Jemma Casson
Yars Rising is a terrific platformer. It features satisfying puzzles, shooting elements, a fast-paced and humorus story, along with a clever integration of a classic Atari game. Apart from some annoying loading screens, this is absolutely a game worth checking out.
Volgarr The Viking II is a fun, but flawed, platformer. There's a lack of communication that leaves one guessing as to the terms of play. It's meant to be punishing, and the zombie option helps, but things could benefit from difficulty options or a better restart system.
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter is a classic title that, while imperfect, offers a fun, action-packed outing. The story is the game's selling point, recounting the untold tale of Jango Fett's entanglement with the galaxy's darker side. A true remaster that added features like save points and a map would have been appreciated, but this slightly improved in-situ version still mostly holds up.
Cat Quest III is a fantastic addition to a terrific series. with local co-op and a sea-faring theme, everything feels fresh yet familiar. A humorous story coupled with fast-paced action makes this one a fun time all round.
SNK VS. CAPCOM SVC CHAOS is a faithful port of the 2003 original, with a few extras thrown in for good measure. It's not the best 2D fighting game around, but fans of the original will appreciate the extra details.
Arranger is a creative outing with a perfectly balanced sense of adventure. The light-hearted tone is coupled with the unique sliding mechanic to present something different and, most importantly, fun. This is a title worth checking out.
Braid, Anniversary Edition is the definitive version of a terrific platformer. This classic title has been enhanced with improved graphics, along with a detailed commentary integrated into the game itself. A lot of effort has been put into building something special, from 2008 until today.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate brings a new way of playing to fans of the green, teen heroes. The story, visuals, and gameplay are all great, though a few bugs hamper the experience. The simple roguelike elements won’t be too jarring for fans of the typical side-scrolling style of gameplay.
Metal Slug Attack Reloaded is a massive disappointment. The bones of a fun game are there, but unfortunately, it's dragged down by brutal spikes in difficulty, creating a game that verges on unplayable and certainly unenjoyable.
There's No Dinosaurs 2 offers a cute hidden-object outing with enough extras to keep players engaged despite its simplicity.
Cat Pipes has a cute premise that isn't executed well. Apart from lackluster graphics ,the tutorial is broken. While the puzzles are somewhat fun, there's not much challenge and nothing beneath the surface.
Fruit Mountain is an enjoyable little puzzle title that changes the fruit-merging formula just enough to make it stand out. With sweet visuals and a couple of modes, plus online leaderboards, there's plenty to make this one worth checking out for fans of the genre.
Bread & Fred is a unique platformer with moments of brilliance and frustration in equal measure. It looks lovely and has a great approach to co-op gaming, along with the inclusion of Jeff in single-player mode. It's hard, so grab a patient partner if you want to enjoy this one.
TP Bullet is a simple-yet-fun platformer with a unique twist. It might lack many features but the puzzle-platformer mechanics are solid, providing a true brain teaser.
Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER revisits the world of Neo San Francisco, presenting new characters and an interesting story to unravel. The voice work and graphics are lovely, though the run time is a little on the short side. If you enjoyed 2064, you'll likely enjoy this stripped-down experience; just be aware that there's less to this outing than its predecessor.
Please Fix the Road is a charming puzzle game full of brain-teasing paths to fix. It sports cute aesthetics and a simple concept that keeps you on your toes in a relaxing environment. This budget title offers plenty of puzzles to keep you coming back until you solve them all.
Endless Ocean Luminous continues the relaxing series, changing a few things but keeping the core mechanics in place. It's easy to lose yourself in this environment, though newcomers like myself might enjoy it moreso. I genuinely enjoyed my time in the water and will continue diving for some time to come.
Little Kitty, Big City is a joyful experience that successfully emulates playing the role of a cat. This sweet and relaxing game provides plenty to do in an easy-to-navigate environment that's ripe for exploring. I appreciate the work the developers have put into this, and I hope they get a chance to create similar titles in the future.
Anglerfish is full of surprises. While its quirky sense of humor, strong horror elements, and high death rate will keep you on your toes, it won't be for everyone. If you like scary titles with a wicked sense of humor, Anglerfish is worth checking out.
Mediterranea Inferno is a unique visual novel. Multiple endings allow for replayability, though the drug-induced sequences and unlikeable characters won't be for everyone. Nor will the explicit content. If you like your indie titles on the more obscure side, though, this one might be worth checking out.