Summary
Video game genres are usually fairly static in terms of the playing fields and arenas that players engage with. Sometimes, it is athird-person open-world battlegroundto adventure through; other times, it is a sprawling catacomb of enemies and loot.
While many titles will offer the opportunity to ride horseback with a third-person camera and an FPS-style gunplay experience, there are a select few that break the mold and blend genres and perspectives like never before. 2D meets 3D, and top-down meets shooter,combining elements from several perspectivesto create a unique and inventive gameplay experience.
A cute and sweet action-adventurethat takes place all on a child’s desk,The Plucky Squireis a charming treat for any video game lovers. There’s platforming, there are RPG elements, beat-em-ups, and many more genres and gameplay perspectives. It practically has it all.
The art direction and style are beautiful, playing with the idea of a kid’s drawing book, whilst having some more stylized arenas outside of the desk’s surface that keep the game feeling fresh throughout. So much love and passion squeezed into a pocket-sized knight gives an experience like no other.
Cooperative And Puzzling Bosses
Platforms
PlatStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
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Genre
Platformer, Puzzle, Adventure
Toodee and Topdeeis as simplistic as it is challenging. A co-op experience for platformer fans to dive into, combined with top-down puzzles that allow the player to experiment with changes in both gravity and direction.
Each puzzle is well-crafted and requires thought, and the boss encounters are challenging and engaging, demanding precise platforming and careful usage of the dimensional switches. It’s great for couch co-op or a solo challenge.
Mario never looked so good.Super MarioOdysseydoes everything right in terms of staying true to theMarioformulawhile refreshing a few thingslike the graphics and mechanics. Travel across several kingdoms, capturing abilities from items and enemies that can be used later on to solve puzzles or access previously unseen areas.
It feels like a whole new experience with eachMariotitle, and this one is no different. The added interactions with the world and items make the gameplay feel fresh and keep all the fan-favorite moments, but bundle them into a new and modernized experience.
A co-op experience that knows no contemporary, Hazelight has found the perfect formula forunforgettable co-op campaignsthat redefine genres and deliver on emotional and personal levels.It Takes Twotakes players on a journey of love and sacrifice set in a world of childhood wonder and mystical beings.
The gameplay is predominantly third-person platforming, but it is interwoven with well-crafted mini-games that flip the script, introducing tank combat, tug-of-wars, and wack-a-mole game modes that break up the main story and feel refreshing when each one is encountered.
Perhaps one of the prime examples of 2D to 3D perspective switching,SuperPaper Mariopushes the limits of what is possible in a multidimensional space. Certain segments are intended solely for 3D exploration, while others are set in a more traditional side-scrolling level, with the option to switch between the two being frequent and exciting.
Puzzle-solving feels great, the platforming is as fluid as ever, and once again, Nintendo delivers an unforgettableMarioexperience without diverting from the fan-favorite tropes that players have come to expect from the franchise.
If Nintendo wasn’t happy enough with one universally recognizable protagonist, why not have another?Zeldahas been a staple titleon Nintendo devices for generations, andA Link Between Worldsis a unique spin on the gameplay, granting Link a bracelet that allows 2D walls to be traversed and gives the player access to new and exciting areas.
Transitioning between planes feels fluid and intentional, as players are not forced to spam the ability and instead are given distinct use cases and areas that require it. Combat is as responsive as ever, and the whole classic top-down experience is a great hit of nostalgia for any long-time fans of the series.
2B in 2D,NieR: Automataserves as the pinnacle of hack-and-slash combat, having players topple ginormous mechs and hordes of robotic enemies in non-stop action sequences that are unmatched in the genre.
At several points, the camera will shift and lock into place, turning the game into anything from a side-scrolling adventure to a top-down bullet hell for a short time, which, combined with the exciting abilities and satisfying combos, delivers a unique transition of gameplay that gives more and more on every single playthrough.
