Citizen Sleeper Review: Deliberative Dice Based Decisions
Citizen Sleeper blends wonderful art, narrative storytelling and meaningfully thematic gameplay in a way that is so confidently designed it’s hard not to be impressed.
Tag: Indie
Dorfromantik Review: Settlers of Calm
Inspired by board games and boasting an incredibly chill style, Dorfromantik is an excellent entry in the puzzle strategy genre.
Tunic Review: Satisfying Secret Solving
Nearly Five years after the initial announcement, Tunic is finally out. Was the wait worth it? Without a shadow of a doubt.
Sifu Review: Marvelously Meandering Martial Arts
Sifu is every Martial Arts film you’ve ever watched, but now in playable form. Unfortunately actually playing Sifu isn’t quite as pleasant as that might sound.
22 Indie Games to Watch in 2022
I’ve got more than a little trepidation about writing a list of 22 Indie Games to Watch in 2022. Because, hands up, I was ambitious about 2021. Too ambitious. Of the 21 games I listed last year, only 13 actually came out. So let’s take those as DEFINITELY coming out in 2022 and that we’re all excited for them. So if you’re here for anything listed here, then go back, all my comments still stand. For everything else, let’s go through 22 Indie Games to Watch in 2022. (And please let’s all pretend they won’t slip to 2023)
Sifu Preview: Promisingly Poetic Punching
An Early Sifu Preview shows Sloclap haven’t lost their touch as I get hands on in this gorgeous martial arts brawler.
Kena Bridge of Spirits Review: A Beautifully Hollow Throwback
Kena: The Bridge of Spirits is a beautiful debut indie title unfortunately frustrated by flat design decisions and storytelling.
Unpacking Review : Effortlessly Economical Storytelling
Unpacking combines artfully simplistic puzzle gameplay with a narrative so confidently delivered that it accomplishes in four hours what some games can’t do with dozens.
Sable Review: Serenely Satisfying Exploration
Sable is one of the most introspective, beautiful and captivatingly written games I’ve played all year.
Lake Review: Methodically Mellow Mail Delivery
It would be easy to dismiss Lake as another example of the “Pastoral Saviour” genre, akin to Animal Crossing/Stardew Valley. A stressed city slicker takes a break and goes out to the country to find themselves, their love and reset their life. They fix their life, and bring a little modern culture back to the boonies. You know this plot, because it’s also every other Hallmark movie. But that would be doing Lake a disservice. Because it is sort of that, but presented so beautifully and interrogated in such a meaningful way that it’s hard not to fall for the quiet pines and placid Lake.