A fantastic roguelite with fast-paced action, light-hearted humour, and a great cast of characters. Though it may wear on you on a long play session, Wild Bastards has earned its place as Void Bastard's successor.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ISEKAI Chronicles is a fun enough sidescrolling adventure with some city-building elements thrown in, but is let down by a lacklustre execution, repetitive combat, and a relatively high price.
A collection of some of the best metroidvanias in one package, this is a definite recommendation to both fans and newcomers. Though some minor issues hamper it a bit, they are severely outnumbered by the good.
Black Myth: Wukong may look like another soulslike on the surface, but in truth, it is a fantastic action RPG with great boss battles, memorable characters, and my favourite mechanic of the year so far, Transformations. You can be a rock with legs!
Riven is a stunning reimagining of the original title. The visuals are beautiful and the puzzles are as challenging as ever, requiring a lot of thought, focus, and attempts. Definitely not for everyone, but an experience I don't regret!
Though hampered by some feature bloat and minor technical issues, Creatures of Ava is a beautiful game about empathy and understanding. The animals are adorable, the characters are fun, and the sound design is top-notch! Yes, you can pet almost everything.
Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip is a hilarious journey with platforming, driving, puzzles, and laughs aplenty. While it may not last long, it is definitely a turbo trip you won't regret taking!
Monster Hunter Stories is a charming and adorable monster-catching experience. Become engrossed with its characters, hatch some Monsties and have a blast in the humorous world and its weirdly addictive gameplay. Definite recommend!
The Last Spell - Dwarves of Runenber adds a new race and weapons with fun abilities and new combinations to try, in addition to a real endurance match of a map. A definite recommend, though note the short length.
Thunder Age is more of a demo than a full game, but it shows promise and offers enough challenge to keep you occupied for the short time it offers. Also, it's free.
Rauniot is a short but tense puzzle adventure with a great mix of charm and unease. While the language barrier may affect your experience, the short length and interesting puzzles are worth having a look at. Doubly so if you speak the language. TORILLE!
Botany Manor is a charming puzzle game with a lovely setting, a relaxed mood, and fun puzzles you can spend an afternoon with! While recommended for fans of both puzzles and botany, the three-hour runtime may be steep for the price point.
Smalland: Survive the Wilds is a fun survival game with some inventive ideas, though it may suffer from being released a bit early. If you are a fan of the genre, it may be worth picking up, especially with friends!
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is a beautiful and laid-back game with fun mechanics, charming dialogue, and a fitting story. While not long, it's worth every moment.
While a bit repetitious and simple, Bug & Seek is a relaxed and informational game about collecting bugs, solving a mystery, and getting to know the town. It's not for everyone, but it is a good game for a spot of casual gaming or a younger audience.
A good RTS with four different factions with distinct playstyles. If you want a taste of the Warhammer world, this may be a good place to start, though watch out for frantic combat and demanding action!
Wildmender is a beautiful game that manages to balance cosy gardening with epic adventure and ruthless survival. One of my favourite games of the year. And you can hug frogs.
Gord succeeds in painting a dark and gritty picture of a group of people surviving against the odds in a dangerous environment. The Horrors are fantastic, but small niggles and big frustrations dampen the enjoyment somewhat.
Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening is a fun game to sink a day, week, or lifetime into, but suffers from slightly confusing menus, odd AI, and "helpful" advisors. Regardless, the game kept me coming back time after time, trying to find my own Awakening.
He Fucked The Girl Out of Me is a raw and emotional experience dealing with trauma and scars. While it is not exactly pleasant, the message is one worth hearing. I recommend playing it yourself, but please note the content warnings.