Game 57: The Blue Beanie

The Blue Beanie; A Samorostian, headwear-saving adventure from a new kid on the block.

Daphne Lim has made this adventure game with such a lovely mix of care, delicacy and humour that it's difficult not to fall for it. The plot begins with a happy family of white blob people living in a tree and washing their clothes.

Then the youngest has his beanie hat stolen by a big bird and so begins a quest with some nice interfaces, simple puzzles, cute music and pretty settings. If you liked Samorost, you'll like this. So help the little guy out won't ya?

Game 41: Grow Tower

The latest in one of the greatest series of browser games ever conceived is not a disappointment. This time you have to pick five different items to stack on top of one another, with the ultimate aim being to turn the sun on... a long way up above you. You've got a plant pot, a piece of turf, a sideways cauldron, a box with a button, and some bricks.

All you have to do is pick them in the order you think they should go, and let the game do the rest. There is only one right way, and this will reward you with the most elaborate animation, but each different combination yields an animation of its own that is great in its own right. This is the best visual game I've seen in a while. 

Tip:

Throw logic out the window and just have fun, but make a note of what you have and haven't tried, or you'll be frustrated by repetition.

Note:

The game may not load properly the first time you click, instead you may see a webpage. If this happens, just close the window and try again. Some weird bug I can't figure out, sorry!

Game 34: Shift

¿Is the floor the roof? ¿ɹoolɟ ǝɥʇ ɟooɹ ǝɥʇ sı ɹo? And whats with that in game timer? Find the answers to these questions and more in this original puzzle platformer. Guide your mystery man through a plethora of mazes that take your sense of perception to the limit in this frustrating and boggling game!

Just like Portal brought a new way of looking at puzzles, Shift has done something similar. You have to consider both the black and the white sections as places that can be accessed and used to your advantage.

Arrow Keys to Move

Space to Jump

Shift to Shift

P to access pause menu

Game 26: Boomshine

Boomshine is a new take on the chain-reaction action pioneered by Omega's Every Extend. The goal is to remove a given number of the colorful, floating dots moving around the screen. Simply click the mouse to trigger an explosion; any dots that come into contact with the resulting circle will also explode, although after about 3 seconds each explosion will shrink and vanish. Every level increases in demand for the number of dots that must be removed, from level 1's laughably easy 1 out of 5 to the formidable 55 out of 60 in level 12. You'll want to make your first explosion count, because that's all you get. After setting off the chain-reaction, sit back and watch the explosions play out and, if you've removed enough dots, advance to the next level.

It would be a stretch to call Boomshine relaxing—watching those dots float by milliseconds after your chain-reaction begins to shrink is a little too agonizing for relaxation—but it is certainly refreshing, and a nice, albeit simple addition to a rapidly growing category of casual games. Enjoy!

Game 25: Haluz

Haluz is a game of the point-and-click variety that contains several scenes and a variety of simple puzzles that must be solved to advance.

What do you do when a very large bird makes off with your rooftop satellite dish? Well, use the resources around you to your best advantage and get it back of course.

Haluz is a beautiful game within its class and the closest I've seen come to the stunning imagery seen in Samorost, which is without a doubt the inspiration behind this game. Although similar in appearance, the puzzles here are sometimes more awkward and confusing than in Samorost. Still, if you love games like this you will definately enjoy Haluz, too. 

Game 24: fl0w

flOw is a mesmerizing game of primordial life, evolution and survival. Dive deep into the wild blue to seek out and consume other organisms on your path to simple cell nirvana. Begin life as a microscopic multi-cellular organism with a semi-circular shaped 'head' for feeding and for locomotion. The organism moves by following the mouse cursor, moving as it moves and always in pursuit. Click and hold the mouse button to accelerate its movement, though doing so will make it more difficult to steer and to make sharp turns.

The starting location is at the top of a very deep pool, 20-levels deep. The top level is indicated by the game's "flOw" logo, which can be seen when the game begins. On the top level you will also find another organism with a small red dot "." in its middle. This organism can be found on all but the deepest of levels, since eating it will take you down one level. There is a similar organism with a blue dot "." on all but the top level; consuming it will take you up one level. If either of these two creatures ever leaves the screen of the current level, small ripples, in corresponding red or blue, will appear along the edge in the direction that it can be found. Just follow the ripples as it is also an indication of where there may be food as well. To eat another organism as food, for example one smaller than you, simply navigate your creature so that the 'food' comes within its circular 'mouth' and it will consume it. In later levels where there are even larger organisms, steer for the bright circular shaped cells within the body cavity. When an organism (including your own) loses all of these life-giving cells, it will perish.

Continue your advance deeper and deeper to discover what lies in waiting within this absolutely magnificient piece of interactive art.

Game 22: Questionaut

Step into another surreal world created by Amanita Design (creators of Samorost). Commissioned for BBC's Bitesize series, with eight totally separate environments, Questionaut feels like stepping into a story book and becoming one of its characters. And thanks to Questionaut's powerful imagery, it feels like a living universe that continues to exist even after you've shut down your browser. Just delightful.
I know what you're thinking. "Oh no, not another game where your friend's hat gets carried away by a bubble, and you have to chase after it in your hot air balloon fueled by pure knowledge! When will game designers come up with some new ideas?" I understand. I'm sympathetic. But give it a chance, as despite the fact that the target audience for Questionaut is primary school students, there is enough wonder and imagination here for gamers of all ages. As usual, Amanita has loaded its game with soothing mossy textures and rickety mechanical systems. Each level is a self-contained environment floating in the sky, with its own placid inhabitants, surreal logic, and gorgeously quirky music. 

So... Enjoy.

Game 21: Tipping Point

You've been looking for some kind of escape — a vacation to paradise, maybe, but you'd probably just settle for a nap. So, here, you now find yourself sitting in front of this screen once again. But why are you wearing those pale green socks?

Welcome to Tipping Point, a point-and-click adventure with serene, highly detailed graphics and soft music, this game is a break away from the ordinary. 

In the first chapter, you'll find yourself stuck in front of the TV, with nothing better to do than channel surf. This will soon change, as you begin to be followed by great blue herons and answer a call for help. In the second chapter, you'll be scrambling for clues along a deserted beach. Well, deserted except for the herons. They must like you. The third chapter whisks you away to a tropical rain forest with exotic birds and bugs buzzing all around. There is even a treehouse to explore.

Tipping Point is slightly strange, moderately challenging, and intensely beautiful. While the storyline is little odd and surreal, the puzzles are straightforward and logical; most can be solved just by exploring and clicking around, so don't be afraid to do a little hunt-and-clicking. As soon as the game starts to seem too simple though, you may suddenly find yourself stuck, and pushing towards your own Tipping Point!

Game 19: CDX

Launched by the BBC History team (along with the design and technical prowess of Preloaded), CDX is a multi-episode adventure game that uses real actors and video segments to spin a tale of mystery and intrigue around an ancient Roman sacrificial blade.

The format of the game is a point-and-click adventure; you're presented with a brief cutscene introducing you to the story and your role, which is entirely live action video. You're then dropped into a room in which you must figure out how to move forward in the story.

Attention to detail and high production values set this effort apart from other online point-and-click adventures, and the acting is top-notch. There are even selectable dialog sequences in which the actors will play out a scene based on the choices made by the player.

CDX is an amazing effort from the BBC and Preloaded teams, they have created an engaging and compelling interactive experience that is hugely enjoyable. 

- You need a good broadband connection to enjoy this game fully

- It takes a couple of minutes to load, please be patient

- Best played in fullscreen

- Ensure your volume is turned up!

Game 18: Samorost 2

Samorost 2 is here, the sequel to the amazing and immersive experience of the original Samorost; undeniably one of the greatest casual games ever to have graced the Web. In the first chapter, the main character from the original game loses his puppy when a couple of aliens trespass on his little planet and dognap his pet. Your mission is to rescue the puppy from its captors. The second chapter is a pay-for-play download (€4.00/£3.50/$4.99) that continues at the point of the first chapter's cliffhanger ending. What you receive is a zip archive of the entire game, including both chapters, for a seamless interactive experience. I highly recommend buying this as it is well worth it, though it is also widely available to download for free accross the internet.

By virtue of a "2" in its title, there exist expectations for this sequel, and I am pleased to say the game does not disappoint. The artwork again is both gorgeous and surreal, but where Samorost 2 surpasses its predecessor is in its size and its soundtrack. There are more animated environments to marvel at, more puzzles to solve, and more interactive elements to click. 

All things considered, this second game of the Samorost series lives well up to the huge expectations set by the first. It is altogether a truly exceptional work of interactive art.

Game 13: Fly Guy

A surreal and interactive animation, Fly Guy isn't exactly a game; it's more a wonderful dream-like toy. It's not a very big world, but to fully explore it you should go back into it a few times.

I find Fly Guy to be a mood enhancer; if you're happy it makes you happier... If sad, it makes you melancholy.. Still sad, but in a nice way!

So check out this little dream-like world, you’ll be glad you did.

Game 11: Samorost

Wonderfully bizarre and surreal, Samorost is an adventure game that is full of clicky puzzles and beautifully rendered scenes, mixed with animations and various gadgetry with sound effects and music to suit the mood. It's not very long, but will keep you busy for just the right amount of time. I have fit this game to a similarly sized window to the other games, though it is best played at almost fullscreen size. 

I hope you all enjoy this work of creativity and interactive art as much as I do.