Fractured Minds is definitely worth your time, especially for those who enjoy games like Sea of Solitude and Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. Available for a mere $2, it is also well worth mentioning that 80% of Fractured Minds’ proceeds go directly to Emily Mitchell and Safe In Our World, which is a video games industry charity dedicated to raising and supporting mental health awareness. So, while playing through the game itself might not leave you feeling overwhelmingly happy, you’ll at least be able to take solace in the fact that you’re supporting mental health awareness, as well as the potential of a young developer who has an incredibly bright future ahead of her.

Beyond the heavy grind, which is certainly purposeful, some gameplay features which feel a bit light, and a story that might as well not be there, Rogue Legacy 2 will quickly see itself enter the roguelite hall of fame as a shining example of why the genre works so well, and fittingly for a game about lineage, as a show of how far a sequel can improve upon its predecessor.

Chivalry 2 doesn’t necessarily feel like a totally new game, but it brings a lot of little changes that make it feel like a fresh experience. While there are still a few kinks to be worked out, Chivalry 2 brings everything that I loved from the first game and takes it to the next level in an incredibly fun and addicting experience.

Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Town is great for both newcomers to the point and genre, as well as hardened veterans. Regardless of which category you fall into, you’ll likely be able to finish the game in an evening. With its charming visuals, captivating story, and inviting puzzles, Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Town has plenty to offer.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake remains one of the finest JRPGs in recent memory, and its conversion to PC arguably enhances that reputation if you have the right hardware to make it shine. Despite shortcomings in its range of graphical settings and a lack of customisation options, this is a commendable port that runs well, looks even better, and offers patient players on the platform an adventure they’ve been waiting years for. Now it’s finally here, I have a perfect excuse for another playthrough. Bring on the mods, my body is ready.

As confusing as this might sound, Exo One is every bit relaxing as it is intense. Its exploration of the mysterious and deep reaches of space combined with its perfectly arranged soundtrack creates a different kind of sci-fi experience that should definitely be checked out by fans of the genre. As far as I know, this is Exbleative’s first title, but it’s an absolute banger. I’ll be eager to see future projects from the studio, science fiction-based or otherwise.

The procedurally generated tracks look and feel great, providing plenty of challenge for those looking to master the downhill course, but being welcoming enough for casual players looking for something more than another Trials-clone.

Diving into game after game, experiencing that Soulslike loop in a microcosm, was unbelievably satisfying, and those moments of victory have never felt better. There are some minor quirks, like the lack of cross-platform play and spongy bosses, but on the whole, Nightreign is one of the most inventive things to come out of FromSoftware since it coined the Soulslike genre.

A little more polish could have gone a long way, but the Calvard Republic is an enjoyable place to explore, the protagonist is appreciably mature, and the story ends with that same deliciously Trails philosophy: always leave ‘em wondering how the heck they’ll ever wrap this up.

Everything is earned here, from your gear to the answers to your questions, and the experience is all the better for it. For every battle you fail, a new one appears, yet there is minimal frustration due to the way you can learn from your mistakes. You’ll explore a haunting yet beautiful world, subtly changing as your actions affect the environment, and uncover a well-written story that kept my attention throughout. Miasma Chronicles is a dark journey that is well worth embarking on.

It may feel just a bit pricey at twenty-five dollars, but, given the amount of gameplay depth and replay value, this is one on which fans of the genre shouldn’t miss out.

Biped is a great game that is great fun for two players. However, potential buyers needs to be alright with only playing locally, a short amount of content, and the potential for a level editor to be far off from release. For these reasons it might be best to wait until more concrete news becomes available, but if those are not huge problems, Biped is a real treat.

Omno is still excellent, mind. Given that it’s on Game Pass, I’d feel comfortable recommending it to almost anyone. It has spectacular art direction, appropriate music, and a whole host of fascinating ideas. Its most singular quality, though, is the one buried beneath all of the borrowing: intuitive exploration that resists handholding without artificially ramping up difficulty. It’s almost as if a kind of cryptography has been applied to all of the creatures, puzzles, and environments, except instead of being protected by hundreds of lines of code they are designed with a failsafe that is human intuition. It would be easy for someone to say that Omno does nothing new, but the reason it’s easy to say that is because it’s completely incorrect. Omno has plenty of imaginative and ingenious ideas - they’re just unfortunately hampered by more established ones that didn’t need to be there.

One thing’s for certain: you’ve never played a game like Harold Halibut before. You may have played cinematic narrative adventure titles before, but none offer up such a striking stop-motion style and thought-provoking narrative, especially when paired with a winning combination of mystery, heartfelt character relationships, and quirky artistic flair. You will question your own path in life and whether you’re truly happy, then leave you wondering how to find your own bluglglgl.

Thankfully, we live in a good world and Bethesda is letting people experience this twisted and dark take on id Software's work. If you've never played this before, let the $5 price tag be all the inspiration you need.

Atelier Yumia is lush. It’s vibrant. It’s a feast for the eyes. I expect that some will compare it to Xenoblade Chronicles’ own spectacular designs, and while I’m not quite sure I would go that far, I ultimately came away far more impressed than I had anticipated by the diverse biomes on display. Suffice it to say, this makes everything in the previous paragraph that much more engaging.

Pokémon Café Mix may not be the most challenging Pokémon game to ever grace your console, but its cheerful and addicting nature is a nice addition to the fighting franchise that's sure to make you smile.

Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a complete package that delivers a wonderful collection of games while adding modern niceties such as a feature-rich training mode, and high-quality online play. It’s great to see Capcom learn from its mistakes to dial things in with its most recent collections. While it is a fairly priced product, the value is considerably worse if you only buy it to play Marvel Vs. Capcom 2. So, I do encourage everyone who picks up this collection to at least try the other games included. Odds are you’ll have a marvelous time.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp marks the return of two classic strategy games, and WayForward has done a stellar job bringing them back to life while never sacrificing the formidable challenge and anime-esque charm of fictional warfare the series has always nailed. While some of the new features are lightweight and the addition of flourishes like voice acting and level creation will prove meaningless to certain folks, this remaster still supplies a solid foundation I pray Nintendo isn’t afraid to build on. Few in the genre can compete with the immediate simplicity and approachability of Advance Wars, but Nintendo needs to take it further.

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is still a quality version of the legendary game. It features all the action fans of the genre could want. Sadly, the Warthog controls abysmally, ruining a potentially epic climax. The environments toward the latter part of the game get repetitive and dry. But, as a whole, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is a worthwhile play for fans of the genre.

As somebody who suffered through the middling Sweet Shop, who grew irate at the cynical cash-grab of a mobile game, and who wanted fresh blood in this series again, Cookstar delivers - and then some. I haven't been able to put this thing down, and it's taken valuable hours away from Animal Crossing, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and quite a few others.

Kirby Air Riders is one of the hardest games I’ve ever had to review. Not because it’s particularly challenging, but because it was clear from the moment I started playing that it’s going to be incredibly hit or miss. If you’re expecting Mario Kart World or Crash Team Racing but with Kirby, you’ll be sorely disappointed. But anyone who’s up for a racer that feels truly fresh, has a lot of hidden depth, and revs to the beat of its own incredibly loud engine is going to find something special here.

Ultimately, HAUNTED: Halloween ‘86 (The Curse Of Possum Hollow) doesn’t necessarily bring anything revolutionary to the genre, but it really doesn’t need to. The game feels like a game I played years ago, and that’s what makes it so much fun.

Much like the real world, everyone’s hopes and dreams are different, and it’s this uniqueness that makes them so undeniably beautiful. It’s a poetic struggle, and stopping to appreciate the instances of silence on a road filled with tragedy and heartbreak helps Road 96 feel like something I’ve never played before. Road 96 feels like an experience created by a studio that understands the fragility of the world we exist in, seeking to project these issues onto a fictional world where comparing them with our own is all too easy. Subtlety isn’t the objective here, and by pulling no punches, this game manages to say something well worth listening to.

Outcasters is truly a unique experience. For Stadia, it's no doubt a huge win. Splash Damage did an incredible job of homing in on the essence of what makes a great multiplayer experience – and the result is Outcasters. Curving bullets is a blast, every battlefield is blessed with adorable graphics, and the unlockable cosmetics and abilities give you plenty of reasons to keep coming back. I'm hopeful that Outcasters will eventually land on other platforms. Otherwise, it may not get the attention it truly deserves.

Monster Sanctuary is a Pokémon game smashed together with pixel-art, JRPGs, and Metroidvanias. If that's not a recipe for an indie game hit, then I don't know what is.

Putting those minor gripes aside, Reanimal is a breath of fresh air. It’s a roughly 7-hour experience chock-full of exciting and tense moments that will have you on the edge of your seat for most of the runtime. It’s a true evolution of the Little Nightmares formula, and while some technical issues can frustrate at times, and it loses a bit of its tension as it draws to a close, it’s still an experience that I would easily recommend to any horror fan.

Still, if my only real complaint is that I wanted more, that shows just how much I enjoyed Lil Gator Game. Its unique approach to platforming and exploration, combined with its gorgeous visuals, heartfelt story, and charming characters make it one of my favourite gaming experiences of 2022.