Nairon Santos de Morais
Laika: Aged Through Blood is a rather unique metroidvania experience that scores with very satisfying motorbike traversal, and a melancholic atmosphere that's supported by one of the best soundtracks of the year.
World of Horror is an incredible horror RPG that functions as a love letter to Junji Ito and H.P. Lovecraft worthy of their names.
Cocoon is another triumph by Jeppe Carlsen, with simple but effective puzzle design in beautifully realized worlds to explore.
Dordogne is an intimate adventure that reminds us how important the small moments in life can be.
DREDGE is a great fishing adventure game, with Lovecraftian horror influences. It's admittedly simple, but it absolutely works, and fortunately it ends before it could ever run out of steam.
Birth is a short, quaint, but most importantly effective, exploration of the loneliness and isolation one might encounter living in the big city.
Signalis harkens back to the classic survival horror experience, and it does so beautifully. With its stunning presentation, unique story, and an atmosphere that you draws you in from the get to. It manages to carve out its own little space in the canon of the survival horror genre, that can keep up with the classics.
To put it in terms as simple as the game itself, Balatro is the best deckbuilding roguelike I've played. And I've played as many as there are cards in a deck (almost).
I will play Granblue Fantasy: Relink for many more hours to come. It perfectly scratches that itch of slaying giant beasts to upgrade one of many individual characters to then slay even bigger beasts in this beautifully illustrated steampunk fantasy world.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is one of the very best metroidvanias of modern times that revives a fan-favorite franchise with a new coat of paint. Let's hope this means there's a bright future awaiting.
Phantom Liberty is a strong expansion to the base game, and a reminder that, despite the rough start, the Cyberpunk 2077 universe is one I'd love to see further expanded in the future.
El Paso, Elsewhere feels good to play and is beautiful to look at. But even more than that, it's simply an outstanding piece of southern gothic fiction, with a quality of writing that blew me away.
Planet of Lana is an exciting adventure with well built puzzles, breathtaking set pieces, a stunning art style, and a score that underlines it all perfectly.
Bramble: The Mountain King is a dark fairy tale done right. It pulls you in with all the whimsy and charm of an enchanted forest, before it disturbs you with the horrors of a wronged soul.
Scorn is gross and disgusting in all the best ways. It's a remarkably unique experience that will alienate many, but will undoubtedly find an audience of people that cherish every part of it. How big that audience is remains to be seen.
Children of the Sun shoots you in the face with a style that is undeniable and makes this story of anger, violence, and revenge more beautiful than you could possibly imagine.
Pepper Grinder is simply one of the greatest 2D platformers I've ever played, thanks to movement that is absolute perfection and endless creativity that allows for constant reinvention in every single new level you enter.