The lackluster lineup of titles in Tetris Forever only adds salt to the wound of having to follow up one of this year's best titles, but the greatness of the story and Tetris itself still comes through.
More of a sidegrade than an upgrade to its predecessor, the inherent appeal of Shin-chan, Japanese countrysides and summertime lollygagging come through enough to keep me captivated by the series.
Consistently and positively urprising with its level of quality and innovative ways of using the property, The Smurfs – Dreams is an unexpected treat for all platformer enthusiasts.
Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland is a surprisingly stellar release thanks to its great theming, tight levels and just the right amount of friction in the controls. One of my favorite experiences this year.
A remake of an overlooked NES action side-scroller, Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn wants its players to focus on its least exciting exploration elements instead of mastering its levels naturally
BAKERU is a slow-paced education-action-exploration mishmash that does not quite reached the heights I wanted it to, but its lively levels are a breath of fresh air I would love to see more of.
A tiny piece of top-down Zelda meant to be mastered, Castaway is not perfect, but possesses all the tools to awaken the casual perfectionist in any player.
With a varied selection of movement systems between each character, rich audiovisuals and deceptively impressive levels, Fallen Leaf excels at combining the many ideas of NES classics.
A messy release, and not just due to the blood. The bugs and combat issues drag down an otherwise stellar debut title. Hopefully only the beginning for a studio that understands what makes video games fun.
Shadow of the Erdtree recreates the exact feelings that made me fall in love with the FromSoft formula, but is this success built on the breathing corpse of the studio's identity worth the price?
Though it controls well and has some unique qualities among modern racers, NeoSprint's lack of charisma will make its multiplayer and track creating tools difficult to shine in the long run.
I love the idea behind Rakugaki, but when I finish the game with less than a 40% completion and have zero will to play any more, well, that is possibly the worst feeling a platformer can give.
Mullet MadJack excites not just as an excellent shooter with its insanely intense and surprisingly vast array of moment-to-moment possibilities, but also as a sign of the maximalist, short-form future.
Not flawless, but nevertheless a masterpiece. Dread Delusion is a best hits compilation of all that 2000s RPGs had to offer and then some, creating one of the best video game worlds of this decade.
Whether or not Lullaby of Life resonates with the player is entirely based on whether they can still find wonder in the basics: the sounds of insignificant interactables and abstract shapes.
A truly fresh 3D platformer that is not afraid of going against the grain, be that with unconventional controls or referential humor, Yellow Taxi Goes Vroom is a game I will be thinking about a lot.
The lack of impact ultimately prevents Planetiles from reaching its full potential, but does not prevent it from being enjoyable for a few hours. It just loses its luster sooner than I hoped.
The Gold Master Series by Digital Eclipse is one of the best things to ever happen to video games, and when all is said and done, Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story may just be its magnum opus.
With elements that clash against each other constantly, Berserk Boy is the sort of experience that seems to never truly find its footing before the player puts the controller down for good.
Pacific Drive will end up as a highlight of 2024 for anyone seeking a fresh experience. Unfortunately, some quirks and genre trappings make it a little less wondrous than the Zone itself.