With old-school visuals and audio, simple controls and some devilishly tricky levels, Penarium is a heap of fun.

Wildfrost is highly recommended, especially if you're a fan of the genre. The fun visuals will draw you in, but the addicting gameplay will keep you there. Just be prepared to die, a lot.

Zoink! has produced a game which is both smart and funny, one which both challenges convention and embraces it.

My Friend Pedro has mastered the art of doing one thing, and doing it well. There’s not an endless sea of content, and if chasing high scores isn’t your bag it doesn’t necessarily lend itself to replayability. Having said this, it is well worth the time spent. Minor presentation quibbles aside, it’s a game that looks, sounds and feels fantastic.

It may not be filled with as much variety as I would have liked to see in a god game, but Reus nails down its core mechanics and creates a very enjoyable game in the process.

That relatively minor negative aside, Unknown Number was a lot of fun and is easy to recommend for those looking to play a short, novel game that brings its ideas together well. Actual decision points are relatively limited, so replay value isn't particularly high, but the experience is fun enough the first time through that that isn't a big drawback. I appreciated how Unknown Number became a bit more personal and expanded some of its concepts towards the end, and I'll definitely be in line to check out a sequel, spiritual or otherwise, if godolphin games ever makes one.

Skate Story isn't particularly difficult or demanding of skill, and that works in its favour. Rather than worrying about completing board rotations in time to get the wheels on the ground, the focus is on the path ahead in a way that feels like our demon skater was something of an expert in their past life. This helps make the animations look tight, the gameplay flows through levels, and the initially-scary timing mechanic becomes second-nature. At a certain point the feel of those trick patterns overtakes the visuals, but even without hitting the sweet spot you're still skating like the best of them. I just wanted more to do with all of it. The existing levels are great, but without the ability to play any one of them on-demand it means sitting through dialogue that goes a tiny bit slower than I would like, pushing and Ollie-ing tutorials, and all the other first-timer experiences again and again. But still I do it. Perhaps as I go through more of the story will continue to break through the obscurity it's baked in, and maybe I'll find those missing collectables, but all of that is supplemental, because Skate Story's unique approach to skateboarding feels, looks, and sounds great.

Nothing in Power Chord is a revelation. It executes familiar formulas, but it does so extremely well. Even now, considering post-release plans are already being discussed, there's a ton of content to make grinding out a victory worthwhile. You're going to lose, probably a lot, but it wouldn't be fun otherwise. It is enjoyable mastering the systems here. Building a deck that gels perfectly with your playstyle is satisfying. And, of course, sending these demons back to hell with the power of rock (and a little magic) serves as the ultimate reward in this tactical experience.

The Executive: Movie Industry Tycoon is a game sure to put a smile on the faces of folks interested in the movie production industry. New developer Aniki Games in their first plunge into the world of computer game development picked an interesting topic that turned into a very well thought out and playable business simulation. There have been others in this genre in the past but The Executive overall is a solid game that will provide hours of fun for those of us that happen to be movie buffs interested in how films are made.

You’ll be disappointed if you’re looking for deep mind-bending puzzles or deep, engaging dialogue. I, however, happen to be a big fan of the games that are content letting you move through them, soaking in their world without intensive or demanding “game-y” elements like combat or complicated puzzles.

Magicka 2 is fun when playing alone and much more fun when playing with friends. A few technical and campaign hitches aside, the game maintains the same kind of charm and humour that the original seems to have had in spades.

Goodbye Deponia is the last chapter in the Deponia series and without going into any spoilers, I'll tell you this: you have to play this game.

Overall, Red is for Anguish is a great visual novel.

It’s hard to come up with many serious complaints about Polytopia. Would more game modes be nice? Would I like a few more units? Would I have appreciated more diversity between civilizations? Well...maybe. Part of the game’s charm is its simplicity. The game doesn’t pretend to be something more complicated than it is, and adding much more would start to push the game too far in the awkward space between casual and hardcore. Polytopia probably isn’t going to be your next Civilization or Stellaris, but if you’re looking for something a bit more laid back, there’s a lot here to enjoy.

Gripes with the latter stages aside, Shovel Knight is still a fantastic game.

Obviously my action platforming game skills have waned over the years, but I admit that I did get a bit frustrated at times by having to restart sequences until I got it right and could move on. Some of the action sequences, especially climbing, doesn't seem to be all that intuitive. Since climbing can take time to complete, maybe having difficulty settings or tips would help to even game play out. Perhaps a training facility where Kathy could go to learn how to be a better climbing astronaut would be helpful? Unfortunately, frustration can take some of the suspense and intrigue away from a great story but luckily, Deliver Us Mars delivers more than just Mars. It delivers a splendid story voiced and acted out by a lot of very talented actors.

While I have a few qualms of my own with the game, I found The Waste Land to be a lot of fun, and look forward to going back to it after having completed my review.

All things considered, XCOM 2 really is a great game.

Spellforce 3 is one of the best blends between RTS and RPG in gaming. Staying true to its roots, the game is - first and foremost - made for its fans but it is welcoming to those who are new to the series. A well fleshed out campaign, excellent writing, and satisfying combat are the hallmark of any great RPG. Spellforce 3 adds conquest, base building and RTS battles - what’s not to love.

The whole thing is simply a meditative experience. The car ride is especially soothing as you just sit there and watch the scenery go by. It would probably be absolutely fantastic in VR.

Warhammer 40k Darktide is an excellent sci-fi co-op FPS experience that will likely be enjoyed for years to come. While not quite reaching the same quality level of their initial Warhammer 40k End Times: Vermintide title back in 2015, Darktide is something that both diehard Warhammer fans, and co-op FPS fans in general, can mutually appreciate.

If you're a horror fan, or even just a fan of storylines that make you think, Layers of Fear should be right up your alley. Though it can be completed in a couple of sittings or less, it's an experience not easily forgotten.

I certainly enjoyed my train ride but I really can't speak to how much better the graphics in game are compared to previous game versions but I can say that the in game environment looked very good to my eyes. It is reported that an older Unreal Graphics Engine 4 was used instead of the much improved Unreal Engine 5; however, my old(er) eyes took great pleasure in what they were viewing as I drove my train along some visually pleasing locations. Over all I would have to say that the new Train Sim World 6 game is a worthwhile purchase for the new and experienced Train driving enthusiast!

Dead Rising 3 had big shoes to fill, following in the wake of two games that had huge impact on the gaming community. While it is by no means a perfect game, and falls slightly behind the original Dead Rising, it is a welcome breath of fresh air into an otherwise stale zombie genre.

Far Cry 5 is a great game, but it’s also very much the same game we’ve played before. When Far Cry tried to re-imagine itself with Far Cry Primal, Ubisoft took a lazy approach. With Far Cry 5, they went back to what they know works for certain, they played it safe from a gameplay perspective while adding just enough to call it new and improved.

If you don’t mind discovering a game under your own steam, Hard West is a truly unique title that you can really sink your teeth into. With some 10 hours of gameplay, it’s perhaps a little short but what is there is interesting enough to give another try on a higher difficulty level after you see the credits scroll by.

Folks, Barotrauma is a very detailed game. It's suspense filled, has sudden horrific events that need to be resolved, lots of combat against Europa's monster population and a whole lot more. After adding in the sub design feature, the fan mods and the very detailed game world with slick game play how could you not give this title a two thumbs up. I would highly recommend this title, especially to those that enjoy playing online cooperative games with other human beings.

House of the Dead: Remake, as a simple remaster, is an excellent example of what a remaster is supposed to be. It gives the original game a visual facelift while going to the extreme to not tamper with the familiar gameplay and aesthetic that long time fans have come to know and love. But anyone would be hard-pressed to consider this as a remake, rather than a remaster. Where the game begins to flounder is in regards to the very limited pool of new content. The lack of online multiplayer support, combined with the limited amount of new content to keep fans occupied beyond the first hour, makes it hard to justify the $24.99 retail price. If the game had launched at $9.99 or $14.99 instead, these limited additions might have been an easier pill to swallow. As it stands, while the small changes and additions might prove to be a love letter to existing fans, House of the Dead: Remake doesn’t do much to appeal to potential new fans as well.