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Phantom Blade Zero is a spectacularly satisfying action game that rewards precise combat and experimentation of its extensive arsenal. Its ‘Kungfupunk’ world and dance-like martial arts choreography make a strong impression, but convoluted storytelling and some frustrating navigation, as well as a confused soundtrack, holds it short of becoming a legend in its art.
While the execution isn’t perfect, Echo Weaver is a fantastic, atmospheric attempt at some ambitious game mechanics. It’s a fresh take on Metroidvanias that provides an emotional story and interesting world to swing through, even if you’re only able to explore it little by little. Glorious benediction unto you, Moonlight Kids. Go with grace.
Tenebris Somnia stands out for it's innovative combination of survival horror and live-action filmmaking.
The Witch's Bakery features a wholesome story with different types of gameplay. Lunne and Orio are a great pair who genuinely want to help the people in Paris, despite how nosy Lunne may seem. It has charm, an engaging story, and a fresh spin on the cozy bakery shop genre.
Penguin Colony is an inspired reimagining of Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness. Putting aside some awkwardness in presentation, Penguin Colony is a raw, assured rhetorical march through a wintry landscape toward a mountain dripping with horrors both unknown and painfully known.
Planet Zoo 2 is, in my opinion, one of the best management sims ever made.
With a genre as saturated as the soulslike action RPG, Valor Mortis feels like a breath of fresh air.
Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival is not for those with weak stomachs. It's also got a lot of painful imagery. If you can power through that, there's a solid survival horror experience underneath.
Silver Pines draws plenty of inspiration from its contemporaries, but unlike other love letters to gaming and television classics, it finds the means to make things its own. While it fails to sell me on the combination of the horror and Metroidvania genres, Silver Pines’ fascinating premise, thought-provoking ending, and remarkable art direction kept me seated from beginning to end.
STAR WARS: Galactic Racer is fast and dangerous ‘runs-based’ game with surprisingly deep mechanics without losing sight of what makes an arcade racer fun... Sci-fi arcade racers should be ridiculously quick and feel like your vehicle might fall apart at any moment, and for me, that's what makes this a genuinely impressive racing game in its own right.
End of Abyss is a creepy adventure whose charm takes time to settle in.
Toem 2 is a wonderful little game to explore. It feels like a vacation from the real world with fun gameplay, cute characters and delightful music and sound design.
Nocturne's RPG wrappings, strong narrative and varied difficulty settings do a lot to make what is normally a fairly impenetrable genre accessible and enjoyable.
Though it’s heavy-handed with its themes, they’re also raw and easy to connect with and empathise with. It’s a shame the pacing falls short, as the mystery is engaging and the story becomes increasingly compelling just as the game comes to an abrupt end.
Control Resonant is another excellent addition to Remedy Entertainment's connected universe project.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave delivers another comforting title, bringing a lot of what worked from recent titles Three Houses, Engage, and Echoes all into one. While its story is grandiose and epic, it’s longer than it needs to be, leading to a massively bloated Part 1 and a weirdly streamlined Parts 2 and 3.
Dressmaker is a delightful game that can be enjoyed in short bursts or for hours at a time.
Box Knight reflects the workplace frustrations we have whenever a company gets acquired. By fighting back and showing what capitalism should provide, it’s a cathartic experience. It’s a tough game to play, and if the premise doesn’t appeal to you, you likely won’t continue playing. Give it a chance, and you might find your next best way to relieve after-work stress.
Orbitals is an absolutely stunning love letter to classic anime, perfectly capturing a beloved 20th-century aesthetic and delivering an engaging and beautifully told narrative to boot. Beyond its visuals, it lets you and a mate explore an intriguing intergalactic universe and wield a fun array of space-tech to get through each of its tight puzzle-platforming sequences. It’s joyful, stylistic, heaps of fun, and doesn’t outstay its welcome – a perfect excuse to cuddle up on the couch with a loved one.
Rhythm Paradise Groove is an enjoyable experience for players of all skill levels when it comes to rhythm games. Easy to pick up for short bursts of playtime, and with a smooth difficulty curve, this is a great instalment to the franchise, and one that can provide a great entry point into the genre. With over 80 new games to play and 30 unique co-op and competitive minigames to jump into at any time, plus a whole host of extra activities to check out, there’s no shortage of fun to be had.