"Dan and I were pleasantly surprised by just how damn rad The Fate of Baldr is as an Orcs Must Die!-esque melding of co-op third-person shooting and tower defense strategy. Gorgeous environments too."

"Jetpacking is always going to be a joy in video games, and Jett Rider capitalizes on that fact—while heaping on top some great tunes and humor too. One of JanduSoft's finest releases yet."

"Sure to be one of 2024's finest narratively focused titles, 1000xRESIST serves up gracefully poetic writing with gutting visual storytelling, incredible environmental design, and great cinematography."

"Hook this exhilarating, Akira × Duke Nukem × [post void] FPS straight into your veins for a brilliant time. Let's call it early: this is doubtlessly the #1 FPS of the year. It goes so hard and fast!"

"Lovely and lively, this marvelous first-person puzzler nurtures an enthralling mix of accessible yet cerebral puzzles and Gone Home-y storytelling. Gorgeous visuals, music, and level design."

"One of the best games of 2024 so far, this tightly designed puzzle game uses Chess mechanics as the backbone for a litany of clever puzzles. Then add onto that some tranquil tunes and pretty art."

"Aggro Crab have done it again, delivering a colorful, cunning, delightful, and accessible entry into the Soulsborne genre. Smooth action/platforming too, and the anti-pollution themes fit so well."

"Roguelite deckbuilding that's a biiiiit of a different beast from Slay the Spire and the like, but still with incredibly tight mechanics, superb gamefeel, and bugfuck powerful runs."

"One of the greatest mobile games of all time (and that is no hyperbole) has just now hit Steam—so, if you scoff at the prospect of mobile gaming, finally check this characterful puzzler out."

"Despite completely sucking at it, I cannot dispute that Slidemagi is a robust, kickass tactical RPG with an inventive control scheme and design around it, as well as a cute claymation aesthetic."

"Hauntii is not your typical twinstick, thanks to its emphasis on possession and artful handcraftedness. Few games this year can contest its beauty, or its sense of awe and wonder, with such tightness."

"A barn-burner of the highest caliber, delivering a genuinely fresh riff on the saturated garlic-like genre: you're driving through the onslaughts like a bat outta hell, slamming into them."

"LK,BC channels decades of cute cat pics into one indelibly delightful ball of an open world collect-a-thon. To say that it is effortlessly endearing would be tautological, but it still bears praise."

"Touting some of the tightest melee combat of the year, this stylish blend of Katana ZERO and Cowboy Bebop had me on the edge of my seat beating mfers up and volleying across platforms."

"Hotline Miami 3 ain't happenin', hon, but its legacy lives on in Anger Foot—albeit now in first-person and bathed in Free Lives' offbeat personality. Few games are as exhilarating AF as AF is."

"Offering a more involved experience than your usual garlic-like, Frontline Survivors is a thematically consistent garlic-like with twinstick controls and batshit builds. It's clever and very fun."

"Psychedelia and Metroidvanias are IN in 2024, and this banger with spectacular art by El Huervo (of Hotline Miami fame) synthesizes these two crazes with style, refinement, and more style."

"Try to name a twinstick that is as mesmerizing as Dead Petals Bliss already is—you can't. This trippy twinstick combines forces between the devs of Dead Petals and satryn deluxe, and they NAIL IT."

"One of the most unique and gorgeous deckbuilders so far, offering a fresh and intuitive battle system as well as a monster-catching flair. Plus, the music and creature designs totally own."

"Despite its appearances, Hoversteppers is much closer in terms of gameplay to the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games than Jet Set Radio, and it's a welcome THPS spiritual successor in a world bereft of 'em."

"Lovers of short, cute investigative adventure titles will find plenty to enjoy with DD:TSS. It's clever, it's fun, it's adorable, and it doesn't outstay its welcome. Does what it says on the tin."

"Surprising no one, Hades II is already a sterling sequel that builds upon the world, cast, and mechanics of its predecessor in fresh—yet comfortably familiar—ways. Shaping up to be a masterpiece."

"One of the year's finest action roguelites sees the affable Turnip Boy goin' full heist mode with a cleverly designed, hilarious, and cute gungeon crawler. Wonderful tunes and pixel art too."

"Juicy roguelite action with groovy, energetic tunes and ample bullet time. Its simple, clean, hand-drawn aesthetic allows for a surprisingly readable mayhem to its bullethellish extremes."

"Sometimes, you just desire a laid-back idle game to while away minutes between other matters. And RR absolutely provides, with the cute distinction of existing at the bottom of your desktop."