The game is free-to-play, but it definitely falls on the “good” end of that spectrum.

If you were in love with the speedrunning elements in the previous Mikey games, I could see Mikey Jumps being a bit underwhelming for you. It's also fair to point out that Mikey's got a lot of miles behind him at this point, so some players might be over his particular brand of entertainment. But I think if you approach Mikey Jumps with a clear mind and leveled expectations, you'll find a really fun, cleverly-designed platformer with some brilliant level designs and rock-solid controls.

Crow Country joins Signalis as one of the best survival horror games in recent years. It is shockingly good, and I can’t wait to revisit it when its next update arrives. I urge you to at least try the free demo. It feels perfect on Steam Deck. What I thought would be a nice throwback horror game ended up being one of the best in years for the genre, and a standout title in an already amazing 2024 for games.

An excellent adventure platformer, Leo’s Fortune is a prime example of taking an established genre and simply taking the quality factor to an entirely different level.

The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series isn’t an unqualified success. Some technical problems and the continuing font tomfoolery hold this set of games back from being all it could have been. Still, the improvements here are sensible and well-implemented, and while I’m not sure these are the definitive versions of each game, they are certainly going to be definitive enough for most. Short of keeping a menagerie of consoles and handhelds at your side, there’s really no better way to enjoy these all-time classics. A hearty recommendation to fans and newcomers alike.

Jacob Jones and the Bigfoot Mystery: Episode 1 – A Bump in the Night is, at its core, a simple game with a mix of challenging and dastardly puzzles thrown in that will be enjoyable for both adults and kids.

Paint It Back looks great, has fun and clever puzzles, and just plain feels good to play.

Super Mega Zero manages the difficult job of finding new depths to plumb in a sub-genre that has seen a lot of love over the years. Every time I thought I had it all figured out, another stage would come along and force me to come at things completely differently. The changing number gimmick combines with some truly inspired puzzle and platforming challenges to create a truly enjoyable, incredibly tricky action game. Throw in the extra collectible Pi items and speed runs, and you’ve got a game that will last you for a long while.

It has fantastic production values, amazing graphics, brilliant controls, and a solid set of well designed levels to play through.

As orthodox as it is in terms of gameplay, it does everything it’s doing so well that I can’t imagine any fan of the genre coming away disappointed. Add in the stellar visuals and excellent music, and you have a well-balanced experience that is more than worth your time and money.

I think Super Mario RPG is a really good remake of a classic game. It makes a lot of improvements while staying true to the core of the original, and that’s all you can really hope for from something like this. Just keep in mind that its faithfulness extends to the game’s length, with the whole thing taking around fifteen to twenty hours to bring to a close. For some that will be a negative, and others a positive. At least for my part, I really appreciate a quick-paced RPG that feels like all killer and no filler. Something I can actually replay without setting aside a ton of time. If that sounds appealing to you too, then you’ll want to add this to your library.

In this writer’s personal opinion, there are two Katamari Damacy games worth keeping around. We now have both of them on the Nintendo Switch, and I’m quite happy with that. We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie isn’t a perfect experience, but it’s a more than acceptable way to experience a sequel that could have phoned it in but chose to do more. And yes, the soundtrack once again rules. A good version of a great game, and still just as fine a wine as it was back in 2005.

Takes iOS platforming and "one button" gaming in a direction I'm amazed no-one tries to do more often in touch screen gaming.

If you've been itching to just kick back and rip apart some zombies, Second Chance Heroes is a great place to start.

On the whole, I have remarkably few complaints. I have enjoyed my time playing Immortal Rogue and, bar the few complaints I do have, recommend it wholeheartedly. I would like to see the narrative system addressed, and the home bar issue fixed; but, after that… well, I can only wait to see what else Kyle Barrett has in store. If what we have is any indication, the future will not disappoint.

In this outing, however, Detective Grimoire is going to have to settle for being an enjoyable, though altogether too simple, ride.

It was always up in the air as to whether or not Spike Chunsoft could get back in the Shiren groove after so long without a new entry, but Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island shows that the developer still understands the beating heart of this long-running franchise. It’s a game that embraces where it comes from, and while that means it might still turn some players off, I think the best thing Shiren can be in this modern rogue-wild world is true to itself. A fantastic game, and I hope this is the start of a whole new chapter for Shiren.

Botany Manor has been a pleasant surprise from start to finish. It is equal parts relaxing, educational, and gorgeous. It also is a perfect fit for the OLED screen on Nintendo Switch in handheld mode. If you’re looking for a five or so hour first-person puzzler that doesn’t waste your time, Botany Manor is for you. Now please release a retail limited edition of it with a physical research book.

It's a true testament to my enjoyment of the game that I kept at it, grinding my way through old battles time after time and coming up with new strategies along the way. The retro-centric charming visuals certainly don't hurt matters either if you're a fan of the style.

While fans (and superfans… there are plenty in our forum) of Game Dev Story will undoubtedly be thrilled with Hot Springs Story, newbies to the land of Kairosoft will probably cringe a bit at the less than perfect graphics and the initial chaotic nature of the action. There's a lot going on at once, and until you really get the hang of what everything does it can seem daunting.

Minus any little issues, Lara Croft Go is another winner from Square Enix Montreal.

Simply put, it's a great, fast-paced platformer with excellent balance in terms of level design, controls, and replayability.

In spite of these shortcomings, you absolutely must play Type: Rider. I don't care if you aren't interested in typography, because it doesn't matter. It's an intricately-designed masterpiece that constantly throws fresh challenges and situations at you for the entire run of the game.

Telltale have put a dense tale on offer, red in tooth and claw and tantalizing in its player-driven possibility, and the second episode is already overdue.

It's a nice puzzle game done up in a classic style, with a good price and no hidden costs jumping out at you.

As long as you have an abundance of patience and a good sense of humor about setbacks, there's no reason you shouldn't adorn your finest fake mustache and give this game some of your time.

You can play it and know that you're getting your money's worth, and you get a lot of game out of this, because getting to space is extremely difficult, and a real accomplishment.

If you’re at all into puzzle games that are more interested in soothing you than hurting your brain, I think you’ve found your new addiction.