Recent reviews by Laurelinde

The Monument Valley series contains perhaps the most visually stunning and artistically beautiful games I have ever played. If you're familiar with its predecessors, Monument Valley 3 will not come with a lot of big surprises. They don't reinvent the wheel here, opting instead not to 'fix' what isn't broken, and creating and refining even more mind-bending puzzle architecture to an exquisite soundtrack and gorgeous water effects. The story centres more on community than the previous iterations, while retaining the underlying themes of growth, metamorphosis, creation, and destruction. The plot suggests metaphors for sustainability and authenticity, and the importance of meeting personal challenges.

Without wanting to give spoilers, you will encounter another incarnation of a familiar friend from the previous games, and this time they are key to moving between puzzles as well as within them. As ever, the levels contain various impressive and trippy effects to delight your eyes as you traverse through impossible triangles and perspective tricks.

The DLC, The Gardens of Life, add even more puzzle twists. Be sure to keep playing after the 'end', as there are lots of mini-levels to complete after the main story finishes.

If you have any interest in puzzles, architecture, or art, or you're looking for a chill and soothing game to relax, I can wholeheartedly recommend Monument Valley 3.

Short but sweet. Having had the pleasure to hear Kitt Byrne discuss the game a few weeks ago, I was able to appreciate the effort taken to create an authentic atmosphere down to all the little details. The game was inspired by other classic puzzle games like The Return of the Obra Dinn, but I found it much simpler, albeit far more visually stunning. The entirety of the manor and grounds is gorgeous, with graphics, light, and sound alike evoking summer in England. The environmental storytelling is top-notch, from the subtle descriptions of household personages, to the sexism faced by Arabella (and conversely, the warm support of her friends), to the touches of everyday life such as dropped pots or left-behind hats. The plants themselves are whimsical and fascinating. I would recommend Botany Manor to any fan of peaceful puzzlers, or simply anyone in need of a vibrant break from midwinter bleakness.

Solid, relaxing, charming dino-ranching sim with adorable dinosaur models which will steal your heart. The gameplay is smooth and easy to follow. The human characters are personable (despite some, including the player model, having toddler bodies), but the dinosaurs are the real stars of the show. The variety of species, colors and patterns is amazing, and they are all a delight to interact with. It's a shame there isn't room to keep more at the ranch, but it's not a massive game with a huge dev team so understandably there are limits. Similarly, it might have been fun to make the house interior an accessible space with its own decorations, but this is a minor complaint; the bulk of the game was always going to be spent outdoors.

I have a few minor quibbles with the UI in terms of changing between tools and skills, but my inner ten-year-old is ecstatic at riding a T-rex through a desert with joyous abandon and I can't argue with that. Absolutely recommend if you like cosy sims and/or were a dinosaur-obsessed child like me. Childhood dreams: achieved.