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00:00Your PS5 is collecting dust on the same three games, isn't it?
00:03Yeah, mine was two until I started digging.
00:05Today I'm showing you 20 absolute bangers that got buried by the big releases.
00:09We're talking indie masterpieces and games that honestly deserved way more hype.
00:14Some of these genuinely shocked me with how good they are.
00:17Let's get into it.
00:18Look, I'll be honest with you.
00:20When I first saw Kina, I thought it was a Pixar movie someone accidentally turned into a game.
00:24And you know what? That's not far off.
00:26This indie gem from Ember Lab looks so gorgeous,
00:28you'll forget you're actually playing it and just stand there gawking at the scenery.
00:33But here's the thing. It's not just a pretty face.
00:36You play as Kina, this young spirit guide with a staff that she absolutely knows how to use.
00:41And you're exploring this stunning corrupted forest trying to help lost spirits find peace.
00:46The real stars, though? The Rot.
00:48These adorable little fuzzy creatures that follow you around like the world's cutest army.
00:53They're not just for show, either.
00:54You'll use them in combat and puzzles.
00:56And trust me, watching a hundred of these little guys swarm an enemy never gets old.
01:01The combat itself hits that sweet spot between accessible and challenging.
01:05It's got those souls-like vibes where timing matters, but it never feels unfair.
01:08And the boss fights? Chef's kiss.
01:11Each one feels like an epic showdown that actually tests what you've learned.
01:14What really got me was how it balances this beautiful,
01:17serene world with genuinely emotional moments.
01:20One minute you're chilling with your Rot buddies,
01:21the next you're uncovering some heartbreaking backstory.
01:25It's a complete package that punches way above its indie weight class.
01:28Okay, so imagine this.
01:30You crash land on this hostile alien planet,
01:33die horribly,
01:35then wake up at your ship to do it all over again.
01:37Sounds frustrating, right?
01:38But Returnal makes that loop absolutely addictive.
01:40This is Housemarque basically saying,
01:43we're done making arcade shooters and then creating the most intense bullet hell roguelike you've ever seen.
01:48And they nailed it.
01:50Every time you die and restart, the world reshuffles itself.
01:53New layouts, different weapons, fresh nightmares trying to kill you.
01:57But here's what makes it brilliant.
01:58You're constantly getting better.
02:00Not just through permanent upgrades, but through your skill actually improving.
02:04You start to read enemy pattern, dodge through impossibly tight bullet spreads,
02:08and feel like an absolute badass doing it.
02:10The DualSense controller work here is insane too.
02:13Every weapon feels different in your hands.
02:15The haptics make you feel every alien tentacle in Raindrop.
02:18It's sensory overload in the best way.
02:20And the story?
02:21It's this mind-bending psychological horror that keeps you guessing.
02:24You'll piece together this tragic narrative about the protagonist Selene and her connection to this planet,
02:29and it gets genuinely unsettling.
02:31Fair warning though, this game doesn't hold your hand.
02:33It will kick your teeth in repeatedly.
02:35But when you finally overcome that boss that's been wrecking you for hours,
02:38nothing beats that feeling.
02:39Returnal respects your time by being brutally honest.
02:42It's hard.
02:42It's demanding.
02:43But it's absolutely worth it.
02:46So picture this.
02:47You inherit this beat-up station wagon, and instead of selling it for parts like a sensible person,
02:52you drive it into the Pacific Northwest Exclusion Zone,
02:55where reality itself is having a bad day.
02:58That's Pacific Drive, and it's the most stressed I've ever been about a car.
03:02This isn't some indestructible video game vehicle.
03:04This thing needs maintenance, repairs, and more love than a needy pet.
03:08Your doors will fly off.
03:09Your engine will catch fire.
03:11Your tires will pop at the worst possible moment.
03:13And you'll love every second of panic.
03:15Each run into the zone is this carefully planned scavenging trip where you're gathering resources,
03:20dodging supernatural anomalies, and praying your car holds together long enough to make it back.
03:25The atmosphere is phenomenal.
03:27Abandoned Olympic Peninsula facilities, weird science gone wrong,
03:31and this constant sense that the world is actively trying to erase you.
03:35What gets me is how attached you become to your car.
03:37You'll name it, customize it, and genuinely feel bad when you scrape it against a wall.
03:42It becomes your car with all its quirks and problems.
03:45The loop is genius.
03:46Go out, barely survive, upgrade your car and garage,
03:49then venture deeper into increasingly dangerous zone.
03:52It's tense, it's unique, and it perfectly captures that feeling of being alone in hostile territory
03:57with only your wits and a very unreliable vehicle between you and Oblivion.
04:02Animal Well is weird.
04:03Like, really weird.
04:04And I mean that as the highest compliment.
04:06This game showed up, looked like a cute pixel art platformer,
04:09then proceeded to blow my mind about six different times.
04:12You're this little blob creature exploring this mysterious underground world
04:16filled with animals that range from kinda cute
04:18to why is that flamingo staring into my soul?
04:21It's a metroidvania at its core, but it's doing things with the genre I've never seen before.
04:26The puzzles here are wild.
04:27We're talking secrets within secrets.
04:30Solutions that require you to think completely outside the box,
04:33and mechanics that keep revealing new layers hours into the game.
04:36I'm being vague on purpose because discovering this stuff yourself is half the magic.
04:40Just know that you'll have moments where you figure something out and actually say,
04:43wait, what?
04:44out loud.
04:45The atmosphere is haunting in this really unique way.
04:47It's not scary exactly, but there's this constant sense of mystery and slight unease.
04:52The world feels ancient and alive,
04:54like you're exploring ruins of something much bigger than you.
04:57And the sound design?
04:58Oh man, every audio cue matters.
05:00You'll learn to listen carefully because the game rewards attention to detail.
05:03This is one of those games where the community is still finding secrets,
05:07where people are sharing theories and discoveries,
05:09and everyone's collectively losing their minds over what they've found.
05:12It's pure exploration and discovery in the best possible way.
05:16Can we talk about how Ubisoft just casually dropped one of the best Metroidvanias in years
05:21and nobody saw it coming?
05:22The Lost Crown, that.
05:23It's that game your friend keeps telling you to play,
05:25and they're absolutely right.
05:27You play as Sargon, this young warrior who's actually likable and not insufferably cocky,
05:31and you're exploring Mount Koth to rescue the kidnapped prince.
05:34Standard setup?
05:36Exceptional execution.
05:37The platforming feels incredible.
05:39Like, this is precision movement done right.
05:41Responsive, fast, and satisfying.
05:43You'll be wall running, air dashing, and chaining moves together
05:46like you're in a Persian mythology-themed action movie.
05:49And it never stops giving you new toys to play with.
05:51The combat has this perfect difficulty curve
05:53where it's accessible enough for anyone but deep enough to master.
05:57Parrying feels crisp, abilities combo smoothly,
06:00and boss fights are these intense dances
06:02where you really need to learn patterns and execute perfectly.
06:05What surprised me most was the quality of life features.
06:08There's a screenshot memory system that lets you take pictures of areas you can't access yet
06:12so you actually remember to come back.
06:14Genius.
06:14The world design is top tier too.
06:16Every area feels distinct.
06:18The map is satisfying to fill in,
06:19and backtracking never feels like a chore because you're so much more powerful.
06:23This game deserves way more love than it got.
06:25It's polished, it's beautiful,
06:27and it respects your time while still offering a meaty challenge.
06:30So, here's the thing.
06:32Nobody tells you about Midnight Suns.
06:34It's a deck-building tactics game from the XCOM developers,
06:37and somehow that combination works way better than it has any right to.
06:41You're creating this custom hero called The Hunter,
06:43and you're leading a team of Marvel heroes against Lilith and her demon army.
06:47Sounds cool, right?
06:48But what makes this game special is everything that happens between the fights.
06:52You're hanging out at the Abbey, this supernatural headquarters,
06:55and you're actually building friendships with these heroes.
06:57Like, real relationships.
07:00You'll play video games with Spider-Man,
07:02go fishing with Blade,
07:03have deep conversations with Captain Marvel.
07:05And it's not just fluff.
07:06These bonds make you stronger in combat.
07:08The card-based combat itself is brilliant.
07:11Each hero has their own deck of abilities,
07:13and you're combining cards to create these devastating combos.
07:16Knocking enemies into each other with Captain America's shield,
07:19then following up with Iron Man's Repulsor Blast,
07:21then having magic finish them off with a portal sword attack.
07:24It feels amazing.
07:25What really got me was how it respects these characters.
07:28This isn't some throwaway Marvel game.
07:30The story is genuinely compelling.
07:31The banter between heroes feels natural,
07:33and even lesser-known characters like Niko Minoru get their moment to shine.
07:37Sure, it's got some repetitive mission types,
07:39and the Abbey sections can drag a bit,
07:41but when this game clicks,
07:43it absolutely clicks.
07:44It's cozy superhero vibes mixed with tactical depth,
07:47and I didn't know I needed that until I played it.
07:50Sifu will humble you.
07:51I don't care how good you think you are at action games,
07:53this game will sit you down and teach you respect.
07:55You're on this revenge quest to hunt down the people who murdered your family,
07:59and every time you die, you age up.
08:01Die too many times, and it's permanent game over.
08:04That aging mechanic is genius because it creates this constant tension.
08:07Do you push forward even though you're struggling,
08:09or restart to try for a better run?
08:11The combat is pure kung fu movie magic.
08:14This is the closest any game has come to making you feel like you're in a John Wick or raid movie.
08:19Every punch, every dodge, every perfectly timed parry feels weighty and impactful.
08:24The animation work is insane.
08:26Your character moves like an actual martial artist,
08:28and enemies react realistically to your attacks.
08:30And the structure is perfect.
08:32Five levels, five bosses,
08:33and you'll replay them over and over, getting better each time.
08:36You'll memorize enemy placements,
08:39learn optimal routes,
08:40master new techniques.
08:42That club level?
08:43Still one of the most intense gaming experiences I've had.
08:45You're fighting your way through this nightclub,
08:47the music is pumping,
08:48and you're stringing together these ridiculous combos that make you feel unstoppable.
08:53The satisfaction of finally beating a boss
08:55that's been destroying you,
08:57especially if you manage it at a young age,
08:59that's peak gaming right there.
09:01It's tough love,
09:02but it's absolutely worth the bruises.
09:04This game respects the martial arts genre and demands you do the same.
09:09Dredge is the most unsettling fishing game you'll ever play.
09:12And I mean that as the highest praise.
09:14On the surface, it's chill.
09:15You're a fisherman in this little boat,
09:17cruising around island chains,
09:18catching fish,
09:19upgrading your vessel.
09:20Normal fishing game stuff.
09:22But then night falls,
09:23and you realize something is very, very wrong with these waters.
09:25The cosmic horror elements creep in so gradually
09:28that by the time you're seeing tentacles in the water
09:30and your character is hallucinating,
09:32you're already hooked.
09:33Pun intended.
09:33The core loop is addictive.
09:35Go out fishing,
09:36bring back your catch,
09:37sell it,
09:38upgrade your boat,
09:39venture further into dangerous water.
09:41But managing your limited cargo space
09:42becomes this Tetris-style puzzle,
09:45and you're constantly weighing risk versus reward.
09:48The different fishing mechanics for each region
09:49keep things fresh too.
09:51You're trawling nets in one area,
09:52crab pots in another,
09:54and using specialized rods
09:55for the really weird stuff
09:57you probably shouldn't be catching.
09:58What really sells it is the atmosphere.
10:00The game knows how to make open water
10:02feel oppressive and threatening,
10:04especially at night.
10:05You'll be desperately racing back to port
10:06as your sanity drains,
10:08seeing things that may or may not be real,
10:10and feeling genuine relief when you dock safely.
10:13The story unfolds through environmental storytelling
10:15and interactions with the islanders,
10:16and it gets dark.
10:17Like, what have I been doing this whole time?
10:19Dark.
10:19It's Lovecraftian fishing,
10:21and somehow that premise works perfectly.
10:23Short, sweet,
10:24and deeply unsettling in the best way.
10:27Okay, I'm going to be really careful here
10:29because Inscription is best experienced
10:31knowing as little as possible.
10:33What I can tell you is that it starts
10:35as this creepy card-based roguelike
10:37where you're trapped in a cabin playing cards
10:39against this mysterious dealer
10:41who might actually kill you if you lose.
10:43The atmosphere is thick.
10:44Dark cabin, flickering candles,
10:46and this host who's equal parts intimidating
10:49and oddly charming.
10:50The card game itself is fantastic
10:51with this resource management system
10:53where you sacrifice creatures to play stronger ones,
10:56and the deck building keeps you engaged.
10:58But here's the thing.
10:58That's just the beginning.
10:59This game has layers,
11:00like actual layers that I literally cannot talk about
11:03without ruining the experience.
11:05All I'll say is that
11:06what you think Inscription is at the start,
11:07you're wrong.
11:08What you think it is an hour in,
11:10still wrong.
11:11The game keeps pulling the rug out from under you
11:13in the most creative ways.
11:14The meta elements here are Chef's Kiss.
11:16It plays with the medium itself,
11:18breaks its own rules,
11:19and constantly subverts expectations.
11:21You'll have moments where you're just sitting there going,
11:23wait, is this really happening right now?
11:25And somehow it all ties together
11:26into this cohesive narrative
11:27about game design,
11:29obsession,
11:29and the nature of games themselves.
11:31The variety is incredible too.
11:33Multiple card game styles,
11:34different mechanics for each act,
11:36and secrets hidden in the most unexpected places.
11:38This is one of those games
11:39where you finish it
11:40and immediately want to talk to someone else
11:42who's played it.
11:42It's weird.
11:43It's clever.
11:44And it's absolutely unforgettable.
11:47Nothing good ever happens
11:48on an oil rig
11:49in the middle of the North Sea.
11:50And still wakes the deep nose this.
11:52You're an electrician named Kaz
11:53on this decrepit 1970s oil platform,
11:56and right when you think
11:57your worst problem is getting fired,
11:59something goes catastrophically wrong.
12:00And I mean Lovecraftian,
12:02reality bending,
12:03what am I even looking at,
12:04levels of wrong.
12:05This is pure survival horror
12:06from the Chinese room,
12:08and they absolutely nailed the atmosphere.
12:10The Scottish voice acting
12:11is phenomenal.
12:12These feel like real people,
12:14not video game characters.
12:15You'll actually care
12:16when bad things happen to your crewmates,
12:18because they feel genuine.
12:19The accent work is authentic too,
12:21which adds so much to the immersion.
12:22The platform itself is the real star though,
12:24and it's this incredibly detailed,
12:26claustrophobic environment
12:27that feels legitimately dangerous
12:29even before the horror stuff kicks in.
12:31You're crawling through tight spaces,
12:33climbing across the outside of the rig in a storm,
12:36and constantly feeling like one wrong move
12:38means plunging into the freezing ocean.
12:40When the body horror elements show up,
12:42they're genuinely disturbing.
12:43The creature design is top tier nightmare fuel,
12:46and the game isn't afraid
12:46to get up close and personal with it.
12:48There's no combat here.
12:49You're running, hiding,
12:50and trying to survive
12:51against something you can't fight.
12:52The pacing is relentless too.
12:54Once things go wrong,
12:55they stay wrong,
12:56and you're in this constant state of tension.
12:58It's a shorter experience,
12:59but it's so intense
13:00that it doesn't overstay its welcome.
13:02This is horror done right,
13:03atmospheric, terrifying,
13:04and grounded in a very real setting
13:06that makes the supernatural elements
13:08hit even harder.
13:09Can we talk about how everyone slept on this game?
13:12Like seriously,
13:13this might be the most underrated Marvel game ever made.
13:16You play as Star-Lord leading the Guardians,
13:18and right from the jump,
13:19the writing is incredible.
13:20This isn't MCU Guardians.
13:22It's its own thing with its own vibe,
13:24and honestly,
13:25I think I like these versions better.
13:26The banter between the crew is legitimately funny.
13:29Not in that forced,
13:30we wrote a joke way,
13:32but in that natural, chaotic family energy.
13:35Rocket and Drax arguing about the dumbest things
13:37while you're trying to save the galaxy
13:38never gets old.
13:39Here's what makes it special.
13:40You're not playing as all the Guardians,
13:42but you're commanding them in combat.
13:44You'll be calling out combo attacks,
13:46positioning your team,
13:48and creating these spectacular superhero moments.
13:50Drool hitting enemies with Gamora's sword,
13:52Groot wrapping them up,
13:54then you finishing with Star-Lord's blasters.
13:55It feels amazing.
13:57The story goes places too.
13:58What starts as the Guardians trying to pay off a fine
14:01spirals into this galaxy-threatening crisis
14:03involving a cosmic faith cult.
14:05And the choices you make actually matter.
14:07Not in a branching story way,
14:09but in how your team responds to you
14:11and how certain encounters play out.
14:13The level variety is insane.
14:14You're on alien worlds,
14:16inside giant space creatures,
14:18exploring derelict ships.
14:19Every chapter feels distinct.
14:21And the soundtrack?
14:22Chef's kiss.
14:22Star-Lord's 80s playlist hits different
14:25when you're jetpacking through a battle.
14:26What really surprised me was how much heart it had.
14:29These characters grow,
14:30their relationships evolve,
14:31and by the end,
14:32you genuinely feel like you've been through something
14:34with this dysfunctional space family.
14:36This game deserved so much better than it got it long.
14:39Look, I know what you're thinking.
14:41Isn't this just a kid's platformer?
14:43And sure, it looks cute and accessible,
14:45but Sackboy is secretly one of the best 3D platformers on PS5.
14:49This is Sumo Digital,
14:51taking the LittleBigPlanet formula
14:52and perfecting it for a full platforming adventure.
14:55You're Sackboy,
14:57this adorable little fabric person,
14:58and you're stopping Vex from turning Craftworld into a nightmare.
15:02Simple setup,
15:03but the level design is where this game absolutely shines.
15:07Every single stage has something new.
15:08Grappling hooks,
15:09rolling sections,
15:10rhythm-based levels that sync perfectly to licensed music.
15:14That uptown funk level?
15:15Still living rent-free in my head.
15:17The physics feel amazing too.
15:19Sackboy has weight and momentum,
15:21jumping is responsive,
15:22and the controls are tight enough for precise platforming,
15:25while still feeling playful and bouncy.
15:27It walks this perfect line between accessible and challenging.
15:30Early levels are breezy fun,
15:32but those optional challenges in later stages?
15:34They'll test your platforming skills for real.
15:36Co-op is where this game becomes something special, though.
15:39Playing with friends turns it into this beautiful chaos,
15:42where you're working together on puzzles,
15:44competing for collectibles,
15:45and probably accidentally killing each other more than the enemies do.
15:49The physics interactions in multiplayer create these emergent, hilarious moments.
15:53The production value is insane for what people dismissed as a smaller game.
15:56Every world is gorgeously detailed with different themes,
15:59the music selection is phenomenal,
16:01and there's so much personality in every animation and detail.
16:05Plus, those hidden costumes?
16:06You'll become a completionist just trying to collect them all.
16:08This is pure platforming joy.
16:10Colorful, creative, and way more substantial than it looks.
16:14A soul's like about a hermit crab using trash as shells should not work this well.
16:18But here we are.
16:19Another crab's treasure is what happens when developers look at Dark Souls and think,
16:23what if this, but underwater and weirdly funny.
16:26You play as Krill, this grumpy hermit crab whose shell gets repossessed.
16:30Yes, repossessed.
16:31And now you're on this quest through a polluted ocean to get it back,
16:34and maybe save the ecosystem while you're at it.
16:37The shell mechanic is brilliant.
16:38You're constantly finding new trash to use as shells.
16:41Soda cans, bottle caps, coconuts,
16:44and each one has different stats and special abilities.
16:47A fork gives you extra poke rain.
16:49A bottle cap can deflect attacks.
16:51You're essentially wearing humanity's garbage as armor,
16:54and it's both hilarious and depressing commentary on ocean pollution.
16:57The combat nails that souls feel, but adds its own flair.
17:00You've got your shell abilities, you can grab objects and throw them,
17:03and there's this satisfying weight to crab combat.
17:06Boss fights are creative too.
17:08You're fighting everything from predatory fish to other crabs
17:11to things that really shouldn't exist in a healthy ocean.
17:14What got me was the tone.
17:15It's genuinely funny with great writing and voice acting,
17:19but it's also telling the story about environmental destruction
17:21that hits harder because you're literally living in the consequences.
17:24The ocean is filled with pollution, the ecosystems are collapsing,
17:28and you're seeing it all from ground level.
17:30The accessibility options are fantastic too.
17:32If you want pure souls difficulty, it's there.
17:34But if you want to experience the story and world without the frustration,
17:38there are options to make it more forgiving.
17:40No judgment either way.
17:41This is a crab game that's deeper than it has any right to be.
17:44And I mean that literally and figuratively.
17:47Nine Souls is proof that indie studios can create some of the tightest,
17:51most polished action games out there.
17:53This is a 2D Sekiro-like with hand-drawn art inspired by Taopunk,
17:57think Asian mythology meets sci-fi, and it's absolutely gorgeous.
18:01You're Yi, this cat-like warrior waking up after centuries to take revenge
18:04on the nine rulers who betrayed you.
18:06Standard revenge plot elevated by incredible execution.
18:09The combat system is all about deflection.
18:11You're not just dodging, you're parrying attacks with precise timing,
18:15building up chi energy, then unleashing devastating counterattack.
18:18It's brutally difficult in the best way.
18:20Enemies hit hard, bosses are intense pattern recognition battles,
18:23and you need to actually learn and adapt.
18:26No button mashing your way through this one.
18:28The art style is stunning.
18:29Every frame looks like it belongs in an animated film.
18:31The attention to detail in character animations,
18:34environmental storytelling, and boss designs is incredible.
18:36And that soundtrack?
18:37It blends traditional Asian instruments with modern electronic elements perfectly.
18:42What really elevates it is the metroidvania structure.
18:45You're exploring this interconnected world,
18:47unlocking new abilities that open up previous areas,
18:50and slowly uncovering the truth about what happened to your civilization.
18:54The story gets dark too.
18:55This isn't a simple good versus evil tale.
18:57Yi has done questionable things,
18:59the villains have their own perspectives,
19:01and you're piecing together a tragedy.
19:02Boss battles are the highlight.
19:04Each of the Nine Souls is a completely unique fight with distinct patterns,
19:08multiple phases,
19:09and spectacular visuals.
19:10Beating each one feels like a genuine accomplishment.
19:13This game respects your intelligence and your skill.
19:15And if you're into challenging 2D action games,
19:18Nine Souls is essential.
19:20Crow Country is like,
19:21Someone took a PlayStation 1 era survival horror game,
19:24kept everything that made those special,
19:26and smoothed out the rough edges.
19:28You're Mara Forest investigating this abandoned amusement park called Crow Country.
19:32And from the moment you arrive,
19:33something is deeply wrong.
19:35The park's been closed for years,
19:36the owner disappeared,
19:37and there are monsters.
19:38Always with the monsters.
19:39The visual style is deliberately retro.
19:42Fixed camera angles,
19:44PS1 style graphics,
19:45that nostalgic, chunky aesthetic.
19:47But it's not just mimicking old games.
19:49This is a love letter to classic Resident Evil
19:51that understands what made those games work.
19:53The puzzle design is fantastic.
19:55You're exploring this creepy theme park,
19:57finding keys,
19:58solving environmental puzzles,
20:00and slowly unlocking new areas.
20:02It's that classic survival horror loop done really well.
20:05The park itself is such a cool setting.
20:07Abandoned rides,
20:08empty food courts,
20:10mascot costumes,
20:11that are way creepier than they should be.
20:13What surprised me was the difficulty options.
20:15You can play it as traditional survival horror
20:17with limited resources and combat,
20:19or you can play it in exploration mode with no combat
20:22if you just want the story and puzzle.
20:24Both modes are valid,
20:25and the game doesn't judge you for your choice.
20:27The story goes to some unexpected places too.
20:30What starts as a simple investigation into a missing person
20:33becomes this darker tale about obsession,
20:35corporate greed,
20:36and the lengths people go to for those they love.
20:38Without spoiling anything,
20:39the game earned its emotional moments.
20:41It's not super long,
20:42you can finish it in one sitting if you're determined,
20:45but it's perfectly paced.
20:46No filler,
20:47no padding,
20:47just a tight horror experience that respects your time.
20:50If you miss old school survival horror,
20:52but don't want to deal with outdated controls
20:54and obtuse design,
20:55Crow Country is your game.
20:57Cocoon is one of those games
20:59that makes you feel smart and stupid at the same time,
21:01and I mean that as the highest compliment.
21:03This is from the lead gameplay designer of Limbo and Inside,
21:07and you can feel that pedigree in every puzzle.
21:09You're this tiny insect-like creature
21:11in a world that's equal parts alien and beautiful,
21:14and you're carrying these orbs that are also entire world.
21:17Yeah, wrap your head around that.
21:19The core mechanic is insane.
21:20You pick up these orbs and carry them on your back,
21:22but you can also jump into the orbs
21:24to explore the worlds contained within them.
21:27Then you can pick up another orb inside that world.
21:29It's recursive puzzle design that sounds confusing,
21:32but feels intuitive once you're playing it.
21:34You're constantly jumping between layers of reality,
21:37using orbs to solve puzzles and other orbs,
21:39and somehow it all makes perfect sense.
21:41There's zero dialogue,
21:43no text,
21:44no tutorials.
21:45The game teaches through doing,
21:46and it trusts you to figure things out.
21:48And you will,
21:49because the puzzle design is so elegant.
21:51Every solution feels obvious in hindsight,
21:53but getting there requires actual thinking.
21:55Not moon logic,
21:56just clever observation and experimentation.
21:58The art direction is breathtaking too.
22:01These aren't just generic alien worlds.
22:03Each one has its own aesthetic,
22:05its own rules,
22:06its own atmosphere,
22:07geometric landscapes,
22:08organic caves,
22:09mechanical structures,
22:10all rendered with this clean,
22:12striking visual style
22:13that's simultaneously minimalist and detailed.
22:16Boss encounters are actually puzzles themselves,
22:19which is brilliant.
22:19You're not fighting them in a traditional sense.
22:21You're figuring out their patterns
22:22and using the environment
22:24and your orbs to overcome them.
22:25It's such a refreshing take.
22:27The whole game can be finished in four to five hours,
22:29but it's perfectly paced.
22:31No padding,
22:32no filler,
22:32just pure puzzle-solving brilliance
22:34from start to finish.
22:35This is what happens
22:36when developers have a crystal clear vision
22:38and the skill to execute it flawlessly.
22:41From the same team that made Grizz comes Neva.
22:44And if that game made you cry,
22:45buckle up because this one's coming for your emotions too.
22:48You play as Alba,
22:49a warrior woman bonded with a wolf cub named Neva,
22:52and you're journeying through a dying world
22:53trying to survive and protect each other.
22:55It's basically what if Studio Ghibli
22:57made a game about grief and companionship.
22:59And yes,
23:00you will have feelings about it.
23:01The game follows you and Neva through the seasons,
23:04and watching this cub grow into an adult wolf
23:06is legitimately touching.
23:07In the beginning,
23:08you're protecting Neva,
23:09calling them to stay close,
23:11worrying about their safety.
23:13By the end,
23:13Neva's protecting you,
23:15fighting alongside you as an equal.
23:16That progression hits different
23:18because you've been through everything together.
23:20The art style is stunning,
23:21hand-painted watercolor visuals
23:23that look like every frame could be a wallpaper.
23:25Each season has its own color palette and mood.
23:27Autumn is warm but melancholic.
23:29Winter is harsh and desperate.
23:31Spring brings hope.
23:32It's visual storytelling at its finest.
23:34Combat is surprisingly substantial too.
23:36This isn't just a walking simulator.
23:38You're fighting corrupted creatures,
23:40dodging attacks,
23:42and the difficulty actually ramps up.
23:43It's still accessible,
23:44but there's real challenge here,
23:46especially in the later section.
23:47The connection between Alba and Neva
23:48drives everything though.
23:50The animations are so expressive.
23:51The way Neva looks at you,
23:53how they play,
23:54their body language when they're scared or excited.
23:56No dialogue needed
23:57because the relationship speaks for itself.
23:59The soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful,
24:01perfectly complementing every emotional beat.
24:03And fair warning,
24:04this game will make you feel thing.
24:06It's about love,
24:07loss,
24:07letting go,
24:08and the inevitable march of time.
24:10If you ugly cried at the end of Grizz,
24:12keep tissues nearby.
24:13Nomada Studio has this incredible ability
24:15to create games that are short,
24:17impactful,
24:17and emotionally devastating in the best way.
24:20Neva is a masterpiece about companionship
24:22that will stay with you long after the credits roll.
24:26Kunitsugami is Capcom being weird in the best possible way.
24:30This is a tower defense action game set in Japanese mythology,
24:34and that combination shouldn't work,
24:36but absolutely does.
24:37You're So,
24:38a masked swordsman,
24:39protecting a maiden named Yoshiro
24:41as she purifies villages corrupted by these demons called Seathe.
24:44By day,
24:45you're exploring,
24:46positioning villagers for the night battle,
24:48and strategizing.
24:49By night,
24:49all hell breaks loose,
24:50and you're fighting waves of demons while protecting Yoshiro.
24:53The fusion of real-time strategy and action is seamless.
24:56During the day phase,
24:57you're rescuing villagers and assigning them roles.
25:00Woodcutters,
25:00archers,
25:01spearmen,
25:02sumo wrestlers.
25:03You're essentially building your defense force.
25:05Then night comes,
25:06and you're actively fighting alongside them,
25:08slashing demons while micromanaging your troops.
25:10It requires actual multitasking and strategy.
25:13The aesthetic is gorgeous.
25:14Traditional Japanese art style mixed with horror elements.
25:18The Seathe designs are creepy and creative,
25:20based on yokai and folklore.
25:22And the attention to cultural detail is impressive.
25:24From the architecture to the festivals,
25:26to the mythology,
25:27it feels authentic.
25:29Combat as so is satisfyingly meaty too.
25:31You've got different sword stances,
25:33abilities,
25:34and the timing-based parry system.
25:35You're not just commanding from the back.
25:37You're in the thick of it,
25:38and your skills matter as much as your strategy.
25:40What really got me was the village restoration aspect.
25:43After purifying an area,
25:44you rebuild and renovate the village,
25:46and it actually affects your resources and abilities.
25:49It's this satisfying loop of
25:50deep and purify rebuild grow stronger.
25:52The game doesn't hold your hand either.
25:54Later levels get genuinely challenging,
25:56with multiple attack routes,
25:57tough enemy combinations,
25:59and strict time limits.
26:00You need to plan,
26:01adapt,
26:01and execute well.
26:03This is Capcom flexing their creativity,
26:05making something that doesn't fit into easy category.
26:07It's tower defense meets action game
26:09meets Japanese folklore horror,
26:10and somehow it all works.
26:12If you're tired of the same old genres,
26:14Kunitsugami offers something genuinely fresh.
26:17Weird West is what happens
26:18when you throw supernatural horror into the Old West
26:21and make it an immersive sim.
26:22This is from some of the minds behind
26:24Dishonored and Prey,
26:25and you can feel that DNA in every system.
26:28The world reacts to everything you do,
26:30NPCs remember your actions,
26:31and there are always multiple solutions to problems.
26:34You're experiencing five interconnected stories
26:37in this cursed version of the American frontier,
26:40where werewolves,
26:41witches,
26:41and worse things lurk in the shadow.
26:43The cool part is each protagonist
26:45has their own abilities and play style.
26:47You'll go from playing a bounty hunter
26:48to a pigman
26:49to a werewolf,
26:50and each story adds layers
26:51to the overall narrative.
26:53The emergent gameplay
26:54is where this shines.
26:55You can shoot your way through problems,
26:57sneak around,
26:58use the environment,
26:59manipulate NPCs,
27:00or find creative solutions nobody intended.
27:03See a bandit camp?
27:04You could fight them head-on,
27:05poison their water supply,
27:06wait until night and pick them off,
27:08or even recruit them
27:09if you play your cards right.
27:10What makes it special
27:10is the reactive world.
27:12Kill a shopkeeper,
27:13and that store stays closed.
27:14Save someone,
27:15and they might show up later to help you.
27:16Make enemies,
27:17and they'll hold grudges across campaigns.
27:19The world feels alive
27:20in a way most games don't bother with.
27:21The writing is pulpy and fun too,
27:23embracing the weird Western premise
27:25without winking at the camera.
27:26There are genuinely creepy moments,
27:28disturbing implications,
27:29and a mythology that gets deeper
27:31the more you explore.
27:32It's not perfect.
27:33The camera can be finicky,
27:34and combat isn't as smooth
27:35as bigger budget games,
27:37but the ambition and creativity
27:38more than make up
27:39for technical rough edges.
27:40This is a game about experimenting,
27:42making choices,
27:43and living with consequences.
27:45Every playthrough will be different
27:46based on what you do
27:47and how the world reacts.
27:48If you love immersive sims
27:50and want something
27:50with a unique setting,
27:51Weird West delivers that in spades.
27:53It's ambitious, creative,
27:55and doesn't play by the rules.
27:57Trepang 2 is fear on steroids,
27:59and I'm not even exaggerating.
28:01This is an indie team
28:02looking at that classic
28:03and saying,
28:04let's do this but more.
28:05You're a super soldier
28:06with no memory fighting
28:07against a shadowy corporation.
28:09And honestly,
28:10the plot doesn't matter
28:11because you're too busy
28:12being an absolute murder machine.
28:13This game makes you feel powerful
28:15in a way few shooters do.
28:17The core loop is simple.
28:18Enter area,
28:19brutally eliminate everyone,
28:20move to next area.
28:21But the execution is phenomenal.
28:23Slow motion on demand,
28:25sliding,
28:26brutal melee takedowns,
28:27and an arsenal of weapons
28:28that all feel incredible to use.
28:30You're not just shooting enemies,
28:32you're painting the walls with them.
28:33The gore is over the top
28:34in the best way.
28:36Limbs fly off,
28:37blood spatters everywhere,
28:38and you can grab enemies
28:39as human shields
28:40then kick them into their friends.
28:42It's violent, yes,
28:43but it's so stylized and gamey
28:45that it's just pure
28:46action movie satisfaction.
28:47What surprised me
28:48is the variety.
28:49You've got stealth sections
28:50where you're infiltrating facilities,
28:52horror segments
28:53with supernatural elements,
28:55and pure action arena.
28:56Some missions let you call in
28:57airstrikes or command squad members.
29:00It keeps mixing things up.
29:01The AI is actually competent too.
29:03Enemies flank,
29:04take cover,
29:05and react to your action.
29:06They're not just standing there
29:07waiting to die.
29:08Well, they are,
29:09but they try not to.
29:10The level design encourages creativity.
29:13You've got multiple routes,
29:14destructible environments,
29:16and physics objects to weaponize.
29:17Visually, it nails that gritty
29:19military horror aesthetic.
29:21Dimly lit facilities,
29:22creepy labs,
29:23and urban combat zones
29:24all look appropriately grimy
29:26and atmospheric.
29:27And the performance is smooth
29:28even during the most chaotic moments,
29:30which matters when you're slowing time
29:32and giving a dozen enemies simultaneously.
29:35Look,
29:35if you want a deep narrative experience,
29:37this ain't it.
29:37But if you want to feel
29:38like an unstoppable action hero
29:40in a game that understands
29:41exactly what it is,
29:43Trapang 2 delivers
29:43that power fantasy perfectly.
29:45It's short,
29:46it's intense,
29:47and it knows exactly
29:48what it wants to be.
29:49Pure adrenaline-pumping carnage
29:51done right.
29:52And there you have it.
29:5320 games that seriously
29:54deserve more love.
29:55Look,
29:55I know everyone's got
29:56their own taste,
29:57but if even one of these
29:58caught your attention,
29:59that's a win in my book.
30:01So here's what I want to know.
30:02Which of these
30:02are you going to try first?
30:04Or maybe you've already
30:05played some
30:05and I'm just late to the party.
30:07Drop a comment
30:08and let me know.
30:09And hey,
30:09if you found this helpful,
30:11smash that like button
30:11and subscribe
30:12because I've got more
30:13hidden gems coming your way.
30:14Your backlog is about
30:15to get a lot bigger.
30:16I'll catch you in the next one.
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