The biggest issue is just the lack of overall assistance. Sands of Salazaar opens the door, pushes you through, and says “have fun!” before running away and leaving you to figure everything out on your own. Gradually realizing how things work is part of the adventure, though when some of those things include basics such as how to use skills, it’s not quite so fun. These are all issues Han-Squirrel can resolve over time, though. Until then, Sands of Salazaar’s layers and intriguing character stories more than make up for the annoyances, especially for the asking price.

All in all, Wolfstride demonstrates how great a game can be when the characters in it are full of personality, and also succeeds in presenting a combat system that’s fun and challenging, without losing simplicity. Its characters are a bunch of lovely, lowly criminals that conduct themselves kind of aimlessly through life, failing upwards more than progressing, and perhaps, under all that rubbish you can find actually nice people with complex minds and even more complicated lives. But of course, Wolfstride is, first and foremost, a game about mechas demolishing each other, and the game never lets you forget it.

Clone Drone in the Danger Zone is both good fun, but also somewhat surprising in the story it tells. There’s a lot more to it than just swinging a sword around, but even if there wasn’t, having a big old flaming sword or a giant hammer and then slashing and smashing enemy bots is more than satisfying enough to hold most people’s attention.

Overall, Heavenly Bodies is a triumphant puzzle game. Its setting and premise are novel and excellently executed. The games succinct 5-7 playtime allows the game to not overstay its welcome and the excellent theming gives sensibility to what would otherwise be wholly nonsensical mechanics. Heavenly Bodies is a welcome addition to an already vibrant indie puzzle scene.

I liked Unpacking very much. It’s complicated, but it’s as simple as a peanut butter sandwich, toasted in the sandwich press that you got three apartments ago.

Ultimately, the only flaw was the sensation of wanting more of The Sundew. While its length can feel underwhelming, it is still an achievement since it’s developed by one person, which is even more admirable after seeing the quality of the final product. The fact that the game left me craving for more adventures like this speaks volumes of the developer’s dedication, as well as a testament to the beautifully presented cyberpunk adventure of The Sundew.

The neatest trick that Midnight Protocol pulled is that even if it probably does not depict hacking in the most realistic or accurate manner, it still encapsulates the fascination that most of us have around hacking.

Freebird games have always been funny in a gentle way that doesn’t clash with the games’ tender yet challenging emotional core. In Impostor Factory, the team has taken a big swing by including full-on horror, as well as a complex meta-story involving the nature of science and time itself. And the humor is both slapstick and risky, letting players release tension as they explore the gore and mind-bending moral conundrums posed by the game’s story. The boxing cat and the sentient rice cooker are a welcome bonus.

At its core, Gloomhaven is a deep tactical experience that’s immensely satisfying once you get to grips with its layers upon layers of systems. It also includes multiple options to vary the difficulty, so newer players don’t feel overly punished by making mistakes, whilst strategy aficionados can dial up the challenge to match their ability.

By the time the final credits roll on The Artful Escape, it’s a challenge to succinctly summarise what you’ve just experienced. It’s a game without a genre, one composed of familiar elements blended in an unfamiliar way, creating something that is uniquely its own. It’s been a long time coming since The Artful Escape was given its initial glimpse of what was in store, but when it’s all said and done, it leaves the audience satisfied but still wanting just a little more. Like any good concert.

It’s a bit disappointing to see that In Sound Mind doesn’t quite transcend outdated horror tropes, even though it has the potential to. But that doesn’t take away from the accomplishments that make it more intriguing than many contemporary titles: its thought-provoking puzzles, and its attempts to tell an engaging story without unnecessarily scaring you to death first.

On the whole, Arboria is a fun spin on the largely established roguelike formula, using its overgrown dark and dank setting to create a series of inventive mechanics, which means that no two runs are ever the same.

Making an interactive facsimile of Moebius’ style is a daunting task. While it isn’t always a slam dunk, Sable provides handsome eye candy, encouraging you to climb mountains for the view alone. The anticipated score from Japanese Breakfast is even more versatile, stringing the wasteland with theremin, accordions, shoegaze and desert psych. It’s a shame that the initial glider sounds like loose change in a dryer, so I encourage players strictly seeking to vibe to trade up for better parts as soon as they can.

In the end, Black Book is one game that feels like a great representation of its genre for the uninitiated. It’s a game that exudes charm, despite the depressing landscape it’s set in. Its premise is a perfect match for novice deck-builders, as it creates a solid foundation of understanding for those looking to break into similar experiences.

Perhaps Eastward’s greatest strength is that it isn’t complicated—gameplay is at once deeply warm and familiar without fading into stale territory, which is surprisingly tricky for a game that presents itself as a spiritual successor to the Zelda legacy. Eastward in motion is an unstoppable force, an exquisitely-animated homage to old-school RPGs that more than compensates for its writing and narrative

It’s all genuinely a lot of fun. I do think there’s probably a little too much challenge for some people, and the short campaign won’t keep everyone’s attention, but for those who like to look cool and seek high scores, Severed Steel is going to be as hard to resist as an arm cannon through a flimsy window.

It’s far from the typical hero’s journey. In this game you’re just a kid who listens to cassette tapes, and now has an old camera to document that adventure with. It reminded me of my summer trips to the Isle of Wight, making my own fun in ways only children can.

SkateBIRD is a beautiful and heartwarming game, and it’s something that will stay with me for years to come.

Twelve Minutes was one of the most interactive and enjoyable games I’ve played in a long while. Even though playing through the same loop again, and again, and again won’t be for everyone, I found the process of changing up my actions each time and moving forward, little by little, to be oddly satisfying, and the sense of accomplishment whenever I made a considerable leap forward was unmatched.

When you perform an inaccurate jump and fall to the void, you won’t be terminated until you reach the bottom, which means you can be free-falling for about ten seconds before the round concludes. However, these problems are secondary to the mixed, complicated emotions I experienced–from the pure joy and satisfaction when finishing a challenging area, to more complex and bitter thoughts about our humanity–and our efforts to be better. Hypervisor provokes conversations not only about our daily dependence on technology, our increasing levels of anxiety around it, or the isolation bubbles created through social media, but how our imminent future could be made even worse. Hopefully, we can change this trajectory before it’s too late–if it isn’t already too late.

Spiritfarer is a fantastic title that runs like a dream and firmly delivers on its warm aura interlaced with emotional weight. Beautifully executed in its approach to complex subjects, players will be thoroughly engrossed and immersed in the nautical spirit world Stella and Daffodil inhabit, and the carefully built (if inevitably fleeting) friendships of unique spiritual companions. Step through the Everdoor and see what’s on the other side.

In the end, however, Golf Club Wasteland didn’t need to sell me on its main character for it to work. It tells more than a story about one person or one moment. Instead, its strength is in the world it creates, the microstories of each level, and the layers of social critique in each part of its radio broadcasts. The rich will watch the world burn and complain about the glare―best make sure that golf course is shady.

Along with having to perform some well-timed maneuvers, this also makes for several terribly clever puzzles, which also makes me feel very clever at times.

Like wafts of familiar scents, moments throughout Psychonauts evoke memories of both Double Fine and LucasArts’ highest highs. Many of Double Fine’s best known collaborators, from visual artists to voice talent, have pooled in. It makes a fine game, one about the atrophy of counter culture, how bonds make finer milestones than accomplishments, and how past failures do not negate future glories. Psychonauts 2 is a rare treasure, one that feels rarer and rarer as years go by, but clearly still possible with the proper gang of weirdos.

For the most part, though, Dodgeball Academia is an unbridled joy with a lovely cast of wholesome characters, even though the narrative isn’t always that fresh. If it was merely fun and silly writing alone, I’d still thoroughly enjoy my time with it because it reminds me fondly of excitedly waking up on a Saturday to watch daft cartoons and play video games—back to simpler times. The fact that the act of playing dodgeball is also fantastic is a warmly welcomed bonus.

Last Stop isn’t perfect. Its limited and tepid interactivity makes it better suited as a TV show, but I can’t deny that the story is entertaining and absorbing enough where, in the grand scheme of things, its shortcomings didn’t matter much. It took me back to the days of charming British sci-fi tv shows like Blake 7, Doctor Who and Torchwood, where these shows shared a love of telling character-driven stories on a backdrop of big themes despite budget constraints. With its intimate cast of characters, eccentric English charm and cosy story-telling, Last Stop replicates these shows’ charisma, creating an enjoyable sci-fi tale that’s gripping and one you’ll want to see through to the end.

Made up of 56 puzzles that make full use of this timeless feature—in which you can fast forward or rewind time to solve its countless riddles—it’s a tough-as-nails, minimalist puzzle game about nudging a cube towards its goal. Cylinders may also be used to help you get to hard-to-reach places, but the crux of the game is about manipulating the very fabric of time so you can get to where you need to be. That said, Induction can be unforgiving in its challenges; if you’re stuck on one level, you won’t be able to move on to the next—which makes for some frustrating moments—but fortunately, a guide to solving the puzzles is readily available online.

Rather than dwell on how Unavowed also cleverly entangles you with unexpected developments at almost every turn—because there’s no question that it absolutely does—the idle banter and jabs traded among its cast of paranormal detectives are heartening and authentic, moving the story forward even in its quietest moments. It’s a point-and-click game destined to be an all-time classic—which is why it is one of the entries in our best point-and-clicks list.

Originally an Apple Arcade exclusive, Mini Motorways is now available on Steam for aspiring city planners. If you’re ready to tear your hair out of your follicles over the algorithm’s decision to construct a house 10 million miles away from its destination, it may very well become one of your favourite time-wasters.

By stripping away most of the unnecessary bits of a bloated RPG—combat, leveling up, and customising your character—Mythic Ocean distills the narrative features of these games into a series of thoughtful conversations with a likeable cast, while revealing something much more profound: the philosophies and idiosyncrasies that dictate our human condition.

Fans of games like Furi and Devil May Cry may be surprised with how well Eldest Souls can produce the same sort of frantic and expressive action those games are known for. Its “soulslike” credentials don’t stem from replicating the slow and plodding experience that the subgenre is known for very much. Instead, it’s the focused and diverse boss encounters, on top of the snappy combat and clever customisation. Eldest Souls may not change the face of soulslikes just yet, but it at least demonstrates that there are still new ways to interpret them.

It must be pretty obvious by now that I love this game. I love the effort that went into it and the expansive scope of its contents. I love how easy the gameplay is to grasp and how complex its plot becomes. I love the surprises and mysteries, and how each character is so full of soul. History buffs will have hours of spotting little details and accuracies, and fans of a good old-fashioned mystery will be kept up all night by the perplexing curse that has befallen this town.

Boomerang X may not be perfect, but it’s perfectly addictive, a game just begging to be replayed. There’s even a built-in speed run timer setting and harder difficulty options and a New Game+ mode underscoring its replayability. Running through its 13 levels another time probably won’t peel back any more of the game’s very thin plot layers, but damn if it isn’t a blast to zip around like an airborne assassin.

I really like how the deck-building mechanics reflect the dispositions of the different characters. You can see this in both combat and negotiation; Sal is pretty strong all around, which makes them a good choice for your first couple of runs. Rook flips a coin every now and then during negotiation that can produce a powerful boost. Smith builds up a stockpile of empty bottles while in combat which they sometimes hurl at their opponents. The result is a wonderful sense of ludonarrative consonance.

It’s a base defense strategy game that dabbles in realism rather than pointless commotion, and it’s a very captivating one. There are minor issues, such as the need for more precise controls (you can’t choose which worker you wish to station at every barricade), but aside from a few frustrating moments, these mostly don’t detract from its strengths.

As a monosyllabic goose who prefers to let your guns–be it machine guns or rocket launchers–do the talking, you’ll be traversing across planets, dodging gunfire and bulldozing legions of robots and bugs with a flurry of bullets sprayed all over the screen. There’s no poetic justice to be meted out, no truly dastardly plot to raze the universe to the ground, and no tearjerker or heroic moments: just the opportunity to enact scenes of pure, exhilarating carnage.

The blindingly abrasive strobe effect that will make this an utterly miserable experience for some, no matter how much you want to see the pretty pictures and explore every corner of the Critters world. But if you’re willing to just ruin your vision for an afternoon and commit to the developer’s description of their own work “to make your eyes bleed” (for their other game, a shooter called Rym 9000), Critters for Sale is an oddball dip into a very particular vision of hell.

On the whole I’m incredibly impressed with Wildermyth. While I was skeptical at first about whether its procedurally-generated narrative events and choices would allow for cohesive character development, its stories are so well-written, funny, and relatable that it’s hard not to be invested in the lives of your motley crew of heroes. Wildermyth is the kind of game that moves seamlessly between heroes making bad jokes one second and reflecting on the nature of existence the next. This tapestry of moments feels appropriate in a game about what it means to be human, both in terms of battling against mortality and the end of the world, but also in the quiet moments of beauty that life is filled with.

I am in love with Chivalry 2, but it’s not the best it could be just yet. As it stands, the party system is literally useless at the moment. There are also a few connection issues here and there too. However, assuming they get fixed, Chivalry 2 could well be my go-to game for killing a bit of time–and a lot of people–for years to come. The developers will also be adding in horses in a later update, and that sounds truly wonderful.

Chicory flits through its hours of play with earnest, effortless charm that admittedly verges on saccharine at times—some of its townsfolk seem more like caricatures than actual personalities—but it has also helped me to appreciate the heights and mundanity of exploration, discovery and creation. It’s something I haven’t quite been able to for a while in games.

The ending left me with lots of questions, and I don’t invoke the names of Beckett and Kafka and Ballard lightly. I guess Lynch can go here too, as well as more modern writers like Atword, Ligotti, Butler, and Vandermeer: Backbone touches on the sort of existential uncertainty that these writers famously imbued their work with. It also made me think about the forces that push back against people’s herculean efforts to better their circumstances: be they inculcated beliefs from society, or perhaps even things that are more primordial than that. That’s perhaps the best praise I can give this game: that it’s going to sit festering in the back of my mind for a good long while.

Repetitive as My Child Lebensborn is, as a video game it falls short of what most players might consider “fun.” But as an education about Lebensborn and the poignant struggles of war children to this day, it leaves an enduring impression. Way more than any history class ever did.

At its heart, Beautiful Desolation is also a thinly disguised series of fetch quests, where you’ll be asked to run errands in exchange for favours, usually by picking this piece of tech from far flung corners of the world. Invisible walls, too, add another layer of frustration to this janky experience. I am, however, willing to be hoodwinked into performing these busywork, if it means I can witness more of its broken, picturesque universe.

It’s a grueling but exhilarating journey that confronts what we probably know all along: that the pain of living through countless deaths and tragedies is ultimately what binds us together in life.

It may be punishing at times, but Jetboard Joust is truly at its most exhilarating when it’s firing on all cylinders.

It’s rare that a game fully explores the weight of choice and consequence, but it’s even rarer that a debut game does it so well. Lacuna is that game: an intricately crafted, perfectly paced and engrossing experience that places the story front and centre. Players will be on the edge of their seats, pouring over every detail and—quite literally—reflecting on the choices that led them there.

On the whole, Solasta is a solid D&D simulator. Though its narrative is nothing to write home about, and the game can be a tad buggy at times, it has actually made me reconsider playing D&D as it showcases the system’s strengths so effectively. Hopefully Tactical Adventures will add more campaigns to Solasta over time, allowing players to use the same characters in various scenarios, mix them together to create party combos, and just generally become invested in them.

There is a semblance of a tale behind the goings-on of Never Yield, but it’s one that’s nebulous and difficult to grasp if you’re not paying close attention. Yet in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter; this ambiguity hardly ever holds back or reins in its dynamism. Instead, Never Yield’s strength is in replicating the rhythmic flow of funk. It’s one that pulsates intently throughout the experience, and is a beautifully composed choreography of movement and music. In perfect harmony are its liberating act of endless running and athletics and the reverberating funk soundtrack—which makes Never Yield an unmistakable display of Black empowerment.

I had wondered, at the beginning, if this was all just an elaborate joke to waste my time. Turns out it isn’t, and The Longing is one of the most inventive experimental games I’ve played. It captures the depths of crushing loneliness and isolation, but also a surprisingly soothing companion to equally lonely souls. I’ve spent three hours on it already.

Are words magical? In a way, certainly. They can capture moments in time, or give birth to entire fantastical worlds. Lost Words: Beyond the Page is able to capture this sensation through skillful writing, lovely artwork, and a powerful sense of creativity. It is an affecting exploration of a child trying to create while in the midst of trauma.

Perhaps the biggest twist to Don’t Forget Me—and this is not a spoiler—is that despite all the chatter about memories, the game isn’t explicitly about them. Instead, it’s a tale centered around navigating the ambiguities of being human.

The tale’s comedic tone and the dialogue are clever and snarky. Coupled with the supernatural shenanigans manifesting daily in the world of The Darkside Detective, these often lead to hilarious situations and reactions from the characters in them, among whom are skeptics to the authenticity of these happenings. Yet the jokes fall short at times due to unnecessarily exaggerated scenes, such as a squirrel planning a heist to a television station. Conversely, it is when The Darkside Detective takes itself a bit more seriously and embraces its deeper, darker roots, that the brilliance truly happens.

Rain On Your Parade will turn you into a monster. A giggling, sniggering, grinning monster. The havoc and chaos a simple rain cloud can wreak is a simple and oh so addictive pleasure: wails of terror notwithstanding, ruining someone’s day is fantastic, knockabout fun. Channeling the liberating anarchy of Katamari Damacy and the charming humour of Little Big Planet, Rain On Your Parade is refreshingly fun and challenging.

At its heart, Trials of Fire is a survival game in the way only roguelikes can be: where each battle, decision, and knock-on-effect can determine your demise further down the road. It’s also very tough as many encounters spawn a random number of enemies. Trials of Fire’s card system makes being outnumbered feel a little unfair at times too, as the opponent has more cards to work with, as well as more potential mana, more armor, and more movement to gain from discarding them. However, its smart mechanics, survival play, and deck-building make up for any criticisms I have leveled at it. I’ll definitely dive back in for another adventure before too long, though perhaps on a lower difficulty…

Here’s a disclaimer, if you’ve already got the first two Overcooked! games, do not get this. However, if you’re new to the series, then Overcooked! All You Can Eat is an absolute joy. The feeling of panicking your way around a kitchen with friends is incredible, and the chaos it brings is unrivalled. There are a few online issues at the moment though, but I’m scoring this assuming they’ll be fixed.

I’ve reached an age where the games I would have enjoyed 20 years ago and more are a distant recollection of quick wits, skill and muscle memory, of the ‘how-on-earth-did-I-play-that?’ variety. Yet here we are, four years on from Studio Kobe’s Kickstarter launch and while it feels like a lifetime has passed in the interim, not just in videogames, I find myself playing a game in a genre that I had all but given up hope of finding any kind of pleasure in again. In Narita Boy, beating seemingly insurmountable odds can still be fun.

As with many art-focused games, it’s painful to discuss a work’s aspirations and pretensions without degrading the ambition of its ideas, especially in an industry where art-games are often relegated to the sidelines of mainstream discourse. Genesis Noir is at once a remarkable creative achievement that embodies the best and brightest of the art-game genre. But as the game unfolds in all its zany glory, it also loses its way at the end–the message gets through, but the repetition becomes tedious. Perhaps the best way to reinvent the Big Bang isn’t in one harried review sitting. Play it slow and savor it.

Roundtable Games Studio have certainly put their best foot forward with Dying Flame. Fans of layered psychological storytelling and atmosphere will be intrigued, and fans looking for a dialled-up-to-11 spoopy adrenaline rush will be more than satisfied. The RPGMaker genre has another great title in its library, and indie gaming has another promising studio to look out for.

All told, Sizeable is an endearing little gem that offers the same light brain-teasing that your nan’s looking for when she sits down to do the crossword in the paper. It’s easy to pick up and put down, and treating it as such meant that the game never wore out its welcome. Charging through every level in one sitting is easily doable, but some things are meant to be savoured. As far as Sizeable is concerned, I’ll be coming back for seconds.

Mundaun is a real triumph of horror, full of stark, well-realised images, incredible sound design, and a score that can stand with the best of horror. I still don’t know if I have found the best conclusion to Curdin’s story as the game branches and changes as you make certain decisions, but the blurry edges of its sketched world will be lingering at the edges of imagination for weeks to come.

Whether you go guns blazing or take a more indirect strategy, no matter the approach you take, Warshmallows will ensure you hours of fun, with the silliest marshmallow clothing, a soundtrack born in heaven mixing funk, hip hop, and 80’s rock, and, why not, victorious marshmallows, dabbing in delight after winning a match round.

Those who can go through it are in for one of the more unique games out there. With its sprawling lore, detailed plotting, and intimate look at the effects one person’s choices have on the world around them, The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante is an ambitious narrative RPG and a must-play for fantasy lovers.

30XX is haaaaaaaaaaaard. It’s so damn punishing, but it’s also a wonderfully inventive roguelike that takes everything that makes Mega Man great and goes “what if you died more and the progression was different?” It’s an important question, and the answer to that used to be 20XX, but 30XX is better in every single way. Please play this game if you want a cool co-op platformer that will also crush you and your dreams. You’ll enjoy it, I promise.

Bravery Network Online is absolutely great. It’s full of larger-than-life characters, stunning artwork, and a very satisfying turn-based combat system. If you’re even slightly interested in this game then implore you to check it out, you won’t regret it.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is another fine adventure for Adol Christin. Considering previous entries like Lacrimosa of Dana and Memories of Celceta were more light-hearted affairs, IX’s darker themes is a slight departure, but it forges a strong identity of its own. Packed with a fun (if not especially vibrant) setting, enjoyable gameplay and engaging narrative, some smaller issues hold it back, and Nihon Falcom’s game engine is certainly looking tired. Regardless, any long-term Ys fans would do well to pick this one up.

The truth is, it plays like a tabletop game or something you’d dig out of the cupboard for boardgame night. It’s quick; once you familiarise yourself with the rules, and every time you lose, there’s a sense of “God, I was so close… maybe one more try”. I would like to see more attractive landscapes and backgrounds. I would like a bit more variation. But the potential is great, and there’s a lot to be said for a game you can pop open in the background of a dull Zoom meeting these days.

It’s a wonderfully charming and enticing experience that I will quite happily keep playing again and again. There are loads of secrets to be found, plenty more upgrades to unlock, and lots of monsters to yeet into the sea. It’s fun, but it’s not a perfect experience. The issue with the multiplayer and lacklustre story detract from the stellar gameplay, but I’m definitely a lot more positive on Rogue Heroes than I am negative.

Rogue Star Rescue is undeniably fun. It’s quirky and self-aware, has great control, clever weapons, and adorable retro graphics. The focus on character progression and general friendly coop multiplayer give it a lovely classic coin-op air, and there’s plenty here to keep players coming back again and again.

If you’re seeking a more challenge experience, Blue Fire is worth a look, but it is a game which will test your patience. It’s only truly let down by the Void trials, and while there’s nothing wrong with a tougher experience, they stop being fun after just missing that platform for a fifth time in a row. Those willing to put that aside will find a game with plenty of depth, offering a solid visual presentation, enjoyable dungeons, and intriguing story which comes recommended.

The cyberpunk genre has gained a good game here with Disjunction. It’s at its best when you’re sneaking through futuristic offices and factories and trying to figure out which ability to use next. The action is a little lacklustre when stealth fails, and the story is enjoyable, but not world-changing. It’s definitely a pretty game though, and the light RPG help to keep things interesting as you play through it.

It’s definitely on the harder end of the roguelike genre, but that only makes it all the more satisfying whenever you succeed. It helps that it’s absolutely beautiful too, because you’ll be seeing a lot of it if it sinks its hooks into you.

Sarawak is a short game; its story isn’t quite as satisfying as I’d like it to be, but it kept a consistent smile on my face as it unfurled, the crumpled pieces of paper folding out into something really special, despite its creases. As a sign of what this team could achieve in the future, I’m very hopeful. As an experience itself, it’s lovely despite its flaws.

Overall, Phoenotopia: Awakening is a triumphant PC port that thoroughly polished its flaws and comes out shining. Chock full of charm and wonder, it’s a delight for any pixel art platformer enthusiast looking for a new adventure to throw themselves into and while away the hours with.

The number of quests and hidden places to unveil shows up the amount of dedication and attention to detail instilled in the project, with every sidequest expanding and adding information to the lore of the game without feeling tedious at all no matter how long you take to traverse these vast lands. Whether you rescue your loved ones, talk to consumed gods or just kill Leshys, whatever path you travel will have hours of fun ahead, while you try to find the Ocean’s Heart.

There are many cool moments and secrets throughout Bezier that make it more special than just an ordinary shooter, not to mention the fantastic soundtrack. As addictive as it is, though, I’m not sure it’s worth £20 for what is still quite a short game, especially as the original’s on Steam for just £7. There are more difficulty modes, an Endurance mode, a Daily Challenge that’s tied into a fun fact about the date, and plenty of secrets to find, but Bezier’s not a game you’re going to play for hours upon hours. A short, memorable, replayable experience isn’t a bad thing, though, and the game’s as fun as it is weird, which is a lot.

Developed by Krillbite Studios and an indirect sequel of their previous game The Plan, Sunlight brings an exciting perspective on walking simulators. Far from replicating the environments in their past work such as the terrorizing atmosphere in Among The Sleep or the dreadful cities in Mosaic, this relaxing narrative adventure displays a more natural aesthetic, with both the auditive and visual aspects in it being genuinely delightful.

Override 2: Super Mech League is a great sequel, and by removing Mech City Brawl’s more tedious elements, Modus Games have created a thoroughly enjoyable 3D brawler. With more refined gameplay, improved performance, and a great roster of mechs, this isn’t a simple rehash of the original. Though Leagues can be repetitive in solo play and it holds infrequent performance issues, there lies a fun multiplayer experience here for Kaiju fans that comes highly recommended.

Not to be too grandiose about the game – it won’t be for everyone, and it has very little replay value – but I do think there is room for When The Past Was Here alongside some of the story-based indie greats. It does what it does with utmost care and sensitivity, feeling like the sort of dream you have when you’ve just changed your sheets. We could all do with some more comfort after the year we’ve had, and When The Past Was Here – which comes out on console on December 16th – is the video game equivalent of a warm cup of tea by a rain-streaked window.

The lack of combats or violent situations of any kind, and the simplicity of the research and development mechanics can sometimes add a sense of lacking in terms of challenges. Still, it’s not there where Airborne Kingdom shines. The game displays a variety of quests that will keep us occupied for hours, and the enthralling, constructive and explorative gameplay is more than enough to entertain us. If you’re looking for a warlike approach to civilization development, you will be disappointed, but instead, you can enjoy a sweet and relaxing respite of mindfulness and creativity in these poisonous times.

The story begins as simple as a tale of revenge can be. After their house is burned, the mom leaves the kid in the care of some priests in a monastery nearby and goes alone to the bandits’ lair, finding a lot of dynamite and blowing it up. But it’s after the kid sets on his journey to reunite with the mom when the plot thickens. A really dark story full of sinister folks, shootouts, and child slavery unfolds as the kid’s story does, and it’s within that violent conspiracy where El Hijo operates, harmlessly trying to save the person that he loves the most.

It’s a fun game with some incredibly deep managements options to consider, and it’s the kind of thing that sim nerds are going to love. You’ll find yourself committing to a loop of “just one more bit” and easily lose hours to Mars Horizon if you’re not careful. It also feels fairly educational thanks to the partnership with the European Space Agency. I don’t think I can be an astronaut yet, but with a few more hours in the game maybe I can manage it.

Simply playing through all four of Macro’s new levels probably takes just a single brief sitting, but doing everything in them took me around four hours. The middle two levels are probably more complex and multi-layered than anything in the base game. This DLC’s additions successfully round out and elevate the core gameplay and themes.

Overall, Sakuna: of Rice and Ruin is a delight. The two halves of the game, which might soon get stale if they were standalone, complement each other perfectly. Both farming and fighting remain interesting due to the game’s pacing and the steady stream of new abilities and equipment it rewards you with. It’s clear from the attention to detail how much love the two-person team of Edelweiss has poured into this title. Every ingredient, meal or skill has a well-written description; every system has more depth than you initially expect. Not only can you pet the dog, but you can also pick it up and carry it around. This world is one I want to learn more about and spend more time in. In fact, now this review is done, I’m probably going to get right back to playing. I saw ducks in the trailer; I want to unlock ducks.

Bugsnax is a fascinating game that delights and perplex you at every given chance. It is, in this frankly astonishingly bad year, a breath of fresh air and whimsy that should help you feel a bit normal. Only in its utter absurdity have I manage to find the escapism and joy I need at the moment, and the mix of entertaining writing, brilliant premise, and wonderful gameplay are enough to keep everyone feasting for a long time to come. Everyone’s talking about Bugsnax, and it’s only right that that’s the case.

I Am Dead is an incredibly cute little puzzle game where you get to go around an island you once lived on in order to try and prevent a volcano from erupting and destroying your home. Of course, you’re dead, but you’ll get to do all of this alongside the ghost of your dog Sparky. It’s cute, and the puzzles in the game are simple enough to not cause frustrating while still providing a satisfying challenge overall. This is definitely one to pick up if you’re hankering for something a bit different.

It’s fun and incredibly frantic and each game presents its own challenge. It’s also cute as a cupcake and sure to be a hit with those who have children who game or just anybody that likes cute things in general. While you might be disappointed if you go in hoping for a deep and meaningful experience, those who just want to have a good time will be more than satisfied.

Above all else, Rebirth knows how to tug at the heartstrings. The parallel story that plays out in Tasi’s stunning hand drawings will destroy any cold heart. Rebirth feels an overwhelmingly pessimistic and heartbreaking play at times, but just like SOMA, it presents some chance for optimism at its end; some antidote to its horrors. That’s the part I always loved about SOMA, and I now do about Rebirth. This is storytelling done right. It’s just a shame it couldn’t quite keep The Dark Descent’s all-pervading atmosphere along for the ride.

I’m confident that if you like the challenge that roguelikes offer then you’ll find Crown Trick to tick all of your boxes. It’s fun, beautiful, and challenging enough to keep you trying harder, but not so much that you want to delete your PC. It’s going to be a game I keep going back to, and on that note, I’m going to go and play it some more.

Beatable within two hours but offering good replayability, The Solitaire Conspiracy is a short but sweet experience. Featuring some strong visual aesthetics, an engaging narrative and enjoyable gameplay, this bite-sized title proves particularly entertaining and left me wanting more. Though limited by the smaller scope, it marks another winner by Mike Bithell, making this one conspiracy we recommend investigating.

However, Cyber Hook revolves around, and brace yourself, a grappling hook. You race through neon worlds at breakneck speeds and attempt to swing from tiny points up as high as you can to see if you can beat your previous score. It’s just a lot of fun, and I can see this being massive with speedrunners.

I found The Girl Of Glass: A Summer Bird’s Tale’s to be a rare, honest look at how complex people can be inside while appearing to be less than that on the surface, one that doesn’t shy from reminding the player that being a presumptuous person with a loud mouth might make for an amusing exchange in a game, but in reality, it will cause pointless hurt and tends to betray a lack of understanding from the joker. It touches upon societal issues like submission to authority and the place of business in the lives of common people in a way that’s absolutely not being discussed honestly in the predominantly American influenced video game scene and for that alone, if you are drawn to the power of interactive narrative, this game is worth your time and money.

Going Under manages to upcycle the refuse of our everyday routines; its a Big Art Attack of 2-hour commutes, stolen tips and that one pinball machine your boss bought to make a chill room after he laid off three of your coworkers during a global pandemic. It’s one of the most honest investigations of existential digitisation and corporate greed ever made in videogame form. It addresses the farce of employment with creativity and humour, two things no malignant narcissist with a modest cash injection could ever take from us.

However flawed your party members may be – and they are flawed – they carry on to Camlann because they share a belief in Arthur. They believe in each other, and believe in something better for Britain. It’s hope that moves the game forward, and mechanically speaking, it’s morale that keeps your pieces on the board, and resolve that lets them rely on each other and enact their unique abilities. Pendragon is built on balancing tensions that would break a lesser game to pieces, but instead creates something new and worthwhile in that space.

Bullets Per Minute has an interesting foundation without bringing anything too complex, and then gives you just enough tools to mess around with it. Even if you’re not a big rhythm game player, it’ll keep you at your own pace, and you’ll get better and better as you go. This subgenre is barely starting, and whilst it is early to tell how it will evolve from here, others would do well in taking cues from this experience, where simplicity behind the premise and a set of rules is enough to hit the right notes.

Whether you’re a current owner of the original or thinking of getting the complete edition, these new chapters are superb. The new gun modes are great, the story content is fascinating, and the sheer beauty of the animation and environments of Control still shine.

Finishing what was available, I found myself immersed in a sort of aesthetic meditation, with each finished platform evoking a deeply tangible sense of satisfaction. Depending on your speed, Cloud Gardens is a great contemplative puzzle with little pressure to stay stuck if you don’t want to be. I’d like to think that much of its charm is a reflection of the way we’re conditioned to respond to processes of growth, decay, and rehabilitation. Perhaps the secret ingredient to its appeal is buried in the psychogeography between environmental guilt and our relationship to abandoned spaces. Perhaps it’s our lizard-brain drive to help things grow and flourish in unlikely surroundings. Or perhaps, Cloud Gardens is simply a very good deconstructed variation of Katamari, albeit one that refuses to hold your hand. [Early Access Score = 90]

Hotshot Racing is everything a fan of arcade racers could want, especially if you have fond memories of those aforementioned classics. It truly captures a style of racing that is so rarely seen these days. It’s fast-paced, easy to pick up and play, friendly feeling and, most importantly, it’s so much fun to play.

Star Renegades is an excellent game, one that will keep you entertained for as long as you’ll let it. It’s pretty, the gameplay is exquisite, and ultimately, it’s just a lot of fun. The fact that it’s also got some of the most interesting systems of a roguelike I’ve played helps a lot too. The difficulty can be a bit wonky in places, and the writing doesn’t always hit, but overall, Star Renegades is a deceptively deep and really rewarding game that’ll beat you over the head just as often as it’ll reward your ingenuity.