It’s hard not to come away from The Otterman Empire feeling disappointed. It’s got a cute aesthetic, and the mere concept of space otters should sound appealing. Ultimately, however, Tri-Heart’s latest title gets let down by flawed gameplay. Whether its an experience redeemed with friends is hard to say, though missions provide some degree of fun. Parents looking for a new game will find some joy here, but for anyone else, Otterman is best avoided.

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.

We Should Talk simply offers players a chance to attack and dethrone their worst impulses. Even if you feel like sh*t, or can’t choose to say something closer and truer to how you feel, there’s always the gentle mental fallback that you’re simply selecting preset dialogue options. Whatever you want to tell yourself, really. Still, if you want to hit on everything around you, you can do that. If all you know how to do is drink, lie, and eat hot chip, you can do that too. If you managed to breeze through all of it without breaking a sweat, I salute you. You’re a better person than I.

It’s not much to look at, but it’s a huge amount of fun, and the satisfaction you’ll get when you can successfully predict the entire fight is euphoric. It’s a truly fascinating game, and it’s definitely worth your attention if you like chess, tactics, roguelikes, or dragons. It’s very different and it works very well because of that. The difficulty might put some people off, but there’s a very specific market for this game that’ll love it.

UnderMine is a great roguelike game. It takes an awful lot from the genre’s heaviest hitters, but it manages to make it all entertaining thanks to a hefty dose of generally good vibes, and some very powerful upgrades. The difficulty will put some people off, but if you’re willing to persevere, then there’s an awful lot of game here to be played.

Despite its faults, Swimsanity can still be great fun. Ultimately, this might come down to the power of friends, as cheesy as that sounds. While the progression is none existent, and the gameplay is occasionally frustrating, it knows just what makes these styles of games tick. Its visuals and music are a little lacking, but that ineffable, undefinable “fun factor” still exists. Swimsanity is a rather simple experience, but it manages to offer just enough content to stop it from being dead in the water.

Each little mini-game is a full-throated paean to the glory of being young and broke, and your biggest problem is getting a sweet new pair of booties. Chances are that if you’re reading this, the odds are low that you’re a teenager. If you are, you probably don’t need to get this game. Teenage Blob is for people like me – people who need to extract the essence of this game and chop it up into a fine powder and find a reasonable way to carefully ingest and ration its power. Maybe sprinkle it in a protein shake or a green juice. Millennials can have a little Teenage Blob, as a treat.

I think it’s important when looking at Underzone, to note it’s in early access and, for what it is, its a rather impressive release. There are some definite issues, but its base gameplay is rather fun, its ideas unique and story intriguing, if a little overdone. There is certainly enough here to be rather hopeful for its future. Like most roguelikes, if you enjoy that grind of slowly upgrading each run, there’s a lot to love here, but the promise of what it will be is perhaps a little greater than what it actually is.

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]

While what’s there is a lot of fun, and all of it is incredibly stylish, I can’t really recommend you pick it up in its current form. That being said, if you’re in the market for an incredibly stylish game with some very fun power-ups and combat, then maybe HAAK will keep you entertained for a few hours. [Early Access Provisional Score = 70]

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.

Against the Moon should be exactly what I’m looking for in a game. It’s got some deckbuilding, some tactical combat, and a cool setting. It is, on paper at least, an interesting game with some really cool mechanics. Unfortunately, none of it fits together as well as it could, and it feels incredibly short. This style of game is at its best when you can keep going back to it time and time again, and that’s not the case here. Some of the battles feel terribly balanced, and the whole thing just feels a bit off. It’s still getting regular updates though, so I’m quietly hopeful for the game it could become despite this being the full release.

Breakpoint is a simple and incredibly honest game. It’s a new arcade game, and there’s nothing more to it. However, in a field of endless games and services, this approach is rather refreshing.

These criticisms may be a personal taste thing (tough, I’m the reviewer), but genuinely, if you’re looking for a small puzzle-box game like The Room or GNOG, this might tick a few boxes. It will satisfy in much the same way as a Rubik’s cube or a wooden puzzle does but somehow manages to be a bit more obnoxious. Younger players especially may see the value in this, and it certainly has a place, just don’t expect to find yourself moved and bereft afterwards – you’ll probably just want to make a cup of tea and get on with your day.

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.

It can feel a little simplistic at times, but overall it’s quite good fun. The graphics are nice and you’ll find yourself settling into a favourite role in no time at all. It’s still got a few bugs, but it’s Early Access, so we’re expecting those to get stomped on at some point.

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.

In all, I’d say this game is a fantastic showing for what is essentially a solo project. I think after the Herculean effort that was Stardew Valley, we tend to expect a lot from solo games. This isn’t as full-featured as some games; it’s also not as long. It occasionally doesn’t go far enough in some of its endeavours, which is perfectly understandable given the scope. The criticisms feel more like missed opportunities than outright bad choices, but that is to be expected with a game of this magnitude. It shines in some areas; it’s RPG elements are a particular highlight. Where it doesn’t shine, it’s not bad per se, more just a little lacklustre. It’s a perfectly fine game to sink some hours into, easy to get into, easy to stay attached to.

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.

I love a good pun, and Flailure is definitely a good pun. It’s also a pretty good game. It’s got some silly mechanics, ragdoll physics, and cute animals all fighting it out to try and come out on top. There’s a wonderful level of chaos to the way each match plays out, and while it’s not always complex, there’s no denying how much fun beating your friends is. It’s definitely more a game for younger gamers, but there’s fun to be had here no matter what age you are.

Tesla Force is a solid twin-stick shooter that has you fighting through a deeply messed-up world paying as historical characters. Gameplay-wise it’s pretty much exactly what you’d expect. There are lots of enemies, absurd weapons, and a lot of fun to be had. There’s fun to be had here for fans of the genre, but it doesn’t do enough to entice anybody who wouldn’t already be interested.

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.

Gloom and Doom is a visual novel about Heaven, Hell, and absolution. It comes with a nice cast of characters all trying to figure out what on Earth is going on, while all fighting their own demons, literally and figuratively. The art style and general setting will feel very nostalgic for any fans of 90s-era comic books, or just anyone alive during the 90s. It’s not a particularly long game, but it’s a good time while it’s around.

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.

Parallels will be made between AnShi and Journey, which is a bit unfair. For a start, AnShi is the brainchild of a single developer. Second, the protagonist of Journey never had a hoverboard, which for AnShi, is a literal game-changer. I would caution anyone looking to recapture their experience with Journey to consider AnShi on its own uniquely alien merit, or otherwise brace for disappointment. Ultimately, AnShi wowed me with its otherworldly vistas and sweeping soundtrack, but its meandering plot left me wanting more.

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.

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.

Overall, I’d rather wait and play the PlayStation 4 version. I’d mention the PlayStation 5 but trying to get one is like finding a needle in a haystack. Either the game isn’t optimised well, or my laptop isn’t compatible with it. If you’ve got an option to play this on something that isn’t a PC, I definitely recommend you check it out elsewhere.