Kyle LeClair
Terra Nil is a truly unique sim game that does a fantastic job in showcasing various ways the environment can be affected, with an astonishing level of hard work put into the tools needed to make things better. With simple yet incredibly fun gameplay, striking and gorgeous visuals, and a nice level of challenge that rewards players for properly planning things out without putting them under too much pressure, this is a terrifically wholesome and clever game that's worth checking out.
Tchia is a terrific ode to New Caledonia that's sadly hampered by a bloated and standard open-world design that tries to do too much. Still, even if the gameplay isn't wholly original, there's fun to be had here, with truly impressive sights and sounds that can make the archipelago a delight to explore at times. Just try to maintain some focus as you navigate the numerous distractions and you'll experience quite the impressive trip.
Perhaps if Scars Above had put more work into the areas where our lead heroine has to explore this strange world and analyze it more in order to solve various puzzles, basically letting her be the scientist she is, it could have been vastly better overall, or at least help give it a better identity to help it stand out more.
Dust & Neon has all of the tools and gunslinging gameplay needed to offer up a good time, but it's hindered by a lack of story or characters to be invested in, bad AI on occasions and a structure that just ends up dragging things out for too long.
Tails: The Backbones Preludes is the prequel that fans likely weren't expecting and didn't know that they wanted, and due to a lack of variety mixed with brevity, they may also walk away still expecting and wanting more.
What likely started out as an Xbox and/or Bethesda executive thinking "Hey, wouldn't it be neat if we kept this game a secret and launched it during a special event?" has led to what could easily wind up as one of this year's GOTY contenders exploding onto the scene in spectacular fashion.
If you can get past its more grind-y elements, Power Chord can still be a fun deckbuilding roguelike game thanks to its impressive blend of influence that makes great use of its "Battle of the Bands" setup. It's something for every headbanger to check out, as well as fans of the genre who don't minds banging their heads against walls as they gradually chip down each tough demon in their path. Not exactly worthy of a Platinum record, but it can still be an enjoyable listen.
With Wavetale, Thunderful have managed to put a unique spin on post-apocalyptic worlds through its joyful tone, characters, style and more, making one want to spend as much time in it as possible and discover every sight to see.
An incredible look into the advancements in technology and the various perils the future can hold, Flat Eye is a narrative sim with terrific dialogue and individual stories that provide sharp satire and even terrific comedy courtesy of your AI, all while providing a fun challenge as you try and manage this Black Mirror-esque funhouse of a tech-filled convenience store. It's a sweet and savvy twist on simulation games that's worth checking out, especially if it gets more people to watch Clue.
The Devil in Me not only sticks the landing for The Dark Pictures Anthology, but it does so with a highly-improved game that shows off the potential of this series, feeling like a culmination of every lesson Supermassive has learned along the way.
Pentiment is a short but sweet adventure from Obsidian, one that plays to their strengths when it comes to dialogue and gives players enjoyable mysteries to figure out.
While Signalis won't be leading to a full-on fifth-gen survival horror renaissance, if only because some of the genre's past sins still linger, it still delivers an enjoyable adventure that perfectly captures the feel of the classic era while also doubling down on more detailed cosmic horrors and twisted visuals, capped off with some sturdy combat and impressive puzzle design.
As stated in the opening, New Tales from the Borderlands doesn't top the amazement of the original game.
Much like the protagonists, Grounded sees Obsidian heading into new brand new territory that's still familiar in some ways, and their expedition ends up paying off big-time.
Shovel Knight Dig finds our spade-wielding hero heading in another new direction, and while this trip goes downward, they manage to strike gold here as well. Addictive gameplay, gorgeous graphics and impressive levels that play host to a lot of unique challenges all get mixed together in order to create another winning action game worth checking out for fans and newcomers alike. It truly is another gem that's been dug up here.
Return to Monkey Island is pretty much as perfect a sequel to such a series of classic games as one can get.
Pacing issues aside, Cursed to Golf is a unique and terrific blend of different genres that makes for a highly enjoyable and fresh spin on the classic sport.
While Midnight Fight Express falters when it comes to keeping things fresh, there's still enough of a nicely-twisted plot, impressive levels with great action setpieces, and a terrific techno soundtrack that goes alongside the fast-paced combat to keep things enjoyable overall. Beat-'em-up and/or fighting game enthusiasts and speedrunners will probably get the most satisfaction out of the game, but there's still enough here for anyone that's worthy of giving things a whirl.
Thanks to a nice set of challenges, a charming style and sense of humor, and a ton of unlockable items to toy with combined with a hefty chunk of customization options, Two Point Campus easily graduates at the head of its class.
Endling may be lacking on the difficulty side, but it more than makes up for it when it comes to delivering a breathtaking story about loss, survival and the environment, topped with a gorgeous art style and an impressive evolving world to explore. It may be a brief journey (clocking in at around four hours), but it's one that's worth playing through, an emotional roller coaster that's still fun to play and gets you invested in the struggles of our furry friends, so don't sleep on it.