The Punished Backlog
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The Witch's Bakery is close to being a great modern cozy classic, but I think it needs more time to cook. A year from now, with a few more patches and maybe DLC for other characters, The Witch's Bakery could be tidied up into a much stronger experience. I wonder if the developers bit off more than they could chew. They released simultaneously on multiple platforms. The game was delayed a few times. But I admire what Sunny Lab is doing here --- they have baked a beautiful, delightful game with a very real, emotional gooey center.
Despite its narrative shortcomings, Silver Pines is a terrific survival-horror adventure, perfectly suited for a handheld like the Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch. As a Twin Peaks or detective-themed metroidvania, there’s nothing quite like it. The game marries gameplay and narrative design to create a compelling experience that never lets up. As much as I loved its Pacific Northwest, surrealist police procedural vibe, I wish that its characters and venues felt a little more unique. Silver Pines is so rich for what it does differently than other indie and legacy metroidvanias out there, so it’s a shame the game can’t quite pull away from its obvious homages. Even as an imitation, though, there's plenty here to love.
Players who want a thoughtful story, who want to feel things, who are mad at AI, who just want to smash stuff will really love Virtue and a Sledgehammer. Others might be turned off by the game’s narrative and what it chooses to focus on. I personally felt the game did something unique with its three- to five-hour runtime. For its commentary on humanity, relationships, and technology, Virtue and a Sledgehammer might be one of the most important video games of the year. I hope people play it.
Stupid Never Dies is a fun action game with accessible combat and a deep enough RPG system to add some complexity. There’s plenty of replayability thanks to its roguelike structure, along with a strong degree of player choice and freedom... right up until the game forces you to start over for arbitrary reasons. That pacing drags it down heavily, and even 11 styles couldn’t keep the formula from going stale. I wanted to feel warm and fuzzy inside by the time I finished. Instead, I felt exhausted and glad it was over. It was a pretty fun road trip that was just a bit too long, with too many stops. Still, I appreciate GPTrack50 for making such a colorful, unique game that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s held up by its diverse cast of monsters, former humans, and kinda-humans, and it’s another great “spooky, not scary” game, perfect for anyone looking for something like that.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is already one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch 2, and it will likely maintain the staying power that Three Houses did on the Switch 1 before it. It does need some touching up, and hopefully the incoming expansion updates will be well worth it. I like to think of Fortune’s Weave as four complete story-driven games tied to a much more gameplay-oriented third act that serves more as an extended catharsis than as a story. I acknowledge that drawing that big a divide between them is a big ask, but if that mindset works for you, you’ll probably come out thinking the game is a masterpiece. Even if you don’t, it will still probably be a ton of fun.
Tenebris Somnia is unusual, and I think that’s a good thing. In promotional materials, the most boasted accolade is that of the award-winning film crew behind the cutscenes. The team did a wonderful job of making the live-action segments feel cinematic and synchronizing them nicely with the actual gameplay sections, but on occasion the other parts of the game can feel neglected as a result. The game advertised was an incredibly scary experience, but I found the fear factor a little underwhelming. If you want a game that feels almost like a digital escape room with the way its puzzles are presented, Tenebris Somnia is the game for you. But if you’re looking for a genuinely horrifying experience, fumbling to survive while fighting something straight out of a nightmare, maybe give the game a pass or at least temper your expectations.
It’s a testament to the creatives at One More Level that Valor Mortis impresses despite its uneven parts. During its best moments — a terrific boss battle, an exhilarating platforming sequence, a tense shootout in an enemy outpost — the game truly shines. Likewise, I enjoyed William’s story even if the game’s peripheral characters and ending felt tragically undercooked. As a cohesive experience, however, Valor Mortis gets in its way too many times to walk away unscathed. The combat, thrilling as it can be, suffers from an identity crisis. Is it an action game? Is it an RPG? It’s tough to say. Consider also that Valor Mortis continues to suffer from technical issues and bugs — even after a massive day-one patch — and it’s tough to recommend this trip to Europe without quite a few qualifiers.
Toy Story: Retro RoundUp! is no longer for me; I’m okay with that. But these games — with their clunky platforming and vintage graphics — are also no longer for the children growing up on Toy Story today, with Mario Kart World and LEGO Star Wars a button press away. Retro children’s games are difficult for me to judge, as they were meant to be colorful and simple years ago, but as a result, they don’t feel fun for me and likely not for my nephews who are used to glossier graphics and more interesting gameplay. Having multiple versions of the same game included in the collection is nice for record-keeping, but not a very fun experience as a player.
Dressmaker has quickly evolved from a potential-filled demo to a delightful, fully fledged game. While there are more things I’d love to see (perhaps in a future update?), it’s a wonderful play as it is, especially for the $15 price point. I’ve had an amazing time with Dressmaker, and I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone with a passion for fashion, design, or creativity.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer is an invaluable addition to the racing game canon precisely because it is excellent, and because it is a game wholly different in style than each of the Forza, Gran Turismo, Need for Speed, and Mario Kart franchises before it. It is important and healthy for the continued development of the art form to experience innovation not only in licensed property but also in the very ways in which we play our favorite games, in genres we falsely believe to have already traversed their creative limits. With a stronger narrative, Galactic Racer wouldn’t just be making a case as one of the better games of the year; it would be in the conversation for one of the best Star Wars IP releases this century.
Taken as a part of the whole, Control Resonant delivers an emotional first draft of a far more interesting shared world. Dylan is no superhero, not yet anyway, nor interesting enough to be an antihero; but there is time enough for him to grow into one through the echoes and darkness of the Remedy Connected Universe — if he’s given more opportunity to shine. I hope we know where we’ll see him again sooner rather than later.
The Merlies is a warm hug of a game, with elements that casual and seasoned gamers alike can enjoy. It’s a rewarding adventure with a story about overcoming adversity, building community, and appreciating the world around you. A lack of in-game direction and some less-than-stellar controls hold it back from being a true gem, but anyone who loves exploration and stress-free gaming will no doubt find a lot to like here. The idea of a wholesomevania is fantastic, and the execution of The Merlies makes for a game well worth diving into.
I spent a very welcome 12 hours in the world of Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, which does succeed as both prequel (as advertised) and sequel. The Plague Tale games consistently feel like a hodgepodge of ideas. This game provides a multitude of possibilities for where the series could go next, from more medieval Tomb Raider to re-envisioned ancient horrors. Ultimately, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is a kaleidoscope: a game full of mirrors that reflect light differently based on how it is held. From the right angle, it shines beautifully; however, when Asobo Studio lets its inspirations outshine the game's uniqueness, A Plague Tale Legacy becomes yet another third-person adventure game with an unnecessary skill tree.
If you have any appreciation for art, cute animals, cozy games, or a good puzzle, I truly cannot recommend Tukoni: Forest Keepers enough. It’s a joy to play and, in my opinion, a perfect example of what a cozy game should be. My playthrough took about four hours, and my biggest complaint is that I wanted it to be longer! Everything about Tukoni: Forest Keepers, from the development to the story and message of the game itself, is a testament to what can be achieved with resilience, determination, and good friends to lean on. I know that sounds corny, and somewhat like the moral of a children’s storybook (wink wink), but it’s true. Bula and Dream Operator’s passion is clear in every part of the game, and I look forward to seeing more from them in the future.
I loved my time with Star Wars Zero Company and will be going back for another playthrough very soon. Between the flexibility offered by the combat, the Operations not taken, and the lives lost (we miss you, Druw), Zero Company invites players back for hours and hours. Fans of the tactics genre will find a love letter to everything that makes them special. I would also recommend Zero Company to anyone who wants to be introduced to tactics games, as its beginner-friendly tutorial is very robust. Fans of Star Wars, meanwhile, will find a fantastic narrative with appropriate stakes in the universe that stands alone as just a good damn story. As for me, I am just a fan of Zero Company.
After several hours with Slayblade, I’m not entirely sure what to make of it. Lovingly crafted, with electric music and killer designs, Slayblade works well toward its goals: a simple roguelite built around whipping tops at other tops. But the lack of full explanation for its mechanics, frustrating difficulty, and minimal graphical options make Slayblade an experience that’s hard to recommend. Slayblade opens with a fake Nintendo Wii caution screen and fake DS start screen, harking back to those Nintendo consoles. And every time, I found myself wondering: Would Slayblade be a more enjoyable experience if it were launched on those consoles? There is joy and fun to be found in the pixelated city, and for $6, you can do a lot worse. But perhaps that fun’s not meant for a long time.
If you like games that put you in the king's seat, you'll love Sovereign Tower. It's a lot of fun to hear requests from the populace, make decisions, and maximize knights' load-outs for their quests. However, if you don't like details or making decisions or reading, you probably won't enjoy it. The game is more than a bog-standard visual novel game due to its knight min-max puzzling, but it does heavily rely on the written word and relatively still character frames. That being said, the narrative of Sovereign Tower is as rich as the kingdom you'll end up leading. I had a blast wearing the crown.
As it is, The Incident at Galley House is a confident mystery, but an underwhelming puzzler. Had it taken more risks with the original script (if only to make for smoother voice acting, much less take advantage of the new visuals) and incorporated some of the non-linear puzzle design I’ve come to love from Evil Trout, it could have been a transcendent detective video game. Instead, it’s a safe play that feels like a massive missed opportunity.
There are a few times in The Mermaid Mask where characters, such as a tormented author, will make comments about how hard it is to make a sequel or that "this is a lot of work; I don't know if I'll do it again." And I can't disagree; it seems incredibly difficult. I've been editing my own novel for a few years now and it is... quite painful. But what keeps me going is the idea that some day, my mom might get to read my book and really love it, and maybe other people will, too. So, I say to SFB Games and brothers Vian, if you have finished your journey with these games, I would understand, but I'd be sad — The Mermaid Mask is an excellent game, and I can only imagine how brilliant the next one would be.
I could recommend Backyard Baseball to nostalgic super-fans of the franchise or sport, but I'd struggle to suggest it for new players, especially given the price point and the fact that the 1997 remaster is available for $9.99. I myself am going to put Backyard Baseball (2026) down and come back later if/when there have been some patches. Backyard Baseball (2026) still has a long way to go to be ready for the big leagues, but it's a new season for the franchise. I'm so happy it's making a return. These games taught me a lot about strategy, statistics, and teamwork; more young people deserve to get to play games like this. I wish the team all the luck in the world as they take the plate.