While there are key, timed decisions you’ll make at pivotal points, most of the game’s interactive moments are perfunctory, mostly getting you to mimic Erica’s movements—be it turning the knob of a door or unbuckling a hefty briefcase. What this interactive thriller excels in, however, is its ability to keep you in perpetual suspense. It drives a compelling narrative for sure, but it also begs the question why it needs to be presented as a game to do so.

Minecraft Dungeons is a lot of fun, but it’s a little lacking in depth, and it’s rather short to boot. It’s almost exactly what you’d expect from a game looking to fuse the cute world of Minecraft with the gameplay of Diablo, but it sadly never really reaches the potential of either. As I said though, it is good fun. It is replayable too, but it’s hard to really commit to doing so unless you’re helping along someone who is less familiar with games, say a younger sibling or your own kids. This puts it in an important bracket of gaming, where its perfect as an introduction to the genre, but it’s not going to offer much more than a distraction for anyone used to ARPGs.

A fairly tight and enjoyable sim. The campaign scenarios introduce you to all of its systems very gradually, and there’s plenty of freedom to customise your aquariums exactly how you please – even if they’re arguably not as interesting to build and look at as theme parks and cities. But each to their own.

I have a couple of minor gripes, including iffy collision detection with pickups and irritating vocal sound effects. But otherwise, despite it not exactly breaking any new ground, Yuri is a chilled, atmospheric platformer worth a look.

I love a good pun, and Flailure is definitely a good pun. It’s also a pretty good game. It’s got some silly mechanics, ragdoll physics, and cute animals all fighting it out to try and come out on top. There’s a wonderful level of chaos to the way each match plays out, and while it’s not always complex, there’s no denying how much fun beating your friends is. It’s definitely more a game for younger gamers, but there’s fun to be had here no matter what age you are.

Following the breakout success of Beat Saber, Harmonix are no longer the trendsetters in rhythm games. Audica clearly takes influence from the popular VR note-slasher while differentiating itself with shooting mechanics. Unfortunately, said mechanics don’t fit quite as well into the rhythm format. But a chunky setlist makes Audica worth checking out when you tire of its mêlée-focused rival.

Generation Zero is more or less what I expected from a big game studio doing its own indie project – a rough-but-unique mix of open-world game features. I love that it asks players to actually pay attention to its world instead of keeping them distracted with constant waypoint markers. And the tactical combat system really works, hitting an interesting middle ground between mainstream and hardcore.

Rune Factory 4 Special has so many layers to it that you can’t help but be fascinated by its charm. The town has a tight-knit feel to it, where each character has a unique, delightful personality. The variety in your side quests and the depth of each system can enthral you for hours. And while its combat is perfectly flawed, it’s a decent change to the life sim formula that other games haven’t quite nailed.

It’s clear The Sinking City tries to punch its weight with triple-A’s but overstretches itself. The fundamental lack of polish is problematic in light of its blockbuster RRP. But if nothing else, I feel it has the makings of a new cult classic.

Tesla Force is a solid twin-stick shooter that has you fighting through a deeply messed-up world paying as historical characters. Gameplay-wise it’s pretty much exactly what you’d expect. There are lots of enemies, absurd weapons, and a lot of fun to be had. There’s fun to be had here for fans of the genre, but it doesn’t do enough to entice anybody who wouldn’t already be interested.

Neurodeck is a fascinating card game that explores an often ignored aspect of gaming – our psyche, and in an interesting and fun manner. I would have liked to see more of a storyline as opposed to the raw card game, and phobias would have been more interesting if linked to personal character emotions, but overall the game is fun, well thought out and unique. Deal with that how you like, but cards on the table, the game is aces. (It isn’t; it’s pretty good. But who can resist a good card pun?)

Even if SuperEpic isn’t the most coherent game, the whole package still works well. With so many different challenges, puzzles and secrets to discover, it’s a worthy evolution of the Metroidvania formula. Using your smartphone is a clever addition, provided you want to use it, while the exploration and combat feels fluid and responsive to where you’re itching to see what awaits you in the next room.

Overall, Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r] is a good fighting game, one that should help any interested players into the world of In-Birth, and maybe even bring back a few lost fans. That being said, it’s also effectively a remaster with a couple of small updates, so it stings a little to see it out in the world as a brand-new game. This is a great pick up if you’ve never played the series, but a far harder sell if you’re a long term fan who has bought every entry in the series so far, though you’ve probably already bought your copy if that’s the case.

Bombfest is a decent, well-presented, local multiplayer game which will sit well in circuit alongside the likes of Samurai Gunn, Super Treasure Adventure and Gang Beasts. Its greatest lack is content, which massively reduces the session time of the game when others are available.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not difficult. If you fail a few times in a row, it even asks if you’d like to skip that section. But it rarely feels like you’re properly in control. I can’t help but think that rhythm game mechanics would have worked better – particularly considering the musical essence of the game.

A game like this may have taken you a few weeks to grasp and explore in the ‘80s but faced with a modern society that deeply understands video games, it might only last a few hours. But, for those few hours, you’ll be whisked back in time to experience the origins of the modern platformer and better understand why the genre still exists today.

Dark humour is used liberally throughout Little Misfortune’s exploration of bleak themes. Half of the time, you don’t know whether to laugh or recoil in horror. Either way, it’s easy to become absorbed in the plight of our little heroine. It’s pretty short for the price of admission and arguably a little too much of a cinch to play, but a loveably weird tale all the same.

As a platformer, Scarf doesn’t particularly break new ground, and veterans of the genre will hardly pause for thought when solving its puzzles. That makes it liable to be written off as ‘just another platformer‘, which is a real shame. A full playthrough of the game can be comfortably achieved in one sitting, and the valuable message that lies at the heart of its narrative is more than worth taking the time. Scarf isn’t designed to challenge or frustrate, but provides the player with the satisfaction of puzzle-solving and a gently introspective allegorical tale.

Hypnospace Outlaw’s imitation of technology from days of yore is commendable, along with capturing the fallible, human ways we interacted with it. Although it may not be the most well-structured experience and is guilty of running its own well of novelty dry, it offers a mostly delightful few hours of misty-eyed laughs and surprises.

Ikenfell’s pure heart won me over. The end of the epilogue alone made my gay little heart melt. I cared an embarrassing amount for the characters the game introduced me to, and the ways in which their interactions are examined is a high point of the game for me. Its sheer empathy, inclusive nature, and amazing soundtrack all make for an engrossing experience, especially if you’re queer and not used to seeing yourself represented in a respectful way. Just make sure that you fight more battles than I did along the way, else you might end up having a bad time by the conclusion.

FRACTER is a brief puzzle adventure that doesn’t break the mould. But it’s a well-accomplished port worth checking out at its low asking price.

While the actual setting and storyline could do with a bit of colour (particularly the characters), if you want a decent strategy game to fill the emptiness between Christmas and New Years, Ancient Frontier: Steel Shadows may be the thing for you.

Unforgivable lack of exploding barrels aside, Super Treasure Arena is a fun little multiplayer game. While the lack of actual online play (on the Switch, anyway), game modes, and levels is a definite problem, Arena counters its shortcomings quite a bit simply by being cheaply priced. For a quick old-school multiplayer fix, it’s a safe bet.

Maneater may not be as enthralling as the Nelly Furtado song, but it’ll certainly make you work hard and make you want all her love because the game’s snarky personality does make you want to continue playing all the same. I’d personally wait until it goes on sale, but whenever you do purchase Maneater, I’m certain you’ll have a whale of a time.

While its level design is overly repetitious in both look and feel, Songbird Symphony still has plenty to be delighted about. A sweet story, fun musical stages and captivating animation make this avian adventure worth taking under your wing.

While there’s certainly room for improvement in Override, the game is undeniably fun in an old-school arcade way. It’s not as fast and fluid as classics like Sega’s Virtua On!, but the premise is excellent, the character designs are gorgeous, and the action is addicting.

Below has simple but satisfying combat, is easy on the eyes and ears, and the crafting system is fun once you get to grips with it. The trouble is, unlike other recent roguelike games, it doesn’t value fun above frustration and actively punishes you for slip-ups. Despite this, it’s a compelling experience, just not necessarily a fun one.

Hyper Jam is a great game, but it’s a shame that more creative game modes aren’t included here. The one mode that is included is quite robust, but it’s almost as if Bit Dragon put all their eggs into one basket. I can’t wait to play Hyper Jam at our next game night, but there’s perhaps not enough here to keep me coming back beyond that.

Ultimately, what guides the trajectory of this voyage in Dog Airport is your relationship with Krista, which is surprisingly tender and heartwarming. It’s the contemplative, and sometimes mournful conversations you have with her, the reminiscing of older days, and the gentle banters you trade with one another, that makes every reunion with her a poignant.one. For a game that’s predominantly moulded in the surreal humor of the internet, I wasn’t expecting to be swept away by all these feels.

It’s a lot of fun with friends, but it lacks something in single-player. I definitely recommend picking this up if you’re looking for something new to play in co-op or if you want to try out the survival genre in general. However, it lacks some of the satisfaction of other games in the genre. That being said, the monkey system is incredibly cool and the game is almost worth playing for that alone.

It can feel a little simplistic at times, but overall it’s quite good fun. The graphics are nice and you’ll find yourself settling into a favourite role in no time at all. It’s still got a few bugs, but it’s Early Access, so we’re expecting those to get stomped on at some point.

For a game which manages to create a nice sense of place, I found it frustrating that the starting environments are a bit boring. For the first two districts the colour palette sticks heavily to shades of brown and while it improves once you’ve ascended past the industrial district, it’s disheartening when the rest of the game is awash with personality. I could keep going on the copious things Tiny Build Games have crammed into this experience but I think I’d be here all day. If you want a decent rogue-lite which is better than most of the countless others in its genre, then Streets Of Rogue will be right up your… err, street.

These puzzles are the bite-sized, whimsical charm that propel Where Cards Fall, but it could still do with cutting the fat off its mind-boggling puzzles. Each time you’ve completed one of them, you’ll be introduced to an unskippable and largely non-interactive cutscene on some pivotal memory of the teenage protagonist, which feels like an obligatory and unnecessary inclusion after a while. My attention wanes, and I’m quite ready to move on from whatever larger-than-life dramatics, tenderness and awkwardness of the protagonist’s teenage years.

Svoboda 1945: Liberation is a game which explores how looking back at the past means different things for different groups of people. It’s a story about the difference between those who benefit from the act of looking back, and those who are punished and aggrieved instead.

Windbound is a lovely little adventure game in a beautiful world. You don’t always have to kill things, and you can generally be a little more relaxed as you journey from island to island and watch the wildlife. It’s not perfect, but I enjoyed my time in the world, and the emotional ride constantly swaying between immensely chilled out and “god d*mn it I died” was one I found quite fun.

Bum-Bo is repetitive, childish, revolting, and gratuitous – and most importantly, it’s a stroke of genius. The team behind Bum-Bo have thrown caution to the wind with this one, revelling in the stuff we all loved about The Binding of Isaac but didn’t want to admit. We’ve no need for a story when we have the basement-dwelling combo of tabletop gaming, semi-edgy humour centering on the grotesque, and fiendishly difficult completion tasks. The game is fun, irritatingly so. It makes no sense whatsoever, but you’ll be glued to it from the first trial run.

Table Manners is a joyful if simplistic, parody of modern dating. To its credit, while I never fell in love with Table Manners, I can’t stop considering places it might go from where it is now. What if other dates like movie theatres or walks in the park were similarly simulated with outrageous physics? What if hookups were simulated in this way? Table Manners is a lovely romp. My main complaint is that I couldn’t leave a tip for the waitstaff who cleaned the tables left in my wake.

Overall, Warlander is a lot of fun, and the combat system really is unlike anything else you’re likely to have played. While it doesn’t always shine in each individual fight, it does a good job of escalating as you play through it, and the difficulty curve straddles the line between forgiving and “oh lord why is this happening to me” very well. It’s certainly worth your attention if you’re looking for something visceral to sink your teeth into, and it’ll treat you well if you’re willing to master the nuances of the combat system too.

Fate Hunters definitely has a more refined presentation than Spire, with beautifully-drawn cards and excellent 3D animation. So, clone-like it might be, but it’s still a fine entry to the genre.

Pikuniku is relentlessly charming throughout its short-but-sweet several hours of play. Many of the more enjoyable moments aren’t even mission-critical, so you’d do well to keep your eyes peeled for bonus nonsensical hijinks rather than just speed your wobbly red appendages towards the conclusion. While not the most sophisticated experience, Pikuniku is a bonkers trip worth leaving your cave for.

Horace is the titular character in this morality tale centered around how he’s treated by his rich masters and outsiders, though the gameplay itself mostly consists of brisk and entertaining obstacle courses involving lots of running and jumping. Horace isn’t groundbreaking or anything we haven’t seen before, but it’s quaint fun.

Gloom and Doom is a visual novel about Heaven, Hell, and absolution. It comes with a nice cast of characters all trying to figure out what on Earth is going on, while all fighting their own demons, literally and figuratively. The art style and general setting will feel very nostalgic for any fans of 90s-era comic books, or just anyone alive during the 90s. It’s not a particularly long game, but it’s a good time while it’s around.

Before Your Eyes ultimately suggests that happiness, fulfillment, that warm sense of a life well lived—that doesn’t come from other people’s perceptions. Rather, it comes from self-acceptance. And, incredibly, that’s something we do have control over.

Its world, art-style, exploration, and hack-n-slash combat are super fun, but these feel hampered by Tribes of Midgard’s key conceit as a tough tower defence game. Increasingly long nights mean you get little and less time to explore, and this is exacerbated by growing demands on resources. Instead, Tribes of Midgard would have made a better open-world game—its procedurally-generated Norse realm is so explorable. I would gladly play Tribes of Midgard more if I wasn’t bound to the settlement as much, and I hope that’s a mode that could be explored in the future.

The challenge presented by Skybolt Zack is entertaining to a point. But there are performative barriers and embedded frustrations that can sap the motivation of players. It’s at this point where the upbeat background music ceases its arcade nostalgic tone and grinds down further upon the player. Beyond engaging with Skybolt Zack on a performative level, it was of more interest to interrogate the gaps where the meaning of the game falls through – where a lot of players might find themselves residing.

Overall, Dangerous Driving is focused. The developer has set out to make a spiritual successor to the arcade games of the past and, to that end, it can be nothing but a resounding success. While there could have been more ambition and left-field, crazier tracks, there aren’t many qualms to be had with its simple design. Dangerous Driving is gaming fast food, but the good kind.

At its best, God’s Trigger is mindless fun. It’s fast, gorey, and ridiculous. The action is a suitable stand-in for Hotline Miami, even if the style isn’t nearly as compelling. However, the pulpy tone and ridiculous aesthetic make it easier to look past its technical limitations and limited scope. If you don’t mind a bit of jank and a general lack of compelling personality, there’s a fast and frantic experience that’s generally a lot of fun. Play this with a friend or partner, if you can, and you’ll get a lot more out of its absurdity.

If you’re not averse to a bit of grinding, there’s plenty of fun to be eked out of Space Crew’s enjoyable core gameplay loop. Its main flaw remains the somewhat lacklustre beginning.

Overall, Police Stories is a game I give a hearty recommendation, all the heartier should you have a buddy cop to bring along. It strikes that same high-paced, repetitive problem solving note as Hotline Miami but in it’s own way. It’s more methodical, you have to stay on your toes. That can be stressful, but very rewarding when a level is completed and done smoothly.

With Hand of Gilgamech, Image & Form have shown that SteamWorld is truly a genre chameleon, moulding itself nicely into a CCG RPG.

If you’ve grown tired of Map Painting Sim #400392 but still want to get a compelling fix, this is a great place to start. The storyline is sensitively written, well animated and filled with agonising choices that will have you questioning yourself pretty harshly.

Wintermoor Tactics Club is a lovely bit of escapism. Those looking for challenging strategy should look elsewhere, and its presentation lets it down in places, but this school-life D&D adventure has its heart in the right place.

If you’re a sucker for this genre like I am though, you’ll appreciate the ways Not Another Weekend fools you into thinking ‘80s adventure games were in any way approachable and enjoyable to play. After all, this game has successfully implemented several quality of life updates to a genre that desperately needed the refresh.

On one hand, there are aspects that are brilliant and can fill you with great satisfaction when every piece of the puzzle falls into place. On the other hand, when the immersion is broken by obnoxious or random ways of finding the next clue, you’ll find your enjoyment of each case diminished.

Break The Game’s simplistic platforming and shooting mechanics are unremarkable and a little half-baked in isolation. But entertaining writing and a hare-brained sense of humour make it worth booting up and breaking out of again. Channelling ideas from some of the indie greats and adding a dash of its own creativity and playfulness, Break The Game is an enjoyable adventure through the googly eyes of an AI.

I’m hopeful for Feudal Alloy. The style and mechanics are there, it just aches for a rebalancing of the introductory portion of the game. This is absolutely doable. And when it happens, it’ll be an unconditional recommendation. That doesn’t mean you should give it a miss now – just prepare yourself for a rocky start.

Pretty. Inoffensive. Rote. Others might find the DNA of something pure that they want to pass on to someone close: a niece or nephew, son or daughter. Trine is a series that is well worth introducing to those just getting to grips with the medium. And this installment adds to that library of introductory possibilities. But it doesn’t use the platform it has to push boundaries and explore the unknown in fairytale video games.

If you’re looking for a meditative city builder and enjoy resource management and problem-solving, you should absolutely give Before We Leave a go. But if you’re accustomed to some of the bigger 4X alternatives, you might feel as if what’s here is a little lacking by comparison.

The progression difficulty leaves a little to be desired, but when you see an enemy churn out a whole screen of projectiles—and know that if you stand just so, you’ll be able to dodge everything without moving—it all clicks into place. For players who are hooked on achieving that feeling of mastery, Godstrike is going to be a surefire win, with challenges and arena modes offering deeper layers to mine. In short, Godstrike is a wonderful, accessible paean to a niche genre.

Leaving home, getting married, moving to the city, coming home and finding out that your home isn’t the place it used to be—all of these are part and parcel of growing up. Sid, living on his own and with a published novel under his belt, might expect to be largely done with that process, but Forgotten Fields’ greatest insight is that growing up isn’t such a simple thing. It’s not a linear process with clear rites of passage; I’m not sure that it ever really was.

Breakpoint is a simple and incredibly honest game. It’s a new arcade game, and there’s nothing more to it. However, in a field of endless games and services, this approach is rather refreshing.

Genesis Alpha One is an ambitious triple-I game that, even though it relies too much on continuously repetitive and similar-looking activities, provides a deep, engaging and challenging experience thanks to its great visuals, some surprises along the way and gameplay mechanics that quickly become natural and intuitive.

Despite its excellent, beautiful catastrophe of a script, Metal Wolf Chaos XD is a tough sell. Why would players want to spend time on a game with gameplay this dated? The reason is simple: Metal Wolf Chaos XD is a reminder that games can be fun even if they don’t meet wider notions of what makes them ‘good.’ The title is mindless fun, a distraction from the confines of what audiences expect when they play a game.

Visibility issues aside, Darksiders Genesis is a solid port of a solid action-RPG. It’s accessible for both Darksiders fans and those who’ve never played anything from the franchise before. While there’s nothing truly remarkable on offer here, Genesis nails all the fundamentals of satisfying demon-bashing.

The story makes the whole experience rich, and although it’s Unknown World’s first stab at fully acted and voiced cutscenes, the characters are well written, and voiced with nuance and warmth. It doesn’t add anything revelatory to the world of Subnautica, but there is still a sense of accepting the past, of moving forward—fitting for a game about exploring areas and mining material to build and survive, but with little incentive to return to them once they have outlived their usefulness.

At times, YIIK’s story does contain exceptional observations about the human experience that are incredibly moving. While its disparate pieces struggle to satisfyingly coalesce, I don’t regret my time with the game, and its developers should be proud of their achievement. All games are a masterwork of hours upon hours of immense emotional and physical labor. YIIK made me recognize and appreciate that labor in ways that other games simply don’t.

Mutropolis shows tons of promise and is undeniably funny and charming. Beautiful to look at with an interesting story and likeable characters, point-and-click fans will find lots to enjoy here. It’s a strong debut from Pirita Studios, a definite step in the right direction and hopefully a sign of good things to come.

Iron Danger is a unique and rather wonderful little game set in a mythology we rarely get to see explored in video games. It’s charming, the characters are generally very likeable, and the systems are unlike anything else in gaming. It is, quite simply, good fun, and solving each of the combat encounters is intensely rewarding. It’s certainly worth a look if you want something just a little bit different, or if you just really like time-travel.

It’s still an impressive accomplishment to have this game run in handheld mode; it’s just a shame that things are so marred by the performance and visual blur. If you’re looking for a new RPG to sink your teeth into, then The Outer Worlds may well be what you’re after, but maybe wait for a few more patches first.

Riot: Civil Unrest is strange and unique, with a strong social conscience. The material covered here is important and highly relevant to our times, lending a decidedly edutainment feel to the game as a whole. So, while the game certainly won’t appeal to everyone, its original premise and gameplay make it worth checking out.

I think it’s important when looking at Underzone, to note it’s in early access and, for what it is, its a rather impressive release. There are some definite issues, but its base gameplay is rather fun, its ideas unique and story intriguing, if a little overdone. There is certainly enough here to be rather hopeful for its future. Like most roguelikes, if you enjoy that grind of slowly upgrading each run, there’s a lot to love here, but the promise of what it will be is perhaps a little greater than what it actually is.

I always remember Kingdoms of Amalur as a game that took risks, and then delivered on them despite the rocky development it went through. There are many other examples of games that have improved considerably using some of its design choices, but it’s undeniable that there’s no experience that quite matches this. I just wish it would have maintained that once present rebellious spirit here as well, coming up with the sorely needed update in the face of a new generation.

Ritual: Crown of Horns is pretty metal, surprisingly precise and entertaining, but it probably won’t knock your socks off.

There’s so much depth that a lot of people may find themselves drowning in it, but for a lot of hardcore tactics fans, they’ll be very much in their element. It’s all set against stunning artwork and a really interesting world, but the story can be a little lacklustre in places, and there are some pacing issues too.

The Vale is very much an experience, and it’s one I found interesting, even if it felt a little frustrating at times. The truth is, there just aren’t many games like this, and The Vale’s innovative take on accessible gameplay made it worth overlooking its flaws. It’s not perfect, but it’s interesting, and I’ll choose that over perfect every time.

In short, Astroneer is a calming, vibrant, genuinely enjoyable experience until you start to set goals for yourself. At this point it becomes a bit of a chore and strays into frustrating grind territory that has no real guarantee of tangible results – and suddenly the buggy menu system, tangled controls, and lack of resources culminate in an inevitable fit of rage. Luckily, if you need a bit of post-anger stress relief, we have just the game for you… have you played Astroneer yet?

The Surge 2 nicely scratches the itch for open-world action. Its less punishing flavour of Souls-like is easier to stomach, and it’s worth checking out for the gratifying combat and clever – albeit confusing – level design. Just don’t expect it to set the genre on fire or captivate you with its narrative.

I would recommend this as a quick jaunt for lovers of Korean horror and all things eldritch. It doesn’t offend or do anything wrong, per se. It’s a nice choice of art style with an intriguing narrative, but it is unlikely to become a classic. I can’t say this game was made with anything less than the full passions of those behind it, and when it hits the right notes it’s definitely a lot of fun, but The Coma 2 has a tendency to feel like a bit of a slog… until it somehow finishes all too quickly.

It’s not for everyone, and the ending could be a bit smoother, but the experience is still a good one if you’re looking for something a little bit different to dive into and don’t mind not sleeping for a few weeks.

Though the process of playing it can occasionally drift into tedium, it’s worth working through the repetition to see the game to its eventual conclusion. In Grotto your choices matter. But they matter in the same way your choices matter in the real world: in ways you can’t see in the moment and may never see at all.

Peaky Blinders: Mastermind is a solid, if perhaps unexciting puzzle game with enough fan service for those looking to spend more time with the stylized criminals of old London to keep them on the hook.

Overall, Unspottable is a joyful experience to have with friends and relatives on the same screen – as long as you can – and throw one or two (digital) punches at them with no real-life consequences – unless they are sore losers.

All in all, while the lack of online play is annoying, if you’ve got the players, this is a retro blast.

RICO offers a very enjoyable, stress-relieving experience where players can live the adrenaline rush of busting down doors to take out drug cartel members. If you can get over the fact that at any second your death means you lose all your progress, there is much to enjoy, with every playthrough unique due to procedural generation. Grab your shotgun and let’s go.

Cranked Up has the colourful charm of Overcooked, and enough platforming challenge to keep you engaged from start to finish. Frustration is core to the experience, and that may not be for everyone, but if snappy, repeated trial and error gameplay is your thing then Cranked Up is a good shout.

The PS4 is far from the most powerful VR machine but this is where Vacation Simulator works well – its visuals are bright and colorful but not technically demanding, allowing for a smooth and crisp experience. While there’s not technically a lot of depth here, there are still a good few hours of exploration, whimsical play and escapism on offer. Get your annual leave booked – Vacation Simulator is a trip worth taking.

The simplistic gameplay comes to life thanks to vivid, heavily retro geometric graphics (think Atari 2600-stylings and you’re close). HoPiKo is oddly fun and even though it can get quite challenging, has a nice zen-like flow to the levels.

If you love off-the-wall experiences, Baobabs Mausoleum may be right up your street. If you haven’t played episode one yet then start there, but if you’ve already been inducted into the crazy world of Flamingo’s Creek, rest assured that episode two is just as weird, but longer and meatier.

The level progression works particularly well, getting you used to the current mechanics and obstacles, and then just throwing brand news ones at you. Respawn points are generally conveniently placed, so constantly dying just figuring out what to do isn’t a particularly frustrating affair. The game is quirky, challenging, and clever enough to warrant a look.

The Plane Effect is a fine and even beautiful mechanical object, but it doesn’t quite have a soul. It is a shame perhaps, because with a bit less open space, without the spectres who are never quite made substantial, I think that the automaton might have been enough, regardless of whether or not there was a ghost in the machine.

Maquette is a sort of sketch of a finished sculpture, or an architectural model… is the game saying this relationship was a sketch of better times, a process to go through in order to reach some future ideal? If so, it’s a well-worn narrative, and nothing is added by its puzzles. It ends up feeling like a clumsy mash-up of Synecdoche, New York and 500 Days of Summer, but without the introspection of either. At the very least, its puzzles and environments are captivating, but unlike its lateral thinking solutions, it never brings a new angle to its central narrative.

The Suicide of Rachel Foster is an interesting game. There are many ways to approach and critique it that will reveal myriad facets to it, and this is but one observation of narrative discourse. Within this subgenre, it stands on the shoulders of giants or at the very least tall minotaurs. But it doesn’t quite deliver the all-encompassing experience it might hope to.

All in all, Tower of Babel – No Mercy is exactly what it sets out to be — an easily picked up party game that’s good for a few frantic games with friends or family. There’s such a low barrier to entry that anyone could play it, so those struggling to get parents or less game-friendly friends into the mix should find this a far easier sell than the more complex party games available on Switch. Just brace yourself for the finger-pointing when someone’s sloppily placed piece brings the whole thing crumbling down.

Its fair to say that TBC touches on a lot of timely concerns but doesn’t have the wiggle room to delve further. As far as I’m concerned, the game is a parable on the arrogance of exploiting heritage sites. Back in the early 20th century, Stonehenge was actually bought from the Antrobus family and ‘gifted’ to the nation by Cecil Chubb. Let’s hope that life won’t imitate art and the great lithic monument doesn’t end up as an expensive ornament for a rich family.

I can easily recommend this game — it’s enjoyable, attractive, and fleshed out. I do think having to wait around fifteen hours for an emotional hook might be pushing it (especially if, like me, you love story and character), but again, this could change as you push into your sixteenth hour and beyond.

Heaven’s Vault’s narrative is so good, though, that you don’t think much about the parts that don’t really work. The devs understood that the nature of the game and its identity is rooted less in its gameplay and more in its story. They decided to put more of its eggs in the story basket, which, in the end, pays off.

Instead of having a cast of lovable or unlovable animals to play as you get faceless soldiers in a divided America. None of these units ever really seem to feel anything, and as a result, neither will you. It’s just a bit barren comparatively. It’s also very hard to shake the feeling that this is a testing ground for ideas they’d like to use in the sequel to Mutant Year Zero (Mutwont Year Zero), which explains the cheaper price tag but makes it feel a little more noncommittal as well. It’s still fun, and the battles are still good, but it has a really hard time getting its hooks into you and dragging you through the story.

While it’s going to be a little too simplistic for some people, it’s a very good game if you’re looking to introduce somebody else to strategy games, then it might well be the perfect chance to do so.