There are a lot of series out there that don't change much with each installment, like Madden, Pokemon, and Call of Duty. You should already know what you're getting into, it's guaranteed to please you if you already like it but will do little to convince you if you've already tried it and didn't like it. Earth Defense Force 6 fits into this role, comforting and familiar, like a nice family dinner, or that TV show you've watched a hundred times and always come back for more. I've heard it described as a perfect game to play with a podcast or a YouTube video in the background, and I wholeheartedly agree.

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.

I was honestly surprised by The Sims 4 Lovestruck Expansion Pack. I was admittedly sceptical about whether it was worth making a whole Expansion out of the concept of romance, but I'm very glad I was proven wrong. Lovestruck has continued the line of well put-together Expansion Packs in The Sims 4, and every box for a Sims 4 Expansion Pack has been ticked: CAS content, objects, world, and new gameplay. I highly recommend that you get Lovestruck, as I think you will be pleasantly surprised at everything it has to offer.

Exo One, be it on the PC, Xbox, or now PS4/5, is a must for gamers that appreciate a quiet, meditative experience with finely crafted audio and graphics, as long as you can forego of a detailed story, since you won't find any here. The game is essentially the same awesome experience I had in 2021, with the amazing addition of the DualSense capabilities for immersion. Based on that alone, this entry would have received a higher score than my original 9, but the occasional stutter right when you hit the highest velocities or impacts forces me to dock some points off.

Something old, something new. Although small frustrations abound – time challenges beget repetition and fast traversal is curtailed with precision jumping – movement is exhilarating within a gorgeous looking game. Remnants are familiar but enjoyable to scale and topple. The mysteries of the Ultravoid are there to be explained if you wish to find it, albeit you’ll need to know where you’re going. Seeing civilisations mashed together, the story shows how determination can overcome anything. And Solar Ash is worth the trip to see how it ends.

Gestalt: Steam & Cinder is a superb first impression from Metamorphosis Games. It doesn't revolutionize the 2D Metroidvania genre, but it creates an interesting world and offers action-packed gameplay with good challenge. However, there are a few issues with combat that need tweaking, and the presentation falls short in certain aspects when it comes to getting players invested. As well as a shop system that can be entirely ignored relatively easily.

Took me a while to finally play it but Sam & Max Save The World is the gold standard of comedic storytelling. With engaging gameplay, wacky puzzle design, and highly memorable characters. This game itches my brain in all the right spots, delivering a mostly joyful experience. Apart from some frustrations with certain puzzles, the adventures of Sam & Max are something no gamer should miss.

Weyrdlets ties productivity and casual gameplay together by letting you raise a pet on your desktop. It's nice seeing your pet come with you even as you work or play on your computer. It does take a long time to get set up and enjoy the cute activities that are advertised. But if you want something soothing that doesn't take up much time, Weyrdlets is a good fit for your schedule.

I've waited for what seems like ages for The Star Named EOS to be released, and was it worth the wait? I think so. It might not be the longest game, but this isn't a bad thing. The story will keep you going, and the puzzles will sharpen your brain, all set in a dreamlike environment. For almost $15, I feel that this game was worth the price. For a short narrative puzzle game, there's plenty to be getting on with, and plenty to take away. If puzzle games with a story are your thing, The Star Named EOS should be added to your collection.

V Rising successfully blends vampire tropes with survival crafting elements and action combat to create an immersive and oddly relaxing experience. Dodging the inconvenience of the sun as you expand your castle places you in the mindset of a young vampire, the atmospheric soundtrack adding to the soothing sense of solitude as you're harvesting resources. While there's a lack of narrative hooks, there is plenty of exploring, crafting and hunting to occupy your nights, and the choice is yours as to whether you traverse the expansive open world as part of a clan or enjoy spooky decorating in peace.

Red Hook Studios have done it again and provided another great experience in a dark and punishing world. Darkest Dungeon II feel new but familiar, providing a fantastic remixed gameplay loop alongside updated visuals. It may provide a different experience from its highly rated predecessor, but it stands on its own as an alternative way of playing a Darkest Dungeon title. I only wish that they'd ventured towards newer content than playing it safe by keeping mostly familiar faces. Hopefully Red Hook have more in store for this Darkest Dungeon adventure.

It's Grim Up North is a charming point and click adventure game with lots of character and humor to enjoy. Whether you're familiar with Yorkshire or not, it's great fun getting to know the quirky inhabitants of Terry's village. The puzzles are mostly very satisfying, but can be a little frustrating in a few instances. And whilst Chapter 1 played quite quickly, the plan for updated content should offer lots more for point and click adventure fans.

A Little to the Left: Seeing Stars DLC offers a new selection of cosy puzzles, complete with the pastel aesthetic and soothing soundtrack. The inclusion of more interactive aspects to different objects adds an element of delight to exploring each level, which is essential for finding the multiple solutions. Despite some slight difficulty spikes and a selfish hint system, A Little to the Left: Seeing Stars DLC is ideal for those looking to dive back in with a five minute brain teaser or an afternoon under the blanket.

A positive outlook on life provides a positive experience. Izzy’s emotional journey is worth exploring to see what happened next. The use of the journal made the emotional twists land. The Land of Estoria is a pleasant albeit safe environment, possibly mirroring Izzy’s mental state. The gameplay is straightforward, pleasant to explore despite an occasional lagging camera. Could there have been better variety here? Sure, but story is the focus here, with a nice art style and enjoyable music & voice acting to accompany it.

Drug Dealer Simulator 2 is an imperfect heir to the first Drug Dealer Simulator game, with many problems held back this game's potential, however, with the addition of multiple things such as weapons, new Reputation system, a more complex and in-depth drug distributions, Drug Dealer Simulator 2 remains a solid Narcos management game that can provide entertainment to all kinds of players to breeze through this year's Summer season.

The Rising Tide is, objectively speaking, the best piece of DLC content a single-player Final Fantasy game has ever received. It adds a few more hours to an epic experience that already felt complete and expands it slightly but beautifully, being carefully and naturally integrated into the main game. Another must-have for the enjoyers of the most genre-defying entry of the franchise.

After playing levels and levels of Fit My Cat, I realized one thing. It's like Tetris where you have to put the cats into an area and make them fit. Well, I guess you can also say it's like a jigsaw too. But, not only is it a puzzle game, but it's an adorable, simple and cutesy puzzle game! Going into it, I realized that the controls are a bit weird. I had to figure it out on my own, even the picture for the controls didn't help me as much. Throughout the game, I noticed that they are a bit stiff and wonky. The cats themselves, too, are a bit hard to maneuver, especially if you don't place them down correctly. But, it's hard to stay mad at it for too long because of its cute graphics, adorable ambiance and its simpleness to the game.

Once again The Chinese Room have delivered another intriguing story set in the realm of horror. They've stepped up everything from their gorgeous art design to the intense moments in the dark. Disregarding some awkward times swimming, the chase and stealth sections are intense and generally a good time. The monster designs are some of the best I've seen in a while making Still Wakes The Deep a must play for all fans of horror.

In an era filled with walking sims, animatronics and remakes, Crow Country is a humble and unique entry into the world of survival horror. Paying respects to its inspirations with pride, the art style and soundtrack fabricate the feeling of a PS1 classic, evoking nostalgia from a first time experience. Crow Country's story is well-paced, and despite a slightly anti-climatic ending the writing is thoughtful and humourous. A short run time with new game modes/weapons unlocked upon completion encourages another playthrough. SFB Games have also found a good balance between retro and modern controls, which makes Crow Country perfect for both genre veterans and beginners.

I used to have a motto of sorts for finding good restaurants. "Authentic doesn't mean good." You can't base the quality of something purely on how close it mirrors the thing it's representing. Trans-Siberian Railway Simulator is very authentic. Authentic stretches of kilometers filled with nothing but snow. Authentic silence. Authentic cold. It tries to spice things up with the absurdity of your Mafia missions, like being asked immediately to blow up a bridge. That shininess wears thin very quickly though, and the absurdity quickly turns to monotony. There's a decent game in here. If you like train sims, it's perfectly functional. If you like shooters... maybe look elsewhere. If you're looking for both, well, that's weird. But so is this game.

"Night Springs" is a great expansion to Alan Wake II that gives players a few hours of entertaining content with the kind of writing and style that Remedy excels at. It shows off the creativity of the studio, and how committed they are to doing things no other studio is doing. Some people may be disappointed that it doesn't explain the main game's confusing story, though.

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.

Corn Kidz 64 is a charming tribute to early 2000s N64 gaming and Saturday Morning Cartoons of that era. With a sold and easy to learn core gameplay loop, memorable characters, and a fun writing there is a lot to enjoy here. With everything looking and feeling like a lost N64 game in the best way possible. However the game is rather short and feels more like a proof of concept than a fully realised title.

V Rising is an incredibly solid RPG that is set within a gothic world where we must battle through against mankind and the sunlight through the lenses of a vampire, trying to restore the glory that once was theirs. The combat and environment within V Rising are highly addicting and satisfying that roaming around the map will always yield positive results. V Rising has almost everything that I want within an RPG game, and those who seek a game to spend their summer this year might want to take a look at V Rising.

Echoes of the Fallen is short but sweet, offering a final exciting dungeon with an increased, satisfying difficulty spike. For everyone who absolutely loved the regular combats of Final Fantasy XVI, this DLC is a must-have and just a little taste of what to expect from the next piece of additional content.

Going Rogue is an incredible experience for those willing to invest in it. Playing the game well requires taking the time to digest the lengthy rules, understand the token economy and getting used to group GMing. However, your efforts are more than rewarded as you are guided through a meaningful collaborative storytelling and get to vicariously fight tyranny in a very cathartic way!

Pine Hearts is a good choice if you want to play a cozy game that incorporates a little adventure, exploring, and storytelling. The storytelling side is surprisingly heart-tugging and told very well. Adventuring isn't too frustrating or difficult; there's enough to be action-packed while at the same time relaxing and easy-going. Exploring the Pine Hearts Caravan Park is also good fun, thanks to how beautifully crafted the world is and how alive it feels. The cutesy graphics and perfectly complementing music complete this charming cozy game.

Animal Well takes the Metroidvania model and provides a challenging and satisfying experience while also cutting off all the excess fat. There's basically no story, no upgrades, no flashing fighing mechanics. It proves that you can create a fantastic game with smart puzzle and level design alone, and by giving the player the freedom to figure things out.