Reviews

A solid action platformer that actually understays its welcome, Nocturnal's unique fire mechanics and excellent art elevate what is an otherwise standard entry in the genre.

A sequel to a cult-classic, Do Not Feed the Monkeys 2099 just repeats everything its predecessor did, but does it worse. Mediocre writing is its biggest flaw, but a repetitive and boring gameplay loop cements a dull, forgettable experience.

A beautifully crafted indie game where the villainous protagonist slings dirty jokes along with his lethal spells. It peaks during its several challenging and rewarding boss battles, but is held back by its inability to innovate a standard game design seen too often.

Castle of Alchemists is a hybrid tower-defense/action game that really nails most of what it does, but its many mechanics each remain too simple to keep you engaged the whole time.

Tin Hearts manages to hit the puzzle game sweet spot, offering just the right amount of challenge. Its excellent puzzles, backed by great ambience, make it worth struggling with the less-than-optimal controls, and help you to ignore the 2010s-era character models.

In a game about depression, recovery should feel rewarding. But this game makes being depressed feel more fun.

A brief, focused experience, Strayed Lights offers solid combat, a beautiful world, and a compelling narrative. Never before has a game with so much parrying been so wholesome.

Afterimage is a great Metroidvania with a beautiful artstyle and a large world that you can enjoy it in. While there are a few issues with it, the progression and combat make it a fun experience overall. If you want to get the full story of the world and its characters, however, be prepared to hunt for it.

Between sentient refrigerators and alien masterminds, I would definitely recommend Outer Terror as a unique gameplay experience that sets itself apart from other shoot 'em up arcade-style titles. The art is incredible, the music is intense, the enemies are quirky, the characters are gritty, and the maps are well-designed.

A perfectly serviceable zombie slayer, Dead Island 2 probably won't win over anyone who doesn't already play looter shooters or zombie games. But for fans of dismembering the dead, or of randomly generated and customizable loot, there's a lot to appreciate in Dambuster Studios' undead-filled Hell-A.