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Worldbuilding is pretty important when making games. A rich world full of cool characters and adorable wildlife goes a long way towards a good game. On the other hand, worldbuilding only gets you so far. At least for me, the core gameplay loop has to be equally engaging. Creatures of Ava presents a vibrant world, but I struggled to stay in it. Something about that essential loop couldn’t keep me hooked. Not the way I was hoping for.

Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story is a wonderful, whimsical adventure that manages to tell a touching story about friendship. While clearly part of the League of Legends franchise with its inclusion of key characters, you do not need any knowledge of the series to fall in love with this game. The well-designed puzzles and platforming segments are a joy and more than compensate for the lackluster combat. Even with performance issues on the Switch, Song of Nunu is a memorable tale that will leave a lasting impression.

Enchanted Portals falls far from its influences due to its poor execution. The controls are not tight enough for a precision-based shooter and the bosses lose momentum due to the transition between stages. There’s some creativity with the design and it does achieve the 30s cartoon aesthetic, however, gameplay issues hinder the overall experience.

Blasphemous 2 is a very challenging game but by and large, it’s a fair one, too. Timing, persistence, and the ability to read patterns — not brute force — are the only keys to making it out the other side. In terms of level design and weapon variety, it’s a step forward from the first game. If you enjoyed Blasphemous, the sequel will feel both familiar and surprising in equal measure.

I loved this game. The story is engrossing, the art is terrific, and the emotional impact is undeniable. I was a little bored by the election arc, but it still had me engaged. Card crafting is somewhat nebulous at times, but this is likely for the best. After all, if it was laid out nice and clean, it wouldn’t feel as mystical. You’re making a brand new form of divination. It’s normal for some elements to feel distant and strange. The game is touching, it hooked me, and creatively energized me. If you’re looking for more magic and mystery in your life, check out The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood. You won’t regret it.

In short, Death or Treat is a very pretty game with a nice soundtrack. It looks like it should be fun. Unfortunately, after a certain point–when you reach the first boss–it stops being fun. I really hope the control issues are the result of a lackluster PC port and not inherent to the game. Either way, I don’t think I’ll play it again until the controls are fixed.

After Us is an artistic, moving, and affecting game about a world transformed by human indifference to nature. It’s a slightly heavy-handed cautionary tale, but a powerful one. As a puzzle platformer, it’s a little less successful, with controls that feel imprecise and levels that need more gameplay variety. After Us has a potent message and offers innocent hope for a planet in trouble.

Disney Speedstorm is a solid racer that ties a number of franchises together in one fun experience. Seeing fan favorites share a racetrack is a thrill, however, a variety of issues stop this from reaching the greatness of its influences. The restrictive nature of its character selection and the confusing number of currencies hinders the enjoyment. Mix in the performance issues and this racer narrowly misses the podium. 

The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story successfully delves further into the lore of the franchise while offering a new experience that will appeal to newcomers. The high-tempo combat and engaging narrative, make this an enthralling action RPG that will keep you hooked throughout. Although the side missions and some of the hub world extras feel a little unnecessary, the slick gameplay will keep you coming back for more.

Hunt the Night is a love letter to 16-bit era action adventure games. There’s something for fans of almost every genre in this gem of a game. I won’t be surprised if it finds a fairly major audience. It’s a concise synthesis of so many great gameplay and visual ideas. All of my complaints are minor nitpicks. And they’re still just based on my personal preferences. If a physical console version becomes available, I’ll be first in line to buy it.

Curse of the Sea Rats is disappointing. It’s a pretty bland Metroidvania. It has a unique visual style, but its gameplay completely relies on its multiplayer option to hide its shortcomings. The game also needs a bit more polish. I was immediately very excited when I booted up the game, but I quickly soured. If the visual style wasn’t so interesting, and there wasn’t a multiplayer option the score would be a lot lower. Only play Curse of the Sea rats if you love the idea of a simple 4 player Metroidvania.

The Knight Witch is an intriguing amalgamation of genres. Flying through stages and battling foes feels great. The unique approach to special attacks and the Metroidvania style progression work extremely well. While the narrative intrigues and includes some innovation, its presentation is simple. Regardless of this, the game is a blast and freshens up the shmup genre.

Temtem is a unique yet familiar take on the monster-collecting genre. Its blend of MMO mechanics gives it the potential for a long-running, sustainable community with more to enjoy than a single-player narrative. The new combat mechanics are a fantastic upgrade. However, the Tems themselves and the overall lack of guidance aren’t quite up to standards. Tems aren’t that memorable themselves and many of their names just don’t click. Having no guidance on typing, advantages, or explanations on a number of smaller features drops the enjoyment of gameplay. It’s a great experience, but it expects you to already have a certain amount of knowledge of both genres before picking up the controller.

Endling: Extinction is Forever is more than a game; it’s a statement. The commitment from Herobeat Studios’ to portray an honest view of how humans affect the environment is commendable. While there are heart-wrenching moments in the game that some may find too difficult to consume, it’s an incredible experience that will leave a lasting mark.

For a game composed of familiar elements, Souldiers still managed to surprise me. If nothing else, the game’s execution is exemplary. Even if you’ve played a ton of pixel art, soulsborne, and Metroidvania titles, this particular blend is a satisfying one. The art direction is beautiful, the controls are tight, and design is rock solid. If you’re looking for a new 2D adventure, Souldiers will easily scratch that itch.

Evil Dead: The Game is mostly everything I hoped it would be. It’s a fun, logical next step in the asymmetrical multiplayer horror genre. Sure, it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it did enough to reinvigorate my passion for this type of experience. I’ll be keeping a close eye on Evil Dead: The Game over the next few years. It’s a few maps and some solid single-content away from being truly great.

I’m not sure if more time in the oven is the answer to The Waylanders’ problems, but it couldn’t hurt. I really liked the setting and core story, but I’m afraid that the game’s bland combat and awkward controls are baked in by now. It has character, charm and style to spare but swings and misses in the execution. The Waylanders is a collection of really good ideas, almost none of which are allowed to shine without compromise.

Aeterna Noctis is a stunning Metroidvania that incorporates the many assets of the genre into one magnificent experience. Combining systematic combat and accurate platforming, the game is varied and challenging. The beautiful artwork makes each area unique helping to make this a truly memorable experience.

Treasures of the Aegean is an intriguing and audacious game. Giving you complete freedom, you can decide how you want to tackle the enormous environment. Due to the protagonist’s free-flowing approach to traversal, you can gracefully cruise through areas to discover the plethora of secrets that are buried within. Whilst some may be deterred by that lack of a clear objective, those who crave an adventure that gives you control should definitely check out this liberating trip to a lost, ancient world.

Metroid games have always had trace elements of sci-fi horror in them, and Metroid Dread is no different. Rather than inject the series with new levels of fear and tension, Dread seeks to highlight the latent spookiness already present. To that end, it works! That familiar sense of powerlessness and fear is given new life in this game. Suddenly your initial state of weakness has greater narrative weight. Furthermore, the lateral expansion of your move set feels like a natural conclusion. Every victory is one you clawed and fought for with all your might. Each new stage is filled with fresh dangers to keep you moving with an abundance of caution and care. Even the complex controls and the punishing boss fights are in service to this vision. Metroid Dread takes small, but significant, steps to expand and innovate upon the established series formula. Metroid and Metroidvania fans alike won’t want to miss this entry.

Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX is a beautiful reinterpretation of a classic. Although some elements feel outdated, it’s the perfect introduction to the franchise. Jankenteam has successfully rejuvenated the legendary hero, hopefully kickstarting a resurgence of the series.

Super Magbot is a fun, yet at times, frustrating game. Fine-tuning your brain to think differently is difficult and even up to the final boss, the core mechanic never felt natural. However, the sense of satisfaction when completing a tough stage is priceless. For gamers looking for a challenging, unique take on the platforming genre, then Super Magbot is definitely worth checking out.

Sword of the Necromancer is a neat, engaging, and surprising rogue-like with some great ideas and a curiously deep narrative. The mechanic of reviving enemies to fight for you is a great concept, and general features like diverse weapons and effective combat maneuvers feel superb, however, this strange inventory design feels like a huge setback. The inclusion of the latest update which allows for a more customized experience is an improvement, but it did sour my enjoyment of the game just a little to not have it from launch. As it stands, you can’t really let yourself get attached to anything other than the titular sword which directly contradicts the key point of the narrative; that Tama has grown attached to Koko. If you are looking for a nice, light rogue-like to jump into that doesn’t feel mindless, this is the game for you.

When I finished Call of the Sea, I couldn’t help but smile. It was such an incredible journey with an intriguing story and a well-thought-out ending. From start to finish, with the exception of a couple of frustrating puzzles, I truly enjoyed this game. Considering it’s is launching on Xbox Game Pass, there is absolutely no reason for Xbox Series X/S or Xbox One gamers to not give this gem a try. The sheer amount of love and care that went into crafting this world should be the new standard that all devs strive to achieve. I can’t wait to see what Out of the Blue have in store for us next, and I truly hope we’ll return to the world of Call of the Sea in a future title.

Monster Camp in a nutshell is about enjoying the story, admiring the whacky, graphic-novel style artwork, and building up your stats over the course of the summer to make sure you have enough points to win over your monster and secure a date to the meteor shower. The dialogue features a great deal of vulgarity, and it’s certainly not meant for the eyes of children. It’s outrageous and hilarious, and the scenarios are just as over-the-top as you would expect. It’s all about savoring the journey, and for most fans of this genre, there is a lot to appreciate.

Moonlighter: Between Dimensions is a hearty post-game DLC that lets its devoted fan base keep playing more and more of the solid adventurer/merchant amalgamation mechanics. It offers new challenges in the dimensional dungeon, new gear to craft, and countless hours to sink into getting that perfect gear. While on paper it doesn’t seem like much is being added, it’s going to take a lot of work for even the hardiest of player to get through this new threat. While the gameplay and narrative is as solid as you would expect from 11 Bit Studios, the cost to upgrade is really it’s only downside.

Gigantosaurus: The Game is the type of game that is difficult to recommend for everyone. The platforming gets a bit tiresome, the graphics are quite dated, and the overall package is geared towards a younger audience. If you have young gamers in the house, especially those familiar with the TV series, then this might be perfect.

Arise is an incredibly powerful story despite it being so simple. It invokes emotions that I would rarely bring with me when playing a video game, and it is refreshing to know that there is a game out there focused on bringing us a heartwarming experience. There are so many elements in the game that work well together, from the color palette, lighting, music, gameplay, and ease of controls. Even without much dialogue or long, extensive cutscenes, Arise is able to tell us a simple story that is vibrant and rich, bringing us an unforgettable and emotional experience.

Despite being a quarter-century removed from the original movie, Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son was actually a great idea for a game. And it was neat to come back and check out Punxsutawney in 3D, from a first-person perspective. I also liked all the little references and call-backs to the movie sprinkled throughout (yes, you can drink “To World Peace”). But too often, the gameplay and production values took away from the joy. I’m not sure if the developers were pressed for time or under budgetary restraints, but it just felt rushed and unpolished overall. Like I said before, it’s not so much that Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son is a totally bad game — it isn’t. It’s just really disappointing that it wasn’t a lot better.

Overall, They Are Billions is an absolutely solid pick up and a real steal for its price point. It has a great aesthetic, solid gameplay, and a difficulty curve that is as impressive as it is aggravating. The only real drawback that I found was the PC ported controls that aren’t exactly designed to make PS4 gaming a breeze. If you want to test your steampunk mettle against an almost endless hoard of the undead, They Are Billions scratches that base building itch as well letting you live out your fantasies of fighting zombies. As long as you’re really, really, good at both, you’ll have no trouble with this one! Even if you’re not, this is one that is well worth the time and punishment.

Etherborn is a charming game with great level design and soundtrack. While the story and character were rather flat the gameplay more than made up for it. A simple puzzle game at heart the main premises of perspective and gravity control was used to great effect. Etherborn is a rather short game and the levels don’t offer much replayability. I certainly enjoyed my time with Etherborn, but I would have liked to have a reason to return. Overall, Etherborn is a game I would recommend for anyone looking for a mellow puzzle game that will teach you how to approach problems from new perspectives.

Horror games need a little inconvenience to survive. If you’re not stressed out and pushed into a corner, you’re not able to get quite scared or tense enough for the full experience. To that end, this game’s more egregious mechanics are an acceptable sacrifice. The only downer for me was when that extra tension regressed into something more like annoyance. I don’t mind being sacred, I’m less into being frustrated. Don’t get me wrong, my times with this game were a spooky delight overall. The occasional dip in my enjoyment was a fair trade for the unsettling atmosphere, the fascinating narrative, and the clever premise. If you’re in the market for an unconventional horror game, I can easily recommend Yuppie Psycho.

The Red Strings Club is a masterpiece that introduces a creative plot with resourceful protagonists and a marvelous narrative. It presents a conspiracy with many layers that you may not get to see if you do not ask certain questions, and being able to reveal different scenarios out of a vast number of possibilities is an incredible feat. While there are points of improvement that can make the game run a little smoother, the game is undeniably charming with its memorable characters and remarkable story. The Red Strings Club is a meaningful journey for mature audiences that can teach us a thing or two about morals. It is a game with lessons to be learned and stories to be shared, as we too have important decisions to make in our own lives.

I loved looking at GRIS. I loved playing GRIS. I loved watching GRIS in motion. Is this the next industry breaking game? No, it’s a standard puzzle platformer at its core. It is, however, an emotional and beautiful journey, an adventure where every event is up to the player’s own interpretation. It’s maybe a half-hour longer than it needs to be, but that 30 minutes cannot damper the total package of GRIS. Put this game on your radar immediately and take the time to experience it.

Moonlighter is a very solid product overall, but there are parts that feel like they could have done a lot more with. It’s got great graphics, a simple, yet rewarding premise, and combat is satisfying despite its shortcomings. Moonlighter’s no pressure approach and overall design make it feel fresh enough that it is worth looking into, but for me personally, I hope this isn’t all that we get, as I like the product a ton. It just feels like missed potential, but Moonlighter is still absolutely worth looking into and is sure to provide plenty for you to do. There’s enough here that you won’t regret your purchase, but you may just be left chomping at the bit like I am. (especially for that Switch version.)

In the end, Monster Prom’s charm stems from its thematic elements. Fantastic interactions, its satirical narrative, and the monster theme offer a unique spin, even if it doesn’t deviate all that much from known formulas. But, it does bring a little more to the table, a party for daters who are in it more for the ride than the destination.

Whatever ties this game has to the film noir detective genre are easily outweighed by the many nuances of the story. Beyond the simple narrative structure established by the damsel in distress arriving at the protagonist’s doorstep are a host of complex character interactions. It’s here, buried deep within layers of dialogue, where all the variants lie dormant. Maybe every road leads to that broken window atop a sinister high-rise, but the paths that lead there are numerous and compelling. In spite of my earlier declaration about not attempting a second playthrough, I still find myself drawn back to the beginning. I want to play again, not to seek out some perfect route, but to experience even more of the many stories buried within the larger narrative. I want to make new mistakes and experience new failures. The Red Strings Club is a vehicle for some of the most engrossing cyberpunk stories I’ve witnessed in recent memory. I don’t know that I’ve had anywhere near enough of them, just yet.

Nightmare Boy had the potential to be a quirky and fun take on the Metroidvania platform, but it squanders that potential by falling flat in nearly all the fundamental components of what makes those types of games fun to play in the first place. It has some neat character designs and thoughtful art choices, but they don’t make up for the numerous glaring flaws. From the generic writing and bland characters to the atrocious level design and floaty controls, my time with Nightmare Boy felt like a bad dream I couldn’t wake up from. 

It has been a staggering 13 years since the last 2D Metroid game and Samus has finally returned to her roots. But Metroid: Samus Returns doesn’t merely hope to satisfy a sense of nostalgia, it transcends those aspirations to become a much more compelling experience. It takes nearly everything about its predecessors that made them great and introduces new elements that make gameplay feel fresh and exciting. It may not top the series’ best titles, but Samus Returns undoubtedly brings 2D Metroid back in glorious fashion, resulting in one the best 3DS games in recent memory.

While Rime’s long trek from announcement to delivery may have been tough to endure for those initially struck by its ethereal charm, the wait has been worth it. Rime is thoughtful, intelligently designed, and satisfyingly accomplishes the emotional experience it strives to deliver. It’s Journey meets The Last Guardian, and while individual elements of Rime feel familiar at times, the way they’re combined make for a unique and memorable experience

On second thought, maybe a lack of personality isn’t the right turn of phrase, because the game does have one. Unfortunately it’s not a person I want to spend much time with. He’s kind of boring, he’s loud in all the wrong ways, and he thinks he’s the coolest guy in the room despite evidence to the contrary. - See more at: http://cogconnected.com/review/immortal-redneck-review/#sthash.nla1zwOB.dpuf

Overall, The Sexy Brutale is an intriguing title where its mood and narrative stand out the most. While artistically sound, the technical prowess of the title is somewhat lacking. Though the various elements of The Sexy Brutale have been utilized in games past, The Sexy Brutale takes them and makes its own game. The Sexy Brutale is creative, interesting, challenging, and fun. Almost living up to its exceptional name, The Sexy Brutale is a must play title for puzzle and adventure game fans alike. - See more at: http://cogconnected.com/review/sexy-brutale-review/#sthash.D9Quocza.dpuf

I feel like Eclipse was definitely on to something here, and then they shot themselves in the foot. They bit off more than they could chew and had to spit something out. If you’re looking for Pang but with a weird new challenge, check out Spheroids. Otherwise, look at other iterations that tried to focus more on the core mechanics that made Pang so great.

I enjoyed BOOR, or at least I did, until Room 82 – which I assume is pretty close to the end. The required level of finesse and patience required to beat this room is just absurd and ultimately prevented me from finishing the game. It’s disappointing that more effort wasn’t made to balance the difficulty to provide a more fluid experience. I appreciate the desire to create really difficult challenge rooms, but add them as a bonus to the main game. I appreciated the graphic style and I absolutely loved the soundtrack. The story wasn’t overly original, neither were many of the puzzle concepts, but for the most part, everything worked well together. I wish I could recommend this whole-heartily, but as it is now, this game is only for those looking for a short but serious challenge. 

Crypt of the Serpent King is obviously a budget title, and as such, certain elements can be forgiven and overlooked. The original release of this featured a flawed jumping mechanic that lead to many frustrating deaths in some of the later levels (particularly level four), but fortunately a recent update resolved this issue. I loved the idea of keeping all my gold and XP upon death and allowing me to upgrade stats and unlock new weapons. Considering the price, and if you enjoy these types of first-person dungeon crawlers, you really can’t go wrong if you need a quick fix to waste away a few hours and earn some easy achievements.

Rise & Shine is a great looking game that elicits a few chuckles and grins, but doesn’t have the gameplay chops to stand up to the big names in the genre. If you’re desperate for a 2D puzz-ooter (puzzle/shooter. Yeah, I just coined that phrase. It’s a good one, right?), Rise & Shine might fit the bill if you can deal with mechanical trouble and repetition for the promise of fabulous art and some yucks. Otherwise, I’d definitely point you to any number of other titles under this big ol’ 2D umbrella. 

Depending on your sensibilities you may find the choppiness of the animation during action sequences endearing or annoying. Personally, I found it endearing and said animation really does enforce the claim that the game is like a water painting come to life. Special note for the music used in the game too. It is of a South American flair and really helps to not only underscore story beats but becomes an added dimension to help flesh out the world of Teku and his tribe. - See more at: http://cogconnected.com/review/candle-review/#sthash.N4q2xU2k.dpuf

Ginger: Beyond the Crystal fills a pretty significant void on the Xbox One, there just aren’t that many platformers on the console that fans of the Nintendo 64 used to enjoy. The game is not very impressive graphically and it has some unfortunate flaws, such as the odd freezing glitch and lengthy load times. But despite the flaws, the game is still enjoyable to play, with a great soundtrack and inspired moments from some of gaming’s biggest games.

As the first in an episodic series, Dead Synchronicity ends quite abruptly, which is very disappointing after putting the time into the story. While there are some major flaws throughout the game, once you are interested, you become invested in answering all of your questions. Between the horrendous voice acting, the puzzling puzzles, and the long dialogue sequences, Dead Synchronicity has some flaws that the suspense and horror just cannot fix. Although the shock and awe of the horrific storyline is unique and the artistic graphics are fantastic, Dead Synchronicity just fails to impress in any significant way. The game plays as if Fictiorama Studios and Daedalic Entertainment are expecting you get lost in the horror of the story and forget about the actual game mechanics.

While the humour seems to be the centre of the game, Zenith has some major fundamental flaws that make it less fun to play and all the more frustrating. If you like the story, the writing and the humour, it might be worth your time. If you need fluid controls and care about the combat and game mechanics, then absolutely not.

The Count Lucanor brings to us the best of two amazing genres that many of us love, with a great twist. The game has memorable and unique characters, a very well done level design and an amazing soundtrack. The survival horror elements are very well done even if the game itself is a bit simplistic. The game is very well thought out and has very good pacing, however that doesn’t stop me from wishing the game were longer!

AR-K: The Great Escape is a great (hehe, see what I did there?) way to spend a few hours solving puzzles in a fun way that doesn’t totally overload your brain. With a lot of content and hilarious gameplay, AR-K: The Great Escape is a charming adventure game that will have you waiting ever so eagerly for the next episode in the AR-K series!