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When you set out to make something truly unique, you may find that what you make simply isn't for everyone. Even with the short couple of hours it takes to reach one of the game's endings, I find it hard to completely recommend this to everyone. It's weird, it's abstract, and it asks more of you than you'd expect. But for the weirdos who are seeking something brand new, willing to overlook some moments of stagnancy, and are open to embracing the love of helping your fellow neighbor, Witch Strandings is worth experiencing. And if you aren't a weirdo, why'd you just read 1500 words about a "strand game?"
In the end, Jackbox Party Pack 9 delivers an uneven Party Pack experience. But Jackbox 9's missteps are so slight that uneven still equals a great experience. It's because the highs are so HIGH that the lows stand out the way they do, but with the right group, even the lows can be enjoyable. When you've got two games that may just be entries into the Jackbox Hall of Fame, anything can look a little paler in comparison. If you're looking for a Jackbox Party Pack that really sows some chaos within your friend group, all while truly expanding your mind with some abstract thinking and creative problem-solving — you can't do much better than Jackbox 9.
While I spent most of my time with Simulacra 3 waiting for the game to reach its full potential and never quite seeing it happen, Kaigan Games continues to deliver one of the more unique horror series out there. Scrolling through a phone to discover the world's horrors is always worth it — it at least adds a new definition to doomscrolling, I'll tell you that — but I can't help but wonder what Kaigan Games could do if they met the full potential they continue to showcase throughout this trilogy. Regardless, it's a worthy expansion of the series, and with an affordable price tag, I definitely recommend giving it a shot.
Color Gray Games could never release another game and they'd still be a team I'd remember years down the line. Case of the Golden Idol is an incredible first showing that may just revolutionize the mystery game genre in the way that classics like Return of the Obra Dinn did at launch. When I was done with it all, I was left with this hunger to create art, because that's what happens when I consume a piece of truly great art.
At its core, Exocolonist is a fascinating story about collective survival, finding harmony with the planet, and how a blank slate for humanity is, well, not really a blank slate at all. The memory of the crumbling planet Earth pursues these colonists, literally. And with the colony constantly on the brink of disaster, the old systems of militarization, power imbalances and overconsumption of resources starts to make a tempting appearance. It’s up to you as the player, and as part of the colony, to decide if you’re willing to give into that ghost of a collapsing society or if it’s better to try something new.
That all being said, Prodeus is everything classic shooter fans could ask for. It's gory, it's heavy (and I mean HEAVY) rock and roll, it's pure fun, and all wrapped up in a package with the best old-school aesthetics amplified by the power of modern technology. I don't regret a single minute spent strafing through Bounding Box's alien halls, and if you're looking for a vacation back to the '90s, Prodeus is calling. (It's on Game Pass too!)
It's been some time since I finished SIGNALIS and parts of it still linger with me. I feel a chill when I think about the implications of some sequences, the dark distorted beasts glitching hidden in the shadows of the room, and the horrifying mental scars the game's characters were left with. While in the moment, the frustrations felt bigger than anything else, they've all but melted away with time. All I can remember is how great of a horror experience this was.
This is what I wanted out of EggNut all along. On its own, it's a series of extremely effective short stories about the ways people's lives can change: how one conversation or decision can alter your life's course. How even when you know or can feel what's waiting for you on the other side of any single moment, sometimes there's nothing you can do to stop it. As part of the package that is Backbone, Tails makes everything better. The first game retroactively increases in quality thanks to this experience, and when taken as a bundle, the Backbone experience becomes a must-play. I can't say for sure, but I felt that if I had just let this run into the original, the whole collection may be one of my favorite things I've played in a while. At its price point, there's no doubt you should give both Tails and Backbone a try, because EggNut found its way to something real special in the end.
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is pitch-perfect revival of a franchise we're desperate to see anything new from and a perfect excuse to spend another week of sleepless nights back inside this iconic roguelite. If Motion Twin and Evil Empire decide to hang up their Dead Cells hat after this, this would be just about the best way to say goodbye. (The only thing they could do better is announce that they're developing a new full Castlevania release themselves...) Fans of Castlevania need to hop into this as soon as they can. Fans of roguelites who haven't played Dead Cells at all yet need to use this DLC as their excuse to get into this game immediately. And those that aren't either... well you might just become mega fans of both franchises after a few runs through this DLC. WHAT IS A MAN? A MISERABLE LITTLE PILE OF GOOD VIDEO GAME IDEAS?
Much like the heroes in the game, at one point I thought Redemption Reapers could be redeemed. But in the end, the sins it committed were a bit too much and despite almost making it back into my good graces, it fell just short and left me wishing I was overwhelmed by the hordes of Mort sooner rather than later.
I am a self-admitted open-world goblin and that kind of got in the way of what makes this game so great. I was looking for something more than cosmetics when accomplishing tasks and exploring through the world, for the numbers to go up on my gear and stats. But that’s not the kind of game Awaceb was making here. If anything, it’s the exact opposite. Tchia got me to pull back, to stop and smell the roses, to be a kid again. It reminded me of the power of just wandering, of just picking a path and finding fun along the way. Of appreciating the land under my feet and the people and animals who walk it alongside me.
9 Years of Shadows is a straightforward Metroidvania with some incredible theming, unique narrative lessons to pass on, and healing — or, at the very least, beautiful — music. It keeps things simple, sometimes to a fault, but manages to keep one thing at the forefront from beginning to end. Fun. It's a shame then that, at least at launch, the game's smattering of technical issues get in the way of letting its real art shine.
Terra Nil is a transformative city builder, in every sense of the word. While it presents a world that is polluted and broken down in a way that painfully reflects our world, it also tells us that nature can prevail in the end and that we can help facilitate that healing. It shows that with a bit of ingenuity and clever puzzle-solving, we might just work our way back over time. And it does it all in a tight package with a clear end and a focus on letting the natural beauty of our world take the spotlight. Can you believe these are the people who made the penis-fighting party game?
Voltaire: The Vegan Vampire has some enjoyable pieces that sell an intriguing full game that one day will come to fruition, but until then it remains one to watch instead of one to immediately hop into.
Lunark is a brilliant homage to the cinematic platformer. Vinet's work in capturing the look and feel of the genre with the rotoscoped animation and methodical platforming style is pitch perfect, even if it sometimes adapts some pieces of the era that you'd rather leave behind and forgets to bring in some elements that feel crucial to the experience, like an exciting story. That said, Vinet's solo debut is a standout and one well worth embarking on. 2023 is the year of taking a breath and remembering where we came from as gamers, and Lunark is just another step in that direction.
DragonBear's debut is a certified gem. Innchanted delivers a special brand of chaos and fun that has good vibes and good values incorporated into nearly every aspect of its design. Shouting may ensue and stress may be a primary feeling across your inn management journey, but the satisfaction of completing a day's shifts without losing your head, with pals who've been right by your side through it all? That's priceless. And Innchanted only asks you to shell out $20, so I mean... that's a good price for priceless.
Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories is a nostalgic trip to simpler times, quieter days, and a different era of gaming. It reminds me of a time when the idea of walking in a digital space, meeting eccentric characters, and becoming part of a lived-in world felt revolutionary. Froach Club's 3-5 hour story is ripe with good vibes, and while it may not ask you to parry frame-perfect attacks or min-max your character's stats to reach glory, its appeal is undeniable. Go drink a melon soda, let the breeze roll in, and wander through Hog Town.
Toge Productions found a way to distill down the comforts of shared familiarity between friends and the otherwise complex nuances of interpersonal relationships in the piping hot drink known as Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly. Its narrative-first visual novel presentation might scare some away, but just like that complex-sounding drink at your local café with ingredients you've never heard of, it's most definitely worth a taste.
Mail Time is so far one of my favorite cozy games of 2023. And this is a cozy game — to a T. There's no violence — well, I mean, there is, unfortunately, a landlord, plus an offbeat caterpillar named Soks who might throw a real stinging quip or two your way. But in this casual platformer and collect-a-thon, there are no timers or penalties on your quests, no fall damage taken when you accidentally glide straight past your destination, and no real way to fail. It's a game where the biggest challenge is picking the cutest outfit, knapsack, and glider combo within the character creator. In short, Mail Time isn't perfect — but it's a two- to three-hour quest for joy and neighborly connection, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Strange Scaffold remains one of the most interesting teams in gaming today. Sunshine Shuffle's anything but light and breezy, despite its appearances, and its narrative poker experience is just another in a long list of games from their studio that tells powerful stories in the most interesting formats possible. By keeping the gameplay barriers as light as possible this time while still managing to do something that no one else is doing, the team lets what might be its best batch of writing yet soar here. And that's worth all the applause. Minor quibbles aside, Sunshine Shuffle accomplishes all it sets out to do and does so with a ska-driven flair that can't be denied.