Suika Game but with pool input and physics. It’s a cool little idea, certainly executed very well and fairly priced. You likely won’t get tonnes of playtime out of it, but it’s fun. Imagine it would be cool on mobile or handheld.

Every now and then a game comes along with a narrow but succinct concept, so confident and well-executed that it immediately, effortlessly captures your attention til the credits roll. Arctic Eggs could have just been a silly little browser game (especially considering it was born of a gamejam), but pairing its singular mechanic with an unbelievably cool art style, interesting world and genuinely hilarious writing was a masterstroke that makes it something else entirely. It feels ridiculous to write so glowingly about a short egg-flipping game, but it’s a testament to how refreshing games with small scopes and a solid vision can be.

This sequel to the genre-defining Exit 8 is far more straight-forward (literally). It’s the same kind of spot-the-difference loop, but said differences are way more obvious - sometimes in an impressive way, but mostly in a disappointingly unchallenging way. It’s still cool, but the mystique isn’t really here, and overall isn’t quite as compelling.

Ever wondered what Wordle would be like if it was a dark, absurd and funny dungeon-crawler? Look no further! What a strange little game. Evokes a tonne of nostalgia, but capitalises on modern game sensibilities. Great music, excellent voice acting (and a crazy amount thereof!) and chock-full of charm. Won’t be for everyone just by virtue of being so different, but absolute worth checking out.

If you love when a game tells you nothing, has exploration, puzzles and secrets - all your Christmases have come at once with Animal Well. Its intricate art and wordless storytelling make for a unique and immersive atmosphere. The puzzles are varied and rewarding. Crafting and sustaining this level of intrigue in a metroidvania without combat is an impressive feat. Above all, Animal Well is full of surprises, and the fact that it was all created by one person is remarkable.

It’s a cool game. I’m more than fine with its 6-7hr duration. The graphics are some of, if not the most impressive I’ve seen to date. The music, cinematics and performances are all fantastic. But… if it hadn’t been in development for five years, I would have said that something here doesn’t feel right, as if it was rushed out. The combat is cinematic and visceral, but not particularly rewarding and sometimes clunky. The puzzles are far less compelling than those of its predecessor. The story isn’t bad - it’s """fine""" - but ultimately feels unnecessary, which given the impact of the first game, is a little sad.

Cute! Duck Detective is a delightful and tightly designed deduction game that won’t have you sweating over a scrawly notepad like Golden Idol or Obra Dinn, but I think that’s the point. There’s one case made up of charming and funny characters, everything is voiced, the art and music are terrific. If you’re into detective games, you’ll finish it in a few hours and have a great time… quacking the case.

Apart from the obvious gacha repulsion, the major things stopping me from enjoying Genshin were laborious movement and unsatisfying combat. Wuthering Waves attempts to remedies these, with almost over-the-top traversal abilities, and more impactful (albeit still button-mashy) combat. That said, even ignoring how unashamedly they’re ripping Genshin, I still struggle to get properly into it. Several hours in, it feels like 90% of that has been spamming ‘advance dialog’, the VO is hilariously flat, and the story isn’t particularly compelling. Ultimately, if you’re into the genre, it’s worth checking out - and even if you’re not, it’s a fun braindead way to spend some time before the F2P grind becomes too harsh.

[Early Access] All of the Hades fundamentals are still here, but Melinoë definitely has her own identity which makes for a slightly more deliberate flow of combat, which is great. There are a bunch of new systems, all of which are interesting and interplay well. What can one say about Supergiant? Jen Zee’s art is incredible as always, Logan Cunningham and Darren Korb have absolutely killed the VO and music. The writing is heartfelt, engaging, funny. And of course, above all, the gameplay loop is tight, satisfying and addictive. Truly the best way to kill Time.

This super tight concept with an impressive amount of content won the LD55 Jam, under the theme of ‘Summoning’. Cool music, funny sounds, silly minigames, really polished, and more than anything just really fun and satisfying. It introduces mechanics well, escalates nicely and is genuinely addictive.