Slay the Princess is a must-play for fans of branching narratives. Choices have consequences, and how much horror you encounter falls to you. Along the way, enjoy the macabre visuals and audio. While the game can't put a bow on every decision, replaying for extra routes proves a royal pleasure. Turn down the lights, cozy up with a nice cup of tea (may I suggest blood orange?), and decide whether or not to commit regicide.
Layers of Fear serves as a kind of director's cut for the horror series. With lavish visuals, new content, and a new framing device, it proves the definite way to experience the series. Those who've already played the games won't find much they haven't seen before, but The Final Note chapter adds a fun, spooky new layer.
Meet Your Maker antes up the adventure of pulling off a heist and the artistry of building an impenetrable base. Some players may get put off by the paltry upgrades, but those who crave other kinds of variety will marvel at the many heists to pull off and bases to design right at their fingertips.
With an engaging story about urban legends bolstered by a branching storyline, Paranormasight hovers over other visual novels with its many interactive elements. It suffers from the curses of certain puzzles that prove arbitrary and a story that gets spread too thin. But the captivating characters and central mystery keep the tale of this mystery-adventure title as one legend worth spreading.
Mysteriousness proves tricky to sustain, but Dredge reels it in and mostly keeps it aboard through its run. Bolstered by beautiful music and visuals, the game features engaging episodic quests that promote exploration. With addicting fishing mechanics and the promise of something new on the horizon, the game sails full steam ahead with fish to catch and secrets to uncover. Dredge may have some dings in its hull, but this boat is more than seaworthy.
Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed serves up short, sharp shocks of supernatural asymmetrical play. It may prove a bit too simplistic for some, but the game will likely hand out more of a treat and less of a trick for longtime Ghostbusters fans.
SpiderHeck can absolutely bring out the competitive spirit in people. But its natural charm lies in providing laughs when the chaos lets loose and somebody swings right into a laser sword or accidentally blows up a chunk of the map. It would benefit from a bit more variety in game modes and content, but as it stands it offers a fun and unique spin on the couch brawler genre.
Inscryption is a Frankenstein creation like one of its gruesome hybrid cards. It takes a bunch of different pieces, sows them all together, and creates a game that's a bit wonky in some places but otherwise inventive and unique.
Fobia – St. Dinfna Hotel offers an embarrassment of riches for horror game fans, but throwing all of the best scary game mechanics into one title and hoping they make for a great game doesn't quite pan out. Still, this hotel should satisfy those players looking for some old-school scares, even if others may want to consider spending the night elsewhere.
The Quarry may have a fairly predictable plot, but the horror tale gets help up by its all-star cast of veteran actors and up-and-coming performers. They help imbue decisions with both a sense of meaning and weight, so that making a choice provides all the front-seat fun of your favorite horror flick. The game rewards clever reasoning and gathering information for satisfying gameplay, which is only occasionally hindered by bugs and a rushed final act.