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I mentioned earlier that the replay value is a bit low, due to the linear nature of the game, but truthfully Crossing Souls may still be a game I revisit when I need to be comforted by the sheer joy of its characters, world, references, and music. Fourattic clearly loves the era as much as many of us do, and it shows. For all its references, the callbacks to different pop culture events never feel forced. Crossing Souls is a helluva fun ride, and a game I’d strongly recommend to anyone with a love of He-Man, coin-op arcades, and bitchin’ synth tunes.

Gris is not only beautiful, but it's also the perfect platformer for anyone who likes a challenge to be about more than reflexes or enemy slaughter. It's a thinking game, that also happens to have really good platforming at its core. It's neither too long nor too short, and worth every penny to experience the year's most beautiful visuals.

The Red Strings Club is a fascinating exploration of humanity, emotion, ethics, and our own preconceptions of evil. It tackles some huge topics, and while it does not manage to meet all of it’s potential it is worth playing just to visit The Red Strings Club, pull up a chair, and try something different.

Monster Prom is Hatoful Horror. It is an offbeat take on the horrors of teenage relationships. A great art style and some amazing writing make it easy to just plug in and replay. If you are ready to go back to high school, but just because this time it might really be the end of the world, then Monster Prom is worth a selling your soul for, or just buy it on Steam instead.

Melbits World is a charming puzzle-solver for party-time. With the power of PlayLink, you will overcome obstacles with up to three friends by using cell phones and tablets to control bridges, boxes, barriers, and beyond. While some of obstacles taking advantage of motion controls can be a bit sluggish, this approach of controls means that no one is left out of the party. Melbits World is an all-ages romp of madcap mayhem for all skill levels which places a high priority on player communication.

Scarf seems like an enjoyable casual game that you can enjoy at your own pace.

While we've only seen one episode, Song Of Horror has all the components of a strong horror adventure game rivalling those that many of us grew up with. Its puzzles won't wear you down with frustration and the horror environments are sure to deliver a scare.

At the end of the day, Baobabs Mausoleum is an odd trip down memory lane. It contains elements of classic titles presented in a way that makes sense within the genre. It is currently $5.99 USD in the Nintendo eShop. If you are looking for a goofy couple of hours of gameplay, it is hard to find anything like it. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to take my temperature to make sure that this wasn’t all a hallucination.  Note: Our copy was reviewed on Nintendo Switch with a code provided by PR. COMPARE TO: Day of the Tentacle, The Legend of Zelda, Earthbound

If you like collecting, leveling up and breeding cute animals, then Temtem is a game is worth your attention. There is still a lot of room for improvement, but the creature-collecting part of the game shines brightly.

Merge Games and Teku Studios has created some kind of masterpiece here, both visually and enigmatically. Their use of tribal storytelling is charming and the elements that put together the puzzles are well thought out. I wouldn’t necessarily call this an amateurs puzzle game meant for children, as there are many components that require abstract thinking to progress, but for the experienced puzzler, there is a lot to love in Candle: The Power of the Flame.

Effie isn't the most complex action-adventure-platformer out there, and it isn't the most challenging. In this case, the lack of these features actually work well, as Effie delivers on a game where simplicity and nostalgia fuel a desire to continue playing. The game in its entirety is very short, but it definitely is one of the child friendly games that should be on the top of the list for younger gamers and new recruits to the genre.

Still, Solo is not without merit. It is an ambitious and charming attempt to take players on a different adventure. The emphasis on emotional exploration just seems to feel slightly blunt. If you are looking for a charming puzzle game that sweeps you away, that has gorgeous graphics and amazingly written subtext, try Journey or Rime. Solo, is an ultimately laudable attempt that sails off course somewhat.

They Are Billions is a brilliant game that breaths fresh life into the RTS formula. Its setting, concept, and execution make it a wonderful addition to the genre. However, the console port with poor controls will most likely leave players frustrated and wishing they had picked it up on PC. As much as I loved the title I cannot recommend it for a console. So if you’re interested in They are Billions I would strongly recommend taking a look at the PC version of this zombie survival RTS.

If you are looking for a 2D dungeon crawler with some rogue-lite options, Sword of the Necromancer might just scratch that itch, but for me the legend didn’t quite live up to what I had hoped.