I’m happy to have been introduced to new pieces of southeast Asian cuisine, but the biggest point against Dosa Divas is that it doesn’t come bundled with anything to snack on while you play. Who knows, maybe they’re saving that for the collector’s edition.

Fishbowl‘s complicated pool of grief and authentic, stumbling healing craft a deeply personal experience. So, when I was asked to make a choice about Alo’s future in the end, I was irreparably invested. Consequently, I finished the game feeling a little healed from my own tribulations alongside Alo.

Super Meat Boy 3D isn’t Shakespeare — it’s main antagonist is named Dr. Fetus, afterall — but I found its platforming puzzles to be largely solid across the board and I was impressed by its adherence to the idea that the game will happily beat you down, but the way back up from that is through perserverence. Perserverence that it’s happy to show you that you posses by watching your level replays.

Neva: Prologue‘s scale — with creativity and evocativeness on one side and restrictions and murkiness on the other — balances out to a solid experience.

Between a plot that stretches the realities of time, space, and comprehension, and gameplay designed to keep you laser-focused on the task at hand, it’s difficult to reckon with the passage of real-world hours while playing Love Eternal. So, I was startled to find I rolled credits in a bit over five hours. It will take me so much longer to fully ponder its provocative themes, tantalizing insinuations, and gratifying sense of accomplishment.

For all its whimsical offerings, Lil Gator Game: In the Dark finds its true strength in the authentic compassion of its narrative. The villain’s pushy nature and unbending demands stem from a very relatable and vulnerable place. Seeing this, our hero persists, when everyone else has given up, in reaching out to his caped nemesis. When all the heartening action of the game fades from my memory, its uplifting final note will remain.

Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven offers something for every type of cult leader. Fighting enthusiasts will discover a weapon that combines range with damage alongside creative new opponents. Narrative-seekers will uncover a host of characters carrying the burden of a failing power. Cult managers can look forward to new blood with which to build a stronger base in dangerous times. Together, it all combines in an experience that makes jumping back into one of indie’s best titles well worthwhile.

From the gleaming towers of the city to the vibrantly lush trails in the garden, I gleefully sailed and fought my way through MIO: Memories in Orbit. Its stunning art style perfectly offsets the tragic narrative. I found it so hard to put down and became so invested in the world’s fate that I couldn’t accept its death. Instead, I searched for an option the game graciously offered for my persistence. Though either way, the conclusion is pierced with hope and sadness.

Nine hours after reaching a ramshackle stump in the woods, I’d transformed my home into a cheerful shelter. Filled with well-earned comforts gathered from across varied landscapes and friends’ warm regards. Its intentional approachability can err on the side of feeling too easy, but the constant, looming danger of winter goes a long way towards balancing the scales. Still, the only thing I want to do right now is return to my roaring fireplace and brave the frosts in Winter Burrow.

The grand reveal of why I can manipulate the world around me flies far beyond these charming, mundane moments. And the farther away it gets, the less human the experience feels — even while my unique powers grow. Goodnight Universe finds its way back in time for a satisfying end, luckily.

I do want to appreciate how richly The Séance of Blake Manor rewards players for the effort they have put in and the choices they have made. I can’t wait to watch others’ playthroughs to see how the decisions they made or the roads they didn’t take change the game’s world when all is said and done. It doesn’t take much investigation to see this game is one of the year’s best — and it might also be one of my favorite detective experiences of all time.

With environmental challenges and enigmatic folds in the landscape to explore, the end of ILA: A Frosty Glide feels earned. I congratulated myself on reaching the mountain tops and, basking in that accomplishment, felt all the more struck by the emotional peak.

Rough patches aside, Discounty tells an impactful tale by lulling players into a false sense of security with its cheery trappings, then hitting them with reality. Engaging systems and character arcs culminate in nuanced self-reflection and an honest look at our society’s underpinnings.

Sword Of The Sea is a pleasure to play. Its traversal system allowed me to soar irreverently through monumental graveyards. Its narrative saw me flooding death with life and new hope. Its beauty boyoyed my spirit. Even with a few rough moments at the end, I still want nothing more than to fly back into its world.

While the nuances of Ra Ra BOOM’s combat and difficulty are things that stuck out to me, I was willing to forgive a lot thanks to its presentation. The voice acting is great, and the characters frequently sound off during fights to discuss their unique perspective on the world as teenagers who never got to grow up on Earth. There’s a real charm to the game with its catchy title music, appealing art style, and premise that leans on the best aspects of nostalgia without needing to wallow in it. Instead, it uses nostalgia as a jumping-off point to create something entirely new with classic tropes.

Dead Take‘s consuming conclusion overshadowed any problems I had with the design, however. The developers gave me a brilliant reason to see the world through a radically new lens. My fresh perspective transformed my luxurious surroundings into a house of horrors, growing darker with every step. The performances, disturbing and spectacular, ensured I’d walk away replaying them in my head.

I was never overly invested in the narrative and the golden path is rarely groundbreaking. However, the community is endearing even if they can’t seem to figure out any problem without me. They give me a reason to jump back into an enticing environment which I relish just existing in. Purpose-driven players may not find what they’re looking for in the cozy folds of Bywater. If you’re searching for a game where you can stop, smell the roses, wander through the fields, and dive into a pleasingly simple life, Tales of the Shire is for you.

And Roger took me from fear to joy to heartbreak, landing somewhere close to bittersweet as the credits rolled. It’s constantly shifting controls not only replicate the characters’ inner feeling admirably, but also manage to tell me what to do without saying a word. Everyone should take the time to experience this game for themselves. Just be sure to have tissues on hand.

I’ve settled on one word for Everdeep Aurora: dense. It’s tightly packed with gameplay and objectives. The compact corridor containing all of its points of interest ensures I’m always engaging with something. I have to unpack the emotions held close to the vest for the characters and tease out deep questions regarding humanity’s darkest instincts. It can also feel impenetrable, with a story that requires a lot of heavy lifting from players. It takes effort to dig through, and there’s gold to find.

Pleasingly, Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping‘s ending again grants the player the power to decide the suspect’s ultimate fate. So, I look forward to hearing which choices everyone makes. Less expected was a post-credits scene, which I won’t spoil, but has me prepared for another entry in the series. With this latest game making much-appreciated improvements and with some elements still up for a little polish, I look forward to another seriously silly adventure.

Blue Prince is astonishing, refreshing, and its rabbit hole goes so deep I haven’t been able to find the bottom yet — despite rolling credits weeks ago.

Wanderstop‘s finale is both wonderfully satisfying and personally conflicting. Despite longing to see the end for some time, when it comes down to leaving, I have a hard time tearing myself away. Graciously and beautifully, the game puts the weight of that decision fully on my shoulders. It inspires the feeling of leaving an old apartment, a past job, or a school you’ve just graduated from. The good memories flood back with nostalgic abandon, and the day-to-day details wash away in one poignant moment before taking that next step into the unknown. That a game could conjure that feeling is proof of Wanderstop’s triumph.

Afterlove EP doesn’t always hit the right pitch for me, but its art style is captivating, its gameplay gripping, and its story is authentic.

Often in Keep Driving, I would pour what resources I had into fueling my next leg of the trip before taking off again, hoping for good luck on the road. Keeping everything running smoothly could be a stressful pursuit, but the unpredictable events, hazardous challenges, and stimulating connections kept my hands firmly on the steering wheel.

Citizen Sleeper 2 is phenomenal, evocative, and haunting. The minimal visuals are flawlessly supported by the writing. Gut-wrenching expressions and touchingly lonely scenes flow out of the masterful descriptions. The audio design had me rocketing from dawning dread to heart-pumping motivation. And in the end, I was forced into the hero’s dilemma in a way that cemented this game as one of the year’s best.

It’s disappointing how often Tails of Iron 2 leads me to wander the darkened valleys of over-demanding combat and back-track-demanding save points. However, the view from the mountain summits – the game’s secret-filled levels, propelling narrative, and magical visuals – cast sunlight on even my hardest experiences.

The Rise of the Golden Idol is a must-play for puzzle fans. Honestly, I’d encourage anyone to give it a go — no need to jump into the original first. Golden Idol titles ask a lot and encourage players to engage deeply with every detail — perhaps earning the series a reputation for difficulty. Putting in the work and watching the grand reveals are all the more rewarding for the effort, though, and satisfying on the highest level.

Like the air after a downpour, Last Time I Saw You‘s refreshing narrative and glistening visuals made up for some of its technical weakness. It was hard to put down. I needed to weather each chapter’s storm, made both by monsters and men, to learn the fate of the village I’d grown so fond of.