A Little to the Left (Review)

Developer: Max Inferno
Publisher: Secret Mode
Available On: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S
Reviewed on Xbox Series S

As someone who loves to clean and organize, I find video games that allow me to tap into my tidy nature to be extremely rewarding. I loved 2021’s indie darling Unpacking for nailing the feeling of satisfaction and creativity that comes with setting up your belongings in a new location, and 2022’s mega-hit Power Wash Simulator itched that part of my brain that craves incremental progress on a bigger task. Now, with A Little to the Left, the cozy cleaning genre gets a new game that zeroes in on small organizational chores, and it’s through this fixation on small bite-sized tasks that the game flourishes into something special.

Stray (Review)

Developer: BlueTwelve Studio
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
Available On: PC, PS4, and PS5
Reviewed on PS5

Set in a neon-soaked post-apocalyptic sci-fi underworld, Stray is the ultimate “cat-simulator” that uses platforming, stealth, and occasional action to turn all the idiosyncrasies of being a cat into an engaging and moving narrative experience. As a self-professed “dog person” for all my life, I wasn’t sure how I would take to this game, but within minutes I was sold. While it’s clearly made by a team that loves cats and is very intentionally making a game for like-minded fans of felines, there’s also a ton of value for lovers of solid gameplay, level design, and world-building, making this a must-play for fans of gaming in general.