​by Chris ​Brand @SuperCrisco Developer: The Station Game Publisher: The Station Game Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC Players: 1

The advanced Espial Space Station and its three-person crew have been orbiting the planet, designated Psy Prime, collecting data whilst hidden from the population. Something has caused the eponymous station to lose power and the stealth systems keeping the ship concealed are no longer operational. After failing to contact the crew, a recon specialist is sent in. Enter, player one. Following a rather lengthy load time, the game starts with you stepping aboard the Espial and you're tasked with locating each member of its crew. As you may expect from a ‘walking simulator’, you aren't given much in the way of clues and must unravel the mystery using whatever intelligence you can glean from the ship and its barely functional systems. You’re aided in doing so by a continually updating map complete with a, somewhat superfluous, inventory and a list of tasks which are revised as you progress. The map is projected as a floating hologram in front of you and remains stationary until you call it back; it's a neat little mechanic, though it does have its drawbacks. You’ll require some space to deploy it and you then can't walk whilst checking your position, which is slightly inconvenient. ​Right from the off you'll find an audio log left by one of the crew. These are the meat of the story and detail the mission and various thoughts of the team, each one adding another piece to the puzzle. You'll also learn more about the crew via their email terminals and notes that they leave lying around. Cabin fever has definitely set in, with their petty squabbles and jokes exuding an endearing charm.

The Station’s narrative is masterfully weaved, giving hints throughout to those with a keen eye.

by James Michael Parry ​@james_parry Developer: Over The Moon Publisher: Over The Moon Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, Switch, PC Players: 1

Let’s take a step back, though: what is The Fall? Released in 2014 on PC before jumping to consoles by 2015, Over the Moon’s puzzler with combat elements had a good reception, and all the strengths of the original take a strong step forward in this sequel, or, more accurately, the second of three planned parts. You play as an AI called ARID (Autonomous Robotic Interface Device, if you’re wondering) in an involved story which examines what it means to be an AI and how the character defines itself through its interactions with its surroundings. In terms of gameplay, the mix of puzzle and action is maintained from the game’s predecessor, with the option to tone down the combat if you’d rather focus on the story. For our money, this is arguably the better experience, as switching to this mode doesn’t tone down the complexity of the puzzles you’ll face, it just makes the combat a little easier to digest. Some of the game takes place in the digital realm, as ARID travels between different nodes and areas within the system to discover more about her situation, other sections see you inhabit more traditional robots and mechanised combat suits to explore the real world and research the Domesticon Corporation, the classically faceless company from whence you came. The sections where you inhabit robots, such as a simple robot butler in a stately home, going about his routine, are the most enriching. Not only are you greeted with well-constructed dialogue between the benevolent (but nonetheless invading) ARID and her robot host, but on-screen contextual prompts read in the tone of the character you’re inhabiting, meaning you sometimes need to shake their intelligence to find out more.

The player is rewarded for examining ​each nook and cranny carefully - in fact, often, puzzle-solving elements require it.

by Rob ​Holt @acousticmagic Developer: aPriori Digital Publisher: aPriori Digital Platforms: Wii U, Switch, Steam, Xbox One Players: 1 - 5

From bullet one, Bristolian developer aPriori Digital ladles on the neon colours and hammering techno beats and synthesisers, bombarding the senses across all three main game modes. Something that sets the game apart from the opening salvo of mayhem onward is the option to play any mode with four fellow humans, which is an enticing addition for those of you with multi-chums. Cyberstorm’s gameplay is pleasingly simple: blow everything up, look for collectibles and survive - not necessarily in that order. Left stick moves your ship, right stick fires the guns, the bumpers provide a welcome speed boost, and the triggers utilise two special abilities, chosen from a selection including rapid fire, spread shot, shield, shotgun and more. Combining these abilities with the right ship - some crafts trading manoeuvrability for firepower, and vice versa - will aid in meeting your personal playstyle. The enemies you engage get progressively more difficult, graduating from teeny-tiny buggers during the infancy of your quest(s), to truly dangerous foes with brutal, express bullet patterns. The power-ups you gather from the fallen (freeze bullets, fire shots, etc.) will, in turn, assist you in destroying the next batch of baddies - trust us when we say, you’re going to need ‘em! Campaign mode takes you on a tour of four worlds, each consisting of several branching levels in which you endeavour to uncover the mysteries surrounding a faceless organisation, your lost crew, and a bunch of dudes called the Paladins. The levels are largely made up of quiet, empty corridors and loud, enemy-filled arenas, but the balance never quite strikes it right.

Cyberstorm’s gameplay is pleasingly simple: blow everything up, look for collectibles and survive - not necessarily in that order. 

Versus mode brings the party to your front room... Get four friends over and you really are in for a treat!

​by James Michael ​Parry @james_parry ​Developers: ​Coatsink, Secret Lunch ​Publisher:​ Coatsink Platforms:​ Switch, PS4, PS Vita, Steam Players: ​1

From the introduction, presented in the game’s impeccable 2D art style, it’s clear that your village is in a spot of bother. Townsfolk of all shapes and sizes have gathered as a wise old elder shares a vision of the coming rains that threaten the area with destruction. The titular Shu, a small, bird-like creature, must set off on her own to find a tower which may be their only hope. What follows is a series of levels spanning vibrant locations, in which you gradually push back the darkness from the land. Sounds easy enough, right? While the levels begin slowly, letting you get your bearings and learn the controls, at a certain point the screen dims to black and you are told to RUN! It’s these sections, as you attempt to outrun an apocalyptic storm that chomps at you from the left side of the screen, where the difficulty can spike and your careful control of the game’s characters can quickly give way to panicked button-mashing. There are ten characters in the game, each of whom have a specific ability. Shu alone can glide, not unlike Knuckles of Sonic fame, but as soon as you bring other characters into the party - who join hands to form an adorable chain - you’ll suddenly be able to bash through obstacles, wall jump and even walk on water for a limited time. Controls are kept very simple, so a single button press, if needed, will activate a power, and the game’s 21 levels, split across six varied worlds, each have different paths to work your way through by making good use of them. Checkpoints are plentiful too, each one resetting your lives to five and making it possible to turn a performance around following a tricky section.

If you’re in need of a traditional platformer with some fresh ideas, Shu won’t disappoint.