To go for the lazy metaphor, Donut County is like a delicious pastry. It’s baked with the kind of care you’d only get from a homemade dessert. Maybe they could have been a little more liberal with the jelly filling, but it’s a fantastic treat regardless. Modest yet satisfying, it’s the perfect go-to if you’re craving something sweet.

Being a fan of horror and not a huge fan of rouge-like, I can attest that there’s something special about The Persistence. It’s a weird combination of genres. Sci-fi horror, virtual reality, and rogue-like. However it’s blended extremely well, even without being able to experience it in VR. It’s something you really have to play enough to enjoy. You might not like the first hour or two, but eventually it will grow on you as your character grows in power. After that it’s always “just one more try”. Overall the whole experience might take you around 15 or so hours to complete. With futuristic technology, scary mutants, and sound effects that will raise the hair on your neck, one can’t ask for much more.

While most of the game wasn’t too difficult, there were some challenging puzzles that might make you run to a guide on the internet. The story is pretty good, and the reading of journals was welcome. I really liked not having to worry about fighting things or jump scares. It lets you become engrossed in what’s going on and gives you the freedom to do the puzzles without too much stress. They took the game’s death to a step further by playing them out as a mini cut-scene. While I have some gripes with navigation and the ability to skip dialogues, most of the experience was great. If you’re a fan of point-and-click adventures with a love for sci-fi and horror, you won’t want to pass on this!

An unlikely mix of survival horror and cartoons work smoothly together. Bendy and the Ink Machine succeeds in combining two very different genres into one. It’s as if you were playing inside a child’s nightmare. The game suffers a little when it comes to the combat but, luckily that is a minor focus in the game. Even though it’s a pretty short game with little to no replay value, you can expect to have a memorable time.

I’ve been wanting River City Ransom to have some kind of re-release or remake for a very long time. While this isn’t it, it’s as close as we’re going to get. Everything I would want in a new River game has been delivered, and there are even some improvements. The only thing I didn’t care for was the way recruits were handled and not getting experience for beating enemies that appear after the initial fight.

I wouldn’t consider Superliminal to be a super challenging puzzle game yet it left me dumbfounded on a regular basis. Every couple of minutes it throws out a little trick, stopping me in my tracks for a second just for my brain process and re-calibrate. It’s only a few hours long but it’s densely packed with mind-bending goodness.

It seems a bit paradoxical that SUPERHOT simultaneously plays exactly like every other shooter you’ve ever played and nothing like them at all, and yet, this is the case. Its inspired use of time makes for something that is as much a strategy or puzzle game as it is a shooter. And even though, you’ll only bring a few hours of your life to a standstill to be entertainment by SUPERHOT, those are a few hours well spent.

The Little Acre offers a great all around experience for everyone. It's one of those games that you should pop some popcorn and gather the family for a fun enjoyable game night. Pewter Games manages to keep you enthralled the whole time, offering a happy yet emotional story with enjoyable puzzles, simple controls and good humor. I know point-n-click games aren't for everyone, but if you are a fan of them or don't mind them as long as you have a good time, then don't hesitate to pick up TheLittleAcrfe.

If you love the idea of arresting people as a police sim, while having the action of an arcade sandbox experience, you won’t regret giving your time to the precinct.

Sometimes it’s fun to be the one making all of the decisions for a business. There are a lot of items you can order and place where you’d like. Besides running the store, there are a few side things to do, and they’re all going to fill your day. I had a lot of fun ringing people up and making sure I ordered the right items. However, there were some issues I had with ordering, specifically that it did not display how many items I had total, but what I had in the back (not on the floor). There was also the issue of attracting customers to the specific items I wanted, but I guess in the end that wasn’t too big of a deal. No pun intended. Besides a few flaws, there’s a lot to enjoy about the simple mechanics and the small town of people that make sure you know when they’re not happy customers. But that’s common when it comes to consumerism.

I can't help but recommend Enigmatis 2 for its interesting narrative, its highly accessible gameplay and its low price that together create a package that is very appealing. It may be on the short side, but with the extra campaign included, there is much less to complain about. I know that Enigmatis 2 won't be for everyone, but it is a charming package that deserves a serious look.

I'm glad we have another good Portal-adjacent title. Bridge Constructor Portal perfectly combines aspects of both games to create something uniquely challenging. It's obviously a pick-up-and-play casual game that's not quite at home on consoles, but the gameplay at its core is great nonetheless. It would still be a great game without the Portal aesthetic, but it wouldn't have made me smile nearly as much.

No matter if I'm playing with my kids or having a few drinks with my buddies, throwing a sphere with a wand has proven to be way more fun than it honestly should be, that's part of its charm. I love local multiplayer, it's what I grew up on and Wand Wars reminds me why it is such a great way to spend my time with the people I love.

Dauntless can be extremely addicting. Needing a part to upgrade or craft a weapon will make you want to “do one more hunt” before turning it off. The sheer amount of gear options and mastery levels will give you a seemingly endless objective that’s based entirely on your OCD for completion. I’m excited to see what the future holds for such an amazing concept.

I am simply gushing over this game. Awesomenauts Assemble! takes everything I love about action platformers and mashes it up almost perfectly with the MOBA genre.

Flinthook is a roguelike that actually wants you to win. It's definitely a challenge, and it will throw everything it's got at you, but it makes sure you'll have a fighting chance. It's always giving you new opportunities to better yourself, both through practice and upgrades, and always has a little bit of health to offer when you when it's most needed. Once this game has its hooks in you, you'll always be coming back for more.

Zen Studios has taken a lot of time to think each stage through and try to bring as much of the feeling of that game and its world as they could. Each table felt 100% like a pinball representation of its triple-A counterpart and not only was the table enjoyable to play but it sparked great memories of the original games.

The story here is eerie, and the atmosphere is nightmarish. You get plenty of scares, and it’s a joy to play through the entire game to figure out where everything went wrong. While the game has some hangups with footsteps, interactions, and washed out brightness, it’s still a gratifying experience. There are so many more positives than negatives, and I highly suggest trying this one out.

By going back and looking at what made everyone fall in love with the series in the first place, Sega was able to deliver the best Sonic game in ages. It's a long-lost relic from an alternate history where the franchise got one more great Genesis game. While a bit too caught up in its past, it's undeniably amazing how well the core gameplay still holds up today. Sonic Mania is a fast and fun platformer that should not be missed by any fan of the series or anyone who just enjoys a good side scroller.

Its gameplay is refreshingly different, it has great graphics and a groovy soundtrack and the entertaining story mode is a real hit. Whilst the campaign mode is fairly short, if you have a couch buddy or two or even a whole family of them, Stikbold is a fun party game that could have you laughing for hours.

Valley is a fun and enjoyable game that will keep you engaged for the majority of the five to six hour journey.

While seeming like just another shmup, Final Star excels in being entertaining while still being a challenge. It’s not overly difficult and you can enjoy multiple playthroughs. It’s pretty short, but you can replay missions as well as the entire game while maintaining your precious upgrades. There are a few negatives in certain enemies and useless feeling powers, but the positives outweigh them. Choosing what upgrades and what ship you play as is a delight. Mini-games provide a nice break when some missions are tough. The graphics look fine and the story is easy to follow and satisfactory. If this game ever gets a sequel, I will be looking forward to it.

Whether this is your first exposure to Ys, or you are long familiar with the franchise, Ys Origin is a challenging adventure that combines an enjoyable narrative with plenty of action, even if it seems dated from time to time. So when people ask me if I recommend the game, my response is an emphatic Ys … I mean yes.

The Banner Saga 2 builds on the foundation of its predecessor while forging a path for the future. This sequel introduces new ways to play but, unfortunately, keeps some of the troubles that plagued the first game. It’s a good sequel to what’s turning out to be a great series, though: the banner still flies high with a story worth being told weaved into it.

Those Who Remain, in particular, is about self-reflection in forgiveness and makes you realize you can judge someone on their mistakes yet never seem to consider the sins you’ve carried out. Don’t like all that psychology? The good news is, that ideology is placed in the background and at the core is a great creepy adventure with interesting monsters and clever puzzles.

Human Fall Flat made me laugh the hardest I've laughed all year. In playing co-op with my sister, I discovered we are both complete idiots, and should never be allowed around heavy machinery. We beat each other up, pulled each other to safety, threw each other to our deaths and worked together on overly complex solutions to simple problems. While the game has some glaring flaws, it's the most fun gaming experience I've had all year, which should come across as a stronger accolade than my attempt at an objective final score.

Its cutesy presentation will put some players off and its concept, in general, is probably best suited to a younger audience, but to be fair, it can get challenging in places with some fast-paced resource management required as the game progresses.

An all-around average platformer which has a heavy focus on a story that can be somewhat confusing and leave you wondering what happens. What may set it apart is the voice acting that plays out most of the game. There is constant chatter and it is a pleasant back-and-forth conversation. Some of the puzzles can be pretty fun, especially while in the shadow form. While it’s average, what really gives it high marks is that it’s extremely well done: being able to rewind time; chapter selection; somewhat difficult collectibles; and no glitches to be found; I think it’s a very solid game.