In every subjectively measurable way, this game is turbo-charged, immensely enjoyable, and such a profoundly well-executed experience that it’s already shortlisted for the top of my game of the year list.

Ryan Gosling drives, I clean. He has a scorpion jacket. I have headphones. He navigates the streets well. I navigate dogs in the way well enough. So naturally, I’m well suited to discuss Cleaning Up!, a game all about… that. 

The Prince looks amazing in graffiti art.

MINOS is a valued toolbox of devious joy and wracking despair that’s pretty easy to look at, play with, and understand even as it gets more complicated and complex. Ultimately, you’re in control, for better or worse, and any game that gives you this level of freedom and personal expression is one that should be pedestaled like a bronzed Greek god for all to see.

During PAX East in Boston, I had the opportunity to play Grim Trials for about half an hour, but that wasn’t nearly enough time to really sink my teeth in. Not only because that isn’t really enough time to get a full impression, but also because what I played was genuinely fun, and I’m excited to eventually dive back in.

It’s somewhat strange that there aren’t many indie games taking inspiration from Grand Theft Auto. Driving around a city while taking on crime jobs is a great loop, so when Samson was announced, I was excited to play it. That excitement turned to annoyance in very short order, though, as the game is just plain bad in most ways, from its awful driving and terrible combat to its poor balance and meaningless game focus. The incredibly bland characterization certainly doesn’t help matters either, all combining to make for a subpar experience across the board.

When it comes to puzzle games in a 3D realm, atmosphere is what consistently keeps me hooked into the world whose mysteries I’m unraveling. Games like The Witness and The Talos Principle did so in a way that had me reflect on existentialism, and as such, remained very impactful in my experience. When I first looked at The House of Hikmah, I had a feeling this would be another special experience to immerse myself in, this time in the realm of Middle Eastern inspiration.

A dark, Slavic myth-themed dungeon-crawling action RPG sounds amazing on paper, and that’s what Bylina from developer Far Far Games sets out to be. This year at PAX East in Boston, I got to play roughly 20 minutes of what I can only assume is an early build of the game. Unfortunately, it was quite a buggy mess and largely unenjoyable, but the bones of a great game are here, especially if you’re a fan of other ARPGs of its ilk. I just think it needs a bit more time in the oven.

Have you ever wanted to play a 2D game like Contra or Mega Man, but with the ninja rope from Worms Armageddon? Developer Mommy’s Best Games have just want you need.

As a fan of animated musical feature films, People of Note immediately got my attention when it was first unveiled late last year. The fact that it was also a turn-based RPG sealed the deal that it was a game I needed, but as I went through its mostly charming 20-hour journey, I felt like I had more moments of frustration than enjoyment.

It was a few days before I was set to hop on a plane to travel across the country to Boston to attend my first PAX East. My schedule was set, and I was ecstatic to check out all the…

If there was ever a movie I wished that I loved, it’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. So many elements that would’ve made a great Mario movie are here, but the movie’s pacing is all over the place, and the plot is incoherent. It’s also lacking proper resolutions to the different storylines, and the movie’s emotional thread falls apart repeatedly.