DeVuego ES_COR

 This is a brilliant game, an incredibly beautiful and enjoyable adventure with a story that is both accessible and escapist, and the first true must-own adventure in a very long time. And to think that I almost never had the chance to play it.

Balanced firmly between satisfying puzzles, survival horror gameplay, and an amusing story that satirizes the grind of corporate life, the odd but thoroughly engaging Yuppie Psycho has all the makings of a cult classic.

The Last Door is a great retro atmospheric horror game that will make you want to keep opening up its mysteries until you reach the end.

A Twist of Fate has restored my faith in the Runaway series, thanks to its engaging narrative and streamlined interface. This is a great game for Runaway fans and newbies alike.

The ending of the game left me cheering, but also curious for more. The developers have said that Dead Synchronicity: Tomorrow Comes Today is just part of an epic saga, and the door has clearly been left open to pursue the idea. Even without a sequel, however, this game can stand entirely on its own merits, finishing with an ending that is concise but also open for interpretation. The game does bear some signs of a first-time developer still learning its craft, but overall Fictiorama Studios have started out on a high with their debut and established themselves as potential force in the genre. I am eager and ready for whatever they have next up their sleeves.

AR-K's third episode is not without its flaws. The mysterious villains still haven't been fleshed out enough to be truly interesting (or villainous). Between the fun and challenging puzzles are others that are straightforward. Some of the fourth wall-breaking jokes fall a little flat, and there are still some typos here and there in the subtitles (though significantly fewer than before). Clocking in at around 2-3 hours, the episode is also rather brief. But these are now nitpicks, not the kinds of serious issues that plagued its predecessors. The evolution of the AR-K series represents a young studio gradually reach their stride, learning from their mistakes as they go, and it's truly a pleasure to see. Gato Salvaje has one episode left to wrap the story up. If it improves on The Great Escape as much as every episode has improved on the one before it, it'll be awesome. I can't wait to play it.

STAY is a game that requires dedication, both to its digital protagonist and its puzzle solving, and features the kind of narrative that’s best digested via discussion with others who’ve played it. Eccentricities aside, it provides the kind of fodder that transcends the superficial and is recommended for anybody willing to face a slice of real-world drama.

The game is quite short, clocking in at around four hours, although once you trim the chaff, the actual gameplay (the interesting part, anyway) is probably a bit closer to three. Anyone looking for a challenging, hard-core puzzle game will probably come away disappointed at the end of that time, but for those who can handle a bit of badly written narrative introspection through good-looking environments filled with interesting, if not terribly challenging gameplay, MIND: Path to Thalamus might be worth the trip.

That's a tale I would like to see, which is possibly all the recommendation that's needed. The eclectic characters and outlandish story left me smiling, while the glorious cartoon graphics and bouncy soundtrack only added to the sunny mood. The Spanglish, occasional frustrating puzzle and technical glitches are minor issues by comparison. I just wish it had been a bit longer and revealed more of the overall story, but maybe – hopefully – they're saving that for next time. For now, you could definitely do worse than to pour yourself a cactus slushie and ride the train to Slap Village.  

If you’re a fan of adventure games then Runaway may be worth your time considering the dearth of titles in this genre. If you never enjoyed adventure games, then Runaway is only going to reinforce those feelings.

Nevertheless, the passion put into this title is unmistakable, from its offbeat presentation to the graceful implementation of its series of challenges. It’s compelling while it lasts, but only time will tell if it sticks in your memory or is left wallowing in the waters of forgetfulness.

Groundhog Day wasn’t exactly a property screaming for a sequel. However, Tequila Works’ next-generation time-looping adventure successfully manages to pull players into its familiar small-town Americana vibe for a cute new story, albeit one saddled with some VR control issues and inevitable repetition.

The graphics, characters, cinematics and other high points are unfortunately pulled down by an over-reliance on busy work gameplay and a shortage of fun challenges. The end result is a great game that might have been.

Murder in the Abbey is ultimately one of those games that is fairly enjoyable to play through yet leaves you with the feeling that something is missing. The well written dialogue and storyline carry the game respectably, keeping you involved right until the end, but the annoying choice of sidekick, some unfortunate bugs and both the scarcity and unimaginative nature of the puzzles means that the game never feels truly engaging. And while I was generally intrigued by the investigation of Leonardo, it would have helped if I was more personally involved in unravelling the secrets that the abbey had to reveal. Given the striking visuals and rich material at hand, this could have been something special. As it is, Murder in the Abbey is merely a decent rather than an amazing journey into the medieval era.

The Revenge of Johnny Bonasera is buoyed by its colorful cartoonish art, evolving story, and excellent puzzle design across its four distinct episodes, but it’s hindered throughout by a lack of depth and nihilistic toilet humor.

The game is relatively short, taking less than four hours to complete. The door has been left open for a sequel, but the ending here is satisfactory, with the main mystery resolved. If there is indeed a second game to follow, there is clearly room for improvement over this promising but ultimately unfulfilling debut. While the graphics are impressive and the puzzles can be enjoyable diversions, the lack of depth in the story and characters and an absence of any type of real suspense leave House of Caravan ending up feeling as empty as its titular setting.

Humor is a subjective thing, and others may like MechaNika’s dark comedy where it fell flat for me, so I’m willing to look past that for the most part. I did like the gameplay itself, as straightforward as it is. But the music could certainly do with more variety, and most players will have seen and done everything there is in less than two hours. The reason it’s so short is that the big payoff promised from the beginning is pushed to a sequel, as the game ends abruptly just as Nika completes her robot. Really MechaNika seems more like an introduction to the world, a first act rather than a standalone game that ends up leaving a more tepid impression than by rights it should have if allowed to develop fully.

As much as I wanted to enjoy this title, I couldn't get past Agatha Knife's many irksome issues, which quickly added up over the eight hours I spent with it. Although it charmed me with its adorable artwork and solid writing, the inexcusable amount of backtracking, (largely) simplistic puzzles and practically non-existent sound design derailed most of the fun I'd squeezed out of the game. I applaud Mango Protocol for tackling subjects that you don't usually encounter in point-and-click adventures, and I genuinely laughed out loud at some of Agatha's musings on religion, animal rights, and consumerism. Sadly, these moments of amusement lack strong gameplay elements to support them. It may still be worth a playthrough if you're into irreverent humor, smart-mouthed seven-year-olds and meat, but it's doubtful that you'll want to revisit the experience once you've introduced your flock to the Great Bleeding Pig in the sky.

Whilst its exciting plot twists are sure to have you dizzy with surprise, Vertigo ultimately fails to stand up against the weight of expectation brought about by its own name.

The developers of Intruder in Antiquonia looked to craft a compelling mystery with an offline twist. However, a story that struggles to connect and lukewarm puzzle-solving make this game about an amnesiac one that’s all too easy to forget.

As welcome as a quality new western adventure would be, Fenimore Fillmore’s Revenge is not that game. It’s weak in almost every facet, and at a measly few hours of game time, there’s no bang for your buck.

Despite its few flaws, Quiero Morir is quite an enjoyable experience, providing a few good hours of play. Max may not have been capable of enjoying himself, but I certainly was, and working my way through the world of Planet Dusk to find Dr Polansk was both fun and rewarding, thanks to the game's rather intriguing ending, brilliant atmosphere and engaging storyline. It is definitely deserving of its attention grabbing title, and I hope to see more games from Akkad in the future.