Artist Life Simulator is one of the most evocative titles I have played in the past few years. It does not try to re-create a historical period but manages to talk about art, inspiration, pain, and more. The gameplay has clearly defined rules that offer variety of interactions and outcomes. Even if you never create a masterpiece, make sure to at least try and unlock all the emotions. The title takes a subject that can be dry and boring and infuses it with humanity and fun moments. Despite the heavy themes and uncertain results, it also manages to be relaxing, a good way to cap a night of gaming. Artist Life Simulator is a fun video game that will make plenty of players think about how they can explore their own creative side.

We Are the Caretakers is unique in terms of fictional universe and themes. I know of no other video game that pits players against poachers and puts the preservation of a species so front and center. The experience offers a sense of discovery that I found delightful. The problem lies with the execution, which is affected by limited resources. Presentation never manages to do the world justice. The core mechanics are decent but they tend to become repetitive. We Are the Caretakers is a good strategy and role-playing mix that had the potential for so much more.

All in all, Across the Obelisk is a lot of fun, but only after understanding its core mechanics and making peace with the fact that you’ll need a LOT of runs to be able to build and upgrade a decent deck. If you’re ok with that, I can’t recommend Across the Obelisk enough.

Despite the focus on fun, the push and pull mechanics, linked to both gloves and throwing balls, are solid and power some decent puzzles. The game could have used a little more variety and, maybe, some more alternate exploration paths. Whalien – Unexpected Guests should also have had a cooperative mode, maybe with one small alien that could help Ernest. Otherwise, the game delivers a good mix of puzzles and platforming, with a side of charm, and I really want to see how the universe can be developed to support more experiences.

There are some good ideas hidden under the contrived combat system and very basic RPG elements, but Broken Lines fails to be enjoyable. It will probably scratch a certain itch, but I expected a lot more based on how it’s advertised.

Waves of Steel is not a simulation and does not want to be one. This is an arcade experience through and through, designed to give gamers a lot of options and keep their adrenaline levels up at all times. The ship design element adds to the core loop, offering space for every player to think up and then try to implement their perfect approach for each mission. Make sure to use the unlock all option in the designer to see the kinds of ships that one can put together. The biggest issue is the presentation. Some players will never get past the limited graphics. For those who do, Waves of Steel will be a fun and varied naval combat game that understands why an arcade approach is often more interesting than a devotion to realism.

Although at first glance GRUNND presents players with an interesting mystery to solve, the game’s narrative suffers from lack of cohesion. Despite its intriguing plot and eerie atmosphere, the game fails to convey a clear message. GRUNND is trying to tell a Kafka-esque story under the disguise of a philosophical journey, but fails to make itself enjoyable in the process. The eerie atmosphere and top-notch soundtrack are not enough to make the journey interesting. Not to mention the ending feels rushed and leaves a lot of questions unanswered.

Pinball FX offers a great virtual experience of real world activity, with a focus on delivering tables that might not work outside of the video game space. Gamers can choose to invest in a monthly Pinball Pass to play the majority of the offered content or they can simply browse the extensive DLC list and outright buy the ones they love best. It would have been a better idea to have individual tables as purchases rather than bundles. The Borderlands table is the standout from the new content, designed to draw in the franchise's fans. The package that brings together tables built around the original Star Wars trilogy is also impressive from both a gameplay and fan service point of view. Pinball FX might induce some analysis paralysis in players with its variety but it plays great. Simply choose a universe and get lost in the quest for a high score.

In so many ways, calling this new release a “definitive edition” creates expectations that could eventually lead to more frustration from diehard Shadow Warrior fans. If anything, getting the definitive edition is something that first-time Shadow Warrior 3 players should do, as otherwise, the new title doesn’t bring too many exciting upgrades. The replayability barely exists, and if you’ve already completed the campaign, it’s hard to believe you’d ever start it again. Maybe the hardcore difficulty could make things a little bit more challenging, especially for those who fell in love with Shadow Warrior. But when it comes to missions and content, I can’t help but end this review in the same exact same way I started it. This new release has me hoping for more.

Journey To The Savage Planet would definitely use a longer story, but even so, it’s one of the few titles that make a single thing like world exploration surprisingly rewarding.

Basements n' Basilisks: Storms of Sorcery is a short and fun adventure. It’s not a full role-playing game but it’s not just a visual novel. It understands the RPG genre and critiques its many issues but the team at eNVy softworks uses its title as a way to show it might be improved. The experience centers relationships and shows how a small group can work together to embody a fictional universe with a certain magic. The title’s biggest problem is that it doesn’t fully use its universe. A few extra combat encounters, perhaps to underline how they can be handled creatively, and a few more nights around the campfire were needed. Basements n' Basilisks: Storms of Sorcery is a good proof-of-concept and I hope that its developers get a chance to revisit this universe and expand on their good ideas.

Deck 'Em! succeeds at offering a solitaire take on a boxing-driven card game. The blocking mechanic is just complex enough to create tension and force some tough decisions, without asking players to understand a deep system with a lot of action verbs. Taking on the unnamed champ is pretty hard and the betting only adds stakes to each round. The big problem is that there’s not enough of it to keep anyone engaged in the long term. All the mechanics are clear after a few matches and after beating the champion a few times there’s no incentive to keep playing, other than maybe accumulating more money than a friend. Deck 'Em! needs to have more of everything and I think the developers at Frosty Pop should take its solid core and see how it can be expanded into a bigger experience because it has the potential to be a leader in the very popular deck builder genre.

Trigon: Space Story does not add much to the formula that FTL pioneered. When that title launched its mechanics and ideas felt fresh, with the pressure of the constantly chasing fleet adding tension and urgency to the gameplay. But for a new game to have the same impact it needs to introduce at least one big new idea and then make sure it integrates well with the rest. Battles do deliver tense moments and I love the tension that developers as players evaluate whether it’s a good idea to flee or whether a victory is still achievable, with some losses. I also appreciate the depth of possibilities offered by the sector map. Trigon: Space Story has good core mechanics but never does anything interesting with them for anyone who has played FTL.

Goblins of Elderstone is a good mix of city building and strategy experience. It takes time and effort to create an efficient village, constantly checking where resources are needed and who is best suited to working in certain buildings. It’s also a pleasure to see the goblin tribe prosper and interact with the world. The strategic layer, with its raids and trade elements, adds an interesting dimension to the game but could be enhanced to make it more interesting. The narrative elements also need more variety. But otherwise, Goblins of Elderstone has solid mechanics and will satisfy any player who loves developing a city and running an economy in a fantasy universe.

I am pretty sure that the developers had the best intentions, but the end result cannot be even recommended as educational neither for the animal care part, nor for the business simulation. Ultimately, Animal Shelter Simulator is just a bad game that you should not waste your time playing. There are dozens of similar titles that are much more worthy of your attention if you’re a fan of animal simulator games.

The Forest Cathedral is an interesting experience but does not fully work as a video game. The narrative it is telling is based on a real-world person but introduces many elements that are anachronistic to the period and to her life. Maybe the main character should have been named something else and her story should have only hinted at the real-world scandal surrounding DDT and other pesticides.

Tiny Troopers: Global Ops has easy-to-understand mechanics and delivers some solid combat moments, especially when playing with other humans. But there’s little depth to the core experience and the campaigns themselves are uninspired and filled with attempts at humor that rarely work. I wanted the tiny troopers to go on weirder adventures, not on some warmed-over ideas taken from action movies. There’s also a big disconnect between the tone of the game and the actual gameplay. These seem like children engaged in war, which is weird and not in a good way. Tiny Troopers: Global Ops has a few good ideas but is unable to create an interesting universe or deliver varied encounters.

Total Tank Generals is more than just a modern Panzer General, it’s the best way to immerse yourself in the history of World War II and learn how some of the greatest military leaders have become famous.

Anyaroth: The Queen's Tyranny is part of a big wave of action-oriented experiences that seek to evoke the titles that define childhood or early adolescence for many now-mature gamers. It succeeds in doing that while introducing a few modern ideas and refining the core gameplay. The story is nothing special but there are some fun character moments. I like the free aim system and appreciate that the game never aims to punish the player with difficulty spikes. I am disappointed that there’s no attempt to integrate at least one big innovation with the nostalgia. Anyaroth: The Queen's Tyranny is a fun action platformer that acknowledges the limits of its nostalgic approach but never pushes past them.

Escape From The Red Planet isn’t the most complex tower defense hybrid experience. The story is thin and the gameplay is easy to learn. Mastering might take more time but failure is linked to limitations like the slow aim rather than the tactical complexity. The Martians themselves are a failure of design. The entire experience mostly works as a streamlined introduction to the tower defense genre. The first-person combat moments add some extra excitement but don’t feel like a big innovation. Escape From The Red Planet is a decent game for someone who wants to see what the genre can offer but there are plenty of better alternatives for more experienced players.

Despite the relative lack of graphical imagery, I can understand why some players might be turned off by the premise and the way it is implemented. The humor helps, as does that its mechanics are not focused on actual dismemberment but on choices and optimization. I like the weird mix of premise and gameplay of Organs Please and the feeling of accomplishment mixed with slight terror it can deliver.

Shardpunk: Verminfall feels like an indie gem crafted for those who love turn-based combat, resource management and steampunk settings. The survivors are varied enough to offer players multiple choices when creating their crews, although many of the characters can only be unlocked by using team-based skill points. This means that you won’t be able to unlock them all in one playthrough, which is an ingenious way to increase replayability. Although I wasn’t particularly in love with the stress mechanic, at least the developer added many ways to remove it during or after a mission, so few of my characters ended up with negative perks. All in all, I think Shardpunk: Verminfall is a well-crafted tactical turn-based game with a charming, pixelated art style and a pretty decent soundtrack that makes fights a bit more exhilarating.

YOLKED – The Egg Game is quite a challenging experience that manages to keep frustration relatively low via the solid placing of checkpoints. It is extremely easy to understand the dual-hand movement mechanics but very hard to master them. And the world is interesting enough to keep players engaged when playing the same sequence again and again. Endless mode adds even more difficulty and is well-suited for competitive players. Experimentation is rewarded but the game could have used a few extra narrative beats. YOLKED is extra fun with an audience that’s ready to cheer on daring leaps and fast reflexes. But it can also be a relaxing way to end a gaming session when ingested in small doses.

Murderous Muses is a rare full-motion video-driven video game that uses the concept in interesting ways. The central mystery is compelling and it’s worth exploring the weirdness of the island where everything takes place. There are plenty of videos to unlock and investigate and some decent extra puzzles to solve. The gameplay is relatively limited, especially when it comes to hunting down that last keyword required to unlock a police interview. The presentation, the acting, and the plot are strong enough to keep players moving and thinking. Murderous Muse's quality should attract new players to the FMV genre while satisfying long-term fans.

The Library of Babel has a solid setup and some nice narrative moments. It’s well presented and the central quest is good enough to keep players engaged. The title’s problem is that it struggles to make gameplay fun or varied. Stealth is never very interesting while the platforming sections can become frustrating, despite the good placement of save points. This is the type of game that would really benefit from an option to simply skip a gameplay segment. The Library of Babel should tweak character movement and item interactions via patches if it wants to appeal to a wider audience.

Meatgrinder manages the difficult task of mixing the first-person view with platforming and shooting in equally exciting parts. I died plenty more times from touching from failing to secure a platform but enemies are more than speed bumps and can take out the player if his focus is only on movement. The difficulty level is high but the game rewards good reflexes and solid use of its many special abilities. The lack of story will make it harder for many players to deal with failure and push forward (the game thankfully has difficulty levels) but I like the focus on non-stop action, with nothing else getting in the way. For players who want a first-person shooter with a well-executed twist, Meatgrinder is fast, tough, and rewards quick thinking.

All in all, Unheard – Voices of Crime can be a pleasant distraction on a rainy afternoon, but nothing more. If you're craving for a detective game that focuses on the audio aspect, this will definitely quench your thirst for a little bit.

Road To Devadatta is a relatively short and very story-focused game. Its narrative thread is pretty interesting at first but fails to maintain pace once fully supernatural elements are introduced. The levels are relatively small and the puzzles are pretty good, designed to challenge players without frustrating them. There are some interesting attempts to integrate aspects of Buddhism into the story.