Week 1 is a wrap, and I'm already addicted to a new game. :3
2025 backlog challenge: week #1
Starting my self-imposed 2025 backlog challenge this week, and I’m not sure yet how to approach it. Do I just randomly pick games? Do I go for a theme? Do I try to find elements that link the games together?
For the time being, I’m just going with the flow. I’m in the mood for cosy, good looking games and that’s what I’ll be playing. A new one, every day.
Game #1: Carto
Carto is a puzzle/adventure game developed by Sunhead Games.
I chose this game after someone on a Discord server suggested it—it had been on my radar for a while, and so I finally decided to give it a try.
And wow, this game is a work of art! ♥
The map-building mechanic is both innovative and satisfying, making the puzzles feel fresh and engaging as you fit pieces together to meet NPC requests as well as your own aesthetic preferences. The graphics are stunning, and little Carto wobbling around is just too adorable.
Everything about this game is incredibly endearing, and I can’t wait to play more. Simultaneously a great first game for this challenge, and a threat to the contingency of said challenge. What if I’ll only play this game for the next week? Whelp!
👍 Either way: definitely recommend it!
Game #2: Garden Galaxy
Garden Galaxy is a cosy sandbox simulation game developed by Biotite Games.
I chose this game using a random game picker, looking for something creative and relaxing - but I didn’t expect to spend 7 hours straight playing it!
It’s a perfect mix of a good gacha loot box mechanic and a cosy decoration game. You collect coins, use them to get random items, and decide whether to place them in your garden or recycle them to try again. The randomness is addictive, and the decorating aspect is incredibly soothing. The charming visuals and the endless creative possibilities had me hooked for hours.
During this week, I actually continued played this game on and off, and 100%ed it. Garden Galaxy is the absolute winner of this week.
👍 I’d highly recommend this game, especially if you’re in the mood for something both chill and oddly compelling.
Game #3: Venba
I picked Venba from my list of installed but unplayed games and went in blind, only to be pleasantly surprised by its unique blend of storytelling and cooking.
It offers a compelling experience, providing a perspective on immigration and culture that I hadn’t previously considered. The way the game intertwines narrative and cooking mechanics feels fresh and innovative - and honestly, quite challenging if you want to get through it without hints.
As someone unfamiliar with Indian food, the recipes and cultural details felt entirely new to me, making the experience both educational and engaging. The story was so heartfelt and compelling that I finished it in one go.
Venba had me crying by the end. 100% a piece of art.
👍 Though it’s very much a one-off experience without much room for replayability, I would very much recommend playing through it cuddled up in a blanket on a rainy day. It really is that type of comfort game.
Game #4: Palworld
Palworld is an open-world creature-collecting game developed by Pocketpair.
I am *so* incredibly late jumping on the Palworld bandwagon.
In my defense, I have a weird brain. It doesn’t like change, and it’s been groomed by Pokémon for almost thirty years. When I see a pink, soft creature with big blue eyes, I think “normal type”. “/fairy” if I’m feeling extra modern. I expect it to sing me to sleep and evolve using a moonstone.
So I had the hardest time getting into Palworld. I genuinely wanted to, because had this been exactly the same game but with Pokémon, I would have been addicted to it since the second it came out. But my brain got stuck on the not-Pokémon so hard, it was frustrating and I gave up before I even started.
With this challenge, I finally caved. My husband had been saying “play Palworld, you’ll love it” and I kept getting stuck on the idea alone. I played his copy - thank you, Steam family share - and almost an hour into it, it’s safe to say I got over it and want to actually keep playing it - mind you, I still haven’t actually caught a Pal, I’ve just been derping around throwing balls at creatures and missing horribly. Give me a minute, I’ll get there.
👍 The worst part about this game is that my husband now has the ammunition to say “I told you so”.
Game #5: Baba Is You
Baba Is You is a puzzle game developed by Hempuli Oy.
I decided to play it today after using a randomiser, which led me to check out the “similar games” list where Baba Is You stood out.
The game’s core mechanic of rewriting the rules through words is an amazingly creative and challenging approach to puzzle-solving. It really made my brain go brr in new ways, which was fun but also: I’m not very good at puzzle games.
I got stuck about ten puzzles in but I appreciated the mental workout it offered nonetheless. I decided to take a break and revisit it later.
👍 I’d definitely recommend Baba Is You to anyone who loves stimulating puzzle games with innovative mechanics. It’s a rewarding challenge that’s well worth the effort for the right player.
Game #6: Wingspan
Wingspan is a card-based strategy game developed by Monster Couch.
The first "not recommend" is a fact. :(
But it's not the game's fault.
I picked it up today because I was in the mood for a card game, but I quickly found myself overwhelmed.
The gameplay is rich and complex, with a lot of mechanics to juggle and a very extensive tutorial—which is great for learning but required more mental bandwidth than I had to give. I ended up stepping away for now, though I might revisit it in the far future when I’m in the right mindset.
👍 Despite my own experience, I’d still recommend Wingspan to players who enjoy more complex deck-building games and have the patience to dive into its detailed systems. It’s also a great fit for bird enthusiasts, as the bird theme is both charming and thoughtfully implemented.
Game #7: Moonlighter
Moonlighter is an RPG with a unique blend of dungeon crawling and shop management mechanics, developed by Digital Sun.
I was initially frustrated by the controls, but once I got the hang of it, I was actually genuinely enjoying it. The loop of collecting loot in dungeons at night and selling it in your shop by day is refreshing and keeps the gameplay interesting. Rebuilding the town and seeing your progress is a fun reward for your efforts.
While it’s a game that requires some time investment and the right mindset, I can definitely see myself revisiting it when I have more time to dive deeper.
👍 This is one of those games I'll get fixated on at some point in the future.
Phew, that was a good first week! Still feeling a little annoyed not really knowing how to pick the games yet, but all in all I managed to select a good bunch.
Should we add some prizes to this review?
*the audience claps and chants ‘yes! yes! yes!’*
Fine, let’s do this.
I’m crowning Garden Galaxy the king of 🔥 Most Addictive 🔥 without a shred of doubt. The game had me from the very first moment. I’ve played the game on and off throughout the week and 100%ed both the Steam achievements as the in-game item collections. Just one more coin. Just one more click.
The award for 🌍 Most Immersive 🌍 goes to Venba. I have learned so much from the game, and it had me tear up by the end. It was a good contender for its innovative mechanics as well, though I decided against that because there aren’t all that many mechanics. The ones that are there are pretty neat, though. This whole game is gorgeous and tells a wonderful story. It is so captivating you can’t but finish it in one go.
Then which game did win ⚙️ Best Mechanics ⚙️? That would be Carto. It was so adorable and fun to just swap around map pieces to solve puzzles and create islands to explore. Rotating the pieces to get to a different point, rearranging them to move NPCs around, revisiting the whole layout whenever you get a new piece - I’ve never seen a mechanic like this as well-executed as Carto did it.
We had a good run this week. Which games should I play next week?
Let me know on Steam, Twitter or Bluesky.
Want to tackle your backlog as well? Or just want to chat about mine?
Click here to join the Steam group to share and discuss all of these games!
Not sure yet and want to see how I keep it up first? That’s fair, too.