Umair Khalid's Reviews
Swan Song captures your attention from its opening moments and never lets go. Every element works in harmony to create an emotional, rewarding, and remarkable experience. As each puzzle springs to life and the swan gracefully navigates the music box, the payoff feels incredibly satisfying. The game never relies on repetition, with each chapter introducing fresh ideas and mechanics that keep the experience engaging from beginning to end. From its heartfelt narrative and stunning visuals to its exceptional puzzle design and beautiful soundtrack, Swan Song excels in every area. Whether you are a puzzle enthusiast or simply appreciate thoughtfully crafted games, Swan Song is an experience that should not be missed.
Yerba Buena features a gorgeous art style and some genuinely clever puzzle mechanics, but frustrating design choices and uneven pacing hold the experience back. The game’s inconsistent puzzle quality, combined with a poor checkpoint system, results in excessive backtracking that repeatedly disrupts immersion and momentum. I genuinely wanted to enjoy Yerba Buena more because some of its ideas are excellent, but too many mechanics work against the overall experience. While there is still a decent puzzle game underneath its issues, frustrating pacing and inconsistent design prevent Yerba Buena from reaching its full potential.
LumenTale: Memories of Trey features a beautiful world filled with memorable creatures and stands among the best Pokémon-inspired games released in recent years. Rather than simply copying the formula, it brings its own identity to the genre through strong world-building, diverse environments, and a setting that genuinely feels alive. The combat mechanics are satisfying and strategically engaging, although some additional balancing across certain Animon would benefit the experience in the long run. For players eagerly waiting for the next Pokémon adventure, LumenTale: Memories of Trey is an easy recommendation thanks to its excellent creature design, stylish visuals, rewarding combat, and enjoyable narrative.
Bluey's Quest for The Gold Pen is easily the strongest game the franchise has received so far and a genuinely enjoyable experience for younger players. While hardcore gamers may find its gameplay too simplistic, the game perfectly captures the charm, humor, and accessibility that make Bluey so beloved. Reviewing it alongside my four-year-old son made its appeal immediately clear, as he quickly became hooked and even started his own playthrough on iPad. Although older children may outgrow its straightforward design fairly quickly, younger audiences and parents looking for a family-friendly experience will find plenty to enjoy here.
Whirlight – No Time To Trip is a true old-school point-and-click adventure and a genuine treat for fans of the genre. However, it may be difficult to recommend to players accustomed to modern gameplay systems, cinematic storytelling, and streamlined design philosophies. The game is a reminder of a different era of gaming, one built around exploring strange worlds, experimenting with bizarre item combinations, and solving unconventional puzzles through patience and creativity. For genre veterans, this is an easy recommendation, but newcomers or players looking for a more casual experience may find its classic design approach difficult to embrace.
Directive 8020 stands as the strongest entry yet in The Dark Pictures Anthology, delivering a clear evolution in both gameplay and presentation. The introduction of the Turning Points system adds meaningful flexibility, allowing players to revisit key moments and experience the narrative from different perspectives without friction. Combined with striking visuals, a well-executed narrative, and a consistently unsettling atmosphere, Directive 8020 is an easy recommendation for horror fans and one of the best horror releases of the year so far.
Bus Bound is a great simulator with easy-to-understand mechanics and satisfying driving controls, but it needs some serious optimization work at this point. Not only do the framerates stutter, but the visuals also glitch out, especially at night. Apart from the technical glitches, Bus Bound is an approachable simulation game that will not only cater to hardcore fans but also to casual gamers who want a more simplistic gameplay style. If you have been looking for a simulation game that gets rid of micromanaging mechanics and focuses more on the driving bit, Bus Bound is definitely the title for you.
With a beautiful art style, simple puzzle-solving, and an emotional story, The Day I Became a Bird is a bite-sized story with a big heart, and everyone who loves playing cozy games or games with emotional narratives should definitely give it a chance.
Sudden Strike 5 feels intense, not because of all the explosions and chaos that ensues on its battlefields but because of how you need to manage your armies. The real challenge here is not building armies but maintaining them during the battles. This frantic dance between destroying your enemies and constantly looking for ammo and fuel supplies manages to deliver one of the most realistic and complex WW2 RTS experiences in a long time.
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is an interesting mash-up of different ideas. Slaughtering the roamer hordes in the game is extremely satisfying, and the greater difficulties are brutal. It is excellent for players looking for a hardcore co-op zombie shooter with open-world exploration. The vehicles add a nice touch and make it feel like you are in a true zombie survival movie. It is an overall enjoyable experience, but it could do even better with more content and more rewarding weapon upgrades.
Homura Hime is an interesting blend of bullet-hell, hack and slash, and soulslike genres. It does not try to excel in any of these genres, but instead it manages to deliver a satisfying experience by offering a toned-down version of each. It is an excellent title for players who love playing bullet-hell and action games that feature impressive combat and point-blank accuracy for survival. The visuals are cool, and the level design is fairly decent as well. You do not have to be a master of any of these specific genres to enjoy your time in Homura Hime.
Hozy’s slow-paced and relaxing gameplay, complemented with buttery smooth animations and an amazing soundtrack, makes it a solid choice for gamers looking for something peaceful. It allows you to take your time with levels as you explore your architectural skills by renovating and decorating a wide variety of rooms and spaces. At this point, there are some gameplay bugs in the game. The camera controls are awkward, and I would have loved it if it had more content. Still, Hozy is a great cozy game that will surely pull you in with its unique charm and gorgeous visuals. Highly recommended for players who like playing renovation simulators or puzzle games.
While Docked is a great single-player game, the lack of a sandbox mode or online gameplay makes it lose an important aspect of any simulator game in today’s age. It will keep you entertained for your current playthrough, but the game lacks in replayability, especially when you get tired of playing the same jobs again and again. I really wanted to give Docked a higher score, but it loses points based on the fact that all of your invested hours are just locked out at the end. If you love playing simulators, Docked is one of the most unique ones, with a brilliant campaign and amazing, huge machines to control. Just don’t expect much of an endgame once you finish the campaign.
Planet of Lana 2 builds on the foundation of the original with expanded ideas, but not all of them land as effectively. While new mechanics like controlling critters and additional movement options add some welcome variety, the core gameplay remains largely unchanged. The narrative also lacks the same emotional weight that made the first game so memorable. That said, the visual design continues to impress, with beautifully crafted biomes that elevate the overall experience. In the end, Planet of Lana 2 is a solid and enjoyable sequel for returning fans, even if it doesn’t push the series forward as much as it could have.
Because all of these games were released on Nintendo consoles back in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, seeing them re-released on Nintendo Switch is nothing short of pure nostalgia. While some of the titles in this collection, like TaleSpin, have not aged well, the overall quality of this assortment of classics is excellent, and players can invest a decent amount of their time in it. For Nintendo’s modern consoles, The Disney Afternoon Collection is an excellent addition for players looking to relive the early glory days of sidescrolling platformers set in the iconic worlds of Disney.
Rustic Defense delivers a smart twist on the tower-defense formula, blending roguelike progression with meaningful skill customization. The core loop is satisfying, and the deep skill tree allows for flexible, strategic builds. However, real momentum only comes after some grinding to unlock stronger towers and upgrades. A diverse enemy list and thoughtful design keep each run engaging, making this a rewarding experience for players who enjoy long-term progression and strategic depth.
High On Life 2 is a confident and entertaining sequel that improves where it matters most. The gunplay is sharper, the level design feels more refined, and the chaotic humour remains intact throughout. While its visuals don’t quite keep pace with other modern shooters, the moment-to-moment action and creative encounters more than make up for it. It may not be a technical showcase, but it is consistently fun, and for fans of irreverent sci-fi shooters, that’s what counts.
JDM: Japanese Drift Master is an excellent addition to the PS5 lineup and easily ranks among the platform’s best racing games. It makes smart use of the DualSense’s adaptive triggers to deliver a satisfying simcade experience set across a visually striking world. The drift mechanics are intuitive yet rewarding, allowing newcomers to get up to speed quickly while still offering depth for experienced players. Strong world design, a well-presented narrative, and robust customization options further elevate the experience. Combined with a solid mix of licensed and unlicensed vehicles, JDM: Japanese Drift Master offers hours of engaging racing action and is a must-play for fans of drifting and high-speed competition.
Nova Antarctica delivers strong visuals and a compelling concept, but uneven execution holds it back. Crafting, meant to be a core mechanic, feels poorly integrated and often more tedious than rewarding, while the weak tutorial leaves key systems underexplained. Still, the game’s cozy atmosphere and occasional story highlights help balance out its rough edges. For players who enjoy exploring harsh, post-apocalyptic worlds and don’t mind some undercooked mechanics, Nova Antarctica offers a decent survival experience that falls short of its full potential.
I Hate This Place is a bite-sized survival horror game that pairs striking comic-book-style visuals with solid combat mechanics. Its flexible approach to encounters, allowing players to choose between stealth and all-out gunfights, creates a satisfying blend of chaos and strategy. While the game world is relatively small, it makes effective use of its space and delivers a consistently fun experience. Crafting is straightforward without feeling shallow, and the simple base-building systems make it accessible to players of all skill levels. If you’re a fan of survival horror, you’ll find plenty to enjoy while looting, crafting, and fighting to survive in I Hate This Place.