I can think of no better descriptor for the game than candy floss. There is no substance, no depth, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t taste good or isn’t pretty to look at. However, I can’t help but feel like this game would be too hard and frustrating for most young children. Conversely, it doesn’t have much of anything to appeal to anyone over the age of six. In the end, I can’t really recommend the game, and the fact that it depicts the genocide of an entire race with the gleeful candour of the Androids from Dragon Ball Z really doesn’t help.

Wintermoor Tactics Club is a lovely bit of escapism. Those looking for challenging strategy should look elsewhere, and its presentation lets it down in places, but this school-life D&D adventure has its heart in the right place.

It’s not for everyone, and the ending could be a bit smoother, but the experience is still a good one if you’re looking for something a little bit different to dive into and don’t mind not sleeping for a few weeks.

Hypothetically there could be a lot of fun to be had here, but that’s not the case at the moment and I’d recommend waiting a while to see if things improve as Early Access continues for it. Diving in now is likely to lead to more frustration than actual game playing and that’s no good at all.

It’s all a lot of fun, but it’s also rather short. That’s not an issue if you’re happy to keep trying and constantly become better at beating the foes you’ve already dunked on, but it might be an issue for some people. It’s not very expensive though, so it’s probably worth a look if you like the sound of scoring three-pointers against an embodiment of fire.

It’s just a shame that the execution of everything here leaves a lot to be desired. The performance of the game is significantly less than ideal, with there being far too many loading screens that go on for far too long. There’s also the occasional visual glitch and broken frame rate to help you feel like your TV might be broken. It’s a collection of cool concepts, but it’s not anywhere near as polished as it could be.

Sometimes you come across a game that is so bad it’s good, maybe a little entertaining, The Room style. This honestly wasn’t one of them. The lifeless Blendr models, the janky controls and ugly misplacement of bad gothic tropes render this the kind of game that should just quietly be forgotten. Maybe moving on swiftly will spare the creators any further embarrassment.

The Swamps of Corsus is a must-buy for any fans of Remnant: From The Ashes, and the new survival mode will be a huge draw to anybody that wanted just a little bit more roguelike in their third-person Soulslike. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s not too pricey either, which is always a nice bonus.

Cloudpunk even does more than expected in its decision-making gameplay; though you’re presented with binary decisions, it’s rarely a good vs evil dilemma, with plenty of variables at play to make either option valid. It really needs to be experienced by anyone interested in cyberpunk narratives, story-driven gameplay or leisurely driving games. Even for those not interested in its themes, provided you’re open to the relaxed gameplay style, Cloudpunk will surprise you with how full of life its world is.

While a lot of people will look at Iratus: Lord of the Dead as a pretender to Darkest Dungeon, it does a lot of very cool things, and – at time of review – is incredibly well balanced as a result of its time in Early Access. There’s a little bit of a learning curve for those new to the genre, but those experienced in this kind of game will feel more than at home.

While The Flower Collectors doesn’t reinvent or radically reenvision detective fiction, and the plot never twists in very shocking or particularly exciting ways, it’s a sophisticatedly told, cosy murder mystery. In these times, that’s exactly the kind of entertainment I need to get through the day.

Galaxy Warfighter is a modern take on an arcade shoot em’ up, and it’s a good imitation, it just comes with a few caveats, particularly its repetitiveness and lack of evolution towards the later levels of the game.

Billion Road is chaos, it’s nonsense, and it shows that you can take a simple, perfect design, staplegun 100 tiny bells and whistles onto it and it’ll make a wonderful noise when it moves.

Everything in Circle Empires Rivals’ combat and circle-capture loop fits perfectly, it feels like a streamlined base-building RTS, although the absence of a campaign and staggered unit unlocks means that there is definitely some learning to be done before braving online play beyond co-op. While there’s only a finite amount of biomes and CPU enemy types, the procedural generation means that maps can feel fresh after dozens of matches.

The Procession to Calvary is proof you can take the old and make something entirely new. Its remixing of Renaissance art is absurd, surreal and ultimately hilarious. It stays true to its challenging point-and-click roots, but if you’re not afraid of some head-scratching, this is a glorious tale of murder and mayhem.

Overall, Ancient Enemy is an incredibly enjoyable game and one that is unlike anything else I’ve played. It feels like it’s been inspired by many of my favourite oddities, but it puts them together in a way that is completely its own, and I adore that about it. The story and exposition can occasionally overstay their welcome, but that won’t be an issue for a lot of people. It’s certainly a game that’ll have you ready to shuffle the deck and start the next round, and that’s the best thing about card games.

Most importantly, the key feature that the game hinges on – being a parasite – is superb. You can always come back from failure by simply body-snatching a new character (when they’re unlocked, at least). It’s a fascinating precedent for a rogue-lite in which you can die twenty times yet still continue your run – but don’t think that means HyperParasite is easy, because it’s not. On the other hand, if you’re struggling, you can grind enough cash to possess sub-bosses which tip the odds more in your favour.

Nick Bounty And The Dame With The Chewed Blue Shoe is a stereotypical comedy video game where it often references itself and other games or breaks the fourth wall with a wink to the camera so emphatic, it could make Borderlands blush – which may be just your thing.

In other waters, the fear of the ocean is a fear of systems. Systems of the natural and artificial are spun around, submerged beneath the surface, and retrieved from the sample bay to make purpose of life and meaning from death. The last time I visited the beach was at sunrise. I dropped a friend off at an international airport, drove on a highway out of the city, took a right before the Space Center, and ended up in Cocoa as the red light of the sun breached the horizon. You’re never far from the ocean in Florida. And every day of my life here I have done more to harm the biome through natural and artificial systems than a jellyfish every could to my lone body. It’s not clear, but we don’t need an AI to tell us what we’ve done. In the reflection of other waters, I see a fear of us.

Over The Alps is a fantastic mobile game, and a still-pretty-great PC game. Whichever platform you pick it up on, its historical, divergent story shines through.

Given the setup – clueless white scientist comes to terms with the consequences of her groundbreaking research – The Complex is a particularly vanilla flavour of dystopia that fails to inspire. These are uncomfortable tropes we’ve seen before, especially when it comes to expendable minorities and the guilt-ridden white people fretting over them. Even without the COVID-19 pandemic living rent-free in our brains, The Complex – despite its noble efforts – ends up feeling rather flat.

Mixed Realms have done a fine job with Gordian Quest. It may borrow a lot from D&D and Slay The Spire, so it’s hardly a unique experience, but it holds its own and proves highly engaging. Whilst combat was slightly limited by the randomised card system, it’s addictive and provides tactical fun, with the randomised maps keeping the experience fresh in additional playthroughs. It’s got a lot on offer, and with further updates to come, it’s one to look out for. [Early Access Score = 80]

One Step From Eden takes my memories of the Battle Network games and turns them into a fully-fledged and incredibly stylish roguelike. It is quite simply the best thing I’ve played all year. It might even be one of the best roguelikes around at the moment, and there’s definitely a lot of competition there. I can’t say enough good things about this nigh-perfect game, but I can say that you should stop whatever you’re doing and go and buy it. You’ll not be disappointed.

Element Space has the potential to offer a genuinely fun experience in the sci-fi genre, which is something that is wonderful to see, but not all that common. The issues presented by its poor performance and the less-than-stellar implementation of many of the mechanics result in something that is often far more frustrating than fun. It’s a huge shame because the world and the characters really did pull me in, but the bugs and crashes kept booting me back out again. Hopefully, the studio can keep these kinds of complaints in mind when developing a potential sequel. If they can improve the quality of life as well as iron out the technical issues, it’s sure to be a far more enticing game.

Iron Danger is a unique and rather wonderful little game set in a mythology we rarely get to see explored in video games. It’s charming, the characters are generally very likeable, and the systems are unlike anything else in gaming. It is, quite simply, good fun, and solving each of the combat encounters is intensely rewarding. It’s certainly worth a look if you want something just a little bit different, or if you just really like time-travel.

Paper Beast is a memorable VR experience like no other, letting you play god in a world that feels godless. If only its puzzles – sometimes creative, but other times frustrating – didn’t get in its way, it would be an unconditional recommendation for lovers of bizarre escapism.

I ended up quite liking This Strange Realm of Mine, perhaps because of the blemishes rather than in spite of them. The imperfections were reminders that this game could very well be an emotional treatise of someone who is still learning and growing. It felt like something I would have made as I was first encountering ideas that rocked the foundations of my understanding. Like The Beginner’s Guide, the narrative framework sometimes feels like an excuse to admit Big Thoughts to whoever will listen, and if we cannot use our art to do that, what’s the point of it all?

I’ve enjoyed my time playing Stela, and I don’t doubt that I’ll talk about it in the same breath as the Oddworld games or Heart of Darkness when going forward. While it lacks in the story department, and the PC version could do with and some texture work, it doubles-down in atmosphere and pacing. This is a stellar cinematic platformer which made me reminisce about the sub-genres’ early days. It’s undeniably not for everybody; people will be deterred by its numbing tension or willingness to kill, but it’s definitely one for those who enjoy environmentally pleasing puzzlers and don’t mind their games a smidge macabre.

There are aspects of Brotherhood United which are promising, but at this point, it’s an experience which feels unpolished. I had the game crash on me as well as several sections where the background music just wasn’t there. Overall, it just feels like a game I could have stumbled upon on Miniclip back in 2003, and it wouldn’t have felt out of place, nor would it have stuck in my mind.

Overall, Ori and the Will of the Wisps retains Blind Forest’s effortlessly satisfying platforming experience that defies a rage quit, while building on the central experience with a much larger map, richer combat experience, and more ways than ever to personalise your playstyle. Every grapple, slam, and triple jump builds on that unmatched flow of gently nudging you towards confidence, rewarding you when it’s there, and punishing the cocky. You’ll soon be flying through these gorgeous worlds with grace and style, and while it may look effortless on-screen, you’ll be concentrating damn hard on perfecting every move. That’s one of the best feelings in fluid platforming, and you can guarantee that Will of the Wisps oozes such sophistication.

It balances dark and absurd comedy with tenderness in a way that constantly surprises and delights. Sure, it’s hard to parse exactly how much every choice, alliance, and number has on the outcome, but I can overlook my bards skimming a little off the top when they tell stories this entertaining.

It’s likely Wunderling will get lost in the endless noise that is the Switch (and Steam) store, which is a shame. Wunderling combines intentionally familiar elements in a charming and clever way and the presentation is clearly devoted to emulating the charm of the 16-bit era and it succeeds. The gameplay itself is clever, challenging, and fun, and there’s a commendably large variety of levels to keep players occupied for some time.

Passtech Games have established solid groundwork within Curse of the Dead Gods, but right now, it’s a game best viewed as an investment whilst in early access. It’s highly rewarding and features great combat mechanics but there just isn’t enough content within the current development build, though what is available presents a high degree of polish. With two further temples on the way and a March update promising new weapons, room variations, relics, curses and more, it’s certainly one to keep an eye out for. [Early Access Score = 80]

Separation isn’t likely to garner a lot of attention. It’s not flashy and is definitely indie (developer Recluse Industries is really just one guy), but there’s a distinct appeal to a game where the whole point is to soak up a moody, solitary, and evocative atmosphere. There’s no explanation or tutorial to sit through, the game just starts with a simple message and lets the player figure things out on their own. It’s not a bad way to spend a few hours, but probably not a game that will linger on your hard drive either.

It’s a little janky in places, but the overall tone of Dwarrows is so wonderfully whimsical that you’ll struggle not to fall in love with it. It’s also a good option for those who like the idea of Animal Crossing but are either impatient or don’t own a Nintendo Switch. It scratches a similar itch, and it does so in a very satisfying manner. The third-person perspective and little puzzles and mini-games make for an intimate and warm game, and I can honestly see myself playing it every Sunday night for the rest of the year, it’s just so damn cosy.

Instead of having a cast of lovable or unlovable animals to play as you get faceless soldiers in a divided America. None of these units ever really seem to feel anything, and as a result, neither will you. It’s just a bit barren comparatively. It’s also very hard to shake the feeling that this is a testing ground for ideas they’d like to use in the sequel to Mutant Year Zero (Mutwont Year Zero), which explains the cheaper price tag but makes it feel a little more noncommittal as well. It’s still fun, and the battles are still good, but it has a really hard time getting its hooks into you and dragging you through the story.

It’s another Early Access game, but one that already feels like a full release. There are loads of things to unlock, the natural replayability that comes with being a roguelike, and the “one more go” that comes from a card game. It’s just really good, and I can’t wait to see what else the game has in store for me.

It’s just exhilarating to play, and despite sometimes being a little slow, is often a perfect game to settle into with some friends for a good night of raucous laughter, and the occasional guttural squeak of fear as a monster warps behind you or sends a swarm of locusts after you. It’s unlike most of what you can play out there, and it holds up just as well on consoles.

The game as a whole feels a little sparse. What there is to do is fun, but it loses its sheen rather rapidly as you discover there’s little point in replaying the missions. Of course, it’s in Early Access, so this is likely to change, but it’s still kind of annoying. A good shout if you want to get in at the ground level of something that’ll be fun in a few months, but waiting a few months is perfectly understandable too. [Early Access Score = 70]

Before you saddle up to take on Bloodroots, you need to ask yourself one question. Do you like pain? The pain of being killed constantly while trying to time a perfect combo. The pain of having finally killed all the baddies, only to plummet to your doom because of a misplaced jump. The pain of being hit once and having to start that section of the level over again. Over and over.

Overall, Warlander is a lot of fun, and the combat system really is unlike anything else you’re likely to have played. While it doesn’t always shine in each individual fight, it does a good job of escalating as you play through it, and the difficulty curve straddles the line between forgiving and “oh lord why is this happening to me” very well. It’s certainly worth your attention if you’re looking for something visceral to sink your teeth into, and it’ll treat you well if you’re willing to master the nuances of the combat system too.

Rune Factory 4 Special has so many layers to it that you can’t help but be fascinated by its charm. The town has a tight-knit feel to it, where each character has a unique, delightful personality. The variety in your side quests and the depth of each system can enthral you for hours. And while its combat is perfectly flawed, it’s a decent change to the life sim formula that other games haven’t quite nailed.

All in all, Tower of Babel – No Mercy is exactly what it sets out to be — an easily picked up party game that’s good for a few frantic games with friends or family. There’s such a low barrier to entry that anyone could play it, so those struggling to get parents or less game-friendly friends into the mix should find this a far easier sell than the more complex party games available on Switch. Just brace yourself for the finger-pointing when someone’s sloppily placed piece brings the whole thing crumbling down.

It’s a decent port of a great game, that knows that the best way to succeed in capitalism is not only to shaft the vulnerable, but to shaft them with a smile.

Overall, Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r] is a good fighting game, one that should help any interested players into the world of In-Birth, and maybe even bring back a few lost fans. That being said, it’s also effectively a remaster with a couple of small updates, so it stings a little to see it out in the world as a brand-new game. This is a great pick up if you’ve never played the series, but a far harder sell if you’re a long term fan who has bought every entry in the series so far, though you’ve probably already bought your copy if that’s the case.

If Deadtime Defenders adapts itself while focusing on that looter shooter goal then it’s something I’ll eagerly return to – for now, it’s simply an okay game which does nothing new.

The Suicide of Rachel Foster is an interesting game. There are many ways to approach and critique it that will reveal myriad facets to it, and this is but one observation of narrative discourse. Within this subgenre, it stands on the shoulders of giants or at the very least tall minotaurs. But it doesn’t quite deliver the all-encompassing experience it might hope to.

Visibility issues aside, Darksiders Genesis is a solid port of a solid action-RPG. It’s accessible for both Darksiders fans and those who’ve never played anything from the franchise before. While there’s nothing truly remarkable on offer here, Genesis nails all the fundamentals of satisfying demon-bashing.

The game doesn’t really have any unique ideas or ways to build upon this genre. That would be fine if the ones they did have were executed well, but this sadly isn’t the case. The monotony pervades every aspect of this game. And that’s a shame. You can see certain parts of the game trying to make an impression, but they inevitably falter. However, was there any real hope for an engaging experience if everything was executed well?

Table Manners is a joyful if simplistic, parody of modern dating. To its credit, while I never fell in love with Table Manners, I can’t stop considering places it might go from where it is now. What if other dates like movie theatres or walks in the park were similarly simulated with outrageous physics? What if hookups were simulated in this way? Table Manners is a lovely romp. My main complaint is that I couldn’t leave a tip for the waitstaff who cleaned the tables left in my wake.

What is the current state of Scourgebringer as it enters Early Access? It’s more than playable, and fans of Metroidvania or pixel-perfect platformers (or, heck, both) will definitely enjoy what they find here. Personally, I think the music is great, and I’m definitely going to keep playing it as it journeys through toward its final release. [Early Access Score = 80]

Kunai balances a gorgeous style in everything it does. Gameplay, graphics, and sound design mesh excellently into a wonderful Metroidvania that’ll have you hooked from start to finish. It’s not perfect, the combat could be a bit harder, but it’s fun at every turn, and that’s always worth applauding. If you’re looking for something to jump into ahead of the chaos of the upcoming months and you love a good bit of exploration and platforming, then you’d be missing out if you didn’t check out Kunai.

It’s well priced and a thrill ride from start to finish, including fully working apps and different live-action endings to uncover. Although a little predictable in places, and maybe a tad preachy, it gets the job done and will probably make you flush your phone away.

If you’ve grown tired of Map Painting Sim #400392 but still want to get a compelling fix, this is a great place to start. The storyline is sensitively written, well animated and filled with agonising choices that will have you questioning yourself pretty harshly.

Self is a very simple concept executed with finesse – enough flare to keep you guessing but easy enough to play in one sitting. It’s unnerving, chilling, and a lot of fun.

While Skellboy is pretty rough ‘n’ ready, it’s still generally playable, and its charm manages to shine through. The writing is playful and doesn’t take itself seriously at all, giving the experience a shot of personality. For a monster of a game formed from a mass of ill-fitting parts, they at least didn’t forget the heart.

I just can’t get over how gorgeous the maps, characters, and animations are in this DLC. Wargroove has truly cemented its own style with this addition, and they deserve to see some real love for that over the coming months. The movements are smooth; the gameplay is layered yet simple – I sure wish I remembered whatever the hell it is that Wargroove makes me nostalgic for, but in the meantime, I’m recruiting some friends for a lengthy campaign.

If you don’t mind a game that requires you to work for the satisfaction of playing it, Deadfire’s Ultimate Edition is worth the investment for its lovely worldbuilding alone.

Solving puzzles and exploring my way through the vast network of road signs within The Pedestrian’s fictionalised city I found to be a complete blast and an experience that I will likely revisit in future. I found that it managed to strike a solid balance with its difficulty and it constantly introduced new elements to help keep its novel concept from feeling one dimensional. I did encounter some minor issues with the audio and I wish chapters were present to revisit stages but this fortunately didn’t prevent it from being one of the first standout indies I have played in 2020.

This is a game that challenges the idea of how we label games. Sure, Coffee Talk is a sim, but it’s also a vital experience, a potential therapeutic tool. It’s a friend. A gorgeous, lo-fi, nostalgic, heartfelt journey into some complex lives that makes you want to believe in people. What better way to spend your evening than with a couple of vibrant souls, listening to ambient beats and sipping custom coffee? Just don’t blame me if you can’t put it to bed.

Journey to the Savage Planet is one of those rare times that a game is both fun and also funny. It’s a short, fast-paced adventure through alien terrain that will have you chuckling throughout and is full of charm and wonder. It might be a little short for some, and a little easy for others, but the ability to go back through the levels to collect every last item could easily double your time with the game. This is one journey you’re going to want to go on, and the ability to do so with a friend just makes it all the more enticing.

I would recommend this as a quick jaunt for lovers of Korean horror and all things eldritch. It doesn’t offend or do anything wrong, per se. It’s a nice choice of art style with an intriguing narrative, but it is unlikely to become a classic. I can’t say this game was made with anything less than the full passions of those behind it, and when it hits the right notes it’s definitely a lot of fun, but The Coma 2 has a tendency to feel like a bit of a slog… until it somehow finishes all too quickly.

The Last Autumn is doing itself a disservice by calling itself DLC. It has an entirely new world to master, with a strong human element to make it truly unique. Be prepared for some devastatingly difficult challenges, but reap the reward if you make it to the finish – enjoying every step of the journey along the way.

I honestly wasn’t expecting much from Super Crush KO, but it turned out to be a delightful surprise. This cutesy and colourful brawler lets you lose yourself in a satisfying flow state of flashy combos as you beat its hordes of alien robots into scrap. And with a fluffy cat at stake (and all of mankind, I guess), it’s all for a good cause.

I came to Orangeblood almost determined to like it. It had everything, seemingly. Gorgeous 90’s inspired art design, the promise of a funky soundtrack, JRPG style but in a more modern setting… I was so ready to fall in love. It’s only two weeks into 2020 and I’m going back to being jaded and miserable and its this game’s fault.

Lightmatter is a generally well-crafted experience which gently eases you into more difficult challenges and switches up the puzzles just when you’re getting irritable. Tunnel Vision Games have created a finessed puzzler with superb pacing.

This is an adventure that’ll likely charm your pants off with its low-fi aesthetic. There are genuine laughs to be had here too, thanks to the slapstick dialogue. My only criticism is that the very light ‘puzzles’ are completed in a chain reaction, in that once you’ve done one it solves the next, and so on. I’d have enjoyed just a little more brainteasing, even if the detective work isn’t supposed to be the star of the show.

Arctic Zoo isn’t the best value proposition for Planet Zoo fans, but it’s at least a good quality one. And if you’re keen to expand your menagerie, it’s your first and only opportunity.

There are a few quirks in Invector’s design, most notably that it forces you to play through the game on normal difficulty before it’ll let you attempt songs on hard – annoying if you’re a rhythm game veteran. I also struggled to set up the latency properly, with the in-built calibration tool setting it way off and requiring that I tweak it through trial and error. But this is otherwise an enjoyable rhythm game that gave me a new appreciation for Avicii’s music.

Wattam’s main problem is that it’s simple to a fault. It’s essentially a sandbox that doesn’t give you enough worthwhile stuff to do within it. Ultimately, playing Wattam is like watching a baby’s TV show as an adult: its colourful visuals and fun music may initially captivate and its heart is in the right place, but there just isn’t enough substance to hold your attention for long.

Dead End Job does manage to simulate that feeling of a ponderous, repetitive crappy job thanks to its grindy nature, questionable furniture placement, and not-quite-permadeath respawn system. The variety of goofy ghosts to bust and beefy amount of levels are the high points and for a cheap thrill, you could do worse—or a lot better.

Following the breakout success of Beat Saber, Harmonix are no longer the trendsetters in rhythm games. Audica clearly takes influence from the popular VR note-slasher while differentiating itself with shooting mechanics. Unfortunately, said mechanics don’t fit quite as well into the rhythm format. But a chunky setlist makes Audica worth checking out when you tire of its mêlée-focused rival.

The concept seemed safe enough, but by making the lore so vague, the dialogue and RPG elements so weak, and the combat too clumsy, Paranoia hasn’t lived up to expectations. With a name so blunt you’d be expecting to feel chills, to be looking over your shoulder, to thrive for triumph over an oppressive system that you fundamentally disagree with. Paranoia does none of this, and instead offers up a diluted, animated version of their table-top success. There’s a joke in there somewhere regarding board games/bored games, but so powerful is the ennui I’ll let you figure that one out for yourselves.

While Phoenix Point has flaws, technical hiccups, needs a bit of polish and some of its systems feel dated, there are some genuinely exciting mechanics and world-building to this experience. The monster evolution system isn’t as revolutionary as you might want/be expecting but it’s executed to a point where it does force you to change your playstyle and gives a nice sense of thematic presence. Overall, if you like Julian Gollop-designed experiences, experimental strategy games and gun-infused crabs, Phoenix Point is a must.

Coteries of New York does offer a glimpse into intriguing lore, and I can envision it as a companion to the Bloodlines 2 release for new players if it adds some much-needed basic features seen in most visual novels. It introduces the ideas, societies and cultures of World of Darkness adequately but its short length might leave fledglings and die-hard fans hungry for blood.

For fans of the series, this is a truly exciting development. It’s smoother and richer than its predecessor and has enough unique features to leave you pleasantly surprised with every upgrade and chapter. The campaign is long and varied, and the difficulty curve gives enough scope to appeal to all levels of interest. I’m going to waste a lot of time on this game. And I’m probably going to miss my train.

Tools Up! has a ton of potential. It just needs a bit of tweaking and user-friendliness, but still offers a solidly absurd cooperative multiplayer experience. The game is frustrating and hilarious in nearly equal measure, which has a certain appeal for these kinds of shared experiences. Just, you know, maybe not with the children.

Rather than rest on their well-deserved laurels, Yacht Club Games have crafted a celebration of everything Shovel Knight, and shown us all why they’re indie royalty. The fact that owners of Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove get King of Cards for free is the icing on the cake.

Shovel Knight Showdown is exactly what it should be: a fun, fast-paced take on the Smash Bros. version of a fighting game, but with all of the Shovel Knight you could ever want stuffed into it. The fact that it balances itself so perfectly between new players and those who have spent more time on it makes it excellent as a party game too. Expect to lose many hours (and lives) to this shovel-tastic fighting game. Yes, writing shovel-tastic hurt, but it’s just that good.

Even if SuperEpic isn’t the most coherent game, the whole package still works well. With so many different challenges, puzzles and secrets to discover, it’s a worthy evolution of the Metroidvania formula. Using your smartphone is a clever addition, provided you want to use it, while the exploration and combat feels fluid and responsive to where you’re itching to see what awaits you in the next room.

Mosaic is a cold game in which you strive to find even a shred of warmth. It fills you with a desire to be better, to talk deeply to yourself and reassess your values. It doesn’t feel like a game, exactly, but more of an experience in empathy. Full of quirky dark humour that for once doesn’t come in the form of cringy dialogue, and enriched with concepts that could make even the most steeled among us weep, Mosaic does the heart some good.

In a year where we’ve had no shortage of hefty experiences demanding an endless endurance to enjoy them, it’s nice to play something that reigns it in a little. Darksiders Genesis isn’t reinventing the wheel, but it’s the kind of refreshing hack-and-slash game that could reinvent the series and should be a breath of fresh air if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by most games these days.

Arise: A Simple Story is one of the stronger ‘Journey-like’ experiences I’ve played. Its awe-inspiring levels that morph with the flow of time are only hampered slightly by a few design problems. What’s more, the titular ‘simple story’ is heartfelt and elegantly told. Minor frustrations aside, this is a lovely little tale that’s easy to recommend.

EarthNight is a resolutely non-conformist auto-runner. Its artistry is second-to-none, with creativity and soul that are worth the price of admission alone. Sometimes its eagerness to cram as much as possible into a typically simple genre can frustrate and overwhelm, but its boldness should be celebrated.

Widget Satchel is such a nice game that it feels a little mean to criticise it, but alas, the platforming in each of its levels did leave a little to be desired. With robot encounters making me lose more widgets than I gained, I was left feeling mostly frustrated, which is a shame when there is such good writing and environment styling on offer.

Its one massive redeeming feature is its soundtrack, an orchestral theme that elevates the whole experience and almost saves the whole thing. It’s worth checking out for its sound work alone, but perhaps not at full price.

Ritual: Crown of Horns is pretty metal, surprisingly precise and entertaining, but it probably won’t knock your socks off.

Still There has far more to offer than it might initially appear, moving past some obvious space-related clichés to create a genuinely touching story. It’s only let-down by its slightly hyper-masculine humour content. Prepare for dick jokes.

The escalating panic of the automated guide over the tannoy system adds some narrative cohesion to the puzzles and environments that keep getting stranger. But, in all honesty, if Superliminal had no narrative, I’d still love it.

Lost Ember is comfort solidified and crammed into your PC, waiting for you to return home like a faithful animal. It’s better than a warm cup of tea; it’s full of life, colour, and sound. It relaxes the mind but consistently stimulates, with new paths around every corner and the full glory of nature to explore. If you need a game in which to lose yourself this winter, then pick up a copy and settle in for the night.

Hands down, it’s the best zoo management game available, so if that’s what you’re looking for then you’ve found it. I think there’s so much more to come for Planet Zoo though. This humble beginning will no doubt grow in something much greater supported by the community. I’d love to see things such as the option for water parks in the future and have no doubt there’ll be plenty of DLC coming over the next few years. As humans, we are infinitely fascinated by nature and it’s great to finally have a digital playground to explore that.

Black Future ’88 may borrow ideas from all over, but it puts those ideas to good use and gives them a unique spin. As you’d expect it’s pretty challenging, but it’s worth mentioning that there’s an Assist Mode that makes it less deadly and more accessible. While you may want to hang fire on the Switch version until it’s less prone to crashing, this is otherwise an easy recommendation for roguelike-likers.

The lure of Rune II is largely in its atmosphere and Nordic themes. Norse mythology is a great setting for a game, packed with dense lore and fascinating stories and characters. Human Head clearly had a love for the subject matter and that does shine through here, making it worth a look for like-minded gamers. If you can find a small group of other players, it’s also a lot more fun to play cooperatively. Whether that’s enough to overcome the numerous flaws is up to you.

Narcos: Rise of the Cartels is not a broken game, nor is it ugly or offensive. But it is joyless. It feels cold, like a corporate cash grab, and suffers from a fundamental misunderstanding of its target audience. There are interesting elements and attractive qualities, but the game overall fails to deliver much of anything to anyone in particular.

The Endless Mission gives older gamers the chance to feel like unbridled, unrestricted kids in an imaginary world full of possibilities. There are no adults to tell you what to do, and you can decide what kind of environment you want to create or destroy. It is anarchic and irreverent, crammed with quirky characters and flashes of brilliance. This game is the perfect teaching tool for younger generations also, doing away with stuffy “edutainment” game culture and creating something that truly rewards creativity in C#.

Bum-Bo is repetitive, childish, revolting, and gratuitous – and most importantly, it’s a stroke of genius. The team behind Bum-Bo have thrown caution to the wind with this one, revelling in the stuff we all loved about The Binding of Isaac but didn’t want to admit. We’ve no need for a story when we have the basement-dwelling combo of tabletop gaming, semi-edgy humour centering on the grotesque, and fiendishly difficult completion tasks. The game is fun, irritatingly so. It makes no sense whatsoever, but you’ll be glued to it from the first trial run.

I enjoyed my short time with Sparklite but I’ve been left wanting more. It will be a good fit if you’re after a game to dip in and out of over time, especially on the Switch. Red Blue Games have achieved everything they’ve set out to do. Next time, they should shoot for the stars.

Spin Rhythm XD is up there with the more interesting accessory-less rhythm games of recent years, earning a spot next to the likes of Thumper and the Amplitude reboot. If you’re eager to jump in, it’s very playable now despite only just releasing into Early Access.