Clea 2 is exactly what it needs to be—a short and engaging horror game with a unique mechanic that makes things just as fun as they’ve ever been. If you liked Clea, then you’ll most definitely like what Clea 2 has to offer. And, while the story might not make as much sense, the game’s good enough to stand on its own two feet if this is where you decide to jump into things. Either way, though, if you’re as much of a horror junkie as I am, you owe it to yourself to check Clea 2 out.

Forgotten Fields, at first glance, is intriguing, meaningful, and deep. And maybe it is — it certainly has its beautiful moments that make you yearn for tropical beaches. But stunning cinematics and dazzling soundtracks can only carry a game so far, especially when movement sticks, cameras are broken, and gameplay itself just feels overall unfinished. Forgotten Fields is done — it’s playable — but I would love to see a lot more work before I can truly recommend this narrative game about narratives.

Trials of Fire just has so much to offer. Addicting combat, awesome art style, old-school charm, near endless amounts of replayability, and just tons of unique options. Couple that with the option to tailor your experience to your own time limits, and there’s very little not to love. Honestly, as I said before, my sole criticism of this game is that it presents the narrative in an okay-ish format. But it’s easily forgiven with the sheer amount of everything else available.

While I understand what Bishoujo Battle Cyber Panic! was trying to do, it ultimately fails to provide anything novel to the table and doesn’t go anywhere near being as zany as Gals Panic did. If you have a few bucks and like both Qix and anime girls with no sense of artistic consistency, then go for it. Otherwise, I’d just go play one of the original games.

If you love a novel experience that doesn’t take itself seriously but is genuine fun every step of the way (or you just really like precipitation-based gameplay), look no further than Rain on Your Parade.

It never feels good giving a negative review. I sat on this for a full day, agonizing over scoring such a beautiful game poorly. But what other choice do I have when I had to restart multiple times for even a shimmer of hope to finish what I started? It’s possible Flow Weaver isn’t optimized for the Oculus Rift S despite what the website states, so if you have an Oculus Quest or Oculus Quest 2, perhaps you won’t experience the bugs I did. I do see on the game’s Oculus page that the dev team is working hard at tackling bugs, so if this even remotely interests you (which, for real guys, it has potential), keep an eye on it and check back in a month or two. But as it stands, I regrettably cannot recommend Flow Weaver in its current state.

Neurodeck has its flaws; there are a few balancing issues that still need to be resolved, and the pacing needs a little fine-tuning. But the good definitely outweighs the bad. There’s something strangely wonderful about facing down phobias with cards like Comfort Food and Grumpy Frown. And with the promise of more improvements to come, Neurodeck can only get better from here.

If I had to nitpick over anything, it’s that the game is perhaps a little bit short. But really, there’s so much game packed into that shortness it ends up feeling bigger than it actually is. There’s very little to criticize about Space Otter Charlie; cute, charming, addicting, with solid gameplay to boot. Add in the fact that you’re an adorable otter working hard to save the rest of animal-kind, there’s a lot to love in this little gem.

Postal Redux is a great definitive version of a subversive late nineties classic that men of a certain age can wistfully look back on as a naughty pleasure from adolescence. Still, returning veterans and new players alike will notice that this 24 year old game can only be polished so far and there’s a janky lack of refinement in the core gameplay. There’s enjoyment to be had in Postal Redux, but it’s best enjoyed if you’re able to set your mind and expectations back to 1997.

Stick Fight: The Game is a case study in simplistic but smart game design. It’s an over the top, bombastic, and raucous fight that will leave you laughing and swearing in equal amounts. Who knew a game with stick figures could be so ridiculously fun?

An episodic experience made throughout 2020 with the help of audience members, How to Win: Season One picks apart the confluence of events that were responsible for its very existence. It has the ability to hit all players differently, serving as a few hours of entertainment through dark humor or as a wake-up call for those wondering where to start effecting change; with that being said, all players will be able to come away feeling like they participated in a theatre experience in the midst of an ongoing pandemic, which really makes this game one of a kind. If you want some sort of gaming testament to the weird times we’re clawing our way out of or just want something seriously unique, don’t sleep on How to Win: Season One.

Although I feel like I didn’t quite understand all of what Genesis Noir was trying to accomplish in story, I absolutely understood the emotional journey it took me on. From the joyous beginnings to the urgently depressing ending and even the loneliness, hope, and determination that came after, Genesis Noir is a celebration of humanity, the universe, and of life itself.

Liberated is a great comic book turned video game. Dark and dystopian, almost absurdly gorgeous visuals, and a compelling story make this a surprising, but welcome, entry in the Switch library. Although you can beat the game within a few hours, don’t let the short run-time turn you off. There’s a lot of game packed into that those few hours.

Sometimes it’s hard to determine what the best game in a series is. This time, it’s not. Regardless of what charms the Monster Hunter games of the past might have to offer, they’re no match for Rise‘s huge jump in overall quality and polish. I’m sure that Capcom will make a new Monster Hunter game someday and, when they do, maybe it will dethrone this one. But, until that time comes, Rise will be sitting at the top—and I’m very happy that it’s there.

Little Kite’s powerful portrayal of domestic violence is going to stay with me for a long time. Although the imagery was intense and the music divine, the point and click mechanics were frustrating for the console — as is unfortunately par for the course when it comes to this hardware and genre combination. The developer did the best they could with the medium not truly suited for their art, granted, but I can’t help but feel I would have enjoyed the experience more had I played on PC.

Retrace: Memories of Death attempts to recreate a horror game along the same vein as Corpse Party or escape themes like Zero Escape, and to an extent it succeeds; at the same time, its repetitive nature with few hints in sight meant way too much backtracking with too little reward. There’s only so many times I can read through the exact same text, solve the exact same puzzles, and pick up the exact same items only to receive an end I’d already seen, forcing me to walk in circles in perpetuity, when even death’s sweet embrace can’t release me.

While Balan Wonderworld has a few interesting ideas tucked up its costumed sleeves, none of them are executed particularly well, which makes the game feel like a real chore to play. From its dozens of forgettable costumes and frustrating mechanics to its uninspired visuals, it’s hard to recommend adding this one to your PS5 library, especially when there are much better platformers like Astro’s Playroom and Sackboy: A Big Adventure already available.

Lost Words: Beyond the Page is a deeply beautiful, daringly emotional journey, tackling grief from a child’s point of view that still resonates strongly in adulthood. Clever wordplay spanning two different sections come together to create one touching story about an aspiring writer’s method of coping with the loss of a loved one. It may not be the most exciting game you’ve ever played, but it will be one of the more therapeutic ones. If you are looking for a lovely, healing game that will get you right in the feels, be sure to check out Lost Words: Beyond the Page.

If you’ve yet to pick up the six previously-released games on this collection, then Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 is easy to recommend. Packed with hours upon hours of retro-gaming goodness, it’s as close as it gets to a definitive look at SNK’s 8-bit handheld.

Evil Genius 2 is a surprisingly addictive (evil) management sim. Despite there being a bit of repetitive busywork to do, there’s plenty of global domination wickedness for even the most power-hungry megalomaniac to sink their avaricious teeth into.

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.

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.

Can’t Drive This is an absolute riot. It’s ridiculous, over the top, and you’re practically guaranteed to laugh until you can’t breathe. It’s unfortunate that it runs out of gas so quickly, though.

Paradise Lost is a grim alternate history lesson that asks tough philosophical questions about humanity and sacrifice. With a fascinating story and a genuinely engaging setting, it’s a game that’s easy to recommend to fans of the adventure genre. If you don’t mind the game’s lack of puzzles and plodding pacing, then be sure to make your way underground to uncover the bunker’s dark secrets. You won’t be disappointed.

Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins is a refreshing take on a found-footage horror story that replaces the camera with a cellphone. Fans of Doctor Who, regardless of which was your favorite Doctor, should try it. Especially at this price.

Dragonborne may not be perfect, but, if I’m being honest, its imperfections are kind of a part of its charm. While I obviously can’t say this for certain, it feels like everything in this game—both the bad and the good—was designed specifically to make this game feel like it was released in the early-mid 90s, just like any other Game Boy game out there. So, if you’re in the market for a new Game Boy game (remember, you can actually buy a cart of this!), then Dragonborne‘s probably right up your alley.

This game made some really strange choices, and I can't say that I agree with all of them. And, to that end, I feel like some of you out there will end up feeling that way as well. You'll still be able to find all of the traditional SoS garnishings within Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town if you're willing to dig deep enough—just be prepared to do a whole lot of crafting along the way.

I enjoyed Bob Help Them’s wholesome nature and the action/puzzle/time management dynamic is an interesting idea. Unfortunately, the gameplay is too simplistic for its own good. Every action is performed the exact same way, and the gameplay doesn’t evolve over the course of its thirty-five levels. You’ll do the same thing in level one that you do in level thirty-five. There’s just nothing to spice up the gameplay, and the only real challenge is time management. It’s not a bad way to spend a lunch break, but it’s difficult to not want something more from it.