Goat Simulator 3
Goat Simulator… And this is already its third edition… It turns out to be a gem, or rather a bezoar of accessible gaming!
New
The Alters
I have a huge soft spot for games from 11bit Studios. This Polish developer can keep me glued to the screen like no other. Deep stories in a unique format, a completely immersive game loop. The Alters is just as unique and brilliant. Do not recommend. 2/10.
Cassette Beasts
For an entire generation, Pokémon was the gateway into the world of gaming – accessible, engaging, and driven by an addictive gameplay loop that tapped into our hunter-gatherer instincts. Cassette Beasts is clearly inspired by Nintendo’s iconic series and, boy is that a good thing.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a beautiful piece of gaming art, my personal Game of the Year 2025 (and it’s only June!), and a fascinating French homage to the jRPG genre. However, its high difficulty level can quickly discourage beginner players, causing them to get stuck on the first serious enemies instead of enjoying the story – making their emotional rollercoaster come not just from the gripping plot, but from frustration as well.
Anno 1800
An unhealthily addictive gameplay allows you to overcome the rather high entry barrier, followed by sudden boredom after another marathon session, during which the narrator literally begs you to turn off the console and take a break. It’s a great game that’s really tough for noobs and casuals, but for completely different reasons.
Inkulinati
Can being a medieval painter be easy? It turns out, yes. This painted card game with a sprinkle of amusing narrative shouldn’t overwhelm anyone. You don’t need to have experience with similar games. There are no microtransactions or loot boxes… nor is there an Izzy Mode Certificate. And for a reason.
Diablo IV
My character in Diablo IV has died maybe three times. One of those times was because I went to get coffee, and some minor yet persistent demon seized the opportunity and, after a relentless 10-minute long assault, finally devoured my Level 50 Barbarian. If you take your time and don’t act recklessly, Diablo IV is actually pretty easy. That being said…
Red Dead Redemption 2
Howdy partner. So among your planned careers, between a firefighter and a soccer player, you always listed a cowboy? “Favorite western: yes.”? “Who is your hero and why John Wayne”? Well then Red Dead Redemption 2 is for you. In any other case: hold your horses! If you’re not into challenges and this is going to be your first rodeo, then you might want to skip this one.
Darkest Dungeon
An older relative left you a property in the countryside, and you need to take care of it… Stardew Valley? No… Ha, ha, ha… No. No, no, no no… noooo. NOOOO AAAAhghgghhh!!!…
…Darkest Dungeon is a dungeon crawler and crawling you will… and, despite the very high level of difficulty, it will shackle you with dopamine and an addictive game loop.
Control
Control is a rather difficult shooter that challenges both dexterity and orientation in the three-dimensional space of an office building maze. It’s developers literally tell you that it is a difficult game and was designed to be hard. Then why did Control receive an Izzy Mode Certificate? It did, because the creators made sure in their clever way that everyone would be able to complete the game, and such an attitude deserves all praise.