POOLS for a lack of a better term could be called a cozy horror game. Instead of being creepy-cute like other darker games within that category, this game is creepy-cool. Each level flows into a floaty, dream-like experience. The "horror" lies in how the player perceives the environment in spite of the beautiful and sleek visuals. POOLS is a reserve of an almost constant air of unease. Instead of the classic horror elements, POOLS is a nervy, slow-burn that dives deep into your own personal anxieties.

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.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a beautiful game that navigates the difficult journey of grief. Abubaker Salim delivers a great story and performance that resonates with anyone going through that process. It’s backed up with stunning visuals and a score that supports this strong story. While this game doesn’t reinvent the Metroidvania, fans of the genre will still be impressed. Hopefully, they’ll fix the bug of having Zau frozen after exiting the menu. Despite that, Tales of Kenzera is an impressive debut from Surgent Studios.

If I was to review Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin on its story and production value then it would be an easy nine out of ten at least. The writing and voice acting is superb and the in game models are near perfect recreations of the table top models. Sadly the gameplay itself is sorely lacking, with an awkward juxtaposition between traditional RTS missions and more MOBA styled fast paced gameplay.

If you're looking for a simple puzzle game with some narrative on the side, Doctor Cat is something to consider giving a go. I have to admit, there are a few flaws and it does sometimes miss the mark in what it sets out to do, but I like the approach that's been taken with this game, making it something more than just a game with a few puzzles. Although there are things I would personally have done differently, the game does at least provide an interesting challenge, and at the end, you get to replay the puzzles in a more difficult mode.

Viewfinder is an enjoyable time. The story is unobtrusive and is there if you want to find it. The hub areas and levels are gorgeous to look at. The game generally has a good learning curve, bringing in new elements to stay fresh. The levels aren’t long, providing a playthrough which doesn’t overstay its welcome. There is one world which restricts your creativity which I didn’t care for, but there is plenty here to enjoy. This is apparent within specific photographs, but the use of perspective and your own ingenuity always amazed me when creating pathways within an environment. Good music and voice acting complete an enjoyable experience for anyone interested in puzzle games. One not to be missed.

Stellar Blade is nowhere near perfect, however, some of its imperfections help us, the players, to understand and admire the game's strengths while also acknowledging its drawbacks. The combat is awesome, albeit there is a slight discomfort with how the Dodge mechanic works. Another strong point of Stellar Blade is how it incorporates the musical tracks throughout the game, thus giving us a sneak peek of what the developers are capable of when it comes to producing brilliant soundtrack design in their video games. Overall, Stellar Blade is not a game for everyone, however, it largely manages to capture the hearts of souls-like players and newcomers to begin their journey in this genre by mowing down the enemies with grace through the lenses of Eve.

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.

House Flipper 2 is a great installment in the ever-expanding genre of games all about doing chores we play games to avoid doing. It serves as a great creative outlet for people who love interior design, and to help people discover their love of it. However, it's not for everyone. And I can easily see some people getting bored with the admittedly repetitive experience rather quickly.

Little Alchemy 2 is worth playing because it adds to your gaming experience and science knowledge. Although lack of progress after exhausting all the elements makes the game a bit unfair, you'll never go wrong by trying it. Little Alchemy is compatible with PCs, tablets, and mobile devices, so you can even play it in the comfort of your couch. Salute to Recloak Games.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is without a single doubt the most ambitious FF game to date and drives the story to a much better-crafted concept than its predecessor. It is massive, it expands and upgrades several aspects that previous games of the series have failed to construct. Even with its few but notorious flaws, it marks a benchmark on modern FF games and gives Square Enix the crucial responsibility to make the conclusion of this trilogy as memorable as we all expect it to be.

The Kindeman Remedy is a mixed bag of good ideas in a not so well executed procedure. With its tiresome repetitive gameplay, lack of challenge, and odd story decisions. It feels like a first attempt at a great game that delves into dark and twisted themes. But sadly gets confused on what it wants to be with its gameplay. I hope the developers are able to lean from what they got right and create a better twisted tale down the line.

Rock Climbing? is a fun indie platformer with a rock solid yet also rock hard core gameplay loop. There is no denying that this game isn't for everyone. And there are a few quirks of the gameplay that do undermine it somewhat. But for a quick game to play on and off or to even stream it is great fun for the entry price.

After waiting for the chance to play it on PlayStation 5, The Last Case of Benedict Fox doesn't give me everything I wanted, but gives enough for a decent trip into the world of Lovecraft. Though its story and parts of the combat do let the game down, the art style, puzzle solving and the exploration that Metroidvania's provide really did save it from me putting it down and never playing again.

All in all, as far as hidden objects games go, Sophia the Traveler is pretty decent. It does have a few minor flaws, but you'll soon be warped into the beautifully hand-crafted scenes of Venice, surrounded by amazing sights and sounds as you search hard for people and objects. The large and highly-detailed scenes might seem overwhelming, but these are the ones that will hook you into the game and keep you absorbed until you find every object. Plus, the game does offer a lifeline if you do get truly stuck, however, it is a lot more satisfying when you find something by yourself after spending ages trawling the sprawling scenes.

Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator successfully delivers on the title's promise, removing the gruelling labours of a gardener and replacing them with rewarding gameplay mechanics. The controls are simple and repetitive, but never becomes stale as plentiful tasks will keep you on your toes. Plant growth feels responsive to your actions as you nurture nature, the resulting flowers bright and vibrant, as are the decorations you can place around the garden. Aside from the plant limit preventing a full scale botanical gardens and the slightly wearing inventory sorting, Garden Life is a peaceful and pleasant experience which allows you to play at your own pace, enhancing the cozy vibes.

Botany Manor is an excellent game and I am very glad I chose to play this title, especially as I've been waiting for its release for a while, hoping it wouldn't disappoint, and it most certainly didn't. The manor and gardens were beautifully designed, the puzzles were fun to solve and well thought-out, Arabella's character was well developed, and the game on a whole was very charming and relaxing. Even though it only took me 4-5 hours to complete this game, it felt long enough and I enjoyed every minute of it. I don't have anything negative to say about it, except one fleeting glitch that thankfully sorted itself out, but otherwise I had a wonderful time playing this.

Atomic Heart offers great graphics and enjoyable combat. While the weapon variety is moderate and the story predictable with some cheesy dialogue, the game excels in providing enjoyable character upgrades. Though it may not fully live up to the initial hype, it remains a decent choice for players craving an immersive dystopian game with an incredible soundtrack.

It’s tricky trying to recapture the magic of a specific world but Night School Studio have pulled it off. It’s excellently written, I enjoyed the dynamic between Riley & Jacob with the subplot of trying to chart your course through life the beating heart to a familiar but still exciting paranormal adventure. It’s an enjoyable world to explore but I would have preferred more to do and it has very long loading times. However, it looks great, it sounds great and when you start to tune your radio, the sparks will fly. Fans of the original won't want to miss this one.

Crush the Industry is a great starter Roguelike for people looking to try out the genre, or have failed to properly enjoy one before. The addition of deck-building and RPG mechanics allow for more customization and a heightened focus on skill and strategy. However, there are still luck-based occurrences that can get annoying, and people who despise repetition won't get much off of the experience.

Farming Simulator Kids may be tailored towards younger audiences, but it shouldn't deter older players who want to play something safe, simple, and cozy. It might turn off some harder core players who prefer difficult campaigns and more goal-oriented gameplay, but others may prefer the slower carefree pace that Farming Simulator Kids offers. This is an ideal game for younger players who want to dabble in farming games, learning about farming in the process. The cheerful art style is also appealing, giving a children's picture book look. This game may not be like the other Farming Simulator games, but it shouldn't be overlooked.

Shines Over: The Damned is not the atmospheric and uneasy horror title I hoped it would be. It's not much of anything actually, offering no scares, no story, an eerie soundtrack that leaves as quickly as it starts, and some rough visual design. Despite it's brisk pace, I can confidently say your time is better spent elsewhere playing any other horror video game.

If you're looking for a solid Action-RPG this game ticks most of the boxes. It's not going to be for everybody, as I said the way the quests are so open-ended can be a major turn off for some gamers. But, it does feel extremely satisfying when you discover a unique way to achieve something. The combat is the real selling point. I've honestly spent more time fighting monsters than I have progressing through the story and I'm still only experiencing a small part of the total combat experience. If a game with a few quirks but a solid base sounds good to you, then this one is definitely worth a try.

Rail Route is a charming game that satisfies the simple desire to design a railway network, with all its quirks and challenges. Its minimalist vibe lets the game boil down to this one, simple concept. If you enjoy building a network, automating it, and watching it come to life based on your strategic insights and guesstimates, you'll have a blast. And with near-endless maps, this game offers a lot of molds for you to live your wildest network designer dreams.

Hearts Of Iron IV: Trial Of Allegiance is a perfectly adequate piece of DLC. Whilst it does add some decent content, what we get feels rather inconsistent. With some focus trees being full of variety and flavour. And others feel a little 'mid' at best and lacking at worst. With the overall thrust of most trees ultimately being nearly identical. Ultimately, unless you are playing as one of these nations, you'll never really notice the changes.

Alone in the dark is not as fluid or refined as some other remakes in the genre. It has some technical limitations. What Alone in the Dark does do better than its peer is deliver on an engrossing narrative, and an excellent voice cast with Derceto as the main character. Those looking for an action horror or survival horror video game might be turned off by some of its uninspired action gameplay, but those that stick around will be treated with a fantastic psychological experience.

The Warhammer DLC is pretty neat, but it isn’t exactly as amazing as some of the other ones FuturLabs is currently selling. If you are an avid follower and player of Warhammer, you may enjoy some of the Easter eggs and understand a bit more of the nuance behind the messages. Unfortunately, it feels just a bit too expensive for five new vehicles/machines to clean without any wide areas. Despite having this large, open area that you don’t have to clean, you don’t get to see any of the previous vehicles despite there clearly being space for them. It would have felt more satisfying and conclusive if you saw your journey up to the Thunderhawk. The Warhammer DLC just doesn’t compare to the free content and other DLCs already in PowerWash.

Anuchard, a 2D retro-inspired RPG, immerses players in a high-resolution world filled with charm and whimsy. The game's pixel art aesthetic beautifully merges nostalgia with modern visuals, creating a unique immersive experience. Featuring an engaging story, clever dialogue, and perfect blend of old-school charm and modern gameplay mechanics, Anuchard offers a captivating single player journey.