Even with the many issues I encountered in the Switch version of the game, I still found it very compelling, and there’s plenty of reason to replay it to see different outcomes. Here’s hoping the next adventure from Party From Introverts has the same strong writing but much stronger quality control.

Despite my issues with the game, I’m still delighted that everybody outside of Japan finally got a chance to check out Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse. It’s a gorgeous and horrifying remastered adventure with scares aplenty and an engrossing, dark story. While the old-school controls can occasionally be irritating, and the difficulty is often a bit overwhelming, it still does a fantastic job of telling a truly scary story. If you’re a fan of horror and need something scary before Halloween, I’d say this is your game. And even if you have a hard time with spooky stuff, this is still a worthwhile adventure—just one you’ll probably need to digest one small bite at a time.

Looking For Aliens is a very silly hidden objects game that has just as many alien and pop culture references to seek as there are hidden objects. If I’m being honest, the biggest surprise was how long the game was — I didn’t expect to spend double digit hours poking around all the corners of the universe searching for random items, but I guess life comes at you fast like that. If you’re looking for kooky, casual fun, Looking For Aliens is easy to find.

Once Upon a KATAMARI is still really fun, but it doesn’t quite live up to the dream of what I wanted a new Katamari game to be. The developers clearly put a lot of thought into how they could mix up the series’ formula, and they did a great job of putting players in new situations, but too often, I just found myself wishing for more of the old style of stages. Still, if you’ve already played the earlier games in the series and want more, you’ll have a good time with Once Upon a KATAMARI.

Just thinking back on the time spent flying around the skies of Nirvalis in my HOVA is getting me all relaxed, and for that feeling alone Cloudpunk is a worthy purchase. If you have a PC I’d definitely recommend that version over any console port purely for the draw distance (it seriously makes a difference), but if that’s not an option for you just go ahead and snag it where possible. Cloudpunk is a joyride worth taking, so if you have 10 or so hours to burn and need a chill experience, be sure to sign for this delivery on the dotted line.

Virtual Cottage may have slipped under your radar this year, and I’m here to tell you that it would be a big mistake to continue to ignore it. Free on Steam, there’s really no reason not to download this wonderful and wonderfully soothing little title. It may feel a little limited to those expecting an interactive game, but for those looking for a chill experience, you’ll absolutely find it here. If you enjoy lofi hip hop radio and want to study/relax to its game counterpart, download Virtual Cottage today for free and watch your productivity go up while your blood pressure drops.

At a time when trading sweat pants for slacks in a bid to return to the office is a dreaded drag, The Company Man reminds us exactly of what we hoped to leave back in the “before times.” With that being said, it’s handled in such a clever and fun way that brawling with colleagues becomes almost cathartic. If you’re tired of being a cog in the corporate machine and want to stick it to the man, The Company Man offers that pick-up-and-platforming-play that’ll surely bring joy to your lunch hour.

Between its beautifully hand-drawn artwork, stellar voice acting, and unique battle system, it’s obvious to see that a lot of love went into making Fallen Legion Revenants, and that’s something that I like to see. While there are some unfortunate flaws that present themselves too readily for me to ignore, I still don’t think that that makes this a bad game. A niche game, yes, but not a bad one.

Indigo 7: Quest for Love is an earnest, enjoyable attempt at a new puzzle game. It’s fun, it’s quirky, the art style is endearing, and the gameplay is solid. Honestly, I’d be giving this game a higher score if it didn’t have some bugs and issues that pop up here and there.

Seasonspree is a delightfully enchanting romp through time with wholesome aesthetics, endearing characters, and a charming story. As cuddly creature friends work together to plan cheerful end-of-season celebrations to commemorate the passage of time, players will become absorbed into this delicate little world full of wonder and whimsy. Perfect for just about anyone to pick up, Seasonspree will captivate anyone who feels drawn to the tiny time-nudging title.

Despite feeling like a bit of a plot dump, First Ones is another solid episode of The Expanse: A Telltale Series. It features excellent atmosphere, exciting choices that build upon what came before, and some character development. While I’ve definitely started to question if the game would have better served by releasing as one complete package, I’m still looking forward to seeing what comes next for Camina Drummer.

Wave Break is a frantic, over-the-top skateboater with style and moves to burn. Its campaign mode is a welcome addition, and online play and a park editor add variety. All the pieces are here for a sublime tricking experience. The only thing missing is the Steam version’s features, most notably local play. The game is practically screaming for it, and the gameplay perfectly lends itself to local matches.

With deep and challenging combat and tight controls, F.I.S.T. often provides a welcome challenge. That’s why it's such a shame that slow progression and poor design choices hold it back from reaching its full potential. Still, at its best, F.I.S.T. is a memorable Metroidvania with variety and depth. If you’re up for the challenge and willing to deal with these issues, there’s definitely a good time to be had.

Despite any aforementioned hiccups, Patron is an addicting medieval city-builder that can hold its head up high amongst the others in this well-established genre. With absolutely gorgeous visuals and a soothing, ambient soundtrack to match, Patron looks and sounds good — and for players who loved similar titles like Banished, it’ll feel good as well. If this is one of your first medieval city-builders, you may need an attempt or two before you really understand the ins and outs of running such a settlement, but diehard fans of the genre are bound to discover that Patron is their pewter goblet of mead.

In many ways, Steel Assault is the best current example of a true arcade-style experience I’ve played. It’s full of action, style and is challenging enough for fans old and new. It even made me fondly recall games like Contra Hard Corps and Blazing Chrome. My biggest quibble with the game is that it’s shockingly short, which makes the price tag a bit hard to justify. That said, any fan of arcade games and the 16-bit era owes it to themselves to check this out.

Road 96 Mile 0 takes familiar elements from Road 96 and Lost in Harmony and impressively incorporates them fairly seamlessly. Although I did feel that the exploration portions could have benefited from some variety in gameplay, the music-running portions definitely picked up the slack. If anything, Road 96 Mile 0 excels in its ability to showcase two best friends struggling against an unfair world while still trying to be regular teenagers. Whether or not they remain friends is for players to decide.

Even though I admire Inti Creates for the risk of trying out a new genre and feel they did a reasonably good job with it, Card-en-Ciel will ultimately be a hard sell to everyone who’s not a patient deckbuilder enthusiast. While the gameplay is nuanced and fun, and though the artwork is generally pretty stunning, the game felt unbalanced on several occasions. When paired with a confusing story and not fully realized characters, we’re left with a unique adventure that will only appeal to fans of the publisher.

Mechwarrior 5 is for the detail-oriented mech fans who are willing to sacrifice immediate excitement and gratification for a more grounded simulation of what it would be like to pilot a massive mechanical monster. The career mode provided with this new expansion might please those who are craving more action from the base game, but there’s no new story to be had or any major gameplay additions to hook in anyone else. For the weighty price tag – Heroes of the Inner Sphere is only worth a purchase for those truly addicted to this more thoughtfully paced mecha-mercenary-em-up.

Murder Mystery Machine utilizes a fun detective mechanic that makes you really feel like you’re connecting the dots, but there are a few technical issues that brought down the experience ever so slightly. With that being said, it’s one of the few detective games that actually feels like you’re piecing the puzzle together instead of being lead to the correct answer, so be sure to get your brain ready for some extreme teasing. If you love murder mysteries and want a fascinating story with a lot more going on underneath than initially meets the eye, booting up Murder Mystery Machine is a no-brainer.

While Ib is not as fully fleshed out as many of the other pixel horror games, it’s certainly a strong entry in the genre. Its creepy atmosphere, well-timed and executed jump scares, and a delightfully unique setting make for an engaging, addicting game. There’s a decent amount of replayability as well, with a post-game bonus dungeon, multiple endings, and the True Guertena Exhibit, where you can examine every piece of art you discovered while playing the game. It’s not a perfect game by any stretch; it’s a little too short for my tastes, and it’s not very clear how to select answers to questions posed by the others trapped in the museum with you to get different endings, and I felt it was perhaps a little too easy. Still, Ib is a delight if you’re looking for a couple of hours to get your horror on.

If you’ve got a taste of blood and metal in your mouth and have a fever for retro-futuristic patriotism, look no further. Operation Eagle soars when it comes to getting a shot of pure freedom juice in our favorite full-metal mech warfare. While somewhat short and a bit heavy-handed getting you ready for the fights ahead, it does its best to be a shining example of quality DLC to an already awesome RTS game.

Maneater: Truth Quest isn’t without its issues. At times, the lack of mission variety can make you feel like you’re treading water. And while the new setting and commentary on the ridiculousness of internet conspiracy theories work well, the gameplay doesn’t feel like a cohesive part of the narrative. In Maneater, you had a tried-and-true tale of revenge with exciting twists and a satisfying conclusion. Truth Quest certainly offers witty writing and flawless narration. It’s just a shame that they almost feel wasted without meaningful missions to support them. Despite these issues, Maneater: Truth Quest still manages to dredge up more of what kept the base game so addicting. Upgrading your shark into a radioactive killing machine is hugely entertaining. And the new bounty hunter missions and apex hunts are fun and deliver a meaty challenge to those eager to dip their fins back in the water.

With incredible aesthetics and real, raw characters, Synergia paints a dark and moody picture and, for the most part, delivers on its promises. If you’re interested in a cyberpunk love story that pulls heavily from classics like Blade Runner, Akira, and Ghost in the Shell that is perhaps too interesting for its own good, give Synergia a download.

If you’re a fan of Bomberman or rogue games in general, Cave Bad is still probably worth the price of admission. I just hope Oratio the Dwarf’s next adventure is a bit more action-packed.

At its core, Faraday Protocol does what it needs to as a puzzler and has all the necessary elements to deliver a compelling experience, but it needs refinement in a few other aspects before it can really shine. I would’ve loved to see a more cohesive tutorial system for guidance, and maybe some more sprinkles of story stuff scattered around. As it stands, if you’ve got the time to sort out the hows and whys to the game’s many mechanics, I can’t think of any reason why you shouldn’t give Faraday Protocol a good old college try.

Monster Menu: The Scavenger’s Cookbook feels more like a first try on NIS’ part than anything else—a fun first try, but a first try nonetheless. I legitimately enjoyed my time learning the ins and outs of the game and, as a fan of roguelikes and RPGs alike, didn’t mind having the game repeatedly stomp me into the ground. With that being said, however, I’d definitely call this one niche, and I’m not sure that everyone will find its flavor quite as appealing as I did.

Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is a fun puzzle-platformer that will absolutely please fans of the genre and/or Tim Burton. Don’t let its creepy cute demeanor fool you — these puzzles are definitely on the cerebral side and will take some time to tease that solution out. I can see this being a terrific Halloween title for streamers who don’t love the typical scary fare for this spooky holiday but still want to please their followers. In the very least, this little treat has a few tricks up its sleeve that make Tandem: A Tale of Shadows worth the price of admission.

Hermitage: Strange Case Files is not your average visual novel, nor is it your average cosmic horror title. With relaxing-yet-energetic jazzy tunes that’ll have you sipping coffee and pondering the depths of the darkness that resides within the human mind, Hermitage: Strange Case Files feels oddly comfortable and confusing at the same time. It’s not that I didn’t want Hermitage: Strange Case Files to end — it got to a point where I genuinely didn’t think it would, its unexplained mysteries consuming all that’s left of me. If you’re looking for an interactive visual novel to get absolutely lost in (in every possible sense of that phrase), Hermitage: Strange Case Files has a literal bookstore to delve into.