This year's New Game Plus took place across 16th and 17th April as part of the London Games Festival. It was the second time the event ran and it felt noticeably bigger and more polished than last year, thanks in part to the new venue and a roomier layout. Even so, there was still a bit of that scrappy indie charm that made the first edition so memorable. I only attended on the Thursday but had a great time playing some new to me games and meeting the lovely developers of all of these great games. The show included a couple of stages as well with talks throughout the days. One smaller stage was aimed at students with talks on imposter syndrome for example and stories by people in the industry. The other stage was bigger and had more interviews with developers, such as Peter Molyneux. This was a lovely talk, very open and honest and a lot more positive about the future than I would have expected.

A story-driven, action adventure combining exploration with fast-paced combat. Untangle the past as Kena, a young Spirit Guide in search of the sacred Mountain Shrine. Help free the spirits trapped in a forgotten village with the help of the Rot, her adorable (yet powerful) spirit companions.

Battle a sinister corporation in this story-rich RPG! Survive fast-paced, turn-based battles and conversations where cringe damage can be deadly. Fight the evils of capitalism with your trusty pig sidekick and join the revolution, old man!

Embark on an adorable adventure, discover new friends and uncover everything the island has to offer. Climb, Swim, Glide and slide your way into the hearts of the many different characters you meet on your travels!

Every month I collate the games I played that are new to me, or that I haven't played in a long time and revisited. For 2026 I am adding a continued section at the bottom, as I am hoping to get through some bigger older AAA games too.

Every month I collate the games I played that are new to me, or I haven’t played in a long time and revisited. For 2026 I am adding a “continued section” at the bottom, as I am hoping to get through some bigger older AAA games too.

This is a list of demos I played during Steam Next fest and what I thought about them.

Every month I collate the games I played that are new to me, or I haven’t played in a long time and revisited. For 2026 I am adding a “continued section” at the bottom, as I am hoping to get through some bigger older AAA games too.

In articles prefixed with “Thoughts” I share some ideas or commentary on stuff I have seen in the gaming industry / community rather than a review of a game. This time I am looking at the last 6 months of owning the S...

The Last Campfire is an adventure, a story of a lost ember trapped in a puzzling place, searching for meaning and a way home.

Crypt Custodian is a charming metroidvania about cleaning up the afterlife. Play as Pluto - a mischievous cat who has died, and is sentenced to be the afterworld's janitor... FOREVER! Hang out with other doomed ghosts, battle beasts, and explore a vastly expansive landscape.

Last year I did a roundup of all the games I played on PC using my Steam Deck, which I had owned for around 10 months at that point.

Every month I collate the games I played that are new to me, or I haven’t played in a long time and revisited.

Experience the moving tale of a young woman and her lifelong bond with a magnificent wolf as they embark on a thrilling adventure through a rapidly dying world.

In articles prefixed with “Thoughts” I share some ideas or commentary on stuff I have seen in the gaming industry / community rather than a review of a game. This time I am looking at retro gaming on the steam deck.

Explore a dense, interconnected labyrinth, and unravel its many secrets. Collect items to manipulate your environment in surprising and meaningful ways. Encounter beautiful and unsettling creatures, as you attempt to survive what lurks in the dark. There is more than what you see.

Every month I collate the games I played that are new to me, or I haven’t played in a long time and revisited. As part of Good Game Lobby Monthly Gaming Club we were playing Toem. Next month we are playing Ori and the Blind Forest. Join us if you fancy playing along or just want to chat games in general.

Set off on a delightful expedition and use your photographic eye to uncover the mysteries of the magical TOEM in this hand-drawn adventure game. Chat with quirky characters, solve their problems by snapping neat photos, and make your way through a relaxing landscape!

Explore a reimagined Kalos region in Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. Continue the action-RPG Pokémon Legends series.

In articles prefixed with “Thoughts” I share some ideas or commentary on stuff I have seen in the gaming industry / community rather than a review of a game.

Every month I collate the games I played that are new to me, or I haven’t played in a long time and revisited. As part of Good Game Lobby Monthly Gaming Club we were playing A Short Hike. Next month we are playing Toem. Join us if you fancy playing along or just want to chat games.

In 2025 I played a few games that actually released that year despite my ever growing backlog. I did really enjoy the buzz of playing games along with everyone else at the same time and comparing my own experiences wi...

OK where did the last 12 months go!? How are we nearly in November? I feel so lost in time but here we are. One year since I started my Substack. I thought I’d reflect on the experience a bit and what I might be doing...

This is a list of 8 demos I played during Steam Next fest and what thought about them. I was traveling so all were played on the steam deck.

Hike, climb, and soar through the peaceful mountainside landscapes of Hawk Peak Provincial Park as you make your way to the summit.

Every month I collate the games I played that are new to me, or I haven’t played in a long time and revisited. As part of Good Game Lobby Monthly Gaming Club we were playing Poco. A point and click adventure. My first point and click adventure really and I had a blast. It was cute and well thought out. The music was great and I really enjoyed it. If you fancy joining in for future monthly picks, hop into the GGL Discord.

Poco is the story of the world's smallest clown, who is banished from the circus and finds themself in a mysterious undergrowth full of lost and broken things. Explore, meet strange creatures, solve puzzles, and help Poco return to the circus in this charming 2D/3D hybrid point-and-click adventure.

Explore a beautiful, vast and ruined world riddled with dangers and lost technologies.

In articles prefixed with “Thoughts” I share some ideas or commentary on stuff I have seen in the gaming industry / community rather than a review of a game.

Every month I collate the games I played that are new to me, or I haven’t played in a long time and revisited. As part of Good Game Lobby Monthly Gaming Club we were playing Gris. It was really nice to re-explore the game and revisit it when I myself was in a more happy mindset. The soundscape is still really evocative and the use of colour is just so nice. I also saw more meaning in the different game mechanics this time and still jumped at one jump scare moment. It was great fun to re-play it in a group, and if you want to join us, hop into the GGL Discord. Below is my old review of the game as I did not manage to write another one yet.

This is a list of indie games I played or saw and played later if possible. These are in no particular order. The list of previous 10 can be found below: Below are a few more. :)

Eeek this year I decided to go to Gamescom in Köln. It seemed like a sort of logical next step in terms of gaming events, however I had no idea how big it actually is, so maybe I should have tried to stay more local first. This is a bit of an overview blog, and I will go into details for the indie games I played or liked the look of in a separate post in more detail. :)

This is a list of indie games I played or saw and played later if possible. These are in no particular order. There are 10 indies listed and a couple even launched during the conference. I will create another list wit...

Buy Animal Crossing™: New Horizons and shop other great Nintendo products online at the official My Nintendo Store.

I did a similar post discussing accessories for the steam deck a while back and thought it could be a nice post for the Switch 2 as well, and there is some overlap. You can read more about the steam deck one below and...

I have family abroad, so I travel through airports reasonably frequently. The past 18 months my steam deck has been my trusty travel companion. But with the Switch 2 release and me trying to focus on Zelda BotW, and w...

Every month I collate the games I played that are new to me, or I haven’t played in a long time and revisited.

Play-through: is a new format where I will be writing in more of a diary format for bigger games that I am playing. The first game I am trialing this with is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on Switch 2.

Explore strange and wonderful islands and dark labyrinths below in this narrative puzzle platformer. Guide young mechanic Mo on her quest to repair a world on the brink of collapse. The powerful Omni Switch at your disposal may not be enough to fix the damage that hides beneath the surface...

Play-through: is a new format where I will be writing in more of a diary format for bigger games that I am playing. The first game I am trialing this with is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on Switch 2.

A scientist uses a unique teleportation instrument to escape an ancient biomechanical world filled with imaginative technology, deadly traps, and hidden secrets.

Play-through: is a new format where I will be writing in more of a diary format for bigger games that I am playing. The first game I am trialing this with is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on Switch 2.

Disclaimer: I am currently not working in the industry but I used to and was also job hunting while at the expo… I know, it is not good time.

In articles prefixed with “Thoughts” I share some ideas or commentary on stuff I have seen in the gaming industry / community rather than a review of a game.

In March 2024 my love of gaming was re-ignited with the purchase of a steamdeck. Since then I have been obsessed with watching reviews, news, indie game content, listening to podcasts, etc. I recently shared some of m...

It has been a few days since launch of the new Switch 2? How are we feeling? Kinda ok? Meh? Not caring anymore about the new hardware? Or fully excited by all its little extras and gimmicks?

Every month I collate the games I played that are new to me, or I haven’t played in a long time and revisited. June was the release of the new Switch 2, so this list includes games played on Steam deck and Switch 2. Did you get a Switch 2 this month?

Reaping souls of the dead and punching a clock might get monotonous but it's honest work for a Crow. The job gets lively when your assigned soul is stolen and you must track down a desperate thief to a realm untouched by death - where creatures grow far past their expiry.

South of Midnight is a new action-adventure from Compulsion Games. Explore the mythos and confront mysterious creatures of the Deep South in this modern folktale while learning to weave an ancient power to surmount obstacles and unravel your family’s hidden past.

Fun fact, when I first started to think about writing about gaming and creating a username, I wanted it to be targeted to metroidvania. I had just played the Ori games and I wanted more of that type of game. After res...

I thoroughly enjoyed and empathised with this post by Katya and in a similar vain this one. Both are quite different. The first talks about her top unfinished games that ended up sitting started, or maybe even mostly...

ULTROS is a psychedelic metroidvania where you wake up stranded on The Sarcophagus — a cosmic uterus holding an ancient, demonic being. Trapped in the loop of a black hole, you will have to explore The Sarcophagus and meet its inhabitants to understand the part you play...

Immerse yourself in a gorgeous hand-painted world on a search for your true identity. As the mysterious warrior, Dust, your action-packed journey will take you from peaceful glades to snowy mountaintops and beyond.

Explore a strange planet, collect the creatures you find, and then shape-shift into them to expand your world. Build your own path, chat with the locals, and discover the planet's sprawling secrets in this quirky metroidvania platformer.

Take to the sky and reunite a fragmented world in this surprisingly wholesome metroidvania! Help Iko adventure across beautiful hand-painted islands, receive letters from a quirky cast of characters, and face powerful monstrous adversaries.

What a busy month it has been. I went to a couple of video game themed events and managed to squeeze in quite a bit of gaming time too. I hope you had a pleasant April as well.

Explore a land filled with lost legends, ancient powers, and ferocious monsters in TUNIC, an isometric action game about a small fox on a big adventure.

I’ve been open about losing my dad a year ago and as my family lives in a different country to me, I’ve been travelling back and forth a lot over the last 18 months. This actually inspired the steam deck purchase beca...

Disclaimer: We were just lucky. We managed to be selected for the London switch 2 experience through the lottery system. This has nothing to do with media or an influencer event. This is the event page .

Arietta of Spirits is a story-driven action-adventure game, with easy to approach game mechanics. Follow Arietta on her journey to unveil the mysteries of the Spirit Realm and immerse yourself in a story filled with emotion and surprising turns.

Disclaimer: In game pictures below are from the linked steam or kick starter pages. On April 4th I attended the event “ New Game Plus ”, as part of the London Games Festival. Last year I went to an event called WASD which was a similar set up with the focus on indie games and indie publishers. This new event was part conference and part indie games showcase, with over 70 playable demos. The ticketing was really reasonable and I only got a ticket for the Friday showcase event. Last year I had only just gotten my steam deck and was really shy about playing any demos in front of developers, but this year I was determined and managed to play 14 demos in total. I also chatted to a few developers and met the lovely John from Gaming in the Wild , who was one of the first podcasters and YouTubers I consistently listened to. The event had a really nice and friendly atmosphere and everyone from attendees to exhibitors and staff were lovely. Even London showed its best side by being sunny and T-shirt weather warm. Brief segway, talking about T-shirts. My Elden Ring T-shirt got many comments and limited sizes are still left to buy here . (nothing to do with me, but it is an independent artist and limited and ethically run T-shirt company, so thought I’d share). Now back to the event. Each demo had a dedicated screen and seat, unless it was multiplayer, then 2-4 people could take a seat and play together. I’ll now list some of the games I played and what I thought with links to their steam pages and kickstarters.

Fueled by love but driven by rage, Cherry embarks on a blood-soaked quest for revenge, explores the massive Megastructure, and eviscerates the armies of Infornet in a best-in-class action-adventure that breaks tropes and bones.

Moonlighter is an Action RPG with rogue-lite elements that demonstrates two sides of the coin – revealing everyday routines of Will, an adventurous shopkeeper that secretly dreams of becoming a hero.

As you may have noticed, I am not a huge 3D open world RPG player, but a couple of my all time favourites are Skyrim, Fallout 3 (I have yet to play more than 2 hours of Fallout 4) and Horizon Zero Dawn series.

Fueled by love but driven by rage, Cherry embarks on a blood-soaked quest for revenge, explores the massive Megastructure, and eviscerates the armies of Infornet in a best-in-class action-adventure that breaks tropes and bones.

February was a weird one. I was feeling a lot more run down and burnt out and actually got the worst flu I have had since covid in 2021. This flu took us all out and I had brain fog for two weeks after, so did not feel up for trying many new games or games with more combat until later on in the month. Instead I revisited many games such as, Dave the Diver, Hades and Frostpunk, and of course Vampire Survivors. But I did try a couple new ones.

DAVE THE DIVER is a casual, singleplayer adventure RPG featuring deep-sea exploration and fishing during the day and sushi restaurant management at night. Join Dave and his quirky friends as they seek to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Blue Hole.

Gris is a hopeful young girl lost in her own world, dealing with a painful experience in her life. Her journey through sorrow is manifested in her dress, which grants new abilities to better navigate her faded reality.

The wolves are watching! Venture through a captivating but brutal dystopia where our young adventurer Ravengirl will travel through this huge city’s brightest highs and delve to its darkest depths on her perilous journey of discovery and finding her destiny where hope seems in short supply.

Frostpunk is the first society survival game. As the ruler of the last city on Earth, it is your duty to manage both its citizens and infrastructure. What decisions will you make to ensure your society's survival? What will you do when pushed to breaking point? Who will you become in the process?

I have a fear of deep water. It has always been something irrational. As a child I was convinced a shark or kraken would come up through the bath tub drain.

Disclaimer: I will try to only add games that are new to me in these and not rehash games I have played before, such as Vampire Survivors …

CARRION is a reverse horror game in which you assume the role of an amorphous creature of unknown origins, stalking and consuming those that imprisoned you.

Wow time really does fly. It has been a year since I bought a steam deck and started to play video games on a regular basis again.

Pounce inside of your cozy armored mech and set off on a dangerous trek through an alien underworld full of irritable creatures and treacherous obstacles in a valiant effort to save your stranded captain and his crashed spaceship.

I bought my steam deck in March 2024, after watching many reviews and videos and chatting with friends. The friend actually suggested not to get one but I think he is just like that (worried that you wouldn’t like it...

Catmaze is a fairy metroidvania inspired by Slavic myths. Age-old tales will come to life in the unforgettable adventure of Alesta, a sorceress whose courage guides her through mysterious paths and dark forests in search of the lost road to Nav, the world of the dead.

In a world torn between nature’s grace and cold machine invasion, one girl and her companion must rely on their bond to survive and protect what they hold dear. Their story of hope, loss, and love will stay with you long after the journey ends.

I was inspired by questions I frequently see on Discords or Bluesky that I am part of, which is “ What are good games for the steam deck? ” It is so hard to answer this question because it depends on what type of game...

When I used to blog about software testing and quality assurance or sewing and knitting, I used to respond to other blog posts, online videos or workshops to help me form my thoughts and ideas. I kind of miss this and...

Find inner peace in a small, open-world game. On these carefully handcrafted islands, you can take a nap on a giant monster, feed baby dragons, take care of the fauna and flora......but demons from your past might come back to remind you what you want to forget.

Run, jump, and dash across a land inspired by Japanese mythology and untangle the love triangle between three young women on a journey of self-discovery. Explore the complicated relationships between kitsune and humans through classic platforming action.

December was cold and wet and not very inspiring in terms of normal life for me. Due to personal circumstances and a sudden bad life event my gaming halted while I had to help a family member in dire need. As I finish this draft things are looking up though and we are more positive for 2025 for them. So in no particular order my games of December 2024.

The end of the year / beginning of the new year seems to be a time where people reflect and make plans for the new year. I find this tricky, at work we do these reviews and reflections every 2 weeks but even then I fo...

Oxenfree is a supernatural thriller about a group of friends who unwittingly open a ghostly rift. You are Alex, and you’ve just brought your new stepbrother Jonas to an overnight island party gone horribly wrong.

BIOMUTANT® is an open-world, post-apocalyptic Kung-Fu fable RPG, with a unique martial arts styled combat system allowing you to mix melee, shooting and mutant ability action.

I re-discovered video games in anger in 2024. At the end of 2023 I finally played the main storyline of Skyrim and completed it (I bought it in 2011 when it first came out). Being winter I then wanted another fantasy sequel game and ended up with Elden Ring!? This took over my life for a few months (I am yet to become Elden Lord though). The steam deck followed in March 2024 and with it a massive curiosity to learn more about the industry again. I therefore sought out several local to me events and attended these immersing myself.

November was a bit eclectic and didn’t really go to “plan”. I ended up up travelling twice and once didn't take my steam deck with me as it was kind of for work. I am also glad I didn't because I actually went to bed at a reasonable time. The one game I played 15 mins of that is not mentioned is Oxenfree as I didn’t give it the time of day just yet. One for December. :)

Super Catboy is an action-packed platformer created in a high-bit pixel art style, combining the best elements of the golden 16-bit platformer era of the 90s with some ‘pawsome’ new mechanics! And let’s not forget; there’s plenty of CAT CONTENT!

While writing my post about physical accessories, I kept coming back to the other personalisations I have done on my steam deck. While not as detailed or comprehensive as others I thought I’d call out my favourite thi...

Owlboy is a story-driven platform adventure game, where you can fly and explore a brand new world in the clouds! Pick up your friends, and bring them with you as you explore the open skies, in one of the most detailed adventures of this era.

The Penitent One awakens as Blasphemous 2 joins him once again in an endless struggle against The Miracle. Dive into a perilous new world filled with mysteries and secrets to discover, and tear your way through monstrous foes that stand between you and your quest to end the cycle once and for all.

Over the last few weeks I have been getting some questions around what accessories I may recommend for the steam deck and what bits I may have gotten to personalise it. So I thought I’d write it down.

October was an eclectic mix of games, from puzzle games to metroidvanias. I am actually surprised how much I managed to play considering work was really busy and I had a few social events too. I completed the main stories of 3, abandoned 1, and kept one as a pick up and play every now and then game. A bit like a 10 mins palette cleanser. :D

Blasphemous is a brutal action-platformer with skilled hack’n slash combat set in the nightmare world of Cvstodia. Explore, upgrade your abilities, and perform savage executions on the hordes of enemies that stand between you and your quest to break eternal damnation.

In my intro post I alluded to the fact that I got a steam deck in March 2024 and my backlog quickly grew. Now I am a numbers person and I would like to reduce my backlog and play all the games I am excited about and o...

I have been part of several different types of communities over my nearly 40 years and most recently I re-discovered video games when I got a steam deck in March 2024 and wanted to find my types of gamers. The initial...