I think I have video game amnesia. Nowadays, I play something, watch the credits roll, and then involuntarily purge it from my memories. Admittedly, that's a bit odd, seeing as today's games are chock-full of lavish setpieces and retina-searing "water-cooler moments." Meanwhile, my childhood memories of the lo-fi Game Boy Dragon Quest games are still crystal clear. Legend of Grimrock reminded me why.

Much like those 8-bit bites of role-playing bliss, Grimrock leaves nearly everything to the imagination. Who are these four prisoners, what did they do to deserve this frequently fatal, square-by-square dungeon crawl, and why is one of them a minotaur? While there is a minimal overarching plot, I got to fill in those blanks moment-by-moment and really own my experience. With no overly chatty character nor long-winded cut-scene in sight, character motivations and interactions were mine to imagine.

In all things - plot, combat, and even the act of simply moving forward - Grimrock is refreshingly minimal, an extremely satisfying whole cobbled together from your every little "aha" puzzle-solving moment and "ahhh!" near-death experience.