Firefighting Simulator: The Squad has significant flaws with the single player AI who are practically useless at anything other than menial tasks, and there's a distinct lack of urgency involved in the missions once you realise the people inside can't die and the building never razes itself to the ground. Despite these glaring issues, it's actually a really enjoyable and rewarding experience with a zen-like quality akin to vacuuming a filthy carpet. There's a great deal of satisfaction to be had in extinguishing the wide variety of different fires across the city map, and completing the objectives with friends (or strangers) online only enhances the sense of achievement.
A unique and finely crafted take on the musical rhythm genre, with lovely animated pixel-art stills and a truly excellent soundtrack telling the achingly heartfelt tale of a group of poor but talented musicians striving for success on their first tour. It's a brief experience and the lo-fi indie sensibilities may not be for everyone, but if you err towards left-field art and music, it's highly recommended.
A thoroughly absorbing and compelling sci-fi adventure story which perfectly balances dry humour and gripping narrative. It's worth overlooking the slightly dated cel shaded visuals and the linear structure in order to enjoy a refreshingly original game from the justly lauded developers.
As whimsical and relaxing lo-res indie adventure games go, A Short Hike is up there with the best. It draws you in with its freewheeling 'go where you like' vibe, charms you with some beautiful artwork and music and offers up great pleasures in exploration as you stroll, climb and glide around the small mountainous island. You'll only be there for a few hours, but every moment is a chilled out pleasure.
Simple but satisfying platform puzzles combined with some stunning hand drawn artwork make for a brief but emotional and entertaining adventure which dares to try something new.
A breezy and relaxing puzzle game hidden within the veneer of a city builder which just happens to be highly addictive and rewarding despite the lack of visible Islanders. Easy to pick up and hard to put down, Islanders will appeal to anyone who enjoys meditative gaming.
Relive the joys of discovering nature as a child with this beautiful but brief story of conservation and exploration set on an enticingly warm Mediterranean island. Highly recommended for kids with a nature conservationist bent, but also for adults who want to relax in the warmth of the sun in the company of an adorable cast of characters.
Despite a dearth of original ideas, Pumpkin Jack is a highly accomplished paean to the classic 3D platformers of yesteryear from a solo developer. It's packed with variety, beautifully designed and highly playable so highly recommended for fans of the genre.
A brief but mesmerising monochrome puzzler which constantly impresses with its audio/visual brevity, and occasionally stumps you with some impassable brain-teasers. Highly recommended for fans of graphic novels and puzzles, but with the caveat that you'll be on a YouTube walkthrough at least once during your time with Iris.Fall.
A space agency simulator which overcomes its PC roots and primitive presentation to become a highly addictive and original strategy game. Packed with space facts and sprinklings of humour, Mars Horizon is a joy to dip into for both young and old and your thumbs can rest while your brain takes over.
A genuinely scary and intriguing horror portmanteau which overcomes the fiddly inventory system and slightly repetitive environs through its inventive interpretation of its film and game influences. If you're a horror fan who wants to find out how Konami's P.T. may have turned out, you'd be hard pushed to find a more terrifying surrogate.
Snakeybus will bring a smile to your face, which in this day and age, is a very welcome thing. Good wholesome score-attack arcade driving combined with some hilariously weird but subtle comedy elements, Snakeybus is worth inviting into your home.
A fantastic simulation of Superbike road racing wrapped up with some delicious audio/visuals which perfectly encapsulates the relentless speed and terror of the Isle of Man TT. A wholesale improvement on the first game and well worth investing the time it takes to get to grips with the challenging handling.
A serene and pretty aesthetic sits atop a brutal but satisfying arcade downhill bike game which wears its retro stylings and simplicity with pride. A fine game for all and not just for MAMILS!
Codemasters have managed to improve their F1 game once again in 2019, and have added another entire echelon of cars and drivers from the F2 proving ground. The racing itself looks and plays faultlessly and is accessible enough for beginners and non-F1 fans.
As accurate a representation of rally driving as you'll get on this generation of consoles, replete with a punishing learning curve and zero tutorials. Aside from the unrewarding Rallycross department, Dirt Rally 2.0 delivers an impassive and accomplished high speed rallying experience.
A deliciously compulsive simulation of a busy restaurant which tests your mental agility and finger dexterity to the full. Humourous presentation and the couch co-op are the icing on the cake.
Zen Studios clearly know what they are doing when it comes to Pinball, and this collection available to purchase via the new free to download Pinball FX hub is evidence enough. The tables now look and play faultlessly and have been rebuilt from the ground up for the current generation of consoles. The downside is that any previously purchased tables must be paid for again and amongst the vast array of superb tables available, there are some unremarkable and dull ones. However, as demonstrated by the one free table created by the developers shows, the original creations deserve to be played and the addiction factor is such that many an enjoyable hour can be whiled away in the company of Pinball FX.
A highly original puzzle-platformer from Lithuanian developers Flazm which combines an emotional time-travelling storyline with some intricate and very relaxing exploration filled with highly ingenious level design. Another indie gem which offers a very memorable and loveable gaming experience.
A gentle and meditative story which combines simple platforming puzzles and some basic steam engineering to great effect. Beautifully illustrated and scored, FAR Changing Tides is a joyful experience for patient players who are happy to jump aboard this serene cruise through a flooded but gorgeously bleak post-climate changed world.