by Sam Sant @SlamShotSam Developer: Altered Matter Publisher: Altered Matter Platforms: Xbox ​One, PS4, Switch, PC ​(Steam) Players: 1

The voiceless, translucent humanoid you control is born - ethereally so - into a visually immaculate, minimalist world where truly 3D stages are suspended against colourful backdrops of nothingness. As you come to appreciate the elegant visuals, inspired by 20-21st century art, the sultry tone of a disembodied female voice beckons you. Seeking its source is the only way to discover your purpose. Since there aren’t any hints or HUD element to speak of, getting there is a learning experience, and that’s no bad thing - you’ll more firmly grasp Etherborn’s genius mechanics when you parse them for yourself. Through experimentation and some early deaths, players learn that the effects of gravity apply perpendicular to the surface they’re currently standing on, demolishing the concept of any ‘correct’ global orientation. With this new perspective in mind, you learn to read environments differently in both obvious and subtle ways, like watching for smooth corner transitions to allow for switching gravity’s axis by walking across shear surfaces, or recognising that you’ll need to snake all the way around a level to reach a location right in front of you. Uniquely, stages must be approached as structures which you manipulate yourself over, under and around. Etherborn isn’t a game where puzzles are a brief aside that mostly serve to control pacing, rather it is in itself one large-scale problem to solve. With so many modern games simply handing out answers, it can be frustrating when an outlier refuses to stroke your ego, but Altered Matter nip that potential problem in the bud by having every asset project serenity and almost hypnotise the player into a meditative state of calm. The relaxed mindset it encourages - further helped along by the fact that there are no distracting collectibles or secondary objectives to consider - allows you to ignore any inhibitions and try the sorts of unconventional solutions years of gaming have likely conditioned you to assume won't work - only, in this instance, they more often than not do.

Etherborn isn’t a game where puzzles are a brief aside that mostly serve to control pacing, rather it is in itself one large-scale problem to solve.

by Sam Sant @SlamShotSam Developer: ArtPlay Publisher: 505 Games Platforms: Xbox ​One, PS4, Switch, PC ​(Steam) Players: 1

After Konami made it transparent they weren’t interested in reviving the legendary Castlevania franchise, series pioneer Igarashi took the proverbial ball and ran with it. Having secured his funding goal more than eleven times over, he assembled a team and began work on the Castlevania: Symphony of the Night spiritual successor that the people wanted and Konami refused to make. Seemingly very little changed in the transition, as Bloodstained is essentially a Castlevania game in all but name. As you might expect, Ritual of the Night is a traditional metroidvania - also dubbed an ‘Igavania’ in honour of Igarashi - which builds on last year’s more linear retro prequel, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon. You play as Miriam, one of that game’s optionally recruitable protagonists, now intricately realised in 3D as she sets out to rid the world of demons summoned by a dark ritual. Miriam is a Shardbinder, one of the last two remaining humans capable of harnessing demonic power; these powers manifest in-game as a wide variety of active and passive abilities, now capable of being turned against the denizens of Hell. By building up an arsenal, you’ll be able to deeper infiltrate the gothic castle at the core of Bloodstained and ultimately defeat the other, vampiric Shardbinder that uses his powers for evil. Sounds kinda familiar, huh? It boils down very simply, but there’s a surprising level of focus placed on the narrative here, which is fleshed out with plenty of cutscenes and hammy dialogue exchanges (in your choice of English or Japanese) between the main cast. Throw in some text-based lore and the story manages to reach the realms of mild intrigue, which is actually somewhat of a compliment, considering the genre.

An undisputed retro classic made modern, without sacrificing an ounce of appeal or introducing current industry ailments.

by Sam Sant @SlamShotSam Developer: The Game Atelier Publisher: FDG Entertainment ​Platforms: Switch, Xbox One, PS4, PC ​Players: 1

The story is simple: after your drunken uncle turns Monster World’s colourful cast of characters into anthropomorphic creatures, including blue-haired protagonist Jin, it falls to the player to venture out and restore equilibrium. There’s little more to it than that, which is fine, and, coupled with the text-based delivery, it evokes an intendedly retro feel. That brand of pitch-perfect nostalgia extends into most aspects of the game - the hand-drawn, 2D art style that’s layered for 3D effect; the rockin’, homage-paying soundtrack; the simple, tried-and-true core platforming tenants - resulting in a reimagining that feels like a faithfully slicker, sharper version of its forefathers. Cursed Kingdom by no means relies on that to get by though, constantly evolving as new areas and gameplay elements are introduced on the regular. Being the titular Monster Boy, Jin can (eventually) transform into a range of animals, each boasting their own fitting suite of abilities and loving, bespoke animations. From a porcine punch-packing pig, capable of sniffing out secrets and casting spells, to a frog with a knack for aquatics and a grappling hook-like tongue, to a venom-spewing, wall-crawling, small-space-navigating snake, and beyond, each animal form greatly impacts how the game plays. Whether a specific character is required to solve a platforming section or puzzle, or they’re just better suited to a certain combat encounter, you’ll very often be switching them out and it’s here, when you come to combine their powers in increasingly inventive ways, that Monster Boy flourishes. What’s more, those select animal forms that are capable of equipping armour and weaponry present even further opportunity to mix things up, courtesy of an interchangeable and upgradeable arsenal collected or purchased throughout the course of Jin’s lengthy adventure. Decking yourself out in the best gear available helps you rise to meet a challenging, but fair, difficulty curve at the hands of persistent baddies, hectic boss battles, precision platforming, and the odd head-scratching conundrum.

Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom is a strikingly gorgeous, achingly nostalgic adventure that gets better and better the more you play.

by Liam ​ Andrews ​@liam_andrews5 Developer: Toys For Bob Publisher: Activision Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC  Players: 1

Even if you’re too young to remember these games in their original forms, or just happen to have grown up in a household where Mario was the undisputed king of platformers, a quick search shows just how much of a stellar job the team at Toys For Bob have done bringing Spyro into the modern era. ​Blocky graphics and blurry textures have been polished and smoothed to a standard fit for today's consoles, while more refined animations breath new life into characters, particularly in the first game, where Spyro’s fellow dragons now boast unique personality traits to help set them apart from one another. The only downsides to this are an occasional dropped frame and a sometimes tricky camera (an element you didn’t previously have manual control over), though neither are intrusive enough to spoil the experience. It’s also worth noting at this point that Reignited doesn’t give you the option of enabling subtitles. While this won’t be a deal breaker for most players, for some they’re a real necessity. Although the trio of games don’t lean heavily on their narratives, it seems odd that such a basic feature would be overlooked, especially considering how many of the first game’s tips are tricks are handed out through short vignettes every time you rescue a dragon. Hopefully it’s something that’ll be remedied in a future patch. Despite the drastic visual overhaul, there’s much here that’ll feel instantly familiar to veterans of the series, with core gameplay and level designs that remain true to the source material. Map layouts are the same, and Spyro can use his signature jump, glide, charge and flame abilities just as he did in the past.

Reuniting with Spyro provided a welcome and nostalgic distraction from modern life.

​by James Michael Parry ​@james_parry Developer: Toxic Games Publisher: Trapped Nerve Games Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, Steam Players: 1

In gaming, puzzle games have some of the greatest variety of any genre, thanks to the weird and wonderful ideas developers come up with to vex us, and QUBE 2 is no exception. The original game had you completing a series of physics and, to an extent, platforming puzzles to get out of an unknown facility and the sequel is no exception, equipping you with a pair of gloves which manipulate different brightly coloured objects. Time to get the elephant in the room out of the way: if this is all sounding a bit like Portal, the Half-Life spinoff from Valve which came out a staggering ELEVEN years ago, then you are not alone. The original QUBE came out in 2011, coincidentally when everyone was hyped about Portal 2, and attracted plenty of comparisons, but was criticised for its lack of personality. In QUBE 2, atmosphere is established from the word go, as your character (archeologist Amelia Cross) struggles through an otherworldly storm before ultimately ending up inside a facility with no memory of how she came to be on the planet in the first place. As the game continues, breadcrumbs of story are fed to you through BioShock-esque radio voiceover from scientist Emma Sutcliffe, who was sent to shut down the facility some time before but seems very chatty and strangely willing to help you escape. The presentation definitely lends some intrigue, though the disbelief does begin to stretch a little when Amelia reassuringly confirms to herself your objectives from time to time, though the voiceover work is solid and lends a lot to the premium look and feel. ​​Tackling the challenges requires use of a special pair of gloves which allow Amelia to manipulate her environment by placing and interacting with coloured blocks. You’re introduced to the different colours one by one, with each behaving slightly differently, but it’s when they start to interact that things really start to get interesting.

The visual style is stunning, taking mechanically impressive creations and fleshing out the world with sleek design and quality textures.

by Sam Sant @SlamShotSam Developer: Polyarc Publisher: Polyarc ​Platforms: PS VR ​Players: 1

Moss begins weaving its narrative as you find yourself in a grand, yet homely, library and open the eponymous book laid out in front of you. Its lovingly animated illustrations are accompanied by a sultry, disembodied narration that fills you in on necessary exposition: Darkness has fallen over the land of Moss, bringing with it beasts that have slain the king and taken one of the kingdom’s powerful glass relics. Transported into the book’s living pages to intervene, players join Quill as she finds a glass relic of her own. The relic’s magical properties allow the little white mouse to see and directly interact with you, a powerful spirit known as the “reader”. Existing as a separate entity to Quill means that, while you do control her, you also look down from your own perspective and are capable of reaching into the game world to interact with environments, characters and enemies in a variety of ways. Using the DualShock 4 to work in tandem - or as “twofold” - you’ll guide Quill through a journey that takes her far away from home in order to save a loved one. The asymmetry involved in juggling two roles will test your coordination, if only slightly, as you work through platforming, puzzle solving, combat and stealth situations along the way. Gameplay otherwise develops in familiar fashion, channelling the defining flow of a classic Zelda title. Traversal is limited by a reliance on signposted handholds, and swashbuckling combat by a sparsity of maneuvers, but Moss’ incredibly fluid controls and the ability to interject as the reader make for a satisfying experience nonetheless. When you factor easily solved puzzles into the equation, which often revolve around clever little iterations on sequential button presses and other tropes, it becomes clear that accessibility was at the forefront of Polyarc’s overall design. In keeping things simple they open the door for all manner of players to fully experience what really lies at the heart of Moss - your relationship with Quill.

Quill is an incredibly sweet and personable mouse who’s pretty much impossible not to love.

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 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.

by James Michael ​Parry @James_Parry Developer: Playful Corp. Publisher: Microsoft Studios Platforms: Xbox One, PC Players: 1

Super Lucky’s Tale follows a young fox named Lucky as he collects four-leafed clovers in a variety of colourful worlds, in order to save (and escape from) a mystical text known as the Ultimate Book of Spells...wait...sorry, back in the 1990’s again, we mean the Book of Ages. As you may expect from a 3D platformer with a cartoonish art style, story takes a back seat to make the game more accessible. This accessible design philosophy applies equally to gameplay, resulting in a difficulty level that’s pedestrian for the most part, even coming off the already generous Super Mario Odyssey. The approach doesn’t come as a surprise however, given the heads of developer Playful are responsible for the once mobile craze Words with Friends. A couple of rounds through a single level should be more than enough to pick up all of the collectables, such as the letters of Lucky’s name, in true Donkey Kong Country fashion. The inspirations from platformers of old don’t stop there, with the Super Mario series in general serving as a loose template and namesake, while visual similarities remind us of fellow nostalg-‘em-up Yooka-Laylee. At its core though, there’s actually more of Spyro the Dragon in here; something about the tone sits just on that slightly sarcastic edge without tipping into self-parody. There are 99 clovers to gather in the game, which is the overall goal, and many simply sit at the end of fairly short and standard 3D or 2.5D levels that contain a few platforming challenges, a few enemies and some spikes. The 2.5D sections perhaps feel strongest, though don’t reach the level of stylised brilliance we’ve been spoiled with by Rayman Origins and Legends in recent years.

The accessible design philosophy results in a difficulty level that’s pedestrian for the most part, even coming off the already generous Super Mario Odyssey.

If the aim were specifically to please children, then it’s mission accomplished, but beyond that there’s little in the way of compelling character.