It's been a long time since we've seen a fall from grace quite so spectacular as The Day Before. The latest twist in that saga comes with today's news that developer Fntastic is shutting down just days after the game finally launched in early access. This survival zombie shooter first came on gamers' radars a couple years ago with an impressive first trailer. Despite few people having heard of Russian developer Fntastic, the trailer built a huge amount of buzz, and The Day Before quickly became one of the most wishlisted games on Steam of all time. Equally quickly, however, more discerning gamers started questioning whether the trailer was showing actual gameplay or if it was all nonsense.

SHOULD I PLAY THE CUB? Hell yes, especially since there’s a free demo available now. The Cub is an action-packed 2D platformer set on a postapocalyptic Earth that looks set to be one of the first indie hits of 2024. While the full game won’t be available until January 19, 2024, you can play the demo for free now, and it’s already very impressive. The game’s gorgeous visuals and challenging gameplay were definitely enough to sell me, and I can’t wait to check out the full version.

PLAY IT OR SKIP IT? Play it! Honkai: Star Rail is a sci-fi RPG that’s better than developer MiHoYo’s Honkai Impact 3rd and comes very close to the charm of the much-loved Genshin Impact. Star Rail’s immersive storyline, beautiful graphics, and deep turn-based combat have kept me thoroughly entertained. TIME PLAYED I played Honkai: Star Rail for seven hours. The tutorial took me around forty minutes, and the rest of my play time has been dedicated to various lengthy questlines. I’ve also acquired seven characters and leveled five of them to their current max of level twenty.

(Re-release Geralt of Rivia and my entire life force is yours😭😭🙌) This is by far one of the best mobile games I have ever played hands down, I have always been a fan of low fantasy/fantasy rpg games with stories that let me be sucked in and immersed with their stories and this one DEFINETLY did not dissapoint man😅 To the creators, designers, coders, artists, translators and everyone, to the team of SOC, you guys are the absolute best, and I thank you for working hard for a beautiful wonderful project that truly feels like its a game for all gamers everywhere to enjoy without a doubt, I swear THIS rpg immersive story based fantasy game that brought me back to my childhood and the games I used to play that is exactly like this, you guys made me feel like im back in those days again❤️

SHOULD I PLAY BLAZBLUE ENTROPY EFFECT? Definitely give this one a shot if you’re a fan of great roguelites or the action-packed anime aesthetic of the BlazBlue series. This spin-off, BlazBlue Entropy Effect, sees familiar characters, move sets, and thumb-crushing combos of the BlazBlue fighting games translated into a roguelite action game formula. That makes for a challenging experience, but thanks to a tightly designed progression system and an intriguing story, I found it hard to put this game down.

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

I hate reading logs and diaries in any game. I just don't have patience for that  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Outer Wilds was probably the first game where I felt super engaged when reading every journal, log entry, and text piece that I could find. It has a masterfully crafted world with a complex story. And the game manages to deliver its narrative in a seamlessly easy and engaging way without any voice overs or cinematic cutscenes.

PLAY IT OR SKIP IT? Play it! Doomblade is a challenging but charming Metroidvania that gives off Hollow Knight vibes but manages to have a unique identity all its own. Stepping into the shoes of a tiny, tentacled creature known as Gloom Girl, I picked up an evil, sentient sword and set out on an intense adventure to take out the Dread Lords, otherworldly baddies who’ve wiped out the Gloomfolk and created a dystopian world. That adventure challenged my skills as much as anything I’ve played this year, but it was well worth fighting through to explore this wild, interesting world.

SHOULD I PLAY SWORD ART ONLINE LAST RECOLLECTION? Play it, especially if you’re a fan of the Sword Art Online anime/manga/light novel series. Sword Art Online: Last Recollection is an action RPG set during the third season of the anime. It’s a great representation of the series, but it suffers in a few ways mostly tied to its presentation: ugly visuals, poor animation, and delayed actions. I’d still recommend it to fans of the series, though, who’ll find plenty to enjoy here.

"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.

SHOULD I PLAY GRANBLUE FANTASY: RELINK? Absolutely check out Granblue Fantasy: Relink if you even remotely enjoy Japanese-style RPGs or just games with great action RPG combat systems. As a spin-off of the Granblue Fantasy mobile game that’s been running for almost a decade now, getting thrown right into the middle of this story might feel a little confusing at first. But developer Cygames uses this history to its advantage, presenting a world that feels complex and interesting to explore. Plus it’s populated by massive, godlike monsters in need of being hacked and slashed to death. Bonus!

Lost Echo presents an immersive sci-fi mystery adventure that captivates players from the first click. As Greg embarks on a desperate quest to find his vanished girlfriend, Chloe, the game promises a visually stunning and emotionally engaging experience. Background Story: The narrative unfolds in the near future, blending suspense and sci-fi elements seamlessly. Greg's search for Chloe sets the stage for a thrilling journey filled with twists and turns, keeping players hooked with each revelation.

Step into the fantastical world of Figment, a game that seamlessly weaves together the ethereal tapestry of thoughts and fears. In this mind-bending adventure, players embark on a journey of rediscovery, facing nightmares head-on and restoring courage in a surreal landscape. Background Story: Figment introduces players to a serene mind disrupted by nightmarish creatures born from unsettling thoughts.

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.

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.

The best lore game I played is Nier. Drag-on Dragoon was release in 2003, later titled Drakengard, was created by Yoko Taro. Later it was followed by a sequel, then pre-sequel, and a lot of spin-offs. And Nier started as a spin-off from this Drakengard series, later getting a series of it's own. From this small description itself we can say for sure that this one's a lore-rich game! But don't worry you can enjoy Nier as it's own, but the world building is so rich that we need to have atleast the basic idea regarding it's history and lore to spot all the references and make all the connections.

It's acceptable to have reservations about buying massive games published by anyone, especially by new or even long-standing studios, with titles like Stray fully blowing up because of the internet when the reality remains that it wasn't much of a game, but rather a feline experience that was the first to really get a massive crowd. Black Myth Wukong does not do it to you. It treats you like a paying customer, delivers what you paid for and expect, avoids dumb ideas or gimmicks, and remains loyal to the source material,

It may not be as big or well-known as some other franchises launching new games this week—looking at you, Mario and Spider-Man—but Amplitude Studios' Endless series has been proving itself incredibly versatile ever since 2012's Endless Space. From fantasy to sci-fi, from strategy to tower defense, an Endless game can be whatever the developers want it to be. And this time? This time it's an action-packed roguelite with stylish visuals and an endless supply of firepower.

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 TOKYO GHOUL: BREAK THE CHAINS? Skip it, unless you’re really, really into Tokyo Ghoul. Tokyo Ghoul: Break the Chains presents the exact same stuff I’ve seen a million times before across the long string of samey mobile gacha games I’ve tried over the years. It doesn’t contain an original idea in its gameplay or design. This lack of originality would make for a boring game no matter what, but it’s especially disappointing given the brilliance of the anime, light novel series, and manga it’s based on.