Digital Chumps
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Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions from developer Unbroken Studios finally brings a decent version of Quidditch to the video gaming world. While the controls are going to certainly frustrate some, especially when mixed with the chaotic Quidditch gameplay, the game does a decent job of bringing some good modes and reasons to keep playing. This is very much a vanilla beginning and hopefully, that can be improved in the coming months.
Star Trucker from developer Monster & Monster and publisher Raw Fury is a solid game and a fun concept. It does enough to keep you in a space truck’s cockpit with its skills tree, challenging hauls, and push to keep exploring space and its vastness. It certainly has some fixable shortcomings but has more positive than negative.
Concord is an incredibly distinct PvP shooter in an incredibly busy space. Tight, polished gameplay drives its diverse cast along a number of memorable maps. Distinctly old-school in its execution, it is multiplayer game stripped of annoyance and packed with fun.
Charming, inventive, and constantly transforming, The Plucky Squire is not only a celebration of adventure and games, it's an exploration of creativity and art. Wildly distinct art styles and genres harmonize in this perspective-bending tale.
Gundam Breaker 4 from developer Crafts & Meister has more depth in its customization than with story and entertainment. While the latter won’t grab you and keep you in the gaming experience, the former will certainly have you hooked on how far you can take your Gunpla’s design and customization. Gundam fans and mech model enthusiasts will adore this title more than gamers dying for a rich and full gaming experience based on the Gundam brand.
Ninza has quite a bit going for it, most being positive. Its take on combat is refreshing, albeit requiring some mental burdens in relearning PvP that requires solely utilizing the environment to smoosh an enemy into smithereens. While I might have some reservations over how its cast of characters are implemented in-game, the UI, and its future content, one thing is clear: Ninza is quite the fun and addicting platform battler.
Underneath its charming exterior, WitchSpring R is a JRPG…it's just not evident of that classification until the 20th hour. At that point, it doesn't matter what genre it is, only that it keeps you fully engaged. From the lack of necessary grinding, hidden depth within its crafting system, and piecemeal sidequests, there's quite a bit of unique things to do in WitchSpring R on Pieberry's quest for pie. Thankfully, that charm persists until the very end.
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Into the Pit from Mega Cat Studios is a brilliant entry into the FNAF world. It’s a different take that offers a more cohesive story, true terror, and a bevy of gameplay elements that work well within the world built for them.
Like Aeternum Game Studios' prior work, Eden Genesis made me feel like I was a master of platforming – at least once I had spent enough time in each level patiently trying, trying, and trying again to get that S rank. Its platforming-meets-metroidvania is unique, but I just wish that there was greater effort made into giving each biome a unique set of mechanics to distract from the steep difficulty curve.
SNK vs. Capcom – SvC Chaos from developer Code Mystics is an SNK-slanted fighting affair that shows off more of SNK’s flavor than it does Capcom’s. If you can accept those terms, then you’re in for a brutal fighting game that doesn’t pull its punches, nor does it apologize for how many times it takes you down, but it does create some good challenges. This is the SNK way and it works more than it doesn’t.
Cat Quest III from developer The Gentlebros is perfection. It’s a fun and fast game that has a complicated backend to keep the gameplay interesting. Its mixture of gameplay elements, from ships to dungeons, keeps it engaging and fun throughout the entire experience.
Pepper Grinder's unique drilling mechanic and sheer variety of levels do well to distract from its paper-thin length. Players looking for a different type of platformer that is one-and-done outside of crunching for better times should enjoy this brisk grind.
Simpler Times from developer stoneskip. is a short narrative with simple interactive moments holding up a melancholy adventure. The value of the game comes with the translated experience where the gameplay can mean different things to different gamers with varying perspectives from where they might be in their life. Its interpretive structure makes the gameplay and story far more meaningful than the minutes it takes to complete it all.
SteamWorld Heist II from developer Thunderful Development is one of the deeper gaming experiences I have run across in 2024. It contains a hefty amount of strategy in its gameplay while offering up a bigger and richer variety in its exploration and gameplay options. It can be restrictive at times with its gameplay progression but not enough to run the experience.
Mars 2120 undeniably borrows heavily from the progenitor of the genre it aspires to emulate. Metroid hallmarks are here--along with a few interesting twists and setpieces--but are held back by some finicky issues and a rushed power creep.
Deadlink is a pulse-pounding boomer shooter wrapped in roguelite trappings. By stripping the fat and relying on intense action, GRUBY Entertainment delivers the best both genres have to offer.
Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus from developer Squid Shock Studios is a beautiful game that features all the right magical moves to make this a challenging precision platformer but stumbles badly with imprecise controls that make what would be a good experience frustrating.
Dystopika is the epitome of chilling and building a cyberpunk city of my own design. The lack of stakes, instructions, and guidance instills an experience of simply doing and being rewarded for creative designs rather than carbon-copy cities that look and function alike. If you're in the market for a relaxing citybuilder to play in your downtime, look no further.
Flock from developer Hollow Ponds is a unique, relaxing, and fun adventure that doesn’t require too much effort to enjoy. The game is slanted towards discovery and environmental positivity through simplistic controls that allow the player to focus on finding and identifying animals while traversing a large landscape. The only bump in the road is the occasional feeling of a lack of content.
Stray Gods – Orpheus from developer Summerfall Studios falls short of the original game Stray Gods. The DLC is a shorter game that contains a more compact and less meaningful narrative, while still featuring great music and wonderful gameplay elements like the original release. If you accept those terms, you might like Stray Gods – Orpheus.