LadiesGamers.com's Reviews
Loddlenaut is a beautiful gem to add to your collection if you’re into exploration and foraging. With no gameplay clutter, you can get right to do what you want, and with a cozy post-game, you can keep going as long as you like. Combat-free, stress-free, and super cute, there’s no wonder this game is already getting awards in the wholesome indie market. It isn’t everything, but everything it is is admirable. Dive into it for yourself!
I really liked Colored Effects. There was something about this simple puzzler that really resonated with me. Maybe it was the rewarding puzzle design that felt challenging but not to the point of stress. Even when I did hit a puzzle wall, I happily walked away to try again later. For a very low price of entry, you can enjoy one of the best puzzle platformers I have played on Nintendo Switch this year. Colour me surprised.
American Arcadia is a fun, colorful adventure with a sense of humor, clever puzzles, and enough sense of danger to keep you going forward. It’s the perfect escape for the wintry months ahead!
Lake – Season’s Greetings DLC came out at a perfect time for me. Not only that, but it is entirely worth the wait. It is a beautiful, well-crafted addition to an already great game. I hope this is not the last DLC we see for Lake.
Astral Ascent offers a compelling journey into the roguelite genre that I found worth taking. While the genre may be packed with heavy hitters, Astral Ascent hits all the marks of quality that make it easy to recommend. A unique variety of characters with their own play style, beautiful graphics and that ever-addictive gameplay loop is calling you to try again, even against impossible odds. To top it all off, you can bring a loved one along to enjoy the journey together.
Even though it could be a tough playthrough at times with the heavy topics and the despair, Virche Evermore ~ErroR: Salvation~ is one of the top Otome games of this year. They have done a phenomenal job with the storytelling and even the characters are intriguing and going through their own character development in their routes. If the themes mentioned at the start of the game do not scare you away, I would definitely pick this game up.
Ebenezer and the Invisible World is a surprisingly good adventure game that really captures the joy and spirit of its source material. Though it takes on the familiar exploration formula, its unique approach to combat and beautiful art style make this something quite special. However, while I do recommend it, you may want to hold this on your wishlist on Switch until all its issues are ironed out. In a way, the game needs to go through its own redemption story, hopefully before Christmas arrives. Once that happens, which I like to believe it will, this will be a wonderful adventure that’s not just for Christmas but any time of the year.
Though the format of Garden Buddies feels far more suited to a mobile app than a game for PC, that makes it stand out on Steam, and Nintendo Switch doesn’t have many tiny games marketed purely as mindfulness aids. I respect it for giving us a solid option. If your child does get a phone or tablet, this is easy to recommend to have as something calm and brief. I appreciate that Garden Buddies has some direct instructions for fighting stress, as well as a variety of games to choose from to release that tension.
If you are looking to manage a store, if you want a storyline or deep gameplay, you shouldn’t go for Fashion Dreamer. Instead, this is a lighthearted game, bringing fun and distraction. It’s easy to pick up for short gameplay sessions, and it’s extra fun when you can share it with people you “know” across the globe. I use the term “know” loosely, though; let’s say people you’ve met on social media or in other games. Even though I recognize that Fashion Dreamer could use more beef to the bone, I’m still having a great time playing it. Let’s hope the promised updates for December 2023 and January 2024 bring us more elements. When that happens, my verdict might just go up a notch.
When I started playing Cuisineer for this review, it took a while for the game to grow on me. I was going to score it lower, but after spending more time with the game, I have revised my score. Looking after the restaurant is fantastic, addictive, and enjoyable. The fighting in the dungeons is frantic, but I like that I can choose when to go dungeon crawling.
If you are a fan of Animal Crossing, I would say there is a big chance you will like the gameplay loop of Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure. I do like how it is unnecessary to play Earthlock, even though Ikonei Island is a side story to that game. I enjoyed the title as a standalone experience. Additionally, Ikonei Island supports co-op play of up to 4 players, with only one player needed to own the game. Give Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure a try here using the demo. The game has a fun gameplay loop with a relaxed atmosphere and can even be played on the Steam Deck!
Unloop is tremendous value for money. For less than the price of a coffee, you have a fairly relaxing puzzle game that will keep you busy for well over ten hours. I enjoyed my time with this title when my brain was in the right state. But, when I wanted to just shut my brain off after a hard day of work, it was sometimes a bit much for me to focus on. When my brain was too fried, I still enjoyed just listening to the cosmic soundtrack. As a puzzle game, it feels unique and should provide many hours of brain teasers to enjoy in long or short bursts.
Galaxy Pass Station is an excellent little game with plenty of content and almost no learning curve to keep you entertained for a while. It reminds me pleasantly of another bureaucracy sim game, Papers, Please, without the heavy historical context. Overall, I can see myself spending a long time in Galaxy Pass Station.
It will come as no surprise that I love Logic Town. It runs smoothly, the puzzles are great, and the variety keeps it fresh. Being busy with restoring the town, venue after venue, adds a nice touch and a goal to strive for. If you like your logic puzzles, I believe you can’t get any better than this!
Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless is another solid entry in the long-running SRPG series. Fans of the series most likely have already bought this game and will hopefully be satisfied. If you’re new though this is a really good entry to start off your venture into the series. The game does a good job introducing each of its mechanics and features whilst you grind away at creating the ultimate party. As with other entries of the series, this is a game that can potentially keep you busy for hundreds of hours. And if you have the time to spare, you’ll find plenty to like here. I had the most fun just doing a few battles after a long, busy day at work. The story is hit-and-miss. But it has deep and engaging gameplay, with a nearly bottomless pit of customization for your party. It will keep you glued to the most colourful netherworld in gaming.
At Winter’s End is okay. I didn’t fall in love with it, and the dice rolling aspect didn’t add anything to the game. However, it is super cute, beautifully rendered, and worth a playthrough if you like visual novels.
Spirit of the Island looks lovely and detailed and has a lot of content. There is so much to craft; there is so much there to make your homestead exactly the way you want it. Explore new islands, slay monsters and find new ingredients for your crafting. Get those tourists in to visit your attractions, like the museum, and buy your items. I did get the feeling that the developers wanted to put so much content and different gameplay elements in there and sacrificed things in the process. The user interface and all the restrictions in storage can hinder the flow of gameplay. The lack of speed in walking and the need for sleep are a bit annoying. Not storing the tutorials all in one place is a missed chance. Overall, though, I do feel the developers have put a lot of ideas and work into Spirit of the Island. There is certainly a management part in the game that kept me playing and will keep me returning for more.
I really like these games, and Hidden Cats of Spooky Town especially. The art is lovely, the game is relaxing, the music is nice. It’s overall a pretty clean experience. I only had one small issue while playing: some of the Hidden Kittens on moving objects have kind of small hitboxes, making them hard to click on as they ride away in a balloon or car or whatever. I think that just a tiny bit more wiggle room in those particular hitboxes would make a massive difference in how good this game feels to play. To be honest, that was the only issue I had with Hidden Cats of Spooky Town. I love this little game, and I look forward to whatever beautiful artwork comes next from these very talented artists.
Storm’s Harvest is a fun arcade game that is worthy of its own cabinet. For a very reasonable price, you can play an additive arcade title which is suited to short gaming sessions. It is great alone, but it is also worth swapping rounds with a friend or loved one if you want to share the arcade joy. My biggest praise for this title is it feels like a unique original concept that does its own thing. Many arcade titles released to modern systems tend to take inspiration from something else, but Storm’s Harvest feels fresh and new despite its retro look. Whether playing for Halloween or any time of the year, Storm’s Harvest is well worth inserting a credit to play without giving you nightmares. It’s definitely a retro treat.
Hamster on Rails definitely has some momentum behind it. The beautiful dioramas are a joy to look at. There is a good balance between challenging and straightforward levels, with many techniques to learn and apply. There is also the added bonus of customising your hamster explorer.