Aaron Potter

“In the end, Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club successfully bridges the gap between classic and modern visual novel formats with ease. Because while, on the surface, it appears to share a lot in common with the revitalised Famicom Detective Club duology for Nintendo Switch from a few years back, there’s also some slightly new changes made to its mechanics and presentation that makes it ripe for relative newcomers to the genre. While it’s true that some lines of enquiry outstay their welcome and the correct dialogue action isn’t always made blatantly evident, the story of “Who is Emio?” didn’t disappoint me by the time the final credits rolled.”

“Cygni: All Guns Blazing might not entirely reinvent the idea of what a vertically scrolling twin-stick shooter can be, but it does do an excellent job of offering genre fans something slightly different by playing with depth, shield/gun prioritisation, and some seriously punishing, yet rewarding, sections. Yes, you’ll likely be done with the story in just a few short hours, and the narrative largely comes off as melodramatic, but Cygni: All Guns Blazing still sits comfortably as an impressive visual treat compared to its peers and one of the most cinematic genre entries I’ve played in recent years.”

“Dungeons of Hinterberg could have easily buckled under the weight of its many systems, locations, and most important of all, dungeons. Perhaps against all odds, then, the team at Microbird Games has done a wonderful job keeping its debut game’s various plates spinning with exceptional flair, creating a truly memorable world in the Austrian-inspired Hinterberg that is fun to explore, thrilling to be in, and packed with some of the most inventive (yet never stressful) dungeons I’ve played in a third-person The Legend of Zelda-like such as this in ages. True, while combat isn’t especially spectacular and it would have been nice to see Luisa’s customised gear better represented on her person, Dungeons of Hinterberg is still absolutely one of my personal indie game highlights of 2024. It's a cosy slay-cation worth taking.”

“It isn’t lost on me, though, that Asgard’s Wrath 2 is very much the exception to the rule as opposed to the norm. VR games with this much budget and creativity behind them almost barely ever come around; hence why – despite an overwhelming amount of stuff to do and the relatively complex menus and control scheme needed to back it up – the game’s scope ends up working for it rather than against it. If you’re seeking a Skyrim-level RPG primed to keep you busy in VR, look no further than Asgard’s Wrath 2.”

“I hope Mad Head Games gets another chance to build upon these ideas in a future sequel. But for now, as it stands, Scars Above is still a perfectly serviceable and surprisingly challenging shooter primed to indulge Sci-Fi fans.”

“The main draw here is getting to spend time with Kyle Reese, and this standalone adventure does indeed succeed in rounding him out as a character. This being Terminator: Resistance, though, expect to see lots more Easter eggs sprinkled in. That’s why, much like before, Annihilation Line delivers another ho-hum FPS experience that only true franchise veterans will fully have fun with.”

“Is this One-Shot Adventure an essential replay? Absolutely not, but as a nice primer for the upcoming leap into Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, this chaotic dose of cell-shaded action-fantasy is well worth the short return trip.”

“David Tennant does infuse this story with a lot of life in the short time he’s featured, and a particular end sequence set on a cybership sets the pulse racing by tapping into the show’s mild horror. However, neither detract from the original experience’s flaws. The chief appeal of playing in VR was being able to immerse yourself into an episode, and even that has now been lost in translation.”

“In many ways, Midnight Shadows is the definitive Yomawari experience for anyone seeking a slightly fresher take on a survival horror game.”

“At its best, League of Evil is a simple but challenging ride suited to short bursts of play. One that controls exceptionally, but struggles to fully amaze where its peers do so elsewhere.”

“In a world plagued by stripped-back indie experiences grasping to evoke an element of nostalgia, I can at least praise I and Me for attempting something wholly original for the puzzle/platforming genre. But what could have been a mighty stride forward disappointingly feels more like a half step.”

“The few interesting ideas Zombeer has with regards to art-style, setting and voice talent, are all squandered due to an overall lack of presentation and polish.”

“Jump into Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception expecting a traditional Japanese visual novel experience, and you'll no doubt be a little disappointed… but look past its intermittent battle sections and there's a fulfilling character-driven tale just waiting to be uncovered.”

“Last Stitch Goodnight carves out its own unique place in the metroidvania genre, largely thanks to its whimsical take on presentation, puzzle-solving, and narrative.”

“A Rose in the Twilight is best described on the surface as being an undeniably bleak, somewhat charming, but consistently creative 2D puzzle platforming experience.”

“Blue Collar Astronaut is an experience that is simply devoid of any merit or creativity, and I very much doubt any player will find it at all fair or enjoyable.”

“If you give Sublevel Zero Redux the time it deserves, you won’t be able to help falling in love with its approach to upgrades and consistent unrelenting challenge.”

“Despite its few narrative drawbacks, Uncanny Valley remains a genuinely creepy and interesting indie horror experience, and one that should be applauded for its unique consequence system.”

“For all of Aqua Moto Racing Utopia’s light sense of fun and nostalgic reminiscence of past games like Wave Race 64 and Jet Moto, the act of taking to the waves is unfortunately tarnished by some frustratingly aggressive AI and a general lack of polish.”

“Rolling Bob, though by no means groundbreaking, is perhaps best described as harmless side-scrolling fun. It may not excel in the visual department and may suffer from some technical issues early on, but when knee-deep in one of the game’s fun puzzle-platformer levels it’s hard not to find yourself tense and gripped.”