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.
This eccentric reexamination of games many consider to be the worst of all time is a resounding success. Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore proves that you can find inspiration in all that brings you joy.
Bandle Tale is the final game under the Riot Forge banner, but thanks to its lovely soundtrack and a unique focus on resource management coziness, the project goes out with a bang
Incredibly stylish, beautifully violent, wonderfully voice-acted, surprisingly emotional and incredibly enjoyable: Slave Zero X is an absolute indie powerhouse.
The Cub is a step sideways for Demagog Studio, with middling platforming stages, forgettable collectibles and underwhelming set pieces lifted up only by the signature Radio Nostalgia.
War Hospital is ineffective when it comes to its story's relationship with death, while also failing to impress with its uneventful, buggy management sim gameplay.
Atlas Wept is poignant in some ways, but hollow in others. Hard to recommend, but not misguided. Mechanically sound, but emotionally confused. Hopefully not the last project from the developer.
A collection of obscure Jurassic Park games that adds a unique bug and is lacking options may not sound very appealing, but it does allow for personal re-examination through an overall successful preservation.