Jake 
Where does your soul live? Philosophers and theologians have grappled with the question since ancient times, but SCHiM knows the answer: it’s in your shadow, and it’s called a schim. What’s more, if you lose it, you’re going to have a pretty bleak time. That exact calamity befalls your human early in the game, and …
Inception, the 2010 grown-up blockbuster, is the best comparison I’ve got for Cocoon. Not just because they have similar mind-bending worlds-within-worlds structures, but both credit their audience with a good dose of intelligence, and trust that they can keep up. If anything, Cocoon is the more mind-bending, and the clever of the two. There’s no …
It’s a good idea: an arcade racer based on NASCAR. And there are other good ideas: hugely exaggerated tracks based on real locations; over-the-top vehicle and driver options; a neat boost system. But that’s all superficial, and what’s underneath is basic, bland, and borderline boring. The main issue is the handling, which is twitchy with …
I never quite got around to Inertial Drift when it was first released in 2020, so this pumped-up version for next-gen consoles is mighty welcome. Even two years later, its twin-stick set-up remains an unusual proposition: left to steer, right to drift. It takes a good few laps to get the feel of it – …
Fair warning: I am in my early 40s, and Lunistice has hit me right in the nostalgia. For me it’s a lost Saturn game – and the Saturn specifically, for reasons I can’t quite put my finger on. I think it puts me in mind of Sonic R, though I’ve not played that for 25 …
Lonely, desperate, and terrifying. At its best, Dakar Desert Rally had a part of my brain taking part in the actual Dakar Rally, and that’s how it felt. The representation of Saudi Arabia is massive, beautiful, and intimidating, with ample opportunity to get lost or smash the actual heck out of your chosen ride. And …
I’m done with humans. And humanoid aliens, and anthropomorphised animals – all an utter waste of gaming’s unbounded potential. If nothing else, Stray demonstrates what an unusual protagonist can do for a game. This should be familiar territory: a post-apocalyptic city inhabited by robots, you have to find out what went wrong and help out, …
From the moment the day-glo logo flies across the screen, accompanied by the criminally catchy synth pop-rock soundtrack, it’s clear that we’re back in the ’90s – and I am sold. Formula Retro Racing makes no attempt to hide its inspiration – which, for the benefit of those with a remnant of youth, is Virtua …
Whether or not you like their music, there’s always something to be said about Radiohead. And so it is with Kid A Mnesia Exhibition, a self-declared “something” that’s available now on PlayStation 5, PC and Mac.получить займ без проверки кредитной иÑтории переводом Now as it goes, I do like their music. In fact, I love …
Narrative-driven dystopian crazy golf. It’s a high concept, but all three elements are crucial – Golf Club: Wasteland works because it adds up to more than the sum of those three parts. The dystopia is enjoyably bleak. Having made an absolute mess of Earth, the super-rich have moved to Mars, and come back to Earth …
Islanders looks like a city sim, it plays like a puzzle game, and might just be a comment on class politics and land use in the modern world. What’s not to like? You start with a procedurally generated island, a beautiful little thing, to survey, to see how things might play out. Pick one of …
Alveole is intriguing. It drops you in a giant hamster wheel, gives you the absolute minimum of instruction, then leaves you to get on with it. And ‘it’ is pretty limited: all you can do is start running, and once you’ve started running, all you can do is jump. From there it’s about working out …
Haven Park’s developer – one man, Fabien Weibel – is very honest about its inspirations: A Short Hike and Animal Crossing. There’s nothing wrong with that: there’s plenty of room in the world for more games about having a nice time doing nice things in a nice place. And that pretty much sums up Haven …
Appearances can be deceptive. Sumire might look twee at first glance, but it very quickly puts that right. Sumire’s grandmother has died, her father had left, and her mother is withdrawn. She is, quite understandably, unhappy bordering on hopeless. Let’s have a narrative adventure! There is a fair old dose of twee in some of …
Say No! More has an excellent trailer. The unique say-no mechanic, with superbly overblown results; the ’90s tech aesthetic; the over-the-top Hogan-esque instructor – what’s not to like? There’s nothing not to like. But there’s also not a lot left for the game, and sadly what works in the two-minute trailer isn’t sufficiently developed to …