Parcel Corps is an intriguing concept of a game and has all the fundamentals it needs to be good fun. While I enjoyed the elements of gameplay, narrative and art style separately, I personally felt as though they didn't come together as planned. Gameplay was interrupted by the story, and the joy of barspins out of wallrides is soon lost to repetitive missions and accidentally opening your mobile before confidently launching yourself into the side of a lorry. That being said, are in the mood for some simple and fun gameplay, Parcel Corps may be the perfect package.

All-in-all, Time on Frog Island isn't a bad game, but there is room for improvement. The story, location, and characters are certainly intriguing, but you're not really given much detail behind them to make you feel more invested, which feels like a missed opportunity. The gameplay concept is also good, but has flaws, such as the lack of mini map or task list to help you when you become lost. There's not much to complain about in the graphics and sound department; they match the game's theme well and are useful to the gameplay. In summary, if you like exploring and trading and meeting frog people, you should spend some Time on Frog Island.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Shadows of New York managed to build a compelling and catchy story, but is lacking some core gameplay element, even by visual novel standards. However, while having few negative points, the title works just as well as a standalone one despite an obvious lack of player choices and the evidence of the main intrigue. The narrative is riding on a highly relatable protagonist and a few other vivid characters, which keep your attention from start to finish. While as a visual novel the game is not perfect, it works just fine for newcomers or anyone who wants to immerse themselves in The World of Darkness universe.

Bleak Faith: Forsaken is a great addition to the genre and the fact that three developers created all this is quite impressive. The exploration alone is honestly enough to start an adventure in the Omnistructure, with the rest of the game being a lovely distraction. Enjoy the thrilling boss fights and impressive arsenal of weapons to use against numerous enemies. It's story may be too vague and uninteresting and some technical issues may get annoying, but Bleak Faith is worth the anguish to see the potential of what Souls-like can truly become.

A tragic case of wasted potential, Dust & Neon renders its formidable run-and-gun mechanics powerless with repetitive missions, trivial upgrades, and a nonsensical difficulty curve. The simple satisfaction of blasting anything that moves might keep some players happy for a while, but ultimately this one would be hard to recommend at even a quarter of its current asking price.

The bites may be fresh, but what about the blood that pumps within? As much of a "definitive" edition Fresh Bites may be, BloodRayne Betrayal's 2021 revival doesn't manage to sink itself too deep into the collective necks of a wider player base. With its foot still planted on the pulse of its former hardcore fanbase, it beckons the coming crowd with promises of new additions—more accessible difficulty, voice acting! However, there's nothing about this repackaged version that's enough to entice people not already fond of the franchise or genre. If one was to choose between this and the 2011 original, this would be the better option. Unfortunately, it still doesn't feel like a good branching point for those looking to get into hack n' slashes.

Overall, the game will probably satisfy anyone who is already a fan of the genre, but it doesn't do anything to win new fans. I found myself occupied for hours with the game, but I was never certain whether it was because I was truly engaged or just because even the simplest jobs were considerable time commitments. It has a certain zen quality to it, but there are too many little annoyances and shortcomings to really enjoy myself.

Although Autopsy Simulator starts off incredibly strong, offering solid investigatory narration and gameplay, part of the magic gets lost in the game's attempt to forcefully weave in a bland and uninspiring horror perspective that ultimately doesn't amount to much. Still, engaging voice work and excellent gameplay makeup for some of these short comings.

Astria Ascending has all the building blocks of what makes great RPGs, but all these separate parts haven't fit perfectly together in the final product. The story and characters have a lot potential but are let down by encumbered pacing and awkward writing. Still, it's a beautiful RPG for those who crave challenging/engaging turn-based combat and eye-catching visuals.

Passion is a double-edged sword. On one hand, you have a spirited, ambitious attempt to create the next sweeping epic the likes people can latch onto and discuss for years to come. On the other, you have a relatively short game that does not afford the story time to develop to get to that emotional boiling point. While a pretty solid Point & Click adventure with intuitive puzzles and a neat I Spy side-hunt, The Sundew will always be marred by its own insistence with telling a five-hour story in two hours. I appreciate the attempt; it just didn't land as intended.

PERISH is one to four-player co-op FPS game with hints of rogue-lite. The game can be really fun and is mostly great to play with three to four other players. At the same time, the game crumbles under its many problems of bad matchmaking, bugs, bad objectives and bad enemy spawning. This game can oscillate from fun to frustrating throughout the experience. Buy it on a sale with your buddies.

World's End Club has a solid start thanks to its interesting premise and characters. However, while I thought the game had the potential to be great, it was eventually weighed down by its clunky platforming sections and overuse of twists during its final hours. I personally loved being an unofficial member of The Go-Getters Club and learning about their group dynamic. Nevertheless, it's a story worth checking out, as long as you can overlook the issues that arise while playing it.

Overall, this pack isn't perfect, but weddings are now more of a special affair with more options given, which was the aim. Hopefully, the bugs and issues can be ironed out with patches.

You know, I still don’t get how Lovecraft is included in this. The only connection I’ve spotted was the shape of a man’s nose on the loading screen. If the developers didn’t claim such credit, everything would be so much better. One cannot help but view this as a means to draw attention to a mediocre game. Such a pity, since it’s got great flow. A nice parody could be made, as I stated before. But alas, the developers are as serious as ever. I never thought that I would complain about that.

Ultimately, The Good Life is a good game with some flaws. There are some features that the game probably could have done without. Nevertheless, the story is very interesting, as well as the characters, and there are moments which are genuinely shocking or funny. While Naomi's character can be obnoxious at times, she also makes a good protagonist in a "fish-out-of-water" situation, complete with funny snarky moments. Aspects of the game make it quite addictive, such as profiting from taking photos and posting them on the computer, as well as completing the main story quests and side quests. The game does allow you to play at your leisure, so you can go off and do some other activities such as gardening or cooking or crafting. The ability to turn into a cat or dog is unique, beneficial, and easy to use. For a game made on a modest budget, The Good Life isn't bad at all.

I had really high hopes for Poison Control, but it's definitely a weird experience for your opinion of a game to plummet as you play. The game mechanics are really fun and interesting, and in most dialogue cases, the writing is really entertaining. But the mishandling of assault put a really bad taste in my mouth, and on top of that, combat became really repetitive. The limited scope of enemy types and recycled weapons led to a less than stellar overall experience.

The World After gives us a captivating story concept for our present time. The potential for a great story made it all the more disappointing that the execution wasn’t what it should have been. A few poor design choices stop the game from matching the expectations of its intended genres. This game was an ambitious experiment, but I’m sad to say that it falls just short of meeting its goals.

There are elements to Curse of the Sea Rats that really shine. It is exciting to progress through the world in Metroidvania-style watching the animations, cooky boss fights, and listening to the music. When it comes to gameplay such as combat and platforming however, the shine wears off. Pervasive loading screens on the Switch, neutered boss fights, and finicky platforming can make it too difficult to enjoy. The world is worthy to be explored, but with better gameplay.

My time within this universe was enjoyable, eventually. It was gratifying to see that there was more of the game to experience beyond the initial limitations I had to work through, but the general lack of a tutorial and plodding pacing at the beginning almost turned me off for good. But if you get past that and into the meat of the title, you’ll sink your teeth into something truly satisfying.

Ravenlok is a game I desperately wanted to love but, in my short time with it, so many obstacles made that impossible. A fantastical world of whimsy and fantasy is unfortunately betrayed by the dull rendition of the Wonderland story and the empty characters who dwell within it. By far the biggest weakness, though, is that, in a desire to be more approachable, the combat is a spammy mess without depth, challenge or complexity and it taints the package. While Ravenlok may be beautiful it's only skin-deep and doesn't hide the strained, weak game below.

Wanted: Dead is a game not for everyone. A lot of modern players will hate their time with this title, but if you have a fondness for that old-school challenge and love cutting people into Shish Kabob, you'll really like this game. However, even if you're in that camp, you should wait for a sale, as the game's not worth the $60 price tag with only five stages. Plus, other elements, like no additional melee weapons and poor performance at times, do drag the game down a bit.

Aka's concept is one to remember. The idea of a red panda pondering and moving forward from his past is certainly unique. We peer into the little guy's history and learn about the last moments he spent with his loved ones. It’s a game that’s sure to pull at your heartstrings and put you at ease, though I can’t help thinking about how much better it could be.

Fort Solis understands what it takes to create a Hollywood style sci-fi movie. A well-written, gripping story, performed by a cast of talented actors who battle their way through thick atmospheres and tense conversations. However, the dedication to delivering a cinematic experience seems to have left little room for gameplay. Mars is visually stellar, immersive and begging to be explored, yet the slow movement of characters can become quite frustrating at times, making it difficult to want to play Fort Solis in one sitting. In spite of the pacing issue, the rest of the experience is enjoyable, capturing the essence of isolation and existential dread which comes with a deserted space station.

Cyanide & Happiness - Freakpocalypse embodies all the series has to offer. The M rating is well earned, but if you’re of an appropriate age, the humor is excellent. Despite the short main story, this is a game I’d recommend if you’re in the mood for a laugh. It saw great support from its early days on kickstarter, and is likely to see more support in the future.

A Tale of Paper shines not through mostly competent platforming, but through its ability to weave a touching story together in only a couple of hours. Through good environment design, beautiful visuals and a varied soundtrack, this game turns a the tale of Line, a paper doll, into a story of loss and reunion that will stick with you after its brief run time.

JANITOR BLEEDS provides a great first-person horror experience where you balance puzzle-solving with hiding from a pursuer who relentlessly hunts you down. The simple graphics and well-timed audio enhance the horror experience, making you dread the pursuit. However, the lack of a story is a missed opportunity that could have immersed the player in the game. Slow loading times and a few gameplay quirks also prevent Janitor Bleeds from becoming the masterpiece it could be.

Godlike Burger is a challenging simulation game that requires you to learn from your failures. You will have to find a way to make money from customers and use them as a viable meat source. With many planets to explore, you will have a lot of content to play through. Unfortunately, awkward controls and odd interface choices hold this game back, but not enough to take away from its powerful strengths.

Overall Strategic Mind: Spirit of Liberty provides a fresh outlook on World War II by utilizing Finland's ultimate struggle and hardships against the Soviets. While there are some lacking aspects within the game, such as the sub-par cutscenes and outdated UI, Strategic Mind: Spirit of Liberty still retains some great things like the turn systems, and with the addition of Heroes like Simo Hayha, the game fits the criteria for those who want to enjoy a new turn-based game that depicts the harshness of World War II.

Blood Bowl 3 is a wonderfully charming game that is even more fun to play. Even so, the game falls short with it's numerous bugs and missing features. Unless you're playing offline, the microtransactions and server issues are constantly apparent and getting in your way. If you're looking for a game solely for offline play, Blood Bowl 3 may be for you. Otherwise, you probably want to skip it. Hopefully, with a few updates, Blood Bowl 3 will be as great as it can be.

The game leaves a lot to be desired. At first glace, the combat seems interesting but ultimately falls flat due to the repetitive nature of the missions and combat encounters. The dialogue and cutscenes are excellently produced, however, the same cannot be said about the boss fights and ending of the game. Not being able to play the game offline even when solo feels like a slap in the face but it can be forgiven. Ultimately, the game can be enjoyed by some DC fans looking for some quick, chaotic fun, yet a lot of die-hard comic book fans will be quick to criticize certain aspects of comic accuracy and character development. The hefty price tag is definitely unjustified and doesn't feel fully worth it.

Critter Cafe is a soothing and relaxing game in the best of times, filled with cute critters. There's no rush to complete the game and you can take as much time as you want. It does feel like some parts of the game are more complex than necessary. But if you are in need of a cozy critter game, it's hard to beat Critter Cafe.

Liberated has a unique art style, and does a great job of blending the classic detective noir genre with the tantalizing cyberpunk medium. Unfortunately, the gameplay falls completely flat with a lack of depth and continuity with intriguing mechanics.

I will reiterate that the game has a "debt" to settle until the deferred melee combat is dispatched, if ever. Naval combat is great and customization is compelling. But considering the element of being an outlaw of the sea, without the drama and adventure that matches the bravado and flamboyance of the clothes my pirate is wearing, the Swash just ain't gonna Buckle. Skull and Bones is plainly a 'pirate ship game' more than it is about pirates, for now. Fair Winds and Following Seas until that changes.

It may not be a main SUDA51 title but the collaboration with SWERT doesn't feel as different other than 2.5D perspective, which thankfully works well. The gameplay may need some polishing with input delays but it has that roguelike itch that this addict can't resist. Its a nice starter to keep SUDA51 fans going till Romeo is a Dead Man releases. Now if you excuse me, I'm gonna see what else is in store for me during my stay at Hotel Barcelona.

Overall, Hello Neighbour 2 has too many problems to hit it’s full potential. The game looks great, and has some strong ideas, but ends up being neither ‘stealth’ or ‘horror’ as it bills itself. There’s enjoyment to be had, especially from the family-friendly angle and for those who like solving puzzles. However fans of the original and casual gamers will find it too short and unengaging to remember it much. Ultimately it feels like the game is stretched too thin. The lack of story and sparse open world leave it feeling directionless.

Yars Rising is a game of missed potential. An interesting idea and a unique spin on remakes ultimately undermined by poor execution. Everything on offer here is done much better in many other games. And the few highlights the game features have nothing to do with actually playing it. Look up the character designs online and listen to the soundtrack on YouTube, and you'll have experienced the best Yars Rising has to offer.

Summer In Mara does a well enough job in helping you fall in love with the Koa and the plethora of colorful characters. The underlying mystery of Mara and its inhabitants as well as the depth of lore leaves the player yearning for more. Unfortunately, in order to get the momentary tasty bits of story, the player must go through grueling and nearly infinite fetch questing. On top of that, several mechanics don't intermingle well with each other and often times make no sense whatsoever. Constant backtracking and waiting around plague an otherwise vibrant and compelling game.

Godstrike can be a rewarding puzzle-shooter experience, but its inconsistent difficulty hinders enjoyment, leading to frustrating early battles that marr the game's positives. There is little to no story to pull players through its more challenging moments, but the time/health system is a tough, unique puzzle that can elevate Godstrike from a repetitive slogfest, into an experience worth your many deaths.

Even for a small price ($11.99), I don't feel Shred! 2 is worth buying on a console. It's just missing too many elements that a gamer who takes time out to sit in front of their console to play would notice. We want an experience that takes advantage of the console's power. It doesn't have to be a completely re-imagined port, but maybe it should be more than a direct copy from mobile to console? It's a game with design choices that you wouldn't notice when playing on the go on a mobile device. But on a console, I just expected more from it. It's a mobile game, not a console game.

It's easy to say "Dark Souls with cute girls." It's hard to commit to it. What will likely forever be the point of contention with Lost Ruins is the implementation of its extreme difficulty. How much suspension of disbelief can players afford when it comes to teenage girls with heavy weaponry, and will it be enough to justify the slow combat? Despite great fidelity in pixel artistry/animation and concrete battle conditions, it will always be the difficulty at center stage. That will likely be the deciding factor on whether or not it's worth playing.

The Lost Legends of Redwall: The Scout Anthology is a great attempt at bringing a children's series to life. However, it is brought down by several factors that make gameplay a difficult experience. It's hard to tell where you are, scent-based gameplay blends together, and graphical faults can inconvenience you. But for fans of the series, you can easily overlook those flaws and have a decent time.

Harvest Hunt pits you against a frustratingly unbalanced monster in a small village, and asks you to repeat this cycle over and over with very little changes in gameplay. Perhaps with some updates, Harvest Hunt can yield entertaining sessions. But for now, only certain players that love a formidable challenge will find something of value in Harvest Hunt's punishing gameplay. The story is surely one point, but for most, it is the only, and not enough.

Zombies Ate My Neighbors And Ghoul Patrol is a fine combo package of a cult classic of yesteryear. A credible and well spirited effort has brought these two titles to modern systems near perfectly. Any issue that I have are due to the problems inherent in either title; Ghoul Patrol is not as good as Zombies and both suffer from hard to navigate level design at times.

To forget or not to forget? That is the question. With a more personal venture to its name, Frostwood Interactive attempts to denote itself as a company that inspires people's emotional core. Forgotten Fields isn't the most riveting piece of gaming available—actually playing the game comes with its hurdles. Where its success lies is in the way it communicates and molds its characters, how it attempts to bring them to life and have them identifiable. From this, the game is a modest and simple triumph of earnest self-reflection. As it came to an end, I found myself wanting to try just a little harder in my own life.

Hell Architect: Prologue is a sales pitch for the full version of the game. And while that is not a bad thing by any measure, the experience playing just the prologue falls short. The fact that you can let the game run by itself says a lot and does not bode well for the full version. The current state of the game feels incomplete and buggy, as I ran into what seemed to be 2 random encounters while playing the prologue scenario, although they always happened at the same time on every playthrough and immediately resolved themselves, so it's like they never happened. I'm hoping to see some more of that on the final version of the game, maybe that's the missing piece. My curiosity is still piqued and I'm hoping the addition of more sinners to the game will make for a more complicated playthrough, and, no point in denying it, I also wanna see the rest of the tortures Woodland Games has prepared for us.

This game is the definition of a mixed bag for me. This game is what you get when you mix amazing talent (music, art) with a rushed timetable and an unremarkable story and writing style. There are a lot of aspects that made me feel I was playing an Early Access or Beta game, but this has been indeed released, and it's selling for 30 bucks. Considering the amount of content and the quality of the experience, the score suffers, because it does not live up to a $30 game. The bads are not terrible and luckily the goods are really good, so I can go slightly above 5 with this one. If you don't mind about bland story and bad dialogues and are itching for a short and sweet colossus fighter with aerial combat, then pick this one up. Although, maybe when it goes on sale.

The conclusion to this is a difficult one, as there are lots of good bits about this game. However, the further you progress, the less the good things shine through, and the more the bad things stand out. It’s marred by scattershot battle-mechanics, an uninteresting storyline, and, of course, very bad dialogue. If the good aspects really draw you in, then maybe it’s worth a shot, but if not it is hard to recommend. For such an imaginative game, it is often very dull.

For all of its faults, Monster Harvest is still a unique experience that has the potential for a large payoff, if the team can rectify some of the problems. The premise is amazing, the execution is pretty great, and there are just a few more things to iron out before this title achieves legendary status. At this time, it's not a perfect game, but I can't stop playing it.

I'd recommend Calico to anybody, but especially fans of cats, cafes, or anything in that same realm of interest. Bringing the year to a close with an adorable blanket of furry animals to wear, carry, and ride around while living your best life is certainly the way to go. Just be sure to update to the latest version when you can.

All in all In My Shadow is a really fun game with a very good, interesting premise that has not been polished. There are a lot of aspects of the game which have been left unfinished, and that most times overshadow its greatness. This could be fixed with some big updates or even a remake, but it will take time and time's a luxury. The game is not one that will be stuck with you forever, nor it will change your life with a rich story, but it is decent. Its gameplay is pretty good and fun, even challenging at times with a lot of interesting, changing characteristics. It feels like some other, more complete and worked out game could be created from In My Shadow; and it could be quite unforgettable, but the game is not there yet.

Log Away turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I never thought too much about a game where you could just build cozy log cabins to your heart's content, but this one works quite nicely. It could maybe do with adding a few extra content, namely construction options and furniture and furnishings. Otherwise everything you need to create your own dream cabin, a place to just unwind, is possible with Log Away.

The House Of The Dead Remake is a lot of fun, especially if you can get a two player co-op/competition going. Even if you can only play the single player mode, you get to experience the classic arcade shooter with achievements, new weapons, various difficulties and a new mode to keep things fresh. Unfortunately, the controls leave a lot to be desired, while getting all the unlockables and achievements in the game will test the patience of even the most hardcore fans. It has its moments, but the flaws stand out just as much as the strengths.

Cyberpunk 2077, within the grand scope of its interesting setting and lore surrounding Night City, is breathtaking. The plethora of missions, side activities, and characters are worth exploring. The vast openness of the game world offers choices and freedoms that have an impact on the story its self as well as personal levels of consciousness. When the game doesn't suffer from its various technical setbacks, it's addictive and fun. More often than not, Night City tells an interesting story that's worth reading to the very end and coming back to. Even with the base game, the amount of content, deep storytelling, and the engrossing environment is well worth the admission price as long as it's on PC or next-gen consoles.

While lacking in graphical output and player customization, Nimbus Infinity gives mech enthusiasts a fun, quick ride through an interesting yet familiar story. The length of the game is a key factor for anyone short on gaming time who is looking for a few hours of entertainment. The 2D elements portrayed during storytelling appeal to fans of visual novels who want a more involved adventure while retaining the relaxed experience that visual novels provide.

What Body of Evidence lacks in story, it makes up with fun references to beloved pop culture. The overall presentation stands out with a deliberately dull art style and fantastic music. The gameplay is simple but fits well. However, it does little to stand out from the crowd. As a game, it takes the perfect amount of your time; any less and it would've felt a bit pointless; any more and it would've outstayed its welcome.

The first hour or so of Werewolf the Apocalypse - Earthblood had me intrigued. The story wasn't great, and there were plenty of issues, but I enjoyed the combat. After a while, the game became a slog with repetitive mission design, and no real incentive to do anything other than engaging in one-on-one combat had me longing for the credits to roll. Typically AA games have something to set them apart, but sadly it is not the case in Werewolf the Apocalypse - Earthblood.

Tennis World Tour 2 is a game that could have been something special but holds itself back with its gameplay. In contrast, I was impressed with the menu's overall layout, the music that played as I got ready, and the speedy load times; all of that went away as soon as I had to start actually playing the game. One can hope that future tennis games will find the perfect balance between capturing the essence of the sport and providing fun gameplay to the consumer at home, but Tennis World Tour 2 could not do either.

While the existence of Warzone by itself shouldn't represent a threat to the franchise, Modern Warfare III is the ultimate proof of how Call of Duty's free battle royale mode is harming the main entries by turning them into Warzone spin-offs and diverting the series from what they have been re-constructing since 2019. Sadly, the enjoyable multiplayer mode doesn't compensate for the open-world mess the campaign and zombies mode represent for this wasted and mistreated sequel.

In a market where games are defined by either an intense combat system, a deep narrative, or both, there’s a place for relaxing experiences like TASOMACHI. The story and gameplay keep it simple and manages to achieve its desired pace and style. The surprising depth and detail of the game’s gorgeous landscapes are strained by the lack of variety and meaningful characters – leaving the areas full of exploration potential but devoid of life. Despite this, the game succeeds in building a chilled-out, unique world for players to immerse themselves in.

The current state of the XIII remake is vastly improved from the state that the game was released in back in 2020. With that said, this does not feel like a proper current-gen experience and is certainly not worth the £34.99 asking price. Whether you are a fan of the original, or are brand new to this title, you would be much better served picking up the original version for less than a fiver on Steam.

Hokko life falls flat in almost all it wanted to do. The game is slow and needlessly grindy. The quests, along with the grind, end up being buggy. The core gameplay is simplistic, mindless and boring, while the loading screens are also irritating. If you are looking for a good Animal Crossing clone, this is not it.

RESTLESS SOUL takes nostalgic minimalism and runs with it. The game presents enjoyable challenges through a combination of simple and familiar gameplay elements that anyone can pick up and play. I'd say this is a must-play this Halloween 2022, and even beyond - especially if you're a scaredy cat, like me!

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is a crushing dissapointment given the pedigree of developer going into this. I am frankly baffled that a developer like Nintendo would think that any of this was a good idea. Slightly above average mini-games presented in a corporate wrapping that has all the appeal and flare of a wet school trip in the middle of November. I know this will seem hyperbolic, but this is probably the worst Nintendo game I have ever played.

Nova Antarctica presents a difficult survival challenge but that's mostly because it's difficult to know what your objectives are. While surviving against the brutal weather is part of the fun, it's also challenging because you must restart with every failure. It's a game where you must dedicate lots of time to learn and the mystery isn't a big draw. You may be entertained at first but it could be tough to continue playing.

Despite its currently buggy state, Funko Fusion is a fun filled pop culture love letter, with a multitude of references to the movies that feature and some more surprise cameos along the way. Gameplay is simple yet effective, making it a perfect way to switch off for a couple of hours while scratching the collectathon itch. That being said, due to bugs causing me to have to reload levels and some navigational issues, I feel as though I have barely seen the best of what Funko Fusion has to offer. There are more secrets to find and areas to explore, and hopefully with some updates it will be a much smoother experience.

For what it is, SkateBIRD is a fun and interesting title unlike any other. While it may have some flaws, they don't run so deep that they break the game or make it entirely unenjoyable. For those looking for a casual skating experience with a fun soundtrack, this is an easy one to recommend.

Despite its flaws, Hunting Simulator 2 is a fun, entertaining game for fans of hunting games and I believe it is a worthwhile addition to the hunting sim genre.

Overall, Project Downfall succesffuly presents a challenging first person alternative to Hotline Miami, showcasing fun updated gameplay that many old-school shooters paved the way for. The story having a branch narrative with multiple endings is great and I'm definitely going back to see all them but the lack of an interesting plot does stop it from being perfect. Some irritations with AI, lighting, and some gameplay mechanics hold it back, but there's enough here to keep you playing and smashing heads in the name of John Wickian Justice.

Dark Alliance lacks in diversity, with bugs littered throughout making it near impossible to remain immersed for more than 10 minutes at a time, if that. You will undoubtedly expect either a successful homage to Dungeons and Dragons or a high-quality action RPG with influence from that scene - at this stage, it does not quite deliver either.

Even if it's destined to suffer the same incomprehension as many of its predecessors do, Silent Hill: The Short Message is a fairly decent return of one of the most important franchises of the survival horror genre. While it lacks several spine-chilling elements from previous entries that used to make Silent Hill the most horrifying game series out there, it presents many sensitive themes for today's standards. Its teenage story has a daring approach and sets the bar for what we should expect from the psychological factor of the series in the near future.

Commandos 2 - HD Remaster takes a classic and spruces is up, without ever making it better. While there are sharper visuals to bring this game into the modern-day, there are also incredibly unintuitive controls that make almost every action more difficult than before. While finding solutions in a level is now more obvious, reaching that solution is more difficult. For every step forward this remaster takes, it takes an equal step backwards.

Death Relives is a horror experience that confuses itself for an interactive history lesson at times. It may be filled with entertaining puzzles and an enjoyable intimidating antagonist, but It sadly doesn't justify the frequent bugs and frustrating stealth mechanics. I can see the vision the developers were going for but Death Relives definitely needed some more time in the oven. Hopefully in their next venture they'll learn what worked and what didn't, and maybe leave the AI generated content behind.

Shelter 3 delivers the wildlife walking simulator experience, with a dash of danger on the side. The lush forests with hidden hazards promise a narrative that's teeming with life and death. Despite its strong premise and beautiful art direction, the slow pace of the game and the middling character of the animals in the journey weigh the piece down.

Liberté is a deck-builder rogue-lite top-down game set during the French Revolution with a twist of a body horror eldritch monster lurking around. Liberté is a game with great ideas that are never fully fleshed out. The story concept is really great and the art is amazing but the game itself is a buggy mess which gets way too grindy to be enjoyable. The potential is there but sadly yet to be realized.

Pneumata had great potential as a horror game and tried to fill in the blanks. Unfortunately, while they nail the horror atmosphere, everything else falls short. It's either the standard survival horror or the gameplay interferes with the enjoyment. This could be a great horror experience, but the fear doesn't come from the atmosphere. It's the gameplay flaws that truly scare you.

Overall, as Horse Tales: Emerald Valley Ranch joins the ever-growing list of horse games, it's certainly one you should check out for yourself. Is it perfect? No. The bugs are annoying, but hopefully patches will deal with them. Aside from the teething problems, you'll find yourself getting lost in this game as you want to explore every nook and cranny, collect resources, expand your ranch, help the locals, and breed new horses.

Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator ticks many boxes for those who enjoy driving simulation games, as this title provides the players with responsive driving mechanics and gives options for those who enjoy manual or automatic transmissions. However, the lackluster AI drivers that can hinder our enjoyment and breaks the immersion almost destroy my experience while playing the game. However, once the developers acknowledge and address this issue, then Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator is a solid game for you to kick back and enjoy your down time after work or college.

Starport Delta is a solid experience for those who want a more casual city building sim set in space, it's simplicity belies a surprising depth in terms of gameplay. Accessible to those new to the genre, while providing a decent challenge to those experienced with it, the 2-man band known as Cloudfire Studios has done a stellar job at creating a well-rounded RTS experience.

Mia and the Dragon Princess is an entertaining FMV game with branching storylines and great action sequences. Other than those strengths, nothing else stands out as the story isn’t developed enough for an impact. Railroading forces the story to go in certain directions, removing the choices that most players are making. While the story itself is decent, playing to unlock all the scenes peels away the exterior to show you the flaws.

Picklock has a good game hidden within it. But unfortunately, it’s hidden well among the poor control scheme and localization. The parts of the game I enjoyed, like the music and light comedy of the story, lead me to think that this game could have been a good addition to the stealth genre. But fittingly, this is a game that will likely fly under the radar.

The Fridge is Red is an ambitious take on the surreal horror genre, with a mix of good and bad elements. It effectively conveys a sense of madness and nightmares with a simple but good story. The game looks and sounds wonderful even with the blocky retro elements. Ultimately The Fridge is Red falls short of great because of the gameplay. It has some good moments, but there is too much running in circles, especially for such a short game. All that said, if you like this kind of horror, it is still worth checking out.

Despite having a solid story plan, it is hidden behind awkward gameplay and slow paced speech. The game is not unplayable, but it is obvious that this was initially a PC game, with little effort given in creating more fluid controls for console. There is no way of keeping track of the story either. Therefore once you've solved the difficult puzzles, it is easy to have forgotten the relevant names and locations needed to proceed.

Paws and Soul does deliver in providing a story based around the Buddhist doctrine of rebirth and reincarnation, and I can see how it is quite atmospheric. Unfortunately, the story is far too depressing to make any of it relaxing. The gameplay is fun at first but quickly grows repetitive, and the only thing the game has going for it are the graphics and the vibrant environments. It’s a shame, because Paws and Soul could have been a really good indie game, but there too many vital aspects that haven't been executed well, and all of this combined seriously lets it down.

All in all, this is a great game! It is jam-packed with story and lore, features classic 2D pixel art and 8-bit music too. It has brought classic genres to a new light in fun and interesting mashups that vary in difficulty especially with the 'glitches'. My only complaint about this game is the mislabeled controls on the PC version.

Session: Skate Sim's port to Nintendo Switch was an ambitious project, which took some hits in the graphics department. While I won't be giving up my PlayStation Session for Switch, the game still holds up and retains the essence of the game. The try, try, try again gameplay remains, as does the accurate control scheme used to perform tricks, making this the ideal game for skaters whose primary console is the Nintendo Switch, or want to carry the skateboard sim in their pocket.

Deceit 2 simply tried to fit in as much demonic and horror-related elements into the simple concept of a mafia-style game and ended up giving birth to an incohesive mess. All hope is not lost as the game does show small glimpses of potential but unfortunately, it is not enough to make up for all of its issues. All in all, this confusing experience is incredibly forgettable and bland. The game itself is underwhelming while the content is overwhelming, it's an incohesive paradox of a title that lacks any proper synergy, leaving new players puzzled and returning players disappointed.

Of Bird and Cage is an interesting idea fatally flawed in almost every aspect of its execution. It ultimately fails to reach even “so bad it’s good” status due to poorly thought out and implemented mechanics wrapped in a visual and narrative tedium. Too clunky to appeal to gamers and too incoherent to impress newcomers, it lands nowhere and looks sloppy while doing so. The few moments where everything clicks into place are few and far between.

Xixo Game Studios' Enchanted Portals has given us some of the magic of Cuphead but not much else. Though its art style and boss fights capture the essence of its inspiration. The sluggish gameplay and mechanics completely let it down alongside its dull story and choice of presentation. With some polish Enchanted Portals could be the challenging platformer it wants to be. But currently it only achieves this for all the wrong reasons.

Postal 4 doesn’t do anything better than its counterparts. The gameplay is a mix of bad and mediocre and almost all the attempts at humour fell flat. Perhaps there's some guilty pleasure to be had if you're a die-hard Postal fan, however you're better off going back to Postal 2 or Postal Redux as you will likely find this too tame. When the game has been optimized and fixed it may have some entertainment, but for now this is a hard miss.

The dream of a Super Smash Bros. game full of our favourite indie characters is one we will have to keep having. The premise, when announced, sure did pique a lot of interest. But the final product is genuinely one of the most disappointing games I’ve played in a very long time and doesn’t give me any desire to play this game again. Maybe a game can be redeemed as the combat gets tighter, with new characters to add different gameplay elements. But the foundation here is so bad that it seems irredeemable. Clunky, floaty, and shallow battles; poor frame-rates, muggy graphics, unpleasant UX, janky menus, and a complete lack of style mean that there is very little good to say about Bounty Battle, which sure is sad.

Knight Swap 2 offers a wonderfully unique puzzling challenge to fans of the genre while keeping things simple enough for anybody to enjoy. It's a refined mobile-like experience that fits right into the ecosystem of the Switch. While it's easy to get into a nice flow, the controls can often times slow down what would otherwise be a seamless system. Regardless, the ingenius audio design and minimalistic style make it easy to get lost in a nearly endless, and sometimes frustrating, puzzling atmosphere.

The enjoyment you get from Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York will very much depend on your willingness to endure reams of static dialogue. If that’s an obstacle you can easily maneuver, then there is a lot to like here. Learning about the complexities of Vampire society has left me hungry to learn more. The game’s artistic character portraits and backgrounds bring the City that never sleeps alive in a way I haven’t experienced in a game before.

Even when the beat is done, Radio Squid remains an entertaining and challenging distraction for those seeking such. A solid foundation, quirky visual design, and an interesting blend of coin collection and self-created bullet hell allows the title to hold some distinction from the Arcade-inspired crowd. What fun may be had will be determinant on how much tolerance a player has for stringent stipulations, some seemingly unintentional through an unforeseen lack of polish. If the beat doesn't grab you (and it certainly may not), the in-game strategizing will do more than enough to last at least one or two playthroughs.

All in all, Death and Taxes is a very enjoyable game, and fans of point-and-click games like Papers, Please will absolutely love it. The story offers us interesting routes which we can explore to get alternate endings, the emporium allows us to add some interesting features, and the quirky graphics and audio adds to the overall atmosphere. I will point out that while the game is fun to play, it does get quite repetitive after a while, as with most games of its kind. We can mix things up a little with the choices we make, but ultimately, the gameplay remains the same. Death and Taxes is probably best played in short bursts.

All in all, I did enjoy my time with Infinite Abyss. A few tweaks, like maybe some more health or health/armor upgrades, less enemies or enemy damage, faster crate movement speed, or maybe a story, would have made the game much more enjoyable. However, at its current price tag, it's worth it. I've seen worse, but I've definitely seen better.

Burn me Twice is a fun little game that offers many enjoyable aspects, and for a game that is free to play, you get a lot. The story is interesting, the gameplay is easy to get to grips with, and the graphics and audio contribute to the mysterious atmosphere. There was also a nice nod to Christopher Marlowe’s play, Doctor Faustus (in which a man makes a deal with the devil) in the name of the revered physician, Doctor Fausto, which I also rather enjoyed. This enchanting mystery is great fun, and is the perfect casual game for any mystery fan.

We Should Talk is a short experience that seems to be missing a lot of the normal bells and whistles you would expect to see in more modern games. However, there is a great charm to the stylistic artistic approach and it isn't distracting. This is a short experience that is very accessible to even the most casual of gamers and is sure to leave a lasting impression on players far beyond the very short run time.

If not the boy of your dreams, you'll always have mozzarella. Love Spell: Written In The Stars does well to provide the cute, inspiring, and romantic vibes they were going for, even as a debut work. What reduces the magical charm is the practical inadequacy in which the game runs, which suffers from glaring basic omissions and faulty wiring. With all considered, it's still a memorable experience of ups and downs, and whichever direction feels most prominent will heavily depend on how the characters grab you. Due diligence is necessary before purchasing, so be sure to ask yourself if you prefer cheese or no cheese.