The Hundred Line – Last Defense Academy is interesting; it does a surprisingly good job of meshing together the visual novel and strategy game elements in a satisfying way, but it just falls so incredibly short on the pacing that it makes it hard to properly enjoy these elements. There are some very cool developments in here, but it just takes so long to get to them that it almost feels like they are never coming. I have my complaints with it, certainly, but there is some truly great design in there, and I wish it got a chance to shine. For what it's worth, Kodaka-san, I hope you don't go bankrupt and quit making games forever.
Cabernet is a game with a lot of heart. It puts so much work into establishing the eastern-European setting, the vampire lore and all of its wonderful characters, which all have impressive voice acting that makes the story more emotional throughout. While the game does certainly lack a little polish in spots, it's a highly engaging story that's more than worth sinking your teeth into.
Overall, there is little that Sugardew Island does to make itself stand out. The initial premise is interesting and the art style quite cute, but it fails to create a real identity for itself and the gameplay, while perfectly serviceable, just isn't interesting.
Dawnfolk is a brilliant simplification of the city-building genre with satisfying, short scenarios to play through without skimping on difficulty. Even in easy mode, it does start getting tough towards the end and there are both hard and impossible modes on offer for those who want a little more spice. It's supremely engaging visually and controls really well with an easily readable and comprehensible style. There are hours of fun to find in the darkness, so long as you are ready to illuminate it.
30 Birds is a rich experience with a gorgeous world to explore that takes full advantage of the marriage of both 2D and 3D. The puzzles are engaging and there is plenty of variety to be found across the lanterns and amongst its colourful cast of characters. The story ends a little more abruptly than I would have liked, but it does end with the implication that Zig and the bird goddess are romantically interested in each other, which rules. There's a lot to love with 30 Birds so it's a shame that it still has a couple of bugs here and there and that the outstanding soundtrack just disappears sometimes. They are very minor issues though and ones that I'm certain will be patched very soon. I had a great time exploring the lanterns within 30 Birds and I'm sure you will too.
Farmagia is a very interesting concept with a lot of good ideas, great voice acting and an elaborate story. There is a lot to like, especially if you are a fan of tropey anime romps, but it has its fingers in too many pies, ending up feeling unfocused and not as polished as it could have been. There is definitely a very interesting game in Farmagia with lots of moving parts and a story that clearly had lots of effort put in, but it falls short in a few areas with disconnected farming mechanics and framerate issues. This is a shame because there is a lot of heart to be found within. Any big anime fans are likely to have a good time with the story and voice acting, but outside of that, there isn't much to grab players.
Despite some small grievances, I do think that Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars Reforged is the best way to play the game. It makes plenty of quality-of-life improvements to the gameplay and even adds a story mode for those daunted by old-fashioned point-and-clicks. The visual nit-picks I have aren't enough to ruin the experience, and the moments that have been fully updated are beautifully animated and full of character. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go figure out what to do with this dirty tissue I found in the sewer.
Overall Elrentaros Wanderings doesn't have much to offer. There are a lot of different elements on display but none of them mesh together in a way that is satisfying and the game itself just comes across as an under-designed mess. Despite some cute character designs, the aesthetic of the game just isn't pleasing to the eye and on the whole, it leaves a lot to be desired.
Vampire Therapist is an incredibly fun play; all the characters are vibrant and interesting, the voice acting is outstanding the entire way through and yeah, vampires are hot. Everyone in this game is hot. There was clearly a lot of love and effort put into the therapy aspect of the game, too. Finding a way to add legitimate therapy techniques without making it feel unapproachable must have been hard, but it's definitely paid off.
Overall, Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling ends up being rather unfocused, with both its difficult-to-read UI and the character routes that struggle to find purpose now that the leads are already in committed relationships. It does have its positive moments, with the main character Lynette being one of them, but in the end, it's messy enough that it can be hard to find something to latch onto.
There's a lot to like in Echoes of the Plum Grove, the art style alone sets it apart from other games in the genre, the farming works very well and the focus on survival elements and lineage is interesting, it's just a shame that these two parts of the game don't feed into each other quite right yet. However, if you are just looking for a farming sim with a little bit more spice, Echoes of the Plum Grove might be just what you need, I'll just be waiting for something even spicier.
Exploring Botany Manor is a great experience as everything feels beautifully interconnected and the puzzles are fun and engaging to tackle the whole way through. It makes up for its lack of difficulty with charm in spades and an interesting personal story happening behind the scenes if you know where to look. Putting together the Herbarium is a lot of fun, allowing you to grow some plants you'll never be able to kill.
Open Roads is a very well-executed story about the relationship between a grieving mother and daughter. Both characters are incredibly likable and there is so much chemistry between the voice actors that it's easy to relate to and care about both of them. While it's a short experience and one that could benefit from further expansion and animation, Open Roads still has a lot to offer. It's just a shame it finishes a little earlier than expected because the narrative is strong enough to carry beyond its credits.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is an incredibly pleasant surprise. Brilliant gameplay and gorgeous visuals make it utterly addictive to play, and in my time with it, I never wanted to put it down. The only fault the experience really has is the story, and while it is perfectly serviceable, it's never sufficiently engaging, even if the gameplay itself is enough to keep you going. If you are looking for a new Metroidvania to sink your teeth into, this is one I can highly recommend, and a strong return to form for the previously long-resting franchise.
Fashion Dreamer is a game that tries to do too much at once and fails to focus on making the game satisfying in the first place. With all the different forms of currency, different ways to get free clothes, gacha games and bingo games, it is completely unfocused and doesn't put enough effort into the important stuff: the fashion and a tangible sense of growth as you become more and more popular. There are plenty of older and much better fashion games out there, so Fashion Dreamer really shouldn't be at the top of your list.
The Lords of the Rings: Return to Moria has some very solid ideas. A game set in the Fourth Age is incredibly interesting and exciting. This is why it's such a shame that Return to Moria is not a success. There is a lot of heart in it, sure, but the core gameplay loop just isn't engaging enough to make the game worth buying over other survival titles, even if you are a big LOTR fan.
Fae Farm adds a lot of great quality-of-life improvements to the farming sim genre and makes magic with its soft and comfy art style. It's unfortunate that it falls short in a few important areas such as the interactions you can have with NPCs, because the rest of the game is incredibly solid. It does also take a long time to get going, and those first days in the game will feel a bit like a slog, but once you start uncovering the more fantastical side of the island there is a lot of amazing stuff to discover. If you are looking for a new farming sim to try, especially one with magical elements, Fae Farm might just scratch that itch.
Viewfinder is an incredibly interesting game with a mechanic that is very easy to pick up and highly enjoyable throughout the entire runtime. If you are looking for something truly difficult, you aren't likely to find that here, but if you are interested in a short and comfy puzzle game, then Viewfinder will surely deliver.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a buggy mess, even disregarding the constant crashes. Not only that, but it is a game void of any personality, originality, or bravery. It attempts nothing new and falls back on tropes that started falling out of style years ago, while somehow still managing to replicate them poorly. It disappoints me not just as a fan of the Lord of the Rings, but also as a fan of video games in general.
Strayed Lights definitely ended up surprising me, with an entertaining gameplay loop that finds the perfect sweet spot between "too easy" and "nail-bitingly hard". Surely a Souls-like veteran might find it a little basic, but if you find yourself struggling with other games in the genre, Strayed Lights could be a great entry point. The art is also gorgeous with vibrant colours and lively animations, so there is plenty to look forward to with each new area and even though the story isn't super deep, it's still easy to get invested and want to meet more characters and help them on their journeys. If you are looking for an action-adventure game that provides a light, yet satisfying challenge, Strayed Lights might be perfect for you.