Congratulations everyone, we’ve once again made it into a brand-new month. We had some laughs in February; it was a good one overall, but the future is here, and it’s bringing with it even more games to try and play. It’s almost as though games will just keep being released forever. Will there ever be a quiet month? Well, we’re hoping that’s never the case.
This week’s three games are all very different in terms of genre, style, and general vibe. To be honest, we love it no matter whether the games are similar or completely different, but it does make for a slightly more interesting article when the game devs of the world unite to bring us a veritable smorgasbord to look over with greedy eyes and hunger in our brain-stomachs.
Whether you’re looking for a puzzle game, a gritty RPG, or something so punishing you’ll feel like crying, we’ve got you covered. We’re not sure anybody plays games specifically to get so frustrated that they cry, but roguelikes as a genre are more or less designed to elicit that response, so there’s got to be a fair few people out there who aren’t that good at them, but still love playing them. Anyway, the games…
Maquette
Maquette is a noun that means “a sculptor’s small preliminary model or sketch.” It’s good to learn things, and now that you’ve learned things, we can tell you that the game is all about puzzle-solving. Set in a world heavily inspired by the world of MC Escher, you have the chance to mess around with objects that are impossibly large and also incredibly tiny. Your job is to find out how to solve the issues ahead of you using these strange in flux physics, and as you get through the puzzles, you’ll also discover more about the story.
You see, Maquette is a modern-day love story, one where the size of things is relative, and the issues that they cause is equally so. It’s a beautiful game, and it’s one that we’re certain will match the visuals with a carefully crafted story and some mind-bending and difficult puzzles. If you’re not in the mood for action, and you just want to fix some things, then Maquette is for you.
‘Maquette’ is now available for PS4, PS5 and PC.
The Life And Suffering Of Sir Brante
This one has an incredibly cool look to it. The Life And Suffering Of Sir Brante could easily be the name of an emo song, or album, or band, or festival, but is instead, a tale of woe in a gritty world. You have to guide Sir Brante throughout their life as they try and find a path through an unforgiving life and make something of themselves. The world itself is governed by deities called The Twin Gods, and they’ve gone ahead and imposed a class system on the world. You can fight against it, but it won’t be easy to do.
The main attraction here is that every choice matters. That means you’ll be taken on a journey through infinitely winding and interlocking paths, and what you see isn’t what anyone else who plays will see. This basically means that you can 100 per cent end up doing multiple playthroughs to see what happens if you go left instead of right, and there’s even a system here for incorporating death and stat growth. It’s a fascinating idea, and if it can manage the game that it’s claiming to be, then The Life And Suffering Of Sir Brante could be exceptional.
‘The Life And Suffering Of Sir Brante’ is now available for PC.
Loop Hero
Loop Hero is not a game where you try and match five-button inputs to make hula hoops dance, or knit a scarf. Instead, it’s a game where The Lich has plunged an entire world into a timeless loop, which seems to have caused some issues. You’ll be able to fight back against this whole thing by building a deck filled with mystical cards that can include enemies, buildings, and even the land itself.
As is always the way with any good modern-day card game, there are plenty of ways to play, characters to unlock, and upgrades to manage. Loop Hero has a very specific graphical style that feels reminiscent of Game Boy Colour games, and that’s enough of a sell for some people. The good news though, is that there’s actually a demo you can play if you’d rather try it out first. Aren’t you lucky?
‘Loop Hero’ is now available for PC, Linux and Mac.