Welcome to You Should Play, a series where we highlight all of the video games that you should be playing this week, from big-budget releases through to little-known indie games.
As we reach the tail-end of January, this week will already see the release of a game that could well find itself inserted into a few end-of-year lists when we wrap up 2016, as Jonathan Blow returns with a brand new title that is getting many people talking.
Elsewhere, there’s the PC release of a 2015 favorite, and the latest Lego adaptation of a super popular comic book/film series.
Here are the games You Should Play this week:
The Witness
The latest game from Jonathan Blow, the creator of the seminal indie title Braid, The Witness places players in a Myst-like uninhabited island filled with devilishly challenging puzzles and tasks them with unearthing its copious mysteries.
The Witness has been a long time coming, and it’s already garnering widespread critical acclaim. Fans of Blow’s previous work know that he’s a developer unafraid to take creative risks, with The Witness being the latest example of his thinking outside of the box in order to bring us a game quite unlike anything we’ve experienced before.
Why You Should Play It
- The latest brainchild from Braid creator Jonathon Blow.
- Challenging puzzles.
- Great to play with a friend at your side, pulling out their hair as they try to help you progress through its world.
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Previously released as a timed Xbox One exclusive, Rise of the Tomb Raider is now making its way to PC for those who didn’t get to experience it the first time round.
Arguably the greatest Xbox One exclusive to release on the platform last year, Lara Croft’s latest adventure now opens itself up to a whole new audience, complete with the improved visuals that you’d expect from the platform.
This is even more exciting considering that it was already one of last year’s most outright beautiful games, along with being an excellent sequel to the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot and establishing it as one of the industry’s most exciting franchises.
Why You Should Play It
- Improved visuals.
- One of the Xbox One’s best games, now available on PC.
- Excellent tomb raiding puzzles.
Lego Marvel’s Avengers
You are perhaps growing a little tired of the patented Lego video game formula, but these games have quietly been going from strength to strength, becoming one of the most consistent series around. That doesn’t look set to change with Lego Marvel’s Avengers, which is the closest thing we’ve thus far received to a tie-in game to Marvel’s most successful franchise.
As you’d expect from a Lego game, Lego Marvel’s Avengers allows you to take control of all of your favorite characters from the movies, along with a selection of bit-part players in the events of the two films and other Superheroes/villains, with there being 100 unlockable characters in total. This, coupled with a variety of levels set across the events of the Marvel films The Avengers, The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: The First Avenger, Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, make this a dream come true for Marvel fans.
Why You Should Play It
- Over 100 unlockable characters.
- Take place across many great Marvel movies.
- That familiar Lego charm.
