Hob is an action adventure game in the vein of the 2D Legend of Zelda titles, with a single interconnected continent or landmass dominating the time you'll spend exploring, along with some dungeons filled with puzzles and sometimes monsters. (though noticeably no bosses, which is disappointing) Hob's got a little bit of hack and slash in it too with a fun if shallow combat system that lets you use one of the tools you acquire during platforming in it, along with some other upgrades you can make incrementally to your health, mana and swords' attack damage etc. There is a bit of voice acting here and there that is nicely done, and the soundtrack is subtle but really superb whenever it kicks in, though the game opts to use its environmental and diegetic sound effects for the most part. It's kinda like Zelda meets Journey, an odd and interesting experience that I think everyone should give a chance.
Tides of Numenera to my mind succeeds in spades at being a spiritual successor to Planescape : Torment. Both of these games are absolute anachronisms to the industry that surrounds them. I am willing to wager a good amount that Tides of Numenera is one of the most imaginative pieces of science fiction in recent memory, a standout piece of art that has no place in a medium filled with unabashed imitation and lack of imagination. Quite frankly, there are few other games like Tides of Numenera (except for P:T). The Ninth World is a humbling achievement of imagination and science fiction. Quite frequently I am left lost for words at some of the concepts broached and ideas represented in this game. I have yet to see another title with such little regard for the common tropes that pervade science fiction and fantasy in most mediums. Tides of Numenera succeeded in immersing me completely in the Ninth World, making me care deeply for its characters, gasp in wonder at its sights, and ponder deeply at the artifacts and Numenera and other wondrous things that it continually offered up to me. I'm just about done with my first playthrough and I cannot wait to start another one.
