Having played the demo of Ruffy and the Riverside at Steam Next Fest earlier this year, I had high expectations for the full version. The inspiration is clear: Paper Mario with hints of Banjo-Kazooie and Super Mario 64 as the icing on the cake. However, this game brings something truly unique to the genre: a magical “SWAP” ability to copy and paste textures around you. Should everyone be playing it right now? Yes and no. However, it uniquely blends collectathon platforming, puzzle-solving, and free-form exploration in a semi-open world, ensuring you’ll keep playing long after the main story ends.

The game follows Ruffy as he teams up with friends like Pip the bee and Sir Eddler the mole to stop the villainous cube Groll from destroying the World Core and plunging Riverside into chaos. I have to be honest: there’s too much pointless dialogue. The characters ramble endlessly about everything, and I’m not ashamed to admit I skipped half of it without missing anything important.

Puzzles throughout the game use the SWAP ability

The SWAP Ability lets you copy a texture from one surface and paste it onto another, transforming the target. Eligible surfaces are highlighted, and you have about 15 seconds to use a copied texture before it vanishes. This mechanic is vital for puzzles and progression, for example, swapping a waterfall with vines creates a climbable path, or turning a stone pillar into wood makes it float. The ability evolves later with the “Pix” tool, allowing custom texture design for both aesthetic and functional purposes.

The main campaign of Ruffy and the Riverside unfolds across a central hub, Riverside, and seven distinct regions. Each area is filled with puzzles, side quests, and collectibles such as butterflies, dreamstones, Etoi creatures, and coins. The moment I realized we have the freedom to explore the map, I happily spent 30 minutes just exploring the first region.

The puzzles vary greatly, from simple tasks like swapping water with lava to burn a tree, to arranging precise stone patterns based on wall images. You might find Etoi hidden behind a wall, requiring you to transform a stone block into wood to breach the area. There’s even an entire puzzle section imprinted as 2D on a 3D wall, accessible via a portal that itself needs a puzzle to be solved. This type of gameplay will follow you through all regions, and you’ll find yourself spending 30-45 minutes exploring each area, which is definitely a lot of fun.

However, not every puzzle is straightforward or easy. You’ll definitely need to think more, and it can become frustrating, as solutions are often found by observing your surroundings. This is partly because the game doesn’t always clearly indicate when you can use the SWAP ability with certain platforms, and these opportunities aren’t always obvious. The SWAP ability also isn’t entirely flexible; you can only use it in designated spots meant for progression, collectibles or on elements that won’t break the game.

Exploration in the game offers many interesting ideas

Despite some drawbacks, exploration in Ruffy and the Riverside offers plenty of fun. Imagine riding a giant ice ball across the sea or atop a bale to win a race. The game also features dynamic shifts, reminiscent of Nikoderiko, like transitioning from 3D to 2D to dodge traps in a temple by hiding from rolling balls and leaping over spikes. In the Realm of Dead, for example, there’s a top-down section where you run from a ghost. The game truly introduces some interesting ideas and worth mentioning is the Buried City areas that combine multiple mechanics.

Ruffy’s moveset includes jumps, gliding with Pip, punches, spin attacks, and sprints, controlled via joystick or keyboard. While gliding and sprinting help travelling, their limited stamina requires coin upgrades. Combat is rather average; enemies pose little threat, and types are repeated. Given that combat isn’t a major focus, the game would have been better as a pure platformer filled with collectibles and puzzles. Boss fights don’t happen often and offer minimal challenge and usually feature predictable attack patterns and segmented health bars. The SWAP mechanic is also underused in combat.

The graphics are truly impressive

Ruffy and the Riverside ties progression to main quests and side content, with collectibles naturally appearing as you advance. While its collectathon structure rewards completionists, some collectibles like Etoi feel less impactful without specific quests, and coins become redundant after early upgrades. If you love collecting and puzzles, this game offers a satisfying experience. Expect about 10 hours for the main story, but around 20 hours to complete the entire game.

The graphics are impressive; just standing on a high hill overlooking the plains and buildings reveals the game’s detail and optimization. There’s an insane amount of content spread across regions, including beaches, farms, and graveyards, while characters like Ruffy and Pip are 2D sprites with thick marker strokes, animated with crayon-like charm.

A solid platformer with its strengths and weaknesses

The game definitely has its charm, especially in its humor and plot. There are moments where it genuinely feels like playing an old cartoon. While I admittedly skipped a lot of the dialogue, I grew quite fond of Sirsil the snake. Reaching the highest point of Riverside and playing barrel games, like riding one over a waterfall or jumping from barrel to barrel, was a surprisingly interesting part of the experience. Honestly, the game truly surprises you with these moments.

Another drawback worth mentioning are the controls. If you’re planning to play with a keyboard, forget about it — it’s not intuitive and quite difficult to manage. A controller is your best option. I’m still surprised how challenging it is to navigate the various cluttered menus, an issue that hasn’t been fixed since the demo. In the end, you won’t be entirely let down by this game. Is it perfect for everyone? Sure, if you can overlook some shallow mechanics and tolerate irrelevant dialogue. But if you enjoy collecting items and want a chill gaming experience, this game is definitely for you.

Review copy provided by the publisher

3.8

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I have to admit, Projected Dreams surprised me in a good way. I never imagined a game where we would use shadow wall projections to solve puzzles; it truly feels like stepping into a childhood memory. You join Senka, a young girl, in recreating shadow puppet silhouettes using toys and household objects. This unravels a bittersweet, wordless family story that spans 50 years. It’s a cozy, wholesome, and stress-free nostalgic experience, though it does have its flaws.

Projected Dreams offers many interesting puzzles

The core gameplay revolves around dragging toys, mugs, boxes and many other objects from shelves onto a table, positioning them in front of a light source to cast shadows that match a silhouette in Senka’s photo album. You will rotate, stack, and sometimes resize objects using mouse, keyboard or controller inputs. The puzzles start simple, such as aligning a single toy to form a rabbit but grow complex with mechanics like dual light sources, “ghost” objects (invisible in shadows), and sticky items that glue pieces together.

Despite some interesting ideas, the game’s physics-based elements are a bit clumsy. Changing the sides of an object you’re holding feels really weird, and it’s slightly frustrating to use arrows for alignment while rotation has a separate button. It’s not terrible, but takes time to get used to. However, the puzzles themselves were super interesting and became more engaging as the game progressed.

My biggest positive is the hint system, accessible on the back of each photo. Some hints did spoil solutions by clearly showing which objects to use. While you’ll rarely need them, there will be times you do get stuck, struggling to find the right solution because some projections look truly weird and it’s hard to tell which objects are needed.

“The game’s physics-based elements are a bit clumsy.”

Environments change as you progress

The game unfolds in an ever-evolving room that mirrors Senka’s life stages (child, teen, and adult). You will also explore the environment to find collectible objects like cassette tapes, which unlock musical snippets, or trinkets that decorate the photo album. However, searching for specific items can be frustrating, as some are hard to spot in cluttered rooms, and the absence of a clear inventory system means you’ll be repeatedly scanning shelves.

Each chapter of the book tells you if you missed any secrets and how many stars you earned; there are three stars per level, which nicely encourages you to get all three instead of just one. Overall, the experience was pleasant and cozy. It didn’t waste your time, and these types of games are approachable to everyone. It was fun to try and find multiple ways to beat a level.

Another great aspect of the game is its graphics, filled with 90s nostalgia, using a soft, colorful palette of pastels. The 2D illustrations in the photo album tell the story with “funny graphics and special adornments”, balancing humor and touching moments. Animations are minimal but effective, and the entire game has a charming cartoonish feel.

“Each chapter of the book tells you if you missed any secrets and how many stars you earned.”

A short experience, but one you’ll finish feeling satisfied with

While Projected Dreams seems easy at first, some puzzles will definitely test your brain. It’s ideal for those seeking a peaceful, reflective puzzle experience. The game stands out for its effective use of nostalgia, and despite occasional hiccups in physics and controls, it’s an easy recommendation for anyone who enjoys this genre. In fact, it’s a short experience, likely taking around 3-4 hours to complete, but it’s still a very worthy buy.

Review copy provided by the publisher

4.2

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Forget The Sims and Inzoi for a moment; Small Spaces offers a different kind of creative gameplay. Jokes aside, while it’s not as advanced for structural building, it provides a charming and cozy interior design experience. You’ll fill pre-made spaces and rooms, selecting furniture, decorations, and layouts to optimize limited areas. The game looks amazing, and you unlock more items as you play. Early Access currently includes three room styles, ranging from industrial to Japanese, along with a shop to acquire new items.

Simple building process

When I mention “progress,” it means completing client requests for each of the nine apartments. These are loose objectives, like adding a workspace or a cozy reading nook. Clients might also ask for specific items, such as a sofa, a TV, or even a painting collection, to earn stars that you use in shops. The biggest plus is that there’s a huge catalog of furniture and decor, ranging from beds and sofas to plants, kitchen utensils, and sewing accessories.

Items are placed using a simple drag-and-drop interface, with options to rotate, paint, and adjust them for tight spaces. A “snap-to-grid” system ensures precise placement, and a one-click painting tool handles walls, floors, and surfaces. The game emphasizes modular design, letting you create clever solutions like loft beds or foldable tables to maximize functionality. You can even fit objects inside each other, such as an oven in a cabinet or a stove on top of it.

You can personalize spaces further with indirect lighting, plants, or wall art, creating unique layouts like open-plan kitchens. My biggest complaint, however, is that while redesigning apartments with different styles adds replayability, the lack of a sandbox mode at Early Access launch limits freeform creativity. You can’t truly make your own small spaces and homes from scratch, essentially forcing you to complete the game before fully enjoying all unlocked items.

“There’s a huge catalog of furniture and decor, ranging from beds and sofas to plants.”

Cozy and relaxing, though it has some bugs

Small Spaces does have its share of bugs. For instance, I got stuck in a doorway when switching from top-down to first-person view, and opening doors felt clumsy. Another bug I encountered involved items getting stuck, making them impossible to properly select and delete. Beyond the bugs, some players might find their PC struggling with the game’s graphics as the 3D-rendered apartments are richly detailed, with realistic wood grains, fabric patterns, and metallic finishes.

While highly advanced and realistic, there’s also some visual clutter, such as odd lighting on flat surfaces. The UI also feels clumsy; when you delete an item, you’re not returned to the menu of clicked objects, forcing you to re-click and scroll, which is a bit annoying. Finally, there’s a day and night cycle, but I couldn’t find a way to change it automatically.

Let’s be honest, the progression system feels sparse; you can unlock everything rather quickly, in about two hours, without much effort. While there’s no story, the Early Access version shows great potential for future additions, from a larger catalog of objects to even modding possibilities, which might allow players to add their own creations.

“While highly advanced and realistic, there’s also some visual clutter.”

Worth it if you’re fan of cozy games

If you’re not into cozy games or want more than just decorating, this game isn’t for you. Its gameplay is purely relaxing and engaging, offering a satisfying creative experience for those who enjoy spatial design. In the end, Small Spaces is totally worth it and fun to experiment with. It could truly become a proper hidden gem if it fulfills all its Early Access plans.

Review copy provided by the publisher

4.2

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Become the Moon is a single-player deck-building auto-battler with roguelike elements, where you construct decks of minions, spells, and relics to battle enemies in automated turn-based combat. The game’s core loop involves drafting cards after each victory, optimizing board placement, and adapting strategies to overcome a gauntlet of foes. It draws clear inspiration from Hearthstone.

There are over 140 cards to experiment with

Fun fact, there are over 140 cards to collect for your deck, alongside multiple synergies like flying, exhaust, battle-focused spells, and one-time effects. On the other hand, relics provide passive buffs, such as giving flying units a bonus when they attack. The goal is to create powerful combos and reach the final boss. I’ve been experimenting a lot with flying cards; they have a 33% chance to dodge attacks and create interesting combos with quick attack cards, which allow an adjacent card to attack instantly.

However, the biggest problem is the high randomization of cards. You’re forced to take cards for your deck because skipping them costs health (only the first skip is free). This means you sometimes have to take cards or spells you don’t want or need. This system does balance the gameplay, meaning you can’t just pick cards randomly; you definitely need to think through your choices. Once you defeat all the cards on the board, the enemy hero takes damage from your remaining cards. If that doesn’t defeat them, your hero then battles the enemy hero directly, which can also deal significant damage.

As mentioned, combat is automated, with minions attacking from left to right and targeting random enemies on the opponent’s board. I found this sadly too chaotic; you’re never able to pinpoint what will happen. While this unpredictability can be a good thing, the random targeting also somewhat ruins the fun, as it introduces too much luck and prevents a truly prepared strategy.

“The goal is to create powerful combos and reach the final boss.”

Deck-building is solid, drawing inspiration from Hearthstone

Become the Moon offers 10 character classes, each with unique starting cards and bonuses, adding variety to playstyles. You’ll need to unlock these classes by defeating them within the game. There’s definitely a lot of content to explore; it takes several hours to fully grasp the cards, but once you do, you’ll see how fun it is. The cards themselves are well-designed; some are balanced, while others less so, which is common.

Your strategy typically involves placing and swapping minions before battles, and using spells, but the auto-battler format does reduce micromanagement In other words, analyzing the enemy’s board allows for certains adjustments, such as placing a high-health “taunt” minion to absorb attacks. Mechanics like shields (blocking one attack), taunt (forcing enemy focus), and deathrattle (effects upon death) mirror Hearthstone.

I particularly enjoyed consistently buffing minions on the field using multipliers and bonuses for health and damage. You can also pick spectral cards that persist throughout the game and can be used once, such as to gain extra mana or draw more cards. The game provides fun ways to tackle different challenges. While not revolutionary, it’s engaging and keeps you hooked.

“Your strategy typically involves placing and swapping minions before battles.”

Fans of the genre should definitely pick this one up

The roguelike features aren’t very evident in this game. My biggest issue is that enemies are predetermined; you can’t choose who you fight, which is a significant drawback. Every stage presents similar enemies with the same cards, and the “bosses” are no different. While fighting the same bosses might be understandable, having identical regular enemies truly harms the game’s replayability.

The graphics in Become the Moon feature a 2D cartoonish dark fantasy style with various colors and charming character designs. Minions are expressive, with detailed card art that adds to their personality, and smooth, visually appealing battle animations add flair to the auto-battler format. While the visuals prioritize readability over spectacle and aren’t groundbreaking, they’re engaging, though some card designs feel repetitive, slightly limiting variety.

In the end, Become the Moon is a solid deck-building game. It won’t waste your time, especially with its speed-up option, and the best part is undoubtedly the card-drafting phase. If you’re wondering whether it’s good, don’t hesitate; it’s a decent and well-crafted title, clearly made by developers familiar with similar games. While replayability might be a bit questionable, the numerous heroes available do help extend its life. If you’re already a fan of the genre, this one should definitely be in your library.

“You’ll face a variety of enemies: they start weak, but quickly become more deadly.”

Review copy provided by the publisher

4

The post Become the Moon – Solid deck-building game first appeared on IndieGames.

I was surprised by how much fun Guards II: Chaos in Hell is. It brings something new to turn-based strategy genre, forcing you to move your characters around a grid to activate their abilities and attacks. You’ll assemble a squad of four heroes from eight unlockable options (like a wizard, monk, or dark priest), which you earn by progressing through the campaign. Your goal is to defeat demons, but the game is not without its flaws.

Core mechanics are easy to understand

The game start with a brief tutorial that teaches you the core mechanic: to activate a hero’s ability, you must strategically swap them around a 7×3 grid. However, only the first two rows are actively used by the player. The second row holds your three attacking heroes, while the single position in the first row is for healing and activating abilities when you move a hero out of it.

This is a really cool and interesting idea that keeps evolving. Each hero has unique attack methods: short-range, long-range, or elemental attacks. They also have second stances, for example, a wind elementalist mage can switch to a more powerful fire stance, unleashing special meteor fireballs. Healing is crucial too, and swapping a character from the back row is highly recommended.

After the tutorial, you’ll start playing through a campaign that takes you through five distinct circles of Hell, each inspired by myths from various cultures, and every unlocks a new heroe. You’ll face a variety of enemies: they start weak, like simple mummies and grotesque creatures, but quickly become more deadly, throwing shurikens, attacking multiple times, and multiplying each level, making all biomes much harder to clear. My biggest bonus feature is the speed-up button. This lets you quickly complete playthroughs and levels in about six minutes, but it still keeping the strategic thinking fun and fast-paced.

“You’ll face a variety of enemies: they start weak, but quickly become more deadly.”

You can experiment with heroes and their talent trees

Every enemy in Guards II is weak to something, whether it’s fire or physical attacks, making them easier to defeat with the right strike. After clearing a level, you can use demon essence (earned from completing levels) to get temporary boosts to stats like attack or health. Each circle of Hell has about 4-5 levels. However, a frustrating aspect is that to advance to the next level, you often have to replay previous ones within the terittory. This means clearing the same content again just to progress. This design choice was likely made to extend the game’s length and ensure you have enough time and resources for upgrades.

All heroes have their own talent or upgrade tree, allowing you to buff their attacks, abilities, and boost their health and power, with multiple upgrade tiers available. You upgrade them using gems earned by completing levels and each level also offers higher difficulty settings, from easy to extreme, keeping the game fun and challenging. Additionally, you can unlock extra skills with feathers, such as heroes recovering more health in the back row or earning more demon essence after each level.

There’s ability to conjure certain items for one-time or limited use during battle, like reviving a fallen hero (since it’s an instant game over if one dies) or dealing extra damage. But my biggest issue with Guards II is that it plays too safe with its content, offering not so much variety. While some heroes have unique stances, like the alchemist’s gun, most simply shift into a fiery form that’s often even weaker than their initial one.

“All heroes have their own talent or upgrade tree.”

Fast-paced and fun, you won’t be dissapointed

It’s also unclear how many gems you’ve saved for each hero, since each character has their own separate pool for upgrades. While Guards II: Chaos in Hell boasts nice pixel graphics, they are too pixelated. This makes ability information, on-screen numbers, and even the initial tutorial text very difficult to read. Most enemies have distinctive looks and there’s a good variety, but bosses surprisingly don’t stand out. They lack unique characteristics, feeling more like regular enemies.

However, despite these visual drawbacks, the game’s fast-paced turn-based strategy, combined with each biome introducing unique tactics and new heroes, makes it a really solid choice if you enjoy this genre. There’s even a special “hell mode” at the end for an extra challenge. I can highly recommend this title. With 80 levels to beat and a flexible systems, you’ll constantly experiment with your heroes and use them strategically, which is a big plus.

Review copy provided by the publisher

4

The post Guards II: Chaos in Hell – Turn-Based Strategy with a Unique Spin first appeared on IndieGames.

Date Everything! is the dating sim I never knew was possible. It features 100 unique characters, each with their own personality and voice. Imagine trying to befriend, make an enemy of, or fall in love with 100 individuals. But here’s the twist: these aren’t real people. They’re actually anthropomorphic objects in your house. From your dishwasher and soap to a shadow or even the air in your vent, there’s a huge variety of “things” to talk with.

While the story in Date Everything! is somewhat forgettable, it’s always present, centered around trying to understand the Dateviator glasses you wear, who made them, and their history. Eventually, you’ll discover how to turn objects into real humans, but I won’t spoil that part. My biggest issue, however, is that the game is tedious. It’s made worse by a lack of proper accessibility options, and its user interface and menus are difficult to navigate. Much more on that later.

Simple gameplay, but interactions can sometimes feel a bit shallow

The game’s point-and-click exploration involves navigating a 3D home. Moving between rooms is straightforward, but some objects are hard to spot due to cluttered areas or unclear prompts. Also, the game doesn’t clearly tell you how important interacting with objects without the glasses is. For example, you can clog the bathroom sink to talk to the water, or use the thermostat to talk to the air, but the game never hints that these actions are possible.

The first few hours of Date Everything! are spent simply finding all the dateable objects, even the hidden ones. After that, you’re free to explore every dialogue option. Everything is up to you: if a character doesn’t suit you, be rude; if you like them, try to romance them. However, Date Everything! keeps things quite simple. Your choices don’t significantly affect the ending dialogue, and it often feels like what you say doesn’t matter much.

For instance, no matter what I said to a character named Airyn (who is literally air), she seemed to find everything incredibly rude. I was then given only three response options, each pushing me further down a “Hate” path regardless of my choice. I’m still not even sure how we ended up hating each other, or if she just generally despises humans. This “Hate” can essentially be a “lose” condition if you upset a character too much, stopping you from reaching their ending. Thankfully, a limited candy resource found later can help turn hatred back into friendship.

You’re not meant to like every character; the game is about finding your favorites based on your own personality. You can choose from male, female, and queer options. However, you will be “forced” to meet every single character to finish the story. Each dialogue offers its own drama, unique plot, and special way of interacting, so there’s genuinely a lot to see. But looking back at the interactions, they can sometimes feel a bit shallow.

“Little Crapper the rapper he knows how to go! Plumbing and drumming are both about flow!”

There’s so much content to dive into

Each object in Date Everything! offers roughly 15–30 minutes of dialogue, meaning the 100 objects combine for about 20–40 hours of content. Finishing a route unlocks a “Date Scrapbook” entry, giving you more lore and replayable cutscenes. Some characters feel fully developed, while others don’t. Similarly, some relationships unfold over many interactions, while others quickly lead to “friends or lovers” questions. You’ll find yourself skipping conversations with characters you simply don’t want to engage with, which is fine, but highlights the uneven quality.

It also features S.P.E.C.S. (Smarts, Poised, Empathy, Charm, and Sass). These attributes add up when you complete a character’s story and are used to unlock special dialogues. However, I find this system very flawed. For example, you might enter a conversation early in the game only to find a character requires 65 Sass. How are you ever supposed to get that so early? Perhaps the game expects you to finish one dating arc before moving to the next.

The game lacks basic visual novel features like text logs or auto-play. Navigating through roomers (quests or tasks) is incredibly tedious too. There are also only few sliders to sort by newest, name or by number (1-100), and there’s no clear indicator of your relationship level beyond “hated”, “loved”, or “just friends”. While I can’t blame the developers given the sheer amount of content, the experience isn’t fully satisfying. Plus, the movement controls are wonky and not as smooth as they should be.

“I did it becuase you’re hot, Luna.”

Totally worth your time (you can finally date a toilet)

My biggest positive is the game’s content warning mechanic. If you’re not comfortable with sexual content, trauma, or health issues, you can skip those character arcs. This probably covers about 15% of the game, so you won’t miss much by doing so. Another huge bonus is the spectacular voice acting. It’s brilliant, without a doubt, and probably the best part of the game. With talents like Mela Lee (who voices the bed) and Allegra Clark (who voices Lamp) bringing emotional depth, even absurd characters like Toilet feel relatable. Every character is just visually unique and distinct.

This is one of the few dating sims that will actually keep you hooked. It’s not just the dialogue, but how interesting each character is. Who knew a toilet could rap so well? Or a treadmill could be so aggressive? Or even a pirate ship in a bottle could be so funny and unique? This game truly has it all, and you likely won’t be disappointed by diving into its details. I believe its strength lies in the sheer number of characters, which keeps it from ever getting boring.

In the end, Date Everything! is a fun, lighthearted fun for players who enjoy absurdity, but it’s likely not for those seeking a much more deeper narrative. It’s slightly disappointing that there isn’t much to do once you complete the dating phases with each character, nonetheless, I wholeheartedly recommend this dating sim game.

“With the bedroom voice… it suddenly feels like you’re in a dating sim.”

Review copy provided by the publisher

4

The post Date Everything! – Voice acting masterpiece with a light narrative first appeared on IndieGames.

Tron: The Catyclst

I’m not sure if this game is meant to be a joke or not. Disney… oh boy, where are you headed with this one? It was so boring I had to push myself to finish it. The combat was weak, the AI just stared at you from a distance instead of fighting back while you attacked. The dialogue felt super cringy, the characters were forgettable, including the main character (a woman, I think?), and the world looked the same everywhere. It felt uninspiring and disappointing to play. With Devolver likely just backing it, is this really the game Tron deserved?

Possessor(s)

Though Possessor(s) looks impressive and seems like a fun game, my experience was ruined by clunky controls and odd platforming elements, and I wasn’t a fan of the time-stopping on the final hit at the enemies either. I had high hopes, given its unique mix: a flooded city overrun with surreal interdimensional horror, fast-paced action side-scrolling, and unique characters. But for now, the controls definitely need some work.

Mycopunk

While playing this unique shooter, I kept wondering: “What the heck is going on here?” Hundreds of strange creatures flew at me, I had multiple guns to choose from, that reloaded each other’s ammo when used, plus there was a multiplayer option and huge, fun boss fights. The graphics, world, and enemies felt out of ordinary, like an interdimensional adventure, but it didn’t rank higher because I was left confused about what I just played. The pacing felt off, and I lost track when my boss got stuck in a building during my solo playthrough.

Stick It to the Stickman

Stick It to the Stickman offers a unique roguelike structure where, in the demo, you play as a stickman climbing the corporate ladder. Along the way, you can punch, kick, use weapons, and upgrade your abilities while battling small interns and big mini-bosses to become CEO. The premise is wild, but my only problem is the clunky combat, it’s not as smooth as I’d hoped. Still, that one level was super fun, and it was great to see my character getting richer over time.

Forestrike

I love it when games experiment, and Forestrike nails that vibe. Want to foresee the future or test your skills before a real fight? You can do it here. When the real battle starts, you’re ready to use your dojo skills to kick, dodge, block, and outsmart opponents. It’s a blast, with multiple sessions and approaches to each level, pushing you to apply what you learn and show off your skills.

Baby Steps

A new game from Bennett Foddy? Count me in! So, what’s it about? Though maybe not as rage-inducing as his other titles, this one will make you cringe with its awkwardness. You play as Nate, an unemployed failson with little going for him, teleported into a strange world. Walking isn’t easy, you need both left and right mouse clicks, but once you figure it out, it’s super satisfying. I even learned to run by the end of the demo!

BOTSU

It’s been a while since I enjoyed a solid multiplayer game packed with mini-games, and even if you don’t have friends to join, though it’s recommended, you can play against bots. You control robots in fun matches like basketball, football, or floor-is-lava, even hitting and holding each other for a good laugh. You can compete online or split-screen in a series of ragdoll, crazy physics-based battles to prove your mechanical skills, making it the wildest game idea I’ve loved.

BALL X PIT

I debated putting this first, but it does share the first place since it was just so much fun. Who knew blending flipper-based, rock-breaking, ball-fusing, base-building survival roguelite gameplay with the unique twist of beating up skeletons could be this entertaining? You battle hordes of enemies who attack while you grow stronger, using various skills and attacks, ricocheting balls, and gathering and building to unlock new heroes and generate resources.

Shroom and Gloom

What a blast Shroom and Gloom turned out to be! It reminded me why deck-building roguelike games are so much fun when done well, adding a unique twist as a “double-deckbuilder”. You can use cards while exploring and at checkpoints to unlock different weapons, rest, and eat food while scavenging through a bizarre world filled with ugly creatures, plants, and more. I can’t recall the last time a card-based game hooked me this much, and spending just enough time on the demo left me eager for the full release of Shroom and Gloom.

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Galactic Glitch is a fast-paced twin-stick roguelike shooter that has just launched from its Early Access phase. Set in a simulated universe, you control an AI-piloted spaceship tasked by a mysterious entity, Siren, to escape a glitched simulation. What will definitely catch your eye is the physics-based combat, letting you manipulate the environment and enemies as weapons.

The core loop of Galactic Glitch involves navigating interconnected “bubble” arenas, clearing enemies, upgrading your ship, and battling bosses. You wield a gravity gun to grab and hurl objects such as asteroids, missiles, mines, or even enemies, turning them into powerful projectiles that deal more damage than standard weapons and can stun foes. For example, picking up an enemy’s rocket and tossing it back or smashing foes into asteroids creates dynamic encounters.

Plenty of weapons to try and enjoy

Standard weapons like lasers or railguns, more unlocked as you play, complement the gravity gun, featuring a special shot that charges during combat for powerful bursts. Also, the dash mechanic lets you dodge attacks or ram enemies with certain upgrades, making the combat feel smooth and responsive. However, relying on environmental objects can make fights in sparse arenas less exciting, and the screen can definitely get clogged with objects.

Each bubble you enter contains enemies along with rewards like orbs, credits, power-ups, or optional high-reward Rift Battles. Teleportation portals let you backtrack, but the map’s simplicity limits strategic navigation. In other words, there are several lines connecting each bubble; sometimes they can be blocked, forcing you to unlock a special ability that can unlock the path or force you to move to the open nearby area.

Galactic Glitch offers various biomes with a range of enemies, but they grow repetitive as rooms in the same biome feature similar waves, making bosses much more enjoyable than regular enemies. There’s plenty of bosses, each requiring a unique strategy to get defeated and they get stronger as you keep playing. Each run lasts 30–60 minutes, letting you pick your path through shops, upgrade stations, or boss arenas.

“Explore, loot and fight your way through hostile space.” 

Upgrade system is a big let down

The upgrade stations feel oddly designed, making it unclear what you’re actually improving or what might be useful. You pick from three upgrades, but it’s confusing, at least for me, since there’s no color coding to show what’s being enhanced, just vague stats like an 18% weapon damage boost. Plus, you can finish a level in two ways: clearing all bubbles or opting for a quick win by beating the biome within a time limit. Rushing works decently with strong starting stats, but to get more powerful, exploring everything is advised, which makes speedrunning feel costly and frustrating.

My biggest issue is the upgrade system, it feels like you’re not improving since upgrades are rare, which feels strange. Additionally, there is a shop you can find, but every item inside is vaguely explained. I don’t want to spend a good 10 minutes clearing a biome to find an upgrade station, as it gets repetitive and I just want to move on. Plus, you get healed after finishing a biome, making the risk of taking damage seem less significant.

To be honest, taking everything in consideration, the gameplay is quite fun, with each battle lasting about 15 seconds and offering a proper fast-paced action. You can deal more damage by getting behind enemies and shooting them in the back, though it’s inconsistent since it’s not clearly marked what counts as the back. Still, you won’t waste much time playing this game overall.

“The gameplay is quite fun, with each battle lasting about 15 seconds.”

Fast-paced roguelike experience that’s fun to play

When it comes to graphics, Galactic Glitch boasts neon-soaked visuals blending cyberpunk and sci-fi vibes, reminiscent of Tron. Its 2D art shines with glowing pink, purple, and blue colors against a dark space backdrop, while explosions and debris scatter in colorful arcs, creating a psychedelic show. However, the graphics focus more on function than flair, with simple designs that don’t challenge modern style.

Given its price, solid roguelite structure, shooter elements with innovative physics-based combat, and simple controls, Galactic Glitch can definitely get addictive, especially if you’re a fan of the genre or Dead Cells. It offers a strong replayable setup, though the upgrade system feels lackluster to me, while the bosses stand out as the game’s best feature. Plus, you can enjoy it on Steam Deck.

Review copy provided by the publisher

3.8

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The Vanished Soul leverages all the capabilities of Unreal Engine 5 in an impressive way. It’s fascinating how detailed and graphically advanced this title is. It’s not just surface-level, when you open a fridge, for example, there’s plenty to see; everything is so intricately crafted that you can clearly distinguish every item or read text without zooming in. The same goes for all the books and objects around the house, with special attention drawn to pictures of Belmin from his wedding, adding a really charming touch.

Stunning Graphics Accompany You Throughout the Game

The story revolves around unsettling mysteries hidden in the fictional town of Novazenica and its surroundings. It weaves a personal and emotional narrative exploring themes of memory, guilt, and connection with loved ones. Expect various jump scares, like sudden disappearances of people in front of you or a hand popping out unexpectedly. Though it might sound cheap, these elements are skillfully implemented; early in the game, while running from a room, a girl suddenly appeared in front of me, giving me a genuine fright since it was totally unexpected.

This isn’t a classic horror but leans toward an atmospheric approach. As you solve puzzles, you’ll constantly hear footsteps and various sounds around you, sure to send chills down your spine. In other words, the game gradually builds discomfort through carefully crafted light and sound effects. Besides horror, there are puzzles, which are fairly simple but will test your resourcefulness and creativity since solutions aren’t always obvious. The game is linear, as expected, so you can simply focus on following the given objectives.

The Vanished Soul stands out with two key aspects, the first being the importance of choices, already noticeable in the demo. Your responses in conversations, such as the early phone call with your wife, will likely influence the story’s ending, especially since the goal is to reach her. Moreover, your actions and the paths you choose can shape the narrative, revealing different perspectives, outcomes, and consequences.

No True Horror Moments, Atmosphere Influences Everything

The second key aspect is the dynamic fear system. As Belmin highlighted on Steam, no playthrough is the same when it comes to scary moments, aiming for maximum replayability with randomly generated elements from predefined locations. The demo version might not have showcased this well, but there’s plenty to look forward to if it delivers.

Let’s revisit the puzzles. They range from simple tasks like moving boxes to activate a platform to more complex challenges where you connect electrical circuits to progress. However, it’s not overly difficult. Unfortunately, you can only pick up marked items in the game. I was disappointed with the jump and landing sounds on wooden floors or carpets—they don’t quite fit well. Still, the horror sound effects are generally well-crafted.

You can still play the demo during Steam Next Fest until Monday evening. While the exact release date for the full game isn’t known, the demo lasts a full hour. If you enjoy longer horrors or just atmospheric scares, The Vanished Soul is definitely worth a try.

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It’s an understatement to say the demo version is a big disappointment. It’s quite limited, offering only one item per building category. Though the development likely doesn’t cost much, the demo isn’t a true reflection of the game and is playable until the end of Steam Next Fest.

Have We Ever Had a True Croatian Cozy Game?

Let’s start from the beginning: you choose a map, only one was available, set amidst forests and mountains, where you’ll build a cozy little cabin. It’s interesting that before starting, you can select specific object categories to unlock, like painting, fishing, or other interests, with items and structures color-coded. Of course, core items like walls and decorations are always available. Afterward, you build within a clearly marked grid area.

Log Away lacks tutorials, but honestly, you don’t need them. All you need is your creativity and emotion to bring your vision to life on the fields. Some might wonder, “What’s the point of this game?” The charm lies in relaxation, soothing music, and the rustling of leaves and nature, creating a full zen experience. To make it easier, you can switch between free camera and first-person views, and decide whether to see the roof or walls. Once you have an idea and arrange everything, you’ll find you can interact with objects, like opening windows or even petting a dog.

Object categories include furniture, decor, wall elements, plant embellishments, and more. Like Tiny Glade, it features a day-night cycle. Log Away already looks impressive and beautiful, with noticeable detail on every object and a tangible natural beauty in the river. Personally, I found decorating the interior more fun due to its experimental options, while the exterior felt quite sparse. Sadly, I’m not sure why, they didn’t need to unlock the whole game, but at least two items per category would have been enough. As it stands, you’re quite limited in options and can’t do much.

For Those Who Love Relaxation After Other Games

As is typical for such titles, a photo mode is available, letting you create your own screenshots. Additionally, you can switch visual styles, like from modern to pixel art, with the full version promising even more options. Of course, this won’t appeal to everyone, but for a good photo – why not? On the other hand, the soundtrack features tracks inspired by western, country, and blues genres, composed by Chris Haugen, and it’s truly impressive.

Building in this game is very straightforward. You can quickly rotate items, and some can be stacked, like placing a lamp on a cabinet. You have plenty of freedom to choose where and how to place objects, ensuring you’ll find something to your liking. You can even change colors, so it’s not all just brown.

So, if you enjoy decorating by the fireplace or watching a dog fit into the environment you’ve created, Log Away is definitely for you. Just don’t expect something grand, as cozy games generally don’t demand much interactivity but offer plenty of relaxation and creativity.

The post [PREVIEW] Log Away – Prva hrvatska igra u “cozy” žanru first appeared on IndieGames.