DeVuego

Deconstructeam has created its best game yet with The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood, further cementing itself as one of Devolver Digital’s strongest studios. Every complex theme in the narrative, whether that’s mental health, isolation, trans or human rights, is handled with grace and written so beautifully it feels like prose on screen in front of you. Magnificent and captivating too is the pixel art and animation, distinguishing each witch and highlighting charming quirks. Never have I played a game so personal and handcrafted for me and never have I felt so fostered and supported in creativity and my livelihood through the simple magical medium of a video game. Becoming my own witch, crafting away at some cards, and settling in for some comfy vibes is something special. Something special that has to be experienced. Your must-play video games of 2023 aren’t blockbuster hits. They’re titles like this, needing to be seen to be believed and never done before.

007 First Light understands that Bond isn’t just gadgets and gunfights. There’s a lot of charm and chaos, and an abundance of improvisation under pressure.

For an independent studio’s debut game, Luto strongly delivers on Broken Bird Games’ ethos of delivering deep narrative experiences that reflect both their passion for video games but also great stories. Despite being a story about death, Luto has more on its mind than presenting melodrama. It’s incredibly unique, fantastic to look at, highly atmospheric, and poetically beautiful. Devoted to those who are no longer with us, and hoping to make a change in the world by humanising the struggles of living with mental illness, Luto stands as one of the most powerful games of the year. It’s transformative, evocative, and breaks form and conventions around how a game should be and how it should play, taking the overused trope of horror as an allegory for mental illness, and making it something truly memorable. It is a game that I cannot recommend more to those in the right headspace.

Neva is beautifully crafted and deeply emotional, making for one of the most touching and exquisite games of the year. I loved the growing companionship between Alba and her cute wolf pal, as they evolved from hesitant adventurers into confident allies. The visuals are simply breathtaking, with a stunning watercolour aesthetic and lovely little details in its animations. On top of that, combat is satisfying and just varied enough as new abilities get added into the mix. Though it may be a relatively short adventure, Neva leaves a lasting impression that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

Wax Heads makes you feel like you are part of this safe, wholesome, creative world of Repeater Records, surrounded by alternative and queer folk who just want to keep rockin’ as long as they can. Finding records for people is fun, but also challenging, so you’ll have to not only scour Repeater’s records, but watch cutscenes, search through your apps, and pay attention to the customer’s vibe. For someone who grew up in 90s indie record stores, longing to hear something that would change my teen life, Wax Heads really cultivates an atmosphere of curiosity, love and respect for musical communities, and how much better music is when it involves human connection.

Remakes of true classics are usually cause for some concern, particularly a game that’s almost 35 years old, but this is so much more than just an old game with a new skin. Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX balances perfectly the updates an old game needs whilst still staying true to what made the original such a landmark title. The quirks of the gameplay are all still there, controlling just like the original, although with little tweaks that make the experience even better. The new levels fit so well, it’s pretty, and it sounds good to boot.

Blasphemous 2 is a truly stand-out Metroidvania that is an easy recommendation for fans of the original and newcomers alike. From its detailed and fluid animations to its wide assortment of gameplay improvements, Blasphemous 2 is everything a sequel to the already-strong Blasphemous should be. Although it isn’t as consistently challenging as its formidable art direction and clear Soulslike influence would suggest, the core experience of Blasphemous 2 is still something fans of 2D platformers and Metroidvania exploration are sure to greatly appreciate.

Many Nights A Whisper is another magical story and experience from Deconstructeam, now with the added co-development of Selkie Harbour. Though some could take issue with its brief foray, it’s worth it for the incredibly pragmatic lens of teaching players to be okay with the unknown, while also questioning rituals and the everyday norm. How much stir and bubble you want to put out into the world is entirely up to you, and through controlling the protagonist known as The Dreamer, you get a microscopic look at what it means to put good out into the world, but also what implications that could have. Backed by an entrancing lo-fi soundtrack from the wonderful fingerspit, along with a colourful vignette of a greater world, Many Nights A Whisper reminds us that there is hope yet for this world. Through it all is that fiery, bright shining beacon of light in the distance.

Call of the Elder Gods is a really well-designed puzzle game with great characters and a story that grips you the whole way through. It’s a shame that some of the plot developments don’t continue the whole way through the narrative, but it’s still a story well worth following. I can’t wait to see what eldritch ventures this team will send us on next.

With high-energy beats and an outlandish visual style, Everhood 2 is an unconventional title that strays far from the beaten path. Despite falling for some RPG trappings leading to padded content, this release still finds a way to surprise and delight with moments of hallucinogenic thrill and perplexing characters that’ll leave you absorbed in the insanity.

Worldless is a captivating 2D platformer with a cosmic aesthetic and seamlessly integrated turn-based battles. Traverse spaces, confront challenging combat, and navigate platforms, all while embracing the joy of exploration. The game’s inbuilt difficulty helps create huge satisfaction once you master the combat and the minimalist design brings a harmonious gaming experience, even if it’s to the sacrifice of detailed guidance. The game won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, though, at its core, Worldless still delivers a thoughtful, consistent, immersive, and enjoyable experience.

Call of the Sea is a charming adventure that immediately hooks you through its period-appropriate mystery, that slowly builds intrigue and excitement. The various puzzles you encounter along the way are thoroughly engaging, while at the same time offering enough of a challenge to not be too easy or annoying.

Eden Genesis is quite a fun title which fans of 2D platformers and speedrunning in particular are likely to enjoy. While the plot won’t knock your socks off, it’s a reasonably engaging little sci-fi tale while it lasts. The game is let down by its slow-paced mandatory combat levels, of which there are way too many and which feel at odds with the lightning-fast and flowing platforming which makes up the bulk of the rest of the game. However, with plenty of extra content to experience once you have reached the end credits, those looking for an engaging 2D platforming challenge to test your skill and reflexes will have a good time with Eden Genesis.

Creatures of Ava is a gorgeous and ambitious creature-saver that has some neat ideas, not all of which are executed perfectly. Its non-combat is somewhat unwieldy, but the practice of cleansing adorable critters, giving them some love and leading them to safety with a sweet melody never gets old.

A chilling fever dream of dystopian hope, After Us takes the mechanics of an atmospheric puzzle-platformer and uses them to create a beautifully unsettling experience that feels a little too real. Its satisfying traversal challenges through gorgeously rendered wastelands provide plenty of engaging gameplay moments for platforming fans, though its relentlessly oppressive environments may prove too harsh for some. Haunting and immersive, but definitely not for the faint of heart.

The Stone of Madness feels like an admirable gamble of a new direction for The Game Kitchen, and one that mostly pays off. Besides the frustrations with the stealth, sanity system and inconsistent tone, its core prison break loop remains a satisfying one, and the monastery’s environmental design and artistic direction make it a compelling playground to explore.

Temtem isn’t just a copycat Pokémon. Incorporating MMO elements and engaging characters into fan-favourite gameplay is an overwhelming success, with an abundance of addicting endgame content. Unfortunately, Temtem suffers from optimisation issues and needs to present its most captivating features at the forefront rather than behind the MMO grind and a slow main story. I can’t deny how much fun it is to play Temtem, it just needs more time and polish to be the best there ever was.

I enjoyed my time with Everdeep Aurora, although it could have been better. Nautilus Games very deliberately nails the feel of an old Game Boy game from the mid-1990s, although it may turn off players looking for something more complex or challenging. With its charming art style and gameplay, it’s hard not to have a smile on your face as you drill down into the Everdeep. That said, the lack of clear guidance regarding exactly what the game is asking you to do a lot of the time left me longing for a quest log or objective marker. If you’re looking for a chill platformer with retro stylings and don’t mind a lack of clear direction, Everdeep Aurora is worth checking out.

Blades of Fire offers some compelling and exciting ideas, particularly with its reverence for weaponcrafting and rewarding forge mechanics. But its love of steel and violence can only take it so far; its combat is enjoyable at first, but wears out its welcome across a lengthy campaign that is filled with too-chatty characters and a world that's very frustrating to get lost in. Even with those caveats, its eye-catching fantasy world and weapons that pack a punch still have enough charm to see it through. Not every one of its big swings lands, but as they say, "you miss all the shots you don't take", and Blades of Fire at least gives the action RPG genre a solid crack with a unique point of view.

In spite of various problems found within Tenebris Pictura, the game still leaves a fairly positive impression by the end. Some of it doesn’t quite work, from its very downplayed narrative to its slightly-annoying combat, but it brings enough novel content to the table to be engaging. If you’re into atmospheric adventure games with clever puzzles and unique ideas, you’re likely to find something rewarding in Tenebris Pictura.

Curse of the Sea Rats is a competent 2.5D Metroidvania that offers an absolutely delightful style. The story and gameplay are basic at best, with design oversights and shallow combat that unfortunately drive this simple narrative. Still, the small package comes with a fun four-player coop that complements the classic cartoon animation and critters throughout the journey. This platformer won’t rattle the scene, but it’s a great game for families to play.

 really wanted to like HyperParasite more than I did. The campy 80’s aesthetic and gratuitous cartoony violence is right up my alley. However, even a roguelike needs to have a good sense of progression. Having it be so much of a slog to unlock forms to possess in a game all about possessing enemy forms feels counter-productive to HyperParasite’s main gameplay gimmick.

I still think I would recommend HyperParasite to a fan of roguelikes or twin-stick shooters, especially if you have a friend. With that said, be prepared for an uphill battle to make progress, and get very used to the Downtown level and its first boss. The high level of difficulty skirts the line of being frustrating more often than I would prefer. There are certainly worse roguelike shooters on the market, but HyperParasite still needs some polish.

All in all, I found playing 1971 Project Helios an entertaining experience of inconsistent quality; it had moments of potential, but mostly this game strikes me as a rough diamond.

I want it to be known that I really wanted to like The Spirit of the Samurai. I am a massive fan of stop-motion animation, and any piece of media that utilises or seeks to evoke or pay homage to that style has earned my respect. That said, as well put-together as the cutscenes are, The Spirit of the Samurai is just not very fun as a game. From the clunky and unresponsive controls to the linear and murky levels filled with oddly placed traps and pitfalls, it can often feel like a slog to actually play. If you are a fan of stop-motion animation, then you may get something from the experience, but it is unlikely to be too satisfying for just about anyone else.

It feels unfair to be so punishing to a studio's debut game. Clearly, there is some affection for the genres Morkull Ragast's Rage is playing within here, and the hand-drawn art style is admirable and something I wish more games sought to emulate. But the sheer lack of polish and mediocrity of its game systems, metafictional elements and overall presentation left me raging at the Ragast, and not in the way I suspect the developers intended.

Neon Blood, on its surface, is a stunning pixelated cyberpunk adventure that boasts an intriguing plot. However, players will unfortunately find that when they spend more time with the game it is riddled with clunky traversal, uninspiring combat and the lack of accessibility features. Though Neon Blood looks like it would be an exciting cyberpunk adventure, the issues make it visually gorgeous but not a super fun experience.

Red Souls Games should be proud of releasing their debut title; there is no doubt about that. But as a game striving to honour the paragons of survival horror, Post Trauma significantly falls short. Its astounding art direction and captivating music create an unnervingly eerie atmosphere that will stick with you well after the game’s conclusion. But Post Trauma‘s muddled and borderline incoherent story, flat characters, frustratingly difficult puzzles, and incredibly easy gameplay, where the stakes are never felt, are a real disservice to what is a clear love letter to horror.