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Sometimes, the best scenario lines up for the best possible outcome. I already had some reasonable expectations going in with this game because of what it is and who’s behind it. But it’s always a satisfying thing to see when your expectations are met in the way you expect. I do have my nitpicks, but this isn’t a game I would look over in favor of others. The Game Kitchen shows once again that they’re a very skilled studio, and their efforts in handling a franchise like this is a testament to their own skillset.

The Stone of Madness isn’t perfect by any means, but its successes readily outweigh its missteps. Its emphasis on real-time stealth and simultaneous control over three distinct characters at a time work to create some very hectic gameplay situations, naturally encouraging the player to learn and improve. Infusing this rewarding gameplay with a striking art style and a tinge of dark humor makes for a unique experience worth looking into, even if the controls can be clunky and the guards can be a little too good at catching up with you when you make a mistake.

Despite that, Neva is still an title that I believe most should dive in to. “Not being a revelation” is hardly a bad thing when what we have here is still a top-notch experience that was able to force feeling out of my dead heart.

That’s not to say there’s nothing good here, however. It’s a solid foundation, but where other games would strive to build something on that foundation, Bleak Sword DX unfortunately just leaves it as a slab of concrete.

I wish I could rate this higher. I honestly had a fun time playing through Curse of the Sea Rats, but the issues I encountered were significant. On top of balance issues and voice line deliveries, I also stumbled across a few bugs here and there including one that basically broke most of the ending. Again the refrain goes, they’re aware and fixing issues, but I can merely hope the patch irons out every last detail.

For better or worse, enjoyment of Astronite hinges heavily on how much you appreciate an old school approach to difficulty. From boss fights to simple exploration, the title will consistently put your execution to the test, while the means to counteract the degree of challenge are difficult to obtain and only marginal in impact. This difficulty causes the boss fights to be a highlight of the playthrough, but it severely dampens the quality of the metroidvania elements surrounding them in the same stroke.

Endling – Extinction is Forever is a bold, unique, slow burn of a game that excellently conveys its ecologically conscious message and paints a dire image of rampant industrialization on a personal, microcosmic level. Because of this success, the game manages to garner an amount of player investment that belies its short runtime, but that runtime is also one of the game’s biggest hurdles when contrasted with its relatively high price tag.

There were, unfortunately, a lot of problems I had with The Waylanders. It pains me quite a bit to say this, as a lot of effort clearly went into this game. Some elements, like the graphics and sound, border on AA quality from an indie developer. Others, like the plot holes and the bugs, make me ask “How could they miss this?”

Scarf is an endearing experience. It wears its inspirations on its sleeve and doesn’t shatter the genre’s conventions with innovative ideas, but still finds enough sure footing to set itself apart from its contemporaries. Moreover, an unsurprising story and a few instances of intentional time-wasters in puzzles aren’t enough to lessen the benefits of its brisk pace and variety of gorgeous environments. It may not hit the highest highs of the genre, but if you’re in the mood for an atmospheric puzzle platformer, you could do much worse.

At the end of the day, if you’re a genre fan, Deiland will provide you with enough bang for your buck that you won’t feel your time was wasted. But it’s kind of a lightweight thing, and between the short duration and the lack of long-term hooks it’s more a case of genre fans wanting more than it is of a new game to really sink your teeth into. That doesn’t make it bad or disappointing, just perhaps a bit more slight than you’d hope.

Sonar Beat feels like a throwaway mobile game (which I guess you can say it is, since it’s on iOS and Android as well) that was ported half-heartedly to PC for some inexplicable reason. The game is running only $2.49 at the time of writing, but if you have to subject yourself to this game’s music, use that money on the mobile versions. Avoid the Steam release at all costs.