Donut County

Developer: Ben Esposito
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
Release: 2018
Platform: iOS, PC (played), PS4, XOne, Android
Genre: Puzzle

At first Donut County feels like a Windosill--i.e. a pleasant tactile experience--that lacks the courage to stay in its wordless standalone toy-ish sandbox form: the story bits feel intrusive and the player will often spend more time reading than actually playing the amusing levels.

It’s a good thing then that both characters and plot are engaging enough for the player to care about them--to the point the levels act like a “pleasure delayer” and ultimately make the comebacks even more enjoyable.

Deliciously inviting.

The short campaign (around 2 hours) per se doesn’t pose a problem; but the game would benefit immensely from some Free Play, Sandbox or Level Maker modes of sorts since the mechanics--nailed so gracefully--are there already, begging to be played with more often.

KNIGHTS

Developer: Arzola's
Publisher: Arzola's
Release: 2016
Platform: PC
Genre: Puzzle

Veteran Chess players could, at first glance, dismiss dropping money in a game built upon the mechanics of a single piece--specially when "full real deal" versions are so abundant (and frequently free); in the opposite corner of the board some Queen's Gambit-fueled newcomer, eager to dive below the waterline, could get to the same conclusion for completely different reasons. Both groups wouldn't do themselves any favours in doing so though.

In fact the knights that lend the game its title easily make up for a dozen hours worthy of puzzle cracking--and then some more--entirely on their own.

Second-naturing "L"s

By tackling those puzzles at a comfortable pace--the game not only allows that but also encourages the player to do so with its "light unlock" system--fresh apprentices will be able to start glimpsing through the most erratic and unpredictable strategies in the game through focusing solely on the piece that usually carries them out; and growing capable of making their movement patterns second nature as the game progresses can be rewarding enough per se.

Seasoned players will be able to improve just as much by solving the final Level Packs--or even by taking advantage of specific scenarios that always have the potential of tricking players that are yet to experience such situations in real-life matches.

The elegant presentation (both graphics and sound wise) and the infinitely expandable "Daily" mode that comes after the curated campaign puzzles--all under a low price tag--make KNIGHTS a no brainer for any player (regardless of their experience) interested in the game.

Fortix 2

Developer: Nemesys Games
Publisher: Nemesys Games
Release: 2011
Platform: PC
Genre: Puzzle

With the first Fortix iteration Nemesys Games gave Taito's original take on the arcadey "capture" puzzler a fantasy spin and took advantage of the setting in favor of a couple mechanics twists, like capturing catapults or using conquered territory as cover against watchtowers' fire--in a way adding a layer of tower-defensing to the long forgotten formula. It never achieves Qix's level of tension (much due to the original's unmatchable surreal sci-fi thematic), but it fares well enough in what it was intended to--even if the Flash indie aesthetics don't get to sell it well.

Fortix 2 builds upon every corner of its predecessor's foundation, and it's mostly for the better: the game's presentation (and overall mood) is still casual, but several notches up regarding art direction; new enemies/power-ups are introduced at a more fine-tuned pace, lending the game a solid feel to the experience as a whole; and the same can be said about levels design, with the handcrafted walls/keys mechanics--despite the fact those sacrifice some of the player's freedom in favor of a more heavy-handed gameplay flow.

The art direction overhaul ups the game a couple notches.

On top of the meatier main game, the extra content is what really makes Fortix 2 unmissable for players interested in such a specific premise. Several difficulty settings (with specific related achievements), an extra hidden mode that changes the gameplay in meaniful ways, valuable Steam Trading Cards, plus the entire first game (reskinned with the modern assets) available as a post-game unlockable make Fortix 2's value hard to pass.