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Lunchbreak Tactics is a smart and fast auto-battler that plays to the genre’s strengths. A complete winning 12-battle run can take under 20 minutes once gamers understand the mechanics and know the type of team they want to create. The fast speed, with its cool rock soundtrack, condenses a battle to under one minute. The game looks good, and developing a team during the shop phase involves a balance of long-term thinking and luck. The only issue I have with the mechanics is that the meta-progression feels a little slow. The world-building is a little limited, but it doesn’t matter much given the engrossing gameplay loop. Lunchbreak Tactics is easy to learn, quick to play, and gets more fun as players understand it more and unlock new heroes and clans.

It will take quite a bit of time to learn the controls and get used to the visual style this game has. But, once you do, you will find yourself trying to finish the game. It’s not going to be a game for everyone, especially due to its weirdness and strange story. But it’s an artistic game, and one that brings a sense of self-expression, while also embracing horror in a way that I think is quite satisfying. Yes, it needs more polish and guidance when it comes to the lore and story, however it's a solid effort, especially as a first release from the studio.

HELL OF FEAR: Mind Breach successfully manages to bring us the intensity of survival games, along with the horror expected from titles like Dead Space. While it’s clearly an indie game, it delivers a nicely polished experience where you always try to stay alive and fulfill the different missions that appear along the way. The story here is great, but also contained to the base, so you won’t see a variety of environments or anything like that. Despite some minor shortcomings, HELL OF FEAR: Mind Breach is still a great game to play, especially if you are a fan of the horror genre. The survival elements sprinkled in are exciting and won’t deter the experience. The game is adequately priced for what it offers as well, just make sure that you go in with the right expectations.

REPLACED is a beautiful, narrative driven experience, and that’s where the game is at its best. It tells a very interesting, gripping story, and I found myself fascinated with the great locations, mesmerizing backgrounds, but also the intricate characters found within the game. Sad Cat Studios hit it out of the park here, the game is not only visually impressive with its pixelated art style, but also the well-written story. REPLACED also brings excellent social commentary, making us think twice about our society and its path forward. It’s certainly not without its small issues, like combat being repetitive and platforming not shining that much. But it’s definitely one of those games that will make you pause and look at the scenery often, while pondering about your life and your role in society. Plus, if you are a completionist, there’s plenty of lore and extra info to be found here. All in all, it’s a delightful game, but keep in mind that it’s all about the story rather than action.

Tombwater is very good at mixing two very different inspirations into a coherent experience. Bloodborne, moved into two dimensions, supplies the core combat mechanics, the feeling of eerie transformation, the magic system, and the fire. The Wild West brings in the characters, the dusty town, and the taciturn main character. Anyone who loves both will have a lot of fun exploring this world, discovering its past, conquering its many challenges, and developing their combat abilities. It helps that players have the option to make the game easier in the Settings menu once they start their adventure. Tombwater can be frustrating at times, but its core combination of ideas is very good.

Minos continues the long-term video game trend of finding new mechanics that work well with a rogue-lite structure. Scanning a new labyrinth layout, evaluating enemy ingress routes, deciding which traps will work best on the enemies, and then watching as they die before reaching Asterion is satisfying. The extensive array of traps and challenges helps keep things fresh. But the game fails to find anything new and innovative to do with the rogue elements. And as the difficulty ramps up, it can take half an hour to puzzle out the best way to deal with one enemy wave. Minos’ trap and labyrinth shaping mechanics are solid, but the title sometimes struggles to keep players engaged with them.

Second Sun is one of those games that tries to combine multiple genres, and it does a very good job at that. The moment-to-moment FPS gameplay is very slick and engaging, and the RPG elements are also great, without feeling overwhelmed. It’s important to treat Second Sun as an indie game and time your expectations. It’s not going to be the ultimate game in the genre. However, it has a very interesting story and world. I like how Second Sun knows what it is and it manages to do all the core things right. The NPCs are interesting, the combat is very good, and the loot-based progression will keep you going even when things get repetitive. Granted, the game has a shallow narrative, and its visuals are not the best, but the gameplay stays interesting until the end. Plus, the game is not very expensive, it’s priced correctly for what it is, and it offers a good time for the 8-10 hours you need to go through all of its content.

When I started playing Constance, I had no idea what to expect. Releasing a metroidvania so close to Silksong was a gamble, but I think it paid off. Constance might not be the 30+ hour juggernaut that game is, but it has a heartwarming story and its platforming is excellent. The narrative is amazing, and the unique painting mechanic adds risk, but also rewards strategic thinking, too. You’re also rewarded if you explore, which is important for this type of game. Constance has its caveats, like limited fast travel or the main character not speaking at all during the game. However, those things are by design, and they tie into the game’s approach towards stress and mental health. This is a type of game that can help you rethink some of your choices in life, while also giving you 4-5 hours of intense platforming goodness, and it’s a breath of fresh air for the genre.

Dice with Death creates an engaging combination of dice rolling and player choice. There’s no way to control the rolls entirely and eliminate the frustration caused by the lack of luck. But killing Death using just the right mix of character, relics, and dice faces is very satisfying. It helps that the old-school presentation allows gamers to focus on thinking about their rolls, the potential combinations, and the moment when risking it all is worth it. Dice With Death doesn’t transform the Balatro-like game category, but it creates tense runs and rewards players who are unafraid to take risks.

WAR RATS is by no means perfect. It definitely has its flaws, but it does a great job at hiding them. Minor issues aren’t in your face, and you will rarely encounter them. Also, the dev team is committed to upgrading the game, and they are looking to add new gear, your own customizable nest, harder enemies and so on. So even if you played WAR RATS already, there’s definitely even more new content on the horizon. It’s clear that the developers are putting the work into creating an unforgettable experience. Plus, the sheer premise of controlling rates in battle is amazing, and it feels very satisfying to defeat your rat brethren.