Oxide Room 104

Oxide Room 104

Oxide Room 104 is a horror title that drops players into the terrifying Night Soul Motel and challenges them to escape unscathed. However, death lurks around every corner, and the decisions players make will determine what ending they will receive. While the game is set almost entirely in the motel, it has a couple of interesting tricks up its sleeve that boost the replay value considerably. Oxide Room 104 is definitely a title all horror fans will enjoy, but Silent Hill players, in particular, should not miss out on this one.

Gameplay: The game is creepy and tense, while the penalty for dying ensures that players can’t become too complacent while exploring.

Graphics: Some textures and animations could have been better, but overall the game looks great for an indie title.

Sound: While the voice acting could have been much better, the music and sound effects are great

Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight is an action-packed Metroidvania title with a fascinating and sprawling game world to explore. This world is also inhabited by some of the genre’s strangest and most fascinating enemies and NPCs. Completing the game provides a nice challenge, but players determined to uncover every secret and ending will be surprised to see how much is lurking beneath the cute exterior of Hollow Knight.

Gameplay: Hollow Knight is an absolute blast to play, and there’s so much to see and do that players can easily lose hours in Hallownest.

Graphics: The 2D visuals are charming, and the character designs, as well as unique areas, make for a memorable experience.

Sound: Everything from the haunting soundtrack to the strange language spoken by the bugs is superb

Sonority

Sonority

Sonority is a music puzzle adventure that is also very accessible for players without any previous musical knowledge. Players take control of a young woman named Esther, who is on a quest to save her friend Batama. To do so, she must solve the musical mysteries of a mysterious place called the rockery. Thanks to the whimsical story, charming characters, and relaxing gameworld, Sonority is an easy recommendation to puzzle fans.

Gameplay: The puzzles become steadily more complicated but are never illogical or unfair.

Graphics: The art style is simple but very vibrant, and each area has a distinct look and feel.

Sound: Music plays an integral part in the game, and the soundtrack definitely contributes to the experience

Trek to Yomi

Trek to Yomi

Trek To Yomi is a side-scrolling action game steeped in classic samurai movies’ cinematic style. It features an eye-catching black and white art style along with an authentic soundtrack. However, even with the inclusion of multiple combos, the combat never encourages players to move beyond the same basic attacks to win. This is a pity as it can make enemy encounters repetitive instead of exciting. Nevertheless, samurai fans, especially those familiar with the movies of Akira Kurosawa, should definitely check out the game.

Gameplay: The game is very short and quite linear, with plenty of combat sections interspersed with brief bouts of exploration.

Graphics: Fans of vintage samurai movies will love the black and white aesthetic of the game and the cinematic camera angles.

Sound: The music is authentic and filled with Japanese musical instruments from the period in which the game is set

DARK SOULS™: Prepare To Die™ Edition

DARK SOULS™: Prepare To Die™ Edition

Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition is an unforgiving game that punishes mistakes harshly, but players who stick with it will find a massive world filled with very satisfying challenges to overcome. It can be an incredibly obtuse game for newcomers, but plenty of guides are available to help out. Unfortunately, this edition is a very shoddy port, but thankfully, the REMASTERED edition is available.

Gameplay: Harsh, unforgiving, punishing but very addictive and rewarding for those who persevere.

Graphics: Although dark and oppressive, the game is also filled with many beautiful and memorable locations.

Sound: Features a great soundtrack and sound effects as well as good voice acting

THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD: Remake

THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD: Remake

The House of the Dead Remake sees the return of the original Sega classic rail-shooter with some brand new visuals. The game looks better than ever, but it is still a very short-lived experience. This makes it great for players who don’t mind replaying the handful of levels while aiming for higher scores, but everyone else might find it a little too bare-bones.

Gameplay: Shooting zombies is fun, but the game sticks to the handful of levels from the original game, which means it can be completed in less than an hour.

Graphics: The new visuals look great and the game doesn’t shy away from blood and dismemberment either.

Sound: The voice acting and sound effects are authentic, but the remake lacks the soundtrack from the original

HunterX

HunterX

HunterX is an impressive indie-developed Metroidvania title with a sprawling map and a very skilled devil-hunting protagonist. However, players have their work cut out for them as the game is also filled with vicious enemies and massive bosses that don’t show any mercy. While some players might find the hard-hitting foes a bit frustrating, the game offers plenty of weapons, accessories, skills, and abilities that when mastered makes it easy to turn the tables on enemies. Overall, HunterX doesn’t bring anything drastically new to the genre, but it knows what fans expect and isn’t afraid to challenge them in the process.

Gameplay: The game is tough, but players who take the time to learn all the intricacies it has to offer will find the combat to be very satisfying.

Graphics: The 3D visuals mixed with the 2D gameplay gives HunterX the look and feel of a lost Playstation 2 title and definitely make it stand out from the current crop of titles.

Sound: The game features a memorable soundtrack and great sound effects, but sadly no voice acting

Car Detailing Simulator

Car Detailing Simulator

Car Detailing Simulator is a relaxing game with plenty of tools to help players restore dirty, scratched-up cars to pristine works of art. The focus is purely on cleaning, so even players intimidated by the complexities of mechanic simulator games can have fun with this one. By its nature, the game can become repetitive, which players might find either soothing or tedious, depending on their tolerance levels. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that cleaning cars is very satisfying, and building up your bank balance as well as reputation while moving up the ranks is an enjoyable experience.

Graphics: The game features plenty of detailed cars that can be cleaned inside and out.

Sound: The music is nothing to write home about, but the sound effects are spot on.

Gameplay: Despite a lot of repetition, cleaning cars is a relaxing and satisfying activity that can quickly hook players

FixFox

FixFox

FixFox is a unique game that combines many different gameplay styles with a surprisingly deep storyline. Exploring the various areas while looting stashes is fun and using unorthodox tools to repair machines never gets old. Unfortunately, the game lacks any real challenges, and having to perform the same actions in new areas does become repetitive towards the end. Nevertheless, FixFox is an ambitious title considering a very small team made it, and this passion can be seen everywhere in the game.

Gameplay: Despite some repetition, FixFox combines many different gameplay elements with a wholesome story that will keep players coming back for more.

Graphics: The art style can be a bit of an acquired taste, but there’s no denying the amount of detail packed into each aspect of the visuals.

Sound: The chiptune soundtrack is very catchy and features unique music for each new area in the game

ASTRO ACE

ASTRO ACE

Astro Ace is a retro-style space shooter that isn’t afraid to challenge players. The goal is to take down endless waves of enemies while racking up a high score in the process. Although very difficult, the experience point system keeps players hooked with a steady stream of new unlocks, and the game is addictive enough that minutes can quickly turn into hours if you are not careful.

Gameplay: Astro Ace can be frustrating, and it takes a lot of practice to get anywhere, but beating your previous high score is quite a thrill.

Graphics: The visuals can get a little cluttered, but the ship designs and different effects have just the right combination of retro and modern.

Sound: The soundtrack and sound effects, apart from the Wingman Support, are unobtrusive and provide a good backdrop for the arcade action