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The Plucky Squire is a joy to play, with the varied gameplay, delightful world, and constant surprises ensuring that it stands out as one of 2024’s best indie hits. It just feels so good to play, with so many clever ideas on show throughout the adventure that ensure Jot’s journey is fresh and engaging from start to end. And sure, it might be a little bit on the easy side, but with so many cool challenges to face and fun puzzles to complete, it’s hard not to fall in love with The Plucky Squire.
Caravan SandWitch is a wonderful, easy-going experience that will keep players wrapped up in its world thanks to the satisfying pacing and enjoyable exploration mechanics. Simply exploring Cigalo and uncovering each area was always a treat, whilst upgrading the van, completing side quests, and learning more about the narrative kept me invested until the very end. It looks very pretty too, with Cigalo offering a lot of gorgeous sights to see as you venture further afield. It might be a bit too easy for some and the lack of death or challenge won’t be for everyone, but personally? I loved my time with Caravan SandWitch and found it an utter delight to play.
The Mortuary Assistant is a unique and disturbing horror experience that’ll keep players on the edge of their seat as they try to unravel the demonic threat. I haven’t played anything quite like it before, and, even as a long-time horror fan, I found myself constantly on edge as I dealt with the expertly executed scares that the game threw my way. It’s really fun to play, and when you do succeed? You’ll feel like you worked hard for it. It’s just a shame that the controls of the console port aren’t quite perfect, whilst it could be guilty of being a little repetitive over repeat playthroughs. But hey, with scares aplenty and a satisfying gameplay loop to be found, The Mortuary Assistant should certainly be on your radar with the Halloween season approaching.
Hollowbody is an engrossing horror experience that’ll keep players on the edge of their seat thanks to its sinister world design and harrowing storytelling. I absolutely loved exploring each eerie locale, whilst the clever puzzle design and enjoyable combat ensure it gets all of the basic elements of the survival horror genre right. Sure, the melee combat could be a bit clunky, but it’s a small issue in what is otherwise a thrilling old school-inspired horror adventure.
Astro Bot isn’t only the best game on the PlayStation 5, but it’s also one of the best platformers of all time. It might seem like hyperbole, but it really is THAT good. Team Asobi have whipped up something super special here with the wonderfully creative level design, gorgeous visuals, and throwbacks to all things PlayStation making this one of the easiest perfect scores we’ve ever handed out.
Visions of Mana is a wonderful RPG that really shows just how special the Mana series can be (and that it deserves more new entries). Whilst the story can be guilty of being a bit predictable, the combat is exciting, the diversity of classes gives players plenty of cool ways to experiment, whilst the world looks gorgeous and brings with it an array of astounding things to discover on your journey. It is guilty of playing things a bit too safe at times and it’s a shame that it doesn’t do more with its puzzles across the world, but these are small issues in what is otherwise an enthralling experience. I really, really hope it sells well, because I’d love to see what future adventures Square Enix could bring to the Mana series.
Ultimately, I found Demon’s Mirror to be a compelling and addictive experience – even if it could be a bit tough in places. Its clever blend of deck building and match-three mechanics feels refreshing and unique for the genre, which does it a lot of favours given how oversaturated it can be. Demon’s Mirror does enough to stand out though, and despite the occasional stressful moments, it has that “just one more try” appeal that kept me coming back for more.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a wonderful third-person shooting escapade that’ll keep players thrilled from start to end. The campaign is a blast to play through thanks to the overwhelming nature of the enemy threat, whilst the fact that you’re perfectly-armed to deal with it makes for some exciting encounters that’ll keep players on the edge of their seats. Then you’ve got the Operations, which don’t only flesh out the experience, but bring with it some strategically-focused variety… it’s a blast. I really enjoyed the first game so my expectations were high going in, but honestly? Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has completely exceeded them, with it easily the best third-person shooter that I’ve played this year.
Star Wars Outlaws offers an engrossing, action-packed adventure that’s only really let down by a few technical hitches. I loved uncovering Kay’s story, switching up between the rival criminal syndicates, facing off with foes in action-packed shootouts, and exploring each wonderful locale, whilst the game never seems to run out of ideas in its world design. I’d be lying if I said that the stealth didn’t get a little underwhelming later on in the game, but when everything else is so wonderfully executed, it’s easy to forgive. It just needs a little bit of extra work right now to iron out some of the technical issues, and whilst I didn’t encounter anything game-breaking, I did need to re-load my save on a few occasions to fix a problem. Was it the end of the world? No, but it was the only thing stopping me from giving the game a 9 out of 10.
Dustborn isn’t perfect, but its engaging storytelling, wonderful visuals, and variety of gameplay mechanics ensure that it still makes for one heck of a memorable road trip. You’ll constantly feel like you’re doing something different, and whilst it does miss the mark at times (most notably with its combat and lack of challenge), it has plenty of little surprises to keep a smile on your face when playing.
Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse Remastered is a wonderful sign-off for a memorable trilogy of remastered old-school adventures. It nails the age-old adventure game process that players have come to love over the years with its clever puzzle design, whilst Max’s psychic enigmas add a welcome (and wacky) twist to the familiar formula. Add to that the revamped visuals and audio and it’ll be easy to see that Skunkape Games have really put a lot of love and effort into giving these beloved adventures the top notch treatment that they deserved.
The Crush House is a unique and enjoyable experience that’s unlike anything else that I have played before. Putting together a cast, filming their actions, and keeping the weird yet wonderful audience happy was satisfying and fun, whilst uncovering the darker secrets of The Crush House kept me invested as I progressed through the narrative. And sure, it does have a few technical issues and the gameplay loop can grow a little repetitive the longer you play, but this virtual twist on the world of reality TV shows does more than enough to ensure it deserves your attention.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits offers a beautiful and engrossing adventure that Xbox gamers will no longer have to look upon enviously from afar. I had a wonderful time uncovering the game world, battling enemies in satisfyingly strategic showdowns, and using The Rot to help figure out each enigma in my path, whilst the tough but fair difficulty makes each piece of progress all the more rewarding. And sure, it does have a bit of a slow and simple start, but once it gets going, it’s easy to find yourself completely captivated by Kena: Bridge of Spirits’ gorgeous and tantalising adventure.
Cat Quest III will feel familiar to some, but with the rewarding gameplay loop, gorgeous visuals, and fun co-op action, I’m certainly not complaining. The introduction of naval combat and exploration adds to the excitement, whilst playing through the adventure in local co-op was a treat that I certainly won’t be forgetting anytime soon. It’s just a ton of fun to play, whilst the plethora of quests and secrets to discover ensure that the world is a treat to explore. It's just really, really, REALLY good, and whilst some returning gamers might wish that the gameplay loop had more of an evolution, I loved my time with Cat Quest III. Why fix what isn’t broken, right?
Tomba! Special Edition is a wonderful release that gives players the chance to re-visit one of the PlayStation’s most ambitious and enjoyable platformers. It’s surprising how refreshing the unique gameplay elements still feel today, whilst there’s plenty for players to get stuck into with its multitude of rewarding quests and satisfying platforming challenges. And sure, it can show its age in some aspects of its design (particularly when tracking quests), but it still manages to stand out as a very impressive platforming adventure that’s sure to delight both newcomers and those who loved the game back in 1997.
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter can feel dated in design, but offers enough fun to make it worth checking out in 2024. The iffy camera and some sketchy enemy AI stand out as the worst offenders, but the solid level design, cool combat, and worthwhile remastered enhancements help ensure that modern audiences will be able to enjoy it. It could be argued that new players might not be able to forgive some of the more obvious issues, but those who have fond memories of playing back in the day will appreciate the blast to the past.
Conscript nails the classic survival horror tropes across its engaging gameplay, whilst its atmospheric storytelling ensures it’s one of the more unique releases of the genre. It definitely caught me off-guard on plenty of occasions with the horrors of war, and whilst it’s not necessarily a scary game in the conventional sense, it offers a cold and eerie outlook into the brutality of the First World War. It does have some imperfections and it can be pretty tough, but those who love old-school survival horror certainly won’t want to miss out on Conscript’s distinct yet undoubtedly dark foray into the genre.
Gestalt: Steam and Cinder is a fun Metroidvania-style adventure that’ll swoon players with its sublime visuals and slick combat. Combat and platforming feel great throughout, the story is intriguing and rich in detail, whilst the visuals are simply gorgeous … it really does have a lot going for it. It’s just a shame that it doesn’t quite nail the difficulty balance, with most foes too easy to take down and the boss encounters feeling like slogs thanks to their long-length and lack of move diversity. Fortunately, those issues don’t stop the game from being a blast to play, with Gestalt: Steam and Cinder easily standing out as another impressive release in the Metroidvania genre.
Anger Foot is a ton of fun, with its frantic first-person blend of kicking and shooting making for a deceptively strategic experience. The variety of footwear you unlock adds another layer of strategy to the approach you can take through levels, whilst learning the layout of each room and how to prioritise your attacks against enemies is certainly rewarding. It looks fantastic too, with its over-the-top art style suiting the zanily brutal nature of the game. Sure, it can be a little bit guilty of feeling repetitive in places, but with an exciting gameplay loop that feels like it built for short-burst sessions, it doesn’t stop Anger Foot from being a blast to play.
SCHiM is a wonderful puzzle-platforming experience that kept me mesmerised with its creative level design and satisfying gameplay. It felt so rewarding working out the perfect route to take through a level, whilst the clever variety of ways that it allows you to move between shadows ensures that each level brings with it plenty of little surprises. It was just a real treat to play, with the delightful world and clever gameplay loop ensuring my time with SCHiM will stick with me for a long, long time.