Frostpunk 2 expands on the original’s brutal city-building survival beyond it’s citybuilding roots into grander strategy. The increased scale and deeper political mechanics make it more complex but just as engrossing. For me, a little overwhelming, and you definitely have to be in the mood, but it’s undeniably cool. Loooove the music, sound design, art, visual and UI design.

Creatures of Ava definitely has a lot of heart. There’s a vision here and evidently a lot of passion, but for me falls short with its uninspired gameplay and lack of polish. Despite a promising concept of evolving creatures in a dynamic world, the execution mostly feels clunky and repetitive. It’s great to look at though, and if you’re in need of a cosy game, it’s worth checking out.

INDIKA is very clearly a game by and for people who enjoy satirical, surreal and profound arthouse cinema. Its eclectic mix of realistic 3D and pixel art 2D is underpinned and elevated by strong writing and voice acting - I was hooked from the first scene, and it even stuck the landing. The narrative is dark and compelling, the puzzles are engaging, and more than anything its thought-provoking themes and presentation make it unforgettable. I would love more games like this.

The Thaumaturge is a dense RPG set in alternate 1905 Warsaw with intricate settings, rich lore, and engaging side characters. Combat and sleuthing are secondary in service of its story, which I personally struggled a bit to connect with. Cool art, satisfying secrets, intriguing world and some compelling moral choices. Love the ambition and would recommend for fans of the genre.

Terrific art direction, ghostly music and atmosphere underpinned by a gripping story (by ’60s Polish sci-fi author Stanisław Lem) make for a tantalising but ultimately underwhelming experience. The characters are likeable and acted well, but they can only do so much to make up for what is so bound by its story that it leaves so little room for compelling gameplay… I’m up for walking simulators, but the walking has to be enjoyable. All that said, the story is the hero, which is enough to drive home an admirable adaptation.

I hate this phraseology, but it’s hard to avoid: Papers, Please meets Sim City. A crushing, brutal survival citybuilder which will have you searching your soul and stretching your ethical boundaries.

Really cool game. Interesting roguelike with a great setting, characters and indeed artstyle. Definitely worth playing, just a shame the multiplayer is so… strange and clunky.

Super smooth and adorable art and animation belies the potential difficulty of this dungeon crawler / retail simulator. Can get very grindy, but worth checking out.