Lantern and Thorn

Lantern and Thorn is a slow, gorgeous adventure game with almost no text. You guide a small traveler through a forest that's slowly reclaiming an old civilization, solving light environmental puzzles as you go.

There's no combat and no timer, just exploration and the occasional gentle head-scratcher. The whole thing runs on mood, and it nails it. Every screen looks hand-painted, and the ambient sound made me want to play with headphones on.

It's short, maybe three or four hours, but it doesn't waste a single one. This is the game I hand people who think mobile can't be atmospheric.

What we liked

• Stunning hand-drawn art
• Relaxed pace with no pressure
• Perfect for a headphones-on session