Two new titles released in March are proof that you don’t need to be a hardcore gamer to enjoy gaming, and that they can do more than just indulge in ultra-violence. In fact, not only do these two games give your brain cells a good round of exercise, but they also champion humanist ideals of using one’s power to help others.
One of the most fun type of games are the puzzle games, especially those that give depth to the puzzles by providing a compelling storyline and characters. One such is the new (released in early March) Mythmatch, a match-three game (where you match three items of the same type to create an entirely new item) which is given additional intrigue by placing the story in the world of fickle Greek gods. The protagonist is the goddess Artemis, daughter of Zeus, who has to fulfil a number of challenges in order to qualify as the God of the Hunt. But before she can fulfil these divine challenges, she has to first come down to earth and help ordinary villagers first.
Ever since the global cultural touchstone Pokémon debuted in 1996, one of the most compelling things about the games has been its humanist message. Human beings are expected to peacefully coexist with the Pokémon creatures on the same planet. They are both supposed to help each other and the villains are those who seek to exploit the Pokémon creatures. In keeping with this charming message, the new Pokémon Pokopia is a role-playing game where, as the creature Ditto, you take the help of other creatures to restore a wasteland—where once stood a thriving human city—and restore it. There’s one problem: there are no humans to be seen anywhere.
