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Check it out. In true cozy game fashion, Tiny Bookshop  opens with you leaving your old life in search of a new purpose. Set in Bookstonbury, your new life is designed around selling second-hand books to the residents of this charming, coastal town. This premise is common and frequently used, but all it really does is set the scene for your upcoming literary adventure. The game wastes no time establishing its warm atmosphere. From the moment you arrive in Bookstonbury, you're greeted by quirky characters and the promise of a simpler, more peaceful existence centered around the joy of matching readers with the book of their dreams. Publisher: Skystone Games, 2P Games Developer:   neoludic games Platform:  Played on PC (Steam) Availability:  Released on August 7, 2025 for Windows PC (Steam) and Nintendo Switch. Most of your time is going to be spent building your collection of second-hand books by purchasing them through the newspaper classified ads section. The mechanic of building your inventory through purchases is not new, however, purchasing them from a newspaper directly fits the theme of Bookstonbury really well. You won’t have a phone or a computer to purchase your books. In addition to books, you can also purchase decorative items for your shop through the newspaper. The way you decorate your tiny bookshop trailer plays an important role in your success. Combined with the changing weather, your decoration choices dictate various buffs and debuffs that affect your day. Items can be placed almost everywhere in your trailer: tacked to the inner or outer walls, placed on the ground directly outside your trailer, hung up by the ceiling. You can purchase tables, benches, and chairs which expands the number of “table-top” items you can place in your space. Some items can increase your expenses, so although it can be tempting to load your trailer up with decorative items, it is best to be mindful of how much the upkeep would cost. Though selling is the primary focus, it's not the only focus. You are able to form memories with the residents of the town, even core memories that allow you to progress through the story. These relationships develop naturally as you interact with townsfolk, recommend books, and help them navigate their personal challenges. Much of the game flows through the book recommendation system, which is when an NPC asks you to recommend a book to them based on their interests, mood, or needs. Successfully recommending a book leads to an 'inspiration' time period where your chances of making a sale increases significantly. This mechanic is surprisingly more difficult than you’d expect. You'll need to pay close attention to exactly what the customer is saying. Requests range from the more general “I need something romantic! Anything will do.” to the more specific “I need something with a famous detective, preferably one that is gory, and it cannot have any magic or fantasy.” If the NPC does not like what you recommend, nothing bad happens but they do walk out looking pretty disappointed, which is a gentle encouragement to try harder next time rather than a harsh punishment. As someone who loves books in real life, this system brought me so much joy. There's something deeply satisfying about matching a character with their perfect read and watching them do a little jump in happiness. The animation of the NPCs and the continuity is to be admired. The developers have paid remarkable attention to detail – characters duck their heads if they're tall enough to hit the top of your doorway, and your ramp is sloped low enough that all the wheelchair users can roll themselves up without assistance. These thoughtful touches create an inclusive world that feels alive and respectful. There's something deeply satisfying about matching a character with their perfect read and watching them do a little jump in happiness. The main story is short but sweet, primarily progressing through solving "cases" which are essentially mysteries that pop up in the town. These range from investigating a strange noise coming from a mysterious cave by the beach to finding out who deflated the wavy arm guy at the local mega mart. Each case offers a delightful blend of whimsy and heart, keeping the narrative engaging without feeling overwhelming. Although not too high-level, finding out exactly where to go next or what to interact with next can be tricky. But the game does a good job of leaving clues in the conversations with the residents of the town. My favourite example of this involves an NPC named Tilde, who eventually undergoes hip surgery. As she recovers, you see her progress from a wheelchair to crutches, before finally walking without any need of walking aids. This kind of character development adds a layer of realism and compassion to the story. The diversity extends beyond physical representation. Characters come from various backgrounds, ages, and life experiences, each bringing their unique perspective to Bookstonbury. Each character has their own story, and you can help them all if you desire. The quests range from helping Moira reconnect with her estranged grandmother, Mary, to building confidence with the shy but talented journalist Fern, or assisting Klaus in writing a song that he then performs for the whole town. As your relationships deepen, the game rewards you with increasingly meaningful interactions. By the end, it culminates into you inheriting Tilde's old bookshop, giving you the option to sell in one permanent location versus continuing your traveling book trailer business. Tiny Bookshop has a simple, painterly aesthetic that feels so inviting. What's impressive is that once you unlock the bookshop, you can still travel with your trailer. The game does not limit your options in any way. This player-friendly approach extends to the decoration system as well. Any decorations you want to use in-store can be used in your trailer too, and if you want to use something that is already in use elsewhere, clicking on the item from your inventory will simply unequip it from its current location. Beyond the gameplay, the aesthetics of the game are simply stunning. It has a dreamy watercolor look to it, with soft edges and a gentle color palette that evokes a sense of nostalgia and comfort. Although there isn't a lot of minute detail, there is just enough to help set the scene and immerse you in this cozy world. The changing seasons affect not just gameplay but also the visual experience. Watching Bookstonbury transform from the vibrant greens of spring to the deep snow of winter creates a satisfying sense of time passing and adds variety to your visual journey. Some items can also be set only during specific seasons. The snowman item for example is best suited to be equipped during the winter when it will stay intact. In terms of negatives, the prompts from customers occasionally don’t make logical sense. For example, “I want to do some historical research. I’ve yet to find a ‘funny’ book that actually makes me laugh.” The juxtaposition of a historical, factual book and a funny book can be difficult to wrap your head around. Also, while you can adopt a cat, you can’t interact with it in the same way as the dog, which feels like a missed opportunity for players that prefer cats over dogs. All in all, Tiny Bookshop offers a cozy and thoughtful experience that balances relaxation with engaging gameplay. Visually, it is beautiful and the soundtrack complements the atmosphere perfectly. The game requires enough thinking to keep it from becoming dull or repetitive while maintaining a peaceful and low-stress environment. Character diversity is handled with care and respect. And yes: you can adopt and interact with an adorable stray dog companion that keeps you company throughout the game. Tiny Bookshop  stands out in the increasingly crowded cozy gaming genre by offering more than just aesthetic charm – it provides a thoughtful meditation on community, literature, and finding purpose in unexpected places. Whether you're a bookworm who dreams of running your own shop or simply someone looking for a gentle, heartwarming gaming experience, this title delivers hours of satisfaction. With its blend of book-matching puzzles, character-driven stories, and customizable spaces, Tiny Bookshop  creates a world you'll want to return to again and again, just like revisiting a beloved novel that always has something new to offer with each reading. Image Credits: Neoludic Games Disclosure: We received a free review copy of this product.

I deliver a message. I’ve always been more of an RPG gamer, preferring sprawling narratives and choice over fast or action-packed gameplay. Nearly every game I had on my NES was either an adventure game, an RPG, or some combination of the two, with the exception of Ninja Gaiden  on the NES. I never did beat it, sadly. At such a young age I was unable to grasp how to play it in any real capacity. To be completely honest, I’m not sure I could ever get past the first few areas. Despite that, something about playing a ninja who could bound wall-to-wall, throw shuriken, and slice dudes up was enthralling. Fast-forward several years and the enjoyment never translated to another purchase of a 2D ninja game. I have never owned a single Strider  game until PS4 or played Shinobi . So seeing The Messenger available for just a few dollars on Steam felt like the perfect opportunity to jump into a genre and style of game that passed me by, to experience something I’ve always wanted to play but never really got the chance to sit with. Publisher: Devolver Digital Developer:   Sabotage Studio Platform:  Played on PC (Steam) Availability:  Released on August 30, 2018 for Windows PC and Nintendo Switch. March 19, 2019 for PlayStation 4. June 25, 2020 for Xbox One. The Messenger isn’t a Ninja Gaiden  game. Despite taking some gameplay cues in level design and combat, it never drowns into itself as a derivative work. For one, it’s deeply unserious, with every character interaction landing in a joke or non-sequitur, which is not uncommon for Devolver Digital games, and even more common for Devolver games of this particular era. By contrast, every single thing I’ve seen from Ninja Gaiden  leads me to believe it is self-serious. The tone matches the brutal difficulty of the game. I suppose in this way The Messenger reads more like a parody or tip of the cap than a true homage, at least in dialogue. Things change quite a bit when you move into the actual gameplay. The levity and tongue-in-cheek nature of The Messenger ’s dialogue might give you the impression that the combat and platforming would be a bit of a joke, as well. This is absolutely not the case. The game starts off lean, with only a few abilities: sword attack, shuriken, and cloud step (the ability to jump after striking an enemy or object with a sword attack). Not a lot of variety in your approach this early on, but enemies can still kill you within a few hits, so it’s important to approach with caution. As you advance, more abilities and items become available to you, opening up your options. You’ll also get some abilities and stat boosts through shop upgrades found in the various save points scattered throughout each zone. The art of The Messenger is absolutely stunning. The game does a pretty good job of getting you used to your new tools throughout the level, too, with platforming segments designed to make use of it in a teachable experience. Frankly, the platforming is by far the most difficult individual aspect of this game. Many of the world’s secrets are hidden behind complex or precise platforming segments, especially late in the game when you have to string together a multitude of perfect action sequences to reach whatever prize awaits you in the distance. In these places, even a single mistake will mean certain death. To balance this out, the consequences of dying are quite minimal, as you are simply transported to the most recently used checkpoint, and a small, red demon who eats your money appears to give you some sass before moving on. The Messenger seems to find some joy in allowing you to fail a single room over and over in rapid succession, often placing a checkpoint right before any particularly challenging room. There’s nothing particularly wrong  with this approach, but when combined with frequently “blind” platforming it can feel frustrating, like I’ve been goaded into dying without really making a mistake. One moment the level calls for you to drop into a pit, but when the screen transitions, there’s an enemy or hazard directly below you and reaching safety requires tight control and foreknowledge of the layout. It feels extremely satisfying to pull these off in the moment, but it is deeply frustrating in the aggregate. Despite this, the levels are often trying to teach you strategies for movement or conveying something that is applicable beyond your current situation. This all comes to a head at the end of each zone when you finally face whatever big boss lies in wait for you. Generally speaking, these bosses require the use of abilities gained or learned to use appropriately throughout whichever area you’ve traversed through to get to them. If that’s not the case for a boss, there’s always some other gimmick to attend to throughout; it’s never just a straight and simple fight scenario. The bosses are all unique and are beyond a doubt the best part of The Messenger.  Being able to put everything together to take down a big demon or dragon feels rewarding in a way that the platforming elements are never able to really replicate. Every mistake in those rooms feels like something you could prepare to watch out for and react to. Being able to put everything together to take down a big demon or dragon feels rewarding in a way that the platforming elements are never able to really replicate. Unfortunately, much of what makes The Messenger  so fun is offset by the banal backtracking. The second half of the game introduces a really neat reality shifting ability that allows you to solve puzzles and navigate the world through changes made in the transition from 8-bit to 16-bit graphics. Separate platforms, secret rooms, and a slick new hat all find themselves being used to great effect in the dimensional transition, but the major caveat is that there is very little in the way of new locales to explore. Much of the second half of the game is spent running back and forth between areas you’ve already cleared, just to grab some new object, bring it back to base, and do it again. It's even worse if you want to gather all of the collectibles for completion. I do find myself a bit torn, in retrospect. The game has so many moments where it just crushes the design aspects of a level or boss in terms of visuals and concept, but they're ultimately dragged down by the absurdly boring and frequent revisiting of spaces. This is not an uncommon thing to be done in “Metroidvanias”, with players needing new abilities to reach new rooms, but it does feel like The Messenger handles it in a way that feels more tedious than freeing. I get the sense that it's never able to commit to any one design philosophy — caught somewhere between the old gameplay stylings of NES action adventure games and modern sensibilities regarding checkpoints and storytelling. Verdict The Messenger  is a tightly controlled 2D platformer that also mysteriously feels haphazard in design at times. The highs and lows of the platforming and enemy design make for a very uneven experience, especially later in the game as the difficulty continually gets ramped up. That said, I do find the boss fights and well-designed platforming segments outweigh the tedium of repetitive collection by a notable amount.

Catch the Moon is a fun, tabletop, ladder-stacking game for one to six players. Stack ladders by making them the highest, or only touching one or two — your fate decided with a die. Interlocking asymmetrical ladders and following the die leads to every game feeling very different. Some become a race to the top, while others are stacking every ladder flat from the die saying to only touch one other ladder repeatedly, leading to an unstable mess. Catch the Moon skirts the line between being collaborative and adversarial. Do you try to make something your opponents can't build from, or work to craft something beautiful? This is a game I would pick over Jenga any day. Pros Every game is different, preventing noticeable repetition. Game pieces feel well constructed and unique. Short setup and play-time leading to quick, fun games. Cons Pieces could break easily if mishandled. Verdict Product:  Catch The Moon Developer: Fabien Riffaud, Juan Rodriguez Publisher:  Thames & Kosmos Price: $36.95 Age: 8+ Image Credits: Thames & Kosmos Disclosure: We received a free review copy of this product from the publisher.

Batter than expected. CookieRun Braverse Trading Card Game is a newly released TCG based upon the CookieRun game universe. Each deck has exactly 60 cards, and is comprised of a combination of cookie cards, item cards, trap cards, and stage cards. While there are five different card color types, there is no restriction on the number of color types that can be played in a deck — any deck could contain any number of cards from each of the colors, so long as they amount to 60 total cards. There are a number of other deck-building restrictions laid out in the rulebook, but the basic premise of the TCG lies in playing cookie cards in order to battle your opponent’s cookie cards. The game ends when the total level of cookie cards in the break area is 10 or higher, or the opponent has no remaining cookie cards in the battle area and can place no additional cookies from hand. Product:   CookieRun Braverse Trading Card Game Developer:   Devsisters Corp. Price: $3.49 for a single booster, $12.99 for Starter Deck. Targeting a lower price point ($12.99 for starter decks and $3.49 for booster packs), CookieRun Braverse TCG  seems to be aiming for a more accessible product, as the cost for many TCGs has become insanely expensive, thereby increasing the barrier to entry. The initial onboarding is also straightforward, with rulesets designed to be comprehensible to young children. Despite that comparatively low cost and easy onboarding, the game is still quite complex from a deck building and strategy perspective.  It may feel a bit reductive to make comparisons to other card games, but CookieRun Braverse TCG  takes obvious inspiration from Magic: The Gathering  specifically, with similar energy/resource structures, creature-based combat, and so on. It is not exactly derivative of MTG, but there are definitely enough similarities to draw obvious comparisons, especially when you contrast the style of play to things like the Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card games. If you’re going to draw inspiration from anywhere, you may as well take it from the preeminent TCG. I feel CookieRun has successfully captured the same feeling as MTG in terms of gameplay flow, strategy, and satisfaction of pulling off a cool move. From the starter decks and limited cards I have to work with, the game does not immediately seem so complex as to be indecipherable to newcomers in the way that other TCGs often are, but the inclusion of flip cards, as well as items and traps means there’s plenty of room for strategy, experimentation, and player expression. The card art is often elaborate and interesting. The card art is also quite impressive. Usually card games at this price point have extremely simple designs, with simple, flat character portraits and limited backgrounds. Instead, CookieRun Braverse TCG  has gone all out on the art design aspect, with characters in dynamic poses, fully rendered backgrounds, and full-art rare cards. I’m not a CookieRun player, so none of these characters or cards mean anything to me, but the expressiveness of the art is a pleasant surprise. As we’re still early into the life of the game, there doesn’t seem to be a large variety in game formats. You have constructed (build a deck from your collection of cards), draft (build a small deck from booster packs rotating between opponents), and sealed (build a deck from cards obtained from a collection of 14 booster packs). The game is currently only designed to work in a two-player setting, so there’s no commander equivalent to four-way battles. While I hope they consider additional formats in the future, the one-on-one format is fun enough on its own to be worth recommending. Unfortunately, at time of writing, that comes with at least one major caveat — the game is hard to come by locally. Seemingly due to distribution and shipping issues, the game is currently only in around 150 stores in the USA. You’ll likely have more luck finding them online. Verdict CookieRun Braverse TCG is a solid spin on the TCG format. It draws inspiration from other card games like Magic: The Gathering , but does enough to stand out in its own space. The low price point and simple mechanics mean that the barrier to entry is low, making it an excellent choice for children, but that doesn’t mean adults are unwelcome. Various card types, strategies, and deck builds mean there is a lot of room for player expression and optimization. Image Credits: Devsisters Corp. Disclosure: We received a free review copy of this product from the distributor (ACDDistribution).

Dice, Dice, Baby. Dice Words  is exciting, thoughtful, and fast-paced. Working like a more randomized mix between Boggle and Scrabble , It feels like the perfect ice-breaker for family gatherings and parties, as the games can be relatively short (around 20 minutes for the short version) and the mechanics are quite simple. Product:  Dice Words Developer: Tim Phillips Publisher:  Thames & Kosmos Price: $22.95 Age: 8+ Getting started is extremely easy, as well. First, each player chooses a color-coded dice set and matching drinking straw board. Next, the ice cube dice are rolled showing the target letters. The objective is to make the highest scoring words possible with each player’s set of dice. Individual letters are worth assigned points, and matching your letters with the target letters adds a multiplier to that score based on how many you use. Additionally, longer words are worth additional points, although how much varies based upon the variant you are playing. Once scores for the round have been tallied, the player with the fewest points earns the “sugar cube” an additional die that can be used in formulating words. At the end of five (short game) or fifteen (long game) rounds, the player with the highest number of points wins. Very much in the “easy to learn, difficult to master” territory, as the game relies heavily on your vocabulary and dice-rolling decision making, as well some good old-fashioned luck. That randomness combined with the timed element encourages quick thinking, forcing players to make snap decisions on both dice re-rolls and word choice. That said, while the time does add some pressure, it doesn’t feel short enough to be punishing — just the right spot for a family game like this. What’s in the box? The game comes with four dice-rolling cups, four full sets of seven dice for players, a 4-piece set of ice cube dice for the target letters, an ice cube tray, a sugar cube die, a sand-timer, a score-keeping pad (50 sheets), a rulebook, a storage bag, and four “drinking straw boards” (a cardboard piece that helps track the number of letters used in a word plus bonus points awarded). It’s everything you need to play the game minus a pen or pencil for each player, which will be needed to track scores on the score pads. Verdict Dice Words  is an excellent game for family gatherings and parties, full-stop. The pieces are limited, meaning it can be played in a large variety of spaces, even those with limited table room. On top of that, the timed element ensures things keep moving along, even if some players have a tendency to get distracted to take their time normally. While the rules and gameplay are exceedingly simple, there is a massive ceiling here for player strategy and decision making, especially in how re-rolls are handled. Image Credits: Thames & Kosmos Disclosure: We received a free review copy of this product from the publisher.

The cold isn’t the only thing you should fear. By all metrics or definitions, I’m not a huge tabletop gamer. I went to my first Gen Con this year (it was sick), and I don’t have any ongoing DnD campaigns. I play in exactly zero weekly tabletop sessions, and I rarely make it to any of the local game store’s open nights. But even with that, I’ve still heard of Gloomhaven . So, having the opportunity to preview the digital version of Frosthaven ( Gloomhaven ’s sequel title) was both an exciting opportunity and a huge mystery. What is Frosthaven ? How does it play? What is the structure?  I can safely say that some of this still remains a mystery to me, but through playing the digital version (early access), I do have a more clearer picture of it than when I started. And it is somehow both familiar and novel. Publisher: Arc Games Developer:  Snapshot Games Inc. Platform:  Played on PC (Steam) Availability:  Released on July 31, 2025 for Windows PC (Steam). Developed by Snapshot Games Inc., Frosthaven  (digital version) attempts to convert the complex mechanics and deep world of the tabletop version into a video game format. With over 100 scenarios to play though and 17 starting classes on the tabletop version, it’s a tall task, but one they seem to be up for. That said, for the early access version, we “only” have about 30 scenarios to work through and 6 starting classes to choose from. How fulfilling that suite of choices is will vary from group to group, but as an early access product, it’s still a ton of content. The starting class pool being so shallow is perhaps the most limiting factor in this version of the game, a problem that is most noticeable in 3 and 4 player groups. With only 6 classes to choose from, there’s a real “first come, first serve” aura to the character selection. Classes play so differently from one another, that anyone wanting to play a specific archetype might be out of luck if another player wants to also. Our group was also completely full of new players, so the varying complexity of the classes added another level of concern for the group. That complexity is further exacerbated by the absurdly insufficient tutorial. The tutorial section only gives the player a short look at basic general mechanics, and even then only allows the player to control a single, specific class (Banner Spear). It hands you the bare minimum of rules and information, then just tells you how to read more. That lack of clarity makes the first scenario more of a learning experience than anything else. The game has enough moving parts that fully detailing every mechanic or interaction would be never-ending within a tutorial, which works well-enough, but more detail or emphasis on major system mechanics would have been nice. A plethora of mechanics and systems are available to the player to mess with and master. Thankfully, the first scenario presented to the player does a great job of giving the space to experiment and learn the mechanics on a more intimate level. With each character holding 12-ish cards at the beginning, and each of those having two sides to work with, there’s a lot to learn, even early on. And you will learn, or you will lose. This isn’t a game that holds your hand. In our first encounter, I was testing the waters on how the game works, and ran straight into a group of enemies, only to get blasted by four consecutive attacks. It not only gave me a great lesson in how devastating bad positioning can be (especially for squishier characters), but also just how necessary card management and resting appropriately are for each encounter. Just how crunchy the mechanics are really tickles me — there's so much room for optimization and planning. That said, Frosthaven does not require that type of perfection to advance on lower levels, as you can make it through the encounters without making every correct move. Once that first encounter is over with, the game introduces you to the town management mechanics, known as the outpost phase. It’s here, in the downtime between combat scenarios, that you’ll use all of those resources you gather from mission rewards and loot bags on the field. In the town, you can build new buildings, such as a building to trade materials for gold or vice versa, or upgrade already existing ones. There is also a craftsman to trade materials to make equipment and an alchemist that uses your herbs to make potions. There’s not much you can do early on, as your resources are limited, but things ramp up quickly, with resources becoming more plentiful as you advance. It not only gave me a great lesson in how devastating bad positioning can be (especially for squishier characters), but also just how necessary card management and resting appropriately are for each encounter. Some events can crop up in between the combat scenarios and outpost phase. These events are semi-randomized encounters that offer the players a choice on what actions to take. For example, you might come across a spring, which would then prompt you to either leave the area or take a bath. The outcome of the choices is unknown to the player prior to making the selection, so on first runs things can be a bit of a surprise, but the arbitrary-seeming nature of those outcomes may be frustrating to some players. Generally speaking, there aren’t many context clues you could use to inform your decisions, so it’s all a bit up in the air. One neat addition during these encounters is the way it works in multiplayer — each player puts a vote forward toward their preferred choice, and the choice with the most votes wins (ties going to the host vote). On the technical side, while there were reports of early multiplayer troubles, we have so far encountered very few across 4 different scenarios with my party. Our only issue thus far has been disconnection, but it is very infrequent and is easily and quickly solvable — there are no adverse effects for a player (other than host) dropping out and they can be brought back into the game easily. For an early access title, it does feel quite polished, as it’s mechanically well-balanced, visually solid, and (at least in our experience) mostly bug-free.  Verdict Overall, I came away quite impressed with the depth and breadth of what is available to the player within Frosthaven . For an early access title, there are a large number of scenarios and events to engage in, as well as deep, complex mechanics to contend with. It’s too early to speak much on the overarching narrative, but early impressions are strong here, too, as the game is deftly written in the cutscenes and events throughout. If you have played the tabletop version, you’re getting more of the same, but this is a strong recommendation for anyone who enjoys tactical RPGs or tabletop RPGs at home. Image Credits: Snapshot Games Inc. Disclosure: We received a free review copy of this product from the publisher.

and Roger is a gut-punch. The type of game that is both inventive mechanically and emotionally moving. It is stylish, sometimes cute, and often devastating. At only about an hour long, and Roger is a quick play, but it will likely stick with me forever. And yet I can’t tell you much of anything about it. Not really, anyway. Diving deep into why the game works, and what it’s about would completely take the air out of it. Instead, you just have to trust me. Do you think that’s something you could do? Publisher: Kodansha Developer:   TearyHand Studio Platform:  Played on PC (Steam) Availability:  Released on July 23, 2025 for Windows PC and macOS (Steam). To demand that someone trusts you implicitly without knowing the context is a big ask. If you don’t know what’s going on or my reasoning, how could you possibly take that leap? But leap you must. It's the only way you’ll ever know why this is currently my GOTY. But let me help you out a little bit, at least.  Let’s start by saying the obvious — and Roger  is great to look at and listen to. The art style is simple and clean, with bold linework and a simple palette. There aren’t many animations, as the story is mostly shown in striking frames at the center of the screen while you complete a puzzle, but the way every element of the visual design combines (UI, images, colors, etc.) is a real treat. All of this is backed by a gentle soundtrack that helps set the mood in any given sequence.  Mechanically, and Roger is a point-and-click adventure puzzle game where nearly every short scene and screen introduces a wholly new mechanic or action for you to complete in order to advance. There isn’t a lot of cohesion moment-to-moment on the specific types of tasks you’ll be assigned to complete, but you’ll notice some throughlines that crop up (such as moving things simultaneously or timing your button presses) that will frequently be remixed or expanded upon as the story evolves. ...the emotions and ideas that the game are communicating with you are not always pleasant.  Each new “puzzle” is cleverly designed to put you in on the action, with frantic moments being more shaky and tense, while lighter, sweeter moments are a bit more breezy and whimsical. Every aspect of the game is pushing you toward a feeling. It is communicating the story and characterization through its gameplay in a way that feels substantial and unique. This can be both beautiful and bittersweet, as the emotions and ideas that the game are communicating with you are not always pleasant.  And that’s okay. It's more than okay! We need art that challenges us. Art that can move us to tears. Art that can shape the way we not only approach the world around us, but can also make us consider ourselves and our place in it. and Roger  is one such game — a poignant and crushing examination of life and love under the toughest of circumstances. Verdict and Roger  is devastating in its execution, somehow managing to pack the story full of fear, happiness, love, confusion, and everything in between — all within a one hour timespan. Its unique and creative gameplay not only supports the narrative, but is integral to its delivery. It’s the type of game that will inspire developers and players for years to come. A truly singular piece of art in the gaming space.

I don't think we'll be making any waves with this one. I’m not sure how one is supposed to look at a title like Australis and not feel at least a little bit intrigued. The stunning artwork on the box and board, as well as the numerous well-crafted bits and bobs used to play the game, are alluring — beckoning players to the table to try a round. When you do sit down to play, you’re met with a soft, warm current of a title, gently pushing you through the waves of its gameplay mechanics. Unfortunately, the ride is both brief and a bit slapdash. Product:  Australis Developer: Alessandro Zucchini and Leo Colovini Publisher:   Thames & Kosmos Price: $41.95 Age: 10+ Australis  is a Medium weight board game where players aim to score points through a series of varying tasks and collections, with the player holding the highest number of points being declared the winner at the end of the game. The basic premise is simple, but the scattershot nature of the gameplay complicates things a bit on the first run. Under normal circumstances, I would play solo to run through the rules or mechanics of a title, but as there was a group ready and willing to test it out with me, we gave it a spin as all fresh players. I’m not sure if that was a mistake, but so much of the first run was spent just reading the rules and setting up that it got a bit tiresome early. There are just so many pieces and tokens to manage at any given time that it looks overwhelming at first glance. Looks can be deceiving, however, as once we all played past the first turn, things ran smoothly. There are a lot of discrete mechanics to manage, but none of them ever veer into “complicated” territory. Unfortunately, I think also it avoids ever being interesting mechanically. There are a lot of discrete mechanics to manage, but none of them ever veer into “complicated” territory. I’m not really interested in litigating the entire ruleset (there’s a rulebook for a reason), but for reference’s sake, there are separate tokens for your turtles, the fish you collect (and their food tokens), coral to place on the board, cards to manage for your “engine”, and another set of cards as prize tokens. Oh, and five separate dice sets (well, four sets, plus one big red one). All of this is so that the game can give you a platter of options as far as advancing and competing mechanically. In many ways, Australis is part engine-builder, collection game, and area control game all wrapped into one gorgeous package.  This may sound complicated, but there’s really nothing to it. The only thing you do is pick a dice on your turn, which determines which resource you get or action you take. It’s difficult to really plan anything because what is available is predicated not only on other players’ decisions, but also the randomness of dice rolls and card draw. When a round ends there’s a dice roll-off using your numbered die to determine which players get prize cards for additional points. Playing with more players ups the variability of choices available to you by quite a bit. With two players, only two dice are set for each type; with four players, there are instead four dice per player. This opens up both the possible dice rolls per dice type to include more attractive pickings, and also allows for more varied player strategies. With the game so heavily reliant on the dice roll outcomes, more players helps mitigate the randomness a bit. I really can't overstate how great this packaging looks. My biggest complaint is that once you have the rules down, the game feels almost like it just kind of happens, rather than you playing it. It’s a very safe, simple, breezy experience. Of course, the box says the target audience is 10+, but this might be a bit mundane even for that age grouping. This is a problem for repeated plays, as the lack of depth or true interaction prevents any sort of surprises from developing in the course of a game. Each player will simply take the highest number die available until the turns are over and then, eventually, the game will end. There doesn't seem to be any real thematic throughline, either. Normally when you are playing a board game, you are controlling a single entity or character, or you are simply yourself. Here, it's a bit up in the air — am I a god overseeing the health of the ocean, am I the turtle token, or am I the ocean itself? If we are the turtle, how do any of these other mechanics work in reference to said turtle? Turtles don't have much to do with coral growth and fish populations, after all. This is, of course, a minor complaint. A game doesn't have to have this type of real-life coherence to be fun, but it does feel indicative of the lack of cohesion you feel when playing Australis . You are not anyone or anything, the game is simply a collection of stuff in the ocean. Earlier I mentioned the large number of differing mechanics for family fare like this, but I also feel it's worth noting how none of these separate mechanics seem to truly shine. Engine building might be a part of the experience, but it is so minor it could be removed and the game might still play functionally the same. This is true for the fish and food mechanics, also. The disparate parts just never fully meld into a thrilling experience. Tha t said, there’s nothing inherently offensive about the game — it's as safe as it gets. No real competitive or adversarial mechanics to worry about, no bartering or cooperation to be done. By the final turn, barring any sort of horrendous luck, all players will end up in roughly the same area regardless of what they do in the course of a game. In that sense, it is a good game for children, as it’s impossible to be truly punished for making mistakes since there are no mistakes to make. Even the most hapless player will be competitive in some regard. Verdict Australis initially drew me in with its gorgeous artwork, both on the box and on the board, but left me wanting when the dice were rolled. There are a lot of mechanics and ideas to work out on first playthrough, but it becomes quickly apparent that there’s not much in the way of decision-making for the player. It also has a great table presence, with a good number of figures and pieces to track, but fails to live up to the standards set by the physical contents of the package. After just a few runs, you’ll have seen everything you need to.  Image Credits: Taylor Rioux; Thames & Kosmos Disclosure: We received a free review copy of this product from the publisher.

Dyebreaker is an “air hockey platformer” that pits you against another team in 1v1, 2v2, or 1v2 contests where the aim is to guide a puck into a suspended target area. It’s a really fun little game with a great visual style. The tiny characters can be a bit hard to track on a small screen, but otherwise it is visually easy to parse the action, despite the large number of objects that can spawn in the course of a match. On the low end of playing — it's a lot of fun in groups with friends. I can only imagine how crazy it gets with real sickos, though, as it has an immense skill ceiling. Pros Vibrant art Fast-paced gameplay Fluid controls High skill ceiling Cons Small characters and objects are difficult to keep track of in the flow of a match, especially when playing on a smaller screen Verdict Publisher: running jump Developer: running jump Platform:  Played on PC (Steam) Availability: Released on Jul 10, 2025 for Windows PC (Steam).

Super Battle Mon  is a smaller scale TCG whose whole conceit is that it is easy and quick to play. Positioned as a game that even the most inexperienced players could pick up and play, the simple mechanics and small deck size mean you don’t even need a table to play. When I spoke to the developer, he told me that the game was in some ways meant to replicate that feeling of playing card games at the playground with your friends. I think it’s safe to say that has been achieved. Product:  Super Battle Mon Developer:   Coffee Cat Board Games Price: $5 for a single booster, $75 for full standard set. I’m not sure what other people’s experiences were with card games like Yu-Gi-Oh  or Pokemon  in elementary school, but for me it kind of felt like a game full of wonder, where anything could happen, and someone always had at least one card you’ve never seen before. Thankfully, Super Battle Mon does not replicate the rules complexity of those titles, so there will be no need for playground arguments over what actually is supposed to happen turn to turn. Decks are 7 cards total, and there are 90 Super Battle Mon to collect. Cards do not have an associated rarity, meaning each Mon is just as likely to appear in a pack as any other. This is quite unlike most TCGs where the best cards are often harder to come by, pushing players to buy more packs for an opportunity to find them. Instead, there are holographic versions and alt-color versions that you can collect for bling.  The entire deck makes up your starting hand, so there’s never any chance of a “bad” hand — completely eliminating any sort of randomness on that end. Instead, the most complexity comes from player interactions. How will your opponent play, how will that affect your hand or plans, and what can you do to come out on top — these are all questions TCG players are familiar with and that remain a core part of Super Battle Mon . Cards have a very simple design, which is beneficial for visibility. The goal is to end up with the most Mons on the board, using your cards to cheat in your own Mons or to disrupt your opponents hand and plan. Each turn starts with players placing a card face-down, flipping it, resolving abilities, and then comparing power. The player with the lowest powered Mon loses the turn and has to discard a card. This will persist until both players can’t play any more cards, and the player with the most Mons in play wins. From an aesthetic perspective, the cards seem to focus on readability, with large, thick text, distinct icons, and simple creature designs. Card art features a single image of the Mon, with background colors matching their type (e.g. fire, grass, water, and dark, or any mix of those types).That simplicity certainly makes it easy to tell which card is which, but I do find that it also comes off a bit flat. It gives off the air that these things aren’t unique — they’re just another one in the set or series.  Individual games are fast and fun, and once you get a handle on the already simple ruleset, you can really fly through a battle in a matter of minutes. This is really useful as an introductory game for young children or inexperienced gamers. I mostly played with those inexperienced types, and all of them seemed to get the game almost immediately. Of course, there is still room for mind games and strategizing, but the skill floor is certainly lowered when compared to other TCGs on the market. Verdict Super Battle Mon  fulfills its core objective of being a simpler, more streamlined TCG that is perfect for beginners or for playing when you don’t have a lot of time. The basic rulesets mean that anyone can realistically pick it up and play, opening it up to an underserved audience in the space. This does come with some drawbacks, of course. That simplicity means the avenues of strategy and expression are quite limited. I found myself ready to move on after only a few matches at any given time, as there’s just not enough meat on the game to keep more seasoned card players on the hook. Despite this, it’s a solid game with clear objectives, nice card stock, and good vibes. Definitely worth a look for anyone eyeing a title with a low barrier to entry. Image Credits: Coffee Cat Board Games Disclosure: We received a free review copy of this product from the publisher.

Something to die for. I first learned about Pixels — The Electronic Dice  during Gen Con 2025, and I’ve been enamored with them from the moment I first laid eyes on the glowing icosahedron. They say first impressions matter the most, and the bright, customizable colors and built-in screen reader are immediate attention-grabbers. That’s far from all these dice have to offer, however.  Product:  Pixels - The Electronic Dice Developer:  Systemic Games Price: $60 for single die Functionality and Customizability Pixels — The Electronic Dice  are programmable, electronic, light-up dice that can connect to your phone or other device via bluetooth. The dice are fully customizable and controllable via a downloadable app, although they are perfectly usable without it.  One immediate observation I had when testing this out was just how good the die feels to roll and play with. It comes in the standard D20 size, but is a bit heavier than your average plastic die. It’s not heavy enough to be a major concern for damage to countertops, tables, or other gaming surfaces, but does have a nice weighty feel that is satisfying to toss around.  Outside of your bog-standard “roll dice, get number” functionality, you can customize light patterns that appear when rolling and when any given number is rolled. It also features the ability to modify the sound that plays during a roll and upon completion. The total depth of the customizability is actually staggering. For color profiles alone, there are something like 90 different default patterns, many of which have display color configuration, and all of which can be adjusted for duration, repeat count, fading, and intensity. These color profiles can be implemented separately for each individual dice number (1-20) as well as for specific actions (when die is rolling, when die is rolled, and when die turns on). Finally, color profiles can be implemented via web-request, which allow you to send a request to a URL and control the patterns and colors of external devices or platforms. One example is the ability to control the light patterns of a set of light panels that also have IFTTT connectivity. Hard to overstate how impressive this suite is right out of the box, let alone when you really get someone to tinker with it. There’s a similar implementation for sound. Default voice is set to simply announce the roll result via text-to-speech implementation, but can be changed to voice any inputted text. This voice can be further modified by adjusting pitch and rate of speech. Additionally, the app features the ability to add .wav files, so any custom sound could be applied to these same parameters. You similarly can implement sounds to play while the die is turning on or rolling.  Pixels — The Electronic Dice further features the ability to connect to Virtual Table Top platforms, such as Roll20, in order to read the die results and apply them automatically. This is due to the product’s open source nature, which allows for developers of any platform to integrate Pixels — The Electronic Dice into said platform. The functionality doesn’t stop at reading the rolls, either. Custom patterns and profiles could also be implemented, and alternative functionality within a platform can be customized per dice, as well.  And finally, another great, unsung hero of the feature set — roll tracking. The app gives you a running list of all your past roll results, which is absurdly beneficial for those of use who are a bit on the forgetful side. Hard to overstate how impressive this suite is right out of the box, let alone when you really get someone to tinker with it. Durability After hundreds of rolls for testing, I saw no damage on the die itself, and none of the internal electronics seem to have been adversely affected. All that vigorous stress testing shown on their social media has bore itself out in my actual play, and I have no real concern of damage to the internals of the die through regular use. There is a limited warranty of up to two years from date of purchase, should anything go wrong. Accessibility This die is a huge boon for accessibility. Even something as simple as having a voice play out the rolled result is a great assistance, reducing reliance on any visual cues for players. The light intensity and pattern adjustments are also beneficial for any photosensitive users or any other eyesight impairment, allowing a person to set something up that works best for them and their own specific visual needs. Conceptually, the web request integration could also provide some beneficial use cases if they can be connected to some other external device or platform that a person uses, but this isn't something I myself have been able to test. Technical Aspects The die are powered by an internal battery that is charged via a case that can connect to any power source using a USB-C cable type. By default, a pulsing red light will appear on the topmost visible face when the dice are charging. Once complete, the color will instead turn to a steady green, giving a nice visual indicator of the charging progress. The colors and timings are all customizable, just as the rolling patterns are. You can also check the battery status via the app. The app is compatible with screen readers, making it the preferred option for the visually impaired. With the LED function turned off, estimated battery life can last for around 10,000 dice rolls, so fully charging your dice after each use isn’t necessarily required. The dice tray itself has an insert specific to each die type. This helps ensure proper positioning for charging, but doubles as a stand for the dice. It can also serve as a protective case, with the casing providing a shell to enclose the die. They do sell a large charging case for larger sets of dice, but we only have the default single case, so no notes on that here. It really is a gorgeous die, even when the lights are off. Verdict Pixels — The Electronic Dice  is a phenomenal piece of engineering, both on the physical die and the app that controls the profiles. Every aspect of the implementation seems well-considered, making it a phenomenal product for both vanity and accessibility purposes. I like rolling dice well enough on their own, but this thing absolutely mesmerized my son, who spent hours over Gen Con weekend just tossing it around — a true testament to both its “fun-factor” and durability. The LED lighting is an obvious attention grabber, but I think the sound playback and web integration are the true standout features. Every aspect of the customizability allows users to add unique flavor to their dice, for sure, but more importantly (and more impressively) allows visually and audio impaired gamers to tailor their experience to fit their needs. All of this paired with the sturdy design, gorgeous look, and Bluetooth connectivity makes the Pixels — The Electronic Dice  a standout product, and one that I hope to make extensive use of going forward. Image Credits: Taylor Rioux Disclosure: We received this product for free from the manufacturer.

We’re on board with these titles Tens of thousands of gamers flooded the streets of Indianapolis to take part in Gen Con, and we were no exception. For the first time ever, the team at JetsonPlaysGames was able to go to Gen Con and try out or fully play a large number of titles across the weekend. After four long days of walking and playing games (as well as two extra at home trying out some goodies we brought home), we’re finally ready to list our top 5 board games we played over the weekend. These titles are new, old, soon to be released, and everything in-between. No reservations made for timeliness — only for how much we liked it. Drop Drive Age: 8+ Number of Players: 2-4 Play Time:  45-60 Min A lightweight sandbox game that utilizes a ‘drop’ mechanic where the board space is laid out by dropping the pieces from above to generate a randomized field to play within. The objective is to gather resources and earn credits — the player with the most credits at the end of the game wins. We really liked the tactile nature of Drop Drive . All the bits and bobs of the resources and the cards have a great feel to them, and it’s just nice to fly around and collect stuff. The drop mechanic and anomalies keep things fresh run-to-run, adding some variability and excitement along the way. In the few games we played, no two runs felt exactly the same.  Sanctuary: An Ark Nova Game Age: 12+ Number of Players: 1-5 Play Time:  40-100 Min Based on its predecessor Ark Nova , this title sees you plan and design a zoo for your assorted species. While this is an Ark Nova game, it does land on the comparatively simpler side, being playable for a wider range of people. Our session of Sanctuary: An Ark Nova Game  was a bit shorter than we would have liked, only getting to play through 2 games, but there are certainly a lot of avenues for optimization and player expression through gameplay that one would expect from a little like this.  From top-to-bottom this felt like an expertly crafted product, with pieces feeling appropriately weighty and sturdy, gameplay running smoothly turn to turn, and all of the artwork and design aspects working beautifully as a cohesive unit.  Nature Age: 10+ Number of Players: 1-4 Play Time: 45 Minutes Age: 8+ Number of Players: 2-4 Play Time:  45-60 Min Developed simultaneously with the digital version, Nature  is a strategy board game by the same designer that made the award-winning Evolution . We had the chance to test out some of the digital version, as well as play a bit more of the tabletop game at the con.  This game uses a modular system that lets you add or combine supplementary modules to create scenarios and ecosystems to play around with. The base game is playable without the additional modules, but works best in tandem with them, as they spice up the otherwise pretty straightforward gameplay to make something a bit more unique. Gone to Gaia Age: 12+ Number of Players: 1-2 Play Time:  Highly Variable Gone to Gaia is an upcoming cooperative roguelite board game for 1-2 players. This title is not out yet, nor is the fundraising campaign open for donations, yet despite this, we found ourselves extremely excited for what’s coming. Our play session was about 40 minutes in total, with Taylor Rioux and Joe ‘Nid’ Kaiser running through the first combat scenario and town interactions in that timeframe. The art is stunning on every part of this game. From the booklets all the way down to the individual cards used for your actions, each piece has a unique and interesting look to it. We were especially blown away by the character portraits and the maps, all of which feature some really great designs. The miniatures on display during the demo were also really cool, and we can’t wait to see what people cook up when they paint them. As this is a roguelite, total playtime will vary wildly based upon how successful you are, with defeats resulting in restarting the campaign. Regardless, it was a phenomenal experience and we can’t wait to play more of this. Catch the Moon Age: 6+ Number of Players: 1-6 Play Time:  20 Min Despite releasing in 2017, this was our first time playing this title, and boy are we glad we did. Catch the Moon  almost works like an inverse Jenga, in the sense that you’re building upward rather than removing pieces. The idea is simple: roll a die to see the constraints of ladder placement (touching one ladder, two ladders, or needing to be the highest ladder), and place your ladder in any way that meets those requirements. If a ladder (or ladders) falls to the table, or you do not meet the constraint indicated by the die, you will take a teardrop token. The game ends when all teardrop tokens have been taken, or all ladders have been placed. The winner is the player with the fewest teardrops at the end of the game. Placing the ladders very quickly becomes a geometry and physics problem, with each new ladder becoming increasingly more difficult to place appropriately. Despite this, it is also a game that would be very playable for young children, and may even be used as a supplement to teach some basic principles of mathematics or physical sciences. Despite the simplicity, and regardless of some educational uses, Catch the Moon  was without a doubt the best general party / family style game we played all weekend, with each game featuring its own sets of problems and laughs.. We sincerely wish we had the opportunity to try out more titles this year, but with such a limited staff on-site, it became quickly apparent that playing everything out on display was just not going to happen. There are a lot of titles still on our radar that are coming soon or recently released, so here’s hoping we get the opportunity to try those out as well! That said, all five of the titles listed here were great to play, and are fully deserving of their spots.