6. Q.U.B.E. (Toxic Games)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iABxhj0ExA0&feature=player_embedded#! Q.U.B.E. was one of the titles I was most excited about getting my hands on at Rezzed, and with a steady queue of players wanting to try out this block-based puzzle-platformer it seems I wasn't the only person who'd heard it described as the next Portal. It's true that Q.U.B.E. has undoubtedly drawn a lot of inspiration both visually and in terms of gameplay from Valve's smash-hit puzzler, which isn't necessarily a bad thing: personally, I think that if Portal's success can inspire a next generation of intelligent and unique games then that's a thoroughly worthwhile legacy. Q.U.B.E strips back its visuals to a series of white-walled cells, bare except for occasional coloured blocks that you can interact with using specially-powered gloves, and from the short time I played it for it seemed like a slimmed-down Portal mod crossed with more traditional puzzle-platformer games. I think it would require further playing to decide whether it truly lives up to the hype, but from what I saw it was immensely promising. Q.U.B.E. is available now for Windows and Mac through
Steam (Windows only, £11.99) or
Desura (£9.99).