The pause in video games, scientifically known as the “incubation effect,” has gained recognition for its positive impact on problem-solving. This notion, which has been studied for 99 years, suggests that taking a break after encountering an obstacle can facilitate victory, a phenomenon that many players have experienced in their own games. A well-studied effect whose effectiveness is more than proven. A recent analysis of player experiences in challenging titles like Hollow Knight and Nine Sols highlights how brief pauses can be decisive. The author recalls a frustrating encounter with the […]
The pause in video games, scientifically known as “incubation effect,” has gained recognition for its positive impact on problem-solving. This notion, which has been studied for 99 years, suggests that taking a break after encountering an obstacle can facilitate victory, a phenomenon that many players have experienced in their own games.
A well-studied effect whose effectiveness is more than proven
A recent analysis of player experiences in challenging titles like Hollow Knight and Nine Sols highlights how brief breaks can be decisive. The author recalls a frustrating encounter with the boss Groal the Great in Hollow Knight, which was quickly overcome after a break to make coffee. This aligns with studies indicating that players who take breaks have a 3% higher chance of winning in their next game of League of Legends if they take some time after losing.
Research has suggested that breaks allow players to forget inappropriate solutions, mentally restructure the problem, and activate previously forgotten knowledge. This is evidenced in a study with “Physics Playground,” where players who faced obstacles and took breaks were able to complete levels with the same effectiveness as those who never encountered blockages.
Science has shown that the “incubation effect,” coined by psychologist Graham Wallas in 1926, could be the explanation behind these experiences. Although a more thorough study is needed to establish a definitive correlation with video games, there are enough indications to consider that breaks are an effective strategy. The gaming community has begun to accept that sometimes, a breather is key to success in facing the toughest challenges.
May has been a particularly intense month for video games, so it’s likely you missed some, and we are here to present them to you.
May is turning out to be a crazy month. We can hardly recall any other month in the history of video games that has seen the release of so many great games. However, this also means that many games have gone unnoticed, as it is impossible to keep up with everything. But don’t worry, we’re here to help. We will guide you through all those games that you may have missed and that you should definitely check out. Because some of them are the best of the year.
INDIKA
On May 2nd, the first game from Odd Meter was released: INDIKA. A third-person game set in 19th century Russia. Putting ourselves in the shoes of Indika, a young nun with no family or anyone who loves her, she is accompanied on her journey to a nearby church by the voices in her head. Which belong to the devil. All resulting in an excellent narrative game, spectacular graphics, and simple but well-designed puzzles.
Crow Country
If you miss the classic Resident Evil games, you should try Crow Country. A game that visually resembles a refined version of the original Final Fantasy 7 while following the structure of classic survival horror games. Its greatest achievement is that it has managed to reinvent the ideas of these games, while still feeling like a completely contemporary game. Not just a tribute to the classics: an excellent survival game in its own right.
Braid Anniversary Edition
Perhaps we are no longer in 2008, but Braid is still Jonathan Blow’s masterpiece. A spectacularly beautiful and mechanically excellent game, which may not have aged as well narratively, but is still a cult game for good reasons. Now with improved graphics and a commentary by Blow himself, this is the definitive version of a game that has made its mark on the history of the medium.
Mullet MadJack
Frenetic, crazy, and aesthetically incredible, Mullet MadJack is a game that aims to do one thing and it does it excellently: be an arcade game that draws inspiration from roguelikes to create the best shooter of the year. Based on 90s anime, with dry humor and a narrative deeper than it appears, Mullet MadJack is a showcase of how it is still possible to create games with a clear classic flavor. Just modern.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
Everyone has fallen in love with Animal Well, but this month another puzzle game has been released that is a candidate to be the best of recent years. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a game by Simogo, creators of Sayonara Wild Hearts, who completely change their style with this game. Having to investigate a hotel full of puzzles, its impressive aesthetics and narrative accompany brilliant puzzles that require us to deeply engage with a game excellently designed down to the last detail.
System Shock
Sometimes a game from 1994 needs a remake that manages to convey what it did for the gaming industry thirty years ago. That’s the case with System Shock. A game that not only defined video games and without which games like Deus Ex, Dishonored, and Prey wouldn’t exist, but is also absolutely excellent in terms of design and art even today. Something that the remake polishes to the point of making it enjoyable as if it were 1994, but accessible as it is in 2024.
Sonar Shock
Inspired by System Shock, this game takes us from space to an equally terrible place: the ocean floor. Instead of a spaceship, a submarine. With aesthetics inspired by the final years of the Soviet Union in a mix of shooter, dungeon crawler, and immersive sim, this game offers us a crazy, intense, and brief but very tasty experience. Sonar Shock is a game from the 90s, but as it could only be made today.
Nine Suns
It hasn’t been released yet, but the demo promises that this platformer, which seems like a mix of Hollow Knight and Sekiro, can easily be one of the games of the year. Challenging combat, incredibly fun platforming, and an aesthetic with Asian inspiration, in the Tao, the game could very well be the big surprise of the year. And that’s why you should have Nine Sols on your list.
Algunos de los enlaces agregados en el artículo son parte de campañas de afiliados y pueden representar beneficios para Softonic.
