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FIRST PLAY DUE PROCESS PC

A map and two teams, one attacking while the other defends – that’s the staple of online tactical team FPS games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Rainbow Six Siege. Any other developer looking to get into this genre won’t try to deviate much from the blueprint.

Due Process, then, is a ballsy experiment from indie studio Giant Enemy Crab. Its 5v5 structure is a twist on Siege’s cops-v-terrorists premise: the attackers are corporate mercenaries armed with the latest tech, while the defenders are a ragtag bunch of resistance fighters relying on cunning. And where most games of this type emphasise realism, this one is deliberately stylistic with its use of pixel art.

But the real unique draw is that all maps are procedurally generated and change every week – so communication and teamwork are more important than ever. What’s especially clever is how you can scribble over a shared map like a playbook, pointing out entry points or threats, which then appear in-game. Better still, even if you die early, you can continue drawing on the map like a helpful ghost.

Whether or not this will wean Siege or Counter-Strike players off what they’re comfortable with is hard to say – and if you’re not receptive to online chat, that could be a deal-breaker too. It’s certainly unlike anything from publisher Annapurna, known for more narrative-based games. But then, literally drawing and executing a well-planned match is surely setting a new bar for immersive storytelling.

FIRST LOOK UP SCARES, DOWN SCARES

OUT 11 FEB

LITTLE NIGHTMARES 2

PS5, PS4, XSX, XB1, PC, Switch Horror games can often be claustrophobic and lonely affairs. But after creeping players out on board a ship that’s visited by cannibals, Tarsier Studios returns with Little Nightmares 2, which takes its Tim Burtonesque side-scrolling platformer out into the open – albeit in a world that’s just as macabre.

Again it presents its horror through a child’s eyes, this time from the perspective of a little boy called Mono who happens to wear a paper bag over his head. But you also soon meet Six, the protagonist of the first game, although you may not recognise her immediately as she’s not wearing her distinctive yellow raincoat… at least not yet, which may suggest this isn’t strictly a chronological sequel.

Having a companion around certainly changes things up, as you find yourself working together on puzzles or simply holding hands while trying to escape the clutches of this world’s disturbing and murderous grown-ups, including a trigger-happy hunter who also sports a bag-head.

With a responsive and proactive AI, Six is hardly second fiddle even if you don’t play as her. Otherwise, it seems Little Nightmares 2 is doubling down on the grotesque imagery of before… which is no bad thing at all.

BEST OF OPEN-WORLD GAMES THAT WON’T DRAIN YOUR TIME

A SHORT HIKE

PC, Switch If you can imagine Animal Crossing with a heartwarming story and Breath of the Wild mechanics set in a small but pleasant provincial park, that would pretty much sum up A Short Hike. You can easily finish it in an hour, but it will have been worth every second. THE PATHLESS

PS5, PS4, PC, Apple Arcade Aided by an eagle and an auto-aiming bow, getting around the vast island of The Pathless is an accessible and exhilarating breeze. Ping around by shooting talismans, solve clever puzzles and help cleanse the island of cursed fiery animal spirits. PARADISE KILLER

PC, Switch With a unique visual style and an absolutely catchy city-pop/vaporwave soundtrack, this is an open-world detective murder mystery that treats you like a real detective, letting you explore as much as you want – and where the truth is yours to prove.

INCOMING

JANUARY ● HITMAN 3 ● PRINCE OF PERSIA:

THE SANDS OF TIME REMAKE ● THE MEDIUM ● FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S:

CORE COLLECTION ● STRONGHOLD: WARLORDS ● MXGP 2020 ● IRIS.FALL (SWITCH)