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Thomas Was Alone probably sets the record for "lowest-budget to biggest-heart" ratio in a game. And if not, it's pretty high up there. Now, don't get me wrong, when I say "low budget", I don't mean it's half-assed in any way. It's actually really well made - rather, the look of it is purposely lo-fi. You play as a red rectangle named Thomas whose goal is to make it through a series of 2D puzzle-platforming levels. Along the way you'll also meet other colored rectangles, each with their own unique abilities and personality. And that's all I'll really say about the plot. Suffice it to say that you will be amazed at how much you'll actually care about a bunch of little rectangles. That is due in equal parts to the writing and the well-done narration that accompanies it. As for the actual gameplay, it's good, but very easy. The levels involve puzzle-solving and platforming, but neither aspect is even remotely difficult, except perhaps in a couple of spots here and there (which I would classify more as tedious than hard). So this is not a game you should buy looking for a challenge. You should buy it if you are into indie games with unique looks, story and ideas. It's a great experience, all around - a perfect casual game to while away an afternoon. The game will take around 3-4 hours total, including all secrets, so it's not very long, but it also doesn't overstay its welcome. Definitely check it out if you like these types of games.

Gone Home is a unique new entrant in the increasingly popular "interactive story" sub-genre. The closest comparison I can make is to Dear Esther, in that both games aren't really games, and involve piecing together a story by observation. However, there is much more to Gone Home than simply walking a linear path. Instead, you have complete freedom to explore an extremely detailed environment. The game takes place in the mid-1990s, and you play as a college student who returns home from a year abroad to find her home empty. What happened to her parents and sister? It's up to you to find out. But there are no "puzzles" to be solved, and no other game-like elements to speak of. You simply explore the house at your own pace and investigate. Many objects can be picked up and examined, and you will find letters and tapes (it's the 90s, remember?) strewn about that contain clues about what's been going on since you left. Aside from one major story through-line involving your sister (that is chronicled via voice-over journal entries), piecing together the rest of the story is left up to you - like, in your actual brain - not as part of any gameplay mechanic. Essentially, how much you get out of the game depends purely on how much investment and deduction you put into it. If you aren't interested in non-game games or story-based games, there isn't much I can recommend here, as ultimately, there just isn't much to it, aside from that. But if you are open to these new types of gaming experiences, this is a great one. The house, its secrets, the characters... they all work. There are a ton of little things to discover and piece together about the story, and it's a really memorable experience... at least, it is while it lasts. And that is my only main criticism of the game - the length vs price issue. The playtime will depend on how deliberate you are in exploring the environment and how much you care about the story. But I'd say it can probably be completed in anywhere from just a couple of hours (if you only do the bare minimum of investigating), up to 3-4 hours (if you are anal and OCD like me). And when you consider that along with the $20 price tag, it's hard for me to fully recommend. If it were $10 and you are the kind of person who is open to these types of games, I'd say buy it without a second thought. But $20 seems just a tad too steep to me (and trust me, it pains me to say that, as I absolutely loved the game). I don't personally have any regrets buying it, but if you're on the fence, I'd say hold off until a sale. Price aside, Gone Home is a really well-done gam--- sorry, I mean "interactive STORY" --- and a great new addition to this sub-genre.

This is an interesting game. The premise is very simple - you are a little alien that drops off the moon and you need to find your way back. The gameplay is 2D platform style, and involves exploring a huge floating mountain trying to find 6 different ways to return to the moon at the top of the map. The game offers very little instruction, tasking you with figuring out everything on your own. None of the tasks are overly difficult, but some require thorough exploration, experimentation and deduction. Overall, the vibe of the game is very laid back and mysterious, which is probably its best aspect. I love that there's a game out there in 2013 that offers no explanations and just wants you to explore and figure stuff out on your own. It reminds me of the good old days, playing the original Zelda and Metroid for the first time. Playing a game with a sense of mystery and no hand-holding is a rarity now, and I guess that's what I like about this one so much. It's probably not for everyone, though. At its core, this is a fairly casual game (though it does get surprisingly difficult at the very end) and it doesn't last too long. Also, I am well aware that some people probably won't appreciate the lack if direction/instruction as much as I do. That said, for the price, it's hard to not recommend if you're at all interested in trying out something new and are up for a bit of mystery and exploration.

PixelJunk Eden is a tough game to describe. I am not really sure what the developers' intent was with this game... on the surface, it looks like a sort of casual interactive art piece showcasing a synergy of music and colors. But once you get deeper into it, there are increasing levels of challenge (and frustration), which go against the laid-back casual vibe. But what is it, exactly? I'm not really sure... I guess my best simple summary would be to say it's sort of like an unholy union of the artistic games "Flow" and "Flower" on the PS3 (if you've played/heard of those). Anyways, you play as some sort of little bug thing that can jump around and stick to plants. By jumping into floating spores, you release pollen that fills in seeds, which when filled, sprout new plants that allow you to reach new areas. You just keep exploring in this way until you find a special glowy thing called a "spectra", which ends the level. There are 15 levels (or "gardens", as they are called), each of which contains 5 spectra. So there is plenty of content to play through. While no major mechanics are introduced after the first few levels, the game mostly stays interesting throughout, due mostly to the diversity in the look and music. Each garden has a unique vibe, due to the music and color palette/design. As each spectra is collected, the levels evolve slightly to introduce more visual elements. It's a pretty neat effect. As I mentioned earlier, while the game is fairly simple at its core, some frustration creeps in during the latter portion of the game due to the introduction of really annoying enemies and some slightly more challenging platforming bits (the sometimes wonky controls don't help, either). It's nice for the challenge, but it also sort of goes against the enjoyable casual feel of the early parts of the game. It felt somewhat like the game had an identity crisis to me... but I dunno, maybe it's just me. That said, it is still a super enjoyable experience if you go into it not expecting some sort of blockbuster. It's a great experimental art piece that is perfect for those times when you just want to turn your mind off and get lost in a spaced out state of sights and sounds... and yes, that means it's definitely the perfect game for you if your favorite time of day is 4:20. But even if not, it's still an enjoyable experience and worth checking out.

Guacamelee is the latest competitor to enter the 'Metroidvania' wrestling ring (see what I did there?)... har har. Ahem. So it is a worthy descendant of the classics? In a word, yes. There's a lot to like about this one. First of all, the Mexican style/setting is something I can't recall ever seeing in a game before, and it actually works really well. The characters are cool and the writing is decent. Secondly, the combat is surprisingly deep and can be challenging at times. You play as a luchador and mainly utilize wrestling moves to take down your opponents. After beating on a guy for a bit, you get the option to grapple and toss them. This ends up being really fun, especially when you start racking up huge combos by throwing dudes into a group of other dudes. It's not simply a mindless beat-'em-up, though. There is a deeper layer of strategy and skill required, as certain enemies can only be defeated with careful timing or by using specific special moves to break their defenses first. It's not too hard versus 1 or 2 enemies, but when the game throws a screen full of baddies at you with projectiles flying all over the place, it can actually get a bit challenging. Aside from combat, the game also mixes in some classic 2D platforming. Some of these sections will really put your skills to the test, as they require precise coordination of various moves to be strung together very quickly. This could have potentially been very frustrating, but luckily, the game is very forgiving when it comes to the platforming. If you fall to your "death", you just end up back on the most recent platform you touched with no other penalty. While this may seem dumbed down, you'll be glad for it... trust me. Overall, the game does a great job of tuning the balance of difficulty between its various systems. The toughest parts are probably the boss fights, which require patience, observation and exploitation of patterns. You'll be challenged, but with a bit of practice, you'll eventually get by. Depending on how quickly you play or how completionist you want to get, the game will last you anywhere from 9-13 hours, and many more if you plan to go for the best ending or complete all of the challenges in the "El Infierno" DLC level (included for free). So it's a good value for the money (and I haven't even touched at all on how many gaming references and other neat touches can be found throughout). Guacamelee is a serious love-fest for gaming fans and especially those who love the Metroidvania sub-genre. If that sounds like you, then pick this one up without hesitation.

Technical notes: I know I say this for almost every sidescroller, but seriously, I mean it this time - you are gonna want to use a gamepad for this one (specifically an Xbox360 controller if you have one). I suppose it's possible to play this with a keyboard, but I sure as hell wouldn't want to. Some of the platforming and combat sections need split-second finesse maneuvering, which is hard enough even with a controller. The developers even put up a note at the start of the game that they recommend using a controller. Whenever I see those warnings in a game from a developer, I have learned to heed them. You probably should too. So think twice about buying this if you don't have a gamepad with the standard layout of buttons/sticks.

TFoL is... hmm... well, it's... umm... no, that's not quite right... gimme a second to think, here... uhhhhhhhhh... ok, so................. yeah. This game is kind of hard to explain. And actually, explaining it kind of defeats the purpose, anyways. So I guess what I will say is that this is... sort of like a Quentin Tarantino film that's been super-condensed to a length of just 15 minutes and turned into an art experiment. There's no "gameplay" to speak of - it's a first person interactive story-slash-art-piece, nothing more. The graphics are as simple as can be, but it has some cool ideas and is worth checking out if you are open to these sorts of artsy game experiments. I wasn't kidding before, though - the experience is over in literally 15 minutes or so. So just keep that in mind as far as your personal "price vs. playtime" factor goes.

One other note: this game also includes its prequel, "Gravity Bone", for free. I recommend playing this first. To access it, click "career" in the main menu and select Gravity Bone.

After playing through the full (post early access) release, the verdict is in and I can confidently say that Skulls of the Shogun is a winner. This quirky turn-based strategy game seems simple at first, but there are actually some surprisingly deep levels of nuance and complexity beneath the surface. You play as a Japanese swordsman General who is trying to reclaim his stolen identity in the afterlife. The art style is very unique and really well done. The cast of characters and story are also very cool. The dialogue, in particular, is a highlight. I wasn't expecting much from that aspect of a seemingly simple strategy game, but I was pleasantly surprised at how funny and entertaining it was.

So the aesthetic portions of the game are definitely good, but what of the actual gameplay, you ask? In short, it's pretty damn good. Gameplay is turn based, but on each turn you have 5 "orders" that can be performed. Your team is comprised of various types of units (warriors, cavalry, archers), each of which has their own strengths and weaknesses. Instead of moving on tiles like other strategy games, the actions in this game are more free-roaming. Units are able to move anywhere they want, within a certain radius, and are also able to continue moving after performing an action, which adds to the level of strategy involved. One of your main goals is to eat the skulls of defeated opponents, which restores health. However, if a unit is able to eat 3 skulls, they transform into a Demon, which enables them to perform 2 actions per turn, which is a huge advantage. Gameplay becomes a delicate balancing act of attacking, positioning and staying alive long enough to power up.

Outside of these main elements, there are a number of other nuances (summoning monks with special powers, forming spirit walls, environmental hazards, deciding when to bring your general into battle, and more) that add many layers of complexity to the basic strategy. Every level seems to provide some new elements to learn or deal with, and this keeps the main campaign fresh from start to finish. There's no padding at all. The main campaign lasts several hours (more if you play on a higher difficulty or attempt to complete the set of special goals for each level) and is worth the price of admission alone. In addition, the game also features online, local and asynchronous multiplayer matches. So there is plenty of content here for both casual and competitive types.

All in all, this game is solid and brings some really cool twists to the turn-based strategy genre. If you are into that type of thing, pick this one up. And if not, well, this could be the game that makes you a fan. Check it out.

DLC Quest is a short game whose raison-d'etre is to satirize all the DLC practices you love to hate, along with a variety of other negative aspects of today's gaming world. The game features two main quests - the original DLC Quest, and a "sequel" titled "Live Freemium or Die". Each quest clocks in at around 1 hour or so (assuming you complete them at or near 100%). Gameplay is typical 2D platformer style. All you do is run around, jumping and collecting coins, which are then used to purchase "DLC" (missing game features that, when reinstated, allow you to continue progressing). You basically just repeat that cycle for an hour and you're done. The game itself is really easy, so this isn't really something you'll want to play for a challenge. Rather, it's all about the humor and satire. So how is it in those terms? Pretty decent, actually. Some of the writing is a tad heavy-handed, especially near the beginning, but overall I found it to be pretty well done, and even laugh-out-loud funny at times (well, maybe more like 'chuckle-out loud')... anyways, I guess my point is that the game got right what it needed to get right. It's hardly a challenge as a game, but the 2 hours spent playing does provide some interesting moments that you probably won't find anywhere else. If you're up for an experimental experience, and don't mind taking a chance at the low price tag, I say go for it. Just don't buy it expecting anything more than an interactive satire/spoof.

Bleed is another one of these modern-day hard-core 2D action-platformers that seem to be all the rage lately. But don't take that as a knock on it. It's actually a really well-made game with some unique elements to it. The primary story mode is comprised of 7 levels, each of which feature a sub-boss, a final boss, and some steep challenges in between. The gameplay is typical fare (jump and shoot), but with some interesting twists. The most notable thing is the shooting mechanic, which is done is the style of twin-stick shooters (shoot in 360 degrees via the mouse or right-thumbstick). Jumping is another key mechanic with a twist - you can jump up to three times, but the jumps are more like dashes in specific directions. So you have to perform the moves with precision and forethought. The final game mechanic is "bullet time", in which the action slows down to a crawl, allowing you to perform crazy dodges, super-precise maneuvers, or get more shots in on bosses. In between levels, you can also buy various upgrades (new weapons, more health, etc) using points you earn by clearing levels (performing well earns more points). The controls are spot-on and the game is very forgiving, having no major penalty for death (at least in the story mode). This allows anyone to eventually be able to beat it if they are persistent enough. Bleed can be completed in around an hour or two at most on normal difficulty (and probably much less if you are really good), so it's not very long, no matter how you slice it. Replay value and longevity comes in the form of higher difficulty levels and an "arcade mode", which tasks you to beat the game with just 1 life (good luck with that!). For those who are into brutal challenges and high scores, there's probably enough here to justify a purchase. But if you're like me, and are now "way too old for that ♥♥♥♥", it's maybe less so of a no-brainer (though I felt it was worth it, regardless). So I would say base your decision on that... If you are into tough platformers and welcome a challenge, this is well worth the money. But if you're more of a casual fan of the genre, take into account the short length for basic completion and decide whether 5 bucks is worth a couple of hours of fun. Overall, the game is solid and has some pretty cool things going for it, so I say it's worth it, but YMMV... I give it a solid B.

Technical notes: I played the game with a gamepad and it worked fine, though it did take me quite a while to wrap my head around the control scheme, which is quite unusual for games like this (left and right sticks for movement and shooting, left and right triggers for bullet-time and jumping). In retrospect, I realize it probably would have been easier to control via mouse and keyboard, due to the precision aiming a mouse provides. I just went with gamepad out of habit for this type of game, without thinking. Both methods definitely work, but this is one of those rare cases where I don't necessarily recommend having a gamepad in order to buy the game. I think it should probably be just fine, if not better, with keyboard and mouse controls only, if that's all you have.

Toki Tori 2+ is not at all the game I was expecting it to be. The original game was a series of self-contained puzzle levels that were solved using a limited set of items. Toki Tori 2 is not that at all. Instead, the game drops you in the middle of a vast open 2D world and leaves you to figure everything out on your own. There are no instructions, tutorials, levels or items. The whole world is open from the start and you just need to figure out how to get through it while collecting a series of, err... collectibles. Unlike the previous game, Toki no longer uses items to solve puzzles. Instead, your abilities are limited to walking, singing and stomping. That's it. Where the complexity (and genius) comes in is how you can combine those actions with the various creatures that populate the world. For example, you can lure birds to pick you up with chirps, move bugs by stomping, and much, much more. I won't say anything further on that, as half the fun is figuring out the rules of the game on your own. As with the previous game, level/puzzle design is utterly brilliant. So many times you will think there is no way to proceed past an area, only to have the solution click a few minutes later (and you subsequently smack yourself upside the head because of how simple it actually was). That is a sign of good design, and I admire it a lot. I can't really think of any puzzles that were totally unfair, although there were a handful that were somewhat tedious. The singing mechanic is also a pretty neat new feature. In addition to its standard functionality, you learn a series of songs that provide other abilities, such as time-rewind, warping around the map, and more. And oh yeah, the characters are all really cute - especially Toki and the frogs (if you're into that sort of thing as a selling point). It all comes together nicely in a really well-executed package. Overall, I liked this a lot better than the first game, due to the open-ended exploration/collection gameplay and the "complex simplicity" in the puzzle design. It's a fun, laid-back game that should appeal to puzzle fans. A-