Genres

Only Shigeru Miyamoto could have come up with Pikmin, an often difficult real-time strategy game starring cute, altruistic plant creatures that are willing to do anything for strangers, no questions asked. The first two titles were big hits for the Gamecube, and for eight years fans have been waiting for Pikmin 3. Well, the wait is over and, at the very least, longtime fans and newcomers have another excuse to boot-up their Wii U.

Upon releasing Mikey Shorts in 2012, BeaverTap Games suddenly found themselves at the forefront of handheld platforming, perfecting the speed run formula with impeccably-designed levels and controls in their debut iOS tit It was hands down one of the best iOS releases of the year - and as I often do these days with games and movies, I prayed the inevitable sequel didn't ruin my fond memories.

Three things in this world are certain: death, taxes, and stealth missions in video games. Some games include stealth missions for variety or back-of-box feature lists, and others include them as an alternative to smash-and-grab gameplay. Few games really focus on covert gameplay as a primary mechanic, and that’s probably because making good stealth games are hard. Monaco: What’s Yours Is Mine from Pocketwatch Games proves that stealth doesn’t have to be a trudging experience for players.

The Fast and the Furious films - which I've today learnt have long been cut down to just Fast and Furious - are pretty strongly focussed on a particular sort of person. It is perhaps the best example of the car porn genre, showcasing flash vehicles, sexy women and loud rap music.

Also known as Stealth Bastard, this quirky, charming puzzle/stealth platformer is filled up to the brim with personality. The developers make this incredibly clear through sarcastic, subliminal messages throughout the course of the game... and they don’t go easy on you. This is by no means bad criticism. On the contrary, messages likes ‘You’re not too bright are you?’ and ‘Was I not clear enough?’ spread very cleverly across the game making the player want to surpass the ingenuity of each level and strive towards that magnificently brutal ‘S’ ranking.

It can be easy to find fault with some of the Square Enix iOS releases: whether its laughably bad pricing models (Final Fantasy: All the Bravest, Demons' Score) or overpriced re-releases (the Final Fantasy re-releases), there are times where it feels like Square's reaching a little too far into the wallets of gamers. But there's no denying their support for mobile platforms: with over two dozen releases under their belt, from Chaos Rings to Space Invader: Infinity Gene - and their latest title, the entertaining-but-repetitive Bloodmasque.

If there's one thing EA loves to throw into most of their games, it would have to be cooperative multiplayer. While there are plenty of co-op games from EA to choose from, the poster child of EA's favourite gameplay style would probably have to be the Army of Two series. Even though the franchise has had mixed reviews, the third entry in the series, Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel, manages to be a fun, but forgettable, experience.

What happens when you blend a puzzle game with adventure and stealth elements, a pinch of comedy, and a dose of noir? The answer is Gunpoint, a unique indie game that is impossible to be tied down to a single genre. This concoction of various ideas may sound like it would create too much dissonance to be fun, but everything comes together in perfect harmony to create a one-of-a-kind adventure.

In 2004, Sony Computer Entertainment acquired a somewhat unknown Amsterdam based studio called Guerrilla Games. At the time, the studio had really only produced one game: a multiplatform third-person shooter set in the Vietnam War called Shellshock: Nam '67. Though Shellshock went mostly unheard of, one title of theirs began to stir some excitement amongst gamers, generating considerable hype: Killzone.

Since Ratchet and Clank propelled Insomniac into the role of "Masters of Weaponry," they've done everything they could to hold onto the title. Fuse is the video game form of their attempts. From the very beginning, mad weaponry is not only a feature of the game but the game itself, embodying not just your actions and means of attack, but the plot and design as well. Unfortunately, this isn't enough.