There's a lot to love about Ikenfell: its characters, charming narrative, and polished strategic combat all come together to create something truly unique and magical. While it calls on themes from other pop culture titles, the story within is all its own. Slow at first, Ikenfell's true narrative starts to unravel as you meet new friends and unlock clues behind Maritte's sister's disappearance. For $19.99, Ikenfell is well worth the price if you're a fan of pixel games with an inclusive storyline and a beautiful soundtrack.

Fuser is a game that, strangely, reminds me more of Occupy White Walls, than Rock Band. It’s a genre mashing experience that bursts out of the screen, borrowing ideas where ever it needs to but rarely confining itself to the preconceptions we might have from another rhythm game. Once you’ve pushed past the tutorials and evolved your own style, Fuser reveals it’s real intent, music. Fuser is the nearest Harmonix has come to present a title that is all about creating your own sound, stepping up on stage and discovering what works. As you master your art, Fuser rewards you with more than just cosmetics because it’s simply a joy to play. grab Fuser if you’re ready to fend off the dreary autumn blues with a burst of colour and a blast of bass to boot.

Since I have picked up this title and I have found it extremely hard to put down. I have even found myself removing my switch from its comfy home on the dock and taking the adventure with me to work. If you are looking for a mid-tier priced game at $24.99 that has a great atmosphere and offers several hours of gameplay, look no further.

While we would have loved more lore and a more consistent set of boss experiences, these are small pickings for a game that delivers a Cyberpunk dystopia that we loved tearing down.

Foregone is a solid offering. Combat, progression, and platforming are all fast, fluid, and engaging. What it lacks in fresh, original concepts and mechanics it makes up for a refined Metroidvania experience. If you are looking for a fun, engaging platformer with a good story and some refined mechanics, Foregone delivers.

Overall Fishing: North Atlantic should scratch any deep sea fishing simulator itch you may have. I felt the degree of difficulty was quite higher than I would have liked overall and the tutorial felt very bare-bones and could’ve done with more parts popping up as I acquired different gear or ships or crew, etc. I liked what I played, but felt it was made for those who enjoy harder sim type games.

I didn’t have the pleasure of playing Alwa’s Legacy’s title before this (Alwa’s Awakening), but I can say with confidence and un-tinted goggles, Alwa’s Legacy is a fantastic game that can be picked up regardless of your experience with the series. It has an exciting, challenging, and rewarding playstyle that’s accentuated by a beautifully crafted and nostalgic world. What more could you ask for? There’s just so much obvious love and care that has been poured into this game from its developers, and it really gives Alwa’s Legacy a glossy polish that is unfortunately missing from a lot of other metroidvania indie titles we see today. Would I recommend Alwa’s Legacy? Yes, a hundred times over, yes. It is fun from the very beginning to end, and invites you to explore the contents of its world without hand-holding or a curfew to pull you down.

Hammerting is a great concept that runs afoul of its status as an early access game. Although systems are largely in place, some more polish and a mountain load of content could put Hammerting on its way to be a masterpiece of dwarven craftmanship. [Early Access Provisional Score = 60]

My overall impression of The Adventures of Chris is very high. I love old-school platformers and there have been more of these popping up lately. They aren’t overly difficult or too easy to learn and play either. If you didn’t play games like this on Nintendo and Sega then you have no clue how hard games used to be compared to these. For $14.99 USD on Steam and Nintendo Switch, it is a bargain value for a good title. Have fun taking out giant spiders, bats, frogs, and other oversized creatures on your way to becoming the hero today.

If your fingers need a break from the shooter and platforming games and you have a flair for story-based, fantasy-filled role-playing games then you should take a look at Seers Isle. While considered a "game" it's clear that non-gaming young adult+ book readers can find something to enjoy here as well! What you'll find is a visually pleasing and interactive experience that can easily be enjoyed on the go. It's a "game" where your choices matter and they have a impact on the story's outcome. While relatively short, it encourages replaying through again where selecting different choices can reward you with multiple alternate endings!

Assuming you don’t blow it straight out of Luna then Space Crew is a satisfying challenge that mixes the tactical stylings of many strategy games with even more chaos and space age meanies than Bomber Crew was ever able to provide.

If you're a fan of action RPGs, especially retro ones, then Ys Origin is worth your time to invest in. The action gameplay flows well and is quite rewarding. While the game is challenging it's not overly difficult. Your hero does seem powerful and that's a nice feeling. There's also plenty of environmental puzzles and platform jumping to break-up any monotony of button mashing. This one also plays extremely well in undocked mode and hist the mark of a great action RPG all around!

If you need a peaceful break from shooter games or the doldrums of fantasy-filled role-playing games then you can do no better than taking a look at Along The Edge. While considered a "game" it's clear that non-gaming mature book readers can find something to enjoy here as well! What you'll find is an engrossing visual, interactive experience that can easily be enjoyed on the go. It's a "game" where your choices matter and they have a visual impact on the source material. It certainly would make a strong candidate for anyone's "Book Club"!

Paradise Killer takes place in one of the most bizarre universes one may ever partake in. There are certain elements of the game that lend itself to a retro feeling detective game replete with a tasteful, customizable soundtrack. While the universe and its semantics might throw you a curveball once in a while you'll easily get lost in the large and beautiful open-world. Couple that with a rewarding exploration and puzzle system and you might just forget that you have a murder to solve!

Cake Bash is a party game pure and simple. It’s designed to be easy to pick up but utterly engaging while you play it. The range of silly arenas found us smacking eclairs across garden tables while a hungry pigeon snacked on unfortunate fondants. I eagerly whacked my partner with a lollipop all to stop them filling a trifle bowl full of fruit, and I burned my flan more than a few times. The entire idea of Cake Bash is ludicrous and far from complex but the execution is top tier. Cake Bash is a flawlessly fun party game that would make any master patisserie proud. My only real complaint for the head chef, if I could find one, is that this is a snack rather than a family-sized assortment.

Developer Echtra Games and publisher Perfect World Entertainment have released Torchlight III. The game has a lot going for it, from its stylized graphics to the overall feel of combat. But it is currently missing a spark that the previous two entries in the series captured.

What do you get when you add espionage and intrigue to the ubiquitous game found in nursing homes and every Windows decide known to mankind, then drop it into a carefully crafted, existing science fiction world? You get The Solitaire Conspiracy.

Shing! manages to take the beat'em-up genre, throw in some fantastic ideas, and squander it all on a twin-stick combat system that convolutes what would otherwise be a solid combo-mashing sidescroller. There is still a lot to like about this game, but unless you really dig analog stick combat, you may want to pass on this one.

With all of that consider Squadrons handles the Star Wars intellectual property was handled extremely well and the gameplay is pretty accessible. It is visually stunning and immerses players in the universe by putting exceptional control into their hands, launching them immediately into the fantasy. Even if you are not the greatest at flight combat, the single-player experience, and AI battles can provide a great experience in a galaxy far, far away.

The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos is a turn-based dungeon crawler released by developed Artefacts Studio and publisher Dear Villagers. As a party of questionable adventures explores the dungeon, they run into a multitude of opportunities for jokes and puns. The Combat is fun, while the animations, voice acting, and music are great, but the humor may not be for everyone.

Overall I really enjoyed my time spent in Night of the Dead. It has solid base building, a decent skill tree that allows for upgrades to the character and recipes you can learn to craft. The crafting system offers a good variety of things (you can learn to craft a lightsaber). It has a good-sized map to explore and gather various items from. And the various traps I could build were fun to play with every night as a new zombie horde approached my base. [Early Access Provisional Score = 85]

While Atom RPG does capture the essence of the Fallout series this console port seems to fall short of the exceptional ratings it's seen on Steam. The unintuitive controls take some guesswork, almost to the point of being frustrating, Combat feels slightly awkward as well. The RNG gods seem irritated as trying to get through a battle, early on, unscathed is a challenge. On the flip-side, it is quite playable in undocked mode (on-the-go) but be prepared to read a "lot" of small-ish dialogue text. Nevertheless, characters are filled with engaging and witty dialogue to tell a great story.

Marvel Avengers is a roleplaying action brawler video game. The combat is good and responsive. It has similar hub-style play similar to Monster Hunter and Anthem which is not everyone’s cup of tea. The main single-player campaign is short but there is much more once that is over. Quickly though it can feel repetitive once you reach the endgame.

Port Royale 4 is a big game that puts all of its eggs into one basket: trading. This leaves other parts such as building and sea combat very basic for such an involved title. If you are into min-maxing and being on top of a great many things to keep your trading empire the best version of itself, you will have a blast in PR4. However, if you are someone who generally likes strategies and wants to have a good time conquering the 17th-century Caribbean, you might get bored due to the lack of other activities to pursue.

Dreamscaper is a deep, thought-provoking journey packed with some truly enjoyable combat and realistic characters. If you’ve been hesitating to give it a try-don’t.

Sam Stone is back, and the folks at Croteam have made one hell of a fun FPS. Published by Devolver Digital, the Serious Sam games at their core are a string of firefights to kill the invading aliens. Sam and co. accomplish this in style while spout off one-liners, causing massive amounts of alien gore, and facing enemies around every corner. Serious Sam 4 is no different, if you’ve enjoyed the previous games, you are in for a fun ride with this one, literally in some levels.

Raji: An Ancient Epic is an action, adventure platforming puzzler that draws you in with its deep storyline built upon the foundation of Hindu and Balinese mythology. The action elements are diverse, challenging, and fun. While there are slower story focused interspaced between the action it's in these lulls that players can enjoy the beautiful aesthetics. With light exploration features and jumping/platforming mechanics that pay homage to the early Prince Of Persia games, you'll find a lot to like in this cultural gem!

Overall, Iron Harvest 1920 is a solid title to buy and play. It is available on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 right now for $49.99 USD. It gives you the story of a role-playing game with the fun factor of a AAA RTS title. Once you get past the length of the first few missions and into the meat of the story you will see just how big it can get.

Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is a fun romp through some of the episode settings in the series. Although many old characters make appearances, there isn't a whole lot of interaction or story development in-game. This might Battle Through Time a bit harder to get into for players who weren't avid fans of the game. However, if you like old-style action RPG games, this will probably be right up your ally.

Sentinels Of Freedom helps scratch that itch for a new superhero game, especially one that can run on the Nintendo Switch system. If you were hoping that this one would be the perfect "on-the-go superhero" tactics game then you might need to look elsewhere or invest in a set of magnifying eyeglasses. While the artwork is a bit cartoony the story pays homage to early comics and classic tabletop superhero games. Since this is only Chapter One in a series we'd consider this debut release a strong stepping stone to greater things in follow-up chapters!

If you expect an actual Star Wars experience from Journey to Batuu, you will be left disappointed. It is more like visiting Disneyland or a theme park: sure, you are surrounded by Star Wars aesthetics but ultimately all of this is just a stage for a small fun holiday for your Sim, complete with activities, outfits and presents. After the vacation is over, you will return to everyday life with next to no Star Wars vibes.

Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars is not a bad game. It is, however, a game that missed its chance at greatness. I’m not smart enough to say what could have been different to really knock the experience out of the park, but the demerits listed above may provide a good starting point. Even so, it’s very much worth a try if you like marching armies of undead across the landscape, or if you really want yet another strategy game. I would be inclined to buy it, even if for its thematic elements, and I would very much like to see where the developers go in the future with this IP, but for the product in front of me, it’s an ok game.

There’s little fat on this adventure. The aesthetic is unnerving and the audio production is second to none. What presents as a cute adventure quickly turns into an unsettling tale that might leave younger minds checking the closet for moving shadows. Just as you think things are starting to become mundane, Inmost unleashes a new twist. Whether that is a new character, a different enemy, or a new tale of woe, there’s no hanging around for filler. Inmost is short but the excellent proportion, charming visuals, and incredible audio all combine to make a truly enthralling experience. Grab it on a stormy night when you’re looking for something a little darker.

It is pretty clear to me that Activision wanted to make the purest remaster that they could while still bringing the quality of life changes that everyone deserved in 2020. In my personal opinion, this is the best title of the year, especially with the fact that I can play it at a constant 60FPS with my 2700x and 2080 and it is as smooth as butter. There are fast load times and even smoother bail transitions which allow you to get right back into the action faster.

While Gleamlight is beautiful visually to behold some of the developer's design decisions make the game frustrating to play at times. The game isn't exceedingly hard but there are times, due to its dark presentation, you're not sure which way to go. The design leaves too much to trial and error. The decision to use a "keep it clean" design for the user interface sometimes takes it a step too far. With this being said, the game does offer some fun for the better first half of the game, after that it grows a bit stale.

Star Renegades is a fun, challenging Rogue-lite RPG. Its creative use of familiar game mechanics is a bit of a double-edged (laser)sword. On the one hand, once you get the rhythm of gameplay and world navigation it's a great gameplay experience. However getting to that point can be a bit of a slog, especially for gamers who are dipping their toes in the genre. Overall, though, Massive Damage has created a game that sets itself apart enough with its unique gameplay and premise, that it’s worth taking a look at.

Overall I feel Big Farm: Story is a nice game with a decent amount of content in this stage of its Early Access. But it felt too grindy to me with how the leveling and farming was set up and reminded me more of a mobile game where you spend IRL money to unlock things faster. This may turn into a gem of a game down the road, but as it stands now it’s a decent game but has some faults. [Early Access Provisional Score = 65]

Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning provides the best possible way for old fans and new adventurers alike to check out the world of Amalur. However, before purchasing the game you have to know what you are getting for you money - an HD version of highly polished 2012 game with or without an upcoming DLC depending on your edition. Quality of life, UI and many other aspects of the game fit the time of its original release. If you are not put off by rough around the edges gameplay, the world of Amalur awaits.

Control’s new AWE DLC is simply more Control. While it explores a new area of the building, it doesn’t do anything new or expand on the lore of the first house directly. It does reveal officially how the 505 Games world setting interconnects, but that may not be such a good thing for some players.

It manages to tick all the genre tropes but with a knowing sense of its own ridiculousness. At times the writing can be a little uninspired, but when it decides to forge its own path, Lovingly Evil and its more inventive moments is as ridiculous as an army of trained murder squirrels, assuming your evil plan involves trained murder squirrels. With a sinfully gluttonous amount of replay value and some inventive ideas, Lovingly Evil won’t conquer the world but it might annex your heart, plant a flag, and start taxing you per beat.

If you are looking for an escape from the craziness that is life then 3 out of 10 is the game for you. It offers something different for everything between the mini-games, the story, and the humor. Your adventures inside of Shovelworks Studios will take you all over the office and even into some outside areas. Video game development can be a cutthroat business and you will watch how the team interacts with each other as you play through the story.

With Eve Echoes, developer CCP set out to bring the success of their epic space MMO, Eve Online, to mobile devices. Their recreation of New Eden required a few tweaks and changes to accommodate casual gameplay of the mobile masses but it stays true enough to its original DNA to attract the hardcore MMOer as well. With a cash shop that doesn't ruin the game for free to play gamers or destroy the competitive player-driven economy, it shouldn't be too long before we start hearing about gigantic PVP battles like the ones Eve Online has brought us in the past.

Overall I felt Wasteland 3 to be an amazing successor to a great franchise and had me addicted within the first 10 minutes of play. It offers a great and compelling story with twists and choices that matter. The characters are robust and with the gorgeous artwork that is Colorado helps to bring everything to life. The combat is great and works well and I didn’t find it tedious. The skill system offers depth of choice for making characters and brings some interesting things to the game. My only complaint really comes in the form of a few bugs, but otherwise Wasteland 3 is everything I could want in a post apoc turn based combat game with a Frozen Ferret Launcher.

Although minor things like no English voiceover work set back the overall quality, I still find Fairy Tail to be a step above most other anime-based games. The quality of graphics aren’t top-tier for a modern 2020 game, but they look pleasingly anime-like in color and design so it doesn’t feel like a throw-away entry of any sort. Overall, if you’ve been itching for a new anime game and you love Fairy Tail, then Fairy Tail on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC is a fun and refreshing new take.

I do recommend Popup Dungeon, especially if you like to create content, and especially if you like cheesy humor and gamer references. I am thoroughly impressed by this indie offering and can only hope that the developers continue this trend in the future.

Kill it with Fire serves up a delightful arachnid squishing dish with a side of explosions and mayhem. At the time of the review, however, it was beset by less desirable bugs – not altogether game breaking, but frustrating nonetheless. Otherwise hampered by its lack of content, Kill it with Fire nevertheless entertains quite well.

Darkestville Castle does the adventure point-and-click genre justice. It keeps true to the object hunt playstyle and the "use this object on that object" puzzle-solving design. The game is nicely voice acted and contains plenty of humour in an all-ages environment. The colourful graphics and humour are pleasing and give off a Tim Burton-esque vibe that is fun and rewarding to play.

Hellpoint is a souls-like action RPG developed by Cradle Games and published by tinyBuild. It is an ambitious title that has incorporated a few great ideas. While the visuals, music, and sound are top-notch, the game does fall short in pacing and combat.

Bartlow’s Dread Machine is a fun, action-packed dual-stick shooter that offers unique mechanics, details graphics, and an enjoyable storyline so far. I am eager to finish the game and continue on the mission. As an avid gamer, I would highly suggest trying this one out. With different levels, upgrades, and coop modes that can change how the game feels and plays each time, this will be a fantastic title for anyone. It is easy to pick up, a low learning curve, and hours of fun. [Early Access Provisional Score = 70]

Blightbound is the latest release from developer Ronimo Games, published by Devolver Digital. The game is in early access on Steam and shows potential. Out of the gate, it is fun to play with a few interesting mechanics. But issues quickly rise to the surface that may make this a wait and see purchase for most players. [Early Access Provisional Score = 65]

The design concept behind Mittelborg: City Of Mages seemed to have a lot of potential. One can forgive the non-engaging gameplay but any enjoyment is quickly hampered by frustrating control and a no-brains, overt advisory information approach. The game becomes less about skill and more about random chance.

Cubicity is a family-friendly puzzle game that is full of cute little animal avatars. It packs in ninety-five levels of puzzle fun for a meagre price. It suffers from some repetitive music and gameplay and after awhile levels seem easy to clear for full credit. It definitely ranks well in handheld mode and makes for great stop-and-go on the go gameplay!

Maid of Sker had a few jump scares here and there, but it was the tension and curiosity of the unknown that kept me invested in moving forward. After the first hour or so of my playthrough, it stopped being quite as scary, and had me hooked into the narrative, struggling to piece together what was real. Like the beautifully haunting siren’s song that persists throughout Maid of Sker, I was lulled into a trance, needing to see Thomas’s journey through to the end. There are few games that have captured my attention as much as Maid of Sker, and I think for any fan of the horror genre, especially those that love to explore, it would be an absolute disservice not to give this game a try if not for the story alone.

Rising Star 2 is an interesting and lovingly crafted title that takes the traditional party-based RPG and drags it on stage with a modern twist. These bards are worth a look if you want something different, but don’t expect it to be rocketing up the charts next week either.

Overall Hunting Simulator 2 is a decent game with a unique mechanic in the dog companions. However, this is not enough to make it a great game with the lack of a good ‘feel” or sound for weapons or a background noise that felt more like white noise. While I’m used to grinding in various games, the grind here felt overmuch.

If knitting is something you personally like or have been waiting for a long time to see in The Sims series, you will love the pack. If you are more of a general Sims player and want to expand what the game allows you to do, you might be left disappointed by how niche the latest addition is.

Shank n’ Bake excels at giving the player doses of shock humor with challenging gameplay. Seriously, once you start running, you don’t want to stop. It never feels like a punishment when you have to start all the way over because the randomly generated run with quirky ways to die keeps a lot of the gameplay fresh and entertaining. I only made it through to about the second boss of the game because I am genuinely awful at it, but I had a helluva fun time playing it. It’s a great game to pick up when you need to blow off some steam, but maybe not when you want to wind down. The constant running keeps you on edge, and Shake n’ Bake will definitely test your Mario skills and quick reflexes.

Hellbound is based around recreating the classic first-person shooter game experience of the 90s, which it does succeed in doing. If you were a fan of those games or wanted to experience what they were like in a modern package, then the developers at Saibot Studios have delivered, for the most part. Unfortunately, the game falls short of a great experience.

PLAYISM has cornered the market on crab battles with Fight Crab, and while they currently hold the title, uncontested, Fight Crabs cumbersome controls and awkward battle physics my lose its luster quickly for those that aren't enjoying the novelty of crabbiness.

Goosebumps Dead Of Night won't provide the longest or most challenging experience for hardcore gamers. For most of us, it serves as a wonderful homage to the Goosebumps franchise. Its family-friendly content makes a game that households with younger gamers can enjoy with, or without, their parents. Even those not fully versed in the Goosebumps series will find plenty of characters here that seem awfully familiar. At the end of the day, it's an excitingly fun experience because who wouldn't find fun in blasting and being chased by life-size Gummy Bears?

If you want to choose your own adventure or replay this short interlude between life and death then you are probably out of luck. If you expect something even as interactive as the excellent VA-11 HALL-A, then find another bar. However, despite this Necrobarista is one of the best visual novels I have ever played and this dark and silky smooth blend of Otaku influenced story telling is worth a few hours of your time.

I did ask myself one question at the end of it all, would I suggest this title for others to play? The answer is well, yes. It comes down to your play style and expectations from a racing game. If you are looking for a realistic racing sim that will put you in the action then I do suggest this title. If you get frustrated easily with keeping that perfect line you may want to steer clear of this title or be prepared to use lower difficulty and move up as you progress.

When it comes to simulating a professional sport for both newcomers and veterans, F1 2020 is a masterpiece. It won’t let you get disappointed if you’re looking for highly stressful and exciting racing experience, though it’s not a perfect game in the case of visuals.

Playing Edna & Harvey: The Breakout – Anniversary Edition is akin to playing the unspoken stepchild of Matt Groening, Seth MacFarlane and LucasArts. The two main characters, Edna and Harvey, are witty, offbeat and humorous. These are probably two of the most memorable adventure game characters since Sam & Max Hit the Road! While the controls take a bit to get used to without a cursor or touch support the offbeat humour and solutions are memorable. If you're looking to relive some of those classic adventure game years look no further than this Anniversary Edition!

Summer in Mara reminds me of a mash-up between The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and My Time In Portia. It has a charming mixture of bright colors and whimsical music that encapsulates the world you are immersed within, in all of its child-like wonder.

West of Dead on Xbox One is a beautiful and entertaining western shooter that you’ll probably enjoy playing it if you are into roguelikes. The game doesn’t waste its potentials when it comes to gameplay mechanics, however, unbalanced and unrewarding level design are major issues that the game suffers from.

A genuinely original and gorgeous new title from Kojima that manages to overcome its indulgent sections and a plodding midsection with a thoughtful ending. Did we say it looks utterly gorgeous too?

Project Warlock is a delightful tribute to 90’s shooters. It manages to find a perfect balance between old and new all the while still being its own entity. The console port is exceptionally well handled and offers some great options for players. The game attention to detail really helps make PW stand out among others retro titles in the genre.

Overall Outward the Soroboreans adds more depth to a game that already had a great deal of depth to it already. The base game and this DLC isn’t for everyone. It doesn’t hold your hand and can be quite difficult and deadly at times. But it is worth the price of admission and is a beautiful world that can be explored by yourself or with others. While some parts of it were a bit grindy and could be seen as tedious, I felt the overall value DLC brought enough to overlook those for now. The dev team behind Outward has shown in the past to be one that cares and listens and I’m confident they will continue to do so.

This remake of a Gameboy Advance classic will hopefully find some new followers on this newer system. The easy-going, laid back, open-world style might not be the perfect fit for everyone. The game's tried-and-true formula, with short calendar days, seems to be a prime fit for short gameplay stints, especially for people who have busy lives.

Disintegration is an RTS/FPS hybridized story-driven game. When combat is in full swing and every move you make is gold, Disintegration feels like an experience worth having. Unfortunately, some of the higher difficulties may fail to hold your interest as some missions can take quite a long time, and the combat can feel very repetitive, with encounters rehashing a lot of the same enemies and experiences. With an added multiplayer mode, Disintegration does have some replayability, but most likely, experiencing the well-crafted story may be the extent of many players' experiences.

With charming, stylized graphics, and unique gameplay mechanics, I would highly recommend this game. While there are a few bugs to be ironed out, it is in Early Access, and those things will more than likely be fixed before we know it.

Sludge Life is a first-person, open-world platformer filled with strange sightings, childish humor, and a unique retro windows 3.1 UI. For the right platformer gamer, this divergence from the norm may provide several hours of enjoyment, but with no lasting draw to explore apart from graffiti tags and pictures, and no extenuating interaction with the world or characters, don't expect Sludge Life to grab you for more than a few hours.

Atomicrops is an exciting and challenging rogue-lite farming simulator that somehow manages to maintain its fun factor with high replayability no matter how many times you die. It can be extremely difficult for those not used to playing rogue-lite games, but its fun art style and RNG elements manage to keep it fresh and engaging. Atomicrops is strangely addictive, and for $14.99 on the Epic Games store, it's an absolute steal.

Demon’s Rise: War for the Deep tries to be a good strategy game. It offers a little depth, a little fun, and a little bit of a fantasy for those who want it. It, unfortunately, falls short of offering a memorable fantasy experience with its derivative premise, janky controls, and limited re-playability.

One Punch Man: Road to Hero 2.0 is a great casual distraction for fans of the anime but if you’re not already invested in the bald superhero then take a look at something a little more challenging.

Signs of the Sojourner is a slice of life deck building narrative game. If that was more than a mouthful for you, you may consider steering clear of this game as the conversation based game-play will careen you down a narrative driven path rife with haggling and sometimes fleeting relationships. For the right gamer, Signs of the Sojourner will provide the kind of unique game play that you can't find anywhere else. For deck builder fans, you may find it hit or miss to your tastes, but if battling is more your speed, this might not be up your alley.

A Mortician’s Tale is a gentle reminder of our mortality and a quiet reassurance that it doesn’t have to be viewed negatively. Through informative newsletters woven in with the game’s narrative, and the passionate dream of a young woman, we find that there is peace and joy to be found in the arms of family, green alternatives, and the celebration of our passing.

At this point, I can not recommend the game due to its outdated graphics, clunky mechanics, boring combat and other problems.

Ultimate Fishing Simulator for Xbox One is a sub-par port of the PC version. For a fishing game with the words ultimate and simulator in the title, UFS doesn't live up to the realism or challenge I envisioned. Even though the PC version has been out for two years the Xbox One graphics are of poorer quality, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game. In the end, the inclusion of a wide variety of environments and styles of fishing doesn't offset the simplistic and redundant mechanics of catching and reeling in fish, resulting in a long and boring grind to reach the big catches the ocean fishing has to offer.

Stela was an excellent experience for me, I loved the atmosphere, music, storytelling, and found it very relaxing to play. The downsides though hold me back from recommending it for everyone. Between the very simple gameplay mechanics, at times temperamental controls, low difficulty (additional difficulty levels would have been nice), and short playtime you may be better off waiting for a sale. On the plus side if you are reading this review within a few days of its publishing date Stella is currently on the Steam summer sale for a great price. Hopefully, if the developers decide to make a sequel to the game they can improve and/or correct some of the issues noted above.

Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia hearkens to a simpler time, when console strategy games had a special magic to them... Nevertheless, the magic doesn’t hold up very well in the contemporary gaming world. Although it brings heaps of nostalgia, that nostalgia comes at the expense of depth and breadth of gameplay.

There are only so many ways to build a bridge but Poly Bridge 2 finds a way to add enough to give new life to the aging original. The lack of a tutorial can make the first few levels more challenging than necessary, but the mix of traditional bridge-building and unconventional solutions will keep you engaged level after level. When the 64 levels included in the game are done the community fueled Gallery and Workshop levels will keep you going for hours on end.

Rehydrated doesn’t offer up more than a few hours-worth of content to distract from the doldrum. It took me roughly 8 hours to beat the story, but it would probably take up to 12 to collect everything. If you’re looking for a new game to play in quarantine, this isn’t it. Despite the nostalgia, I honestly can’t recommend this game to anyone except for families with small children. There’s no penalty for dying, except for having to backtrack through areas, and the combat is simplistic enough that any kid will be able to pick it up easily. The good news is that SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated is only $29.99. The bad news is that I still think that’s overpriced.

A solid set of puzzles and a gorgeous world are largely let down by some odd narrative decisions and middling character development that are just jarring enough to prod you out of the world that Pine Studio has worked so hard to craft. If you’re looking for a Layton style experience in an extraordinary world then this could be for you. Otherwise, take this one at your own pace because school life can be tough at Arbor Academy.

This whimsical, family-friendly title manages to join two unlikely game genres together quite well. The genres being platformer and puzzler. Neither of these areas is exceedingly challenging but just difficult enough to make you feel good about yourself once you get to the next save point. While the story is not a gripping tale of suspense the platforming moments will have you feeling some Super Mario nostalgia.

While yes…there are still some performance problems, Saints Row the Third Remastered is a helluva fun game, especially with friends. The story missions will have you rolling with laughter, and there’s no setback if you find yourself in the middle of a shootout between all three gangs and the Steelport police. It’s just all good fun. And with all the craziness going on in the world, it’s nice to have a game to lose yourself in that makes you not take yourself quite as seriously and reminds you to be thankful for the time you have and tackle life one day at a time.

Some games are revolutionary, some are evolutionary, and some are just good at doing their own thing. Do Not Feed the Monkeys falls into the latter category and manages to take ‘unique’ in a positive direction by melding a puzzle game with resource management within a fascinating premise.

Fly Punch Boom is a unique take on the fighting genre with a host of over the top combat effects, quick reaction button presses, and some zany characters that are quite entertaining. The rock paper scissors battle resolution system may not appeal to players looking for a more skill based fighter, but Fly Punch Boom is definitely a nice diversion that can keep you busy for several hours.

While the game itself may be pretty polished, I feel like a lot of its potential has been drowned out in a complicated store with way too many options to hand over your credit card. When I have to close out of 10 purchase prompts just to get to the main menu every time I start up a game it becomes an issue. When you’re almost guilt-tripping me into making a purchase from your game, I start to question your motives and the game’s purpose.

Robot Squad Simulator is an adventure game that makes controlling robots fun if you have some patience. With an interface that could do well by providing more helpful feedback and less frustrating controls, it's hard to overwhelmingly recommend this title. Unfortunately when all is said and done "these aren't the droids you're looking for".

Cranked Up is an interesting take on the puzzle platformer genre that incorporates some vertical and horizontal puzzle play with a difficult rocket-based movement style. For the right player Cranked Up could be a delight, but for the uncoordinated, this game may not be their best tasting donut.

Minecraft Dungeons is a light take on a genre that oftentimes takes itself much too seriously. The story is family-friendly, most levels are good recreations of the Minecraft biomes, and the gloom, blood, and gore of most ARPGs are replaced with the cute monsters and iconic items we know and love from the Minecraft universe. With a short campaign mode and lack of crafting, Minecraft Dungeons may not be a hardcore offering that will give you hundreds of hours of play, but it is a perfect way to spend a few hours playing together with friends or your kids while you wait for the next season of your favorite dungeon crawler to start up.

I’m sure in a month or maybe even less, we will see the game turn around as the player base has already started to go back up. I’m going to keep playing it here and there and simply enjoy the game for what it is now and look towards the future as it is still the most fun shooter to play for me.

Gunfire Reborn is a strong first person shooting rouge-like title, with well tuned challenging engagements. There is a lot of potential for this title to expand and the developers are actively looking for more feedback to improve the title. I was very skeptical of the title, but after watching others play it, I felt the need to try it for myself. It was a quick grab, which instantly sucked me into 3 hours of straight play to see how far I could get. It took about 3 days to finally beat the normal mode, which required that I really start to understand the games mechanics. Thank you Duoyi Interactive Entertainment Limited for the key to review Gunfire Reborn. [Early Access Score = 80]

Fledgeling Heroes might be a bit short in the tooth, game lengthwise, there's no doubting the fun. The game allows you to move forward without being perfect. Time spent on each level is based on the challenge to you weighted by how much you want to collect. Unexpected features like a level creator, cosmetics and styles for your birds, time trials, and score-keeping add to the overall enjoyment to a family-friendly game, and that's nothing to crow about!

Freedom Finger is a horizontal shooter that incorporates a humorous storyline and a hard charging soundtrack. This triple threat coalesces into a game that will keep horizontal shooter fans invested for some time.

Aeronautica Imperialis: Flight Command is a mixed bag of dice. It’s a unique concept and the tabletop conversion and combat interpretation feels fantastic, its just a shame that when your head’s out the clouds the rest of the game doesn’t feel quite so special. Fans of strategy titles should definitely take this interesting new title for a spin but don’t expect it to be a long haul flight.