Davey Wreden's follow-up to walking sim classic, The Stanley Parable is a deeply intimate interrogation of the struggles of success and creative control in the games industry. I simply cannot say anything else about it other than that you should play it.

As a long-time fan of Jet Set Radio Future, I'm relieved to say that Bomb Rush Cyberfunk absolutely delivers on the promise of a spiritual successor that channels the fun and style of Smilebit's masterpiece. You'll get roughly the same amount of playtime, a variety of fun collectibles to hunt for, and a story that actually surpasses its inspiration in many ways.

Tense and atmospheric from the first moments, Mundaun stands apart from other indies with hand-drawn texture work and classic immersive sim gameplay.

All the workings of a great Metroidvania wrapped up in a gothic fantasy setting evocative of Fromsoft's best worlds. Drenched in religious iconography and filtered through a retro art style, Blasphemous succeeds in delivering challenging combat, engaging bosses, and the classic feeling of revealing an interconnected map.

Dodgeball Academia took me back to the days of random bargain bin games and the rare gems we played growing up. With action-oriented gameplay and a story appropriate for all ages, Dodgeball Academia puts a fun spin on the tropes of friendship, family, and hard work over talent that we’ve come to expect from the classic JRPGs that inspired it.

Paratopic is built from compelling elements—lofi horror, non linear narrative, cryptic dialogue. The result is a brief but promising experiment that concludes as abruptly as it begins.

A lovely game about slowing down and enjoying the present moment, A Short Hike is brimming with amusing dialogue and heartwarming moments. The whole experience only takes about 2 hours to play through, but I'd never had a bigger smile on my face at the end of them.

Stylish and visually arresting at times, Genesis Noir is a sleek adventure game with an interesting collection of point-and-click mechanics, but some might find the abstract murder mystery difficult to connect with.

A really charming indie Metroidvania with satisfying combat and a heart-wrenching time limit mechanic that weaves the world and its characters into the story beautifully. It's also complemented by a striking pixelated art style and a dynamic soundtrack.

One of those games that just radiates passion and sincerity from the developers. As you play, you are overwhelmed by the sense that this world and story weren't necessarily created for you to be able to understand in a way that's evocative of my earliest experiences growing up with games. It makes every triumph and discovery all the more gratifying.

Definitely one of the greatest stories ever told in a video game, Shu Takumi absolutely delivered a knockout masterpiece with the Chronicles.