It saves its best tricks until last, but Axiom Verge 2 is another enthralling Metroidvania from solo dev Thomas Happ, and a retro-infused feast for the senses.
A gorgeous, non-violent puzzle platformer with big Studio Ghibli vibes, Hoa is a brief but brilliant tale about the healing power of nature (and cute beetles).
A simple but light-hearted adventure game that goes big on 90s nostalgia, The Big Con is a fun and colourful romp that will steal its way into your heart.
I thought Röki was going to be a cute and throwaway little puzzle game with a light adventure wrapping, but Polygon Treehouse have gone so much further, and so much deeper than I was expecting. Like all great folklore stories, there is a quiet devastation lurking beneath Röki’s picturebook world, elevating this mythic tale of gods and monsters into the pantheon of all-time adventure game greats.
There is indeed plenty of Takahashi weirdness to be found in Wattam, but it’s of limited value without the magic, the soul, or just the basic ingenuity required to connect the dots and make it all sing.
I rather liked its undemanding nature, as it meant I was better able to enjoy this five hour romp and relish its superb character work. Yes, it’s a rather slight detective game compared to your heavyweights of the genre, but its winsome cast, gorgeous music and sharp writing go a long way to make up for it.
Even Felix’s sweet, sweet dance moves can’t throw the game’s glaring design flaws into shadow.
Brief as it may be, Untitled Goose Game leaves a lasting impression
If you’re at all intrigued by Ni No Kuni, I’d strongly advise you to just go and play Revenant Kingdom instead. It’s a far more enjoyable JRPG than Wrath of the White Witch, and it won’t make you feel like snapping your keyboard in two out of a white-hot fury of your own
It’s definitely a different and interesting take on the genre, but ultimately I fear this will be a path less travelled by those after a stone cold JRPG classic.
SteamWorld Quest isn’t going to be the next Slay the Spire, and to be honest, die hard Spire-ites will probably find its one-and-done story a bit, well, restricting. But for card novices (which I count myself one of), it’s still a real charmer, no matter how sluggish it might get in those early hours.
