LadiesGamers.com's Reviews
Avernum 4: Greed and Glory won me over the longer I played. It’s a game that asks a lot of your time, your attention, and your patience, but it gives back in spades. Once its rhythm clicks, you start to see the beauty in the complexity: the freedom to shape your heroes, the layers of tactical combat, and the thrill of exploring a world that feels truly alive beneath the surface. It’s not beginner-friendly, but it’s not unfriendly either. It’s a game that trusts you to find your own way. And that’s fine. If you’ve got fond memories of classic RPGs or you’re curious about dipping your toes into something with real depth, grab the free demo on Steam. You’ll know pretty quickly if this is your kind of adventure. For me? It was a surprising delight, deep, challenging, and strangely comforting.
PowerWash Simulator 2 is exactly what this fan wanted from a sequel, with even a little bit more to offer. With improved tools at hand, oodles of all new levels to wash, and a continuation of the fun yet bizarre story that sucked us all in the first time, FuturLab is out from under SquareEnix and shining it up by themselves. The only minor “fault” is a somewhat unexciting-so-far home decoration system, and, for those of us who detest lawn gnomes, there are plenty more of those little dudes to drop on sight. But be careful — I’m not certain they won’t remember how many times I’ve sprayed them, as they’re secretly concocting concrete gnome revenge.
If you like puzzles and are interested in the life of Nikola Tesla, you should try The House of Tesla. The game has a helpful demo on its page, so you don’t even need to buy it to try it. Despite some problems, the game is a great example of a traditional point-and-click adventure, and the continued support of its developers shows a lot of commitment to making the game great.
Spooky Express is a lovely little game. It’s short and sweet. Probably not something that will stick with me long-term, but the time I spent with it was enjoyable. I especially recommend it for parents looking to introduce their kids to video games. It’s gentle, engaging, and could definitely make for a fun shared experience.
Meganoid: Chronicles knows exactly what it wants to be, short, sharp, and unapologetically difficult. The clever level hints, snappy design, and responsive controls all come together for a satisfying, if occasionally infuriating, experience. I’ll admit, there were moments where I wanted to throw my Switch across the room. But then I’d take a breath, dive back in, and nail that jump that had been haunting me. That’s when you know a precision platformer has done its job. If you’ve got the patience for pain and a fondness for old-school challenge, Meganoid: Chronicles is worth your time.
Escape the Cradle won’t be for everyone. If you’re the type of player who needs to be fully hands-on, this probably won’t scratch your itch. But if you like the idea of a light roguelite that happily runs in the background while you multitask, this one has a certain addictive charm. With about 4 hours of content (stretched further depending on how you play), it’s an unusual but surprisingly enjoyable little package. I was more drawn in than I expected, and for the right price, I’d say it’s worth giving a shot. At the very least, the free demo makes it easy to test the waters
Whether you’re revisiting a long-lost favourite or discovering it for the first time, Scurge: Hive is worth the trip. It’s tense, atmospheric, and full of that experimental energy you used to see in handheld games from the GBA era. For those who appreciate game preservation, this is another solid rescue job from Ratalaika Games, complete with modern features that make it more approachable without losing its identity.
Shrine’s Legacy is the kind of game that reminds me why I fell in love with gaming in the first place. It’s approachable, nostalgic, and just plain fun. Whether you’re chasing that retro feeling or introducing a friend to the magic of 16-bit adventures, this is one quest well worth taking.
Ys Vs Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga isn’t going to be the next big competitive fighter at EVO. It’s a playful, nostalgic crossover that celebrates Falcom’s legacy with a wink and a grin. The combat takes some time to understand, and the story won’t win any awards, but there’s genuine fun to be had once it all clicks. Fans of either series will love the nods and references, while newcomers can enjoy a surprisingly deep action RPG brawler once you get into its rhythm. It’s scrappy, it’s strange, and it’s kind of wonderful that this odd little crossover even exists in 2025.
Bye Sweet Carole is fine, but it doesn’t live up to the hype. Overall, it’s just aggressively fine; it’s not super fun to play, but it is really gorgeous. I hope the developers keep working on this game.
Spindle surprised me in the best way. It’s a love letter to the golden era of top-down adventures, but adds enough personality and heart to stand out on its own. The gameplay feels tight and satisfying, the story balances emotion with wit, and the art direction is full of small but memorable flourishes. If I had to nitpick, some of the puzzles can occasionally feel a bit too simple, and the structure may feel familiar to veterans of the genre. But those are minor points in an otherwise excellent adventure. Whether you’re a fan of Zelda-like games or just want something that makes you smile while tugging gently on your heartstrings, Spindle is a trip worth taking, scythe, pig, and all.
ILA: A Frosty Glide has some excellent gameplay – I thoroughly enjoyed exploring and collecting. There is a lot to savour and take pleasure in when roaming around, uncovering the secrets and customising Ila’s appearance. If rating the game solely on that aspect, it would score highly. However, I found some of the platforming too frustrating and too difficult to look fondly on my time with ILA: A Frosty Glide. The extreme highs and lows of emotion in trying and just not succeeding left me disheartened. If you like challenging platforming and lots of exploring, then this game might be for you, but for me…
Neoteria is a nice nod to the early days of the side-scrolling shooter, a time when learning enemy patterns and inching toward mastery was the whole point. It’s tough, sometimes stubbornly so, but it rewards patience and practice. For a few coins, you get a neat little slice of arcade gaming that fits the Switch perfectly. It’s not flawless, but it’s full of heart and a real sense of throwback fun.
Lord Ambermaze is an excellent blend of mystery dungeon-style tactics and puzzle-solving, placed in a world that’s occasionally sombre but never grim or gritty. With a delightful visual style and a clean control scheme, this is an excellent game for fans of both classic dungeon crawlers and chess-like puzzle games. With the prologue still available to try out, there’s little reason to not take Lord Ambermaze for a spin if you think this might be your speed. What it does, it does extremely well, making for a compact gaming experience
Whilst Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club is not going to tax the little grey cells too much, there is enough in the game to be challenging and enjoyable for the casual sleuth. Snoopy’s comments are as witty and amusing as the comic strip, and watching his little ears flap as he runs just made me smile.
In the end, Push Defense is a game that will pull you in more than push you away if you give it a chance. It’s proof that a developer can learn, grow, and surprise you in all the best ways. While it won’t win awards for presentation, it more than makes up for it with clever puzzle design, creative twists, and a surprising amount of content. If you enjoy puzzle games that aren’t afraid to experiment, or you just want to see what happens when block pushing meets tower defense, this one’s absolutely worth a look. For Emerald Knight Interactive, this feels like a turning point, a clear step up that shows real promise for what’s to come next.
My first impressions of Emberwake weren’t the best. The grindy start and clunky tutorial left me cold. But the more I stuck with it, the more I started to appreciate what it was trying to do. It’s clearly a project from a small team (maybe even solo-developed), and you can feel the care and ambition behind it. If you’re patient, there’s a challenging and rewarding strategy-survival game in here. It may not dethrone Kingdom Two Crowns, but it doesn’t have to; it’s carving out its own niche. With some balance tweaks and refinement, it could grow into something really special. Also, keep in mind this is a single-player experience only. For now, I’d say try the free demo. If the core loop grabs you, then you’ll probably find enough here to justify the full game
Yooka-Replaylee is exactly what I hoped the original game would be: a joyful and beautifully built 3D platformer bursting with things to discover. Whether you’re a returning fan or completely new to Yooka and Laylee’s antics, this version delivers everything with polish and heart. For me, it was extra special because I played most of it with my son, who was grinning from ear to ear watching me roll and jump through the levels. It’s the kind of game that’s just as much fun to watch as it is to play, and that’s a rare thing. If you’ve ever loved Banjo-Kazooie, or if the original Yooka-Laylee didn’t quite grab you, this is your second chance, and it’s well worth taking. A free demo is also available if you want to try it out first.
Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter is everything a remake should be: faithful, refined, and full of heart. It’s a beautiful introduction to one of RPG’s most respected series, and an easy recommendation whether you’re a diehard fan or a first-timer. Here’s hoping Falcom continues to bring the rest of the Trails saga up to this modern standard, because if this remake is anything to go by, the sky’s the limit. A demo is also available if you want to try the game first, and saves do transfer over.
I have hesitated quite a while before giving my final verdict. I love that with Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist and the White Guardian, Gust catered to us fans of the original series. As I understand it, this doesn’t mean that they won’t move along in the direction taken with Atelier Yumia; the two can exist very well together. In the end, I decided on our highest rating. The turn-based fights, the new alchemy system and the depth of the characters and NPCs, plus the added Fairies and their hard work, make this an excellent cozy addition to the Atelier series.