Protocol is an alright puzzle game, it’s an alright shooter game, it’s just simply alright. It’s very busy jumping from genre to genre and focusing on atmospheric building and keeping the player entertained using some crude and brash humor at times that becomes stale on replays.

In their Kickstarter campaign, they stated that their goal was to “revitalize the genre with new gameplay elements”; unfortunately, it can’t really be called a successor to any of the games from which it took inspiration. It has decent gameplay at its core but is severely lacking in content for its current price of $30, and it tries to make up for that by cranking the difficulty way up. This is magnified by the designers’ decision to forego almost all of the modern conveniences players have grown accustomed to in the past twenty-plus years, which really makes you question what was going through their heads. If you love arcadey Hack and Slash games and/or enjoy challenging yourself with devilishly difficult games then this might be worth checking out once it’s on sale.

Strategy fans looking for a meaty title to sink their teeth into will be disappointed, especially if they aren’t good at platforming games. On the other hand, 2D platformer fans should definitely give this a try. They’ll certainly be happy with half of the game and they might end up getting some enjoyment from the strategy part of the game as well like I did.

I came in to Crime Opera: The Butterfly Effect with an open mind, but not expecting all that much from it. I’m glad I gave it a go though, as the story was actually very good and had me wanting to keep reading right until the end. It’s a shame there aren’t more endings to encourage more playthroughs, but as a part one of a series this is off to a good start. Whether you’re just interested in the 1000G or actually want a good tale to read, then this comes highly recommended.

Tinker Racers is a fun game and far exceeded my expectations. It brought back many childhood memories of racing round in Micro Machines and it makes me hope that they release more levels for a DLC. Once lockdown ends, it’ll definitely be one to play with friends in couch co-op.

Buildings Have Feelings Too! is an early summer comfort – a relaxing puzzle game, with a little bit of city sim, that is worth playing when approached on its own terms.

Bad Dream: Coma is morbid, depressing, and more graphic than the simple art style lets on, but that’s not to say it isn’t worth playing. Those that like point and click gameplay will be right at home here, while the dour atmosphere offers up an intriguing tone to the experience. Navigating the puzzles with a pad can get tedious at times, but for the most part this is an engaging time, and worth a look.

Overall I am blown away at how much I have enjoyed playing MLB The Show 21. I had a mild interest in baseball but I can see myself following the sport a lot closer based on how much fun I have had so far in this game. Sure it has flaws and it’s not the easiest to just pick up and play, but that all pales in comparison to the satisfaction of crushing a pitch clean out the field.

Cymatically Muffed is a decent top-down shooter. The campaign is as confusing as the name of the game but that doesn’t detract too much from the enjoyment. There could have been some more explanation of the items in the game with a brief tutorial but most of it can be picked up whilst playing. I would have liked the campaign to be a bit longer but I did enjoy my playthrough. I didn’t get the chance to fully experiment with the battle option as it’s local only and we are still kind of locked down but it does look like it could be fun to play with friends.

Moon Raider is a decent throwback to the pixelated games of the 90’s. It is lacking in some departments like the story, but the pixel art is nicely done and the action is familiar and fun for the duration of the experience. The bosses could have been a little more inspired. It took me about 4 hours to play through the game and my recommendation really comes down to the price; if it’s over $10 then I’d say to wait for a sale. If you’re looking for a short distraction with a local co-op option then this might be a game for you.

Super Meat Boy Forever might not be the game I expected, but it’s a game I thoroughly enjoyed. Good sequels take the best elements of the first game and build on them. The gameplay doesn’t have to be exactly the same but in this case, it’s familiar enough, while adding many interesting new elements. The new high definition art style is on point and the level design and generation makes the sequel truly stand out. One of the designers said he wanted something that could be played forever, hence the name, and when I heard this I was worried that this might be the last entry in the series; however, thankfully the cut scenes hint that there might be more to come. I look forward to seeing what Team Meat will do in the future, but in the meantime, I have plenty of Meat Boy content to enjoy, I think I’ll go try again to beat that warp zone backwards.

While it might be short lived, those looking for a quick romance tale (and some easy cheevos) will be well served by C14 Dating. The mini-games add to the experience, and the archaeology-based romance is charming enough to entertain at least once, with further plays allowing us to skip through scenes as needed. It might be a bit pricey for what you get though, so if you’re not convinced then it might be worth checking other titles in the genre.

Rain on Your Parade is a hilarious, reference filled adventure that gamers young and old could enjoy. It provides variety and options for how much you want to get out of the game and is never too challenging for any one person.

Ravensword: Shadowlands is a passably playable RPG considering it is an aged mobile port. If you ever want to play an RPG that you can complete in days rather than months for a fraction of the cost then this could be something to pick up. But stiff NPCs, random hit detection/animation, bland storyline, and vast empty lands really make it challenging to fully immerse yourself into the game.

Gangsta Paradise is sort of a misnomer, you end up killing all the gangsters so I don’t know how that could be a paradise for them, and the game as a whole is not a paradise either – it’s more like a purgatory, completely middle of the road, nothing great about it, but nothing terrible either. With the exception of the enemies, there isn’t much variety. The game is somewhat bare-bones and a one-trick pony, but the trick it performs it does adequately, getting a new gun just in time and mowing down enemies is satisfying. Overall I had an alright time playing the game, especially in co-op. It could use a few more modes, perhaps an endless mode, or a hard mode, and the game should really have included a few more playable character options, one doesn’t really cut it.

Gravity Heroes can be too tough at times early on, but those that persevere will find and enjoyable twist on 2D, wave-based attack arenas. Some lovely pixel art and music help soften the repeated defeats, and while a little unintuitive, the core gameplay is fun more often than not.

Savage Halloween caters to those who want a more casual run and gun play style and for those who are eager for a challenge. Regardless of which one you pick you’re guaranteed to receive a treat than a trick with this title.

If you’re a big fan of the first game then Knight Squad 2 is more of the same. There are a few new game modes that are fun and the variant options allow for some unique customization, but overall this sequel doesn’t really stand out. It’s essentially the same game, with a few new things and missing some stuff from the first game. It can be fun in short bursts or with some friends, but I don’t see the player base being anywhere near as large as the first unless it’s included in GwG or Game Pass like the first one was. In addition, the price tag of $15 seems a little steep for a few new game modes and an updated art style.

Breathedge is an uneven experience: the space exploration/survival is genuinely delightful, but workman-like approach to presentation and the humour drags the experience down, undoing the oppressive atmosphere with dated references and ‘gags’. I would recommend this game to fans of the genre who have exhausted their choices, others will do better to start elsewhere.

At first glance One Escape appears to be yet another simple platformer. The use of three distinct characters and some fun level design however mean that anyone looking for a short, fun experience should definitely check One Escape out.

Chess Knights: Viking Lands is a fun and very challenging puzzle game. Not one for achievement hunters unless you find a walkthrough, but that kind of kills the joy of the game. For its price, it is quite an attractive looking game and the Viking theme stops it from looking bland. For those familiar with chess and who enjoy tricky puzzles, this could be one for you.

What the Dub?! is a single focused party game trying to crack into a genre where titles like Jackbox have been dominating. What the Dub?! has real movie clips and the answer read out by automated voices though, which is more inclusive, but the thought of having to watch the same clip 12 times with different players scripts one after each other, with only a few seconds in between for chuckles, makes me cringe more than it excites me. It’s a shame as I am all for party games as they can be real ice breakers at times, but I can’t see this being fired up more than once or twice before it has outstayed its welcome.

There’s no shortage of 2D puzzle platformers out there, but few are done with such style, pacing, and intuitiveness as DARQ. A thoroughly enjoyable 2 hours of play that knows not to try and artificially pad the runtime and dilute the experience. The fantastic audio/visual work helps suck us into the atmosphere, and combined with smart puzzle mechanics and movement these add up to make DARQ an easily recommended play.

All in all Balan Wonderworld is uninspiring and boring to play. A lack of instruction mixed with some of the most basic platforming abilities missing at times makes the game a chore.

Lost Words: Beyond the Page to me is a heavily story-based game that uses platforming as a means to tell it. If you’re after something with deep gameplay to get into, this may not be the right title for you. If the story alone is something that piques your interest then it’s definitely worth a shot as it is an enjoyable tale.

Even with these foibles, I still really dug the majority of Genesis Noir. The fantastic presentation made it easier to forgive some of the repetition and bugs, and for all the grandiose nature of the story, it was still interesting to follow and piece together. It could probably be completed in one or two sittings, so if you’re up for something a little different, I’d definitely recommend checking out Genesis Noir.

Space Otter Charlie is a lot of fun. The Zero-G puzzle platforming is great, as is the audio visual work. The multiplayer aspect is underwhelming but the campaign more than makes up for this with its inventive scenarios and levels. I highly recommend checking Space Otter Charlie out if you’re looking for a new platformer to play.

Squad Killer is a fun, if simple, retro platformer/shooter. The action is easy to pick up and play – and the achievements drop easily – but there are a few niggles that can frustrate a little too much. For the low price it might be worth a shot for some, but others will be best off looking elsewhere.