Despite this generous clutch of problems, there is an odd charm to the game. Its schlock is part of its allure, and each time I loaded the game, I felt as though I was returning to a well-thumbed piece of pulp horror trash or sliding an old VHS B-movie slasher into the machine – its cheap ghouls awash with scan lines. I found myself smirking way more than I was frustrated, but I can’t in good conscience say it’s worth picking up outside of the bargain bin you’d find the films it takes its cues from.

Left Alive’s half-baked nature feels like a real pity because quite a few elements of the game are actually really interesting.

Crystal Rift features some interesting puzzles and may be simple and easy to grasp, but the poor visuals, easily manipulated enemies, limited field of view in standard play, and difficult virtual reality movement means it pales in comparison to the dungeon crawlers of old.

I think the problem with Enforcer: Police Crime Action is that it seems to take itself seriously in a way that the gameplay just can’t support. Shift hours, stress, hunger, gasoline for the cruiser – these are all realistic concerns, but the game comes off as such a parody of itself that managing these is a near-impossible task.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum doesn’t do anything fun or interesting like similar (better) games like A Plague Tale: Innocence and Requiem. It’s hard to say if even the most loyal Lord of the Rings fans would actually find something worthwhile here. Considering good Lord of the Rings games exist, this one feels incredibly out of place.

With no heart, soul, or even an ounce of genuine humor, Ghostbusters is a shameful cash-in for the new film. The scariest thing about Ghostbusters is that we have to pay actual money for this.

With its touching story and surreal qualities, Bliss creates a calming change of pace from more action-oriented gaming. While it’s certainly not for those who like their games fast and loud, it has a particular charm that makes it worthwhile.

Where Dungeonmans falls short is in a lack of polish or detail to its various facets. Play is stiff, and the controls aren’t particularly intuitive or easy to master for more skill-heavy characters such as Wizardmans. It almost feels like the design is a part of the joke, but I’m not entirely sure

Ultimately, Instant Dungeon! feels like a game that would benefit from more gameplay variation. I was disappointed as it became apparent that the characters were essentially just ‘skins’, but there’s so little to the overall mechanics of the game that I’m not even sure what could be made unique about them. The good news is, though, that what’s there is pretty enjoyable for what it is.

Littlewitch Romanesque is a pretty solid visual novel. It can be easily praised for its art and its gameplay, but the lack of a manual isn’t overcome by the in-game tutorials. Yet the game is fun and easy to learn, making it a probably “cult” classic among the JRPG crowd.

With its one-of-a-kind art and play, BasketBelle creates a fantastical, strange, and touching story. While it’s very short, taking under an hour from start to finish, the $4.99 price on Steam and Desura includes the game, soundtrack, digital sketchbook, and a making-of featurette by developer Bean.

If you’re a fan of unique, interesting physics-based puzzles, you should be trying iO.

There’s certainly a lack of polish to it, but with the right competition and some practice, it could be worth it for those interested in quick, easy arcade-style play.

In all honesty, Potatoman Seeks the Troof seems to do very well at being what it’s set out to be: a difficult, surreal, and innovative adaptation of classic gameplay and aesthetic.

The Depths of Tolagal has a near-unmatched ability to take you in, turning minutes into hours and hours into days with gameplay mechanics that punch well above this small indie title’s weight.

With Aronsson asking a mere $2.99 for the game on Steam, I can’t emphasize enough how worth the price of admission this one is if you’re into things that capture the look and feel of the 8-bit days. If you were raised with, and pine for, that style of game, you owe Dr. Green a try.

Gunslugs 2 just hits that sweet spot to keep fans of arcade shooters happy for many dark nights to come.

Seasons of the Wolf is a solid RPG. With excellent art, fun strategic combat, visual novel storytelling methods, and interesting characters it checks all the boxes required for a solid experience. Some might be turned away initially by the presentation, but Seasons of the Wolf is a must-play for fans of the RPG genre.

All told, Pushcat presents a very well-polished design and some rather creative, outside-the-box puzzles that can keep the play interesting even without mechanical complexity.

Song of the Myrne: What Lies Beneath‘s most damning shortfall is probably in length of story. Taking around 3 to 5 hours to complete once you’ve got your bearings, it falls well short of what RPG fans might expect.

While SickBrick may not bring a ton of complexity to the table, the responsive controls, ease of play, and mix of weapons still make for a good play.

Since there’s no online play, and the single-player options are very limited, it’s tough to see most of today’s gamers getting their money’s worth out of this one.

While War of the Human Tanks: ALTeR probably isn’t in-depth enough for hardcore strategy fans, it’s got a certain charm and the novel-style story and human drama inserted through it add a wonderful depth to the experience.

The game executes everything extremely well. Agarest: Generations of War 2 is absolutely the best game of the franchise and one of the greatest JRPGs of its time.

While the simple look and chiptune soundtrack may make players think that there’s not much to this title, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The sheer number of story quests, side missions, and loot, combined with a vast variety of character possibilities, establish far more than enough content to justify the $7.99 price.

With an unimpressive overall aesthetic, floundering controls, and skimpy level design, I’d say your money is better spent on something with a bit more meat to it.

By all means many may enjoy the experience to be had in 199X, however don’t expect a lengthy nor particularly engaging gameplay experience. You’re there to push the story along with your directional keys and space bar and little else.

Smooth, intuitive controls make getting the hang of playing a snap, and the relative ease of early goings make it an ideal for those interested in something new, with enough challenge in its latter stages to delight puzzle players of all ages and skill levels.