competent physics system, but Minigolf Adventure makes every last ball feel like a lead weight. It’s simply not fun to play, and no amount of variety can change its poor fundamentals.

The bad girls of idolYAKI are certainly bad, but for all of the wrong reasons. While this visual novel has got a novel concept, the execution and presentation prove to be too much of a has been to make an impact.