Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club review
Emio – The Smiling Man is a haunting tale that marks a welcome return of the Famicom Detective Club series. It’s the best of the three so far and steers significantly darker than previous entries, though as a visual novel with limited gameplay, it won’t change any minds if you weren’t already on board with what’s on offer... Read more
The Phantom Fellows review
The Phantom Fellows marches to the beat of its own ghostly drum. Its zany yet fair puzzles may require a little too much pixel hunting, but it grounds its surreal world in quirkily relatable stories packed with wildly creative dialogue and comically empathetic characters... Read more
Echoes (2024) review
Echoes presents an intriguing mystery through a gorgeous progression of graphical styles, though with little to do besides clicking through dialogues and finding the occasional hidden piece of information and making subtly impactful choices... Read more
Orbital Cargo Division review
Clearly meant as a love letter to VGA space adventures of yesteryear, the very short and simple Orbital Cargo Division may succeed more in making you fondly recall your time with those titles rather than giving you a new favorite to reminisce about... Read more
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons remake review
It’s much the same as fans will remember, but the Brothers remake pairs an already wonderful game with a stunning graphic overhaul and co-op multiplayer option. ... Read more
Farewell North review
Farewell North’s beautiful Scottish setting pulls you in with its canine star and cozy gameplay, then immerses you in a touching story about loss and letting go that’s well worth seeing through to the end... Read more
Nobody Wants to Die review
Immortality is within reach for this stylishly produced noir detective thriller about the misery of eternal life, but limited world-building and player agency prevent Nobody Wants to Die from becoming a once-in-a-lifetime experience... Read more
Devil's Hideout review
Cosmic Void succeeds in delivering another compelling mystery, as the frights in Devil’s Hideout challenge your courage and puzzle-solving skills in this short but spooky point-and-click occult adventure. ... Read more
Crime O'Clock review
A casual hidden object game mixed with a relentlessly wordy visual novel story, Crime O’ Clock is enjoyable enough with its beautiful illustrations, peppy music, and a ton of personality packed into its art, but only in small doses. ... Read more
Puzzles for Clef review
Puzzles for Clef endearingly blends plentiful puzzles with an intricate fairytale world and quirky characters. Like its teenage heroine, it's a little gawky and awkward in places, but it's also charming and full of heart... Read more
Looking Up I See Only A Ceiling review
Looking Up I See Only a Ceiling is an extremely short but nightmarishly eerie micro-experience. Its manga stylings and sensible puzzle design make it enjoyable to play, though even with its post-game replay options, it feels like a ton of potential for expansion was simply left unexplored... Read more
Closer the Distance review
Gameplay is limited to choosing specific tasks to maintain character stats, but Closer the Distance features an intriguing concept of applying indirect influence, and is a beautifully written and very detailed simulation of life in a small community after tragedy has struck... Read more
Riven (remake) review
Riven is not a game, it is an experience. It’s a demanding, puzzle-intensive experience that isn’t for everyone, but with its gorgeous setting and a web of interconnectedness never seen before in free-roaming 3D, be prepared to make this remastered edition your world for a long time before you come out the other side, even if you’ve played the original... Read more
Bent Oak Island review
Bent Oak Island’s budget limitations and lack of polish certainly hold it back, but you can get some good fun out of its twin protagonists’ sibling banter while trying to prevent a summer vacation from ending in disaster... Read more