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This is one of my favorite games now, and it made me really emotional by the end. It kind of gave me Spiritfarer vibes, which may have just been my playthrough. It's a gentle game, but deeply reflective and emotional. I especially loved the ties between each customer.

Hi, all! Rescue is posted and available for just $1!

Rescue: https://thetomatowriter.itch.io/rescue

There’s a sad kid looking out the window, and you think you could be friends if they could come out to play. The problem is they’re trapped in a tower — or something like it. But that’s okay, because you’re a plucky kid who’s always wanted to be an adventurer, and you’re going to rescue them!

Rescue! is a dungeon crawling TTRPG based on Mentor, but focused on childhood adventure and the formation of new friendships. You will try to get to your new friend and sneak them out of their tower, bedroom, or other confinement. Once you reach them and get them free, you can play and explore until it’s time to go home.  The threats and opponents you pass in this game may be largely exaggerated by childhood imagination. For instance, the family dog playing in the yard could become a dragon guarding the tower. However, this game may have implied themes of childhood neglect or abuse, given the premise. Talk to your friends about how to navigate the more sensitive themes in a way that is safe and comfortable for everyone.

I agree with some of the comments that the learning curve was a little steep at times. I wished I had this game printed out because I kept having to scroll up and down and try to re-find different charts; but that's a personal preference for me of physical vs. digital. Once I got into it, though, I became really attached to my old, cranky forest dweller named Dev. Xe ended pretty tragically, weakening early in the game and eventually dying to an attack by a zombie/mangrove mutation that was once xir favorite tree in the first phase of autumn. But I feel like the difficulty and the way Dev was just barely hanging on for so much of the game heightened my emotional investment.

I think I'm going to pick the game up next time where Dev left off but from another character.

This game was delightful! I started with such a cute little plant and ended up rolling to grow horror three times in a row, so I got this short horror story about a jealous, monstrous vine ruining the life of the scientist who grew it in a lab. I played it so quickly and it's easy to understand, plus beautifully designed.