Better together

Over the past few weeks we’ve been thinking about synergy. Steering individual atoms into the path of others to form molecules inside the pristine labs of Sokobond Express feels like a pure expression of the idea of collective power. But we’re really talking about alchemy rather than chemistry: those sometimes unlikely combinations of disparate elements that result in a strange kind of magic.

Take the lurid surroundings of Ultros, for instance. This cosmic sarcophagus initially seems like a hostile place, not least since it regularly returns you to the start, robbing you of the powers you’d previously unlocked. But over successive loops you learn to work with rather than against its flora and fauna, nurturing the land to produce a more virtuous (and mutually advantageous) cycle.

In Banishers: Ghosts Of New Eden, spirit hunter Red and newly ghostified partner Antea grow closer in a more literal sense. Fusing their bodies to span the worlds of living and dead is both a testament to the power of their love and an opportunity to give an elite enemy’s health bar a severe trim. Meanwhile, friendship rather than romance blossoms in Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Extracurricular excursions with your party might seem prosaic after battling giant sharks, but they firm up burgeoning bonds, making for more effective team-ups should you cross paths with another oversized Great White.

Not all combinations are greater than the sum of their parts, of course. There’s a nagging sense that those making the creative choices on Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League weren’t on the same page as those behind the business decisions. A certain Clown Prince of Crime is set to join this service game in the coming months, but in the meantime you’ll find all the jokers you could ever want in Balatro – and it’s here, while experimenting with combinations of these cheat cards, where the joy of synergy is at its most potent.