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Farlands was an entertaining game on the whole. All the characters were charmingly unique, the story was fun to play through and I really enjoyed visiting each planet to experience their nicely designed environments and the challenges they brought with them. I really enjoyed this new spin on a beloved genre and really hope that perhaps they may add more things to do post launch.

The Occultist should be a game that I adore, given these types of games are usually my bread and butter. But when you can’t get behind your lead protagonist, you sort of lose interest in their journey and what makes them tick. Godstone often looks the part, and while a few puzzles and scenarios are exactly what this game nails, the same can’t be said for the whole package. As it stands, this is a game with a ton of wasted potential as its individual components don’t gel, and a cool premise is something that can only get you so far.

While the Terrifier series has a massive cult following, I don't see the game having the same treatment. It is surprisingly shallow and feels as if no testing was done to have some balance to its difficulty. While playing with friends does soften some of the issues, there are just better games in the genre that provide far more variety than what they give you here. Terrifier: The ARTcade Game may have had great intentions to provide a fun game for its audience, but it simply falls flat and feels like a quick-to-market licensed game that doesn't do the film franchise any favors.

With some strong visuals and a fantastic soundtrack, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a title that has a lot going for it despite some very glaring shortcomings. A lack of combat depth, and even the ability to attack upward or downward, could have really elevated this to be a top-tier experience. While the dynamic between the two protagonists is extremely fun, it is unfortunately overshadowed by Kumori being incredibly sidelined. Ragebound is fun, even great at times, but it lacks the depth needed for replayability, as you’ll see everything the game offers far too early.

Blades of Fire likely sounded great on paper. However, its lack of direction, dated visuals, and inconsistent combat leads to far too much frustration. While the premise of forging your weapons is appealing, and does actually make the game stand out, the weapon swapping systems are cumbersome to use during combat and make this one adventure that's hard to recommend.

Neva has a wealth of stunning artwork here with a soundtrack that is simply superb. Alba and Neva are engaging and well thought out, even if Alba passes out a bit too often for my tastes. Regardless, Neva is a true work of art with a combat system that is deep enough for what this journey needs from Alba and her incredible companion. Its puzzles are brief enough that I don’t find them consuming too much of my time, allowing me to move on and find a pace that works for me. Neva may not break as much ground as Gris, but Nomada Studios has nonetheless crafted a stunning adventure and yet another masterpiece to enjoy.

While there are a few side jobs and collectibles to track down, Mika and the Witch's Mountain is a shockingly short experience that unfortunately fails to really lean into its premise in any memorable way. Its inspirations are clear as day, but doesn't have enough time to really allow its story or its characters to feel even remotely engaging. While it is painful to see a game turn out bad, it's another thing altogether to see a game completely fail to live up to its potential.

Ereban: Shadow Legacy is a solid adventure that allows every tool at its disposal to be used well and by a team that is clearly passionate about what they do. It doesn’t always land, but I still found it engaging, enjoyable, and very entertaining.

With an impressive variety in its locations and gameplay, I found Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara to be a much better experience than I was anticipating, especially with how mixed Summer of Mara was in its gameplay and technical performance. While I certainly miss the depth of its farming systems and the more expansive 3D world, I think this newest entry finds the sweet spot of how the series could evolve into providing both types of experiences.