Cyber Protocol's escape-the-maze puzzles are easy to grasp but quickly ramp up the difficulty with frequent twists and new mechanics. This neon-bathed, synth-scored puzzler offers both single-player and multiplayer modes and an absolute mountain of levels. It would be easy to dismiss Cyber Protocol as style over substance, but with this much style, that's not entirely a bad thing.
Untitled Goose Game proves that you don't need complex mechanics or an involved story to make a great game. It takes a simple premise — you're a goose here to make trouble — and spins it out into a short but extremely satisfying slapstick journey. Untitled Goose Game is effortlessly funny, succeeding as much on its physical comedy as its clever puzzles.
Puzzle Quest: The Legend Returns is a good combination of addictive puzzle gameplay and RPG character-building. While it will likely play best to fans of the 2007 original, its central mechanics are still fun, if a bit dated. Despite sometimes slow battles that don't always mesh its puzzle and RPG sides well, Puzzle Quest is still worth a look for fans of puzzle games.
Minoria may not be Bombservice's best game to date, but it may still be worth a look for action platformer fans looking for a challenge. Though its combat feels more frustrating than satisfying at times, the fundamentals of its swordplay are still solid. Add to that its excellent art and music, and there's a lot to like here if you can overlook its underdeveloped story and exploration.
Remnant: From the Ashes is a tough, co-op centric third-person shooter hiding a surprising amount of depth in both its combat and narrative.
Rebel Galaxy Outlaw brings a smaller scope and simplified controls to a sometimes intimidating genre, watering down the grandeur of spaceflight, but making it more fun and accessible at the same time. Its repetitive missions and sparse narrative weigh it down, but its fantastically engaging dogfights make it an easy recommendation.
Eliza is a poignant, well-presented tale about how even technology created to help people can be harmful when it replaces human connection. Rather than demonizing technology, though, Eliza is a paean to compassion, communication, and all the varied ways people can lift each other up.
Sea of Solitude is a boldly personal game that has a lot going for it, notably its fantastic art style and score. Kay's story toward understanding her fraught relationships can be genuinely moving at times, but more often it comes across as scattered and heavy-handed. Add to that its clumsy, far-too-traditional gameplay, and Sea of Solitude feels like an interesting idea poorly executed.
Judgment feels too beholden to its Yakuza roots, weighed down by overreliance on combat and half-baked detective mechanics. While its plot is engaging, nearly everything that it adds to the Yakuza framework is for the worse, and it shines most when it puts the spotlight on the people of Kamurocho rather than the game's protagonist.
Cadence of Hyrule is a perfect blend of classic Legend of Zelda adventure with roguelite rhythm gameplay. It's a short adventure that can sometimes feel too difficult and chaotic for its own good, but it's worth sticking through to the end. Not only is it a tremendously fun game, its new take on Hyrule is a joy to explore.