Traal (iOS)

Traal is spooky. Basically you try to make it though the dungeon, but if your character "sees" a monster (with his little point-of-view flashlight) then he freaks out and runs in the opposite direction, usually into spikes and dies. I found it pretty darn hard. The best thing about this game is the sound. When your character spots a monster there's this terrible screech! It's so horrible. If you're into this kinda thing, play with headphones, you'll be freaked out every time. It just goes to show you that the monsters don't have to look scary to us to make them scary in the game. I did my best to avoid them just so I wouldn't have to hear that noise. Unfortunately, it was really hard, and it's not quite what I'm looking for in an iOS game.

It's much more fun with a keyboard. If you want to try it, just go here to play in your browser.

There are alot more games on Jonathan Whiting's page to check out.

Upcoming : The Story of Choices

I'm interested to see where this goes, I like the idea and the style from Behold Studios in Brazil, looks like iOS just like their previous title : Knights of Pen and Paper - definitely looks like something that I am going to check out.

Thomas Was Alone (PC)

I've become more and more attracted to games that streamline gaming to it's essence; graphically and gameplay-wise. Mike Bithell's "Thomas Was Alone" does just that so I've been interested in this one since before the release. The graphics are done with love but kept simple - no textures or special effects, the characters are reduced to rectangles - the gameplay is equally simple : guide the rectangles to their respective exits, using their special abilities to overcome obstacles and puzzles. There are only two buttons: jump and change character. The amount of challenge and the length (under 4 hours) was a really nice fit for my gaming personality at the moment aswell - I need more memorable 4 hour experiences and less 40+ hour bores.

All of this means that there is no distraction. You can concentrate on the story, which forms slowly through the stellar commentating by British comedian and writer of Yes Man, Danny Wallace. The game is so touching and  just feels comforting as you play it, it's not asking too much of you, you can play it with your kids - my daughter was always asking "What's that one called?" and "Is he alone too?." For me it brought out feelings I had about gaming as a kid, especially when it comes to graphics: they don't matter it's all about character - that little pixelly Mario had so much character in my mind and so do Thomas and his friends. Looking at the fan response online it looks like I'm not the only one who thinks so.

Play it. It's on PC/MAC and PS3/PSVITA

Dust : An Elysian Tail

I had heard good things about Dust, played the demo and when it came on sale around Christmas I grabbed it. I couldn't quite sink my teeth into it though. Graphics usually don't turn me off much, but I couldn't really get into the look of Dust, and although I have read reviews about the game saying that it's a "technical beat'em up" I just felt like I was doing the same moves over and over again and smashing everything like that. Too repetitive, not quite interesting enough - although I'm sure if it tickles your fancy then you'll love it. I didn't. I moved on.

Bit Dungeon (iOS)

Monster filled dungeons? Check! Equipment and Skills? Check! Nostalgic retro graphics? Check. Bought. Never looked back.

You can play it in your browser here.

There has also been a substantial update and @KintoGames has been teasing screenshots of a sequel on twitter. Looks like it might even have multiplayer? What?!

KintoGames.com

Dungeon Hearts (iOS)

Devolver Digital (of Serious Sam & Hotline Miami) has recently released Dungeon Hearts - a twist on the match three genre. You play a band of heros that stand in the oncoming wake of the "fatestream" - four lines on which little gems slide towards them. By matching these gems, mixing and linking them horizontally and vertically, you create combos and damage and kill of monsters in your way. After every battle you get a chance to play a mini puzzle on the fatestream to level up your characters, and then they get skills etc. The monsters have gems too and when these reach your heroes they take damage or other bad things happen, blindness, freezing, the usual. The whole thing looks like Guitar Hero mixed with Bejeweled mixed with Hero's Academy - which is good, the lack of actual violence and the colourful gameplay makes is possible to play infront of my little daughter (who loves to watch her daddy play on the iPad)

I bought this to support Devolver, since I loved Hotline Miami, but I'm already having a ton of fun with this face-paced puzzler. Another positive : only 1 in-app-purchase and that's to unlock the soundtrack right away (which must unlock eventually if you play well) - which shows some respect for the people that bought this game, there's no IAP for costumes or character upgrades or different skills...and it makes a big difference - gold farming here would really bring down the quality of the experience.

Skulls of the Shogun (XBLA)

Played the demo for 'Skulls of the Shogun' on Xbox Live Arcade and was very surprised how good this game seems.The art-style is really good in some places but in other places it reminded me of a mobile game - maybe it was the combination of the font and some colour choices. If you aren't bothered by that though, you've found yourself a hilarious turn-based strategy game, with good strategy and a fun premise. Protect your General as he moves up the mountain of the afterlife. The background is more interactive then you'd think and you'll need to navigate the terrain to gain the upper hand - I was surprised when I first found out that you could bump enemies right off the cliff. The background was more interactive than I thought.

I do think though, that this would be a great fit on a tablet, and I hope to see it on my ipad at some point.

Update : I actually read now that this game is available on Windows Phones and Tablets, and can sync in between them all....pretty cool....too bad no one actually uses the Surface.