Over the Hill is a nice, cozy game where exploration, leisurely driving, and small terrain challenges blend well. The attractive design and excellent music make traversing nature a pleasant experience, while rewards and upgrades keep you occupied along the way. The stuttering music and unclear commentary are a shame, but they hardly got in the way of my enjoyment. However, it does feel like the world and vehicle customizations could offer even more possibilities, and that a major update could make this a more substantial game. Those who mainly drive from one mission to the next will therefore sometimes miss some variety. With friends, the game will be much more fun for chatting together. Give yourself the space to wander around and try a tricky slope, and Over the Hill truly shines. Just perhaps you shouldn't take that tempting shortcut through the trees.
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While autonomous movement of your character certainly adds an extra layer, it also makes the gameplay somewhat more cumbersome and distracts from the rhythmic commanding of your troops. I find the roguelike structure even more disappointing, as it too often feels like a repetition of the same actions. I would much rather have seen a more mission-driven or story-driven setup, like the one we were used to from Patapon. The busy presentation and the stuttering performance at the beginning don't help either. Ratatan is certainly not a bad game, and fans of rhythmic action will absolutely be able to enjoy it. But where Patapon was a particularly fresh and unique experience back then, Ratatan tries to borrow a little too many other ideas.
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Truckful surprised me with its beautiful design, fun gameplay, and a world that offers more than just a few delivery locations. Loading up, upgrading your truck, and meeting strangers combine to make for a cool experience. The secrets and unexpected dangers also leave you curious about what's to come. However, the game is quite tough on standard difficulty, and the early confrontation with the aggressive truck, in particular, could have been paced better. As a result, this pleasant adventure sometimes feels very bumpy.
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Star Wars: Galactic Racer is, for me, the Star Wars racer I have been waiting for since Episode I: Racer. The racing is lightning-fast, chaotic, and accessible, yet there is enough depth in the various systems, vehicles, and tracks to really get better at it. The campaign, in particular, manages to pleasantly surprise by constantly introducing new choices, challenges, and systems. Even after defeating Sebulba, there turns out to be plenty more to come. Arcade mode and scenarios subsequently provide hours of extra challenges, and the multiplayer is also a nice addition, although the lack of split-screen is a real shame. The sections between races could have been a bit more lively, but once you get back into a vehicle, that is a minor detail. Star Wars fans and lovers of fast arcade racers can therefore confidently add this game to their wish list.
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Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered gives a beloved classic a polished return. The visual refresh, smoother controls, and additional combat options make it much more enjoyable to play these old battles again today. Plus, you get a huge amount of content. For fans who have since sold their PlayStation 2, this is an attractive way to return. Yet, nostalgia remains the primary strength. The simple combinations, repetition, and familiar structure clearly convey how much development the series has undergone since then. Newcomers will find a more enjoyable starting point in the later installments. This remaster can freshen up the classic, but nearly 25 years of continuous development cannot simply be added to the original formula.
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No More Room in Hell 2 has found an interesting combination of a cooperative zombie survival game and the tension of an extraction shooter. The extensive maps, scarce resources, permadeath, and the necessity to work together make for a cool experience. With seven other players actually communicating, the game can deliver fantastic moments, especially when a plan goes wrong and you have to improvise together to reach the exit alive. Visually, the whole package is solid and atmospheric. At the same time, the PS5 version makes things unnecessarily difficult for itself. The controls demand quite a bit from the player, and the interface in particular feels very cumbersome for a game where you frequently have to make quick decisions.
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Finding Polka is a cute, cozy walking game that impresses primarily with its beautiful hand-drawn black-and-white style. The gameplay is intentionally simple and offers little challenge or depth, but that isn't always necessary. The strength of this game lies entirely in the atmosphere, the creative details, and the unique world that you can discover at your own pace. Thanks to the compact playtime, the whole experience remains fresh and feels just long enough. If you are looking for a quiet, cozy game where relaxed strolling is more important than spectacular gameplay, then Finding Polka is highly recommended.
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BOKURA proves that you don't need a large budget to create an excellent co-op game. The combination of clever puzzles, constant communication, and the original way both players receive different information makes this a super interesting co-op experience. The narrative choices, in particular, add something I have rarely encountered in comparable puzzle games. This game is not recommended without a good co-op partner and voice chat. Additionally, it remains a shame that both players require their own copy and an online subscription. That makes purchasing a bit more difficult, but fortunately, the low price makes up for a lot.
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Heave Ho 2 knows exactly where its strength lies. The simple controls, creative co-op levels, and constant stream of hilarious situations make this an excellent party game for four players. Especially for a price of around ten euros, you are served a huge amount of content, with dozens of levels and enough optional challenges to ensure you get a lot of enjoyment out of the game for a long time. However, it is a shame that the developers opted so emphatically for multiplayer and that playing solo has even become impossible. Fans of the first game who enjoyed playing alone feel somewhat forgotten as a result. The battle mode is also a bit disappointing and clearly falls short of the fantastic co-op experience. However, if you are looking for a chaotic multiplayer game where communication, cooperation, and above all, lots of laughter take center stage, then Heave Ho 2 is absolutely recommended.
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Teeto is exactly the kind of 3D platformer you enjoy playing. The colorful presentation, smooth controls, and relaxed atmosphere make it hard not to frequently think back to classics like Spyro and Banjo-Kazooie. The jumping, in particular, feels great, and the concept of transforming provides a fun foundation for varied gameplay. At the same time, the game plays it a bit too safe on several fronts. The level design lacks challenge, the transformation puzzles could have been implemented much more cleverly, and the combat is rather simplistic. Nevertheless, thanks to its charm, cheerful world, and accessible gameplay, Teeto manages to offer plenty of fun. With a little more depth, this could have been a modern platform classic, but as it stands, it is an entertaining diversion for lovers of colorful 3D platformers.
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Star Fox on the Nintendo Switch 2 is a remake with two faces. For players who have never played the original, this is undoubtedly the best way to get acquainted with one of Nintendo's most unique franchises. Despite its age, the gameplay still feels surprisingly fresh, the arcade setup works excellently, and the audiovisual presentation is among the best the Switch 2 currently has to offer. For fans, the story is slightly different. The remake is so faithful to the original that there are hardly any surprises to be found. Everything that once made Star Fox 64 great is still present, but virtually nothing goes a step further. Nevertheless, it remains a high-quality Nintendo production that shows why Star Fox 64 has been considered a classic for nearly thirty years. Not an instant classic in itself, but certainly the definitive version of a timeless classic.
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In the Jungle shows what a successful expansion should look like. For a relatively modest amount, you don't get a handful of extra missions, but a substantial new adventure that effortlessly builds upon everything that made Dave the Diver so strong. The new village, the extra systems, the new characters, and the new underwater area ensure that the game feels fresh again without deviating from the formula that made the original so strong. For fans of the base game, this DLC is simply a must-have. If you haven't played Dave the Diver yet, In the Jungle is above all a nice confirmation that the developers continue to support and expand their game with love and attention to detail. It is just as addictive as the base game. Afterwards, I had mainly one thought: I am curious where Dave's next dive will take place.
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Crushed in Time is simply a very fun and funny game. Draw Me A Pixel manages to give a familiar genre a surprisingly fresh twist without losing sight of the essence of a good point-and-click adventure. The story is accessible, the humor works excellently, and the puzzles constantly keep your brain working. Moreover, with a playtime of about six to seven hours, the adventure is exactly the right length. The elastic gameplay is fully utilized without losing its charm along the way. Despite a few technical glitches, this is highly recommended for anyone in the mood for an old-fashioned, yet simultaneously fresh, point-and-click adventure.
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However, this game won't be for everyone. The playtime of about an hour is very short. The gameplay is frequently abstract and sometimes downright confusing. The game contains a fair amount of text (fortunately, the Dutch translation is of high quality) and deals with a serious subject that is not exactly lighthearted. It is also not a title you are likely to restart immediately after the credits have rolled. But despite those caveats, and Roger lingers much longer than countless larger and more expensive titles. The combination of strong visual design, experimental gameplay, and a story that slowly manages to touch you creates an experience you won't soon forget. It shows that games can sometimes be more than just entertainment and that interactive art still holds a special place within the medium. And that experience is certainly worth a few euros.
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Swan Song is an interesting puzzle game that tells an emotional story about loss and memories. The music box concept is creatively executed, and the puzzles remain interesting thanks to new gameplay elements. Although the game presents itself as cozy, there is actually a rather heavy emotional weight hanging over the adventure. That combination will either appeal to or deter players. But in either case, Swan Song is memorable. With this, Business Goose Studios delivers a small, personal experience that might not always feel cozy, but certainly manages to strike a chord.
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Ultimately, Life Below manages to impress primarily by combining a fairly unique theme with a solid city builder. The underwater setting ensures that the game immediately stands out among all the medieval villages and sci-fi cities we have become accustomed to within the genre. It helps enormously that the interface works excellently, the graphics are very atmospheric, and the game remains reasonably accessible despite its complexity. Thanks to the imaginative elements, the story manages to offer just a little more than a simple save nature message. Building your reef will certainly take you some time. However, the game is held back here and there by the sometimes unclear visual readability of buildings and the rather linear structure. But despite these criticisms, Life Below remains an entertaining and surprisingly atmospheric city builder that tries something different. Anyone who enjoys management games, cozy strategy, or simply wants to try something different than building yet another standard city will absolutely find a game worth giving a try here.
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With five to seven hours of gameplay, Call of the Elder Gods offers just enough content to keep the story exciting without stretching it unnecessarily. Fans of the first game will undoubtedly enjoy this immensely. The game delivers a cool mystery, features multiple strong twists, and cleverly combines puzzles with a top-notch story. Call of the Elder Gods has thus become a successful sequel that shows this franchise still has plenty of potential. In terms of presentation and polish, it could have gone a step further here and there, but perhaps that is precisely something a potential third installment could focus on entirely.
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Diablo IV Lord of Hatred is a significant step forward for Diablo IV. The expansion combines strong new content with thoughtful improvements to existing systems. For players who have faithfully followed the seasons, this feels like the most complete version of the game to date. The campaign is strong, the new classes are interesting, and the systems offer more depth without requiring hours of research. Although there is still room for improvement, particularly on the technical side, the overall impression is very positive. This is the expansion that shows what Diablo IV can be. For new players, this is an excellent entry point, and for existing players, a compelling reason to return. With this, Blizzard has finally laid a solid foundation upon which to build.
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Grime II is a solid metroidvania and soulslike that stands out due to a number of creative ideas. In particular, the system surrounding the collection of enemy forms and the unique boss designs manage to impress. At the same time, the basis of the gameplay remains quite traditional, and the whole experience is somewhat hampered by a lack of variety in the environments. The combination of challenging gameplay and a distinct visual style makes it an experience that, despite its shortcomings, is worthwhile. Players willing to adapt to the difficulty level and accept minor frustrations will find a game with plenty of style and cool ideas here.
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Tiny Bookshop is a title that brings two different hobbies together in a strong way. It manages to transform running a bookstore into an accessible and atmospheric experience that feels anything but dusty. The game is accessible while simultaneously offering a surprising amount of depth and content. The criticisms are minor and do little to detract from the overall picture. We are therefore dealing here with a clear recommendation for lovers of cozy games and books. It is even a suitable gift for someone who enjoys reading but does not normally game. Tiny Bookshop proves that a quiet setup and smart gameplay can combine to create an immersive and long-lasting, great experience.
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