Battletoads is a highly entertaining beat 'em up. It's a throwback to the series' roots while still managing to reinvent that series. The action is fast and flows smoothly, and the whole thing is just filled with slick style. This is a revival done right.
I wouldn't recommend Elegy to anyone but folks who actually want to take the time to write. Though some creative types will question the need for writing prompts, the fact remains that sometimes all you need is a good starting point.
The Witness is one of the most elegant puzzlers around. It'll make you think, it'll make you laugh, and it'll make you yell. Above all else, though, it'll take you on one memorable journey that will stay with you for a long time.
Not content with simply letting you try to play it, Calendula is very much a game that plays you. It's a thrilling commentary on the relationship between player and game.
Playdead's Inside may have been the follow-up to Limbo six years in the making, but the wait was certainly worth it.
Little Nightmares drops you into a mad and scary world that's worth visiting thanks to some enjoyable platforming mechanics and chilling atmosphere.
Ape Out is a fun and fast-paced action game with nary a dull moment. The brutal difficulty can go overboard at times, but even then it's never too daunting. This is one of the coolest games of 2019 so far, and any fan of slick, stylish action games should give it a go.
Superhot: Mind Control Delete may have gotten its start as an expansion, but it ultimately evolved into a very complete-feeling standalone product. The new gameplay mechanics are awesome, and there's a lot to love about its dozens and dozens of levels. Taking on a room full of enemies in slow motion continues to feel incredible, and there's really nothing quite like it outside of the Superhot series.
Rite captures the magic and difficulty of games like Celeste, but by scaling down the overall level of challenge, it's a more inviting 2D platformer. It's still pretty tough, and if you're a completionist, you'll have your work cut out for you. Thankfully, the slick level designs make playing through the game a worthwhile venture.
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.
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.
There are a lot of 2D platformers out there, but Fenix Rage still has a lot to offer fans of the genre new and old. Green Lava Studios professed its love for the old school with this one, giving us a game that's so damn tough that it's a sheer delight to play. If you're tenacious and can handle a dose of in-your-face NES (or Genesis) challenge, you should make it a point to play Fenix Rage immediately.
Republique transitions from mobile to console in grand fashion, and it boldly tells a brilliant story that's rife with wonderful gameplay design and quality voice acting.
Abzu is one of those games that comes along and manages to capture you into its world, allowing you to shut out all of the stress and worries of your own life. It successfully allows you to live in its dream-like environment for a few hours and delivers tranquility you may not have even known you needed.
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.
The Greens tell a brave story with That Dragon, Cancer. Joel Green's life may have been short, but it was an important, beautiful life that's now being shared with the world.
There aren't a lot of games out there like Heroland. The writing takes center stage, but the battles are also a lot of fun to witness unfold. You'll get a lot of laughs out of this game, and though it may seem long-winded at first, the writing is so good that you'll soon understand exactly why there's so much of it. This is just a really fun story to watch unfold and be a part of.
Ninjala may very well be Nintendo's next hot online multiplayer game. It's free-to-play and totally worth a look, and the action is so fast-paced and addictive that you'll likely find yourself with a new ongoing game to eat up all your free time.
CrossCode is a love letter to 16-bit RPGs and action-adventure games and features a fun projectile-based combat system. Its lengthy development time was well-spent, and it's clear that time was used to put together an RPG experience that's completely worthwhile. Whether or not you play a lot of RPGs, there's a lot to love here.
It may not top Serious Sam 3, but even then, this latest entry in Croteam's beloved series is still a winner. Serious Sam 4 is fast, loud, insane, and just straight-up cool.