Hollowreach

Hollowreach is quiet and a little lonely, in the best way. You explore a vast underground city, lighting lanterns and piecing together what happened to the people who left. There's no combat to speak of — it's about movement, observation, and the slow filling-in of a hand-drawn map.

The controls are a simple tap-to-move with the occasional climb puzzle, and the game trusts you to notice things rather than flagging everything with icons. I kept a mental list of locked doors to return to, which made the backtracking feel earned instead of annoying.

It's a game to play with headphones in a dark room. The atmosphere is the whole point, and it delivers. Not for people who need constant action, perfect for anyone who likes to wander.

What we liked

• Beautiful hand-drawn mapping system
• No clutter — it trusts the player
• Atmosphere worth playing with headphones