DON'T FEAR THE REAPER

Death plays the hero in this superb Zelda-inspired adventure... and he's brought his porky pal with him

- CHERYL MULLIN

AS I get older, games that give me a warm and fuzzy feeling are becoming more attractive even if that game is about death.

It was the delightfully pixelated look of Spindle that first caught my eye, the cute little grim reaper and his random pig pal chasing through a Zelda-like world.

And while the graphics gave me cosy, Nintendo nostalgia vibes, I soon discovered there was much more I was going to love about it.

Because beneath Spindle’s Zelda-like surface, is a game with surprisingly deep themes on morality, friendship and dealing with grief.

They're touched on almost instantly, as we see a young boy fishing with his dad before his life seemingly changes in an instant, as his parent disappears and, grabbed by inky tentacles, the world turns black.

Then we're into the game, our Grim Reaper protagonist urgently being shaken awake in the rain by his trusty piggy companion.

I can’t say I've played many games involving talking swine, but this porcine sidekick is adorable from the off.

The first task at hand is to get into the graveyard, and that means a visit to the local village to get a key.