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.
Stygian faithfully recreates the atmosphere of Lovecraft, warts and all, but it isn’t a very engaging adventure to play through.
Control is worth experiencing for its rollicking, ravaging action, as well as its stately visuals and ‘new weird’ vibe.
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.
The Silk Rose Murders offers an enchanting and intriguing adventure that is worthy of the Detective Di name.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Even though Truberbrook looks and sounds fantastic, its obtuse puzzles and forgettable storytelling make it difficult to recommend.
Fimbul is a case where I have to commend the developers for effort, but I also have to advise the customer to steer clear of this bland, snowed-out adventure. Literally everything Fimbul attempts to do has already been done better by a different game. It's best if you leave this one buried in the snow.
It took a long time to complete what was really a short journey, and it involved a lot of punishment along the way, but none of that really mattered compared to the victory of making it through.
Peeling back the layers of its mystery, I found a game that is deeply thoughtful and very, very sad. It's a game that pulls its sense of fear out of everyday emotions, out of love, ambition, and of course, devotion. In doing so, it emerges as a horror game that reaches far beyond trying to startle or unnerve you. It becomes a deftly told story about the nature of fear itself.
Whether it's the joy of reaching port, the excitement of engaging with a marauder, or the wonderment of the creatively-written fantasy, Sunless Skies filled my head with adventure and took me on a tour of marvels and monstrosities such as I'm glad to have encountered. It still has me itching to return to the High Wilderness for another go.
Rainswept is a compelling effort. It's a heartfelt game that does its best to portray the messiness of relationships and the damage that trauma can do if left to fester.
Rough design, a lack of polish, a discombobulated story, and hard-to-bear battles make it hard for me to recommend YIIK to anyone but the most fervent collector of 'odd' games. Save yourself the time, and replay the Mother/Earthbound games instead.
Thanks to its pleasant palette and meditative sound design, The Gardens Between is a calming experience. It may not have too much to say, but at least it doesn't overstay its welcome. A little sadly, I doubt I will be getting all that nostalgic over a game about nostalgia.
If you're an absolute sucker for life simulation games based on crafting and building, Graveyard Keeper will certainly be to your liking. Even if you're a genre tourist like myself, you'll find it hard to deny the game's ability to make you keep coming back for more. Whether you'll stick with it or not depends on how much you're able to tolerate busywork and planning without much of a narrative return.
The Dream Machine is a meaty, psychological adventure that looks like nothing else you've ever played. It's a game of surprising balance: surreal, yet familiar; humorous, yet deeply morbid; bizarre, yet logical; subdued, yet striking. Through it all, the game cuts a straight and narrow line of being consistently entertaining. Not unlike the best of dreams, then.