Codi Spence
Sniper Elite 3 Ultimate Edition is a nice port of Sniper Elite 3 with all the DLC included. The gameplay is tactical and requires patience, which may not be for everyone. Some tasks and situations can be frustrating, but you can still have a good time.
The Sojourn is a peaceful yet thought-provoking puzzle game with beautiful visuals. The only bits of story are told through dioramas, so it isn't spelled out for you. With a sense of wonder and interesting puzzle mechanics, you'll have a great time seeing how clever you truly are.
NHL 20 is a nice addition to the NHL franchise, with engaging gameplay and great visuals. The multitude of game modes will keep you occupied, even if several are very similar to one another. It gets as repetitive as the typical sports game, but that can be good or bad depending on your interests.
Daymare: 1998 is an interesting homage to the Resident Evil franchise, complete with 90s graphics, cheesy characters, and a tough difficulty. Inventory management forces you to think carefully, while boss fights can be tedious and unfair.
Pagan Online is a Diablo-like hack-and-slash RPG with an alright story. The gameplay is enjoyable, but it's lacking in other regards such as shops, an open world, and so on. It's a nice cheaper alternative to Diablo if you don't mind the lack of depth.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution is a great compilation of the franchise's history. With tons of challenging campaign duels, duelist challenges, and battle packs, there's plenty to scratch that card game itch. Multiplayer is scarce and laggy, so I'd steer clear.
Clam Man is a short yet quirky point-and-click game. The story feels a bit rushed at times, and the puzzles aren't all that tough, but it shows promise. Some more attention could've been given to the sound levels and design, but it's not enough to ruin the game.
Mable and the Wood is a side-scrolling metroidvania game with a unique combat/traversal mechanic. The form you start with and ones you unlock are fun to use for the most part. Reading the map can be annoying, but it's possible to interpret. Multiple endings offers more replay value if you're inclined to do so.
Crystar is a great action-RPG with some fascinating twists. Crying is not only a key aspect to boosting your strength in battle, but it enables you to create more powerful gear. Be prepared for mentions of tragic and depressing topics, but remember that they work to enforce the ideas of "showing your emotions as a strength" and the sometimes overlooked issues that others face each day.
Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle is a great way to experience what it's like to be in the shoes of the scout regiment as they fight for humanity's sake. With wonderfully fluid movement thanks to the ODM gear and the strategic combat, you'll want to slay as many Titans as possible. The downside is that combat does get repetitive after some time, but this can be helped by taking plenty of breaks.
A Duel Hand Disaster: Trackher is a unique twist on the standard split-screen formula, offering players a chance to solo the experience. Testing your multi-tasking skills is great, although it may be too hard for some people. The separate yet connected gameplay design kept me engaged, even if some of the extra challenges were a pain to deal with.
Etherborn is a gravity-defying puzzle platformer with breath-taking visuals and MC Escher-like levels. The difficulty is enough to test your observation and critical thinking, but nothing gets stressful. You'll be done with a playthrough in around five hours, but it's time well spent.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a great follow-up to the original, placing you in the shoes of an amateur builder. The main story practically amounts to a fetch quest of acquiring skills and people, but that doesn't bring the game down much. Building takes the forefront, and it will definitely keep you busy.
Super Neptunia RPG is a fascinating spin-off for the Neptunia franchise. With a switch to 2D and a reworked combat system, you get a nice change of pace for the series. At the same time, the combat system is simplistic and might turn off some players.
Muse Dash is an incredibly addictive rhythm game, especially if you're a fan of Japanese music. The cute characters and visuals match the overall anime-like tone of the game. Tons of songs to choose from will keep you busy for a good chunk of time, especially if you aim to do everything.
Golem Gates is a clever mashup of real-time strategy and card game gameplay. Creating troops from the glyphs you draw and Ash you build up is a nice twist. Difficult situations and some potential crashes put a damper on the fun and may cause you to look elsewhere.
Riverbond is a nice voxel style game with Diablo-like combat. The game only takes a handful of hours or so to complete, but it's a good time. The lack of a story and the abrupt ending removes most of the satisfaction from completing the game.
Chook & Sosig: Walk the Plank is a short yet charming point-and-click game. The pirate theme mixed with quirky characters and goofy antics makes for an enjoyable time. The art style is wonderful and it makes you want to investigate everything you can.
Warlocks 2: God Slayers lets players work to become a powerful warlock as they help the Order and destroy gods. The combat can get repetitive, but isn't too challenging until you encounter the bosses. With several characters to choose from, you'll be able to fight in multiple different combat styles.
Voidrun is an interesting roguelite where you're a spaceship that surrounds enemies with bombs to destroy them. The game is simple to learn but difficult to master. With three different modes to play, you'll have plenty of time to practice your moves.