What we’ve been playing – “I would throw the dumbbells at a perfect vertical angle and close my eyes”

20th December

Hello and welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little bit about some of the games we’ve been playing. This week Bertie swears he didn’t touch the pills, Kelsey screams (or is that a laugh?), and Tom goes up North.

Sektori, PC

‘It’s like Geometry Wars on pills’ was the first thought that came to my head, not that I’d know what that’s like of course. But the Geometry Wars similarities are massive and immediate: fly a little ship around with the left thumbstick and shoot with the right stick, and survive huge, screen-filling, kaleidoscopic waves of enemies in contained areas while a soundtrack thumps like a heartbeat in your ears. Yes please; I’ve missed you Geometry Wars.

But there’s more here, too. There are layers of nuance. There’s strategy in how to spend the upgrade points you collect as you play, and levels break apart and reform around you, dynamically creating pockets of safety and danger, with teleports linking them. There’s a powerful dash ability to factor in, and ways to chain it, and there are boss battles separating arenas of play. Like Geometry Wars, then, but also uniquely itself. Here, even the menus pulse to the beat. Sektori is irresistible.

-Bertie

Advent calendar – cardboard, pen and paper

Remember last year when my husband surprised me with an escape room advent calendar? Well, I loved it so much, this year he did it again. This time, I am trying to escape a very raucous penguin party in the South Pole. You see, this pesky lot has plundered my supplies and commandeered my patrol boat, which is all very inconvenient as I am sure you can imagine.

This advent calendar is a tad harder than last year’s, and includes some red herrings which, if you fall for them, lead you to the wrong door and a penalty point. So far, I have got two penalties (damn, that’s annoying!). Just kidding, they are all part of the fun, and I am loving my evening ritual of tearing off doors to then fold/glue/manipulate/turn them into a different shape or angle so I can continue making my way to freedom.

How will I finally escape from these partying penguins? There isn’t too much longer to find out… assuming I don’t get too many more penalties.

-Victoria

Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Switch 2

I’m in full preparation mode for the update coming in January. After restarting my island, I have a blank canvas to do what I want with. The problem is, I’m not entirely sure what I want to do with it now. I was sure I had an idea. But now, as I clear trees and move villagers in to reach a 5-Star Island, the possibilities are endless – and that excites me.

Also, it’s just started snowing properly on my island and my annual ‘how bad will be my next Snowboy creation’ season has begun. I know you get rewarded for making the perfect one, but I’ve always found the imperfect creations a more entertaining use of my time.

-Marie

Thank Goodness You’re Here!, PS5

I finally played this bizarre, funny slice of English life, and so far it’s living up to my expectations. I’m deliberately taking my time as I fear it’s going to be over in a flash and I really want to make sure I don’t miss any little jokes.

-Tom

Species Unknown, PC

It’s been a while since I’ve played a co-op horror game (Resident Evil 5 and 6 don’t count as far as I’m concerned), so when my friend suggested we try the early-access title, Species Unknown, I was eager to dive in. This four-player sci-fi horror game tasks you with going on different excursions across abandoned spaceships, where you must race to complete an objective without becoming alien food.

While the premise is nothing new, Species Unknown has a surprising amount of detail packed into its £8.50 package. It looks great, you’ve fully customisable characters, and you’ve a level of autonomy about which objective you wish to complete next. Whether that’s capturing a ‘specimen’ or killing them, or destroying the ship they’ve made their home. These specimens pose different threats, have different bounties, and some of them look deceptively adorable, and what ensues as a result of this is hilarious co-op fun that will make you belly-laugh just as much as it makes you squirm.

-Kelsey

Umamusame: Pretty Derby, PC

December has sadly been a little rough in the Makar household, and as such I’ve fallen back into bad habits. This includes ordering a little too much takeaway, drinking a little too much mulled wine, and spending a little too much playing Umamusame: Pretty Derby.

This TGA 2025 award winner still has its hooks in me, I fear. There isn’t really a modern game like it. The only problem is, I can’t play it on my phone. I just can’t. The only phone games I play, I play at the gym. If anyone at the gym saw me playing Umamusame: Pretty Derby I would throw the dumbbells at a perfect vertical angle and close my eyes.

Mihono Bourbon remains my favourite – she’s not especially great but I got her in the early days of the Western PC release and therefore I’m ride or die. I’ll play it until New Years and then I’ll sort my life out, promise.

-Connor

Dispatch, PS5

Do you play games with your significant other? I don’t. We both love video games but I fear my competitive spirit gets in the way; plus our tastes tend to differ (and he loves to troll me). Dispatch, though, has brought us together on the sofa to enjoy a game a bit like a TV show. That’s down to its episodic nature, of course, but considering neither of us are particularly into superhero stuff, the hilarious writing has drawn us both in. The developers aren’t afraid to “go there” – I mean, they swing in right at the start, if you know what I mean – and the actual dispatching minigame is surprisingly fun. I’m late to the party, but I can see why this is in Game of the Year contention.

-Ed

Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Mega Dimension DLC, Switch 2

I’ve played a few hours of this, and regret to inform you that so far I absolutely hate it. It’s as funny as ever, which is great. The characters are as goofy and out-of-pocket, the Pokémon battles are still oddly alluring despite their chaotic awkwardness, and I’m still fond of Lumiose City as a more focused setting. Unfortunately though you don’t get to spend much time in Lumiose itself because you’re off in the mega dimension, grinding and grinding and grinding away at incredibly naff, time-limited tasks which give you resources you can spend on items that allow you to continue grinding naff tasks for resources… eugh. I should’ve finished this by now and had something written on the site, but this is one of those where I’m finding it such a drudge to get through that it’s taking a bit too long. I hear it gets good though! Just many, many more floating Poké Balls to smash and I’ll be there soon… (TCG Pocket is still great though, at least. Mega Charizard!)

-Taps

Note: If you are reading this (well done!), come back on Christmas Day for a special festive edition of What we’ve been playing – the perfect excuse to spend an hour staring at a computer screen on Christmas morning instead of watching Frozen again.