T R I C I T Y M O N S T E R S

28/28 (100%), 26.4 hours

I’ve been following Tri City Monsters since before it was even finished, back when it was free, and it’s been really cool watching it grow. The art is absolutely gorgeous, the soundtrack is fantastic, and the writing genuinely surprised me. I came for the hot monster dudes, but I stayed because I actually got invested in the story and characters.

I also have to give the developer a ton of credit. They’ve been really active with updates and listening to feedback from players. The UI is clean and easy to use, achievements are pretty reasonable to get, and I love how much choice for your sexuality and preferences the game gives you. And when players asked for a Raath route, the dev basically said "yep, it's coming." Instant +10,000 points from me because... I can't say no to a bad boy.

It’s not perfect, though. If you choose not to bone some of the characters, some conversations with them can feel a little awkward, like the game assumes you’re going to sleep with everyone eventually. (I did... but that’s not the point, okay? 😂) The endings also felt a bit rushed after such a fun journey, and while your choices determine which ending you get, they don’t always feel super impactful during the story itself. I also wouldn’t have complained about getting a few more CGs, but that’s just me being greedy.

Overall though, I had a great time with it. If you’re looking for a monster-themed visual novel with great art, fun writing, and some very attractive dudes, this one is absolutely worth checking out.

C A T S I N T I M E

24/24 (100%), 11.1 hours

I played the game for Play or Pay 3rd Cycle of 2026 and it was picked for me by LazyBot.

Cats in Time was such a nice little palate cleanser. Instead of the usual hidden cat formula, each level is a small scene puzzle box where you need to find 10 cats and 3 postcard pieces. Collecting all the postcard bits eventually unlocks a hidden scene, which gave me a nice extra goal to work toward.

The whole game is super cute and completely stress-free. Most of the puzzles were fairly easy for me, though a few made me stop and think for a minute before the solution clicked. If you're someone who loves really difficult puzzle games, this one might feel a little too simple, but I actually liked that. It was relaxing without feeling mindless.

I had a great time with it overall. It felt like a nice breath of fresh air compared to a lot of hidden cat games I've played, and I'd happily recommend it if you're looking for something cozy to play for an afternoon.

G U N F R O G

8/14 (57%), 0.9 hours

Gun Frog is a cute little indie game with a fun idea, but I had a bit of a mixed experience with it. I liked the art style and the overall vibe, and blasting enemies as a frog is just inherently funny. It's definitely got charm.

The biggest issue for me was the controls and physics. I never really got comfortable with them, and they made some of the fights harder than I felt they needed to be. I ended up sticking to easy mode because I knew I wasn't going to have a good time on the higher difficulties. I beat every boss except one optional one, and... I may or may not have cheesed the final boss by hiding in the ammo seller's stand and blasting the boss while staying hidden.

I also had zero interest in going for 100%. The extreme difficulty achievements just didn't sound fun with how the game handles, so I called it quits after finishing the main content. Overall, I think it's a cute game with a lot of personality, but the controls held it back enough that I'd wish steam had a neutral review option.

S U M M E R H O U S E

10/10 (100%), 2.4 hours

SUMMERHOUSE isn't really a game in the traditional sense, it's more like a tiny digital sandbox where you can relax and build cute little houses. There aren't any goals or challenges, just four cozy environments and a bunch of building pieces to mess around with. You can also unlock a few secret objects by combining different items, which was a fun little surprise.

It does exactly what it sets out to do, and I honestly enjoyed just zoning out and building for a while. The art style is gorgeous, the soundtrack is lovely, and the whole thing has a really peaceful vibe.

My only real complaint is that I wanted more. More building styles, more color options, and especially the ability to rotate objects so you can make every side of your little houses look nice, even if you can't fully see them. Either way, it's a charming little sandbox builder that's perfect if you just want to relax for an hour or two.

R E : F R E S H

13/13 (100%), 1.5 hours

I won this game through SteamGifts.

Re:Fresh was a cute little surprise. It's a short platformer with fun movement, simple mechanics, and a cast of really adorable characters. The writing has a lot of charm, and it's one of those games you can jump into without having to go through a long tutorial.

I also liked that there are optional speed challenges if you want a little extra difficulty during your playthrough. They're a nice addition for anyone who enjoys getting some extra outfit goodies.

That said, the game is very short, and I did run into a few bugs during my playthrough. There are also some extra resources that didn't really seem to have much of a purpose, which made them feel a bit unnecessary.

Overall, it's a fun little indie platformer that doesn't overstay its welcome. I just wish there had been a bit more of it.

I E A T P A I N T I N G S W H E N G U A R D S A R E N ' T L O O K I N G

20/20 (100%), 1.0 hours

💗 This game was gifted to Indie Therapy for review.

I Eat Paintings When Guards Aren't Looking is such a stupidly fun concept, and I mean that in the best way possible. It's a hidden object game where you sneak around eating specific parts of famous historical paintings, and honestly, I couldn't stop laughing at how silly the whole idea is.

It's basically a hidden object game with a very silly twist, and I had a great time with it. It's pretty short with only 15 levels, but it's also cheap, so I didn't mind at all. I really enjoyed all the little art history references, and of course, any game that includes cats gets bonus points from me.

Overall, it's unique, goofy, full of cats, and surprisingly charming. Absolutely delicious and easily digestible. Would eat paintings again. 10/10. 🐱🖼️

S T O R Y T E L L E R

5/5 (100%), 2.4 hours

I played the game for Play or Pay 2nd Cycle of 2026 and it was picked for me by Aquatorrent.
This game was gifted to me by Bruteforce123 from PoP Secret Santa.

Storyteller was such a fun little puzzle game. I really liked how creative the puzzles and story setups were, and the whole idea of building stories from a vague prompt kept things feeling fresh the entire time. It’s basically a puzzle game about putting events in the right order and watching chaotic little stories unfold, which was honestly really charming.

The game is definitely on the short side, but I had a great time with it while it lasted. If you enjoy cute logic puzzles and experimenting with different story outcomes, this is absolutely worth checking out.

That said, I do agree with a lot of people about the price. For how short the game is, it feels a bit expensive for the amount of content you get. I’d personally recommend grabbing it during a big sale, because it’s a really enjoyable experience, just a very brief one.

I S L E T S D E F E N S E

25/43 (58%), 9.5 hours

I won this game through SteamGifts.

Islets Defense was a really pleasant surprise for me. The graphics are lovely, the gameplay feels polished, and the mechanics stay interesting because the game keeps introducing little twists and new ideas as you progress. I had a lot of fun with it overall.

That said, the difficulty curve gave me a bit of whiplash. Early on it felt very forgiving, like you could kind of do whatever and still win, but later some levels became super punishing where one small mistake basically meant restarting the whole thing. I got pretty close to giving up a few times, honestly. I didn’t even touch hardcore mode because normal mode was already destroying me enough.

I’d also say the “tower defense” label is a bit misleading. It feels more like a turn-based strategy game since you can only do one action per turn and can’t freely spam buildings whenever you want. Not a bad thing at all, just different from what I expected going in.

Even with the difficulty headaches and the lack of strategy guides online when I got stuck, I still think it’s a genuinely good game and definitely worth recommending if you enjoy strategy games that make you think a bit.

N A I R I: T O W E R O F S H I R I N

20/20 (100%), 5.5 hours

I played the game for Play or Pay 2nd Cycle of 2026 and it was picked for me by Itsly.
I won this game through SteamGifts.

NAIRI: Tower of Shirin was a really charming little adventure game. The character designs are adorable and full of personality, and I got attached to the cast way faster than I expected. The world feels warm and cozy despite some of the heavier moments in the story, and that balance worked really well for me.

The puzzles were mostly fun too, with a nice variety of tasks so the gameplay didn’t feel repetitive. I also appreciated that the game gives subtle hints here and there instead of completely holding your hand. That said, a few puzzles definitely crossed into “how was I supposed to know that?” territory and had me either brute forcing solutions or looking things up.

One thing that annoyed me a bit was navigation. Some exits between areas really aren’t marked clearly, so I got lost more than once just trying to figure out where I could actually go.

The biggest downside though is that the game is clearly only part of a bigger story, so it ends on a cliffhanger (kinda literally, which honestly made me laugh a little). Still, if you enjoy cute point-and-click style adventures with lovable characters and puzzles, it’s definitely worth checking out.

T H E D A R K S I D E D E T E C T I V E : A F U M B L E I N T H E D A R K

23/23 (100%), 7.4 hours

I had a really good time with The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark. If you liked the first game, this one feels like slipping right back into that same weird, spooky-but-goofy world. The pixel art is fantastic and full of charm, and the soundtrack fits the vibe perfectly while you run around solving supernatural nonsense.

The writing is probably the best part. The dialogue is funny and witty the whole way through, and McQueen and Dooley are still a hilarious duo. Honestly, they’re kind of couple goals in the most chaotic and silly way possible, and their back-and-forth is a big reason the game is so enjoyable.

The puzzles are mostly pretty chill and not too hard, which I liked. You can just enjoy the story and jokes without getting completely stuck. That said, there were a few puzzles where I just sat there thinking “how was I supposed to figure that out?” because they didn’t make a ton of sense.

Even though I really liked it, I still think the original game is a bit better overall. But this is still a great sequel and absolutely worth playing if you enjoyed the first one.

B R A M B L E : T H E M O U N T A I N K I N G

30/30 (100%), 4.9 hours

I played the game for Play or Pay 1st Cycle of 2026 and it was picked for me by Bored Queen.
This game was gifted to me by lironezzz from PoP Secret Santa.

Bramble: The Mountain King was a really cool little experience for me. The game is absolutely beautiful and nails that dark Nordic fairy-tale atmosphere and aesthetic perfectly. It genuinely feels like you’re wandering through some twisted Scandinavian folk story. The soundtrack is also incredible and adds so much to the mood of the whole game.

I also liked how simple the controls were. They’re very intuitive, so you can focus on the story and the creepy moments instead of fighting with the gameplay. It also ran flawlessly for me the whole time, which was nice. And I have to mention the gnomes, They are ridiculously adorable and easily one of my favorite parts of the game.

The camera angles are a bit of a mixed bag though. Sometimes they make scenes feel way more impactful or creepy, which works really well. Other times they make platforming awkward and almost caused me to fall a few times because it was hard to judge where I was jumping.

My only real complaint is that the game felt a bit too short, and despite that some of the fights felt like they were just there to stretch the playtime rather than add to the story. Still, I had a great time with it overall. If you like folklore and atmospheric adventure games, it’s definitely worth playing.

S E N T I M E N T A L T R I C K S T E R

12/12 (100%), 12.5 hours

I played the game for Play or Pay 1st Cycle of 2026 and it was picked for me by Bored Queen.
This game was gifted to me by Ninglor from PoP Secret Santa.

Sentimental Trickster was honestly a bit different from what I expected going in. The colorful, pretty art makes it look like a light and fluffy BL visual novel, but it actually dives into some pretty heavy and uncomfortable themes. I ended up enjoying it though, the dark themes give the story more weight and makes it stand out from a lot of other games in the genre.

The main character, Haru, is really enjoyable to follow, and the four love interests all feel distinct with their own personalities, issues, and storylines. I liked that your choices actually matter and influence which ending you get, so it feels like your decisions carry some real weight. The relationships aren’t just surface-level either, which made the routes more engaging to go through.

That said, it’s definitely not a game for everyone. There are a lot of heavy topics and trigger warnings, and the game doesn’t really list them clearly anywhere, so I’d recommend looking them up beforehand because it's quite a long list. I personally didn’t have issues with them, but I can see how others might.

There are also a few rough edges. The 18+ patch isn’t the easiest to find, and one of the newer routes (Jin) felt a bit messy with some odd pacing and transitions. The route point system can also feel a bit unclear at times, which made me second guess my choices more than I’d like.

Overall, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. It’s a more darker take on a BL visual novel with solid characters and meaningful choices, even if it has a few bumps along the way.

T H I E F S I M U L A T O R

21/21 (44%), 25.7 hours

I played the game for Play or Pay 1st Cycle of 2026 and it was picked for me by Aquatorrent.
I won this game through SteamGifts.

Thief Simulator is one of those games that’s really fun at first and then slowly starts to show its cracks the more you play. Sneaking around houses, scouting targets, and figuring out the best way to break in is genuinely enjoyable. There are a lot of different approaches you can take, which keeps things interesting early on, and the maps are actually pretty well designed for that kind of gameplay. The hacking minigame was also a nice little bonus that I ended up liking more than I expected.

Visually, it’s pretty decent too. Nothing mind-blowing, but it gets the job done and fits the vibe of the game well. The core gameplay loop of planning and pulling off a clean robbery is definitely where the game shines.

That said, it does get repetitive fairly quickly. Once you’ve done a handful of jobs, you’ve kind of seen most of what the game has to offer. Some activities, like stealing cars and taking them apart, felt more like chores than fun gameplay. The story is also pretty forgettable and doesn’t really add much to the experience.

The AI can be rough too. Tenants sometimes act in weird ways, like spotting you when they shouldn’t or doing strange things like glitching through walls. There’s also a fair bit of jank and small bugs sprinkled throughout, which can break immersion at times.

Overall, I had fun with it, especially in the beginning, but it’s definitely a game that wears out its welcome a bit too fast. Still worth checking out if the idea of being a sneaky thief sounds appealing.

I D L E C A T S D U N G E O N

3/3 (100%), 14.7 hours

Idle Cats Dungeon is one of those games that looks cute at first and pulls you in with the whole “number go bigger” vibe, but that’s kind of all there is to it. The art is nice and the cats are adorable, so it’s easy on the eyes while it runs.

Gameplay-wise though, it’s really barebones. You can automate your companions, but not your main character, which gets annoying pretty fast in what’s supposed to be an idle game. It ends up feeling more like a clicker you have to babysit than something you can just let run.

It also really lacks variety. I kept hoping for new areas or different enemies to shake things up, but it never really goes anywhere. There’s no real sense of challenge or progression either, so it doesn’t feel rewarding to keep playing.

Overall, it’s cute for a moment, but it wasn't fun at all and doesn't really grab your attention. I wouldn’t really recommend it unless you just want something super simple to click on for a bit or to have hanging on your screen.

H O W T O T R A I N Y O U R C 0 C K

18/18 (100%), 71.2 hours

How To Train Your C0ck is exactly as ridiculous as it sounds, and honestly, that’s kind of the charm. It’s a simple idle game where you train your c0ck to become stronger, bigger, and...cooler, I guess. My c0ck ended up being buff, black and with sunglasses, which is not something I expected to ever write down.

Gameplay-wise, it’s a pretty standard idle experience, nothing too deep, but fun enough to check in on. One weird (and hilarious) thing though: the game creates a folder on your desktop called “c0ck pictures” for screenshots. This game also led multiple friends to message me asking what on earth I was playing, which made the whole experience even funnier.

There are a few issues, like achievements unlocking later than they should, which is clearly a bug. But honestly, this isn’t the kind of game you take too seriously anyway. I got it as a gift from a friend, so technically...my friend helped me grow my c0ck. Incredible.

It’s dumb, and gave me a good laugh. Sometimes that’s all you really need.

C O F F E E T A L K 2 : H I B I S C U S & B U T T E R F L Y

36/53 (68%), 10.1 hours

I played the game for Play or Pay 1st Cycle of 2026 and it was picked for me by Bored Queen.
This game was gifted to me by Escollo from PoP Secret Santa.

This game was such a cozy and enjoyable return to that late-night café vibes. If you liked the first game, this one feels like more of everything. There’s a huge variety of drinks this time around, which made experimenting way more fun, and the new characters really add a lot to the experience. Riona and Lucas were definite highlights for me.

The art is honestly gorgeous. The characters feel more expressive than before, and I loved that many of them have multiple outfits throughout the story. It gives everything a bit more personality. The storytelling is also really strong, with branching routes that let character stories play out differently depending on your choices, which adds a nice bit of replay value.

The soundtrack is another big step up. It was already good in the first game, but here it feels even more polished, and I really liked how some tracks change depending on the route you’re on. Also, there’s a hidden cameo from another pixel detective game series, and it was perfect, such a fun little surprise.

That said, it’s not perfect. Fast-forwarding through dialogue can feel a bit slow since it still shows all the expression changes, and some of the achievements are quite tedious.

Overall though, I had a great time with it. It’s cozy, charming, and full of heart. A really solid sequel that improves on the original in most ways.

R.I.P. Fahmi <3

S E X A N D T H E F U R R Y T I T T Y

19/19 (100%), 6.2 hours

This one caught me off guard in a good way. It’s not the usual low-effort adult VN that just exists for the NSFW scenes, there’s actually some solid writing here, and I ended up genuinely enjoying the stories themselves. The spicy content is there, sure, but it doesn’t feel like the only thing the game has going for it.

There are a few translation mistakes and the occasional missing word, which can be a little noticeable, but nothing that ruined the experience for me. If you’re into match-3 gameplay, furry characters, and adult games that put in more effort than expected, this is definitely worth checking out.

R U S T Y ' S R E T I R E M E N T

71/71 (100%), 222.2 hours

Rusty’s Retirement is a really cute concept for an idle game. It sits at the bottom of your screen while you do other things, slowly farming away in the background. It’s relaxing and low-pressure, and I genuinely enjoyed having it running while I worked or browsed.

That said, it’s not quite the perfect idle experience. The “idle” mechanics don’t always work as smoothly as I’d hoped, and you can’t upgrade certain parts of the process — only the bots. Once you pick a farm layout, you’re locked in, and buildings or animals can’t be removed after placing them, which feels surprisingly restrictive. On top of that, several achievements require starting completely new saves multiple times, which can feel a bit tedious.

Even with those frustrations, I still had a good time and ended up 100% completing it. It’s charming, cozy, and satisfying in its own way — just not my favorite idle game out there.

C H O N K E R S

25/25 (100%), 859.6 hours

This game was gifted to me by Kyog from PoP Secret Santa.

Chonkers is a super cute idle creature collector where you raise cats and watch them grow up into either normal adults or absolute units. The cats are absolutely the best part, there’s a great variety of designs, and it’s always fun seeing what breed your next purchase turns into. It also has daily tasks and even Steam Marketplace items you can collect and sell, which adds a bit of extra motivation to check in daily.

That said, the charm wears off faster than I expected. The gameplay loop gets repetitive pretty quickly, and there are some noticeable balancing issues. Completing the full collection relies heavily on RNG, so if you’re unlucky, you could be looking at hundreds of hours to 100% it, which would be fine if the progression was more balanced. I enjoyed my time with it, especially early on, but it definitely becomes more grind than cozy after a while. Still, I think it's worth the amount it's sold at and def worth to check out if you enjoy such games.

D O G W A L K

no achievements, 0.3 hours

This was such a sweet little experience. In DOGWALK you play as a big fluffy dog being walked by a small kid through a snowy forest, and honestly, it feels very accurate to how that dynamic actually goes. The whole thing is super wholesome and cozy, with a hand-crafted winter environment that’s really pleasant to wander through.

It’s very short and simple, but the art style paired with the calm music makes it a genuinely relaxing play session. You’re not here for challenge or depth; just vibes, snow, and gentle exploration. The fact that it’s free and open source makes it even more amazing.

I’d absolutely love to see a full-length game built in this style, because the foundation here is really lovely. Definitely worth playing if you want something cozy and chill, and I can easily see kids enjoying this a lot too.

M E O W P A T H 2

2/23 (9%), 0.5 hours

💜 This game was gifted to Catizens Curations for review.

I wanted to like this one more than I did. The core idea is fun, but there’s no tutorial at all, so when new block types appear, you’re left guessing, and I got stuck pretty quickly because I just didn’t understand how certain mechanics worked.

It also feels like the game inflates its playtime by having a massive number of levels, which made it start to feel tedious. On top of that, the AI-generated cat backgrounds were a big turn-off for me, and I really wish there was an option to turn them off in favor of a simple background. Cute idea, but overall, the execution just didn’t work for me.

D O N ' T L E T M E F A D E

1/1 (100%), 0.1 hours

💗 This game was gifted to Indie Therapy for review.

This was a very short but surprisingly touching experience. I haven’t personally dealt with Alzheimer’s in real life, but the atmosphere, writing, and especially the music made the theme feel painfully real in a way I didn’t expect from such a tiny game. It has this quiet, heavy mood that sticks with you even after it ends.

It only took me about 6 minutes to play through, but those minutes were meaningful. The soundtrack in particular really elevated the experience and did a lot of emotional heavy lifting. For a free game made during a 48-hour game jam, it’s impressive how much feeling it manages to convey in such a short time. Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the mood for something reflective and emotional.

M O N S T R O U S L O V E

14/14 (100%), 1.1 hours

This is one of those adult games that’s more about vibes and romance than going all-in on shock value. The premise is simple: three short interactive stories about women exploring their sexuality with monsters, and while it’s definitely naughty, it leans way more toward soft, romantic fantasy than anything truly wild. Honestly, for a game about monster romance, it felt a bit too vanilla. Also, I couldn’t help but laugh at how immediately okay the characters are with getting intimate with random monsters they just met.

That said, the presentation is really nice. The artwork is solid, with well-detailed scenes and a lot of care put into both the monster designs and the characters themselves. The backgrounds are pretty, the music is easy to listen to, and everything fits together nicely. Gameplay-wise, though, it’s not very engaging as the arousal meter mechanic during the more risqué moments feels slow and repetitive.

Overall, it’s a charming little experience that’s easy to remember, even if it felt to me that it didn’t fully commit to its monster theme. Definitely not for everyone, but if you’re into adult, romantic monster stories and don’t mind light gameplay, it’s worth checking out.

E Y E S T H A T H Y P N O T I S E

22/22 (100%), 2.4 hours

💗 This game was gifted to Indie Therapy for review.

This is one of those cozy little puzzle games that’s clearly inspired by Cats Organized Neatly, but thankfully it doesn’t feel like a lazy copy. It has its own personality, mostly thanks to the adorable creatures and those big, goofy hypnotic eyes staring straight into your soul. The puzzles are simple and easy to grasp, making it perfect for when you just want to relax and not think too hard.

What really stood out to me was the attention to detail. The art is super charming, the sound design is soft and satisfying, and the overall vibe is calm and pleasant. It’s short, sweet, and doesn’t overstay its welcome. If you like tidy-grid puzzle games with cute visuals and a chill atmosphere, this one’s a nice little game for that.

R . E . P . O .

no achievements, 24.2 hours

This is the kind of game that starts with “okay, just one quick run” and somehow turns into hours of screaming, laughing, and blaming your friends for everything that goes wrong. The premise is simple: grab valuable stuff and get out. But the monsters make even the easiest task spiral into absolute chaos. One wrong move and suddenly all your friends are dead, you are panicking, and a baby is throwing your loot into a pit.

What really makes this game shine is how naturally funny it is. The physics, the timing, and all the little disasters don’t feel forced at all, it’s just pure comedy gold. You don’t even need to be good at the game to have fun; honestly, being bad makes it better. Every failed run turns into a story you’ll be laughing about later. The proximity chat adds so much to the experience too. Some of the funniest moments I’ve had in co-op games came from yelling half-coherent words to my friends while running for my life.

It’s not overly scary, but it definitely has its moments where you jump, panic, and immediately regret your life choices. This is an absolute must-have for any friend group. You’ll spend half the time screaming and the other half tripping over furniture, flinging priceless items, and accusing your friends of sabotage. Pure chaos, pure fun.

D O W N I N B E R M U D A

25/25 (100%), 3.1 hours

I played the game for Play or Pay 1st Cycle of 2026 and it was picked for me by Aquatorrent. The game was gifted to me by Vot4ol from PoP Secret Santa.

This was a really chill and quirky little adventure that I ended up enjoying more than I expected. You play as a pilot stuck in a weird time bubble in the Bermuda Triangle, hopping between colorful islands, solving puzzles, and poking at everything until it makes sense. It’s on the shorter side, but that honestly works in its favor, it never overstays its welcome.

The puzzles are interesting without being frustrating, and the mix of light hidden-object elements with classic puzzle solving felt pretty cozy. There were a few moments where I wandered around thinking “okay… now what?” but every time it turned out I’d just missed something obvious. Collectibles can be a bit brutal without hints (absolute needle-in-a-haystack energy), but there are solid guides if you care about 100%.

Overall, it’s a great pick for casual players who want something relaxing, colorful, and not too demanding. Nothing mind-blowing, but definitely a fun and pleasant little experience.

T W O W O R L D S

no achievements, 34.9 hours

Two Worlds is one of those old RPGs that sounds way more exciting than it actually is. The open world is huge and you can go anywhere right from the start, but a lot of that space feels empty and pointless, with many areas having nothing worth doing. After a while, exploring just stopped being interesting.

The visuals are mixed too. The water looks surprisingly nice for its age, but most environments are bland and overly similar, and cities very horizontal and are packed with NPCs that all look and sound the same. Most of them are completely useless, and having so many in one place caused noticeable stuttering for me.

Gameplay didn’t really save it either. The inventory limit is frustrating, combat feels clunky, and while unlimited merchant gold is convenient and combining armor together for better was interesting, it wasn't enough to make the game fun. Overall, it just wasn’t that enjoyable for me, and it definitely shows its age in ways that make it hard to recommend.

T H E P L U C K Y S Q U I R E

13/24 (54%), 8.8 hours

I played the game for Play or Pay 1st Cycle of 2026 and it was picked for me by Aquatorrent.

The Plucky Squire is just pure charm from start to finish. Jumping between the 2D storybook world and the 3D space outside the pages feels incredibly creative, and honestly it’s the closest I’ve seen a game come to that A Link Between Worlds kind of magic. Everything about it feels breezy, artsy, and lovingly crafted.

I played on story mode and it was perfect for me. Mostly relaxed, with just enough challenge to stay engaging. I did try a higher difficulty at first, but after getting stuck on the first boss I decided to drop the completionist mindset and just enjoy the ride, which was absolutely the right call. I also ran into zero bugs, which made the whole experience feel smooth and polished.

It’s a feel-good, whimsical adventure that clearly knows what it wants to be: a kids’ game for adults and an adults’ game for kids. If you want something creative, cozy, and genuinely delightful, this one’s an easy recommendation.

H E R T E A R S W E R E M Y L I G H T

7/7 (100%), 0.6 hours

This game was gifted to me by Lironezzz from PoP Secret Santa.

Her Tears Were My Light was a really lovely little experience. I’d already played Bad End Theater from NomnomNami and loved it, so I went in with pretty high expectations. Thankfully, it didn’t disappoint me. Their art style is just as charming here, and it immediately pulled me in.

It’s a short and sweet yuri visual novel with genuinely good writing. You can get through everything in under an hour, but the characters still manage to feel surprisingly deep for such a short game. The romance is soft, cute, and heartfelt, and the music and visuals fit the mood perfectly. I also really liked how saving the game is woven into the story itself. It’s not a brand-new idea, but it’s handled in a way that feels thoughtful and meaningful here.

If you’re even a little curious when you see this game on the store, I’d say it’s absolutely worth checking out, you’ll probably enjoy it more than you expect.

I N C R E D I C E R

26/26 (100%), 15.4 hours

Dice go brr!

Incredicer is a short, incremental dice game where you roll dice, earn money, upgrade and buy helper hands to automate and increase your income. It gives you what it promises, though without any additional mechanics the game gets a bit repetitive.

Still a very fun game and it had me hooked! It's nothing ground breaking, but it deserves a positive review for being cheap and satisfying! If you have a spare 3 dollars lying around definitely get it!

F E

12/12 (100%), 9.1 hours

I played the game for Play or Pay 4th Cycle of 2025 and it was picked for me by Fynyx.

Fe is a short, cozy puzzle-platformer with some light metroidvania elements, and you play as this tiny little creature just trying to survive and help save a forest that’s very clearly having a bad time. The story is super minimal and mostly told without words, which I both appreciated and occasionally felt a little lost by.

What really sold me was the atmosphere. The art style is really nice, with lots of deep purples, strong silhouettes, glowing highlights, and floaty particles that make everything feel dreamlike. The soundtrack fits that mood perfectly too, with soft strings and chimes and forest sounds that make it feel calm even when you’re running from something scary. It’s not doing anything wildly new, but it’s pleasant and cozy in a way that’s hard to dislike.

Gameplay-wise, you’re mostly running, climbing, gliding, and singing at things. And honestly? I love games with a yell/sing button and gliding mechanics, so I was already halfway sold. Learning different animal “languages” to progress was a neat idea, and using the controller triggers to sing felt surprisingly good. None of the abilities blew my mind, but they all felt nice to use, and scrambling up trees and gliding between branches was just satisfying!

That said, the game isn’t perfect. The lack of dialogue means you sometimes have to guess what the game wants from you, and the story didn’t always fully click for me until near the end. Also, I wouldn’t recommend buying this at full price, especially with the EA account stuff attached. Though if you grab it on sale or already have EA Play, it’s a really chill little experience. Nothing life-changing, but a lovely few hours being a small forest creature, yelling at animals and trying not to get eaten. 🐾🌲