If you can get over the poor graphics, bugs and the constant attempts on your life, Rust: Console Edition has plenty to offer you. The game is definitely suited to a very niche group and that’s OK because once you overcome the initial learning curve, Rust can be great (especially if you can group up with friends or even other in game players).

Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection is a love letter, or rather a love ballad to the original series, and fans of that series will know every word. I think most of them will enjoy this resurrection immensely. I was on the fence about recommending it to newer fans, but after completing the game on Squire I realized that I enjoyed the game a fair bit. The only caveat is the current price of $30 US which seems a little high. The watercolor art style is striking and the soundtrack is familiar and catchy. Although there are some moments of frustration, Capcom has created a game that any platformer fan should enjoy whether they are a fan of the series or a fan in the making, but the old school fans will get much more enjoyment from it.

If want to get back to your arcade roots and experience some of Capcom’s exemplary arcade games spanning over three decades then Capcom Arcade Stadium is a no-brainer. The quality of life additions allow players of all skill levels to enjoy the games, and the multiple leaderboards for each game will have the veterans competing for fame and glory. Some audiovisual galleries would have been nice, but as long as Capcom stays active with challenges and hopefully adds more games then the Stadium will remain standing room only for some time to come – but really how else would you play at the arcade?

In conclusion, Long Ago: A Puzzle Tale was a wonderful experience. A decent length of a game for the low price as well. This game is a must play for those who are into directional puzzle games. What I’ll remember most from this project though was the music and visuals. It would be amazing if the developers added the other tracks into casual play considering how well they sounded. The developers really put love and effort into the project and it shows. An excellent Indie title, albeit simple in design. The game may appear short, but there is incentive to return.

Trenga Unlimited is hardly a bad game, but it’s also not exactly an exciting one either. Passable mobile-style fun for ten minutes at a time, as a console release it wears out its welcome very quickly, and won’t have you eager to get back on the big screen to keep playing.

As a big Kevin Smith fan, I was looking forward to reviewing this game as I thought it might be reference heavy. It was, but some were more subtle than others and required you to know about most of his catalogue to get the references. It was an OK playthrough but that was more because I enjoyed the Double Dragon nostalgia feel. This feels halfway between a hard-worked fan-created effort and a cash grab of reskinning an older game.

While short, Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield was overall a nice experience for an endless runner, but the lack of story and replayability is where it hurts itself in the long run. The soundtrack and graphics gave off an exciting and futuristic feeling as you dropped from rooftops dodging bullets and robots throughout many bright and colorful levels. If players want a challenge I recommend playing on insane mode as your reflexes will be put to the test.

Gutwhale is a fun little roguelite. It has a nice set of mechanics and gameplay elements even though they are very limited. It is somewhat odd (I forgot to mention how a van falls down into the level every time you get a game over), but it has some charm and is one of the better games in Ratalaika’s catalog.

It’s not going to change the gaming world, but 0 Degrees is a fun enough puzzle platformer that is worth the entry price, but not much more. It’s over a little too quickly but what’s there is worth checking out if you’ve an hour, and a fiver, to spare.

Cosmic Top Secret is a 3D platformer with a unique pulled-from-a-scrapbook look. It is clearly a personal story that I am glad exists, even if I didn’t find it captivating.

Heal is an experimental puzzle game, and despite some nice visuals the gameplay doesn’t quite hit home for me. I felt very little attachment to the story or events, and I ended up resorting to a guide for the most part just to get through it. If you’re keen for a new type of puzzle game then it might be more up your street, but there are better examples of the genre out there.

Kursk had some promise, aiming to be part adventure and part documentary of a real world tragedy. What we got though is a boring spy story mixed with tedious exploration and puzzles, staffed with a crew that would make Pinocchio feel like a real boy. You’d be much better off reading or watching any of the other media out there documenting this real world event.

Biomutant has ticked a lot of the boxes needed for a wide-open adventure RPG like this. Lots of customisation, wonderful graphics, interesting characters, humorous elements, free-roaming and combat that you can handle in different ways without being restricted. One could say they also ticked boxes that didn’t need to be there like the light and dark auras, as I didn’t feel it offered much to the game. But don’t let that detract away from the experience as is was massively fun to play and there are so many side quests to complete that you could have just as much fun exploring as playing through the story.

Overall Rising Hell is a fun experience. The three different characters and the large number of talents and relics give the game some needed depth and variety, although the unlock system is too stingy. The unique hellbreak move gives the game a fast-paced arcadey feel, but other elements really slow it down, like the awkward movement. The pixel hell that was created for the game does look stunning, and for the price of $10 US, I think it’s definitely worth a try for roguelite fans, or if you’ve ever wanted to try climbing a tower full of demons while headbanging.

The gameplay is fun for a short amount of time, which it only lasts for sadly. Yet, the music and cute artsy visuals make up for the lacklustre future the game holds and is fun while playing it. You do get your value out of what you pay for the game unlike other games out on the marketplace and is not overpriced by any means.

Retromania Wrestling is a brilliant throwback to the 90’s when wrestling games were simple and fun, and it ticks all the right boxes. The art style is fantastic and I had so much fun playing it. If you are a wrestling fan you must grab this – you will not be disappointed!

Despite some eye-catchingly colourful visuals, Flowing Lights is unlikely to keep you around for long. Too many niggles in the moment to moment gameplay mean that any fun we might be having is quickly undone by frustrating failure.

Hood: Outlaws & Legends is a great idea in desperate need of more revisions – it is stealth game in which devolving into frenzied fracas is too easy to slip into.

All in all, REKT! is a fun, arcade style stunt game that is best played locally with others. Solo players have a lot to unlock but the repetition might mean that it’ll take some time to get everything available. Snappy, easy to pick up controls and fun level design mean that even then, it is still fun in short bursts.

The Colonists is a ‘warm cup of hot chocolate on a cold day’ kind of game, very comforting, peaceful RTS with plenty of depth and stats under the hood to warrant sticking with it.

Overall, there’s a lot to like about Resident Evil Village. The story and characters are great, most of the scenarios are fantastic fun to play, and when it hits best it rivals the top tier of the franchise. It’s a little too action heavy for my tastes, but even so that action is generally a lot of fun. Is it the best in the series? No. Is it still bloody good? One hundred percent. I’m cautiously excited to see where we go from here, and am already looking forward to a second playthrough.

Overall I really enjoyed my time with the game, as I said earlier I think the designers did a great job combining the three aspects of gameplay, which kept everything feeling fresh. The combat can feel a little basic at times but the fun puzzles and exploration of the fantastically designed levels make up for it. Anyone interested in helping a robot learn about itself and how the civilization that designed it fell apart by exploring three vast isometric levels should give this a try.

Skate City takes game and chill to a new level. Using a left to right skating style, this game adds simplistic controls that anyone can pick up and play. They build upon the controls for the more hardcore when a challenge is wanted. The repetitiveness of the game can be seen as a negative and for that I encourage you to play in small chunks.

All in all, I enjoyed my time reading through of Angels with Scaly Wings, and with the numerous possible endings this should give keen readers to come back for more.

The Skylia Prophecy is a mixed bag for me. A couple more tweaks and this game would have been much more enjoyable. The graphics, controls and the boss fights here capture the nostalgic feels of past classics very well. But some other decisions that were made keep pulling the loose threads and unravelling the game into a bit of a confusing mess. Action-platformer fans will still get some joy from this but they may end up being frustrated at more than they can bear at the small quality of life choices made.

Nongunz: Doppelganger Edition is one of those games where you feel yourself getting better the more you play, and I usually enjoy games that give me that experience. Once you get an understanding of the gameplay it’s a very rewarding and fun game although getting to that point can be a bit unconventional. Discovering everything on your own can be a fun endeavour but I also understand why some players might abandon the game because of its obtuse nature. It starts out slow, and you have to build up your arsenal and inventory, but overall the journey is very fun. It can feel somewhat grindy at points, especially the end game, and it would be nice if there were one or two more levels and/or some boss variety. In the end, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of roguelite platformers, especially if you like shooting tons of Gunz and exploring an exquisitely designed morbid pixel art setting.

Blazing Beaks is a fun, but very tough, game. You need fast reflexes and good decision making if you are going to finish a playthrough of the story mode. I found the quandary of taking an artefact with a penalty for a chance of a better boon later fascinating as it’s based on your confidence in your ability to survive until you can reap the benefits. It’s just a shame that you cannot play the main story online with a friend or play multiplayer online.

Dull Grey brings an oppressive vision of the future to our screens, with an initially simple-seeming choice system having some hidden depth the more we read into things. It won’t last more than an evening, but the tale and atmosphere make this worth checking out at least once.