Important note: Although I only post positive reviews, that doesn't mean every game automatically gets one. My biggest layer of quality control is that I only review games I think I'm likely to enjoy. Even then, only around 75% of games reviewed (at the time of writing) have received my recommendation. Long story short? Just making it to this list is a mark of quality.
Black Widow: Recharged is an exceptional arcade-style twinstick shooter. Features slick vector graphics, super-smooth controls, three game modes and a series of challenges for extra replayability.
The Turgenev Study is one of my favourite PUNKCAKE games so far. Like a bullet hell but without the bullets! Harvest, assimilate, blast, dodge - unique mechanics for a unique experience. Tons of different cells and upgrades and experiments for added replayability.
Super Dungeon Maker is a superb level editor suitable for making Zelda-like adventure games. It's more powerful than you'd expect but incredibly intuitive & user friendly. Perfect for kids
Legacy of the Moonspell is superb. Honestly, this one's worth it just for the new map alone, but it also comes with a stack of cool new characters and weapons. If you already buried yourself for hours in Vampire Survivors and it's finally starting to get stale, this DLC will give it a breath of fresh air.
Wandering Duelist is an errand running-style game. Has a nice little romantic story, some lovely French polka, and a small but wonderfully detailed world. Could benefit from more variety in gameplay
Jitsu Squad's an exceptionally fun beat 'em up that could be best described as "Golden Axe meets Kung Fu Panda." Co-op, great for kids and adults. Short but all thriller no filler, very polished.
EA: Warlords is a tower defence game that successfully incorporates deck building, RTS, and roguelike elements. It makes for some innovative, addictive gameplay. WIll be amazing with the full content.
“Schastye is an experimental game that probably won't appeal to most people. It involves using the game to read a short story (not even a VN), delivered in a sim where you physically type to reveal.
My Name is You sets a gloomy mood with its greyscale visuals. It's a very short visual novel but designed to be played through multiple times- each run gives you only a piece of the whole story
Monsters of Little Haven is a really nice little visual novel despite the dark themes. Short but wide, designed to be replayed to reveal the full story. Very nice monochrome visuals, quality narration.
Milk Inside a Bag of Milk is a strange but engaging visual novel that's as much art form as game. Explores themes of anxiety and reality. Very short.
An enjoyable experience but extremely short at 10-15 minutes and more of an art piece than a game with very limited interactivity
“Starlight X-2 is essentially Sudoku, but with stars and asteroids instead of numbers. Would loved to have seen new mechanics introduced. Best feature is the limitless number of puzzles included.
EA Review: Wizard Chess is a quirky turn-based tactical with plenty of variety and some interesting mechanics and roguelike elements. Still needs TLC at the moment but is looking very promising.
A sweet little VN that portrays awkward teen romance well, while covering the theme of anxiety and also revealing a little about v tuber life. No player agency. Nice art to go with a nice story.
Space Wreck is something of a spiritual successor to the original Fallout games but set in a dystopian space future. Love the unique aesthetics, freestyle approach to roleplaying, and organic quests.
Cyberpunk isn't an RPG, it's cyberpunk-themed GTA - luckily, that's just as awesome. Has a solid story but sub-par delivery, detailed but dated graphics. Not without flaws but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
EA Review: Deepest Chamber still needs a little tweaking and could benefit from some QoL features but it's extremely promising with a great concept, interesting card mechanics & terrific graphics.
If you enjoyed the combat in Video Game Fables you'll want this DLC. It provides you with a set of challenges and an XP limit (totally separate to your main game status). Come up with your best build and try your luck! Same great sense of humour as the main game.
Solitaire fanatics will enjoy this one; Canfield is a lesser-known that never came bundled with Windows. As always with eSolutions, a minimalist but very user friendly collection with good variety.
Donut Dodo absolutely nails the 80s arcade experience. If you weren't alive, give this gem a go. It'll invoke the same feelings we enjoyed back in the day. Prepare to die, a lot! Amazing soundtrack!
Vampire Survivors is a hectic bullet hell / horde shooter that may not look like much at first glance but there's a heap going on under the hood. Tons of characters, maps, weapons. Awesome gameplay.
A very nice modern JRPG with a range of innovative mechanics that have you actively watching ammo, using items, and crafting. Also has a great futuristic post-apoc story and top shelf pixel art!
Abridge is a sokoban variant that has you control multiple pieces each with direction limitations. It allows for interesting, layered puzzles. Huge game with 90 levels. No frills but cleanly presented.
I'm new to the series and almost didn't review Frog Detective as I thought it would be for little kids. Maybe it is but I thoroughly enjoyed the sense of humour! Keen to check out 1 & 2 now.
Lighten Up is a nice little puzzle game that's based around the "missing square" paradox but with added on/off modes and a range of shapes. 51 puzzles so only 30-60 mins gameplay. Nice way to relax.
Shadow of the Guild is a decent 2d sidescroller that could be great but it needs a lot more love. Has some nice artwork but its best feature is its creative and unusual missions. Needs more polish.
Candle Prick's an interesting sokoban game in that it doesn't feel like sokoban because you're pricking as well as pushing and really interacting with the environment in unusual ways. Refreshing
Pokaban's a poker-themed sokoban game with gorgeous retro style. Range of mechanics is limited but levels are well-designed and challenging. Plenty of game with 60+ levels and a built-in level editor.
“A substantial collection of quality FreeCell variants. My top picks are Bastille, Prison, and Milligan. Minamlistic but nice UI and very user friendly. Hours of entertainment.
Impaler's a fast-paced, action-packed arena shooter with a lot of strange features (3d game with 3d sprites, spikes, overheating weapons) that somehow work. It's a lot of fun, just wish it was longer!
Lonesome Village is a puzzle/adventure game featuring cute cartoon graphics, friendly puzzles, and an assortment of activities (fishing, farming) for a break between levels. Smaller kids will love it.
Dashpong is bloody terrific. It's exactly what it looks like: A fresh take on Pong with slick modern arcade graphics, a bunch of maps to play on and an impressive array of creative game modes. Awesome.
Necroboy is a fun puzzle game with cute low poly graphics, a nice little story, and a terrific sense of humour. Puzzles are easy (although they do get more complex). A perfect title for young gamers!
We Who Are About To Die is a fantastic little battler. It's like a twinstick arena fighter except with a complex combat system. Lots of weapons, lots of arenas and battle variety, lots of fun.
Sokosignal's a challenging sokoban puzzler with unique "magnetic" mechanics. Huge game with 83 levels broken into 6 "worlds" with increasingly complex mechanics. Graphics are minimalist but look nice.
Oakenfold's an excellent roguelike tactical featuring turn-based and wave-spawning mechanics. Loads of enemy and mission variety, every run is different. Also features weekly challenges and scoring.
Step by Step Hero's an interesting entry in the roguelite genre that's more about exploration than combat. It's relaxing, will keep you entertained for a couple of hours, and is kid-friendly.
Lucy Dreaming is an exceptional modern point and click with clever writing, a good sense of humour, logical & layered puzzles, quality detailed pixel art, an interesting story, & huge range of scenes.
Wandering Village is a superb city builder that stands out from the crowd with its gorgeous paper-style art, survival components, and focus on mutual sustainability as well as expansion.
Enjoy Klondike solitaire (the "normal" one that comes with Windows) and want more? Here's a hefty collection with loads of variety. Minimalist UI, smooth play, works well on tablets.
Push the Box is a no-frills, minimalist sokoban game. The puzzles are great and there are tons of them but a tad more variety might be nice.
Aquillanto is a 2d platformer that definitely needs some more polish but the underlying game is actually very solid. Range of enemies with interesting mechanics, strong focus on traps, tons of secrets.
Who knew there were so many Spider Solitaire variants? This is a great bundle for those who have mastered the version on Windows and are looking for more (they're much harder!). Looks nice too.
I really love Infection as a game, I really feel it's the equal of Chess, Checkers/Draughts, and the like. This is a faithful digital rendition with some nice music, 1 or 2 player mode, and fun maps.
Joker Poker is a well-presented and user friendly offline Caribbean-style video poker experience. Relaxing way to spend some downtime, great to kill some time in transit.
Deuces Wild is an interesting Carribean-style poker variant I'd never played before. Friendly UI, very easy to just pick up and play (hard to beat though!). No frills but well-executed.
Hexxagon's a simple but interesting variant on Ataxx using, you guessed it, hexagons instead of squares. It doesn't sound like much but has a significant impact on gameplay. Great for 1 or 2 players!
Another brilliant PUNKCAKE game. Interesting combination of time- and turn-based enemies with different movement patterns, good range of fruits (and levels), and the meta-system for unlocking keeps in interesting so you can go back to try levels again later when you're a bit better at the game.
Rogue's Choice is a very different experience to Wizard's Choice. It's a much more modern, cliche dungeon crawl experience. Which isn't bad, just different. Still has a great story but lighter-hearted.
Trifox is a refreshing addition to the 3d platformer genre. Features twinstick combat, lots of cool abilities, range of interesting enemies, puzzles and secrets, awesome boss fights. Fun for all ages!
Jacks or Better does what it says on the box. It's no frills but a nice friendly UI and let's you play Caribbean-style poker. Might have benefitted from AI company or being bundled but no complaints.
Mazezam is a Sokoban variant where you need to get to the exit but also includes unusual row and linked block mechanics. Also limited number of retries to reach the end. Minimalist, challenging, fun.
Snow Problem's UI and presentation could use a bit more love but the game itself is excellent. Best way I can describe it is "Lemmings but snow." Fast-paced and puzzles are dynamic, it's a lot of fun.
Triple Take's an excellent modern precision platformer with very clean retro graphics, an interesting story, and surprisingly friendly gameplay. Super smooth controls, 50 levels, great variety.
The Plague Doctor of Wippra; a short point and click that takes itself seriously. Impressive detail given the retro art style, nice problem-solving, emotional story set in an authentic-feeling world.
Forty Thieves is what it sounds like - a collection of solitaire card games. Includes 20 variants on the classic, most much harder than the classic. Well-presented UI, smooth controls. Challenging!
Paper Nebula is a nifty little scrolling shooter. Plays arcade-style but features roguelike elements based on cumulative kills which unlock new weapons. On the easy side, great for younger players.
EA Review: Still has a few kinks to work out but this is a very satisfying stealth-based fps with exceptional level design. Solo play is available but it's designed for squads so bring some friends.
Don't let the minimalism fool you, Color Jumper is a real gem. Aside from the core colour matching mechanic, Color Jumper is a fantastic precision platformer with excellent variety and level design.
Unders_core is a roguelike deckbuilder that has you building combat & exploration decks simultaneously. It's well thought out, easy to play but tough to master, replayable and rewards experimentation.
Shutter 2's one of the best horror games I've played. Has its shortfalls, sure, but it's very original in its execution. Instead of jump scares it features an interesting setting, story, and puzzles.
Death Drives a Bus is a clever sequence-based puzzle game with a quirky theme, a good sense of humour, and some delightful 1-bit art. Features 50 massive levels of increasing complexity.
Dominate's simple and a lot of fun. It's based on Ataxx, a classic board game on par with checkers, chess, etc. This variant has 8 tiles instead of 7 and a range of layouts for variety. Solo or 2 play.
Nine Noir Lives is a very decent point and click. Great graphics, decent story & puzzles but a little inconsistent in its execution. Don't go in expecting noir. A fun light-hearted detective adventure.
Grid Force is an interesting tactical/RPG/shooter hybrid. It's surprisingly fast-paced and intense combining squad combat with a range of cool super abilities, a neat levelling system and a fun story.
Terra Invicta is an impressive 4X with huge scope, AAA quality graphics, and an engaging underpinning story. The gameplay is mostly passive, which is unusual but means the focus is on decision making.
Overloop's a puzzle platformer with super cute mini pixels, super detailed backgrounds, a good selection of puzzles based on their unique cloning mechanic, a nice story and a great sense of humour.21 September 2022
20 September 2022
Dreamlands has the bones of a fun platformer - clearly themed, good level design, interesting timer and lever mechanics. But it's very small (30-60mins) and lacks polish. Very easy - kids will enjoy.
19 September 2022
Jack Move is a Final Fantasy-inspired cyberpunk JRPG with a solid vigilante story, fun hacking-themed combat, great artwork and UI. Short and sweet, no grind, it's a solid modern JRPG experience.
16 September 2022
An impressive, detailed text-based roleplaying game set in a gritty and unique world. Has a great dialogue system, maps and illustrations that update as you explore, resource management & good story.
15 September 2022
Read my First Impressions here.
Tails of Iron is a top quality RPG / platformer hybrid. Artistic detail is exquisite and I love the theme. Can be a little slow but the combat's challenging and requires strategy and timing to beat.
14 September 2022
Camped Out! is a hectic couch co-op that forces you to work as a team in a way I've never experienced in another game. Love the bear and the rodents, I've had a great time playing it with my kids!
13 September 2022
Don't let the cute pixel art fool you; Deneb ain't easy! The mouse-exclusive interface is its own challenge although the controls are super smooth. No frustrations here, just genuinely tough obstacles
8 September 2022
Kraino Origins is a brilliant platformer - short-ish (~15 levels) but absolutely packed full of awesome. Gorgeous detailed pixel art, secrets, tons of variety of traps & monsters, awesome boss fights.
7 September 2022
Island Berry is an enjoyable and relaxing survival/crafting game with rpg elements; particularly exploration but even a touch of combat. I'm really loving the hybrid nature of it. Very well-presented.
5 September 2022
Shotgun King, a fun solo take on chess. Blast your enemies with a shotgun! Simple enough but PUNKCAKE have added a stack of randomised perks of challenges that unlock each level. Replayable & awesome.
2 September 2022
Backpack Hero is a very cool roguelike with unique inventory-based combat and levelling systems. It's a lot of fun experimenting with different builds and there's a stack of game modes to play with.
1 September 2022
Curse Crackers is a delightful retro platformer with all the modcons. Gorgeous pixel art and scenery, nice level design, tons of secrets and achievements to unlock. Decent story, really well-made game
31 August 2022
Manic Archers is an absolutely frenetic multiplayer twinstick brawler. Good range of maps and play modes for replayability. It looks and sounds great and is super intense if a little too fast for me.
29 August 2022
Idlers aren't my go-to genre but I did enjoy Stickman. Did get a little repetitive and I think the progression could have been a tad faster but it was a fun and relaxing way to brain off for a while.
28 August 2022
OneBit's an addictive roguelike dungeon crawler. Combat can feel repetitive but the constant dopamine hits as you find new weapons and unlock new skills keep you going. Even has cool boss monsters!
26 August 2022
Jade Order's a nice little puzzle game with a nice aesthetics, some great pixel art, and an enjoyable retro soundtrack. Fairly easy as puzzle games go. A touch repetitive but relaxing and enjoyable.
25 August 2022
Does what it says on the box. Gameplay's intuitive, zombies get harder each level. Nice map design & aesthetics. Would love more weapons. Very short; only an hour or so depending on how often you die.
23 August 2022
MOONPONG is a superb modern (and solo) iteration of classic pong gameplay. Bendy circles, gravity, ice and cloud balls, a range of upgrades, enemies that shoot back, and even bosses. Very challenging and very fun. As always with PUNKCAKE games, the pixel graphics and retro soundtrack are perfect!
22 August 2022
Rollerdrome is AWESOME. It's a sweet skater/shooter hybrid with bullet-time and it's impossible not to look and feel cool while playing. Sweet cel-shader art & synthpop sound, just a great experience.
19 August 2022
Terrific little platformer. Short (9 levels) but challenging. Writing can be juvenile at times but the controls are smooth and the pixel art and action is glorious. Great range of enemies and bosses.
17 August 2022
Dragon Mine is a hybrid puzzle / precision / speedrun platformer. Levels only take ~1 min to beat - but probably several retries! Challenging right from the first level! Very polished, great fun
16 August 2022
Read my First Impressions here.
Sweet Transit is very detailed - complex, even, so plenty for rail fans to play with but not very friendly for casual gamers. You get to build the community as well as the rail network, very cool.
15 August 2022
Video Game Fables is a delightful JRPG. It's a parody but also a great game in its own right. Has a great sense of humour, no filler or grind & innovative levelling and combat systems. A real delight.
12 August 2022
Sokochess is an impressive piece of work. It's almost a reverse sokoban game - rather than pushing pieces around, they attack you in true chess style. Bloody hard but my favourite Daisy game so far!
10 August 2022
Read my First Impressions here.
A very engaging ARPG with puzzles & innovative twinstick combat. The writing's aimed at a slightly younger audience but the story is engaging and the choice & consequence is surprisingly good.
08 August 2022
Read my First Impressions here.
Scathe is a fast-paced arena-style FPS. Heavily inspired by Doom but v. different gameplay - still hectic but more about dodging bullet patterns. Gorgeous shader graphics, nice and gory, great shooter.
07 August 2022
City Limits is a minimalist puzzle game that sees you building combos to rack up a high score. Has leaderboard but ultimately you're challenging yourself. Relaxing. Fun but could use more variety.
06 August 2022
Read my First Impressions here.
GigaBash is awesome, one of the coolest and most fun brawlers I've ever played. It looks great, has a terrific sense of humour, a 2-3 hour campaign, plenty of variety, and great multiplayer modes.
03 August 2022
Read my First Impressions here.
Ren's Demons, a JRPG unlike any you've ever played before. Full of experimental mechanics which are integral to both the gameplay and the story. Narrative-heavy and intriguing. Strange but enjoyable
02 August 2022
Read my First Impressions here.
EA Review: Love the art direction, love the core day/night cycle and horde mechanics. Survival mode is fun but awaiting the campaign before final judgement but seems very promising overall.
25 July 2022
Read my First Impressions here.
Clanfolk's an unusual survival game that focuses on survival over generations. Automation features makes it feel a little like an idler. Nice detailed tech tree. Casual & relaxing, hours of fun.
20 July 2022
Surprisingly gentle learning curve but gets pretty hectic from level 7 and reaches classic Skull difficulty by the final level. Gameplay's best described as Tapper meets Duck Hunt. Gorgeous 1 bit pixel art and smooth controls. Very short - nice for a casual game whenever you have a spare minute.
19 July 2022
Deer Journey's a walking sim - a genre I'm not normally a huge fan of - but I did enjoy this one. Controls were sometimes clunky but it was honestly a beautiful visual story, short but very sweet
18 July 2022
Madshot's a brawler-style shooter whose vibrant cartoony graphics really come into their own during play. It's fast-paced, unforgiving, great range of enemies and upgrades and some awesome boss fights.
15 July 2022
Read my First Impressions here.
Legends of Kingdom Rush is a challenging turn-based tactical game with a roguelike focus which makes for a very different experience. Also includes party building which is awesome for replayability.
13 July 2022
Super Sportmatchen's a modern take on classic Konami's Track & Field. Full of glorious pixel art and has a quirky sense of humour. Love the twist on traditional sports like the capybara throw.
11 July 2022
Circadian Dice is a ripper dice battler - simple to play but contains layers upon layers of complexity that builds as you play through. Well thought out, plenty of variety, challenging, addictive.
09 July 2022
Exodemic's a terrific and unique roguelike top-down shooter. Really love the tactical three-button approach. The random upgrade and world generation spells tons of variety and infinite replayability.
06 July 2022
5 Stages of Pink is a VN game with a difference; it features point and click elements and an interactive investigation journal, which I liked. Writing (Young Adult) and artwork clean and good quality.
04 July 2022
Ecstatic is a brilliant tactical top-down shooter that quickly turns into a bullet hell. Unique controls - controlling both movement and targeting with the mouse - is an interesting challenge. The random nature of the upgrade drops force you to adopt different play styles every run, making it infinitely replayable. Great music, awesome pixel art. Bloody tough!
03 July 2022
Below the Ocean is a fun and original puzzle platformer genre that really makes the most of its underwater theme, making for some really innovative gameplay. Great pixel art and sound too. Very short.
30 June 2022
Cannibal Crossing is a tough-as-nails hybrid roguelite shooter-survival-horde defence game. Boss fights are awesome. There's heaps to do and discover but thankfully you can do it at your own pace.
29 June 2022
Mini Maker's like a full art and craft workshop game but with odd scenarios and collectable pieces that keep it interesting for the long term. Great family fun. Embrace imperfection and have a laugh!
28 June 2022
Metroplex Zero is a very solid card game involving resource and party management, deck building and collection. Scenario-based combat. Actually requires strategy and synergy to win, it's great.
22 June 2022
Unichrome's a sickly sweet platformer with a sense of humour and a Happy Tree Friends vibe. Simple gameplay, fast-paced action, on the easy side but not without its challenges - fun for all ages.
21 June 2022
Wizard's Choice is a substantial (300k words!) text-based rpg that really invokes those gritty roleplaying sessions from the 90s. The decisions are tough and the story rich, engaging and well-written.
18 June 2022
Born Punk is a first rate modern pnc. It's well written, humorous and engaging, the pixel art's detailed and gorgeous, the music and voice acting are also high quality. Huge variety in puzzle types.
15 June 2022
Gamedec's an amazing experience. It's a deep, multi-layered story delivered through top notch visuals and sound. Loaded with choice & consequence and failure is just part of the journey. Replayable!
13 June 2022
Encased is a really great modern CRPG with an intriguing story, loads of meaningful choice & consequence, interesting characters, and a memorable setting. Combat's lacklustre but good crafting system.
06 June 2022
A reluctant recommendation: The art, music, and gameplay are all terrific. Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot of content - plenty of interesting characters but only 2 looping levels. Want mooore!
02 June 2022
Vesper is first and foremost a work of art. The art & cinematography are absolutely stunning and it's a pleasure to explore the world and uncover it's secrets. Puzzle platformer, family friendly.
29 May 2022
Read my First Impressions here.
Golfie's a charming minigolf game that maximises replayability by adding roguelike and deckbuilding elements. There are stacks of maps and shuffling cards means every hole plays differently. Well done.
27 May 2022
Ad Wars is like four games in one (bullet hell, platformer, shooter, JRPG) - not combined elements but whole games merged and tied together with cartoony graphics and a story. A tad easy but very fun.
25 May 2022
Sonority's a game where the puzzles are sequence-based but music-themed. Difficulty's pretty friendly but does get more complicated as the game progresses. Nice low-poly graphics and lovely story.
19 May 2022
HEAL is a game full of all the logic puzzles you would expect from a point and click but without the adventure. There's still emotion and meaning though, conveyed atmospherically. It's a nice story.
18 May 2022
Haiku is a bloody brilliant metroidvania, top shelf. It's a nice big world to explore, full of secrets, traps, lore, and a huge variety of enemies. Slightly on the easy side but not without challenge.
16 May 2022
Into the Pit is a fast-paced, fluid, Doom-inspired FPS with glorious pixel graphics that screenshots don't do justice. Very fun but some odd design choices; starts feeling repetitive after 3-4 hours.
12 May 2022
Rush for the Ages has nailed the "a fast game's a good game" ideology. As with any PUNKCAKE game, it's easy to learn, difficult to master, and even harder to put down. It's all about card synergy but you're playing with a shared pool of cards, slow-revealing objectives, and multiple layers of interaction. Addictive!
11 May 2022
TwoFaceGames have an established knack for coming up with innovative ways to use the RPG Maker system. Port Traventor's their biggest game yet, and it's a unique hybrid concept that's first and foremost an idling kingdom manager that also incorporates JRPG-style quests and combat. It can get a little grindy but in a way that will seem normal to most JRPG fans. There's no downtime - always something to do and some new upgrade to strive for. Creative.
10 May 2022
RnRWND is a fun, light-hearted point and click that will appeal to anyone that enjoys their 90s rock nostalgia. Nice hires pixels. Good sense of humour - well-delivered satire and loaded with puns.
04 May 2022
If you enjoyed the original Distraint, you'll love this. Same moody atmospheric point and click, great quality art, more puzzles. Caution: It's not stand-alone; you need to play the original first.
03 May 2022
A damn fine RPG that really nails the wild west steampunk setting. It's full of interesting locations and characters, is exceptionally well written, and there's even trade and turn-based ship combat.
01 May 2022
Read my First Impressions here.
An innovative turn-based tactical that brilliantly recreates the b-grade Godzilla movie experience. Full of attitude and humour. Plenty to see and do with 15hr campaign and mission editor. Brilliant.
28 April 2022
Lawn Buster for Hire's a short and sweet "puzzle" game that's conceptually very cool. All you need to do is move around the map, clearing all the grass. What makes it cool is the layers of difficulty involved; each level you gain extra rewards for leaving the flowers intact, for not re-treading, and for being quick about it. It's not always possible to do all of those things so you need to make choices and sacrifices. Only 10 minutes of gameplay but it's challenging and there's 5 endings so you'll get 30-60 minutes out of it. Would love to see a longer "deluxe" version.
27 April 2022
Wasn't sure what I was getting myself in for with this one but it's great! It's a platformer that's all boss fights and quirky toilet humour. My only complaint? Needs to be longer! Should not be free.
26 April 2022
Distraint's a sort of minimalist point and click; it's linear and there are only a few puzzles but its dark, emotional story is very nicely delivered through some gorgeous (if creepy) hand-drawn art.
22 April 2022
Trapped is a nicely-made retro dungeon crawler that brings back fond memories of an old gameboy game that I loved - Wizardry, maybe? In any case, Trapped sees you trying to work your way through a maze while facing some very challenging enemies that require strong resource management and some strategy to defeat. Nostalgic and enjoyable.
21 April 2022
Time Keeper is a decent puzzle platformer. Could use a little more polish but the music, voice acting and graphics are mostly quite good and it's got a nice story. Would suit a younger audience.
20 April 2022
Castle Warfare's an interesting concept, sort of a turn-based version of something like Warcraft. The gameplay is fundamentally kingdom/resource management through a JRPG-style interface and the combat's scenario-based. Features both offensive and defensive levels. There's 2-3 hours worth of game here; it's fun for what it is although it could benefit from some QoL upgrades and I'd love to see the dev take the concept further.
19 April 2022
MDaK is a bloody brilliant arcade-style twinstick shooter. It's frantic but energy management adds a tactical element. Roguelite elements and level generator = infinite replayability. Tough as nails!
13 April 2022
Read my First Impressions here.
BIOTA is a top shelf retro platform shooter. Gorgeous pixels, sound's great, and it's packed with extras. 6-8 hours of action-packed fun not including the arcade mode (it's awesome too)! A must-have!
12 April 2022
Perfect Tides is an exceptional entry in the PnC genre. It's well-written, the pixel art is incredibly detailed, Mara's story is told authentically, and the island really comes to life. Impressive
11 April 2022
Nix Umbra is a unique experience. You'll die, often, but you'll learn a little more each time and maybe live slightly longer the next. "Terror" aesthetics are spot-on. Sound is the key to survival.
07 April 2022
Yet another short, rage-inducing game from Skull Commando Labs. Absolutely brilliant. Love the 1-bit pixel graphics, love the bosses, love the brutality. Lock fire and profit!
07 April 2022
Janitor Bleeds has a lot going for it; the graphics are a bit dated but the arcade setting is fresh and the integrated "videogame come to life" is a nice feature. Younger generations would enjoy this.
04 April 2022
Patrick's Parabox might be minimalist in the graphics department but as puzzle games go, it's a real gem. The paradox mechanism makes for a unique experience. And it's huge, 350+ handcrafted levels!
04 April 2022
Dreadful Space is a minimalist vertical scrolling shooter that captures the arcade feel well. It's very short and could use some more polish but what's there is fun. Challenging - one hit often kills.
01 April 2022
Read my Beginner's Guide here.
Skeleton Scramble is a fast-paced small-scale RTS that sees you zerg rushing your enemy while managing resources and defending against their zerg rushes. Great variety in gameplay. It's hectic fun!
31 March 2022
Demon's Tilt is a superb pinball experience that sees you dodging bullets and fighting bosses. Only features one table but it's multi-tiered and you can unlock "bonus game" tables (pinball bowling!).
31 March 2022
Fixfox is a fun little no pressure game about exploring, trading, making friends and fixing things. It's got some cutesy retro graphics and a good sense of humour. Great for younger gamers.
29 March 2022
Forward is an excellent card-based dungeon crawler with tons of characters and abilities to unlock. Roguelike elements keep the game fresh every time you fire it up again for "just one more run!"
29 March 2022
Minimal Crypt's graphics are minimalist but v. clean. The puzzles are complex, with multiple layers of logic required to solve. 60+ levels, good variety of mechanics, and a friendly level editor!
28 March 2022
Limb Hunter is an addictive little 2d run-and-gun. Upgrading yourself limb-by-limb's always a bit of fun and the levels are well-made for exploration. Very short but what's there is great.
23 March 2022
Read my First Impressions here.
TTL is a turn-based tactics game heavily inspired by Fire Emblem. Features interactive environments, hand-crafted maps, a range of mission types and a campaign builder for infinite replayability!
23 March 2022
Absolute loving Dungeons of Dreadrock. Graphics are great, controls are smooth, puzzles are inventive. Every level seems to introduce new mechanics, it’s never boring. And huge – 100 levels!
21 March 2022
The Dark Prophecy is a very short (~1 hour) point and click adventure. The writing and puzzles desperately need some polish but it still manages to be charming and the pixels are really lovely.
19 March 2022
Read my First Impressions here.
TTL is a turn-based tactics game heavily inspired by Fire Emblem. Features interactive environments, hand-crafted maps, a range of mission types and a campaign builder for infinite replayability!
18 March 2022
Beat Invaders is an awesome blend of 2d shooter meets space invaders with a roguelike upgrade system thrown in. Fast-paced, great music, and very pretty, super-bloomy graphics. Very replayable.
15 March 2022
A 2d space shooter with mission-based levels, highly interactive environments, loads of enemies variety, and some awesome bosses. Not as customisable as I'd like but very fun. Awesome 1-4 multiplayer.
14 March 2022
The Splitting is a 2d isometric adventure game that carries itself like a point and click with similar inventory- and dialogue-based gameplay. This is the third chapter and the best yet. As befitting the theme, it features mirror mechanics, in which every room has a flipped version - and any actions in one world affect the other, making for some engaging puzzles.
11 March 2022
The devs coined the term "relaxploration" for Submerged and I honestly can't think of a better way to describe it. Love the waterworld setting; the scenery is incredible. No pressure, just exploration.
8 March 2022
Breaking Newton is like a solo player version of G Switch but with traps. It starts challenging and gradually becomes more and more sadistic. It's all about fast reflexes and precision. Well-made!
7 March 2022
Doomsday Hunters is a roguelike twinstick shooter with a bizarre Van Helsing-esque theme. Use alien tech to kill demons and robots. Gorgeous stylised pixel art, tons of variety, highly replayable.
4 March 2022
Top quality retro RPG with turn-based tactical combat. Overarching story's generic but Esturia is really about the journey and it's surprisingly packed with choice & consequence. Diamond in the rough.
3 March 2022
A super short "slice of life" point and click. Only about an hour of gameplay but what's there is well-made. Features high quality pixel art and a good sense of humour. Would love to see more.
03 March 2022
Not your regular PUNKCAKE game! If you're looking for a "feels like," I got some Tamagotchi vibes from it. Keeping your little shroomies happy, fed, and busy, is the closest thing to a challenge in Shroomchitect. It's super chill. There are no bosses or goals, so you're left to kick around building cute little social spaces for them like little cottage tables suspended in the rooftops of your mushroom, surrounded by sparkling lanterns and overlooking your gardens.
2 March 2022
While obviously inspired by Dungeon Keeper, it's actually a time-based tactical game. And it's loads of fun. 4 difficulty settings and an endless loop survival mode give this game great mileage.
2 March 2022
What begins as a walking simulator where you explore the ruins of a small island community develops into a genuinely emotional journey as you uncover the island's dark secrets. Incredible voice acting
26 February 2022
Undungeon is a gorgeous top-down shooter with an innovative hybrid levelling system. The combat's intense and the story is rich. Gets repetitive but the world and outlandish characters are to die for.
25 February 2022
No Place Like Home is a simulator that sees you exploring a huge wasteland of a world, cleaning & rebuilding, crafting, farming. It's charming, relaxing, and has a good sense of humour.
22 February 2022
The Sundew is a decent modern point and click; it has the potential to be amazing but needs a little more TLC. The pixels are stunning, story's intriguing, writing's decent but puzzles need some work.
21 February 2022
B&N is a very creative synergy-based puzzle game that features dynamic levels and a huge range of mechanics. Also, it's massive - 180 levels! Friendly intro but lots of tricky puzzles to explore.
15 February 2022
A lengthy and light-hearted jaunt into a sci fi RPG universe. While the story's largely cliche, it's filled with moral dilemmas and deep exploration into conflicting cultures, keeping it interesting.
14 February 2022
Beastie Land is a terrific platformer with great retro art and feel. Comparitively short with 24 levels, it somehow still has tons of variety. The ghost chase at the end of each level is awesome.
11 February 2022
Kingdom of the Dead is one of the best FPS games I've played recently - maybe ever! Plays like a cross between Nightmare Creatures and oldschool Doom. And I love sinister ink & pen aesthetic!
9 February 2022
Read my interview with the Scholastics here.
EA review: Wigmund is a gorgeous ARPG with some spectacular sound and visuals. Combat's real-time but unlike most ARPGS it requires that you dodge, parry, and alternate attack - much more interesting.
8 February 2022
Logic-based sequence puzzles with new mechanics introduced every few levels, adding to the complexity. Daisy Games just *gets* puzzles and Dark Sheep's a brilliant example. Great retro art and sound.
5 February 2022
It's only a prologue so very short but the music's bangin', and the gameplay's fast-paced and intense. The baddies are only the start - the terrain plays a big part in this one. It's great!
4 February 2022
Warshmallows is a fun and colourful brawler in the vein of SSB. Gameplay is fast and super intense with triple jumping, jetpacks and super powers, timed levels, and bullets going bloody everywhere.
2 February 2022
Read my First Impressions here.
Festival Tycoon brings back memories of Theme Park but with the addition of band and sponsor contract negotiations. Has plan & live phases, each with their own trials. Interesting and challenging.
31 January 2022
Broodstar's a fantastic top-scrolling retro schmup. I love the aesthetic and the boss fights are awesome. Featuring seeding, variant levels, and tons of enemies and mods, it's infinitely replayable.
28 January 2022
Brutal Orchestra is a bloody work of art (pun intended). It is, though. A roguelike but features JRPG-style combat with some awesome & unique mechanics. Great artwork, great story, it's a real treat.
28 January 2022
Mage Tower's gameplay is unique and is loaded with potential.. but some odd design choices hold it back. It's an odd one. It's repetitive but doesn't feel grindy. Interesting but lacks polish.
27 January 2022
Gameplay and aesthetic very similar to Sonic 2 except instead of spindashing you have a pogostick. Enjoy the chill play-your-own-way vibe but go for the achievements because the unlocks are worth it.
25 January 2022
The graphics are hit and miss - the pixel art's nice but other aspects look..budget. The gameplay's similar - the combat's a little grindy and repetitive but the platformer aspect is really well done.
25 January 2022
Kor's like Pokemon red/blue except you're the Pokemon. Combat is combo-based, which is a neat twist. World movement utilises teleportation so exploring is like solving a puzzle. An innovative JRPG.
24 January 2022
Kapia's a fantastic modern point and click. The graphics suggest a younger audience but the story and puzzles are great for all ages. Well-written and distinctive, the world really comes to life!
18 January 2022
A hectic sidescrolling schmup that occasionally borders on bullet hell. Branching levels keeps this very replayable. Loads of variety, cool bosses, smooth gameplay. It's addictive!
7 January 2022
Hyper-5's a great little sidescroller. Only 5 levels but they're decent length and the challenge-based upgrade system and variety make it very replayable. Good use of 3 dimensions, great art. Very fun.
6 January 2022
Ambassador is a different take on the twinstick shooter genre. Features creative use of bullet time and some innovative weapon, enemy, and level designs to create a unique experience. Fresh and fun!
2 January 2022
Brilliant platformer. A little on the easy side and could use more 'secrets' but loaded with character, interesting mechanics, absolutely gorgeous pixel art, and some very memorable boss fights.
Curation archives may be accessed here: 2021