Still, Don't Starve is a one of a kind experience that manages to marry survival mechanics that so many games have done before it, with a cartoonish, Tim Burton-esque charm. Once you've embarked upon a dozen runs or so the game runs like clockwork, and even the touch controls fall into place.

As for whether or not it’s worth buying… for someone who enjoys board games, who has ample opportunity to play with friends or family who also enjoy board games, it’s a definite yes. You’ll get several hours of fun out of it at the very least. For someone looking for a game to pick up who may or may not be able to find two or three or four other players? Probably not. This isn’t a single player game, and while it can be played online, it is really best played in person. But hey, it’s $5. If you’re unsure, it’s an absolute bargain for a decent port of a classic game. Give it a shot!

The simple fact is Space Chicks is an awesome endless runner with great presentation, highly approachable controls and just enough platforming elements and difficulty to keep players coming back for more.

While it has similarities to Bean's Quest, it carves its own path with a very different level design philosophy and gameplay pace.

If you actually remember "retro games" from the first time round, when they were just "games" and we didn't know they were retro yet, then Boss Monster will surely rekindle some fond memories from your youth.

The bottom line is that if you are a boxing fan, and especially a Fight Night fan, Fight Night Champion is a must have app. The controls are outstanding, the boxer selection will please any boxing fan, and the ability to create your own boxer and start your own career is gold.

While I wasn’t really sold on Marvel’s Midnight Suns pre-release, it has continued to impress me more as I played through the story, and it is chock full of a ton of optional content that will keep you busy for a very long time. It wasn’t a great experience around launch on PC, but Marvel’s Midnight Suns is well worth your time right now, and a joy to play on Steam Deck. It already felt like a perfect fit for Steam Deck from the start, and it has finally been fixed for Valve’s portable system with a recent update.

Death’s Door is one of those nice combinations of a superb presentation and strong gameplay. The game could coast well enough on either of those points, but it hits them both and is excellent as a result. There’s nothing overly deep about the gameplay mechanics, and its brand of action is going to be familiar to most. The most impressive bits are the bosses, which require strong pattern recognition and good reflexes. The gorgeous sights and sounds along the way add tremendously to its atmosphere, doing their part to keep the player pulled into this unusual, compelling world. Action-RPG fans will certainly want to give this a go.

It feels like the perfect fit for a tablet and feels well designed and quite polished.

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.

There are things that the game could do better — like less-linear stage progression, a story that’s more than just an afterthought, and a few bug fixes spring to mind. But it’s rare to find a mobile game that embraces its platform as well as Bleak Sword, and I encourage anyone with an Apple Arcade subscription to check it out.

Whether you love or hate the changes, RPG fans of the era have probably already picked this up. For the rest of you, I implore you that it’s well worth the entry fee.

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.

NeverAwake plays well, has a fascinating, strong sense of style, and is very unique. Its brief levels meant I ended up devouring the game like a bowl of popcorn, and I had a blast with every minute of it. The story and sense of wonder at what bizarre situation I would wade into next kept me going to the end, and the unlockable challenges and leaderboards brought me back for more still. If you like shooting games, action games, or twin-stick shooters, you’ll want to put NeverAwake on your shopping list.

It's a smart variation on the dual-stick shooter theme, and one that's strangely reminiscent of my most recent obsession, Diablo III.

Revisiting KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX on a portable natively has been amazing. The package is incredible value even today and it shines on Steam Deck. If you’ve never played a KINGDOM HEARTS game before, get KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX on Steam Deck. I need a bit more time to test the games outside KINGDOM HEARTS 1 and 2 in this package though.

I have seen better looking games, and I have heard better sound tracks, and I have played more complex arcade games. But not very many at all that have managed to combine them half as well as Imps in Tokyo.

This is an altogether greater experience than Shadowrun Returns, and I'm extremely impressed at the improvement on the developer's part.

While I am disappointed with the lack of full controller support and how some aspects have not transitioned well to touch controls, Minit is still a must play title. It is such a brilliant concept that takes a gameplay style that works well but keeps things super fresh at all times. If you’ve not played Minit on any other platform yet, the iOS version is absolutely worth the asking price. Do yourself a favour and get the soundtrack as well.

While a few of the gameplay portions in the middle dragged a bit too much, A Space for the Unbound is one of the best narrative driven indie games I’ve played. Despite not having been to Indonesia which inspires the setting, the storytelling, characters, and atmosphere all felt perfect. It reminded me of how I felt playing The Kids We Were and Persona 4 Golden in that sense. If you enjoy memorable stories and great characters, A Space for the Unbound is an easy recommendation on Nintendo Switch.

For a game that can’t even hold a locked 60fps when running at 1080p on PS5, Earth Defense Force 6 on Steam Deck runs and looks a lot better than I expected. The game itself is a fantastic sequel to Earth Defense Force 5, and it might be my favorite game in the series yet. I’m looking forward to replaying many missions with friends and also getting the DLC packs in the near future. The wait for Earth Defense Force 6 in the West was long, but the payoff is absolutely worth it.

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

Depth, strategy, and looks, all wrapped around tried-and-testing word-building mechanics-that's QatQi for you.

In its current state, Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat is a great addition to Apple Arcade. Hopefully it gets more songs and even modes through big updates like many of the games on the service have been getting in recent months. If you’ve never played a game in the series before, Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat is a super polished entry that is light on content right now but is still a joy to play and a great rhythm game to just pickup and play.

Rocket Robo is worth picking up for its presentation alone. The design is stellar, to the point where I could easily see figures of Robo selling at a local store. But it's more than just a pretty picture, as it's complimented by tight controls and engaging gameplay.

The world of Penumbear might not be one you'd want to explore on your own, dark as it is. Navigating a friendly little bear through, on the other hand? Well, that works quite well.

Ire is a relatively-rough gem with a great art-style, demanding but gratifying combat, and plenty of content to have you playing for many, many hours.

What sets Squirmee apart is its intuitive, albeit slightly complex control scheme.