TR-49 is delightful, a game that takes an interesting core concept and builds an intriguing and complex story around it. The two parallel narratives unfold slowly, while the atmosphere remains dark and mysterious. The voice acting, both for the protagonists and the people whose writing was fed into the machine, is impressive. Sure, the core gameplay loop of inputting codes to move from page to page will become repetitive for many players. Thankfully, the players do a lot of thinking, and the game’s puzzles are constructed with care. TR-49 is one of the best mysteries of the past few years and is best enjoyed in short sessions to make it last.

Kentum is a blend of different genres, and it shines in most areas. The base building and crafting aspects are excellent, and then we also have the beautiful world that we explore and gather resources from. I wish combat was better, but even so, it’s competent and not that frequent to be a major drag. The platforming aspect is excellent, and the map is also very well designed. There are secrets to find, although they are quite easy to find most of the time. You can easily spend dozens of hours in the game, especially if you want to play in creative or sandbox modes. You have lots of great things to find in Kentum, from the automation and crafting system to the wonderful exploration, and that’s why this is a must-play for survival enthusiasts.

Pathologic 3 is the most approachable title in the series, offering a good mix of narrative, carefully crafted atmosphere, management elements, and tense infected district sections. Players need to diagnose patients correctly to stand a chance of keeping the population alive, which in turn earns the time needed to discover all the town’s secrets. Still, individual quest chains can be confusing, and running through miasma-affected districts can become a chore. Gamers should always conserve resources and look for good trades. Pathologic 3 can frustrate at times, but it will reward players with great story moments and well-crafted interactions.

Armored Brigade II is a solid, carefully researched, and varied military simulation strategy title that demands quite a bit of time and attention from its players. Battles are complex, offer plenty of tactical options, and the computer-controlled opponent is competent, if conservative. To fully enjoy them, gamers need to be familiar with the featured forces and learn how to read the battlefield. Newcomers should start off small, generating a scenario with a smaller number of units, while those who played the first title in the series can jump right into the campaigns. Armored Brigade II shows that military strategy experiences do not need to sacrifice depth to be accessible and pure fun.

I enjoyed my time with Clawpunk, because it’s the type of game where you shut your brain off and just start shooting. It’s fast-paced, it has amazing boss battles, and it does a great job at bringing those classic 90’s titles like Metal Slug back to life. Yes, it might not be perfect, nor does it have to be. Instead, it’s meant to offer us a healthy dose of nostalgia, while also testing our skills over and over. I like a lot of ideas that they added here. The great characters they included and the ability to switch between them as you need to, that came in handy more times than I realized. And not only that but slashing through dozens of enemies felt very satisfying. As you go into boss battles, things become even more hectic, and just as fulfilling. Clawpunk might seem like a weird game at first glance, but it’s one of those indie games that you need to experience for yourself to see how fun it can be.

Terrifier: The ARTcade Game tries to bring the Terrifier movie series to life in videogame format, and it’s a decent beat’em’up. While it’s not going to be the ultimate game in the genre, it’s interesting, both when it comes to its gameplay and music. Its visuals are an acquired taste, and not everyone might find the visuals appealing. However, the core gameplay is reminiscent to those old-school brawlers, and that will keep you going over the multiple missions available. Unfortunately, Terrifier: The ARTcade Game has its quirks as well. There aren’t a lot of combo options, you will encounter collision detection issues, and the fact that you need to do a QTE whenever you get hit can slow down the enjoyment you have. Even so, I think that Terrifier: The ARTcade Game is worth a shot, if you’re a fan of the series and you want to see a videogame representation of this dangerous clown. The same thing is valid for brawler fans. Otherwise, if you just want to play a retro game, there are other options that might be a better fit.

Wall World 2 does an excellent job on improving various mechanics from its predecessor. What you get here is a very fun roguelike experience that’s engaging, and which doesn’t feel repetitive. That’s something a lot of games in the genre tend to have a problem with, but Wall World 2 manages to get past that. Yes, there are some issues with long-term variation and content depth, but the overall gameplay is incredibly rewarding. Once you start playing Wall World 2, it’s very hard to put down. You always want to enter more caverns, find great stuff and grab those relics, when you can find them. Yes, there were a couple of freezes and problems with pacing, but overall, Wall World 2 is very good, an excellent and creative game which I will gladly come back to over and over again for one more run.

Confidential Killings - A Detective Game is a well-plotted experience with murder cases that grow in complexity at just the right pace. The first few can be solved quickly, basically while looking for the words needed to fill in the solution. Then the number of characters and clues grows significantly, and it takes time to identify everyone and discover exactly what actually happened. The writing is solid, if sometimes designed to deliver clues rather than enhance the atmosphere. The mechanic of picking up words is accessible, while the lack of any hint system is regrettable. Play Confidential Killings - A Detective Game one case at a time and savor its quirky characters and carefully constructed mysteries.

Even if it’s a very short game, Neon Inferno is memorable and it brings one of the best side-scrolling shooting experiences in recent times. Zenovia Interactive has improved on the already good Steel Assault core gameplay. Their new game, Neon Inferno, feels more polished, and despite its shorter length, it brings a great story and wonderful moment-to-moment gameplay. Neon Inferno is an ode to the games of a golden era, and an excellent introduction to arcade shooters for those that never played one. It’s a must-have for any fan of action shooters, and a great way to take a break from demanding, challenging games.

Retrace the Light is a beautiful game, with a rich story and a clever combat system. The thing that shines the most here is certainly the retrace system, but also the fact that you can easily customize your play style with the use of modules. It leaves a lot of room for experimenting and testing things out, while also bringing you a great world to explore. A lot of care and attention went into creating the game, and you can easily see that. Delving into the AI world and showing what AI could do to our society and how it could be either good or bad, that’s also quite interesting. Yet, at the same time, the game continues to bring us great lessons in regard to friendship, betrayal and valuing yourself. All in all, it’s a wonderful 2.5D indie title with some cool mechanics that make it a standout for the genre.

I enjoyed my time with The Crazy Hyper-Dungeon Chronicles, it’s a very fun game that you can play as you take a break from multiplayer games or very serious RPGs. The story is fun, and the gameplay is rather unique, especially when it comes to combat. Granted, it won’t surpass the genre’s greats, but it’s an enjoyable dungeon crawler with interesting twists. It’s worth considering if you want to test your skills exploring dungeons, finding amazing loot, and testing your skills against surprisingly powerful enemies. It’s also priced surprisingly fair, which makes for an accessible RPG.

Aris Arcanum is one of those games that’s not going to be for everyone. It’s designed to offer a new take on roguelikes, and its innovative spellcrafting system, along with the beautiful world they make, is quite engaging and exhilarating at times. However, it’s not without flaws. The character movement takes some getting used to, and the game itself is quite short. And then there’s the AI-asset usage, which could be misunderstood or not appreciated by some players. However, once you get past the mishaps, you will see that Aris Arcanum is a competent rogue-like, albeit one that’s more suitable for people that enjoy a slower-paced game. It’s one of those games that, if you offer enough time, you’ll become engulfed with fun moments, and every boss/enemy you defeat feels very fulfilling.

Flashpoint Campaigns: Cold War is one of the best World War III strategy simulations, mainly because of how it simulates command and control. Players have to take into account unit capabilities and employ a classic combined arms approach when possible, with simultaneous action and command cycles adding unpredictability and tension. Streamlined postures for all units and more options for the Standard Operating Procedure sections make it easier to try and execute complex plans. The presentation is pretty classic, which might make it hard for newcomers to engage. Flashpoint Campaigns: Cold War expands on all the cool ideas of Southern Storm (a discount is offered for owners of that title), and its variety of campaigns and scenarios is impressive.

Night Swarm takes a familiar set of mechanics and adds just enough innovation to make them feel engaging again. The actual missions are quick, with quests thrown in to add variety and plenty of abilities to mix and match. The randomized runs cannot fully compensate for the repetitive action gameplay, but they come close. The title’s biggest weakness is that it gives players a few too many resources to juggle. Boss battles also fail to shine. Night Swarm is a good Vampire Survivors-like that shows there’s still plenty of space for the genre to try out new ideas.

As a fan of the cartoon and someone who already played Cosmic Shake, the Patrick Star game and the other previous 3D games in the series, I was looking forward to SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide. And the game does not disappoint. It delivers the best platforming gameplay in the series until this point, and the world design is excellent. That SpongeBob SquarePants music is very memorable, too, and it’s stuck in my head already. While the game’s story has an awkward pacing at times and some cutscenes feel forced, that didn’t deter me from the overall experience. The game promises great platforming and a funny story, and for me, it delivered on those fronts. You can also unlock a lot of costumes and even find lots of collectibles. It might be on the shorter side, but SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide is an excellent 3D platformer, especially for kids or families.

RENNSPORT knows very well what it wants to be, and it goes all-in on the simulation aspect. I think that’s where the game truly shines. It has very realistic driving mechanics, the visual design is astounding, and they do a stellar job of keeping things engaging with every race. However, the game also has stability problems, bugs, crashes, and it’s very light on content. It’s definitely not something up to par with a game like Grand Turismo 7, however if you like simulation racing, it’s worth a shot, thankfully it has a free version where you can test it out. I wish they had more content, and the stability issues would not be there.

UNBEATABLE is a labor of love, a game that celebrates music and wants players to love its tunes and vibe with them. The story is not always entirely coherent, but all the characters are lovely to interact with. The visual style is clearly anime-inspired but has unique touches, even if the world can seem a little empty. The game’s music is so good that even the menu tracks are bangers. Play the Arcade mode to unlock all its songs and steadily push the difficulty level up. But don’t forget to get through the story, even if it requires turning on the assist mode to get through some rhythm sequences. UNBEATABLE is a great experience for anyone who loves music and a ton of challenging fun for rhythm game enthusiasts.

DOG WITCH has a unique dice-rolling combat system that is both challenging and varied. Players need to play quite a bit to see all the more than 100 magical artifacts they can work with and discover how they can mix and match their abilities, if lucky, to abuse the mechanics and make their canine wizard unstoppable. The title’s gameplay successfully generates the “one more run” feeling. But players will have to deal with the lack of narrative elements and the limited visual appeal. DOG WITCH is best enjoyed in sessions of two or three runs, which allow the game to show off its tactical appeal without becoming repetitive.

MARVEL Cosmic Invasion is a very interesting beat’em’up that’s short, but sweet. It has a wonderful story, one that seems to be taken right out of the comic books. But it’s something new, refreshing, and it allows us to control iconic Marvel characters, along with lesser-known ones. As a complete package, MARVEL Cosmic Invasion is a delightful return to the golden era of beat’em’ups. It feels great to play, the combat is very intuitive, and the character selection is outstanding. The game’s visuals and soundtrack are also up to par with expectations, with some levels being very impressive. Whether you are a child of the 90s, or a child today, the game is a delight to play, and it’s certainly going to push you towards reading more comics.

Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked brings a great D&D theme to the already popular Demeo experience, and it shines in coop. The 2 campaigns available at launch are great, fun to play, but also frustrating at times due to overpowered enemies you encounter along the way. It does become very chaotic in multiplayer, while playing single-player offers a more tactical experience. For me, Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked was a great way to delve back into D&D and it felt great to play. The battles are very fast-paced for a turn-based title, you still get to focus on tactics and strategy, while also enjoying great quests and very good voice-overs. If you want to make the most out of it, going the VR or co-op route is the best idea. But regardless, it’s a good entry in the Demeo universe, especially if you’re new to tactics and turn based games.

Lumines Arise is one of those games that will automatically make a great impression, thanks to its visuals and music, but also the engaging gameplay. This iteration of Lumines Arise might be its Ultimate version, since you get to enjoy those amazing levels with a brand-new presentation along with a variety of game modes for you to check out. There’s also VR support, which I didn’t get to try, but many players already consider that the best way to play the game for excellent immersion. Even without playing in VR, it’s clear that a lot of care and attention went into creating this modern version of Lumines. Visuals are exceptional, the soundtrack is along one of the best I’ve listened to in recent times, and the gameplay is great, albeit a tad repetitive as you get towards the latter part of the Journey. Still, if you have even the slightest interest in Tetris, Lumines or similar games, this is a must-play.

RuneQuest: Warlords is a good turn-based strategy experience that will mainly appeal to those who love this fantasy universe or had a great time playing Battlesector. Engagements, especially once the player controls a dozen units, are complex and require careful planning and on-the-spot improvisation to win with minimal losses. The game’s computer opponent can be a little dumb at times, but multiplayer, including using hotseat, is offered for those interested in challenging another human. I would have liked some extra story emphasis on what makes the RuneQuest setting special. Warlords’ core ideas are solid, but it needs more army variety and a few extra weird scenarios to bring in players who aren’t interested in the narrative.

Becastled is a very fun city builder and survival game. It manages to seamlessly blend the two genres, while also conveying its own unique challenges. Yes, it’s very fun to play as well, and it’s one of those games where you will find yourself playing for hours and hours without stopping. You can also change the difficulty to continually challenge yourself, if you want. But the thing that I like the most about Becastled is how they allow you to expand all the time, while also testing you at every corner. The upgrade path is great, and the game doesn’t shy away from showing that you need to improve as a player. And that’s what matters, it’s exciting to play, yet you continue finding new ways to test your skills. It certainly has a lot of longevity, especially with variety of map styles and enemies, and it’s already getting many updates even after launch.

Of Ash and Steel is one of those RPGs that are the clear definition of the “eurojank” genre. It has a lot of ambition, both when it comes to the world’s size and scope, but also in regard to the story. It does lots of things right, like creating a very compelling and long experience which you will enjoy for dozens of hours. However, the game is also marred by technical issues, at least at launch. I didn’t have major stability issues, aside from a few hiccups as the game loads different areas. However, the game is filled with bugs, and some things like the battle or facial animations lower the overall appeal of the experience. It’s certainly a love letter to the old-school RPGs with a modern coat, but it’s definitely one that needs a bit more time in the oven. I hope they will solve these technical problems, because Of Ash and Steel is a promising RPG. It’s just not in the best state at launch.

As a complete package, Tormented Souls 2 has a lot of things going for it. The atmosphere it creates is great, and the visuals are fit to the world’s unique ideas and challenges. That being said, the fact that they chose to go with limited saves does make the game feel more high stakes, but it can get frustrating at times because of it as well. It’s nice that you don’t have to play the first one to understand this game, and it’s definitely one of the better horror games made in the past few years. Yes, it doesn’t have the AAA flair and all the bells and whistles, but the self-contained story is very well-made, shared in a creative way, and the game itself doesn’t shy away from being very fun. It’s an easy recommendation for horror fans, but even if you never dabbled into the genre before, it’s a good starting point.

Nicktoons & The Dice of Destiny is a fun, simple action RPG with a great heart. It features a wonderful story, and the fact that you can play as one of 9 different Nicktoons characters is great. There are various skills you can access, tons of loot, and the game doesn’t shy away from bringing all kinds of interesting worlds and enemies in front of you. With that in mind, variety is limited, yet what’s there is very well-made, and it makes you want to play more and more in this creative world. Sure, you won’t have the build variety of something like Diablo, but if you want a more casual action RPG with a colorful world and a great heart, this is definitely something you want to play.

Xenopurge is a solid, tense, tight experience that manages to walk the fine line between challenging and frustrating without stumbling. The game is at its best during the final sector mission, when players have to achieve three difficult objectives but can also rely on the abilities of their equipped and upgraded squad. The graphics aren’t complex, but, alongside the solid sound design, they create atmosphere even as the narrative moves through some familiar moments. Finding the path through the nodes that boosts a tactical approach is fun. Xenopurge is adept at creating tension and dread, while constantly giving players new objectives to aim for.

PowerWash Simulator 2 is a game that’s definitely suitable for those who want a soothing, relaxing time when playing games. It’s colorful, it’s fun to play, and it gives you a way to unwind after a long day. It doesn’t have challenging gameplay, tons of monsters or a plethora of quests, like many other games do. But don’t get us wrong, it knows very well what it wants to be, and it caters to the right audience for that. The visuals are great, the multiplayer aspect they have here is exceptional, and the game continues to offer interesting places and items for you to clean. It’s, overall, a mesmerizing, very enjoyable and downright fun experience that everyone should try out for themselves. Yes, it might not be for everyone, but those chill gamers looking to unwind will find this their go-to. I can see people spending dozens or even hundreds of hours cleaning stuff, just because PowerWash Simulator 2 is so fulfilling and rewarding.