Fjong is a decent game wrapped in some weird design choices; namely, should this be on the PC, or on mobile devices. Regardless, it features decent controls that occasionally feel wonky, and not much beyond the main action to really do. Truth be told, fans of physics games should definitely give it a shot, but for everyone else, don't expect Fjong to change your mind.
Nidhogg 2 is a lot of fun when you're playing with other people, and not very much fun when playing in the single player mode. Graphically, some people may not find the game looks quite as hideous as others, but to those who do, know that you are not alone. Nidhogg 2 is, in short, a fun multiplayer release with some unnecessary components, and some lagging issues that sadly do it no favours.
INK may be a simple package, but it's a good package. Thanks to a well implemented, simple idea, you will find yourself getting lost in its allure. It's just too bad there's not a lot of reason to go back once you are done. If it had more meat on its bones then perhaps it would come as a higher recommendation. Unfortunately, though, despite being enjoyable, there is just not enough to it overall to help it reach the upper echelons in the current marketplace.
Antiquia Lost is so good, its shortcomings feel like minor annoyances. While it doesn't do anything that will reinvent the genre, it does do everything it does very well. It always feels fluid, and never tedious. The best way to summarize it: this is one of the best retro-inspired RPGs to come out in a long time.
Elliot Quest sticks to its old-school roots, but as to whether that's a good decision is hard to tell. It feels good, but hampers itself with old ideas that, simply put, are more obnoxious than fun. Still, even the game's worst moments could be forgiven if it would just explain things a bit more, instead of throwing you in and hoping you figure out how to swim.
Obduction is a niche title, and not everyone will enjoy it. It's beautiful, the story is engaging, and the voice-acting is absolutely top notch, but the puzzles are often pedantic and may push some players, and even adventure fans, away. However, if you can enjoy the puzzle structure, and get past the annoying load times that sometimes crop up, this is tremendously fun and well worth the price of admission.
To enjoy ARK: Survival Evolved you're going to have to earn it, and that's a tough sell in this day and age. For those who are willing to sweat over their controller to make even the smallest amount of headway, this is a title you should definitely give a chance. However, if the idea of suffering for a while to gain any real traction sounds horrible, steer clear. Those who survive this are going to prove they deserve to - and that's the ARK experience.
Dino Dini's Kick Off Revival can't be recommended. It doesn't even feel barebones; instead, it feels like basic gameplay elements stacked on top of one another. Everything is messy, incomplete and generally broken, and it's hard to tell if it is supposed to be this way, or if everything is just poorly designed. When all is said and done, though, this is just a bad game, and there's no other way to put it.
Redout: Lightspeed Edition is a good pastime for fans of the zero gravity, faster than light racers, but it doesn't manage to be much more than that. Even if you forget every other title in the genre, the weak controls and, occasionally, subpar graphics, don't really sell the game up too well. Overall, this functions as a good way to kill time once you get the hang of the controls, but it won't really suck you in beyond that.
Xenia may have the heart, but it feels more like a student project than a fully fleshed out title. It lacks polish in every area, even to the point where it goes from feeling charming for it and moves right over into being annoying. It still manages to function as a game, though, and for that, it may be worth a bit of your time if this sort of game peaks your interest.
Masquerada: Songs and Shadows rides the line between too little and too much, and often swerves into the too little range. Between the difficult to manage combat, and the constant breaks from gameplay for story, this could have been a misfire. Fortunately, it's saved just enough by beautiful artwork, sublime voice acting, and a presentation to die for.
Iron Crypticle is one of the best newcomers to the dungeon crawler genre. While it doesn't come without its share of issues, it's one of the most exciting takes to come along in some time. So grab yourself a few buddies and get ready to die a lot. Just like any good dungeon crawler, Iron Crypticle is all about learning from mistakes, no matter how many times Game Over assaults the television screen.
Despite a low count of levels and a difficult mechanic to grasp at first, Energy Balance is a decent puzzle game that you will like more if you're into math based titles. However, for those who find math repulsive, steer clear of it, as one's grasp of numbers is the primary decider on how well they will do. For those who do enjoy its charms, this is a great little puzzle game that should not be overlooked.
Lines is an enjoyable, if not an inconsistent, puzzle game. It's a great time killer, but thanks to the random placement of opposing nodes, levels often feel like winning is more luck and less skill. Still, it does have its merits, and is a good way to pass the time.
Vostok Inc. is a commendable effort that just feels like a grind with frustratingly simple gameplay. For fans of either of these genres, it might be just the ticket you need to enjoy both of them. The truth is that these genres complement one another perfectly fine, but there's little to make the experience feel like it's more than just a typical foray into both.
Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth is a tremendously good story bogged down by minor technical issues and some occasionally obnoxious design choices. With two more books, though, this is one fans of historical fiction or adventure games simply cannot pass up. Even with the minor issues, it's one of the best point and click adventures to come out in quite some time.
It's going to be an exciting season if The Enigma is anything to go off of. While some of the characters aren't as interesting, the story is going in a really exciting direction. Thanks to the reworked technical side, this is one of the most fluid and enticing Telltale titles to date. Hopefully, the rest of the season measures up as well as this episode has.
The Girl and the Robot has a lot of heart, which is why the myriad of issues are so upsetting. Rough movement, clunky combat, frustrating puzzles, and unresponsive controls make this a tough sell. It's sad, because there's a lot of potential here hidden under all the rough patches.
Despite some irritating writing, and some difficulty balancing issues, Cat Quest is an amazing RPG. It takes the best features of other RPGs, and distils them down into a simple cocktail of fun mechanics and memorable moments. This should do good to scratch an itch for those who have never played a game like it, and those who swear by them. In short, this is a solid title, with few issues really holding it back.
Mononoke Forest is difficult to recommend, because the learning curve is difficult to describe. Honestly, it's enough to make many gamers turn away, and for good reason. If one were to get past the obnoxious controls and the initially confusing gameplay, however, there's something enjoyable buried here - it's a shame that it's so frustrating getting to it, though.