Call of the Sea is one of the best puzzle-adventure games I’ve ever played. Each puzzle requires you to think logically and gather all the clues to figure out the solution, you’re rewarded with a trophy and more context to the story for exploring and finding documents, and your eyes are given a treat by looking at this visually stunning game. This is the first time I’ve played a Lovecraft-inspired game that isn’t focused on horror, jump scares, or disturbing themes, instead it’s a peaceful adventure that uses the influences perfectly to create a very interesting and memorable experience.
Protocol is frustrating, annoying, and anger-inducing – I loved it! Despite the brutal and unforgiving insane A.I., who constantly kills you if you so much as look at her funny, I thought the story was interesting, the dialogue was ‘colourful’, and the combination of many different gameplay mechanics was very creative. My only negative, besides the difficulty spike in the final chapter, has to be the ‘long’ loading times – these wouldn’t usually be an issue, but in a game where you’re bound to die over and over, I would have liked a faster reload. I personally preferred the first half of the game over the second, due to how the focus shifted more onto combat over exploration and puzzles, but it didn’t stop me from wanting to unlock all seven endings – which I will do, someday…
Terminator: Resistance Enhanced surprised me, it was a solid FPS with incorporated stealth, survival and crafting mechanics, including lore and references from the first two iconic movies. The new enhanced edition offers a smooth 60fps with a whole host of visual improvements, making the game even more fun to play and precise to control. The Infiltration mode finally lets you see the world from the eyes of Arnold, although I would have liked more from this mode – maybe the future DLC will expand upon it? If you like The Terminator and you’ve not yet played this game, you’re missing out on a hidden gem that isn’t anywhere near as bad as the critics initially made it out to be.
Poison Control is a very addictive third-person shooter which combines quirky Japanese humour with engaging gameplay. Although a lot of the Belles Hells you’ll venture through are very similar, making use of both the ‘human’ and Poisonette allows the gameplay to remain fresh and varied as you complete the set objectives, find the golden chests, and obtain your five golden tickets. The game is best played on the PlayStation 5, with only a single issue post-launch (which has a work-around), yet it does look and feel like it originated as a Switch or Vita title. Regardless, once you start playing Poison Control, on any platform, you’ll quickly become addicted and find it hard to put down until you’ve cleansed everyone’s hearts!
Although it may not be for everyone, I personally found Balan Wonderworld to be a delightful 3D platformer that is oozing with charm and fantastic visuals – especially the cutscenes. Some people may see the backtracking to collect costumes so you can progress in other stages as a negative, yet I enjoyed this as it reminded me of the LEGO games and it felt like I was always progressing. Some boss battles were a little tricky, and the unlocked third stages are harder than the previous two, but it’s a fair challenge that can be overcome with time and practice. My only issue is that the game is clearly one aimed at children, yet the consumable costumes and frustrating bosses may actually be a little too annoying and/or difficult for them to enjoy.
If you’re looking for a family-friendly casual local co-op game to play with friends or family, Potion Party should be high on your list of candidates. It’s very addictive and rewarding, making money to spend on upgrades that allow you to obtain more money in return, gradually expanding and making the process more efficient. You can play the entire mini-campaign on your own or with others locally (or via Share Play), or face them competitively and see who’s the most agile alchemist.
Internet Court is one of the most bonkers and continuously funny FMV games you’ll see outside of the Super Seducer franchise. Although your choices don’t change the narrative and losing offers no punishment as you can simply continue, every option you pick has a recorded reaction and consequence – meaning you can pick all the ‘bad’ choices without worrying about replaying the entire scene again. Every character has their own personality, whether the actor has done acting before or are simply related to those who created the game, resulting in some unintentionally funny moments and realistic reactions. For a game that was clearly made with little to no budget and remotely via laptops of varying quality, I found it hilarious and a joy to play, even more than some big-budget titles I’ve played recently.
For the developer’s first dabble into the interactive FMV adventure genre, I Saw Black Clouds delivered a dark, spooky, and immersive experience, enhanced by the interesting narrative and multiple diverse story pathways. The acting and cinematography were great, pulling you into the story as it puts you in the seat of the director, choosing what to say and how to react to certain situations. There were a few continuity issues and missing emotions, but they may have been intentional due to the multi-pathway aspect of the game. If you like psychological thriller movies and FMV interactive experiences, you’ll love trying to discover all the secrets within I Saw Black Clouds.
For a remake of a 20-year-old game, Spacebase: Startopia looks and feels very modern, providing hours of strategic entertainment with its resource management and economic simulation. The game may look complicated and overwhelming but, as long as you play the tutorials first, the controls and mechanics make it very easy to play on the console. You can play the campaign solo or with online friends, as well as lose many hours in the Free Play mode (again, solo or online). I’m disappointed the trophies weren’t more creative, and with the performance within the native PS5 version upon launch, but considering these were my only complaints and they didn’t affect my enjoyment of the game, it’s not a big deal for me.
Super Seducer 3: The Final Seduction is much more advanced and in-depth than the previous games in the series, with longer scenes, new mechanics, and a comprehensive flowchart. Although the diverse and varied super seducers are gone, Richard makes up for this with his creepy humour and childish behaviour, making every seduction a hilarious encounter with dialogue choices you’d never have imagined. The mix of serious and bizarre outcomes allows you to pick up some tips yet easily distinguish what is ‘right’ and what is clearly an exaggerated joke and shouldn’t be copied by anyone. If you liked the previous games, you’re going to love this final FMV seduction-based adventure
In terms of the games themselves, the Turrican Flashback collection is a great way to replay the classic series, with or without the rewind and saving mechanics. However, in terms of a collection that is celebrating the 30th anniversary, it once again falls short by offering no bonus features or additional content for the player to enjoy and educate themselves with. The trophies are disabled unless you play the game old-school, so only the most patient, skilful, and those with quick reflexes will be the ones who obtain the platinum – showcasing just how good they are at brutal retro games. For the rest of us, the provided cheats and rewind mechanic means we can casually enjoy each game and finally see the end credits – even if we had to cheat to do so!
Sanity of Morris was an enjoyable psychological horror game that focuses on aliens and insanity, rather than ghosts and death – which is a nice change. Although there are a few things that could have benefited from a little more polish and QA, such as the endings and the enemy’s ability to unfairly see through certain walls, I enjoyed the forgiving nature of the stealth segments and the interesting story scattered as documents and cassette tapes. It has a few jump scares and a few instances of gore, but overall it’s quite mild compared to other games in the genre. If like me, you like these games but suck at stealth, give Sanity of Morris a go – you’ll find it a lot less frustrating than other stealth-based games.
POSTAL Redux was exactly how I remember it, a mindless murder simulation game that rewards you for killing everything that moves. Although it may seem controversial and offensive to some people, the concept revolves around a guy who feels the world is against him, and that there’s someone waiting to kill him around every corner – it’s all about losing control and simply going postal and expressing his anger. This enhanced edition contains a few fun extras, such as different visual filters, the ability to play as The Antagonist from Hatred, and the option to play all 23 stages in one single campaign. It’s the perfect game to settle down with if you’ve had a bad day in the office…
Hitman 3 is the definitive way to play the modern Hitman games, simply import the previous two games and experience them all at a locked 60fps on the PS5. The six locations are all very different, offering many ways to progress and lots of creative methods of killing people – there’s never a dull moment in the world of Hitman. The developers are continually providing Elusive Targets, Timed Events and Escalations, as well as allowing people to make and distribute their own contracts to prolong gameplay – you’ll end up getting many, many hours of entertainment out of this game. Hitman 3 is the best death-based sandbox game I’ve ever played.
Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse is a modernised re-release of the 2005 hilarious cult classic, complete with 60fps and a nice sharp resolution. Although the game doesn’t really boast many improvements over the original, the game has a lot of charm within its simplistic gameplay and mindless combat (literally). The co-op mode means you can bring a friend along with you (locally) as well as some very time-consuming and tricky trophies to keep you occupied for a while, ensuring replayability if going for the platinum. I wish it was more colourful and that the cutscenes were actually 16:9, but overall the game reminded me of the games of yesteryear, simplistic yet lots of fun to play.
Root Film was an interesting story from beginning to end, constantly surprising me with the narrative and who was behind the crimes. Although playing as a pure Visual Novel, you do have some freedom with regards to who you talk to and where you go, but ultimately it’s a rather linear experience. I found myself a little confused but the story is all brought together towards the end, clearing up any questions I had. It may have a few gruesome moments, but it’s perfectly balanced with drama, comedy, and mystery. If you liked Root Letter, you’ll love Root Film.
Doodle Devil: 3volution is a very addictive and unique puzzle game, it requires a lot of patience and thinking outside of the box in order to discover all of the hidden elements. Although the Demon slots seems a little too much in favour of the house, in terms of giving you a big payout, this mini-game and the Demon Battle one are both fun distractions when you need a break from trying to figure out the hundreds of solutions in the main game. I don’t believe the game will be for everyone, but if you like casual puzzle games which you can pick up and play in short bursts at a time, check it out.
If you’re looking for a casual game that you can wind down with for a few hours, Wind Peaks is for you. The gameplay is very similar to Where’s Wally, only digital with relaxing music and ambient sounds. It may not take you too long to complete, even if you’re trying to grab all of the trophies, but its a game you can easily return to time and time again as you’ll forget where the items were hidden after a while. No matter how old you are or how well you can see, the handy hint option will ensure that you never get stuck – making this a great game for all of the family.
If you’re looking for a challenging game with a pick-up-and-play concept, you should check out PUSS!. Although it looks like a cute kawaii puzzle game from the main title image, this game will eat away at your sanity and make you question what’s going on. It may not be impossible to beat, but it’ll surely push you to your limits with some of the more difficult and insane levels, testing your reaction speeds and patience as it throws everything but the kitchen sink at you. If you like cats, and torturing yourself, you’ll love PUSS!
If you’re looking for a dark and gritty murder mystery, filled with suspense and crime-solving, Dry Drowning is for you! With multiple endings, lots of Moral Choices that alter the narrative and events, and creative puzzles to solve, this is much more than a Visual Novel, it’s an interactive serial killer hunt with you in the driving seat. The soundtrack builds the atmosphere, pulling you into the futuristic dystopian city, but the lack of voice acting means you’re not fully absorbed by the immersion. One thing to note, some of the text is comically small, so if you have bad eyesight, playing it on the TV may be your best bet.