I remember seeing an initial reveal trailer for The Plucky Squire a few years ago, and the central conceit that the protagonist - Jot - could leap forth from the confines of the book in which he is a main character instantly appealed to me.
The blending of the illustrated 2D cartoon world in which he resides with the ‘real’ 3D world opens up myriad gameplay possibilities, and really caught my eye. Fast forward to the tail-end of 2024 – to a situation whereby I have the opportunity to play the Plucky Squire with my three-year old son - and the act of playing the game becomes a family-bonding, transformative experience.
When I first caught wind of Sugoroku Casino Party, I wasn’t really sure what to expect beyond what appeared to be a digital version of a casino-based board game scenario. Luckily, the game turned out to be awesome fun that drew us in as a family over the Christmas period with its simple premise and accessible – yet addictive – games.
A game for up to six players, Sugoroku Casino Party is a bright and vibrant digital board game set in a casino world. There are quite a few options to get your setup just right, such as number of players, bots, length of the games themselves – with a save mechanic - and the chance to tackle each mini-game separately if you so wish. You can also lightly customise your in-game avatar with uniforms and colours to add some personality to your little plain board game piece.
Word-based puzzlers are big hits in our household here at the Welsh branch of The Mighty GF, and so I always get a mite excited when one pops up on our radar. What makes Unwording a little different is the mental health focused aspect of the narrative, as described by the developer:
Unwording is a short but powerful exploration of overcoming negative self-talk. Solve word puzzles, explore the neighbourhood through multiple perspectives, and help Tom have a better day through a challenging yet cathartic experience.
