Due to the fact that Pony Island only asks a minor investment in terms of both time and price point ($5), but even more so because it's just so much fun, it falls under "must-play" territory and provides a vastly different experience from other modern-day indies.
You'll have fun playing Psychocat: The Answer until you realize that it's a mobile game on the PC, then you'll wish you had it on your iOS or Android device instead.
Nova-111 is a humorous and quirky quest that rivals the sheer charm presented in the PixelJunk games. It's not the most varied adventure, but it's fun nonetheless, and it makes a great portable companion if you go with the Vita version.
Lumini is exactly the type of digital work that's best referred to as an experience rather than a video game. Designed for the Journey and Flower crowd, this game excels at creating a mellow, relaxed state for those who float into its spectacle of a world.
Super Mario Maker is more than a just an amazing toolbox for content creation — it's also a big, beautiful toy box filled with all sorts of incredible, remarkable toys each with individual parts for you to spend hundreds of hours falling in love with. Even if you've never liked this type of game, Super Mario Maker may just win you over.
Yoshi's Woolly World makes a fine addition to any Wii U owner's library. It's full of charm and personality, and it doesn't forget to test you with its high difficulty. You'll spend more than a dozen hours doing everything and collecting every hidden item, and you'll have a blast practically the entire time.
SOMA isn't perfect, but it sets a certain standard for what horror games can achieve with a bit of inspiration. Though it isn't heavy on the scares, the bits of horror spread throughout work well, and the story will leave a lasting, hard-hitting impression.
Corpse of Discovery could've been a worthwhile narrative experience had it not been ruined by its massive performance issues and obnoxious platforming gameplay.
Super Time Force Ultra mixes shmup action and rewind mechanics to create a bold, action-packed experience that's also heavy on fun, referential, and witty writing.
The rapid, mini-game-like design of Shutshimi makes it ideal for quick bursts of play. Even then, the game is so captivating that it's hard to put down even after you've spent an hour or two playing.
Back to Bed on the PlayStation Network is a competent albeit unremarkable puzzler that's over before it can get satisfying. Great art and a decent bonus mode at least help to make the experience somewhat enjoyable, though the hefty $20 price is hardly worth paying when you can get it for much less elsewhere.
For better and for worse, Party Hard is one of the most faithful tributes to the slasher genre. It overstays its welcome, but it's still a bloody fun time for the most part.
In the four hours it took me to get through Gryphon Knight Epic, all I could think about was how I wanted it to end so I could move on and play something better.
This isn't the kind of game you revisit multiple times, but rather the kind of game you tell your friends about with the utmost enthusiasm on account of just how silly and pleasant the whole thing is.
Guild of Dungeoneering can get frustrating due to all of the randomness, but even then there's just no getting around the fact that it is a wonderful game. And if it ever does come to handhelds, I'll be eager to give it another go.
Super Chibi Knight is a fun, bite-sized adventure that has a little bit of challenge but always remains welcoming enough that anyone can enjoy it. The Zelda II inspiration makes for a game that's mechanically sound and enjoyable to play, but it's the creative art style that'll win you over initially. It's short and can take as little as four hours to get through, but in those four hours you'll be treated to an entertaining adventure across fantasy lands that only an eight-year-old mind could've thought up.
Whether you loved the original Flash version of Westerado or have yet to play it, this enhanced remake is worth downloading. It's a fine choice for fans of adventure games and Wild West lore alike. The game is always giving you something fun to do, and its open-ended nature warrants multiple playthroughs. After spending four hours walking a fine line between hero and outlaw, I'm just about ready to give this impressive game another go...and this time I'll be using a more trigger happy approach. Time to avenge my family. Again.
Roll7 has proven that it's not a one-trick pony with the release of Not a Hero. The team is clearly dedicated to crafting games that are fun and inviting yet require some patience to master. In a medium dominated by shooters of the first-person and third-person variety, it's refreshing to get a 2D take on the cover-based format. The difficulty can be a bit much at times, but when all is said and done, there's no getting around the fact that the BunnyLord's team is one you want to be on.
There's a lot of fun to be had with JumpJet Rex, though the game sometimes goes out of its way to frustrate you.
I played a lot of Animal Crossing last year, in the process rekindling my love for life sims. Playing Story of Seasons was a much different experience because it's more fast-paced and goal-oriented. It's not too unlike past Harvest Moon games, but it's a worthwhile entry nonetheless. There's a lovely little game to uncover here, though it'll likely take you a couple dozen hours to really get things going. That said, the time investment is certainly worth it, because at the end of the day, you're left with a fine farming sim that's totally rewarding.