A masterful distillation of classic action-platforming gameplay, doling out tension and elation in equal measure.
A big, beautiful, sprawling action RPG full of rich stories, and suffused with an oppressive darkness.
A brilliant climbing adventure that siphons the rage out of navigation puzzlers like Death Stranding and Baby Steps, resulting in something prickly, but warmly approachable.
A sleep-destroying puzzle metroidvania of baffling depth, Animal Well may go down in history as one of the genre's best.
Both blissful and demanding, Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders is one of the most beautiful skiing games on PC.
Spelunky 2 doesn't advance the original's formula, but there's more stuff to sink your teeth into.
A satisfying, self-contained adventure that plays to the series' strengths, but doesn't add anything novel outside of its storytelling.
A beautiful adventure platformer with a cheerful pixel art veneer, but with very modern themes.
Bigger than it first appears, Avowed is an engrossing and gorgeous action-RPG set in one of the most engaging fantasy worlds going, though it lacks the complex systems of its most beloved contemporaries.
Nine years in the making, Cyanide has expanded Styx's scope in all the right ways without sacrificing its steadfast focus on stealth.
Kalimba is a beautiful, cheerful platformer that finds a neat middle ground between reflex-oriented running and taxing puzzle solving.
Labyrinth of the Demon King offers familiar first-person retro dungeon crawling, but distinguishes itself with its overpowering-almost unbearable-mood of dread.
Few will see the more remote corners of Rain World’s relentlessly dire stretch, but those who do are unlikely to forget the experience.
An engaging, vibrant and challenging platformer that adds narrative to a genre often shy of it.
A satisfying, moreish take on the roguelike formula, and one that's most likely to appeal to genre naysayers.
Gory and moody, The Callisto Protocol doesn't mess with the survival horror formula, instead embracing all its beats and clichés to tell a grim sci-fi tale that drips with menace.
A bizarre, confronting and darkly funny descent into hell, Indika takes a lot of risks and mostly sticks the landing.
Easy going in tone but frantic and stressful by nature, Screencheat seizes on a single novel idea and builds an enjoyable couch shooter around it.
A challenging and atmospheric platformer with a remarkable sense of tension, occasionally let down by finicky controls and unfair fail states.
Reanimal doesn't meaningfully develop Tarsier's approach to gameplay in the Little Nightmares games, but it's a grim sight to behold, and a worthwhile horror adventure.