Jim Smale

“Nova Antarctica offers a charming, endearing, and adventure-filled survival journey with plenty of crafting, exploration, and world-building. It has a lot of great ideas and a strong sense of atmosphere, but the rough edges, UI frustrations, and mechanical inconsistencies can hold it back. There is a rewarding experience here, but you need patience to push through its quirks.”

“The Run is a gripping interactive movie that delivers great pacing, strong production value, and a branching story that rewards curiosity. Despite some limitations in settings and accessibility, the experience remains compelling, replayable, and full of surprises. If you enjoy FMV games or narrative-driven tension, The Run is absolutely worth diving into.”

“Little Rocket Lab is a cosy, colourful automation adventure that blends crafting, community, and machine building into a wholesome loop. It starts slow and can get overwhelming later, but once it clicks, it offers a clear, satisfying progression from simple tools to full automation. It is friendly, bright, and easy to understand, even if the social tone and difficulty curve will not suit everyone. For players who enjoy building, tinkering, and watching systems come to life, it delivers a charming and thoughtful experience.”

“RV There Yet? is a chaotic co op road trip where every moment is a mix of mud, mishaps, and laughs. It is not the deepest gam,e and it has a few rough edges, but the charm, the teamwork, and the unpredictable adventures make it a memorable experience with friends. It feels like the start of something bigger, but what is here is still a fun and lively ride.”

“The King is Watching is a good-looking and satisfying roguelite builder once you break through its rough early hours. It demands patience, attention, and a willingness to lose repeatedly before things click. When it finally comes together, building a huge army and surviving wave after wave feels rewarding, even if part of that joy comes from relief. It is a unique and demanding experience that rewards persistence.”

“Lonely Mountains Snow Riders stands out as a smooth, slick, and replayable skiing experience with plenty of modes, slopes, and challenges to keep you coming back. It rewards practice, offers loads of ways to approach each location, and feels consistently polished. Despite a learning curve, a few frustrating spots, and slow early unlocks, it remains a game that hooks you for run after run.”

“Doki Monsters Quest delivers a heartfelt blend of retro monster capturing, modern quality of life touches and a world packed with charm. While some elements feel very familiar and a few rough edges show through, the adventure remains warm,m colourful, and easy to sink into. It captures nostalgia while offering enough variety to keep the journey engaging.”

“Bubble Bobble Sugar Dungeons is a sweet twist on classic Bubble Bobble gameplay, mixing nostalgia with roguelite progression. Its charm lies in the candy-coated visuals, upbeat soundtrack, and bubble-based mechanics, but the grind, control issues, and one-hit kills weigh down the fun. For fans of the series or those seeking a quirky roguelite challenge, it offers a flavorful but imperfect adventure.”

“One Man’s Trash is an addictive vacuum-digging experience that blends treasure hunting, upgrades, exploration, and a surprisingly engaging story. It is easy to learn, strangely relaxing, and capable of destroying your free time as you lose track of everything from time to eating. The early game drags, and technical quirks show up, but once it clicks, it becomes a satisfying loop of uncovering secrets and chasing fortune in the refuse.”

“Speed Factor delivers a fun, accessible, and nostalgic arcade racer that hits the right notes for quick sessions and retro fans. It is not hard, it is not deep, and it does not offer replay value, but it does exactly what it sets out to do. If you want a simple blast of arcade speed with punk rock chaos and pixel charm, it gets the job done.”

“Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return Special Edition is simply fun to play and easy to come back to. With its classic visuals, exploration-heavy design, constant missions, and colourful world, it remains a charming and enjoyable experience. Despite a few annoyances with saving and pausing, the game’s variety, characters, and sense of discovery make it a strong return for a cult favourite.”

“Secrets delivers a tense, atmospheric horror experience with strong puzzle work, a huge school to explore, and a solid sense of progression. When it works, it really works, especially with headphones. But the performance issues, lack of accessibility, and some questionable design choices stop it from reaching its full potential. Even so, it offers a good mix of exploration and fear for players willing to overlook its rough edges.”

“Silence offers a striking and atmospheric adventure with memorable lighting, a piano-heavy soundtrack, and a world that feels crafted to explore. It has exploration, puzzles, and a sense of mystery that work well, but technical issues, control limitations, and performance hiccups stop it from reaching its full potential. There is something special here, but it comes wrapped in frustrations that players will need to push through to appreciate the experience.”

“Taxi Chaos 2 has a lot of depth with its abilities, upgrades, unlockable vehicles, and customisation options. The arcade mode is fun, and the core idea of fast taxi runs with drifting and smashing taxi bots is enjoyable. The world is changing around you, and the rare chaos resolvers add excitement. But the performance issues, glitches, slow progression, repeated customers, and frustrating camera make it a rough ride. There is a solid foundation here, but it needs more polish to truly shine.”

“Montezuma’s Revenge: The 40th Anniversary Edition brings back a classic with a bigger adventure and a lot of nostalgic charm. It has simple controls, a tough challenge, and a faithful recreation of the original experience. At the same time, the small fall distance, basic instructions, control issues, and visual blending can make it frustrating. It is a solid return for fans who want a difficult action platformer with a retro feel.”

“Bob the Brick Breaker is a fun, reflex-driven arcade experience that modernises a timeless formula. Its strengths lie in simple yet addictive gameplay, clever boss fights, and fast performance. However, the lack of tutorials, limited online features, and shallow replay value mean it’s best suited for short bursts of nostalgic fun rather than long-term engagement. For players chasing scores and trophies, it’s a quick and enjoyable ride.”

“The Last Case of John Morley is a suspenseful detective adventure that thrives on atmosphere, puzzles, and exploration. While accessibility issues, slow pacing, and uneven voice work hold it back, the strong visuals, engaging environments, and haunting narrative make it worth experiencing for fans of noir mysteries and horror-infused storytelling. It may not be flawless, but its immersive world and memorable story carry it far.”

“Street Racer Collection (QUByte Classics) is a fun, nostalgic ride that blends racing with combat in a way few titles dare. While its limitations in online features and dated mechanics may deter some, the sheer variety of modes, characters, and extras make it a worthy addition for fans of retro chaos. It’s a celebration of 90s gaming that earns its place in the kart racing genre, offering both laughs and challenges for those willing to embrace its quirks.”

“Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault delivers a bigger, smoother, and more engaging experience than its predecessor. The combination of shopkeeping, dungeon crawling, and strategic relic management creates a satisfying loop that keeps players hooked. While performance hiccups and accessibility gaps hold it back, the charm, variety, and depth of gameplay make it a strong Early Access title. With future updates promising more content and refinement, Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is well worth exploring for fans of adventure RPGs and merchant-driven gameplay.”

“Lumo 2 is a puzzle-heavy metroidvania that’s not for everyone, but if you click with its style, it’s a rewarding ride. It’s a game for particular players who enjoy quirky challenges, retro vibes, and layered puzzle design. The lack of guidance and accessibility might frustrate some, but those who embrace its eccentricity will find a game that’s both nostalgic and inventive.”