I was, like so many of my 1990s-born peers, a huge Sims girlie. I spent hundreds of hours as a teen and young adult making people I knew, characters from shows I was obsessing over, or original characters I wanted to experiment with, and diligently following their life paths and…
Alta used to be a champion fighter. Now, she can’t even lift her sword. After she collapses in the forest, a kindly teashop owner called Boro invites her to join him. Maybe a spell of cozy gardening, cleaning, and making tea for customers will help her feel better? But…
It doesn’t change the game, but it shows why Stardew Valley was a game changer
A satisfying daily loop turns into a speedy momentum in this open world farming game, but its early access release raises questions that need answers.
Compelling mechanics and a gorgeous world can’t carry all of the weight
As in New Vegas, there are no perfect outcomes
Butterfly Soup 2 is a sequel that lives up to the heartbreak and hilarity of the original, while giving an even more compassionate exploration of teenage life.
Roadwarden is a beautifully written fantasy world with more mystery than can be solved in a single playthrough, and that's what makes it so intriguing.
The Waylanders is an RPG that's endearing as it is janky. It has fun characters and looks stunning, but it also has a lot of bugs to contend with.
Moonglow Bay is a chill fishing RPG that digs into its themes of community, resilience and rebuilding in surprising and consistently interesting ways.
Supergiant's action roguelike was already a game of the year contender when it first came out in early access two years ago. It definitely is now.
A Monster's Expedition is a very well crafted, chill puzzle game that will make you feel very clever indeed.
Necrobarista realises that there are no objectively correct answers to the questions it raises about mortality, loss, and how to live a good life. In giving these two characters their different resolutions without presenting either as better than the other, it manages to acknowledge that while simultaneously giving both a satisfying conclusion.
While I’ve been writing this, I’ve still been playing Besiege, in a way. Ideas for new creations have been bubbling away under the surface of my mind, just waiting for me to hop back in and build them
