DeVuego ES_COR

Not everyone will enjoy Agatha Knife's off-putting world but those who do will find a lot to like about this quirky adventure game.

Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX is a faithful recreation of a classic Master System game. With that in mind, I would have much preferred an unfaithful recreation because Alex Kidd in Miracle World isn't exactly a shining example of an old-school 2D platformer.

Those who enjoy 3D platformers with a twist will love their time with Arise: A Simple Story and its gorgeous world.

Your enjoyment of Astronite will almost entirely rely on your patience for retreading the same paths again and again while taking unfair damage from hazards that blend in with the scenery and enemies that shoot much further than you can. Good grief!

I can think of a few ways that Canvaleon could easily improve to become a more enjoyable experience; give players the ability to create camo in the middle of a stage, implement a health meter, and remove all of the unreasonably placed spikes. In reality, since you're constantly forced to retry stages while slowly inching your way through due to being ill equipped and unfairly killed, the result is one frustrating game that only the most patient gamers could get any enjoyment from.

Colossus Down is a great beat 'em up that takes place in one of the most twisted indie franchises out there and I highly recommend it.

Conga Master Party is a fun-filled and unique little game. Unfortunately, it doesn't have much staying power whether you prefer playing solo or with friends. In other words, it's a party that you wouldn't regret going to but not one that you'll likely remember.

CricktoGame has you try and match circles to their respective coloured backgrounds. Each stage consists of a grid of nodes and lines that connect them. There are tons of rules such as road triggers, roadblocks, coloured roads, and blank game pieces but these complications are only implemented in Deluxe Mode so if you'd rather have a more laidback time then you'll want to stick with Standard Mode. Anyway, the pressure-free gameplay is enjoyable and you can replay stages to try and beat them in less time and fewer moves if you wish. Seeing as there are so many levels, there's a ton of replay value. That being said, there isn't really anything to do besides solve the puzzles one after the other and the presentation is pretty standard. However, it's still a solid puzzler to boot up while you're on the go.

Cubit HD's cheerful sights and groovy tunes fail to make up for its frustrating and bare-bones gameplay. Although you may get a few minutes of fun out of it, you'll be better off taking your change to an arcade.

Death or Treat is a very fun 2D action roguelike with impressively immersive combat that'll have you giddily juggling Halloween monstrosities while they spew out candy as if they're piñatas and it's your birthday.

On a less positive note, I did experience some annoying moments throughout the journey. Between getting stuck in a few walls and falling into a pit because I attacked an enemy which made Galand lunge off a cliff, it's clear that the developers could still tighten Effie up a bit to prevent such issues from happening. Another frustrating moment occurred when I was waiting for 2 hazards to clear up before moving ahead yet they weren't in sync thus making timing much more difficult than it should have been. There were a few more irritating aspects and I feel that these should have been ironed out before release. Finally, the boss fights aren't as satisfying as I hoped because they basically involve beating up enemies and avoiding hazards which is too similar to the stages themselves. I would have much rather beat up a selection of actual bosses instead of merely surviving intricate death traps and enemy filled battle arenas.

EMMA: Lost in Memories may just be the most frustrating game that I played so far this year. With its clumsy controls and overly unforgiving stages that require many attempts to merely complete, I can't recommend this to anyone but masochists.

Although it's genuinely rewarding and unique, Epic Chef can sometimes be an annoying game to play for various reasons. With that said, the core gameplay loop is handled so well that I'm looking forward to a sequel which will hopefully address its issues.

Although Etherborn is a somewhat short and often frustrating adventure, its intricate stages are mostly a joy to solve.

FreezeME is a delightful 3D platformer that I highly recommend to anyone who can get their hands on it. However, make sure you prepare for many frustrating moments and are ready to learn its intricacies on your own before you jump in.

FROGUN will definitely be one of most underrated games of 2022. With a pitch-perfect N64-era presentation, intuitive yet challenging gameplay, tons of replay value, and oodles of charm, there's certainly a lot to love. So, hop to it if you're up for the challenge.

Gigantosaurus The Game is a wonderful 3D platformer that definitely knows its target audience: kids. With that in mind, it's still a fun game even for adults, especially if you're looking for an easy breezy collect-a-thon to wind down with.

Complaints aside, Ginger: Beyond the Crystal does a great job of bringing back the classic 3D platformer. It's simple, enjoyable, and long enough to keep you playing for hours while also featuring enough variety that it always feels fresh.

Gris doesn't offer anything particularly exciting gameplay-wise but its awe-inspiring world will be more than enough to suck you in.

Kemono Heroes made me reminisce of trying to finish challenging Super NES games cooperatively with friends. In other words, it's an authentically retro experience that's sure to entertain a couch full of chums and you can't go wrong with that.

I haven't played a game as impressive as Kromaia Omega in a long time. As a fan of 3D shooters like Omega Boost, I must say that the developers (Kraken Empire) did a fantastic job of making the genre exciting again.

There's a lot to enjoy in Lords of the Fallen, especially with its phenomenal dual-world reality that adds a layer to exploration. Slaying bosses and trekking ahead may not always be a delight but what's here is still very good nonetheless.

The Delusions of Von Sottendorff and His Square Mind is a promising title but it simply isn't polished enough to be a wholly enjoyable puzzle platformer. If you're in the mood to enter a strange and memorable world then you should give it a go but just be prepared to lose your sanity in the process.

LumbearJack is a casual game that offers a fun-filled albeit super-short campaign that'll make you smile as you play. It may not be even remotely challenging but what you get is an overall satisfying little game that you'll think fondly back on after the end credits roll.

As far as co-op games go, Magic Twins is one of the best as it's bursting with charm, fun content, and impressively challenging gameplay.

Melbits World is the cutest game that I've ever played. Not only that, it's also impressively challenging and a fantastic co-op experience for up to 4 players. I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys local multiplayer with friends.

Complaints aside, there's no denying that Metroid: Samus Returns is an addictive and rewarding remake of a classic game. It's certainly not as good as other 2D entries in the series but what's here is sure to tide fans over until the next Metroid releases.

As a retro gamer with an affinity for all things Dig Dug and Bomberman, I had a fun time with Murtop and look forward to beating my high score again and again until I can be the best bomb-pooping bunny in all the land. 

It's certainly not as smooth as Taito's 1989 classic Cameltry but Naught is still a fun and challenging indie where you control the stage.

PAW Patrol Mighty Pups Save Adventure Bay presents an adorable adventure that's full of variety and silly mini-games. If you don't mind that it's short and would like something to entertain the kids, this will certainly do the trick.

Petoons Party is an enjoyable and lighthearted mini-game fest that's a lot of fun in short bursts. Although its board game setup is exceptional, the lack of mini-games makes it rather repetitive after playing for about an hour or so.

If you grew up enjoying arcade-style 16-bit games then you'll definitely want to play the delightful Pushy and Pully in Blockland.

Red Goddess: Inner World excels in its storytelling and unorthodox setting. However, although it's definitely playable and even satisfying at times, it's a game that I can't easily recommend due to plenty of difficult to ignore gameplay and technical issues.

Reventure is quite possibly the funniest game that I've played all year and there's some highly enjoyable gameplay here, too.

Puzzle fans who enjoy careful planning in order to master tricky stages will get a kick out of SlabWell: The Quest For Kaktun's Alpaca.

Souldiers is a capable and enjoyable Metroidvania that provided me a solid amount of fun. With an expansive and attractive world, loads of goodies to discover, and intuitive controls, I'm sure you'll enjoy your journey through Terragaya as much as I did.

Spheroids is one of the most impressive platformers that I played in recent memory. If it had more replay value, a satisfying sense of challenge, and no glitches then I'd consider it the best Buster Bros. experience yet. However, it's still up there as a must-play for both Pang and 2D platformer enthusiasts as Lucas' adventure is one you won't soon forget.

If you enjoy brick breaking games and are looking for a fun new take on the genre then Strikey Sisters surely won't disappoint.

Simply put, Super Hydorah is a must-buy game if you're a hardcore retro shoot 'em up fan. That being said, it certainly lacks wide appeal due to its insanely high difficulty so if you don't fit that description then it's sure to frustrate.

Super Korotama is a safe adaptation of Taito's classic Ice Cold Beer yet it doesn't do enough to form its own identity.

Super Toy Cars Offroad is a delightful racer that's unexpectedly albeit impressively challenging. Even though it can be frustrating at times for various reasons, the variety of events and detailed tracks will keep you entertained for hours of miniature racing fun.

Superola and The Lost Burgers is a perfect game for those looking to have a little fun within a ridiculously goofy world. The amount of variety and modes may be superb but don't count on enjoying it for longer than a few hours.

As a dungeon-crawling roguelike, Sword of the Necromancer is quite predictable for the genre despite its clever resurrection mechanic.

Tamiku looks and sounds like an '80s arcade game which must be difficult to do seeing as few retro-inspired indies get it right. For starters, I love the stage themes which come with their own distinct backgrounds and enemies. I also love how well-animated it all is and watching Tamiku cheer when he succeeds and cry as he fails put a smile on my face. On top of all this, there's a delightful soundtrack that's full of bubbly chiptunes that I thoroughly enjoyed. It all comes together to form one charming indie treasure.

The Knight Witch is a beautiful game that holds a lot of promise with its blend of twin-stick shooting and Metroidvania exploration. I just wish that its gameplay was finer-tuned to not be as clunky and disconnected as it currently is.

Overall, Touring Karts is such a great VR kart racer that I hope to see many more similar games down the road.

Although it's far from perfect, if you're in the market for a cleverly designed character-swapping puzzler and have the patience to continually play through long stretches again and again then Vesta is sure to find a welcome home in your collection.

Viviette is undeniably the best 2D horror game that I've ever played. Even if you don't particularly like the genre, you still might be pleasantly surprised with what Viviette has to offer.