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Elden Ring Nightreign impressed me with its clever gameplay, stunning game world, but also numerous nightlords and enemy design. Sure, there were some issues at launch, but those were mostly ironed out, and matchmaking now runs very well. Of course, you can still choose to go on solo expeditions, if playing with others is not your cup of tea.
Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping is a nice detective game that plays everything a little too safe. The idea of taking the hero out of the city is a good one and I like all the characters. Some very high stakes emerge later in the narrative that feel unearned, but I mostly like the light tone and the way characters interact with each other.
As a whole, I found Crashlands 2 to deliver that quirky, beautiful and engaging isometric survival experience I always wanted. I enjoyed the first one quite a lot, but I can happily say this new one blows it out of the water. The plot is great, the game is easy to get into, and there’s plenty of replay value, along with some cool end-game activities you can do over and over.
Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to the series, if you crave high-octane action, heavy metal carnage, and just the right touch of fantasy madness, The Dark Ages demands your attention. DOOM has once again reinvented itself—and somehow, it still rips and tears.
Sure, Old Skies doesn’t have flashy graphics, they went with rather old school visuals, but for me, those stand out and make the game world very immersive. The voice overs are on point, and the dialog is very creative, although it can drag at times. All in all, Old Skies is interesting, exciting, and a breath of fresh air for the genre, especially with its time travel shenanigans.
Yes, it can be difficult at times, but it’s not a very punishing game, so you will find yourself cruising through Bastille and following the story, as you try to figure out how it all comes to an end. Plus, if you really want to test yourself, there are modifiers, secrets and speedruns to check out as well!
Expelled! might be built on the bones of Overboard! but it manages to improve on it both mechanically and in terms of story. Verity is a great protagonist, and the many mysteries linked to the characters and the school itself are a pleasure to unravel. A run can end in 15 minutes and in utter failure but still feel like progress.
While the game successfully immerses players in the unsettling world of urban legends, it struggles with execution. Those who enjoy visual novels and Japanese ghost stories may find it worthwhile, but players expecting a more interactive detective experience will be disappointed.
Civilization VII is a great 4X experience and every gamer interested in the genre should give it a try. The turn-based mechanics support a wide variety of playstyles and there’s a ton of diversity in leader and civ combinations. The eras system comes across as limited at first, but it basically allows players to play three potentially very different games of Civ in one campaign.
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is a great game for anyone who appreciates a complex science-fiction universe, well-rounded characters, and existential musings.
The Roottrees are Dead is a great video game for any players who like experiences like Obra Din or the two Golden Idol titles. It feels good to investigate, starting with a list of names, and reveal the rich history of an entire family. The feeling that there’s something more to learn, to understand, is always present and the game has a decent hint system to help players who get stuck.
My Lovely Empress offers an interesting mix of mechanics. Making sure the empire is growing and all classes are satisfied is pretty hard, even when bonds with the Yaoguai are strong. On top of that players need to woo neighboring rulers and decide how to best go about the complex task of bringing the empress back to life.
Arco has a unique look and world and a set of mechanics that are easy to understand but grow in complexity as characters unlock more options. I never got used to the ghosts that randomly join the fight but was eager to replay engagements to avoid losing even one pip of health.
Sins of a Solar Empire II is a great space-based real-time strategy game. It is designed to primarily appeal to those who liked the original, splitting factions into two, introducing variation to the star systems, and adding to the tactical complexity. The game does not offer a campaign, but each match generates its own unique stories.
Volgarr the Viking II is designed to appeal to players who liked the first installment, with its mix of difficulty and reward. The Norse-themed universe does not offer much in the way of story, but it has tight gameplay and plenty of challenges for players to face. Accept the fact that you’ll end up as a zombie at one point and get ready to delete saves to try again.
The Operator will attract anyone who likes a good mystery with some very contemporary themes and does not care too much about complex gameplay. The story moves at a good pace, the characters have personalities, and the general atmosphere of paranoia works well. But the mechanics are built around a computer screen, a few apps, and plenty of reading.
Minds Beneath Us is spectacular when delivering slice-of-life moments, both if they involve the main character and when it comes to ancillary conversations in the background. It’s also good at creating an interesting vision of the future while offering a core narrative that tackles modern themes in engaging ways. Its presentation adds to the immersion level, although the lack of faces will be a little disturbing.
Tavern Talk delivers on the coziness front, with a relaxed attitude and plenty of interesting stories to engage with. All the characters have something unique, and the game does a good job of blending fantasy elements with classic themes. Actually, creating the potions isn’t very hard and I like how they influence the outcomes of quests.
Vampire Therapist manages to make the rather dry concepts of cognitive behavioral therapy interesting by linking them to interesting characters. I like how the sessions develop and how the game adds new concepts and asks players to find the best ways to use them. The voice acting is good enough to paper over some small issues with the writing.
Linkito is clever and varied, offering players more than 100 puzzles to tackle. The simple idea of moving a wire between yellow and blue sockets to let the electricity flow is simple and gets tweaked in a variety of innovative ways. Each location gives players a certain type of challenge, using both normal puzzles for progression and more complex ones for those who want a challenge.