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Homestead Arcana, born from the minds of Serenity Forge developers and published by Skybound Games on April 21, 2023, presents itself as a bucolic adventure infused with magical elements. Available on PC and Xbox, the game invites players to take on the role of a witch grappling with the challenging task of rebuilding a farm in a land corrupted by a mysterious miasma.
The puzzles are well-designed, the controls are responsive and precise, and the environments are always extremely well-crafted, colorful, and rich in detail. Music and sound also does well, especially the ambient sounds. My impression was that of playing a sort of Limbo, which we have discussed before, or Another World, an old glory for the Atari ST, but with less dark atmospheres and much more inspired by sci-fi like Star Wars.
Combat and exploration are entirely automated in Loop Hero. We need to be able to influence the world and the enemies around us to turn the challenges the game throws at us against itself. And this cannot be achieved without a good dose of tactics, courage, and adaptability against the whims of Lady Luck.
Little Witch in the Woods, developed by Sunnyside Up and published by Dear Villager, is a magical life simulation game that captivates players with its bucolic charm and relaxing pace. Released in early access on May 17, 2022, for Project xCloud, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Classic Mac OS. This title catapults players into an enchanted world, where they take on the role of a young witch dealing with everyday life in a village lost in the woods.
The Land Beneath Us presents itself with an almost chess-like tone where the strategic element is predominant and increases considerably as the experience progresses. The game is not free from flaws. You can replay the old areas by increasing the difficulty, but the replayability is not very high. The Boss fights are well characterized and well done, with very original and never frustrating patterns. It’s a shame that the mid-bosses are a bit repetitive even in the creatures. The balance, especially in the fourth area, can create serious problems for the player. Despite these solvable little things, The Land Beneath Us doesn’t have any huge critical issues, even if it comes down hard on the player, it is almost never “dishonest” towards them. If you like challenges, you will find something for you.
Life of Delta is a captivating point-and-click adventure where a small robot, Delta, navigates a dystopian hostile world to save his friend. The game is light, fun, and enjoyable, featuring stimulating and engaging puzzles. The storyline delves into philosophical themes such as the consciousness and morality of artificial intelligences, and the urgent need to escape from a state of oppression and unbearable slavery at the hands of evil creatures. With original and flawless graphics, accompanied by well-integrated music, Life of Delta offers an immersive experience enriched with nostalgic references and tributes to the video game past.
The game makes its storyline its main strength throughout its short but intense duration. Although anyone who has played BioShock will undoubtedly notice the similarities, such as the isolated location in the middle of the sea where scientific research knows no bounds, a brilliant and revolutionary experiment gone awry, and the protagonist’s connection to one of the minds behind the experiment, Close To The Sun manages to establish its own identity within minutes, distinguishing itself from the giant created by Irrational Games and showcasing the developers’ great creativity.
Lightyear Frontier is an open-world farming simulator with exploration and adventure elements, released on March 19, 2024, in Early Access on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Developed by FRAME BREAK and published by Amplifier Studios, the game invites players to take on the role of a space pioneer tasked with cultivating alien resources and building a thriving farm on a remote planet.
Rotten Flesh, the brainchild of Steelkrill Studio and released on January 22, 2024, plunges us into a survival horror adventure set in the bowels of the sewers
Ready Steady Ship is undeniably a fun experience, designed for local cooperative play but not online. Developed by Martynas Cibulis, the sole creator of the game, it caters to a wide range of players, promising enjoyment and challenges. Despite some noticeable flaws, its creativity and entertainment value remain intact when played in pairs. The game has been meticulously crafted, although some parts have not been executed successfully. The variety of implemented ideas and their originality are to be appreciated. By the way, I highly recommend playing in local mode with a friend.
Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons Remake is a product that has breathed new life into the 2013 original, enhancing graphics and gameplay and bringing back a title that will undoubtedly captivate new generations. With its evocative atmospheres, fantastic landscapes, and selfless brothers Naia and Naiee, whose dramatic yet message-rich story is ready to thrill us once again.
Despite having consumed my fair share of survival horror, I must admit that some sections of Jawbreaker managed to unsettle me a lot. The game handles the oppression and distress of the situation quite well, thanks also to excellent graphics. The police station is truly enormous, and even with the help of the map, it won’t be easy to navigate. The inspiration from genre classics like Outlast and the early Resident Evil games is clear, as admitted by the developer himself.
Seek a relaxing gaming experience centered on exploration? Then I Am Future is a title you shouldn’t miss. The deep crafting system and vast world to discover guarantee hours of fun, while the serene atmosphere helps create a unique gaming experience. Despite the initial learning curve for crafting, I Am Future stands out as a haven of peace in the survival landscape, differentiating itself from its competitors with its calm and contemplative approach. I Am Future, developed by Mandragora Studio and published by TinyBuild, made its PC early access debut on February 15, 2023.
Setting aside some naivety and technical aspects that require immediate attention, Cookie Cutter is a Metroidvania that will provide you with hours of wholesome fun, intense and blood-pumping battles, and a story that, despite its apparent simplicity, hides beneath its seemingly bare shell a soul waiting to be discovered. It’s an ideal choice for those seeking an unconventional Metroidvania in terms of themes and expressive language, yet equally enjoyable and familiar in gameplay mechanics.
The graphical style of this game is hauntingly beautiful, in the sense that it remains fixed in the player’s mind like a spell, just to stay on theme. And the ambience sound is no less. Take a moment, and take the time to listen to the chatter and laughter of children, the flow of a stream, the wind caressing the leaves, the call of a distant bird. The quality of the audio catapults you into the scene, ensuring constant and powerful immersion, especially with the help of a good pair of headphones.
Doctor Cat presents itself as a game with modest aspirations but stumbles in its attempt to tackle significant topics such as mental health and psychotherapy. While its intention is commendable and it manages to convey the weight of certain issues, particularly in everyday life, it ultimately falls short in delivering a deeper exploration. The writing, especially the dialogues, lacks the depth needed to fully engage with the complexity of these themes. While it maintains simplicity in its approach, with some additional technical refinement needed, such as in the music department, it could have better emphasized the importance of the topics it sought to address. Therefore, while Doctor Cat is honest in its simplicity, it misses the mark on fully realizing its potential to effectively discuss these vital issues
Who hasn’t ever jokingly entertained the remote possibility of being trapped in their own mind? The brilliance of the game is in the way we can manipulate the environment. You know those dreams where physics and optics make no sense and seem to follow their own rules? Well, imagine being able to dictate those laws yourself. And you’ve got Superliminal.
Midnight Ghost Hunt presents itself as a unique and entertaining gaming experience, cleverly blending elements of different genres to offer an adrenaline-fueled, tension-filled gameplay sprinkled with a good dose of dark humor. If you are looking for a title that offers unforgettable evenings with your friends, Midnight Ghost Hunt is definitely an option not to be underestimated. Developed by Vaulted Sky Games and published by Coffee Stain Publishing, Midnight Ghost Hunt is an asymmetrical multiplayer game blending shooter and brawler genres, released on PC on March 31, 2022
Once familiarized, we will appreciate the frightening variety and depth of Scarlet Tower. Eight playable characters, very different from each other and highly customizable, dozens of passive abilities and runes… Just this is enough to describe the extremely high longevity and the desire of the developers to leave complete choice to the player. Yes, it’s repetitive, it’s true, but if taken in small doses, it becomes a pleasant and rewarding pastime, chasing the distant goal of reaching the final levels.
Lotus Lantern is certainly a neat product, with some flaws but really fun. Furthermore, it is the second top-down action roguelite that comes from Chinese developers together with Realm of Ink. The feedback from the hits (both given and taken) is good and fluid, although with so much stuff on the screen you risk having little clarity and sometimes not seeing the opponent’s bullets. Lotus Lantern is still too calibrated in favor of the character. Also considering that the story ends after a few complete runs. In closing, Lotus Lantern still has a long way to go, even if the path taken is the right one.