Escape lockdown boredom with these new releases
IT HAS been a strange old start to the year, and I can only believe that things will get better as we move through 2021. January is behind us, and February brings a clutch of new games to offer some respite from the grim reality of life at the moment.
There’s a perilous adventure with Tilo the Mouse, a new bunch of Nightmares to explore, and as the month ends, there’s a reminder that you should never feed the monkeys.
MAID OF SKER (PEGI 18) Switch
Release: February 26
FOR those who like to get their kicks from darker tales, the Maid of Sker is a homemade survival horror, brimming with gory and macabre history from British folklore.
Inspired by the tales of Sker House, a historic place situated just outside Porthcawl, near Bridgend, Wales, the game is set in 1898 in the Sker Hotel in the imaginary setting of Sker Island.
Stealth is the name of the game here, as the villains of the piece – The Quiet Ones – are attracted to sound, and our protagonist, Thomas Evans – is unarmed.
While the gameplay mechanics are nothing much to write home about, the rich plot, haunting soundtrack and beautiful graphics make this a chilling experience
GHOST OF A TALE: COLLECTOR’S EDITION (PEGI 12)
XBOX ONE, PS4, PC, Switch
Release: February 5
THIS stunning little game started life as a crowd-funding campaign by Dreamworks veteran Lionel “Seith” Gallat.
It follows the tale of brave minstrel mouse Tilo, on a quest to escape the dungeons of Dwindling Heights Keep and discover the fate of his love, Merra.
Set in a dark, medieval world ruled by cruel Rats, Tilo will need to be smart, stealthy and agile to complete his quest.
Combining exploration, actionrpg and classic adventure, with a rich and immersive visual style, this collector’s edition comes packed with goodies, including a beautiful artbook, a copy of the soundtrack, a pin badge, and more.
DO NOT FEED THE MONKEYS: COLLECTOR’S EDITION (PEGI 16)
Switch
Release: February 26
ONE of the more original games to emerge in the last few years, Do Not Feed the Monkeys casts the player as a spy in charge of monitoring multiple live video feeds.
You are charged with gathering information about the people and objects caught on these feeds – while also managing your character’s health, and lifestyle expenses – such as rent.
While you’re not asked to interact with the people you’re spying on, it is possible to do so – and this adds bonuses but also risks the safety of your character.
Full of humour and surprises, it’s also an interesting social commentary on the many issues and fears relating to mass surveillance.
LITTLE NIGHTMARES 2 (PEGI 16)
XBOX ONE, PS4, PC, Switch
Release: February 11
SIX may have escaped the Maw, but there are fresh horrors awaiting the rain-coated, barefoot child.
The highly-anticipated sequel to 2017’s superb original, this time Six teams up with Mono, a boy who wears a brown paper bag as a mask.
Together, the two must navigate the Pale City, a decaying metropolis inhabited by deformed, televisionaddicted citizens.
The aim is to reach the Signal Tower, to uncover its dark secrets and find out who is spreading poison through the TV screens.
There’s a host of new enemies to encounter including the Teacher, the Students, the Patients, the Living Hands, and the Ghost.
SUPER MARIO 3D WORLD + BOWSER’S FURY (PEGI 7)
Switch
Release: February 12
SUPER Mario Bros is marking its 35th anniversary and to celebrate Nintendo has a whole host of plans.
One of the first, is to release an enhanced port of the much-loved 2013 Wii release, Super Mario 3D World, to the Switch.
Additions to the game include an online multiplayer option, Amiibo functionality to spawn power-ups, the ability to take in-game screenshots, and four-player co-op to take on the Captain Toad levels with friends.
The game also comes with Bowser’s Fury, a new campaign in which Mario teams up with Bowser Jnr to stop Bowser, the current King of the Koopas.