Islanders looks like an idyllic snowglobe, but it belies gears of efficiency and competition. Its islands are fun to tinker with, before you inevitably throw them away and start over.
Heaven's Vault is a different game than most, and that alone makes it worth celebrating. It comes with many a wart, and it never really gels together the way a more conventional game would, but I had a great go with this moon-hopping, language-studying archaeology adventure.
Whether it's the allure of recruiting a new teammate or uncovering lost treasures in ancient tombs, there's always something to expect when you play Pathway.
As long as you don't mind how similar it is to the original game, One Finger Death Punch 2 offers up a furious and spectacular pastiche of action that bypasses your brain and interfaces directly with your reflexes.
I don't think it's a stretch to say that Supraland is a modern classic in the puzzle genre. It's approachable, meaty, colourful, and its puzzles are very, very clever. Don't expect anything more, and you stand to have a good time.
The Silk Rose Murders offers an enchanting and intriguing adventure that is worthy of the Detective Di name.
After all is said and done, Draugen feels like a beautifully-crafted, but unnecessary, prologue to whatever story lies ahead of it. It’s worth a spin, most of all for its short playtime and gorgeous presentation, but least of all for its actual mysteries.
Control is worth experiencing for its rollicking, ravaging action, as well as its stately visuals and ‘new weird’ vibe.
Stygian faithfully recreates the atmosphere of Lovecraft, warts and all, but it isn’t a very engaging adventure to play through.
With its topical writing and interesting characters, Neo Cab is a compellingly-crafted science-fiction adventure that sparks important questions on where technology and society might be headed.
Untitled Goose Game is refreshingly original, and its penchant for nuisance taps into a vein of mischief that has never been approached with this kind of elegance.
Mosaic’s moving dioramas produce strong and memorable images of a dystopia that’s all too real. The gameplay, however, seems to miss the point.
It’s hard not to recommend Sayonara Wild Hearts, simply because it works so well as both an album and a video game. Step aside music videos, we’re doing music video games now.
Wandersong is a game crafted with love, that depicts love, and that encourages you to love in turn. What better theme for a game about the power of music?
With its sombre mood, innovative narrative design, and deeply poetic writing, Kentucky Route Zero is one of the most unique and important games ever made.
Luna The Shadow Dust looks and sounds beautiful, and it’s a neat little adventure to have, so long as you can put up with some slow, trial-and-error puzzling.
Stela’s tight platforming and beautiful yet oppressive atmosphere can only go so far when the game as a whole does little to impress.
Lair of the Clockwork God is an irresistibly funny and thoroughly rambunctious adventure that had me full of amusement and admiration. It’s made its mark in the hall of fame for comedy games.
In Other Waters is a game that knows full well who it’s for. Its relaxing style, UI-based gameplay, and descriptive biological writing all come together to instil a sense of adventure.
Superliminal is a little more clinical and flat than it deserved to be, but it’s still a spectacular, perception-bending experience that everyone needs to try. It sparks joy, and that’s a lot in itself.