Platform reviewed:  Steam (PC) Price: $19.99 Is Netherworld Covenant a roguelike soulslike or a soulslike roguelike? Either way, the game introduces some neat mechanics that I haven’t seen done in either genre. And for those concerned that roguelikes and soulslikes are typically extremely punishing, I’m happy to report that Netherworld Covenant, while challenging, doesn’t feel like it’s out to punish players. With a bit more polish, the game could have easily landed among my

Platform reviewed:  Steam Also on:  PC (Steam),   Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S Price: $14.99 GIGASWORD is a side scrolling 2D puzzle action metroidvania game where I played as Ezra,  a thief in the city trying to survive, when the human population is on the brink of starvation. I was tasked with ascending the ancient tower in search of a crystal called Gnosis. Helping me was the Gigasword, the titular weapon of the game, a massive sword about the size o

I really wanted to like Dark Quest 4, but it felt far too punishing for me to recommend to fans of tactical games or board games like HeroQuest. The progression feels grindy, and that grind sets in far too early to get much enjoyment out of the experience. Even the difficulty sliders, which should help ease that frustration, feel broken. Any adjustment I made was immediately offset by the game increasing how much damage enemies deal.

A calming, Zen-like experience is what you’ll find playing LHEA and the Word-Spirit. While the gameplay can become repetitive, the game’s soothing and visually pleasing atmosphere will keep you engaged.