The Punished Backlog
HomepageThe Punished Backlog's Reviews
Wax Heads is the new game for those who enjoy cozy life/job simulator games, with heartwarming stories and stunning visuals woven throughout. I can truly see this game becoming a huge part of discussions around cute, stylized, relaxing video games, as well as a big name in the cozy gaming community. Patattie Games is definitely one to watch, and I can’t wait to see what dynamic duo Somerwolff and Tome create next.
Yaza Games knocks it out of the park again with Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts, if only for a somewhat niche audience. In no small part, the game feels made for medievalists, as well as for folks who love medieval books and cozy games. The game finds comfort in its gameplay loop, and is supported by an entertaining series of short stories. I expected the charm of the scriptorium to wear off quickly, but after nearly 10 hours, I find myself giddy to go back through the individual stories of these trope-y characters and spend more time in “Sandbox” mode, designing to my heart’s content.
Replaced fits its narrative in many ways. The story and visuals are incredible, among some of the best I have seen. The combat tries too many things, but does get credit for trying. The characters feel alive, with history baked into their every interaction. And Reach is a superb main character, a childlike AI forced to be a different type of tool in search of what their purpose is. Replaced has its flaws, especially during combat. But I don’t think those flaws stack up enough to detract from the things it does with a master’s touch. Replaced reaches for the stars, but only ends up hitting the moon. And that’s still pretty good.
I played Creature Kitchen at the beginning of April, but I’m still thinking about it a few weeks later. It just made me feel things. I felt safe but also challenged, surprised but also content. I loved making real dinner for my real-life creatures and then cozying up with my Steam Deck and making spooky dinner for my spooky creatures. I have never played another game like this, one that so perfectly balances both cozy and creepy. Because it’s so good, I do wish it were a bit longer. I’m not usually a big fan of achievement hunting, but perhaps I’ll give it a go as an excuse to spend more time at my spooky cabin. Even though I know how it all ends (and it does stick to the landing), I might return. I’m always a bit hungry, after all.
If you can look past the technical struggles of Aether & Iron, you will find a gripping narrative fueled by colorful characters and an equally colorful world. Gia’s journey to find who she wants to be, and what she wants to do, gripped me from start to finish. The side characters are lovely and diverse, representing different walks of life throughout New York. The combat is fun and interactive, even if surprisingly difficult in moments. In the end, Aether & Iron is an experience worth having. Just know that nothing and no one is flawless in New York City.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is an excellent game that is perfectly enjoyable on Nintendo Switch 2. Despite a lower resolution and framerate than on PS5 or Xbox Series X, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to revisit the world, characters, and battles of Kena’s debut journey. If you’ve never played Kena before and would like to experience the magic before Scars of Kosmora drops, this is a fitting entry point. That said, if you do own any other modern platform, I highly recommend playing elsewhere — if only to enjoy Ember Lab’s work at its utmost beauty.
Just when I thought the first-person shooter genre had gone stale on me, MOUSE: P.I. For Hire walked in, tipped its hat, and changed my mind. This game won me over with its endless charm, its witty and genuinely cheesy dialogue — the cheese puns never stop, and I didn’t want them to — and a level of aesthetic commitment that extends to every corner of Mouseburg. A few structural quirks in the case sequencing keep it from a perfect score, but MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is a triumph — as close to perfect as it gets. Fumi Games has built a world that deserves to be explored, a story that earns its weight, and a combat system that keeps you coming back for one more run. At $29.99, this game is worth every cent.
Sigma Star Saga DX is a tale of highs and lows. The lows can be pretty rough, but the highs are lofty enough that I’d call DX a solid experience in and of itself. It’s a pretty good action RPG overall, but within it is a potentially great game that occasionally gets in its own way. That said, I’m really glad Sigma Star Saga DX exists at all. It may never have been an all-time great game or even a particularly notable hidden gem, but it deserved the DX treatment as much as anything else.
Tombwater sets up an intriguing space in the current indie game landscape. A Western horror game disguised as a Soulslike is a brilliant sale, but Tombwater is so much more. It is a triumphant realization of the 2D Zelda formula in a non-medieval, Bloodborne-esque setting. I hope I get to return to this world sooner than we’ll likely return to Yharnam.
Project Songbird is a game I think anyone in a creative industry should play, whether you’re a musician, a painter, a writer, a game developer, or someone in any field that is about making something. The game shares a prominent and important message about how many artists will push themselves so much farther than could ever be sustainable. This felt especially relevant in today’s world, where artists are being forced to compete with the existence of generative AI. In publishing Project Songbird, Rush and FYRE Games have made me want to create. Playing this game made me want to make the things that I want to make, and to not allow anyone or anything to make me resent doing the creative things I love.
Esoteric Ebb will delight those who love fantastical tabletop adventures but have been craving a single-player experience, especially if you are remotely into medieval stuff, silly stuff, political stuff, and/or male identity stuff. I am not alone in thinking that it's one of the best successors to Disco Elysium, a game I very much loved. There's strong potential for Esoteric Ebb to get a sequel, or even some DLC, and I'll be lining up to try it. I think Esoteric Ebb is an excellent example of the CRPG genre, though it is pretty deep into its systems and those who are new to this style or don't enjoy it will be hard-pressed to click with it. But if you do love a TTRPG, you're gonna love it. I'm confident that, at the end of the year, I'll be putting it on my list of best indie games.
Death Howl provides healing to one of life’s most challenging experiences: the death of a close loved one. As Ro physically fights through this world, defeating monsters to save her son, many of her most important battles are emotional, as she wrestles with grief. While Death Howl leans heavily into its Soulslike difficulty, its chess-like tactics allow for countless possibilities. I logged about 56 hours completing quests and exploring the world, and I’m just short of that platinum trophy. You better believe I’ll be back to finish it and revel in the spirited strangeness of another world.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is an incredibly well-rounded addition to the survival-horror genre. It successfully reimagines the Resident Evil franchise while helping series newcomers begin their RE journey without the intimidation of pre-established lore or the need to play older, fixed-camera games (such as the original Resident Evil, or Resident Evil 0). Nearly 10 years later, the game still holds up incredibly well.
I may harp about Demon Tides’ issues, but that’s only because I want this game to succeed. Fabraz continues to create some of the most interesting collectathons on the market, and not since A Hat in Time have I found myself so enthralled by a game’s frame-by-frame platforming mechanics. Like A Hat in Time, though, the jank is real. I wish the game’s colorful visuals and open-world design could shine properly, but performance issues and bugs often drag down the experience. And yet, the game offers far too much fun for me not to recommend it. I 100%’d everything in about 25 hours, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy every second.
As a platformer-meets-horror game, Love Eternal is equal parts aggravating and enlightening. The story is opaque, with an ending that had me scratching my head, and yet I found myself wildly engrossed. The platforming is woefully undercooked, but a mid-game genre shift almost (almost) redeems the entire experience. Add in a late-game curveball that, while I won’t spoil here, is bound to invite plenty of speculation, and Love Eternal is a work of art that deserves praise. Now, is that art fun? Is it something I’d recommend to a majority of people, or even to diehard platformer fans? I can’t say I would — the goods just aren’t here. However, if you’re willing to compromise your sanity a bit, you’ll find a dimension to Love Eternal that’s worth exploring.
I am having an absolute blast with Mewgenics. Even after playing for over 30 hours, I can tell I have only cracked the surface of what the game has to offer. Like many roguelikes, the game’s difficulty and design demand many playthroughs and hours to build up your arsenal of resources and personal skill to beat the entire game. There is a genuinely impressive number of enemies, items, and ability synergies that are incredibly satisfying to discover. I’m looking forward to exploring new areas, experimenting with new ability combinations, and breeding new genetically monstrous kitties for many more hours. Based on how addicting Mewgenics is, I have a feeling I won’t be the only one.
As it currently stands, Bladesong is a truly brilliant game, with a huge amount of painstaking effort put into its development. The story is novel-worthy, the artwork is breathtaking, and the sword-making mechanics are innovative and enjoyable to use. While it isn’t perfect and could use some polishing in places, the game has incredible potential, and I’m excited to see what it becomes. If you have an interest in fantasy, history, weaponry, or even just enjoy a good book, I cannot recommend Bladesong enough.
Ultimately, the tragedy of Big Hops is that it’s clearly so close to being a remarkable game. The gameplay mechanics and level architecture are fantastic, and I hope the team at Luckshot can bring over that same philosophy and design ethos to something a little more refined. Even if Luckshot fixes the crashes and frame rate issues, Big Hops has little to offer outside of its great gameplay mechanics. That’s not nothing, but it’s also not enough.
I was absolutely riveted by TR-49. I played in two long sessions, finishing the game in about seven hours. However, I wanted more — and so I did something I almost never do, and spent extra time getting 100% of the achievements, discovering multiple endings. TR-49 achieves everything it sets out to do. Furthermore, for its amazingly low price point of $6.99, TR-49 is an absolute bargain for an experience this good. If you love books, weird games, games that make you think, great audio design, code-breaking, war-time stories, and/or poignant reflections on what it means to be alive in the world, then you'll love TR-49. I could hardly bear to put TR-49 down, and once you try it, neither will you.
I enjoyed Perfect Tides: Station to Station far more than I expected I would. It’s gritty, entertaining, and painfully relatable. It’s also very likely changed my opinion on point-and-clicks forever. For a simple, somewhat emotionally exhausting, story-oriented game, it definitely hits the mark. There are areas where I felt it could have been improved mechanics-wise, and I doubt I’d play through it again, but I do absolutely think it’s worth a try for anyone with an appreciation for storytelling, art, or comically large eyes.