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“The Goblins do not appear interested in talking with you. They send another Giant Spider to attack you.” - Mission Text Editor's Note : JetsonPlaysGames' editorial staff is aware that this title is a remastered and updated version of the 2007 release Puzzle Quest . Disclosure: The reviewer has no prior history with the franchise either as a gamer or reviewer.  When “Nid”, an old college friend, asked me to help out at JetsonPlaysGames, I figured this was going to be just small articles here and there; no extra effort, just more of the usual like my old blog or Youtube channel. However, the first thing dropped in front of me was a match-3 game. I haven’t played one in over a decade and one with RPG trappings is unusual to me. Surely it can’t be much different from puzzles or strategy games. How an RPG works with classes, attributes, skills, and items in a match-3 game seemed like a crazy idea to me.  Publisher: 505 Games Developer:   Infinity Plus 2 Platform:  Played on PS5 Availability:  Released on September 18, 2025 for Windows PC (Steam, Epic Games, GOG), PS4/5, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, and Nintendo Switch. Then I saw the trailer and everything looked and sounded like it was made a decade ago. If I said think of old Fantasy book covers that are forgettable you probably couldn’t remember one. That type of generic. The type that if I didn’t have a note from yesterday saying that it looked about a decade old I wouldn’t have remembered. The type I couldn’t even write about how bland it was even with my editor telling me three times I have to, and yet, still knowing it’s just downstairs, I can’t remember a single detail about the art or music. I did hope it would get better, but it did not. Not in the first five minutes, and not past the 12th hour mark. Everything is reused, what you buy is what you get for the music, art, or story. But the game? The game was great out of the box, fortunately. The rules are simple, the kind of simplicity that hides depth: Eight kinds of pieces — Earth, Fire, Air, Water, XP, Gold, and Skulls. Line up three and you gain the resource, or attack in the Skulls case. Line up four or more and the board rewards you with a multiplier and another turn. Gold and XP funnel back into your character, items, or towns. While the “Elements” are used for the classes abilities or skills. I have only played two of the classes of seven available, and played a bit over 12 hours of this game on the PS5, nearly completing act 1. Maybe you unlock more classes if you play through the game, but I don’t think so. The first class I played was the Knight, who (fortunately) could keep going back to a challenge unpunished ‘til I succeed. For the knight, skulls are the most important match, followed by leveling your battle to buff skull damage and HP. I found it relatively dull. Yes, you need to think about what abilities your enemies have and try to deny them, but one lucky drop from the top of the field and all of a sudden they can be maxed in a resource I had been trying to deny them for the last 12 turns. Now I am going to die and nothing can stop it. I found that more often than not, he was decided by what items or skills you selected before fighting.  Here's an eight-minute look at the gameplay. By contrast, The Elementalist feels like Queen’s Rocket Man is on in the background: no breaks, only a countdown till blast off. Do I care that the enemy is attacking me? Yes, it’s a race between who fills up more elements and how much HP is left in play. However, if I can get even one good 4x match this missile is going to start chunking their HP every turn. Oh, they are going to try and do damage? I am going to route it into elements then cycle back for more power.  Playing the Elementalist really made the process click, the game is technically a cat and mouse game of asset denial looking at how the board is reshaped with every match. If no matches are available, a mana storm happens and all the resources in play are split 50/50. Skulls are ignored. As the Knight I dreaded it, but as the Elementalist I tried to force them early on. This is where the game really shines. Not in any visual or auditory fashion, but in strategy. A match-3 with a skill floor so low any drunk can stumble in and a skill ceiling high enough to tempt mastery. That rare balance where the simple act of sliding tiles can feel like a duel of wits, and a test of foresight or luck. If you want to see a good example, I recommend the eight-minute video embedded above. It’s a perfect showcase of the combat’s flow. Something about the game's aesthetic feels off. Verdict Puzzle Quest: Immortal Edition  is not a masterpiece, but there is a solid gameplay loop. For the right person, you can lose yourself in it till 6 AM, only to realize you have work in two hours. Not bad for a retail price of $14.99 USD.  Image credits and video credits: 505 Games and William “MrNoSouls” Edmiston Disclosure: We received a free review copy of this product.

Bullet hell games are quite honestly the most intimidating genre of all, for me. There’s something about all of the moving parts and fast-paced action that feels so daunting at first glance. This is never really quite true of games that simply incorporate bullet hell elements, such as Nier: Automata or roguelike titles Binding of Isaac and Returnal , where those frantic and deadly waves of attacks only occasionally fill the screen. Maybe it’s the perceived variety of games that use it as a feature instead of the core mechanics, or maybe I’m just not built to handle the reactions and attentiveness required to navigate a true bullet hell — hard to say when I rarely give them a real shot. Thankfully, I put aside my usual trepidation and dove into ZOE Begone! in spite of my usual misgivings.  Publisher: PM Studios, Inc. Developer:   Retchy Games Platform:  Played on PC (Steam) Availability:  Released on September 17, 2025 for Windows PC (Steam). Rechy Games’ bullet hell arcade title is visually striking right from the outset. With hand drawn visuals, the scene is often framed by film reels and littered with basic shapes. Even the title character ‘ZOE’ is just a triangle with sticks for arms and legs. All of the colors are vibrant, with the black frames of the film reel and white background working in tandem to really make those brushstrokes pop. That basic visual style is accentuated by the simple rhythms of the tunes that ring out when you play, which has the feel and sound of something like the “Peanuts” cartoon theme song. The music lies firmly in that “cartoon” style, with a more lighthearted or whimsical sound and upbeat tempo to keep things moving. Something more orchestral would feel out of place when combined with the current visual style, so opting for or more zany sound works as the perfect pairing for the on-screen events.  A touch I really appreciate for the music and visuals is the introduction of static and artefacts. For the music, the inclusion of static gives that old-timey feel from watching an old movie or show. And with the visuals, objects off-center in the frame are slightly blurred, and enemies turn into little ink splotches on the background when destroyed. I think it really adds a nice touch, rounding out the aesthetic that the game is going for into a more cohesive unit.  The colorful world of ZOE Begone! is full of dangers and tools alike. When playing, the simple visuals help with clarity. There aren’t as many moving pieces and particle effects as one would usually expect from a bullet hell game (at least on Easy and Normal difficulties), so it feels much more approachable from a beginner standpoint. That isn’t to say it is necessarily a cakewalk, as higher difficulty levels are extremely punishing and appropriately hectic.  That hectic play does run into some issues when butting heads with the controls, however. When in the air, you can only shoot horizontally, but you have the ability to aim in five directions when on the ground. That makes being on the ground a bit better in some situations, but leaves you more vulnerable to attacks as you lose two-dimensional mobility. The issue comes with returning to the air — holding the button is slow and a bit counter-intuitive. Most often, getting hit was a product of ground to air navigation. ZOE Begone! does include some great tutorials and helpful tips right on the main menu, allowing new players to experiment and learn in a more stress-free environment. You can practice the mechanics of movement and shooting to your heart’s content — a huge boon for anyone who struggles with the stress and pressures of live play. The tutorial mode also allows for experimenting with weapons and abilities, so you can get a better sense of how to combine them all for maximum effect.  ZOE Begone! does include some great tutorials and helpful tips right on the main menu, allowing new players to experiment and learn in a more stress-free environment. Perhaps my biggest regrets when playing this game are the lack of experience with the genre and legacy skills associated with it. Despite the appealing artstyle and inviting music, I remain ass at these types of games. I could not beat ZOE Begone! , and as someone who does not regularly play titles like this, I find it difficult to assess how it works with or plays around with genre expectations or standards. I do feel like I’ll keep plugging away at it, however, as I am motivated this time around by early successes on both the easy and normal modes. While a review from a seasoned shmup or bullet hell veteran might be more useful for more seasoned gamers, I remain a novice. Instead of as an expert, I come to you as someone on the outside, looking in. Tapping on the window to remind you that even if something is out of your wheelhouse, it can still be worth a shot. When a game looks interesting, you just have to make the leap and challenge yourself. Give the art an opportunity to wash over you without expectation coloring your perception; even if it isn’t strictly ‘for you’, doing so is  growth. Image Credits: PM Studios, Inc. and Retchy Games Disclosure: We received a free review copy of this product.

Keep your cats indoors. The juxtaposition of atmospheres in Easy Delivery Co. is a unique combination. Driving feels relaxed, almost cozy, with fun physics, and only minor setbacks when things go wrong. However, one must be well equipped when venturing outside the safety of the truck or risk quickly freezing to death in a small forgotten mountain town. Explore the world, deliver packages, and hear gossip from the shop clerks while making minimum wage in this relaxing indie gem. Pros Driving physics are fast and fun. Atmosphere is well communicated. Cons Short, less than 10 hours to fully complete. Verdict Publisher: Oro Interactive Developer:   Sam C Platform:  Played on PC (Steam) Availability: Released on September 18th, 2025 for PC (Steam) Disclosure: We received a free review copy of this product.

Bracer yourselves. The Trails series is one I’ve long meant to get around to. It is exactly the type of series I’ve been craving, as I’ve been searching for an RPG that captures that PS2-era feel after a recent slew of roguelikes and visual novels. But I was extremely reluctant to jump into the long-running series knowing that all of the entries are closely interconnected, and that some of the games are by now quite old, and many are very long. Thankfully, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter  presents a unique opportunity for new players like myself to jump into the series from the beginning, presenting the first entry with a fresh coat of paint, as well as numerous mechanical adjustments. Publisher: GungHo Online Entertainment America, Inc. Developer:   Nihon Falcom Platform:  Played on PC (Steam) Availability:  Released on September 19, 2025 for Windows PC (Steam), PS4/5, and Nintendo Switch. Action RPG Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is the tale of the adoptive siblings Estelle and Joshua, following them on their journey to become bracers (functionally mercenaries in the Trails series). While the game starts slow, with a heavy focus on world-building and tone-setting, the adventure really begins when Estelle and Joshua’s father goes missing. The series is perhaps most well-known for its varied and interesting characters, this remake takes a different approach early on, as it aims to wow you with its presentation. The first cutscene alone showcases how far the series has come from its earliest iterations, visually, with some truly stunning character models and excellent animation. The cutscenes are a bit overzealous with some presentational flair, leaning heavily into cuts between characters and at different angles to an almost absurd degree. The characters are intensely expressive in these scenes, not just in their animations, but also with hyper-stylized facial expressions and great vocal performances. They’ve captured the early 2000s anime aesthetic flawlessly in the presentation, including the presence of flashing backgrounds and silly asides. While the cutscenes themselves look great, there’s some room for improvement in the environments. Low fidelity foliage and low quality textures on field objects comes across as a bit jarring when the character models look as good as they do, especially in motion. The visuals for your actions and special abilities are gorgeous, with S-crafts and chain attacks having expertly animated cutaways that show off a lot of confidence in the game’s style. This confidence is well-earned. The world is well-crafted, with various regions visible in the world at all times off in the distance. When you walk through a town, you can see the mountains, giving you both a great sense of scale and terrain. You can also see the people in each town going about their day, living in and moving about the world alongside you. The ambient dialogue and conversations with the world’s NPCs evolve as the game goes on, making the world feel more lived-in and the NPCs less disposable. Each region you explore comes with new surprises for not just you, but those NPCs as well, and they’ll always react to the world around them. They grow and change, they love, they explore — each existing within the world as their own person with their own story. Those NPC storylines and dialogues update after nearly every cutscene, making speaking with everyone at any given opportunity a daunting task. Ambient dialogue and evolving conversations with the world’s NPCs as the game goes on is a nice touch, making the world feel more lived-in, and the NPCs less disposable. My one issue with this is that NPCs very often repeat dialogue (or partially repeat it) when spoken to consecutively, but the indicators will only disappear after you have fully exhausted that conversation, repeats included. I am not sure what kind of consequences there are for fully exploring dialogue with everyone, but as someone with a near obsession with clearing maps, the repeated dialogue was a major detriment to my exploration of the world, increasing my time spent talking to NPCs by nearly two times as much as would be needed under normal circumstances. Thankfully, the mini map indicates which NPCs you need to interact with. Additionally, it shows you quest markers, environment maps, interactable items and objects, and treasure chests all at a glance. If the mini map isn’t sufficient, you can pull up the full map with the press of a button. I’m a bit torn on this design as the map and mini-map are so  useful that there is a temptation to stare at them for most of the adventure, but if you do that you miss out on all of the great work put into making the world as vibrant and varied as it is. The world itself has a lot to love, from great locales, interesting lore, to fun NPCs, everything is a delight — the characters most of all. The cast of the main party is an eclectic group ranging from mercenaries (bracers in this world) to vagabond bards, each with their own distinct personalities, stories, and abilities. Estelle has a bubbly and determined personality, while Joshua is a more calculated (sometimes brooding) and cunning figure. Tita is earnest and cheerful, Olivier is eccentric and carefree, and so on. These personality traits make the cast well-rounded, each offering unique perspectives or voices to the world in which they live. Those unique traits are expressed somewhat through their abilities in combat, as well. Estelle shows off some of that personality during her chain attacks and craft animations, but mostly serves as the all-rounder one would expect of her personality, Joshua is fast and powerful, with some passive protection skills, Scherazard has great support skills, etc. During the action combat on the field, characters have their own movesets, providing unique pros and cons to using them specifically. This action combat is pretty fun in spurts, but you’re unable to use any arts or crafts in the field — those are reserved for the turn-based mode only — so your options are limited. Still, when it is available to you, it is a powerful tool as the dodging mechanic makes the player character functionally invincible when in the right hands.  The turn-based mode is much more involved and is the primary way you engage with the big threats of the game such as bosses. Each character has several of their own abilities in the form of crafts and can have any number of Arts based upon what quartz are equipped to their orbment. Most characters have specific types of quartz that they need to have slotted into their primary slot (excepting Estelle), but they are otherwise fully open to customization. During the command mode (turn-based), any time a character knocks an enemy off balance or scores a critical hit, another character can jump in to do additional damage in the form of chain attacks and follow-up. When you have a full party, using a burst attack with a full gauge allows everyone to join in for even more damage. All of these systems combined with each character's passive skills and abilities makes combat feel increasingly involved as you move your characters around a battlefield for optimal positioning. There’s just a great flow or rhythm to the fights that keep encounters fresh even late into the journey.  The exceptional art direction makes the world feel vibrant and alive. Perhaps that is the most surprising part of the game to me: the freshness. For a game that is a remake of a title released over 20 years ago, it’s a wonder how new and exciting the whole package feels. The vibrant visuals, excellent soundtrack, memorable characters, and stellar combat all combine to create a title that has me excited to see where things move going forward. Even with the slower pace of the opening acts, I have been engaged with it from the start — something that feels harder to come by as titles get longer and more bloated with stuff to do. This is a bit at odds with my more general stance towards remakes. I typically do not like them and would much prefer a remaster or re-release, leaving the original experience untouched. So many remakes come at the expense of their source material, being pushed as the only available version, or otherwise indicated as the definitive edition of a game. So what purpose does a good remake serve? What should a remake do for a game aside from making money? How can I justify my love for this title in the face of that longstanding assertion? I think it boils down to why the remake was done and what it entails. If a game is made in an earnest attempt to bring something to life that more closely aligns with their current vision, and it does not come at the cost of the original game’s availability, I’m on board. That means it doesn't necessarily have to be seen as a ‘fix’, but rather a new iteration or translation of the existing material. Similar to the way many other mediums have translated or updated stories over time, a well-done game remake is simply a new interpretation, rather than a replacement. Still, it does feel a bit hypocritical to say “remakes for me and not for thee”, and I’m not sure that is a feeling that will ever be reconciled on my end. So many remakes come at the expense of their source material, being pushed as the only available version, or otherwise indicated as the definitive edition of a game. So what purpose does a good remake serve? As a newcomer to the series, it’s impossible for me to accurately state whether this game is extremely faithful to the original Trails in the Sky . I know for many that particular aspect is an important part of the decision on if they’ll buy it, so hopefully what I’ve laid out here can give those players an idea of how closely that matches their prior experience. What I can say, though, is that this feels like an RPG from the 2000s in all of the best ways. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say it feels like an idealized version of those titles, as if the thoughts and memories of a young child who was dreaming of the perfect PS2 RPG have been made manifest.  Verdict Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter  is a phenomenal blend of Sci-Fi, fantasy, and anime aesthetics that manages to balance the expressive and silly nature of the visuals with the oft serious and somber subject matter of the story. With a thriving world to explore, nuanced and interesting characters, and exciting, deep combat, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter  is sure to find its way on many end of year lists. Image Credits: Nihon Falcom Corporation Disclosure: We received a free review copy of this product.

Something to cheer for. Vtubing is a massive phenomenon in the streaming and content creation space, and has grown exponentially over the last few years, capturing the hearts and attention of people all over the world. With distinct personalities and elaborate outfits, Vtubers have entertained millions through song, dance, chats, and collaboration, with Hololive members perhaps being the most popular personas of all. As with all things that become immensely popular, there is of course an associated card game. Thanks to COVER Corp., I was able to test out the hololive OFFICIAL CARD GAME  through the Tokino Sora and AZKi starter deck, as well as tinker a bit with these baseline decks using cards obtained in several booster packs I was provided. Product:   hololive Official Card Game Developer:  COVER Corp. Price: $60 for a booster box (12 packs), $15 for Starter Deck. How does it play? Rather than give a hyper-detailed explanation of the rules, I’d like to do a brief overview of the structure and flow of the game. If you would like a more detailed breakdown of the rules, here’s the official “ Quick Manual ”. To start, your playing cards consist of three separate components: One Oshi holomem  card, Cheer Deck , and Deck .  The Oshi holomem  is a sort of Vtuber leader card your deck is built around, with its life total serving as the player’s life count, and special abilities that can only be activated through a unique resource (holo power). Your Cheer Deck (20 cards) is your energy resource (think mana in Magic: The Gathering  or energy in Pokemon ) that you use to activate the abilities of your holomems — Vtuber cards that function as your battle units. Finally, your Deck  consists of 50 total holomem and support cards (one time use cards that provide an immediate effect). Each of these elements occupies a specific space on the board or playmat (stage) — you don’t mix them all into one single pile. The packaging is nice, and the art used is great. The game starts with each player drawing 7 cards to their hand, placing their Oshi holomem and a debut holomem card face-down onto the board, revealing them when both players have finished placing their cards. After this, players can place additional “Spot” or “Debut” cards face down in the “back” position of the stage. Each player then takes a number of cheer cards equal to their Oshi holomem’s “life” and places them face down in the top left corner of their stage. From here, the first player begins their first turn.  Generally speaking the flow of a turn will look something like untapping all of your cards (if tapped), drawing a card, playing a new holomem or support card, ‘blooming’ your holomem (stacking a more powerful holomem card onto your existing holomem card to power it up, like an evolution), and using skills to damage your opponents holomems. When a holomem receives damage equal to or greater than their HP total, they are placed into the archive and the owner of that holomem loses a life. First Player to lose all of their life, lose all holomem from their stage, or enter their draw phase with no cards remaining in their deck loses the game. Review From a broad-strokes perspective, hololive OFFICIAL CARD GAME  is a well-designed game. There are a number of distinct deck archetypes and card effects to keep things interesting, and the pace and flow of any individual match is excellent. That said, the lack of variety in distinct Vtuber holomems was a bit disappointing, especially when compared to contemporary TCGs. Let’s get the most obvious comparison out of the way — this game plays very similarly to the Pokémon Trading Card Game . From the way cheers are placed directly onto your holomems to the ‘blooming’ mechanic, much of the basic flow for the game is reminiscent of the behemoth that is the Pokémon Trading Card Game . Despite this, I do feel hololive OFFICIAL CARD GAME  differentiates itself in several key ways, many of which I view as improvements. From a broad-strokes perspective, hololive OFFICIAL CARD GAME is a well-designed game. There are a number of distinct deck archetypes and card effects to keep things interesting, and the pace and flow of any individual match is excellent. First, having your energy source (cheer) as a separate deck changes the consistency and feel on its own enormously. Decks are much more consistent, as you always have some resource available to you, and you’re never drawing unwanted energy from the deck.  Second, losing your holomem is not nearly as punishing as losing a lead pokémon . When a holomem is sent to the archive and you lose a life, that “life” cheer card can be placed directly onto one of your back row holomem. Additionally, the opposing player does not gain further advantage by card draw or any other mechanism. This helps address the runaway lead issue prevalent in many TCGs. Third, every holomem having three stages built in (debut stage, 1st stage, and 2nd stage) avoids the problem that Pokémon has with its powerful basics being the more used option. There isn’t as much of a consistency issue with getting your holomems through their progression, and the power disparity between debut cards and 2nd stage cards is so overwhelming it’s not really possible to rely on debut cards to sweep the board for you.  I really think it's worth noting how gorgeous these cards are. And finally, the Oshi holomem is a nice touch to the game, adding a central figure or idea to build your deck around that can be used strategically throughout the game. This particular aspect reminds me a bit of something like a commander in Magic  or selecting a hero in Hearthstone . I am by no means a high-level player, so the exact use case strategy of each ability or Oshi remains a bit out of my reach, but they did have a noticeable impact on the matches I played. There is a distinct lack of personalities to choose from when building a deck. As of the current set, there are only about 25 distinct members to choose from. Of course, there are multiple stages and variants of these Vtubers to choose from, so there’s variety mechanically, but it also means that your deck could realistically be comprised entirely of one person, i.e. you could have a deck entirely built from Pekora cards and support cards.  While this feature does not appeal to me personally, it would be remiss of me to ignore the fact that having the opportunity to build a deck like a shrine to your favorite internet personality might be the preferred method of engaging in the game for some. As hololive and Vtubing in general is a bit out of my normal purview, I connected with someone more familiar with these characters/Vtubers to give me their thoughts on some thematic and presentation elements of the card game.  When you take a look at the cards, the art is definitely gorgeous, but without a direct connection to any of the characters it can be hard to gauge how representative they are of the personalities they aim to represent. One of my favorite cards is a Pekora card that sees her drawn in a style similar to the characters from Granblue Fantasy . It’s absolutely stunning, with a lush background and great detail on the card. Thanks to my consultant, I learned that this was intentional because Pekora loves Granblue Fantasy  in real life. This is such an excellent touch that is just lost on someone like me. Other details, like outfit changes and ability names, are also appropriately referential. This is the sort of attention to detail that fans of these personalities would surely love. Even if you don’t play the card game proper, it would be really cool to see your favorites represented in this way, making it an excellent collector’s item. I know I’ve done similarly for Magic: The Gathering  having purchased Final Fantasy and Lord of the Rings themed cards just to have them. This Pekora card is absolutely stunning. This intense attention to detail on these elements does make the actual game design a bit more jarring thematically. The basic premise of the card game relies on these holomems attacking and damaging opposing holomem to achieve victory, but I’ve never really gotten the sense these particular characters act that way amongst each other. As far as I can tell, hololive is a more collaborative operation, with the Vtubers frequently playing together or making joint appearances. They’re all about uplifting one another and their communities. The collaboration aspect does manifest in the “collab” mechanic in-game, but it’s a rather minor element compared to the more combative, adversarial nature of the other elements of the game. It seems to me a game that revolves around these people should be more based on building people up, rather than tearing them down.  Verdict Overall, this card game was an enjoyable experience. Matches are fun to play, the cards are gorgeous and made of good stock, and the rules are quite intuitive. For fans of hololive or any of their specific members, it makes a great collector’s item, and there are even special signed chase cards you can pull in boosters. The variety of the current holomems available leaves a lot to be desired, though whether or not that is due to an actual lack of variety within the company’s roster is something I’m not familiar with. I think it’s definitely worth a try for both fans of hololive and general TCG players alike.

In a sea of competitive board games and trading card games, sometimes it’s nice to just play a game amongst family and friends where you work together to get something done. Dodo is one such cooperative tabletop game, where your goal is to lead a massive egg down to your boat by building platforms along the way to carry the egg safely into your clutches. Given its age range (6+) it makes an egg- cellent game for children to be involved with, as well. Product:  Dodo Developer: Frank Bebenroth, Marco Teubner Publisher:  Thames & Kosmos Price: $ 34.95 Age: 6+ The first and only true test of patience in Dodo comes from its initial setup. Building the tower and removing all of the small cardboard tokens takes a bit of time on the first go, but as with most games, every other setup is relatively painless. Thankfully, all of your building work is immediately rewarded with an imposing tower that sits on your table. Beyond the tower and its supports, all other pieces are made of cardboard, save the dodo “egg” that rolls down the tower during play. While there are many tactile elements to Dodo , it is fundamentally a timed memory game. Supporting 2-4 players, the objective of the game is to take turns rolling a dice that tells you what building materials you need to complete your next platform. Once the die is cast, you flip over one of the building tokens; if the token matches, it goes onto the designated area on the platform until all materials required are present. If the token does not  match, you simply flip over the token and move onto the next player, who gets another crack at it. While all of this is going on, the dodo egg rolls down the tower slowly, creating a bit of a more frantic atmosphere with the inclusion of a timed element to play. Once the egg falls off the edge, you lose. If instead you are able to build every required platform before the egg crashes to its demise, it will simply roll onto your boat, safe and sound. Despite the egg’s slow crawl ever downward, the time allotted to achieve victory is quite long. Even playing on the “harder” difficulty, there is very little threat of failure with a team of adults. That calculus no doubt changes with young children in the mix, but I still feel the time allotted is lenient enough to play without panic. If nothing else, including children into play actually increases the fun level, as their excitement is both infectious and debilitating in some respects. This is an extremely simple game, with little in the way of decision-making, but unforced errors can add up and lead to failure. Dodo has great board presence and a great aesthetic. One major negative to the game is its all-cardboard pieces. While this no doubt drives down production costs, it also drives down durability of the pieces. Some of our pieces already have noticeable wear after only a few sessions. Given how vital interconnectivity of the pieces is to the game, this is a major issue for long-term play. Verdict Overall, I loved playing this game the few times I’ve set it up, but its simplicity does make it a bit harder to rate. The game is made to be playable by young children and adults alike, and while it succeeds on the lower spectrum here, it's not much of a game for adults. The aesthetic of the art and board presence are really great, but actually playing the game wears out its welcome quick, as there will never be any twists or complications along the way — you simply roll to victory. Image Credits: Thames & KOSMOS Disclosure: We received a free review copy of this product from the publisher.

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.