With a simple UI and a basic story to follow, I believe Lightracer Spark is a great addition to anyone’s library that is looking for something soothing to play. With a tutorial that ensures players are knowledgeable about the mechanics here as well as a visual style that makes it easy to get lost in, this game is a relaxing journey to go through that has moments of frustration. If you are able to overcome this initial feeling of frustration and really commit these mechanics to memory, you will find a gem of a game that utilizes all of the mechanics introduced in the game. It is nice to see that everything introduced here continues to show up down the road, even if it is infrequent and hard to recall right away.

Unfortunately, this isn’t long enough. Around 5 hours will get you through the body of the game and that was disappointing. Yes, there are collectables to find, but these add little to the action. What was great, though, were the interesting puzzles and riddles. These slower elements added some difficulty while breaking up the never-ending fights.

For now, I definitely think it is a great niche option for deckbuilding fans that love a challenge, and the strategy involved surely had me biting and coming around to look forward to trying more deck building games in the future.

Your enjoyment of Labyrinth of Zangetsu will largely depend on how you feel about dungeon crawlers as a whole: despite its fascinating aesthetics, at its core this game is a very familiar experience. If you’re not already a fan of the genre, this probably won’t be a particularly enjoyable use of your time. However, if you’re looking for your next dungeon crawler fix, you could do much worse than Labyrinth of Zangetsu.

Escape from The Red Planet may have its flaws, however, it is still a fun game. From its pleasant visuals to its engaging gameplay, this title is an enjoyable experience. Despite the repetitive soundtrack and the lack of content within the game, I recommend playing this game.

Little Witch Nobeta is nothing special. It does nothing better than any other number of games I could name. Its gameplay becomes fairly stale the moment you realise how truly limited your options are, there’s no sense of character building beyond flat stat upgrades, and the level variety is so stale that if not for some puzzles, I would have been convinced that the levels were randomly generated. The game has some love put into it with the unlockable costumes and the small lore tidbits, but I just can’t recommend this to anyone who’s played a souls/ soulslike game before. Sure it’s fairly cheap, but there’s no shortage of cheap (and better) soulslikes.

What The Bat is a fun-filled, imaginative VR puzzle game that, as you can imagine, involves a lot of hitting things with a bat! While it’s not always perfect, it’s an imaginative and fun game and worth trying.

Havendock is a cute and addictive base building title. Can you manage yourself, your settlers, and the surrounding world to survive for as long as possible? Build structures, farm, fish, and dive below the waves in this wonderfully deep city-building experience.

A sleek and good-looking zombie smashing experience. Great combat and sense of humour are shackled to a sadly formulaic feel.

Not For Broadcast is a fantastic political simulation title. With whacky characters, interesting scenarios, and multiple outcomes, this will keep you busy for hours. Can you manipulate your audience and change the political landscape?

OTXO is an incredible noir-shooter. Played out from a top-down perspective, this monochromatic title is hellish, cruel, but oh so addictive. Thanks to the rogue-like mechanics and tough enemies, this will keep you playing for hours. Stand aside Vampire Survivors a new champion has arrived to take your crown!

Ayre and the Crystal Comet is a poor example of the genre. With badly optimised visuals, clumsy controls, and a world devoid of life, this will leave you wanting. On top of this, you can walk through the trees, the swimming animation is awful, and the less we say about the dragon and Ayre, the better! However, it isn't all doom and gloom. No, thankfully, the audio is good; the UI is well-considered, and there is plenty to do. Had the developer spent more time optimising the experience, then the game would have been much improved.

Hyper-5 is an excellent modern shmup. With amazing graphics, excellent audio, and moreish gameplay, this is a must-play title for fans of the genre. What's more, with loads of content, it'll keep you playing for hours.

In conclusion, Beyond Contact may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it has plenty to offer for those who are new to survival games or simply looking for a sci-fi adventure with a distinctive visual twist. If you’re new to survival games or just love the sci-fi aesthetic, it’s definitely worth a shot. But for survival game veterans, it might feel a bit too simple or uninteresting. However, I still encourage others to try Beyond Contact for themselves and see what they think about it. Happy gaming!

Maybe TRON diehards will get more out of Identity than I did. But to me, TRON Identity feels a lot like most TRON media: stale and running out of ideas.

Shadows of Doubt is an incredible and must-play detective simulation game. Thanks to its procedurally generated world, you never know what to expect. Moreover, a vibrant but grim atmosphere hangs in the air like a bad smell. Can you solve every crime you encounter? Search for the clues, piece together the evidence, and point the finger! This is one indie title that you cannot afford to miss. [Early Access Score = 85]

Rusted Moss is as beautiful as it is infuriating. An uncompromising metroidvania that looks and plays great. Its simplicity may lead to a few issues but it has a lot to give if you can break through its high difficulty.

I believe it executes well on what it sets out to accomplish, however the game does feel very rough around the edges and with further polish, could be a much more exciting experience.

Lost Dream: Darkness is one of the worst games I have ever played. If it wasn’t for this review, I would have quit the game halfway throughout of pure boredom. While the sound design is alright, every other aspect of the game is lacking. I do not recommend giving this game a go even for its fairly cheap price. I hope that this title leads to a better game in the future from these developers.

Mangavania is an old-school platformer with a dated aesthetic. What's more, its simple approach works well because of the short stages. However, if you wish to find everything, you must unlock every skill and return to explore the otherwise unreachable areas. My only complaints are a lack of depth and that it ends far too soon.

The Great War: Western Front: is a wonderful treat for those who have experience with the RTS genre and an intense interest in history. For those like myself who have no experience with RTS games however, this can be a major struggle to get through and has the potential to be just another game in a backlog that won’t be touched again after the initial hours.

Akka Arrh is a strange and surreal arcade title that nearly never made the light of day. With psychedelic graphics, a booming soundtrack, and weird mechanics, this is aimed at a niche audience. However, this crazy title can be enjoyed by everyone as you lose yourself in the moment. My only complaint is that things can get a tad hellish.

A nice central idea that's dragged down by a cluster of other frustrations. Shows promise but isn't quite ready for prime time.

Cions of Vega is a slow and atmospheric walking simulator. With interesting puzzles, understated platforming elements, and touching narration, this proves that Bodur is back to his best. However, a lack of replay value and longevity prevents it from excelling.

For a meditation on creativity, you can’t help but wish it had a couple more ideas of its own.

Bayonetta Origins is a fantastic game with a beautiful art style, engaging puzzle gameplay, and an endearing story. In spite of the maze-like forest, the game does an excellent job of guiding you. Furthermore, the game has plenty of accessibility features for players who might struggle with the unique gameplay. Overall, Bayonetta Origins is an incredible game that is always a treat to play.

If you yearn for the days of the classic arcade platformer and don’t mind being abused by non-descript astronauts, then Moons of Darsalon could be worth a bit of your time (and money I guess). Just don’t expect the next classic in the genre.

Defend the Rook is a tough rogue-lite turn-based tower defence title. With multiple classes to pick from, many enemies to thwart, and some challenging levels to overcome, this isn't for the faint of heart. I adored every moment, but sluggish controls let it down. Other than this, it is a great game that should be on your radar.