Under The Radar Games To Keep An Eye On This Holiday Season

This holiday season is a flood of highly anticipated game releases. With South Park: The Fractured But Whole, Assassin’s Creed Origins, Destiny 2, and plenty of other just-as-popular games coming out, it’s easy to miss titles launching around the same time. These are some under-the-radar games you should keep in mind when doing your holiday shopping.

Black Mirror
No, this game isn’t connected to the Netflix series of the same name – the original game actually predates that show by eight years. A reboot of The Black Mirror trilogy, this game continues to use the series’ point-and-click gameplay while telling the story of a man visiting his ancestral Scottish home following his father’s suicide. As he explores his father’s castle, he starts to fear the family curse he was warned about is real as he’s haunted by nightmares and visions. Search the castle for clues and interact with apparitions in this H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe-inspired game starting November 28 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Battle Chasers: Nightwar
Based on a comic from ‘1998-2001, this JRPG features turn-based combat inspired by the classics. Characters each have a large selection of abilities and actions to use in combat; abilities are stronger but slower than basic actions and eat into a mana supply that charges over the course of battle. Changing combat combinations allows players to plan ahead of time who they want to bring to battle, experiment with different moves, and slowly figure out what characters work best together. The game’s randomly generated dungeons keep the experience fresh even after dozens of hours of gameplay. Check out our review of the game, which is available for Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Mac.

Elex
The creators of Gothic have made a new science-fantasy universe for this post-apocalyptic action/RPG. The people of this world are fighting over a resource (Elex) that grants magical abilities, and different factions are fighting over how best to use it. The Berserkers hope nature one day returns to the wasteland and its combat style focuses on axes, bow and arrows, and magic abilities. The Outlaws are an anarchist group centered on scavenging, with rifles as their weapon of choice in combat. Finally, the Cleric faction uses Elex to power its machines instead of consuming it; this gives Clerics access to high-tech ranged weapons such as plasma rifles. Choose one of these three factions and fight to save the world on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Super Lucky’s Tale
This 3D platformer stars a cute fox named Lucky who looks a lot like a squirrel named Conker. Lucky is about as far from Conker as a character can be though, given his always-optimistic attitude and the game’s kid-friendly E rating. Microsoft promises the game will keep the platforming fun with a mix of obstacle courses, hidden areas, minigames, and side-scrolling challenge levels. Andrew Reiner said last year in his review of Lucky’s Tale in VR the game seemed like a proof-of-concept. A lot of series start out that way, so Super Lucky’s Tale may do just the right things to expand upon the good ideas seen in the first one. Check it out starting November 6 on Xbox One and PC.

Hidden Agenda
Take the role of a detective and a district attorney as you attempt to solve a homicide. Well, you and up to five of your friends. Using smartphones to control this PS4 game, vote on what actions to take throughout this couple-hour experience. Alongside finding the killer, in competitive mode players receive secret objectives to complete. Jeff Marchiafava, who reviewed the game, suggests sticking to cooperative mode, as these objectives often feel pointless and slow the pace of the game while detracting from the plot. Played by the right people, Hidden Agenda could make for a fun party game for those seeking that murder mystery thrill, and can be played over and over due to the branching choices found throughout.

Hob
This single-player action-adventure game has players exploring a world in danger, teetering between being mended and falling into further disarray. As players explore this cel-shaded planet, attempting to repair it by activating ancient technology, the sprawling scenery draws them in. When not searching the surface, players may find themselves in underground mechanical caverns, solving puzzles to reach the next area. Sometimes players even have to fight enemies, though the combat mechanics aren’t extremely fleshed out, according to our review. If action-adventure puzzlers are your thing, be sure to check out Hob on PS4 or PC when you get the chance.

SteamWorld Dig 2
Expanding upon the western steampunk theme of the first game, this sequel once again has players digging caverns underground in the search for resources to sell on the surface. The second game adds more puzzles to the mix and ditches procedural generation for a more handcrafted experience. Delve into puzzles, nimbly avoid or take out enemies, and upgrade tools to unlock new puzzles or dig deeper. With everything being upgradable, there’s a constant sense of progress as mining becomes quicker and inventory space expands. Be sure to read our review of the game, which can be played on Switch, PS4, Vita, PC, Mac, and Linux.

Heat Signature
Take your time taking over spaceships in this top-down stealth-action game. Sneaking onto a targeted spaceship, players must then take out others on board, collect loot, or assassinate targets. These goals can be accomplished by using guns and gadgets, but the most powerful tool at one’s disposal is the ability to stop time. This not only gives players the opportunity to plan to their heart's content, but also opens up fun gameplay abilities. Shoot at a glass pane, pause the game, then switch positions with an enemy in another room; when the game resumes the bullet will hit the glass and the vacuum of space will do the rest. There are, of course, numerous other ways to get out of seemingly impossible situations in Heat Signature, check out our review to find out more about this PC-exclusive.

With so many great games coming out, it’s easy to overlook some of the gems in the rough. Are there any under the radar games from this holiday season you’re excited about? Let us know in the comments below.