Mike Ziff

Absolutely love this game! You play as a riderless unicycle, racing on various tracks and doing stunts and tricks to earn little speed boosts. There are three levels of computer opponents, and also a split-screen two player option. The tracks have color coded patterns to indicate impending hazards, shortcuts, and sections where you can safely perform tricks. This game is a perfect way to cleans your pallet between beat-em-ups and action platformers.

A loving homage to the isometric dungeon crawlers of yesteryear, Gareth Noyce's Lumo hits the mark for nostalgic, strategic game play. It seems directly inspired by Solstice, a personal favorite from the NES, down to the blue wizard hat which obscures the protagonist's face. This puzzle platformer is steeped in atmosphere, largely thanks to the gentle sounds of footsteps, crackling torches, and a soothing yet haunting score by Dopedemand which softens the blow of endless lives lost in the labyrinth. I found the map system to be unhelpful, although the game guides you where you need to go by alternately locking and unlocking doors to different passageways. I stayed up all night working on this game, and nearly beat it on my first go. The replay value is high, and I started it again as soon as it was completed. This game may not be for everyone, but for gamers with a little patience and appreciation for the subtle, Lumo stands out as an absolute gem.