A lot of people might overlook Sushi Ben due to it being a short, indie visual novel, but those people are overlooking the comedy, the heart, and the wholesomeness that this game brings to the table. This game is not just about helping a sushi bar not be taken over by land sharks; it’s about helping a community that has been taken advantage of find its spark again. Sushi is the common factor that can bring people together and grow a sense of belonging. Sushi Ben has earned a 4 out of 5 stars; sadly, the bugs do bring down the score.
I think that the premise was good. A cat-themed cafe is cute. I just think the game didn’t have the right amount of direction to make it stand out. Yes, the finished drinks are adorable, and I think it shows the charm the developers were going for, but that is about it. Once you unlock everything the game has to offer, it’s just grinding to earn all of the achievements, and that takes an unnecessarily long amount of time. That, paired with the amount of quality of life issues I found, this just is not something that I can responsibly say is worth the money. Cats & Cups has earned a 2 out of 5 stars from me. I feel like the game needs more substance, and that would have bumped it up substantially.
I enjoyed this game a lot. It gives the player a lot of freedom when designing the islands; there are so many items to buy from the shop, and getting currency is easy. My time spent in the game was filled with designing and seeing how many achievements I could get by just playing. I managed to get a good amount of the overall achievements, and once I got about halfway through the game, I pulled up the Steam page to see which ones I could aim for. One of my favorites was to complete a level without a house on the island. I aimed for 100% in this game, but I’ve run into two issues. One, there is a bundle that I need to buy all the items for that is not in the shop. And two, there are a bunch of hidden achievements that I don’t even know where to start.
At first, I struggled with balance, and I was either leaning too far into building up my lands or too far into building up my army. It took some trial and error with the development until I found something that worked for me. I enjoyed the Journey mode best because I loved the city-building aspect more. I think anyone who enjoys city-building games would enjoy Kingdom's Deck.
Just like the name suggests, the flow of customers never ends, so it’s nothing but burgers and fries flying off the counter. In the mood for some of that stress that comes with this genre? Try the Time Challenge mode! Here, customers will not only rate the food, but also the amount of time it takes to get that food to them. This shift also gives you a nice 300% bonus, so if you want a little boost to unlock that next planet, try this one.
This game is perfect for relaxing. The ability to interact with most of the things in the rooms allows for a high level of customization in each level. The puzzle aspect is easy and encourages trying to get a higher score - with all of the Steam achievements being easily achievable. I highly recommend Urban Jungle to anyone who enjoys decorating games and simple puzzle games!
My first couple of hours were rough. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but once I figured out how to get more flames and could be out for longer, I started to love the game. This game is a perfect relaxation game. There is zero combat or enemies to worry about, and it is focused on gathering things to build up a little town with cute little villagers.
If anyone is looking for a new indie puzzle game, Broken Lens should be a must buy. This adorable find-the-difference game is perfect to play in the evening, as the music makes for the perfect atmosphere to roam the screen and search for all the changes.
One of the great things about Marvel Rivals that makes it stand out from other popular hero shooters like Overwatch is that the maps are extremely destructible. The breakable sections come back after a few minutes, but this can be used to your advantage by blocking players off from certain routes and separating teammates. The game devs seem to be listening to the player base and introducing characters and skins that the player base wants.
This game was amazing. I loved every second I spent in it. There were a few moments of frustration due to being hunted down by a large fish—but I digress. The calm fishing in the morning mixes perfectly with the deadly hunt-or-be-hunted feeling the night brings. I would highly recommend this to anyone! I don’t care what games they prefer, I think anyone who enjoys games can enjoy DREDGE. There is a plot that keeps things moving but it’s not super deep, so I think all players can follow and enjoy it.
Playing a Metriodvania can be a challenge for a lot of people. From learning where to go and when to come back to old areas, these games can be stressful and can lead to putting the game down. Ender Magnolia : Bloom in the Mist does a good job at guiding players… for the most part.
Overall, just having someone to talk to and enjoy the game together will make it a lot more enjoyable. It’s easier to laugh at dying to a low-level enemy when a friend is there to finish it off, compared to dying alone and having to do the walk of shame back to your tombstone to collect the loot.
If you are someone who misses the feeling of old-school, minimalistic RPG Dungeon Crawlers, fear not, the art of these games has not been entirely lost.