What stands out most is how natural all of it feels. Utara Village feels like it has always been part of Dave’s world. The freshwater ecosystem gives players something genuinely different to explore, and the steady introduction of new mechanics means the DLC never becomes overwhelming despite how much there is to do. While I hope that MINTROCKET continues building onto Dave’s existing adventure rather than splitting it into separate games, I’ll happily dive back in either way.

Humour and horror are great partners, and Letter Lost balances both incredibly well. One moment you’re losing a finger to a shredder, and the next you’re mocking a customer for centering their entire personality around riddles and moles. When Liv isn’t vague and secretive, she’s fun to joke around with, and peeking into people’s letters reveals amusing discussions. Fun quips and light-hearted moments cut through the oozing tension of Kharnym Post and solidify this game as an entertaining rollercoaster of emotions. Letter Lost has overall been an incredibly enjoyable experience for me, and I thoroughly recommend it as a game to try your hand at. (Though hopefully you can get through without losing quite so many fingers as I did).

My review started with me saying it is unusual for a game to grab me immediately. By the end, I understood why this one did. Tavern Talk Stories: Dreamwalker isn’t just telling a fantasy story; it’s telling a human one.

The spotty performance and the lingering clunkiness keep it from greatness, and not every player will vibe with a game that actively refuses to make their life easier. But if you give the Colony the time it demands, you will find one of the most immersive RPG worlds ever made, looking better than it ever has.

If you’re looking for a management game that offers something a little different from the usual city-building formula, this is an easy recommendation. Its blend of strategy, environmental restoration, and relaxing presentation makes for an engaging experience that stands out in a crowded genre. Whether you’re a longtime fan of management games or simply looking for something with a unique premise, this underwater adventure is well worth diving into.

Solarpunk, as a genre and movement, is built around imagining better futures and alternative ways of living. Here, that idea never fully develops; there is a beautiful sky to explore, but not enough substance beneath it.

The puzzle design is strong, and the visual presentation is beautiful. The story may not dig as deeply as I hoped, but it’s a unique and welcome portrayal of how grief can be soft and swallow you whole at the same time.

Despite a handful of frustrations, I still had a fun time with Duck Side of the Moon. Its charming world, adorable characters, and relaxing gameplay loop make it an easy game to enjoy. Especially if you like cosy exploration games with a bit of humour mixed in. The deeper themes about burnout and slowing down also helped give the adventure a little more emotional weight beneath all the space duck chaos. That said, the game’s short length and technical issues do make the price tag feel slightly steep, especially on the original Nintendo Switch. Between the grainy visuals, clipping problems, and occasional gameplay frustrations, the experience sometimes felt rough around the edges. Still, the game’s personality and charm managed to carry me through those issues more often than not. If you enjoy cosy indie adventures, this is still one worth keeping an eye on alongside all the other cosy titles releasing this year.

Coffee Talk Tokyo is a game that explores how small acts of kindness can become lifelines, and why connection is the most powerful thing we have in life.

Mi’pu’mi managed to pleasantly surprise me with Black Jacket. The demo felt like a clever experiment, but the complete experience feels like a complete, layered game with a welcome narrative component. Playing the demo, you would be forgiven to think it was just “Blackjack with hats”. The ceiling, however, turned out to be much higher than it looked, thanks to the willingness of the team to experiment with the formula. The cards do things, the bosses feel like people, and the run actually goes somewhere. The juxtaposition with Balatro has been hovering over Black Jacket like a Sword of Damocles. To be honest, I think it’s an unfair comparison. Maybe it’s not a genre-defining game like Balatro is, but it’s a weirder and more deliberately narrative proposition. Black Jacket tries, and in my opinion succeeds, in carving their own place in the genre. I can’t wait to see how it will be expanded in the future.

Vultures – Scavengers of Death is a great time for lovers of either Tactics games or Survival Horror. If you’re a sucker for both like me, you’ve found a new obsession and a new team to keep a careful eye on.

Despite its simplicity, there’s a lot of charm holding everything together. The conspiracy-heavy writing, oddball NPCs, and constant stream of strange theories give the game a personality that keeps you curious about what will happen next. Even when the gameplay becomes routine, the world itself remains engaging enough to keep pushing forward, especially as new upgrades and shop expansions gradually change how you interact with the station. Overall, it’s a cosy but slightly chaotic management experience that works best when you lean into its weirdness rather than expecting deep simulation systems. If you enjoy laid-back shop sims with personality and don’t mind some repetition, there’s a lot to enjoy here.

It still needs work in some areas. Tutorials need expanding, the collectables need clearer visibility, and a few systems could communicate information better. But those problems feel fixable because the foundation underneath them is already solid. More than anything, my Dead as Disco review comes down to how memorable the game feels. It is stylish without feeling hollow, angry without feeling preachy, and difficult without becoming unfair (most of the time, it needs some tweaks). This isn’t my one perfect 10/10 game for the year, but it gets super close, and I genuinely think the full release could end up being something special. [Early Access Score = 90]

Bus Bound is difficult to review because so many of its features will be shortcomings for some players and selling points to others. Those craving a realistic bus or transport management sim will find the title lacking desirable features. However, players who just want to hop behind the wheel of a bus and get rewarded for exploring a city with simple mechanics will find hours of enjoyment in stillalive Studios’ latest game. Despite the issue I’ve honed in on in this review, Bus Bound remains a game I will revisit long after the review period. It offers a relaxing driving experience with the ability to curate routes and session length to your liking. It also sets solid foundations for any future updates.

The gameplay lacks depth, the systems need clearer guidance, and the overall package feels too early, even for an early access release. The timing feels off, too; a winter launch could have helped this land with more impact, but releasing it in spring makes it harder for players to connect with its vibe. [Early Access Score = 60]

Moomintroll: Winter’s Warmth is a visually charming and faithful adaptation of the Moomins that captures the heart and tone of its source material, even if its gameplay struggles to keep up. While the repetitive task structure and frustrating navigation can wear you down over time, the game’s beautiful presentation, strong atmosphere, and authentic character portrayals make it a cosy, if occasionally uneven, experience.

It’s a game I’d recommend with caveats: Adjust the settings, be patient, and expect to die more than you think you should. If you can meet it halfway, there’s something worthwhile here.

Sintopia is interesting, creative, and sometimes very funny. It just needs some tweaking to let its best ideas breathe.

At the end of it all, this is one of those games I know I’ll come back to. Not because I have to, but because I want to. And honestly? That says a lot.

For a couple of bucks, this won’t disappoint. It has hours of gameplay and some really well-thought-out mechanics. It’s not a total brain worm, but it’s a fun haunted jaunt nonetheless. Skull Horde might not make it to our list of greatest indie titles of all time, but very few do.

Overall, it’s a great game for casual puzzle players who want something fun but not too challenging.

Aside from some goofy cutscenes, chill music, and an at base satisfying loop, Restore Your Island left me frustrated, especially for the price tag. Even with more content promised on the horizon, I can’t recommend this game, especially on launch. If you’re looking for a cozy, satisfying cleaning sim, there are plenty of options with more bang for your buck.

High Above is, at release, a strong game, but it also feels like a game that could grow into something even better. Thankfully, the developer actively listens to his community and posted a roadmap for future updates alongside the game’s release, so I’m excited to see what High Above evolves into. If you’re looking for a game to play in the long hours of the night, this is one I’m happy to suggest to you.

All together, KuloNiku: Bowl Up! blends cosy gameplay, storytelling, and creative mechanics into a package that’s easy to recommend. It’s a flavorful take on the genre that brings just enough new ingredients to the table to stand out, one that’s well worth digging into.

There’s a meaningful, well-written story here, supported by thoughtful design choices. But repetitive minigames and a lack of guidance hold it back. Fishbowl doesn’t try to be broadly appealing, and that’s both its strength and its limitation.

If this kind of deliberate deckbuilder, one where you constantly have to adapt rather than simply optimize, speaks to you, Bloodletter is worth playing even now. Otherwise, you may want to look elsewhere. [Early Access Score = 75]

This game explores grief, love, and the struggle to move forward when part of you remains stuck in the past. It doesn’t always give clear answers, and sometimes that’s frustrating. But it stays with you, and that’s what Life is Strange has always done best. My Life is Strange: Reunion review will sit at a well-deserved [85].

It’s great for nostalgia. It just doesn’t quite have the depth to keep you long-term. Still, as a cross-generational game, especially one with a physical edition rather than just a virtual release, it does something special: Parents who grew up with Neopets can share that with their kids, and that matters. That’s where this game shines the most.