Gaming Gifts for the Holidays (Part 1)
Buy gifts or drop hints with this handy list.
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How to finish off a year? There are still many demos that deserve the spotlight. But those are upcoming games. This is the season for spoiling yourself and others with a few gifts (or drop hints on which games you might want).
Steam makes it very easy to gift games, which inspired AIIG’s first Gift Guide at the end of 2023, and now it’s 2024’s turn. It’s quite a list and one I didn’t want to narrow down too much because these are all good games with ratings of Positive to Overwhelmingly Positive. Thus, this is part 1 of three editions that will release over the next few weeks.
Happy gifting!
The AIIG Gift Guide Criteria: These are all games that 1) featured as a standalone preview on AIIG, 2) was released in 2024, and 3) has a Steam rating of Positive or higher. They are ranked alphabetically.
All Quiet In The Trenches
For players who like turn-based tactics and high-consequence narrative games.
Guide a squad of soldiers during World War 1, managing their affairs at camp and their tactics in the war’s notorious trenches. Dividing its time between turn-based combat and consequential narrative choices, everything you do influences the outcomes in All Quiet In The Trenches, anchored to emotional stories, moral choices, and detailed art that express the misery and conflict of the Great War.
Reviews are very favourable, especially for the strong emotional content. Some reviews complain about the length, which they report at less than three hours.
(The game is still in early access and receiving updates.)
Anger Foot
For players who live for the rush of high-risk/high-reward gameplay.
Anger Foot is a headlong plunge into insanity. They stole your favourite pair of sneakers, so kick down doors and stomp your opponents with your powerful feet (and with a little help from a few weapons). But one hit is all it can take to kill you and restart your run, so get them before they get you! An insane dynamic soundtrack and childish humour amp up the ridiculousness, with replayability by trying out new shoes for different powers.
Reviews praise the subversive humour, high-speed gameplay, and general insanity. Critical reviews felt it was a bit simplistic for their taste.
Backpack Battles
For players who love collecting and managing loot for battle supremacy.
Pack your bag for battle! Literally—in Backpack Battles, you buy powerful items and organise them in your bag’s storage. Then, fight NPCs and other players in auto-battles to test your choices. Victory comes down to selecting the best gear and fitting as much of it into your baggage. But not every item is the best choice for every situation, adding a lot of depth through a wide variety of build and buff options. Each battle is short and intense, making it easy to keep packing and fighting!
Positive reviews praise the game’s large variety of builds, fun auto-battle system, and ‘one more round’ vibes. The negative reviews vary considerably, with some complaints about changes made by updates.
(The game is still in early access and receiving updates.)
Boxes: Lost Fragments
For players who love spatial puzzles and think locks are boring.
Test your wits against enigmatic boxes in the fun and tactile puzzle game Boxes: Lost Fragments. It’s tactile because you move around the box, poking and prodding to find buttons, sliders, and other obscured switches to uncover hidden compartments and new revelations that will eventually unlock the box’s prize. Rendered in beautiful 3D, every box is a new adventure that provides eye-candy while you try and figure out the correct sequence.
Most players love this game, praising its fun mechanics and interesting puzzles. But some say it is too easy for their taste.
Caravan SandWitch
For players who want to drive to the horizon and explore without being in danger.
2024 had delivered several no-consequence ‘cosy’ exploration games where it is very hard to get into trouble. Caravan SandWitch has no threats at all, allowing you to explore a diverse and interesting world while following a captivating storyline about finding your long-lost sister. Drive around in your yellow truck to discover new locations, explore platforming sections on foot, solve puzzles, collect items for upgrades, and make friends with locals to help expand your abilities.
This game has few detractors, most reviews praising the immersive "cosy post-apocalypse" atmosphere and world design. Most negative reviews also praise those elements, but don’t feel that it delivers its later sections as well.
Chicken Police: Into The HIVE!
For players who love Film Noir, narrative games, and rude-sounding chicken words.
In a rotten town full of goons, hoods and femme fatales, are you ready to get down to cluckin’ business? Chicken Police: Into The HIVE! is a film noir investigative narrative game where two chicken detectives try to solve crime in a town full of animals, rodents, and bugs. Literally. Featuring great voice acting, fun characters, and a special ‘black and white’ version, this game is a rare gem for the right crowd. (Note that this is the second game in this series, but you don’t need prior knowledge to play it).
Rating it Very Positive, the positive reviews praised the game’s humour and visuals, while a smaller collection of negative reviews were unimpressed with the later chapters or certain plot developments.
Children of the Sun
For players who will spend 10 minutes to earn 10 seconds of godhood.
Out for revenge against a death cult, our hero only has one bullet in his sniper rifle. But he can change its direction after each successful kill: can you figure out how to eliminate every enemy on the stage? You spend a lot of Children of the Sun trying to discover the best sequence, chasing that super-satisfying moment when you get them all. Richly atmospheric and very edgy, this is a surprise action-puzzle experience.
Most players give this game a thumbs-up, loving the intense abstract presentation and demanding puzzle setups. But a small minority didn’t like the edgy style or felt the gameplay was undercooked.
Coffee Caravan
For players who like fast-paced serving with a dash of decorating.
Embrace the rapid lifestyle of kitchen games, taking orders, making drinks, and serving them before the timer runs out. Coffee Caravan adds nice touches to the genre, letting you create the layout of your little shop and its equipment, and try out different recipes and menus. It also adds a bit of roguelike flavour: don’t fail a level or you have to start all over again (though you keep the recipes you unlock). It’s a small game with a lot of depth.
Rated Overwhelmingly Positive by recent reviews, players loved the minimalist yet cute art style, quirky atmosphere, and inviting gameplay loop. However, some negative reviews complain it’s too easy.
Drill Core
For players who’ll risk it all mining for stuff to buy bigger guns.
If your planet’s core is dying, fear not! The Drill Core corporation is on hand to help (with special payment terms). Command a drilling rig in this side-view roguelike strategy game, pointing the crew where to mine and gather resources. Then, use those resources to buy big guns and repel the evening onslaught of giant insects. Can you reach the lower levels and release the new core before the bugs get you? Bubbling over with great design and fun pixel art, Drill Core is a satirical and self-aware game with a strong mix of mining and defence.
Most reviews praised its style and gameplay for a Very Positive overall ranking. Negative reviews generally complain about the gameplay depth.
(The game is still in early access and receiving updates.)
Part 2 of AIIG’s Gaming Gifts for the Holidays releases next Wednesday.
I've heard so many cool things about Children of the Sun, and there's something about Anger Foot that just feels... Off. I mean, I love how the game looks, and the gameplay seems hype, but there's something.
This might be unrelated, but Caravan SandWitch got some unnecessary hate, though, I mostly saw that on Twitter. Crazy how someone can get over a videogame, especially one so harmless.
Is it Ok to use this as a guide to gift myself a game or two 😂