STILL PLAYING
Games that continue to hold our attention
Persona 4 Golden
Oscar Taylor-Kent takes the train back to Inaba
As Soul Hackers 2 creeps up my most wanted list, I’m drawn to return to its cousin, Persona. The fourth entry remains a standout for a few reasons – the small-town murder mystery is sublime, the characters you befriend and help through their problems are all-timers, and having a hefty RPG like this on PS Vita is perfect. Persona 5 might outclass it in some ways, but using Remote Play to play while travelling is less ideal. If you think you don’t like RPGs on the big TV, join me in tackling one on the go.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Rachel Watts has side-quest scatterbrain
I love a map dotted with question marks – it’s like a platter of tiny foods ready to be gobbled up. The map in The Witcher 3 is like a giant banquet. Quests such as clearing monster nests and beating up bandits are lowpressure. It’s not all busywork though; question marks hide some of The Witcher’s best storylines. I've started on a small task that has unwound into a much longer quest with dramatic twists. But smaller quests like helping an old lady find her frying pan are just as delicious.
Cozy Grove
Jess Kinghorn suggests bringing it in
Cosy games too often invite you to set up your own patch while sending you off to strip resources from the land and snatch up everything that’s not nailed down in order to realise a manicured fantasy. Cozy Grove instead asks you to be a good neighbour. There are critters to befriend, things to make, and gifts to give, but a focus on narrative sees interaction with your forest friends skewing closer to building a friendship than a transactional process. At its best, this is like a warm and fuzzy ghost-bear hug.
Quests such as clearing monster nests and beating up bandits are low-pressure.