DeVuego

Beautiful and mysterious, Call of the Elder Gods is a must-play for any fan of puzzle games. It might not be quite as good as its predecessor in terms of story and setting, but it's still absolutely worth your time, as long as you've got your thinking cap on.

A puzzle game about meeting everyone's demands when finding them somewhere to sit, Is This Seat Taken? is as challenging as it is cosy. You can enjoy it at your own pace, and thanks to its wonderful animation, it's a joy to play.

Camper Van: Make it Home is squarely aimed at Unpacking fans: people who want the zen-filled joy of finding a home for a range of items. This time, though, you're dealing with the limited space of a camper van. It's great fun and it looks wonderful, but the fiddly controls and camera can sometimes take some of the meditative spirit away.

A genuinely pleasant surprise, Creatures of Ava is an excellent adventure game for those who want something a little less demanding and stressful than the mainstream. Gathering the titular creatures is an enjoyable experience, but so is exploring this beautiful world and engaging with its mysterious and quirky denizens. Excellently written and gorgeously animated, there's a great deal to love here.

If you’re a fan of Mango Protocol’s other games – or indeed anything with a slightly dark undertone – you’ll love this.

If your child is a Bluey fan, they are going to absolutely adore Bluey: The Videogame – it’s as simple as that. An art style that matches the cartoon and the use of original voice actors make this an authentic experience, with simple and well-considered gameplay that’s enjoyable for players of any age. Yes, this is an experience aimed at the youngest players – but even as adults, we’ve had some fun with this. It’s a game you’re going to be more than happy to play with your kids, let’s put it that way.

Taking six to eight hours to complete, I’ve blasted through American Arcadia in just two sittings, being utterly gripped the whole time. The side-scrolling platforming and first-person puzzle gameplay blend together seamlessly, with the story here being king. Despite a few small presentation issues that need ironing out, the gameplay here is flawless – and jumping from Angela’s first-person viewpoint to being in control of a side-scrolling Trevor via her computer monitor is nothing short of genius. If you enjoy adventure and puzzles, and like the sound of a story that’s reminiscent of The Truman Show, this is a game not to be missed.

Are there better platforming games out there? Without a doubt. But Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara is a welcome addition to the genre, providing a familiar playground to run, jump and dash around in. Its bite-sized levels have been put together well, and even if some sections are a little on the frustrating side, you’ll likely be determined to see it through to its end. At a bargain price, it’s well worth picking up if you’re a fan of 3D platformers.

Had there been more variety on offer, a few more random elements to make Death or Treat‘s playthroughs feel more varied, we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this roguelike. It looks great, its Halloween theme is wonderful, and even though its internet parody worlds might be a little tonally dissonant, they still raise a smile. But there needs to be more to keep it feeling interesting, and as it is, slashing through the same enemies in the same environments time and time again just isn’t quite enough.

Is Peppa Pig: World Adventures better than Peppa’s first game? Yes and no. Its young fan base will undoubtedly lap up another opportunity to star alongside Peppa in their very own episode, and its character creator is better than ever by letting kids create their own families this time, too. There’s also way more content, and the worldwide locations are bound to delight and inspire. If your little one is a Peppa Pig fan, they will love it. But as adults, we simply wish there was more educational value here.

Charon’s Staircase doesn’t exactly redefine the horror genre. It looks a bit rough, and its tried-and-tested gameplay doesn’t break any moulds. But the majority of its puzzles will keep you hooked, its story is interesting, and it absolutely nails creating a tense, horrifying atmosphere. That alone makes this a spooky adventure worth stepping into.

For fans of life and farming sim games, there’s a lot to like about Epic Chef. Yes, it’s a bit scrappy at times, but once you get hooked on its gameplay loop of farming, crafting and cooking, it hardly matters. Funny dialogue, quirky characters and a bizarre but enjoyable story set Epic Chef apart, and although it’s not going to set anyone’s world on fire, it’s plenty of fun while it lasts.

There’s a lot to like about Clid the Snail. To say this is from a small team, the worldbuilding and ingenuity is second to none. But while ‘unforgiving’ may have been the developer’s intention, the game’s boss encounters are far too frustrating to be enjoyable. With a bit more balancing to Clid and his armoury, this will be a must-play twin-stick shooter. Until then, only those with patience as hard as Clid’s shell will be able to truly enjoy what’s on offer here.

When stellar DualSense implementation really is the only highlight, however, it’s hard to fully recommend Timothy’s Night. Its visual style is commendable, and this is not a bad game by any means. But its gameplay – complete with sluggish movement, ho-hum gunplay and enemies that frequently spawn behind you – is just never particularly enjoyable. If you really dig the noir aesthetic you might get a kick out of it, but there are certainly better ways to spend your time.

I applaud Indigo 7: Quest For Love for trying something different. It’s a fun enough puzzle game that fans of Tetris and Puyo will be interested in, and its presentation is charming and eye-catching. Sadly it’s let down by a poorly thought-out scoring system, which is likely to bring any enjoyment of the game to a premature halt.

Like the apocalypse itself, The Last Kids on Earth and the Staff of Doom is rather messy, and not everything works like it should. It doesn’t quite do the series justice, but there are glimmers of a fun game here. Just be prepared for some glitches, and a lot of repetitive missions. Still, for kids who are fans of the Netflix show, the use of the actual voice cast for the main characters adds some worthy authenticity.

Overall, Essays on Empathy is an intriguing collection. It’s a shame that a few finishing touches weren’t applied to give the overall package the polish it deserves, but there’s no denying that the concepts created by Deconstructeam are seriously impressive. You likely won’t find a collection of games as eclectic as this anywhere else.

If you’re not a huge fan of puzzles, then you might find Call of the Sea‘s gameplay more frustrating than satisfying. But if you enjoy solving logic problems, there’s a lot to love here. The game looks beautiful, and the island you find yourself on, complete with all of its mysteries, begs to be explored. Its few bugs aside, Call of the Sea is a satisfying adventure that will keep you gripped from start to finish.

With that said, few Rogue-like games have grabbed my attention quite like HyperParasite has. Its unique premise is a lot of fun, and the sheer wealth of characters available means that the game can feel like a totally different experience from one moment to the next. Unlocking all characters means there’s always something to work towards; add to that the game’s tongue-in-cheek 80s atmosphere and bombastic soundtrack, and there’s plenty of reason to keep jumping back in. It’s just a shame that HyperParasite‘s unforgiving nature means most of its players won’t ever fully experience what the game has to offer.

If you’re looking for a game that’ll keep your younger children occupied, Gigantosaurus: The Game could be it. Its built-in local co-op means it’s perfect for siblings to play together, and its Easy Mode means that even the youngest children can get a kick out of it. There’s plenty of gameplay for those who want to hunt for everything – and even for those who don’t it offers an easygoing, cheerful distraction from the real world right now.

Ultimately, while Arise: A Simple Story has some wonderful ideas, it’s let down by unenjoyable gameplay. Delivered gracefully without ever needing a single line of dialogue, the old man’s story is particularly touching, featuring some truly poignant moments that will tug on even the stoniest of hearts. And again, the soundtrack alone is worth of praise. It’s just a shame that it’s hard to ever get fully immersed in the narrative; you’ll be too preoccupied fighting with unresponsive controls or impossible camera angles to truly appreciate the old man’s plight.

If it wasn’t for its mobile gaming elements, Farm Together would be easy to recommend. As it is, it’s a fun game to play in short bursts, but there’s no overlooking its bewildering design choices.

But for GRIS’ three-hour run time, I daresay the majesty of the game’s artwork and its magnificent soundtrack far outweigh those few frustrations. Gris may feel sluggish to control at times, but for the most part, you’ll want to take it slow anyway, to take in the game’s beautiful environments. When you reach a new area, or unlock a new colour into the world, you’ll soon forget about that annoying platforming section; you’ll be too busy being mesmerised by how beautiful everything is.

It’s just a shame that my enthusiasm and interest was eventually fully deflated by obtuse puzzles that offer no guidance and ultimately feel superfluous to the game. Get rid of them altogether and you’ve got a gripping interactive story that’s dying to be told. But with the puzzles as they are, STAY is reduced to feeling more like a badly-designed old-school adventure game. I’m gutted. For me, and for Quinn. I truly cared about what was happening to him. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you, Quinn.

These issues were easily overlooked though, as the full experience of RiME is far grander than the sum of its parts. Hopefully the framerate issues will be ironed out in a patch soon, but you shouldn’t let that put you off experiencing what this game has to offer. I feel like I’ve overused the words ‘profound’ and ‘beautiful’ in writing this review, but genuinely there are no other words that can quite do this game justice. Tequila Works’ RiME is an audiovisual tour de force that wants to astonish you with its beauty, charm you with its loveable protagonist, and move you with its powerful emotions. And if you give it a chance, it’ll succeed in all three. After the credits had rolled, I was still fixed to the screen with tears in my eyes and a mix of joy and sorrow in my heart, wanting to jump in and experience it all again with a whole new perspective.

Stories of Bethem: Full Moon packs a lot into a small, retro-inspired package. For fans of Zelda and other games of its type, it’s a must play. It may not be the most inspired or groundbreaking RPG ever created, but it manages to pack in tight gameplay, head-scratching puzzles and engaging locations to explore. The lack of melee combat will probably be missed by most, as magic can be awkward, but it at least sets Stories of Bethem apart, love it or hate it. It’s not perfect, it may be frustrating at times, but Stories of Bethem manages to capture the essence of games of the 90s: when having fun was the only thing that mattered.

With several upgrades applied to your car, Grand Prix Rock ‘N Racing can become bearable to play – but that’s just it; bearable. And for it to reach that “bearable” point, you’ve got to put in far more time than your wits can probably handle, so it’s just not worth it. Had the control scheme matched the casual arcade nature of the game it may have been slightly more enjoyable, but as it stands, there’s nothing to gain from playing Grand Prix Rock ‘N Racing. Do yourself a favour and keep a wide berth from this title. For the love of God, stick to Forza. Or snails.

It’s far from perfect, but despite its gripes and grizzly bosses, there’s something charming about Tachyon Project that makes you keep wanting to play. Its very simplistic nature makes it easy to pick up and play, making you want to indulge in “just one more level”. The timer system is frustrating, and frequently being told “you ran out of time” rather than “you were brutally one-hit-killed” gets rather irksome, but the quenching satisfaction of speeding around a screen filled with enemies as you blast every one of them into tiny pieces outweighs the niggles. Any fan of retro-style shooters certainly should give this one a go.