Booth: A Dystopian Adventure
I saw this game in the recommended on YouTube and I just clicked it and after 10 seconds I felt the vibe and I said I have to buy it. There are very few people who have reviewed this game or have done videos and tutorials about it and I feel like I fell on a gem here. Great atmosphere, 2036, you’re playing as Ned Crawford a Food Inspector that works directly for the government and your task is to live in a booth and do your work, all the time. It may seem boring, but along the days you start to meet other characters, which are all very detailed and have their own personalities, I found myself having a voice for every character and it made it much more immersive. The whole setup of a Dystopian point & click game was always the thing for me, and people want to compare it to Papers Please, but for me it’s much more in depth than Papers Please, who only focuses on the task and not much on storyline. The tasks are challenging and you have to be fast and cautious sometimes. I don’t want to spoil anything, but EVERY decision you make, every Item you take and everything you do has consequences, so beware of that, that’s part of the fun. I absolutely loved this and I could easily sit and play it and not even notice the time pass. So, I don’t really like 1-10 / 1-5 ratings, all I’m going to say is, if you have 15$ and want to support great creators for a great game that will make it worth your time and money, do it…. Papi out.
– Real player with 23.4 hrs in game
Read More: Best Atmospheric Choices Matter Games.
First off, I want to say that the fact that Booth is not getting much, much more attention is criminal. Booth has an excellent narrative, and very engaging story, interesting and functional graphics style, great music, and the setting is just so unique and cool. I really felt as if I was working the night shift (mostly) alone and doing my job 3000 feet above the ocean in a booth tethered only by cords…miles from anywhere. My occasional visitors became friends. The drama and events that occurred engrossed me completely, allowing me to feel both a sense of humanity for those I could help, along with an all-pervasive fear of Big Brother watching me the entire time. Booth is a game much in the tradition of “Papers Please” but in my firm opinion, builds upon the formula and is an even better game than its predecessor. I came into this experience not expecting much. That being said, this game moved me, engrossed me, terrified me, soothed me, and totally suspended my disbelief. It is one of if not my favorite game I have played this year and I will not soon forget my experience. It is certainly the dark horse indie game of the decade. By all means, play this game. NOW!! It deserves to be played and it needs much more recognition than it is getting. Bravo! 5/5
– Real player with 23.2 hrs in game
Road 96 🛣️
Full video review: https://youtu.be/qJ7308la4hI
Summarized version below!
I consume way too many of these narrative-driven games for my own good, but I’m always on the lookout for one that tries to do something new, something cool - so I was excited to give Road 96 a look.
Note: Trimmed review to fit character limit, check video for full version!
Gameplay:
Road 96 is basically a more involved “choose your own adventure”-type game. There are decisions to make and these decisions end up affecting what path you go down and what ending you get. You don’t just play as one protagonist, but multiple. There is a small cast of recurring characters you will meet along this journey and that’s where the meat of the game lies.
– Real player with 17.4 hrs in game
Read More: Best Atmospheric Exploration Games.
This is the model that all walking simulators should follow from now on.
It’s really good. Like most “choice” based games, no, there isn’t as much variety in actual gameplay as was originally suggested in the trailer. Many of the games roughly 200-300 conversations play out similarly in one playthrough to the next, but they may occur at different points in your journeys, and with different people. I would say that is better than most of these types of games allow…think Life is Strange, Firewatch etc, where you are on rails for pretty much the entire game and there are only changes in the flavor text as a result of your meticulously thought over actions.
– Real player with 16.1 hrs in game
The Plane Effect
I loved this game for a great many reasons and I hope you will too!
At its core “The Plane Effect” is a mystery puzzle game that unfolds as you meander through a dreamlike state, which often borders on the surreal and even nightmarish. One should note that this tale is depicted with an amazing artistry that stands unique even among the countless other “artistic indie games” out there, enacting a style that does not act simply as window-dressing but contributes to the experience on a fundamental level. Unlike many games it does not feel as if an artist was just asked to throw some pretty graphics on top of a game but rather that the art was always a core consideration when each of levels were designed.
– Real player with 17.3 hrs in game
Read More: Best Atmospheric Singleplayer Games.
The game is superb, it takes you in a world with an exclusive atmosphere. It’s peculiar and strange. The aim of the game is making you feel lonely and disoriented. It gets his objective completely. If you feel too much alone you can opt to use the GUIDED feature that helps you to overcome every kind of difficulty you may face. The puzzles are ok, the sound controls are missing.
– Real player with 8.6 hrs in game
Neon Cyborg Cat Club
I leave it on all the time for the music and because it adds some nice ambience to my room.
– Real player with 66.5 hrs in game
This is great to have one a second monitor with headphones on while working on something.
It’s even got it’s own dystopian plot to go along with it.
Brilliant.
– Real player with 6.9 hrs in game
Golf Club Wasteland
A neat little mini-golf game set in the post apocalypse. The vibes are pretty depressing, since you ARE golfing in the wasteland, but it’s easily offset by RADIO NOSTALGIA FROM MARS!!!! (There used to be a mini review here but I’m done with this game for now)
After trying out iron mode for 5-6 hours, I can confidently say that this mode is a gimmick and that the developers did not play-test this mode at all. Want proof? Check out the achievement statistics, you’ll see that the Iron mode achievement has a VERY low % of the players completing it. Clearly, this a cardinal sin of laziness, with the developers thinking that it’s okay to slap a mode like this into the game and market it but not attempt it themselves. This is a ridiculous challenge in of itself, the weakest point of the game, and you bet your ass that I’m going to give some brutally honest feedback for it.
– Real player with 26.6 hrs in game
I’m not recommending this game because the whole package is a bit of a mess, but it does has its merits.
Without talking too much about the story, it’s a bit of a mess in that when you go through and re-read it, things don’t match up or just aren’t very well told. There’s a story here, and then there’s another telling of another tiny story, and those two somewhat contradict each other a bit. The stories told on the radio are also fantastic on their own, but it paints a bit of an incongruent history that might be a bit too scathing for the things it has a bias against; to the point where it sorta ignores how the world works…but I mean, it’s a story; there’s nothing wrong with that besides making it a bit unbelieveable.
– Real player with 6.4 hrs in game
Tell Some Story: Foz
The project will not be able to surprise you with ultimatum mechanics or gameplay innovations, but it will try to keep your attention with an intriguing and rich plot, as well as non-standard visuals and atmosphere. The main task was to create an adult and serious story with contrasting visuals, in which voxel and low poly models are mixed.
The game is hardcore enough, in rare moments of shootouts, you have to show considerable ingenuity to emerge victorious from this or that situation. My advice is to read the tips, because any bullet can be the last one. The plot, which unfolds more and more with each level, will lead you to one of twelve endings, the choice of which will depend only on the player.
Features of the game:
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Action-adventure + Third person shooter.
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Specific voxel / lowpoly graphics.
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Dark cyberpunk theme.
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Extremely detailed characters.
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A cozy bar as a location.
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Intense storyline with twelve endings
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Faithful companions to help you on your adventure.
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Realistic damage system affecting both the player and his enemies.
And much more.
The Plane Effect Prologue
The game runs pretty smoothly, graphics are great. Even though this is just the first 30minutes of the whole game, I think the developers did a great job. I was slightly bit disappointed when I found out you couldn’t edit the in-game volume; this is just a demo so that doesn’t really matter. For anybody else who is reading this, you can turn the camera in all four angles for a better view. you just have to use the number keypad which is on the right side of most keyboards. and don’t forget to “buy buy buy"a game reference-
– Real player with 0.9 hrs in game
Where do I even begin. This game is not only a masterpiece. I just might have grown a bit taller after playing this and i don’t mean my height. HHAHAHA. Yes I wouldn’t say it was an easy game but for normal people they are gonna have a hard time. The metaphors not only emphasize how lonely I am but how depressed as well. Yes in every scene a new metaphor for our existence is brought to life. Yes. And i think I was married before this game but now I have no kids, NO wife. My brain hurts. HELP ME! But yeah, crazy, scary game that makes me want to question my existence agaain. AGAIN
– Real player with 0.9 hrs in game
ENCODE
I really enjoy this game, It truly nails the cyberpunk blade runner feel. No other game on steam can match this. People are giving negative reviews like its too dark, my goodness just adjust your gamma. This game has amazing detail for a small studio of only two people. They made another game blade net that was amazing as well, very unique, cyber punk feel game of hide and seek with a twist. People who leave negative reviews with only 0.5 hours of play you guys need to re think what you are doing. I have tried every cyber punk game on steam and this game really gives me that vibe, it is totally worth the low price of 19.99/17.99 its ok to point out bugs and issues but this game deserves a positive review. Look at it like this this game has so much potential but if people keep coming and dropping negative reviews after only 5 minutes of playing the game is going to do bad, and the developer might just give up, but if you play the game give good feedback more people are likely to buy the game and the devs will have more energy and resources to make more content. thank you to the devs for this game, it really enjoy it, thanks for all your hard work
– Real player with 10.3 hrs in game
What I love is that the world within the game seems so much bigger than what you see. Its atmospheric, dystopian Tokyo feel is served by an excellent soundtrack and unique narrative. Driving around was not only an entertaining part of the gameplay, it gave me an opportunity to explore the nooks and crannies of a city I had never really seen the likes of before.
I think the developer deserves kudos for building a universe that is stylistically reminiscient of Blade Runner without being trite, and filling it was sufficiently interesting things to do to capture my attention for a few hours. With some refinement and a little more time to incubate, the game would be a really hefty competitor in the cyberpunk genre. It has solid foundations and delivers on the intrigue of its concept, especially for an indie game. The uphill part of the battle is building a convincing in-game universe, even if it is a little sparse here.
– Real player with 6.2 hrs in game
NORCO
NORCO is a sci-fi Southern Gothic Adventure that immerses the player in the sinking suburbs and verdant industrial swamps of Louisiana’s petrochemical hinterlands. Your brother Blake has gone missing in the aftermath of your mother’s death. In the hopes of finding him, you must follow a fugitive security cyborg through the refineries, strip malls, and drainage ditches of suburban New Orleans.
Immerse yourself in an uncanny and surreal South Louisiana
NORCO features detail-rich and atmospheric pixel art born from the natural and industrial landscapes of South Louisiana, accompanied by the eclectic soundscapes of composer Gewgawly I.
Meet strange, unforgettable, and dangerous characters
Navigate your way through a world of uncertainty and moral ambiguity as you venture deeper into the swamp to unravel the threads left by your brother. Fight, sneak, or fast-talk your way past any hometown bullies, security contractors, or death cults that stand in your way.
Explore vast scenic landscapes of pulsing nightlife and eerie solitude
Skulk through the crowds of downtown New Orleans, recruit a wild-eyed river dog, break into a refinery, boat through cypress swamps, and explore the desolate batture woods of the Mississippi River.
Discover a world haunted by both past and future
From Southern Gothic literature to adventure game classics to experimental indies, NORCO fuses its wide sources of inspiration into something new and unseen.
NVC: That’s when your dreams began?
Catherine: Yes. Towers falling from the sky. I’d stay awake just to avoid them.
NVC: You say here that they lasted for years.
Catherine: I worry that I somehow passed them onto Kay. She’d have nightmares of cell tower lights. She said they grew closer every night.
NVC: Have you told anyone about these dreams?
Catherine: No.
NVC: And tell me about the robot.
Catherine: Million?
NVC: That’s right.
Catherine: She came to me in the parking lot when Kay was twelve or so. She knew Blue from his days at the refinery. I stared for a long time into her constellation of eyes. They swirled in a kind of desperation. I took her home, knowing it was a mistake.
The Dark World: KARMA
For some reason, you’ve returned here. Everything has become strange. Your name, your appearance, your voice, and all your memories.
Through the help of an old man, you connected with your past memories by way of a strange tape, and embarked on a journey to find your memories.
In this dark world, experience strange encounters and wade through fragmented memories. As an investigation officer, uncover the truth and find the source of all the happenings.
Gameplay
The player plays the game in first person.
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Horrifying and mysterious experience: Darkness, monsters, and unusual sounds. The bizarre environment changes randomly; turn on your volume, and always be alert of your surroundings.
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Fragmented memories: You have to pay attention to the time and space of your location. Observe and spot key personnel and events. It will help you find your way out.
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Dive: Dive into other people’s minds and experience a familiar but foreign world. You have to find the truth and solve the puzzles surrounding your memories.
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Gather, investigate and solve puzzles: Different events will occur during your investigation. In this game, you have to make inferences carefully. Obtain hints and report back to your corporation.
Features
The Shrouded City
After the Leviathan Corp took over, nothing has changed for good.
A large aircraft hovers above the city, overseeing them.
This dark forbidden zone is your home.
Solve Safety Case
As a Roam investigation officer, you’re required to move at night and complete the tasks given by the corporation stealthily.
Find the key evidence to solve the problem.
Your identity is intimidating, use it to gain entry.
Strange Hallucinations
Dive into other people’s minds. Investigate and uncover the truth.
Filled with unknowns; experience the dark side.
Final Answer
You should understand that you did not return here by coincidence. The source of all these happenings is the final answer you seek to solve.
Fulfill your duty, or…
