Indie Game Reviews

CorgiSpace Review: A Dozen Mini-Games That Actually Respect My Precious Time

I've played enough 'game collections' to know they're usually filler masquerading as value. CorgiSpace is different—Adam Saltsman crammed a year's worth of legitimately clever ideas into bite-sized experiences, and I'm annoyed at how much I enjoyed it.

Feb 19, 2026

7.5

/10

turn-based

Shogun Showdown Alpha Review: A Turn-Based Roguelike That Actually Made Me Think

I've played enough roguelikes to fill a landfill, and most blend together like bland oatmeal. This alpha version of Shogun Showdown made me pause my cynical eye-rolling for about three hours straight, which is basically a marriage proposal in my world.

Feb 18, 2026

Caltrop Kaiju Review: A d4-Powered Monster Mash That Actually Respects Your Schedule

7

/10

solo-ttrpg

Caltrop Kaiju Review: A d4-Powered Monster Mash That Actually Respects Your Schedule

I've played hundreds of solo TTRPGs that promise 'quick play' and deliver three hours of dice rolling misery. Caltrop Kaiju delivers on its ten-minute promise while somehow not feeling shallow. I'm as surprised as you are.

Feb 17, 2026

Shifty Sam Review: A Scratch Game That Made Me Reconsider My Life Choices (In a Good Way?)

7

/10

puzzle-platformer

pixel-art

Shifty Sam Review: A Scratch Game That Made Me Reconsider My Life Choices (In a Good Way?)

I don't review Scratch games. I have standards. But Shifty Sam—a four-day game jam entry with a mustache-sporting protagonist—somehow earned my begrudging respect. Mostly because it's free and I can't complain about the price.

Feb 16, 2026

Six Cats Under Review: A Game Jam Ghost Story That's Better Than It Has Any Right To Be

6.5

/10

point-and-click

Six Cats Under Review: A Game Jam Ghost Story That's Better Than It Has Any Right To Be

I've played approximately seven thousand cat-themed indie games at this point, and I was ready to dismiss this one before I even clicked. But Team Bean Loop made something here that actually works, and now I'm sitting here like some kind of fool, charmed by a game jam project.

Feb 15, 2026

Sokoban Dragon Review: I Pushed 25 Boxes and All I Got Was This Lousy Headache

5.2

/10

sokoban

Sokoban Dragon Review: I Pushed 25 Boxes and All I Got Was This Lousy Headache

Levi Kornelsen's Sokoban Dragon is exactly what it says on the tin: Sokoban puzzles with a dragon sprite. If you've played literally any block-pushing game in the last 40 years, congratulations—you've already played this one.

Feb 14, 2026

Rogue Piece Review: A Chess Roguelike That Made Me Forget to Be Annoyed (Briefly)

7.3

/10

chess

roguelite

Rogue Piece Review: A Chess Roguelike That Made Me Forget to Be Annoyed (Briefly)

I've played every "chess but different" game since Battle Chess made me wait 30 seconds per animation in 1988. This one actually kept me clicking through turns instead of alt-tabbing to complain on forums. Barely.

Feb 13, 2026

Iron Ledger Review: A Deck-Builder That Actually Makes Me Think (Unfortunately)

6.2

/10

deck-building

auto-battler

Iron Ledger Review: A Deck-Builder That Actually Makes Me Think (Unfortunately)

Another itch.io deck-builder that wants my attention. Except this one has a genuinely clever twist that made me restart three times before I figured out I'm supposed to NOT play my cards. Which is... different.

Feb 12, 2026

The King is Watching Review: A Ludum Dare Game That Grew Up (Unlike Most)

7.3

/10

city-builder

The King is Watching Review: A Ludum Dare Game That Grew Up (Unlike Most)

I've played approximately 847 tower defense games that all blur together into one gray mass of arrow towers and wave counters. Then this Ludum Dare experiment showed up and made me actually think about worker placement for once.

Feb 11, 2026

Spring Falls Review: A Puzzle Game That Actually Lets Me Breathe (Miracle)

7.7

/10

water-physics

Spring Falls Review: A Puzzle Game That Actually Lets Me Breathe (Miracle)

I sat down expecting another generic tile puzzler. An hour later, I was still here, voluntarily watching water drain through hexagons. I don't know who I am anymore.

Feb 10, 2026

RATMOUSE Review: A Rat, Some Bugs, and My Rapidly Declining Patience

6.5

/10

action

RATMOUSE Review: A Rat, Some Bugs, and My Rapidly Declining Patience

Zoopgar made an arcade game about a rat named Barbra exterminating bugs for crumbs, and somehow I didn't immediately close the tab. Let me tell you why that's actually impressive.

Feb 9, 2026

Ink Jump Review: A Precision Platformer That Made Me Remember Why I Hate Myself

6

/10

precision platformer

Ink Jump Review: A Precision Platformer That Made Me Remember Why I Hate Myself

Another precision platformer asking me to jump off sticky walls while contemplating my life choices. At least this one lets me paint the scenery as I fail repeatedly—because apparently visual documentation of my inadequacy is what passes for innovation now.

Feb 8, 2026

Sizeable Review: A Puzzle Game That Finally Understands I'm Tired

6.7

/10

casual

Sizeable Review: A Puzzle Game That Finally Understands I'm Tired

I've played approximately seven thousand puzzle games where the 'twist' is just moving blocks in a slightly different direction. Sizeable's object-resizing mechanic actually made me look up from my second monitor, which is the highest praise I can offer in 2024.

Feb 7, 2026

Fragments of Euclid Review: An Escher Tribute That Actually Earned My Respect

7.2

/10

first-person

Fragments of Euclid Review: An Escher Tribute That Actually Earned My Respect

I've played enough 'mind-bending' puzzle games to know most are just corridors with portals. Fragments of Euclid is different—it's 45 minutes of genuine spatial confusion that reminded me why I fell in love with first-person puzzlers back when Myst didn't hold your hand.

Feb 6, 2026

Tetrisweeper Review: Two Games I'm Mediocre At Combined Into One I'll Lose At Twice as Fast

7

/10

minesweeper

Tetrisweeper Review: Two Games I'm Mediocre At Combined Into One I'll Lose At Twice as Fast

Someone looked at Tetris and Minesweeper—two perfectly good ways to waste time at work—and thought, 'What if we made this significantly more stressful?' I hate that it actually works.

Feb 5, 2026

Admin Review: A Password-Cracking Puzzle That's Over Before Your Coffee Gets Cold

4.5

/10

detective

Admin Review: A Password-Cracking Puzzle That's Over Before Your Coffee Gets Cold

I've played detective in hundreds of games, but this is the first time I've been forced to roleplay as the poor IT guy who has to reset Karen from Accounting's password because she used her cat's name again. Spoiler: it's not as thrilling as it sounds.

Feb 4, 2026

Sockman Review: I've Played Better Platformers on a Commodore 64, And I'm Not Even Joking

4.5

/10

platformer

hardcore

Sockman Review: I've Played Better Platformers on a Commodore 64, And I'm Not Even Joking

A 64-year-old plumber named Domin finds a sock and apparently that's enough plot to justify dying 200 times per minute in a single-screen platformer that thinks difficulty equals quality. Spoiler: it doesn't.

Feb 3, 2026

GeoJet Review: I Played This Retrowave Racer So You'd Know If It's Actually Good

6.8

/10

racing

GeoJet Review: I Played This Retrowave Racer So You'd Know If It's Actually Good

Another retrowave game? In 2024? I loaded up GeoJet expecting F-Zero at home, but this three-person team somehow made me care about combo chains again. Barely.

Feb 2, 2026

Reynard Review: A Tower Defense RPG That Borrows From the Best (But Doesn't Always Pay Them Back)

6

/10

action-rpg

Reynard Review: A Tower Defense RPG That Borrows From the Best (But Doesn't Always Pay Them Back)

Hyper Fox Studios wants me to believe they've cracked the tower defense/action RPG hybrid formula. I've seen this attempted seventeen times in the last two years. Let's see if Reynard earns its Zelda namedrops or if I'm about to write yet another 'nice try' eulogy.

Feb 1, 2026

Deadbeats Encore Review: A Hololive Rhythm Game That Actually Slaps (Grudgingly)

7

/10

rhythm

bullet-hell

Deadbeats Encore Review: A Hololive Rhythm Game That Actually Slaps (Grudgingly)

I booted up yet another fangame expecting amateur hour garbage, but Deadbeats Encore's Everhood-inspired bullet hell rhythm hybrid actually made me stop scrolling Twitter. Color me shocked.

Jan 31, 2026

Tanuki Sunset Classic Review: A Raccoon on a Longboard Just Saved Arcade Games From Themselves

7.6

/10

endless-runner

Tanuki Sunset Classic Review: A Raccoon on a Longboard Just Saved Arcade Games From Themselves

I've played approximately 4,000 endless runners that thought slapping a retro filter on generic gameplay was enough. Then a skateboarding raccoon showed up and actually nailed the vaporwave aesthetic while making me care about drift combos again.

Jan 30, 2026

goodbye, doggy Review: A Ghost Dog Puzzler That Made Me Feel Things (Against My Will)

6.8

/10

narrative

goodbye, doggy Review: A Ghost Dog Puzzler That Made Me Feel Things (Against My Will)

I came for puzzles, stayed because a dead dog made me confront my own mortality. This free browser game weaponizes grief in ways I wasn't prepared for at 2 PM on a Tuesday.

Jan 29, 2026

The Glitch Review: A Tabletop RPG That Thinks It's an Arcade Cabinet (And Actually Pulls It Off)

7.5

/10

tabletop-rpg

The Glitch Review: A Tabletop RPG That Thinks It's an Arcade Cabinet (And Actually Pulls It Off)

I've been reviewing games since before some of you were born, and I never thought I'd be sitting here praising a TTRPG that fits in a cassette case. Yet here we are. The Glitch somehow captures arcade chaos on paper, and I'm only slightly annoyed that it works.

Jan 28, 2026

Alien Overrun Review: A Tower Defense Game That Thinks It's an RTS (Spoiler: It's Not Fooling Anyone)

5.2

/10

rts

Alien Overrun Review: A Tower Defense Game That Thinks It's an RTS (Spoiler: It's Not Fooling Anyone)

Look, I've played tower defense games since before half of you were born, and Alien Overrun wants me to believe it's bringing something new to the table by slapping 'light RTS' on the description. Let me tell you what I found when I reluctantly gave it a shot.

Jan 27, 2026

PolyTrack Review: A TrackMania Clone That Actually Understands the Assignment

7.1

/10

racing

PolyTrack Review: A TrackMania Clone That Actually Understands the Assignment

I've played approximately 847 TrackMania wannabes, and PolyTrack is one of maybe three that didn't make me want to throw my keyboard. It's a low-poly racing game that knows what it's doing, even if I'm too tired to be excited about it.

Jan 26, 2026

Polygon Brawl Masters Review: A Free Fighter That's Actually Worth Your Download (I'm Shocked Too)

7.2

/10

fighting

Polygon Brawl Masters Review: A Free Fighter That's Actually Worth Your Download (I'm Shocked Too)

I opened this expecting another lazy Unity asset flip with 'retro' slapped on as an excuse for bad graphics. What I got was a genuinely competent arcade brawler that respects both my time and the classics it's aping. Carbon Copycat Games, you've earned your suspicious name.

Jan 25, 2026

Mark Loops Review: Four Movement Systems I'll Forget By Tomorrow

6.3

/10

minimalist

Mark Loops Review: Four Movement Systems I'll Forget By Tomorrow

l8doku crammed four different movement systems into one tiny arcade package. I've seen this 'collection of mini-games' thing a thousand times, but at least this one commits to a clear concept: what if moving around was the entire point?

Jan 24, 2026

Tiny Islands Review: A Digital Roll-and-Write That Almost Made Me Put Down My Coffee

6.8

/10

roll-and-write

Tiny Islands Review: A Digital Roll-and-Write That Almost Made Me Put Down My Coffee

David King Made Some Games took the roll-and-write genre, threw dice out the window, and gave us cards instead. I sat down expecting another forgettable puzzle game and ended up actually finishing my islands. Twice.

Jan 23, 2026

Gods Arena Review: A Two-Button Fighter That Made Me Miss When Arcades Had More Than Two Buttons

4.3

/10

fighting

mythology

Gods Arena Review: A Two-Button Fighter That Made Me Miss When Arcades Had More Than Two Buttons

I've played fighting games since Street Fighter II cost me my lunch money in 1991. Gods Arena has two playable characters, four moves, and the audacity to call itself a throwback to arcade fighters. Let me tell you about my five minutes with Olympus's budget brawl.

Jan 22, 2026

Runic Review: A Free Puzzle Game That Actually Remembers What 'Short and Sweet' Means

5.8

/10

rune-placement

Runic Review: A Free Puzzle Game That Actually Remembers What 'Short and Sweet' Means

I've played approximately 847 'atmospheric puzzle games' this month, and most of them mistake 'ambient soundtrack' for 'having a personality.' Runic doesn't reinvent anything, but at least it knows what it is and doesn't waste my time pretending otherwise.

Jan 21, 2026

ElecHead Review: A Puzzle Game That Actually Made Me Think (Damn It)

7

/10

puzzle-platformer

electricity-mechanics

ElecHead Review: A Puzzle Game That Actually Made Me Think (Damn It)

I went into ElecHead expecting another forgettable pixel-art puzzler to add to the pile. What I got was a genuinely clever game that forced me to use my brain instead of my reflexes, and I'm still not sure how I feel about that.

Jan 20, 2026

The Scholar Review: An Anagram Game That Made Me Dust Off My ZX Spectrum Next (Somehow)

6.3

/10

word-puzzle

retro

The Scholar Review: An Anagram Game That Made Me Dust Off My ZX Spectrum Next (Somehow)

I never thought I'd boot up my Spectrum Next for a word puzzle game in 2025, but here we are. The Scholar is exactly what it says on the tin: timed anagrams with retro charm, and I'm annoyed that I actually enjoyed it.

Jan 19, 2026

Make New Way Review: I Bought Source Code and All I Got Was This Lousy Puzzle Game

4.2

/10

source-code

Make New Way Review: I Bought Source Code and All I Got Was This Lousy Puzzle Game

Make New Way isn't actually a game you can play—it's a Unity project you're supposed to build yourself. I paid a dollar to do someone else's job, and I'm still annoyed about it three days later.

Jan 18, 2026

b-e-e-t-l-e Review: A Typing Game That Doesn't Want to Give Me Carpal Tunnel (Shocking)

6.8

/10

typing

b-e-e-t-l-e Review: A Typing Game That Doesn't Want to Give Me Carpal Tunnel (Shocking)

I've played approximately ten thousand typing games that think 'challenging' means 'inducing stress fractures in my fingers.' This one had the audacity to be calm about it, and honestly, I'm annoyed at how much I didn't hate it.

Jan 17, 2026

Pack Review: A 15-Minute Packing Simulator That's Somehow Worse Than Actual Packing

3.8

/10

packing

Pack Review: A 15-Minute Packing Simulator That's Somehow Worse Than Actual Packing

I've spent decades perfecting the art of Tetris, and now some developer thinks they can turn the anxiety of real-world packing into entertainment. Spoiler: They tried, and it's about as thrilling as folding laundry.

Jan 16, 2026

Raide Review: A Puzzle Game About Train Tracks That Actually Doesn't Waste Your Time

7.3

/10

trains

Raide Review: A Puzzle Game About Train Tracks That Actually Doesn't Waste Your Time

I've played enough 'cozy pixel art puzzle games' to last three lifetimes, but Raide somehow managed to keep me clicking for two hours straight. It's just train tracks. How did this happen.

Jan 15, 2026

Nippets Review: A Hidden Object Game That Almost Made Me Stop Sighing

6

/10

hidden-object

Nippets Review: A Hidden Object Game That Almost Made Me Stop Sighing

I've played enough hidden object games to fill a landfill, and most of them feel like busy work designed by committee. Nippets, with its hand-drawn charm and window-opening gimmick, actually made me forget I was supposed to be grumpy for about twenty minutes.

Jan 14, 2026

Project Kat Review: A Horror Puzzle Game That Actually Respects Your Brain (Grudgingly Impressed)

7.5

/10

Project Kat Review: A Horror Puzzle Game That Actually Respects Your Brain (Grudgingly Impressed)

I've played approximately 47,000 'short RPG horror' games on itch.io, and most make me want to uninstall my browser. Project Kat? I actually finished it. Twice. Don't make a big deal out of this.

Jan 13, 2026

Vincent: The Secret of Myers Review: A Horror Puzzle That Actually Respects Your Intelligence (Mostly)

6.5

/10

Vincent: The Secret of Myers Review: A Horror Puzzle That Actually Respects Your Intelligence (Mostly)

I went into this expecting another amateur RPG Maker horror game with jump scares and obtuse puzzles. What I got was a surprisingly competent mystery that knows when to shut up and let me think—a dying art in modern indie games.

Jan 12, 2026

Type Help Review: A Text-Based Mystery That Made Me Remember Why I Loved Old School Adventure Games (Grudgingly)

6.7

/10

mystery

Type Help Review: A Text-Based Mystery That Made Me Remember Why I Loved Old School Adventure Games (Grudgingly)

I sat down expecting another pretentious 'type commands to feel smart' indie game, but Type Help actually made me think. Fine, William Rous, you win this round—your text-based detective work is the most engaged I've been with a mystery game since I had actual patience.

Jan 11, 2026

Project: Scrap Review: A Geometry Wars Clone That Actually Earned My Grudging Respect

7.4

/10

twin-stick shooter

Project: Scrap Review: A Geometry Wars Clone That Actually Earned My Grudging Respect

I've played approximately 847 twin-stick shooters that claim to be 'inspired by Geometry Wars,' and 846 of them made me want to uninstall Steam. Project: Scrap is the one that didn't, and I'm as shocked as you are.

Jan 10, 2026

Stealth Crossword Review: Six Minutes of Genre-Bending That Left Me Confused and Mildly Impressed

6.2

/10

stealth

Stealth Crossword Review: Six Minutes of Genre-Bending That Left Me Confused and Mildly Impressed

ComputerJames made a stealth game where you solve crossword puzzles instead of sneaking past guards, and somehow this six-minute experiment works better than most indie games I've suffered through this month. I'm as surprised as you are.

Jan 9, 2026

last seen online Review: A Free Horror Puzzle That Actually Understands Restraint

7.5

/10

last seen online Review: A Free Horror Puzzle That Actually Understands Restraint

I downloaded this expecting another cheap jumpscare fest masquerading as 'psychological horror.' What I got instead was a genuinely unsettling dig through someone's digital ghost—and I'm annoyed that I have to admit it's good.

Jan 8, 2026

Blue Splash: Whale Dash Review: Another Endless Runner That Thinks Adding Water Makes It Original

5

/10

endless-runner

Blue Splash: Whale Dash Review: Another Endless Runner That Thinks Adding Water Makes It Original

I've been reviewing mobile games since Flappy Bird made everyone think they could be a game developer, and here we are again: another endless runner with a fresh coat of oceanic paint. At least this one involves a whale instead of another anthropomorphic rectangle.

Jan 7, 2026

The Rat Way Home Review: A Game Jam Entry That Taught Me Rats Have Better Parenting Skills Than Most Humans

6.9

/10

narrative

The Rat Way Home Review: A Game Jam Entry That Taught Me Rats Have Better Parenting Skills Than Most Humans

I went in expecting another forgettable puzzle platformer. I came out having experienced a seven-minute emotional gut-punch about dementia, delivered through the lens of a rat mom. Free. Made in a week. What is happening to my standards?

Jan 7, 2026

Titan Review: A Voxel Horror Puzzle That Made Me Miss Dead Space (In a Good Way, I Guess)

6

/10

Titan Review: A Voxel Horror Puzzle That Made Me Miss Dead Space (In a Good Way, I Guess)

Voyager Games throws you into a Saturn space station with a rogue AI, a voxel aesthetic I didn't ask for, and enough atmosphere to make me actually care about escaping. It's free, which explains everything and somehow excuses nothing.

Jan 6, 2026

HyperBlocks Review: It's Literally Just Block Puzzle Again. Seriously.

4.8

/10

mobile

HyperBlocks Review: It's Literally Just Block Puzzle Again. Seriously.

Another day, another block puzzle game that thinks drag-and-drop is a personality. I've played this exact game approximately 847 times, but sure, let's do it again.

Jan 6, 2026

Helltaker Review: A Puzzle Game About Dating Demons That's Actually Good (I'm As Surprised As You Are)

7.2

/10

sokoban

Helltaker Review: A Puzzle Game About Dating Demons That's Actually Good (I'm As Surprised As You Are)

I downloaded this expecting another lazy "waifu bait" puzzle game. Instead, I got sharp-suited demon girls, brutally fair Sokoban mechanics, and a 45-minute experience that respects my time more than most $60 AAA games. I hate that I loved it.

Jan 5, 2026

Minecraft VS Zombies 2 Review: A Fan Game Mashup That's Either Genius or a Cry for Help

5.4

/10

fan-game

Minecraft VS Zombies 2 Review: A Fan Game Mashup That's Either Genius or a Cry for Help

Someone combined Plants vs Zombies, Minecraft, AND Touhou Project into one tower defense game. I've been reviewing games for 15 years and I don't know whether to be impressed or concerned. Spoiler: I played it anyway, and now I have opinions.

Jan 4, 2026

Balls, Dice & Stickers Review: I Can't Believe I'm Writing About Poop Flies in 2024

6.9

/10

deckbuilding

Balls, Dice & Stickers Review: I Can't Believe I'm Writing About Poop Flies in 2024

A physics-based deckbuilder about firing balls at dice while managing an ecosystem of spiders, poop, and flies. I've been reviewing games for 15 years and somehow THIS is what finally broke my brain.

Jan 3, 2026

Fungal Bolt Review: A One-Week School Project That's Somehow More Fun Than Most $30 Steam Games

5.8

/10

bullet-hell

Fungal Bolt Review: A One-Week School Project That's Somehow More Fun Than Most $30 Steam Games

I downloaded this expecting another throwaway itch.io experiment. What I got was a brutally honest developer who spent a week making a Touhou-inspired mushroom genocide simulator that's more entertaining than games that took two years and a Kickstarter campaign.

Jan 2, 2026

TRACE Review: A Sci-Fi Escape Room That Actually Made Me Use My Brain (Against My Will)

6.3

/10

escape-room

TRACE Review: A Sci-Fi Escape Room That Actually Made Me Use My Brain (Against My Will)

I've played enough browser-based escape rooms to know they're usually lazy point-and-click exercises with nonsensical puzzles. TRACE? It actually made me reach for the in-game notepad. I'm still processing my feelings about that.

Jan 1, 2026

CatAttack Arcade Review: I Played as a Destructive Cat and Somehow Still Got Bored

4.7

/10

cats

CatAttack Arcade Review: I Played as a Destructive Cat and Somehow Still Got Bored

A free browser game where you destroy furniture as a hungry cat sounds like easy dopamine, but CatAttack Arcade somehow makes chaos feel like a chore. It's not bad for five minutes, which is exactly how long you'll play it.

Dec 31, 2025

Mixolumia Review: A Falling Block Puzzler That Actually Justifies Its Existence

7.8

/10

Mixolumia Review: A Falling Block Puzzler That Actually Justifies Its Existence

I've played about eight thousand Tetris clones in my life, and exactly three of them deserved to exist. Mixolumia might be number four, and I'm as shocked as you are.

Dec 30, 2025

Power Stealers Review: A '90s Arcade Throwback That Almost Makes Me Feel Young Again

5.7

/10

retro

Power Stealers Review: A '90s Arcade Throwback That Almost Makes Me Feel Young Again

Finally, someone remembered that arcade games were supposed to throw you into the action instead of wasting 45 minutes on tutorials. Power Stealers tries to capture that '90s magic, and honestly? It doesn't completely fail.

Dec 29, 2025

Time is Solid Here Review: A Horror Puzzle That's More Liminal Than Literal (And That's the Problem)

5.1

/10

Time is Solid Here Review: A Horror Puzzle That's More Liminal Than Literal (And That's the Problem)

I've spent two decades wandering yellow hallways in games, and AlgebraFalcon wants me to do it again—this time with a floating head spouting nonsense about monster trucks. At least the spirits need help, which is more than I can say for my sanity.

Dec 28, 2025

Luckitown Review: Sokpop Made Me Care About Dice Again (I'm As Shocked As You Are)

7.2

/10

dice

Luckitown Review: Sokpop Made Me Care About Dice Again (I'm As Shocked As You Are)

I've played enough tower defense games to know they're all the same recycled garbage with different skins. Then Sokpop threw dice at the genre and somehow made me think about farm placement for twenty minutes straight.

Dec 27, 2025

Mechs V Kaijus Review: A Tower Defense That Finally Remembers 'Defense' Should Be Difficult

6.7

/10

action

Mechs V Kaijus Review: A Tower Defense That Finally Remembers 'Defense' Should Be Difficult

I booted up Mechs V Kaijus expecting another paint-by-numbers tower defense clone. Instead, I got my teeth kicked in on 'Easy' mode and somehow kept coming back for more punishment.

Dec 26, 2025

Kinetic Interceptive Defense Review: A Tower Defense Game That Makes You Do Cardio

6.1

/10

strategy

Kinetic Interceptive Defense Review: A Tower Defense Game That Makes You Do Cardio

Finally, someone had the audacity to ask 'what if tower defense was exhausting?' Hell Yea Games delivers a frantic twist on the genre that had me questioning every placement decision I've ever made — and whether my mouse could survive the experience.

Dec 25, 2025

The Roottrees are Dead: A Free Puzzle That Made Me Remember Why I Love Games (Begrudgingly)

6.9

/10

detective

The Roottrees are Dead: A Free Puzzle That Made Me Remember Why I Love Games (Begrudgingly)

I spent six hours on a free itch.io game about filling in a family tree. At 2 AM, I was cross-referencing wedding photos with obituaries. This is either a brilliant detective puzzle or I need better hobbies.

Dec 24, 2025

TowerBag Review: One Tower, One Skull, One Chance to Not Bore Me to Death

6

/10

minimalist

TowerBag Review: One Tower, One Skull, One Chance to Not Bore Me to Death

I've played tower defense games since before some developers were born, and TowerBag thinks it can revolutionize the genre by giving me ONE tower. ONE. Let me tell you how that worked out.

Dec 23, 2025

Spacethumper 2 Review: A Free Tower Defense That's... Actually Pretty Competent? (With Caveats)

6.5

/10

base-building

Spacethumper 2 Review: A Free Tower Defense That's... Actually Pretty Competent? (With Caveats)

I clicked on this expecting another janky itch.io tower defense clone. What I got was a surprisingly functional base defense game that happens to cater to a very specific audience. Your mileage will absolutely vary.

Dec 23, 2025

Outhold Review: A Tower Defense Game That Actually Respects the Grind (Shocking, I Know)

6.7

/10

incremental

Outhold Review: A Tower Defense Game That Actually Respects the Grind (Shocking, I Know)

I've played enough itch.io tower defense games to fill a landfill, so when Outhold promised 'deep meta-progression' and 'overpowered synergies,' I rolled my eyes so hard I saw my own brain. Then I played it for five hours straight and forgot to eat lunch.

Dec 23, 2025

Inside Job Review: A Tower Defense Game That Finally Gets It Backwards (And I'm Still Annoyed)

7

/10

reverse-tower-defense

Inside Job Review: A Tower Defense Game That Finally Gets It Backwards (And I'm Still Annoyed)

FeatureKreep made a reverse tower defense for a game jam and somehow it's better than half the 'full releases' I've suffered through this year. I'm not saying I'm impressed, but I played it twice, which is more than I can say for most indie tower defense clones.

Dec 23, 2025

Nodes of Nebula Review: A Mobile Tower Defense That Actually Respects the 'Rogue' in Roguelike

6.7

/10

Nodes of Nebula Review: A Mobile Tower Defense That Actually Respects the 'Rogue' in Roguelike

I downloaded this expecting another cash-grab tower defense with seventeen pop-up ads before wave 3. What I got was a surprisingly competent roguelike that understands progression better than most $30 Steam games. I'm as shocked as you are.

Dec 23, 2025

Match3Now Review: Because Apparently We Needed Another Match-3 Game in 2024

4.5

/10

match-3

Match3Now Review: Because Apparently We Needed Another Match-3 Game in 2024

I've reviewed approximately 8,000 match-3 games at this point (slight exaggeration, but it feels accurate), and HyperHollow Games just handed me another one. This time with dinosaurs AND robots, because why choose one tired theme when you can have six?

Dec 23, 2025

WitchCraft TD Review: A PICO-8 Tower Defense That Actually Made Me Miss My Bedtime

7.3

/10

pico-8

WitchCraft TD Review: A PICO-8 Tower Defense That Actually Made Me Miss My Bedtime

I've played tower defense games since Warcraft 3 custom maps were the only thing worth launching Battle.net for. WitchCraft TD gets it—the random summoning, the desperate merging, the merchant screwing you over. It's brutally honest about being hard, and I respect that.

Dec 23, 2025

Scavenger of Dunomini Review: The Match-3 Game That Finally Made Me Think

7.5

/10

match-3

Scavenger of Dunomini Review: The Match-3 Game That Finally Made Me Think

PUNKCAKE Délicieux somehow convinced me to care about defending garbage by frankensteining match-3 with tower defense and actually making it work. I'm as surprised as you are.

Dec 23, 2025

Snakonda Review: It's Snake Again, But With 'Vibes' This Time

5.3

/10

snake

Snakonda Review: It's Snake Again, But With 'Vibes' This Time

Another developer looked at Snake—a game perfected in 1997 on my Nokia 3310—and thought 'you know what this needs? Ambient music and the word calm in the description.' I installed it anyway because apparently I hate myself.

Dec 23, 2025

Utopia Must Fall Review: A Tower Defense Game That Actually Woke Me Up

7.4

/10

Utopia Must Fall Review: A Tower Defense Game That Actually Woke Me Up

Pixeljam made a tower defense game that doesn't bore me to tears. I'm as shocked as you are. This vector-styled bullet hell actually respects the 'arcade' part of 'arcade tower defense.'

Dec 23, 2025

Endless Journey Review: A 16-Hour Game Jam Entry That Somehow Respects Your Time More Than Most AAA Titles

7

/10

climber

Endless Journey Review: A 16-Hour Game Jam Entry That Somehow Respects Your Time More Than Most AAA Titles

Martin Mauersics made this in sixteen hours during a game jam, and it's more focused than most games I've played this year. It's free, it's infuriating, and I can't stop playing it. I hate myself a little.

Dec 23, 2025

King's Path Review: A Free Tower Defense That Actually Understands Synergy (I'm As Shocked As You Are)

7.7

/10

synergy-mechanics

King's Path Review: A Free Tower Defense That Actually Understands Synergy (I'm As Shocked As You Are)

I downloaded this expecting another derivative tower defense clone to bore me for 20 minutes. Three hours later, I'm still here optimizing item builds and hating myself for admitting a free itch.io game got its hooks in me.

Dec 23, 2025

Dragonsweeper Review: The Only Minesweeper Clone I've Played in 15 Years That Didn't Bore Me to Tears

8

/10

minesweeper

Dragonsweeper Review: The Only Minesweeper Clone I've Played in 15 Years That Didn't Bore Me to Tears

I've spent decades watching indie devs slap "roguelike" on everything with a pulse. Then Daniel Benmergui made Minesweeper interesting again, and now I'm angry it took this long for someone to do it right.

Dec 23, 2025

Rise to Ruins Review: A Village Sim That Actually Wants You to Fail (And I Respect That)

7.4

/10

village-simulator

Rise to Ruins Review: A Village Sim That Actually Wants You to Fail (And I Respect That)

I've played more village sims than I care to admit, and most of them hold your hand like you're five. Rise to Ruins? It laughs at your failures, watches your villagers starve, and somehow makes you come back for more.

Dec 22, 2025

Baba Is You Review: A Puzzle Game That Made Me Question Reality (And My Intelligence)

8.7

/10

block-pushing

Baba Is You Review: A Puzzle Game That Made Me Question Reality (And My Intelligence)

After twenty years of pushing blocks around puzzle games, I thought I'd seen it all. Then Baba Is You showed up and made me feel like I'd been playing with crayons this whole time while everyone else had actual tools.

Dec 22, 2025

6.7

/10

roguelite

city-builder

Draft City Review: A Roguelite City Builder That Actually Gets Deck-Building Right

I've played enough card-based city builders to fill a landfill, and most deserve to be there. Draft City, however, made me forget about my backlog for an evening—which is basically a marriage proposal in my world.

Dec 21, 2025

4.2

/10