NEAR MISSES

Big Brain Academy: Brain Vs Brain Switch Clearing that pile of shame sometimes means neglecting newer, shinier games, and there were several for which we didn’t quite have the room (or time) this issue. While few would have bet on Nintendo’s other brain-training series matching Dr Kawashima for longevity, Brain Vs Brain makes a reasonably convincing case for its existence via its online Ghost Clash mode. Here you compete against the ghost data of other players in a series of mental races: sure, it was probably a kid of primary-school age we just trounced, but we take these wins where we can get them.

Nix Umbra PC This brisk, intense firstperson occult horror sees you stumbling through a pitch-dark forest, seeking refuge from barely glimpsed terrors. Trees suddenly burst into flame as you brush past them, while strange shapes dart in and out of sight as you advance. Raising your sword unleashes a dazzling flash to keep these creatures at bay, but leaves you desperately short of the light you need to avoid being swallowed up by the void. Death comes quickly, then, but progress is tangible – and despite its trialand-error mechanics, Nix Umbra keeps finding new, awful ways to freak you out.

One Hand Clapping Switch We’ve had a game you control by blinking this year; now here’s one you play with your voice. The intent, it seems, is to encourage vocal confidence: a noble intention, but it’s simply too easy, that central gimmick barely evolving from start to finish. Walk, jump, croon, walk some more… the biggest challenge, as with Before Your Eyes, turns out to be keeping your peepers open.

White Shadows PC Did you play Limbo, Inside and Little

Nightmares? If so, then you’ve already seen better versions of this derivative puzzleplatformer, although it deserves acclaim for its beautiful black-and-white presentation.