Backfirewall_ is one of those games I honestly probably wouldn’t have given a second glance to as I scrolled through the store of something new to play, but absolutely delighted that I got to experience such a unique and creative game that clearly had a lot of heart and passion behind it. Indie games like Backfirewall_ need to be experienced, one that I can fully recommend if you need something light hearted, doesn’t overstay its welcome, and gives plenty of laughs along the way, even if it has now made me questioning my phone’s OS update in real life.

Although rather simple in style, and even though I found myself wanting additional skills and upgrades available to me, I found myself very easily falling into the ‘just one more run’ mentality. Knowing what mistakes you’ve made and hoping to avoid them the next time. This proves to me that although simple, the game was very addictive and engaging. It’s no wonder Rooftop Renegade walked away with an Indie Showcase and People’s choice award at PAX Australia in 2022. I really hope that we’ll get some DLC sometime in the future and I can’t wait to see what Melonhead Games gives us next.

I fully recommend picking up BROK the InvestiGator. I had a lot of time to spend playing it before writing this and I enjoyed my time to leisurely learn and explore. The story was excellent and thought provoking and the voice acting was some of the best I’ve enjoyed in a game of any style and budget. Point and Click adventure games often get a bad wrap and the combining of genres often ends in a messy final game, but somehow COWCAT managed to create something wonderful and interesting, and I can’t wait to see what they bring us next.

Pinball FX is looking to make a comeback on console with this reboot, though your enjoyment is solely going to depend on which tables you enjoy and how much money you’re willing to invest into it. For recreating an actual pinball experience digitally, no one does it better than Zen Studios, it’s just a shame that the cost of entry is quite high to accumulate a decent pinball collection once again and you’re constantly tugged in multiple directions to open your wallet. Pinball FX as its own gaming experience is entertaining and a great way to spend a few relaxing hours on numerous tables once purchased, but the pricing structure is something to check before you dive in head first and sure to massively disappoint those that have already previously bought tables in the past.

While I did enjoy ONE PIECE ODYSSEY as an introduction to ONE PIECE, and the general gameplay was enjoyable, I did end up getting a little tired and bored of the general repetitive nature. That being said, that's probably just a 'me' thing. If you're a fan of the show you'll likely really enjoy it for its authenticity. I do think it's a solid enough rpg but I wouldn't say I'm in love with it quite yet.

Sure, Fashion Police Squad is like any other classic shooter but with a gimmick, but it’s a fun one. Full of humor, puns and fashion one-liners, it’s hard not to smile every so often, especially when a new enemy is introduced, because you know you’ve seen this very exact fashion crime at some point. With its classic Doom inspiration, it’s certainly one of the more unique FPS games I’ve ever played, full of fashion and style.

I had a smile on my face from beginning to end while playing Hi-Fi Rush. Its colorful graphics, loveable characters and positive story made it an absolute joy to play. Don’t let the rhythm-based combat scare you, just give it a try and you’ll be tapping your feet and buttons to the beat in no time.

I’m glad when I get to discover new games, even if they are decades old, and while I’ve played the classics from Neo Geo, Breakers sadly was never one of them until now. While I question its originality, as it more than heavily borrowed from one of the greatest of all time, that said, Breakers Collection is worth checking out if the fighting genre is your thing, even if it’s advertised as two unique games.

Even though I think the difficulty can be a little over tuned at times and the checkpoints are a little too spread out at times, for every moment I had frustration, I was still compelled to move forward and try again and again. Sometimes you just need a game where you turn off your brain to slash and blast everything in your way and can have fun doing so with some over the top violence, Wanted: Dead delivers that, even if it does feel way over the top with its style.

Although I don’t really need to say this, I will in order to bring things to a close: If you’re a fan of survival horror games, you really cannot go wrong with Dead Space (2023). Whether you’re a new fan or a returning veteran, this is a fantastic remake that brings one of the genre’s best games to modern devices. It looks, sounds and plays fantastically well, and is simply the return of a masterpiece.

OmegaBot is cute and charming, and while it may not reach the same level as its Mega Man inspiration, it’s priced decently for its 4-8 hours of gameplay depending on your skill level. A fun and challenging action platformer that was longer than I initially expected, OmegaBot was clearly made with heart and passion, and that comes across well in such a small and cute robot.

I can deal with the poor visuals and audio if the game itself is entertaining, but unfortunately I was just glad each mission completion was getting me closer to the credits rolling and an uninstall. Tons of bugs, glitches and terrible controls just made it a slog to get through. While they are an easy string of achievements to nab, priced at $18.99 CAD is far too much for the amount of frustration. I don’t generally enjoy focusing on the negatives, but when there are so few positives things to note, you might want to avoid this shipwreck.

I really wanted to love NEScape! but I was very concerned when the developers sent a complete walkthrough of step-by-step instructions to complete every puzzle in the game. I didn’t use it on my first playthrough, and I’m not against using them to beat games, but for a game with such simplicity on paper, it set off some alarm bells. This was confirmed as accurate pretty quickly, as you can see from my discussion of how difficult the puzzles were with no hints. The game is fine and it had a lovely retro aesthetic, but its lack of direction or any sort of hint system is a big let down for me. If you want a cheap game and want to use a walkthrough to get a quick 1000 Gamerscore in less than 10 minutes though, it’s perfect for that.

Just like previous games in the series, We Were Here Forever is once again a ‘Friendship Test’. I highly suggest choosing a partner that you know you’re alright arguing with, because it’s not a matter of if, but of when. I certainly struggled with the difficulty in Forever much more than previous games, but that also shows that the developers are evolving with each game, making them much more intricate and challenging and easily the highlight of the series. If you enjoy wracking your brain on a puzzle for a good amount of time and don’t mind plenty of trial and error, We Were Here Forever is right up your alley, but make sure you have a like-minded friend that you might not miss once you’re no longer on speaking terms.

There’s no denying that THQ Nordic and Purple Lamp did a fantastic job on SpongeBob Squarepants: The Cosmic Shake, as it shows in its gameplay. The graphics have levelled up since the last title, the music is still awesome and the characters within Bikini Bottom haven’t changed a bit. From Squidward being grumpy, Patrick being a little clueless, to Spongebob having a happy and quirky demeanour. In terms of the coins and the jelly, it’s a personal preference and not a deal breaker, but it needs to be noted how THQ Nordic and Purple Lamp chose to utilize them. Not having other ways to spend your jelly and coins was a missed opportunity, though others may not be bothered by it at all. The vibes, graphics, gameplay and the loveable characters will always have me returning to Bikini Bottom. Gimme that Cosmic Jelly, I’m going to become a Jellionaire!

While I’d argue the $25.99 CAD price tag is a bit steep for how little content there is, the gameplay is quite original, as I would have never thought about playing a shmup that has no shooting. Lacking some sort of online leaderboard or modes does bring in the monotony and repetitiveness quite quickly, as I was only able to sit and play a few runs at a time before getting the itch to move onto something else for a break.

Until the Last Plane can be addictive in short bursts once you figure out its intricacies and best strategies, but there’s a lot of repetitiveness. Even with a few different mission types and objectives, you’re just constantly doing the same menu options repeatedly. The $12.79 (CAD) price does seem a little high given the lack of leaderboards, and while it does feel a bit underwhelming, it’s easy to complete on autopilot once you have the best strategies figured out.

It’s clear that Broken Pieces was a passion project by the team, and while some aspects were wonderful, there was an equal amount of frustration along the way as well. You can expect anywhere from 5 to 10+ hours depending on how much you want to explore and how much backtracking and aimless wandering you do, and while the $31.99 (CAD) may seem a little high, it has potential to be a cult hit with its quirky charm.

While it’s currently lacking much variety and content, it can be fun in short bursts, especially once you start to get proficient with your character of choice, but it’s an arduous grind, hard to recommend in its current paid state. Once, and if, it goes free-to-play, it’ll be a no-brainer to give a shot.

Wavetale is relaxing, beautifully drawn and has a superb soundtrack. It can and will suit a wide gaming audience regardless of skill level, and with it’s quick runtime it doesn’t outstay its welcome. Other than wishing the camera movement were a bit less finicky, I can’t really find too many faults with Wavetale and am looking forward to logging in and skipping around the ocean again when I need a reprieve from the real world.

I know that based on playing ‘A Space for the Unbound’ I feel like a internal weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and although this experience can’t take away our struggles and our fears, at the very least, it does an excellent job at encouraging us to keep moving forward no matter how dark the cloud you’re walking through is. That dark cloud is temporary. The storm will pass and it’ll be okay. It’s games like ‘A Space for the Unbound’ that make reviewing video games worth every second I spend doing it worthwhile. It’s not very often that I’m rendered speechless at the end of a playthrough, but this time I am.

I don’t enjoy being harsh on small indie games, as I understand how difficult it can be to even create the experiences, but I’m always trying to think of value and longevity, both that seem to be missing. Sure the easy 1000 Gamerscore is nice for two hours of work, but it can be completed in a single sitting and absolutely no reason to ever go back. Even at a low price of $8.99 (CAD), it’s difficult to recommend for such a dull experience since I can't explore at all.

High on Life is a fantastic addition to the Xbox catalog. Even if it wasn’t in Xbox Gamepass I would be recommending you play this game for its story, Metroidvania exploration and Trick Holes. Since it’s included with Xbox Gamepass it’s a no-brainer to check out. If you are a fan of the Roiland style humor then you are in for a real treat. There were so many times I had to pause the game and set the controller down because I was so shocked by something that was said or done. It was a pleasant surprise to be caught off guard like that in a game and I really look forward to what Squanch Games does next. Hopefully it's a sequel to this must play game.

The only real downside to BLACKTAIL is the limited gameplay. It is mostly linear and your skills only expand minimally. You will explore and you will backtrack (a lot) over the 15-20 hours of gameplay. With a price of $29.99 (USD)/$39.99 (CDN) I think it’s outstanding value in terms of what you get for the price. I was surprised to see the sticker price after completing it. While nothing really stands out as new for the gameplay in BLACKTAIL, it has an outstanding setting and fantastic narrative. The voice acting is top notch. While Yagas quest to find her twin sister Zora is the engine that drives the story, you’ll quickly discover that it’s really the journey that matters.

Overall, WRC Generations is a well-put-together farewell game for everyone new or enthusiast of the series who've been there since the beginning. It may have some issues but they can hopefully be patched out in the future. WRC Generations may not have many major changes to the series, but it still is a good game nonetheless.

With the amount of content provided and the increased audio and video fidelity upgrades, Shattered Remastered Deluxe will provide you with some of the best quality brick breaking action you will ever play. Challenging, rewarding and always entertaining, PikPok did a fantastic job remastering this game and it's definitely one that should be strongly considered given the quality for the price.

As a pretty big and unexpected fan of No More Heroes and its sequel, I had high hopes for No More Heroes III, and looked forward to finally being able to play it. However, the end result was a mediocre-at-best game that I didn’t enjoy all that much and sometimes looked forward to simply finishing. This sequel lacks a lot of the charm of the first two games, but isn’t bad by any means. It’s just decent. Too much of the experience feels like busy work, as opposed to fun content.

Saint Kotar was an odd title to get through, as it was frustrating in certain aspects, but the story was drip fed just well enough that I had a hard time putting it down, wanting to find out what the actual truth was to its mystery. At $44.99 CAD, it does seem a bit overpriced, but depending on your point and click skillset, you’ll get anywhere from 10 to 20 hours of it. An interesting story with heavy religious and cultist tones, the constant backtracking and weak visuals may deter some. God, Religion and Cultists, oh my.