Demon Lord: Just a Block is a fun, small-scale roguelike with some cute art and a clever twist on turn-based strategy gameplay. It makes good use of the roguelike formula, with the gameplay being simple and yet weirdly addicting, albeit lacking in much longevity beyond that inherently provided by the roguelike formula. All in all, it is not a bad way to spend $13.

Tides of Tomorrow features an incredibly interesting mechanic and a unique setting, but both are undercut by poorly paced storytelling and a lack of deeper, engaging gameplay. While I would still recommend the game for its unique, indirect multiplayer mechanic, you might find yourself in the same position I was: burnt out on the gimmick early into the game.

Bandit Trap is a critically underrated gem, one which injects some much-needed levity into the world of asymmetrical multiplayer games and a title that stands utterly alone in the genre of “multiplayer Home Alone-likes.” Give the game a try, get your friends to play too, and help it get the attention it deserves.

I am very, very curious to see what is to come from Dead as Disco‘s roadmap, besides, of course, the missing levels. I imagine most of the changes are cosmetic, but given how much the title already has to offer, I am very confident in the developers’ ability to deliver even more incredible features. I’m looking forward to seeing where the game goes next. If you have even an inkling of curiosity about the game, I recommend picking it up, even in its Early Access state, and supporting these incredible developers. [Early Access Review]

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire has a great, unique rubberhose aesthetic, which does a lot of heavy lifting for the game. The DOOM-like mechanics are solid, albeit they do very little to differentiate the game from others in the series, and the balance is toned down to the point where even a newcomer to the genre should have an easy time progressing on the hardest difficulty. It isn’t a bad game in the slightest, but it relies a little too much on its visual uniqueness and doesn’t impress me much mechanically.

Shapez 2 made a fan of me, someone who isn’t a usual fan of this genre, and someone who easily feels overwhelmed by its complex systems. Even with my comparatively meager builds, I had a great time with the game, falling instantly for its uniquely relaxing vibe and its special style of progression, pushing you into limitless expansion at your own pace and using incredible factory tools to accomplish it.

The Spell Brigade is excellence in the survivors-like genre, offering players a chance to partake in some whacky, chaotic co-op wizardry. While designed for online play, solo players can still appreciate the title, though they may find progression to be a slower grind overall.

Overall, Far Far West has a very promising development cycle ahead. I’m looking forward to playing more of the game as it continues to update and grow a larger player base. If it’s caught your attention and you’re still iffy about picking it up, I highly recommend giving it a try. It might need some work, but it’s far from a disappointing experience. [Early Access Review]

OPUS: Prism Peak is an emotionally devastating, bittersweet work of art that takes an honest, if not always happy, look at life, past losses, and how to pick up the pieces and move on. A slow title focused on exploration and attention to detail, this game will appeal to anyone with the patience and determination to see it through, even if your first playthrough might feel overwhelming and incomplete… by design.

Gecko Gods doesn’t provide much challenge, with repetitive puzzles and trivialized platforming thanks to its generous movement mechanics. That won’t be a problem, however, if you’re just looking for a cute, relaxed experience. Chances are, if you were drawn to this game because of the cute gecko you can play as, the title has everything you’d want, if not much more.

Lucky Tower Ultimate provides deceptively simple mechanics and a deeper layer of depth with tons of items, mechanical interactions, and constant slapstick or just downright silly cartoon humor. It does things differently from other roguelike titles, and will effortlessly charm you if you just give it a chance.

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss has a lot to offer for those looking for an immersive, narrative-driven horror thriller. Its gameplay doesn’t demand quick reflexes or wanton destruction, but rather deduction skills and attention to detail. I don’t see everyone being a fan of this title, but for those who are really big into Lovecraft, this is probably exactly what you would want from a game tackling the mythos, one that is all about questions and the unfortunate answers that go with them.

Despite all of my criticisms, I’m actually very confident that Valorborn could one day be an amazing game, one that rivals Kenshi in a critically underutilized genre. The inherent gameplay loop is super fun and can make you ignore smaller issues like less-than-perfect UI, writing, or more generic-looking assets. However, the more glaring issues in this review definitely need to be addressed, and I would advise would-be buyers to give the game a little time to develop before jumping in, as the current experience might sour your opinion of the game before it has the chance to really shine. [Early Access Review]

I highly recommend Windrose, even with my criticisms, and I look forward to seeing where the game goes as development continues. [Early Access Review]

The Posthumous Investigation is an interesting title, one that adapts incredible works of fiction into an interactive experience. While the mechanics aren’t the most inventive or interesting, and certain quality-of-life features would make the game far more enjoyable to play, you’re bound to find yourself wrapped up in the game’s fun writing and characters, fantastic art, and exciting mystery.

Lay of the Land stands out in the voxel-craft genre with the use of actual voxels, allowing for far more creative builds and stunning environments than anything else in the genre. While the experience is pretty short, players are sure to appreciate what’s in that six- to ten-hour timeframe, even if they might not be very compelled to play for longer.

Though it could use more guidance overall and its inclusion of a mascot-like monster feels out of place, Subliminal is an overall good horror title, with clever puzzles, a fun theme and setting, and an interesting inferred story. I look forward to seeing what comes in chapter two, with hopes that further context improves upon some issues in the first chapter.

Damon and Baby is a fun, unique, and criminally underappreciated new title. While the game could improve in some areas and the mechanics are a bit simple, the game shines for its excellent characters and is a solid, fun experience. Damon and Baby certainly deserves more attention than it is getting, and will likely to be remembered as a cult favorite.

Despite these criticisms, Animalkind is a promising title, one that just needs a little more time to cook, and that is something we should expect for an Early Access game. As it stands, the game is clearly trying to sell you on its cute premise and relaxing gameplay loop, and it certainly delivers on both of those. If you want to check out the game and do not feel like waiting for the 1.0 release, or simply want to support the developers, there are definitely far less enjoyable Early Access games out there for you to buy. [Early Access Review]

Wasteland Bites is an excellent, horror-themed time-management game with an incredible premise. Do not hesitate to dive headfirst into the radiation pool that is this unique and fun food-truck nightmare.

ALL WILL FALL is Waterworld meets Frostpunk, delivering a toned-down but still engaging post-apocalyptic survival experience in a flooded wasteland, with some brain-teasing physics challenges thrown on top. City building fans who like a bit of a challenge are sure to love this title, especially with its unique setting and incredible mod support.

Cooking Simulator 2: Better Together has intricate cooking and recipe creation mechanics, and its campaign mode will likely appeal to those who want a nice, involved restaurant simulation from the perspective of the chef. However, it differs drastically from the first game and is full of bugs, odd design choices, and an overall unfinished feel that might keep returning fans away and make it harder for new fans to immerse themselves.

It’s safe to say that Cinderia impressed me. Though it has its Early Access flaws and the game is definitely unfinished, what is there is charming, well-designed, and downright fun to play. The game does an especially good job at delivering unique, highly customizable playstyles across its cast of four highly personable characters, showing that the developers have a clear understanding of playstyle identity and have a great knack for making likable characters to boot. Give the game a try and support its development, because I’m sure the full release will wow you. [Early Access Review]

Though I personally found the combat slow, punishing for the wrong reasons, and the customization a bit shallower than I would have liked, I can certainly see the appeal in Xenonauts 2, particularly for those wanting a tactically demanding, strategy-heavy game reminiscent of classic XCOM with some great lore.

Hozy provides players with a short, relaxing, and expressive home renovation experience, giving you a cozy way to unwind at the end of a stressful day. If you love decorating and home renovation and want a compact take on the experience, Hozy is just the game for you.

While the pacing can be a bit slow early, the mechanics feel somewhat uninspired, and the lack of direction can hinder you at times, Project Songbird still manages to be a great horror game, one with incredible artistic merit and deep symbolism. Come for a story worth experiencing, and leave with a lasting memory.

Nova Roma is an interesting city builder that’s in a pretty solid state for an Early Access game. It has some work to be done, with both minor and major bugs needing to be polished, and some key content, such as more gods, currently missing from the game, but I would definitely suggest checking it out if it’s caught your interest. I’ll personally be keeping my eye on the full release to see what the final product has to offer. [Early Access Review]

Built upon the iconic and highly stylish tradition of racing anime, Screamer delivers high-octane, arcade-style racing with intuitive controls and an incredibly dramatic, colorfully cast story about a super-illegal, high-stakes super-race. Undoubtedly, my new favorite racing game of all time, I do not doubt that Screamer, like a shooting star, will fly out past the competition at high speeds and leave a long-lasting memory in the process.

If all you are looking for is to immerse yourself in the fantasy of being a park ranger, then Ranger’s Path: National Park Simulator will probably do it for you. While the game can feel minimal in its current state, it certainly seems to be resonating with players, and it is hard to say there is anything else quite like it on the market. If you are interested in the title and the issues I have brought up in this Early Access review have not turned you away, then I do not see any harm in giving Ranger’s Path: National Park Simulator a try. [Early Access Review]

Collector’s Cove combines an interesting, if somewhat underdeveloped, exploration mechanic with a clever take on farming, fishing, and collection, creating a uniquely satisfying take on some of our favorite genre gameplay loops. Its special approach is sure to hook even the most veteran of farming sim players, especially those who like to focus on collecting and filling compendiums.

Even with half of the story still missing, Fallen Tear: The Ascension rarely feels like an unfinished product. The game has a sense of completeness, feeling thoughtfully designed and already offering a substantial amount of content despite how much is still to come. I have little doubt that fans of the genre will enjoy it, and even I struggled to find much to criticize during my time with the game. [Early Access Review]

Timberborn is a colony simulator with a fantastic core identity and some genuinely unique systems driving it, particularly when it comes to water management. While I personally found that the challenge, urgency, and sense of direction began to fade as I became more familiar with the mechanics, there is still a lot here to enjoy for players who like slower-paced, methodical colony builders, or those who really want to build a series of intricately designed beaver dams.

Best enjoyed with friends, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando has some solid, if not amazing or transformative gunplay, paired with some fun class abilities and a more open-world approach to the genre’s typical level design. The narrative can be gripping, making for an engaging first playthrough, but there isn’t too much to come back for after that.

Regardless of my feelings on AI, DYSPLACED still manages to be a fairly interesting Early Access game. The progression feels a bit limited in its current state, and the story is not the most incredible or captivating video game narrative I have experienced, but the mixture of survival crafting and RPG elements makes for an enjoyable enough experience and one that I am interested to see expanded upon as the game continues through Early Access. [Early Access Review]

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection uses the incredible storytelling potential of the Monster Hunter universe to tell a unique, excitingly dark, and political narrative with great animation and gorgeous music. Its turn-based combat is excitingly cinematic, and if you can handle awkward flying mechanics and general JRPG pacing, you should definitely enjoy what this game has to offer.

Docked might not be what many fans of the genre were expecting it to be, as it presents more of a series of short construction-themed levels rather than a fully open and immersive job site simulation. However, its management mechanics are interesting, and the heavy equipment is still intricately designed, making for a fun game, even if it’s not the one you necessarily wanted it to be.

Though the pacing can feel like it is padding for time, and its smaller fights can be a little repetitive, Homura Hime really picks up in its exciting boss fights, serving as a parry-heavy hack-and-slash game with cinematic moments and bullet-hell elements that challenge your mastery of the mechanics. Though a bit short, Homura Hime is well worth its asking price and should especially appeal to fans of its anime aesthetic and score-chasing design.

While certain elements of the game challenge the traditional playstyle of city builder games, Laysara: Summit Kingdom stands out for its unique theme, challenge, and mechanics. A very different kind of city builder, and one that ventures into a territory never before seen in the genre.

Built on the foundation of a PlayStation 2-era classic, the work done on Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered is simply not as impressive as it was when we saw it in the remaster of 1999’s Soul Reaver. Even so, Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered is far from a terrible remaster of the original and is definitely the most modern way to experience the game until a full remake comes along.

The Legend of Khiimori is a great exploration game that has a ton of promise as its development moves forward. It’s not finished, and it has quite a ways to go until it is, but if it’s caught your eye, I don’t see any harm in giving it a try during Early Access, especially if you’re a big fan of horses or horse games and want something that intricately captures a rider’s experience. [Early Access Review]

While it could do a better job of explaining some of its mechanics, could be a little more complex in its combo-crafting, and doesn’t have the best keyboard controls, Scott Pilgrim EX is still an excellent beat-’em-up game set in the iconic comic book universe. Best enjoyed with friends, this game can still be played and appreciated solo, especially for die-hard fans of Scott Pilgrim.

Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse expertly combines Metroidvania gameplay with a roguelike loop, and presents it all with gorgeous art and beautiful music. While the game can bottleneck your runs by forcing you to return to the hub earlier than you might want to, it still features a fun progression system, solid combat, and good platforming mechanics.

Resident Evil Requiem has everything fans have come to love from the series, combining two very different styles of game into one experience to enjoy. The story is rich, the characters are excellent, and the scares are outstanding, making for what is now likely this Resident Evil devotee’s favorite game in the franchise.

Welcome to Doll Town is short, awkward to play, full of translation errors, and, most importantly, features a strange cognitive dissonance between its heavy subject matter and its awkward, forced use of cringeworthy humor. While the game might find its audience, it failed to charm me and left me disappointed and outright confused by what it had to offer.

Horripilant is a flawed gem: its horror theme and atmosphere are great, its art incredible, and its foundational mechanics and loop are strong. However, the game quickly becomes repetitive due to poor pacing and a lack of substance, especially when it comes to enemy variety. While not the worst way to spend $8, I would personally recommend giving the game some time to see what updates may come.

SealChain: Call of Blood stands out for its unique approach to deckbuilding and its phenomenal art and aesthetic. To some, the game may feel menu-heavy and action-lite, with the poor localization making its mechanics harder to understand. Those who can look past these issues and really engage with the character-building mechanics will likely fall in love with the complexity of the mechanics, the narrative, and the world and characters within.

LOVE ETERNAL is strange, avant-garde, and downright hard, but it never feels cheap or unfair in its challenge. Its experimental storytelling is eerie and engaging, and the controls of the game are buttery-smooth and precise, making for platforming that’s as fun to play as it is challenging.

Demon Tides rocks, combining chill and unique expressive platforming mechanics with an absolutely magnetic cast of characters, some great art, and an overall sense of style all its own.

Disciples: Domination can feel slow, tedious, and grindy at times, but fun can still be had in its unique party recruitment mechanic and highly customizable player character. However, it doesn’t change enough from the game that came before to justify its existence as a sequel, and may even feel like a disappointing departure for returning fans.

Styx: Blades of Greed is a master of stealth gaming, with excellently designed levels, incredibly fun stealth and kill mechanics, and a rich and engaging fantasy world to host it all in. Fans of the franchise and newcomers alike are bound to enjoy this third installment in the Styx series, which knows what a stealth gamer wants and executes it flawlessly.

While there are changes that need to be made, Astrobotanica is in a promising state for an Early Access title and shows a lot of potential. Many issues I have with the game are already being addressed by the devs, with a lot of promised content to come in the future. The title has a very interesting premise and a unique world to discover, and while there’s a long way to go to the 1.0 launch, I imagine it’s going to be a fun and interesting testing period until then. I definitely recommend giving the game a try, or waiting a few months if you’re still not sold on what it has to offer. [Early Access Review]

Underboard is a strong roguelike auto battler, featuring some fantastic art, great character designs, and fun-to-execute synergies. While I wish the game had a few more characters in its playable roster and some better progression, I still enjoyed the time I had with it and I’m delighted to see what comes from these developers next.

Clue: Murder by Death seems perfect for a niche audience, as it offers a mystery that requires player commitment and meaningful deduction skills to solve, with very few tools to make it easier. For a general audience, however, the game is likely to feel slow, awkward to play, and full of distracting load times, which come together to make a game that’s hard to engage with.

Mewgenics deserves all its praise and more, delivering a solid monster-rancher premise with strong roguelike gameplay and packaging it all with incredible humor that only the creative minds behind Super Meat Boy and The Binding of Isaac could pull off. You couldn’t swing a cat around in this game without smashing it into something awesome.

REANIMAL far exceeded my expectations, even outdoing the original Little Nightmares with its mature themes, twists on the formula, and genuinely tense and scary gameplay. The original creators of Little Nightmares prove they’ve still got it, and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us next.

ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN carries on and exemplifies the surreal and violent legacy of Goichi Suda and GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE INC, creating an exciting, visually stunning, and delightfully confusing adventure with plenty of opportunities for bloody murder.

The 9th Charnel has its problems, but for an indie game made by a solo developer, I was overall pretty impressed by what it had to offer. Its story was interesting, and its visuals were nice; however, the game’s flawed animations, poor sound design in areas, and coin-flip performance may dissuade you from playing. It is, however, deserving of much more attention than it currently has.

HumanitZ has its flaws, suffering from inconsistent design features, some light bugs, and slow progression despite cutting out some of the depth featured in similar titles. However, it still makes for a worthy contender in its genre, striking a good balance between deep survival mechanics and beginner-friendly accessibility.

While there is some nostalgia there for fans to enjoy, MY HERO ACADEMIA: All’s Justice is overwhelmingly disappointing, providing sub-par gameplay, stiff animation, and a lack of iconic playable stages from the anime. For all but the most diehard My Hero fans, this title is nothing more than an underwhelming and easily forgettable one.

Adaptory is not, by any stretch of the word, a bad game. The developer clearly has passion for the title, and I can definitely see it getting better if they keep working at it. It’s a good thing it’s in Early Access, because there is a lot that needs to be fixed. If you really want to check it out, I say go ahead, but be aware of the current build’s bugs and frustrating AI before you do. [Early Access Review]

Besides some fundamental fixes to mechanics, I’d like to see MENACE add a bit more variety to the game. Specifically, I think the game is limited in enemy types, but I’d also like to see even more infantry equipment and vehicles added. This is a bit of a greedy ask, I know, but the game has so much potential; I can’t wait to see what a possible modding scene for MENACE would look like. [Review in Progress]

While Fear The Timeloop has its indie blemishes and its gameplay can at times be unnecessarily punishing, it shines through with a unique premise and an interesting story. All of this comes together to create what is essentially a B-horror movie, where the game’s problems are more charming than outright impactful.

*Nova Antarctica* is a charming, if at times challenging, combination of survival-crafting mechanics and platforming. While it’s got its great and charming moments, a lot of little issues can hold the game back, making it slow or outright frustrating to play and leaving the player with a feeling that the game itself just isn’t totally finished.

Horizon Journey needs work. It has a long way to go before a full release, and probably should have spent more time in internal testing before being released. I hope the developers manage to fix the game’s many problems, and I hope they end up finding their audience. As it currently stands, however, I do not recommend purchasing the game until at least the issues outlined in this review are fixed. [Early Access Review]

Ghost Keeper fits a very unique niche, being a spiritual successor to a beloved cult-classic game that nostalgic fans should enjoy. In the current Early Access state, the game has a ton of potential to build upon, with some of the right ideas already in place. However, I think the game still needs a lot of work, and I would like to see the developers work on the points outlined in this review. Particularly, I hope to see more of the unique interactions and animations on each map expanded upon, because to me, that’s when the game is at its best. [Early Access Review]

I Hate This Place has an incredible setting and fun enough, if not all that impressive, survival and combat mechanics, but could do a better job of introducing players to its world and story. I think the game will certainly find an audience, and those players will likely find themselves drawn to the comic-book franchise the game is inspired by.

The Spirit Lift takes a clever approach to deckbuilding with its party-selection mechanic and introduces players to a unique, spooky, and campy setting based on teen horror classics. While certainly a fun play, the game lacks a bit in variety and replayability, areas that could be improved greatly with simple additions to the game’s roster of colorful monsters.

Bladesong is, in my opinion, exactly what it wants to be. It is not the most innovative or immersive blacksmithing game, nor is it an RPG full of player agency and choice. Instead, it’s a really cool sword-creation engine with a nice story and shop sim tacked onto it. If you want to make cool swords, the game is certainly worth the price, and there’s a lot to look forward to as it continues its development. If you’re expecting more from the game than that, you’re going to be disappointed. [Early Access Review]

Winnie’s Hole is not just horror-slop designed to capitalize on your nostalgia for a familiar, now public domain property. It’s a genuinely clever take on the deckbuilding roguelike genre, with mechanics that stand out from others before it. It’s also a uniquely fun, grotesque piece of body horror, which doesn’t take itself too seriously but also doesn’t shy away from terrifying mutations and morbid execution on its premise. It’s great, even for something in Early Access, and I’m looking forward to seeing where the developers take it next. [Early Access Review]

MIO: Memories in Orbit demands patience, offering a serene and strange world to explore, great characters to meet, and some of the better platforming mechanics I’ve played with. It lacks a lot of familiar genre mechanics, which can make it feel punishing for some, especially those who want to get through the game fast. If you find that you enjoy taking your time in MIO: Memories in Orbit, then you’ll have a lot of fun.

Despite bugs that likely won’t be present in the game by the time it releases, I had an incredible amount of fun with The Fortress, as I was sucked in by the game’s great storytelling and art, and engaged by its unique approach to roguelike gameplay. However, the game’s poor balancing can unintentionally cheapen the experience, making the game’s brutal and unforgiving world a bit too easy to navigate.

In its current Early Access state, Blightstone is a promising roguelike with room for improvement. Subjectively, some of the character class identities feel odd, and the game’s progression feels kind of underwhelming and not as rewarding as it probably should be. Less subjectively, the Early Access build of the game clearly lacks in content, which is promised to be delivered later. Some players may find it worthwhile to wait for a patch or two before checking this game out, if not flat-out waiting for the 1.0 release. [Early Access Review]

City Tales – Medieval Era is a fantastic city builder that takes its own relaxed approach. Its use of companions and its unique, satisfying building system allow you to create a massive, sprawling kingdom and appreciate some character-driven narrative along the way.

For what it is, HANK: Drowning on Dry Land is fantastic. Short but exceptional, this little love letter to graphic superhero comics is sure to entertain with its great characters, fantastic visuals, and cleverly designed, unconventional gameplay.

The Early Access version of Hungry Horrors is a pretty great introduction to what can be both a unique and incredibly fun title, one that mixes up its own genre with unique mechanics and shows off some very fun character writing and creature designs. I highly recommend this game, even in Early Access, and can’t wait to see what comes with the full release. [Early Access Review]

The future for Hytale is promising, so long as the developers follow through with their promises and give the game the attention it deserves. Considering the overwhelmingly positive response to the title, I have no doubt that this will indeed happen, and it shouldn’t take another ten years to see Hytale fully fleshed out...If nothing else, the developers have created a bountiful future for Hytale thanks to the game’s ease of modding, making modding tools readily available to players and using the popular and accessible model creation tool Blockbench as an official development tool. If you ever feel like Hytale doesn’t have enough content, you can trust the game to have tons of mods readily available for you to play, and the game already has some created and available to download, developed before the game even launched. [Early Access Review]

Confidential Killings didn’t always satisfy me with its exploration of its narrative or characters, but it still managed to be an excellent puzzle game, one that uses gritty noir storytelling and pulpy graphic novel visuals as presentation for its challenging brainteasers.

For an unfinished game, ODDCORE is certainly impressive. There is a lot to do in this experience, especially for the price tag, although the incomplete nature does show in a few areas. Most notably, there is a lack of variety in enemy designs and room layouts that, while difficult to notice during the moment-to-moment gameplay due to how fast paced and eerie it is, became more apparent in hindsight. If the game needs anything, it is more variety in its environments and in the enemies encountered within them. [Early Access Review]

DuneCrawl is an exceptional open-world exploration game that allows players to indulge in the fantasy of piloting giant crab war machines. While lacking a bit in exciting progression mechanics and harder to engage with as a solo player, this game is otherwise solid all around and has an incredible fantasy world and visual aesthetic.

StarRupture is an impressive title, even in its Early Access state. While the game clearly needs more content, I am excited to see where it goes as development continues. By the end of its Early Access run, I can easily imagine StarRupture becoming one of the premier base-building games in the genre, standing out for its unique premise, engaging mechanics, and beautiful graphics. I highly recommend checking the game out with friends, but I can also confirm that the solo experience is also really good. [Early Access Review]

Terra Invicta puts the “grand” in grand strategy, offering experienced players a deeply involved strategy game that takes them from a shadow government to a space-faring superpower. That same depth creates a demanding learning curve, however, and the time commitment required may put some newcomers to the genre off.

Cat Named Mojave is the video game equivalent of an independent art film. It may not be as exciting as the latest blockbuster, but it’ll captivate you in ways one never could. Full of striking visuals and a dreadfully good soundtrack, Cat Named Mojave feels like a living dream, one that might infect you with a sensation of dread rather than outright jump scares.

Pioneers of Pagonia is a great city-building title, one which simplifies certain familiar aspects of the genre in order to better introduce its satisfyingly deep production chains and management aspects. Combining production, trade, exploration, and war, this charming city builder should provide the kind of depth genre veterans enjoy with enough accessibility for brand new players to feel just as welcome.

UNBEATABLE combines rhythm gaming with a heartfelt story and incredible characters. The title is punk throughout, both in its messaging and its nontraditional approach to storytelling, and at times feels more like an interactive music video than a video game. In the end, it truly is an “UNBEATABLE” experience.

I’m trying not to judge MIMESIS too harshly. The game is, after all, still in Early Access, and I’m sure has a wealth of content to come as well as improvements on its core mechanics. However, as it currently stands, I just did not find much in the game to appeal to me nor set it apart from others in the genre. The game’s horror does not really work thanks to its cartoony appearance and lackluster death screen, the gameplay does not do enough to set itself apart from others in the genre, and the core mechanic, the mimic, is a sort of gimmicky mechanic that loses its tension as soon as you catch on to it. What is more, the game has nothing to offer a solo player, but if you have a small group of friends, the price of entry is not terrible and the game might have a lot more to offer further on in its development cycle. [Early Access Review]

Though I felt the game’s progression system was somewhat flawed, Death Howl still managed to impress me thoroughly with its incredible storytelling, art, and unique blend of genres, creating something utterly unique and highly memorable.

Skate Story is a fantastic game for fans of the street skating genre, mixing things up with an incredibly unique setting, striking visuals, and thought-provoking ideas, while still encapsulating both the culture and the mechanics of the genre we love.

She’s Leaving is a unique horror game with a strong premise, interesting narrative, atmospheric setting, and unique mechanics. However, said unique mechanics sort of lose their magic when you run into their limitations, something that can also be said about the game’s horror. While it feels like it could have been better with just a little more effort, She’s Leaving is still worth checking out for its story and setting alike.

Ayasa: Shadows of Silence is an artistic game with a dreamlike story that grows on you with its weirdness. However, the game lacks a certain level of polish expected in a launch title and needs more time.

While the game captures a certain sense of wonder, Of Ash and Steel is unreasonably unpolished and miserable to play. If the game were still in testing, I would call it ambitious, but changes still need to be made to the core experience and a lot of QA still needs to be done on what is being called a finished game.

A.I.L.A features an incredible first act filled with psychological horror and clever puzzles, making for one of the better horror games I’ve played. Everything after, however, is just a fine, bordering on boring and clanky action horror game that simply fails to be as good as what came before. Still worth a try if the game caught your interest, you just might find yourself disappointed after the first hour.

Cross Blitz has only gotten better since I first played it in Early Access, improving upon its unique and fun-to-play core mechanics with over five hundred cards and even more ways to play. While the AI can seem to slow down during a match, creating a bit of a tedious drag, it was not enough to prevent my enjoyment of the game, which I easily recommend to anyone looking for a new Slay the Spire type deck builder with its own unique flavor.

News Tower is a rare kind of tycoon game, one that puts a lot of care and effort into simulating a very interesting and niche business. While the early game can feel slow and the loop might be repetitive for some, it’s otherwise a fun, detail-oriented simulation game with a decent amount of diversity in its progression systems and overall content, enough to keep you printing papers for hours.

The Sacred 2 Remaster is a half hearted attempt to update a game that felt kind of dated in its heyday. Beyond updated graphics and a new, buggy HUD, nothing has been done to actually remaster the title and improve upon its original flaws, with constant bugs, crashes, and problems persisting throughout. Simply put, it’s not worth your time, as a new player or a nostalgic returner.

Demonschool is an interesting title with a unique, puzzley approach to turn-based combat and phenomenal art direction and aesthetics. The story in this story-driven game, however, is all over the place and fails to feel cohesive or satisfying, while also playing more into laughs than solid characterization. If the game has caught your eye, I still suggest trying it out, but beware that you may also find the writing disjointed, confusing, and whacky in a not-so-intentional-feeling way. But maybe you’ll find more fun in the randomness than I did.

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault was a pretty fun and fairly impressive romp for me. My biggest complaints are with how the game balances its adventuring and shopkeeping, and I wish that a little more depth and importance on running a good shop was present in the version of the game I played. With an early-access cycle ahead of us, however, we just might see that become the case. [Early Access Review]

Though its RNG inventory can be bloated and it doesn’t communicate information perfectly, Vivid World is a highly fun combination of several genres that stands out for its replayable, engaging gameplay loop and super unique identity.

Sanatorium – A Mental Asylum Simulator provides a unique coat of paint over a deckbuilding-style puzzle loop. That coat of paint is about as deep as the theme goes; however, the game unfortunately lacks a lot of immersive features or mechanics beyond color-matching cards. If you know what you’re getting into, it’s not a bad game, but the promise feels like more than what the title actually delivers, which also feels a bit like it should still be in Early Access.