Analyst mauronl has shared Devolver Digital’s 2024 investor highlights, revealing lifetime revenue of their top ten major IPs. Aussie-made Cult of the Lamb leads the bunch with over $US90M! Devolver now plans to double down on hit IPs with sequels, DLC, and definitive editions, while shifting to smaller third-party budgets and developing for Switch 2 after strong success on the original.

inZOI captures the spark The Sims lost - freeform, funny, and full of promise. Stunning character creation, but once you’re in the world, it feels a little hollow. So far a solid foundation with huge potential, just needs more life behind the beauty.

I love everything about KCD2. It’s a rich, grounded RPG that pulls you right in with incredible worldbuilding, smart writing, and deeply satisfying systems. At every turn, you can sense it’s something made with genuine passion, not boardroom metrics. It won’t be for everyone - I’m not sure it’s even for me - but for what it’s trying to do, it’s perfect.

Caves of Qud is a deep, richly imaginative roguelike seemingly built on the foundations of Dwarf Fortress; embracing systemic - almost unimaginable - depth, emergent storytelling, and fantastic worldbuilding. Its dense systems and open-ended design are incredible - ambition and creativity unmatched. It’s a game I deeply admire, but its steep learning curve and sheer complexity mostly keep me at arm’s length personally. I wish I had the brain for it, but for now I’ll enjoy hearing others stories that come out of it.

You’ll know if you’ll like Ballionaire immediately, and if you’re anything like me, be hooked shortly thereafter. The premise is simple: pachinko roguelite. But the eventually chaotic, physics-based design rewards experimentation and creativity, letting you craft overpowered ‘builds’. It’s easy to pick up but brimming with depth, and almost exploitatively satisfying.

SULFUR is a roguelite extraction shooter that offers surprisingly tight gunplay, inventive weapon customisation and an awesome, striking artstyle. Though not everything fully clicks, it’s a fun, amusing and engaging experience that oozes passion and creativity. It’s just super cool.

Neva is gorgeous to look at and… “fine”, but doesn’t quite meet the high standard set by GRIS. While its art style and sound design are captivating, the story and gameplay mostly feel a little derivative. The narrative lacks coherence, and a surprisingly simplistic theme is ultimately underwhelming. Combat and puzzles add variety but feel underdeveloped. Ultimately, Neva impresses aesthetically but lacks the thematic depth and compelling drive that made GRIS so good.

Fish, sell, upgrade, dress-up: simple enough, but there’s a quiet charm here that’s hard to resist. Just you and a few strangers, casting lines and chatting if you feel like it - the exact right kind of lowkey. No pressure, just good vibes, plenty of fish, and maybe even a new friend.

In Egg Squeeze, one embarks on a journey that mirrors the human condition. Balancing fragility and strength, desire and restraint. The egg, a symbol of potential, demands our patience, our steady hand. Yet, in the moment of release, we confront our own mortality. It is not merely a game; it is a dialogue between player and object, an inquiry into control, vulnerability, and the very nature of existence. Each squeeze, an act of trust. Each fracture, a reflection of our inherent limitations. Memento mori. Egg.

Squirrel with a Gun delivers a zAnY, sandboxy experience where you control a gun-toting squirrel causing chaos in a suburban neighbourhood. It’s got some clever platforming and puzzle mechanics, and for a short time is a light-hearted, fun gameplay loop. Its absurd premise is the selling point, and you’ll know if you’ll enjoy it after seeing like 10 seconds of any gameplay.