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 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.
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.
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.