I have no desire to finish the game at this point. I play roguelites to feel a sense of progression. Playing a run of 868-BACK feels like a chore, and sitting through runs where I have failed too often for it to be winnable is painful with no reset button. I have accepted that this is not the game for me.

A social sim with enormous potential, and a bit of everything. [Early Access Score = 75]

Blueberry is a movie-length, story-platformer that unpacks a whole lot of relatable intergenerational trauma across one lifetime.

Curiosity and play are embraced in this fantastic experimental adventure, but Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is more of a brief read than a long-lasting epic.

Titanium Court kept my attention the entire way with fantastic writing, an intriguing world and a uniqueness that can only be described with experience.

Motorslice arrives with a genuinely cool premise and a world worth exploring, but clunky movement, shallow combat, and some unexpected creative choices mean it never gets close to its own potential.

At its core it is a racing game, no matter how many exploration elements and fun collectibles they hide on side streets. That being said, Playground has put an immense amount of effort into creating a love letter to Japan and its iconic car scene, something that car enthusiasts have been waiting for far too long.

The only fighting in this game was between my need for action and my love of cosiness.

Gecko Gods is an absolute delight as you explore the beautiful, chill world as a tiny gecko. Solve puzzles, smash pots and sail a boat around while you work towards waking up the gecko gods.

Goblin Vyke: The Thief Tycoon is impressive, with a good variety and gameplay loop and enough story to keep you engaged and motivated to continue a run. It has three difficulties, the recommended one being a good mix of challenge and reward. It brings out the determined gamer and satisfies the likes of the tycoon player and the puzzle-game enjoyer. I will definitely be sinking some more time into this one.

Lucky Tower is a charming but flawed buggy roguelike with unintuitive controls.

An ultimately disappointing end to a story with so much potential.

Despite having such simple gameplay loops, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream just kept drawing me back in multiple times a day, desperate to see how the little creatures were coping with the daunting experience of being alive. If I used this game to cope with missing my friends, that’s between me and the other version of me. All I know for sure is I loved every second.

Survival craft fun with great depth and intrigue. [Early Access Score = 80]

A quick and calming escape from stresses and timers.

I did little happy dances every time I played one of my favourite games but for an older fan who hasn’t played Neopets in a long time, once you play a mini game there’s not a lot to keep you coming back for more.

With slick gunplay, striking art direction, and relentlessly punishing encounters, Marathon stands out amongst the mass of online shooters.

Crabmeat is a chill crabbing game, nothing but you and the waves, until it’s not and you have to defend your ship from the giant crabs.

Cupiclaw is a simple rogue-lite with a fun mechanic but a frustrating lack of items at the start.

A remake that feels both faithful and refreshing for long-time fans while remaining an absolute thrill for newcomers.

Equal parts story, exploration, and friend-making, POKÉMON POKOPIA is more than I possibly thought I could ever ask for from a game. Sure, it has some kinks to be ironed out, but I cannot honestly think of another time ever that I hit 20+ hours of play time within the first three days of release.

Providing a mostly faithful recreation, Rayman Legends 30th Anniversary Edition gave me an accurate glimpse into the past, but not an enjoyable experience.

I’m 70 hours into this beast and still finding new things to try out, new mechanics to unpack and unlocking new combos to try in battle...The roller coaster ride has barely started, and I hope it never ends.

I wanted to like this a lot more than I did.

A great cast of characters and the thrill of Fever Rackets help Mario Tennis Fever overcome its minimalist Adventure mode.

A beautiful, monochrome tale about a whimsical little being on a journey that embodies the fairy theme spectacularly.

In its current form, it’s an entertaining casual offering with some replayability. This combined with the easy-to-learn, difficult-to-master gameplay and upgrade system, makes it worth a try for any cooking sim or roguelite enjoyer. [Early Access Score = 70]

Initially overwhelming but ultimately addictive, Mewgenics’ unlockable features, fun bosses and item synergies eventually sucked me into the layered, turn-based combat system, its inclusivity and great UI an added bonus but its music and problematic collaborations didn’t thrill me.

Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven, and in fact the game as a whole, is not defined by the false-god worshipping, dark imagery, and occasional cavern made of actual pulsating flesh it finds itself packaged in. The story lives and breathes, carrying the same love and care that we have always been able to expect from this incredible team. I love this game, and this DLC is a poetic inclusion to the symphony of the Lamb.

It’s a unique offering with enough to keep you engaged through a campaign, and with different endings depending on how you play the game, there’s a welcome portion of replayability too.