Gameffine's Reviews
The Alters isn’t for everyone. If you prefer fast-paced action or streamlined resource management, this might feel slow or cumbersome. But if you’re the kind of player who appreciates narrative weight, moral ambiguity, and gameplay that reflects character, this one hits hard. A survival game rarely feels this human. Every decision echoes. Every Alter adds a new layer to the question: “Who are you, really?”
Trident’s Tale delivers a colorful and whimsical pirate adventure that’s perfect for younger audiences, but it stumbles in execution. While its vibrant world and lighthearted storytelling are charming, the predictable narrative and repetitive quests lack substance. The stiff sailing mechanics, lackluster combat, and forgettable characters make it less appealing to seasoned players. Although it performs well technically, the world feels barren, limiting exploration and immersion. In the end, it fails to measure up to iconic pirate games like Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag or The Wind Waker.
Pilo and the Holobook is a fun game made primarily for children. However, the game has a decent amount of content for adults who wish to invest themselves in it to get a break from their monotonous work routine. The game stays minimalistic and fresh, yet might not fit the taste of every player who wants to get into it.
Empyreal is a decent ARPG, but really misses all its marks. It may have an interesting-looking world for an indie, but it clearly misses having a good story, engaging combat, or exploration. The game tries to be challenging, but only ends up being a bland fighting experience loop that just progresses to be even more frustrating. Overall, if you’re a die-hard ARPG fan, you can still find a good time, but there are many better titles to play this year.
Bionic Bay isn’t trying to be the next big AAA blockbuster. It doesn’t have a million-dollar budget or a cast of voice actors. What it does have is identity. Confidence. Innovation. And an understanding of how to make players feel like they’re constantly on the edge of disaster, but still in control.
Japanese Drift Master captures the essence of drifting through Japan’s scenic streets, which are beautifully modeled after their real-world counterparts. However, technical issues significantly hold it back, leaving room for improvement as outlined in the game’s promising future roadmap.
Despite its flawed presentation and dated visuals, Blades of Fire remains an engaging experience, thanks to bold new ideas of combat, wide-enemy variety, and progression. If you're tired of the same old hack-and-slash titles, give this one a try.
Spirit of the North 2 is a rare kind of game. It doesn’t yell to get your attention. It whispers. And if you listen, really listen, you’ll find a story that’s quietly profound, a world that’s richly textured, and an experience that leaves a mark. It’s not for players who crave constant action or explicit storytelling. But if you’re patient, curious, and willing to let a game move at its own pace, you’ll be rewarded with one of the most beautiful and emotionally satisfying journeys I’ve played in years.
Deck of Haunts is a unique take on the card-based roguelite genre that started spawning after Slay the Spire‘s commercial success. It’s a very addictive game – I found myself losing hours as I played through multiple runs, trying to count down to Day 28. Players who do not like card-based mechanics in their games should stay away, as this game has cards (a lot of them), and a lot of spooky ones at that.
Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade is an excellent combination of a good roguelite experience with an increasingly interesting narrative. The game picks up after ACT 1, and makes the game tenfold better with abilities, difficulty and the narrative depth. This indie game has perfectly hit all the marks for being a very enjoyable roguelike game, and hits it out of the park for its replayability options.
If you didn’t vibe with the humor or exploratory pace of the first game, this sequel won’t change your mind. But if you’re into weird sci-fi, smart level design, and biting satire, this is absolutely worth your time.
Driving down the highway of Averno City while taking in the sights, with the occasional arrests for misdemeanors and felonies, is definitely a policeman’s dream come true. I’m not sure about the dark overtone set at the beginning of the game, but the “policing” part of it is something that players can spend hours on, and not get bored. It definitely sucks that the story didn’t have much progression from whatever was seen in the initial Steam Next Fest demo.
If you're looking for an easy rogue-lite power fantasy, KIBORG probably isn't for you. But if you crave skill-based progression, gritty cyberpunk horror, and gameplay that demands and respects your mastery, it's absolutely worth your time. Sobaka Studio created something savage, compelling, and refreshingly old-school in its respect for player skill. KIBORG is a sleeper hit that deserves a spot in the conversation alongside the best in the genre. I'm still not done with it, and I don't think I will be anytime soon.
The publisher argues that while Captain Blood might rate as a 4/10 today, it would’ve scored a 7.5/10 back in the mid-2000s. But let’s be honest—even if this game had launched on its original schedule, it would’ve still been panned. Broken mechanics don’t magically become acceptable just because they’re old. As someone who values game preservation, I respect the effort to revive lost projects, but that doesn’t excuse selling a fundamentally unfinished product—especially one that may never be properly fixed. Dodge Captain Blood like your character dodges non-existent i-frames.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a fantastic RPG that makes turn based combat far more engaging through the real time mechanics. But what truly fuels the game is the extremely original writing, characters with depth, and mechanics that allows you to absorb the story the right way, while also giving you space to explore the game as you like.
If you enjoy puzzle-solving adventures with a strong emotional core, BOKURA: Planet is a wonderful journey.
Commandos: Origins aims to take players back to the glory days of PC gaming when niche strategy games thrived, and it almost succeeds. The changes made to make the game suit a modern player base are good and well appreciated, even by veterans like me. But, in its current condition, there are just way too many bugs for the game to be enjoyed properly. I’d recommend waiting for a few patches to drop and then getting it on sale. It’s good to see Commandos back in action!
Shotgun Cop Man is a tightly designed, endlessly replayable platformer that stands out in a crowded genre. Its weapon-based movement system is more than a gimmick, it’s the foundation for one of the most engaging and rewarding platforming experiences in years.
Mandragora: Whispiers of the Witch Tree isn’t just another entry in the action RPG genre—it’s a living, breathing world that challenges you to be smarter, faster, and more resourceful with everything at your disposal. It’s highly polished with responsive controls that make every encounter challenging yet fair.
Detective Dostson is our favourite Made In India Game, that simply knocks it out of the park for its Narrative, Mechanics, and Design. The game feels very polished and fluid, and will have something for you to do with each character you walk past. The only thing which put me back is the total playtime, which is barely 2.5 hours for me. But the hope carries on with the wait for the free DLC episode. At the price of ₹500 for the Indian audience, it’s already a bargain for the quality offered.