Dead Island 2 is a huge return for the series. Fans of the first game will find much more to enjoy than just their nostalgia in this new title, and I can see a whole new generation of gamers falling in love with zombie-chopping in Hell-A.
Despite the rough state of balancing, Wildfrost is a game with a lot of love put into it, and rests on a solid foundation. With a little bit of TLC, I could easily see this game being an 8 or 9 out of 10, and I encourage players to keep an eye on the patch notes.
Plantera 2: Golden Acorn is a delightful little idle game with plenty to keep your mind busy when you need to kill a few minutes or want something in the background when you study or work. A charming art style and plenty of upgrades to spend your coins on, you’re sure to get plenty out of this little game before moving on to something else.
Library of Babel is full of beautiful art, excellent worldbuilding, and a story worth telling. Unfortunately, poorly designed platforming and boring stealth segments make up the majority of the gameplay, putting a damper on an experience that was clearly a labor of love.
Oxygen offers an interesting twist on many City-Builder staples, especially when it comes to the setting. Unfortunately, the originality is not enough for the game to stand on its own, and I have trouble recommending it when titles like Frostpunk and Terra Nil exist.
Hunt the Night is a beautiful game with simple yet engaging gameplay that fans of 16-bit action games like Castlevania will enjoy. Although the story is poorly presented at times, it is still interesting, and the world around you is crafted well enough to suck you in even if you have no idea what’s going on. With its stunning visuals, challenging difficulty, and love for classic action games, Hunt the Night is definitely worth a playthrough.
Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories is a delightfully presented game with a short story that manages to be insightful without deviating from its cute aesthetic. While I personally feel the price of the game does not justify the length and unambitious gameplay, I can see others enjoying Bittersweet Memories if they don’t mind the cost of entry.
Curse of the Sea Rats is a game that fails to justify itself. For all the work that went into the beautiful art and the concept of mouse pirates, the game would very likely have been better off as a visual novel instead of an action-platformer with unambitious gameplay.
Wall World is a charming Roguelike with a unique setting and an interesting amalgamation of mechanics. Surprisingly, the game can be incredibly relaxing, while balancing the tension of constant monster attacks in a hostile, but beautiful, environment.
“Infinite Guitars” is full of ambition but fails to deliver on many of the things it tries to. For players subscribed to Xbox Game Pass, it might be worth checking out “Infinite Guitars” just for the rhythm segments, but beyond that, I can’t see myself recommending the game.
Everspace 2 is a great starfighter game that does plenty of things right and nothing wrong. Fans of the genre will find a new home in this title, and those who disliked the roguelike features in the original Everspace will certainly have a better time in the sequel.
Fractured Sanity is a game that was built on interesting bones, but just needed more time to be fleshed out properly. Maybe with six more months and another couple of people working on it, Fractured Sanity could have been the VR horror game of the year. However, it didn’t get these things, and it isn’t.
Gripper is a fun, engaging, gritty little game that’ll have you wishing you could Akira slide in real life. While the game will come and go fast, you’ll appreciate the experience for what it is, and it certainly won’t overstay its welcome.
Have a Nice Death is one of my new favorites. Between its engaging gameplay, fun characters, and fantastic art design, HaND is sure to go down as one of the best roguelikes I’ve ever played, and a game I’ll be talking about for a long time.
On the surface, Ravenbound’s simple combat and dour setting might make the game look at bit bland, but what it offers is anything but. In a sea of Roguelikes, Ravenbound remains fresh and engaging and offers a unique experience that fans of the genre would be sore to miss.
Terra Nil is a relaxing experience that engages the mind as much as it helps you to turn it off. Free Lives have gone out of its way to make the planet a little greener by using this game to spread the message of conservation, and with the generous donations to charity that came with it.
Rakuen: Deluxe edition is a great port of a fantastic indie game. Fans who love a great story and want to experience Rakuen’s gorgeous soundtrack and art design now have a new platform to do it on, and I’m looking forward to more games from Morizora Studios.
Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game is, in a word, disappointing. The gameplay is solid, even if it is simple, but feels held back by the technology. The game fails to take advantage of the VR presentation and overall feels more like a mobile game than an immersive VR experience.
I was excited for Resident Evil 4, and I’m happy to say the game lived up to the hype. RE4 offers a truly terrifying environment, tense gameplay, and an engaging story filled with great characters, and serves as a fantastic experience for fans both new and old.
For what it is, Deck ‘Em! is a solid little game that you can’t ask a whole lot more from. While some sense of progression or something to spend your in-game money on would be nice, the game exists as a fun little time killer and is sure to appeal to plenty of players.