Celeste [official site] is simple enough. It’s a platformer about climbing a mountain in which you can jump, air-dash to clear larger gaps, wall jump, and hold down right-trigger on the controller to cling to vertical surfaces until your stamina runs out. You leap between platforms, you avoid the spikes, and it’s all very pleasant.

That’s how it begins, anyway. By the time I reached its third area, the last included in the preview build I’ve been playing, I’m fleeing from mirror-world clones of myself that mimic my movements and destroy me on touch and navigating the world via blocks full of colourful stars. With each twist introduced as I climb its mountain, Celeste climbs higher in my estimation.

… [visit site to read more]

Back when simulated man Tim Stone declared War Thunder [official site] one of the best sims, it wasn’t even out of beta. Now, after four years in open beta, Gaijin Entertainment have declared their free-to-play aeroplane-a-tank battler is… well, not done>, but officially ‘released’ and out of beta. War Thunder is still missing several long-planned features, like proper shipfights, but they are coming. … [visit site to read more]

Where we are, it’s cold outside right now. So cold that we’re all huddled around the fire, unwilling to explore the winter world. Our Advent Calendar celebrates the best games of 2016 and behind the 21st door you’ll find…

It’s the best use of nature in a game…Firewatch [official site]!

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Sci-fi sandbox Starbound [official site] may have left early access and officially launched in July (it’s “sincere, incredibly ambitious sandbox that’s as full of charm, and space-faring pirate penguins, as it is stuff to build and places to explore” is Wot Fraser Brown Thinks) but content updates keep on rolling. The latest has added ancient vaults full of nasty enemies and lost technology, terraforming so players can give planets makeovers, weapon upgrades to juice up old favourites, and, of course, Space Santa. … [visit site to read more]

Gwan Play is an endful stream of game retrospectives. One a day, on one day, perhaps for all Wednesday.>

Christmas simply isn’t Christmas without Dracula Cha Cha, I said in 2014. Dracula goes for a stroll on a chilly Winterval day, collecting presents, smashing snowmen, deploying his Dracula Karate against Christmas trees, and bopping to Green Door. Ah, it’s all so merry! I always play it round Christmas. But I never did mention that a new version followed in 2015 to add more levels and such traditional Christmas activities as bowling and defending your thesis. G’wan, play it. … [visit site to read more]

Have You Played? is an endless stream of game retrospectives. One a day, every day of the year, perhaps for all time.>

I like to argue about how Quake 3 is better, because I’m an early-’00s scamp, but the truth is that I love Unreal Tournament, too. Particulary its sniper rifle, particularly Facing Worlds. … [visit site to read more]

Given its pretty open-crimeworld shininess but blah reception, Mafia 3 [official site] seems likely to fall in the category of ‘games to maybe pick up cheap on sale and pootle around over Winterval while clutching our bellies and groaning ‘I should never have drunk all that eggnog”. In which case, you might be interested to know that an update yesterday added races and car customisation. This update comes a month after an update added dressing up, another feature I’d sorta expect to see in a sandbox. But hey, now players can design super cool radcars. … [visit site to read more]

Darkest Dungeon [official site] is the year’s best dungeon crawler, sez we, but I must confess I find it a bit of a grind at times. So, good news: developers Red Hook Studios have announced plans for a mode which won’t necessarily be easier but will cut the game’s length down from 80-ish hours to around 40. They’ve also revealed a smidgen more of its upcoming vampiric DLC, The Crimson Court, by showing off the grizzled vampire hunter who may well come after your party. Lovely! All this plus details on yesterday’s patch (controller support!) below. … [visit site to read more]

The top-down shanking simulator Prison Architect [official site] has received an update that introduces needs for the prison’s staff, including the desire to go for a whizz, eat food in the canteen and the need to feel safe while working. The game was supposed to be fully cooked, or at least that’s what developers Introversion said in August with their 2.0 “final” update, saying that it wouldn’t be getting any more features. But they’ve gone back on their word, the dogs>, saying that this feature has been “something that has been niggling away in the back of our minds”. … [visit site to read more]

Merry Civmas, everyone! Sidta Claus has arrived with bulging Sid Meier’s Sack full of Sid Meier’s Presents for Sid Meier’s Civilization 6 [official site], giving all of Sid Meier’s Players a big update with Sid Meier’s Fixes and Sid Meier’s Tweaks, while Sid Meier’s Flush Sid Meier’s Players can Sid Meier’s Buy new Sid Meier’s DLC. The most exciting of the two new DLC packs adds Poland as a playable civilization, ruled by Jadwiga, while the other adds viking-y scenarios. But first, the foundations: let’s rap about AI improvements. … [visit site to read more]