"The Silent Age" transports players into a mysterious blend of a dystopian future and the vibrant 70s, offering a point-and-click adventure filled with puzzles and an intriguing narrative. Background Story: Set against the backdrop of a vanished humanity, the protagonist, Joe, an average guy stuck in a dead-end job, becomes the unexpected hero amidst the winds of change in 1972. The narrative promises a departure from the ordinary, adding depth to Joe's otherwise unremarkable life.

Great problem solving puzzle, great narratives. If you want more games like this, check out my list below.

I really love the lore behind the Rusty Lake universe. The lore spans over 300 years and involves the stories of multiple families. All works from the Cube Escape series/Rusty Lake series contain various details and are related to each other, making the lore more complicated yet intriguing. Would definitely recommend the series to those who love lore-rich puzzle games.

SHOULD I PLAY PHANTOM BLADE: EXECUTIONERS? Absolutely play it. Phantom Blade: Executioners is a flashy action game that mixes the best elements of classic side-scrolling 2D brawlers—think Streets of Rage and Golden Axe—with a deep yet approachable combo-based fighting system that feels like something out of Devil May Cry. The result is a brilliantly fun, bite-sized title that’s worth some time even if you’re tired of gacha games.

Step into a mesmerizing pixel-art realm with Unreal Life, an indie masterpiece that has claimed the prestigious "New Faces Award" at the Japan Media Arts Festival. Developed by the visionary indie game label "Yokaze," this title beckons players to immerse themselves in a world where mystery, emotion, and adventure seamlessly intertwine. Background Story: Unreal Life weaves a poignant tale around Hal, a girl who grapples with amnesia, armed only with the haunting memory of "Miss Sakura." Guided by a talking traffic light and an extraordinary ability to extract memories from touched objects, players accompany Hal on her quest to rediscover her past.

UnHoly Neighborhood emerges as a distinctive entry in the realm of point-and-click adventure puzzle mystery games, offering players a captivating journey through a gloomy neighborhood teeming with surreal elements. Background Story: The narrative centers around Peter Grim, the protagonist on a quest to solve the mysterious kidnapping of his wife, confront a strange storm, and navigate a city overrun by giant rats. The dark riddles of the neighborhood serve as the backdrop to this intriguing storyline.

Dive into the enchanting world of Night Reverie, where mystery and sibling bonds blend seamlessly in a delightful puzzle adventure. Background Story: In Night Reverie, the narrative unfolds with the touching tale of siblings Matt and Emma, navigating a distorted home. The storyline, while addressing poignant themes, maintains a sweet and hopeful tone, promising players an emotional yet uplifting journey.

PLAY IT OR SKIP IT? Skip it for now, but it may be worth revisiting once it hits full release. Ashfall is a shooter MMORPG that reminds me of Fallout’s post-apocalyptic world and monsters. Despite its strong visual style and interesting story, Ashfall doesn’t manage to live up to its very lofty inspirations—at least not yet, in its beta test form. This game has all the potential in the world to grow into something enjoyable in the future, but its combat system and gameplay will need a lot of improvement before that happens.

Arc System Works is a legendary fighting game developer, so it was no surprise when they released a killer spin-off of Granblue Fantasy in 2020. After all, this is one of the most well-loved mobile RPGs ever made, even though it's technically never received an official release in North America. But a gorgeous, anime-style fighting game? That was the perfect way to appreciate this incredibly deep world developer Cygames had created.

Since it arrived last month—heck, even since it was first revealed way back in 2020—one of the most oft-repeated opinions about Final Fantasy XVI has been that it doesn’t feel like a Final Fantasy game. After spending eighty hours with this latest entry in one of gaming’s biggest franchises, I can finally definitively respond to that opinion: Yes, Final Fantasy XVI doesn’t feel like a Final Fantasy

PLAY IT OR SKIP IT? Absolutely play it. Phantom Blade: Executioners is a flashy action game that mixes the best elements of classic side-scrolling 2D brawlers—think Streets of Rage and Golden Axe—with a deep yet approachable combo-based fighting system that feels like something out of Devil May Cry. The result is a brilliantly fun, bite-sized title that’s worth some time even if you’re tired of gacha games.

Diablo IV has been through some big ups and downs since launching last summer, but the game's third season is about to begin, and it may be the biggest and most interesting one so far. The world of Diablo may be mostly known for angels and demons, but this time mechanical monstrosities will be getting in on the action. Titled "Season of the Construct," this season will see players journey to the depths underneath the desert of Kehjistan, where ancient robotic technology has sprung back to life and been made to serve the forces of evil. Players will make camp at the town of Gatehall and explore various vault dungeons full of the titular constructs as they attempt to master this powerful force for themselves.

CORRUPTOR "A monster born from Mania, with a deformed body and no sanity. Mania is a mutation unique to humans that causes abnormal mental and physical changes in individuals. First discovered in DisCity in N.F. 84, its cause is still unknown. People infected with Mania will become slaves to extreme feelings and emotions, such as hysteria, paranoia, and insatiable appetites for sensual pleasures; at the same time, their physical strength will increase exponentially, and their physical appearance will change beyond recognition. Eventually, they will go deranged and turn into grotesque monsters that have no will of their own."

SHOULD I PLAY UNSORTED HORROR? Play it if you like horror games at all. I mean, it’s totally free, what do you have to lose? Unsorted Horror is a compilation of five brief but memorable horror experiences created by developer Mike Klubnika. While the actual gameplay is somewhat minimal here, the sense of atmosphere that Klubnika builds is second to none. This free collection operates as a first glimpse of someone who is likely to become a major name in the world of horror games, so you might as well get on board now.

Hollow knight has to be one of the most mysterious games about it's lore. You can make a full playthrough and know little to nothing about the secrets this game has. Hollow Knight keeps its lore hidden in mysterious tablets, items, people, etc. So far we don't even know everything about Hollow Knight yet. The craziest thing is the sequel is coming out sooner or later and this game franchise will be a pile of lore for any new players.

SHOULD I PLAY WARM SNOW? Absolutely play it if you enjoy action-packed roguelites with tons of unlockables and a unique setting. Warm Snow takes place in a fictionalized version of seventeenth-century China where the kingdom has fallen into chaos thanks to a strange phenomenon known as “Warm Snow.” I had to slice my way through multiple locations and thousands of mutated enemies to get to the bottom of this bizarre event, equipping myself with different relics and weapons as I did so. This is as tightly designed and fun of a roguelite as I’ve ever played and definitely worth the dozens of hours you can put into it if you want to unlock everything.

[Music credits: "Plains of Illeyneth" by Dragon Tamer -  "Orchestral Fantasy Fairy Village" by Frequently Asked Music]

PLAY IT OR SKIP IT? If you’ve got any appreciation for the Metroidvania style of game at all, then you owe it to yourself to play Afterimage. Coming off a successful Kickstarter campaign just a year ago, developer Aurogon Shanghai has released the next masterpiece in a masterpiece-heavy genre. With tight controls, compelling progression and exploration, and especially a stunning hand-drawn art style, Afterimage pays homage to the classics while also undeniably forging its own strong identity via a fascinating and diverse fantasy world. It’s really good.

SHOULD I PLAY OVERWATCH 2 PVE MODE? Play it if you really like Overwatch 2. After a few years of waiting, Overwatch 2’s PvE mode is finally here and it’s probably one of the most disappointing events since the launch of the game itself. It’s not completely terrible or unplayable, it’s just okay. The campaign introduces three short story missions, as well as some challenges that provide loot and experience, but that’s about it. This lack of content, especially after waiting for what feels like a century, was very dissatisfying—and it all ended on a cliffhanger too. How infuriating!

SHOULD I PLAY PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE LOST CROWN? Yes! As a long-time fan of the Prince of Persia franchise, I was excited to see it coming back, but even gamers who are totally unfamiliar with previous games should be able to find plenty to love in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. This reboot puts players into the role of Sargon, a warrior of Persia who must venture into the dangerous region of Mount Qaf after the prince is kidnapped. In gameplay terms, that means exploring a fascinating region in the form of a tightly designed 2D Metroidvania-style adventure.