The Creepy Syndrome is an ambitious little game, plagued by amateurish writing and cheap jump scares that at best won’t satisfy horror fans and at worse will annoy them. Half of the game’s anthology of stories is held back by the other, and the two decent stories aren’t strong enough to make up for the weaker ones.
Smile For Me is a truly unique experience of a game. It presents players with a dark story hidden behind a surrealist world and absurdist humor. With character met and puzzle completed, you’ll find yourself a little deeper down the rabbit hole in this one-of-a-kind game.
Roots of Pacha is a game that innovates on the farming sim design, offering familiar gameplay with fresh new mechanics and a unique setting. Fans of the genre or those looking to get into it should definitely give Roots of Pacha a try.
Bramble: The Mountain King is one of the best story games I’ve played in a while. If the uniquely tragic subject matter is something you can deal with, you’re in for a uniquely heart-wrenching, tension filled horror story you just won’t find anywhere else.
Varney Lake is a great interactive story, presented in a way that’ll appeal to casual readers and tome-spelunkers alike. The story is interesting, the characters are great, and the modest $10 price tag reflects the game’s shorter run time.
Honkai: Star Rail is a gem I didn’t see coming. While the Gacha system might put some players off, the new setting and tone of HoYo’s latest title is bound to appeal to both Genshin fans who are looking for a change of pace, and players like me who couldn’t get into the game’s predecessor.
Afterimage excels in its presentation but suffers from a genre-wide reluctance to innovate on its gameplay. The story can feel a bit alienating but is nevertheless interesting and presents characters you’d be hard-pressed not to love.
Mr. Sun’s Hatbox is a loving parody to games that came before, which stands out with its unique mechanics and absurdist humor. However, I think those who fail to appreciate Hatbox’s comedy would be hard pressed to find a reason to stick to the game for long.
OTXO is a great roguelike that’s built on the solid foundations of the genre while still being willing to deviate from some design tropes to deliver on its theme. I’m hard-pressed to think of something negative to say about the game, and while not everyone is going to love the game’s style, there is a ton to appreciate here.
Gun Jam is a great rhythm game with a fantastic score that could use a little bit more improving on the FPS side of things. Gun-feel needs a bit of polishing, and I’m not in love with the way the game chooses to balance the three characters, but fans of the rhythm genre definitely have plenty to appreciate in this title.
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.