Alana Dunitz
Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is a great mix of ninja-themed titles that gamers may have experienced on the SNES. It has a wide variety of gameplay elements that make every stage feel fresh and new from the others. This challenging game will be a must-play for people who love ninjas and a challenge!
Jitsu Squad is a 2D beat 'em up game full of action and lots of fun animal characters to play as. If you are looking for a four-player game, wait until there is a patch. If you want a fun single-player experience with great music and loads of action, you can't go wrong with Jitsu Squad.
My Fantastic Ranch is a simple game that has you building and maintaining a ranch full of adorable fantasy creatures. It is easy to learn for children and adults, so this relaxing game is worth checking out if you like management titles like this.
Naraka: Bladepoint is a beautiful-looking and sounding game with some neat battle mechanics and fun martial arts action that is challenging to master. Finding opponents in your area may be tricky so being put against players from a different region with a higher ping rate feels unfair.
Tad the Lost Explorer is a nice-looking 3D platformer that sends you around the world to solve puzzles, discover treasures, and prove that you are a great explorer. There are issues with some of the puzzles where completing it doesn't trigger the next event correctly, so you may need to replay sections.
The Knight Witch is a nice-looking game with hand-drawn visuals, charming characters, and an interesting story. The game combines twin-stick shooting, deck building, and Metroidvanias in a unique way I have never played before!
Ship of Fools is an enjoyable and charming co-op game that has players working together to rid The Forgotten Waters of the sea monsters taking it over. It's a little short, with some slower loading times on the Steam Deck using the dock, but it's one of the most fun co-op games I've played in a while!
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is a beautiful-looking and sounding game with fun team-combat, even for players who are new to the universe. There are some issues with loading times and connectivity that are sure to be patched in the future.
Sonic Frontiers is a unique addition to the franchise that is really different compared to any of the Sonic titles before it. The game looks and sounds great, but has a couple areas that felt a little rough like the combat and controls in the Cyber Space challenges.
Tanuki Sunset is a vibrant, arcade-style longboarding game that has you playing as an extreme raccoon with a love of speed. It's a simple game that takes practise to master, but sure to get your heart pounding as you fly down winding roads!
Bravery and Greed is a retro-looking roguelite title with great solo and multiplayer modes to check out with friends. Each run will be different, with different choices that will totally alter the focus of your run; this game is challenging but very rewarding!
Robo Legend is an RPG mixed with a twin-stick shooter that has you choosing if you want to be the hero of the story or the villain. With multiple endings, it's nice to see a game where your choices make a difference!
Video Game Fables Nightmare Arena DLC is a fun addition to the base game, especially the inclusion of stickers. If you don't enjoy the turn-based battle system of the original game, this DLC will not interest you.
Ghost Song is the perfect mix of Metroid and Hollow Knight, creating a gorgeous-looking game full of exploration, a great story, and a creepy atmosphere. If you like Metroidvania-style games, make sure you check out this title!
In Retrospect is a short and challenging endless runner that makes you think about your life and the things that are important to you. It's a bit tricky to collect only the tokens you want to focus on, so it may take multiple playthroughs to get the desired result.
Trifox is an interesting mix of a 3D platformer and twin-stick shooters with a unique skill tree system that allows you to make your own loadouts. The pacing felt slow, and there isn't much of a story here.
Terror of Hemasaurus is a beautiful and entertaining game with tons of satisfying destruction and chaos. It also tries to teach a very important message about climate change and how the human race has to act before it is too late.
Paper Nebula is a fun roguelike shoot 'em-up game that is incredibly challenging at first until you start unlocking upgrades for your paper aeroplane making it easier to take down the enemy craft. It's pretty short, but it's a fun few hours.
Prodeus is the reincarnation of classic FPS games from the '90s. There isn't much of a story here, but let's be honest, if you are playing this game, it's for the blood and mayhem!
One Dreamer is an excellent story of a game developer and the struggles he has to face to get his game completed. If you aren't a fan of coding or narrative adventures, this may not be a title for you.