itch.io

7.1/10 - Beautiful but short experience about a purgatory like place, (10 mins), this is a very pretty game as you look in awe at the sky with the clouds and yellowish but deep skies and the red soil which makes you feel like you haven't been here before. The game is slow with it's story telling that progresses as you walk around to see what exists in this strange place. Don't expect anything action packed as it's a slower paced walking sim with a slightly melancholic story.

I appreciate this game for what it is and I don't have any complaints other than it's pacing but it achieves something interesting within the time that you play. And it covers an unique look at purgatory and self.

7.1/10 - Short but interesting archaeological game, (10 mins), I enjoyed this game but was also left slightly dissapointed with the ending. The reasons for enjoying this was due to the atmosphere, simple but fun puzzle mechanics, the history (you learn about history which is connected to this item), stop motion visuals and the whole premise of the game.

It's an experience that you're better off trying out yourself instead of trying to find out what exactly it's about as it's short and it presents a great idea that I suggest you don't spoil yourself with.

*Light Spoilers Below*

I do think the ending is slightly unsettling but also disappointing due to how abrupt it is, so don't expect a very fleshed out ending. I do think the game would've been more exciting and benefited from the end being drawn out even by a few more minutes as it feels like right as you feel the game become tense, it ends. 

6/10 - The structure of sorrow and nothingness, (20-40 mins), I expected more in terms of exploration as I though I would get to see more and go into the depths. Although what I seen on the inside was interesting as you see the messages of the people who ended up here across different time periods but there is nothing more than platforming and finding these messages. 

There being no ending also symbolizes this structure perfectly as you're left to your own decay. I do wish there was an ending as with how little there is to explore as I think adding something would at least give the player some satisfaction whether the ending is sad or positive.

Another major issue was the amount of glitches whether platforming on certain geometry, clipping and flashlight/ glow-sticks not working at times. This made the experience a little more fun at times but also a lot more infuriating.

Although my review has been negative, I do actually enjoy the idea and a lot of elements of the game as it feels like the backrooms before backrooms existed as you're teleported to a stone brutalist system that has existed from atleast the 1800s. The messages leave you with sadness and the whole concept of the game is great, but it's heavily undercooked. But considering it was created in 48 hours I do give the creator of this game some extra props!

7.4/10 - Short and sweet Cycle Of Life, (5 mins), this experience is a simple one that devolves into something crazy, whether you expect what happens or don't you're in for a nice little ride. It covers  a cycle and a few social topics which we see in real life, these are done cleverly as it doesn't feel forced at all. 

I enjoyed the presentation, main mechanic and simple artsyle, which leads to a cohesive experience that I can't fault the game for anything. 

Is it anything insane or life-changing, NO. But is it a great little game, YES it is!

7.1/10 - Great little Puzzle game that can be amazing, (30-60 mins), this game's already enjoyable as it is but with a few changes and additions it has a lot of potential to be bigger and better. The main puzzle mechanic is great and although I can see certain people completing it quickly, it took me a while to complete the second puzzle (45 mins). For me the puzzles fall into the category of simple concept but difficult to beat which is good in my opinion.

The graphics and atmosphere is great and I really enjoy the distinct visuals that it has. However I do hope audio and a full screen mode will be added in the future which would add to the immersion. Additionally I would love for this game to be expanded with a story, which would offer more puzzles or more mechanics being added to the game. I feel like this games puzzle mechanic is so enjoyable that I would really wanted more from it. With these additions I would give a higher score to the game as I really see the high potential in this game. But if it's not expanded on, you still have a very fun experience in front of you. 

Overall i'm impressed with this game considering it was created in a short period and I'm definitely excited to see more from the creator!

7.1/10 - Engaging but simple horror game set on a Train, (5-10 mins), it's a game that didn't do a lot but it created a compelling story in a simple location and it did a great job at it. The story is short but hit's the spot and the characters are what I enjoyed most about this game.

Is it scary or tense? it wasn't either for me but it did keep me guessing what will happen next and it gave me a feeling that something was off. The art style is very digestible and the main music score of the game is pretty and reminds me off some downbeat anime songs. 

I would've loved to have an additional ending or for the game to be expanded on but it did a great job at presenting something fun, heartfelt and simple, that left me satisfied. And the game leaves you thinking whether what happened was real or not!

6.8/10 - Improvement on Spiritual Sequel "Please Answer Carefully", (10-30 mins), this game really get's you to think as you play a dictionary game whilst something else is happening around you. I played 2 play throughs on Normal getting both the Good and Bad endings, but I know there is a True ending that also exists. 

Playing it the first time is a good experience as you don't know what to expect and it really keeps you on edge for a game that is only text, still image and audio based. However playing it over a second time definitely feels more like a slog as everything is basically the same excluding the ending sequences. But how well you do is important to which ending you end up getting, which I have a slight issue with as the margin of error to get the good ending is slight which means you have to get majority of your answers right to a point where getting 20/30 automatically gets you a bad ending. Excluding this gripe, the endings are good and they don't do anything new conceptually but they are also inoffensive. 

But even with the gripes it's a fun game that pushes you to learn new words whilst experiencing a solid game. It builds upon on the spiritual prequel in a lot of ways that I wanted which I'm happy about but it still has some things that could make it a better experience for the end user!

7/10 - Solid horror game with a few major issues, (40 - 60 mins), I genuinely would've given this game a higher review if it wasn't for a few big things. Before I go into them, this game deserves to be praised as it has a very interesting setup and main mechanic. As you're hired as an intern to record ghost tapes using a weird little gadget, this results in some occurences...

The games visuals, atmosphere and setting are all really well done. As it captures a solid combination of all those things which resulted in me having very high expectations of what to expect through the game. Although those didn't disappoint I do wish the world was either slightly condensed by making it smaller or making it so you could enter some buildings such as the church, cabins or town which would make the world feel more alive. However for the scope of the game these aren't necessary but would make the game feel tighter or more interesting. 

The gameplay loop worked well and it definitely caught me out when you first go out on an expedition which is better to be experienced by the player than be said by me. The horror in this game varies from little things such as how your boss acts at times to bigger things from something else that keeps you on your toes. The ending was also good but expected from my end but it can definitely catch some people out if you didn't pay attention.

Now down to the biggest issue with this game which was to do with STAMINA, this game was infuriating to play at times as after 5 seconds of sprinting your character was already out of breath and then it would take a while for the stamina to replenish which resulted in travelling across this map being frustrating, this was additionally annoying especially against the "encounters" you come across. This was my biggest frustration throughout the whole game but there were some other issues but the other big one was glitches. I encountered a glitch such as when I died whilst returning the tape in the box. I had an even bigger one where I had completed all 4 tapes but then the game continued and it only showed that I completed the 4th tape after I died!

6.4/10 - Very simple but interesting concept that could've had more, (5 mins), a short and sweet game that is straight to the point, however I do think it needs another ending which would make the game more interesting as ultimately your choices don't matter. Although I know that your choice not mattering is part of the game as you're being stalked, it would provide some type of incentive to this game. 

I do think the concept is great and even the audio works super well for this game but it does feel like it could've expanded on a few things.

Although my review seems a bit critical, I do think this is a fun short game that delivers a bit of a scary topic in a presentable way!

6.9/10 - A demo that's a throwback to the PS1 era that needs to be expanded on, (30 mins), this is an interesting game with a lot of solid concepts but the game slightly feels all over the place with some of it's ideas. It has potential in every aspect whether it's the story or the gameplay. But it doesn't push any boundaries such as the original Resident evil 1/2 or the original Metal Gear Solid. It feels like a good game but is missing elements for me. Obviously the story and game is incomplete so the 2 sections in the game feel slightly jarring as they bounce from a game on a water station to a strange dream like world (but I presume these two worlds will make more sense in the full game).

The visuals and audio is great in this game as the lighting and the locations are very pretty and well done. The controls are a throwback to the PS1 tank controls and there is a modern control setting which I prefer myself and although they both work great, the controls sometimes were a bit glitchy in combination with the camera which became slightly annoying against the monsters. 

In relation to the monsters, I enjoyed the enemies in the game as they were a good balance of difficulty and fun, and i'm interested to see what other enemies I will see in the game. I also thought that the boss fight was a good challenge but I do wish there was more feedback when fighting the boss as I was unsure if I did damage the boss so adding a louder sound or showing a damage effect to the boss would benefit the fight.

Overall this is a good demo and it shows the potential of this game, but I'm hoping a lot of this game will be expended on as it does feel messy at times. But i'm interested to see where this whole project goes!

7.3/10 - Such an interesting prototype that has me confused, (20-40 mins), To preface, this game is not for everyone for a variety of reasons. This game is difficult especially if you don't pickup on the queues that it provides. 

The game is beautiful in it's own strange artsy way, but I can see many people being put off by it due to how much flashing and visual hallucinations there are in this game. The game has chaotic structure but you really don't realize it until you start to understand the mechanics whether that's visually or auditory. I also can't image the experience this game would provide on drugs as it would be terrifying.

This game is a prototype and I would love to see what more this game can offer as it's an unique experience that you rarely come across. So i'm hoping a full game off this does come out. 

However I do have a few issues with this game, this includes the barrier of entry of this game as it's difficult at times. Having some additional elements at the start to help out in the coding section ( I progressed though to a point but got stuck as I couldn't find the right word so I had to watch a video to progress) or 3D section (It took me 10 mins to even realize the main mechanic). My last critique are the visuals, although amazing are disorientating due to the swift black and white flashing contrasts which did cause my head to slightly hurt ( I'm unsure how this would be fixed except for it being slightly toned down which could detract from the game).

7.8/10 - A beautiful but relatable experience, (20-30 mins), this game is not what I expected, but I'm not disappointed as it covers topics about the struggles and meaning of life. And how important hope is, even at your lowest. It is relatable seeing similar struggles to what I have experienced so this game was definitely something I understood. 

This game has amazing audio and visuals which are both comforting but also cold at times as they are used to aid the story perfectly. The visual contrast can make you feel like you want to relax and cosy up but then make you feel unnerved as if you're being stalked. I also appreciate the gameplay with how the game uses different mechanics throughout as aid to the story to expand on themes and topics, and I really liked the sleeping eye mechanic.

The game is beautiful and you can see heart was poured into it, it was a topic that was close to the artist and you can definitely feel the love that was put into the game. I appreciate how open and vulnerable it is at times and that's what I like the most about the game. I also enjoyed how every part of the game represents the character and how they feel. As you play through the game you realize what the house, the fire, the cold and the symbolism really meant.

Don't go into this game expecting something easily digestible, fast paced or very scary but go into it expecting something that is slower in pace, personal and something that makes you think. 

7.4/10 - Obscure but memorable PS2 experience, (25 - 50 mins), This game feels like a relic when you find an obscure game that you never heard of on a PS2 and then you decide to try it out. It ends up being a great experience and rather underrated, it keeps you satisfied with what it is. 

The game is nothing groundbreaking but it has an interesting but dark world which is on it's last threads. The world is intertwined with characters who have suffered through this world and find joy in the things they have left. The fish pond takes you away from this suffering and offers a relaxing experience in comparison to the the dark realities of this game, it lets you chill for a bit and experience another mechanic that the game has to offer. I would consider this to be contrasting with the platforming which is tricky but enjoyable as you traverse in the dead world around you.

The story and the characters are what make this game stand out for me as you want to talk and learn more about them, but you get to appreciate them for the amount of dialogue they have. I also enjoyed the visuals/graphics and the platforming, although this game does feel like the world and the platforming could've been developed further. I would've loved to see who else and what else could've been affected by this (there are references to what or who has been affected through world building). 

Overall, this game isn't for everyone but if you're patient, want a solid ending and enjoy platforming then this game is for you!

* Thematic Ending Spoiler Below*

The last that made an impression on me was the ending, it was something special and I thought the creator did a great job at making a satisfying but dark and sad ending. It made you care about a character but it also showed how sometimes reality is cruel.

6.4/10 - Want to love but can't, (10 mins), this game has elements that I really like such as unique & stylistic visuals, good audio, interesting setting in a Firewatch Tower, great horror elements and a good tense climax. But it lacks two important things for me which are interesting gameplay and not enough exploration.

For the 10 minute runtime of the game, you feel like you do nothing as you aimlessly click buttons as the game automatically progresses. I wish there was some type of task that had to be done as it felt like filler which could've benefited the story. The game could've even been more interesting if the tower was slightly bigger and there was more stuff to do such as read notes or do additional tasks. 

Overall this game has so much potential considering how much I enjoyed the world, the ending and the atmosphere but I feel like it was let down by not having simple but necessary aspects in the game!

6.4/10 - Bleak but also optimistic, (10 - 20 mins), this game is a walking sim with elements of small exploration as you find items which make you learn more about you and your wife.  The game feels like walking around a big new area in real life not knowing what's ahead and finding whats in the corners of it. Because the world is so big and open, you can end up explore aimlessly and find nothing, so I suggest you follow the paths which you can find. I think this game is pretty and it does have nice audio which reflects the mood of this game. 

However I think this game has a lot of small issues such as glitches (you can get stuck on a rock right beside the lighthouse), exploration (I wish there was more to find on the outskirts of the map) and the story (It could've been expanded on or told in additional ways to make it slightly more engaging). I also have mixed feelings about the ending as I think it was a good twist but also I felt like I was slightly undermined by the climax of the game. 

Overall it's an interesting but slightly disappointing game which is definitely not for everyone. In a way it feels like a heavily stripped back and lower quality version of these type of games: Dear Esther, Vanishing of ethan carter and What remains of Edith Finch! (I really recommend the games I listed here especially Edith Finch, although they are all different in many ways)

8/10 - Watch a sentient but unstable Connection die, (2-5 mins), short but slightly terrifying experience. It's like watching an unstable dying Connection conjure it's last thoughts after receiving a death sentence of some sort and being left to die, you are with it to see it's last moments and it's there to give you it's disturbing thoughts before it crashes. 

This game can be divided in 2 sections, firstly the auditory dialogue experience which is exactly what I talked about before, and the visual experience which feels like your programs processor is fried and it's trying to grasp everything but it's a losing battle where everything is getting more broken and it's inevitable that it will crash and you can't do anything to stop it. 

The game is symbolic of how life can be and how sometimes things can't be stopped. It's part of life and it shows how some people use fear and anger to represent their last moments. It's a beautifully done game with changes of dialogue on each play through and I suggest you play it more than once to fully grasp it or to understand what is going on! (I played it 4 times myself)

7.4/10 - Great demo that excites me, (20-30 mins), I loved the retro computer aesthetic of this game mixed with the horror elements which you don't see mixed much in games. There are games that use these elements but this feels more like a horror game compared to other games in the genre.

I enjoyed the art, the backstory of this game, and a big surprise for me was the Video sequence which switched things up for me ( you'll understand ). I would love to see this game expanded in terms of story, more Video sequences and more things to explore on the computer. Even with this being a demo, I would've still enjoyed this if it was the full game. 

However I do think the game has a few small issues such as the mouse being slightly glitchy in the fullscreen, there should be an obvious exit button on the 3D maze ( I didn't realize it was just an endless video and I spent 5 mins sitting there before spamming all buttons ) and I personally experienced a crash towards the end of the game which I never had before with other browser games!

* Before you play the game I suggest that you toggle the full-screen option as it increases the immersion *

7.2/10 - Goofy light hearted game with a twist, (5-10 mins), This is a fun little game which reminds me of the QWOP game but with a few little things thrown in there. There's a slightly dark but very light heart story to the game if you really want to think about it, and it surprised me with the twist and turns. But it's a fun time for what it is, and the game does a great job at not taking itself seriously. The controls are difficult however they become so much easier once you mess around with them and I managed to beat the game on my 3rd go with a time of 1:35:633 ms.

5.8/10 - Good idea, poor game design and execution, (30-50 mins), this game has an interesting concept as you transport passengers on cars across to pieces of land, this concept had me at looking forward to what the game would offer but I ended up being so disappointing. The game puts in some type of air of tension through the lore however it felt like there was a nonexistent threat as you just hear a few noises throughout the game until the ending. The buildup to the game was slow and mind numbing as you get crumbles of lore going in between islands and all you do to go between islands is hold one button down which gets very monotonous after doing it a good few times. An additional thing with this game was that I died 20 mins unintentionally by getting hit by a car and having to restart. I understand it's a special ending but having to replay the same sequence is dull so having a death mechanic system doesn't work for this game as it's essentially just a walking sim. The games ending wasn't entirely surprising and it was too abrupt in my opinion but overall it was an okay ending. I did like the intro to the game and some of the lore but this game as a whole needs huge overhauling as the concept has potential. For me the biggest issue is that this game for what it is, should be 10-20 mins shorter than it is as it feels too long and it drags!

6.5/10 - 3 Fun endings but slightly monotonous, (15 mins for all 3 endings),  this game has an interesting concept about a repetitive routine of a man. On first play-through you play not knowing what to expect and it helps the game however having to replay everything again just for another ending does gets tiring. The 3 endings are all different and somewhat unique with 1 being more simplistic whilst the other 2 being a lot more interesting, but the endings are what make this game enjoyable. The 3 endings are dictated by which item you choose halfway through the game which gives a bit of insight on what the ending might be. I think the pacing of the game is it's downfall but I do understand why this structure was used. Overall it's a slightly boring but also interesting game which sprinkles slight horror elements with engaging endings!

7.4/10 - Comedy Gold, (15-20 mins), this game is great at using witty dry self aware humour which carries this game. Not to say it's not a great game without it but the humour is what made me enjoy the game so much. In addition the story has paranormal activity/ original resident evil feels to the game (it's not scary at all even though there are jumpscares ) . It takes elements from many things but it creates a great experience with a fun little story. The main protagonist is so funny that I'd love to play as him in other horror games and see how he'd react to strange situations. This game was a great ride, but it does have some things which I wish were improved. This would include the movement being slightly too stiff with the house being hard to navigate in at times due to the controls and the ending is a bit messy although enjoyable!

6.2/10 - A game with 2 perspectives, (5-10 mins both endings), this game is a game of two endings as both offer different perspectives on the situation. Although the concept and idea is great, I think the gameplay is slightly infuriating especially to get one of the endings which requires a lot of button mashing, however there is a trigger point of when that is only required which I realized on my 4th go. Overall it's a game that is interesting but doesn't offer much in terms of story, horror or excitement for me and it just left me with tense forearms!

7.2/10 - Just a game about Real Estate :) , (20 mins), enjoyed touring the house and finding it's secrets. Mechanically this game is a throwback to the point and click era of games which works for the purpose of the game. I thought the game did a great job in it's dialogue and certain aspects of comedy which benefits the contrast that the game has. 

* spoiler for later in the game below *  

The game does a good job at building up the horror elements in this game as you progress you will be more confused and slightly unnerved. However I think the last 3rd of the game is the weakest part of the game as although it kept me on my toes, it relied on average horror tropes, which is slightly frustrating as there was a lot of potential to make the last third absolutely scary/horrifying. I thought all in all if you don't go into it expecting anything then you will have a nice surprise but even without the surprising aspect, it's still a solid game which does so well with it's setup, story and mechanic simplicity.

6/10 - Interesting mechanics but not much more, (5 mins), this game contains an unique mechanic which helps you descend in the world, I personally enjoyed the main mechanic but I also didn't as it was buggy at times. However the more you play the more you understand how exactly the mechanics work. The simple but dark visuals are good but the music is what stands out to me as being great and reminiscent of Inscryption. However that's about it in terms positives as this game does feel like a half baked demo or prototype for one mechanic which isn't bad considering this was made in 48 hours but I expected slightly more. In addition the game is slightly buggy with how you can descend!

7/10 - Unique, strange, unorthodox Art, (2-6 mins), The game has such a unique style to it in terms of how it's located on your computer screen and how it opens up as you look at each persons story. The visuals are strong and the audio is dark and unnerving. The story was interesting but I came out of it not knowing if I fully understood it. The game feels like an art exhibition and less than a game, an experience which you might or might not like coming out of it.  I personally enjoyed it but I wish the story was expanded on and the game is buggy with how the interact system works. However it's not a game that  you usually come across and for that reason it's worth experiencing!

7.2/10 - A step up from the Spiritual Prequel, (30 - 40 mins), this game is an improvement over the previous game in mechanics and choice which leads to you feeling more like a detective compared to the prequel. The game centers around the death of a man where you have to find out who killed him between 3 people. The 3 characters you interrogate are all interesting as they all offer a different dynamic and they are all written well. The game has an intriguing concept that hasn't been explored a lot and it does a great job at it. I like how there are 6 different endings dependent on your investigation skills ( I got the correct ending on my 2nd go ). Although it's an solid game, it's not as engaging replaying a second time if you didn't get the correct ending the 1st time, unless you'd enjoy playing the game with hindsight which can make the game more interesting for you. There are issues with glitches and bugs which I encountered quite a few times myself. I also wish this game was more connected to the previous game or there were some answers to the end of the spiritual prequel ( there are small references around to the prequel ). But overall this was an fun experience and I wish I could see more games like this or even another sequel to the series!

6.8/10 - Strange Detective Investigation (Spiritual Prequel), (15 mins), simple but interesting little game about the killing of one person, you find gather information by chatting with specific characters to see what is going on. The gloomy setting with the mystery of the people in this town, in addition to a mysterious character that disappears throughout the game leads to an interesting setting. I also enjoyed the story although I slightly predicted what will happen. I think the gameplay isn't that gripping as it's just a walking sim with a file which you use to find out information and it has elements that I would've slightly changed. The ending sequence is done well as it leaves you confused and want to find out what happens next as the ending is slightly ambiguous but also slightly disappointing to me! There is a spiritual sequel to this game however that is set in the same world however it doesn't really continue from the end of this game which makes the ending of this game slightly more disappointing.

7.1/10 - Simple but atmospherically tense, (5-10 mins), the atmosphere with the audio and the feeling of dread the lower you go is genuinely great. There's a feeling that you are being followed (I swear I seen something far away at one point) and that you don't belong in this foreign place. It slightly reminds me of the backrooms where things aren't as they should be. The game is great at conveying fear and it does a great job at showing that off in it's limited time. I do wish the game would be expanded on and the end feels a bit anti climactic as the buildup is amazing at being tense. But I can see this game become a horrifying experience if worked on further!

6.4/10 - Demo that sets up story for something bigger, (15 mins), I enjoyed this small introduction to the game as you meet the characters and are put into the prologue to what the game will be. It's basically just a click and talk demo with nothing scary but some creepy backstory to what you're going into. I really appreciate the location, visuals and the characters in the demo but I feel like the demo was too short and wish there was more, such as showing the threat that will be in the game and playing a bit in the new location. Either way i'm interested to see what the full game delivers!

6.7/10 - Claustrophobic experience, (5 mins), short but creepy experience especially if you have issues with claustrophobia. The game has a sense that you are being physically and mentally pressed together. It's a unique game with how the game covers someone suffering with a mental illness whether it's depression or something else, in addition it has a simple but effective setting that works well to show how your mind can feel when suffering. I also enjoyed that it doesn't overstay its welcome!