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By Chris Plante August 3, 2010 |
World of Goo is more than a puzzle game; it is a tale of populist angst, corporate deceit and grassroots rebellion – and it’s cute too! Gooey Ball People are in danger. You must construct bridges and towers from the Goo and find safety for those who survive the world’s pits, spikes and buzz saws.
Limbo, a puzzle-platformer created by Danish studio Playdead, is an exercise in patience. The world is moody, unsettlingly silent, frustratingly dangerous, the sort of monochromatic wasteland you might mistake for Purgatory. And yet, Limbo’s inky landscape is a refreshing departure from the sharp, 3D wastelands that are a hallmark of blockbuster shooters. It’s no less dark or violent than those games, but it’s more shocking: after all, no Call of Duty has you crawling the map, avoiding clamps that might snap off his head.
Don’t let the motorcycle-riding Evil Knievel wannabe fool you: Joe Danger is the best Sonic game never made by SEGA. Hello Games is a small team who seem to have a shared class at the Miyamoto School for Game Design. The game coaxes progression with new skills, goals and achievements. The stages are bright, filled with crazy objects that launch players across the screen. And they’re over before you know it.
A 13-year-old game that still holds up, especially with a sleek next-gen polish. Symphony of the Night is a starting point for series newcomers and an appetizer for Castlevania: Harmony of Despair.