Tomorrow, July 19th, the recursive puzzler Maquette will be playable for consoles and PC. Then there’s Figment 2: Creed Valley, another adventure title, and city-builder The Wandering Village, on July 20th for cloud, consoles and PC. Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem, a standalone expansion to Serious Sam 4, also joins the service on July 25th for cloud, PC and Xbox Series X/S.

Closing out the month is the narrative cooking title Venba, which launches on July 31st for consoles and PC. Acclaimed platformer Celeste returns to the library on August 1st for cloud, consoles and PC.

Check out the titles leaving Game Pass on July 31st, and play them now while you still can.

• Dreamscaper (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Expeditions: Rome (PC)
• Marvel’s Avengers (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• The Ascent (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Two Point Campus (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Mass Effect Andromeda

Mass Effect Andromeda tried to do a lot. It tried to tell a new story with a brand new cast, with the team behind Mass Effect 3’s stellar multiplayer in charge. It also opted for much larger play spaces and more build diversity. However, from the very outset, there were issues, whether it was the plan to have randomly generated planets, Frostbite being a mess, high-level departures, etc. Despite being decent in several ways, Andromeda flopped hard enough that publisher EA reportedly cancelled DLC and put the franchise on ice for a few years.

Currently available for PS4, PS5 and PC via Steam, Maquette seeks to explore “everyday problems” against the backdrop of a modern-day love story. The puzzle aspect comes from the ability to make every single aspect of the game world, from buildings to objects, appear either bigger or smaller. Venture closer to the center and everything appears tiny to you.

However, going further out causes the world to become that much bigger. For more details, you can check out our official review here. While it received praise for its aesthetics, puzzles and voice-acting, the difficulty can be inconsistent at times and the story isn’t perfect.

Coming this winter to Xbox and Switch: @maquettegame! pic.twitter.com/ytuDD0vyeQ

— Annapurna Interactive (@A_i) July 28, 2022

It will probably take you a few minutes to get used to Maquette’s recursive worlds before you start to make any progress on its puzzles. In the majority of the game’s six main chapters, you’re dropped into a contained, normally proportioned world, in the center of which is an exact model of that world, and every item and building in the model has the same function as in the larger world and can be upscaled or downscaled based on if it is placed in the model or the real world. Let’s say you have a normal-sized key. If you place that key from the real world into the model, a larger key will appear in the real world whose size is proportional to the original key’s size in the model.

"Maquette is another entry into the crowded first-person indie puzzle landscape, this time as the debut from developer Graceful Decay, but it’s also one of the more mechanically unique ones."

This is the basis for every puzzle in Maquette’s three-to-four-hour runtime. A few other mechanics sneak their way in, especially one chapter that uses special crystals to open particular doorways, but they all invariably revolve around the different-sized versions of the same world. As the game progresses, you have to control the sizes and locations of many more objects, including everything from crystals to stairways, in order to progress the story. You do really need to start to think outside the box, especially as a third, even larger world comes into play and throws a wrench in the entire system.

The puzzles themselves hover over the line between frustrating and clever. In the beginning, the game does a great job at easing you into the different types of solutions you’ll need to understand later in the game, a slow but necessary tactic for the occasionally-mind-bending mechanic. Later on, though, puzzles are more inconsistent. A handful of puzzles had me stumped for longer than I care to admit, but the solutions were often more groan-inducing than revelatory, especially when the puzzles become more meta. The middle chapters contain easily the game’s strongest puzzles, providing the best examples of making you feel clever without being overly frustrating, a mark which the rest of the chapters hit frequently enough but less consistently.

One of the main reasons for Maquette’s successes is its environmental design. Most chapters have more-or-less the same plus-sign-shaped layout, with a center that contains the miniature model and related offshoots on all four sides. What works about it is that each of the offshoots, which usually contains a house or yard, is effectively its own vehicle for puzzles, and each makes mostly unique uses of the size-bending objects. There’s a good sense of progression every time you enter a new yard or pass a new fence because you’re often moving to either a new type of puzzle or will use an entirely new object. The most interesting moments come when the areas interconnect, requiring you to move between houses or yards to solve a single puzzle.

"One of the main reasons for Maquette’s successes is its environmental design."

I would’ve liked to see this more often, though, instead of the common occurrence of putting a forcefield around areas when no longer in use. This is a good way to stop you from going on a fruitless goose chase in a place you’ve already been, but I wanted to use what I’d learned about the past areas in new puzzles. Regardless, the environments are frequently gorgeous, filled with life and a wide color palette to match the story’s tone, as are the songs that often play as you solve puzzles. Even if I was stumped, I always enjoyed seeing where I was going or listening to the music, and the late-game areas are masterfully crafted to evoke certain relevant tones and emotions.

The other side of Maquette’s coin is its contained, yet emotionally wide-ranging love story. It follows the full cycle of a relationship between Kenzie and Michael, voiced beautifully by real-world couple Bryce Dallas Howard and Seth Gabel, structured in the form of a letter written from one to the other to reminisce. As you progress the story, primarily in the form of solving each step of a puzzle, you get another line or sentence of the letter superimposed onto some part of the environment. It’s very well-paced and compartmentalized, as is necessary for its tonal correlation with the environments. The best parts of their relationship correspond to the brightest and most vibrant colors, while the more heartbreaking moments are accompanied by gloomy greys.

The most impressive part of the story is how it conveys everything it needs without character models or traditional cutscenes. Voiceovers happen frequently, but they’re instead combined with colorful animated sketches. While minimalistic, I’d argue that these sketches are in many ways more effective than a true cutscene. This story is familiar, and the writing isn’t always entirely on point, but you have a better ability to place yourself in the story because of how much is left to the imagination. This makes the story all the more powerful and engaging, even if it doesn’t tread any truly new ground. It also allows what ultimately happens in the story to come across naturally, as it’s told less from the point of view of a narrator and more like that of a diary. You’re not here to get to know these characters specifically, but more understand them as stand-ins for anyone in a relationship going through many of the events here, which is why it’s forgivable that there isn’t anything incredibly surprising, as a major twist might have seemed forced.

"Maquette’s story is very well-paced and compartmentalized, as is necessary for its tonal correlation with the environments."

Maquette’s most glaring issue comes more as a missed opportunity than a detriment to the experience. While I enjoyed both the story and gameplay as separate experiences, I struggle to see their inherent connection. There are certainly cosmetic overlaps that come in the form of the aforementioned environmental tone, an abundance of symbolism, and some recurring objects and locations in gameplay that are given more context by the story, but this is not a story that inherently needed to be told with this gameplay, or really in a game at all. The story doesn’t gain much from being put next to this unique mechanic, nor does it inform the gameplay altogether. The cosmetic connections that are there make it so that the two don’t feel completely independent, and late-game moments make a few hints at a larger meaning, but I couldn’t shake the idea that I was switching between story and gameplay, rather than using them together to transcend either.

Maquette puts a lot of unique mechanics and interesting characteristics together to create a beautiful, concise puzzler package. The recursive, size-shifting gameplay is some of the more unique gameplay I’ve seen in a puzzle game, and it’s utilized in mostly clever ways to make you really understand the environments and take full advantage of them. The story might not be entirely new, but its minimal visual style and superb cast make a story that you can put yourself into as easily as if it were your own diary. The inherent connection between the story and gameplay is loose, but the environments and visual motifs allow you to connect with the characters much more easily and effectively. Maquette is a short package, but it puts together a lot of successful elements in its highly relatable exploration of love and relationships.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

Evil Genius 2: World Domination

It’s been a long time coming but finally the sequel to the cult classic about being as a super villain and building a lair with traps is releasing. Evil Genius 2: World Domination features four geniuses to play with each having to build a unique doomsday device while thwarting the Forces of Justice. You can have multitudes of minions skilled in either getting their hands dirty, deception or research and science. If you just want to go wild and make the craziest lair possible, Sandbox mode offers everything unlocked from the get-go. Evil Genius 2: World Domination releases on March 30^th, exclusively for PC.

Monster Hunter Rise

From the New World all the way to Kamura Village, Monster Hunter Rise retains many of the tenets of Monster Hunter World while introducing some new mechanics. All 14 iconic weapon trees are here but players can use the new Wirebug to execute different maneuvers, from evades to special weapon abilities, and truly mix things up. New monsters and old join the fray from Tigrex and Mizutsune to Aknosom and Magnamalo. With the Rampage, Palamutes and monster riding, Monster Hunter Rise promises a brave new chapter for the series. It’s out on March 26^th for Nintendo Switch.

Balan Wonderworld

Yuji Naka, of Sonic the Hedgehog and Nights Into Dreams, returns with a new 3D platformer. Balan Wonderworld is a musical title, set in the strange Wonderworld as protagonists Leo and Emma interact with the mysterious Balan. As players explore 12 different stories, they’ll try to save certain characters whose hearts have gone astray. Utilizing over 80 different costumes, each with their own unique abilities, and even a Chao Garden-style mini-game called Isle of Times, Balan Wonderworld promises a nostalgic trip. It’s out on March 26^th for Xbox One, PS4, PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and Nintendo Switch.

It Takes Two

Hazelight Studios’ It Takes Two recently went gold and director Josef Fares has been hyping it a lot, promising tons of variety and how you’ve “never played anything like it.” As such, the game looks like a fun action-packed, platforming adventure with upbeat visuals and a heart-warming story. It even has Fares himself as a talking book because of course it does. As a co-op title, It Takes Two also provides a Friend’s Pass so that another player can go through the entire game with you for free. The game releases on March 26^th for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, PC and Xbox Series X/S.

Disco Elysium: The Final Cut

How would you go about solving crimes? Would you methodically investigate? Manipulate the world’s denizens? Or just spend all of your time dancing? In Disco Elysium, you can do all of this. The Final Cut builds on this further, adding new characters and cutscenes, over 150,000 words to its script count and a full English VO among other features. Four quests that were originally cut have also been restored and there are even new animations and art. Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is out in March for PS4, PS5, Google Stadia and PC. PC owners even get it as a free upgrade, making it the perfect time to jump back in.

Monster Truck Championship

With all of the big racing games coming up, it’s nice to have titles like Monster Truck Championship. Choose one of 16 different monster trucks and tear through 25 different arenas. Along with a Career Mode, Drag Races and Destruction-style events, players can partake in freestyle competitions to pull off wheelies and other stunts. With over 50 elements to customize and independent front and rear wheel control, Monster Truck Championship doesn’t skimp on the realism either. Currently available for PC, Monster Truck Championship will be coming to Xbox Series X/S and PS5 on March 16^th with 4K/60 FPS support on both platforms.

Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame 4

Fans of Milestone S.r.l.’s Monster Energy Supercross series have even more extreme races to look forward to. Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame 4 arrives on March 11^th for PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. There are more than 100 riders to choose from in the 450SX and 250SX categories with players having 17 tracks set in 11 stadiums for the season. A new Career Mode is also available and allows for learning in different categories, from mastering new abilities in “Future” to taking on the toughest challenges in the “Pro” category. And of course, the robust track editor and compound will be returning as well.

Mundaun

The premise starts in simple, hand-penciled fashion – your grandfather has died in a fire and you venture back to Mundaun to find out why. The gorgeous aesthetic gives way to a terrifying experience with strange creatures roaming the land. Fear has a tangible effect on the player, causing one to move slower depending on its intensity. As you explore the landscape and eventually climb the mountain, you’ll either discover the terrifying truth or die trying. Mundaun is out on March 16^th for PC, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch.

Maquette

Imagine a modern-day story of love, except told via an MC Escher-style world of recursive puzzles. In a nutshell, Maquette is a first person title which challenges the players to re-imagine their perspective on things. In this strange surreal world, zooming in turns you large and everything small but makes the world outside is large and daunting. It sounds strange but over time, players will learn more of Michael and Kenzie, their relationship and how to deal with love and loss. Maquette is out on March 2^nd for PS4, PS5 and PC.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch)

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time was quite the dimension-hopping adventure when it first released for Xbox One and PS4. It had tons of levels, challenges like Flashback levels and N. Verted Mode, and multiple playable characters. While not being quite as successful as N. Sane Trilogy, the sequel gets a new leash on life for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch. It releases on March 12^th for those platforms (and later this year for PC), offering 4K/60 FPS gameplay on the Xbox Series X and PS5. Faster loading times, DualSense support for Neo Cortex’s blast and Tawna’s Hookshot, and even Activity Cards on the PS5 are all supported. Those who purchased the title on Xbox One or PS4 are also in luck since they’ll receive a free upgrade for Xbox Series X/S and PS5.

Update: Sony has confirmed Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Farpoint VR, Remnant: From the Ashes and Maquette on PS5 for PlayStation Plus in March.

Original Story:

Following rumors that Final Fantasy 7 Remake would be free on PlayStation Plus in March, it seems PlayStation Netherlands’ Facebook page may have leaked the news early. Though the post has been pulled, Nibellion on Twitter managed to snag the image. Indeed, Final Fantasy 7 Remake will be free next month for PS4 players.

But that’s not all. Other PS4 titles include Farpoint VR and Remnant: From the Ashes while PS5 players will be getting Maquette for free. Maquette is currently slated to release on March 2nd for PS4, PS5 and PC, and features first person recursive puzzle-solving. It’s surreal but also looks fantastic.

As for Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s inclusion, it makes sense considering Square Enix’s recent announcement of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade. The latter is an enhanced edition of the RPG for PS5, complete with visual improvements, 4K and 60 FPS modes, Photo Mode and a new story episode focused on Yuffie. PS4 players can avail of free upgrades to the PS5 version, though the Yuffie story episode will cost extra (and won’t release for PS4). According to the image below, those who redeem the game on PlayStation Plus won’t receive the free PS5 upgrade. Stay tuned for official confirmation in the meantime.

https://twitter.com/Nibellion/status/1365273440899522576

Check out part 1 here.

Project Athia

A timed console exclusive for PS5 (which is also coming to PC), not much is known about Project Athia. It’s an open world title, as Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda confirmed, and is set in a fantasy world with the protagonist having extensive mobility. Luminous Productions of Final Fantasy 15 fame is developing it and there’s ray-tracing support. Regardless of exclusivity, it’s going to be a long wait until its release, but that’s a recurring theme for many next-gen titles.

A PlayStation Indies presentation was recently dropped by Sony where it outlined several indie titles that were coming to the PS5 and PS4. Among these were titles like Annapurna Interactive’s puzzler Maquette, The Game Bakers’ Haven and Phigames’ Recompile (which is also coming to Xbox Series X). Check out their respective new trailers below.

Maquette is described as a “recursive puzzle game” where the player modifies the sizes of different buildings and structures. Traversing closer to the world’s center will make things bigger while backing out makes them smaller. This is set against the backdrop of problems and obstacles in a “modern-day love story”. It will release for PS4, PS5 and PC this year.

Haven has been revealed extensively before now and will also release for PS5 (along with Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC and PS4). It focuses on a couple, Yu and Kay, who have escaped from their respective homes and settled on an alien planet with its own unique dangers. Along with gliding along the planet’s surface, players will use team up attacks and techniques in turn-based battles.

Finally, there’s Recompile, a stunning Metroidvania title where players control a semi-sapient program struggling to survive against deletion. You’ll venture through the Mainframe, fighting and platforming (including a sick dash into foes) while also hacking the environment. Recompile also releases this year for PS5, Xbox Series X and PC.

Check out all of the other PlayStation Indies in the short montage below.