River City Ransom: Underground is fantastic in how it truly captures the feel of retro games, and it’s clear from the experience that Conatus Creative provides the desire and requisite talent. On top of the original beat-em-up feel, additional features round out the title quite nicely, such as RPG leveling aspects and a fighting engine that packs a punch.

Whether you are new to the series, or just looking for a creepy game to mess with your perception of reality, Bad Dream: Coma is not one to miss. The atmosphere is dark and gritty, and the player has the option of making it darker and grittier with their decisions. There are tons of challenging puzzles and secrets to unlock, and many different avenues for the narrative to take.

Senran Kagura Estival Versus shows that developers (Tamsoft and Marvelous Inc) can make a title without restrictions on censorship, and pull off one of the more enjoyable games of the genre, without making me use my brain too much. It doesn’t take itself seriously, and that’s not a bad thing.

Flexible in its appeal to those new to the bullet hell subgenre of shoot-em-ups and to those hardened master grazers, Danmaku Unlimited 3 is a solid entry in Doragon Entertainment’s Danmaku Unlimited series. Despite its lack of plot, its polished audio-visual quality, simplified mechanics, and high replayability makes this title a great addition to anyone’s library.

NieR: Automata contains twenty-six different endings, which inevitably incentivizes those who want to see all possible conclusions. But, the apparent lack of story, which drops off for a good while after the introductory level, is stinging, and you must have enough commitment to see past this.

Open Sorcery present fresh ideas and a great premise. The gameplay is fleshed out, and each character adds to the enjoyment of the story. There are even thought-provoking concepts and themes in the game, however, the amount of time and effort it takes to get through the title on following playthroughs and, the effort required to save your progress, diminishes its otherwise high replayability.

Toukiden 2 is exceptionally well-made and can readily provide countless hours of entertainment for those who enjoy an action-packed hunting-style game with a sprinkling of RPG. There's ever more to unlock as you progress, granting some new feature to play with, rewarding you for making your way through the game.

If you're looking for a full $20 worth of gameplay purchases, I would have to tell you that WARTILE is simply not at that level yet. It's cool, it's fun and it is deadly short. I'd like to see where it is in 6 months or so (it's taken three years to get it to where it is already), but at the moment, all WARTILE can be considered is an interesting framework for a good game without the content necessary to actually be that game.

Dead Rising 4 has a bit of an identity crisis. It neither commits to the open-world aspect enough to be considered exemplary in the genre, nor does it deliver enough of the mainstays of the series to satisfy longtime fans. Unfortunately, Dead Rising 4 marks the low point in the franchise, and while you may get some mindless enjoyment from killing zombie hordes, the fun is dying, not rising.

Without a doubt, few things are more appealing than a good excuse to log online and murder random opponents with my friends – and, typically, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) variety is preferable to salty, overly-competitive strangers. Streets of Rogue is a refreshing, action-RPG-adventure-stealth-shooter conglomeration developed by Matt Dabrowski, and it's a title that promises to be an excellent addition to the line-up of hits from tinyBuild Games. Released on March 10th, 2017, this Early Access title stresses that it is all about choices – but will gamers choose it, when there are so many other chaotic, anarchic alternatives?

Although the concept of a procedurally-generated skill tree is unique and broadly appealing, Asura's roguelike genre, where nothing carries over from one run to the next, does not enjoy widespread favorability. But, though the potential audience is limited, the title flawlessly executes what it sets out to accomplish: the variability from one run to the next keeps us playing, along with the collector-perfectionist appeal of trying to unlock everything this title has to offer.

Clunky combat provides shallow gameplay and limited tactical variety, quests are few and repetitive, and progression brings nothing other than higher numbers on your screen. The world builder might be MyWorld’s saving grace, but in its current state, The Game Creators have yet to deliver on their basic premise. Keep an eye on as the game is in its early stage of Early Access, but the jury is still out.

There is plenty of time for the developers to flesh out the groundwork they have laid, which at present, may seem bare and unelaborate, but by no means lacks potential.  Overall, in its current state of infancy, SKIPCHASER might not provide instant gratification, but rather a hopeful investment for when it’s finished.

Final Specimen: Arrival does not take any risks with plot. It is, mechanically, a platformer, reminiscent of the 90s, but nothing new or special is presented. The protagonist, for his part, promises to repeatedly die in every funny way imaginable, and that is exactly what you will get from this game - a lightly filling experience.

With bursts of pressure, ethereal atmosphere, and engaging soundtrack, Blink brings style and originality to your standard design in puzzle-platforming. If you’re a fan of the genre and are equipped with a controller, its cheaper price point makes it worth a buy.

Be mindful that if you pick this title up, which I think you should, you’ll be doing all the legwork in your brain while still keeping your heart rate down. Though simple and straightforward, and thoroughly enjoyable, this style of gameplay is not for everyone. That said, take some time away from the crazy stuff and chill out with Lifeline. Hats off to the developer for putting together a great story in an elegant, minimal package that still brings it home.

Stories Untold creates a fresh new experience for anyone looking to be frightened and have a good time along the way. In this innovative title from No Code, players can relive classic horror movies and late-night television, enjoy simple, light, but intuitive gameplay, and discover a spine-tingling story that’s guaranteed to keep them on edge long after they’ve finished playing.

Waking the Glares - Chapters I & II feels like a good first try, but the soft, soothing music and pleasant voice acting weren't enough. The series could grow, as Wisefool Studios gains more experience and support from the community; sadly, though, these are steep requirements for players that already have a score of immersive, truly fascinating walking simulators from which to choose, not to mention puzzle games that actually require deep contemplation.

The puzzles are satisfying, if not overly challenging, and although the maneuvering issues and movement speed are a source of frustration, I never had a lapse in gameplay when the momentum stalled because I couldn't figure out a solution. Bear With Me – Episode 2 is polished and sophisticated, with a refreshing take on point-and-click themes, and while Episode 2 is relatively short – it took me less than 3 hours to beat it – I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a quality adventure title.

Many issues, like linear progression and limited AI, that I have with Wildlands are issues rooted to the ‘open-world’ genre, and therefore not worth holding against Ubisoft. Wildlands offers a tight finesse for a shooter, and is sure to be enjoyed by gamers; however, it does little to go beyond this.

Package everything mentioned above with a gripping soundtrack and wealth of content, and you get Hollow Knight, a game many fans of the genre might consider to be what it might just be: a masterpiece from the indie realm. If you're a fan of any of the genres that have been brilliantly meshed together to compose Hollow Knight, I highly recommend you play it. Even if you aren't, play it anyways.

For what Northgard sets out to do, it does well, and with the content that is soon to come, the title is promising and worth getting at its price point, especially for those who enjoy empire-building titles. One may, however, be dismayed by the fact that there are not that many buildings to construct (there is a lack of a stable, for instance), but given the relatively quick gameplay, this may not be entirely necessary.

Atelier Firis is a great addition and continuation to the Atelier series at large. The series may not appeal to players who prefer nearly non-stop action and combat, though if you enjoyed previous Atelier titles, there is a high chance you will come to relish Atelier Firis. The drive for pushing through the story builds slowly, but, once you reach this point, it's unlikely you'll be able to put this game down.

Given the current state of the stat system, there is a definite need for some tweaking; and this is desperately needed in light of Chaos Drift’s description on Steam, which specifically mentions this customizable stat system. This feature drew me in, but high expectation quickly gave way to disappointment as my head began to spin, trying to make sense of what was going on with the incorrigible stat system.

Kronos uses uninspired or recycled art style, storyline, and dialogue, but that's just that start of what's wrong with this title. Beyond the aesthetic issues, the bugs in Kronos are too much to ignore. Maybe with more work on bugs and glitches, Kronos could be playable enough to enjoy; for now, Kronos doesn’t come close to standing out in an already competitive genre.

The Wardrobe manages to pull off a fulfilling, novel story with artistic flair and only a few setbacks, setting it apart in the sea of retro-inspired, pixel-laden, nostalgia-inducing point-and-clicks. The story is witty, the vast cast of characters is intriguing, and, while the ending isn’t very satisfactory, the journey is a worthwhile one.

As of now, Quarantine doesn’t do enough to distinguish itself from others in the strategy genre, but the potential is there: Quarantine could easily polish up and add more content to boost replayability, creating a much more fulfilling gaming experience.

A beautiful, mysterious adventure and an artistic take on the rural scenery of South Africa, Among the Innocent: A Stricken Tale is a thriller for lovers of the point-and-click genre. Its good story and the great twist that ends it, coupled with immersive visual design, soundtrack, and sound effects, make its lack of a challenge its only weakness, but not one damaging enough to take away from the overall experience.

The writing team, led by designers Adam Heine, Colin McComb, and George Ziets, show their chops throughout this engaging experience, as shown by the way everything comes together, like a rubik's cube of moral dilemmas. Discover the treasure of TToN, rich and rewarding for lovers of the RPG genre, new and old alike.

Stars in Shadow is relatively simple and inviting for newcomers to the 4X strategy genre, but also features original mechanics to intrigue 4X veterans, and everything is brought together with a fun, cartoonish art style that complements the fantastical races and nature of this space exploration strategy game.

911 Operator is a unique game, and although it isn't a simulator that would own the respect of die hard simulator purists, it is well worth them and us, the more casual strategists, to pay the game a visit and save its virtual cities, one victim at a time. Or two, or three, or twelve. Jump on board to answer the victim's emergency calls. Just don’t expect them all to survive.

Orbiz Early Access shows promise, and with some minor clean-up here and there, it could be the top-down retro zombie shooter of top-down retro zombie shooters. With its distinct graphics and soundtrack, Anoman Studios has created a title worthy of hardcore gamers looking for a difficult challenge while still appealing to the more casual players who want to have a fun time together surviving little worlds of zombies.

Flintlock Studios presents us with a fascinating and entertaining concept, one that could bring a much-welcomed spotlight to a period of American History often overlooked. Yet considering the fierce competition out there, the limited size of the studio, and more importantly, the current state of the game, Northern Regime isn’t off to a promising start. I’m rooting for the British Columbia-based studio, but it’s got a long way to go until it's ready for a full release. A significant amount of work has to be put in before Northern Regime can be considered a quality Early Access game.

Warhammer 40k: Space Wolf suits up and provides ample hours of entertainment while bringing out new concepts for tactical games. With respectable environment detail, incredible character design, and an almost limitless array of card selection, Space Hammer is a delight to both those who enjoy the genre and even those that have never picked up a tactical game before.

The amount of hard work that went into developing Hidden Folks is impressive. No points or timers mean there’s no rush to hurry through a puzzle, and the grandness of each level means you’re assured to spend plenty of time sifting through the world. The sheer number of things to find, and ways to do find them, also increases the replay value for anyone without a photographic memory.

When a game isn't pretty, nor long, and when its puzzles are as simple as clunky controls make them painful, then it better be good in terms of story. Bucket Detective is not. And the frustration from the lack of a good narrative is made all so much more frustrating by the fact that there is potential here in pockets, including some good humor, silly art, and cute music.

Entangle is a great game. It costs ten bucks to go watch a two-hour-long movie in the theater. Entangle costs less than that for the same amount of entertainment (or potentially more). And you don’t have to put on pants for it. Seems like a deal to me.

Set in an alternative 19th century, Herald follows the journey of Devan Rensburg, a young man who boards a merchant ship in an attempt to return to his place of birth. While onboard the ship, the HLV Herald, you must interact with fellow crew members and passengers – how you treat them is entirely up to you.

Atelier Sophie offers a fantastic experience, with a refreshing motivation behind the story and the ultimate goal of the main character. Good character depth and development pairs well with a playful yet intricate alchemy crafting system to guarantee hours upon hours of great gameplay for Atelier fans and newcomers alike.

FHM 3 is a feature-rich, immersive, expansive simulator which succeeds in putting you in the shoes of a manager and coach, and gives you a sense of pride for success and growth and fear of failure and what that entails. FHM 3 is great title for fans of sports simulators and hockey alike.

Semispheres runs very smoothly. The controls are simple and intuitive, the design is beautiful, and the music only adds to the overall meditative aesthetic. However, Semispheres is over just as it begins, providing only a fleeting, though pleasant, challenge to the player.

All in all, The Wild Eight is a relatively inexpensive addition to the Survival genre, and it's one that comes with a lot of potential. Even as it stands, The Wild Eight is an excellent choice for players who want to face the wilderness with a group of friends, and watching your loved ones’ avatars get gored to death by wild boars certainly breaks up the monotony of foraging.

For Honor is a good game. It’s taken me a while to get here, to a place where I can calmly say nice things about it, but I’m glad I made it.  We’ll see how it progresses, but For Honor may have dug out a cool little space for itself in the multiplayer games market that we didn’t know was there.

We Are Chicago raises real issues that still plague parts of America, and encourages young people to stay away from gang violence, and this goal is praiseworthy – but between the flat graphics, the uninspired characters, and the nausea-inducing camera movement, We Are Chicago isn't an enjoyable gaming experience.

With a few tweaks to make it a little more palatable to the modern gamer, Alwa’s Awakening captures the joy that can come from conquering a difficult experience. It doesn’t do anything new, but in bringing back the old, it shows how fun finding your own way can be.

A title that appears to have been a labor of love, but also and unfortunately, that fails to be anything more than that. For fans of visual novels and dating simulations Angels with Scaly Wings might serve to impress you, but if these aren’t a draw, then pass. The art, animation, and music leave something to be desired, while the gameplay and story line are only interesting because of the odd concept that serves as a common denominator: dating dragons.

Rebellion Development took the groundwork laid by Sniper Elite 3 and improved upon nearly every aspect. Its large-scale environments feature an intelligent layout of objectives and abundance of sniper-aiding verticality. While Sniper Elite 4's music and story aren't going to win any awards, they aren't enough to take away from the respectable amount of content and addictive, strategy-based gameplay.

Wacky Spores: The Chase is a strong showing from the one-man show Lorenzo Bellincampi. This endless runner ditches substance and opts for style: you won’t find plot or character development, but the popping visuals and sharp audio promise hours of fungal fun.

Sovereignty delivers a grand-strategy conquest game with that nice, old-school feel. The audio and visuals are unadorned, and some navigation can feel clunky and cumbersome, but the gameplay is satisfying and polished, with challenging AI and a rich narrative backdrop.

For new-comers and veterans of side-scrolling, bullet-hell, Shoot ‘Em Ups, Bleed 2 brings forward a fluid and action-packed adventure. Its solid gameplay and stylized visuals improve upon the original title of 2012, but its $10 price tag, considering how quick a playthrough is, might only be worth it to those competitive players who regularly top leaderboards and are casually crowned, “Greatest Heros of All Time.”

With an intricately crafted world, innovative and engaging battle system, and delightful array of scenery and music, this game is a splendid and true tribute to the SNES JRPG.  The bugs one might encounter in beta versions are overshadowed by pure awe and captivation—a relentless desire to play more and more.

The Frostrune stands out from its competitors among Point-and-Click and puzzles games by masterfully connecting its gameplay, art design, sound, and story to craft a beautiful and satisfying experience.

While it's commendable that a two-man team set out to create an adventure of relatively broad scope, I can't recommend Hero, especially not at its current price point. It does have decent music and sound effects, but the lackluster graphics, lack of polish and uninspired gameplay are too glaring to ignore.

With so many strategy games to choose from, Realpolitiks ultimately fails to stand out. While its variety in features and missions is welcomed, it also forces errands few will enjoy; they make it difficult to stay in control, these arbitrary tasks impeding if not outright discarding a player's grand approach.

Linelight is fresh, inventive, and offers a deceivingly simple premise with incredibly engaging and satisfying gameplay; it is a crowning achievement in the puzzle genre, proving that simplicity, when used correctly, can create an unforgettably unique gaming experience.

Disagea 2 is a fantastic release that plays quite smoothly and has a tremendous amount of depth and playability to offer. Granted, the combat mechanic can seem repetitive, but there is a staggering number of classes to recruit, along with new abilities to unlock and level up, and new maps and aspects to explore. As a Prinny might say: download the demo and check it out, dood!

Urban Empire boasts a political system crafted with fun and originality in mind, as well as historical accuracy and gorgeous aesthetics. Yet even such impressive features do not make up for a lack of dimension and depth on which the success of simulators almost exclusively depend. Then is my final issue, the price point; you can purchase Urban Empire for $39.99, which is steep.  But hey, if political rants on Facebook don’t quite scratch your itch, then maybe this political simulator will!

I’m looking over at the clock, watching hours roll by, and I can’t stop. Despite being Early Access, Conan Exiles is already capable of standing up against any other open-world survival game currently released, and I'm excited to see what Funcom has in store.

Phoning Home is an excellent example of what happens when developers think outside the box of their genre(s). While there are dozens of Sci-Fi themed Survival game option for players to choose from, ION LANDS has blended a remarkable combination of elements to create a saga that stands out from the crowd.

XenonValkyrie is a project that held many promising ideals.  It sought to be the synchronized combination of a platforming shooter, rogue-like, and Metroidvania game, but couldn't quite live up to its potential.  It had too much on its plate, and the result was a disjointed and buggy mash of disconnected aspects of many genres.  Pile that on top of balance, design, and control issues and you get a game that is unfairly difficult and lacks truly elaborate content.  Nevertheless, the game is still somewhat enjoyable, if you have a knack for the brutally challenging and are willing to invest a lot of time and tolerance to unravel what it does have to offer.

One of the best virtual introductions to a new language I have ever seen. Thanks to Learn Japanese To Survive!Katakana War, one could be well on their way to learning the Japanese language while immersing themselves in a genuinely fun game.

Warlock's Tower is overall well developed, and it definitely shows; the gameplay is smooth, and the puzzles are carefully crafted.  What you get is a challenging but fair experience layered under a bundle of silly and retro enjoyment. Retro is a common and almost diluted theme in many indie titles nowadays, but in this case, it's pulled off extremely well and looks beautifully authentic.  While the price point is a little steep for what seems like a simple old-school puzzler, there is a lot of depth and mechanics to make it worth it for those who can appreciate good design.

If you’re wondering whether or not to purchase this title, don’t. Because the answer is a resounding yes, do it. Experience what Tales of Berseria has to offer on your own. Don’t just watch a let’s play or read a synopsis, taste it for yourself. A burger this good isn’t common these days, and boy, do I like burgers.

A House of Many Doors is a terrifying trek through the unknown, a disjointed story with startling descriptions of lost memories and slow declines into madness. It is beautiful, haunting, gripping… and boring. It is simply hard to identify with it, and complicated to understand, which prevents it from truly capitalizing on its amazing elements which would otherwise stand alone so well.

Nyheim is a strikingly illustrated dice-rolling game which emphasizes the challenging survival element inherent in any post-apocalyptic title. While the difficulty seems challenging at first, once you have established certain strategies, Nyheim risks feeling repetitive.

Boxelware is ambitiously throwing together many aspects of the open-world space sims and combining the result with the ‘building’ genre that is all the rage these days. The challenge moving forward will be to balance the game so that players enjoy a consistently good experience across the different styles of play that Avorion allows.

Causality is a frustrating, yet relaxing, puzzler – a fitting paradox for a game comprised chock-full of them. If you’re brave and looking for a challenge, or if you’re bored and looking to space out, the simply sleek Causality will be there for you.

Diluvion tugs at the soul of the land-bound adventurer who longs to experience the mysteries of the deep. It ties together RPG elements, resource management, combat, and the salty appeal of a marine environment in a brilliant blend of whimsical and exciting.

A wonderfully insightful story with fleshed out characters and captivating dilemmas, not to mention a great soundtrack that accompanies it, A Normal Lost Phone is the kind of experience that inspires you to get back into the world with a renewed sense of compassion toward all those who live in it. At $2.99 on Steam, some would argue that makes it worth it.

Mainlining puts you in the shoes (and at the desktop) of an agent for the government spy directorate MI7. Occasionally irksome gameplay is balanced with rich aesthetics and an engaging story, making Mainlining a fine choice for fans of the point-and-click genre.

Warhammer 40,000: Sanctus Reach provides deep gameplay with a simple recipe: easy-to-learn combat rules and units… lots and lots of unique units. Despite minor bugs and a lack of flair – no cutscenes, little narrative, not much in the way of physics – Sanctus Reach is a solid entry in the Warhammer franchise, and an excellent turn-based tactical game to boot.

Ashbourne is a title that I would love to have enjoyed and recommended. Sadly, I didn’t and I can’t. Despite its promising premise, the game severely lacks any substance, it feels like a Beta, if not an alpha, and so much work needs to be done to transform it into a compelling, memorable addition to the Action-RPG genre. While we understand this is a low budget production, some attention to detail and much-needed refinements are direly needed to improve the experience overall. Unless heavily patched, Ashbourne will be forgotten as a jarring, clunky experience of the 2017 year in PC gaming.

Days of War features addicting and strategic gameplay that forces you to learn the handling of the weapons to succeed. Its sound design and graphics are also top notch, but the title slightly suffers from a lack of standout maps and some lackluster optimization. That being said, for 25 dollars and with more maps and modes already announced, not to mention the upcoming level editor, it's definitely worth a look.

Resident Evil 7 is as near to perfection within its genre, and its legacy, as any game I have ever had the pleasure of reviewing; it is a must-buy, especially for loyalists of the franchise. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy, and help all of us send a clear message to Capcom: More of this, please, and soon.

Unhappy Ever After is the result of a wicked mind’s imagination, and it’s a charming and enchanted, yet morbidly terrifying world that will suck you in, deep. The visual design is done so well that it paints a vivid picture of a battle between the imaginative world we inhabit within our mind and our daily struggles with societal issues of modern days. At $6 on Steam, it’s a steal.

Card Quest is innovative in combat mechanics, and while its competitors can be fun to try, this card-based RPG especially left me wanting to play more. The system in place for progression gives exciting edges in combat, and it's somewhat addictive. With each battle and every turn, you must plan to survive. You must beat the level. You must complete your quest... Yes: if you enjoy card-based RPGs, definitely check Card Quests out.

M.E.R.C., before it releases, will need major improvements, especially if it seeks to compete against the dominator that is XCOM. Quality and depth in strategy and gameplay are lacking, and game design is redundant and bland. If TinyMob Games diversified its maps, boosted up the difficulty level, and incorporated different strategies for a more challenging experience, then M.E.R.C could become a staple in real-time tactical combat games.

Gremlins is an engrossing and exciting title that will surprise you every round and, in fact, it might be one of the best digital board games yet. OPN recommends Gremlins all the way to the bank, where we will then play a card to steal all your money and ascend to gremlin godhood.

With an interesting mix of surreal elements and an ethereal, haunting soundtrack, Gone with the Demon is also that unfinished project released prematurely even for Early Access. The South Korean indie is marred by sluggish mechanics, a bare-bones narrative, and unbalanced combat; but considering some innovative mechanics and the features promised by BoyAndWitch, including a comprehensive story and balancing fixes, there is some potential for casual greatness.

Fundamentally, Hellenica is good. I actually think it represents the genre pretty effectively, especially because it fits neatly into a spot somewhere between the classic tactical RPG’s that have been around seemingly forever, and the new wave of casual story driven RPG’s that are so popular today. 

Stripped of combat mechanics, the fear, tension, and uneasiness found in CAYNE are triggered solely by the unsettling nature of its atmosphere. Hadley stands in a room with a blood-soaked MRI scanner, while you read a personal journal that’s been left behind. Each successive entry is filled with more madness and malice than the last. The hairs on the back of your neck stand up. You’re curious as to what’s around the next corner, but don’t know if you want to see. This is the experience that is playing CAYNE, an homage to isometric games of the 90’s, one that successfully injects the elements of psychological horror into point-and-click gameplay. Play this. It's Free to Play and worth every penny you won't spend.

Whether you want to manage every aspect of your team, or you just want to sit back, build a team for play style, and auto-play games straight-through to the offseason, Pro Basketball Manager 2017 delivers. Developers Umix Studios and Cyanide have successfully created an experience that is as intense, or as moderate, as any that a sports sim nut could hope for.

Red Candle Games delivers horror as poignant as it is piercing, showcasing for the international game community the horrors of authoritarian communism. Although Detention has several points which can be improved, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts; players will walk away – or run, screaming – with a fresh, thoughtful gaming experience.

Suncrash makes Hell-on-Earth seem divine. While the visuals are plain and the combat can be cumbersome, the simulation and management aspects of the game are well thought-out and elegant. With rich, immersive gameplay and various difficulty settings, Judgment promises to pull in fans of the genre and newcomers alike.

Frequent Flyer is a game you can picture yourself shoving fistfuls of quarters into down at your local video arcade (if you're so fortunate to have one locally). The retro, 2-D graphics, waves of different enemies, and variety of fun weaponry are a throwback to a time when blowing things up and racking up points were all you needed to have a good time on a Saturday afternoon...

Super Death Arena does a good job at delivering the gameplay which makes the genre great: death arenas, hordes of opponents, fancy weapons, and lots of bloodshed. Unfortunately, it’s also much too thin in terms of content. That’s an encouraging thought for the developers, I suppose, as its mediocrity isn’t caused by a lack of quality but quantity instead. If anything, grab this one when on sale. A big sale. That is, if there’s anyone left to play.

As much as I wanted to recommend Don't Chat With Strangers, your time and money are better spent elsewhere. Accumulating Steam Achievements which are, essentially, a scrapbook of the many ways in which Lucy killed you, is undeniably fun. Sadly, these aren't enough to make the title shine: Don't Chat With Strangers is another retro, point-and-click adventure with much novelty and a great premise to begin with, yet it ultimately fails as a puzzle horror game.

While an absolute blast for all speedrunners, completionists, and Chiptune enthusiasts, HoPilo's excellent visuals, catchy backing tracks, and dynamic gameplay will speak to anyone looking to sink their teeth into a boldly colorful, fast-paced action platformer.

Tomlab Games is off to a great start in introducing a classic from Japan to the Sudoku lovers past its borders. Pictopix is a fun and relaxing game that anyone can play. It lets you relax while working your brain in an entertaining way. If you're the creative type but can’t draw to save your life, if you have $6 to spare, then consider buying this game. Chances are, you won't regret it.

The Anime style of Criminal Girls: Invite Only may be great, but it isn't enough to consider the Steam release a worthy purchase. A video game should always be fun to play; sadly, too many oddities plague this one's progression and inhibit the strategic aspects that turned-based RPGs rely on to be considered good games.

Celestial Breach is only a few days into Early Access, and it’s easy to sink time into it, a sign of a great game in the making. As Dark Nebulae works its way through polishing its title, I have little doubt its current shortcomings will be straightened out, and hopefully, Celestial Breach will join the ranks of my favorite arcade flight simulators.

I’d like to think that most readers find OPNoobs reviews to be helpful. We are gamers, not activists, and we report on the experience as such. Before I began writing for OPNoobs, I emailed Fred Brizzi, the original OPNoob, the following: “The work I read on your site is no-nonsense game reviews with the welcome infusion of personality, and I think the gaming community benefits from such an approach.” It’s as true today as it was when I wrote it, if not more so. We really just care about games here, and the gamers that play them. So, with this benevolent concern in mind, my advice to the readers regarding Zenza is a hard pass.

Tension is the primary dynamic of Your Star. Your resources are constantly draining as your enemies gather. The longer it takes to find what you need, the stronger they grow and the weaker you become. Confusion is death. Hesitation is death. To be successful you must think quickly, but you’re still likely to die several times before completing the game. Your Star isn’t intended to be a relaxing, casual game to be enjoyed between other, bigger things. It is ideal for gamers that love a challenge and who thrive under pressure.

Milkmaid of the Milky Way makes its impression as a passion project that had solid foundations but leaves a little more to desire. It hits all the right notes in every way, but leaves room for expansion. Much has untapped potential that, I suspect, isn't matched with the developer’s funds and assets. Even though the game is short, you feel engaged and immersed the entire way. It’s also a title that could appeal to anyone, even gamers who aren't accustomed to classic point-and-click games. Overall, the inexpensive Milkmaid of the Milky Way is worth checking out. Appreciate the heart and personalization that went into making it so concisely wonderful.

Elena is a promising idea cut off too soon. The music is soothing, the gameplay is entertaining, and the mystery is compelling. If the story had a second chapter to look forward to, I would be excited to play it, but as it is, Elena feels too incomplete to live up to its promise.

Telltale Games is back again with yet another chapter in the ongoing The Walking Dead saga, which combines elements of the original graphic novels along with aspects of the hit TV show. The Walking Dead: A New Frontier is another shining example of Telltale’s ability to weave compelling storytelling with an interactive, visual novel type of experience.  One intriguing aspect of A New Frontier is the options players have to either start fresh with a new save or to import previous saves from the other two seasons; importing alters some of the events of Season 3, especially when it comes to the behaviors of returning cast members!

I completed Blue Tear in 4.5 hours and for the original price of $8, I think it was well worth it. After getting through the nonsense of Blue Tear’s African travels, the story becomes creepy and engaging, and just like a great horror novel; you don’t want to turn it off. Continuing to play will not disappoint you. The story builds and builds as you progress, and increasingly becomes more intricate and scary. The puzzles integrated within the story are excellent and cover the whole spectrum of puzzles from hidden objects to codes to jigsaw puzzles. Blue Tear combines all the great puzzles classics and is a true delight for any puzzle seeker.

Heroine Anthem Zero’s strength lies in its story and depth of world. If you expect to play a masterpiece ARPG with innovative and intuitive mechanics, character level progression, and/or a high skill cap that requires regular practice, look elsewhere. But if you want an interesting, albeit sometimes by the book, story played out through captivating visuals and don’t mind the occasional moment of "ecchi," then HAZ may be the ARPG for you. Solid gameplay and appealing boss fights help carry the action between story moments, while not forcing a skill wall on the player, and the promise of more content to come help increase the value of its meager $14.99 price tag.

King Lucas is a straight-forward, fun platformer that brings a lot of old-school fun with it. The options between single and multiplayer is a great boon, and I love that the individually-designed castle rooms are always in different combinations – something that lends well to replay value. With full controller support, Steam trading cards and achievements, there’s a lot going on here; you can even enable subtitles in English or Spanish. The price point is a little high, considering that multiplayer is basically non-existent, unless you happen to have a friend who owns the game already on your friends' list. Changes to the system, plus stability improvements, could fix that in the future, but currently, I recommend looking at King Lucas as mostly a single-player adventure.

Cute girls in cute outfits, doing cute dances to cute songs. Deep plot lines optional, character archetypes and cash-cow milking downloadable content, required. As such is the anime idol game genre. Front Wing’s “Time Leap Paradise SUPER LIVE!” is no different.