DeVuego

Moonlighter 2 is shaping up to be the game Digital Sun always wanted to make. The gameplay walks the same path trodden by the inaugural entry, but is now more polished, and studded with new options and embellishments that only improve the adventure experience. Some players may lament the same old shop mechanics and loss of the pixel art visuals, but I love the new 3D stylings, which fills the world with a warmth and softness that emphasises the game’s cosiness perfectly. Fans of the original Moonlighter should rush to play the sequel (even in Early Access), and I’d encourage new players to take this one to the counter and see what all the fuss is about.

UnderDungeon is a fun, if by-the-numbers dungeon crawler with a cool throwback aesthetic and well produced soundtrack.

Overall, then, Arise remains an interesting platform experience. The gameplay is fun, the time manipulation is a well-used and well-developed mechanic, the visuals and sound are solid, yet the narrative goes to some strange, tone-deaf places and the overall message is, at best, mixed. Joyful at the beginning, borderline offensive in places in the middle, and thoroughly bleak by the ending.

Magic Twins is a fun and cute arcade puzzle game. You might be eased in but the challenge soon ramps up, especially in solo mode. Playing with a buddy however took the experience to another level. I can’t stress enough that teaming up with a friend is an absolute must. Puzzles become more fun and there’s a sense of achievement when you both work together to clear a stage. It’s a shame there isn’t an online mode for virtual team ups but the charm of Abra and Cadabra always seemed to pull me back for one more go, no matter how difficult the game became.