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At the end of the day, Barbearian isn’t too hard to figure out. It’s a slightly above-average, bite-size hack-and-slash game with a charm that feels incredibly Flash-esque. It’s not on my list of top contenders or anything, but it’s not something that I’d steer people clear of, either. If you’re looking for something fun, fast, mindless, and relatively inexpensive, there are definitely way worse things that you could play than Barbearian.
I left Röki on my backlog for far too long; don’t make the same mistake I did — play Röki sooner rather than later. A story of loss, love, trauma, and sacrifice told through the beautiful folklore of Scandinavian cultures and the lens of a heroic little girl, Röki will feel like an entirely new experience and is a welcome addition to the point and click genre. Don’t let the forest take another victim — grab Röki and save your family before it’s too late!
Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia isn’t your typical grand strategy game. If you love doing things like managing villages and testing your economic prowess, then maybe this isn’t for you. But, for everyone else, Brigandine is definitely worth your time. The entirety of each campaign provides an engaging struggle which puts your tactical combat prowess to the test, and its multiple factions provide detailed stories, each of which is sure to keep you hooked. Despite my gripes here and there, Brigandine really doesn’t need much in the ways of re-working. However, it’s apparently getting that anyway, thanks to its quickly approaching update centered around providing players with the ability to customize their campaigns as well as more in-depth player UIs. So, here’s to an already great game getting even better! Huzzah!
So, what do you reckon, parder? Will you help El Hijo find his mother and free the children from the bad guys? He may be small, but he’s mighty, and with your help, he can be reunited with his family and ride off into the sunset. If a stealth puzzle game that goes from sweet to sinister super fast sounds like something you’d saddle up for, be sure to check out El Hijo: A Wild West Tale on Steam or Stadia today. Adios, amigos!
I can’t help but be charmed by Tanuki Justice. It’s the second game I’ve played published by Storybird Studio, and it’s another great retro throwback. Yes, it’s challenging and sometimes unforgiving, but it’s also a hell of a lot of fun. The few modern conventions here do ultimately make it a more well-rounded package, as well as elements like being able to select stages in any order once you’ve beaten them or try it with another player. And while I do feel it’s a bit pricey, it’s still pretty easy to recommend at less than $20. If you’re a fan of retro-looking for something new, this is a great holiday treat.
If you want to kick back and relax to a chill retrowave game where the journey is more important than the destination, you simply must pick up Tanuki Sunset. Longboarding has never looked so good, and with so many photo-finish opportunities, I’m pretty positive you’ll agree. So skate fast, eat trash, and enjoy this radical ride on this eye-candy trail of synthwave symphonies.
Is Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 more of the same? Yes, and no matter how much I sing its praises, there’ll be those grumbling away at what’s admittedly little more than a reskin. Yet while points might be docked off for a lack of originality, I’m compelled to ask: why fix what ain’t broke? Timeless and engaging in its approachable genius, the puzzle game of the generation remains unmatched in its pliable depth.
It might not be as groundbreaking as some of DONTNOD Entertainment’s other games, but Twin Mirror really holds up as a replayable adventure. Its Mind Palace mechanics are a lot of fun and each ending was a delightful revelation that made me question my own sense of truth. Overall, the game is an excellent addition to this company’s library of high-quality narrative-driven games. My only complaint is that it’s a tad steep in price for its length, so I’d probably wait for a sale.
The Almost Gone tries something advanced — digging deep into memories while keeping a clean aesthetic — and it does a fine job of it. If you’re just looking for a different kind of puzzle game, you’ll find plenty of enjoyment here; however, if you prioritize story over mechanics, you might feel a little discouraged. Regardless of why you’re interested in playing The Almost Gone, I’d still recommend picking it up for an interesting indie that is worth the price of admission. Will you uncover the secrets that led to your fate?
It’s always a pleasure to stumble upon a well-crafted game, and even moreso when it’s free. Tree Trunk Brook is a relaxing little title that will lower the blood pressure and allow players to venture into the woods at a time when people can’t really travel. Of course, those woods may be pixelated, but it’s really the thought that counts. So what are you waiting for? Get your cameras and masks ready, and take a hike with Tree Trunk Brook.
Rainy Season isn’t so much a game as it is an experience — one that will soothe the senses and bring peace through childlike wonder. It’s a short and sweet trip down someone else’s memory lane, but it’s a path that will feel familiar to all. If you enjoy slice of life experiences and want a quick palate cleanser between bigger titles, you really cannot go wrong curling up with Rainy Season.
Suzerain is basically West Wing in game form, which is as awesome as it sounds. A game more akin to 80 Days than Civilization, Suzerain is a surprisingly compelling narrative that allows players to run a country with their own ideas about how things should be done to see if they’re right. I got to test out my theory of crime being a symptom of failings in other areas, pushing education and healthcare to the forefront; I was happy to see crime decrease as a response to increased access to necessary services. Suzerain may not seem exciting upon first glance due to its limited mechanics, but within minutes you’ll be hooked on Sordland’s history with a desire to shape its future. If you think you can run a country, prove it — grab Suzerain today.
It’s like this — Absolute Drift: Zen Edition is undeniably a good game, but I can’t say it’s for everyone. It’s a bit like baseball vs. golf — one is all about hitting that ball as hard as you can and running like the devil’s after you, whereas the other is all about keeping track of things like terrain, wind speed, and 42 different clubs while you plan your varying strategies. Sure Absolute Drift: Zen Edition is a driving game, but it’s the golf of driving games; if you’re more of a batting cages kinda player like I am, this one might be more of a swing and a miss, no matter how pretty it is (and it is pretty). However, if you’re more of a golfer, this is absolutely a hole in one — it just depends on which stick you like to use to whack a few balls, really (that’s a sentence I wrote and I’m sticking to it).
I could probably write a dissertation on everything Haven does right, but the truth is, Haven is something you must feel. Your relationship with Haven will change over time, the nuances left on you only realized long after the controller has been put away. Haven is the game every game developer wishes they could make and every gamer wishes they could play for the first time every time. It cannot be understated how beautiful Haven is in every sense of the word. Please don’t just play Haven — feel Haven.
After playing PHOGS!, I actually found myself in a better mood, the cheerful and delightful nature of dogs encapsulated in this gorgeous game an uplifting experience. It was the cozy, cute platform puzzler I was expecting and then some, surprising me towards the end with how it handled gameplay progression. If you even think for a split second that PHOGS! might be your bag of treats, don’t deprive yourself — I double dog dare you to pick up PHOGS! today and take these goodest doggos for walkies.
I really wanted to love Ponpu. The zany premise, delicious artwork, and Bomberman-inspired gameplay could have resulted in a triumphant indie classic. Instead, it was held back by glitches, occasionally sloppy game design, and a lack of real progress. But when you consider this was only the second time mobile developer Purple Tree tried their hand at consoles, I can moderate some of my frustration. If you’re a fan of Bomberman looking for something weird, then this still might be the game for you. As for myself, I find myself eagerly awaiting the next game from Purple Tree, and hoping it patches over any annoying imperfections.
I genuinely hate giving negative reviews, especially when I wanted to like the game. But when I can’t understand critical information coupled with other glaring issues, my hand is forced. I quadruple-checked to make sure this game wasn’t Early Access, hoping I could just give this a preview article instead of a numerical score, outlining issues for the devs to check before releasing an unfinished product. Sadly, Dorian Morris Adventure has been officially released, and as cool as it sounds in concept, is simply not ready to be played — at least by English-speaking gamers.
Virtual Cottage may have slipped under your radar this year, and I’m here to tell you that it would be a big mistake to continue to ignore it. Free on Steam, there’s really no reason not to download this wonderful and wonderfully soothing little title. It may feel a little limited to those expecting an interactive game, but for those looking for a chill experience, you’ll absolutely find it here. If you enjoy lofi hip hop radio and want to study/relax to its game counterpart, download Virtual Cottage today for free and watch your productivity go up while your blood pressure drops.
I had a blast during my time spent with Destropolis. However, chances are it’s probably not the type of game that will keep you glued to your Switch for hours. With only one mode available, things do get repetitive fairly quickly. Still, the game features co-op for up to three players. So if you have a handful of friends to bust some blocks with, it’s a delightfully chaotic way to kill a half-hour or so. But after that, you’ll probably want to move onto something a bit more substantive.
For everything that goes wrong for it I will admit that there is a lot of promise in The Uncertain: Light At The End if it actually worked right. The frustrations between the game-breaking mechanics and inconsistent saves make it borderline unplayable. But if that could be fixed and optimized, the story might feel more compelling. Especially if they added better facial work into the characters. I will say that the beautiful pixelated backdrops and set pieces are the best things about this game, and with a couple of big improvements, the whole experience might feel salvageable too.