Few concepts lend themselves to games as well as time travel. Jumping back and forth in time to solve problems makes the simplest of puzzles suddenly seem far more complex. Chronology is no different – to an extent. A breeze of a puzzle-plaformer, its challenges are few but satisfying, using its time travel concepts to…
Within minutes of starting Dark Souls II, I fell to my death due to a poorly planned jump. Seconds later, I received an achievement titled, “This is Dark Souls,” rewarding me for my first death. In any other game, that would be nothing but a cheap gag: a cheeky achievement to laugh at then never…
0RBITALIS seemingly captures both the beauty and dangers of soaring through space. It’s a puzzle game revolving around sending a satellite into orbit, trying to find the right trajectory to keep it floating for as long as possible. A simple premise, but difficult in practice, for it requires a ton of guesswork and patience to…
The term MOBA – or online multiplayer battle arena – is one of the least descriptive genre names in video games. It’s as obtuse as many of the games occupying that space. Awesomenauts, however, is different. Instead of being complex and near indecipherable for the first hundred hours, it’s simple and straightforward. It’s a MOBA…
Developer Stoic’s first entry in its three-part turn-based strategy role-playing game epic The Banner Saga is excellent, both as a standalone game and as an introduction to a greater narrative. It’s expansive world and endearing cast craft a compelling stage, tense battles and difficult decisions giving each exchange weight and uncertainty. It’s beautiful and dark;…
Nidhogg is best described as a game where you fight for the right to be eaten by a giant, hideous worm-like monster. Why anyone would risk their lives for such a fate befuddles me. But the process of getting there is so damn tense and exciting that the conclusion hardly matters. It’s the thrill of…
Games often deal in choice and consequence, though rarely do so grounded in reality or make the options so seemingly small and simple. Usually it’s in some sort of fantastical setting with the choices being some extreme form of “good” and “bad,” nary a grey area in sight. Hardly riveting, let alone something to get…
From the lay of the over-world to the very intro sequence and menu music, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is as much an homage as it is a sequel to A Link to the Past. The entire framework remains unchanged from the 1992 classic, at times stopping just short of outright remaking…
It’s the end of the year, and you know that means: it’s time for Game of the Year! We decided to forego the usual route of side-wide awards, however, and instead simply post our own picks. Today, Callum stops by with his top ten list of games for the year. Why a top ten list?…
Video games and rhythm never cease to go together flawlessly, especially so with games that use it creatively, or at least intelligently. 140 from developer Jeppe Carlsen falls under the latter. It’s a minimalist platformer that ties basic jumping puzzles to the beat of music, testing not only your reflexes and dexterity but your sense…
