Weekly Notes (April 7–13): Nostalgia and Puzzles

Niklas Borglund

Author

2025-04-19

We got a lot of releases this week, so I wanted to share a few personal notes on the ones that stood out — along with the full top list at the bottom.

🛠️ Crashlands 2 by Butterscotch Shenanigans

I haven’t played any of their games yet, but I’ve watched some great GDC talks from this studio.

One I always think about is this one — where they describe developing the first Crashlands while one of the founding brothers was battling cancer. Highly recommended.

This sequel seems to be landing well — players are praising the improved mechanics compared to the first game.

🌾 South of Midnight by Compulsion Games

This one initially slipped through my release radar (fixed that for next time).

Published by Xbox Game Studios, South of Midnight is a third-person action-adventure set in a fantastical version of the American Deep South. It’s sitting at 93% positive at the time of writing — even though some players note the simple combat and linear structure. Doesn’t seem to be a dealbreaker though.

🧩 Blue Prince by Dogubomb

There’s been a lot of chatter about this one.

It’s a puzzle game with generally favorable reviews from players — though there’s a noticeable gap between Metacritic critics (92%) and users (81%). The biggest critique? Use of RNG in the puzzles.

🎖️ Commandos: Origins by Claymore Game Studios

I remember playing Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines back in the day. This new installment taps into that same tactical gameplay.

Fans seem to love the nostalgia — but there’s also criticism around lack of innovation and some lingering bugs.

🔥 Full List: Top Releases for April 7–13, 2025

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