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In summary, Hell Clock is simply a great game. It has all the mechanics that make a roguelite great – beneficial progression between runs, variety of skills and RNG elements. Then it layers in ARPG elements and skill trees for extra touch. It also provides the player with plenty of options for how laid back or difficult they want to play through the game. With these in mind and for a game that also looks this good, I could give it nothing less than the Thumb Culture Platinum Thumb Award.

Since starting Enigma of Fear, I just haven’t put it down. The levels are well designed, back-tracking does become annoying, but with the amount of fun I had, it’s easily forgiven. I love the puzzles in the game that really challenged me, such as the statues. Lupi is adorable, and the cast is great. Although I’m not a huge fan of Agatha’s voice. The music fits the scene and really helps set the tone. The game is just so interesting and captivating. Enigma of Fear is going into my replay pile, right with Crow Country. Gameplay is fun and engaging, but I do wish there were less notes. I understand developers use them for world building, but I wish they would try other ways. Such as videos or just another cinematic. I appreciate this is more a pet peeve of mine with games in general rather than just this one though. The teams at Dumativa, and Cellbit achieved something great here. Now, honestly, the only thing mystery I have is, why isn’t anyone playing or talking about Enigma of Fear more? Enigma of Fear is fully deserving of the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.

Hidden in My Paradise is an adorable hidden-object game that offers bite-size challenges and encourages players to express their creativity through the main levels and the sandbox mode. The objectives are fun and keep you engaged. I even forgot I was reviewing a game whilst playing. I was so completely immersed in trying to find all the fairies! In terms of improvements, the only thing that came to mind was currency related. I do wish that the currency was used for other reasons than just buying assets. I would have loved to see different themed outfits for Laly and Coronya. Or even have been able to buy different types of pointers, for that added customization. I would also love to see a design challenge mode, where players have to match a certain theme but not be constrained to the exact items/positions as in the snapshot challenges. Hidden in My Paradise is an essential purchase for fans of light challenge cozy casual games, and so I award Hidden in My Paradise the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.

Roots of Pacha is a cozy farming simulator that you can sit back and lose hours in with. It’s impossible to not compare it to games like Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon but it stands on its own two feet with an interesting story, unique minigames, and quality-of-life updates. While it can be a bit clunky in certain aspects, the vibes are unmatched and leave me reaching for my Switch throughout the day to check on my animals, decorate my home, and talk to my favourite NPCs – looking at you, Garrek. If you’re a fan of cozy farming simulators then Roots of Pacha is definitely one that needs adding to your library.

MADiSON VR combines many classic horror themes across games and film to bring together an effective, immersive, anxiety-inducing Horror experience that is not for the faint-hearted. The deep lore you discover throughout the playthrough (if you read every note) builds up the world of the Hale house. As someone with vision issues related to my pupils adjusting correctly to light meant that the pure black parts of rooms against the dimly lit sections caused me some issues but without this, they would struggle to hide the jump scares. MADiSON does a great job at creating the experience of being possessed and the confusion that it induces on Luca. I hope that Bloodious games continues to build up their world and the lore around it.

In an increasingly cluttered world of chess-inspired gaming, Chessarama by Minimol Games is a standout release. An XP system that might be a bit clunkily implemented doesn’t detract from what the game does well – A fun and thoughtful presentation combined with engaging and novel concepts to hook players, even those who (like me) aren’t normally fans of Chess.

Maybe it is my age, but Golazo! 2 really struck a nerve with me. A good one that is. Its simple but fun nature means it is very easy to pick up and play.

But I do think that the game needs more improvements and a better story. I’m not expecting a masterpiece of storytelling but I would at least like something that’s memorable. Like every time a new cut scene happened, I had forgotten what happened in the previous one. Besides that,  PopSlinger is a good game, but not a great one.