I’ve always been a huge fan of modern puzzler games.

The likes of Portal series and Pneuma: Breath of Life are games I’ve dedicated hours to, hoping to perfect every aspect of each puzzle.

So when I was offered the chance to get my hands on The Turing Test, the latest game by Bulkhead, the guys behind Pneuma, I grabbed it with both hands!

Since then I’ve poured hours into working my way through the 80 or so enjoyable puzzles.

The basic premise is that you’re a member of team sent to Jupiter’s moon Europa as part of a research project. While the majority of the team were sent to the surface, you’ve been in hibernation on board an orbiting space ship.

When something goes wrong on the surface, the AI in charge of the mission, T.O.M, wakes your character up and sends you to Europa to investigate.

The Turing Test – unlike so many other puzzle games – really embraces its story.

Working in first person, with the help of a ‘gun’ – which works in a similar fashion to the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device – and T.O.M, you must navigate your way through the enormous research complex.

The aim, to find out exactly what happened to the science crew.

The gun-like device works by allowing you to pull or fire balls of energy around a room to power electrical devices like power plates, doors and lifts to complete the challenges.

These are split into blocks of ten, often introducing a new idea or technique at the beginning that you are required to master by the end, often combining multiple tricks to make your way through.

Unlike some games, while the challenges are difficult and do require a great deal of thought to get past, there’s never a feeling of frustration.

And, the level of detail that’s gone into the level design is incredible, making this one of the best looking games of this year.

Walking around the living quarters, picking up objects in the environment to uncover more of the backstory adds a new dimension to Turing Test.

The added touch of including Red Dwarf’s Arnold Rimmer’s signature on the bottom of some certificates in the game is a bonus fans of the TV series will love.

With the combination of great puzzles, an outstanding use of the unreal engine 4 to great the environment as well as a well-judged story, Turing Test will find itself in my game collection for a long time.

Turing Test is out on August 30, on Xbox, PS4 and PC (via Steam) priced at £14.99

Score: 8.5/10 (Based on graphics, gameplay and story on the PC) Read more reviews on OpenCritic.com

Review: Worms W.M.D

I imagine everyone reading this has played one Worms game or another at some point.

And with W.M.D you’ll be able to grab a controller and jump straight in and start throwing grenades at other worms in minutes.

The basic idea of the latest in the extensive Worms series is the same as always.  Use your collection of traditional and downright bizarre weapons to poke, punch, shoot and explode the other team’s worms as they try to squrim away.

There’s a few tweaks here and there, the ability to enter buildings and take some shelter, drive tanks or man static guns all add a new great new dimension to the game.

And graphical effects have all had a bit of an update, but the basic side scrolling 2D design of the original remains with players still aiming using the old school targeting system, carefully judging the force of their shot or throw and gauging the wind direction.

W.M.D offers dozens of campaign missions, challenges and online multiplayer, but there’s still something niggling at me about the longevity of this game.

As with all Worms games I think this for me is one of those I’ll pick up and play for a couple of days, try out the multiplayer, but inevitably forget.

Worms W.M.D is out now, on Xbox, PS4 and PC priced at £19.99

Score: 6.5/10 (Based on graphics, gameplay and story on the PC) Read more reviews on OpenCritic.com

Happy Birthday Goldeneye

Earlier today a colleague flagged up the fact that it has been 19 years since Goldeneye was released on the Nintendo 64.

https://twitter.com/WATNCelebrity/status/768753319493992448

I distinctively remember playing the game at my grandparent’s house – the only person I knew to own the console – battling my way through the single player campaign and playing multiplayer with my little sister (I always won!)

Looking back at the game, it’s clear to see the massive impact Goldeneye has had on the first person shooter and multiplayer genres.

It’s no surprise that some of the development team went on to make the incredible Perfect Dark and Timesplitters games.

And the influence no doubt shaped how series like Call of Duty and Battlefield have developed.

No other James Bond title has managed to live up to the level of expectation created by Goldeneye, I can’t imagine they ever will.