Bendy and the Ink Machine, $6.99 – [Game of the Week] – [Forum Thread] – Despite launching so late in the year (just last week!), Bendy and the Ink Machine has now captured the imagination and scared the pants off of the mobile gaming world in much the same way it did when it originally launched on desktop in early 2017. You play as a former animator and creator of the titular Bendy cartoon who is lured back to your old animation studio by your ex-partner, who has gone all sorts of crazy and more or less brought the cast of cartoon characters to life through freakish science experiments. Blending survival horror and escape room puzzling, Bendy and the Ink Machine is like a creepy thrill ride from start to finish. – JN

Bring You Home, $2.99 – [News] – [Forum Thread] – Alike Studio has built quite the reputation for itself with games like Tiny Thief and Love You To Bits, but whereas both of those games were more traditional puzzle/adventure games their 2018 release Bring You Home mixes things up in a super clever way. Rather than control the main character directly, you’ll actually piece together the environments themselves from a variety of options in the hopes of setting up each scenario in a way so that your hero can make his way through each level on his own. It’s really ingenious, and as with anything else Alike Studio has ever done, Bring You Home is bursting at the seams with charm and personality. – JN

CHUCHEL, $5.99 – [News] – [Forum Thread] – When Amanita Design released Chuchel on PC platforms earlier this year, I had to resist straight up buying it because I love their games. Machinarium and Botanicula are superb but I also enjoyed both of them way more on iOS than I did on other platforms. I managed to hold off and Chuchel is an absolute joy on iOS. It has great humour that blends perfectly with the signature Amanita Design charm through multiple puzzles. It also has cherries. You play as Chuchel trying to get those precious cherries back. -MM

Cube Escape: Paradox, Free – [News] – [Forum Thread] – The folks at Rusty Lake Studio have brought some of the best escape/adventure games to the mobile platform with both their Cube Escape and the titular Rusty Lake series of games, but for their latest release Cube Escape: Paradox they pulled off something I’ve never seen before in the mobile space. They created an entire live-action short film that features its own little story of sorts as well as several locations and puzzles that you’ll see in the actual Cube Escape: Paradox game. The quality of the film is astounding, and there’s so many little easter eggs to discover from both the film and the game that it offers up a level of enjoyment unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced in a mobile game before. – JN

Donut County, $4.99 – [Review] – [Game of the Week] – [Forum Thread] – It’s usually the most interesting and unique mechanics that get copied, and that’s exactly what happened with the novel “swallowing hole" gameplay of Donut County before it had a chance to officially release. However, there’s really nothing like the original, and swallowing up a world full of objects using a moveable hole turned out to be one of the most fun and satisfying gameplay mechanics of recent memory. That said, what really pushes Donut County into the category of all-time greats is its personality and heart, conveyed by the charming storyline and characters that inhabit the game’s colorful world. – JN

Florence, $2.99 – [Review] – [Game of the Week] – [Forum Thread] – Video games are frequently redefining the word “game" and finding new ways to tell stories using this interactive medium. Florence is one of those experiences. Chronicling the rise and fall of a long-term relationship, Florence is filled with moments that will punch anyone who has ever ridden the rollercoaster of love right in the gut. Besides its fantastic art and storytelling, Florence’s “mini-games" are actually instrumental in making those moments hit home for the player, rather than just being tacked on so it can be called a game. It’s a brief experience but an impactful one that’ll stick with you well past the time you’ve finished playing. – JN

Gone Home, $4.99 – [News] – [Forum Thread] – Fullbright’s Gone Home is something I’ve owned and played on everything. It is a short but great adventure that takes place within the confines of your house. Annapurna Interactive published some of my favourite games in 2018 on all platforms and I’m glad they worked with Fullbright to bring Gone Home to iOS. If you grew up in the 90s, there’s loads to love here. This version has the audio commentary option as well if you’d like to know what the team behind the game thinks of each part of the game. -MM

Life is Strange: Before Storm, Free – [News] – [Forum Thread] – I love Life is Strange and when a new entry was announced featuring another developer, I was a bit skeptical. Thankfully, my fears were unfounded as Before the Storm managed nailing everything I loved about the original and delivering an unforgettable experience. The soundtrack deserves a special mention. Before the Storm has some fantastic interactive setpiece moments that I don’t want to spoil with an interesting Backtalk mechanic. If you enjoy great interactive adventure games, you need to get this. -MM

Read Only Memories: Type-M, Free – [Review] – [Forum Thread] – Read Only Memories: Type-M brings the excellent cyberpunk adventure from MidBoss, inspired by the cult classic Snatcher, to mobile in a new version. It plays like an old style point and click adventure game with modern conveniences but has various things that make it feel modern when it comes to visuals, music, and gameplay. It even incldues an iMessage sticker pack. 2 Mello’s score is worth listening to on its own as well. -MM