Looking Up is a game that's short but sweet. Admittedly, it could benefit from being a bit longer, but only adding an extra chapter and some additional puzzles would probably be enough. Otherwise, you get a great package with Looking Up. The storytelling is done well with beautiful illustrations, and the puzzles are fun to solve, having the right balance between being too easy and frustratingly hard. The music provides a calming, nostalgic touch as well. Looking Up set out to be a short, cozy affair, and it succeeded. If you enjoy narrative puzzle games, you'll like this one. It's not pricey either, so why not give it a go?

Projection: First Light might have some issues with shadow mechanics, repetitive gameplay and a short duration, but the combination of visuals, narrative and gameplay are offering a compelling and enjoyable experience. Despite the annoying controls, which may be fixed in the future patches, Projection: First Light is a game worth playing, especially if you are into puzzle platformers. And even if not, its beautiful scenery, charming tale about self-enlightenment through various cultures definitely deserves attention.

South of the Circle has beautiful story moments complimented by a striking art style that is clean, minimal and stylish. There are some amazing set pieces, terrific highs and lows, and plenty to sink your teeth into if walking-simulators are your thing. The pace is slow, but appropriately so, giving you time to soak in the visuals and stew in the more meaningful moments. It leaves something to be desired with its ending and interactivity, but still packs a punch and won't be soon forgotten. This game moves forward with the proud traditions of narrative-driven games in small steps.

Frostpunk 2 introduces expanded social dynamics, larger city management, and deeper decision-making with factions and laws. It shifts from basic survival to improving quality of life, offering potential for world-building and colonization. The game maintains emotional depth, with difficult laws provoking strong reactions. While streamlined mechanics reduce some of the original's immersion and complexity, Frostpunk 2 is definitely worth trying out for its new experience and larger population scale.

Despite wishing there was more to do in En Garde!, I understand how a short title can be frustrating. Hopefully, with time, more will be added to this title to make it worth the twenty-dollar price tag. Thanks to En Garde!, I was able to play this wonderful story, no matter how short it was! It has a story worth telling. Maybe we’ll see more of our new favorite swash-buckling protagonist, maybe not; but I for one hope so!

This game is fun. Honestly? I think I had too much fun and that meant I wasn't paying attention to all the little things that built up and kept drowning me. But if you're careful, pay attention, and keep up with the game's demands, it's well worth it. The characters are amazing, the plot is fun, and the gameplay is addictive. It's a little tough if you're not good at multitasking, but if you're a fan of the shopkeeper genre, this is one you can't miss.

Contraband Police looks like a simple document checking game at the outset. But if you dedicate some time to play it, you will find a decent story and varied gameplay. A good balance of activities prevents the game from feeling boring too quickly, and the story is surprisingly deep. You actually feel like you are a border patrol officer with large responsibilities, managing more than just your welfare. While the game gets harder as time goes on, there’s always something to do that keeps you on your toes.

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.

Robobeat provides impeccable FPS gameplay within a context that's particularly exciting for musicians. Aiming, shooting, dodging, everything flows so seamlessly when being done to a beat. The rogue-lite makes it punishing but also so hard to put down.

It will go largely ignored, and that is what makes the tale of SHEEPO so tragic. Fans of the metroidvania genre have another prized title to add to their backlog. SHEEPO is immersive, detailed, and full of a whimsical charm rarely found in either AAA products or the indie scene. It understands what it wants to do and only goes as far as it needs to to settle, allowing the player to be just as imaginative as the world provided here. Wondrous, bizarre, and most of all addictively fun, if not for a few minor points of contention, this would be one of the most recommendable indie games of its type.

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.

Kill It With Fire 2 is a great sequel that expands on the fun and destructiveness of the first game. With a host of strange new worlds and weapons to try and take down the spider threat to add more fun and variety to the exprience. However, the over emphasis on side objectives takes something away from the exprience. And as enjoyable as the wackier tone can be, the sinister atmopshere of the original is largely gone.

Vultures - Scavengers of Death is a genuine surprise, seamlessly merging the DNA of classic survival horror and turn-based tactics into something tense, stylish, and deeply satisfying. If you have ever loved Resident Evil, XCOM, or both, this ambitious indie title is worth every turn.

Aphelion is a heartfelt, visually striking sci-fi adventure built around Ariane and Thomas’ fractured relationship and the hostile beauty of Persephone. Its stealth and survival mechanics are accessible rather than demanding, and some dialogue overexplains key emotions, but the atmosphere, performances, and character-driven story make it an easy recommendation for players who value narrative over mechanical depth.

Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective presents players with a world worth exploring. The whimsy and charm of the children's books translates from page to screen almost effortlessly. While the mazes are easy to navigate for adults, the target demographic of children will feel at home in this puzzling adventure.

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.

All in all, Space Elite Force is a simple and solid arcade shoot 'em up that will scratch the itch for those who infrequently need it. With local co-op, SEF becomes a great way to play with somebody without a laborious setup. Ideal for short play sessions or the odd multiplayer marathon, it's an inexpensive treat that provides a fun play experience without compromising on quality.

Overall, it sometimes feels like just moving on from each area to the next, with not much else in-between. Tales of Arise is a beautiful game to look at, but the game goes by too quickly due to the relatively limited side-questing. The last release in the Tales series, Tales of Berseria, offered a lot of gameplay in terms of extra content, and the story was enough to wrench your heart out. Tales of Arise offers a very compelling story but not much else in terms of extra gameplay.

Weird West’s combination of the Wild West mythos with dark fantasy elements brings together an enjoyable RPG experience. Being able to forge your own path through the world with your actions and combat is a fun and enjoyable experience. While there are some noticeable flaws, Weird West does a great job of giving you the tools you make to create your own legend in the West.

Ed-0: Zombie Uprising blends together the Souls-like and mystery dungeon genres to create a fun experience. You get access to different characters, skills, and items to help you conquer your enemies. While the game is very grind-heavy, there's a lot to see and do. It would be nice to have more customisation with equipment and upgrades, but the experience is still solid enough if you give it a chance.

Maneater is an original concept that is brave enough to weigh an entertaining premise and pro-environmental message in equal measure. An over-reliance on repetitive item collecting mires a surprisingly Hemingway-esque tale that left me more than satisfied once the credits rolled. Tripwire Interactive managed to capture the thrill of playing one of the Ocean's apex predators in a game that shouldn't be missed. We don't often see games that offer the kind of unbridled fun that Maneater does.

I'm pretty sure this is the third game in a row that I've covered that has a post-apocalyptic setting, and of them all, Miasma Chronicles' world is by far the most interesting. Seeing classic American iconography all twisted and wrong is something that always catches my eye, and Miasma Chronicles delivers on that front. A must-buy for fans of XCOM and tactics games in general.

NeverAwake is a simple scrolling arcade twin-stick shooter. It is nothing new, but it does not need to be, as it does what it tries to pretty well. The game is fun with its good gameplay and art style. The powerups are well-paced alongside the game's difficulty, naturally ramping up in a way that felt challenging but never frustrating. The story acts as an emotional backdrop that creatively drives the gameplay.

Chroma Quaternion effectively stands as the new high-water mark for KEMCO games. If the developers could take the gameplay and enhancements that make this title shine and just elevate the storyline and writing, their next releases could be truly next-level. For anyone who enjoys these types of JRPGs, there's room to grow, but at this time, it's a fantastic way to spend your time.

Darwin's Paradox! is a wonderful platformer that's perfect for anyone needing a short adventure between larger games. With its entertaining levels, fun puzzles, and quirky enemies, its a great platformer that shouldn't be missed by any fan of the genre.

This Game Pack introduces werewolves to The Sims 4, and they've honestly done a really good job with this supernatural occult. Werewolves are fun to play as and bring a new challenge to the game. The new world Moonwood Mill is a great place to live if you want to play as a werewolf, and there's plenty of great new clothing and objects as well. Some things could be better, with rampage mode not being as impactful as it could have been, plus you can only really make the most of being a werewolf in Moonwood Mill, but otherwise The Sims 4 Werewolves doesn't disappoint.

I'm pleased to say that Finding America: The West Collector's Edition exceeded my expectations. I thought it would be all hidden objects puzzles, but there were others thrown in for extra measure, and even the numerous hidden objects puzzles had variety. The game was surprisingly addictive, but also pleasant to play and relaxing. It's definitely one of those games you want to play if you want to chill out with some not-too-challenging puzzles, even for a few minutes. Even the odd blip I encountered didn't deter me from giving this puzzle game a good thumbs-up.

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.