Carlos Bastarache: into-the-breach.jpg

Tuesday, 27 February 2018

into-the-breach.jpg

I always thought things that sounded too good to be true usually aren't told why discovered this!

Subset Games

Every week, it feels like there are more games for more platforms than ever before. So, every Tuesday, we look over the release schedule and pick out five games that are worth your time and attention. Starting, this week, with the return of Subset Games, and they’ve brought giant monsters with them.

Pick Of The Week: Into The Breach, Today ($15, PC)

Faster Than Light, the sim game where you keep a spaceship aloft (at least in theory), was a huge hit, but then the developers just disappeared. It turns out they were hard at work on Into The Breach, a strategy game that functions more like chess than Starcraft. You have to move pieces (well, mechs) carefully and sometimes let them die to get a larger advantage against the kaiju deep beneath the Earth. Especially intriguing are its tiny-scale battles, which have a heavy puzzle element. Just like FTL sucked you in, expect this to eat a lot of your time.

Part Time UFO, Today ($4, iOS and Android)

The developers of Kirby, HAL Laboratories, have a new stacking game where you play a little UFO with a big claw who grabs things to pitch in with the humans. It’s adorable, and it’s an interesting take on mobile gaming from long-time Nintendo devs.

A Normal Lost Phone, Thursday ($3, Switch)

This game, which got awards and stirred up some controversy when it first arrived on mobile, is a twist on the typical adventure game. It simulates a lost phone, as you might have guessed, and you have to use the various apps and clues strewn around to figure out who the owner is. The game never quite manages to deal with the question of how invasive you’re being, but it’s a great piece of design.

Turok and Turok 2 ($20, Xbox One)

Why, precisely, the obscure and absurdly cheesy comic book franchise about a Native man hunting dinosaurs got a video game is best not discussed. But the game itself, despite what you can guess are some problems with the concept, is a classic, and now it’s back for those who missed it. The sequel a little less so, but it’s still a lot of fun, and if you weren’t gaming in the heady days of 1990-something, it’s worth a revisit to the past.

Gravel, Today ($50, PS4, Xbox One and PC)

If you’re tired of slick racing games and overly fussy sims, why not take an opportunity to get in the muck? Off-road games are always an intriguing twist on the racing formula, and really, who doesn’t want to do donuts in a pickup truck in the middle of an arena?

Any games we missed? Let us know in the comments!