Imperfections are just part of something's charm, aren't they? Despite the struggle of consuming a varyingly complete game on multiple occasions, the potential and intent beneath shine through beautifully. Effectively immersive and hits on most parts "fun" and "nostalgic," Prodigal is a feast for those craving a substitute for the long wait created by bigger, more expansive adventure titles. Even with its size, it juggles the question of whether bigger is better by making a relatively short journey one that resonates more deeply. And it has cute girls, if that's more your thing.

Biomass is a hard game to pin down for me. There were parts of it I thought were executed perfectly. But there were other times when I could see that the game still needs some work. The RPG leveling system, for example, gives a nice feeling of growth throughout the game. But the stats are never explained, and it took me a while to figure out what each one did. The world is huge, and fun to explore, but I often found myself wandering into places I’d already been. A map would have made the game much better. There is an NPC who offers you one, but the price he asks deterred me from using it. The boss battles are excellent, but the difficulty means you’ll die a lot. That wouldn’t be an issue were it not for the tedious journey from the save point back to the fight. This is a game with strong potential, but the lack of clarity drags it down.

All in all, 9th Dawn III is a solid RPG adventure, with all the side activities and exploration you could ask for. While the combat difficulty is sometimes poorly balanced, the grind to improve has an almost addictive quality that kept me coming back for more. The visual style, a throwback to a bygone era of open world games, was used well to keep the visuals both simple and exciting. By putting together some of the best parts of hit games, 9th Dawn III succeeds in breaking new ground while tapping into nostalgia for classics.

Outpost Delta manages to stand out thanks to an enjoyable combination of Metroidvania and Twin-Stick shooter mechanics. Unfortunately, instances of poor design and numerous glitches keep this sci-fi romp from achieving its full potential. At a price point that is significantly higher than comparably better games in the genre, it is difficult to recommend Outpost Delta to anyone other than Metroidvania junkies. That said, if some time can be spent optimizing the issues, I believe Outpost Delta can be a decent addition to the genre.

Endless Memories is a great first attempt at a Metroidvania and has plenty of reasons to entice fans of the genre to try it out. While the game drags at certain points and ultimately outstays its welcome. Great combat, beautiful visuals, and an amazing soundtrack made it a worthwhile experience.

If the arcade scene is your niche, you've found a surefire winner. Jetboard Joust will likely not find a large audience due to its arcade inspirations, which is evidenced by its mechanics and structure choices. Nevertheless, those looking for a brutal game to harness their skills, there's certainly a lot to like here. Colorful explosions, juicy crunch, and fluid animations will ensure that you'll pay attention for a good while. How much longer will depend entirely on your taste for its overall control and adherence to the retro mantra.

The game allows a casual experience for the novice but its true potential will only be unlocked when you crank up the difficulty and spend some time getting to know your army and what it can do. Do that, and you'll spend many hours beating back the German war machine with superior tactics to a very satisfying end.

This game was a great example of adjusting a classic formula to be more palatable to a modern audience. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, and it definitely doesn't try to be for purists, but if you find yourself wanting to scratch that JRPG itch but don't have time for long play sessions, then Crystal Ortha should definitely be on your list.

Wartile is a great example of variety within the strategy genre. The different cooldown mechanics, level design, and beautiful art style come together in a really satisfying way. While the end result is hampered a bit by the execution of the user interface, I really enjoyed my time with my tiny barbarian figurines.

While YesterMorrow succeeds in creating an interesting concept for gameplay, the implementation of time travel quickly becomes tedious, and without other interesting abilities, the platforming and puzzles quickly become boring. However, the story, visuals, and soundtrack help to make up for this, and will help drive you through to the game's conclusion.

DREAMO is a title that is probably bigger than it should be. The storyline issues and audio mishaps are problematic and do cause the entire package to suffer, but thankfully that package is built on some really solid puzzle mechanics. Moving around cogs didn't get old, and different layers of difficulty were introduced at a steady pace. Try out the demo before you commit to a purchase, and don't get stuck in the gears.

DeLight: The Journey Home has an important story to tell, about war and trauma and difficult choices. While the first two episodes didn’t quite hit the bullseye, I’m nevertheless curious to see whether the remaining instalments will be able to carry it through. It needs some revamping of the choice mechanics and the effects they actually have on the world and the people you meet, but I hope they manage it, because it really feels like a story worth telling.

I Am Your President: Prologue is a short and sweet story-driven political game that leaves you wanting more. It is brilliantly conceptualised and I definitely expect I Am Your President to take it up a notch once it releases. The game offers a fresh take on the very generic political genre of other titles and manages to make politics fun and everything else other than politics. I do wish the Prologue was a little longer as the cravings I now have won't let me rest until I play the main game. But all in all, a very good package.

Android Hunter A has a lot going for it - great music, timeless gameplay, and tight controls, but it lacks originality. If it weren't for the bugs I encountered, I would feel much safer recommending this game, even though I have faith that DigiPlox is working hard to fix 'er up. I want to revisit the game once they have had time to iron out some of the creases, but for now, Android Hunter A falls short of its true potential and lofty ambitions.

Although Speed 3: Grand Prix has an interesting gameplay concept, it fails to pull together the arcade and simulation sides of racing games in any memorable way. With a boring main tournament mode that recycles the same sort of gameplay over and over, not even solid visual design and a good soundtrack can save this game from being distinctly mediocre.

Ruinverse ended up being a middling entry in the KEMCO catalog. What it does, it does well, but the larger twist it was going for with the dual-soul feature doesn't really land as intended. For fans of the genre, it's a fine bone to chew on, but if you're looking for something more in your games, this isn't the one for you.

When compared to its peers, Millions of Minions does little to stand out. A few strange design choices and the lack of an engaging combat loop and item economy leads to a rather underwhelming experience. With a few changes, the game could be improved into something worthy of a decent first attempt.

Nine Witches: Family Disruption is a really funny game, riding high on its quirky jokes and the comedic timing of its lines. As a whole, it could have benefitted from focusing on developing its characters and polishing the story and presentation. While Nine Witches hits all the right notes to create a charismatic graphic adventure, it has some growing up (both literally and figuratively) to do before becoming an attention-grabbing franchise.

Charge Kid is a bite-sized idea that could turn into something great with some additional work. At this point, it's great for the price if someone is looking for a challenging platformer, but for players on Switch or PC, you'd be better off picking up something fully-formed, like Celeste.

Whether bitter or sweet, high school will always be memorable. The strengths of Fujiwara Bittersweet comes through the energy and expressiveness of its characters. They make the experience work, and unless you find them unsatisfactory, there is a lot to enjoy going through their stories, especially for free(!). However, from a structural standpoint, there's much to be desired in terms of variety, with a lot of things recycled over or stretched out needlessly. Buckled with some minor technical shenanigans, it's not an immediately recommendable visual novel. But above all, the wholesome vibes (and it being free) are more than enough to at least take a peek. And Ichigo.

Colt Canyon is a refreshing experience for the start of 2021's gaming calendar. Rather than focusing on a deep story, the game gives you a hectic but rewarding gameplay loop, with a combat system that has enough variety to keep you hooked for hours on end. This game going for so cheap feels like a highway robbery.

Overall, Figment's mobile incarnation is a worthy version of the game. The accessible format can garner a new host of fans. The franchise shines not just because of the music and art, but for its lovely characters and message. A sequel is on its way, which will hopefully reach in, improve and involve gameplay and puzzles as deep as the themes it presents. It's a must-play for those who love meaningful game OSTs and art-core puzzlers.

All in all, I feel like Academia: School Simulator is a great game. It's very casual and laid back but also delightful. If you're looking for a relaxing atmosphere and a great simulation game, this may just be it for you! It is leaving early access very soon and will be officially launched, so exciting. I've enjoyed this game since it first came to early access in 2017, and I'm thrilled to say Squeaky Wheel has nailed it.

I can't in good conscience recommend Silver Chains. It's not for a lack of effort; I'm sure that the development team worked very hard to ensure their vision. But it's a small package, and the Nintendo Switch isn't the best way to play the title. If you're looking to spend time in a fright-filled mansion that has an evil resident, there are other ways to scratch that itch. If you're looking for a scary game to play while safely tucked under your blankets, this would do the job for a couple of hours.

The benefits of putting all in one is that nothing is left out. An obvious assessment to many, but it creates an unforeseen consequence of having the clearly better portions be a reward for braving a lesser product. If Märchen Forest were simply Episode 3 with an additional introduction period, this would be a more consistently good game. Though to some extent my own expectations with it, given my experience with the previous iteration, also likely affected the outcome. As it stands, it's 13-15 hours of a good game just after 7-10 hours of a mediocre game. If you can wait, there's definitely some fun to be had. Just take your time; no rush.

Main Assembly is a joyous mixture of a lot of individually strong elements to make one big promising game. The game has everything to offer for a range of skill levels and has hours and hours of content to dive into. The multiplayer section of the game is a delight to hang around with your friends. You can truly create as much as your heart fancies and barring the slow driving mechanics, there isn't any other feature of this game that may discourage you from playing more!

Castle Kong is an excellent game choice for Donkey Kong fans who want to look at something new. The controls and overall gameplay mechanics don't change from what you know, but it's a fresh coat of paint on a 40-year-old title with full portability on the Nintendo Switch. If you're into chasing down high scores and are confident in your abilities, this should be on your radar.

I enjoyed Asdivine Cross more than expected. Against other recent titles from this publisher, this title shows that we’re getting steadily closer to a true home run from KEMCO. There are still some things to work on, and some rough edges to sand down, but this is a great option for a lower-cost RPG that honors your time and still provides you with a good experience.