If you enjoy putting together model planes, then SimplePlanes is for you. The build mode presents you with seemingly endless possibilities, or you can sample from vehicles the community has created. When it comes to the simulation aspect of this aircraft simulator, it brings nothing new to the table.
Dungelot: Shattered Lands is a fun combination of Minesweeper and a dungeon crawler that you'll surely keep coming back to. While not without its moments of frustration, overall this game rewards you for skill more than it ruins you with bad luck. What it lacks in story it makes up for in its variety of creatures, items, challenges, and treasures.
Hero and Daughter+ boasts tons of dungeons to explore, powerful girls to summon, and enemies to defeat. Unfortunately, this seems to be a case of quantity over quality, as most of the characters have flimsy backstories and there are very few surprises. Instead of being treated to a richly detailed story about the world and its inhabitants, making progress largely feels like a joyless numbers game.
Layers of Fear is an incredible, mind-bending horror game. The gorgeous environments are both detailed and terrifying, and the story will captivate you as you work to unravel all the threads. What it lacks in polish it makes up for in how obsessed you'll become with finishing the masterpiece.
The Preposterous Awesomeness of Everything is a strange little game that provides a satirical commentary on society today in both smartly subtle and knock-you-on-the-head obvious ways. The cast of characters is mostly comprised of caricatures, but your verb choices and dialogue options let you interact with them in numerous ways. If you're willing to spend some time with it in all its eccentricity and endure its low moments, it rewards you with different endings to uncover.
Slybots: Frantic Zone has its redeeming aspects as both a single player and multiplayer game, but without much variety in content or gameplay, the entertainment value wanes fairly quickly. If this game aims to have any sort of longevity, the team will need to continue pushing updates. In its current state, I am not overly impressed with Slybots.
Crashlands is a charming cartoony story-driven RPG. The Adventure mode is a near flawless balance of story, exploration, combat, and crafting, but if you have a preferred playstyle or want to try something different after you've beaten the game, there are three other modes to choose from. With its convenient gameplay mechanics and detailed design, time easily flies while playing this enjoyable game.
Punch Club is a game with a lot of personality. From its realistic gameplay to the little surprises it has tucked away, there's something special about it that will have you hooked. In spite of the moments that feel like a lot of grinding, it's an enjoyable title.
It feels odd calling a point & click horror game adorable, but that's what Bulb Boy is. Heartwarming moments are mixed with gross-out details without any friction. The surreal story has plenty of twists and turns, and the puzzles are enjoyable to work out. This little indie title is truly a gem in its own special way.
Lovely Weather We're Having has a solid foundation of eye-catching artwork and an ever-changing landscape based on your local weather. However, there are a few negatives that can't be overlooked, such as the rough audio, the lack of dialogue, and the small size of the world. Though I have to give it a low score based on what it is now, I do see potential in this game, and I'm hoping that there will be some updates after its release.
Mushroom 11 is an elegant and innovative game that keeps surprising me. Though its central mechanics are impressive on their own, the entire game has been skillfully designed. It's easy to brush aside lofty claims, but Untame has delivered the distinctive gaming experience they promised and then some.
Cibele has some things going for it, such as a narrative structure based on interaction with the main character's computer. It's a fairly predictable story told in a new way. Some parts of it were intriguing, but overall it didn't really wow me.
Downwell is a simple and fun 2D platformer. Its unique gameplay makes it fast-paced and challenging, and its roguelike qualities keep it from growing bland or frustrating. Spend a little time with this game and you may get hooked too.
It's easy to have mixed thoughts about The Beginner's Guide, but as a game that aims to make you think, it does accomplish this goal. It has some features you don't see too often, such as narrator intervention during unplayable sections, and each level has something unique about it. I still don't know whether I truly like it, but I'm not sure it's meant to be liked, just taken for what it is.
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is a cute, simple game about space travel and the power of love. Though you have the option of flying solo, take the title's advice and play through this game with a friend for the optimal experience.
Albino Lullaby: Episode 1 offers a genuinely fresh take on the horror genre, with a bright color palette, a topsy turvy environment, and nuanced enemies. In spite of its low points, it's definitely worth experiencing. With time it should become more polished, but for now if you want to play it, you'll have to brace yourself for bugs.
Dropsy is a bit of an oddball game, so I wouldn't bet on it having wide appeal, but those who love it will really love it. It's a point-and-click title without written hints, making it inherently challenging, but because the quests involve helping people, solving puzzles feels that much more rewarding. It's such a heartwarming game, it's easy to forget that the protagonist is an accidentally murderous clown.
Mythology fans that like a good challenge, including discovering everything through trial and error, will love this game.
If you're looking to get your pants scared off, SOMA may not be the game for you, but for those who appreciate its brand of subtle horror, it is truly a masterpiece. Leaning towards the cerebral, the narrative has been set up to make you ponder all of the dialogue and question every decision, even one that moves you forward. It's a thought-provoking story wrapped in a stunning package.
The noir atmosphere is top notch, making it one of my favorite things about this game. The environment is more detailed than you might expect, and the mystery plot is fun to experience. Though some aspects of Calvino Noir can be frustrating or not as polished, overall it is worth the journey.