While Bright Memory: Infinite is the best-looking game I’ve played all year, it’s not the best executed one; but as a product of a one-person team, it is an impressive feat.
While Conway: Disappearance at Dahlia View doesn’t offer that tough of a case to crack, it does deliver an original atmospheric narrative-driven mystery game.
Devoid of the stress and grind that has become staples of most modern games, Sable reimagines what a fun, open world game can be and delivers with an original take.
As Ember Lab’s debut title, Kena: Bridge of Spirits delivers a visually-striking experience and decent enough gameplay that warrants a closer look at what the developers come up with next.
Deathloop makes re-runs fun like never before.
Eastward is an incredibly charming indie gem that’s well worth sinking hours into exploring its detailed post-apocalyptic world and unfolding its intriguing and heartwarming plot.
Raz makes a triumphant return in Psychonauts 2 which delivers a great time in trippy minds.
Foreclosed is a reminder of the adage to not judge a book by its cover as despite its singular, eye-catching comic-book-meets-cyberpunk aesthetic and some promising mechanics, the execution is a botched one.
Svoboda 1945: Liberation is more of an interactive, gamified history lesson than a traditional video game but it is executed in an interesting and original way that prove to be an important way to entice people to learn more about history.
Brilliantly merging RPG mechanics in a compelling, immersive audio-based experience, The Vale: Shadow Of The Crown is easily the most original, innovative and unique game I’ve played in 2021 so far.
DigixArt’s Road 96 is an impressive indie effort to deliver an interesting narrative-driven title with an original branching plot mechanic.
The Ascent strikes the right cyberpunk and action-shooter chords to make a strong impression as Neon Giant's debut title.
YUKI blends bullet hell and roguelike genres with a gameplay mechanic that requires spatial awareness in VR to make for a unique and original experience.
With its gorgeous aesthetic and intriguing plot, Backbone has a lot going for it but suffers from pacing and execution issues.
Valeting might not sound very interesting of a premise for a game but Toyful Games subverts expectations with a fun couch co-op title that can be easily picked up and played in short bouts that inevitably turn valeting into parking chaos.
As an all-in-one package with quality of life improvements, Mass Effect Legendary Edition gives ample reasons to (re)embark the Normandy as Commander Shepard for memorable intergalactic missions, but still leaves wanting on certain fronts for a truly legendary experience.
Outriders delivers fun, varied and fast-paced combats in a pseudo-Earth that merges intriguing sci-fi and fantasy elements; provided that you have a stable internet connection to boot and don't mind overlooking some of the game's bland elements.
It Takes Two is a brilliant co-op game that keeps throwing fresh, fun and inventive mechanics throughout its duration that make for one of the most memorable gaming experiences in recent years.
Narita Boy is a commendable effort for Studio Koba's first title with its gorgeous presentation and a gameplay that's kept fresh, although some aspects could evidently have been improved upon.
With Star Wars: Squadrons, donning the helmet of a starfighter pilot in the Star Wars universe has never felt any better nor more immersive.