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Once you are born, The Necromancer’s Tale begins to blur the line between fixed narrative and player-driven storytelling. Your character’s early years play out with some key events already set in stone, but you’re given meaningful choices throughout. Almost like a choose-your-own-adventure novel, but darker and more immersive. These early decisions don’t just affect the story; they directly impact your character’s stats. It’s a smart and creative way to build your character through narrative instead of menus, and it adds real meaning to the choices you make.
It’s a fun setup that gives your shopkeeping grind some narrative weight. Instead of building an empire for the sake of it, you’re hustling to escape undeath – one skeleton customer at a time. The undead pirates that shuffle into your shop aren’t just members of your crew also stuck on the cove, they’re your customers. They bring plenty of personality and requests as you expand your small business. It’s not an overly story-heavy game, but the premise adds just enough to keep your gold-hoarding goals interesting.
In Gaucho and the Grassland, you don’t grind for coins or sell crops for cash. There is no economy in the traditional sense. Instead, the world runs on gathering, trading, helping, and earning goodwill. You raise animals, collect resources with your faithful dog and horse, and complete quests to unlock more of the land. It’s refreshing to play a farming game that doesn’t shove numbers and gold at you. This is about harmony and connection, not profit.
As with most productivity-focused games, Your Personal Chill Apartment doesn’t offer a narrative, but there’s no lore, either. It’s just a room in a modern setting—a quiet corner room with a window view (if you add a window) and a soft soundtrack. You’re not playing a character with a goal or journey. Instead, the game provides a blank canvas where your real-world achievements fuel your in-game room decorating... For players looking for simple ambience, that might be enough. But for me... it felt like something was missing.
Len’s Island is a fun game to play and relax. It is a survival crafting title, but surviving in it is deliberately made easy. It feels like it’s only there for immersion, which fits well with the rest of the game. The combat and camera may need some time to get used to, but it’s not a deal-breaker. If you’re looking for something fun and relaxing that doesn’t require too much commitment, then Len’s Island has everything that you need.
Going into Island Robot Farm, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had never played an idle game before, and at first, I wasn’t completely sold – the gameplay felt slow, and I wasn’t sure if just watching progress happen was going to be enough to keep me interested. But the more I played, the more the game opened up. What started as a simple two-bot farming setup gradually evolved into a complex, self-sustaining operation filled with new features, mechanics, and tools to experiment with.
Unfortunately, after a few stages of each level, my weapon would no longer fire. Or it would fire and damage me. Or it would fire and not damage my enemy. This was present on both sides of the battle, either soft locking me in a stage where no damage can be dealt, or meaning I would take damage while my opposition wouldn’t. Ultimately, this made Critter Crossfire unplayable after a certain point and stopped my progression altogether. It’s a real shame because there is a lot of potential and a lot of fun to be had with this title.
Kick’n Hell may just have the most unique and interesting movement I’ve ever experienced. And it works amazingly. Using kicks to throw myself across the sprawling environments was one of the most fun and frustrating mechanics I’ve experienced this year. Having to think hard about my trajectory and where I wanted to go, both made me feel incredibly accomplished and enraged. Kick’n Hell doesn’t hold the player’s hand. Far from it. Countless times, I would find myself soaring through the air, only to fall right back down to a lower platform. Or a much lower platform. It was as infuriating as it was incredibly engaging.
Zombies Overloaded isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, but it is a welcome addition to the top-down shooter genre. The gameplay loop is enjoyable, working best in shorter stints as opposed to long sessions. The visuals are appealing despite their simple nature, and everything comes together neatly to create an appealing little twin stick shooter. It’s definitely recommendable, especially at its generous price point, for those fond of the genre.
Honestly, although I very much enjoyed it, I think it was let down by the lack of range. It released in the same month as Bugtopia, and whilst the former has over 300 different bug types, Kabuto Park has only 40. Despite its small size and short gameplay, it could’ve easily been rated a little higher if there was only more variety. However, having said that, I still think it’s a steal for the price; it’s such a peaceful, beautiful, and enjoyable experience.
Star Overdrive surprised me in the best way. What started as a space-themed curiosity turned into a fast-paced, emotionally engaging experience that blends satisfying movement, creative combat, and a genuinely good story. Between the hoverboard upgrades, keytar-based combat, and an intriguing skill system, there’s more depth here than I initially expected – and it kept me coming back for more.
PEAK wastes no time in pushing players to their limits, especially in the starting area. I kept running out of stamina before I’d even made it up the first incline, and it felt frustrating rather than fun at first. Survival games are meant to be tough, sure—but when the first section is this punishing, it leaves little room for learning the ropes. It’ll take you a few climbs to start feeling like you’re making any progress, but once you do, it’s a great feeling.
I think this game is beyond brilliant. It met my expectations and then some. I honestly cannot recommend it enough, it’s such a wacky, hilarious, entertaining experience, and I think almost everyone would be able to find copious enjoyment from it. Even if dating sims aren’t usually your genre, consider making this one an exception. It’s like nothing else out there, and you’d be missing out on all the deranged shenanigans.
Without saying a word, the game builds a gentle story about family, imagination, and grief. It leans into memory and lets you interpret the emotion behind each scene. You’re not given all the answers, and you don’t need them. It’s enough to feel the weight of what’s been left unsaid, and the love that still lingers in every shadow you cast.
Visually, Snacko doesn’t know what it wants to be. The world is 3D, the characters and animals are 2D pixel sprites, and during dialogue, NPCs switch to more detailed illustrations. It felt jarring every time. The mix of art styles clashed instead of blending together. The characters’ pixel models are also weirdly darker than they appear when they’re talking. Mikan is white, but she looks grey in sprite form.
Nice Day for Fishing could’ve been a quick gag game. It could have been made for fans of Viva La Dirt League to laugh at. But it’s far more than that. This is a full experience—thoughtful, weirdly wholesome, and genuinely fun to sink time into. It reminded me so much of the first time I played Runescape. I used to bike to the library with my older brother to play on the computers there… That warm, nostalgic feeling came rushing back as I explored. The fishing battles, the spells, the treasure hunting—all of it made me feel like a kid again.
There’s a solid foundation here, one that clearly draws from the developer’s past work in American Fugitive, but also pushes into new territory. It’s an ambitious mix of sandbox action and police procedure, and while it often stumbles (especially with its NPC AI and car handling), it also manages to hold your attention with its vibrant world and constant activity.
Rise of Gun is a bit rough around the edges, especially in the first half-hour. The lack of a directional tutorial, vague quest instructions, and unclear shop layout might put off players expecting something more polished. But for those who stick with it, there’s a surprisingly warm and relaxing management sim underneath the rubble. It’s not flashy, and it’s not fast, but it has heart, and a whole lot of potential.
The most enjoyable part of the story was revealing the relationships between the seven characters present. Each one had their motives and feelings towards my character, influencing gameplay. Again though, trying to pull the story out of these characters often felt like a chore. Oftentimes the dialogue would repeat itself, leading me to quickly skip through to the next part.
You start with a small, barebones shop and an arguably tight budget. You have no voice in your ear guiding you or NPCs to interact with, just one clear objective: buy, collect, race, and sell supercars. All while upgrading your shop along the way. It’s a simple setup, but one that lays a solid foundation for hours of gameplay.