FOREWARNED Haunted tombs, one way out

Every expedition starts with detective work. You gather clues about the Mejai haunting the tomb, work out its name, and use that knowledge to reach the inner chamber where the sacred relic waits. Each of the mummies has its own abilities and behaviour, so what worked last run may get you killed this one. There is a learning curve, and the first few missions can feel overwhelming, but once the systems click the investigation becomes the best part of every run.

Unlike most games in this genre, hiding is not your only option. The Mejai physically manifest to stop your escape, and you can confront them directly, learning each one's strengths and weaknesses to survive the encounter. Some of them even mimic your friends, which makes trusting the person next to you a genuine decision. Smaller enemies and traps keep the pressure on between the big confrontations, and a well coordinated team is what gets everyone out alive.

Twelve map types across the Sahara, each with a procedurally generated tomb and nearly infinite layout possibilities. No two runs play the same: creatures, traps and puzzles are shuffled every time, and the visual variety holds up even within one theme. Some tombs hide waterways with something waiting in them, others hold strange objects that let you peer somewhere that should not exist. Gold you collect buys and upgrades equipment, and rare treasure ends up displayed in your lobby for visitors to admire.

Play with up to three friends, join a public lobby, or go it alone, with proximity and global voice chat for coordinating (or lying to) your team. The twist comes when you die: you can return as a servant of the Mejai, and then choose whether to keep helping the survivors or show loyalty to your new master. It turns a co-op expedition into something wonderfully untrustworthy.