The Holy Gosh Darn is a great adventure game, especially for those who love irreverent humor. It has its flaws, especially when it comes to the precision of the control, but it is darn fun to play around with time manipulation and see Cassy become more and more aggravated with the folks around her who have no clue about what is going on. On the downside, having to travel back in time so much and the piling up of secondary tasks can become a bit overwhelming. It will take a long couple of hours before you get your bearings, and even then, it will feel like you have a lot to do. But when did that stop any true adventurer?

Silent Hill 2 Remake is at least as good as the Resident Evil 2 Remake and that says a lot. They explore the horror genre from different angles but offer the same immersive results. Konami seems to have learned a lot from Capcom, and they manage to offer their fans exactly what they expect. Silent Hill 2 Remake is not just the best remake of the year, but also one of the best games released in 2024. If you have fond memories of the original you will love this new release, and if you did not play it before you no longer have excuses to avoid it.

Selfloss is a great concept and has a tremendous atmosphere, that is let down by an unpolished gameplay. It is an indie gem with all the good and the bad, typical for this kind of title. The focus is on the story and the emotions it awakens in the player, while the control and the combat system could have benefited a lot from more careful planning. Overall, it is a game worth experiencing for its soul.

Bloomtown: A different story is a wonderful JRPG, with western inspired themes, beautiful pixel art graphics and a challenging yet immersive gameplay. Sometimes it can become overwhelming, but the diabolical black humor tends to give you the necessary jolt to continue. It might not be as polished as a Persona game, but it is coherent and exciting, being a great choice for the fans of RPGs that you can lose yourself in. There are some weak points, where I wish the game could have been a bit more mature, but overall, it is great fun.

Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged is a laudable effort that despite its merits annoys me. First and foremost because it’s part of the remaster trends that keep plaguing this generation. Secondly, because it made me realize that one of my childhood’s iconic games was a much more special experience in my memories. There’s nothing really wrong with this remaster, but unlike Full Throttle or Grim Fandango, it shattered some illusions I was holding onto regarding the golden age of point and click adventure games.

Rogue Waters is a good combination of pirate theme, ship battles, deck combat, and rogue-lite. The very fact that it mixes so many elements means that none of them have a ton of depth. I like the fast, turn, and character-driven boarding battles, even when the difficulty spikes and defeat seems inevitable. I would have liked extra options for the ship-to-ship engagements. The pirate elements work well with the run and upgrade systems, especially once players get a solid crew and start rotating them. All its systems can become repetitive, and the game starts off a little slow. Still, Rogue Waters is quick, engaging, and gives gamers the tools to create interesting pirate stories.

Frostpunk 2 blends classic city development ideas with an interesting take on political horse-trading. The need to secure votes will push player outside of their comfort zone. I like the extra tension, but the two sides of the game sometimes feel disconnected from one another, especially when factions act irrationally as the survival of New London is in play. 11 bit studios has taken a risk by creating a sequel that is too different in terms of mechanics for some fans of the original. Frostpunk 2 isn’t as personal or granular but the political aspect is a good innovation and enhances the more traditional exploration and city building.

Halls of Torment offers a good take on survival action mechanics. Many players will pick it up not only because of the strong core loop but also because of its presentation, which evokes Diablo in all but the smallest details. Anyone who loved the Blizzard titles and appreciates fast-paced combat with a focus on good upgrade choices will have fun. But nostalgia will not be enough for those looking for innovation in a crowded genre. The game’s world feels limited and the meta-progression mechanics aren’t enough to ensure the moment-to-moment action remains fresh. Halls of Torment does not transform its genre but can quickly become addictive for players who are into the mechanics and the general Diablo vibe.

I like Diesel Punk to some degree and I had some expectations from The Last Shot, at least to be refreshingly different and maybe memorable. Instead, I got a game that is neither fun, nor original. Sure, the visual style stands out at first, but it is not enough to keep you invested in a bad game. The Lats Shot feels like the result of childish enthusiasm, a game made by a kid who does not really understand game design and just threw together his favorite moments from his favorite games without considering whether they work together or not.

Dark Sky is a focused mix of card combat and more classic role-playing. The science-fiction universe is varied and interesting, although it’s sometimes hard to connect with the characters. All combat is tense, and players have to pay attention to enemy force composition and develop strong strategies around card synergies. It’s possible to breeze through normal encounters, perhaps with a revive or two, and then get stuck on a boss for an hour, which in turn can generate frustration. But for fans of card-focused combat with a strong deck-building focus, Dark Sky is a great experience that will test their skills and reward them with plenty of complex engagements.

Hands of Necromancy II is a great example of what a sequel needs to do to succeed. It introduces a new character, complete with a set of weapons and powers, to add variety. It offers first-person shooter mechanics with magic instead of guns that draw inspiration from classics but have their own unique flavor. Raising the dead remains a good concept. The entire experience is squarely aimed at boomer shooter fans with a particular love of Hexen or Heretic. There are moments when the difficulty ramp up is abrupt and level design isn’t always impressive. Hands of Necromancy II understands the genre it's a part of and knows how to mix modern and retro ideas to give fans the complex magic shooter they crave.

Disney Epic Mickey Rebrushed is a pleasant surprise and just as much a love letter to Warren’s Spector game as that creation was to the Disney Universe itself. The ability to change the surrounding world and see the consequences of your actions still feels fresh and engaging. The new addition might not be groundbreaking, but they help leave behind the shackles of the Wii and turn the game into an experience without frustrations caused by certain limitations. And even better news is that in the future we might see a remake of the sequel, making the story whole.

There are two parts to Funko Fusion. The fan service aspect works great offering fans what they would expect from their favorite franchises, regardless about how they feel towards Funko Pop. The gameplay itself is way too repetitive and it feels like the developers invested more effort in nailing down some of the worlds and neglected the gameplay part. Funko Pop can be considered a first shy step made in the right direction, but it still has a long way to go before it can be mentioned in the same page as the LEGO titles. We’ll have to see if there's going to be a sequel that corrects the hiccups of the first title.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is a solid effort but falls short compared to other Capcom remasters. The fans of the original will feel nostalgic revisiting Willamette Parkview Mall, but younger players will feel a lot of frustration. The game looks like a modern production but feels and plays like a game from a time with plenty technical limitations that do not apply any longer. It is challenging and mostly rewarding but lacks the finesse of modern games.

Shogun Showdown has one of the most focused designs I’ve recently encountered in the rogue-lite space. It is very easy to understand its movement and tile use mechanics, but it is very hard to master them and get through a location with minimal health losses. Still, there’s enough variety that it rarely feels repetitive. The lack of a proper narrative is only partially compensated for by the character and world design. Unlocks, handled via skills, can feel slow. But Shogun Showdown is impressive enough mechanically to satisfy any fan of its genre and has the potential to draw newcomers to it.

Roots of Yggdrasil is a solid combination of different genres, designed to appeal to players who want to solve problems without committing to long-term city-building. The design is tight, focused on doing as much as possible using limited resources, reaching objectives in a short number of turns using every available card. The Viking theme is re-interpreted in cool ways, especially when it comes to characters, and the game has a good presentation. Play a run or two a day, focus on a clear objective for the Holt, and test out ideas. Roots of Yggdrasil’s mechanics will take some time to master for players who are unfamiliar with city or deck building but once gamers invest the energy they will get back hours of fun, tense action.

Pyrene plays fast and the idea of making everything, from the player-controlled hero to enemies, objectives, and items, a card set in a square is a nice twist on familiar mechanics. The core loop is easy to understand but takes time and concentration to master. Even better, gamers can always tweak the difficulty of their next run to suit their taste. The rogue-lite elements are solid but lack the same level of innovation. The Basque lore and the title’s presentation enhance immersion. Pyrene could have taken a few extra risks with its structure but the moment-to-moment card action is tense and fun.

Caravan SandWitch is a solid casual game, with a very atmospheric world and a fun gameplay loop. Sadly, even though the game is meant to be easy to complete, the plethora of bugs makes the experience quite frustrating. Once these issues are ironed out, I’m pretty sure Caravan SandWitch will become the hidden gem it aspires to be – an indie game that has some good ideas and memorable moments. Until then, it’s just a lot of potential waiting to be fulfilled.

The Star Named Eos is a short adventure game with some interesting puzzles, which ultimately fails to stand out. At best, it flickers in some moments, but it does not shine. The pacing, the low-res cutscenes, the repetitive pattern of the level design, and the lack of real connection with your character make the experience a rather forgettable one. Fans of the genre will have some fun with the game, but I’d recommend to pick this one up when it’s on sale, so you avoid feeling bad for not having your expectations met.

Guayota is a good puzzle game, as long as players are willing to overlook some issues. The level design is great, and the title knows how to introduce gameplay ideas gradually and to gently ramp up difficulty. The concept of having two versions for all levels and having gamers move between them when their torch runs out is solid. I like that there are no threats in the dark version. But the developers should have offered a clear way to move back to the light level or give players more than one chance at solving it. The game’s narrative might not offer a strong enough hook if frustration sets in. Guayota’s world and puzzles are engaging but the game makes it hard for players to fully enjoy them.

Starcom: Unknown Space isn’t a complex game with deep space combat mechanics. It’s more interested in conjuring the feeling of discovery that the best space-based fictional works create. Players will meet aliens and fight hostiles while improving tech and adding modules to their own spaceship. The narrative beats are derivative, and the game’s presentation isn’t top-notch. Starcom: Unknown Space understands why space exploration is such a great fantasy and wants players to get lost among the stars.

Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open is a unique experience that uses familiar gameplay concepts. The setting, combined with the supernatural elements, gives players an interesting setting to engage with. The narrative is carefully constructed and has plenty of emotional moments. Ting is a great main character. The mechanics are pretty simple, with mini-games that are easy to master and some QTE sequences that aren’t too frustrating. Try to play just one or two episodes at a time. Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open nails the atmosphere and the story and I suspect many players will start researching Malay culture after playing it.

Knock on the Coffin Lid is a good representative of its genre. The core deckbuilding and combat mechanics are good but not revolutionary. After a while, it’s a good idea to turn on fast animations to speed them up. Still, there are cool synergies to find and a wide array of strategies to test and choose from. It takes a little too long to unlock all three heroes and battles can become repetitive when moving through the same spots. But the game is engaging, and the lore and presentation actually enhance the core loop. Knock on the Coffin Lid is fun and will keep gamers fighting and discovering new places across multiple runs.

TIEBREAK: Official game of the ATP and WTA is a good experience for anyone who likes tennis and really wants to control his favorite player. After learning the mechanics and how to best exploit computer-controlled opponents it is quite fun to dominate even the Grand Slams. The title’s presentation helps, with well-modeled players and animations. Individual matches can be thrilling. But there are gaps in the mechanics, like the lack of player morale, and the career mode lacks depth. Tiebreak is a good foundation and its developers need to squash bugs and improve gameplay to make it a good sports sim.

Artifice: War Tactics should be commended for taking some classic turn-based tactics ideas and trying to find a way to make new then again. Because enemies rely on overwatch strikes to take players down and because levels are relatively small, it often feels like combat is a puzzle with limited solutions. The game wisely offers an undo action, available as long as the player’s hero has not taken damage. Unfortunately, the presentation and story aren’t good enough to keep gamers engaged. Artifice: War Tactics will appeal to fans of the tactics genre who are looking for an experience that challenges conventions, even if it does not fully deliver on its potential.

Star Wars Outlaws is not a masterpiece or a major innovation, but it is a fun experience, and it shows that it was developed by people passionate about the Star Wars universe. It is a somewhat typical Ubisoft game that was better put together than most of the productions we have seen from them in a while. It is not perfect, but it is entertaining and immersive, with an overwhelming amount of content. Some of it can feel tedious and is repetitive, but it is up to you of much you want to grind. There are plenty of ways to earn credits, and the game allows different gameplay styles. The only major problem at the moment are the bugs that need to be fixed ASAP to be able to fully enjoy this experience.

My Lovely Empress offers an interesting mix of mechanics. Making sure the empire is growing and all classes are satisfied is pretty hard, even when bonds with the Yaoguai are strong. On top of that players need to woo neighboring rulers and decide how to best go about the complex task of bringing the empress back to life. I like the variety, but I would have liked some extra depth, especially for the title’s management side. But I suspect the balance is carefully crafted to appeal to long-term franchise fans. My Lovely Empress has strong mechanics, an interesting universe, and ten Yaoguai to interact with, a good package for anyone who likes both management and relationships.

Arco has a unique look and world and a set of mechanics that are easy to understand but grow in complexity as characters unlock more options. I never got used to the ghosts that randomly join the fight but was eager to replay engagements to avoid losing even one pip of health. The game might rely too much on Western tropes at times and the unique look will not be for everyone. But Arco tries to innovate, mixing and matching ideas, and manages to deliver a constant sense of discovery.

Elemental Exiles has good card-driven battles, although there’s not much that fans of this genre have not seen before. It is important to investigate card synergies and decide how to shape a deck to deal with big groups and bosses. The game gives players all the info they need to make good decisions and always feels fair. The shared map that all characters explore is a good one and it offers a good mix of narrative encounters, normal battles, and boss engagements. The unlockable heroes might take some time to find and defeat but all have interesting associated playstyles. Elemental Exiles has strong core mechanics and will satisfy anyone looking for variety and tense battles.

Overall, Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse Remastered is a great experience. It shows the care that went into polishing the original episodes to bring out their whacky qualities so they can shine as a classic adventure game with some truly inventive elements. This release also marks the end of an era, and inevitably raises the question of what is next in store for Sam and Max, as well as the other loveable characters of the franchise. Hopefully, the franchise will continue to live by adding new adventures to what’s been a crazy ride for decades.

Sins of a Solar Empire II is a great space-based real-time strategy game. It is designed to primarily appeal to those who liked the original, splitting factions into two, introducing variation to the star systems, and adding to the tactical complexity. The game does not offer a campaign, but each match generates its own unique stories. The multiplayer infrastructure is solid and there are plenty of options to work with. And the game offers quite the visual spectacle, as big fleets clash with energy beams and missiles striking targets everywhere. Sins of a Solar Empire II could have used an entirely new faction, like the threat the Vasari are running from, and a few more innovative ideas but I like its mechanics and every match feels unique.

To the Stars is fast and exciting. It takes a few minutes to get through a level and the pace of the action is often frantic. The tutorial is good and makes it easy for players to understand the stripped-down mechanics. Surprisingly, there’s also plenty of depth and variation, especially once players unlock extra civilizations. The experience’s focused nature means there’s not much in the way of world-building. But the immersion level is high, thanks to the presentation and the silly planet faces. To the Stars is a good innovative real-time strategy game that is accessible to newcomers and has enough depth and speed for genre fans.

Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery may be a casual title, catering to a specific audience, but even for them it is hard to justify its existence. As a DLC pack it would have been more than fine, but as full release it fails. Overall, it does not offer enough content to be a standalone release. And it is a shame because the previous game offered a hardcore experience for the fans of the hidden objects genre without feeling like a rip-off. The value proposal of Discovery is missing completely.

There are exciting and pleasant strolls down memory lane, and then there is the remastered Star Wars: Bounty Hunter (sadly). Yes, it is updated! So, it can pass as a functioning game, but it is by no means modern or enjoyable. It completely lacks the atmosphere of the original release, and the entire game feels as tedious as it was 22 years ago. With some more tinkering under the hood, this game could have been reborn from its ashes as a cult classic, but the scope once again was different: a cheap remaster that can be sold for a quick buck.

Star Stuff isn’t actually about programming, although creating command sequences for robots is an important part of gameplay. The game wants players to consider what actions need to happen and then work backward to create a solution that takes into account number of commands and robot capabilities. The universe isn’t as fleshed out as it could be and zooming in when Mija takes a drink from a vending machine isn’t a good idea. But for anyone who loves puzzles and wants to solve well-designed ones using a constantly expanding set of tools, Star Stuff is a great choice.

Space Prison combines a cool science-fiction premise with some innovative twists on combat and rogue-lite mechanics. I like that players have to worry about hunger and desperation more than they have to do about hit points. Using rats as companions early on feels a little weird but a mecha version can be created toward the game’s end, which is pretty awesome. Still, the experience can be frustrating. Encounters will become repetitive while battles don’t have a lot of depth. Space Prison is a very open video game that rewards careful preparation and extensive exploration, as long as gamers do not abandon it after the first few deaths.

Volgarr the Viking II is designed to appeal to players who liked the first installment, with its mix of difficulty and reward. The Norse-themed universe does not offer much in the way of story, but it has tight gameplay and plenty of challenges for players to face. Accept the fact that you’ll end up as a zombie at one point and get ready to delete saves to try again. The game’s presentation captures what made action platformers stand out in arcades in the ‘90s. Anyone who hung out in those will like it, others might have trouble connecting with it. Volgarr the Viking II is a throwback that tests players’ skills and is not afraid to frustrate them.

The Operator will attract anyone who likes a good mystery with some very contemporary themes and does not care too much about complex gameplay. The story moves at a good pace, the characters have personalities, and the general atmosphere of paranoia works well. But the mechanics are built around a computer screen, a few apps, and plenty of reading. It can become repetitive, even with its cleverly designed puzzles. But the game nails the atmosphere, the heady mix of paranoia and dark secrets, and will capture the attention of players willing to suspend their disbelief at the start. The Operator does a lot with limited resources and creates a good level of immersion while delivering a strong story.

Minds Beneath Us is spectacular when delivering slice-of-life moments, both if they involve the main character and when it comes to ancillary conversations in the background. It’s also good at creating an interesting vision of the future while offering a core narrative that tackles modern themes in engaging ways. Its presentation adds to the immersion level, although the lack of faces will be a little disturbing. Its mechanics do not stray from the adventure game standard and when they do QTEs make an unwelcome appearance. A few conversations are over-written, especially when the game tries to focus on emotions. But Minds Beneath Us offers a good enough story that these are small problems. Play around a full day at a time and savor every interaction.

Tavern Talk delivers on the coziness front, with a relaxed attitude and plenty of interesting stories to engage with. All the characters have something unique, and the game does a good job of blending fantasy elements with classic themes. Actually, creating the potions isn’t very hard and I like how they influence the outcomes of quests. Anyone who loves stories and does not care too much about gameplay will have a good time, especially if they only play one or two in-game days at a time. But the title will struggle to attract players who might want more control over their potions and their effects. Tavern Talk isn’t interested in changing the narrative-driven coffee-making experience but understands what makes it tick.

Vampire Therapist manages to make the rather dry concepts of cognitive behavioral therapy interesting by linking them to interesting characters. I like how the sessions develop and how the game adds new concepts and asks players to find the best ways to use them. The voice acting is good enough to paper over some small issues with the writing. This is not an experience for players who want gameplay depth and variety. I could have done without the feeding or the meditation mechanics. Vampire Therapist tells good stories and has cool character moments but don’t take it as an actual example of how therapy works.

Linkito is clever and varied, offering players more than 100 puzzles to tackle. The simple idea of moving a wire between yellow and blue sockets to let the electricity flow is simple and gets tweaked in a variety of innovative ways. Each location gives players a certain type of challenge, using both normal puzzles for progression and more complex ones for those who want a challenge. The narrative is also pretty good, offering gamers a reason to persevere if a puzzle becomes frustrating. The presentation isn’t spectacular but mostly works. Linkito is a good introductory experience for anyone interested in puzzles and is willing to learn a variety of new mechanics as the game progresses.

Fans of real-world sport will probably pick F1 Manager 2024 because it gives them the option to create their custom team and then take on the established powers of the sport. It’s fun to pick one of the origins and then strive to use every small competitive advantage to get at least a few wins against the likes of Ferrari or Red Bull. The morale system is a good addition, although it does need a little balancing, and mechanical issues add another level of excitement and dread to the races. The race simulation still creates some weird moments, but it generally feels solid. F1 Manager 2024 is a step forward for the racing series and a solid way to experience Formula 1 in video game form.

SCHiM is an indie gem that is both simple in concept, but also bursting of creativity and originality. The gameplay itself might be a bit too simplistic for those looking for an adrenaline rush or instant gratification, but those who love this kind of puzzle 3D platformers will truly appreciate the effort behind it. The end result is an endearing experience, that has a few gameplay issues but overall becomes a memorable game thanks to its atmosphere and innocent approach to life.

KAKU: Ancient Seal is a decent representative of the third-person action genre that doesn’t find ways to innovate in interesting ways. The core mechanics are decent, and the world is at times impressive. There’s plenty of depth to combat. But the narrative stalls after a few hours and fighting will become repetitive despite the wealth of new moves players can learn. Fans of the open-world action structure will enjoy the four continents and the unique content associated with each. But the entire experience would have benefited from being more focused, with a smaller number of mechanics and more innovation. KAKU: Ancient Seal is a solid game that fails to find a unique hook.

Tennis Manager 2024 is a decent sports simulation experience that’s designed to appeal to gamers who already love tennis. They will appreciate the attention to detail evident in the extensive game plan options and in the match simulation. The title does not feature real-world names (mods can solve this issue) and the business side of the sim is pretty simple. Players who want a break from a long career can try out the new Fantasy Court mode, which allows them to put together their own tournaments. It’s a good way to fill a bracket with superstars and simply have fun on the court. Tennis Manager 2024 doesn’t have a great presentation and some of its mechanics are obscure but it delivers a decent tennis simulation for fans who want to win a Grand Slam of their own.

Pine Hearts is a very cute experience that tells an emotional story. I like the exploration and the way Tyke gradually gets new abilities that open up new paths and options. The memory systems deliver some big emotional moments. Characters might not talk but the world is inviting and colorful. The adventure is pretty short but some of the gameplay elements still have time to become repetitive. Pine Hearts mixes light gameplay and fun conversations with an exploration of loss while giving players a beautiful world to explore.

Field of Glory: Kingdoms is a grand strategy game designed for players who love both history and complexity. The grand campaign offers freedom to change the destiny of most featured nations but only for those who carefully craft plans, invest resources wisely, and pick the right moments to expand. Players can create impressive narratives that remain rooted in the reality of the early Middle Ages even as they diverge from it. The game asks gamers to invest time and energy to understand all its mechanics (the manual is well-written and informative) and, more importantly, all the complex ways they interact. Field of Glory: Kingdoms rewards those who do with plenty of variety and tens of hours of fun.

Overall, Beyond Good and Evil 20th Anniversary Edition is a pleasant surprise and it was a pleasure to finish it for the third time. It is a nice fan service and the best way to experience an excellent game by those who missed it or were too young to try it when it was first released. Nonetheless, it is a remake that will scratch the itch while waiting for the second instalment, but it will also make the wait that much harder. It is a game that is worth trying for the first, second or third time since it aged very well and is still an enjoyable experience to this day.

Still Wakes the Deep has an interesting premise for a walking simulator mixing the mundane and ugly with the supernatural and deadly beautiful. Unfortunately, the whole project just creaks at the joints and fails to deliver a memorable experience. The linear gameplay is not counterbalanced but the story, rather they go hand in hand towards a very simplistic approach. The entire game lacks coherence and that “something” that would turn the originality of the basic idea into an outstanding game.

The Land Beneath Us is a good game for anyone who likes fast action, quick but thought-out decisions, and a rogue-lite structure. It doesn’t do much to innovate in any of these spaces, but the mechanical implementation is strong. The idea of wielding four weapons, one for each movement and attack direction, creates interesting tactical possibilities. There’s also plenty of variety for both relics and weapons, which keeps runs fresh. The presentation and story are competent, although nothing special when compared to other titles in this space. The Land Beneath Us delivers a fluid and fun experience as long as players don’t mind some runs that simply go nowhere.

Flame Keeper does not innovate much but its execution is solid. Combat is fast and fluid, even if the idea of adding shielding to increase difficulty can become a little annoying. It would have been cool for the game to do more with the idea of linking Ignis’ health to the fire camp and its lamps. And the final defense sequence for each level feels underwhelming. This is a good experience for players who are new to the action genre. Aim to complete one level during a session and carefully evaluate the best use for gathered seeds. Flame Keeper is a bit too grindy for its own good but it is easy to pick up and enjoy.

Undead Inc. can deliver a decent management experience, as long as the developers continue to deliver updates that eliminate crashes, deal with the other bugs, and introduce better balance. It is fun to create a thriving pharma entity that manages to invest in weird research and fulfill major black-market contracts while deceiving everyone. Aside from technical issues, the big issue is that the game never feels as cool as it should. Managing rooms and staff is a bit too repetitive. The rogue-lite idea of extracting doesn’t feel satisfying. Undead Inc. shows how easy it is to have a killer idea while failing to find the right mechanics to realize its potential.

Still Joking is an interactive novel experience with a good cast and a great protagonist. Iris is bewildered and fiery, determined to find out what happened to her real-world counterpart while also finding the best way to move past her trauma. The game’s writing works well with the theme, although there are conversations that feel much too long. The developers claim that there are more than 1,000 unique choices to make, so there’s a ton of space for multiple playthroughs. Sure, gameplay is as limited. The game has style, but immersion is negatively affected by the limited sound design. The entire experience is designed for players who already know and appreciate this genre. Still Joking does not innovate much but executes on its premise well and takes players through some wild narrative moments.

Tour de France 2024 is a fun cycling experience that is hard to master. It takes patience to prepare well for a race and decide when it’s the right time to force the pace or attack. Sure, players can pick real-world teams featuring the best riders if they want to dominate competitions. But I had much more fun as the underdog, exploiting opportunities and celebrating third places. For anyone who’s not already interested in cycling, the game will take some time to learn. Play the tutorials and then ride Le Tour with a smaller team, aiming only to fully understand the mechanics and get a feel for how races develop. Tour de France 2024 walks the fine line between realism and fun and manages to create a cycling sim that feels true to the sport.

Pro Cycling Manager 2024 creates a complex mix of team management and race action that is designed to draw in cycling fans. The title features real names and likenesses for most riders and teams, which adds to the immersion. And races feel more exciting than in previous installments, although it can be harder for smaller teams to make an impact. It takes time and failure to figure out how to run a successful team. It is fun to discover what kind of sprint setups work best or the secret to mastering hilly finishes. But there are also moments when the game gets in its own way and makes players work harder than they should. Still, Pro Cycling Manager 2024 is a great way to rewrite cycling history in fun ways.

Duck Detective: The Secret Salami is a delightful experience that will appeal to any gamers who like a good mystery, humor, and some solid investigative work. The small cast of characters delivers some great interactive moments and is fully voiced. All the investigative mechanics are easy to use, and the game really asks players to think about the case to reach its solution. The world is so interesting and the gameplay engaging enough that I wanted the game to be longer, which is a rarity these days. I’m hoping that McQuacklin will take more cases in the future and will have the opportunity to enjoy many more bread slices. Play Duck Detective: The Secret Salami in two or three sessions, enjoy the humor, and try to solve the mystery without resorting to hints.

Capes is clearly designed to appeal to anyone who has played and liked X-COM and its tactical puzzles. The game successfully moves the action to a universe featuring superheroes. I liked the theme, although the developers don’t do much new with it. Unfortunately, the presentation, especially the graphics, isn’t as good as the mechanics. This is a video game that emphasizes a thorough understanding of one’s team and a desire to execute a mission as well as possible. Revisiting levels to get more skill points is expected. Capes is challenging and complex and offers fans of the tactics space plenty of options to experiment and optimize.

The only downside is that Nuclear Blaze ends very fast. It’s like a very short SCP novel that you read while commuting. It took me less than two hours to finish it, but I had a lot of fun. Get this if you’re looking for a good platformer.

Astor: Blade of the Monolith is a project that clearly has potential, and it shows that it was developed with dedication, but it feels like more attention was invested in how the game looks rather than how it plays. The combat system and the game mechanics feel a tad archaic and too repetitive. By no means is the game a bad one, but it cannot be called remarkable. It offers fun moments, stylish visuals and an interesting story, but the repetitive gameplay makes it best played in limited doses.

Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip is not for everybody. This is not a massive open world with a ton of complex systems and a variety of objectives. The game is focused on getting Terry and his car into space. The town is small but serves a concentrated dose of positive weirdness and mini-games. The search for money and junk never stops and can become frustrating. The world can come across as crass and unappealing. But I think Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip is worth playing because it doesn’t aim to be mainstream and because it works hard to make even the smallest interaction surprising.

1000xRESISTgrabs players and does not let go, taking them through some impressive story moments and a few overly long conversations. The mix of post-apocalypse, clones, and memory exploration powers a narrative that’s unlike any other in the video game world. Speak with everyone and touch everything to get the most out of this universe. Unfortunately, gamers will have to deal with some annoying gameplay to experience the entire story. The platforming is the worst offender but none of this feels fun. The presentation also fails to consistently impress. 1000XRESIST is a showcase for what video games can deliver when it comes to emotion, held back by its gameplay.

Crown Wars: The Black Prince creates a decent mix of tactics and history, with some management elements thrown in. The game does mixes actual history with low fantasy elements in ways that often work. The combat mechanics, with their focus on mixing ability use and good positioning, are engaging, especially for missions that feature bespoke challenges. But battles can also feel repetitive because of the small number of templates. The presentation isn’t always impressive. Still, anyone who appreciates a video game that uses history in some interesting ways and wants to customize a squad that can deal with any type of tactical challenge, Crown Wars: The Black Prince will offer many hours of fun.

WARNO is a great World War III strategy game. It takes the best elements of previous titles created by Eugen Systems and expands on them. Battles are realistic but also fun. The five Army General campaigns will keep a fan engaged for tens of hours. Multiplayer is robust, with a variety of maps and divisions to choose from. The game looks good, and the soundtrack is fantastic. The way maps are picked for Army general battles needs to be tweaked and, of course, there’s plenty of balancing for units and divisions to be done. WARNO will appeal primarily to players who already like Wargame or Steel Division but any strategy fan interested in alternate Cold War history should also pick it up.

Bounties of Babylon offers players a good board game-like design, built around careful placement of tiles and lucky or unlucky rolls of the die. It doesn’t take long to pick up the mechanics and then discover how to exploit synergies, complete quests, reach the turn point requirement, and push forward. Unfortunately, the title doesn’t support its solid gameplay in any way. No effort is made to create a compelling universe, the tutorial is text only, the graphics are functional and nothing more, and the game doesn’t feature multiplayer. Bounties of Babylon has laser-focused mechanics and creates interesting puzzles but never found a way to keep me engaged enough to master its gameplay.

Paper Trail is an indie game with plenty of soul that mixes successfully the narrative and gameplay parts into an immersive experience. While the story is interesting enough, what will keep you most invested in the game is figuring out how to fold and slide in order to solve the puzzles. There are some aspects that could use fixing like the repeating soundtrack and maybe a more precise hint system, overall, Paper Trails is a fascinating journey in a modern fairy tale, worthy of the attention of puzzle fans.

Considered on its own, with no space for nostalgia or positive past experiences, Crow Country isn’t a great game. The presentation is limited, and the gameplay never tries to do anything new. The puzzle design is good and the story, while starting off slowly, does have some great moments and one big strong twist. This sounds like a game that dedicated survival horror fans would like but not love. Fortunately, there are plenty of gamers who idealize the first few installments of Resident Evil or Silent Hill. Crow Country is designed to make them smile and give them a cool new narrative with classic mechanics that they will enjoy every second of.

Fabledomis a relaxed city builder that doesn’t introduce revolutionary new mechanics but executes classic ideas very well. I loved spending time zoomed in, looking at my peasants and commoners as they worked and walked. It’s equally fun to find the way to another ruler’s heart by sending truckloads of tulips and running missions. The laid-back nature means the challenge level isn’t very high, even when some of the more annoying random events pop up. And the military aspect feels like a weird fit for an experience where making sure that everyone is happy and getting along is the natural approach. Fabledom’s gameplay and setting work well together and will satisfy any city-builder fan who likes a fantasy setting.

The Lullaby of Life is pleasant and relaxing, a perfect game to unwind after a long day of trying to learn complex mechanics or tackle massive bosses. Its setting and its characters are colorful while the story is mostly suggested. The sound-driven puzzles gently increase in complexity, but the focus is not on difficulty.

World-building is pretty good, and the presentation adds to it with its striking black-and-white. Only the combat can sometimes feel like a chore, especially when enemies with long names start showing up. I never got tired of listening closely for bug sounds but some players might. Cryptmaster is a perfect example of how wonderful an indie title with a strong innovative mechanic can be and it should find as wide an audience as possible.

Beyond is an impressive achievement and I don’t really want to think how long it would take a player to see all the more than 1,400 featured cards. The structure makes it easy to get a full-blown weird adventure in under 10 minutes. Stop after death, consider your choices, do something else, and return for another dose after a few hours.

The Political Machine 2024 has a strong simulation engine and gives gamers a variety of candidates to work with as well as plenty of tactical approaches. The inclusion of primary elections is a great idea and, if the community takes advantage of mod support, means the title can successfully simulate European elections. The ability to customize weird candidates will keep the election battle fresh in the long term but I wanted to see a wider variety of cards, especially for outsiders who should have little support from the two big parties. The Political Machine 2024 struggles to capture the many eccentricities of this year’s presidential content in the United States but its slightly jokey take on campaigns remains fun.

Hexguardian doesn’t represent a revolution for the tower defence or the rogue-lite genres but its mechanics are polished. The lack of world-building is a little disappointing and the presentation is adequate and not much more. But the title creates that just one more try feeling, based on the wide variety of unlockable tools and upgrades and the many ways in which tile work can affect survival time. The core loop will become repetitive. The game does all it can to spice it up with opportunities to test new strategies and a general sense of progression, but it depends on the players whether they find it meditative or boring. I had fun with Hexguardian’s mix of ideas but I’m unsure how often I will return to them.

Lunar Lander: Beyond is difficult, the kind of video game that appeals to players who believe repeated failure means more opportunities to learn and who get a rush when finally conquering a challenge. The game evokes the classic Atari title but updates its mechanics in neat ways. I didn’t expect to have to deal with my pilot’s mental health and actually feel bad for getting them back in the cockpit. The core challenge of exerting control over the lander is well-implemented. Some of its purity is undermined by the unlockable upgrades and some of the level design. Lunar Lander: Beyond offers an interesting modern take on a classic but its audience might be limited by the focus on difficulty.

Phantom Fury is a good first-person shooter for anyone who loved the genre during its classic period and wants the same combination of speed and violence, with a few modern concepts sprinkled on top. Shelly is a decent heroine, the B movie writing mostly works, and most combat arenas are well-balanced on Normal. The development team needs to make opponents a little smarter in patches and I really don’t understand why Bombshell can interact with so many objects in the world that aren’t useful in any way. Phantom Fury is a boomer shooter with solid mechanics that struggles to communicate a clear identity.

Revival: Recolonization has quite a few unique ideas and wisely connects them to some fundamental 4X concepts. The capsule concept and the diplomacy system are highlights, although the game could do a better job of explaining how its mechanics interact with one another. The narrative has interesting ideas but is a little under-written. Players who are fans of the turn-based strategy space should appreciate the tweaks Revival: Recolonization makes to the formula. But that requires an investment of time and energy from gamers. The development team needs to deliver updates to slay bugs, helping the title realize its full potential.

Harold Halibut is an adventure game that although reminds us of a walking simulator due to its simplistic gameplay, thanks to its atmosphere and unique visual style manages to become a memorable title. It is a slow burning adventure that prioritizes the story and presents it through engaging dialogues and plenty of details hidden in plain sight. Despite the leisurely pace, the game remains pretty short and has no real replay value. It is an intense and almost poetic experience that holds up a mirror to both the individual and society, making it a worthwhile experience for the fans of the genre and for those looking for a great story.

Broken Roads is a video game that shows how quickly the ambitions of a development team can outrun its ability to deliver. The Outback setting is great, but the narrative threads can interact in weird ways. The Moral Compass is impressive as a concept but can feel restrictive in practice. Combat is just stiff enough to feel like a chore. Bugs and glitches sometimes interfere with quest progress. I love the sections where the focus is on talking to people, clicking on the environment for some extra lore, and thinking about where to source things people need to improve their lives. The narrator greatly enhances emotional moments. Broken Roads has heart and good systems. Players who like the setting and the RPG genre should play it if they are comfortable with some jank, while others should wait for a few patches before buying it.

Lotus Lantern: Rescue Mother is, at its core, a fast and fun action game that aims to give players as many interesting choices as possible to build their character for each run. Experiment as much as possible with upgrades, weapons, and powers. It’s impressive how powerful protagonist Chenxiang becomes when gamer choices lead to a good build that suits their playstyle. The game’s rogue-lite structure isn’t new but manages to create a constant sense of progression. The world-building is less successful, although it’s good to see Chinese mythology serve as the basis for a game universe. Graphics don’t stand out but Lotus Lantern: Rescue Mother is a good mix of action and rogue-like that should please fans while being accessible to newcomers.

Death Trick: Double Blind has a solid setting and a strong premise but doesn’t shine when it comes to mechanics. Players have to read quite a bit and then be ready to re-read statements and descriptions to spot inconsistencies and develop theories about the murder. The game’s writing is mostly up to the task but there are some repetitive moments and extra flowery lines. The visual novel structure means gameplay depth and variety are limited. The world and characters are interesting, in terms of both personality and presentation. Death Trick: Double Blind is engaging and fun, as long as players are willing to suspect their disbelief at some crucial moments.

Inkbound is mechanically impressive. Despite its depth and the complexity of its engagements, the game is snappy and rarely feels stuffy. The featured classes play very differently and there’s a ton of variety, making it easy for players to test out strategies and find one that fully fits their approach. The rogue elements are familiar, and the fantasy world offers plenty of lore but lacks a strong hook. But the turn-based combat is good enough that I can see myself spending tens of hours with one class, trying out ideas to find the build that suits me best. Inkbound’s mix of tactical puzzles and power and upgrade variety makes it a worthy successor to Monster Train.

As I mentioned I have struggled with this game more than usual. I wanted to make sure that it is not an art installation that requires patience and examination from different angles to reveal itself. Ultimately, I had to admit that Shines Over: The Damned is just an uninspiring experience completely failing to immerse the player. It can hardly be called a game since it does not have a story or coherent gameplay elements, and the mysterious atmosphere crumbles without any anchor points. If at least it would have been so outlandish that it became interesting, but alas. As it stands Shines Over: The Damned is a 30-minute complete waste of your time.

WRATH: Aeon of Ruin is part of an already long line of modern first-person shooters that target players' nostalgia for the genre’s classics. The engine is built on Quake tech and both the levels, and the enemies are designed to trigger a nostalgia response. It’s unlikely that fans of more modern FPS experiences will be interested. The big combat moments are tense and get the adrenaline flowing, especially when players remember how long it’s been since they used a soul tether. Unfortunately, WRATH: Aeon of Ruin has too many corridors and relies too much on enemies who teleport in to turn into the classic that it wants to be.

Beat Slayer’s core mechanic is good. As long as players stay on the beat and mix and match their attacks, kicks, and dashes, they can deal with a wide array of enemy combinations. The game also has a good variety of upgrades for Mia and two extra weapons to unlock. This futuristic version of Berlin is interesting, although her sidekicks can be a little forgettable. The title’s rogue-lite implementation does not impress, which is disappointing considering the opportunities for innovation its universe offers. Boss battles also lack the excitement of normal arenas. Beat Slayer has good music, a strong main concept, and is welcoming to newcomers while delivering a challenge for action-rhythm fans.

Headquarters: World War II features tense engagements and nice tactical scenarios, despite the familiarity of the Overlord campaign. The three factions feel suitably different in terms of units and approach. Players will be challenged by a wide range of combat scenarios. The game also gives players the tools to create their own battles, both against the computer and other humans, and has a good editor. I hope Starni Games uses the same system to cover less well-known World War II operations. Headquarters: World War II is a compact and engaging wargame with plenty of attention to detail.

Children of the Sun is a great video game, designed for players who want a hyper-violent revenge story that remixes puzzle and slow-motion mechanics in a unique way. The narrative is familiar but gripping, delivered in small chunks and with a distinctive style. The entire presentation communicates dread and determination. The Girl’s ability to fire just one bullet and then control it to kill multiple targets is unique. It allows the developer to create impressive puzzles while also giving gamers freedom to explore and craft plans. Children of the Sun is immersive, dark, accessible, challenging, and fun.

It is a combination of gameplay elements borrowed from different genres and mashed together to form a feel-good experience. Moonglow Bay is not just a fishing adventure, a time management game or a skill-based cooking game. It is a glimpse into the life of a virtual community and a lesson of how each member plays an essential role to make it thrive. It is worth experiencing for any fans of casual games looking to get lost in an optimistic narrative.

Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles is a great showcase for its world and has some nifty mechanics for both tower development and exploration. I once invested an uninterrupted 20 minutes simply placing foundations and balconies for a stone tower that served as the anchor for a couple of ports, simply to improve the architecture of that island. Unfortunately, the beauty of all these spires and walkways cannot compensate for a certain sense of aimlessness. The three campaigns don’t feel too different, and combat is too automated to feel interesting. Like its massive towers, Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles has good foundations but it doesn’t offer something engaging to build towards.

Sons of Valhalla is fun but can become repetitive. Thorald is a good fighter, and the game makes him powerful enough, especially with a well-chosen set of runes on his belt, to tangle solo with big enemy groups. But teamwork and good use of the shield wall are crucial when taking on opponents hiding behind fortifications. But combat never evolves beyond that and the settlement development system is equally limited. The getting-back-the-kidnapped-princess narrative is decent but doesn’t do anything new. Sons of Valhalla is pleasant in short bursts but greater depth for all its mechanics are needed to make it engaging for long periods.

Between Horizons is a pretty traditional representative of the adventure game genre, with some solid modern touches. Stella’s story is affecting, and The Zephyr works well as the setting for a science-fiction mystery that features fundamental ethical dilemmas and big emotional moments. Gathering clues via scanning and discussion is mostly engaging but it can be hard to deal with the amount of evidence stored in the PDA. I suspect the game’s graphics will also be hard to engage with for some players. Between Horizons is immersive and tense, although it doesn’t massively tweak the adventure game formula.

Highwater could be the dictionary example of an indie game: it is based on a trending topic with social implications, it marches to its own tune without trying to fit into one specific genre, it has a distinctive visual and musical style that build a great atmosphere, and the developers cannot be bothered to fix the bugs they left in the game. It is an artistic production and a social statement that would badly need some polishing and fixing to be a completely enjoyable video game. By smoothing down the edges it can become the atmospheric trip the developers imagined, and the magic wouldn’t be broken by the hiccups.

Saviorless shines when players control Antar, evaluating a puzzle that might stretch across a few screens, then testing possibilities and contemplating how to reach a collectible. Combat isn’t as engaging as the platforming or the puzzle solving, and checkpoint placement is pretty bad. Thankfully, the world is intriguing enough to counter potential frustration. The impressive art style is another draw and it’s worth playing through the narrative, even without getting all the torn pages, simply to see how the developers bring this fantasy universe to life. Saviorless is a solid debut title from an indie developer and its mix of ideas is good enough that I look forward to seeing what Empty Head Games delivers next.

SUMMERHOUSE is a small building game that isn’t interested in scores, sprawling cities, or complex zoning. It just gives players the tools to create homes using a relatively varied array of parts, with some unlocks. It’s a relaxed approach that makes it equally fun to create weird buildings that cannot exist in the real world or to try and replicate memories of places one really visited during the summer. The lack of structure will be immersive for many gamers, but others might have problems staying engaged. The city-building genre offers a ton of options for anyone who wants deep systems and complexity. SUMMERHOUSE, a title created by a solo developer, is for anyone who just wants to put pieces together and build something in serene landscapes.

Pepper Grinder has a very good core idea and builds fun platforming levels and puzzles around its big drill. The four worlds introduce new ideas and challenges, as well as boss fights. The pixel art makes the world come alive more than the narrative. The focus on replaying levels and collectibles isn’t up my alley but the design is good and will satisfy gamers interested in it. Pepper Grinder is fast and tense, with plenty of variety, a steady increase in difficulty, and has the potential to reverse grinding’s bad reputation.

Unleaving is a unique experience that will draw players in with its unique presentation, especially the painted art style, and its lyrical approach to narrative. The title does not try to explain everything but manages to communicate emotions, some of them deep and dark, others hopeful and bright. The puzzle design is good, although it's easy to struggle with execution after having a clear idea of the solution (do not be afraid to use the hint system). Unleaving is a short and heartfelt video game that showcases the unique vision an indie creator can deliver.

Millennia is a good turn-based strategy experience that has the potential to become great after some updates and, possibly, expansions. The core idea of alternate historical ages is engaging but needs to be expanded on, with more options and more interactions. The rest of the mechanics are familiar but have just enough tweaks to keep turns interesting. The combat sequences need to go and the title should expand its diplomatic elements and trade system. The development team is planning to add modding support before the end of the year. Millennia isn’t a revolution for the 4X genre but has good ideas, even if they aren’t always matched by the execution.

Slave Zero X is a deep brawler that rewards players who take the time to understand all its systems and then mix and match attacks and abilities depending on the situation. Bosses are difficult and the game has no difficulty toggles, although investing in biomecha upgrades can help. The game’s presentation is designed to take players back to the 90s and the narrative has both great bombastic speeches and touching moments. Slave Zero X can be overwhelming but I like spending time with it in short sessions, clearing one level, pondering whether to unlock a costume or actually buy an upgrade.

Alone in the Dark checks all the boxes when it comes to gameplay elements you would expect in a modern survival horror, but these seem to be stuck in the past. It feels like a project made with passion but enough budget to hit the AAA expectations. The archaic mechanics do not involve a pleasant nostalgia, rather make the entire game feel outdated. Overall, it is not a bad game, but it does not have enough oomph to make it compete with the best games out there, let alone reconquer the throne of the genre. With a hefty discount it can become an interesting choice for the fans of the genre, a period that should also give time to the developers to fix the bugs that are still present.