This beautiful stop-motion game has been on my radar for years, since friends from the Cologne Game Lab have worked on it. While I found the pacing slow and put the controller down after a few hours, the story hooked me enough to watch a summary. Recommended for fans of old-fashioned adventure games and claymation.

A minimalist 2D metroidvania that hides an ocean of depth below its deceptively simple surface. There are lots of smart design flourishes for players to enjoy while exploring a fuzzy, pixelated world alive with dynamic threats and elusive secrets. I used to crave hidden layers inside of games, but Animal Well made me realize I don’t necessarily enjoy these meta mechanics as I once did, as creative as its most cryptic puzzles may be.
 

1000xRESIST is an evocative narrative game that tells an impactful story, especially when its surprisingly poignant immigrant tale shines through the sci-fi jargon and tropes surrounding it. Definitely more than the sum of its parts in the end. Plus, it was developed by a Canadian team (y compris le cousin à Charles!), which is always worth a few bonus points in my book.

Jarring jump cuts. Visceral body horror. Unforgettable sci-fi. Mouthwashing brings an energy and style reminiscent of old Blendo games mixed with modern indie horror sensibilities. I’m still coming down from playing this afternoon. Short but sweet, and so good it hurts.
 

It’s been a while since I’ve laughed this much while playing a game. Funny games are hard to pull off, and despite some segments dragging a little, Thank Goodness You’re Here! nails it, playing off of its interactive elements and genre clichés brilliantly to create recurring gags and memorable moments throughout its short run time.
 

Balatro feels like a deconstruction of the deckbuilder genre, distilling what makes these games so compelling into something familiar, elemental, inevitable. It’s been a paradox of popularity throughout the year for me – it felt like everybody was playing it at release, yet so many friends had never heard of it. Months later, thanks to word of mouth, updates, awards, and a mobile version, it feels as relevant and attractive as ever. (With obligatory Canadian bonus points)
 

This game was a reminder of how joyful indie games can be. Like many of the early 2010s indie classics, Tactical Breach Wizards is vibrant, creative, complete, and most importantly, focused. It sticks to its core conceit – a grid-based tactics game with goofy wizards – and delivers with loads of features, polish, and fun characters across its lengthy campaign. A solid tactics game that excels at everything it sets out to do. Knocking people out of windows never gets old.

As an anthology of 50 retro games, UFO 50 is hard to rank. Some of its entries could realistically make this list by themselves, yet they stand alongside 49 peers. While I am nowhere near finished UFO 50 and haven’t even booted up a dozen of its games, the sheer magnitude, ambition, and level of quality of this project is just unbelievable. The number of individual games and the presence of yet another hidden meta layer can, however, overwhelm.

Building wonderfully on its predecessor’s mechanics and narrative, the latest Golden Idol investigation game is unparalleled in the way its mysteries are solved both inside the scope of each individual case and across the entire convoluted storyline, building toward satisfying conclusions where loose ends kicking around in the back of your head click neatly into place. Unsettling and irresistible. The upcoming downloadable episodes can’t come soon enough.
 

I was glued to the screen for two days as I binged Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. Exploring the game’s enigmatic mansion, Resident Evil by way of David Lynch, and piecing together its myriad secrets drew me in with such urgency and gravity. The puzzles are refreshingly straightforward, consisting mostly of riddles, number or logic puzzles that remain constantly engaging alongside the story and more esoteric problems to solve. Making progress and chipping away at the game’s many mysteries while filling up pages worth of notes was utterly gripping. Aesthetics are also top notch, experimental and haunting. One of the greats, for sure.