Lanterns of the Drowned Vale

Lanterns of the Drowned Vale is more mood than mechanic, and I mean that as praise. You explore a hand-painted valley slowly reclaimed by water, lighting lanterns, solving small environmental puzzles, and piecing together what happened to the people who used to live there.

The puzzles are never cruel. They nudge you toward the answer with visual hints, so you're rarely stuck and never frustrated. What kept me playing was the atmosphere — the soft music, the way the light reflects off the flooded streets, the little notes you find tucked in windowsills.

It's short, maybe three or four hours, and it doesn't overstay. If you want a game to unwind with before bed, this is a lovely one.

What we liked

• Gorgeous hand-painted world
• Gentle puzzles that never frustrate
• A short, complete, satisfying story