8 Games you Might have Missed | Part 1

With there being an influx of new games all the time, older games can sometimes become overlooked, ending up being ignored and forgotten. This can be especially true of newish titles, those balancing in between not being quite old, but are no longer new either. No one really gives them as much thought as they aren’t new any more, and have had their time in the spotlight, but are still not old enough to be called ‘nostalgic’ and worth reminiscing about. A lot of effort goes into making games, so it is a shame that this happens with some titles. Because of this, I have decided to take a look at the games I have played and reviewed in recent years, giving them some renewed appreciation and choosing some of the titles I feel should get a bit more attention, and maybe even help you find a hidden gem!

Dangerous Golf

Starting the list is Dangerous Golf, released by Three Fields Entertainment. Breaking things is fun, and here it is taken to a whole new level! Instead of simply putting the golf ball into a hole, you take a swing at the ball and let it fly around rooms with lots of objects to smash to pieces! You score by continuously moving the ball using Smash Breakers and causing utter destruction, a very satisfying game when played right! Graphically the game is beautiful to look at considering its basic concept, with realistic-looking environments for your ball to bounce and bash around in; the realism just makes it all the more fun to destroy! From elegant dining rooms full of fine china and crystal glass to huge restaurant-style kitchens, there’s a lot of environments for you to go crazy in and completely ruin!

Yomawari: The Midnight Shadows

Yomawari: The Midnight Shadows, released by Nippon Ichi Software, is a psychological horror game with a cute but dark art style. The game sees you taking control of two young girls, best friends Yui and Haru, who are split up by certain circumstances and who try to find one another again. Their story takes place in a seemingly regular town but, by night time, it is crawling with all manner of ghosts and ghouls out to stop the friends from reuniting. These monsters cannot be attacked, only avoided or deterred, with both girls each having their own story to unfold. An atmospheric game, if you are a fan of horror, then give this a try!

HOB

Hob, released by Runic Games (who are sadly no more), is a platformer/puzzle game that is a marvel to witness. The world of Hob looks ordinary on top, but beneath you learn it is actually all man-made and mechanical. Your main character has the ability to manipulate and adjust this mechanical world, and it is a wonder to see the different sections changing, shifting and slotting into place, not just in front of you, but far out into the distance, opening up new areas for you to explore. The scale of the world is very huge and there are areas where you can just sit and take stock of your surroundings as gentle music plays in the background. A wonderfully scenic game.

Maize

A typically British game, Maize, created by Finish Line Games, is probably one of the quirkiest titles on this list, and is a game that features sentient sweet corn, dancing scarecrows and an angry Russian teddy bear as your companion! The ending of this game is probably the most memorable and poignant, with your goal being to help the corn, along with their Queen leader, find their way back to their own world. Maize is a puzzle game, but one that isn’t overly difficult. The process is basically: find item, use item elsewhere, and so on. The game is definitely focused on its colourful cast of characters, and even though they aren’t the most fleshed out, they are still endearing enough, not that this is a game to be taken seriously anyway! If you are looking for something simple, humorous, perhaps a bit gimmicky but lighthearted, this could be the game for you.

Serial Cleaner

Serial Cleaner, by iFun4All, is a puzzle game in which you must dispose of dead bodies around a level without being caught by the authorities. As well as disposing bodies, you need to get rid of evidence and clean up blood, and to do this you are equipped with a vacuum cleaner to suck up the red spillage. The game is set in the 1970’s and the art style reflects this, with very muted, pastel colours and an art style that reminds me of Cubism, with its very angular design. The story follows Bob, who lives at home with his mum, and cleans up bodies for an unknown caller to make some extra dosh. You can see the impact your actions are having on this other mysterious character by reading the paper, listening to the radio or watching the television. A fun game that becomes addictive, if you like the types of puzzles which simply gives you a task without getting caught, then give this a try!

The Sexy Brutale

The Sexy Brutale, by Tequila Works, is yet another puzzle game with some stealth aspects, in that main character, Lafcadio Boone, is stuck in a bit of a time warp which sees him reliving a masquerade ball and having to rescue its attendees from certain death. The catch is that it is all done on a timer – once the game hits midnight, everything is reset, and you’ll have to attempt to rescue your target all over again. It’s a matter of watching and learning routines. However, you can’t be in the same room as other characters, and this is when stealth comes into play. You can listen through doors and spy through keyholes to make sure characters have left the room you want to enter, or even to listen in on conversations that might reveal useful information or show suspicious actions. What’s also interesting about this game is that several events can be happening simultaneously, so you’ll perhaps witness something relevant for a later mission, though it’s up to you to piece together what happens and when. A game with puzzles and stealth, time manipulation and even some dark themes, if that appeals to you, then give this a go.

Tethered

Tethered, for the PSVR and developed by Secret Sorcery, sees you controlling little creatures known as Peeps, as they develop their tiny worlds and defend it from evil slug-like monsters of a night time. A survival game, Peeps pretty much move of their own accord, but you can give them orders. Peeps gather resources to create their world, and to give them an order, you ‘tether’ Peeps to the goal you want them to complete, be it to gather wood, ore or food. They will then use these materials to create buildings, which helps towards their own survival, and keep energised. Certain actions you take grants you blue orbs, these used on a statue that will eventually release a Spirit Guardian, reviving the current level and allowing you to move on to the next. A cute yet challenging game, do give this a try as it is one of the more substantial PSVR experiences to be released in recent years.

Hue

Lastly for Part 1 of my list is Hue, by developers Fiddlesticks, a minimalistic puzzle game which uses colour as its main puzzle mechanic. During levels, the titular Hue can change the colour of the main background, and obstacles and platforms can also be of a certain colour, with anything that is the same colour as the background fading into it, and this idea makes for some very unique puzzle-solving. Hue can manipulate the background to make obstacles in the foreground appear or disappear, and then he can move platforms and obstacles through the spaces this creates, with the goal being to reach an exit. It’s a very intriguing game with a clever concept, and definitely deserves more attention, so do give this a try.

So that concludes Part 1 of my look back at some interesting titles that have been released in recent years. These titles are not too nostalgic, but still old enough that they deserve to be looked at again. I feel these games are fairly unique and have something different to offer, be it the gameplay, characters or story, so if you are looking for something more varied, then do give some of the games in this list a try, or at least check out the gameplay footage on YouTube if any have caught your attention! These are all highly recommended!