Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris is an action-adventure game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix's European subsidiary for Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia and Nintendo Switch. It is the sequel to the 2010 video game Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, and the second installment in Lara Croft spin-off series of the Tomb Raider franchise. The video game was announced at E3 2014 on 9 June.
Ori and the Blind Forest is a platform-adventure Metroidvania video game developed by Moon Studios and published by Microsoft Studios. The game was released for Windows and Xbox One in March 2015, and for Nintendo Switch in September 2019. Players assume control of Ori, a small white spirit, and Sein, the "light and eyes" of the Forest's Spirit Tree. Players are tasked to move between platforms and solve puzzles. The game features a save system called "Soul Links", which allows players to save their progress at will with limited resources, and an upgrade system that allows players to strengthen Ori's skills and abilities.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a 2014 action puzzle video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. The game was re-released for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS in 2018 with additional content. It is a spin-off of the Super Mario series and a part of the larger Mario franchise. The game stars Captain Toad and Toadette as they complete levels and save each other from the antagonist Wingo. Each level is contained within a miniature diorama-like environment that requires puzzle-solving and platforming challenges to complete. The player also uses the Wii U GamePad to rotate the camera and reveal new information and interact with the environment.
The Escapists is a strategy game played from a top-down perspective. The game was developed by Mouldy Toof Studios and following a Steam Early Access release in 2014, was released in 2015 for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. It was released on iOS and Android in 2017. A Nintendo Switch version of the game containing all downloadable content was released in 2018. The game was launched on the Epic Games Store on 23 September 2021, with the weekly free game campaign of Epic Games. Players assume the role of an inmate and must escape from prisons of increasing difficulty.
Donut County is a puzzle video game developed by American designer Ben Esposito and published by Annapurna Interactive in 2018. The player moves a hole to swallow objects, which makes the hole increase in size. The concept originated in a game jam based on pitches from a Twitter account parody of game designer Peter Molyneux, and later added a mechanic similar to that of Katamari Damacy. Other inspirations for the game included Hopi figurines—a theme Esposito later relinquished—and locations from Bruce Springsteen songs. Donut County was released in August 2018 for iOS, macOS, PlayStation 4, and Microsoft Windows platforms while versions for Xbox One and Nintendo Switch were released in December 2018. It also released for Android in December 2020.
TouchTone is a 2015 puzzle video game for iOS devices by Mikengreg, a two-person indie game development team made up of Mike Boxleiter and Greg Wohlwend. The player monitors phone calls as part of a government surveillance program to find public threats. The player unlocks chains of emails by completing a series of puzzles wherein a beam is reflected around a room to a set destination. TouchTone's core concept grew from a two-day game jam immediately following their 2012 release of Gasketball, but only found its hacker theme following the mid-2013 Edward Snowden global surveillance disclosures. The tone of TouchTone's story grew from satirical to serious over the course of the game's development.
Celeste is a 2018 platform game developed and published by indie studio Maddy Makes Games. The player controls Madeline, a young woman with anxiety and depression who aims to climb Celeste Mountain. During her climb, she encounters several characters, including a personification of her self-doubt known as Badeline, who attempts to stop her from climbing the mountain.
Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy is a puzzle video game developed and published by Level-5. It is the seventh main entry in the Professor Layton series and follows a new protagonist, Katrielle Layton. It was released for Android, iOS, and the Nintendo 3DS, in 2017, and an enhanced port for the Nintendo Switch in Japan in 2018, and worldwide in 2019. A manga adaptation of the game drawn by Hori Oritoka began serialization on March 20, 2018, in Shōgakukan's Ciao magazine, and an anime adaptation, Layton Mystery Tanteisha: Katori no Nazotoki File, began airing on Fuji TV and other channels in April 2018.
TumbleSeed is an indie action video game, created by developer Benedict Fritz and designer Greg Wohlwend, in which the player balances a rolling seed on an ascending, horizontally slanted vine past procedurally generated obstacles to reach the top of a mountain. It is based on the mechanical arcade game Ice Cold Beer and built partially through the Cards Against Humanity game incubation program. TumbleSeed was released in May 2017 to generally favorable reviews on MacOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Windows platforms. Critics, in particular, appreciated their haptic sense of the rolling seed from the Nintendo Switch's sensitive HD Rumble. Many reviewers noted TumbleSeed's intense and sometimes uneven difficulty, which the developers hoped to address in a post-release update. They credited this stigma and a tepid critical reception for the game's slow sales, but were proud of their work.
Yoshi's Crafted World is a platform video game developed by Good-Feel and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. The eighth main installment in the Yoshi franchise, it is the spiritual successor to Yoshi's Woolly World. The game was revealed at E3 2017, and was released worldwide on March 29, 2019. It follows the Yoshis as they venture to collect the scattered gems of the Sundream Stone, which has the ability to grant wishes, before Kamek and Baby Bowser can.
Overcooked 2 is a cooperative cooking simulation video game developed by Team17 alongside Ghost Town Games, and published by Team17. The sequel to Overcooked!, it was released for Linux, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on August 7, 2018. The game was released for Amazon Luna on October 20, 2020. Overcooked: All You Can Eat, a compilation game that includes both Overcooked and Overcooked 2, was released for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on November 12, 2020. The compilation came to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on March 23, 2021, and on Google Stadia on May 5, 2022.
Baba Is You is a puzzle video game created by Finnish independent developer Arvi Teikari. Originating as a short demo built for the 2017 Nordic Game Jam, the game was expanded and released on 13 March 2019 for PC and Nintendo Switch. Mobile versions were released in June 2021. The game centers around the manipulation of "rules"—represented in the play area by movable tiles with words written on them—in order to allow the player character, usually the titular Baba, to reach a specified goal. A free update titled "Baba Make Level" was released on November 17, 2021, featuring over 150 new and previously unused levels and a level editor with online sharing.
Islanders is a casual city-building game developed and published by German indie game studio Grizzly Games. It was initially released on Steam for Microsoft Windows on 4 April 2019, and support for macOS and Linux was added in June that year. A version for consoles was released for Nintendo Switch on 11 August 2021 and PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 26 August 2021. This version was published by Coatsink, which announced it had acquired the franchise from Grizzly Games in May 2022.
Puzzle Quest: The Legend Returns is a Match 3 and role-playing video game hybrid developed by Infinity Plus 2 and published by D3 Go!. It is part of the Puzzle Quest series, and was released for Nintendo Switch on September 19, 2019. An enhanced remaster of Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords, it contains the original game, the expansion Revenge of the Plague Lord, and new quests, spells, classes and items that are exclusive to the version. The game received positive reviews from critics, who cited its gameplay and value, although they criticized its visuals and difficulty spikes.
PowerWash Simulator is a simulation video game developed by FuturLab and published by Square Enix Collective. The game was first made available in early access through Steam on 19 May 2021, and was fully released for Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on 14 July 2022. Further ports for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, were for a 31 January 2023 release. A standalone VR port titled PowerWash Simulator VR for Meta Quest 2, 3 and Pro models is set to be released on November 2, 2023. Players take control of a power washing business and complete various jobs to earn money. Gameplay primarily revolves around using a power washer to clean dirt off of objects and buildings.
Aer: Memories of Old is an indie action-adventure open world video game developed by Forgotten Key and published by Daedalic Entertainment. It was released on October 25, 2017, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and on August 28, 2019, for Nintendo Switch. The game's story revolves around a girl named Auk who can shapeshift into a bird. Set on floating islands, the main character must solve puzzles, discovering ruins left by an ancient civilization. The game received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its aesthetic and world but criticized its short length and overall lack of action.
Silt is a surreal underwater puzzle-adventure indie horror game developed by Spiral Circus and published by Fireshine Games for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, in which the player controls a deep-sea diver who can possess the diverse marine life that enters their vicinity. It was released on June 1, 2022.
Phogs! is a puzzle-platform video game developed by Bit Loom Games and published by Coatsink. The game was released for Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Google Stadia on December 3, 2020, and for Amazon Luna on November 18, 2021. In Phogs!, players control a two-headed dog called Red and Blue. Phogs! received generally favorable reviews from critics.
Venba is a narrative cooking video game developed and published by Visai Games. The game was released on 31 July 2023 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Venba begins in 1988 and follows an immigrant couple settling down in Canada and adjusting their day-to-day lives in the new environment. Players control the titular character, Venba, an Indian woman who moves with her husband to Toronto, where they eventually have a son. The game draws heavily from Tamil culture and South Indian cuisine.
Golf Peaks is a puzzle video game developed and published by Afterburn. Players are challenged to solve golf-themed puzzles.
