Ship of Fools is not built for single-player gamers, but if you’re interested in a fun, frantic experience that’ll keep you occupied for quite some time, then this is the game for you. Just don’t expect some major narrative or anything like that. So, be like one of the fools and be willing to be fool enough to brave the infested waters!
If you need a game that’s fun, has fast, enjoyable combat, good variety, and replayability, then look no further than Bravery and Greed. It may not be a visceral, narrative-oriented game, but sometimes you just want to do some looting, some slashing, and some boss bashing. And Bravery and Greed has you covered on that front.
Jennifer Wilde: Unlikely Revolutionaries is a great game for those who want some point-and-click adventuring inside a gorgeously realized art style with characters who often speak as if they’ve read too much Shakespeare at times. It also isn’t too long, at about four hours, but for the price tag, it’s quite easy to recommend it.
ASTLIBRA Revision does not revolutionize anything, but it does offer a world and gameplay that will keep you occupied for a lengthy amount of time. Just don’t expect the best dialogue or narrative pacing, such as how the game’s introductory section feels miserably long, even though it’s only about twenty minutes.
Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is not the most stable game. It’s generally fine, but on occasion, the game stutters to the point where it becomes unplayable, and this happened several times while playing it. During those moments, you just need to run away from enemies because you will not be able to fight them when the frame rate drops to single digits, but luckily, it does stabilize soon enough. So, should you play Asterigos: Curse of the Stars? It’s a solid action RPG with a good set of upgrades and combat capabilities that are rather generic, but it should keep you entertained for some time.
If you are interested in a tough soulslike game where you do, very gradually, become stronger, a soulslike where you really don’t want to be hit because you’ll be pummeled within seconds, and that healing ability also makes you weaker! Then Moonscars is a game for you. It’s tough, it’s bleak, but don’t expect it to be nice to you.
Beacon Pines is a game worth recommending to anyone who enjoys narrative games, especially ones that aren’t too long, as this one is about 5-6 hours. Do not expect to be challenged in any real way because this game isn’t about that, but instead explore a town filled with charming anthropomorphic animal characters while relishing in the dramatic irony inherent in altering time and trying out new paths. It's a narrative, time-bending adventure with the cutest little characters ever.
Sunday Gold is a fun, if occasionally frustrating, point-and-click adventure game with a visceral and effective, if simple, turn-based combat system and a working-class narrative about the corporations being the bad guys. It’s not Disco Elysium, but it also wasn’t trying to be. So, go into Sunday Gold for what it is, not what it may seem like on the surface.
Gerda: A Flame in Winter is a great experience that simply isn’t usually told. The game isn’t particularly long, at about 5-6 hours, but it is intended to be played more than once to see the alternate possibilities. It also shows a side of the War that isn’t shown very often because it isn’t glitzy and glamorous. But real civilians lived through World War 2, and their stories should also be told.
Like No Other: The Legend of the Twin Books is a fun little game worth playing if you enjoy these kinds of games. It isn’t amazing, but it offers a charming world, some entertaining voice acting, a few enjoyable puzzles, and a great hand-drawn aesthetic to treat your eyes.
Thymesia is a great game. It takes some getting used to, and the combat can feel a bit clunky at first, but once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll be zipping around the screen dealing damage to every enemy in your way and hoping that you dodged in time to avoid them doing the same to you.
Play The Tarnishing of Juxtia if you don’t have any other soulslike games to play, and it is also recommended that you probably get it on sale if you decide to play it. It is pretty, but it isn’t a unique kind of pretty. It has promise, but unless there are some movement and combat overhauls, the game simply isn’t all that fun to play.
XEL will keep you entertained for a while, but it’s also a little too clumsy at present. It's an underwhelming adventure game that probably needed more time in development.
Endling - Extinction is Forever is not a game for people who deny our destruction of the world. If you think that our pollution and constant expansion is a good thing, then this game may be uncomfortable for you as it doesn’t pull any punches. It's is an experience worth having, and with a length of about four hours, it’s a tight, polished experience that doesn’t have any fluff.
Don’t go into Souldiers if you’re looking for a hardcore challenge, but if you’re looking for something fun to play, with a great world, an extensive array of upgrades, items, and places to visit then this game is for you.
All of this comes together to make Blast Brigade vs. the Evil Legion of Dr. Cread a great little thing to play with a few particular aspects that hold it back and render it irritating. If some of those aspects could have been made slightly less annoying and repetitious, then the game could have been amazing. Still, as it stands, Blast Brigade vs. the Evil Legion of Dr. Cread is a fun game for those who want some Saturday morning cartoon action with a great run-and-gun metroidvania attached that will last them a good 15-18 hours.
Even though SILT is truly beautiful, it is a little too simplistic and finicky. Despite all of this criticism, the visual presentation, moody atmosphere, and interesting, if underutilized, possession mechanic makes SILT quite the experience that can be recommended with some strong caveats attached.
If you can get over those rather specific issues, then Dwerve certainly is a different take on the tower defense genre, and if you like tower defense, you could definitely do a lot worse! And the game should keep you occupied for a good ten or so hours, but replayability may not be there just yet.
If you want to try something different from everything out there, give Apotheorasis: Lab of the Blind Gods a try! Just expect some frustration if you’re used to relying on their eyes.
If you like Heroes of Might and Magic then maybe you’d enjoy Songs of Conquest for its central loop enough that a larger player base can start to form. At least it should tide you over until someone releases another Heroes of Might and Magic. Provided that ever even happens.