Mushroom 11 By: Untame You've probably heard me say this a lot: I hate platformers. It's incredibly rare for me to finish one. I usually try some because the graphics are impressive or the game just looks interesting, maybe has a theme I relate to. But I give up on most of them fairly early on. The exceptions are those that use some platforming ideas but are designed around the strengths of…
Causality By: Loju Games As you might know, Snakebird was my 2016 Game of the Year. It showed me that a turn-based, seemingly simple puzzler can be tough as nails but user-friendly in every possible way. It made me more critical of the puzzle games I play, looking at them with fresh eyes. Are they just throwing everything they could think of at a player to make it seem longer? Are they…
Hidden Folks By: Adriaan de Jongh I'll admit, I had some reservations about Hidden Folks ever since I heard about it. Even though I liked Where's Waldo as a kid, I'm not a big fan of hidden object games. And in all appearances, that's what the game seemed to be, albeit in a cute package. I saw screenshots and GIFs of it and thought it looked charming, but was worried there wouldn't…
The Frostrune By: Grimnir Media & Snow Cannon Games If you're a follower of this blog, you probably know that I'm a big fan of point-and-click adventure games, especially atmospheric ones. I have a weak spot for pretty artwork and I love when a game can draw me in on its visuals alone. The Frostrune, a gorgeous game made by Norse developer Grimnir and published by Snow Cannon Games, is one I…
Splitter Critters By: RAC7 Games (Update, 2/4/2017: The game got some new content, discussed below.) When I got my first iPhone, it felt like magic. It still kind of does, but now it's magic I've gotten used to, that is part of my daily life. I don't often stop and ponder anymore how incredible it is that thing is able to translate my taps and swipes into very specific commands. In the…
Aurora - Puzzle Adventure By: Silverback Games Let me start this review by saying that I absolutely love the idea behind Silverback Games' Aurora - Puzzle Adventure. I even love the puzzle design -- most of the time. It's creative, clever, and sometimes downright tricky. It's because I like the puzzles so much that I put up with a lot that I didn't like in order to enjoy them. There are so…
Swap Sword By: Alec Thomson If you've been following me for a while, you probably know that I'm a big fan of match-three games, but not the kind that you see in abundance in the App Store. I prefer the deeper games that rely on skill (and a bit of luck), where you can't buy your way ahead. Since most match-three games are free with timers and pay-to-win in-app purchases (IAP), I…
Little Briar Rose By: Mangatar What you'll notice first about Elf Games Works' and Mangatar's point-and-click adventure, Little Briar Rose, is the art style that's meant to mimic stained glass, the kind you see in the beginning of Disney's animated Beauty and the Beast. But that's not the fairy tale being told here. Instead, it's a version of the tale better known as Sleeping Beauty, in which a princess is put into…