Sovereign Syndicate uses a super unique setting and phenomenal writing to tell a multi-faceted story with dark themes and deep introspection on human nature, despite two of the protagonists being a Minotaur and a Dwarf.
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realm of Ruin has great ideas. It simply fumbles in the execution. While free from any bugs (at least in my time with the game) or major unforgivable flaws, it simply fails to hold your attention, offering the idea of cool mechanics without ever really delivering.
Trinity Fusion cleverly combines roguelike gameplay and a solid understanding of Metroidvania mechanics with unique ideas and some unmistakable originality. This action-packed platformer should appeal to fans of multiple genres with its strong gameplay and beautiful visuals.
Though the pace is sometimes interrupted, Bahnsen Knights certainly captivates with its striking pixel art and captivating story, weaving a narrative where loneliness, tornados, and fast cars come together in unexpected ways. Bahnsen Knights beckons, promising a unique blend of interactive storytelling, pulse-pounding minigames, and an atmospheric experience that transcends the boundaries of traditional gaming narratives.
House Flipper 2 successfully captured the exciting prospect of fixing and selling old homes. With a huge variety of mechanics and a wealth of player freedom, this game stands way above its predecessor and is probably one of the best simulator games on the market.
Blood West is a spine-chilling, grim, and bloody take on the American West, with stealth-focussed combat and non-linear gameplay that shines through the muck of spilled blood and zombie guts. Monsters, curses, and death await you in this brutal quest to save the bleak frontier.
Last Train Home is a heartwarming and deeply engrossing story of hardship and survival combined with a fun and challenging resource management game with a shocking amount of depth. While I wasn’t a fan of the real-time strategy segments, I would definitely recommend this game for everything else it has to offer.
Persona 5 Tactica features all of the great styles and characters that fans of the Persona franchise have come to love, and even adds a few new ones. The new look works surprisingly well for the series, but returning fans might be disappointed with the underwhelming gameplay and the lack of the franchise’s famous social features and deep storytelling.
Invincible Presents: Atom Eve is not without its hiccups, but overall is a fun and interesting story full of beloved characters. Fans of Invincible are in for a totally new and heartwarming story told from the perspective of the show’s most interesting character.
Remnant II: The Awakened King brings a fae-touched and spooky new story and zone to a game packed with content. Though I personally found the experience almost frustratingly hard, more skilled players are likely to breeze through and enjoy what is undoubtedly the best new zone and archetype in the game.
KarmaZoo is a game that requires friendliness, cooperation, and altruism to progress. While you won’t find that in every player you match up with in this online-only experience, getting the right team in KarmaZoo can be a fun, rewarding, and silly experience. While I can’t speak for my online teammates, I found the game very zen and an utterly frustration-free experience.
While some awkward controls and stiff animations keep this game from perfection, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is most definitely a title worth checking out. Fighting game fans and nostalgic Nickelodeon heads both have plenty to get out of this title, which makes great improvements over its successor. Plus any game with El Tigre in it is a good game in my book.
Though rich in unit and character variety and full of phenomenal art, Iron Marine Invasion doesn’t deliver so well on the gameplay aspect. While certainly not the worst RTS on the market, the game could use a few improvements and expansions on its combat before I would consider it living up to its full potential.
The Talos Principle 2 asks deep philosophical questions and gives you time to ponder them as you solve a plethora of complex puzzles at your own pace. It is a game about relaxing and exploring, and while it can feel a bit like climbing a mountain, there’s no timer telling you how quickly you need to reach the top. An enjoyable experience from start to finish, no matter how long it takes you to get there.
Though it’s less of a game and more of an interactive novel, The Invincible is worth checking out for any fan of sci-fi or cosmic horror. This dreary adventure into the unknown makes fantastic use of suspense, mystery, and the out-of-this-world concepts of its source material to make for a truly unique Cosmonautian adventure into the unknown.
Campy and overbearing with callbacks and references, RoboCop: Rogue City can make even the most die-hard fan of the series roll their eyes a few times. Despite that and a criminally uninteresting villain, the game presents a truly unique take on the FPS shooter and is faithful (sometimes to a fault) to its source material. You will truly feel like RoboCop in this game.
You Will Die Here Tonight is one of the most unique horror games I’ve played. While being a satirical love letter to a favorite franchise of mine, the game does not sacrifice an intensely scary atmosphere or undeniable originality in its mechanics and writing. This is a must-have Halloween release that is sure to surprise and hook you like it did me.
Layka taught me that a song never dies; similarly, Song of Nunu is a game that will undoubtedly live on in the memories of those who play it. Fans of League’s lore are in for an epic continuation of several beloved champion’s stories, and a heartwarming adventure awaits fans and newcomers alike. Song of Nunu is without a doubt worth your time, with interesting puzzles, great characters and a fantastic pace that keeps the game rolling.
Dark Envoy has interesting gameplay mechanics locked behind some of the worst presentations I’ve seen in a while. It felt like the team behind the game was missing a few core pieces to make something special; With some better writers, animators, and artists, this game could have been a new favorite. As it stands, however, it’s an okay game with a lot of hiccups you have to look past to enjoy it.
There isn’t a single thing I don’t like about Slay the Princess. The presentation is beautiful, the story is fantastic and moving, the voice acting of amazing characters is done phenomenally well, and the branching paths of the story give you what feels like unlimited possibilities. If you’ve got the time, take a trip down to a cabin and see if you can slay the princess — or see if you can save her and discover the secrets of this strange place.