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.
Blue Prince takes the roguelike formula, throws in DIY architecture, and manages to combine them to form a pretty impressive tale of intrigue and a very fun puzzler. The simple mechanics make a complex whole with great puzzles and reason to play run after run!
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.
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!
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!
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.
Kill Knight manages to mix hectic and ultra-responsive arcade gameplay with a fun layer of resource management and strategy to create a great challenge to bite into. The visuals are splendid, the enemies never stop coming, and the battle is glorious!
Talisman: Digital 5th Edition breathes new life into this classic board game. The new art and animations are fantastic, without losing the signature style. With the less harsh events and streamlined rules, you may even finish a game in a session!
This is a game about digging a hole in the ground and it's just as fun as it sounds, if not more!
MainFrames is, simply, a lovely retro-themed puzzle platformer with humour, challenge, and some brain-straining mechanics to master. While not easy, the satisfying controls and charming world will make it hard to put down.
Kingdom Eighties is a great title for those interested in the series and a worthy distraction for those waiting for the next big release! Its neon style and synthwave charm will get you hooked, and its fun mechanics and plot will keep you wanting more.
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.
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!
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.
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO feels like a faithful continuation of the series. Beautiful visuals and epic combat make for a great combination and the creative What If scenarios were a treat to explore. A definite recommendation for fans. The AI cheats, though.
Tails of Iron tells an impressively deep story with no dialogue and keeps you entertained in the interim with witty charm and gruesome combat. Definitely worth a try if you are a fan of soulslikes.
While it is missing some features, DYNASTY WARRIORS ORIGINS is a fun time and a great place to hop in for newcomers!
Many Nights a Whisper is a thought-provoking game that asks you to meditate on your own thoughts on ethics while also weighing the responsibility of granting wishes. While it could do with more replayability, it's definitely worth a look!
Homebody is a love letter to the Original PlayStation era of point-and-click survival horror. It has an interesting mystery, fun puzzles, engaging mechanics, and a fair hint system that kept me coming back! A hearty recommendation for fans of the genre!
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.