Mixtape
This game is so fun in a goofy way, it had me laughing out loud. The game is modern, while still creating a sense of nostalgia, despite not being a teenager in the 90s.
It has the interactive fiction design of a game like Life is Strange, without the stress of having to make character affecting decisions. The game mainly consists of a short story arc of the present, with the goofy antics which are played out as a variety of mini games. The mini games are supposed to be memories, so they're not necessarily an accurate depiction of what actually happened, so there's a little flexibility in the way you play.
Spirit Crossing (Beta Review)
It has a lot of the same ideas as another game I’ve recently beta tested, Loftia, however this is definitely it’s own game. While they both involve collecting resources on various floating islands and playing together with other players while doing story quests, I would say Spirit Crossing is more story and friend focused. While Loftia also has friends and stories, it seems to be more focused on crafting and decorating your house while managing your energy.
Swan Song
Puzzle box game that's a little different, but also tells an emotional story as you progress. The puzzles get more complex with more options as you progress, but the general idea is you have to get a swan from one side of the box to the other by using the music notes to determine when to move or rotate the blocks.
The Artisan of Glimmith
Beautiful puzzle game with lots of different types of puzzles to solve, so even if you get tired of one type of puzzle, there are many others to progress. The puzzles are in different difficulty levels, so you know in advance if the next puzzle you are about to try is likely to be easy or harder. Some puzzles are slightly frustrating at first, but only take a little bit of time and patience to find the solution, and so far I haven't found any that I've gotten completely stuck on. Plus you can always come back for another try if you need a break from the more difficult ones.
Solarpunk
This game has all the things I like from several other games I already love. It has the build system like that of Valheim, but without the combat and death, so you can focus on building and exploring without having to worry about losing your things (if you choose the soft option). It also has the farming elements that are familiar to those who play a lot of farm sim games, although I would say the crops grow a little too quick, but in a survival game this makes more sense as you need to keep your food and water levels up as starving is one of the few way you can actually die in this game.
The automation you can make further into the game are also essential, otherwise I would be constantly mining every ore on every island. The power system is a good way to allow automation in a controlled way, so you can't just go straight to max level, you have to build energy sources like solar panels and later wind turbines and turbines to balance your energy demands, which makes it more realistic.
Thrifty Business
Adore this game. It's so chill and peaceful while I sell all the second hand clothes and items that people don't want. It's not just a shop sim, there are also events and stories to make it feel more personal, such as why the characters are selling their belongings and not just to make as much money as possible. There are plenty of upgrade options to expand your store as you progress. The only thing I would suggest it they add an auto sale for non story characters, otherwise the characters stack to form a big queue, especially when you get further in the game.
Loftia (Beta Review)
I will update this review once I’ve played it in Early Access, but based on what I’ve seen and played during the closed beta, I am very excited to play this game again.
So far the setting and music are so atmospheric. I am looking forward to the devs expanding the housing system, as right now it is quite limited, but it has much potential.
The farming system is fairly simple like other farming sim games, but with this game the focus is on sustainability. There is no stamina, but there is energy in the form of a rechargeable battery, that can be topped up with clean power from solar or wind.
Palia
At first I was nervous to start another MMO type game, but it is not like traditional MMOs in that there is more focus on having fun, exploring and of course the housing system. I love the socials aspects of the game like bug hunting and cooking parties and there is no real danger or combat system to worry about.
Looking forward to future expansions like the Royal Highlands.
Life is Strange: Reunion
This game makes a great end to one of my favourite game series. I did enjoy Double Exposure, but as you probably already know if you've played it, it didn't have the same impact as the original game. Reunion gives fans closure by completing the story that DE started in a way that improves on the ending of DE, and yet still feels like an authentic LiS game, with all the emotional narrative you would expect.
Does it answer every question? No, but it doesn't need to. This game gives you just enough to form your own interpretation or speculation about the ending, while at the same time making it clear that this is intended to be the final time we see Max and Chloe in a game together.
Will there be future games or spin offs? I have no idea, but if they do open the series up again I hope they create new characters or give minor characters from the main series a spin off. I would be happy either way as long as the story is great.
Starsand Island
I genuinely enjoyed playing this game and there are many unique features that make it different but familiar to other Farm Sim type games.
The animal system is good how you can breed rare breeds, but can be frustrating when you get too many male cows or chickens, that don’t make any produce, although at least you have to option to remove animals from the barns and store them for later or sell them for money if you need to make space for other animals.