DeVuego

Stickin’ the Landing is a charming, easy to play physics puzzler that lets you be a rocket scientist without all the study. With its colored pencil aesthetic and no-fault play style that encourages you to experiment, it’s a terrific game for the right kind of mind. With a demo available on Steam, there’s no risk in trying it all out and seeing if its brand of peaceful but purposefully fidgety gameplay is for you. It’s the kind of game that not every player will click with, but those that do are in for something special. Stickin’ the Landing is simple but fun, offering plenty of potential zen-like moments as you get that cute little paper rocketship home just one more time. While my attention span can’t click with the game as deeply as I’d like, I see a lot of good times here for other players willing to take a chance on a new kind of experimental flight.

LOK Digital is a remarkable translation of a pen and pencil puzzle game into something that can easily be picked up and played as a video game, and some of that is due in part to publishers Draknek & Friends, who’ve brought equally delightful games like A Monsters Expedition to Steam. The new dimension allows the world of the LOKs to come to life in even more vibrant ways — despite their monochrome world — and even the puzzles themselves go through some neat changes to suit the environment. It’s a delight to enter a new section of the game and see what the little blobs are up to now, and the game’s thoughtful pacing reduces frustration when new words are introduced. Instead, it’s a little jolt of delight to figure out something new, and it’s a great motivation to keep growing in this strange little world. With some 90-odd puzzles (and dailies), it’s a game you’ll be sad to wrap up. A pleasant treat and a great wintertime relaxer.

The result of the remaster is still an imperfect game, but there’s something about it that keeps you going in spite of its flaws. It’s a great time for a reintroduction, and I hope it’s welcomed by the audience it needs. It didn’t click all the way with me, gameplay wise, but I love the monster designs and the story hit the right notes. Take my final verdict with plenty of wiggle room — this one is going to be highly subjective per player, but worth visiting.