Glass Masquerade

Glass Masquerade

Digital jigsaw puzzle games are a dime a dozen these days, but Glass Masquerade stands out from the crowd thanks to its polished visuals, unique stained glass style, and addictive gameplay. You get twenty-five puzzles, each themed around a different country, that you can solve at your leisure. The game looks great and sounds just as good, and while it is a little short, it remains enjoyable until the end. If you are a fan of the genre, then don’t hesitate to pick up this gem.

Gameplay: Solve jigsaw puzzles using stained glass pieces.

Graphics: The visual style of the game is very polished.

Sound: The soundtrack is a perfect match for the relaxed feel of the game

Five Nights at Freddy’s

Five Nights at Freddy’s

Animatronic mascots are on the prowl at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza and it is your job to keep an eye on them. Unfortunately, the are more than capable of killing you since you have no means of fighting back. Instead, you have to make use of your dwindling supply of electricity to monitor security cameras and lock the doors to your office before it is too late. You will have to be careful, though, because if you run out of electricity before morning the chances are very good that someone will find your body stuffed into the jagged interior of an animatronic animal mascot suit. FNAF suffers from some technical limitations, but excels at jumpscares and keeping players on edge.

Gameplay: Your interaction with the gameworld is limited, but this just adds to the atmosphere.

Graphics: You are mostly looking at static renders, but the visuals still manages to be very creepy.

Sound: Not much in the way of music, but the sound effects are superb

Euclidean

Euclidean

Euclidean is a game of geometric horror that tries very hard to make use of Lovecraftian elements to inspire dread, but only manages frustration instead. Not only is it hard to see what is going on around you, but the controls are also sluggish to the point of feeling useless. Instant death is very common, forcing players to restart the level, but mercifully the levels are short and there are only nine of them. Unless you are a huge fan of Lovecraft, can handle frustration and can find this game on sale, it is not really recommended.

Gameplay: Fall down very slowly while battling sluggish controls in order to avoid enemies.

Graphics: Enemies are far from scary and the whole thing is just too dark and foggy for its own good.

Sound: The ambient soundtrack is good, but the taunting voice can become repetitive

Don’t Disturb

Don’t Disturb

Go on a journey into the afterlife as a dog who recently lost their elderly owner in Don’t Disturb. The game is based on traditional Asian views on the subject, which makes for a fascinating and unique experience. However, it is an extremely short game and doesn’t have much of a challenge. Despite this, it is still worth checking out, thanks to the low price tag, especially if you are a pet owner.

Gameplay: Don’t Disturb is very simple, but the setting is rather unique.

Graphics: The game features a beautiful and unique visual style.

Sound: The audio is minimal but very fitting

Caladrius Blaze

Caladrius Blaze

Take to the skies as one of eight different characters and blast your enemies to bits in this vertically scrolling shooter. It is heavy on fan service, and the visuals have not aged as well as we would have liked, but in terms of gameplay, Caladrius Blaze is still a very solid shooter. It has plenty of modes as well as an adjustable challenge that makes it accessible to players of all skill levels. The game does have a couple of issues, so make sure you know about these before purchasing.

Gameplay: The game can be as challenging as you want it to be and is quite addictive to boot.

Graphics: Nice character designs and plenty of fan service, but the 3D textures really show their age.

Sound: The audio features Japanese voiceovers and some nice background tunes

Always The Same Blue Sky…

Always The Same Blue Sky…

Always The Same Blue Sky is a visual novel about a student who transfers to yet another school in yet another remote location, but things are a little different this time. This is thanks to the presence of Kira, a girl who lives on the island and attends the same school. Life is a little more exciting and mysterious after Kira offers to show the protagonist around the island in this short visual novel. The game has flaws, but the price tag is low enough to make it a decent impulse buy.

Gameplay: There are not a lot of choices, and the game is relatively short, but the story is interesting.

Graphics: The sprite artwork is good, but the backgrounds are a little uneven in quality.

Sound: The game lacks voice acting, but the soundtrack is quite good

Bird Assassin

Bird Assassin

Birds have killed your dad, and it is up to you to seek vengeance! Bird Assassin is a blood-soaked action game where you walk from left to right and try to eradicate every bird crossing your path. It is action-packed but also a little repetitive, and with only nine levels, it won’t take very long to complete. Still, it is being sold at a very wallet-friendly price, so it is worth it if all you want is a few minutes of mindless entertainment.

Gameplay: The game features plenty of action but is a little repetitive and also quite short.

Graphics: The birds and main character have a lot of detail, but the backgrounds are lacking.

Sound: The sound effects are decent enough, and the lead character has a couple of funny quips

Best Video Games of the Year 2018

Best Video Games of the Year 2018

Find out what the best video games of 2018 were and what platforms they are available on in our end of year gaming round-up. Only the top titles make our list

Refunct

Refunct

Refunct is a short and sweet indie game that provides players with a surprisingly relaxing first-person platforming experience. Jumping around and filling gray squares with green grass just by touching them is quite soothing, and you’ll soon find yourself easily pulling off moves like wall jumping. The whole thing can be completed in under thirty minutes, and there is no risk of dying, which might be a little boring for action fans. However, considering the low price and entertaining gameplay, there are far worse ways to spend those thirty minutes.

Gameplay: The game is fun and relaxing, but over a little too soon.

Graphics: The visuals are pretty minimal, but everything looks great and fits the game’s mood.

Sound: The audio in Refunct is also relatively minimal but, once again, very fitting

Leisure Suit Larry – Wet Dreams Don’t Dry

Leisure Suit Larry – Wet Dreams Don’t Dry

Creating a Leisure Suit Larry in this day and age sounded like a recipe for disaster, but somehow CrazyBunch managed to not just pull it off, but also did so in style. Wet Dreams Don’t Dry is an authentic Larry experience that is filled with corny puns, sexual innuendos, bad pick-up lines and more penis shaped objects than you can shake a stick at. The world in which Larry finds himself is a lot more progressive, but he is the same lovable loser that consistently manages to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. If you have fond memories of the original games, can handle some adult humor or love the point & click genre, then don’t miss out on Wet Dreams Don’t Dry.

Gameplay: Great puzzles and a rather lengthy adventure.

Graphics: Detailed and colorful, although the new art style may not be to everyones liking.

Sound: Good music and effects, but the highlight is Jan Rabson returning to voice Larry