Atmosphere beats graphics every single time

It's easy to get impressed by a game that pushes a lot of pixels. But the games that stick with us usually win on mood, not on polygon counts. Hollow Lantern is hand-painted and technically simple, and it's more memorable than plenty of flashier titles.

Sound does an enormous amount of work here. The wind, the waves, the creak of an empty building, they build a place in your head far better than any lighting engine. Play it with headphones and you'll understand.

When you're browsing for something to play, don't dismiss the modest-looking ones. A distinctive art direction and thoughtful audio can carry a game much further than raw fidelity.

Our shortlist of most-recommended titles is almost entirely made up of games that chose a strong mood over technical showing off. That's not a coincidence.