As it stands, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. While a lot of the puzzles can be fun, and it’s undoubtedly a very pretty game, it’s a little bare bones. Of course, it is in Early Access, and the devs seem very keen on continuing to build upon the entertaining foundations that are currently there. I think this game could be really good, but it’s hard to recommend at the moment.

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.

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.

While the puzzles make up a big part of the game, it is the terrifying side of Song of Horror that makes it stand out. Playing just before bed wasn’t my greatest idea, and everyday things like putting the bins out at night aren’t as straightforward as they were last week. Still, I always came back for more, and I’ll continue to do so.

Between its inspired sonics and literally off-the-wall goofiness, Heartless Dark is an admirable effort I wish I could recommend without reservation, but without knowing how reliably it will run, I can only hope it gets better in time. For now at least, proceed with caution.

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.

Tunche best serves fans and friends of dishing knuckle sandwiches together, but doesn’t synchronise its genre mashups in a way that elevates it above the many RPG-tinted beat ‘em ups stomping around out there.

The VR focus allows for a portrayal of human ennui and general hopelessness on a large scale; here is a whole subculture of people running from an unfavorable reality, hoping to eke out a marginally better virtual existence even if the only way to access it is to buy the equipment and pay for a subscription. It’s a good setting that I would be curious to see more of, even if Gamedec’s initial exploration of it stumbles out of the gate and comes alarmingly close to a total faceplant.

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.

In the last few years it’s become a running gag within indie circles that Metroidvania and soulslike games are the go-to genres to build your game around. Unfortunately, Grime wears that on its shoulder with pride, instead of doing anything remotely interesting. In essence, it’s the software equivalent of saying ‘only fans of the soulikes genre will enjoy this’.

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.

While the gameplay is solid and manages to pack a punch; there isn’t much that’s new apart from a small health upgrade system and a few moves you pick up along the story. It takes such large inspiration from older titles that it often fails to properly identify itself as anything more than a nostalgia-driven passion project. There are so many little details that feel like they’ve come right out of old titles, but this ends up feeling a little bit dull after the shine wears off. Seeing old school stun locks and intentionally annoying enemy design can only get by on so much goodwill. If you long for a time of cartridges and broken controllers, this one is definitely for you. If not, I probably wouldn’t bother.

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.

Unfortunately, despite an interesting story, a good chance to learn some new folklore, and some solid combat, it just doesn’t reach as high or hit as hard as I’d like it to. This is a good game if you’re looking for something short, but it’s not going to change your world.

The denouement is especially drab, and after six to eight of hours fairly linear exploration, you’ll have seen nearly everything on offer. There’s definitely fertile ground here for further developments, but currently, it’s strangled by a lack of scope and ambition.

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.

Floor 13: Deep State makes for an interesting espionage premise. By making you Director-General, it becomes the Football Manager of spy games, putting you in M’s shoes rather than James Bond. Though it raises some reflections on modern politics, a lot of scandals are based on dated incidents and whilst there’s strategic depth to the gameplay, that’s ultimately hampered by poor mission structure. If you enjoyed the original Floor 13, then Deep State is worth looking into, but otherwise, it’s a cautious recommendation.

Ultimately, Car Mechanic Simulator demands a lot of patience. Patience to learn how to play it, patience to work with its clumsy menus and controls, and patience to eke your way through its deep, glacial progression systems. Tolerate this and it has a rewarding and essentially peerless gameplay loop to offer car fanatics – and maybe the odd apprentice, too.

In theory, Waking sounds like a fascinating project, with the game showing hints of delivering a highly tailored, personal and transformative experience. But what begins as an exercise for intimate self-reflection wound up becoming an increasingly detached experience for the player. By putting them into the game in the most literal sense, Waking fell short when it was unable to capture all the nuances of its impossible protagonist: yourself. While I admire the boldness of its vision, I simply couldn’t connect with the extent of its execution.

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.

Fight Crab certainly holds an appealing concept but, like many good ideas, gets let down by in the execution. Multiplayer is easily its strongest component and arming yourselves with a ludicrous weapon to floor opponents has a lot of fun. Unfortunately, the quest to become Supreme Crab gets bogged down in repetition, not made easier by janky controls. There’s an enjoyable game at FC’s core but ultimately, its best experienced in small doses.

It’s in the gameplay, though, that The King’s Bird proves to be flawed. This is a precision platformer where, ironically, you don’t have precise control. Instead, you must use momentum to dip and arc between platforms. What seems initially innovative ultimately frustrates, as you find yourself fighting the controls to build necessary speed. As gorgeous as it is to look at, a simple jump would’ve been preferable to experience this world.

Try as it might to nestle its way into the recesses of my mind, Etherborn may end up being a fleeting memory – a pleasant experience but one which will hang on the forefront of your mind, only to be quickly scuppered by something with a bit more of body.

In spite of all its flaws there’s something about Shakedown: Hawaii that’s quite addictive – probably the fact as players we love numbers increasing and Shakedown: Hawaii does it in a moreish way. Whether intentional or not, VBlank Entertainment Inc. has nabbed aspects from GTA and although it misses the mark, it’s still impressive how it’s condensed such an experience to fit within such a tiny world.

Moving through Summertime Madness, the art gallery comparison reminded me more and more of an art pop up in Manhattan called Color Factory. In Color Factory, guests move through spaces of bright, saturated, colorful designs of atmospheric spaces, playful ball pits and selfie-perfect sets with slogan-plastered objects ready for instagram. The more I walked through the colorful playspaces of Summertime Madness, the more fitting the connection seemed. Rather than thinking of some video games through a cinematic lens or painting frame, Summertime Madness is a reminder of real world spaces like Color Factory. While that isn’t too lofty an aspiration, maybe just walking through a world and feeling something is enough.

Devoid of music and the ups and downs of an engaging narrative arc, the happenings in Horror Tales: The Wine becomes stale quickly. Coupled with some arcane puzzles that can only be resolved by loading a previous save, Horror Tales: The Wine leaves a sour taste in the mouth after a few chapters.

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 an attempt to elevate itself beyond just an action-based shooter, Green Phoenix has unfortunately become more humdrum than invigorating.