Ramin Ostad
In the end, Rocketbirds 2: Evolution is just not much fun. It's a relatively lengthy but disappointing experience with little replay value. The controls are blunt and clumsy, the humour is often witless, and the puzzles are at times so basic that there's not a lot of satisfaction in solving them. While there is a lot of potential on the surface, Ratloop may have wanted to sit on this egg a bit longer before it hatched.
Xenoraid does do a lot to try and stand apart from the deluge of similar games out there, and it should be commended for that effort. But with its lack of refinement, progression resetting, and fairly bland overall presentation, it's unlikely we'll be looking back on this one a year from now.
Jumpsuit clearly put a lot of effort and ingenuity to work to create an elegant and challenging experience.
Hallways are outlined with hash symbols, doorways are represented with plus signs, crafting items are letters of the alphabet, and the dungeon map is a faithful top-down expression of a traditional rogue-like.
Styx: Shards of Darkness never progresses beyond being a moderately functional game with low-fantasy aspirations.
It didn’t take long for Vikings to bludgeon those expectations into a meaty, undulating pulp.
While some may dismiss Flinthook initially, the game will sink its hooks into you if you give it a chance. The controls are sharp, the progression is satisfying, and the vibrant and unique art style will keep you smiling along the way.
Little Nightmares takes the budding “hide-and-seek-horror” genre to another level by implementing a visual style that is both grotesque and inescapable.
________________________ “It's a simple premise that's executed using straightforward mechanics.
When the puzzles and chase sequences are pulled off smoothly, they feel incredibly rewarding.
Where Randall shines, if dimly, is its visuals.
Despite its utterly insane difficulty curve, Nex Machina is a pure joy to play.
The difficulty in these puzzles is inconsistent throughout, which can be a double-edged sword.
Time Recoil packs a lot of fun into a relatively short experience, but the lack of effort invested into the plot, visuals, and audio holds it back from sitting at the top of the genre.
Sonic Team tried to bring together two franchises as classic as peanut butter and/or chocolate, separately. But in combination, they mix about as well as oil and water.
…playing with a full suite of five plays offers moments of exhilarating chaos.
______________________ “There's a special methodology to Steredenn that makes the madness of its gameplay incredibly addicting.
Few games have been as effective as Clustertruck at making me want “just one more try”.
Octahedron is a bombastic, prismatic, punishing rhythm game that is a ton of fun, while it lasts.
Jotun is a well-crafted experience made for anyone fond of great storytelling mixed with satisfying combat.