Though it could use more guidance overall and its inclusion of a mascot-like monster feels out of place, Subliminal is an overall good horror title, with clever puzzles, a fun theme and setting, and an interesting inferred story. I look forward to seeing what comes in chapter two, with hopes that further context improves upon some issues in the first chapter.
Damon and Baby is a fun, unique, and criminally underappreciated new title. While the game could improve in some areas and the mechanics are a bit simple, the game shines for its excellent characters and is a solid, fun experience. Damon and Baby certainly deserves more attention than it is getting, and will likely to be remembered as a cult favorite.
SAMSON is an exciting and unique take on its genre, standing out from Grand Theft Auto or Saints Row and delivering a gritty experience inspired by crime-action dramas. While fun to play, some systems could have been handled better, small bugs and performance issues are present, and I found myself wanting more story baked into the side-mission content, where small dialogue or contextual additions or extra environmental storytelling could have gone a long way. However, at the incredibly generous asking price, SAMSON overdelivers, providing a Triple-A experience for a fraction of the cost.
ALL WILL FALL is Waterworld meets Frostpunk, delivering a toned-down but still engaging post-apocalyptic survival experience in a flooded wasteland, with some brain-teasing physics challenges thrown on top. City building fans who like a bit of a challenge are sure to love this title, especially with its unique setting and incredible mod support.
Cooking Simulator 2: Better Together has intricate cooking and recipe creation mechanics, and its campaign mode will likely appeal to those who want a nice, involved restaurant simulation from the perspective of the chef. However, it differs drastically from the first game and is full of bugs, odd design choices, and an overall unfinished feel that might keep returning fans away and make it harder for new fans to immerse themselves.
Hozy provides players with a short, relaxing, and expressive home renovation experience, giving you a cozy way to unwind at the end of a stressful day. If you love decorating and home renovation and want a compact take on the experience, Hozy is just the game for you.
Though I personally found the combat slow, punishing for the wrong reasons, and the customization a bit shallower than I would have liked, I can certainly see the appeal in Xenonauts 2, particularly for those wanting a tactically demanding, strategy-heavy game reminiscent of classic XCOM with some great lore.
While the pacing can be a bit slow early, the mechanics feel somewhat uninspired, and the lack of direction can hinder you at times, Project Songbird still manages to be a great horror game, one with incredible artistic merit and deep symbolism. Come for a story worth experiencing, and leave with a lasting memory.
Built upon the iconic and highly stylish tradition of racing anime, Screamer delivers high-octane, arcade-style racing with intuitive controls and an incredibly dramatic, colorfully cast story about a super-illegal, high-stakes super-race. Undoubtedly, my new favorite racing game of all time, I do not doubt that Screamer, like a shooting star, will fly out past the competition at high speeds and leave a long-lasting memory in the process
Collector’s Cove combines an interesting, if somewhat underdeveloped, exploration mechanic with a clever take on farming, fishing, and collection, creating a uniquely satisfying take on some of our favorite genre gameplay loops. Its special approach is sure to hook even the most veteran of farming sim players, especially those who like to focus on collecting and filling compendiums.
Timberborn is a colony simulator with a fantastic core identity and some genuinely unique systems driving it, particularly when it comes to water management. While I personally found that the challenge, urgency, and sense of direction began to fade as I became more familiar with the mechanics, there is still a lot here to enjoy for players who like slower-paced, methodical colony builders, or those who really want to build a series of intricately designed beaver dams.
Best enjoyed with friends, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando has some solid, if not amazing or transformative gunplay, paired with some fun class abilities and a more open-world approach to the genre’s typical level design. The narrative can be gripping, making for an engaging first playthrough, but there isn’t too much to come back for after that.
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection uses the incredible storytelling potential of the Monster Hunter universe to tell a unique, excitingly dark, and political narrative with great animation and gorgeous music. Its turn-based combat is excitingly cinematic, and if you can handle awkward flying mechanics and general JRPG pacing, you should definitely enjoy what this game has to offer.
Docked might not be what many fans of the genre were expecting it to be, as it presents more of a series of short construction-themed levels rather than a fully open and immersive job site simulation. However, its management mechanics are interesting, and the heavy equipment is still intricately designed, making for a fun game, even if it’s not the one you necessarily wanted it to be.
Though the pacing can feel like it is padding for time, and its smaller fights can be a little repetitive, Homura Hime really picks up in its exciting boss fights, serving as a parry-heavy hack-and-slash game with cinematic moments and bullet-hell elements that challenge your mastery of the mechanics. Though a bit short, Homura Hime is well worth its asking price and should especially appeal to fans of its anime aesthetic and score-chasing design.
While certain elements of the game challenge the traditional playstyle of city builder games, Laysara: Summit Kingdom stands out for its unique theme, challenge, and mechanics. A very different kind of city builder, and one that ventures into a territory never before seen in the genre.
While it could do a better job of explaining some of its mechanics, could be a little more complex in its combo-crafting, and doesn’t have the best keyboard controls, Scott Pilgrim EX is still an excellent beat-’em-up game set in the iconic comic book universe. Best enjoyed with friends, this game can still be played and appreciated solo, especially for die-hard fans of Scott Pilgrim.
Built on the foundation of a PlayStation 2-era classic, the work done on Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered is simply not as impressive as it was when we saw it in the remaster of 1999’s Soul Reaver. Even so, Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered is far from a terrible remaster of the original and is definitely the most modern way to experience the game until a full remake comes along.
Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse expertly combines Metroidvania gameplay with a roguelike loop, and presents it all with gorgeous art and beautiful music. While the game can bottleneck your runs by forcing you to return to the hub earlier than you might want to, it still features a fun progression system, solid combat, and good platforming mechanics.
Resident Evil Requiem has everything fans have come to love from the series, combining two very different styles of game into one experience to enjoy. The story is rich, the characters are excellent, and the scares are outstanding, making for what is now likely this Resident Evil devotee’s favorite game in the franchise.