Play Golden Compass, The (E)(XenoPhobia) Online

Golden Compass on the DS is one of those games that feels like stepping straight into the book—if the book had a few more button prompts and touchscreen puzzles. You play as Lyra, with Pan (her shape-shifting daemon) always by her side, and the whole thing nails that eerie, slightly unsettling vibe of the original story.

The first thing you’ll notice is how weirdly cozy the controls are. Swiping the stylus to interact with objects or nudge Pan into different animal forms just feels right. Combat’s a mix of quick taps and timing-based moves—nothing too deep, but it keeps you on your toes when those armored bears show up. And yeah, they’re as intimidating as you’d hope.

What stuck with me were the little moments, like eavesdropping on conversations with the alethiometer or sneaking through dusty college halls. It’s not perfect—some sections drag—but if you ever wanted to poke around Lyra’s world yourself, this is probably the closest you’ll get.