Nindie Spotlight
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A collection full of content and ideas, though some repeated, that are often odd and can vary in its quality and execution pretty wildly
While it takes a moment to get acclimated to, the mix of Lovecraftian horror that feels embraced rather than exploited, and some interesting cards for your deck help make this stand apart from its peers
While in principle it’s a pretty low-key casual puzzler, it can go from painfully quick and easy to baffling in a heartbeat due to its refusal to provide any direction
With bafflingly-deep lore and wild backgrounds that tend to distract from (or hinder) the foreground action, Psyvariar 3 is a committed to some odd choices
While I wouldn’t have believed it when I started playing, this faster-paced dungeon-crawler-meets-deckbuilder surpasses the great roguelike that inspired it
While fans of the franchise or parents may find it to be a safe choice, the quality of play is lacking in some pretty fundamental areas
Not really a game so much as a very bare bones sandbox creation tool, and the lack of direction and depth falls far short of some contemporaries
While yet another take on the monster training subgenre, it does manage to differentiate itself, even if not clearly exceeding its peers
While there’s a nice throwback feel to the exploration and action to a degree, fundamentals like awful aim really take away from the potential for more fun
For people who loved the original, or who love a very specific challenge, this looks great and plays well… but it offers a very specific flavor of pain
Distinctly different from its predecessor Dark Descent, it has some narrative pull and tense moments, but if you’re hoping for horror, you’ll need to look elsewhere
While there’s a fair amount of potential for fun in this asymmetric heist simulator of sorts, inconsistent server availability and reliance on online player availability could make it a risk
Another roguelike variation on gambling, in this case using a slot machine, that offers up interesting play but ultimately feels ruled by both simplicity and RNG too often to be more consistent fun
When you’re trying to compete in a crowded genre space, forgettable play and iffy controls don’t help make a great impression
As we seemingly move into a space where all forms of gambling are mixed up with roguelike concepts, this shows unique promise but doesn’t hit the same playability highs as its competition
A fun and refreshingly different take on the classic action-adventure formula, with a few unique touches to call its own
A solid mix of strong characters, great story beats, and surprisingly-engaging action-based combat help this shine
A somewhat odd cozier take on the Vampire Survivors formula to a degree, but it doesn’t quite work
An impeccably written, and brutally honest, adventure that explores the anxieties of trying to transition to adulthood
Runs with the ball from Call of the Sea, including smart and satisfying puzzles, and throws in a fair amount of creepiness and surreal visions to boot