I really wanted to enjoy Fabledom. It certainly has a certain appeal when you first jump in and immerse yourself in its most fundamental mechanics as well as its beautiful aesthetics. Unfortunately, at present, the actual gameplay loop stops being entertaining after the first hour or two. If you're at that point now and see that you're just under the two-hour mark, take my advice and throw yourself at the mercy of Steam's mostly-automated refund process. There's a great game to be found somewhere here in Fabledom's DNA, but its current plethora of bugs and odd gameplay decisions make it an extremely hard sell as is.

It's clear to me that Still Wakes the Deep is about the journey and not the destination, and I do think that journey is thrilling and worth your time.

I can attest to the fact that TM24 basically does look and play the same as last year’s version, but the new edition comes with much more that you can't see on the outside. It's kind of like buying a new car that looks a lot like last year’s model in that you don't notice the difference until you start the engine and race off with a big smile on your face! Yes, you are still building an academy and training tennis players; however, with the enhanced athlete training, match animation improvements, opposing player AI upgrade, the enhanced game customization options and the new Fantasy Court feature, it really does make for a good argument to go out and purchase the new model instead of driving the old one around for another year. With that said, I give the new Tennis Manager 24 a two thumbs up rating.

Empires of the Undergrowth is not a perfect RTS game, but it's about as close as you can get. With the multiple layers of gameplay and strategy packaged up in this charming and thoughtful box (or formicarium), no two matches or missions feel quite the same, giving you more reasons to return. A modern RTS effort should absolutely incentivize reasons to play the game, ways to discover and implement new things, and avoid the pitfalls of monetization, and that's exactly what we have here. There are moments when things don't feel entirely in your control, and there are times when understanding the minutiae of which side is winning a particular battle can be murky due to the clipping and overlapping bodies vying for position, but they're balanced out by how small-scale those problems are. Like a few bugs in the garden, you really have to pick nits to classify them as problematic. In a genre as diverse, contentious, and beloved as this, I think there are elements here for just about anyone, if they're willing to give it the chance, because Empires of the Undergrowth is a real-deal classic RTS modernized.

There is so much to say about Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, but I'll spare you all the nitty-gritty details about the improvements, both big and small. If I did, this review would become a novel. What I will say is that if you were on the fence about SMT V, or if you loved it, Vengeance is the best way to go. Not only does it fix issues with the original, but the sheer amount of added content is reason alone to pick up this title. Hopefully, Vengeance will put the Megami Tensei name back in the spotlight, right alongside its spinoff.

In all, Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip is a short but enjoyable sandbox with a decent amount to do. The art design and humor may not be for everyone, but this reviewer can happily say that it makes for a very fun experience!

Minor quibbles aside, Horizon Chase 2 is a fantastic arcade racer that delivers exactly what it promises: pure, unadulterated fun. If you're yearning for the days of Outrun or Daytona USA or simply want a fast-paced, pick-up-and-play racing experience, then Horizon Chase 2 is a must-have. With simple controls, the pumping mix of synthwave and electronic beats that play in the background, racing in a variety of locations, and the opportunity to play on the couch with four players locally, ensures that Horizon Chase 2 is a fun party racer for all ages. It might not be the deepest game on the block, but it's enough to keep you coming back for that next adrenaline rush.

With how short Pine Hearts is, players should be able to make the trip to the summit after only about three or so hours, give or take a little bit for exploring the environs or potentially tracking down the last few items to complete a quest. With no time limit, health, or other stakes that could endanger Tyke's trek up the mountain, Pine Hearts makes for an enjoyable and short experience that players may find themselves revisiting in order to take in the delightful sound design and beautiful art. The only complaints this reviewer had during his time up the mountain were only minor inconveniences at worst, and don't take away from the enjoyable experience of this game. If you're a gamer that enjoys short but enjoyable journeys, then you may be interested in climbing to the peak of Pine Hearts.

This game, despite being suitable for all ages, will not be for everyone. If you enjoy seated VR gameplay I think this is a must to add to your library. But if you are into FPS VR games or play in an area with minimal space, this is a hit or miss. I enjoyed the experience it offered as it was a nice change from my regular sweaty gaming sessions. The game takes around 7 hours to complete giving you a few good sessions, however, the replayability of some levels and attempting to hit high scores add to its value.

Neurodiver held my interest thoroughly for it's short 5 hours, and charmed me with its new characters and exciting story, but it didn't really leave a similar impact as the first one. It needed more time to really sell its ideas. If you're a fan of 2064: Read Only Memories, approach this more like another story in the world rather than a full fledged sequel. If you're new to this series altogether and you like cyberpunk anime from the 80's and don't mind simple gameplay, then give Neurodiver a shot, it's worth it for the characters and story; if it sticks in your memory, only time can tell.

Phantom Fury is, at its core, a very confused game that doesn't seem to know exactly what it wants to do, but what it does do, it doesn't do particularly well. What could have been a superb throwback to the classic FPS games it so obviously is influenced by, ends up coming across instead as a poorly-executed mishmash of mechanics from each of said inspirations, thrown together without any clear underlining rhyme or reason. Adding to that its bizarre technical shortcomings and hiccups, and Phantom Fury becomes a ridiculously difficult sell. Even for players looking for retro-inspired games, there are already so many better alternatives on the market, letting Phantom Fury dissipate like the disturbed lingering spirit it is may be entirely for the best.

I started out expecting Heading Out to purely be a racing title, but it is much more than that. The various interactions you have with strangers you meet along the way are impactful, often leading to an outcome that was not immediately evident. Keeping ahead of Fear whilst maintaining your limited resources and competing against the plethora of opponents that are eager to take you down is an absolute joy. The soundtrack is a highlight though, with a mix of synth-wave and Americana tunes that perfectly complements the game's atmosphere and had me hooked right until the final orchestral score of "Take Me Home". The soundtrack alone is reason enough to buy the game, but combined with the narrative, the stylized black and white visuals and the highway racing, Heading Out is a must buy.

Sand Land makes up for its shortcomings with its characters, its sense of adventure, and its world. It is one of the best representations of Toriyama's work in game form in a long time. If you're like me and miss Toriyama's world building and design, but have exhausted the plethora of Dragon Ball titles, then give Sand Land a try. It's a worthy adaptation that deserves attention, and hey, it's way better than Final Bout.

With all that being said, should you play Mullet MadJack? The short answer – YES. The long answer – YEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS! All jokes aside, if any of what I said sounds fun to you, give this a shot. Even if you don't like rogue-like games, I think you should give it a shot. I know I'm uniquely in the core of it's core demographic, both aesthetically and gameplay wise, but I think what is here is fun enough for just about anyone.

That said, I can't get too upset about anything in this translation. It is obviously the work of someone passionate about the story they were telling and wanted to share it with the largest possible audience they could. It's also someone with a degree of reverence for the story, as I've seen the translator respond to numerous bad reviews across the English apologizing for his work if it has caused them to misread the story. In a world where games and anime are often mistranslated to include irrelevant political messages or jokes about Gamergate, I cannot hold the rough but faithful work of this translator in much contempt.

It would be safe to say that Sweet Transit could be viewed as being a niche title to the gaming public in general. Whilst the management and optimization of railroad logistics with the resulting growth of a city might not be everyone's cup of tea, the game can still provide a lot of enjoyment for those of us that like such things. Sweet Transit looks and sounds great and with the additional content created by fans the game would seem to have a long term appeal for train fans. And even though it has a rather steep learning curve and I was forced to scratch my head over some of the foolish building decisions I made, I still have to give this one a two thumbs up.

While No Rest For The Wicked still has some mechanics to refine and tune, and a story to finish, its current form is enjoyable and its future prospects are bright. If you can get through the first dozen combat encounters, and improve along the way, you’ll be rewarded with a game that distills elements of many popular games and selectively throws some of their "worst" elements away (weapon durability being the exception), making a more accessible but equally enjoyable extremely challenging action RPG. [Early Access Review Score = 80]

Kill It With Fire 2 can best be described as more of a good thing - everything that made the original an enjoyable experience is here again in spades, along with many new additions such as multiplayer, new spider hunting tools/weapons and new and larger maps. It can be said that the best of sequels take everything from the original and improve upon it - and I can gladly say that my time within Kill It With Fire 2 follows that saying. This war against the arachnid menace seems long-lasting, but so long as this war is as fun as it is, I say bring on the demonic little buggers in order to Kill Them With Fire!

TopSpin 2K25 comes in a polished package. Both single-player and online matches feel good (though a ping differential can cause havoc), and feel lovingly crafted. A few presentational flourishes heighten the experience, but most importantly it's a game that rewards your efforts to improve at playing it. While it would have been nice to see a simulation-type focus on the life of a professional tennis player to flesh out the experience, the truth is, it doesn't need it to feel like a great package. It caters to those who want to continually improve and take on the world after conquering the tournament circuit, and also to those that just want a solid tennis game to play against AI or friends.

The visuals remind me of one of those old Flash games that would be posted on Newgrounds back in the late 1990's and early 2000's. So this means that while yes the game is ugly and amateurish, it also fills me with a warm feeling of nostalgia for a simpler time when I'd come back home from Middle School, and play crudely animated web games where I could subject crude caricatures of politicians and celebrities to cartoonist acts of violence. The style won't appeal to everyone, but it certainly worked for me.

Broken Roads is certainly a tribute to Outback Australia as much as it is to role-playing games of the past, and as an Aussie myself, I found this refreshing.The bleak surrounds and the harshness of many of the characters really set the tone of the post-apocalyptic storyline. The Moral Compass and the ability to level up your character’s abilities in any way you choose ensures that the game feels more personalised as you travel from one location to the next. And although the questing can feel somewhat laborious at times, and the citizens can be somewhat abrupt, there is a story behind every interaction - one that provides hope for those that have struggled to survive the 'wide brown land' they call home.

Breathedge: Cosmic Cluck is not a mainline game but a rather a smaller spinoff, a first foray into VR, if you will. It's decent, and if you have a couple of hours and 24.99 to spare, it's a fun venture into the wilds of the Breathedge universe. But it isn't a must buy. This is definitely more for the fans of the mainline game that want more or people that want something new for their Meta Quest and have already exhausted other VR titles.

The Thaumaturge is a very strange title, both intentionally and sometimes unintentionally as well. On the surface level, it's a dark, narrative-driven game filled with morally-ambiguous choices which will oftentimes influence specific events in the story.

Children of the Sun is a game that's probably going to appeal to a different general audience than its visuals may imply, but whether the grungy, ultra-violent visuals seem tempting or it's the unique puzzle mechanics, there's a lot to love. However, it's worth noting that what a player wants out of the game will affect the dollar value of the package. It's possible to plow through the whole thing in a long afternoon, and it's the pursuit of better scores and a higher ranking on each level's leaderboard that adds true longevity.

In all, Pepper Grinder is a very fun time with a creative way to stand out from other retro-styled platformers thanks to the drill at the very centre of the gameplay. Add in enjoyable level design that encourages replayability, challenging but satisfying boss fights, and you have a very enjoyable and short retro platformer that is sure to delight fans of the genre!

The result is a pretty easy, very low-stakes action game which is fun to while away a few hours on but grows stale very quickly. This is something of an advantage, as the game is incredibly short and you will probably experience everything it has to offer in under ten hours, which is about as long as it could hope to stay interesting. However this fact does make the $30 price tag costlier than it initially seems.

The developers have done their due diligence when it comes to researching historical aspects of the D-Day invasion. Every detail was thought out and then presented in a realistic manner. The troops and their large inventory of equipment and weapons are realistic and true to form for a game based on history. The cut scenes and commentary serve to further the narrative about individual solders serving behind enemy lines with their quest to free the world from Nazi dominance. Developer Absolutely Games stated that their ambition concerning Classified: France '44 was to tell an authentic story about these soldiers and I think they did a fine job of it. Replayability is high with the inclusion of a mission creator and modding tools which will ensure a lot of available player-created content.

With a large amount of skill paths, plenty of stash space for all of the loot you'll be picking up, and a lot more features that can make a player feel more than welcome venturing forth into this new world, Last Epoch may mean 'Final Age', but it can be the start of an adventure for many a player.