LadiesGamers.com's Reviews
Sludgineers is frankly a lovely cosy game. The simple cleaning mechanics work, the upgrade system gives you a reason to keep returning to previous areas, and the gradual introduction of new tools and resources provides enough progression to keep things moving. Most importantly, I found it relaxing. There is something quite comforting about a game that gives you a straightforward task, lets you get on with it and rewards you for making a little bit of progress. Sludgineers is very much a dip-in-and-out experience, and I can see myself returning to it when I want something uncomplicated to play in the evening. It won’t be for everyone, particularly if repetition isn’t your thing, but if you’re after a cosy little simulation game where cleaning up pollution is somehow rather enjoyable, Sludgineers is well worth a look.
I came away from Aggelos 2 considerably happier than I did from the original. That’s probably the biggest compliment I can give it. It takes the foundation of the first game, expands the world, adds the light and dark forms, improves the exploration and gives you more abilities to play around with, which I feel is fine. Most importantly, it feels like a proper sequel rather than simply another game wearing the same clothes. If you enjoy old-school action-platformers, Metroidvania-style exploration or, like me, have a particular weakness for the old Wonder Boy games, there’s plenty here to enjoy. Is it better than Wonder Boy in Monster World? I’m still not prepared to commit that particular act of heresy. Nostalgia is a powerful thing. But I do think Aggelos 2 is better than its predecessor, and that’s enough for me. It’s colourful, straightforward, occasionally challenging and packed with that old-school sense of exploration that I enjoy. It has a few rough edges, but nothing that stopped me from wanting to keep playing. For me, Aggelos 2 is a recommendation and perhaps the sequel that Aggelos needed to really find its feet.
Ultimately, I had a good time with Funguys Swarm. It’s easy to pick up, easy to understand and provides exactly the sort of short gaming sessions I often enjoy. There’s enough progression to keep you coming back, plenty of silly characters and weapons to experiment with, and the plant-based presentation gives it a personality of its own. Is it revolutionary? No. Does it need to be? Probably not. We’ve reached the point where there are so many survivor-like games that I’m less interested in whether a game completely reinvents the formula and more interested in whether it can make me want to play “just one more run”. Funguys Swarm managed that for me. I still think its biggest obstacle is simply the enormous number of games competing in this particular genre. If you’ve already played dozens of them, there’s a good chance you’ll look at this and think, “Yep, another one.” But if you haven’t had your fill of watching increasingly ridiculous numbers appear on screen while your character becomes completely overpowered, there’s plenty of fun to be had here. It’s silly, colourful and pleasantly uncomplicated. And sometimes that’s all I really want from a game.
MineGeon: Renegades isn’t quite the finished article I think it could be. There are balancing issues, technical problems and a few mechanics that don’t feel quite impactful enough yet. The combat in particular could use some extra punch, because when I’m playing a top-down shooter, I want my weapons to make me feel like I’m actually causing problems for the things I’m shooting. But there’s something here. The combination of shooting, mining, exploration and roguelite progression works. The constant stream of upgrades kept me interested, and the decision of how much to collect before returning to safety gives the runs a nice little risk-versus-reward element. Most importantly, I enjoyed myself. MineGeon: Renegades feels like a game made by a small team with plenty of enthusiasm and some good ideas. With continued updates, better balancing and some technical polishing, I could see this becoming considerably stronger than the version I played. For now, I’d happily recommend keeping an eye on it, especially if you’re looking for a co-op-friendly roguelite with a slightly different flavour. There are a few rocks that still need chiselling away, but there’s definitely something valuable underneath.
I’ve been waiting for The Sorting Bureau since I saw the demo back in May. It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and I am happy to report that it is exactly what I was hoping for. It is a quiet respite from the chaos of the real world, best enjoyed in any weather and at any time of the day, with a good cup of tea.
I’ve played several great games this year, and Research Story is definitely vying for the top spot. It combines foraging, farming, and mining into a clever gameplay loop that builds on your gained knowledge as you progress through the seasons. Couple that with fishing, cooking, crafting, and romance, plus a handful of clever puzzles, and the resulting game is an all-encompassing simulation. Research Story has definitely gained its Master of Perfection from my University of Gaming!
Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Definitive Edition is an enormous, colourful and occasionally bewildering RPG that takes a little while to reveal why people have become so attached to it. I still think it has a fairly high barrier to entry. If you’re completely new to Xenoblade, I wouldn’t necessarily point you towards this as the easiest introduction to the series. The first Xenoblade Chronicles remains, in my view, a more straightforward place to start. But if you can get through those many early hours and allow the various systems to gradually settle into your brain, there’s a lot to enjoy here. The combat becomes more satisfying. The world opens up. The Blade system starts to make sense. Builds become more interesting. The story gathers momentum. And eventually you stop thinking about all the terminology and simply start playing the game. Torna – The Golden Country was a particularly pleasant surprise for me, too. Its more focused story and refined combat made it easier to appreciate, and I think it complements the main game extremely well. Ultimately, I still don’t love Xenoblade Chronicles 2 quite as much as some of the other Xenoblade adventures I’ve played. But my second journey through Alrest has certainly been a much happier one. It turns out I hadn’t completely fallen out with Xenoblade Chronicles 2 after all. I just needed a few more years, a better understanding of the series, and apparently a Nintendo Switch 2.
I am enjoying the Hello Kitty Island Adventure – Tea Garden DLC, but it doesn’t have the same “wow” factor that the previous DLC had. With no new location to explore and only a handful of quests, there isn’t a huge amount of additional content. However, if you enjoy decorating and changing costumes, the Hello Kitty Island Adventure – Tea Garden DLC will delight and charm you with its Regency elegance and afternoon tea grandeur!
After several rounds of impressions and now finally getting to spend time with the finished Cozy Marbles, my opinion has remained remarkably consistent. Cozy Marbles is a creative outlet rather than a traditional game, and for the right player that can be more than enough. It’s interested in tracks, loops, ramps, cannons and tiny balls with silly faces. And that’s absolutely fine. There is something genuinely satisfying about creating an absurd contraption, pressing play and watching your little marbles attempt to navigate it. I still think the game’s appeal will ultimately depend on how much you enjoy creating things for the sake of creating them. If you need a strong sense of progression or a clearly defined objective, you may find Cozy Marbles a little directionless. But if the idea of sitting down with a huge digital box of marble-run pieces and seeing what your imagination can come up with sounds appealing, there’s a lot to enjoy here.
Pigeon: A Love Story is a really cute and unique game, and it reminds you that when you stress over something, the farther you feel from that thing. Whereas when you relax and let life unfold… you find what you’re actually looking for. There’s so much room for the game to grow. I’d love to see more cities added, even if they’re small ones and not as well-known as the capital cities. If you love bird watching or are curious about what it would be like to wander through a city from above, definitely check Pigeon: A Love Story! You can even play on the go, as it is also available on mobile and on the Steam Deck.
I came away from Grim Trials feeling mostly positive about it. It’s not going to suddenly make every other action roguelite obsolete, and I don’t think it quite reaches the heights of the genre’s biggest names. But what is here is enjoyable and satisfying. The combat feels good, the crafting adds some welcome depth and the Academy gives the game a little more personality than simply throwing you from one dungeon into another. I particularly enjoyed the way the various systems gradually start working together. Early on, things can feel a little slow and perhaps slightly more difficult than they need to be, but once you’ve unlocked more equipment, abilities and crafting options, the runs become considerably more interesting. If you’re already completely exhausted by action roguelites, I suspect Grim Trials won’t magically cure that particular condition. There’s simply too much familiar territory here. But if you’ve still got room in your gaming schedule for another trip into the underworld, there’s plenty to enjoy. There’s also a free demo available, which I think is well worth trying if you’re unsure whether this particular Grim Reaper has enough swing in her scythe for you. For me, Grim Trials is a solid, enjoyable addition to an increasingly crowded genre. Sometimes you just need a big scythe, some questionable life choices and a willingness to die repeatedly in pursuit of slightly better equipment. If only life was that simple.
Lootbound takes a familiar structure and adds an inventory system that gives the whole thing another layer of strategy. Battles are quick, equipment is fun to organise, the dice rolls add a little uncertainty and assembling your party gradually gives each run its own identity. Most importantly, it feels good to play. There’s a satisfying rhythm to completing a battle, grabbing some new loot, stopping to work out where everything should go, choosing your next route and then heading into the next encounter. It’s also a game that respects your time. You can jump in, play a couple of runs and get out without feeling like you’ve committed your entire evening to it. As a relatively accessible tactical roguelike with a clever loot-management system, I think it does a very good job. I had a lot of fun with it, and it’s exactly the sort of game I can see myself dipping into regularly for a few runs.
Tukoni: Forest Keepers is a gentle and yet vibrant autumnal adventure, perfect for the upcoming autumnal months. It is a game about preparing for winter that will seamlessly fit into my own preparations.
Curious Paws is a simple yet engaging title. Its unique challenges and charming artwork are sure to attract fans of the hidden-object genre. Achievements are easy to earn and track, with the menu clearly indicating whether you used hints or clicked a bee in each level — two of the hardest achievements to get. The only feature I wished for was the ability to reset a level before finishing it—particularly useful right after accidentally clicking a bee. That minor caveat aside, the levels are fun, occasionally challenging, and capable of holding your attention for an hour or two. I certainly enjoyed my time with it, and I’m confident many other genre enthusiasts will too.
Sephiria is a lovely little surprise. It takes the familiar action roguelite structure and gives it a clever inventory system that genuinely affects how you approach each run. The combat is simple but satisfying, the weapon variety gives you room to experiment, and the progression keeps giving you reasons to return to Bunnyville and have another go. The boss fights are my biggest complaint, mainly because some of them feel unnecessarily padded, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the overall experience. There’s also something wonderfully ridiculous about watching a tiny bunny battle its way through a dungeon with a gigantic sword. It’s cute without being completely fluffy, strategic without becoming overwhelming, and straightforward enough to dip into whenever you fancy another run. If you’re looking for a new roguelite to disappear into for a while, Sephiria is well worth hopping into.
Akatori isn’t going to reinvent the action-adventure genre, but that’s ok. What I got was a colourful, straightforward adventure with enjoyable combat, some decent exploration and absolutely gorgeous presentation. The platforming occasionally tested my patience, the difficulty spikes could have been smoother, and the constant humour in the story really didn’t work for me. But underneath those problems is a relatively simple adventure that doesn’t demand that you learn seventeen different systems before you’re allowed to have fun. You can pick it up, explore, punch some strange creatures, unlock increasingly useful staff abilities and enjoy the scenery. For me, the biggest missed opportunity is the writing. I genuinely think the world would have had more impact if the game had allowed itself to be a little more serious. Still, I enjoyed my time with Akatori. It’s a pretty little adventure with plenty to like, even if it occasionally trips over its own feet.
Servant of the Lake in another brilliant title from the Rusty Lake series. It offers a glimpse of the story about the first generation of Vanderboom—Alduos, Willian and Alexandra—and reveals the kind of people they are. The unnerving narrative and events that unfold during their family reunion will keep you engaged and curious. The puzzles are clever and well-thought-out; even if they are not that hard, it is still rewarding to solve. The full playthrough lasted about five hours—a pretty decent duration. This title will most appeal to long-time fans, but newcomers shouldn’t be discouraged. Even if you miss some narrative details, the gameplay is still well worth your time. I truly think any fan of mystery and point-and-click adventures will enjoy Servant of the Lake.
If you enjoy inventory management games, Raccoon Packer is a great one to choose. It’s got a bunch of levels, it’s pretty cheap, and it doesn’t use AI. It’s well made and cute. The only big issue you may have is that Raccoon Packer doesn’t seem to be available in most of Europe at the moment. Hopefully, this will change in the future.
Spiritstead is such a lovely combination of a cozy and engaging city builder without overcomplicating itself and overwhelming you with tasks. In a lot of city builders, I get this pressure to maximize natural resources in order to expand as much as I can. However, it is worth noting that Spiritstead’s goal of restoring harmony to the world takes that pressure away. There are tasks where you work alongside spirits and wildlife that serve as a reminder to take care of nature and our world in order to build a peaceful place to live in. With Miyazaki’s inspired art style and the developers’ sense of humor, this game is unique on its own. I can’t wait to complete all the achievements and see how Spiritstead evolves. I’m hoping we get more spirits and more biomes to explore, as I’d love to stay longer in this world.
Culdcept The First is much more than an interesting piece of gaming history. Its combination of board game strategy, collectable cards and tactical battles still feels fresh today, and the new English localisation finally allows many players to experience a series classic that was previously out of reach. If you’ve recently enjoyed Culdcept Begi, this is a fascinating look at where everything started. Equally, newcomers shouldn’t feel intimidated; while the mechanics are deep, the game introduces them at a comfortable pace and rewards experimentation. It may not completely replace the newer entries for me, but that’s hardly the point. This is about preserving a genuinely unique strategy game and making it available for a new audience. I’m very glad it made the journey.