Consume Me is endlessly creative, touching, and gorgeous — certainly worthy of the pre-release praise it has garnered. It’s a true jewel in the crown of video games that manages to perfectly marry the gameplay with the narrative. Every inch of this work of art feels personal in a way that has left me feeling simultaneously certain in its meaning and perplexed by my own understanding or interpretation of it.
Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a phenomenal blend of Sci-Fi, fantasy, and anime aesthetics that manages to balance the expressive and silly nature of the visuals with the oft serious and somber subject matter of the story. With a thriving world to explore, nuanced and interesting characters, and exciting, deep combat, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is sure to find its way on many end-of-year lists.
While a review from a seasoned shmup or bullet hell veteran might be more useful for more seasoned gamers, I remain a novice. Instead of as an expert, I come to you as someone on the outside, looking in. Tapping on the window to remind you that even if something is out of your wheelhouse, it can still be worth a shot.
The Messenger is a tightly controlled 2D platformer that also mysteriously feels haphazard in design at times. The highs and lows of the platforming and enemy design make for a very uneven experience, especially later in the game as the difficulty continually gets ramped up.
and Roger is devastating in its execution, somehow managing to pack the story full of fear, happiness, love, confusion, and everything in between — all within a one-hour timespan.
One-Eyed Likho is a fascinating, surreal, and almost hypnotic experience. The strong visual style and artistic direction of the game make it a truly enthralling title to behold. While the puzzles and overall gameplay are a bit lacking in terms of crafting an engaging or exciting adventure, the atmospheric elements are unmatched.
Without a Dawn is a powerful and moving, albeit short, experience. A distilled shot of emotion and anxiety wrapped into a surreal package. It made me feel deeply uncomfortable in all the ways art like this is meant to.
Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog is a brilliant and engaging visual novel with clear inspiration taken from mecha anime, manga, and video games from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Despite the almost overwhelming nostalgia the visuals and music may invoke, the title manages to stay fresh and exciting all the way through.
Slay the Spire is simply the best roguelite deck-builder out right now. Easy to understand systems combined with deep and thoughtful gameplay decisions make the game simultaneously easy to play and difficult to master.
Quantum Witch might be a simple and short adventure upon first glance, but that brevity belies the depth of the narrative and messaging. Part manifesto and part meditation, it is a monument to both NikkiJay’s personal experiences and to our shared understanding and navigation of life — and all of the trials and tribulations we face along the way.
For a studio with such a limited repertoire of games, Shift Up has certainly left their mark on the space with Stellar Blade. While nothing could ever live up to the lofty aspirations set by internet culture-vultures, Stellar Blade carves out its own space with grace and precision.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate manages to not only be a fantastic action roguelike, but also an excellent vignette of what makes these characters so special to millions of people worldwide.
While the combat may not be the most exciting offering in the roguelite genre, there’s still a lot to love in Children of Morta. Beautiful pixel artwork keeps things visually interesting and is especially well done in touching family moments.
Blades of Fire is a fundamentally enjoyable game bogged down by a large number of truly uninspired aspects. Spiritless combat and exploration don’t mix well with a slow-paced story. Thankfully, there are enough bright spots to bridge the gap between early plodding moments and the endgame, such as the excellent voice performances and animation work.
Branching dialogue and an intriguing story keep things interesting, even if the puzzle sections are quite a bore. While an individual run may take no more than an hour or two, the variability of each playthrough means there's a lot of room for discovery.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a breathtakingly beautiful examination of death, grief, loss, and love. With an obvious deep respect and reverence for the cultures, people, and video games that came before it, Clair Obscur strikes the balance between pastiche and derivative work.
Wizard of Legend is a frantic and flashy take on the dungeon crawler genre. Tight controls and a dynamic spell system keep things interesting on subsequent runs, with outfits and relics spicing things up a little bit further.
Stray is a lovely platforming adventure game that sees you playing as a cat in a somewhat dark, but ultimately hopeful world. Much of the gameplay revolves around exploring your surroundings or solving puzzles, but the real highlight is just how well it nails its animations and tone.
Despite not being wholly original by design, Kaya’s Prophecy succeeds in marrying the two disparate ideas of card battler and village management. A simple, yet distinct art style, combined with timeless deck-building mechanics, makes for an endearing and addictive experience.
Surprisingly difficult, Seafrog is at times a joyous experience and at others a bit of a bore. Creative level design lends itself to navigating through inventive use of your abilities, but failure is punishing in all the wrong ways.