If video games are any indication, the world we live in is filled with dungeons stocked with progressively more difficult enemies and convenient puzzles designed to help us descend further into darkness. Tequibo's Fog and Thunder doesn't try to hide the fact that it's built around the feeling of being lost in a roguelike RPG, but the action-oriented gameplay is different than what you might expect, as it employs light-based mechanics that affect everything from enemies to exits to your own special abilities. Where's a good pair of night vision goggles when you need them?

Use the [arrow] keys to trot around in Fog and Thunder's top down world, walking through the shaky tiles as you hunt for triangle-shaped keys. Use [z] to deploy a sonar wave, pushing enemies away and uncovering secrets hiding in bits of the environment. You can also tap [x] to toggle how much light you emit, allowing you to sneak around without alerting enemies. More importantly, the [c] key allows you to change the tile you're standing on to a white tile, a spot of ground that both defeats enemies and recharges your light meter at the bottom of the screen. Each time you deploy a sonar or white tile, this bar depletes. Only by standing on a white tile can you recharge it, and most of the game will be spent setting and using these tiles as intelligently as you can.

Moving to deeper levels requires finding keys, charging them with light, and making your way to the exit. You'll also come across pieces of environmental decoration that can often hide items or enemies, the latter of which are probably already swarming your position. Fog and Thunder uses some familiar mechanics (Lock 'n' Chase, anyone?) in new and interesting ways, and building its entire premise on the use of light means no matter what you do, some element is tugged out of balance, setting new events in motion and creating a world that's constantly shifting around your actions. It's a simple game, but a wholly entertaining one that will keep you engaged on that long lunch break of yours!

Play Fog and Thunder