I can appreciate what Sumo Digital Academy set out to do with Zool Redimensioned. It’s a solid remake of a platformer which, while not as well remembered as the titles from which it takes its inspiration, has its own place in the annals of video game history. The updated mechanics and quality of life features are great. Furthermore, with two modes to master, existing series fans will surely get their money’s worth. But as welcome as these additions are, they don’t do anything to remedy the issues that plagued the original release. With random stage designs and lackluster enemies and bosses, Zool just doesn’t do much to stand out from the crowded platformer pack. Still, if you already have a soft spot for the ninja from the Nth Dimension, don’t hesitate to add this one to your Steam library. If Zool didn’t do it for you before, however, Zool Redimensioned isn’t going to change your mind.

All in all, Seed of Life has all the tools it needs to sprout a lovely little flower, but it’ll need to take special care to groom and care for itself to get there. There’s a good number of thorns in this garden, so you should approach with caution, knowing this. But you can see where Seed of Life tried its best to shine, so if you’re itching to take a hike through alien lands, Seed of Life is a charming enough indie gem to keep you well-watered for a few hours.

From Blair Witch: VR Edition’s unsatisfying attempts at terror to forgettable characters and absolutely poor graphics, you have plenty of reason to skip this hike through the woods. Throw in some game-breaking bugs and glitches to an already lacking experience, and your $29.99 is better spent elsewhere. Let this be a testament that horror games don’t always need a VR port to continue to be scary.

While it is my firm belief that ISLANDERS should be enjoyed by all gamers, I’d first recommend the PC version over the Switch port. If your only option is the Switch, then please — get this game. But if you have a PC, I’d start there instead (honestly, it’s so cheap you might as well buy it on both platforms). ISLANDERS is fantastic for a few minutes of play to chill out during lunch or wind down before bed. No matter which platform you choose to play it on, ISLANDERS is a simple, soothing strategy game that’ll make you rethink city builders — one island at a time.

The Space Invaders Invincible Collection offers a lot of ways to fight off alien invaders. They aren’t all winners, but enough of them hit to make this worth the time of any fan. Space Invaders Extreme and Super Space Invaders 91 alone will likely steal even more hours from me than they already have. If you’re wondering why this series continues to captivate players all over the world after 43 years, a few hours with this collection should clear things up.

Hades remains an absolute must-play modern masterpiece on the Xbox Series X. I’m thrilled to see new ports bring it to a new audience. With a wonderful story, memorable characters, some of the best voice acting around, a stunning soundtrack, variety that keeps things fresh even after dozens of runs, incredibly tight gameplay, and game design, which will allow even those who don’t usually care for roguelites to engage with it, this is a game that every player should try.

Spending time with the citizens of Shelmerston is incredibly charming and makes I Am Dead worth a look. With an unsatisfying conclusion and gameplay, which quickly grows a bit one-note, however, this won’t be a game for everyone. Still, if you want a charming little game to spend a quiet afternoon with, you could do far worse.

OCO was already wildly popular on mobile, so it stands to reason that a PC version would be received just as well. The minimalist 2D precision/rhythm platformer does not disappoint on PC, its controls, aesthetics, and gameplay all simple — just as fans like it. With bright, vivid colors that will hand-deliver dopamine to your brain coupled with chill beats and mesmerizing gameplay, OCO will cause players to get lost in its maze-like wheel for hours. Developer does not take responsibility for unmet work deadlines due to OCO’s addictive nature.

I really wanted to gush about Cardaclysm: Shards of the Four. But it’s just far too poorly optimized for Nintendo Switch. Hopefully, it runs better on PC, but I can’t confirm that. All I can say is it was a great premise held back by poor balance and mixed execution. I truly hope Elder Games learns from this release and makes an unstoppable card game in the future. As it is, I can’t really recommend this one, even to hardcore fans of the genre.

I’m a big supporter of shorter titles for the busy adult gamer, but Fire Tonight seemed to take the challenge to the extreme when they created this 40 minute experience. There’s a ton of quality packed into Fire Tonight, making for a great streaming or YouTube pick for content creators or just an easy, breezy game for those who want something a little more casual. Where the aesthetics are a sight for sore eyes and provide chill synth beats to relax to, there’s not a whole lot of replayability to be had here. But for the price of a cup of coffee, you could do a lot worse.

If you’ve got cash to burn, and if you’ve got a hankering for a zombie apocalypse meets free running simulator, you can’t go wrong with Dying Light: Platinum Edition. It’s got a load of stuff to keep you busy, including a decent campaign, stellar expansion content, and the myriad of bits and bobs they’ve released since 2015.

Spelunker HD Deluxe isn’t going to appeal to everyone. The game is unforgivingly difficult, and many of its more frustrating mechanics would have been better off left in 1985. However, those who can look beyond these quirks will find there’s plenty of fun to be had deep underground. With clever stage designs and an addicting loop that will have you saying “just one more go,” it’s bound to appeal to fans of the series or players who just want a good challenge. If you don’t find yourself in either of those camps, you might just want to remain topside.

Greak: Memories of Azur has a lot going for it. I just wish that its core concept of controlling three characters at the same time worked better. Too often, instead of being helpful, your siblings just end up getting in the way. If you can look past these sections, though, you’ll find a beautiful game with some great puzzles and a lot of heart.

Lost at Sea is the story of a woman desperately trying to keep her head above water in an overwhelming ocean of emotions. But it’s also the story of a game that is perhaps not entirely sure of what it’s trying to accomplish. It’s hard to face your fears when they send you right back to the beginning, thwarting your progress on a cumbersome island. It’s clearly not the next Myst, but it’s not like it’s trying to be. I’m not saying don’t get the game, but I’m not exactly saying you should get it either. One thing’s for certain: Lost at Sea is made from the heart.

With more polish and perhaps a bigger budget, FORECLOSED could have been a must-play techno-thriller. As it stands, it's a killer proof of concept that just misses the mark when it comes to nailing the fundamentals. Still, if you like the sound of a neo-noir adventure that hits like a strange fusion of Max Payne and Cyberpunk 2077, you'll certainly find that here.

Dodgeball Academia is a joy to play with hard-hitting balls to the face action. The tone of the story may be a bit too hyperactive for some, a shame when we’re talking about an RPG, but there’s still enough joy and genuine laughs to be found to be worth your time.

It's been said that good things come in small packages, and WitchSpring3 Re:Fine is about the best JRPG equivalent of that saying that you're going to find. Eirudy's adventure around Derkarr is a full JRPG experience boiled down to a breezy 10 - 20 hours, depending upon how you play and what kinds of things you'd like to do. If you're itching for adventure but don't have much time, or just have an appreciation for cutesy, easily digestible JRPG action, WitchSpring3 Re:Fine is probably worth your while.

I have to admit, it’d been a little while since I last fired up my PlayStation VR. However, now that I’ve experienced Synth Riders, I don’t plan on hanging it up anytime soon. It’s the kind of game you pick up and play for ten minutes and feel totally satisfied, or marathon for a solid hour and get a killer workout while soaking up all the sweet soundscapes. If I have one real complaint, it’s that the game only offers a handful of backgrounds to choose from. Still, with so much going on on-screen, you probably won’t be spending too much time taking in the scenery anyway. Synth Riders is Beat Saber for the VHS generation. If you’re a rhythm game junkie with a soft spot for synthwave, this is a must-buy addition to your PSVR library.

I’d like to applaud Imagine Earth for what it’s attempted, which is to create a city-builder that stresses the importance of a self-sustainable civilization despite a seemingly never-ending supply of Earth-like planets. Fostering a future that asks humanity to consider its carbon impact before its capital gains is one we’ll need to see if we’re to thrive in the 22nd century and beyond, and it’s great to see a game where such a simulation can play out positively. Although the characters can feel a bit robotic and the peripheral mechanics could use better explanations, Imagine Earth is absolutely worth adding to any city-builder fan’s library, and that goes doubly so if Alpha Centauri and Civilization IV were your jam.

NEO: The World Ends With You does a lot right. It provides incredible style and a solid combat system. The story is entertaining, and the characters almost feel like old friends after how much we’ve been through together. Its many systems may seem daunting at first, but they provide a lot for you to chip away at. While I wish it did a better job of respecting the player’s time and that certain elements offered a bit more variety, any fan of the original will want to beat a quick trip to Shibuya. New players will still find a lot to like, but may be better served checking out the original first, or at least watching the anime adaptation released earlier this year.

Quirks aside, I had a tremendous time playing Shadowverse: Champion’s Battle. Not only is it a fun and complex card game, but it’s one you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy. The threshold to start playing is low, but actually mastering the game takes much more perseverance. Overall, this is a wonderful game with attractive artwork and tons of great features. While it can be frustrating at times, especially due to the luck of your AI opponents, I’d highly recommend it. If you need a new game to get lost in, look no further.

Abomi Nation knows exactly what it wants to be, and exactly the type of person that it wants to appeal to. And, best of all, it accomplishes everything that it sets out to do. While it might oversimplify its approach to exploration a bit too much, there’s no getting around the fact that Abomi Nation is a phenomenal Nuzlocke experience that Pokémon fans will not only love but immediately feel comfortable with once they begin playing.

Button City isn’t perfect. But it is a passionate indie project that really makes you feel something. That last part is especially rare the older I get. If you’re playing this for an extensive experience with amazing arcade games, you might want to look elsewhere. But if you enjoy games with heart and wonderful characters, you need to check this game out—a loving tribute to living through the ’90s.

City of Gangsters provides a brilliantly free-form gangsta’s paradise, where countless options are available to weave intricate criminal schemes. It can get repetitive during certain stages of expansion as you have the same interactions over and over, but if you can get over that then it’s pretty compelling. There’s an irresistible one-more-turn appeal that’ll keep you greasing palms and bootlegging hooch long into the night.

No Longer Home is a short, sad story about coming to terms with growing up and saying goodbye to college life, friends, and the family we create along the way. Although Ao and Bo must leave their uni flat and the happy memories they’ve created within those four walls behind, they’ll cherish every precious moment spent together. If you’re looking to experience the pain of parting while taking solace in the fact that home is truly where the heart is, No Longer Home will scratch that melancholy itch.

Svoboda 1945: Liberation is a fascinating deep dive into post-war Czechia that asks players to consider if everything is worth saving or if some things are better left in the past. Its use of mixed media, including FMV, historical footage, comics, and mini-games provides a unique approach to learning that I hope is replicated in many more educational games. Although the sheer amount of information can be a bit to take in for those completely unaware of the topic, it’s an educational experience everyone would be richer for having. If you love history and are ready for an emotionally impactful title that asks tough questions and dives headfirst into controversial conversations, be sure to check out Svoboda 1945: Liberation.

At the end of the day, SkyDrift Infinity accomplishes just what it sets out to do. It’s a fast, frenetic, and furiously fun arcade racing experience. With a wide selection of planes to unlock and addicting multiplayer (at least in local play), it’s sure to be a hit at your next gaming get-together. So if you’re a fan of the arcade racers of the 90s or simply missed SkyDrift Infinity when it was first released, there’s never been a better time to earn your wings.

It’s not often that you find a platformer with a lot of heart. Wonderful artwork, challenging and unique puzzle and level design, and a surprisingly moving story will keep you hooked and playing. If you need something short and sweet, give Macrotis: A Mother’s Journey a try.