Indie

Apocalypse Express arrives at the station following nearly a year of Early Access development, with a full 1.0 release just around the corner. Although this evaluation was conducted prior to the launch version, the game was already giving a full and enjoyable experience. Built around a roguelite structure, the game places players in command of a train attempting to survive a hostile world through careful upgrades, resource management, and increasingly difficult encounters. The core gameplay loop quickly establishes itself as both challenging and rewarding. ...

Snacktorio enters the factory automation genre with a playful premise and a dose of personality. Rather than manufacturing industrial goods, players are tasked with producing food for an assortment of hungry beasts, building increasingly complex supply chains to keep them satisfied. ...

Town to City emerges from Early Access as a standout entry in a genre increasingly crowded by formulaic systems and unnecessary combat mechanics. Instead of conflict, the game focuses entirely on the quiet satisfaction of building and expanding a city at a deliberate pace. Despite its pixel-based presentation, the game delivers an impressive amount of visual flexibility through decorative tools and customization options that many larger city builders fail to provide. The result is a city that feels personal rather than merely efficient. ...

Gamestonk Simulator: Gone Rogue enters the increasingly crowded job and shop simulator space by placing players in charge of a struggling video game store. The premise carries some entertaining twists, including questionable neighbors with mafia undertones and a steady stream of amusing fake game titles scattered throughout the experience. Top of the features might be using a choncla (flip flop sandle) to hit shoplifters and get your stolen merchandise back. ...

Vultures - Scavengers of Death embraces the aesthetics and structure of classic 90s survival horror, recreating the atmosphere of the PlayStation era while layering in a number of modern quality-of-life improvements. ...

Drill Core finally enters the record following the release of the Machine World DLC, marking its first appearance in a streamed evaluation despite prior off-stream experience. ...

Above the Snow brings forth a somewhat unique premise, tasking players with building and managing a mountain climber’s lodge in a harsh alpine environment. The concept stands out immediately, blending hospitality management with business expansion with a bit of story thrown in. As the session progressed, the game revealed additional layers — including some unexpected narrative tones and mechanics that introduced a subtle, and at times odd, criminal or mafia-like undertone to the experience. We had to constantly worry over getting wood, or ordering it to be delivered, to do most of the building inside and around the lodge. Constantly assigning and reassigning our three workers to the same jobs. ...

Airborne Empire arrives as the follow-up to Airborne Kingdom, continuing its distinctive approach to city-building by placing an entire settlement in the sky. This session marked the first direct experience with the sequel as it hit 1.0 after some early access time. ...

Generation Exile introduces a colony-building experience with an emphasis on characters and generational survival. Individuals within the colony are not just units, but persistent entities capable of growth — and death — adding weight to long-term planning. ...

Extinction Day places players in control of global-scale disasters with the goal of eliminating humanity before it can escape the planet. ...