Gyromancer

Developer: Square Enix, PopCap Games

Publisher: Square Enix

Release: 2009

Platform: PC (played), X360

Genre: Puzzle

Weirder than seeing PopCap's logo following Square Enix's one is to behold the aggressive breed born from such unlikely partnership.

Gyromancer is somewhat oppressive in many levels: characters art pieces can be surprisingly wicked, the plot is dark and gory, and the gameplay--as far as gem-match puzzles go--aim to constrain the player instead of encourage creative problem solving. In fact, even simple actions as spinning gems counter clock-wise (something that could be intuitively pulled off with a right click of the mouse) cost an item, and must be executed sparingly. As it piles up towards the end, some concepts communicate badly and puzzles manage to become even cryptic, an unthinkable feature for an apparently casual setup.

But it still hooks. Finding, unlocking and training gorgeous beasts proves to be rewarding--and so does simply following the classic-yet-nicely-told story. To the point it's easy to take "twisting gems" for granted and end taking the game more seriously than it has any rights to be taken.

Great art--tied to almost-as-great writing.

Gyromancer succeeds by not only dressing PopCap's stuff in a beautiful coat of paint, but also by adding meaning to mundane gameplay mechanics.

Downwell

Developer: Moppin

Publisher: Devolver Digital

Release: 2015

Platform: iOS, PC (played), Android, PS4, Vita, Switch

Genre: Action

It's a shame that in a solid hardcore arcadey action game like Downwell the "flourish" roguelite elements end up bringing luck into the table in such a decisive manner: it’s not rare to spend an entire gameplay session running into useless free upgrades--or not running into the most valuable buyable ones at all (or finding them available in the shops only when having that kind of money is just plain impossible, and so on). That piles up upon relying on leaps of faith to keep going down the title well; and taking chances coupled together with funky collision boxes and some unpredictable wall jump mechanics may not paint a beautiful Virtual Boy-esque picture from the beginning.

But when it comes to the sheer pleasure of playing it Downwell can sit comfortably among the old classics it emulates—and expands upon.

Steppin on turtles will kill them--but only if it's exactly in the shell

If Miyamoto’s quote about a single idea solving multiple problems at once hints at something about game design Ojiro Fumoto is a worthy heir of the relatively new Japanese tradition of being good at it. The single action button (used primarily for jumping) unfolds as a jack-of-all-trades: while in the air, it shoots bullets from the character’s boots; those can kill enemies, but also make the character soar instead of simply falling; if the boots run out of bullets they will be promptly recharged upon touching the ground--or enemies’ heads for that matter (just like some old mustachio kappa-killer), and the gameplay can keep flowing depending on the player’s ability and reaction/prediction capabilities. But then there are enemies that can’t be stomped--as there are ones that can’t be shoot; and some of them give more gems than others, maybe worth the risk of getting hurt in the process of killing/reaching them; and just when the player starts to get too comfortable in taking their time to subvert the frenetic pace proposal water levels—together with a brand new air meter--are introduced.

Downwell acts as a prism, expanding the gameplay field from a single premise--and with a level of elegance rarely seen in games, old or new.

Radiant Historia

Developer: Atlus, Headlock

Publisher: Atlus

Release: 2010

Platform: Nintendo DS (played), 3DS

Genre: RPG

Time travel-based narratives are prone to plot holes, deal-breaking twists and inherent inconsistency problems, and Radiant Historia is no exception to that; but the game falls short from being stellar not on behalf of those.

Ambitious as it is for a portable exclusive release, the game is rough around the edges--and it shows. Sometimes it’s just about minor cosmetic details, like the lack of diagonal sprites/animations; other times more important issues surface, as the unreliable hit detection--or worse, when bad stats balancing (like poisoning damage hurting more than a full direct hit, or weaknesses being rendered irrelevant too frequently) almost break the innovative positioning/combo battle system.

Portraits/character design are gorgeous overall

But if a JRPG--especially one with a time gimmick at its core--is at least 50% story, players who come for that will be neatly served. The characters are strong and believable (and gorgeously presented while at it), the heavy focus on politics is well explored and creates a timeless relatable setting and the plot is interesting enough to make up for the false “choose your path” pitch (both main and alternative timelines will have to be explored eventually, like it or not). And even if the game isn’t Chrono Trigger-tier the heavenly Yoko Shimomura’s score makes it feel almost so.

Not without its shortcomings, Radiant Historia is still well worth the ride for focusing on what matters most as a trusty representative of the tradition it’s part of.

EDGE

Developer: Mobigame

Publisher: Mobigame

Release: 2008

Platform: Android, iOS, PSP, PC (played), Mac, Wii U, 3DS

Genre: Puzzle

Yet another geometric-shaped puzzler, EDGE elevates itself above the rest through sporting finesse in almost every aspect of the production process. Art direction, graphics (tech and art wise), sound (both music and sound effects) and level design are all pristine, and the final product is well balanced between retro-ey and modern.

When it comes to gameplay mechanics things get a bit more complicated--even though that was a conscious design decision as well: the innate "digital" (meaning stiff) character of the main avatar gets in the way of the "analogue" (meaning subtle) needs of many of the most interesting puzzles. That's because "rolling" a cube down tight platforming conundrums or quick shape-shifting environments can only feel awkward and lead to death-by-trial-and-error since quickly reacting out of danger is out of question. In the times the game acknowledges that as a feature and puts it to good use, it clicks brilliantly; but maybe there is near the same amount of frustration around.

"Parkouring" with a cube can be both frustrating and delightful

As a piece of videogame art the outcome is highly positive though. Even if EDGE has its flaws it's good to see this degree of confidence shine through the entire journey of a game in such a cohesive fashion.

80 Days

Developer: Inkle

Publisher: Inkle

Release: 2014

Platform: PC (played), Mac, Android, iOS

Genre: Interactive fiction

80 Days picks a solid source to draw ideas from--even if it isn't the very best on Jules Verne's catalogue it can be a reassuring one to work with due to the scope of the premise being pretty straight-forward from the start--and develops it into a multimedia piece.

When this take on the story flirts with steampunk upgrades results are just bland; but the writing itself is interesting enough to keep a player hooked, even if some decisions aren't necessarily meaningful--curiosity for the outcomes of a particularly intriguing dialogue tree will frequently be the fuel that keeps conversations going.

Mechanics-wise 80 Days can be better compared to another adventure series, more familiar to gamers than to literates: Carmen Sandiego. It unfolds as the player gathers intel that inform future decisions regarding the trip--available routes, paths closed and so on--but that comes at the price of spending time, by far the most important resource in the game. Just like with Carmen, asking around--and sleeping, and waiting--gives the clock a spin, and that may be decisive by the end of the game. The second resource to be aware of is money, but Mr. Fogg has quite a decent amount of funds available to draw from--as long as you can find a bank and wait for the funds to arrive (once again, draining time). At least managing funds adds an extra layer of complexity to the gameplay itself, since you may learn people in New Orleans would pay a lot for harmonicas and maybe you should bring one there for some easy cash, for instance--it's a bit on the light side but still a refreshing meta nevertheless.

The artstyle is clean and distinct

In the eyes of a classic gamer, 80 days has a downside that may be game breaking for some: arbitrariness. Some careful planning can be thrashed to pieces in a second when unpredictable events come into play. But maybe that's for the better; it steers the game away from a simplistic (and common in games as a medium) cause/consequence mindset to push it towards the piece of art it’s based on--or even further, being art that imitates life.

Data Jammers: FastForward

Developer: Digital Eel

Publisher: Digital Eel

Release: 2011

Platform: PC

Genre: Action

In the trail of music/racer hybrids like Audiosurf, Data Jammers: FastForward ditches gimmicry for polish--and that choice benefits the final product in many levels.

The lanes system lends the gameplay more precision when it comes to grabbing collectibles or avoiding enemies, but the controls don't suffer from the apparent limitations--some nonrelated depth issues aside, they're silky smooth. New mechanics are introduced at a gentle pace, and twisted to some cool results in boss battles; that's where a puzzle component gets into play, and even when it occasionally frustrates, the satisfaction feeling after "solving" a battle is what stays with the player.

More value is added to the experience through some lovely useless "lore" of sorts: before each level, data on possible enemies and their motivations create an interest for what's to come--even if only for curiosity sake.

Lovely useless lore

Ultimately Data Jammers never crosses the "flow" line due to small balance issues; but the trip is a pleasant one throughout the short duration of its burst--one that never overstays its welcome.

Marvel Puzzle Quest

Developer: Demiurge Studios
Publisher: D3 Go!
Release: 2013
Platform: Android (played), iOS, PC, X360, PS3
Genre: Puzzle

Aeons after the "licensed IP golden era" (back when having Disney slapped in a videogame box meant more than Nintendo Seal of Quality by miles) Demiurge managed not only to make a decently balanced F2P match-3 game but also (even rarer) to play in favor of the original material's values.

Mechanics wise the gameplay is pretty straight-forward: matching gems damage enemies while charging special powers within the same spectrum; teams can be assembled to concentrate efforts in a given playstyle or to cover one another's weaknesses.

But battle for what? Ultimately for growing a collection of heroes, which vary from one to five stars accordingly to their rarity--and here the good IP use starts to show. Tokens aren't just digital keys; they're represented by real life comics' covers, both holding the possibility of being a personal meaningful memento for any given player and allowing the devs to explore several iterations of a character without having to stick to a single "definitive" (and inherently controversial) version.

Patch Wolvie: best there is? You're well served.

But there's more. The juggling an Avengers movie scriptwriter must go through to make every single character meaninful is amplified here in sheer numbers and scope alike--from godlike, almighty characters like Thanos to literally Howard the Duck (and everything between) each and every piece of IP has a chance to shine through some fine-tuned balance job. Obvious stuff are in play, of course (charging red gems for Iron Man's Unibeam, for instance), but many interesting mechanics are pulled from passive powers, starting with Hulk's "Anger" (creating green tiles when hit above a certain threshold) and developing towards more complex (and well-informed) behaviours like Carnage's unruliness serving trouble to friend and foes indiscriminately.

F2P is devilish though, and the usual "behind the curve" feel for a non-paying player is here, light as it is; but even that it's not enough to break the carefully handled Marvel spell.

Super Mario 3D Land

Developer: Nintendo EAD
Publisher: Nintendo
Release: 2011
Platform: 3DS
Genre: Platformer

Being given birth some fitting 9 months into the hardware’s maturing life Super Mario 3D Land is the first non-gimmicky title to make the 3D slider truly useful—if not almost mandatory in a couple dizzying sections.

But having the best 3D in the platform comes at a cost—and at times a high one: a heavily scripted, stiff camera system. Compelling as they are, the beautifully crafted levels are meant to be experienced in specific ways; that is less harming when it’s just about the game showing off, but it steadily grows in annoyance in tighter platforming sections, leap-of-faith star coins or the battles where Bowser looks awesome at expense of the very ground the player needs to thread.

Gorgeous, but not very functional.

Another structure issue keeps that very same top-notch design from being fully enjoyable: ol’ time limits are just pointless where the series is now—to the point there are extra clocks clumsily scattered around with the sole purpose of making exploration affordable.

Despite never quite unlocking its full potential Super Mario 3D Land remains a fine example on Nintendo’s ethos of making good hardware-informed software.