The Gardener and the Wild Vines
I received am copy of this game for free from the developers
I loved this game so much! I’m fairly new to platformers, so I was expecting to struggle a LOT, but I had so much fun, even when I was struggling! The story made me cry many times, and I think it’s a perfect mix of storytelling and play, and has great parallels to real life situations that people may be struggling with.
Long story short, this game is beautifully written, and is so much fun to play. Definitely give it a go if you can!
– Real player with 7.8 hrs in game
Read More: Best 2.5D Story Rich Games.
This is good. This is VERY good. For a price as low as this, I was expecting a game that could be finished in half an hour and not give the slightest toss about plot resolution or characterisation.
But no; The Gardener and the Wild Vines is a fantastic game. Took me about six hours to complete and it’s bloody beautiful. Even with the retro-style 3D and pixel art, it’s still a unique game with a cool unique idea that it does very well, it’s very creative, and the characters are well done. Absolutely worth the play.
– Real player with 6.2 hrs in game
In Cold Dark
An interactive space story about rediscovering a life, our friendships, our choices and regrets.
Three years scouting the distant reaches of the galaxy. You’ve been all on your own, but now it's time to head back home … to SAGI 499: a divided colonial society on the edge of the Sagittarius spiral, and your home. Old friends calling, new faces to meet, political turmoil … and hints of something far stranger. What will you choose?
#### What is In Cold Dark
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In Cold Dark is a sci-fi point-and-click branching narrative. You're returning from a distant exploration gig with your trusty glitchy AI, SPARC, and soon you'll need to decide your priorities.
  
#### What do you want to do?
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* Navigate interstellar jumps?
* Read a book?
* Watch your favourite show?
* Tackle sector colonialism with the Voiders?
* Reconnect with your old love?
* Make a new one?
* Just do your thing and survive?
The story places a focus on irrevocable decision-making each playthrough, and a blend of pixel art and paintings make for a unique and striking journey through the spiral arm of the Milky Way.
  
#### Who are we?
--
**The director:**
~
Efehan Elbi is an animator, author, and interdisciplinary storyteller. With a constant desire to craft stories whether in colour, code, poetry, or prose, “In Cold Dark” aims to bring these elements together for an interactive tale of life choices, regret, and striking spacey futures.
**The team:**
~
done \ undone is a collaborative studio of friends, with a love of many kinds of games, art and experiences.
  
✨✨ We're still in development! So look back for more details and news ✨✨
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Read More:
Best 2.5D Choices Matter Games.
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## Half Past Fate: Romantic Distancing
Got this game with a small rebate (about 4$ US) ,i loved the subject,with everything going on right now,i decide to give it a shot.I find in easy to relate to Stephen(one of the caracter),also the SNES feel is great,music is nice…remind me of sone NES and SNES music,that bring's a lot of memories.It's not a dating sim per say,it's more like a story driven game.
This game definitly deserve more attention.If you love story driven games,this is a nice 4 bucks who make you forget your miserable empty life like mine...The only downside,it's pretty short(just over 90 minutes) and there's not much of a replay value
*– [Real player with 2.0 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198002466839)*
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Read More:
Best 2.5D Romance Games.
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Played this after the first Half Past Fate game and caught me off guard how short it is compared the first one. That aside, this spin-off features the same gorgeous art style, good writing, and down to earth and relatable characters. I recommend it if you've finished HPF and want to explore some other aspects of the world and get to know more characters.
Also, we never learned what our resident himbo's occupation is :( ..
*– [Real player with 1.6 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198107992438)*
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## Mechinus
Embark on a clockwork puzzle-platforming adventure set in a mechanical ecosystem as Cognito, a curious creature whose duty to maintain the lifecycle of this captivating world leads him on a journey to heart of the machine in order to save it.
In this metallic jungle - where life is mechanical, rather than biological in nature - evolution has given rise to a beautifully orchestrated set of behaviours, which underpin the tactile clockwork puzzles and dynamic platforming of the game.
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## My Father My Son
**Only cooperation can save them**
Together with two lost castaways, a father, and son, experience a thrilling journey through a dark, uninhabited island that isn’t on the map. Overcome a path full of logic puzzles and hidden dangers and help the family get closer to each other. Escape from this mysterious place and discover together with the characters what’s hidden here.
Control two characters alone or in co-op (1 player - 1 character), using either a pad or the keyboard. You can change the control method at any time. Move along 2 paths, changing them freely as needed. Take wise advantage of the differences between the father (strong and high) and the son (small and agile), which will make it easier for the characters to work together on co-op puzzles.
#### MAIN FEATURES OF THE GAME:
* Play alone, controlling two characters or in co-op (local on one screen or online)
* Choose any method to control both characters: using pads or the keyboard
* Solve environmental puzzles based on the co-operation of two characters with different abilities: a father and son
* Fight for survival in thrilling arcade sequences
* Two characters and two tracks that you can change at any time
* Low-poly 2.5D side view game
* An engaging story about a father’s relationship with his son in a thriller atmosphere
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## Homewords
Welcome to the worlds of **Homewords**! In this story focussed adventure game you play a **mute** boy who has to help a **rude** kid find her parents on an alien planet.
As Vincent, it is your goal to prevent Zoë from insulting anyone, be that human or alien, and guide her through increasingly difficult conversations to get closer to reuniting her with her parents.
#### **Homewords** travelling tips:
* Explore the alien melting pot planet, Orbtüse, and discover it's peculiar locations.
* Hold intense conversations with charming and memorable characters.
* Make sure Zoë doesn't insult said charming and memorable characters by interrupting her mid-sentence.
* Learn about alien etiquette to ensure a well-flowing conversation.
* Use your trusty notepad to help Zoë make decisions, that is if she feels like listening.
* Walk, run and jump around each location to look for items you can use during conversations.
* This also applies to useless shiny items that Zoë wants to collect for the sake of it.
* Visit Party Park, hosts of the biggest planet-warming party in the world.
_((This ad was paid for by Party Park Inc.))_
* No crying until the end.
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## OPUS: Echo of Starsong
Well then, where to start…
This game is mostly text, but there are gameplay elements, so if you like being invested in a great story, look no further. As one might guess, this takes place in space. The gameplay elements are not very complicated, though some of them are luck based. Average time for a full playthrough is around 10h. You can grab it on sale, but normally the price shouldn't be very high. The art (the scenes) is quite good, the lore is original and the world (The exploration part) is rather well-made for a 2.5D game. It is not a very difficult game. I really enjoyed it and would recommend you give it a try.
*– [Real player with 34.0 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198853116133)*
A beautiful experience with great story, deep lore, outstanding music and artworks.
The gameplay consist of planet explorations, puzzle solving, try / roll for luck mechanic tailored into this masterpiece.
If you're searching for something with deep and emotional story, try this.
The soundtracks are definitely worth the purchase. so if you can, get the game with it.
10/10 Absolutely Recommended.
*– [Real player with 28.0 hrs in game](http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198262724108)*
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## DOGGONE
_DOGGONE_ is the once in a generation story of a lost dog trying to find its way home, inspired by the animal movies we all grew up with. Featuring a vibrant Disney-inspired art style, you will fulfill the ultimate dog fantasy as you embark upon a life-altering journey back home.
It's _Homeward Bound_ meets _INSIDE_ with an art style like _Sleeping Beauty_.
#### Features
* Find your way home by journeying through a beautiful, handcrafted 2.5d world
* Sniff out points of interest and solve puzzles through Smell-O-Vision
* Dig up important items and hidden collectibles
* Bark, because… well, you're a dog!
_DOGGONE_ is a beautiful, heartfelt game and does not include violence, so in order to fulfill our promise to Phil Spencer, this will not be "like _Old Yeller_."
The best way you can support our long journey home at this early stage is to wishlist the project!
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## Mughaan
Explore far and near in the world of Mughaan while battling or sneaking past the divine beings. In an event driven environment, with a complete day and night cycle, the enemies act differently depending on the time of the day. Find your way towards your goal or change the narrative as you desire. In a game where the events don't wait for you, you have a new experience every time you play as you prioritize what you want to do.
#### Key Features
* Level Structure: Mughaan is a multi-layered side scrolling platformer, you can go far or come near apart from the traditional 2D movements; hence, giving a feeling of depth in a traditional 2D game.
* Event Driven: It is an event driven game where the world does not wait for you. This helps the player to prioritize what they want to do.
* Day and Night: With the complete day and night cycle, enemies and characters act differently depending on the time and day.
* Open: Mughaan gives freedom to the players in both exploration and action. In this open world game, you build the story you want the character to end up with.
* Majestic: The world, its history, the divine beings, art and music are all aimed to stroke an emotional experience in this fantasy world.
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## The Soldiers Factory
The Soldiers Factory is a top-down stealth game and the start of a trilogy.
Go undetected and sneak past enemy soldiers or secretly kill them. Overcome surveillance cameras and laser barricades. Use the room scanner, the taser pistol and many other weapons. But remember, the alarm will make the mission even more difficult.
The playing time on the NORMAL level of difficulty is approximately 12 hours. Of course, it depends on the player. The story takes you to several locations, which is divided into over 60 levels.
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