Farm Together is like an addictive mobile phone game but with modern graphics and none of those annoying ads or Microtransactions. Either with friends or solo, this game is the definition of fun, a time-waster, and relaxing. When you’re not sowing seeds or planting trees, you’ll be harvesting fruit, fishing, picking up eggs, or even playing ‘Twinkle Twinkle’ on the piano. There’s a lot to do and see down on the farm, the farm which you can fully customise and create into your own paradise or a simple allotment.
I think that The Wizards – Enhanced Edition is a brilliant PSVR title, one which easily stands among my favourite this year. Take the role of Dr. Strange as you summon a shield, a bow, or one of the other projectiles to destroy the evil beings who are trying to destroy mankind. Okay, you’re not Dr. Strange but you certainly do aspire to be like him with all of your hand movements and gestures which casts unique spells depending upon how you manoeuvre your limbs.
The Braveland Trilogy has filled a genre hole which I never realised I had until I started playing it. Taking the core combat mechanics from the classic Heroes of Might and Magic series, then modernising it into a more simplified and accessible format so that anyone can play, I love that this rather niche genre is out there for everyone to try out.
Devil May Cry 5 is easily one of my Game of the Year 2019 contenders, even though it’s only March! The smooth and fluid gameplay, combined with the over the top action and intense metal soundtrack, creates a truly demonic and exciting experience no matter what system you’re on. Although the story is a little fragmented and delivered out of order in places, the reconstructed narrative is just as wacky and creative as the gameplay! As a fan of the original games, I can’t help but love Devil May Cry 5. Not because it’s another game in the franchise, but because it’s clearly the best game in the franchise by a long shot and it’s also yet another amazing achievement from Capcom.
The Occupation is a game in which you can’t take anything for granted, especially the time you have to wander the halls of the BCG. At its core, it’s a stealth game in which you must avoid detection whilst you gather evidence and incriminating information so you can push your interviewees for more info, but it’s also a nostalgic trip back to the ’80s here in the North West of England. How you go about completing the game is your choice, key events are scripted and unmissable, but what you do outside of those is up to you. Also, regardless of how much you’ve found/uncovered, the show must go on as you’re forced into the next segment with or without the things you need.
Taking its place as my favourite fighting game this generation, Dead or Alive 6 is so addictive! When you’re not trying to achieve all three stars in each of the 104 quests, you’ll be either fighting a stranger online, training for your next fight or working your way through the rather messy story mode. The narrative may not be one of the best out there but the game delivers where it counts, in the combat mechanics and performance. Delivering both a resolution or framerate mode on the PS4 Pro, Dead or Alive 6 ensures it remains stable whichever option you decide to go with.
For those who are new to the series, if you like Visual Novels and/or anime, Steins;Gate Elite won’t fail to impress you on many levels.
I’m so happy that I had the chance to replay Secret Files: Tunguska on a modern console, despite its control issues. The majority of people probably won’t know about this series as it was overshadowed by the more popular Broken Sword series as well as the genre becoming rather a niche one, but I’d still strongly suggest gamers with a Switch check it out today. Even though the narrative is a bit weak and the humour swings between slapstick, toilet, and observational comedy, it was enough to make me chuckle and thoroughly enjoy.
I couldn't have asked for a better game than 8-Bit Invaders to conclude the franchise with. From its sci-fi themed music and aesthetics to its blatant 'Alien' inspired units, the final game in the franchise offers the best balancing, the most explosive wars, and the more accessible adventure for new players. Whether playing on your own as you work through the campaigns or if you grab a mate and do co-op or multiplayer, there are many hours of enjoyment to be found here, many more if you own more than one of the games. The online with strangers side is still very quiet, which is a shame, but if you're playing with your mates then it's a fun experience. 8-Bit Invaders would be the game I recommend everyone who likes the look of the franchise starts out with, followed by 8-Bit Armies and then 8-Bit Hordes.
Despite its rather steep learning curve and love of screwing you over, Townsmen – A Kingdom Rebuilt is a really good resource management game.
12 Is Better Than 6 is a game which doesn’t take itself too seriously, yet it offers brutal and satisfying combat mechanics which you’ll quickly pick up yet spend the whole game trying to master. Maybe not recommended to those who don’t like games which have you retrying segments over and over again, but everyone else should check it out upon release.
Despite the obvious influences, ChromaGun VR is a solid VR puzzle game which will get you thinking. The game feels like it was made for VR, even though it came out over a year ago as a flat PS4 title. The puzzles were entertaining and challenging the further into the game you got, with the constant threat of rogue balls waiting to follow you and squish the life out of you should you wake them up. I did suffer from a burst of motion sickness using the new smooth turning method, but I can’t guarantee if that was the game or the previous game which may have left me feeling a little queasy. As such, there are a few comfort and accessibility options missing such as blinders and subtitles, but these can be added post-launch if enough people request them I guess.
Imaginative puzzles, intuitive solo/co-op gameplay, an emotional story, and stunning visuals, Pode has it all! I imagined I would have completed the game within an hour two, yet almost five hours later and I was just reaching the end, and that’s without collecting everything. Some of the puzzles are quite tricky, and one or two didn’t really make sense to me as it was a new mechanic it hadn’t explained before, but every puzzle is solvable if you put your mind to it. I also loved the fact that the game is clearly meant for cooperative play, yet it works flawlessly if you’re playing it on your own as well. I’m incredibly excited that Pode made its way to the PlayStation 4 as it means more people will now get a chance to try it out and experience the creativity and magnificence of this amazing title.
Arcade Spirits is a very inclusive and adaptive Visual Novel which gives the player a lot of freedom to be who they want to be. At its core, it’s a dating Visual Novel but without the forced necessity to actually date anyone if that isn’t what you’re looking for. If you’re not getting to know one of the friendly and unique characters, then you’ll be talking to IRIS, the AI who offers you Pizza facts and life-tips, or living out a unique day within the Funplex. There’s always something going on in the Arcade as the game has great pacing and lots of creative events. Also, the game allows you to pick your gender and sexual orientation without being forced down any paths you don’t wish to wander.
I really enjoyed my time with NAIRI: Tower of Shirin, it felt like an interactive storybook with delightful puzzles. Visually, this game is up there with the most artistically beautiful games of the last 12 months yet it also has a decent selection of unique and interesting puzzles to help it stand up as a great game to play. I had a few mild annoyances with the UX such as the lack of a map/fast travel, no interactive highlighters, and it’s rather easy to accidentally click to move to another screen, but I still felt compelled to move on and venture further into the story. Despite the lack of voice acting, NAIRI: Tower of Shirin‘s narrative is funny and witty along with the overall story the further into the game you get. Don’t be put off by the lack of voices though, use your imagination and make the characters sound however you imagine them to sound.
Intruders: Hide and Seek is pretty much a Home Invasion simulator staring some very brave children. I was constantly anxious about what was going to happen next and what was around each and every corner of my own house whilst I explored and tried to avoid the uninvited intruders. Unlike Home Alone, this game is more on the serious side with no silly traps or comical situations, but it's also not as terrifying as the VR horror games which are out there - it sits in between the two. Bar the few issues I had with font sizes and bugs (which should get patched), the experience was beyond what I was expecting and rather interesting with its deep backstory and exposition.
With an emphasis on exploration, narrative, and discovery, Eden-Tomorrow is a great VR experience everyone should try out. Even though the game is light on puzzles and repeats the same gameplay mechanics throughout, the story holds the repetitive gameplay at bay and pads it out just enough so that you don’t feel like you’re doing the same thing over and over again. The narrative will have you guessing what’s going to happen next and what’s going on, although you’ll most likely be wrong like I was!
Conarium is a truly atmospheric Lovecraftian adventure game which represents the genre perfectly. Set mainly after the novella “At the Mountains of Madness”, the events that happened prior unfold as our protagonist learns of them at the same time we do through many documents and visions which are both disturbing and informative. As an adventure game, expect a lot of walking around and puzzles to solve, with a small ‘run and hide’ segment, yet the gameplay never drags as it remains suspenseful and exciting throughout the whole experience.
Visually stunning, creative puzzles, great audio, and a brilliant narrative – XING: The Land Beyond has it all! This game is the perfect embodiment of ‘best of both worlds’, you have a fully immersive and great looking VR game coupled with an even better looking and easy to control Flat version in one package. Sure, some of the puzzles may seem like things we’ve seen many times before when you look from the outside, but once you take control and encounter them yourself, things aren’t always as they seem. The whole game is held together with a very emotional and dark narrative about pain and acceptance as each character approaches the end of their lives.
Etrian Odyssey Nexus is a great way to see off the 3DS with many references and borrowed assets from the previous games. Even though not much has changed in terms of the core gameplay mechanics or the overall feeling of the game, everything feels very polished and really fun to play. ATLUS have kept things interesting by bringing back some of the fan favourite elements of other games in the franchise as well as mixing in a few new mechanics and even a new class for you to experiment with.