Collide-a-Ball is mentally exciting, and a rare puzzle gem. It actually convinces the player they may have willed the puzzle solved, just by letting them experiment with the various options they have in front of them. Unfortunately, it's a cracked facade under cheap graphics and formulaic puzzles. Perhaps with a little shine and some added depth, there'd be something a bit more engaging here.
Players looking for a wholly original experience will not find it here. Syndrome doesn't do much to hide its influences. However, anyone that wants an excellent example of level design, some really scary enemies, and tension building, this should be a must-have. A few minor flaws aside, Syndrome is as much a love letter to the retro classics as it is to the modern ones. As for those modern titles, it can stand tall next to them as a survival horror juggernaut.
Space Run Galaxy isn't a bad game, just a confusing one. The ideas are all there, but the execution of those ideas feels both cumbersome and vapid. Controlling the ship is both simple and ferociously misleading. Enemies treat you like you are in training wheels. For anyone looking to get into the genre, this is a good jumping point, but hardcore fans will probably find this an attempt that will not satiate their long term hunger.
Pixel Paint is a tool only the experienced should really consider. The lesson it teaches is to work within confined limitations. Unfortunately, newcomers to pixel art will likely find themselves spending more time trying to interact with the app than actually creating their masterpieces. Perhaps it shouldn't be as simple as drag and drop, but it should feel a lot more fluid than it does here.
Tahira: Echoes of the Astral Empire is a niche title. It is for the people who enjoy learning deep systems, aren't too hung up on narrative imperfections, and want to unleash some justice. This will clearly not appeal to everyone, and many will find the barrier of entry simply not worth for what waits beyond. As for the rest, here lies an interesting and compelling tactical RPG, if there ever was one.
Ping Pong Trick Shot only wins points because it manages to function as an application. Beyond that, the gameplay is just an exhausted mini-game that doesn't even function well most of the time. The list of improvements needed to bring this to a passable application are numerous, suffice it to say, it would be advised to pass this one up.
Typoman: Revised is pretty close to greatness. A genuinely original idea, a breathing world, and a good flow get caught up by awkward movement and the occasional feeling of being detached. Still, pretty close to greatness is something to brag about. Make no mistake, Typoman: Revised is something the development team should definitely be bragging about.
SEUM: Speedrunners from Hell is a love letter to all things metal and game. It's fast, like a bass drum hitting 200 BPM, and it's clearly inspired by the world of gaming today. While its idea may be old, it's clearly highly inspired. While it could definitely use more polish, the experience is absolutely worth it as-is. Let your inner Iron Maiden out, and go for a run.
N++ wants you to let your guard down, but that's not always the most fun. While the level design is the closest to perfection many could ask for, the game frequently feels cheap or downright apathetic. Because it comes from a different era of gaming, it doesn't always feel like it cares if you succeed. Fortunately, a friend can be brought along, but it is still watching, waiting for the slightest failure.
It's obvious there's something here in Unbox people may find entertaining. Even with the clunky controls, there's little nuggets of fun to be found in this throwback to 90s platforming wonders. It's just clear that it also brings a lot of the frustrations of that era with it. It's a bit late in the gaming industry to still be figuring out 3D controls, but if you can look past it, there is enjoyment to be had here, after all.
Hue has gotten plenty of press, but it manages to be an absolute indie juggernaut that far exceeds its hype. It's a haunting accomplishment, and manages to be just short of a perfect title. Any gamer, whether a fan of puzzle-platformers or not, needs to dive into this. With any luck, Hue will become an instant indie classic.
Phantaruk is a mixed bag of both off-putting and exciting ideas. It would be a stretch to say it's one of the scariest games around, but it's definitely not a chump. Any survival horror purist should put up with the myriad of issues, because underneath them is a haunting experience.
Layers of Fear: Inheritance will not edify those who found the base game didn't have enough action. However, it's a more honest horror experience. While the original tried to wow the audience with it's crazy hallucinations, Inheritance clearly just wants to remind you there's a person under there, suffering through them.
For those who persevere, Prog.1 will no doubt challenge most gamers in ways only a handful of platformers ever do. Still, for the seamless speed that this operates on, it focuses too deeply on cheap tactics and even deception to really feel fun. Long story short: only the seriously committed need apply.
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is a visual novel that toys with other genres with liberal regard to convention. Part murder mystery, part game show, all visual novel, it manages to be the most fun when the player has to piece everything together. While the game is bland to look at, it's not always about the look. It takes a bit to get to the juicy core of this creepy title, but once you're there, you may not want to leave.
Rogue Stormers just isn't a package that can be easily recommended. The difficulty is largely unfair, including enemies who don't die when they should, and come at you in groups of 30 strong. While there's nothing wrong with the controls or artwork, there's nothing really noteworthy either. Rogue Stormers is a bland experience when it works, and a hair pulling experience when it doesn't.
Brigador is, at the end of the day, a board game about carnage. In a landscape of games that either make you feel bad for seeing these atrocities, or turn you into a legitimate sociopath, it is a rare gem that manages to make you forget that what you just blew up was someone's home. Reaching each goal is satisfying, and for that, Brigador should feel very proud of what it's accomplished.
Hyposphere could have some interesting ideas somewhere, but good luck finding them. As it stands, it's a series of metaphysical questions better left unasked. Even if the game worked as frequently as it should, it gives way to boring design that never feels like anything other than the designer bragging about how deep they are.
Kumoon would make an excellent training program for better physics in gaming. Everything else seems bland and uninspired, and leaves the game a collection of objectives that are somewhat fun to complete, but not for too long. Kumoon: Ballistic Physics Puzzle is simply a long exercise in tedium. Even if the puzzles were more varied, it may not make up for how boring the rest of the experience is.
Tinertia feels like a mixed bag of experiences. The short sections make everything manageable, but unless you have a controller, expect to get irritated more often than you get surprised. The game is challenging, and even with a controller, the controls could definitely be tightened. It's hard to say stay away, because the game really hinges on this single mechanic. Still, it manages to feel fresh, and perhaps being so different is why it doesn't feel quite right. Getting Tinertia is a paramount decision, and if you can find a demo, definitely see if it's up your alley.