Airship: Kingdoms Adrift is a good game for anyone who wants a modern twist on classics like Sid Meier’s Pirates. The core story explores pretty familiar ground but it’s fun to simply move through the game’s world, make some money, enter tense battles, and find ways to improve ships and grow one’s fleet. The title’s release was troubled but developers claim that they have now restored all game content that’s supposed to be available, although bugs are still present. Airship: Kingdoms Adrift is an ambitious video game that offers some great moments but really never fully delivers on its promise.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage returns to the roots of the franchise, but doesn’t bring anything new to the table, at least nothing important. This is far from being a bad game, but it’s certainly not a breath of fresh air for an antiquated series. The things that pull Assassin’s Creed Mirage out of the mediocrity pool are the setting, voice acting and soundtrack. Although I had an enjoyable experience playing Mirage, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve already played this game numerous times in the past.

Star Trek: Infinite is a fine science fiction grand strategy experience, designed to appeal to fans of the TV and movie franchise. The development team has tried hard to deliver as many familiar elements as possible and mostly succeeded. The game creates a more focused experience than the New Horizons mod for Stellaris and its mechanics are easier to understand. Some players have been complaining of game-stopping bugs, which have not impacted my campaigns, so it might be a good idea to wait for a patch or two. Some mechanics, like spies and governors, also feel under-backed. But the ability to create stories and play out scenarios makes Star Trek: Infinite a great experience for both veterans and newcomers to the grand strategy space.

Paleo Pines is another cautionary tale about wasted potential: such an enticing premise based on cute dinosaurs would have deserved much better treatment. The junior players might enjoy the game for a short while, but the repetitiveness and lack of originality will bore them quite soon as well. For those looking for a relaxing farming themed game there are plenty of alternatives out there, that do a much better job of entertaining, with a price point similar to Paleo Pines.

MythForce is a great cooperative action experience for gamers who are nostalgic for Saturday morning cartoons and their limited fantasy universes. The overall narrative isn’t very engaging and filled with tropes. The four heroes each come complete with a unique approach to combat and their various abilities create some cool combo moments if players actually work together. The biggest issue is how quickly fun disappears when players take on a dungeon on their own. Characters gain power slowly and moving through the same spaces, battling the same enemies starts to become repetitive. Mythforce will deliver fun moments for players who have a good multiplayer group and like the presentation.

Limerick: Cadence Mansion is a good game for spooky season because it has plenty of familiar mechanics while creating an interesting universe. It’s not horror by any means but there are some effective scary moments. The game creates constant tension between the drive to discover more and the need to run to a Panic room to avoid death and recover. The puzzles aren’t too difficult but contribute variety. Limerick: Cadence Mansion should have leaned harder into its theme but it still offers an interesting take on action horror for players to engage with during the spooky season.

It is difficult to find anything wrong with Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition and you cannot really compare it to modern releases. Every part of the game oozes the passion of the developers for this genre, and this translates into a really engaging experience for those who lived through the glory days of the 90’s shooters, or those who recently fell in love with this genre. Of course, many of the gameplay elements seem somewhat primitive compared to the standards of today’s FPS games. But the Ludicrous Edition is an anachronic experience that does not want to feel modern, rather it brings back a happy part of our childhoods wearing a bargain price tag.

Torn Away is a narrative-focused game that explores some very difficult historical moments through the eyes of a child. Asya is a strong protagonist and the game works hard to give her interesting things to do from a gameplay perspective. Neither the platforming nor the puzzles sequences are hard to complete and most of the mechanics are familiar. Players need to be sure that they are ready to deal with some troubling and difficult moments before they engage with the game. After playing, it might be time to donate to a charity that helps children in danger. Torn Away is a good example of how video games can engage with complex themes and bring a level of engagement that other mediums cannot deliver.

Wargroove 2 is one of the best smallish-scale tactics titles I have played recently, offering a wide variety of cool scenarios in its campaigns as well as extra variety with Conquest. The turn-to-turn action is compelling, and players have space to tweak the difficulty to suit their needs. The title’s presentation is charming while also informative. It might not innovate as much as fans of the original might want, but Wargroove 2 offers tens of hours of tactical fun and gives its player community the tools to create even more.

The developers of Ad Infinitum seem to have spent too much time on developing the atmosphere and the game itself. It is a completely linear experience, with plenty of bugs that often make progress impossible, if things do not happen according to the script. Because of that, it becomes increasingly frustrating to explore the levels in order to puzzle together the story. Also, once you pique behind the curtains and understand the mechanisms that break down so often, the magic is gone. The plenty of bugs and concept errors ruin what could have been a memorable experience.

Overall, Mortal Kombat 1 is an enjoyable experience, that tries to walk a fine line between old and new. Every part of the game shows that the developers tried to put their right foot forward and deliver a polished experience. The only downside is the presence of microtransactions, but those who care enough to completely pimp out their characters will probably be willing to invest the time to do it.

Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles is a complex and engaging dice builder. The universe is interesting, even if the lore is mostly expressed via gameplay and presentation. There are a ton of dice to choose from as players build their own playstyle around their favorite hero. Any combat encounter delivers interesting tactical situations, and the boss fights are suitably difficult. There’s innovation in the dice system and the Corruption and Purification mechanics but I feel the rogue-lite elements are a little classic. Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles has variety, and depth, and will give fans of this genre tens of hours of dice-driven fun.

Days of Doom is a competent combination of rogue-lite elements and turn and tile-driven combat. Battles are tense, especially when bigger and boss enemies arrive, and require players to carefully think about their character’s abilities and positioning...Unfortunately, there’s limited innovation to be found in the engagements and they tend to become repetitive. The grind required to get Renown for upgrades doesn’t help the experience. Days of Doom is a game for to fans of tactics and rogue-lite ideas that want a classic approach for both and don’t mind that the narrative isn’t very engaging.

Gunbrella delivers a great combination of platforming and combat, punctuated by challenging boss fights and plenty of character interactions. The game introduces new ideas and challenges at a good pace and boredom never sets in. The narrative could have used some extra weirdness, but the universe is engaging and offers some cool moments. The game could have used more variety when it comes to battle scenarios and maybe a little less backtracking. Gunbrella implements the core ideas of action platforming well and adds plenty of fun new ideas that will appeal both to newcomers and genre veterans.

AK-xolotl is a solid action rogue-lite mix that might struggle to stand out. Sure, its protagonist is an axolotl, and you get to save young members of the species but there should have been more weirdness to the world. The combat mechanics are good, with a focus on movement, but I wanted more weapon variety. The experience works best as a way to cleanse the gaming palate. Get into a run, try a new approach, and see how well you’ve learned boss patterns. The developers of AK-xolotl understand the genre well and I really want to see what they try to create next.

Even with some of its shortcomings on PS5, Baldur’s Gate III remains one of the best games of our time. Looking at the amazing quantity and quality of the content, you will most likely forgive the developers for the bugs – that most likely will be fixed through patches. No matter if you are a fan of RPGs or not, Baldur’s Gate III is a game that you should experience and let yourself be enveloped in the adventure that will make you feel not just part of it but will actually make you believe that you are living it.

Strategic Mind: Spirit of Liberty is an enjoyable strategy experience that takes players to one of the less popular theaters of World War II. Both campaigns will test the gamers’ tactical acumen as well as their ability to quickly understand a situation and find a good solution using limited resources. The equipment system adds an interesting layer to the classic mechanics, but the game is otherwise very classic in its approach. Strategic Mind: Spirit of Liberty is a strategy title that appeals to fans of this genre who really want to test their skills leading Finnish forces against the Russian juggernaut.

It's a Wrap! combines two types of gameplay into a neat little package, which shows how far one unique idea can go in the indie space. The narrative elements aren’t extraordinary, and the presentation is decent. But it’s the mix of puzzle and platforming gameplay that will draw in players and keep them engaged. The game features three movies for Johnny to act his way through but it could have used more variety in terms of scene design. It’s a Wrap! is challenging and satisfying and I hope the developers explore the full potential of their ideas in a sequel.

Affogato mixes two ideas that don’t normally belong together. The puzzle-style, card-driven reverse tower defense is pretty unique as an idea but suffers from a lack of variety and some difficulty spikes. The developers need to consider a sequel that focuses on this side of the game to explore its potential. Unfortunately, the coffee-making fails to deliver the same excitement level. All the character moments and conversations could have existed without the drink-making part. The game’s story doesn’t have many surprises but the relationship between Affogato and Mephista has enough charm to power the game.

Six Ages 2: Lights Going Out is designed as an evolution rather than an evolution. Glorantha continues to offer a good setting for role-playing and management, although the apocalyptic element feels a little restrictive. I like the steady flow of events and the care that goes into creating interesting situations and engaging choices. Approach the game more like a journey through history than an opportunity to try and min-max tribe advantages and actions. Six Ages 2: Lights Going Out gives players a cool universe, complex situations to explore, and plenty of ways to fail as the world falls apart around them.

I am a fan of interactive dramas, but Fort Solis proved to be a hard sell even for me. Despite its potential, the game just feels empty and despite the effort of Troy Baker and his colleagues it fails to create an emotional connection with the players. It is not even a popcorn movie you might enjoy when you are terribly bored. It is an experience that does not look bad but does not really offer anything to make it worthy of your time.

En Garde! offers a tight core idea and executes on it well, although in some predictable ways. It’s fun to constantly scan the battlefield and evaluate incoming enemies to decide how to use the environment and Adalia’s superior fencing skills to separate groups, stun some enemies, and, finally, take all of them down. The unlockable reveals even more options to spice battles up and create interesting scenarios. The title’s platforming and exploration are limited, which will limit its appeal for anyone who doesn’t quickly enjoy the combat. En Garde! is a happy adventure dedicated to fans of pulp and complex battle situations.

The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is a unique game. It starts with a Faustian bargain and constantly adds fun and surprising ideas. I liked all the many witches I encountered and their stories, as well as the larger ethical questions gamers have to engage with. Crafting cards is a surprisingly fun process with a lot of variety. The pace of the game's final, more political section felt a little off. But the main narrative is very good, with complex choices and some tense divination moments. I liked how The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood created immersion, explored relationships, and forced me to make some tough decisions.

Astronaut: The Best isn’t as deep or as varied as it seems at first sight, but it has good core mechanics. And the world it conjures is engaging in its weirdness, despite the relative lack of cohesion that’s evident at certain points in the branching narratives. The game’s presentation will not be for everybody, although it meshes well with both story and mechanics. Constantly playing through the same scenarios to get extra coins that unlock more options can be annoying. I also wanted more time to prepare for some challenges to limit the impact of luck. But the core ideas of Astronaut: The Best are all solid and the universe it conjures mixes weirdness and tough choices in creative ways.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical isn’t for everyone. There’s not a lot of actual gameplay, although everything the player does is important. The premise and universe are well-executed while the presentation enhances the experience. More importantly, the songs are good, and the way gamers can shape them is unique and engaging. One has to like musical numbers that express big feelings to enjoy this deity-featuring murder mystery. Grace’s three approaches should have delivered more variety in terms of reactions, and I really wanted some extra character development for the gods. Still, Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical is a unique game and features a unique blend of choices and musical moments.

Verses of Enchantment is a competent card-driven battler with one unique core twist, that A.I. generates verses based on the cards the two opponents use. The poetry that emerges ranges in quality from decent to very bad and has a limited impact on gameplay. The core mechanics are good, with some cool card interactions and a focus on specialized decks. Verses of Enchantment offers interesting duels and plenty of poems to read but never builds a detailed enough world around them to keep players engaged.

Remnant II brings so many improvements over the first game that I’m tempted to ask Gunslinger to remake Remnant: From the Ashes with all the systems they’ve put into the sequel. I’ve rarely been pleasantly surprised by a game like Remnant II. The feeling after managing to kill a boss, discovering a secret area or solving a puzzle and getting rewarded for it, is indescribable. It’s how all the games should be, or at least strive to be. Thanks to solid gunplay and progression systems, as well as amazing boss fights and tons of secrets and puzzles to discover, Remnant II is very close to being a masterpiece. This is one game that you don’t want to skip, regardless of whether or not you like shooters.

F1 Manager 2023 is a good simulation of a complex sport. All circuits are carefully re-created, and fans will have a lot of fun choosing their favorite team and trying to get them as close to a championship as possible. The title’s presentation allows gamers to experience the racing from the cockpit of a car or gather info and make decisions on a strategic layer.